cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
First Report of Ramulispora sorghicola in the United States Causing Oval Leaf Spot on Johnsongrass and Sorghum in Texas

Oval leaf spot (OLS) caused by Ramulispora sorghicola Harris was observed on grain sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, and johnsongrass, S. halepense (L.) Pers., near Beeville, TX during August 2002. Symptoms were first observed on several sorghum lines and hybrids in a field nursery including a bulk planting of the line ATx623. Highest incidence of OLS occurred in rows adjacent to johnsongrass with symptoms of OLS. Average lesion size (mm) was 1.3 × 2.8 with a range from 0.5 to 2.5 × 1.5 to 5.0. Lesions had a straw-colored sunken center and on red- and purple-pigmented sorghums, lesion borders were highly pigmented. Cone-shaped conidial masses and superficial sclerotia (subglobose, black, 80 to 190 μm in diameter × 50 to 70 μm high, with spiny setae) were sometimes present or readily produced on lesions within 48 to 72 h after placement in humidity chambers. Conidia were branched, filiform, tapered, and 1.1 to 2.4 × 20 to 75 μm. The pathogen, R. sorghicola, was isolated from conidia and sclerotia. A wa...
THE "COCOON" BIFURCATIONS IN THREE-DIMENSONAL SYSTEMS WITH TWO FIXED POINTS

We use a geometric approach to explore the dynamical structures of three-dimensional systems with two fixed points. In particular, we study the "cocoon" bifurcation, which is a series of global and local bifurcations that create an infinite number of heteroclinic orbits (which trace out a cocoon-like tangle in space). We introduce a symbolic dynamics to the intersections of a cross-sectional plane with the manifolds of the fixed points. A one-parameter system relevant to the travelling-wave solution of the Kuramoto–Sivashinsky equation is employed to illustrate this approach. The cocoon bifurcation begins with a rapidly converging sequence of heteroclinic bifurcations (principal sequence), each of which generates a pair of heteroclinic orbits and two new pieces of the two-dimensional manifolds. These bifurcations and the manifold structures are also observed with the time delay function of chaotic scattering. At the limit of the principal sequence, a saddle-node bifurcation occurs, followed by a period doubling cascade, which destroys the elliptical orbit and results in a hyperbolic invariant set. Other heteroclinic bifurcations not in the principal sequence are responsible for the folding and eventually the fractal structures of the two-dimensional manifolds. The cocoon bifurcation is completed when all intersections of the two-dimensional manifolds are transverse. The structurally stable system after the cocoon bifurcation contains a hyperbolic invariant set (a horseshoe) imbedded in two fractal sets of the two-dimensional manifolds. All three sets have the same fractal dimension. The cocoon bifurcation is a route to fully developed chaotic scattering. After a prospective effect, called manifold reconnection, the system undergoes a secondary cocoon bifurcation. Then the system becomes a hyperbolic invariant set that is characterized by a full shift of six symbols and is imbedded in two fractal sets of two-dimensional manifolds. Higher order cocoon bifurcations may become overlapped with the homoclinic bifurcation. These results are general and do not depend on the symmetry of the system. For a physical system represented by the dynamical system, it is conjectured that the structurally stable window after the cocoon bifurcation contains the physically most probable state.
Reducing the Impact of Opportunistic Infections in Patients With HIV Infection: New Guidelines

As many as 1 million individuals in the United States are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 1 For these persons, and especially for the approximately 250 000 who have severe immunosuppression as measured by a CD4 + lymphocyte count below 0.20×10 9 /L (200/μL) (includes persons with [T. Green, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), unpublished results, 1994] and without 2 AIDS-defining illnesses) opportunistic infections exact a heavy toll in terms of quality and length of life. Among patients with severe immunosuppression, the cumulative risk of serious opportunistic infection has been estimated to be 33% after 1 year and 58% after 2 years. 3 In addition to the morbidity and mortality associated with these opportunistic infections, treatment of these illnesses costs billions of dollars annually. The last 5 years have witnessed a gratifying surge in our knowledge of the environmental sources of opportunistic pathogens, ways to reduce
Gene Therapy Accelerates Chronic Duodenal Ulcer Healing in Rats Using VEGF and PDGF Naked DNA or Adenoviral Plasmids

Gene Therapy Accelerates Chronic Duodenal Ulcer Healing in Rats Using VEGF and PDGF Naked DNA or Adenoviral Plasmids
Metal Extraction by Sulfur‐Containing Symmetrically‐Substituted Bisphosphonic Acids. Part I. P,P′‐di(2‐ethylhexyl) Methylenebisthio‐Phosphonic Acid

Abstract P,P′‐dialkyl methylenebisphosphonic acids are powerful metal extraction reagents exhibiting strong affinity for a variety of metal ions, especially lanthanides and actinides. While the affinity of gem‐bisphosphonic acids is generally high for most metal ions because of their relative high acidity and ability to form six‐member chelate rings, the selectivity often is low. Thus, a strategy of incorporating soft‐donor atoms such as sulfur into gem‐bisphosphonic acids has been adopted to obtain enhanced metal selectivity while retaining high extraction efficiency. To this end a new class of sulfur‐containing gem‐bisphosphonic acid solvent extraction reagents was designed, synthesized, and evaluated for heavy element separations. Specifically, the novel sulfur‐containing P,P′‐di(2‐ethylhexyl) methylenebisthiophosphonic acid, H2DEH[MBTP], was synthesized, characterized and its aggregation, metal extraction and acid‐base behavior assessed. Vapor phase osmometry measurements indicate that H2DEH[MBTP] is ...
Sequence errors described in GenBank: a means to determine the accuracy of DNA sequence interpretation

The accuracy of nucleic acid sequence data interpretation was determined by assessing and quantifying the discrepancies reported in the GenBank database. This permitted the calculation of an Error Rate (ER) for nucleic acid sequence determination. If one assumes that most entries (TB, Total Bases) were independently verified or those without reported discrepancies were correct, the ER is 0.368 errors per 1000 bases. However, if one assumes that only those sequences with reported discrepancies (TBIQ, Total Bases from entries In Question) were verified and are thus correct, the ER is 2.887 errors per 1000 bases. This establishes the first set of limit boundaries of the ER for sequence interpretation and sequence errors within the GenBank database and provides the foundation for future assessments and the monitoring of sequence data accumulation. In addition, the ER measure provides a basis to evaluate the efficiency and merit of present and future automated nucleic acid sequencing technologies which will have a direct impact upon the final outcome of the "Human Genome Initiative".
How robust is the pre-1931 National Climatic Data Center—climate divisional dataset? Examples from Georgia and Louisiana

The National Climatic Data Center’s climate divisional dataset (CDD) is commonly used in climate change analyses. This dataset is a spatially continuous dataset for the conterminous USA from 1895 to the present. The CDD since 1931 is computed by averaging all available representative cooperative weather station data into a single monthly value for each of the 344 climate divisions of the conterminous USA, while pre-1931 data for climate divisions are derived from statewide averages using regression equations. This study examines the veracity of these pre-1931 data. All available Cooperative Observer Program (COOP) stations within each climate division in Georgia and Louisiana were averaged into a single monthly value for each month and each climate division from 1897 to 1930 to generate a divisional dataset (COOP DD), using similar methods to those used by the National Climatic Data Center to generate the post-1931 CDD. The reliability of the official CDD—derived from statewide averages—to produce temperature and precipitation means and trends prior to 1931 are then evaluated by comparing that dataset with the COOP DD with difference-of-means tests, correlations, and linear regression techniques. The CDD and the COOP DD are also compared to a divisional dataset derived from the United States Historical Climatology Network (USHCN) data (USHCN DD), with difference of means and correlation techniques, to demonstrate potential impacts of inhomogeneities within the CDD and the COOP DD. The statistical results, taken as a whole, not only indicate broad similarities between the CDD and COOP DD but also show that the CDD does not adequately portray pre-1931 temperature and precipitation in certain climate divisions within Georgia and Louisiana. In comparison with the USHCN DD, both the CDD and the COOP DD appear to be subject to biases that probably result from changing stations within climate divisions. As such, the CDD should be used judiciously for long-term studies of climate change, and past studies using the CDD should be evaluated in the context of these new findings.
Application of the EnKF and Localization to Automatic History Matching of Facies Distribution and Production Data

The performance of the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) for continuous updating of facies location and boundaries in a reservoir model based on production and facies data for a 3D synthetic problem is presented. The occurrence of the different facies types is treated as a random process and the initial distribution was obtained by truncating a bi-Gaussian random field. Because facies data are highly non-Gaussian, re-parameterization was necessary in order to use the EnKF algorithm for data assimilation; two Gaussian random fields are updated in lieu of the static facies parameters. The problem of history matching applied to facies is difficult due to (1) constraints to facies observations at wells are occasionally violated when productions data are assimilated; (2) excessive reduction of variance seems to be a bigger problem with facies than with Gaussian random permeability and porosity fields; and (3) the relationship between facies variables and data is so highly non-linear that the final facies field does not always honor early production data well. Consequently three issues are investigated in this work. Is it possible to iteratively enforce facies constraints when updates due to production data have caused them to be violated? Can localization of adjustments be used for facies to prevent collapse of the variance during the data-assimilation period? Is a forecast from the final state better than a forecast from time zero using the final parameter fields? To investigate these issues, a 3D reservoir simulation model is coupled with the EnKF technique for data assimilation. One approach to enforcing the facies constraint is continuous iteration on all available data, which may lead to inconsistent model states, incorrect weighting of the production data and incorrect adjustment of the state vector. A sequential EnKF where the dynamic and static data are assimilated sequentially is presented and this approach seems to have solved the highlighted problems above. When the ensemble size is small compared to the number of independent data, the localized adjustment of the state vector is a very important technique that may be used to mitigate loss of rank in the ensemble. Implementing a distance-based localization of the facies adjustment appears to mitigate the problem of variance deficiency in the ensembles by ensuring that sufficient variability in the ensemble is maintained throughout the data assimilation period. Finally, when data are assimilated without localization, the prediction results appear to be independent of the starting point. When localization is applied, it is better to predict from the start using the final parameter field rather than continue from the final state.
Dehydroepiandrosterone: Antiglucocorticoid Action in Mice

ABSTRACT The acute effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its conjugate, DHEAsulfate (DHEA-S) on glucocorticoid action was tested in vivo using male Swiss-Webster mice. The authors found that DHEA and DHEA-S significantly inhibited induction of hepatic tyrosine aminotransferase activity, although the former was more potent. This inhibition was dose- and time-dependent and was not demonstrable with other steroids. The same inhibitory effect of DHEA was seen with kidney tyrosine aminotransferase induction, as well as with liver and kidney ornithine decarboxylase enzyme activity, another glucocorticoid-induced enzyme. The conclusion is that DHEA acts acutely as an antiglucocorticoid and exerts its effect in different glucocorticoid-sensitive systems.
What's so special about Kruskal's theorem and the ordinal Γo? A survey of some results in proof theory

Abstract This paper consists primarily of a survey of results of Harvey Friedman about some proof-theoretic aspects of various forms of Kruskal's tree theorem, and in particular the connection with the ordinal Γ 0 . We also include a fairly extensive treatment of normal functions on the countable ordinals, and we give a glimpse of Verlen hierarchies, some subsystems of second-order logic, slow-growing and fast-growing hierarchies including Girard's result, and Goodstein sequences. The central theme of this paper is a powerful theorem due to Kruskal, the ‘tree theorem’, as well as a ‘finite miniaturization’ of Kruskal's theorem due to Harvey Friedman. These versions of Kruskal's theorem are remarkable from a proof-theoretic point of view because they are not provable in relatively strong logical systems. They are examples of so-called ‘natural independence phenomena’, which are considered by most logicians as more natural than the metamathematical incompleteness results first discovered by Godel. Kruskal's tree theorem also plays a fundamental role in computer science, because it is one of the main tools for showing that certain orderings on trees are well founded. These orderings play a crucial role in proving the termination of systems of rewrite rules and the correctness of Knuth-Bendix completion procedures. There is also a close connection between a certain infinite countable ordinal called Γ o and Kruskal's theorem. Previous definitions of the function involved in this connection are known to be incorrect, in that, the function is not monotonic. We offer a repaired definition of this function, and explore briefly the consequences of its existence.
Identification of Arabidopsis thaliana variants with differential glyphosate responses.

Summary To facilitate future investigations of glyphosate-resistance mechanisms, three approaches were taken to obtain Arabidopsis thaliana variants that differed in glyphosate response. Recurrent selection by spraying with sub-lethal glyphosate concentrations was performed with Columbia-0 seedlings. After seven cycles of treatment, no resistance was found. A population of 800,000 ethylmethanesulfonate-mutagenized M 2 seedlings was screened on agar containing 0.2 mM glyphosate, a lower concentration than that previously used in other studies, and no resistant mutants were recovered. Seventy-two Arabidopsis ecotypes were screened with glyphosate and a range of responses was observed. In a follow-up experiment on a subset of these ecotypes, reduction of seed yield by 11.5 g/ha glyphosate (about 1% the typical field use rate) ranged among ecotypes from 0% to >90%, relative to untreated controls. However, even the least sensitive ecotypes were severely injured by relatively low glyphosate rates. Overall, attempts to select Arabidopsis seedlings that were significantly glyphosate-resistant were unsuccessful and consistent with previous reports. Arabidopsis ecotypes identified with differential glyphosate responses could be used for further studies though the inherently high sensitivity of Arabidopsis to glyphosate could limit their utility in studying glyphosate-resistance mechanisms.
Sex-Role Identity and Leadership Style: Looking for an Androgynous Leadership Style

This study examines the relationship between sex-role identity and leadership style by developing an androgynous leadership style model. Previous leadership studies indicate that stereotypically masculine behaviors characterize task-oriented leadership style and that stereotypically feminine behaviors (relations-oriented leadership style) are devalued. In contrary to them, this study suggests that an androgynous leadership style can be the most appropriate for achieving high performance and effectiveness in many organizations.
The heat of reaction of EtMo(CO)3C5H5 and HMo(CO)3C5H5 and related reactions. Thermochemical study of reductive elimination in alkyl molybdenum complexes

Abstract The enthalpies of the following reactions have been measured by solution calorimetry: HMo(CO)3C5H5+EtMo(CO)3C5 H5 →EtC(O)H+ 1 2 [Mo(CO)2C5H5]2+ 1 2 [Mo(CO)3C5H5]2 [Mo(CO)2C5H5]2+2PR 3→[Mo(CO)2(PR3) C5H5]2 PR3 = P(OMe)3 and P(C6H5)2Me RMo(CO)3C5H5+I2→R;I+IMo(CO)3C5H5 R = C6H5CH2, H2CCHCH2 R = Mo(CO)3C5H5+PR3→RC(O)Mo (CO)2(PR3)C5H5 R = C6H5CH2 PR3 = PMe3, PMe2Ph, PMePh2, PPh3, P(OMe)3. The results from this work are combined with earlier data to generate estimates for MoX bond strengths (X = H, Cl, Br, I, CH3, C2H5, C3H5 and PhCH 2). The influence of phosphine substitution on the thermochemistry of model catalytic reactions is discussed.
Diagnostic ultrasound in radiation treatment planning

Diagnostic ultrasound provides the radiation therapist a very practical method of acquiring anatomical information for developing optimized radiation therapy plans. With ultrasound it is possible to record simultaneously the contour of the patient and the location and depth of tumors and normal structures. This information can easily be incorporated into current methods of computerized treatment planning. Ultrasound examination also assists in the accurate placement of treatment ports on the body surface, and allows adjustment of field size as tumors respond to treatment. It is predicted that diagnostic ultrasound examination will become a standard method of obtaining anatomical information for radiation therapy planning in all modern radiation treatment facilities.
Rudimentary locus of Drosophila melanogaster: partial purification of a carbamylphosphate synthase--aspartate transcarbamylase--dihydroorotase complex.

Glutamine-dependent CPSase, ATCase, and DHOase from Drosophila, the first three enzymes in pyrimidine biosynthesis, show coordinate variation in activity throughout development. The three activities were highest in first instar larvae and decreased as development proceeded. The three activities cosediment in sucrose gradients as a single peak with a relative sedimentation coefficient of approximately 30S. CPSase, ATCase, and DHOase copurify during (NH4) 2SO4 fractionation and during DEAE-cellulose and hydroxylapatite chromatography.
God is great, God is good: Teaching god concepts in Turkish Islamic sermons

Abstract Cognitive scientists have argued that concepts such as gods and ghosts are found the world over because they violate a small number of ontological expectations, making them distinct, memorable, and highly transmissible. These concepts are known as minimally counterintuitive (MCI) and are theorized to be essential components of religion. Previous studies have explored MCI concepts in Christianity, Hinduism, Ancient Rome, and a variety of imaginary alien civilizations, but none have addressed the world's largest religion, Islam. This study applies research on MCI concepts, together with work on theological correctness, to a dataset of 295 Islamic sermons from 2001 to 2006 prepared by the Directorate of Religious Affairs, a government agency in Turkey charged with managing the country's mosques and religious education. Using content analysis, this paper tests whether counterintuitive god concepts are as sparse as MCI theory would predict (they are) and whether god concepts vary as expected in contexts of prayer (they do). Comparison of god concepts in sermons written before and after the arrival of new leadership at the Directorate shows that institutional change has altered religious discourse, decreasing the presence of intuitive but not counterintuitive concepts.
A Note on “Nonviolence is Two”

The conscientious and pragmatic forms of nonviolence are discussed as sanctioning strategies adapted to different phases in the development of a social movement. Some general factors affecting the evolution of a movement's relations with its institutional environment are also considered.
Deafferentation slows the growth of specific dendrites of identified giant interneurons.

The effect deafferentation has on the morphology of giant interneurons was studied in the abdominal nervous system of crickets (Acheta domesticus). The morphology of four uniquely identified giant interneurons was examined by iontophoresing cobalt chloride into the neurons of interest. A major source of afferents for these interneurons consists of mechanoreceptors located on paired abdominal sensory appendages—the cerci. Partial deafferentation of the giant interneurons was obtained by pinching off the cercus at hatching and maintaining the specimen in this deprived condition until adulthood. The interneurons of three groups of animals were examined; control specimeans which were not treated surgically, unilaterally treated specimens which has single cercus removed and bilaterlly treated specimens which had both cerci removed. Two types of morphological changes were detected. (1) Chronic removal of a cercus was correlated with a reduction in length of dendrites ipsilateral to the ablated cercus; however the general form of the dendritic branching pattern remained constant and recognizable. Two dendrites of a single neuron could be influenced independently if they were innervated by separate cerci. Thus deprivation did not have a generalized effect on growth of a neuron, rather it specifically influenced the dendrites deprived of afferents. (2) it was also observed that the projection of cercal sensory fibers in specimens reared with a single cercus differed from normal in that scattered fibers cross the midline in regions of the ganglion where none usually exist. It is suggested that modifications in the response properties of these deprived neurons are based on these two changes in morphology.
Fighting unequal treatment: the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a quality-improvement approach to disparities.

Ensuring that all Americans have access to quality health care is one of the major goals of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), as is improving the quality of health care for people with chronic conditions. Working toward this goal means that we must eliminate the embarrassing and unacceptable gaps in health care experienced by racial and ethnic minorities. Research indicates that Americans do not receive half of the care that experts recommend,1 but the evidence also indicates that these quality gaps are even worse for racial and ethnic minorities.2 Disparities in treatment exist across a wide range of chronic conditions, and the evidence of differential treatment is particularly strong with regard to treatment for cardiovascular conditions such as myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure.3 Even though disparities in care have not been conclusively linked to disparities in health outcomes, many experts believe that persistent patterns of lower-quality care for minority Americans do contribute to worse health outcomes, which could explain in part the disproportionate impact of heart disease on minority Americans. Mortality rates from cardiovascular disease are higher among blacks than whites,4 and one study found that heart disease accounted for nearly one third of the overall mortality difference between black and white patients.5 For all of these reasons, efforts to reduce disparities in cardiovascular care are likely to be particularly important in closing gaps in care and will be a high priority for RWJF in the next half decade. This editorial describes the foundation’s approach to reducing racial and ethnic disparities in health care and the underlying rationale for the strategy. For RWJF, developing a new targeted strategy for funding work to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in care required an immediate emphasis on discovering or helping to develop replicable solutions. We believe …
Analytical Models for Protected plus Permitted Left-Turn Capacity at Signalized Intersection with Heavy Traffic

This paper presents theoretical analysis of left-turn operations under heavy traffic. When traffic demand is heavy, residual queues from previous cycles may occur and contribute to blockage of the left-turn bay by adjacent through traffic. Such blockage reduces the left-turn capacity and is a random phenomenon. An improved model for protected left-turn capacity is first proposed, taking into account the influence of residual queues and blockage by through traffic. In addition, the classic model always overestimates the potential permitted left-turn capacity when opposing traffic is heavy. The potential permitted left-turn capacity is then modeled in a probabilistic way, and a simple estimation is suggested by investigating its relation to the classic model. Furthermore, because left-turn capacity may vary in response to a blockage, the coefficients of variance for protected left-turn capacity and for queue clearance time are introduced to evaluate the protected left-turn timing plan. The developed analyti...
Revision Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

Patients with recurrent chronic sinusitis after prior surgical intervention pose a particular challenge to the otorhinolaryngologist. Establishing a correct diagnosis is the first step and requires review of the original presurgical symptoms and imaging; review of the more recent symptoms and images;and reevaluation of environmental, general, and local host factors that may contribute to persistent disease. Although primary chronic rhinosinusitis is typically a medical disease, postsurgical persistent disease may result directly from iatrogenic causes, requiring early surgical revision. Even in this setting, however, proper preoperative medical therapy is essential. Diagnostic evaluation should include meticulous endoscopic evaluation and appropriate radiologic studies. CT typically is required in the coronal and axial planes and ideally is performed using a computer-assisted surgical navigation protocol and with reconstructions in the sagittal plane, allowing for "scrolling" through the altered anatomy and conceptualizing the surgical issues at hand. When the decision to undergo revision surgery is made, the patient and the physician need to comprehend the rigorous and prolonged schedule of postoperative care and debridements that may be required for long-term success. Appropriate surgical technique emphasizing mucosal preservation and complete dissection must be adhered to. The surgeon must be aware that bony thickening is likely to be present and to make the dissection significantly more difficult than in the primary case. Medical management and endoscopic surveillance postoperatively is continued until a stable cavity is achieved.
Why is there an epidemic of myopia

(2003). Why is there an epidemic of myopia? Clinical and Experimental Optometry: Vol. 86, No. 5, pp. 273-275.
Gamma Radiation Induced Degradation of Operating Quantum Dot Lasers

The degradation of quantum dot lasers (QDLs) due to 1.17 and 1.22 MeV gamma radiation is characterized by changes in threshold current, external slope efficiency and light output. Both operating and non-operating lasers were exposed to a Co-60 source, providing gamma radiation at a dose rate of 0.4 kGy/hr to a total absorbed dose of 1.6 MGy. Degradation rates of exposed, non-operating QDLs were found to be more rapid than for operating QDLs during exposure, suggesting competition between radiation damage effects and annealing effects induced by operation. This is supported by annealing effects exhibited by unexposed, operating lasers resulting in increases in slope efficiency and light output. Differential output power comparisons indicate that degradation is predominately due to changes in current injection efficiency and not increases in non-radiative recombination in the active region.
Theoretical Investigation of Two-Dimensional Superconductivity in Intercalated Graphene Layers

First-principles calculations of the electronic structure and vibrational modes, in a system of graphene bilayers and trilayers intercalated with alkaline earth atoms, are resented. It is found that, in similarity to the case of superconducting graphite intercalation compounds, the Fermi level is crossed by an s-band derived from the intercalant states, as well as graphitic pi-bands. The electron-phonon coupling parameter is found to be 0.60 and 0.80, respectively, in calcium intercalated graphene bilayers and trilayers. In superconducting CaC6 graphite intercalation compound, the calculated value for the electron-phonon coupling parameter is 0.83. It is concluded that two-dimensional superconductivity is possible in a system of a few graphene layers intercalated with calcium.
Multidisciplinary cancer management: a systems-based approach to deliver complex care

The current issue of Journal of Oncology Practice is focused on multidisciplinary cancer care. It seems germane to begin the series with a case presentation. Jane Forbes (not her real name) is a 78-year-old woman who underwent annual screening mammography on January 29, 2010. She resides in a retirement community on the outskirts of a large southern city and is insured by Medicare and a secondary managed care organization. She describes her health as excellent except for well-managed hyperlipidemia and hypertension. The following timeline is based on detailed diary entries that Mrs. Forbes agreed to share with me.
Design flow for HW/SW acceleration transparency in the thumbpod secure embedded system

This paper describes a case study and design flow of a secure embedded system called ThumbPod, which uses cryptographic and biometric signal processing acceleration. It presents the concept of HW/SW acceleration transparency, a systematic method to accelerate Java functions in both software and hardware. An example of acceleration transparency for a Rijndael encryption function is presented. The embedded prototype hardware platform is also described. Acceleration transparency yields software and hardware performance gains of 333X.
Akinesia, Tardive Dysmentia, and Frontal Lobe Disorder in Schizophrenia

Two iatrogenic effects of antipsychotic medications other than tardive dyskinesia have been recently described in schizophrenic populations: akinesia and tardive dysmentia. These effects involve activational, cognitive, and affective rather than motor changes, and closely resemble two most common prefrontal syndromes: dorsolateral and fronto-orbital/mediobasal. It is possible that the widely reported "frontal lobe dysfunction" in some chronic schizophrenic patients at least in part reflects iatrogenic changes in the mesolimbic/mesocortical dopamine system, which projects extensively into prefrontal areas. The degree of iatrogenic versus genuine contribution to the frontal lobe dysfunction in schizophrenia needs to be ascertained further, and the heterogeneity of known frontal lobe syndromes must be taken into account in describing schizophrenic populations. The mechanisms of noniatrogenic contributions to the frontal lobe dysfunction in schizophrenia may reflect a variety of anatomical sources and require further examination.
Overcoming NHCs neutrality: installing tetracarbenes on group 13 and 14 metals

The first tetracarbene complexes of group 13 and 14 metals have been synthesized by employing dianionic macrocyclic tetracarbene ligands. The tin, indium, and aluminium tetracarbene complexes are structurally analogous to their porphyrin or salen analogues. The aluminium complex is the first example of multiple NHCs bound to this metal centre.
Dopamine Scales Performance in the Absence of New Learning

Learning and motivation are integral in shaping an organism's adaptive behavior. The dopamine system has been implicated in both processes; however, dissociating the two, both experimentally and conceptually, has posed significant challenges. We have developed an animal model that dissociates expression or scaling of a learned behavior from learning itself. An inducible dopamine transporter (DAT) knockdown mouse line has been generated, which exhibits significantly slower reuptake of released dopamine and increased tonic firing of dopamine neurons without altering phasic burst firing. Mice were trained in experimental tasks prior to inducing a hyperdopaminergic tone and then retested. Elevated dopamine enhanced performance in goal-directed operant responses. These data demonstrate that alterations in dopaminergic tone can scale the performance of a previously learned behavior in the absence of new learning.
Computational historiography: Data mining in a century of classics journals

More than a century of modern Classical scholarship has created a vast archive of journal publications that is now becoming available online. Most of this work currently receives little, if any, attention. The collection is too large to be read by any single person and mostly not of sufficient interest to warrant traditional close reading. This article presents computational methods for identifying patterns and testing hypotheses about Classics as a field. Such tools can help organize large collections, introduce younger scholars to the history of the field, and act as a “survey,” identifying anomalies that can be explored using more traditional methods.
Broadband and knowledge intensive firm clusters: Essential link or auxiliary connection?

This study evaluates the relationship between the spatial distribution of broadband providers and the presence of knowledge intensive firm clusters in US counties. Results high- light this relationship is heterogeneous and localized. In some places, broadband appears to be an essential link that enables knowledge firms to strategically locate in lower cost counties and in close proximity to major knowledge centres. In other places, the availability of broadband Internet connections are unable the negative externalities associated with locations in more remote areas of the country. From a policy perspective, this suggests that broadband should be viewed as a key component, but not the only component, of comprehensive local economic development plans.
Translation of an integral membrane protein in distal dendrites of hippocampal neurons

Maintenance of synaptic plasticity requires protein translation. Because changes in synaptic strength are regulated at the level of individual synapses, a mechanism is required for newly translated proteins to specifically and persistently modify only a subset of synapses. Evidence suggests this may be accomplished through local translation of proteins at or near synapses in response to plasticity-inducing patterns of activity. A number of proteins important for synaptic function are integral membrane proteins, which require a specialized group of organelles, proteins and enzymatic activities for proper synthesis. Dendrites appear to contain machinery necessary for the proper production of these proteins, and mRNAs for integral membrane proteins have been found localized to dendrites. Experiments are described that investigate the local translation of membrane proteins in the dendrites of cultured rat hippocampal neurons, using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Neurons were transfected with cDNAs encoding a fluorescently labeled transmembrane protein, TGN-38. Under conditions where the transport of this reporter construct was inhibited, the appearance of newly synthesized protein was observed via fluorescent microscopy. The dendritic translation of this protein required activation of glutamate receptors. The results demonstrate a functional capacity for activity-dependent synthesis of integral membrane proteins for distal dendrites in hippocampal neurons.
Radiation Characteristics of Glass Foams

This paper is concerned with the analysis of the radiative heat transfer in glass foams. The closed-form analytical model for the reflectance, transmittance, and absorptance of radiation by a foam layer has been utilized to assess the resistance of radiation heat transfer from the hot combustion gases and refractories to the molten glass in the glassmelting furnace due to glass foaming. The size (radius) and shape (void fraction) of foam bubbles, their size distribution function, the scattering anisotropy, and the reflectance of the foam/glass interface have been identified as major physical parameters governing the problem. Detailed parametric calculations have been performed, and the results are reported and critically discussed with the aim of quantifying the radiation characteristics of glass foams. The findings lead to a fundamental understanding of the radiative transport in the foams, and can be used to improve the design and operation of modern glassmelting furnaces.
Photoluminescence Studies on Cu and O Defects in Crystalline and Thin-film CdTe

Polycrystalline thin-film CdTe is one of the leading materials used in photovoltaic solar cells. One way to improve device performance and stability is through understanding how various process steps alter defect states in the CdTe layer. Low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) studies show a 1.456-eV PL peak in single-crystal CdTe that is likely due to a Cui-OTe defect complex. A similar peak, observed in as-deposited glass/SnO2:F/CdS/CdTe thin-film structures, strongly suggests a common origin. The 1.456-eV peak is also seen in a thin-film sample after performing the CdCl2 treatment needed for high efficiencies.
Experimental study of inverted microstrip for integrated antenna applications

Passive probe-fed inverted microstrip antennas have been designed and tested. Design formulas have been used to determine operating frequency and compared to measured results. A novel test fixture allowed the non-destructive determination of the input impedance as a function of probe position. This configuration also offers easy integration of solid-state devices as well as other advantages over conventional configurations in hybrid microwave integrated circuits. >
High False-Positive Rate for Monoclonal Gammopathy Using Capillary Electrophoresis (CAPILLARYS 2) Alone

Background Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) is a newer method of performing serum protein electrophoresis and is considered to be faster and more efficient than agarose gel method. We decided to evaluate CZE as an efficient screening tool for monoclonal gammopathies, and we began recommending immunofixation studies in cases with such minor/subtle distortions to avoid missing monoclonal gammopathies. Methods We evaluated 163 serum protein agarose gel electrophoresis (SPAGE) samples between October and November 2011, and 447 serum protein CZE (SPCZE) samples between January 2012 to February 2012 and August 2012 to September 2012. Results Immunofixation studies were recommended in 51 of 163 cases (31.3%) performed by SPAGE, and in 274 of 447 cases (61.3%) performed by SPCZE. While using SPAGE, of the 51 cases recommended for immunofixation (24 were performed to date), six cases (25.0%) were positive for monoclonal gammopathy. In contrast, while using SPCZE, of the 274 cases recommended for immunofixation (118 were performed to date), 18 cases (15.2%) were positive for monoclonal gammopathy. Using the SPCZE method, of these 18 cases, five (27.8%) had minor/subtle distortions without obvious peaks. Our recommendation rate for immunofixation studies has thus almost doubled (61.3% vs. 31.3%) with the adoption of SPCZE. Yet, using SPCZE has not translated to detecting more cases of true monoclonal gammopathies. Conclusion Therefore, we conclude that there is a high false-positive rate for monoclonal gammopathy using CE alone.
Propagation of microsecond electron beams in gases and excimer laser-ionized channels in the ion-focused regime

Experiments have been performed to investigate the transport and stability of microsecond-pulselength intense relativistic electron beams in the ‘ion-focused regime’ (IFR) in low-pressure neutral gas and laser-preionized channels. Beams have been generated by the Michigan Electron Long Beam Accelerator (MELBA) which operates with parameters: voltage = −0·7 to −1 MV electrically compensated for collapsing diode impedance over the first 1·5 μs, pulselength = 0·1 to 4μs limited by diode closure, and current = 0·2 to 30 kA.Long pulse beam propagation experiments have demonstrated the following effects:1) At pressures of 1–230 m Torr in air and helium with no laser-preionized channel:a) the electron-beam transport efficiency peaks after times longer than the time calculated for beam-induced ionization to reach fe. = 1. Up to 100% efficient transport occurs during short spikes over a 1 m propagation distance.b) Within 100 ns of efficient transport the propagated beam exhibits rapid beam cutoff in air and helium. This initial pulse of propagated current is followed by a series of 10 ns to 60 ns duration spikes for the remainder of the injected beam pulse. At higher gas pressures usually less current is propagated in the later peaks. At the lowest pressure for which significant current is propagated (7·6 m Torr air, 14 m Torr helium) the maximum transported current occurs in one of the later peaks.2) In initial experiments with excimer-laser-ionized channels in diethylaniline at pressures of 3–8 × 10−4 Torr the electron-beam transport over 1·2 m is efficient (80% to 100%) for at least the first 0·5 μs and does not exhibit the erratic transport observed in the electron-beam induced channels. For fixed laser energy, a narrow pressure window exists for efficient and stable long pulse electron-beam transport. Pressures below optimal give inefficient transport while higher pressures cause ejection of the beam from the ionized channel at later times.
LuxS-Mediated Quorum Sensing in Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme Disease Spirochete

The establishment of Borrelia burgdorferi infection involves numerous interactions between the bacteria and a variety of vertebrate host and arthropod vector tissues. This complex process requires regulated synthesis of many bacterial proteins. We now demonstrate that these spirochetes utilize a LuxS/autoinducer-2 (AI-2)-based quorum-sensing mechanism to regulate protein expression, the first system of cell-cell communication to be described in a spirochete. The luxS gene of B. burgdorferi was identified and demonstrated to encode a functional enzyme by complementation of an Escherichia coli luxS mutant. Cultured B. burgdorferi responded to AI-2 by altering the expression levels of a large number of proteins, including the complement regulator factor H-binding Erp proteins. Through this mechanism, a population of Lyme disease spirochetes may synchronize production of specific proteins needed for infection processes.
The importance of conflict-induced mortality for conservation planning in areas of human–elephant co-occurrence

Abstract Multiple-use zones around protected areas are designed to balance human resource needs with wildlife conservation, but conflicts between wildlife and people in these areas of co-occurrence (CA) can seriously undermine their conservation potential. We evaluated this issue by assessing the effects of conflict-induced mortality in CAs around an inviolate core, on long-term population viability of the endangered, wide-ranging, and conflict-prone Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). Using a single-sex, age-structured density-dependent matrix population model to simulate elephant population dynamics over a period of 500 years, we: (1) assessed the existence of extinction thresholds arising from the interaction of mortality due to human–elephant conflict (HEC) and habitat degradation, and (2) evaluated whether and to what extent habitat supplementation by the CA is devalued by detrimental effects of conflict-induced mortality. We parameterized our model using published survival and fecundity rates. We considered different scenarios of core to CA configurations, and simulated the population under HEC-induced mortality rates (HECm) ranging from 0 to 0.1. Population persistence was adversely affected by HECm, and its detrimental effects were magnified as the proportion of core habitat declined. Under moderate HECm, small increments in mortality rates necessitated disproportionately large increases in core area availability to avoid quasi-extinction. Furthermore, benefits of CA supplementation were driven more by CA quality than size, and these benefits declined as HECm increased. We emphasize the need to minimize conflict-induced mortality, or to maintain adequate refugia from such anthropogenic threats, to successfully conserve conflict-prone species in human-dominated landscapes.
Re: Defining Securitization

This Article fills a gap in commercial finance law. Despite the fact that “securitization” has become enormously important to capital markets — and is sometimes blamed for the credit crisis — we have no agreed understanding of the term. Various regulators and commentators have generated a wide range of definitions, but many are vague or omit crucial elements. Perhaps most surprising, the Dodd-Frank financial services reform — the most aggressive attempt yet to regulate securitization — does not define it at all. How can we regulate something without a shared conception of what it is?This Article assesses data on the performance and function of securitizations to develop a normative definition of the term based on its essential elements (its inputs, structure, and outputs) and its legitimate social and economic functions, namely providing a more effective means of connecting buyers and sellers of capital than traditional methods of financing, such as bank lending or issuing shares of stock. The definition offered here distinguishes “true” securitizations from other transactions, such as collateralized debt obligations and Enron’s structured financings, which may satisfy current legal definitions of a securitization, but which in fact lack one or more essential elements, and which therefore fail to perform the important social and economic functions captured by the normative definition advanced here. The Article concludes by summarizing the benefits of a better definition of securitization.
Plant virus gene vectors: biotechnology applications in agriculture and medicine.

Plant virus vectors have been developed as a result of 20 years of advances in molecular biology, which produced infectious plasmid-based clones of RNA and DNA plant viruses and viroids that could be routinely amplified in E. coli. This work built on a century of progress in virology, much of which was based on understanding the biology of Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) (1). With the availability of the rice and Arabidopis draft genome sequences, expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and microarrays, crystal structures of many plant viruses, and public interest in non-transgenic strategies for crop improvement, the technology of plant virus gene vectors holds much promise for the coming decade (2, 3, 4). The intent of this review is to define virus-vector strategies, describe uses for improving crop health, and point out possible beneficial overlaps with veterinary and human medicine.