cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flavonols control pollen tube growth and integrity by regulating ROS homeostasis during high-temperature stress

Plant reproduction requires long-distance growth of a pollen tube to fertilize the female gametophyte. Prior reports suggested that mutations altering synthesis of flavonoids, plant specialized metabolites that include flavonols and anthocyanins, impair pollen development in several species, but the mechanism by which flavonols enhanced fertility was not defined. Here, we used genetic approaches to demonstrate that flavonols enhanced pollen development by reducing the abundance of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We further showed that flavonols reduced high-temperature stress-induced ROS accumulation and inhibition of pollen tube growth. The anthocyanin reduced (are) tomato mutant had reduced flavonol accumulation in pollen grains and tubes. This mutant produced fewer pollen grains and had impaired pollen viability, germination, tube growth, and tube integrity, resulting in reduced seed set. Consistent with flavonols acting as ROS scavengers, are had elevated levels of ROS. The pollen viability, tube growth and integrity defects, and ROS accumulation in are were reversed by genetic complementation. Inhibition of ROS synthesis or scavenging of excess ROS with an exogenous antioxidant treatment also reversed the are phenotypes, indicating that flavonols function by reducing ROS levels. Heat stress resulted in increased ROS in pollen tubes and inhibited tube growth, with more pronounced effects in the are mutant that could be rescued by antioxidant treatment. These results are consistent with increased ROS inhibiting pollen tube growth and with flavonols preventing ROS from reaching damaging levels. These results reveal that flavonol metabolites regulate plant sexual reproduction at both normal and elevated temperatures by maintaining ROS homeostasis.
Simulating detection-censored movement records for home range analysis planning

Abstract Home range estimation is an important analytical method in applied spatial ecology, yet best practices for addressing the effects of spatial variation in detection probability on home range estimates remain elusive. We introduce the R package “DiagnoseHR,” simulation tools for assessing how variation in detection probability arising from landscape, animal behavior, and methodological processes affects home range inference. We demonstrate the utility of simulation methods for home range analysis planning by comparing bias arising from three home range estimation methods under multiple detection scenarios. We simulated correlated random walks in three landscapes that varied in detection probability and constructed home ranges from locations filtered through a range of sampling protocols. Home range estimates were less biased by reduced detection probability when sampling effort was increased, but the effects of sampling day distribution were minimal. Like others, we found that kernel density estimates were the least affected by variation in detection probability, while minimum convex polygons were most affected. Our results illustrate the value of quantifying uncertainty in home range estimates and suggest that field biologists working in environments with low detection may wish to weight sample-size greater than concerns about temporal autocorrelation when designing sampling protocols.
Tuning the Luminescence of Layered Halide Perovskites.

Layered halide perovskites offer a versatile platform for manipulating light through synthetic design. Although most layered perovskites absorb strongly in the ultraviolet (UV) or near-UV region, their emission can range from the UV to the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. This emission can be very narrow, displaying high color purity, or it can be extremely broad, spanning the entire visible spectrum and providing high color rendition (or accurately reproducing illuminated colors). The origin of the photoluminescence can vary enormously. Strongly correlated electron–hole pairs, permanent lattice defects, transient light-induced defects, and ligand-field transitions in the inorganic layers and molecular chromophores in the organic layers can be involved in the emission mechanism. In this review, we highlight the different types of photoluminescence that may be attained from layered halide perovskites, with an emphasis on how the emission may be systematically tuned through changes to the bu...
The History of the European Travel Commission 1948–2018

The European Travel Commission (ETC), created shortly after the end of the Second World War to promote tourism as a way to create greater mutual friendship within Europe as well as marketing the ec...
Sources of Unreliable Testimony from Children

We distilled research findings on sources of unreliable testimony from children into four principles that capture how the field of forensic developmental psychology conceptualizes this topic. The studies selected to illustrate these principles address three major questions: (a) how do young children perform in eyewitness studies, (b) why are some children less accurate than others, and (c) what phenomena generate unreliable testimony? Throughout our research, our focus is on factors other than lying that produce inaccurate or seemingly inconsistent autobiographical reports.Collectively, this research has shown that (a) children’s eyewitness accuracy is highly dependent on context, (b) neurological immaturity makes children vulnerable to errors under some circumstances, and (c) some children are more swayed by external influences than others. Finally, the diversity of factors that can influence the reliability of children’s testimony dictates that (d) analyzing children’s testimony as if they were adults (i.e., with adult abilities, sensibilities, and motivations) will lead to frequent misunderstandings. It takes considerable knowledge of development—including information about developmental psycholinguistics, memory development, and the gradual emergence of cognitive control—to work with child witnesses and to analyze cases as there are many sources of unreliable testimony.
Prognostic Assessment of Right Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction on Post–Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Short‐Term Outcomes: Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

Background Right ventricular systolic dysfunction (RVSD) is a known risk factor for adverse outcome in surgical aortic valve replacement. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), on the other hand, has been shown to be either beneficial or have no effect on right ventricular systolic function. However, the prognostic significance of RVSD on TAVR has not been clearly determined. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to define the impact of RVSD on outcomes in terms of 1-year mortality in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR. Methods and Results An extensive literature review was performed, with an aim to identify clinical studies that focused on the prognosis and short-term mortality of patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who underwent TAVR. A total of 3166 patients from 8 selected studies were included. RVSD, as assessed with tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, fractional area change or ejection fraction, was found to be a predictor of adverse procedural outcome after TAVR (hazard ratio, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.1-1.55; P=0.002). Overall, we found that RVSD did affect post-TAVR prognosis in 1-year mortality rate. Conclusions Patients with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis and concomitant severe RVSD have a poor 1-year post-TAVR prognosis when compared with patients without RVSD. Right ventricular dilation and severe tricuspid regurgitation were associated with increased 1-year morality post-TAVR and should be considered as independent risk factors. Further evaluations of long-term morbidity, mortality, as well as sustained improvement in functional class and symptoms need to be conducted to determine the long-term effects.
Judicial Ideology as a Check on Executive Power

The ideological outlook of federal judges has long been a focal point for criticism of the judiciary, but it has taken on new urgency with the escalating political rhetoric and polarization in Washington. President Trump’s recent reference to a district court judge as an “Obama Judge,” after the judge ruled against the Administration in an immigration case, exemplifies the increasingly partisan view of federal judges. In an unusually high-profile response, Chief Justice Roberts defended the judiciary by asserting categorically that “[w]e do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges . . . . What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them.” Justice Roberts’s statement may appear defensive or naive, particularly in an era of hyper-politicized judicial confirmations. However, setting aside the Supreme Court, the evidence that exists on the influence of judicial ideology is mixed at best, as most empirical studies find that a judge’s politics have only a modest impact on case outcomes. Existing studies also overlook how changes in executive branch policies affect judicial review and thus confound the influence of judicial ideology with presidential politics. In this study, we find that the influence of judicial ideology on case outcomes is mediated by the partisanship of the executive branch. Thus, while public debates about the federal judiciary focus on whether judges are political, the underlying driver is often politically driven conflicts between executive branch policies and governing statutes. Overall, judicial ideology affected case outcomes in less than five percent of the appellate cases we analyzed over roughly a fifteen-year period spanning the George W. Bush and Barack Obama Administrations. The influence of ideology on case outcomes was lowest during the Obama Administration, when presidential politics aligned strongly with the environmental laws we studied. Moreover, when it was a factor during the Bush Administration, judicial ideology had a moderating effect on executive branch policies through judicial opinions that guided policies towards centrist positions more in line with statutory mandates, which may or may not align with the current political views of the executive branch or Congress.
Professionalizing Your Use of Technology in English Language Teaching

This chapter provides an overview of technology use in English language teaching. This topic is commonly referred to as computer assisted language learning (CALL). It is likely that this topic is more complex than many readers may realize. While there are some long established practices in the field of CALL, the rapid development of technology today creates new opportunities. These new technologies are often accompanied by new communication and social practices that can help to promote language practice. This chapter addresses these opportunities with some suggestions for developing foundational skills and abilities that can be adapted across these technology based interventions. The chapter also includes suggestions for ongoing professional development as this field is in a state of constant change.
E-Commerce Case Collection

The purpose of this paper is to provide descriptions of E-Commerce case situations and draw insightful conclusions from them. The document will be in a format with Ten E-Commerce Rules that are numbered here from 1 - 10 within the cases they represent. They can be applied in retrospect for discussion and in the future of new E-Commerce opportunities to help identify risk and give insight into ways to avoid it. This is a subset of available cases that will be released in a larger more detailed document for use in an academic environment for teaching about E-Commerce. Most of the SMB companies and participants have been hidden to protect those whose revelation could prove harmful.
From Cryptography to Logic Locking: A Survey on the Architecture Evolution of Secure Scan Chains

The availability of access to Integrated Circuits’ scan chain is an inevitable requirement of modern ICs for testability/debugging purposes. However, leaving access to the scan chain OPEN resulted in numerous security threats on ICs. It raises challenging concerns particularly when the secret asset, like secret information, is placed within the chip, such as the keys of cryptographic algorithms, or similarly logic obfuscation key. So, to combat these threats, numerous secure scan chain architectures have been proposed in the literature to prevent any unauthorized access to the scan chain. They also keep the availability of the scan chain for testability/debugging. In this paper, we first show why a secure scan chain architecture is required when security primitives, like logic obfuscation, are in place. Then, we provide a holistic overview of all secure scan chain architectures starting from preliminary methods introduced when cryptography is in place and the adversary threat model is very limited. It is then followed by newer and more advanced methods introduced when logic obfuscation is in place and the adversary threat model is much stronger. Hence, we have more concentration on the architecture proposed more recently on logic obfuscation. We evaluate all secure scan chain architectures in terms of security and resiliency, testability/debugging time and complexity, and area/power/delay overhead.
Vacuum Substratum in Electrodynamics and Quantum Mechanics — Theory and Experiment

The substratum of the vacuum is the carrier of the elementary force interactions, such as electromagnetic (EM), gravitational, or nuclear.1 These basic fields occur as excitations whereas elementary particles are probably defects in the substratum. Experiments show that the substratum has physical properties, e. g. a magnetic permeability μo ≃ 4π × 10−7 Vs/Am, dielectric permittivity e0≃ 10−9/36π As/Vm, EM wave speed c = 1/ √ (μoɛo), ≃ 3×108 m/s, and EM wave resistance zo = √ (μo/ɛo) ≃ 120π V/A.
ProjectFinance and Sustainable Development in theGlobal South

This chapter explores the dominant mechanism for financing energy development projects — project finance — and argues that the assumptions supporting its prevalent use are ill suited for sustainable development in the Global South. This critique aligns itself with the growing chorus of voices calling for a retrenchment of neoliberal development, more active engagement by the state, and greater community involvement in development choices. The chapter begins with an explication of project finance. This introduction provides an overview of much of the literature that lauds project finance as a mechanism to hedge and reduce developer economic risk. The section also underscores the key features and assumptions of project finance. The second part of the chapter introduces a case study involving the development of wind energy resources in rural Oaxaca, Mexico, one of the windiest places in the world. Drawing on this case study, the final section explores many of the ways in which project finance may undermine sustainable development in Oaxaca. The section revisits the assumptions underlying project finance, and suggests that these assumptions may be inconsistent with the goals of sustainable development. Thus, the chapter argues, project finance, as a mechanism for financing energy projects in the Global South, may need to be substantially altered or altogether abandoned as the prevailing financing mechanism for projects designed to meet the goals of sustainable development.
Reforming the Tort Reform Agenda

A fresh start in a game of cards requires us to reshuffle the deck. In so doing, we mix cards previously in play with new ones to approach the game from a new perspective. Although the current longstanding impasse over the U.S. health care system in general and the 46.6 million uninsured Americans in particular is no game, a reshuffling of the issues may open an opportunity to solve what seems to be an intractable problem. To date, it seems every political solution has been tried and has failed. In this Article, I argue that one way to gain political traction on the problem is to integrate the health care issue into the agenda for tort reform. At first blush, the issues may seem disconnected: recovery through the tort system is admittedly a narrower issue than health care access, affecting only those injured through tortious conduct of others. However, closer examination reveals connections between these topics as yet unrecognized by the groups with the strongest interests in them. Through a reshuffling that reveals these links and harnesses the political capital in the tort reform movement, the powerful interest groups that comprise the stakeholders in both debates may realize new benefits through solving the problems created by the inaccessibility of health care for the uninsured. At the same time,
The Internal Time Formalism in Canonical Gravity

The internal time formalism provides a relatively conservative approach to canonical quantum gravity in that one attempts to retain in the Dirac quantization of the theory both general covariance and the conventional apparatus of quantum field theory. The idea is to extract dynamical variables representing many-fingered time from the phase space of general relativity and then use them as one uses such variables in the quantization of parametrized field theories. I give a general, albeit brief, presentation of this strategy and illustrate it with a few examples.
Partial characterization of a cellular factor that regulates the double-stranded RNA-dependent eIF-2 alpha kinase in 3T3-F442A fibroblasts.

Abstract The interferon-induced double-stranded RNA-dependent eIF-2 alpha kinase (dsI) has an established role in mediating part of interferon's antiviral effects. Numerous studies have suggested that dsI also has regulatory functions in cells not infected with virus. Our previous results have indicated that the activation of this kinase may be an important regulatory signal in controlling growth arrest of mouse 3T3-F442A fibroblasts prior to their subsequent differentiation to adipocytes. Here, we report that extracts from 3T3-F442A cells cultured under conditions nonpermissive for differentiation exhibit significantly reduced dsI activity and that this reduction is due, at least in part, to the presence of elevated levels of a novel inhibitor of dsI activation (dRF). This inhibitor is also detected in reduced amounts in extracts from cells cultured under conditions which are permissive for differentiation. We have achieved a 1,000-fold purification of dRF activity, and highly purified dRF preparations were found to be greatly enriched for a 15-kDa protein that was greater than 90% pure. Our results indicate that dRF is not a protein phosphatase or protease but a reversible inhibitor of dsI autophosphorylation. In addition, our results imply that dRF is a physiologic regulator of dsI, since dRF activity correlates with the ability of 3T3-F442A cells to undergo adipose conversion.
The Effects of Reintegration into General Education Reading Instruction for Students with Mild Disabilities

This study reports results of reintegrating 23 elementary-age students with mild disabilities served in special education pull-out programs into their general education classroom for reading instruction. These students were placed into general education classrooms for reading for up to 12 weeks. Effects were evaluated using Curriculum-Based Measurement. Achievement gains for reintegrated students were evaluated in the context of the academic gains made by general education students in the same reading groups. Results showed that on average, reintegrated students made academic gains comparable with their general education counterparts. Parents and general education teachers responded favorably to the reintegration decision, and their support did not change over the course of the reintegration trial. Implications for reintegration efforts are discussed.
Extractables and leachables issues with the application of single use technology in the biopharmaceutical industry

Single-use technology has been adopted widely in bioprocess development and biopharmaceutical manufacture in recent years. While the benefits of such technologies are well recognized, there are significant concerns regarding extractables and leachables arising from the components of single-use systems owing to their potential effect on product quality and patient health. Their impact on drug product quality and safety must be clearly understood before adopting disposable technologies into manufacture. A risk assessment is normally required to assess the probability of extractables and leachables migrating into the product stream and their potential risk to the patient. Generic information provided by suppliers may be useful but its relevance to individual applications needs to be demonstrated. Standardization of extractables and leachables testing and approaches to risk assessment has been discussed between the biopharmaceutical industry and regulators. This perspective reviews the current status of extractables and leachables studies within the biopharmaceutical industry and the general approaches employed for risk evaluation associated with the application of single-use technology. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Non-invasive measurements of exhaled NO and CO associated with methacholine responses in mice

Background Nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) in exhaled breath are considered obtainable biomarkers of physiologic mechanisms. Therefore, obtaining their measures simply, non-invasively, and repeatedly, is of interest, and was the purpose of the current study.
Many-body localization phase transition

We use exact diagonalization to explore the many-body localization transition in a random-field spin-1/2 chain. We examine the correlations within each many-body eigenstate, looking at all high-energy states and thus effectively working at infinite temperature. For weak random field the eigenstates are thermal, as expected in this nonlocalized, ``ergodic'' phase. For strong random field the eigenstates are localized with only short-range entanglement. We roughly locate the localization transition and examine some of its finite-size scaling, finding that this quantum phase transition at nonzero temperature might be showing infinite-randomness scaling with a dynamic critical exponent $z\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$.
Effect of chloramphenicol and the recB gene product on DNA metabolism in Escherichia coli K12 strains defective in DNA ligase.

We have examined DNA strand breakage, DNA degradation, and the rate of DNA synthesis in lig and lig-recB strains of Escherichia coli K12 incubated in the presence and absence of 3 μg/ml chloramphenicol. Substantial DNA strand breakage and DNA degradation is observed in the lig strain upon growth at 40°C; however, such strand breakage and DNA degradation is not observed in the lig-recB strain. Incubation of the lig strain at 40°C in the presence of 3 μg/ml chloramphenicol reduces the amount of DNA strand breakage and DNA degradation to the level observed in the lig-recB strain. Together, these results demonstrate that exonuclease V (the recBC gene product) is responsible for the increased DNA degradation associated with DNA ligase deficiency.
Connection relations and characterizations of orthogonal polynomials

We give a general method of characterizing symmetric orthogonal polynomials through a certain type of connection relations. This method is applied to Al-Salam-Chihara, Askey-Wilson, and Meixner-Pollaczek polynomials. This characterization technique unifies and extends some previous characterization results of Lasser and Obermaier and Ismail and Obermaier. Along the way we explicitly evaluate the connection coefficients in the expansion of D"q^2p"n in terms of {p"k}, where D"q is the Askey-Wilson operator and {p"k} are general Askey-Wilson polynomials. As a limiting case we derive the corresponding connection coefficients in the expansion of W^2W"n in terms of {W"k}, where W is the Wilson operator and {W"k} are general Wilson polynomials. Using the connection relation for Askey-Wilson polynomials, we obtain a characterization for the two-parameter symmetric Askey-Wilson polynomials. The connection relations between D^mP"n^(^@a^,^@b^), D:=d/dx and {P"k^(^@a^,^@b^)} are also derived.
Degree of Affect Expression in Psychotherapy and Degree of Psychopathy

In an effort to test psychopaths' affect in an interpersonal relationship, approximately 300 hr. of psychotherapy were conducted with 12 empirically defined psychopaths who were incarcerated in a federal reformatory. Highly significant correlations were obtained among all measures of psychopathy. Degree of psychopathy and degree of affect expression were not significantly related, but there was a moderate negative correlation in every comparison.
The relationship of eating disorders and substance abuse

Initial interest in the relationship between eating disorders, which occur primarily in women, and substance abuse, which is much more frequent in men than women, stemmed from the observations of Crisp (1968) who noted that chronic anorexics who developed bulimic behavior often abused alcohol. More recently, cross-sectional studies of women with eating disorders have documented prevalences of alcohol and other substance abuse in these women that are much higher than those reported in the general female population. Conversely, women with substance abuse disorders report eating-disordered behavior more often than the general population. This article first presents a definition of eating disorders and then addresses (1) the rate of coprevalence of eating disorders and substance abuse; (2) the mechanism of the coprevalence of these disorders; (3) the clinical similarities of these disorders; and (4) future directions.
US Supreme Court to review Louisiana appeal

An alliance of scientists and educational and religious leaders has converged to defend evolution from determined attack by the creationist lobby.
Overdependence on the host-an Achilles' heel of HCV?

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA replication depends on viral protein association with intracellular membranes, but the influence of membrane composition on viral replication is unclear. We report that HCV RNA replication and assembly of the viral replication complex require geranylgeranylation of one or more host proteins. In cultured hepatoma cells, HCV RNA replication was disrupted by treatment with lovastatin, an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methyglutaryl CoA reductase, or with an inhibitor of protein geranylgeranyl transferase I, each of which induced the dissolution of the HCV replication complex. Viral replication was not affected by treatment of cells with an inhibitor of farnesyl transferase. When added to lovastatin-treated cells, geranylgeraniol, but not farnesol, restored replication complex assembly and viral replication. Inasmuch as the HCV genome does not encode a canonical geranylgeranylated protein, the data suggest the involvement of a geranylgeranylated host protein in HCV replication. Inhibition of its geranylgeranylation affords a therapeutic strategy for treatment of HCV infection.
Changes in venous blood content from active and inactive hindlimb during isotonic exercise.

Venous blood samples were obtained from either exercising (n=9) or nonexercising (n=8) hindlimb during a progressive isotonic exercise in rabbits anesthetized with urethane and chloralose. Each experimental session consisted of 5-min non-exercise periods alternated with 6-min exercise periods, followed by a 10-min postexercise period. During each exercise period, stimulation of the distal stump of the right sciatic nerve at 1 Hz induced plantar flexions which lifted loads comparable to 2, 5, 8, 30, or 50% of an afterload at which only an isometric tension developed. Free-flowing venous blood samples were obtained before the first exercise period, during the last minute of each exercise period, and 10 min following the last exercise session. Increases in [Na+], [K+] and lactate concentration were obtained in blood from active limbs. Only lactate concentration increased in blood from non-exercising limbs, while [K+] decreased slightly. Inferences concerning the vascular volume response to this protocol would be quite different depending on the blood sampling site. Changes in blood from inactive tissue, further, may indicate only saturation of homeostatic mechanisms which normally compensate for vascular volume alterations initiated in active tissue.
Integration of Didactic Knowledge with Procedural Skill: Learning Cardiac Electrophysiology and Electrocardiography Using Ultrasound

Understanding of cardiac electrophysiology and the ability to interpret an electrocardiogram require a robust skill set and present a significant challenge to medical students. Ultrasound imaging is a valuable tool that can help students to relate organ structure to its function. In the current pilot study conducted in 2014, the effectiveness of ultrasound in teaching cardiac physiology and electrocardiography was tested. An electrocardiography/echocardiography workshop was implemented to enhance teaching of cardiac physiology to first-year medical students to provide better correlation of electrical and mechanical events during the cardiac cycle. The objectives of the current study were to evaluate medical student understanding of electrocardiography while using live ultrasound imaging and determine their ability to identify electrical and subsequent mechanical events during the cardiac cycle after completing the workshop. Student competency in the electrocardiography component of the workshop was evaluated through pre- and post-tests. Student competency in the ultrasound component of the workshop was evaluated through an ultrasound assignment that focused on identifying cardiac structures on the ultrasound image. Results of the pre- and post-tests revealed significant improvement (P < .05) between the mean pre-test (56 %) and post-test scores (76 %). The majority of students (99 %) successfully completed the ultrasound assignment. Using ultrasound resulted in a marked improvement in student understanding of cardiac electrical and valvular events and ventricular wall motion. Students were able to better correlate electrical activity with cardiac mechanical events, understand cardiac physiology, and develop skills that will indirectly enhance the quality of future patient care.
A fast and spikey spindle variant in children with organic brain disease

Abstract A fast spikey variant of sleep spindles was observed in four patients (age 3–13 years) with clinical evidence of residual or progressive brain disease. This pattern can be separated from normal sleep spindles, sharp and asynchronous spindles of infancy and from the 14 and 6/sec positive spike discharge. The spikey component is predominantly negative and its distribution shows most common involvement of the central areas; there is no vertex maximum.
An one-way function based framework for pairwise key establishment in sensor networks

We develop a one-way function based key establishment framework for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). The proposed framework allows sensors to establish pairwise session keys at an arbitrary network operation stage using pre-loaded one-way functions. We also present an efficient instantiation of the proposed framework using Cellular Automata (CA). The analysis based on the CA instantiation indicates that our framework possesses a number of nice properties: inherent support for rekeying; quasi-perfect resilience against node compromise; computational efficiency; strong cryptographic strength of generated pairwise keys; a high probability to establish pairwise keys between sensors.
Coordination Properties of Bridging Diazene Ligands in Unusual Diiron Complexes

Saouma, Muller, and Peters recently (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009) reported the synthesis of several diiron complexes with two types of bridging diazene HN═NH ligands, designated μ-η1:η1 (bridging end-on) and μ-η2:η2 (bridging side-on), with tridentate phosphine {XBPR3} ligands ({XBPR3} = XB(CH2PR2)3−; X = Ph; R = Ph, CH2Cy). In the present study the energies, optimized geometries, and vibrational frequencies of these complexes with X = H and R = H, CH3, CF3 were obtained theoretically, and the electronic structures were analyzed in terms of iron−diazene donor−acceptor interactions. Natural bond orbital analysis indicates that both bridging end-on and side-on diazenes possess strong π-acceptor properties, which cause significant occupation of their antibonding π*(N−N) LUMOs and weakening of the N−N bonds as the result of coordination. The most pronounced weakening was obtained in complexes with bridging side-on diazene, where interaction of iron d-AOs with π*(N−N) orbitals of the diazene ligands results in the...
Computational complexity of a piecewise linear homotopy algorithm

We give a bound on the number of steps required by the piecewise linear algorithm based on component wise homotopy (proposed by the author for structured problems) when solving a linear problem. When the coefficient matrix is symmetric and positive definite, this bound is polynomial inn and linear in the condition number of the matrix. We also investigate the expected value of the bound for a particular distribution of such matrices.
Sexual Differentiation of the Mechanism Controlling the reovulatory Discharge of Luteinizing Hormone in Sheep

Silastic capsules containing estradiol 17β were implanted subcutaneously into male and female sheep which had been gonadectomized as adults. In both sexes, this treatment resulted in a prompt decrease in serum LH concentrations reflecting a negative feedback suppression of tonic LH secretion. In females but not males, this decrease was followed, within 24 h, by an LH surge after which circulating LH declined to low levels resembling those in intact ewes during the luteal phase of the estrous cycle. In males, only a sustained reduction in circulating LH was observed. Three weeks after placement of the initial estradiol implants, while serum LH levels were low and stable, additional estradiol implants were inserted. This additional treatment effected step-like increments in circulating estradiol to approximately 20 or 55 pg/ml (depending on the number of implants) and elicited single or multiple LH discharges in females but failed to induce LH surges in males. These findings lead to the conclusion that the ...
Recognition and Surgical Repair of Superior Mesenteric Arteriovenous Fistula

A patient is described with a traumatic arteriovenous shunt from the superior mesenteric artery to the superior mesenteric vein. The patient had no symptoms referable to this fistula 3 months after a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The diagnostic feature was a continuous bruit in the supraumbilical area. The radiographic technics used in determining the nature of this patient's fistula are described. This is the first reported case of a traumatic superior mesenteric arteriovenous fistula suspected clinically, demonstrated radiographically, and successfully repaired surgically. Although experience with such fistulas is limited, the fatal outcome of the only other case in the literature (not recognized ante mortem) indicates the need for careful auscultation over all abdominal surgical incisions and sites of trauma at regular intervals.
State Felon Disenfranchisement Policy

Objective. Felon disenfranchisement policies impose restrictions on a felon's right to vote. Since these policies disproportionately affect minority citizens, legal scholars and others argue that felon disenfranchisement is a result of racial politics, aimed primarily at undermining the electoral power of black and Latino citizens. This study evaluates these claims in a rigorous empirical analysis. Methods. The study uses cross-sectional data on current state felon disenfranchisement policies in an order probit regression analysis to examine race-based explanations in light of competing hypotheses. Results. The findings demonstrate that the size of the minority population, parity in incarceration rates, and the degree of legislative professionalism are the primary explanatory factors of this policy. Conclusions. Given the continued rise in minority incarceration rates relative to those for whites and the link between the racial composition of a state and the severity of felon disenfranchisement laws, the study raises important questions regarding the future of minority participation in the democratic process.
The significance of atmospheric nutrient inputs and canopy interception of precipitation during ecosystem development in piñon–juniper woodlands of the southwestern USA

Abstract In arid ecosystems, widely spaced vegetation and prolonged dry periods may enhance canopy capture of nutrients from dry deposition. Additionally, differences in precipitation type, plant canopy architecture, and soil nutrient limitation could affect canopy exchange of atmospherically derived nutrients. We collected bulk precipitation and throughfall underneath pinon pine (Pinus edulis) and one-seed juniper (Juniperus monosperma) along a substrate age gradient to determine if canopy interception or throughfall chemistry differed among tree species, season, or substrate age. The Substrate Age Gradient of Arizona consists of four sites with substrate ages ranging from 1 ky to 3000 ky-old, which exhibit classic variations in soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability with substrate age. Greater nutrient inputs below canopies than in intercanopy areas suggest throughfall contributes to the “islands of fertility” effect. Canopy interception of precipitation did not differ between tree species, but was greater in the summer/fall than winter/spring. We found that net canopy retention of atmospherically derived N was generally greater when N availability in the soil was low, but retention also occurred when N availability was relatively high. Taken together, our results were inconclusive in determining whether the degree of soil nutrient limitation alters canopy exchange of plant growth-limiting nutrients.
SO2 and CS2 cross section data in the ultraviolet region

Using synchrotron radiation as a continuum background, the cross sections of SO2 in the 208-228 and 299-340 nm region and of CS2 in the 318-350 nm region have been measured with a bandwidth of 0.06 nm. It has been confirmed that the reported band positions of SO2 in the 170-315 nm region by Warneck et al. (1964) should all be shifted by about 0.3 nm toward shorter wavelengths. An important application of the present results is found in the SO2 and CS2 mixing ratio calculations for Venus and Io.
First Hitting Time Analysis of the Independence Metropolis Sampler

In this paper, we study a special case of the Metropolis algorithm, the Independence Metropolis Sampler (IMS), in the finite state space case. The IMS is often used in designing components of more complex Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithms. We present new results related to the first hitting time of individual states for the IMS. These results are expressed mostly in terms of the eigenvalues of the transition kernel. We derive a simple form formula for the mean first hitting time and we show tight lower and upper bounds on the mean first hitting time with the upper bound being the product of two factors: a “local” factor corresponding to the target state and a “global” factor, common to all the states, which is expressed in terms of the total variation distance between the target and the proposal probabilities. We also briefly discuss properties of the distribution of the first hitting time for the IMS and analyze its variance. We conclude by showing how some non-independence Metropolis–Hastings algorithms can perform better than the IMS and deriving general lower and upper bounds for the mean first hitting times of a Metropolis–Hastings algorithm.
Fullerene isomerism: isolation of c2v,-c78 and d3-c78.

Early reports on the formation of the higher fullerenes C 76 , C 78 , C 84 , C 90 , and C 94 by resistive heating of graphite stimulated theoretical calculations of possible cage structures for these all-carbon molecules. Among the five fullerene structures with isolated pentagons found for C 78 , a closed-shell D 3 h -isomer was predicted to form preferentially. Two distinct C 78 -isomers were formed in a ratio of ∼5:1 and could be separated by high-performance liquid chromatography. The carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum of the major isomer is uniquely consistent with a C 2 v -structure. The NMR data also support a chiral D 3 -structure for the minor isomer. The isolation of specifically these two isomers of C 78 provides insight into the stability of higher fullerene structures and into the mechanism for fullerene formation in general.
The emergency department of treatment of dyspepsia with antacids and oral lidocaine

The treatment of dyspepsia in the emergency department often consists of antacid in combination with viscous lidocaine, even through the specific etiology of the pain is frequently unknown. The efficacy of lidocaine as a component of symptomatic therapy was evaluated in a randomized, patient-blinded protocol. Patients presenting to the ED with dyspeptic symptoms were randomized to receive 30 mL of antacid (Mylanta II ® ), or 30 mL of antacid plus 15 mL of 2% viscous lidocaine (GI cocktail). Patients recorded their pain score on an 11-cm linear analog scale prior to and 30 minutes after treatment. Seventy-six patients were enrolled; three were excluded from analysis due to incomplete data. Thirty-four patients were randomized to receive antacid and 39 to receive GI cocktail. Patients rated their baseline pain at 6.4 ± 2.8 cm in the antacid group and 6.7 ± 2.7 cm in the cocktail group ( P > .50). Improvement in pain score with treatment was 0.9 ± 2.9 cm in the antacid group compared with 4.0 ± 3.4 cm in the GI cocktail group ( P P = .004). No adverse effects were noted with either treatment. We conclude that a single dose of antacid and viscous lidocaine provides a significantly greater degree of immediate pain relief than antacid alone in patients with dyspepsia.
Stage-structured interactions between seasonal and permanent residents of an estuarine nekton community.

Estuarine assemblages of fishes and natant decapod crustaceans (i.e. nekton) comprise both permanent resident species and juveniles of coastal marine species that use estuaries primarily as nurseries. In an attempt to understand how the young of marine species successfully invade communities of permanent estuarine residents we studied potential interactions between two of the most abundant decapod crustaceans in nekton assemblages of the southeastern United States. Three years of quantitative samples from an intertidal marsh on Sapelo Island, Georgia showed that densities of the resident daggerblade grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio were reduced during the time that juvenile white shrimp Penaeus setiferus used the estuary as a nursery. Results of a field enclosure experiment showed that white shrimp had no significant lethal or sublethal effects on adult grass shrimp. However, they did reduce survival of both juvenile and larval grass shrimp in laboratory experiments, suggesting the potential importance of a stage-dependent predatorprey interaction between the two shrimp species. The mortality rate of young grass shrimp in the presence of white shrimp was unaffected by grass shrimp density, but larvae (2.6-3.0 mm) suffered higher mortalities than did juveniles (5.0-15.0 mm). We suggest that the vulnerability of grass shrimp to predation by white shrimp is related to their molting cycle. The 'window of vulnerability' opens more often for younger grass shrimp because they molt more frequently. When combined with losses due to other predators and competitors, the impact of early white shrimp cohorts on grass shrimp larvae and juveniles may prevent the resident species from maintaining its population at high densities, thereby freeing resources in the nursery for subsequent cohorts of juvenile white shrimp.
Functional heterogeneity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum within sarcomeres of skinned muscle fibers

Precipitation of Ca oxalate in the sarcoplasmic reticulum of chemically skinned rabbit psoas fibers caused an increase in light scattering which was proportional to the amount of Ca accumulated per unit fiber volume. The increase in scattering was used to measure net accumulation rates and steady-state Ca capacities of the sarcoplasmic reticulum in single fibers. The data obtained were qualitatively and quantitatively similar to those reported for isolated vesicle preparations.
SensorWorld: Unified Touch-Based Access to Sensors Worldwide

Sensors play a critical role in monitoring environmental metrics, predicting natural hazards and developing sustainable policies. However, policy makers, engineers, scientists, students, and other stakeholders in fields such as environmental and natural resources management very rarely have access to real-world large-scale sensor data. This problem is compounded significantly by diverse and non-standard software interfaces to sensors. Our goal is to document and make available data from a large variety of real-world sensors through an intuitive interface. Our project addresses this problem by implementing a middleware framework and a client on iPhone to facilitate access to sensor data. Currently, we support a total of 1136 sensors from a variety of sources and the dataset is being rapidly expanded.
CAULOCHYTRIUM PROTOSTELIOIDES SP. NOV., A NEW CHYTRID WITH AERIAL SPORANGIA

Caulochytrium is a unique genus of chytrids characterized by the production of both sessile zoosporangia and aerial sporangiocarps, the latter unknown in other chytrids. The type species, C. gloeosporii, is an obligate parasite on conidia of the fungus Gloeosporium. The newly described species, C. protostelioides, which was discovered first in the British West Indies and then in North Carolina, is an obligate parasite of the dematiaceous fungus Cladosporium. It differs from the type species in microdimensions, smaller number of zoospores per aerial sporangium, lack of sexuality, production of protostelid-like sporangiocarps that do not parasitize the host and which float freely on water, and an unrelated host fungus. The family Caulochytriaceae and genus Caulochytrium are emended. DURING THE SEARCH for protostelids, a group of simple mycetozoans with slender-stalked sporangiocarps bearing one to few spores (Olive, 1975), some unusual organisms superficially similar but unrelated to protostelids have been discovered. One of these is Caulochytrium gloeosporii Voos and Olive (1968), the life cycle of which has been described in detail by Voos (1969). It proved to be a unique chytrid with minute aerial fruiting bodies, each consisting of a small spherical sporangium borne at the tip of a very slender stalk with an empty basal cyst. These fruiting bodies, found in no other genus of chytrids, are hereafter referred to as sporangiocarps. Sessile zoosporangia are also common. The type species was found on collections of dead attached plant parts from Florida and North Carolina. All isolates were culturable only as parasites of the conidia of Gloeosporium cingulata grown on weak agar media. Recently, a second species with sporangiocarps even closer in appearance to protostelid sporocarps was isolated from dead inflorescences of Chenille Plants collected in St. Vincent, British West Indies (Fig. 1, 2), and later from dead inflorescences of Queen Anne's Lace collected in Chapel Hill. Attempts to culture the chytrid on Gloeosporium cingulata and several different fungi from the natural substrates failed until it was discovered that the common imperfect fungus Cladosporium cladosporioides isolated from the natural sub