cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of cadmium on the root and nodule ultrastructure of Alnus rubra.

Abstract Alnus rubra (Bong.) was grown for three months in a greenhouse and given 0, 6, 12, 31 and 62 μg cadmium/litre of nitrogen-free nutrient solution for 11 weeks. Segments of nodules and secondary roots were collected from plants grown at the different Cd levels. Thin sections were made for transmission electron microscopy and the ultrastructure of root and nodule cells was then investigated. Endophyte resorption advanced in the nodules and the number of starch grains in root xylem parenchyma cells tripled as the cadmium concentration increased from 12 to 62 μg/litre of nutrient solution. Nucleoli increased in prominence in the nuclei of the root xylem parenchyma cells as the cadmium concentration in the nutrient solution was raised from 12 to 62 μg/litre. Observations of root and nodule cell ultrastructure of Alnus rubra suggest that cadmium exerts its toxic effect in roots and nodules by decreasing the number of endophyte structures capable of fixing nitrogen and reducing the rate of respiration and growth by host plant cells.
SU-FF-J-60: Evaluation of the Three Dimensional Localization Accuracy Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography of Varian On-Board Imager (OBI)

Purpose: To evaluate 3 dimensional (3D) localization accuracy using cone‐beam computed tomography of a Varian On‐Board Imager (OBI) in a phantom study. Methods and Material: An anthromorphic pelvic phantom was used to simulate an actual patient positioning scenario. The possible patient shifts were simulated by moving the treatment couch on which the phantom was placed and immobilized. While the phantom was shifted from its planning position, a CBCT scan was taken, and 3D/3D matching was performed. The CBCT 3D volumetric image was registered with the planning CTimages to reveal the displacement of the real phantom position from its planning position (i.e., the positioning error of the phantom). Then, the phantom position was automatically re‐positioned to compensate for the detected shift. Afterward, a second CBCT scan was taken, and 3D/3D matching was performed again to verify the re‐positioning accuracy (should be zero). A range of 3D translations are simulated and the corresponding positioning accuracy using CBCT of the OBI system was examined. Results: The results for translational shifts indicate that CBCT‐based 3D/3D matching is capable of detecting displacements ranging from 1mm to 10mm, and the accuracy is within 1mm. After re‐positioning of phantom, the phantom is positioned within 1mm from its planning position. Conclusion: The current results indicate that CBCT is capable of detecting positioning errors within 1 mm in three translation directions. More characteristics is to be investigated in the future, such as rotational shifts, image quality (slice thickness), treatment site (other than pelvic), and others. The study is partially supported by a Varian research grant.
A study of rancidity of olive oils

The Wheeler test for peroxides proved to be relatively the most reliable method for the examination of olive oils for rancidity.
BEYOND ESSAY LENGTH: EVALUATING E-RATER®'S PERFORMANCE ON TOEFL® ESSAYS

This study examines the relation between essay length and holistic scores assigned to Test of English as a Foreign Language™ (TOEFL®) essays by e-rater®, the automated essay scoring system developed by ETS. Results show that an early version of the system, e-rater99, accounted for little variance in human reader scores beyond that which could be predicted by essay length. A later version of the system, e-rater01, performs significantly better than its predecessor and is less dependent on length due to its greater reliance on measures of topical content and of complexity and diversity of vocabulary. Essay length was also examined as a possible explanation for differences in scores among examinees with native languages of Spanish, Arabic, and Japanese. Human readers and e-rater01 show the same pattern of differences for these groups, even when effects of length are controlled.
Magnitude of harvest of Atlantic horseshoe crabs,Limulus polyphemus, in Pleasant Bay, Massachusetts

Atlantic horseshoe crabs,Limulus polyphemus, are currently harvested for biomedical, scientific, and bait purposes. In recent years, changes in population abundance and magnitude of harvesting have raised concerns about the status of this resource. We found horseshoe crab harvest in Pleasant Bay, Massachusetts, was selective by sex and size. Biomedical harvest preferred larger individuals and females, the scientific harvest preferred smaller individuals and males, and the bait harvest preferred females. Total 2001 harvest for all purposes accounted for the mortality of ∼1–2% the adult population. Biomedical harvest accounted for the greatest loss of horseshoe crabs from Pleasant Bay, ∼1–1.6% of the total population. Although biomedical harvest had the lowest associated mortality rate (∼10–15%), many more crabs were harvested from Pleasant Bay for biomedical purposes than for other uses. The scientific harvest accounted for the mortality of ∼0.4% of the population, and bait harvest accounted for the smallest mortality at ∼0.06% of the population. Harvest mortality rate was estimated to be lower in Pleasant Bay than in other Cape Cod areas and may be lower than natural mortality in the population. This study is the first qualitative investigation of commercial harvest on horseshoe crab populations and emphasizes that harvest pressures on different populations need to be individually evaluated.
Efficient mapping and implementation of matrix algorithms on a hypercube

It is well known that parallelism by itself does not lead to higher speeds. This study shows how to put parallelism to best use, that is, how to find an optimal balance between communication and computation overheads for two parallel matrix algorithms. The problem graph for matrix algorithms analyzed in this paper is a two-dimensional grid (toroidal mesh) which is mapped onto a hypercube topology. To perform matrix operations on a hypercube, a matrix is partitioned into several submatrices which are stored and manipulated in the nodes. We seek to find an optimal matrix partitioning to minimize overall execution time. The NCUBE parallel machine is used for experimental performance evaluation. For matrix multiplication, we derive an exact analytical model to determine the optimal partitioning size and perform its experimental verification on the NCUBE parallel processor. For a parallel Gaussian elimination known as the balanced algorithm, we present performance measurements and an approximate analytical model for performance evaluation. Our analyses show that the optimal submatrix size is typically small and does not depend on the original matrix size.
Phospholipid and glyceride biosynthesis in 2,4,5,2′,4′,5′-Hexachlorobiphenyl-treated human skin fibroblasts

Abstract 2,4,5,2′,4′,5′-Hexachlorobiphenyl (HCB) was taken up by cultured human skin fibroblasts (A61437; GM488). HCB caused enhanced incorporation of [2- 14 C]acetate into phospholipids and glycerides at low concentration and reduced incorporation at high concentrations. sn -[U- 14 C]Glycerol-3-phosphate incorporation into phospholipids was inhibited. No significant change in total cellular phospholipids was observed. Triglyceride cellular content was increased 29%. The observed stimulation and inhibition of phosphoglyceride synthesis are similar to results obtained with rat liver microsomes.
The Micro-Ring semiprecision attachment for mandibular staple bone implant prostheses

Abstract This technique offers the following advantages: 1. The Micro-Ring is a semiprecision attachment that, while providing sufficient retention, is resilient enough to avoid excessive stress to the implant. 2. The entire attachment procedure may be done chairside with a substantial cost reduction to the patient. 3. The intraoral bulk is dramatically reduced, improving the esthetics of the finished prosthesis. 4. Oral hygiene maintenance is facilitated. 5. Replacement of a Micro-Ring is a simple clinical procedure, should that be necessary. Some caution with this technique should be observed since overreducing the staple threaded pin will decrease or eliminate the retention provided by the O-ring. Although the two staple pins are not splinted together to form a rigid metal ☐, as advocated by Small, 1 this does not present a major problem. Because the Micro-Ring is a resilient attachment, the denture is tissue borne and the anterior teeth are arranged with minimal or no anterior guidance, thereby minimizing potential stress to the implant.
Age-Specific Factors Influencing Asthma Management by Older Adults

Although many asthma patients experience their first attack after age 40, the experiences and concerns of older adults with asthma remain largely unknown. We conducted six focus groups, each consisting of participants over the age of 65 with a physician diagnosis of asthma. Semistructured questions regarding asthma education, symptoms, and management were used. A total of 46 adults participated in the six focus groups. The mean age of the participants was 72.6 years, and 43.5% were African American. The majority of participants had coexisting cardiac disease or hypertension. Major age-specific domains identified in all focus groups were atypical asthma symptoms, inability to distinguish asthma from other medical conditions, use of complementary and alternative therapies, desire for independence in asthma management, and a lack of participation in asthma education. Participants acknowledged that they did not commonly address these issues with their physicians or with family members. Optimal care will require physicians and researchers to explicitly address these issues unique to the geriatric asthmatic population.
The Role of Oxidized Low Density Lipoprotein in Atherogenesis

An elevated level of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol constitutes a major risk factor for atherosclerotic disease. Although the precise mechanism(s) via which LDL promotes atherogenesis remains to be elucidated, the oxidative modification of LDL may be a crucial mechanism. Several lines of evidence support a role for oxidatively modified LDL in atherogenesis. LDL can be oxidatively modified in cell-free systems by transition metals and by all the major cells of the arterial wall. Oxidatively modified LDL (Ox-LDL) is taken up by macrophage scavenger receptors, promoting cholesterol ester accumulation and foam cell formation. It also promotes atherosclerosis by recruitment and retention of monocytes in the intima, by its cytotoxicity toward endothelial cells and by stimulating monocyte adhesion to the endothelium. Several lines of evidence support the in vivo existence of Ox-LDL. The LDL of patients with atherosclerosis are more prone to oxidation; antibodies against epitopes on Ox-LDL have been positively correlated with the progression of atherosclerosis. The oxidation of LDL has been shown to be reduced by antioxidants, and in animal models, these antioxidants decrease atherosclerotic lesion formation. Thus, much evidence supports a role for oxidized LDL in atherogenesis.
An Energy-Efficient Data Collection Protocol for Mobile Sensor Networks

Data collection at the sink node from the surrounding sensor nodes is an important step in most of the wireless sensor network (WSN) applications. Most of existing data gathering protocols work well only when the sensor nodes are relatively immobile. In this paper, we propose an energy efficient data collection protocol, referred to as low-energy dynamic cluster selection (LEDCS), for gathering data from mobile nodes. We introduce a dynamic cluster structure so that when a node has data to transmit for the sink, it is able to join the nearest cluster-head. We provide analytical results on the delay characteristics of the proposed protocol and compare the simulations results with two recently proposed protocols: LEACH-IR and CM-IR. We show that when the nodes are mobile, with the increase in the velocity of sensor nodes the total amount of data received by the sink in LEDCS is up to 80% and 52% higher than LEACH-IR and CM-IR, respectively, assuming the same energy budget at each node in all the protocols.
Treatment of recurrent metatarsalgia by neuroma resection and muscle implantation: Case report and proposed algorithm of management for Morton's “neuroma”

This report describes the theoretical basis for an approach to treating a recurrent Morton's "neuroma." The recurrence, being a true, classic neuroma, is treated by a technique validated in the treatment of the upper extremity painful neuroma: neuroma resection and muscle implantation. A plantar approach, implanting into the deep layer of intrinsics, was used. The three year success of this technique in a long-distance runner is reported.
Lipids and the ocular lens

The unusually high levels of saturation and thus order contribute to the uniqueness of human lens membranes. In addition, and unlike in most biomembranes, most of the lens lipids are associated with proteins, thus reducing their mobility. The major phospholipid of the human lens is dihydrosphingomyelin. Found in significant quantities only in primate lenses, particularly human ones, this lipid is so extremely stable that it was reported to be the only lipid remaining in a frozen mammoth 40,000 years after its death. Unusually high levels of cholesterol add peculiarity to the composition of lens membranes. Beyond the lateral segregation of lipids into dynamic domains known as rafts, the high abundance of cholesterol in the human lens leads to the formation of patches of pure cholesterol. Changes in human lens lipid composition with age and disease as well as differences among species are greater than those observed for any other biomembrane. The relationships among lens membrane composition, structure, and lipid conformation reviewed in this article are unique to the mammalian lens and offer exciting insights into lens membrane function. This review focuses on findings reported over the last two decades that demonstrate the uniqueness of mammalian lens membranes regarding their morphology and composition. Becaue the membranes of human lenses do undergo the most dramatic changes with age and cataractogenesis, the final sections of this review address our current knowledge of the unusual composition and organization of adult human lens membranes with and without opacification. Finally, the questions that still remain to be answered are presented.
A New Approach for Quantitative Phosphoproteomic Dissection of Signaling Pathways Applied to T Cell Receptor Activation

Reversible protein phosphorylation plays a pivotal role in the regulation of cellular signaling pathways. Current approaches in phosphoproteomics focus on analysis of the global phosphoproteome in a single cellular state or of receptor stimulation time course experiments, often with a restricted number of time points. Although these studies have provided some insights into newly discovered phosphorylation sites that may be involved in pathways, they alone do not provide enough information to make precise predictions of the placement of individual phosphorylation events within a signaling pathway. Protein disruption and site-directed mutagenesis are essential to clearly define the precise biological roles of the hundreds of newly discovered phosphorylation sites uncovered in modern proteomics experiments. We have combined genetic analysis with quantitative proteomic methods and recently developed visual analysis tools to dissect the tyrosine phosphoproteome of isogenic Zap-70 tyrosine kinase null and reconstituted Jurkat T cells. In our approach, label-free quantitation using normalization to copurified phosphopeptide standards is applied to assemble high density temporal data within a single cell type, either Zap-70 null or reconstituted cells, providing a list of candidate phosphorylation sites that change in abundance after T cell stimulation. Stable isotopic labeling of amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) ratios are then used to compare Zap-70 null and reconstituted cells across a time course of receptor stimulation, providing direct information about the placement of newly observed phosphorylation sites relative to Zap-70. These methods are adaptable to any cell culture signaling system in which isogenic wild type and mutant cells have been or can be derived using any available phosphopeptide enrichment strategy.
Turnover Cost and the Distribution of slave Labor in Anglo-America

In the eighteenth-century British Empire and the antebellum South, slaves were concentrated in domestic service and rural enterprises like agriculture and ironworks. I argue that employers in these sectors chose to employ slaves rather than free labor because they faced especially high turnover costs—that is, costs of searching for a worker and going without labor when a free worker quit or was fired. In the absence of slavery, these sectors were marked by other institutions designed to deal with turnover costs: indentured servitude, employment agencies, and deferred compensation.
Recovery of Infectious Pariacoto Virus from cDNA Clones and Identification of Susceptible Cell Lines

Pariacoto virus (PaV) is a nodavirus that was recently isolated in Peru from the Southern armyworm, Spodoptera eridania. Virus particles are non enveloped and about 30 nm in diameter and have T=3 icosahedral symmetry. The 3.0-Å crystal structure shows that about 35% of the genomic RNA is icosahedrally ordered, with the RNA forming a dodecahedral cage of 25-nucleotide (nt) duplexes that underlie the inner surface of the capsid. The PaV genome comprises two single-stranded, positive-sense RNAs: RNA1 (3,011 nt), which encodes the 108-kDa catalytic subunit of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and RNA2 (1,311 nt), which encodes the 43-kDa capsid protein precursor α. In order to apply molecular genetics to the structure and assembly of PaV, we identified susceptible cell lines and developed a reverse genetic system for this virus. Cell lines that were susceptible to infection by PaV included those from Spodoptera exigua, Helicoverpa zea and Aedes albopictus, whereas cells from Drosophila melanogaster and Spodoptera frugiperda were refractory to infection. To recover virus from molecular clones, full-length cDNAs of PaV RNAs 1 and 2 were cotranscribed by T7 RNA polymerase in baby hamster kidney cells that expressed T7 RNA polymerase. Lysates of these cells were infectious both for cultured cells from Helicoverpa zea (corn earworm) and for larvae of Galleria mellonella (greater wax moth). The combination of infectious cDNA clones, cell culture infectivity, and the ability to produce milligram amounts of virus allows the application of DNA-based genetic methods to the study of PaV structure and assembly.
Novel interconnect modeling by using high-order compact finite difference methods

The high-order compact finite difference (HCFD) method is adapted for interconnect modeling. Based on the compact finite difference method, the HCFD method employs the Chebyshev polynomials to construct the approximation framework for interconnect discretization, and leads to improved equivalent-circuit models. The HCFD-based modeling requires far fewer intervening grid points for building an accurate discrete model of the transmission line than other numerical methods like traditional Finite Difference (FD) method. It is believed that given the number of state variables, the presented method gives more accurate results than other known passive discrete modeling methods. The theoretical proof shows that HCFD-based modeling preserves the passivity.
Latinos, the Academic Ethic, and the Transition to College

Research on the academic ethic of Latino college students has not yet been conducted. In order to begin filling this gap in the literature, we surveyed Latino students at a state university to determine whether those who had an academic ethic in high school performed better in college. We also assessed the perceived helpfulness of a variety of factors (1st-year seminar, freshman orientation, parents, peers, high school teachers and guidance counselors, college professors, etc.) in students' experience transitioning from high school to college. Implications of the findings for future research are discussed.
An area minimizer for floorplans with L-shaped regions

Given a floorplan with L-shaped regions, the problem considered is to choose an implementation from a set of possible implementations for each module such that the resultant floorplan will have minimum area, subject to the constraint that the dual polar graphs of the floorplan must be preserved. The concept of a cut line is extended, and eight types of cut lines that are used to decompose floorplans with L-shaped regions are defined. An O(n/sup 3/) time algorithm for deciding whether a given floorplan is decomposable is presented. A heuristic algorithm, which uses the cut tree obtained by the decomposition algorithm to solve the area minimization problem, is proposed. For floorplans that can not be decomposed by the decomposition algorithm, a branch-and-bound algorithm can be incorporated into the algorithm to solve the area minimization problem. The results obtained are superior to those obtained by running an existing mathematical programming package for at least 1 h, and the execution time is less than 3 min for the most complex test problem. >
Distance from the Gulf Influences Survival and Growth of Three Barrier Island Dune Plants

Abstract After hurricane overwash, restoration of dune ecosystems requires information on when, where, and how to replace plants removed by storms. Survival and subsequent growth of Schizachyrium maritimum (Chapman) Nash, Morella cerifera (L. Small), and Ceratiola ericoides Michx., transplanted at increasing distances from the Gulf of Mexico (92, 124, 179, and 200 m landward of the Gulf) with increasing protection from salt spray and desiccating winds by developing dunes, were evaluated. Survival and growth was followed for 15 months. Schizachyrium maritimum survival and growth was high regardless of distance from the Gulf. Ceratiola ericoides and M. cerifera did not survive when planted 92 m from the Gulf behind embryo dunes approximately 0.5–1 m tall. Foliage loss was noted at all distances but survival and regrowth were higher at 170 and 200 m behind two to three ridges of embryo dunes 0.5–1 m tall.
North America‐Pacific Plate Boundary, An elastic‐plastic megashear: evidence from Very Long Baseline Interferometry

Data obtained by Mark III VLBI measurements of radio signals from permanent and mobile VLBI sites for 5.5 years of observations, starting in October 1982, were used to derive a picture of the earth crust deformation near the North America-Pacific plate boundary. The data, which included the vector positions of the VLBI sites and their rate of change, were used for comparison with a number of lithospheric deformation models based upon the concept that the motions of points near the North America-Pacific plate boundary are a linear combination of North America and Pacific velocities. The best of these models were found to fit 95 percent of the variance in 139 VLBI length and transverse velocity observations. Instantaneous shear deformation associated with plate tectonics is apparently developing in a zone 450 km wide paralleling the San Andreas Fault; some of this deformation will be recovered through elastic rebound, while the rest will be permanently set through plastic processes. Because the VLBI data have not been collected for a significant fraction of the earthquake cycle, they cannot discriminate between elastic and plastic behaviors.
Ultra low profile wideband antenna with ferrite loading

As is well known, traditional HF/VUF/UHF antennas are often protruding and have large size blades, which are greater than 1 meter tall. Such obtrusive antennas are undesirable for modern aircraft. Therefore, there is a strong need for low profile antennas that can still operate efficiently at HF/VUF/UHF bands. This paper presents ultra low profile wideband antenna operating from 30MHz to 400MHz. The aperture diameter and height are 24” and 2”, respectively, which are λ/16 and λ/200 in electrical size at 30MHz. Without question, such an extremely small height presents us with wide significant design challenges particularly, as the antenna must deliver V.P. radiation along the horizon as depicted in Fig. 1. The main goal of this design is to have −15dB realized gain along horizon at the lowest frequency, which is close to the theoretical limit [1], and a nominal gain of 0dB at higher frequencies (see Fig. 2). A key aspect of our design is the use of ferrite loading. It is shown that strategically placed ferrite loading increases realized gain up to the theoretical limit.
Borderline issues: social and material aspects of design

The shared use of artifacts is, we argue, supported by latent border resources, which lie beyond what is usually recognized as the canonical artifact. These unnoticed resources are developed over time as artifacts are integrated into ongoing practice and stable conventions or genres grow up around them. For a couple of reasons, these resources may now deserve increased attention. First, because they lie outside conventional frames of reference, many new designs and design strategies inadvertently threaten to remove resources on which users rely. Second, because of the increasingly rapid proliferation of new technologies, users have less time to develop new border resources. Consequently, we suggest, designers now need to understand more fully the role border resources play and to work more directly to help users develop them. Meeting these goals will require more than an intensification of user-centered design. It will require a fundamental redirection of the way many designers look at both artifacts and users.
Systemic Exposure to Aminoglycosides following Knee and Hip Arthroplasty with Aminoglycoside-Loaded Bone Cement Implants:

BACKGROUND:Aminoglycoside-loaded bone cement (ALBC) implants are frequently used in orthopedic surgery. Parenteral aminoglycosides are known to cause nephrotoxicity. Reports of acute renal failure in patients receiving ALBC implants have been reported in the literature and at our hospital.OBJECTIVE:To evaluate, as part of a performance improvement project, whether patients undergoing arthroplasty procedures have detectable aminoglycoside serum concentrations following ALBC implantation and to evaluate corresponding changes in serum creatinine.METHODS:Patients undergoing hip or knee revision or resection4-up clinic visit when possible.RESULTS:Seventeen patients were evaluated: 13 women and 4 men with a mean age of 69 years (range 50-84). Eight patients had a preoperative diagnosis of infection and received high-dose ALBC implants as treatment and 9 patients received lower-dose ALBC implants for infection prophylaxis. Eight patients had detectable aminoglycoside serum concentrations (mean 0.42 μg/mL; range ...
Chronology, Succession, and Sovereignty: The Politics of Inka Historiography and Its Modern Interpretation

Western scholars have long identified the existence of writing systems as a near-universal characteristic of high civilization, with Tawantinsuyu, the Inka empire, representing the only significant exception.1 Although writing was absent in the pre-Hispanic Andes, there existed the means of recording administrative information and preserving narratives of the past. Inka imperial overseers and specialized record-keepers produced tribute levies, population counts, and assessments of provincial development potential, using a system of knotted cords (a khipu) as their principal device.2 Such records fulfilled bureaucratic and administrative functions that were satisfied in other societies by writing; however, the maintenance of narratives of the Inka past contrasts with these practices in its hybrid use of oral tradition in consultation with similar record keeping devices.
Incorporation of frequency-dependent multiport lumped networks into a hybrid time-domain finite-element solver

In modern circuit design, hybrid field-circuit solvers that combine a full-wave analysis and a lumped circuit simulation become indispensable for accurate characterization of complicated microwave circuits that include both distributive and lumped circuit subsystems. In some applications, lumped circuit might have been predesigned and characterized compactly in terms of frequency-dependent multiport network matrices which are often referred to as lumped networks. Recently, lumped networks have been incorporated into a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) scheme [1] and a hybrid time-domain integral equation solver [2]. In this paper, we present an accurate and efficient algorithm to incorporate multiport lumped networks into a hybrid field-circuit solver based on the time-domain finite-element method (TDFEM) [3]. By casting its admittance matrix into the time-stepping equations, a lumped-network subsystem is formulated and then interfaced with the FEM subsystem through the FEM edges and the circuit subsystem through circuit nodes. The lumped-network port voltages are explicitly set to be the same as those computed from the FEM (or circuit) subsystem while its port currents are used as impressed current excitations along the associated FEM edges (or through the related circuit nodes). Finally, all the lumped-network port variables are eliminated to form a global system for only the FEM and circuit unknowns. The proposed algorithm provides a systematic and efficient scheme for incorporating lumped networks into the TDFEM analysis and thus significant extends the modeling capability and improves the simulation efficiency of the existing hybrid field-circuit solver.
Deadly combination of genes and drought: increased mortality of herbivore‐resistant trees in a foundation species

Current climate models predict a shift to warmer, drier conditions in the southwestern US. While major shifts in plant distribution are expected to follow these climate changes, interactions among species and intraspecific genetic variation rarely have been incorporated into models of future plant distributions. We examined the drought-related mortality of pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) in northern Arizona focusing on trees that showed genetically-based resistance or susceptibility to a nonlethal herbivore, the shoot-boring moth, Dioryctria albovittella. Because moth resistant trees have outperformed susceptible trees during 20 years of study, and herbivory has been shown to increase drought related mortality, we expected higher mortality rates in susceptible trees. However, our field observations and greenhouse experiments showed several unexpected patterns relevant to understanding the consequences of climate change: (1) The mortality of adult P. edulis resistant to the moth was three times higher than the mortality of trees susceptible to the moth. (2) Over a few years, differential mortality caused a shift in stand structure from resistant dominated to equality (3 :1 resistant: -susceptible to 1: 1). (3) Adult moth resistant trees suffered significantly greater water stress than adult moth susceptible trees, suggesting that variation among the two groups in drought tolerance may be a mechanism for differential mortality. (4) When grown under drought conditions in the greenhouse, seedlings from resistant mothers died sooner than seedlings from susceptible mothers. These data support the hypothesis that drought can act as an agent of balancing selection and that drought resistance is a heritable trait. Taken together, our findings suggest that genetic variation in a population can be an important factor in determining its response to future climate change, and argue for the inclusion of genetics into models developed to understand the consequences of climate change.
Towards Consistency of Policy States in Decentralized Autonomic Network Management

Autonomic network management is a vision that brings autonomic computing principles to network management. In this vision, the use of policies is a key aspect. Besides, it is necessary some level of decentralization to enable broad autonomic capabilities. However, the consistency of policy states among autonomic management elements is an important challenge. In this paper we introduce multi-agent truth maintenance features in decentralized autonomic network management as a mechanism to bring consistency maintenance of policy states. We developed a model of a decentralized autonomic network management system on Peersim to perform simulation experiments. Besides, the utilization of policies in P2P-based autonomic network management systems is presented as case study.
Thyroid carcinoma metastases to axillary lymph nodes: report of two rare cases of papillary and medullary thyroid carcinoma and literature review.

ABSTRACT Objective Axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) are a rare manifestation of thyroid carcinoma; only 16 cases are in the published literature. This study adds two additional patients, one involving differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and one case involving medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). The limited information on this topic in the literature is also reviewed. Methods In case 1, a 56-year-old female diagnosed in 2004 with stage IV PTC (lung and rib metastases) underwent total thyroidectomy (TTx) and received radioiodine and antineoplastics for progression in the lung, liver, and chest wall (2008-2011). In 2012, screening mammography detected multiple axillary masses corresponding to ALNs on magnetic resonance imaging. After fine-needle aspiration biopsy demonstrated metastatic PTC, the patient underwent right ALN dissection and is currently with stable disease. In case 2, a 59-year-old male diagnosed in 2011 with stage III MTC underwent TTx and bilateral modified lymph node (LN) dissection for cervical LN metastases. Three months later, a positron emission tomography scan revealed hypermetabolic ALNs confirmed by excisional biopsy as metastatic MTC. A completion left ALN dissection and supraclavicular LN excision was performed and the patient is currently with stable disease. Results Sixteen reports of ALN metastases from thyroid cancer exist in the literature: 11 PTC, 2 mucoepidermoid carcinoma variants, and 1 each of follicular thyroid carcinoma, MTC, and poorly differentiated mucin-producing adenocarcinoma. This study reports the second case of MTC metastatic to ALNs. Conclusion Thyroid cancer ALN metastases are rare representations of distant metastatic disease. Complete surgical resection remains the standard of care for all MTC metastases and for DTC patients with local symptoms or otherwise stable disease that can tolerate the operation. (Endocr Pract. 2014;20:e34-e37)
Setting performance expectations for technical communicators

This paper describes the importance of setting unique performance expectations for technical communicators along with a process to define and manage these expectations. Technical communicators are all individuals responsible for producing traditional documentation in book format as well as those individuals producing product integrated information, web-based information, and computer-based learning solutions.The process described is one we used for the Tivoli® brand of IBM® software.
Habitat Displacement and the Mechanical and Display Functions of Chelae in Crayfish

Abstract Crayfish competitive ability has been largely attributed to chela size. However, the manner in which chela size influences social interactions has gone relatively unstudied. We investigated whether crayfish (Orconectes virilis) with fully functioning chelae displace individuals whose mechanical or display function was impaired, forcing them into a sub-optimal, sedimentary habitat. Shelter, cobble, sand, and sediment habitats were constructed in enclosures and glue was used to impair crayfish chelae, immobilizing either just their dactyls or their entire chelipeds. The locations of crayfish within the enclosures were recorded. Results indicate that impairing the display function of chelae prevents crayfish from successfully competing with conspecifics for shelter, while impairing the mechanical function of crayfish chelae does not diminish their competitive ability.
Comparative Study of Amoxapine and Amitryptaline

A group of thirty patients were treated with Amoxapine and Amitryptaline in order to compare their effectiveness in reversing depressive symptoms.
Framing Lumber from Building Removal: How Do We best Utilize this Untapped Structural Resource?

ABSTRACT Compared with other construction materials, wood products are environmentally attractive because they sequester carbon, are renewable, and are low in embodied energy. Lumber salvaged from ...
Power scheduling for programmable appliances in Microgrids

Recent advances in computing and communication enable the concept of smart homes that contain programmable appliances. Knowing that most household tasks do not need to be performed at specific times, but rather within a preferred time period, this paper studies the problem of optimal power generation scheduling in an isolated Microgrid, exploiting the flexibility to schedule energy-consuming tasks in smart homes. We formulate the problem as a non-linear optimization problem and present two scheduling protocols to solve it: GA-INT, a genetic algorithm that utilizes task interruptions, and PRO-S, a heuristic-based algorithm, which strives to smooth out peaks in the load profile. Numerical simulations demonstrate that PRO-S successfully reduces the complexity of the problem, while guaranteeing performance that approximates GA-INT's. The latter returns optimal or nearly optimal solutions, but with long execution times.
Leukocyte Calpain Deficiency Reduces Angiotensin II–Induced Inflammation and Atherosclerosis But Not Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Mice

Objective— Angiotensin II (AngII) infusion profoundly increases activity of calpains, calcium-dependent neutral cysteine proteases, in mice. Pharmacological inhibition of calpains attenuates AngII-induced aortic medial macrophage accumulation, atherosclerosis, and abdominal aortic aneurysm in mice. However, the precise functional contribution of leukocyte-derived calpains in AngII-induced vascular pathologies has not been determined. The purpose of this study was to determine whether calpains expressed in bone marrow (BM)–derived cells contribute to AngII-induced atherosclerosis and aortic aneurysms in hypercholesterolemic mice. Approach and Results— To study whether leukocyte calpains contributed to AngII-induced aortic pathologies, irradiated male low-density lipoprotein receptor −/− mice were repopulated with BM-derived cells that were either wild-type or overexpressed calpastatin, the endogenous inhibitor of calpains. Mice were fed a fat-enriched diet and infused with AngII (1000 ng/kg per minute) for 4 weeks. Overexpression of calpastatin in BM-derived cells significantly attenuated AngII-induced atherosclerotic lesion formation in aortic arches, but had no effect on aneurysm formation. Using either BM-derived cells from calpain-1-deficient mice or mice with leukocyte-specific calpain-2 deficiency generated using cre-loxP recombination technology, further studies demonstrated that independent deficiency of either calpain-1 or -2 in leukocytes modestly attenuated AngII-induced atherosclerosis. Calpastatin overexpression significantly attenuated AngII-induced inflammatory responses in macrophages and spleen. Furthermore, calpain inhibition suppressed migration and adhesion of macrophages to endothelial cells in vitro. Calpain inhibition also significantly decreased hypercholesterolemia-induced atherosclerosis in the absence of AngII. Conclusions— The present study demonstrates a pivotal role for BM-derived calpains in mediating AngII-induced atherosclerosis by influencing macrophage function.
Absorption cross section and interfacial thermal conductance from an individual optically excited single-walled carbon nanotube.

The heat generation and dissipation of an individual optically excited metallic single-walled carbon nanotube is characterized using a thermal sensor thin film of Al0.94Ga0.06N embedded with Er3+. ...
Precision cable winch level wind for deep ice-coring systems

In deep ice-coring, as in many other disciplines, a winching system is involved in the overall operation of the drilling activities. The need to efficiently store the cable on the winch drum is well recognized, and the ‘orthocyclically wound’ approach is often used. This is accomplished by means of a ‘Lebus groove’, along with a level winding scheme of some description. The level wind is usually implemented in one of several ways using some mechanism to synchronize the position of the level wind with the point where the cable meets the winch drum. A novel method using a feedback control system is presented in this paper, introducing a virtually error-free approach to the surprisingly difficult task of level winding.
An Agent-Based Approach to Synthesizing Structures

This paper discusses a new method for the automated synthesis of structures. By creating a framework to implement the synthesis, several methods are compared for the application of building tall self-supporting towers. These towers are evaluated in a physics simulation and comprised of multiple nodes and connections. In this paper, a new agent-based method is compared to existing search methods including random search, A*, and Hill-Climbing search. With the agents making local changes to nodes in the tower, the method achieves better results with less time and memory.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
IRRATIONAL BELIEFS THAT CAN LEAD TO ACADEMIC FAILURE FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ARE ACADEMICALLY AT-RISK

This article describes how rational emotive behavior therapy and other cognitive-behavioral therapies can be used to improve the achievement of academically at-risk African American students at the middle-school level. Definitions of at-risk and a review of relevant literature are provided. This article offers an outline of several main irrational beliefs that can lead to academic failure for African American students at the middle-school level. This author suggested that escalating preferences for justice, acceptance within the African American community, and acceptance by European Americans are at the core for causing academic failure for many of these students. The author describes empirical data which show that once these students learn a realistic philosophy of life—to be more rational, tolerant, nonutopian, and nondemanding—the students improve in their academic self-concept and achievement.
William Howard Taft and the Separation of Church and State in the Philippines

American annexation of the Philippines following the Spanish American War presented the United States with an unusual set of problems and challenges for which it had little experience and no preparation. Governing over seven million people almost seven thousand miles away would be difficult enough, but removing the vestiges of four centuries of Spanish colonialism would add enor mous unexpected complications. Inherent in these complications was the long tradition of administrative interrelationship and shared responsibilities between the Spanish colonial government and the Roman Catholic Church. For American authorities it was essential to end the relationship and separate church from state to assure the successful creation of a new Philippine government. The process of doing so would be delicate and detailed, requiring understanding, tact, and patience. To accomplish this formidable task President William McKinley chose as first civil governor a little known federal circuit judge from Ohio, William Howard Taft. It would be the most difficult assignment of Taft's long and distinguished career and one that caused him to reject a Supreme Court appointment— his most cherished ambition. Before he actually stepped on Philippine soil Taft had his first direct encounter with the complexities of the religious problem. Still aboard the transport that had brought him and his fellow members of the Second Philippine Commission from the United States, Taft met with Archbishop Placide L. Chapelle who pre sented him with an official statement of the position of the Catholic Church concerning the Philippine Islands. Chapelle, the archbish op of New Orleans, had been designated Apostolic Delegate to the Philippine Islands. The purpose of his embarrassingly early visit was to acquaint the commissioners with the most pressing problems confronting the church and to voice his own personal dissatisfaction
Interactions of Inhibition and Excitation in the Light-Evoked Currents of X Type Retinal Ganglion Cells

Cohen, Ethan D. Interactions of inhibition and excitation in the light-evoked currents of X type retinal ganglion cells. J. Neurophysiol. 80: 2975–2990, 1998. The excitatory and inhibitory conducta...
Analysis of Closed-Loop Conveyor Systems

Abstract A closed-loop conveyor system having a single loading station, a single unloading station, and operating with time-varying input and output flow rates, is analyzed. The balance of flow on the conveyor is represented by a difference equation. Solutions of that difference equation appear naturally in terms of a Fourier series expansion. An important description of the system is its frequency response. Singularities in the frequency response represent cases of incompatibility. Incompatibility is shown to depend on the ratio T/P of conveyor period to work-cycle period, and on the presence of harmonics in input and output flow rates. Solutions for several specific cases are presented graphically.
Emission of particulate matter from a desktop three-dimensional (3D) printer

ABSTRACTDesktop three-dimensional (3D) printers are becoming commonplace in business offices, public libraries, university labs and classrooms, and even private homes; however, these settings are generally not designed for exposure control. Prior experience with a variety of office equipment devices such as laser printers that emit ultrafine particles (UFP) suggests the need to characterize 3D printer emissions to enable reliable risk assessment. The aim of this study was to examine factors that influence particulate emissions from 3D printers and characterize their physical properties to inform risk assessment. Emissions were evaluated in a 0.5-m3 chamber and in a small room (32.7 m3) using real-time instrumentation to measure particle number, size distribution, mass, and surface area. Factors evaluated included filament composition and color, as well as the manufacturer-provided printer emissions control technologies while printing an object. Filament type significantly influenced emissions, with acrylo...
Repair of the Complications of Hypospadias Surgery

AbstractIn 1992 a retrospective review was conducted of 190 patients evaluated and treated for complications of hypospadias surgery during 1979 through 1990 at the Devine Center for Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgery of Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters. We could not contact 13 patients and 8 are awaiting a second stage procedure. Of the 177 patients 167 (94.35%) have had a successful outcome, defined as a controllable urinary stream, functional erection and an acceptable cosmetic appearance, and 2 (1.13%) are considered failures. Details of presenting problems, surgical techniques and recent modifications of these procedures are presented.
Multiple Monitors of Hemodynamics and Oxygenation during High Dose Thiopental

This study was carried out by systematically measuring the various parameters of systemic and cardiac hemodynamics and oxygenation during repeated high doses (90 mg/kg) of IV thiopental (TP). The purpose was to see which parameters were decreased or increased steadily with increment doses of thiopental. Measurement was performed at 5 minutes after the IV thiopental and after the 45 minute recovery period.