cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sensory-motor function in the aging rat.

The purpose of this research was to describe the effects of age on (1) reactivity to auditory and painful stimuli, (2) sensory thresholds for auditory, visual, and painful stimuli, and (3) stimulus processing time. This research is part of a larger effort to develop a behavioral profile which can be used to delineate the effects of age on reflexive, sensory, central, and motor function. The primary behavioral measure used in this research was the startle response and inhibition of that response by weak stimuli presented just prior to the startle-evoking stimulus. Reactivity to painful stimuli, as measured by the magnitude of the startle response to electric shock, did not decline until 30–31 months of age, the oldest age examined. In contrast reactivity to white noise declined steadily with age beginning at least as early as 12–13 months. Sensory thresholds for shock measured by a startle threshold technique did not decline markedly with age. Similarly auditory thresholds for a broad band of white noise, measured by either the startle threshold technique or a lead stimulus inhibition of startle procedure, showed little decline during the first 2 years of life; after that age, however, the loss was quite pronounced. In contrast, sensory thresholds for light, as measured by lead stimulus inhibition of startle, showed a steadier and proportionately greater decline beginning at 10 months of age, the youngest age studied. Sensory information processing time—the time required for a lead stimulus to inhibit the auditory startle response—was remarkably unaffected by age. Peak inhibition occurred at 60 ms and the temporal pattern of inhibition was nearly identical at all ages tested.
A logistic delay differential equation model for Chagas disease with interrupted spraying schedules

This work studies a mathematical model for the dynamics of Chagas disease, a parasitic disease that affects humans and domestic mammals throughout rural areas in Central and South America. It presents a modified version of the model found in Spagnuolo et al. [A model for Chagas disease with controlled spraying, J. Biol. Dyn. 5 (2011), pp. 299–317] with a delayed logistic growth term, which captures an overshoot, beyond the vector carrying capacity, in the total vector population when the blood meal supply is large. It studies the steady states of the system in the case of constant coefficients without spraying, and the analysis shows that for given-averaged parameters, the endemic equilibrium is stable and attracting. The numerical simulations of the model dynamics with time-dependent coefficients are shown when interruptions in the annual insecticide spraying cycles are taken into account. Simulations show that when there are spraying schedule interruptions, spraying may become ineffective when the blood...
Significant Learning, Significant Advising

The acknowledgment that advisees are learners and advisors are teachers may be the most powerful philosophical change in advising in 30 years. This article builds generally on the growing momentum to view academic advising as an extension of student learning, and specifically as an expansion of “Advising as Learning” in which Hemwall and Trachte (2005) argued that “learning as an organizing paradigm has profound implications” (p. 75). I develop this idea by applying Fink's (2003) learning paradigm to advising. The synergy in this paradigm can be harnessed to create advising that causes change in the advisee. Fink's method for developing opportunities for significant learning requires forethought and careful design when applied to the academic advising process. Relative Emphasis: theory, practice, research
A method for the measurement of choline and hydrogen peroxide in seawater

The horseradish peroxidase-mediated dimerization of hydroxyphenylpropionic acid can be used to measure hydrogen peroxide in seawater. The method was optimized and interferences investigated, and the method was then adapted to the measurement of choline in seawater. The enzyme choline oxidase is used specifically to oxidize choline to produce betaine and H2O2, and the latter is measured. Possible interferences with this method were investigated, and choline was measured in coastal seawater, where it varied from 0 to 45 nM.
The [Geo]Scientific Method; hypothesis testing and geoscience proposal writing for students

Most undergraduate-level geoscience texts offer a paltry introduction to the nuanced approach to hypothesis testing that geoscientists use when conducting research and writing proposals. Fortunatel...
Simulation of chaotic EEG patterns with a dynamic model of the olfactory system

The main parts of the central olfactory system are the bulb (OB), anterior nucleus (AON), and prepyriform cortex (PC). Each part consists of a mass of excitatory or inhibitory neurons that is modelled in its noninteractive state by a 2nd order ordinary differential equation (ODE) having a static nonlinearity. The model is called a KOe or a KOt set respectively; it is evaluated in the “open loop” state under deep anesthesia. Interactions in waking states are represented by coupled KO sets, respectivelyKI e (mutual excitation) andKI i (mutual inhibition). The coupledKI e andKI i sets form aKII set, which suffices to represent the dynamics of theOB, AON, andPC separately. The coupling of these three structures by both excitatory and inhibitory feedback loops forms aKIII set. The solutions to this high-dimensional system ofODEs suffice to simulate the chaotic patterns of the EEG, including the normal low-level background activity, the high-level relatively coherent “bursts” of oscillation that accompany reception of input to the bulb, and a degenerate state of an epileptic seizure determined by a toroidal chaotic attractor. An example is given of the Ruelle-Takens-Newhouse route to chaos in the olfactory system. Due to the simplicity and generality of the elements of the model and their interconnections, the model can serve as the starting point for other neural systems that generate deterministic chaotic activity.
On the problem of reconstructing an unknown topology

The interest for networks of dynamical systems has been increasing in the past years, especially because of their capability of modeling and describing a large variety of phenomena and behaviors. Particular attention has been oriented towards the emergence of complicated phenomena from interconnections of simple models. In this paper we tackle, from a theoretical perspective, the problem of reconstructing the topology of an unknown network of dynamical systems. We propose a technique, based on Wiener filtering, which provides general theoretical guarantees for the detection of links in a network of dynamical systems. For a large class of network that we name “self-kin” sufficient conditions for a correct detection of a link are formulated. For networks not belonging to this class we give conditions for correct detection of links belonging to the smallest self-kin network containing the actual one.
Seedling irradiation of ‘gamma-plantlets’: Demonstration and explanation of a leaf growth stimulation

Abstract A dose of 500 krads of gamma rays to dry seeds (‘seed irradiation’) prevents mitosis during germination of wheat seedlings; such seedlings are called ‘gamma-plantlets’. Their growth is relatively little affected by increasing the dose of the seed irradiation beyond 500 krads. As growing seedlings, however, gamma-plantlets are sensitive to additional irradiation (‘seedling irradiation’). Leaf growth is reduced by seedling irradiation doses of 50 krads in intact plants and 25 krads in seedlings excised from the endosperm. The effectiveness of a given dose is decreased by dose fractionation. Consequently some repair mechanisms survive the heavy seed irradiation and can operate independently of processes directly or indirectly involving cell division. Growth stimulation was observed in the first leaf, but not the coleoptile, after a seedling irradiation dose of 25 krads was given to intact gamma-plantlets. Similarly there was a stimulation of second leaf growth but not of stem growth. These growth stimulations were absent when exogenous nutriments were substituted for the endosperm immediately following the seedling irradiation. Associated with the leaf growth stimulation in the intact gamma-plantlets was an accelerated breakdown of endosperm starch to soluble carbohydrate without any greater amylase activity. Comparison of gamma-plantlets from two different varieties of wheat disclosed an apparent correlation between the presence of the leaf growth stimulation and faster breakdown of endosperm starch resulting from the seedling irradiation. We suggest that the leaf growth stimulation, which in this system is not masked by certain inhibitory radiation effects (i.e. decreased mitotic activity and nuclear imbalance resulting from division of cells having chromosomal aberrations), results from the more favorable carbohydrate nutrition caused by an apparently nonspecific promotion of endosperm breakdown.
Urinary albumin excretion in children: factors related to elevated excretion in the United States population.

Past population studies have indicated a higher prevalence of high albumin excretion in children than in adults. In this study, NHANES III United States population data was analyzed to study factors associated with elevated albumin excretion in children 8 to 18 years of age. The analysis confirmed a higher prevalence of albumin values > 30 mg/g creatinine and > 200 mg/g creatinine in children than in adults, and indicated that girls are two to three times more likely to have albumin excretion above these levels than boys. Neither hypertension nor reported diabetes - major factors influencing albumin excretion in adults - accounted for the higher excretion levels in children. The higher excretion levels were not associated with prescription medications or a poor rating of the child's overall health status by a physician. The higher prevalence is influenced by puberty stage and is more likely to occur in children with lower than average body mass index, independent of the relationship with urine creatinine ...
Propagation functions for monitoring distributional changes

In environmental assessment and monitoring, a primary objective of the investigator is to describe the changes occurring in the environmentally important variables over time. Propagation functions have been proposed to describe the distributional changes occurring in the variable of interest at two different times. McDonald et al. (1992, 1995) proposed an estimator of propagation function under the assumption of normality. We conduct a detailed sensitivity analysis of inference based on the normal model. It turns out that this model is appropriate only for small departures from normality whereas, for moderate to large departures, both estimation and testing of hypothesis break down. Non-parametric estimation of the propagation function based on kernel density estimation is also considered and the robustness of the choice of bandwidth for kernel density estimation is investigated. Bootstrapping is employed to obtain confidence intervals for the propagation function and also to determine the critical regions for testing the significance of distributional changes between two sampling epochs. Also studied briefly is the mathematical form and graphical shape of the propagation function for some parametric bivariate families of distributions. Finally, the proposed estimation techniques are illustrated on a data set of tree ring widths.
Synthetic methods are reactions. 73. Conversion of epoxides and enamines into α-haloketones with halodimethylsulfonium halides

Epoxides, upon treatment with halodimethylsulfonium halides in the presence of triethylamine are converted in high yield into α-haloketones. Enamines similarly react with bromodimethylsulfonium bromide to give α-bromoketones.
Electromechanical coupling in the membranes of Shaker-transfected HEK cells

Membranes flex with changes in transmembrane potential as a result of changes in interfacial tension, the Lippman effect. We studied the membrane electromotility of Shaker K(+)-transfected HEK-293 cells in real time by using combined patch-clamp atomic force microscopy. In the voltage range where the channels were closed, Shaker expression had little effect on electromotility relative to wild-type cells. Depolarization between -120 and -40 mV resulted in a linear upward cantilever deflection equivalent to an increase in membrane tension. However, when depolarized sufficiently for channel opening, the electromotility saturated and only recovered over 10 s of milliseconds. This remarkable loss of motility was associated with channel opening, not ionic flux or movement of the voltage sensors. The IL mutant of Shaker, in which the voltage dependence of channel opening but not sensor movement is shifted to more positive potentials, caused the loss of electromotility saturation also to shift to more positive potentials. The temporary loss of electromotility associated with channel opening is probably caused by local buckling of the bilayer as the inner half of the channel expands as expected from X-ray structural data.
A 3d Pseudo-stochastic Model Of Intercellular Calcium Signaling In Smooth Muscle

We present a general 3D pseudo-stochastic model of intercellular calcium signaling (ICS) in smooth muscle, composed of independently tunable units aggregated through a flexible convolution procedure. ICS ensures propagation and synchronicity of myocytes' contraction within muscular syncytia from the walls of hollow organs. Increase in cytosolic [Ca2+] results from agonists released by nerve terminals and binding ionotropic membrane receptors thereby opening Ca2+ channels or metabotropic receptors thus activating Ca2+-mobilization through secondary messengers. Extra [Ca2+] in the proximity of ER ryanodine receptors stimulates Ca2+-induced Ca2+-release from ER stores that is inhibited over certain [Ca2+]. The model considers also regenerative ICR propagation through agonist-stimulated-agonist-release by certain hemichannels activated directly by agonists or through activation of certain purinergic receptors. Degradation of bound agonists together with receptor desensitization progressively attenuate both Ca2+ influx and Ca2+ release from the ER stores. Basal [Ca2+] is then restored by Ca2+extrusion pumps and by resequestering excessive Ca2+ within ER stores and mitochondria. The event sequence propagates to neighboring cells by diffusion of agonists through extracellular medium and of Ca2+ and second messengers through gap junction channels between coupled cells. Variability of ICS is provided by randomly distributing the myocytes with a given density in a 3D staggered grid and randomly selecting from experimentally determined intervals values characterizing the extracellular compartment, individual cells, cell interconnections and receptor activation and desensitization in healthy and diseased humans and animal models of human diseases. The model allows us to mimic consequences of alterations of individual and combined ICS components to better understand the etiology of abnormal smooth muscular activity and to explore limitless therapeutic avenues of diseases with deleterious effects on the smooth musculature. By determining the statistics of large libraries of simulations, we can evaluate the incidence of various phenotypes.
The role of extensional tectonics in the Caledonides of south Norway

Abstract Detailed and regional structural-kinematic analyses of the Caledonides of south Norway show evidence for a crustal extension that is far more widespread and substantial than previously thought. Two different modes of extension are recognized. The first (Mode I) involved kilometer-scale back movement of the Caledonian nappes. The back movement resulted in extensive shear deformation within the decollement zone between the nappe wedge and the basement as seen by abundant asymmetric mylonite structures indicating translation of the Caledonian nappes towards the northwest. A second mode (Mode II) involved extension of the Baltic Shield by the formation of large-scale, normal-sense oblique shear zones. Mode II extension occurred partly during and partly after the back movement of the overlying nappes. The extensional deformation consistently overprints the contractional Caledonian deformation in the whole region, and is therefore interpreted as a distinct (Devonian) event post-dating the Ordovician-Upper Silurian construction of the Caledonian orogenic wedge. The uniform and regional-scale back movement of the orogenic wedge towards the central parts of the orogen indicates that the extension at the end of the Caledonian orogeny was closely related to post-collisional, Lower to Middle Devonian plate divergence.
2D display of a 3D tree for pulmonary embolism detection

Abstract The detection of pulmonary emboli (PE) is of critical importance in determining further treatment. PE visualization and detection methods applied to contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) images have been shown to facilitate diagnosis. Unfortunately, to date, these methods have imposed significant requirements for 3D navigation and manual vessel tracking. Consequently, we propose a novel method to minimize these requirements by visualizing the entire 3D tree structure within a single, though potentially very large, 2D image. The only navigation that is required is panning through a 2D image, similar to the way that a book is read: from left to right and top to bottom. Vessels are presented in a hierarchical order making them easy to trace, providing a straightforward systematic view of all portions of the vessel tree, without the necessity of viewing areas multiple times or potentially overlooking subtle abnormalities. We present preliminary results using this method.
Differential role for low pH and cathepsin-mediated cleavage of the viral spike protein during entry of serotype II feline coronaviruses

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a terminal disease of cats caused by systemic infection with a feline coronavirus (FCoV). FCoV biotypes that cause FIP are designated feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), and are distinguished by their ability to infect macrophages and monocytes. Antigenically similar to their virulent counterparts are FCoV biotypes designated feline enteric coronavirus (FECV), which usually cause only mild enteritis and are unable to efficiently infect macrophages and monocytes. The FCoV spike protein mediates viral entry into the host cell and has previously been shown to determine the distinct tropism exhibited by certain isolates of FIPV and FECV, however, the molecular mechanism underlying viral pathogenesis has yet to be determined. Here we show that the FECV strain WSU 79-1683 (FECV-1683) is highly dependent on host cell cathepsin B and cathepsin L activity for entry into the host cell, as well as on the low pH of endocytic compartments. In addition, both cathepsin B and cathepsin L are able to induce a specific cleavage event in the FECV-1683 spike protein. In contrast, host cell entry by the FIPV strains WSU 79-1146 (FIPV-1146) and FIPV-DF2 proceeds independently of cathepsin L activity and low pH, but is still highly dependent on cathepsin B activity. In the case of FIPV-1146 and FIPV-DF2, infection of primary feline monocytes was also dependent on host cell cathepsin B activity, indicating that host cell cathepsins may play a role in the distinct tropisms displayed by different feline coronavirus biotypes.
Flares of August 1972: Analysis of dynamics

The optical observations and analyses of the flares of August 1972 are reviewed with emphasis on their dynamics. In particular, various assessments are made of possible quantitative interpretation of observed data. Specific topics considered are the storage and release of magnetic energy, triggering mechanisms, particle acceleration and magnetic field reconnection, and coronal and solar wind responses. Supplemental discussions on possible future direction of research are presented, illustrating the need for examination of the storage and release of flare energy in the lower solar atmosphere.
Racial Policy and Racial Conflict in the Urban United States, 1869–1924

This article extends existing explanations of racial conflict by suggesting how legislation and court rulings instigate processes of legitimation and competitive exclusion, which in turn affect the likelihood of racial violence. We argue that federal legislation and court cases that reinforced the white-nonwhite racial boundary stigmatized nonwhites and prompted whites to attack nonwhites. However, legislation and court rulings that dismantled segregation and eradicated discrimination against racial minorities also instigated racial violence, as whites mobilized efforts to contain competition. A final argument suggests that when legislation successfully restrains competition from a specific population, collective violence against that group will diminish. Using data on collective violence against Asians and African Americans from the 76 largest cities in the U.S. from 1869 through 1924, we find support for these three claims. In particular, we find that while immigration and economic competition raise levels of racial conflict, state policies concerning race also increase the rate of racial violence significantly.
A Defense of Public Justification

Public justification is a concept presented by John Rawls as a way to legitimize political authority and to make fundamental political arguments. In essence, the principle holds that one should only present arguments that the opposition can reasonably accept, as opposed to appealing to a religious or political conception of the good. This paper seeks to present a cogent conception of the principle of public justification. The strengths of the principle will be explained, and the main critiques of the position will be examined and defended against. By this method, Rawls‘ conception of public justification can be shown to be a compelling and robust position. Among the more pressing issues that have persisted throughout Western political and philosophical thought have been how political power can be rightly exercised, and how can political disputes between passionate parties be fairly resolved. Under what circumstances can the coercive power of the state be implemented in a way that is just and right? Bloodlines, military might, and religious mandates have all been appealed to as justification for political authority, but these are all answers monarchs and emperors have given to their already cowed populaces. Compelling answers to these questions presented by thinkers such as Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau emerged in the form of reasonable consent of the governed as a legitimizing factor for
Advisory Councils in Franchising: Advancing a Theory-Based Typology

There is limited empirical data on the roles associated with Franchise Advisory Councils (FACs) yet much time, money, and energy is spent on these quasi-governing bodies. This qualitative research study combines a series of semistructured interviews with franchisors and franchisees who are part of systems with and without FACs, data from case studies involving interviews, and participant observations of FAC meetings and conference calls. The results identified four core roles FACs perform (i.e., supporting, partnering, representing, and monitoring) and uses a multitheoretical perspective to advance a typology to explain franchisor–franchisee dynamics within FACs.
Product Variety and Competitive Discounts

Abstract A market with free entry monopolistic competition is studied. Nonlinear pricing is shown to be the Bertrand-Nash equilibrium strategy for firms. Given small per capita fixed costs, the nonlinear pricing equilibrium approaches the perfectly competitive equilibrium with marginal cost pricing. Nonlinear pricing is associated with greater product variety than linear pricing. Increased variety leads to efficient pricing.
A Totally Self-Checking S-box Architecture for the Advanced Encryption Standard

The advanced encryption standard (AES) has been widely used in many applications since adopted by the NIST in 2001. AES is often implemented in hardware for security purposes, but because of the complex nature of the algorithm, reliability is a major concern. The use of error-detecting codes (EDCs) and physical duplication are generally the two methods that have been used for fault detection, although EDCs are costly in run-time and duplication is costly in real-estate. This paper proposes a method for making the S-box, which is by far the critical component of AES, totally self-checking using pseudo-nMOS technology. The fault detection method proposed in this paper has a lower latency than EDCs and requires less overhead than duplication. Although this method is shown only in constructing the S-box, the method can be scaled up to make the entire AES algorithm totally self-checking.
Eye gaze tracking under natural head movements

Most available remote eye gaze trackers based on pupil center corneal reflection (PCCR) technique have two characteristics that prevent them from being widely used as an important computer input device for human computer interaction. First, they must often be calibrated repeatedly for each individual; second, they have low tolerance for head movements and require the user to hold the head uncomfortably still. In this paper, we propose a solution for the classical PCCR technique that simplify the calibration procedure and allow free head movements. The core of our method is to analytically obtain a head mapping function to compensate head movement. Specifically, the head mapping function allows to automatically map the eye movement measurement under an arbitrary head position to a reference head position so that the gaze can be estimated from the mapped eye measurement with respect to the reference head position. Furthermore, our method minimizes the calibration procedure to only one time for each individual. Our proposed method significantly improves the usability of the eye gaze tracking technology, which is a major step for eye tracker to be accepted as a natural computer input device.
The impacts of MINER Act of 2006 on the U.S. mining industry

Several high-profile coal mining accidents since 2006 that killed 27 coal miners have prompted the passing of the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act) which was signed into law in 2006, and the proposed S-MINER Act of 2007, which passed the House of Representative in early 2008. The four coal mining accidents are described that are believed to be responsible for both the MINER Act and proposed S-MINER Act, and their potential impacts on the U.S. mining industry.
Performance analysis of an asynchronous spread spectrum packet radio network

The authors develop an analytic model for evaluating and optimizing the performance of an asynchronous code-division multiple-access (CDMA) network using orthogonal codes. The analysis shows that spread-spectrum, single-hop, simultaneous successful transmissions are possible by being separable in signal space. A two-dimensional Markov chain model for an asynchronous CDMA network has been developed and numerical examples are considered. The authors have calculated state occupation probabilities, and derived an expression which describes the throughput per user pair, the network throughput, the average packet delay, channel backlog, and channel capacity. >
Exploration of purpose for multi-method simulation in the context of social phenomena representation

Difficulty of social phenomena representation can be related to limitations of used modeling techniques. More flexibility and creativity to represent social phenomena (an adequate mix of model scope, resolution, and fidelity) is desirable. The representation of social phenomena with a combination of different methods seems intuitively appealing, but the usefulness of this approach is questionable. Current view on the justification of multi-method has limitations in social science context, because it lacks a human dimension. This paper explores the literature that pertains to mixing methods, and displays current reasoning behind the use of the multi-method approach. The perspective on mixing methods from empirical social science projected onto M&S domain exposes high-level purposes related to representation of social phenomena with mixed method approaches. Based on the reviewed literature and qualitative analysis, the general view of ingredients for inferring purposefulness of the multi-method approach in the context of social phenomena representation is proposed.
Semiconductor science: the fourth generation

The author reviews work on quantum wires and quantum dots in the context of a generational framework. The first generation centered on the quantum physics of solids. The second generation saw the commercial and technical application of these new physical concepts. The third generation yielded the creation of man-made quantum systems and low-dimensional systems: inversion layers and quantum wells, superlattices, quantum wires, and quantum dots. The author discusses work on low-dimensional systems as a part of this progression. There is a clear connection between the work done during the first generation and the creation of new semiconductor structures, novel band structures, and the associated fundamental excitations. He also discusses the current directions in semiconductor research and speculates on the potential applications of semiconductor physics in the fourth generation. >
Predictors of the onset of depressive symptoms in patients with heart failure.

Objectives The objective of this study was to identify the factors associated with the development of depressive symptoms in outpatients with heart failure (HF). Background Depression is common in patients with HF and has been linked to adverse outcomes. Methods This was a multicenter prospective cohort study of outpatients with HF and ejection fraction Results Of 245 patients without depressive symptoms at baseline, 52 (21.2%) developed depressive symptoms one year later. In multivariable analysis, living alone, alcohol abuse, perception of medical care as being a substantial economic burden, and health status as measured by the KCCQ were independent predictors of developing depressive symptoms. For patients without these factors, 7.9% developed depression by one year. When one factor was present, the one-year incidence was 15.5%, when two were present the incidence was 36.2%, and when three were present the incidence was 69.2%. There was a graded relationship between poorer health status and increased risk of developing depression (p Conclusions Social factors and health status are predictive of the development of depression in outpatients with HF. Clinicians should be aware of which patients are at risk for the development of depression so that these patients may be targeted for screening and potentially for psychosocial intervention.
Effects of Inhaled Ambient Particulate Matter on Pulmonary Antimicrobial Immune Defense

Respiratory-tract infection, specifically pneumonia, contributes substantially to the increased morbidity and mortality among elderly individuals exposed to airborne particulate matter of <10 microm diameter (PM(10)). These epidemiological findings suggest that PM(10) may act as an immunosuppressive factor that can undermine normal pulmonary antimicrobial defense mechanisms. To investigate whether, and how, compromised pulmonary immunocompetence might contribute to increased mortality, two sets of laboratory studies were performed. The first examined the effects of a single inhalation exposure to concentrated ambient PM(2.5) (CAPS) from New York City air on pulmonary/systemic immunity and on the susceptibility of exposed aged rats to subsequent infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae. The second set of studies determined whether CAPS exposure, at a concentration approximating or somewhat greater than the promulgated 24-h NAAQS of 65 microg/m(3), could exacerbate an ongoing infection. Taken together, results demonstrated that a single exposure of healthy animals to CAPS had little effect on pulmonary immune function or bacterial clearance during subsequent challenge with S. pneumoniae. Alternatively, CAPS exposure of previously infected rats significantly increased bacterial burdens and decreased percentages of lavageable neutrophils and proinflammatory cytokine levels compared to those in infected filtered-air-exposed controls. These studies demonstrate that a single exposure to ambient PM(2.5) compromises a host's ability to handle ongoing pneumococcal infections and support the epidemiological findings of increased pneumonia-related deaths in ambient PM-exposed elderly individuals.
Cultivating Questions for a Sociology of Gardens

This article is part manifesto for a sociology of gardens and gardening, but it is also a confessional tale of my own uncertainties about how exactly to formulate this new line of research. American sociology has until now ignored the study of gardens as social projects, so I suggest some possible sociological questions, and I review several key works, mostly from geography and landscape architecture, that reveal a range of themes, theoretical constructs, and methods used to study gardens. I also discuss the obstacles encountered in my brief foray into researching two very different spheres of social life: gardening labor and an elite garden.
Micro-range/micro-Doppler feature extraction and association

Recently, the use of micro-Doppler radar signatures for classification has become an area of focus, in particular for the case of dynamic targets where many components are interacting over time. To fully exploit the signature information, individual scattering centers may be extracted and associated over the full target observation. Furthermore, given the volume of data typically collected, the scattering features will need to be extracted and associated efficiently through an automated algorithm. The availability of ultra-fine resolution or micro-range resolution, aids this process immensely. This paper proposes one such algorithm and demonstrates its effectiveness by applying the algorithm to measured micro-range and micro-Doppler data.1 2
Mosses in Ohio wetlands respond to indices of disturbance and vascular plant integrity

Abstract We examined the relationships between an index of wetland habitat quality and disturbance (ORAM score) and an index of vascular plant integrity (VIBI-FQ score) with moss species richness and a moss quality assessment index (MQAI) in 45 wetlands in three vegetation types in Ohio, USA. Species richness of mosses and MQAI were positively associated with ORAM and VIBI-FQ scores. VIBI-FQ score was a better predictor of both moss species richness and MQAI than was either ORAM score or vegetation type. This result was consistent with the strict microhabitat requirements for many moss species, which may be better assessed by VIBI-FQ than ORAM. Probability curves as a function of VIBI-FQ score were then generated for presence of groups of moss species having the same degree of fidelity to substrate and plant communities relative to other species in the moss flora (coefficients of conservatism, CCs). Species having an intermediate- or high degree of fidelity to substrate and plant communities (i.e., species with CC ≥ 5) had a 50% probability of presence (P 50 ) and 90% probability of presence (P 90 ) in wetlands with intermediate- and high VIBI-FQ scores, respectively. Although moss species richness, probability of presence of species based on CC, and MQAI may reflect wetland habitat quality, the 95% confidence intervals around P 50 and P 90 values may be too wide for regulatory use. Moss species richness, MQAI, and presence of groups of mosses may be more useful for evaluating moss habitat quality in wetlands than a set of “indicator species.”
The case: Your diagnosis?

Turf toe and related injuries to the first metatarsophalangeal joint are common injuries that occur in several sports. Although often a clinical diagnosis, advanced imaging can help grade severity of sprain and evaluate for associated or unsuspected injuries. Without proper rest and conservative management, a treatable injury can have chronic sequelae and morbidity. Operative management is uncommon, but successful in returning high-level competitive athletes to their sport.
Design of UWB Antenna for Air-Coupled Impulse Ground-Penetrating Radar

This letter presents a new transverse electromagnetic flared horn antenna for the demanding requirement of an air-coupled impulse ground-penetrating radar. Structure anatomy is performed focusing on achieving good impedance matching throughout the wide frequency band. The design procedure starts with constructing an analytic model to evaluate the preliminary physical dimensions to achieve minimum reflections. Structural fine tunings are then performed for optimization. The antennas are fabricated and tested. Experimental results validate the design effectiveness.
The Design of Nonlinear Predictive Controllers: Application to a Drug Infusion System

The importance of a number of practical issues when implementing nonlinear model predictive control on a drug infusion system are shown. The motivation for this system is a patient under congestive heart failure (heart attack) conditions. The control objective is to adjust the infusion rate of drugs to maintain the patient’s blood pressure and blood flowrate at desired values. A selective linearization technique is introduced to reduce the computation time for the model prediction step. A rule-based override procedure is developed to initialize the drug delivery rates to avoid unacceptably slow responses and operation in the ‘forbidden zone’. The performance of the multirate rule-based override model predictive control is illustrated through simulation examples.
Modeling Ethanol Investment Decisions

This article reviews some of the papers my co-authors and I have written analyzing what factors affect the decision to invest in building new ethanol plants using a dynamic structural econometric model of the investment timing game. The results of our research will help determine which policies and factors can promote fuel-ethanol industry development. In Lin and Thome (Investment in corn-ethanol plants in the Midwestern United States: an analysis using reduced-form and structural models, Working paper, University of California at Davis, 2013), we estimate a model of the investment timing game in corn ethanol plants in the United States. This model follows my previous work estimating a structural econometric model of the multi-stage dynamic investment timing game in offshore petroleum production (Lin, 2013). In Lin and Yi (Ethanol plant investment in Canada: a structural model, Working paper, University of California at Davis, 2013; What factors affect the decision to invest in a fuel ethanol plant? a structural model of the ethanol investment timing game, Working paper, University of California at Davis, 2013), we estimate a model of the investment timing game in ethanol plants worldwide that allows for the choice among different feedstocks.
Affective Organizational Committment of Salespeople: An Expanded Model

Affective organizational commitment of salespeople has been widely recognized as being influenced by task-, role-, supervisory behavior-, and organizational structure-related factors. While previous empirical studies have examined the effect of one or more of these factors, this study provides a simultaneous test of the importance of these factors for a salesperson's affective organizational commitment. The model formulated in this study also decomposes the importance of each factor into direct and indirect (through role stress factors) influences that the factors have on affective organizational commitment. The results provide useful and interesting implications for enhancing affective organizational commitment of salespeople.
Genetic and molecular identification of a Drosophila histidine decarboxylase gene required in photoreceptor transmitter synthesis

Drosophila mutants of a single complementation group with defective on-/off-transients of the electroretinogram (ERG) were found to be deficient in synthesis of the photoreceptor transmitter, histamine, in a gene-dosage dependent manner, suggesting that the gene identified by the mutants (hdc) might be the structural gene for Drosophila histidine decarboxylase (HDC). A rat HDC cDNA was used to isolate a Drosophila homolog which shows approximately 60% sequence identity with mammalian HDCs over a region of 476 amino acids. In RNA blots, the Drosophila homolog detects four transcripts that are expressed primarily in the eye and are severely reduced in hdc mutants. The cloned Drosophila cDNA hybridizes to the 46F region of the chromosome, to which hdc mutations have been mapped, and rescues the hdc mutant phenotype in transgenic flies generated by P element-mediated germline transformation. The results thus show that the Drosophila homolog corresponds to the histidine decarboxylase gene, identified by the hdc mutants, and that mutations in the gene disrupt photoreceptor synaptic transmission.
Simulation of the Organization of Heteroepitaxial Monolayer Islands Under Anisotropic Conditions

This paper addresses the effect of anisotropy on the organization of epitaxial islands deposited on a substrate. Focus is on in-plane anisotropies in surface stress and lattice mismatch between the film and substrate materials. Starting from a configuration where island sizes and position are random, evolution towards equilibrium through mass transport via condensation/evaporation is simulated. The effect of the degree of anisotropy is investigated. An efficient numerical method is obtained by reducing a model of square monolayer islands of finite size to point defects that interact through their elastic fields. Models for both the kinetics and energetics of the system are obtained by this reduction. It is found that the point source model is accurate for island separations larger than about 3 times the width of an island. Under isotropic conditions islands tend to form into hexagonal arrays, and as there is no preferred orientation of these arrays, defects analogous to grain boundaries in a crystalline material tend to arise. With anisotropy islands tend to align in particular directions. This is found to enhance organization in cases of modest anisotropy and cause islands to form into zigzagged lines in cases of high anisotropy.
Collision-mediated transfer of long-chain fatty acids by neural tissue fatty acid-binding proteins (FABP) - Studies with fluorescent analogs

Mammalian fatty acid-binding proteins (FABP) are a family of intracellular proteins (approx 15 kDa) that bind long-chain fatty acids (FA) with high affinity. They are believed to serve as cytoplasmic transporters of FA and to target FA to specific cellular sites of utilization. Several different FABPs are expressed in neural tissue, including brain FABP (B-FABP), myelin FABP (M-FABP), and heart FABP (H-FABP). We have previously shown that H-FABP transfers FA via direct collisional interactions with acceptor model membranes. In the present studies, we use a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay to examine the rate and mechanism of transfer of a fluorescent long-chain fatty acid from B-FABP to phospholipid vesicles. The rate of transfer is shown to be independent of buffer ionic strength and dramatically enhanced by the presence of specific anionic phospholipids. These results are consistent with a mechanism by which FA are transferred from B-FABP to phospholipid membranes by a transient collision-based mechanism.
State anxiety: 120 days in the life of a very anxious man.

A highly anxious man experienced erratic oscillations in moods that were associated with numerous physiological interactions. State-anxiety was at one extreme, calm-lethargic state at the other, but at the mid-point he was in precarious autonomic balance and very responsive to even mild stimuli.
Spirituality, social connectedness and beliefs about psychological services among Filipino immigrants in Iceland

The authors examined psychological help-seeking attitudes and intentions of 183 Filipino immigrants in Iceland who had no previous counseling experience. Using path analysis, the authors examined how Filipino immigrants’ connectedness to the Filipino and Icelandic communities mediated the relationship among length of stay in Iceland, Icelandic and English fluency, spirituality, and psychological help-seeking attitudes and intentions. The authors also assessed the relationship between perceived system barriers and psychological help seeking. Filipino immigrants’ sense of connectedness to Icelandic society mediated the relationship among length of stay, Icelandic fluency, spirituality, and expertness beliefs and help-seeking intentions. Connectedness to the Filipino community in Iceland mediated the relationship between English fluency and stigma tolerance. Greater perception of system barriers was related to lower tolerance for the stigma attached to seeking psychological help. Implications and suggestions...
Source-Oriented Generalizations as Grammar Inference in Russian Vowel Deletion

Speakers learn detailed generalizations about the morphophonology of their language and extend them to nonce words. We propose a theory of this morphophonological knowledge that partitions the lexicon into uniform and productive sublexicons. Each sublexicon has its own phonotactic grammar, which the speaker uses as an inference mechanism to determine the relative productivity of each sublexicon. We report the results of an experiment on the generalization of mid vowel deletion (‘‘yer’’ deletion) in Russian, showing that speakers encode source-oriented generalizations about the shapes of words that can undergo vowel deletion, as well as product-oriented generalizations about words that result from vowel deletion. An implementation of our model learns the patterns of deletion and captures both source-oriented and product-oriented generalizations.
The Role of Industry

Industry, which has been growing at about 5 per cent per annum for the last five years, was set the task of growing at more than 13 per cent per annum until the end of the 1980s. This was a formidable challenge. Significant institutional changes have been made and at the time of writing some were still to come. Large firms are now mostly state enterprises, but there is still a sizeable private sector (between a quarter and a half, depending on the measure used). Some co-operatives have been established and the government is committed to further expansion in this area. Together these three sub-sectors must supply basic capital and consumer goods to the agricultural sector in order to boost output and provide an incentive to increase the marketable surplus; they must meet the growing demands of the urban consumers in an efficient way and in as labour-intensive a way as possible (to contribute to the solution of a grave urban unemployment problem); and they must minimize their demand for foreign exchange earnings and maximize their contribution to such earnings. To meet these objectives, the industrial sector has to recognize a number of priorities.
Agnes’s Family Networks

Agnes’s family networks are the topic of this chapter. Agnes and Petrus had three daughters, and Agnes in her extensive will, 40 years after we first meet her in the surviving documents, mentioned 15 grandchildren. Two of her daughters had predeceased her, leaving six and eight children. One of her son-in-laws was dead by the time Agnes made her will. Her daughters and granddaughters made impressive marriages, greatly enlarging the family circle and the Bossones’s family networks. Her sons-in-law and grandsons were involved in business and the law. The horizontal ties across differing occupations of the Montpellier urban elite—merchants, changers, drapers, legal specialists—created an impressive family web that would have anchored the Bossones at the top of Montpellier society.