cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Perceived Relationship Safety as Predictors of Dyadic Adjustment: A Test of Mediation and Moderation

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive value of PTSD symptoms and perceived relationship safety on dyadic adjustment. Participants included 390 individuals who were in a committed romantic relationship. Data were gathered from two populations; clients of a university-based family therapy clinic (n = 132), and community respondents to an announcement on a large university's electronic bulletin board (n = 258). Structural equation modeling was used to test a model of mediation, as well as multiple group analysis to test for moderation by setting (clinical vs. community) and gender. Results indicated that perceived relationship safety fully mediated the relationship between PTSD symptoms and dyadic adjustment. Gender moderated the relationships in the model, but no differences were found between the clinical and community samples. Findings suggest the importance of addressing experiences of safety and security in relationships, as these may be of particular importance for those who have expe...
Recent results in electron-positron annihilation above 2 GeV

Abstract We review recent results in electron-positron annihilation above a center-of-mass energy of 2 GeV with particular emphasis on the production and properties of new particles. Topics include the total e + e − cross section, the properties of jet-like structure in high energy multi-particle events, the properties of the Ψ family of charmonium states, the production and properties of the charmed D mesons, and evidence for and the properties of the τ, a new charged lepton.
Severe status asthmaticus: Prolonged treatment with assisted ventilation

Abstract Three patients with progressively severe status asthmaticus which failed to respond to intensive medical therapy were treated successfully with prolonged assisted ventilation for 4, 5, and 7 days, respectively. The development of respiratory acidosis was the most reliable guideline indicating impending death and the need for a more aggressive therapeutic approach. The possible factors leading to this medical-resistant state included infection, fatigue, oversedation, insufficient medication, and overuse of sympathomimetic nebulized aerosols. The major problems encountered with prolonged assisted ventilation were: (1) Frequent monitoring of arterial blood gases was necessary in order to reliably assess the clinical state. (2) A volume-regulated ventilator, in these cases an Engstro¨m, was needed to supply adequate respiratory exchange. (3) Best results with the ventilator required cessation of voluntary respirations. This was most readily accomplished by the use of a curare-type muscle relaxant. (4) Tracheotomy was eventually needed to provide the best mode for continued bronchial lavage. (5) Potent bronchodilators, such as epinephrine and intravenous aminophylline, were ineffective despite normal arterial pH. With properly staffed and equipped respiratory intensive-care units and application of these diagnostic and therapeutic concepts, potential asthmatic deaths may be avoided.
The Social Adjustment and Self-Concept of Adults with Learning Disabilities

This study examined the social adjustment and self-concept of 81 adults (18 to 26 years of age), 40 of whom received special education services under the “learning disabilities” designation and 41 of whom had regular education programming. Subjects were mailed a set of questionnaires about their current functioning, including the Social Adjustment Scale-Self Report and the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale. Archival data on IQ and achievement test scores were also obtained. Results indicated no significant differences between groups on the social adjustment measure or any of its subscales, or on the measure of self-concept. A small subset of subjects in the learning disabilities group had clinically low self-concept scores. Achievement and IQ measures, collectively, were good predictors of global social adjustment (R2 = 96%). Overall, the findings suggest that this cohort of subjects with learning disabilities educated under the auspices of P.L. 94-142 fare about as well as their nondisabled peers in terms of ...
Variation in the ribosomal RNA cistron among host‐adapted races of an aphid (Schizaphis graminum)

The greenbug, Schizaphis graminum, is an aphid species that consists of races that can be separated based on morphology, life histories, cytogenetics, mitochondrial DNA RFLPs and virulence to plant culti-vars. Variation in the greenbug rDNA multigene family was studied to determine the extent to which rDNA cistrons have diverged among and within races. A restriction map of the rDNA cistron was constructed. Probing DNA from different races with subclones from rDNA coding regions and internal spacers identified little variation. However, probing with subclones of the intergenic spacer (IGS) identified continuous length variation within and among races. Race specific patterns were identified. Within a race, almost continuous variation in total IGS length was detected and asexual lineages possessed distinct patterns useful in genetic fingerprinting studies.
The humoral antibacterial response of Drosophila adults.

Abstract Hemolymph from a normal adult Drosophila melanogaster lacks factors that block the growth of Escherichia coli , but hemolymph from a fly previously inoculated with Enterobacter cloacae inhibits bacterial growth. Antibacterial activity appears within two hours after inoculation, and is still detectable sixty days later. Activity is potent, and can be detected in as little as a quarter of the hemolymph from a single inoculated male fly. After inoculation, at least eight new polypeptides not of bacterial origin appear in hemolymph with a time course similar to the appearance of antibacterial activity; these are called Antibacterial Response Polypeptides, or ARs. The most prominent polypeptides are AR24, AR22, and AR19 with molecular weights of about 24, 22, and 19 kilodaltons (kd). Other bands with as much as 75kd and as little as 5kd were also found. Electrophoresis of active hemolymph under non-denaturing conditions, and isoelectric focusing separate several protein species that block bacterial growth (Antibacterial Proteins, or ABs); one AB is neutral (AB7.1) and three are basic (AB8.7, AB9.0 and AB9.2). Two dimensional gels show that AR24, AR22 and AR19 have pIs identical to the basic antibacterial proteins. Radiolabelling experiments proved that the ARs were synthesized de novo after bacterial inoculation. ARs in six species of Drosophila showed fundamentally similar electrophoretic patterns.
The role of commerical nuclear pharmacy in the future practice of nuclear medicine

It has been estimated that today 70% to 80% of all radiopharmaceutical doses are dispensed through commercial nuclear pharmacy channels. These services are provided by the approximately 250 facilities in the United States, with some multisite corporations dispensing in excess of 20,000 unit-dose prescriptions per day. As pressures mount within health care institutions to reduce manpower, increase cost-effectiveness, increase participation in managed care contracts, and to seek outside vendors for many services that were previously provided in-house, the future role of the commercial nuclear pharmacy in the practice of nuclear medicine will only continue to increase. The essence of nuclear pharmacy practice is the dispensing of a full range of high quality radiopharmaceuticals in patient-specific unit doses. These doses must be delivered in a timely and cost effective manner, without compromising quality or patient safety. Commercial nuclear pharmacies have expanded to provide such varied functions as radiation safety and waste management, as well as consultative and marketing activities directed towards clinicians within a nuclear medicine practitioners own facility. In-service continuing education programs directed towards physicians and technologists are frequently offered by many commercial nuclear pharmacies. Changes in health care economics, merging and down-sizing in the hospital industry, and the overall impact of managed care on the viability of hospitals in general has resulted in slow growth, or even a small decline in the number of institutionally based nuclear pharmacists. As a result, nuclear medicine practitioners will be looking to the commercial nuclear pharmacies to meet a larger portion of their radiopharmaceutical needs, as well as to value added services, such as education and research and development. Specialized practice settings, such as nuclear cardiology and free-standing nuclear medicine clinics, are especially well suited to the services provided by commercial nuclear pharmacies. Involvement in the distribution of positron-emission tomography radiopharmaceuticals will continue to increase regardless of the results of current regulatory debates on this issue. In the future, nuclear medicine practitioners will look to the commercial nuclear pharmacies for an increasing portion of their radiopharmaceutical needs and the industry should be ready and able to meet these demands in a safe, timely, and cost efficient manner.
Disruption of neural signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 causes obesity, diabetes, infertility, and thermal dysregulation

Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3 is widely expressed in the CNS during development and adulthood. STAT3 has been implicated in the control of neuron/glial differentiation and leptin-mediated energy homeostasis, but the physiological role and degree of involvement of STAT3 in these processes is not defined and controversial because of the lack of a direct genetic model. To address this, we created mice with a neural-specific disruption of STAT3 (STAT3N-/-). Surprisingly, homozygous mutants were born at the expected Mendelian ratio without apparent developmental abnormalities but susceptible to neonatal lethality. Mutants that survived the neonatal period were hyperphagic, obese, diabetic, and infertile. Administering a melanocortin-3/4 receptor agonist abrogated the hyperphagia and hypothalamic immunohistochemistry showed a marked reduction in proopiomelanocortin with an increase in neuropeptide Y and agouti-related protein. Mutants had reduced energy expenditure and became hypothermic after fasting or cold stress. STAT3N-/- mice are hyperleptinemic, suggesting a leptin-resistant condition. Concomitant with neuroendocrine defects such as decreased linear growth and infertility with accompanying increased corticosterone levels, this CNS knockout recapitulates the unique phenotype of db/db and ob/ob obese models and distinguishes them from other genetic models of obesity. Thus, STAT3 in the CNS plays essential roles in the regulation of energy homeostasis and reproduction.
Fate of Nutrients in Shallow Groundwater Receiving Treated Septage, Malibu, CA

Treated wastewater discharged from more than 400 onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) near the Civic Center area of Malibu, California, 40 km west of downtown Los Angeles, composes 28% of the recharge to a 3.4 km2 alluvial aquifer. On the basis of δ18O and δD data, the fraction of wastewater in some samples was >70%. Ammonium and nitrate concentrations in water from 15 water-table wells sampled in July 2009 and April 2010 ranged from 7.3).
Processing Time as a Function of Ethnicity, Gender, and Psychopathology

ABSTRACT The processing time (the number of days between the date a case is filed and the date it is disposed) in a criminal justice system is a function of many variables, including the personal and social characteristics of the offender. We hypothesized that the processing time, other things being equal would be a function of (a) psychopathology, (b) gender, and (c) ethnic background of the offender. Analysis of the data dealing with 5,989 offenders, sampled from a metropolitan area criminal justice system, corroborated the hypothesized relationships: (a) Blacks had significantly (p = .0001) longer processing time than Whites, (b) men had significantly (p = .01) longer processing time than women, and (c) mentally disordered offenders had significantly (p = .04) longer processing time than a comparison group of general offenders.
Further Beyond Nine to Five: An Integration and Future Directions

Some of the findings of the studies reported in this issue are reviewed, with particular attention to conclusions regarding perceptions of the nature of sexual harassment and the possible differential effects of status and power on responses to incidents of social-sexual behavior in the workplace. In addition, some suggestions are made for further research in the area, with emphasis on the dyadic nature of sexual harassment and its relation to differential socialization of males and females.
Teacher Efficacy in Rural Zimbabwe

The need to address contextual variables, such as cultural bias and cultural norms, is a common challenge for researchers in international education. This article highlights societal conditions and cultural issues that could have impacted teacher efficacy data in Zimbabwe, a country known for its ongoing economic crisis, political repression, and societal instability. In light of the country's circumstances, it is likely that Zimbabwean teachers' efficacy (i.e. their self-confidence in their ability to produce positive student outcomes) is diminished. The 23 educators in this study were from nine impoverished rural schools where there are few opportunities for professional growth. During July of 2006, they completed the 24-item Ohio State Teacher Efficacy Scale (OSTES) at the beginning of a professional development workshop. The data were analysed to ascertain whether these educators had faith in their abilities to expect good results from their efforts. The results of this study suggest that the teachers...
“The Elks Are Our Horses”: Animals and Domestication in the New France Borderlands

Historians have long overlooked the role played by animals in cross-cultural interactions in the American borderlands. Yet domesticated animals - and the social practices that accompanied them - were central both to the ‘civilizing mission’ of colonizers and to indigenous American resistance. This paper examines these themes within the context of the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi region between 1670 and 1730. Drawing evidence from Algonquian and Iroquoian languages and cultural practices as well as from the accounts of French missionaries and voyageurs, I show that the indigenous peoples of the Pays d’en Haut rejected the positive connotations that domestication held for Europeans, and instead equated domestication with enslavement. The resulting conflicts between conceptions of nature, ownership and tameness had an enduring influence on European-Indian relations. Although this study examines specific patterns of interaction on the New French frontier, it also raises broad questions relating to environmental history and European-indigenous interactions throughout the New World.
Psychotherapy of borderline personality disorder

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is both a common and serious psychiatric disorder. It affects about 2–6% of American adults (1,2). It is also associated with high levels of psychiatric care (3) as well as high levels of psychosocial impairment (4). In addition, treating borderline patients can be challenging due to their tendency to prematurely terminate psychotherapy (5), regress in treatment (6), and engender strong counter-transference reactions in those attempting to help them (7). Psychotherapy is considered to be the primary treatment for BPD (8). This is so because of the “stably unstable” nature of BPD (9). The primacy of psychotherapy is also due to the limited efficacy of pharmacotherapy for BPD (10); with most types of psychotropic medication being associated with modest levels of symptom reduction across a number of sectors of borderline psychopathology. Currently, four comprehensive forms of psychotherapy have been found to be effective in treating those with BPD (11–14). Two of these manualized forms of treatment are viewed as psychodynamic in nature (11,12) and two are viewed as more cognitive behavioral in nature (13,14). The results of these trials and their implications for clinical care and future research are detailed below.
Affluence cues and first impressions: The moderating impact of the Protestant work ethic

Abstract This experiment examined how a target person’s affluence cues and the perceiver’s endorsement of the Protestant work ethic (PWE) influence interpersonal perceptions about others. Participants (N=136) read scenarios that described a man or woman in either an affluent or less affluent home setting. They then evaluated the target person on 20 personal qualities and indicated their desire to have the target’s lifestyle. A positive relationship was found between affluence level and perceptions of personal abilities, sophistication, and the desire to have the target’s lifestyle. A negative relationship was found between affluence level and perceptions of considerateness. The perceiver’s endorsement of the PWE moderated two of these four relationships. High PWEs ascribed greater considerateness to an affluent target person than low PWEs. Low PWEs did not differ in their evaluation of a less affluent target person’s considerateness. Further, low PWEs, unlike high PWEs, displayed clear preference for the affluent over the less affluent target’s lifestyle. Results are discussed with respect to the information processing tendencies associated with PWE endorsement. Future research directions are also discussed.
Nano-scale complexities in the superconducting cuprates

Underdoped cuprates are characterized by nano-scale complexity with strong spatial variation in the electronic properties, including superconductivity. It is often assumed that the stripe order underlies this spatial complexity, but the evidence of local stripe order in the superconducting phase is weak. We propose an alternative idea of electronically driven two-dimensional local order that leads to phase separation in the reciprocal space, which could be the basis for two-component superconductivity.
Membrane-associated non-receptors and morphogen gradients.

A previously investigated basic model (System B) for the study of signaling morphogen gradient formation that allows for reversible binding of morphogens (aka ligands) with signaling receptors, degradation of bound morphogens and diffusion of unbound morphogens is extended to include the effects of membrane-bound non-signaling molecules (or non-receptors for short) such as proteoglycans that bind reversibly with the same morphogens and degrade them. Our main goal is to delineate the effects of the presence of non-receptors on the existence and properties of the steady-state concentration gradient of signaling ligand–receptor complexes. Stability of the steady-state morphogen gradients is established and the time to reach steady-state behavior after the onset of morphogen production will be analyzed. The theoretical findings offer explanations for observations reported in several previous experiments on Drosophila wing imaginal discs.
Measurement of Dry Deposition and Air-Water Exchange of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons with the Water Surface Sampler

Recent work has shown that dry deposition and gas exchange of semivolatile organic compounds in the Great Lakes is important. However, there is no generally accepted method for collecting particulate dry deposition or gas exchange. In this work the Water Surface Sampler (WSS) was modified and used in combination with dry deposition plates to measure the particulate dry deposition and gas exchange of PAHs. Simultaneous dry deposition and ambient air samples were collected between June and October 1995 in Chicago, IL. Total (particulate + gas) fluxes were measured with the WSS, while particulate fluxes were measured with dry deposition plates. Average Σ14-PAH and particulate Σ14-PAH fluxes were 360 ± 146 μg/m2 d and 144 ± 60 μg/m2 d, respectively. Gas-phase fluxes, determined by subtracting the dry deposition plate fluxes (particulate) from WSS fluxes (particulate + gas), averaged 170 ± 72 μg/m2 d. The measured particulate dry deposition and gas exchange fluxes were substantially higher than those previousl...
Reclaiming Stigma: Alternative Explorations of the Construct

Previously published research tends to rely on oversimplifications of Goffman's (1963) work to define stigma–attributes/qualities devalued in particular situations. In descending order of typical a...
The Vascular Lesions of Neurofibromatosis

Peculiar arterial lesions were found in seven of 18 cases of neurofi bromatosis. As previously described, these were of four types: pure intimal, advanced intimal, intimal aneurysmal, and nodular. Many lesions had features of more than one of the pure types. Other characteristics of the lesions suggested that they are of Schwann cell origin. It is proposed that the pathogenesis of all of the types of arterial lesions is the same—the proliferation of Schwann cells within arteries with secondary degenerative changes, e.g., fibrosis, resulting in lesions with very different appearances.
Hybrid Particle Swarm: Pattern Search Optimizer for Rocket Propulsion Applications

The ability of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to locate global optimum solutions is combined with the usefulness of Pattern Search Optimization (PS) in finding local optimum values to produce a powerful tool for analyzing aerospace propulsion systems. Two aerospace applications are considered: (1) design a star grain solid rocket motor (SRM) to match specified thrust vs. time curves; and (2) design and optimize a liquid propellant missile system to specified constraints. For the first application, results are compared with those obtained from a “regular” particle swarm optimizer, a binary encoded genetic algorithm (GA) optimizer, and a real code genetic algorithm optimizer. For the second application, results are compared with those obtained from a binary GA. All optimizers are evaluated based on two criteria: (1) “fitness function” accuracy, or how closely solutions meet a specified tolerance, and (2) convergence speed, based on how many calls to the “objective function” are required to meet that tolerance.
Change of the Density-of-States Effective Mass of Holes in Germanium Induced by [111] and [100] One-Dimensional Strain and by [111] and [100] Uniaxial Stress

This work gives results needed to analyze certain experiments in which strain changes the concentration of holes in single crystals of germanium. The strain-induced distortion of the valence band is here described by a density-of-states effective mass. The theory of Pikus and Bir is applied to obtain numerically the relation between this mass and [111] and [100] one-dimensional strain and [111] and [100] uniaxial stress, for temperatures from about 1.2 to about 300 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. Experimental values for the $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{k}}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{p}}$ perturbation parameters given by Hensel and Suzuki are used, together with values for the deformation potentials given by Hensel and by Pollak and Cardona. Values for the density-of-states effective mass at zero stress and at infinite stress have previously been given in the literature. The large difference between the masses for the two cases makes information about intermediate stresses interesting. Our results supply this information.
Continuous tissue pH monitoring in the term fetus.

Since Saling's work in 1961, many investigators have attempted to perfect methods to detect fetal acidosis during labor. A system for continuous tissue pH monitoring of the fetus is evaluated in this study of 59 patients. There was poor correlation of tissue pH values and capillary scalp pH values in 19 cases ( r = 0.487), and no significant correlation of tissue pH values to the outcome measurements of Apgar scores and cord gas levels. The benefits realized were those of monitoring the trend of tissue pH over time. We believe that a continuous pH monitoring system offers several advantages over intermittent fetal scalp sampling. Further refinement of the technology employed may offer such a system in the future.
Intrafascicular Injection of Ammonium Sulfate and Bupivacaine in Peripheral Nerves of Neonatal and Juvenile Rats

Background and Objectives Regional nerve blocks are often used for the treatment of postoperative pain in children. Ammonium sulfate is a non-narcotic anesthetic agent, which has been reported to provide pain relief lasting days to weeks, with few reported side effects in adult studies. Prior to considering clinical use in children, the neurotoxicity of ammonium sulfate in 4-day and 3-week old rats was assessed and compared with that of bupivacaine. Methods Each rat received a posterior tibial nerve intrafascicular injection (0.01 mL in 4-day-old and 0.02 mL in 3-week-old rats) using either 10% ammonium sulfate (n = 24 per age group), 0.5% bupivacaine (n = 18 per age group), 0.9% saline (n = 18 per age group), or 5% phenol (n = 18 per age group). A functional assessment by serial walking track analysis and a morphologic assessment by neurohistology were made. Results No abnormalities in serial walking track analysis and no structural nerve damage were detected after ammonium sulfate, bupivacaine, or saline injection. Bupivacaine caused mild focal changes in both age groups, which recovered by 8 weeks. Conclusions Intrafascicular injection of ammonium sulfate was as safe as bupivacaine in this animal model. Further animal studies must be made before human trials are initiated.
Induction of coleoptile elongation by carbon dioxide.

The ability of CO(2) to induce elongation of Avena sativa coleoptile segments was examined with the use of a high resolution growth-recording device. CO(2)-saturated water causes an 8- to 16-fold promotion in the rate of elongation within 1 minute. This elongation is insensitive to a variety of metabolic inhibitors that suppress auxin-induced elongation, and the CO(2) effect cannot be prevented by pretreatment with these inhibitors. Buffers of pH 3 to 4 also stimulate elongation quickly, and it seems that at least a major part of the action of CO(2) depends upon its ability to reduce pH. The rate of elongation of auxin-promoted segments can be further enhanced by treatment with CO(2) but not vice versa.The response to CO(2) can be inhibited by mannitol at osmotic concentrations that inhibit normal growth, by calcium, and by brief pretreatment with heavy water (D(2)O). The elongation rate that results from CO(2) treatment is sensitive to temperature, but the induction by CO(2) itself appears to be almost temperature-independent.Elongation following treatment with CO(2) may be a physical flow phenomenon, essentially independent of immediate biochemical participation, which occurs when wall polymer interactions that normally restrict strain in the cell wall are weakened or broken by CO(2) in a manner that in effect substitutes for the role of metabolism in normal auxin-inducible cell enlargement.
Displacement Models for THUNDER Actuators having General Loads and Boundary Conditions

This paper summarizes techniques for quantifying the displacements generated in THUNDER actuators in response to applied voltages for a variety of boundary conditions and exogenous loads. The PDE (partial differential equations) models for the actuators are constructed in two steps. In the first, previously developed theory quantifying thermal and electrostatic strains is employed to model the actuator shapes which result from the manufacturing process and subsequent repoling. Newtonian principles are then employed to develop PDE models which quantify displacements in the actuator due to voltage inputs to the piezoceramic patch. For this analysis, drive levels are assumed to be moderate so that linear piezoelectric relations can be employed. Finite element methods for discretizing the models are developed and the performance of the discretized models are illustrated through comparison with experimental data.
Are visual features of a looming or receding object processed in a capacity-free manner?

Abstract Numerous experiments have examined whether moving stimuli capture spatial attention but none have sought to determine whether visual features of looming and receding objects are extracted in a capacity-free manner. The current experiment ( N = 28) used the task-choice procedure originated by Besner and Care (2003) to examine this possibility. Stimuli were presented in 3D space by manipulating retinal disparity. Results indicate that features of an object are extracted in a capacity-free manner for both looming and receding objects for participants who consciously perceive motion but not for participants who do not consciously perceive motion. These results suggest that the cognitive system is biased to process potentially animate objects, perhaps because of the evolutionary advantage this cognitive ability may provide.
A response duration technique for measuring stimulus generalization

Eight male albino rats were given six 1-hr. training sessions on a simple light, no-light operant discrimination. During the following six sessions the intensity of the SΔ stimulus was systematically varied and the response duration of the first response in an SΔ trial was measured. It was found that response duration was linearly related to the intensity of the test SΔ.
Application migration to reserved bandwidth networks

The advent of high speed networks has stimulated development and deployment of many new distributed applications, such as multiparty video conferencing. At the same time, the networking community is rapidly moving towards new high speed networking architectures that offer advanced features such as guaranteed bandwidth and connection performance guarantees. The performance of may applications would be improved significantly if features offered by these new networks are utilized. While it is desirable to use the features of the new protocols provided by the emerging high speed networks, these protocols have not yet reached the same degree of stability and maturity as the existing protocols. As new networks with advanced features are deployed, schemes that take advantage of the advanced network capabilities, are necessary to migrate existing applications to the new networking interfaces. In this paper, several application migration paths are outlined. The concept of a Bandwidth Server, that provides transparent application migration, is introduced, e.g. transparent migration does not require an application to be rewritten, recompiled, or relinked. We explore the design of a simple and efficient Bandwidth Server that allows TCP/IP applications, written using the well-known socket-interface, to execute across a B-ISDN network.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Spectral differences of opposite sides of stripe rust infested winter wheat leaves using ASD's Leaf Clip

Stripe Rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, has emerged as one of the most destructive foliar diseases of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and caused great yield loss. The primary objective of this study is to identify the stress characteristics of wheat leaves caused by such a disease. After performing artificial inoculation of stripe rust, hundreds of leaves with different infections were collected and leaf reflectance were conducted using ASD's (Analytical Spectral Devices) leaf clip probe. Based on the nonequivalent optical properties on the opposite side of a leaf, their spectral characteristics were specifically compared and the correlations between disease severity indices and water or chlorophyll were further analyzed. The final results indicated that, for the face and back sides of stripe rust infected wheat leaves, some obvious differences existed in the spectral reflectance and correlation curves between foliar disease severity indexes (FDSIs) and reflectance, especially with the increase of infections.
Reciprocal regulation of Abl and receptor tyrosine kinases.

Previously, we showed that Abl kinases (c-Abl, Arg) are activated downstream of PDGF in a manner dependent on Src kinases and PLC-γ1, and promote PDGF-mediated proliferation and migration of fibroblasts. We additionally demonstrated that Abl kinases bind directly to PDGFR-β via their SH2 domains. In this study, we extend these findings by demonstrating that Abl kinases also are activated downstream of a PDGF autocrine growth loop in glioblastoma cells, indicating that the PDGFR-Abl signaling pathway also is likely to be important in glioblastoma development and/or progression. We recently showed that Abl kinases are highly active in many breast cancer cell lines, and the Her-2 receptor tyrosine kinase contributes to c-Abl and Arg kinase activation. In this study, we show that Abl kinase SH2 domains bind directly to Her-2, and like PDGFR-β, Her-2 directly phosphorylates c-Abl. Previously, we demonstrated that PDGFR-β directly phosphorylates Abl kinases in vitro, and Abl kinases reciprocally phosphorylate PDGFR-β. Here, we show that PDGFR-β-phosphorylation of Abl kinases has functional consequences as PDGFR-β phosphorylates Abl kinases on Y245 and Y412, sites known to be required for activation of Abl kinases. Moreover, PDGFR-β phosphorylates Arg on two additional unique sites whose function is unknown. Importantly, we also show that Abl-dependent phosphorylation of PDGFR-β has functional and biological significances. c-Abl phosphorylates three tyrosine residues on PDGFR-β (Y686, Y934, Y970), while Arg only phosphorylates Y686. Y686 and Y934 reside in PDGFR-β catalytic domains, while Y970 is in the C-terminal tail. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we show that Abl-dependent phosphorylation of PDGFR-β activates PDGFR-β activity, in vitro, but serves to downregulate PDGFR-mediated chemotaxis. These data are exciting as they indicate that Abl kinases not only are activated by PDGFR and promote PDGFR-mediated proliferation and migration, but also act in an intricate negative feedback loop to turn-off PDGFR-mediated chemotaxis.
Auditor specialization, perceived audit quality, and audit fees in the local government audit market

Abstract Prior governmental research implies a positive relation between auditor specialization and audit quality, but the effect of specialization on audit fees is mixed. However, no single governmental study investigates the effect of auditor specialization on both audit quality and audit fees. Also, prior studies focus on either large- or small audit firms and often employ indirect proxies for audit quality. We study the effects of auditor specialization on perceived audit quality and audit fees. Our data represent both Big 5 and smaller audit firms and include three market-based measures of specialization. We survey 241 Florida local government finance directors and find that specialization is positively associated with perceived audit quality but not with audit fees. We also find that Big 5 auditors, often used as a proxy for higher audit quality in prior research, are not uniformly associated with increased perceived audit quality but consistently charge higher audit fees. Our results confirm a relation between measures of audit firm specialization and audit quality and raise questions regarding audit firm size and audit quality in the municipal sector. Our findings suggest that engaging specialized auditors may be good policy for many local governments.
Evaluating biofilm growth of two oral pathogens

Aims: To determine the expediency of a microtitre assay system for establishing, quantifying and antimicrobial testing of two representative oral pathogens. Methods and Results:Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis were used. Morphological characteristics of the attached population were evaluated. Biofilm growth was evaluated spectrophotometrically (undisturbed and 1 N NaOH dissipated biofilm). The minimum concentration of chlorhexidine gluconate that inhibited biofilm growth was determined. Growth of the biofilms was successfully monitored by direct optical density measurements or those re-suspended in 1 N NaOH. The latter was necessary when glucans were present in Strep. mutans biofilms. The minimum concentration of chlorhexidine gluconate that inhibited biofilm growth was 1·25 µg ml−1 for both species. The attached bacteria exhibited common biofilm characteristics. Significance and Impact of the Study: The assay system developed was especially useful for monitoring the growth of adherent Strep. mutans in the presence of glucans, which is particularly significant for the study of anti-plaque chemicals.
Central Mechanisms of Frog Galling

The central mechanisms of release calling and mating calling in the Northern leopard frog ( Rana pipiens pipiens ) and the green tree frog ( Hyla cinerea ) are discussed. The region of the ventral magnoceHifl-ar preoptic nucleus is essential for miating calling. This area probably contains androgen receptors that project to, and activate, more posterior calling mechanisms. The region of the main sensory nucleus V is involved, in a manner not yet clearly understood, in calling. Perhaps this area serves as a sensory correlation center that receives and analyzes a variety of sensory inputs, determines what type of call constitutes an appropriate response, and then excites the calling circuits at more posterior levels. The region of the hypoglossal and vagus motor nuclei is essential for release calling. This area probably serves as a motor coordination center that organizes the motor patterns of calling.
The Role of Marketing in Politics

(2002). The Role of Marketing in Politics. Journal of Political Marketing: Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 1-5.
Short‐term effects of propranolol on portal venous pressure

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of propranolol on portal pressure of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and portal hypertension and to correlate these effects with clinical and laboratory parameters. The mean baseline hepatic venous pressure gradient in the 50 patients studied was of 18.2 +/- 4.1 mm Hg. It decreased significantly 2 hr after the oral administration of 40 mg of propranolol to 15.7 +/- 4.2 mm Hg (a mean reduction of 13.4 +/- 17%). This reduction in hepatic venous pressure gradient resulted mainly from a decrease in mean wedged hepatic venous pressure. There was no correlation between the decrease in hepatic venous pressure gradient and the decrease in heart rate. When results were analyzed individually, only 15 (30%) showed a large decrease in hepatic venous pressure gradient (greater than 20%), 15 (30%) showed a moderate decrease (10 to 19%), and in 20 patients (40%) there was no reduction or an increase in hepatic venous pressure gradient. Comparison of "responders" (those that reduced hepatic venous pressure gradient greater than 10%) and "nonresponders" (hepatic venous pressure gradient reduction less than 10%) showed no significant differences in baseline laboratory and hemodynamic parameters, in the severity of the liver disease, in the heart rate and blood pressure response to propranolol, nor in the propranolol plasma levels achieved 2 hr after propranolol administration. Propranolol plasma levels correlated with the reduction in heart rate but not with the reduction in hepatic venous pressure gradient. Of 14 nonresponders to 40 mg of propranolol who received additional doses, six showed a reduction in hepatic venous pressure gradient.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The time‐averaged geomagnetic field: global and regional biases for 0–5 Ma

SUMMARY Palaeodirectional data from lava flows and marine sediments provide information about the long-term structure and variability in the geomagnetic field. We present a detailed analysis of the internal consistency and reliability of global compilations of sediment and lava-flow data. Time-averaged field models are constructed for normal and reverse polarity periods for the past 5 Ma, using the combined data sets. Nonzonal models are required to satisfy the lava-flow data, but not those from sediments alone. This is in part because the sediment data are much noisier than those from lavas, but is also a consequence of the site distributions and the way that inclination data sample the geomagnetic field generated in the Earth’s core. Different average field configurations for normal and reverse polarity periods are consistent with the palaeomagnetic directions; however, the differences are insignificant relative to the uncertainty in the average field models. Thus previous inferences of non-antipodal normal and reverse polarity field geometries will need to be re-examined using recently collected high-quality palaeomagnetic data. Our new models indicate that current global sediment and lava-flow data sets combined do not permit the unambiguous detection of northern hemisphere flux lobes in the 0-5 Ma time-averaged field, highlighting the need for the collection of additional high-latitude palaeomagnetic data. Anomalous time-averaged field structure is seen in the Pacific hemisphere centred just south of Hawaii. The location of the anomaly coincides with heterogeneities in the lower mantle inferred from seismological data. The seismic observations can be partly explained by lateral temperature variations; however, they also suggest the presence of lateral compositional variations and/or the presence of partial melt. The role of such heterogeneities in influencing the geomagnetic field observed at the Earth’s surface remains an unresolved issue, requiring higher-resolution time-averaged geomagnetic field models, along with the integration of future results from seismology, mineral physics and numerical simulations.
Extended-range optical low-coherence reflectometry using a recirculating delay technique

We propose a novel technique allowing for a substantial increase in the distance measurement range for optical low-coherence reflectometry. By introducing a recirculating delay into the interferometer reference path, we achieve a 100 times increase in range compared to previous optical low-coherence reflectometry techniques. At this extended range, a reflection sensitivity greater than -80 dB is demonstrated at a probe wavelength of 1.55 mu m. >
Exploiting Regional Amplitude Envelopes: A Case Study for Earthquakes and Explosions in the Korean Peninsula

Abstract We introduce a new method to use narrowband regional amplitude envelopes for event analysis. Building on the success of the coda‐wave method, we construct synthetic template envelopes that attempt to fit the entire waveform, including multiple direct phases and their coda, across a broad frequency band. The method makes use of our understanding of earthquake and explosion source models, regional wave propagation, and the relationship between direct amplitudes and their respective codas. We demonstrate the power of the method by examining earthquake and nuclear explosions in the Korean Peninsula at regional distance stations MDJ (Mudangjing, China) and TJN (Taejon, South Korea). In order to implement the method, however, we need to account for propagation through the use of an attenuation model for the region, which we have developed, in addition to an empirical correction to provide for unaccounted effects in the direct‐to‐coda transfer functions. Under the assumption that our explosion and attenuation models and the empirically obtained P ‐to‐ P ‐coda and S ‐to‐ S ‐coda transfer functions are correct, we determine that the 2006 test by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is consistent with a yield between 200 and 800 tons and a depth between 20 and 300 m, with our best fit at 500 tons at a depth of 100 m. Similarly, the 2009 DPRK test is consistent with a yield range of 1–5 kt and a depth range of 70–600 m, with our best fit at 2 kt at a depth of 200 m.
Tuberculosis among newly arrived foreign spouses prior to citizenship in Taiwan: A population-based study

Background: Taiwan is a country of tuberculosis mediumburden with 70% of TB patients aged over 50, Taiwan’s immigrant TB control policy primarily aims to identify active TB cases. Foreign workers are screened prior to entry into Taiwan; if those who are TB positive, they are not allowed to enter inti or remain in Taiwan. However, foreign spouses are excluded from this prohibition. This study is intended to estimate the tuberculosis burden among new foreign spouses, predominantly those aged under 50 and their derlying close contacts in Taiwan, 2006-2011. Methods & Materials: By analysis a nationwide surveillance database, we assessed the TB burden via a 6-year population-based study. The TB relative risk of TB among foreign spouses within newlyarrived (within4-6years) foreign spouses vs. indigenouspersons and the TB prevalence among subordinate underlying close contacts of TB index cases was assessed. Results: 94.0% (721/768) of new foreign spouses with Tuberculosis (TB), of whom 98.6% were female, had come from South-East Asia nations (Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand) or China. TB rates (40.3-176.2 per 105/year) among newly emigrant wives aged 20-49 were 1.7to 7.3-fold higher than those of Taiwanese females of corresponding ages. Additionally, TB prevalence among the 2,698 close contacts of 768 foreign-spouse index cases was 1.2% via a 2-year-follow-up based investigation. In terms of laboratory diagnostics, 87.2% (675/768) or 11.1% (85/768) of all TB cases diagnosed as abnormal radiographs or normal radiographs were later diagnosed as encompassing negative-smear combined with positive-culture of 35.4% (239/675) or 14.1% (12/85) as well as positive-smear combinedwith positive-culture of 29% (196/675) or 2.3% (2/85), respectively. Conclusion: Foreignwives from high TB endemic countries and their close contacts, including underlying household or cohabitants, had a relatively high TB risk. Active TB screening via health examination by chest autoradiography should be performed as early as possible, rather than be delayed until prior to apply for citizenship is recommended. Furthermore, we reconsider that applying a more sensitive point-of-care test for TB could facilitate rapid screening and diagnosis for those TB caseswith normal radiographs or who are smear negative combined with culture positive.
Application-enhanced approach to undergraduate engineering electromagnetics

This paper describes an application-enhanced approach to teaching fundamental concepts in electromagnetics at the introductory undergraduate level. The use of numerical tools and interactive visualization is emphasized to aid in presentation and validation of basic concepts. The goal to illustrate the use of theory in practical applications and to exploit visualization as a supplementary instructional tool. >
Glioblastoma multiforme: clinical findings, magnetic resonance imaging, and pathology in five dogs.

Although glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a World Health Organization grade IV astrocytoma, is the most common primary brain tumor in humans, in dogs GBM is relatively rare, accounting for only about 5% of all astrocytomas. This study presents combined clinical, neuroimaging, and neuropathologic findings in five dogs with GBM. The five dogs, aged from 5 to 12 years, were presented with progressive neurologic deficits that subsequent clinical neurologic examination and neuroimaging studies by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), localized to space occupying lesions in the brain. MRI features of the tumors included consistent peritumoral edema (n = 5), sharp borders (n = 4), ring enhancement (n = 3), heterogenous T2-weighted signal intensity (n = 3), iso- to hypointense T1-weighted images (n = 5), necrosis (n = 5), and cyst formation (n = 2). Two tumors were diagnosed clinically using a computed tomography-guided stereotactic biopsy procedure. At necropsy all the tumors resulted in, on transverse sections, a pro...