cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Output Feedback Control of Nonlinear Two-Time-Scale Processes

This paper focuses on dynamic output feedback control of a broad class of nonlinear two-time-scale processes modeled within the mathematical framework of singular perturbations. A sequential procedure is employed to synthesize a nonlinear well-conditioned two-time-scale output feedback controller, which guarantees stability and enforces output tracking in the closed-loop system, provided that the separation of the slow and fast dynamics of the two-time-scale process is sufficiently large. The proposed controller is successfully applied to two-time-scale chemical processes, a series of two chemical reactors and a fluidized catalytic cracker, and is shown to outperform output feedback controller design methods that do not account for the presence of time-scale multiplicity.
Land Contamination Correction for Passive Microwave Radiometer Data: Demonstration of Wind Retrieval in the Great Lakes Using SSM/I

AbstractPassive microwave radiometer data over the ocean have been widely used, but data near coastlines or over lakes often cannot be used because of the large footprint with mixed signals from both land and water. For example, current standard Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) products, including wind, water vapor, and precipitation, are typically unavailable within about 100 km of any coastline. This paper presents methods of correcting land-contaminated radiometer data in order to extract the coastal information. The land contamination signals are estimated, and then removed, using a representative antenna pattern convolved with a high-resolution land–water mask. This method is demonstrated using SSM/I data over the Great Lakes and validated with simulated data and buoy measurements. The land contamination is significantly reduced, and the wind speed retrieval is improved. This method is not restricted to SSM/I and wind retrievals alone; it can be applied more generally to microwave radiometer m...
Denosumab for the reduction of bone loss in postmenopausal osteoporosis: a review.

Abstract Background Osteoporosis is a prevalent condition that may lead to increased risks for bone fracture and other morbidities and increased health care costs. Treatment modalities for osteoporosis aim to prevent further bone loss and to reduce the risk for fracture. Denosumab is a human monoclonal antibody developed for use in osteoporosis. It inhibits the receptor activator of nuclear factor KB ligand, a cytokine that mediates osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. Objective The intent of this article was to review the clinical pharmacology, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, efficacy, and tolerability of denosumab in the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Methods The MEDLINE and MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations databases were searched for English-language reviews, abstracts, presentations, and clinical trials of denosumab in humans, published from 1995 through July 2011. Search terms included denosumab, osteoporosis, RANK ligand , and bone resorption . Available data were evaluated, and relevant clinical data were selected for inclusion. Results Three Phase II and 4 Phase III studies that evaluated the efficacy of denosumab in postmenopausal women were identified. In a Phase III study, the percentage change from baseline in bone mineral density (BMD) was significantly greater with denosumab compared with placebo (+6.5% vs −0.6%, respectively; P P P P = 0.0001) compared with alendronate. Adverse events reported with the use of denosumab have included back pain (34.7%); pain in the extremities (11.7%); general musculoskeletal pain (7.6%); elevated cholesterol (7.2%); inflammation of the bladder (5.9%); and dermatologic conditions including dermatitis, eczema, and rashes (combined prevalence, 10.8%). Serious adverse events have included hypocalcemia (1.7%), pancreatitis (0.2%), and severe infection (0.2%). Several cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw have also been reported. Conclusions Based on the data from the available literature, denosumab is an efficacious and well-tolerated treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Ferroelasticity in BiVO4

Abstract A transition in BiVO4 crystals has been observed at 255°C. Optical and X-ray studies indicate that this is a ferroelastic transition of the type 4/m F2/m.
Direct Generation of Polymer Films on Copper Surfaces through Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition Reactions between Peptidomimetic Oligomers

N-substituted glycine oligomers, or peptoids, can be used in conjunction with the copper-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloaddition of azides and alkynes to generate branched polymer networks. By incorporating both azides and alkynes as side chain functionalities on the oligomer scaffolds, peptoids are able to form cross-linked macromolecular products. The oligomer starting materials are readily associated onto copper metal sheets, allowing for localized cross-link proliferation which in turn generates thin film polymer coatings. This novel procedure provides a direct method for the chemical modification of metal surfaces and the formation of mechanically robust sequence-specific polymer networks.
Calcium-regulated phosphodiesterase in bovine parathyroid cells.

The potential role of calmodulin-activated phosphodiesterase in regulating parathyroid function was assessed in dispersed bovine parathyroid cells. Boiled parathyroid cell sonicates contained 40–50 ng/106 cells of calmodulin, as determined by the activation of calmodulin-deficient phosphodiesterase. Bovine parathyroid calmodulin appeared to be similar to, if not identical with, pure porcine brain calmodulin by a number of criteria. 1) Both eluted as single peaks at similar ionic strengths on DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography. 2) Both activated calmodulin-deficient phosphodiesterase over a similar range of calcium concentrations. 3) In both cases, calmodulinactivated phosphodiesterase activity was specifically inhibited by similar concentrations of the phenothiazine trifluoperazine. In sonicates of bovine parathyroid cells, both cAMP and cGMP phosphodiesterase activities were inhibited by EGTA and restored by the addition of excess calcium. Moreover, calmodulinactivated phosphodiesterase could be ...
Photoperiodic regulation and daily timing of spiny lobster mating behavior

Abstract Spiny lobsters held in groups under laboratory conditions displayed significantly higher frequencies of mating behavior when maintained in long daylength than in short daylength, regardless of temperature. Warm temperatures increased the daily occurrence of mating behaviors. Mating was initiated primarily by large, dominant males, although females participated actively and initiated mating if they had not copulated and neared the time of spawning. Mating interactions peaked near crepuscular periods, but with substantial diurnal and nocturnal incidence, contrasting the predominantly nocturnal rhythms of feeding and locomotor activity. These patterns reflect plasticity in the daily timing and incidence of mating behavior, which is controlled in part by photoperiod and temperature.
Ovulation and Longevity in the Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) Under Constant Illumination

Abstract INTRODUCTION IN THE Summer of 1963, the writer, as a participant in an NSF sponsored Summer Institute on Animal Behavior at the Pennsylvania State University, became interested in the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Through the courtesy of the directors of the NSF Institute, Drs. M. W. Schein and E. B. Hale, a small flock of Coturnix quail was obtained. The observations and measurements described below were made on this population of Coturnix quail over a period of 55 months. MATERIALS AND METHODS All birds in the experimental population came from a single hatch in a commercial incubator of the Poultry Department of the Pennsylvania State University. They were kept for four weeks, from July 17 till August 17, 1963, in the hatchery under conditions of constant illumination and temperature, and food and water ad libitum. These four week old birds, nine females and five males, were taken to the . . .
On the Delay Analysis of a TDMA Channel with Finite Buffer Capacity

The throughput performance of a TDMA channel with finite buffer capacity for transmitting data messages is considered. Each station has limited message buffer capacity and has Poisson message arrivals. Message arrivals will be blocked if the buffers are congested. Using the embedded Markov chain model, the solution procedure for the limiting system-size probabilities is presented in a recursive fashion. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the tradeoffs between the blocking probabilities and the buffer sizing strategy.
A review of blended cathode materials for use in Li-ion batteries

Abstract Several commercial automotive battery suppliers have developed lithium ion cells which use cathodes that consist of a mixture of two different active materials. This approach is intended to take advantage of the unique properties of each material and optimize the performance of the battery with respect to the automotive operating requirements. Certain cathode materials have high coulombic capacity and good cycling characteristics, but are costly and exhibit poor thermal stability (e.g., LiNixCo1−x−yAlyO2). Alternately, other cathode materials exhibit good thermal stability, high voltage and high rate capability, but have low capacity (e.g., LiMn2O4). By blending two cathode materials the shortcomings of the parent materials could be minimized and the resultant blend can be tailored to have a higher energy or power density coupled with enhanced stability and lower cost. In this review, we survey the developing field of blended cathode materials from a new perspective. Targeting a range of cathode materials, we survey the advances in the field in the current review. Limitations, such as capacity decay due to metal dissolution are also discussed, as well as how the appropriate balance of characteristics of the blended materials can be optimized for hybrid- and electric-vehicle applications.
Shape similarity matching for query-by-example

This paper describes a unified approach for two-dimensional (2-D) shape matching and similarity ranking of objects by means of a modal representation. In particular, we propose a new shape-similarity metric in the eigenshape space for object/image retrieval from a visual database via query-by-example. This differs from prior work which performed point correspondence determination and similarity ranking of shapes in separate steps. The proposed method employs selected boundary and/or contour points of an object as a coarse-to-fine shape representation, and does not require extraction of connected boundaries or silhouettes. It is rotation-, translation- and scale-invariant, and can handle mild deformations of objects (e.g. due to partial occlusions or pose variations). Results comparing the unified method with an earlier two-step approach using B-spline-based modal matching and Hausdorff distance ranking are presented on retail and museum catalog style still-image databases.
Molecular dynamics simulations on the effect of sub-surface helium bubbles on the sputtering yield of tungsten

Abstract Tungsten is being considered for the divertor in ITER and for future nuclear fusion reactors because of its high melting temperature and high thermal conductivity. While the sputtering yield of tungsten is generally low, previous observations of surface modification due to plasma exposure raise questions about the effects of surface morphology and sub-surface helium bubble populations on the sputtering behavior. Results of computational molecular dynamics are reported that investigate the influence of sub-surface helium bubble distributions on the sputtering yield of tungsten {1 0 0} and {1 1 0} surfaces induced by helium ion exposure in the range of 300 eV to 1 keV. The specific microstructures and incident ion energies have been coordinated with planned experiments, which will be reported in the future. The calculated sputtering yields are in reasonable agreement with a wide range of experimental data, but do not show any significant variation as a result of the pre-existing helium bubbles.
Tryptophan Fluorescence Reveals the Presence of Long-Range Interactions in the Denatured State of Ribonuclease Sa

Characterizing the denatured state ensemble is crucial to understanding protein stability and the mechanism of protein folding. The aim of this research was to see if fluorescence could be used to gain new information on the denatured state ensemble. Ribonuclease Sa (RNase Sa) contains no Trp residues. We made five variants of RNase Sa by adding Trp residues at locations where they are found in other members of the microbial ribonuclease family. To better understand the protein denatured state, we also studied the fluorescence properties of the following peptides: N-acetyl-Trp-amide (NATA), N-acetyl-Ala-Trp-Ala-amide (AWA), N-acetyl-Ala-Ala-Trp-Ala-Ala-amide (AAWAA), and the five pentapeptides with the same sequence as the Trp substitution sites in RNase Sa. The major conclusions are: 1), the wavelength of maximum fluorescence intensity, λmax, does not differ significantly for the peptides and the denatured proteins; 2), the fluorescence intensity at λmax, IF, differs significantly for the five Trp containing variants of RNase Sa; 3), the IF differences for the denatured proteins are mirrored in the peptides, showing that the short-range effects giving rise to the IF differences in the peptides are also present in the proteins; 4) the IF values for the denatured proteins are more than 30% greater than for the peptides, showing the presence of long-range effects in the proteins; 5), fluorescence quenching of Trp by acrylamide and iodide is more than 50% greater in the peptides than in the denatured proteins, showing that long-range effects limit the accessibility of the quenchers to the Trp side chains in the proteins; and 6), these results show that nonlocal effects in the denatured states of proteins influence Trp fluorescence and accessibility significantly.
The Determinants of Federal and State Enforcement of Workplace Safety Regulations: OSHA Inspections 1990-2010

We explore the determinants of inspection outcomes across 1.6 million Occupational Safety and Health Agency audits from 1990 through 2010. We find that discretion in enforcement differs in state and federally conducted inspections. State agencies are more sensitive to local economic conditions, finding fewer standard violations and fewer serious violations as unemployment increases. Larger companies receive greater lenience in multiple dimensions. Inspector issued fines and final fines, after negotiated reductions, are both smaller during Republican presidencies. Quantile regression analysis reveals that Presidential and Congressional party affiliations have their greatest impact on the largest negotiated reductions in fines.
A new failure mode of radiation-induced soft errors in dynamic memories

A novel component of dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) soft error, in addition to the previously known cell-failure component and the bit-line failure component, is reported. The error component, named the combined cell-bit line (CCB) failure mode, occurs when the cell and the bit line each collect radiation-induced charge which are individually insufficient to upset the cell, but which does cause an error in combination. Experimental results covering the three soft-error rate (SER) components (cell, bit line, and CCB) have been obtained using an Americium-241 source, over a wide range of cycle times from 75 ns to 30 mu s. The study indicates that, at short cycle times, CCB failure mode can dominate SER in high-density, high-speed dynamic memories. >
The Sensitivity of Measures of Unwanted and Unintended Pregnancy Using Retrospective and Prospective Reporting: Evidence from Malawi

A thorough understanding of the health implications of unwanted and unintended pregnancies is constrained by our ability to accurately identify them. Commonly used techniques for measuring such pregnancies are subject to two main sources of error: the ex post revision of preferences after a pregnancy and the difficulty of identifying preferences at the time of conception. This study examines the implications of retrospective and prospective measurement approaches, which are vulnerable to different sources of error, on estimates of unwanted and unintended pregnancies. We use eight waves of closely-spaced panel data from young women in southern Malawi to generate estimates of unwanted and unintended pregnancies based on fertility preferences measured at various points in time. We then compare estimates using traditional retrospective and prospective approaches to estimates obtained when fertility preferences are measured prospectively within months of conception. The 1,062 young Malawian women in the sample frequently changed their fertility preferences. The retrospective measures slightly underestimated unwanted and unintended pregnancies compared to the time-varying prospective approach; in contrast the fixed prospective measures overestimated them. Nonetheless, most estimates were similar in aggregate, suggesting that frequent changes in fertility preferences need not lead to dramatically different estimates of unwanted and unintended pregnancy. Greater disagreement among measures emerged when classifying individual pregnancies. Carefully designed retrospective measures are not necessarily more problematic for measuring unintended and unwanted fertility than are more expensive fixed prospective ones.
Defense Mechanisms of Arthropods. XIV. Caprylic Acid: An Accessory Component of the Secretion of Eleodes longicollis

In 2 earlier papers of this series (Chadha et al. 1961, Hurst et al. 1964) it was reported that the defensive secretion of the large tenebrionid beetle, Eleodes longicollis LeConte, contains quinones ( p- benzoquinone, 2-methyl-1,4-quinone, 2-ethyl-l, 4-quinone), hydrocarbons (1-tridecene, 1-undecene, and probably 1-nonene), and glucose. Attention also was called to the presence in the infrared spectrum of the secretion of an unaccountable band in the carbonyl region at 5.88M. The compound responsible for this band has now been identified as caprylic acid, by the following procedure.
Citation for presentation of the 1999 C. C. Patterson Award to R. Lawrence Edwards

Mr. President, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen: I received an urgent message that Larry Edwards had telephoned with a request that he should be called at work or at home. My first thought was—what in Heaven’s name was wrong? When I reached him, he informed me that nothing was wrong. He was to be awarded the Patterson medal and asked if I would introduce him. That was wonderful news and I was most pleased to accept this happy task. It is a privilege and a delight for me to introduce R. Lawrence Edwards who is to be the recipient of the C. C. Patterson award of the Geochemical Society. This award is for a recent, innovative breakthrough in environmental geochemistry. Having known Claire Patterson since 1948, I have some basis of guessing what his views of Larry Edwards’ contributions would be. I think Pud would point a very long, bony finger at Larry Edwards’ face and say, "Edwards, you know I don’t like engineers and technologists—but—you have made a scientific breakthrough and do wonderful science," and then he would shove the long, bony finger into Larry’s chest and say, "You are a poet and a scientist."
X chromosome origin of a supernumerary-like segment in Blatella germanica

An extraneous heterochromatic segment was discovered in a strain selected for a large-body trait. Derivation from the X chromosome is indicated by its behavior at metaphase I and association with the X and nucleolus in early prophase I. The segment does not pair with the X. Association with a mid-length bivalent is attributed to fusion of heterochromatin. Centromeric activity of small fragments, independent of, but apparently derived from, the X, is also reported.
Yudin's Books in America: A View from the 21st Century

The author discusses the significance of the acquisition by the Library of Congress of the 80,000 volume Yudin Collection, and how it was handled at the Library subsequent to its acquisition. An earlier version of this article was published in Russian: E. Kasinets, “Iudinskie knigi v Amerike” [The Yudin books in America], Bibliografiia, no.1 (2007): 150–154.
H2-receptor antagonists not superior to proton pump inhibitors for nocturnal acid suppression: a prospective study

H2-receptor antagonists not superior to proton pump inhibitors for nocturnal acid suppression: a prospective study
Voice control for noisy industrial environments

Flexible manufacturing processes in modern industrial operations have resulted from the need to alter work protocols constantly without the need for massive reprogramming of computerized functions. Preliminary testing has shown commercial PC-based voice processing to be a successful interface for the effective control of flexible manufacturing systems. Current testing has attempted to determine the level of effectiveness of voice processing in a noisy industrial environment. Noise-processed speech is compared to unprocessed speech for speech-processor input in varying degrees of industrial-type noise. System degradation is analyzed in terms of the number of errors in word recognition. >
High-Salt Diet Enhances Vascular Reactivity in Pregnant Rats With Normal and Reduced Uterine Perfusion Pressure

High-salt (HS) diet is often associated with increased vascular resistance and arterial pressure; however, the effects of HS intake on the vascular control mechanisms of arterial pressure during pregnancy are unclear. We investigated whether a HS diet during pregnancy is associated with increases in vascular reactivity. Active stress was measured in aortic strips of virgin and normal pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats and a hypertensive pregnant rat model produced by reduction in uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP), fed either normal-sodium (NS, 1%) or HS diet (8%) for 7 days. In endothelium-intact strips, phenylephrine (Phe) caused a concentration-dependent contraction that was greater in RUPP rats than in normal pregnant or virgin rats and was significantly enhanced in pregnant/HS and RUPP/HS rats compared with pregnant/NS and RUPP/NS rats, respectively. Removal of the endothelium enhanced the Phe-induced stress slightly in virgin rats and significantly in pregnant/NS but not in pregnant/HS, RUPP/NS, or RUPP/HS. In endothelium-intact strips, acetylcholine (ACh) caused a concentration-dependent relaxation that was reduced in RUPP/NS (max, 31%) compared with pregnant/NS rats (max, 75%). ACh relaxation was further reduced in pregnant/HS rats compared with pregnant/NS rats and in RUPP/HS rats compared with RUPP/NS rats. Pretreatment of endothelium-intact strips with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10(-4) mol/L), to inhibit NO synthase, or with 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3]-quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, 10(-6) mol/L), to inhibit cGMP production in smooth muscle, inhibited ACh-induced relaxation and enhanced Phe-induced contraction in pregnant/NS rats but not in pregnant/HS, RUPP/NS, or RUPP/HS rats. Basal and ACh-induced nitrite/nitrate production from aortic strips showed significant reduction in pregnant/HS rats compared with pregnant/NS rats but not in RUPP/HS rats compared with RUPP/NS rats. Sodium nitroprusside, an exogenous NO donor, caused relaxation of Phe contraction that was similar in virgin or pregnant rats on an NS or HS diet but was significantly reduced in RUPP/HS rats (ED(50) 6x10(-8) mol/L) compared with RUPP/NS rats (ED(50) 6x10(-9) mol/L). Thus, a HS diet in normal pregnant and RUPP rats is associated with increases in vascular reactivity. The enhanced vascular reactivity with the HS diet is possibly related to abnormalities in NO synthesis/release from the endothelium in normal pregnant rats and an additional decrease in the sensitivity of the smooth muscle to relaxation by NO in pregnant rats with reduced uterine perfusion pressure.
Ultrastructure of cultivated fibroblasts in cystic fibrosis of the pancreas.

Cultivated fibroblasts from patients with cystic fibrosis of the pancreas and from control individuals were investigated by electron microscopy. In both groups, the cytoplasmic granules which by light microscopy were metachromatic appeared in electron micrographs to consist of membrane-bound bodies (lysosomes) containing a variable amount of material compatible with ultrastructural features of phospholipids and mucopolysaccharides. The only difference was quantitative: Cells from patients contained larger and more numerous lysosomes than control cells. On the basis of such findings it is proposed that many tissues in cystic fibrosis are affected by a common defect which impairs cell transport mechanisms and membrane permeability and which can be enhanced in tissue culture. As a result, excessive amounts of metabolites would accumulate in the cells, stimulating lysosomal activity.
Responsible girls: the spatialized politics of feminine success and aspiration in a divided Silicon Valley, USA

This article offers a comparative ethnographic examination of working-class Latina and middle-class white girls' narratives of aspiration and expressions of self-cultivation in early twenty-first-century Silicon Valley, USA. I argue that such girls' subject-making statements of aspiration and gendered practices of self-cultivation reflect their emotively charged negotiations of race and class differentiated ideals of feminine success, their experience of school and community spaces inscribed by hierarchies of race, class, and gender, and shifting political-economic circumstances. Moreover, I maintain that such statements and practices reveal girls' engagements with an open-ended gendered dynamic of responsibilization.
Emotional Awareness: A Transdiagnostic Predictor of Depression and Anxiety for Children and Adolescents

Research increasingly suggests that low emotional awareness may be associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety among children and adolescents. However, because most studies have been cross-sectional, it has remained unclear whether low emotional awareness predicts subsequent internalizing symptoms. The current study used longitudinal data to examine the role of emotional awareness as a transdiagnostic predictor of subsequent symptoms of depression and anxiety. Participants were 204 youth (86 boys and 118 girls) ages 7-16 who completed self-report measures of emotional awareness, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms at baseline, as well as measures of depression and anxiety symptoms every 3 months for a year. Results from hierarchical mixed effects modeling indicated that low baseline emotional awareness predicted both depressive and anxiety symptoms across a 1-year period. These findings suggest that emotional awareness may constitute a transdiagnostic factor, predicting symptoms of both depression and anxiety, and that emotional awareness training may be a beneficial component of treatment and prevention programs for youth depression and anxiety.
Carbon quality and the temperature sensitivity of soil organic carbon decomposition in a tallgrass prairie

Abstract The temperature sensitivity of soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition will influence the accuracy of the quantitative prediction of carbon (C) balance between ecosystem C fixation and decomposition in a warmer world. However, a consensus has not yet been reached on the temperature sensitivity of SOC decomposition with respect to SOC quality. The fundamental principles of enzyme kinetics suggest that temperature sensitivity of decomposition is inversely related to the C quality of the SOC. This “C quality-temperature” hypothesis was tested in a 170-day laboratory experiment by incubating soil samples with changing temperature (low-high-low) at a ±5 °C step every 24 h. Soil samples were collected from a long-term warming experiment in a tallgrass prairie. There were four treatments of soil samples before lab incubation: control (C), warmed (W), field incubation (FI, litter exclusion), and warmed plus field incubation (WFI). Results showed that SOC decomposition rates were influenced by labile organic C (LOC) content, which were low in the soils under field incubation and decreased with increasing lab incubation time. Field warming and field incubation increased the temperature sensitivity of SOC decomposition in the 1st two lab incubation cycles but the treatment effects diminished as decomposition proceeded, probably due to increased contribution of recalcitrant C. In line with the hypothesis, we found that the lower the SOC quality, the higher the Q10 values. This relationship held across treatments and lab incubation cycles, regardless of whether the differences in SOC quality resulted from inherent differences in SOC chemistry or from differences in the extent of SOC decomposition. Treatment effects of field warming and field incubation on SOC quality and Q10 values also negatively correlated with each other. Our results suggest that dynamics of low-quality SOC have the highest potential to impact long-term C stocks in soils. Potential decreases in SOC quality in response to warming and consequent shifting species composition may result in a positive feedback of SOC to climate change in the future.
A conceptual ecological model to facilitate understanding the role of invasive species in large-scale ecosystem restoration

Abstract We developed a conceptual ecological model (CEM) for invasive species to help understand the role invasive exotics have in ecosystem ecology and their impacts on restoration activities. Our model, which can be applied to any invasive species, grew from the eco-regional conceptual models developed for Everglades restoration. These models identify ecological drivers, stressors, effects and attributes; we integrated the unique aspects of exotic species invasions and effects into this conceptual hierarchy. We used the model to help identify important aspects of invasion in the development of an invasive exotic plant ecological indicator, which is described a companion paper in this special issue journal. A key aspect of the CEM is that it is a general ecological model that can be tailored to specific cases and species, as the details of any invasion are unique to that invasive species. Our model encompasses the temporal and spatial changes that characterize invasion, identifying the general conditions that allow a species to become invasive in a de novo environment; it then enumerates the possible effects exotic species may have collectively and individually at varying scales and for different ecosystem properties, once a species becomes invasive. The model provides suites of characteristics and processes, as well as hypothesized causal relationships to consider when thinking about the effects or potential effects of an invasive exotic and how restoration efforts will affect these characteristics and processes. In order to illustrate how to use the model as a blueprint for applying a similar approach to other invasive species and ecosystems, we give two examples of using this conceptual model to evaluate the status of two south Florida invasive exotic plant species (melaleuca and Old World climbing fern) and consider potential impacts of these invasive species on restoration.
Stroke-Related Knowledge and Health Behaviors Among Poststroke Patients in Inpatient Rehabilitation

Abstract Koenig KL, Whyte EM, Munin MC, O'Donnell L, Skidmore ER, Penrod LE, Lenze EJ. Stroke-related knowledge and health behaviors among poststroke patients in inpatient rehabilitation. Objective To measure stroke knowledge and prestroke personal health behaviors of stroke patients undergoing inpatient rehabilitation and their caregivers. Design Prospective cohort. Setting Academic rehabilitation hospital. Participants A total of 130 stroke patients and 85 caregivers interviewed after ischemic stroke. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure The Stroke Education Assessment measured stroke knowledge and prestroke personal health behaviors. Results Large deficiencies in patient and caregiver stroke knowledge were found. Fifty-two percent of patients could not name any stroke risk factors, 52% were unable to name a stroke warning sign, and 35% were unable to identify appropriate actions to take in a stroke emergency. Older patients were less knowledgeable than younger patients. Caregivers were more knowledgeable than patients. Regarding prestroke personal health behaviors, 28% of patients reported medication nonadherence, 26% did not see their primary care physician in the preceding year, and less than 40% of patients with diabetes or hypertension reported diets consistent with these diagnoses. Conclusions Stroke patients participating in inpatient rehabilitation and their caregivers have large gaps in stroke knowledge and have suboptimal personal health behaviors, thereby putting patients at high risk for recurrent stroke. Our finding highlights the need to develop stroke-education programs for rehabilitating patients that are effective in closing these gaps in knowledge and personal health behaviors.
Contractile response to colonic distention is influenced by oscillation frequency.

Static colonic mechanical properties are characterized by stepwise balloon distention. It is unclear whether the state of contractile activation affects frequency-dependent differences in biome- chanical properties. Our aim was to investigate the frequency-dependence of colonic mechanical proper- ties by sinusoidal oscillation. A descending colonic balloon was sinusoidally oscillated by 25 mL at 5, 10 and 20 cpm in randomized order for 20 min at each frequency in six healthy subjects before and after neostigmine. Volume oscillation was between 75- 100 mL before, and 25-50 mL after neostigmine. Pressure waveforms were most variable shortly after commencing oscillation, reflecting an initial con- tractile response to distention. Elastance (i.e. pressure response to imposed volume) and hysteresivity were estimated; hysteresivity represents the proportion of energy added to the system during inflation, which cannot be recovered during deflation. Colonic ela- stance was frequency dependent, being highest and most variable at 10 cpm. In contrast, hysteresivity was not significantly different across frequencies. Neostigmine increased mean colonic elastance at all frequencies, and hysteresivity only at 5 cpm. Thus, colonic mechanical properties, particularly elastance are frequency-dependent. The frequency-dependence of colonic mechanical properties is worthy of future study because it may provide insights into reflex re- sponses in health and disease.
Movement of Pesticides under Two Irrigation Regimes Applied to Turfgrass

Current public concern has focused attention on the environmental effects of chemical applications to turfgrass areas. Our objective was to investigate the movement of isazofos ([O-[5-chloro-1-(1-methyl-ethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl]O,O-diethyl phosphorothioate]), chlorpyrifos ([0,0-diethyl-0-(3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinyl) phosphorothioate]), metalaxyl [N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-N-(methoxyacetyl) alanine methyl ester], and pendimethalin [N-(1-ethylpropyl)-3,4-dimethyl-2,6-dinitrobenzenamine] when applied to Kentucky bluegrass turf established on 50-cm long and 20-cm diameter undisturbed soil columns of Nicollet (fine-loamy, mixed, mesic Aquic Hapludolls) in which the macropore system remained intact. This study was conducted for 28 d and used a heavy (four, 2.54-cm applications) and a light (16, 0.64-cm applications) irrigation regime. Average isazofos, chlorpyrifos, metalaxyl, and pendimethalin recovered (by extraction) from soil columns under the heavy irrigation regime, plus that collected in the leachate, were 8.8, 11.5, 23.8, and 7.9%, respectively. Isazofos, chlorpyrifos, metalaxyl, and pendimethalin recovery from soil columns under the light irrigation regime, plus that collected in the leachate, averaged 3.4, 6.6, 13.9, and 4.6%, respectively. On average, 6.3, 0.5, 7.7, and 0.2% of the applied isazofos, chlorpyrifos, metalaxyl, and pendimethalin, respectively, were measured in leachate from soil columns under heavy irrigation in contrast to 0.4, 0.0, 0.2, and 0.0%, respectively, from soil columns under light irrigation. Comparing the four applied pesticides, metalaxyl is most likely to be leached because of a low soil sorption, followed by isazofos, pendimethalin, and chlorpyrifos. Metalaxyl was found in the highest percentage in the leachate followed by isazofos, pendimethalin, and chlorpyrifos. From this research, we conclude that irrigation practices (frequency and depth of application) can have an impact on the movement of pesticides through soil profiles.
Chickens, MRIs, and graphics: creating visual information in scientific fields

Last semester I gave a talk to a small group of graduate students and faculty in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences in the College of Agriculture on my campus. As one of several invited speakers for the department's graduate seminar series, the purpose, I was told, was straightforward: model an effective presentation for the students. I teach courses in technical and professional communication so I imagined it might also be useful to discuss presentation strategies. I concluded by giving an overview of my own research interests---broadly, visual communication---and briefly described a project I am working on related to scientific graphics and historic public health maps.
A covalent bond to bromine in HBr-treated polyaniline from X-ray diffraction

Abstract When the emeraldine base form of polyaniline is doped by aqueous HBr, the conductivity is increased to 2 (ohm cm)−1 for a compressed pellet. X-ray diffraction results on the conducting polymer together with elemental analysis indicate that a significant portion of the bromine is covalently bound.
Administration of isolated chicken L-gulonolactone oxidase to guinea pigs evokes ascorbic acid synthetic capacity.

Abstract l -Gulonolactone oxidase was purified from chicken kidney microsomes in order to test whether this enzyme had potential advantages in our enzyme therapy studies. Chicken was selected because it has an enzyme that is structurally distinct from the enzyme in mammals and has high enzyme activity. An essentially homogeneous preparation of chicken l -gulonolactone oxidase is obtained by a seven-step procedure. Certain characteristics of this enzyme are presented. The enzyme was found to be quite unstable. However, immunoprecipitates of the enzyme are greatly stabilized. Therefore, this form was administered to young ascorbic acid-deficient guinea pigs that had been supplemented with l -gulonolactone. These animals showed a marked increase in plasma ascorbic acid concentrations.
Ethanol, 30 Per Cent, and Hamster Pouch Carcinogenesis

SYNOPSIS IN INTERLINGUAETHANOL DE TRENTA PRO CENTO E CARCINOGENESE IN LE BURSA BUCCAL DEL HAMSTER.—Le influentia de ethanol in promover le disveloppamento de carcinoma oral, un effecto que se suggere clinicamente, esseva studiate experimentalmente con le utilisation de 60 hamsters auree. Le gruppo experimental de animales recipeva ethanol in un concentration de 30 pro cento como le sol provision de liquido. Le gruppo del animales de controlo recipeva aqua. Le carcinogeno, 9,10-dimethyl-1,2 benzanthraceno in oleo mineral esseva applicate in mesurate quantitates al superficie interior del bursas buccal. Post 72 dies, le incidentia de tumores maligne esseva plus alte in le gruppo recipiente ethanol. Degeneration grassiose del hepate esseva prevalente in iste gruppo. Studios additional es necessari pro confirmar le presente resultatos.
Immunopathologic features of retinal lesions in multiple sclerosis

To further characterize the nature of retinal periphlebitis and retinitis in multiple sclerosis, immunoperoxidase studies were performed on retinal tissue from multiple sclerosis patients at autopsy. Antibodies against myelin basic protein stained the optic nerve but not the retina. Both normal and multiple sclerosis retinas showed staining of Muller cells with Leu-7 (a monoclonal antibody that cross-reacts with myelin associated glycoprotein and natural killer cells). Nerve fiber bundles of the optic nerve in cases with multiple sclerosis and controls also showed staining with Leu-7 antibody. Tissue-bound IgG was demonstrated on retinal ganglion cells in six of seven multiple sclerosis cases but not in controls.
Adaptive block-based image coding with pre-/post-filtering

This paper presents an adaptive block-based image coding method, which combines the advantages of variable block size transform and adaptive pre-/post-filtering scheme. Our approach partitions an image into blocks with different sizes, which are best suitable for the characteristics of the underlying data in the rate-distortion (RD) sense. The adaptive block decomposition mitigates the ringing artifacts by adopting a small block size transform in nonstationary regions, and improves the coding efficiency by using a large block size transform in homogenous regions. Moreover, pre-/post-filtering is adaptively applied along the block boundaries to improve coding efficiency and minimize blocking artifacts. Simulation results show that the proposed coder can achieve competitive objective performance as well as yield superior reconstruction visual quality, compared with the RD-optimized JPEG2000 and H.264/AVC I-frame coder.
Wedging leakage flow and its impact on the maximum pressure head of bubble-driven micropumping

This paper reports a previously overlooked mechanism that has a considerable effect to undermine bubble-driven micropumping in a square-shaped microchannel, and therefore limits the maximum achievable pressure head. Improvement of pumping performance by rounding the microchannel is thus proposed.
Capacitor DF and Q

Although the impedance characteristics of capacitors have been well known for years, it appears that the dissipation factor (DF) and Q have not been directly related to the capacitor model. This can be easily done and provides new insight into capacitor characteristics. Impedance paper can be used so that the impedance, dissipation factor, and Q can be drawn by inspection.
Fetal Echogenic Lung Mass Spontaneous Kesolution In Utero

Echogenic fetal lung masses diagnosed by prenatal sonography are not always associated with poor outcome. Two cases are presented with spontaneous resolution in utero and delivery of normal newborns.
Explaining Victim Self-Protective Behavior Effects on Crime Incident Outcomes A Test of Opportunity Theory

Prior research on victim self-protective behavior (VSPB) has largely been void of a theoretical basis. Accordingly, it remains unclear why it would be expected that victim actions might mitigate crime incident outcomes or under which circumstances such actions might be most successful. Using data from the National Crime Victimization Survey for periods 1992 to 2004, this study uses a nested logistic regression analysis to test the predictive utility of opportunity theory in explaining outcomes of VSPB during incidents of robbery and rape. The results suggest that opportunity theory provides a useful framework for understanding the effect of victim resistance on crime outcomes. Greater levels of victim resistance increase the effort needed by offenders, resulting in some cases in a 93% and 92% decrease in the odds of a robbery and rape being completed, respectively, compared to when no resistance is used. Implications for crime prevention practice are discussed.
Creating the Carbon Market Institution: Analysis of the Organizations and Relationships that Build the Market

Countries around the world are developing carbon emission markets as a governance mechanism to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate anthropogenic climate change. These markets are social institutions, designed to solve the transnational collective action problem of climate change. This paper explores the development of carbon emission markets from an institutional perspective to understand how market networks specifically and social institutions in general are constructed. Drawing on seminal work of institutional theorists and economic sociologists, this paper explores the way in which organizations build the institution of the carbon markets. As this paper aims to demonstrate, a number of public and private organizations, rather than regulatory bodies, build and operationalize the market. The paper analyses how networks of organizations develop the three pillars of the carbon market institution: regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive constructs. Since organizations build the institutional p...
Viral Hepatitis Among Somali Immigrants in Minnesota: Association of Hepatitis C With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective To study the frequencies of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and their associations with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in immigrant Somalis seen at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
The engineering of biomaterials exhibiting recognition and specificity

Although synthetic materials are now widely used in implanted medical devices, they are not engineered for recognition and specificity. This article considers the design of polymer surfaces that might be specifically recognized and trigger normal healing pathways. The technological advances that will contribute to biorecognition biomaterials include surfaces to inhibit non-specific interactions, self-assembly to create ordered surface structures and strategies to place recognition sites on surfaces by random arrays of groups and by templates.
The power of tests to detect differences between periodontal treatments in published studies.

Abstract. 10 studies comparing periodontal treatment modalities were re-examined to see if they had adequate power to detect true differences. Attachment level (AL) and pocket depth (PD) were the 2 variables assessed. A statistical test's power refers to its probability of detecting a significant sample difference in treatment means, given a predetermined value for α (level of significance), Δ (a clinically meaningful underlying difference), and the sample size. Studies were included that stratified their data by initial pocket depths, reported sample size, and lasted at least 6 months. Power calculations were done for 173 treatment comparisons, using Δ-0.5 mm and α= 0.05. For shallow pockets (1-3 mm), most studies had a strong chance of detecting true differences (median power = 83%). For moderate pockets (4-6 mm), median power dropped to 38%. However, median power dropped to 14% for deep pockets (> 6 mm), with 75% of the tests having less than a 20% chance of detecting a 0.5 mm difference. Many of the modalities reported as “not significantly different” from each other have not had a fair trial, especially for deep pockets. In order to improve a study's power, 4 factors are discussed: the number of compared treatments, the expected noise or random error, the patient sample size, and the average number of sites per patient for each pocket depth category.