cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of plant age, experimental nutrient addition and ant occupancy on herbivory in a neotropical myrmecophyte

Summary 1 Variation in antiherbivore defences among individuals within a plant species may be influenced by intrinsic characteristics of the plant, environmental conditions and the interactions between these factors. 2 We used a long-term field experiment and a laboratory palatability trial to elucidate the effects of plant age, nutrient availability and ant occupancy on herbivore damage sustained by Cordia alliodora, a common neotropical myrmecophyte. 3 Herbivory in this system was influenced by both plant characteristics and environmental conditions, and the relative importance of these variables changed with plant age. 4 Five-year-old plants had a higher frequency of ant occupation and more workers per domatium than 1-year-old plants. 5 Plant age did not significantly affect herbivory in either field studies or laboratory palatability trials conducted with a specialist herbivore. In the field, however, 1-year-old plants tended to have higher levels of herbivory than 5-year-old plants. 6 There was a trend towards lower herbivory in trees that had been fertilized. Additionally, leaves from fertilized trees were significantly less palatable to specialist herbivores. 7 In 1-year-old plants, the abundance of ants in domatia had no effect on herbivory of nearby leaves. In contrast, ant abundance and herbivory were negatively correlated for 5-year-old trees, demonstrating that ants provide effective defence only for older plants. 8 These results suggest that understanding ant-plant-herbivore relationships requires examining how biotic and abiotic factors and their interactions change with plant ontogeny. Although our work focused on one particular ant-plant system, the importance of ontogenetic variation in antiherbivore defence is increasingly recognized as a critical area of study in plant defence theory.
Chemical genetic screening in the zebrafish embryo

Chemical genetic screening can be described as a discovery approach in which chemicals are assayed for their effects on a defined biological system. The zebrafish, Danio rerio, is a well-characterized and genetically tractable vertebrate model organism that produces large numbers of rapidly developing embryos that develop externally. These characteristics allow for flexible, rapid and scalable chemical screen design using the zebrafish. We describe a protocol for screening compounds from a chemical library for effects on early zebrafish development using an automated in situ based read-out. As screenings are carried out in the context of a complete, developing organism, this approach allows for a more comprehensive analysis of the range of a chemical's effects than that provided by, for example, a cell culture-based or in vitro biochemical assay. Using a 24-h chemical treatment, one can complete a round of screening in 6 d.
Regulation of Large Calcium-activated Potassium Channels by Protein Phosphatase 2A

Vasodilating agents induce relaxation of mesangial cells, in part through cGMP-mediated activation of large calcium-activated potassium channels (BKCa). Normally quiescent in cell-attached patches, the response of BKCa to nitric oxide, atrial natriuretic peptide, and dibutyryl cGMP (Bt2cGMP) is characterized by a biphasic increase and then decrease ("rundown") in open probability. Using the patch-clamp method in conjunction with phosphatase inhibitors, we investigated whether the run-down phase was the result of dephosphorylation by an endogenous protein phosphatase. In cell-attached patches, cantharidic acid (500 nM), okadaic acid (100 nM), and calyculin A (100 nM), nondiscriminant inhibitors of protein phosphatases 1 (PP1) and 2A (PP2A) at these concentrations, caused a significantly greater and sustained response of BKCa to Bt2cGMP. Within 2 min, the response of BKCa to the combination of cantharidic acid and Bt2cGMP was greater than the response to these agents added separately. Incubation of mesangial cells with okadaic acid for 20 min at a concentration (5 nM) specific for PP2A increased the basal open probability of BKCa and completely inhibited rundown after activation by Bt2cGMP. Incubation with calyculin A (10 nM), a more potent inhibitor of PP1, did not affect BKCa activity. In inside-out patches, Bt2cGMP plus MgATP caused a sustained activation of BKCa that was inhibited by exogenous PP2A but not PP1. It is concluded that either BKCa or a tightly associated regulator of BKCa is a common substrate for endogenous cGMP-activated protein kinase, which activates BKCa, and PP2A, which inactivates BKCa, in human mesangial cells.
Development and application of a spatially-distributed Arctic hydrological and thermal process model (ARHYTHM)

A process-based, spatially distributed hydrological model was developed to quantitatively simulate the energy and mass transfer processes and their interactions within arctic regions (arctic hydrological and thermal model, ARHYTHM). The model first determines the flow direction in each element, the channel drainage network and the drainage area based upon the digital elevation data. Then it simulates various physical processes: including snow ablation, subsurface flow, overland flow and channel flow routing, soil thawing and evapotranspiration. The kinematic wave method is used for conducting overland flow and channel flow routing. The subsurface flow is simulated using the Darcian approach. The energy balance scheme was the primary approach used in energy-related process simulations (snowmelt and evapotranspiration), although there are options to model snowmelt by the degree-day method and evapotranspiration by the Priestley–Taylor equation. This hydrological model simulates the dynamic interactions of each of these processes and can predict spatially distributed snowmelt, soil moisture and evapotranspiration over a watershed at each time step as well as discharge in any specified channel(s). The model was applied to Imnavait watershed (about 2·2 km2) and the Upper Kuparuk River basin (about 146 km2) in northern Alaska. Simulated results of spatially distributed soil moisture content, discharge at gauging stations, snowpack ablations curves and other results yield reasonable agreement, both spatially and temporally, with available data sets such as SAR imagery-generated soil moisture data and field measurements of snowpack ablation, and discharge data at selected points. The initial timing of simulated discharge does not compare well with the measured data during snowmelt periods mainly because the effect of snow damming on runoff was not considered in the model. Results from the application of this model demonstrate that spatially distributed models have the potential for improving our understanding of hydrology for certain settings. Finally, a critical component that led to the performance of this modelling is the coupling of the mass and energy processes. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Growth of precipitates in Bi2Sr2Ca1Cu2O8

Abstract In the formation of Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 1 Cu 2 O 8 from a Ca and Cu rich melt, the partial pressure of oxygen is a central factor controlling the phases that form as precipitates in the host superconductor. At a high oxygen pressure, a sample with a stoichiometry of Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 10 will form (Sr,Ca) 2 Cu 1 O 3 as the dominant precipitate coexisting with the liquid from which Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 1 Cu 2 O 8 forms. During the crystallization of Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 1 Cu 2 O 8 from this liquid, part of the (Sr,Ca) 2 Cu 1 O 3 phase is consumed. By contrast, at low oxygen partial pressure a sample with the same stoichiometry will form CaO as the dominant precipitate co-existing with the liquid from which B 2 Sr 2 Ca 1 Cu 2 O 8 forms. In this case, some of the CaO is consumed and a Ca rich (Sr,Ca) 2 Cu 1 O 3 phase forms during the Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 1 Cu 2 O 8 crystallization. Oxygen partial pressure is a key factor controlling the sequence of precipitates that form in the host superconductor.
Parallelism in sequential multiprocessor simulation models: a case study

The design and analysis of multiprocessor simulation models represents a complex and computationally demanding application that is a candidate for parallel simulation. This paper examines the application of conservative parallel discrete event simulation on a set of existing “real-world” models created over the years with no thought given to the parallel execution. These models are based on a subset of Petri Nets known as Marked graphs. The results of the study of the transparent and automatic parallel execution of the simulation of these models will be presented. Focus will be on the amount of inherent parallelism in such models, means of exploiting it, obstacles prohibiting parallelization, and sensitivity to different system and model parameters.
Surgical management of localized amyloidosis.

Objective To demonstrate the role of two-dimensional reconstruction images on computed tomography (CT) in the treatment planning for laryngeal amyloidosis. To discuss the treatment for isolated laryngeal amyloidosis and compare the role of endoscopic versus an open surgical approach to management. Study Design Retrospective review. Methods The medical records from 1984 to the present with the diagnosis of localized respiratory tract amyloidosis at Geisinger Medical Center were reviewed. Results Five previously unpublished cases of localized laryngeal amyloidosis were identified with the supraglottic region the major site of involvement. Hoarseness and airway compromise were the presenting symptoms. CT two-dimensional reconstruction imaging was used to evaluate two cases with extensive laryngeal involvement that required an external surgical approach to relieve symptoms. Conclusions Localized laryngeal amyloidosis is a rare disease that requires surgical management when symptomatic. CT two-dimensional reconstruction can be helpful in detailing the extent of disease and planning surgery. A lateral external supraglottic approach has been found to be successful in treating patients with large supraglottic masses.
Breaking out in spots

High-resolution images of the Sun's surface, presented by C. U. Keller in this issue (Nature 359, 307-308; 1992), show that it is covered by magnetic spots, diminutive relations of sunspots.
Anisotropic Dimensional Swelling of Membranes of Ultrafine Hydrogel Fibers

Interconnecting fibrous membranes were generated by electrospinning an aqueous mixture of poly(acrylic acid) and poly(vinyl alcohol) at a 3.5 COOH/OH molar ratio. The membranes containing 200 to 500 nm diameter fibers were crosslinked by heat-induced esterification and behaved like anionic hydrogels, i.e., they swelled significantly more at a pH above 4. The dimensional expansion of these fibrous membranes was far greater in their thickness than in their planar areas. The anisotropic dimensional expansion was associated with the spatial arrangement of fibers, i.e., much smaller inter-fiber spaces along the thickness direction than in the planar directions. Crosslinking under constraint caused further fiber compaction in the thickness direction, leading to anisotropic and accordion-like dimensional expansion upon swelling.
Cycloheximide or puromycin can substitute for PDGF in inducing cellular DNA synthesis in quiescent 3T3 cells

A brief exposure of quiescent (Go) Swiss 3T3 mouse fibroblasts to inhibitors of protein synthesis can replace platelet-derived growth factor in the stimulation of cellular DNA synthesis. When 3T3 cells, after a 6 hr exposure to either cycloheximide or puromycin, are incubated with platelet-poor plasma, a significant percentage of cells enters DNA synthesis. Either inhibition of protein synthesis, or platelet poor plasma by themselves are totally ineffective. A possible mechanism by which inhibitors of protein synthesis may initiate cell cycle progression is through the activation of the c-myc gene.
Fundamental Study of Phosphate Bonding in Refractories: I, Literature Review

The literature on phosphate bonding in refractories is reviewed. Phosphate bonding is accomplished by three major methods: (1) the use of siliceous materials with phosphoric acid, (2) the use of oxides with phosphoric acid, and (3) the direct addition or formation of acid phosphates. Except for dental cements, no data on bond mechanism are available. Except for metaphosphate additions, no systematic study of phosphate bond properties has been made.
Mass and stability of rigidly rotating relativistic polytropes by energy method

The energy of a rigidly rotating star is written in the first and second post-Newtonian approximation. Conditions for equilibrium and stability are derived, as well as evolutionary paths for stars shedding angular momentum or mass. For polytropic index n > 1, these analytic results agree with exact numerical results to within a few percent as long as the general relativity index (Pϱc2)c < 0.1. The energy method is applied to low mass white dwarfs, to semirelativistic neutron stars and to supermassive stars.
Primary amyloidosis of the heart.

Abstract A case of primary amyloidosis of the myocardium, valves, and large vessels is presented. The patient showed progressive cardiac failure, which did not respond to treatment and ultimately led to death.
Remote Low Frequency State Feedback Kinematic Motion Control for Mobile Robot Trajectory Tracking

Teleoperated robots generally receive high level commands from a remote system, while accomplishing motion control through conventional means. We present a teleoperated system that removes the entire motion control structure from the robot, in order to preserve the availability of crucial onboard resources. The operation of state feedback control is performed by a system remote from the robot. We have designed a computerized motion planning and control system for Mobile Emulab, and in this article, discuss the implementation of trajectory tracking control. A component of the Emulab network testbed, Mobile Emulab is used for wireless network experiments requiring mobility; and is publicly available to remote researchers via the Internet. Medium scale wheeled mobile robot couriers are used to move wireless antennas within a semi-controlled environment. Experimenters use a Web-based GUI to specify desired paths and configurations for multiple robots. State feedback is provided by an overhead camera based visual localization system. Kinematic control is used to generate velocity commands, which are sent to robots over a computer network. Data availability is restricted to a low sampling frequency. There is significant noise, loss, and phase lag present in the robot localization data, which our research overcomes to provide an autonomous trajectory tracking mobile robot control system.
Designing the new American frontier: The culture of Inner City Landscapes

Post-war deindustrialisation, decentralisation and suburbanisation has resulted in the creation of 'wild' inner-city landscapes recalling the American Frontiers to be civilised by brave pioneers and settlers. After the great immigration waves of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries ended, cities changed from a population historically recognised as homogeneous to one of far greater ethnic and social diversity. Bringing new energy and vitality, these 'pioneers' are now engaged in re-settlement of the New American Frontier. Although faced with limited resources, they are exhibiting ingenuity and resolve to shape the urban landscape into patterns that absorb, reflect and celebrate their diverse identities.
Fat talk and self-presentation of body image: Is there a social norm for women to self-degrade?

The current investigations build upon previous ethnographic research, which identified a social norm for adolescent females to engage in “fat talk” (informal dialogue during which individuals express body dissatisfaction). In Study 1, participants were shown a vignette involving women engaging in fat talk dialogue and were subsequently asked to chose one of three self-presentational responses for a target female: (1) self-accepting of her body, (2) providing no information, or (3) self-degrading about her body. Male and female participants believed the target would be most likely to self-degrade, and that this would lead women to like her, while the self-accepting response would lead men to like her most. Study 2 used the same vignette but participants were asked to respond in an open-ended fashion. Participants again expected the target female to self-degrade. The present findings suggest college students perceive fat talk self-degradation of body image as normative.
Genotype-dependent radiosensitivity: clonogenic survival, apoptosis and cell-cycle redistribution.

Purpose: We describe variations of three radiation-induced endpoints on the basis of cell genotype: Clonogenic survival, expression of apoptosis and cell-cycle redistribution.Methods: Clonogenic survival, apoptosis and cell-cycle redistribution are measured in multiple cell lines after exposure to radiation between 2 and 16 Gy. Cell lines varied in clonogenic radiosensitivity and expression of specific genes.Results: Clonal radiosensitivity is genotype-dependent, associating with four specific genes: A mutated form of Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (mutATM); with two forms of TP53, the gene that is template for tumor protein p53, wildtype TP53 (wtTP53) and mutated TP53 (mutTP53); and an unidentified gene in radioresistant glioblastoma cells. Apoptosis is also genotype-dependent showing elevated levels in cells that express mutATM and abrogated 14-3-3σ (an isoform of the 14-3-3 gene) but less variation for different forms of TP53. Cell-cycle redistribution varied in mutATM cells. Kinetics of apoptosis are b...
Probing the Role of Cytoglobin's Extended Termini

Cytoglobin (Cygb) is a hexacoordinated heme protein that is expressed ubiquitously in vertebrate tissues. The physiological function of Cygb remains unknown; however it has been proposed to have a role in oxygen sensing, lipid peroxidation and NO metabolism. Structurally, Cygb has a unique feature among vertebrate globins including extended, disordered N- and C- termini. Although the function of the terminal extensions remains to be determined, their role in promoting intracellular interactions has been proposed. In order to probe the impact of the N- and C- termini on the functional and structural properties of Cygb, human Cygb (hCygb) with truncated N-terminal (hCygb ΔN), C-terminal (hCygb ΔC) and N- and C- termini (hCygb ΔNΔC) were studied using various spectroscopic techniques. The presence of the N- termini increases the stability of Cygb by 13°C. In addition, all studied forms of Cygb bind 1-anilino-8-napthalene sulphonate hydrophobic probe, although the affinity for 1,8-ANS increases in the absence of the N- and C- termini suggesting that the deletion of the N- and C- termini leads to the exposure of the hydrophobic sites on the protein surface. Furthermore, the impact of the extended N- and C- termini on Cygb interactions with small gaseous ligands will be discussed.
A Probabilistic LDPC-Coded Fault Compensation Technique for Reliable Nanoscale Computing

A method is proposed for computing with unreliable nanoscale devices that have a high rate of transient errors. Errors are corrected using a probabilistic circuit in which device noise is leveraged as a computational asset. Example designs that achieve a low output bit error probability are presented. The effect of permanent defects is also evaluated, and transient device noise is found to be beneficial for correcting hard defects for defect rates of as high as 0.1% and transient fault rates above 1%. When compared with existing fault-tolerant methods, the sample design requires considerably fewer redundant gates to achieve reliable operation. These results predict that some degree of engineered randomness may prove to be a useful signal-processing feature in future nanoelectronic systems.
Orphan Prefixes and the Grammaticalization of Aspect in South Slavic

This paper establishes the term ORPHAN PREFIX for a Slavic prefix that no longer shares a dominant spatial meaning with its cognate preposition. Most Slavic prefixes do share such a dominant spatial meaning with their cognate prepositions, cf., e.g., the Russian prefix v- and preposition v, both meaning ‘into.’ Orphan prefixes appear to be an important component of many Slavic aspectual systems. However, in most Slavic languages there is at most one prefix that has lost the semantic connection to its cognate preposition and come to function primarily as a grammatical marker of perfectivity. Only three Slavic prefixes are in fact to be considered orphan prefixes, and each only in some Slavic languages. A first case is Bulgarian iz- ‘out,’ as its cognate preposition iz is no longer used in the spatial meaning ‘out of.’ The most extreme case is Bulgarian po-, which no longer shares the spatial meaning of SURFACE CONTACT with the preposition po to any significant degree. Another important case is the hybrid prefix s-/z- in Slovene, which
Winning the Peace in Iraq

Recent experience in Haiti, the Balkans, East Timor, Afghanistan, and elsewhere has demonstrated that winning the peace is often harder than fighting the war. The United States and the United Nations should take 10 steps now to prepare for any postconflict challenges in Iraq.
Prevalence, Characteristics and Implications of Premature Ejaculation/Rapid Ejaculation

Purpose: Premature ejaculation/rapid ejaculation is a common but incompletely understood male sexual dysfunction. The purposes of this review are to 1) raise awareness of the prevalence and characteristics of PE/RE, its impact on the male and his partner, and the lack of approved medications indicated for its treatment, 2) encourage dialogue about PE/RE between physicians and patients, and 3) stimulate the development of appropriate new therapies. Materials and Methods: A MEDLINE search was performed to retrieve articles relating to PE/RE pathophysiology, etiology, impact, diagnosis and treatment. Sexual medicine journals not indexed in MEDLINE, sexual medicine texts and congress abstracts were also reviewed. Results: No universally accepted definition, licensed treatment, validated screening instrument or diagnostic criteria have been established for PE/RE, and its pathophysiology and etiology are incompletely understood. Additional barriers are the reluctance of patients and physicians to talk about PE/RE and the lack of knowledge regarding available treatments. Current pharmacological treatments include off label uses of antidepressants, topical anesthetics or phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors. All are associated with drawbacks that limit their efficacy. Psychological counseling and behavioral therapy have a valuable role, although resources for this modality are limited. Conclusions: Prevalence rates of 20% to 30% and negative effects on the quality of life of men and their partners illustrate the need for improved, standardized methods of PE/RE diagnosis, assessment and treatment. Medications indicated specifically for PE/RE and effective on an as needed basis are required. Behavioral therapies should emphasize pleasure, arousal, control, confidence and satisfaction, and they may have the best success when coupled with pharmacological approaches.
Design and freeform fabrication of load bearing tissue scaffolds

Scaffolds with designed interior pore architecture, predefined porosity and a well interconnected predetermined network has been the most favored design approach for tissue engineering applications. This paper will present the details of our development in the design and fabrication of biomimetic tissue scaffolds based on tissue requirements. This includes the 3D reconstruction of patient-specific medical imaging data (CT/MRI), the evaluation of tissue properties, the incorporation of intended biophysical and biological requirements into the design model, and the characterization of designed scaffold mechanical properties. The paper also presents a novel design approach to generate the designed scaffolds using layered freeform fabrication without forming complicated 3D CAD scaffold models. Feasibility studies applying the algorithm to example models and the generation of fabrication planning instructions involving heterogeneous structures will also be presented.
Personality and obesity across the adult life span

Personality traits contribute to health outcomes, in part through their association with major controllable risk factors, such as obesity. Body weight, in turn, reflects our behaviors and lifestyle and contributes to the way we perceive ourselves and others. In this study, the authors use data from a large (N = 1,988) longitudinal study that spanned more than 50 years to examine how personality traits are associated with multiple measures of adiposity and with fluctuations in body mass index (BMI). Using 14,531 anthropometric assessments, the authors modeled the trajectory of BMI across adulthood and tested whether personality predicted its rate of change. Measured concurrently, participants higher on Neuroticism or Extraversion or lower on Conscientiousness had higher BMI; these associations replicated across body fat, waist, and hip circumference. The strongest association was found for the impulsivity facet: Participants who scored in the top 10% of impulsivity weighed, on average, 11Kg more than those in the bottom 10%. Longitudinally, high Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness, and the facets of these traits related to difficulty with impulse control, were associated with weight fluctuations, measured as the variability in weight over time. Finally, low Agreeableness and impulsivity-related traits predicted a greater increase in BMI across the adult life span. BMI was mostly unrelated to change in personality traits. Personality traits are defined by cognitive, emotional, and behavioral patterns that likely contribute to unhealthy weight and difficulties with weight management. Such associations may elucidate the role of personality traits in disease progression and may help to design more effective interventions.
Coherent Raman micro-spectroscopy with a mode-locked Ti:Sapphire oscillator

We demonstrate a simple, femtosecond-oscillator-based system for CARS microscopy, wherein impulsive Raman excitation is combined with narrow-band time-delayed, and therefore, background-free probing.
Ubiquitin metabolism affects cellular response to volatile anesthetics in yeast.

Although volatile inhaled anesthetics are most widely known for their ability to induce anesthesia rendering patients unconscious and insensitive to pain, these compounds also induce effects in all cells and tissues that have been carefully examined. For example, in mammals, volatile anesthetics directly depress cardiac contractility (33), dilate vascular smooth muscle (25), and relax skeletal muscle (3, 22) independent of their anesthetic action. In plants, they inhibit protoplasm flow and CO2 decomposition (29), and we find that in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, volatile anesthetics arrest cell division (23). In the late 1800s it was demonstrated that there is a correlation between the lipophilicity of volatile anesthetics and their potency for inducing effects in a variety of different organisms (for recent reviews, see references 27 and 28). This correlation also holds for the growth-inhibitory effect of these compounds in yeast (23). The correlation between lipophilicity and potency has become central to all discussions of the activity of volatile anesthetics, and it has led to speculation that these compounds could directly affect the activity of one or a few critical membrane-bound proteins by binding to hydrophobic portions of the protein(s) or by interacting with lipids surrounding the protein(s) (for a recent review, see reference 24). However, the actual mechanism of action for any effects of volatile anesthetics remains unknown. Molecular genetic analysis in model organisms provides a powerful tool for elucidating the mechanism of action of drugs. Although yeasts are less sensitive to anesthetics than mammals (23), in several important properties the parallels between these compounds as yeast growth inhibitors (23, 44) and mammalian anesthetics (24) are quite striking. These parallels include (i) rapid and reversible effects; (ii) very sharp dose-response curve; (iii) direct correlation between potency and lipophilicity; (iv) additivity of effective concentrations of mixtures of compounds; and (v) lack of effect in yeast of lipophilic compounds that are nonanesthetic in mammals. To further investigate the mechanism(s) of response to volatile anesthetics, we are isolating and characterizing yeast mutants with altered sensitivity to these compounds. Here we report that ubiquitin metabolism affects the cellular response to anesthetics and plays a role in determining the effective anesthetic dose for yeast.
LOVE AND DEATH IN CLASSICAL MUSIC: METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS IN ANALYZING HUMAN MEANING IN MUSIC*

It has been clear since the work of Weber that the relationship between social structure and musical syntax is an important potential area of sociological investigation. Little work has been done in this area, however, probably because of methodological problems. Discussions of methodological problems in analyzing meanings in music converge in music theory and sociology on the issue of objectivity. Recent comparisons of musical syntax with language and the work of Heinrich Schenker in music theory provide the basis for an interdisciplinary methodology for analyzing typified collective meanings communicated through musical syntax. It is suggested that, on the basis of this methodology, these collective meanings could be analyzed “objectively.” Two examples of this approach are provided through typified collective musical expressions of love and death.
Adaptation of the UOBYQA algorithm for noisy functions

In many real-world optimization problems, the objective function may come from a simulation evaluation so that it is (a) subject to various levels of noise, (b) not differentiable, and (c) computationally hard to evaluate. In this paper, we modify Powell's UOBYQA algorithm to handle those real-world simulation problems. Our modifications apply Bayesian techniques to guide appropriate sampling strategies to estimate the objective function. We aim to make the underlying UOBYQA algorithm proceed efficiently while simultaneously controlling the amount of computational effort.
The impact of a laparoscopic colorectal surgeon on the laparoscopic colectomy experience of a single academic center

Background The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a laparoscopic colorectal surgeon (LCRS) on the laparoscopic colectomy experience of a single academic center.
An overview of visible light emitting diode (LED) development and the potential for AlInGaP devices

Summary form only given. Recent developments in light-emitting diode (LED) materials growth and device properties are considered. The brightness of LEDs has increased in recent years, permitting new applications. Double heterostructure AlGaAs red LEDs on transparent 'substrates' are now commercially available for outdoor displays and signaling applications. Recently, AlInGaP LEDs grown by metalorganic chemical vapor disposition (MOCVD) have exhibited record performance in the yellow and red-orange spectral regions. External quantum efficiencies of greater than 5% and luminous performance as high as 20 lm/W at 590 nm have been reported. This performance is higher than that of conventional incandescent bulbs. >
The destabilization of aerated food products

We prepared an aerated gelatin aqueous solution that had spatial differences in the bubble sizes. We investigated the effects of the bubble position on Oswald ripening and gas diffusion out to the atmosphere. The spatial difference in the bubble sizes leads not only to the exchange of gas among bubbles in the same layer (same height), but also to the exchange of gas among bubbles in different layers (height). The change in the bubble size in the aerated gelatin via Oswald ripening and gas diffusion out to the atmosphere was simulated. The simulation results confirmed the experimental observation that there is gas transfer among the neighboring bubbles and gas transfer from the lower region to the upper region of the foam.
Expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor in human placentas and fetal tissues.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-activated transcription factor, mediates many biological processes, including fetal development. In this study, we examined AhR protein expression in human placentas from normal (N) and severe preeclamptic (sPE) pregnancies, as well as human fetal tissues from the second trimester of pregnancy, using immunohistochemistry and/or Western blot analysis. In the placentas, the AhR immunoreactivity was present primarily in syncytiotrophoblasts. The AhR staining was also seen in endothelium of large blood vessels in villi and endothelium of umbilical cord arteries and veins. No difference in AhR protein levels was found between N and sPE placentas. In fetal tissues, the AhR immunoreactivity was localized in lung, kidney, esophagus, pancreas, liver, testicle, thymus gland, retina, and choroid, mainly in epithelial cells, whereas it was absent in heart, brain, sclera, and thoracic aorta. These findings suggest that the AhR plays a critical role in syncytiotrophoblasts of human placentas and epithelium of many fetal organs. These data also imply that human placentas and those fetal organs with high AhR expression (e.g., lung, kidney, liver, pancreas, and thymus gland) during fetal development are highly susceptible to environmental toxicants such as dioxin. (J Histochem Cytochem 58:679–685, 2010)
Social work with the aged: principles of practice

Abraham Monk, Ph.D., is Brookdale Professor of Gerontology, Columbia University School of Social Work, New York, New York. Does social work have a distinctive confronting the prospect of these losses, purpose in regard to the aged? AssumIt is not easy to deal with an aware ing the answer is affirmative, does this ness of the impending losses that are purpose differ in degree rather than part of life and to establish a thread of substance from social work's purpose continuity with one's past and future vis-a-vis other age groups? At least ego identity. As suggested earlier, work three positions worthy of mention exist with the aged seems to be unique be in regard to these questions. cause it requires social workers to forge an image of their own old age and to
Partition based optimization for updating sample allocation strategy using lookahead

Simulation models typically describe complicated systems with no closed-form analytic expression. To optimize these complex models, general "black-box" optimization techniques must be used. To confront computational limitations, Optimal Computational Budget Allocation (OCBA) algorithms have been developed in order to arrive at the best solution relative to a finite amount of resources primarily for a finite design space. In this paper we extend the OCBA methodology for partition based random search on a continuous domain using a lookahead approximation on the probability of correct selection. The algorithm uses the approximation to determine the order of dimensional-search and a stopping criterion for each dimension. The numerical experiments indicate that the lookahead OCBA algorithm improves the allocation of computational budget on asymmetrical functions while preserving asymptotic performance of the general algorithm.
Introduction: Symposium 2014: Vulnerable Defendants and the Criminal Justice System

The News and Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) recently reported that, on a national scale, “studies estimate between 15 and 20 percent of jail and prison inmates have a serious mental illness.” However, due to lack of state and federal resources and a punitive rather than treatment-oriented approach to misconduct, the mentally ill are often incarcerated rather than provided with appropriate therapeutic care. Indeed, the mentally ill represent one of the most vulnerable groups that interact with the criminal justice system. Other particularly fragile groups caught up in the criminal justice system include people of color, undocumented immigrants, the physically and developmentally disabled, the homeless, and LGBTQ persons, including those who identify with more than one of these broad categories. Defendants from these groups face the challenge of not merely defending their liberty from the prosecutorial power of the state but attempting to do so from a place of extreme vulnerability.Another vulnerable group is juveniles — those who are under the age of eighteen and charged with criminal offenses. According to recent data, 1.5 million cases are prosecuted in juvenile court annually. Large numbers of these child defendants have suffered abuse, neglect, or other maltreatment; are from impoverished families; or suffer mental or emotional disabilities. Tens of thousands of these young offenders are ultimately prosecuted in criminal court, with sentences to adult prisons where they are at risk of physical, sexual, and psychological victimization by adult inmates and guards. Adolescents transferred to the adult system can also experience harmful disruptions in their social, emotional, and identity development."Vulnerable Defendants and the Criminal Justice System," the symposium that gave rise to this issue of the North Carolina Law Review, explored these and related issues, including the following: How does the criminal justice system handle vulnerable offenders from the moment they are initially processed through to the conclusion of their sentences? Why are these groups overrepresented within our courtrooms and prisons? Can we identify and propose strategies for reform?
The Influence of Relative Humidity on the Strength of Spray-Dried Products

A slurry feed composed of water, PVA and fine particles are sprayed in droplet form into a spray dryer, and the porous and spherical spray-dried products are recovered. However, the PVA binder is so hygroscopic that the strength of the products changes with relative humidity.For the purpose of clarifying this phenomenon quantitatively, the specific surface area, hygroscopic moisture content and strength of the spray-dried products are examined experimentally and theoretically.The conclusions obtained are summarized as follows:1. The hygroscopic moisture content of the products is estimated by the total of the moisture adsorbed on the surface of constituent fine particles covered somewhat with PVA and the moisture adsorbed by PVA itself.2. The strength of the products is measured under various conditions of relative humidity. The measured values are compared with the results calculated from the previously derived equation. As a result, it is found that the strength of the products can be estimated well by taking account the effect of the variation in humidity on binder strength in the derived equation.
Elucidating the mechanism of the halide-induced ligand rearrangement reaction.

The formation of heteroligated RhI complexes containing two different hemilabile phosphinoalkyl ligands, (κ2-Ph2PCH2CH2S-Aryl)(κ1-Ph2PCH2CH2O-C6H5)RhCl, through a halide-induced ligand rearrangement (HILR) reaction has been studied mechanistically. The half-life of this rearrangement reaction depends heavily on the RhI precursor used and the chelating ability of the phosphinoalkyl thioether (PS) ligand, while the chelating ability of the phosphinoalkyl ether (PO) ligand has less of an effect. An intermediate complex which contains two PO ligands, (nbd)(κ1-Ph2PCH2CH2O-C6H5)2RhCl (nbd = norbornadiene), converts to (nbd)(κ1-Ph2PCH2CH2O-C6H5)RhCl resulting in a free PO ligand. The free PO ligand can then react with a homoligated PS complex [(κ2-Ph2PCH2CH2S-Aryl)2Rh]+Cl– producing the heteroligated product. The PS ligand generated during the reaction pathway can be trapped by the monoligated PO complex (nbd)(κ1-Ph2PCH2CH2O-C6H5)RhCl, leading to the formation of the same heteroligated product. In this study, so...
1644 Success of a Methadone Treatment Protocol in Neonatal drug Withdrawal Following In-Utero Exposure to Substances of Abuse

Background Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is often present following in-utero exposure to addictive substances. The Lipsitz tool is used to determine the severity of NAS. Failure to lower Lipsitz scores through supportive care results in pharmacological treatment with methadone, an opioid with an ideally suited long half-life. Objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of a methadone treatment protocol for NAS. Methods Neonates who received methadone treatment according to a preexisting treatment protocol were evaluated for treatment success defined as adherence to the methadone regimen with no residual signs of withdrawal. Data collected included: methadone dosages, Lipsitz scores, length of methadone treatment (LOT), and total length of stay (LOS). Results Sixty subjects were included. The mean gestational age (GA) and birth weight (BW) were 36.8±3.03 weeks and 2.79±0.63kg. All exhibited NAS within 72 hours of life. 59/60 (98.3%) initiated treatment according to protocol. There was significant deviation from the protocol at 48 and 72 hours of treatment with 33% and 12% of the patients requiring more than the prescribed amount of methadone to control NAS. The mean (SD) total methadone exposure was 1.96±1.63 mg/kg, LOT 11.66±9 days and LOS 22.4±29.3 days suggesting significant variability in response. No significant correlation was found between BW or GA and LOT. Conclusion At diagnosis a protocol for treating NAS was closely followed. Despite a formal protocol there was substantial variability in total methadone exposure, LOT and LOS suggesting other contributory factors for the observed variability.
Interstrain variation in murine susceptibility to inhaled acid-coated particles.

Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between concentration of acid aerosol and increased morbidity and mortality in many urban environments. To determine whether genetic background is an important risk factor for susceptibility to the toxic effects of inhaled particles, we studied the interstrain (genetic) and intrastrain (environmental) variance of lung responses to acid-coated particle (ACP) aerosol in nine strains of inbred mice. A flow-past nose-only inhalation system was used to expose mice to ACPs produced by the cogeneration of a carbon black aerosol-sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) mixture at high humidity. Three days after a single 4-h exposure to ACPs or filtered air, mice underwent bronchoalveolar lavage, and cell differentials and total protein were determined as indexes of inflammation and epithelial permeability, respectively. To determine the effect of ACPs on alveolar macrophage (AM) function, lavaged AMs were isolated from exposed animals and Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis was evaluated. Compared with air-exposed animals, there was a slight but significant exposure effect of ACPs on the mean number of lavageable polymorphonuclear leukocytes in C3H/HeJ and C3H/HeOuJ mice. ACP exposure also caused a significant decrease in AM phagocytosis. Relative to respective air-exposed animals, Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis was suppressed in eight of nine strains. The order of strain-specific effect of ACPs on phagocytosis was C57BL/6J > 129/J > SJL/J > BALB/cJ > C3H/HeOuJ > A/J > SWR/J > AKR/J. There was no effect of ACP exposure on AM phagocytosis in C3H/HeJ mice. The significant interstrain variation in AM response to particle challenge indicates that genetic background has an important role in susceptibility. The effects of ACPs on AM function, inflammation, and epithelial hyperpermeability were not correlated (i.e., no cosegregation). This model may have important implications concerning interindividual variation in particle-induced compromise of host defense.
Giant submarine landslides on the Colombian margin and tsunami risk in the Caribbean Sea

Abstract A series of three giant, previously unrecognized submarine landslides are defined on a 16,000 line km grid of multi-channel 2D seismic reflection profiles along the active margin of northern Colombia in the western Caribbean Sea. These deposits record the collapse and mobilization of immense segments (thousands of cubic kilometers) of the submarine slope and are comparable in scale to the largest known landslides on Earth. We show that the breakaway zone for these events corresponds to the tectonically over-steepened slopes of the Magdalena Fan, an extensive submarine fan composed of sediments sourced from the northern Andes and deposited by the Magdalena River. An over-pressured zone of weakness at the base of the gas-hydrate stability layer within the fan likely facilitates slope failure. Timing of these massive slope failures is constrained by well control and occurred from the mid-to-late Pliocene to mid-Pleistocene. To understand the tsunamigenic hazards posed by the recurrence of such an event today, we model the potential tsunami source created by a submarine landslide of comparable thickness (400 m) and lateral extent (1700 km2) derived from the over-steepened upper slopes of the present day Magdalena Fan. Our modeling indicates the recurrence of an analogous slope failure would result in a major tsunami that would impact population centers along the Caribbean coastlines of Colombia, Central America, and the Greater Antilles with little advance warning.
Performance styles in interpersonal relations: a typology.

Based primarily on the dramaturgical perspective of Goffman (1959), an approach to the study of interpersonal behavior, using the construct of performance style, is advanced. Focussing on actor-related sources of variance in interpersonal behavior, a typology of three performance styles is presented, together with a description of the prototypic individual associated with each style. A number of hypotheses are proposed relating performance style variables to interpersonal behavior.
2.07 – The Vertebrate Brain Stem as the Primary Site of Behavior Command: Insights from an Amphibian

This article takes a modular approach to understanding sexual behaviors and asserts that many of the same behaviors used for gamete exchange are used in nonsexual and same-sex interactions. As such, we can consider sexual interactions to be on a continuum of behaviors that span the gamut of affiliative behaviors, from solitary to highly intimate. Clasping behavior is one module used in the suite of behaviors composing male Taricha courtship and can be considered a modified version of locomotion, engaging the same limbs, muscles, spinal and brainstem circuits as other forms of locomotion, but in a modified order and frequency to manifest bilateral symmetrical grasping of limbs. The pattern of motor output, and therefore behavior, is ultimately determined by output from reticulospinal neurons located in the rostromedial medullary reticular formation (mRF). I extend these findings to suggest that the mRF is the major sensorimotor integration region in all vertebrates mediating socially and situationally appropriate behaviors. This article finishes with a summary of recent findings of the multitiered interactions between two hormones, the stress hormone corticosterone and prosocial hormone vasotocin, and how they modulate clasping on a rapid timescale (milliseconds to minutes) by interrupting the impact of each other on mRF neurophysiology.
Modeling Experience Using Multivariate Statistics

In an environment where dynamic planning over a rolling horizon together with system monitoring is required, such as in a production environment where lots are released on a frequent basis, an intelligent computer support system may be of particular value if it is capable of (a) recognizing the occurrence of unusual states of the shop floor, such as congestion at bottlenecks, and (b) evaluating the relative desirability of two or more possible courses of action of time. Experience equips humans with those capabilities. This paper describes how we use a multivariate statistical approach for mechanizing experience in a hybrid OR/AI shop floor planning and control system.