cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Considering Bacteria-Sediment Associations in Microbial Fate and Transport Modeling

The development of a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for water bodies impaired by elevated microbial levels (the second leading cause of impairment nationally) requires an understanding of microbial transport processes at the watershed scale. Continuous monitoring of impaired water bodies can be expensive, and models are typically employed, but most current models represent bacteria as single discrete (“free” phase) organisms with near-neutral buoyancy, subject to first-order decay resulting primarily from predation or die-off. Studies indicate, however, that a significant fraction of microbes are associated with sediment particles, both in the water column and bed-sediments, associations that can impact microbial transport behavior and survival rates. This work incorporates considerations of microbial partitioning and its impact on survival into microbial fate and transport modeling using a well-characterized watershed. Agreement between observed and modeled instream microbial concentrations is comparabl...
Organ damage in high-risk patients with systemic and incomplete lupus syndromes

The objective of this study was to characterize organ damage in lupus patients enrolled in Dallas Regional Autoimmune Disease Registry (DRADR). Retrospective chart review was carried out on 99 patients with four or more diagnostic criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 15 with less than four of these criteria, who were designated as having incomplete lupus erythematosus (ILE). The majority of patients (84 %) were African American or Hispanic/Latino; mean disease duration was 9.5 years. The mean damage score was 1.57 (range 0-8), and a damage score greater than 0 was present in 64 % of the patients. The ILE group had lower mean damage scores (0.67) than the SLE group (1.67; P = 0.04), explained in part by the shorter disease duration in the ILE patients (4.33 vs. 10.24 years; P = 0.003). The most prevalent damage category was renal, present in 24 % of patients. Malignancies occurred in individuals who were significantly older than those who had renal or peripheral vascular damage (P = 0.0007). The findings confirm clinical impressions that DRADR includes a high-risk lupus population. The ILE patients have less damage but also shorter disease duration, suggesting that this might represent an earlier disease stage. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that ILE patients include a subset that is likely to experience progressive organ damage. Longitudinal study of these patients has significant likelihood of tracking the changes that are correlated with disease progression to SLE.
MULEPRO: a multi-channel response to jamming attacks in wireless sensor networks

The shared wireless medium used by sensor networks makes it easy for adversaries to launch jamming attacks that can partially or completely block communication leading to a denial-of-service (DoS) condition. This paper presents MULEPRO (MULti-channel Exfiltration PROtocol), a fully distributed network based protocol designed to rapidly exfiltrate data from a jammed area using multiple communication channels simultaneously. The basic idea is to assign scheduling symbols to the different nodes based on their vertex color to produce conflict-free transmission schedules between sensor nodes, up to two-hop distance in order to address the terminal hidden problem. MULEPRO targets sensor network applications that require an immediate and robust response to such jamming-based DoS attacks and is designed to operate with any number of channels. When an attack is launched nodes can effectively coordinate exfiltration transmissions without needing to exchange network protocol information. We have extensively evaluated MULEPRO under a variety of attack configurations. Results show that MULEPRO can maintain pre-attack data transmission rates in the case of standard jamming attack models, and can exfiltrate data even for the case of multiple jammers. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Immune system activation follows inflammation in unstable angina: pathogenetic implications☆

Abstract Objectives. The aim of this study was to assess the relations between inflammation, specific immune response and clinical course in unstable angina (UA). Background. Several studies suggest that either inflammation and/or T-cell activation might have a pathogenetic role in UA, but neither their potential reciprocal connection nor their relation to the clinical course is known. Methods. Serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) (inflammation), IgG, IgA, IgM, C3, C4 (humoral immunity), IL-2 and the percentage of CD4+, CD8+ and CD3+/DR+ T-cells (cell-mediated immunity) were measured in 35 patients with UA and 35 patients with chronic stable angina (CSA) during a period of 6 months. Results. The CRP levels and the main specific immune markers (CD4+ and CD3+/DR+ cells, IL-2 and IgM) were higher in unstable than in stable angina. In UA, the serum levels of IgM and IL-2 and the percentage of double positive CD3+/DR+ significantly increased at 7 to 15 days, and returned to baseline at 6 months. The increment of circulating activated T cells (CD3+/DR+) in UA was inversely related to the admission levels of CRP (r = −0.63, p = 0.003) and associated with a better outcome. Conclusions. Our data suggest that the inflammatory component systemically detectable in UA may be antigen-related and that the magnitude of the immune response correlates with the clinical outcome of instability.
Impact of pretreatments and enzymatic hydrolysis on agricultural residue ash suitability for concrete

Abstract This study investigated the effects of the lignocellulosic ethanol production process on the potential use of the byproduct for supplementary cementitious material (SCM) production. Results showed that biomass pretreatment with sodium hydroxide could reduce the reactivity of byproduct ash in concrete because the sodium hydroxide dissolves much of the silica out of the biomass reducing the amount of reactive silica in the biomass ash. Sulfuric acid pretreatment was found to be an effective pretreatment method because it enhanced the byproduct properties for SCMs production. Therefore, if sulfuric acid pretreatment is used in lignocellulosic ethanol production, the byproduct could be used to produce reactive SCMs.
Plotting with confidence: Graphical comparisons of two populations

SUMMARY Statistical methods that give detailed descriptions of how populations differ are considered. These descriptions are in terms of a response function A(x) with the property that X + A(X) has the same distribution as Y. The methods are based on simultaneous confidence bands for the response function computed from independent samples from the two populations. Both general and parametric models are considered and comparisons between the various methods are made.
3D object understanding from 2D images

Abstract This paper deals with 3D object understanding from 2D images, including articulated objectsin active vision environment, Usually an articulated object is divided into two portions: main rigidportion and articulated portion. It is more complicated than "rigid" object in that the relativepositions, shaprs or angles between the main portion and the articulated portion have essentiallyinfinite variations, in addition to the infinite variations of each individual rigid portions due toorientations, rotations and topological transformations. A new method generalized from linearcombination is employed to investigate such problems. It uses very few learning samples, andcan describe, understand, and recognize 3D articulated objects while the objects status is beingchanged in an active vision environment.keywords : articulated object recognition, feature extraction, learning, active vision, linear com-bination, pattern representation, thinning 1 Introduction Three-dimensional (3D) representation, description, understanding, and recognition of rigid ob-jects are difficult and complicated because of infinite variations due to rotation, orientation andtopological transformations. Articulated objects are even more challenging because in addition tothe above mentioned difficulties, the object itsself can change shapes or structure, which makeits pattern representation and matchin rather difficult. Articulated objects consist of a majorportion of industrial parts play important roles in 3D pattern recognition, computer vision, andindustrial parts inspection [1,2]. Yet not many research work have been done in this area becauseof its difficulties and complexities [3,5], and most research in the past concentrate only on rigid
EFFECTS OF LIGHT ON CYCLIC GMP METABOLISM IN RETINAL PHOTORECEPTORS

— Guanylate cyclase activity of dark-adapted bovine rod outer segments demonstrates a biphasic pattern upon exposure to light. By 10 s of illumination, activity is 20% lower than that observed in dark-adapted outer segments. Activity subsequently increases and then slowly declines to two-thirds of the original activity after 10 min of illumination. In the presence of GTP or ATP, hydrolysis of cyclic GMP is rapidly enhanced by exposure of outer segments to light; the magnitude of this effect is dependent on the amount of substrate present. The rapid effects of light on synthesis and degradation of cyclic GMP indicate that these reactions may be involved in the visual process. The concentration of guanosine 3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic GMP) is extraordinarily high in dark-adapted bovine rod outer segments and is at least 100-fold that of adenosine 3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP). No significant decrease in the level of cyclic GMP or cyclic AMP was observed however upon exposure of dark-adapted outer segments to light.
Determination of the order of mutational sites governing l-arabinose utilization in Escherichia coliBr by transduction with phage P1bt☆☆☆

The order of seventeen l-arabinose mutants of Escherichia coliBr has been determined by three- and four-factor transduction experiments with phage P1bt. The assortment of the markers thr and leu, located on either side of the arabinose cluster, was observed among recombinants between pairs of arabinose mutants. The sites of the arabinose mutants are arranged in a linear sequence. The arabinose mutants are divided into three groups by biochemical analysis and the application of the abortive transduction test for complementation. Group A (four mutants) accumulates trace amounts of a keto sugar and is inhibited by l-arabinose; group B (eight mutants) accumulates large quantities of the keto sugar, ribulose, and is inhibited by l-arabinose; group C (five mutants) accumulates small amounts of keto sugar (more than group A) and is resistant to l-arabinose. Group C mutants are distinguished from mutants in groups A and B by abortive transduction tests. Comparison of the order of the mutant sites with the grouping by functional criteria demonstrates complete correspondence between the order of the mutants and the groups to which they belong. The transduction experiments involving pairs of arabinose mutants were characterized by the presence of marked negative interference.
g -matrix calculations in finite hypernuclei

[ital g]-matrix calculations have been performed for [sub [Lambda]][sup 5]He, [sub [Lambda]][sup 17]O, and [sub [Lambda]][sup 41]Ca by solving the [Lambda]-[Sigma] coupled channels Bethe-Goldstone equation. The potentials employed were the Nijmegen model D and Nijmegen soft core. Calculations were performed with various choices for the Pauli-forbidden space and the energy denominator. The Nijmegen model D does a reasonable job of reproducing most experimental single-particle energies, but the calculated ground-state binding energies vary smoothly from being underbound in the [sub [Lambda]][sup 5]He to overbound in [sub [Lambda]][sup 41]Ca. The Nijmegen soft core underbinds all single [Lambda] states, but gives level spacings which agree with experimental values.
Cytopathology of a nucleopolyhedrosis of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua

Abstract The pathology of the fat cells during the course of a nucleopolyhedrosis of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, is described. Ribosome-filled cytoplasmic rings were observed around nuclei after 3 days of infection. These rings may be the sites of polyhedral protein synthesis. Nuclei in adippse tissue hypertrophied from 8.4 to 25.5 μ in diameter after 4 days of infection. The inclusion bodies were irregularly shaped and varied from 1 to 6 μ (average 2.05 μ) in diameter. Membranelike structures, often discontinuous, were observed around polyhedra; they apparently developed after protein deposition had ceased. Virus particles within the inclusions always occurred in bundles of 2–7 rods (average 3.13 μ).
Flux creep in superconductors

Measurements of flux creep have been undertaken for a variety of superconductors' to determine the factors that control the temperature and magnetic field regimes where the material transforms from a strong-pinning rigid-flux lattice material to the region where the flux lattice is highly mobile. Analysis of the data in terms of a single effective pinning potential, U/sub eff/, using the Beasley model indicates that all of the superconductors measured have a gradual transition from the strong pinning behavior at low temperature to weak pinning behavior at high temperature. There is a narrow band of fields and temperatures in the H-T plane where U/sub eff//kT rises from 2 to 100. The position of this band changes considerably from material to material. It is shown that there are some striking similarities and some clear trends in the pinning potentials when they are plotted on a reduced temperature scale. The highly anisotropic Tl-based and Nd-based copper oxides are very similar even though their T/sub c/ values differ by a factor of 5. In the progression from Nb-Ti to the cubic Bi-oxide to the anisotropic Cu-oxide, there is a clear trend to a wider region of high flux creep.
Completely optical orientation determination for an unstabilized aerial three-line camera

Aerial line cameras allow the fast acquisition of high-resolution images at low costs. Unfortunately the measurement of the camera's orientation with the necessary rate and precision is related with large effort, unless extensive camera stabilization is used. But also stabilization implicates high costs, weight, and power consumption. This contribution shows that it is possible to completely derive the absolute exterior orientation of an unstabilized line camera from its images and global position measurements. The presented approach is based on previous work on the determination of the relative orientation of subsequent lines using optical information from the remote sensing system. The relative orientation is used to pre-correct the line images, in which homologous points can reliably be determined using the SURF operator. Together with the position measurements these points are used to determine the absolute orientation from the relative orientations via bundle adjustment of a block of overlapping line images. The approach was tested at a flight with the DLR's RGB three-line camera MFC. To evaluate the precision of the resulting orientation the measurements of a high-end navigation system and ground control points are used.
Swelling of crosslinked poly(methylmethacrylate‐acrylic acid) copolymers in serum and saline solutions

In recent articles, our research group explored the use of crosslinked Poly(methylmethacrylate-acrylic acid) and composites based on this copolymer for bone implant applications such as suture anchors. The swelling response of this system was studied first in vitro, using a 0.85 g/100-mL saline solution (chosen because it simulates well the in vivo environment), and later in vivo by using samples implanted for various time periods in the lateral femoral condyles of New Zealand white rabbits. It was found that the swelling response of the crosslinked copolymer in vivo was much greater than that in the saline solution. The present investigation was conducted to determine the mechanism of excessive swelling in the in vivo tests. The approach used was to establish the changes occurring in the chemical structure of the copolymer due to immersion in serum. A number of hypotheses that can potentially explain the observed excessive swelling in serum were investigated and are discussed in this article. The results of this study indicate that the mechanism of excessive swelling in serum was the neutralization of COOH groups in the copolymer to produce salts of acrylic acid, which are known to result in greater swell due to their higher degree of dissociation compared to free acid. It was also found that, for compositions containing the acrylic salts (produced by preswelling in high pH solutions and drying), the swelling behavior in serum was similar to that in saline solution, and more importantly, equilibrium swelling was reached in a relatively shorter time period, which has several practical advantages for bioimplant applications. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 79: 1653–1664, 2001
Using Negative Consequences Effectively

School-wide and classroom intervention procedures for managing inappropriate behavior are reviewed.
Surface polarity shielding and hierarchical ZnO Nano-architectures produced using sequential hydrothermal crystal synthesis and thin film atomic layer deposition.

Three-dimensional nanoscale constructs are finding applications in many emerging fields, including energy generation and storage, advanced water and air purification, and filtration strategies, as well as photocatalytic and biochemical separation systems. Progress in these important technologies will benefit from improved understanding of fundamental principles underlying nanostructure integration and bottom-up growth processes. While previous work has identified hydrothermal synthesis conditions to produce nanoscale ZnO rods, sheets, and plates, strategies to systematically integrate these elements into more complex nano-architectures are not previously described. This article illustrates that amorphous nanoscale coatings formed by atomic layer deposition (ALD) are a viable means to modulate and screen the surface polarity of ZnO crystal faces and thereby regulate the growth morphology during successive hydrothermal nanocrystal synthesis. Using this new strategy, this work demonstrates direct integration...
Importance of pharmacokinetic profile and timing of coadministration of short- and long-acting formulations of methylphenidate on patterns of subjective responses and abuse potential.

AbstractObjective: Subjective responses (ie, liking, disliking) to stimulants are thought to be proxies for abuse potential. Greater subjective responses have been documented in formulations that are more rapidly absorbed. However, repeat dosing has not been examined. Methods: Subjective responses on the Drug Rating Questionnaire were compared in 26 healthy adults after administration of short– (immediate–release [IR] methylphenidate [MPH]) and long– (osmotically controlled—release oral delivery system [OROS] MPH) acting stimulant formulations. The second dose was administered 4 hours after initial dosing. All subjects received all 5 conditions (ie, placebo to placebo; IR–MPH to IR–MPH; IR–MPH to OROS–MPH; OROS–MPH to IR–MPH; or OROS–MPH to OROS–MPH) in a double–blind, counter–balanced design on 5 separate days. Results: Plasma levels and subjective patterns of detection were higher when an IR formulation was administered during the ascending phase of a first–administered long–acting dose (OROS). Conclusi...
A population-based cross-sectional study of health service deficits among U.S. adults with depressive symptoms

Depression is a psychiatric condition that affects approximately one in five U.S. adults in their lifetime. No study that we know of has examined depressive symptoms and health service deficits in rural compared with non-rural populations. Four factors constitute the variable health service deficits: did not have health insurance, did not have a healthcare provider, deferred medical care because of cost and did not have a routine medical exam, all within the last 12 months. The aim of this study was to ascertain the prevalence of health service deficits in rural versus non-rural adults with depressive symptoms. Examining depressive symptoms by health service deficits is important because it allows us to approximate those with the condition who might not be receiving care for it. By analyzing national, population-based data, this study sought to fill in some important epidemiological gaps regarding depressive symptoms and health service deficits. For this analysis the population of interest was U.S. adults identified as currently having depressive symptoms using the PHQ-8 criteria. Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Survey 2006 data were used in this analysis. Health service deficits was the primary dependent variable. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to examine health service deficits experienced by adults with depression controlling for socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity and geographic locale (rural or non-rural). Logistic regression analysis yielded that U.S. adults currently having depressive symptoms who were of low socioeconomic status, Hispanic ethnicity, or living in a rural locale were more likely to have at least one health service deficit. Analyzing data collected by a large surveillance system such as BRFSS, allows for an analysis incorporating an array of covariates not available from clinically-based data such as electronic health records. By identifying clinically depressed U.S. adults who also have at least one health service deficit, we were able to ascertain those most likely not receiving care for this debilitating condition. We believe community pharmacists are well suited to assist in connecting depressed, vulnerable populations with appropriate and needed care. This care would be best provided by an inter-professional team led by a primary care provider.
Wage Gaps and Development: Lessons from US History

During the course of development, wages and labor productivity are much higher in the nonfarm sectors of the economy than in agriculture. In this paper, we examine the sources and consequences of wage and productivity gaps in the U.S. from 1800 to 2000. We build a quantitative general equilibrium model that closely matches the two-century long paths of farm and non-farm labor productivity growth, schooling, and fertility in the U.S. The family farm emerges as an important institution that contributes to differences in wages and labor productivity. Income from farm ownership compensates farm workers for the relatively low labor productivity and wages earned in agriculture. Farm ownership, along with the higher cost of raising children off the farm, generated a two-fold gap in labor productivity across the farm and nonfarm sectors in the 19th century US. Consequently, the reallocation of labor from farming to industry raised the average annual growth rate of output per worker by about half a percentage point over the 19th century. The paper also draws some lessons from the quantitative analysis of U.S. economic history for currently developing countries.
Lower bound on dilepton mass from polarized muon decay

Abstract An improved limit M x 230 GeV is obtained for the mass of a dileptonic gauge boson (X) predicted in certain unified theories. The new bound arises from the analysis of the angular distribution of electrons in polarized muon decay.
Measuring the fluorescent quantum efficiency of indocyanine green encapsulated in nanocomposite particulates

We present results of a fluorescent quantum efficiency (?F) study on the encapsulation of the near-infrared dye indocyanine green (ICG) in bioresorbable calcium phosphate nanoparticles (CPNPs). The ?F (described as the ratio of photons emitted to photons absorbed) provides a quantitative means of describing the fluorescence of an arbitrary molecule. However, standard quantum efficiency measurement techniques provide only the ?F of the smallest fluorescing unit?in the case of a nanoparticle suspension, the nanoparticle itself. This presents a problem in accurately describing the ?F of fluorophores embedded in an inorganic nanoparticle. Combining the incidence of scattering with an evaluation of the differences in local electric field and photochemical environment, we have developed a method to determine the ?F of the constituent fluorescent molecules embedded in such a nanoparticle, which provides a more meaningful comparison with the unencapsulated fluorophore. While applicable to generic systems, we present results obtained by our method for the ICG?CPNP in a phosphate buffered 0.15?M saline solution (PBS, pH 7.4)?specifically, ?F, free?dye = 0.027 ? 0.001, ?F, particle = 0.053 ? 0.003, and for the individual encapsulated molecules, ?F, molecule = 0.066 ? 0.004. The method developed also provides insight into the influences of encapsulation and key parameters to engineer resonant enhancement effects from the emission of the encapsulated fluorophores corresponding to an eigenmode of the embedding particle for tailored optical properties.
Consequences of conversion in laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

Laparoscopic procedures converted to open approaches have been associated with higher complication rates than laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy and appendectomy. Laparoscopic colorectal resections have relatively high conversion rates compared with other laparoscopic procedures. This study was designed to evaluate outcomes of conversions compared with laparoscopic and open colorectal resections. We reviewed 498 consecutive colorectal resections performed between 1995 and 2002. Procedures were divided into laparoscopic colorectal resections, open colorectal resections, or conversions. Demographics, underlying disease, type of procedure performed, and operative outcomes were compared between groups. Of the 238 laparoscopic procedures performed, 182 were completed laparoscopically and 56 (23 percent) required conversion; 260 were performed open. Conversions were associated with greater blood loss (200 (range, 50–750) vs. 100 (range, 30–900) ml), longer time to first bowel movement (82 (range, 40–504) vs. 72 (range, 12–420) hr), and longer length of stay (6 (range, 2–67) vs.. 5 (range, 2–62) days) than the laparoscopic colorectal resections group. There was no difference in operative time, transfusion requirements, intraoperative and postoperative complications, or mortality between conversions and laparoscopic colorectal resections. Conversions resulted in fewer patients requiring transfusions (4 vs. 14 percent), shorter time to first bowel movement (82 (range, 40–504) vs. 93 (range, 24–240) hr), and shorter length of stay (6 (range, 2–67) vs. 7 (range, 2–180) days) than in the open colorectal resections group. There were no differences in complications or mortality between the conversion group and the open colorectal resections group. Laparoscopic colorectal resections has a relatively high conversion rate; however, the converted cases have outcomes similar to open colorectal resections. In fact, the converted group required fewer blood transfusions than the open group. Experience and good judgment are fundamental for timely conversion of a laparoscopic procedure to open to decrease complication rates. Despite a high conversion rate, surgeons should consider laparoscopic colorectal resections, because even when necessary, conversion does not result in poorer outcomes than laparoscopic colorectal resections or open colorectal resections.
Catalytic cracking of tars from biomass gasification

An experimental setup was designed to test the performances of three catalysts on cracking tars produced from a downdraft gasifier. The three catalysts were: alumina extrudes, dolomite, and olivine. In addition, experimental runs using silica microcrystals were used as a control. Tar collected from earlier gasification tests was vaporized in flowing nitrogen and reacted over these catalysts at various temperatures and flow rates. Alumina was tested at a lower temperature ranging between 300 and 500 °C and with a gas flow rate of 0.5–2.4 L/min. Dolomite, olivine and silica were tested between 400–800 °C and 0.5–2.4 L/min. Dolomite and olivine catalysts showed higher cracking rates than alumina or silica. Under optimum conditions, at 800 °C and 0.5 L/min, the dolomite catalyst cracked 92 % (±3 %) of all tars. The olivine catalyst also achieved optimum performance at 800 °C and 0.5 L/min, cracking approximately 89 % (±4 %) of all tars. In comparison, the alumina extrude catalyst showed only 71 % tar cracking efficiency, but at a significantly lower temperature of 400 °C. Silica had a maximum tar cracking efficiency of only 66 %, at 800 °C. All three catalysts showed no observable deactivation in the life runs.
Effects of brain monoamine depletion on thermoregulatory responses of rabbits to different hypothalamic temperatures.

The thermoregulatory responses induced by alterations in hypothalamic temperature (Thy) were measured in three groups of rabbits: untreated controls, treated with 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (a serotonin depletor), and treated with 6-hydroxydopamine (a catecholamine depletor) at ambient temperatures (Ta) of 2 or 22°C. In the cold (2°C), changes in metabolic rate (MR) occurring in response to alterations in Thy were used to delineate thermosensitivity. Rabbits after diencephalic serotonin (5-HT) depletion displayed a greater sensitivity of the MR that did control animals. In contrast, animals after diencephalic norepinephrine (NE) depletion had a lesser sensitivity of the MR than did the control animals. At room temperature (22°C), the changes in respiratory evaporative heat loss (Eres) and in ear blood flow (EBF) occurring in response to alterations in Thy were used as the measure of thermosensitivity. In 5-HT-depleted animals, the Thy threshold for the onset of vasodilation and panting was greatly decreased. In contrast, the Thy threshold for the onset of vasodilation and panting was greatly increased in NE-depleted animals. The data indicate that diencephalic 5-HT and NE depletions alter, in an apparently reciprocal fashion, the thermoregulatory responses to different hypothalamic temperatures.
The role of supervisors in the determination of wages and wage gaps

This article considers labour market discrimination by supervisors as a potential contributor to racial and gender wage gaps. Empirical analysis reveals evidence that all workers, except Hispanic males, earn significantly higher hourly wages when working for a supervisor of the same race and sex as themselves. Furthermore, the results suggest that sex has a larger impact on wages than race for workers with white supervisors, while race has a larger impact on wages than sex for workers with minority supervisors. Based on past research, we theorize that the degree of labour discrimination workers face may also be dependent upon the location and size of the firm in which they are employed. However, decomposing the samples by firm location and size suggests that these two factors cannot adequately explain the observed matched supervisor–worker wage effects, which supports the notion that these wage effects are largely driven by factors other than supervisor discrimination.
The role of nanostructure in nitrogen-containing carbon catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

Catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were prepared by the high-temperature pyrolysis of acetonitrile over Vulcan carbon XC-72, and Vulcan carbon impregnated with 2 wt% Fe or 2 wt% Ni in the form of an acetate salt. The catalysts were characterized by BET surface area analysis, BJH pore size distribution, electrical conductivity testing, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), temperature-programmed oxidation, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and rotating disk electrode half-cell testing. The most active catalysts were formed when Fe was added to the support before the pyrolysis; however, samples in which Ni or no metal was added still showed increased activity for oxygen reduction compared with untreated carbon. The most active catalyst had a significantly higher amount of pyridinic nitrogen, as determined from XPS. A hypothesis has been proposed to explain this trend based on the formation of different nanostructures depending on which support material is used for the acetonitrile decomposition. According to this proposed explanation, nitrogen-containing carbon samples with nanostructures resulting in exposure of more edge planes (the plane in which pyridinic nitrogen is found) will be more active for the ORR. TEM images of the samples strongly support this hypothesis. Further research is needed to positively identify the active site for oxygen reduction; however, this site is likely located on carbon edge planes.
Polycrystalline Molybdenum Disulfide (2H−MoS2) Nano- and Microribbons by Electrochemical/Chemical Synthesis

Molybdenum disulfide nano- and microribbons were synthesized by a two-step, electrochemical/chemical synthetic method in which MoO2 “precursor” nanowires were first electrodeposited size-selectivel...
Inflationary Tensor Perturbations after BICEP2

The large amplitude of primordial gravitational waves seen by BICEP2 will allow for sensitive tests of inflation by future measurements.
Laryngeal and Other Otolaryngologic Manifestations of Crohn's Disease

Laryngeal and other otolaryngologic manifestations of Crohn's disease are uncommon and may be subtle. Crohn's disease is a well-known inflammatory bowel disease of unknown etiology marked by relapsing and remitting granulomatous inflammation of the alimentary tract. Extraintestinal manifestations of Crohn's disease may appear anytime during the course of the disease process and may be the initial symptom. Findings are nonspecific, primarily edema and ulcerations, and may be confused with a multitude of other disease processes. Awareness of these manifestations in the head and neck will prevent misdiagnosis or a delay in diagnosis.
Work in Progress: Rapid Prototyping Instructional and Hands-on Delivery for K16

Rapid Prototyping (RP) is a fifteen-year-old additive production technology and is becoming extremely popular in various fields. The current studies indicate that RP is almost an unknown concept for any K16 student and teacher. Tennessee Tech University (TTU) and Saddleback College have been collaborating on the development of various instructional tools for RP technology as part of an NSF Advanced Technological Education grant. The objective of their project is to expand and disseminate a cutting edge curriculum model in RP through hands-on workshops and development of instructional support materials for both students and teachers. This paper will report the current K16 RP workshop which is structured and implemented by the project partners. Comments received from the K16 workshop attendees indicate that they practiced this technology first time and found it very versatile for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education.
LEK1 protein expression in normal and dysregulated cardiomyocyte mitosis.

A defining characteristic of embryonic cells is their ability to divide rapidly, even in tissues such as cardiac muscle, which cannot divide once fully differentiated. This suggests that regulators of cell division differ in embryonic and differentiated cells. LEK1 is a member of an emerging family of proteins with diverse functions but shared structural domains, including numerous leucine zippers, a nuclear localization site, and a functional Rb-binding domain. LEK1 is expressed ubiquitously in the developing mouse embryo from the earliest stages of differentiation through birth. It is absent in adult tissues, even those that maintain active cell division. We hypothesize that LEK1 is a regulator of mitosis restricted to the developing embryo and early neonate. Here, using BrdU incorporation, we show that LEK1 protein downregulation in cardiac myocytes correlates directly with cessation of DNA synthesis between neonatal days 6 and 10. In contrast, in an immortalized cardiac cell line (HL1 cells), both BrdU incorporation and LEK1 protein expression persist, and actively dividing cells express LEK1. However, BrdU incorporation can be decreased in these cells by treatment with a morpholino targeting LEK1 mRNA. These data suggest a role for LEK1 in regulating the normal embryonic cardiomyocyte cell cycle and in promoting continued mitosis in transformed, abnormally dividing cardiomyocytes. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A randomized phase III trial of gemcitabine + docetaxel + bevacizumab or placebo as first-line treatment for metastatic uterine leiomyosarcoma (uLMS): A Gynecologic Oncology Group study

A randomized phase III trial of gemcitabine + docetaxel + bevacizumab or placeboasfirst-line treatment formetastatic uterine leiomyosarcoma (uLMS): A Gynecologic Oncology Group study M.L. Hensley, A. Miller, D.M. O'Malley, R.S. Mannel, K. Behbakht, J.N. Bakkum-Gamez, H. Michael. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA, Gynecologic Oncology Group, Buffalo, NY, USA, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Localization of light-harvesting complex apoproteins in the chloroplast and cytoplasm during greening ofChlamydomonas reinhardtii at 38°C

Assembly of the major light-harvesting complex (LHC II) and development of photosynthetic function were examined during the initial phase of thylakoid biogenesis inChlamydomonas reinhardtii cells at 38°C. Continuous monitoring of LHC II fluorescence showed that these processes were initiated immediately upon exposure of cells to light. However, mature-size apoproteins of LHC II (Lhcb) increased in amount in an alkali-soluble (non-membrane) fraction in parallel with the increase in the membrane fraction. Alkali-soluble Lhcb were not integrated into membranes when protein synthesis was inhibited, suggesting that they were not active intermediates in LHC II assembly, nor were they recovered in a purified chloroplast preparation. Immunocytochemical analysis of greening cells revealed Lhcb inside the chloroplast near the envelope and in clusters deeper in the organelle. Antibody binding also detected Lhcb in granules within vacuoles in the cytosol, and Lhcb were recovered in granules purified from greening cells. Our results suggest that the cytosolic granules serve as receptacles of Lhcb synthesized in excess of the amount that can be accommodated by thylakoid membrane formation within the plastid envelope.
Putative methods for prevention and treatment of neonatal septicemia.

The high mortality rate observed in newborn infants who contract bacterial sepsis within the first days of life has prompted investigators to seek new methods for the prevention and treatment of this disorder. Among the putative measures recommended for prevention are: (1) administration of antimicrobials to all infants at the time of delivery, (2) identification and treatment of pregnant women colonized with those bacteria known to be major neonatal pathogens and (3) immunization of women to major neonatal pathogens. Three other measures, targeted at diminishing the mortality and morbidity in those in whom preventive measures fail, include: (1) granulocyte transfusion, (2) exchange transfusion and (3) administration of antibody.
Complex spatio-temporal pattern queries

This paper introduces a novel type of query, what we name Spatio-temporal Pattern Queries (STP). Such a query specifies a spatiotemporal pattern as a sequence of distinct spatial predicates where the predicate temporal ordering (exact or relative) matters. STP queries can use various types of spatial predicates (range search, nearest neighbor, etc.) where each such predicate is associated (1) with an exact temporal constraint (a time-instant or a time-interval), or (2) more generally, with a relative order among the other query predicates. Using traditional spatiotemporal index structures for these types of queries would be either inefficient or not an applicable solution. Alternatively, we propose specialized query evaluation algorithms for STP queries With Time. We also present a novel index structure, suitable for STP queries With Order. Finally, we conduct a comprehensive experimental evaluation to show the merits of our techniques.
Epigenetic Transgenerational Actions of Endocrine Disruptors and Male Fertility

Transgenerational effects of environmental toxins require either a chromosomal or epigenetic alteration in the germ line. Transient exposure of a gestating female rat during the period of gonadal sex determination to the endocrine disruptors vinclozolin (an antiandrogenic compound) or methoxychlor (an estrogenic compound) induced an adult phenotype in the F1 generation of decreased spermatogenic capacity (cell number and viability) and increased incidence of male infertility. These effects were transferred through the male germ line to nearly all males of all subsequent generations examined (that is, F1 to F4). The effects on reproduction correlate with altered DNA methylation patterns in the germ line. The ability of an environmental factor (for example, endocrine disruptor) to reprogram the germ line and to promote a transgenerational disease state has significant implications for evolutionary biology and disease etiology.
Effect of standing tarsal angle on joint kinematics and kinetics

Summary Reasons for performing study: The tarsal joint is a frequent site of lameness, but little objective information is available regarding the effects of tarsal conformation on joint movements or forces. Objective: To compare tarsal kinematics and kinetics in horses with large, intermediate and small tarsal angles. Methods: Sagittal plane standing angle of the right tarsal joint was measured in 16 horses as they stood squarely with the hind hooves vertically beneath the hip joint. Tarsal angles were classified as small ( 165.5°). Reflective markers, attached over the centres of joint rotation, were tracked during stance as the horses trotted across a force plate at a standardised speed. Joint angles and ground reaction forces were combined with morphometric data to calculate net joint moments and net joint powers across the tarsus using inverse dynamics. Results: In all horses, the tarsus flexed during the impact phase and extended in late stance. Tarsal angles were stratified according to standing tarsal angle throughout stance. Horses with large standing angles showed less flexion and less energy absorption at the tarsus during the impact phase than those with intermediate or small angles and generated less vertical impulse than horses with small standing angles. Net extensor moment at the tarsus during stance was lower for horses with large standing angles. Conclusions: In horses with large tarsal angles, less concussion was absorbed during the impact phase, which may be a factor in the development of degenerative joint disease; and the smaller vertical impulse and extensor moment later in stance may limit propulsive ability. However, the smaller net joint moment may reduce the risk of plantar ligament desmitis. Clinical significance: The effects of conformation on kinematics and kinetics of the tarsal joint may influence both performance and soundness.
Squeezed States of Light

In the laboratory squeezed states of light were generated in two distinct physical systems. The first experiment investigates squeezing for two level atoms coupled to the intracavity field of a high quality optical resonator. For large coupling of the atoms to the cavity field, there is a mode splitting in the eigenvalue structure of the system analogous to the splitting found when two otherwise independent pendulums are coupled by a spring. The coupling-induced structure of the composite system was employed to generate squeezing. The second experiment involves the process of degenerate parametric down conversion in which a photon of frequency 2 omega is split into a correlated pair of photons at the subharmonic frequency omega. While noise reductions of greater than 60 percent were observed relative to the vacuum-state limit, a quantitative analysis of the various propagation and detection losses in the current apparatus indicates that the field would in fact be squeezed more than ten-fold in the absence of these losses. Quite recently use was made of the squeezed light to demonstrate that precision measurements can be made with a sensitivity greater than that given by the vacuum-state or shot-noise limit. This presentation is represented by abstracts only.
Immune Responses in Cecal Tonsils of Marek's Disease Virus-Infected Chickens.

SUMMARY Marek's disease (MD) is a lymphoproliferative disease of domestic chickens that is caused by a highly cell-associated oncogenic α-herpesvirus, Marek's disease virus (MDV). MDV replicates in chicken lymphocytes and establishes a latent infection within CD4+ T cells. Clinical signs of MD include depression, crippling, weight loss, bursal/thymic atrophy, neurologic disorders, and rapid onset of T cell lymphomas that infiltrate lymphoid tissues, visceral organs, and peripheral nerves. The cecal tonsils (CTs) are considered the largest lymphoid aggregates of avian gut-associated lymphoid tissue. Along with Peyer's patches, CTs elicit protective immune responses against bacterial and viral pathogens in the intestinal tract of avian species. In this study, we investigated the effect of MDV infection on toll-like receptor (TLR) gene expression in CTs of MD-susceptible (72) and resistant (63) chicken lines. Real-time PCR gene expression profiling revealed that of the 10 TLRs tested, TLR2A, TLR3, TLR5, and ...
The granulometric size density in filter optimization

Binary granulometric filters are constructed from parameterized unions and intersections of morphological openings. They are especially useful in filtering out clutter when an observed image is composed of a signal unioned with the clutter; however, their general theory does not depend on this model. More generally, the granulometric spectral theory provides a set decomposition in which bands within that decomposition are passed or not passed according to the action of a granulometric bandpass filter. A granulometry induces a granulometric size density on a random set and optimal granulometric filtering can be characterized in terms of this size density, as can the robustness of the optimal filter relative to changing states of nature under which the optimal filter has been designed. In this sense, the granulometric size density plays a role analogous to the power spectral density in linear filtering. The paper describes the theory of optimal granulometric filtering as determined by the granulometric size density and it relates this nonlinear granulometric theory to the classical linear theory as applied via the power spectral density.
Multiple dispatches in a poisson process

An optimal policy is characterized for operating the following system. Customers arrive in [O, T] according to a homogeneous Poisson process. Instantaneous services are provided at times O and T. Additional instantaneous services can be provided at N intermediate stop ping times. These times must be chosen to minimize the total expected customer-hours in [O, T] spent waiting for service.