cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of network resilience, survivability, and disruption tolerance: analysis, topology generation, simulation, and experimentation

As the Internet becomes increasingly important to all aspects of society, the consequences of disruption become increasingly severe. Thus it is critical to increase the resilience and survivability of future networks. We define resilience as the ability of the network to provide desired service even when challenged by attacks, large-scale disasters, and other failures. This paper describes a comprehensive methodology to evaluate network resilience using a combination of topology generation, analytical, simulation, and experimental emulation techniques with the goal of improving the resilience and survivability of the Future Internet.
Hypoglycemia, brain energetics, and hypoglycemic neuronal death

Hypoglycemia is a common and serious problem among diabetic patients receiving treatment with insulin or other glucose-lowering drugs. Moderate hypoglycemia impairs neurological function, and severe hypoglycemia leads to death of selectively vulnerable neurons. Recent advances have shed new light on the underlying processes that cause neuronal death in hypoglycemia and the factors that may render specific neuronal populations especially vulnerable to hypoglycemia. In addition to its clinical importance, the pathophysiology of hypoglycemia is an indicator of the unique bioenergetic properties of the central nervous system, in particular the metabolic coupling of neuronal and astrocyte metabolism. This review will focus on relationships between bioenergetics and brain dysfunction in hypoglycemia, the neuronal cell death program triggered by hypoglycemia, and the role of astrocytes in these processes.
Purified moniliformin does not affect the force or rate of contraction of isolated guinea pig atria

Chronic exposure to moniliformin results in the development of myocardial hypertrophy and degeneration. The cause of this hypertrophy is unknown. However, moniliformin-induced hypoxia or altered function of cardiac pyruvate dehydrogenase, rather than direct cardiostimulation have been proposed as potential mechanisms. Isolated guinea pig atria were used in a cumulative concentration-response model to evaluate the direct effect of moniliformin on the rate and force of atrial contraction. Moniliformin did not affect the rate or force of atrial contraction. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that moniliformin does not have a cardiostimulatory effect. Therefore cardiac stimulation. e.g. stimulation of beta-adrenergic receptors, is unlikely to be the cause of the myocardial hypertrophy observed in poultry chronically intoxicated with moniliformin.
Sample size determination for the log-normal distribution

Abstract Equations are presented for calculating the sample size necessary to determine, within a given probability, the upper and lower confidence limits of the geometric mean of a log normal distribution. Examples of its use are given. In the final section the relationships are derived from theoretical considerations.
Birkeland currents in an anisotropic, magnetostatic plasma

The paper derives an expression for the parallel current density for a plasma characterized by negligible bulk flow (magnetostatic velocity and a two-component (anisotropic) pressure tensor by expanding the equilibrium Vlasov equation for each species in the adiabatic parameter until such point as a nonvanishing moment j-parallel = integral d-cubed vv-parallel f is identified. The result is a nonlocal one: it relates j-parallel at one point s along a field line to j-parallel at another (reference) point s0 plus an integral function of the pressure and magnetic field between them. The equation derived by Vasyliunas (1970) is generalized and extended to a plasma in which the pressure tensor is comprised of two separate elements, P-perpendicular and P-parallel. This equation follows when P-perpendicular is set equal to P-parallel and s and s0 are taken to be at the ionosphere and the equator. These results are compared to others in the literature.
A model of teenage labor supply

Abstract This paper develops a model of teenage labor supply and school participation which stresses the teenager's use of time in a family context. The family is viewed as imposing constraints on the teenager's allocation of time. The teenager maximizes his utility subject to these constraints which differ with his age, sex, and family type. Simultaneous equation estimation is used with market level (SMSA) data on teenage labor supply. Overall, we find well-behaved labor supply equations for teenage age, sex, and family-type groups. Moreover, different groups react differently to variables representing family-imposed constraints.
Cryopreservation of periwinkle, Catharanthus roseus cells cultured in vitro.

A procedure for prolonged cryogenic storage of periwinkle cell cultures is described. Cells derived from periwinkle, Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don, and subcultured as suspension in 1-B5C nutrient medium have been frozen, stored in liquid nitrogen (−196°C) for 11 weeks, thawed and recultured. Maximal survival was achieved when 3–4 day-old cells precultured for 24 h in nutrient medium with 5% DMSO were frozen at slow cooling rates of 0.5 or 1°C/min prior to storage in liquid nitrogen. The only loss in viability of cells occurred subsequent to treatment with DMSO. Abbreviations: DMSO, dimethylsulfoxide; 2,4-D, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid; TTC, triphenyltetrazolium chloride.
Strong Akaganeite Aerogel Monoliths Using Epoxides: Synthesis and Characterization

The synthesis of iron(III) oxide aerogel monoliths was performed by adding any one of several different 1,2- and 1,3-epoxides to ethanolic Fe(III) salt solutions at room temperature. While all of the epoxides examined resulted in gel formation, robust low-density (∼30−40 kg/m3; 99% porous), high-surface-area (∼250−300 m2/g), aerogel monoliths were prepared by the addition of 1,3-epoxide derivatives to solutions of FeCl3·6H2O, followed by drying with supercritical CO2. Both types of iron(III) oxide aerogels (those made with 1,2- and 1,3-epoxides respectively) were characterized using elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, acoustic measurements, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and N2 adsorption desorption analysis. Elemental analyses and powder X-ray diffraction indicated that the strong aerogel monoliths made with the 1,3-epoxides are made up predominately of polycrystalline β-FeOOH, akaganeite, and those made with the 1,2-epoxides are amorphous. To our kno...
The role of open adoption in the adjustment of adopted children and their families

Abstract Findings from a four-year study of over 700 adoptions by non-foster parents indicate that openness has decreased or ceased among a large proportion of adoptions, primarily among those adoptive families who chose openness at the recommendation or insistence of the adoption agency or agent. For all families in the fourth year of their adoption, satisfaction levels and other indicators of adjustment are very positive, with openness bearing little relation to adjustment at this point.
A Note of Horizontal to Vertical Lg Wave–Amplitude Ratio in Eastern U.S.

In the structural design process for eastern United States structures, seismologists and engineers frequently need to estimate the maximum horizontal ground-motion from a given m bLg vertical-component magnitude and an epicentral distance. In addition, the seismologist occasionally needs to estimate an earthquake’s m bLg magnitude from horizontal amplitude data. This note reports on a sample of horizontal and vertical ground-motion observations and suggest how the two sets of data are related.
Artificial turf: safe or out on ball fields around the world

The use of artificial turf or grass on athletic and recreational fields has increased over the past 40 years because of its durability and low maintenance. However, recent reports about lead being present in the fibers and then released from the fibers, potentially exposing children playing on these artificial turf surfaces have raised concerns. Furthermore, there are many who are also questioning the use of turf fields designed not only with synthetic fibers but also with a crumb rubber “infill”.
Intravertebral clefts in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures

Objective To describe the characteristics, radiographic appearance, and significance of intravertebral clefts in vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) of patients with osteoporosis presenting for vertebroplasty. Methods This was a prospective radiographic study of 50 consecutive patients with 82 VCFs who underwent vertebroplasty at a tertiary referral center. Patients underwent imaging preoperatively with standing lateral and supine cross-table lateral radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Standing lateral radiographs were also obtained postoperatively. Clefts were defined at the time of vertebroplasty as confluent reservoirs for polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). Postoperatively, all images were reexamined for the presence and characterization of intravertebral clefts. Results Twenty-four of 50 patients (48%) had clefted VCFs, and 30 of 82 VCFs (37%) contained clefts. Clefted VCFs were severe, dynamically mobile, and occurred primarily in the thoracolumbar junction. Clefts were detectable by standing lateral radiography in 14%, by supine cross-table radiography in 64%, and by MRI in 96% of fractured vertebrae. Clefts occurred primarily in the anterosuperior portion of the vertebral body, and cleft margins appeared increasingly sclerotic in persistently mobile VCFs. PMMA fill patterns of clefted and unclefted VCFs were distinct. Conclusion Intravertebral clefts occur frequently in osteoporotic VCFs of patients who present for vertebroplasty. The radiographic characteristics of clefts evolve over time and can be indistinguishable from Kummell's disease in severe, persistently mobile, clefted osteoporotic VCFs.
Steady Flow Preconditioning of Endothelial Outgrowth Cells on Ex Vivo and In Vivo ePTFE Grafts

Endothelialization of vascular graft materials is a promising approach for improving the in vivo performance of vascular grafts, particularly for small diameter applications of less than 4 mm. The ability to incorporate a native endothelium onto a graft may reduce the thrombosis and intimal hyperplasia that limits long-term clinical success of these small diameter grafts. Endothelial outgrowth cells (EOCs), which are isolated from whole blood and expand rapidly in vitro, provide an autologous cell source capable of developing into a biologically active endothelial layer. A preconditioning step may enhance EOCs’ performance on vascular grafts. Mature endothelial cells, isolated from vascular walls, are known to decrease expression of pro-thrombotic and pro-inflammatory markers when exposed to steady fluid shear stress, compared to cells under disturbed flow conditions or static culture. This study examined the hypothesis that steady flow preconditioning of EOCs reduces their in vitro markers of thrombosis and inflammation, reduces platelet and fibrin accumulation on EOC–coated ePTFE grafts in an ex vivo shunt, and reduces initial hyperplasia on EOC–coated ePTFE grafts in an in vivo graft implant. This work was performed using well-established, non-human primate models for testing EOC-coated ePTFE grafts ex vivo and in vivo. These conditions represent a clinically-relevant cell source and biomaterial for determining the effects of fluid shear stress preconditioning on graft performance.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Chemical Mechanical Polishing of Silicon Wafers: Finite Element Analysis of Wafer Flatness

Silicon is the primary semiconductor material used to fabricate integrated circuits. The quality of microchips depends directly on the quality of silicon wafers. A series of processes are required to manufacture the high-quality silicon wafers. Chemical mechanical polishing is a necessary step to achieve the required wafer flatness. In this paper, a finite element analysis has been conducted to study the effects of influencing factors (including Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio of the polishing pad, thickness of the pad, and polishing pressure) on the wafer flatness.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Amplified detection of chemicals using photoluminescence and interferometry from a porous silicon chip: detection of nitrobenzene and 2,4-dinitrotoluene in air

The detection of nitroaromatic molecules by porous silicon films has been explored using direct and indirect detection methods. In the direct method, detection is achieved by monitoring the photoluminescence of a nanocrystalline porous Si films upon exposure to the analyte of interest. Photoluminescence is quenched upon adsorption of the nitroaromatic, presumably via an electron transfer mechanism. For nitrobenzene a detection limit of 350 ppm (after an exposure time of 2 at 250 degree(s)C) in the carrier gas line upstream of the porous silicon detector. The enhanced sensitivity comes from catalytic oxidation of the nitroaromatic to NO 2 , which irreversibly oxidizes the surface of the porous Si, providing an integrating function. The demonstrated limit for NO 2 detection is 70 ppb. A complementary detection technique involving measurement of spectral shifts of a porous Si film Fabry-Perot interferometer upon oxidation will also be presented.
Calculations of the barrier to internal rotation in ethyl flouride: A comparison with ethane

Abstract The barriers to internal rotation in ethyl flouride and ethane have been calculated and compared using two types of basis sets. Minimum basis set calculations predict the barrier in ethyl fluoride to be 0.5 kcal/mole smaller than the ethane barrier. Extended basis set calculations give barriers of 3.4 and 3.3 kcal/mole for ethyl fluoride and ethane. These results are in better agreement with the experimental values of 3.3 and 3.0 kcal/mole. The changes in the wave function due to increasing the size of the basis set are studied and discussed.
Heavy Traffic Limits for Some Queueing Networks

Using a slight modification of the framework of Bramson [7] and Williams [54], we prove heavy traffic limit theorems for six families of multiclass queueing networks. The first three families are single-station systems operating under first-in-first-out (FIFO), generalized-head-of-the-line proportional processor sharing (GHLPPS) and static buffer priority (SBP) service disciplines. The next two families are reentrant lines that operate under first-buffer-first-serve (FBFS) and last-buffer-first-serve (LBFS) service disciplines; the last family consists of certain two-station, five-class networks operating under an SBP service discipline. Some of these heavy traffic limits have appeared earlier in the literature; our new proofs demonstrate the significant simplifications that can be achieved in the present setting.
Anatomy of the prostate: An historical survey of divergent views

Historically, the study of the prostate anatomy has been characterized by a proliferation of contradictory findings. The major divergent views of prostate anatomy are here reviewed and compared in order to facilitate further study and the ultimate selection of the best anatomical model. The details of Lowsley's original concept of the prostate lobes and the subsequent evolution of this concept into several contradictory hypotheses are traced. Discrepancies between the findings of Lowsley, Franks, and McNeal are explained. Conclusions are drawn which may facilitate the further study of anatomy and disease in both the human animal prostate.
Design of high affinity cyclic pentapeptide ligands for Κ-opioid receptors

Using results from our previously reported cyclic opioid peptide series and reliable models for mu-, delta-, and kappa-opioid receptors (MOR, DOR, and KOR, respectively) and their complexes with peptide ligands, we have designed and synthesized a series of cyclic pentapeptides of structure Tyr-C[D-Cys-Phe-Phe-X]-NH2, cyclized via disulfide, methylene, or ethylene dithioethers, and where X = D- or L-Cys; or D- or L-penicillamine (Pen; beta,beta-dimethylcysteine). Determination of binding affinities to MOR, DOR, and KOR revealed that members of this series with X = D- or L-Cys display KOR affinities in the low nanomolar range, demonstrating that a 'DPDPE-like' tetrapeptide scaffold is suitable not only for DOR and MOR ligands, but also for KOR ligands. The cyclic pentapeptides reported here are not, however, selective for KOR, rather they display significant selectivity and high affinity for MOR. Indeed, peptide 8, Tyr-C[D-Cys-Phe-Phe-Cys]-NH2-cyclized via a methylene dithioether, shows picomolar binding affinity for MOR ( = 16 pm) with more than 100-fold selectivity for MOR vs. DOR or KOR, and may be of interest as a high affinity, high selectivity MOR ligand. Nonetheless, the high affinity KOR peptides in this series represent excellent leads for the development of structurally related, selective KOR ligands designed to exploit structurally specific features of KOR, MOR, and DOR.
VASCULAR DEVELOPMENT IN THE TRANSITION REGION OF POPULUS DELTOIDES BARTR. EX MARSH. SEEDLINGS

Seed and developing seedlings of Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh., through 2 wk old, were embedded in Paraplast or Spurr's resin and serially sectioned at 7 or 2 ,im, respectively, to examine vascular development in the root-hypocotyl transition region. The procambial template is well established in the dormant embryo. Protophloem forms a continuous system connecting the root with the cotyledons but protoxylem is restricted primarily to the cotyledons. With the onset of germination there is rapid elongation of both the root and hypocotyl. The basipetal progression of protoxylem from an initiating center at the cotyledonary node is correlated with the establishment of a second initiating center in the collet at the base of the hypocotyl. The relation between procambium, initiating layer, and metacambium, and their derivatives is similar to that described for the cottonwood shoot. The primary vascular system of cottonwood should be considered a single unit, both conceptually and functionally. The vascular pattern of the root may be, in part, determined by a basipetal stimulus from the cotyledonary node. THE ESTABLISHMENT of the primary vascular system in the shoot of Populus deltoides seedlings has been well documented by Larson (1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980). These studies have shown that the pattern of vascularization is established by the acropetal progression of procambium in a precise and predictable manner related to phyllotaxy. Furthermore, there is a developmental continuum between the earliest procambium, the initiating layer, metacambium, and cambium. Procambium arises from the residual meristem and produces protophloem, protoxylem, and the initiating layer, a group of discontinuous cells in the procambium characterized by periclinal cell divisions. The initiating layer produces metacambium, a continuous layer of periclinally dividing cells, whose derivatives are metaphloem (presumably), metaxylem, and cambium. Consequently the shoot as a whole is served by an integrated system of vascular connections. The relation of the epicotyl vasculature to that of the hypocotyl-root axis has not been
Immediate and Ultimate Functions of Physical Activity Play

Play has been difficult to define because it occurs as an aspect of many activities rather than being limited to a specific kind of activity; thus it rarely occurs in isolation. Classic theorists such as Piaget and Vygotsky emphasize representational play as play in its purist form, but both the immediate and ultimate functions of play can be discerned in the simplest physical activity play.
Design, validation, and utilization of an articular cartilage impact instrument.

This paper describes the development and use of an instrument mechanically to impact bovine articular cartilage and record the event using a piezoelectric accelerometer, as well as to carry out post-impact characterization of the tissue. Two levels of impact (low: 6 cm drop height, 18.4 N tup; high: 10 cm drop height, 27.8 N tup) were chosen such that the former did not show gross damage upon inspection, while the latter showed substantial gross damage. Peak stress, time to peak stress, and impact duration were taken from data recorded by the instrument. Three cartilage biomechanical properties (aggregate modulus, Poissoin's ratio, and permeability) were acquired by creep indentation, and tissue morphology rated on a standardized scale was also determined. When subjected to the high level of impact, articular cartilage showed statistically significant (p less than or equal 0.05) differences in all three impact metrics and morphology. This high level of impact also resulted in a 37 per cent decrease in the aggregate modulus of the tissue. Lower drop heights resulted in more consistent impact curves, demonstrated less standard deviation, and did not change the biomechanical properties of the tissues. With the instrument and techniques described in this study, articular cartilage can be subjected to specific levels of impact in order to study injury biomechanics of the tissue at specific levels of mechanical damage. Language: en
Team deep-level diversity, relationship conflict, and team members' affective reactions: A cross-level investigation

Abstract Drawing from recent advances in the study of deep-level diversity in work teams and the similarity–attraction paradigm, this study examines the ways in which diversity in personality characteristics and preference for teamwork among team members influences the relationship between relationship conflict and subsequent team member affective reactions. Using a longitudinal, multilevel sample of 53 teams (260 respondents), results reveal that similarity or homogeneity in agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability weakens the negative influence of relationship conflict on team member affective reactions, while heterogeneity in extraversion and preference for teamwork also weakens these relationships. A discussion of theoretical and practical implications follows.
Imaging properties of digital magnification radiography

Flat panel detectors exhibit improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and display capabilities compared to film. This improvement necessitates a new evaluation of optimal geometry for conventional projection imaging applications such as digital projection mammography as well as for advanced x-ray imaging applications including cone-beam computed tomography (CT), tomosynthesis, and mammotomography. Such an evaluation was undertaken in this study to examine the effects of x-ray source distribution, inherent detector resolution, magnification, scatter rejection, and noise characteristics including noise aliasing. A model for x-ray image acquisition was used to develop generic results applicable to flat panel detectors with similar x-ray absorption characteristics. The model assumed a Gaussian distribution for the focal spot and a rectangular distribution for a pixel. A generic model for the modulated transfer function (MTF) of indirect flat panel detectors was derived by a nonlinear fit of empirical receptor data to the Burgess model for phosphor MTFs. Noise characteristics were investigated using a generic noise power spectrum (NPS) model for indirect phosphor-based detectors. The detective quantum efficiency (DQE) was then calculated from the MTF and NPS models. The results were examined as a function of focal spot size (0.1, 0.3, and 0.6 mm) and pixel size (50, 100, 150, and 200 microm) for magnification ranges 1 to 3. Mammography, general radiography (also applicable to mammotomography), and chest radiography applications were explored using x-ray energies of 28, 74, and 120 kVp, respectively. Nodule detection was examined using the effective point source scatter model, effective DQE, and the Hotelling SNR2 efficiency. Results indicate that magnification can potentially improve the signal and noise performance of digital images. Results also show that a cross over point occurs in the spatial frequency above and below which the effects of magnification differ indicating that there are task dependent tradeoffs associated with magnification. The cross over point varies depending upon focal spot size, pixel size, x-ray energy, and source-to-image-distance (SID). For mammography, the cross over point occurs for a 0.3 mm focal spot while a 0.6 mm focal spot indicates that magnification does not improve image quality due to focal spot blurring. Thus, the benefit of magnification may be limited. For general radiography (as well as mammotomography), and chest radiography, the cross over point changes with SID. For a system with a 0.3 mm focal spot, 100 microm pixel size, a 2 m SID, and the applicable tissue thickness and scatter components, optimal magnification improved SNR2 by approximately 1.2 times for mammography and 1.5 times for general radiography (and mammotomography). These results indicate that the optimal geometry can improve image quality without changing patient dose or otherwise reduce dose without compromising image quality.
Adolescent suicide attempters: Do physicians recognize them?

The single most important risk factor for adolescent suicide is a previous attempt. It is unclear if physicians can identify adolescents who have attempted suicide. Our objectives were to determine the prevalence of previous attempts in an adolescent clinic population, if physicians identify attempters, and if attempters demonstrate persistent distress. Of 332 patients aged 12-19 years attending a medical clinic, 48 (14.5%) reported a previous attempt. The physician's visit note documented that only 8 (16.7%) of the 48 attempters were asked about suicidal behavior. Attempters were more likely than nonattempters (p less than 0.05) to be female; to come to clinic without a guardian; to give a chief complaint pertaining to sexually transmitted disease, obstetrics-gynecology, or mental health; and to report previous mental health care. Attempters had poorer mean scores (p less than 0.05) on validated subscales for family relationships, social competence, depression, unpopularity, somatic complaints, thought disorders, delinquency, aggression, and identity. We conclude that suicide attempts are common among adolescent clinic patients, that physicians may not recognize attempters, and that attempters remain distressed and in need of care. Physicians who see adolescents for routine medical problems must consider the potential for self-destructive behavior, regardless of the presenting complaint.
Analysis of Integral Membrane Protein Contributions to the Deformability and Stability of the Human Erythrocyte Membrane

Three major hypotheses have been proposed to explain the role of membrane-spanning proteins in establishing/maintaining membrane stability. These hypotheses ascribe the essential contribution of integral membrane proteins to (i) their ability to anchor the membrane skeleton to the lipid bilayer, (ii) their capacity to bind and stabilize membrane lipids, and (iii) their ability to influence and regulate local membrane curvature. In an effort to test these hypotheses in greater detail, we have modified both the membrane skeletal and lipid binding interactions of band 3 (the major membrane-spanning and skeletal binding protein of the human erythrocyte membrane) and have examined the impact of these modifications on erythrocyte membrane morphology, deformability, and stability. The desired changes in membrane skeletal and protein-lipid interactions were induced by 1) reaction of the cells with 4,4′-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2′-disulfonate (DIDS), an inhibitor of band 3-mediated anion transport that dissociates band 3 into dimers (increasing its surface area in contact with lipid) and severs band 3 linkages to the membrane skeleton; 2) a fragment of ankyrin that ruptures the same ankyrin-band 3 bridge to the membrane skeleton, but drives the band 3 subunit equilibrium toward the tetramer (i.e. decreasing the band 3 surface area in contact with lipid); and 3) an antibody to the ankyrin-binding site on band 3 that promotes the same changes in band 3 skeletal and lipid interactions as the ankyrin fragment. We observed that although DIDS induced echinocytic morphological changes in the treated erythrocytes, it had little impact on either membrane deformability or stability. In contrast, resealing of either the ankyrin fragment or anti-band 3 IgG into erythrocytes caused spontaneous membrane fragmentation and loss of deformability/stability. Because these and other new observations cannot all be reconciled with any single hypothesis on membrane stability, we suggest that more than one hypothesis may be operative and provide an explanation of how each might individually contribute to net membrane stability.
Exploring the Design of Financial Counseling for Mortgage Borrowers in Default

This paper analyzes the effects of counseling provided to borrowers in mortgage default (n = 299). Borrowers receiving more hours of counseling perceive counseling more favorably than those receiving fewer hours of counseling. Using measures of marketing efforts to instrument counseling time confirms the positive effect of counseling duration on borrower ratings of counseling. Borrowers are more likely to attend additional counseling sessions after receiving face-to-face counseling as opposed to telephone counseling, although preference among modes can largely be explained by time in counseling. Each additional hour of counseling reduces the marginal probability of a borrower moving to a more severe stage of foreclosure. Counseling could be more successful if provided for longer durations regardless of the delivery mode.
In vitro effects of 10,10′-oxybisphenoxarsine on isolated rat liver mitochondria

Oxybisphenoxarsine (OBPA), a trivalent, heterocyclic organoarsenical, is a potent, broad spectrum antimicrobial agent often incorporated into plasticized polyvinyl chlorides. Although highly toxic, the mechanism of OBPA toxicity is unknown. Since it is hepatotoxic, we investigated the in vitro effects of OBPA on rat liver mitochondria. Isolated mitochondria were incubated with 1 to 8 pM OBPA and oxygen consumption was monitored polarographically. State 3 respiration of a-ketoglutarate, pyruvate, isocitrate, and succinate was rapidly inhibited. OBPA also uncoupled oxidative phosphorylation, although this was masked, at higher concentrations, by progressive respiratory inhibition. The electron transport chain appeared unaffected by OBPA, as measured by NADH oxidation, but several tricarboxcylic acid cycle dehydrogenases were inhibited. This inhibition was prevented and, in some cases, reversed by glutathione. It is likely that OBPA, like other trivalent organoarsenicals, exerts its toxic effects by reacting with vital mitochondrial sulfhydryl groups.
Expression of Cry5B protein from Bacillus thuringiensis in plant roots confers resistance to root-knot nematode

Plant-parasitic nematodes are major pests of agricultural crops, and it is becoming increasing urgent to find new methods to control them. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has been used for decades as a biological control agent against insect pests and occurs as a natural pathogen of nematodes, but its potential to con- trol nematode pests has been largely ignored. To test whether Bt can be used for control against nema- todes, we decided to express the active component of Bt, namely an ingestible crystal (Cry) protein, inside plant roots where the nematodes feed. Truncation studies here demonstrate that the first 2094 nucleo- tides of the nematicidal Cry protein, Cry5B, are sufficient for toxicity against a free-living nematode. Based on these results, a plant codon-modified cry5B gene was synthesized and transformed into tomato hairy roots. Cry5B expression in hairy roots was assessed at the mRNA level and quantified at the protein level. Characterization and quantification of root-knot nematode infections on control versus Cry5B- expressing roots indicate that Cry5B intoxicates the parasitic nematode as judged by inhibition of the nematode to establish or maintain root-knot sites and as judged by a nearly 3-fold reduction in progeny production. We demonstrate for the first time that a three-domain Cry protein can provide protection against a plant-endoparasitic nematode and that Cry proteins as a group have excellent potential as con- trol agents of plant-parasitic nematodes.
Relationships Between Porosity, Median Size, and Sorting Coefficients of Synthetic Sands

ABSTRACT The relationship between porosity, median size, and sorting coefficients has been investigated by studying synthetic sands with lognormal size distributions and various median sizes and sorting coefficients. Poorly sorted sands are considerably less porous than well sorted ones, and porosities show an inverse linear relationship to sorting coefficient except in very well sorted samples in which porosity increases more rapidly than sorting. Porosity is independent of median size in well sorted sands but appears to decrease slightly with increasing median size in poorly sorted sands. The relationship between median size and porosity probably results from the fact that larger grains have a higher sphericity and tend to pack more closely together than smaller, more irregularly shaped grai s.
A fanout optimization algorithm based on the effort delay model

This paper presents a Logical Effort-based fanout OPtimizer for ARea and Delay (LEOPARD), which relies on the availability of a (near) continuous size buffer library. Based on the concept of logical effort in very large scale integrated circuits, the proposed algorithm attempts to minimize the total buffer area under the required time and input capacitance constraints by constructing the fanout tree topology and assigning the buffer sizes. More precisely, the proposed algorithm produces the optimum fanout tree solution if the fanout tree topology is restricted to a chain of buffers. For the case where a discrete size library of buffers is available, this paper also presents a postprocessing (buffer merging) step that transforms the continuous buffer-sizing solution to a discrete one while minimizing the round-off error. Experimental results show that compared with previous approaches, both for continuous and discrete buffer libraries, LEOPARD achieves a significant reduction in the total buffer area subject to the required time constraints.
IMPACTS OF STRESSORS ON THE EMERGENCE AND GROWTH OF WETLAND PLANT SPECIES IN PENNSYLVANIA, USA

Agriculture and urbanization in the upland landscape often generate stressors, such as sedimentation and eutrophication, that may negatively impact wetland plant communities. Individual plant species responses to stressors are also likely influenced by the hydrologic and geomorphologic characteristics of different wetland hydrogeomorphic (HGM) subclasses. The goal of this study was to determine to what extent the two stressors listed above influence the growth and development of wetland plant species and how these responses vary across HGM subclasses. The impacts of the two stressors on wetland plant species emergence and growth were examined in a 2 × 2 factorial greenhouse experiment, using soil moisture and organic matter content to simulate three HGM subclasses. Both stressors elicited significant responses in species establishment and growth, but overall trends in stressor responses differed by wetland type. For instance, sedimentation reduced the emergence of four species in simulated riparian depressions but only affected one species in simulated slope wetlands and none in simulated headwater floodplains. Sedimentation had little impact on any species establishment or growth in headwater floodplains. Approximately half of the species showed an increase in at least one growth variable in response to nitrogen enrichment. Additionally, the conditions used to simulate HGM subclasses appeared to impact a species performance and sensitivity to stressors. Therefore, further investigation of the impacts of HGM subclass conditions on species performance is needed. We expected differences in species responses to be related to their natural distribution across pristine and impacted wetlands; however, no obvious relationships were found. Our results suggest that it will be difficult to make generalizations about species responses to stressors because responses varied by stressor type, stressor interactions, and HGM subclass. Therefore, perhaps the next step in formulating broad generalizations and predictions about wetland plant community composition will require a shift from species-based approaches to a trait-based approach for examining how species composition may change in response to future disturbances.
Progesterone for the reduction of cocaine use in post-partum women with a cocaine use disorder: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot study

Summary Background Progesterone affects several brain functions implicated in the pathogenesis of drug addiction. Women who use cocaine often reduce their use of the drug during states of high endogenous progesterone concentration. We aimed to test whether progesterone replacement reduces cocaine use in post-partum women with a cocaine use disorder. Methods We did a 12-week, double-blind, parallel, randomised, placebo-controlled pilot trial with a 3-month post-trial follow-up. Women within 12 weeks of delivery were randomly assigned by a computer-generated randomisation list to receive oral micronised progesterone (100 mg twice daily) or placebo. The primary outcome was cocaine use, measured by number of self-reported days of cocaine use per week and number of positive urine tests for cocaine metabolites per week. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01249274. Findings We recruited 50 participants, of whom 25 were randomly assigned to placebo and 25 to progesterone. 41 (82%) participants completed treatment (20 in the progesterone group and 21 in the placebo group); all 50 participants were included in the analyses. Compared with participants in the progesterone group, those in the placebo group had significantly more self-reported cocaine use during the 12 weeks of the trial (rate ratio 1·19, 95% CI 1·05–1·36; p=0·0097). However, the difference between groups was not significant in the analysis that included the 3-month post-trial visit (likelihood ratio χ 2 =5·16; p=0·076). We noted no differences between groups in the proportion of women with positive urine tests during the 12-week trial period or during trial period plus the 3-month post-trial follow-up. The most common side-effects were headache (six [24%] in the progesterone groups vs three [12%] in the placebo group), sedation (four [16%] in each group), dizziness (three [12%] vs none), dry mouth (none vs three [12%]), and nausea (two [8%] vs [one [4%]). We noted no differences between groups in the frequency of adverse events. Interpretation Our results lend support to the use of progesterone treatment in post-partum women with a cocaine use disorder, but these findings are preliminary and need to be replicated in larger, adequately powered clinical trials. Funding US National Institute on Drug Abuse and Veterans Health Administration.
Continental Shelf Wave Propagation in the Mid-Atlantic Bight: A General Dispersion Relation

AbstractThe authors address the propagation of continental shelf waves in the Mid-Atlantic Bight. An analytical model of the bathymetry in the region is constructed by representing the continental shelf as a gently sloping bottom, which deepens linearly with offshore distance to the place where it meets the continental slope. Seaward of that point, the bathymetry is modeled with an exponentially decaying function of distance. The linearized, barotropic equations of hydrostatic motion, subject to the long-wave approximation, yield separate shelf and slope solutions, which are matched at the shelf break to specify the eigenfunctions. The associated eigenvalues define the dispersion relations for each of the modes. Wavenumber–frequency pairs derived from NOAA sea surface height stations along the coast are plotted on the first-mode dispersion curve, and the agreement is good. The theory also shows good agreement with the wave data of D. P. Wang.
Biogeochemical and ecological feedbacks in grassland responses to warming

Feedbacks can modulate the way plants respond to warming, but difficulties in detecting long-acting feedbacks complicate understanding of the climatic effects on community structure and function beyond initial responses. Now a mesocosm experiment shows that although warming initially increased aboveground net primary productivity in grassland ecosystems, the response diminished progressively over time. Plant growth often responds rapidly to experimentally simulated climate change1,2. Feedbacks can modulate the initial responses3, but these feedbacks are difficult to detect when they operate on long timescales4. We transplanted intact plant–soil mesocosms down an elevation gradient to expose them to a warmer climate and used collectors and interceptors to simulate changes in precipitation. Here, we show that warming initially increased aboveground net primary productivity in four grassland ecosystems, but the response diminished progressively over nine years. Warming altered the plant community, causing encroachment by species typical of warmer environments and loss of species from the native environment—trends associated with the declining response of plant productivity. Warming stimulated soil nitrogen turnover, which dampened but did not reverse the temporal decline in the productivity response. Warming also enhanced N losses, which may have weakened the expected biogeochemical feedback where warming stimulates N mineralization and plant growth1,5,6. Our results, describing the responses of four ecosystems to nearly a decade of simulated climate change, indicate that short-term experiments are insufficient to capture the temporal variability and trend of ecosystem responses to environmental change and their modulation through biogeochemical and ecological feedbacks.
Multi-waveform radar for ice sheet measurements and classroom demonstration

The Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS), at the University of Kansas, is a Science and Technology Center established by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 2005, with the mission of developing new technologies and computer models to measure and predict the response of sea level change to the mass balance of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica. As part of a senior undergraduate capstone design course we designed and simulated a wideband, push-broom, multi-waveform radar for fine-resolution airborne ice sheet surface elevation measurements. A prototype of this system was developed and its response was measured. The prototype will serve as a teaching tool and a design platform for the final instrumentation package to be used on an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) being developed at the University of Kansas. In this paper we will present the objectives of the project, design details, simulation results, and testing results from experiments delay line and point targets.
Assessing Quality of Care (QC) Near End of Life (EOL): Use of Natural Language Processing (NLP) to Identify Brain Metastasis (BM) Cases for Evaluation of Radiation Therapy (RT) Receipt

Stock; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. A.R. Macalalad: G. Consultant; Employee of Analysis Group, Inc., which received consulting fees from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. P. Galebach: G. Consultant; Employee of Analysis Group, Inc., which received consulting fees from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. J. Jarvis: G. Consultant; Employee of Analysis Group, Inc., which received consulting fees from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. A. Kageleiry: G. Consultant; Employee of Analysis Group, Inc., which received consulting fees from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. Q. Huang: G. Consultant; Employee of Analysis Group, Inc., which received consulting fees from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. K. Culver: A. Employee; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. M. Stock; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. E.Q. Wu: G. Consultant; Employee of Analysis Group, Inc., which received consulting fees from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. A. Guerin: G. Consultant; Employee of Analysis Group, Inc., which received consulting fees from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.
Introduction to the minitrack: data and knowledge management in health care

The delivery of health services involves a myriad of stakeholders, including patients, direct health care providers, researchers, managed care organizations, and third-party payers. These stakeholders often have considerable differences in objectives, concerns, priorities and constraints, making data and knowledge management in health care organizations a challenging endeavor. The planning, management, and delivery of health care services involves the manipulation of large amounts of information and the corresponding technologies are becoming increasingly embedded in all aspects of health care. The Data and Knowledge Management in Health Care Minitrack focuses on the use of knowledge management technologies for clinical, managerial, and population-based activities. In recent years, cost pressures have again been affecting the health sector. The availability of health care has drawn the attention of candidates, political pundits, and working Americans. The adoption of information technology is viewed as one of the primary mechanisms for efficiency gains. This year, the eight accepted papers (from fourteen
Hybrid tuning of an evolutionary algorithm for sensor allocation

The application of evolutionary algorithms to the optimization of sensor allocation given different target configurations requires the tuning of parameters affecting the robustness and run time of the algorithm. In this context, parameter settings in evolutionary algorithms are usually set through empirical testing or rules of thumb that do not always provide optimal results within time constraints. Design of experiments (DOE) is a methodology that provides some principled guidance on parameter settings in a constrained experiment environment but relies itself on a final inductive step for optimization. This paper describes a sensor allocation tool developed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) in the maritime domain and introduces a hybrid methodology based on DOE and machine learning techniques that enables the tuning of an embedded particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm for different scenarios.
The Aesthetic Knowledge Problem of Problem-Solving With Design Thinking

In this essay, we examine how aesthetic knowledge defines design thinking and also poses a challenge for many organizational systems. Design thinking is one problem-solving approach that addresses problems where multiple and conflicting interests must be met by perceiving the holistic quality of the interconnections across such interests. However, there has not been a clear declaration of what is at the core of design thinking. The direct engagement of the bodily senses in design-thinking methods points to the importance of aesthetic knowledge for problem definition and solution generation. Organizational systems, however, often occlude the role of the body at work, and therefore of aesthetic knowledge. Drawing on structurationist theory, we make suggestions for how organizational systems might adapt to more effectively generate and use aesthetic knowledge and tackle increasingly complex problems.