cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photoperiodic control of diapause in the codling moth

Abstract For a southern California strain of the codling moth, Carpocapsa pomonella , the ‘critical day length’ is 13·5 hr. Light regimens of 24 hr with interrupted nights produced diapause response curves with a single mid-point depression. The time of maximal inhibition of diapause did not markedly shift relative to dawn when the duration of the main light period was shortened or lengthened. Photocycles of 48 hr, with 8 hr photophases and interrupted nights, produced two significant depressions of the diapause response curve at 16 and at 40 hr. Ahemeral cycles also produced data consistent with the hypothesis that diapause is timed by a circadian mechanism. Both long days and chilling can terminate diapause. The necessity for adequate experimental replication and the need for large numbers of insects in photoperiodic investigations is stressed.
Éducation sentimentale et oeil du narrateur : le cas de Raymond Plante

Dans des romans pour adolescents parus de 1986 a 1998, Raymond Plante experimente differents types de narration. La serie des Raisins (1986–1989) suit le parcours du narrateur adolescent durant les annees qui vont de la fin du secondaire au cegep. Dans ses romans des annees 1990 qui sont narres a la troisieme personne, l’action est plus serree et le personnage principal une adolescente. Ce texte analyse le traitement que l’auteur fait de l’education sentimentale dans ses recits et la relation qu’il instaure avec son public sur le plan narratif.
Monomethylhydrazine degradation and its effect on carbon dioxide evolution and microbial populations in soil.

Monomethylhydrazine (MMH), along with hydrazine and 1,1-dimethylhydrazine are the main components of hydrazine fuels. Information on the fate of MMH in soil and its overall effect on soil microbial activity is not known, though MMH is known to be toxic to a number of soil bacteria. Despite the fact that axenic bacterial cultures are inhibited by the three hydrazines, Ou and Street reported that soil respiration, and total bacterial and fungal populations in soil, were not inhibited by hydrazine at concentrations of 100 ..mu..g/g and lower. Even at 500 ..mu..g/g, only total bacterial populations in soil were inhibited by the presence of hydrazine. They also reported that hydrazine rapidly disappeared in soil. The authors initiated this study to investigate the effect of MMH on soil microbial activity and on degradation of the chemical in soil.
Algorithm fusion for detection with reduced P FA

We consider detection (locating all objects in a scene) independent of object distortions and contrast differences and in the presence of clutter. We employ several different new detection algorithms; to reduce false alarms. We fuse (combine) the outputs from different detection algorithms. We describe a new peak sorting detection scoring algorithm and 3 different fusion algorithms to combine the results from different algorithms: binary, analog, and hierarchial fusion. Quantitative data on a distortion-invariant six object class is presented; the objects have a wide range of object contrasts including obscured objects and the objects are present in severe clutter.
How much food is too much? Threshold doses for allergenic foods.

This review summarizes recent findings and controversies in the area of threshold doses for allergenic foods. Over the years, there have been many clinical reports that ingestion of small amounts of food can elicit IgE-mediated allergic reactions. In exquisitely allergic individuals, the threshold dose for elicitation of such reactions is often considered to be zero. However, some food-allergic patients report that they can tolerate small quantities of allergenic food. Are very low quantities hazardous to foodallergic consumers? How much of the offending food is too much? Why is the concept of a threshold level important? There have been very few studies to date on threshold doses for allergenic foods, and more research is needed in this important area.
Competitive equilibrium in e-commerce: Pricing and outsourcing

The success of firms engaged in e-commerce depends on their ability to understand and exploit the dynamics of the market. One component of this is the ability to extract maximum profit and minimize costs in the face of the harsh competition that the internet provides. We present a general framework for modeling the competitive equilibrium across two firms, or across a firm and the market as a whole. Within this framework, we study pricing choices and analyze the decision to outsource IT capability. Our framework is novel in that it allows for any number of distributions on usage levels, price-QoS tradeoffs, and price and cost structures.
Crystal structure of glycoprotein B from herpes simplex virus 1.

Glycoprotein B (gB) is the most conserved component of the complex cell-entry machinery of herpes viruses. A crystal structure of the gB ectodomain from herpes simplex virus type 1 reveals a multidomain trimer with unexpected homology to glycoprotein G from vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV G). An α-helical coiled-coil core relates gB to class I viral membrane fusion glycoproteins; two extended β hairpins with hydrophobic tips, homologous to fusion peptides in VSV G, relate gB to class II fusion proteins. Members of both classes accomplish fusion through a large-scale conformational change, triggered by a signal from a receptor-binding component. The domain connectivity within a gB monomer would permit such a rearrangement, including long-range translocations linked to viral and cellular membranes.
A Microscopical Study of the Structure of Meat Emulsions and Its Relationship to Thermal Stability

Meat emulsions were examined by light microscopy to determine the relationships between structure and emulsion stability. Beef-meat based emulsions were prepared either by varying chopping temperature or by adding soy plastic fats of different hardness. Formation of fat channels was observed in uncooked emulsions prepared either at a chopping temperature of 26°C or with soft plastic fat of 0.25cm−1 hardness index. Such fat channel formations caused discontinuity of protein matrix, leading to fat separation during cooking and weakening of textural strength of products. Changes in fat globule size and distribution as affected by melting properties or hardness of fats were clearly reflected by changes in emulsion stability. Results suggest that emulsion stability is determined largely by the physical properties of protein matrix and fat incorporated. Stable emulsions were obtained with fats of appropriate melting properties and hardness and relatively cohesive protein matrix under given comminution conditions which allowed uniform fat distribution.
Forecasting sales for a B2B product category: case of auto component product

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to improve the capability of managers to forecast revenues and develop marketing plans for B2B component products.Design/methodology/approach – The methodology used is a dynamic market simulation at the product level. A previously developed consumer goods speciality product forecasting model is extensively modified to capture the different parameters (i.e. direct selling) relevant to a business‐to‐business (B2B) component goods product category. A dynamic simulation is developed using a set of equations developed to capture the marketing mix. Using just the demand equation (total supply exogenous) and employing the entire model (supply endogenous), sales are predicted.Findings – The key findings are that the simulation produced more accurate (lower error) forecasts. The dynamic simulation for total demand for B2B auto components produced a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 8.5 percent, comparing favorably with the average MAPEs of 30 percent achieved by 168 co...
Drilling models for a synthetic cutting fluid

The primary objective of this research was to develop relationships which predict tool wear from measured cutting forces. Different cutting speeds and feed rates were examined. The workpiece materials used were a medium-carbon steel and a titanium alloy. A synthetic cutting fluid was used with a 9.525 mm drill and a 6.350 mm drill, for drilling the medium-carbon steel and the titanium alloy, respectively. Preliminary testing was conducted to find the optimal values for cutting speeds and feed rates. The main drilling tests were performed using the cutting conditions resulting from the preliminary tests. Statistical analysis of the results of the main drilling tests showed that the axial force was significant at the 5 per cent level in models for both materials. It also showed that the moment about the vertical axis was significant at the 5 percent and the 15 per cent levels in the models for the titanium alloy and the medium-carbon steel, respectively. The model for the smaller holes drilled into the more homogeneous material, the titanium alloy, was more accurate in predicting tool wear.
Equitable intent: reflections on Universal Design in education as an ethic of care

Teacher educators often stress caring as a vital part of professional practice. However, the intentional enacting of an ethic of care in a teacher preparation program is a nuanced and unobvious process. This reflective self‐study explores how two literacy instructors tried to demonstrate an ethic of care in a Language Arts methods course, a site where issues of equity are complicated by dominant and often exclusionary definitions of literacy within a larger, standards‐based climate. Seeking to generate conversations about equity in literacy education while ‘caring for’ our students, we applied developing educational principles of Universal Design. In this paper, we discuss the complicated considerations encountered as we integrated inclusive literacy practices within an ethic of care while tending to the pedagogical needs of pre‐service literacy teachers.
Local-Equilibrium Behavior of Retained pH and Ionic Strength Gradients in Preparative Chromatography

A local-equilibrium theory is developed and used to investigate the behavior of retained pH and ionic strength gradients formed on a strong-base anion-exchange column where both anion- and cation-forming buffering species are present. Analytical relations are presented for several simplified cases of practical interest and are used to illustrate factors governing the selection of the elution and presaturation buffers when retained pH and ionic strength gradients are employed for preparative protein chromatography.
Reassessment of heterokaryon formation in Rhizoctonia solani anastomosis group 4

ABSTRACTMating compatibility reactions were tested using homokaryotic strains belonging to anastomosis group 4 in the Rhizoctonia solani complex. Previous studies on mating patterns employed tuft f...
Biomechanics of tendon injury and repair

Many clinical and experimental studies have investigated how tendons repair in response to an injury. This body of work has led to a greater understanding of tendon healing mechanisms and subsequently to an improvement in their treatment. In this review paper, characterization of normal and healing tendons is first covered. In addition, the debate between intrinsic and extrinsic healing is examined, and the cellular and extracellular matrix response following a tendon injury is detailed. Next, clinical and experimental injury and repair methods utilizing animal models are discussed. Animal models have been utilized to study the effect of various activity levels, motions, injury methods, and injury locations on tendon injury and repair. Finally, current and future treatment modalities for improving tendon healing, such as tissue engineering, cell therapy, and gene therapy, are reviewed.
How much is an MPA worth? public administration education and federal career success

Using a one percent sample of federal personnel records, this paper compares the grades, salaries, job authority, and occupations of MPA-holders to those of federal employees with graduate degrees in business administration, law, the social sciences, and other fields. Even after the race, sex, experience, age, and educational levels of employees have been accounted for, a graduate degree in PA appears to increase career success more than most graduate education and at least as much as an MBA degree. PA programs remain a minor source of managerial personnel, however, and may become less important as competition with business and law schools increases.
Chemokine Receptor Expression and Signaling in Macaque and Human Fetal Neurons and Astrocytes: Implications for the Neuropathogenesis of AIDS

Chemokines are believed to play a role in the neuropathogenesis of AIDS through their recruitment of neurotoxin-secreting, virally infected leukocytes into the CNS. Levels of chemokines are elevated in brains of patients and macaques with HIV/SIV-induced encephalitis. The chemokine receptors CCR3, CCR5, and CXCR4 are found on subpopulations of neurons in the cortex of human and macaque brain. We have developed an in vitro system using both macaque and human fetal neurons and astrocytes to further investigate the roles of these receptors in neuronal response to inflammation. Here we report the presence of functional HIV/SIV coreceptors CCR3, CCR5, and CXCR4 on fetal human and macaque neurons and CCR5 and CXCR4 on astrocytes immediately ex vivo and after several weeks in culture. Confocal imaging of immunostained neurons demonstrated different patterns of distribution for these receptors, which may have functional implications. Chemokine receptors were shown to respond to their appropriate chemokine ligands with increases in intracellular calcium that, in the case of neurons, required predepolarization with KCl. These responses were blocked by neutralizing chemokine receptor in mAbs. Pretreatment of neural cells with pertussis toxin abolished responses to stromal-derived factor-1alpha, macrophage inflammatory protein-1beta, and RANTES, indicating coupling of CCR5 and CXCR4 to a Gialpha protein, as in leukocytes. Cultured macaque neurons demonstrated calcium flux response to treatment with recombinant SIVmac239 envelope protein, suggesting a mechanism by which viral envelope could affect neuronal function in SIV infection. The presence of functional chemokine receptors on neurons and astrocytes suggests that chemokines could serve to link inflammatory and neuronal responses.
Scheimpflug image-processing method for accurate measurement of ocular surfaces.

Purpose To develop a method to process Scheimpflug images to estimate higher-order variations in ocular surfaces. Setting New England College of Optometry, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Methods Zernike polynomial functions were used rather than lower-order surface functions to fit the ocular surfaces to evaluate higher-order variations. A related ray-tracing method was developed to correct optical distortion of the Scheimpflug image. Results The new method to process Scheimpflug images showed higher-order variations in the posterior corneal surface. In a simulation, ignoring higher-order variations in the anterior corneal surface, as in previous studies, produced an error as high as 202% for some estimated Zernike coefficients of the posterior corneal surface. Conclusion The results indicate that it is necessary to correct refractive distortion in Scheimpflug images using higher-order surface functions and that the method developed in this study can be used to process scheimpflug images for measurement of ocular wavefront aberrations. Financial Disclosure Neither author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Functional Impairment, Race, and Family Expectations of Death

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of functional impairment on family expectations of death and to examine how this association varies by race. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Community based. PARTICIPANTS: Two thousand two hundred thirty-seven family members of decedents from the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS), a national study of persons aged 50 and older. MEASUREMENTS: Families were interviewed within 2 years of the HRS participant's death. The primary outcome was whether death was expected. The primary predictors were the decedent's functional status (impairment in any activity of daily living (ADL; eating, dressing, transferring, toileting, or bathing) during the last 3 months of life and the decedent's race. RESULTS: Overall, 58% of families reported that their family member's death was expected. Expecting death was strongly associated with functional impairment; 71% of families of decedents with ADL disability expected death, compared with 24% of those without ADL disability (P<.01). Death was expected more often in families of white decedents (60%) than African Americans (49%) (P<.01), although the effect of ADL disability was similar in both groups. After adjustment for potentially confounding factors, there were still significant associations between expecting death and functional impairment (odds ratio (OR)=3.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.73–4.70), and families of African Americans expected death less often than families of white decedents (OR=0.63, 95% CI=0.46–0.86). CONCLUSION: Family members of older adults expected death only 58% of the time. Families of functionally impaired older people were more likely to expect death when it occurred than were families of older people who were not functionally impaired, and the expectation of death was lower for families of African Americans than for whites.
Solubility and emulsifying properties of soy protein isolates modified by pancreatin

Soy protein isolates (SPI) with varying degrees of hydrolysis (DH of 7, 11, 15, 17%) were produced using pancreatin. The surface hydrophobicity indices of pancreatin hydrolyzed SPI (PSPI) (34.5, 34.9, 39. 1, and 40.7 for 7, 11, 15, 17% DH, respectively) were higher than that of SPI (10.5) and control SPI (CSPI) (12.5, 11.9, 12.9, and 12.6 for 10, 60, 120, and 180 min incubation, respectively). The solubilities of PSPI at pH 4.5 were 2.7, 9.1, 11.9, and 18.7%, for 7, 11, 15, and 17% DH, respectively, while the solubilities of SPI and CSPI at the same pH were about 1. 6%. Solubilities of PSPI at pH 7. 0 were > 90% for all DHs tested, while those of SPI and CSPI were 85%. The emulsifying activity index (EAI) of PSPI increased with increasing DH. PSPI with 15% DH had highest EAI (1. 122) which was higher (P < 0. 05) than those of SPI (0.550) and CSPI after 120 min incubation without enzyme (0.568). These results suggest that PSPI could be used as an ingredient for emulsified products and where high solubility at low pH is required.
A Discussion of Avery Weisman's Notion of Appropriate Death

This article traces uses of the term “appropriate death,” as introduced by Avery Weisman in 1970, and some of the term's philosophic difficulties. It is concluded that “appropriate death” has been used to refer to a clustering of three components: 1) consistency in functioning; 2) idiosyncratic views of appropriate; and 3) features which contribute toward a better death. It is then argued that the core concept-the one which gives the term special usefulness-is an emphasis on the idiosyncratic. Comments concerning theoretical implications of “appropriate dying” are discussed relative to the concepts of living will and euthanasia.
Monthly Variations in Gross Composition of California Herd Milks

Abstract Data on the gross composition of herd milks were collected over 14 mo. Fifteen herds (five Jersey, four Guernsey, five Holstein, and one Shorthorn) from California's San Joaquin Valley were studied. An Infrared Milk Analyzer was used to determine fat, protein, lactose, and solids-not-fat in samples collected daily from farm tanks. Monthly variations were parallel for fat and protein concentrations in the milk from all breeds, winter milk containing more than summer milk. Monthly variations for lactose concentration were not as great as for fat and protein, with winter milk containing less than summer milk. Annual means for each component by breed did not differ from Illinois data collected 30 yr ago over 12 mo except for fat in Guernsey milk, which was .5% lower. Monthly variations in gross composition was the same in California as in Illinois. However, there appear to be differences from gross composition in 12 mo studies in South Dakota and North Carolina and for a shorter study in Pennsylvania.
Convective venting and surface ozone in Houston during TexAQS 2006

[1] The influence of convective mixing on surface ozone in Houston during TexAQS 2006 is examined. We use airborne lidar measurements of ozone and ship-based Doppler lidar measurements of winds, together with ship- and ground-based measurements of surface ozone to characterize horizontal and vertical mixing of ozone plumes from the Houston Ship Channel on two high-ozone days. We show that a stable capping layer trapped the plume in the boundary layer on 31 August, while shallow convection associated with active fair weather cumulus clouds mixed the plume with free tropospheric air on 17 August. Deep convection associated with an isolated air mass thunderstorm further decreased surface ozone near Galveston Bay in the late afternoon. High ozone thus affected a smaller area for a shorter period on 17 August, despite similar background concentrations and local production. We generalize these findings by comparing Houston ozone concentrations to National Weather Service (Lake Charles, LA) radiosondes. We show that for 1 June to 15 September 2006, stable conditions with high background ozone occurred 18% of the days leading to mean daily 8 h concentrations of 73 ± 11 ppbv. Shallow and deep convection associated with moderate to strongly unstable conditions lowered the mean ozone to 50 ± 11 ppbv (∼29% of days), while weaker convection associated with marginally unstable conditions reduced the mean concentrations to 63 ± 13 ppbv (∼11%). We use these observations to derive simple relationships between surface ozone and convective indicators that may prove useful for parameterization of convective venting in air quality models.
Which instruments are most commonly used to assess traumatic event exposure and posttraumatic effects?: A survey of traumatic stress professionals

We report findings from a Web-based survey of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies' members (n = 227) regarding use of trauma exposure and posttraumatic assessment instruments. Across clinical and research settings, the most widely used tests included the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale, Trauma Symptom Inventory, Life Events Checklist, Clinician-Administered Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Scale, PTSD Checklist, Impact of Event Scale—Revised, and Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children. Highest professional degree, time since degree award, and student status yielded no differences in extent of reported trauma assessment test use.
The police subculture and occupational socialization: Exploring individual and demographic characteristics

Popular in the law enforcement literature, the concept of the “police subculture” traditionally has been predicated on homogeneous personnel selections. Although female and minority representation has increased in law enforcement, the impact of females and minorities on the police subculture has not been empirically evaluated. Traditional research in this area has suggested that the socialization process is so intense and the subculture so strong that individual characteristics are quickly overwhelmed. However, these studies were undertaken prior to the mandated introduction of female and minority officers. Results of this study show no significant relationship exists between occupational identification and demographic characteristics; however, level of socialization does show a significant relationship to demographic variables. The sample consisted of four regularly scheduled academy classes with varying levels of police experience. This sample was selected due to the diversity in the level of police experience among respondents. It was hypothesized that demographic variables, such as race, gender, age, military experience and level of police experience, would not significantly affect occupational identification or levels of socialization. The data indicated that individual characteristics, such as race, gender, age, military experience, and level of police experience, did not appear to have a significant effect on occupational solidarity. These individual characteristics, however, were found to display significant relationships with level of socialization.
A Video Game-Based Mobile Robot Simulation Environment

Simulation is becoming an increasingly important aspect of mobile robots. As we are better able to simulate the real world, we can usefully perform more research in simulated environments. The key aspects of a good simulator, an accurate physics simulation and realistic graphical rendering system, are also central to modern computer games. In this paper, we describe a robot simulation environment built from technologies typically used in computer video games. The simulator is capable of simulating multiple robots, with realistic physics and rendering. It can also support human-controlled avatars using a traditional first-person interface. This allows us to perform robot-human interaction and collaboration studies in the simulated environment. The distributed nature of the simulation allows us to perform large-scale experiments, with users participating from geographically remote locations.
Efficient dynamic scheduling through tag elimination

An increasingly large portion of scheduler latency is derived from the monolithic content addressable memory (CAM) arrays accessed during instruction wakeup. The performance of the scheduler can be improved by decreasing the number of tag comparisons necessary to schedule instructions. Using detailed simulation-based analyses, we find that most instructions enter the window with at least one of their input operands already available. By putting these instructions into specialized windows with fewer tag comparators, load capacitance on the scheduler critical path can be reduced, with only very small effects on program throughput. For instructions with multiple unavailable operands, we introduce a last-tag speculation mechanism that eliminates all remaining tag comparators except those for the last arriving input operand. By combining these two tag-reduction schemes, we are able to construct dynamic schedulers with approximately one quarter of the tag comparators found in conventional designs. Conservative circuit-level timing analyses indicate that the optimized designs are 20-45% faster and require 10-20% less power, depending on instruction window size.
Alemtuzumab and minimization immunotherapy in kidney transplantation: long-term results of comparison with rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin and standard triple maintenance therapy.

Abstract Background Efforts to improve long-term patient and allograft survival have included use of induction therapies as well as steroid and/or calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) avoidance/minimization. Methods This is a retrospective review of kidney transplant recipients between September 2004 and July 2009. Immune minimization (group 1; n = 182) received alemtuzumab induction, low-dose CNI, and mycophenolic acid (MPA). Conventional immunosuppression (group 2; n = 232) received rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin, standard-dose CNI, MPA, and prednisone. Results Both groups were followed up for same length of time (49.4 ± 21.7 months; P = .12). Patient survival was also similar (90% vs 94%; P = .14). Death-censored graft survival was inferior in group 1 compared with group 2 (86% vs 96%, respectively; P = .003). On multivariate analysis, group 1 was an independent risk factor for graft loss (aHR = 2.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32–5.26; P = .006). Biopsy-proven acute rejection occurred more in group 1, due to late rejections compared with group 2 (7% vs 2%; P Conclusion Minimization of maintenance immunosuppression after alemtuzumab correlated with higher acute rejection and inferior graft survival compared with thymoglobulin and conventional triple immunotherapy.
Portfolio Assessment of Multicultural Counseling Competency

Portfolio assessment is an alternate approach to the measurement of multicultural counseling competency. Most approaches to the assessment of multicultural counseling competency have focused on the development of point-in-time instruments that determine the degree to which an individual has acquired the awareness, knowledge, and skills associated with being a multiculturally competent counselor. A portfolio assessment encourages the learner to present concrete evidence that demonstrates his or her current level of multicultural counseling competency. This approach can be effective at both identifying the level of multicultural counseling competency for purposes of evaluation and for stimulating the development of further competence. The strengths and weaknesses of this approach to assessment of multicultural counseling competency are also discussed.
Rat and Mouse Brain Corticosterone

A procedure has been developed for determining the amount of corticosterone in mouse and rat brains. Recovery of corticosterone was shown to be between 80 and 90%. Using this procedure, values for basal levels of brain corticosterone have been obtained. Brain corticosterone levels following ether stress were also determined and were shown to change as rapidly as plasma levels. Corticosterone levels in several brain regions as well as its distribution in subcellular fractions have been determined. Chronic injection of ACTH into BALB/cJ female mice elevated brain corticosterone at a time when the plasma levels were not significantly different from those of the saline-injected controls. It is thought that the direct determination of brain corticosterone offers an approach which is potentially enlightening in the study of the interrelationship between plasma glucocorticoids and ACTH secretion. (Endocrinology 90: 1091, 1972)
The Arabinitol Appearance Rate in Laboratory Animals and Humans: Estimation from the Arabinitol/Creatinine Ratio and Relevance to the Diagnosis of Candidiasis

The effects of renal function on serum concentrations of the candidal metabolite arabinitol were studied by examining the accumulation and elimination of arabinitol in animals and humans. Serum concentrations of arabinitol rose sharply and in direct proportion to creatinine concentrations after nephrectomy in rats. The serum half-life of exogenous arabinitol was 20.8 hr in anephric rats but only 0.62 hr in shamnephrectomized control animals. The mean - SD apparent space of distribution of arabinitol was 419 - 26 ml/kg. The fraction of exogenously administered arabinitol recovered in the urine was 0.73 - 0.13 in uremic rats, 0.85 - 0.28 in control rats, and 0.95 - 0.10 in normal dogs. The arabinitol/creatinine clearance ratio was 0.99 - 0.08 in normal dogs and 0.99 - 0.25 in 22 critically ill patients with cancer. Thus arabinitol is eliminated by nearly quantitative urinary excretion and is cleared at virtually the same rate as creatinine. Therefore, the rate of arabinitol appearance in the body from any source equals the urinary arabinitol excretion rate and is directly proportional to the concentration ratio of arabinitol to creatinine in serum or urine.
Farmworker Housing: A Photo Essay

Migrant and seasonal farmworkers often reside in poor housing conditions which expose them to numerous hazards. These housing conditions are an issue of environmental health and justice. The photographs in this essay illustrate the living conditions confronted by farmworkers, offering a visual context for the reviews published in this issue of New Solutions. Farmworker housing conditions are often shocking to those who have not visited farmworker communities. Continued research is needed to document these conditions, how they affect the health of farmworkers, and provide leverage in the struggle to improve farmworker housing conditions.
United Church of Christ v. FCC: Private Attorneys General and the Rule of Law

The D.C. Circuit in 1966 and 1969 issued two opinions in United Church of Christ v. FCC case that addressed the failure of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to police the racist behavior of a Jackson, Mississippi television station, WLBT. Both opinions were at the forefront of the "reformation" of administrative law that was occurring at the time. They were also important in the civil rights struggle in the South. The first impact is now only dimly appreciated, and the second is almost entirely overlooked. This essay argues we should regard United Church of Christ as a significant and still important case in administrative law. The decisions were the beginning of the end for the unfair and biased treatment of racial issues by southern television stations. The history of the case therefore demonstrates the important role that private attorneys general can play in prompting the public interest and the rule of law. Moreover, the decisions paved the way for two important doctrinal developments which followed the case. First, they were in the vanguard of the judicial movement in the 1960's and 1970's to give standing to regulatory beneficiaries to sue agencies for illegally failing to protect consumers, workers, and the environment. The Supreme Court, however, has ignored this important value in recent decisions which have restricted standing, despite the fact that agencies are still liable to be captured by the industry groups that they are suppose to regulate. Second, the case was also foundational for the development of the "hard look" doctrine, which is linked to standing for private attorneys general such as the Office of Church of Christ. Nevertheless, the "hard look" doctrine has turned out to be a mixed blessing for public interest and environmental advocates since it is readily subject to misuse. Its importance to private attorneys general litigation, however, counsels against scrapping the concept.
Measuring Downside and Upside Volatilities from Options

We introduce a methodology to extract the downside and upside implied volatilities from European options. Our proposed methodology is based on partitioning the total implied volatility into downside and upside portions. We extract the downside and upside volatilities for S&P 500 for the years 2007-2011. Not surprisingly, we find that in general the downside volatility is greater than the upside. However, our method gives a way to quantify the difference. We also find that in the recent years of 2010-2011, the downside volatility accounts for a larger portion of the total volatility when compared with the tumultuous parts of 2007-2009.
White matter development and tobacco smoking in young adults: A systematic review with recommendations for future research.

Abstract Background Adolescence and young adulthood are critical vulnerability periods for initiation of tobacco smoking. White matter development is ongoing during this time and may be influenced by exposure to nicotine. Synthesis of findings from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies of adolescent and young adult smokers may be helpful in understanding the relationship between neurodevelopment and initiation and progression of tobacco-use behaviors and in guiding further research. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted to identify DTI studies comparing adolescent and young adult (mean age Results All identified studies reported increases in fractional anisotropy (FA) among adolescent/young adult smokers in comparison to non-smokers. Increased FA was most frequently reported in regions of the corpus callosum (genu, body and spenium), internal capsule and superior longitudinal fasciculus. Conclusions Findings of increased FA among adolescent/young adult smokers are contrary to those from most adult studies and thus raise the possibility of differential effects of nicotine on white matter across the lifespan. Further research including multiple time points is needed to test this hypothesis. Other areas warranting further research include DTI studies of e-cigarette use and studies incorporating measures of pubertal stage.
A Comparative Analysis of the Performance of Alternative Discriminant Procedures: An application to bankruptcy prediction

Abstract A general class of problems in finance involves the discrimination of membership between discrete groups. Linear Multivariate Discriminant Analysis (MDA) is the most commonly used technique to accomplish this objective. However, a number of recent studies have been critical of linear MDA as an optimal method since, in practice, the data often do not meet the assumptions of the MDA. Alternative techniques suggested in the literature include: Logistic Regression (LOGIT) and a few non-parametric techniques. Of the non-parametric procedures, Linear Goal Programming (LGP) has recently been proposed. LOGIT and LGP have the advantage that they are not limited by the restrictive assumptions of the MDA. This paper attempts to compare the performance of these techniques using bankruptcy prediction as the research vehicle. We demonstrate marginally superior performance of Linear Goal Programming (LGP) and Logistic Regression (LOGIT) over Multivariate Discriminant Analysis (MDA) in group discrimination accuracy.
Management experiences and trends for water reuse implementation in Northern California.

In 2010, California fell nearly 300,000 acre-ft per year (AFY) short of its goal to recycle 1,000,000 AFY of municipal wastewater. Growth of recycled water in the 48 Northern California counties represented only 20% of the statewide increase in reuse between 2001 and 2009. To evaluate these trends and experiences, major drivers and challenges that influenced the implementation of recycled water programs in Northern California are presented based on a survey of 71 program managers conducted in 2010. Regulatory requirements limiting discharge, cited by 65% of respondents as a driver for program implementation, historically played an important role in motivating many water reuse programs in the region. More recently, pressures from limited water supplies and needs for system reliability are prevalent drivers. Almost half of respondents (49%) cited ecological protection or enhancement goals as drivers for implementation. However, water reuse for direct benefit of natural systems and wildlife habitat represent...
Micro-HPLC Detectors: A Review

Detecteurs optiques, a barette de diodes, laser, electrochimiques, du type CG, a induction de plasma
Economic Injury Levels and Binomial Sampling Program for Lesser Cornstalk Borer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Seedling Grain Sorghum

Lesser cornstalk borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller), larvae are important soil pests of seedling grain sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). The relationship between numbers of larvae and crop yield was determined; economic injury levels were calculated for several control costs and commodity prices. Larvae lowered yield over a wide range of growing conditions, and the economic injury level was low at all control costs and commodity prices. A binomial sampling program was developed to estimate larval population density in grain sorghum. Although this is an efficient sampling technique for soil pests, the cost is prohibitive for scouting programs in grain sorghum production situations because a large number of samples is needed to estimate small population densities with acceptable precision.
Overwintering Survival of the Adult Alfalfa Weevil

Acclimated adult alfalfa weevils, in envelope cages, were placed in alfalfa fields and along their borders near Ithaca during early December. Subsequently cages were collected at 3-wk intervals through March. Total overwintering survival in all sites was 25%. There was no consistent difference in survival between sites or fields. The rate of survival was not constant through the winter period, but decreased markedly in late January and February.
Case Studies of Air Filtration at Microscales: Micro- and Nanofiber Media

In this work, 3-D fibrous geometries are developed to resemble the microstructure of spun-bonded and electrospun filters media and used here to simulate their filtration efficiency and pressure drop. For the sake of simplicity, a continuum flow theory was considered to prevail for the case of spun-bonded media (microfiber media) whereas our electrospun media (nanofiber media) were assumed to be in a free molecular flow regime. Our simulations results are in good general agreement with the experimental data. Especially, in predicting media’s pressure drop, our results show better predictions when compared to some of the existing models. We also quantitatively demonstrated that by decreasing the fiber diameter, the minimum collection efficiency of the media having identical pressure drops increases. This effect is accompanied by a decrease in the particle diameter associated with these minimum efficiencies – the most penetrating particle diameter. Studying the influence of the gas temperature, we showed that filter’s efficiency increases as the gas temperature increases. Conversely, the filter’s pressure drop decreases by increasing the gas temperature.
Connection Between Experiences of Bullying and Risky Behaviors in Middle and High School Students

The goal of the current study was to investigate the association of experiences of bullying with 17 individual risk behaviors in a large, non-clinical sample of middle and high school students. Data were analyzed from the 2013 Georgia Student Health Survey II, administered to 6th–12th grade students in all public schools in Georgia (n = 513,909). Bullied students reported higher levels of engagement in every risk behavior investigated, with the largest connections related to safety-related absenteeism (OR 25.4, p < 0.001 and OR 17.0, p < 0.001 for high/middle school students, respectively) and bringing a weapon to school (OR 10.9, p < 0.001 and OR 6.81, p < 0.001 for high/middle school students, respectively). Overall, the current findings reveal alarming relationships between bullying and risk-taking behaviors that suggest bullying is associated with a large portion of substance use, self-harm, and weapons seen in middle and high school students. These behaviors place bullied children at risk of long-term physical and psychological consequences, as well as potential legal complications.
A pantodont (Mammalia) from the latest Puercan North American Land Mammal Age (earliest Paleocene) of the Western Interior, USA

Discovery of an Alcidedorbignya-like isolated upper molar in an early Paleocene (latest Puercan, Puercan 3, North American Land Mammal Age) local fauna found in the Tullock Member of the Fort Union...
NSAIDs Induced Regulation of Alternatively Spliced Transcript Isoforms: Possible Role in Cancer and Alzheimer Disease.

Background: Alternative splicing is one of the post transcriptional modifications through which multiple mRNA isoforms are produced from any gene, also known as splice variants. These are expressed in tissue and developmental stage specific manner that are important during the development. Most human genes undergo alternative splicing, thus contributing to the diversity of proteins. However, many abnormal splicing processes may result in human diseases. Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are medications that act as analgesics, anti-pyretics and antiinflammatory by affecting Cox genes and their products. Usually NSAIDs cause gastrotoxicity however, isozyme-specific NSAIDs exhibit a comparatively reduced gastrotoxic effect. Such NSAIDs have a broader range of application particularly as chemo-preventive drugs. It is known that changes at the active site of an enzyme may illicit a diverse range of responses. Such changes might explain the underlying reason as to why patients appear to respond differently to different NSAIDs. Methods: An extensive literature search has been carried out using Pubmed and web of science databases considering the papers in last 10 years mainly on alternative splicing and NSAIDs. Conclusion: We have reviewed in detail the insight into the action of NSAIDs targeting specific isoforms of different genes. In future, the complete understanding of NSAIDs associated genes and their expression studies may be helpful in generating drugs with increased specificity.
Distributed Autonomous Virtual Resource Management in Datacenters Using Finite-Markov Decision Process

To provide robust infrastructure as a service, clouds currently perform load balancing by migrating virtual machines (VMs) from heavily loaded physical machines (PMs) to lightly loaded PMs. Previous reactive load balancing algorithms migrate VMs upon the occurrence of load imbalance, while previous proactive load balancing algorithms predict PM overload to conduct VM migration. However, both methods cannot maintain long-term load balance and produce high overhead and delay due to migration VM selection and destination PM selection. To overcome these problems, in this paper, we propose a proactive Markov Decision Process (MDP)-based load balancing algorithm. We handle the challenges of allying MDP in virtual resource management in cloud datacenters, which allows a PM to proactively find an optimal action to transit to a lightly loaded state that will maintain for a longer period of time. We also apply the MDP to determine destination PMs to achieve long-term PM load balance state. Our algorithm reduces the numbers of service level agreement (SLA) violations by long-term load balance maintenance, and also reduces the load balancing overhead (e.g., CPU time and energy) and delay by quickly identifying VMs and destination PMs to migrate. We further propose enhancement methods for higher performance. First, we propose a cloud profit oriented reward system in the MDP model so that when the MDP tries to maximize the rewards for load balance, it concurrently improves the actual profit of the datacenter. Second, we propose a new MDP model, which considers the actions for both migrating a VM out of a PM and migrating a VM into a PM, in order to reduce the overhead and improve the effectiveness of load balancing. Our trace-driven experiments show that our algorithm outperforms both previous reactive and proactive load balancing algorithms in terms of SLA violation, load balancing efficiency, and long-term load balance maintenance. Our experimental results also show the effectiveness of our proposed enhancement methods.
Oral Contraceptives and the Occurrence of Disease

During the past two decades, numerous clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory studies have been conducted in an effort to clarify the effects of oral contraceptives (OCs) on the health of women. These studies have shown that, in addition to preventing unwanted pregnancy, OCs influence the occurrence of various diseases. For some of these diseases the influence is beneficial, while for others it is adverse. During the 1960s to the mid-1970s, research on OCs and health was focused primarily on the major adverse effects such as an increased risk of cardiovascular disease1. Subsequently, important beneficial effects have also been described such as a decreased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease2. The major reason for this progression from risks to benefits is that case reports of unusual illnesses in OC users have stimulated the early investigation of adverse effects. For beneficial effects, there are no case reports, and more systematic research is necessary. This demonstrates the importance of a comprehensive approach for evaluation of the overall benefits and risks of OCs.