cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A 20-year study of NDVI variability over the Northeast Region of Brazil

Abstract The natural ecosystems of the Northeast Region of Brazil (NEB) have experienced persistent drought episodes and environmental degradation during the past two decades. In this study, we examined the spatial heterogeneity and temporal dynamics of the NEB using a 20-year time series of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) observations, derived from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) instrument. A set of 12 000 spatially distributed NDVI values was analysed to investigate significant deviations from the mean-monthly values of the base period (1982–2001) in the study area. Various statistical analyses involving minimum, mean and maximum values, coefficient of variation (CV), standardized anomalies ( Z -scores), and 36-month running mean were applied to monthly NDVI values to identify spatial and temporal variations in vegetation dynamics. We found strong seasonal oscillations in the vegetation-growing season (February–May) over the NEB study area, with maximum NDVI observed in April–May and seasonal variations, expressed by the CV, ranging from 14% to 32%. In addition, a consistent upward trend in vegetation greenness occurred over the period 1984–1990, and was strongly reversed in the subsequent period 1991–1998. These upward and downward trends in vegetation greenness followed an inter-annual oscillation of ∼7–8 years. We also found that dry season peak (September) latitudinal variations in NDVI were 20–25% greater in 1991–1999 than 1982–1990 across the study region. The results of this study suggest that patterns in NEB vegetation variability were a result of the impact of enhanced aridity occurring over the last decade of the 20th century.
Tails of the unexpected – an atypical receptor for the chemokine RANTES/CCL5 expressed in brain

Chemokines and their receptors play a central role in the trafficking of leukocytes within the body, a process which is amenable to antagonism by small molecules and which holds promise as a treatment for clinically important diseases. In the issue of the British Journal of Pharmacology accompanying this commentary, Ignatov and colleagues describe an unexpected role for the chemokine RANTES/CCL5, namely an ability to signal via the orphan G protein-coupled receptor named GPR75. This receptor bears little homology to other chemokine receptors, most strikingly within the putative intracellular domains, with the third loop and C-terminal tail dwarfing those of other known chemokine receptors. This most likely accounts for the atypical pertussis toxin-insensitive signalling induced by RANTES. Intriguingly, this signalling is neuro-protective, inducing the survival of a hippocampal cell line following insult with the neurotoxic amyloid-beta peptide. Since this peptide is implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, it may be that exploitation of this signalling pathway presents itself as a future therapeutic treatment.
Growth of a self-assembled monolayer by fractal aggregation.

Atomic force microscope images show that self-assembled monolayers of octadecyltrichlorosilane form on mica by nucleating isolated, self-similar domains. With increasing coverage, the fractal dimension of the growing domains evolves from 1.6 to 1.8. At higher coverage, continued growth is limited by adsorption from solution. Monte Carlo simulations that include, for the first time, adsorption as well as surface diffusion qualitatively reproduce both the growth kinetics and evolution of fractal structure, much better than a two-dimensional diffusion-limited-aggregation model.
Surface-Selective Directed Assembly of Carbon Nanotubes Using Side-Chain Functionalized Poly(thiophene)s

A simple and versatile strategy for the directed assembly of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using side-chain functionalized poly(thiophene)s is presented. Modular variations in the side-chain of the polymers can be used to fine-tune the surface properties of polymer-wrapped CNTs, which yields CNTs soluble in either water or organic solvents. Directed assembly of the CNTs based on electrostatic interactions or metal–ligand interactions can be obtained, depending on the functional group on the side-chain of the polymers. Patterned thin films of CNTs with very high CNT density can be obtained with this approach, and the surface selectivity is extremely high.
Can peri-operative quality be maintained in the drive for operating room efficiency? An American perspective

Abstract Hospitals in privately (US) and publicly funded medical systems around the world are scrutinizing every aspect of the financing and delivery of surgical care. Whereas many physicians believe championing operating room efficiency will compromise quality, this is not necessarily the case. Higher quality care could be less costly because ‘defects’ (e.g. complications) and rework of products and services are avoided. The challenge is to innovate in the surgical suite and to promote efficiency and quality concurrently. This chapter discusses different definitions of quality with emphasis on the Six Sigma methodology, opportunities for cost reduction with clinical pathways and Internet-related tools and insights obtained from recently published advances in applying sophisticated analytical tools from management science to the peri-operative environment. Healthcare providers will have to use innovations in information technologies, as well as scientifically derived operating room management analytical tools, to help control costs while maintaining the quality that each ‘customer’ of the surgery suite expects.
Effect of Zinc Oxide Nanowire Length on Interfacial Strength of Carbon Fiber Composites

Vertically aligned arrays of zinc oxide nanowires can serve as an adjustable interface for fiber composites through controllable synthesis techniques. When grown on carbon fiber surfaces as a fiber-matrix interphase of a composite, ZnO nanowires increase the surface area of interaction between fiber and matrix, and thus cause a greater interfacial shear strength of the composite. The ability to control the interfacial strength of this interphase through tailored morphologies enables the design of composite systems to specific applications. This report focuses on the controlled growth of ZnO nanowires and correlates the relationship between nanowire length and interfacial shear strength of the composite. Previous studies have focused on the effects of nanowire morphology on the interfacial strength; however, the data was limited to nanowire lengths < 1μm due to problems with nanowire uniformity and cleanliness [1]. Here, a new synthesis method is applied to the growth of zinc oxide nanowires on carbon fiber that enables the production of long, vertically aligned, uniform nanowires while maintaining the tensile properties of the fiber. The nanowires created by the new method are then compared to previous method nanowires by scanning electron microscopy imaging. Lastly, the interfacial shear strength of the fiber/polymer matrix composite is tested using single fiber fragmentation and correlated to the nanowire length of each method.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Solution structure of the ubiquitin-binding domain in Swa2p from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The SWA2/AUX1 gene has been proposed to encode the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ortholog of mammalian auxilin. Swa2p is required for clathrin assembly/dissassembly in vivo, thereby implicating it in intracellular protein and lipid trafficking. While investigating the 287-residue N-terminal region of Swa2p, we found a single stably folded domain between residues 140 and 180. Using binding assays and structural analysis, we established this to be a ubiquitin-associated (UBA) domain, unidentified by bioinformatics of the yeast genome. We determined the solution structure of this Swa2p domain and found a characteristic three-helix UBA fold. Comparisons of structures of known UBA folds reveal that the position of the third helix is quite variable. This helix in Swa2p UBA contains a bulkier tyrosine in place of smaller residues found in other UBAs and cannot pack as close to the second helix. The molecular surface of Swa2p UBA has a mostly negative potential, with a single hydrophobic surface patch found also in the UBA domains of human protein, HHR23A. The presence of a UBA domain implicates Swa2p in novel roles involving ubiquitin and ubiquitinated substrates. We propose that Swa2p is a multifunctional protein capable of recognizing several proteins through its protein-protein recognition domains.
Ligament length during circumduction of the trapeziometacarpal joint

Abstract : The length of the ligaments in the trapeziometacarpal joint in 12 fresh human cadaveric hands was studied with a magnetic tracking system. The location of the insertion and origin of five trapeziometacarpal ligaments was precisely identified and digitized. The distances between the digitized points were calculated throughout the range of motion. The anterior oblique ligament (AOL) and ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) had similar patterns of variation in ligament length during circumduction motion, reaching the maximum length in the extension-abduction position. The first intermetacarpal ligament (IML) and the posterior oblique ligament (POL) exhibited similar patterns of variation in ligament length, reaching their maximum lengths in the flexion-abduction position. The dorsoradial ligament (DRL) had a different pattern, with the maximum length occurring in the adduction position. The ligaments reached their minimum length when the metacarpal head position was nearly opposite the position that produced maximum length. The total variation in length of each ligament in circumduction was about 5%-9% of the maximum length.
Decision Support System for Lateral Pipe Rehabilitation: Case Study Analysis

Laterals, connecting between the mainline sewer and individual households, have long been considered as a great source of infiltration and inflow (I/I) to municipal wastewater networks. This paper discusses decision support system focusing on a case study database that provides guidelines for the selection of technically viable and cost-effective lateral rehabilitation methods. The objective of this study was to find (1) how a case study database can be utilized to combine a list of parameters regarding lateral rehabilitation, (2) what is the average cost per linear foot per inch diameter ($/lf-in) for lateral rehabilitation, and (3) what are the most popular rehabilitation methods as well as host pipe materials. In order to accomplish these objectives, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted with municipalities and consulting companies across the USA, Canada, and Europe. Based on the data collected from survey and literature study, a list of 34 lateral rehabilitation case studies was summarized in a project database. The typical range of maximum and minimum values were presented for parameters such as lateral diameter, rehabilitated length, duration, and cost per linear foot per inch diameter ($/lf-in) of rehabilitation. It was computed that the average cost per linear foot-inch diameter for lateral rehabilitation methods using CIPP relining, pipe bursting, and flood grouting was about $20, $12, and $8 respectively. Furthermore, the most popular methods of sewer laterals renewal were CIPP relining and pipe bursting. Finally, it was observed that the most common lateral host pipe material was vitrified clay pipe (VCP).
The Future of Environmental Expertise

Many have observed the decline of scientific authority over the last three decades, for reasons ranging from the toxic legacies of Cold War science (Beck 1992), to the current commercialization and...
Outcome effectiveness of the widely adopted EFNEP curriculum Eating Smart-Being Active.

Abstract Objective To determine the effectiveness of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) curriculum Eating Smart ∙ Being Active (ESBA). Design and Setting A quantitative, multi-state, nonequivalent comparison group pretest-posttest design was used to compare nutrition-related behavior changes in participants. ESBA was compared to previously used curricula for 3 different time periods in 5 states using the EFNEP evaluation tool. Participants Adults enrolled in EFNEP who completed their entry and exit paperwork during any of the 3 time points. Intervention An 8-lesson adult curriculum based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate. Analysis Analysis of variance and covariance (with pretests scores and demographic variables as covariates) were used to analyze data with significance at P ≤ .05. Results ESBA elicited a mean positive behavior change for food resource management (P Conclusion and Implications ESBA is effective at eliciting positive nutrition-related behavior change. The results of this multi-state, practice-based approach suggest that ESBA is effective in multiple settings and has external validity for use in EFNEP and other community nutrition programs.
The Search for Unrecognized Pathogens

The distribution and diversity of microorganisms in the world are far greater than have been previously appreciated. Molecular, cultivation-independent methods have played a key role in this insight. To what extent do humans remain ignorant of microbial diversity within the human body and the settings in which microorganisms cause human disease? In addition to implicating microbial agents in nontraditional infectious diseases, the use of methods such as broad-range polymerase chain reaction, representational difference analysis, expression library screening, and host gene expression profiling may force a reassessment of the concepts of microbial disease causation.
Altered mechanical behavior of epicardium under isothermal biaxial loading.

Most soft tissues that are treated clinically via heating experience multiaxial states of stress and strain in viva and are subject to complex constraints during treatment. Remarkably, however, there are no prior data on changes in the multiaxial mechanical behavior of a collagenous tissue subjected to isometric constraints during heating. This paper presents the first biaxial stress-stretch data on a collagenous membrane (epicardium) before and after heating while subjected to various biaxial isometric constraints. It was found that isometric heating does not allow the increase in stiffness at low strains that occurs following isotonic heating. Moreover, increasing the degree of stretch prior to heating increased the thermal stability of the tissue consistent with the concept that mechanical loading primarily affects the activation entropy, not the activation energy.
Accelerated Alzheimer-type phenotype in transgenic mice carrying both mutant amyloid precursor protein and presenilin 1 transgenes

Genetic causes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) include mutations in the amyloid precursor protein (APP), presenilin 1 (PS1), and presenilin 2 (P52) genes1. The mutant APPK670N,M67M transgenic line, Tg2576, shows markedly elevated amyloid β-protein (AP) levels at an early age and, by 9–12 months, develops extracellular AD-type Ap deposits in the cortex and hippocampus2. Mutant PS1 transgenic mice do not show abnormal pathology, but do display subtly elevated levels of the highly amyloidogenic 42- or 43-amino acid peptide Aβ342(43) (ref. 3). Here we demonstrate that the doubly transgenic progeny from a cross between line Tg2576 and a mutant PS1M46L transgenic line develop large numbers of fibrillar Aβ deposits in cerebral cortex and hippocampus far earlier than their singly transgenic Tg2576 litter-mates. In the period preceding overt Aβ deposition, the doubly transgenic mice show a selective 41% increase in Aβ42(43) in their brains. Thus, the development of AD-like pathology is substantially enhanced when a P51 mutation, which causes a modest increase in Aβ42(43), is introduced into Tg2576-derived mice. Remarkably, both doubly and singly transgenic mice showed reduced spontaneous alternation performance in a “Y” maze before substantial Aβ deposition was apparent. This suggests that some aspects of the behavioral phenotype in these mice may be related to an event that precedes plaque formation.
014 Can health care networks develop autonomy over development and implementation of guidance within an environment shaped by accreditation standards

Background Standards for clinical practice enacted by external accreditation organisations can limit the ability of health care organisations to develop and implement evidence-based guidance to improve clinical practice and health system efficiency, and reduce unnecessary testing. Context As part of a system-wide effort to improve patient quality and access, medical specialists in a large group practice sought to determine whether standard bilateral venous duplex ultrasound (VDUS) scans were medically necessary in patients with unilateral signs and symptoms of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Typically these patients receive bilateral exams; however, the high number of negative test results in non-symptomatic legs suggested bilateral testing may not be necessary. Description of Best Practice An evidence review was conducted to evaluate whether unilateral VDUS scanning accurately identifies patients who can safely undergo unilateral VDUS exams in the symptomatic limb without missing a DVT in the unscanned, asymptomatic limb. The evidence review concluded that the number of undetected DVTs in the unscreened asymptomatic limb was very low, suggesting that unilateral VDUS screening in lower-risk patients (i.e., outpatients and patients without malignancy) could be safely performed. Accreditation standards, however, require bilateral screening in all patients, regardless of DVT risk status. Lessons for Guideline Developers, Adaptors, Implementers, and/or Users Accreditation standards can hinder practice change and limit research for more effective and efficient practices. Some accrediting organisations accept feedback and adjust standards as new data emerges. Providing evidence-based information to these organisations may initiate changes in standards.
Endocrine Activity of Extraembryonic Membranes Extends beyond Placental Amniotes

Sigma Xi (G20073141634396861); National Science Foundation (2008059161); UF-Howard Hughes G.A.T.O.R. Program; Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professorship
Thyroid hormone levels improve the prediction of mortality among patients admitted to the intensive care unit.

Sir: We read with great interest the recent article by Chinga-Alayo et al. [1] regarding the prognostic significance of hormonal measurements in critically ill patients. This study assessed adrenal and thyroid function but also focused on other hormones, including growth hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and prolactin. This is highly important since there is evidence that the latter hormones modulate humoral and cellular immune functions [2, 3]. In this context it is surprising that the authors failed to show differences in growth hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone, or prolactin levels between survivors and nonsurvivors among critically ill patients (Table 2). We would like to present our experience on the topic of hormonal measurements in critically ill patients. We performed blood sampling in 150 severely ill patients within 24 h after ICU admission to investigate whether hormone levels differ between survivors and nonsurvivors. The preliminary analysis of our data revealed no differences between survivors and nonsurvivors in terms of cortisol, corticotropin, free thyroxine, and tri-iodothyronine levels, but survivors had higher concentrations of thyroidstimulating hormone, prolactin, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate than nonsurvivors [4]. The reason for the discrepant results with respect to prolactin and dehydroepiandrosterone levels is unclear. Possible explanations include the timing of sampling, the assays used, and more importantly the differences in patient population. Our ICU is a medical and surgical unit admitting a large number of polytraumatized patients, including those with severe traumatic brain injury while the cohort of Chinga-Alayo et al. comprised only a small number of trauma patients (n = 4) and possibly of surgical cases. Nevertheless, the study by Chinga-Alayo and coworkers highlights the importance of measuring hormones in critically ill patients. Endocrine alterations are frequently observed in severely ill patients, they relate to mortality, and of particular importance, as the current study showed, they improve our predictive ability when used in conjunction with well established severity scores. Further research is needed to validate such findings in a larger cohort comprising a wider range of ICU patients. In such a case it might be justified to incorporate a hormonal score to the already available scoring systems. References
Common trends in texture evolution of ultra-fine-grained hcp materials during equal channel angular extrusion

Abstract The present work compares the texture evolution of four different hexagonal close packed (hcp) materials (pure Zr, pure Be, AZ31 magnesium alloy and Ti–6Al–4V) subjected to one pass equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE). The resulting textures demonstrated a common feature where the basal poles were aligned along the most highly elongated direction of the sheared grains. The striking similarity between their texture evolutions irrespective of the initial material properties ( c / a ratio, grain size, texture) and processing conditions is attributed to the activity of a common plasticity mechanism, i.e. basal slip, as a result of the state and level of strain applied during ECAE.
Aluminum particle combustion in turbulent flames

Abstract Predictive mechanisms for particle ignition and combustion rates are required in order to develop optimized propellant and energetic formulations using micron-sized metal powders, such as aluminum. Most current descriptions are based on laboratory experiments performed in stationary or laminar combustion configurations. However, turbulent environments exist in most applications and validity of the present descriptions for such environments has not been established. This experimental study is aimed to measure burn times for aluminum particles burning in environments with different levels of turbulence. A laminar air-acetylene flame is produced, and auxiliary tangential jets of air with adjustable flow rates are used to achieve different controlled levels of turbulence. Fine spherical aluminum powder is injected in the flame axially using a flow of nitrogen. The streaks of burning particles are photographed using a camera placed behind a mechanical chopper interrupting the photo-exposure with a pre-set frequency. The obtained dashed streaks are used to measure the particle burn times for different flow conditions. The particle burn times are correlated with the particle size distribution to obtain the burn time as a function of the particle size. The results are processed to obtain a correction for the Al particle burn rate as a function of the turbulence intensity, I . The measured burn times are longer than predicted for the micron-sized Al particles using a correlation based on survey of earlier experiments, mostly with coarser Al powders. Increased turbulence intensity results in substantial reduction of the particle burn time. Present data suggest that the burn rate for particle combustion in a laminar environment should be multiplied by 1 + 18.2 I , to estimate the acceleration of aluminum combustion in turbulent environments.
Cyclic neutropenia and T lymphocyte suppression of granulopoiesis: abrogation of the neutropenic cycles by lithium carbonate.

Abstract To investigate the mechanisms of cyclic neutropenia, we studied the capacity of a patient's T lymphocytes (TL p ) to interact with monocyte-macrophages from her normal HLA-identical sibling (MO b ) in the elaboration of colony-stimulating activity (CSA). TL p obtained at the time of decreasing neutrophil counts, increased CSA elaboration ( p b . Increasing the TL p to MO b ratios to 3:1 or 5:1 progressively decreased CSA. Also, lithium carbonate, which ordinarily prevents concanavalin A activation of suppressor TL failed to do so, suggesting that preactivated suppressor TL were present in the patient while neutrophil levels were falling. In similar experiments performed while neutrophil levels were rising these activated suppressor TL were absent. These data suggest that some patients with cyclic neutropenia may have a cyclic increase in suppressor TL activity. As predicted by our in vitro experiments, lithium carbonate administration did not abrogate the first neutropenic cycle, but it did mitigate subsequent cycles.
Broad region of no sediment in the southwest Pacific Basin: COMMENT AND REPLY REPLY

We thank [Glasby (2007)][1] for his comments regarding the sedimentary history of the southwest Pacific Basin. Our definition of this region of extremely low deposition, which we termed a bare zone, was based largely on our two (not one, as noted by Glasby) north-south transects of the region, and
Crystal structure of a flavin-binding protein from Thermotoga maritima.

. TheTM379 structure is composed of two structural domainswith a single loop linkage in between. The N-terminaldomain (residues 2–134) adopts a typical nucleotide-binding fold (Rossmann fold). The C-terminal domain(residues 135–288) contains a six-stranded antiparallelBluntII-TOPO vector (Invitrogen) and the TM379 gene-barrel architecture. The C-terminal domain also in-cludes three -helices. Two of them are on the N-terminalend and one long helix is on the C-terminal end. The twoN-terminalhelicesarelocatedatthebottomofthe -barrelshown in Figure 1. The C-terminal helix runs across theside of the -barrel and is oriented approximately perpen-dicular to the -barrel’s axis.Structural homology search using DALI
Pebbles on Mars

Mars is a cold, dry place. Yet there is abundant evidence that fluvial (river) processes have carved the planet's surface; witness deep canyons, streamlined islands, and drainage networks. Most of these features formed more than 3 billion years ago, and a long line of research has led to the "warm and wet early Mars" hypothesis. The idea is that early Mars had a thicker atmosphere with an enhanced greenhouse effect that allowed stable liquid water and a hydrologic cycle to exist ( 1 ). The search for life on Mars, or at least conditions suitable for life, is predicated on this idea. Until now, no observations have unambiguously identified and characterized river-lain sediments, although the Mars Exploration Rovers turned up some evidence of a watery past ( 2 ). As the first major finding from the Mars Science Laboratory mission and its car-sized rover, Curiosity, Williams et al. ( 3 ) report on page 1068 of this issue the discovery of conglomerates on Mars—pebbles mixed with sand and turned to rock—resulting from ancient river deposits. The finding provides the clearest view yet on the nature of early martian rivers and should provide momentum for Curiosity's mission moving forward.
Simultaneous process synthesis, heat, power, and water integration of thermochemical hybrid biomass, coal, and natural gas facilities

Abstract A comprehensive wastewater network is introduced into a thermochemical based process superstructure that will convert biomass, coal, and natural gas to liquid (CBGTL) transportation fuels. The mixed-integer nonlinear optimization (MINLP) model includes simultaneous heat, power, and water integration that utilizes heat engines to recover electricity from waste heat and several treatment units to process and recycle wastewater. A total of 108 case studies are analyzed which consist of combinations of six coal feedstocks, three biomass feedstocks, three plant capacities, and two process superstructures. This study discusses important process topological differences between the case studies and illustrates each component of the process synthesis framework using the two medium-sized capacity case studies that have low-volatile bituminous coal and biomass feedstocks.
Self-scanned photodiode array: a multichannel spectrometric detector

The performance characteristics of a 1024-element self-scanned photodiode array, related to its use as a multichannel spectrometric detector are described. The parameters discussed include, spectral and temporal response, blooming, geometric accuracy, noise sources, dynamic range, signal integration and spectral as well as spatial resolution.
Lanthanum zirconate: A single buffer layer processed by solution deposition for coated conductor fabrication

A single layer of La2Zr2O7 (LZO), deposited on textured Ni and Ni–1.7% Fe–3% W (Ni–W) tapes by a low-cost sol-gel process, is used as buffer layer for the growth of YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) coated conductors. It is shown for the first time that such single buffer layers can be used for the deposition of YBCO yielding critical current densities (Jc) that are comparable to those typically obtained using CeO2/YSZ/Y2O2 trilayers on identical substrates, i.e., in excess of 1 MA/cm2 at 77 K and self-field. The properties of the YBCO films and the dependence of Jc on thickness of the LZO layer are investigated.
Discovering Associations between Climatic and Oceanic Parameters to Monitor Drought in Nebraska Using Data-Mining Techniques

Drought is a complex natural hazard that is best characterized by multiple climatological and hydrological parameters. Improving our understanding of the relationships between these parameters is necessary to reduce the impacts of drought. Data mining is a recently developed technique that can be used to interact with large databases and assist in the discovery of associations between drought and oceanic data by extracting information from massive and multiple data archives. In this study, a new data-mining algorithm [i.e., Minimal Occurrences With Constraints and Time Lags (MOWCATL)] has been used to identify the relationships between oceanic parameters and drought indices. Rather than using traditional global statistical associations, the algorithm identifies drought episodes separate from normal and wet conditions and then uses drought episodes to find time-lagged relationships with oceanic parameters. As with all association-based data-mining algorithms, MOWCATL is used to find existing relationships in the data, and is not by itself a prediction tool. Using the MOWCATL algorithm, the analyses of the rules generated for selected stations and stateaveraged data for Nebraska from 1950 to 1999 indicate that most occurrences of drought are preceded by positive values of the Southern Oscillation index (SOI), negative values of the multivariate ENSO index (MEI), negative values of the Pacific–North American (PNA) index, negative values of the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO), and negative values of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The frequency and confidence of the time-lagged relationships between oceanic indices and droughts at the selected stations in Nebraska indicate that oceanic parameters can be used as indicators of drought in Nebraska.
Gaze Control and Foot Kinematics During Stair Climbing: Characteristics Leading to Fall Risk in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

Background and Purpose: Does gaze control influence lower-extremity motor coordination in people with neurological deficits? The purpose of this study was to determine whether foot kinematics during stair climbing are influenced by gaze shifts prior to stair step initiation. Subjects and Methods: Twelve subjects with gaze palsy (mild versus severe) secondary to progressive supranuclear palsy were evaluated during a stair-climbing task in a cross-sectional study of mechanisms influencing eye-foot coordination. Infrared oculography and electromagnetic tracking sensors measured eye and foot kinematics, respectively. The primary outcome measures were vertical gaze fixation scores, foot lift asymmetries, and sagittal-plane foot trajectories. Results: The subjects with severe gaze palsy had significantly lower lag foot lift relative to lead foot lift than those with a mild form of gaze palsy. The lag foot trajectory for the subjects with severe gaze palsy tended to be low, with a heading toward contact with the edge of the stair. Subjects with severe gaze palsy were 28 times more likely to experience “fixation intrusion” (high vertical gaze fixation score) during an attempted shift of gaze downward than those with mild ocular motor deficits (odds ratio [OR]=28.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]=6.4–124.8). Subjects with severe gaze shift deficits also were 4 times more likely to have lower lag foot lift with respect to lead foot lift than those with mild ocular motor dysfunction (OR=4.0, 95% CI=1.7–9.7). Discussion and Conclusion: The small number of subjects and the variation in symptom profiles make the generalization of findings preliminary. Deficits in gaze control may influence stepping behaviors and increase the risk of trips or falls during stair climbing. Neural and kinematic hypotheses are discussed as possible contributing mechanisms.
Blood flow in guinea fowl Numida meleagris as an indicator of energy expenditure by individual muscles during walking and running

Running and walking are mechanically complex activities. Leg muscles must exert forces to support weight and provide stability, do work to accelerate the limbs and body centre of mass, and absorb work to act as brakes. Current understanding of energy use during legged locomotion has been limited by the lack of measurements of energy use by individual muscles. Our study is based on the correlation between blood flow and aerobic energy expenditure in active skeletal muscle during locomotion. This correlation is strongly supported by the available evidence concerning control of blood flow to active muscle, and the relationship between blood flow and the rate of muscle oxygen consumption. We used injectable microspheres to measure the blood flow to the hind-limb muscles, and other body tissues, in guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) at rest, and across a range of walking and running speeds. Combined with data concerning the various mechanical functions of the leg muscles, this approach has enabled the first direct estimates of the energetic costs of some of these functions. Cardiac output increased from 350 ml min(-1) at rest, to 1700 ml min(-1) at a running speed ( approximately 2.6 m s(-1)) eliciting a of 90% of . The increase in cardiac output was achieved via approximately equal factorial increases in heart rate and stroke volume. Approximately 90% of the increased cardiac output was directed to the active muscles of the hind limbs, without redistribution of blood flow from the viscera. Values of mass-specific blood flow to the ventricles, approximately 15 ml min(-1) g(-1), and one of the hind-limb muscles, approximately 9 ml min(-1) g(-1), were the highest yet recorded for blood flow to active muscle. The patterns of increasing blood flow with increasing speed varied greatly among different muscles. The increases in flow correlated with the likely fibre type distribution of the muscles. Muscles expected to have many high-oxidative fibres preferentially increased flow at low exercise intensities. We estimated substantial energetic costs associated with swinging the limbs, co-contraction to stabilize the knee and work production by the hind-limb muscles. Our data provide a basis for evaluating hypotheses relating the mechanics and energetics of legged locomotion.
Analysis of rail surfaces from a multishot railgun

The Naval Research Laboratory has initiated a program to study the effects of high power launch on railgun barrel materials. A rail used for 20 shots on the medium caliber launcher at the University of Texas at Austin Institute for Advanced Technology was analyzed using a variety of surface and bulk diagnostics. Initial results are presented.
Computerized Alerts Improve Outpatient Laboratory Monitoring of Transplant Patients

Authors evaluated the impact of computerized alerts on the quality of outpatient laboratory monitoring for transplant patients. For 356 outpatient liver transplant patients managed at LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City, this observational study compared traditional laboratory result reporting, using faxes and printouts, to computerized alerts implemented in 2004. Study alerts within the electronic health record notified clinicians of new results and overdue new orders for creatinine tests and immunosuppression drug levels. After implementing alerts, completeness of reporting increased from 66 to >99 %, as did positive predictive value that a report included new information (from 46 to >99 %). Timeliness of reporting and clinicians' responses improved after implementing alerts (p <0.001): median times for clinicians to receive and complete actions decreased to 9 hours from 33 hours using the prior traditional reporting system. Computerized alerts led to more efficient, complete, and timely management of laboratory information.
A toolbox for simulation of hybrid systems in matlab/simulink: hybrid equations (HyEQ) toolbox

This paper describes the Hybrid Equations (HyEQ) Toolbox implemented in Matlab/Simulink for the simulation of hy- brid dynamical systems. This toolbox is capable of comput- ing approximations of trajectories to hybrid systems given in terms of differential and difference equations with con- straints, called hybrid equations. The toolbox is suitable for the simulation of hybrid systems with different type of trajectories, including those that are Zeno and that have multiple jumps at the same instant. It is also capable of simulating hybrid systems without inputs, with inputs, as well as interconnections of hybrid systems. The structure, components, and usage of the simulation scripts within the toolbox are described. Examples are included to illustrate the main capabilities of the toolbox.
Genomic database resources for Dictyostelium discoideum

Dictyostelium is an attractive model system for the study of mechanisms basic to cellular function or complex multicellular developmental processes. Recent advances in Dictyostelium genomics have generated a wide spectrum of resources. However, much of the current genomic sequence information is still not currently available through GenBank or related databases. Thus, many investigators are unaware that extensive sequence data from Dictyostelium has been compiled, or of its availability and access. Here, we discuss progress in Dictyostelium genomics and gene annotation, and highlight the primary portals for sequence access, manipulation and analysis (http://genome.imb-jena.de/dictyostelium/; http://dictygenome.bcm.tmc.edu/; http://www.sanger. ac.uk/Projects/D_discoideum/; http://www.csm.biol. tsukuba.ac.jp/cDNAproject.html).
Can a light beam be considered to be the sum of a completely polarized and a completely unpolarized beam

In a classic paper that may be regarded as the starting point of polarization optics, G. G. Stokes [Trans. Cambridge Philos. Soc.9, 399 (1852)] presented a theorem according to which any light beam is equivalent to the sum of two light beams, one of which is completely polarized and the other completely unpolarized. We show that Stokes' proof of this theorem is flawed. We present a condition for the theorem to be valid.
Group Beneficial Norms Can Spread Rapidly in a Structured Population

Group beneficial norms are common in human societies. The persistence of such norms is consistent with evolutionary game theory, but existing models do not provide a plausible explanation for why they are common. We show that when a model of imitation used to derive replicator dynamics in isolated populations is generalized to allow for population structure, group beneficial norms can spread rapidly under plausible conditions. We also show that this mechanism allows recombination of different group beneficial norms arising in different populations.
Role of neuronal plasticity after spinal cord injury for neurorobotic control

The design of a brain machine interface for the restoration of lower limb control after spinal cord injury involves the restoration of cortical control of the spinal circuits responsible for this movement. However little is known about how these cortical circuits are modified by spinal cord injury. For this purpose we trained rats to perform a skilled hindlimb task and examined how the activity of the neurons in the hindlimb cortex encodes this movement. In this paper we used a method to quantitatively measure the amount of information encoded by the neuronal ensembles about the specific kinematics of movement. Our results show that the cortical firing patterns can encode for intention to move with or without actual limb movement, before and after a complete spinal transection.
Performance of Sub-micron Gate Length InAlP Native Oxide GaAs-channel MOSFETs

GaAs based MOSFETs have attracted significant interest as a potential technology for both digital and RF applications. Among many candidate gate insulating materials, the native oxide of InAlP offers a low leakage current and modest interface state density while at the same time being simple to fabricate and offering a path to low-cost devices. Both enhancement-mode and depletion-mode MOSFETs with gate lengths > 1 mum have been demonstrated with InAlP native oxide gate dielectrics. We present here the first sub-micron gate length InAlP native oxide GaAs-channel devices, with record microwave performance.
Chromatin Configuration Within the Germinal Vesicle of Horse Oocytes: Changes Post Mortem and Relationship to Meiotic and Developmental Competence

We evaluated the relationship of initial chromatin configuration to time of oocyte recovery and to nuclear maturation after culture in horse oocytes having compact (Cp) and expanded (Ex) cumuli. In addition, we evaluated the effect of oocyte type, time of recovery, and duration of culture on blastocyst development after intracytoplasmic sperm injection. In oocytes collected within 1 h of slaughter, fibrillar and intermediate chromatin configurations were more prevalent in Cp than in Ex oocytes (68% and 12%, respectively). In Cp oocytes collected after a 5- to 9-h delay, the proportions in the fibrillar and intermediate configurations decreased significantly, and the proportions of degenerating and homogeneously fluorescent configurations increased. When cultured, 20% of oocytes classified as having fibrillar chromatin resumed meiosis, whereas 82% of intermediate and 81% to 86% of condensed chromatin oocytes did so. Meiotic resumption was higher in oocytes recovered immediately after slaughter, but these oocytes took longer to mature. Duration of maturation significantly affected blastocyst development rates in Cp oocytes recovered after a delay (13% and 38% for oocytes matured 24 and 36 h, respectively). Oocytes recovered after a delay had higher blastocyst development rates than did those collected immediately after slaughter. We conclude that the fibrillar and intermediate chromatin configurations may degenerate during ovary storage, resulting in decreased maturation rates, especially of Cp oocytes. Time of oocyte recovery and duration of maturation significantly affect the rate of blastocyst development. Oocytes with Cp and Ex cumuli have similar developmental competence to the blastocyst stage.
Composing dialogues to express self‐differentiation and Burke's rhetoric: A way to comprehend multilevel inner growth

This essay responds to the fact that many gifted learners choose to compose dialogues to express and enact the self‐differentiation that accompanies multilevel inner growth. By discussing the level of consciousness at which dialogue composition begins and by recognizing the characteristics of gifted learners who compose dialogues, the essay also discusses why and how Burke's rhetoric of empathic identification offers them an interpretation practice that meets their educational and emotional needs. The discussion unfolds several questions for further research.
An Exploration of the Relationship between Performance, Decision Making, and Structure

A management simulation exercise plus a field study were used to analyze the relationship between performance, decision-making processes, and emergent organizational structure. It was found that lower performing organizations relied more on “inspired” decisions, took less time for the process, and were more formally structured. However, the increase in structure and lowered satisfaction tended to follow performance changes rather than cause them.
Grid depth dependence of the characteristics of vertical channel field controlled thyristors

Abstract The effect of changing grid depth upon the characteristics of vertical channel field controlled thyristors has been experimentally studied. It is found that increasing the grid depth results in an exponential increase in the differential blocking gain, and a significant decrease in the turn-off time, with no detrimental effect upon the forward conduction characteristics.
Groups in Schutz: The Concrete Meaning Structure of the Socio-Historical World

Schutz is well-known for his social-psychological description of how an individual self relates to “consociates,” “contemporaries,” “predecessors,” and “successors,” but there are rudiments as well in his oeuvre of an account of groups or collectivities that can be developed analogously to show how groups can share space and time like consociates, share only time like contemporaries, and not share time (but could share space) like a group in relation to its dead predecessors and not-yet founded successors. This aspect deserves exploration because individuals apart from their memberships in voluntary and existential groups are abstract and the concrete has of course ontological priority.
Handling verb phrase morphology in highly inflected Indian languages for Machine Translation

The phrase based systems for machine translation are limited by the phrases that they see during the training. For highly inflected languages, it is uncommon to see all the forms of a word in the parallel corpora used during training. This problem is amplified for verbs in highly inflected languages where the correct form of the word depends on factors like gender, number and tense aspect. We propose a solution to augment the phrase table with all possible forms of a verb for improving the overall accuracy of the MT system. Our system makes use of simple stemmers and easily available monolingual data to generate new phrase table entries that cover the different variations seen for a verb. We report significant gains in BLEU for English to Hindi translation.
The Host's Reply to Candida Biofilm.

Candida spp. are among the most common nosocomial fungal pathogens and are notorious for their propensity toward biofilm formation. When growing on a medical device or mucosal surface, these organisms reside as communities embedded in a protective matrix, resisting host defenses. The host responds to Candida biofilm by depositing a variety of proteins that become incorporated into the biofilm matrix. Compared to free-floating Candida, leukocytes are less effective against Candida within a biofilm. This review highlights recent advances describing the host’s response to Candida biofilms using ex vivo and in vivo models of mucosal and device-associated biofilm infections.
Ahead of the Curve: Implementation Challenges in Personalized Learning School Models:

In the current educational context, school models that leverage technology to personalize instruction have proliferated, as has student enrollment in, and funding of, such school models. However, even the best laid plans are subject to challenges in design and practice, particularly in the dynamic context of a school. In this collective case study, we identify challenges, disruptions, and contradictions as they occur across schools engaged in implementing technology-mediated personalized learning. Using cultural historical activity theory—a theoretical framework concerned with the individual and contextual factors influencing school change—to frame the analysis, we also examine some of the structural and contextual sources of these disruptions and contradictions. Our findings enable us to offer recommendations for policymakers and for practitioners engaged in implementing personalized learning models, as well as directions for future research on this topic.
Some Non-Catenulate Conidial Phycomycetes Preying on Terricolous Amoebae

(1935). Some Non-Catenulate Conidial Phycomycetes Preying on Terricolous Amoebae. Mycologia: Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 176-205.