cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetic basis of priority effects: insights from nectar yeast

Priority effects, in which the order of species arrival dictates community assembly, can have a major influence on species diversity, but the genetic basis of priority effects remains unknown. Here, we suggest that nitrogen scavenging genes previously considered responsible for starvation avoidance may drive priority effects by causing rapid resource depletion. Using single-molecule sequencing, we de novo assembled the genome of the nectar-colonizing yeast, Metschnikowia reukaufii , across eight scaffolds and complete mitochondrion, with gap-free coverage over gene spaces. We found a high rate of tandem gene duplication in this genome, enriched for nitrogen metabolism and transport. Both high-capacity amino acid importers, GAP1 and PUT4 , present as tandem gene arrays, were highly expressed in synthetic nectar and regulated by the availability and quality of amino acids. In experiments with competitive nectar yeast, Candida rancensis , amino acid addition alleviated suppression of C. rancensis by early arrival of M. reukaufii , corroborating that amino acid scavenging may contribute to priority effects. Because niche pre-emption via rapid resource depletion may underlie priority effects in a broad range of microbial, plant and animal communities, nutrient scavenging genes like the ones we considered here may be broadly relevant to understanding priority effects.
Hot Spot Mesoplasma Formation in Silicon Planar Transistors

A model is presented to explain the cause of mesoplasmas when secondary breakdown occurs in silicon planar transistors. An analysis of both aluminum and gold metalized devices is presented. To substantiate the model, data are presented from experiments to analyze the second breakdown sites. Three areas of investigation are suggested which may prove effective in reducing the destructive effects of hot spots and mesoplasmas in transistors.
Capuchin monkeys can make and use stone tools.

Scientists hoping to elucidate the origin of human stone tool manufacture and use have looked to extant primate species for possible clues. Although some skepticism has been raised, there is clear evidence that today’s capuchin monkeys can make and use stone tools.
Toward Narrative Theory: Interventions for Reinforcer Pathology in Health Behavior.

Reinforcer pathology describes the interaction between excessive devaluation of delayed rewards and excessive valuation of commodities such as drugs or food. In isolation, both components of reinforcer pathology increase risk for substance-use disorders and other maladaptive health behaviors (e.g., poor diet); in combination, these components synergistically increase risk. In this chapter, we review evidence that reinforcer pathology may arise from imbalance between two competing neurobehavioral decision systems (CNDS)—the impulsive system, comprising the limbic and paralimbic brain regions, and the executive system, comprising the prefrontal and parietal cortices. To correct imbalance between these systems and restore normative decision making, we introduce narrative theory, a novel intervention framework that seeks to harness humans’ unique sensitivity to language and storytelling in order to both understand and potentially treat the maladaptive decision making observed in addiction and other maladaptive health behaviors. We provide both an overview of methods used in investigations of narrative theory and a summary of effects of these methods on both discounting of delayed rewards and valuation of commodities that may damage health, such as drugs and energy-dense food.
What You Say Is What You Get: How Self-Disclosure in Support Seeking Affects Language Use in Support Provision in Online Support Forums:

This experimental study examined how depth of self-disclosure (baseline, peripheral, core) in support-seeking posts influenced forum viewers’ interaction involvement and reciprocal self-disclosure in their responses. A series of competing hypotheses derived from several theoretical frameworks were tested. Results obtained from computerized text analyses showed that self-concept self-disclosure was associated with higher levels of interaction involvement and reciprocal self-disclosure in viewers’ response messages. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.
Abstract #5529: Multidrug resistance in small cell lung cancer cell lines

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is the most aggressive form of lung cancer that does not respond well to surgery alone or radiotherapy alone. The standard treatment of SCLC is the administration of anticancer drugs, such as cisplatin and etoposide, along with thoracic radiotherapy. Although there is a good initial response to chemotherapy, most SCLC patients develop multidrug resistance (MDR) that is responsible for relapse. Thus, virtually no curative treatment for SCLC exists so far, leading to a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. Since development of MDR in SCLC patients is responsible for chemotherapeutic treatment failure, understanding the mechanisms of MDR in SCLC is an important step to treat the SCLC patients. In order to achieve this goal, two SCLC cell lines, H69 and H69AR, were used to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of MDR in these cells. H69 is a drug sensitive SCLC cell line derived from an SCLC patient. Upon stepwise treatment with increasing concentration of doxorubicin, the surviving cells, termed H69AR, are resistant to many anti-cancer drugs, providing a great opportunity to study the mechanisms of MDR in SCLC cells. We have found that 27 out of 84 genes potentially involved in MDR, including MRP1 and Bcl2, out of 84 genes potentially involved in MDR were over-expressed in H69AR cell, comparing to H69 cell. All of these 27 factors may contribute to the MDR in H69AR cell. Interestingly, treatment of H69AR cell with Bcl2/RNAi not only knocked-down the expression of Bcl2 but also MRP1, resulting in the Bcl2/RNAi treated H69AR cells being more sensitive to anticancer drugs than the parental H69AR cell. Whether the Bcl2/RNAi-treatment will also knock-down the expressions of other MDR-related genes is not known yet and will be determined. If a factor, for example, EGFR or GSTP1, is still over-expressed in these Bcl2/RNAi-treated H69AR cells, their specific inhibitors, such as gefitinib or ethacrynic acid, will be utilized along with anticancer drugs such as cisplatin and etoposide. One way or another, we will attempt to overcome the drug resistance in this SCLC MDR cancer cell line. Insights gained from these studies may provide a novel approach to combat MDR in SCLC patients. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 5529.
Unbalanced and Partial $$L_1$$L1 Monge---Kantorovich Problem: A Scalable Parallel First-Order Method

We propose a new algorithm to solve the unbalanced and partial $$L_1$$L1-Monge---Kantorovich problems. The proposed method is a first-order primal-dual method that is scalable and parallel. The method's iterations are conceptually simple, computationally cheap, and easy to parallelize. We provide several numerical examples solved on a CUDA GPU, which demonstrate the method's practical effectiveness.
Multiple Mechanisms of Zinc-Mediated Inhibition for the Apoptotic Caspases-3, -6, -7, and -8

Zinc is emerging as a widely used and important biological regulatory signal. Cellular zinc levels are tightly regulated by a complex array of zinc importers and exporters to control processes such as apoptotic cell death. While caspase inhibition by zinc has been reported previously, the reported inhibition constants were too weak to suggest a critical biological role for zinc-mediated inhibition. In this work, we have adopted a method of assessing available zinc. This allowed assessment of accurate inhibition constants for apoptotic caspases, caspase-3, -6, -7, and -8. Each of these caspases are inhibited by zinc at intracellular levels but with widely differing inhibition constants and different zinc binding stoichiometries. Caspase-3, -6, and -8 appear to be constitutively inhibited by typical zinc levels, and this inhibition must be lifted to allow activation. The inhibition constant for caspase-7 (76 nM) is much weaker than for the other apoptotic caspases (2.6–6.9 nM) suggesting that caspase-7 is n...
Historically White Universities and Plantation Politics: Anti-Blackness and Higher Education in the Black Lives Matter Era:

In this article, the authors argue that U.S. colleges and universities must grapple with persistent engagements of Black bodies as property. Engaging the research and scholarship on Black faculty, ...
Bending of a Plate with Nonlinear Strain Hardening Creep

A method of analyzing plates subject to bending with arbitrary creep characteristics is derived. The creep strain is treated as equivalent loads and edge moments acting on the plate. This method is applicable to cases with varying temperature in the plane of the plate. The general equations are simplified for the cases of circular plates subject to axially symmetrical lateral loading. An illustrative example of a circular plate with nonlinear strain hardening creep is shown.
Radiation-Induced Sarcoma Following Radiotherapy for Testicular Tumor

We report 4 cases of soft tissue sarcoma following radiation therapy for testicular tumor. The tumors included leiomyosarcoma, fibroxanthosarcoma, reticulum cell sarcoma and spindle cell sarcoma. Each malignancy arose within the irradiated area after a long latent period (mean 12 years) and each was histologically proved. Total radiation doses ranged from 3,500 to 9,000 rad. Three patients died as a result of the second neoplasm. Radiation-induced sarcomas are rare but must be considered in the differential diagnosis of new tumor growth in patients treated previously with radiotherapy. Full evaluation of such new tumor growth, including tissue diagnosis, is necessary before additional therapy is prescribed.
Synaptic Messengers, Inflammatory Mediators, and Neuronal Plasticity in Cerebral Ischemia

Cerebral ischemia activates the production of both endogenous and exogenous mediators of the inflammatory response. Using the middle cerebral artery occlusion suture model in the rat, we have found that occlusion followed by reperfusion leads to a remarkable induction of cyclo-oxygenase (COX) 2, both in the infarcted area and in the penumbra, occurring 6h after 2h of ischemia followed by 3h of reperfusion. COX-1, the constitutive enzyme, does not display changes under these conditions. Recent studies in our laboratory have also shown that in a kainic acid induced brain damage model COX-2 induction occurs at the transcriptional level, since nuclear runs on assays in isolated nuclei from the hippocampus as a function of time after injury matched the profile of changes in COX-2 mRNA abundance. Moreover, plateletactivating factor (PAF) is an activator of COX-2 transcription in transfected cells, and PAF antagonists in vivo block the injury-induced COX-2 expression. Therefore phospholipase A2 activation and PAF generation in cerebral ischemia link the formation of prostaglandins through COX-2 induction. These signaling pathways may be transneuronally controlled through excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters. It is hypothesized that phospholipase A2 activation, PAF accumulation, and COX-2 induction are reduced during the development of enhanced tolerance to ischemic injury.
Intestine-specific expression of human chimeric intestinal alkaline phosphatase attenuates Western diet-induced barrier dysfunction and glucose intolerance.

Intestinal epithelial cell derived alkaline phosphatase (IAP) dephosphorylates/detoxifies bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the gut lumen. We have earlier demonstrated that consumption of high-fat high-cholesterol containing western type-diet (WD) significantly reduces IAP activity, increases intestinal permeability leading to increased plasma levels of LPS and glucose intolerance. Furthermore, oral supplementation with curcumin that increased IAP activity improved intestinal barrier function as well as glucose tolerance. To directly test the hypothesis that targeted increase in IAP would protect against WD-induced metabolic consequences, we developed intestine-specific IAP transgenic mice where expression of human chimeric IAP is under the control of intestine-specific villin promoter. This chimeric human IAP contains domains from human IAP and human placental alkaline phosphatase, has a higher turnover number, narrower substrate specificity, and selectivity for bacterial LPS. Chimeric IAP was specifically and uniformly overexpressed in these IAP transgenic (IAPTg) mice along the entire length of the intestine. While IAP activity reduced from proximal P1 segment to distal P9 segment in wild-type (WT) mice, this activity was maintained in the IAPTg mice. Dietary challenge with WD impaired glucose tolerance in WT mice and this intolerance was attenuated in IAPTg mice. Significant decrease in fecal zonulin, a marker for intestinal barrier dysfunction, in WD fed IAPTg mice and a corresponding decrease in translocation of orally administered nonabsorbable 4 kDa FITC dextran to plasma suggests that IAP overexpression improves intestinal barrier function. Thus, targeted increase in IAP activity represents a novel strategy to improve WD-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction and glucose intolerance.
Memorias de las militancias femeninas antes del Golpe de Estado (Valparaíso)

This work deals with the links between Gender and Social Memories of Dictatorship in Chile, focusing on the political trajectories of left-wing female activists. We begin by problematizing the connections between Gender and Memory, followed by an analysis of the beginning of these women’s political activity. We draw from a Life History methodology to learn about women who participated as young activists during the Popular Union, were politically persecuted after the Coup d’Etat, were involved in resistance groups, and remain politically active today. The analysis explores the way gender is reproduced and challenged in the making of a memory of the recent past. Departing from there, we conclude about the appropriateness of a Women’s Standpoint as a starting one, as Feminist Epistemologies claim, in order to articulate Social Memory and Gender.
The second-order bias of quantile estimators

Abstract The finite sample theory using higher-order asymptotics provides better approximations of the bias for a class of estimators. Phillips (1991) demonstrated the higher-order asymptotic expansions for LAD estimators. Rilstone et al. (1996) provided the second-order bias results of conditional mean regression estimators. This paper develops new analytical results on the second-order bias of the conditional quantile regression estimators, which enables an improved bias correction and thus to obtain improved quantile estimation. In particular, we show that the second-order bias is larger towards the tails of the conditional density than near the median, and therefore the benefit of the second-order bias correction is greater when we are interested in the deeper tail quantiles, e.g., for the study of income distribution and financial risk management. The Monte Carlo simulation confirms the theory that the bias is larger at the tail quantiles, and the second-order bias correction improves the behavior of the quantile estimators.
Impact of individualized target mean arterial pressure for septic shock resuscitation on the incidence of acute kidney injury: a retrospective cohort study

To examine the relationship between delta mean arterial pressure (ΔMAP; MAP change between pre-admission minus post-resuscitation) and acute kidney injury (AKI) among patients with septic shock. In this retrospective, single-center cohort study of adult patients pre-admission MAP is defined as the median MAP recorded from 365 to 7 days before admission. Post-resuscitation MAP was median MAP during the 7th hour after initiating resuscitation. In our cohort (N = 233; 55% male), the median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 71 (58–81) years and the median (IQR) acute physiology, age, chronic health evaluation (APACHE) III score was 81 (66–97). Although those in the lowest ΔMAP quartile (−24.5 to 3.9 mmHg) had no demographic differences compared with the rest of the cohort, the odds ratio for AKI was 0.26 (95% CI 0.11–0.57) after adjustment for other known AKI risk factors. Among patients with a history of hypertension, the lowest quartile had an odds ratio for AKI of 0.12 (95% CI 0.04–0.37) after adjusting for risk factors for AKI in this cohort. The incidence of AKI was lowest among those whose post-resuscitation MAP was closest to or higher than their pre-admission MAP. Further study regarding the effect of targeting the pre-admission MAP for post-resuscitation on the incidence of AKI is warranted.
How Classroom Conversations Unfold: Exploring Teacher–Child Exchanges During Shared Book Reading

Research Findings: This study examined how teacher–child conversations unfold during shared book reading in Head Start classrooms as well as the relations between that talk and children’s vocabular...
Teachers, pupils, and computer- assisted instruction

Which is closest to the way you react? How will computer-assisted instruction (CAI) affect the teaching-learning process? To begin with, let's agree on some terminology. One hears of CAI, meaning "computer-assisted instruction" or "computeraided instruction" ; CAL, "computer-assisted learning"; and CBI, "computer-based instruction." The terms sometimes are connected with particular manufacturers, but even more they denote a philosophy. Thus, some people argue that the name should include "learning," since that's the goal. Many others, however, note that instruction is all that's possible learning can't be guaranteed, since it is an individual reac-
WHERE TO? FILMING EMIGRATION ANXIETY IN PREWAR LEBANESE CINEMA

I propose that careful reading of films and film coverage provides a new research avenue for scholars interested in the social and cultural history of the 1950s and the 1960s in Lebanon. Looking specifically at the manner in which George Nasser's 1957 film Ila Ayn? (Where To?) embraces and modifies the generic conventions of neorealist melodrama to articulate anxieties over the effects of emigration on Lebanon, this article explores the manner in which contemporaneous cultural critics used the film to, in turn, express their dismay at migration from Lebanon. Reading the film closely for the affects it contains and for those it produced in its readers, I argue that this technique, attendant to both sides of this dynamic, affords us new insights into the manner in which cinema produced during Lebanon's golden period interacted with and complicated the dominant cultural narratives of that era.
Race, Natriuretic Peptides, and High-Carbohydrate Challenge: A Clinical Trial.

Rationale: Lower NP (natriuretic peptide) levels may contribute to the development of cardiometabolic diseases. Blacks have lower NP levels than middle-aged and older white adults. A high-carbohydr...
ULTRABRIEF RIGHT UNILATERAL ECT AND CATATONIA: A CASE SERIES AND LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction Catatonia is a neuropsychiatric syndrome that affects both behavior and motor function, resulting potentially in unresponsiveness in an individual who otherwise appears to be awake. Catatonia can occur in the context of several underlying psychiatric or medical condition. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is an evidence-based, first-line treatment for catatonia and its efficacy has been demonstrated since the early 1930s. ECT is not only proven to relieve catatonia but some of the underlying psychopathology including mood disorders. The conventional modality of ECT that has been used for the treatment of catatonia is bilateral (BL) lead placement with brief pulse width (>0.5 milisec). Although (BL) ECT placement is more commonly used, cognitive side effects are an important limitation for the use of this technique. The literature is limited regarding the use of ultrabrief pulse width (UB) ( Methods A case series of two catatonic patients successfully treated with RUL ECT at an academic center is presented. Ms. B, a 66-year-old female with bipolar disorder with psychotic features and a recent history of intentional overdose, presenting for depression and catatonia. During the past four years she had 6 hospital admissions due to similar episodes.Ms. K, a 55-year-old female with MDD with psychotic features and catatonia presenting for worsening mood, neurovegetative symptoms, psychosis and catatonic symptoms. Her catatonic symptoms had partially improved with initiation and titration of Lorazepam.Existing literature is reviewed to compared with other published cases and discussion of treatment effectiveness. A table presenting the cases found in the literature will be added. Results The patients were cleared by anesthesia. Ms. B completed an acute course of 11 UB-RUL ECT treatments with 2 more UB-RU ECT treatments were completed as taper. Her baseline QIDS improved from baseline 10 to post-ECT 1. CGI post treatment was very much improved. No major side effects were noted or reported.Ms. K completed an acute course of 13 UB-RUL ECT treatments. 3 more UB-RUL ECT treatments were completed as taper over a period of twenty-three days. Her baseline QIDS improved from 18 to 6 post treatment. Her CGI was rated as very much improved. No major side effects were noted or reported.Both patients experienced significant improvement of their symptoms. Conclusions UB RUL ECT is a safe and effective treatment modality for patients with Catatonia independent of the underlying cause. Patient with catatonia are vulnerable to relapse and may require prolonged courses of ECT and maintenance. To mitigate the risk of cognitive side effects these patients may benefit from UB RUL ECT. This research was funded by: No funding
From Car Wash to Bolsonaro: Law and Lawyers in Brazil's Illiberal Turn (2014–2018)

Law and lawyers tend to be seen as either preferential victims of or key counterforces to rising illiberalism. Brazil offers a good testbed for these claims. Brazilian democracy has deteriorated considerably, as epitomized by the election of Jair Bolsonaro in 2018. Yet, since 2014, law and lawyers have become ever more central to Brazil's field of state power. As the anti‐corruption initiative Car Wash (Lava Jato) gained momentum, Brazilian judges and prosecutors were celebrated, locally and globally, as champions of transparency, accountability, and ‘the rule of law’. Following a closer look at Car Wash, this article questions such idealization of law and lawyers. Drawing on research on press interviews and statements by Car Wash legal officers, I find that, throughout the case, they produced a ‘political grammar’ that is closer to illiberalism than many would predict. Based on recent developments in the sociology of fields, I argue that the production of these grammars yields societal effects that deserve scholarly and civic attention.
Automated neural network identification of cirques

Morphological characteristics of cirques have been studied for decades; however, no repeatable set of metrics has been derived that can consistently identify them. Perhaps more importantly, there i...
A Novel Introduction to Treatment of Chronic Pelvic Pain with Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)

Study Objective To examine the effects of Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on women experiencing chronic pelvic pain. Design This is a case series study. Patients receive four treatments over the course of two weeks. Each patient will receive a follow-up survey after each treatment and within three months from their first treatment. Setting An Obstetrics and Gynecology private practice. Patients or Participants The study included 15 women with chronic pelvic pain for at least 6 months. Interventions In this clinical study, ESWT (Extracorporeal shock wave therapy) is a nonsurgical/noninvasive technique widely used to treat musculoskeletal diseases. This technology was applied directly to the perineum and site of pelvic pain over a course of four treatments. Measurements and Main Results: This data is preliminary. Conclusion Patients will be evaluated within three months to determine if this treatment has an impact on pain perception in our group of treated patients.
Enhanced vasoconstrictor sensitivity to exercise pressor reflex engagement in peripheral arterial disease (1156.7)

Exercise is associated with a rise in heart rate, blood pressure (BP) and blood flow to active muscle mediated by the exercise pressor reflex and regional release of vasodilators. In peripheral arterial disease (PAD) the exercise pressor reflex is enhanced. To assess the functional impact of the exercise pressor reflex, we determined BP and mean blood velocity (MBV, Doppler) in the popliteal artery and calculated vascular conductance (VC, MBV/mean BP) in the exercising and contralateral legs during graded rhythmic plantar flexion in 7 patients with PAD (age 67±2 yrs, ankle-brachial-index 0.6±0.1 in the ischemic leg) and in 5 controls. At peak exercise (2.0 kg, 1 Hz), the pressor effect was greatest in PAD when exercise was performed with the ischemic leg, and lowest in the controls. In controls, exercise did not affect VC in the contralateral inactive leg (P=NS). Similarly, in PAD, exercise in the ischemic leg did not affect VC in the opposite inactive leg (P=NS). In contrast, during exercise with the non...
Holding damaged DNA together

The mammalian X-ray cross-complementing group 1 protein (XRCC1) is an important player in base excision repair of damaged DNA. Two new findings help to elucidate its role — biochemical data suggest that this multidomain protein interacts not only with three different enzymes, but also with the nicked DNA itself, and NMR data reveal the structure of the domain that interacts with both DNA polymerase β and DNA.
Identifying avian malaria vectors: sampling methods influence outcomes

The role of vectors in the transmission of avian malaria parasites is currently understudied. Many studies that investigate parasite-vector relationships use limited trapping techniques and/or identify potential competent vectors in the field in such ways that cannot distinguish between an infected or infectious vector. Without the use of multiple trapping techniques that address the specific biology of diverse mosquito species, and without looking at the infection status of individual mosquitoes, it is not possible to make dependable conclusions on the role of mosquitoes in the transmission of avian malaria parasites. We conducted two years of mosquito collections at a riparian preserve in California where a wide diversity of species were collected with multiple trap types. We hypothesized that competent mosquito species can influence the distribution and diversity of avian malaria parasites by acting as a compatibility filter for specific Plasmodium species. To determine the infection status of all individual mosquitoes for Plasmodium species/lineages, amplification within the cytochrome b gene was carried out on over 3000 individual mosquito thoraxes, and for those that tested positive we then repeated the same process for abdomens and salivary glands. Our data show heterogeneity in the transmissibility of Plasmodium among ornithophillic mosquito species. More specifically, Culex stigmatosoma appears to not be a vector of Plasmodium homopolare, a parasite that is prevalent in the avian population, but is a vector of multiple other Plasmodium species/lineages. Our results suggest that conclusions made on the role of vectors from studies that do not use different mosquito trapping methods should be re-evaluated with caution, as we documented the potential for trapping biases, which may cause studies to miss important roles of specific mosquito species in the transmission of avian malaria. Moreover, we document heterogeneity in the transmission of Plasmodium spp. by mosquitoes can influence Plasmodium diversity and prevalence in specific locations to Plasmodium-vector incompatibilities.
An optimal DC motor controller design with self-regulation and input-output tracking in the load presence

A new, more practical scheme for DC motor optimal position control with load disturbance is introduced. The simulation results show that this motor system achieves input-output tracking even in the presence of a load disturbance. >
Presynaptic fibres of spiral neurons and reciprocal synapses in the organ of Corti in culture

Isolated segments of the newborn mouse organ of Corti were explanted together with the spiral ganglion components. Within the innervation provided by the spiral neurons, we observed presynaptic vesiculated nerve endings that form reciprocal ribbon-afferent/efferent synapses with inner hair cells. These intracochlear presynaptic fibres are characteristically located between adjoining inner hair cells, on the modiolar side, low and close to the supporting cells. The presynaptic fibres display different modes of synaptic connectivity, forming repetitive reciprocal synapses on single inner hair cells or on adjoining hair cells, or connecting adjoining inner hair cells through simultaneous efferent synapses. Many presynaptic fibres exhibit a distinctive ultrastructure: defined clusters of synaptic vesicles, dense core vesicles, coated vesicles, and mitochondria. These organelles occur focally at the synaptic sites; beyond the efferent synaptic specializations, the endings appear quite nondescript and afferent-like.
Decision making for produced water management: an integrated multi-criteria approach

Developments of effective produced water (PW) management strategies pose a challenge to the offshore petroleum industry. In this study three PW minimisation systems: down hole oil-water separation (A1), chemical water shut off (A2) and mechanical water shut-off (A3) were evaluated based on fourteen pre-selected criteria from environment, cost and technical point of view. Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was integrated with Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) algorithm to solve the decision matrix. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to determine the sensitivity of the evaluation results.
A frequency spectrum moment method for the study of the vibrational properties of amorphous substances

Abstract A previosuly developed method for generating the moments of the frequency spectra of cubic lattices is extended to amorphous substances. The extension involves little approximation and allows one to calculate the moments in terms of the interatomic potential function and low-order atomic distribution functions. A frequency spectrum cluster expansion technique with well defined limits of error may be derived from it.
Competition Among Gypsy Moth Hyperparasites Attacking Apanteles melanoscelus , and Influence of Temperature on Their Field Activity

In the field, ichneumonid hyperparasites were active around Apanteles melanoscelus (Ratzeburg) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) cocoons over a larger temperature range than were chalcidoids. Observations of cocoons on leaves and trunks of trees showed that larval (intrinsic) competition by the hyperparasite, Eurytoma verticillata (F.) (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae), partially excluded other hyperparasites from the trunk microhabitat. In laboratory studies E. verticillata larvae consistently destroyed larvae of another hyperparasite, Gelis tenellis (Say) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), when both were associated with the same host. The implications that the results have concerning ecology and control of these hyperparasites are discussed.
A computational investigation of flow losses in a supersonic combustor

This computational investigation provides a detailed comparative study of both non-reacting and reacting supersonic combustor flow-fields and attendant flow losses. Three different injection configurations in the same combustor are examined; a swept-sided ramp with base hydrogen injection, a straight ramp with base hydrogen injection and a thirty-degree downstream directed wall jet. Detailed comparisons are made with available reacting experimental data for the swept and the unswept ramps. A seven reaction, seven species reaction model as well as a global (one reaction) model are used for all three reacting cases. Relative performance (as measured by thrust) of all cases are described. Details of the flow, mixing, and combustion processes are discussed.
High‐speed, thermally modulated SFE/GC for the analysis of volatile organic compounds in solid matrices

A coupled supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and high-speed gas chromatography (GC) system was developed which permits simultaneous sample extraction and analysis. A thermal desorption modulator at the head of a 50-μm i.d. capillary column was used as an interface between the SFE and GC. The extraction fluid was first split between the modulator and a waste collection vessel. The substances introduced into the modulator were concentrated in the stationary phase and then released as a sharp injection pulse to the analytical column by electrical resistance heated thermal desorption. The modulator was operated at 10-s time intervals, which generated consecutive concentration pulses to the column. These concentration pulses were separated into individual chromatograms by high-speed GC. A set of chromatograms could be generated while the extraction proceeded. With this system, the extractant was sampled continuously so that the SFE process could be monitored in real time for selected components. Quantitative results could be extrapolated before extraction was complete from curves obtained by signal averaging of segmented chromatograms from the set.
Comparison of Variance Estimators of the Horvitz-Thompson Estimator for Randomized Variable Probability Systematic Sampling

Abstract The National Stream Survey (NSS) and Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) use variable probability, systematic sampling, and the Horvitz-Thompson estimator to estimate population parameters of ecological interest. A common strategy of variance estimation for systematic sampling is to assume that the population order had been randomized prior to sampling and to estimate variance under this randomized population model. The Yates-Grundy variance estimator is generally recommended for estimating the variance of the Horvitz-Thompson estimator under this model. But design features of NSS and EMAP preclude application of the Yates-Grundy estimator, so use of the Horvitz-Thompson variance estimator is required. Further, because the first-order inclusion probabilities are known only for the sample units and not the entire population, neither the actual pairwise inclusion probabilities (πuv's) nor the Hartley-Rao approximation of the πuv's can be computed. Thus the variance estimator prop...
Multiscale‐multifluid simulations of the 26 February 2008 substorm: Evidence for internal triggering of a substorm

[1] Multiscale-multifluid simulations are used to provide high-resolution (∼470 km) simulations of the 26 February 2008 substorm that was well observed by the THEMIS spacecraft to investigate whether the substorm was internally or externally triggered. This substorm occurred during an extended (1 h 45 min) period of weak (−2.5 to −1.5 nT) southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). Simulation results show that this substorm was internally triggered well before the IMF start to become more northerly. The southward IMF leads to an enhancement in the cross-polar cap potential, strong thinning of the current sheet, and pseudo-breakup in association with patchy reconnection. The southward IMF also produces an enhancement in the outflow of ionospheric oxygen into the current sheet. Because of the tilt of the magnetic field the strongest outflows originate from the southern polar cap. The arrival of these heavy ions in the tail occurs about 10 min prior to the observed substorm onset and leads to enhanced tail reconnection, including flux rope development and fast earthward flows. The interaction of these fast flows at the inner edge of the plasma sheet is closely associated with auroral onset, indicating that the substorm is internally triggered. Comparison with THEMIS data suggests that reconnection occurred earlier than THEMIS observations. The results show onset is associated with processes at the inner edge of the plasma sheet and is not directly related to the onset of reconnection. Comparison with THEMIS data indicates that processes at scale lengths less than 500 km are occurring.
Amyloid peptide channels.

At least 16 distinct clinical syndromes including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), rheumatoid arthritis, type II diabetes mellitus (DM), and spongiform encephelopathies (prion diseases), are characterized by the deposition of amorphous, Congo red-staining deposits known as amyloid. These “misfolded” proteins adopt β-sheet structures and aggregate spontaneously into similar extended fibrils despite their widely divergent primary sequences. Many, if not all, of these peptides are capable of forming ion-permeable channels in vitro and possibly in vivo. Common channel properties include irreversible, spontaneous insertion into membranes, relatively large, heterogeneous single-channel conductances, inhibition of channel formation by Congo red, and blockade of inserted channels by Zn2+. Physiologic effects of amyloid, including Ca2+ dysregulation, membrane depolarization, mitochondrial dysfunction, inhibition of long-term potentiation (LTP), and cytotoxicity, suggest that channel formation in plasma and intracellular membranes may play a key role in the pathophysiology of the amyloidoses.
Infrastructure Construction: Effect of Social and Environmental Regulations

A Federal Reserve Bank report suggests that infrastructure spending and productivity move in tandem. In fact, the data indicate that infrastructure spending appears to be more effective than tax cuts for stimulating the economy. The study suggests that expenditures for infrastructure systems that aid in the production and distribution of goods and services tend to have a direct impact on the profitability of industry, which in turn spurs private‐sector investment. Complicating the infrastructure problem, however, is the effect of social, environmental, and governmental regulations, such as Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules. The approximate costs and benefits to the construction industry of these regulations are summarized in the paper. Specifically, the increase in Engineering News‐Record 400 (ENR 400) construction cost (unweighted) is estimated to vary between r...
Increased Pneumocystis carinii Recovery From the Upper Lobes in Pneumocystis Pneumonia: The Effect of Aerosol Pentamidine Prophylaxis

Study objective : To determine the relative distribution of Pneumocystis carinii in the lungs of patients with P carinii pneumonia and to see the effect of aerosol pentamidine prophylaxis on this distribution. Design : A prospective study of all human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with pulmonary symptoms over a nine-month period. Patients were followed up for at least six weeks after bronchoscopy. Setting : Inpatient and outpatient service at one referral center. Patients : Human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with pulmonary symptoms were referred for evaluation. Those patients subsequently found to have P carinii pneumonia were studied. Intervention : Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed in the middle lobe (or lingula) and the apical segment of the same lung. Measurements and Results : The aspirated fluids were kept separate and modified Wright-Giemsa-stained cytocentrifuge-prepared slides were made from each area, and the number of P carinii clusters per 500 nucleated cells was counted. Fifty patients were studied: 27 receiving pentamidine prophylaxis and 23 receiving no aerosol therapy. There was no significant difference in the amount of fluid retrieved by lavage from the middle or upper lobe for either group. Both groups had significantly lower numbers of P carinii clusters per 500 cells in the middle lobe (receiving pentamidine: 10 ±15.8 [SD]; not receiving pentamidine: 15 ± 12.3) than in the upper lobe (receiving pentamidine:22 ±19.8; not receiving pentamidine;24 ± 21.5; p P carinii organisms seen in the middle lobe lavage specimen. Conclusion: Pneumocystis carinii has a preference for the upper lobes which may be apparent even in patients not receiving aerosol pentamidine. In addition, yield for P carinii may be increased by performing lavage in the apical segment.
Survey of the BY Draconis syndrome among dMe stars

Results are reported for a BVr photometric survey of 22 dK, dKe, dM, and dMe stars conducted to search for slow quasi-sinusoidal fluctuations in V (the BY Draconis syndrome). The (B-V) and (V-r) color indices are determined in an attempt to detect wavelength-dependent color changes produced by starspots and to infer starspot temperatures. It is found that nine of the stars exhibit variations in V of the order of 0.05 to 0.10 magnitude on a time scale of days or weeks, that at least three more display changes in mean light level over a period of years, that the stars generally tend to become redder at minimum light, and that some of the stars show no detectable color changes over their photometric cycle. The color data are taken to suggest a probable temperature difference of about 200 to 500 K between the stellar photospheres and starspots if the V variations are attributed to dark spots. It is concluded that the BY Draconis syndrome is clearly a very common occurrence among dMe stars.
Numerical study of the three-dimensional random-field Ising model at zero and positive temperature

In this paper the three dimensional random field Ising model is studied at both zero temperature and positive temperature. Critical exponents are extracted at zero temperature by finite size scaling analysis of large discontinuities in the bond energy. The heat capacity exponent $\alpha$ is found to be near zero. The ground states are determined for a range of external field and disorder strength near the zero temperature critical point and the scaling of ground state tilings of the field-disorder plane is discussed. At positive temperature the specific heat and the susceptibility are obtained using the Wang-Landau algorithm. It is found that sharp peaks are present in these physical quantities for some realizations of systems sized $16^3$ and larger. These sharp peaks result from flipping large domains and correspond to large discontinuities in ground state bond energies. Finally, zero temperature and positive temperature spin configurations near the critical line are found to be highly correlated suggesting a strong version of the zero temperature fixed point hypothesis.
A Z-Score-Based Method to Synthesize Anthropometric Datasets for Global User Populations

Globalized marketplaces are necessitating the consideration of the needs of users from a variety of national and international regions. Relevant body dimensions are known to play a key role in influencing users’ physical interactions with products. The main challenge in designing these products is the unavailability of comprehensive anthropometric databases for detailed analyses and decision-making. This paper presents a new method to this end. Z-scores are computed for each body measure of every individual in a reference population; this can be any population for which a comprehensive database is available. Next, descriptive statistical information (e.g., means, standard deviations, by-percentile values) from numerous studies and surveys are used to estimate distributions of the required body dimensions. Finally, the z-score values from the reference population are utilized to sample from the aforementioned distributions in order to synthesize the requisite virtual target population of users. The z-score method is demonstrated in the context of two existing populations: U.S. military in the late 1980s (ANSUR) and Japanese youth from the early 1990s. Despite certain stated limitations, which are topics of future work in this line of research, the method is shown to be accurate, easy-to-apply, and robust in terms of underlying assumptions.© 2013 ASME
Spatial cross-correlation of acoustic pressures in steady and decaying reverberant sound fields

Abstract From the equation for the steady state sound pressure distribution produced in a rectangular reverberation chamber by a point source, and by using the usual high frequency approximations, it is shown that, for a random source position, the cross-correlation function for two points not too far apart approaches that of Cook et al. in the reverberant field of the chamber. When the same approach is used on the equation for sound pressure decay when the point source excitation is cut off, the cross-correlation function obtained for the initial portion of the decay corresponds with that determined experimentally by Balachandran and Robinson.
Should We Permit Mississippi-Atchafalaya Diversion?: ABSTRACT

About one and a half billion dollars is planned for the relocation of control structures, upgrading guide levees, and developing the Atchafalaya basin as a wetlands resource in the coming decade. What would be the engineering, cultural, environmental, and economic consequences should the Mississippi River be diverted through its Atchafalaya distributary? Perhaps the answer is that the future of southern and coastal Louisiana would be better served if the river were not shackled with artificial and costly engineering restraints and were permitted to choose the shorter, natural path to the sea. This paper proposes an in-depth comparison of situations which: (a) maintain the status quo, (b) consider the effects of a gradual, planned increase in the rate of diversion, and (c) consider the effects of a rapid, uncontrolled diversion during an immense flood or series of floods. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1562------------
Order/Disorder in Electrodeposited Aluminum-Titanium Alloys

The composition, morphology, and crystallographic microstructure of Al-Ti alloys electrodeposited from two different chloroaluminate molten salt electrolytes were examined. Alloys containing up to 28 % atomic fraction Ti were electrodeposited at 150 °C from 2:1 AlCl3-NaCl with controlled additions of Ti2+. The apparent limit on alloy composition is proposed to be due to a mechanism by which Al3Ti forms through the reductive decomposition of [Ti(AlCl4)3]-. The composition of Al-Ti alloys electrodeposited from the AlCl3-EtMeImCl melt at 80 °C is limited by the diffusion of Ti2+ to the electrode surface. Alloys containing up to 18.4 % atomic fraction Ti are only obtainable at high Ti2+ concentrations in the melt and low current densities. Alloys electrodeposited from the higher temperature melt have an ordered L12 crystal structure while alloys of similar composition but deposited at lower temperature are disordered fcc. The appearance of antiphase boundaries in the ordered alloys suggests that the deposit may be disordered initially and then orders in the solid state, subsequent to the charge transfer step and adatom incorporation into the lattice. This is very similar to the disorder-trapping observed in rapidly solidified alloys. The measured domain size is consistent with a mechanism of diffusion-controlled doman growth at the examined deposition temperatures and times.
Microbiology: bacterial speech bubbles.

Many bacteria socialize using diffusible signals. But some of these messages are poorly soluble, so how do they move between bacteria? It seems they can be wrapped up in membrane packages instead.