cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fire history of a mixed conifer forest on the Mogollon Rim, northern Arizona, USA

It has been suggested that large, high-severity fires historically structured warm–dry mixed conifer forests in the American South-west. To test this, we reconstructed fire regime characteristics of an 1135-ha (11.3 km2) mixed conifer landscape in northern Arizona using complementary approaches. We analysed composite fire intervals, point fire intervals, natural fire rotation, landscape characteristics and forest age structure. Composite analysis of cross-dated fire scars from 133 trees indicated a mean fire interval (MFI) of 2.0–8.5 years between 1670 and 1879. Frequent fires halted abruptly after 1879. Mean point fire interval (MPFI) was 11.8 years and ranged 2–61 years. Mean fire rotation was 14.4 years. Density of most occurring tree species increased dramatically after fire regime disruption, with south-western white pine (Pinus strobiformis) and white fir (Abies concolor) showing large numerical gains. Tree establishment patterns compared with widespread fire dates did not suggest historical high-severity fires at the site level. Although strong evidence of high-severity fire at finer scales was lacking, spatial locations of ‘young’ plots suggested the possibility of historical high-severity disturbances ≤25 ha in size. The historical fire regime on this landscape was one of high-frequency, low-severity fires. Current conditions call for restoration of forest structure and function.
Landscape versus ungulate control of gross mineralization and gross nitrification in semi-arid grasslands of Yellowstone National Park

Abstract Grazers have marked effects on decomposition and N cycling processes, generally resulting in increased net N mineralization. Within landscapes, topographic and edaphic gradients also affect these microbial processes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of grazers on N cycling processes in a landscape context that encompassed a wide range of environmental conditions in order to increase our mechanistic understanding of these processes and provide a stronger basis for management and assessment of grassland ecosystems. This study was conducted on a series of 37–41-year-old grazing exclosures on the northern winter range of Yellowstone National Park. We measured gross and net mineralization, nitrification and immobilization in grazed and ungrazed plots in upland and bottomland landscape positions by 15 N pool dilution in a laboratory incubation with intact cores. There were no significant differences in either gross mineralization, immobilization, gross nitrification or NO 3 − immobilization between grazed and ungrazed plots in a paired t -test using all plots ( P =0.52, P =0.32, P =0.91 and P =0.93, respectively). These results were unexpected, because previous reports indicated that grazers increased soil N dynamics, including net N mineralization, in Yellowstone grassland, and suggest that herbivore regulation of N processes may accumulate over a longer time scale than was measured in this study (24 h). Instead, we found that landscape position was the dominant factor controlling both mineralization and immobilization rates, with higher rates located at the bottoms of the slopes (32.9 and 33.4 μg N g soil −1 d −1 , respectively), compared to the upland sites (4.4 and 3.2 μg N g soil −1 d −1 , respectively). Gross mineralization and immobilization rates were highly correlated with soil C and N content, while gross nitrification was not. Turn over times for NH 4 + and NO 3 − pools averaged 1.2 days for the NH 4 + pool and 2.25 days for the NO 3 − pool. There was no apparent effect of grazers on turnover times, nor were there any significant correlations between turnover times and soil C and N pools, slope position, or soil water content. Previous modeling to understand how herbivores affect N cycling suggested that stimulation of net mineralization was most likely due to grazers suppressing immobilization by reducing belowground primary productivity and organic matter inputs to the soil. Our results do not suggest that grazers suppress immobilization. If anything, they suggest that grazers enhance this process, especially in the more mesic components of the landscape. Landscape position effects on N cycle processes were much stronger than grazer effects in this study, and appear to be driven by soil C and N contents.
Purification and Partial Characterization of a Cellular Carotenoid-binding Protein from Ferret Liver

A cellular carotenoid-binding protein was purified to homogeneity from beta-carotene-fed ferret liver utilizing the following steps: ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion exchange, gel filtration, and affinity chromatography. The final purification was 607-fold. [14C]beta-Carotene co-purified with the binding protein throughout the purification procedures. SDS-PAGE of the purified protein showed a single band with an apparent molecular mass of 67 kDa. Scatchard analysis of the specific binding of the purified protein to beta-carotene showed two classes of binding sites, a high affinity site with an apparent Kd of 56 x 10(-9) M and a low affinity site with a Kd of 32 x 10(-6) M. The Bmax for beta-carotene binding to the high affinity site was 1 mol/mol, while that for the low affinity site was 145 mol/mol. The absorption spectrum of the complex showed a 32-nm bathochromic shift in lambdamax with minor peaks at 460 and 516 nm. Except for alpha-carotene and cryptoxanthin, none of the model carotenoids or retinol competed with beta-carotene binding to the protein. Thus, a specific carotenoid-binding protein of 67 kDa has been characterized in mammalian liver with a high degree of specificity for binding only carotenoids with at least one unsubstituted beta-ionone ring.
Development of a calcium alginate tympanostomy tube

Objectives/Hypothesis: Tympanostomy tubes (TTs) are prone to complications resulting in part from the unpredictable duration that the TT remains in the tympanic membrane. General anesthesia may be necessary to remove TTs that fail to extrude. The purpose of this study was to develop a TT that could be dissolved on demand but remain functional with exposure to common otologic exposures. Study Design: Prospective in vitro analysis. Methods: Dissolvable TTs were developed from calcium alginate. Mechanical properties and occlusion susceptibility were optimized by varying ingredient concentrations and compared to commonly used commercial TTs using in vitro measures. Results: Alginate TTs had a greater compressive strength than commercial silicone tubes. TTs composed of 0.5 M CaCl were stronger than high molarity CaCl concentrations. Uncoated alginate TTs showed a 20% reduction in occlusion propensity. Exposure of alginate TTs to otological solutions for 24 hours resulted in degradation of their mechanical properties, but they remained superior to commercial silicone TTs. Conclusions: Alginate TTs appear to be a good alternative to commercial tubes based on high mechanical strength and low occlusion propensity. Furthermore, unlike commercial TTs, alginate TTs have the potential to be dissolved in vivo if retained. Laryngoscope, 120:2473–2477, 2010
The Hadley Rille enstatite chondrite and its agglutinate-like rim: Impact melting during accretion to the Moon

— Hadley Rille is a millimeter-size EH chondrite containing euhedral and acicular enstatite grains, kamacite globules and preferentially aligned silicate aggregates separated by elongated kamacite-rich patches. The Hadley Rille chondrite was significantly impact melted when it accreted to the lunar regolith at relative velocities of ∼>3 km s−1; ∼65–75% of the chondrules present initially were melted. During the impact, portions of the local regolith were melted and an agglutinate-like rim formed around the chondritic projectile; the rim consists of flow-banded vesicular glass, blebs of troilite and low-Ni metallic Fe, rock fragments, glass(?) shards, and mineral grains. The mineral grains include enstatite (which is otherwise absent from the Moon and must have been derived from the projectile) and poorly characterized, micrometer-size phases enriched in light rare-earth-elements (LREE), which probably formed during the impact. Several of the rock fragments contain <33 mg/g Cl, which was probably derived through impact-induced volatilization of Cl from chondrule mesostases in the EH projectile.
Control of iron‐deficiency chlorosis in soybeans by plant breeding

Abstract A series of research studies has been conducted at Iowa State University to determine the possibilities and problems associated with the development of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) cultivars with improved resistance to iron‐deficiency chlorosis on calcareous soils. An evaluation was made of the amount of yield reduction associated with different levels of chlorosis symptoms. Cultivars ranging from highly resistant to highly susceptible to iron chlorosis were tested on calcareous and noncalcareous soils. Chlorosis symptoms were rated visually with scores ranging from 1, no yellowing, to 5, severe yellowing with some necrosis. The average percentage yield loss increased linearly by 20% for each unit increase in chlorosis score. There was yield reduction whenever yellowing was observed, even if the symptoms were slight. To completely avoid yield loss from iron chlorosis, cultivars must be developed that have no symptoms any time during plant development. Tests of soybean cultivars and plant in...
Tree-oriented proofs of some theorems on context-free and indexed languages

In this paper we study some applications and generalizations of the yield theorem: the yield of a recognizable set of trees (dendrolanguage) is an indexed language [1]. Standard results on context-free languages can be obtained quickly using this theorem. We consider here the Peters-Ritchie theorem [4]: the language analyzable by a finite set of CS rules is CF. An extension of the yield theorem reads: the yield of a CF set of trees is an indexed language. We prove some closure properties of CF sets of trees. Applying the yield theorem, we obtain properties of indexed languages. As a special result, we can solve the infiniteness problem for such languages.
Rising prevalence of asthma is sex-specific in a US farming population

Background Asthma prevalence is increasing worldwide in most populations, likely due to a combination of heritable factors and environmental changes. Curiously, however, some European farming populations are protected from asthma, which has been attributed to their traditional lifestyles and farming practices. Objective We conducted population-based studies of asthma and atopy in the Hutterites of South Dakota, a communal farming population, to assess temporal trends in asthma and atopy prevalence and describe the risk factors for asthma. Methods We studied 1325 Hutterites (ages 6-91 years) at 2 time points from 1996 to 1997 and from 2006 to 2009 by using asthma questionnaires, pulmonary function and methacholine bronchoprovocation tests, and measures of atopy. Results The overall prevalence of asthma increased over the 10- to 13-year study period (7.5%-11.1%, P = .049), whereas the overall prevalence of atopy did not change (45.0%-44.8%, P = .95). Surprisingly, the rise in asthma was only among females (5.8%-11.2%, P = .02); the prevalence among males remained largely unchanged (9.4%-10.9%, P = .57). Atopy, which was not associated with asthma risk in 1996 to 1997, was the strongest risk factor for asthma among Hutterites studied in 2006 to 2009 ( P = .003). Conclusions Asthma has increased over a 10- to 13-year period among Hutterite females and atopy has become a significant risk factor for asthma, suggesting a change in environmental exposures that are either sex limited or that elicit a sex-specific response.
Investigation of the crosslinking efficiency of some additional curing polyimides

The thermal properties of a PMR (polymerization of monomer reactants) polyimide resin chain terminated with various reactive monomers has been studied. Vinyl groups appear as efficient as ethynyl in providing crosslinks that are more thermally stable than those resulting from nadic ester endcapping. Terminal nitrile groups were found to be unreactive. Evidence for the curing mechanism of these resins is presented from infrared, thermogravimetric, and liquid chromatographic analyses.
Determination of isocyanate specific albumin-adducts in workers exposed to toluene diisocyanates

Toluene diisocyanates (2,4-TDI and 2,6-TDI) are important intermediates in the chemical industry. Among the main damages after low levels of TDI exposure are lung sensitization and asthma. It is therefore necessary to have sensitive and specific methods to monitor isocyanate exposure of workers. Urinary metabolites or protein adducts have been used as biomarkers in workers exposed to TDI. However, with these methods it was not possible to determine if the biomarkers result from exposure to TDI or to the corresponding toluene diamines (TDA). This work presents a new procedure for the determination of isocyanate-specific albumin adducts. Isotope dilution mass spectrometry was used to measure the adducts in albumin present in workers exposed to TDI. 2,4-TDI and 2,6-TDI formed adducts with lysine: Nϵ-[({3-amino-4-methylphenyl}amino)carbonyl]-lysine, Nϵ-[({5-amino-2-methylphenyl}amino)carbonyl]-lysine, and Nϵ- [({3-amino-2-methylphenyl}amino)carbonyl]-lysine. In future studies, this new method can be applied t...
Coincidental presentations of ganglioneuroma and atypical perforated appendicitis detected by fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography.

Abstract:An 11-year-old boy presented with acute nausea and right lower quadrant pain. A contrast-enhanced CT demonstrated a 10-cm left retroperitoneal mass and no other suspicious findings. An fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography performed 2 days later demonstrated in
Purification and serology of Tulare apple mosaic virus.

GILMER1, after comparing the woody host range and sap transmission of several virus isolates which caused mosaics in apple (Malus spp.), designated the one which could be mechanically transmitted to herbaceous plants Tulare apple mosaic virus (TAMV). Our TAMV isolate originated from a single primary lesion on the systemic host Nicotiana tabacum L. var. Connecticut Havana 423 inoculated with leaf tissue taken from an apple seedling bud-inoculated with TAMV stock kindly furnished by Dr. Gilmer. This isolate originated from Yarwood2 and retained the symptomatological, host range and stability characteristics described by him.
Deintercalation and reintercalation energetics of ammoniated titanium disulfide

Abstract The deintercalation and reintercalation processes in ammoniated TiS2 have been studied by thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, vapor-pressure measurements, and powder X-ray diffraction. The enthalpies determined calorimetrically for complete NH3 and NH+4 deintercalation of (NH+4)0.24(NH3)0.23TiS0.24−2 are approximately 10.5 and 22 kcal/mole, respectively. These enthalpies are in good agreement with those reevaluated from a previous calorimetric study of ammoniated TaS2. Ammonia vapor-pressure curves for deintercalation and reintercalation of (NH+4)0.24(NH3)y″TiS0.24−2 exhibit hysteresis, and the enthalpies for these reactions are estimated to be 15.5 and −13 kcal/mole, respectively. The absolute values of these enthalpies decrease progressively as NH3 is deintercalated and then reintercalated. The structural changes that accompany these processes are relatively complex and involve at least two phases. Further structural studies are necessary to help elucidate the energetics of these intercalation compounds.
Implementation of battlespace agents for network-centric electronic warfare

In the Network-Centric Warfare (NCW) paradigm, battlespace agents autonomously perform selected tasks delegated by actors/shooters and decision-makers including controlling sensors. Network-Centric electronic warfare (NCEW) is the form of electronic combat used in NCW. Focus is placed on a network of interconnected, adapting systems that are capable of making choices about how to survive and achieve their design goals in a dynamic environment. The battlespace entities: agents, actor/shooters, sensors, and decision-makers 1 are tied together through the information and sensor grids. The grids carry a flood of data and information among the entities that can be used to increase the tempo of operations. This flood will overwhelm human actors and decision-makers. To avoid this, it will be necessary to take advantage of developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and complexity theory in the form of complex adaptive systems (CAS). AI will allow autonomous sensor control, data collection, and data interpretation. The information grid itself may be controlled by battlespace agents that rely on AI to perform their functions. These agents can be used in hostile environments that require rapid reaction-response loops where it would be dangerous to send a human actor or decision-maker. Collectively these battlespace entities form a CAS which is composed of many adaptive autonomous agents coexisting in the battlespace and competing or cooperating to achieve their goals.
Interference between coinoculated viroids

Abstract Experiments were carried out to seek evidence of an interaction between two viroid RNAs introduced to tomato plants in the same inoculum. At the level of symptom expression, the severe isolate of potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTV) dominated the mild isolate. Seventy-five percent of the plants inoculated with a 100-fold excess of the mild isolate developed unattenuated symptoms of severe disease. Other experiments revealed that infectious RNA molecules transcribed from cloned DNA templates containing PSTV sequences reduced the level of hop stunt viroid (HSV) RNA present in nucleic acid extracts of plants which had been inoculated with a mixture of dimeric plus-strand transcripts of these two viroids. Plants inoculated with dual transcripts—containing two copies of PSTV linked to two copies of HSV—developed characteristic symptoms of severe PSTV. Dot hybridization demonstrated that only PSTV replicated to detectable levels in these plants. A likely interpretation of these results is that the HSV portion of the dual transcripts failed to replicate because of interference from PSTV. These results raise questions about how the process of viroid replication is related to symptom expression, and lead to suggested models for the effect of viroid-like RNAs in cells under both normal and pathogenic circumstances.
Does the Columbia River plume influence phytoplankton community structure along the Washington and Oregon coasts

[1] As part of the River Influences on Shelf Ecosystems (RISE) program, we examined the influence of the Columbia River plume on the composition and biomass of phytoplankton communities on the Washington and Oregon coasts. We determined the taxonomic composition, size structure, and biomass of phytoplankton assemblages in near-surface shelf waters during four 3-week cruises in spring and/or summer of 2004–2006. As the Columbia plume is very dynamic, the influence of the plume was examined in three ways. Two comparisons of the entire data set were made: (1) a geographical comparison of the Washington, Oregon, and Columbia River mouth regions based on latitude and (2) a ‘‘plume’’ versus ‘‘nonplume’’ comparison based on salinity. A third comparison focused on samples taken in and outside of three specific plumes under different upwelling/downwelling conditions. In whole data set comparisons, there were no significant differences in chlorophyll, carbon biomass, or diatom community structure between regions or between plume and nonplume samples. However, within some cruises there were regional and plume differences in chlorophyll and biomass. Diatom community composition differed between cruises, but within a cruise it was similar across regions and in plume/nonplume samples, indicating there was no unique plume community. On finer time and space scales, differences in community structure as well as biomass were evident between samples in and outside of specific plumes. Over broader scales, the Columbia plume acts to make coastal phytoplankton communities more homogeneous. Specific impacts will depend on the history of upwelling and nutrient status of the coastal waters which the plume encounters.
Dual-layer bag-of-frames model for music genre classification

This paper concerns the development of a music dictionary-based model for summarizing local feature descriptors computed over time. Comparing to a holistic representation, this text-like, bag-of-frames representation better captures the rich and time-varying information of music. However, the dictionary used in classical bag-of-frames model only captures frame-level elements of the music; thus, there exists a semantic gap between the dictionary element and commonly seen music description. In order to reduce the gap, a new feature representation called dual-layer bag-of-frames is proposed in this paper. It models the music with a two layer structure, where the first-layer dictionary captures the frame-level characteristics, and the second-layer dictionary captures the segment-level semantics. This hierarchical structure resembles the alphabet-word-document structure of text. Our result demonstrates that the proposed dual-layer bag-of-frames feature achieves state-of-the-art accuracy of music genre classification. The classification accuracy for the GTZAN benchmark reaches 86.7% with dictionary trained from GTZAN, and 83.6% with dictionary trained from another data set USPOP.
Super-Helically Twisted Strands of Poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) (MPDI)

Low-dose−high-resolution electron microscopy (LD−HREM) was used to analyze the structure of regularly twisted poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) (MPDI) strands formed by slow crystallization from solution. The MPDI chains were found to aggregate into regular assemblies exhibiting uniform twisting at several different length scales ranging from the molecular to the mesoscopic. The MPDI polymer backbone formed a flattened helical structure that was organized into twisted bundles. The helical molecular structure promoted good lateral packing, but led to an open core running down the helical axis, which is presumably filled with solvent and calcium chloride. The electron diffraction and HREM data were consistent with a pseudohexagonal unit cell with a = b = 1.65 ± 0.02 nm, γ = 120 ± 0.5°, and c = 0.378 nm, where the c-axis was oriented nominally parallel to the twist axis of the fiber. The strain induced by the mesoscopic twisting is compensated for by lateral shift disorder between the polymer helices, as conf...
The effects of unpaired US presentations on conditioning of the rabbit’s nictitating membrane response: Consolidation or contingency

Thirty-two rabbits were run in an experiment that showed interference of nictitating membrane conditioning with presentation of one US alone between each paired trial. This conclusion is based on comparisons with yoked control Ss with the same number of paired trials, but no US-alone trials. Differences between experimental and control Ss were most pronounced at a comparatively short ITI, supporting Papsdorf’s consolidation theory over Rescorla’s contingency hypothesis. This study also elaborated previous results indicating that, prior to the appearance of the first CR, the UR on US-alone trials progressively decreases in amplitude in relation to UR amplitude on paired trials.
The metabolism of oligosaccharides in germinating soybeans, Glycine max☆

Abstract Sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose were utilized rapidly in the metabolic processes of germinating soybeans. Of the constituent units from these oligosaccharides, d -fructose and d -glucose were readily detectable in extracts from the beans, but only traces of d -galactose could be found. This observation was interpreted to indicate a rapid utilization of the galactose moiety from the oligosaccharides. Enzymes which participate in the metabolism of d -galactose and which were found in extracts from the germinated bean included α-galactosidase, galactokinase, UTP:G-1-P uridyltransferase, UTP:Gal-1-P uridyltransferase, UDPG:Gal-1-P uridyltransferase, and UDPG 4-epimerase. A method for the preparation of UDP-galactose based on the use of the plant UTP:Gal-1-P uridyltransferase is described. The occurrence of UDPG:Gal-1-P uridyltransferase in plants and its participation in the metabolism of d -galactose had not hitherto been recognized.
Good and Bad Amyloid Antibodies

Antibodies that recognize an oligomeric state common to different amyloidogenic proteins described by R. Kayed et al. (“Common structure of soluble amyloid oligomers implies common mechanism of pathogenesis,” Reports, 18 Apr., p. [486][1]) advance our understanding of Alzheimer's disease (AD)
Reassessing Charles Bukowski's KENYON REVIEW, AFTER THE SANDSTORM

Most, if not all, biographers and critics try to prove that Charles Bukowski (1920–1994) was an underground author who championed only alternative periodicals, but textual evidence points in an alt...
Instructional Leadership and the Sociopolitics of School Turnarounds: Changing Stakeholder Beliefs through Immersive Collaborative Learning

This article highlights case production and analysis efforts associated with a multi-year, multimedia case development project focused on providing alternative organizational learning opportunities to regional K-12 schools and school districts. The School Leadership Case Simulation (SLCS) Project utilizes a unique multi-entity partnership and school-based collaborative learning design in which teams of university-based education researchers, multimedia production specialists, and regional education service center school improvement consultants work in tandem with K-12 school educators and community members to help these school stakeholders develop and produce multimedia organizational learning cases about their own real-world, context-specific school dilemma challenges. Collaborative team learning efforts of one group of school educators and community stakeholders grappling with an organizationally entrenched set of instructional leadership and school improvement challenges in one regional high school community are presented. Project findings relating to the viability and usefulness of the project’s multi-entity, immersive collaborative teaming design and multimedia-integrated case learning tools for helping groups of K-12 school community stakeholders learn how to adopt a team-centered organizational learning approach to reframing their real-world school leadership dilemma challenges and engage directly in data-informed, collaborative decision-making are presented and discussed.
“Imitators” (Mimetai) in 1 Cor. 4:16 and 11:1: A New Reading of Threefold Embodiment

[When it comes to the language of “imitation” (mimesis) in Paul’s letters (1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1; Phil. 3:17; 1 Thess. 1:6-7; 2:14), divisions among scholars are most clearly manifest. At one end of the scholarly spectrum, Paul follows a Stoic model of imitation, according to which the teacher exhorts pupils to follow him, based upon his authority established (demonstrated) by good conduct. Accordingly, Paul is viewed as an advocate of the Hellenistic ideal of unity at the expense of diversity. At the other end of the spectrum, Paul is seen as a social conservative and an obstacle to true liberation. Here the idea of imitation serves as a means of control and domination of others, as post-colonial and feminist scholars have pointed out. So Paul’s exhortation to “be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1) is understood as a demand for sameness, an appeal to copy Paul. However, the language of imitation can be read through the eyes of “embodiment”—a way of life, as an alternate meaning of imitation in 1 Corinthians, which will lead to the involvement of three aspects of God, Christ and the believer. I argue that imitation in 1 Corinthians is neither a copy or sameness nor a type or model to be emulated by the Corinthians. Rather, it should be understood as a way of life rooted in the image of Christ crucified, which plays a central role in the letter, deconstructing abusive, destructive powers in a community and society and reconstructing a beloved community for all., When it comes to the language of “imitation” (mimesis) in Paul’s letters (1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1; Phil. 3:17; 1 Thess. 1:6-7; 2:14), divisions among scholars are most clearly manifest. At one end of the scholarly spectrum, Paul follows a Stoic model of imitation, according to which the teacher exhorts pupils to follow him, based upon his authority established (demonstrated) by good conduct. Accordingly, Paul is viewed as an advocate of the Hellenistic ideal of unity at the expense of diversity. At the other end of the spectrum, Paul is seen as a social conservative and an obstacle to true liberation. Here the idea of imitation serves as a means of control and domination of others, as post-colonial and feminist scholars have pointed out. So Paul’s exhortation to “be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1) is understood as a demand for sameness, an appeal to copy Paul. However, the language of imitation can be read through the eyes of “embodiment”—a way of life, as an alternate meaning of imitation in 1 Corinthians, which will lead to the involvement of three aspects of God, Christ and the believer. I argue that imitation in 1 Corinthians is neither a copy or sameness nor a type or model to be emulated by the Corinthians. Rather, it should be understood as a way of life rooted in the image of Christ crucified, which plays a central role in the letter, deconstructing abusive, destructive powers in a community and society and reconstructing a beloved community for all.]
Technique of in-Advance Detection of Aquiferous Structures in the Front of Excavation Working Face by Direct Current Electric Method

Abstract The paper, using DC electric triple source to carry out measurement in underground coal mines, put forward a method to infer hidden aquiferous structures in the front of excavation working face. From response of vertical interface of homogenous full space, the relationship between the characteristics of apparent resistivity gradient curves and the distance of the vertical interface was studied. The measured data were corrected by value comparison method and intersected according to spatial geometric relation. The inferred results are shown as pseudo-geological section. Examples of application of the method in successful forecast of old workings in the front of excavation working face were given. The practice demonstrated that the method is efficient.
Viscosity–temperature correlation for liquids

A new viscosity–temperature equation and corresponding chart have been developed to extend the range of the current ASTM viscosity–temperature charts. This new chart and equation extends the temperature and viscosity range for hydrocarbons and, for the first time, has the ability to extend to the low viscosity regime of halocarbons and low temperature fluids. The new equation and chart can linearize liquid viscosity data from 0.04 cSt and covers the temperature range from −210 to 500 °C for halocarbons and hydrocarbons. With a modification to the temperature scaling, the new equation also has the ability to fit liquid metal viscosity data. The new chart and equation cannot accurately linearize the viscosity with respect to temperature of fluids exhibiting strong molecular bonding (water, ammonia), fluids whose molecular structure consists of long coils (some long chained silicones), or fluid mixtures in which one fluid precipitates out of solution (wax precipitation).
Laser technique in management of laryngomalacia

Laryngomalacia is the most common cause of newborn stridor. Management can usually be accomplished without surgery. When surgery is necessary, the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) laser plays an essential role in enabling precise, hemostatic dissection. The authors present their application of the CO 2 laser with microspot control for laser correction of laryngomalacia, with emphasis upon the use of the Boston University suspension system to achieve external suspension of the larynx and the bivalved laryngoscope to achieve tissue distension. Review of indications, technique and results is shared to detail the utility of the CO 2 laser in supraglottoplasty.
Removal of phosphate ion by ion-exchange

Abstract A method for the removal of the phosphate ion is described. This is accomplished by the use of an anion exchanger, Amberlite IRA-400. The method is rapid and no foreign cations are introduced in the process.
Genus Characters and the Arithmetic of Commutative Monoids

Abstract In this paper we develop an ideal theory for certain submonoids of the nonzero integers. We associate one of these monoids to each quadratic number field and show that the genus theory of ideals and genus characters of the number field are virtually the same as the ideal theory and the characters of the ideal class group of the monoid. We define L-functions associated to characters of the class group of a finite intersection of these monoids and prove an analogue of Dirichlet's theorem on primes in an arithmetic progression. We further prove a curious relationship between the nature of the singularity of the zeta function and the 2-rank of the class group.
In situ thermoresistive characterization of multifunctional composites of carbon nanotubes

Abstract The thermoresistive behavior of nanocomposites with electrically conductive networks of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a vinyl ester polymer matrix were characterized using an in situ electrical resistance measurement during thermomechanical analysis. A series of specimens above the electrical percolation threshold ranging from 0.10 to 1.00 wt% CNT were studied. The results show the thermoresistive behavior is strongly dependent on the CNT concentration, thermal expansion and polymer segmental motion. At higher concentrations of carbon nanotubes the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) varied with temperature and could either be positive or negative while specimens with low CNT concentrations near the percolation threshold showed a near-zero but negative TCR. Since the nanocomposite bulk resistivity of the specimens is dominated by the tunneling resistance at CNT/CNT junctions the nanotubes effectively act as a network of sensors that can detect thermal transitions and other thermochemical changes in situ.
Estimation of skill and uncertainty in regional numerical models

The results from 72-hour simulations and forecasts from the Penn State/NCAR limited-area model, in which a number of numerical and physical factors are varied, are analysed to understand the contribution to model error or uncertainty introduced by these factors. The factors include the initial conditions, horizontal resolution (80 km and 160 km) and domain size, lateral boundary conditions, and physical parametrizations. The results are compared with those of a global forecast model (the NCAR Community Climate Model). The simulations and forecasts are verified both for 12 individual cases and for the ensemble average of the 12 cases, using several objective measures of skill. The differences in these skill scores between different models are tested for their statistical significance. The use of observed lateral boundary conditions (LBC) exerts a strong control on the growth of errors over a domain size 3600 × 4800 km2. Objective measures of error show little growth beyond about 36 hours, so that 72-hour errors are nearly as low as the 36-hour errors. On these time and space scales, the quality of the LBC is more important than any other factor tested in the temporal evolution of the model errors. These results show that the large-scale atmospheric motions have a major effect on the evolution of small-scale features in the model. Small variations in initial conditions have little effect on the model skill beyond 12–24 hours. Of all the factors examined, small uncertainties or errors in the initial conditions have the least effect on model skill beyond 12 hours. Latent heating effects associated with condensation and precipitation, and sensible and latent heat fluxes from the surface have a statistically significant effect on model skill. However, relatively simple parametrizations of these effects produce nearly the same skill as do more complex schemes for the cases studied here. There is a large variation in model skill from case to case; some cases are easier to forecast than others. Also, there is much greater variation in different model performances for a single case than when averaged over all 12 cases. The concept of climatological use and verification of regional models is introduced. The climatological skill of the control model version which includes all physical processes appears to be quite good. The skill scores of the ensemble average simulation are considerably better than the average scores for individual cases, the model has small bias errors, and the horizontal structure of the model-simulated atmosphere is similar to the observed structure for scales of motion resolved by the upper-air observational network over the United States.
Semiclassical mechanics for time‐dependent Wigner functions

An explicit and computable asymptotic integral representation is obtained for the time‐dependent Wigner distribution associated with the initial quantum state ψ(x,0)=f(x) eiS(x)/ℏ in the semiclassical (ℏ→0) limit. The approximations are valid to arbitrarily high order in ℏ over any finite time interval. The leading order term is further analyzed to obtain a classically determined phase space function which is related to a classical probability density on phase space. The results hold for a large class of time‐dependent potentials.
The insulin-like growth factor-I gene and osteoporosis: A critical appraisal

Osteoporosis, a disorder of skeletal fragility, is common in the elderly, and its prevalence is increasing as more individuals with low bone mineral density (BMD), the strongest predictor of fracture risk, are detected. Previous basic and clinical studies imply there is a significant role for insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in determining BMD. Recently, polymorphisms upstream of the P1 promoter region of the human IGF-I gene have been found to be associated with serum levels of IGF-I, BMD and fracture risk in various ethnic groups. Multiple quantitative trait loci (QTLs) have been identified that underlie serum IGF-I in a mouse intercross between two inbred strains. The most promising QTL on mouse chromosome 6 has provided clues for unraveling the molecular mechanisms that regulate osteoblast differentiation. Genomic engineering resulting in IGF-I deficient mice, and mice with targeted over-expression of IGF-I reinforce the essential role of IGF-I in bone development at both the embryonic and postnatal stages. Thus, it is apparent that significant new insights into the role of the IGF-I gene in bone remodeling occur through several distinct mechanisms: (1) the skeletal IGF regulatory system; (2) the systemic growth hormone/IGF-I axis; (3) parathyroid hormone signaling; (4) sex steroids; and (5) the OPG/RANKL/RANK cytokine system. Molecular dissection of the IGF regulatory system and its signaling pathway in bone may reveal novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of osteoporosis.
Defect diffusion and temperature vs. density effects for glass formers

The ratio of the apparent isochoric activation energy to the isobaric activation enthalpy, E * V /H * or E V /E p , is treated within the framework of the defect diffusion model (DDM). This ratio is a quantitative measure of the relative sensitivity of kinetic processes to changes in volume and temperature, respectively. The new equation is tested using dielectric relaxation data for poly(vinyl acetate) and predictions are made for polycarbonate, propylene carbonate and glycerol. Good agreement between theory and experiment is found. Finally, the physics of the ratio is identified. It is shown that the volume change upon clustering is responsible for the magnitude of the ratio.
A NOTE ON DIRECT RANGE RESTRICTION CORRECTIONS IN UTILITY ANALYSIS

Brogden's equations for employment test utility analysis have been used in conjunction with direct range restriction correction formulas, because the data used typically come from selected applicant (incumbent) samples. We show that the use of direct range restriction corrections in utility analysis is not needed. Identical results can be obtained using a simpler equation that employs a regression coefficient based on the employee (i.e., restricted or job incumbent) population. This utility estimation procedure, which does not employ range restriction corrections, is derived and discussed. We recommend that this new equation be used in the practice of selection utility analysis because it not only provides identical utility estimates to those obtained using current equations that employ direct range restriction correction formulas, but also is computationally simpler. There has been a great deal of interest lately in the utility of organizational interventions, especially in the utility of selection programs. Much of this attention has been directed toward Brogden's utility equations (Brogden, 1949; Cronbach & Gleser, 1965). Particular emphasis has been placed on estimating the standard deviation of the dollar value of employee performance. One typically estimates the needed parameters using data from incumbents or a sample of selected applicants. These estimates are then corrected for direct range restriction on the predictor because Brogden's utility equations are expressed in terms of unselected, applicant population parameters. Although several authors (cf. Cascio & Ramos, 1986; Schmidt, Hunter, McKenzie, & Muldrow, 1979) have recognized the need for range restriction corrections in utility analysis, there has been little discussion of the underlying assumptions, and a critical evaluation ofthe necessity for range restriction corrections is lacking The authors would like to express their appreciation to three anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.
A method of sidelobe cancellation using wavelet packets

Classical methods of performing sidelobe cancellation include an approach whereby the main and auxiliary channels are divided into a prescribed number of contiguous subbands. This is known as a band-partitioned (BP) sidelobe canceler (SLC). A method of BP sidelobe cancellation using wavelet packets (WP) has been developed. The use of a wavelet packet decomposition is a simple, well-defined way to implement a paraunitary tree-structured filter bank. The performance of this method is compared to the method used in Lin et al. (2003), which is a special case of a uniform DFT filter bank. It is shown that the WP analysis filters provide better separation between adjacent narrowband channels, leading to an increase in performance of the BP SLC algorithm.
Non-termination and secure information flow

In secure information flow analysis, the classic Denning restrictions allow a program's termination to be affected by the values of its H variables, resulting in potential information leaks. In an effort to quantify such leaks, in this paper we study a simple imperative language with random assignments. As a thought experiment, we propose a 'stripping' operation on programs, which eliminates all 'high computation', and prove the fundamental property that stripping cannot decrease the probability of any low outcome. To prove this property, we first introduce a new notion of fast probabilistic simulation on Markov chains and show that it implies a key reachability property. Viewing the stripping function as a binary relation, we then prove that stripping is a fast simulation. As an application, we prove that, under the Denning restrictions, well-typed probabilistic programs are guaranteed to satisfy an approximate probabilistic non-interference property, provided that their probability of non-termination is small.
Analysis and comparison of various switched diversity strategies

Switch and stay combining (SSC) diversity systems have the advantage of offering one of the least complex solutions to mitigating the effect of fading. We present a Markov chain-based analytical framework for the performance analysis of various switching strategies used in conjunction with SSC systems. The resulting expressions are quite general and are applicable to dual-branch diversity systems operating over a variety of correlated and/or unbalanced fading channels. The mathematical formalism is illustrated by some selected numerical examples along with their discussion and interpretation. As a result, the paper presents a thorough comparison and highlight the main differences and tradeoffs between the various SSC switching strategies.
Analysis of ASPM in an ethnically diverse cohort of 400 patient samples: perspectives of the molecular diagnostic laboratory

Primary Autosomal Recessive Microcephaly (MCPH) is characterized by congenital microcephaly usually without additional clinical findings. The most common gene implicated in MCPH is ASPM and a large percentage of mutations described have been homozygous and in consanguineous families primarily of East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. ASPM sequencing was performed on 400 patients between the years 2009 and 2012. Seventy of the patient samples were also analyzed for copy number changes in the ASPM gene. Forty protein truncating mutations, including 29 novel mutations, were identified in 39 patients with MCPH. Approximately one third of patients were compound heterozygotes, indicative of non-consanguinity in these patients. In addition, 46 non-synonymous variants were identified and interpreted as variants of uncertain significance. No deletion/duplication in ASPM was identified in the patients analyzed. A wide ethnic distribution was observed, including the first reported patients with ASPM-related MCPH of Hispanic descent. Clinical information was collected for 26 of the ASPM-positive patients and 41 of the ASPM-negative patients. As more individuals are identified with MCPH, we anticipate that we will continue to identify ASPM mutation-positive patients from all ethnic origins supporting the occurrence of this genetic condition beyond that of consanguineous families of certain ethnic populations.
Variations in Subpixel Fire Properties with Season and Land Cover in Southern Africa

Abstract Some of the most widely used datasets for monitoring the world’s fires come from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors aboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites. For virtually all remote sensing systems, including MODIS, pixels that contain fires comprise a mix of burning and nonburning components, each with sizes and temperatures that vary between pixels. Current remote sensing products provide little information about these subpixel components, severely limiting estimates of the gas and aerosol emissions and ecological impacts from the world’s fires. This study shows how multiple endmember spectral mixture analysis (MESMA) can estimate subpixel fire sizes and temperatures from MODIS and can overcome many limitations of existing methods for characterizing fire intensities from remotely sensed data, such as the fire radiative power (FRP) approach. This study used MESMA to estimate subpixel fire sizes and temperatures for MODIS scenes in southern Africa, analyzed how thes...