cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Attachment and Biofilm Formation by Selected Strains of Salmonella enterica and Entrohemorrhagic Escherichia coli of Fresh Produce Origin

This study compared the abilities of selected Salmonella enterica and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) strains of fresh produce origin to form biofilms on polystyrene surface and to attach to alfalfa and bean sprouts. Each of the 7 S. enterica and 4 EHEC inocula (2 mL; 107 CFU/mL) was placed in 6 different broths in 24-well polystyrene tissue culture plates at 28 °C for 1 to 7 d. Developed biofilms were quantified using the crystal violet binding assay. In a separate experiment, alfalfa and mung bean sprouts (5 g) were exposed to 25 mL inocula (107 CFU/mL) of S. enterica or EHEC at 22 °C for 2 h with shaking at 40 rpm. Contaminated sprouts were thoroughly rinsed and homogenized in 0.1% peptone water, and bacteria attached to sprouts were enumerated. Biofilm mass accumulated on polystyrene surface increased with incubation time (P < 0.05). Among the microbiological media used, LB no salt (NaCl) broth better supported biofilm development (P < 0.05). Two EHEC strains formed more biofilms than the Salmonella and other two EHEC strains (P < 0.05). However, more Salmonella cells (5.66 log CFU/g) attached to sprouts than EHEC cells (3.46 log CFU/g). Both Salmonella and EHEC attached in higher numbers to mung bean, than alfalfa, sprouts (P < 0.05).
A statistical evaluation of the impact of parameter selection on storage system benchmarks

The performance evaluation of storage systems is a difficult task due to lack of representative workloads. Storage benchmark tools test a single aspect such as random read performance at a time. While this approach does allow us to gain useful insights to the system behavior, current practices are largely inadequate due to large benchmark input parameter space. For example, a benchmark with 10 parameters require at least 1024 experiments if conducted exhaustively even if we only test extreme values of each parameter. Furthermore, there is no way to tell if the benchmark being used is enough to test all realistic scenarios. As a result, researchers and developers rely on multiple benchmarks with ad hoc input parameters. We propose a method to quickly identify input parameters that have high effect on the performance metric of interest. We also show that using multiple benchmarks is unnecessary at times and a good benchmark can cover all operational space by providing a control over key parameters that affect the performance metric being measured.
Hydrothermal Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Hexafluorogallate, Na3GaF6

Single crystals of Na3GaF6 were prepared via a mild hydrothermal method and the crystal structure was characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Na3GaF6 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n with a = 5.4724(3) A, b = 5.6742(3) A, c = 7.8866(4) A, γ = 90.361(1)˚, V = 244.89(2) A3, and Z = 2. The compound exhibits a cryolite-type crystal structure consisting of corner-shared GaF6 and Na(1)O6 polyhedra. The Ga and Na(1) atoms are found in almost regular octahedra, whereas the Na(2) atom is observed in a highly distorted square antiprismatic coordination environment. The synthesis and crystal structure of the hexafluorogallate, Na3GaF6 is reported.
Impact of Projected Emission and Climate Changes on Air Quality in the U.S.: from National to State Level

Abstract Future ambient air quality will respond to changes in anthropogenic and biogenic emissions as well as climate changes, which may vary at national and state levels in different regions of the world. In this work, we applied an advanced online-coupled meteorology and chemistry model, the Weather Research and Forecasting Model with Chemistry (WRF/Chem), to the continental U.S. for current (2001-2010) and future (2046-2055) decades under four climate scenarios including the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 and the Technology Driver Model (TDM) A1B and B2. Our goal is to quantify the impact of projected changes in anthropogenic and biogenic emissions and climate on future air quality under various climate scenarios for policy analysis for emission control and mitigation of adverse climate change. The simulations are performed at 36-, 12-km, and 4-km over North America, Continental U.S., and selected states, respectively. A comprehensive evaluation has been performed for the current simulation period using available observations from surface networks and satellites and shows an overall good performance in reproducing climatic and chemical observations at all grid scales. Future air quality features greater reduction in PM2.5 by RCP 4.5/8.5 than TDM B2/A1B and decreased O3 over most areas in the U.S. by RCP4.5 and TDM B2, indicating the benefits of carbon policy and technology changes with greater emission reductions. Air quality responds differently to projected changes in anthropogenic emissions in different states and seasons, indicating a need to develop state-specific emission control strategies for different seasons.
VALUE OF FRACTAL ANALYSIS OF OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY IN VARIOUS STAGES OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY.

Purpose To use fractal dimensional analysis to investigate retinal vascular disease patterns in patients with diabetic retinopathy using spectral domain optical coherence tomography angiography. Methods A retrospective study was conducted which included 49 eyes from 26 control subjects and 58 eyes from 35 patients known to have diabetic retinopathy. Of the 58 eyes with known retinopathy, 31 were categorized as nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (13 mild, 9 moderate, and 9 severe) and 27 were categorized as proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Optical coherence tomography angiography images were acquired using the RTVue XR Avanti (Optovue, Inc). Automated segmentation was obtained through both the superficial and deep capillary plexuses for each eye. Grayscale optical coherence tomography angiography images were standardized and binarized using ImageJ (National Institutes of Health). Fractal box-counting analyses were conducted using Fractalyse (TheMA). Fractal dimensions (FDs) and correlation coefficient of the superficial and deep capillary plexuses were compared between control eyes and those in various stages of diabetic retinopathy. Results The superficial and deep capillary plexuses from diabetic and control eyes were analyzed. The average FD for diabetic eyes was significantly lower than in control eyes in the superficial plexus (P = 2.4 × 10) and in the deep capillary plexus (P = 1.87 × 10 ) with a more statistically significant difference noted in the deep capillary plexus. When analyzing diabetic patients without edema noted on optical coherence tomography, the FD was significantly reduced in the superficial (P = 0.001) and deep (P = 1.49 × 10) plexuses. When analyzing diabetic patients with edema noted on optical coherence tomography, the FD was significantly reduced in the superficial (P = 2.0 × 10) and deep (P = 1.85 × 10) plexuses. Conclusion The optical coherence tomography angiography FD is significantly lower in both superficial and deep capillary plexuses in eyes with all stages studied of diabetic retinopathy. The results were more often significant for the deep capillary plexus. The use of fractal analysis provides an objective criterion to assess microvascular disease burden in diabetic retinopathy.
Liquidity risk and asset movement evidence from brexit

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) have been widely viewed as a more liquid alternative to mutual funds. Liquidity is an important consideration while analyzing investment opportunities of ETFs. Since liquidity is not directly observable in financial markets, there exist proxies to quantify liquidity in the market. In this study, we consider 25 liquidity measures that are feasible to serve as proxies and maybe calculated using the high frequency data set available. We use a statistical model to examine whether liquidity affects the movement of price. We study this effect to show how liquidity measures impact the components of XLU ETF. We conclude that considering only one liquidity measure in an asset pricing model is not sufficient to capture the dynamics of market liquidity.
The Untreated Addiction: Going Tobacco-Free in a VA Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (SARRTP)

Despite negative effects of tobacco on the human body and the high prevalence of smoking among those who enter treatment for substance use, few residential programs endorse a tobacco-free policy. Conventional wisdom suggests that it is overwhelming to quit more than one substance at a time, and as a result, many clinicians believe that a shift to a tobacco-free treatment environment is unfeasible. However, the most recent scientific literature suggests the opposite: targeting tobacco use during substance use treatment can increase abstinence rates from both smoking and substances of choice. Therefore, the purpose of the current project is to outline the process by which a residential substance use treatment program within a Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center implemented a tobacco-free policy. In addition, preliminary program evaluation data dispels the myth that eliminating tobacco use in a residential treatment program leads to a decline in patient interest and program utilization.
The New Pathway Curriculum at Harvard Medical School

An educational renewal has been taking place at Harvard Medical School. Challenged by the Dean to prepare physicians who are equipped to deal with the remarkable changes in medicine and in society, our faculty has responded by creating a fundamentally different approach to the content, process, and organization of medical education (Tosteson 1981, 1990).
Current Issues of Apportionment Methods

Three apportionment problems are addressed that are of current interest in Germany and Switzerland: the assignment of committee seats in a way that preserves the parliamentary majority-minority relation, the introduction of minimum restrictions in a two-ballot system to accomodate the direct seats won by the constituency ballots, and biproportional apportionment methods for systems with multiple districts so as to achieve proportionality between party votes as well as between district populations.
Hosanna-Tabor, the Ministerial Exemption, and Losses of Equality: Constitutional Law and Religious Privilege in the US

The US Supreme Court’s Hosanna-Tabor opinion, defining a Constitutionally-rooted “ministerial exemption” of churches from the obligations of anti-discrimination laws, utilized an “absolutist” approach that has been contrasted with the “balancing” approach to the same issue taken by the European Court of Human Rights. Focusing on Hosanna-Tabor, this essay provides analysis of the implications of the case by identifying its location in – and its contribution to – the program of “religious privilege” that has been advanced the Supreme Court during the past 25 years. The essay documents relevant Constitutional case law and statutes; outlines the evolution of the “ministerial exemption;” and, points to losses of individual equality that are being accomplished concurrently with great expansions of “religious liberty” and with abandonment of meaningful “separationism” in the US. Accepting the critique of “absolutism,” the essay suggests, further, that Hosanna-Tabor and other recent work of the Court lack – but that resources extractable from US law of the “religious pluralism” period can provide – conceptual resources useful for protection of individuals’ equality and for minimizing “divisiveness based on religion.”
Spirochetes and Spiroplasma and the Special Strategies for CWD (Cell Wall Deficient) Cells

Many bacteria grow as curved cells or helices. While basically rodshaped cells have straight walls, there are others that have a continuum of curvatures from slight bends to tightly curved spirals. In the last chapter, several possibilities for the more gently curved cells were made. In this chapter, we deal mainly with two other groups that have very little or no murein and form tight spirals. These groups are the spirochetes and spiroplasma. Understanding of the cause of these helices comes from the knowledge that they have internal fibrils that rotate or contract/expand to force helical structure and cause movement of the cells. We also deal in this chapter with L-forms of bacteria that are now called cell wall deficient (CWD) cells.
Long-term assessment of surgical and quality-of-life outcomes between lightweight and standard (heavyweight) three-dimensional contoured mesh in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair

Background Mesh weight is a possible contributor to quality-of-life outcomes after inguinal hernia repair. This study compares lightweight mesh versus heavyweight mesh in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Methods A prospective, single-center, hernia-specific database was queried for all adult laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair with three-dimensional contoured mesh (3-D Max, Bard, Inc, New Providence, NJ) from 1999 to June 2016. Demographics and outcomes were analyzed. Quality of life was evaluated preoperatively and after 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months, using the Carolinas Comfort Scale. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were performed. Results A total of 1,424 laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair were performed with three-dimensional contoured mesh, with 804 patients receiving lightweight mesh and 620 receiving heavyweight mesh. Patients receiving lightweight mesh were somewhat younger (52.6 ± 14.8 years vs 56.3 ± 13.7 years, P .05). At all points of follow-up (4 week to 3 years), quality-of-life outcomes of discomfort, mesh sensation, and movement limitation scores were similar between lightweight mesh and heavyweight mesh. Conclusion Contoured lightweight mesh and heavyweight mesh in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair yield excellent recurrence rates and no difference in postoperative complications or quality of life. Considering the lack of outcome difference with long-term follow-up, heavyweight mesh may be considered for use in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair patients.
Understanding Turkish secularism in the 21th century: a contextual roadmap

ABSTRACTThis paper asserts that Turkish secularism and Islamism represent two faces of one coin – contemporary Turkish politics – when one considers their goals and strategies. The two ideological ...
Longitudinal changes of inflammatory biomarkers moderate the relationship between recent stressful life events and prospective symptoms of depression in a diverse sample of urban adolescents.

Abstract This study investigated whether longitudinal changes in inflammatory physiology moderated the relationship between recent stressful life events and subsequent depressive symptoms in adolescence. A diverse sample of adolescents representative of an urban community (N = 129; Age at baseline = 12.5 years; 48.8% female; 55.0% African American) completed measures of stressful life events, depressive symptoms, and two annual blood draws (BD1 and BD2). Controlling for inflammatory activity at BD1, depression at BD1, demographics and the time between assessments, increases in interleukin-6 (IL-6; b = 0.878, p = .007) and C-reactive protein (CRP; b = 0.252, p = .024) from BD1 to BD2 interacted with recent stressful life events before BD1 to predict severity of depressive symptoms at BD2. Similar associations were evident for IL-6 (b = 2.074, p = .040) and CRP (b = 0.919, p = .050) when considering acute stressful life events that had occurred within the two weeks before the first blood collection. More frequent stressful life events before BD1 predicted significantly more severe depressive symptoms at BD2, but only for adolescents with moderate (50th percentile) and high (84th percentile) levels of IL-6 and CRP at BD2. In conclusion, adolescents who experienced both recent stressful life events and larger increases in inflammatory activity following these stressors were at increased risk for more severe depressive symptoms after approximately one year. The findings indicate that the interaction of stress and larger changes in inflammatory activity following these stressors are prognostic risk factors for depression severity in adolescents.
Titania-Containing Recycled Polypropylene Surfaces with Photo-Induced Reversible Switching Wettability

Creation of smart surfaces with reversible wettability has always fascinated researchers over the past years but complicated methods are still employed. This study reports a facile and environment-friendly fabrication of smart composite coatings from recycled polypropylene (PP) plastics in which titanium dioxide or titania particles are added to impart extreme anti-wettability with improved thermal stability. The method used is simple and economical as the utilization of used PP plastics can positively impact to the volume reduction of plastic waste in the environment. Titania, being photo-responsive, makes the wetting behavior switch reversibly (i.e. from being superhydrophobic to hydrophilic and vice versa) by employing ultraviolet light as a stimulus and storage in the dark for superhydrophobicity restoration. Combined with relatively high thermal stability, the PP/TiO2 composites are thought to be useful not only as smart coatings but also for a wide variety of barrier-related applications.
Summary and Final Comments

Now that exoplanets are being discovered almost daily through transit, radial velocity, and other techniques, the direction of exoplanet research is changing from discovery to characterization of exoplanet properties. Of particular importance is the existence and composition of exoplanet atmospheres and whether these atmospheres are supportive of life forms on the surfaces of rocky planets. It is now recognized that the emissions of host stars, both their radiation and wind properties, determine whether their exoplanets retain their initial atmospheres and any secondary atmospheres that may later emerge. While there is only one present example of an inhabited planet, there are now more than a handful of possibly habitable rocky exoplanets and the number of such planets will surely increase rapidly in the near future. Although the presence of surface water was the original criterion for the term habitable zone, or more precisely “liquid water habitable zone” (LWHZ), there are additional factors that also determine habitability and many of these factors involve the present and past properties of the host star.
A subset of epithelial cells mimics regulatory T cells and contributes to immune evasion during development of pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic cancer is refractory to most current treatment options. Immunotherapy emerges as an effective and novel therapeutic strategy for several solid tumors. However, most of the clinical trials on immunotherapy have failed in pancreatic cancer. Understanding the underlying mechanism that drives immune evasion of pancreatic cancer is critical for overcoming resistance to therapy. Recently, Dr. He Ren and colleagues proposed a novel concept that a subset of epithelial cells in pancreatic cancer mimics the phenotype and function of regulatory T cells, named as “quasi-regulatory T cells.” These cells contribute to enhanced immune evasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis of pancreatic cancer, thus providing potential therapeutic targets to improve the sensitivity of immunotherapy for this devastating disease. This ground-breaking concept will advance our understanding on the immune evasion of pancreatic cancer and chart novel paths towards the development of personalized treatment for pancreatic cancer.
Conceptualising disability: a critical discourse analysis of a teacher education textbook

This study examined the conceptualisation of disability in a teacher education textbook. Drawing on Norman Fairclough’s post-structurally informed approach to critical discourse analysis, I deconst...
Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt: “A Place for Open Discussion, Dialogue, and Understanding”

The Alexandria Library opened to the public in 2002, and it was designed by the Norwegian Architecture Firm Snohetta, which also designed the 9/11 Memorial Museum Pavillion in New York City. The new library sought to emulate the first well-known library from ancient Greece located in Alexandria, Egypt. The building design is symbolic of many natural elements to accommodate not only the library itself but arts, history, philosophy, and science into a large complex. The mission of the library seeks to made of the library a place “for open discussion, dialogue, and understanding.” Some of the main criticisms for the new Library of Alexandria rested on the fact that communities felt the scale of the project was unnecessary and the lack of funds for books made it seem ill-suited. However, the library is iconic in its design and has bounced back from those previous criticism by increasing the number of books available through donations. This chapter will examine the design of the Library of Alexandria within its contemporary urban context. The intended role of the new library in 2002 and its current role within the Egyptian urban culture of the city of Alexandria will also be examined.
Dividends as a signaling device and the disappearing dividend puzzle

Abstract In this paper we develop a generalization of the Baker and Wurgler (2012) signaling model where investors are loss-averse to dividend cuts. We apply our framework to study how a firm's characteristics and manager's incentives affect payout policy properties. In equilibrium firms with riskier earnings are less likely to pay dividends, however, those that pay, payout more. Similarly, firms whose managers have a higher share of stock options in their compensation package are less likely to pay positive dividends. There is a clientele effect. Investors’ preferences and choices affect the payout policy and two otherwise identical firms can greatly differ in how they pay dividends. Finally, we relate our model's predictions to the disappearing dividend puzzle.
Ghrelin proteolysis by insulin-degrading enzyme

Here we report proteolysis of synthetic acylated human ghrelin by recombinant human insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE). Kinetic parameters and sites of proteolytic cleavage were evaluated. Ghrelin proteolysis by IDE was inhibited by ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), a metal chelating agent. Ghrelin proteolysis appears at least somewhat specific to M16 family proteases such as IDE, as the M13 protease neprilysin (NEP) did not exhibit ghrelin proteolysis in this study. A quenched fluorogenic peptide substrate comprising the primary sites of IDE-mediated ghrelin proteolysis (Mca-QRVQQRKESKK(Dnp)-OH; Mca: 7-methoxycoumarin-3-carboxylic acid; Dnp: 2,4-dinitrophenyl) was developed and used to evaluate enzyme specificity and kinetic parameters of proteolysis. Like acyl ghrelin, Mca-QRVQQRKESKK(Dnp)-OH was efficiently cleaved by IDE central to the target sequence. We anticipate that this quenched fluorogenic peptide substrate will be of value to future studies of ghrelin proteolysis by IDE and potentially other peptidases.
Ultrafast Simulation of Large-Scale Neocortical Microcircuitry with Biophysically Realistic Neurons

Understanding the activity of the mammalian brain requires an integrative knowledge of circuits at distinct scales, ranging from ion channel time constants to synaptic connection probabilities. To understand how multiple parameters contribute synergistically to circuit behavior as a whole, neuronal computational models are regularly employed. However, traditional models containing anatomically and biophysically realistic neurons are computationally expensive when scaled to model local circuits. To overcome this limitation, we trained several artificial neural net (ANN) architectures to model the activity of realistic, multicompartmental neurons. We identified a single ANN that accurately predicted both subthreshold and action potential firing, and correctly generalized its responses to previously unobserved synaptic input. When scaled, processing times were orders of magnitude faster compared with traditional approaches, allowing for rapid parameter-space mapping in a circuit model of Rett syndrome. Thus, our ANN approach allows for rapid, detailed network experiments using inexpensive, readily available computational resources.
Testing a Hypothesis

This chapter introduces the reader to statistical inference, and in particular, the test of hypothesis. Inference refers to the idea that we will employ the sample data to make inferences about the population. A major means of making inferences is to pose a hypothesis about the population and then examine whether it is supported by one’s sample data. There is an intricate set of cognitive steps involved in this process. Because reasoning is involved that may seem unfamiliar at first, we will proceed with caution. We begin with a simple and intuitive example of hypothesis testing to show the reader that he or she already employs such reasoning on a regular basis.
An overview of surgical techniques, research trials, and future directions of fetal therapy.

During the latter part of the 20th century, the fetus became recognized as a patient separate from the mother. Powerful imaging and sampling techniques provided insight into normal fetal development and the opportunity to detect anomalies. In this overview of the rapidly evolving fetal surgery field, we describe the evolution of surgical techniques, clinical trials, and emerging research. We hope to ignite interest among professionals in this growing area of patient care.
The Precambrian Evolution of Terrestrial Life

Paleontological evidence indicates that terrestrial life existed at least 3500 Ma ago, and it is quite possible that the earliest cells arose well before that time. The early appearance of life on Earth suggests that under appropriate environmental conditions the probability of chemical evolution proceeding to the point of biogenesis may be reasonably high. Most of biological history has been the history of microorganisms, with tissue-grade plants and animals characterizing only the most recent 15% or so of the fossil record. Intelligent life has occupied only the latest instant in geological time. The time table of terrestrial evolution is governed more by the particulars of our planet’s physical and biological history than by some universal tempo of evolutionary change. One aspect of terrestrial life that is likely to be universal is the organization of populations into efficient biogeochemical systems.
Tokens from the Gods

A calculus is a pebble, or small stone.* Playing with pebbles, or “calculating”, is a primitive form of arithmetic. The calculus, or calculus, refers to some mathematics that was developed principally in the seventeenth century.
Interactions between, Camellia japonica and its Seed Predator Curculio camelliae

Seeds of Camellia japonica are heavily attacked by Curculio camelliae. To evaluate the efficacy of fruit wall thickness against the curculio attack, correlations of fruit wall thickness with the ratio of seed survival (RSS) and with the ratio of oviposition success of the curculio beetles (ROS) were investigated on fruits collected at Camellia stands in Kinki District. While ROS exhibited negative correlations with the thickness of fruit wall in every stand, RSS showed different modes in accordance with the population density of the curculio. At low density, no significant difference was seen in RSS between trees with thicker fruit wall and those with thinner ones; the latter trees, generally bearing many fruits, had more seeds surviving than the former, generally bearing a few fruits. In high density curculio populations, RSS values showed correlation with the thickness of the fruit wall and more seeds survived in trees with thicker fruit walls. These facts suggest that two contrasting behavioral traits are present in a single species C. japonica and their efficacies differ in accordance with the curculio density.
Urban Redevelopment And The Cultural Landscape Of Panama City Beach, Florida

Panama City Beach, FL has seen major changes since the housing boom of the early 2000’s. The condominium market has almost doubled and in response the city has planned major changes to the transportation and building infrastructure. This paper examines the potential impacts these changes will have on the culture and future of Panama City Beach. In addition, interviews were conducted to obtain various perspective of the city from public and private citizens.
40Ar39Ar Ages and tectonic setting of ophiolite from the Neyriz area, southeast Zagros Range, Iran

Abstract An ophiolite, considered to be an allochthonous fragment of Tethyan oceanic crust and mantle, crops out near Neyriz in the Zagros Range, Iran. 40 Ar 39 Ar ages ranging from 76.8 ± 23.8 Ma to 105 ± 23.3 Ma were measured on hornblende from five samples of plagiogranite and diabase from the ophiolite. The most precise ages are 85.9 ± 3.8 Ma for a diabase and 83.6 ± 8.4 Ma for a plagiogranite. The weighted mean age of hornblende from the five samples is 87.5 ± 7.2 Ma which indicates that the igneous part of the Neyriz ophiolite formed during the early part of the Late Cretaceous. Pargasite from amphibolite below peridotite of the Neyriz ophiolite has a 40 Ar 39 Ar age of 94.9 ± 7.6 Ma. The pargasite age agrees within analytical uncertainty with the ages measured on diabase and plagiogranite. Comparable ages have been measured on igneous rocks from the Samail ophiolite of Oman and on amphibolite below peridotite of the Samail ophiolite.
Stable Statistics of the Blogograph

The primary focus of this paper is to describe stable statistics of the blogosphere's evolution which convey information on the social network's dynamics. In this paper, we present a number of non-trivial statistics that are surprisingly stable and thus can be used as benchmarks to diagnose phase-transitions in the network. We believe that stable statistics can be used to identify anomalous behavior at all levels: that of a node, of a local community, or of the entire network itself. Any substantial change in those stable statistics must alert the researchers and analysts to the need for further investigation. Furthermore, the usage of these or similar statistics that are based solely on the communication dynamics and not on the communication content, allows one to diagnose anomalous behavior with minimal intrusion of privacy.
Why Diasporas Invest in the Homeland: A Conceptual Model of Motivation

Little is known about why diaspora members invest in their homelands or why investment intensity varies among diaspora communities. Employing an interdisciplinary approach, we generate a multi-level, conceptual model of diaspora homeland investment. Our model examines the effects of inter-diaspora cultural differences, support from diaspora organizations, and three types of investment expectations - financial, social, and emotional - to better understand this phenomenon.
How Trust is Abused in Free Markets: Enron’s 'Crooked 'E’'

A market can have a lemon's problem when one party to the transaction has far superior information to the other and defects are not obvious. The classic bad car, the "lemon" led to the name for this theory. A lemon's market is inefficient. Both consumers and reputable sellers of high quality goods are harmed by the consumer's inability to distinguish superior goods. Frauds, who sell poor quality goods by misrepresenting quality are the only winners. Markets beset by lemon's problems may be improved by government intervention, which can aid both consumers and honest sellers.In his article "How Trust is Achieved in Free Markets," Dan Klein, a libertarian, argues that government intervention is not necessary to deal with lemon's problems because the markets do so. A variant of Dan's reasoning lies at the heart of modern corporate governance. Its leading scholars assert that fraud by controlling persons is minimal because legitimate firms successfully distinguish themselves from control frauds. They do so through three primary devices: hiring top-tier outside auditors, insuring that their CEOs own large amounts of the company's stock, and having the company take on large amounts of debt. The S&L debacle and the ongoing financial crises have shown that this confidence in the ability of markets to discern control frauds was misplaced.White-collar criminologists are less sanguine about the ability of honest firms to distinguish themselves from the control frauds in many contexts absent effective regulation. Fraud always involves the creation and abuse of trust. Fraudulent firms love it when legitimate firms adopt signaling devices that they can mimic. This creates greater trust and allows more lucrative fraud. Moral restraints and legal prohibitions, in a functional, representative government, are generally mutually supportive. They can also support, instead of supplant, voluntary agreement.
Test-Retest Reliability of a Dichotic Digits Test for Assessing Central Auditory Function in Alzheimer's Disease

Test-retest reliability for the dichotic digits test was measured in 10 subjects diagnosed with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease and a control group of 10 subjects with no evidence of dementia, matched for age, gender and average degree of hearing loss. Although initial scores among the Alzheimer group were more variable, test-retest reliability over a month period was reasonably high for both subject groups. Results are in agreement with previous reports on dichotic digits showing good sensitivity, ease in administration and time efficiency. Use of the dichotic digits test for screening of central auditory function in the Alzheimer population is supported.
Interdiffusion in (fcc) Ni-Cr-X (X = Al, Si, Ge or Pd) Alloys at 700°C

Interdiffusion at 700°C for Ni-22at.%Cr (fcc γ phase) alloys with small additions of Al, Si, Ge, or Pd was examined using solid-to-solid diffusion couples. Rods of Ni-22at.%Cr, Ni- 21at.%Cr-6.2at.%Al, Ni-22at.%Cr-4.0at.%Si, Ni-22at.%Cr-1.6at.%Ge and Ni-22at.%Cr-1.6at.%Pd alloys were cast using arc-melt and homogenized at 900°C for 168 hours. The diffusion couples were assembled with alloy disks in Invar steel jig, encapsulated in Argon after several hydrogen flushes, and annealed at 700°C for 720 hours. Experimental concentration profiles were determined from polished cross-sections by using electron probe microanalysis with pure standards of Ni, Cr, Al, Si, Ge and Pd. Interdiffusion fluxes of individual components were calculated directly from the experimental concentration profiles, and the moments of interdiffusion fluxes were examined to determine average ternary interdiffusion coefficients. Effects of ternary alloying additions on the interdiffusional behavior of Ni-Cr-X alloys at 700°C are presented in the light of the diffusional interactions and the formation of protective Cr2O3 scale.
Penalized Spline Estimation for Partially Linear Single-Index Models

Single-index models are potentially important tools for multivariate nonparametric regression. They generalize linear regression by replacing the linear combination α0Tx with a nonparametric component, η0(α0Tx), where η0(·) is an unknown univariate link function. By reducing the dimensionality from that of a general covariate vector x to a univariate index α0Tx, single-index models avoid the so-called “curse of dimensionality.” We propose penalized spline (P-spline) estimation of η0(·) in partially linear single-index models, where the mean function has the form η0(α0Tx) + β 0Tz. The P-spline approach offers a number of advantages over other fitting methods for single-index models. All parameters in the P-spline single-index model can be estimated simultaneously by penalized nonlinear least squares. As a direct least squares fitting method, our approach is rapid and computationally stable. Standard nonlinear least squares software can be used. Moreover, joint inference for η0(·), α0, and β0 is possible by...
Agronomic performance and genetic progress of selected historical soybean varieties in the southern USA

This study was conducted to compare recently developed and historical soybean varieties and evaluate genetic gain in yield and other agronomic traits in the southern USA. A total of 45 southern varieties from public breeding programs, which were released from 1928 to 2008, were used in this study. Three experiments were conducted in 2007 and 2008 at Keiser, Stuttgart, and Marianna in Arkansas (USA). Varieties with maturity groups (MG) late IV to early V had a yield gain of 21.7 kg/ha/yr from the 1950s to the 2000s, mid to late MG V had a yield gain of 16.4 kg/ha/yr from the 1940s to the 2000s, and MG VIs had a yield gain of 12.4 kg/ha/yr from the 1920s to the 2000s. Yield increased linearly for all combined experiments by 16.8 kg/ha/yr. Plant height remained steady over time for most experiments. No significant changes were observed in maturity. Lodging scores decreased, protein concentration decreased, and oil concentration increased linearly over time for all combined experiments. Hutcheson, Narrow, R97-1634, and Young were recommended as parent lines in future soybean breeding efforts.
Bifurcation control of gait transition in insect locomotion

Insect locomotion presents a type of pattern adaptation in which the phase relations change with the speed of walking. In forward walking, the protraction of legs progresses sequentially one after the other from posterior to anterior: a metachronal wave gait. The duration of protraction is roughly invariant to the speed of locomotion, and the duration of retraction is linearly dependent on the step period [1]. These constraints determine phase relations in a gait over a range of speeds. We described a model of insect locomotion employing the cornerstone Shilnikov bifurcation [2,3]. This bifurcation generates mechanisms that control burst duration and interburst interval in endogenous bursting and the duration of pulse-triggered bursts in endogenously silent neurons [3,4]. We suggest that the mechanism describing the stereotypical burst responses of silent neurons explains smooth transitions between gaits. The burst duration is controlled by the half-activation voltage of a potassium current (-θK2). In the model, each leg was controlled by one oscillator consisting of two mutually inhibitory interneurons: protraction and retraction interneurons. The model central pattern generator (CPG) contains three coupled oscillators: PP-PR, MsP-MsR, MtP-MtR labeling protractor and retractor interneurons each for the prothoracic, mesothoracic, and metathoracic segments, respectively. The bifurcation-generated mechanisms make quantitative predictions on the CPG activity. The duration of the burst was governed by the inverse-square-root law (Figure 1). The burst duration grows linear with the number of spikes per burst in retractor interneurons. The burst duration of the retractor interneuron determined the period of the network. The retractor burst duration determined what type of gait was exhibited by network activity. As such, we were able to control the smooth transition from metachronal wave to tripod gait. While the duty cycle of retractor interneurons was greater than 50%, we observed a gait comprised of metachronal progression of bursts from posterior to anterior. When the duty cycle became 50%, we observed the tripod gait, where the activity in the prothoracic and metathoracic protractor interneurons was synchronous. In conclusion, we constructed a locomotor CPG model using a mechanism generated by the cornerstone bifurcation. This mechanism controls the duration of pulse-triggered bursts in endogenously silent neurons and governs a smooth transition from a metachronal gait to a tripod gait.
Monte Carlo Simulation of Massive Absorbers for Cryogenic Calorimeters

There is a growing interest in cryogenic calorimeters with macroscopic absorbers for applications such as dark matter direct detection and rare event search experiments. The physics of energy transport in calorimeters with absorber masses exceeding several grams is made complex by the anisotropic nature of the absorber crystals as well as the changing mean free paths as phonons decay to progressively lower energies. We present a Monte Carlo model capable of simulating anisotropic phonon transport in cryogenic crystals. We have initiated the validation process and discuss the level of agreement between our simulation and experimental results reported in the literature, focusing on heat pulse propagation in germanium. The simulation framework is implemented using Geant4, a toolkit originally developed for high-energy physics Monte Carlo simulations. Geant4 has also been used for nuclear and accelerator physics, and applications in medical and space sciences. We believe that our current work may open up new avenues for applications in material science and condensed matter physics.
Initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) of copolymer thin films

Initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) represents a novel hot-wire CVD variant for producing copolymer thin films. iCVD copolymerization was characterized by a conventional liquid-phase free radical copolymerization equation when applied to methacrylic acid copolymers. FTIR peak shifts with changing comonomer ratios in the copolymers further supported a copolymerization mechanism. Crosslinked methacrylic acid copolymers provided pH-dependent swelling behavior that enabled an enteric release of active core material when the copolymer was used as an encapsulation coating.
Why can't a fetus be more like a sperm? The woman's role in fetal tissue research and how women are left out of the discussion

The use of fetal tissue for scientific research is a good example of the ways that cultural definitions have enveloped and galvanized the link between culture, science, and politics. Since the Roe vs. Wade decision in 1973, use of fetal tissue has been connected to arguably one of the hottest political firestorms of the century…abortion. While the abortion issue, as well as the use of fetal tissue for research, has been debated and discussed in almost every major field of thought, the debate consistently fails to address some of the key cultural interpretations we give to issues such as gender, science, and the role of women, who have largely been forgotten, and how these interpretations influence the national debate. To gain understanding of how these issues affect the fetal tissue dialogue, one must explore the role these cultural interpretations have in the discussion on the use of fetal tissue for research by looking at the cultural meanings we give to the terms “mother” and “fetus” and how these scientific metaphors affect the way we think about women who donate fetal tissue. These concepts must then be applied to fetal tissue use by exploring both political and ethical arguments surrounding the issue.
Quantitative comparisons of select cultured and uncultured microbial populations in the rumen of cattle fed different diets

Background The number and diversity of uncultured ruminal bacterial and archaeal species revealed by 16S rRNA gene (rrs) sequences greatly exceeds that of cultured bacteria and archaea. However, the significance of uncultured microbes remains undetermined. The objective of this study was to assess the numeric importance of select uncultured bacteria and cultured bacteria and the impact of diets and microenvironments within cow rumen in a comparative manner.
Algorithm Differentiation in Lisp: ADIL

Algorithm differentiation (AD) is a technique used to transform a program F computing a numerical function of one argument F(x) into another program G(p) that returns a pair, hF(p), F0(p)i where by F0(p) we mean the derivative of F with respect to its argument x, evaluated at x = p. That is, we have a program AD that takes as input a program, and returns another: G := AD(F). Over the years AD programs have been developed to allow F to be expressed in some specialized variant of a popular programming language L (FORTRAN, C, Matlab, Python) and where G is delivered in that language L or some other. Alternatively, executing F(p) is some environment will deliver hF0(p), F(p)i directly. AD tools have also been incorporated in computer algebra systems (CAS) such as Maple. A CAS is hardly necessary for the task of writing the AD program, since the main requirement is a set of tools for manipulation of an internal (typically tree) form of a program. In Lisp, a normal program is already in this form and so the AD program in Lisp (ADIL), the target F and the product G can all be expressed compactly in Lisp. In spite of the brevity and extensibility of the ADIL program, we can provide features which are unsupported in other AD programs. In particular, recursive functions are easily accommodated. Our perspective here is to point out that for scientists who write programs in Lisp or any language that can be converted to Lisp, AD is easily at hand.
Systems of mate selection in a cockroach species with male dominance hierarchies

The system of mate selection in the cockroach, Nauphoeta cinerea, was studied experimentally. The dominant male in a group mates more often than expected if random mating were occurring. The presence of a female usually does not result in changes in the dominance hierarchy, but the frequency of certain behavioural patterns in intermale interactions changes after introduction of the female. Females can discriminate between dominant and non-dominant males on the basis of odour. The experimental approach to this question is somewhat confounded by turning tendencies of the females; data are presented relating female choice to turning tendency.
Transparent/translucent polycrystalline nanostructured yttria stabilized zirconia with varying colors

We present a method for introducing light transmittance properties to polycrystalline oxide ceramics traditionally thought of as being structural ceramics, in effect producing multifunctional materials. Partially (ZrO2–3 mol.% Y2O3) and fully stabilized (ZrO2–8 mol.% Y2O3) nanostructured powders were densified using a current activated technique. The resulting materials have a grain size of 55 nm, yielding translucent materials in the partially stabilized case and highly transparent fully stabilized materials. The transparent materials vary in color from ruby to amber.
Glycal scavenging in the synthesis of disaccharides using mannosyl iodide donors

High mannose glycans composed of α (1→2) and α (1→6) branched sugars are important components of the HIV-associated envelope glycoprotein, gp120. These substructures can be efficiently prepared in solution from glycosyl iodide precursors requiring only a slight excess of the iodide donor, which offers advantages over solid-phase methods that require more than 5 equiv of donor. During the reaction, excess iodide is converted to a glycal that is not easily separated from the desired disaccharide. To overcome this difficulty, a phase-trafficking methodology that relies upon nucleophilic interception of the 1,2 anhydrosugar resulting from oxidation of the glycal has been developed.
Overlayer and superlattice studies of metal/ceramic interfaces: Fe/TiC

Adhesion and magnetism at the Fe(001)/TiC(001) interface, studied by first-principles calculations using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave method, show that the interfacial Fe and C atoms can form significantly strong covalent bonding, which makes the interface structure with Fe sitting on top of C as the most stable structure for both overlayers and superlattices. Due to this strong bonding, the first layer of Fe at the interface shows a considerably reduced magnetic moment (−20%), while the second layer almost recovers its bulk value. The interface C atom has a negative spin polarization, while the interface Ti atom has a positive magnetic moment.