cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Demonstration of the “Conditioning Effect” in Soil Organic Matter in Support of a Pore Deformation Mechanism for Sorption Hysteresis

Hysteresis, or isotherm nonsingularity, is a confounding issue in sorption research that undermines the commonplace assumption of reversibility in environmental fate and effects models for organic compounds in soil media. Until now, a molecular-level mechanism for true hysteresis when the sorbate is retrievable, structurally intact, has not been forthcoming. We show here that two organic soils exhibit the “conditioning effect”, which refers to the enhancement in sorption of a compound following brief exposure of the sorbent to high concentrations of the same or a similar compound. The conditioning effect has been used in support of a pore deformation mechanism for hysteresis in glassy polymers. By this mechanism, the sorbate causes irreversible changes in the structure of internal nanopores (holes) in the organic matrix upon its sorption. Trichloromethane was the test solute for dichloromethane-conditioned Pahokee soil (44.6% organic carbon), and chlorobenzene and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene were the test solu...
Dermatophagoides extract-treated confluent type II epithelial cells (cA549) and human lung mesenchymal cell growth.

Background Chronic severe persistent asthma is associated with damaged epithelial cells with discontinuous tight junctions that contribute to dysregulated fibroblast and endothelial cell (mesenchymal) growth. Dermatophagoides species-derived proteases have been shown to cause damage to epithelial cell tight junctions. Objective To determine whether Dermatophagoides species can stimulate confluent A549 (cA549), a cell type with discontinuous tight junctions that approximate differentiated type II cells, to undergo altered growth and secrete putative soluble factors that affect the growth of human lung fibroblasts and microvascular endothelial cells. Methods Dialyzed Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus or Dermatophagoides farinae extracts (0, 300, 600, and 1,000 AU/mL) were cultured with and without cA549 in serum-free media for 24 hours. After changes in cA549 growth were recorded, conditioned media from extracts with cA549 (CM) and without cA549 (control media [CTLM]) were transferred to fibroblasts and endothelial cells for 24 hours. Fibroblast and endothelial cell growth responses to CM and CTLM were observed and measured. Results All conditions showed greater than 95% cell viability. Confluent A549 showed dose-dependent growth changes characterized by increased aggregation when incubated with 300, 600, and 1,000 AU/mL of D pteronyssinus in serum-free media relative to control. The CM, but not the CTLM, induced dose-dependent aggregation by fibroblasts and endothelial cells. Fibroblasts also showed decreased adhesion when incubated with CM. Dermatophagoides farinae -treated cA549 showed similar but weaker results. The use of serum, boiled CM, or boiled extract inhibited these findings. Conclusions Dialyzed Dermatophagoides species extracts altered cA549 growth and stimulated the secretion of factors that dysregulate mesenchymal cell growth in vitro.
Exonuclease I Hydrolyzes DNA with a Distribution of Rates

We report heterogeneity in the time necessary for Exonuclease I to hydrolyze identical DNA fragments. A real-time fluorescence method measured the time required by molecules of Exonuclease I to hydrolyze single-stranded DNA that was synthesized to have two fluorescently labeled nucleotides. One fluorescently labeled nucleotide was located near the 3' end of the DNA and the other near the 5' end. Heterogeneity in the hydrolysis rate of the exonuclease population was inferred from the distribution of times necessary to cleave these DNA fragments. In particular, we found simple first-order kinetics, using a single hydrolysis rate, did not result in a good fit to the data. Better fits to the data were obtained if one assumed a distribution of hydrolysis rates for the exonuclease population. Under our experimental conditions, this broad distribution of rates was centered near 100 nt/s.
Collegiate-based emergency medical service: impact on alcohol-related emergency department transports at a small liberal arts college.

Objective: The authors examined the impact of a collegiate-based emergency medical service (CBEMS) on the frequency of emergency department (ED) transports. Participants: Students transported to the ED for acute alcohol intoxication during the Fall 2008 and the Fall 2009 semesters (N = 50). Methods: The frequency of students receiving transportation to a hospital ED and the reported blood alcohol content (BAC) levels during the initial operational semester of the CBEMS were compared to those values over the same time period the previous year. Results: More than twice the number of students was transported to the ED following the introduction of CBEMS. There was no change in mean BAC levels. Conclusions: CBEMS could promote a culture conducive to increased reporting behavior, which makes the campus safer. Similar BAC levels suggest that the degree of intoxication was similar for the 2 reporting periods, but students sought emergency assistance more frequently following the inception of CBEMS. Language: en
Bacillus sphaericus spore germination and recycling in mosquito larval cadavers

Abstract Naturally occurring mosquito pathogenic strains of Bacillus sphaericus are able to recycle in mosquito larval cadavers. The efficiency of spore germination and recycling in cadavers varied among strains. Strains producing the sporeassociated binary toxin had spores that germinated in high percentage. The spores of a strain producing the vegetative, cell-associated 100-kDa toxin germinated less well. Nontoxic strains supplied with either the binary toxin or the 100-kDa toxin displayed poor spore germination and recycling ability. The results indicate that the toxins do not function directly as spore germinants. Efficient spore germination and recycling may have evolved in bacteria producing the sporeassociated binary toxin to take advantage of the nutrientrich larval cadaver.
Toward developing an approach for alerting drivers to the direction of a crash threat

OBJECTIVE: This study explored the potential for auditory and haptic spatial cuing approaches to alert drivers to the direction of a crash threat. BACKGROUND: For an automobile equipped with multiple crash avoidance systems, effective cuing of the crash threat direction may help the driver avoid the crash. Because the driver may not be looking in the direction of a visual crash alert, nonvisual crash alerts were explored as an additional means of directing attention to a potential crash situation. METHODS: In this in-traffic study, 32 drivers were asked to verbally report alert direction in the absence of any crash threats. Driver localization accuracy and response time were examined as a function of eight alert locations surrounding the vehicle and four directional alert approaches (auditory, haptic, haptic and auditory, and haptic and nondirectional auditory). The auditory directional alert approach used four speakers and broadband alert sounds, and the haptic directional alert approach used vibrations generated at various locations on the bottom of the driver's seat. RESULTS: Overall, relative to the auditory alert approach, the three approaches that included the haptic seat alert component reduced correct localization response times by 257 ms and increased percentage correct localization from 32% to 84%. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that seat vibration alerts are a promising candidate for alerting drivers to the direction of a crash threat. APPLICATION: These findings should facilitate developing a multimodality integrated crash alert approach for vehicles equipped with multiple crash avoidance systems. Language: en
Further evidence of the construct validity of activity vector analysis

An updated form of the Activity Vector Analysis became operational in 1975. This study investigated the construct validity of the present form of AVA. Ss were 81 adults who were participating in a series of Family Life Education Seminars conducted by an urban university extension service. Ss were administered both a questionnaire designed to evaluate their physical and mental health status and the AVA. There was a very high correspondence between the personality descriptions of the AVA profiles of the Ss which fell within a very tight cluster and a summary of the personal and family problems expressed by the sample.
Influence of Soil pH and Fertility Programs on Centipedegrass

Improper centipedegrass [Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack] fertilization often results in a lower quality turf and progressive decline. Since the grass is best adapted to low fertility and the optimum pH range is uncertain, an experiment was initiated at Griffin, GA, to determine the influence of soil pH and fertility programs on centipedegrass. Soil pH did not influence the growth of centipedegrass during the first 2 yr after springging (1986 and 1987) when the annual fertility program (N-P-K, kg ha −1 ) was ≥100-44-83. When N-P-K was reduced ≤50-22-42 kg ha −1 , centipedegrass growth in soil with pH of 6.2 or 6.7 was better than at 5.1 (...)
Cancer mortality and incidence among a cohort of benzidine and dichlorobenzidine dye manufacturing workers.

Background Benzidine is classified as a definite human carcinogen and dichlorobenzidine as a probable human carcinogen. Methods A cohort study of 538 workers potentially exposed to benzidine and/or dichlorobenzidine from a single chemical manufacturing facility was conducted. Social Security records were used to identify all employees who worked at the facility from 1960 to 1977. Vital status was determined through 2001 and cancer incidence through 2002. Results A total of 22 bladder cancer cases were identified. For three individuals, bladder cancer was the underlying cause of death. Increased standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were found for all cancer 1.54 (95% CI 1.04–2.19), bladder cancer 8.34 (95% CI 1.72–24.78), and lymphohematopoietic cancer 2.84 (95% CI 1.04–6.18). The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for bladder cancer was 6.85 (95% CI 4.30–10.4). Only one case of bladder cancer was identified among the workers who were exposed to dichlorobenzidine only. However, an increased risk for lymphohematopoietic cancer was found among these dichlorobenzidine only workers (SMR 6.62 (95% CI 1.37–19.36)). Conclusions This study confirms the high risk of bladder cancer among benzidine exposed workers even years after exposure has ceased, and raises suggestive evidence of increased risk to lymphohematopoietic cancer from exposure to benzidine or dichlorobenzidine. Am. J. Ind. Med. 46:505–512, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Children and adults use attractiveness as a social cue in real people and avatars

Observing social interactions between children and adults is a major method in the toolkit of psychologists who examine social development and social relationships. Although this method has revealed many interesting phenomena, it cannot determine the effect of behavior independent of other traits. Research on the role of attractiveness in social development provides an example of this conundrum: Are attractive and unattractive children/adults treated differently because of their attractiveness (independent of their behavior), do they behave differently and thus elicit differential treatment, or both? Virtual world and avatar-based technologies allow researchers to control the social behaviors of targets; however, whether children and adults use the facial attractiveness of avatars as a social cue in the same way as they do with real peers is currently unknown. Using Mii avatars from the popular Nintendo Wii video game console, Study 1 found that the facial attractiveness ratings of real people strongly predicted the attractiveness ratings of avatar faces based on the former group. Study 2 revealed that adults (n=46) and children (n=42) prefer attractive avatars as social partners. The results of this set of methodological studies may help to clarify future research on the relationship between attractiveness and behavior throughout the lifespan. Furthermore, the use of avatars may allow studies to experimentally examine the effects of attractiveness in situations where such research is not ethical (e.g., peer victimization).
A 7 bp mutation converts a human RNA polymerase II snRNA promoter into an RNA polymerase III promoter

The human U2 snRNA promoter directs the formation of a specialized RNA polymerase II transcription complex that recognizes the snRNA gene 3' box as a signal for RNA 3' end formation. In contrast, the human U6 promoter is recognized by RNA polymerase III and transcription terminates in a run of Ts. We show that transcription from the U6 promoter is dependent on a sequence similar to the U2 proximal element and on an AT-rich element centered around position -27. Mutation of the AT-rich element induces RNA polymerase II transcription from the U6 promoter, whereas insertion of this element within the U2 promoter converts it into a predominantly RNA polymerase III promoter. The site of transcription termination always correlates with the nature of the transcribing polymerase: the 3' box with RNA polymerase II and a run of Ts with RNA polymerase III. Thus, a single element determines the RNA polymerase specificity of snRNA promoters and hence the site of transcription termination.
Quantitation of parvalbumin+ neurons and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) regulatory gene expression in the HIV-1 transgenic rat: effects of vitamin A deficiency and morphine

Vitamin A (VA) deficiency in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has been associated with more progressive HIV disease, which may be enhanced by opioid use. In these studies, we examined the effects of VA deficiency and morphine on frontal cortex neuronal numbers in the HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) rat. These studies showed that total numbers of neurons were similar for rats on the VA-deficient diet as for rats on the normal diet and these numbers were not affected by treatment with morphine. In contrast, numbers of neurons that expressed the calcium-binding protein parvalbumin, which is a marker interneurons that express the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABAergic neurons) were decreased for wild-type (Wt) rats on the VA-deficient diet and for Wt rats treated with morphine. In addition, parvalbumin+ neurons were also decreased for Tg rats on a normal diet but increased to normal levels when these animals were placed on the VA-deficient diet and treated with morphine. Analysis of expression of the genes that code for the HIV regulatory proteins vif, vpr, nef, and tat in frontal cortex and adjacent subcortical white matter showed that tat expression was increased in the morphine-treated Tg rat on the VA-deficient diet as compared to untreated Tg rats on the normal diet and untreated VA-deficient rats. These studies therefore suggest that VA deficiency, opioid exposure, and HIV infection alone and in combination may potentially alter neuronal metabolic activity and induce cellular stress, resulting in the observed changes in levels of parvalbumin expression. The specific mechanisms that underlie these effects require further study.
BIBO stability robustness in the presence of coprime factor perturbations

A necessary and sufficient condition for robustly stabilizing a family of plants described by perturbations of fixed coprime factors of a plant is given. The computation of the largest stability margin is discussed via solving a nonsquare l/sup 1/ optimal control problem. An algorithm for obtaining lower approximations of the minimum value of the optimization problem mu /sub 0/ is proposed. This, together with the standard algorithm which provides upper approximations, allows mu /sub 0/ to be computed within any degree of accuracy. >
Two-phase emission detectors: foundations and applications

A new class of radiation detectors has recently been introduced into experimental practice. The detectors employ the effect of effective extraction of charge carriers from condensed non-polar dielectrics into the equilibrium gas phase under influence of an applied electric field. This approach makes possible to combine in one detector condensed detecting medium of a large mass, necessary for detecting rare events, with a rarefied phase, in which signals due to a few or even single electrons can be amplified and measured through gas-discharge or electroluminescence processes. We will discuss properties of working media that can be used in emission detectors, the physics of charge carrier penetration through the inter-phase boundary and we will also review applications of two-phase dielectrics for detecting ionizing radiation and exotic particles
Repair of Alkylation Damage: Stability of Methyl Groups in Bacillus subtilis Treated with Methyl Methanesulfonate

Bacillus subtilis was not inactivated and was able to replicate even though approximately 3 × 104 methyl groups added by methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) were bound to the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of each organism. No significant loss of methyl groups from the DNA occurred for several generations upon incubation of methylated wild-type or MMS-sensitive cells. Single-strand breaks were not observed in the DNA from cells treated at this low MMS dose. Higher doses of MMS resulted in significant killing of both wild-type and MMS-sensitive strains, and the DNA extracted from such treated cells sedimented more slowly than control DNA through alkaline sucrose gradients, indicating the presence of breaks or apurinic sites (or both). These breaks were repaired upon incubation of wild-type but not of MMS-sensitive strains. Repair of damage induced by alkylating agents is probably the repair of breaks which occur as a consequence of high levels of alkylation.
Working Relationally with the Adolescent in Group

Psychoanalytic group therapy may be effective with poorly communicating, resistant, or antisocial adolescents. I describe ways of thinking about and modes of working with this population, utilizing and extending Bion’s model of the ‘container-contained’ to include a contemporary, relational perspective.
A design for testability technique for RTL circuits using control/data flow extraction

In this paper, we present a technique for extracting functional (control/data flow) information from register transfer level (RTL) controller/data path circuits and illustrate its use in design for hierarchical testability of these circuits. This testing procedure and design for testability (DFT) technique is general enough to handle RTL control flow intensive circuits like protocol handlers as well as data flow intensive circuits like digital filters. It makes the combined controller-data path highly testable and does not require any external behavioral information. This scheme has the advantages of low area/delay/power overheads (average of 3.2%, 0.9% and 4.1%, respectively, for benchmarks), high fault coverage (over 99% for most cases), very low test generation times (because it is independent of bit-width), and the advantage of at-speed testing. Experiments show a 2-to-4 (1-to-3) orders of magnitude test generation time advantage over an efficient gate-level sequential test generator (combinational test generator that assumes full scan).
A Linear Programming Receiver for Blind Detection of Full Rate Space-Time Block Codes

We present a new approach to the blind detection of full rate space-time block coded transmissions. Our method is based on linear programming and is globally convergent. We exploit the implicit structure of space-time block codes to cast the problem as linear programming to be solved efficiently. Unlike several known methods, the proposed technique is applicable to full-rate space-time block codes such as the popular Alamouti orthogonal code and the quasi-orthogonal space time code. Moreover, we utilize the code structure of these full rate codes to achieve simultaneous detection of all coded data streams without relying on successive schemes that are prone to error propagation. For orthogonal space-time codes, our algorithm allows near maximum likelihood detection of orthogonal codes without channel knowledge. We also can generalize the application of the proposed receiver to be used with nonorthogonal codes. Our proposed algorithm can provide performance competitive with existing techniques without imposing any conditions on the number of receive antennas.
Off the line-of-sight laser radar.

The results of field and laboratory experiments of a novel laser radar (ladar) are presented. This ladar was designed to detect objects off the line of sight by deploying a fiber-optic relay between the launch and probe sites by monitoring the retroreflected signals. The apparatus incorporates a pulsed diode laser emitting at 1.55 μm, a wavelength that is ideal for eye safety and bears minimum loss in silica fibers. With its immediate application in transportation safety, the system issues a warning within a millisecond of detecting an obstacle in the path of a vehicle. The results of the field experiments yield signal-to-noise ratios high enough to trigger reliably an alarm with a probability of greater than 0.999 for detecting an obstacle and less than 10-12 probability of false alarms.
Optical Probes of Resonant Tunneling Structures

Semiconductor growth techniques have advanced to the point where layered structures can be accurately produced with sharp-edged potential energy steps that have widths comparable to the de Broglie wavelength of energetic electrons. Such structures are ideal for studying and exploiting the physics of electron tunneling in semiconductors. A wide range of potential energy profiles can be designed and implemented to facilitate the investigation of fundamental problems such as the time taken to tunnel, and the possible influences of scattering events on tunneling.
The role of African American fraternities and sororities in engineering students' educational experiences at a Predominantly White Institution

This paper describes an exploratory constructivist grounded theory study focusing on relationships between students' perceptions of their participation in an African American fraternity or sorority (i.e. a Black Greek-letter Organization) and their experiences in undergraduate engineering studies. 10 interviews were conducted with students at a Predominantly White Institution in the Southeastern United States. A semi-structured interview guide based on the critical incident technique was used to elicit specific information relative to the research question, and constructivist grounded theory analysis was used to develop a preliminary theory. This study's significance lies in its unique focus on peer-led Black Greek-letter Organizations as potential influences on students' educational experiences in engineering. These organizations have rich histories of traditions, including a strong emphasis on high academic standards. Our work augments that of other studies in engineering education which focus on institutionally-run interventions and/or support programs such as minority in engineering programs.
Early UCSF contributions to the development of multiple-channel cochlear implants.

Abstract The early contributions of the UCSF cochlear implant (CI) research team to the development of multiple-channel cochlear implants from about 1971 through the mid-1980s are briefly summarized. Scientists at UCSF conducted fundamental studies related to device safety, the control of patterned electrical stimulation, and the designs of intracochlear electrode arrays, coders, and implanted multiple-channel electrode drivers. They conducted many original studies documenting parameters of hearing with cochlear implants relevant to next-generation CI designs. On these bases, the UCSF team constructed early models of multichannel devices that were progenitors of the Advanced Bionics’ Clarion CI. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled .
Compact Physics-Based Circuit Models for Graphene Nanoribbon Interconnects

Physics-based equivalent circuit models are presented for armchair and zigzag graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), and their conductances have been benchmarked against those of carbon nanotubes and copper wires. Atomically thick GNRs with smooth edges can potentially have smaller resistances compared with copper wires with unity aspect ratios for widths below 8 nm and stacks of noninteracting GNRs can have substantially smaller resistivities compared to Cu wires. It is shown that rough edges can increase the resistance of narrow GNRs by an order of magnitude. This fact highlights the need for patterning methods that can produce relatively smooth edges to fabricate low resistance GNR interconnects.
A neural network based algorithm for the scheduling problem in high-level synthesis

A new scheduling approach for high-level synthesis based on a deterministic modified Hopfield model is presented. The model uses a four-dimensional neural network architecture to schedule the operations of a data flow graph (DFG), and maps them to specific functional units. Neural network-based scheduling (NNS) is achieved by formulating the scheduling problem in terms of an energy function, and by using the motion equation corresponding to the variation of energy. The algorithm searches the scheduling space in parallel and finds the optimal schedule. This yields an efficient parallel scheduling algorithm under time and resource constraints appropriate for implementing on a parallel machine. The algorithm is based on moves in the scheduling space, which correspond to moves towards the equilibrium point (lowest energy state) in the dynamic system space. >
Bayesian error isolation for models of large-scale systems

A methodology is presented for use in isolating sources of misspecification in system models that are known to be invalid. The methodology relies on a technique based on stochastic approximation in the context of a Bayesian formulation. This approach has significant advantages in computational efficiency, relative to a straightforward Bayesian analysis, for large-scale systems. Moreover, it applies to arbitrary model forms (e.g. state-space, regression, etc.) and applies when the probability distribution for the system output is not necessarily Gaussian. >
Analysis of expression and thermoregulation of the Yersinia pseudotuberculosis inv gene with hybrid proteins.

Abstract A series of translational fusions between the Yersinia pseudotuberculosis inv locus and lacZ was constructed. Each Lac+ fusion strain expressed a hybrid protein containing invasin, the product of the inv locus, at its amino-terminal end. Analysis of these gene fusions allowed determination of the direction of translation of the inv gene. Previous studies of Y. pseudotuberculosis invasion have shown that entry into animal cells is temperature regulated. It is shown here that control of expression of the inv gene is also temperature regulated. phoA gene fusions to inv, when present in Y. pseudotuberculosis, were expressed at lower levels when bacteria were grown at 37 degrees C rather than at 28 degrees C. Similar fusions, in contrast, were regulated in a temperature-independent fashion in Escherichia coli, as was the wild-type inv gene. This implies that Y. pseudotuberculosis has chromosomally encoded trans-acting functions that normally thermoregulate expression of inv.
Re-treatment of dowel-obturated root canals

A redesigned instrument for dowel removal facilitates endodontic treatment by the reduction of needless m utilation and the prevention of patchwork endodontics. A report of a case in which satisfactory results were obtained is included.
American Perceptions of Barriers to Innovation

There is an old saying to the effect that an optimist is one who perceives a bottle as half-full while a pessimist is one who perceives it as half empty. For some reason, most analysts of the innovation process must be pessimists because, with a few notable exceptions, published studies usually are addressed to the barriers, rather than to the stimulants. As a result, much effort is devoted to proposals, often involving national policy, for overcoming such barriers, with relatively little effort left for strengthening stimulation.
Stability of an oscillated fluid with a uniform density gradient

Instabilities in a fluid with a constant density gradient that is subject to arbitrarily oriented oscillatory accelerations are considered. With the Boussinesq approximation and for the case of an unbounded fluid, transformation to Lagrangian coordinates allows the reduction of the problem to an ordinary differential equation for each three-dimensional wavenumber. The problem has three parameters: the nondimensional amplitude R of the base-state oscillation, the nondimensional level of background steady acceleration, which for some cases can be represented in terms of a local (in time) Richardson number Ri, and the Prandtl number Pr. Some general bounds on stability are derived. For Pr = 1 closed-form solutions are found for impulse (delta function) accelerations and a general asymptotic solution is constructed for large R and general imposed accelerations. The asymptotic solution takes advantage of the fact that at large R wave growth is concentrated at 'zero points'. These are times when the effective vertical wavenumber passes through zero. Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities are found to dominate at low R, while Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities dominate at high R. At high R, the uniform shear of the Kelvin-Helmholtz case tends to distort and weaken instability waves. With unsteady flows, Ri = 1/4 is no longer an instability limit. Significant instabilities have been found for sinusoidal forcing for Ri up to 0.6.
Mechanisms of Top-Down Attention

Attention exhibits characteristic neural signatures in brain regions that process sensory signals. An important area of future research is to understand the nature of top-down signals that facilitate attentional guidance towards behaviorally relevant locations and features. In this review, we discuss recent studies that have made progress towards understanding: (i) the brain structures and circuits involved in attentional allocation; (ii) top-down attention pathways, particularly as elucidated by microstimulation and lesion studies; (iii) top-down modulatory influences involving subcortical structures and reward systems; (iv) plausible substrates and embodiments of top-down signals; and (v) information processing and theoretical constraints that might be helpful in guiding future experiments. Understanding top-down attention is crucial for elucidating the mechanisms by which we can filter sensory information to pay attention to the most behaviorally relevant events.
Prostigmine Inhibition of Ventricular Fibrillation in the Hypothermic Dog

This study shows that when prostigmine is given via coronary perfusion in the hypothermic dog, cardiac surgery can be performed without ventricular fibrillation resulting. This action of prostigmine seems to be due to an accumulation of acetylcholine, since prostigmine's antifibrillatory action can be reproduced by a continuous coronary perfusion of acetylcholine or by stimulation of the vagus nerve. A possible relationship between potassium and ventricular fibrillation is discussed.
Consumption Responses to Pay Frequency: Evidence From “Extra” Paychecks

Households often receive income and make consumption decisions at dierent frequencies. This can cause predictable variation in the amount of income received per consumption decision period. The life-cycle/permanent income hypothesis predicts that consumption should not respond to such variation. I test this prediction by exploiting variation in monthly income arising from the timing of bi-weekly pay schedules. Biweekly workers receive two paychecks per month with the exception of two months out of the year, during which they receive three. Using data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey, I nd evidence of excess sensitivity to these third paychecks. Durable spending increases by roughly 31 percent following months with three paychecks. There is no corresponding response in non-durable consumption. I discuss whether the empirical ndings can be reconciled with several extensions to the standard consumption model, including liquidity constraints and a new model of budgeting heuristics.
Claiming Ordinary Theft Loss Deductions for Stock Investments

Andy Torosyan explains the circumstances in which it might be possible to claim a section 165 theft loss deduction for the loss in value of stock investments.
Employment Status of Workers Ages 55 or Older

An increasing percentage of older Americans are in the labor force: The percentage of those ages 55 or older in the labor force increased from 37.7 percent in 1993 to 44.9 percent in 2006. For those ages 65-69, the percentage increased from 18.4 percent in 1985 to 29.0 percent in 2006. This paper examines the employment status (full time, part time, or part year) of these older workers. Using March Current Population Survey data, the percentage of these older workers working full time, full year was found to have increased steadily from 1993 to 2005. Consequently, not only are members of the older population more likely to work, they are more likely to be working full time, full year. The trend toward more full-time, full-year work is more closely examined across various demographic categories.
Fuzzy Skeletonization Improves the Performance of Characterizing Trabecular Bone Micro-architecture

Skeletonization provides a compact, yet effective representation of an object. Despite limited resolution, most medical imaging applications till date use binary skeletonization which is always associated with thresholding related data loss. A recently-developed fuzzy skeletonization algorithm directly operates on fuzzy objects in the presence of partially volumed voxels and alleviates this data loss. In this paper, the performance of fuzzy skeletonization is examined in a popular biomedical application of characterizing human trabecular bone (TB) plate/rod micro-architecture under limited resolution and compared with a binary method. Experimental results have shown that, using the volumetric topological analysis, fuzzy skeletonization leads to more accurate and reproducible measure of TB plate-width than the binary method. Also, fuzzy skeletonization-based plate-width measure showed a stronger linear association (\(R^{2} = 0.92\)) with the actual bone strength than the binary skeletonization-based measure.
Preservation and promotion of bone formation in the mandible as a response to a novel calcium-phosphate based biomaterial in mineral deficiency induced low bone mass male versus female rats.

Calcium and other trace mineral supplements have previously demonstrated to safely improve bone quality. We hypothesize that our novel calcium-phosphate based biomaterial (SBM) preserves and promotes mandibular bone formation in male and female rats on mineral deficient diet (MD). Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to receive one of three diets (n = 10): basic diet (BD), MD or mineral deficient diet with 2% SBM. Rats were sacrificed after 6 months. Micro-computed tomography (µCT) was used to evaluate bone volume and 3D-microarchitecture while microradiography (Faxitron) was used to measure bone mineral density from different sections of the mandible. Results showed that bone quality varied with region, gender and diet. MD reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and volume and increased porosity. SBM preserved BMD and bone mineral content (BMC) in the alveolar bone and condyle in both genders. In the alveolar crest and mandibular body, while preserving more bone in males, SBM also significantly supplemented female bone. Results indicate that mineral deficiency leads to low bone mass in skeletally immature rats, comparatively more in males. Furthermore, SBM administered as a dietary supplement was effective in preventing mandibular bone loss in all subjects. This study suggests that the SBM preparation has potential use in minimizing low peak bone mass induced by mineral deficiency and related bone loss irrespective of gender. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 1622-1632, 2016.
Spectroscopic investigation of a brightly colored psittacofulvin pigment from parrot feathers

Abstract Octadecaoctaenal is a psittacofulvin pigment associated with the bright red coloration of parrots. It consists of a linear polyene chain terminated by an aldehyde group and therefore provides an opportunity to examine the fundamental factors controlling the excited state ordering and dynamics of polyenals. Steady-state and ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopy were performed on octadecaoctaenal and a derivative in which the aldehyde group was converted to a methylenehydroxyl group. It was found that for octadecaoctaenal, solvent proticity was more important than polarity in determining its excited state lifetime. Theoretical computations were carried out to reveal the origin of the effect.
Our Fragile Power Grid

Centralized power generation and widespread distribution contribute to major vulnerabilities for US energy. To ensure secure power grid systems for the future, engineers face daunting challenges: How can they rethink the design of monitoring and control systems that are more robust and localized, while also working with more renewable resources and aiming for greater nimbleness in recovery?
Using a pattern-centered approach to assess sexual risk-taking in study abroad students

ABSTRACTObjectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of several potential factors related to sexually risky behaviors in study abroad students. The authors utilized a pattern-centered analysis to identify specific groups that can be targeted for intervention. Participants: The sample consisted of 173 students who studied abroad in a variety of international locations for an average of 4 months. Methods: Participants completed questionnaires informed by the Triandis Theory of Interpersonal Behavior that have been predictive of risky sex in traditional traveling environments. Results: The analyses revealed 3 different pathways for risky sexual behavior: Environmental involvement, historical condom use, and intentions to engage in risky sex. Conclusion: These findings can be used for identification of specific high-risk groups of students who can be targeted for predeparture prevention programs.
Alternative Modeling for Turbulent Flow in Porous Media

The development of models for turbulent flows in porous media is an active area of research with diverse and practical applications. Following the steps to model turbulence in clear flows, porous media models have appeared in the last three decades to capture the turbulence phenomenon at macroscopic scales. The fact that, in the porous media approximation, we are representing a region of the space with single values, obligate us to introduce space-fluctuating quantities in addition to the time decomposition or Reynolds decomposition. This issue has yielded some controversies in the way that turbulence quantities are defined and therefore, in the resulting turbulence models for porous media that have been already developed following the well known k-e model. In this paper an alternative model is developed to address turbulent flows in porous media. This new set of k-e equations for rigid and isotropic porous media is developed treating spatial and time fluctuations as a unique identity. This feature leads to a natural construction of the k and e equations with the same terms found in the corresponding equations for clear flow plus additional terms resulting from the interaction between solid walls of the porous media and the fluid. These extra terms arise in an integral form allowing their evaluation from microscopic or clear flow calculations. Assuming the eddy viscosity approximation and simple models to represent the interaction between solid walls and fluid, the model is closed. The resulting equations are simplified and numerically solved for fully developed flow in one dimensional porous media. Results are compared with those obtained using existing models.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Phenology and Management of the Obliquebanded Leafroller (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Apple Orchards

To manage properly the obliquebanded leafroller, Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris), its phenology must be understood in quantitative terms. We measured the development and activity of all of its life stages in the laboratory, insectary, and orchard. Some of these data were used to create a simple phenological model, which was simulated to produce a frequency distribution of hatching times for the summer generation. Separate data sets were used to validate the model. We tested two insecticide-treatment times suggested by this frequency distribution in commercial orchards. Results indicated that a management policy requiring one application is both sufficient and robust with respect to physiological time, although an application 400 degree-days (base 6.0°C) after the beginning of male moth flight may be safer than an earlier time.
Computer-based Diagnostic Decisionmaking

The three decisionmaking aids described by the authors attack the generic problem of "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil"--improving the detection, diagnosis, and therapy of psychiatric disorders in the primary care setting. The three systems represent interventions at different steps in the process of providing appropriate care to psychiatric patients. The DSPW system of Robins and Marcus offers the potential of increasing the recognition of psychiatric disease in the physician's office. Politser's IDS program is representative of the sort of sophisticated microcomputer-based decisionmaking support tools that will become available to physicians in the not-too-distant future. Erdman's study of the impact of explanation capabilities on the acceptability of therapy recommending systems points out the need for careful scientific evaluations of features added to diagnostic and therapeutic systems.
Skeletal muscle phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine are related to insulin sensitivity and respond to acute exercise in humans

Several recent reports indicate that the balance of skeletal muscle phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is a key determinant of muscle contractile function and metabolism. The purpose of this study was to determine relationships between skeletal muscle PC, PE and insulin sensitivity, and whether PC and PE are dynamically regulated in response to acute exercise in humans. Insulin sensitivity was measured via intravenous glucose tolerance in sedentary obese adults (OB; n = 14), individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D; n = 15), and endurance-trained athletes (ATH; n = 15). Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were obtained at rest, immediately after 90 min of cycle ergometry at 50% maximal oxygen consumption (Vo2 max), and 2-h postexercise (recovery). Skeletal muscle PC and PE were measured via infusion-based mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry analysis. ATH had greater levels of muscle PC and PE compared with OB and T2D (P < 0.05), with total PC and PE positively relating to insulin sensitivity (both P < 0.05). Skeletal muscle PC:PE ratio was elevated in T2D compared with OB and ATH (P < 0.05), tended to be elevated in OB vs. ATH (P = 0.07), and was inversely related to insulin sensitivity among the entire cohort (r = -0.43, P = 0.01). Muscle PC and PE were altered by exercise, particularly after 2 h of recovery, in a highly group-specific manner. However, muscle PC:PE ratio remained unchanged in all groups. In summary, total muscle PC and PE are positively related to insulin sensitivity while PC:PE ratio is inversely related to insulin sensitivity in humans. A single session of exercise significantly alters skeletal muscle PC and PE levels, but not PC:PE ratio.
Model Validation Using Interval Modeling with Performance Sensitivity

This paper presents an innovative approach to model validation of a structure with subsystems that have significant parameter variations. Model uncertainty of the structural dynamics is quantified with the use of a singular value decomposition technique to extract the principal components of parameter change, and an interval model is generated to represent the system with parameter uncertainty. The coordinate vector, corresponding to the identified principle directions, of the validation system is computed. The coordinate distance between the validation system and the identified interval model is used as a metric for model validation. A beam structure with an attached three degrees of freedom subsystem, which has significant parameter uncertainty, is used to demonstrate the proposed approach. I. INTRODUCTION Model validation and uncertainty quantification of structural dynamics is of great interest to both government and industry [1-3]. Structural uncertainty and the variability associated with physical parameters and environmental changes raise issues concerning reliability, safety, and quality of performance. Thus, uncertainty quantification and model validation of structural dynamics play a key role to address these issues. Recently, a model validation workshop [4] was organized by Sandia National Laboratories to address the problem of certification of structures under various forms of uncertainty. Following their formulation, an integrated system consisting of a beam structure and an attached subsystem, shown in Figure 1, is the test structure used for study. In this model the physical elements of the attached three degrees of freedom subsystem, shown in Figure 2, are the only ones exhibiting significant parameter variations, all other parameters are known. In the process of certifying structures for use in harsh dynamic environments it is often required that not only the main structure be capable of withstanding the loads but also all the substructures attached. To ensure survivability of all the substructures, Sandia in Reference [5] has chosen a performance metric in terms of the maximum acceleration magnitude of mass 3, top of the substructure, under a shock force at position x8, with the shock input profile prescribed. . For this study, the uncertain parameters are the identified modal parameters (frequency, damping, and mode shape) of subsystem, 15 parameters total.
Ringwoodite growth rates from olivine with ~75ppmw H2O: Metastable olivine must be nearly anhydrous to exist in the mantle transition zone

It has been previously demonstrated that as little as 300 ppmw H_2O increases wadsleyite and ringwoodite growth rates to magnitudes that are inconsistent with the metastable olivine hypothesis. To further test this hypothesis, we present new ringwoodite growth rate measurements from olivine with ∼75 ppmw H_2O at 18 GPa and 700, 900, and 1100 °C. These growth rates are nearly identical to those from olivine with ∼300 ppmw H_2O, and significantly higher than those from nominally anhydrous olivine. We infer that transformation of olivine with 75–300 ppmw H_2O is primarily enhanced by hydrolytic weakening of reaction rims, which reduces the elastic strain-energy barrier to growth. We present a new method for fitting non-linear nominally anhydrous data, to demonstrate that reduction of growth rates by elastic strain energy is an additional requirement for metastable olivine. Based on previous thermokinetic modeling, these enhanced growth rates are inconsistent with the persistence of metastable olivine wedges into the mantle transition zone. Metastable persistence of olivine into the mantle transition-zone would therefore require <75 ppmw H_2O.