cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of Ecological Risk Assessment Findings in Agency Decision-Making Regarding Oyster Restoration in Chesapeake Bay

ABSTRACT Failure of on-going management programs to restore oyster populations in Chesapeake Bay, USA, prompted state and federal agencies to consider the introduction of the non-native Asian oyster (Crassostrea ariakensis). An ecological risk assessment (ERA) of the proposed introduction was an essential element in preparation of a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS). The ERA had to assess risks of not only the proposed action (Asian oyster introduction) but also of the eight alternatives evaluated in the PEIS. The ERA suggested that the risk that the Asian oyster would not provide ecosystem services similar to those afforded by the native Eastern oyster was low, but there was moderate uncertainty associated with that conclusion. There was a non-zero risk of self-sustaining Asian oyster populations becoming established even if aquaculture with triploid, purportedly sterile Asian oysters were to be permitted. Nearly all of the risk conclusions had associated moderate to high uncertainty, no...
DEPENDENCE ON THE MOBILE-PHASE PH OF THE ADSORPTION BEHAVIOR OF PROPRANOLOL ENANTIOMERS ON A CELLULASE PROTEIN USED AS THE CHIRAL SELECTOR

We reported previously on the unusual thermodynamic characteristics of the enantioselective interactions between the enantiomers of the β-blocker propranolol and the protein cellobiohydrolase I immobilized on silica. The adsorption of the more retained enantiomer, (S)-propranolol, is endothermic while that of the (R)-propranolol is exothermic. This causes a rapid increase of the selectivity factor with increasing temperature. In this work, we study the complex dependence of the selectivity factor on the pH of the solvent. We determined the equilibrium isotherms of (R)- and (S)-propranolol in a wide concentration range (0.25 μM to 1.1 mM) at six different mobile-phase pHs (4.7, 5.0, 5.2, 5.5, 5.7, and 6.0) and fitted the data obtained to the bi-Langmuir model. This gave the saturation capacity and the binding constant of the nonselective contribution for the two enantiomers. It also gave these parameters for the enantioselective contributions of each of them. The dependence of these parameters on the pH is...
Finding the limits of power-constrained application performance

As we approach exascale systems, power is turning from an optimization goal to a critical operating constraint. With power bounds imposed by both stakeholders and the limitations of existing infrastructure, we need to develop new techniques that work with limited power to extract maximum performance. In this paper, we explore this area and provide an approach to find the theoretical upper bound of computational performance on a per-application basis in hybrid MPI + OpenMP applications. We use a linear programming (LP) formulation to optimize application schedules under various power constraints, where a schedule consists of a DVFS state and number of OpenMP threads for each section of computation between consecutive MPI calls. We also provide a more flexible mixed integer-linear (ILP) formulation and show that the resulting schedules closely match schedules from the LP formulation. Across four applications, we use our LP-derived upper bounds to show that current approaches trail optimal, power-constrained performance by up to 41.1%. This demonstrates the untapped potential of current systems, and our LP formulation provides future optimization approaches with a quantitative optimization target.
Incorporating forcing terms in cascaded lattice Boltzmann approach by method of central moments.

Cascaded lattice Boltzmann method (cascaded-LBM) employs a class of collision operators aiming to stabilize computations and remove certain modeling artifacts for simulation of fluid flow on lattice grids with sizes arbitrarily larger than the smallest physical dissipation length scale [Geier et al., Phys. Rev. E 63, 066705 (2006)]. It achieves this and distinguishes from other collision operators, such as in the standard single or multiple relaxation-time approaches, by performing relaxation process due to collisions in terms of moments shifted by the local hydrodynamic fluid velocity, i.e., central moments, in an ascending order by order at different relaxation rates. In this paper, we propose and derive source terms in the cascaded-LBM to represent the effect of external or internal forces on the dynamics of fluid motion. This is essentially achieved by matching the continuous form of the central moments of the source or forcing terms with its discrete version. Different forms of continuous central moments of sources, including one that is obtained from a local Maxwellian, are considered in this regard. As a result, the forcing terms obtained in this formulation are Galilean invariant by construction. To alleviate lattice artifacts due to forcing terms in the emergent macroscopic fluid equations, they are proposed as temporally semi-implicit and second order, and the implicitness is subsequently effectively removed by means of a transformation to facilitate computation. It is shown that the impressed force field influences the cascaded collision process in the evolution of the transformed distribution function. The method of central moments along with the associated orthogonal properties of the moment basis completely determines the analytical expressions for the source terms as a function of the force and macroscopic velocity fields. In contrast to the existing forcing schemes, it is found that they involve higher-order terms in velocity space. It is shown that the proposed approach implies ``generalization'' of both local equilibrium and source terms in the usual lattice frame of reference, which depend on the ratio of the relaxation times of moments of different orders. An analysis by means of the Chapman-Enskog multiscale expansion shows that the cascaded-LBM with forcing terms is consistent with the Navier-Stokes equations. Computational experiments with canonical problems involving different types of forces demonstrate its accuracy.
Using Reversible Computation Techniques in a Parallel Optimistic Simulation of a Multi-Processor Computing System

A study is presented in applying optimistic parallel discrete event simulation techniques using reverse execution to perform instruction-level simulations of distributed memory multi-processor systems. A static program analysis approach is described to optimize pre-processed simulated applications in order to remove certain overheads associated with forward event execution and to enable reversible execution. Reverse execution of floating point operations are also considered. Preliminary performance measurements are presented indicating this approach offers promise in speeding up parallel multi-processor simulations.
Early auditory experience modifies sound localization in barn owls

The auditory system localizes sounds by comparing the timing and intensity of sounds arriving at the two ears, and associating specific binaural differences with directions of sounds in space. Thus, location for the auditory system, like stereoscopic depth for the visual system, is a percept created in the brain by a comparison of inputs from two receivers. We considered whether the neural mechanism underlying sound localization is determined entirely genetically, or if it is modified and regulated by auditory experience. The influence of experience on sound localization has been examined previously in various species, including man, with contradictory results1–9. For our study we used the barn owl (Tyto alba) as an experimental model because it localizes sounds with extreme accuracy10,11. By placing a plug in one ear, we disrupted the owl's binaural localization cues and induced large errors in sound localization. We report here that young owls adjusted to the altered cues and regained normal localization accuracy over a period of weeks. However, as the owls aged, their rate of adjustment slowed, and beyond 6–7 months of age, their capacity to adjust was lost or greatly reduced. This plasticity of the sound localization mechanism early in life thus enables the auditory system to establish precise correlations between binaural cues (which vary between individuals) and directions of sounds in space.
Metal-based nanoparticles and their toxicity assessment.

Nanoparticles (NPs) can potentially cause adverse effects on organ, tissue, cellular, subcellular, and protein levels due to their unusual physicochemical properties (e.g., small size, high surface area to volume ratio, chemical composition, crystallinity, electronic properties, surface structure reactivity and functional groups, inorganic or organic coatings, solubility, shape, and aggregation behavior). Metal NPs, in particular, have received increasing interest due to their widespread medical, consumer, industrial, and military applications. However, as particle size decreases, some metal-based NPs are showing increased toxicity, even if the same material is relatively inert in its bulk form (e.g., Ag, Au, and Cu). NPs also interact with proteins and enzymes within mammalian cells and they can interfere with the antioxidant defense mechanism leading to reactive oxygen species generation, the initiation of an inflammatory response and perturbation and destruction of the mitochondria causing apoptosis or necrosis. As a result, there are many challenges to overcome before we can determine if the benefits outweigh the risks associated with NPs. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2010 2 544–568 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website The view presented in this manuscript does not necessarily reflect those of Food and Drug Administration.
Non‐linear stochastic response of marine vehicles

The dynamic behaviour of marine vehicles in extreme sea states is a matter of great concern following some recent and dramatic mishaps. The complex problem of its prediction can be approached from the study, yet of broader scope, of non-linear dynamic systems subjected to stochastic excitations. However, a general non-linear stochastic dynamic theory is not yet available. A new technique, the so-called linearize-and-match method, for predicting the response statistics of non-linear systems, is presented. Essentially, the technique involves the construction of an infinite series of linear systems aimed at the prediction of the response statistical moments of a given order. The linear systems are successively defined by linearizing the original, non-linear system and matching the Volterra functional model response statistics to the desired order. The linear system for predicting second order statistics is shown to coincide with the one obtained using the method of equivalent linearization. Response probability distributions can be constructed from the knowledge of such statistics. Particular attention is devoted to the distribution of maximum entropy and its justification in such underdetermined moment problems. Finally, applications to the roll motion of ships serve to exemplify as well as to assess the accuracy and the versatility of the overall method. Response distributions of maxima so predicted compare very well with digital simulation estimates.
Fiscal Deficits, Public Debt, and Sovereign Bond Yields

The recent sharp increase in fiscal deficits and government debt in many countries raises questions regarding their impact on long-term sovereign bond yields. While economic theory suggests that this impact is likely to be adverse, empirical results have been less clear cut, have generally ignored nonlinear effects of deficits and debt through some other key determinants of yields, and have been mostly confined to advanced economies. This paper reexamines the impact of fiscal deficits and public debt on long-term interest rates during 1980 - 2008, taking into account a wide range of country-specific factors, for a panel of 31 advanced and emerging market economies. It finds that higher deficits and public debt lead to a significant increase in long-term interest rates, with the precise magnitude dependent on initial fiscal, institutional and other structural conditions, as well as spillovers from global financial markets. Taking into account these factors suggests that large fiscal deficits and public debts are likely to put substantial upward pressures on sovereign bond yields in many advanced economies over the medium term.
Persistent Reproductive Isolation between Sympatric Lineages of Fall Chinook Salmon in White Salmon River, Washington

Abstract Populations of fall Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in the Columbia River are divided among two evolutionarily significant units: lower Columbia River fall Chinook salmon (or “tules”) in the lower portion of the river and upriver “brights” (URBs) in the upper portion. The two lineages migrate together through portions of the lower Columbia River but spawn allopatrically. Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery has been releasing URBs adjacent to what was historically exclusively tule spawning habitat in the White Salmon River for approximately 22 years. Tules and URBs now spawn in sympatry in the adjacent White Salmon River, and potential introgression between these two lineages has been identified as a genetic risk of the hatchery program. To assess the extent of introgression, we analyzed 13 microsatellite loci in juveniles taken from the White Salmon River in three consecutive years. Assignment tests revealed that juveniles leaving the White Salmon River from March to early May rese...
General bad data identification and estimation in the presence of critical measurement sets

In power systems state estimation, critical sets are groups of measurements whose normalized residuals are (nearly) equal, so that corresponding bad data are not identifiable. A novel methodology for the identification of critical sets and for the estimation of the bad data is introduced, based on a noisy projection of the residuals correlation matrix on a subspace. The proposed solution takes into account model and data uncertainty and is able to detect cases of nearly-critical sets, missed by traditional methods, including higher-order critical k-tuples. A convenient interpretation of the estimated bad data as the total error within the sets is also proposed.
Ecological Factors in the Origin of Incest

T HE universality of the incest taboo and/or exogamy is almost as puzzling t a phenomenon today as it was at the dawn of anthropology. Although the latest attempts to account for it are satisfactory in some respects, they seem to be at variance with widely accepted developments in general anthropological theory, chiefly with interaction theory (Chapple and Arensberg 1940; Homans 1950; Homans and Schneider 1955; Polanyi, Arensberg and Pearson 1957). In an attempt to align current theory and hypothesis, I suggest here a new approach to the origin of exogamy. The procedure used could be considered an exercise in the derivation of an hypothesis from theory, or simply the exploration of some implications of interaction principles in a purely speculative area where they have not yet been applied. Juxtaposed with this methodology is another line of research-human ecology. The level of analysis within this dual orientation is neither psychological nor culturological but, in the broadest American sense, anthropological. That is, I do not hold human biology constant, but consider it a variable affected by changing techno-environmental contexts. Not only the search but even the need for new questions about exogamy seems to be obscured by a number of philosophical presuppositions in the work of current authors, some even contrary to the principles of evolution. Perhaps certain assumptions have gone unnoticed because recent theories account adequately for certain stages of the problem, but not, I believe, the initial ones. My point of departure, therefore, must be a summary and critique of current opinion, for which I have selected the following representative anthropologists: Leslie White (1949); Brenda Z. Seligman (1950); and Claude Levi-Strauss (1949, 1956).
Predictors of Injury Among 1638 Riders in a Recreational Long-Distance Bicycle Tour: Cycle Across Maryland

To assess the incidence of and risk factors for injuries in a group of bicyclists with a well-defined exposure to bicycling, we conducted a prospective study of 1638 recreational bicyclists who rode in the 6-day 339-mile Cycle Across Maryland tour in 1994. The mean age of participants was 39 years (range, 7 to 79), and two-thirds were male. All riders wore helmets. During the tour there were 85 acute traumatic injuries (15.4 per 100,000 person-miles), 76 overuse injuries (13.7 per 100,000 person-miles), and 37 other medical problems (6.7 per 100,000 person-miles). Acute traumatic injuries were associated with a history of racing versus none (relative risk = 2.2, 95% confidence limits = 1.3, 3.7) and with inexperience, no previous Cycle Across Maryland tours versus one or more (relative risk = 1.7, 95% confidence limits = 1.04, 2.8), but not with sex, training, or prior injuries. Inexperience and lack of preride conditioning were risk factors for overuse injuries. The most common overuse injuries and medical problems were knee pain, hand or wrist numbness, foot blisters, insect stings and bites, and heat and dehydration. Study results provide exposure-based incidence rates of bicyclist injuries and suggest overuse injuries may be reduced by increased preride conditioning.
Thermodynamic reversibility of phase transitions. Specific effects of alcohols on phosphatidylcholines

Abstract The gel-to-fluid phase transitions of several phosphatidylethanolamines (PE's) and phosphatidylcholines (PC's) have been investigated in the presence of three short-chain alcohols. The effects of the alcohols on the thermodynamic reversibility of these transitions was studied and it was found that the transitions for PC's are not thermodynamically reversible at relatively high alcohol concentrations. The PE transitions are thermodynamically reversible for all alcohol concentrations, and the PE's do not exhibit the biphasic effects of alcohol on the transition temperature previously reported for the PC's (Rowe, E.S. (1983) Biochemistry 22 3299–3305). The biphasic transition temperature effects and the thermodynamic irreversibility of PC transitions at high alcohol concentrations appear to be correlated with the induction of a fully interdigitated gel phase recently reported in the literature (Simon, S.A. and McIntosh, T.J. (1984) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 773, 169–172). The biological significance of these findings is discussed.
Quantitation of Lipophilic Chloroethylnitrosourea Cancer Chemotherapeutic Agents

Abstract A simple and rapid quantitative method for the derivati-zation and determination of lipophilic chloroethylnitrosoureas is described. This procedure involves the ether extraction of the chloroethylnitrosourea from plasma and conversion of the parent drug to an O-methylcarbamate by reaction in anhydrous methanol. The product O-methylcarbamate may be separated with gas chromatography (GC) and detected with nitrogen-specific GC detectors or with mass spectrometry using multiple-ion detection. The lower limit of detection for each method was ~ 100 ng/ml plasma.
A reexamination of swedish and american college students' communicative attributes

This study examines the extent to which Swedish (n = 103) and American (n = 113) college students’ cultural background influences their communicative attributes. Students’ communication apprehension, self-perceived communication competence, willingness to communicate, out-of-class communication with instructors, in-class participation, and motives for communicating with their instructors were examined. Results of MANOVA tests indicate that American college students are more willing to communicate, perceive themselves as more communicatively competent, participate more in class, and are more motivated to communicate with their instructors for relational, functional, excuse-making, participatory, and sycophantic reasons. However, students’ communication apprehension and out-of-class communication with their instructors did not differ between the two cultures.
Local search algorithms for reserved delivery subnetwork configuration problems with cycle and bicycle reduction

A reserved delivery subnetwork (RDS) is a semiprivate network infrastructure to enable an information service provider to deliver more consistent service to its customers. In our previous study of the RDS configuration problem, we formulated the problem as a minimum concave cost network flow problem (MCCNFP), and presented an efficient approximation algorithm, largest demand first or LDF, to provide approximate solutions to this NP-hard problem in practice. In this paper, we apply local search algorithms based on negative cost cycle and bicycle reduction to further improve the quality of the results obtained from LDF. Our simulation results show that the local search algorithms improve the quality of LDF solutions, but with added computational complexity. They also further indicate that LDF produces solutions reasonably close to the local optimum without added complexity, and is suitable for large networks in practice.
Effect of 3 postmortem electrical stimulation treatments on the quality of early deboned broiler breast meat

ABSTRACT The present experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of electrical stimulation (ES) immediately prescalding (PS), ES immediately postdefeathering (PD), or PS combined with PD (PSPD) on the quality of early deboned (2 h) broiler breast muscles, pectoralis major (fillets), and pectoralis minor (tenders). No stimulation, early-deboned (2 h), and 24-h deboned (24 h) fillets were used for the comparison. The 42-d-old broiler carcasses were electrically stimulated with pulsed current at 200 V for 30 s over a 90-s time interval (total of 1 min over 180 s for PSPD), and breast meat was deboned 2 h postmortem. Quality indicators evaluated were CIE L*, a*, and b* color and pH of the raw fillets and cook yields and Warner-Bratzler (WB) shear force of the fillets and tenders. There were no differences in raw fillet color, pH, and cook yields of both the fillets and tenders between the 3 ES treatments. Effects of different ES treatments on meat WB shear force values varied with breast muscles. For the fillets, the average WB shear force values of both the PS and PSPD samples, which were not different from each other, were significantly lower than those of the PD samples. For the tenders, there were no differences in the average shear force values between the 3 ES treatments. Regardless of ES treatment and breast muscle, early deboned broiler breast meat from ES carcasses required significantly less force to shear than the 2-h control. These results indicate that ES can tenderize early deboned poultry breast muscles; however, the effectiveness of ES tenderization varies with ES treatments for the fillets. The PS treatment is more effective in reducing fillet shear values than PD, and there is no further reduction in shear values with PSPD compared with the PS treatment.
Electronic medical records: a multidimensional analysis

With healthcare in a state of crisis due to unsustainable cost increases, lack of patient focus, and low information transparency, a need exists for measuring healthcare performance. Electronic medical records (EMRs) are a gateway to improved healthcare where a potential exists for a more thorough assessment of facility health, depicting financial and quality improvements in the health system. Our research focused on measuring aspects of EMR and system health by taking a multidimensional approach from an unbiased standpoint. Unlike most current assessments, an administrative point of view that only focuses on bottom-line improvements, our research produced three assessment tools that are unconstrained by financial metrics or specific stakeholder point of view. These tools include a hierarchical holographic model (HHM) of the broad universe of healthcare, guiding mission statements, and an information transparency matrix for classifying data availability. Combined, these provide a multidimensional framework for improving the assessment of healthcare.
Investigation of the Origin of $V_{T}/V_{\rm FB}$ Modulation by $\hbox{La}_{2}\hbox{O}_{3}$ Capping Layer Approaches for NMOS Application: Role of La Diffusion, Effect of Host High- $k$ Layer, and Interface Properties

The role of La2O3 capping in the VT/VFB shift with various high- k and metal gate electrodes was systematically investigated. It was found that the La concentration at the high-k/SiO2 interface is mainly responsible for the VT/VFB modulation in NMOS devices, whereas the effect of the host high-k and gate electrodes on VT/VFB is minimal. A 400-mV shift in VT from the control HfO2 device with minimal degradation in mobility was obtained when a La2O3 layer was inserted between the high-k and SiO2 layers. It was also found that the incorporation of La2O3 in the dielectric stack improves device reliability in terms of breakdown and positive-bias temperature instability characteristics. The main key for the VFB shift is the ability of La diffusion through the host high-k material.
Language in South Africa

Rajend Mesthrie (ed.), Language in South Africa . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2002. Pp. xvii, 485. HB $75.00. Language in South Africa (LinSA) is a very handsome book, beautifully edited, carefully proofread, and produced on thick paper in elegant fonts. It is in fact the same book, although revised and updated, as Language and social history: Studies in South African sociolinguistics ( Mesthrie 1995 ). Just looking at the two volumes, side by side on my desk, I could write an essay on publishing and face validity. I am happy that this book has found an international publisher, because it deserves wider reading and better promotion (I never saw the first book reviewed or promoted), but the easy conclusion that the book under review is a better book is not necessarily warranted. As the Irish say about their horses, handsome is as handsome does, and both volumes do handsomely indeed.
Issues in Sexuality and Gynecologic Care of Women with Developmental Disabilities

The reproductive needs of women with developmental disabilities often are overlooked by family, caregivers, institutions, and even health care professionals because these women are regarded as somehow asexual. However, women with developmental disabilities are becoming more active in their communities, leading to greater opportunities for social-sexual interactions and an even greater need for reproductive services. Nurses are in a pivotal position to provide a variety of reproductive services encompassing not only the needs of women with developmental disabilities but also of their support systems. Special considerations during the gynecologic examination are discussed, as are available birth control options. JOGNN, 25, 609-614; 1996.
Mechanism for the α‐helix to β‐hairpin transition

The aggregation of -helix-rich proteins into -sheet-rich amyloid fibrils is associ- ated with fatal diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and prion disease. During an aggregation process, protein secondary structure elements—-helices— undergo conformational changes to -sheets. The fact that proteins with different sequences and structures undergo a similar transition on aggrega- tion suggests that the sequence nonspecific hydro- gen bond interaction among protein backbones is an important factor. We perform molecular dynam- ics simulations of a polyalanine model, which is an -helix in its native state and observe a metastable -hairpin intermediate. Although a -hairpin has larger potential energy than an -helix, the entropy of a -hairpin is larger because of fewer constraints imposed by the hydrogen bonds. In the vicinity of the transition temperature, we observe the intercon- version of the -helix and -sheet states via a ran- dom coil state. We also study the effect of the environment by varying the relative strength of side-chain interactions for a designed peptide—an -helix in its native state. For a certain range of side-chain interaction strengths, we find that the intermediate-hairpin state is destabilized and even disappears, suggesting an important role of the environment in the aggregation propensity of a peptide. Proteins 2003;53:220 -228.
Modeling polarization mode coupling in frequency-selective surfaces

An analysis of scattering from frequency-selective surfaces (FSS) is developed that correctly accounts for coupling between scattered polarization modes. This is useful for the design of FSS structures with obliquely incident radiation, such as polarization converters (polarizers) for direct broadcast satellite reception by linearly polarized ground terminal antennas. In the past, the neglect of polarization mode coupling limited the performance range of various FSS structures, such as meander-line polarizers, to near normal incidence where mode coupling is weak. The following analysis shows how a suitable pair of polarization modes can be selected to maintain modal independence. The result is a pair of independent equivalent circuits representing scattering of the two modes, together with mode transformation networks. To illustrate the theory, a four-layer meander-line polarizer is designed for an incident angle of 45/spl deg/ off normal. The resulting axial ratio is measured to be 0.3 dB at 12.45 GHz.
The Impact of Restraints on Nursing Home Resident Outcomes

This article is an examination of the impact of physical restraints on physical activities of daily living (PADL), walking, and orientation to reality outcomes among nursing home residents. Computerized assessment data for a cohort of 5073 Virginia Medicaid nursing home admissions with complete data for their first and second post-admission assessments were analyzed. Multiple regression analysis was used to compare the outcomes of restrained and nonrestrained residents, after controlling statistically for the influence of case mix variables that might impact outcomes. Restraint use was associated with increased PADL dependence and disorientation for residents restrained at first and second assessment, both assessments, and either assessment. Restraint was associated with increased walking dependence for residents restrained at their second assessment and either assessment.
Inhalant sensitization in guinea pigs under controlled atmospheric conditions

Abstract 1.1. An air-conditioned experimental chamber is described for the study of inhalant sensitization in laboratory animals. 2.2. A kymograph record is shown of the breathing found in sensitized guinea pigs suffering from sublethal respiratory anaphylaxis. This suggests a differential diagnosis of different forms of dyspnea observed. 3.3. Inhalant sensitization was produced under controlled meteorologic conditions, and this follows a pattern described by others. 4.4. The method of using the air-conditioned chamber and some of the fundamental physical and physiologic principles underlying its use are presented. 5.5. The illustrative charts presented give briefly the preliminary results of a two-year study. The part played by experimental weather in inhalant sensitization and its role in modifying the susceptibility of the respiratory mucous membranes to sensitization will be presented in subsequent papers.
A novel approach for color barcode decoding using smart phones

The use of colors increases the information storage capacities in barcodes. Increasing the number of colors to encode information makes the decoding a challenging task due to the dependency of the surface color on the illuminant spectrum, viewing parameters, printing device and material, color fading in addition to other nuisance parameters. A popular solution is the use of a color palette of reference colors printed with barcode. The decoding becomes more challenging if a mobile phone as a decoding device is used due to the capture of images from different distances as well as angles. In addition, the barcode images are often blurry because of incorrect focus or camera shake. We present an iterative decoding algorithm that decodes the colors of all barcode patches across the barcode by minimizing the overall observation error. Our method is able to decode colors in presence of blur using a small number of colors yet ensuring high information density.
Reduced coupling loss using a tapered-rib adiabatic-following fiber coupler

We present the design and experimental demonstration of a tapered-rib adiabatic-following fiber coupler (TRAFFIC). This device is an adaptation of a Shani-Henry mode converter fabricated in (Al)GaAs and designed to increase the coupling efficiency of conventional optical fibers to tightly-confined semiconductor rib waveguide devices. This approach offers the potential of significantly reducing fiber butt coupling losses from the typical values of 7 to 10 dB to values of <1 dB. This long-standing packaging problem is one of the major impediments to the widespread acceptance of semiconductor-based optoelectronics. Moreover, the design can be implemented with minimal increase in fabrication complexity since it uses only a straightforward modification to epitaxial growth, and one additional lithography and etching step.
Diverse Contributions From the Initial Discovery of Mechanisms of Angiotensin II–Induced Oxidation in Smooth Muscle Cells

Angiotensin II Stimulates NADH and NADPH Oxidase Activity in Cultured Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Griendling et al Circ Res. 1994;74:1141–1148. This article reported that effects of angiotensin II on hypertrophy in vascular smooth muscle cells were attributable to activation of NADPH oxidases. This finding has been an initial stimulant to increasing understanding that angiotensin II–induced oxidative process contributes to many characteristics of vascular smooth muscle cell responses. The article “Angiotensin II Stimulates NADH and NADPH Oxidase Activity in Cultured Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells” by Griendling et al1 has the distinction of being in the top echelon of highly cited publications in Circulation Research . In addition to the high number of total citations (1762 as of October 2013), equally impressive is its continuous impact on contemporary literature since its publication. To place this number of citations in context, among the 22 145 articles published in 1994, which were categorized under Cardiovascular System and Cardiology in the ISI Web of Science, only 4 have been cited >1000 times. The Griendling et al article is ranked the top and has been cited 35% more frequently than the second most cited article. Moreover, compared with the 264 articles published in 1994 in Circulation Research , the citation frequency of Griendling et al article is far greater than the mean (Figure 1). The consistently high citation rate has been attributed to the enduring relevance of intracellular signaling mechanisms of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) biology and also that the article provided valuable information on angiotensin II (AngII)-induced signaling pathways. It is worth noting that this article has had an impact on diverse research …
Projected Carbon Dioxide to Increase Grass Pollen and Allergen Exposure Despite Higher Ozone Levels

One expected effect of climate change on human health is increasing allergic and asthmatic symptoms through changes in pollen biology. Allergic diseases have a large impact on human health globally, with 10–30% of the population affected by allergic rhinitis and more than 300 million affected by asthma. Pollen from grass species, which are highly allergenic and occur worldwide, elicits allergic responses in 20% of the general population and 40% of atopic individuals. Here we examine the effects of elevated levels of two greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO2), a growth and reproductive stimulator of plants, and ozone (O3), a repressor, on pollen and allergen production in Timothy grass (Phleum pratense L.). We conducted a fully factorial experiment in which plants were grown at ambient and/or elevated levels of O3 and CO2, to simulate present and projected levels of both gases and their potential interactive effects. We captured and counted pollen from flowers in each treatment and assayed for concentrations of the allergen protein, Phl p 5. We found that elevated levels of CO2 increased the amount of grass pollen produced by ,50% per flower, regardless of O3 levels. Elevated O3 significantly reduced the Phl p 5 content of the pollen but the net effect of rising pollen numbers with elevated CO2 indicate increased allergen exposure under elevated levels of both greenhouse gases. Using quantitative estimates of increased pollen production and number of flowering plants per treatment, we estimated that airborne grass pollen concentrations will increase in the future up to ,200%. Due to the widespread existence of grasses and the particular importance of P. pratense in eliciting allergic responses, our findings provide evidence for significant impacts on human health worldwide as a result of future climate change.
Relationship of Linear Type Traits and Herd Life Under Different Management Systems

Abstract The relationship of conformation traits, particularly locomotive traits, and herd life under different management systems was investigated. Herd life to 84 mo was regressed on measures of linear type and production for 139,998 cows in 6277 herds. Linear traits accounted for 14% of explained variation for herd life after effects for herds and production were considered. Udder traits explained more herd-life variation than other conformation traits. Fore udder attachment and udder depth explained the most variation when production was included in analyses. Udder depth explained the least amount of herd-life variation among six udder traits when production was not included in the analyses. The relationship between locomotive traits and herd life differed by type of housing. Cows with intermediate curvature of the rear legs had longer herd life in all housing types, but the absolute difference between optimum and extreme was greater for cows in confinement than for cows in loose housing. Relationship between cows’ genetic merit for curvature of the rear legs and herd life, however, was near zero. Cows with steeper foot angles had longer herd life in all housing types. Regressions of herd life on nonlocomotive type traits for different housing systems were always greater for cows in tie-stall environments compared with cows in loose housing. Personal preference for type traits by dairy producers within housing systems may partly explain herd-life results.
Comment [on “Locked‐in Stress in Viscoelastic Earth Materials”]

This is a comment on the item “Locked-in Stress in Viscoelastic Earth Materials” (Eos, June 17, 1997, p. 248). In the box the author remarks “…ur is finite and uθ = uΦ = O…. There is a corresponding radial strain but no tangential strain…” The former is true, but the latter is false. The tangential strains are ϵθθ = ϵΦ= ur/r.
Habituation and development of response specificity to a sign stimulus: male preference for female courtship posture in stickleback

I examined biased patterns of habituation that occur when reproductive male three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, respond to a choice of two dummy females, one displaying the head-up posture of a sexually receptive female and an otherwise identical dummy lacking this sign stimulus (i.e. a dummy in a ‘neutral’ horizontal posture). Males initially courted both dummies about equally, but within 5 min, their courtship to the horizontal dummy began to habituate and was eventually replaced by attack behaviour, which increased about four-fold during the 1-h trial. Courtship to the head-up dummy continued unabated throughout the trial and by 5 min exceeded courtship to the horizontal dummy. Attack to the head-up dummy increased slightly in the first half of the trial then leveled off to about one-third that directed to the horizontal dummy. Both dummies were stationary and unreactive so could not directly provide differential feedback to the males. It is speculated that the self-arousal males obtain when responding to head-up posture reinforces their response to that cue. The salience of this sign stimulus may develop through an interactive process wherein the male’s predisposition to recognize and court the head-up posture and the sexual self-arousal he obtains by doing so counter habituation and help maintain his sexual response to that cue. The stimulus–response specificity of male courtship is assumed to have an innate basis but requires experience to become fully differentiated. The results also illustrate that rate or extent of habituation to different stimuli, even on the same dimension, can differ within the same individual and in an adaptive manner.  2000 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
Refractive index and material dispersion interpolation of doped silica in the 0.6-1.8 mu m wavelength region

An extension of the Claussius-Mossotti interpolation scheme is proposed so that the refractive index and material dispersion of GeO/sub 2/- and F-doped silica glasses (with doping concentrations different than those of published data) can be predicted in the 0.6-1.8- mu m wavelength region. The new interpolation expression provides a well-behaved functional relationship for use in computer models which analyse propagation in single-mode fibers. The technique proposed is particularly powerful because it can be applied to any glass, whether single or multicomponent, having any other single dopant. >
Applications of Positive Psychology in Counseling Psychology: Current Status and Future Directions

A distinctive feature and unifying theme of the work of counseling psychologists is a focus on client strengths, assets, and potentialities regardless of the degree of psychopathology. As such, positive psychology appears to have a natural home within counseling psychology. Evidence from content analyses of flagship journals of the field as well as from surveys of Members and Student Affiliates from the Society of Counseling Psychology (Division 17) of the American Psychological Association suggests, however, that a distinctive disconnect exists between the philosophical stance taken by many counseling psychologists toward strength-based approaches and knowledge and use of specific positive psychology theories and practices. The goals for the creation of this special issue are reported, and the articles that comprise the special issue are introduced.
Affirmative Action and Job Satisfaction: Self-Interested v. Public Spirited Perspectives on Social Equity—Some Sobering Findings from the Academic Workplace

This study utilizes a national study of university faculty, including a sizeable proportion ofAfro-American and female respondents, to examine university faculty attitudes toward affirmative action. It has been argued by some that self-interested motivations underlie attitudesabout affirmative action policies, while others have argued that "public spirit" (Kelman, 1987)and "other regarding" (Wilson and Banfield, 1964) motivations more properly serve toaccount for attitudes relating to social equity and societal welfare issues. University facultywere chosen as a particularly appropriate group to study; if any segment of society is likely tobe public spirited in this way it is likely to be the best educated among us. The central questionto be investigated is: how do individuals embedded in a meritocratic system such as theUniversity perceive affirmative action and the benefits and harms it holds for both white malesand protected category persons? How, in turn, does this set of attitudes about affirmativeact...
Leakage phenomena in multilayered conductor-backed coplanar waveguides

Leakage phenomena possible in the multilayered conductor-backed CPWs are investigated using the spectral domain technique with a complex root searching procedure. The obtained phase and attenuation constants confirm that the leakage is due to the presence of parallel plate mode which is slower than dominant CPW mode. It is found that the leakage can be controlled by introducing an additional dielectric layer. Two different multilayered structures are given as examples. >
My Los Angeles: From Urban Restructuring to Regional Urbanization

My Los Angeles: From Urban Restructuring to Regional Urbanization. By Edward W. Soja. x and 284 pp.; maps, ills., bibliog., index. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2013. $65.00 (cloth), is...
Higher proximal duodenal mucosal bicarbonate secretion is independent of Brunner's glands in rats and rabbits

Abstract Background & Aims: Duodenal bicarbonate secretion is impaired in patients with duodenal ulcer. Before characterization of any cellular transport defect is possible, the origin of duodenal bicarbonate (epithelial cells and/or Brunner's glands) must be determined. The aim of this study was to determine the role of Brunner's glands in duodenal bicarbonate secretion. Methods: Rats, which have Brunner's glands only in the proximal duodenum, and rabbits, which have Brunner's glands throughout the duodenum, were anesthetized. Basal and stimulated (with HCl, prostaglandin E 2 , and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide [VIP]) bicarbonate secretion was measured in three isolated intestinal segments: proximal duodenum, distal duodenum, and proximal jejunum. Mucosal surface area and Brunner's gland thickness was quantitated in each segment. Results: Secretion rates in proximal and distal duodenum and proximal jejunum were significantly different. Normalized proximal-to-distal duodenal gradients in bicarbonate secretion were similar in the two species despite significantly different gradients of Brunner's gland thickness. In rabbits, gradients of bicarbonate secretion and Brunner's gland thickness were not correlated. In both species, HCl, prostaglandin E 2 , and VIP stimulated secretion in all three segments. If the agonists specifically stimulated Brunner's gland bicarbonate secretion, relationships between gradients of bicarbonate secretion and Brunner's gland thickness would have been anticipated. This was not observed. Conclusions: The higher rates of bicarbonate secretion in the proximal duodenum than in the distal duodenum and proximal jejunum are independent of Brunner's glands.
An Investigation Of The Effect Of Reporting Changes Proposed By The AICPA On Lending Decisions

In 1994, a Special Committee of the AICPA proposed to expand and reorganize financial statements. The main differences between the proposed model and current GAAP include increased segment information, a separation of core and non-core activities, and inclusion of more forward-looking information. This study examines the effect of the proposed changes on lending decisions made by bankers. The results indicate that the separation of financial statement data into core and no-core activities provides relevant information in making lending decisions. Combining core activity separation with expanded segment information further increases the decision usefulness of the statements.
Mexico Renews its Relationship with its Expatriate Community in the U.S.: Comparing the Post-revolutionary Era with the Technocratic Free Trade Period

The contemporary immigration debate is polarizing, but certainly not an unprecedented controversy, especially concerning the status of Mexican citizens residing in the United States. For over a century, Mexican labor has held a paradoxical position within U.S. politics because of its seminal contribution to the economy and yet controversial place within society. At the center of its contentious presence is the tremendous amount of mis- and dis-information about immigration in general, including the role of the Mexican Government within the overall phenomenon of immigration. At a basic level, we argue that since the mid-nineteenth century, Mexican officials have sought to build a formal relationship with its emigrant community within the United States, but various transnational factors have hindered such efforts.