cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulation of solar radiation absorption in vegetation canopies

A solar radiation canopy absorption model, including multiple scattering effects, was developed and tested for a lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) canopy. Reflectance above the canopy, spectral transmittance to the ground layer, and geometric and spectral measurements of canopy elements were made. Relatively large differentials occurred in spectral absorption by canopy layers, especially in the photosynthetically active region, as a function of solar zenith angle. In addition, the proportion of total global irradiance absorbed by individual layers varied greatly as a function of solar zenith angle. However, absorption by the entire canopy system remained relatively constant.
Dynamics of drop formation from a capillary in the presence of an electric field

This paper reports an experimental study of the effects of an externally applied electric field on the dynamics of drop formation in the dripping mode from a vertical metal capillary. The fluid issuing out of the capillary is a viscous liquid, the surrounding ambient fluid is air, and the electric field is generated by establishing a potential difference between the capillary and a horizontal, circular electrode of large radius placed downstream of the capillary outlet. By means of an ultra-high-speed video system that is capable of recording up to 12000 frames per second, special attention is paid to the dynamics of the liquid thread that connects the primary drop that is about to detach and fall from the capillary to the rest of the conical liquid mass that is hanging from it. The experiments show that as the strength of the electric field increases, the volume of the primary drop decreases whereas the maximum length attained by the thread increases. The reduction in the volume of primary drops and the increase in the length of threads occur because the effective electromechanical surface tension of the fluid interface falls as the field strength rises. For the highly conducting drops of aqueous NaCl solutions studied in this work, the increase in thread length is due solely to the rising importance of normal electric stress relative to the falling importance of surface tension. However, as the conductivity of the drop liquid decreases, the thread length is further increased on account of the stabilizing influence exerted by the increasing electric shear stress that acts on the charged liquid–gas interface. Two new phenomena are also reported that have profound implications for electrohydrodynamics and practical applications. First, it is shown that whereas the liquid thread always ruptures at its downstream end in the absence of an applied electric field or when the field strength is low, it ruptures at its upstream end when the field strength is sufficiently high. Since satellite drops are produced directly from the thread once both of its ends have ruptured, the change in the mechanism of breakup with field strength influences the dynamics and fate of satellite drops. Second, it is demonstrated that the generation of satellites, which are often undesirable in applications, can be suppressed by the judicious application of an electric field. This is accomplished by using a field of moderate strength to induce charges of the opposite sign on the nearby surfaces of the satellite drop and the liquid that remains pendant from the tube following thread rupture. At high field strengths, induced charge effects are too weak to compete with net charge effects: the satellite is repelled by the pendant drop and falls under gravity as a distinct entity.
Cationic Gelatin as a Gene Carrier

Cationic gelatin was evaluated as a non-viral vector for cell transfection. We hypothesized that cationic gelatin would be a nontoxic alternative to already existing viral and non-viral cationic vectors. Cationic gelatin was synthesized by modifying gelatin with hexanediamine. Complexation of cationic gelatin with psv-β-gal plasmid caused an electrophoretic mobility shift of the plasmid. Cationic gelatin/DNA complexes were optimized in terms of transfection efficiency in CHODUK XB1 and COS 7 cell lines. Maximal gene expression for both cell types occurred in serum free medium with chloroquine (100 μM) at cationic gelatin/DNA ratios of approximately 2 and 7. In comparison with DEAE dextran, polylysine and Lipofectamine, cationic gelatin was the most efficient in transfecting COS 7 cells, with up to 18% cells transfected. In a dye reduction cytotoxicity assay, cationic gelatin caused < 5% of cells to become nonviable at a concentration of 100 μg/ml, while the other transfection reagents tested at the same concentration caused 25–100% of cell death. These results suggest that cationic gelatin holds promise as an effective vehicle for gene delivery to mammalian cells.
Hydrophobic–hydrophilic dichotomy of the butterfly proboscis

Mouthparts of fluid-feeding insects have unique material properties with no human-engineered analogue: the feeding devices acquire sticky and viscous liquids while remaining clean. We discovered that the external surface of the butterfly proboscis has a sharp boundary separating a hydrophilic drinking region and a hydrophobic non-drinking region. The structural arrangement of the proboscis provides the basis for the wetting dichotomy. Theoretical and experimental analyses show that fluid uptake is associated with enlargement of hydrophilic cuticular structures, the legulae, which link the two halves of the proboscis together. We also show that an elliptical proboscis produces a higher external meniscus than does a cylindrical proboscis of the same circumference. Fluid uptake is additionally facilitated in sap-feeding butterflies that have a proboscis with enlarged chemosensory structures forming a brush near the tip. This structural modification of the proboscis enables sap feeders to exploit films of liquid more efficiently. Structural changes along the proboscis, including increased legular width and presence of a brush-like tip, occur in a wide range of species, suggesting that a wetting dichotomy is widespread in the Lepidoptera.
Long-term grazing effects on genetic variation in Idaho fescue

The effect of cattle grazing on the genetic structure of native grass populations has received little attention. We investigated the effect of cattle grazing on genetic variation in Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis Elmer) using ISSR (inter-simple sequence repeat) DNA markers. The ISSR markers are hypervariable and are generally interpreted as being selectively neutral. Idaho fescue tillers were sampled from inside (N = 31) and outside (N = 34) a 64-year-old cattle exclosure in southeastern Oregon. We extracted DNA and used 2 ISSR primers to determine the genotypes for grazed and ungrazed plants at 60 variable loci. No statistically significant differences were observed between grazed and ungrazed samples for percent polymorphic loci (grazed = 85%; ungrazed = 80%), mean expected heterozygosity (grazed = 0.1393; ungrazed = 0.1365), or for a measure of loci dissimilarity (grazed = 0.506; ungrazed = 0.536). We also found that the ungrazed individuals sampled inside the exclosure were not significantly genetically differentiated from the grazed individuals sampled outside the exclosure (G st = 0.0008 averaged across all loci). Our results differ from past studies that found demographic and physiological differences between Idaho fescue inside and outside of grazing exclosures at the same site. Our results mirror those of other researchers who have also failed to detect genetic differences at marker loci in response to grazing. We propose that either the mechanisms that must be present to cause changes in neutral genetic variation are not affected by cattle grazing for Idaho fescue at this site, or that any effects of grazing on neutral genetic variation were overwhelmed by gene flow between the grazed and ungrazed samples.
Automatic control of fluid flow

This paper illustrates the use of analytical methods for the design of a flow-control system. Linearized equations are derived and a complete analysis is made of the control of the system. The effect of controller modes and process time constants is investigated. The calculations show that there is an optimum value of the process time constant for optimum response.
ESTIMATING SURVIVAL PROBABILITIES OF UNMARKED DEPENDENT YOUNG WHEN DETECTION IS IMPERFECT

Abstract We present a capture–recapture modeling approach to the estimation of survival probability of dependent chicks when only the attending adult bird is marked. The model requires that the bird's nest is found prior to hatching and that the number of eggs that hatch are counted. Subsequent data are sightings of the marked adult and a count of chicks with the adult. The model allows for imperfect detection of chicks, but the number of chicks can never exceed the number of eggs in the nest (i.e., adults cannot adopt chicks). We use data from radio-tagged adult Mountain Plovers (Charadrius montanus) and their unmarked chicks as an example. We present the model in terms of precocial bird species, but the method extends to many other taxa. Estimacion de las Probabilidades de Supervivencia de Crias Dependientes no Marcadas cuando la Deteccion es Imperfecta Resumen. Presentamos un enfoque de captura y recaptura para modelar la estimacion de la probabilidad de supervivencia de polluelos dependientes cuando s...
hTERT Extends the Life of Human Fibroblasts without Compromising Type I Interferon Signaling

Primary cells are often used to study viral replication and host-virus interactions as their antiviral pathways have not been altered or inactivated; however, their use is restricted by their short lifespan. Conventional methods to extend the life of primary cultures typically utilize viral oncogenes. Many of these oncogenes, however, perturb or inactivate cellular antiviral pathways, including the interferon (IFN) response. It has been previously shown that expression of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene extends the life of certain cell types. The effect that TERT expression has on the innate antiviral response to RNA- and DNA-containing viruses has not been examined. In the current study, we introduced the human TERT (hTERT) gene into a primary human embryonic lung (HEL-299) cell strain, which is known to respond to the type I IFN, IFN-β. We show that the resulting HEL-TERT cell line is capable of replicating beyond 100 population doublings without exhibiting signs of senescence. Treatment with IFN-β resulted in the upregulation of four model IFN stimulated genes (ISGs) in HEL-299 and HEL-TERT cells. Both cell lines supported the replication of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and impaired the replication of both viruses upon IFN-β pretreatment. Introduction of the viral oncoprotein, simian virus 40 (SV40) large T-antigen, which is frequently used to immortalize cells, largely negated this effect. Taken together, our data indicate that expression of hTERT does not alter type 1 IFN signaling and/or the growth of two viruses, making this cell line a useful reagent for studying viral replication and virus-cell interactions.
Removal of misincorporated ribonucleotides from prokaryotic genomes: an unexpected role for nucleotide excision repair.

Stringent steric exclusion mechanisms limit the misincorporation of ribonucleotides by high-fidelity DNA polymerases into genomic DNA. In contrast, low-fidelity Escherichia coli DNA polymerase V (pol V) has relatively poor sugar discrimination and frequently misincorporates ribonucleotides. Substitution of a steric gate tyrosine residue with alanine (umuC_Y11A) reduces sugar selectivity further and allows pol V to readily misincorporate ribonucleotides as easily as deoxynucleotides, whilst leaving its poor base-substitution fidelity essentially unchanged. However, the mutability of cells expressing the steric gate pol V mutant is very low due to efficient repair mechanisms that are triggered by the misincorporated rNMPs. Comparison of the mutation frequency between strains expressing wild-type and mutant pol V therefore allows us to identify pathways specifically directed at ribonucleotide excision repair (RER). We previously demonstrated that rNMPs incorporated by umuC_Y11A are efficiently removed from DNA in a repair pathway initiated by RNase HII. Using the same approach, we show here that mismatch repair and base excision repair play minimal back-up roles in RER in vivo. In contrast, in the absence of functional RNase HII, umuC_Y11A-dependent mutagenesis increases significantly in ΔuvrA, uvrB5 and ΔuvrC strains, suggesting that rNMPs misincorporated into DNA are actively repaired by nucleotide excision repair (NER) in vivo. Participation of NER in RER was confirmed by reconstituting ribonucleotide-dependent NER in vitro. We show that UvrABC nuclease-catalyzed incisions are readily made on DNA templates containing one, two, or five rNMPs and that the reactions are stimulated by the presence of mispaired bases. Similar to NER of DNA lesions, excision of rNMPs proceeds through dual incisions made at the 8th phosphodiester bond 5′ and 4th–5th phosphodiester bonds 3′ of the ribonucleotide. Ribonucleotides misinserted into DNA can therefore be added to the broad list of helix-distorting modifications that are substrates for NER.
Ethics of Tax Law Compliance: An Interdisciplinary Perspective.

The first semester Tax I student seems to be interested in the ethical issue of why citizens should report their income and only take legitimate tax deductions when it is unlikely that anyone will ever know. This paper addresses this issue from an interdisciplinary approach of accounting, philosophy, and political science. The accounting perspective discusses the issue from the expectations of the tax preparer and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The philosophical perspectives provides background of a citizen who might want to “do the right thing” for the sake of the common good. The political science perspective explores the political nature of the individual and corporate citizen and their approach to civic virtue.
Alarm rates for quality control charts

There is a direct relationship between a single alarm probability and the average run length only for basic Shewhart charts such as the X-chart. Alarm rates are defined in this paper that can be applied with charts such as the cumulative sum (CUSUM) chart and the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) chart that base decisions on several observations, not just the most recent one. Methods for determining EWMA chart limits are compared on the basis of their false alarm rates. It is shown how control charts can be more flexibly and carefully defined by considering a desired pattern of in-control false alarm rates in conjunction with a desired in-control average run length.
Computational behavior of a feasible direction method for linear programming

We discuss a finite method of feasible directions for linear programs. The method begins with a BFS (basic feasible solution) and constructs a profitable direction by combining the updated columns of several nonbasic variables eligible to enter. Moving in this direction as far as possible, while retaining feasibility, leads to a point which is not in general a basic solution of the original problem, but corresponds to a BFS of an augmented problem with a new column. So this is called an interior move or a column adding move. Next we can either carry another interior move, or a reduction process which starts with the present feasible solution and leads to a BFS of the original problem with the same or better objective value. We show that interior moves and reduction processes can be mixed in many ways leading to different methods, all of which can be implemented by maintaining the basis inverse or a factorization of it. Results of a computational experiment are presented.
Switching control design for accommodating large step-down disturbances in bipedal robot walking

This paper presents a feedback controller that allows MABEL, a kneed, planar bipedal robot, with 1 m-long legs, to accommodate an abrupt 20 cm decrease in ground height. The robot is provided information on neither where the step down occurs, nor by how much. After the robot has stepped off a raised platform, however, the height of the platform can be estimated from the lengths of the legs and the angles of the robot's joints. A real-time control strategy is implemented that uses this on-line estimate of step-down height to switch from a baseline controller, that is designed for flat-ground walking, to a second controller, that is designed to attenuate torso oscillation resulting from the step-down disturbance. After one step, the baseline controller is re-applied. The control strategy is developed on a simplified-design model of the robot and then verified on a more realistic model before being evaluated experimentally. The paper concludes with experimental results showing MABEL (blindly) stepping off a 20 cm high platform.
“Seeing What Has Always Been”: Opening Study of the Presidency

The 2008 presidential election has been widely touted as historic because a woman and an African American became viable candidates for a major party, thereby thrusting gender and race into the spotlight. Of course, gender and race have always been present as informal criteria for U.S. presidential candidates. At the constitutional founding, only white propertied men with sufficient affluence to be gentlemen of leisure were deemed suitable for national office (Wood 1991). Following the traditions of kings and military leaders, the executive was assumed to be an elite man and the institution itself became associated with men and fashioned in the preferences of its founders (March and Olsen 1989). For the presidency, founding fathers sought a heroic man, capable of leading in the extra-legal realm that they recognized could not be fully anticipated in law (Kann 1998). Since then, presidential campaigns have always been about what kind of man should hold an office predicated upon masculinity. While certainly presidential candidates' characters have been most discussed, the quality of each candidate's masculinity has been embedded in the sizing up of presidential timber, character, and the person.
RATIONAL CHOICE AND REGIONAL GOVERNANCE

This article presents a “second-generation” rational choice explanation for voluntary regional governance. It identifies the interests that motivate interlocal collaboration and argues that volunta...
Massachusetts health reform and disparities in joint replacement use: difference in differences study

Objective To estimate the impact of the insurance expansion in 2006 on use of knee and hip replacement procedures by race/ethnicity, area income, and the use of hospitals that predominantly serve poor people ("safety net hospitals"). Design Quasi-experimental difference in differences study examining change after reform in the share of procedures performed in safety net hospitals by race/ethnicity and area income, with adjustment for patients' residence, demographics, and comorbidity. increased 22.4% during the 2.5 years after insurance expansion; reform in Massachusetts was associated with a 4.7% increase. The increase associated with reform was significantly higher among Hispanic people (37.9%, P<0.001) and black people (11.4%, P<0.05) than among white people (2.8%). Lower income was not associated with larger increases in procedure use. The share of knee and hip replacement procedures performed in safety net hospitals in Massachusetts decreased by 1.0% from a level of 12.7% before reform. The reduction was larger among Hispanic people (−6.4%, P<0.001) than white people (−1.0%), and among low income residents (−3.9%, p<0.001) than high income residents (0%).
Associations among smoking, anhedonia, and reward learning in depression.

Abstract Depression and cigarette smoking co-occur at high rates. However, the etiological mechanisms that contribute to this relationship remain unclear. Anhedonia and associated impairments in reward learning are key features of depression, which also have been linked to the onset and maintenance of cigarette smoking. However, few studies have investigated differences in anhedonia and reward learning among depressed smokers and depressed nonsmokers. The goal of this study was to examine putative differences in anhedonia and reward learning in depressed smokers ( n = 36) and depressed nonsmokers ( n = 44). To this end, participants completed self-report measures of anhedonia and behavioral activation (BAS reward responsiveness scores) and as well as a probabilistic reward task rooted in signal detection theory, which measures reward learning (Pizzagalli, Jahn, & O'Shea, 2005). When considering self-report measures, depressed smokers reported higher trait anhedonia and reduced BAS reward responsiveness scores compared to depressed nonsmokers. In contrast to self-report measures, nicotine-satiated depressed smokers demonstrated greater acquisition of reward-based learning compared to depressed nonsmokers as indexed by the probabilistic reward task. Findings may point to a potential mechanism underlying the frequent co-occurrence of smoking and depression. These results highlight the importance of continued investigation of the role of anhedonia and reward system functioning in the co-occurrence of depression and nicotine abuse. Results also may support the use of treatments targeting reward learning (e.g., behavioral activation) to enhance smoking cessation among individuals with depression.
The Effectiveness of a Sexuality Education Newsletter in Influencing Teenagers’ Knowledge and Attitudes about Sexual Involvement and Drug Use:

This study examined the effectiveness of a newsletter written by teenagers on sexual and health issues in changing knowledge and attitudes regarding sexual activity, condom use, and drug use. Four hundred and nineteen high school students completed a pretest, were given a copy of an eight-page newsletter on sexual and health issues to read as homework, and then completed a posttest during the next class period. Findings indicate that reading the newsletter led to more positive attitudes toward postponing sexual involvement and more negative attitudes toward using drugs. Moreover, the newsletter was particularly effective in changing the knowledge and attitudes of Black students. Discussion focuses on the implications of these findings for school-based sexuality education.
Specificity of adaptation to a novel host plant by a seed beetle

Adaptation to one novel host plant may simultaneously improve an insect’s performance on other unfamiliar hosts, as a kind of cross-adaptation. In selection experiments using an Asian population of the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae), larval survival in lentil seeds increased from about 1 to >90% in fewer than 30 generations, and acceptance of lentil by egg-laying females increased two- to three-fold. We examined whether rapid adaptation to lentil altered beetle performance on other grain legumes, including hosts more closely relatedtolentil than to theancestral host, mung bean.Three replicate,lentil-adapted lines were compared to the mung-bean (control) line with respect to both host acceptance (oviposition under no-choice conditions) and larval performance (survival to adult emergence, development time, and adult mass at emergence). In most experiments, females from the lentil lines laid more eggs on unfamiliar hosts than did females from the mung-bean line. Greater oviposition on novel hosts could not be explainedby variation in potential fecundity,and didnot appear todepend ona host’srelatedness to lentil. Although survival in lentil remained extremely divergent between the mung-bean and lentil lines (0 vs. >90%), the lines did not differ in larval performance on two other novel hosts (pea and fava bean) that are much more closely related to lentil than to mung bean. Because larval performance is most likely the limiting factor in the potential colonization of a novel host by C. maculatus, our experiments did not provide strong evidence for cross-adaptation. The results suggest that adaptationto evenahighlymarginalhost neednotleadto ageneralexpansionofaninsect’shost range.
Cu2ZnSnS4 nanocrystals and graphene quantum dots for photovoltaics.

Semiconductor quantum dots exhibit great potential for applications in next generation high efficiency, low cost solar cells because of their unique optoelectronic properties. Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanocrystals and graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have recently received much attention as building blocks for use in solar energy conversion due to their outstanding properties and advantageous characteristics, including high optical absorptivity, tunable bandgap, and earth abundant chemical composition. In this Feature Article, recent advances in the synthesis and utilization of CZTS nanocrystals and colloidal GQDs for photovoltaics are highlighted, followed by an outlook on the future research efforts in these areas.
Texting girls: images, sounds, and words in neoliberal cultures of femininity

This introductory essay provides an overview of the arguments and premises of this special issue, Texting Girls: Images, Sounds, and Words in Neoliberal Cultures of Femininity. Situated within the recent historical conjuncture in which “girls” (and all that is suggested by the term) have an unprecedented cultural visibility, the essay argues that the figure of the girl is coerced into performing forms of symbolic work within neoliberalism that displaces and contains the corrosive effects of capitalism unbound. Drawing from recent work in Girl Studies and Feminist Theory, the introduction demonstrates that this work relies upon a long-standing conflation of girls and commodification, which supports “girlphobic” constructions in both pro-capitalist stances and anti-capitalist critiques.
A Simplified Parametric Model for Fetch-Limited Peak Wave Frequency in Shallow Estuaries

ABSTRACT Karimpour, A. and Chen, Q., 2016. A simplified parametric model for fetch-limited peak wave frequency in shallow estuaries. A study was conducted on the wave energy and peak wave frequency in Breton Sound, Louisiana. A bottom-mounted Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter was used to measure waves and currents. The results of the study indicate that the asymptotic limits for the wave energy and peak wave frequency can be defined accurately, while the integral properties of the wave field estimated by the existing parametric wave models, particularly the peak wave frequency, suffer from a lack of accuracy. Based on the observed dependency of peak frequency on the ratio of wind fetch to water depth, a simplified parametric model is proposed in an effort to increase the accuracy of the estimated peak wave frequency. The physical boundaries between water depth and wind fetch for proper estimation of the peak frequency are introduced. The model was evaluated for the goodness of fit against measured data that ha...
Radiative Impacts of the 2011 Abrupt Drops in Water Vapor and Ozone in the Tropical Tropopause Layer

AbstractAn abrupt drop in tropical tropopause layer (TTL) water vapor, similar to that observed in 2000, recently occurred in 2011, and was concurrent with reductions in TTL temperature and ozone. Previous studies have indicated that such large water vapor variability can have significant radiative impacts. This study uses Aura Microwave Limb Sounder observations, the Stratospheric Water Vapor and Ozone Satellite Homogenized dataset, and two radiative transfer models to examine the radiative effects of the observed changes in TTL water vapor and ozone on TTL temperatures and global radiative forcing (RF). The analyses herein suggest that quasi-isentropic poleward propagation of TTL water vapor reductions results in a zonal-mean structure with “wings” of extratropical water vapor reductions, which account for about half of the 2011 abrupt drop global radiative impact. RF values associated with the mean water vapor concentrations differences between 2012/13 and 2010/11 are between −0.01 and −0.09 W m−2, dep...
Birth control in the year 2001

‘In the field of birth control, time is the most expensive commodity, for in every decade at least an additional billion people are born.’
Earlier Names for Hemitrichia Stipitata (Myxomycetes)

(1974). Earlier Names for Hemitrichia Stipitata (Myxomycetes) Mycologia: Vol. 66, No. 5, pp. 887-888.
Sustainable Consumption, Climate Change and Future Generations

What makes climate change such a difficult problem to solve is that it is so pervasive: it is global but with very different effects on regions and nations. It stretches through time to many future generations. Its causes are ultimately the growth of population, the structure of production and growing consumption: greater numbers require ever more to make them happy.
Incentives or Mandates? Determinants of the Renewable Energy Policies of U.S. States, 1970-2012

Why might states adopt policy instruments of one type over another, and how does this choice impact the overall portfolio of policy instruments a state adopts? To address these questions this article examines renewable energy policy instrument adoption by U.S. states and argues that states adopt instruments of different types based on their state-level economic, political, institutional, and cultural characteristics. I test these claims by examining the tax incentive- and regulatory mandate-based policy instruments adopted to promote renewable energy generation by U.S. states over a 40-year period. Using random effects Poisson regression analysis, I find that state affluence, environmental movement organization density, and fossil fuel production predict the number of policies a state is likely to adopt, while an affinity for a neoliberal ideology, U.S. senators environmental voting records, and prior policy actions predict the types of policies a state adopts. These results reinforce perceptions of economic factors as key predictors of renewable energy policy, but also highlight the importance of less frequently examined cultural factors for explaining a state’s portfolio of policies. These analyses offer a robust picture of the relationship between tax incentive and regulatory mandates, the two types of programmatic approaches that have dominated many policy domains in the United States over the past 40 years.
Resident Rights and Responsibilities in Virginia's Continuing Care Retirement Communities: Building Trust and Stronger Communities

At the invitation of Virginia Senator George Barker, Professor Pearson testified before the Commonwealth of Virginia, Division of Legislative Service, Virginia Housing Commission for a working group on continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). In her oral and written testimony, she identified seven core concerns of CCRC residents about financial transparency and governance, including the right to affordable stability in their communities and the right to voting membership on boards of governance. The author presented precedent for voting membership and responded to concerns raised by facilities for "conflict of interest." Her testimony in the Commonwealth in November 2012 builds upon earlier testimony she provided before the Senate Select Committee on Aging in July 2010.
Application of poliovirus isolation and identify new measurement procedures

Objective Shortening the time limit of test of poliovirus,to detect vaccine derived polio viruses( VDPVs) timely in Hebei province. Methods The polioviruses were isolated from stool samples of acute flaccid paralysis( AFP) cases from 2013 by using L20 B and RD cell,real time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction( rRT- PCR) was applied in intratypic differentiation. Results Detected in stool samples from 334 cases of AFP cases and contacts censorship of the L20B- positive isolates 26.Virus serotypes were identified and the type identified by real- time PCR method of monitoring the polio vaccine strains similar( sabin- like,SL) 19 strains,among which type Ⅰ19,typeⅡ1,type Ⅲ 6,and mixed type 3; put mixed type to monotype partying got 24 in total,after VP1 region nucleotide sequence determination,the occurrence of 2 high variability in typeⅠ,are 6 nucleotide variations. Conclusions Polio vaccine virus isolated in 2013 had some of the variation,found no vaccine- derived poliovirus.
Immunologic tissue injury mediated by neutrophilic leukocytes.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the neutrophilic leukocyte because of growing evidence for an important role for this cell type. It discusses the significance of the various mechanisms to human disease and the mediation of acute immunologic injury of tissues in which certain proteins from the plasma, together with certain cellular factors, notably the neutrophilic leukocytes, play significant and interdependent roles. This pathway of mediation in present state of knowledge is distinguishable from other systems of mediation by the principal cell involved, the neutrophile. The pathways of mediation that eventuate in injury of a particular structure in tissues are discussed. Evidence of immunologically induced, neutrophile-mediated injury in human disease is circumspect at present. Direct evidence implicating antigens and antibodies as inciting agents in human disease is accumulated, for example, in the pathogenesis of various forms of glomerulonephritis. In acute and chronic human glomerulonephritis, the deposition of γ-globulin and complement has been well-recorded.
CONSTRAINTS ON GRIP-SELECTION: MINIMIZING AWKWARDNESS '

In picking up and manipulating an object, the selection of an initial grip (overhand versus underhand) often depends on how comfortable the hand and arm will be at the end of the movement. This effect has been called “end-state comfort” and seems to be an important constraint in grip-selection. The present experiment further explored this effect by selecting a task that would ensure a comfortable ending position regardless of the initial choice of grip. 206 undergraduates picked up a cardboard paper-towel roll from a horizontal position and placed one end down on a table. Analysis showed a clear preference for the overhand grip, as 78% of the participants chose this grip. In addition, more women preferred the overhand grip than men. The findings indicate that people may be sensitive to minimizing awkwardness in both terminal and initial positions.
Bystander intervention. Help or hindrance

Rubbernecks, lookie-loos, gawkers: Are they the bane of your existence, or can they be used to your advantage at the scene? And what makes them tick?
CLONING THE PHR GENE OF ESCHERICHIA COLI

ABSTRACT The phr gene of Escherichia coli has been inserted into the plasmid pMB9 by in vitro recombination A new method was devised to enrich recombinant DNA molecules in in vitro reaction mixtures. The published map location of the phr gene is incorrect, the gene actually lying near 15.7 minutes on the coli chromosome. Production of the gene product (DNA photolyase, EC 4.1.99.3) is roughly proportional to gene dosage, and is further increased an order of magnitude by the presence of the purA mutation.
Tropomyosin Structure, Function, and Interactions: A Dynamic Regulator

Tropomyosin is the archetypal-coiled coil, yet studies of its structure and function have proven it to be a dynamic regulator of actin filament function in muscle and non-muscle cells. Here we review aspects of its structure that deviate from canonical leucine zipper coiled coils that allow tropomyosin to bind to actin, regulate myosin, and interact directly and indirectly with actin-binding proteins. Four genes encode tropomyosins in vertebrates, with additional diversity that results from alternate promoters and alternatively spliced exons. At the same time that periodic motifs for binding actin and regulating myosin are conserved, isoform-specific domains allow for specific interaction with myosins and actin filament regulatory proteins, including troponin. Tropomyosin can be viewed as a universal regulator of the actin cytoskeleton that specifies actin filaments for cellular and intracellular functions.
Elution of [18F]fluoride with aqueous weak organic bases for base/cryptand-sensitive radiofluorinations

111 Objectives Formulation of [18F]fluoride using an anion exchange cartridge (e.g. QMA) typically employs eluents composed of alkali carbonates and cryptands . These reagents cause problems in certain circumstances, such as in metal-catalyzed fluorinations or when base-sensitive precursors are used. For this reason, alternate salt-based eluents have been developed that are milder than carbonate solutions and/or do not require the use of cryptands. Strong non-ionic base solutions were also previously utilized due to their ability to generate OH- and OMe- in water and methanol, respectively. However, weak non-ionic base solutions have not been similarly investigated. This study explores the ability for various weak nitrogenous bases to function as 18F-eluents in water. Methods Diluted cyclotron target water (0.5 mL; 500-1000 µCi) was passed through a pre-conditioned (NaHCO3 or KOTf) Waters© QMA-light cartridge and purged with 2 mL air. Aqueous weak base solution (0.5 mL; 0.1M) was then passed through the cartridge and purged with 2mL air, with eluate collected in a 4 mL vial. Activity of the eluate and QMA cartridge were individually measured with a dose calibrator to determine the recovery of [18F]fluoride. Results Ionization of weak bases in water generated sufficient OH- to facilitate desorbtion of 18F- from the QMA resin. 18F- recovery positively correlated with the basicity of the eluent (see Table). Bases with conj. pKa >10 in water (alkylamines) showed >50% 18F- recovery from both NaHCO3 and KOTf preconditioned QMA cartridges, with DBU (amidine, conj. pKa ~13.5) approaching quantitative recovery. Bases with conj. pKa~8-10 showed variable but generally lower 18F- recovery that decreased with decreasing pKa, while bases with conj. pKa below 8 (pyridines, imidazole, aniline) did not lead to appreciable 18F- recovery. In all cases, NaHCO3 preconditioning led to higher 18F- recovery than preconditioning with KOTf, likely due to differing ionic strengths of HCO3- and OTf- and/or their affinities for QMA resin. Conclusions Aqueous solutions of weak nitrogenous bases were successfully used to elute 18F- from Waters© QMA-lite cartridges, with fluoride recovery dependant on conj. pKa. 18F- prepared in this way is organic-soluble and can facilitate radiofluorination reactions that are otherwise sensitive to inorganic bases and/or cryptands that are commonly used in traditional 18F- processing. Research Support: We acknowledge the NIH (GM073836 (M.S.S.) and T32- EB005172 (P.J.H.S.)), the US DOE (DE-SC0012484 (P.J.H.S.)), the Alzheimer’s Association (NIRP-14-305669 (P.J.H.S.)), and Merck (M.S.S. and P.J.H.S.) for financial support.
Electric train energy consumption modeling

Abstract The paper develops an electric train energy consumption modeling framework considering instantaneous regenerative braking efficiency in support of a rail simulation system. The model is calibrated with data from Portland, Oregon using an unconstrained non-linear optimization procedure, and validated using data from Chicago, Illinois by comparing model predictions against the National Transit Database (NTD) estimates. The results demonstrate that regenerative braking efficiency varies as an exponential function of the deceleration level, rather than an average constant as assumed in previous studies. The model predictions are demonstrated to be consistent with the NTD estimates, producing a predicted error of 1.87% and −2.31%. The paper demonstrates that energy recovery reduces the overall power consumption by 20% for the tested Chicago route. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates that the proposed modeling approach is able to capture energy consumption differences associated with train, route and operational parameters, and thus is applicable for project-level analysis. The model can be easily implemented in traffic simulation software, used in smartphone applications and eco-transit programs given its fast execution time and easy integration in complex frameworks.
Femoral vascular conductance and peroneal muscle sympathetic nerve activity responses to acute epidural spinal cord stimulation in humans.

NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this research? Does acute spinal cord stimulation increase vascular conductance and decrease muscle sympathetic nerve activity in the lower limbs of humans? What is the main finding and its importance? Acute spinal cord stimulation led to a rapid rise in femoral vascular conductance, and peroneal muscle sympathetic nerve activity demonstrated a delayed reduction that was not associated with the initial increase in femoral vascular conductance. These findings suggest that neural mechanisms in addition to attenuated muscle sympathetic nerve activity might be involved in the initial increase in femoral vascular conductance during acute spinal cord stimulation. ABSTRACT Clinical cases have indicated an increase in peripheral blood flow after continuous epidural spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and that reduced muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) might be a potential mechanism. However, no studies in humans have directly examined the effects of acute SCS (<60 min) on vascular conductance and MSNA. In study 1, we tested the hypothesis that acute SCS (<60 min) of the thoracic spine would lead to increased common femoral vascular conductance, but not brachial vascular conductance, in 11 patients who previously underwent surgical SCS implantation for management of neuropathic pain. Throughout 60 min of SCS, common femoral artery conductance was elevated and significantly different from brachial artery conductance [in millilitres per minute: 15 min, change (Δ) 26 ± 37 versus Δ-2 ± 19%; 30 min, Δ28 ± 45 versus Δ0 ± 26%; 45 min, Δ48 ± 43 versus Δ2 ± 21%; 60 min, Δ36 ± 61 versus Δ1 ± 24%; and 15 min post-SCS, Δ51 ± 64 versus Δ6 ± 33%; P = 0.013]. A similar examination in a patient with cervical SCS revealed minimal changes in vascular conductance. In study 2, we examined whether acute SCS reduces peroneal MSNA in a subset of SCS patients (n = 5). The MSNA burst incidence in response to acute SCS gradually declined and was significantly reduced at 45 and 60 min of SCS (in bursts per 100 heart beats: 15 min, Δ-1 ± 12%; 30 min, Δ-14 ± 12%; 45 min, Δ-19 ± 16%; 60 min, Δ-24 ± 18%; and 15 min post-SCS: Δ-11 ± 7%; P = 0.015). These data demonstrate that acute SCS rapidly increases femoral vascular conductance and reduces peroneal MSNA. The gradual reduction in peroneal MSNA observed during acute SCS suggests that neural mechanisms in addition to attenuated MSNA might be involved in the acute increase in femoral vascular conductance.
Listening to the Voices of Family Members, Teachers, and Community Members

AbstractThis study investigates the interrelationships between and among family members and community members who work with middle level children, and middle level teachers from the perspectives of these participants. All three groups are viewed as integral members, with equal standing, in a complex ecological system, the purpose of which is to support early adolescents’ academic achievement and healthy development throughout school and life. The findings provide insights to how family members, community members who work with middle level children, and teachers view their role in working with each other.Three areas were identified that influence the participants’ perceptions of their roles in working together: The degree of the development of the relationship itself and two problematic areas that need attention to improve the relationship—lack of communication and negotiation of value conflicts.
Genotypic Diversity of Fluorescent Pseudomonads as Revealed by Southern Hybridization Analysis with Siderophore-Related Gene Probes

Interest in the siderophores of fluorescent pseudomonads has been highlighted because of their antagonism toward the agent of the plant diseases, fusarium wilts and take-all diseases of wheat; namely, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lini and Gaeumannomuces graminis var. tricici as well as other aspects of plant disease (Burr et al., 1978; Howell and Stipanovic, 1979; Howell and Stipanovic, 1980; Kloepper and Schroth, 1981; Kloepper et al., 1980; Scher and Baker, 1982). The mechanism invoked includes the denial of Fe(III) for the growth of these pathogens by specific siderophores from fluorescent pseudomonad strains. It has been shown also that certain pseudomonads aggressively colonize the roots of plants and may be considered as beneficial, deleterious or neutral to the plant (Schroth and Hancock, 1981; Schroth and Hancock, 1982; Suslow and Schroth, 1982).
Scenic imagining of memory images. A group psychotherapeutic concept for the eldery

Considering that elderly people tend to put more emphasis on remembering than on working on the every day reality, the therapeutic value of meomories has been underestimated. Memory images are live situations retrieved out of the long term memory. Having been recorded by intense emotional experience and made unforgettable by countless rehearsing, they contain basic material of unconscious conflicts. Making use of the sharing of memories in a group setting, the scenic imaging provides a way through present conflicts. First results of this group psychotherapeutic concept indicate an impressive acceptance by the elderly patients and good access to current emotional processes.
Tandem column isolation of zirconium-89 from cyclotron bombarded yttrium targets using an automated fluidic platform: Anion exchange to hydroxamate resin columns.

Abstract The development of a tandem column purification method for the preparation of high-purity 89Zr(IV) oxalate is presented. The primary column was a macroporous strongly basic anion exchange resin on styrene divinylbenzene co-polymer. The secondary column, with an internal volume of 33 μL, was packed with hydroxamate resin. A condition of inverted selectivity was developed, whereby the 89Zr eluent solution for the primary column is equivalent to the 89Zr load solution for the secondary column. The ability to transfer 89Zr from one column to the next allows two sequential column clean-up methods to be performed prior to the final elution of the 89Zr(IV) oxalate. This approach assures delivery of high purity 89Zr product and assures a 89Zr product that is eluted in a substantially smaller volume than is possible when using the traditionally-employed single hydroxamate resin column method. The tandem column purification process has been implemented into a prototype automated fluidic system. The system is configured with on-line gamma detection so column effluents can be monitored in near-real time. The automated method was tested using seven cyclotron bombarded Y foil targets. It was found that 95.1 ± 1.3% of the 89Zr present in the foils was recovered in the secondary column elution fraction. Furthermore, elution peak analysis of several 89Zr elution profile radiochromatograms made possible the determination of 89Zr recovery as a function of volume; a 89Zr product volume that contains 90% of the mean secondary column elution peak can be obtained in 0.29 ± 0.06 mL (representing 86 ± 5% of the 89Zr activity in the target). This product volume represents a significant improvement in radionuclide product concentration over the predominant method used in the field. In addition to the reduced 89Zr product elution volume, titrations of the 89Zr product with deferoxamine mesylate salt across two preparatory methods resulted in mean effective specific activity (ESA) values of 279 and 340 T Bq·mmole−1 and mean bindable metals concentrations ([MB]) of 13.5 and 16.7 nmole·g−1. These ESA and [MB] values infer that the 89Zr(IV) oxalate product resulting from this tandem column isolation method has the highest purity reported to date.