cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early Postemergence Control of Spotted Spurge in Container Production

Abstract Four experiments were conducted to evaluate early postemergence control of spotted spurge (Chamaesyce maculata) in nursery crops using preemergence active herbicides. In Experiment 1, spot...
Bone density quantification via material decomposition in an arthritic mouse model using photon counting spectral CT

Accurate quantitation of bone density variation would allow monitoring changes due to aging, disease progression, therapy outcomes or drug response. We present results from our material decomposition method using spectral computed tomography (CT) with a photon counting detector (PCD) for estimating quantitative bone density variations in healthy and arthritic mice. Limited samples of healthy mice and collagen antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA) mice were imaged on our home-built benchtop micro CT system with a wide area photon counting detector with a high resolution 55 micrometer pixel size. A material decomposition algorithm was applied in the image domain to separate and quantify bone and soft tissue variations. The resulting bone densities were quantified globally and locally for both mice. Higher bone densities were seen in the control mice over their arthritis counterparts by about 6-12%. Based on our preliminary results, material decomposition of multi-energy CT images collected with a PCD appears promising for bone density quantification. Our results show that these methods could be successfully applied to arthritis diagnosis and treatment monitoring in a mouse model. We will further investigate the utility of our methods to simultaneously quantify bone density as well as tagged contrast agents. These investigations are expected to help with longitudinal imaging studies to understand disease progression in animal models.
Effects of Energy Source and Level, and Sex on Carcass and Meat Characteristics in Lambs

ObjectivesThe objective of the study was to investigate concerns of excessively fat lambs in the U.S. by comparing energy source and level, and the sex of lamb, on lamb carcass and meat characteristics.Materials and MethodsEwe (n = 48) and wether (n = 48) lambs were blocked by sex and stratified by initial weight to pen. The three diets were ad libitum whole shelled corn (WSC; AC), 85% of ad libitum intake WSC diet (LC), or an ad libitum alfalfa pellet diet (AA). There were 4 lambs per pen, and 8 replicate pens per dietary treatment. Ewe (n = 24) and wether (n = 24) lambs were harvested on a pen basis during the periods of 7/7/2015 through 8/25/2015 when pens reached an average weight of 59.0 and 63.5 kg, respectively. Carcasses were split between the 12th and 13th rib 24 h postmortem to record carcass measurements. Minolta measurements were taken 24 h postmortem and loin chops were allowed to bloom for 20 min before color measurements were taken. Statistical analysis was conducted using PROC MIXED statement in SAS with diet and sex as fixed effects, diet and sex nested within pen as the random effect, and initial weight and final weight were used as covariates if P 0.05) were found between carcasses for conformation score, lean color and quality score, and quality grade. Minolta L*, a*, and b* values taken from the subcutaneous fat across the top of the shoulders on the carcass were not significantly different (P > 0.05). Similarly, the Minolta L* and a* values of the lean from a butterflied loin chop were not significantly different (P > 0.05). However, loin chop from wether carcasses had greater (P < 0.05) b* values compared to loin chops from ewe carcasses.ConclusionIn conclusion, lambs fed WSC had greater dressing percentages that related to greater hot carcass weights with greater measurements of carcass fat compared to lambs fed alfalfa pellets.
Primary Liver Cancers: Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The incidence of liver cancers has continued to increase over the past few decades and mortality related to liver cancer has increased by more than 2% annually since 2007. This article reviews the essential workup and treatment options necessary for general surgeons as they treat patients with primary liver cancers.
In silico structure prediction of full-length cotton cellulose synthase protein (GhCESA1) and its hierarchical complexes

Cellulose synthase (CESA) polymerizes glucose into β-1,4-glucan chains that assemble to form cellulose microfibrils. Cellulose is the most abundant natural polymer in the world and a major structural component of the plant cell wall. An understanding of cellulose synthesis in plants is crucial for advancement in biofuels research and requires high-resolution 3D CESA structures. However, the determination of 3D structures of plant CESAs and their specific hierarchical arrangement into cellulose synthesis complexes (CSCs) has been a challenge. The prediction of CESA structures using computational methods presents a challenge due to poor sequence homology with resolved structures, long sequence, and structural complexity due to a mixture of globular, transmembrane, and intrinsically disordered regions. Herein, we present a 3D atomic-resolution model of a full-length (974-aa) cotton CESA (GhCESA1) structure using a variety of computational techniques with a reasonable ProSA-web z-score of − 8.32 (PDB available in SI). The overall fold of the CESA model indicates that there are similarities to BcsA bacterial cellulose synthase, such as the transmembrane topology and the internalization of conserved catalytic motifs. The plant-specific regions (CSR, P-CR, and N-term) fold into distinct subdomains, indicating the importance of these regions in CESA assembly into plant CSCs. We further examined possible assemblies of CESA monomers forming trimers and 18-mer CSCs, and we compared our results to those obtained by freeze fracture transmission electron microscopy. We observed that there are numerous competing ways in which CESAs may be arranged into homotrimers and CSCs. Our predicted structure can be used to probe CESA structure–activity relationships, select and subsequently test possible mutants, and investigate CESA aggregation into CSCs and microfibril formation to optimize biomass properties.
Examining salesperson versus sales manager evaluation of customer opportunities: A psychological momentum perspective on optimism, confidence, and overconfidence

Abstract Making correct decisions regarding the merit of sales opportunities, as well as deciding which opportunities to pursue and which to abandon, is one of the most critical tasks sales managers and salespeople grapple with. These frontline assessments typically become sales forecasts that are used to allocate resources within the firm. Assessments of future sales, however, are often inaccurate and little is known about how salespeople and sales managers make decisions about sales opportunities, or if they differ in their ability to (correctly) assess the merits of such opportunities. To address this research gap, we explore several decision-making biases – namely optimism, confidence, and overconfidence – through the lenses of both Psychological Momentum (PM) and Strategic Reference Point (SRP) theory. Analysis of rich CRM data from a Fortune 500 medical products company, across three studies, demonstrates notable differences between salespeople and sales managers concerning decision-making biases that influence their evaluations of sales opportunities.
3D Human Knee Flexion Angle Estimation Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks

An Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury can cause a serious burden, especially for athletes participating in relatively risky sports. This raises a growing incentive for designing injury-prevention programs. For this purpose, the analysis of the drop jump landing test, for example, can provide a useful asset for recognizing those who are more likely to sustain knee injuries. Knee flexion angle plays a key role within these test scenarios. Multiple research efforts have been conducted on engaging existing technologies such as the Microsoft Kinect sensor and Motion Capture (MoCap) to investigate the connection between the lower limb angle ranges during jump tests and the injury risk associated with them. Even though these technologies provide sufficient capabilities to researchers and clinicians, they need certain levels of knowledge to enable them to utilize these facilities. Moreover, these systems demand special requirements and setup procedures which make them limiting. Due to recent advances in the area of Deep Learning, numerous powerful 3D pose estimation algorithms have been developed over the last few years. Having access to relatively reliable and accurate 3D body keypoint information can lead to successful detection and prevention of injury. The idea of combining temporal convolutions in video sequences with deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) offer a substantial opportunity to tackle the challenging task of accurate 3D human pose estimation. Using the Microsoft Kinect sensor as our ground truth, we analyze the performance of CNN-based 3D human pose estimation in everyday settings. The qualitative and quantitative results are convincing enough to give an incentive to pursue further improvements, especially in the task of lower extremity kinematics estimation. In addition to the performance comparison between Kinect and CNN, we have also verified the high-margin of consistency between two Kinect sensors.
Effects of perioperative exercise interventions on lung cancer patients: An overview of systematic reviews.

Aims and objectives To identify, appraise and summarise systematic reviews of exercise interventions for surgical lung cancer patients. Background Low exercise capacity, reduced pulmonary function, impaired health-related quality of life and postoperative pulmonary complications are common in surgical lung cancer patients. Numerous systematic reviews address these health problems and examine the effects of exercise intervention. However, differences in the quality and scope of the systematic reviews and discordant findings from the reviews make it difficult for decisions-makers to interpret the evidence and establish best practices in the clinical settings. Design Overview of systematic reviews. Methods This overview was conducted following the PRISMA guideline. A literature search of PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, SPORTDiscus and PEDro was conducted (October 2019). Peer-reviewed systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials focusing on the effects of exercise interventions for lung cancer patients who underwent surgery were included. The methodological quality of included reviews was assessed using AMSTAR 2. The results of reviews with meta-analysis were synthesised and presented by each health outcome. Results Seven systematic reviews published between 2013 and 2019 were included. High/moderate-quality evidence showed that postoperative exercise interventions could increase the exercise capacity and muscle strength, and low/very-low-quality evidence showed that postoperative exercise interventions may increase the physical component of health-related quality of life and decease dyspnoea. Low-quality evidence showed that preoperative exercise interventions may increase exercise capacity and pulmonary function, decrease the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications and reduce the length of hospital stay. Conclusions Postoperative and preoperative exercises have the potential to improve health outcomes in surgical lung cancer patients. Further research is needed to evaluate the effects of different types of exercise and varying amounts of exercise. Relevance to clinical practice This study provides evidence to support the implementation of exercise interventions for surgical lung cancer patients.
σ-SCF: A direct energy-targeting method to mean-field excited states

The mean-field solutions of electronic excited states are much less accessible than ground state (e.g., Hartree-Fock) solutions. Energy-based optimization methods for excited states, like Δ-SCF (self-consistent field), tend to fall into the lowest solution consistent with a given symmetry—a problem known as “variational collapse.” In this work, we combine the ideas of direct energy-targeting and variance-based optimization in order to describe excited states at the mean-field level. The resulting method, σ-SCF, has several advantages. First, it allows one to target any desired excited state by specifying a single parameter: a guess of the energy of that state. It can therefore, in principle, find all excited states. Second, it avoids variational collapse by using a variance-based, unconstrained local minimization. As a consequence, all states—ground or excited—are treated on an equal footing. Third, it provides an alternate approach to locate Δ-SCF solutions that are otherwise hardly accessible by the usu...
Gaining affective resources for work-family enrichment: A multisource experience sampling study of micro-role transitions

Abstract The present study employed experience sampling methodology (ESM) and used workday breaks as a context to examine how work-family enrichment is fostered by affective resources gained through transitions to the family role during the workday. Drawing upon the resource-gain-development model of work-family enrichment ( Wayne, Grzywacz, Carlson, & Kacmar, 2007 ) and boundary transition theories ( Ashforth, Kreiner, & Fugate, 2000 ; Clark, 2000 ), we investigated how different types of encounters with family (family task, family interaction, and enjoyment of such an encounter) during a workday break influence affective resource gain, which then affects family-to-work enrichment and work and family outcomes. Using a sample of 90 hourly administrative workers (Nbreaks = 566), the results indicated that enjoyment of the family task or interaction increased affective resources following the role transitions whereas resources were lost following low enjoyment. When aggregated at the person-level across the week, affective resource gain was related to family satisfaction and family functioning through work-family enrichment as a mediator. We merge and extend three major bodies of literature on work-family enrichment, work-family boundary transitions, and workday breaks to explicate the process by which enrichment unfolds when transitioning to and from a family role at work.
Post-collegiate athlete transitions and the influence of a coach

Through examination of semi-structured interviews from former National Collegiate Athletic Association athletes (n = 150), this study used Schlossberg’s [1981. A model for analyzing human adaptatio...
How basic components of information-updating interact to encourage variation in the results of empirical studies of within and transgenerational plasticity

Abstract Experiences of parents and/or offspring are often assumed to affect the development of trait values in offspring because they provide information about the external environment, but it is currently unclear how information from different sources and times might combine to affect the information-states that provide the foundation for the patterns observed in empirical studies of developmental plasticity in response to environmental cues. We analyze Bayesian models designed to mimic fully-factorial experimental studies of within and transgenerational plasticity (TWP), in which parents, offspring, neither or both are exposed to cues from predators, to determine how different durations of cue exposure for parents and offspring, the devaluation of information from parents or the degradation of information from parents would affect offspring estimates of environmental states related to risk of predation at the end of such experiments. We show that the effects of different cue durations, the devaluation of information from parents, and the degradation of information from parents on offspring estimates are all expected to vary as a function of interactions with two other key parameters of information-based models of TWP: parental priors and the relative cue reliability in the different treatments. Our results suggest empiricists should expect to observe considerable variation across experimental studies of TWP based on simple principles of information-updating, without needing to invoke additional assumptions about costs, tradeoffs, development constraints, the fitness consequences of different trait values, or other factors.
The Fiscal Support of Queen Elionor

In this chapter, Kagay reviews the economic support that Elionor depended on once she took up her royal post in 1349. A good portion of this financial backing came from the dowry promised by the queen’s father, Pietro I, but never delivered by her brothers. Most of the queen’s financial resources came from the dower rights which Pere III gave to each of his mates. This money came from a variety of revenues owed by urban sites, castles, and various kinds of property. Kagay, following the invaluable research of Sebastian Roebert, traces these rents through the decades of the queen’s royal life demonstrating how fluid these financial sources were and how much the king depended on repeated grants from his wife, especially during his war with Castile. The author shows that despite her husband’s financial support, Elionor went through periods when she had barely enough money to support his own court and those of her children.
Forest stand and canopy development unaltered by 12 years of CO2 enrichment.

Canopy structure-the size and distribution of tree crowns and the spatial and temporal distribution of leaves within them-exerts dominant control over primary productivity, transpiration, and energy exchange. Stand structure-the spatial arrangement of trees in the forest (height, basal area, and spacing)-has a strong influence on forest growth, allocation, and resource use. Forest response to elevated atmospheric CO2 is likely to be dependent on canopy and stand structure. Here, we investigated eCO2 effects on forest structure of a L. styraciflua stand in a free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiment, considering leaves, tree crowns, forest canopy, and stand structure. During the 12-year experiment the trees increased in height by 5 m, and basal area increased 37%. Basal area distribution among trees shifted from a relatively narrow distribution to a much broader one, but there was little evidence of a CO2 effect on height growth or basal area distribution. The differentiation into crown classes over time led to an increase in the number of unproductive intermediate and suppressed trees and a greater concentration of stand basal area in the largest trees. A whole-tree harvest at the end of the experiment permitted detailed analysis of canopy structure. There was little effect of CO2 enrichment on the relative leaf area distribution within tree crowns and little change from 1998 to 2009. Leaf characteristics (leaf mass per unit area and nitrogen content) varied with crown depth; any effects of elevated CO2 were much smaller than the variation within the crown and were consistent throughout the crown. In this young, even-aged, monoculture plantation forest, there was little evidence that elevated CO2 accelerated tree and stand development, and there were remarkably small changes in canopy structure. Questions remain as to whether a more diverse, mixed species forest would respond similarly.
The Medical Library Association Guide to Finding Out About Heart Disease by Jeanette De Richemond and Terry Paula Hoffman

Locating consumer-friendly resources on a complex medical topic is a perennial challenge for librarians. The Medical Library Association Guide to Finding Out About Heart Diseaseis the latest in a s...
Application of Bayes' theorem for pulse shape discrimination

A Bayesian approach is proposed for pulse shape discrimination of photons and neutrons in liquid organic scinitillators. Instead of drawing a decision boundary, each pulse is assigned a photon or neutron confidence probability. In addition, this allows for photon and neutron classification on an event-by-event basis. The sum of those confidence probabilities is used to estimate the number of photon and neutron instances in the data. An iterative scheme, similar to an expectation-maximization algorithm for Gaussian mixtures, is used to infer the ratio of photons-to-neutrons in each measurement. Therefore, the probability space adapts to data with varying photon-to-neutron ratios. A time-correlated measurement of Am–Be and separate measurements of 137Cs, 60Co and 232Th photon sources were used to construct libraries of neutrons and photons. These libraries were then used to produce synthetic data sets with varying ratios of photons-to-neutrons. Probability weighted method that we implemented was found to maintain neutron acceptance rate of up to 90% up to photon-to-neutron ratio of 2000, and performed 9% better than the decision boundary approach. Furthermore, the iterative approach appropriately changed the probability space with an increasing number of photons which kept the neutron population estimate from unrealistically increasing.
Land use dynamics and ecological transition: the case of South Florida

This study examines the process of land use change in South Florida. Through this discussion, a conceptual model of ecological transition is developed and presented. The model is built on the general principles of neoclassical economic theories of land rent, behavioral models of resource use, and an historical geographic account of environmental change. Central to the paper is the specification of the theoretical link between demographics, market and service demands, land use, and ecological change. This study focuses on the nature and drivers of environmental change that has occurred in South Florida since 1900. The region studied includes the southern Florida Everglades and the surrounding area. The analysis determines that massive land useland cover has taken place in the region, particularly since the end of World War II. These landscape changes are conceptualized by a model that links regional demand for both agricultural and residential land through the agency of hierarchical forces. In this model, landscape evolution and natural areas encroachment are articulated as a dynamic process in which the regime of interaction between human systems and land use changes. Three main time periods for regional ecological transition are defined: (1) frontier closure (2) articulation of a system of cities with coupled agricultural hinterlands serving national and international markets. Differing land use change dynamics are identified as specific to each time period.
Nucleotide sequence analysis of DNA. XI. The 3' terminal sequences of bacteriophage lambda and phi 80 DNA.

Two procedures have been developed and applied to the determination of the 3′ terminal sequences of λ DNA and φ80 DNA. In the first procedure, each 3′ terminus was specifically labeled with a single 32P-nucleotide. Radioactive oligonucleotides of different lengths were obtained by partial pancreatic deoxyribonuclease digestion. From the characteristic mobilities of these oligonucleotides in two dimensional fractionation systems, the 3′ terminal sequence -ACCCGCG for the r-strand and -GGTTACG for the l-strand of λ DNA have been determined. In the second procedure, approximately six nucleotides were removed from each 3′ terminus with exonuclease III, and they were replaced with radioactive nucleotides by partial repair synthesis. After enzymatic digestion and sequence analysis, the above sequences have been confirmed. The 3′ terminal sequences in φ80 DNA are identical to those in λ DNA at least up to the fifth nucleotide from the 3′ ends.
Laws of the iterated logarithm for α-time Brownian motion

We introduce a class of iterated processes called $\alpha$-time Brownian motion for $0<\alpha \leq 2$. These are obtained by taking Brownian motion and replacing the time parameter with a symmetric $\alpha$-stable process. We prove a Chung-type law of the iterated logarithm (LIL) for these processes which is a generalization of LIL proved in cite{hu} for iterated Brownian motion. When $\alpha =1$ it takes the following form $$ \liminf_{T\to\infty}\ T^{-1/2}(\log\log T) \sup_{0\leq t\leq T}|Z_{t}|=\pi^{2}\sqrt{\lambda_{1}} \quad a.s. $$ where $\lambda_{1}$ is the first eigenvalue for the Cauchy process in the interval $[-1,1].$ We also define the local time $L^{*}(x,t)$ and range $R^{*}(t)=|{x: Z(s)=x \text{ for some } s\leq t}|$ for these processes for $1<\alpha <2$. We prove that there are universal constants $c_{R},c_{L}\in (0,\infty) $ such that $$ \limsup_{t\to\infty}\frac{R^{*}(t)}{(t/\log \log t)^{1/2\alpha}\log \log t}= c_{R} \quad a.s. $$ $$ \liminf_{t\to\infty} \frac{\sup_{x\in {R}}L^{*}(x,t)}{(t/\log \log t)^{1-1/2\alpha}}= c_{L} \quad a.s. $$
An Adenosine Triphosphate-dependent Deoxyribonuclease from Hemophilus influenzae Rd II. ADENOSINE TRIPHOSPHATASE PROPERTIES

Abstract The ATP-dependent DNase of Hemophilus influenzae Rd acts as a DNA-dependent ATPase which splits ATP into ADP and inorganic phosphate in the presence of magnesium ions and DNA. The apparent Km for ATP in the ATPase reaction is 0.18 mm. Approximately 40 ATP molecules are utilized for each DNA phosphodiester bond cleaved. All of the common ribose and deoxyribose nucleoside 5'-triphosphates can replace ATP in the DNase reaction with varying degrees of effectiveness ranging from 40 to 90%.
SU-E-T-387: Evaluation of Effective Treatment Depth in Skin Cancer Treatments with Xoft Electronic Brachytherapy

Purpose: To evaluate changes in the percent depth dose (PDD) and effective depth of treatment based on exerted force by applicator on the skin during treatments of skin cancer with Xoft Electronic Brachytherapy. Methods: To simulate compressible tissue, 5mm tissue-equivalent bolus was used. An ion chamber (Soft X-ray Chamber, PTW) and electrometer (Max 4000, Standard Imaging) were used for output measurements. Measurements were done for all available Xoft surface applicators (10, 20, 35, and 50mm cones) with plastic endcap. Fig1 shows the experimental setup. The PDD was measured first with no or minimal pressure of the applicator on the bolus, followed by increasing uniform pressure on the applicator applied with custom cerrobend weights. The measurements were used to calculate the effective PDD and effective depth. Results: Force applied with the applicator was plotted against the change in PDD relative to the PDD when no force is applied. For the 10mm cone, moderate force of 5N can change the PDD by more than 20%, (Fig2). The effect is also pronounced for the 20mm cone, while it is minimal for the 35 and 50mm cones. Even when only moderate force is applied, the effective prescription depth can be changed by a several millimeters, which is on the order of the typical prescription depth (Fig3). Conclusion: Based on the results of this simulation, excessive pressure applied on the patient’s skin by the applicator cone can drastically alter the PDD and effective treatment depth. The effect is most pronounced for the 10mm cone, and to a lesser extent, 20mm, which is significant as these cones tend to be used most frequently in the clinic. Applicator placement therefore may Result in significant consequences such as excessive dose to target, severe skin reaction, permanent discoloration, skin indentation, and poor overall cosmesis upon completion of treatment.
Ultrafast electron and hole trapping times and defect band saturation dynamics in low-temperature-grown GaAs

Summary form only given. Low-temperature-grown GaAs (LT-GaAs) has long been known to have a (sub)picosecond photo-excited carrier response time. In this paper we report the first direct measurement of the hole trapping time from the valence band in LT-GaAs, and distinguish it from electron trapping time from the conduction band and recombination time. These results are compared with trapping and recombination times in conventional semi-insulating GaAs. We have also performed novel experiments at very high optical excitation densities (10/sup 19-20/ carriers/cm/sup 3/) to time resolve the saturation dynamics of mid-gap states.
Surprises of off-label drug use--where had all the prostin gone?

Yet some drugs (e.g. paracetamol, salbutamol) are so commonplace in paediatric practice that it may come as a surprise that their use is indeed off-label in many circumstances. Problems may arise when an important drug in everyday (off-label) use is unexpectedly in short supply. An example is dinoprostone, marketed in South Africa as Prostin E2 by Pfizer South Africa (but curiously not listed on their website). Its registered use in South Africa is for induction of labour (as an oral 0.5 mg tablet), yet it is commonly used in South Africa for the emergency maintenance of ductal patency in newborn babies. Dinoprostone Dinoprostone is a naturally occurring prostaglandin E2 that binds and activates the PGE2 receptor. It is often used as an emergency treatment to maintain the patency of the ductus arteriosus (PDA) in neonates with duct-dependent lesions such as certain forms of cyanotic congenital heart disease (e.g. pulmonary atresia or transposition of the great arteries) and interruption or coarctation of the aorta. The birth incidence of these rapidly life-threatening lesions is 1.0 - 1.8/1 000 3
Formation of the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Binding Sites

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) are activated by ACh binding to two sites located on different α subunits. The two α subunits, α γ and α δ , are distinguished by their interface with γ and δ subunits. We have characterized the formation of the ACh binding sites and found, contrary to the current model, that the sites form at different times and in a set order. The first site forms on α γ subunits during the process of subunit assembly. Our data are consistent with the appearance of this site on αβγδ subunit tetramers soon after the site for the competitive antagonist α-bungarotoxin has formed and δ subunits have assembled with αβγ trimers. The second site is located on α δ subunits and forms after AChR subunits have assembled into α 2 βγδ pentamers. By determining the order in which the ACh binding sites form, we have also identified the sites in which the δ and second α subunits associate during subunit assembly.
The Ah receptor in marine animals: phylogenetic distribution and relationship to cytochrome P4501A inducibility

Abstract In mammals, the induction of cytochrome P4501A forms by chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, chlorinated dibenzofurans, and halogenated biphenyls is under control of a soluble protein known as the Ah (aromatic hydrocarbon) receptor. Little is known about the presence and properties of the Ah receptor in other vertebrate and invertebrate species. In these studies, we sought evidence for an Ah receptor in the liver or liver-equivalent of 20 species of marine and freshwater animals, using the photoaffinity ligand 2-azido-3-[ 125 I] iodo-7,8-dibromodibenzo-p-dioxin (N 3 [ 125 I]Br 2 DD). Specific labeling of cytosolic proteins by N 3 [ 125 I]Br 2 DD was observed in seven species of teleost and elasmobranch fish, in PLHC-I fish hepatoma cells, and in beluga whales. No specifically labeled proteins were found in cytosol from two species of agnathan fish nor in any of nine invertebrate species representing eight classes of four phyla. The presence or absence of specifically labeled polypeptides corresponds with the inducibility of cytochrome P4501A and sensitivity to the toxic effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and related planar halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons in many of these groups. Thus, Ah receptor function may have arisen early invertebrate evolution and has been conserved from elasmobranch and teleost fish to mammals.
Simulation of low clouds from the CAM and the regional WRF with multiple nested resolutions

[1] Current climate models have shown systematic simulation biases of low clouds that have cast great uncertainties on the climate sensitivity of these models. Among them is the deficient amount of low clouds over the storm tracks. This study uses the NCAR Community Atmospheric Model (CAM) and the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) to study the cause of the failure of the global model in simulating low clouds associated with a frontal passage over the North Atlantic. The global model is shown to simulate the large-scale circulation that can support the boundary layer instabilities responsible for the observed clouds, but because the global model does not resolve the unstable modes, the instability cannot be realized. The resolution requirement of cloud simulations is discussed. This study also demonstrates the feasibility of cloud parameterization by nesting high resolution models into coarse resolution models to tap into the dynamical properties of the large-scale flows.
Paternal care and the development of behavior in the southern grasshopper mouse, Onychomys torridus

Litters of southern grasshopper mice ( Onychomys torridus ) were reared by the male and female parents or by the female parent only. All mice were weaned at 25 ± 1 days of age and observed from 30 to 100 days of age in one of four different behavioral tests. These tests included: (a) open-field activity, (b) interspecific aggression toward Mus opponents of the same sex and same approximate age, (c) predatory behavior toward live house crickets, or (d) intraspecific aggression toward Onychomys opponents of the same sex and same approximate age. The presence of the male parent during the preweaning period resulted in a significant increase in the open-field activity of Onychomys females and a significant increase in the aggression of Onychomys males toward Mus opponents. In addition, there was a tendency for subjects reared by the male and female parents to be more efficient in attacking and killing cricket prey. There were no differences between subjects of the two rearing environments with respect to intraspecific aggression. These results suggest that the male parent had an important but selective influence on the behavioral development of Onychomys torridus males and females.
Solar flux incident on an orbiting surface after reflection from a planet

Algorithms describing the solar radiation impinging on an infinitesimal surface after reflection from a gray and diffuse planet are derived. The following conditions apply: only radiation from the sunny half of the planet is taken into account; the radiation must fall on the top of the orbiting surface, and radiation must come from that part of the planet that can be seen from the orbiting body. A simple approximate formula is presented which displays excellent accuracy for all significant situations, with an error which is always less than 5% of the maximum possible reflected flux. Attention is also given to solar albedo flux on a surface directly facing the planet, the influence of solar position on albedo flux, and to solar albedo flux as a function of the surface-planet tilt angle.
Melanocytes and keratinocytes have distinct and shared responses to ultraviolet radiation and arsenic

The rise of melanoma incidence in the United States is a growing public health concern. A limited number of epidemiology studies suggest an association between arsenic levels and melanoma risk. Arsenic acts as a co-carcinogen with ultraviolet radiation (UVR) for the development of squamous cell carcinoma and proposed mechanisms include generation of oxidative stress by arsenic and UVR and inhibition of UVR-induced DNA repair by arsenic. In this study, we investigate similarities and differences in response to arsenic and UVR in keratinocytes and melanocytes. Normal melanocytes are markedly more resistant to UVR-induced cytotoxicity than normal keratinocytes, but both cell types are equally sensitive to arsenite. Melanocytes were more resistant to arsenite and UVR stimulation of superoxide production than keratinocytes, but the concentration of arsenite necessary to inhibit the activity of the DNA repair protein poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase and enhance retention of UVR-induced DNA damage was essentially equivalent in both cell types. These findings suggest that although melanocytes are less sensitive than keratinocytes to initial UVR-mediated DNA damage, both of these important target cells in the skin share a mechanism related to arsenic inhibition of DNA repair. These findings suggest that concurrent chronic arsenic exposure could promote retention of unrepaired DNA damage in melanocytes and act as a co-carcinogen in melanoma.
Interfacial sticking and slipping in the friction stir welding process

In friction stir welding (FSW), a rotating threaded weld tool is inserted into a weld seam and literally stirs the edges of the seam together. To determine optimal processing parameters for producing a defect free weld, a physical understanding of the resulting metal deformation flow path is required. Marker studies are the principal method of studying the metal deformation flow path around the FSW weld tool. In our study, we have used a lead wire embedded in the weld seam as a tracer. At the welding temperature of aluminum, the lead becomes molten and is continuously carried with the macro-flow of the weld metal. A through thickness flow of metal was revealed in the X-ray imaging of the lead tracer in addition to revealing a cyclic oscillation in the plasticized metal affected by the process.
Magnetization, Paleomagnetic Poles, and Polar Wander on Mars

Abstract Using the geometry of an areocentric dipole field, we have remodeled the anomalies observed in the Terra Sirenum and Terra Cimmeria regions by the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS). For the origin of the anomalies, we used both magnetic stripe and magnetic shell hypotheses. For magnetic stripe models, we assume that sea-floor spreading formed the anomalies in the presence of a reversing axial dipole field. We found that a simple magnetic stripe model with constant magnetization and crustal thickness results in poor agreement with the observed anomalies. However, by allowing the intensity of magnetization to vary freely between and along the stripes, a reasonable fit to the observed data can be found while maintaining the observed polarity along the stripes. Applying the simple magnetic stripe model to the Terra Sirenum and Terra Cimmeria anomalies results in best-fit spreading centers located well to the north of the surviving magnetic stripes. This could possibly explain the apparent lack of symmetry that has been noted in the anomalies. For the magnetic shell hypothesis, we assume that a monopolarity dipole field magnetized the early crust of Mars. The anomalies that persist today would then be the result of partial demagnetization of the original magnetic shell by more recent processes. The magnetic anomalies in Terra Sirenum and Terra Cimmeria are consistent with this model, especially if the magnetization of the original magnetic shell was laterally inhomogeneous. If the monopolarity magnetic shell hypothesis is correct, best-fit magnetic paleopole locations for the original magnetization lie in a sub-equatorial belt centered near the prime meridian. If the ancient magnetic pole of Mars coincided with the spin pole, this result implies that either apparent or true polar wander has occurred on Mars. Apparent polar wander would be consistent with plate tectonics having occurred after the formation of the magnetic anomalies. True polar wander has previously been proposed to explain certain morphologic features found on Mars.
High throughput heavy hitter aggregation for modern SIMD processors

Heavy hitters are data items that occur at high frequency in a data set. They are among the most important items for an organization to summarize and understand during analytical processing. In data sets with sufficient skew, the number of heavy hitters can be relatively small. We take advantage of this small footprint to compute aggregate functions for the heavy hitters in fast cache memory in a single pass.We design cache-resident, shared-nothing structures that hold only the most frequent elements. Our algorithm works in three phases. It first samples and picks heavy hitter candidates. It then builds a hash table and computes the exact aggregates of these elements. Finally, a validation step identifies the true heavy hitters from among the candidates.We identify trade-offs between the hash table configuration and performance. Configurations consist of the probing algorithm and the table capacity that determines how many candidates can be aggregated. The probing algorithm can be perfect hashing, cuckoo hashing and bucketized hashing to explore trade-offs between size and speed.We optimize performance by the use of SIMD instructions, utilized in novel ways beyond single vectorized operations, to minimize cache accesses and the instruction footprint.
Highlights of Recent Collections of Marine Algae from the Sultanate of Oman

Collections of benthic marine algae made over the past 3 years on the Dhofar coast of the Sultanate of Oman have continued to provide a more complete picture of the floristic affinities of this up-to-now poorly explored region. This Algal Biodiversity Project of Oman was funded by the British Government's Darwin Initiative grant for the ‘Survival of Species’ and managed by HTS Development Ltd., of the UK. A rich and floristically complicated flora is emerging, with connections to subtropical and warm temperate regions. Many new algal taxa have been discovered and described, and numerous new records for Oman or for the Indian Ocean have been reported. Some species newly reported for Oman (and the Indian Ocean) had previously been known from Japan (Distromium decumbens, Kallymenia crassiuscula, Dudresnaya japonica, and Chondria crassicaulis). Sporochnus pedunculatus and Pedobesia simplex had been known from the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean and are new records for the Indian Ocean. Some new species of red algae have been described, such as a Dipterocladia and a Plocamium. Some brown algal novelties have also been discovered, including new species of Turbinaria and Jolyna, and a new genus of Chordariaceae. The macroalgal flora of southern Oman is rich with representatives of Codium, Scinaia, Galaxaura, Melanothamnus, and the families Gelidiaceae and Dictyotaceae. Several representative marine algae from southern Oman will be depicted and discussed.
A Study of the Nonlinearly Related Modal Solutions of Coupled Nonlinear Systems by Superposition Techniques

The coupled nonlinear oscillating systems studied do not possess linear normal modes. The nonlinearly related modes of m1x1 + k = 1n akx1k + k = 1n Ak(x1 − x2)k = 0m2x2 + k = 1n bkx2k − k = 1n Ak(x1 − x2)k = 0 (1)with k = 1, 3, 5, . . . . . . are expressed as superpositions of the linear normal modes of each of the homogeneous systems of the form m1x1 + akx1k + Ak(x1 − x2)k = 0m2x2 + bkx2k − Ak(x1 − x2)k = 0 (2) whose force fields are superimposed to yield the force field of equations (1).
Providing healthcare to New Orleans' heart and soul: The musicians

This article details how the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic (founded 1998) has evolved to sustain New Orleans' musicians in mind, body and spirit by developing a unique access point to primary care, preventative health and social services and occupational outreach. Today, the clinic engages many partners, providers and funders at the federal, state and local levels to serve the increasing demand of their more than 2,400 patients.
Phosphorus can also be a "photocopy".

The syntheses of benzoxaphospholes and new benzobisoxaphospholes that display blue fluorescence are presented. The latter compounds were accessed by the use of a new precursor, 2,5-diphosphinohydroquinone. The new compounds were fully characterized, including a structural study of 2,6-tert-butylbenzo[1,2-d;4,5-d′]bisoxaphosphole. Quantum yields for photoluminescence were determined for a series of compounds. These materials feature bona fide P═C p−p π bonds suitable for conjugated materials having phosphorus as a participatory atom and can thus “photocopy” the properties of other conjugated organic molecules.
QR factorization for the regularized least squares problem on hypercubes

Abstract This paper discussed QR factorization algorithms for a special type of matrix arising from the application of the Tikhnov's regularization method to an ill-conditioned least squares problem. The matrix involved is half dense and half sparse. Householder transformation and the hybrid algorithm were implemented on iPSC/2 and iPSC/860 hypercubes. For a highly over-determined system, the row-oriented hybrid algorithm is faster than the column-oriented Householder transformation. The efficiency of the algorithms has been improved by overlapping communications with computations. BLAS routines are also used on iPSC/860 to enhance the performance of the algorithms.
The economics of organic milk production in California: A comparison with conventional costs

Interest in organic dairying is increasing at a rapid pace in California, and the demand for organic milk and dairy products is growing even faster. The intent of this study was to determine the cost of organic milk production, and in particular, to determine the differences in cost of production of organic and conventional milk. Primarily we are interested in whether the differences are due to government-mandated requirements or whether they are the result of optional procedures or personal preferences. Previous studies have indicated that under organic production, the higher net returns observed on organic farming enterprises are due mainly to the lower cost of production. This conclusion is not sustained here. Our results show that the total cost of production on a per cow and a per hundredweight basis is 10-20% higher for organic producers than for conventional producers. While not strongly statistically significant, the differences appear to be due to higher feed costs, higher average labor costs, significantly higher herd replacement costs, and significant transition costs.
Relationship of Size and Activity for AgI Smoke Particles

Abstract The ability of AgI particles to nucleate ice by the freezing mechanism was measured with the Goetz aerosol centrifuge as a function of particle size, temperature and time. When the cooled centrifuge deposit was exposed to a puff of supersaturated nitrogen, each particle was immersed in a supercooled droplet which, if it contained an active AgI particle, froze and formed a visible ice crystal. The fraction of active particles was found by comparing the number of ice crystals with the size distribution of all the particles on the deposit. The mean nucleation rate per particle depended on particle size for a given temperature, which suggested that the surface of the particles was smooth with respect to the size of the critical ice embryos. The measured rates were about a factor of 1014 ± 16 smaller than predicted by Fletcher's theory. Activity spectra, calculated from the measured rates by numerically integrating the activities of all the particles in log-normal size distributions, showed the import...