cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reproduction of the long‐tongued nectar bat Macroglossus minimus (Pteropodidae) in Brunei, Borneo

The long-tongued nectar bat Macroglossus minimus lagochilus (Megachiroptera, Pteropodidae) is a small fruit bat inhabiting South-east Asia. Its reproduction was studied in Brunei, Borneo, where individuals were usually captured in rainforest (Ulu Temburong). Adult females (n = 23) had body masses of 13.0–19.0 g, with forelimbs 3.83–4.33 cm in length. All adult females were pregnant, with pregnancies observed during every month except May, September and November when no adult females were captured. Female M. minimus in Brunei have a reproductive cycle that is consistent with a pattern of seasonal bimodal polyoestry. Most births appear to occur from November to May, during which time females experience two births: the first centred around November and December, and the second centred around April and May. These two birth seasons appear correlated to the two seasons of greater rainfall in Brunei: October to December, and April to July. Oestrous and mating apparently occur soon after each birth; however, there appears to be a 2- to 3-month period of delayed embryonic development following the births centred around April and May. The data are consistent with embryonic development commencing around July and August (after a delay) for the births centred around November and December, and around December and January for the births centred around April and May. The data suggest that all adult females participate in each breeding season. Adult males (n = 20) had body masses of 12.5–18.0 g, with forelimbs 3.91–4.26 cm in length.
Methods for Enlarging Transportation Tunnels while Keeping Tunnels Fully Operational

This paper reviews worldwide state-of-the-art methods for enlarging transportation tunnels while maintaining current traffic capacity during construction. Both hard rock and soft ground applications are presented and accompanied by relevant case histories.
Building an Enterprise Service Bus for Real-Time SOA: A Messaging Middleware Stack

Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) has become the preferred methodology to build complex enterprise applications. Inside an enterprise, an Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) has emerged as a powerful and flexible solution to have services and applications interact with each other, independently of their location and connectivity requirements. ESBs are implemented with some form of middleware, and messaging middleware has been playing a major role in integrating applications and services in the J2EE space thanks to standards such as the Java Messaging Service (JMS). We observe that in an enterprise the need to use real-world current information and the shift of complexity toward higher layers of the SOA-based applications (e.g., the business process layer) favor the introduction of lightweight messaging middleware, benefiting real-time applications. This paper describes an architecture for a messaging middleware that aims at fulfilling the requirements of a real-time ESB, while maintaining compatibility with the applications already deployed.We present performance results of a first prototype that show low, regular latency and high throughput. We contend that this middleware is an essential building block for real-time SOA in the enterprise.
An integration of theories to explain judicial discretion.

Based on an integration of work on uncertainty avoidance in decision making with research on causal attribution in punishment, the author hypothesizes that judges attempt to manage uncertainty by developing “patterned responses” that are the product of an attribution process involving assessments of the offender's likelihood of committing future crime. Washington, D. C, felony sentencing data generated by the Prosecutor's Management and Information System (PROMIS) were used to test this integrated theoretical model. Support for the theoretical integration is provided by the evidence of the effects of prior record, defendant's race, use of a weapon, pretrial release, and the interaction between defendant's race and bail outcome on sentence severity. Contrary to common suppositions, information on defendant-victim relationship and victim provocation was unrelated to sentence severity. Further research should examine judges' attempt to reduce uncertainty by relying on stereotypes and attributions linked to the likelihood of recidivism.
Optical properties of nitrogen-vacancy centers created near a diamond surface

We study the optical properties of NV centers created near the diamond surface by nitrogen implantation and annealing and present a method to convert neutral NV centers to the desired negatively charged state.
An accurate probabilistic model for error detection

We propose a novel single event fault/error model based on logic induced fault encoded directed acyclic graph (LIFE-DAG) structured probabilistic Bayesian networks, capturing all spatial dependencies induced by the circuit logic. The detection probabilities also act as a measure of soft error susceptibility (an increased threat in nanodomain logic block) that depends on the structural correlations of the internal nodes and also on input patterns. Based on this model, we show that we are able to estimate detection probabilities of single-event faults/errors on IS-CAS'85 benchmarks with high accuracy (zero-error), linear space requirement complexity, and with an order of magnitude (/spl ap/5 times) reduction in estimation time over corresponding BDD based approaches.
Cognitive-Relay-Based Intercell Interference Cancellation in Cellular Systems

This paper proposes to use a cognitive-relay technique to mitigate intercell interference (ICI) in cellular systems. In the proposed system, several relay stations (RSs) that are equipped with cognitive radio are deployed near the cell boundary. The base station (BS) and the RS in each cell operate in the same spectrum band as primary and secondary transmitters, respectively. Once an interference-limited mobile station (MS) requests an RS for assistance, the RS senses the spectrum band and accesses a spectrum hole to forward its received signal (and interference) to the MS. At the receiver of the MS, optimum combining is employed to combine the original signal that is received from the BS and the relayed signal to cancel the ICI. The system performance is analyzed in terms of the outage capacity and the average capacity considering the impact of the availability of cognitive-relay channels and the link quality between the RS and the MS. The location and the coverage radius of the RS are designed based on the requirement of the RS-MS link quality. Finally, simulation results are given to validate the theoretical analysis and to show the capacity improvement due to the ICI cancellation with the assistance of cognitive relay.
Removal of 8-oxo-GTP by MutT hydrolase is not a major contributor to transcriptional fidelity

Living in an oxygen-rich environment is dangerous for a cell. Reactive oxygen species can damage DNA, RNA, protein and lipids. The MutT protein in Escherichia coli removes 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine triphosphate (8-oxo-dGTP) and 8-oxo-guanosine triphosphate (8-oxo-GTP) from the nucleotide pools precluding incorporation into DNA and RNA. While 8-oxo-dGTP incorporation into DNA is mutagenic, it is not clear if 8-oxo-GTP incorporation into RNA can have phenotypic consequences for the cell. We use a bistable epigenetic switch sensitive to transcription errors in the Escherichia coli lacI transcript to monitor transient RNA errors. We do not observe any increase in epigenetic switching in mutT cells. We revisit the original observation of partial phenotypic suppression of a lacZamber allele in a mutT background that was attributed to RNA errors. We find that Lac+ revertants can completely account for the increase in β-galactosidase levels in mutT lacZamber cultures, without invoking participation of transient transcription errors. Moreover, we observe a fluctuation type of distribution of β-galactosidase appearance in a growing culture, consistent with Lac+ DNA revertant events. We conclude that the absence of MutT produces a DNA mutator but does not equally create an RNA mutator.
A mechanism for the initiation of allergen-induced T helper type 2 responses

Both metazoan parasites and simple protein allergens induce T helper type 2 (TH2) immune responses, but the mechanisms by which the innate immune system senses these stimuli are unknown. In addition, the cellular source of cytokines that control TH2 differentiation in vivo has not been defined. Here we showed that basophils were activated and recruited to the draining lymph nodes specifically in response to TH2-inducing allergen challenge. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the basophil was the accessory cell type required for TH2 induction in response to protease allergens. Finally, we show that basophils were directly activated by protease allergens and produced TH2-inducing cytokines, including interleukin 4 and thymic stromal lymphopoietin, which are involved in TH2 differentiation in vivo.
Introducing Substance Abuse Prevention to the Faith Community

The purpose of this project was to establish a linkage with the faith community in order to determine the special needs of seminaries in regard to incorporating substance abuse prevention into their curricula. An advisory committee was formed by working with representatives from each of ten theological seminaries in northeast Kansas, western Missouri, and southern Iowa. Information gained from this collaboration was used to individualize a 2-day training program for: (1) gaining awareness of personal attitudes toward substance abuse; (2) increasing understanding of the impact of substance abuse on the individual, the family, and the community; (3) developing an understanding of the dynamics within functional and dysfunctional families; (4) expanding understanding of the physiological effects of alcohol and other drugs; and (5) focusing on individual, family, and community strategies for prevention. Pretests and posttests were administered using the Substance Abuse Attitude Survey and the Baseline Training...
OBSERVATIONS ON THE INFECTION OF CHICK EMBRYOS WITH BACTERIUM TULARENSE, BRUCELLA, AND PASTEURELLA PESTIS

1. Comparison of the infections of chick embryos by the chorio-allantoic route indicates that Bacterium tularense and Brucella suis, abortus , and melitensis exhibit varying degrees of facultative intracellular parasitism. Pasteurella pestis is adapted to rapid proliferation and spread in the intercellular fluids. 2. In the early stages of infection Bacterium tularense has a marked affinity for growth within ectodermal epithelial cells. Brucella suis and Brucella abortus differ in their selectivity for cells of mesodermal derivation and especially in their effect on vascular endothelium. The strain of Brucella melitensis studied is limited in its intracellular growth to ectodermal epithelium. 3. Many of the features characteristic of these infections in the natural hosts are reproduced in the chick embryo and its membranes. 4. The possible implications regarding the differences in behavior of these microorganisms in relation to the problem of infection and pathogenesis of these diseases are discussed.
Sensitivities of Cryospheric Models to Insolation and Temperature Variations Using a Surface Energy Balance

A zonally averaged dynamic continental ice sheet model and a thermodynamic sea ice model are used to examine the sensitivity of the cryosphere to variations in insolation and temperature on Milankovitch time scales. These models use an energy balance parameterization of the net budget of accumulation and ablation. Continental ice sheet model results indicate that, with the present zonally averaged energy balance calculation, an ice sheet, once formed, fluctuates little in latitudinal extent. Sea ice model results indicate the magnitude of the energy exchange between the ocean and atmosphere can vary greatly between ice-covered and ice-free conditions.
Magnetic alignment and orientational order of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine bilayers containing palmitoyllsyophosphatidylcholine

Abstract Mixed bilayers of 1-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (palmitoyllysophosphatidylcholine; PaLPC) and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn- glycero-3-phosphocholine (dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine; DPPC) have been investigated by 2H-NMR and 31P-NMR spectroscopy. Binary phospholipid mixtures were studied in which the acyl chains of one or the other component were perdeuterated. At temperatures below the main order-disorder phase transition, the mixed PaLPC/DPPC bilayers appear to coexist with PaLPC micelles. The micelles disappear at temperatures above the phase transition, where mixed bilayers in the liquid-crystalline state are formed. The orientational order of the alkyl chains of the PaLPC component is essentially identical to that of the DPPC component in the mixed bilayers, both in the low temperature and liquid-crystalline phase. However, the presence of PaLPC perturbs the segmental ordering of DPPC as compared to the pure system. The order is increased in the low-temperature phase, where effective diffusion of the chains about their long axes occurs, but is decreased in the liquid-crystalline phase compared to pure DPPC bilayers. The mixed liquid-crystalline bilayers orient preferentially with their director axes perpendicular to the magnetic field. This alignment is easily observed in 31P- and 2H-NMR spectra, where the intensity of the perpendicular edges of the lineshapes is pronounced. One possible explanation of the magnetic alignment involves alteration of the curvature free energy of the DPPC bilayer due to incorporation of PaLPC in the mixed membranes.
Has the Private University a Future? (1976)

I have been reading about Tulane University in the history, written by John P. Dyer, which Mr. Cowin caused to be sent to me. I learned there that in the years 1905–1912 Tulane conferred sixteen doctorates, of which fifteen were honorary. That makes me a little uneasy. In fact, in a work of mine now so far along toward publication that when your President called by telephone it was already too late to stop the presses, I wrote While once the title of “doctor” meant teacher, now the “earned” doctorate is become a formal statement of what the candidate need not know, and its award, like freedom of a guild, makes him formally free to stop learning, while the “honorary” doctorate is most often a certificate that learning has never begun. That being so, you will, I hope, forgive whatever I say now as being just the sort of thing that uneducated folk do say.
Characterization of the Functional Domains on the C-terminal Region of Caldesmon Using Full-length and Mutant Caldesmon Molecules

A series of C-terminal deletion mutants of chicken gizzard smooth muscle caldesmon (CaD) were made using a polymerase chain reaction cloning strategy and a baculovirus expression system, and the precise locations of the functional domains of CaD involved in the regulation of actomyosin ATPase and the binding of actin, tropomyosin, and calmodulin were analyzed. Our results reveal a high affinity calmodulin-binding domain that consists of at least three calmodulin-binding determinants localized in residues 690-717, 658-689, and 628-657. The residues between positions 718 and 756 and positions 598 and 627 have no detectable calmodulin-binding site. A high affinity tropomyosin-binding domain is located between residues 718 and 756. The 159 residues at the C terminus of CaD contain multiple actin-binding determinants; the major ones are localized in the regions between residues 718 and 756 and residues 690 and 717. The amino acid residues between positions 718 and 756 contain the major determinant involved in the inhibition of the actin activation of smooth muscle myosin ATPase since CaD-(1-717) caused only 30% of the inhibition produced by the full-length CaD. Further deletion between residues 690 and 717 (CaD-(1-689) revealed a low level (10% of that seen for full-length CaD) of inhibition of the actomyosin ATPase. These data clearly demonstrate that the region of the last 66 amino acid residues at the CaD C terminus contains two or more major actin-binding motifs, one tropomyosin-binding domain, one high affinity calmodulin-binding determinant, and the domain that is responsible for the inhibition of the actin-activated ATPase of myosin.
Elements of Designing for Cost

During recent history in the United States, government systems development has been performance driven. As a result, systems within a class have experienced exponentially increasing cost over time in fixed year dollars. Moreover, little emphasis has been placed on reducing cost. This paper defines designing for cost and presents several tools which, if used in the engineering process, offer the promise of reducing cost. Although other potential tools exist for designing for cost, this paper focuses on rules of thumb, quality function deployment, Taguchi methods, concurrent engineering, and activity based costing. Each of the se tools has been demonstrated to reduce cost if used within the engineering process.
Wavelet based multi-scale shape features on arbitrary surfaces for cortical thickness discrimination

Hypothesis testing on signals defined on surfaces (such as the cortical surface) is a fundamental component of a variety of studies in Neuroscience. The goal here is to identify regions that exhibit changes as a function of the clinical condition under study. As the clinical questions of interest move towards identifying very early signs of diseases, the corresponding statistical differences at the group level invariably become weaker and increasingly hard to identify. Indeed, after a multiple comparisons correction is adopted (to account for correlated statistical tests over all surface points), very few regions may survive. In contrast to hypothesis tests on point-wise measurements, in this paper, we make the case for performing statistical analysis on multi-scale shape descriptors that characterize the local topological context of the signal around each surface vertex. Our descriptors are based on recent results from harmonic analysis, that show how wavelet theory extends to non-Euclidean settings (i.e., irregular weighted graphs). We provide strong evidence that these descriptors successfully pick up group-wise differences, where traditional methods either fail or yield unsatisfactory results. Other than this primary application, we show how the framework allows performing cortical surface smoothing in the native space without mappint to a unit sphere.
Exploring the Peer Review Process: What is it, Does it Work, and Can it Be Improved?

Abstract Though peer review is central to science, the process itself has received little formal evaluation. Here we provide an Overview to the literature on the peer-review process. Peer review has its drawbacks, including financial cost, time, reliability, and potential biases. An important gap in our knowledge is whether the process works. Although most manuscripts show some improvement after peer review, reviewers often disagree, and errors can escape the process. To date, we do not know whether papers published with peer review are generally improved over those without. Most journals use a single-blind approach (author blind to reviewers), whereas others use a double-blind approach, and a few use an open approach. Biases toward authors (institutional, geographic, gender) apparently exist in some fields. Unlike the formal training we receive in fisheries research and management, no formal training process exists for peer review—without mentoring, how are new reviewers produced? Based on our literature...
Characterization of the active centers in the cationic polymerization of p‐substituted α‐methylstyrenes

Polymer tacticity, molecular weight and molecular weight distribution were used as the basis for characterizing the type of active centers present in the cationic polymerization α-methylstyrene monomers. The affect of reaction solvent polarity and the resonance effects of para-substituents were used to deduce the nature of, and changes in, the ion pair character of the carbocation active center. For this purpose, the polymer yield, tacticity and molecular weight parameters were determined in the cationic polymerization reactions of p-chloro and p-fluoro-α-methylstyrene. The dielectric constant of the reaction medium was varied by using mixtures of methylene chloride and either hexane, a non-solvent for the polymers, or toluene, a good solvent for the polymers. For both solvent systems, the yields and molecular weights of the polymers from both of the monomers were strongly effected by reaction time and solvent composition. Also, for both monomers, tacticity did not change with reaction time, and for the p-fluoro monomer tacticity was constant with changes in reaction solvent composition in both mixed solvent systems. In contrast, the tacticities of the polymers from the p-chloro monomer decreased with increasing amounts of the non-polar solvent in the mixture. The tacticity effects induced by reaction solvent changes are interpreted on the basis of the electronic effects of the para-substituents on changing the ion pair character of the carbocation active center. The effect of solvent composition on polymer yield and molecular weight may be a function of changes in the rates of initiation, propagation and monomer transfer, with the latter two also determined by the ion pair character of the carbocation active end group.
The Cdk4-E2f1 pathway regulates early pancreas development by targeting Pdx1+ progenitors and Ngn3+ endocrine precursors

Cell division and cell differentiation are intricately regulated processes vital to organ development. Cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) are master regulators of the cell cycle that orchestrate the cell division and differentiation programs. Cdk1 is essential to drive cell division and is required for the first embryonic divisions, whereas Cdks 2, 4 and 6 are dispensable for organogenesis but vital for tissue-specific cell development. Here, we illustrate an important role for Cdk4 in regulating early pancreas development. Pancreatic development involves extensive morphogenesis, proliferation and differentiation of the epithelium to give rise to the distinct cell lineages of the adult pancreas. The cell cycle molecules that specify lineage commitment within the early pancreas are unknown. We show that Cdk4 and its downstream transcription factor E2f1 regulate mouse pancreas development prior to and during the secondary transition. Cdk4 deficiency reduces embryonic pancreas size owing to impaired mesenchyme development and fewer Pdx1+ pancreatic progenitor cells. Expression of activated Cdk4R24C kinase leads to increased Nkx2.2+ and Nkx6.1+ cells and a rise in the number and proliferation of Ngn3+ endocrine precursors, resulting in expansion of the β cell lineage. We show that E2f1 binds and activates the Ngn3 promoter to modulate Ngn3 expression levels in the embryonic pancreas in a Cdk4-dependent manner. These results suggest that Cdk4 promotes β cell development by directing E2f1-mediated activation of Ngn3 and increasing the pool of endocrine precursors, and identify Cdk4 as an important regulator of early pancreas development that modulates the proliferation potential of pancreatic progenitors and endocrine precursors.
Oocyte development in cattle: physiological and genetic aspects

Oocytes in cattle are formed during embryogenesis and develop within individual follicles in the cortex of the ovary. Dormant primordial follicles become active and undergo progressive development at regular intervals commencing during the late fetal stage and continuing throughout adulthood. Once activated, follicles and oocytes in a cohort either grow to maturation and ovulation or undergo atresia, ultimately depleting the ovaries of germ cells. It takes an estimated 100 days for a follicle and its oocyte to reach the mature ovulatory stage. Within an individual, number of follicles in one ovary is similar to number in the other ovary; however, there are large differences among individuals in total number of follicles present in both ovaries. In follicles that are recruited into the preovulatory pool, the fluid filled antrum enlarges and growth can be monitored by ultrasonography. Preovulatory follicles grow in waves rather than in a continuous stream, and number of follicles detected in a wave is related positively to number of microscopic follicles populating the ovarian cortex. Number of follicles in a wave is highly repeatable and the estimated heritability of number of follicles in heifers is approximately 0.35. Monitoring preovulatory follicle numbers by ultrasonography can be used to identify females that produce more embryos following superovulation or more natural twin births. Number of follicles in a wave can be influenced by energy balance and exogenous hormones, and quality of oocytes within those follicles can be influenced environmental factors, hormones and vitamins. The potential exists to increase genetic progress through repeatedly harvesting oocytes from preovulatory follicles of genetically superior females.
Rapid shoot regeneration in industrial ‘high starch’ sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) genotypes

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is an important crop in North Carolina with annual production of 0.33 million tons, accounting for 37% of total US supply (USDA, Louisiana Farm Reporter 8(12), August 2008). To target industrial use, novel high-starch industrial-type varieties that contain more than 30% dry matter were developed by conventional breeding methods. In vitro cultures from selected genotypes were established using meristem culture. To establish regeneration procedures that could be coupled with transformation experiments, conditions for the induction of rapid shoot-organogenesis in leaf explants were compared using varying concentrations of the auxins ‘NAA’, ‘IAA’, ‘2,4-D’, and ‘4-FA’ either alone or in combination with zeatin riboside. Regeneration efficiencies, defined as the number of explants developing shoots out of the total number tested, were as high as 57% for the best genotypes, with a significant genotype-dependent response observed in all the hormone regimes evaluated. In all treatments, shoot regeneration was observed within 2 months. Our results led to the establishment of optimized in vitro regeneration procedures for the novel high-starch sweetpotato (SP) genotypes ‘DM01-158’, ‘FTA94’, ‘FT489’, and ‘PDM P4’ that are rapid and reliable.
Host race or species? Allozyme characterization of the ‘flowering dogwood fly’, a member of the Rhagoletis pomonella complex

The term 'flowering dogwood fly' has been used in the literature for a poorly understood member of the Rhagoletis pomonella sibling species complex infesting the fruits of flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). Electrophoretic analysis of 17 allozyme loci in 21 populations reveals significant frequency differences between the flowering dogwood fly and its closest relative the apple maggot fly, R. pomonella, and between it and the somewhat more distant 'sparkleberry fly'. Frequency differences between the flowering dogwood fly and R. pomonella are as great as 0.817 in the north, but are less in the south, with a maximum difference at one site of only 0.328. No fixed allozyme differences distinguish the flowering dogwood fly anywhere; its only consistent, unique feature is the highest frequency of Aat-259 in the pomonella species group. Population structure of the flowering dogwood fly is moderate with FST=0.084 and fewer latitudinal clines than R. pomonella. The conclusion from the allozyme and life history data is that the flowering dogwood fly is a species, although some interspecific gene flow may be occurring. Additional issues discussed include how to estimate interspecific gene flow when genetic markers are under divergent selection, the appropriate species concept when there is gene flow, and the future of the flowering dogwood fly in the face of the dogwood anthracnose epidemic. The possible utility of a new species concept for phytophagous insects, using as a criterion the capacity of a host race to regenerate the ancestral population, is also discussed.
Risk Analysis for Environmental Health Triage

The Homeland Security Act mandates the development of a national, risk-based system to support planning for, response to, and recovery from emergency situations involving large-scale toxic exposures. To prepare for and manage consequences effectively, planners and responders need not only to identify zones of potentially elevated individual risk but also to predict expected casualties. Emergency response support systems now define "consequences" by mapping areas in which toxic chemical concentrations do or may exceed Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs) or similar guidelines. However, because AEGLs do not estimate expected risks, current unqualified claims that such maps support consequence management are misleading. Intentionally protective, AEGLs incorporate various safety/uncertainty factors depending on the scope and quality of chemical-specific toxicity data. Some of these factors are irrelevant, and others need to be modified, whenever resource constraints or exposure-scenario complexities require responders to make critical trade-off (triage) decisions in order to minimize expected casualties. AEGL-exceedance zones cannot consistently be aggregated, compared, or used to calculate expected casualties and so may seriously misguide emergency response triage decisions. Methods and tools well established and readily available to support environmental health protection are not yet developed for chemically-related environmental health triage. Effective triage decisions involving chemical risks require a new assessment approach that focuses on best estimates of likely casualties, rather than on upper plausible bounds of individual risk. If risk-based consequence management is to become a reality, federal agencies tasked with supporting emergency response must actively coordinate to foster new methods that can support effective environmental health triage.
Culture Clashes At Mehta Investment Group: A Case Study

The case study is about a small multinational financial investment firm located in England with over $43 millions in net profit and employs over 500 people. Thirteen employees of the firm have complained about the display of a “Swastika” by co-workers in the workplace. The company is faced with the challenges associated with diverse workforce with different nationalities, cultural values, and religious beliefs, and legal complications in the European Union.
Evaluating the efficacy of environmental legislation: A case study from the US marine mammal Take Reduction Planning process

Abstract There have been limited efforts to evaluate the efficacy of environmental management programs, in part because environmental legislation often lacks objective, quantifiable criteria to use in such assessments. Here we evaluate the ecological outcomes of an important element of one well-known environmental statute, the US Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), using take reduction planning as a case study. Take reduction planning is mandated by the MMPA as a means to reduce mortality of marine mammals in US fisheries to below statutory thresholds. We used data from formal Stock Assessment Reports to assess and rank the success of five Take Reduction Plans (Harbor Porpoise, Bottlenose Dolphin, Atlantic Large Whale, Pelagic Longline, and Pacific Offshore Cetacean) in mitigating the bycatch of 15 marine mammal stocks. In general, Take Reduction Plans have had an uneven record of meeting their statutory requirements. Successful plans were characterized by straightforward regulations and high rates of compliance. Unsuccessful plans covered marine mammal–fisheries interactions in the northeastern US, had low compliance with complex regulations and sometimes focused on very small stocks. This study emphasizes the importance of requiring legally mandated, quantitative metrics and long-term monitoring programs to evaluate the efficacy of a well-known element of an established environmental management program.
Copolymerizations of esters and glycerides of unsaturated C18 fatty acids with ethyl acrylate and acrylonitrile

This work was undertaken to assay the possibilities of making useful copolymers from linseed and similar oils. Methyl esters of linoleic, conjugated linoleic, linolenic, and alkali-cyclized linolenic acid have been copolymerized with ethyl acrylate at 60C and monomer reactivity ratios have been determined. In comparison with benzene or methyl stearate as inert diluents, all of these esters and several glycerides with conjugated or unconjugated unsaturation, and also 3,5,7-decatriene as a model compound, retard the polymerization of ethyl acrylate. Methyl eleostearate and the decatriene are unusually strong retarders of polymerizations of styrene, acrylonitrile, and ethyl acrylate, increasing retardation in the order given. Several experiments on copolymerizations of acrylonitrile with linseed oil at 60–130C show that the copolymerizations which incorporate much oil in the copolymer are slow but that the isolated copolymers have good drying and film-forming properties.
A Decade of Field Trials in the Panhandle of Oklahoma and the Development of ZenSeis

Summary ConocoPhillips has spent the last decade in the field developing a high production Vibroseis acquisition technique based upon the concepts of point source, point receiver acquisition combined with high fold and simultaneous sourcing. This technology is the result of many field experiments and production 3D’s. The methodology has now been used to acquire over one thousand square miles of very high fold 3D seismic data. The purpose of our paper is to document some of the field experiments and touch upon the lessons and conclusions learned in the field. This paper will also set the stage for additional papers that will deal with the analysis of the test results and the production 3D’s that were acquired with this new method.
Cysteine S-conjugates activate transcription factor NF-kappa B in cultured renal epithelial cells

Activation of NF-kappa B by the nephrotoxic and cytotoxic cysteine S-conjugate S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (DCVC) was investigated in porcine kidney-derived LLC-PK1 cells. DCVC induced binding of nuclear proteins to an NF-kappa B consensus oligonucleotide from the immunoglobulin kappa-light chain enhancer region, as determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and the activated proteins were identified as the p50/RelA heterodimeric complex of NF-kappa B. Transient transfection experiments with a kappa B-controlled luciferase reporter construct showed that the NF-kappa B complex activated by DCVC was transcriptionally active. NF-kappa B transactivation was blocked by inhibition of DCVC bioactivation with the cysteine conjugate beta-lyase inhibitor (aminooxy)acetic acid, by the antioxidants N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine and N-acetyl-L-cysteine, and by the protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine. The cysteine S-conjugates S-(2-bromo-2-chloro-1,1-difluoroethyl)-L-cysteine and S-(2-chloro-1,1,2-...
43 OUTCOME TRENDS OF INFANTS WEIGHING LESS THAN 800 GRAMS AT BIRTH.

Advancing neonatal technology and the refining expertise in perinatal and NICU management have led to the improved survival of extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW). In four separate reports, we have examined the outcome of infants born weighting less than 800 g admitted to the University of Washington NICU in Seattle. In these studies, mortality declined from 80% (1977-1980) to 64% (1983-1985) to 50% (1986-1990) and 53% (1991-1995) with no significant difference in the prevalence of major neurosensory disabilities in survivors. In this fifth cohort (1996-2000) we further examine the mortality and morbidity of this unique population and describe ELBW outcome trends over a near 25-year period. From 1996 to 2000, a total of 200 newborns weighing less than 800 g were admitted to the University of Washington NICU, compared with 208 (1991-1995), 206 (1986-1990), 128 (1983-1985), and 95 (1977-1980). One hundred ten (55%) survived to discharge compared with 97(47%) (1990-1995), 104 (50%) (1986-1990); 46 (36%) (1983-1985), and 18 (20%) (1977-1980). Mean birth weight of the survivors was 689 g (484-799) compared with 705 g (499-798) (1990-1995), 695 g (457-799) (1986-1990), 706 g (540-790) (1983-1985), and 730 g (595-780) (1977-1980). Mean gestational age of our current cohort was 25 weeks (23-31), which is comparable to the four previous cohorts. Seventy-seven of 110 (70%) of the surviving infants in our current cohort were followed longitudinally monitoring growth, vision and hearing, neurologic status, and developmental function. The mean corrected age at follow-up was 30 months (12-72). Major neurosensory disabilities were identified in 16/76 (21%), which is not significantly different from 11/74 (15%) (1991-1995), 17/72( 23%) (1986-1990), 8/38 (21%) (1983-1985), and 3/19(19%) (1977-1980). Over the past 25 years, the survival of our ELBW infants has improved from 20 to 55%. This improved survival has occurred without an increase in the prevalence of major neurosensory disabilities.
75 AWARENESS AND PERCEPTIONS OF FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME AMONG A SEXUALLY ACTIVE POPULATION IN NEW MEXICO.

Purpose To our knowledge there are no published studies of the awareness of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) among a population known to be sexually active. We conducted a pilot study to assess the knowledge of FAS and the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure among a sexually active population and determined the various methods of educating this particular population. Methods The FAS Awareness Survey was distributed to 100 male and female patients of reproductive age at a local STD/family planning clinic in Albuquerque, NM. The survey included questions regarding demographic information, sexual activity, and alcohol and illicit drug use. We assessed their level of knowledge using the FAS knowledge score, which was based on 12 questions about prenatal alcohol exposure and FAS (≥ 70% was defined as a passing score). Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare FAS knowledge scores for demographic variables and categories of risky sexual behavior and substance use. Results The median FAS knowledge score was 83% and 25% of the patients scored below 70%. There were no statistically significant differences associated with age and gender. Knowledge differences were close to statistically significant for race/ethnicity (p = .07) and marital status (p = .06) and were statistically significant for education (p = .02). Those who engaged in risky sexual behavior showed no difference in their knowledge of FAS when compared to individuals in the study who engaged in less risky sexual practices. Alcohol use was significantly associated with FAS knowledge (p = .02), but illicit drug use was not statistically significant. The most commonly reported sources of information about FAS included friends, radio, social workers, and billboards. Conclusion We found significant differences in knowledge about FAS and prenatal alcohol exposure related to education and alcohol use. Further studies need to be conducted to evaluate these variables in other populations.
The Circulation of Earth’s AtmosphereOpen image in new window

The circulation of the atmosphere and ocean try to adjust the regional and local inequalities of Earth’s energy balance.
Experimental assessment of performance characteristics for pitching flexible propulsors

Abstract Using a flexible hydrodynamic foil that pitches to produce thrust, the most pertinent aspects of a fish-like propulsion system are replicated in a controlled environment. The pitching and flexing combination creates a hydroelastic coupling in which the fluid and flexible foil simultaneously affect each other's behavior. The project investigated relationships for the propulsors’ thrust and efficiency performance to gain a better understanding of the dynamic interaction with the surrounding fluid. The analysis was conducted through reduction of the measured force and torque data. The experiments took place in a large recirculating water channel, using full span flexible propulsor models and a higher Reynolds number than previous flexible propulsor experiments. The propulsor pitched about a fixed axis at its quarter chord, with a six-axis load cell measuring the forces and torques on the shaft. The efficiency of the propulsor and the Coefficients of Thrust and Lift are presented as functions of both Strouhal Number and Stiffness Coefficient. The ensemble data will facilitate the engineering of fish-like propulsion systems for future application of this technology.
A unified beam theory with strain gradient effect and the von Kármán nonlinearity

In this paper, the governing equations and finite element formulations for a microstructure-dependent unified beam theory with the von Karman nonlinearity are developed. The unified beam theory includes the three familiar beam theories (namely, Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, Timoshenko beam theory, and third-order Reddy beam theory) as special cases. The unified beam formulation can be used to facilitate the development of general finite element codes for different beam theories. Nonlocal size-dependent properties are introduced through classical strain gradient theories. The von Karman nonlinearity which accounts for the coupling between extensional and bending responses in beams with moderately large rotations but small strains is included. Equations for each beam theory can be deduced by setting the values of certain parameters. Newton's iterative scheme is used to solve the resulting nonlinear set of finite element equations. The numerical results show that both the strain gradient theory and the von Karman nonlinearity have a stiffening effect, and therefore, reduce the displacements. The influence is more prominent in thin beams when compared to thick beams.
Excessive leverage and firm performance in competitive casino markets

As competition and interest rates continue to rise, it becomes more critical to understand how leveraging in a competitive market will impact casino firms whose returns are sensitive to changes in ...
Oedipal God: The Chinese Nezha and His Indian Origins

Nezha 哪吒, the Buddhist guardian god Vaiśravaṇa's third son, was a preternaturally strong child who, in a fit of boyish mischief, killed a dragon king's heir. Vaiśravaṇa blamed his son for this crim...
Genome‐wide survey in African Americans demonstrates potential epistasis of fitness in the human genome

The role played by epistasis between alleles at unlinked loci in shaping population fitness has been debated for many years and the existing evidence has been mainly accumulated from model organisms. In model organisms, fitness epistasis can be systematically inferred by detecting nonindependence of genotypic values between loci in a population and confirmed through examining the number of offspring produced in two-locus genotype groups. No systematic study has been conducted to detect epistasis of fitness in humans owing to experimental constraints. In this study, we developed a novel method to detect fitness epistasis by testing the correlation between local ancestries on different chromosomes in an admixed population. We inferred local ancestry across the genome in 16,252 unrelated African Americans and systematically examined the pairwise correlations between the genomic regions on different chromosomes. Our analysis revealed a pair of genomic regions on chromosomes 4 and 6 that show significant local ancestry correlation (P-value = 4.01 × 10-8 ) that can be potentially attributed to fitness epistasis. However, we also observed substantial local ancestry correlation that cannot be explained by systemic ancestry inference bias. To our knowledge, this study is the first to systematically examine evidence of fitness epistasis across the human genome.
EMI reduction of PMSM drive through matrix converter controlled with wide band gap switches

An innovative method in reducing the electromagnetic interference of electric machine drives has been proposed in this paper. In this method, matrix converter with wide band gap switches is used for controlling the permanent magnet synchronous machine drive. This control system not only make the controlling smooth but also have the capability to reduce the electromagnetic interference, since the switching frequency is controlled through the higher resolution technique. In this method, Finite element analysis of the PMSM is implemented and coupled with the Matlab Simulink simulation. In addition to the modeling, numerical simulation for two different wide band gap switch i.e. Silicon (Si) IGBT and Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFET carried out and compared the results in simulation and experiment. The results of the proposed equivalent source models show that ripple in torque and speed response as well as harmonics in stator current for SiC-MOSFET is less than Si-IGBT. The electromagnetic implication of this study is that with the proposed equivalent model, the radiated and conducted electromagnetic interference are reduced.
286 MEASUREMENT OF ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE SAFETY BEHAVIORS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES.

Background All-terrain vehicle (ATV) injury in children is an increasing and serious problem. Accurately measuring ATV use patterns is challenging because ATVs are often used in rural isolated areas. Observation of real-time use patterns and safety behaviors is important to fully develop community-based injury prevention strategies and interventions. Methods Observational surveys similar to those used in car seat injury prevention campaigns were developed and piloted in high-risk rural areas of Arkansas. Three methods of sampling were used by local volunteers: direct interviews at stationary observation posts (M1), direct interviews by ATV users at random locations (M2), and indirect observation in high ATV use locations (M3). Survey volume and quality using these methods were tracked, along with risk factors demonstrated by ATV users. Results A total of 303 observational surveys of ATV safety were obtained over a 3-month period. Surveys were completed under all three methods, including M1: n = 24, 7.9%; M2: n = 85, 28.1%; and M3: n = 194, 64%. Use of an observation station was low yield due to problems coordinating volunteer schedules and unpredictable weather. Indirect observation was found to be quickest and easiest for the volunteers and less intrusive than direct interview. Risky ATV use patterns included frequent exposure to full-size ATVs by children n = 101, 35.6%), riding with passengers ( n = 101, 35.6%), and low use of helmets ( n = 32, 10.6%) or any other safety equipment ( n = 161, 53.1%). Conclusions Brief observational surveys can be effectively used to document ATV safety behavior and demonstrate impact of interventions, particularly in rural environments. Flexibility in sampling methods and use of community volunteers in different settings has provided valuable information on high-risk ATV use. These methods can form the basis for larger interventions for ATV injury prevention.
Persistent Models for Complex Control Systems

We use smooth orthogonal decomposition (SOD) as a multivariate analysis method to obtain a reduced order model for an example of a complex nonlinear control system.We evaluate the robustness of the reduced order models. Our results show that SOD-based reduced control models are able to reduce the computation time of the actual system.