cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nickel-boron nanolayer evolution on boron carbide particle surfaces during thermal treatment

Abstract This study is focused on reduction of Ni 2 O 3 and B 2 O 3 in the Ni–B nanolayer on B 4 C particle surfaces and understanding of the nanolayer composition and morphology changes. Initially, the nanolayer contains Ni 2 O 3 , B 2 O 3 , and amorphous boron. After 400 °C thermal treatment in a H 2 –Ar atmosphere, Ni 2 O 3 is reduced to nickel; the nanolayer morphology is maintained and the coated particles demonstrate magnetism. As the thermal treatment temperature is increased to 550 °C, B 2 O 3 is reduced to boron, which reacts with nickel and forms Ni 2 B. Simultaneously, the nanolayer evolves into nanoparticles. Thermal treatment temperature increase to 700–900 °C only causes Ni 2 B particle growth but does not fundamentally change the composition or phase.
Folded chain crystallization of thermotropic, random terpolymer, main chain liquid crystal polymers

Single crystals, suitable for electron microscopy and diffraction, have been grown from the quiescent and sheared “liquid crystal” state and solution for several random terpolymer polyesters having a nearly equimolar amount of a flexible segment dicarboxylate (4–7 CH2), oxybenzoate and dioxyphenyl. In all cases, in thin films and on free surfaces, folded chain lamellae are observed. High temperature electron diffraction has permitted characterization of the transition behavior and structure of the liquid crystal state. Permanganate etching permitted characterization of the interior of molded, extruded or spun samples; in these cases extended chain lamellae are observed. The results suggest chain folding in the nematic state at least in the thin films and on surfaces, with chain folding also possible in the bulk followed by chain extension by “sliding” diffusion.
The effect of adrenergic blocking agents (including chlorpromazine) on serum lipid levels of patients with disorders of fat metabolism.

Abstract The effect of four drugs on serum cholesterol, phospholipid and total lipid values was studied in 13 patients with a variety of disorders of fat metabolism. Reductions of 25 per cent or more from mean control values as compared with mean treatment values were considered significant. Reductions of less than 25 per cent but more than 10 per cent were considered to be equivocal. Five of 12 patients treated with chlorpromazine obtained significant reductions in two or more lipid fractions. Five other patients treated with the same drug obtained equivocal reductions. Nine trials of three other drugs were made in 5 patients. One of 4 patients treated with Hydergine had an equivocal reduction in two or more serum lipid fractions. One patient of 2 treated with Regitine obtained a significant reduction. The other obtained an equivocal reduction. One patient of 2 treated with Dibenzyline obtained a significant reduction. The other obtained an equivocal reduction. One patient treated with consecutive course of Hydergine and Regitine obtained an equivocal reduction in serum lipids. The chief pharmacologie effect which these drugs possess in common is their adrenergic blocking action. Chlorpromazine, while not necessarily the best adrenergic blocking drug, appeared to produce the most consistent effects. This drug was used more aggressively than the others in the majority of hospitalized patients. It is possible that the doses of the other drugs were inadequate for optimum effects. It has been postulated that epinephrine plays a role in the mobilization of fat in human beings, which was previously suggested by studies in animals. However, other pharmacologie actions of the drugs tested could have caused the changes observed. At present these observations are of more physiologic interest than therapeutic value.
Analysis of Employee and Physician Attitudes Toward Hospital Merger

Variances in employee and physician attitudes toward the desirability of merger are analyzed, controlling for age, length of service, trust in management, satisfaction with premerger conditions, an...
Purification and Characterization of an Interleukin-1β-converting Enzyme Family Protease That Activates Cysteine Protease P32 (CPP32)

CPP32, a member of the interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme (ICE) family of cysteine proteases, cleaves poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and sterol regulatory element binding proteins during apoptosis. CPP32 normally exists in the cytosol as a 32-kDa inactive precursor and only becomes activated when cells are undergoing apoptosis. The activation is a proteolytic event that generates a p20/p11 heterodimer. We report here the identification, purification, and characterization of a hamster CPP32-activating protease (CAP) that cleaves and activates CPP32. The biochemical properties of CAP suggest that it is another member of the ICE family of proteases. Purified CAP consists of two prominent polypeptides of 19 and 13 kDa. Protein sequencing revealed that CAP is derived from the hamster homolog of Mch2alpha, a member of the ICE family recently identified based on the sequence conservation among the ICE family members. CAP activity is inhibited by CrmA, a cowpox virus protein that prevents host cell apoptosis. CAP itself is also activated through proteolytic cleavage. These data are consistent with the idea that the activation of the ICE family of proteases during apoptosis proceeds through a cascade of proteolytic events.
Correlated Responses to Selection for High or Low Incidence of Tibial Dyschondroplasia in Broilers

Abstract Selection for a high or a low incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) at 7 wk of age was practiced for four generations in broiler breeders keeping an unselected control (C) line and using low intensity X-ray imaging for TD diagnosis. The incidence of TD, BW at 4 and 7 wk of age, age at first egg, and egg production for the first 12 wk of production were determined in the four generations. Age at initial semen production and semen volume and concentration of males were determined only in Generations 3 and 4. The TD scores and BW at 7 wk were collected on 1,366, 1,301, and 1,389 broilers from the C, high (H), and low (L) incidence of TD lines. Incidence of TD at 7 wk in the fourth generation was 16.1, 61.9, and 3.5% for the C, H, and L lines, respectively. There were no significant differences in BW between the H and L lines in Generations 1, 3, or 4. However, in Generation 2, the H line was heavier (P
Mutational analysis of the lambda int gene: DNA sequence of dominant mutations.

We have combined techniques of genetic and physical mapping with rapid DNA sequence analysis to identify the nucleotide change in lambda int mutations. These mutations define two dominant phenotypic classes: (i) recombination that is partially independent of accessory factors, and (ii) inhibition of wild-type Int by missense or nonsense proteins, i.e., negative complementation.
Missing in Action: The Absence of Potential African American Female Supreme Court Justice Nominees - Why This Is and What Can Be Done About It

With President Obama’s second nomination of a justice to the United States Supreme Court in less than a year, it is again disappointing to many that no African American women were seriously considered to fill the seat being vacated by a retiring justice. The absence of African American women on the short list of potential Supreme Court justice nominees highlights the lack of African American female lawyers in the higher echelons of government, private practice and academia - the pool from which Supreme Court justice nominees are selected. Our paper will explore the reasons for this dearth of African American women with the necessary “pedigree” to be seriously considered to serve as a justice on the highest court in the land. In addition to discussing racism and sexism as causes of the lack of diversity in the pool of potential nominees, our paper will explore the economic realities and work-life balance issues that have also contributed to the limited number of African American female lawyers positioned to be viable Supreme Court justice nominees. Our paper will also explore ways in which we can increase the pool, including advising African American female law students regarding scholarship and career choices that will better position them to be competitive potential Supreme Court justice nominees, and advocating for changes in the selection and confirmation processes to allow for greater inclusion of African American women in top level government and judicial positions.
Gender differences in confidence levels, group interactions, and feelings about competition in an introductory robotics course

Classroom environment influences each student's educational experience. The aim of this classroom evaluation was to gain a better understanding of how each gender functions in an introductory robotics class, where LEGOs and ROBOLAB were used as a tool to teach engineering principles and basic robotics concepts. A better understanding of how each gender performs in reaction to the classroom setup will hopefully lead to the development of a learning environment that is mutually beneficial to each gender. The course, a general freshman introduction to engineering, targeted for this evaluation required students to complete robotic challenges while working within groups and participating in design competitions. The present evaluation explored gender differences in self-confidence levels related to robotic tasks, feelings toward competitions as a component of the course, and differences in the way males and females interact within groups. Assessment was conducted through interviews, observations, and written questionnaires. Competency in robotics activities was found to be similar although males were found to be more confident of their own abilities. Both genders felt the competitions were enjoyable and integral to the atmosphere of the class. Males in the class took the competitions more seriously than did the females. Building and programming robots were thought to be their greatest areas of learning by the women. Males, on the other hand, cited working in groups and learning to compromise as the areas where they made the greatest improvements.
Integrating time-course microarray gene expression profiles with cytotoxicity for identification of biomarkers in primary rat hepatocytes exposed to cadmium

Motivation: DNA microarrays can provide information about the expression levels of thousands of genes simultaneously at the transcriptomic level, while conventional cell viability and cytotoxicity measurement methods provide information about the biological functions at the cellular level. Integrating these data at different levels provides a promising approach for evaluating or predicting how cells respond to chemical exposure. It is important to investigate the multi-scale biological system in a systematic way to better understand the gene regulation networks and signal transduction pathways involved in the cellular responses to environmental factors. Results: Primary rat hepatocytes were exposed to cadmium acetate at 0, 1.25 and 2 μM. mRNA expression profiles at 0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h were measured using the Affymetrix RatTox U34 GeneChip® arrays. Simultaneously, cytotoxicity was assessed by lactase dehydrogenase leakage assay. Gene expression profiles at different time points were used to evaluate cytotoxicity at subsequent time points using partial least squares, and it was found that gene expression profiles at 0 h had the best prediction accuracy for the cytotoxicity observed at 12 h. Some biomarkers whose expression profiles showed strong relationship with cytotoxicity were identified and the underlying pathways were reconstructed to illustrate how hepatocytes respond to cadmium exposure. Permutation studies were also applied to assess the reliability of the predictive models. Availability: Matlab source code is available upon request and DNA microarray data are available at GEO (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo). Contact: [email protected] Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Tighter Perceptron with improved dual use of cached data for model representation and validation

Kernel Perceptrons are represented by a subset of training points, called the support vectors, and their associated weights. To address the issue of unlimited growth in model size during training, budget kernel perceptrons maintain the fixed number of support vectors and thus achieve the constant update time and space complexity. In this paper, a new kernel perceptron algorithm for online learning on a budget is proposed. Following the idea of Tighter Perceptron, upon exceeding the budget, the algorithm removes the support vector with the minimal impact on classification accuracy. To optimize memory use, instead on maintaining a separate validation data set for accuracy estimation, the proposed algorithm only uses the support vectors for both model representation and validation. This is achieved by estimating posterior class probability of each support vector and using this information in validation. The experimental results on 11 benchmark data sets indicate that the proposed algorithm is significantly more accurate than the competing budget kernel perceptrons and that it has comparable accuracy to the resource unbounded perceptrons, including the original kernel perceptron and the Tighter Perceptron that uses whole training data set for validation.
Quantitative Analysis of Forest Fragmentation in the Atlantic Forest Reveals More Threatened Bird Species than the Current Red List

Habitat loss and attendant fragmentation threaten the existence of many species. Conserving these species requires a straightforward and objective method that quantifies how these factors affect their survival. Therefore, we compared a variety of metrics that assess habitat fragmentation in bird ranges, using the geographical ranges of 127 forest endemic passerine birds inhabiting the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. A common, non-biological metric — cumulative area of size-ranked fragments within a species range — was misleading, as the least threatened species had the most habitat fragmentation. Instead, we recommend a modified version of metapopulation capacity. The metric links detailed spatial information on fragment sizes and spatial configuration to the birds’ abilities to occupy and disperse across large areas (100,000+ km2). In the Atlantic Forest, metapopulation capacities were largely bimodal, in that most species’ ranges had either low capacity (high risk of extinction) or high capacity (very small risk of extinction). This pattern persisted within taxonomically and ecologically homogenous groups, indicating that it is driven by fragmentation patterns and not differences in species ecology. Worryingly, we found IUCN considers some 28 of 58 species in the low metapopulation capacity cluster to not be threatened. We propose that assessing the effect of fragmentation will separate species more clearly into distinct risk categories than does a simple assessment of remaining habitat.
A Partial Defense of Permissivism

Permissivism is the view that sometimes an agent's total evidential state entails both that she is epistemically permitted to believe that P and that she is epistemically permitted to believe that Q, where P and Q are contradictories. Uniqueness is the denial of Permissivism. Permissivism has recently come under attack on several fronts. If these attacks are successful, then we may be forced to accept an unwelcome asymmetry between epistemic and practical rationality. In this essay I clarify the debate by distinguishing two versions (each) of Permissiveness and Uniqueness. I then respond to several recent challenges to Permissivism in an attempt to even the score between Permissivism and Uniqueness. I will also respond to a worry – arising out of my discussion – that a defense of Permissivism itself introduces an unwelcome asymmetry between epistemic and practical rationality.
Model-Selection for Non-parametric Function Approximation in Continuous Control Problems: A Case Study in a Smart Energy System

This paper investigates the application of value-function-based reinforcement learning to a smart energy control system, specifically the task of controlling an HVAC system to minimize energy while satisfying residents' comfort requirements. In theory, value-function-based reinforcement learning methods can solve control problems such as this one optimally. However, since choosing an appropriate parametric representation of the value function turns out to be difficult, we develop an alternative method, which results in a practical algorithm for value function approximation in continuous state-spaces. To avoid the need to carefully design a parametric representation for the value function, we use a smooth non-parametric function approximator, specifically Locally Weighted Linear Regression (LWR). LWR is used within Fitted Value Iteration (FVI), which has met with several practical successes. However, for efficiency reasons, LWR is used with a limited sample-size, which leads to poor performance without careful tuning of LWR's parameters. We therefore develop an efficient meta-learning procedure that performs online model-selection and tunes LWR's parameters based on the Bellman error. Our algorithm is fully implemented and tested in a realistic simulation of the HVAC control domain, and results in significant energy savings.
Molecular cloning and characterization of an L-epinephrine transporter from sympathetic ganglia of the bullfrog, Rana catesbiana.

Chemical signaling by dopamine (DA) and L-norepinephrine (L-NE) at synapses is terminated by uptake via specialized presynaptic transport proteins encoded by the DA transporter (DAT) and L-NE transporter (NET) genes, respectively. In some vertebrate neurons, particularly the sympathetic neurons of amphibians, L-NE is converted to L-epinephrine (L-Epi, adrenaline) and released as the primary neurotransmitter. Although evidence exists for a molecularly distinct L-Epi transporter (ET) in the vertebrate brain and peripheral nervous system, a transporter specialized for extracellular L-Epi clearance has yet to be identified. To pursue this issue, we cloned transporter cDNAs from bullfrog (Rana catesbiana) paravertebral sympathetic ganglia and characterized functional properties via heterologous expression in non-neuronal cells. A cDNA of 2514 bp (fET) was identified for which the cognate 3.1 kb mRNA is highly enriched in frog sympathetic ganglia. Sequence analysis of the fET cDNA reveals an open reading frame coding for a protein of 630 amino acids. Inferred fET protein sequence bears 75, 66, and 48% amino acid identity with human NET, DAT, and the 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter (SERT), respectively. Transfection of fET confers Na 1 - and Cl 2 -dependent catecholamine uptake in HeLa cells. Uptake of [ 3 H]-L-NE by fET is inhibited by catecholamines in a stereospecific manner. L-Epi and DA inhibit fET-mediated [ 3 H]-L-NE uptake more potently than they inhibit [ 3 H]-L-NE uptake by human NET (hNET), whereas L-NE exhibits equivalent potency between the two carriers. Moreover, fET exhibits a greater maximal velocity (Vmax) for the terminal products of catecholamine biosynthesis (L-Epi . L-NE . . DA), unlike hNET, in which a Vmax rank order of L-NE . DA . L-Epi is observed. fET-mediated transport of catecholamines is sensitive to cocaine and tricyclic antidepressants, with antagonist potencies significantly correlated with hNET inhibitor sensitivity. Amino acid conservation and divergence of fET with mammalian catecholamine transporters help define residues likely to be involved in catecholamine recognition and translocation as well as blockade by selective reuptake inhibitors.
Interaction of the Fungal Pathogen Candida albicans with Integrin CD11b/CD18: Recognition by the I Domain Is Modulated by the Lectin-Like Domain and the CD18 Subunit

Interactions of microorganisms with integrins are central to the host defense mechanisms. The leukocyte integrin CD11b/CD18 is the principal adhesion receptor on leukocytes for Candida albicans, a major opportunistic pathogen. In this study we have investigated the roles of three regions within the receptor, the inserted (I) and lectin-like domains within the CD11b subunit, and the CD18 subunit, in CD11b/CD18-C. albicans interactions. We report four major findings. 1) A mutation in CD18 exerts a dominant negative effect on the function of the CD11b/CD18 complex. This interpretation is based on the observation that in the absence of CD18, the CD11b subunit alone binds C. albicans well, but a single point mutation at Ser138 of CD18 abolishes CD11b/CD18 binding of the fungus. 2) The lectin-like domain is not sufficient for CD11b/CD18-C. albicans interactions. Rather, the lectin-like domain appears to influence CD11b/CD18 binding activity by modulating the function of the I domain. 3) The I domain is the primary binding site for C. albicans in the receptor and is sufficient to support an efficient interaction. 4) We have identified specific amino acid sequences within the I domain that engage the microorganism. Compared with other ligands of CD11b/CD18, C. albicans has some unique as well as common contact sites within the I domain of the receptor. Such unique contact sites may underlie the ability of C. albicans to modulate CD11b/CD18 function and raise the possibility for selective interference of the microorganism-host leukocyte interactions.
Changes in growth and cell wall extensibility of maize silks following pollination

In response to pollination maize silks undergo an accelerated process of senescence which involves an inhibition of elongation. To gain insight into the mechanism underlying this growth response, the relationships among silk elongation kinetics, cell wall biophysical properties, pollen tube growth, and expansin protein abundance were investigated. The inhibition of silk elongation became apparent beyond 12 h after pollination. Pollinated walls were less responsive in assays of extension induced by pollen beta-expansin. Expansin protein abundance and endogenous expansin activity were not considerably reduced after pollination. Silk wall plastic compliance was significantly reduced 6 h post-pollination and beyond, suggesting that the wall undergoes structural modifications leading to its rigidification in response to pollination. The reduction in the plastic compliance occurred locally and progressively, shortly after pollen tubes traversed through a region of silk. Though numerous pollen grains germinated and initiated pollen tubes at the silk tip, the density of pollen tubes gradually declined along the length of the silk and only 1-2 reached the ovary even 24 h after pollination. These results support the notion that pollination-induced cell wall rigidification plays multiple roles in maize reproduction, including inhibition of silk growth and prevention of polyspermy.
17 beta-estradiol maintains normal function of corpora lutea throughout pseudopregnancy in hypophysectomized rabbits.

The hypothesis was tested that the action of 17 beta-estradiol is sufficient to ensure normal luteal function in the absence of pituitary hormones. Rabbits were mated to vasectomized males to induce a normal pseudopregnancy and the next day (Day 1) hypophysectomized or sham hypophysectomized. At this time a Silastic capsule containing estradiol was inserted s.c. in all rabbits. In the presence of this implant serum estradiol values in hypophysectomized and sham-hypophysectomized animals were not different; the mean concentration for the two groups was 9 pg/ml. Measurements of serum progesterone throughout pseudopregnancy revealed essentially superimposable curves for hypophysectomized, estradiol-treated and sham-hypophysectomized, estradiol-treated animals. Further, pseudopregnancy was of normal duration in the two groups, about 17 days. Progesterone secretion was acutely dependent upon estradiol in the hypophysectomized animals, as shown by removal of the Silastic capsule on Day 10; progesterone declined from 18 ng/ml of serum to 10 ng/ml within 12 h, and by 24 h after removal of the implant was 0.5 ng/ml. Twelve-hour incubations of corpora lutea, and measurement of progesterone and 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone in medium, revealed essentially superimposable rates of production of these steroids for tissues from the hypophysectomized and sham-hypophysectomized animals. We conclude that 17 beta-estradiol satisfies the criteria for the primary luteotropic hormone in this species; further, regression of the corpora lutea is normal and predictable in the presence of estradiol. Beyond the first day following ovulation, the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) or other pituitary hormones is not required for a normal course of development, maintenance and regression of the corpora lutea.
In search of king Solomon's ring: cognitive and communicative studies of Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus).

During the past 24 years, I have used a modeling technique (M/R procedure) to train Grey parrots to use an allospecific code (English speech) referentially; I then use the code to test their cognitive abilities. The oldest bird, Alex, labels more than 50 different objects, 7 colors, 5 shapes, quantities to 6, 3 categories (color, shape, material) and uses ‘no’, ‘come here’, wanna go X’ and ‘want Y’ (X and Y are appropriate location or item labels). He combines labels to identify, request, comment upon or refuse more than 100 items and to alter his environment. He processes queries to judge category, relative size, quantity, presence or absence of similarity/difference in attributes, and show label comprehension. He semantically separates labeling from requesting. He thus exhibits capacities once presumed limited to humans or nonhuman primates. Studies on this and other Greys show that parrots given training that lacks some aspect of input present in M/R protocols (reference, functionality, social interaction) fail to acquire referential English speech. Examining how input affects the extent to which parrots acquire an allospecific code may elucidate mechanisms of other forms of exceptional learning: learning unlikely in the normal course of development but that can occur under certain conditions.
The interaction among adiabatic shear bands in simple and dipolar materials

Abstract The effect of average strain-rate on the interaction among shear bands in nonpolar and dipolar thermoviscoplastic materials has been investigated. The uniform temperature and stress fields in a block undergoing simple shearing deformations are perturbed when the body just starts deforming plastically and the governing nonlinear coupled partial differential equations are solved numerically. The temperature perturbations introduced are symmetric about the centerline of the block, and have two bumps of unequal heights on each side of the centerline. For nonpolar materials one band on either side of the centerline eventually emerges, the location of the center of the band and its width depend upon the overall strain-rate. For dipolar materials only one band situated at the center of the block forms irrespective of the applied strain-rate. The initiation of the band is significantly delayed in dipolar materials, especially at the higher overall strain-rate studied.
Climatic stress mediates the impacts of herbivory on plant population structure and components of individual fitness

Summary 1. Past studies have shown that the strength of top-down herbivore control on plant physiological performance, abundance and distribution patterns can shift with abiotic stress, but it is still unclear whether herbivores generally exert stronger effects on plants in stressful or in nonstressful environments. 2. One hypothesis suggests that herbivores’ effects on plant biomass and fitness should be strongest in stressful areas, because stressed plants are less able to compensate for herbivore damage. Alternatively, herbivores may reduce plant biomass and fitness more substantially in nonstressful areas, either because plant growth rates in the absence of herbivory are higher and/or because herbivores are more abundant and diverse in nonstressful areas. 3. We test these predictions of where herbivores should exert stronger effects by measuring individual performance, population size structure and densities of a common subshrub, Hibiscus meyeri ,i n a large-scale herbivore exclosure experiment arrayed across an aridity gradient in East Africa. 4. We find support for both predictions, with herbivores exerting stronger effects on individual-level performance in arid (stressful) areas, but exerting stronger effects on population size structure and abundance in mesic (nonstressful) areas. We suggest that this discrepancy arises from higher potential growth rates in mesic areas, where alleviation of herbivory leads to substantially more growth and thus large changes in population size structure. Differences in herbivore abundance do not appear to contribute to our results. 5. Synthesis. Our work suggests that understanding the multiple facets of plant response to herbivores (e.g. both individual performance and abundance) may be necessary to predict how plant species’ abundance and distribution patterns will shift in response to changing climate and herbivore numbers.
Debating Darfur in the World

This article compares the debates and demonstrations about Darfur that have taken place in the Sudan, the United States, and Qatar and illuminates how political violence is apprehended and cultural identities are constructed. The rallies that occurred among Sudanese inside and outside the Sudan following the 2009 indictment of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court (ICC) are particularly revealing. Examining what has been represented worldwide as the first genocide of the twenty-first century brings to light the ideologies that are expressed in impassioned political positions. Ideology, which implicitly undergirds the mixed emotions with which the ICC warrant was received, has been fundamental to the Darfur story from the start of the crisis in 2003. Describing Darfur in three distinct sociopolitical arenas, one sees various scenarios that are akin to a play with multiple actors and scenes, each of which is contextually mediated and expertly produced. The disconnections, ruptu...
A Battered Women’s Movement Perspective of Coercive Control

In Coercive Control, Evan Stark calls on battered women's activists to reorient their understanding of abusive relationships. Rather than being primarily about physical violence, he maintains, domestic violence is better conceptualized as men's attempts to destroy women's autonomy and reinstate patriarchy in intimate relationships. His analysis suggests important changes to defending battered women in court, modifications to the kinds of support services the movement provides for battered women, and changes in the laws and law enforcement regarding battering. Stark also maintains that, to end coercive control, the battered women's movement must renew its commitment not only to ensuring the safety of individual women but also to attaining the feminist goal of substantive freedom and equality for women in both public and private life. I contend that Stark's reframing of woman abuse is useful for battered women's advocates and may, in some cases but not in others, lead to more effective practices in battered women's programs. At the same time, it is likely to complicate activists' efforts to mobilize public opinion, resources, and public policy to address the problem of woman abuse.
Modeling soil depth from topographic and land cover attributes

[1] Soil depth is an important input parameter in hydrological and ecological modeling. Presently, the soil depth data available in national soil databases (STATSGO and SSURGO) from the Natural Resources Conservation Service are provided as averages within generalized land units (map units). Spatial uncertainty within these units limits their applicability for distributed modeling in complex terrain. This work reports statistical models for prediction of soil depth in a semiarid mountainous watershed that are based upon the relationship between soil depth and topographic and land cover attributes. Soil depth was surveyed by driving a rod into the ground until refusal at locations selected to represent the topographic and land cover variation in the Dry Creek Experimental Watershed near Boise, Idaho. The soil depth survey consisted of a model calibration set, measured at 819 locations over 8 subwatersheds representing topographic and land cover variability and a model testing set, measured at 130 more broadly distributed locations in the watershed. Many model input variables were developed for regression to the field data. Topographic attributes were derived from a digital elevation model. Land cover attributes were derived from Landsat remote sensing images and high-resolution aerial photographs. Generalized additive and random forests models were developed to predict soil depth over the watershed. They were able to explain about 50% of the soil depth spatial variation, which is an important improvement over the soil depth extracted from the SSURGO national soil database.
Selective laser photo-thermal therapy of epithelial carcinoma using anti-EGFR antibody conjugated gold nanoparticles

Abstract Efficient conversion of strongly absorbed light by plasmonic gold nanoparticles to heat energy and their easy bioconjugation suggest their use as selective photothermal agents in molecular cancer cell targeting. Two oral squamous carcinoma cell lines (HSC 313 and HOC 3 Clone 8) and one benign epithelial cell line (HaCaT) were incubated with anti-epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody conjugated gold nanoparticles and then exposed to continuous visible argon ion laser at 514 nm. It is found that the malignant cells require less than half the laser energy to be killed than the benign cells after incubation with anti-EGFR antibody conjugated Au nanoparticles. No photothermal destruction is observed for all types of cells in the absence of nanoparticles at four times energy required to kill the malignant cells with anti-EGFR/Au conjugates bonded. Au nanoparticles thus offer a novel class of selective photothermal agents using a CW laser at low powers. The potential of using this selective technique in molecularly targeted photothermal therapy in vivo is discussed
Laboratory Evaluation of Three Rapid, Agar-Based Assays to Assess Fungicide Sensitivity in Monilinia fructicola

Amiri, A., Scherm, H., Brannen, P. M., and Schnabel, G. 2008. Laboratory evaluation of three rapid, agar-based assays to assess fungicide sensitivity in Monilinia fructicola. Plant Dis. 92:415-420. Three rapid, agar-based assays were compared with a traditional petri dish method for assessing the sensitivity of Monilinia fructicola to propiconazole (0.3 and 2.0 µg/ml), thiophanate-methyl (1.0 and 50 µg/ml), and azoxystrobin (1.0 and 35 µg/ml) in the laboratory. The three assays were based on mycelial growth inhibition on agar disks sliced from lipbalm tubes filled with fungicide-amended potato dextrose agar (PDA), on PDA-coated cotton swabs, or in PDA-filled microcentrifuge tubes. Mycelial growth inhibition of eight previously characterized isolates (two resistant to propiconazole, two highly resistant to thiophanate-methyl, two with low levels of resistance to thiophanate-methyl, and two sensitive to all three fungicides) was determined visually 24, 48, and 72 h after inoculation. The 48-h time point was the earliest suitable time to collect data for all methods because insufficient growth was recorded in the petri dish and tube assays after 24 h. With the exception of the swab assay, all methods classified the isolates previously determined to be fungicide sensitive correctly (i.e., no fungal growth was observed for these isolates). For propiconazole-resistant isolates, the lipbalm assay resulted in levels of growth inhibition very similar to the petri dish method, whereas the swab assay and the tube assay overestimated and underestimated, respectively, the level of resistance. Both the lipbalm and the swab assays classified isolates correctly as being thiophanate-methyl resistant, and both were able to discriminate the isolates previously classified as having low versus high levels of resistance when treated with this fungicide at 50 µg/ml, as was the petri dish method. None of the eight isolates which previously were determined to be azoxystrobin sensitive grew on azoxystrobin-amended media, regardless of the assay type. Overall, the average percentage of correct isolate classifications (relative to their previously determined resistance status) on propiconazole- and thiophanate-methyl-amended media after 48 h ranged from 87.5 to 100, 85.3 to 100, 63.2 to 94.5, and 50.5 to 81.0% for the petri dish, lipbalm, swab, and tube assays, respectively. The lipbalm assay provided the most accurate assessments (85.3 to 100%) after only 24 h of incubation, supporting its use as a rapid and simple tool to monitor resistance levels in M. fructicola field populations.
Revising the Arbitration Clause in Real Estate Contracts

This article discusses arbitration clauses between buyers, sellers, and brokers. In California. CCP 1298 is preempted by 9 USC 2, but agreements, however, may still require being initialed. Brokers are cautioned on using the CAR Residential Purchase form because the arbitration clause may be ineffective.
Experimental Determination of Entropy Generation Rate Using Particle Image Velocimetry

As Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) matures, new techniques have been developed for flow analysis that exploit PIV. One such recent use is in determining the underlying mechanisms of energy losses in fluidic systems. Often times, a First Law of Thermodynamics (FLT) approach is taken to determine the energy losses in a given fluidic system. However, a Second Law of Thermodynamics (SLT) approach allows for much greater detail of the energy losses to be determined. This paper will characterize the use of experimental PIV in conjunction with the SLT at the University of Central Oklahoma. A PIV apparatus can be used to observe the flow field in a given region of interest (ROI) of a fluidic system. This paper focuses on the use of PIV in conjunction with the SLT to determine the viscous dissipation rate and entropy generation rate of specified ROIs for dividing laminar flow in square ducts. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software is employed for simulation and experimental verification. A range of Reynolds numbers in the laminar regime (1–100) are used as a basis for determining volumetric flow rates through the system that are commonly found in micro-scale applications. The ROIs investigated here cover simple flow fields, where the results are compared to known analytical solutions derived for fully-developed flow in square ducts. The ROI is then focused on areas of greater interest that are internal and adjacent to a dividing flow geometry. CFD results have been used to calculate the entropy generation rate in a given dividing flow geometry and then compared to experimental results. Experimentally-based maps of viscous dissipation rate and entropy generation rate of the system are derived for analysis of sources of entropy generation.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
The Changing Boundaries between Federal and Local Law Enforcement

This piece addresses the development of federal criminal law over the last century, from a small group of statutes protecting direct federal interests to a vast body of law that has effectively eliminated the distinction between federal crime and the conduct traditionally prosecuted by state and local authorities. Although the overlap between these hitherto separate spheres now seems virtually complete, the article argues that any account based only on substantive law would be misleading, because it fails to consider potent political and institutional limitations on federal powers. After examining these restraints, the article concludes by discussing the consequences of a system in which the boundaries between federal prosecutions and state and local prosecutions are set by the enforcers themselves, and not by Congress.
Passive underwater acoustic evolution of a calving event

Direct measurements of processes occurring at the ice–ocean boundary are difficult to acquire because of the dangerous and dynamic nature of the boundary, yet these processes are among the least well understood in glaciology. Because sound travels well through water, passive underwater acoustics offers a method to remotely sense activity at this boundary. Here we present passive acoustic measurements and spectral analysis of the evolution of a subaerial calving event and the subsequent mini-tsunami and seiche at Meares Glacier, Alaska, USA. Using two hydrophones to record sound from 1 to 40 000 Hz, we find that each phase of a calving event has distinctive spectral characteristics. An event begins with an infrasound rumble (1–20 Hz), then the ice fractures (20–100 Hz), falls and impacts the water (200–600 Hz). High-frequency (>10 000 Hz) sound increases in intensity quickly as the iceberg oscillates, creating turbulence, spray and waves. Within 10 s, the low-frequency audible sound dissipates and the mini-tsunami and seiche sounds dominate (infrasound plus high frequencies) and continue for over 10 min. The specific frequencies and duration of each phase of a calving event depend on its size and location and the glacier and fjord characteristics.
Executive orders: Symbolic politics, criminal justice policy, and the American presidency

The theory of symbolic politics is used to examine presidential executive orders related to criminal justice policy. It is hypothesized that presidents use executive orders to make more of a symbolic, rather than a substantive, statement. Data were collected from the National Archives and Records Administration on all presidential executive orders from the first Eisenhower administration (1953) through the last Clinton administration (2001). A content analysis of presidential executive orders related to crime and justice offers partial support for the claim that presidents use these executive orders primarily for evoking symbols.
Development of the Picnic Beetle, Glischrochilus quadrisignatus (Say), at Various Temperatures

The picnic beetle, Glischrochilus quadrisignatus (Say), is common in the northern U.S. and Canada (Luckmann 1963). The adults are injurious when invading fruits and vegetables and a nuisance to people outdoors, especially when attracted to foods. The beetles are beneficial when attracted to the fermenting frass of the European corn borer; entering the tunnels, the beetles displace and sometimes injure the borers, leading to a reduction of the borer population (McCoy and Brindley 1961, Carlson and Chiang 1973). Some data on the effects of temperature on development have been presented by Luckmann (1963). This report presents further data, including the threshold and thermal constant for each developmental stage.
How to Recognize and Rotate an Occiput Posterior Fetus

hen a fetus is positioned facing its mother's spine, labor and delivery are optimal. But in as many as one-quarter of all vertex presentations, the fetus is in the occiput posterior (OP) position-the back of its head is in the maternal hind pelvis. About 70% of the time, the fetus will rotate spontaneously to the occiput anterior position-with the back of its head in the maternal fore pelvis--during firstor second-stage labor(1). If it doesn't rotate anteriorly, however, a cascade of problems may ensue. For example, the long labor that accompanies ineffective contractions and slow dilation can fatigue uterine muscle and cause postpartum hemorrhage. Further, when the fetus is in the OP position, the force of the contraction is exerted
Towards automated deterministic comb generation in microresonators: Overcoming thermal shift

We present a computer automated method to generate optical frequency combs in microring resonators and measure its characteristics in fine changes in frequency detuning taking advantage of thermal red shift at thermal equilibrium points.
In-line fiber Bragg grating sensors for steel corrosion detection

A corrosion monitoring system for steel using Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors is proposed. FBG sensors were protected by hypodermic tubes and a layer of adhesive. The increase in volume caused by the presence of corrosion product introduces strain that can be monitored by FBG sensors. Experimental results showed a positive correlation between the strain and corrosion product, and the change in central wavelength has the potential to serve as an indicator for material weight loss due to corrosion.
Abstract LB-A03: AXL as a potential mediator of WEE1 inhibitor resistance in small cell lung cancer (SCLC)

Background: Wee1 is a protein kinase that plays a key role in regulating the G2 checkpoint and homologous recombination (HR) in response to DNA damage. Recent studies have demonstrated activity of the WEE1 inhibitor, AZD1775 (previously MK1775), in cancers with loss of the tumor suppressor TP53, including colon, pancreatic and breast. Hence, we hypothesize that WEE1 would be an ideal target for monotherapy in small cell lung cancer (SCLC), which is marked by ubiquitous loss of TP53. Moreover, because Wee1 inhibition induces a HR deficient state, dual targeting of Wee1 and PARP (another promising target previously identified in our group and in clinical trial testing) may induce synthetic lethality. In the present study we evaluate the efficacy of AZD1775 alone and with the PARP inhibitor, olaparib, in SCLC and investigate potential predictive biomarkers by proteomic profiling. Experimental procedures: We evaluated the gene expression of WEE1 in SCLC tumor sample (n = 23) compared to normal lung (n = 42). We then treated with AZD1775 +/- olaparib SCLC cell lines (n = 10). Drug sensitivity (IC50) was correlated with baseline expression level of 200 total or phosphorylated proteins measured by reverse phase protein array (RPPA) to identify potential predictive markers. SCLC cell lines with AZD1775 resistance (n = 3) were treated with TP0903 (10, 20, 40, 80nM) in combination with AZD1775 (0.1nM to 1uM) to test the efficacy of AXL co targeting in augmenting WEE1 inhibitor response. Results: SCLC tumors have a significantly higher gene expression level of WEE1 as compared to normal lung (p Conclusion and significance: The therapeutic options for patients with SCLC are limited and survival is poor. The WEE1 inhibitors are currently in clinical trials for SCLC. However, as with any targeted therapy, primary and secondary drug resistance is an important barrier to clinical benefit which could potentially be addressed with therapeutic combinations. In this study we show the over expression of WEE1 in SCLC and its efficacy as a single agent and in combination with olaparib. Here we also show that the activity of the WEE1 inhibitors might be limited in cancer cells overexpressing of AXL and that AXL inhibition re-sensitized the cells to AZD1775. Our work supports further exploration of the combination of PARP and WEE1 in SCLC and also the possibility of AXL inhibition as a mechanism to overcome WEE1 inhibition resistance in SCLC. Acknowledgement: This work was supported by Uniting Against Lung Cancer grant (LB). Citation Format: Triparna Sen, Pan Tong, Jennifer Hoff, C. Allison Stewart, Jing Wang, Lauren Byers. AXL as a potential mediator of WEE1 inhibitor resistance in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2015 Nov 5-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(12 Suppl 2):Abstract nr LB-A03.
PROPANE OXIDATION ACTIVITY OF SUPPORTED NANOMETER PARTICLE CATALYST

Propane oxidation experiments have been done with La-Sr-Co-Mn supported nanometer particle catalyst. By investigating the oxidation degrees of propane oxidized by the catalyst, the adaptability of the technology condition of experiment equipment has been studied. Results show that the supported nanometer particle catalyst has good adaptability to the technology condition of equipment, and the best experiment conditions are 8-10(ratio of oxygen), 1300h-1(space velocity) and 1.1% (propane concentration). There is no change in the activity of the catalyst under 1400 hours continuous operation, and it indicates that the catalyst has better stability in the range of investigating time.