cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional ecology of shrub seedlings after a natural recruitment event at the Nevada Desert FACE Facility

Seedling recruitment is an important determinant of community structure in desert ecosystems. Positive photosynthetic growth and water balance responses to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations ([CO2]) are predicted to be substantial in desert plants, suggesting that recruitment could be stimulated. However, to date no studies have addressed the response of perennial plant recruitment in natural populations of desert shrubs exposed to elevated [CO2]. In April 1997, we employed Free-Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment (FACE) in order to increase atmospheric [CO2] in an undisturbed Mojave Desert ecosystem from ambient (∼∼ 370 µmol mol−1) to elevated CO2 (∼∼ 550 µmol mol−1). From 1997 to 2001 we seasonally examined survival, growth, gas exchange and water potential responses of Larrea tridentata and Ambrosia dumosa seedlings that germinated in Fall, 1997. Recruitment densities were not influenced by [CO2] in either species, although a two-fold higher adult Ambrosia density under elevated [CO2] resulted in two-fold higher seedling density (0.87 vs 0.40 seedlings m−2). Mortality was greatest for both species during the first summer (1998), despite above-average rainfall during the previous Winter–Spring. A significant [CO2] × time interaction revealed that early survival was greater under elevated CO2, whereas a significant species time interaction revealed that overall survival was greater for Ambrosia (28%) than for Larrea (15%), regardless of [CO2]. Microsite (understorey or interspace) alone had no significant influence on survival. Significant species, microsite and species × microsite effects on growth (seedling height, stem diameter and canopy size) were found, but elevated CO2 had minimal impact on these parameters. Photosynthetic rates (Asat) for both species were higher at elevated [CO2] during certain seasons, but not consistently so. These results suggest that increased atmospheric [CO2] may enhance carbon (C) assimilation and survival of aridland perennial shrubs during favourable growing conditions, but that it may not counteract the effects of prolonged drought on mortality.
Health values before and after pacemaker implantation.

Abstract Background Health value or utility is the abstracted magnitude of a person's preference for quality and quantity of life. It reflects how much lifetime with the patient's current health condition a patient is willing to exchange for a life in excellent health. Health values are used in cost-effectiveness analysis as a means of calculating quality-adjusted years of life. Objective This study assessed the health values of elderly patients before and after pacemaker implantation. Methods We prospectively examined 398 patients from the Pacemaker Selection in the Elderly study, in which patients were randomized to either VVIR or DDDR mode. Health values were estimated with the time tradeoff method before implantation and at 3, 9, and 18 months after implantation. Results The mean age of patients was 76 ± 6 years; 234 patients (59%) were male. At baseline, patients were, on average, willing to exchange 5 years of current health for approximately 4 years in perfect health (value 0.76 ± 0.06). There was no difference in baseline health values with implant diagnosis (sinus node dysfunction n=172, 0.72, atrioventricular block n=227, 0.75, other diagnoses n=39, 0.78, P = not significant). The overall improvement in health values at 3 months after pacemaker implantation was 0.165 ± 0.4 ( P =.0001). The improvement in health values was independent of pacing mode ( P =.6). The time tradeoff score was modestly correlated with other measurements of health-related quality of life. The change in time tradeoff score with time was not influenced by demographic characteristics such as age and sex, diagnoses, pacing mode, employment status, or history of angina. Patients with a lower functional class at enrollment (III or IV on the Specific Activity Scale) demonstrated an absolute improvement of 23% in their health values, whereas patients in class I or II improved only by 12%, ( P =.03). Conclusions Permanent pacemaker implantation for standard indications improves health values and descriptive health status measures. The values reported here may be used as a means of calculating the cost-effectiveness of different pacing modalities. (Am Heart J 2002;144:687-92.)
Biobehavioral and psychological differences between overweight adults with and without waist circumference risk

Waist circumference (WC) has emerged as an independent predictor of cardiometabolic disease. The purpose of this study was to examine differences between overweight adults with and without WC risk in four domains: demographic, clinical and biological, psychological, and behavioral. The sample (N = 87) was primarily sedentary, middle-aged, women, and African-Americans. The majority of participants had WC risk, those with WC risk were older, were women, and had higher body mass index, higher morning salivary cortisol levels, and more depressive symptoms than those without WC risk. Caloric and macronutrient intake did not differ between those with and without WC risk. Our findings could lead to the development of targeted interventions to prevent and/or reduce abdominal obesity, thereby reducing cardiometabolic risk. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 33:539–551, 2010
The Contribution of Systemic and Pulmonary Immune Effectors to Vaccine-Induced Protection from H5N1 Influenza Virus Infection

Live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs) are effective in providing protection against influenza challenge in animal models and in preventing disease in humans. We previously showed that LAIVs elicit a range of immune effectors and that successful induction of pulmonary cellular and humoral immunity in mice requires pulmonary replication of the vaccine virus. An upper respiratory tract immunization (URTI) model was developed in mice to mimic the human situation, in which the vaccine virus does not replicate in the lower respiratory tract, allowing us to assess the protective efficacy of an H5N1 LAIV against highly pathogenic H5N1 virus challenge in the absence of significant pulmonary immunity. Our results show that, after one dose of an H5N1 LAIV, pulmonary influenza-specific lymphocytes are the main contributors to clearance of challenge virus from the lungs and that contributions of influenza-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antibodies in serum and splenic CD8+ T cells were negligible. Complete protection from H5N1 challenge was achieved after two doses of H5N1 LAIV and was associated with maturation of the antibody response. Although passive transfer of sera from mice that received two doses of vaccine prevented lethality in naive recipients following challenge, the mice showed significant weight loss, with high pulmonary titers of the H5N1 virus. These data highlight the importance of mucosal immunity in mediating optimal protection against H5N1 infection. Understanding the requirements for effective induction and establishment of these protective immune effectors in the respiratory tract paves the way for a more rational and effective vaccine approach in the future.
Counting Candidates: an Alternative to the Effective N With an Application to the M + 1 Rule in Japan

Counting the number of `real' candidates in elections is complicated by the frequent presence of individuals who win a small percentage of the vote and have no realistic chance of winning the election. Increasingly, researchers have solved this problem by using the Laakso—Taagepera `effective N', originally devised to count numbers of political parties (usually in the overall electorate). We argue that when counting candidates in individual districts, the focus should be on viability and that the effective N is therefore inappropriate. We discuss the concept and measurement of candidate viability and propose two alternative measures. We illustrate the use of these counting rules by re-analyzing and updating Reed's (1990) analysis of the number of candidates in Japanese elections under the Single Non-Transferable Vote. In contrast to Reed, we find lower numbers of candidates, more rapid learning of strategic behavior, and closer adherence to the theoretical upper limit of one more candidate than the distri...
Road size and carrion beetle assemblages in a New York forest

In many parts of the world, roads are the most common causes of forest fragmentation. We know roads can affect wildlife, but understand little the extent to which these effects depend on road type and use. We compared the effects of several road types upon a diverse, carrion frequenting beetle assemblage in rural New York State. We found no consistent effects of distance from road on the diversity, abundance or species density of beetles across road types. However, forests near highways and two-lane paved roads were significantly less diverse than were forests near dirt roads. The reduced diversity of beetles near roads was at least in part due to lower species turnover in space near dirt roads than near either type of paved roads. Our data suggest that all roads are not created equal and that comparably sized minimum-use paved roads have a substantially greater affect on fauna than dirt roads. Highways and two-lane paved roads appear to depress biodiversity even among relatively vagile animals like beetles.
Diagnosing Inborn Errors of Metabolism in the Newborn: Clinical Features

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Delineate features of a medical history that should raise suspicion for an inborn error of metabolism. 2. Describe common ocular findings associated with inborn errors of metabolism. 3. List the primary clinical findings of inborn errors of metabolism associated with encephalopathy without metabolic acidosis. 4. Delineate the categories of inborn errors of metabolism associated with encephalopathy and metabolic acidosis. The rapid deterioration of a previously healthy-appearing neonate is one of the most stressful scenarios in medicine. Unless appropriate therapy is initiated without delay, there is a high risk of morbidity or mortality, regardless of the etiology of the acute illness. Any infant who presents with feeding difficulties, vomiting, jaundice, failure to thrive, apnea or tachypnea, hypotonia or hypertonia, seizures, lethargy, or coma should be considered as suffering from diseases in one of two broad categories: 1) disorders resulting from causes such as infection, cardiopulmonary dysfunction or other causes of hypoxemia, toxins, trauma, or congenital structural brain abnormalities or 2) disorders caused by an inborn error of metabolism. Because metabolic diseases are individually rare, there is a tendency to consider them only after excluding more common causes of neonatal distress. However, the aggregate incidence of inborn errors of metabolism is relatively high, with as many as one child in every 1,000 births being affected. The clinician must consider these disorders in all neonates who have nonspecific features of distress upon initial presentation. In many cases, only rapid diagnosis and management can prevent death or significant morbidity. Appropriate laboratory investigations should be obtained immediately. Even simple tests such as measurement of blood gases, glucose, electrolytes, lactate, and ammonia and the evaluation of urine for ketones may provide valuable clues to the underlying diagnosis. Most inborn errors of metabolism are inherited as autosomal recessive traits or, as …
Isolation and functional characterization of the actin binding region in the tight junction protein ZO-1

Zonula occludens (ZO)-1 is a member of the MAGUK (membrane-associated guanylate kinase homologs) family of membrane-associated signaling molecules that binds directly to both cytosolic and transmembrane components of the tight junction and is believed to organize these proteins within the apical junctional complex. It also binds directly to F-actin, although the functional relevance of this interaction is unknown. To address this issue, we have used VSVG-tagged transgenes to dissect ZO-1 and have identified a 220 amino acid region of ZO-1 that is necessary for its association with F-actin in MDCK cell pull-down assays. A GST fusion expressing this region can bind directly to F-actin in vitro, whereas a GFP fusion expressing this domain decorates actin stress fibers when expressed in MDCK cells. These results indicate that this actin-binding region (ABR) is both necessary and sufficient for binding to F-actin in vitro and in vivo. VSVG-tagged transgenes that lack the ABR still accumulate at both early and late cell-cell contacts in MDCK cells, suggesting that the ABR is not required for tight junction localization. However, accumulation of constructs lacking the ABR is markedly reduced at tight junctions in confluent cells, suggesting that the ABR does play an important role in the localization of ZO-1 at junctions. Furthermore, the ABR is required for localization to a novel actin-rich pool of ZO-1 that accumulates in puncta at the free edge of cells before initiation of cell-cell contact. We conclude that direct interactions between ZO-1 and F-actin play a role in several different steps of junction assembly.
Splitting the bill for mobile data with SIMlets

The scarcity of mobile broadband spectrum is a problem hurting all stakeholders in the mobile landscape -- mobile operators (MOs), content providers, and mobile users. Building additional capacity is expensive, and MOs are reluctant to make such investments without a clear way of recouping their costs. This paper presents the idea of split billing: allowing content providers to pay for the traffic generated by mobile users visiting their websites or using their services. This creates an additional revenue stream for MOs and builds more pressure for updating their networks' capacities. End users also benefit because they can afford more expensive data plans and enjoy new applications and scenarios that make use of faster mobile networks.To implement split billing securely on a mobile platform, we develop the SIMlet, a new trustworthy computing abstraction. A SIMlet can be bound to a network socket to monitor and account all the traffic exchanged over the network socket. SIMlets provide trustworthy proofs of a device's mobile traffic, and such proofs can be redeemed at a content provider involved in split billing.
ACI 318 STRUCTURAL CONCRETE BUILDING CODE: THE NEED FOR MEMBER SIZE FACTOR ON THE SHEAR STRENGTH OF BEAMS AND ONE-WAY SLABS

The need for a size effect factor on the shear strength of reinforced concrete beams and one-way slabs without stirrups where permitted by the ACI 318-05 Code is investigated through the examination of an extensive database compiled elsewhere and thoroughly evaluated by the ASCE-ACI Joint Committee 445 on Shear and Torsion. The database is examined in this paper under the light of applicable requirements in the ACI 318-05 code in an effort to represent current practice. The main findings in this paper indicate that the requirements in Sec. 11.5.6.1(c) to a great extent invalidate the specimens with ratios of measured to calculated shear strength less than 1.0 in the database. However, there is a paucity of data on members with depths greater than 36 inches without stirrups and without skin reinforcement. Also there is a lack of information on the shear strength of beams without stirrups having a ratio of overall depth to width less than 0.5.
Pregnancy Following Donor Insemination: Implications for Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia remains a condition of theories as to its etiology. One theory of interest is based upon the observation of the occasional appearance of “toxemia” in a parous patient in whom prior pregnancies have been uncomplicated and the index gestation is with a new partner. Proposed is that the condition develops as the result of lack of immunologic tolerance to new antigens brought by the new partner. To investigate this hypothesis and to study the impact of brief antigenic exposure on the risk of “toxemia,” recipients of artificial insemination by donor seemed an ideal population. A series of 44 donor-initiated pregnancies was surveyed. The incidence of hypertensive complications in this group, 36 of whom were nulliparous, did not differ from the rate for all pregnancies at this institution. These observations are discussed in light of the proposed theory.
Effects of phosphorus fertilization and mycorrhizal development on phosphorus nutrition and carbon balance of loblolly pine

SUMMARY The influence of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) development on the physiology of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings was examined during seedling recovery from phosphorus (P) deficiency and for several weeks after seedlings had become P-sufficient. Seedlings inoculated with Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker and Couch and non-inoculated seedlings responded similarly to an increase in P fertilization, except that nearly twice as much of the absorbed P in ECM seedlings remained in the fine-root system compared to the non-inoculated seedlings. Presumably, most of this P was associated with the ECM fungal hyphae. The presence of mycorrhizas initially caused a 1- to 2-wk delay in the growth response of seedlings to P fertilization, possibly due to a restrictively slow rate of P transfer from the ECM fungus to the root. However, once seedlings had sufficient P for maximum growth, even high levels of mycorrhizal development (greater than 85 %) did not reduce the growth rate of ECMVI seedlings compared to non-mycorrhizal seedlings grown under the same high-nutrient conditions. Possible explanations are discussed as to why a growth reduction due to ECM development is found in some studies but not in others.
The effect of dietary protein intake on glutamine and glutamate nitrogen metabolism in humans.

The response of glutamine and glutamate ki- netics were studied in five healthy young adult men on diets containing deficient (0. 1), adequate (0.8), or surfeit (2.2 g . kg � . d ') amounts of protein. Glutamate, glutamine, and phenylalanine kinetics were measured in the postabsorptive state at the end of each diet period. Urinary urea and ammonia cx- cretion correlated with protein intake (the sum of the two was 2.1 ± 0.2,5.7 ± 0.3,and 11.9± 1.2g N g.kg�.d' forthe respective 0. 1, 0.8, and 2.2 g . kg� . dprotein intakes). Glu- tamate and glutamine concentrations varied inversely with pro- tein intake. Phenylalanine concentrations and phenylalanine flux did not change significantly with the changing protein intake. Both glutamate and glutamine fluxes varied inversely with pro- tein intake (glutamate flux was 177 ± 15, 120 ± 10, and 125 ± 1 1 �imol . kg' . h' and glutamine flux was 373 ± 29, 343 ± 26, and 318 ± 15 �mol . kg� . h' at the respective 0.1, 0.8, and 2.2 g . kg� . dprotein intakes). These changes in gluta- mine or glutamate flux in response to alterations in dietary pro- tein intake were attributable to changes in de novo production. Am J C/inNutr 1992;55:963-70.
Hypersonic Viscous Effects on Free-Flight Slender Cones

An experimental study was performed in order to determine the effects of various parameters upon cone aerodynamics in the hypersonic regime at Reynolds numbers as low as 7800/in. The use of free-flight models eliminated the need for evaluating sting interference and made practical accurate measurement of drag forces down to 8 X 10 ~4 Ib and pitching moments as low as 2 X 10 ~4 in-lb. The effects of model to total temperature ratios of 0.45 (gun launch) and 0.87 (wire release) for 6° through 15° half-angle cones on total drag and static stability were investigated at Mach numbers from 6 to 10 for values of the viscous Knudsen number up to M 00/(KI)00)1/W = 0.28. Limited nose-blunting effects were also investigated. Conical shock viscous drag theory agrees quite favorably with the experimental data. Use is made of trends predicted by theory in order to compare the data of this paper writh available hypersonic viscous cone drag data.
Use of a virtual classroom in training fourth‐year medical students on care transitions

BACKGROUND: Transferring complex patients between settings can be fraught with poor communication and adverse outcomes, yet few medical students nationwide are trained in specific skills to improve care transitions. OBJECTIVE: To give medical students the fund of knowledge and skills to develop and implement a safe discharge plan. DESIGN: A new care transitions curriculum imparted to all fourth-year medical students from August 2009 to April 2010 during their internal medicine sub-internship. SETTING: Emory University School of Medicine. INTERVENTION: Activities included: 1) discussion of an online case highlighting care transitions issues; 2) preparation of a discharge summary based on online templates; and 3) a postdischarge phone call to one of their patients. MEASUREMENTS: We evaluated the curriculum using questionnaires measuring changes in pretest to posttest confidence in performing discharge tasks, attitudes toward the care transitions process, and performance on a knowledge quiz. We also assessed course satisfaction and the quality of students' discharge summaries and postdischarge call reports performed during the module. RESULTS: Students' confidence in their ability to perform discharge tasks improved from 16.5 to 20.8 on a 25-point scale (P < 0.001). Knowledge quiz scores improved from 68 to 82 out of 100 (P < 0.001); 90.1% (109/121) of discharge summaries and 90.1% (109/121) of postdischarge call reports met all quality criteria. CONCLUSIONS: This curriculum showed that students could acquire the needed skills to prepare quality discharge summaries and communicate well with patients at discharge, as well as improve their overall knowledge surrounding care transitions. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2011. © 2011 Society of Hospital Medicine
A polynomial chaos theory approach to the control design of a power converter

This paper introduces the polynomial chaos theory as a new approach for the design of the control of a power converter. Thanks to the polynomial chaos theory approach, which is possible to formally include parameter uncertainty in the design approach. Furthermore the effects of the uncertainties can also be evaluated on a time-domain simulation. This paper introduces the mathematical background and then applies the theory to the control of classical DC/DC converter. Comparison with classical control design approaches is also presented.
The Role of Clouds in Modulating Global Aerosol Direct Radiative Effects in Spaceborne Active Observations and the Community Earth System Model

AbstractObservational benchmarks of global and regional aerosol direct radiative effects, over all surfaces and all sky conditions, are generated using CloudSat’s new multisensor radiative fluxes and heating rates product. Improving upon previous techniques, the approach leverages the capability of CloudSat and CALIPSO to retrieve vertically resolved estimates of cloud and aerosol properties required for complete and accurate assessment of aerosol direct effects under all conditions. The global annually averaged aerosol direct radiative effect is estimated to be −1.9 W m−2 with an uncertainty range of ±0.6 W m−2, which is in better agreement with previously published estimates from global models than previous satellite-based estimates. Detailed comparisons against a fully coupled simulation of the Community Earth System Model, however, reveal that this agreement on the global annual mean masks large regional discrepancies between modeled and observed estimates of aerosol direct effects. A series of region...
Support for Intimacy Skills Groups from Research in Social Psychology

Work done by social psychologists on self-disclosure is relevant for intimacy skills groups. This research is reviewed and a structured group on intimacy training that integrates the research findings is discussed.
Home Polysomnography in Methadone Maintenance Patients with Subjective Sleep Complaints

Objective: Most patients in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) complain of poor sleep. Few studies have examined MMT patients' sleep using polysomnography (PSG), and none to our knowledge have employed home PSG. Standard sleep laboratory research protocols often require two consecutive PSG nights because of inter-night variability in sleep attributed to first-night adaptation to a novel sleep environment and recording procedures. The purpose of this study was to assess the stability of sleep measures across two consecutive nights of home PSG in opioid-dependent MMT patients. Methods: Home PSG was performed in 50 MMT patients with subjective sleep complaints. Participants were 54% female and 82% white with mean age = 36.8 years, median methadone dose = 100 mg/day, and median MMT duration = 286 days. Results: Thirty-six participants completed two consecutive nights of at-home PSG and 14 completed one. For the former group, no differences in sleep measures were found across recordings. The one-night group...
Hierarchial Structure and Physical Properties of Natural Cellulosic Fibers

Natural cellulosic fibers have in common the fact that cellulose is the key polymeric component in the structure, although the chemical composition varies widely depending on the specific source of the fibers. Cellulose is a long-chain linear condensation polymer of β-D-glucose with three free hydroxyl groups on each monomeric unit, resulting in strong inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Because of the hydrogen bond network, and also due to restricted rotation around the polymeric 1,4- β-linkage, cellulose is a rigid and stiff chain with a T g well above the chemical decomposition temperature. Despite the high T g native cellulose is invariably highly crystalline as a result of the biosynthetic process. In naturally occurring cellulosic fibers, the cellulose crystallites are aggregated into fibrils which constitute the underlying building blocks of the fiber. In cotton, the fibrils are laid down during the development or growth of the fiber in the form of concentric layers. The fibrils are disposed at an angle of 23° with respect to the fiber axis and thus they describe a helical pattern. The sense of the helix reverses frequently along the length of the fiber. This morphology is unique to cotton; other cellulosic fibers such as ramie and jute have similar fibrillar structures, but fibrillar angles in the 5 to 10 degree range, with no reversals. Wood fibers, on the other hand, are structurally more heterogeneous and may be considered as composites.
Numerical simulation of tornadogenesis in a high-precipitation supercell. Part I : Storm evolution and transition into a bow echo

Abstract A nested grid primitive equation model (RAMS version 3b) was used to simulate a high-precipitation (HP) supercell, which produced two weak tornadoes. Six telescoping nested grids allowed atmospheric flows ranging from the synoptic scale down to the tornadic scale to be represented in the simulation. All convection in the simulation was initiated with resolved vertical motion and subsequent condensation–latent heating from the model microphysics; no warm bubbles or cumulus parameterizations were used. Part I of this study focuses on the simulated storm evolution and its transition into a bow echo. The simulation initially produced a classic supercell that developed at the intersection between a stationary front and an outflow boundary. As the simulation progressed, additional storms developed and interacted with the main storm to produce a single supercell. This storm had many characteristics of an HP supercell and eventually evolved into a bow echo with a rotating comma-head structure. An analysi...
Dynamic and decentralized learning of overlapping network communities

Network communities exist as clusters of nodes whose intra-edge connectivity is stronger than edge connectivities between nodes from different clusters. Among others, identification of hidden communities unveils shared functional roles in biological networks, and assigns individuals in social networks to consumer groups for more targeted advertising. This is a rather challenging task in large-size networks due to temporal evolution of the underlying topology, presence of distortive anomalies, as well as the sheer scale of network data, often stored in distributed clusters. Most contemporary approaches resort to batch centralized processing, and are ill-equipped to address the afore-mentioned challenges. The present paper develops a novel decentralized algorithm for tracking overlapping communities in dynamic networks, while compensating for distortions due to anomalous nodes. Experiments conducted on global trade flow data demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach.
The Marketing Customer Information File: Bank Marketing Management Applications

The development of marketing customer information file (MCIF) systems has given bank marketers the capability to develop effective relationship banking programs aimed at the present customer base. This paper demonstrates marketing management applications made possible by MCIF technology as they apply to the planning, implementing, and controlling of marketing programs.
Investigating the Role of Helicobacter pylori PriA Protein.

Background In bacteria, PriA protein, a conserved DEXH-type DNA helicase, plays a central role in replication restart at stalled replication forks. Its unique DNA binding property allows it to recognize and stabilize stalled forks and the structures derived from them. PriA plays a very critical role in replication fork stabilization and DNA repair in E. coli and N. gonorrhoeae. In our in vivo expression technology screen, priA gene was induced in vivo when Helicobacter pylori infects mouse stomach. Materials and Methods We decided to elucidate the role of H. pylori PriA protein in survival in mouse stomach, survival in gastric epithelial cells and macrophage cells, DNA repair, acid stress, and oxidative stress. Results The priA null mutant strain was unable to colonize mice stomach mucosa after long-term infections. Mouse colonization was observed after 1 week of infection, but the levels were much lower than the wild-type HpSS1 strain. PriA protein was found to be important for intracellular survival of epithelial cell-/macrophage cell-ingested H. pylori. Also, a priA null mutant was more sensitive to DNA-damaging agents and was much more sensitive to acid and oxidative stress as compared to the wild-type strain. Conclusions These data suggest that the PriA protein is needed for survival and persistence of H. pylori in mice stomach mucosa.
Scaling for quantum tunneling current in nano- and subnano-scale plasmonic junctions

When two conductors are separated by a sufficiently thin insulator, electrical current can flow between them by quantum tunneling. This paper presents a self-consistent model of tunneling current in a nano- and subnano-meter metal-insulator-metal plasmonic junction, by including the effects of space charge and exchange correlation potential. It is found that the J-V curve of the junction may be divided into three regimes: direct tunneling, field emission and space-charge-limited regime. In general, the space charge inside the insulator reduces current transfer across the junction, whereas the exchange-correlation potential promotes current transfer. It is shown that these effects may modify the current density by orders of magnitude from the widely used Simmons’ formula, which is only accurate for a limited parameter space (insulator thickness > 1 nm and barrier height > 3 eV) in the direct tunneling regime. The proposed self-consistent model may provide a more accurate evaluation of the tunneling current in the other regimes. The effects of anode emission and material properties (i.e. work function of the electrodes, electron affinity and permittivity of the insulator) are examined in detail in various regimes. Our simple model and the general scaling for tunneling current may provide insights to new regimes of quantum plasmonics.
Dominant personality types in public accounting: selection bias or indoctrinated?

ABSTRACTPrior studies concerning the personality type and preferences of accountants generally draw conclusions based upon the reports of either practicing accountants, or accounting students, at a single point in time. So while much is known about the personality type of accountants in general, left unexplored is the question of whether public accountants are selected or indoctrinated. Using a Jungian-based personality inventory administered to experienced public accountants, and to accounting students in both their final year of study and three years' postgraduation, we provide empirical evidence of hiring selection bias. Further, the personality preferences of recruits that remain in public accounting appear to evolve to more closely match the personality preferences of experienced public accountants, while the personality preferences of recruits that leave public accounting are unchanged. These results have important implications for individuals seeking to enter public accounting careers, recruiters, ...
The Impact of Supplemental Food on Movements of Prairie Voles (Microtus ochrogaster)

Intraspecific variation in movements may reflect availability of resources and social systems. We supplemented food of prairie voles ( Microtus ochrogaster ) on two of four grids and tested for reduced movements, measured as the mean-squared distance from the center of activity, of females. Movements of reproductive voles exceeded those of nonreproductives and movements of males exceeded those of females on both control and supplemented grids, but, contrary to our predictions, movements of both sexes were greater on supplemented grids than on controls. Males >40 g moved farther than males <40 g, whereas the opposite pattern was found for females. Supplemental food produced no pronounced differences in sexual diethism of movements.
Renegotiating health care. Interview by Richard L. Reece.

Richard L. Reece, MD, interviewed Leonard Marcus, PhD, on May 21, 1999, to talk about his book, Renegotiating Healthcare, Resolving Conflict to Build Collaboration, and the Program for Healthcare Negotiation and Conflict Resolution he directs at the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Marcus discusses conflict management and negotiation in an industry besieged by change . He says, "we are, in effect, renegotiating the very assumptions and premises that have guided the health care system over the last few decades." In such a turbulent environment, it is crucial that all stakeholders can move to higher ground and resolve their differences instead of escalating the war. The key, Marcus says, is providing options through interest-based negotiation and mediation, so that the parties can look at the bigger picture and reconnect with what they are all committed to accomplishing in health care. While conflict can be destructive, it also can provide opportunities for people to look at where there are problems, to identify and correct those problems, and achieve something even better than what they began with through the process.
Exercises for Athletes

Based on observation of professional athletes, certain principles have been evolved empirically which have been found to help maintain and increase function and, to some extent, to counteract the effects of aging. These principles are: 1. Repetition to the point of exhaustion of a muscle, if done against a fixed load, will result in stretching of ligaments and joint instability, especially in the knee. Any exercise doing this should be avoided. 2. Exercise against resistance which is fixed or exercise through a limited range of motion will result in functional shortening of the muscle and limitation of its usefulness for athletic endeavor. 3. When exercise is performed, the joint must carry out a full range of motion to achieve maximum athletic function. 4. The load or resistance should increase as the mechanical advantage of the muscle increases in association with movement of the joint. 5. Enduring athletic ability depends on maintaining in all joints the full range of joint motion peculiar to a particular athlete. 6. Endurance is best achieved and maintained by repetitious motion against light resistance. 7. There are specific anatomical areas and ranges of motion peculiar to various sports and various activities in those sports. The standard for each athlete is an individual one.
Ultrasonic perivascular flow probe: technique and application in neurosurgery.

AbstractDocumentation and measurement of intraoperative cerebral blood flow during various neurosurgical procedures is not only valuable but also very informative. There are various methods by which qualitative and quantitative measurement of cerebral blood flow have been developed over the years. The use of perivascular ultrasonic flow more recently is fast gaining popularity. We describe the technique, principle and application of ultrasonic perivascular micro-flow probe for quantitative measurement of selective vessel flow in neurosurgery. [Neural Res 1998; 20: 439–442]
Through Literacy to Fluency: Reading in the Religious Studies Classroom

This paper addresses a perennial question of the religious studies and, indeed, of most liberal arts classrooms: How do I get my students to read texts thoroughly and with understanding? After briefly reviewing the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) data, I argue that what teachers desire is not just basic literacy, but fluency, which is the capacity to read analytically (and, for me, appreciatively), deploying the strategies of reading in a high process, improvisational mode. I unpack the elements and efficacy of one close reading classroom teaching practice I use, guided annotation, as a strategy for developing fluency. I argue that close analysis of a short, intentionally chosen passage with a guiding question builds towards reading fluency. Annotating short passages, singly and then in relation to other passages, with the author's and disciplinary concerns as the foci, practices the skills that build fluency. Annotation is akin to playing scales in music, repeating a baseline task of reading; working slowly and simply at first, but then with increasing speed and complexity, moving the student towards reading whole texts well.
Principals' Perceptions of Public Schools' Professional Development Changes during NCLB.

This study investigated public school principals’ reports of professional development implementation at the school level while working in different state- and local-level contexts (state accountability level, geographic locations, socioeconomic status, demographics, and grade levels). I attempted to measure principals’ reported changes in levels of teacher involvement and alignment of professional development with standards, student learning outcomes, school goals, resources, and district goals during No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Using two-level, Hierarchical Generalized Linear Proportional Odds modeling (HGLM-PO), and three pooled waves of a national sample from the Schools and Staffing Survey (National Center for Education Statistics, 2000, 2004, 2007), I implemented a quantitative, repeated cross-sectional, self-report, extant secondary survey analysis design. Principals reported a decrease in teachers’ planning and presentation of professional development during NCLB implementation across all settings, indicating a potential reduction in teachers’ participation in the professional development process. Principals who worked in urban, elementary, low-SES, and high minority school contexts were more likely to report teachers’ participation in the planning and presentation of professional development, but were also more likely to report an increase in the direction and alignment of professional development with school and district goals, standards, student achievement outcomes, and resources. There is evidence that a school community’s location, socioeconomic status, and school demographics plays a role in how schools may interpret accountability environments and implement teachers’ professional development. In all settings, school leaders need to purposefully focus on and retain collaborative professional development practices with teachers in the context of continued accountability pressures.
Mixed Presence Collaboration using Scalable Visualizations in Heterogeneous Display Spaces

Mixed presence collaboration involves remote collaboration between multiple collocated groups. This paper presents the design and results of a user study that focused on mixed presence collaboration using large-scale tiled display walls. The research was conducted in order to compare data synchronization schemes for multi-user visualization applications. Our study compared three techniques for sharing data between display spaces with varying constraints and affordances. The results provide empirical evidence that using data sharing techniques with continuous synchronization between the sites lead to improved collaboration for a search and analysis task between remotely located groups. We have also identified aspects of synchronized sessions that result in increased remote collaborator awareness and parallel task coordination. It is believed that this research will lead to better utilization of large-scale tiled display walls for distributed group work.
EDDIE: EM-Based Detection of Deviations in Program Execution

This paper describes EM-Based Detection of Deviations in Program Execution (EDDIE), a new method for detecting anomalies in program execution, such as malware and other code injections, without introducing any overheads, adding any hardware support, changing any software, or using any resources on the monitored system itself. Monitoring with EDDIE involves receiving electromagnetic (EM) emanations that are emitted as a side effect of execution on the monitored system, and it relies on spikes in the EM spectrum that are produced as a result of periodic (e.g. loop) activity in the monitored execution. During training, EDDIE characterizes normal execution behavior in terms of peaks in the EM spectrum that are observed at various points in the program execution, but it does not need any characterization of the malware or other code that might later be injected. During monitoring, EDDIE identifies peaks in the observed EM spectrum, and compares these peaks to those learned during training. Since EDDIE requires no resources on the monitored machine and no changes to the monitored software, it is especially well suited for security monitoring of embedded and IoT devices. We evaluate EDDIE on a real IoT system and in a cycle-accurate simulator, and find that even relatively brief injected bursts of activity (a few milliseconds) are detected by EDDIE with high accuracy, and that it also accurately detects when even a few instructions are injected into an existing loop within the application.
Aggregation and Dual Aggregation of Positive Dynamic Systems

Abstract This paper outlines a theory of aggregation for positive discrete time linear systems. Associated with every such system and an aggregation operator there is an upper aggregated system and a lower aggregated system. The state vectors of these systems serve as upper and lower bounds, respectively, for the true aggregated state variables. By utilizing the freedom inherent in the choice of the aggregation operator, a variety of aggregations can be obtained. A new concept introduced in the paper is that of upper and lower dual aggregated systems. These are the duals of the original upper and lower aggregated systems, but the boundary conditions are specified with respect to the disaggregated system. It is shown that in a natural sense the dual of aggregation is disaggregation. A number of important relations exist between a system, its upper and lower aggregations, and its dual aggregations. These relations appear to be important foundations of the general theory of aggregation, and play a special role in the analysis of approximate system optimization based on aggregation.
F.C.S. Schiller’s Pragmatist Philosophy of History

This article posits a pragmatist philosophy of history as exemplified in the work of British Philosopher F.C.S. Schiller (1864–1937). Part of this argument for a pragmatist philosophy of history resides on pragmatism’s key notion of “experience” being presented here as both related to human forces that are operant in history, and the particularly important “temporal” nature within the term, making it also in part “historical.” The goal is to more generally broaden scholarship in pragmatism as both containing important elements of a unique and coherent philosophy of history, and to bring Schiller closer into the academic circle of the history of pragmatist thought.
Discordance between Age and Size Based Criteria of Child Passenger Restraint Appropriateness

Objectives: In this study, we sought to accomplish the following objectives: to (1) calculate the percentage of children considered appropriately restrained across 8 criteria of increasing restrict...
A case study of motivations for corporate contribution to FOSS

Free/Open Source Software developers come from a myriad of different backgrounds, and are driven to contribute to projects for a variety of different reasons, including compensation from corporations or foundations. Motivation can have a dramatic impact on how and what contribution an individual makes, as well as how tenacious they are. These contributions may align with the needs of the developer, the community, the organization funding the developer, or all of the above. Understanding how corporate sponsorship affects the social dynamics and evolution of Free/Open Source code and community is critical to fostering healthy communities. We present a case study of corporations contributing to the Linux Kernel. We find that corporate contributors contribute more code, but are less likely to participate in non-coding activities. This knowledge will help project leaders to better understand the dynamics of sponsorship, and help to steer resources.
Microband induced plasticity and the temperature dependence of the mechanical properties of a carbon-doped FeNiMnAlCr high entropy alloy

Abstract The uniaxial mechanical properties of the high entropy alloy (HEA) Fe40.4Ni11.3Mn34.8Al7.5Cr6 doped with 1.1 at.% C have been determined for both the as-cast and recrystallized states at temperatures from 77 to 973 K. Very high yield strengths were obtained at 77 K of 928 MPa for the as-cast HEA and 1037 MPa for the recrystallized HEA. The yield strength decreased sharply to 293 K and more slowly to 973 K, where it was ~200 MPa [11] in both conditions. The lattice friction stress, which results from the increase of the Peierls barrier, was the major contributor to the large yield strength at 77 K. On the other hand, the grain boundaries lose their strengthening ability at a high temperature, which largely accounts for the sharp drop in yield strength of the fine-grained (5 μm) recrystallized HEA at 973 K. The elongation to failure was highest at 293 K and 673 K with the lowest values at 77 K. Transmission electron microscopy was used to study the effects of temperature on the deformation mechanisms of the HEAs, especially the temperature dependence of the microband-induced plasticity effect. At temperatures ranging from 77 K to 673 K microbands form in the as-cast HEA, while dislocation clusters were observed in the recrystallized HEA over this temperature range. Only tangled dislocations were found at 973 K for both the as-cast and recrystallized HEA due to thermally-activated deformation.
Insect Species Diversity as a Function of Environmental Variability and Disturbance in Stream Systems

Thienemann (1954) observed that the number of species inhabiting a given locality is highest in areas which have persisted largely unchanged for a long time and are characterized by diverse and predictable (i.e., not deviating substantially from the long-term norm) environmental conditions. The rhithron (i.e., the habitat of cold, rubble-bottom streams often found in the middle and upper reaches of river systems) epitomizes the ideal running water environment for co-existence of many species (Illies, 1969), most of which are usually insects (Hynes, 1970).