cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modular Classes of Lie Groupoid Representations up to Homotopy

We describe a construction of the modular class associated to a representation up to homotopy of a Lie groupoid. In the case of the adjoint representation up to homotopy, this class is the obstruction to the existence of a volume form, in the sense of Weinstein's \The volume of a differentiable stack".
The crossing number of C(3k+1; {1,k})

In this paper, we study the crossing number of the circulant graph C(3k+1;{1,k}) and prove that cr(C(3k+1;{1,k}))=k+1 for k>=3.
Peruvian archaeology, 1946–80: An analytic overview

Abstract Peruvian archaeology is a rapidly growing, cosmopolitan discipline that has undergone considerable change since the Viru Valley Project in the mid‐1940s. Using a historical perspective; we elucidate evolutionary changes and the broader intellectual and political contexts in which they occurred, placing equal emphasis on the emerging Peruvian tradition and the orientation of archaeologists from abroad who study Peruvian archaeology. The paper concludes with a critical assessment of the current state of the art and practical suggestions for improving communication and unification within and between these research traditions.
Suppression of c-myc expression and c-Myc function in response to sustained DNA damage in MCF-7 breast tumor cells.

The topoisomerase II inhibitors teniposide (VM-26), doxorubicin, and amsacrine (m-AMSA), as well as ionizing radiation, induce a transient suppression of c-myc mRNA, which correlates with growth inhibition of MCF-7 breast tumor cells. To further assess the involvement of c-myc in the DNA damage-induced signal transduction pathways of the breast tumor cell, we determined the influence of sustained DNA damage on c-myc expression, c-Myc protein levels and c-Myc function. Continuous exposure of MCF-7 breast tumor cells to VM-26 induced DNA strand breaks that were sustained for at least 9 hr. DNA strand breakage was accompanied by a decline in c-myc transcripts and c-Myc protein levels by >90% after VM-26 exposure for 24 hr. The activity of a transcriptional target of the c-Myc protein, ornithine decarboxylase, was reduced by approximately 75% within 9 hr of DNA damage, in parallel to the declines in c-myc mRNA and protein levels. Extended exposure to VM-26 resulted in an initial loss of approximately 35% of the cell population followed by the death of additional cells such that by 72 hr only 50% of the cells were viable. Although apoptosis was evident 72 hr after initiating drug exposure [based on cell cycle analysis, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assays, and an assessment of cell morphology], the primary phase of cell killing, which occurred during the first 24 hr was non-apoptotic. These studies indicate that non-apoptotic pathways can also mediate cell death in the breast tumor cell and support the role of c-myc expression, c-Myc protein, and c-Myc function as elements of the DNA damage response pathway in the breast tumor cell.
Repeated sequences from the Arabidopsis thaliana genome function as enhancers in transgenic tobacco.

Sixteen segments ofArabidopsis thaliana DNA that function as enhancers in transgenic tobacco plants were isolated using the pROA97 enhancer cloning vehicle and library transformation ofNicotiana tabacum. The sequences were compared for AT content, homology, repeated motifs, and expression pattern in transgenicN. tabacum. The sequences were average with respect to the AT content ofA. thaliana DNA. They could be placed into seven homology groups. Five of the sequences are single-copy sequences. The remaining eleven sequences represent two homology groups. Homology Group I contains seven sequences with minor differences. Homology Group II contains four sequences with minor differences. Two repeated motifs were identified (5′-CCTCT-3′ and 5′-AAGGAT-3′). Both repeated motifs are found in other plant enhancers, and in the promoter region of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S gene. In the 35S gene TATA region, the motifs can form two alternative stem-loop structures. The TATATAA sequence is located in the loop region of both stem-loop structures.
Suitability of the Immature Stages of Bactra verutana for Use in Mass Releases

The immature stages of Bactra verutana Zeller (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) were studied primarily to determine the suitability of each for use in mass releases. The egg stage withstood 2 h of immersion in water with no loss in eclosion, but 48 h of immersion reduced eclosion 27%. A 3-min wash in 3% formalin reduced eclosion by 6%. In tests of relative humidity, eclosion averaged 75% at 90–100% RH, 70% at 50–80% RH, 55% at 11–39% RH, and 45% at 0% RH. Removal of eggs from their substrate reduced eclosion ca. 30%. Ninety-two percent of the larvae completed development on 2- or 3-week-old shoots, 21% on 4-week-old shoots, and none on 5- or 6-week-old shoots. A 5-min wash in 1.7% NaOCl followed by a 10-min rinse in water freed pupae of their silken tunnels and subsequent emergence averaged 88%. Moth emergence was highest (92–96%) from pupae held at 90–100% RH, 49–74% emerged at 11–80% RH, and 35% emerged at 0% RH. Newly-hatched larvae were best for handling and release. In field populations, double-disking reduced moth emergence by 91%.
Chlorophyll Derivatives in Middle Eocene Sediments

Chloroform extracts of middle Eocene brown coal were made; the chlorophyll derivatives obtained were separated chromatographically. The visible light spectrum, chromatographic behavior, HCl number, infrared spectrum, and mass spectrum of one of the pigments extracted is indicative of methyl pheophorbide a. This is the oldest occurrence of fossil phorbins reported.
Bacterial Populations of Selected Tooth Surface Sites

The bacteriologic profile of selected tooth surface sites was determined by using culture procedures. Although there were differences in the percentage distribution of bacteria on the tooth surface of the lower anterior, upper premolar, and molar samples, the profile was essentially the same for all sites. The total anaerobic cultivable count also was similar.
Performance analysis of bi-directional broadband passive optical network using erbium-doped fiber amplifier

The broadband passive optical network (BPON) has the ability to support high-speed data, voice, and video services to home and small businesses customers. In this work, the performance of bi-directional BPON is analyzed for both down and up streams traffic cases by the help of erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). The importance of BPON is reduced cost. Because PBON uses a splitter the cost of the maintenance between the providers and the customers side is suitable. In the proposed research, BPON has been tested by the use of bit error rate (BER) analyzer. BER analyzer realizes maximum Q factor, minimum bit error rate, and eye height.
Active Detection With a Barrier Sensor Network Using a Scan Statistic

Abstract-The cooperation of an active acoustic source and a large number of distributed passive sensors offers an opportunity for active sonar detection. The system works as follows: first, each sensor compares its matched filter output with a given threshold to obtain a binary local decision-"0" or "1"; then, a fusion center (FC) collects them to make a system-level inference. How effectively to combine these local results-distributed detection fusion-is the concentration of this paper. Suppose that the sensor network is unaware of the target's reflection model. Then, the local detection probabilities cannot be obtained; therefore, the optimal fusion rule is unavailable. The obvious detection strategy is a counting rule test (CRT), which simply counts the total number of 1's and compares it to a threshold. This approach does not require knowledge of sensor locations, and equally considers all network subareas. However, the reflected signal from some targets, such as a submarine, can be highly aspect dependent, and in many instances only sensors in a particular zone can receive its echoes. This paper focuses on the scan statistic, which slides a window across the sensor field, and selects the subarea with the largest number of 1's to make a decision. The scan statistic integrates the aspect-dependence characteristic of the target into detection fusion. With a proper window size, it may suppress the subarea interference, and improve the system-level performance.
These Monuments Must Be Protected! The Stalinist Turn to the Past and Historic Preservation during the Blockade of Leningrad

This article analyzes the methods employed to preserve and restore Leningrad's historic monuments during the 900-day blockade of World War II. Over the course of the blockade, which lasted from September 9, 1941, until January 27, 1944, city authorities and preservationists instituted measures to protect imperial monuments from enemy bombardment. During this period, nearly one million people died from bombings, extreme cold in the winters, and Hitler's policy of starving the city into submission. As bombs rained down on the city and dystrophy began to affect all people trapped within the blockade ring, Leningraders risked their lives to camouflage golden spires, evacuate museum exhibits from areas threatened with German occupation, take measurements of monuments for future restoration, assess damage, and provide emergency conservation where possible. The article argues that the Stalinist turn to the past in the 1930s endowed the country's historic monuments with ideological significance. Due to their newfound importance as embodiments of the “glorious past,” monuments were afforded protection, even in a state of total war.
European Readings of American Popular Culture

European Readings of American Popular Culture. Jean Dean and Jean-Paul Gabilliet. eds. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1996. iii. 236 pp., notes, references, contributors, index.
Delay Optimization of Combinational Static CMOS Logic

Several methods for increasing the speed of combinational static CMOS circuits, including techniques for partitioning gates on the basis of circuit complexity and input arrival time, are described. The target layout style is standard cell, rather than a PLA or gate matrix scheme. Use of a standard-cell-like image allows a two-level buffered hierarchy to be introduced which is beneficial to reducing circuit delays. Preliminary results from device sizing algorithms are also given. The device sizer employs a fast, accurate, waveform-simulation-based, table-driven delay calculator to determine gate delays. A summary of results shows that partitioning techniques yield delay reductions of 10 - 15% compared with another currently employed program. The sizing heuristics provide an additional 15 - 20% increase in circuit speed.
The effect of inhibition of Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 on chemotherapeutic-induced death and phospholipid profiles in renal cells.

Abstract We demonstrate that cells derived from primary cultures of rabbit proximal tubules (RPTC), human embryonic kidney (HEK293) and human kidney carcinomas (Caki-1) express microsomal Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 (iPLA2γ) and cytosolic Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 (iPLA2β). Inhibition of iPLA2 activity in these cells using the iPLA2 inhibitor bromoenol lactone (BEL) (0–5.0 μM) for 24 h did not induce cell death as determined by annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) staining. However, BEL treatment prior to cisplatin (50 μM) or vincristine (2 μM) exposure reduced apoptosis 30–50% in all cells tested (RPTC, HEK293 and Caki-1 cells). To identify the phospholipids altered during cell death electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry and lipidomic analysis of HEK293 and Caki-1 cells was performed. Cisplatin treatment reduced 14:0–16:0 and 16:0–16:0 phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) 50% and 35%, respectively, in both cell lines, 16:0–18:2 PtdCho in Caki-1 cells and increased 16:1–22:6 plasmenylcholine (PlsCho). BEL treatment prior to cisplatin exposure further decreased 14:0–16:0 PtdCho, 16:0–16:1 PlsCho and 16:0–18:1 PlsCho in HEK293 cells, and inhibited cisplatin-induced increases in 16:1–22:6 PlsCho in Caki-1 cells. Treatment of cells with BEL prior to cisplatin exposure also increased the levels of several arachidonic containing phospholipids including 16:0–20:4, 18:1–20:4, and 18:0–20:4 PtdCho, compared to cisplatin only treated cells. These data demonstrate that inhibition of iPLA2 protects against chemotherapeutic-induced cell death in multiple human renal cell models, identifies specific phospholipids whose levels are altered during cell death, and demonstrates that alterations in these phospholipids correlate to the protection against cell death in the presence of iPLA2 inhibitors.
Model development and boundary interaction force control of a piezoresistive-based microcantilever

Robots with micro- and nanoresolution of motion are becoming more practical and useful in many precision manufacturing processes and industries such as medical instruments and imaging tools. Apparently, the most important features of these devices are their precision and durability. As accuracy increases, more delicate tasks may be performed. Along this line, a spatial micromanipulator with three revolute–revolute–prismatic joints while equipped with nanometer motion resolution is considered here. At the end of the micromanipulator, a piezoresistive-based microcantilever operates as a force sensor to quantify the amount of the strain generated in the microcantilever and transduces it into a proper voltage for force sensing applications. In terms of the controller design, the value of the produced voltage can further be implemented as the feedback entering into the control loop and making the control unit to produce appropriate signals for manipulating the robot arm. A challenging and important problem is the need to control the applied boundary forces at the contact zone with external objects (specifically the biological samples). The ability to control the interaction force is of most interest today which has numerous applications in precision manufacturing and biomedical engineering. For this purpose, two types of controllers are presented here: a Lyapunov-based proportional-derivative (PD) controller and a robust adaptive (RA) controller. The performance and the stability of these two controllers are examined and discussed thoroughly in this paper so that it can be interpreted that the robust adaptive controller is robust under presence of uncertainties in force tracking control purposes.
Neuropeptide Y (NPY)-induced reductions in alcohol intake during continuous access and following alcohol deprivation are not altered by restraint stress in alcohol-preferring (P) rats.

Abstract Administration of neuropeptide Y (NPY) reduces anxiety-like behavior and alcohol intake in alcohol-preferring rats. The present experiment examined whether the effects of NPY on alcohol drinking are modulated by stress exposure during continuous access or following ethanol deprivation. Female P rats underwent 6 weeks of continuous access to 15% v/v ethanol and water prior to intracerebroventricular (ICV) cannula implantation. Deprived rats underwent two cycles of 5 days of ethanol exposure followed by 2 days of ethanol deprivation, while non-deprived rats had uninterrupted access to ethanol. Stressed rats in both ethanol access groups were exposed to restraint stress for 1 h 4–6 h after ethanol was removed from the deprived group in both cycles. ICV infusions of 5.0 μg NPY or aCSF were administered 48 h following the deprivation/stress procedure, after which ethanol was returned. Rats showed increased ethanol intake following ethanol deprivation compared to non-deprived controls. Food and water intake were increased, while ethanol intake was decreased, in rats infused with NPY. Stress did not increase ethanol intake or alter the response to NPY. Although no stress effects were found, the present experiment replicates previous findings regarding the effectiveness of NPY in reducing ethanol consumption. Future studies aimed at determining the extent to which stress may affect relapse to ethanol drinking and response to NPY would benefit from implementing different stress paradigms and varying the pattern of ethanol access.
A nanosensor for ultrasensitive detection of oversulfated chondroitin sulfate contaminant in heparin.

Heparin has been extensively used as an anticoagulant for the last eight decades. Recently, the administration of a contaminated batch of heparin caused 149 deaths in several countries including USA, Germany, and Japan. The contaminant responsible for the adverse effects was identified as oversulfated chondroitin sulfate (OSCS). Here, we report a rapid, ultrasensitive method of detecting OSCS in heparin using a nanometal surface energy transfer (NSET) based gold-heparin-dye nanosensor. The sensor is an excellent substrate for heparitinase enzyme, as evidenced by ∼70% recovery of fluorescence from the dye upon heparitinase treatment. However, the presence of OSCS results in diminished fluorescence recovery from the nanosensor upon heparitinase treatment, as the enzyme is inhibited by the contaminant. The newly designed nanosensor can detect as low as 1 × 10–9 % (w/w) OSCS making it the most sensitive tool to date for the detection of trace amounts of OSCS in pharmaceutical heparins.
[111] heterostructures for spin devices

The symmetry properties of [111] quantum wells (QWs) and superlattices, and in particular the fact that the symmetry is not reduced when bulk inversion asymmetry (BIA) is supplemented with structural inversion asymmetry [SIA (Rashba)], have important consequences for spin dynamics and transport. We compute the effective spin Hamiltonians for [111] and [110] structures, and show that for the [111] case the splitting can be made to vanish to lowest order when BIA and SIA effects are of equal strength. As a consequence, the D‘yakonov–Perel’ spin relaxation mechanism is suppressed for all spin components. This effect forms the base for an improved version of the Datta–Das and a recently proposed family of spin transistors. For [110]-grown QWs, the effect of SIA is to augment the spin relaxation rate of the component perpendicular to the well. We derive analytical expressions for the spin lifetime tensor and its proper axes, and see that they are dependent on the relative magnitude of the BIA- and SIA-induced splittings.
Serving Too Many Masters: The Proliferation of Ill-Conceived and Contradictory Policies and Practices in Teacher Education.

In this article, the authors illustrate how teacher educators are caught in a world of ill-conceived and often contradictory policies and practices. They provide exemplars of the contradictory dema...
Giving voices to the voiceless: gender-based violence in the occupied Palestinian territories

Strong voices of women come through this book carefully crafted by Abu-Duhou on a very sensitive and complex issue in the Palestinian Arab society. Its sensitivity stems from the status of women in...
Pattern and process in the evolution of learning

A century after E. L. Thorndike's (1898) dissertation on the comparative psychology of learning, the field seems ready for a reassessment of its metatheoretical foundations. The stability of learning phenotypes across species is shown to be similar to that of other biological characters, both genotypic (e.g., Hox genes) and phenotypic (e.g., vertebrate brain structure). Moreover, an analysis of some current lines of comparative research indicates that researchers use similar strategies when approaching problems from either an ecological view (emphasizing adaptive significance) or a general-process view (emphasizing commonality across species). An integration of learning and evolution requires the development of criteria for recognizing and studying the divergence, homology, and homoplasy of learning mechanisms, much as it is done in other branches of biological research.
Dependence of century-scale projections of the Greenland ice sheet on its thermal regime

Observations show that the Greenland ice sheet has been losing mass at an increasing rate over the past few decades, which makes it a major contributor to sea-level rise. Here we use a threedimensional higher-order ice-flow model, adaptive mesh refinement and inverse methods to accurately reproduce the present-day ice flow of the Greenland ice sheet. We investigate the effect of the ice thermal regime on (1) basal sliding inversion and (2) projections over the next 100 years. We show that steady-state temperatures based on present-day conditions allow a reasonable representation of the thermal regime and that both basal conditions and century-scale projections are weakly sensitive to small changes in the initial temperature field, compared with changes in atmospheric conditions or basal sliding. We conclude that although more englacial temperature measurements should be acquired to validate the models, and a better estimation of geothermal heat flux is needed, it is reasonable to use steady-state temperature profiles for short-term projections, as external forcings remain the main drivers of the changes occurring in Greenland. © 2014 Publishing Technology.
Comprehensive on-line RPLC-CZE-MS of peptides

Peptide standards and tryptic digests of ribonuclease B are separated by comprehensive two-dimensional reversed phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and detected on-line by electrospray mass spectrometry. The RPLC column is coupled to the CZE column by a transverse flow gating interface. A new rugged microelectrospray needle is described that combines high ionization efficiency, low flow rates, and a sheath flow. The result is a system combining the separation capabilities of both RPLC and CZE with on-line mass spectrometric detection, all in about 15 min.
Limit analysis of 2-d tunnel keyblocks

Abstract The mechanical response of rock blocks adjacent to tunnels depends on joint orientations and joint shear strength, on the in situ stresses and on the size, shape, depth and orientation of the tunnel. The stability of rock blocks can be usefully studied by means of block theory, which is based on the application of kinematics and statics principles to a jointed rock mass. When in situ stresses are considered together with self-weight, the system of forces governing block stability becomes statically indeterminate. The standard block theory stability analysis treats blocks as rigid bodies subject to self weights or other applied loads. This approach is generally conservative, but limits the applicability of the method to design. This paper describes a limit analysis of block stability which yields bounds on the ranges of stability and instability and their region of overlap, potential instability. The mathematical problem of finding these limits is carried out by linear programming. A measure of keyblock stability is mapped onto a gray scale and plotted on a grid representing all possible keyblocks around a tunnel, giving a measure of the overall stability of the rock mass. A parametric study of the effects of joint orientation and initial stress ratio on block stability is presented.
PriSN: a privacy protection framework for healthcare social networking sites

A new class of patient driven healthcare web applications are emerging to supplement and extend traditional healthcare delivery models and empower patient self-care. Patient-driven healthcare can be characterized as having an increased level of information flow, transparency, customization, collaboration, patient choice and responsibility-taking, as well as quantitative, predictive and preventive aspects. Social networking applications or sites are usually dedicated to fostering interaction between users. Healthcare Social Networking (HSN) sites constitute virtual communities where users connect with each other around common health issues and share relevant health data. HSNs have become very popular and broadly adopted by various medical professionals and patients. The growing use of HSNs has prompted public concerns about the underlying risks that such online data-sharing platforms pose to the privacy and security of Personal Health Information (PHI). This paper presents a set of privacy risks introduced by social networking applications in healthcare scenarios. The main contribution of this paper is the introduction of a privacy preserving framework, PriSN, which seeks to preserve the privacy of sensitive healthcare data of end-user in HSNs. PriSN safeguards a user's privacy by generalizing the contextual PHI collected in the HSN applications and shared with a given end-user's peers. To support multiple levels of granularity in the contextual PHI, the proposed obfuscation procedure establishes an ontological description stating the granularity of object instances.
Determination of uranium in ores and in solution using a portable non-dispersive X-ray spectrograph

Abstract The portable non-dispersive X-ray fluorescence instrument developed was tested for its application to the determination of uranium in solution, in simulated ores, and in naturally occurring ores. This portable X-ray fluorescence instrument is composed of a small radioisotope source for excitation (cobalt-57), a compact proportional counter for detection, a miniaturized electronic package, a recorder for data presentation, and is easily contained in a one-cubic-foot volume. Using this portable instrument, uranium in solution was determined with a relative error of ±2.4%, and in simulated ores with a relative error of ±4.0%. The natural gamma radiation of uranium provides another analytical technique whereby with this instrument uranium in ores was determined with a relative error of ±2.0%.
Blip decomposition of the path integral: Exponential acceleration of real-time calculations on quantum dissipative systems

The real-time path integral representation of the reduced density matrix for a discrete system in contact with a dissipative medium is rewritten in terms of the number of blips, i.e., elementary time intervals over which the forward and backward paths are not identical. For a given set of blips, it is shown that the path sum with respect to the coordinates of all remaining time points is isomorphic to that for the wavefunction of a system subject to an external driving term and thus can be summed by an inexpensive iterative procedure. This exact decomposition reduces the number of terms by a factor that increases exponentially with propagation time. Further, under conditions (moderately high temperature and/or dissipation strength) that lead primarily to incoherent dynamics, the “fully incoherent limit” zero-blip term of the series provides a reasonable approximation to the dynamics, and the blip series converges rapidly to the exact result. Retention of only the blips required for satisfactory convergence leads to speedup of full-memory path integral calculations by many orders of magnitude.
Counseling Latino Immigrants in Middle School

The increase of Latino immigrants in the United States places more pressure on school counselors to assist in the adjustment of Latino students entering school systems (U.S. Census Bureau, 2004). This may particularly affect schools that only a few years ago had no Latino immigrants. This article addresses how one Southern school district's counseling program is working to meet the needs of its non-English-speaking Latino middle school students by hiring a Spanishspeaking counselor and offering intervention strategies to facilitate the transition and adjustment of incoming students.
Transient Response of Line Source Excitation in Cylindrical Geometry

ABSTRACT The transient electric field due to a step excited line source, located at the axis of a dielectric cylinder buried in another dielectric medium is evaluated by the singularity expansion method, and by an approximate, explicit inversion approach. The explicit inversion approach is facilitated with a technique that preserves the principle of causality. The singularity expansion method and the explicit inversion technique complement each other as the former provides accurate results for the smoothly varying parts of the time–domain response and the latter accurately reproduces abrupt changes in the response.
Image processing via ultrasonics - Status and promise

Acousto-electric devices for electronic imaging of light are discussed. These devices are more versatile than line scan imaging devices in current use. They have the capability of presenting the image information in a variety of modes. The image can be read out in the conventional line scan mode. It can be read out in the form of the Fourier, Hadamard, or other transform. One can take the transform along one direction of the image and line scan in the other direction, or perform other combinations of image processing functions. This is accomplished by applying the appropriate electrical input signals to the device. Since the electrical output signal of these devices can be detected in a synchronous mode, substantial noise reduction is possible
Rent and Price: “Alternative Use” and “Scarcity Value”

I. The "alternative use" idea, 119. — A value or price notion, 120. — Assumes distinct land-use groups and margins, 121. — II. Its alternative-utility aspect, 121. — Not significant as a long-time factor, 122. — Limited significance as a short-time factor, 123. — Classification of land utilities, 124. — III. The alternative-supply aspect, 126. — Limitations, general and particular, 126. — Costs, 127. — Return to value view-point and net utility, 128. — Effect of unequal wealth distribution, 129. — IV. The relation of "alternative uses" to rent, 130. — Not causal or determinative, 130. — Some practical considerations, 131. — V. Mill's treatment of "scarcity value" and rent, 132. — Overlooks the significance of the intensive margin, 135. — Loose use of terms, 137.
First report of the oak wilt fungus, Ceratocystis fagacearum, in New York state.

Ceratocystis fagacearum (T.W. Bretz) J. Hunt is considered to be the most destructive vascular pathogen of oaks (Fagaceae: Quercus spp.) in the eastern, north-central, and south-central United States. (1,2,4). All red oak species (subgenus Quercus: section Lobatae) are highly susceptible to C. fagacearum, and infected trees typically die within 3 months of first symptom expression. However, members of the white oak group (subgenus Quercus: section Quercus) are moderately to highly resistant to C. fagacearum and rarely die from oak wilt (1,3). In early August of 2008, we received branch samples taken from wilting red oaks (Q. rubra L.) growing in a residential neighborhood in Scotia, NY (Schenectady County). The endoconidial state of the oak wilt fungus, Thielaviopsis quercina (B.W. Henry) A.E. Paulin, T.C. Harr. & McNew, was consistently isolated from the xylem in the branches. The cultures were identified based on hyphal and conidial morphology on acidified potato dextrose agar (aPDA) as well as sequence...
Sexual assault: The role of prior relationship and victim characteristics in case processing

Using a sample of 467 sexual assault cases, this study analyzes the role of prior relationship and “negative” victim characteristics in accounting for case outcomes from prosecutorial intake to final disposition. Neither of these variables played a role in either the decision to prosecute, the decision to go to trial rather than resolve by guilty plea, trial outcomes, or punishment severity as indicated by a prison (versus nonprison) term. Both variables, however, were significant in determining sentence length. When selection bias and relevant legal factors were controlled, the existence of a prior relationship reduced sentence length by 35 months; each additional negative victim characteristic reduced the period of incarceration by 17 months.
Discussion of “Evaluation of Force-Based Frame Element Response Sensitivity Formulations” by Michael H. Scott

Michele Barbato, A.M.ASCE; and Joel P. Conte, M.ASCE Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State Univ. and A&M College, 3418H Patrick F. Taylor Hall, Nicholson Extension, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. E-mail: mbarbato@lsu. edu Professor, Dept. of Structural Engineering, Univ. of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0085 (corresponding author). E-mail: jpconte@ucsd.edu
CHANGES IN MOTOR VEHICLE OCCUPANT FATALITIES AFTER REPEAL OF THE NATIONAL MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT

Trends in motor vehicle occupant deaths over 8 years were studied for 24 states that raised interstate speed limits and seven states that did not following the 1995 repeal of the US National Maximum Speed Limit. Fatalities on interstates increased 15% in the 24 states that raised speed limits. After accounting for changes in vehicle miles of travel, fatality rates were 17% higher following the speed limit increases. Similar increases were reported following the 1987 speed limit increases on rural interstates. Deaths on roads other than interstates were essentially unchanged.
World enough, and time: Using search and screen committees to select personnel in academic libraries

Abstract This article examines the ineffectiveness of search and screen committees in hiring for professional positions in academic libraries. Too often, librarians' lack of knowledge about interviewing techniques leads to the hiring of mediocre candidates. After examining alternatives, the author advocates educating all staff in interviewing skills and increasing their participation in the search and screen process.
Reflections on PSA

A personal reflection on the history of the Pacific Sociological Association in the USA and the Pacific Basin. Essay ends with suggestions for the PSA’s future.
On scaling time dependent shortest path computations for Dynamic Traffic Assignment

Dynamic Traffic Assignment (DTA) models provide a powerful tool to realistically represent the complex interactions between travelers and the transportation infrastructure in large regions, and they have been increasingly adopted by transportation network planners and operators in the last decade. Time dependent shortest path (TDSP) calculations at the core of most DTA methodologies usually require storing and comparing millions of discovered paths. This makes the problem I/O intensive in addition to it inherently being computationally demanding. In this paper we present a use case on scaling up the TDSP calculations within an established existing DTA software framework with distributed computing. Our approach alleviates I/O bottlenecks by using RAM disks and improves a label correcting shortest path algorithm by using priority queues which also leads to better workload balancing among parallel processes. Tests with real-world transportation networks show drastic run time performance improvements, in some cases by a factor of 12x. This suggests that our methodology enables the analysis of much larger networks. Furthermore, the improvements were achieved with relatively minor modifications to the base code, which makes this approach appealing for the enhancement of other existing DTA implementations.
Understanding the health behaviors of India’s information technology and business process outsourcing employees

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the behaviors of India’s information technology (IT) and business process outsourcing (BPO) employees in relation to diet, exercise, sleep, stress, and social habits. Design/methodology/approach – This was a qualitative research study, using in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Descriptive data were collected from a two-stage purposive sample of 28 IT-BPO employees from three IT companies and two BPOs in Bangalore, India. Findings – The majority of interviewees reported having an unhealthy diet and/or sedentary lifestyle. Lack of time due to demanding work schedules was the largest barrier to diet and exercise. Call-centers were described as a social environment with a young workforce. Research limitations/implications – Given the qualitative study design and limited sampling frame, results may not be generalizable. However, the qualitative data suggests that India’s young IT-BPO employees may be at greater risk of lifestyle-related diseases than the ...
Viscoelastic properties of entangled polymers - Ternary blends of monodisperse homopolymers

In a previous publication from this laboratory, the Rouse-Bueche-Zimm molecular theory of viscoelasticity has been extended by using a transient network model to apply to binary blends of monodisperse polymers with chain entanglements. The dynamics of the entanglements were modeled both by the enhanced frictional coefficients and by the additional elastic couplings. It was recognized that entanglements not only may form between chains of the same lengths (intracomponent entanglements) but also between those of different lengths (intercomponent entanglements). At a given intercomponent entanglement, the longer chain was assumed to have the frictional coefficient of the shorter chain. Similarly, for blends consisting of several monodisperse components with different molecular weights, such modifications are also required to predict their linear viscoelastic behavior. The frequency of these interactions is assumed to be proportional to the weight ratio of the respective component chains in the blend. Equations of motion are formulated for each component and solved numerically for the relaxation time spectra. Linear viscoelastic properties such as the dynamic mechanical moduli, stress relaxation moduli, and zero-shear viscosity can then be computed for these systems by linear summation of those of the components.
Daytime sleepiness in Parkinson’s disease

We describe multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) results in 27 adult patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD). Pathological sleepiness (i.e. mean sleep latency ≤5 min) was common (40 of 134 nap opportunities), and sleep-onset REM periods were also observed (13 of 134 nap opportunities). These findings bore little relationship to disease specific variables (e.g. level of disability, medication use), or sleep architecture measures (e.g. total sleep time, sleep stage percentage’s). Our findings speak against a simple association of excessive sleepiness and the quality and quantity of prior night’s sleep, but rather, argue for primary impairments of waking arousal and REM-sleep expression in a sizeable subpopulation of PD patients.
'Ha! What is the benefit of living next to the park?' Factors limiting in-migration next to Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

Controversies and contestations of park and other protected area policies, new conservation rules and regulations (formal and informal), and new land classifications are redefining land and resource use, and thus livelihood options, for four ethnically distinct communities around Tarangire National Park, Tanzania. Research was conducted on how livelihoods have been shaped by perceptions of and in response to conservation policies and community-based conservation projects. Several factors were revealed that provide examples of perceived problems and issues, which would deter in-migration to these communities bordering a national park. Migration into these areas, located to the east, north-west, and western border of Tarangire National Park may be limited, at best, due to issues of fear and mistrust, lack of access to and alienation from land and resources, ethnicity, and litigious actions. This paper addresses these limiting factors, revealing how real world examples of conservation issues can be used to inform policy, rather than relying solely on statistical-based modelling.
Opportunities for bandwidth-on-demand between large datacenters

Cloud computing has numerous use cases requiring bursts of intercloud bandwidth while maintaining a lower average network utilization. We describe the applications driving these requirements and network programmability from a cloud service provider perspective.
Retinal nerve fiber layer analysis in RP patients using Fourier-domain OCT.

Purpose To determine peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL) abnormalities in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) using Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (Fd-OCT) and to evaluate the potential effect of cystoid macular edema (CME) or axial length on RNFL measurements in such patients. Methods Ninety-seven eyes of 52 patients with diagnoses of retinitis pigmentosa or Usher syndrome type II underwent complete ocular examination. Peripapillary RNFL thickness was measured using Fd-OCT in 16 segments from 4 quadrants--temporal (316 degrees -45 degrees ), superior (46 degrees -135 degrees ), nasal (136 degrees -225 degrees ), and inferior (226 degrees -315 degrees ). These measurements were compared with age- and disc size-adjusted control values. Further analyses were performed to determine the correlation of axial length or CME with RNFL thickness. Results Thinning of the RNFL was observed in 37 eyes (38.14%) of 23 patients (44.23%). A maximum number of eyes had thinning in the nasal quadrant followed by the inferior quadrant; the superior and temporal quadrants were abnormally thin in fewer eyes. No correlation was found between axial length and RNFL thickness in the total cohort (correlation coefficient, 0.039). An abnormal increase in RNFL thickness was observed in 21.65% eyes, but no association was found between the presence of CME and increased RNFL thickness. Conclusions RP eyes may show abnormal thinning or increased thickness of RNFL measurements on testing with Fd-OCT. RNFL defects observed by OCT testing document the presence of anatomic defects in more anterior structures within the retina in a notable number of patients with RP.
Atmospheric transport and deposition of trace elements to lake erie from Urban areas

A hybrid receptor-deposition (HRD) modeling approach was used to determine the spatial and temporal variation in the ambient concentration and dry deposition flux of trace elements on fine ( 2.5 mm) particulate matter over Lake Erie. Upper-air observations from the National Weather Service (NWS) and ambient concentrations measured at two sampling sites downwind of major emission sources in the Lake Erie basin were input to the model. An evaluation of the deposition flux of size-segregated trace elements to the lake during the over-water transport was performed. The average total (fine + coarse) deposition flux was 9.6 ng/m2-h for V, 70 ng/m2-h for Mn, 3.2 ng/m2-h for As, 4.2 ng/m2-h for Se, 10 ng/m2-h for Cd, and 43.3 ng/m2-h for Pb.
A Quantitative Assay for a Clara Cell-Specific Protein and Its Application in the Study of Development of Pulmonary Airways in the Rat

A Quantitative Assay for a Clara Cell-Specific Protein and Its Application in the Study of Development of Pulmonary Airways in the Rat
Recent developments in seasonally adjusting vital statistics.

Birth rates, marriage rates, and death rates computed on a monthly basis have exhibited relatively stable seasonal patterns over a period of years. Elimination of these seasonal fluctuations facilitates the description and interpretation of month-to-month changes in the underlying trend of the rates. Several methods have recently been developed, using an electronic computer, to identify and remove the seasonal component from time series of monthly data. The methods are basically adaptations of a standard technique—the ratio-to-moving average method—for seasonally adjusting time series.
Erythrocyte metabolism: interaction with oxygen transport.

Studies of the interactions between the metabolism and the function of the red cell have shown the importance of the red cell9s metabolism in contributing to the maintenance of adequate oxygen delivery. Some of the phosphorylated intermediates of glycolysis, especially DPG, are now known to reduce the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen. Current evidence indicates that this phenomenon is due to the effects of the binding of DPG to the , β-chains of deoxyhemoglobin. It appears that increases in red cell concentrations of DPG commonly occur during hypoxia, and that these increases (as well as normal physiological variation) significantly enhance oxygen transport. Artificial manipulation of erythrocyte metabolism may soon prove to be of great clinical usefulness in the treatment of a great variety of disorders which limit oxygen transport.
THE FINE STRUCTURE OF NEUROMUSCULAR JUNCTIONS AND THE SARCOPLASMIC RETICULUM OF EXTRINSIC EYE MUSCLES OF FUNDULUS HETEROCLITUS

The extrinsic eye muscles of the killifish (F. heteroclitus) were fixed in OSO(4) (pH 7.6) and subsequently dehydrated, embedded, and sectioned for electron microscopy. The fine structures of neuromuscular junctions and of sarcoplasmic reticulum were then observed. The neuromuscular junction consists of the apposition of axolemma (60 to 70 A) and sarcolemma (90 to 100 A), with an intervening cleft space of 200 to 300 A, forming a synaptolemma 400 to 500 A thick. The terminal axons contain synaptic vesicles, mitochondria, and agranular reticulum. The subsynaptic sarcolemma lacks the infolding arrangement characteristic of neuromuscular junctions from other vertebrate skeletal muscle, making them more nearly like that of insect neuromuscular junctions. A comparison between the folded and non-folded subsynaptic membrane types is made and discussed in terms of comparative rates of acetylcholine diffusion from the synaptic cleft and resistances of the clefts and subsynaptic membranes. The sarcoplasmic reticulum consists of segmentally arranged, membrane-limited vesicles and tubular and cisternal elements which surround individual myofibrils in a sleeve-like arrangement. Triadic differentiation occurs at or near the A-I junction. Unit sleeves span the A and I bands alternately and consist of closed terminal cisternae interconnected across the A and I bands by tubular cisternae. The thickness of the sarcoplasmic membranes increases from 30 to 40 A in intertriadic regions to 50 to 70 A at the triads. The location of the triads is compared with previously described striated muscle from Ambystoma larval myotomes, cardiac and sartorius muscles of the albino rat, mouse limb muscle, chameleon lizard muscle, and insect muscle, with reference to their possible role in intracellular impulse conduction.
The Expanding Universe

IT is generally assumed that the observed red shift in the spectra of distant nebulae is evidence of velocities of recession and not due to loss of energy in the photon with time. The speed of recession is found to increase in proportion to the distance of the nebulae at a rate of 550 kilometres per second per megaparsee (1 megaparsec = 3.26 million light years) and, as the law of general uniform expansion is that every object recedes at a rate proportional to its distance, this is taken as direct observational evidence of a general uniform expansion of the universe. But, in reaching this conclusion, the assumption is made that the nebulae have been moving with the same velocities for at least 150 million years. Light that left a faint nebula in Gemini 150 million years ago tells ua that it was receding from us then at 25,000 kilometres per second, but is it necessarily receding at that rate now ‘Our observations on nebular velocities extend over a long time range. Is it not possible to assume that the variations in observed velocities are variations with time and not with distance’. Assuming constant nebular velocities, the relation between distance and velocity is given approximately in the following table:
Transient ordinary and forced diffusion in a tube connecting stirred-tank end bulbs of finite size

Abstract Analytical solutions are presented for three problems involving transient diffusion in a tube, with boundary conditions which account for well-stirred end-bulbs of finite size. These boundary conditions make the problems non self-adjoint in the usual sense. The first two problems involve only ordinary diffusion, while the third involves both ordinary and forced diffusion. The second and third problems are applicable to the purification of gases by means of cataphoresis. In the cases involving ordinary diffusion, for large bulbs of equal size the characteristic dimensionless time τc = δ/2 where δ is the ratio of the bulb volume to the tube volume. For a given time in each problem, the series solution converges more rapidly with increasing δ. When the bulb volumes are about ten times greater than the tube volume, only the first few terms in the solution are required to accurately generate the concentration profile at zero time.