cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The relationship between the wood properties and decay levels of Pecan logs

The objective of this research was to find a solution for how to define and determine the decay levels of Pecan logs. Ultimately this information could be used to determine the preferred decay level of Pecan logs for Auricularia auricular-judae (wood ear mushroom) growth. Previous research had found some relationship between densities and C/N ratio of hardwood boreal trees in Canada. In this research, the physical (density, moisture content, penetration depth, etc.) and chemical properties (carbon, nitrogen and C/N ratio) of logs were measured from pecan logs at different levels of decomposition. First, the traditional visual method was used to define the decay level and they were compared to the log physical and chemical properties to find relationships between them. There was a negative relationship between log densities and decay levels. The more decayed logs had lower densities than new, fresh logs. Densities could be used as a basic standard to represent log decay levels. When the densities of logs were less than 430 , the negative relationship was significant between penetration depth and densities of logs. The relationship between C/N ratios and densities of logs was not significant, except for logs that already had mushroom fruiting residue present. Therefore, there was some relationships between log properties and decay levels. These log properties can be useful as parameters to determine the decay level and select the logs with the right decay level for Aricularia mushroom growth.
Does Delayed Microglial Ablation Alter Outcomes after Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with prolonged neuroinflammation lasting months or years after injury ([Simon et al., 2017][1]), which may explain why TBI patients have increased risk for other latent neurodegenerative diseases ([Guo et al., 2000][2]; [Plassman et al., 2000][3]; [
Post-lockdown depression and anxiety in the USA during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background The mental health impact of the pandemic after the initial lockdowns has not been well studied in the USA. Thus, the purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive and systematic national assessment of the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the adult US population. Methods A multi-item, valid and reliable questionnaire was deployed online via mTurk and social media sites to recruit adult US participants in the general population across the USA. A total of 1978 individuals participated in the study, where the majority were: females (51%), whites (74%), non-Hispanic (81%), married (56%), employed full time (68%) and with a bachelor's degree or higher (78%). Results The prevalence of depression (39%), anxiety (42%) and psychological distress (39%) were computed from the PHQ-4 scale. In multiple regression analyses, depression, anxiety and psychological distress burden (assessed by PHQ-4 scale) was predicted significantly based on race, ethnicity, age, having children at home, employment as a healthcare worker, annual household income and area of residence. Males were more likely to have depression, and females were more likely to have anxiety symptoms. Conclusions Given the high prevalence of depression and anxiety, interdisciplinary and multisectoral approaches are recommended in the USA along with population-based interventions on mental health improvement.
Markers of Quality Care for Newly Diagnosed People With Epilepsy on Medicaid

Background For newly diagnosed people with epilepsy (PWE), proper treatment is important to improve outcomes, yet limited data exist on markers of quality care. Objective Examine markers of quality care for newly diagnosed PWE. Methods Using Medicaid claims data (2010-2014) for 15 states we identified adults 18-64 years of age diagnosed with incident epilepsy in 2012 or 2013. We built 5 sequential logistic regression models to evaluate: (1) seeing a neurologist; (2) diagnostic evaluation; (3) antiepileptic medication adherence; (4) serum drug levels checked; and (5) being in the top quartile of number of negative health events (NHEs). We adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, county-level factors, and the outcomes from all prior models. Results Of 25,663 PWE, 37.3% saw a neurologist, with decreased odds for those of older age, those residing in counties with low-density of neurologists, and certain race/ethnicities; about 57% of PWE received at least 1 diagnostic test; and nearly 62% of PWE were adherent to their medication. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (37.1%) and psychoses (26.9%). PWE with comorbidities had higher odds of seeing a neurologist and to have NHEs. Substance use disorders were negatively associated with medication adherence and positively associated with high NHEs. Conclusions There are notable differences in demographics among people with incident epilepsy who do or do not see a neurologist. Differences in NHEs persist, even after controlling for neurologist care and diagnostic evaluation. Continued attention to these disparities and comorbidities is needed in the evaluation of newly diagnosed PWE.
Rhizosphere microbiome manipulation for sustainable crop production

Abstract The major forces driving farm-level production for the ever-growing global population have relied upon mechanized farming techniques, synthetic inputs, and developing high-yielding crop varieties. Recently, however, there has been a gradual shift toward developing sustainable approaches addressing the potential use of beneficial traits of the soil-plant microbiome to establish a sustainable food supply as well as to maintain soil and plant health. The intricate relationship of the soil-plant microbiome complex often faces difficulty in the efficient translation for the broad spectrum of audiences across society. In recent years, there has been a growing need to formulate strategies and streamline the global sharing of the generated information on plant microbiome interactions. In this review, we discuss novel and emerging strategies to use indigenous microbial consortia and engineered exogenous microbial inoculants for rhizosphere engineering. In addition, this review also details the use of these microbial consortia to improve crop yields and environmental protection that are currently in practice.
The Honorable Spymaster: John Le Carré and the Character of Espionage

This article uses the George Smiley novels of John Le Carre to explore the moral attribution that occurs when individuals are asked to live lives of moral contradiction in the public service. The novels exemplify the moral, psychological, and institutional tensions upon individuals whose lives require them to act in contradiction to the professed norms of liberal democracy. The paper focuses upon the three types of character that inhabit this world—absolutists, bureaucratic careerists, and George Smiley, Le Carre's protagonist. The play of the characters illuminates the different qualities of judgment and loyalty that can sustain or break under the moral corrosion of espionage in liberal democracy.
A Novel Approach to Single Tube Irrigation System with Adaptive Water Control

Water is a precious and limited resource for human, which signifies the importance for researches on effective water usage. In particular, researches on irrigated agriculture are vital as it is one of the major water-consuming sectors in the world. Nevertheless, traditional irrigation has several shortcomings in terms of water usage efficiency, namely the undistributed watering amount across fields which causes significant waste of water resources. In this paper, a novel approach toward improving the efficiency of single tube irrigation is introduced, particularly how it can be adaptively applied to different shaped fields to best utilize the water resource while increasing its water coverage. An irrigation prototype was built through an inventive combination of PID controller and raindrop sensors. Experiments have shown that this system will be significantly useful in areas where water is scarce, as it is 12% more efficient than the conventional approach.
Letters from the Longhouse: Law, Economics, and Native American Values

Explores Native American values in terms of law and economics. Particular reference is to Native peoples of the Northeastern United States. A series of letters that the author obtained from Native Americans specifically for this project are included in the article.
Total Dissociation Cross-Sections of Fluoroalkanes for Electron Impact: Their Usefulness for Understanding Plasma-Assisted Etching Environments

Low-pressure, low temperature gas discharges (cold plasmas) are being used in a diverse and expanding number of applications which are of great importance to industry [1]. Among these applications are plasma-assisted etching and plasma-assisted film deposition which are used extensively by most, if not all, semiconductor manufacturers. A dearth of knowledge about the important processes which occur in these chemically active plasmas clearly exists. Plasma-assisted etching is a prime illustration of this assertion. While there have been impressive advances in understanding the basic phenomena governing this technology in the past several years, significant technological progress has resulted mainly from “hard-nosed” empiricism. In effect, the science has not yet caught up with the technology, or even pointed the way. This is not an unusual situation; indeed, it is characteristic of much of modern technology development, which tends to be evolutionary. However, many of the roadblocks to successful application of nonequi1ibrium plasma technology could be ameliorated by expanding fundamental knowledge. In this regard, most technologically important plasma processes have been developed through inefficient, experimental parameter studies. A more desirable goal would be to partially develop future processes though mathematical modeling of the glow discharge, and in fact some effort in this direction is already available [2–4]. Unfortunately, a lack of fundamental information about cross-sections, plasma surface interactions, rate constants, synergistic effects, etc., presently make this approach of limited value.
Factors Related to the Oxygen Tolerance of Anaerobic Bacteria

The effect of atmospheric oxygen on the viability of 13 strains of anaerobic bacteria, two strains of facultative bacteria, and one aerobic organism was examined. There were great variations in oxygen tolerance among the bacteria. All facultative bacteria survived more than 72 h of exposure to atmospheric oxygen. The survival time for anaerobes ranged from less than 45 min for Peptostreptococcus anaerobius to more than 72 h for two Clostridium perfringens strains. An effort was made to relate the degree of oxygen tolerance to the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidases in cell-free extracts of the bacteria. All facultative bacteria and a number of anaerobic bacteria possessed superoxide dismutase. There was a correlation between superoxide dismutase activity and oxygen tolerance, but there were notable exceptions. Polyacrylamide gel electropherograms stained for superoxide dismutase indicated that many of the anaerobic bacteria contained at least two electrophoretically distinct enzymes with superoxide dismutase activity. All facultative bacteria contained peroxidase, whereas none of the anaerobic bacteria possessed measurable amounts of this enzyme. Catalase activity was variable among the bacteria and showed no relationship to oxygen tolerance. The ability of the bacteria to reduce oxygen was also examined and related to enzyme content and oxygen tolerance. In general, organisms that survived for relatively long periods of time in the presence of oxygen but demonstrated little superoxide dismutase activity reduced little oxygen. The effects of medium composition and conditions of growth were examined for their influence on the level of the three enzymes. Bacteria grown on the surface of an enriched blood agar medium generally had more enzyme activity than bacteria grown in a liquid medium. The data indicate that superoxide dismutase activity and oxygen reduction rates are important determinants related to the tolerance of anaerobic bacteria to oxygen.
Radiopharmaceuticals and Medical Imaging: Development of Radioimmumoconjugates for Radioimmunoimaging and Radioimmunotherapy of Malignant Diseases

Radioimmunopharmaceuticals or radioimmunoconjugates (RICs) are using antibody (Ab) or antibody derivatives as targeting carriers, taking advantage of the specific binding between antibody and antigen. In this chapter, we will discuss several aspects of RIC development and their application in radioimmunoimaging (RII) and radioimmunotherapy (RIT) for malignant diseases, including lymphoma, prostate cancer, colon cancer, and breast and ovarian cancers. Keywords: radioimmunoconjugate (RIC); radioimmunopharmaceuticals; radioimmunoimaging (RII); radioimmunotherapy (RIT); malignant diseases
Phase I and clinical pharmacology studies of intravenous and oral administration of 4-demethoxydaunorubicin in patients with advanced cancer.

4-Demethoxydaunorubicin (4-DMDR), an anthracycline analogue available in i.v. and p.o. form, has shown significant antitumor activity in murine tumor models while producing less cardiac toxicity than doxorubicin at equimyelotoxic doses. Phase I and clinical pharmacology studies of the i.v. and p.o. preparation were performed. With i.v. 4-DMDR, consistent myelosuppression was observed at a dose of 15 mg/sq m at a median Day 15; mild nausea and vomiting were observed in 9% of all treatment courses. In patients given p.o. 4-DMDR, myelosuppression occurred at median Day 14 in 10 of 12 patients given 50 mg/sq m. Nausea and vomiting occurred in 25% of all treatment courses, and dividing the dose over 3 days did not decrease the incidence. Alopecia occurred in 13% of evaluable patients treated with the i.v. preparation and 30% of evaluable patients treated p.o. No stomatitis was observed with either preparation, and no patient developed clinical signs of congestive heart failure. Pharmacokinetic studies were performed with both preparations and revealed prolonged plasma levels of the 13-hydroxy metabolite 4-DMDR-ol. The suggested starting dose for Phase II studies is 12.5 mg/sq m given every 21 days for i.v. 4-DMDR with dose escalation by 2.5 mg/sq m in the absence of myelotoxicity. For p.o. 4-DMDR, the suggested starting dose is 40 mg/sq m given every 21 days with escalation by 10 mg/sq m if no myelotoxicity is observed.
Linkages between lake shrinkage/expansion and sublacustrine permafrost distribution determined from remote sensing of interior Alaska, USA

5150 km 2 area of Yukon Flats, Alaska, USA, by evaluating the relationship between lake surface-area changes during 1979–2009, derived from Landsat satellite data, and sublacustrine groundwater flow-path connectivity inferred from a pioneering, airborne geophysical survey of permafrost. The results suggest that the shallow (few tens of meters) thaw state of permafrost has more influence than deeper permafrost conditions on the evolving water budgets of lakes on a multidecadal time scale. In the region studied, these key shallow aquifers have high hydraulic conductivity and great spatial variability in thaw state, making groundwater flow and associated lake level evolution particularly sensitive to climate change owing to the close proximity of these aquifers to the atmosphere. Citation: Jepsen, S. M., C. I. Voss, M. A. Walvoord, B. J. Minsley, and J. Rover (2013), Linkages between lake shrinkage/expansion and sublacustrine permafrost distribution determined from remote sensing of interior Alaska, USA, Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, doi:10.1002/grl.50187.
Identification of C3b-binding regions on herpes simplex virus type 2 glycoprotein C.

Abstract Glycoprotein C from herpes simplex viruses types 1 and 2 (gC-1 and gC-2) acts as a receptor for the C3b fragment of the third component of complement. Our goal is to identify domains on gC involved in C3b receptor activity. Here, we used in-frame linker-insertion mutagenesis of the cloned gene for gC-2 to identify regions of the protein involved in C3b binding. We constructed 41 mutants of gC-2, each having a single, double, or triple insertion of four amino acids at sites spread across the protein. A transient transfection assay was used to characterize the expressed mutant proteins. All of the proteins were expressed on the transfected cell surface, exhibited processing of N-linked oligosaccharides, and bound one or more monoclonal antibodies recognizing distinct antigenic sites on native gC-2. This suggested that each of the mutant proteins was folded into a native structure and that a loss of C3b binding by any of the mutants could be attributed to the disruption of a specific functional domain. When the panel of insertion mutants was assayed for C3b receptor activity, we identified three distinct regions that are important for C3b binding, since an insertion within those regions abolished C3b receptor activity. Region I was located between amino acids 102 and 107, region II was located between residues 222 and 279, and region III was located between residues 307 and 379. In addition, region III has some structural features similar to a conserved motif found in complement receptor 1, the human C3b receptor. Finally, blocking experiments indicated that gC-1 and gC-2 bind to similar locations on the C3b molecule.
Experimental Infection of Various Latex Plants of the Family Asclepiadaceae with Phytomonas elmassiani

SYNOPSIS. Trypanosomatid-free plants of the family Asclepiadaceae identified as Asclepias syriaca, A. curassavica, A. incarnata, Stephanotis floribunda, Seutera maritima, Amphistelma scoparia and plants of the family Euphorbiaceae identified as Euphorbia tirucalli, E. trigona, and Pedilanthus tithymaloides were exposed to the bite of the bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus, infected with Phytomonas elmassiani, a flagellate which occurs naturally in A. syriaca and O. fasciatus. Two weeks subsequent to exposure to laboratory-infected oncopeltids all the experimental Asclepiadaceae were infected. The mean length of the protozoa varied depending on the host plant. The flagellates in A. syriaca, A. curassavica, and A. incarnata were shorter than those in S. floribunda, S. maritima, and A. scoparia. None of the Euphorbiaceae became infected.
Mono- and Bimetallic Rhodium(I) Complexes Supported by New C2-Symmetric Bis-N-heterocyclic Carbene Ligands: Metalation via CC Bond Cleavage under Mild Conditions

The first example of a tethered chiral enetetramine is presented along with its mild metalation with Rh(I) sources to produce chiral, bis-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes. Subtle steric effects determine whether an enetetramine is accessible versus a free biscarbene.
Anomalous interplanar expansion at the (0001) surface of Be.

Analysis of low-energy electron diffraction spectra for Be(0001) shows that the interplanar spacing between the first and second planes is expanded by 5.8% or 0.10 \AA{}. The size of this expansion is large compared to that of close-packed fcc (111) surfaces, which show little or no expansion. This large expansion is discussed in terms of the unique bonding of Be. The second and third interplanar spacings show almost no relaxation.
Social Problem-Solving Abilities and Health Behaviors Among Persons With Recent-Onset Spinal Cord Injury

Although many persons with spinal cord injuries (SCI) are at risk for preventable complications, very little research has examined the health behaviors of these individuals. In this study, we examined self-reported health behaviors of persons with recent-onset SCI. We also studied the association between health behaviors and social problem-solving abilities. The results indicated that positive problem-solving characteristics were associated with more adaptive wellness and accident prevention behaviors. A negative orientation toward problem solving and avoidant and impulsive/careless styles was associated with increased traffic and substance risk taking. Implications are discussed in terms of health education, research, and prevention programs.
Analysis of copolymers by means of density gradient centrifugation. II. Comparison with kinetic requirements

Four styrene–iodostyrene copolymers of uniform iodine content are examined in the density gradient centrifuge under conditions similar to those used in a previous study, in which the copolymer investigated showed compositional distribution. The results obtained determine the relation between the iodine content of a copolymer and its position in the density gradient. This enables one to compare the average square of the fluctuation in iodine content with that derived from the kinetic copolymer equation. The two results agree satisfactorily.
Multiple Sample PCR Amplification and Electrophoretic Analysis on a Microchip

Polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) were carried out on as many as four DNA samples at a time on a microchip device. The PCR products were then analyzed, either individually or together on the same device, by microchip gel electrophoresis. A standard PCR protocol was used to amplify 199- and 500-base pair (bp) regions of bacteriophage λ DNA and 346- and 410- bp regions of E. coli genomic and plasmid DNAs, respectively. Thermal lysis of the bacteria was integrated into the PCR cycle. A product sizing medium, poly(dimethylacrylamide), and an intercalating dye for fluorescence detection were used in the electrophoretic analysis of the products. PCR product sizes were determined by coelectrophoresis with marker DNA.
Influence of allelic variation on apolipoprotein(a) folding in the endoplasmic reticulum

Plasma levels of lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) vary over 1000-fold between individuals and are determined by the gene for its unique apolipoprotein, apo(a), which has greater than 100 alleles. Using primary baboon hepatocyte cultures, we previously demonstrated that differences in the ability of apo(a) allelic variants to escape the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are a major determinant of Lp(a) production rate. To examine the reason for these differences, the folding of newly synthesized apo(a) was analyzed in pulse-chase experiments. Samples were harvested in the presence of N-ethylmaleimide to preserve disulfide-bonded folding intermediates, and apo(a) was analyzed by immunoprecipitation and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Apo(a) required a prolonged period (30-60 min) to reach its fully oxidized form. Multiple folding intermediates were resolved, including a disulfide-linked, apo(a)-containing complex. Unexpectedly, all allelic variants examined showed similar patterns and kinetics of folding. Even "null" apo(a) proteins, which are unable to exit the ER, appeared to fold normally. The ER glucosidase inhibitor, castanospermine, prevented apo(a) secretion, but did not inhibit folding. This suggests that an event which is dependent on trimming of N-linked glucoses, and which occurs after the folding events detectable in our assay, is required for apo(a) secretion. Differences in the ability to undergo this event may explain the variable efficiency with which apo(a) allelic variants exit the ER.
A Thought or Two for Mutual Funds

The mutual fund industry has not been able to add value to investors through performance. The objective of this article is to direct the attention of the mutual fund industry, its regulators, and clients to lessons that can be learned from the hedge fund industry. The lessons are synthesized from the findings of a number of published empirical research articles coupled with significant developments in the fund management industry. In an op-ed letter to the WSJ Mr. John Bogle eloquently describes the state of affairs in the mutual fund industry by associating it with the Emperor9s New Clothes syndrome. He reports that the costs of running an equity mutual fund is about 3%. These costs are at all-time highs. In addition, published research shows that the key factor that determines whether or not a mutual fund makes use of derivatives is membership in a given family of mutual funds. Mutual funds tend to also adopt a herd behavior in security research and selection and performance management. The compensation of the mutual fund manager is based on assets under management with no link to fund performance. Mutual fund investment strategies, unlike hedge fund strategies, are far less flexible. Hedge funds tend to generally perform well in up as well as down markets. Hedge funds sell short, leverage, use derivatives, control redemptions, and tie compensation to performance. Hedge funds use these tools for exploiting arbitrage opportunities created by indexing, herding of performance, herding of security selection, and rigid legal and institutional structures. Hedge fund managers are exposed to idiosyncratic risk. The mutual fund industry along with its key constituents, need to explore new avenues for adding value.
Soil ingest ion issues and recommendations

Abstract This paper provides a critical assessment of the ability of soil ingestion studies to provide reliable quantitative estimates of soil ingestion. It also identifies principal causes of both inter‐study and inter‐tracer variability in soil ingestion estimates and applies this knowledge to the previous published soil ingestion studies of Calabrese et al. (1989). The paper concludes by providing a decision framework for estimating soil ingestion rates within the context of age of subjects, urban vs rural, seasonality, normal vs soil pica behavior and other considerations affecting soil ingestion rates.
Pareto optimal cross layer lifetime optimization for Disaster Response Networks

Disaster Response Networks (DRNs) are designed to assist first responders during the recovery period following a large scale disaster. The system lifetime of deployed DRNs is critical to successful recovery, as are performance metrics such as packet delivery delay. In this paper we investigate the Pareto front between system performance and system energy consumption in such DRNs. The latter is further reduced compared to state of art methods by accepting the least possible performance penalty as a tradeoff. We observe that not all nodes in the network may consume or produce data; such relay nodes can be excluded from the routing process to save energy, but at the cost of decreased system performance. The problem is formulated mathematically using Raven as the underlying routing protocol. The Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) is used to obtain the Pareto-optimal points, and the DRN is made to operate at these points. Extensive performance evaluations demonstrate that a 162 minute increase in system lifetime is possible for a 61 minute increase in the packet delivery delay, while the packet delivery ratio remains almost constant.
Migration, origination and extinction of Southern Hemisphere brachiopods during the middle Carboniferous

Abstract The migration patterns and latitudinal diversity gradients of early and middle Carboniferous articulate brachiopod genera from the paleoequatorial zone and Southern Hemisphere are consistent with the paleoclimatic history of these intervals interpreted from the study of paleoequatorial and Northern Hemisphere forms. Both poles apparently became warmer between the middle and late Visean. South Polar cooling associated with glaciation probably began in the late Visean. At this time, 44 of 92 Southern Hemisphere nonequatorial genera migrated toward the equator. The North Pole remained warm into the Namurian A and cooled during the Namurian A to B. Both Northern and Southern Hemisphere non-equatorial genera reacted to high-latitude warming with significant increases in percent origination; genera from all latitudinal zones responded to high-latitude cooling with significant increases in percent extinction. During the Namurian A to B, when both poles were cool, a small but statistically significant number of equatorial genera (8 out of 70) migrated out of the equatorial zone into the non-equatorial Northern Hemisphere. No similar migration into the Southern Hemisphere occurred at this time, perhaps due to the steep latitudinal temperature gradient. Several lines of evidence suggest that the latitudinal temperature gradient was steeper in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere: whereas percent origination in northern non-equatorial latitudes rose significantly following North Polar cooling, origination rates in southern non-equatorial latitudes did not rise significantly following South Polar cooling; Southern Hemisphere non-equatorial brachiopods suffered a greater loss of diversity during the interval of polar cooling than either equatorial or Northern Hemisphere non-equatorial brachiopods; and there may be Namurian tillites within 20°S of the paleoequator (Veevers and Powell, 1987).
Poising chromatin for transcription

Abstract Interactions between cis -acting DNA sequences and trans -acting factors regulate gene expression in eukaryotic cells. In chromatin, these protein-DNA complexes frequently generate DNase I hypersensitive sites, are sometimes organized at or near the bases of chromosomal loops, and can instruct an entire linked domain to memorize the transcriptionally poised state.
iNEOS: an interactive environment for nonlinear optimization

In this paper we describe iNEOS, an Internet-based environment which facilitates the solution of complex nonlinear optimization problems. It enables a user to easily invoke a remote optimization code without having to supply the model to be optimized. An interactive communication between client and server is established and maintained using CORBA. We test the system in a simulation designed to identify material parameters of a piezoelectric crystal.
Anisotropy of intermetallic particle cracking damage evolution in an Al-Mg-Si base wrought aluminum alloy under uniaxial compression

Particle cracking is an important damage mode in numerous engineering alloys having anisotropic microstructures. In this contribution, cracking of anisotropic Fe-rich intermetallic particles in an extruded 6061 (T651) Al-alloy is quantitatively characterized as a function of compressive strain for two loading directions. The Fe-rich intermetallic particles rotate when a compressive load is applied parallel to the extrusion direction, which in turn affects the particle cracking process. At low compressive strains, the number fraction of cracked Fe-rich particles is higher in specimens loaded perpendicular to the extrusion axis as compared to that in specimens loaded parallel to the extrusion axis. However, the reverse is true at the high strain levels. These differences in damage evolution are explained on the basis of particle rotations and microstructural anisotropy.
A comparison of mobile money-transfer UIs for non-literate and semi-literate users

Due to the increasing penetration of mobile phones even into poor communities, mobile payment schemes could bring formal financial services to the "unbanked". However, because poverty for the most part also correlates with low levels of formal education, there are questions as to whether electronic access to complex financial services is enough to bridge the gap, and if so, what sort of UI is best. In this paper, we present two studies that provide preliminary answers to these questions. We first investigated the usability of existing mobile payment services, through an ethnographic study involving 90 subjects in India, Kenya, the Philippines and South Africa. This was followed by a usability study with another 58 subjects in India, in which we compared non-literate and semi-literate subjects on three systems: text-based, spoken dialog (without text), and rich multimedia (also without text). Results confirm that non-text designs are strongly preferred over text-based designs and that while task-completion rates are better for the rich multimedia UI, speed is faster and less assistance is required on the spoken-dialog system.
Homozygosity Mapping of the Achromatopsia Locus in the Pingelapese

Achromatopsia, or total color blindness (also referred to as "rod monochromacy"), is a severe retinal disorder characterized clinically by an inability to distinguish colors, impaired visual acuity in daylight, photophobia, and nystagmus. Inherited as an autosomal recessive trait, achromatopsia is rare in the general population (1:20,000-1:50,000). Among the Pingelapese people of the Eastern Caroline Islands, however, the disorder occurs at an extremely high frequency, as recounted in Oliver Sacks's popular book The Island of the Colorblind: 4%-10% of this island population have the disorder and approximately 30% carry the gene. This extraordinary enrichment of the disease allele most likely resulted from a sharp reduction in population in the late 18th century, in the aftermath of a typhoon and subsequent geographic and cultural isolation. To obtain insights into the genetic basis of achromatopsia, as well as into the genetic history of this region of Micronesia, a genomewide search for linkage was performed in three Pingelapese kindreds with achromatopsia. A two-step search was used with a DNA pooling strategy, followed by genotyping of individual family members. Genetic markers that displayed a shift toward homozygosity in the affected DNA pool were used to genotype individual members of the kindreds, and an achromatopsia locus was identified on 8q21-q22. A maximal multipoint LOD score of 9.5 was observed with marker D8S1707. Homozygosity was seen for three adjacent markers (D8S275, D8S1119, and D8S1707), whereas recombination was observed with the flanking markers D8S1757 and D8S270, defining the outer boundaries of the disease-gene locus that spans a distance of <6.5cM.
A microassay for the direct demonstration of collagenolytic activity in Graafian follicles of the rat.

Abstract 1. 1. A microassay for tissue collagenase (Ec 3.4.24.3) activity has been developed based upon the method of Ryan and Woessner (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. (1971) 44, 144–149). The insoluble fraction of homogenized tissue is incubated in buffer at 37°C and collagenase activity is estimated by the release of soluble hydroxyproline-containing fragments. The assay requires only 0.15–2.5 mg of tissue. To validate the microassay, rat uterine collagenase has been measured and the activity shown to be linear with time of incubation and equivalent to that detected by the original assay. The digestion of follicular collagen by partially purified rat uterus collagenase is shown to be linear with respect to enzyme concentration using the microassay. 2. 2. Collagenolytic activity is detected in homogenates of Graafian follicles of immature rats stimulated with pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin. 3. 3. The follicular enzyme has the properties of a true collagenase. it is localized in the insoluble tissue fraction, it attacks collagen under physiological conditions of pH and temperature and it is inhibited by EDTA and activated by Ca2+. Extracts of the follicles cleave the synthetic peptide substrate for mammalian collagenase, dinitrophenol-Pro-Leu-Gly-Ile-Ala-Gly- d -Arg at the appropriate glycine-isoleucine bond; hydrolysis of this peptide is blocked by EDTA. The follicular collagenolytic enzyme exists in a latent form which can be revealed by enzymic (trypsin) or chemical (aminophenylmercuric acetate) treatment.
Multiple pigmented nail bands during hydroxyurea therapy: an uncommon finding.

The pathogenesis of erythema multiforme is presumed to be based on immunologic mechanisms. 6 A dosedependent toxic skin reaction seems unlikely, considering the lack of reports of erythema multiforme during lithium therapy at any serum concentration; our patient's concentration was within the accepted therapeutic range. A metabolic idiosyncrasy also seems unlikely in light of the patient's previous long-term therapy. We therefore suggest that the reaction was immunologic, ally mediated. Because lithium tablets contain no coloring agents and the excipients used cannot be suspected of being immunogenic, it is probable that lithium itself caused the cutaneous reaction.
Fuel effects on start-up energy and efficiency for automotive PEM fuel cell systems

Abstract This paper investigates the effects of various fuels on hydrogen production for automotive PEM fuel cell systems. Gasoline, methanol, ethanol, dimethyl ether and methane are compared for their effects on fuel processor size, start-up energy and overall efficiencies for 50 kWe fuel processors. The start-up energy is the energy required to raise the temperature of the fuel processor from ambient temperature (20 °C) to that of the steady-state operating temperatures. The fuel processor modeled consisted of an equilibrium-ATR (autothermal), high-temperature water gas shift (HTS), low-temperature water gas shift (LTS) and preferential oxidation (PrOx) reactors. The individual reactor volumes with methane, dimethyl ether, methanol and ethanol were scaled relative to a gasoline-fueled fuel processor meeting the 2010 DOE technical targets. The modeled fuel processor volumes were, 25.9 L for methane, 30.8 L for dimethyl ether, 42.5 L for gasoline, 43.7 L for ethanol and 45.8 L for methane. The calculated fuel processor start-up energies for the modeled fuels were, 2712 kJ for methanol, 3423 kJ for dimethyl ether, 6632 kJ for ethanol, 7068 kJ for gasoline and 7592 kJ for methane. The modeled overall efficiencies, correcting for the fuel processor start-up energy using a drive cycle of 33 miles driven per day, were, 38.5% for dimethyl ether, 38.3% for methanol, 37% for gasoline, 34.5% for ethanol and 33.2% for methane assuming a steady-state efficiency of 44% for each fuel.
The Utility of Prions

Infectious, self-propagating protein aggregates (prions) as well as structurally related amyloid fibrils have traditionally been associated with neurodegenerative diseases in mammals. However, recent work in fungi indicates that prions are not simply aberrations of protein folding, but are in fact widespread, conserved, and in certain cases, apparently beneficial. Analysis of prion behavior in yeast has led to insights into the mechanisms of prion appearance and propagation as well as the effect of prions on cellular physiology and perhaps evolution. The prion-forming proteins of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are members of a larger class of Gln/Asn-rich proteins that is abundantly represented in the genomes of higher eukaryotes, raising the prospect of genetically programmed prion-like behavior in other organisms.
MULTIPLE SCENARIO DEVELOPMENT: ITS CONCEPTUAL AND BEHAVIORAL FOUNDATION

This paper examines the multiple scenario approach as an important corporate innovation in strategic planning. Using a participant/observer perspective, I examine how scenario planning tries to meet certain methodological, organizational and psychological challenges facing today's senior managers. Three prime characteristics are identified as setting the scenario approach apart from more traditional planning tools: (1) the script or narrative approach, (2) uncertainty across rather than within models, and (3) the decomposition of a complex future into discrete states. After exploring the intellectual roots of scenario planning, I examine such organizational aspects as the need for diversity of views and the importance of simplicity and manageability. Both benefits and obstacles to using scenarios in organizations are identified. Cognitive biases are examined as well, especially the well-known biases of overconfidence and the conjunction fallacy. Two experiments test the impact of scenarios on people's subjective confidence ranges. Another two experiments test the internal coherence of subjects' beliefs. The psychological benefit of scenario planning appears to tie in the exploitation of one set of biases (e.g., conjunction fallacies) to counteract another (such as overconfidence).
A Clearing in the Distance: Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the Nineteenth Century

In a brilliant collaboration between writer and subject, the bestselling author of "Home" and "City Life" illuminates Frederick Law Olmsted's role as a major cultural figure and a man at the epicenter of nineteenth-century American history. We know Olmsted through the physical legacy of his stunning landscapes -- among them, New York's Central Park, California's Stanford University campus, Boston's Back Bay Fens, Illinois's Riverside community, Asheville's Biltmore Estate, and Louisville's park system. He was a landscape architect before that profession was founded, designed the first large suburban community in the United States, foresaw the need for national parks, and devised one of the country's first regional plans. Olmsted's contemporaries knew a man of even more extraordinarily diverse talents. Born in 1822, he traveled to China on a merchant ship at the age of twenty-one. He cofounded "The Nation" magazine and was an early voice against slavery. He wrote books about the South and about his exploration of the Texas frontier. He managed California's largest gold mine and, during the Civil War, served as general secretary to the United States Sanitary Commission, the precursor of the Red Cross. Olmsted was both ruthlessly pragmatic and a visionary. To create Central Park, he managed thousands of employees who moved millions of cubic yards of stone and earth and planted over 300,000 trees and shrubs. In laying it out, "we determined to think of no results to be realized in less than forty years," he told his son, Rick. "I have all my life been considering distant effects and always sacrificing immediate success and applause to that of the future." To this day, Olmsted's ideas about people, nature, and society are expressed across the nation -- above all, in his parks, so essential to the civilized life of our cities. Rybczynski's passion for his subject and his understanding of Olmsted's immense complexity and accomplishments make this book a triumphant work. In "A Clearing in the Distance, " the story of a great nineteenth-century American becomes an intellectual adventure.
The American Filter

This study explored the television viewing habits of a cohort of Asian Indians who migrated to the US more than 40 years ago. This cohort eventually became acculturated into watching Indian television via the satellite dish. The study used the integrative communication theory and examined how two concepts of the theory relate to adaptation: enculturation and acculturation. The study produced findings that described how these Asian Indians used American television to acculturate to the US, but used American television as a filter through which they judged Indian television and distinguished between what they believed to be good and bad programming.
Nitric oxide release from the unimolecular decomposition of the superoxide radical anion adduct of cyclic nitrones in aqueous medium

Nitrones such as 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO), 5-diethoxyphosphoryl-5-methyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DEPMPO) and 5-ethoxycarbonyl-5-methyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (EMPO) have become the spin-traps of choice for the detection of transient radical species in chemical and biological systems using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The mechanism of decomposition of the superoxide radical anion (O2˙−) adducts of DMPO, DEPMPO and EMPO in aqueous solutions was investigated. Our findings suggest that nitric oxide (NO) was formed during the decomposition of the O2˙− adduct as detected by EPR spin trapping using Fe(II) N-methyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate (MGD). Nitric oxide release was observed from the O2˙− adduct formed from hypoxanthine–xanthine oxidase, PMA-activated human neutrophils, and DMSO solution of KO2. Nitric oxide formation was not observed from the independently generated hydroxyl radical adduct. Formation of nitric oxide was also indirectly detected as nitrite (NO2−) utilizing the Griess assay. Nitrite concentration increases with increasing O2˙− concentration at constant DMPO concentration, while NO2− formation is suppressed at anaerobic conditions. Moreover, large excess of DMPO also inhibits NO2− formation which can be attributed to the oxidation of DMPO to hydroxamic acid nitroxide (DMPO–X) by nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a precursor to NO2−. Product analysis was also conducted to further elucidate the mechanism of adduct decay using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique.
A profile of mycosis fungoides

![Figure][1] Mycosis fungoides is the most common primary lymphoproliferative disorder of skin. The disease may be difficult to diagnose, particularly in the early patch and plaque stages, when it may resemble a chronic inflammatory dermatitis. The neoplastic cells of mycosis fungoides are
Tourism development on the north Yucatan coast: Human response to shoreline erosion and hurricanes

The barrier coast of north Yucatan has been evolving into a beachfront recreational landscape since the introduction of passenger rail service between Merida and Progreso in 1881. Beginning in the 1950's, middle-class vacation home construction spread laterally outward from Progreso, and even distal fishing and salt-gathering villages became engulfed by a recreational landuse overlay. In spite of geomorphic evidence of marine transgression, such as dune scarps and washover fans, the focus of recreational urbanization has been the beachfront. And although attempts at retarding shore erosion have taken place since the 1960s, hazard perception has remained generally low until the late 1980s. When Hurricane Gilbert blew across the Yucatan peninsula in 1988, damage to beachfront structures, highways, boats, and salt ponds was extensive. The barrier environment exhibited extensive overwashing and breaching, especially in areas of human modification, and the lagoon ecosystem experienced considerable ecologic disruption. Because the north Yucatan coast is a locus of domestic tourism, and the thousands of uninsured summer homes are owned largely by members of Merida's middle class, reconstruction since Gilbert has been slow. Incipient trends of international tourism development have slowed since 1988.
The Effect of Voice Volume on the Perception of Personality

Summary On the basis of correlational studies and anecdotal evidence, it was hypothesized that a loudly speaking person would be perceived as being more aggressive, dominant, and self-assured than would a softly speaking person. Sixty-three male and female college students listened to a tape-recorded interview in which they heard a female interviewee answer questions in either a low, moderate, or high voice volume. Ss rated the interviewee on seven point personality trait scales. The interviewee was perceived as most aggressive when speaking in a high voice volume, but was also perceived to be lacking in self-assurance.
The roles of an ephrin and a semaphorin in patterning cell-cell contacts in C. elegans sensory organ development.

Ephrins and semaphorins regulate a wide variety of developmental processes, including axon guidance and cell migration. We have studied the roles of the ephrin EFN-4 and the semaphorin MAB-20 in patterning cell-cell contacts among the cells that give rise to the ray sensory organs of Caenorhabditis elegans. In wild-type, contacts at adherens junctions form only between cells belonging to the same ray. In efn-4 and mab-20 mutants, ectopic contacts form between cells belonging to different rays. Ectopic contacts also occur in mutants in regulatory genes that specify ray morphological identity. We used efn-4 and mab-20 reporters to investigate whether these ray identity genes function through activating expression of efn-4 or mab-20 in ray cells. mab-20 reporter expression in ray cells was unaffected by mutants in the Pax6 homolog mab-18 and the Hox genes egl-5 and mab-5, suggesting that these genes do not regulate mab-20 expression. We find that mab-18 is necessary for activating efn-4 reporter expression, but this activity alone is not sufficient to account for mab-18 function in controlling cell-cell contact formation. In egl-5 mutants, efn-4 reporter expression in certain ray cells was increased, inconsistent with a simple repulsion model for efn-4 action. The evidence indicates that ray identity genes primarily regulate ray morphogenesis by pathways other than through regulation of expression of semaphorin and ephrin.