cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rare and endangered bryophytes in New York State and Eastern United States: Current status and preservation strategies

Abstract The process of establishing rare and endangered bryophyte lists and of preservation of these species in the United States is explained and contrasted with European practices, using New York State as an example. The Nature Conservancy, a private organization, preserves sites on which rare species are found. The Natural Heritage Inventory, a nationwide state and private organization, is responsible for the development of rare species lists. A list of mosses equivalent to European Red Data Lists has recently been compiled by the New York State Heritage Program. Data on occurrence and distribution of bryophytes are lacking or incomplete; field exploration and herbarium studies and preservation efforts currently underway in several states are reviewed. Recent research on rare plant communities in New York, particularly fen and alvar communities, has resulted in the discovery of species thought to be extirpated and of new sites for endangered species. In particular cases, rarity of bryophytes in Eastern United States is the result of geologic and anthropogenic processes. Habitat destruction is the major current threat. The United States lags behind many European countries in both knowledge of its rare bryophytes and in their protection.
Linear-quadratic model isoeffect relations for proliferating tumor cells for treatment with multiple fractions per day☆

A modified linear-quadratic model isoeffect relation that includes the effect of proliferation is proposed. As for a planned course of therapy, the treatment time T and the number of fractions N are not independent variables; the new isoeffect relation involves only the fraction size d and the total dose D, but differs from the unmodified linear-quadratic model isoeffect relation and predicts higher isoeffect doses for small dose fractions. Using the new isoeffect relation it is explicitly shown, for a simple model, that decreasing the fraction size will improve the therapeutic ratio only if multiple fractions per day are given.
Validation of Two-Fluid Model of Urban Traffic for Arterial Streets

A series of vehicular traffic experiments conducted in Omaha, Nebraska, shows that the two-fluid model of urban traffic is valid not only at the network scale but also at the arterial street scale. The data collected support the validity of the two assumptions of the two-fluid model for traffic on arterial streets. The two-fluid parameters are effective in assessing the quality of traffic between different arterial streets, over time on the same arterial street, and on portions of an arterial street. The scalability of the two-fluid model also permits systemwide effects of localized changes to a traffic network to be assessed.
Category-Independent Object-Level Saliency Detection

It is known that purely low-level saliency cues such as frequency does not lead to a good salient object detection result, requiring high-level knowledge to be adopted for successful discovery of task-independent salient objects. In this paper, we propose an efficient way to combine such high-level saliency priors and low-level appearance models. We obtain the high-level saliency prior with the objectness algorithm to find potential object candidates without the need of category information, and then enforce the consistency among the salient regions using a Gaussian MRF with the weights scaled by diverse density that emphasizes the influence of potential foreground pixels. Our model obtains saliency maps that assign high scores for the whole salient object, and achieves state-of-the-art performance on benchmark datasets covering various foreground statistics.
A STUDY ON DISSOCIATION OF COXSACKIE B4 VIRUS-ANTIBODY COMPLEX.

Abstract Dissociation of neutralizing antibody from Coxsackie B4 virus was achieved by acid treatment; pH 2.5 was found to be optimal for the reaction. Reactivated virus could be reneutralized by the dissociated antibody, but at a slower rate than the initial neutralization. Simple dilution was an effective method for recovering infectious virus from virus-antibody mixtures only if these mixtures were first adjusted to an acid pH. In the presence of excess antibody, recovery of infectious virus increased five- to sevenfold if the acidified virus-serum mixture was diluted in hypertonic rather than isotonic saline.
VITAMIN B6 TRANSPORT IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: IN VITRO STUDIES

— The transport into and release of tritium labeled vitamin B6 ([3H]B6) from rabbit brain slices and isolated choroid plexuses were studied. In vitro, both brain slices and choroid plexus concentrated [3H]B6 by an energy dependent uptake system when [3H]pyridoxine (PIN) was added to the incubation medium. Most of the [3H] within the tissues was phosphorylated [3H]B6. In each tissue, the nonphosphorylated vitamers inhibited the uptake of [3H]PIN from the medium significantly more than the phosphorylated vitamers. The concentrations of the nonphosphorylated B6 vitamers necessary to inhibit brain and choroid plexus uptake of [3H]PIN from the medium by 50% were approx 0.4 μm and 5–10μm respectively after a 30 min incubation. Both brain slices and choroid plexus readily released (46 and 56% respectively in 30 min) previously accumulated [3H]B6 into artificial CSF. However, brain slices released only nonphosphorylated [3H]B6, whereas the choroid plexus released predominantly phosphorylated [3H]B6. Addition of unlabeled PIN to the release media significantly increased the percentage of [3H]B6 released by both brain slices and choroid plexus. The results of these in vitro studies provide evidence that: (1) both brain slices and chloroid plexus possess specific uptake and release mechanisms for B6, and (2) these mechanisms tend to regulate intracellular B6 levels. These studies also suggest that the choroid plexus serves as a locus for the transfer of B6 from blood to CSF and is the source of most of the phosphorylated B6 in CSF.
libLDB: a library for extracting ultrafast and distinctive binary feature description

This paper gives an overview of libLDB -- a C++ library for extracting an ultrafast and distinctive binary feature LDB (Local Difference Binary) from an image patch. LDB directly computes a binary string using simple intensity and gradient difference tests on pairwise grid cells within the patch. Relying on integral images, the average intensity and gradients of each grid cell can be obtained by only 4~8 add/subtract operations, yielding an ultrafast runtime. A multiple gridding strategy is applied to capture the distinct patterns of the patch at different spatial granularities, leading to a high distinctiveness of LDB. LDB is very suitable for vision apps which require real-time performance, especially for apps running on mobile handheld devices, such as real-time mobile object recognition and tracking, markerless mobile augmented reality, mobile panorama stitching. This software is available under the GNU General Public License (GPL) v3.
Rapid lightoff of syngas production from methane: A transient product analysis

Steady-state production of syngas (CO and H2) can be attained within 10 s from room-temperature mixtures of methane and air fed to a short-contact-time reactor by initially operating at combustion stoichiometry (CH4/O2 = 0.5) and then quickly switching to syngas stoichiometry (CH4/O2 = 2.0). The methane/air mixture is first ignited, forming a premixed flame upstream of the catalyst that heats the Rh-impregnated α-alumina foam monolith to catalytic lightoff (T > 500°C) in a few seconds. The methane/oxygen ratio is then increased to partial oxidation stoichiometry, which extinguishes the flame and effects immediate autothermal syngas production. Transient species profiles are measured with a rapid-response mass spectrometer (response time constant ≅ 0.5 s), and catalyst temperature is measured with a thermocouple at the catalyst back face. Because the monolith thermal response time (∼ 1 s) is several orders of magnitude larger than the reaction timescales (∼ 10−12 to 10−3 s), chemistry and flow should be mathematically decoupled from local transient variations in catalyst temperature. Using this assumption, a transient temperature profile is combined with detailed surface chemistry for methane on Rh in a numerical plug-flow model. This approach accurately reproduces the transient species profiles measured during experimental lightoff for short combustion time experiments and lends insight into how the monolith temperature develops with time. The combined experimental and numerical efforts supply useful information on the transient reactor behavior for various combustion times and identify a combustion time to avoid undershoot or overshoot in catalyst temperature and minimize start-up time. © 2004 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 51: 247–260, 2005
Molecular model of ribosome frameshifting.

Abstract Normal tRNAs can cause two- and four-base translocation errors by mistranslating certain noncognate codons. Several cases have been reported that reveal the identities of the frameshift-provoking tRNAs--i.e., the shifty tRNAs--and the mRNA sequence encompassing the site of frameshifting--i.e., the shifty codons. Here, a striking uniformity between the anticodon loops of the shifty tRNAs and their shifty codons is described. Stable "offset" anti-codon X codon pairs are postulated for each of the shifty tRNA-shifty codon combinations. This offset anticodon X codon pair leads to two- and four-base translocations when viewed in terms of the reciprocating ratchet mechanism of translocation.
Loading velocity dependent permeability in agarose gel under compression.

Abstract A new approach for characterization of agarose gel permeability under compression at different loading velocities is proposed. Uniaxial compression tests on thin agarose gel specimens in a rigid porous confinement cell immersed in a water bath are undertaken. The equilibrium response of the gel, which is assumed to be achieved under extremely low-loading velocity (of the order of tens nanometers per second) is considered to be the response of the hydrated gel scaffold. The water exudation behavior from the agarose gel was extracted from the load–displacement response under various loading velocities by subtracting the equilibrium response. It was found that the pressure on water in the gel is not a linear function of loading velocity or volume flow rate and therefore, the permeability of agarose gel was observed to vary with deformation and water flow velocity. In addition, it was inferred from the analysis that at low velocities and large strain levels the gel permeability dominates the compression behavior, and at higher velocities and small strain levels the viscosity of the hydrated matrix may contribute to the load. Finally, permeability variation in agarose gel at different loading velocities is attributed to the two states (free water and bound water) of water molecules in the gel.
Impact of standardized trauma documentation to the hospital's bottom line.

Background The dichotomy between clinical and hospital revenue generation for trauma care is well established. Many trauma programs require hospital support for fiscal survival. We evaluated the impact of standardized clinical documentation to the hospital's bottom line at our trauma center. Methods Standardized documentation templates for evaluation and management were created with a focus on accuracy and efficiency. Documentation was completed jointly by residents and faculty following standard guidelines of linkage. Trauma service characteristics, case mix index, reimbursement rate, payer distribution, hospital charges, cost, and payments were compared before and after standardization. Professional revenue was not evaluated. Analysis was performed using a commercially available spreadsheet computer application. Results A 24% increase in the hospital's net income for trauma care, constituting $1.45 million, was realized despite a 12% decrease in patient volume. Admission profitability increased by 42%. Collection rates and payer mix were unchanged. Increases in both injury severity score and case mix index were seen (P Conclusion An effective standardized documentation strategy for trauma care results in significant fiscal gains in hospital reimbursement.
Flexible zero refractive index optical metamaterial with matched impedance

We demonstrate a flexible thin film zero refractive index optical metamaterial with matched impedance to free space and low absorption loss at 1.55 μm. The metallo-dielectric multilayer structure with fishnet geometry was optimized by a genetic algorithm. The fabrication process and characterization approach are described. The experiment results agree well with the theoretical predictions, showing an effective index of n eff = 0.072 + 0.51 i and an impedance of Z eff /Z 0 = 1.009 – 0.021 i .
Administration of Low Dose Pulsatile Gonadotropin- Releasing Hormone (GnRH) to GnRH-Deficient Men Regulates Free α-Subunit Secretion *

Although pharmacological doses of GnRH and TRH stimulate free α-subunit (α-subunit) secretion from the pituitary, little is known about the pattern and control of asubunit release under physiological circumstances. Euthyroid men with idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, a condition of deficient GnRH release, provide a unique opportunity to study a-subunit secretion before and during administration of a physiological regimen of GnRH administration. Before GnRH therapy, six euthyroid IHH men with normal endogenous TS.H secretion had circulating a-subunit levels close to or below assay detection limits, with a mean level less than 0.5 ng/ml. During 12–42 weeks of physiological GnRH replacement, serum asubunit concentrations rose to a mean value of 2.07 ± 0.3 (±SEM) ng/ml (P < 0.01). After GnRH administration, α-subunit was released in a pulsatile pattern following each dose of GnRH and mirrored the secretory pattern of LH. Increases in serum α-subunit concentrations during GnRH administration were close...
The coupled phonon spectrum in 3 He- 4 He solutions

A simple extension of a model previously used for3He-4 He solutions is presented, in which the effective vertex functions between3 He and4 He density fluctuations are assumed to depend only on the momentum transfer. The possible zero-concentration3 He quasiparticle spectra are divided into two classes, those that do and those that do not intersect the4 He phonon spectrum. The present model calculations of the coupled phonon spectrum demonstrate that as the temperature is decreased the behavior of the shifts in the phonon spectrum can be considered as a signature of the class of3 He quasiparticle spectrum used. Comparison with recent scattering experiments, however, indicates that the existing data are not sufficient to distinguish unambiguously between the two classes of3 He spectrum. It is suggested that a low-temperature neutron scattering experiment be performed to settle this question.
Effect of repeated intrauterine infusions of gentamicin on the equine endometrium

Abstract Nine Thoroughbred mares were used in an experiment to determine the effect of two intrauterine gentamicin infusions on the histologic reaction of the endometrium. Five mares had 40 ml gentamicin (50 mg/ml) mixed with 80 ml of normal saline infused into the uterus on two consecutive days. Four mares were used as controls and had 120 ml of saline infused into the uterus on two consecutive days. Endometrial biopsies were taken from all mares on Days 1, 3, 5, 8 and 13 after the second intrauterine infusion. Endometrial biopsies were scored for the presence of polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) and mononuclear cells in the epithelium, stratum compactum and stratum spongiosum. Results were analyzed by logistic regression. There were significant differences in the inflammatory response by time (P
Work over Welfare: The Inside Story of the 1996 Welfare Reform Law, by Ron Haskins. Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution, 2006, 450 pp., $32.95 hardcover.

August 22, 2006, marked the tenth anniversary of President Clinton’s signing of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, called, as Washington insists, PRWORA. PRWORA famously replaced welfare as we knew it, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Welfare policy history is told in many books; Work over Welfare is surely one of the best and most likely to become part of the enduring record of what many consider a watershed event in American social policy. Students of the policy-making process, the Congress, welfare programs, and welfare policy analysis should read it. This review tells why, and counsels caution—not about buying the book, but about buying the story. The author, Ron Haskins, is a senior fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution and a consultant at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. From 1986 to 2000, he was a staff member of the Resources Subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives, first as welfare counsel to the Republican staff and eventually as staff director. He held the director post during the struggle over welfare reform that erupted during the Clinton administration’s first term. As is widely appreciated and absolutely confirmed by this book, Haskins served as architect, strategist, tactician, contractor, and day-and-night laborer in building the new law that the House of Representatives and Senate passed with extraordinary bipartisan majorities. No one is more qualified to write an “inside story” on the legislative politics and process of welfare reform. Haskins delivers what the book’s subtitle promises. The first of 15 chapters sets the stage by outlining American social policy at the beginning of the 1990s, identifying liberal (mostly Democratic) and conservative (mostly Republican) perspectives, summarizing key issues, and listing six factors that contributed to making 1996 the “moment of reckoning” when national social policy made a “complete U-turn.” The issues were long-term dependency and illegitimacy; the former and even possibly the latter were linked to separation of benefits from work. Contributing factors were (1) the failure of prior reform efforts, most notably the Family Support Act of 1988, to reorient public assistance toward work; (2) President Clinton’s emphasis during the 1992 campaign on the need for radical “welfare reform—ending welfare as we know it”; (3) Republican seizure of
Free palmar skin grafts for resurfacing digital defects

Since 1968, lost skin from the volar aspect of digits has been replaced by full-thickness skin grafts from the thenar area in 40 patients. Durable coverage was obtained in all. No morbidity occurred in the donor site.
Glycosylation of rat sperm plasma membrane during epididymal maturation.

Spermatozoa acquire fertilizing ability during passage through the epididymis. Modification of oligosaccharide moieties on sperm surface glycoproteins are some of the biochemical changes believed to be important in the production of functionally mature spermatozoa during passage through the epididymis. In an attempt to understand the mechanism underlying these modifications, we quantified four glycosyltransferase activities (the enzymes that catalyze the transfer of sugar residues from nucleotide sugar donor to the sugar chains on glycoproteins and glycolipids) of spermatozoa and fluid from various regions of the epididymis. Our results are as follows. (1) Only 10-20% of the total glycosyltransferase activities (sialyltransferase, fucosyltransferase, galactosyltransferase, and N-acetyl glucosaminyltransferase) sedimented with the spermatozoa; the remaining 80-90% of the four enzymes were present in soluble form in the epididymal fluid. (2) When the four transferase activities were expressed per 106 spermatozoa, only sialyltransferase and fucosyltransferase activities showed maturation-dependent changes. The former enzyme was significantly higher on the proximal caput spermatozoa and the latter on the distal caput spermatozoa. The higher levels of the two enzymes on caput spermatozoa could be due to their binding to the endogenous sugar acceptor molecules on the sperm surface, and subsequent release following sequential sialylation and fucosylation of the molecules in the proximal and distal caput spermatozoa, respectively. (3) When spermatozoa from the proximal and distal caput, corpus, and proximal and distal cauda were incubated with fucose-labeled nucleotide sugar (GDP[' 4 C]fucose), higher levels of radioactivity were routinely incorporated into the spermatozoa from the distal caput. (4) The [' 4 C]fucose-labeled spermatozoa or sperm plasma membranes, when solubilized, resolved on SDS-PAGE, and visualized by autoradiography, showed that the radioactivity had been incorporated into an endogenous acceptor of 86 kDa (major component) and several minor components. Treatment of the solubilized spermatozoa with N-glycanase suggested that the [ 14 C]fucose is mainly present on N-linked oligosaccharide units. These studies demonstrate that some of the sperm surface components are fucosylated during sperm maturation. The potential significance of the in vitro fucosylation of sperm surface components in the production of functionally mature spermatozoa is discussed.
Observation of fast scintillation light in a PbF/sub 2/:Gd crystal

A weak scintillation emission has been observed in a lead fluoride crystal doped with 0.15% gadolinium (PbF/sub 2/:Gd). The scintillation is produced by two emission peaks, one at /spl sim/278 nm, and another at /spl sim/311 nm, which, when combined with the Cherenkov light produced in the crystal, results in a total light yield of 4-6 photo-electrons per MeV on a bialkali photocathode phototube. This is approximately 3-4 times the intensity of the pure Cherenkov light produced in an undoped lead fluoride crystal. The decay time for the observed light output was found to be /spl sim/18 ns with no appreciable slow component. The total light yield of PbF/sub 2/:Gd is comparable to that of lead tungstate, and, because of the lack of a slow component, could make it attractive for certain high rate applications.
Psychotic and Conduct Disorder Symptoms in Juvenile Murderers

Few studies have addressed how child and adolescent murderers differ from aggressive youth who have not killed. This study had two novel aims concerning the psychopathology of such offenders. First, the prevalence and characteristics of psychotic symptoms in a sample of juvenile murderers with conduct disorder were examined in-depth. Second, these juvenile murderers were compared with violent inpatient youth with conduct disorders who had not committed murder. Juvenile murderers were significantly more likely to have experienced any psychotic symptom, paranoid ideation, and to have had previous court involvement. However, they were significantly less likely to have ever received mental health counseling. Their episodic psychotic symptoms were not due to major psychiatric illness, but instead appeared to have a multifactorial etiology consisting of constitutional, neurological, environmental, and cultural underpinnings. This study lends support for psychotic symptoms being a common neuropsychiatric risk factor for homicidal acts by violent youth with conduct disorder. Moreover, in spite of these juvenile murderers having long-standing and conspicuous emotional and behavioral disturbances antedating their crimes, they had not received needed mental health intervention.
First steps towards mutually-immersive mobile telepresence

Mutually-Immersive Mobile Telepresence uses a teleoperated robotic surrogate to visit remote locations as a substitute for physical travel. Our goal is to recreate to the greatest extent possible, both for the user and the people at the remote location, the sensory experience relevant for business interactions of the user actually being in the remote location. The system includes multi-channel bidirectional video and audio on a mobile platform as well as haptic feedback. This paper describes our first system prototypes and initial experiences using them.
The effect of handling time on temporal discounting in two New World primates

Foraging decisions in nonhuman animals often require choosing between small, immediate food rewards and larger, more delayed rewards. Faced with such choices, animals typically discount or devalue the future quite strongly. Although discounting studies often focus on delays to reward access, other temporal intervals contribute to foraging rate, and thus may potentially influence discounting levels. Here, we examine the effect of handling time, the time required to process and consume food, on discounting in cottontop tamarins, Saguinus oedipus, and common marmosets, Callithrix jacchus, two species that differ in levels of temporal discounting. We presented subjects with a discounting task under two conditions. In the first condition, we made the entire reward available after the delay expired. In the second condition, we experimentally increased the minimum length of time required to consume the reward to simulate a longer handling time. We found that tamarins and marmosets showed sensitivity to increases in the time necessary to process food rewards. Both species adjusted their preferences to account for different handling times at long delays to accessing food. Consequently, models of discounting behaviour that include handling times may better describe animal choices than models that focus exclusively on delays prior to access.
What is a clinically relevant difference in MDADI scores between groups of head and neck cancer patients

Objective/Hypothesis To describe clinically relevant between-group differences in MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) scores among head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. Study Design Retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in 1,136 HNC patients seen for modified barium swallow (MBS) studies. Methods The MDADI was administered by written questionnaire at the MBS appointment. MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory global, composite, and subscale scores were calculated. Anchor-based methods were employed to determine clinically meaningful between-group differences by feeding tube status, aspiration status (per MBS study), and diet level. Results Mean MDADI scores for the 1,136 patients were: emotional 65.8 ± 17.3, functional 68.1 ± 19.6, physical 60.1 ± 18.6, global 59.3 ± 28.3, and composite 64.0 ± 17.1. Three hundred seventy-eight patients (33%) were feeding tube-dependent; 395 (34.8%) were aspirators; 122 (11%) were nothing per oral (Performance Status Scale-Head and Neck [PSS-HN] diet = 0); and 249 (22%) ate unrestricted, regular diets (PSS-HN diet = 100). Statistically significant (P < 0.0001) between-group differences (feeding tube vs. no feeding tube, aspirator vs. nonaspirator, oral vs. nonoral diet, PSS-HN diet levels) were observed for all mean MDADI scores (global, composite, and subscales). A mean difference of 10 points in composite MDADI scores differentiated feeding tube-dependent from nontube-dependent patients, aspirators from nonaspirators, and distinct PSS-HN diet levels. Conclusions We identify that a 10-point between-group difference in composite MDADI scores was associated with clinically meaningful between-group differences in swallowing function. Level of Evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 126:1108–1113, 2016
CD30-Positive Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma and Response to Brentuximab Vedotin: 2 Illustrative Cases

Introduction Case 1 The patient is a 75-year-old, otherwise healthy male who had a history of developing a bilateral axillary ‘burning,’ with a painful, pruritic erythematous rash in bilateral axillae, right worse than left. The rash persisted for 2 months despite topical steroid treatment. Physical exam revealed an 8 4 cm pink tumor with erosion in the ight axilla. Biopsy of the right axillary tumor revealed mycosis funoides (MF) with large cell transformation (Figure 1A). There was a onfluent dermal mass of enlarged and atypical lymphocytes, with xocytosis of lymphocytes into the overlying atrophic epidermis. The arge lymphocytes contained vesicular chromatin and variably promnent nucleoli, representing 75% of the infiltrating lymphocyte poplation. Also present was a minor population of intermixed small ymphocytes with complexly folded nuclei and condensed nuclear hromatin. The large atypical lymphocytes were positive for CD3, D4, and CD30, and negative for CD8, anaplastic lymphoma ki-
Pheromone‐mediated competitive replacement between two bark beetle populations: Influence on infestation suppression1,2

The naturally occurring within-tree interspecific competition between Dendroctonus frontalis and Ips avulsus was artificially changed by presence of the synthetic inhibitor pheromones verbenone and brevicomin isomers. When these chemicals were eluted from the pine bole, I. avulsus colonized in larger densities and significantly dominated that portion of the pine bole which D. frontalis naturally occupies during its epidemics. This pheromone-mediated competitive replacement between two sympatric bark beetle species mimicked the interspecific relationship which occurs during endemic population levels of D. frontalis. The findings suggest that the inhibitors might be useful in suppressing D. frontalis infestations by replacing the species with the less aggressive I. avulsus which would subsequently decline in the absence of additional D. frontalis stressed trees. Zusammenfassung Pheromon-vermittelter Konkurrenz-Ersatz bei Populationen zweier Borkenkaferarten zur Unter druckung des Befalls Die naturgemas vorhandene interspezifische Konkurrenz zwischen Dendroctonus frontalis und Ips avulsus wurde kunstlich durch Zugabe der Hemm-Pheromone Verbenon und Brevicomin-Isomere verandert: I. avulsus besiedelte jene Stammstucke starker und dominierte uber D. frontalis. Dieser pheromon-vermittelte Konkurrenz-Ersatz zwischen 2 sympatrischen Borkenkaferarten ahmt die interspezifischen Beziehungen nach, die bei einer endemischen Population von D. frontalis bestehen. Die Ergebnisse eroffnen die Moglichkeit, mit Hilfe dieser Hemmstoffe eine Unterdruckung des D. frontalis-Befalls zugunsten der weniger aggressiven Art Ips avulsus zu erreichen, deren Dichte dann anschliesend durch das Fehlen von durch D. frontalis gestresten Baumen wieder zuruckgeht.
Findings---Innovations' Origins: When, By Whom, and How Are Radical Innovations Developed?

Innovation research tends to consider only the post-commercialization period or examine a few innovations through case studies. In this study, we examine 29 radical innovations from initial concept to mass-market commercialization. We find that these innovations were developed over an average of at least 50 years and divide this long development period into four distinct stages---conceptualization, gestation, early incubation, and late incubation. We find that the duration of a stage is longer when different firms lead product development at the beginning and end of the stage. These changes in product development leaders happen frequently, e.g., 76% of firms that were first to commercialize an innovation failed to launch it in the broader market. We also find that the time-to-takeoff for a product category is significantly related to the duration of the preceding late incubation stage. In addition, we find four different ways in which radical innovations borrow from prior seemingly unrelated innovations. We report many other findings on when (duration times), by whom (product development leaders), and how (technology borrowing) radical innovations are developed.
Power-Aware Bandwidth-Reconfigurable Optical Interconnects for High-Performance Computing (HPC) Systems

As communication distances and bit rates increase, opto-electronic interconnects are becoming de-facto standard/or designing high-bandwidth low-latency interconnection networks for high performance computing (HPC) systems. While bandwidth scaling with efficient multiplexing techniques (wavelengths, time and space) are available, static assignment of wavelengths can be detrimental to network performance for adversial traffic patterns. Dynamic bandwidth reconfiguration based on actual traffic pattern can lead to improved network performance by utilizing idle resources. While dynamic bandwidth re-allocation (DBR) techniques can alleviate interconnection bottlenecks, power consumption also increases considerably. In this paper, we propose a dynamically re configurable architecture called E-RAPID (extended-reconfigurable, all-photonic interconnect for distributed and parallel systems) that not only dynamically reallocates bandwidth, but also reduces the power consumption for all traffic patterns. Our proposed LS (lock-step) reconfiguration technique combines dynamic power management (DPM) with DBR techniques, achieving a reduction in power consumption of 25%-50% while degrading the throughput by less than 5%.
Dielectric characterization of thin materials at 240 GHz

Characterization of different thin materials at millimeter-wave frequency, 240 GHz, is presented. This includes vegetation leaves as well as different types of fabrics. The complex permittivity retrieval algorithm is based on fitting the measured transmission coefficient at different incident angles to the corresponding analytical transmission coefficient of a simple dielectric slab. The extracted dielectric permittivity values for the fabrics are compared with the corresponding values measured at low microwave frequency (~1 GHz), using a standard material analyzer, where they are found to be nearly the same. For the leaf measurements, it is found that a simple dielectric mixing formula can be used to predict the value of dielectric permittivity.
In vivo validation of a one-dimensional finite-element method for predicting blood flow in cardiovascular bypass grafts

Current practice in vascular surgery utilizes only diagnostic and empirical data to plan treatments and does not enable quantitative a priori prediction of the outcomes of interventions. We have previously described a new approach to vascular surgery planning based on solving the governing equations of blood flow in patient-specific models. A one-dimensional finite-element method was used to simulate blood flow in eight porcine thoraco-thoraco aortic bypass models. The predicted flow rate was compared to in vivo data obtained using cine phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging. The mean absolute difference between computed and measured flow distribution in the stenosed aorta was found to be 4.2% with the maximum difference of 10.6% and a minimum difference of 0.4%. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the flow rate and distribution with respect to stenosis and branch losses were quantified.
Levelling and Rule Restructuring in Old English Adjectives

The distribution of short low vowels in West Saxon Old English adjectives cannot be explained entirely by levelling of surface forms and does not reflect lengthening in open syllables. A combination of levelling and rule restructuring is needed to account for the observed pattern.
Jeopardizing the Rule of Law The Impact of Sequestration on the Administration of Justice

The research presented in this article is a product of my U.S. Supreme Court Fellowship in the Office of the Counselor to the Chief Justice. Founded in 1973 by former Chief Justice Warren Burger, t...
Understanding State Government Appropriations for the Arts: 1976-1999

Using panel data analysis, we examine the relative importance of citizen and government characteristics on a highly discretionary and volatile budget item: state appropriations to arts agencies. Despite the unimportance of arts spending to most citizens, changes in arts spending appear to reflect citizen desires. Spending rises with per capita income, state revenues, and citizen political and social liberalism, but characteristics of state legislatures do not significantly affect spending.
Influence of Mating on Duration of Estrus in Captive White-Tailed Deer

Duration of estrus may exceed 24 h in white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ). We examined the influence of mating and injected gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH; 100 µg/deer) on duration of estrus. Nine adult females were monitored daily for estrous behavior during autumn and winter 1991–1992 (31 separate estrous cycles). Estrus was assessed using a tractable, epididyectomized adult male. From 13 November 1991 to 3 January 1992 (experiment 1), adult females in estrus were assigned randomly as either control (unbred) or bred to the epididyectomized male. In experiment 2, duration of estrus for females injected with GnRH was compared with unbred females from 2 February 1992 to 23 March 1992. For experiment 1, unbred females were in estrus longer ( P = 0.01) than were females that were bred ( X ± SE ; 2.3 ± 0.3 days versus 1.3 ± 0.2 days, respectively). For experiment 2, duration of estrus for unbred females treated with GnRH did not differ ( P = 0.48) from those that were not bred (1.7 ± 0.3 versus 2.0 ± 0.3 days, respectively). There was no significant ( P = 0.71) change in the duration of estrus for unbred females between the two experiments. Copulation may shorten the duration of behavioral estrus. Administration of exogenous GnRH did not shorten duration of estrus. Prolonged duration of estrus for unbred females may be a mechanism to help ensure all females are bred even in populations with low numbers of males.
Perinatal outcomes after adopting 1- versus 2-step approach to diagnosing gestational diabetes.

AbstractObjective: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the IADPSG (International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups) proposed distinct approaches to diagnosing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We sought to analyze these paradigms: (1) ACOG 2-step approach where screening is followed by diagnostic testing, (2) IADPSG 1-step diagnostic testing.Study design: We reviewed data from pregnant women (24–28 wks) screened for GDM over two periods: (1) November 2011–May 2012 (2) November 2012–May 2013. Period 1: 2-step approach (screening 1-h glucose challenge test (GCT) followed by a diagnostic 3-h 100-g glucose tolerance test (GTT) when abnormal (≥140 mg/dl)). Period 2: an abnormal value after a 2-h 75-g GTT result was diagnostic of GDM. We compared the incidence of GDM and perinatal outcomes using either approach.Results: Out of 471 patients screened by ACOG 2-step approach, 72 (15.3%) had an abnormal 1-h screening and underwent the 3-h diagnostic GTT, and 26 (5....
Modeling the Effect of Temperature and Gossypol Concentration on Developmental Rate of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The interaction between temperature and gossypol concentration on Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) developmental rate was studied by rearing larvae on artificial diets containing different concentrations of gossypol (0-0.27% at 0.045% increments) at constant temperatures of 18.3, 23.9, 29.4, and 35.0°C. Larvae reared on different concentrations of gossypol showed sigmoid developmental rate curves, with developmental rate decreasing as gossypol concentration increased. Response surface analysis showed a highly significant temperature × gossypol interaction for developmental rate. However, when the data were transformed to a proportion of the control (0% gossypol), there was no temperature effect or interaction. A quadratic regression equation was developed to describe the proportional change in developmental time as a function of gossypol concentration. Multiplying a biophysical model of poikilotherm development by the proportion of the control resulted in accurate prediction of developmental rate as gossypol concentration changed.
An Unusual Case of Acquired Uterine Arteriovenous Malformation With Persistent Scar Ectopic Pregnancy Successfully Managed With Uterine Artery Embolization

Uterine arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a rare entity in gynecology, with fewer than 100 cases reported in the literature. AVM is an abnormal arteriovenous connection lacking an intervening capillary network on histopathological examination. We report an unusual case of acquired AVM after dilatation and curettage of cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy managed with uterine artery embolization and concurrent methotrexate administration for persistently elevated beta-human chorionic gonadotropin levels. J Med Cases. 2016;7(4):143-147 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc2458w
Does Continuity of Care Increase HMO Patients’ Satisfaction with Physician Performance?

Background: This study describes the relation between patient satisfaction with physician performance and seeing one’s “own doctor” for a recent office visit. Methods: A cross-sectional, randomized, computer-assisted telephone interview survey was performed at an urban health maintenance organization; 1146 responses were analyzed. Results: Patients seeing their own physicians were significantly more satisfied than patients seeing another physician, even after controlling for effects of patient age, sex, reason for visit, clinic attended, satisfaction with appointment making, and interval between scheduling and making the visit. The interaction between getting one’s choice of provider and seeing one’s own physician was a significant predictor of satisfaction ( P = 0.003). Among patients who got their choice of provider, seeing one’s own physician had a more significant effect on satisfaction than seeing any other physician ( P = 0.0009 compared with P = 0.04). Patients who did not receive their choice of provider but who did see their own physician had the highest satisfaction scores ( P = 0.007). Conclusion: To increase patient satisfaction with physician performance, health maintenance organizations should ensure that patients see their “own doctor” whenever possible for routine office visits.
Stem cells flex their muscle regenerative potential

Every bodybuilder can tell you that “feeling the burn” is a good thing, as minor muscular trauma leads to the development of new muscle fibers and increased tissue mass. Unfortunately, when the injury exceeds a certain threshold, muscles possess very poor regenerative capacity, leading to
Other Causes of Erectile Impotence

Erectile impotence may result from a miscellaneous group of problems that are neither vasculogenic, endocrine, nor neurogenic in origin. This group includes impotence which is (1) drug-induced; (2) secondary to renal failure and transplantation; (3) secondary to priapism; (4) secondary to pelvic surgery; and (5) secondary to trauma.
Abstract CT075: Tumor mutation status will predict metabolic response to metformin in lung cancer treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT)

At present, there are over 100 clinical trials examining the role of metformin in malignancy, either alone or in combination with chemotherapy. However, despite significant preclinical data, trials examining the role of metformin as a radiosensitizer are few. Moreover, the effects of endogenous tumor mutations on response to metformin are unknown, as some data suggests that certain mutations (eg. TP53, STK11) may confer sensitivity to this agent. Finally, the effects of metformin on FDG-uptake in solid tumors is far from clear, as this agent can actually lead to an increased uptake of FDG in normal bowel. Because of these questions, we have designed an imagining-guided trial of 70 patients, randomized 6:1 in favor of metformin treatment in patients with non-small cell lung cancer to be treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Patients receive either placebo or metformin at a loading dose of 1,000 mg per day for one week followed by 1-2 weeks of metformin at 2,000 mg per day. Prior to study entry, an FDG-PET scan is performed which is then repeated after 2-3 weeks of metformin treatment. Metformin or placebo is maintained throughout SBRT and the standard daily cone-beam CTs are taken. Metformin or placebo stops at the end of SBRT followed by an additional FDG-PET scan 6 months after completion of therapy. All tumors with available tissue will be subjected to targeted sequencing. The primary outcome is FDG-PET response following initial metformin or placebo monotherapy as well as at 6 months. Secondary outcomes include the effect of common mutations (TP53, STK11, Kras) on metformin FDG-PET response. Currently, 14 patients have been registered for this trial. We anticipate that this study will provide a unique insight on how metformin affects FDG-PET response, if this response is affected by tumor mutation status, and provide preliminary data on the clinical efficacy of metformin in the setting of SBRT. Citation Format: Heath D. Skinner, Thomas Guerrero, Brian Hobbs, Laurence Court, Paige L. Nitsch, John Heymach. Tumor mutation status will predict metabolic response to metformin in lung cancer treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr CT075.
Novel high efficiency quadruple junction solar cell with current matching and quantum efficiency simulations

Abstract A high theoretical efficiency of 47.2% was achieved by a novel combination of In 0.51 Ga 0.49 P, GaAs, In 0.24 Ga 0.76 As and In 0.19 Ga 0.81 Sb subcell layers in a simulated quadruple junction solar cell under 1 sun concentration. The electronic bandgap of these materials are 1.9 eV, 1.42 eV, 1.08 eV and 0.55 eV respectively. This unique arrangement enables the cell absorb photons from ultraviolet to deep infrared wavelengths of the sunlight. Emitter and base thicknesses of the subcells and doping levels of the materials were optimized to maintain the same current in all the four junctions and to obtain the highest conversion efficiency. The short-circuit current density, open circuit voltage and fill factor of the solar cell are 14.7 mA/cm 2 , 3.38 V and 0.96 respectively. In our design, we considered 1 sun, AM 1.5 global solar spectrum.
Toward highly stable solid-state unconventional thin-film battery-supercapacitor hybrid devices: Interfacing vertical core-shell array electrodes with a gel polymer electrolyte

Abstract A novel solid-state battery-supercapacitor hybrid device is fabricated for high-performance electrical energy storage using a Si anode and a TiO2 cathode in conjunction with a flexible, solid-like gel polymer electrolyte film as the electrolyte and separator. The electrodes were fabricated as three-dimensional nanostructured vertical arrays by sputtering active materials as conformal shells on vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (VACNFs) which serve as the current collector and structural template. Such nanostructured vertical core-shell array-electrodes enable short Li-ion diffusion path and large pseudocapacitive contribution by fast surface reactions, leading to the hybrid features of batteries and supercapacitors that can provide high specific energy over a wide range of power rates. Due to the improved mechanical stability of the infiltrated composite structure, the hybrid cell shows excellent cycling stability and is able to retain more than 95% of the original capacity after 3500 cycles. More importantly, this solid-state device can stably operate in a temperature range from −20 to 60 °C with a very low self-discharge rate and an excellent shelf life. This solid-state architecture is promising for the development of highly stable thin-film hybrid energy storage devices for unconventional applications requiring largely varied power, wider operation temperature, long shelf-life and higher safety standards.
Task-Based Representation of Moving Images

What role does task play in the representation of visual information? Does the nature of the task at hand drive the need for either visual or textual representations for moving images? This paper is a report of research conducted to construct a task-based framework for the representation of moving images. This study measured the degree of congruence between moving images and their representations, both text and image based, in a non-retrieval environment with and without task constraints.
Evaluation of the Pool Critical Assembly Benchmark with Explicitly Modeled Geometry Using MCNP6

Despite being one of the most widely used benchmarks for qualifying light water reactor (LWR) radiation transport methods and data, no benchmark calculation of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (OR...