cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disentangling climate change effects on species interactions: effects of temperature, phenological shifts, and body size

Climate-mediated shifts in species' phenologies are expected to alter species interactions, but predicting the consequences of this is difficult because phenological shifts may be driven by different climate factors that may or may not be correlated. Temperature could be an important factor determining effects of phenological shifts by altering species' growth rates and thereby the relative size ratios of interacting species. We tested this hypothesis by independently manipulating temperature and the relative hatching phenologies of two competing amphibian species. Relative shifts in hatching time generally altered the strength of competition, but the presence and magnitude of this effect was temperature dependent and joint effects of temperature and hatching phenology were non-additive. Species that hatched relatively early or late performed significantly better or worse, respectively, but only at higher temperatures and not at lower temperatures. As a consequence, climate-mediated shifts in hatching phenology or temperature resulted in stronger or weaker effects than expected when both factors acted in concert. Furthermore, consequences of phenological shifts were asymmetric; arriving relatively early had disproportional stronger (or weaker) effects than arriving relatively late, and this varied with species identity. However, consistent with recent theory, these seemingly idiosyncratic effects of phenological shifts could be explained by species-specific differences in growth rates across temperatures and concordant shifts in relative body size of interacting species. Our results emphasize the need to account for environmental conditions when predicting the effects of phenological shifts, and suggest that shifts in size-structured interactions can mediate the impact of climate change on natural communities.
Probabilistic models of freeway safety performance using traffic flow data as predictors

Abstract In this paper we lay the groundwork for gauging the level of safety of any type of traffic flow on a freeway, based on data from single loop detectors; the procedure can be implemented wherever such data are monitored or simulated. Our analyses are based on loop detector data for each of the freeway lanes for a short period of time preceding teach of over 1700 accidents in our case study. This case study covers the six major freeways in Orange County, California, for a six-month period in 2001. Recognizing that loop detector data at a specific time and place cannot be converted to speed, because it is not possible to know effective vehicle length at such a detailed level (that is, the mix of long and short vehicles is unknown at a specific place for a short period of time), we avoid using any direct speed or density measures among the parameters. Rather, we employ explanatory parameters that include not only central tendencies (means and medians), but variations, and measures of systematic and synchronized traits that capture patterns in short period of loop detector data. Such patterns include breakdown from free flow to congested operations or recovery back to free flow, and differences in traffic conditions across lanes. In the analysis, we uncover an extensive set of statistical parameters that capture those aspects of traffic flow that are strongly related to accident potential. We demonstrate that the parameters can account for speed and density, even though these are not used directly. Moreover, the parameters account for important differences among the types of accidents that occur under different types of traffic flow.
IMPROVING THE PASS RATES OF COMMUNITY-COLLEGE STUDENTS ON CERTIFICATION EXAMINATIONS

ABSTRACT Due to the implementation of a performance-based funding plan, community colleges in North Carolina must attain a minimum percentage of students successfully passing licensure and certification examinations. To meet this mandate, Catawba Valley Community College implemented a basic skills component, with minimum academic standards, to assist students in achieving success. This study found these measures significant in improving student pass rates on the EMT-Basic certification examination, despite nonsignificance related to student age or education levels.
Synthesis and degradation of the lipogenic enzymes of rat liver

Abstract Levels of five lipogenic enzymes of rat liver cytosol rise or fall coordinately in response to nutritional variation. Enzyme activity and immuno-reactivity values bear a constant proportionality (malate enzyme and citrate cleavage enzyme). The patterns of adaptive change are described by the equation d[E]/dt = S − k[E] where S is the rate of enzyme synthesis and k is a first order degradative rate constant. Evaluation of S and k in the transition from an initial level of enzyme to a final steady state tissue concentration indicates that the synthetic parameter is the major determinant. This was confirmed by pulse labeling three cytosol enzymes (fatty acid synthetase, malate enzyme and citrate cleavage enzyme) with 14C-leucine in vivo. During refeeding the rate of synthesis of malate enzyme and citrate cleavage enzyme rises coordinately over a 6 hr span, apparently in response to the same inducing signal. Injections of insulin or thyroxin stimulate the rate of pulse labeling of these enzymes
Binary optic interconnects: design, fabrication and limits on implementation

The Gerchberg-Saxton phase retrieval algorithm results in a phase profile which varies continuously, which is extremely difficult to fabricate. Binary optics technology offers a viable solution to this fabrication problem. We describe a modified Gerchberg-Saxton phase retrieval algorithm which incorporates the binary optics fabrication process into the iterative loop. This algorithm is used to optimize the phase profile of a multilevel phase grating which achieves a 2-D Gaussian fanout. The surface-relief structure which practically implements this optimized phase profile was fabricated. The results of the fabrication process are summarized and the experimental measurements on the fanout element are presented.
Image feature analysis for computer‐aided diagnosis: Detection of right and left hemidiaphragm edges and delineation of lung field in chest radiographs

Diaphragm edges, together with ribcage edges, in chest radiographs provide useful information on the location, shape, and size of the lung fields that are required by computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) schemes for automated detection of various abnormalities. In this continued study, we developed a computerized method for detection of the right and left hemidiaphragm edges. First, the right hemidiaphragm edges in a PA (postero-anterior) chest image were determined by edge gradient analysis. An initial vertical ROI was then placed at the middle of the left hemidiaphragm, based on a "standard rule" for determination of the starting points to search for the left hemidiaphragm edges. Seven categories were used to assess the accuracy of the placement of the initial ROI and the selection of the primary left starting point within the initial ROI. For some categories, it was necessary to select a second left starting point besides the primary one. Therefore, for these categories, two sets of "detected left hemidiaphragm edges" resulted from the two left starting points. Two parameters were used as measures to eliminate the false left hemidiaphragm edges which were due to an incorrect left starting point. Two polynomial functions were applied separately which produced smooth curves for the right and left hemidiaphragm edges. Finally, the delineation of the lung field in a chest image was obtained by connecting the right and left hemidiaphragm edge curves with the corresponding ribcage edge curves. The subjective evaluation results indicated that the accuracy for the determination of the right and left hemidiaphragm edges was approximately 97% and 90%, respectively.
How Much Does a Matrix of Rank k Weigh

(2006). How Much Does a Matrix of Rank k Weigh? Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 79, No. 4, pp. 262-271.
Clonazepam use in pregnancy and the risk of malformations.

BACKGROUND Clonazepam (Klonopin) is a benzodiazepine that has been used widely to treat seizures and conditions such as panic attacks and anxiety disorder. However, the current findings about its use in pregnancy are derived from limited studies of small sample size. Because it is commonly prescribed during pregnancy, more information about its safety is needed. METHODS The medical records of 28,565 infants were surveyed as part of a hospital-based malformation surveillance program to identify those who had been exposed prenatally to an anticonvulsant, including clonazepam. RESULTS During a 32-month period, 166 anticonvulsant-exposed infants were identified; 52 had been exposed to clonazepam, 43 as monotherapy. A total of 33 (76.7%) of the monotherapy infants were exposed during the first trimester. One (3.0%) infant had dysmorphic features, growth retardation, and a heart malformation (tetralogy of Fallot). CONCLUSIONS This study did not observe an increase in major malformations in births exposed to clonazepam monotherapy. However, this study is not large enough to have adequate power to determine whether or not the rate of major malformations is increased in clonazepam-exposed pregnancies. No increase has been identified in three other case series. Although the number of patients in this series was larger than previous reports, continued monitoring of pregnancies is needed to determine whether or not clonazepam is teratogenic. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Comparison of hospitalization between nursing home and community residents.

The authors prospectively identified 96 consecutive nursing home residents (NHR) admitted to the medical wards of their affiliated hospitals to determine the outcome of hospitalization for these patients in comparison with 88 admissions in a similarly aged community residents (CR) population. Nursing home and community resident groups were similar in age, sex, marital status, and distribution among the four study hospitals. Dementia was a more common preexisting diagnosis in NHR than in CR. Reasons for admission differed between the two groups. Although NHR experienced a longer hospitalization than CR, frequency and duration of intensive care unit admissions were similar. Fatal outcome occurred more commonly in NHR compared with CR (27 v11%, P< .001). Predictors of mortality were examined. Nursing home residents also experienced a higher mortality than CR within the six months after hospitalization (35 v20%, P< .005). J Am Geriatr Soc 33:524, 1985
Crop domestication relaxes both top-down and bottom-up effects on a specialist herbivore

Abstract Domestication of crop plants selects for numerous traits that often distinguish them dramatically from their wild progenitors. In some cases, these modifications lead to increased herbivory, by enhancing their attractiveness to herbivorous insects or reducing the efficiency of natural enemies, or both. This study investigated the effects of fruit enlargement on the olive (Olea europaea L.), the specialist olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), and its specialized larval parasitoids. Wild olive fruit are small (
Combined Deficiency of Proapoptotic Regulators Bim and Fas Results in the Early Onset of Systemic Autoimmunity

Alterations in the stoichiometric balance between members of Bcl-2 and Fas apoptotic pathway could lead to the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We showed that patients with SLE displayed increased expression in antiapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 and Fas apoptotic pathways in isolated mononuclear cells. Further, mice (Bcl2l11(-/-)Fas(lpr/lpr)) lacking the Bcl-2 pro-apoptotic member, Bim (Bcl2l11(-/-)) and and with an lpr mutation in the gene encoding Fas (Fas(lpr/lpr)) developed severe SLE-like disease by 16 weeks of age unlike Bcl2l11(-/-) or Fas(lpr/lpr) mice. Bcl2l11(-/-)Fas(lpr/lpr) antigen-presenting cells (APCs) were markedly activated, and their numbers were increased in lymphoid tissues and in kidneys, yet numerous TUNEL-positive cells were observed in glomeruli of Bcl2l11(-/-)Fas(lpr/lpr) mice. These data demonstrate that dysregulation of the Bcl-2 or Fas pathways can alter the function of APCs, thereby leading to SLE pathogenesis.
Predictors of Children's Electronic Media Use: An Examination of Three Ethnic Groups

Predictors of media use of children from 1 to 12 years old were examined for 3 ethnic groups (European American, African American, and Hispanic American). Data from the Child Development Supplement to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics representing 1,819 children were used. Models consisting of child characteristics, demographics, family characteristics, and parental well-being predictors accounted for more of the variation in media use (television and video games) by European Americans and Hispanic Americans than they did for African Americans. Generally, variables predicted total use of television similarly for the 3 ethnic groups tested. Parental education predicted use of educational media only for European Americans. Electronic video game use varied almost exclusively by the age and gender of the child. The very different patterns for television and electronic game use suggest that these media may fulfill different functions for children and families.
Influence of Ochratoxin A and Vanadium on Various Parameters in Growing Chicks

The effects of ochratoxin A (OA) and vanadium (V) singly and in combinations, at levels that could be encountered under field conditions, were determined in male Leghorn chicks. The chicks were fed a control diet containing the following additives: none; 12.5 mg V/kg; 25.0 mg V/kg; 2.5 mg OA/kg; 2.5 mg OA plus 12.5 mg V/kg; and 2.5 mg OA plus 25.0 mg V/kg. These data show that V, singly at levels of 12.5 or 25.0 mg/kg of diet, did not adversely affect body weight gain at 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks of age. Body weight gains of the chicks receiving the diets containing OA singly were significantly lower than the controls except during the 1- to 7-day period. Body weight gains of chicks receiving the OA in combination with either level of V were significantly lower than any of the other groups during the 1- to 7- and 22- to 28-day periods. The quantity of feed required per unit of gain was increased slightly by the addition of OA at 2.5 mg/kg and the addition of V at 12.5 or 25.0 mg/kg and, to a greater extent, by the OA-V combinations. The relative liver and kidney weights were higher in the groups receiving OA singly or in combination with V. When compared to the controls, relative gizzard weights were significantly higher in the two combination groups; whereas the relative proventriculus weights were significantly higher only in the group receiving the 2.5 mg OA plus 25.0 mg V/kg combination.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Applying Patterns during Business Process Modeling

Although the business process community has put a major emphasis on patterns, notably the famous workflow patterns, only limited support for using patterns in today's business process modeling tools can be found. While the basic workflow patterns for control flow are available in almost every business process modeling tool, there is no support for the user in correctly applying these simple patterns leading to many incorrectly modeled business processes. Only limited support for pattern compounds can be found in some tools, there is no active support for selecting patterns that are applicable in some user-determined context, tools do not give feedback to the user if applying a pattern can lead to a modeling error, nor do they trace the sequence of applied patterns during the editing process. In this paper, we describe an extension of a business process modeling tool with patterns to provide these capabilities. We distinguish three scenarios of pattern application and discuss a set of pattern compounds that are based on the basic workflow patterns for control flow. We present an approach where business users receive help in understanding the context and consequences of applying a pattern.
Is Crime News Coverage Excessive

Stories about crime in newspapers and on TV exaggerate the amount of street crime but do not displace coverage of other news content.
What love has to do with it: An attachment perspective on pair bonding and sexual behavior

Del Giudice proposes that short-term mating strategies are adaptive for attachment-avoidant men. We argue that this model (1) does not apply to the majority of avoidant men (fearful-avoidants); (2) is based on limited evidence that the remaining subset of avoidant men (dismissing-avoidants) engage in short-term mating strategies; and (3) disregards the importance of pair bonding even for dismissing-avoidants.
LASER REMOTE-SENSING SYSTEM ANALYSIS FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE

We develop a general model of a laser remote-sensing system for search and rescue using targets marked with fluorescent dye. The dye fluoresces at a longer peak wavelength than the incident radiation, enabling a dye-covered target to be distinguished from the unshifted ground echo by the search system. The principal result is a simple expression derived for the average laser power required to search at a particular rate given a required ground energy density. A similar expression is applicable to imaging lidar systems. The example system shown indicates that active probing for lost planes may be practical.
In Vitro and In Vivo Studies of a Rapid and Selective Breath Test for Tuberculosis Based upon Mycobacterial CO Dehydrogenase

One of the major hurdles in treating tuberculosis (TB) is the time-consuming and difficult methodology for diagnosis. Stable-isotope breath tests hold great potential for rapidly diagnosing an infectious disease, monitoring therapy, and determining a bacterial phenotype in a rapid, point-of-care manner that does not require invasive sampling. Here we describe the preclinical development of a potentially highly selective TB diagnostic breath test based upon the organism's CO dehydrogenase activity. After development of the test in vitro, we were able to use the breath test to discriminate between infected and control rabbits, demonstrating that a diagnosis can potentially be made and also that a complex bacterial phenotype can be noninvasively and rapidly studied in the host. IMPORTANCE Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major infectious cause of disease and death worldwide, and effective diagnosis and then treatment are the tools with which we fight TB. The more quickly and more specific the diagnosis can be made, the better, and this is also true of diagnosis being as close to the patient (point of care) as possible. Here we report our preclinical development of breath tests based upon specific mycobacterial metabolism that could, with development, allow rapid point-of-care diagnosis through measuring the mycobacterial conversion of labeled CO to labeled CO2.
The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics: A Reflection on the Ethics of Respect and Human Dignity with Nurse as Expert

The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Nurses calls for the nurse to practice with compassion and respect for every individual. What are the ethics and challenges of practicing professional nursing with expertise and educating a new generation of nurses while incorporating the interpretive statements into practice? This column differentiates the traditional biomedical views on human dignity and respect while exploring the embedded ethics of respect and self-determination and what it truly means to be an expert of nursing from the theoretical perspective of the human becoming school of thought.
CuCo2O4 ORR/OER Bi-Functional Catalyst: Influence of Synthetic Approach on Performance

A series of CuCo2O4 catalysts were synthesized by pore forming, sol-gel, spray pyrolysis and sacrificial support methods. Catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS and BET techniques. The electrochemical activity for the oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions (ORR and OER) was evaluated in alkaline media by RRDE. Density Functional Theory was used to identify two different types of active sites responsible for ORR/OER activity of CuCo2O4 and it was found that CuCo2O4 can activate the O-O bond by binding molecular oxygen in bridging positions between Co or Co and Cu atoms. It was found that the sacrificial support method (SSM) catalyst has the highest performance in both ORR and OER and has the highest content of phase-pure CuCo2O4. It was shown that the presence of CuO significantly decreases the activity in oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions. As a result, the half-wave potential (E1/2) of CuCo2O4-SSM was found as 0.8 V, making this material a state-of-the-art, unsupported oxide catalyst.
The fairness of DQDB networks with slot reuse

The paper analyzes the fairness characteristics of two previously proposed slot reuse protocols for DQDB networks. In particular, the slot reuse protocol proposed for the IEEE 802.6e standard [Hassanein et al., 1994] results in unfair steady state bandwidth allocations for some overloaded DQDB networks and can cause unbounded access delays under some stable workloads. In contrast, a previously proposed simple counter protocol results in bandwidth allocations in overload that are shown to be at least weakly fair for all workloads and optimally fair for many important workloads. This simple protocol also guarantees bounded access delays for any stable workload. A new modified counter protocol is proposed that has superior fairness characteristics to either of the previous protocols.
Mixed‐potential integral equation (MPIE) formulation for nonplanar microstrip structures of arbitrary shape in multilayered uniaxial media (invited article)

A straightforward derivation is presented of three distinct mixed-potential integral equations (MPIEs) that are well-suited for the analysis of arbitrarily shaped, planar or nonplanar microstrip structures in multilayered, planar, uniaxially anisotropic media of infinite lateral extent. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Is Expected Utility Theory Applicable? A Revealed Preference Test

We proffer a method to assess the adequacy of expected utility theory (EUT) in empirical studies involving discrete and continuous choices. The method calibrates a utility function to revealed choices and rejects EUT for absurd degrees of implied concavity over the wealth at risk. We find EUT rejections in cases where risk-averse choices are made between gambles with similar stakes, regardless of their absolute sizes. EUT is shown to be applicable only when expected payoffs of gambles are similar, or when more than half of wealth is at risk. We illustrate our method with an application to agricultural production.
TRAUMATIC INDUCTION OF EARLY MATURITY IN TETRAHYMENA

Exposure of conjugating pairs of Tetrahymena thermophila to high temperature (37°) during macronuclear development causes an abortion of many macronuclei, but it also often induces an early appearance of sexual maturity in clones completing macronuclear development. Lines become mature after about 15 cell divisions rather than after 50 or more cell divisions in untreated pairs. The phenotype resembles that associated with Em (early maturity) mutants but, because it is not transmitted to the progeny in the next generation, it must be considered a phenocopy. The hypothesis is developed that an early genotype-environment incompatibility, whether associated with an abnormal genotype or an unusual environment, activates a shunt mechanism permitting the organisms to undertake quickly an ordinarily forbidden sexual lottery.
Optimal Design of Thermoelectric Refrigerators Embedded in a Thermal Resistance Network

Thermoelectric refrigeration offers advantages (e.g., no moving parts) over other refrigeration technologies. However, because maximum performance (i.e., heat load for a specified temperature drop below ambient temperature or vice versa) and efficiency (i.e., coefficient of performance) are relatively low, it is important to realize them. It is shown that the cross-sectional area of the semiconductor pellets in a thermoelectric module (TEM) operating in refrigeration mode does not affect its performance or efficiency, but may be sized to tune its operating current and voltage. Then, a procedure is provided to determine the height of the pellets which maximizes performance. Next, it is shown that a range of pellet heights accommodates a specified performance below the maximum one and a procedure is provided to compute that corresponding to maximum efficiency. A thermal resistance boundary condition is applied between the interface in a TEM where Peltier cooling occurs and the control point where it maintains the temperature of a component or medium below ambient temperature. Thermal resistance boundary conditions are also applied between the control point and its local ambient and the interface in a TEM where Peltier heating occurs and its local ambient. The analysis is generalized by using flux-based quantities where applicable and it accounts for the electrical contact resistance at the interconnects in a TEM. Implementation of the optimization procedures are illustrated and the ramifications of the results are discussed.
Effect of prior diet on consumption and digestion of prey and non‐prey food by adults of the generalist predator Coleomegilla maculata

Insect omnivores may vary in their diets and digestion based on extrinsic and intrinsic factors, including gender and nutritional history. Here, we test two hypotheses involving an insect omnivore, Coleomegilla maculata DeGeer (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), feeding on prey [eggs of Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)] and non-prey [pollen of maize, Zea mays L. (Poaceae)] foods: (1) males and females consume different quantities of prey and non-prey food within a set period of time, and they digest these two foods at varying rates; and (2) dietary experience (prey vs. non-prey) affects the subsequent digestion of adults consuming these foods. Adults fed eggs or pollen did not ingest different quantities of food, although females consumed marginally more pollen than males, and males consumed marginally more eggs than females. Digestion rates, as measured by decline of quantitative PCR marker in the predators, were not significantly different for males and females, and corresponded to a quantitative half-life of 56 min for pollen and 46 min for eggs. But when newly eclosed females were fed with only prey for 7 days, they subsequently did not measurably digest non-prey food over 8 h, compared with females fed previously on pollen, which digested it with an estimated half-life of 45 min. Thus, feeding experience with some prey may cause changes in the digestive system of the predator, which later impair digestion of non-prey foods such as pollen by omnivores. This may have implications for survival and reproduction of omnivorous natural enemies released into the field or diet-switching associated with movement among habitats.
Partial Interfertility Among theCeratocystisSpecies on Conifers

Abstract Interspecific pairings betweenMAT-1andMAT-2strains of seven species ofCeratocystisfrom conifer hosts resulted in partial interfertility in many cases. Perithecia from such crosses typically produced few ascospores, which were often misshapen and intermixed with cellular debris, and a low ascospore germination percentage was seen. Intraspecific pairings of strains of opposite mating type generally produced many perithecia with many ascospores of a high germination percentage. Mycelial morphology, cycloheximide resistance, and isozyme markers were used to confirm that many of the interspecific pairings produced viable hybrid progeny. Tester strains ofC. pinicola, C. coerulescens,andC. laricicolafrequently crossed with other species. BecauseMAT-2strains of theCeratocystisspecies studied are capable of selfing due to unidirectional mating-type switching,MAT-2tester strains that fruited poorly or were self-sterile had to be selected. In a few cases, theseMAT-2strains were induced to self by pairing withMAT-1orMAT-2strains of other species. Hybrids yielding ascospores formed only in crosses of strains of opposite mating type, but many interspecific pairings of strains of the same or opposite mating type resulted in the production of sterile perithecia. Partial interfertility between species based on a low number of misshapen ascospores was a good indicator of biological species, and such delineations corresponded well with species delimited by morphological and physiological phenotypes.
Modeling Expectation for Evaluating Surprise in Design Creativity

This paper describes methods for characterizing expectation as it applies to calculating surprise for evaluating the creativity of designs. Building on a model of creative designs as being novel, surprising and valuable we develop a typology of the kinds of expectations that, when violated, produce surprise. Contrasting computational models of two of kinds of expectation are presented in the domain of mobile devices and their respective advantages for creativity evaluation are described.
First implantable hemodynamic monitoring device placement in single ventricle fontan anatomy

The Fontan anatomy leads to elevated central venous pressure along with chronic venous congestion and low cardiac output; this is felt to be responsible for deterioration of exercise tolerance and functional capacity over time. Real-time hemodynamic evaluation of the Fontan anatomy has not been evaluated until now. Here, we report the technical aspects of the first two adult Fontan patients to undergo placement of an invasive hemodynamic monitor (IHM). We validate IHM readings with invasive pulmonary artery catheter derived hemodynamics in the Fontan and show successful home transmission of pulmonary artery hemodynamic tracings. This technology has the capacity to change current understanding of Fontan hemodynamics and treatment in patients with complex single-ventricle anatomy. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Properties of Hot Isostatically Pressed Bi2Sr1.7CaCu2Ox

Dense Bi2Sr1.7CaCu2Ox (2212) superconductor pellets were made by hot isostatic pressing in an inert atmosphere. The pellets exhibited a small amount of preferred orientation of the grains. The transport critical current density (Jc) values were very low for all specimens. Dislocations, planar faults, and intergrowths of the Bi2Sr2CuOx phase, which were produced during the pressing, caused the intragranular Jc to increase substantially.
The Formation of an Immobilized Enzyme Particle by Electrostatic Atomization and Its Performance

If the size of an immobilized enzyme particle can be reduced using enzyme immobilization by the entrapment method, the effectiveness factor is expected to increase In this work, the atomization of sodium alginate aqueous solution containing enzyme was performed by an electrostatic atomization method to produce a small immobilized enzyme particle of than 1mm in diameter. The effectiveness factor of the immobilized enzyme prepared by this method qualitatively agreed with the theoretical value. However, if the diameter is less than 1mm, the effectiveness factor was smaller than theoretical value. It was experimentally confirmed that there was no denaturation of the enzyme caused by the electrical field. Therefore, it is thought that leakage of the enzyme occurs during the immobilization process for the smaller particle diameter, making enzyme concentration in the particle low.
Spatial and Functional Interactions between SK Channels and L-Type Calcium Channels in Cardiomyocytes

Small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SK) channels are gated solely by intracellular Ca2+ and hence, provide a critical link between changes in intracellular Ca2+ and membrane potentials. The identification and functional expression of SK channels in the heart provided additional insights into the regulation of cardiac excitability. Indeed, the crosstalk between Ca2+ signaling and SK channels is critical for shaping cardiac repolarization. Our prior studies documented the physical coupling between SK channels and L-type Ca2+ channels (LTCCs). In addition, functional dependence of SK channel on sarcoplasmic reticulum has also been demonstrated. However, the spatial and functional interactions are less well understood. We hypothesize that LTCCs provide the immediate Ca2+ domain for the activation of cardiac SK channels. Using stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, we gained super-resolution images of SK channels, LTCCs and ryanodine receptors (RyR2) in rabbit ventricular myocytes, revealing the spatial coupling of the three molecules. Moreover, we designed a voltage-clamp protocol to test the functional coupling between SK and LTCCs. EGTA or BAPTA were applied to identify the intracellular Ca2+ domains for SK channel activation. SK currents were activated by Ca2+ influx via LTCCs after depletion of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ store. BAPTA removed the functional coupling between SKs and LTCCs. In addition, alterations in SK channel activation kinetics were observed after SR Ca2+ depletion. We conclude that the spatial proximity among SK, LTCCs and RyR2 provides the structural basis for the functional complex formation for SK channel activation. Ca2+ influx through LTCCs provides Ca2+ microdomain for SK channel activation as well as a joint contribution from LTCCs and SR for SK channel activation in cardiomyocytes.Funded by NIH (R01 HL085727 and R01 HL085844 to NC), VA (I01 BX000576 to NC) and AHA (14BGIA18870087 to XZ).
Cognitively Rich Architectures for Agent-Based Models of Social Behaviors and Dynamics: A Multi-Scale Perspective

In this chapter a review of the different uses of agent-based modeling for investigating social behaviors and dynamics is presented. Agent-based modeling is often used to study sociality both from a behavioral and evolutionary perspective.
Conservation of the role of INNER NO OUTER in development of unitegmic ovules of the Solanaceae despite a divergence in protein function

The INNER NO OUTER (INO) gene is expressed in the outermost cell layer of the outer integument of bitegmic ovules and is essential for this organ’s growth. The role and cross-species functional conservation of INO orthologs were examined in members of the Solanaceae, which have unitegmic ovules. Unitegmy has evolved several times in disparate angiosperm lineages. INO expression has been observed in the outermost cell layers of all examined unitegmic ovules, but the functional role of INO in unitegmic ovules has not previously been evaluated. INO orthologs were unambiguously identified in tobacco and tomato by sequence homology. Expression of the tomato INO gene was limited to the outer cell layer of the single integument indicating that this single integument has properties of the outer integument. Expression occurred only after integument initiation, later than observed in ovules of other examined angiosperms. Virus-induced knock-down of expression of the INO ortholog in tobacco inhibited growth of the outer cell layer of the integument leading to a decrease in both integument extension and curvature of the ovule. The altered ovules closely resemble those of the aberrant testa shape (ats) ino mutant combination in Arabidopsis where we see the effect of the ino mutation on a single fused integument produced by the ats mutation. Despite significant sequence identity and similar expression patterns, the tomato INO coding region was not able to complement the Arabidopsis ino mutant. The similarity of effects of ino mutations on the unitegmic ovules of tobacco and the fused integuments of the Arabidopsis ats mutant show that: 1) INO orthologs play the same role in promoting integument growth in ovules of tobacco and Arabidopsis; and 2) the unitegmic ovules of tobacco (and hence other solanaceous species) are most likely the result of a congenital fusion of two ancestral integuments. Our results further indicate that INO has a conserved role in growth of the outermost cell layer of integuments. The curvature of solanaceous ovules is driven by unequal growth of the outer layers of the single integument that likely correspond to an ancestral outer integument.
A unified framework

Those sciences, created almost in our own days, the object of which is man himself, the direct goal of which is the happiness of man, will enjoy a progress no less sure than that of the physical sciences, and this idea so sweet, that our descendants will surpass us in wisdom as in enlightenment, is no longer an illusion. In meditating on the nature of the moral sciences, one cannot help seeing that, as they are based like physical sciences on the observation of fact, they must follow the same method, acquire a language equally exact and precise, attaining the same degree of certainty. Nicolas de Condorcet There is . . . progress in the social sciences, but it is much slower [than in the natural sciences], and not at all animated by the same information flow and optimistic spirit. Cooperation is sluggish at best; even genuine discoveries are often obscured by bitter ideological disputes. For the most part, anthropologists, economists, sociologists, and political scientists fail to understand and encourage one another . . . Split into independent cadres, they stress precision in words within their specialty but seldom speak the same technical language from one specialty to the next. A great many even enjoy the resulting overall atmosphere of chaos, mistaking it for creative ferment. Edward O. Wilson The subject of this book is the set of disciplines known as the social sciences (which in earlier times would have been referred to as the moral or human sciences). By this is meant a scientific study of human action focusing on elements of thought and behavior that are in some degree social (nonbiological). “The object of the social sciences,” writes Hans Morgenthau, “is man, not as a product of nature but as both the creature and the creator of history in and through which his individuality and freedom of choice manifest themselves.” Wherever nurture matters more than nature, or where some significant decisional element is involved, we are on the turf of social science. (This does not mean that genetic dispositions are eliminated from consideration; indeed, they comprise an active research agenda in the social sciences today. However, one presumes that any outcome of interest to the social sciences is not entirely biologically determined; there must be a significant component of choice.)
A stochastic production frontier analysis of Polish State forests

This article presents a study of the efficiency of Polish state timber production and management polices following the transition to a more competitive market. The objective is to determine how well the Polish State Forests, which manage 80% of Poland's forestland and supply 85% of its timber, have adjusted, after 40 yr of central planning, to this change. The development and estimation of a stochastic frontier production function is used to analyze and evaluate the efficiency of timber production and the effectiveness of management policies. The empirical results provide evidence for the presence of substantial technical inefficiency, along with some scale economies in timber production. In addition, policies that have led to the creation of smaller forest districts, employment reductions, and logging equipment purchases are largely ineffective and perhaps even counterproductive. On the other hand, a strong support is provided for the continued privatization of forest operations.
Phylogeny of the nominotypical subgenus of Culex (Diptera: Culicidae): insights from analyses of anatomical data into interspecific relationships and species groups in an unresolved tree

The aim of this study was to produce the first objective and comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the speciose subgenus Culex based on morphological data. We used implied and equally weighted parsimony methods to analyse a dataset comprised of 286 characters of the larval, pupal, and adult stages of 150 species of the subgenus and an outgroup of 17 species. We determined the optimal support by summing the GC supports for each MPC, selecting the cladograms with the highest supports to generate a strict consensus tree. We then collapsed the branches with GC support < 1 to obtain the ‘best’ topography of relationships. The analyses largely failed to resolve relationships among the species and the informal groups in which they are currently placed based on morphological similarities and differences. All analyses, however, support the monophyly of genus Culex. With the exception of the Atriceps Group, the analyses failed to find positive support for any of the informal species groups (monophyly of the Dutton...
The Effects of Directional Processing on Objective and Subjective Listening Effort

Purpose The purposes of this investigation were (a) to evaluate the effects of hearing aid directional processing on subjective and objective listening effort and (b) to investigate the potential r...
Weak-coupling analysis of quasiparticle excitations in Sr 2 RuO 4 along the Γ − M cut

We examine normal-state quasiparticle excitations along the $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}\text{\ensuremath{-}}M$ cut in momentum space for the putative $p$-wave superconductor ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}{\mathrm{RuO}}_{4}$ on the basis of fluctuation exchange approximation calculations. We take as input first-principles derived parameters for the band structure and spin-orbit and electron-electron interactions. The numerical results are in excellent agreement with data from photoemission experiments and provide insight into the underlying quasiparticle properties. We find that, despite the correlation-induced effective mass increase near the Fermi surface, the full $\ensuremath{\beta}$ and $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ bandwidths are, if anything, increased by correlations. Furthermore, for the $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ band we find anomalous lifetime broadening and a significant temperature of variation of unoccupied state quasiparticle energies for temperatures between 25 and 100 K, both of which are accounted for by the momentum dependence of the electron self-energy. In addition to aiding our understanding of experimental data, these results point to the challenge of assigning appropriate Fermi-liquid parameters or momentum-independent self-energies for schemes that require such approximations in order to model ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}{\mathrm{RuO}}_{4}$.
Modeling and Nonlinear Flight Controller Synthesis of a Bat-Inspired Micro Aerial Vehicle

This work examines the control of nonlinear dynamic systems to synthesize a flight controller for Bat Bot (B2). B2 is a bat-inspired Micro Aerial Vehicle (MAV) which has articulated arm wings with several actuated and passive joints. B2 is designed to mimic the flight apparatus of actual biological bats, which is distinguished from other animals such as birds because bats employ numerous joints–more than 20 joint angles per each wing–and exhibit sophisticated motion patterns. B2 has significantly fewer degrees of freedom (DoF) than biological bats and the existing movements in the mechanism of B2 are: flapping motion of the wings, folding and unfolding of the wings and dorsoventral movements of the legs. The current work contributes to recent attempts to produce autonomous flapping flight motions in a bio-inspired robot with nontrivial morphology. This work uses the Lagrange framework to develop a nonlinear dynamic model for B2, and it proposes a nonlinear controller based on the theory of singular perturbation in order to track desired attitude angles.
Abstract P209: Obesity in Middle School Students: Are Self-Efficacy and Body Mass Index Related?

Background: Childhood obesity represents the nation's #1 health problem. Understanding the underpinnings of this epidemic, including children's perception of self-efficacy (SE), is critical to desi...
Transcriptome Analysis of Core Dinoflagellates Reveals a Universal Bias towards “GC” Rich Codons

Although dinoflagellates are a potential source of pharmaceuticals and natural products, the mechanisms for regulating and producing these compounds are largely unknown because of extensive post-transcriptional control of gene expression. One well-documented mechanism for controlling gene expression during translation is codon bias, whereby specific codons slow or even terminate protein synthesis. Approximately 10,000 annotatable genes from fifteen "core" dinoflagellate transcriptomes along a range of overall guanine and cytosine (GC) content were used for codonW analysis to determine the relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) and the GC content at each codon position. GC bias in the analyzed dataset and at the third codon position varied from 51% and 54% to 66% and 88%, respectively. Codons poor in GC were observed to be universally absent, but bias was most pronounced for codons ending in uracil followed by adenine (UA). GC bias at the third codon position was able to explain low abundance codons as well as the low effective number of codons. Thus, we propose that a bias towards codons rich in GC bases is a universal feature of core dinoflagellates, possibly relating to their unique chromosome structure, and not likely a major mechanism for controlling gene expression.
Myth 1: America Has Free Markets

Myth: In the US the price system determines which products and services will be produced. This is done without coercion through the invisible hand of the market. American markets are mostly competitive or workably competitive and therefore efficient. However, a free market is consistent with any type of competition as long as there is no government coercion.
Judgment of family resemblance as a function of consanguinity and social expectation

An experiment was undertaken to see what the effects of actual consanguinity and social expectation are, in judgments of the degree of resemblance between selected pairs of photos of adult males and boys. Conditions were varied so that these pairs of photos sometimes represented actual consanguinity and at other times represented fictitious consanguinity under two sets of contradictory instructions concerning the relationships. The findings indicate that both consanguinity and social expectation affect judgments of facial resemblance, with social expectation playing the greater role.
Risk factors for measles among adults in Tianjin, China: Who should be controls in a case-control study?

Background Control groups in previous case-control studies of vaccine-preventable diseases have included people immune to disease. This study examines risk factors for measles acquisition among adults 20 to 49 years of age in Tianjin, China, and compares findings using measles IgG antibody-negative controls to all controls, both IgG-negative and IgG-positive. Methods Measles cases were sampled from a disease registry, and controls were enrolled from community registries in Tianjin, China, 2011–2015. Through a best subsets selection procedure, we compared which variables were selected at different model sizes when using IgG-negative controls or all controls. We entered risk factors for measles in two separate logistic regression models: one with measles IgG-negative controls and the other with all controls. Results The study included 384 measles cases and 1,596 community controls (194 IgG-negative). Visiting a hospital was an important risk factor. For specialty hospitals, the odds ratio (OR) was 4.53 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28, 16.03) using IgG-negative controls, and OR = 5.27 (95% CI: 2.73, 10.18) using all controls. Variables, such as age or length of time in Tianjin, were differentially selected depending on the control group. Individuals living in Tianjin ≤3 years had 2.87 (95% CI: 1.46, 5.66) times greater odds of measles case status compared to all controls, but this relationship was not apparent for IgG-negative controls. Conclusions We recommend that case-control studies examining risk factors for infectious diseases, particularly in the context of transmission dynamics, consider antibody-negative controls as the gold standard.