cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of Ditch Blockage for Restoring Hydrologic and Soil Processes in Mountain Peatlands

Drained peatlands are a global concern due to alterations of the water and carbon cycle, loss of habitat, and increased fire frequency. However, methods for restoring drained sloping peatlands are limited and poorly tested. Therefore, we measured water table dynamics, CO2 fluxes, and soil properties at four sloping fens that were restored (1–20 years post-restoration) with the installation of small check dams in ditches that had drained the sites for a century. Restoration had a positive effect on water tables, increasing from approximately 45 cm below the surface to approximately 15 cm below the surface during the summers. Restoration also benefited CO2 fluxes, as the mean net ecosystem exchange was greatest in the restored areas (−2.19 g CO2 m−2 hour-1) compared to the unrestored drained areas (−1.28 g CO2 m−2 hour−1), while in reference areas it was −1.74 g CO2 m−2 hour−1. Drainage also caused significant changes to the peat soil including: 25% reduction in soil organic matter (lost between 1.4 to 3.6 kg/m2), increased bulk density, decreased porosity, and reduced saturated hydraulic conductivity. Restoration did not affect these parameters, even 20 years after restoration. This study suggests that although natural water table levels have been reestablished and the process of carbon sequestration improved, the physical properties of the most disturbed, near surface peat soils do not mimic reference conditions 20 years post-restoration.
Role of thiazolidinediones in the management of type 2 diabetes: focus on ethnic minority populations.

Persons from ethnic minority populations in the United States suffer disproportionately more from type 2 diabetes and its complications than do Caucasians. Genetic and acquired factors likely contribute to the ethnic disparities of type 2 diabetes. The pathophysiologic hallmarks consist of insulin resistance, progressive pancreatic b-cell dysfunction, and excessive hepatic glucose production. The ideal treatment for type 2 diabetes should correct insulin resistance and b-cell dysfunction; and normalize hepatic glucose output; and prevent, delay, or reverse diabetic complications. The discovery of a new class of drugs, thiazolidinediones, has provided an effective tool to correct key underlying defects in type 2 diabetes. Thiazolidinediones improve insulin sensitivity and have beneficial effects on pancreatic b-cell function and hepatic glucose production. Furthermore, their potent insulin-sensitization effect predicts that treatment with thiazolidinediones will improve cardiovascular risk factors, including lipid profile, fibrinolysis, endothelial function, and atheroinflammatory markers. These benefits are expected to be particularly important among ethnic minority patients who tend to have greater insulin resistance than do Caucasians.
Metadata Best Practices for University Archives Images

Academic librarians and archivists have long partnered on the development and implementation of cataloging best practices for archival materials. Much of this shared history involves cataloging in traditional integrated library systems, using metadata, descriptive standards, and software originating in bibliographic cataloging to create records in artisanal detail. The University of Denver cataloged and digitized the whole of an archival collection in two years by taking advantage of patterns inherent in archival arrangement to batch-create metadata using archival collection management software. Using this approach, the University of Denver scaled up the production of records, while keeping costs down and maintaining quality, and developed a set of best practices that has extended to other shared cataloging and digitization projects.
Constructing a program with exceptions

Abstract An exception is a form of a structured jump. A program that uses exceptions can sometimes be written in a way that is simpler, easier to understand, and more efficient than a similar program written without exceptions. Moreover, program constructs in a language with exceptions are not appreciably more difficult to reason about than those in a language without exceptions. In fact, the weakest preconditions of these constructs make up a nice algebra over functions of two arguments. We prove some theorems in this algebra using the calculational method, and then show a novel derivation of a simple program.
Double Diabetes: The Search for a Treatment Paradigm in Children and Adolescents

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in children. Diabetes mellitus is classified into four major types. Type 1, type 2, gestational, and other specific types. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is caused by autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) results from a combination of insulin resistance and be‐ ta cell insulin secretory defect. The rising prevalence of childhood obesity has made it more difficult to differentiate between these types of diabetes in children. There is a new expres‐ sion of diabetes in children known as double diabetes, or hybrid diabetes. This is a clinical state where both T1D and T2D co-exist in the same individual as shown in Figure 1 below.
Prognostic significance of recurrent grade 1B rejection in the first year after pediatric cardiac transplantation: a case for reinstatement of the 1B rejection grade.

The 2005 ISHLT rejection grading system merged grades 1A, 1B and 2 into a single grade (1R), assuming equivalent prognostic significance. We hypothesized that recurrent 1B acute cellular rejection (ACR) is associated with adverse outcomes. Data on all heart transplant recipients at our center from 1990–2007 were reviewed. Patients were excluded if they had more than one grade ≥3A/2R biopsy in the first 6 weeks or any grade ≥3A/2R biopsies during the first year thereafter. Patients with ≥2 grade 1B biopsies from 6 weeks-1 year were classified as “recurrent 1B.” Outcomes were freedom from late (>1 year) ACR (grade ≥3A/2R), coronary artery disease (CAD), re-transplantation/death, and a composite end-point. Sixty-two patients (53 non-recurrent 1B, 9 recurrent 1B) met inclusion criteria. In univariate analyses, recurrent 1B status was associated with decreased freedom from late ACR (p<0.001), CAD (p=0.004), and the composite outcome (p<0.001). There was no difference in freedom from re-transplantation/death (p=0.48). After controlling for demographic differences between the groups, recurrent 1B status was independently associated with late ACR (HR 5.90; p=0.002) and the composite outcome (HR 4.52; p=0.002). These data suggest that further study of the impact of removal of the 1B classification from the ISHLT grading scheme is warranted.
Infant mortality and intra‐household competition in the Northern Islands of Orkney, Scotland, 1855–2001

This study applies principles from the theory of household life cycles to the study of early childhood mortality in the population of the Northern Orkney Islands, Scotland. The primary hypothesis is that unfavorable household economic conditions resulting from changes in household demographic composition increase the risk of death for children under the age of 5 years because of limited resources and intra-household competition. We apply Cox proportional hazards models to nearly 5,000 linked birth and death records from the Northern Orkney Islands, Scotland, from the period 1855 to 2001. The dependent variable is the child's risk of death before age 5. Findings suggest that children in households with unfavorable age compositions face higher risk of death. This elevated risk of death continues once heterogeneity among children, islands, and households is controlled. Results also show differential risk of death for male children, children of higher birth orders, and twin births. The analyses present evidence for intra-household competition in this historic setting. The most convincing evidence of competition is found in the effects of household consumer/producer ratios and twinning on child mortality risks.
Diagnosis and treatment of carpometacarpal desmopathy in a horse

Summary A 9-year-old Warmblood gelding underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the carpal and proximal metacarpal regions for evaluation of prolonged right forelimb lameness. Magnetic resonance findings were indicative of desmopathy of the right lateral carpometacarpal ligament and the interosseous ligament between the third and fourth metacarpal bones. Based on the MR findings and lack of response to conservative therapy, surgery using a drilling technique was performed to facilitate fusion of the right carpometacarpal joint. After surgery and a 6-month rest and rehabilitation programme, the horse returned to soundness. This case report describes a unique combination of lateral carpal/proximal metacarpal soft tissue injuries that resulted in prolonged lameness and were treated with facilitated arthrodesis of the carpometacarpal joint. These soft tissue injuries should be considered as a differential diagnosis in horses with lameness localised to the proximal metacarpal/distal carpal region.
Translation, Authorship, Copyright

AbstractCurrent copyright law reserves for the author the exclusive right to copy and circulate a work, and this strictly limits the translator’s control of the translated text, resulting not merely in an economic disadvantage to the translator but in the continuing cultural marginality of translation. The history of copyright contains alternative definitions of translation that are useful in challenging its present legal status. Such definitions demonstrate that the development of an exclusive authorial copyright depended on an individualistic concept of original authorship that negates the translator’s work. But they also enable the formulation of a collective concept of authorship, one in which the translator is seen as a species of author and originality is redefined. This paper presents a genealogy of copyright that contests the cultural assumptions of the law and aims to foster legislative reform designed to further both the interests of translators and the practice of translation.
HIGH PERFORMANCE SIGEC/SI NEAR-IR ELECTROOPTIC MODULATORS AND PHOTODETECTORS

Numerical simulations are performed for SiGeC/Si electrooptic modulators and photodetectors operating at near-IR wavelengths. The addition of carbon provides the ability to lattice match layers with high germanium composition to silicon, which is shown to allow structures with a substantial increase in the optical confinement factor. In addition, SiGeC/Si heterostructures provide strong confinement of large electron and hole concentrations. The large optical confinement factor and strong carrier confinement enable broadband electrooptic modulators with sub-100 μm lengths and switching times below 0.5 ns with 25 mA current as well as photodetectors with quantum efficiencies as high as 90% for 300 μm length.
Head Start Teacher Well-Being: Implications for Policy and Practice

Surprisingly little is known about Head Start teachers; who teaches, why they teach, and how they think and feel about their work. To begin to address these issues, a survey was developed and distributed to Head Start teachers, assistant teachers, and aides in one three-county program to examine their motivation and well-being. Follow-up interviews were then conducted to gain deeper insights into the teachers’ lives, values, beliefs, plans, and concerns. Results suggest that Head Start teachers are motivated by a deep service ethic. Additionally, nearly all of the teachers reported high levels of satisfaction, efficacy and confidence with no differences based on age, level of education, or position. However, many reported dissatisfaction with their compensation. Analyses were also conducted from the perspective of life course theory and research. Results suggest recent policy changes emphasizing greater levels of education for teachers appear to have serious unanticipated consequences.
Acute coronary syndrome in young women under 55 years of age: clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcomes.

Background Young women with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) may represent a high risk group, but little is known about specific age and sex differences in clinical characteristics, treatment, outcomes, and trends over time.
A 25-gram-capacity oxygen bomb calorimeter

Abstract A 25-gram-capacity oxygen bomb calorimeter has been designed, constructed, and tested at the National Bureau of Standards (NBS). It was built in the early stages of a program directed toward the development of an oxygen flow calorimeter which burns kilogram-size samples of municipal solid waste [ 1,2 ]. This bomb calorimeter produces more representative calorific values for heterogeneous materials because the samples are an order of magnitude larger in mass than those used in conventional-size bomb calorimeters. The 25-gram-capacity bomb calorimeter is of the isothermal-jacket (isoperibol) type which is similar in design to the conventional-size (2.5-gram-capacity) bomb calorimeter used at NBS. Calibration and test results are presented to show the equivalence of results obtained with the 25-gram- and 2.5-gram-capacity calorimeter systems and to demonstrate the usefulness of the 25-gram calorimeter for determining heats of combustion of heterogeneous materials. Benzoic acid calibration measurements yielded an energy equivalent of 86 043.43 ± 9.13 J K −1 , for a five degree temperature rise. The 25-gram-capacity bomb calorimeter was tested with three typical refuse-derived-fuel (RDF) samples which were milled to 0.5 mm particle size, a size necessary for conventional bomb calorimetry, and the results were equivalent to those measured in the conventional-size (2.5-gram-capacity) bomb calorimeter. The usefulness of the calorimeter was demonstrated by determining the calorific values of unprocessed (25 mm particle size) densified RDF and comparing these values with those obtained on processed (0.5 mm particle size) RDF. The calorific values for processed and unprocessed samples were statistically equivalent. The 25-gram-capacity bomb calorimeter yields more representative calorific values than the conventional-size bomb calorimeters because less sample processing is required and a greater portion of the gross RDF sample is burned.
Federal officials outline efforts to restrict sensitive environmental data

Since 11 September 2001, the U.S. government has undertaken efforts to tighten access to information that could be useful to terrorists. A White House official told a meeting of the National Research Council's Board on Earth Sciences and Resources, held on 17 May, that new guidelines for deciding which information should be restricted are being developed by the Bush administration. Penrose Albright, assistant director for homeland and national security in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)said that the process for “taking information heretofore readily accessible and restricting it is not yet resolved. A memorandum for the decision-making process is not yet thought through. But these things are being discussed in the White House and [executive] agencies.”
Degradation of glial fibrillary acidic protein protein by a calcium dependent proteinase: an electroblot study

Abstract In situ and in vitro degradation of glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein in mouse spinal cord was examined with electroblots stained for GFA protein by the peroxidase anti-peroxidase method. Non-degraded, intact GFA protein had a molecular weight of 48 Kdaltons and isoelectric points ranging from pH 5.8 to 6.4. The molecular weights to immunoreactive degradation products ranged from 47 to 28 Kdaltons. All of the degradation products had acid shifted isoelectric points (pH 5.8-5.2). Degradation was prevented by chelating calcium with EGTA. In contrast to in situ degradation, degradation in vitro with 3 mM CaCl2 occured at a faster rate. The effect of pH and temperature on the degradation process were determined by incubating homogenized spinal cords in 3 mM CaCl2 solutions varying in pH from 4 to 10 and at 4, 37, and 60°C. The greatest number of immunoreactive bands with the lowest molecular weights occurred at pH 8 and 37 °C. The results suggest that turnover of glial filaments is in part controlled by a calcium dependent proteinase active near neutral pH similar to that postulated for neurofilament turnover.
Symmetry breaking during morphogenesis in the embryo and in engineered tissues

During embryonic development, cells divide and migrate and tissues change shape. These changes in tissue shape constitute the highly choreographed dynamic process of morphogenesis that collectively turns simple forms into the complex architectures of mature organs. Although the key signaling pathways are determined genetically, the geometries of these simple tissue forms are instructive as well, and help to elaborate symmetry-breaking events required for morphogenesis. Understanding the role of tissue geometry during morphogenesis may reveal novel strategies for constructing engineered tissues ex vivo. Tissue development is an intrinsically dynamic process. Changes in chemical reactions and physical forms (which specify the geometry of the reaction volume as well as its boundary conditions) as a function of time work to turn a fertilized egg into a full living being, comprised of multiple tissues and an exquisite variety of differentiated cell types. This dynamic change in form is known as morphogenesis, a process which is encoded in part within the genome, but which is also responsive to external stimuli. How do we study this problem of morphogenesis? When viewed as a series of chemical reactions, it is natural to examine morphogenesis using computational approaches, and such techniques have indeed revealed novel control mechanisms. 1,2 These studies are elegant, but can run the risk of lacking relevance if taken to an extreme. When viewed as part of the whole organism, morphogenesis can be examined in vivo using either classical embryology techniques or more recently developed genetic approaches. These studies have been particularly fruitful when completed using small and simple organisms. When viewed as an independent unit of function, morphogenesis can be examined using engineered tissues, thus combining experimental control with computational accessibility. These studies may be directly applicable to regenerative medicine, but, in general, the conclusions derived from engineered systems need to be tempered and framed with respect to what is already known about the embryo. In this Perspective, the author will describe the current understanding of how symmetry is broken during development in vivo, and discuss how those lessons might inform the design of engineered tissues.
Adult Congenital Surgery: Current Management

The population of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) (commonly called grown-ups with congenital heart disease or GUCH) is increasing steadily and exceeds the population of children with CHD already. The specificities of GUCH surgery are multiple and include (1) variety of the anatomo-clinical situations (defects repaired during childhood, malformations either nonoperated or palliated, nonreparable defects), (2) usual multiorgan involvement, and (3) many technical differences related to cardiopulmonary bypass, myocardial protection, and surgical technique. The surgical indications should be taken after a precise evaluation of the risk/benefit ratio on an individual basis; a balanced attitude should be kept between unwise interventionism and excessive waiting policy. It is now agreed that GUCH surgery should be performed in specialized centers with large patient volumes and expertise of both surgical and medical disciplines. Much remains to be done to implement these recommendations and to accumulate experience and evidence-based information to provide optimal outcome.
Kinetics of tridymite formation

Abstract The kinetics of tridymite formation has been studied. Colloidal silicas containing
Levels of PBDEs, PCDDs, PCDFs, and coplanar PCBs in edible fish from California coastal waters.

Abstract The levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzo-furans (PCDFs), coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (coPCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in fish collected from San Francisco Bay in 2000 and from the California coast in 2001. The samples were composites of only the edible portions of the fish (skin on, skin off, or whole body minus head and guts) of comparable size and from distinct geographical areas. Sixty-five composite samples were analyzed for PCDD/PCDF/coPCBs, and 43 composite samples were analyzed for PBDEs. For all fish of all species from all sampling areas, the mean concentration of the sum of BDEs 47, 99, 100, 153, and 154 was 302 ng/g lipid weight, with BDE 47 > 100 > 99 ∼ 154 > 153. For all fish of all species from all sampling areas, the mean PCDD/PCDF International Toxic Equivalent (I-TEQ) was 33.1 pg/g lipid. For the three coPCBs (77, 126, 169), the mean I-TEQ for all fish of all species from all sampling areas was 109 pg/g lipid. The highest concentrations of both PCDD/PCDF/coPCBs and PBDEs were found in the highly populated areas of San Francisco Bay, the Los Angeles area, and San Diego Bay.
Morphology and Distribution of Antennal and Antennular Setae in Lysmata Shrimp

ABSTRACT In decapod crustaceans, chemical cues are usually detected by antennal and antennular setae. Different types of setae have been identified in various decapod species. In Lysmata shrimp, aesthetascs have been identified to be responsible for distance sex pheromone detection, whereas some other nonaesthetasc setae can detect contact sex pheromones. In this study, the morphology of antennal and antennular setae in six species of Lysmata shrimp was examined using scanning electron microscopy. The number of nonaesthetasc setae was counted and compared among the species with different social environments. Four types of antennal and antennular setae were identified, and their morphology was similar in all the Lysmata species studied. No sexual dimorphism was found in the morphology of setae. The total number of nonaesthetasc setae increased with shrimp size, whereas the density of nonaesthetasc setae did not change with growth. In general, the number and density of nonaesthetasc setae was greater in pai...
Solid-phase assays for the detection of alloantibody against human leukocyte antigens: panacea or Pandora?

Summary Serological assessments of antibodies directed against human leucocyte antigens (HLA) formed the basis of early histocompatibility testing (Patel & Terasaki, 1969 N Engl J Med, 280, 735). However, over the past decade, significant advances in HLA antibody detection technologies have emerged. The development and implementation of solid-phase assays has led to safer and more efficient allocation of organs by effectively distinguishing HLA from non-HLA antibodies. Although solid-phase assays are not standardized, they are widely accepted as the new ‘gold standard’. However, this technology is not without its challenges. This review is intended to provide a better understanding of solid-phase HLA antibody testing and will focus on important caveats associated with this evolving technology. Examples of the limitations of the technology as well as common data misinterpretations will be shown. Both of which could pose potential harm to transplant recipients (Tait et al., 2013 Transplantation, 95, 19).
THE RELATION OF THE MELANOPHORE HORMONE OF THE PITUITARY GLAND TO OXYGEN CONSUMPTION OF THE RAT123

THE ACTION of the melanophore hormone of the pituitary gland in dispersing melanin granules of melanophore cells in cold-blooded animals is well known and constitutes an important function of the pituitary gland in such animals as the frog (1). However, in higher animals which do not possess chromatophores comparable with those of cold-blooded animals, the function of this hormone remains obscure. Its presence has been demonstrated in the hypophyses of a wide variety of animals, including man (2,3,4). Furthermore, its presence in human urine has apparently been demonstrated (5). Thus, one of the important problems connected with the pituitary is the function of the melanophore hormone in warm-blooded animals. None of the well-known mammalian effects of pituitary extracts has been shown to be due to the melanophore hormone. Zondek and Krohn (6) reported that their purified erythrophore hormone, intermedin (which is biologically similar to the melanophore hormone but apparently different in certain chemical...
Effects of the NOP agonist SCH221510 on producing and attenuating reinforcing effects as measured by drug self-administration in rats

Nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide (NOP) receptor agonists attenuate morphine-induced conditioned place preference in rodents. However, it is not known whether NOP agonists have reinforcing properties or can inhibit mu opioid receptor (MOP)-mediated reinforcement as measured by drug self-administration in rodents. Further understanding the behavioral effects of NOP agonists could suggest them as having potential in attenuating reinforcing effects of opioids. In the first part of the study, reinforcing properties of selective NOP agonist SCH221510 were determined and compared with the full MOP agonist remifentanil under fixed-ratio 5 (FR5) and progressive-ratio (PR) schedules of drug self-administration. In the second part, effects of systemic and intracisternal pretreatment of SCH221510 were determined and compared with MOP antagonist naltrexone in attenuating reinforcing effects of remifentanil and a non-drug reinforcer (sucrose pellets). Remifentanil self-administration (0.3-10 µg/kg/infusion) generated a biphasic dose-response curve, characteristic of drugs with reinforcing properties. SCH221510 (3-300 µg/kg/infusion) self-administration resulted in flat dose-response curves and early break-points under the PR, indicative of drugs lacking reinforcing value. Intracisternally, but not systemically, administered SCH221510 (0.3-3 µg) attenuated remifentanil self-administration, comparable with systemic naltrexone (0.03-0.3 mg/kg). SCH221510 (1-3 µg), unlike naltrexone (0.03-1 mg/kg), attenuated responding for sucrose pellets. Both effects of SCH221510 were reversed by the NOP antagonist J-113397 (0.3-3 µg). These results suggest that SCH221510 does not function as a reinforcer in rats, and that it can attenuate the reinforcing value of MOP agonists; therefore, the potential utility of NOP agonists for the treatment of drug addiction warrants further evaluation.
Birefringence dispersion in fused silica for DUV lithography

A shift to shorter wavelength radiation sources along with improvements in the quality of lithography grade optical materials has driven the production of integrated circuits with smaller feature sizes. Optical characterization of these materials, in some cases, is performed at visible wavelengths due to the complexity level associated with measuring in the DUV. Birefringence measurements of stepper lens blanks, for example, are typically measured at 633nm using a Helium Neon laser source. However, knowledge of the correlating DUV birefringence values is needed for determining the acceptable magnitude of birefringence in the material and for predicting the magnitude of loss in CD contrast. In this paper we report results on how the birefringence in Corning's HPFSR synthetic silica glass changes at the DUV wavelengths used in lithography systems. An examination of the wavelength dependent stress-optic response that produces birefringence was performed and found to increase from 633nm to 193nm. Birefringence in lithography stepper lens elements degrades imaging performance so an understanding of its dispersion is important for system designs.
Brain Circulation: Unparalleled Opportunities, Underlying Challenges, and Outmoded Presumptions

An emerging global phenomenon of significant proportions, the mobility of high-level personnel affects the socioeconomic and sociocultural progress of a nation and the world. The information era has conquered the barriers of distance and space, opening up a whole array of opportunities and challenges affecting the mode in which the world interacts and coexists. Instantaneous communication and its declining cost, massive capital movement across borders, the growing hegemony of multinational corporations, greater talent demand to maintain global competitiveness and replenish national pool, relative ease in the movement of people, shift in geopolitics, the emergence of the greener pasture paradigm, and the decline of many Third World countries to provide commensurate living standards have catalyzed the global mobility trend of highly trained personnel. This article explores potentials advanced by the mobility of high-level expertise while examining emerging challenges. It also scrutinizes outmoded assumption...
Plugging Effects From Livestock Waste Application on Infiltration and Runoff

A rainfall simulator was used on repacked Waukegan silt loam and Hubbard loamy sand soil columns to determine the combined effect of rainfall and livestock waste application on infiltration and runoff. Dairy and swine waste slurries were either surface-applied or incorporated. Livestock waste application noticeably reduced the amount of runoff during a series of artificial rainfall events for all cases with the exception of swine waste incorporated into the silt loam soil. Loamy sand exhibited short-term plugging when both wastes were surface-applied with no incorporation. Surface-application of dairy waste on the silt loam soil apparently prevented formation of a surface seal and improved the infiltration capacity of the soil. Less surface-sealing in waste-applied columns may be attributed to increased organic matter on the surface of the soil that aided aggregate stability. Also, the waste particles protected the surface from the energy of the impacting raindrops.
Establishing individual differences related to opportunity alertness and innovation dependent on academic‐career training

Purpose – The purpose of this research was to investigate using the seminal writings of Schumpeter and Kirzner as a guide – individuals who are potentially involved in entrepreneurship can be identified as being innovators or opportunity‐alert. Specifically, this exploratory project attempts to answer the following question: “Are some individuals better at being innovators, while others are better able to recognize entrepreneurial opportunities and, if so, does academic‐career training matter?”Design/methodology/approach – The study relied on purposive sampling and received survey responses from postgraduate students in business and engineering. The 26‐item survey was made up of demographic indices and questions from the Schumpeter and Kirzner literature. A total of 242 business and 525 engineering students received the e‐mail from academic advisors. Usable responses were received from 36 business students (15 percent response rate) and 67 engineering students (13 percent response rate).Findings – The res...
Modifications of the C6-Substituent of Penicillin Sulfones with the Goal of Improving Inhibitor Recognition and Efficacy

Abstract In order to evaluate the importance of a hydrogen-bond donating substituent in the design of β-lactamase inhibitors, a series of C6-substituted penicillin sulfones, lacking a C2′ substituent, and having an sp3 hybridized C6, was prepared and evaluated against a representative classes A and C β-lactamases. It was found that a C6 hydrogen-bond donor is necessary for good inhibitory activity, but that this feature alone is not sufficient in this series of C6β-substituted penicillin sulfones. Other factors which may impact the potency of the inhibitor include the steric bulk of the C6 substituent (e.g., methicillin sulfone) which may hinder recognition in the class A β-lactamases, and also high similarity to the natural substrates (e.g., penicillin G sulfone) which may render the prospective inhibitor a good substrate of both classes of enzyme. The best inhibitors had non-directional hydrogen-bonding substituents, such as hydroxymethyl, which may allow sufficient conformational flexibility of the acyl-enzyme for abstraction of the C6 proton by E166 (class A), thus promoting isomerization to the β-aminoacrylate as a stabilized acyl-enzyme.
Progressive multiples for communication-minded visualization

This paper describes a communication-minded visualization called progressive multiples that supports both the forensic analysis and presentation of multidimensional event data. We combine ideas from progressive disclosure, which reveals data to the user on demand, and small multiples [21], which allows users to compare many images at once. Sets of events are visualized as timelines. Events are placed in temporal order on the x-axis, and a scalar dimension of the data is mapped to the y-axis. To support forensic analysis, users can pivot from an event in an existing timeline to create a new timeline of related events. The timelines serve as an exploration history, which has two benefits. First, this exploration history allows users to backtrack and explore multiple paths. Second, once a user has concluded an analysis, these timelines serve as the raw visual material for composing a story about the analysis. A narrative that conveys the analytical result can be created for a third party by copying and reordering timelines from the history. Our work is motivated by working with network security administrators and researchers in political communication. We describe a prototype that we are deploying with administrators and the results of a user study where we applied our technique to the visualization of a simulated epidemic.
Modeling Carbon-Black/Polymer Composite Sensors

Conductive polymer composite sensors have shown great potential in identifying gaseous analytes. To more thoroughly understand the physical and chemical mechanisms of this type of sensor, a mathematical model was developed by combining two sub-models: a conductivity model and a thermodynamic model, which gives a relationship between the vapor concentration of analyte(s) and the change of the sensor signals. In this work, 64 chemiresistors representing eight different carbon concentrations (8-60 vol% carbon) were constructed by depositing thin films of a carbon-black/polyisobutylene composite onto concentric spiral platinum electrodes on a silicon chip. The responses of the sensors were measured in dry air and at various vapor pressures of toluene and trichloroethylene. Three parameters in the conductivity model were determined by fitting the experimental data. It was shown that by applying this model, the sensor responses can be adequately predicted for given vapor pressures; furthermore the analyte vapor concentrations can be estimated based on the sensor responses. This model will guide the improvement of the design and fabrication of conductive polymer composite sensors for detecting and identifying mixtures of organic vapors.
Heuristics for sampling repetitions in noisy landscapes with fitness caching

For many large-scale combinatorial search/optimization problems, meta-heuristic algorithms face noisy objective functions, coupled with computationally expensive evaluation times. In this work, we consider the interaction between the technique of "fitness caching" and the straightforward noise reduction approach of "fitness averaging" by repeated sampling. Fitness caching changes how noise affects a fitness landscapes, as noisy values become frozen in the cache. Assuming the use of fitness caching, we seek to develop heuristic methods for predicting the optimal number of sampling replications for fitness averaging. We derive two analytic measures for quantifying the effects of noise on a cached fitness landscape (probabilities of creating "false switches" and "false optima"). We empirically confirm that these measures correlate well with observed probabilities on a set of four well-known test-bed functions (sphere, Rosenbrock, Rastrigin, Schwefel). We also present results from a preliminary experimental study on these landscapes, investigating four possible heuristic approaches for predicting the optimal sampling, using a random-mutation hill-climber with fitness caching.
The lecture movement: 1840–1860

(1948). The lecture movement: 1840–1860. Quarterly Journal of Speech: Vol. 34, No. 2, pp. 206-212.
Lesbian Weddings and the Revenge of the Clones

This article explores mainstream images of same-sex marriage, and in particular lesbian weddings, arguing that patterns of representation may have consequences for the ways that the same-sex marriage debate evolves, and for the ways that same-sex marriages are experienced by the couples who choose them. I elaborate on three patterns in images that have proliferated since 1996 and describe the implications for each. I argue that the marketing of same-sex marriage to mainstream audiences has consequences that demand careful analysis, and potentially call for a counter-marketing effort.
AMYGDALA EFFERENTS FORM INHIBITORY-TYPE SYNAPSES WITH A SUBPOPULATION OF CATECHOLAMINERGIC NEURONS IN THE RAT NUCLEUS TRACTUS SOLITARIUS

The central nucleus of the amygdala (CNA) integrates visceral responses to stress partially through efferent projections to portions of the medial nuclei of the solitary tracts (mNTS) containing catecholaminergic neurons. To determine anatomical sites for CNA modulation of these neurons, immunoperoxidase detection of anterogradely transported Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA- L) or biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) was combined with immunogold silver labeling of the catecholamine-synthesizing enzyme, tyrosine hydroxylase, in adult rat mNTS. From 350 anterogradely labeled terminals identified within the intermediate mNTS, 30% formed symmetric, inhibitory-type synapses and the remainder lacked recognized junctions as seen within a single plane of section. Of the terminals forming symmetric synapses, 16% were presynaptic to tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive dendrites and the remainder to unlabeled dendrites. The level of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity as assessed by density of gold-silver particles was significantly lower in dendrites receiving synaptic input from CNA efferents as compared with dendrites of the same sizes (2. 0 μm2 in mean area) which received synapses from unlabeled terminals or lacked recognizable synaptic inputs. When separately examined without regard to afferent input, the medium- and larger-sized dendrites having mean cross-sectional areas of 1–3 μ2m also contained significantly less tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity than small (<1 μ2m) dendrites. These results suggest that CNA efferents to the mNTS inhibit non-catecholamine-containing neurons and a subpopulation of catecholamin ergic neurons distinguished by their low levels of tyrosine hydroxylase. The findings also indicate that small, presumably more distal, dendrites in the intermediate mNTS may synthesize and/or release catecholamines. © 1995 Wiley-Liss Inc.
Cultivation and characterization of bacterial isolates capable of degrading pharmaceutical and personal care products for improved removal in activated sludge wastewater treatment.

Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) discharged with wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents are an emerging surface water quality concern. Biological transformation has been identified as an important removal mechanism during wastewater treatment. The aim of this research was the identification of bacteria with characteristics for potential bioaugmentation to enhance PPCP removal. We report here the cultivation and characterization of bacteria capable of degrading PPCPs to ng/L concentrations. An isolation approach was developed using serial enrichment in mineral medium containing 1 mg/L of an individual PPCP as the sole organic carbon source available to heterotrophs until the original activated sludge inocula was diluted to ~10−8 of its initial concentration, followed by colony growth on solid R2A agar. Eleven bacteria were isolated, eight that could remove triclosan, bisphenol A, ibuprofen, or 17β-estradiol to below 10 ng/L, one that could remove gemfibrozil to below 60 ng/L, and two that could remove triclosan or E2, but not to ng/L concentrations. Most bacterial isolates degraded contaminants during early growth when grown utilizing rich carbon sources and were only able to degrade the PPCPs on which they were isolated. Seven of the bacterial isolates were sphingomonads, including all the triclosan and bisphenol A degraders and the ibuprofen degrader. The study results indicate that the isolated bacteria may have a positive influence on removal in WWTPs if present at sufficient concentrations and may be useful for bioaugmentation.
A comparative analysis of global shape analysis methods for the assessment of the human right ventricle

Two contemporary statistical shape analysis workflows are presented and compared with respect to analysis of the human right ventricle (RV). The methods examined include an approach that directly applies proper orthogonal decomposition to harmonically mapped surfaces (DM-POD) and an approach that expands the harmonically mapped surfaces onto spherical harmonic functions prior to further analysis (SPHARM). The structure of both workflows is elaborated upon and compared, particularly regarding the details of several key sub-steps, including the shape parameterisation, alignment and statistical decomposition. The performance is evaluated for the components of each framework at the various analysis stages, as well as for the output of the complete workflows in terms of the potential to assess right ventricular function through application to a set of RV endocardial surfaces with varying levels of pulmonary hypertension. In addition, DM-POD and SPHARM are examined with respect to different methods of utilising...
Perioperative cardiac events in endovascular repair of complex aortic aneurysms and association with preoperative studies.

Background Endovascular repair of complex aortic aneurysms (CAAs) can be performed in high-risk individuals, yet is still associated with significant morbidity, including spinal cord ischemia, cardiac complications, and death. This analysis was undertaken to better define the cardiac risk for CAA. Methods A prospective database of patients undergoing thoracoabdominal or juxtarenal aortic aneurysm repair with branched and fenestrated endografts was used to retrospectively determine the number of cardiac events, defined as myocardial infarction (MI), atrial fibrillation (AF), and ventricular arrhythmia (VA), that occurred ≤30 days of surgery. Postoperative serial troponin measurements were performed in 266 patients. Any additional available cardiac information, including preoperative echocardiography, physiologic stress tests, and history of cardiac disease, was obtained from medical records. The efficacy of preoperative stress testing and the association of various echo parameters were evaluated in the context of cardiac outcomes using univariable and multivariable logistic regression models. Results Between August 2001 and December 2007, 395 patients underwent endovascular repair of a thoracoabdominal or juxtarenal aortic aneurysm. The incidence of AF, VA, and 30-day cardiac-related death was 9%, 3%, and 2%, respectively. Overall 30-day mortality was 6%. Univariable analysis showed the presence of mitral annulus calcification was associated with MI (odds ratio [OR], 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.9-13.8; P = .07). Left atrium cavity area, ejection fraction, left ventricle mass, and left ventricular mass index were univariably associated with the presence of VA. Multivariable analysis showed only the left atrium cavity area was independently associated with VA (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.5; P = .07). Stress test was done in 179 patients. Negative stress test results occurred in 152 (85%), of whom 9 (6%) sustained an MI during the 30-day perioperative course. MI occurred in 2 of the 27 patients (7%) who had a positive stress test result. Conclusions Endovascular repair of CAA can be performed in high-risk individuals but is associated with significant cardiac risk. It remains difficult to risk stratify patients using preoperative stress testing. Echo evaluation may help to identify patients who may be more likely to develop ventricular arrhythmias in the postoperative period and thus warrant closer monitoring. Postoperative troponin monitoring of all patients undergoing repair of CAA is warranted given the overall risk of MI.
Rare earth and other trace element mobility during mylonitization: a comparison of the Brevard and Hope Valley shear zones in the Appalachian Mountains, USA

In progressing from a granitoid mylonite to an ultramylonite in the Brevard shear zone in North Carolina, Ca and LOI (H2O) increase, Si, Mg, K, Na, Ba, Sr, Ta, Cs and Th decrease, while changes in Al, Ti, Fe, P, Sc, Rb, REE, Hf, Cr and U are relatively small. A volume loss of 44% is calculated for the Brevard ultramylonite relative to an Al–Ti–Fe isocon. The increase in Ca and LOI is related to a large increase in retrograde epidote and muscovite in the ultramylonite, the decreases in K, Na, Si, Ba and Sr reflect the destruction of feldspars, and the decrease in Mg is related to the destruction of biotite during mylonitization. In an amphibolite facies fault zone separating grey and pink granitic gneisses in the Hope Valley shear zone in New England, compositional similarity suggests the ultramylonite is composed chiefly of the pink gneisses. Utilizing an Al–Ti–Fe isocon for the pink gneisses, Sc, Cr, Hf, Ta, U, Th and M-HREE are relatively unchanged, Si, LOI, K, Mg, Rb, Cs and Ba are enriched, and Ca, Na, P, Sr and LREE are lost during deformation. In contrast to the Brevard mylonite, the Hope Valley mylonite appears to have increased in volume by about 70%, chiefly in response to an introduction of quartz. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns of granitoids from both shear zones are LREE-enriched and have prominent negative Eu anomalies. Although REE increase in abundance in the Brevard ultramylonites (reflecting the volume loss), the shape of the REE pattern remains unchanged. In contrast, REE and especially LREE decrease in abundance with increasing deformation of the Hope Valley gneisses. Mass balance calculations indicate that ≥95% of the REE in the Brevard rocks reside in titanite. In contrast, in the Hope Valley rocks only 15–40% of the REE can be accounted for collectively by titanite, apatite and zircon. Possible sites for the remaining REE are allanite, fluorite or grain boundaries. Loss of LREE from the pink gneisses during deformation may have resulted from decreases in allanite and perhaps apatite or by leaching ofy REE from grain boundaries by fluids moving through the shear zone. Among the element ratios most resistant to change during mylonitization in the Brevard shear zone are La/Yb, Eu/Eu*, Sm/Nd, La/Sc, Th/Sc, Th/Yb, Cr/Th, Th/U and Hf/Ta, whereas the most stable ratios in the Hope Valley shear zone are K/Rb, Rb/Cs, Th/U, Eu/Eu*, Th/Sc, Th/Yb, Sm/Nd, Th/Ta, Hf/Ta and Hf/Yb. However, until more trace element data are available from other shear zones, these ratios should not be used alone to identify protoliths of deformed rocks.
A robust message passing based stereo matching kernel via system-level error resiliency

In this paper, we present an error resilient Markov random field (MRF) message passing based stereo matching hardware (HW) architecture. Previously, algorithmic noise tolerance (ANT) has been applied at the arithmetic level of the reparameterize unit and showed greatly enhanced robustness of message passing inference based architectures. In this work, correction was targeted at the system level to reduce correction overhead while maintaining performance. An erroneous FPGA based accelerator was employed as our emulation platform. Through relaxed synthesis, we show that timing errors occur within the message passing unit, and are successfully compensated. Error correction has been implemented at several hierarchical levels, including end of iteration, and the final depth map output. Significant enhancement in robustness is achieved with minimal correction overhead. Compared to HW error compensation at the arithmetic level, system level error compensation reduces overhead by more than 50 %, while maintaining stereo matching performance with only 3.8 % degradation.