cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recycling irradiated nuclear graphite—A greener path forward

Here we report the successful recycle of irradiated graphite to fabricate new nuclear graphite using conventional manufacturing processes (albeit on a bench scale). Radiological concerns such as the containment of contamination in industrial scale manufacturing plants, or the release of 14C, were not considered. Moreover, a study of the annealing kinetics was conducted to elucidate the extent of property recovery over a representative temperature range. The goal of the preliminary work reported here was to determine if nuclear graphite, produced through the normal graphite fabrication process, but using crushed, previously irradiated nuclear graphite could be manufactured with sufficient mechanical integrity to warrant further investigation.
Patterns of parenting across adolescence.

Patterns of change in parental support, behavioral control, and psychological control were examined longitudinally across adolescence.
Benzene in zeolite ZSM-5 studied by diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy

The behavior of benzene molecules in ZSM-5 has been studied in detail with the use of diffuse reflectance FT-IR spectroscopy. The infrared difference spectra indicate that benzene molecules have a high selectivity for adsorption first on the most energetic (Bronsted acid) ZSM-5 sites. The existence of at least two adsorbed benzene species has also been confirmed by infrared spectroscopy. Deuterated benzene (C6D6) species located at the ZSM-5 channels and channel intersections are characterized by the C-D stretching vibrations at 2284 and 2276 cm−1, respectively. Since the high symmetry (D6h) of the adsorbed benzene molecules is preserved, the framework of ZSM-5 may have been distorted. The distortion of the framework of ZSM-5 is also indicated by the red shift of the Si-O (or Al-O) asymmetric stretching vibrations (at ~1215 cm−1) when adsorbed benzene molecules are present.
Modeling fission track annealing in apatite: An assessment of uncertainties

Abstract If a model is to be used as the basis of an interpretive scheme then it is essential to have some idea of the uncertainties associated with the model predictions. Equations describing the annealing of induced fission tracks in Durango apatite can be applied to variable temperature thermal histories over geologic time scales, but the calculation of confidence limits on the predicted value is not straightforward. The basis of the modeling method is the concept of equivalent time, t 0 , which allows a pair of variable temperature annealing steps, each of time Δ t and temperatures T 1 and T 2 respectively, to be expressed as a single isothermal annealing step of length (Δ t + t 0 ) at temperature T 2 . The numerical approximation is very stable, roundoff errors being insignificant if the time step is less than ≈ 2% of the model time. Error in the predicted value due to uncertainties in the regression coefficients of the model equations is difficult to ascertain analytically and we adopt a Monte Carlo technique to obtain an estimate of this error. Two cases are considered: a comparison with variable temperature annealing experiments in the laboratory and prediction of fission track parameters for simple thermal histories over geologic time scales. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that for variable temperature annealing over an eight hour period, the 2σ error in the predicted value of mean track length is 1-1.5 μm; for thermal histories of 100 Ma (cooling from 100 to 0°C, heating from 0 to 100°C and isothermal heating at 50°C), the 2σ errors for the predicted model ages range from 8 to 26 Ma. A comparison between three different models that have been used to describe the annealing of fission tracks in apatite reveals that there is close agreement between the results from the fanning Arrhenius model and the first order model for thermal histories at > 95°C. This coincidence of results could explain the apparent success of the first order model as an interpretive tool in the past.
Motion-Aware Decoding of Compressed-Sensed Video

Compressed sensing is the theory and practice of sub-Nyquist sampling of sparse signals of interest. Perfect reconstruction may then be possible with much fewer than the Nyquist required number of data. In this paper, in particular, we consider a video system where acquisition is carried out in the form of direct compressive sampling (CS) with no other form of sophisticated encoding. Therefore, the burden of quality video sequence reconstruction falls solely on the receiver side. We show that effective implicit motion estimation and decoding can be carried out at the receiver or decoder side via sparsity-aware recovery. The receiver performs sliding-window interframe decoding that adaptively estimates Karhunen-Loeve bases from adjacent previously reconstructed frames to enhance the sparse representation of each video frame block, such that the overall reconstruction quality is improved at any given fixed CS rate. Experimental results included in this paper illustrate the presented developments.
Evolution of danio pigment pattern development

Pigment patterns of danio fishes are emerging as a useful system for studying the evolution of developmental mechanisms underlying adult form. Different closely related species within the genera Danio and Devario exhibit a range of pigment patterns including horizontal stripes, vertical bars, and others. In this review, I summarize recent work identifying the genetic and cellular bases for adult pigment pattern formation in the zebrafish Danio rerio, as well as studies of how these mechanisms have evolved in other danios. Together, these analyses highlight the importance of latent precursors at post-embrynoic stages, as well as interactions within and among pigment cell classes, for both pigment pattern development and evolution.
Border Control at the Nucleus: Biogenesis and Organization of the Nuclear Membrane and Pore Complexes

Over the last decade, the nuclear envelope (NE) has emerged as a key component in the organization and function of the nuclear genome. As many as 100 different proteins are thought to specifically localize to this double membrane that separates the cytoplasm and the nucleoplasm of eukaryotic cells. Selective portals through the NE are formed at sites where the inner and outer nuclear membranes are fused, and the coincident assembly of ∼30 proteins into nuclear pore complexes occurs. These nuclear pore complexes are essential for the control of nucleocytoplasmic exchange. Many of the NE and nuclear pore proteins are thought to play crucial roles in gene regulation and thus are increasingly linked to human diseases.
International Knowledge Displayed by School Psychology Students in the U.S.A.

Psychology isbecoming a global profession whose members are expected to display knowledge ofinternational events and conditions that may impact their discipline. Knowledgeof important international...
LAW REFORM, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, AND THE BALANCE OF POWER: RESULTS OF AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Despite Congress' having made clear policy statements in the National Labor Relations Act that the law was intended to promote equality of bargaining power between employers and employees, to promote the practice and procedure of collective bargaining as the method of setting workplace terms and conditions of employment, and forbidding construing the law “so as to either interfere with or impede or diminish in any way the right to strike,” by early 1940, the courts had given employers the right to permanently replace strikers and implement their final offer at impasse. Judges have often justified these doctrines as promoting balance in bargaining. Critics contend that the doctrines have the capacity to destroy the right to strike, unbalance bargaining power, and divert parties from the process of bargaining collectively. Some have proposed allowing temporary but not permanent striker replacement. We use a bargaining simulation followed by a survey and debriefing comments to test these opposing claims.
Scattering of 22.5-MeV Protons from Zirconium and the Symmetry Term in the Nuclear Optical Potential

Differential cross sections for the elastic scattering of 22.5-MeV protons were measured from isotopically enriched foils of ${\mathrm{Zr}}^{90}$, ${\mathrm{Zr}}^{91}$, ${\mathrm{Zr}}^{92}$, ${\mathrm{Zr}}^{94}$, and ${\mathrm{Zr}}^{96}$ over an angular range of 20 to 150\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. The ratio to the Rutherford cross section exhibits a smooth decrease in the angular position of the maxima and minima as the mass of the target nucleus is increased. The magnitude of these shifts of the maxima and minima is larger than expected on the basis of previously observed 22.2 -MeV proton elastic scattering on targets over a large range of $A$ values. This larger shift in the angular position of the features is in agreement with a dependence of the real nuclear potential well depth on the nuclear symmetry parameter, $\frac{(N\ensuremath{-}Z)}{A}$. A detailed optical model fit to the data yields a real nuclear potential of the form, $\ensuremath{-}V=[43.4+27.8\frac{(N\ensuremath{-}Z)}{A}]$ MeV.
Clay Delamination in Clay/Poly(Dicyclopentadiene) Nanocomposites Quantified by Small Angle Neutron Scattering and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy

Highly delaminated clay/poly(dicyclopentadiene) nanocomposites were prepared by in-situ, ring-opening metathesis polymerization of presonicated mixtures of the liquid dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) and organically modified Montmorillonite clays. Three nanocomposite series (using Montmorillonites: I-28, I-44pa) of increasing clay loadings (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 wt%) and modified Montmorillonite PGW (0.5 wt%) were synthesized. The dispersed microstructure of the clays in the nanocomposites was characterized by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), ultra-small-angle neutron scattering (USANS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). All clays were highly delaminated and well dispersed within their host matrixes. The mean number of individual clay platelets per tactoid was predicted by fitting SANS data to the stacked-disk model and measured directly from HR-TEM images of a large number of tactoids in each sample. SANS results were in good agreement with HR-...
Screening for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Outpatient Primary Care Clinics

Abstract Background The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines recommend one-time abdominal aortic aneurysm ultrasound screening for men aged 65 to 75 years who ever smoked. Reported screening rates have been 13% to 26% but did not include computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nonaortic abdominal ultrasound, which provide adequate visualization of the aorta. The objective of this study was to evaluate rates of screening performed intentionally with ultrasound and incidentally with other abdominal imaging, determine rates of redundant screening, and evaluate patient and physician characteristics associated with screening. Methods Cross-sectional study of patient encounters in 2007 and 2012 to determine abdominal aortic aneurysm screening trends in primary care practices. Participants included all patients who were seen in a primary care office and were eligible for screening by USPSTF guidelines. The primary outcome was percentage of eligible patients screened for abdominal aortic aneurysm by ultrasound or other abdominal imaging. Results There were 15,120 patients eligible for screening in 2007, and 22,355 in 2012. Screening with ultrasounds increased from 3.6% in 2007 to 9.2% in 2012. Screening with any imaging that included the aorta increased from 31% in 2007 to 41% in 2012. Of 2595 screening ultrasounds performed in either cohort, 800 (31%) were performed on patients who had already undergone another imaging modality. Of 153 physicians who had >50 eligible patients, rates of abdominal aortic aneurysm screening ranged from 7.5% to 79% (median 39%, interquartile range 31%-47%), and rates of ultrasound screening ranged from 0% to 47% (median 6.3%, interquartile range 3.6%-11.4%). Physician characteristics positively associated with screened patients included female sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-1.54), specialty (Internal Medicine vs Family Medicine: OR 1.32; 95% CI, 1.14-1.54), and location (academic medical center vs family health center: OR 1.30; 95% CI, 1.04-1.62). Conclusions Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening rates remain below 50%, but are improving over time. Screening by individual physicians varied widely, indicating substantial opportunity for educational interventions. Most abdominal aortic aneurysm screening is completed incidentally, and some patients later undergo unnecessary ultrasound screening. Before ordering screening, physicians and electronic health record-based reminder tools should ensure that the aorta has not been previously visualized.
Kinetic and chemical studies of polymer cross-linking using thermal gravimetry and hyphenated methods. Degradation of polyvinylchloride

The chemistry and kinetics of polyvinylchloride (PVC) degradation have been studied using thermal gravimetry and hyphenated spectroscopic methods to identify condensed phase and vapour phase products. A method of kinetic modelling has been devised to estimate Arrhenius parameters for the sequential and competing processes which comprise the thermal decomposition, and to plot concentrations of decomposition intermediates which make up the TG curve. MS and GC-MS have been used to relate the composition of volatile materials to the TG curve and FTIR has related this to changes in the condensed phase. The chemical studies have highlighted a char forming mechanism based on hydrogen disproportionation which results in carbon enrichment and the formation of aliphatic hydrocarbons.
Effect of experimentally induced calcium deficiency on the developmental expression of collagen types in chick embryonic skeleton

In order to investigate the effect of embryonic calcium deficiency on the cellular differentiation processes in embryonic skeletogenesis, chick embryos were maintained in long-term shell-less cultures in vitro. The absence of the eggshell, which normally provides over 120 mg of calcium to the embryo during the course of development, resulted in severely retarded and anomalous skeletal formation. The pattern of cytodifferentiation in the skeletal elements during development was assessed by examining collagen type synthesis in both endochondral and intramembranous bones of normal and shell-less embryos as a function of developmental age. Skeletal tissues obtained from these embryos at various developmental stages were maintained in short-term organ culture in medium containing [3H]Pro. The metabolically labeled collagen was isolated from these tissues and typed biochemically based on electrophoresis, ion-exchange chromatography, differential salt fractionation, zone precipitation chromatography, and CNBr peptide mapping. The results indicate that, compared to chronologically equivalent normal controls, calcium-deficient skeletal elements from shell-less embryos appeared to fail to mature into complete bony tissues and instead exhibited partial cartilage phenotype with the expression of cartilage-specific type II collagen.
Sensitivity analysis of municipal drinking water distribution system energy use to system properties

Municipal Drinking Water Distribution Systems (MDWDSs) consume a significant quantity of energy to transport water, thereby exacerbating greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change. The current study is a sensitivity analysis that uses a network solver to quantify energy savings due to the alteration of three system properties—system-wide water demand, storage tank parameters (maximum water level, diameter, elevation), and pumping stations (horsepower, number of boosters, and their locations) of seven diverse MDWDSs. It was found that a 50% reduction in water demand, main pump horsepower, and booster horsepower resulted in an average energy savings of 47, 41, and 9.5% respectively, for the seven systems analyzed. Other properties examined showed insignificant savings. Even though an individual system analysis is more conclusive, this sensitivity analysis can guide optimization studies to focus on the most sensitive properties.
On the Coherence of Syntactic Descriptions.

A sentiment which is expressed in a number of recent works in linguistics, e.g. Emonds (1970) and Kisseberth (1970) is that there are certain generalizations about languages which cannot be captured by devices already found in linguistic theory, such as rule ordering and the various collapsing conventions (cf. Chomsky & Halle, I968). In this paper I will present evidence which suggests that there are generalizations about languages which are not capturable even by a linguistic theory which includes a number of these recent plausible revisions. I will also give an indication of how one might go about capturing these generalizations, given the assumption that they are not spurious ones.
Drought experience and cavitation resistance in six shrubs from the Great Basin, Utah

Shrubs of the Great Basin desert in Utah are subjected to a prolonged summer drought. One potential consequence of drought is a reduced water transport capability of the xylem. This is due to drought-induced cavitation. We used the centrifuge method to measure the vulnerability of root and stem xylem to cavitation in six native shrub species. The shrubs fall into three categories with regards to rooting depth, vegetative phenology and plant water status during drought. The “summer green” group (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Atriplex canescens, Atriplex confertifolia) sustains summer drought with a relatively shallow root system (<2.5 m), but maintains leaf area. A “drought deciduous” group (Grayia spinosa, Tetradymia glabrata) has shallow roots but responds to drought by dropping leaves. A “phreatophytic” group (e.g. Chrysothamnus nauseosus) avoids low water potentials by developing a deep root system that gives them access to deeper soil moisture. We hypothesized that cavitation resistance across these groups was adjusted to the amount of drought stress a species experienced. Drought experience was quantified by measuring plant water potentials over two growing seasons. As expected, we found a significant relationship between the cavitation resistance of roots and stems of a species and the minimum seasonal water potential. Shallow rooted, drought deciduous species showed the lowest water potentials prior to leaf shedding and they had the most resistant xylem. The phreatophytic shrub Chrysothamnus nauseosus always maintained favourable water potentials and had the most susceptible xylem, and summer green species were intermediate. This correlation between cavitation resistance and water potential suggests that a safe xylem is associated with some “cost” for the plant. We could identify two costs or trade-offs. The first trade-off was between safety and transport efficiency as reflected by vessel diameter. In 5 out of 7 species, there was an intraspecific relationship between vessel diameter and cavitation resistance. Roots, having larger vessels than branches, were also more vulnerable to xylem dysfunction. There was also an interspecific correlation between vessel diameter and cavitation resistance, but only for combined root and stem data. A second trade-off was found between safety and construction cost. Resistant xylem was strongly correlated with high wood densities, suggesting that thicker cell walls and/or narrower conduits translate into lower air permeability. Air entry into the conduit is known to be the cause of cavitation. Straucher der Great Basin Wuste in Utah sind einer langen Sommertrockenheit ausgesetzt. Eine Folge von Tockenstress ist eine reduzierte Wasserleitfahigkeit des Xylems, die durch Cavitationen verursacht wird. Wir benutzten die Zentrifugen-Methode, um die Cavitationsresistenz des Wurzel
Sequence analysis of P21-activated kinase 3 (PAK3) in chronic schizophrenia with cognitive impairment

The P21-activated kinase PAK3 is critical for cognitive development and truncating mutations cause non-syndromic mental retardation (MR). Missense mutations are also associated with psychotic disorders, most commonly with schizophrenia involving premorbid MR, namely "pfropfschizophrenie". We set out to measure the frequency of sequence variants in PAK3 in schizophrenia without premorbid MR. We conducted complete gene reseqeuncing of all coding exons and exon-intron boundaries in patients with schizophrenia with cognitive impairment but without premorbid MR. Deleterious variants in schizophrenia alone were rare (<1/159 or 0.6%). Thereby, while PAK3 remains a strong biological candidate in psychosis, evidence from human genetics provides strongest support for a link to pfropfschizophrenie and not to schizophrenia without premorbid intellectual disability.
Water Stress Detection Under High Frequency Sprinkler Irrigation with Water Deficit Index

A remote sensing package called the agricultural irrigation imaging system ~AgIIS! aboard a linear move irrigation system was developed to simultaneously monitor water status, nitrogen status, and canopy density at one-meter spatial resolution. The present study investigated the relationship between water status detected by AgIIS and soil moisture for the 1999 cotton ~Gossypium hirsutum, Delta Pine 90b! season in Maricopa, Ariz. Water status was quantified by the water deficit index~WDI!, an expansion of the crop water stress index where the influence of soil temperature is accounted for through a linear mixing model of soil and vegetation temperature. The WDI was best correlated to soil moisture through the FAO 56 water stress coefficient Ks model; stability correction of aerodynamic resistance did not improve correlation. The AgIIS did provide field images of the WDI that might aid irrigation scheduling and increase water use efficiency.
Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging in spinal cord injury

Noninvasive assessment of spinal cord integrity following injury is critical for precise diagnosis, prognosis, and surgical intervention strategies. Diffusion weighted imaging and diffusion tensor imaging are more sensitive to the underlying spinal cord microstructure than traditional imaging techniques. As a result, diffusion imaging is emerging as the clinical technique for imaging the spinal cord after trauma, surgery or during progressive degenerative diseases. This review describes the basic physics of diffusion imaging using magnetic resonance, techniques used to visualize diffusion measurements, and expected changes in diffusion measurements following spinal cord injury. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Concepts Magn Reson Part A 32A: 219–237, 2008.
Experimental study on adhesion property of UHMWPE fiber/nano-epoxy by fiber bundle pull-out tests

In order to improve the adhesion property between ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber and epoxy matrix, our research has been focused on modification of the matrix with reactive graphitic nanofibers (r-GNFs). Upon previously developed nano-epoxy with r-GNFs, the adhesion property was characterized by fiber bundle pull-out tests in this study. Fiber bundle pull-out tests were performed on both single-end and double-end specimens. Comparison of the adhesion properties of single-end and double- end specimens was made to reveal the effectiveness of pull-out test method using single-end specimens. The results indicate that nano-epoxy can improve the interfacial property between UHMWPE fiber and nano-matrix effectively. It is found that, for 0.3 wt% r-GNFs nano-matrix compared to pure epoxy bundle specimens, there are about 34% and 27% increase of critical load (initial debonding load) and peak load, respectively, and about 116% and 107% increase of critical debonding energy and pull-out energy, respectively.
Efficacy and safety of Troglitazone in the treatment of lipodystrophy syndromes

Troglitazone therapy improved metabolic control and increased body fat in patients with lipoatrophic diabetes. The substantial benefits of troglitazone must be balanced against the risk for hepatot...
Emerging therapeutic approaches for multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells.

Purpose Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are rare cells resident in bone marrow and other organs capable of differentiating into mesodermal lineage tissues. MSCs possess immunomodulatory properties and have extensive capacity for ex vivo expansion. Early clinical studies demonstrated safety and feasibility of infusing autologous MSCs and suggested a role in enhancing engraftment after hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT). Subsequent pilot studies using allogeneic MSCs showed safety but contradictory results regarding efficacy in treating graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
A structured bipartite inheritance network representation for object-oriented software design

A representation for any object-oriented software design is presented. The representation is based on a structured bipartite inheritance network, which is a network with two kinds of basic nodes-data entity nodes and action nodes-and an encapsulation mechanism-substructure. Data entity nodes and action nodes are independent of each other and structured into the inheritance hierarchy. The advantage of this representation is that all object-oriented software design can be represented in a uniform way, thereby making the software system more understandable and more maintainable. >
Learning by Simplified Cost-Reference Particle Filtering using Biased Data

In this paper we address the problem of online learning by cost-reference particle filtering combined with Kalman filtering. We propose an efficient learning scheme applicable to problems where some of the unknowns of a dynamic system of interest are linear given the remaining unknowns, which are nonlinear. To that end, we exploit a concept that is analogous to Rao-Blackwellization, and we implement it by using only one Kalman filter. The resulting algorithm is tested and compared to standard particle filtering for the problem of target tracking using bearings-only measurements acquired by two sensors.
A Brief History of How the Society for Range Management was Founded

On the Ground About eight decades ago, The Society for Range Managements founders began to shape and refine their collective vision to create a science-based professional society that would serve as a platform for learning and collaboration on all aspects of rangeland management. The inaugural meeting in 1948 led to the founding of the American Society of Range Management (ASRM), a new journal dedicated to range science and management (The Journal of Range Management), an initial ASRM committee structure, and decentralization of ASRM through the formation of local sections. ASRM (now known as The Society for Range Management or SRM) has achieved many milestones and accomplishments since its founding. Although todays issues are different and more complex than in 1948, the basic leadership principles espoused by the founders provide a template for addressing the challenges that the rangeland profession faces in the 21st century.
Does Intra-articular Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection Provide Clinically Superior Outcomes Compared With Other Therapies in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis? A Systematic Review of Overlapping Meta-analyses.

Purpose The aims of this study were (1) to perform a systematic review of meta-analyses evaluating platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in the treatment of knee joint cartilage degenerative pathology, (2) to provide a framework for analysis and interpretation of the best available evidence to provide recommendations for use (or lack thereof) of PRP in the setting of knee osteoarthritis (OA), and (3) to identify literature gaps where continued investigation would be suggested. Methods Literature searches were performed for meta-analyses examining use of PRP versus corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or placebo. Clinical data were extracted, and meta-analysis quality was assessed. The Jadad algorithm was applied to determine meta-analyses that provided the highest level of evidence. Results Three meta-analyses met the eligibility criteria and ranged in quality from Level II to Level IV evidence. All studies compared outcomes of treatment with intra-articular platelet-rich plasma (IA-PRP) versus control (intra-articular hyaluronic acid or intra-articular placebo). Use of PRP led to significant improvements in patient outcomes at 6 months after injection, and these improvements were seen starting at 2 months and were maintained for up to 12 months. It is unclear if the use of multiple PRP injections, the double-spinning technique, or activating agents leads to better outcomes. Patients with less radiographic evidence of arthritis benefit more from PRP treatment. The use of multiple PRP injections may increase the risk of self-limited local adverse reactions. After application of the Jadad algorithm, 3 concordant high-quality meta-analyses were selected and all showed that IA-PRP provided clinically relevant improvements in pain and function compared with the control treatment. Conclusions IA-PRP is a viable treatment for knee OA and has the potential to lead to symptomatic relief for up to 12 months. There appears to be an increased risk of local adverse reactions after multiple PRP injections. IA-PRP offers better symptomatic relief to patients with early knee degenerative changes, and its use should be considered in patients with knee OA. Level of Evidence Level IV, systematic review of Level II through IV studies.
On the use of transmission eigenvalues to estimate the index of refraction from far field data

We consider the scattering of time harmonic electromagnetic plane waves by a bounded inhomogeneous medium and show that under certain assumptions a lower bound on the index of refraction can be obtained from a knowledge of the smallest transmission eigenvalue corresponding to the medium. It is then shown by numerical examples that this eigenvalue can be determined from a knowledge of the far field pattern of the scattered wave, thus providing a practical method for estimating the index of refraction from far field data.
Successional changes in plant resistance and tolerance to herbivory.

Despite considerable research on plant defenses, we know very little about how temporal changes in the environment may influence resistance and tolerance levels, or the costs and benefits of these defense strategies for long-lived plant species. We hypothesized that, in successional habitats, predictable environmental changes should favor strong plasticity in defense phenotypes and that the costs, benefits, and levels of tolerance and resistance will change with environmental context. Using a widely distributed, old-field perennial, late goldenrod (Solidago altissima), we conducted a field experiment to test these predictions. We planted goldenrod genets exhibiting varying levels of resistance and tolerance into three early-successional and three late-successional fields (approximately three and 15 years in age, respectively) and experimentally measured resistance and tolerance levels and their associated costs and selection coefficients. We found a significant effect of successional stage but no effect of genotype or stage–genotype interaction on defense levels. Genets planted in early-successional fields appeared to be more resistant and less tolerant to herbivory than those same genets planted in late-successional fields. There were significant trade-offs between resistance and tolerance in early-successional fields but not in late-successional fields. Each late-successional field exhibited a significant cost or selection gradient for resistance, but there was no general pattern of resistance costs or selection gradients specific to a successional stage class. In contrast, there was evidence of stage-specific costs of tolerance; late-successional fields exhibited significant costs of tolerance whereas early-successional fields did not. There was no evidence of direct selection for or against tolerance in either stage. Our results suggest that defense phenotypes might change in qualitative ways during succession. High resistance in early stages may be attributed to associational effects of the early-successional community, reducing the probability of damage, and despite a cost of tolerance in late stages, tolerance may be beneficial in mitigating the effects of both herbivory and environmental stresses (i.e., low light availability) that limit fitness in these fields. This study provides experimental evidence that succession can strongly influence defense phenotypes and promote temporal variability in relative resistance and tolerance levels.
Landscape structure and habitat management differentially influence insect natural enemies in an agricultural landscape

Increasing evidence suggests that landscape composition is an important driver of beneficial insect populations and resulting ecosystem services. Additionally, local-scale manipulations such as planting floral strips are used at the field-level to provide resources for beneficial insects to increase their services. It has been proposed that the benefits of local manipulations will depend on the landscape context, with greater benefits in simplified landscapes and smaller benefits in landscapes with an abundance of non-crop resources. To test this, we used soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, and its coccinellid predators as a model system to elucidate the effects of habitat management and landscape on biocontrol services in soybean. We selected pairs of soybean fields in landscapes of varying composition and planted buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum, strips adjacent to one field in each pair. We measured coccinellid abundance and biocontrol in each field. Coccinellid abundance was higher in buckwheat than in control field margins in all landscapes, and coccinellid abundance in soybean was positively related to amount of semi-natural vegetation in the landscape. We found no evidence of an interaction between landscape and local variables, and biocontrol services were high in all contexts. For soybean aphid suppression, landscape factors are the key drivers of predator abundance.
Examining science tools as mediators of students' learning about circuits

This report invokes a Vygotskian framework to examine students' use of science tools in a ninth-grade physical science classroom. The study took place in the context of a unit on electric circuits. Data were collected by means of videotapes of class activities, transcripts of audiotaped interactions, daily work of students, and field notes. Analyses of the data through a framework of social cognition led the researchers to make four assertions concerning students' tools usage: (a) Students who were able to verbally relate the tools to everyday experiences perceived themselves—and were often perceived by their group—as tool experts. (b) Physically using the tools was a necessary prerequisite for using the tools as mediators of learning. (c) Boys initially dominated the use of tools. Girls who demanded use of the tools indicated an awareness of the importance of tool usage for mediating understanding. (d) If the tools were outside their zone of proximal development, students could not use the tools to develop an understanding of circuits. Implications of the findings suggest that students can be taught to collect data using the tools provided, but lack of familiarity with the tools renders those data meaningless. Conceptual progress may be hindered by the students' need first to understand the tools in terms of everyday applications. The progressive use of tools across school grade levels could provide opportunities for students to build everyday repertoires with respect to those tools. If students are expected to develop conceptual understandings through the interaction of laboratory and discussion (as is the case with the learning cycle model), then it is essential that the tools and activities implemented in laboratory investigations be selected on the basis of their match with both the students' zones of proximal development and their everyday experiences. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 36: 89–105, 1999.
Postoperative Nomogram for Disease Recurrence and Cancer-Specific Death for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: Comparison to American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Classification

Normal.dotm 0 0 1 269 1534 Urologic Oncology 12 3 1883 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false Abstract Purpose: We sought to develop prognostic models to predict disease recurrence and cancerspecific mortality in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) who underwent radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). Materials and Methods: Data on 253 patients treated with RNU between 1995 and 2008 at a single high-volume tertiary referral center were analyzed. Statistically and clinically significant patient and tumor characteristics were identified in a univariate analysis and incorporated into a multivariable Cox regression model. The model was compared to the 2010 American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging classification using the concordance index (c-index), corrected for statistical optimism using bootstrap methods. Results: Five-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates were 73% [95% confidence interval (CI): 66-79%)] and 78% (95% CI: 71-84%), respectively. On multivariate analysis, higher preoperative glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was associated with better CSS [hazard ratio (HR) per 1 mL/min/m2 increase in GFR for CSS: 0.74; P = .002)], while higher pathologic stage (HR for pT2: 2.99 and for ≥ pT3: 7.34; P < .001) and lymph node involvement (HR: 3.75; P < .001) were associated with worse CSS; results were similar for RFS. The ability of the final models, which included preoperative GFR, lymph node status, pathologic grade, and stage, to predict RFS and CSS (c-index 0.82 and 0.83, respectively) was similar to that of the 2010 AJCC staging classification (c-index 0.80 and 0.81, respectively). Conclusion: Given the data-dependent selection of variables in this single institution cohort, it is unlikely that the marginal improvement found with these prediction models would importantly impact clinical decision-making or improve patient care. The 2010 AJCC staging classification alone is very accurate and should continue to guide follow-up after RNU.
A polychaete hunchback ortholog.

Abstract We report the first characterization of a segmentation gene homologue in the basal polychaete Capitella capitata using a pan-annelid cross-species antibody to the hunchback-like gene product. In flies, the gap segmentation gene hunchback (hb) encodes a C2H2 zinc-finger transcription factor that plays a pivotal role in patterning the anterior region of the fly body plan. The hb orthologue in Capitella (Cc-hb) is expressed maternally and in all micromere and macromere cells throughout cleavage. At gastrulation, nuclear Cc-hb protein is expressed in the micromere-derived surface epithelium that undergoes epiboly and in the large vegetal blastomeres that gradually become internalized. During organogensis, Cc-hb is expressed in the developing gut epithelium, the prostomial and pygidial epithelium, and in a subset of differentiated neurons in the adult central nervous system. Cc-hb is not expressed in the segmental precursor cells in the trunk. The Cc-hb expression domains in Capitella are similar to those reported for the leech hb orthologue (LZF2), and many of the observed differences between the annelid classes correlate with changes in life history. The lack of detectable annelid hb protein in the trunk at the time of AP pattern formation in leech and in polychaete suggests that the anterior organizing function of hb in flies originated in the arthropod or insect lineage.
Visual Curvatures of H1N1 Incidences in African, Asian, European, American and Oceanic Nations

The World Health Organization (WHO) was worried about the outbreak of H1N1 epidemic worldwide as it consumed several human lives. In a novel manner, this article defines, computes and illustrates the effectiveness of health administrators’ efforts to extinguish pandemic H1N1 using curvature concept. Data on weekly incidences of H1N1 in year 2009 among the nations in Africa, Asia, Europe, Americas and Oceanic continents are utilized to compare continents and nations within the continent. A knowledge discovery from the data analysis of 2009 incidences is a necessity before any future incidences erupt. For stochastic reasons, which are stated and explained in the article, an Incidence Rate Restricted Inverse Binomial Distribution (IRRIBD) is introduced in this article to be an appropriate underlying model for the data. The plasticity of IRRIBD to explain the dynamics of the influenza is investigated. The actual H1N1 incidences during 2009 are analyzed and interpreted using IRRIBD in the illustration.
Tranexamic acid decreases blood loss after total shoulder arthroplasty.

Background Tranexamic acid (TXA) significantly decreases blood loss and transfusion rates after total hip and total knee arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of intravenous TXA on blood loss and patient outcomes after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). Methods TXA was used in 106 consecutive patients undergoing primary anatomic and reverse TSA with a dose of 20 mg/kg intravenously (TXA group) and compared with the previous consecutive 88 patients without TXA (non-TXA group). All patients had a blood sample drawn for a hemoglobin and hematocrit determination the morning after surgery. Analysis of variance and χ 2 techniques were used to analyze study hypotheses. Results Statistically significant differences in both hemoglobin loss (TXA group Δ = 2.13 vs. non-TXA group Δ = 2.63; P = .01) and hematocrit loss (TXA group Δ = 6.4 vs. non-TXA group Δ = 8.14; P P P = .01). Two patients in the TXA group received a blood transfusion, whereas 6 patients in the non-TXA group did. Conclusions TXA 20 mg/kg intravenously given just before primary anatomic and reverse TSA results in statistically significant reductions in blood loss. Patients spent 21% less time in the recovery room and had a 16% shorter hospitalization, resulting in financial savings for the hospital.
Effect of Carbon Black on Hysteresis of Rubber Vulcanizates: Equivalence of Surface Area and Loading

Abstract We have developed an empirical correlation between the loss tangent (tan δ) and the product of the volume fraction (ϕ) of carbon black in the composite and the total filler-polymer interfacial area per unit volume of composite (ψ). This correlation was applied to vulcanizates based on SBR-1500, SBR-1712, and NR with various compounding procedures and under different deformation conditions, including forced vibration nonresonant dynamic test machines, and the Goodyear-Healey pendulum rebound. The functional form of the correlation was qualitatively similar in all instances ; however, quantitative aspects of the correlation are dependent upon the particular experimental conditions. Tan δ is a weak function of the deformation amplitude over the region of practical interest. This is in contrast to hysteretic energy loss, which is proportional to the square of the amplitude. The validity of the correlation over wide ranges of amplitude, temperature, and frequency indicates that the viscoelastic relaxa...
Capturing Transient Endoperoxide in the Singlet Oxygen Oxidation of Guanine.

The chemistry of singlet O2 toward the guanine base of DNA is highly relevant to DNA lesion, mutation, cell death, and pathological conditions. This oxidative damage is initiated by the formation of a transient endoperoxide through the Diels-Alder cycloaddition of singlet O2 to the guanine imidazole ring. However, no endoperoxide formation was directly detected in native guanine or guanosine, even at -100 °C. Herein, gas-phase ion-molecule scattering mass spectrometry was utilized to capture unstable endoperoxides in the collisions of hydrated guanine ions (protonated or deprotonated) with singlet O2 at ambient temperature. Corroborated by results from potential energy surface exploration, kinetic modeling, and dynamics simulations, various aspects of endoperoxide formation and transformation (including its dependence on guanine ionization and hydration states, as well as on collision energy) were determined. This work has pieced together reaction mechanisms, kinetics, and dynamics data concerning the early stage of singlet O2 induced guanine oxidation, which is missing from conventional condensed-phase studies.
Drainage of particle stabilized foam film

Abstract A model for drainage of aqueous foam film with a partial coverage of particles accounts for an inner clean air-liquid film surrounded by a film stabilized by close packed particles at the outer periphery. The drainage of the inner film occurs due to capillary pressure gradient. The film thickness is found to decrease fastest at the center with the inner film being thinner than the outer film eventually leading to its rupture as a result of film thickness becoming zero at the center. The velocity of film drainage is found to be higher for lower particle concentration and higher surface tension. The lifetime (time of rupture) of the film is found to be larger for larger bubble size and liquid holdups (higher initial film thickness). For a film stabilized by close packed monolayer or multilayer of particles, the disjoining pressure is larger for larger particle number concentration and particle size, increases with surface tension only for film stabilized by single or two layers of particles and is a function of bubble size only for film stabilized by multilayers of particles. The maximum disjoining pressure decreases with contact angle approaching zero for a critical contact angle of 129° and increases linearly with surface tension. At mechanical equilibrium, the particle stabilized foam gets drier for larger bubble sizes, contact angles and particle number concentrations.
In vivo inhibition of liver and brain monoamine oxidase by 1-Isonicotinyl-2-isopropyl hydrazine.

SummaryAfter the subcutaneous injection of l-isonicotinyl-2-isopropyl hydrazine (IIH) into rats and guinea pigs, the monoamine oxidase activity of liver homogenates, liver mitochondria, and brain m...
Validation of the Intensive Care Unit Early Warning Dashboard: Quality Improvement Utilizing a Retrospective Case–Control Evaluation

Abstract Introduction: Risk stratification with the Modified Early Warning System (MEWS) or electronic cardiac arrest trigger (eCART) has been utilized with ward patients to preemptively identify high-risk patients who might benefit from enhanced monitoring, including early intensive care unit (ICU) transfer. In-hospital mortality from cardiac arrest is ∼80%, making preventative interventions an important focus area. ICUs have lower patient to nurse ratios than wards, resulting in less emphasis on the development of ICU early warning systems. Materials and Methods: Our institution developed an early warning dashboard (EWD) identifying patients who may benefit from earlier interventions. Using the adverse outcomes of cardiac arrest, ICU mortality, and ICU readmissions, a retrospective case–control study was performed using three demographic items (age, diabetes, and morbid obesity) and 24 EWD measured items, including vital signs, laboratory values, ventilator information, and other clinical information, t...