cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Exploration and Play on Young Children's Associative Fluency

The article summarizes, critiques, and extends experimental studies attempting to facilitate young children's associative fluency. The earliest studies had children playing with or exploring objects as a treatment for their generating creative uses for objects. This research suggests that play enables children to establish a playful disposition towards objects which results in their increased associative fluency. The review, which differentiates play from exploration, suggests that children in these earlier studies may have been trained in exploration not play. The review then discusses studies which guided children's exploration of objects by engaging them in an exploration open question dialogue with an adult, about the objects. The review concludes that the guided exploration questioning technique is a more effective facilitator of associative fluency than a free play treatment because the former has children being guided in the exploration of more object attributes in a relatively short period of time.
Biomechanical comparison of the bioabsorbable RetroScrew system, BioScrew XtraLok with stress equalization tensioner, and 35-mm Delta Screws for tibialis anterior graft-tibial tunnel fixation in porcine tibiae.

BackgroundAchieving effective soft tissue graft-tibial tunnel fixation remains problematic.HypothesisNo differences would exist for tibialis anterior graft-tibial tunnel fixation when comparing the RetroScrew System (20-mm retrograde screw, 17-mm antegrade screw), the 35-mm tapered Delta Screw (manual tensioning), and the 35-mm BioScrew XtraLok (applied using an instrumented tensioner).Study DesignControlled laboratory study.MethodsPorcine tibiae (apparent bone mineral density, 1.3 g/cm2) and human tendon allografts were divided into 3 matched groups of 6 specimens each before cyclic (500 cycles, 50-250 N, 1 Hz) and load-to-failure (20 mm/min) tests.ResultsThe BioScrew XtraLok (210.9 ± 54.9 N/mm) and the 35-mm Delta Screw (224.3 ± 43.7 N/mm) displayed superior stiffness to the RetroScrew System (114.1 ± 23.3 N/mm) (P =. 0004) during cyclic testing. The BioScrew XtraLok (1.0 ± 0.2 mm) and the Delta Screw (0.9 ± 0.2 mm) also displayed less displacement during cyclic testing than the RetroScrew System (1.8 ±...
Powder Metallurgy Processing of Intermetallic Matrix Composites

Intermetallic compounds are similar to ceramics because they are stoichiometric, with limited compositional ranges and brittle behavior. The limited ductility forces a reliance on powder techniques for shaping and consolidation. The high temperature character of intermetallics is beneficial to high temperature service, but this same attribute contributes to difficulty in processing. This paper reviews the several powder approaches to forming intermetallic structures. Examples are given on powders, consolidation options, and properties. Densification maps are introduced for estimation of consolidation cycles. Unfortunately, many of the composites exhibit little strengthening benefit from incorporation of reinforcing phases.
Avian influenza virus in water: infectivity is dependent on pH, salinity and temperature.

Abstract Wild birds in the Orders Anseriformes and Charadriiformes are the natural reservoir for avian influenza (AI) viruses. Transmission within these aquatic bird populations occurs through an indirect fecal-oral route involving contaminated water on shared aquatic habitats. In order to better understand the influence that aquatic environments exert on AI transmission and maintenance in the wild-bird reservoir system, we determined the duration of persistence for 12 wild-bird origin AI viruses under natural ranges of pH, salinity, and temperature. Viral persistence was measured using a laboratory-based distilled water model system. The AI viruses varied in their response to each of the examined variables, but, generally, the viruses were most stable at a slightly basic pH (7.4–8.2), low temperatures ( 32 °C), and high salinity (>25,000 ppm). The results of this research suggest that the pH, temperature, and salinity in natural aquatic habitats can influence the ability of AI viruses to remain infective within these environments. Furthermore, these results provide insight into chemical and physical properties of water that could enhance or restrict AI virus transmission on an aquatic bird habitat.
Determinants of Interpersonal Disclosure: Some Competitive Tests

The amount and content of the information exchanged in an interpersonal interaction was examined. Both the medium of exchange and the content of the messages had significant effects on the subjects' responses but personality measures did not. These results are discussed in terms of recent theoretical developments in the area of interpersonal exchange.
Micellar interaction and its catalytic role in the polymerization of acrylamide catalyzed by bisulfite

Abstract A micellar interaction of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) with sodium bisulfite was observed, which coincided with a pH shift. This shift probably resulted from the formation of a complex that seemed highly susceptible to oxidation. Bisulfite-catalyzed polymerization of acrylamide was thus accelerated by the addition of CTAB to the polymerization system. The rate of acceleration of a CTAB-containing system was nearly three times as high as that of a CTAB-free nonmicellar system at pH = 5.3, which is an optimum for the highest rate for all cases of polymerization. It was observed that there were some salt effects in nonmicellar simple systems with a gradual increase in R p in proportion to the salt concentration. The unique kinetic feature of a CTAB-micellar system, was in sharp contrast, was a slow increase in R p at the CMC region but a sharp increase in R p at [CTAB] ⋍ 8.0 × 10 ṫ M . The R p approached a limiting value with further increase of CTAB concentration.
Neural Adaptation of Imaginary Visual Motion

Observers made time-to-contact judgements about an imagined moving object that passed through an area of the visual field previously adapted to a single direction of real motion. The direction of imagined motion varied relative to the direction of adapting motion. When imagined motion was in the same direction as that experienced during adaptation, imagined speed was slowed; when imagined motion was in the opposite direction, its speed was increased; when adaptation and imagined motions were orthogonal, imagined speed was unaffected. The particular influence that prior adaptation has on imagined speed suggests that imagined motion and real vision may engage common neural mechanisms without being functionally equivalent. Negative aftereffects observed in imagined motion imply that the imagination represents movement as an inference from position changes of static images.
The Age Position Effect: School Entrance Age, Giftedness, and Underachievement

This article examines the age position debate concerning the school performance of intellectually gifted students who have started school on time (as opposed to early or delayed entrants). All students in this study (grades 2–8) had obtained a minimum score of 129 on the Cognitive Abilities Test (Thorndike & Hagan, 1986). Dependent measures included performance on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (Hieronymous, Hoover, & Linquest, 1986), teacher checklists of classroom behavior and handwriting skill. Data were obtained for two groups: older students (with birthdates in the four months immediately following the legal cutoff school entrance date) and younger students (with birthdates in the four months immediately preceding that date). Data analysis (ANOVA) did reveal a significant but nonmeaningful difference between older and younger groups in academic achievement and no significant differences in classroom behavior or visual-motor skill, thus refuting findings of earlier studies on this issue.
The Experimental Production of Glycogen Deposits in Nondiabetic Rats

Forty Wistar rats were maintained without food and water for varying periods of time. They were sacrificed by decapitation and sections of their kidneys were stained by the PAS technic. Glycogen deposits which corresponded in appearance to the human lesion of Armanni-Ebstein were found in the renal tubular epithelium. Blood and urine sugar determinations indicated no hyperglycemia or glycosuria. Corresponding control animals fasted twelve hours with water showed no lesions and no hyperglycemia or glycosuria.
Models of economic planning under uncertainty: A selective survey and appraisal

Abstract Uncertainty and risk have played significant roles in policy making, at the micro and macro levels, from formulation of policy models to their actual implementation in several countries. The impact of risk aversion on policy making has differedm however, both in magnitude and intensity. Thus, for less developed countries with large commodity exports, stabilization policies have played a role as important as those for income growth and employment; for centrally planned economies, the investment cycles leading to large-scale divergences of actual from planned targets in strategic sectors have led policy makers to consider the need for building adequate safety margins in the planning process. Finally, for developed economies, the applied theory of indicative planning and decentralization has stressed the various informational gaps and competing risks that may impede an efficient and cooperative solution between private and public sectors. A selective survey and appraisal of the planning methods as they relate to risk and uncertainty is attempted here for less developed, centrally planned, and developed market economies.
Shifts in Deep-Sea Community Structure Linked to Climate and Food Supply

A major change in the community structure of the dominant epibenthic megafauna was observed at 4100 meters depth in the northeast Pacific and was synchronous to a major El Nino/La Nina event that occurred between 1997 and 1999. Photographic abundance estimates of epibenthic megafauna from 1989 to 2002 show that two taxa decreased in abundance after 1998 by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude, whereas several other species increased in abundance by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude. These faunal changes are correlated to climate fluctuations dominated by El Nino/La Nina. Megafauna even in remote marine areas appear to be affected by contemporary climatic fluctuations. Such faunal changes highlight the importance of an adequate temporal perspective in describing biodiversity, ecology, and anthropogenic impacts in deep-sea communities.
Design verification methods for switching power converters

In this paper, we present two methods for performing design verification of switching power converters. The first method can be used to compute the set of reachable states from an initial set of states with non-deterministic parameters. We demonstrate the method on a buck converter in an open-loop configuration. The method is automatic and uses the hybrid systems reachability analysis tool SpaceEx. The second method uses model checking to verify circuits that can naturally be modeled as timed automata. We demonstrate the method on an open-loop multilevel converter used to convert several DC inputs to one AC output. The method is also automatic and uses the timed automata model checker Uppaal. Finally, we mention that in contrast to simulation or testing based approaches—for instance, the standard Monte Carlo analysis used when analyzing component variation in circuit designs—the methods presented in this paper perform the verification for all runs of the circuits and all possible component parameter variations.
Evidence that systemic relaxin promotes moderate water consumption during late pregnancy in rats

The protein hormone relaxin is secreted by the ovaries throughtout the second half of the 23 day pregnancy in the rat. We recently reported that neutralization of endogenous relaxin with monoclonal antibodies for rat relaxin decreases water consumption during the daily light period during the second half of pregnancy in rats. The apparent effects of relaxin on water consumption, however, were extremely modest. One explanation for the failure to observe a greater relaxin-dependent effect on water consumption is failure of the monoclonal antibody for rat relaxin to neutralize all circulating relaxin. A second explanation is that circulating relaxin has only slight effects on water consumption. This investigation was conducted with an experimental model in which circulating relaxin was removed in order to re-examine the effects of relaxin on water consumption during the daily light period in late pregnancy in rats. On day 9 (D9) of pregnancy, before the presence of relaxin (R) in the circulation, primiparious pregnant rats were ovariectomized (O) or sham ovariectomized (C). Throughout the remainder of pregnancy, rats were treated with combinations of either progesterone (P) and estrogen (E, group OPE) or progesterone, estrogen and porcine relaxin (group OPER) in doses that restore physiological parameters to values similar to those that occur during the second half of pregnancy in intact rats. Progesterone and estrogen were administered by Silastic tubing implants and porcine relaxin was administered via miniature osmotic pump. Sham-ovariectomized animals received either the hormone vehicles (group SC) or no implants (group IC). Water consumption was measured daily from D4 to D20 at both 0700 and 2100 h which was when the lights went on and off respectively. Water consumption increased as pregnancy continued from D10 to D20 during the daily 10 h dark periods (P < 0.01), but not during the 14 h light periods for all four groups. Daily water consumed by rats in group OPE was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than that consumed by shamovariectomized rats from D17 to D20 and lower than that consumed by rats in group OPER on D20. During the dark period there was no difference in water consumption among groups. During the light period, however, group OPE consumed significantly less water (P < 0.05) than group C from D18 to D22. Moreover, there was a consistent tendency (P < 0.13) for the water consumption to be greater in rats in group OPER than in those in the relaxin-deficient group OPE during the daily light period from D11 to D20 of pregnancy. We conclude that the increase in water consumption that occurs during the daily dark periods during the second half of pregnancy is not attributable to circulating relaxin. Circulating relaxin promotes only modest increases in water consumption during the daily light periods during late pregnancy in the rat.
Growth of 5 mm GaN Single Crystals at 750 °C from an Na−Ga Melt

A platelet GaN single crystal having an area of 5 × 3 mm2 was obtained by heating a Na−Ga melt in a BN crucible at 750 °C under 5 MPa of N2 for 360 h. Prismatic single crystals with a size of more than 0.5 × 0.5 × 1.0 mm3 grew at a lower content of Na in the starting melt.
STIMULATION OF GROWTH OF SOY BEAN SEEDS BY SOFT X-RAYS.

In recent years the effect of x-rays on the growth of seeds has been the subject of considerable investigation. Most of the work has been done with the Coolidge tube which, at the voltages commonly employed, produces chiefly hard, or short wave length x-rays, with only a small percentage of the energy of the radiation in the soft, or long wave length region of the x-ray spectrum. The injurious effect of large doses of any x-ray wave length seems established without contradiction, but the effect of small doses seems doubtful, producing sometimes stimulation as found by Doroshenko (4), Ingber (7), Johnson (8), Nikitin (15), Snyder (16), Shull and Mitchell (17) ; and again injury and retardation as found by Ancel (1), Cattell (2), Delone (3), Francis (5), Goodspeed (6), Johnson (10), Lallemand (12), Malhotra (13), Moore and Haskins (14). Greater stimulation was indicated when a filtered x-ray beam was used than when the x-rays were unfiltered in the work of Nikitin (15), and Shull and Mitchell (17). Filters, such as those used in the experiments, reduce the intensity of all wave lengths but diminish the soft part of the spectrum preferentially so that if stimulation is obtained it may be attributed to the short wave length part of the x-ray spectrum and injury to the long wave length part, or, stimulation to the low intensity and injury to the high intensity, regardless of the wave length (17). Since no experiments have been reported in which only soft x-rays were used to irradiate large numbers of dry seeds, it was thought desirable to carry out an experiment in which dry seeds were irradiated with only the soft part of the x-ray spectrum, and in which the effect of abnormal conditions upon the results was minimized by growing a large number of plants from irradiated and control seeds in permuted rows in the open field under natural soil and weather conditions.
Behavioral and physiological conflicts in migrants: the transition between migration and breeding

Progression of the vernal migratory life history stage to breeding presents a number of apparent behavioral and physiological conflicts. Features that characterize the migratory stage include: high mobility, sociality, repetitive cycles of feeding (hyperphagia and fattening) and migratory flight. Breeding comprises: sedentary, territorial and reproductive behaviors, an initial decline in hyperphagia and reduction of fuel stores. Because morphology, physiology and behavior change, the transition between stages cannot be instantaneous. In many species development of the reproductive system actually occurs during migration, but in others gonadal development may not commence until later. This variation in degree of overlap of migration and reproductive functions is not well understood, but may be related to migratory distance and length of the breeding season, which tends to be shorter at higher latitudes and altitudes. In these habitats, migrants may arrive at their breeding sites to find unpredictable conditions that cannot support breeding. At this juncture, migrants may retreat to refugia and prolong maintenance of facultative migratory functions, termed arrival biology, until conditions improve sufficiently to initiate breeding. In this review, we focus on the Pacific races of the white-crowned sparrow, Zonototrichia leucophyrs, in which the entire spectrum of migratory strategies are represented from resident to long distance migrants and about which much is known. This species presents a unique view of the appearance and variations in arrival biology. Focusing on the juncture between migration and breeding, we discuss the diversity of responses of congeners to a spectrum of environmental conditions that favor survival and reproductive success.
The effects of simultaneous and serial lesions of the olfactory bulbs on muricide, irritability, and open-field activity in Long-Evans female rats

Muricide, handling, and activity were measured in either simultaneously or serially bulbectomized Long-Evans female rats. No evidence for sparing of function after two-stage damage was found on the behavioral variables investigated. All bulbectomized groups showed increases in muricide and activity when compared with controls, but no differences were noted between the control group and brain-damaged groups in the handling test.
Progress on neutron pinhole imaging for inertial confinement fusion experiments

Neutron imaging provides a powerful diagnostic for understanding the performance of inertial confinement fusion ignition capsules and the drive mechanism imploding them. To achieve the spatial resolution and fielding capability needed at the National Ignition Facility requires a staged approach that simultaneously pushes the limits of extant capabilities while developing new techniques that will extend to the National Ignition Facility regime. To this end, new pinhole assemblies have been designed and fabricated using very high-precision machining equipment. These assemblies have been fielded successfully at Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester and have provided impetus for new aperture designs and new ideas for detectors, which are now the limiting element in the system resolution.
A compact finite-difference scheme for solving a one-dimensional heat transport equation at the microscale: 431

Heat transport at the microscale is of vital importance in microtechnology applications. The heat transport equation is different from the traditional heat diffusion equation since a second-order derivative of temperature with respect to time and a third-order mixed derivative of temperature with respect to space and time are introduced. In this study, we develop a high-order compact finite-difference scheme for the heat transport equation at the microscale. It is shown by the discrete Fourier analysis method that the scheme is unconditionally stable. Numerical results show that the solution is accurate.
The case for life on Mars

There have been several attempts to answer the question of whether there is, or has ever been, life on Mars. The boldest attempt was the only ever life detection experiment conducted on another planet: the Viking mission. The mission was a great success, but it failed to provide a clear answer to the question of life on Mars. More than 30 years after the Viking mission our understanding of the history and evolution of Mars has increased vastly to reveal a wetter Martian past and the occurrence of diverse environments that could have supported microbial life similar to that on Earth for extended periods of time. The discovery of Terran extremophilic microorganisms, adapted to environments previously though to be prohibitive for life, has greatly expanded the limits of habitability in our Solar System, and has opened new avenues for the search of life on Mars. Remnants of a possible early biosphere may be found in the Martian meteorite ALH84001. This claim is based on a collection of facts and observations consistent with biogenic origins, but individual links in the collective chain of evidence remain controversial. Recent evidence for contemporary liquid water on Mars and the detection of methane in the Martian atmosphere further enhance the case for life on Mars. We argue that, given the cumulative evidence provided, life has and is likely to exist on Mars, and we have already found evidence of it. However, to obtain a compelling certainty a new mission is needed, one which is devoted to the detection of life on Mars.
The Infant Crying Questionnaire: Initial factor structure and validation

The current project reports on an initial investigation into the factor structure of the Infant Crying Questionnaire (ICQ), a measure designed to assess parental beliefs about infant crying, in a sample of 259 primiparous mothers. Exploratory factor analyses yielded evidence for a five-factor structure to the ICQ, with two factors that may be conceptually viewed as infant-oriented beliefs regarding infant crying (Attachment/Comfort and Crying as Communication) and three factors conceptually reflecting parent-oriented beliefs regarding infant crying (Minimization, Directive Control, and Spoiling). Each of the scales demonstrated strong internal consistency and was associated with concurrent measures of mothers’ causal attributions about emotional responses to infant crying. Predictive validity to observed maternal sensitivity at 6 months and mother-reported infant behavioral problems at one year was demonstrated. The importance of a questionnaire method to assess parents’ beliefs regarding infant crying in developmental research is discussed and future methodological directions are outlined.
SYNTHETIC AGROPYRON‐ELYMUS HYBRIDS. I. ELYMUS CANADENSIS × AGROPYRON SUBSECUNDUM

A B S TR A C T Twenty-four seeds were formed in 34 hand-emasculated E. canadensis florets exposed to A. subsecundum pollen. Fifteen of the 24 seeds germiniated, and 12 plants were raised to maturity. Each of the 12 plants proved to be a hybrid. The hybrids were morphologically intermediate between the parents, although they favored A. subsecundum in general appearance. The parent plants were meiotically regular and behaved cytologically as strict allotetraploids, 2n = 28. Fourteen bivalents were formed in 12.6% of the hybrid cells interpreted at metaphase I. All other hybrid cells contained various combinations of univalents, bivalents, and multivalents. Mean chromosome associations of 0.22 univalents, 11.70 bivalents, 0.11 trivalents, 0.23 quadrivalents, 0.01 pentavalents, and 0.55 hexavalents were observed in 135 hybrid cells. All hybrid pollen examined was shriveled and non-staining. Five hybrids produced eight seeds, and seven hybrids were completely sterile. The ready cross-compatibility of E. canadensis and A. subsecundum and the relatively good chromosome pairing in their hybrids suggest a much closer relationship between the parent species than is implied by the prevailing taxonomic treatment. Structural rearrangements appear to be responsible for the relatively few differences between E. canadensis and A. subsecundum genomes and for the sterilitv of the hybrids. Cytological data from this and other investigations indicate a close relationship between many self-fertilizing Agropyron, Elymus, and Sitanion species. It is postulated that this composite of self-fertilizing Agropyron, Elymus, and
The use of the grant method to interpret electrocardiograms

Many interpreters of electrocardiograms (ECGs) will agree with the statements made in the article by Yamaji et al. [(1)][1]. The authors used pattern recognition to explain their findings. I wish to use the same ECGs that they published, but offer the use of basic principles, including vector
Base-Induced Instability of Fluorotelomer Alcohols

The stability of fluorotelomer alcohols under basic conditions was studied. HF elimination across the CF2-CH2 junction is shown to be facilitated by an intramolecular hydrogen bond, while solvation is the key determinant in the stability of alcohols of various perfluoroalkyl lengths. Finally, fluorotelomer alcohols can be rendered kinetically stable if either the alcohol or the base has low solubility in the reaction medium.
Shear Properties of Cancellous Bone from Osteoporotic Sheep Treated with Synthetic Bone Mineral

The aim of this study was to determine whether a calcium phosphate-based synthetic bone mineral (SBM) could increase bone strength by preventing bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency and accelerated by a combination of a low mineral diet plus corticosteroid injections in a large animal (ovine) model. Twenty-eight sheep were randomly allocated to four different groups: sham-operated, ovariectomy, SBM without fluoride (-F), and SBM with fluoride (+F). After eight months of treatment the sheep were sacrificed. There was a significant difference in the peak load, shear stress, stiffness, and density of the cancellous bone between the four different groups. Specifically, when the SBM with fluoride was compared to the ovariectomy group there was a significant improvement in peak load (p<;0.05), shear stress (p<;0.05), stiffness (p<;0.05), and density (p<;0.01) in the cancellous bone.
DNA, Gene Structure, and DNA Replication

Genetic information is determined by the sequence of nitrogenous bases in one of the strands, with a three-base (triplet) codon designating an amino acid. The genetic code is degenerate, which means that more than one codon specifies most amino acids. The genetic information is expressed when deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) is transcribed into messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), which is then translated into polypeptides. Efficient and accurate replication of DNA must occur at each cell division, or the cell or the organism may not survive. DNA replication is semiconservative, which means that one of the nucleotide strands of each new DNA molecule is new and the other is old in each cell generation. The new DNA strand is complementary to the parental (or template) strand. DNA replication occurs in one direction only and thus replication takes place differently on the two antiparallel strands. Replication on a “leading strand” can occur in a continuous manner, while on the “lagging strand,” DNA replication occurs in short segments (Okazaki fragments). Although DNA replication is usually highly accurate, errors in DNA replication or mutations can result from duplications, deletions, inversions, and translocations of nucleotides that may affect the functioning of the resultant polypeptide. New combinations of genes can occur through recombination during meiosis.
Object-oriented intelligent computer-integrated design, process planning, and inspection

The methodology for developing intelligent integrated computer-aided design and manufacturing systems based on object-oriented principles is discussed. The ways in which the application of these principles affects the nature of these systems are reviewed. The implementation of an automated, intelligent, and flexible computer-integrated-manufacturing (CIM) system prototype using an object-oriented programming environment (Smalltalk-80, Version 4.0) is detailed. A CIM system includes CAD, a process planner, and an inspection planner. Each of these components is discussed individually. >
Plasticity of primary somatosensory cortex paralleling sensorimotor skill recovery from stroke in adult monkeys.

Xerri, Christian, Michael M. Merzenich, Bret E. Peterson, and William Jenkins. Plasticity of primary somatosensory cortex paralleling sensorimotor skill recovery from stroke in adult monkeys. J. Ne...
Data from the Dark Side: Notes on Archiving Political Conflict and Violence

Ihad interacted with professor Imari Obadele for quite some time at the National Conference of Black Polit ical Scientists (NCOBPS). He is an elder scholar whom I knew had been politically active in the past but I was not aware of his specific affiliations or activities. At the time we first met, Obadele was only known to me as a political scientist at Prairie View. I had just begun my first job at the University of Houston a few years before. As there were not many elder black political scientists that I knew at the time, especially one interested in social movements and revo lution, we immediately hit it off. It was not until a year or so after we first met and after I had published some research on the Black Panther Party (Davenport 1998a; Dahlerus and Dav enport 1999; Davenport and Eads 2001), that we really started to interact.
Influenza A Virus Transmission Bottlenecks Are Defined by Infection Route and Recipient Host

Despite its global relevance, our understanding of how influenza A virus transmission impacts the overall population dynamics of this RNA virus remains incomplete. To define this dynamic, we inserted neutral barcodes into the influenza A virus genome to generate a population of viruses that can be individually tracked during transmission events. We find that physiological bottlenecks differ dramatically based on the infection route and level of adaptation required for efficient replication. Strong genetic pressures are responsible for bottlenecks during adaptation across different host species, whereas transmission between susceptible hosts results in bottlenecks that are not genetically driven and occur at the level of the recipient. Additionally, the infection route significantly influences the bottleneck stringency, with aerosol transmission imposing greater selection than direct contact. These transmission constraints have implications in understanding the global migration of virus populations and provide a clearer perspective on the emergence of pandemic strains.
Influence of DNA extraction on oral microbial profiles obtained via 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Background and objective : The advent of next-generation sequencing has significantly facilitated characterization of the oral microbiome. Despite great efforts in streamlining the processes of sequencing and data curation, upstream steps required for amplicon library generation could still influence 16S rRNA gene-based microbial profiles. Among upstream processes, DNA extraction is a critical step that could represent a great source of bias. Accounting for bias introduced by extraction procedures is important when comparing studies that use different methods. Identifying the method that best portrays communities is also desirable. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to evaluate bias introduced by different DNA extraction procedures on oral microbiome profiles. Design : Four DNA extraction methods were tested on mock communities consisting of seven representative oral bacteria. Additionally, supragingival plaque samples were collected from seven individuals and divided equally to test two commonly used DNA extraction procedures. Amplicon libraries of the 16S rRNA gene were generated and sequenced via 454-pyrosequencing. Results : Evaluation of mock communities revealed that DNA yield and bacterial species representation varied with DNA extraction methods. Despite producing the lowest yield of DNA, a method that included bead beating was the only protocol capable of detecting all seven species in the mock community. Comparison of the performance of two commonly used methods (crude lysis and a chemical/enzymatic lysis+column-based DNA isolation) on plaque samples showed no effect of extraction protocols on taxa prevalence but global community structure and relative abundance of individual taxa were affected. At the phylum level, the latter method improved the recovery of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Spirochaetes over crude lysis. Conclusion : DNA extraction distorts microbial profiles in simulated and clinical oral samples, reinforcing the importance of careful selection of a DNA extraction protocol to improve species recovery and facilitate data comparison across oral microbiology studies. Keywords : DNA extraction; bias; oral microbiome (Published: 23 April 2014) Citation: Journal of Oral Microbiology 2014, 6 : 23990 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/jom.v6.23990
The Origins and Development of Jane's Fighting Ships

Once a year a reference source is published in Surrey, England, that brings visitors such as the military attaches from the Chinese and former Soviet embassies in London to Surrey. The source these individuals and organizations are so eager to obtain is Jane's Fighting Ships (JFS), an annual naval compendium which has summarized international naval trends and developments for nearly a century.
Functional consequences of GAP junction remodeling in the epicardial border zone of canine infarcted hearts

Reentrant circuits causing tachycardia (VT) in the canine infarcted heart have a figure-8 activation pattern with a central (CCP) and an outer pathway (OP). In the OP, Cx43 is located at the intercalated disks but side-to-side gap junction conductance (Gj) is reduced by 90% (end-to-end Gj is normal). End-to-end and side-to-side Gj in the CCP are both normal but Cx43 redistributes along the lateral membrane. Remodeling of Na channel causes a reduction of INa in both OP and CCP with a larger reduction in the CCP. To study the effect of gap junction remodeling on impulse propagation, we measured longitudinal (CVL) and transverse (CVT) conduction velocities and anisotropic ratio (ANR) in normal LV and in the OP and CCP of infarcted hearts (see Table). CCP and OP were localized by electrical mapping during VT (electrode size 9x8 cm; resolution 5mm). After VT was stopped, CVL and CVT were measured in the specific regions during stimulation (electrode size 24x19 mm; resolution 1.25mm). CVT in the OP was slower than in normal LV which reflects the decrease in side-to-side Gj; CVL was not different and consequently ANR increased. ANR in the CCP was the same as in normal LV which reflects the normal end-to-end and side-to-side Gj. CVL in the CCP is slower than in the OP and normal LV which is consistent with the effects of Na channel remodeling of this substrate. However, CVT in the OP and CCP do not differ, which is unexpected because the effects of Na channel remodeling are not directionally dependent. Therefore, we suggest that gap junction remodeling in the CCP partially compensates for the reduction in CVT caused by Na channel remodeling.
New Normalizing Signals for Robust Adaptive Control

This paper presents some new normalizing signals for the design of robust adaptive control schemes for plants with unmodeled dynamics and bounded disturbances. The stability margin of the unmodeled dynamics is not needed to generate the normalizing signal. The class of unmodeled dynamics admissible ble to robust adaptive control is further enlarged. The modified robust model reference adaptive control scheme with a new normalizing signal guarantees that the closed-loop plant is globally stable and the tracking error is of the order of the unmodeled dynamics and disturbances in the mean.
Computational Simulation of Gas Turbines: Part I — Foundations of Component-Based Models

Designing and developing new aerospace propulsion systems is time-consuming and expensive. Computational simulation is a promising means for alleviating this cost, but requires a flexible software simulation system capable of integrating advanced multidisciplinary and multifidelity analysis methods, dynamically constructing arbitrary simulation models, and distributing computationally complex tasks. To address these issues, we have developed Onyx, a Java-based object-oriented domain framework for aerospace propulsion system simulation. This paper presents the design of a common engineering model formalism for use in Onyx. This approach, which is based on hierarchical decomposition and standardized interfaces, provides a flexible component-based representation for gas turbine systems, subsystems and components. It allows new models to be composed programmatically or visually to form more complex models. Onyx’s common engineering model also supports integration of a hierarchy of models which represent the system at differing levels of abstraction. Selection of a particular model is based on a number of criteria, including the level of detail needed, the objective of the simulation, the available knowledge, and given resources. The common engineering model approach is demonstrated by developing gas turbine component models which will be used to compose a gas turbine engine model in Part II of this paper.Copyright © 1999 by ASME
Measuring the effect of transportation infrastructure on retail firm co-location patterns

Abstract This paper studies the effects of transportation infrastructure on the location behavior of competing retail firms. First, in a game theoretic framework that describes the location choices made by retailers with respect to each other, the connection between relative firm location and transportation demand is outlined. Second, a multivariate point pattern statistic based on this theoretical framework is applied to location patterns of fast food outlets to measure the effects that major road infrastructure has on firm location behavior in this sector. The results suggest that transportation infrastructure affects the location behavior of firms with respect to their location in relation to their competitors. Access to important transportation infrastructure induces competing outlets to locate next to each other—a tendency not necessarily observed among outlets without such access. Theoretically, this does not only affect economic outcomes, but also travel demand and consumer accessibility. The findings from this study stress the importance of accounting for how transportation infrastructure changes the location behavior of firms in travel demand frameworks.
Cooperative Metal–Ligand Reactivity and Catalysis in Low-Spin Ferrous Alkoxides

This report describes examples of combined Fe- and O-centered reactivity of Fe(P2O2)(CO)2 (1), where P2O2 is the diphosphinoglycolate (Ph2PC6H4CHO)22–. This 18e low-spin ferrous dialkoxide undergoes substitution of CO to give the labile monosubstituted derivatives Fe(P2O2)(CO)(L) (L = PMe3, pyridine, MeCN). Treatment of Fe(P2O2)(CO)2 with Bronsted acids results in stepwise O-protonation, affording rare examples of low-spin Fe(II) complexes containing alcohol ligands. Substitution reactions with amides (RC(O)NH2) proceeds with binding of the carbonyl and formation of an intramolecular hydrogen bond between NH and the neighboring alkoxo ligand. This two-site binding was confirmed with crystallographic characterization of the thiourea-substituted derivative. Fe(P2O2)(CO)2 reacts with Ph2SiH2 to give the O-silylated hydrido complex, which is inactive for hydrosilylation. The monocarbonyl derivatives Fe(P2O2)(CO)(L) (L = NCMe, PMe3, acetamide) are precursors to catalysts for the hydrosilylation of benzaldehyde...
Audio-Visual and Meaningful Semantic Context Enhancements in Older and Younger Adults.

Speech perception is critical to everyday life. Oftentimes noise can degrade a speech signal; however, because of the cues available to the listener, such as visual and semantic cues, noise rarely prevents conversations from continuing. The interaction of visual and semantic cues in aiding speech perception has been studied in young adults, but the extent to which these two cues interact for older adults has not been studied. To investigate the effect of visual and semantic cues on speech perception in older and younger adults, we recruited forty-five young adults (ages 18–35) and thirty-three older adults (ages 60–90) to participate in a speech perception task. Participants were presented with semantically meaningful and anomalous sentences in audio-only and audio-visual conditions. We hypothesized that young adults would outperform older adults across SNRs, modalities, and semantic contexts. In addition, we hypothesized that both young and older adults would receive a greater benefit from a semantically meaningful context in the audio-visual relative to audio-only modality. We predicted that young adults would receive greater visual benefit in semantically meaningful contexts relative to anomalous contexts. However, we predicted that older adults could receive a greater visual benefit in either semantically meaningful or anomalous contexts. Results suggested that in the most supportive context, that is, semantically meaningful sentences presented in the audiovisual modality, older adults performed similarly to young adults. In addition, both groups received the same amount of visual and meaningful benefit. Lastly, across groups, a semantically meaningful context provided more benefit in the audio-visual modality relative to the audio-only modality, and the presence of visual cues provided more benefit in semantically meaningful contexts relative to anomalous contexts. These results suggest that older adults can perceive speech as well as younger adults when both semantic and visual cues are available to the listener.
The Application of High-Resolution Sequence Stratigraphy in Multiplex Deposition System of the River,Lake and Delta——To Take the Development Block of Fuyu Oil Layer in Chaoyanggou Reservoir for Example

Applying the principles and methods of high-resolution sequence stratigraphy,and combining with the data of exploration wells and development wells in encrypted network of wells,the authors identified 41 short-term base-level cycles of 7 types,which were formed under the conditions of deeping upward,shallowing upward,symmetrical in different accommodation space in Fuyu oil layer of Chao 1-Chao gas 3 blocks,and makes detailed analysis on the genesis and characteristics based on the sedimentary dynamics.According to the structural feature and stacking pattern of short-term base-level cycle,the authors established seven medium-term base-level cycles and identified two long-term base-level hemicycles by accompanying local indicator layers,and thus established the high-resolution sequence stratigraphic framework.In the study area,sand body is generally absent in the long-term base-level fall hemicycles,but in the early long-term base-level rise hemicycles,the thickness and effective thickness of sand of river-facies are significant,ratios of sand to mud are high,oiliness is good,and with the long-term base-level rising,the sedimentary environment turned to the delta system,the shore lake and the shallow lake,sand and oiliness gradually decrease.Moreover,each medium-term base-level,sand and its oilness in the transform zone from subsidence to elevation developed relatively best in the whole medium-term base-level cycle.
Towards promoting design and UML modeling practices in the open source community

Despite the emergence of UML as the defacto modeling and design tool for software engineering, its adoption remains dismal. Software development, particularly in the open source community, remains code-centric. Adoption of UML in open source projects represents a significant lost opportunity. In this paper, we present an approach to encourage upfront design practices and the adoption of UML modeling in open source projects. In particular, we demonstrate the approach for small contributions and bug fixes. The approach relies on integrating UML-level abstractions into the code. This integration means that open source developers can continue to use their familiar text-based tools to manage the source code and contributions, while at the same time benefit from UML added value of abstractions and comprehension. Other benefits of this approach include broadening the boundaries of bug fix contribution by including modelers and end-users, and incrementally add UML model diagrams into open source project's documentation.
Hierarchies, boundaries, and representation in a Freudian model of mental organization

Freud used a spatial model of mental organization, derived from his explanation of aphasia, as an organizing framework for psychoanalytic theory. He introduced the ideas of representation and over-...
The Politics of International Economic Law: Legitimacy and the UNCITRAL Working Methods.

The process of international lawmaking is, in part, a function of both politics and the attempt to engage in legitimate norms generation. States seek power through process in the international sphere. But States also use process enable representative, transparent, and effective rules. This paper considers how we might begin to deconstruct procedural proposals involving international norm generation by taking a look at a recent controversy over the methods of work at the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). It will consider various paradigms to assess the legitimacy claims of international norms as applied to one particular controversy and consider specifically whether proposals to regulate decision-making as well as the participation of nonmembers serve legitimacy or politics or both.