cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distributions of Invasive Arthropods across Heterogeneous Urban Landscapes in Southern California: Aridity as a Key Component of Ecological Resistance

Urban systems often support large numbers of non-native species, but due to the heterogeneity of urban landscapes, species are not evenly distributed. Understanding the drivers of ecological resistance in urban landscapes may help to identify habitats that are most resistant to invasion, and inform efforts to model and conserve native biodiversity. We used pitfall traps to survey non-native ground-dwelling arthropods in three adjacent, low-elevation habitat types in southern California: California sage scrub, non-native grassland, and suburban development. We found that non-native species were fewer and less widely distributed in the sage scrub and grassland habitats. Due to the proximity of our sites, differences in propagule pressure is an unlikely explanation. Instead, we suggest that the absence of water subsidies in the sage scrub and grassland habitats increases those habitats’ resistance to arthropod invasions. Comparisons to studies conducted at fragments closer to the coast provide further support for the relationship between aridity and invasibility in southern California. Our findings highlight that inland fragments are important for conserving native arthropod diversity, that models of non-native species distributions in arid and semi-arid urban systems should include aridity measures, and that reducing resource subsidies across the region is critical to mitigating spread of non-natives.
Auto-ethnography, Visual Sociology, Photography and Quantum Connections: 1990s to Present

The 1990s, along with the development of peacemaking criminology, was a time for Richard to begin his return home, to the “old place.” Resettling at Northern Illinois University in the 1980s, some 60 miles away from the family farm, he was to engage more intensely on self-discovery, the meaning of it all, a quest for understanding. The 80s and 90s marked multiple forms of expression. Toward this end we witness his informal and formal writings in auto-ethnography, visual sociology, photography, and to engage some connections between Eastern Philosophy and quantum mechanics. He developed his own publishing company where he published his work, unrestrained by the constraints of publishing companies and dogma of conventional thinking, books that were bound in the old traditional cloth style.
A prospective study of focal brain atrophy, mobility and fitness

Background The parallel decline of mobility and cognition with ageing is explained in part by shared brain structural changes that are related to fitness. However, the temporal sequence between fitness, brain structural changes and mobility loss has not been fully evaluated. Methods Participants were from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, aged 60 or older, initially free of cognitive and mobility impairments, with repeated measures of fitness (400-m time), mobility (6-m gait speed) and neuroimaging markers over 4 years (n = 332). Neuroimaging markers included volumes of total brain, ventricles, frontal, parietal, temporal and subcortical motor areas, and corpus callosum. Autoregressive models were used to examine the temporal sequence of each brain volume with mobility and fitness, adjusted for age, sex, race, body mass index, height, education, intracranial volume and APOE ɛ4 status. Results After adjustment, greater volumes of total brain and selected frontal, parietal and temporal areas, and corpus callosum were unidirectionally associated with future faster gait speed over and beyond cross-sectional and autoregressive associations. There were trends towards faster gait speed being associated with future greater hippocampus and precuneus. Higher fitness was unidirectionally associated with future greater parahippocampal gyrus and not with volumes in other areas. Smaller ventricle predicted future higher fitness. Conclusion Specific regional brain volumes predict future mobility impairment. Impaired mobility is a risk factor for future atrophy of hippocampus and precuneus. Maintaining fitness preserves parahippocampal gyrus volume. Findings provide new insight into the complex and bidirectional relationship between the parallel decline of mobility and cognition often observed in older persons.
Chapter 7 – Water Movement in Saturated Soil

This chapter gives Darcy's law for the movement of water in saturated soil. The hydraulic conductivity, a coefficient in Darcy's law, is described. Laplace's equation, derived from Darcy's law and the equation of continuity, is presented. The ellipse equation, another important equation for saturated flow, is discussed. It is also called the Colding equation and is used to determine spacing of drains. The importance of the ellipse, an Apollonian curve, in other applications is cited. Because Darcy's law is a linear flow law, linear flow laws are defined, and common ones used in soil– and plant–water relations are stated. A biography of Apollonius is given in the first appendix, and a biography of Darcy is given in the second appendix.
The Case for Digital Activism: Refuting the Fallacies of Slacktivism

Digital technologies have enabled a wider breadth of political participation. The barriers to participate and share political material, and to activate be part of wider political action has been significantly lowered. However, this lowered threshold seems to have brought with it a discussion of what level of activity should be required of political participation. To critics of online political participation the effortlessness of signaling political stances is easily criciised and forms part of a wider critique of the slackers using digtal technology. This slacker activism has been readily denigrated as slacktivism. The goal of this paper is to challenge this derrogative designation. By comparing online and offline activism this paper argues that tthe term does not bring a substantive argument to the discussion of the role of technology in online political participation, but rather is a form of digital discrimination where those uttering the term are more negative towards the potential of technology than aware of it's formative role in the shaping of the activist persona.
Model Study of Dynamically Loaded Arch Structures

The Waterways Experiment Station (WES) is conducting a major research program to determine the response of buried, protective structures subjected to the effects of nuclear detonations. As a part of this program, a series of laboratory model and prototype structures was tested dynamically in the Blast Load Generator facility located at WES to evaluate the use of scale-model tests in predicting the elastic response of a laboratory-size prototype structure to dynamic loads. The results of tests of three metal arch structures having diameters of 8 in., 16 in., and 24 in., respectively, placed at various depths of burial in dry sand and subjected to ground surface overpressures ranging from 57 psi to 196 psi is presented. Peak dynamic deflections, strains, thrusts, and moments were adequately predicted for a laboratory-size prototype from the results of scale-model tests. The model theory was substantiated, at least within the limits of the experiment. The effect of depth of burial on the response of the test structures is also examined.
Computational Identification of Repeat-Containing Proteins and Systems

Repetitive sequence elements in proteins and nucleic acids are often signatures of adaptive or reprogrammable systems in nature. Known examples of these systems, such as transcriptional activator-like effectors (TALE) and CRISPR, have been harnessed as powerful molecular tools with a wide range of applications including genome editing. The continued expansion of genomic sequence databases raises the possibility of prospectively identifying new such systems by computational mining. By leveraging sequence repeats as an organizing principle, here we develop a systematic genome mining approach to explore new types of naturally adaptive systems, five of which are discussed in greater detail. These results highlight the existence of a diverse range of intriguing systems in nature that remain to be explored and also provide a framework for future discovery efforts.
Structure and chemistry of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on a high capacity conversion-based anode: NiO

Electroanalytical techniques are specialized tools with high-sensitivity that when combined with electron transfer theory can shed light on the mechanisms of highly complex, heterogeneous, multi-step reactions. This study focuses on competitive reactions between the formation of the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) and the conversion reaction of a NiO Li-ion metal oxide anode as a function of state-of-charge (SOC). To our knowledge, this work is the first thorough analysis for the formation of the SEI on a conversion-based anode. NiO oxide was chosen because of recent reports in half cells and full cells showing good high-rate performance, though it is believed that NiO may act as a representative material for many of the conversion anodes. Galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) is applied to probe both the complex diffusional processes and the electrokinetic phenomena along the reaction pathway. Butler–Volmer (BV) and Marcus–Hush–Chidsey (MHC) models are used to investigate the reaction transfer coefficients and reorganizational energies at the inner/outer Helmholtz plane of the electrode/electrolyte interface. Next, the effective transfer coefficient is extracted and analyzed to provide new mechanistic insight into the rate determining step and the reaction pathway at different SOC.
Modeling the impact of carbon dioxide leakage into an unconfined, oxidizing carbonate aquifer

Multiphase, reactive transport modeling was used to identify the mechanisms controlling trace metal release under elevated CO2 conditions from a well-characterized carbonate aquifer. Modeling was conducted for both batch and column experiments. The column experiments resulted in higher trace metal concentrations because the rock to water ratio was higher. A kinetic desorption model fits the overall trends in release for seven trace metals observed in batch and column experiments exposing Edwards Aquifer material to elevated concentrations of CO2. Observed and predicted trace metal concentrations are compared to groundwater concentrations from this aquifer to determine the potential for leaking CO2 to adversely impact drinking water quality. Finally, a three-dimensional multiphase flow and reactive-transport simulation of CO2 leakage from an abandoned wellbore into a generalized model of the shallow, unconfined portion of the aquifer is used to determine potential impacts on groundwater quality. As a measure of adverse impacts on groundwater quality, both the EPA’s regulatory limits and the maximum trace metal concentration observed in the aquifer were used as threshold values. Results of the field-scale simulations indicate that CO2 leakage into a carbonate aquifer is likely to cause decreases in pH and increases in TDS beyond observed ranges in the aquifer and beyond regulatory limits. However, trace metal concentrations are not predicted to exceed either the observed maximums or the regulatory limits.
The Public Trust Doctrine and Wolf-Livestock Conflict Management in Oregon

Oregon's Public Trust Doctrine extends to all wildlife species, not just game species. The state often fails to fulfill its fiduciary duties when forming wolf management policy. In particular, wolf-livestock conflict management often favors concentrated private industry profits over the public interest. Oregon extirpated its native wolf population by the mid 1900's. Wolves began to recolonize their former territory in 1999. Livestock producers, who had become accustomed to wolf-free grazing lands, strongly opposed wolf recovery. The wolf delisting process has begun, despite the fact that the statewide wolf population is below 100. Delisting would allow the state to conduct aggressive lethal management of wolves that attack cattle. This article discusses Public Trust violations inherent to lethal management of wolves in response to livestock depredation.
Pulmonary Hypertension and Right Ventricular Failure in Emergency Medicine

Pulmonary hypertension is a hemodynamic condition, defined as a mean pulmonary artery pressure by right-sided heart catheterization of at least 25 mm Hg at rest. It is classified into 5 general groups based on the underlying cause, with left ventricular failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease being 2 of the most common causes in the United States. Although the specifics of the pathophysiology will vary with the cause, appreciating the risks of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure is critical to appropriately evaluating and resuscitating pulmonary hypertension patients in the emergency department (ED). Patients may present to the ED with complaints related to pulmonary hypertension or unrelated ones, but this condition will affect all aspects of care. Exertional dyspnea is the most common symptom attributable to pulmonary hypertension, but the latter should be considered in any ED patient with unexplained dyspnea on exertion, syncope, or signs of right ventricular dysfunction. Patients with right ventricular failure are often volume overloaded, and careful volume management is imperative, especially in the setting of hypotension. Vasopressors and inotropes, rather than fluid boluses, are often required in shock to augment cardiac output and reduce the risk of exacerbating right ventricular ischemia. Intubation should be avoided if possible, although hypoxemia and hypercapnia may also worsen right-sided heart function. Emergency physicians should appreciate the role of pulmonary vasodilators in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension and recognize that patients receiving these medications may rapidly develop right ventricular failure and even death without these therapies. Patients may require interventions not readily available in the ED, such as a pulmonary artery catheter, inhaled pulmonary vasodilators, and mechanical support with a right ventricular assist device or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Therefore, early consultation with a pulmonary hypertension specialist and transfer to a tertiary care center with invasive monitoring and mechanical support capabilities is advised.
Some Properties of Linear Functionals and Adjoint Operators.

Publisher Summary By using the dual space A d = {1} formed by all the functionals 1 = 1{x}, defined on a given linear space A ={x}, it is shown that every linear operator T defined on A corresponds to a mapping Td defined on A d . If the dual space A d in some way is mapped back onto the original space A, the dual operator T d is mapped on another linear operator T a defined on A called the adjoint operator to T, i.e. if x → 1 → x, then Tx → T d 1 → T a x. As there are many ways to carry out the mapping 1 → x , e.g. by various types of binary products, there is a multitude of adjoint operators T a , which usually have the property (T a ) a ≠ T a . Some of the main types, which are based on binary products linear in both positions, or linear in one and anti-linear in the other, are discussed in somewhat greater detail. If the binary product in the latter case has hermitean symmetry, there exists an hermitean adjoint T † having the property (T † ) † = T † . The features of these adjoint operators under linear transformations of the reference basis in the original space A = {x} are also discussed. Some of the results are further applied to the mappings of the dual space on another linear space B={y}, and to the mappings of the original space A= {x} on this other linear space B = {y}.
Structure and Function of Mammalian Ribosomes I. Isolation and Characterization of Active Liver Ribosomal Subunits

Wo have developed a method for preparation and purification of active ribosomal subunits from rat and mouse liver. Our technique involvea incubating purified polysomes with all components for protein synthesis until all competent ribosomes have terminated and released their polypeptide chain. Upon kreatment of such an incubation mixture with 0.5 M-KCl, followed by sucrose gradient centrifugation in 0.3 M-KC1 and 0.002 or 0.003 M-magnesium acetate, 80 to 90% of all ribosomea are found as 60 s and 40 s subunits. These subunits can be concentrated from the gradient fractions by ethanol precipitation. The purified subunits, when recombined, spontaneously associate to 80 s couples in the absence of transfer RNA, messenger RNA or supernatant factors. When supplied with poly U and the other components required for in, w&o polypeptide synthesis, the subunits polymerize 16 to 20 phenylalanine residues per subunit couple present in the reaction mixture. Furthermore, at least 50 to 65% of the subunits actually participate in polyphenylalanine synthesis. At least 90% of the RNA of the purified subunits is intact as shown by sedimentation analysis of lithium dodecyl sulfatetreated particles. The purified 60 s subunit contains the enzymic site for the catalysis of peptide bond formation. This reaction is sensitive to anisomycin, an inhibitor of mammalian protein synthesis, but is not affected by the bacterial inhibitor chloramphenicol nor by cyclohexamide, an inhibitor of translocation in mammalian systems. The proteins from 40 s and 60 s subunits and from polysomes were analyzed and compared by acrylamide gel okkrophorosis.
How narrow is narrowband? [adaptive array signal processing]

The "narrowband" or zero-bandwidth assumption is often made in the analysis of array signal processing algorithms. This paper provides both a definition and expression which precisely define the notion of narrowband The expression accurately predicts the point when the "narrowband" assumption fails for some superresolution algorithms, the Cramer Rao bound on angle estimation and the signal-to-interference-plus-noise performance of adaptive beamformers. Hence it is a useful design point for many types of sensor array systems.
The Market Valuation of Bank Shares: With Implications for the Value Additivity Principle

This paper examines the capital market's pricing of cash flow producing activities of U.S. banks. A multiple regression methodology is used in conjunction with an extensive, cross section-time series data set spanning the years 1974 through 1991. This data set and methodology provide the basis for a unique test of the value additivity principle as well as insight into how banks have responded to the changing technological, competitive and regulatory environments. Overall the results support the value additivity principle until 1983. However, statistically significant deviations from the value additivity principle are identified across all subgroups beginning in 1984. Important product innovations, changing technology, and regulatory and competitive changes appear to have provided banks with greater opportunities and incentives for the expansion and linkage of cash flow producing activities.
New invariants for incidence structures

We exhibit a new, surprisingly tight, connection between incidence structures, linear codes, and Galois geometry. To this end, we introduce new invariants for finite simple incidence structures \({\mathcal{D}}\), which admit both an algebraic and a geometric description. More precisely, we will associate one invariant for the isomorphism class of \({\mathcal{D}}\) with each prime power q. On the one hand, we consider incidence matrices M with entries from GF(qt) for the complementary incidence structure \({\mathcal{D}^*}\), where t may be any positive integer; the associated codes C = C(M) spanned by M over GF(qt); and the corresponding trace codes Tr(C(M)) over GF(q). The new invariant, namely the q-dimension\({{\rm dim}_q(\mathcal{D}^*)}\) of \({\mathcal{D}^*}\), is defined to be the smallest dimension over all trace codes which may be obtained in this manner. This modifies and generalizes the q-dimension of a design as introduced in Tonchev (Des Codes Cryptogr 17:121–128, 1999). On the other hand, we consider embeddings of \({\mathcal{D}}\) into projective geometries \({\Pi = PG(n, q)}\), where an embedding means identifying the points of \({\mathcal{D}}\) with a point set V in \({\Pi}\) in such a way that every block of \({\mathcal{D}}\) is induced as the intersection of V with a suitable subspace of \({\Pi}\). Our main result shows that the q-dimension of \({\mathcal{D}^*}\) always coincides with the smallest value of N for which \({\mathcal{D}}\) may be embedded into the (N − 1)-dimensional projective geometry PG(N − 1, q). We also give a necessary and sufficient condition when actually an embedding into the affine geometry AG(N − 1, q) is possible. Several examples and applications will be discussed: designs with classical parameters, some Steiner designs, and some configurations.
Developing Person-Centered IEPs.

Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) must be reviewed and revised at least annually as stipulated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Reauthorization of IDEA in 1997 included specific requirements for students with disabilities and their families to become full-fledged participants on IEP teams. The change signaled a movement from an institution-centered to a person-centered approach. This article outlines person-centered planning (PCP) methods to assist parents and professionals in this process. First, we offer a brief review of literature summarizing parents' and professionals' opinions about the value of the IEP. Then, two methods of person-centered planning are explained and illustrated via two case studies. We describe our uses of PCP methods for IEPs and finally conclude by suggesting ways that PCP methods may improve the overall outcomes for students in special education programs.
Standards, techno-economic networks, and playing fields: Performing the global market economy

ABSTRACT This paper explores the construction of what the authors term a ‘tripartite standards regime’ (TSR) by looking at the pragmatic emergence of standards development organizations (SDOs) and national accreditation bodies (NABs). The authors explain how, through their network of audit, the TSR is entangling intermediaries and processes into specific supply chains. Moreover, they argue that the emphasis placed on the role of ‘metrology’ is overstated in the literature. Rather, the concept of ‘standards’ better captures the more complex, underlying processes involved in the construction of the TSR. They present evidence gathered through a review of data collected from SDOs’ and NABs’ websites, official documents, international trade agreements, and the directories published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the International Organization for Standardization. They argue that the TSR acts as a techno-economic network that is global in reach and serves a key coordinating role in fa...
Characterization of the microstructure and mechanical properties of a 50.3Ni–29.7Ti–20Hf shape memory alloy

The alloy 50.3Ni–29.7Ti–20Hf (at.%) exhibits attractive high-temperature shape memory properties. To determine the effect of aging on the behavior of this alloy, isothermal constant strain rate compression testing was performed at temperatures above the austenite finish temperature. This revealed that the alloy strength and the temperature range for pseudoelasticity vs. austenite plasticity was strongly influenced by aging. Electron microscopy has revealed precipitates rich in hafnium with a novel ordered structure relative to the B2 austenite phase form during aging.
Maximum-likelihood statistics of multiple quantum phase measurements

Shapiro, Shepard, and Wong [Phys. Rev. Lett. 62, 2377 (1989)] suggested that a scheme of multiple phase measurements, using quantum states with minimum ``reciprocal peak likelihood,'' could achieve a phase sensitivity scaling as 1/${\mathit{N}}_{\mathrm{tot}}^{2}$, where ${\mathit{N}}_{\mathrm{tot}}$ is the mean number of photons available for all measurements. We have simulated their scheme for as many as 240 measurements and have found optimum phase sensitivities for 3\ensuremath{\le}${\mathit{N}}_{\mathrm{tot}}$\ensuremath{\le}120; a power-law fit to the simulated data yields a phase sensitivity that scales as 1/${\mathit{N}}_{\mathrm{tot}}^{0.82\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01}$. By using a combination of numerical and analytical techniques, we extend our results to higher values of ${\mathit{N}}_{\mathrm{tot}}$ than are accessible to our simulations; we find no evidence for phase sensitivities better than the benchmark 1/${\mathit{N}}_{\mathrm{tot}}$ sensitivity of squeezed-state interferometry. We conclude that reciprocal peak likelihood is not a good measure of phase sensitivity. We discuss other factors that are important to phase sensitivity.
A Drosophila mutation that reduces sodium channel number confers resistance to pyrethroid insecticides

Abstract The no action potential, temperature-sensitive (nap ts ) mutation in Drosophila melanogaster confers resistance to the pyrethroids fenvalerate and permethrin. Additionally we have found that females are more resistant to pyrethroids than males. Piperonyl butoxide can suppress this resistance in a long pyrethroid exposure (>45 min) but has less of an effect during shorter exposures. Since the pyrethroid resistance of nap ts can be suppressed by piperonyl butoxide, the nap mutant appears to define a phenotypically different locus than the kdr mutant in house flies. Previous work has demonstrated that the nap ts mutation decreases the number of saxitoxin-binding sodium channels. We propose that the presence of fewer sodium channels in mutant flies delays knockdown by pyrethroids, which act as channel agonists. This delay allows other mechanisms to come into play which, in turn, allow survivial. This model is supported by the finding that the nap resistance can be mimicked by feeding wild-type flies a sublethal dose of tetrodotoxin to reduce the number of functional channels. Although the nap ts mutation is resistant to sodium channel agonists, the same single gene mutation causes enhanced sensitivity to the sodium channel antagonist, tetrodotoxin. These observations suggest that an effective way to deal with this form of hereditary insecticide resistance might be to simultaneously administer a sodium channel antagonist, along with the pyrethroid. However, our results illustrate a difficulty with such an approach. We demonstrate that sublethal doses of a channel antagonist cause “pharmacological” resistance to pyrethroids even in wild-type strains.
Stable and reactive body image disturbances in bulimia nervosa

Women diagnosed bulimia nervosa (n=18) were matched on height and weight with women screened for the absence of anorexia or bulimia nervosa (n=18). These subjects were administered several measures of body image before and after an experimental manipulation (consuming a candy bar and soft drink) designed to activate weight concerns. At baseline bulimics differed from controls in that they judged current body size to be larger and preferred to be thinner than controls. Following the experimental manipulation, bulimics judged actual body size to have increased, whereas controls were unaffected by the manipulation. Judgments of ideal body size were unaffected by the manipulation. It was concluded that judgment of actual body size may be a more reactive, dynamic variable, whereas judgment of ideal body size may be a relatively stable “trait” variable. These findings were supportive of behavioral models of bulimia nervosa, which emphasize body image reactivity as a motivational determinant of extreme weight-control behavior, e.g., purging or restrictive eating.
Flame Transfer Functions for Liquid-Fueled Swirl-Stabilized Turbulent Lean Direct Fuel Injection Combustion

Heat release rate responses to inlet fuel modulations, i.e., the flame transfer function (FTF), are measured for a turbulent, liquid-fueled, swirl-stabilized lean direct fuel injection combustor. Fuel modulations are achieved using a motor-driven rotary fuel valve designed specially for this purpose, which is capable of fuel modulations of up to 1 kHz. Small-amplitude fuel modulations, typically below 2.0% of the mean fuel, are applied in this study. There is almost no change in FTFs at different fuel-modulation amplitudes, implying that the derived FTFs are linear and that the induced heat release rate oscillations mainly respond to variations in the instantaneous fuel flow rate rather than in the droplet size and distribution. The gain and phases of the FTFs at different air flow rates and preheat temperatures are examined. The instantaneous fuel flow rate is determined from pressure measurements upstream of a fuel nozzle. Applications of the FTF to modeling and control of combustion instability and lean blowout are discussed.
Determinants of sperm precedence in a noctuid moth Heliothis virescens: a role for male age

1. Females of the noctuid moth Heliothis virescens F. mate more than once. Thus, sperm from two or more males normally compete for fertilisations within the female reproductive tract. The eggs are typically fertilised by sperm from only one male, either the female's last mate or an earlier mate. Twice-mated females store only one ejaculate's worth of fertilising sperm (eupyrene) but nearly two ejaculates' worth of a nonfertilising sperm morph (apyrene), which is thought to play a role in sperm competition. 2. The mechanism of sperm use in H. virescens was investigated by examining factors that vary with paternity, which was assigned based on allozyme variation. The factors included male and female body masses and ages, male genital characters, the size of the sperm package, and the number of sperm stored by the female. 3. One male typically gained sperm precedence; this was nearly twice as likely to be the second male as it was to be the first. Two factors were found to vary significantly with paternity: female mass and male age. The second male to mate was more likely to gain sperm precedence if the female was larger and if the male was older than the female's first mate. 4. The significance of male age and female mass to several hypothetical models of the mechanism of sperm use is discussed.
Proposed Clean Air Act reform draws fire

A Congressional hearing on the accomplishments of the U.S. Clean Air Act and subsequent amendments turned into a squabble about whether Bush administration efforts to reform the act would improve or undermine air quality regulations. At the 1 May hearing of the House of Representatives' Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality, a key sticking point concerned whether an emissions “cap-and-trade” program, which was proposed as part of President George W. Bush's 14 February Clear Skies initiative, would effectively meet air quality standards. The program would provide market-based incentives to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury. Another point of contention was whether such a program would make some current regulations, including new source review of upgraded utility plants, redundant and unnecessary.
TanA: a fluorogenic probe for thiaminase activity

A fluorogenic thiamine analogue is presented as a fluorescent probe for thiaminase activity. The emission of the fluorophore is quenched by photoinduced electron transfer (PET) to the N-substituted pyridinium portion of the probe. Action of the enzyme releases the free pyridine group causing a substantial increase in fluorescence.
The determination of trace elements in human fingernails by atomic absorption spectroscopy.

Abstract The concentrations of calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper and iron in the fingernails of seven females and ten males have been determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. In eight of these cases, analyses were made over a six- to seven-months period. The mean for each of the five analysis elements is shown for each subject. An overall mean, median and range are given for each element taking all subjects into consideration. Wash parameters were varied to determine their effect on element concentrations. Recovery studies were made for each analysis element.
Quantifying Information Flow Using Min-Entropy

Quantitative theories of information flow are of growing interest, due to the fundamental importance of protecting confidential information from improper disclosure, together with the unavoidability of "small" leaks in practical systems. But while it is tempting to measure leakage using classic information-theoretic concepts like Shannon entropy and mutual information, these turn out not to provide very satisfactory security guarantees. As a result, several researchers have developed an alternative theory based on Renyi's min-entropy. In this theory, uncertainty is measured in terms of a random variable's vulnerability to being guessed in one try by an adversary, note that this is the complement of the Bayes Risk. In this paper, we survey the main theory of min-entropy leakage in deterministic and probabilistic systems, including comparisons with mutual information leakage, results on min-capacity, results on channels in cascade, and techniques for calculating min-entropy leakage in systems.
Steric versus electronic control during the carbonylation of substituted thexylboranes. A semi-empirical investigation

Abstract AM1 and PM3 calculations have been carried out to study the reaction of substituted thexylboranes with carbon monoxide. Exhaustive investigation of the complete potential energy surfaces of thexylborane and several substituted derivatives was carried out in order to determine the relative importance of steric and electronic factors in determining the ability of thexylboranes to form stable adducts with carbon monoxide. It is concluded that the primary reason that methyl-isopropy-thexylborane forms a less stable adduct with CO than does dimethyl-thexylborane is because of the increased steric demands around the boron atom when one of the alkyl substituents on the thexylborane is branched. These results help to explain recent experimental observations regarding the reactivity of branched versus straight chain thexylboranes.
Data fusion: a consideration of metrics and the implications for polarimetric imagery

The increasing availability of multispectral, hyperspectral, and multisensor imagery during the past decade has motivated rapid growth in image fusion research for remote sensing application. While it is generally the goal of image fusion methods to obtain more information fiom the combination of multiple images than could be obtained from individual images, the measure of how well fused images actually achieve this goal is still largely subjective. Furthermore, in the selection of image data, and the analytical procedures to process this data, we make a sequence of implicit assumptions that need to be reviewed. Metrics are used to specify image characteristics necessary to perform specified tasks. New metrics are necessary to characterize the performance of image fusion techniques and also to determine the extent to which these techniques may provide more useful information than could be derived fiom non-fused imagery. Without metics, we cannot predict what data we need, or how to collect and to analyze it. There is currently no metric that encompasses both spatial and spectral resolution characteristics. A metric describing the quality of polarimetric imagery is an example of the larger problem of metrics required to specify the necessary characteristics of fused, multidimensional image data. Since polarimetric imagery is based upon the differences of image pairs obtained with the polarizer oriented orthogonally about the optic axis, misregistration introduces a false clutter that degrades information content of polarimetric imagery, so that a polarimetric image characteristic will depend upon registration accuracy. A General Image Quality Equation (GIQE) is a multivariate regression of the image quality metric against the independent imaging ammeters, such as registration in the case of polarimetric imagery. We need a General Image Quality Equation (GIQE) for polarimetric images in which one regression term describes misregistration. We need image quality metrics for polarimetric, multi-dimensional and fused multidimensional image data. In this paper we shall consider what metrics are needed to design and collect data, what general principles should guide the collection of analysis of data, and we shall consider polarimetric imagery as a simple example of a type of image fusion and analysis.
Closed form theory of multicavity reflectors and the output power of external cavity diode lasers

A closed form solution for the transmission and reflection coefficients of a double cavity Fabry-Perot resonator is given. The explicit expressions for these coefficients are used in a formula to give the output power of diode lasers coupled to multiple external cavities. Analysis of a cleaved or etched coupled-cavity laser shows that stable operation depends on proper choice of the phase length of both the gap and the control section. A study of a diode laser coupled to an external waveguide containing a Bragg reflector shows that for correct choice of grating reflectivity only modestly effective antireflection coatings (5 percent on laser facet and 2 percent on waveguide face) are required to allow the grating to dominate the operating wavelength of the laser diode. A single external cavity with loss coupled to a laser diode is also considered. In this case the theory indicates the necessity of proper control of loss or coupling fraction between diode and cavity for there to be effective control of wavelength.
Lyusternik-Schnirelman theory: complementary principles and the Morse index

On considere une fonction a valeur reelle paire, lisse sur une sphere de dimension finie S N . Genre et genre modulo 2. Nombres critiques. Indices des points critiques non degeneres. Points critiques degeneres. Application a un probleme aux valeurs propres superlineaire
Human factors affecting dependability in end-user programming

Human factors affecting the dependability of end user's programs are discussed in the context of controlled and observational studies of both professional and end-user programmers. These factors include the influence of the types of behaviors that end users wish to implement, end user's fundamental cognitive biases, barriers in the languages, environments, libraries, and other tools used by end users, and end users' difficulties with understanding their code's meaning and execution.
Contour interaction as a function of retinal eccentricity.

Targets (squares with a gap on one side) were presented 0°, 2°, or 5° from the center of the fovea. The targets were surrounded by bar masks, and the spacing between targets and masks was varied parametrically. The resulting functions were used to estimate the extent of contour interaction at different target eccentricities. Our estimates for the extent of contour interaction were approximately .1° for targets at the center of the fovea, .24° for targets located 2° from the center, and .8° for targets 5° into the periphery.
Treating Erectile Dysfunction in Renal Transplant Recipients

Erectile dysfunction is common in male kidney transplant recipients. Interference with the physiology of erections can be attributed to recipient co-morbidities, the renal transplant operation, medication adverse effects, relationship problems and changes in mental health. A treatment-oriented evaluation of erectile dysfunction allows the development of treatment plans that are patient-specific. Hypogonadal men whose hormone parameters do not improve after renal transplantation may respond to testosterone replacement therapy. Use of recommended doses of the phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor sildenafil does not significantly modify trough concentrations of the calcineurin inhibitors ciclosporin and tacrolimus or result in impaired renal allograft function. Tacrolimus has been shown to increase the peak concentration and prolong the elimination half-life of sildenafil in kidney transplant recipients. Daily administration of sildenafil has resulted in decreased blood pressure in kidney transplant recipients with treated hypertension and tacrolimus immunosuppression. Intracavernosal injections of alprostadil, with or without papaverine and phentolamine, are effective treatments for erectile dysfunction after renal transplantation and have not resulted in alterations of ciclosporin concentrations or in deterioration of renal function. Penile prostheses can be successfully implanted after pelvic organ transplantation without significant risk of infection.
Suppository Dissolution Testing: Apparatus Design and Release of Aspirin

AbstractPresent methods of in vitro dissolution testing for suppositories were found to be lacking in universal acceptance, reproducibility, and difficult to perform. Initially a USP basket for tablet dissolution with one-hundred milliliters of phosphate buffer of pH 8 to approximate rectal pH was used. A slow constant stirring speed was maintained by means of a Hanson dissolution drive control and hollow spindle-stirrer apparatus as well as a constant temperature of 37.5±0.1° Aspirin in polyethylene glycol bases gave plausible, reproducible results with this apparatus. However, oil bases (i.e. cocoa butter) gave unacceptable, irreproducible results since the base blocked the openings of the basket mesh. This report describes a modified basket method where the basket is polyurethane of the same size and configuration as the USP basket. The basket described has twelve linear vertical slots of 0.25 mm width allowing for a porosity of 52%. Results of aspirin release from four PEG bases prepared in this labor...
Cancer-Prone Mice Expressing the Ki-rasG12C Gene Show Increased Lung Carcinogenesis after CT Screening Exposures

A >20-fold increase in X-ray computed tomography (CT) use during the last 30 years has caused considerable concern because of the potential carcinogenic risk from these CT exposures. Estimating the carcinogenic risk from high-energy, single high-dose exposures obtained from atomic bomb survivors and extrapolating these data to multiple low-energy, low-dose CT exposures using the Linear No-Threshold (LNT) model may not give an accurate assessment of actual cancer risk. Recently, the National Lung Cancer Screening Trial (NLST) reported that annual CT scans of current and former heavy smokers reduced lung cancer mortality by 20%, highlighting the need to better define the carcinogenic risk associated with these annual CT screening exposures. In this study, we used the bitransgenic CCSP-rtTA/Ki-ras mouse model that conditionally expresses the human mutant Ki-rasG12C gene in a doxycycline-inducible and lung-specific manner to measure the carcinogenic risk of exposure to multiple whole-body CT doses that approx...
Immune modulation of connective tissue functions: studies on the production of collagen synthesis inhibitory factor by populations of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Abstract It has been shown previously that a soluble factor(s) from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells was capable of specifically suppressing collagen synthesis by normal human dermal fibroblasts (S. A. Jimenez, W. McArthur and J. Rosenbloom, J. Exp. Med. 150 , 1421, 1979). In this communication, the cell sources and the conditions for synthesis of this collagen synthesis inhibitory factor (CSIF) are identified. CSIF production by mononuclear cells was directly related to the number of cells in culture and was significantly enhanced by a variety of mitogens and by antigens. Homologous serum or bovine serum albumin was required for CSIF production and maximal levels were reached 48 hr after stimulation. Thymus-derived lymphocytes appeared to be the main cells responsible for CSIF synthesis but B lymphocytes also produced the factor in response to proper B-cell mitogens. Preparations of plastic-adherent mononuclear cells were also found to produce increased CSIF but it was not possible to exclude completely the presence of T lymphocytes in these preparations and therefore, the cell source of CSIF in these preparations was not clearly established. Through the use of metabolic inhibitors it was shown that CSIF production required de novo protein synthesis but not cell division. Indo-methacin had no effect on either the production of CSIF or on CSIF-mediated inhibition of collagen synthesis. The results indicate that CSIF has the classic characteristics of a lymphokine and suggest a mechanism by which the immune response could modulate connective tissue function.
Individual and institutional conflict of interest: Policy review by research universities in the United States

This paper is a discussion of efforts to manage real and potential conflicts of interest in university research in the United States. The focus is on the report by an Association of American Universities (AAU) task force that addresses both individual and institutional conflict of interest issues.
Synthesis of Oligonucleotides Containing the N2-Deoxyguanosine Adduct of the Dietary Carcinogen 2-Amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline

2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) is a highly mutagenic heterocyclic amine formed in all cooked meats. IQ has been found to be a potent inducer of frameshift mutations in bacteria and carcinogenic in laboratory animals. Upon metabolic activation, IQ forms covalent adducts at the C8- and N2-positions of deoxyguanosine with a relative ratio of up to approximately 4:1. We have previously incorporated the major dGuo-C8-IQ adduct into oligonucleotides through the corresponding phosphoramidite reagent. We report here the sequence-specific synthesis of oligonucleotides containing the minor dGuo-N2-IQ adduct. Thermal melting analysis revealed that the dGuo-N2-IQ adduct significantly destabilizes duplex DNA.
A graph‐based approach to find teleconnections in climate data

Pressure dipoles are important long distance climate phenomena (teleconnection) characterized by pressure anomalies of the opposite polarity appearing at two different locations at the same time. Such dipoles have been proven important for understanding and explaining the variability in climate in many regions of the world, e.g. the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) climate phenomenon, which is described by opposite pressure anomalies between the west and east Pacific and is known to be responsible for precipitation and temperature anomalies worldwide. This paper presents a graph-based approach called shared reciprocal nearest neighbor approach that considers only reciprocal positive and negative edges in the shared nearest neighbor graph to find the dipoles. One crucial aspect of our approach to the analysis of such networks is a careful treatment of negative correlations, whose proper consideration is critical for finding the dipoles. Further, our work shows the importance of modeling the time-dependent patterns of the dipoles in a changing climate in order to better capture the impact of important climate phenomena on the globe. To show the utility of finding dipoles using our approach, we show that the data driven dynamic climate indices generated from our algorithm generally perform better than static indices formed from the fixed locations used by climate scientists in terms of capturing impact on global temperature and precipitation. Our approach can generate a single snapshot picture of all the dipole interconnections on the globe in a given dataset and thus makes it possible to study the changes in dipole interactions and movements. As teleconnections are crucial in the understanding of the global climate system, there is a pressing need to better understand the behavior and interactions of these atmospheric processes as well as to capture them precisely. Our systematic graph-based approach to find the teleconnections in climate data is an attempt in that direction. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining 6: 158–179, 2013