cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Random Forest for improved analysis efficiency in passive acoustic monitoring

Abstract Passive acoustic monitoring often leads to large quantities of sound data which are burdensome to process, such that the availability and cost of expert human analysts can be a bottleneck and make ecosystem or landscape-scale projects infeasible. This manuscript presents a method for rapidly analyzing the results of band-limited energy detectors, which are commonly used for the detection of passerine nocturnal flight calls, but which typically are beset by high false positive rates. We first manually classify a subset of the detected events as signals of interest or false detections. From that subset, we build a Random Forest model to eliminate most of the remaining events as false detections without further human inspection. The overall reduction in the labor required to separate signals of interest from false detections can be 80% or more. Additionally, we present an R package, flightcallr, containing functions which can be used to implement this new workflow.
SCIENCE AND SCIENTISM: THE IMPORTANCE OF A DISTINCTION

. John Caiazza's interesting argument is an important one and deserves a close hearing. However, his article could be more forceful if he would distinguish more carefully between science on the one hand and “scientific secularism” and “materialism” on the other.
Universal adsorption at the vapor-liquid interface near the consolute point.

The ellipticity of the vapor-liquid interface above mixtures of methylcyclohexane (C7H14) and perfluoromethylcyclohexane (C7F14) has been measured near the consolute point T(c) = 318.6 K. The data are consistent with a model of the interface that combines a short-ranged density-vs height profile in the vapor phase with a much longer-ranged composition-versus-height profile in the liquid. The value of the free parameter produced by fitting the model to the data is consistent with results from two other simple mixtures and a mixture of a polymer and solvent. This experiment combines precision ellipsometry of the vapor-liquid interface with in situ measurements of refractive indices of the liquid phases, and it precisely locates the consolute point.
Metabolic diversity of the heterotrophic microorganisms and potential link to pollution of the Rouge River

The heterotrophic microbial communities of the Rouge River were tracked using Biolog Ecoplates to understand the metabolic diversity at different temporal and spatial scales, and potential link to river pollution. Site less impacted by anthrophogenic sources (site 1), showed markedly lower metabolic diversity. The only substrates that were utilized in the water samples were carbohydrates. Sites more impacted by anthrophogenic sources (sites 8 and 9) showed higher metabolic diversity. Higher functional diversity was linked to the physico-chemical and biological properties of the water samples (i.e. higher concentrations of DO, DOC, chlorophyll, and bacterial density). Biolog analysis was found to be useful in differentiating metabolic diversity between microbial communities; in determining factors that most influence the separation of communities; and in identifying which substrates were most utilized by the communities. It can also be used as an effective ecological indicator of changes in river function attributable to urbanization and pollution.
Growth of epitaxial ZnS films by pulsed-laser ablation

Pulsed KrF (248nm) laser ablation of a polycrystalline ZnS target has been used to grow high quality, carbon-free, epitaxial ZnS thin films on GaAs(001), GaAs(111), and GaP(001). The films were grown at temperatures of 150--450{degrees}C, using a rotating substrate heater and deposition geometry that produces films with highly uniform thickness. X-ray rocking curves are consistent with (111) stacking faults being the dominant defects in the ZnS films grown on GaAs. The estimated stacking fault density is {approximately}6 {times} 10{sup 10} cm{sup {minus}3}, comparable to the best MOCVD ZnS films. RBS analysis shows that these defects are located predominantly near the GaAs-ZnS interface. The anisotropy of the ZnS growth rate, between the GaAs(001) and GaAs(111) surfaces, was found to be temperature-dependent.
The Effect of Corneal Thickness on Applanation Tonometry

Simultaneous manometry and Perkins tonometry were performed at 10.0, 20.0, and 30.0 mm Hg on 15 eyes on which intraocular procedures were performed. There was a statistically significant relationship between corneal thickness and the error of Perkins tonometry. Thin corneas produced underestimations of the intraocular pressure by as much as 4.9 mm Hg, whereas thick corneas produced overestimations by as much as 6.8 mm Hg. Measuring the corneal thickness is necessary to interpret properly the results of Goldmann applanation tonometry, particularly in eyes with thin corneas.
Perspectives on the use of scopolamine as an adjunct treatment to enhance survival following organophosphorus nerve agent poisoning

Scopolamine (SCP) is an anticholinergic drug used clinically for decades to treat motion sickness, as a surgical preanesthetic, and as a smooth muscle antispasmodic. It has also been used experimentally as a pretreatment and/or treatment adjunct to mitigate the toxic sequelae of organophosphorus (OP) nerve agent intoxication. SCP has been reported to increase survival, prevent or terminate seizures, and reduce morbidity from nerve agent intoxication in a number of animal models. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of atropine dose, pyridostigmine bromide (PB) pretreatment, and oxime selection on the efficacy of SCP as an adjunctive treatment to enhance survival following lethal nerve agent exposure in guinea pigs. The results indicate that the use of an effective oxime and/or PB pretreatment was a critical factor in determining the efficacy of SCP. SCP can also reduce the dose of atropine required for survival against lethal nerve agent intoxication.
The incongruous alcohol-activity association: Physical activity and alcohol consumption in college students

Abstract Background Physical activity is important for well-being in college students; however, recent studies indicate that higher levels of physical activity may be associated with higher levels of alcohol use in this population. Objectives This study sought to broaden previous research findings on the association of alcohol consumption and physical activity in college students by 1) addressing methodological limitations in that research and 2) examining potential third-variable explanations. Method Data were collected from N = 296 male and female, first through fourth-year college students. Physical activity was assessed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ; Sjostrom et al., 2005 ) and participants were categorized as having either a low, moderate, or high activity level using IPAQ scoring criteria. Alcohol consumption was assessed with four different measures. The following potential third variables were assessed: gender, ethnicity, age, college grade point average, Greek membership, and sports participation. Results Cumulative logistic regression analyses demonstrated that the odds of being in a higher physical activity category increased with higher levels of alcohol consumption. When potential third variables were considered, the alcohol-activity association was unaffected, suggesting that the alcohol-activity association in these data was not due to any of the potential third variables. Discussion These results provide strong support for the existence of an incongruous positive association between alcohol consumption and physical activity in college students, an association that has obvious implications for the well-being of emerging young adults who are in college. Possible causal mechanisms are discussed, as are implications for prevention.
Quantitative severity of stress thallium-201 myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography defects in one-vessel coronary artery disease☆

The relation between the quantitative myocardial perfusion defect severity of exercise thallium-201 single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and the quantitative degree of coronary stenosis was examined in 18 patients with 1-vessel disease (> or = 50% diameter stenosis), and abnormal thallium-201 SPECT. A total of 26 vessels were analyzed. Thallium-201 SPECT quantitative defect severity score was derived by summing the number of pixels in a coronary territory in which counts fell below the normal mean and multiplied by the number of SDs by which they fell below the normal mean. The thallium-201 defect severity score was significantly (p < 0.001) related to the maximal percent luminal diameter narrowing (r = 0.93), percent area narrowing (r = 0.89), absolute stenotic area (r = 0.79), and absolute stenotic diameter (r = 0.81). As expected, the strongest relation between thallium-201 defect severity and quantitative angiographic indexes was in the low and high ranges of coronary stenosis, with more variability and lower correlation coefficients (percent diameter: r = 0.75, p < 0.02, percent area stenosis: r = 0.63, p < 0.05) in the middle ranges (50 to 80% diameter stenosis). This observation is likely to be due to the complex flow characteristics across stenotic lesions. The findings suggest that in a select population, thallium-201 defect severity is potentially useful for noninvasive characterization of the functional severity of coronary artery stenosis and may complement coronary angiography in predicting functionally significant stenosis.
Use of clomiphene citrate and birth defects, National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997–2005

background: Clomiphene citrate (CC) is the first line drug for subfertility treatment. Studies assessing the association between CC and birth defects have been inconclusive. methods: We used data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a population-based, multi-site case–control study of major birth defects. Women from 10 US regions with deliveries affected by at least one of .30 birth defects (cases) and mothers of live born infants without a major birth defect (controls) who delivered October 1997–December 2005 were interviewed. The exposure of interest was reported CC use in the period from 2 months before conception through the first month of pregnancy. Women who conceived using assisted reproductive technology were excluded. Thirty-six birth defect categories with at least three exposed cases were studied. Multiple logistic regression was used to control for potential confounders. results: CC use was reported by 1.4% of control mothers (94/6500). Among 36 case-groups assessed, increased adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were found [all: aOR, 95% confidence interval (CI)] for anencephaly (2.3, 1.1–4.7), Dandy –Walker malformation (4.4, 1.7– 11.6), septal heart defects (1.6, 1.1–2.2), muscular ventricular septal defect (4.9, 1.4– 16.8), coarctation of aorta (1.8, 1.1 –3.0), esophageal atresia (2.3, 1.3 –4.0), cloacal exstrophy (5.4, 1.6 –19.3), craniosynostosis (1.9, 1.2 –3.0) and omphalocele (2.2, 1.1–4.5). conclusions: Several associations between CC use and birth defects were observed. However, because of the small number of cases, inconsistency of some findings with previous reports, and the fact that we cannot assess the CC effect separately from that of the subfertility, these associations should be interpreted cautiously.
Genetic Analysis of Azole Resistance by Transposon Mutagenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The increasing resistance of Candida species to fluconazole is cause for concern. To determine the molecular mechanisms involved in resistance to fluconazole, I used a scheme of transposon mutagenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a genetically tractable yeast that is closely related to Candida albicans. This technique, which permits the generation and analysis of multiple random Tn3::LEU2::lacZ fusions, can be used as a disruption mutagen (N. B. Burns et al., Genes Dev. 8:1087–1105, 1994). By using the Tn3::LEU2::lacZ library as a disruption mutagen, I found recessive mutations in genes that were previously found to be involved in azole resistance, e.g., PDR5 and CPR1, and in genes previously found to be involved in azole sensitivity, e.g., ERG3. This approach also enabled me to identify recessive mutations in three genes not previously known to be involved in azole sensitivity. Two of the genes, ADA3 and SPT7, are general transcriptional regulators; the third, YMR034c, is a putative sterol transporter. Finally, by screening the Tn3::LEU2::lacZ library for lacZ fusions induced by a low concentration of fluconazole, I identified genes known to be induced by azoles as well as a variety of other genes not previously known to be induced by the drug. In conclusion, transposon mutagenesis is a promising screening tool for use in identifying novel drug targets and in uncovering the mechanisms involved in the response of S. cerevisiae to antifungal drugs.
Identification of malicious transactions in database systems

Existing host-based intrusion detection systems (IDSs) use the operating system log or the application log to detect misuse or anomaly activities. These methods are not sufficient for detecting intrusion in database systems. In this paper, we describe a method for database intrusion detection by using data dependency relationships. Typically before a data item is updated in the database some other data items are read or written. And after the update other data items may also be written. These data items read or written in the course of updating one data item construct the read set, pre-write set, and the post-write set for this data item. The proposed method identifies malicious transactions by comparing these sets with data items read or written in user transactions. We have provided mechanisms for finding data dependency relationships among transactions and use Petri nets to model normal data update patterns at user task level. Using this method we ascertain more hidden anomalies in the database log.
GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION IN TOLERANCE OF TRANSIENT THERMAL STRESS IN THE MOSQUITO WYEOMYIA SMITHII

Environmental temperature can modify not only rates of ectotherm growth, development, and reproduction, but also, at the extremes, temperature can limit survivorship and ultimately fitness. We studied ectotherm populations from a latitudinal gradient to understand how alterations in the thermal environment (e.g., rapid climate change) may affect the persistence of populations experiencing stress-induced mortality. Populations of the mosquito, Wyeomyia smithii, from 30-50' N in North America were subjected to heat and cold stress based on observed field temperatures during the simulated passage of a typical 4-5 d warm- or cold-weather front. Cold but not heat tolerance corresponded to latitude of origin, reflecting previously observed patterns in year-long fitness. Both heat and cold stress resulted in an average of 44% mortality relative to unstressed controls but did not result in a significant loss of fitness (Ro) at the population level. We conclude that individuals most likely to survive during periods of stress are also the individuals most likely to make the greatest contribution to the next generation in the absence of stress. Since individual survivorship must, at some level, become limiting to population viability, these results imply that apparently viable populations may be pushed rapidly to extinction by a small increment in environmental stress.
Hildegard Peplau's Theory and the Health Care Encounters of Survivors of Sexual Violence.

BACKGROUND: Individuals who experience sexual violence often seek services in a variety of health care settings. Although research indicates that survivors often report that interactions with health care professionals are distressing, little is known about what renders these encounters helpful or hurtful. OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to use Hildegard Peplau's (1952) conceptualization of nurses' helping roles (i.e., stranger, resource person, teacher, leadership, surrogate, counselor, technical expert) in nurse—client interactions to explore how survivors of sexual violence perceive their encounters with health care professionals.STUDY DESIGN:Content analysis was conducted on the transcripts of 60 minimally structured interviews in which participants discussed their experiences of sexual violence. RESULTS:The results revealed that the helping roles of counselor and technical expert, as identified by Peplau, were most important to survivors of sexual violence. Regardless of role, participants per...
Seasonal variation in porcine granulosa cell responsiveness to stimulation of progesterone secretion in vitro.

Ten years of data were analyzed for an effect of season on basal and stimulated progesterone secretion by porcine granulosa cells in vitro, Basal progesterone secretion by granulosa cells from large preovulatory follicles exhibited a marked depression during the summer months, as compared to the rest of the year. The ability of granulosa cells from small (1-2 mm) or medium (3-5 mm) follicles to respond to stimulation of progesterone secretion by either follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) or follicular fluid was also markedly depressed during the summer months. These observations on decreased steroidogenic capacity of porcine granulosa cells in vitro during the summer parallel observations of decreased reproductive function of pigs in vivo. They suggest that the decreased reproductive capacity of pigs in summer may be due, in part, to a decreased capacity for follicular development within the ovary as a result of an altered neuroendocrine signal rather than due only to an altered neuroendo crine signal.
Prospects for Measuring Rainfall Using Propagation Differential Phase in X- and Ka-Radar Bands

Abstract Model calculations and measurements of the specific propagation and backscatter differential phase shifts (KDP and δo, respectively) in rain are discussed for X- (λ ∼ 3 cm) and Ka-band (λ ∼ 0.8 cm) radar wavelengths. The details of the drop size distribution have only a small effect on the relationships between KDP and rainfall rate R. These relationships, however, are subject to significant variations due to the assumed model of the drop aspect ratio as a function of their size. The backscatter differential phase shift at X band for rain rates of less than about 15 mm h−1 is generally small and should not pose a serious problem when estimating KDP from the total phase difference at range intervals of several kilometers. The main advantage of using X-band wavelengths compared to S-band (λ ∼ 10–11 cm) wavelengths is an increase in KDP by a factor of about 3 for the same rainfall rate. The relative contribution of the backscatter differential phase to the total phase difference at Ka band is signif...
Popular Sovereignty, the Origins of Judicial Review, and the Revival of Unwritten Law

This essay draws together research from a variety of sources to argue that American constitutional theory in the 1776-1803 period underwent a profound transformation. Central to that transformation were changes concerning the meaning and importance of the concept of government by consent of the governed. As the significance of popular sovereignty within our constitutional theory increased, the place of unwritten law in judicial review commensurately shrank. Moreover, this judicial move away from reliance on unwritten law appears to have contributed to a rapid increase in the popularity of the institution of judicial review. These very dramatic changes point to the need for public law scholars to reconsider currently influential arguments about the unwritten law origins of judicial review.
CHEMICAL CHANGES IN CLAY AND CLAY-LIME MIXTURES ON FIRING1

The results of the experiments indicate that lime added to a clay, of the type studied here, combined chemically with certain of the various constituents of the clay when the mixture was fired at 1000°C. There is also an indication of reactions between iron oxide and silica. The exact nature and extent of these several possible reactions cannot be determined from the data of this limited experimental work. It would be of great value for work of this kind if more information was available relative to the chemical action of various reagents upon the several constituents of clay. Obviously it would be necessary to use pure substances representing these constituents rather than any mixture of them. Work was undertaken to obtain indication of the chemical changes which occur on firing a low lime clay and the same clay with calcium-carbonate additions.
Early intervention for trauma and loss: overview and working care model

No abstract available. (Published: 11 June 2015) Citation: European Journal of Psychotraumatology 2015, 6 : 28543 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v6.28543 This abstract is part of the Special Issue: The Swedish Psychotrauma Society scientific conference – selected abstracts . More abstracts from this issue can be found atwww.ejpt.net
On viscous flow and azimuthal anisotropy of the quark–gluon plasma in a strong magnetic field

We calculate the viscous pressure tensor of the quark–gluon plasma in a strong magnetic field. It is azimuthally anisotropic and is characterized by five shear viscosity coefficients, four of which vanish when the field strength eB is much larger than the plasma temperature squared. We argue that the azimuthally anisotropic viscous pressure tensor generates the asymmetric transverse flow. As an illustration, we consider non-relativistic plasma flow in a very strong constant magnetic field; azimuthal asymmetry in this case is as large as 1/3, even not taking into account the collision geometry. This result suggests that the magnitude of the shear viscosity extracted from the experimental data ignoring the magnetic field must be underestimated, although a more quantitative estimate warrants further numerical investigation.
Energy cost of propulsion in standard and ultralight wheelchairs in people with spinal cord injuries.

Background and Purpose. Wheelchair- and subject-related factors influence the efficiency of wheelchair propulsion. The purpose of this study was to compare wheelchair propulsion in ultralight and standard wheelchairs in people with different levels of spinal cord injury. Subjects. Seventy-four subjects (mean age=26.2 years, SD=7.14, range=17-50) with spinal cord injury resulting in motor loss (30 with tetraplegia and 44 with paraplegia) were studied. Method. Each subject propelled standard and ultralight wheelchairs around an outdoor track at self-selected speeds, while data were collected at 4 predetermined intervals. Speed, distance traveled, and oxygen cost (Vo2 mL/kg/m) were compared by wheelchair, group, and over time, using a Bonferroni correction. Results. In the ultralight wheelchair, speed and distance traveled were greater for both subjects with paraplegia and subjects with tetraplegia, whereas Vo2 was less only for subjects with paraplegia. Subjects with paraplegia propelled faster and farther than did subjects with tetraplegia. Conclusion and Discussion. The ultralight wheelchair improved the efficiency of propulsion in the tested subjects. Subjects with tetraplegia, especially at the C6 level, are limited in their ability to propel a wheelchair.
Volunteerism Among Non-Clients as Marketing Exchange

SUMMARY Generalized exchange, one of three types of exchange proposed by Bagozzi (1975), has been neglected as an area of research. This is unfortunate because it may provide a better understanding of ex-' change processes involving non-client input publics (Kotler and Andreasen, 1991). This paper proposes a social marketing model in which non-client perceptions of community benefits, social responsibility, and service quality predict willingness to volunteer for public school activities. The results support a generalized exchange model which emphasizes indirect transfers of utilitarian values and fulfillment of symbolic values.
Troubleshooting with an inaccurate mental model

In some fault-diagnosis situations, troubleshooters may misunderstand system structure and functioning. An experiment examined how a troubleshooter's mental model of a logic network might prejudice the ability to diagnose previously unseen faults. In the knowledge acquisition phase, subjects inferred the structure of a logic network by viewing it in different states. Most subjects ended up with slightly inaccurate mental models of the network. In the fault-diagnosis phase, subjects were required to diagnose novel faults placed in the network. Two factors were varied in a 2*2 design: whether a subject believed a link existed or not, and whether the belief was true or false. Faults involved the addition of new links or the deletion of existing links. Subjects had difficulty diagnosing faults that involved links they believed did not exist and faults that influenced parts of the network about which they had false beliefs, and it was harder for subjects to see that something was wrong with the network if the fault involved a network link they believed not to exist. However, the ability to see the symptoms of the fault was not always a guarantee of correct fault diagnosis. >
Representations of Janissary music (Mehter) as musical exoticism in western compositions, 1670–1824

Abstract This article examines one particular type of musical exoticism in Western music: representations of janissary music or mehter (Turkish military music). Representations of this music as exoticism—a way of recasting the relationship between self and other—are shaped by, among other things, the circumstances of their composition and prevailing conventions of musical representation. Some of the conventions for representing janissary music draw heavily upon elements of mehter itself, while others use different foreign sources or Western constructs. After reviewing briefly janissary music's role both in Turkish military campaigns and as symbol of Turkish culture for Westerners, the paper examines mehter in some detail for purposes of comparison. The study then proceeds chronologically, examining representations of janissary music by Lully, Rameau, Gluck, Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. The changes in the conventions for representing this music over the period in question (1670–1824) involve, among other ...
Koopman spectral analysis of separated flow over a finite-thickness flat plate with elliptical leading edge

The separated flow over an airfoil is characterized by up to three distinct natural frequencies: those of the shear layer, separation bubble, and wake. Previous work has shown that open-loop forcing at sub- and super- harmonics of these frequencies can be especially effective in controlling the extent of the separation bubble. Unfortunately, an understanding of the mechanisms driving this behavior is far from complete. In this work, we investigate the interactions between the shear layer and wake using a combination of direct numerical simulations and spectral analysis. We simulate the forced and unforced flows over a finite-thickness flat plate using an immersed boundary method. Spectral analysis of the resulting dynamics is performed using the Koopman operator, a linear operator applicable even to nonlinear systems, as well as traditional signal processing techniques. Using these two approaches, we identify pertinent flow structures based on their frequency content and posit the nature of their interactions.
Distributed Keyless Secret Sharing Over Noiseless Channels

In traditional secret sharing, a central trusted authority must divide a secret into multiple parts, called shares, such that the secret can only be recovered when a certain number of shares are available for reconstruction [1], [2]. In this paper, we consider a secret sharing problem in which each share must be created separately by independent entities such that no collaboration or shared cryptographic keys are required; we call this the distributed keyless secret sharing problem. For this problem, general tradeoffs between compression and secrecy are characterized yielding the impossibility result that perfect secrecy is unachievable. In response to this impossibility, we define a practical measure of secrecy and design a low-cost solution based on this measure of secrecy.
Micromachined Reactors for Catalytic Partial Oxidation Reactions

Silicon-based microfabrication of a novel chemical reactor (microreactor) having submillimeter flow channels with integrated heaters, and flow and temperature sensors is described. The potential application of this reactor to partial-oxidation reactions is explored by using Pt-catalyzed NH 3 oxidation as a model reaction. Investigation of reactor behavior as a function of operating conditions shows that conversion and selectivity behavior of conventional laboratory reactors can be reproduced and demonstrates the feasibility of conducting chemical reactions in microfabricated systems. Ignition-extinction behavior is explored, along with high-temperature microreactor materials degradation. Potential applications and scale-up of microreactors are also discussed.
Updates on the Treatment of Lupus Nephritis

The treatment of lupus nephritis has changed significantly over the past decade in large part because of data from well-conducted randomized clinical trials. The concept of two phases of therapy—induction and maintenance—is widely accepted. The histopathologic classification of lupus nephritis continues to guide therapy, and treatment for all major classes of lupus nephritis has seen some shift in management during this time. New regimens using lower doses and shorter treatment durations of intravenous cyclophosphamide have been advanced to reduce toxicity without sacrificing efficacy of therapy. Mycophenolate mofetil has emerged as a viable alternative to cyclophosphamide for induction therapy of both proliferative and membranous lupus nephritis. Combination induction treatment with multiple agents has also been successful. Large controlled trials using mycophenolate mofetil and azathioprine for maintenance therapy have been performed. Here, we review recent additions to the growing body of literature on how to most effectively treat lupus nephritis with the least amount of toxicity. We discuss new treatment strategies currently being explored in clinical trials.
Comparison of two architectures for fibre optic distribution inside Ka-band communication satellites

A comparison between two high-speed fiber-optic (FO) link architectures is presented. Experiments were performed on two reactively matched links, one operating from 18.5 to 19.0 GHz and the other at 0.5 to 1 GHz and then subsequently upconverted to 18.0 GHz. Both links were fully characterized analytically and experimentally. It is demonstrated that, for high-frequency operation, the best configuration results from the separation of the data and carrier signals. When these signals are sent over separate links, this architecture is called T/R level data mixing. Improvements are seen in gain (>30 dB), noise figure (>30 dB), and dynamic range (>40 dB) when this architecture is implemented. >
A tribute to John Wendell Severinghaus.

I remember too well the nervousness I felt four decades ago as John was teaching me to perform my first jugular bulb puncture. Our team was setting out to measure what happens to brain blood flow in lowlanders newly arrived at the Barcroft Laboratory on White Mountain, an altitude of 12,500 feet. I was doing my best to appear cool as John’s words guided the needle I held into the jugular bulb…into his jugular bulb. Oh, and I should not forget the preamble to this learning experience, John’s account of the prior time this procedure had been performed on him, by Mr. Cerebral Blood Flow himself, the late Niels Lassen (Editor’s Note: See reference (23) for a Tribute to Niels Lassen by John Severinghaus). In the punchline of that account, John recalled the several subsequent days he enjoyed a numb tongue, thanks to Niels’ needle nailing a nerve.
Evolution of Self-Fertile Hermaphrodites

Self-fertile hermaphrodites have evolved in several independent lineages of nematodes. Surprisingly, both C. elegans and C. briggsae have recruited members of the large family of F-box genes to promote hermaphrodite development. However, C. elegans FOG-2 and C. briggsae SHE-1 have different biochemical functions, and each was created by a unique series of gene duplications. Despite these differences, they share a common target – the transmembrane receptor TRA-2, which plays a central role in the sex-determination pathway. When tra-2 activity is knocked down in the male/female species C. remanei, some of the animals develop as hermaphrodites, but are unable to self-fertilize. This defect is due to the inability of their sperm to auto-activate, since knocking down a second gene that blocks sperm activation leads to self-fertility. Based on these results, we propose that hermaphroditic reproduction is a complex trait, because it requires the independent coordination of different regulatory pathways, one controlling sexual development and the other controlling sperm activation. Further analysis of the evolution of these hermaphrodites should reveal how novel traits first arise during evolution.
Contorted Hexabenzocoronenes with Extended Heterocyclic Moieties Improve Visible-Light Absorption and Performance in Organic Solar Cells

The large band gaps of existing contorted hexabenzocoronene derivatives severely limit visible-light absorption, restricting the photocurrents generated by solar cells utilizing contorted hexabenzocoronene (cHBC). To decrease the band gap and improve the light-harvesting properties, we synthesized cHBC derivatives having extended heterocyclic moieties as peripheral substituents. Tetrabenzofuranyldibenzocoronene (cTBFDBC) and tetrabenzothienodibenzocoronene (cTBTDBC) both exhibit broader absorption of the solar spectrum compared to cHBC, with peak absorbances on the order of 105 cm–1 in the near-ultraviolet and in the visible. Planar-heterojunction organic solar cells comprising cTBFDBC or cTBTDBC as the donor and C70 as the acceptor surpass those having cHBC in photocurrent generation and power-conversion efficiency. Interestingly, devices containing cTBFDBC/C70 exhibit the highest photocurrents despite cTBTDBC having the smallest band gap of the three cHBC derivatives. X-ray reflectivity of the active la...
High- $Q$ UHF Spoke-Supported Ring Resonators

A vibrating micromechanical spoke-supported ring resonator employing a central peg-anchor, balanced non-intrusive quarter-wavelength extensional support beams, and notched support attachments attains high $Q$ -factor in vacuum, posting 10 000 at 441 MHz when made of polysilicon structural material and 42 900 at 2.97 GHz when made of microcrystalline diamond. The latter marks the highest $f\cdot Q$ of $1.27\times 10^{14}$ for any acoustic resonator at room temperature, besting even macroscopic bulk-mode devices. Very high $Q$ values like these in a device occupying only 870 $\mu \text{m}^{2}$ pave a path toward on-chip realizations of RF channelizers and ultra-low phase-noise gigahertz oscillators for secure communications. With frequency determined by lithographically defined ring-width rather than radius, a capacitive transducer with a 75-nm gap allows this 2.97-GHz version to achieve a series motional resistance of 81 $\text{k}\Omega $ . Though still higher than desired, this marks a $30\times $ improvement over previous pure polysilicon surface-micromachined solid disk resonators in the gigahertz range, and if predicted performance-scaling holds true, seven such resonators constructed in a mechanically coupled array with 30-nm gap spacing, could lower this to only 300 $\Omega $ . Confidence in a prediction like this stems from the confirmed accuracy of the electrical equivalent circuit described herein that models not only the ring and its transducers, but also its supports. [2015-0132]
2,3-Bis(bromo-meth-yl)-1,4-diphenyl-benzene.

In the title compound, C20H16Br2, the terminal phenyl groups are twisted away from the central ring by approximately 55 and −125° (average of four dihedral angles each), respectively. The crystal structure is stabilized by a combination of inter­molecular and intra­molecular inter­actions including inter­molecular π–π stacking inter­actions [C atoms of closest contact = 3.423 (5) A].
Back Analysis of Slope Failures to Design Landslide Stabilizing Piles

It is generally accepted that shear strength parameters obtained by back analysis of slope failures ensure more reliability than those obtained by laboratory or in situ testing when used to design remedial measures. In many cases, back analysis is an effective tool, and sometimes the only tool, for investigating the strength features of a soil deposit. The fundamental problem involved is always the data quality and consequently the back analysis approach must be applied with care and the results interpreted with caution. Procedures to determine the magnitude of both shear strength parameters (c′ and ϕ′) or the relationship between them by considering the position of the actual slip surface within the failed slope are discussed. Using the concept of limit equilibrium the effect of any remedial measure (drainage, modification of slope geometry, restraining structures) can easily be evaluated by considering the intercepts of the c′−tan ϕ′ lines for the failed slope (c′0, tan ϕ′0) and for the same slope after installing some remedial works (c′nec, tan ϕ′nec), respectively. This procedure is illustrated to design piles to stabilize landslides taking into account both driving and resisting force acting on each pile in a row as a function of the nondimensional pile interval ratio B/D. The accurate estimation of the lateral force on pile is an important parameter for the stability analysis because its effects on both the pile- and slope stability are conflicting. That is, safe assumptions for the stability of slope are unsafe assumptions for the pile stability, and vice versa. Consequently, in order to obtain an economic and safe design it is necessary to avoid excessive safety factors.
Increasing Impact of Scholarly Journal Articles: Practical Strategies Librarians Can Share

Researchers are extremely interested in increasing the impact of their individual scholarly work, and may turn to academic librarians for advice and assistance. Academic librarians may find new roles as consultants to authors in methods of self-archiving and citation analysis. Librarians can be proactive in this new role by disseminating current information on all citation analysis tools and metrics, as well as by offering strategies to increase web visibility of scholarship to interested faculty. Potential authors of journal articles, especially especially those faculty seeking greater research impact, such as those seeking promotion and tenure, will find practical suggestions from librarians invaluable. Citation analysis tools continue to improve in their coverage of social and behavioral sciences fields, and emerging metrics allow more flexibility in demonstrating impact of published journal articles.
An Application for the Curiosity (logxN)

(1993). An Application for the Curiosity (logxN)' The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 100, No. 6, pp. 573-574.
Methods of conducting effective outreach to private well owners – a literature review and model approach

Educational outreach programs have the potential to increase the occurrence of private well testing and maintenance behaviors, but are not always able to successfully engage the intended audience and overcome their barriers to change. We conducted a review of literature regarding behavior change and risk communication to identify common barriers to private well stewardship and motivational strategies to encourage change, as well as best practices for communicating with well owners. Results indicated that no specific strategy will be appropriate for all audiences, as different groups of well owners will have different barriers to change. For this reason, educators must develop an understanding of their audience so they are able to identify the most significant barriers to change and select motivational strategies that will directly reduce barriers. Implications for private well outreach programs are discussed.
Serelaxin for the treatment of heart failure

Outcomes for patients with acute heart failure remain suboptimal and treatments principally target improvement of symptoms. To date there has been no therapy approved for acute heart failure shown to improve mortality or readmission risk post-discharge. Serelaxin, a recombinant form of the naturally occurring polypeptide hormone relaxin, has demonstrated promise in preclinical and early clinical trials as a potentially novel therapy for acute heart failure. It is postulated through its anti-fibrotic and vasodilatory effects that this agent can improve outcomes in both the short and long term in these patients. Randomized clinical data has suggested that the medication is safe and well tolerated. However, definitive outcomes data is currently being assessed in a large multi-center trial.
A METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING OUTLIER SIGNALS FOR MICROSEISMIC EVENT BASED ON ARRIVAL TIME DIFFERENCE

The delayed signals and external outlier signals are two common outliers which seriously affect the accuracy of microseismic source locating.In order to recognize them efficiently,the hyperbolic and hyperboloidal governing equations were obtained based on the theory of microseismic source locating and the geometrical characteristics of network layout.The source paths from different source location methods were found to be a series of hyperbolas on a plane or hyperboloids in a space;and the shape and the position of hyperbolas or hyperboloids were closely related to the time differences of arrival.The study showed that there were theoretical limits of time differences of arrival for P-wave and delayed wave respectively.A model to derive the two type of theoretical limits of time differences of arrival was established on the analysis of the time differences of arrival and the geometrical characteristics of microseismic network and monitoring space.A table of the time differences of arrival for outlier signals analysis was constructed.A novel method was thus put forward for recognizing the delayed signals and external outlier signals.The feasibility and advantages of this method were verified by an in-situ blasting test.The experimental results show that the delayed signals and external outlier signals are identified correctly and effectively by this novel method.The accuracy of microseismic source location is improved greatly after eliminating the outlier signals.
NetLogo and multi-agent simulation (in introductory computer science)

This tutorial will provide an introduction to multi-agent simulation (MAS) in the NetLogo programming language, and its use in an introductory computer science class. The tutorial will have four parts: 1. an introduction to basic concepts of MAS including emergent behavior; 2. an overview of the features of the NetLogo language; 3. a sample of some specific commands and the basic NetLogo syntax; and 4. an outline and some programming tasks from an introductory computer science class. The tutorial will give participants experience with NetLogo and the principles of MAS, and an idea of how this approach could be used as an effective introductory programming class for majors or non-majors. This work is based on a three-year NSF-sported research project by PI Matthew Dickerson.
The membrane tethered matrix metalloproteinase MT1-MMP at the forefront of melanoma cell invasion and metastasis

The Extracellular Matrix (ECM) plays an important role in normal physiological development and functioning of cells, tissues and organs [1]. Under normal physiological conditions degradation of the ECM is a finely regulated process, and altered homeostasis of ECM degradation (excessive or insufficient) is associated with many diseases [2-5] such as cancer, fibrosis, arthritis, nephritis, encephalomyelitis and chronic ulcers. The remodeling of the ECM is carried out by a family of enzymes known as matrix metalloproteinases (MMP). MMPs constitute a large group of multidomain, zinc dependent endopeptidases capable of hydrolyzing all protein components of the ECM [6]. Additional functions of MMPs have also been identified. MMPs, and in particular MT1-MMP, the prototypic membrane-tethered matrix metalloproteinase, are no longer only ECM remodeling enzymes but rather regulators of several cellular functions including growth, migration, invasion and gene expression. Here we will focus on the role of the membrane bound MT1-MMP in melanoma growth, invasion and metastasis. MT1-MMP has in fact emerged as a multifaceted protease capable of influencing melanoma metastasis by canonical means, i.e. ECM degradation, but also via regulation of genes involved in several pro-tumorigenic functions including tumor cell growth and motility.
Hepcidin Plays a Key Role in 6-OHDA Induced Iron Overload and Apoptotic Cell Death in a Cell Culture Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Background. Elevated brain iron levels have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the precise mechanism underlying abnormal iron accumulation in PD is not clear. Hepcidin, a hormone primarily produced by hepatocytes, acts as a key regulator in both systemic and cellular iron homeostasis. Objective. We investigated the role of hepcidin in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induced apoptosis in a cell culture model of PD. Methods. We downregulated hepcidin using siRNA interference in N27 dopaminergic neuronal cells and made a comparison with control siRNA transfected cells to investigate the role of hepcidin in 6-OHDA induced neurodegeneration. Results. Hepcidin knockdown (32.3%, P < 0.0001) upregulated ferroportin 1 expression and significantly (P < 0.05) decreased intracellular iron by 25%. Hepcidin knockdown also reduced 6-OHDA induced caspase-3 activity by 42% (P < 0.05) and DNA fragmentation by 29% (P = 0.086) and increased cell viability by 22% (P < 0.05). In addition, hepcidin knockdown significantly attenuated 6-OHDA induced protein carbonyls by 52% (P < 0.05) and intracellular iron by 28% (P < 0.01), indicating the role of hepcidin in oxidative stress. Conclusions. Our results demonstrate that hepcidin knockdown protected N27 cells from 6-OHDA induced apoptosis and that hepcidin plays a major role in reducing cellular iron burden and oxidative damage by possibly regulating cellular iron export mediated by ferroportin 1.
Automating 3D wireless measurements with drones

Wireless signals and networks are ubiquitous. Though more reliable than ever, wireless networks still struggle with weak coverage, blind spots, and interference. Having a strong understanding of wireless signal propagation is essential for increasing coverage, optimizing performance, and minimizing interference for wireless networks. Extensive studies have analyzed the propagation of wireless signals and proposed theoretical models to simulate wireless signal propagation. Unfortunately, models of signal propagation are often not accurate in reality. Real-world signal measurements are required for validation.Existing methods for collecting wireless measurements either involve researchers walking to each location of interest and manually collecting measurements, or place sensors at each measurement location. As such, they require large amounts of time and effort and can be costly. We propose DroneSense, a system for measuring wireless signals in the 3D space using autonomous drones. Drone-Sense reduces the time and effort required for measurement collection, and is affordable and accessible to all users. It provides researchers with an efficient method to quickly analyze wireless coverage and test their wireless propagation models.
Bacterial evolution: Emergence of virulence in TB.

Recombination of genes responsible for synthesis of major surface lipooligosaccharides, and consequent loss of these compounds in a Mycobacterium canettii-like progenitor, increased virulence and drove evolution from an environmental, relatively non-pathogenic status to virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the cause of the present-day TB epidemic.