cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oxidation of ordered Sn/Pt(111) surface alloys and thermal stability of the oxides formed

Two Pt−Sn surface alloys were oxidized at 300 K by ozone (O3) exposure in UHV. Both alloys were less reactive than Pt(111), and the p(2 × 2) alloy (ϑSn = 0.25) was more reactive than the (√3x√3)R30° alloy (ϑSn = 0.33). The relative O3 dissociative sticking coefficients on these surfaces at 300 K were 1.0:0.79:0.33, respectively. Ozone dissociation was inhibited more easily on the alloys than on Pt(111), and large O3 doses on the p(2 × 2) and (√3x√3)R30° surface alloys produced oxygen coverages of 1.2 and 0.87 monolayers, respectively, compared to 2.4 monolayers on Pt(111). Both chemisorbed and “oxidic” oxygen states were characterized by using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). At 300 K, chemisorbed oxygen adatoms are formed at low exposures, but oxidation of Sn occurs at large oxygen coverages, as evidenced by a 1.6 eV downshift of the Sn(MNN) AES peak. Heating during TPD causes SnOx formation even at low coverages, and ...
BUMBLEBEE POLLINATION RELATIONSHIPS ON THE BEARTOOTH PLATEAU TUNDRA OF SOUTHERN MONTANA.

The coadaptive, dynamic relationship between the members of a floral community and their respective bumblebee pollinators was studied on the alpine-tundra of the Beartooth Plateau in southern Montana. A total of ten species of Bombus was observed foraging for pollen and/or nectar on Castilleja pulchella, Delphinium bicolor, Lupinus monticola, Mertensia ciliata, Oxytropis campestris, Penstemon procerus, and Trifolium dasyphyllum. The number of Bombus species per plant species ranged from 1 to 9. Based on relative percentage of pollen types in corbicular loads, monolectic foragers comprised 53.5% and polylectic foragers 46.5% of the bumblebees. Examinations of relative length of nectariferous corolla-tubes, tongue-length of pollinators, foraging frequency of pollinators, phenology of floral anthesis, and stature of plants did not indicate specific resource partitioning. Non-tundra-nesting bumblebees from lower elevations preferred adventive or typically non-tundra plants. Examination of perianth colors in visible light by reflectance spectrophotometry and in long-wave (360 nm) ultraviolet light by photography disclosed well-defined visible light reflectance spectra in all species but ultraviolet reflectance patterns only in D. bicolor. Insect collections and exclosure studies indicated all plant species except D. bicolor and P. procerus are highly reliant on bumblebee pollinators. IT IS GENERALLY ACCEPTED that there exists a dynamic coevolutionary relationship between the biotically pollinated members of a floral community and their respective pollinators. Evolution in one partner of the pollination relationship may serve as a selective pressure for corresponding evolution in the other partner. The leap-frog nature of this coevolution between plant and bumblebee may be best understood by close examination of morphological, ethological, and phenological characteristics of the flowers and insects. Specifically. this study is intended to ascertain the extent of this coevolution in the'alpine topography of the Beartooth Plateau in southern Montana. The Plateau biota is thought to be a remnant of what was, during the last glaciation, a community of great expanse. Billings (1974) notes that in
Projecting regional area changes in forestland cover in the U.S.A.

Abstract Long-range regional projections of the changes in forest type areas are important in public and private forest resources planning. The combination of natural forces and human activities, which are shaped by socioeconomic forces such as population and income trends, has led to dtriking changes in forest cover types for the three major types of private owners. A model for the U.S. Southeast is presented that projects future areal cover on each ownership by forest type for several land management scenarios. Planned research includes development of regional type transition models based on forest ecosystem responses to various disturbances with consideration of vital silvical attributes of species groups.
Coalescence of an emulsion in a fibrous bed: Part II. Experimental

A model of a fibrous bed relating the ratio of the outlet and inlet particle number densities to the various system parameters is tested experimentally. The degree of bed saturation is also determined from single phase and two phase flow data. The inlet and outlet particle number densities are determined by light scattering. It was found that the model does predict the effect of particle size, fiber size, bed length, and degree of saturation consistent with experimental observations. However, the coalescence efficiency based upon aerosol filtration theory is not amenable to the fibrous bed over the widest range of flow velocities. On a fait l'essai experimental d'un modele de lit fibreux pour etablir une correlation entre le rapport des densites du nombre de particules a l'entree et a la sortie et les divers parametres du systeme. On a aussi determine le degre de saturation du lit a partir de donnees pour ecoulements a simple et double phase. On a determine par diffusion de la lumiere les densites du nombre de particules a l'entree et a la sortie. On a trouve que le modele predit, en concordance avec les resultats experimentaux, l'influence (a) des dimensions des particules et de la fibre, (b) de la longueur du lit et (c) du degre de saturation. Toutefois, l'efficacite de la coalescence basee sur la theorie de filtration des aerosols n'est pas soumise au lit fibreux pour des echelles tres considerables de velocites d'ecoulement.
A Degradation Model for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anodes due to Impurities in Coal Syngas: Part I Theory and Validation

A new phenomenological one-dimensional model is formulated to simulate the typical degradation patterns observed in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anodes due to coal syngas contaminants such as arsenic (As) and phosphorous (P). The model includes gas phase diffusion and surface diffusion within the anode and the adsorption reactions on the surface of the Ni-YSZ-based anode. Model parameters such as reaction rate constants for the adsorption reactions are obtained through indirect calibration to match the degradation rates reported in the literature for arsine (AsH3), phosphine (PH3), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and hydrogen selenide (H2Se) under accelerated testing conditions. Results from the model demonstrate that the deposition of the impurity on the Ni catalyst starts near the fuel channel/anode interface and slowly moves toward the active anode/electrolyte interface as observed in the experiments. Parametric studies performed at different impurity concentrations and operating temperatures show that the coverage rate increases with increasing temperature and impurity concentration, as expected. The calibrated model was then used for prediction of the performance curves at different impurity concentrations and operating temperatures. Good agreement is obtained between the predicted results and the experimental data reported in the literature.
A New Locus for Late-Onset, Progressive, Hereditary Hearing Loss DFNA20 Maps to 17q25

We report the localization of DFNA20, a gene causing dominant, nonsyndromic, progressive hearing loss in a three-generation Midwestern family, to chromosome 17q25. Affected family members show a bilateral, sloping, progressive, sensorineural hearing loss, first evident at 6000 and 8000 Hz, that can be identified in some family members in the early teens and is clearly evident by the early twenties. As age increases, the degree of hearing loss increases with threshold shifts seen at all frequencies. Linkage to known hereditary hearing loss loci was excluded. A genome-wide screen detected positive linkage to D17S784 (LOD(Z) = 6.62; θ = 0). Haplotype analysis refines the DFNA20 critical region to 12 cM between D17S1806 and D17S668. Radiation hybrid mapping with Stanford G3 and TNG panels was used to evaluate the genes ACTG1, GRIN2C, FKHL13, P4HB, SPARC, and ARHGDIA as candidates for DFNA20.
What Is Statistics

One might think that there is a simple answer to the question posed in the title of the form “Statistics is….” Sadly, there is not, although many contemporary statistical authors have attempted to answer the question. This article captures the essence of some of these efforts, setting them in their historical contexts. In the process, we focus on the cross-disciplinary nature of much modern statistical research. This discussion serves as a backdrop to the the aims of the Annual Review of Statistics and its Application, which begins publication with the present volume.
Recent advances in noninvasive techniques to monitor hormone‐behavior interactions

This paper reviews recent advances in field endocrinology, a focus as well as a method in primatology and behavioral ecology that permits the examination of social behavior and life history through hormonal investigations in natural settings. Endocrine data complements the traditional behavioral data collected by field scientists by providing quantitative measures for the examination of adaptive tradeoffs, costs of social strategies, and reproductive and social significance of mating events. Further, investigations of the physiological mechanisms of reproductive constraint provide tests of the adaptive significance of reproductive skew in cooperative and competitive breeders. Hormone data also can provide insights into the costs of competition and aggression and the role of temperament in individual reproductive success and the evolution of social systems. New, noninvasive methods for the collection of this information have augmented and expanded field endocrinology through the use of techniques that do not require potentially confounding physical or physiological manipulations. Specifically, urine and fecal samples can be collected from free-ranging animals and contain gonadal and adrenal hormones that parallel profiles of serum hormones. Sampling, preservation, extraction, and assay methods for the analysis of excreted steroids are reviewed along with the species and questions to which these methods have been applied.
Effect of disorder on direct and indirect band gaps of semiconductor alloys

Abstract A simple analysis of the effect of disorder on different band edges of ternary III–V alloys is performed in terms of the symmetry properties of Bloch functions. The effect of disorder on the X 1 conduction band minimum is shown to be strongly dependent on the valence of the alloyed element, in agreement with available experimental data. The implications for indirect gaps and for the calculations of crossover compositions are briefly discussed.
ESTIMATION OF PREY DENSITIES REQUIRED BY WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALES

The apparent lack of significant recovery of western North Atlantic right whale populations may be related to the availability of prey in exploitable densities. We have attempted to estimate the concentration of zooplankton required by right whales to obtain a net energetic benefit over the long term, using estimated values for body weight, metabolic rate, assimilation efficiency, time spent feeding, mouth size and swimming speed. The estimated range of required energy densities is 7.57 to 2,394 kcal m−3 (3.17 × 104 to 1.00 × 107 joule m−3). These values are from one to more than three orders of magnitude greater than the densest concentration sampled in the vicinity of right whale aggregations in the Great South Channel. Right whales must seek out and exploit extremely dense patches of prey organisms in order to feed efficiently. The presence of such dense patches of zooplankton is likely to be a primary characteristic of spring, summer and fall right whale habitats.
Development of a Transient Flow Aerosol Mixer-Heater System for Lung Delivery of Nasally Administered Aerosols Using a Nasal Cannula

Previous studies have demonstrated improved nose-to-lung aerosol drug delivery with controlled condensational growth methods using a mixer-heater developed to synchronize aerosol delivery with patient inhalation. The goal of this study was to develop a new mixer-heater that delivers aerosols with a transient flow profile similar to a sinusoidal breathing waveform. The mixer-heater consisted of a chamber with two blowers delivering aerosol during the inhalation cycle of three sinusoidal breathing profiles. The effects of breathing profiles and mode of condensational growth delivery were studied using two in vitro extrathoracic airway models (closed- and open-mouth options). In excipient enhanced growth (EEG) delivery mode, increasing peak exhalation breathing flow rate decreased the emitted dose from the mixer-heater using the closed-mouth model. The mean (SD) emitted doses were 92 (2)%, 77 (2)%, and 70 (2)%, with 23, 35, and 44 L/min peak exhalation breathing flow rates, respectively. Using the in vitro o...
Constitutional Principles and E-Government: An Opinion about Possible Effects of Federalism and the Separation of Powers on E-Government Policies.

Abstract This paper examines how Constitutional principles, specifically the doctrines of Federalism and the separation of powers, relate to E-government policies and practices. Federalism and the separation of powers are essential elements of the Constitution and instrumental parts of the foundation of the government of the United States. This paper suggests that the move toward E-government, emphasizing the simplification of access to and the horizontal and vertical integration of government information and services, must be considered with regard to the doctrines of Federalism and the separation of powers. Finally, this paper offers recommendations of ways in which E-government can be implemented to minimize potential Constitutional problems by suggesting concepts that should be a part of all Federal E-government laws, guidelines, and policies.
Search behavior with and without optional stopping

Abstract Forty-six college students participated individually in a discrete search problem in which they attempted to find an object hidden in one of four distinguishable locations. They were told the prior detection probability, the conditional miss probability, and the per trial cost of search for each location. Ss in Group I were required to search until either the object was found or their resources were exhausted, whereas Ss in Group II could terminate the search at any trial, paying a penalty if they stopped searching before finding the object, but receiving a reward upon finding it. To a first approximation the mean data of both groups can be described by the optimal policy, prescribing minimization of expected loss and no differences between the two groups. Most of the Ss deviated from this policy slightly in the direction of maximizing detection probability and a few Ss deviated more seriously in the direction of minimizing per trial costs. These deviations, however, resulted in only a moderate mean proportional increase in search costs. Attempts to account for trial-by-trial search behavior were unsuccessful.
Doing justice: Women ex‐offenders as group facilitators, advocates, and community educators

Summary Many social work practitioners see social support groups as a mainstay of direct/clinical practice yet make little or no connection between their work with these groups and social justice practice. This article examines a community‐based support group process for women ex‐offenders and family members that integrates social justice activities. It focuses on the women ex‐offenders as group facilitators, advocates, and community educators. The research also highlights their specific social change activities and suggests complementary activities for social justice practitioners working with them.
The Nogo–Nogo Receptor Pathway Limits a Spectrum of Adult CNS Axonal Growth

The hypothesis that Nogo-A (Reticulon 4A) and Nogo-66 receptor (NgR1) limit adult CNS axonal growth after injury is supported by both in vitro experiments and in vivo pharmacological studies. However, genetic assessment of the role of Nogo-A in corticospinal tract (CST) axons after spinal cord dorsal hemisection has yielded conflicting results. CST regeneration is detected in homozygous nogo-ab(trap/trap) mice, but not in nogo-ab(atg/atg) mice. CST regeneration is also present after pharmacological NgR blockade, but not in ngr1(-/-) mice. To assess the nogo-ab(atg) and ngr1-null alleles for other axon growth phenotypes, we created unilateral pyramidotomies and monitored the uninjured CST. There is robust pyramidotomy-induced growth of nogo-ab(atg/atg) and ngr1(-/-) CST axons into denervated cervical gray matter. This fiber growth correlates with recovery of fine motor skill in the affected forelimb. Thus nogo-ab and ngr1 play a modulated role in limiting CNS axonal growth across a spectrum of different tracts in various lesion models.
The neurochemical control of crying

Abstract The capacity of 18 drugs, including those which modify brain opioid, serotonin, norephinephrine, dopamine and acetylcholine activity, to modulate separation-induced distress vocalizations (DV) in young chicks were studied. Intraperitoneal morphine (1.7–5 mg/kg) injections were very effective in reducing DV's and naloxone (1.7–5.0 mg/kg) was found to increase DV's. Smaller bidirectional effects were also observed after pharmacological manipulation of cholinergic and serotonergic systems. Blockade of these systems with atropine (5–15 mg/kg) and methysergide (0.56 mg/kg) increased DV's while a facilitation of activity in these systems with pilocarpine (15 mg/kg) and quipazine (15 mg/kg) reduced DV's. Small reductions of DV's could also be achieved with neuroleptics such as haloperidol and chlorpromazine, and with apomorphine, suggesting that reduction of brain dopamine activity reduces DV's, while clonidine (0.56–1.7 mg/kg) was very powerful in reducing DV's, perhaps through autoreceptor reduction of brain NE activity. Chlordiazepoxide (5–15 mg/kg) was capable of reducing DV's, while imipramine (15–45 mg/kg), and pentobarbital (5–15 mg/kg) were essentially without effect. Opiate effects could be obtained as readily following intraventricular as following peripheral drug administration, while cholinergic and serotonergic agents were most effective by the peripheral route. In general, it was concluded that the opiate system had the most powerful specific effect on distress vocalization of all systems studied.
West Nile virus: Not a passing phenomenon

As private citizens and as public health professionals, we are enthralled by the new, the unknown, and the catastrophic. This is especially true for epidemics that appear suddenly, spread rapidly, and cause severe illness. History and literature provide many examples of how the effects of microbes have helped to win and lose wars and to make and break governments, mesmerizing the media and the public. Unfortunately, despite successful battles against microbial diseases early in the 20th century, the oft-repeated declaration that the war had been won was premature. The resulting decline in preparedness was followed by a resurgence of infectious . . .
Teachers' attributions for students' academic success and failure and the relationship to teaching level and teacher feedback practices

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine, in a population of first year teachers, the attributions that teachers hold for the causes of students' academic success and academic failure and the relationship between these attributions and both teaching level and teacher feedback practices. The attribution model was adapted from that proposed by Cooper & Burger (1980) . The sample for the study was 214 practicing teachers who were completing their first year as classroom teachers. The results of this study suggest the following: (1) that internal attributions are considered to be of greater importance than external attributions in accounting for both student academic success and student academic failure; (2) that elementary, middle, and high school teachers do differ in the importance they assign individual attributions to account for students' academic failure, but they do not differ in the importance they assign individual attributions to account for students' academic success; and (3) that the emphases teachers indicate giving to three of seven selected feedback practices generally do relate to the importance they assign to external attributions to account for students' academic performance.
Microdebrider Bronchoscopy: A New Tool for the Interventional Bronchoscopist

Purpose We report our experience with a new airway tool, the microdebrider, in treating central airway obstruction. Description From April 2002 to April 2004, 23 patients undergoing treatment of central airway obstruction were managed with the microdebrider. All procedures were done under general anesthesia with either a rigid bronchoscope (19 patients) or a suspension laryngoscope (4 patients). The microdebrider was used in an oscillating mode with rotation speeds of 1,000 to 3,000 rpm to resect obstructing tissue. Evaluation Fourteen patients (61%) had tracheal granulation tissue from prior intubation or tracheostomy, 6 (26%) had idiopathic subglottic stenosis, and 3 (26%) had malignant disease. Obstructing lesions were rapidly removed in all patients with interventions lasting between 2 and 15 minutes. There were no procedure-related complications. No patients required reoperation for airway obstruction in follow-up ranging from 1 to 24 months. Conclusions Microdebrider bronchoscopy is a new technique that allows for precise, rapid, and safe removal of lesions obstructing the central airways. Complications of thermal modalities such as airway injury, tracheoesophageal fistulas, and airway fires can be avoided.
Facilitation of transcutaneous drug delivery and vaccine immunization by a safe laser technology

Full-surface laser ablation has been shown to efficiently disrupt stratum corneum and facilitate transcutaneous drug delivery, but it is frequently associated with skin damage that hampers its clinic use. We show here that a safer ablative fractional laser (AFL) can sufficiently facilitate delivery of not only patch-coated hydrophilic drugs but also protein vaccines. AFL treatment generated an array of self renewable microchannels (MCs) in the skin, providing free paths for drug and vaccine delivery into the dermis while maintaining integrity of the skin by quick healing of the MCs. AFL was superior to tape stripping in transcutaneous drug and vaccine delivery as a much higher amount of sulforhodamine B (SRB), methylene blue (MB) or a model vaccine ovalbumin (OVA) was recovered from AFL-treated skin than tape-stripped skin or control skin after patch application. Following entry into the MCs, the drugs or OVA diffused quickly to the entire dermal tissue via the lateral surface of conical-shaped MCs. In contrast, a majority of the drugs and OVA remained on the skin surface, unable to penetrate into the dermal tissue in untreated control skin or tape stripping-treated skin. Strikingly, OVA delivered through the MCs was efficiently taken up by epidermal Langerhans cells and dermal dendritic cells in the vicinity of the MCs or transported to the draining lymph nodes, leading to a robust immune response, in sharp contrast to a weak, though significant, immune response elicited in tape stripping group or a basal immune response in control groups. These data support strongly that AFL is safe and sufficient for transcutaneous delivery of drugs and vaccines.
Linking Landscape Characteristics and High Stream Nitrogen in the Oregon Coast Range: Red Alder Complicates Use of Nutrient Criteria†

Red alder (Alnus rubra), a nitrogen(N)-fixing deciduous broadleaf tree, can strongly influence N concentrations in western Oregon and Washington. We compiled a database of stream N and GIS-derived landscape characteristics in order to examine geographic variation in N across the Oregon Coast Range. Basal area of alder, expressed as a percent of watershed area, accounted for 37% and 38% of the variation in summer nitrate and total N (TN) concentrations, respectively. Relationships between alder and nitrate were strongest in winter when streamflow and landscape connections are highest. Distance to the coast and latitude, potential surrogates for sea salt inputs, and watershed area were also related to nitrate concentrations in an all-subsets regression analysis, which accounted for 46% of the variation in summer nitrate concentrations. The model with the lowest Akaike's Information Criterion did not include developed or agricultural land cover, probably because few watersheds in our database had substantial levels of these land cover classes. Our results provide evidence, at a regional scale, that background sources and processes cause many Coast Range streams to exceed proposed nutrient criteria, and that the prevalence of a single tree species (N-fixing red alder) exerts a dominant control over stream N concentrations across this region.
Relative roles of the pituitary, follicle cells, and progesterone in the induction of oocyte maturation in Rana pipiens

The responses of ovarian oocytes obtained from mature frogs (Rana pipiens) to pituitary hormone were examined after removal of the follicular envelope. When the follicular envelope was removed manually or after treatment with collagenase, the apparently naked oocyte can still respond to pituitary hormone by germinal vesicle breakdown and by polar body formation. However, when the follicular envelope was removed after treatment with EDTA or Ca-Mg-free solution, the responsiveness of the oocyte was completely lost. Microscopic examination revealed that removal of the follicular cells was incomplete unless Ca-Mg-free solutions or EDTA were used. Complete removal of follicle cells prevents the oocyte from responding to pituitary hormone. Moreover, the naked oocytes packed together with previously separated follicular envelopes showed maturation responses when treated with pituitary hormone solution in the presence of large amounts of ovarian tissue. Naked oocytes which are unable to respond to pituitary hormone can nevertheless full respond to progesterone to undergo maturation reactions. In fact, germinal vesicle berakdown and polar body formation were brought about within intact ovarian tissue by treatment with progesterone alone. Oocytes responding to progesterone alone always remained within the follicular envelope. The degree of maturation of the oocytes after progesterone treatment was tested by means of nuclear transplantation. When nuclei obtained from blastula or early gastrula cells were implanted into treated oocytes, still within the follicular envelope, normal cleavage occurred. These results indicate that pituitary gonadotropin acts on the follicle cells to stimulate them to release a hormone that directly acts on the oocyte to induce maturation.
n-pentenyl glycosides in the efficient assembly of the blood group substance B tetrasaccharide

Abstract The fact that n-pentenyl glycosides (nPGs) are stable to a wide variety of reaction conditions but yet can be chemospecifically activated is advantageous for the efficient, convergent assembly of oligosaccharides. The nPGs are prepared directly from the aldose or by normal glycoside-forming reactions, and by using N-iodosuccinimide/triethylsilyl triflate as the iodonium source, even “disarmed” glycosyl donors react within minutes. The four monosaccharide components of the human blood-group determinant B are prepared with full or partial protection as required. Assembly of the tetrasaccharide then requires only five steps, three to give, in sequence, the disaccharide (68%), trisaccharide (82%), and tetrasaccharide (91%), the other two steps being required to deprotect hydroxyl groups at the di- and tri-saccharide levels for the ensuing coupling reactions.
Applied Multivariate Statistics for the Social Sciences

This best-selling text is written for those who use, rather than develop, advanced statistical methods. Dr. Stevens focuses on a conceptual understanding of the material rather than proving results. Helpful narrative and numerous examples enhance understanding, and a chapter on matrix algebra serves as a review. Printouts from SPSS and SAS with annotations indicate what the numbers mean and encourage interpretation of the results. In addition to demonstrating how to use the packages effectively, the author stresses the importance of checking the data, assessing the assumptions, and ensuring adequate sample size (by providing guidelines) so that the results can be generalized. The new edition features a CD-ROM with the data sets and many new exercises. Ideal for courses on advanced or multivariate statistics found in psychology, education, and business departments, the book also appeals to practicing researchers with little or no training in multivariate methods. Prerequisites include a course on factorial analysis of variance. It does not assume a working knowledge of matrix algebra.
Constructivist Theory Applied to Collaborative Learning in Teacher Education: In Search of ZPD.

Few studies look critically at the processes in a teacher education course in which students are asked to practice the very teaching approach they study. Using a constructivist framework, this article examines written statements from students working collaboratively in a graduate-level class on cooperative learning. The study asks to what extent constructivist theory, particularly the concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD), explains interactions that occurred spontaneously during group work on the final project. Content analysis was used to examine three types of writings: (a) dialogue journals, (b) self-reports on the group process, and (c) self-reports on each student's role in the group. Key findings address division of labor, role taking and switching, desire for challenge, power relationships, the languages used to express these concerns, and the need for social interaction to actualize constructivist claims.
Avian influenza: are we ready?

The threat of an H5N1 influenza virus (avian flu) pandemic is substantial, and an effective response is contingent upon effective coordination among state and local public health authorities and individual health care providers. It is imperative that critical care nurses take an active role in the plans to meet the demands that will be placed on the health care system. This can be accomplished by developing an understanding of the etiology and manifestations of the virus, and becoming familiar with recent advances in research that address the demands of a pandemic. Equally important are the ethical considerations our state of preparedness will pose on the health care system, the community, and health care workers, both professionally and personally.
Location of partial discharges in shielded cables in the presence of high noise

Updated information on a partial discharge location system intended to pinpoint the location of defects and/or faults on a shielded buried underground cable is presented. The system is based on the principle of reflectometry. Its salient characteristics include the following two features: (a) an ability to pinpoint the location of a partial discharge source not only along the cable length, but also along the surface of the trench where it is buried; and (b) the ability to operate in a high noise environment. Recent field and laboratory data obtained on noise and techniques for its mitigation are discussed in some detail. These techniques include analog/digital notch filters for the elimination of AM broadcast noise and an adaptive digital filtering scheme which incorporates the transfer function of the cable for added accuracy. >
Mind the bubbles: achieving stable measurements of maximum hydraulic conductivity through woody plant samples

The maximum specific hydraulic conductivity (k(max)) of a plant sample is a measure of the ability of a plants' vascular system to transport water and dissolved nutrients under optimum conditions. Precise measurements of k(max) are needed in comparative studies of hydraulic conductivity, as well as for measuring the formation and repair of xylem embolisms. Unstable measurements of k(max) are a common problem when measuring woody plant samples and it is commonly observed that k(max) declines from initially high values, especially when positive water pressure is used to flush out embolisms. This study was designed to test five hypotheses that could potentially explain declines in k(max) under positive pressure: (i) non-steady-state flow; (ii) swelling of pectin hydrogels in inter-vessel pit membranes; (iii) nucleation and coalescence of bubbles at constrictions in the xylem; (iv) physiological wounding responses; and (v) passive wounding responses, such as clogging of the xylem by debris. Prehydrated woody stems from Laurus nobilis (Lauraceae) and Encelia farinosa (Asteraceae) collected from plants grown in the Fullerton Arboretum in Southern California, were used to test these hypotheses using a xylem embolism meter (XYL'EM). Treatments included simultaneous measurements of stem inflow and outflow, enzyme inhibitors, stem-debarking, low water temperatures, different water degassing techniques, and varied concentrations of calcium, potassium, magnesium, and copper salts in aqueous measurement solutions. Stable measurements of k(max) were observed at concentrations of calcium, potassium, and magnesium salts high enough to suppress bubble coalescence, as well as with deionized water that was degassed using a membrane contactor under strong vacuum. Bubble formation and coalescence under positive pressure in the xylem therefore appear to be the main cause for declining k(max) values. Our findings suggest that degassing of water is essential for achieving stable and precise measurements of k(max) through woody plant samples. For complete rehydration of woody samples, incubation in water under vacuum for 24 h is suggested as a reliable technique that avoids bubble problems associated with flushing under high positive pressure.
Architecture-Adaptable Finite Element Modelling: A Case Study Using an Ocean Circulation Simulation

We describe an architecture-adaptable methodology for the parallel implementation of finite element numerical models of physical systems. We use a model of time-dependent ocean currents as our working example. The heart of the computation is the solution of a banded linear system, and we describe an algorithm based on the domain decompositionmethod to solve the banded system. The algorithm is represented in a divide-and-conquer framework facilitates easy implementation of various algorithmic options. The process is straightforward and amenable to automation. We demonstrate the validity of this approach using two radically different target machine, a workstation network and a supercomputer. Our results show very good speedup on both platforms.
Response to Letter Regarding Article, “A Detailed Analysis of Bone Marrow From Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease and Left Ventricular Dysfunction: BM CD34, CD11b and Clonogenic Capacity as Biomarkers for Clinical Outcomes”

We thank Drs Gremmels, Papazova, Fledderus, and Verhaar for providing their perspective of our study.1 The primary question raised by these investigators whose research focus is on multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) is whether endothelial colony–forming cells (ECFCs) derived from bone marrow (BM) can originate from rare MSCs. The answer is yes. To answer more fully, it should be noted that there are no ECFCs in the human body. ECFCs are a synthetic representation of vasculogenic capacity, which varies depending on input cell source. We chose to use this laboratory assay in parallel with a cardiovascular cell therapy trial because the target organ for repair—the heart—suffered from ischemia and infarction. Until our report, all previous cardiovascular cell therapy trials used Methocult media (an assay …
Using the Perceptual Difference Model (PDM) to Optimize GRAPPA Reconstruction

Parallel imaging techniques are being applied in MRI to improve the spatial or temporal resolution. Generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisitions (GRAPPA) is one of the most popular reconstruction techniques in parallel imaging. In GRAPPA, several k-space lines are acquired in addition to the normal subsampled data acquisition. Coil mapping information is extracted from these lines and used to reconstruct the missing k-space lines. These additionally acquired k-space lines can also be used in the final reconstruction so as to improve the image quality. In GRAPPA, carefully selecting the calibration region and sampling schemes can greatly reduce the noise and reconstruction artifact and improve the image quality. Perceptual difference model (PDM) is a quantitative image quality evaluation tool which has been successfully applied to varieties of MR applications. High correlation between human rating and PDM scores in previous studies shows that PDM is suitable for evaluating image quality in parallel MR imaging. We used PDM to quantitatively compare the quality of images reconstructed with different calibration regions and sampling schemes. We conclude that when the location of the calibration region is set at 0.8 of the phase encoding direction, and the width is set as 20% of total available fitting length, the best reconstruction image could be achieved. One should also set the outer region factor as small as possible. As an example, with all these optimizations, the time used to achieve the same image quality would be reduced by 16% as compared to unoptimized GRAPPA
Probing the mechanism of a fungal glycosyltransferase essential for cell wall biosynthesis. UDP-Chitobiose is not a substrate for chitin synthase

Chitin synthase is responsible for the biosynthesis of chitin, an essential component of the fungal cell wall. There is a long-standing question as to whether “processive” transferases such as chitin synthase operate in the same manner as non-processive transferases. The question arises from analysis of the polysaccharide structure – in chitin, for instance, each sugar residue is rotated ≈180° relative to the preceding sugar in the chain. This requires that the enzyme account for the alternating “up/down” configuration during biosynthesis. An enzyme with a single active site, analogous to the non-processive transferases – would have to accommodate a distorted glycosidic linkage at every other synthetic step. An alternative proposal is that the enzyme might assemble the disaccharide donor, addressing the “up/down” conformational problem prior to polymer synthesis. We present compelling evidence that this latter hypothesis is incorrect.
Mast cell 5-lipoxygenase activity promotes intestinal polyposis in APC Δ468 mice

Arachidonic acid metabolism has been implicated in colon carcinogenesis, but the role of hematopoietic 5-lipoxygenase (5LO) that may impact tumor immunity in development of colon cancer has not been explored. Here we show that tissue-specific deletion of the 5LO gene in hematopoietic cells profoundly attenuates polyp development in the APC(Δ468) murine model of colon polyposis. In vitro analyses indicated that mast cells in particular utilized 5LO to limit proliferation of intestinal epithelial cells and to mobilize myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Mice lacking hemapoietic expression of 5LO exhibited reduced recruitment of MDSCs to the spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, and primary tumor site. 5LO deficiency also reduced the activity in MDSCs of arginase-1, which is thought to be critical for MDSC function. Together, our results establish a pro-tumorigenic role of hematopoietic 5LO in the immune microenvironment and suggest 5LO inhibition as an avenue for future investigation in treatment of colorectal polyposis and cancer.
EVOLUTION OF MORPHOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL ONTOGENIES IN FEMALES OF A HIGHLY DIMORPHIC CLADE OF BLENNIOID FISHES

Comparison of ontogenetic trajectories with those inferred for ancestors provides a powerful but underused tool for the study of the evolution of different types of phenotypic characters. This approach was used to study morphological and behavioral evolution of the highly dimorphic chaenopsid genus Coralliozetus (Teleostei: Blennioidei). All sexually dimorphic synapomorphies of Coralliozetus involved evolution in females only; one character evolved via terminal addition (peramorphosis), whereas six evolved via terminal deletion (paedomorphosis). Evolution of the ontogeny of two behavioral characters (microhabitat use and feeding rate), as inferred by focal animal observations of eight species of tube blennies, was also confined to females and conformed to terminal deletion. Both sexes of outgroups and males of all species of Coralliozetus exhibit an ontogenetic shift from the open as juveniles to shelters as adults. However, females of all species of Coralliozetus retain the juvenile behavior of residing in the open. Blennies residing in the open take significantly more feeding bites than conspecifics residing in shelters, consequently, female Coralliozetus retain the high feeding rate of juveniles. Several of the paedomorphic morphological features of Coralliozetus females are plausibly associated with their paedomorphosis in microhabitat use. These include their reduced conspicuousness and reduced robustness compared to conspecific males. In groups such as chaenopsids, which undergo significant ontogenetic changes in microhabitat, paedomorphosis provides a mechanism for rapid coevolution of behavior and morphology. This study, the first to document the evolution of sexual dimorphism via both behavioral and morphological paedomorphosis, demonstrates the unique insights to be gained from a multidimensional analysis of phenotypic evolution.
Risk analysis for distribution systems in the Northeast U.S. under wind storms

With the growing trend of extreme weather events in the Northeast U.S., a region of dense vegetation, evaluating hazard effects of wind storms on power distribution systems becomes increasingly important for disaster preparedness and fast responses in utilities. In this paper, probabilistic wind storm models for the study region have been built by mining 160-year storm events recorded in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Atlantic basin hurricane database (HURDAT). Further, wind storms are classified into six categories according to NOAA criteria and IEEE standard to facilitate the evaluation of distribution system responses under different levels of hazards. The impacts of wind storms in all categories are accurately evaluated through a Sequential Monte Carlo method enhanced by a temporal wind storm sampling strategy. Extensive studies for the selected typical distribution system indicate that our models and methods effectively reveal the hazardous effects of wind storms in the study region, leading to useful insights towards building better system hardening schemes.
False-Positive Amphetamine Screen Following a Trazodone Overdose

To the Editor:Urine drugs-of-abuse screening tests are routinely employed in many emergency departments (ED) for evaluation of drug overdose. Crossreactivity can result in false-positives and all p...
Ethanol-induced locomotor sensitization in DBA/2J mice is associated with alterations in GABAA subunit gene expression and behavioral sensitivity to GABAA acting drugs

Repeated exposure to ethanol may produce increased sensitivity to its acute locomotor stimulant actions, a process referred to as locomotor sensitization. Neuroadaptation within certain brain circuits, including those possessing GABAA receptors, may underlie locomotor sensitization to ethanol. Indeed, GABAA receptors are documented mediators of ethanol's cellular and behavioral actions. Moreover, because subunit composition of this receptor is predictive of its pharmacology, it is possible that alterations in subunit composition contribute to the expression of locomotor sensitization to ethanol. The goal of the present study was to determine if alterations in GABAA subunit composition are associated with the expression of locomotor sensitization in DBA/2J mice, a strain known to be particularly susceptible to the development of this behavioral phenomenon. Following a modified 14 day sensitization procedure (Phillips et al., 1994) relative changes in GABAA subunit gene expression were assessed in discrete mesolimbic brain regions. To determine if the observed changes in gene expression produced functional changes in the locomotor responses to drugs known to either preferentially or generally activate GABAA receptors normally possessing the significantly altered subunits, separate cohorts of animals were challenged with one of several low doses of zolpidem (α1-selective), etomidate (β2/3-selective), or flurazepam (γ2-directed) and assessed for locomotor alterations. Sensitized animals displayed increased expression of the α1, β2, and γ2 (v1) subunits in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) but not Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA). Additionally, sensitized animals displayed altered sensitivity to the locomotor actions of etomidate and flurazepam. These results support the hypothesis that neuroadaptive changes in GABAA subunit composition participate in the expression of locomotor sensitization.
The shear flow behavior of LCPs based on a generalized Doi model with distortional elasticity

We consider the shear flow behavior of nematic LCPs, modeled via an extension of the Doi theory that incorporates the mean-field nematic potential due to Marrucci and Greco to account for distortional elasticity. Based upon the constitutive model that derives from this starting point, we utilize finite-element methods to investigate the LCP behavior in a planar shear flow. We assume that the LCP is pinned at the walls and is initially in its equilibrium configuration. The goal of our simulations is to explore the evolution of the LCP structure and the flow. Our results show that in-plane tumbling instabilities lead to a non-uniform orientation field, which, in turn, arrests tumbling. The resulting quasi-steady-state texture is characterized by a length scale that seems to be consistent with a Marrucci-like scaling. When we allow for out-of-plane tipping of the director, we predict an out-of-plane director instability, which is qualitatively consistent with what has been observed in experiments.
Tracing the U.S. Deficit in PISA Reading Skills to Early Childhood: Evidence from the United States and Canada

Why does the United States lag behind so many other countries on international education assessments? The traditional view targets school-based explanations—U.S. schools attract poorer teachers and...
Transrectal ultrasonography as a method to monitor canine prostatic size in situ: Measurements following endocrine manipulation and ejaculation

Transrectal ultrasonography was utilized to estimate canine prostatic size in situ following various experimental manipulations. By the use of dogs (n = 24) of various endocrine states, whose true prostatic weight varied from 2.28 to 73.25 g, a highly significant correlation (r = 0.99; P less than 0.0001) was obtained between actual prostate weight determined gravimetrically and that estimated by ultrasound. The relationship between these two parameters was described by the regression equation: estimated prostatic weight (g) = 1.11 x gravimetric weight (g) - 0.12. In addition, prostatic weight as estimated by ultrasound was comparable (P less than 0.10) to that estimated by direct caliper measurement. The coefficient of variation associated with repeated ultrasound measurements averaged 8.88 +/- 2.31% (mean +/- SD; n = 5). Ejaculation induced by either digital massage or pilocarpine administration (0.7 mg/kg, i.v.) had no effect on prostatic weight as estimated by ultrasound. These results demonstrate that transrectal ultrasonography can accurately estimate and detect differences in prostate size owing to various experimental manipulations without the need for surgical intervention.