cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimizing temporal sampling strategies for benthic environmental monitoring programs

Abstract Trends in benthic macrofaunal monitoring data are often confounded by natural seasonal fluctuations in abundance. We used eight years of seasonally-collected benthic biological data to investigate the relative advantages of multi-season vs single season sampling strategies for assessing trends in the context of these seasonal fluctuations. The effect of seasonality on sampling strategy was examined in three ways. First, we tested long-term trends in benthic responses for homogeneity among seasons with the premise that a single season sampling strategy would be inappropriate if the direction of trends differed among seasons. Second, we compared the power for trend detection of several sampling regimes, simulating the distribution of a pre-determined number of samples across seasons in several ways. Third, we determined whether the magnitude of differences in benthic response between reference and degraded sites changed among seasons. Each test was applied to four benthic response measures: abundance; biomass; diversity; and proportional abundance of opportunistic taxa. The direction and magnitude of long-term trends were quite homogenous between seasons. No contradictory seasonal interactions were detected for any of the trends. Though advantageous, we found that four season sampling is not necessary for conducting trends analysis because the power of some two season alternatives (e.g. spring—summer) was only slightly less than the power for four seasons. For each of the four response variables we examined, power for trend detection was consistently higher when sampling in four seasons than when sampling in one or two seasons. Of the individual seasons, we found that summer is the best season in which to sample. Summer yielded the greatest power for trend detection, although power differences among seasons were mostly limited to the abundance measure. Summer was also the season when difference in benthic response between reference and degraded sites was greatest.
Photomicrography of electrically sprayed heavy particles

High speed photomicrographs of surface instabilities are presented and discussed and Rayleigh's theory on the instability of charged droplets is extended to include droplet emission.
Revisiting the choice model of Ponzi and Pyramid schemes: analysis of case law

This exploratory study operationalizes the variables comprising the choice model of white collar crime through analyzing cases decided by federal courts, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Cases were extracted from the LEXIS-NEXIS, WESTLAW, and the NERA Economic Consulting databases and categorized according to the indicators of the choice model: size of pool of criminally predisposed, supply of lure, prevailing beliefs about credibility of external oversight, internal oversight and self-restraint, and supply of criminal opportunities. The findings show that unequal access to information among the investors and misuse of trust and affinity relationships affected the size of the pool of criminally tempted individuals. Supply of lure was affected through advances in modern technology and promises of wealth and material success at low costs and risks. Prevailing beliefs about the credibility of external oversight and internal corporate regulatory controls were affected by the efficiency and effectiveness of enforcement authorities. Variables described by the choice model of white collar crime can be operationalized through analysis of existing case law.
Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

In persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and/or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the immune system becomes dysfunctional in many ways. There is both immunodeficiency due to the loss of CD4-positive T helper cells and hyperactivity as a result of B-cell activation. Likewise, both decreases and increases are seen in the production and/or activity of cytokines. Cytokine changes in HIV infection have been assessed by a variety of techniques, ranging from determination of cytokine gene expression at the mRNA level to secretion of cytokine proteins in vivo and in vitro. Changes in cytokine levels in HIV-infected persons can affect the function of the immune system, and have the potential to directly impact the course of HIV disease by enhancing or suppressing HIV replication. In particular, the balance between the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, which up-regulate HIV expression, and IL-10, which can act both as an anti-inflammatory cytokine and a B-cell stimulatory factor, may play an important role in the progression to AIDS. In light of its ability to suppress the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and, under some conditions, suppress HIV replication, increased IL-10 may be viewed as beneficial in slowing HIV disease progression. However, an association between increased IL-10 and the development of AIDS-associated B-cell lymphoma highlights the bifunctional nature of IL-10 as both an anti-inflammatory and B-cell-stimulatory cytokine that could have beneficial and detrimental effects on the course of HIV infection and AIDS.
Suitability of the aluminon technique for measuring phytotoxic aluminum in solutions with varying sulfate concentrations

Abstract Considerable uncertainty prevails concerning a suitable measure that can adequately describe Al phytotoxicity in nutrient and soil solutions. A study was conducted to evaluate the ability of a modified aluminon technique to discriminate between phytotoxic and non‐phytotoxic Al in solutions containing 80 μM Al with varying levels of CaSO4(625 to 10000 μM), at two pH levels (4.2 and 4.8). The concentration of Al measured by the modified aluminon technique ranged from 18.3 to 77.7 μM,thereby indicating substantial polymerization in some of the solutions. The greatest amount of polymerization occurred at pH 4.8 in the presence of 625 μM CaSO4. Increasing additions of CaSO4resulted in an increase in predicted activity of AlSO4 +at both pH levels. However, with increasing addition of CaSO4, the predicted activity of Al3+decreased at pH 4.2 or remained relatively constant at pH 4.8. The relationship between the sum of predicted activities of monomeric Al (SaAl mono.) in solution and tap root length of s...
Development and validation of computed tomography derived anthropometric regression equations for estimating abdominal adipose tissue distribution.

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to develop multiple regression equations for predicting computed tomography (CT) derived intra-abdominal (IAF), subcutaneous (SCF), and total (TOTF= IAF+SCF) abdominal adipose tissue areas from anthropometric measures in adult white males with a large range of age (18–71 years) and percent body fat (2.0–40.6); and (2) to validate the new and existing equations that used similar Hounsfield Units (HU) for determining IAF for estimating these fat depots. One hundred fifty-one white male subjects had IAF, SCF, and TOTF determined by a single CT scan, skinfold and circumference measures taken and body density determined. Linear intra-correlations and factor analysis procedures were used to identify variables for inclusion in stepwise multiple regression solutions. IAF was estimated from age, waist circumference, the sum of mid-thigh and lower thigh circumferences, and vertical abdominal skinfold. SCF was estimated from age, umbilicus circumference, chest and suprailiac skinfolds. TOTF was estimated from age, body mass index (BMI), chest skinfold, and umbilicus circumference. R2 for IAF, SCF, and TOTF was .73, .77, and .86 respectively. The existing and the new equations were validated on an independent sub-sample of 51 subjects. The only existing equation that met validation criteria had a validation R2 = .67 for IAF. All three new equations met validation criteria with R 2 validations of .75, .79, and .85 for IAF, SCF, and TOTF respectively. It is concluded that the new equations might be used as an inexpensive estimation of IAF, SCF, and TOTF in adult white males varying greatly in age and percent body fat.
Host‐specific parasitism in the Central American striped cuckoo, Tapera naevia

Coevolutionary theories of brood parasite strategy and host defense have been informed by research on egg mimicry and host recognition. However, there is no information on the strategies of New World parasitic cuckoos and their hosts. The striped cuckoo Tapera naevia is a New World cuckoo that uses multiple host species and maintains an egg color polymorphism. To investigate if color-matching influenced rejection behavior in hosts, I conducted an egg rejection experiment on a host that lays blue-green eggs, the rufous-and-white wren Thryophilus rufalbus and a host that lays white eggs, the plain wren Cantorchilus modestus. I used spectrophotometric analysis of egg color to determine the degree of egg color-matching. I found that at the field site the striped cuckoo lays highly mimetic eggs for the rufous-and-white wren, in both color and brightness. The rufous-and-white wren was more likely to accept mimetic artificial eggs than non-mimetic eggs. The plain wren exhibited low rejection rates for both mimetic and non-mimetic artificial eggs. The evidence from this study indicates that the striped cuckoo lays eggs that are closely color-matched to those of its preferred host, the rufous-and-white wren, and that this mimicry improves acceptance.
Lipoma of the soft palate.

Abstract This case report describes a common benign tumor that occurred in a rare intraoral location and suggests that the lesion be included as a rare possibility in the differential diagnosis of swellings of the soft palate.
Evidence for the Involvement of Tyrosine Kinase ZAP 70 in Nuclear Retinoid Receptor-dependent Transactivation in T Lymphocytes *

Retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and retinoid X receptors (RXRs) are transcription factors that control diverse cellular functions during development and homeostasis. The biochemical role of these proteins in T lymphocytes is not well known. Here we have studied the role of protein-tyrosine kinase ZAP 70, a key enzyme involved in the proximal signaling events during T cell activation, in the modulation of RXRE- and RARE-dependent activation in T lymphocytes. Surprisingly, ZAP 70-negative Jurkat T cells showed considerable loss of both RXRE- and RARE-mediated transactivation as compared with wild type Jurkat cells. In addition, ZAP 70-negative cells failed to exhibit normal protein kinase C θ and calcineurin-induced transcriptional activity. ZAP 70-negative cells that were reconstituted with active ZAP 70 regained the transactivation function, whereas cells expressing kinase-dead form of ZAP 70 failed to do so. Defective transcriptional activation was also observed in actively proliferating human peripheral blood T lymphocytes in which RNA interference was used to induce loss of ZAP 70 expression. In addition, an Lck-deficient Jurkat cell line that cannot efficiently activate ZAP 70 was also found defective in RXRE-mediated transcription. Finally, RNA interference-induced loss of ZAP 70 or Lck protein in Jurkat cells resulted in significant decrease in the RXRE-dependent activation. Together, these results suggest a novel functional role for ZAP 70 in nuclear receptor-driven transactivation in T lymphocytes.
A profitless endeavor: phishing as tragedy of the commons

Conventional wisdom is that phishing represents easy money. In this paper we examine the economics that underly the phenomenon, and find a very different picture. Phishing is a classic example of tragedy of the commons, where there is open access to a resource that has limited ability to regenerate. Since each phisher independently seeks to maximize his return, the resource is over-grazed and yields far less than it is capable of. The situation stabilizes only when the average phisher is making only as much as he gives up in opportunity cost.Since the picture we paint is at variance with accepted wisdom we check against several publicly available data sources on phishing. We find the oft-quoted survey-based estimates of phishing losses unreliable. In particular the victimization rate found in most surveys is smaller than the margin of error, and dollar losses are estimated by averaging unverified self-reported numbers. We estimate that recent public estimates over-state phishing losses by as much as a factor of fifty.This economic portrait illuminates our enemy in an entirely new light. Far from being a path to riches, phishing appears to be a low-skill low-reward business. The enormous amount of phishing activity is evidence of its failure to deliver riches rather than its success, as phishers send more and more email hoping for their share of the bounty that eludes them. Repetition of questionable survey results and unsubstantiated anecdotes makes things worse by ensuring a steady supply of new entrants.
Acquisition and Characterization of Surface Material Data for Urban Climatological Studies

Abstract A sampling and analysis scheme is presented and briefly illustrated for examination of the type, amount and degree of areas contiguity among surface materials in urban areas. Such data are necessary if we are to understand and model the spatial and temporal effects of urban places on atmospheric variables. Medium-scale aerial photographs are used as the data source; surface material information is extracted using a systematic grid-cell routine. Percent coverage values are computed and a linkage technique is used to compare areal contiguity of materials within and among five selected eastern Kansas cities. Results suggest that 1) the amount of vegetated surface within a city has been grossly underestimated, 2) materials tend to aggregate by types in essentially bimodal fashion, 3) materials within each modal category change with city size, and 4) geographic location affects the nature of the surface material matrix.
Data‐ and metrics‐driven approach to human resource practices: Using customers, employees, and financial metrics

Should scientific measures be used to evaluate the effectiveness of HRM practices? Can HRM demonstrate that its proposals cause a predicted outcome? If the allocation of capital within an organization is based upon projected financial returns, should HRM be required to demonstrate the expected returns of its proposals? Would the use of scientific and financial measures give HRM practices greater internal support and continuity? The authors demonstrate how metrics were used to evaluate two new HRM projects at one of the world's largest retailers. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Undergraduate Preparation for a Career in Physical Oceanography

A survey of academic institutions, employers, and placement officers was undertaken to examine the desirability of undergraduate education in physical oceanography. This subject is approached from the viewpoints of graduate school admission and employability of degree recipients. The results of the study indicate that students anticipating careers in physical oceanography would do well to earn a bachelor's degree in a basic physical science or engineering (rather than in physical oceanography). However, the results also indicate a need for elective introductory courses in physical oceanography.
Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street, and mass incarceration: an interview on contemporary social movements with David Gilbert

In the 1960s and 1970s, many activists looked to the prisons for political leadership, while viewing prisons themselves as institutions of repression and social control integral to larger systems of oppression. Around the world, the prisoner emerged as an icon of state repression and a beacon of liberation. If the prison served as the bricks and mortar of oppression, the prisoner became the flesh and blood of movement iconography. Black American prisoners held special sway within this global visibility of confinement, in part because so many prisoners became prolific authors connected to wider social movements of the time. In prison, black activists from Martin Luther King, Jr. to George Jackson and Assata Shakur penned tracts that offered trenchant insights into race, class, and American power. Black activists proved the most incisive, the most creative, inheritors of a deep and multiracial tradition of political critique behind bars. These imprisoned authoractivists articulated a profound paradox: one of the best places to understand the “land of the free” is the place where freedom was most elusive. It was both a sobering and inspiring message for a generation on the move. More than 40 years later the world is once again experiencing the tremors of large-scale, global change. And the prison accompanies this new burst of struggle. For a generation that has never known an America without mass incarceration, never known a world without Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, without indefinite detention and pre-emptive war, the prison may seem an even more fitting metaphor for the contradictions of American power – internationally and within the United States – than it was during the 1971 Attica rebellion, the most dramatic of the dozens of riots rocking American prisons during that time. When prisoners at Attica proclaimed their humanity against the brutality of the prison, the United States incarcerated some 300,000 people. Today it imprisons more than 2.3 million, often serving Draconian sentences, with another more than 5 million under some form of correctional control. The scale of America’s carceral state is even more gruesome when one considers the demographics of those incarcerated: almost exclusively poor, majority black or Latino, and with women and gender-nonconforming people being hard hit both by incarceration and its collateral consequences.
Experimental Flow Performance Evaluation of novel miniaturized Advanced Piezoelectric Dual Cooling Jet

In recent years, electronics systems have significantly reduced in size at maintained or increased functionality. This trend has led to an increased demand for smaller and more capable thermal management. However, miniaturization of conventional fan and heat sink cooling systems introduce significant size, weight and efficiency challenges. In this study the flow performance of a novel alternative thin form-factor cooling solution, the advanced piezoelectric dual cooling jet(DCJ), is evaluated. A DCJ is a system where two piezoelectric actuators are excited to produce air flow. The total height of the device is about 1mm. The design of the experimental method for evaluating the equivalent fan-curve of the DCJ device is described in detail. Experimental results in comparison to conventional fan solutions are provided. The DCJ is expected to be a good candidate for thermal management in next generation thin profile consumer electronics.
Estimates of Nonequilibrium Radiation for Venus Entry

The present investigation is an analysis of the radiation from the chemical nonequilibrium region in the shock layer about a vehicle during Venus entry. The radiation and the flow were assumed to be uncoupled. An inviscid, nonequilibrium flowfield was calculated and an effective electronic temperature was determined for the predominant radiating species. Species concentrations and electronic temperature were then input into a radiation transport code to calculate heating rates. The present results confirm earlier investigations which indicate that the radiation should be calculated using electronic temperatures for the radiating species. These temperatures are not related in a simple way to the local translational temperature. For the described mission, the nonequilibrium radiative heating rate is approximately twice the corresponding equilibrium value at peak heating.
SIMULTANEOUS CAPACITANCE AND AMPEROMETRIC MEASUREMENTS OF EXOCYTOSIS : A COMPARISON

We measured the exocytotic response induced by flash photolysis of caged compounds in isolated mast cells and chromaffin cells. Vesicle fusion was measured by monitoring the cell membrane capacitance. The release of vesicular contents was followed by amperometry. In response to a GTP gamma S stimulus we found that the time integral of the amperometric current could be superimposed on the capacitance trace. This shows that the integrated amperometric signal provides an alternative method of measuring the extent and kinetics of the secretory response. Very different results were obtained when photolysis of caged Ca2+ (DM-nitrophen) was used to stimulate secretion. In mast cells, there was an immediate, graded increase in membrane capacitance that was followed by step increases (indicative of granule fusion). During the initial phase of the capacitance increases, no release of oxidizable secretory products was detected. In chromaffin cells we also observed a considerable delay between increases in capacitance, triggered by uncaging Ca2+, and the release of oxidizable secretory products. Here we demonstrate that there can be large increases in the membrane capacitance of a secretory cell, triggered by flash photolysis of DM-nitrophen, which indicate events that are not due to the fusion of granules containing oxidizable substances. These results show that increases in capacitance that are not resolved as steps cannot be readily interpreted as secretory events unless they are confirmed independently.
Identifying primary care patients at risk for future diabetes and cardiovascular disease using electronic health records.

Prevention of diabetes and coronary heart disease (CHD) is possible but identification of at-risk patients for targeting interventions is a challenge in primary care. We analyzed electronic health record (EHR) data for 122,715 patients from 12 primary care practices. We defined patients with risk factor clustering using metabolic syndrome (MetS) characteristics defined by NCEP-ATPIII criteria; if missing, we used surrogate characteristics, and validated this approach by directly measuring risk factors in a subset of 154 patients. For subjects with at least 3 of 5 MetS criteria measured at baseline (2003-2004), we defined 3 categories: No MetS (0 criteria); At-risk-for MetS (1-2 criteria); and MetS (≥ 3 criteria). We examined new diabetes and CHD incidence, and resource utilization over the subsequent 3-year period (2005-2007) using age-sex-adjusted regression models to compare outcomes by MetS category. After excluding patients with diabetes/CHD at baseline, 78,293 patients were eligible for analysis. EHR-defined MetS had 73% sensitivity and 91% specificity for directly measured MetS. Diabetes incidence was 1.4% in No MetS; 4.0% in At-risk-for MetS; and 11.0% in MetS (p < 0.0001 for trend; adjusted OR MetS vs No MetS = 6.86 [6.06-7.76]); CHD incidence was 3.2%, 5.3%, and 6.4% respectively (p < 0.0001 for trend; adjusted OR = 1.42 [1.25-1.62]). Costs and resource utilization increased across categories (p < 0.0001 for trends). Results were similar analyzing individuals with all five criteria not missing, or defining MetS as ≥ 2 criteria present. Risk factor clustering in EHR data identifies primary care patients at increased risk for new diabetes, CHD and higher resource utilization.
Mechanisms behind the portion size effect: visibility and bite size.

Increases in portion size lead to increases in energy intake, yet the mechanisms behind this "portion size effect" are unclear. This study tested possible mechanisms of the portion size effect, i.e., bite size and visual cues. A 2 × 2 repeated measures, within-subject design was used to test the effects of portion size (410 g vs. 820 g of a pasta dish) and visual cues (blindfolded vs. visible) on energy intake in 30 individuals (15 men, 15 women). At each meal participants were exposed to one of four experimental conditions (small portion/visible; small portion/blindfold; large portion/visible; large portion/blindfold). Participant characteristics, food intake, number of bites, meal duration, palatability measures and hunger and fullness were assessed. In response to a doubling of the portion presented, entree energy intake increased 26% (220 kcal; P < 0.001) and mean bite size increased 2.4 g/bite (P < 0.05). Overweight (OW) individuals consumed 40% (334 kcal) more of the entree in response to the large portion condition (P < 0.05), while lean individuals' intakes did not differ (P < 0.56). A 12% (122 kcal) decrease in entree intake was observed in the blindfolded condition (P < 0.01), but no portion by visual cue interaction was found; indicating that blindfolding did not significantly attenuate the portion size effect. These data suggest that the portion size effect is not impacted by removing the visual cue of food and that this effect occurs via changes in bite size in adults.
Multifrequency ESEEM Spectroscopy of Sulfite Oxidase in Phosphate Buffer: Direct Evidence for Coordinated Phosphate.

The molybdenum(V) coordination environment of sulfite oxidase has been investigated by multifrequency ESEEM spectroscopy in ∼70 mM phosphate buffer at pH* = 6.5 in both H2O and D2O. The FT-ESEEM spectra in H2O typically consist of three lines. One of these lines is always close to twice the Larmor frequency of the P atom (2νP) and is assigned to one or more coordinated phosphates, providing the first direct unambiguous detection of such coordination. Extensive simulations of this phosphate signal at the various operational frequencies indicated that the coordinated phosphate group(s) probably does (do) not adopt a fixed orientation, and as a result, a description of the Mo···P hyperfine interaction required the introduction of a distribution of such orientations, with Mo···P distance(s) of 3.2−3.3 A. The other two lines in the FT-ESEEM spectra in H2O, located at νH and 2νH, were assigned to matrix protons. In D2O buffer two additional lines, assigned to matrix deuterons, were also seen.
The School as an Exceptional Space: Rethinking Education from the Perspective of the Biopedagogical.

Abstract In this essay, Tyson Lewis theorizes current lockdown practices, zero-tolerance policies, and No Child Left Behind initiatives in U.S. schooling by drawing on Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben’s analysis of the concentration camp and the state of exception. Agamben’s theory of the camp provides a challenging, critical vantage point for looking at the ambiguities that emerge from the complex field of disciplinary procedures now prevalent in inner-city, low-income, minority schools, and helps to clarify what exactly is at stake in the symbolic and sometimes physical violence of schooling. Key to understanding the primary relation between camp and classroom is Agamben’s framework of the biopolitical, which paradoxically includes life as a political concern through its exclusion from the political sphere. Here Lewis appropriates Agamben’s terminology in order to theorize the biopedagogical, wherein educational life is included in schooling through its abandonment. For Lewis, the theory of the camp is necessary to recognizing how schools function and, in turn, how they could function differently.
Elliptic theory of differential edge operators I

Examples of edge operators include Laplacians on asymptotically flat and asymptotically hyperbolic manifolds. Edge operators also arise in boundary problems around higher condimension boundaries. This paper is concerned with the analysis of general elliptic edge operators with constant indicide roots. We determine when such an operator has a distributional asymptotic expansion. Conditions are given to guarantee that the coefficients of this expansion are smooth. In Part I of this paper we only study the case when the operator is semi-Fredholm. Part II will examine edge operators with infinite dimensional kernel and cokernel, as well as develop the theory of Poisson edge operators.
Synthesis of chiral arogenic acid via immobilized microbial proteins

Abstract Although l -(8S)-arogenate has been recognized as a potential precursor of l -phenylalanine or l -tyrosine biosynthesis for only a few years, it is widely distributed in nature. The biochemical formation of arogenate has involved its isolation from the culture supernatant of a mutant strain of Neurospora crassa, a lengthy procedure of 20-day duration. We now report an improved approach using immobilized crude enzyme extracts from a cyanobacterium. The starting materials, chorismic acid or prephenic acid, are readily available, and overall yields ranging from 40 to 60% are obtained. The whole procedure takes only 1 day. Crude, unfractionated enzyme extracts from Synechocystis sp. ATCC 29108 are immobilized on a phenoxyacetyl cellulose solid support. The hydrophobic binding of the extract proteins did not denature chorismate mutase or prephenate aminotransferase, the enzymes catalyzing the conversion of chorismate to prephenate and prephenate to arogenate, respectively. This microbial system was ideally suited for preparation of arogenate, since other enzyme activities which might compete for prephenate or chorismate as substrates, or which might further metabolize arogenate, were absent or inactive under the conditions used. In addition to the substrates prephenate or chorismate, pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (the coenzyme required for transamination), as well as leucine (amino donor for transamination of prephenate), was added. The reaction product, arogenate, was separated from the starting materials by preparative thin-layer chromatography.
Induction by phenobarbital of reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) cytochrome c reductase in regenerating rat liver.

Abstract The administration of a single dose of phenobarbital (100 mg/kg) to rats resulted in a 60 per cent increase in the activity of NADPH cytochrome c reductase within 48 hr after the inducer. The imposition of the competitive stress of partial hepatectomy of animals 1 hr after phenobarbital treatment prematurely terminated the inductive process and reduction of NADPH cytochrome c reductase activity ensued thereafter, reaching control non-induced levels by 49 hr. Partial hepatectomy lowered the basal level of cytochrome b 5 by 30 per cent at 24–72 hr after the operation, but no alteration in the level of cytochrome b 5 was produced by phenobarbital in either sham-operated or partially hepatectomized rats. The rate of incorporation of [4,5- 3 H] l -leucine into trypsin-solubilized microsomal protein at 2, 4, 6 and 9 hr after treatment with phenobarbital was equivalent to that of untreated sham-operated rats ; whereas, at 25 hr after the inducer a significant increase in the rate of incorporation of leucine into the trypsin-solubilized microsomal protein of sham-operated animals was obtained. No significant change in the incorporation of leucine into microsomal protein was observed in the livers of partially hepatectomized rats in either the presence or absence of phenobarbital. Measurement of the loss of microsomal radioactivity following labeling with [ 14 C-guanidino] l -arginine revealed a similar rate of decay at 25–73 hr after administration of phenobarbital in the livers of sham-operated and partially hepatectomized animals.
The pineal and the body lightening reaction of larval amphibians

Abstract Darkness induces blanching in both embryonic and larval Xenopus laevis . Temporal relationships of the blanching reaction are presented. Blanching is inhibited by pinealectomy. Melatonin induces pallor which resembles natural blanching. The blanching reaction and the tail darkening reaction are compared. Both the pineal and the hypophysis are functional at early stages of melanophore differentiation. The body blanching reaction is discussed with respect to photoreception and hormonal regulation. It is concluded that the data supports the hypothesis that body lightening results from a stimulation of the pineal by the absence of light. Upon stimulation, melatonin or a similar melanophore contracting substance is released, bringing about pallor. Recovery from this reaction under normal conditions of illumination involves gradual inactivation of the circulating hormone. The possibility of the existence of this mechanism in other vertebrates is discussed.
Virginia Wildrye Persistence and Performance in Riparian Areas

Virginia wildrye (Elymus virginicus L.), a peren- nial cool-season grass native to the northeast- ern United States, grows in moist low ground and could be useful in revegetating riparian areas. In this fi eld study, we compared six pop- ulations of Virginia wildrye originally collected from Maryland and New York with a commercial ecotype and a cultivar ('Omaha') on wet soils at three locations. All entries were transplanted into single-row fi eld plots of 15 plants per plot at Wye, MD, Klingerstown, PA, and Big Flats, NY, in April 2004. Rows were oriented perpendicular to the slope so that each population was evalu- ated at the top, middle, and bottom slope posi- tions. Survivorship, tillers per plant, and plant dry weight were assessed in 2007. Survivor- ship after 3 yr ranged from 57 to 76% for the six populations and averaged 85% for the ecotype and 77% for the cultivar. Tillers per plant ranged from 26 to 52 for the populations compared with 32 for the cultivar and 29 for the ecotype. Landscape position affected wildrye plants only at the Maryland site where frequently saturated soils at the bottom slope position reduced sur- vivorship by 50%, tiller number by 60%, and plant dry weight by 82% compared with plants at the top of the slope. Most of the wild popula- tions of Virginia wildrye were similar to the com- mercial cultivar and ecotype in survival, number of tillers per plant, and biomass indicating that locally adapted native populations can be used directly in conservation plantings. M.A. Sanderson and R.C. Stout, USDA-ARS Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit, Building 3702 Curtin Road, University Park, PA 16802. M. van der Grinten, USDA-NRCS Plant Materials Center, Big Flats, NY 14830. Received 24 Sept. 2009. *Cor- responding author (matt.sanderson@ars.usda.gov).
Synthesis of vanadium dioxide thin films and nanoparticles

Thin-film materials with 'smart' properties that react to temperature variations, electric or magnetic fields, and/or pressure variations have recently attracted a great deal of attention. Vanadium dioxide (VO2) belongs to this family of 'smart materials' because it exhibits a semiconductor-to-metal first-order phase transition near 340 K, accompanied by an abrupt change in its resistivity and near-infrared transmission. It is also of great interest in condensed-matter physics because it is a classic strongly correlated electron system. In order to integrate vanadium dioxide into microelectronic circuits, thin-film growth of VO2 has been studied extensively, and studies of VO2 nanoparticles have shown that the phase transition is size-dependent. This paper presents a broad overview of the growth techniques that have been used to produce thin films and nanoparticles of VO2, including chemical vapor deposition, sol–gel synthesis, sputter deposition and pulsed laser deposition. Representative deposition techniques are described, and typical thin-film characteristics are presented, with an emphasis on recent results obtained using pulsed laser deposition. The opportunities for growing epitaxial films of VO2, and for doping VO2 films to alter their transition temperature and switching characteristics, are also discussed.
Synthesis and structure of ACa9(VO4)7 compounds, A = Bi or a rare earth

Phases of the type ACa{sub 9}(VO{sub 4}){sub 7} have been prepared where A can be a trivalent rare earth cation or Bi{sup 3+}. The structure of BiCa{sub 9}(VO{sub 4}){sub 7} was determined from single crystal X-ray diffraction data. The space group is R3 with a=10.8511(2) and c=38.0505(9) at 120 K and Z=6. The structure is related to that of Ca{sub 3}(VO{sub 4}){sub 2}, but a site partially occupied by Ca in Ca{sub 3}(VO{sub 4}){sub 2} is completely vacant in BiCa{sub 9}(VO{sub 4}){sub 7}. All the ACa{sub 9}(VO{sub 4}){sub 7} phases prepared showed a significant second harmonic signal. For the rare-earth compounds, the magnitude of the signal was comparable to that of KH{sub 2}PO{sub 4}; a value three times higher was found for BiCa{sub 9}(VO{sub 4}){sub 7}.
The Relationship of Cognitive and Executive Functioning with Achievement in Gifted Kindergarten Children.

This study provides baseline data to assist researchers in conducting future studies exploring the developmental trajectories of young gifted learners on measures of cognitive ability and achieveme...
Code-Switching in Indonesian Radio and Television Programs: Linguistic and Sociolinguistic Perspectives

AbstractIn light of the era of English as a global language, bilingualism has been a common phenomenon. In particular, code-switching has characterized one of the language behaviors that go beyond linguistic needs. Such an underlying motivation becomes more apparent in a monolingual setting like Indonesia, where English is not meant to facilitate intelligibility in communication. Investigating the use of code-switching in three registers of radio and television program — entertainment, E-life style and politics, — this study found that different social status and interactional situations did not exert a significant influence upon the types of code-switching employed. All three registers in both media similarly displayed switches within the clause, including word boundaries, known as intra-sentential code-switching. Such widespread use of intra-sentential code-switching across registers led to a hypothesis that personal and social identity is a prime factor underpinning the use of intra-sentential code-swi...
The Trouton-Noble paradox

Mechanical and electromagnetic relations involved in the Trouton-Noble paradox are analysed on the basis of special relativity theory as well as on the basis of Maxwellian electrodynamics. It is shown that the paradox only arises when not all dynamical effects associated with the moving capacitor used by Trouton and Noble are considered. Crucial for the resolution of the paradox is the fact that the forces and torques in an electromagnetic system involving moving charge distributions are associated with both the mechanical momentum and electromagnetic momentum of the system. Once the electromagnetic momentum of the moving capacitor is properly taken into account, the paradox disappears.
Bush u-turn on renewables?

Abstract Despite early indications from the Bush Administration that renewable energy was neither a top priority nor to be funded at levels seen in the Clinton Administration, there appears to be a slow back peddling on this issue. President George W. Bush's proposed energy programme has been encountering mounting hostility on Capitol Hill in Washington as well as significantly growing opposition among many Americans. Don Smith, US correspondent for Refocus magazine reports.
Factorization of moving-average spectral densities by state-space representations and stacking

To factorize a spectral density matrix of a vector moving average process, we propose a state space representation. Although this state space is not necessarily of minimal dimension, its associated system matrices are simple and most matrix multiplications involved are nothing but index shifting. This greatly reduces the complexity of computation. Moreover, in this article we stack every q consecutive observations of the original process MA(q) and generate a vector MA(1) process. We consider a similar state space representation for the stacked process. Consequently, the solution hinges on a surprisingly compact discrete algebraic Riccati equation (DARE), which involves only one Toeplitz and one Hankel block matrix composed of autocovariance functions. One solution to this equation is given by the so-called iterative projection algorithm. Each iteration of the stacked version is equivalent to q iterations of the unstacked one. We show that the convergence behavior of the iterative projection algorithm is characterized by the decreasing rate of the partial correlation coefficients for the stacked process. In fact, the calculation of the partial correlation coefficients via the Whittle algorithm, which takes a very simple form in this case, offers another solution to the problem. To achieve computational efficiency, we apply the general Newton procedure given by Lancaster and Rodman to the DARE and obtain an algorithm of quadratic convergence rate. One immediate application of the new algorithms is polynomial stabilization. We also discuss various issues such as check of positivity and numerical implementation.
An assessment of the weather generator (WXGEN) used in the erosion/productivity impact calculator (EPIC)

Abstract The erosion/productivity impact calculator (EPIC) is an important planning model that is used to assess the impact of different farming techniques or changing climates on agriculture. A necessary input is a long series of daily weather which can either be observed or stochastic. The primary objective of this study is an assessment of simulated weather produced by the ‘weather generator’ (WXGEN), a component model of EPIC. Five strategically located Texas first-order stations were chosen for comprehensive testing, ten 30-year sequences of weather being generated for each site using data incorporated into the model as parameters. Statistics were extracted from these simulations, and were compared with similar statistics obtained from observed 1958–1987 records. More than 20 000 statistical tests were carried out, each with a null hypothesis of similarity. For almost every series of tests at the 0.05 level of significance, over 15% fell into the rejection region, indicating that sequences of weather generated by WXGEN are often unrealistic. If stochastic weather is used this possibly affects the accuracy of predictions made by EPIC. Two problem areas were identified, the exclusive use of first-order Markovian procedures, and the independent nature of wind speed and direction simulation. However, in spite of reservations about WXGEN output, it is probably the only currently available stochastic model that can deliver the necessary weather input to operate EPIC and, with some modification, has the potential to satisfy input requiremens of other types of model.
The British Variety of Capitalism: Institutional Change, Industrial Relations and British Politics

Institutionalist approaches to the study of politics have long exhibited a tendency to emphasize continuity at the expense of change. This article seeks to elaborate an institutionalist theoretical framework that explicitly integrates a theory of change — one which emphasizes the interaction between structural economic change and state action — and to illustrate it through an examination of the evolution of postwar British industrial relations institutions. The article examines the British variety of capitalism in comparative perspective to ask first, how adequately it has been characterized in the past, and second, how it has changed in response to both domestic and international factors. The British case is, in fact, a pivotal one for contemporary institutional theory because it appears to manifest greater institutional change than most institutional approaches anticipate, and because the British political economy is not easily assimilated into common typologies of varieties of capitalism. The picture that emerges challenges institutionalist accounts of British political economy that characterize Britain as a long-standing liberal market economy and identifies the conditions under which the institutions regulating the labor market and class relations were transformed in postwar Britain.
Individual differences in SA measurement and performance in human-robot teaming

In human-robot teams, robots with a high degree of autonomy and intelligence may be able to coordinate with humans and contribute to, rather than tax, SA. We investigated team member SA and individual differences as potential performance metrics. Results indicated a relationship between the Situation Present Assessment Method (SPAM) and individual differences, but only the Situation Awareness Rating Technique (SART) predicted unique variance in performance. Practical implications for use of these measures are discussed.
A clinical pathway for patients undergoing primary cytoreductive surgery with rectosigmoid colectomy for advanced ovarian and primary peritoneal cancers

Abstract Objectives. To evaluate the safety, feasibility, and economic impact of a clinical pathway, including rapid diet advancement, for patients undergoing rectosigmoid colectomy as part of cytoreductive surgery for advanced ovarian and primary peritoneal cancers. Methods. Between 8/1/98 and 6/30/06, 64 consecutive patients met study inclusion criteria. Using case–control methodology, post-operative management was dictated by a prescribed clinical pathway in 19 patients (Group A) and directed by individual surgeon preference in 45 patients (Group B). Critical elements of the clinical pathway included: rapid diet advancement, early discontinuance of nasogastric suction, criteria-based utilization of parenteral nutrition, selective laboratory testing, and deferring initiation of chemotherapy until after discharge. Results. Stage IIIC/IV disease was present in 94% of all patients. The median time to flatus was 6 days for both groups ( p =0.95); however, the median time to tolerance of diet was 3 days for Group A and 6 days for Group B ( p =0.013). Compared to Group B, patients in Group A had a significantly shorter median length of hospital stay (7 days vs 10 days, p =0.014) and lower median 30-day post-operative hospital cost ($19,700 vs $25,110, p =0.028), with no significant difference in 30-day readmission rate (21% vs 33%, p =0.379). Clinical pathway-directed management was associated with a median reduction in hospital cost of $5410 per patient. Conclusions. A critical pathway incorporating rapid diet advancement for patients undergoing primary cytoreductive surgery with rectosigmoid colectomy for ovarian and primary peritoneal cancers is feasible, safe, and associated with a significant reduction in length of hospital stay and hospital-related costs.
Modified Shewhart-exponentially weighted moving average control charts

A modified Shewhart-exponentially weighted moving average X-bar statistical control scheme is evaluated. It is characterized by the use of a Shewhart component requiring two (or more) plotted points beyond reduced width (i.e., less than three-sigma) control limits to give an out-of-control signal. Schemes with both better average run length profiles and better early false-signal characteristics than those associated with standard Shewhart-runs rules schemes are suggested.
Effects of buckling calculation on diffusion parameter measurements for heavy water in spheres

Abstract The neutron diffusion parameters of heavy water were determined from measurements taken in spherical aluminum shells with use of the pulsed neutron source method. The decay of the neutron population was monitored using a multichannel analyzer, with a 10 μsec channel width, and a 3He detector positioned at two locations within each sphere. The time-asymptotic decay constant for each sphere was calculated from the experimental data using the channel-dropping method. Values of the geometric buckling were calculated using the average sphere radius, with a wall-thickness correction, and two methods of calculating the extrapolation length. These methods were based on the formulations used by Dorning (method D) and Elkert (method E). This resulted in two values of the buckling for each sphere. Temperature and purity corrections were made to the decay constants, and the diffusion parameters were obtained by fitting to the customary expansion for the decay constant in the buckling. The results were as follows: For method D buckling: 1. D0 = 2.09±0.01 × 105 cm2/sec 2. C = 6.85±0.55 × 105 cm4/sec 3. F = 20 ± 5 × 105 cm6/sec For method E buckling: 1. D0 = 2.02±0.01 × 105 cm2/sec 2. C = 6.44±0.45 × 105 cm4/sec 3. F = 24± 5 × 105 cm6/sec.