cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural Consequences of Deacylation of Nickel(II) Cyclidenes in Acidic and Basic Conditions

Two nickel(II) complexes with deacylated unsaturated tetraaza macrocyclic cyclidene ligands were isolated and structurally characterized. Under acidic conditions, both acyl groups attached to the γ carbons in the precursor complex are cleaved off, yielding a symmetric dicationic complex (IIIc) which retains the usual saddle shaped conformation of the 16-membered cyclidene complexes. Under basic conditions, one acyl group remains attached to the cyclidene, while the other (deacylated) chelate ring becomes singly deprotonated. This asymmetric deacylation is observed for the first time in the family of cis-dimethyl cyclidenes. The presence of a deprotonated conjugated chelate ring in the 15-membered macrocycle (VIb) results in the overall planar shape of the molecule.
Optical pseudo-random bit sequence generator using a dual-drive Mach-Zehnder modulator as a linear feedback shift register

We propose an optical pseudo-random-bit-sequence generator using a dual-drive Mach-Zehnder modulator operating as a 2-input XOR gate. The output of the modulator is detected, amplified and fed back as the input to the two RF ports with suitable time delays, thereby forming an optical linear feedback shift register capable of generating an optical PRBS data stream.
Can High Schools Reduce College Enrollment Gaps With a New Counseling Model

Despite planning college, disadvantaged students are less likely to enroll in college, particularly 4-year colleges. Beyond cost and academic achievement, previous research finds that a lack of col...
Dynamic performance analysis for non-redundant robotic manipulators in contact

This paper presents an analysis of the dynamic performance of a non-redundant robotic manipulator while in contact with a fixed environment, i.e., a rigid wall. This work extends an earlier performance characterization, the dynamic capability hypersurface, which described a manipulator's ability to accelerate and apply forces at the end-effector, given the limitations on the manipulator's motor torques. The proposed extension includes an analysis of end-effector motion constraints and friction forces and moments associated with environmental contact. This analysis is applied to a PUMA 560 manipulator.
Socioeconomic Status, Higher-Level Mathematics Courses, Absenteeism, and Student Mobility as Indicators of Work Readiness

Work readiness has been discussed in the literature since the 1980s as economic difficulties and increasing competitiveness of global markets led American manufacturers to reconsider roles, responsibilities, and skills needed of workers (O'Neil, Allred, & Baker, 1992;U. S. Department of Education, 1983). Assessing the work readiness of high school students is important because they tend to be employed in entry–level jobs after graduation and increasingly these jobs require higher skills and knowledge than students may possess (Alvarez, Gillies, & Bradsher, 2003;Lippman & Keith, 2009;National Governors Association, 2010). This skills differential is important to career technical education (CTE) because CTE has been at the forefront of providing workplace skills training in secondary and postsecondary schools throughout the past century (Scott & Sarkees–Wircenski, 2008).
Perceived risk, peer influences, and injection partner type predict receptive syringe sharing among young adult injection drug users in five U.S. cities

Objectives: This study examined risk factors for receptive syringe sharing (RSS) during illicit drug injection by persons 15–30 years old in five U.S. cities. Methods: Participants were recruited through street outreach and respondent-driven referrals in Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle between May 2002 and January 2004. Surveys of drug use, sexual behaviors, and correlates were administered through audio computerassisted self-interviews at baseline and, for the subset of participants who enrolled in an HIV/HCV prevention intervention trial, at 3-months and 6-months post-baseline. The proportions of injections involving RSS at baseline and at follow-up were used as outcomes in multivariate models that adjusted for intervention effects. Results: At baseline, 54% of 3128 participants reported RSS in the past 3 months. RSS decreased to 21% at 6-months post-baseline for the combined trial arms. Participants were more likely to report RSS if they perceived that their peers were not against RSS and if they injected with sex partners. Lower levels of perceived risk of infection with HIV (baseline, p < .001) or HCV (follow-up, p < .001) through RSS were also significant predictors of greater RSS. Conclusions: Perceived risks, peer influences, and type of injection partner were robust predictors of RSS. Perceived risks and peer influences are particularly amenable to intervention efforts that may prevent RSS in this age group. © 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Articulated Figure Positioning by Multiple Constraints

A problem that arises in positioning an articulated figure is the solution of 3D joint positions (kinematics) when goal positions, rather than joint angles, are given. If more than one such goal is o be achived, tge problem is often solved interactively by positioning or solving one component of the linkage, then adjusting another, then redoing the first, and so on. This iterative process us skiw abd tedious. We present a method that automatically solves multiple simultaneous joint position goals. The user interface offers a six-degree-of-freedom input device to specify joint angles and goal positions interactively. Examplesare used to demonstrate the power and efficiency of this method for keypositon animation.
The Multiculturalism of Fear. By Jacob T. Levy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. 268p. $29.95.

Jacob Levy argues that the multiculturalism of fear is meant to supplement, not displace, the multiculturalism of rights. Running against many recent celebrations of ethnic identity, Levy is wary of the effects that ethnic (which includes national) identity can have. Too often ethnic politics are cruel and conflictual. Levy is skeptical that a world where everyone's ethnic identity is politically recognized can be peaceful and harmonious. Yet neither can we simply wish ethnic identity away. While cultural identities are socially constructed, they are very much part of our world and so they must be dealt with. “The multiculturalism of fear,” Levy writes, “does see ethnic communities as morally important and distinctive, not because of what they provide for individuals, but because of what they risk doing to common social and political life” (p. 33).
Mobile applications for informal economies

The proliferation of mobile phones across the world, to people of all statures, has provided platform to bring computing resources to the masses. In this paper we present three mobile phone applications designed to aid the businesses and people of informal economies in developing countries. The goal of the applications is to assist in the growth of the economy through financial education and awareness and to assist and further the literacy. Each application is motivated and inspired by the needs of the women at the Saint-Louis Women's Business Center Incubator in Senegal, Africa. We present the motivations, application design and operation, and the lessons learned throughout a year of development.
Description of a new species of the fish genus Acanthoplesiops Regan (Teleostei: Plesiopidae: Acanthoclininae) from Tonga

Acanthoplesiops naka sp. n. is described from the 9.9 mm SL holotype collected at Ofolanga Island of the Ha apai Group of Tonga. Its dorsal-fin spine count of XVIII is unique in the genus. The following combination of characters also distinguishes it from congeners: first two dorsal-fin pterygiophores in the 3 rd interneural space (anterior dorsal-fin formula ?/?/I+I/I/I/I/I//I/I/I); 3 dentary pores; 2 intertemporal pores; head and body generally brownish with darker pigment spots (from shrunken melanophores), excepting a paler stripe from the anterior half of the symphyseal flap on the lower lip to the origin of the dorsal fin (continuing on to the first dorsal spine), a pale spot on the pectoralfin base, and a pale caudal peduncle continuous with pale bases of last 3 segmented dorsaland anal-fin rays; regular ctenoid scales; no membranous attachment of last dorsalor anal-fin rays to caudal fin. The new species might be the sister taxon to A. psilogaster as they share the putative derived character of two dorsal-fin pterygiophores in the 3 rd interneural space.
Does Self-Help Help?

This study evaluates the impact of participation in self-help groups for people with scoliosis and their families. In a cross-sectional study, adolescents with scoliosis, their parents, and adult scoliotics who attended scoliosis clubs (n=245) were compared with nonparticipants (n=495) who inquired about joining clubs. Although most members reported considerable satisfaction with the clubs, participation had no discernible impact on the psychosocial adjustment of the adolescent patients or their parents. Self-help groups appeared to be most beneficial for adult patients, especially those who had undergone the most demanding medical treatment.
Sensor networks: towards a theory of computation and communication of functions of measurements to a fusion center

Sensor networks consist of nodes with sensing as well as limited wireless and computation capabilities. In many applications, some statistic, or more generally function of the various sensor measurements, is required to be communicated to a fusion center. Computing and communicating such a function efficiently is an important, and perhaps a primary, task to be performed by a sensor network. We are interested in the rate at which such functions can be computed and communicated in sensor networks. It would be expected that there are more efficient approaches, in terms of the communication required, than to communicate all the raw data to the fusion center and have it compute the desired function. As may be expected, the maximum rate depends jointly on the particular structural properties of the function as well as the spatial configuration of the sensor network. In this paper, we study how this rate scales with network size for various functions and spatial configurations of interest. Our approach has two important aspects. First, we consider a simplified multihop model of wireless communication rather than the more general information theoretic one. Secondly, our approach is deterministic in that we do not model input probability distributions, but rather allow arbitrary measurement values within a fixed finite set.
Variation in Streptococcus pyogenes NAD+ Glycohydrolase Is Associated with Tissue Tropism

Streptococcus pyogenes is an important pathogen that causes a variety of diseases. The most common infections involve the throat (pharyngitis) or skin (impetigo); however, the factors that determine tissue tropism and severity are incompletely understood. The S. pyogenes NAD+ glycohydrolase (SPN) is a virulence factor that has been implicated in contributing to the pathogenesis of severe infections. However, the role of SPN in determining the bacterium's tissue tropism has not been evaluated. In this report, we examine the sequences of spn and its endogenous inhibitor ifs from a worldwide collection of S. pyogenes strains. Analysis of average pairwise nucleotide diversity, average number of nucleotide differences, and ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitutions revealed significant diversity in spn and ifs. Application of established models of molecular evolution shows that SPN is evolving under positive selection and diverging into NAD+ glycohydrolase (NADase)-active and -inactive subtypes. Additionally, the NADase-inactive SPN subtypes maintain the characteristics of a functional gene while ifs becomes a pseudogene. Thus, NADase-inactive SPN continues to evolve under functional constraint. Furthermore, NADase activity did not correlate with invasive disease in our collection but was associated with tissue tropism. The ability to cause infection at both the pharynx and the skin (“generalist” strains) is correlated with NADase-active SPN, while the preference for causing infection at either the throat or the skin (“specialist” strains) is associated with NADase-inactive SPN. These findings suggest that SPN has a NADase-independent function and prompt a reevaluation of the role of SPN in streptococcal pathogenesis.
Fuel element deformation model for fast reactor accident study code

Abstract The Fuel Deformation Program, DEFORM, in the Fast Reactor Accident Study Code, SASIA, is described. The program computes the elastic deformation of the fuel and the elastic-plastic deformation of the cladding during a temperature transient. The fuel element is divided into axial segments: the primary plane thermal deformation of each segment is calculated and then corrected for the effect of shear stresses produced by the axial and radial temperature gradients. Fuel melting along the rod centerline is taken into account, and variations in the fuel-clad gap are computed.
Dynamical Systems that Learn Subspaces

In this paper we define and study a class of nonlinear filters capable of solving a range of problems which arise in the design of adaptive analog systems. Even though the definitions used are compelling in terms of the phenomena and natural in terms of mathematics, the filters require careful analysis because they can exhibit discontinuous behavior. Using some recent results on a type of gradient flow on the orghogonal group, we are able to construct a differential equation realization of a smooth approximation to these filters.
Reduced precision for hardware ray tracing in GPUs

We propose a high performance, GPU integrated, hardware ray tracing system. We present and make use of a new analysis of ray traversal in axis aligned bounding volume hierarchies. This analysis enables compact traversal hardware through the use of reduced precision arithmetic. We also propose a new cache based technique for scheduling ray traversal. With the addition of our compact fixed function traversal unit and cache mechanism, we show that current GPU architectures are well suited for hardware accelerated ray tracing, requiring only small modifications to provide high performance. By making use of existing GPU resources we are able to keep all rays and scheduling traffic on chip and out of caches. We used simulations to estimate the performance of our architecture. Our system achieves an average ray rate of 3.4 billion rays per second while path tracing our test scenes.
Aquinas's Account of Freedom: Intellect and Will

Etude de la conception de la liberte humaine developpee par Saint Thomas d'Aquin a partir de l'interaction de l'intellect et de la volonte. Examinant la relation entre la capacite de l'homme a agir autrement, designee par la notion de libre-arbitre, en particulier, et sa capacite a la liberte, en general, l'A. se propose d'evaluer la theorie thomiste dans le contexte du debat opposant le compatibilisme et le libertarisme sur la question de la volonte libre. L'A. montre que l'incompatibilisme de saint thomas d'Aquin n'implique pas l'acceptation du principe des possibilites alternatives
Radioactive smart probe for potential corrected matrix metalloproteinase imaging.

Although various activatable optical probes have been developed to visualize metalloproteinase (MMP) activities in vivo, precise quantification of the enzyme activity is limited due to the inherent scattering and attenuation (limited depth penetration) properties of optical imaging. In this investigation, a novel activatable peptide probe 64Cu-BBQ650-PLGVR-K(Cy5.5)-E-K(DOTA)-OH was constructed to detect tumor MMP activity in vivo. This agent is optically quenched in its native form, but releases strong fluorescence upon cleavage by selected enzymes. MMP specificity was confirmed both in vitro and in vivo by fluorescent imaging studies. The use of a single modality to image biomarkers/processes may lead to erroneous interpretation of imaging data. The introduction of a quantitative imaging modality, such as PET, would make it feasible to correct the enzyme activity determined from optical imaging. In this proof of principle report, we demonstrated the feasibility of correcting the activatable optical imagi...
A New Measure of Red Tape: Introducing the Three-Item Red Tape (TIRT) Scale

ABSTRACTMuch empirical red tape research utilizes the General Red Tape (GRT) scale, which asks respondents to rate the level of red tape on a scale of 0 to 10 (Rainey, Pandey, and Bozeman 1995). Because “popular usage of the term ‘red tape’ requires no precision” (Bozeman and Feeney 2011, 3) and the GRT scale “assumes that respondents understand the terms to which they are responding” (101), evaluating red tape in this way may be theoretically disadvantageous. This article proposes a new measure—the Three-Item Red Tape (TIRT) scale—consisting of three items drawn from previous rules research on rule characteristics to which respondents characterize organizational rules by how burdensome, unnecessary, and ineffective they are. This measure has several advantages over existing measures: it includes several indicators; it does not include the term “red tape”; and it is drawn directly from Bozeman's (1993; 2000) operational definition of red tape. Using structural equation modeling to model survey data from t...
Computer simulation of screw flow of power-law fluid in eccentric annulus.

Screw flow in eccentric annulus is often encountered in drilling operation.How to calculate its flow velocity field and flow rate conveniently,quickly and exactly is an important aspect.According to the method put forward by Luo and Peden in 1987,screw flow of power-law fluid in eccentric annulus was studied and the flow rule was gained by using advanced numerical calculation language MATHCAD and modern computer simulation technique.It was observed from examples that eccentricity of drill string had major effect on the axial flow rate of Power-law screw fluid when the other parameters were invariant.The axial flow rate in the maximum eccentric annulus was 2.635 times that in concentric annulus,and 1.668 times that in the minimum-eccentric annulus;rotary velocity had a little effect on the axial flow rate,but the flow rate enhanced with the rotary velocity increase;the axial flow rate at maximum drilling string rotational speed is 1.013 times that at minimum drilling string rotary velocity.
Prevention and control of schistosomiasis in Hubei province in 2010

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of the prevention and control of schistosomiasis in Hubei province.Methods To analyze the prevention and control data of schistosomiasis of Hubei province,especially on the 22 epidemic-controlled counties during 2009 and 2010.Data from Sixty three endemic counties were analyzed,and in-depth analysis was performed in twenty-two selected counties.Field study was carried out to determine the rate of schistosome infection in the human subjects and livestock,and the data were re-checked for the accuracy.Results 5 433 endemic villages were studied,the infection rates of both human and livestock were below 3%.Data of the 63 counties were well-documented.Prevention and control data of 2010 were properly organized.The highest infection rate of human was 1.33% in Shishou city.The highest infection rate of the livestock(cattle) was 1.68% in Songzi city.Conclusion The infection rates of both human and livestock were below 3% in Hubei province.There was no acute infection of schistosome in 2010,indicating that the epidemic situations of schistosomiasis and the snail population were controlled according to the guidelines of "Criteria for control and elimination of schistosomiasis".
Reducing Vulnerability to Extreme Heat Through Interdisciplinary Research and Stakeholder Engagement

Extreme heat is a leading cause of weather-related human mortality in the United States and many countries worldwide. To reduce the negative impacts of extreme heat on human health, it is essential to understand which populations are most vulnerable. In this chapter, we discuss the interdisciplinary facets of extreme heat vulnerability, present a conceptual and analytical framework for characterizing and reducing urban vulnerability to extreme heat, and provide an example of an interdisciplinary project that examines current and future extreme heat risk within the context of North American cities. We focus on a science-policy interface of heat-health research by highlighting the stakeholder engagement as a critical component of the entire research process. We conclude with observations on how this research framework and the stakeholder engagement process can be applied to other public health and hazardous weather studies where decision-making is informed by science.
Handbook of Financial Data and Risk Information II: US residential-mortgage transfer systems: a data-management crisis

This paper reviews the current state of residential-mortgage data structures from origination through the securitization supply chain. We discuss the various uses of these data, their limitations in mortgage-risk management, and the current lack of transparency in important segments of the mortgage market. We conclude that despite the size and importance of the mortgage market in the overall U.S. economy, current data-management practices make it difficult or impossible for borrowers, lenders, investors and government regulators to perform the oversight and analysis functions necessary to maintain an orderly market and to ensure fair pricing of securities backed by those mortgages. ∗The authors gratefully acknowledge helpful contributions from Rob Freund, Patrick Greenfield, and Dwight Jaffee. †U.C. Davis School of Law, U.C. Davis, jphunt@ucdavis.edu. ‡Haas School of Business, U.C. Berkeley, stanton@haas.berkeley.edu. §Haas School of Business, U.C. Berkeley, wallace@haas.berkeley.edu.
Crimecraft: Journalists, police, and news publics in an Argentine town

Crime narratives emerge from a collaborative process that involves diverse social groups across different locales. This diffused production of stories is captured by the concept of crimecraft, which helps illuminate the relationship among news media, organized crime, and police violence in postdictatorship Argentina. There, news makers must creatively maneuver between official reports and public secrets by shifting the story's authorship from themselves to their audiences. They do this with online news forums, which provide a space for readers to anonymously criticize brutal police practices, sometimes leading to public protests. Such is the negotiated and shifting relationship between law and violence, as well as the processual and performative character of knowledge production, which crimecraft helps unpack. [police, crime, violence, media, publics, journalism, Argentina] Relatos del crimen surgen de un proceso de colaboracion que involucra a diversos grupos sociales en diferentes sitios. El concepto de crimecraft captura esta produccion difusa de historias y ayuda a aclarar las conexiones entre los medios de comunicacion, el crimen organizado y la violencia policial en Argentina. Alli, los encargados de noticias deben maniobrar de manera creativa entre los informes oficiales y secretos publicos desplazando la paternidad literaria de la historia de si mismos a sus audiencias. Lo hacen con los foros de noticias online, que proveen un espacio para que los lectores critiquen practicas brutales de la policia de forma anonima y que a veces lleva a las protestas publicas. Crimecraft sirve para esclarecer esta relacion negociada e inestable entre la ley y la violencia, asi como comprender el caracter procesual y performativo de la produccion del conocimiento. [policia, crimen, violencia, medios de comunicacion, publicos, periodismo, Argentina]
Laboratory Tack Coat Investigation of Factors Contributing to Debonding Observed at the NCAT Test Track

Asphalt pavement structural integrity relies heavily on proper bonding at lift interfaces. While it is intuitive that interface debonding leads to pavement failure, the factors contributing to debonding in the field are not well understood. The objective of this research was to further investigate layer interface debonding that occurred in the 2012 research cycle at the NCAT Test Track, where debonding was observed in several sections with relatively large amounts of recycled materials. Pavement construction and the tack coat application were closely monitored and are not believed to have contributed to the debonding. Since debonding did not occur immediately, it was suspected that environmental aging, moisture damage, recycled binder content, and mixing temperatures may have been contributing factors. This study investigated these factors by comparing the interface bond strengths—measured with a shear collar in a Marshall stability tester, of plant-mixed materials that were laboratory compacted—to field performance of the full scale sections. The same non-tracking tack type and rate used in construction was applied in the laboratory to fabricate specimens matching the field sections. To investigate time and environmental effects, a set of specimens was subjected to laboratory long term conditioning (AASHTO R30) and a set was subjected to 35 day aging. Specimens were then subjected to accelerated moisture damage (ASTM D7870). Statistical analyses of the results from the sections allowed for identification of debonding causal factors.
Heat-labile isozymes of isocitrate lyase from aging Turbatrix aceti

Abstract The temperature stabilities of pure isocitrate lyase, isolated from young and old Turbatrix aceti , have been compared. The “old” enzyme shows the presence of a heat-labile component lacking in the enzyme derived from young organisms. This component has been shown to be associated with two of the five isozymes comprising the isocitrate lyase. A mechanism is proposed which might account for the presence of altered enzymes in aged organisms.
Cenozoic Muricidae of the Western Atlantic Region: Part II--Chicoreus sensu stricto and Chicoreus (Siratus)

There are 12 presently known species of the gastropod subgenus Chicoreus sensu stricro (type: Murex ramosus Linnaeus) from the Cenozoic of the western Atlantic region. Five of the species are Recent, of these three are known also as fossils, and the balance are known only from the fossil record. In this paper all of the species are treated systematically, including one new species, Chicoreus (Chicoreus) floridanus E. H. Vokes. It is suggested that the oldest representation of the group are derivatives of European species described from the Helvetian beds of western Europe. In addition, those muricine species formerly assigned to a "Western Atlantic" subgroup of Murex s.s. are here placed in the subgenus Chicoreus (Siratus). Two specific homonyms in this group are renamed, they are: C. (Siratus) perelegans (n.n. pro Murex elegans Sowerby, non Donovan), and C. (Siratus) reevei (n.n. pro Murex trilineatus Reeve, non Sowerby).
German Media Managers: A Survey on Their Origins, Careers, and Value Orientation

Media management changed in Germany throughout the last years: There are no longer the great publishers but rather media managers who manage a media company as any commercial organization. This change has brought up questions about the role of values in media companies. What values exist and do they shift into others with the change of the management? Do media and editorial office managers nowadays have to have special knowledge for their job? This contribution discusses these questions of formation and of value-orientation of German media and editorial office managers founded on data collected about their career paths and their origins in a representative online survey.
Near-Surface Soil Water Content Measurements Using Horn Antenna Radar: Methodology and Overview

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) with a suspended 1-GHz horn antenna was deployed over bare and vegetated soil surfaces using surface reflection (SR) magnitudes and propagation times (PT) to calculate bulk soil dielectric permittivity and soil water contents. Concurrent radar measurements over sand, Millville silt loam (coarse-silty, carbonatic, mesic Typic Haploxerolls), and sand–bentonite surfaces showed rapid drainage from sand and slower drainage from higher-surface-area textured soils. Soil texture and temperature affected diurnal variations in measured water content (occurrence of minima and maxima) for both SR and 2-cm time-domain reflectometry (TDR) water content data. Measurements over wheat canopy showed that while SR values were strongly altered by canopy biomass, PT measurements remained unaffected. Wheat canopy influence on SR gradually intensified during the growth season until the canopy was removed and SR-based measurements rejoined with PT data. Hornantenna radar measurements over natural surfaces offer a promise for remote mapping of soil texture and truthing of radar data collected from air- and spaceborne platforms, and they may be used in the field for water content and vegetation biomass measurements.
Exploiting the value of class labels on high-dimensional feature spaces: topic models for semi-supervised document classification

We propose a class-based mixture of topic models for classifying documents using both labeled and unlabeled examples (i.e., in a semi-supervised fashion). Most topic models incorporate documents’ class labels by generating them after generating the words. In these models, the training class labels have small effect on the estimated topics, as they are effectively treated as just another word, amongst a huge set of word features. In this paper, we propose to increase the influence of class labels on topic models by generating the words in each document conditioned on the class label. We show that our specific generative process improves classification performance with small loss in test set log-likelihood. Within our framework, we provide a principled mechanism to control the contributions of the class labels and the word space to the likelihood function. Experiments show our approach achieves better classification accuracy compared to some standard semi-supervised and supervised topic models.
Automatic Programming of Controllers for Discrete Manufacturing Processes

Abstract This paper describes prototype software for automatically generating control programs for discrete manufacturing systems from a high-level description of the process. The control logic is synthesized from a specification of the physical resource states required to execute each operation. The software described in this paper allows the user to enter a functional description of the system into a database containing the operation sequencing conditions and related actuator and sensor data for each stage of the process. This information is then used to automatically generate programs for the on-line control computers. The current implementation supports binary sensor and actuator signals and generates control programs in Instruction List, a generic programming language for programmable logic controllers. The methodology is illustrated for the control of a conveyor system in an existing automated painting facility
Vacuolar Sequestration of Paraquat Is Involved in the Resistance Mechanism in Lolium perenne L. spp. multiflorum

Lolium perenne L. spp. multiflorum (Lam.) Husnot (LOLMU) is a winter annual weed, common to row crops, orchards and roadsides. Glyphosate-resistant populations of LOLMU are widespread in California. In many situations, growers have switched to paraquat or other postemergence herbicides to manage glyphosate-resistant LOLMU populations. Recently, poor control of LOLMU with paraquat was reported in a prune orchard in California where paraquat has been used several times. We hypothesize that the low efficacy observed is due to the selection of a paraquat-resistant biotype of LOLMU. Greenhouse dose-response experiments conducted with a susceptible (S) and the putative paraquat-resistant biotype (PRHC) confirmed paraquat resistance in PRHC. Herbicide absorption studies indicated that paraquat is absorbed faster in S than PRHC, although the maximum absorption estimates were similar for the two biotypes, indicating that differential foliar absorption of paraquat is not the cause of the resistance. Conversely, translocation of 14C-paraquat under light-manipulated conditions was restricted to the treated leaf of PRHC, whereas herbicide translocation out of the treated leaf was nearly 20 times greater in S. These results suggest that paraquat was either restricted to the apoplast or was compartmentalized within the plant cell but away from the chloroplast in PRHC. To determine whether paraquat was active within the plant cells, the photosynthetic performance was assessed after paraquat application using the parameter maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm). Results indicated that paraquat reaches the chloroplasts of PRHC, since there was a transitory inhibition of photosynthetic activity in PRHC leaves. However, PRHC Fv/Fm recovered to initial levels by 48 hours after paraquat treatment. No paraquat metabolites were found, indicating that paraquat is stable in LOLMU plant cells and resistance is not likely due to paraquat degradation. LOLMU leaf segments were exposed to paraquat following pretreatments with inhibitors of plasma membrane- and tonoplast-localized transporter systems to selectively block paraquat intracellular movement. Subsequent evaluation of membrane integrity indicated that pre-exposure to putrescine resulted in the resistant biotype responding to paraquat similarly to S. These results strongly indicate that vacuolar sequestration is involved in the resistance to paraquat in this population of LOLMU.
What are the effects of neuromuscular training on muscle activation

Female athletes are up to eight times more likely than their male counterparts to injure their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This could be because female athletes demonstrate less knee flexion ...
High internal noise and poor external noise filtering characterize perception in autism spectrum disorder

An emerging hypothesis postulates that internal noise is a key factor influencing perceptual abilities in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Given fundamental and inescapable effects of noise on nearly all aspects of neural processing, this could be a critical abnormality with broad implications for perception, behavior, and cognition. However, this proposal has been challenged by both theoretical and empirical studies. A crucial question is whether and how internal noise limits perception in ASD, independently from other sources of perceptual inefficiency, such as the ability to filter out external noise. Here, we separately estimated internal noise and external noise filtering in ASD. In children and adolescents with and without ASD, we computationally modeled individuals’ visual orientation discrimination in the presence of varying levels of external noise. The results revealed increased internal noise and worse external noise filtering in individuals with ASD. For both factors, we also observed high inter-individual variability in ASD, with only the internal noise estimates significantly correlating with severity of ASD symptoms. We provide evidence for reduced perceptual efficiency in ASD that is due to both increased internal noise and worse external noise filtering, while highlighting internal noise as a possible contributing factor to variability in ASD symptoms.
The Nautical Archaeology of Lake Champlain

Lake Champlain is not the largest body of fresh water in North America, but its location has given it an importance in history far beyond its size. The lake extends for 193 km (120 mi) between the border of northeastern New York and western Vermont. At its southern end, the lake is separated from the Hudson River by a relatively short overland distance; at its northern end, it drains into Canada’s St. Lawrence River. In the age preceding the railroad, when transportation on the continent relied almost exclusively on waterborne craft, the proximity and orientation of the Hudson, Champlain, and St. Lawrence waterways facilitated the passage of people and goods between the mid-Atlantic seaboard and Canada. Explorers, armies, navies, settlers, merchants, and tourists sailed the length of Lake Champlain for nearly four centuries in an ebb and flow of humanity that has helped to define the course of North American history.
Contractile properties of isolated vascular smooth muscle after photoradiation

The purpose of this study was to characterize the responses of various types of vascular smooth muscle to conditions that would be encountered during photodynamic therapy, namely laser illumination of photosensitizer-pretreated tissue. Vascular smooth muscle obtained from representative canine, rodent, and rabbit vascular beds was cut into rings and placed in organ baths (37 degrees C, aerated with 95% O2-5% CO2). These vessels were pretreated for 30 min with the photosensitizer hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD, 3-30 micrograms/ml) washed, and then exposed to red laser light (633 nm, 1-3.5 mW) for up to 20 min. Under basal tension conditions laser illumination of HpD-pretreated vessels resulted in an increase in tension, whereas laser illumination of vessels not exposed to HpD did not contract. This sustained contraction was not reversed by washing the tissue with fresh Krebs-Ringer solution. Responses to norepinephrine, transmural electrical stimulation, and elevated concentrations of KCl were reduced in blood vessels tested after HpD laser illumination. Laser-induced contractions of canine carotid arteries did not require the presence of an intact vascular endothelium. Vascular effect of these photosensitizers appears to involve the formation of oxygen-derived radicals. This preparation could provide a good model for examining the effects of free radicals on vascular physiology.
An Anthropomorphic Head and Neck Quality Assurance Phantom for Credentialing of Intensity-Modulated Proton Therapy.

Abstract Purpose: To design and commission a head and neck (H&N) anthropomorphic phantom that the Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core Houston (IROC-H) can use to verify the quality of intensity-mod...
The Utilization of On-Line Monitors at EBR-II for Sodium Purity

The Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) primary sodium system is equipped with continuous monitors for oxygen and hydrogen impurities in the sodium. The sensors of these monitors have been incorporated into a modularized system that was developed for nuclear reactor applications for sodium temperature and sodium flow-rate conditioning. The oxygen meter calibration is provided by periodic analysis of the oxygen in sodium by the vanadium-equilibration method. The hydrogen meter is a direct reading device and does not require on-line calibration. Typically, the impurity content of the sodium has been shown to be quite stable at 0.6- to 1.0-ppm oxygen and 0.06- to 0.08-ppm hydrogen. On-line carbon monitors are not presently in use at EBR-II. A single determination of the chemical activity carhon in sodium gave a result of 0.002 relative to graphite and is about the same value as measured in other clean'' stainless steel-sodium systems. Plans are being made to equip the EBR-II secondary system with ten hydrogen meters that will be used for detecting the onset of steam-to- sodium leaks such that corrective action can be taken before the leak enlarges and propagates to adjacent tubes. 13 references. (auth)
The action of ATP on natural actomyosin

Abstract 1. 1. When ATP is added to Limulus myosin B and the mixture is centrifuged at 50,000 rev/min for 3 hr to dissociate it into a supernatant of myosin and a pellet of actin, the results are contrary to expectation. The pellet does contain actin but no more than one obtains if the ATP is omitted. The supernatant also contains actin. 2. 2. If this is done in the Model E centrifuge, the major peak disappears upon ATP addition and a new peak, sedimenting at a rate typical of myosin, appears. When only this slow moving peak is run on SDS gels, actin is clearly seen. 3. 3. It is concluded that ATP does not dissociate this actomyosin but rather causes a conformational change.
Stability of compact leaves of foliations

If a smooth foliation of a manifold M has a compact leaf L, conditions on the holonomy of L are given ensuriing that every nearby foliation has a unique compact leaf near L.
Ethnic Differences in Psycholinguistic Abilities

This article summarizes the results of several research studies on the psycholinguistic abilities, as measured by the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities, of three ethnic groups, Blacks, Indians, and Mexican Americans. Black children appear to have superior ability (as compared to their other abilities and to other ethnic groups) in short term auditory sequential memory, while Indian and Mexican American children appear to have superior ability in short term visual sequential memory. The author hypothesizes that ethnic group differences may be accounted for by different child rearing practices among the ethnic groups.
High rate BCI with portable devices based on EEG

Abstract The steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) signal is widely utilized for Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) that enable a direct communication between a user and an external device. Most devices in high-bit-rate SSVEP-based BCI, however, are lab-oriented and expensive, and thus not suitable for personal use in daily life. In this paper, we aim to investigate the feasibility of implementing high-bit-rate BCI using consumer-grade portable devices. We utilize a portable EEG headset to capture brain activities and extract user׳s intention from the weak and noisy signal through an optimization framework. We investigate several important factors that affect the bit rate and finally maximize the bit rate with the best choices of these factors. We can achieve 54.8 bits/min on a normal computer monitor, which is comparable to the result with expensive devices, and 17.3 bits/min on a smartphone screen, which is the first work of such on a smartphone screen. Our work can be easily integrated into security application such as defending against shoulder-surfing attacks, and assist patients with reduced motor abilities as well.
Evaluation of coastal wetland soil properties in a degrading marsh

Abstract Coastal salt marshes consist of a mosaic of vegetated and open water features, which naturally evolve and change over time. However, the rapid expansion of open water areas has been associated with marsh degradation and there is a growing need for detailed studies as coastal wetlands continue to degrade under increasing rates of sea level rise and related stressors. Yet, few studies investigate soil physicochemical and biogeochemical properties within different marsh landscape features, which could provide insight into mechanisms of the formation and expansion of open water areas. The current study compared wetland soil physical and microbial properties observed in vegetated areas with shallow open water areas called pannes, identifying a number of significant differences. Panne soils possessed lower bulk density, total C, N, P, SOC, DOC, and SRP compared with vegetated marsh areas, suggesting a shift in nutrient pools as vegetated areas transition into shallow open water features. Panne features also displayed significantly lower microbial pool sizes and processing rates than vegetated marsh soils, suggesting reduced capacity for nutrient processing in open water areas. Further, extractable NH4-N was highest in the panne soils suggesting that the absence of macrophytes decreased N uptake in open water areas. Also related to the lack of vascular plants, extractable DOC in pannes averaged less than half the concentration found in vegetated marsh areas, despite a smaller difference in soil total C. Results underscore the importance of incorporating heterogeneous landscape soil conditions when evaluating marsh degradation and considering potential restoration activities.
Query Processing on Large Graphs: Scalability Through Partitioning

Graphs, as an expressive data structure, have become increasingly important for modeling real-world applications (collaboration, different kinds of transactions, social networks, to name a few.) With the advent of social networks and the web, the graphs have grown too large to fit in main memory. This calls for alternative approaches, algorithms, and their analysis to develop an efficient, scalable evaluation of queries on graphs of any size.
Abstract P389: Smoking, Biomarkers and Ischemic Stroke Risk: The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Cohort

Introduction: Identifying biological pathways that mediate the increased stroke risk in smokers may allow study of novel strategies to reduce risk. In the REGARDS study, we evaluated the associatio...
Needs Assessment of Emergency Department Residents in Examining and Managing Patients with Ophthalmologic Complaints

Purpose Emergency medicine residents are trained to deal with a variety of emergency conditions; eye emergencies represent only a small portion of their clinical experience. This study was a targeted needs assessment of the comfort level of emergency medicine residents in diagnosing and managing patients who present with an ophthalmic chief complaint, with the goal of targeting future educational interventions. Methods This was a cross sectional survey conducted at a large tertiary-care hospital between June 2016 and August 2016. Participants were 1st, 2nd, or 3rd year emergency medicine residents in an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-approved emergency medicine residency. Results The total response rate was 67.4% (29/43). The majority of residents did not expect equivalent availability of ophthalmology consultation services post-graduation. They generally believed ophthalmology and examination skills to be important to their future career and became more comfortable with the slit lamp exam through residency, although the average level of comfort was only 6.9 on a 1 to 10 scale for 3rd year residents (standard deviation [SD] = 2.6). A majority of residents were not confident with their diagnostic, examination, or management skills when queried about specific ophthalmic conditions or presenting symptoms. They indicated a variety of reasons why their comfort with ophthalmologic patients was limited. Conclusion There is both need and desire for increased ophthalmic skills training for emergency medicine residents. Given time constraints in residency training, possible solutions will need to be innovative and multifaceted in order to target this goal.
EPILEPTIC Seizure Classification Using Gradient Tree Boosting Classifier

Analysis of electroencephalography (EEG) is widely used for the diagnosis of epilepsy in which relevant information extraction from EEG signals poses great challenge due to noise and interference with various environmental factors. This paper proposes a binary classification system through which EEG signals are analyzed to distinguish between ictal and normal signals. For this purpose discrete wavelet transform (DWT), along with gradient boosting is used for classification. Two level, Daubechies order 4 wavelet are used to decompose the signal into three sub-bands after which Hjorth mobility and Hjorth complexity are calculated from these sub-bands resulting in a 6-dimensional feature vector. We use two benchmark datasets in our experimentation i.e., the Bonn's dataset and CHB-MIT dataset. We establish our classifier using training samples from the Bonn's dataset. Classification accuracy of 99.4% is achieved when tested on same dataset using different samples. To validate the effectiveness and better generalization of our system, we cross-test on CHB-MIT dataset which yielded accuracy of 96.8%. Achieved performance surpasses previous state of the art technologies, giving better classification results than other well-known techniques used for seizure classification. Considering low feature dimension and hence decreasing complexity, coupled with the high performance on both datasets prove the given method to be favourable for distinguishing between epileptic and non-epileptic EEG signals.