cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of water potential on microbial antagonism to Pyrenophora tritici-repentis in wheat residue

Selected fungi belonging to identifiable ecological associations in reduced-tillage wheat straw were tested for their ability to grow, and to inhibit growth and pseudothecia production by Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, in infested wheat residue at several water potentials. Fungi from the pioneer-colonizer association were little affected by water potential from −0·1 to −7·0 MPa, and were not antagonistic to P. tritici-repentis. Fungi from buried straw were commonly sensitive to water stress, and some were antagonistic to growth of P. tritici-repentis. Few fungi were inhibitory to pseudothecia production by the pathogen; these were mostly associated with straw from the soil contact area of the mulch layer. Bacteria were shown to reduce pseudothecia formation also. All examples of pseudothecia inhibition occurred only at the wettest level tested, −0·1 MPa.
A COMPARISON OF THE METALOPHILIC RETICULOENDOTHELIAL CELLS TO CELLS CONTAINING ACID PHOSPHATASE AND NON-SPECIFIC ESTERASE IN THE LYMPHOID NODULES OF NORMAL AND STIMULATED RAT SPLEENS.

This study was undertaken to determine the relationship between Marshall's metalophilic reticular cells and the cells exhibiting non-specific esterase and acid phosphatase activity in the rat spleen. Untreated and stimulated animals were used. Observations were made chiefly on the marginal metalophils of Snook. These cells showed strong acid phosphatase activity but only slight non-specific esterase activity in untreated animals. Following stimulation non-specific esterase activity increased in these cells. Within the nodules metalophilic reticular cells were always more numerous than cells with enzyme activity. Many of these metalophilic cells developed enzyme activity following stimulation. By the use of a restaining technique it was shown that all reticular cells possessing enzyme activity were also metalophilic but that the converse was not true. No mitotic activity was present in these cells. The results suggest that Marshall's metalophils are cells of the reticuloendothelial system in various stages of maturation and that, following stimulation, they may differentiate into mature phagocytic cells.
Cross-linked fiber network embedded in an elastic matrix

The mechanical behavior of a three-dimensional cross-linked fiber network embedded in matrix is studied in this work. The network is composed from linear elastic fibers which store energy only in the axial deformation mode, while the matrix is also isotropic and linear elastic. Such systems are encountered in a broad range of applications, from tissue to consumer products. As the matrix modulus increases, the network is constrained to deform more affinely. This leads to internal forces acting between the network and the matrix, which produce strong stress concentration at the network cross-links. This interaction increases the apparent modulus of the network and decreases the apparent modulus of the matrix. A model is developed to predict the effective modulus of the composite and its predictions are compared with numerical data for a variety of networks.
Preliminary Modeling and Design of an Autothermal Reformer

As fuel cells approach commercialization, hydrogen production becomes a critical step in the overall energy conversion pathway. Reforming is a process that produces a hydrogen-rich gas from hydrocarbon fuels (i.e., methanol, gasoline, natural gas). Hydrogen production via autothermal reforming (ATR) is particularly attractive for applications that demand a quick start-up and response time in a compact size. However, further research is required to optimize the performance of autothermal reformers and accurate models of reactor performance must be developed and validated. This paper discusses the preliminary modeling and design of an experimental autothermal reformer that will be used in several research projects at the University of California at Davis. The design includes the requirement of accommodating a wide range of experimental set ups. Factors considered in the design of the reformer are capability to use multiple fuels, ability to vary stoichiometry, precise temperature and pressure control, implementation of enhancement methods, capability to implement variable catalyst positions and catalyst arrangement, ability to monitor and change reactant mixing, and proper implementation of data acquisition. A model of the system was first developed in order to calculate flowrates, heating, space velocity, and other important parameters needed to select the hardware that comprises the reformer. Predicted performance will be compared to actual data once the reformer construction is completed. This comparison will quantify the accuracy of the model and should point to areas where further model development is required. The end result will be a research tool that allows engineers to optimize hydrogen production via autothermal reformation.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
A Descriptive Analysis of Ethics Codes, CSR, and Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking

Around the world, in the accounting and business fields, there is no issue bigger than ethics. Most major multinational companies have adopted formal policies on ethics. Businesses are expected to do what is right in all their activities, including financial reporting, taking care of the environment, treatment of employees, and dealings with customers. Such matters fall under the umbrella of corporate governance and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Providing quality goods and services is critical to success, but businesses are also expected to contribute to the betterment of society in general. For example, a number of major corporations are working together to help end modern-day slavery, also called human trafficking. The aims of this paper are as follows: to review the relevant literature on ethics and CSR, to provide a descriptive analysis of ethics codes of the Fortune 100 corporations, and to review corporate efforts to combat human trafficking. Regarding corporate ethics codes, findings show that most are disclosed in the Corporate Governance Section of corporate websites. Many corporations are very actively engaged in corporate social responsibility. A number of corporations have joined forces to combat human trafficking. These findings are meaningful to business practitioners and academic researchers, and particularly accounting professionals and business managers as they do their part to advance the highest standards of ethics and CSR in their organizations.
Neuromedin U octapeptide alters ion transport in porcine jejunum.

Abstract The gut neuropeptide, neuromedin U octapeptide (NMU-8) produced transient elevations in short-circuit current (EC50 = 0.7 nmol/1) after its contraluminal administration to sheets of porcine distal jejunal mucosa in vitro. Mucosal responses to NMU-8 were unaffected by 1 μmol/1 atropine or hexamethonium, but were abolished by tetrodotoxin (0.1 μmol/l), dependent upon extracellular Cl, and underwent tachyphylaxis upon repeated peptide application. NMU-8 did not affect contractility of isolated jejunal longitudinal muscle. Thus, NMU-8 appears to selectively modify intestinal ion transport through interactions with non-cholinergic enteric neurons.
Link Scheduling in a Single Broadcast Domain Underwater Networks

Due to the high propagation latency and high power consumption of acoustic communications, scheduling techniques designed for terrestrial radio-based systems, may not be suitable for underwater acoustic sensor networks (UWASN). In this paper, we consider how to time schedule each link in a single broadcast domain. We show that, unlike its terrestrial RF counterpart, this problem is NP-complete, and the hard-to-approximate ratio is presented. Due to the intractability and inflexibility of centralized scheduling policies, and the high communication energy overhead of reservation-based strategies, we further investigate the performance of an ALOHA-like access scheme, which is distributed, randomized and requires no topology knowledge. According to our analysis, although the random scheduling policy that picks transmission times uniformly in a given interval is throughput optimal for terrestrial radio-based systems, it performs poorly in underwater acoustic networks. We thereby seek for the throughput-optimal, distributed random policy by solving a nonlinear optimization problem. We present an extensive comparison between this policy and the uniform one, with respect to different packet lengths, scheduling length, and network density. We show that the optimal solution offers substantial improvements in throughput, particularly for long packets.
Nucleotide excision repair in an immunoglobulin variable gene is less efficient than in a housekeeping gene.

Immunoglobulin variable genes undergo several unusual genetic modifications to generate diversity, such as gene rearrangement, gene conversion, somatic hypermutation, and heavy chain class switch recombination. In view of these specialized processes, we examined the possibility that variable genes have intrinsic characteristics that allow them to be processed differently in the course of basic DNA transactions as well. This hypothesis was studied in an experimental system to gauge the relative efficiency of a DNA repair pathway, nucleotide excision repair, on a variable gene and a housekeeping gene. DNA damage was induced by ultraviolet light in murine hybridoma B cells, and repair was measured over time by an alkaline Southern blot technique, which detected removal of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers. The rate of DNA repair in a rearranged variable gene, VHS107, was compared to that in the dihydrofolate reductase gene. Although both genes were actively transcribed, the VHS107 gene was repaired less efficiently than the dihydrofolate reductase gene. These results suggest that variable genes have inherent properties that affect the efficiency of nucleotide excision repair.
Grade Dropping: An Empirical Analysis

It is a popular practice among college professors to drop the lowest component grade in computing the course grade. A benefit of this practice is the elimination of the need to evaluate excuses or administer make-up exams. The author uses data from a controlled experiment to examine the impact of such a policy on student behavior and course performance. The policy was found to have no significant impact on the decision to miss an exam or to "write off" an exam. However, performance on a comprehensive final exam was negatively and significantly affected by such a policy. In short, significant costs were identified that would offset the benefits of a grade-dropping policy.
Is there congruence in hospice nurses' view of their patients' quality of life and their hospice patients' view of their own quality of life?

Since the development of the hospice movement in the United States, care of the terminally ill has undergone vital change.’ This change involves the alternative of home care for the terminally ill. It allows the patients, the primary caregiver, and the rest of the family to be in control of care. As stated by Masters, 2 hospice is unique in that the patient and family controls the environment, and lifestyle, including treatment modalities, more than in any other concept in health care.Hospice was developed to give people with a terminal illness an option to traditional medicine. Hospice is a concept of care that has been established to improve the quality of life of the terminally ill. Therefore, the ultimate goal of hospice care is to enhance the quality of life of patients with terminal illness, mainly cancer.3In the hospice setting, the nurse applies a holistic approach when planning and providing primary care. The nurse becomes increasingly more knowledgeable about the problems and strengths of the pa...
Thermal model for fast simulation during magnetic resonance imaging guidance of radio frequency tumor ablation.

Thermal ablation of a tumor with radio frequency (rf) energy from a small probe inserted into the solid tumor can be accomplished with minimal invasiveness under guidance with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A theoretical study is presented of 3D temperature distribution dynamics in tissue with rf heating to show the feasibility of fast numerical solution for repeated simulations during an ablation procedure. Model simulations are intended to be used during an ablation treatment together with temperature field images obtained by MR to predict the effect of alternative strategies of source heating and placement. A feature of the model is that it incorporates a heat source term that varies with distance from the rf probe to avoid the need for solving electric field equations. The effects of perfusion and internal cooling of the rf probe on the temperature distribution are simulated to show the model flexibility. Using a personal computer (PC), numerical solution of the model equations required 10 s to 2 min depending on the perfusion–temperature relationship. The results show the feasibility of using thermal model simulations in an iterative manner with MR images to help guide thermal ablation procedures in the clinical setting. © 2002 Biomedical Engineering Society. PAC2002: 8750Jk, 8719Xx, 8761-c
Our ability to think up new ideas made us human

At some point in the Upper Palaeolithic we developed the ability to blend incompatible ideas – an ability that made us human, says cognitive scientist Mark Turner
VALIDITY OF ARM EXTENSION AS A MEASURE OF DOMINANCE

LYELLE L. PALMER Winona (Minnesota) State University' An arm extension test, proposed and studied as a quick index of the language hemisphere of the brain ( 2 , 3, 4, 5 ) , "requires that an individual stand erect with his arms at the side. Wi th eyes closed, he is required to raise his arms with the fingers extended until they feel level, i.e., parallel to each other and to the floor. H e must hold them in that position. Alternate testing involves lowering of the arms from above the head until they are level or raising the outstretched arms sideways" (5 , pp. 168f). The higher arm/hand is considered dominant. Abnormal arm-extension dominance has been reported for 69 to 78% of pupils with reading problems in contrast to 12% in normal readers ( 5 ) . T o test the validiry of the arm-extension technique, composite scores for manual, tactile, pedal, eye, and ear lateraliry were gathered from 2 0 ma!es and 2 0 females randomly selected from each of Grades 4, 8, and 12 in dichotomous samples of high and low achievers in a suburban Texas school district ( 1 ) . High achievers scored in the upper 10% on achievement and IQ tests, while low achievers comprised the lowest quartile on achievement tests and IQ above the first standard deviation below the mean on a group measure. The arm lowering alternative of the extension test was administered and compared to a composite lateraliry from all other measures to test for significance of agreement. Comparisons of arm extension to composite sidedness showed agreement ranging from 35% to 70% among the 120 high achievers, with an average of 52.5%. Agreement among the 120 low achievers ranged from 30% to 75%. with an avercge of 58.3%. Among the 224 rightand 16 left-sided subjects, the test m~sidentified 97 leftand 10 mixedor right-dominant subjects, resulting in a phi coefficient of only .10 for all subjects. Contrary to expectation, low achievers showed slightly higher agreement between rneasurm than high achievers in this sample. All differences were statistically nonsignificant. Agreements of 6O%, 50%, and 57% were found for combined groups at Grades 4, 8 , and 12, respectively. In conclusion, validicy of the arm-extension test as an index of cerebral language dominance, insofar as such dominance may be inferred from a composite of sidedness , measures, is questionable. Arm extension may, however, have validity as a criterionreferenced measure of differences in upper torso muscle tonus but without reference to language dominance of the brain.
Quantum hall ferromagnetism in graphene

Graphene is a two-dimensional carbon material with a honeycomb lattice and Dirac-like low-energy excitations. When Zeeman and spin-orbit interactions are neglected, its Landau levels are fourfold degenerate, explaining the 4e2/h separation between quantized Hall conductivity values seen in recent experiments. In this Letter we derive a criterion for the occurrence of interaction-driven quantum Hall effects near intermediate integer values of e2/h due to charge gaps in broken symmetry states.
Dynamical approximation entropies and topological entropy in operator algebras

Dynamical entropy invariants, based on a general approximation approach are introduced for C*-and W*-algebra automorphisms. This includes a noncommutative extension of topological entropy.
A rate of convergence for monotone finite difference approximations to fully nonlinear, uniformly elliptic PDEs

We obtain an algebraic rate of convergence for monotone and consistent finite difference approximations to Lipschitz-continuous viscosity solutions of uniformly elliptic partial differential equations. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Alumina: Catalyst and support. XL (1) ring expansion during the dehydration of alcohols over alumina catalysts (2)

Abstract An investigation of ring expansion during the alumina-catalyzed dehydration of alcohols was made by the micro-pulse technique. The dehydration at 380 °C over fresh alumina of cyclobutane-, cyclopentane-, cyclohexane-, and cycloheptane-methanol yielded 99, 55, 7, and 6% of ring-expanded product, respectively, whereas over alumina which has been deactivated by passing large quantities of alcohol over it, 100, 74, 19, and 18% of the ring-expanded products were found. The stereochemical aspects of this catalytic reaction were investigated by the dehydration of cis - and trans -4- t -butylcyclohexanemethanol. More ring expansion and a higher conversion to olefins occurred in the dehydration of the cis alcohol than of the trans alcohol. In the dehydration of 1-methyl-1-cyclohexanemethanol at 310 °C, 60% of product formation involved methyl migration whereas 40% involved ring expansion. The percentage of ring expansion increased to 55 when deactivated catalyst was used. More skeletal rearrangement was found in dehydrations over alumina which had been deactivated by passing either an unsaturated or a saturated hydrocarbon over it than when fresh catalyst was used. Although the presence of sodium ions or pyridine on the catalyst lowered the amount of double bond isomerization which occurred, it did not affect the amount of skeletal rearrangement or the deactivation of the catalyst. The dehydration of 2-methylpropanol over alumina catalyst was reinvestigated and it was found that the extent of skeletal isomerization to produce n -butenes increases with the deactivation of the aluminas.
Use of liver grafts from donation after cardiac death donors for recipients with hepatitis C virus

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the most common indication for orthotopic liver transplantation in the United States. Although studies have addressed the use of expanded criteria donor organs in HCV+ patients, to date the use of liver grafts from donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors in HCV+ patients has been addressed by only a limited number of studies. This retrospective analysis was undertaken to study the outcomes of DCD liver grafts used in HCV+ recipients. Seventy-seven HCV+ patients who received DCD liver grafts were compared to 77 matched HCV+ patients who received donation after brain death (DBD) liver grafts and 77 unmatched non-HCV patients who received DCD liver grafts. There were no differences in 1-, 3-, and 5-year patient or graft survival among the groups. Multivariate analysis showed that the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.037, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.006-1.069, P = 0.018] and posttransplant cytomegalovirus infection (HR = 3.367, 95% CI = 1.493-7.593, P = 0.003) were significant factors for graft loss. A comparison of the HCV+ groups for fibrosis progression based on protocol biopsy samples up to 5 years post-transplant did not show any difference; in multivariate analysis, HCV genotype 1 was the only factor that affected progression to stage 2 fibrosis (genotype 1 versus non-1 genotypes: HR = 2.739, 95% CI = 1.047-7.143, P = 0.040). In conclusion, this match-controlled, retrospective analysis demonstrates that DCD liver graft utilization does not cause untoward effects on disease progression or patient and graft survival in comparison with DBD liver grafts in HCV+ patients. Liver Transpl 17:641-649, 2011. © 2011 AASLD.
Hepatic foci in rats after diethylnitrosamine initiation and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin promotion: evaluation of a quantitative two-cell model and of CYP 1A1/1A2 as a dosimeter

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a potent hepatic tumor promoter in female rats. We used a quantitative, stochastic initiation-promotion model based on R. B. Conolly and J. S. Kimbell (Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 124, 284-295, 1994) to analyze initiation-promotion results from a previously published study (H. C. Pitot et al., Carcinogenesis 8, 1491-1499, 1987) within the context of a negative selection model of tumor promotion. In this model, two types of initiated cells (called A and B cells) are produced by DEN initiation. Visually excellent correspondence between model predictions and data (i.e., foci/cm3 liver and percentage of liver occupied by foci) are obtained when TCDD is described as having dose-responsive effects on division and death (apoptotic) rates of these two cell types. For A cells, both the division and the death rates increase while the difference between division and apoptotic rates decreases. For B cells, the difference between division and apoptotic rates increases, primarily due to a decrease in the apoptotic rate. We also linked these alterations in cell kinetics to a pharmacokinetic model for TCDD incorporating a five subcompartment model of the liver acinus with induction of CYP1A1 and 1A2 genes in the subcompartments. Alterations in A cell kinetics correlate with effects of TCDD in the region most sensitive to induction (subcompartment 5-centrilobular region); B cell dynamics correlate with induction in subcompartments 3-5 (centrilobular and mid-zonal regions). In summary, these modeling exercises show that (1) the two-cell model, without presuming effects of TCDD on the mutation rate of normal hepatocytes, reproduces the data of Pitot et al. (1987) and (2) induction of CYP1A1/1A2 in different regions of the hepatic acinus can be used as a general correlate of these presumed changes in cell growth kinetics.
Molecular classification of an elasmobranch angiotensin receptor: quantification of angiotensin receptor and natriuretic peptide receptor mRNAs in saltwater and freshwater populations of the Atlantic stingray.

Abstract Among the most conserved osmoregulatory hormone systems in vertebrates are the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) and the natriuretic peptides (NPs). We examined the RAS and NP system in the euryhaline Atlantic stingray, Dasyatis sabina (Lesueur). To determine the relative sensitivity of target organs to these hormonal systems, we isolated cDNA sequences encoding the D. sabina angiotensin receptor (AT) and natriuretic peptide type-B receptor (NPR-B). We then determined the tissue-specific expression of their mRNAs in saltwater D. sabina from local Texas waters and an isolated freshwater population in Lake Monroe, Florida. AT mRNA was most abundant in interrenal tissue from both populations. NPR-B mRNA was most abundant in rectal gland tissue from both populations, and also highly abundant in the kidney of saltwater D. sabina . This study is the first to report the sequence of an elasmobranch angiotensin receptor, and phylogenetic analysis indicates that the D. sabina receptor is more similar to AT 1 vs. AT 2 proteins. This classification is further supported by molecular analysis of AT 1 and AT 2 proteins demonstrating conservation of AT 1 -specific amino acid residues and motifs in D. sabina AT. Molecular classification of the elasmobranch angiotensin receptor as an AT 1 -like protein provides fundamental insight into the evolution of the vertebrate RAS.
Performance management in flexible manufacturing systems

This article treats several performance management decision problems in flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs). This work differs from a number of other studies in that we allow the processing rates at the machines to be varied, and the system has to meet a given throughput goal per unit time. The managerial decision options modeled here include part routing and allocation of tasks to machines, work-in-progress (WIP) levels, capacity expansions, tool-type selection, the setting of throughput goals, and multiperiod production planning. We discuss and explain the insights and implications, partly nonintuitive, gained from our investigations. Finally, extensive numerical evaluations are included to illustrate the economic and performance impact of the various performance management alternatives. These results demonstrate that substantial economic benefits can be achieved by careful tuning of the FMS operational parameters.
Stability and stabilization of polynomial dynamical systems using Bernstein polynomials

In this work, we examine relaxations for the stability analysis and synthesis of stabilizing controllers for polynomial dynamical systems. It is well-known that such problems can be naturally solved using a reduction to polynomial optimization problems. The Sum of Squares (SOS) programming relaxation further relaxes these polynomial optimization problems to convex Semi-Definite Programming (SDP) problems. However, their application, in practice, to formal verification and correct-by-construction synthesis has been made harder due to numerical stability issues encountered while solving SDPs. Our work proposes a new approach to relaxations based on Bernstein polynomials to yield linear programming (LP) relaxations for polynomial optimization problems. This allows us to find polynomial Lyapunov functions that certify the (asymptotic) stability of a system. The approach is also extended to synthesizing a stabilizing feedback control law for a controlled system that will stabilize the closed-loop dynamics to a specified equilibrium.
The Utility of Genetic Counseling Prior to Offering First Trimester Screening Options

In order to evaluate the utility of genetic counseling at the time of first trimester screening in patients with no previously identified genetic concerns, we reviewed family history data for 700 women seen for genetic counseling in Utah during 2005-2006. The mean maternal age was 35 years (Range: 16–47 years). The majority of patients seen were non-Jewish Caucasians (90.8%, 634/700). A three-generation pedigree was obtained from each woman by one of two certified genetic counselors and subsequently classified as “negative” (no birth defects/genetic disorders); “positive” (birth defect or genetic condition with a minimal/low risk of recurrence; additional evaluation/genetic testing during pregnancy not indicated); or “significant” (birth defect or genetic condition with an increased risk of recurrence; additional evaluation/genetic testing during the pregnancy indicated). About 72% (501/700) of the histories were negative, 19% (134/700) were positive, and about 9% (65/700) were significant. Among patients with significant family histories, 66% (n = 43) were women less than 35 years of age. We conclude that assessing a patient’s family history at the time of first trimester serum screening is a valuable resource for pregnancy management.
Propranolol-induced inhibition of rat brain cytoplasmic phosphatidate phosphohydrolase

Propranolol, a cationic amphiphilic drug, caused enhanced incorporation of labeled precursor into phosphatidic acid and its metabolites in rat cerebral cortex mince, suggesting increased biosynthesis or reduced degradation. Inhibition of phosphatidate phosphohydrolase could explain the observed drug-induced accumulation of phosphatidic acid and other acidic lipids. Propranolol exhibited differential effects on the free and membrane-bound forms of phosphatidate phosphohydrolase. The drug inhibited cytoplasmic enzyme in a dose-dependent manner only when membrane-bound substrate was used but had practically no effect on the membrane-bound enzyme irrespective of the nature of the substrate used or on the cytoplasmic enzyme when free substrate was used. Brain cytoplasmic enzyme obtained from rats sacrificed 30 min after intraperitoneal injections of propranolol did not show any inhibition. propranolol bound to membranes may prevent cytoplasmic enzyme action, probably by decreasing the availability of substrate through the formation of stable lipid-drug-protein complexes.
Using fluorescent proteins to monitor glycosome dynamics in the African trypanosome.

Trypanosoma brucei is a kinetoplastid parasite that causes human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), or sleeping sickness, and a wasting disease, nagana, in cattle1. The parasite alternates between the bloodstream of the mammalian host and the tsetse fly vector. The composition of many cellular organelles changes in response to these different extracellular conditions2-5. Glycosomes are highly specialized peroxisomes in which many of the enzymes involved in glycolysis are compartmentalized. Glycosome composition changes in a developmental and environmentally regulated manner4-11. Currently, the most common techniques used to study glycosome dynamics are electron and fluorescence microscopy; techniques that are expensive, time and labor intensive, and not easily adapted to high throughput analyses. To overcome these limitations, a fluorescent-glycosome reporter system in which enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP) is fused to a peroxisome targeting sequence (PTS2), which directs the fusion protein to glycosomes12, has been established. Upon import of the PTS2eYFP fusion protein, glycosomes become fluorescent. Organelle degradation and recycling results in the loss of fluorescence that can be measured by flow cytometry. Large numbers of cells (5,000 cells/sec) can be analyzed in real-time without extensive sample preparation such as fixation and mounting. This method offers a rapid way of detecting changes in organelle composition in response to fluctuating environmental conditions.
Correction to the Letter entitled “Further evidence of fractal structure in hydraulic conductivity distributions” by F. J. Molz and G. K. Boman

A format incompatibility between a data set and a computer code led to an erroneous plot and conclusion in Figure 2 of the above-referenced letter [lVlolz and Boman, 1995]. Based on rescaled range analysis it was concluded that the log(K) measurements made at the Columbus Air Force Base displayed an fGn structure in the vertical with a Hurst (H) coefficient of 0.67. Reanalysis of the correct data yielded an fBm structure with H = 0.54. The corrected Figure 2 is given below. All the other figures were re-analyzed using the modified range analysis procedure of Liu and Molz [1996] and found to be correct. If anything, the correction strengthens the conclusions of the letter and moves the analysis into more conformity with that of Newman [1990, 1994], in that
Free-air CO2 enrichment effects on soil carbon and nitrogen

Since the onset of the industrial revolution, atmospheric CO2 concentration has increased exponentially to the current 370 #mol mo1-1 level, and continued increases are expected. Previous research has demonstrated that elevated atmospheric CO2 results in larger plants returning greater amounts of C to the soil. However, the effects of elevated CO 2 on C and N cycling and long-term storage of C in soil have not been examined. Soil samples (in 0-50, 50100, and 100-200 mm depth increments) were collected after 3 years of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production under free-air CO 2 enrichment (FACE, at 550 #tool CO 2 mol-l), in combination with 2 years of different soil moisture regimes (wet, 100% of evapotranspiration replaced, or dry, 75% and 67% of evapotranspiration replaced in 1990 and 1991, respectively) on a Trix clay loam (fine, loamy, mixed (calcareous), hyperthermic Typic Torrifluvent) at Maricopa, Arizona. Ambient plots (370 #mol CO2 mol -I (control)), in combination with the wet and dry soil moisture regimes, were also included in the study. Soil organic C and N concentrations, potential C and N mineralization, and C turnover were measured. Increased input of cotton plant residues under FACE resulted in treatment differences and trends toward increased organic C in all three soil depths. During the first 30 days of laboratory incubation, available N apparently limited potential C mineralization and C turnover in all treatments. Between 30 and 60 days of incubation, soils from FACE plots had greater potential C mineralization with both water regimes, but C turnover increased in soils from the dry treatment and decreased in soils where cotton was not water stressed. These data indicate that in high-CO 2 environments without water stress, increased C storage in soil is likely, but it is less likely where water stress is a factor. More research is needed before the ability of soil to store additional C in a high-CO 2 world can be determined.
Living functionalization of polymethacrylates by group transfer polymerization (GTP) using low ceiling temperature monomers

A living functionalization method for group transfer polymerization (GTP) has been developed for poly(alkyl methacrylates) using the sterically hindered monomer, methyl-2-phenylpropenoate (MPHA). The end-capping reactions of MPHA with living trimethylsilyl ketene acetal-ended poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) chain ends have been systematically studied and characterized by size exclusion chromatography, vapor pressure osmometry, ultraviolet-visible, 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Although oligomerization of MPHA is observed at - 78° C, this is reversible and only monoaddition is observed at room temperature. In principle, various functional groups can be introduced into poly(alkyl methacrylates) via substituents on the aromatic ring of MPHA and related monomers. Amino-functionalized PMMA was prepared by end-capping reactions of living trimethylsilyl ketene acetal-ended PMMA with methyl E-3-(2-dimethylaminophenyl)-2-phenylacrylate.
Optimal Design of Sensor Placement in Water Distribution Networks

In this study we provide a methodology for the optimal design of water sensor placement in water distribution networks. The optimization algorithm used is based on a simulation-optimization and a s...
On the systematics of Noteridae (Coleoptera: Adephaga: Hydradephaga): Phylogeny, description of a new tribe, genus and species, and survey of female genital morphology

Abstract A phylogenetic analysis of Noteridae Thomson, 1860 is presented based on 33 adult morphological characters with focus on placement of a new genus and species from Venezuela, Tonerus wheeleri, gen. nov, sp. nov. Characters are derived from many used previously in Noteridae systematics with many new characters, especially from a survey of the female genitalia. Exemplars from all no‐terid genera were included except Phreatodytes Ueno, 1957 and Synchortus Sharp, 1882 with outgroups from Paelobiidae, Amphizoidae and Dytiscidae. Relationships among the genera were found to be (Notomicrus Sharp + Speonoterus Spangler) + (Tonerus + (Neohydrocoptus Sâto + (Pronoterus Sharp + (Mesonoterus Sharp + (Noterus Clairville + (Renotus Guignot + (Siolius Balfour‐Browne + (Suphis Aube + (Canthydrus [Liocanthydrus] Guignot + Suphisellus Crotch)) + (Canthydrus Sharp sensu stricto + Hydrocanthus Say))))))))). Tonerus occupies a phylogenetic position that requires a new tribe, Tonerini tr. nov. characterised by the foll...
Effect of a 24-Month Physical Activity Intervention vs Health Education on Cognitive Outcomes in Sedentary Older Adults: The LIFE Randomized Trial.

Importance Epidemiological evidence suggests that physical activity benefits cognition, but results from randomized trials are limited and mixed. Objective To determine whether a 24-month physical activity program results in better cognitive function, lower risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia, or both, compared with a health education program. Design, Setting, and Participants A randomized clinical trial, the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) study, enrolled 1635 community-living participants at 8 US centers from February 2010 until December 2011. Participants were sedentary adults aged 70 to 89 years who were at risk for mobility disability but able to walk 400 m. Interventions A structured, moderate-intensity physical activity program (n = 818) that included walking, resistance training, and flexibility exercises or a health education program (n = 817) of educational workshops and upper-extremity stretching. Main Outcomes and Measures Prespecified secondary outcomes of the LIFE study included cognitive function measured by the Digit Symbol Coding (DSC) task subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (score range: 0-133; higher scores indicate better function) and the revised Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT-R; 12-item word list recall task) assessed in 1476 participants (90.3%). Tertiary outcomes included global and executive cognitive function and incident MCI or dementia at 24 months. Results At 24 months, DSC task and HVLT-R scores (adjusted for clinic site, sex, and baseline values) were not different between groups. The mean DSC task scores were 46.26 points for the physical activity group vs 46.28 for the health education group (mean difference, −0.01 points [95% CI, −0.80 to 0.77 points], P = .97). The mean HVLT-R delayed recall scores were 7.22 for the physical activity group vs 7.25 for the health education group (mean difference, −0.03 words [95% CI, −0.29 to 0.24 words], P = .84). No differences for any other cognitive or composite measures were observed. Participants in the physical activity group who were 80 years or older (n = 307) and those with poorer baseline physical performance (n = 328) had better changes in executive function composite scores compared with the health education group ( P = .01 for interaction for both comparisons). Incident MCI or dementia occurred in 98 participants (13.2%) in the physical activity group and 91 participants (12.1%) in the health education group (odds ratio, 1.08 [95% CI, 0.80 to 1.46]). Conclusions and Relevance Among sedentary older adults, a 24-month moderate-intensity physical activity program compared with a health education program did not result in improvements in global or domain-specific cognitive function. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT01072500
Happiness: Is it Real or Just an Illusion?

The counseling profession was founded on the principles of development and prevention. Although our services have expanded and are needed in the broader community, we cannot forsake that which makes us unique. We need to continue to remind ourselves to concentrate on wellness and helping people find meaning and happiness in their lives.
STUDIES IN AGGLUTINATION : IV. THE AGGLUTINATION INHIBITION ZONE.

1. The agglutination inhibition zone, artificially produced by heating, has been studied. 2. The phenomenon is specific and is dependent upon the presence in the inhibition zone serum of altered agglutinin (agglutinoid).
Younger age of onset of gout in Taiwan

Objective To study the clinical features of gout in the community and in medical centres, and to describe the recent changes in gout in Chinese patients. Methods We analysed retrospectively the clinical features of 1079 Chinese gout patients seen by a rheumatologist between 1993 and 2000. These included 558 patients from a private clinic and 521 patients from a medical centre. The data were compared with those in previous reports of large Caucasian and non-Caucasian series. Results The mean age of onset was 41.6 yr and the mean disease duration before first visit was 4.2 yr. For medical centre patients, the mean age of onset was 43.0 yr and mean disease duration before the first visit was 4.8 yr. For private clinic patients, the mean age of onset was 40.2 yr and mean disease duration before the first visit was 3.6 yr. Young patients with gout, with onset before age 30, constituted 23.3 and 26.7% of the medical centre and private clinic patients respectively. Female patients constituted 10.6 and 5.6% respectively, the family history was positive in 27.1 and 28.7%, and urolithiasis occurred in 11.5 and 10.9%. Tophi were found in 21.1% of medical centre and 12.7% of private clinic patients. The mean time from first gouty attack to visible tophi was 6.6 yr in those who developed tophi. Conclusions The age at onset of gout was much earlier than in previous reports. Twenty-five per cent of patients had their first gouty attack before age 30. The first attack frequently occurred between the third and fifth decades (68.2%) rather than between the fourth and sixth decades, as reported in previous papers. The incidence of gout in females had increased (8.0% of the patients were female) and the incidence of tophi was high (16.8%). Besides, our patients had more frequent gouty attacks and the interval from the first attack to visible tophi was shorter than in previous reports of the disease in Caucasians.
The influence of daily routines on engaging in diabetes self-management.

Abstract Objective: In contrast to previous research concerning the importance of routines in occupational engagement, most of which have largely focused on the routines of children and families, in this study a qualitative methodology was used to understand how routines function in a specific occupation: diabetes self-management (DSM). Methods: Ten low-income women participated in a multiple-methods study that involved completing a time-geographic diary (TGD) and participating in a TGD interview. Results: Findings reveal that pre-existing routines must be changed so that they may better support engagement in DSM, and that such changes are tied to underlying habits and life situations. The experiences of study participants also showed that the distribution of daily occupations through time and across social spheres can be both supportive of and problematic for engaging in DSM. In addition, the structure and sequence of competing daily occupations influences the available time and opportunities for people ...
Weighing In: Emergent Diabetes Mellitus and Second-Generation Antipsychotics:

Of all the metabolic effects of some of the atypical second-generation antipsychotics, their potential to induce glucose dysregulation has induced a storm of controversy over the past several years. The numerous published epidemiologic studies are difficult to interpret due to the high background rate of type 2 diabetes mellitus in this population, the inherent problems with analysis of observational data, and the short duration of the available studies. A plan to monitor for weight gain, hypertriglyceridemia, glucose dysregulation, and other potential adverse metabolic effects resulting from antipsychotic treatment is critical.
Serum leptin, thyroxine and thyroid stimulating hormone levels interact to affect cognitive function among US adults: evidence from a large representative survey

Neuroanatomical connections point to possible interactions between areas influencing energy homeostasis and those influencing cognition. We assessed whether serum leptin, thyroxine, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are associated with and interact to influence cognitive performance among US adults. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (1988-1994) were used. Measures included a battery of neuropsychological tests and serum leptin, thyroxine, and TSH levels (20-59-year-old: n = 1114-2665; 60-90-year-old: n = 1365-5519). Among those 20-59-year-old, the middle tertile of leptin (vs. first tertile) was inversely related to the number of errors on the symbol digits substitution test. Increased thyroxine level was associated with a poorer performance on the serial digits test in the 20-59-year-old, but a better performance on the math test in 60-90-year-old group. TSH was associated with poor performance on various tests in the 20-59-year-old, but better performance in the 60-90-year-old group. Significant antagonistic interactions were found in both age groups between thyroxine, TSH, and leptin for a number of tests, including between leptin and thyroxine in the 60-90-year-old group in their association with word recall-correct score. We found significant associations of our main exposures with cognitive function among US adults, going in opposite directions between age groups in the cases of thyroid hormonal levels, as well as some interactive effects between exposures. It is important to conduct prospective cohort studies to provide further insight into potential interventions that would assess interactive effects of various hormonal replacement regimens.
Improvement of frequency-conversion efficiency in waveguides with rotationally twinned layers.

A new method for frequency conversion in optical waveguides using rotationally twinned domains is proposed. High coupling efficiency is achieved for higher-order modes. The index step requirements are significantly reduced. The calculated conversion efficiency in a ZnSe–ZnS0.6Se0.4 structure is 4% for 1 mW of input power over a 3-mm phase-matched length.
An analysis of the lyophilization process using a sorption-sublimation model and various operational policies

The freeze-drying process is studied under various operational policies through the use of a sorption-sublimation model. The operational policy that provides the shortest drying times keeps the pressure at its lowest value. The upper and lower heating plates are independently controlled so that the material constraints are encountered and held throughout the free water removal phase. Under certain conditions, and for the case of samples of small thickness, the sorbed water profiles may have segments whose bound water concentrations are higher than those at the start of the free water removal phase. It is shown that the criterion used in terminating the freeze-drying process is of extreme importance, since it may lead to an undesirable sorbed water profile which may deteriorate the quality of the dried product.
Intrinsic optical heterodyne detection of a two-dimensional fifth order Raman response

Intrinsic optical heterodyne detection is applied to femtosecond two-dimensional (2-D) vibrational spectroscopy of the Raman active inter- and intramolecular modes of liquid CS 2 between 1 and 1000 cm -t. Heterodyne detection is accomplished with a novel wave vector matching geometry that allows detection of the cross term between the third and fifth order response, R(3)R (5). The increase in the bandwidth and sensitivity through this detection technique will allow the measurement of 2-D temporal or spectral responses for a wide variety of systems in this frequency range. © 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.