cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Artificial amplification of warming trends across the mountains of the western United States

Observations from the main mountain climate station network in the western United States (U.S.) suggest that higher elevations are warming faster than lower elevations. This has led to the assumption that elevation-dependent warming is prevalent throughout the region with impacts to water resources and ecosystem services. Here we critically evaluate this network's temperature observations and show that extreme warming observed at higher elevations is the result of systematic artifacts and not climatic conditions. With artifacts removed, the network's 1991–2012 minimum temperature trend decreases from +1.16°C decade−1 to +0.106°C decade−1 and is statistically indistinguishable from lower elevation trends. Moreover, longer-term widely used gridded climate products propagate the spurious temperature trend, thereby amplifying 1981–2012 western U.S. elevation-dependent warming by +217 to +562%. In the context of a warming climate, this artificial amplification of mountain climate trends has likely compromised our ability to accurately attribute climate change impacts across the mountainous western U.S.
Assessment and Accountability in Secondary Physical Education

Accountability surrounds us in our daily lives. It is a key to keeping students on task and augmenting learning. Physical educators can use various types of accountability to increase the quantity and quality of student response rates. Accountability can take avariety of forms, with grading being used most often, along with public recognition, high-tech heart monitoring equipment, trophies, and other material rewards. Authentic assessments are becoming another way to hold students and teachers accountable for subject matter competency rather than completion of a class. When accountability and assessment are used in conjunction with goal setting and task-oriented teaching, instructional alignment occurs. Assessment and accountability need to be applied to the instructional task system as part of an effective physical education program.
Using the common sense model of self-regulation to understand the relationship between symptom reporting and trait negative affect.

Background/Purpose Based on the Common Sense Model of Self-Regulation, we examined if the relationship of trait NA to physical symptom reporting was moderated by life events and illness representations.
Photoperiodic responses in experimental hybrids of cockleburs

HYBRID intermediacy in night requirements for flowering has been reported in a study1 of latitudinal variation of photoperiodic adaptation in cockleburs (Xanthium strumarium L.). The report stated that the data showed that different strains produced F1 hybrids photoperiodically intermediate between the parents and that segregation for critical night lengths was observed in the F2 generation. Ray (personal communication) feels, however, that the hybrid evaluation was possibly affected by facultative apomixis. I have also demonstrated2,3 intermediacy of the photoperiodic response in F1 hybrids in Xanthium but have not found evidence of apomixis in emasculated plants.
Cooperation versus multiplexing: multicast scheduling algorithms for OFDMA relay networks

With the next-generation cellular networks making a transition toward smaller cells, two-hop orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) relay networks have become a dominant, mandatory component in the 4G standards (WiMAX 802.16j, 3GPP LTE-Adv). While unicast flows have received reasonable attention in two-hop OFDMA relay networks, not much light has been shed on the design of efficient scheduling algorithms for multicast flows. Given the growing importance of multimedia broadcast and multicast services (MBMS) in 4G networks, the latter forms the focus of this paper. We show that while relay cooperation is critical for improving multicast performance, it must be carefully balanced with the ability to multiplex multicast sessions and hence maximize aggregate multicast flow. To this end, we highlight strategies that carefully group relays for cooperation to achieve this balance. We then solve the multicast scheduling problem under two OFDMA subchannelization models. We establish the NP-hardness of the scheduling problem even for the simpler model and provide efficient algorithms with approximation guarantees under both models. Evaluation of the proposed solutions reveals the efficiency of the scheduling algorithms as well as the significant benefits obtained from the multicasting strategy.
Permanent, Sex-Selective Effects of Prenatal or Adolescent Nicotine Exposure, Separately or Sequentially, in Rat Brain Regions: Indices of Cholinergic and Serotonergic Synaptic Function, Cell Signaling, and Neural Cell Number and Size at 6 Months of Age

Nicotine is a neuroteratogen that disrupts neurodevelopment and synaptic function, with vulnerability extending into adolescence. We assessed the permanence of effects in rats on indices of neural cell number and size, and on acetylcholine and serotonin (5HT) systems, conducting assessments at 6 months of age, after prenatal nicotine exposure, adolescent exposure, or sequential exposure in both periods. For prenatal nicotine, indices of cell number and size showed few abnormalities by 6 months, but there were persistent deficits in cerebrocortical choline acetyltransferase activity and hemicholinium-3 binding to the presynaptic choline transporter, a pattern consistent with cholinergic hypoactivity; these effects were more prominent in males than females. The expression of 5HT receptors also showed permanent effects in males, with suppression of the 5HT(1A) subtype and upregulation of 5HT(2) receptors. In addition, cell signaling through adenylyl cyclase showed heterologous uncoupling of neurotransmitter responses. Nicotine exposure in adolescence produced lasting effects that were similar to those of prenatal nicotine. However, when animals were exposed to prenatal nicotine and received nicotine subsequently in adolescence, the adverse effects then extended to females, whereas the net effect in males was similar to that of prenatal nicotine by itself. Our results indicate that prenatal or adolescent nicotine exposure evoke permanent changes in synaptic function that transcend the recovery of less-sensitive indices of structural damage; further, prenatal exposure sensitizes females to the subsequent adverse effects of adolescent nicotine, thus creating a population that may be especially vulnerable to the lasting behavioral consequences of nicotine intake in adolescence.
Prevalence and clinical significance of stent fracture and deformation following carotid artery stenting

Objective Carotid artery stenting (CAS) is a developing intervention for carotid artery stenosis, and long-term outcomes remain unclear. We examined the prevalence and clinical significance of carotid stent fractures or deformations following CAS. Methods Two hundred thirty-one CAS performed in 219 patients at one academic institution between August 2000 and March 2009 were reviewed. One hundred sixteen stents (57 closed cell, 59 open cell) were evaluated with multiplanar plain films of the neck to assess for stent fracture or deformation. Stent fracture was identified by wire strut disruption. Deformation was defined as an increase in stent-cell area from stent strut distortion. Study endpoints included rate of stent fracture or deformation determined using Kaplan–Meier and life table analysis. Factors associated with stent fracture or deformation were identified by Cox regression. Effect of stent fracture or deformation on recurrent carotid artery stenosis >70% requiring reintervention and postoperative stroke was studied. Results There were five stent fractures (4%) and 27 deformed stents (23%). Rate of stent fracture or deformation was 15% at 2 years and 50% at 4 years. Deformations were significantly more common in open cell stents than in closed cell stents (58% vs 5% at 4 years, P Conclusions Stent fracture and deformation is not uncommon following CAS and is associated with the presence of heavy calcification. Whether a carotid stent fractures or deforms correlates with stent design. Larger studies are necessary to determine the possible clinical significance of carotid stent fracture and deformation.
Measuring the impact of different veterinary service programs on dairy herd health and milk production

Abstract This paper presents estimates of the relative impacts on reproductive status, the incidence of mastitis, and milk production of different types of veterinary service programs. The effects of veterinary services, categorized as emergency, scheduled and mixed, were modeled as a recursive system in which services affect herd health and health affects milk output. Veterinary services also affect milk output directly. Estimates are based on a small sample of dairies from the Tulare milkshed of California, and attention is concentrated on obtaining accurate data and addressing conceptual problems in modeling the effects of veterinary services. The data were pooled over dairies and months. Multiple regression was used to estimate production or yield functions for measures of herd reproductive health, under health, and milk. The data were corrected for autocorrelation and heteroskedasticity in the regression residuals. Student's t -statistic was used for test of significance. The estimated yield equations were used to calculate changes in health and milk output from changes in veterinary services. Currently available measures of herd reproductive status may not be valid for measuring reproductive health, because they confound management decisions with health status. Available data on udder health are satisfactory. The relative effects of different veterinary service programs were found to differ according to the aspects of herd performance being examined, and it may be important to account for indirect effects of scheduled services that are manifested through management.
Pigtailed single-mode fiber optic light modulator in silicon

The performance of a light modulator at a 1.3 mu m wavelength based on the plasma effect in silicon is described. The modulator is directly coupled to a single-mode fiber pigtail in a simple and robust package. The measured modulation index is 24% with a 3-dB bandwidth of 60 MHz, and the insertion loss is 5 dB. This modulator has applications in data acquisition from silicon sensors and other silicon ICs. >
Denoising three-dimensional and colored images using a Bayesian multi-scale model for photon counts

X-ray images of distant stars and galaxies are typically registered by low photon counts at the pixel level, for which the Poisson distribution is a sensible model description. The resulting count data can be represented in a multi-scale framework, where the likelihood function factorizes in functions of relative intensity parameters corresponding to different levels from the whole frame down to the pixel level. In a Bayesian approach, a prior is assigned on these relative intensity parameters independently across levels and the image is reconstructed using the posterior mean of intensity parameter of each pixel. A novel prior which allows ties in the values of relative intensity parameters of neighboring regions has been recently shown to be very successful in finding structures in images. We extend this idea to reconstruct colored images from noisy data. The proposed method is completely data-driven, since all smoothing parameters are automatically estimated from the data without any additional user input. In the context of astronomical X-ray images, color represents the energy level of photons, which are also typically recorded by telescopes. The energy level can be considered as the third dimension of images. In a more general sense, the technique we develop applies to all three dimensional images, and can be used to process medical images as well.
BDNF/NT4-5 receptor TrkB and cadherin participate in cell-cell adhesion

The neurotrophin receptor TrkB plays a key role in promoting cell survival and differentiation in the nervous system. Two adhesive motifs in the extracellular domain of TrkB have been proposed based on its predicted secondary structure. To investigate the potential adhesive function of trkB, a full length trkB cDNA was stably transfected into NIH 3T3 cells and TrkB-expressing clones isolated. Transfectant clones producing different levels of TrkB protein were subjected to a homotypic aggregation assay. Results showed that parental cells were non-adhesive during the assay while TrkB-expressing cells displayed varying degrees of aggregation depending on the amount of TrkB protein expressed. The observed adhesion was Ca(2+)-, Mg(2+)-, and temperature-dependent, characteristics shared by the cadherin family of adhesion molecules. The transfected cell lines also expressed cadherin in proportion to TrkB expression and both molecules were required for cell adhesion. Double immunofluorescence staining studies showed that TrkB was colocalized with cadherin and catenin at cell-cell contact sites. Whether TrkB and cadherin mediate adhesion separately or synergistically remains to be determined.
IS STUXNET PHYSICAL? DOES IT MATTER?

Cyber-weapons are software and software, at least intuitively, is non-physical. Several authors have noted that this potentially renders problematic the application of normative frameworks like UN Charter Article 2(4) to cyber-weapons. If Article 2(4) only proscribes the use of physical force, and if cyber-weapons are non-physical, then cyber-weapons fall outside the purview of Article 2(4). This article explores the physicality of software, examining Stuxnet in particular. First, I show that with a few relatively uncontroversial metaphysical claims we can secure the conclusion that Stuxnet is physical. In particular, there exist instances of Stuxnet that are both located in space and causally efficacious, and this is very strong evidence for their being physical. Second, I argue that the question of physicality is actually irrelevant for the moral evaluation of an attack like Stuxnet because of its undeniably physical effects. Finally, I argue that some features of Stuxnet should make us optimistic about...
A comparison of sample handling and analytical methods for determination of acid volatile sulfides in sediment

Proper sample storage and analytical techniques are required when analyzing anoxic sediment for acid volatile sulfide (AVS), because a change in redox state may alter sediment parameters. The goal of this study was to determine the optimum sample handling, storage, and analytical techniques to adopt when determining AVS concentrations in sediment. To determine the correct handling and storage protocols for use with anoxic sediment, samples of three different AVS levels were manipulated under a combination of the following handling and storage plans: handled on benchtop or under nitrogen atmosphere; preserved with zinc acetate (ZnAc) or not preserved, and stored at 4 °C or frozen (< − 20 °C). The data indicate that sulfide levels are best maintained when samples are handled under a nitrogen atmosphere, stored at 4 °C or frozen, and analyzed within 2 weeks of collection. To determine the best analytical procedure for the determination of AVS in sediment, the following methods were compared: colorimetric, gravimetric, ion-selective electrode, and photoionization detection. The colorimetric method was preferred.
Hemispheric bias of the mini-mental state examination in elderly males

In this study we examined the influence of lateralized brain lesions on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) performance using the psychometric concepts of intercept and slope bias. Four patient groups of elderly males (normal control, right-hemisphere stroke, left-hemisphere stroke, and dementia) were studied. Right-and left-hemisphere stroke groups were equated for global level of neuropsychological impairment independently of their MMSE performances. Results indicated that the right-hemisphere stroke patients' MMSE scores did not differ from those of controls but were significantly superior to the left-hemisphere stroke and dementia patients' MMSE performances. Additionally, correlations between the MMSE and three neuropsychological composite measures assessing global, verbal, and nonverbal skills, demonstrated poor correspondence among patients with lateralized lesions, especially those with right-hemisphere brain dysfunction. Results are interpreted as supporting the presence of both intercept and slope bias when the MMSE is used with patients having unilateral lesions.
A depressed adolescent at high risk of suicidal behavior.

A 15-year-old white male was brought to the hospital emergency department after an intentional ingestion of about 20 tablets of acetaminophen in a suicide attempt. His mother had found him lying in his bed listening to loud music, an empty pill bottle on the floor next to him. Earlier the boy had come home from a baseball game visibly upset and reported that kids from the team had blamed him for losing the game.
Kinetic Analysis of the RNA-Dependent Adenosinetriphosphatase Activity of DbpA, an Escherichia coli DEAD Protein Specific for 23S Ribosomal RNA†

The adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) activity of the Escherichia coli DEAD protein DbpA is unusual in that it is specifically stimulated by 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA). A coupled spectroscopic ATPase assay was used to investigate the interaction of DbpA with RNA and ATP. A 153-base fragment of domain V of 23S rRNA is kinetically identical to intact, native rRNA in activating DbpA: kcat = 600 min-1, Kapp(RNA) = 10 nM, and Km(ATP) = 120 μM. The ATPase turnover in the absence of RNA is 0.25 min-1. Fragments of 23S rRNA lacking this site (nucleotides 2454−2606) are essentially inactive, as are other RNAs such as poly(A) and tRNA. The relative RNA specificity of DbpA ranges from 103 to 106 [kmax/Kapp(RNA)]. The interaction with this small RNA fragment was further investigated with regard to stoichiometry, pH, salt and temperature. DbpA is not activated by E. coli ribosomes, nor by large subunits, while denatured ribosomes stimulate full ATPase activity. Taken together with the tight, site-specific binding to nak...
Eyewitness Testimony of Children1

The effects of age of witness and age of suspect on eyewitness testimony were investigated. Forty-eight elementary-school children and forty-eight college students viewed a slide sequence of a mock crime. This was followed by photo identification of the suspect, descriptive and peripheral objective questions related to the crime, and a second photo identification of the suspect. The results indicated that descriptive questions were answered better than peripheral questions by adults, whereas there was no difference between question types for children. Children and adults were equally accurate in photo identification per se, but children were less stable in their choices from test to retest. There was no evidence of an interaction of age of witness with age of suspect in photo identification.
‘It is because of our Islam that we are there’: The Call of Islam in the United Democratic Front Era

Abstract This article examines the South African Islamic anti-apartheid organisation, the Call of Islam, in order to understand how progressive South African ‘ulama navigated the contested territory of Islam through an interpretation of the Qur'an that demanded a Muslim alliance with the oppressed in the anti-apartheid struggle and a South African Islam. The emergence of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in 1983 in reaction to the apartheid government's Tricameral Parliament created a space in which South African Muslims could enter the national anti-apartheid struggle according to their religious rather than ethnic identity. To illustrate the historical development of the Call of Islam and its affiliation with the UDF, the article will first outline the formation of the UDF in the Western Cape, the geographical area with the largest concentration of Muslims in South Africa. The focus will then turn to the impact of the UDF on the Cape's Muslim community, particularly the divide that developed amongst its...
Chorionic villus sampling is associated with normal fetal growth

Seventy-eight singleton term neonates, delivered of women who were 35 years of age or older after chorionic villus sampling at 9 to 11 weeks' gestation, were compared with 1335 singleton control neonates delivered at term of mothers 35 years of age or older before the clinical application of chorionic villus sampling at our institution. No statistically significant differences were found in birth weight, crown-heel length, or ponderal index between control neonates and neonates delivered after chorionic villus sampling. The sample sizes necessary to detect a 5% difference in population means at an alpha error level of 0.05 and beta error level of 0.1 were calculated for the measured variables and achieved before analysis. This study suggests that patients undergoing chorionic villus sampling are not at increased risk for the development of decreased fetal growth or intrauterine growth retardation.
The influence of interfacial energies and gravitational levels on the directionally solidified structures in hypermonotectic alloys

Various Cu-Pb-Al alloys were directionally solidified under 1-g conditions and alternating high-g/low-g conditions (achieved using NSAS's KC-135 aircraft) as a means of studying the influence of interfacial energies and gravitational levels on the resulting microstructures. Directional solidification of low Al content alloys was found to result in samples with coarser more irregular microstructures than in alloys with high Al contents under all the gravity conditions considered. Structures are correlated with interfacial energies, growth rates, and gravitational levels.
The emerging CEO agenda

Abstract This article identifies and articulates the major challenges facing CEOs of large multinational firms. Analysis of recent surveys and interviews highlights eight challenges: 1. Developing growth avenues, 2. Raising productivity, 3. Competing for talent, 4. Managing diverse risks, 5. Tightening corporate governance, 6. Incorporating sustainability, 7. Creating new innovation models, and 8. Building out new infrastructures. This large and broad set of issues involves new twists on known challenges and the emergence of new challenges. These challenges are demanding because they require new types of non-business expertise, their rules are not yet clear, and they are interdependent. CEOs need to craft an agenda for dealing individually and collectively with these issues.
Visual Touch in Virtual Environments: An Exploratory Study of Presence, Multimodal Interfaces, and Cross-Modal Sensory Illusions

How do users generate an illusion of presence in a rich and consistent virtual environment from an impoverished, incomplete, and often inconsistent set of sensory cues? We conducted an experiment to explore how multimodal perceptual cues are integrated into a coherent experience of virtual objects and spaces. Specifically, we explored whether inter-modal integration contributes to generating the illusion of presence in virtual environments. To discover whether intermodal integration might play a role in presence, we looked for evidence of intermodal integration in the form of cross-modal interactions---perceptual illusions in which users use sensory cues in one modality to “fill in” the “missing” components of perceptual experience. One form of cross-modal interaction, a cross-modal transfer, is defined as a form of synesthesia, that is, a perceptual illusion in which stimulation to a sensory modality connected to the interface (such as the visual modality) is accompanied by perceived stimulation to an unconnected sensory modality that receives no apparent stimulation from the virtual environment (such as the haptic modality). Users of our experimental virtual environment who manipulated the visual analog of a physical force, a virtual spring, reported haptic sensations of “physical resistance”, even though the interface included no haptic displays. A path model of the data suggested that this cross-modal illusion was correlated with and dependent upon the sensation of spatial and sensory presence. We conclude that this is evidence that presence may derive from the process of multi-modal integration and, therefore, may be associated with other illusions, such as cross-modal transfers, that result from the process of creating a coherent mental model of the space. Finally, we suggest that this perceptual phenomenon might be used to improve user experiences with multimodal interfaces, specifically by supporting limited sensory displays (such as haptic displays) with appropriate synesthetic stimulation to other sensory modalities (such as visual and auditory analogs of haptic forces).
Palladacycles: Effective Catalysts for a Multicomponent Reaction with Allylpalladium(II)-Intermediates

Abstract Palladium(II) complexes with an auxiliary bidentate ligand featuring one C–Pd bond and a Pd–N-donor bond (palladacycles) have been shown to afford improved yields of homoallylic amines from a three-component coupling of boronic acids, allenes and imines in comparison to the yields of homoallylic amines achieved with the originally reported catalyst (Pd(OAc)2/P(t-Bu)3), thus extending the scope of the reaction. 31P NMR monitoring studies indicate that distinct intermediates featuring Pd–P bonds originate in the reactions catalyzed by either Pd(OAc)2/P(t-Bu)3 or the pallada(II)cycle/P(t-Bu)3 systems, suggesting that the role of the pallada(II)cycles is more complex than just precatalysts. The importance of an additional phosphine ligand in the reactions catalyzed the pallada(II)cycles was established, and its role in the catalytic cycle has been proposed. Insights into the nature of the reactive intermediates that limit the performance of the originally reported catalytic systems has been gained.
Specificities of human immunoglobulins reactive with antigens in preparations of several mammalian type-C viruses.

Abstract Human serological reactivity with type-C RNA tumor viruses was assessed. Probes consisted of radioactively labeled, gradient purified Woolly monkey-derived simian sarcoma virus-simian sarcoma-associated virus (SSV-SSAV), Rauscher murine leukemia virus (R-MuLV), feline leukemia virus (FeLV-AB), and Rous-associated virus (RAV-2). Most human sera, surveyed for precipitating reactivity against intact virus (1 μg protein) by means of a sensitive radioimmuno-precipitation (RIP) assay, were found to precipitate type-C viruses of simian, murine, and feline, but not avian, origin with the reactivity primarily due to immunoglobulin G. No clear differences in reactivity between sera from normal individuals and from those with various neoplasms were found in preliminary surveys. Specificity tests were performed primarily with SSV-SSAV. Absorption studies with sheep and human red blood cells and blood-typing sera excluded involvement of known blood-group substances or Forssman-like antigens in assays with SSV-SSAV. Quantitative absorption tests with fetal calf serum proteins showed some removal of reactivity from several human sera, but only to maximum levels of 20–45% competition. Reactivity of human serum with SSV-SSAV was completely removed by preabsorbing with 2–4 × 106 tissue culture cells producing SSV-SSAV or SSAV while normal cells and SSV- or Kirsten murine sarcoma virus-transformed nonproducer cells showed no absorption capacity at 10-fold higher concentrations. Complete absorption of reactivity could also be achieved with a 70,000 molecular weight fraction from purified virus while fractions containing p30, p14, or p12 had negligible effects. Direct titering of human sera for reactivity with purified viral gp70 in radioimmunoassays, however, proved negative. The relationship between the latter results and those of the competition experiments are discussed.
High level expression of the light chain of botulinum neurotoxin serotype C1 and an efficient HPLC assay to monitor its proteolytic activity.

Abstract Botulinum neurotoxins (serotypes BoNT/A–BoNT/G) induce botulism, a disease leading to flaccid paralysis. These serotypes are highly specific in their proteolytic cleavage of SNAP-25 (synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa), VAMP (vesicle associated membrane protein) or syntaxin. The catalytic domain (light chain, LC) of the neurotoxin has a Zn 2+ dependent endopeptidase activity. In order to design drugs and inhibitors against these toxins, high level overexpression and characterization of LC of BoNTs along with the development of assays to monitor their proteolytic activity becomes important. Using the auto-induction method, we attained a high level expression of BoNT/C1(1–430) yielding more than 30 mg protein per 500 ml culture. We also developed an efficient assay to measure the activity of serotype C1 based on a HPLC method. SNAP-25 with varying peptide length has been reported in literature as substrates for BoNT/C1 proteolysis signifying the importance of remote exosites in BoNT/C1 required for activity. Here, we show that a 17-mer peptide corresponding to residues 187–203 of SNAP-25, which has earlier been shown to be a substrate for BoNT/A, can be used as a substrate for quantifying the activity of BoNT/C1(1–430). There was no pH dependence for the proteolysis, however the presence of dithiothreitol is essential for the reaction. Although the 17-mer substrate bound 110-fold less tightly to BoNT/C1(1–430) than SNAP-25, the optimal assay conditions facilitated an increase in the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme by about 5-fold.
Composition of hydroponic lettuce: effect of time of day, plant size, and season.

BACKGROUND: The diurnal variation of nitrate and sugars in leafy green vegetables may vary with plant size or the ability of plants to buffer the uptake, synthesis, and use of metabolites. Bibb lettuce was grown in hydroponics in a greenhouse and sampled at 3 h intervals throughout one day in August 2007 and another day in November 2008 to determine fresh weight, dry matter, and concentration of nitrate and sugars. Plantings differing in size and age were sampled on each date. RESULTS: The dry/fresh weight ratio increased during the daylight period. This increase was greater for small compared to large plants. On a fresh weight basis, tissue nitrate of small plants was only half that of larger plants. The variation in concentration with time was much less for nitrate than for soluble sugars. Soluble sugars were similar for all plant sizes early in the day, but they increased far more for small compared to large plants in the long days of summer. CONCLUSION: The greatest yield on a fresh weight basis was obtained by harvesting lettuce at dawn. Although dry matter or sugar content increased later in the day, there is no commercial benefit to delaying harvest as consumers do not buy lettuce for these attributes. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
On the symbolic manipulation and code generation for elasto-plastic material matrices

A computerized procedure for symbolic manipulations and FORTRAN code generation of elasto-plastic material matrix for finite element applications is presented. Special emphasis is placed on expression simplifications during intermediate derivations, optimal code generation, and interface with the main program. A systematic procedure is outlined to avoid redundant algebraic manipulations. Symbolic expressions of the derived material stiffness matrix are automatically converted to RATFOR code which is then translated into FORTRAN statements through a preprocessor. To minimize the interface problem with the main program, a template file is prepared so that the translated FORTRAN statements can be merged into the file to form a subroutine (or a submodule). Three constitutive models; namely, von Mises plasticity, the Drucker-Prager model, and a concrete plasticity model, are used as illustrative examples.
Giving Meaning to Movement

A growing body of evidence indicates that plant transcription factors move between cells. A recent paper by Nakajima et al. (2001) shows that movement of the SHORTROOT protein provides a mechanism for signaling positional information between cell layers of the root.
Early Changes in Socioeconomic Status Do Not Predict Changes in Body Mass in the First Decade of Life

Many studies link childhood socioeconomic status (SES) to body mass index (BMI), but few account for the impact of socioeconomic mobility throughout the lifespan. This study aims to investigate the impact of socioeconomic mobility on changes in BMI in childhood. Analyses tested whether [1] socioeconomic status influences BMI, [2] changes in socioeconomic status impact changes in BMI, and [3] timing of socioeconomic status mobility impacts BMI. Secondary data spanning birth to age 9 were analyzed. SES and BMI were investigated with gender, birth weight, maternal race/ethnicity, and maternal nativity as covariates. Autoregressive structural equation modeling and latent growth modeling were used. Socioeconomic status in the first year of life predicted body mass index. Child covariates were consistently associated with body mass index. Rate of change in socioeconomic status did not predict change in body mass index. The findings suggest that early socioeconomic status may most influence body mass in later childhood.
The EPR overall approach for severe accident mitigation

Abstract The EPR design includes provisions to cope with severe accidents including core melt situations: - Situations that would lead to large early releases such as containment bypass, high reactivity accidents, high-pressure core melt or global hydrogen detonation have to be prevented. - All other situations, including low pressure core melt have to be mitigated in such a way that the corresponding radiological consequences would necessitate only very limited protective countermeasures in a relatively small area and for a limited time for the population living in the neighborhood of the power plant. This means that there would be no need for permanent relocation, no need for evacuation outside the immediate vicinity of the plant, limited sheltering and no long-term restrictions in food consumption. To reach this objective, which is one of the Safety Authority's requirements, the EPR relies on a very robust containment and on various design measures intended to withstand extreme loads caused by a large range of internal events and external hazards. The deterministic method is used for the EPR safety demonstration, supplemented by probabilistic methods and appropriate R&D work. This paper outlines the major mitigating design features, summarizes the results of the Level 2 PSA and gives the main results of the evaluation of the radiological consequences of core melt on the environment.
Laminar flame speeds and extinction strain rates of mixtures of carbon monoxide with hydrogen, methane, and air

The effect of hydrogen and methane addition on the propagation and extinction of atmospheric CO/airflames was investigated experimentally and numerically. Experiments were conducted by using the counterflow, twin-flame technique and laser-Doppler velocimetry for the determination of laminar flame speeds and extinction strain rates. The simulation was conducted by using the one-dimensional flame code, and by solving the conservation equations of mass, momentum, energy, and species along the stagnation stream-line of the counterflow. In both cases, detailed description of the chemistry and transport was used. Results indicate that the addition of small amounts of hydrogen and methane to CO flames increases the laminar flame speeds and extinction strain rates by accelerating the main CO oxidation reaction. The sensitivity of the mass burning rate to this reaction is particularly high when trace amounts of hydrogen and methane are added. For large amounts of additives, the chemistry shifts toward that of the additive, and the advantages of the CO kinetic simplicity are lost. The experimental data were closely predicted by the numerical calculations for both propagation and extinction, indicating that existing CO, hydrogen, and methane kinetics can be used with confidence for similar studies. Detailed analysis of the flame structure revealed that, when CO and methane are both supplied as reactants, the CO oxidation follows that of methane, and that, for methane-rich mixtures, the supplied CO remains unreacted until the intermediate CO has been completely formed.
The Law and Neuroscience

Some of the implications for law of recent discoveries in neuroscience are considered in a new program established by the MacArthur Foundation. A group of neuroscientists, lawyers, philosophers, and jurists are examining issues in criminal law and, in particular, problems in responsibility and prediction and problems in legal decision making.
Suppressive Effect of Transforming Growth Factor β1 on the Recurrence of Experimental Melanin Protein-Induced Uveitis: Upregulation of Ocular Interleukin-10

Abstract Uveitis is induced in Lewis rats by immunization with bovine melanin protein (BMP) derived from the uvea and retinal pigment epithelium. Recurrence of this experimental melanin protein-induced uveitis (EMIU) develops after footpad injection of a minimal amount ofSalmonella typhimuriumendotoxin (LPS) following the remission of EMIU. To investigate the effect of transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) on the recurrence of EMIU, 5 μg LPS booster was given to Lewis rats by footpad injection on Day 45 after BMP immunization. Daily TGFβ1 or phosphate-buffered saline was administered either from Day 0 to 7 (group 1) or from Day 7 to 13 (group 2) after LPS booster. Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) ear test was conducted on Day 12 after LPS booster and eye and blood were collected on Day 14. The incidence and severity of recurrent uveitis markedly decreased in both groups of TGFβ1-treated rats. A lower level of serum BMP antibody was also observed by agglutination in these groups. There was no statistical difference in DTH responses between the treated and control groups. Ocular cytokine mRNA of group 1 and controls was analyzed by RT-PCR. Interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon-γ were not detectable. IL-4 was identified at a similar level in both groups. A higher level of IL-10 was observed in group 1 rats. We conclude that TGFβ1 suppresses recurrent EMIU, probably through upregulation of IL-10.
Arrhythmias following infusions of fatty acids.

Abstract Arrhythmias in dogs were provoked by a rapid injection of long-chain saturated fatty acids but not by slow infusion of the same acids or rapid infusions of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The arrhythmias were primarily those of conduction defects. Ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation did not occur. The clinical relevance of experiments with unbound fatty acids is discussed.
Electron transfer between liver microsomal cytochrome b5 and cytochrome P-450 in the azo reductase reaction.

Abstract NADPH reduces both liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 and cytochrome b 5 . In the presence of CO, ferrous cytochrome P-450 can slowly transfer electrons to amaranth, an azo dye. This reaction is followed by the reoxidation of cytochrome b 5 which proceeds at essentially the same rate as does cytochrome P-450 oxidation. It is suggested that cytochrome b 5 directly reduces cytochrome P-450 in rat liver microsomes.
Review Article:Insect Growth Regulating Agents for Control of Arthropods of Medical and Veterinary Importance

Extremely low concentrations of insect growth regulators (IGRʼs) have controlled mosquitoes, midges, flies, and biting lice in field tests. This effectiveness is undoubtedly related to the protected habitat of many of these pests of man and animals. Thus, species of Aedes have been controlled by applying as little as 0.14 kg IGR/hectare of water surface to the larval environment, but other species of mosquitoes such as Culex must be treated with much higher concentrations. All insects tested have shown marked susceptibility at a certain stage: 4th-instar Aedes larvae are controlled with 0.014 kg/hectare, but populations of mixed ages require 10 times that amount. Slow-release formulations of IGRʼs or those that protect the IGR from ultraviolet light are more effective. Otherwise, repeated applications are usually necessary to control a population containing all stages of a species. Development of new methods of application is being increasingly stressed, and feeding the IGR to cattle to control manure-breeding insects has been successful. Some IGRʼs have a rather broad-spectrum effect, particularly against manure-breeding flies; others are Selective, and a considerably greater quantity is needed for control of one species of fly than for control of another species.
Jaw-wiring for obesity

Fourteen of nineteen-self referred obese women were treated for weight reduction by jaw-wiring. Most were immature, passive-dependent or passive-aggressive personalities. Only one-third of the group completed the study, which was six months in length. All lost weight initially, but about two-thirds later regained some weight. At first all responded with enthusiasm, but later most felt discouraged and found jaw-wiring difficult to accept. Only two patients derived significant benefit. There were no dental complications. Jaw-wiring appears to be a safe but ineffective means of controlling weight, especially if applied to patients with poor motivation and immature personalities.
The measurement of phosphatidate phosphohydrolase in human amniotic fluid.

Abstract Phosphatidate phosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.3.4) activity can be found in late gestational human amniotic fluid and is thought to originate in type II alveolar cells of the fetal lungs where it plays an important role in lung surfactant synthesis. In the present study, phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activity was detected and characterized in a 105 000 × g pellet of amniotic fluid using either [ 32 P] phosphatidate or a water-soluble analog, 1- O -hexadecyl- rac -[2- 3 H ]glycerol 3-phosphate as substrate. With either substrate, enzyme activity was optimal at pH 6.0. The soluble analog was hydrolyzed with a K m value of 163 μM and a V of 30 nmol/min per mg of protein, and offered several advantages over phosphatidate as a substrate for assaying phosphatidate phosphohydrolase in amniotic fluid. Using the synthetic analog, phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activity was measured in the 700 × g supernatant fraction of 30 human amniocentesis samples and compared with another index of fetal lung maturity, the phosphatidylcholine/sphingomyelin ratio. The results suggest that the new phosphohydrolase assay may be clinically useful in the assessment of fetal lung development.
Linear Baroclinic Instability in the Martian Atmosphere

A spherical quasi-geostrophic model is used in an examination of linear baroclinic instability in such zonal-mean flows as those of the Martian atmosphere in winter, under both relatively nondusty and very dusty conditions. These zonal flows, which possess both vertical and meridional shear, are characterized by baroclinically unstable modes whose growth rates and phase speeds are generally consistent with available observations. The structures of the spherical modes are similar to those obtained for terrestrial zonal flows, if similar zonal wavelengths are compared. Zonally symmetric topography, like that of Mars' northern hemisphere, reduces linear growth rates without changing the most unstable scale. It also increases phase speeds.
Effects of ethanol ingestion on glucose tolerance and insulin secretion in normal and diabetic subjects.

Abstract To investigate the effect of ethanol on carbohydrate homeostasis in circumstances in which food and ethanol are usually ingested, ethanol was administered hourly in the afternoon prior to the ingestion of a glucose load at 5:00 p.m. in a group of normal subjects and in mild diabetics. In both groups the blood glucose levels following the glucose load were 30–80 mg 100 ml lower and the early insulin secretory response (15–45 min) was 35%–40% higher after ethanol ingestion. In contrast, ethanol intake had no effect on the glucagon response to glucose ingestion. These data suggest that ethanol enhances glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. The dampened blood glucose rise observed with ethanol may be related to the augmented insulin response or to decreased gastrointestinal absorption of glucose. In mild diabetic patients, moderate intake of ethanol is without acute deleterious effects on carbohydrate homeostasis and may in some instances improve the blood glucose response to ingested carbohydrate.
Migraine affects white-matter tract integrity: A diffusion-tensor imaging study.

BackgroundSpecific white-matter tract alterations in migraine remain to be elucidated. Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), this study investigated whether the integrity of white-matter tracts tha...
Comparison of Three Instrumental Spectroscopic Techniques for Elemental Analysis of Kansas Shales

Four different Kansas shales, varying in coloration from a black (reduced) to a red (oxidized), were analyzed for several metal concentrations by flame atomic emission (FAE), flame atomic absorption (FAA), and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission (ICP). Shale samples analyzed by FAE and FAA were subjected to pretreatments including addition of releasing agents and extraction techniques because, as expected, measurements of trace metal concentrations without pretreatment resulted in significant errors. Chemical interferences in the analysis of shales by atomic spectroscopic techniques are severe due to high concentrations of Si, Al, Ca, Mg, and Fe. Organic matter, the presence of S and P, and enrichment in various minor and trace element species may also complicate the analysis of shales derived from reducing environments. However, flame results for pretreated samples show good agreement with ICP determinations on untreated samples. Among the shales investigated, those having higher organic content (black) were found to have higher concentrations of certain metals such as Cr, V, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Mo, and Hg. This is related to the capability of the organic fractions of these shales to concentrate metals.
A Comparative Pharmacognostical Study of Plantago Purshii R. & S. and Plantago Aristata Michx. Seeds with The Present N. F. VIII Plantago Seeds

A pharmacognostic study of the seeds of two domestic species of Plantago is reported. The individual morphological and histological characteristics of the two species have been described. The mucilage-forming capacity of the seeds of Plantago Purshii and of P. aristata has been determined and the results are recorded.
STRAIN FACTORS IN FLEXIBLE CONCRETE

The objective of this investigation was to study the strain concentration factors in flexible concrete. The specimens were tested using the split-cylinder mode of loading, which was first reported by RILEM. The birefringent coating method, developed in France by Zandman, was used to determine the strain factors at and about the aggregate. It was shown how the strain factors increased with increasing modulus of the binder. The strain factors for spherical aggregate were greater than for the same size of gravel.