cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electron transfer, excitation, and ionization in p -H ( 1 s ) collisions studied with Sturmian bases

Cross sections have been determined for electron transfer, direct excitation, and ionization in collisions between protons and $\text{H}(1s)$ atoms at proton energies from 1 keV to 16 MeV, extending the pioneering work by Shakeshaft [R. Shakeshaft, Phys. Rev. A 14, 1626 (1976); Phys. Rev. A 18, 1930 (1978)] with a much smaller basis and energy range, and following the author's work for other collisional systems [T. G. Winter, Phys. Rev. A 76, 062702 (2007)]. Transfer as well as excitation cross sections into individual states up to $3d$ (excitation up to $4f$ at the higher energies) have been determined with several coupled-Sturmian-pseudostate bases, and tests of basis sensitivity have been carried out. These and ionization cross sections have been compared with experimental, other coupled-state, and numerical results. Ionization and excitation cross sections have also been compared with corresponding Born results at higher energies.
Sensorimotor gating in manic and mixed episode bipolar disorder.

Objectives: Few studies have examined acoustic startle sensorimotor gating in bipolar disorder (BPD) despite the fact that patients with BPD have exhibited inhibitory dysfunctions on a variety of early information processing tasks. The present study aimed to expand the current literature through the investigation of electromyographic (EMG) measures of acoustic startle prepulse inhibition (PPI) in manic and mixed episode BPD. Methods: Fourteen manic and 21 mixed episode BPD patients were compared to 32 healthy controls on acoustic startle measures of PPI using a 120-ms lead interval. Results: Prepulse inhibition did not significantly differ across diagnostic groups (manic, mixed, control), and the presence of psychosis in the patient sample was not significantly related to PPI levels. With respect to startle response characteristics, patients in the mixed phase of the disorder showed prolonged prepulsed startle latency and attenuated responses to both probe-alone and prepulsed probes, though no differences in startle habituation were found across diagnostic groups. Conclusions: Although PPI deficits were not observed in either BPD sub-group, attenuated probe-alone and prepulsed startle magnitudes and reduced prepulse-induced latency facilitation in the mixed episode group is consistent with evidence that the mixed phase of BPD is associated with a more severe clinical outlook than other stages of the disorder. The absence of attenuated PPI in the patient sample may be due to the low incidence of psychosis in the BPD groups, though further studies are required to systematically assess the effects of symptom factors and clinical phase on sensorimotor gating in BPD.
On Valuations, the Characteristic Polynomial, and Complex Subspace Arrangements

Abstract We present a new combinatorial method to determine the characteristic polynomial of any subspace arrangement that is defined over an infinite field, generalizing the work of Blass and Sagan. Our methods stem from the theory of valuations and Groemer's integral theorem. As a corollary of our main theorem, we obtain a result of Zaslavsky about the number of chambers of a real hyperplane arrangement. The examples we consider include a family of complex subspace arrangements, which we call the divisor Dowling arrangement, whose intersection lattice generalizes that of the Dowling lattice. We also determine the characteristic polynomial of interpolations between subarrangements of the divisor Dowling arrangement, generalizing the work of Jozefiak and Sagan.
Terrain simulation using a model of stream erosion

The major process affecting the configuration and evolution of terrain is erosion by flowing water. Landscapes thus reflect the branching patterns of river and stream networks. The network patterns contain information that is characteristic of the landscape's topographic features. It is therefore possible to create an approximation to natural terrain by simulating the erosion of stream networks on an initially uneroded surface. Empirical models of stream erosion were used as a basis for the model presented here. Stream networks of various sizes and shapes are created by the model from a small number of initial parameters. The eroded surface is represented as a surface under tension, using the tension parameter to shape the profiles of valleys created by the stream networks. The model can be used to generate terrain databases for flight simulation and computer animation applications.
Bias analysis in text classification for highly skewed data

Feature selection is often applied to high-dimensional data as a preprocessing step in text classification. When dealing with highly skewed data, we observe that typical feature selection metrics like information gain or chi-squared are biased toward selecting features for the minor class, and the metric of bi-normal separation can select features for both minor and major classes. In this work, we investigate how these feature selection metrics impact on the performance of frequently used classifiers such as decision trees, naive bayes, and support vector machines via bias analysis for highly skewed data. Three types of biases are metric bias, class bias, and classifier bias. Extensive experiments are designed to understand how these biases can be employed in concert and efficiently to achieve good classification performance. We report our findings and present recommended approaches to text classification based on bias analysis and the empirical study.
FIRE AND VEGETATION EFFECTS ON PRODUCTIVITY AND NITROGEN CYCLING ACROSS A FOREST-GRASSLAND CONTINUUM

Mixed tree-grass vegetation is important globally at ecotones between grass- lands and forests. To address uncertainties vis-a`-vis productivity and nitrogen (N) cycling in such systems we studied 20 mature oak savanna stands, ranging from 90% woody dominated to 80% herbaceous dominated, growing on comparable soils in a 32-yr-old fire frequency experiment in Minnesota, USA. Fire frequencies ranged from almost annual burning to complete fire protection. Across all stands, aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) ranged from 2 to 12 Mg·ha 21 ·yr 21 , decreased with fire frequency (r 2 5 0.59), increased with woody canopy dominance (r 2 5 0.83), and increased with soil net N min- eralization rates (r 2 5 0.79), which varied from 25 to 150 kg·ha 21 ·yr 21 . ANPP was positively related to total biomass (r 2 5 0.95), total canopy leaf N content (r 2 5 0.88), leaf area index (LAI; r 2 5 0.87), annual litterfall N cycling ( r 2 5 0.70), foliage N concentration (r 2 5 0.62), and fine root N concentration (r 2 5 0.35), all of which also increased with increasing tree canopy cover. ANPP, soil N mineralization, and estimated root turnover rates increased with woody canopy cover even for stands with similar fire frequency. ANPP and N min- eralization both decreased with fire frequency for stands having a comparable percentage of woody canopy cover. Fine root standing biomass increased with increasing grass dom- inance. However, fine root turnover rate estimated with a nitrogen budget technique de- creased proportionally more with increasing grass dominance, and hence fine root produc- tivity decreased along the same gradient. Via several direct and indirect and mutually reinforcing (feedback) effects, the com- bination of low fire frequency and high tree dominance leads to high rates of N cycling, LAI, and productivity; while the opposite, high fire frequency and high grass dominance, leads to low rates of N cycling, LAI, and productivity. Carbon and N cycling were tightly coupled across the fire frequency and vegetation type gradients.
Acoustic current meter zero offset drift

Acoustic travel-time velocity sensors have a linear response through zero velocity. The benefit this provides in freedom from deadband and hysteresis comes at a cost of zero point uncertainty. One determines the zero flow offsets in still water or in carageenan gel for subsequent subtraction from the travel-time differences that are measured. Salt water immersion, pressure, and temperature affect the capacitance of the transducers and their connections to the electronics and thus the phase of the received signal. Two modes of zero-point shift have been observed: one in which the zero moves upon initial exposure to high pressure salt water after which the new zero is stable, and one in which small offsets appear only while the sensor is subjected to pressure. Details of the urethane bonds within the sensor under hydrostatic compression and their resulting distortion appear to cause these two modes of offset behavior. Temporary offsets are typically 0.3 cm/s while permanent offsets are typically 4.5 cm/s. Compatibility between urethanes to be bonded and flexible sensor tube construction are solutions to the permanent offset shift while matching of the cable capacitance promises hope of reducing pressure related offsets.
Adorno’s Mimesis and its Limitations for Critical Social Thought:

Adorno’s philosophy has enjoyed a resurgence of attention in political theory over the past decade. In this paper, I challenge contemporary efforts to adopt his critical theory by arguing that his conceptions of mimesis and negative dialectics, which are central to his thought, are ultimately unsatisfactory. I begin by critiquing the normative content of the negative dialectic, and then move on to explore its problematic relation with mimesis. In the following sections I argue that mimesis cannot do the normative work that Adorno requires of it. Rather, his idea of mimesis fails to inform critique (understood as ‘negative’ thought), relies on a problematic pre-modern idea of authenticity, and is incompatible with theoretical analyses of modern complex societies.
Novel Multi-Barrier Plasma Actuators for Increased Thrust

This paper presents experimental measurements performed on multi-barrier plasma actuators (MBPA). The typical dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuator consists of two electrodes separated by a dielectric layer. The surrounding air locally ionizes when a radio frequency (RF), high voltage waveform is applied to one of the electrodes. This results in an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) body force on the fluid. MBPAs extend upon the typical configuration of the DBD to incorporate multiple layers of dielectric materials and powered electrodes. This work explores different actuator designs which, through direct force balance measurements, demonstrate that the MBPA configuration effectively increases the EHD body force produced by a plasma actuator. The power consumption of these devices is analyzed and compared with typical actuator configurations. Results show significant increase in thrust over power ratio represented by actuator effectiveness.
CyberKnife Boost for Patients with Cervical Cancer Unable to Undergo Brachytherapy.

Standard radiation therapy for patients undergoing primary chemosensitized radiation for carcinomas of the cervix usually consists of external beam radiation followed by an intracavitary brachytherapy boost. On occasion, the brachytherapy boost cannot be performed due to unfavorable anatomy or because of coexisting medical conditions. We examined the safety and efficacy of using CyberKnife stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) as a boost to the cervix after external beam radiation in those patients unable to have brachytherapy to give a more effective dose to the cervix than with conventional external beam radiation alone. Six consecutive patients with anatomic or medical conditions precluding a tandem and ovoid boost were treated with combined external beam radiation and CyberKnife boost to the cervix. Five patients received 45 Gy to the pelvis with serial intensity-modulated radiation therapy boost to the uterus and cervix to a dose of 61.2 Gy. These five patients received an SBRT boost to the cervix to a dose of 20 Gy in five fractions of 4 Gy each. One patient was treated to the pelvis to a dose of 45 Gy with an external beam boost to the uterus and cervix to a dose of 50.4 Gy. This patient received an SBRT boost to the cervix to a dose of 19.5 Gy in three fractions of 6.5 Gy. Five percent volumes of the bladder and rectum were kept to ≤75 Gy in all patients (i.e., V75 Gy ≤ 5%). All of the patients remain locally controlled with no evidence of disease following treatment. Grade 1 diarrhea occurred in 4/6 patients during the conventional external beam radiation. There has been no grade 3 or 4 rectal or bladder toxicity. There were no toxicities observed following SBRT boost. At a median follow-up of 14 months, CyberKnife radiosurgical boost is well tolerated and efficacious in providing a boost to patients with cervix cancer who are unable to undergo brachytherapy boost. Further follow-up is required to see if these results remain durable.
Aldehyde dehydrogenase gene superfamily: the 2002 update.

The aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) superfamily represents a divergently related group of enzymes that metabolize a wide variety of endogenous and exogenous aldehydes. With the advent of megabase genome sequencing, the ALDH superfamily is continuously expanding on many fronts. The presence of ALDH encoding genes in the vast majority of archaeal, eubacterial and eukaryotic genomes supports the notion that these enzymes are important components of metabolic processes in living organisms and that the ALDH superfamily is ancient in origin. As of July 2002, the ALDH superfamily consists of 555 distinct genes: 32 in archaea, 351 in eubacteria, and 172 in eukaryota. Complete sequencing of individual genomes reveals the number of ALDH genes found per organism ranges from 1 to 5 in archaeal species, 1-26 genes in eubacterial species, and 8-17 genes in eukaryotic species. In the human genome, 17 functional genes and 3 pseudogenes have been identified to date. A standardized ALDH gene nomenclature system has been developed based on multiple alignment analysis of eukaryotic ALDH amino acid sequences. Both Human and Mouse Genome Projects have accepted this nomenclature system. In this report, we present a complete listing of all ALDH sequences known to date, along with the evolutionary analysis of the eukaryotic ALDHs. Thus far, the eukaryotic ALDHs comprise 20 gene families. Detailed information on ALDH gene superfamily is also available at http://www.uchsc.edu/sp/sp/alcdbase/aldhcov.html.
Structure-Mechanical Property Relationships In A Biological Ceramic-Polymer Composite: Nacre

The structure-mechanical property relationships were studied in nacre, a laminated ceramicpolymer biocomposite found in seashell. Four-point bending strength and three-point bend fracture toughness tests were performed, and the results averaged 180 ± 30 MPa and 9 ± 3 MPa·m1/2, respectively, indicating that the composite is many orders of magnitude stronger and tougher than monolithic CaCO3,, which is the primary component of nacre. Fractographic studies conducted with a scanning electron microscope identified two significant toughening mechanisms in the well-known “brick and mortar” microstructure of nacre: (i) sliding of the aragonite platelets and (ii) ligament formation in the organic matrix. These toughening mechanisms allow for high energy absorption and damage tolerance and thereby prevent catastrophic failure of the composite. The structure of the organic matrix and the interfacial structure between the organic and inorganic components were studied with transmission electron microscopy by using both ion milled and ultramicrotomed sections with and without the intact aragonite platelets. We found that the organic matrix is indeed a multilayered composite at the nanometer scale but is thinner (about 100 A) than reported in the literature. The morphology of the interfacial region between the organic and the inorganic layers suggests the presence of a structural “transitory” region that interlocks the two dissimilar phases.
Ethnobotany of poison ivy, poison oak, and relatives (Toxicodendron spp., Anacardiaceae) in America: Veracity of historical accounts

Abstract Historical accounts detail numerous uses for poison ivy, poison oak, and other American Toxicodendron spp. (Anacardiaceae), despite their toxicity. The veracity of these accounts has recently been called into question by several sources. In this investigation, a multidisciplinary, hypothesis-driven approach was used to critically evaluate the veracity of such accounts by employing field studies, laboratory experiments, and literature review. Accounts regarding uses in textile production or religious rites were found to be more feasible to evaluate than those pertaining to cooking or medicine. Findings from this study suggest a new interpretation of such accounts and provide novel information regarding both the biology and ethnobotany of these plants.
Woodpecker predation on bark beetles in Engelmann spruce logs as related to stand density.

Eighty Engelmann spruce logs (Picea engelmannii Parry), which were distributed in open (bulldozed to clearcut), semi-open (selectively cut), and dense (uncut) spruce forest, were infested with Dendroctonus obesus (Mann.) and Ips pilifrons Sw. and fed upon by northern three-toed and hairy woodpeckers. Sections of the infested boles were covered with screen to prevent woodpecker feeding and all logs were left in the field over one winter and through the following summer. By spring, the spruce beetle brood was reduced approximately 50% in all three forest areas. By fall, the spruce beetle brood suffered a 71, 83 and 52% reduction in the open, semi-open and dense forest, respectively. Spruce beetles appeared to be in greatest numbers in the semi-open forest, resulting in the greatest woodpecker predation there. Woodpeckers did not feed in the open meadows. Estimates in the spring, before the Ips emerged from the logs, showed that woodpeckers reduced the Ips brood by 76 and 11% in the open and semi-open forest, respectively. Ips were not found in dense forest or in meadows.
The Sinking of the Ehime Maru : The Interaction of Culture, Security Interests and Domestic Politics in an Alliance Crisis

The loss of life that resulted from the sinking of the fisheries training vessel Ehime Maru by the nuclear submarine USS Greeneville off Hawaii in February 2001 exemplifies the risks to United States–Japan alliance relations posed by US global military deployments. Following a pattern of incidents involving the US military in Japan itself, the collision violated Japanese expectations of benevolence from its stronger partner and put considerable pressure on the government to seek public apology and reassurance. This article examines the interplay of culture, national security interests and domestic politics in framing both perceptions and diplomacy during the crisis. While differences at both the cultural and security levels complicated diplomacy, asymmetry in the respective domestic political stakes, combined with overriding and largely congruent security interests, helped the United States to provide Japan with the requisite reassurance. After a decade of alliance drift, both Japan and the United States were determined to forestall defection by their alliance partner.
Dissolution of a Toluene Pool Under Constant and Variable Hydraulic Gradients with Implications for Aquifer Remediation

Factors affecting the dissolution of a toluene pool floating at the water table were investigated using an experimental aquifer 85 cm long, 30 cm high, and 20 cm wide. Under conditions of steady, uniform flow, the dissolved toluene concentration decreased with increasing vertical distance from the free phase pool, resulting in steep concentration gradients. The concentration gradient steepened with increasing ground-water velocity. The thickness of the dissolved plume increased with increasing distance along the pool and decreasing ground-water velocity. In all cases, measured concentrations were a small fraction of toluene solubility. In pulsed pumping experiments, dissolved toluene concentrations in all sampling ports increased significantly during zero flow conditions and, when the flow was resumed, they gradually decreased to the same levels as before the flow was stopped. Under the experimental conditions used, comparison between the pulsed and continuous pumping showed that the total mass removal would be higher for continuous pumping and would result in shorter toluene removal times. However, the total volume of water pumped and needed to be treated would be lower by 50% for pulsed pumping. The latter would result in a higher by ∼ 20% mass removed per volume of water pumped, suggesting that pulsed pumping would be a more efficient operation compared to continuous pumping, when considering removal of dissolved toluene from the aquifer.
URBANIZATION IN RUSSIA AND THE USSR: 1897–1966

ABSTRACT In this study we attempt to describe and to analyze broadly urbanization in Russia and the USSR during the present century. To measure urbanization data were gathered from Russian, Soviet, and East European censuses according to a comparable definition and comparable territorial units. Despite very great population losses owing to war and famine in this century, urbanization increased at a remarkable rate, even greater than that of the United States. Between 1897 and 1959, the urbanization process was especially dynamic in four regions—Ural, Central, West Siberia, and Donetsk-Dnepr—and, in general, the east experienced a greater increase than the west. Since 1959, however, this latter trend has been reversed. Our analysis demonstrates that this urbanization was, in general, related to three complexly interrelated factors—industrialization, transportation accessibility, and in-migration.
Uterine adenosarcoma: An analysis on management, outcomes, and risk factors for recurrence

Objectives Uterine adenosarcoma is a rare malignancy with little data on optimal management. We aimed to clarify the impact of adjuvant therapy in patients with uterine adenosarcoma and identify risk factors for recurrence and death.
Measuring the viscosity of whole bovine lens using a fiber optic oxygen sensing system.

Purpose: To obtain a better understanding of oxygen and nutrient transport within the lens, the viscosity of whole lenses was investigated using a fiber optic oxygen sensor (optode). The diffusion coefficient of oxygen was calculated using the Stokes-Einstein equation at the slip boundary condition. Methods: The optode was used to measure the oxygen decay signal in samples consisting of different glycerol/water solutions with known viscosities. The oxygen decay signal was fitted to a double exponential decay rate equation, and the lifetimes (tau) were calculated. It was determined that the tau-viscosity relationship is linear, which served as the standard curve. The same procedure was applied to fresh bovine lenses, and the unknown viscosity of the bovine lens was calculated from the tau-viscosity relationship. Results: The average viscosity in a whole bovine lens was determined to be 5.74±0.88 cP by our method. Using the Stokes-Einstein equation at the slip boundary condition, the diffusion coefficient for oxygen was calculated to be 8.2 × 10 −6 cm 2 /s. Conclusions: These data indicate a higher resistance to flow for oxygen and nutrients in the lens than what is currently assumed in the literature. Overall, this study allows a better understanding of oxygen transport within the lens.
Incoherent parabolic similaritons

Self-similar propagation in a system of coupled amplified nonlinear Schrodinger equations is studied. Each individual equation can sustain a component similariton and their incoherent summation leads to an incoherent parabolic similariton under a width-matching condition.
Spectrophotofluorometric Analysis of 3′,4′,7-Tris[O-(β-hydroxyethyl)]rutoside in Urine

A sensitive procedure was developed for 3',4',7-tris[O(beta-hydroxyethyl)]rutoside (I) in urine. The method is based on the fluoresence behavior of the I-aluminum complex in absolute methanol. This complex has activation and emission wavelengths of 420 and 480 nm, respectively. Optimum conditions for the reaction were investigated. The fluorescence was linear (r = 0.998) in the range of 0.1-4.0 microgram of I/ml. At concentrations below 0.1 microgram/ml, a shift in the emission wavelength was observed. Replicate studies (n = 9) of spiked urine samples, each containing 0.4 microgram of I/ml, showed good precision with a relative standard deviation of 0.009. Overall percent recovery (+/- SEM) from five urine samples was 99.5 +/- 1.34%. Following a single 500-mg po dose of I to individuals, only traces of I were found in the urine. However, beta-glucuronidase treatment of urine resulted in a total cumulative urine excretion of 26.53 mg of I after 78.6 hr.
Engineering fusogenic molecules to achieve targeted transduction of enveloped lentiviral vectors

Background Lentiviral vectors with broad tropism are one of the most promising gene delivery systems capable of efficiently delivering genes of interest into both dividing and non-dividing cells while maintaining long-term transgene expression. However, there are needs for developing lentiviral vectors with the capability to deliver genes to specific cell types, thus reducing the "off-target" effect of gene therapy. In the present study, we investigated the possibility of engineering the fusion-active domain of a fusogenic molecule (FM) with the aim to improve targeted transduction of lentiviral vectors co-displaying an anti-CD20 antibody (αCD20) and a FM.
Management of Varus or Valgus Ankle Deformity with Ankle Replacement

Ankle replacements are probably here to stay. Improved designs and surgical technique led to much better mid-term and longer term outcomes than the first-generation replacements in the 1970s. Multiple recent papers also have discussed the many potential complications with total ankle replacement surgery. As we proceed in the future, one should be cognizant of all the pitfalls and know how to deal with the difficult ankles, especially varus and valgus deformities. There should be a clear understanding that the greater the varus or valgus, the harder the procedure and the less predictable the outcome of ankle replacement.
Teaching Social Sustainability in Sustainable Construction and Infrastructure Courses: A Collaborative Approach

This paper addresses the implementation of a teaching module related to social sustainability, focusing on the planning and design phases of construction projects. The target population for this study included 74 seniors and 40 graduate students in Sustainable Construction and Infrastructure courses offered by three firsttier academic institutions during the Fall of 2011. The module proposed here provides the foundation for discussing four social sustainability conceptual areas: community involvement, corporate social responsibility, social sustainability, and safety through design. The implementation requires four steps. The first step uses a survey to assess the students’ previous knowledge of social sustainability. The second step focuses on learning about social sustainability through a mini-lecture and a class discussion, emphasizing that this construct involves multiple perspectives. During the lecture, the students then provide specific social sustainability examples for each of these four conceptual areas. The third step involves students learning how to create concept maps based on Novak’s technique. Finally, the students create individual concept maps that are subsequently used as post-assessment tools, identifying the knowledge they have gained. The preliminary results indicate that the module provides a platform for increasing student awareness that sustainability involves more than the green features of a facility.
Near-optimal input distributions for fading channels in the wideband regime

In this paper, we will investigate the fundamental tradeoff between bandwidth and rate for a coherent fading channel in the wideband regime, when a constraint on the error exponent is imposed. In an earlier paper (X. Wu, et al., (2003)), we computed optimal values of R(0) and R/spl dot/(0) for a nonfading channel, where R(/spl middot/) is the maximum rate at which information can be transmitted as a function of the inverse of bandwidth B, given a lower bound on the error exponent. Based on this calculation, we defined an input distribution to be near-optimal or second-order optimal if both optimal values for R(0) and R/spl dot/(0) can be achieved. In this paper, we extend this result to coherent fading channels. We show that, although both BPSK and QPSK are first-order optimal, only QPSK is second-order optimal.
Decreased CO2 availability and inactivation of Rubisco limit photosynthesis in cotton plants under heat and drought stress in the field

a b s t r a c t Heat and drought stresses are often coincident and constitute major factors limiting global crop yields. A better understanding of plant responses to the combination of these stresses under production envi- ronments will facilitate efforts to improve yield and water use efficiencies in a climatically changing world. To evaluate photosynthetic performance under dry-hot conditions, four cotton (Gossypium bar- badense L.) cultivars, Monseratt Sea Island (MS), Pima 32 (P32), Pima S-6 (S6) and Pima S-7 (S7), were studied under well-watered (WW) and water-limited (WL) conditions at a field site in central Arizona. Differences in canopy temperature and leaf relative water content under WL conditions indicated that, of the four cultivars, MS was the most drought-sensitive and S6 the most drought-tolerant. Net CO2 assimilation rates (A) and stomatal conductances (gs) decreased and leaf temperatures increased in WL compared to WW plants of all cultivars, but MS exhibited the greatest changes. The response of A to the intercellular CO2 concentration (A-Ci) showed that, along with stomatal closure, non-stomatal factors associated with heat stress also limited A under WL conditions, especially in MS. The activation state of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) decreased in WL compared to WW plants, consistent with thermal inhibition of Rubisco activase activity. The extent of Rubisco deactivation could account for the metabolic limitation to photosynthesis in MS. Taken together, these data reveal the com- plex relationship between water availability and heat stress for field-grown cotton plants in a semi-arid environment. Both diffusive (drought-stress-induced) and biochemical (heat-stress-induced) limitations contributed to decreased photosynthetic performance under dry-hot conditions. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Mechanisms for the diuresis of acute cold exposure: role for vasopressin?

The hypothesis that inhibition of vasopressin (VP) secretion initiates cold-induced diuresis was tested in six Brattleboro homozygous (diabetes insipidus, DI) rats exposed to 60 min at 5 degrees C. For 9-14 days before cold exposure (CE) the rats were treated with VP (750 pg.kg-1.min-1) subcutaneously via osmotic minipumps. Eight vehicle-treated Long-Evans (LE) rats characterized the response to acute exposure at 5 degrees C. Additional groups of six to eight LE and six DI rats were infused with VP (30-90 pg.kg-1.min-1 iv) on the day of CE. The DI rats receiving chronic VP replacement and untreated LE rats exhibited cold-induced diuresis, with peak increases in urine flow (V) of 63 +/- 12 (DIs) and 29 +/- 4 (LEs) microliters.min-1 x 100 g body wt-1. LE rats acutely infused with VP exhibited a diuresis at the two lower doses (peak V was 18 +/- 3 at the 30 and 18 +/- 4 microliters.min-1 x 100 g body wt-1 at the 60 pg.kg-1.min-1 dose), but the diuretic response was completely blunted at the uppermost dose of VP. Cold-induced diuresis was absent at the lowest VP dose in the acutely infused DI rats. A pressor response (30-36 mmHg) to CE was noted with all treatment groups, including those that did not exhibit a diuresis. No changes in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) with CE were observed. These data suggest that when plasma VP levels are controlled by prolonged infusion of VP in the DI rats, other mechanisms can operate to initiate cold-induced diuresis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Development of an Online Toolkit for Measuring Performance in Health Emergency Response Exercises

Introduction Exercises that simulate emergency scenarios are accepted widely as an essential component of a robust Emergency Preparedness program. Unfortunately, the variability in the quality of the exercises conducted, and the lack of standardized processes to measure performance, has limited the value of exercises in measuring preparedness. Methods In order to help health organizations improve the quality and standardization of the performance data they collect during simulated emergencies, a model online exercise evaluation toolkit was developed using performance measures tested in over 60 Emergency Preparedness exercises. The exercise evaluation toolkit contains three major components: (1) a database of measures that can be used to assess performance during an emergency response exercise; (2) a standardized data collection tool (form); and (3) a program that populates the data collection tool with the measures that have been selected by the user from the database. The evaluation toolkit was pilot tested from January through September 2014 in collaboration with 14 partnering organizations representing 10 public health agencies and four health care agencies from eight states across the US. Exercise planners from the partnering organizations were asked to use the toolkit for their exercise evaluation process and were interviewed to provide feedback on the use of the toolkit, the generated evaluation tool, and the usefulness of the data being gathered for the development of the exercise after-action report. Results Ninety-three percent (93%) of exercise planners reported that they found the online database of performance measures appropriate for the creation of exercise evaluation forms, and they stated that they would use it again for future exercises. Seventy-two percent (72%) liked the exercise evaluation form that was generated from the toolkit, and 93% reported that the data collected by the use of the evaluation form were useful in gauging their organization’s performance during the exercise. Seventy-nine percent (79%) of exercise planners preferred the evaluation form generated by the toolkit to other forms of evaluations. Conclusion Results of this project show that users found the newly developed toolkit to be user friendly and more relevant to measurement of specific public health and health care capabilities than other tools currently available. The developed toolkit may contribute to the further advancement of developing a valid approach to exercise performance measurement. Agboola F , Bernard D , Savoia E , Biddinger PD . Development of an Online Toolkit for Measuring Performance in Health Emergency Response Exercises. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(5):503–508.
PML in a patient with myasthenia gravis treated with multiple immunosuppressing agents.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is an often fatal opportunistic infection of the JC virus resulting in demyelination of the CNS. PML is well-described in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) exposed to natalizumab. PML is rare in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) and is also rare following rituximab exposure. We report PML in a patient with MG after immunosuppression that includes rituximab.
Infrared Reflection–Absorption Spectroscopy of an Isotropic Adsorbate Layer on Pyrite

Infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) was used to investigate a thin alkane-thiol overlayer on pyrite, and the experimental IRRAS results were compared to calculated spectra. The work was motivated by the importance of understanding the surface chemistry of pyrite single crystals because surface chemistry has previously been linked to solar-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency through both computational and experimental efforts. Angle-dependent IRRAS studies together with computational efforts showed a dependence of absorption strength on the angle of the incident light and showed that the combination of angle-dependent studies and computational efforts are a powerful tool for studying thin overlayers on pyrite.
Limitations on Model House Designs for Trust, Freedom, or Control

Keeley and Edney (1982), among others, have noted that users' satisfaction is one benefit of having users participate in the design process. Moreover, they presented a model-house technique for gathering normative information on users which can then be employed to reflect desirable psychosocial concepts such as privaq, security, or social interaction in housing designs. The present study sought to extend this work by determining whether the additional factors of trust, freedom, or control could be reflected in the objective measures of the model-house technique. Subjects (20 men, 20 women) were undergraduates who participated in male/ female dyads. The procedure was that used by Keeley and Edney (1982) in which subjects were given 50 wood blocks (4 in. X 3% in. X in., 10.23 cm X 8.32 cm X 1.92 cm) to construct a model house on a 4 ft x 4 ft (1.2 m x 1.2 m) sheet of paper. Each dyad constructed three houses, in a counterbalanced order: one each to encourage trust, control, or freedom for those living in it. A multivariate analysis of variance showed no significant differences across trust, freedom, or control for any of the measures, number of blocks used, total number of rooms, number of shared spaces (e.g., dining and living room not separated by walls), shared spaces as a percentage of total rooms, number of neighboring bedrooms; total area of the house, area of the bedrooms, area of bedrooms as a percentage of total area. area of shared spaces, area of shared spaces as a percentage of total area, area of smallest room, area of largest room, range of room size; number of corridors, number of rooms visible from any one room, number of interior openings, number of external openings, number of external wall surfaces, number of rooms to travel through to go between the two most separated rooms, number of rooms leading off a common space, number of distinct areas, percent of curvature in the walls, and number of external features. Since Keeley and Edney (1982) found differences in the above dependent measures when comparing homes built for privaq, securiry, or social interaction, the present results suggest that their method may be limited to the type of psychosocial concept reflected in the house design. Subjects in the present study reported that the project was enjoyable, and they verbalized definite ideas they were trying to reflect in their designs. Such psychosocial concepts as trust, freedom, and control may simply be too
Acervulus initiation in Colletotrichum capsici.

8. , P. E. Nelson, and T. A. Toussoun. 1984. Toxigenic Fusarium species: identity and mycotoxicology. Pennsylvania State Univ. Press, University Park. 328 p. 9. , P. G. Thiel, C. J. Rabie, P. E. Nelson, and T. A. Toussoun. 1986. Moniliformin production in Fusarium section Liseola. Mycologia 78: 242-247. 10. Nelson, P. E., T. A. Toussoun, and W. F. O. Marasas. 1983. Fusarium species: an illustrated manual for identification. Pennsylvania State Univ. Press, University Park. 193 p. 11. Nirenberg, H. 1976. Untersiichungen fiber die morphologische und biologische Differenzierung in der Fusarium-Sektion Liseola. Mitt. Biol. Bundesanst. Land-Forstwirtsch. BerlinDahlem 169: 1-117. 12. Rabie, C. J., W. F. O. Marasas, P. G. Thiel, A. Liibben, and R. Vleggaar. 1982. Moniliformin production and toxicity of different Fusarium species from southern Africa. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 43: 517-521. 13. Steyn, M., P. G. Thiel, and G. C. van Schalkwyk. 1978. Isolation and purification of moniliformin. J. Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem. 61: 578-580. 14. Springer, J. P., J. Clardy, R. J. Cole, J. W. Kirksey, R. K. Hill, R. M. Carlson, and J. L. Isidor. 1974. Structure and synthesis ofmoniliformin, a novel cyclobutane microbial toxin. J. lmer. Chem. Soc. 96: 2267-2268. 15. Wollenweber, H. W., and 0. A. Reinking. 1935. Die Fusarien, ihre Beschreibung, Schadwirkung und Bekdmpfung. Paul Parey, Berlin. 355 p. ie, C. J., W. F. O. Mar as, P. G. Thiel, A. , and R. Vle g ar. 1982. Moniliformin ction and toxicity of diff rent Fusarium i s fro southern Africa. Appl. Environ.
Uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation by ultrafiltrates of uremic serum.

SummaryThe influence of substrates in serum ultrafiltrates of uremic individuals on isolated rat liver mitochondria has been determined. A substance or substances present in such an ultrafiltrate does uncouple oxi-dative phosphorylation, but only at the phos-phorylation site linked to the respiratory chain between NADH and cytochrome b. The inhibiting substance is cationic at pH 8.0 and is soluble in acidic ether.
Highly sensitive and selective "turn-on" calcium cation sensing from a dendronic terthiophene tetraethylene glycol (TEG) molecule.

A molecule consisting of a branched or dendronic terthiophene with tetraethylene glycol moiety (3T5O) was synthesized for highly sensitive and selective calcium ion detection in solution. The sulfur atoms of the terthiophene dendron moiety contribute to the metal−ligand complexation of calcium cations. The modification of the terthiophene dendrons with a hydroxyl-terminated tetraethylene glycol (TEG) group produces a twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) event in which the terthiophene moiety is conformationally twisted, affecting its chromophoric and fluorophoric activity. This twisted conformation resulted in an increase in emission intensity at 320 nm, at the same time producing a blue shift in the absorption spectra. This process enabled a “turn-on” system for calcium ion detection compared to most “turn-off” systems involving a quenching route. The intensity of the emission is related to saturation of the terthiophene moiety at a concentration of 3T5O:[Ca2+] 1:4, of ∼1 × 10−8 M, which indicat...
Bifurcation Trees of a Periodically Forced, Two-Degree-of-Freedom Oscillator With a Nonlinear Hardening Spring

In this paper, analytical solutions of periodic motions in a periodically forced, damped, two-degree-of-freedom oscillator with a nonlinear hardening spring are obtained. The bifurcation trees of periodic motions are presented, and the stability and bifurcation of the periodic motion are determined through the eigenvalue analysis. Numerical simulations of stable period-1 and period-2 motions in the two-degree-of-freedom systems are presented, and the harmonic amplitude spectrums are presented to show the harmonic effects on periodic motions, and the accuracy of approximate analytical solutions can be estimated through the harmonic amplitudes.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Generalized orthogonal attributes for fluid and lithology discrimination

Summary A generalization of principal component analysis produces a pair of seismic attribut es which uniquely maximize and minimize seismic anomaly strength with respect to the background. We call this approach “Generalized Orthogonal Attributes”. Whereas principal component analysis will orthogonalize the background seismic, the method of Generalized Orthogonal Attributes will simultaneously orthogonalize both the seismic background and the anomaly. The introduction of this method is timely given the current industry drive to develop methods that focus on subtle lithologic anomalies in unconventional reservoirs rather than conventional fluid anomalies. The method is also applicable to fluid and lithology responses other than Class III, where traditional principal component analysis has been less effective.
Response to 'Preserved corticospinal conduction without voluntary movement after spinal cord injury'.

Response to ‘Preserved corticospinal conduction without voluntary movement after spinal cord injury’
A High-Order Crank–Nicholson Technique for Solving Differential Equations

A generalized Crank-Nicholson technique is given for the solution of simultaneous first-order linear time-invariant differential equations. The method proposed is inherently stable for any time interval h, gives correct solutions for any h as t -> oo for polynomial type time inputs and has a truncation error of O(A). It is especially suitable for the solution of large systems of differential equations.
Auditory dysfunction caused by multiple sclerosis: detection with MR imaging

We reviewed the MR examinations of 167 patients who presented over a 3-year period with a chief symptom of hearing loss and/or tinnitus. In 14 of these patients the only MR abnormality was the presence of multiple parenchymal high-signal foci on T2-weighted images. Nine of the 14 had clinical evidence of multiple sclerosis; the remaining five had no clinical evidence of multiple sclerosis. Lesions in the auditory pathways, potentially responsible for the patients' symptoms, were identified in only five cases. We recommend T2-weighted images of the whole brain in addition to T1-weighted images of the internal auditory canals and cerebellopontine angles in patients with hearing loss. In some patients, lesions found at higher levels in the periventricular white matter may provide the only clue to the origin of auditory abnormalities.
Beautiful Brutality: Subjective Personal Introspection and One Consumer’s Struggle to Enjoy American Football

Sport consumption creates a vast array of personal connections which are often expressed as, for example, values, attitudes, and behaviors (Meir 2000; Westerbeek and Smith 2003). Attempting to understand the behaviors of sport consumers has been the subject of an extensive research stream for many decades (Stewart et al. 2003) yet only recently has a more holistic approach been taken to model spectator sport consumption (Trail and James 2011). Missing in the literature is research pertaining to how one’s perspective, developed through participation and as a fan consuming the same sport, of contemporary sport related issues and how those issues are addressed may impact consumption behavior. The purpose of this paper is to utilize the method of Subjective Personal Introspection because of the privileged access this method provides to the author’s American football consumption experience as a participant and fan of the sport. The resulting existential-phenomenology (Thompson et al. 1989) based impressionistic interpretation of the researcher’s private experiences is intended to lead to an enhanced view of the consumption experience.
Relationship between mutant Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase 1 maturation and inclusion formation in cell models.

A common property of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), harboring mutations associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a high propensity to misfold and form abnormal aggregates. The aggregation of mutant SOD1 has been demonstrated in vitro, with purified proteins, in mouse models, in human tissues, and in cultured cell models. In vitro translation studies have determined that SOD1 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mutations is slower to mature, and thus perhaps vulnerable to off-pathway folding that could generate aggregates. The aggregation of mutant SOD1 in living cells can be monitored by tagging the protein with fluorescent fluorophores. In this study, we have taken advantage of the Dendra2 fluorophore technology in which excitation can be used to switch the output color from green to red, thereby clearly creating a time stamp that distinguishes pre-existing and newly made proteins. In cells that transiently over-express the Ala 4 to Val variant of SOD1-Dendra2, we observed that newly made mutant SOD1 was rapidly captured by pathologic intracellular inclusions. In cell models of mutant SOD1 aggregation over-expressing untagged A4V-SOD1, we observed that immature forms of the protein, lacking a Cu co-factor and a normal intramolecular disulfide, persist for extended periods. Our findings fit with a model in which immature forms of mutant A4V-SOD1, including newly made protein, are prone to misfolding and aggregation.