cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous determination of β-glucosidase, β-glucosaminidase, acid phosphomonoesterase, and arylsulfatase activities in a soil sample for a biogeochemical cycling index

Abstract Four enzymes activities (EAs) have been targeted as soil health indicators for their important role in reactions releasing bioavailable nutrients within C (β-glucosidase), N and C (β-glucosaminidase), P (acid phosphomonoesterase) and S (arylsulfatase) cycling. Traditionally these EAs are assayed independently on air-dried soil by measuring the release of p-nitrophenol from a substrate analog. Previously, we suggested a novel approach to assess multiple EAs simultaneously in the same soil sample by adding two or three substrates to obtain a comparable index. Our current study provides a combined assay for simultaneous determination of these four EAs in the same soil sample. For the incubation step of our combined assay, we tested modified universal buffer (MUB) because it is used for assaying β-glucosidase and acid phosphomonoesterase activities and tested acetate buffer as it is used for assaying β-glucosaminidase and arylsulfatase activities. Using the acetate buffer (pH 5.8) for the combined assay showed the lowest percent of difference (average of −14%) compared with the sum of individual EAs, and showed positive significant correlations (p
Zero Latency for Emergencies: A Machine Learning based Approach to Quantify Impact of Construction Projects on Emergency Response in Urban Settings.

Continuous construction and rehabilitation in urban settings have unavoidable impacts on arrival times of first responders to emergency locations. Current research efforts on emergency response assessments focus on case studies, where specific periods (e.g., super storm Sandy) of emergency response times are analyzed. Simulation based studies that aim to evaluate response times in relation to various constraints/fleet sizes also exist. However, they do not analyze how specific changes (e.g., new and ongoing construction projects) in urban settings impact emergency response times of first responders. This paper aims to fill the gap and proposes a novel approach to predict the expected emergency response time for a given location using the fabric of zones regarding construction activities. This approach relies on historical records of emergency response and construction permits issued by city agencies. The approach first defines the signature of a zone (by zip codes) for construction activities based on the distribution of historical construction work types permitted in that zone over time. Then, zones that share similar signatures are clustered to find if there exists a relationship between construction signatures and emergency response times. Next, supervised learning algorithms are deployed to predict the average emergency response times for each cluster. The approach was tested using New York City's construction permit and emergency response records, and can be easily replicated for other cities with similar public datasets. This study serves as the first step towards quantitatively understanding construction projects' impact on a quality of life (QoL) indicator (specifically emergency response times) in urban settings.
Comparison of magneto-gravitational and optical trapping for levitated optomechanics

Levitated optomechanics in vacuum has shown promise for fundamental tests of physics including quantum mechanics and gravity, for sensing weak forces or accelerations, and for precision measurements. While much research has focused on optical trapping of dielectric particles, other approaches, such as magnetic trapping of diamagnetic particles, have been gaining interest. Here we review geometries for both optical and magnetic trapping in vacuum, with an emphasis on the properties of traps for particles with a diameter of at least one micrometer.
In situ TEM observations of high-strain-rate deformation and fracture in pure copper

Abstract The plastic deformation of polycrystalline metals at high strain rates is controlled by the way defects (dislocations and twins) nucleate, propagate, and interact in the microstructure. To-date, the role of these defects has been estimated based on dynamic mechanical measurements coupled with ex situ investigations of the deformed microstructure. However, such investigations are fundamentally limited in their ability to characterize transient mechanisms. Here, we present for the first time direct, experimental observations of the nucleation, motion, and interaction of defects and cracks during deformation of pure copper at strain rates between 103 and 104 s−1. These observations are enabled by coupling a custom-built in situ high-rate straining stage with nanosecond-resolution dynamic transmission electron microscopy. The results show that while twins play only a minor role in the deformation of copper at quasi-static strain rates, the twin nucleation rate increases markedly at high strain rates. The preferred nucleation sites for twins also change, and the new twin interfaces become preferential paths for crack propagation, facilitating fracture through the original grains.
More isn’t always better

Following an editorial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine proposing that the governing body for track and field (World Athletics, formerly IAAF) should limit the midsole thickness of running...
A New Weighted Imputed Neighborhood-Regularized Tri-Factorization One-Class Collaborative Filtering Algorithm: Application to Target Gene Prediction of Transcription Factors

Identifying target genes of transcription factors (TFs) is crucial to understand transcriptional regulation. However, our understanding of genome-wide TF targeting profile is limited due to the cost of large-scale experiments and intrinsic complexity of gene regulation. Thus, computational prediction methods are useful to predict unobserved TF-gene associations. Here, we develop a new Weighted Imputed Neighborhood-regularized Tri-Factorization one-class collaborative filtering algorithm, WINTF. It predicts unobserved target genes for TFs using known but noisy, incomplete, and biased TF-gene associations and protein-protein interaction networks. Our benchmark study shows that WINTF significantly outperforms its counterpart matrix factorization-based algorithms and tri-factorization methods that do not include weight, imputation, and neighbor-regularization, for TF-gene association prediction. When evaluated by independent datasets, accuracy is 37.8 percent on the top 495 predicted associations, an enrichment factor of 4.19 compared with random guess. Furthermore, many predicted novel associations are supported by literature evidence. Although we only use canonical TF-gene interaction data, WINTF can directly be applied to tissue-specific data when available. Thus, WINTF provides a potentially useful framework to integrate multiple omics data for further improvement of TF-gene prediction and applications to other sparse and noisy biological data. The benchmark dataset and source code are freely available at https://github.com/XieResearchGroup/WINTF .
Graph Properties of the Adult Drosophila Central Brain

The recent Drosophila central brain connectome offers the possibility of analyzing the graph properties of the fly brain. Crucially, this connectome is dense, meaning all nodes and links are represented, within the limits of experimental error. We consider the connectome as a directed graph with weighted edges. This enables us to look at a number of graph properties, compare them to human designed logic systems, and speculate on how this may affect function. We look at input and output distributions, randomness of wiring, differences between compartments, path lengths, proximity of strong connections, known computational structures, electrical response as a function of compartment structure, and evidence for efficient packing.
Rare Case of a Calcified Catheter-Related Sheath Embolizing to the Right Pulmonary Artery

Catheter-related sheaths, formerly known as "fibrin sheaths," are the most common complications of central venous catheters. Although usually harmless, they can very rarely detach from the venous wall against which they were formed and embolize with effects ranging from subclinical embolisms to death. This rare occurrence has only been described a few times in the literature to date, and to our knowledge, the embolized sheath has never been directly visualized with CT. We report the case of catheter-related sheath embolization to the right pulmonary artery in a child, as confirmed on CT.
Urban ambient air temperature estimation using hyperlocal data from smart vehicle-borne sensors

Abstract High-quality temperature data at a finer spatio-temporal scale is critical for analyzing the risk of heat exposure and hazards in urban environments. The variability of urban landscapes makes cities a challenging environment for quantifying heat exposure. Most of the existing heat hazard studies have inherent limitations on two fronts; first, the spatio-temporal granularities are too coarse, and second, the inability to track the ambient air temperature (AAT) instead of land surface temperature (LST). Overcoming these limitations requires developing models for mapping the variability in heat exposure in urban environments. We investigated an integrated approach for mapping urban heat hazards by harnessing a diverse set of high-resolution measurements, including both ground-based and satellite-based temperature data. We mounted vehicle-borne mobile sensors on city buses to collect high-frequency temperature data throughout 2018 and 2019. Our research also incorporated key biophysical parameters and Landsat 8 LST data into Random Forest regression modeling to map the hyperlocal variability of heat hazard over areas not covered by the buses. The vehicle-borne temperature sensor data showed large temperature differences within the city, with the largest variations of up to 10 °C and morning-afternoon diurnal changes at a magnitude around 20 °C. Random Forest modeling on noontime (11:30 am – 12:30 pm) data to predict AAT produced accurate results with a mean absolute error of 0.29 °C and successfully showcased the enhanced granularity in urban heat hazard mapping. These maps revealed well-defined hyperlocal variabilities in AAT, which were not evident with other research approaches. Urban core and dense residential areas revealed larger than 5 °C AAT differences from their nearby green spaces. The sensing framework developed in this study can be easily implemented in other urban areas, and findings from this study will be beneficial in understanding the heat vulnerabilities of individual communities. It can be used by the local government to devise targeted hazard mitigation efforts such as increasing green space, developing better heat-safety policies, and exposure warning for workers.
Achieving Equity: Including Women with Disabilities in Maternal and Child Health Policies and Programs

Despite passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act more than 30 years ago, there has been little focus on the sexual and reproductive health needs of people with disabilities. Women with disabilities continue to experience significant health and social inequities including disparities in access and outcomes related to sexual and reproductive health, ranging from preventative health, preconception health, family planning, and pregnancy to postpartum health. An emerging body of evidence suggests that an ever-increasing number of women with disabilities are becoming mothers. Yet, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) does not specifically offer any programs designed to support women with disabilities, including prospective mothers and mothers with disabilities. Rather, it largely addresses the needs of individuals with disabilities and families through its programs for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN), which do not typically include services related to sexual and reproductive health. In this respect, the MCHB leaves a critical gap in the supports available to prospective mothers and mothers with disabilities and their families. Given the growth of this population, it is imperative to understand how public health can address their sexual and reproductive needs. To identify the points at which public health can have an impact that promotes optimal outcomes for women with disabilities and their infants, it is necessary to apply an integrated life course approach in order to devise a concerted and coordinated approach to public policy, including maternal and child health policy, and implement programs that will effectively serve this population.
Controlling for Confounding Variables: Accounting for Dataset Bias in Classifying Patient-Provider Interactions

Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a key enabling technology for re-use of information in free-text clinical notes. However, a barrier to deployment is the availability of labeled corpora for supervised machine learning, which are expensive to acquire as they must be annotated by experienced clinicians. Where corpora are available, they may be opportunistically collected and thus vulnerable to bias. Here we evaluate an approach for accounting for dataset bias in the context of identifying specific patient-provider interactions. In this context, bias is the result of a phenomenon being over or under-represented in a particular type of clinical note as a result of the way a dataset was curated. Using a clinical dataset which represents a great deal of variation in terms of author and setting, we control for confounding variables using a backdoor adjustment approach [1, 2], which to our knowledge has not been previously applied the clinical domain. This approach improves precision by up to 5% and the adjusted models’ scores for false positives are generally lower, resulting in a more generalizable model with the potential to enhance the downstream utility of models trained using opportunistically collected clinical corpora.
Effects of Timely Enrollment in College-Level Mathematics on Degree Completion:

In this study, we explored the effect of delayed enrollment in college-level mathematics upon entry into a 4-year university for students who were not placed into remedial mathematics (i.e. college...
Mixed mathematical and experimental modeling of electrospun metal oxide supercapacitor electrodes

Supercapacitors are an important energy storage technology that combine the high energy density of batteries with the high power density of capacitors. Freestanding Mn2O3 electrodes fabricated via electrospinning and calcination have the potential to provide high power and energy densities with low fabrication costs. In this work, a theoretical model is produced to describe the effects of the electrospun structure on electrode performance. The model uses theoretical predictions of capacitive and faradaic energy storage, based on system parameters measured from real electrodes to produce a realistic model that can be used for engineering design and optimization of the electrodes. Porosity-controlled discharge time and extremely stable energy densities are predicted by the model. Results are compared to discharge curves of a real electrode to examine model fidelity.
B-cell-derived interleukin 1 (IL-1)-like factor: I. Relationship of production of IL-1-like factor to accessory cell function of Epstein-Barr virus-transformed human B-lymphoblast lines

The relationship of production of interleukin 1 (IL-1)-like factor to accessory function of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B lymphocytes was examined. Six of eight human EBV-B cell lines spontaneously produced and released detectable levels of thymocyte comitogenic factor in vitro, but no interleukin 2 (IL-2) activity. Eight of eight produced fibroblast proliferation activity. Culture supernatants from the two apparent nonproducers of thymocyte comitogenic activity induced the proliferation of the IL-1-dependent murine helper-T-cell clone D10G4.1 in the presence of concanavalin A (Con A). One of the EBV-B cell lines produced a potent inhibitory factor in addition to IL-1-like thymocyte comitogenic and fibroblast proliferation factors. The inhibitory factor inhibited mouse thymocyte proliferative response to Con A, and the proliferation of the IL-2-dependent CT6 cell line, but not human fibroblast growth. All but one of the eight EBV-B cell lines tested, the exception being the line that produced an inhibitory factor, were able to serve as antigen-presenting cells that enabled purified human T lymphocytes to proliferate in one-way mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR) and in response to Con A. The supernatants of 14 of 16 clones derived from two of the EBV-B cell line cells contained thymocyte comitogenic activity and all 16 stimulated fibroblast proliferation. The phenotypic characteristics of the EBV-B cell lines were heterogeneous, but there was no clear-cut relationship between the cell surface phenotypes of either the cloned or uncloned EBV-B cells and their ability to produce these factors. These studies show that all of the EBV-B cell lines that can function as accessory cells have the capacity to produce an IL-1-like factor.
The Effect of Computer Science Instruction on Critical Thinking Skills and Mental Alertness

AbstractProblem-solving ability is a necessary precursor to success in most professions, as well as in everyday living. Many research studies dealing with programs aimed at teaching critical thinking skills indicate that while there is some success when critical thinking skills are taught directly, there is little transfer of the problem-solving skills learned in one discipline to problem solving in another discipline. This study examines the effect of completion of an introductory level computer programming course on students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Chlorine Disinfection in Final Settling Basins

This study was undertaken to provide a comparison between direct chlorination to final settling basins following trickling filters and that of chlorinating settled effluent in a separate contact chamber, the method on which most chlorination standards have been established. The chlorine colicidal efficiencies associated with both settled and unsettled trickling filter effluent were evaluated. The flow characteristics of a circular settling tank were experimentally determined by means of a dye-dispersion test. The standard iodometric and orthtolidine residual chlorine determinations were found to give consistently different results for residual of less than 5 mg/l. Chlorine dosages of 2 mg/l and greater gave complete coliform disinfection (less than 0.001% remaining) for both settled and unsettled samples in less than 3 hrs of contact. The difference between the colicidal efficiency of chlorine in the settled samples and that in the unsettled samples was found to decrease with increased chlorine dosages and became insignificant at dosages of 4 mg/l and greater.
Electrolyte effects on attachment of an estuarine bacterium.

The effect of electrolyte concentration on attachment of Vibrio alginolyticus to hydroxyapatite was determined. Bacterial affinity for attachment to the surface and surface capacity were derived from linearization of bacterial adsorption isotherms. At low concentrations (<0.1 M) the affinity of the bacteria for the surface increased with increasing ionic strength, in agreement with the D.L.V.O. theory of colloid interaction. At higher concentrations, bacterial affinity for the surface decreased with increasing concentration of cations and was not related to ionic strength changes in the medium. These results demonstrate a change in the mechanism by which salts affect bacterial attachment at salt concentrations above 0.1 M. The results are consistent with the relationship between the proportion of attached bacteria and salinity observed in previously published field studies. The results may also resolve differences between various attachment studies carried out in different ionic strength media, utilizing different bacteria, surfaces, and experimental methods.
Securing the AES Finalists Against Power Analysis Attacks

Techniques to protect software implementations of the AES candidate algorithms from power analysis attacks are investigated. New countermeasures that employ random masks are developed and the performance characteristics of these countermeasures are analyzed. Implementations in a 32-bit, ARM-based smartcard are considered.
Abstract 15742: Predicting Outcomes After Percutaneous Mitral Balloon Valvotomy: The Impact of Left Ventricular Strain Imaging

Introduction: Presence of subclinical left ventricle (LV) dysfunction may influence outcomes after percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy (PMBV), but cannot be detected by conventional echocardiography. Hypothesis: Preprocedure LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) by speckle tracking TTE detects subclinical LV dysfunction and predicts long-term outcome after successful PMVB. Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing PMBV between 2003-2011 who had comprehensive baseline TTE were included. Patients with suboptimal immediate results (repeat PMBV or mitral surgery within first 6 months) and those with suboptimal TTE strain were excluded. LV strain was analyzed with commercial software (Syngo VVI), and GLS averaged from 18 segments. The primary end point was all-cause mortality. Secondary end point was the composite of death and mitral valve reintervention. Results: Of 110 patients screened, 29 (26%) had unsuitable strain imaging, and 8 (7%) had poor immediate results, leaving 73 in the final cohort. Median follow-up was 3.7 years (interquartile range 1.3-7.2). There were 10 deaths (14%) and 25 late mitral valve interventions (34%). Univariate predictors of death were GLS, age, EF, stroke volume, pulmonary artery pressure, mitral valve area and coronary artery disease. In a multivariate Cox model, GLS was the strongest predictor of death after adjustment for age [HR=1.40 (1.09-1.84), P=0.008]. For the composite endpoint, GLS, mitral valve gradient, and invasively mean left atrial pressure were univariate predictors of death or reintervention. At multivariate analysis, GLS was the sole predictor of events [HR=1.17 (1.01-1.34), P=0.03]. Event-free survival is shown in figure. Intra and inter observer intra-class correlation for strain analysis was 0.87 (0.66-0.96) and 0.84 (0.53-0.95), respectively. Conclusions: GLS is a powerful predictor of long-term outcome after PMVB and appears to have an incremental prognostic value over traditional parameters.
Aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus as related to various temperatures.

Two aflatoxin-producing isolates of Aspergillus flavus were grown for 5 days on Wort media at 2, 7, 13, 18, 24, 29, 35, 41, 46, and 52 C. Maximal production of aflatoxins occurred at 24 C. Maximal growth of A. flavus isolates occurred at 29 and 35 C. The ratio of the production of aflatoxin B1 to aflatoxin G1 varied with temperature. Aflatoxin production was not related to growth rate of A. flavus; one isolate at 41 C, at almost maximal growth of A. flavus, produced no aflatoxins. At 5 days, no aflatoxins were produced at temperatures lower than 18 C or higher than 35 C. Color of CHCl3 extracts appeared to be directly correlated with aflatoxin concentrations. A. flavus isolates grown at 2, 7, and 41 C for 12 weeks produced no aflatoxins. At 13 C, both isolates produced aflatoxins in 3 weeks, and one isolate produced increasing amounts with time. The second isolate produced increasing amounts through 6 weeks, but at 12 weeks smaller amounts of aflatoxins were recovered than at 6 weeks. Images
A Review of “Archives of Authority: Empire, Culture, and the Cold War.” Andrew N. Rubin.

Scholars working to excavate the ugly history of how the United States projected its influence worldwide during the long years of the Cold War have often, and rightly, focused on hard power: weapon...
Cutting Edge: Salivary Gland NK Cells Develop Independently of Nfil3 in Steady-State

Nfil3 is viewed as an obligate transcription factor for NK cell development. However, mouse CMV (MCMV) infection recently was shown to bypass the requirement for Nfil3 by inducing the appearance of NK cells that express the MCMV-specific receptor Ly49H. Thus, signals transmitted by Ly49H and proinflammatory cytokines are sufficient to promote NK cell differentiation in the absence of Nfil3. In this study, we report that salivary gland (SG) NK cells develop in an Nfil3-independent fashion in the steady-state in the absence of MCMV or any infection. Moreover, we show that SG NK cells have an integrin profile reminiscent of tissue-resident lymphocytes and express TRAIL for killing target cells. These results demonstrate that SG NK cells, although related to conventional NK cells, are a distinct subset of innate lymphoid cells that deviates from the conventional developmental pathway, perhaps under the influence of tissue-specific factors.
Targeting Dynamic Compilation for Embedded Environments

Abstract : A generally held notion is that high quality code comes with high compilation cost. As a result, previous efforts at minimizing dynamic compilation costs have focused on designing fast, lightweight compilers that sacrifice code quality for compilation speed, and resource intensive approaches that combine multiple engines to limit expensive optimizations to critical sections. In this paper, we show one possible way fast compilers can be constructed to generate high quality code. We have implemented microJIT, a small and portable just-in-time (JIT) compiler for Java that can produce high quality code 2.5x faster than a comparable dataflow-based compiler and 30% faster than a compiler that performs only limited optimizations. We use dataflow techniques, but speed up compilation by minimizing the number of major compiler passes given the number of optimizations performed. Architectural features of our compiler also allow it to perform instruction set dependent optimizations efficiently. MicroJIT achieves these high compilation rates while still maintaining small static and dynamic memory requirements. This compiler can be highly effective in an embedded system where computing and memory resources are highly constrained and where multiple target platforms must be supported.
Calcium waves in colonic myocytes produced by mechanical and receptor-mediated stimulation.

The mechanisms underlying intracellular Ca2+ waves induced by either mechanical or receptor-mediated stimulation of myocytes isolated from the longitudinal muscle layer of the rabbit distal colon were compared using fura 2 and fluorescence videomicroscopy. Light focal mechanical deformation of the plasma membrane or focal application of substance P resulted in localized intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) transients that propagated throughout the cell. In both cases, the Ca2+ response consisted of a transient peak response followed by a delayed-phase response. Substance P-mediated [Ca2+]iresponses involved generation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and release of Ca2+ from thapsigargin-sensitive stores, whereas mechanically induced responses were partially (29%) dependent on La3+-sensitive influx of extracellular Ca2+ and partially on release of intracellular Ca2+from thapsigargin-insensitive stores gated by ryanodine receptors. The delayed-phase response in both cases was dependent on extracellula...
Chemically assisted endoscopic mechanical submucosal dissection by using mesna

Background A class of thiol compounds, mesna (sodium-2-mercaptoethanesulfonate), has been used to facilitate tissue dissection in surgical fields. Objectives To evaluate the technical feasibility and efficacy of chemically assisted endoscopic mechanical submucosal dissection (CAEMSD) by using mesna. Design An in vivo controlled blind trial by using porcine models. Settings Nonsurvival study in an animal laboratory. Interventions Six pigs were studied. Mucosal targets of about 2 cm (estimated) for treatment were created with a circle of cauterized spots along the greater curvature of the gastric body and the antrum. A mesna solution or the control hydroxypropyl methylcellulose solution was submucosally injected. The target mucosa was mechanically isolated with balloon dissection and removed by circumferential incision with a hook-knife inserted into the submucosal space. Necropsy and mucosal specimens from both groups were examined by histology. Results En bloc resection of the target was achieved in all 8 attempts of the mesna group and in 7 of 8 attempts of the control group. Use of mesna significantly reduced tissue resistance to the initial balloon-catheter insertion into the submucosa and the technical difficulty of subsequent submucosal balloon dissection by using a subjective grading system ( P Conclusions CAEMSD is a unique methodology to facilitate mucosal resection.
Undergraduate Education in Political Psychology

This article describes ways in which political psychology can be incorporated into undergraduate course curricula. The challenges of teaching political psychology to undergraduate students are discussed, and possibilities for the content and structure of undergraduate courses in political psychology are examined in the context of active learning. Suggestions for the development of an undergraduate major in political psychology are offered.
A New and Improved Synthesis of trans-1,2-Diiodoalkenes and Their Stereospecific and Highly Regioselective Trifluoromethylation

Reaction of terminal alkynes with iodine in the presence of CuI (5%) in acetonitrile under reflux for several hours gave the trans-1,2-diiodoalkenes in high yields. The trifluoromethylation of thes...
A multiple cause-of-death analysis of asthma mortality in the United States, 1990-2001.

Objectives. Most analyses of asthma mortality in the United States have relied solely on underlying cause-of-death data, which may underestimate the magnitude of asthma-related mortality. We used multiple cause-of-death data to examine asthma-related mortality trends in the United States. Methods. Data were selected from the United States Multiple Cause-of-Death Files, 1990–2001. Mortality rates and 95% confidence intervals were computed to examine differences in asthma mortality over time and by age, race/ethnicity, and gender. Location of death and seasonal variations in asthma mortality were also assessed, as well as the impact of seasonal respiratory infections. Results. We identified 135,668 asthma-related deaths in the United States over the 12-year period, representing an age-adjusted mortality rate of 4.4 per 100,000. Only 45% of the asthma-related deaths had asthma recorded as the underlying cause. Whites and older adults were less likely to have asthma listed as the underlying cause. Asthma mort...
Rangewide provenance variation in Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides): Early survival and growth in New Jersey and North Carolina plantations

Abstract Atlantic white-cedar, Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) B.S.P., is an important wetland tree species occurring along the Atlantic coast of the United States, from Maine to Florida, and westward along the Gulf of Mexico coast to Mississippi. Within this range, its distribution is patchy and disjunct, due to the scattered occurrence of suitable wetland habitat, natural range disjunctions and historic declines. Much recent interest has focused on the species, its management and its restoration, but very little is known about its geographic pattern of phenotypic variation. This study presents second year results from the first rangewide white-cedar provenance test. Rooted cuttings were propagated from 34 source populations, encompassing the entire latitudinal range (29°12′–44°20′N) of the species, and planted in three common garden plantations, two in New Jersey and one in North Carolina. Survival was generally high for Atlantic coastal populations at all three planting locations, ranging from 72% to 100% for individual provenances, but many Florida and Gulf coast populations exhibited reduced survival and winter hardiness in New Jersey, with 44–94% survival and 11–67% of surviving trees experiencing winter dieback. Height growth varied significantly between planting sites and provenances, and a significant site by provenance interaction suggested that relative performance of provenances varied across sites. All populations grew significantly more at Hofmann Forest, North Carolina than at the two New Jersey plantations, with mean 2-year height growth ranging from 54 to 96 cm for individual provenances at this site. By comparison, mean height growth ranged from 23 to 63 cm at Richard Stockton College, and from 12 to 32 cm at Brendan T. Byrne State Forest, New Jersey. Within individual sites, we identified polynomial relationships between height growth and latitude of origin, with southern Atlantic coastal populations among the best performers at all sites. Patterns of growth phenology were significantly correlated with latitude of origin. Spring growth rate and the percent of total growth occurring during spring were positively correlated with latitude, while fall growth rate and the percent of growth occurring during fall were negatively correlated with latitude. These early results suggest that significant provenance variation exists among white-cedar populations, and that local sources should be preferred for regeneration and restoration purposes.
Can precursors improve the transmission of energy at optical frequencies

The recent interest in precursors has been fuelled by the possibility of using them for the efficient transmission of information through absorbing media at radio or optical frequencies. Here we demonstrate that the low attenuation experienced by the Brillouin precursor is attributed to the inherently low absorption of dispersive media near DC, a characteristic already exploited with communications systems using the extremely low frequency (ELF) band. Pulses, regardless of their temporal width and carrier frequency, always obey Beer's law as long as they propagate in the linear time invariant regime. We conclude with an FDTD simulation of the Maxwell–Bloch equations that shows how optical coherent bleaching effects, which take place in the linear time variant regime of the Lorentz oscillator model, can cause sustained deviations from Beer's law over relatively long distances of water.
Potential significance of frost, topographic relief, and Acacia koa stands to restoration of mesic Hawaiian forests on abandoned rangeland

Beginning in the 1850 s, logging, land clearing, and burning were used to convert high elevation Hawaiian forests to cattle pasture. Recently, declining profits from ranching, the need to expand habitat for endangered species, and diminishing supplies of native saw-timber have prompted interest in restoring native forests. The Forest Service, in cooperation with the Fish and Wildlife Service, is studying climatic, edaphic, and biotic limitations in the reforestation of grassland and savanna in the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, island of Hawaii. Frost damage has been implicated in poor survival of Acacia koa, a dominant native nitrogen fixing tree, and other endemic plants. Data showed that for some years freezing temperatures were common above 1800 m elevation, and that A. koa seedling survival was poorest on micro-topographic sites where freezing temperatures were lowest and most prolonged. Artificial frost protection devices enhanced A. koa seedling survival, presumably by reducing radiative cooling. A similar reduction in radiative cooling was observed under a stand of 4 m tall A. koa. Such stands also changed soil chemical properties, making them intermediate between those of grassland and forest. Light levels near the ground under A. koa were similar to those found in forests, but not as low as those found under pasture grasses. Biomass and nutrient pools of the litter-herbaceous layer were affected by micro-topographic position in the landscape and by the presence of stands of A. koa. Using A. koa as a nurse crop may create understory conditions favorable for the establishment of other plant components of a mixed-species forest.
Tephrochronology and paleoclimatology of the Last Interglacial-Glacial cycle recorded in Alaskan loess deposits

Abstract Alaskan loess deposits contain long paleoclimatic records analogous to those found in marine and lacustrine sediments and in ice sheets. The sedimentology and geophysical properties of Alaskan loess were influenced by climatically forced changes in wind intensity, storminess, temperature, and precipitation. Loess deposits also contain evidence of episodic permafrost and paleosol formation, explosive volcanic eruptions, paleoecologic changes in high latitude regions, Quaternary fossils, and early human sites and artifacts. The Old Crow tephra (ca. 140,000 ± 10,000 BP) dates the transition between full-glacial conditions and the last interglaciation in central Alaska. Climatic amelioration in Alaska apparently began prior to astronomically forced increases in insolation, a finding consistent with the well-dated Devil's Hole record. However, time-series analysis of loess proxy climate data also demonstrates the effects of orbital precession and obliquity on Alaskan climate change. Numerous short-term climate events are recorded in Alaskan loess deposits, including a climate reversal corresponding to the Younger Dryas.
Determination of heat partition between tool and workpiece during FSW of SS304 using 3D CFD modeling

Abstract The temperature distribution in the tool was calculated by solving the energy equations for the tool and the workpiece in a conjugate manner. The three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics code, FLUENT, was used to model the heat and material flow during FSW of SS304 using the polycrystalline cubic boron nitride pin. The calculated temperature profiles in the workpiece were validated against published experimental data. Heat partitioned to the tool was found to be significantly less than what would be expected from the equation based on thermophysical properties. The model correctly predicted the material flow characteristics of FSW. The stagnant regions which have very low material velocity in the workpiece were mapped.
Survival and Variceal Rehemorrhage After Shunting Support Small-Diameter Prosthetic H-graft Portacaval Shunt

This study was undertaken to report variceal rebleeding and survival after small-diameter prosthetic H-graft portacaval shunts (HGPCS) and to compare actual to predicted survival after shunting. Since 1987 we have prospectively followed patients after undergoing HGPCS to treat bleeding varices failing/not amenable to sclerotherapy/banding. One hundred and seventy patients underwent shunting. Cirrhosis was because of alcohol in 56%, hepatitis in 12%, both in 11%, and other causes in 21%. Child class was A for 10%, B for 28%, and C for 62%. Thirty-three patients died by 6 months, 54 by 24 months, 87 by 60 months, and 112 by 10 years, generally because of liver failure. Fifty-one patients are alive at a median of 48.3 months, 76 months ± 57.8 (mean ± SD). Variceal rehemorrhage was documented in 3 (2%) patients. By child class, 5-year/10-year survival rates were as follows: A 66.7/33.3%, B 48.6/15.6%, and C 29.2/7.0%. Actual survival was superior to predicted survival (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease [MELD]), (p < 0.001).Variceal rehemorrhage in patients undergoing small-diameter prosthetic H-graft portacaval shunting was very uncommon. Actual survival was superior to predicted survival (MELD). Long-term survival paralleled degree of hepatic function, although long-term survival was possible even with very advanced cirrhosis. Application of HGPCS is encouraged.
EIS Study of Molybdate Conversion Coatings Formed on AZ91D Magnesium Alloy

An environmentally friendly molybdate conversion coating based surface treatment was developed for AZ91D magnesium alloy. The EIS technique was employed to study the effects of the conversion bath composition and temperature on the corrosion protection performance of molybdate conversion coatings on AZ91D magnesium alloys. The optimum conditions under which obtained conversion coatings showed the best corrosion resistance were determined. The Nyquist results showed that the value of charge transfer resistance increased by 22.5 times for the sample treated in the optimized molybdate conversion bath.
The very low birthweight infant: maternal complications leading to preterm birth, placental lesions, and intrauterine growth.

The placental lesions of the very low birthweight (VLBW) infant were investigated in relation to clinical complications leading to preterm birth and evidence of growth impairment. The 249 singleton gestations yielding infants less than 1500 g were grouped according to the clinical complications leading to preterm birth as premature membrane rupture (116/249, 47%) preterm labor (55/249, 22%), pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH, 54/249, 22%), and normotensive abruption (ABR, 24/249, 10%). Specifically excluded from this data set were cases with greater than 2 weeks discordance, fetal congenital anomalies, placenta previa, and maternal medical or gestational diseases such as chronic hypertension and diabetes mellitus, and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) as a primary indication for delivery. Placental weight and lesions including decidual vasculopathy and related villous lesions, chronic villitis/intervillositis, and decidual plasmacytosis were considered as variables in analyses in which raw birthweight was the dependent variable and gestational age a confounder. Of the 195 VLBW, 79 (41%) infants from normotensive mothers had lesions of decidual vasculopathy or chronic inflammation. In the VLBW infants from hypertensive mothers, growth restriction was related to markers of decidual vasculopathy. In the absence of maternal hypertension the growth restriction was independently associated with chronic villitis. Decidual vasculopathy (characteristic of PIH) and chronic intrauterine inflammation underlie the complications of many normotensive VLBW infants. The placental lesions in VLBW-IUGR depend on the presence or absence of maternal hypertension. In the absence of maternal hypertension, VLBW-IUGR is associated with chronic inflammation and is independent of decidual vasculopathy. In the presence of maternal hypertension, VLBW-IUGR is directly related to decidual vasculopathy
Inhibition of corneal epithelial cell migration by cadmium and mercury.

In a previous comparative study of corneal healing in fish, the authors observed that corneal epithelial healing occurs very rapidly in vivo in the marine teleost Myoxocephalus octodecimspinosus (longhorn sculpin) with a 6-mm diameter wound on the mammalian cornea. This rapid healing which permits prompt restoration of the epithelial barrier is apparently an adaptation to the large ionic and osmotic gradients between the environment and the intraocular fluids of the fish. These observations suggested that epithelial healing in the sculpin cornea might be useful model in aquatic biomedical toxicology if an in vitro method for measurement of healing rates could be developed. In this report the authors demonstrate that sculpin eyes maintained in short-term organ culture have a rapid corneal epithelial healing response and that this model can be used to demonstrate the toxic effects of heavy metals on epithelial cell migration.
ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS IN KIBBUTZ SOCIETY IN THE LIGHT OF A NEW THEORY1

Summary A new theory for measuring organizational effectiveness was suggested by Yuchtman and Seashore. This theory, called the system-resource approach, tries to measure organizational effectiveness by comparing the bargaining position of different organizations in their competition for scarce and valued resources. The article examines the new theory by applying it to the case of the kibbutz, a thoroughly organized society. When compared with other organizations in Israeli society, kibbutz society seems to get more resources from the social environment; it is shown that it also gives more. Consequently, the article suggests substituting the concept of optimum exploitation in the original theory by the broader concept of exchange, and it recommends a consideration of the extent to which the organization and its social environment have identical values. Resume Une theorie nouvelle destinee a mesurer l'efficience structurelle avait ete suggeree par Yuchtman et Seashore. Cette theorie appelee »systeme d'accession aux resources« tente de mesurer l'efficience structurelle en comparant les positions concurrentielles des differents types d'organisations, dans leur competition pour l'acquisition des biens rares et chers. L'article examine cette nouvelle theorie en l'appliquant au cas du kibboutz, un type de societe parfaitement organise. Lorsque l'on compare ce dernier avec d'autres organisations de la societe israelienne, le kibboutz parait obtenir plus de ressources de la societe globale, mais on peut montrer qu'il donne egalement plus. Cet article suggere, en consequence, de substituer au concept d'»exploitation optimale« de la theorie originale celui plus large d'»echange«. Il recommande egalement d'etudier la mesure dans laquelle l'organisation et son environnement social ont des valeurs identiques. Zusammenfassung Eine neue Theorie zur Bemessung der organisatorischen Effizienz wurde von Yuchtman und Seashore ausgearbeitet. Diese Theorie nennt sich “system resource approach” und versucht, die organisatorische Effizienz durch Vergleich der Verhandlungsposition von Organisationen bei dem Wettbewerb urn knappe und wertvolle Resourcen zu messen. Der Artikel pruft die Theorie durch Anwendung auf den Kibbutz als eine durchorganisierte Gesellschaft. Verglichen mit anderen Organisationen in der israelischen Gesellschaft scheint die Kibbutz-Gesellschaft mehr Werte von der sozialen Umgebung zu erhalten. Es lasst sich jedoch zeigen, das der Kibbutz auch mehr gibt. Daher schlagt der Beitrag vor, das Konzept der Optimumsausnutzung in der ursprunglichen Theorie durch das breitere Konzept des Austausches zu ersetzen. Es wird empfohlen, das Ausmas in Betracht zu ziehen, in dem eine Organisation and ihre soziale Umgebung identische Wertvorstellungen hat.
A retrospective review of clinical presentation, thyroid autoimmunity, laboratory characteristics, and therapies used in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria.

Background Our knowledge of autoimmune characteristics of chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) is limited. Objective To study the demographic, laboratory, and clinical patterns of a cohort of patients with CIU. Methods We evaluated 236 patients with CIU seen in a recent 2-year span. For serum basophil activation testing (BAT-CD203), the samples were sent to the National Jewish Medical and Research Center for donor basophil CD203 expression assay (5% cell surface expression was considered a positive result). Results Of the 236 patients with CIU, 77% were females with a mean age of 39 years. The mean age of males was 43 years. Of patients tested for BAT-CD203 (50 females and 8 males), 38% of females (n = 19) and 13% of males (n = 1) had positive test results. Of the 146 females and 42 males tested for thyroid autoimmunity (TA), 34% of females (n = 50) and 17% of males (n = 7) had underlying TA. Nine BAT-CD203-positive females (47%) had TA compared with 11 of 30 BAT-CD203-negative females (37%). No correlation was found between antinuclear antibodies and BAT-CD203. Cyclosporine or corticosteroids were used in 28% of the study population, with another 16% requiring a trial of additional third-line agents with or without prednisone/cyclosporine. There was no significant difference in the maximum number of medications used in subgroups based on the presence or absence of BAT-CD203 and TA. Conclusions The frequency of TA in patients with CIU was 30%, which is higher than that previously reported. The frequency of TA and BAT-CD203 positivity was higher in females. In this clinical cohort, there was no correlation between BAT-CD203 and TA.