cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fruit Age and Changes in Abscisic Acid Content, Ethylene Production, and Abscission Rate of Cotton Fruits

The relationships of fruit age, abscisic acid (ABA) concentration, ethylene evolution, and abscission rates were studied in an effort to determine why cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L., cv. Deltapine 16) fruits rarely abscise more than 15 days after anthesis. Because abscission of cotton fruits is increased by conditions that limit photosynthesis, greenhouse-grown plants with fruits of various ages were placed in dim light for 3 days to induce high rates of fruit abscission. Abscission rates, ABA concentrations, and ethylene evolution rates were determined for fruits of various ages. Almost all of the young fruits abscised, but abscission rate declined with age until almost no abscission was observed in fruits that were 15 or more days past anthesis.Dim light increased the ABA concentrations of fruits that were 6 to 11 days old but did not increase ABA concentrations in fruits that were younger or older. The concentration of ABA declined with fruit age from peak values at 4 and 6 days after anthesis. Dim light also increased ethylene evolution from fruits up to 10 days old but had little effect on ethylene production or abscission of fruits more than 11 days old. Ethylene evolution declined with fruit age from peak values at 4 and 6 days after anthesis. Fruits of various ages (from plants not exposed to dim light) were sliced to induce high rates of wound ethylene production. The results indicated that the capacity for ethylene production declined with fruit age, parallel with a decline in abscission rate. Decreases in ABA concentration and ethylene evolution with fruit age indicate that change in the capacity to synthesize these hormones, especially in response to stress, is one cause of the decline in abscission rates as cotton fruits become older.
Highly scalable distributed dataflow analysis

Dynamic dataflow analyses find software errors by tracking meta-values associated with a program's runtime data. Despite their benefits, the orders-of-magnitude slowdowns that accompany these systems limit their use to the development stage; few users would tolerate such overheads. This work extends dynamic dataflow analyses with a novel sampling system which ensures that runtime slowdowns do not exceed a user-defined threshold. While previous sampling methods are inadequate for dataflow analyses, our technique efficiently reduces the number and size of analyzed dataflows. In doing so, it allows individual users to test large, stochastically chosen sets of a process's dataflows. Large populations can therefore, in aggregate, analyze a larger portion of the program than is possible by any single user running a complete, but slow, analysis. In our experimental evaluation, we show that 1 out of every 10 users expose a number of security exploits while only experiencing a 10% performance slowdown, in contrast with the 100× overhead caused by a complete analysis that exposes the same problems.
Segmenting multiple overlapping objects via a hybrid active contour model incorporating shape priors: applications to digital pathology

Active contours and active shape models (ASM) have been widely employed in image segmentation. A major limitation of active contours, however, is in their (a) inability to resolve boundaries of intersecting objects and to (b) handle occlusion. Multiple overlapping objects are typically segmented out as a single object. On the other hand, ASMs are limited by point correspondence issues since object landmarks need to be identified across multiple objects for initial object alignment. ASMs are also are constrained in that they can usually only segment a single object in an image. In this paper, we present a novel synergistic boundary and region-based active contour model that incorporates shape priors in a level set formulation. We demonstrate an application of these synergistic active contour models using multiple level sets to segment nuclear and glandular structures on digitized histopathology images of breast and prostate biopsy specimens. Unlike previous related approaches, our model is able to resolve object overlap and separate occluded boundaries of multiple objects simultaneously. The energy functional of the active contour is comprised of three terms. The first term comprises the prior shape term, modeled on the object of interest, thereby constraining the deformation achievable by the active contour. The second term, a boundary based term detects object boundaries from image gradients. The third term drives the shape prior and the contour towards the object boundary based on region statistics. The results of qualitative and quantitative evaluation on 100 prostate and 14 breast cancer histology images for the task of detecting and segmenting nuclei, lymphocytes, and glands reveals that the model easily outperforms two state of the art segmentation schemes (Geodesic Active Contour (GAC) and Roussons shape based model) and resolves up to 92% of overlapping/occluded lymphocytes and nuclei on prostate and breast cancer histology images.
Micromachine-based fault-tolerant high resolution highspeed programmable fiber-optic attenuator

A programmable fiber-optic attenuator using a small tilt micromirror device is introduced, featuring digital control, alignment tolerance, and high speed, with a measured 37.8 dB optical attenuation and a 11-bit resolution.
A new radio access protocol and network architecture for mobile packet data

A novel mobile data technology designed to support low-cost, hand-portable wireless data terminals is reviewed. The end-to-end service, the radio protocol, and the fixed network architecture are described. The radio protocol incorporates specific features to simplify hardware design, and the fixed network architecture provides for economical rollout. The UK implementation of the network is described, and a novel communications service is introduced, based on a mobile packet data network but effectively delivering two-way message paging to the user. >
Whole genome sequencing in Drosophila virilis identifies Polyphemus, a recently activated Tc1-like transposon with a possible role in hybrid dysgenesis

Background: Hybrid dysgenic syndromes in Drosophila have been critical for characterizing host mechanisms of transposable element (TE) regulation. This is because a common feature of hybrid dysgenesis is germline TE mobilization that occurs when paternally inherited TEs are not matched with a maternal pool of silencing RNAs that maintain transgenerational TE control. In the face of this imbalance TEs become activated in the germline and can cause F1 sterility. The syndrome of hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila virilis was the first to show that the mobilization of one dominant TE, the Penelope retrotransposon, may lead to the mobilization of other unrelated elements. However, it is not known how many different elements contribute and no exhaustive search has been performed to identify additional ones. To identify additional TEs that may contribute to hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila virilis, I analyzed repeat content in genome sequences of inducer and non-inducer lines. Results: Here I describe Polyphemus, a novel Tc1-like DNA transposon, which is abundant in the inducer strain of D. virilis but highly degraded in the non-inducer strain. Polyphemus expression is also increased in the germline of progeny of the dysgenic cross relative to reciprocal progeny. Interestingly, like the Penelope element, it has experienced recent re-activation within the D. virilis lineage. Conclusions: Here I present the results of a comprehensive search to identify additional factors that may cause hybrid dysgenesis in D. virilis. Polyphemus, a novel Tc1-like DNA transposon, has recently become re-activated in Drosophila virilis and likely contributes to the hybrid dysgenesis syndrome. It has been previously shown that the Penelope element has also been re-activated in the inducer strain. This suggests that TE co-reactivation within species may synergistically contribute to syndromes of hybrid dysgenesis.
How should inmates be released from prison? An assessment of parole versus fixed-sentence regimes

Over the past thirty years, many states have abolished parole boards, which traditionally have had the discretion to release inmates before the expiration of their full sentence, in favor of xed-sentence regimes in which the original sentence is binding. However, if prison time lowers recidivism risk and if parole boards can accurately estimate inmates’ recidivism risk, then, relative to a xed-sentence regime, parole can provide allocativeeciency benets (costly prison space is allocated to the highest-risk oenders)
Inverse kinematics of discretely actuated hyper-redundant manipulators using workspace densities

Hyper-redundant manipulators present an alternative to conventional 6 DOF manipulators for inspection, space, and medical applications. The additional degrees of freedom facilitate obstacle avoidance and allow tasks to be performed even if some of the actuators fail. In this paper the authors consider hyper-redundant manipulators that are actuated discretely, e.g. using two-state actuators or motors with finite resolution. The inverse kinematics problem for a discretely actuated manipulator is intrinsically different from the one for its continuously actuated counterpart. The authors present a framework for the discussion of the discretely actuated case and propose an algorithm for the inverse kinematics. The algorithm generates solutions in linear time with respect to the number of manipulator actuators, as opposed to the exponential time required by brute force search.
AlGaAs/GaAs P-n-p HBTs with high maximum frequency of oscillation

An investigation of P-n-p HBTs (heterojunction bipolar transistors) with an f/sub max/ of 39 GHz and an f/sub t/ of 19 GHz is presented. Power-added efficiency of 31% was obtained in an amplifier at 10 GHz. The design of the high-speed AlGaAs/GaAs P-n-p HBTs takes account of the large degeneracy in the heavily n-type GaAs base. This doping-dependent degeneracy can induce gradients in the valence-band edge to improve the base transit time. High injection efficiency can be maintained in spite of the large degeneracy by increasing the aluminum content of the emitter. HBTs with emitter aluminum contents of 40% and 75% are described. >
Managing expatriate: The role of mentors

Sending key managers on foreign assignments is common practice for multinational and international firms. Although firms spend considerable resources to support expatriates, the return they receive remains disappointing. Current research suggests that expatriates are very likely to cut short their visit, and/or return to dissatisfying careers. Effective mentoring promises to remedy some of these problems, yet few firms seem to implement the mentor concept in practice. Based on depth‐interviews of expatriates, we delineate the mentor’s role both in the home and host office. We also develop a checklist of activities for home‐office mentors.
Novel Agents on the Horizon for Cancer Therapy

Although cancer remains a devastating diagnosis, several decades of preclinical progress in cancer biology and biotechnology have recently led to successful development of several biological agents that substantially improve survival and quality of life for some patients. There is now a rich pipeline of novel anticancer agents in early phase clinical trials. The specific tumor and stromal aberrancies targeted can be conceptualized as membrane-bound receptor kinases (HGF/c-Met, human epidermal growth factor receptor and insulin growth factor receptor pathways), intracellular signaling kinases (Src, PI3k/Akt/mTOR, and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways), epigenetic abnormalities (DNA methyltransferase and histyone deacetylase), protein dynamics (heat shock protein 90, ubiquitin-proteasome system), and tumor vasculature and microenvironment (angiogenesis, HIF, endothelium, integrins). Several technologies are available to target these abnormalities. Of these, monoclonal antibodies and small-molecule inhibitors have been the more successful, and often complementary, approaches so far in clinical settings. The success of this target-based cancer drug development approach is discussed with examples of recently approved agents, such as bevacizumab, erlotinib, trastuzumab, sorafenib, and bortezomib. This review also highlights the pipeline of rationally designed drugs in clinical development that have the potential to impact clinical care in the near future.
Pesticides and Cotton: Effect on Photosynthesis, Growth, and Fruiting

Field studies were conducted in 1972 and 1986 to determine the effect of selected, commercial insecticides and acaricides (pesticides) on growth, fruiting patterns, and yield of ‘Acala SJ-2’ cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L. There was a strong tendency in the 1972 study toward less boll retention in plots treated “season-long” with methyl parathion at all test sites, as well as a significant reduction in the weight of lint cotton at one site. In the 1986 study, four weekly applications of methyl parathion significantly reduced mesophyll conductance, boll retention, number of mature and open bolls per plant, number of first position bolls per plant on mainstem nodes 5-7, weight of lint cotton at harvest, and dry weight accumulation of fruiting forms. None of the other pesticides tested in the 1986 study, including chlordimeform, significantly increased any plant growth parameter when compared with the control.
The Effect of an Acidic, Copper Sulfate-Based Commercial Sanitizer on Indicator, Pathogenic, and Spoilage Bacteria Associated with Broiler Chicken Carcasses When Applied at Various Intervention Points During Poultry Processing

Studies were conducted to evaluate 1) the effect of an acidic, copper sulfate-based commercial sanitizer on pathogenic, indicator, and spoilage bacteria in a model scalder system, 2) the effect of this sanitizer on total aerobic bacteria (APC) and Escherichia coli counts, and Salmonella prevalence on broiler chicken carcasses when applied during scalding or scalding and postpick dipping, and 3) the ability of sanitizer to extend the shelf-life of broiler chicken carcasses. Exposure of Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas fluorescens, or Shewanella putrefaciens to the sanitizer in scalder water at 54 degrees C for 2 min resulted in complete elimination of these bacterial species. Exposure of E. coli to the treated scald water resulted in a 4.9 log(10) reduction. These data suggest that this sanitizer would be effective for use in scalders. When applied during scalding in a commercial processing plant, APC and E. coli counts were significantly (P <or= 0.05) reduced on all days of sampling. The average log10 reduction overall was 3.80 and 3.05 for APC and E. coli, respectively. Salmonella prevalence was reduced by an average of 30%. For carcasses that were scalded, picked, and dipped postpick using this sanitizer, APC were significantly P <or= 0.05) reduced on all days of sampling by an average of 1.19 log10. Escherichia coli counts were reduced on all but 2 d of sampling for carcasses scalded, picked, and dipped in this sanitizer, except for d 2 and 10. Averages on these days were higher for controls, but were not significantly different. Salmonella prevalence was not consistently impacted overall. For the shelf-life study, odor scores were significantly (P <or= 0.05) reduced for treated carcasses at d 8 through 14 of storage. The psychrotrophic plate counts were significantly (P <or= 0.05) lower on treated carcasses at d 6 through 14 of storage. This sanitizer suppressed spoilage bacteria with a 99.99% reduction at d 10 and a 99.9% reduction at d 12 of storage. This effect could result in an extension of the shelf life of the poultry carcasses by up to 4 d.
A “Buffer” or “Boomerang?" — The Role of Corporate Reputation in Bad Times

Is a favorable prior reputation antibiotics or a hemlock cup in times of organizational crisis? To answer this question, the current study casts light on the contextual cues of crises by applying Brown and Dacin’s (1997) concepts of CA (corporate ability) and CSR (corporate social responsibility) and examines how the cues work in different crisis situations and affect the valence of reputation effects. Drawing on the expectancy violations (EV) theory and the cognitive dissonance perspectives, this study opens the door to reconciling contradicting research findings in literature and provides clues to why and when a good reputation yields buffering or boomerang effects in bad times.
A Near-infrared Survey of the Rosette Complex: Clues of Early Cluster Evolution

The majority of stars in our galaxy are born in embedded clusters, which can be considered the fundamental units of star formation. We have recently surveyed the star forming content of the Rosette Complex using FLAMINGOS in order to investigate the properties of its embedded clusters. We discuss the results of our near-infrared imaging survey. In particular, we on the first evidence for the early evolution and expansion of the embedded clusters. In addition we present data suggesting a temporal sequence of cluster formation across the cloud and discuss the influence of the HII region on the star forming history of the Rosette.
Diagnosing Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHLs) are lymphoid malignancies representing the sixth most common type of cancer diagnosed in men and women in the United States. Between 1973 and 2000, incidence rates for NHL in the United States increased nearly 80%, one of the largest increases observed among all cancers. 1 An increased risk of disease has been found among persons employed in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, construction, metal working, hair care, painting, dry cleaning, and cosmetology industries. Some of the increased incidence of NHL among farmers may be accounted for by herbicide exposure. The environmental exposure that may be closely linked to NHL is that of hair dyes. Other environmental factors associated with an increased incidence of NHL include exposure to benzene, oils and greases, solvents other than benzene and formaldehyde, chlorophenols, and phenoxyacetic acid. 2 Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas are hematological malignancies that present with various clinical and molecular features that a physician will use to assist in their diagnosis. Traditional methods that have been employed include a lymph node biopsy by fine-needle aspiration or bone marrow aspiration in which immunophenotyping and cytogenetics are performed to identify what, if any, malignant cells are present. Physicians will also use imaging studies and clinical laboratory methods such as complete blood counts, blood chemistries, and sedimentation rates to further aid in the diagnosis of NHL. Now, molecular methods such as FISH, PCR, and DNA microarrays can provide a more precise method of analysis and an alternative route to diagnosing nonHodgkin’s lymphoma when traditional methods are not successful. The use of histopathology to diagnose malignancies and the discovery of the Reed Sternberg cell early in the 20th century allowed a distinction between Hodgkin’s disease (HD) and the other lymphomas grouped together as NHL. Despite some shortcomings, the Ann Arbor staging classification remains the best
15N isotopic crop residue cycling studies and modeling suggest that IPCC methodologies to assess residue contributions to N2O-N emissions should be reevaluated

It is difficult to quantify nitrogen (N) losses from agricultural systems; however, we can use 15N isotopic techniques to conduct site-specific studies to increase our knowledge about N management and fate. Our manuscript analyzes two reviews of selected 15N isotopic studies conducted to monitor N fate. The mechanistic foci of these studies include crop residue exchange and N fate in farming systems. Analysis of the data presented in these studies supports the claim that the average N losses are greater from inorganic N fertilizer inputs than organic crop residue N inputs. Additionally we conducted unique DAYCENT simulations of the effects of crop residue on nitrous oxide (N2O-N) emissions and nitrate (NO3-N) leaching. The simulation evaluations support the crop residue 15N exchange studies and show lower leaching and N2O-N emissions from crop residue sources when compared to N fertilizer. The 15N data suggest that the N in the crop residue pool must be recycled, and that this is a slower and more protected pool when compared to the readily available fertilizer. The results suggest that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodology should be reevaluated to determine whether the direct and indirect N2O-N emission coefficients need to be lowered to reflect fewer N2O-N emissions from high C/N crop residue N inputs. The data suggest that accounting for nutrient cycling has implications for public policy associated with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and mitigation of N2O-N emissions from agricultural soils. Additional crop residue exchange studies, field N2O-N and NO3-N leaching and support model evaluations are needed across different worldwide agroecosystems.
Cortical sources of the early components of the visual evoked potential

This study aimed to characterize the neural generators of the early components of the visual evoked potential (VEP) to isoluminant checkerboard stimuli. Multichannel scalp recordings, retinotopic mapping and dipole modeling techniques were used to estimate the locations of the cortical sources giving rise to the early C1, P1, and N1 components. Dipole locations were matched to anatomical brain regions visualized in structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to functional MRI (fMRI) activations elicited by the same stimuli. These converging methods confirmed previous reports that the C1 component (onset latency 55 msec; peak latency 90-92 msec) was generated in the primary visual area (striate cortex; area 17). The early phase of the P1 component (onset latency 72-80 msec; peak latency 98-110 msec) was localized to sources in dorsal extrastriate cortex of the middle occipital gyrus, while the late phase of the P1 component (onset latency 110-120 msec; peak latency 136-146 msec) was localized to ventral extrastriate cortex of the fusiform gyrus. Among the N1 subcomponents, the posterior N150 could be accounted for by the same dipolar source as the early P1, while the anterior N155 was localized to a deep source in the parietal lobe. These findings clarify the anatomical origin of these VEP components, which have been studied extensively in relation to visual-perceptual processes.
Greenhouse Gas Action Plan for the Transportation Sector in Iowa

The purpose of this research has been to identify ways in which the state of Iowa can do its part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in its transportation sector. A variety of strategies and policy actions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Iowa are explored in this report. Some of these actions would be relatively easy to implement, while others would require significant changes in how people live and travel. The authors` work on this research effort has been conducted in tandem with a larger study to develop a greenhouse gas action plan for Iowa.
Sellarsian Synopsis: Integrating the Images *

Most discussion of Sellars’ deployment of the distinct images of “manin-the-world” in Philosophy and the Scientific Image of Man focus entirely on the manifest and the scientific images. But the original image is important as well. In this essay I explore the importance of the original image to the Sellarsian project of naturalizing epistemology, connecting Sellars’ insights regarding this image to recent work in cognitive development.
Monoclonal Antibodies against Surface Components of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the monoclonal antibodies that are produced to surface components of S. pneumoniae. By using four of these antibodies to characterize pneumococcal surface protein (Psp) A, a polymorphic surface protein detected on some but not all pneumococcal isolates are described in the chapter. Two of these four antibodies protected mice against fatal pneumococcal challenge, indicating that such protein molecules are potential components of a vaccine for eliciting protective antibodies in children too young to respond to polysaccharide antigens. The chapter explains a number of assays used in the characterization of antigens from the pneumococcus. The colony blot assay is found to be a reliable and rapid means of screening large numbers of pneumococcal isolates for antigens reactive with specific antibodies, which may allow for better serotyping of the pneumococcus based on protein antigens. The molecular weight of antigens is estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis of immunoprecipitated molecules and by immunoblot analysis of electrophoresed molecules.
Introduction of Mobile Media Into Formal Classroom Learning Environments

Among all the technological changes in the society, smartphones have become one of the most adopted innovations. Yet, in the classroom a common response to phones in students’ hands is to ban them! This study uses Social Construction of Technology theory to investigate whether mobile media can have a place in the classroom. Using in-depth qualitative interviews, the study finds an unexpected paradox: Students rarely use mobile technology in the classroom and, moreover, do not expect to use it in the formal classroom environment, while outside the classroom they fully endorse the educational applications of mobile media.
Application of Digital Accelerometry for Swallow Imaging (DASI) for Dysphagia Evaluation and Treatment in a Series of Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1) Patients (P05.189)

Objective: To use digital accelerometry for swallow imaging (DASI) for evaluation and treatment of dysphagia in DM1 patients. Background Dysphagia is a potentially life threatening complication of DM1 patients. Design/Methods: Patients with DM1 and history of aspiration or dysphagia underwent a formal swallow evaluation +/- modified barium swallow (MBS). We used noninvasive DASI technology with software designed for swallow imaging and calculation of key parameters of swallow biomechanics. Trials included spontaneous and instructed dry and wet swallows with different consistencies. We analyzed shape, amplitude, timing, frequency and jitter looking for swallow movement dysfunction. DASI biofeedback: Patients observed swallow traces on the computer screen and were coached in improving strength, duration and timing of swallow. Results: Case 1: A 24-year old man with congenital DM1, dysphagia, and repeated hospitalizations for aspiration pneumonia had a MBS showing aspiration of pyriform sinus residue. DASI evaluation showed excessive pre/post-swallow laryngeal movement, decreased pharyngeal phase control with multiple small amplitude peaks. DASI Treatment: Patient improved swallow strenght and control of pharyngeal movement. Case 2: A 46 year-old man with adult-onset DM1 and choking episodes was hospitalized with pneumonia and placed on a ventilator. MBS showed aspiration during/after the swallow with delayed cough. DASI evaluation showed low amplitude and frequency of swallow with increased jitter and frequent coughing. DASI Treatment: Patient improved swallow strength. Case 3: A 33 year-old female with adult-onset DM1 reported dysphagia. Clinical swallow evaluation showed oral residue, reduced hyolaryngeal excursion, and throat clearing. DASI evaluation showed reduced amplitude and increased jitter, with extraneous, inefficient lingual/hyolaryngeal movements. DASI Treatment: Reduced extraneous laryngeal movements and improved control of swallow. Conclusions: DASI is an adjunct in dysphagia evaluation in DM1. DASI biofeedback is helpful in gaining increased swallow function through Active Repetitive Motion Therapy which is instructive for reducing extraneous, inefficient laryngeal movements and can be personalized according to the patient physical and mental status. Supported by: DASI equipment on loan from Elixir Therapeutics. Disclosure: Dr. Farkas has nothing to disclose. Dr. Entrekin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Milstead has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mosman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Berggren has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sampson has received personal compensation for activities with PTC Therapeutics and Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation.
Development Status of High-Thrust Density Electrostatic Engines

Ion thruster technology offers the highest performance and efficiency of any mature electric propulsion thruster. It has by far the highest demonstrated total impulse of any technology option, demonstrated at input power levels appropriate for primary propulsion. It has also been successfully implemented for primary propulsion in both geocentric and heliocentric environments, with excellent ground/in-space correlation of both its performance and life. Based on these attributes there is compelling reasoning to continue the development of this technology: it is a leading candidate for high power applications; and it provides risk reduction for as-yet unproven alternatives. As such it is important that the operational limitations of ion thruster technology be critically examined and in particular for its application to primary propulsion its capabilities relative to thrust the density and thrust-to-power ratio be understood. This publication briefly addresses some of the considerations relative to achieving high thrust density and maximizing thrust-to-power ratio with ion thruster technology, and discusses the status of development work in this area being executed under a collaborative effort among NASA Glenn Research Center, the Aerospace Corporation, and the University of Michigan.
ANELOSIMUS STUDIOSUS (ARANEAE: THERIDIIDAE) AND THE EVOLUTION OF QUASISOCIALITY IN THERIDIID SPIDERS.

Social phenomena ranging from shortterm associations to the formation of permanent colonies are now known for at least eight spider families. Among the Theridiidae, the neotropical Anelosimus eximius has evolved a level of quasisociality (sensu Wilson, 1971) which among the Arachnida is exceeded in complexity only by the wellstudied agelenid Agelena consociata of Africa. Both species exhibit cooperative web construction, capture and utilization of prey, indiscriminate brood care, and colony permanence (Darchen, 1965; Krafft, 1965, 1970a, 1970b, 1970c; Brach, 1975). Several investigators have discussed possible evolutionary sequences leading to advanced sociality in spiders (Kullmann, 1968, 1972; Shear, 1970; Wilson, 1971), but few studies exist of species displaying behavior intermediate between the primitively social phenomena characteristic of some spiders (e.g., protection of young) and the far more advanced behavior of species having perennial colonies. As advanced sociality in spiders appears to be derived in large part from a union of subsocial (maternal) behavior and parasocial (adults cooperative) behavior (Shear, 1970), it is of interest to examine less advanced species in order to gain clues as to the possible course and mechanism of this union. Anelosimus studiosus is a common spider throughout southeastern North America. It is closely related to the quasisocial A. eximius (Levi, 1955), but differs in the much smaller size of its colonies. Although the colonial habits of A. studiosus are mentioned in several general and regional accounts (e.g., Archer, 1946; Comstock, 1948; Gertsch, 1949; Kaston and Kaston, 1953; Kaston, 1965; Muma, 1975), no detailed studies of this species have been made. This study compares the sociobiology and natural history of A. studiosus and A. eximius, with the aim of clarifying some of the factors that may have led to the evolution of the advanced social behavior of the latter species.
Binding of holes in the Hubbard model

Abstract We present a new numerical method for the study of binding energies of particles in fermionic systems. Working with an imaginary chemical potential we can obtain results in the canonical ensemble by simple modifications of standard numerical techniques. We applied the technique to the two dimensional (2D) Hubbard model observing binding of holes at half-filling on lattices of 4×4 sites. For U / t = 4 we estimate that the binding energy is Δ = −0.10 ± 0.02 1 .
Integrated Nano-hole Array Surface Plasmon Resonance Biochemical Sensor

Abstract: We have demonstrated a super-periodic metallic nano-hole array surface plasmon device for integrated biochemical sensing. The super-periodic nano-hole array device combines functions of sensing and surface plasmon resonance spectral analysis on a single device.
Volatile anesthetics inhibit voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels in porcine tracheal smooth muscle cells

The relaxation of airway smooth muscle by volatile anesthetics is associated with a decreased concentration of intracellular free Ca2+. We hypothesized that inhibition of the entry of extracellular Ca2+ contributes to the relaxation. We therefore examined the effects of halothane, isoflurane, and sevoflurane on macroscopic voltage-activated Ca2+ currents (ICa) in porcine tracheal smooth muscle cells, using the whole cell patch-clamp technique. All three volatile anesthetics significantly inhibited ICa in a dose-dependent manner with no apparent shift in the voltage dependence of induced ICa. The order of inhibitory potencies for ICa was halothane
Technical debt and system architecture

We use Design Structure Matrices to measure software system architecture.We analyze the relationship between file level coupling and maintenance costs.We show files that are tightly coupled within a system cost more to maintain.The link between coupling and cost is robust across very different types of system.Our methods can be used to guide refactoring efforts and estimate their impact. Technical Debt is created when design decisions that are expedient in the short term increase the costs of maintaining and adapting this system in future. An important component of technical debt relates to decisions about system architecture. As systems grow and evolve, their architectures can degrade, increasing maintenance costs and reducing developer productivity. This raises the question if and when it might be appropriate to redesign ("refactor") a system, to reduce what has been called "architectural debt". Unfortunately, we lack robust data by which to evaluate the relationship between architectural design choices and system maintenance costs, and hence to predict the value that might be released through such refactoring efforts.We address this gap by analyzing the relationship between system architecture and maintenance costs for two software systems of similar size, but with very different structures; one has a "Hierarchical" design, the other has a "Core-Periphery" design. We measure the level of system coupling for the 20,000+ components in each system, and use these measures to predict maintenance efforts, or "defect-related activity." We show that in both systems, the tightly-coupled Core or Central components cost significantly more to maintain then loosely-coupled Peripheral components. In essence, a small number of components generate a large proportion of system costs. However, we find major differences in the potential benefits available from refactoring these systems, related to their differing designs. Our results generate insight into how architectural debt can be assessed by understanding patterns of coupling among components in a system.
The effects of kanamycin injection into the fetal lamb cochlea.

Mammalian auditory hair cells have minimal capacity for repair or regeneration after a variety of insults, including acoustic trauma and aminoglycoside exposure. Although fetal tissues have a great...
David D. Hall. Ways of Writing: The Practice and Politics of Text-Making in Seventeenth Century New England. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008. 233 p. ISBN 978-0812241020. $49.95

Expanded from a series of three lectures given in 2007, Hall describes the political, social, and cultural forces that influenced modes of authorship, publishing, and dissemination in 17th-century New England. Separate, but not wholly apart, Hall delineates how writing in New England developed along a different trajectory from the center of the English-speaking world in London. Hall begins by asserting that two keys to understanding New England’s text-making culture have been undervalued. The first is the essentially collaborative culture of how texts were written, spoken, shared, transcribed, annotated, and rewritten. The second is the fundamentally handwritten or scribal practices that . . .
Genetic and environmental influences on the development of a wheat model

Abstract The development of a wheat plant model must take into consideration the genetic and environmental influences that occur. As one component of the plant changes it affects the development of the other components. Yield components and their relationship to one another were studied. Correlation coefficients were further analyzed by the path-coefficient technique to determine the direct and indirect effects of these components on grain yield. Spikes per plant showed high positive correlation with grain yield under all environments. The other four components showed low positive correlations. Direct effect of spikes per plant on yield was high under all environments. Direct effects of kernels per spike, spikelets per spike and kernels per spikelet on yield varied considerably within six environments. The indirect effects varied depending upon the trait and the environment. Results suggest that selection for an increase of spikes per plant would increase yield most. However, with an increase in the number of spikes a decrease was noted in the effects of the other components.
Evaluation of HYPR de-noising with MAP reconstruction in small animal PET imaging

We describe an evaluation of the HighlY constrained back-PRojection (HYPR) de-noising in conjunction with the maximum a posteriori (MAP) reconstruction for the microPET-Inveon scanner. The HYPR technique involves the creation of a composite image from the entire duration of the dynamic scan. This image provides high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as well as high spatial resolution, and then it is updated by the weighting images generated from each individual dynamic frame to form the HYPR images. Consequently, as long as the composite image has a good SNR, the image quality of each dynamic frame with poor SNR can be improved. Dynamic mouse as well as static tumor imaging with high and low doses was performed to evaluate the advantages and limitations of the HYPR method. Time-activity-curve (TAC) comparison, precision vs accuracy in tumor/muscle ratio and mean absolute error vs number of counts were evaluated. It was found that HYPR can not only improve SNR and produce smoother TACs (on both single-voxel and region-of-interest levels) with lower variance but also be able to reduce the amount of dose injected. Two limitations were found: (1) at very low counts the low activity regions cannot be restored completely, and a positive bias in the estimated tumor/muscle ratio was obtained as a result, and (2) motion contamination between the composite and each dynamic image can introduce motion-artifact in the HYPR image. Therefore, motion needs to be corrected before applying HYPR.
Observation of breather solitons in microresonators

We present the first observations of breather solitons in microresonators. Our results provide a new perspective on the evolution towards stable soliton formation in microresonator frequency combs.
Mycobacterium infection from a cardiopulmonary bypass heater-cooler unit in a patient with steroid-induced immunosuppression.

To present a case of mycobacterium infection transmitted through a heater-cooler unit during cardiac bypass surgery. A 63-yr-old woman with a past medical history of aortic coarctation repair in 1963 and a mechanical aortic valve replacement in 2010 was prescribed antibiotics and steroids at an outpatient care facility in September 2015 for symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection. Four months later, she developed malaise and intermittent fever with anemia and acute kidney dysfunction. Extensive evaluation revealed negative blood cultures but was suggestive of amyloidosis. The patient was therefore started on systemic steroids prior to being referred to us.At our institution, transesophageal echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed a normal mechanical aortic prosthesis with an aortic root abscess. The patient was started on empiric antibiotics for endocarditis. Renal biopsy revealed interstitial nephritis with one granuloma for which she was again started on high-dose steroids. The patient continued to deteriorate, with worsening renal function and pancytopenia that required daily red blood cell and platelet transfusions.Three weeks into this hospitalization, her blood cultures were reported to be positive for Mycobacterium chimera, and she was started on a four-drug regimen of rifampin, rifabutin, ethambutol, and clarithromycin, with dramatic clinical improvement. Heater-cooler units manufactured by LivaNova prior to September 2014 and used during cardiopulmonary bypass have been linked to M. chimera, which causes a latent infection that may be activated and become disseminated in cases of immunosuppression related to steroid use.
g- value of Fe3+ in II VI cubic crystals

A theory of g-shift is developed of Fe3+ in II–VI cubic crystals. Electron-transfer through spin-orbit interaction to Fe3+ from the surrounding ligands is shown to be a reasonable mechanism for the observed positive g-shift in MgO, CaO, and ZnS.
Performance evaluation of single-phase transfomer-less PV inverter topologies

Double line frequency power decoupling with reduced capacitance and mitigation of leakage current are two of the major challenges of any grid-connected single phase photovoltaic (PV) inverter. This paper compares the performances of different topologies for single phase transformerless PV application in terms of the power decoupling capacitor requirement, the current ripple and total harmonic distortion (THD), efficiency performance, and leakage current. The topologies considered include a doubly grounded T-type dynamic dc-link (DDCL) inverter, a half-bridge voltage swing (HBVS) inverter, and conventional full-bridge (FB) inverter with three different modulation schemes (bipolar, hybrid, and unipolar). The leakage current arising from both parasitic capacitances of the PV module and the heat sink is considered in the present study which is essential for design of the electromagnetic interference (EMI) filters. The analysis are supported by experimental results from SiC-based 1 kW hardware prototypes operating at 120 V ac nominal output at a switching frequency of 100 kHz for each of the topology.
Control of coherently coupled exciton-polaritons in atomic crystals

We demonstrate, for the first time, controlled polariton emission with hybrid composition in monolayer tungsten disulfide due to robust coherent exciton-photon coupling over a broad temperature range of 110-230 K in a single cavity.
Joining ranked inputs in practice

Joining ranked inputs is an essential requirement for many database applications, such as ranking search results from multiple search engines and answering multi-feature queries for multimedia retrieval systems. We introduce a new practical pipelined query operator, termed NRA-RJ, that produces a global rank from input ranked streams based on a score function. The output of NRA-RJ can serve as a valid input to other NRA-RJ operators in the query pipeline. Hence, the NRA-RJ operator can support a hierarchy of join operations and can be easily integrated in query processing engines of commercial database systems. The NRA-RJ operator bridges Fagin's optimal aggregation algorithm into a practical implementation and contains several optimizations that address performance issues. We compare the performance of NRA-RJ against recent rank join algorithms. Experimental results demonstrate the performance trade-offs among these algorithms. The experimental results are based on an empirical study applied to a medical video application on top of a prototype database system. The study reveals important design options and shows that the NRA-RJ operator outperforms other pipelined rank join operators when the join condition is an equi-join on key attributes.
Database Issues in Trust Management and Trust Negotiation

Trust management is the process of managing authorization decisions in a decentralized environment where many of the participants do not have reestablished trust relationships, such as logins and passwords, with one another. Trust management is important for enterprise-level and cross-organizational database applications such as supply chain management, enterprise resource planning, and customer relationship management. Trust management research may also interest the database research community because of the former’s a?nity for a Datalog-based world, in which a query (authorization request) launches a multi-site search for a proof of authorization. To complicate the process, sites have autonomy and may not always cooperate in proof construction; it is not always obvious where to ?nd the facts and rules needed to construct a proof; and attempts to access particular facts and rules may spawn new authorization requests.
Nonparametric survival estimation when death is reported with delay.

In disease registries there can be a delay between death of asubject and the reporting of this death to the data analyst.If researchers use the Kaplan-Meier estimator and implicitlyassumed that subjects who have yet to have death reported arestill alive, i.e. are censored at the time of analysis, the Kaplan-Meierestimator is typically inconsistent. Assuming censoring is independentof failure, we provide a simple estimator that is consistentand asymptotically efficient. We also provide estimates of theasymptotic variance of our estimator and simulations that demonstratethe favorable performance of these estimators. Finally, we demonstrateour methods by analyzing AIDS survival data. This analysis underscoresthe pitfalls of not accounting for delay when estimating thesurvival distribution and suggests a significant reduction inbias by using our estimator.