cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Investigation of Song-Based Species Recognition in the Red-Winged Blackbird (Agelaius Phoeniceus)

To determine the aspect(s) of male red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) advertising song which function in the transmission of species identity, 74 territorial adult male redwings were exposed to 173 playback experiments of normal and experimentally altered red-wing song during the 1977, 1978 and 1979 breeding seasons. Unaltered red-wing song and altered song containing species-identifying information evoked aggressive behavior from territorial redwings when played through a loudspeaker placed in their territories. A list of red-wing aggressive behaviors was compiled and the males' responses to altered and unaltered song were scored on a "hybrid-index" scale according to the number of times they performed each of the aggressive behaviors during the playback experiment. The results of the study indicate that 1) the ordering of the three song "syllables" did not affect the intensity of the males' agonistic responses to playback song and therefore does not convey species information, 2) the initial two syllables of the red-wing song do not encode the species-identifying information, as these two syllables, alone or in conjunction, failed to elicit fully aggressive responses from the males, 3) the last syllable of the song, a "trill", when presented to the males alone or in conjunction with the other song syllables, evoked fully agonistic responses, suggesting that this trill syllable encodes the majority of species-specific information in the red-wing song, and 4) by playing back increasingly shorter (in duration) sections of the trill syllable to the territorial males, it was demonstrated that the trill must be somewhat longer in duration than 180 msec to function in species identification.
The Niagara system: The evolution of an electric power complex at Niagara falls, 1883-1896

This paper analyzes the evolution of the universal electric power system introduced at Niagara in 1895. The establishmemt of public parks at the site destroyed the former pattern of individual power consumption and made Niagra utilization a necessarily large, difficult and costly venture. The Cataract Construction Company and its engineering subsidiary, the Niagara Falls Power Company, organized - investigations to minimize the costs and problems of power development. Responding to the growth of the electrical market, the enterprise hoped to build a single electric central station that would supply electric power to consumers locally and in Buffalo, 22 miles away. Finding no satisfactory solution to the problems involved in this effort, the enterprise lacked a rudder until Swiss advances in hydro-electric technology demonstrated the feasibility of polyphase systems for the generation and long distance transmission of electric power. Niagara development quickly became a polyphase project involving an international relatioship between leading figures in polyphase technology. The turbines and alternators followed Swiss designs although the alternators were modified in a compromise between Cataract's market desires and Westinghouse's polyphase capabilities; the distribution system represented polyphase advances in America. The completed system delivered any current demanded by local or distant consumers.
The profitability of producing channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque) in cages at a commercial scale on small farms

Past beneficiaries of research and extension projects in aquaculture in the USA have been large farmers using pond culture systems. Additional studies, based on sound knowledge of empirical behaviour, are needed to identify alternative technologies and aid in the management decisions of small-scale farms. A mixed integer, multiperiod linear programming model and survey data were used to analyse the profitability of caged channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), culture. Results suggest that only a limited number of farmers may be able to adopt cage culture as an alternative farm enterprise. Profitability was sensitive to assumed product prices.
Assessing environmental changes in grasslands.

An intriguing question is raised in the Report by M. R. Shaw et al. , “Grassland responses to global environmental changes suppressed by elevated CO2” (6 Dec., p. [1987][1]), and the accompanying Perspective by J. A. Morgan (“Looking beneath the surface,” 6 Dec., p. [1903][2]). What
Psychotherapy and Psychological Treatments: The Future

Over the past 40 years the term psychotherapy has lost its ability to communicate the heterogeneous nature of our activities. There are at least two (and undoubtedly more) clearly delineated activities currently covered by this term. Going forward, it would resolve ambiguity and clarify objectives to delineate “psychological treatments” that are clearly compatible with the objectives of healthcare systems and “psychotherapy,” an equally valuable undertaking that primarily addresses problems in adjustment or growth. These two activities would not be distinguished on theory, technique, or even evidence, but on the problems addressed.
Esterase distribution in mouse liver.

Abstract About 80% of the esterase activity of mouse liver homogenized and fractionated in sucrose is found in the microsomes, and this distribution is independent of the sucrose concentration. The stability of the esterase activity of the microsomes is dependent upon the concentration of sucrose used for the isolation of these particulates, and greatest stability is found in microsomes isolated from 0.88 M sucrose. Esterase activity is distributed both in “rough-surfaced” and “smooth-surfaced” microsomal membranes, and nearly half of its activity is destroyed in these fractions following homogenization with glycerol, sucrose, and NaCl. The employment of sodium deoxycholate to dissolve the vesicular portion of the microsomes and ribonuclease to hydrolyze the ribonucleoprotein particles showed that the esterase activity of the microsomes is associated with, or is a part of the membranes or their contents. Very low concentrations of diethyl p -nitrophenyl phosphate and tetraethyl pyrophosphate, potent inhibitors of esterase activity, completely inhibit microsomal esterase activity, which activity appears to be of the B-type of Aldridge. No explanation could be found for the fact that the addition of glycerol to the fractionation media of liver cell particulates results in nearly half of the esterase activity being found in the supernatant fraction.
Enhanced enantio- and diastereoselectivities via confinement: Photorearrangement of 2,4-cyclohexadienones included in zeolites

[reaction: see text] Employing zeolite as the reaction medium, it is possible to change the enantio (from achiral dienones) and diastereo (from chiral dienones) selectivities during the oxa-di-pi-methane rearrangement of 2,4-cyclohexadienones.
Serum complement in the newborn. An investigation of complement activity in normal infants and in Rh and AB hemolytic disease.

Summary Serum complement activity in newborn infants is approximately half that of normal adults and mothers at term; when related as units of complement activity per gram in globulin in the paired sera the activity is equal. The complement titers of infants with Rh hemolytic disease are significantly higher than those of normal controls. In AB hemolytic disease complement levels do not vary from the normal. The complement titer of newborns with hemolytic disease bears no constant relationship to antibody titer, bilirubin, hemoglobin or the severity of the disease process. Resume L'activite du complement serique chez les nouveaux-nes est environ la moitie de celle des adultes et des meres au terme de leur grossesse; en valeur relative, cette activite, calculee par unite d'activite du complement par gramme de globuline est egale a celle des adultes. Le titre du complement chez les enfants atteints de maladie hemolytique Rhesus est nettement plus haut que celui des controles normaux. Dans les maladies hemolytiques A, B, O, le taux du complement ne varie pas par rapport a la normale. Le titre du complement de la maladie hemolytique Rhesus ne presente aucun rapport constant avec le titre des anticorps, le taux de bilirubine et d'hemoglobine et la gravite de l'affection. Zusammenfassung Die Komplementaktivitat des Serums Neugeborener entspricht ungefahr der Halfte derjenigen von gesunden Erwachsenen und Mutter am Geburtstermin; wird die Einheit der Komplementaktivitat mit der Gewichtsmenge der in diesen Seren enthaltenen Globuline in Beziehung gebracht, ist kein Unterschied zwischen den Neugeborenen und den Erwachsenen zu bezeichnen. Die Komplementtiter sind bei Neugeborenen mit Rh Morbus haemolyticus signifikant hoher als bei normalen Neugeborenen. Beim AB Morbus haemolyticus neonatorum weichen hingegen die Komplementtiter von der Norm nicht ab. Die Komplementtiter von Neugeborenen mit Morbus haemolyticus weisen keine konstante Beziehung zum Antikorpertiter, zum Bilirubin- und Hamoglobin-Spiegel, sowie zum Schweregrad der Krankheit auf.
Biology meets politics

How Humans Adapt: A Biocultural Odyssey. Edited by Donald J. Ortner. Smithsonian Institution Press: 1983. Pp.560. Hbk $19.95; pbk $9.95.
Switching of electrical and magnetic resonances in Omega structures by a reflection operation experimental studies

Omega shaped metallization on a dielectric substrate if appropriately designed will exhibit plasmonic resonances when excited by microwaves. We present experimental results for the complex S-parameters for four types of metamaterial slabs constructed with discrete omega shapes in a rectangular lattice. A double layer of omega shapes in a rectangular lattice is obtained by reflecting the pattern of one strip by +180° (Omega A), the third sample is realized by reflecting one strip by −180° (Omega B) and the fourth sample (Omega C) is realized by an alternate arrangement of the Omega A and Omega B samples in a rectangular lattice. The single layer sample is asymmetric (S11 ≠ S22), the two mirror image pair samples are perfectly symmetric with S11 = S22. Plasmonic resonances and band gaps were observed. The complex S-parameters were used to extract the complex permittivity and permeability of the symmetric samples by inverting Fresnel formulae for the reflection and transmission coefficients of a planar slab normally illuminated by a plane wave. The data of the asymmetric sample was inverted with this procedure to obtain two sets of data, one set using S11 and S21 and another set using S22 and S12 for the extraction of complex parameters. A reflection operation on the Omega geometry by ±180° results in the switching of the electric and magnetic properties in certain frequency ranges. Band gaps have been observed for both Omega A and Omega B that coincide with short circuit regions for the real part of the impedance. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2624–2629, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21984
Topography and microfilament core association of a cell surface glycoprotein of ascites tumor cell microvilli

Membrane-microfilament interactions are being investigated in microvilli isolated from 13762 rat mammary ascites tumor cells. These microvilli are covered by a sialomucin complex, composed of the sialomucin ascites sialoglycoprotein-1 (ASGP-1) and the associated concanavalin A (Con A)-binding glycoprotein ASGP-2. Limited proteolysis of the microvilli releases large, highly glycosylated fragments of ASGP-1 from the microvilli and increases the association of ASGP-2 with the Triton-insoluble microvillar microfilament core (Vanderpuye OA, Carraway CAC, Carraway, KL: Exp Cell Res 178:211, 1988). To analyze the topography of ASGP-2 in the membrane and its association with the microfilament core, microvilli were treated with proteinase K for timed intervals and centrifuged. The pelleted microvilli were extracted with Triton X-100 for the preparation of microfilament cores and Triton-soluble proteins or with 0.1 M carbonate, pH 11, for the preparation of microvillar membranes depleted of peripheral membrane proteins. These microvilli fractions were analyzed by dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis, lectin blotting with Con A and L-phytohemagglutinin, and immunoblotting with anti-ASGP-2. The earliest major proteolysis product from this procedure was a 70 kDa membrane-bound fragment. At longer times a 60 kDa released fragment, 30-40 kDa Triton-soluble fragments, and 25-30 kDa membrane- and microfilament-associated fragments were observed. Phalloidin shift analysis of microfilament-associated proteins on velocity sedimentation gradients indicated that the 25-30 kDa fragments were strongly associated with the microfilament core. From these studies we propose that ASGP-2 has a site for indirect association with the microfilament core near the membrane on a 15-20 kDa segment.
Numerical experiments on vortex shedding from an oscillating cylinder

Abstract Vortex street wakes behind a cylinder oscillating in a steady free stream have been studied experimentally and numerically by several authors. Williamson and Roshko attempted a classification of the various wake patterns observed as a function of two dimensionless parameters, the wavelength of the undulatory motion of the cylinder scaled by the cylinder diameter and the amplitude of the transverse undulations scaled by cylinder diameter. Several qualitatively distinct wake regimes were observed experimentally. These were classified in terms of the vortex patterns, e.g., two singlets, two pairs, pair and singlet, and so on. The main series of experiments was conducted at Re = 392 . Here, we construct a numerical method that allows us to perform corresponding numerical experiments at lower values of Reynolds number. We document the accuracy of the numerical method by comparing to well-established results for vortex wakes behind fixed cylinders. We then perform a number of numerical experiments for Re = 140 and establish several points of correspondence with the experiments. Our simulation results also shed light on the classification scheme of Williamson and Roshko and suggest how this classification may change with Reynolds number. We find remarkable sensitivity to details of the oscillation of the cylinder, in particular whether the oscillation takes place at fixed streamwise velocity or at fixed cylinder speed along its trajectory.
Reassessing Kennan after the Fall of the Soviet Union: The Vindication of X?

(1997). Reassessing Kennan after the Fall of the Soviet Union: The Vindication of X? The Historian: Vol. 59, No. 4, pp. 849-859.
Effect of plasmid size and medium on growth kinetics and plasmid copy number in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae cultures were selected to determine the effects of plasmid size on host growth kinetics and plasmid copy number. A complete synthetic medium was verified and the effects of yeast nitrogen base without amino acids medium and leucine selection were established for the strain. The dependence of copy number on the plasmid size, medium, and oxygen availability was also measured. This study was part of a comprehensive effort to elucidate the behavior of recombinant yeast.
Communication apprehension in the basic course in performance of literature

This study investigated the narrative accounts of the aesthetic performance experience as related by high communication apprehensives (HCA's) and low communication apprehensives (LCA's). Content analyses of beginning performance studies students’ personal narratives were used to discern differences between the two populations. Results indicate that while both HCA's and LCA's commonly label themselves as apprehensive about performance, their characterizations of the performance experience differ significantly across several dimensions.
The nature of currency black markets: empirical test of weak and semistrong form efficiency

This article examines weak and semistrong form market efficiency of currency black markets for 20 developing countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America. This study finds some evidence of significant serial dependence, skewness, kurtosis, and deviations from the efficient markets form of purchasing power parity. However, these deviations from weak and semistrong market efficiency seem to depend on the time period and currency examined and, given the nature of currency black markets, it is interesting that in many cases even these markets exhibit market efficiency.
UN Population Division's Methodology in Preparing Base Population for Projections: Case study for India

Preparation of the base population plays a substantial role in the accuracy of projections. This paper reviews analytical strategies involved in the preparation of the UN World Population Prospects to reconcile existing discrepancies between data sources and derive robust estimates of population counts, distribution, and demographic changes. The case study of India is used to illustrate the challenges and benefits of using a cohort-component population projection approach in reconstructing its population between 1950 and 2010, including the preparation of bias-free population counts and distributions by age and sex; estimation of consistent fertility and mortality trends; and integration of all demographic components for obtaining a reliable base population for projections.
Insight into the structural versatility of the Ln(III)[15-metallacrown-5] platform by comparing analogs with Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) ring ions

Abstract The promise for tuning the molecular recognition and physical properties of coordination driven assemblies through metal ion substitutions has prompted this structural investigation into the structural versatility of Ln(III)[15-metallacrownM(II),L-5]3+ complexes. The structural versatility of this molecular class is expanded through the synthesis of Ln(III)[15-metallacrownZn(II),picHA-5](NO3)3, the first Ln(III)[15-metallacrownM(II),L-5]3+ with Zn(II) metal ions. X-ray crystallography reveals the pentagonal macrocycle has a severely ruffled face, which is attributed to a non-equatorial alignment of the picHA ligands by the square pyramidal Zn(II) ions. ESI-MS and 1H NMR suggest the complex maintains its integrity in pyridine. Comparison of the Eu(III)[15-metallacrownM(II),picHA-5]3+ structures with Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) reveal elongated M(II)–NpicHA bond lengths and bending of the picHA chelates at the ring metals with Zn(II). Surprisingly, the metallacrowns provide similar coordination environments for the central Eu(III) ion despite the structural differences in the ring. Differences in the visible absorption spectra of the Eu(III)[15-metallacrownM(II),picHA-5]3+ complexes with Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) demonstrate that the electronics of the metallacrown platform can be varied through ring ion substitutions. The ability of Ln(III)[15-metallacrownM(II),L-5] complexes to accommodate ring ions with disparate coordination geometries is unique for coordination driven assemblies and has implications for the design of modular complexes with tunable magnetic and electronic properties.
AN AHP DECISION MODEL FOR FACILITY LOCATION SELECTION

Presents an AHP (analytical hierarchy process) decision model for facility location selection from the view of organizations which contemplate locations of a new facility or a relocation of existing facilities. The AHP model provides a framework to assist managers in analysing various location factors, evaluating location site alternatives, and making final location selections. The primary principle of the AHP model is to match decision‐makers’ preferences with location site characteristics. The model requires that a number of potential sites have been proposed. Alternatives are then evaluated and compared under both quantitative and qualitative factors to allow managers to incorporate managerial experiences and judgement in the solution process. Uses an example problem to illustrate the solution process. Addresses managerial implications for future research.
Contact Angle of Glycerol Nanodroplets Under van der Waals Force

We have studied the contact angle of glycerol nanodroplets on a partial wetting substrate using the tapping mode of an atomic force microscope. Our experiment shows strong contact angle hysteresis of nanodroplets (radius <100 nm) on mica substrate with atomic-level roughness. The theoretical analysis reveals and our experiment confirms that the van der Waals (vdW) force becomes a critical factor for the mechanical balance of droplets as the drop size reduces to nanometers. The vdW force introduces a dispersion force that significantly lowers the force threshold for producing contact angle hysteresis.
THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURE ON THE PROCESS OF BUSINESS NEGOTIATIONS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

The processes of business negotiations in three countries, the United States, Japan, and Brazil, are compared and contrasted. Three dyads from each country were videotaped during a buyer-seller negotiation simulation. Both verbal behaviors and nonverbal behaviors were observed and recorded. Observed differences provide the basis for hypothesized differences which might be tested in future work.
Serotonin synthesis inhibition reveals distinct mechanisms of action for MDMA and its enantiomers in the mouse.

Drug challenges in “intact” and p-chlorophenylalanine (p-CPA)-treated animals can be used to distinguish agents that act as direct serotonin (5-HT) agonists from agents that function as 5-HT releasers. The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of p-CPA treatment on the capacity of racemic 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and its stereoisomers to induce the head twitch response, hyperthermia, and locomotor stimulation in mice. Pretreatments with either 100 mg/kg p-CPA or equivolume saline were administered for three consecutive days. The following day, mice were either euthanized (to quantify 5-HT tone), tested with various doses of racemic MDMA or one of its enantiomers in the head twitch assay, or challenged with 32 mg/kg racemic MDMA or one of its enantiomers, while temperature and locomotor activity were monitored via radiotelemetry. p-CPA reduced cortical 5-HT turnover by >70% without altering dopamine turnover. Racemic MDMA did not induce a significant head twitch response in intact or p-CPA-treated mice. S(+)-MDMA and R(−)-MDMA elicited similar head twitch curves in intact mice; p-CPA treatment attenuated this response when induced by S(+)-MDMA but not when elicited by R(−)-MDMA. Neither the hyperthermic nor locomotor-stimulant effects of racemic MDMA were altered by p-CPA treatment. The hyperthermic effects, but not the locomotor-stimulant effects, of S(+)-MDMA were attenuated in mice treated with p-CPA. R(−)-MDMA did not alter core temperature or induce significant locomotor stimulation in intact or p-CPA-treated mice. The effects of S(+)-MDMA on core temperature and head twitch behavior are consistent with a mechanism involving 5-HT release, whereas the effects of R(−)-MDMA on head twitch behavior are consistent with a direct agonist mechanism of action. The actions of the racemate on core temperature and locomotor activity likely involve a combination of 5-HT release and direct agonism at 5-HT receptors.
Electrodynamic effects in plasmonic nanolenses

Full electrodynamic analysis of self-similar cascades of plasmonic nanospheres nanolenses that exhibit nanofocusing is performed. Electrodynamic resonances are identified and a significant local field enhancement by a factor of hundreds is found for different sizes and fractal ratios of the cascade system, and for different polarizations and directions of incidence of the excitation radiation. Supporting the earlier findings, the nanofocus “hottest spot” is found to be located in the gap between the two smallest nanospheres of the cascade. Somewhat surprisingly, field enhancement is maximized when the incoming wave is polarized at an angle to the symmetry axis. The influence of the dielectric substrate on field enhancement is also evaluated. The results obtained show ways to optimize the nanolenses for their applications in spectroscopy and sensing.
Spontaneous Remission of Cushing's Syndrome in a Patient with an Adrenal Adenoma

A 23-yr-old male student presented with clinical and biochemical evidence of Cushing's syndrome. One month later, his elevated plasma and urinary adrenal steroids had returned to normal. At surgery, an adrenal adenoma was removed from his right side. We postulate that he either underwent a temporary spontaneous remission of his disease without treatment, prior to surgery, or that his adenoma secreted glucocorticoids in a cyclical fashion.
Effect of cimetidine on verapamil disposition

The effects of multiple doses of cimetidine on single-dose verapamil kinetics were studied in nine healthy men. Baseline hepatic blood flow was estimated by indocyanine green elimination on day 1. On day 2, the subjects received verapamil, 10 mg iv, after which the plasma concentration—time profile was determined. After a 2-day washout, cimetidine, 300 mg, was taken by mouth four times a day for 5 days. The indocyanine green study was repeated on day 9 and verapamil was taken on day 10. Cimetidine reduced verapamil clearance by 21% and increased the elimination t½ by 50%. The volume of distribution at steady state did not change. Cimetidine increased hepatic blood flow in some subjects, while decreasing it in others. There was no correlation between individual changes in verapamil clearance and hepatic blood flow. These data indicate that cimetidine reduces verapamil clearance by mechanism(s) other than a change in hepatic blood flow or volume of distribution. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1985) 37, 654–657; doi:10.1038/clpt.1985.106
Theory of structural and electronic properties of BAs

The pseudopotential method within the local density approximation is used to investigate the structural and electronic properties of the most covalent of the III-V semiconductors, BAs. Results are given for the bulk modulus, lattice constant, cohesive energy and frequency of the TO phonon mode at Gamma . The electronic band structure and charge density are also discussed and shown to have features that differ from those of the other III-V compounds. In particular there is evidence for a reversal of the usual charge transfer between cation and anion.
Starring Students: Gender Performance at a Women’s College

The purpose of this qualitative study is to better understand how gender is constructed at a women’s college. Specifically, the researchers use Judith Butler’s (1990) work on performativity to frame how members of the campus community perceive transgender students are integrated into the college. Through semi-structured interviews with faculty, staff, and students, three themes emerged: transgender students are both invisible and hyper-visible and they experience a certain degree of oppression in their lives, oppression that carries with it unique circumstances due to the location of this study. The influence of these themes on the campus community and on what it means to be a women’s college when gender is considered as performance are explored. Finally, implications of the findings for research and practice are also considered.
Sharp states in the spectrum of low-lying mesons☆

Abstract The existence of a family of narrow, low-lying mesons of ordinary I , Y is suggested. These would coexist with the wider states usually assigned to q q : L = 1 in a quark model, and in particular would give rise to the A 2 splitting. The assignment of these states to a qq q q multiplet leads to their narrowness. Such states have been predicted by applying duality to baryon-antibaryon scattering. Their partners of “exotic” I and Y would lie higher in mass (at least one below 1.9 GeV, probably), and need not be so narrow.
MITOCHONDRIAL BIOGENESIS IN NEUROSPORA CRASSA : I. An Ultrastructural and Biochemical Investigation of the Effects of Anaerobiosis and Chloramphenicol Inhibition

The isolation of a new class of mutants permitting facultative anaerobiosis in Neurospora crassa is described. Backcross analyses to the obligate aerobe prototroph (An-) indicate single nuclear gene inheritance (An-/An+). An+ and An- are indistinguishable in morphology and growth rates under aerobic conditions. Anaerobic growth requires nutritional supplements that are dispensable for aerobic growth. Conidiogenesis, conidial germination, and vegetative growth rate are suppressed by anaerobiosis. An+ mutants produce substantial quantities of ethanol under anaerobic conditions. Anaerobiosis and chloramphenicol both affect mitochondrial enzyme activity and morphology. Chloramphenicol inhibition leads to reduction in cytochrome oxidase and swollen mitochondria with few cristae. Anaerobiosis leads to reduction in both cytochrome oxidase and malate dehydrogenase activities, enlarged mitochondria with fewer cristae, enlarged nuclei, and other alterations in cellular morphology. The fine structure of anaerobically grown cells changes with the time of anaerobic growth. We conclude that either inhibition of mitochondrial membrane synthesis or inhibition of respiration might lead to the observed alterations in mitochondria.
Assessment of a Multi‐Species Planting Approach for Restoring Thick‐Mat Floating Marsh, Louisiana, U.S.A.

Planting multiple species in wetland restoration sites could potentially accelerate ecological succession while enhancing ecological services. Our study of thick-mat floating marsh demonstrated that two species performed better than monocultures for developing a more structurally sound root mat. Although Panicum hemitomon is the typical dominant and focal species of all restoration efforts of this habitat type, we evaluated the effects of additional species, including Sagittaria lancifolia, a ubiquitous floating marsh constituent, and three laterally growing specialists (Alternanthera philoxeroides, Hydrocotyle ranunculoides, and Ludwigia peploides). In a mesocosm experiment, we found greater P. hemitomon biomass in monocultures but greater vegetative cover and total mat biomass with P. hemitomon plus L. peploides, but not greater biomass in the most species-rich treatment or treatment with the greatest initial planting density. We conclude that L. peploides aids restoration of thick-mat floating marsh by increasing mat buoyancy, enhancing lateral growth, and providing greater root mat structural integrity. This type of laterally growing specialist should accelerate coalescence of neighboring constructed and naturally formed mats. Planting species that occupy complementary niches should also minimize competition for key resources.
An o(min(m, n)) parallel deadlock detection algorithm

This article presents a novel Parallel Deadlock Detection Algorithm (PDDA) and its hardware implementation, Deadlock Detection Unit (DDU). PDDA uses simple Boolean representations of request, grant, and no activity so that the hardware implementation of PDDA becomes easier and operates faster. We prove the correctness of PDDA and that the DDU has a runtime complexity of O(min(m,n)), where m is the number of resources and n is the number of processes. The DDU reduces deadlock detection time by 99p, (i.e., 100X) or more compared to software implementations of deadlock detection algorithms. An experiment involving a practical situation with an early deadlock condition showed that the time measured from application initialization to deadlock detection was reduced by 46p by employing the DDU as compared to detecting deadlock in software.
Treatments in context: transcranial direct current brain stimulation as a potential treatment in pediatric psychosis

Childhood-onset schizophrenia is a chronic, severe form of schizophrenia, and is typically treatment resistant. Even after optimized pharmacotherapy, a majority (over 70%) of these pediatric patients present lasting psychotic symptoms and impaired cognition, necessitating the need for novel treatment modalities. Recent work in transcranial magnetic stimulation suggests moderate efficacy in symptom reduction in adult patients with schizophrenia; however, the transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment is cumbersome for this severely ill population. Transcranial direct current stimulation may provide a safe and effective adjuvant treatment for continued residual symptoms of schizophrenia.
DPCube: Differentially Private Histogram Release through Multidimensional Partitioning

Differential privacy is a strong notion for protecting individual privacy in privacy preserving data analysis or publishing. In this paper, we study the problem of differentially private histogram release for random workloads. We study two multidimensional partitioning strategies including: 1) a baseline cell-based partitioning strategy for releasing an equi-width cell histogram, and 2) an innovative 2-phase kd-tree based partitioning strategy for releasing a v-optimal histogram. We formally analyze the utility of the released histograms and quantify the errors for answering linear queries such as counting queries. We formally characterize the property of the input data that will guarantee the optimality of the algorithm. Finally, we implement and experimentally evaluate several applications using the released histograms, including counting queries, classification, and blocking for record linkage and show the benefit of our approach.
Power groups, interests and interest groups in Latin America: a new era or more of the same?

This final article draws on the 13 contributions to this special issue, regarding the broad range of perspectives and in-depth analyses of interest group systems across Latin America, to assess the contemporary operation and academic study of the region's interest group activity. In doing so, the analysis draws on the questions, premises and framework set out in the first article of this volume. Although the development of group systems varies from country to country, extensive developments have occurred since the early 1980s in the institutionalization of interest group activity. Yet, major challenges need to be overcome to ensure a deep-rooted acceptance of interest group pluralism. Moreover, as with all group systems, the challenges facing the region are very much shaped by long-standing socioeconomic and political cultural characteristics. These include widespread economic inequality and the central socio-political role of family that often translates into clientelism, elitism, and corruption in the public policy arena. In turn, these and other challenges facing the group system affect the consolidation of democracy. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
CuInSe2 Thin-Film Solar Cells with 7.72 % Efficiency Prepared via Direct Coating of a Metal Salts/Alcohol-Based Precursor Solution

A simple direct solution coating process for forming CuInSe2 (CIS) thin films was described, employing a low-cost and environmentally friendly precursor solution. The precursor solution was prepared by mixing metal acetates, ethanol, and ethanolamine. The facile formation of a precursor solution without the need to prefabricate nanoparticles enables a rapid and easy processing, and the high stability of the solution in air further ensures the precursor preparation and the film deposition in ambient conditions without a glove box. The thin film solar cell fabricated with the absorber film prepared by this route showed an initial conversion efficiency of as high as 7.72 %.
Bond between Smooth Prestressing Wires and Concrete: Finite Element Model and Transfer Length Analysis for Pretensioned Concrete Crossties

Pretensioned concrete ties are increasingly employed in railroad high speed and heavy haul applications. The bond between prestressing wires or strands and concrete plays an important role in determining the transfer length of pretensioned concrete members, but little research was done to characterize the transfer length in terms of steel reinforcement and concrete factors for railroad concrete ties. The Federal Railroad Administration is sponsoring a comprehensive test program at Kansas State University (KSU) aimed at quantitatively correlating prestressing steel and concrete variables with the transfer length of pretensioned concrete crossties. The Volpe Center has been applying the data obtained in the KSU test program to develop bond models that can be used in transfer length prediction and failure analysis of concrete ties. This paper describes finite element (FE) model development related to the smooth prestressing wire whose dominant bonding mechanisms with concrete are chemical adhesion and friction. The commercial FE software, Abaqus, is employed, and the steel-concrete interface is discretized with cohesive elements. A user bond model is developed within the elastoplastic framework and implemented for axisymmetric and 3D cohesive elements. The bond model defines constitutive relations in terms of normal and shear stresses vs. interfacial dilation and slips. The bond behavior is initially linear elastic, followed by adhesion and friction that are governed by a yield function and a plastic flow rule specific for the smooth wire-concrete interface. The main bond material parameters are normal and shear elastic stiffness, initial adhesive strength, plastic slip at which adhesion first breaks completely, and coefficient of friction. Except for the coefficient of friction, which is determined with reference to the open literature, the bond parameters are calibrated from untensioned pullout tests and pretensioned prism tests conducted at KSU. The calibrated bond parameters exhibit a dependence on the nominal compressive strength of concrete at the time of pretension release. Because considerable concrete creeping has been observed in the periods between pretension release and concrete strain measurement in the test program, an additional concrete material parameter, basic creep compliance, can be calculated and applied to adjust the concrete surface strain data. The user bond model is then validated with transfer length data measured on actual concrete crossties made with a smooth prestressing wire in a tie manufacturing plant.
Structural Analysis of PTM Hotspots (SAPH-ire) – A Quantitative Informatics Method Enabling the Discovery of Novel Regulatory Elements in Protein Families

Predicting the biological function potential of post-translational modifications (PTMs) is becoming increasingly important in light of the exponential increase in available PTM data from high-throughput proteomics. We developed structural analysis of PTM hotspots (SAPH-ire)—a quantitative PTM ranking method that integrates experimental PTM observations, sequence conservation, protein structure, and interaction data to allow rank order comparisons within or between protein families. Here, we applied SAPH-ire to the study of PTMs in diverse G protein families, a conserved and ubiquitous class of proteins essential for maintenance of intracellular structure (tubulins) and signal transduction (large and small Ras-like G proteins). A total of 1728 experimentally verified PTMs from eight unique G protein families were clustered into 451 unique hotspots, 51 of which have a known and cited biological function or response. Using customized software, the hotspots were analyzed in the context of 598 unique protein structures. By comparing distributions of hotspots with known versus unknown function, we show that SAPH-ire analysis is predictive for PTM biological function. Notably, SAPH-ire revealed high-ranking hotspots for which a functional impact has not yet been determined, including phosphorylation hotspots in the N-terminal tails of G protein gamma subunits—conserved protein structures never before reported as regulators of G protein coupled receptor signaling. To validate this prediction we used the yeast model system for G protein coupled receptor signaling, revealing that gamma subunit–N-terminal tail phosphorylation is activated in response to G protein coupled receptor stimulation and regulates protein stability in vivo. These results demonstrate the utility of integrating protein structural and sequence features into PTM prioritization schemes that can improve the analysis and functional power of modification-specific proteomics data.
Parathyroid hormone induces a calmodulin-dependent alteration in phosphodiesterase activity of rat kidney in vivo.

In the basal state cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase in cytosol of rat kidney cortex is characterized by at least two kinetically distinct activities, with Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) for cAMP of 3.3 × 10-6 and 3.7 × 10-5 M. Eight minutes after in vivo injection of parathyroid extract, and persisting over 4 h, phosphodiesterase showed only one apparent activity, Km = approximately 1 × 10-5 M. This change in kinetic profile was mimicked by the ip injection of 10 mg/kg (Bu)2- cAMP, and was reversed by incubation of cytosol with trifluoperazine or EGTA. Incubation of control cytosol with purified calmodulin duplicated the effect of hormone injection. Chromatography of control cytosol over diethylaminoethyl-cellulose resolved two activity peaks. Peak I, corresponding to the high Km activity of whole cytosol, was stimulated by calmodulin, representing a change in maximum velocity but not in substrate affinity. In addition, calmodulin stimulated the hydrolysis by Peak I of 3′,5′-cyclic guanosine monophosph...
Experimentally induced polygyny in a monogamous bird species: prothonotary warblers and the polygyny threshold

Hypotheses regarding evolution of polygyny were tested using prothonotary warblers (Protonotaria citrea), through experimental manipulations of habitat quality. Two experiments were performed. Experiment 1 involved supplying nest boxes in different breeding habitats: flooded riparian areas (high food availability) and adjacent dry bottomland (low food availability). Nine bigamous matings were induced in this experiment, all occurring in flooded habitats even though monogamous mating opportunities existed in dry areas. Costs of polygyny for secondary females in flooded habitat were similar to costs incurred by monogamous females in dry habitat. Thus, a polygyny threshold apparently existed, possibly based on differences in food abundance in the two habitats. However, male quality covaried with habitat quality, as males in flooded areas were older and larger than males in dry habitat. Secondary females may have chosen polygyny in the best breeding situation, a combination of male and territory quality. In Experiment 2 nest box density was varied within flooded habitat to allow males to monopolize different numbers of nest-sites. Monogamous females settled earlier on territories with a large number of nest-sites, and males that defended many nest-sites were more likely to become polygynous. Male physical characteristics were not related to occurrence of polygyny in flooded habitat. Limitation of suitable nest-holes ultimately constrains occurrence of polygyny in prothonotary warblers.
Teaching preschoolers safety rules: A pilot study of injury prevention

ABSTRACTUnintentional injuries pose a significant threat to the health of young children. Although environmental changes, enhanced parental supervision, and legislation are important measures to prevent childhood injuries, educating children about safety is an essential component to effective primary prevention. In this pilot study, a convenience sample of 301 preschoolers (82% Latino) participated in a behavioral-skills training program to prevent injuries and were compared to controls (n = 45). Participants were pre- and post-tested on their knowledge of general safety rules related to riding in vehicles, crossing the street, being lost or alone, and playing with guns and matches/lighters. Other than knowing to wear a seatbelt, pre-test data showed a concerning lack of knowledge regarding safety. There were significant increases in safety rules knowledge after training. Findings support the value of training preschoolers in multiple areas of safety as one important strategy for the primary prevention of...
Simple Near-Infrared Spectrometric Sorption-Based Vapor Sensor

A new class of near-IR sensors has been devised which relies on spectroscopic near-IR detection of analytes sorbed on a preconcentrating layer. The new sensors furnish both qualitative and quantitative information by detection of molecular vibrational overtone and combination absorption bands and by measurement of changes in the scattering of the silica-gel medium. A silica-gel thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plate was used as the adsorbent medium. This method is responsive to vapors ranging from water to carbon tetrachloride. Ethyl- and octyl-derivatized TLC plates were also tested and generally exhibited a weaker response and different spectral features than the original plate. The optical nature of these sensors opens up the possibility of remote analysis by coupling the technique with fiber optics and/or near-IR light-emitting diodes and lasers. Detection limits ranged from 4.1 to 210 ppm by volume. Polar compounds able to hydrogen bond to the surface exhibited lower detection limits than nonpolar compounds.
Volunteers as Facilitators of Communication About Pain A Feasibility Study

Often unskilled for the hospice caregiving role, family members who provide patient care at home need support to facilitate pain management. Volunteers who serve as members of the hospice team may be able to complement staff efforts to discuss pain with caregivers. A pilot project was developed to determine if volunteers could be trained to facilitate communication about pain with family caregivers. Two hospice volunteers were trained and three family caregivers received the intervention in their homes. Caregivers and volunteers were interviewed about the experience. Both caregivers and volunteers reported a rewarding and positive experience. Caregivers prioritized the need to talk with someone, and volunteers preferred working with caregivers instead of administrative support duties. Volunteers could be trained to deliver the intervention material, but information from volunteer visits was not immediately reported to hospice staff members. Future research should assess the benefits of using hospice volun...
Theoretical derivation of EMOTION-I model for emotional feel of sensation

Article accompanying a poster presentation for the 2008 Computational Neuroscience Meeting. This article discusses the theoretical derivation of EMOTION-I model for emotional feel of sensation.
Serotonin, a strong inhibitor of the autocatalytic activation of trypsinogen.

Eine Reihe von Alkylaminen wurden auf ihren hemmenden Einfluss auf die Trypsinogenaktivierung untersucht. Hierbei erwies sich Serotonin als der starkste Hemmstoff, gefolgt von Tryptamin und Butylamin. Die Hemmung der autokatalytischen Aktivierung war bedeutend starker ausgepragt als die Hemmung der Aktivierung durch Enterokinase.
International Translation of Project EX: A Teen Tobacco Use Cessation Program

Aims: There are relatively few documented teen tobacco use cessation efforts outside the United States (U. S.). Project EX is an evidence-based program that consists of eight sessions, as a school-based clinic tobacco cessation-only version and a classroom-based prevention and cessation version. This paper provides a ‘snapshot’ of progress on international translation of Project EX pilot study work in eight countries that have been approached thus far. The program was implemented in Wuhan, China; Israel and partners; Bashkortostan, Russia; and Elche, Spain. Implementation is planned for Vienna, Austria; Mumbai, India; and Bangkok, Thailand. This work will lead eventually to a greater understanding regarding preference for type of programming (e. g., clinic versus classroom modality), challenges in recruitment and retention, program receptivity, and short-term (approximately 3-month post-program) quit rates. Protocol and Interim Results of International Translation of Project EX: Convenience samples are be...