cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk Assessment Model for Brown Treesnake Introduction into the Continental United States

The proposed military expansion on the island of Guam has increased the potential for the spread of brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis; BTS) to other areas. Prevention, rather than post-introduction management and control, is the most preferred method for combating introductions of invasive species. Here, we use risk assessment modeling as a tool which can be used to identify potential locations where brown treesnakes may become naturalized, if introduced, and thus could be used to help allocate resources to minimize the risk of invasion in those locations, and possibly aid in preventing the invasion of brown treesnakes into the continental United States. We used program MaxEnt to model climatically suitable areas for brown treesnake introduction into the continental United States. We then used ArcGIS to identify suitable areas that also receive the most shipments from the island of Guam, thus bringing together both risk of dispersal and risk of establishment. We identified Texas, Georgia, Florida, and several East Coast states as high-risk areas with respect to invasion of brown treesnakes. Shipments from Guam to these states should be considered high priority for inspection.
“I can't breathe”: Lay conceptualizations of racism predict support for Black Lives Matter

Abstract We examined how individual differences in White individuals' lay conceptualizations of racism are related to support for Black Lives Matter and protests against inequality. In our study, a more systemic conceptualization of racism, along with other individual differences (e.g., beliefs about racial discrimination and White privilege, self-presentational concerns about appearing racist) significantly predicted greater support for the Black Lives Matter movement and specific actions (e.g., protesting, political pressure) used to bringing about racial equality. Further, these ideologies predicted support for both White people and People of Color working to address the issue, highlighting the strength people perceive in allies against inequality. However, those who reject these beliefs may seek to limit the methods by which individuals affected by racial inequality are permitted to use in challenging that inequality.
A Judicial Framework for Applying Supreme Court Jurisprudence to the State Income Taxation of Indian Traders

State income taxation of Indian traders is a legal issue that the United States Supreme Court is likely to address within the next five years. This article provides a theoretical framework for resolution of the issue by considering the political framework of the United States Constitution and the historical role that federally recognized Indian tribes have played within the American legal system. As the cases work their way through the state judicial systems, this article will provide an important theoretical starting point for the lawyers and judges dealing with the question. And when the United States Supreme Court finally addresses the issue, the Court will be able to consider the usefulness of my framework. Virtually everyone who sells goods and services to one of the more than 560 federally recognized Indian tribes (or to their on-reservation members) is an Indian trader. Most Indian traders are in states that have an income tax. Although the United States Supreme Court has held that these sales are exempt from states sales taxes, no federal case has yet answered the income tax question. Tribes are interested in the issue because the outcome will affect their ability to tax Indian traders. States are interested because it will affect their tax revenue. Indian traders are interested because it will affect the state income taxes they pay. The theoretical framework that I propose builds on some of the Supreme Court jurisprudence on federal Indian law. My framework looks at the structure of Congress, the inclusion of states, and the exclusion of tribes. Given Congress' power over Indian affairs, the Supreme Court should decide cases in favor of the tribal interest whenever Congress has spoken with less than clarity. If states do not like the judicial answer, they can go to Congress and seek a legislative remedy, as they did with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in the 1980s. Congress has regulated Indian traders for over 200 years but has never stated whether states can tax them. Given the presence of this federal regulation, the United States Supreme Court in the 1960s decided that states could not impose their sales taxes on Indian traders. In a line of subsequent Supreme Court cases, the federal preemption logic has remained largely unchanged. This same logic, when viewed in light of Congress' role in Indian affairs and the political exclusion of tribes from Congress, leads to the conclusion that Indian traders should be exempt from state income taxes.
Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigation for One Health Postsecondary Education.

One Health concepts were incorporated in a foodborne disease outbreak investigation with game features of data presented as visual and manipulative clues. Postsecondary pre-veterinary medicine and animal biosciences students and food science students (n = 319) enrolled in an introductory animal and food sciences course over a 3-year period received a brief introduction to foodborne illness, an outbreak scenario, and investigative tasks to complete individually or in groups. Tasks addressed epidemiology, laboratory, environment, traceback, recall, and prevention concepts. Gamification of the exercise involved generation of a numerical code to unlock a combination lock as an indication of successful organization, compilation, and interpretation of data. Students presented investigation findings and responses to critical thought questions on their roles. Student surveys on engagement and self-perceived change in conceptual understanding indicated that nearly all expressed increased understanding of outbreak investigations, safe food production, and environmental water as a transmission vehicle. Volunteered learned concepts indicated enhanced appreciation for the complexity of food safety and interdisciplinary connections. Students enjoyed the exercise (92%) and cited the clues and group interaction among the most enjoyable features. Objective assessment of student conceptual learning with the subset of students who conducted the investigation individually (n = 58) demonstrated significant increase in correct test responses (49% pretest; 76% posttest) after completion of the investigation for all questions combined and across all learning objectives. These data demonstrate the value of a foodborne disease investigation with escape room gamification features for engaging students in One Health concepts and exercising problem-solving, critical thinking, and skills for independent and collaborative work.
Neural Coherence of Homologous Muscle Pairs During Direct EMG Control of Standing Posture in Transtibial Amputees

The objective of this preliminary study was to investigate the feasibility of a transtibial amputee to improve interlimb muscle coordination while using direct, continuous control of a powered ankle prosthesis combined with physical therapist guided training, for improved standing postural control. A participant with transtibial amputation received an extended PT-guided training on posture while using the dEMG control of powered ankle with his residual Tibialis Anterior and Lateral Gastrocnemius. We quantified cross-correlation of Center of Pressure excursions and coherence in EMG signals from the bilateral shank muscles. Between-limb coordination was observed as synchronized activation of homologous muscles in the shank. We observed increased coherence in the TA muscle pair after training in 0–5 Hz and 10–20 Hz frequency ranges. These results demonstrate the potential for amputees to closely coordinate residual muscle activations with intact muscles given sufficient training. It is further possible amputees adapt sources of descending neural commands between homologous muscle pairs after guided training. Future study requires more participants to validate these results.
Victimization Typologies Among a Large National Sample of Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents.

Purpose: The overall objective of this study was to examine the hypothesis that victimization exposure among sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth would result in different latent classes and that...
Silver carboxylate-doped titanium dioxide-polydimethylsiloxane coating decreases Cutibacterium acnes adherence and biofilm formation on polyether ether ketone.

Abstract Background Context Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) is a gram-positive facultative anaerobe found in the deep sebaceous follicles of the skin on the shoulder and back. C. acnes has been increasingly recognized as a pathogen in spinal surgical site infection (SSI) especially in the presence of instrumentation. Purpose This study assesses whether a silver carboxylate-doped titanium dioxide-polydimethylsiloxane (TiO2-PDMS) coating can decrease C. acnes adherence and biofilm formation on PEEK and four other commonly used spinal implant materials, Stainless Steel, Cobalt Chromium, Titanium, and Titanium Alloy. Study Design We compared the adherence of C. acnes over 24 hours between uncoated, 95:5 TiO2 to PDMS ratio with 10x silver carboxylate coating and a 100% silver carboxylate coating on each implant material, which were uniformly saw cut and sterilized. Implants were then subjected to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM). Methods Samples were coated using 95:5 TiO2-PDMS 10x silver carboxylate, 100% silver carboxylate, or left uncoated. C. acnes was applied onto the samples and allowed to adhere for periods of 4, 8, 12, 16, or 20 hours. Non-adherent bacteria were then washed from the samples. These samples were then allowed to continue incubating for a total of 24 hours. SEM and CLSM were used to visualize all samples for the presence of biofilm and quantification of C. acnes adherence at each time point. Results The 95:5 TiO2-PDMS 10x silver carboxylate coating was able to significantly decrease C. acnes adherence on PEEK after 8, 12, 16, and 20 hours of adherence. No statistical difference was found between the 95:5 TiO2-PDMS 10x silver carboxylate coating and the 100% silver carboxylate positive control. We previously observed extensive C. acnes biofilm formation on uncoated PEEK, but none on PEEK coated with either the 95:5 TiO2-PDMS 10x silver carboxylate or 100% Ag coating [1] . Furthermore, no biofilm formation was observed on Stainless Steel, Cobalt Chromium, Titanium, and Titanium Alloy coated with 95:5 TiO2-PDMS 10x silver carboxylate or 100% Ag coating. Conclusion A 95:5 TiO2-PDMS 10x silver carboxylate coating decreases C. acnes adhesion and prevents biofilm formation on PEEK and other common orthopedic implant materials. Clinical Significance A 95:5 TiO2-PDMS 10x silver carboxylate coating may help decrease spinal SSI due to C. acnes, especially in procedures with instrumentation.
From Life to Mind: 2 Prosaic Miracles?

The origin of life from matter and the subsequent emergence of mind were fundamental events. Our work is based on the idea that the chemical/genetic/mathematical framework developed over the last 150 years to explain the first is conceptually similar to the neural/psychological/mathematical framework needed to understand the second. First we outline the first, seemingly adequate, framework and then we explain some related, unusual and controversial, ideas that offer a “translation” into neural terms. The core idea is that the extraordinary, mysterious and qualitatively unique features of “life” and “mind” arise because of extraordinary (though completely explicable) levels of accuracy of the relevant elementary processes (base-copying and synaptic strengthening). The living and the mental might hinge on prosaic, though accurate, lower-level machinery.
Managing Evolving Requirements Using eXtreme Programming

One problem of moving development at "Internet speed" is the volatility of requirements. Even in a supposedly stable project like that described here, requirements change as the client sees "targets of opportunity." That is one of the unintended side effects of having the client on-site frequently, although it does increase user satisfaction because they are not prevented from adding functionality. This paper is an account of using an agile method, eXtreme Programming, to survive and manage rapid requirement changes without sacrificing quality.
Bond Implied CDS Spread and CDS-Bond Basis

We derive a simple formula for calculating the CDS spread implied by the bond market price. Using no-arbitrage argument, the formula expresses the bond implied CDS spread as the sum of bond price, bond coupon and Libor zero curve weighted by risky annuities. We show that the bond implied CDS spread is consistent with the standard CDS pricing model if the survival probabilities and recovery are consistent with the bond price.
Adaptive filtering using heterodyne frequency translation

Both digital and switched-capacitor adaptive-sample-rate filters can achieve very robust frequency tracking with relatively simple circuitry. However, both of these adaptive sample rate filters are generally useful only with single notch and bandpass filters. If one tries to adapt a filter that has multiple band-passes or multiple notches, the distance between the notches or pass-bands is scaled as the sampling rate is scaled. While this may be desirable in some applications, many applications require a scheme in which the distance between notches or pass-bands remains fixed as the filter is adapted. In this paper, we present a technique in which a heterodyne unit is used to shift the input frequency to the fixed filters rather than adjusting the sampling rate. As a result, the input frequencies are translated, rather than scaled, to the filter allowing a fixed distance to be maintained between notches or pass-bands. The results of extensive simulations demonstrate the feasibility of this approach.
The Model Specification Problem from a Probabilistic Reduction Perspective: Discussion

Anyone serious about the model specification problem knows that Aris Spanos and Anya McGuirk (SM) are on the short list of influential econometricians writing on the subject. In this latest installment, they have the difficult task of summarizing over fifteen years of writing on the probabilistic reduction (PR) approach to the problem. Just as it is difficult to summarize the PR approach in a short article, it is equally difficult to fully discuss it in a few pages.1 Given the title of the session and the arti-
Human EEG dimensionality and depth of anesthesia

Although the brain is the target organ of anesthesia, the electroencephalogram (EEG) is not routinely monitored during anesthetic procedures. This is due primarily to the difficulty of interpreting changes in the complex EEG waveform with respect to anesthetic conditions. Most attempts at developing EEG derived variables have been based on spectral analysis. In this study the EEG is examined as a non-linear dynamic system that may exhibit chaotic behavior. Using this approach the EEG signal can be characterized by its fractal dimension based on a phase space geometric reconstruction of the EEG time series. Eight human subjects were studied at three anesthetic levels (light, nominal, and deep anesthesia). The dimensionality of EEG samples from these subjects is shown to decrease with increasing anesthetic depth. This property may prove important in the classification of brain activity and may have clinical utility as a diagnostic tool. >
A 5-Year Study of the Adult Flight Periodicity of 27 Caddisfly (Trichoptera) Species in Forest and Meadow Habitats of a First-Order Lower Michigan (USA) Stream

Life cycles of 27 caddisfly species were estimated from weekly adult flight periodicity data during 2010-2014 from a forest and a meadow site of a small stream in northern Lower Michigan. Of the 11 species abundant only at the forest site, 10 appeared to be univoltine and 1 appeared bivoltine. Of the 13 species abundant only at the meadow site, 5 appeared univoltine, 5 appeared bivoltine, and 3 were enigmatic due to inconsistent flight peaks between years. Although the sites were separated by ∼400 m, only three species were abundant at both sites due to differences in stream habitat and food availability. Two of these species had notably dissimilar life cycles between sites, reflecting these differences. Despite the study dates encompassing both the warmest and coldest years of the 2000s, most species retained consistent flight periods between years. This consistency with date appeared unrelated to lunar phase. Date was a better predictor of flight periodicity than water temperature for every species except those that emerged earliest in the season. Warming water temperatures appeared to synchronize emergence of species at the meadow site to a greater degree than those of the forest site, probably due to the greater range of temperatures at the meadow site, although date was still the better predictor at both sites. These data suggest that warming water temperatures, although important under certain conditions, may not always be primary life cycle synchronizers in small streams.
Nafion-bifunctional silica composite proton conductive membranes

Sol–gel derived sulfonated phenethylsilica with hydrophilic –Si-OH and proton conductive –SO3H functional groups was used as a bifunctional additive to improve the proton conductivity and water uptake characteristics of Nafion. Nafion-bifunctional silica (NBS) composite membranes were prepared by casting Nafion–ethanol solutions mixed with sulfonated phenethylsilica sol. The ion exchange capability of NBS composite membranes increases linearly with the amount of bifunctional silica incorporated, and is about 1.9 × 10−3 mol SO3H g−1 for NBS with 7.5 wt% silica. Liquid water uptake measurements showed that NBS composite membranes have higher water uptake (g H2O g−1 composite membrane) than bare recast Nafion while the degree of hydration (i.e., nH2O–SO3H) remains fairly constant. The NBS composite membranes showed improved proton conductivity when compared with bare recast Nafion and Nafion 117 membranes at 80 °C and over a range of relative humidity.
The relationship of shoulder pain intensity to quality of life, physical activity, and community participation in persons with paraplegia.

Background/Objective: For persons with spinal cord injury (SCI), severe bodily pain is related to a lower quality of life. However, the effect of pain from a specific body region on quality of life...
Interactions of synthetic and natural surfaces with blood in the physiological environment

Efforts to explain blood compatibility with synthetic and natural surfaces based on a single parameter or a single biological test procedure have either been unsuccessful or lead to misleading generalizations. The problem reflects the complex interdependence between the material properties, the composition and properties of blood, and in vivo biorheological conditions. Among the initial events that occur when materials contact blood is the very rapid adsorption of plasma proteins, which process effectively influences the subsequent interactions with the formed blood elements, especially the platelets with the proteinated surfaces.
The partial order graph for a ZME-matrix

Abstract The spectral projectors for a ZME -matrix form a partially ordered set with respect to a simple combinatorial relation. The relationship between the corresponding partial order graph and the inflation sequence for a set of projectors is investigated. Those directed graphs that correspond to a partial order graph for a ZME -matrix are characterized. The effect on the partial order due to operations on the set of projectors is studied, generalizing a result of Schneider and Stuart.
Interarc spreading and Cordilleran tectonics as alternates related to the age of subducted oceanic lithosphere

Abstract Old, cold oceanic lithosphere is denser and therefore gravitationally more unstable than younger, hotter oceanic lithosphere. Hence, whereas old lithosphere will sink under its own weight, subduction of young lithosphere may require an additional force. Interarc spreading occurs or occurred recently in the western Pacific, in the southern Atlantic, and possibly in the Mediterranean, where the subducted sea floor appears to be more than 50 m.y. old, and in many cases, is more than 100 m.y. old. In most of these regions, the ease with which the old dense lithosphere sinks may have contributed to a seaward migration of the trenches, which led to interarc spreading. Cordilleran tectonics, including high mountains and broad zones of deformation, are present on the margins of the eastern Pacific where the subducted oceanic lithosphere is younger than about 50 m.y. An extra force, which we presume to be necessary to cause subduction of the young lithosphere, may be responsible for the deformation and mountains just as an extra force seems necessary to drive continental collision in Asia. The extensive early Tertiary deformation across a broad zone of western North America may be related to the long-term, continuous subduction of young lithosphere of the Farallon and Kula plates.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Measurement of Castor Toxin in Soils

Published Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) techniques to determine ricin, a castor (Ricinus communis) toxin, were developed for human sera, biological fluids, and tissue samples. This study was conducted to adapt existing ELISA procedures to soil extracts and demonstrate its use. These modifications of published generic ELISA methods include elimination of phosphate buffers in the soil extraction procedure and addition of bovine Fraction V albumin to block nonspecific sites on the microtiter plates. Using this method with commercially available biochemicals and equipment, it was possible to detect the presence of ricin in a soil after harvest and two years post-harvest.
Economic Aspects of Coalition Diplomacy—the NATO Experience

The very notion that coalition diplomacy possesses economic aspects implies a concept of coalition as a form of international organization reaching well beyond the classical political and military alliance. An alliance normally commits each member to join with its partners if any of them is involved in hostilities. It may be solely defensive or both offensive and defensive. Whatever its scope, it takes as given the military establishment of each member and the economic resources each is prepared to devote to building its military strength. A government may feel that possession of reliable allies permits the meeting of its security interests with less effort and at less cost than being entirely on its own, but this is a matter for independent decision by each member, calling neither for consultation nor for planned joint effort.
Some analytical characteristics of a three electrode d.c. argon plasma source for optical emission spectrometry

Abstract An investigation of a commercially available three electrode d.c. plasma source burning in an inverted Y configuration was carried out. It is shown that (i) for atoms the position of maximum line intensity in the plasma is determined by the norm temperature of the spectral line, (ii) the source is stable over long periods of time, (iii) high concentrations of alkali metals in the sample can disturb the plasma resulting in an enhancement of both atomic and ionic spectral lines, (iv) detection limits are generally less than one order of magnitude higher than those obtained with an inductively coupled plasma (ICP), and (v) precision of analysis is better than 2% expressed as relative standard deviation.
Cytosolic free calcium spiking affected by intracellular pH change

The characteristics underlying cytosolic free calcium oscillation were evaluated by superfused dual wave-length microspectrofluorometry of fura-2-loaded single acinar cells from rat pancreas. Application of a physiological concentration of cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK) (20 pM) induced a small basal increase in cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) averaging 34 nM above the prestimulation level (69 nM) with superimposed repetitive Ca2+ spike oscillation. The oscillation amplitude averaged 121 nM above the basal increase in [Ca2+]i and occurred at a frequency of one pulse every 49 s. Although extracellular Ca2+ was required for maintenance of high frequency and amplitude of the spikes with increase in basal [Ca2+]i, the primary source utilized for oscillation was intracellular. The threshold of the peak [Ca2+]i amplitude for causing synchronized and same-sized oscillations was less than 300 nM. The [Ca2+]i oscillation was sensitive to intracellular pH (pHi) change. This is shown by the fact that the large pHi shift toward acidification (delta pHi decrease, 0.95) led to a basal increase in [Ca2+]i to the spike peak level with inhibiting Ca2+ oscillation. The pHi shift toward alkalinization (delta pHi increase, 0.33) led to a basal decrease in [Ca2+]i to the prestimulation level, possibly due to reuptake of Ca2+ into the Ca2+ stores, with inhibiting Ca2+ oscillation. Whereas extracellular pH (pHo) change had only minimal effects on Ca2+ oscillation (and/or Ca2+ release from intracellular stores), the extra-Ca2+ entry process, which was induced by higher concentrations of CCK, was totally inhibited by decreasing pHo from 7.4 to 6.5. Thus the major regulatory sites by which H+ affects Ca2+ oscillation are accessible from the intracellular space.
Embedding tiling spaces in surfaces

We show that an aperiodic minimal tiling space with only nitely many asymptotic composants embeds in a surface if and only if it is the suspension of a symbolic interval exchange transformation (possibly with reversals). We give two necessary condi- tions for an aperiodic primitive substitution tiling space to embed in a surface. In the case of substitutions on two symbols our classication is nearly complete. The results charac- terize the codimension one hyperbolic attractors of surface dieomorphisms in terms of asymptotic composants of substitutions.
Histamine uptake and metabolism in the blood vessels of rats

In vitro radiolabeled histamine uptake and metabolism were investigated in abdominal aorta, iliac artery, mesenteric artery and hepatic portal vein of the rat. Histamine uptake was rapid and remained linear over the initial 10 min of the accumulation period. The uptake rate was temperature sensitive with marked reduction in rate at 0°C. The accumulation at 0°C represents nonspecific uptake. The uptake of histamine was observed to be related to the amount of tissue stores of histamine as well as extracellular sodium ion concentration. The only histamine metabolite detected in the vasculature examined was imidazoleacetic acid representing almost 80% of the chromatogram radioactivity. This observation indicates the primary metabolic pathway for histamine in rat vasculature involves the enzyme, diamine oxidase.
The efficacy of intraoperative methylene blue enemas to assess the integrity of a colonic anastomosis

Intraoperative testing of colonic anastomoses is routine in assuring anastamotic integrity. We sought to determine the efficacy of the methylene blue enema (MBE) as an intraoperative test for anastomotic leaks. This study is a retrospective review of consecutive colonic operations performed from January 2001 to December 2004 in a community hospital setting by a general surgical group that uses the MBE exclusively. All operations featuring a colonic anastomosis and an intraoperative MBE were studied (n = 229). Intraoperative MBE via a rectal tube was used as the diagnostic test. Intraoperative leak (IOL) rate and clinically significant postoperative leak (POL) rate were the outcome measures. The IOL rate was 4.5% for proximal anastomoses, 8% for distal anastomoses, and 7% of total anastomoses. The POL rate was 3% of anastomosis. There were no other testing methods employed. There were no POLs in cases where an IOL led to concomitant intraoperative repair. POL rate for proximal anastomosis was 0.8% and for distal 3%, for stapled 1% and hand sewn 5%. MBE IOL rate is comparable to published IOL rates for other methods of intraoperative testing. The MBE can be applied to proximal and distal anastomosis. Patients who were found to have an IOL, and underwent immediate repair, did not develop a clinical POL.
What functional activities are important to patients with knee replacements

There is interest in quantifying the patient's function and mobility after joint replacement. The current study identified activities important to patients having total knee replacement and the prevalence of limitations to participation in these activities. A Total Knee Function Questionnaire consisting of 55 questions addressing the patient's participation in various activities was developed, validated, and mailed to 367 patients at least 1 year after knee replacement. Patients were asked the frequency with which they did each activity, the activity's importance to them, and the extent to which their participation was limited by their knee replacement. The questionnaire was returned by 176 patients, 40% men and 60% women, with an average age of 70.5 years. The most prevalent activities were stretching exercises (73%), leg strengthening exercises (70%), kneeling (58%), and gardening (57%). The activities most important to the patients were stretching exercises (56%), kneeling (52%), and gardening (50%); those most difficult were squatting (75%), kneeling (72%), and gardening (54%). The current study showed a high correlation between the importance of activities and frequency of patient participation confirming that knee replacement successfully restores a significant degree of function. However, after knee replacement, improvements in knee function still are needed to allow patients to do all activities that they consider important.
Vertical distribution and abundance of invertebrates within the sandy substrate of a low‐gradient headwater stream

SUMMARY. 1 The vertical distribution of invertebrates (>0.053 mm) was studied in a sandy-bottomed, first-order stream on the Coastal Plain of Virginia, U.S.A. Invertebrate species composition, abundance and bio-mass were determined monthly over one year at sediment depth intervals of 0–1, 1–5, 5–15,15–30 and 30–40 cm. 2. The subsurface community was numerically dominated by species of Chironomidae, Nematoda and Crustacea, while much of the biomass was due to early instars of several species of Trichoptera. 3. Invertebrate density and biomass decreased significantly with depth in the substrate (ANOVA; P<0.05). Annual mean density decreased from 1,346,844 individuals m−3 at the surface to 13,578 individuals m−3 at 15–30 cm. Annual mean biomass decreased from 66.30 g m−3 at the surface to 0.44 g m−3 at 15–30 cm. 4. Dissolved oxygen decreased markedly from the surface to the 5 cm depth in the substrate, anaerobic conditions often occurring below 10 cm. Density and biomass both showed a significant positive relationship with dissolved oxygen concentration (Linear regression; P<0.05). 5. Physical forces were important in structuring the subsurface invertebrate community. Besides low dissolved oxygen concentration, sediment scouring resulting from storm discharge dramatically reduced density and biomass
Immigrant Island Cities in Industrial Detroit

This paper dissects the ways in which Fordist and other corporate and state actors laid social and urban frameworks for Detroit in the early twentieth century and considers the urban practices of immigrant groups as these industries declined. I look at Arab and South Asian immigrants, many of whom arrived in the United States during periods of intense economic and national crises, and examine how they navigated through an “Americanized” and industrially fractured landscape. I argue that these immigrant groups drew into dense immigrant-oriented neighborhoods, where each community had their own means of propagating identity through national and religious forms, constructing and reusing buildings through a range of architectural references, and reinventing local and traditional building forms. Half a century later, these neighborhoods served as platforms that put forth the visions of immigrant communities, economically sustained a deteriorating industrial landscape, and became the vehicles by which immigrant...
Abstract P6-02-03: TGF-b1-inducible protein BIGH3 (transforming growth factor beta-induced gene human clone 3): A new mechanism inducing breast cancer cell apoptosis

Cancer development and progression is a complex process involving tumor cell mechanisms as well as tumor-host cell interactions. Using autocrine and paracrine mechanisms the cytokine TGF-b1 can influence cancer progression, in part through promoting the synthesis and secretion of extracellular matrix molecules. TGF-β1 strongly upregulates the gene TGFBI, which encodes a secretory protein named BIGH3. BIGH3 is an extracellular matrix, adhesion-class proapoptotic protein characterized by four fasciclin-1 (FAS1)-like domains, a cysteine-rich region and several different integrin-binding sequences. The C-terminus of BIGH3 encodes the integrin-binding peptides EPDIM and RGD. These sequences, and the integrin α3β1, have been implicated as important components of BIGH3-induced apoptosis. Breast cancer cells express the integrin α3β1, which is reported to play various roles including signaling, invasion and metastasis. Breast cancer cells and tumor-host cells express BIGH3 protein, which is expected to accumulate in the presence of TGF-β1. The above findings highlight the molecules TGF-β1 and α3β1 in tumor progression and are the basis for our hypothesis that BIGH3 protein itself is sufficient to induce an increase in breast cancer cell apoptosis. In order to test this hypothesis we utilized human breast cancer MCF-7 cells, human recombinant BIGH3 and TUNEL assays. Here, we show for the first time that exogenous human recombinant BIGH3 in cancer cell growth medium evokes a statistically significant increase in breast cancer cell apoptosis. A concentration curve shows that there is a direct relationship between the quantity of BIGH3 in the cells’ milieu and the number of cells undergoing apoptosis. This finding is consistent with receptor-ligand binding and indicates that BIGH3 is a potential target for breast cancer treatment. Importantly, in-house developed anti-BIGH3 antibody completely blocked apoptosis when compared to apoptotic cells in negative control conditions. Stimulation of BIGH3 gene expression in breast cancer cells, and providing exogenous BIGH3 to breast cancer cells, are expected to diminish breast cancer progression. Along this line, BIGH3 may be valuable as an agent for neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy for human breast cancer patients. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P6-02-03.
Single crystal chemical vapor deposit diamond detector for energetic plasma measurement in space

Abstract This study reports the performance of single crystal chemical vapor deposit diamond detectors for measuring space plasma and energetic particles : ~7 keV energy resolution for protons with a 14 keV threshold level, and good response linearity for ions and electrons as expected from Monte-Carlo calculations of primary particle energy loss. We investigated that these diamond detectors are able to operate at high temperature ( > 70 ° C ) and have fast response times ( 1 ns rise time). While silicon detectors have proven capability over this energy range for space plasma measurements, diamond detectors offer a faster response, higher temperature operation, greater radiation tolerance, and immunity to light.
Supercooling and final-state effects on dilepton spectra.

We consider two problems associated with the production of dileptons during collisions between heavy nuclei at the Brookhaven Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider energy. One is the difference in dilepton yield between an idealized Maxwell construction of phase coexistence and a dynamical phase transition with finite nucleation and phase conversion rates. The other is the contribution from dilepton-producing reactions involving free-streaming hadrons in the final state. We find that the mass spectrum in the range 2${\mathit{m}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\pi}}}$M2 GeV is dominated by the mixed phase and the final hadron phase, is somewhat sensitive to the degree of supercooling, but is remarkably insensitive to the ``freeze-out'' temperature which delineates the passage from local thermal equilibrium to free streaming.
Histologic analysis of rabbit liver cancer treated by bulk ultrasound ablation

VX2 rabbit liver cancer, treated in vivo using bulk ultrasound ablation by miniaturized image-ablate arrays, was histologically analyzed using TTC vital stain and DAPI nucleic acid stain. VX2 cells were implanted into rabbit liver lobes and allowed to grow for 11-21 days. Liver lobes containing solid VX2 tumors were then treated with 4.8 MHz, 22.5-38.5 W/cm2 in situ intensity, unfocused ultrasound for exposure times of 20-120 s. After animal sacrifice, thermal lesions were bisected along the imaging/treatment plane, one face stained with TTC, and the other with DAPI. Levels of TTC uptake (no uptake, partial uptake, and complete uptake) in liver parenchyma corresponded to three discrete regions of tan, pink and red color. By processing images of DAPI-stained parenchymal tissue from these three regions, cellular damage was quantified. A viability index parameter incorporating the size and shape of DAPI-stained nuclei correlated significantly with levels of TTC uptake, and thus with local tissue viability. F...
Setting a research agenda for auditing issues in the People's Republic of China

Abstract This paper identifies a number of potentially meaningful auditing research issues that arise from the dramatic changes currently taking place in the Peoples' Republic of China. These issues arise in the current economic environment, but are heavily influenced by political, cultural and historical circumstances. The research identifies organizational, technical practice and economic issues that impact the practice of accounting and auditing. The recent growth in the profession is evidence of the critical role accountants and auditors will play in future economic advances in the PRC. Research can also assist in identifying and resolving problems that may arise during the change to a “socialist-market” economy.
Antitrust in High-Tech Industries

Recent economic growth has been led by high-technology industries (See Jorgenson, Ho & Stiroh (2005) for a summary of the research on the recent acceleration of productivity growth). Many firms in these industries have achieved a dominant market position, thereby attracting the attention of competition authorities, often resulting in major monopolization cases. Unfortunately, this attention has not resulted in improved market outcomes. In this paper, we evaluate the effect of Section 2 Sherman Act cases brought against IBM, ATT rather they should focus their remedies on promoting innovation—new products that replace or compete with the dominant firm’s products.
Atomic structure of segregated boron on Si(001) surface; scanning tunneling microscopy and cluster model calculation study

Abstract The atomic configuration of B atoms segregated on the surface of Si(001)-2×1 is investigated with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). STM images of the unoccupied state show very characteristic paired protrusions located on both sides of Si dimer rows in a symmetrical manner. They can be observed only at a high sample bias (>1.4 V) and are enhanced at ∼2.0 V. This is confirmed quantitatively by STS measurements. The STM and STS data are compared with a cluster model calculation based on a local density approximation method. The results show that a model where a B atom bridges two neighbouring Si dimers in a dimer row can reproduce the STM and STS observations.
Performance feedback improves the resolution of confidence judgments

Abstract A training experiment was carried out to examine whether feedback concerning the appropriateness of confidence judgments, given in terms of probability, improves calibration and resolution skills. Subjects participated in four separate sessions in which they responded to a series of general knowledge questions. Immediately before completing the questionnaires in Sessions 2, 3, and 4, half of the subjects were given detailed feedback concerning their confidence levels and accuracy rates. The remaining half were given no such feedback, and thus served as a control group. The resolution of confidence judgments improved across sessions to a greater extent for the group exposed to performance feedback than for the control group. Calibration of confidence judgments was uninfluenced by the performance feedback manipulation.
STUDY OF SILICON THICKNESS OPTIMIZATION FOR LSST.

Sensors for the LSST camera require high quantum efficiency (QE) extending into the near-infrared. A relatively large thickness of silicon is needed to achieve this extended red response. However, thick sensors degrade the point spread function (PSF) due to diffusion and to the divergence of the fast f/1.25 beam. In this study we examine the tradeoff of QE and PSF as a function of thickness, wavelength, temperature, and applied electric field for fully-depleted sensors. In addition we show that for weakly absorbed long-wavelength light, optimum focus is achieved when the beam waist is positioned slightly inside the silicon.
Lewis the robotic photographer

Lewis is a (short) human-sized mobile robot that wanders through crowded rooms taking pictures of people, much like a photographer at a wedding reception does. The goal is to take high-quality, well-composed photographs of people non-intrusively, and to offer these pictures as keep-sakes of the conference.
The approximation of generalized turn)ng points by projections methods with superconvergence to the critical parameter

A procedure is given that generates characterizations of singular manifolds for mildly nonlinear mappings between Banach spaces. This characterization is used to develop a method for determining generalized turning points by using projection methods as a discretization. Applications are given to parameter dependent two-point boundary value problems. In particular, collocation at Gauss points is shown to achieve superconvergence in approximating the parameter at simple turning points.
Compression testing techniques to determine the stress/strain behavior of metals subject to finite deformation

We have investigated techniques to conduct a valid single-increment compression experiment to large strains, e ≈ 1.0. Our investigation included experiments with many different lubricants, specimen-end geometries, five different materials, and temperatures of 22 °C, 315 °C, and 600 °C. We found that for materials with a work-hardening exponent greater than 0.15 and a slightly positive strain-rate sensitivity, the best technique was to cut concentric grooves into the ends of the compression sample and to use polished platens and a molybdenum-disulfide greasebase lubricant. This technique gave valid stress/strain data and uniform displacement fields (as determined by metallography of the deformed specimen cross sections). At all temperatures, satisfactory results were also obtained using a MOLYKOTE spray lubricant. We investigated both well-lubricated experimental conditions (the concentric specimen grooves and Molygrease lubrication and TEFLON sheet lubrication) as well as poor lubrication conditions. The poorest lubrication was achieved by using a set of platens which had grooves cut in them to prevent any expansion by the ends of the specimen during deformation. Up to a compressive strain of 0.5, the load/displacement data from all of these lubrication conditions were almost identical. This was the case for materials with a work-hardening exponent >0.15. Despite the similarity of the “average” stress/strain data to e = 0.5 for all lubrication conditions, metallographic cross sections showed that the deformation was nonuniform for the poorly lubricated experiments. The results of the experiments show that a single increment compression test can be used to obtain accurate constitutive behavior of many materials to large deformations, e ≈ 1.0. In addition, we have found that the compression test is relatively insensitive to lubrication conditions for many materials through moderate deformations,e ≈ 0.5.
Linear and nonlinear responses to middle latitude surface temperature anomalies

Nonlinear responses to fixed and seasonally varying surface temperature anomalies in a two-level hemispheric time-dependent coupled atmosphere-surface mixed layer model are described. Linear stationary models that are equivalent to the nonlinear time-dependent model are used to analyze these responses. A model linearized around the climatological zonal state of the time dependent model and forced by anomalous surface temperatures does not provide a reasonable estimate for the anomalous reponses, which are considerably underestimated. Better responses are obtained when the anomalous stationary nonlinear eddy fluxes are included in a model linearized around the full climatology. However, this latter model is overly sensitive, and anomalous responses are a small residual balance to the forcing by the surface temperature anomalies and the anomalous transient eddy fluxes. To better understand these linear responses, an eigenanalysis of the climatological state is performed. Seasonal anomalies appear to be dominated by one characteristic pattern near resonance which can be associated with a slowly growing coupled atmosphere-ocean instability.
STATISTICS OF FRACTURE FOR AN ELASTIC NOTCHED COMPOSITE LAMINA CONTAINING WEIBULL FIBERS-PART I. FEATURES FROM MONTE-CARLO SIMULATION

Abstract Monte-Carlo simulation is used to study the effects of the statistics of fiber strength on the fracture process, the fracture resistance, and the overall strength distribution for an elastic composite lamina with an internal transverse notch of N contiguous, broken fibers (0 ≤ N ≤ 51). To isolate the effects of variability in fiber strength, we assign individual fiber strengths drawn from a Weibull distribution with shape parameter γ ≥ 3 typical of commercial fibers, and we consider a simple case where fiber strength does not vary along the fiber length. The latter forces fibers to fail in the notch plane, eliminating the need to consider staggered breaks, debonding and fiber pullout. So under an increasing tensile load, failure develops through a progression of random fiber fractures governed by an interplay of stress concentrations and variations in fiber strength along the notch plane. Calculation of the fiber stresses for every configuration of surviving and broken fibers that occurs as the load is increased up to catastrophic failure is performed by an efficient, shear-lag based, break influence superposition (BIS) technique. Results show that the mean strength relative to the deterministic value (y = ∞) and mean number of new fiber fractures up to crack instability all increase with N regardless of γ, whereas variability in strength decreases. For smaller γ, we identify mechanisms responsible for flaw intolerance in the short notch regime and for toughness in the long notch regime, and show that variability in fiber strength can manifest as a nonlinear mechanism in an otherwise elastically deforming composite. Indeed as N increases we observe R-curve behavior, which is most pronounced for the smallest γ values where fracture resistance increases markedly and where mean fracture strength scales inversely with the initial notch size slower than the usual power of 1 2 . Compared to simulation results, a weakest-link or first failure model and unique fiber strength model severely underestimate fracture strength, failing to capture the statistical aspects of composite fracture.