cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monitoring the Effects of Forest Restoration Treatments on Post-Fire Vegetation Recovery with MODIS Multitemporal Data

This study examines how satellite based time-series vegetation greenness data and phenological measurements can be used to monitor and quantify vegetation recovery after wildfire disturbances and examine how pre-fire fuel reduction restoration treatments impact fire severity and impact vegetation recovery trajectories. Pairs of wildfire affected sites and a nearby unburned reference site were chosen to measure the post-disturbance recovery in relation to climate variation. All site pairs were chosen in forested uplands in Arizona and were restricted to the area of the Rodeo-Chediski fire that occurred in 2002. Fuel reduction treatments were performed in 1999 and 2001. The inter-annual and seasonal vegetation dynamics before, during, and after wildfire events can be monitored using a time series of biweekly composited MODIS NDVI (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer - Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) data. Time series analysis methods included difference metrics, smoothing filters, and fitting functions that were applied to extract seasonal and inter-annual change and phenological metrics from the NDVI time series data from 2000 to 2007. Pre- and post-fire Landsat data were used to compute the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) and examine burn severity at the selected sites. The phenological metrics (pheno-metrics) included the timing and greenness (i.e. NDVI) for the start, peak and end of the growing season as well as proxy measures for the rate of green-up and senescence and the annual vegetation productivity. Pre-fire fuel reduction treatments resulted in lower fire severity, which reduced annual productivity much less than untreated areas within the Rodeo-Chediski fire perimeter. The seasonal metrics were shown to be useful for estimating the rate of post-fire disturbance recovery and the timing of phenological greenness phases. The use of satellite time series NDVI data and derived pheno-metrics show potential for tracking vegetation cover dynamics and successional changes in response to drought, wildfire disturbances, and forest restoration treatments in fire-suppressed forests.
Ideology and Public Policy: Antistatism in American Welfare State Transformation

Henry David Thoreau's influential essay “Civil Disobedience,” published in 1849, began with a ringing declaration of opposition to government: “I heartily accept the motto, ‘That government is best which governs least’; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe—‘That government is best which governs not at all.’…the character of the American people has done all that has been accomplished; and it would have done somewhat more, if the government had not sometimes got in its way.” Thoreau's statement summarizes a central thesis in political theory, what has become a historical constant in the minds of researchers seeking to explain the development and parameters of the American welfare state. This thesis is that any power given to the government is subtracted from the liberty of the governed, a concept best captured by the term “antistatism.” Thus, Lipset contends that the United States is dominated by an encompassing liberal culture that honors private property, distrusts state authority, and holds individual rights sacred. Similarly, according to Huntington, Americans live by a creed that views government as the most dangerous embodiment of power. For Morone, American government is a “polity suspicious of its own state.” Hartz, too, asserts that the master assumption is that “the power of the state must be limited.”
Stem dimensional fluctuation in Jeffrey pine from variation in water storage as influenced by thinning and prescribed fire

Forest thinning utilizing cut-to-length and whole-tree harvesting systems with subsequent underburning were assessed for their impacts on water storage in the extensible tissues of dominant and codominant trees in an uneven-aged Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf.) stand on the east slope of the Sierra Nevada. Prior to the onset of the third growing season following thinning and the second season after burning, manual band dendrometers were installed at breast height on the selected trees and readings of diurnal fluctuation in stem circumference, an indication of bole water status, were taken monthly for one year. Diameter and relative diameter fluctuation were calculated from the circumference measurements. Overall, thinning had a positive influence on stem water recharge capacity, with the most pronounced effects evident in the latter part of the growing season. During this period, bole contraction in thinned stand portions was 49 to 55% greater than in the unthinned control, suggesting that both a greater volume of stored water was available for transpiration and was transpired in trees of the former treatment. There was no clear evidence that harvesting method affected stem water storage and influences of underburning were also absent entirely. Seasonal effects on diurnal changes in stem diameter were prominent, as the extent to which boles contracted generally increased over the course of the growing season, whereas fluctuations were at a minimum during the colder months. The magnitude of stem dimensional flux was found to be negatively correlated with initial tree DBH in one instance, while negative relationships between the former and live crown length as well as percentage were also revealed, albeit infrequently. Changes in bole size were positively correlated with residual basal area in some cases. These results suggest that improvement in water relations can be realized from density management in a dry site forest type with no apparent compromise of this benefit by broadcast underburning.
Microbubble generation by piezotransducer for biological studies

Bubbles induced by blast waves or shocks are speculated to be the major cause of damages in biological cells in mild traumatic brain injuries. Microbubble collapse was found to induce noticeable cell detachment from the cell substrate, changes in focal adhesion and biomechanics. To better understand the bubble mechanism, we would like to construct a system, which allows us to clearly differentiate the impact of bubbles from that of shocks. Such a generator needs to be low profile in order to place under a microscope. A piezoelectric transducer system was designed to meet the need. The system uses either a flat or a spherical focusing piezoelectric transducer to produce microbubbles in a cuvette loaded with cell-culture medium. The transducer is placed on the side of the cuvette with its axis lining horizontally. A cover slip is placed on the top of the cuvette. The impact of the waves to the cells is minimized as the cover slip is parallel to the direction of the wave. Only bubbles from the medium reach the cover slip and interact with cells. The effect of bubbles therefore can be separated that of pressure waves. The bubbles collected on a cover slip range in size from 100 μm to 10 μm in radius, but the dominant size is 20-30 μm.
Watershed-scale evaluation of the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model in the Lake Tahoe basin

Summary Forest managers need methods to evaluate the impacts of management at the watershed scale. The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) has the ability to model disturbed forested hillslopes, but has difficulty addressing some of the critical processes that are important at a watershed scale, including baseflow and water yield. In order to apply WEPP to forested watersheds, we developed and assessed new approaches for simulating streamflow and sediment transport from large watersheds using WEPP. We created specific algorithms to spatially distribute soil, climate, and management input files for all the subwatersheds within the basin. The model enhancements were tested on five geologically and climatically diverse watersheds in the Lake Tahoe basin, USA. The model was run with minimal calibration to assess WEPP’s ability as a physically-based model to predict streamflow and sediment delivery. The performance of the model was examined against 17 years of observed snow water equivalent depth, streamflow, and sediment load data. Only region-wide baseflow recession parameters related to the geology of the basin were calibrated with observed streamflow data. Close agreement between simulated and observed snow water equivalent, streamflow, and the distribution of fine ( 20 μm) sediments was achieved at each of the major watersheds located in the high-precipitation regions of the basin. Sediment load was adequately simulated in the drier watersheds; however, annual streamflow was overestimated. With the exception of the drier eastern region, the model demonstrated no loss in accuracy when applied without calibration to multiple watersheds across Lake Tahoe basin demonstrating the utility of the model as a management tool in gauged and ungauged basins.
Comparison of open versus laparoscopic obesity surgery

Bariatric surgery was developed in the mid-1950s with the introduction of jejunoileal bypass, and was expanded in the 1960s with the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (GBP) (1). Recently, there has been an increase in the demand for bariatric surgery and in turn an increase in the number of surgeons interested in learning bariatric surgery. This increase in enthusiasm and growth in the field of bariatric surgery is related, in a large part, to the development of the laparoscopic approach to bariatric surgery. Laparoscopic gastric banding was first reported in 1993 (2). In 1994, the preliminary techniques of both laparoscopic vertical banded gastroplasty and laparoscopic GBP were reported in the literature (3,4). By 2000, even a complex bariatric operation such as the biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch was attempted laparoscopically (5). At the current writing, essentially all commonly performed bariatric operations can be done by the laparoscopic technique.
Volume holographic storage and retrieval of digital information

A digital storage device based on volume holographic recording offers the possibility of large capacity, short access times, and fast data transfer rates.1 Current technologies are not capable of simultaneously offering all three features.
A Novel GRISM-Based Probe for Spectrally Encoded Confocal Microscopy

A device capable of performing endoscopic confocal microscopy could potentially provide physicians with a tool for performing in vivo, non-invasive, subcellular diagnostic imaging. Recently, a novel, sub-micrometer resolution, spectrally encoded confocal microscopy (SECM) imaging system has been presented. It incorporates a quasimonochromatic light source and a diffraction grating to simultaneously detect the reflectivity at multiple points along a transverse line within the sample. Since this method does not require fast spatial scanning within the probe, it is capable of being miniaturized and incorporated into a catheter or endoscope. The work in this abstract demonstrates a novel design for a 10 mm diameter SECM probe, based on a double prism GRISM, which can be used laparoscopically. Furthermore, this design can be scaled without significant modification to less than 5 mm to allow integration with large bore endoscopes.
Influence of age and endurance training on metabolic rate and hormones in healthy men

The associations among age, maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max), and body composition with resting metabolic rate (RMR), and fasting plasma hormones were examined in endurance-trained and untrained o...
Effects of Cobalt on the Renal Erythropoietic Factor and Kidney Hydrolase Activity in the Rat

In an experiment to determine the effects of cobalt on the renal erythropoietic factor and kidney hydrolase activity in the rat we obtained the following results: Cobalt produced significant increases in renal erythropoietic factor activity and plasma levels of erythropoietin which reached peak activity 12 hr after treatment. It also produced an increase in the activity of renal hydrolases, cathepsins A and B, which paralleled the increase in renal erythropoietic factor activity. Enzyme inhibitors which are specific for proteases, esterases, and metalloenzymes inhibited the activity of the renal erythropoietic factor in vitro. Polycythemic mice exposed to 7- and 8-day posthypoxic intervals still retained their ability to respond to in vitro generated erythropoietin when compared to mice treated on the fourth posthypoxic day. The erythropoietic activity generated by the light mitochondrial extract-normal rat serum (LME-NRS) reaction mixture was blocked by the antibody to erythropoietin. The relative concentrations of smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum (microsomes) and vesicles (lysosomes) were approximately the same in the light mitochondrial fractions of kidneys from normal and cobalt-treated rats. Marker enzyme studies revealed primarily alkaline phosphatase activity in the light mitochondrial fraction. These studies correlate with electron micrographs of the LME which indicate a fraction composed mainly of microsomes. In addition, these data suggest a possible relationship between renal lysosomal hydrolase activity and the renal erythropoietic factor (Erythrogenin).
Calcification. IX. Influence of alkaline earths on survival of the calcifying mechanism.

Summary1. Rachitic bone cartilage slices which are suspended in basal medium at 36.5°C become slowly inactivated as shown by their subsequent inability to calcify. Major loss of calcifiability takes place in the first 7-8 hours with complete inactivation evident after about 12 hours. In the first 11 hours, small amounts of calcium or strontium exert a marked protective action against deterioration of the calcifying mechanism. Unlike calcium and strontium, comparable concentrations of magnesium and barium have no influence on the survival of the calcifying mechanism. 2. Beryllium in basal salt solution inactivates the calcifying mechanism, which can be prevented in part by inorganic phosphate. Manganese, cobalt, and nickel also inactivate the system when added to the basal salt solution. 3. Evidence to date favors the explanation that strontium and calcium ions protect the calcifying mechanism by forming a relatively stable compound with a component of the calcifying matrix essential for the mineralizing p...
Convergent or Divergent Problem Space Search: The Effect of Problem Structure on Group Versus Individual Problem Solving

Two laboratory experiments investigated whether group interaction hinders searching a problem space. The results from both studies show that individuals engage in a broader search of a problem space when it is either unconstrained or constrained but ill-structured. Conversely, when the problem is well-structured and has a constrained solution state, individuals and groups search that space equally well.
The Promise of Epigenetics. Has It Delivered New Insights

Enrichment of GWAS signals within cell-specific enhancers defines cellular subsets most associated to IBD and highlights the critical role of epigenetics in IBD. We review the central role of the interleukin 23 (IL-23) pathway in cellular plasticity, mechanisms which are significantly mediated by epigenetic regulation of master transcription factors of various CD4+ T-cell subsets. Present studies need to be complemented by a deeper understanding of intestine-specific gene expression and epigenetics, especially in mononuclear phagocytes, given their enormous plasticity, and tissue-dependent function. A deeper understanding and application of epigenetics may impact and guide early treatment and ultimately, disease prevention in IBD.
Density-Dependent Egg Parasitism as a Determinant of Clutch Size in Bruchid Beetles (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)

It is assumed that many insects oviposit on food patches which present limited resources to developing offspring, and that this factor plays a role in determining the number of eggs a female lays per food patch. The role of such limited resources in the number of eggs laid by the bruchid beetle Stator limbatus (Horn) on seeds of Cercidium floridum (Benth.) in the Sonoran Desert was assessed. Distributions of eggs per seed from field samples were examined first. These distributions were significantly different from Poisson distributions, suggesting nonrandom oviposition. On intact seeds with eggs, the most common number of eggs was 3 and 93% of the seeds had 1–10 eggs. The eggs on these seeds suffered various mortalities. The egg parasite Uscana semifumipennis (Trichogrammatidae) attacked eggs density-dependently (frequency of attack = 0.02 eggs per seed + 0.2). Density-independent mortality factors included embryonic deaths (0.20 ± 0.02 of all eggs laid), death of first instal's at the seed coat (0.31 ± 0.06 of larvae), and death of larvae inside the seed (0.12 ± 0.03 of larvae that entered the seed). Given these factors, the optimal number of eggs per seed that a female should lay to maximize the yield of offspring from a seed is 15, which is significantly greater than the number of eggs per seed commonly observed. At such high densities of eggs per seed, larval competition was not a mortality factor that could favor fewer eggs per seed. Very few larvae ever survived parasitism and embryonic development, and penetrated the seed coat. Hence, larval competition was minimal. Females laid few eggs per seed in the laboratory, as observed in nature, when seed availability was increased. It is suggested that oviposition by S. limbatus is determined by egg parasitism favoring few eggs per seed and seed availability. The implications of egg parasitism rather than larval competition in determining clutch size is also discussed.
PC's in fluid mechanics and propulsion education

In fluid mechanics and propulsion education at the undergraduate level the traditional approach to estimates of propulsion system performance is the analysis of simplified thermodynamic cycles and the solution of the equations of one-dimensional fluid flow. For mathematical simplicity this approach requires imposition of restrictive assumptions and usually adopts a solution procedure based upon tabulated flow functions. The effects of area change, friction, and heat exchange are usually treated separately. It is the authors' opinion that this "traditional" approach is unnecessarily restrictive and obscures the fundamental principles of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics. AS an alternative to this approach the authors' have introduced the PC and commercially available "userfriendly" software in propulsion related courses in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech with the purpose of reducing the dependence on tabulated flow functions and permitting the relaxation of unnecessarily restrictive assumptions. In this paper the educational advantages of this approach are discussed and examples are provided.
Effect of colestipol (U-26,597A) on experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits.

SummaryColestipol, a high-molecular-weight polymer which binds bile acids, exerts a hypocholesteremic effect in several species. The addition of 1% colestipol to an atherogenic regimen (2% cholesterol, 6% corn oil) did not significantly affect serum or liver cholesterol levels of rabbits but did cause a significant reduction (p < .05) in atheromata in both the aortic arch and thoracic aorta. An appreciable number of rabbits fed 1% colestipol were free of atheromata.We are indebted to Dr. T. M. Parkinson of the Upjohn Co., Kalamazoo, MI for generously supplying the colestipol used in this work.
Gravitational aspects of growth as demonstrated by continual centrifugation of the common fruit fly larvae.

SummaryAs the centrifugal field increases the size of fruit fly larvae becomes limited and the growth rate decreases. A possible explanation is suggested for the apparently linear decrease of growth rate with field.
Metabolic engineering of enhanced glycerol-3-phosphate synthesis to increase lipid production in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

With the growing attention to global warming and energy sustainability, biosynthesis of lipids by photosynthetic microorganisms has attracted more interest for the production of renewable transportation fuels. Recently, the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 has been widely used for biofuel production through metabolic engineering because of its efficient photosynthesis and well-developed genetic tools. In lipid biosynthesis, glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) is a key node for both CO2 fixation and lipid metabolism in cyanobacteria. However, few studies have explored the use of G3P synthesis to improve photosynthetic lipid production. In this study, metabolic engineering combined with flux balance analysis (FBA) was conducted to reveal the effect of G3P synthesis on lipid production. Heterologous genes that encoded glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD) and diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) were engineered into Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to enhance G3P supply and lipid production. The resultant recombinant Synechocystis produced higher levels of lipids without a significant reduction in cell growth. Compared with the wild-type strain, lipid content and productivity of the engineered cyanobacteria increased by up to 36 and 31 %, respectively, under autotrophic conditions. Lipid production under mixotrophic conditions of the engineered cyanobacteria was also investigated. This work demonstrated that enhanced G3P synthesis was an important factor in photosynthetic lipid production and that introducing heterologous GPD and DGAT genes was an effective strategy to increase lipid production in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.
Complexes of Zn(2+), Cd(2+), and Hg(2+) with 2-(alpha-Hydroxybenzyl)thiamine Monophosphate Chloride.

The binding sites of Zn(2+), Cd(2+), and Hg(2+) in complexes with 2-(alpha-hydroxybenzyl)thiamine monophosphate chloride, (LH)(+)Cl(-), have been investigated in the solid state [2-(alpha-hydroxybenzyl)thiamin monophosphate chloride monoprotonated at the phosphate group and protonated at N(1)' is denoted as (LH)(+)Cl(-); therefore, the ligand monoprotonated at the phosphate group and deprotonated at N(1)' is L]. Complexes of formulae MLCl(2), M(LH)Cl(3), and (MCl(4))(2)(-)(LH)(2)(+) (M = Zn(2+), Cd(2+), and Hg(2+)) were isolated in aqueous and methanolic solutions, depending on pH. The crystal structure of the complex of formula HgL(2)Cl(2) was solved, together with that of the free ligand (LH)(+)Cl(-), by X-ray crystallography. HgL(2)Cl(2) crystallizes in C2/c, with a = 32.968(6) A, b = 7.477(2) A, c = 21.471(4) A, beta = 118.19(1) degrees, V = 4665(2) A(3), and Z = 4. (LH)(+)Cl(-) crystallizes in Cc, with a = 10.951(3) A, b = 17.579(4) A, c = 13.373(3) A, beta = 105.36(2) degrees, V = 2482.4(10) A(3), and Z = 4. Mercury(II) binds to the N(1') of the pyrimidine ring. Both ligands are in the S conformation [Phi(T) = -98.1(9) degrees and Phi(P) = 176.1(10) degrees for HgL(2)Cl(2) and Phi(T) = 104.1(5) degrees and Phi(P) = 171.9(6) degrees for (LH)(+)Cl(-)]. (31)P and (13)C NMR spectra, together with vibrational spectra (IR/Raman), are used to deduce the binding sites of the metal and the protonation states of the ligand at various pH values. It is found that solid-state (31)P NMR spectroscopy is particularly useful in characterizing these complexes as the (31)P shielding tensors are sensitive to the state of the phosphate group. On the other hand, the (31)P NMR spectra indicate that direct bonding between Zn(2+) and Cd(2+) to the phosphate can occur under certain preparation conditions. Solid-state (13)C NMR and vibrational (IR/Raman) spectroscopic results are also in agreement with the other techniques.
The Island that Wasn’t: Autonomous Crete (1898–1912) and Experiments of Federalization

AbstractThis paper discusses the inauguration of the Autonomous State of Crete in an attempt to address both the specific contextual characteristics of its foundation and a few broader theoretical questions regarding the issues of interdependency and shared sovereignty in the context of modern state building. Specifically, the paper addresses the federal aspects of the Cretan polity by reference to region and religion. At a parallel level, it integrates this discussion with three political actors directly involved in the making of Autonomous Crete: the Great Powers, Greece and the Ottoman Empire. Moving away from acute dichotomies, this discussion suggests that autonomy reveals the blurry boundaries between nation-state and empire, as well as the origins of minority politics by reference to late 19th-century colonialist interventions.
The impact of top-down spatial attention on laterality and hemispheric asymmetry in the human parietal cortex

The human parietal cortex exhibits a preference to contralaterally presented visual stimuli (i.e., laterality) as well as an asymmetry between the two hemispheres with the left parietal cortex showing greater laterality than the right. Using visual short-term memory and perceptual tasks and varying target location predictability, this study examined whether hemispheric laterality and asymmetry are fixed characteristics of the human parietal cortex or whether they are dynamic and modulated by the deployment of top-down attention to the target present hemifield. Two parietal regions were examined here that have previously been shown to be involved in visual object individuation and identification and are located in the inferior and superior intraparietal sulcus (IPS), respectively. Across three experiments, significant laterality was found in both parietal regions regardless of attentional modulation with laterality being greater in the inferior than superior IPS, consistent with their roles in object individuation and identification, respectively. Although the deployment of top-down attention had no effect on the superior IPS, it significantly increased laterality in the inferior IPS. The deployment of top-down spatial attention can thus amplify the strength of laterality in the inferior IPS. Hemispheric asymmetry, on the other hand, was absent in both brain regions and only emerged in the inferior but not the superior IPS with the deployment of top-down attention. Interestingly, the strength of hemispheric asymmetry significantly correlated with the strength of laterality in the inferior IPS. Hemispheric asymmetry thus seems to only emerge when there is a sufficient amount of laterality present in a brain region.
The Racial Paradox in Multiarterial Conduit Utilization for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Background It has been established that outcomes for black patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) are inferior to those of their white counterparts. The purpose of this study was to determine (1) whether rates of multiarterial grafting are different among black patients and white patients, and (2) whether racial differences exist in postoperative outcomes after accounting for grafting strategy. Methods A retrospective review of black patients (n = 2,810) and white patients (n = 13,569) who underwent isolated, primary CABG from January 2002 to June 2014 at a US academic institution was performed. A modified predicted risk of mortality (M-PROM) score was calculated for each patient using all The Society of Thoracic Surgeons variables for CABG excluding race. Multivariable linear, logistic, and Cox regression analyses were used to assess between-group differences, adjusted for M-PROM. Results Overall, 16,379 patients underwent CABG, and 2,441 (14.9%) received more than one arterial graft. When adjusted for M-PROM, the odds of blacks undergoing multiarterial CABG were 10% greater than for whites ( p = 0.05). Blacks had worse inhospital outcomes, including higher odds of stroke (odds ratio 2.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.80 to 3.25) and prolonged intubation (odds ratio 2.01, 95% CI: 1.77 to 2.28). The increase in postoperative complications did not translate to a difference in inhospital mortality ( p = 0.10) between racial cohorts. Moreover, among patients who underwent multiarterial grafting strategies, blacks had a hazard of mortality that was 34% higher (95% CI: 22% to 51%)) than that of their white counterparts. Among black patients, those who underwent multiarterial grafting strategies showed better long-term survival than those undergoing single grafting strategies (hazard ratio 0.86, 95% CI: 0.78 to 0.96). Conclusions Despite similar rates of arterial grafting for black patients and white patients in this large single-center cohort, black patients continued to have significantly worse late survival when compared with white patients. Continued evaluation as to the causes of this disparity is warranted.
Simulation Techniques in Environmental Psychology

This chapter is concerned with the problem of anticipating human response to future environments—environments that are now being planned but are not yet a reality. Specifically, it focuses on the development of techniques for “presenting” future environments to potential users and other observers via physical and symbolic replicas and other such laboratory analogues of real environments. In addition, the chapter presents a discussion of the psychological issues involved in the attempt to present these simulations of reality to the observer in such a way that his responses will accurately predict the responses of observers of the real environment, should it actually be constructed as planned.
Laboratory and field evaluation of Beauveria bassiana bait against two cockroach species (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae, Blattidae) in Jinan City, East China

ABSTRACTA Beauveria bassiana bait formulation was evaluated for its efficacy in the laboratory and field against German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (L.), and American cockroaches, Periplaneta americana (L.). The LT50 values were 46 and 119 h, respectively, for B. germanica and P. americana. The cockroach species were lured and killed effectively when linear distance was about 5 m between B. bassiana bait and fresh mouse food. In the field, more than 90% relative decline in density was found 14 d after treatment, which lasted for 90 d. In conclusion, laboratory and field studies demonstrated the high efficacy of a B. bassiana bait formulation against common cockroach species.
Kinematic and experimental investigation of manual resection tools for transurethral bladder tumor resection.

BACKGROUND Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumors (TURBT) is a challenging procedure partly due to resectoscope limitations. To date, manual resection performance has not been fully characterized. This work characterizes manual resection performance in the bladder while analyzing the effect of resection location on accuracy. METHODS Kinematic simulations are used to assess kinematic measures of resection dexterity. An experimental protocol for manual resection accuracy assessment is developed. Cross correlations between the theoretical performance measures and the observed experimental accuracy are investigated. RESULTS Tangential accuracy correlates relatively strongly with normal singular value and moderately with tangential kinematic conditioning index and tangential minimum singular value. Simulations also clarified difficulties in resecting close to the bladder neck. CONCLUSIONS Measures to evaluate accuracy and dexterity of TURBT from a kinematic viewpoint are presented to provide a currently missing quantified dexterity baseline in manual TURBT. Limitations in various bladder regions are illustrated. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of Corrosion Inhibitors on In Situ Leak Repair by Precipitation of Calcium Carbonate in Potable Water Pipelines

Corrosion inhibitors can affect calcium carbonate precipitation and associated in situ and in-service water distribution pipeline leak repair via clogging. Clogging of 150 μm diameter leak holes represented by glass capillary tubes, in recirculating solutions that are supersaturated with calcite (Ωcalcite = 13), demonstrated that Zn, orthophosphate, tripolyphosphate, and hexametaphosphate corrosion/scaling inhibitors hinder clogging but natural organic matter (NOM) has relatively little impact. Critical concentrations of phosphates that could inhibit leak repair over the short-term in one water tested were: tripolyphophate (0.05 mg/L as P) < hexametaphosphate (0.1 mg/L) < orthophosphate (0.3 mg/L). Inhibitor blends (Zn+orthophosphate and Zn+NOM+orthophosphate) had stronger inhibitory effects compared to each inhibitor (Zn, orthophosphate or NOM) alone, whereas Zn+NOM showed a lesser inhibitory effect than its individual component (NOM) alone due to formation of smaller CaCO3 particles with a much more neg...
Structures of the Peptide-Modifying Radical SAM Enzyme SuiB Elucidate the Basis of Substrate Recognition

Posttranslational modification of ribosomally synthesized peptides provides an elegant means for the production of biologically active molecules known as RiPPs (ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides). Although the leader sequence of the precursor peptide is often required for turnover, the exact mode of recognition by the modifying enzymes remains unclear for many members of this class of natural products. Here, we have used X-ray crystallography and computational modeling to examine the role of the leader peptide in the biosynthesis of a homolog of streptide, a recently identified peptide natural product with an intramolecular lysine–tryptophan cross-link, which is installed by the radical S -adenosylmethionine (SAM) enzyme, StrB. We present crystal structures of SuiB, a close ortholog of StrB, in various forms, including apo SuiB, SAM-bound SuiB, and a complex of SuiB with SAM and its peptide substrate, SuiA. Although the N-terminal domain of SuiB adopts a typical RRE (RiPP recognition element) motif, which has been implicated in precursor peptide recognition, we observe binding of the leader peptide in the catalytic barrel rather than the N-terminal domain. Computational simulations support a mechanism in which the leader peptide guides posttranslational modification by positioning the cross-linking residues of the precursor peptide within the active site. Together the results shed light onto binding of the precursor peptide and the associated conformational changes needed for the formation of the unique carbon–carbon cross-link in the streptide family of natural products.
Radioresistance of the breast tumor is highly correlated to its level of cancer stem cell and its clinical implication for breast irradiation.

Abstract Background and purpose Growing evidence suggested the coexistence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) within solid tumors. We aimed to study radiosensitivity parameters for the CSCs and differentiated tumor cells (TCs) and the correlation of the fractions of CSCs to the overall tumor radioresistance. Material and methods Surviving fractions of breast cancer cell lines were analyzed using a dual-compartment Linear-quadratic model with independent fitting parameters: radiosensitive αTC, βTC, αCSC, βCSC, and fraction of CSCs f. The overall tumor radio-resistance, the biological effective doses and tumor control probability were estimated as a function of CSC fraction for different fractionation regimens. The pooled clinical outcome data were fitted to the single- and dual-compartment linear-quadric models. Results CSCs were more radioresistant characterized by smaller α compared to TCs: αTC = 0.1 ± 0.2, αCSC = 0.04 ± 0.07 for MCF-7 (f = 0.1%), αTC = 0.08 ± 0.25, αCSC = 0.04 ± 0.18 for SUM159PT (f = 2.46%). Higher f values were correlated with increasing radioresistance in cell lines. Analysis of clinical outcome data is in accordance of a dual-compartment CSC model prediction. Higher percentage of BCSCs resulted in more overall tumor radioresistance and less biological effectiveness. Conclusions Percentage of CSCs strongly correlated to overall tumor radioresistance. This observation suggested potential individualized radiotherapy to account for heterogeneous population of CSCs and their distinct radiosensitivity for breast cancer.
Simulating atmospheric tracer concentrations for spatially distributed receptors: updates to the Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport model's R interface (STILT-R version 2)

Abstract. The Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport (STILT) model is comprised of a compiled Fortran executable that carries out advection and dispersion calculations as well as a higher-level code layer for simulation control and user interaction, written in the open-source data analysis language R. We introduce modifications to the STILT-R code base with the aim to improve the model's applicability to fine-scale ( 1 km ) trace gas measurement studies. The changes facilitate placement of spatially distributed receptors and provide high-level methods for single- and multi-node parallelism. We present a kernel density estimator to calculate influence footprints and demonstrate improvements over prior methods. Vertical dilution in the hyper near field is calculated using the Lagrangian decorrelation timescale and vertical turbulence to approximate the effective mixing depth. This framework provides a central source repository to reduce code fragmentation among STILT user groups as well as a systematic, well-documented workflow for users. We apply the modified STILT-R to light-rail measurements in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, and discuss how results from our analyses can inform future fine-scale measurement approaches and modeling efforts.
Social Commerce Optimization: An Integrated Framework for Consumer Behavior in Social Media

This research discusses social commerce in relation to the consumer decision-making process, and how this process is crucial in harnessing the commercial potential of social media resulting in customer value and improved organizational performance. Social commerce involves exchange activities that occur as a result of social interactions that correspond to consumer behavior across all stages of the decision-making process. In this research, we propose a framework on how social commerce integrates firm and consumer perspectives of pre-purchase, purchase, and post-purchase behavior. We conceptualize an integrated multidimensional social commerce framework targeting firms and consumers as a basis for enhancing commercial activities on social media platforms. Finally, we examine our comprehensive framework through the lens of social commerce activities and offer implications for researchers, marketers, and policymakers.
Template-Free Synthesis of Periodic Three-Dimensional PbSe Nanostructures via Photoelectrodeposition.

Highly periodic, geometrically directed, anisotropic Se–Pb films have been synthesized at room temperature from an isotropic aqueous solution without the use of physical templates by photoelectrodeposition using a series of discrete input illumination polarizations and wavelengths from an unstructured, uncorrelated, incoherent light source. Dark growth did not generate deposits with substantial long-range order, but growth using unpolarized illumination resulted in an ordered, nanoscale, mesh-type morphology. Linearly polarized illumination generated Se–Pb deposits that displayed an ordered, highly anisotropic lamellar pattern wherein the long axes of the lamellae were aligned parallel to the light polarization vector. The pitch of the lamellar features was proportional to the input light wavelength, as confirmed by Fourier analysis. Full-wave electromagnetic and Monte Carlo growth simulations that incorporated only the fundamental light–matter interactions during growth successfully reproduced the experi...
Prognostic factors of radiation dermatitis following passive-scattering proton therapy for breast cancer

To identify prognostic factors for grade 3 radiation dermatitis following passive-scattering proton therapy for breast cancer. This retrospective study included data on 23 (11 post-mastectomy and 12 post-lumpectomy) breast cancer patients who underwent proton therapy with the passive scattering technique in our institute from 2012 to 2016. Each patient received 50–50.4 cobalt Gy equivalent (CGE) at 1.8 or 2 CGE per daily fraction. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify prognostic factors for grade 3 skin toxicity. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the performance of the models. 43% of the studied patients developed grade 3 radiation dermatitis. The dose-volume histogram (DVH) parameters of V52.5CGE and D10cm3 to skin5mm were correlated with grade 3 radiation dermatitis in both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Univariate logistic regression analysis suggested that D10cm3 to skin5mm (AUC = 0.69) and V52.5CGE to skin5mm (AUC = 0.70) were prognostic for grade 3 skin toxicity. The models using the combination of D10cm3 to skin5mm or V52.5CGE to skin5mm with breast volume marginally increased the AUC to 0.72 and 0.73, respectively. Models using the combination of D10cm3 to skin5mm or V52.5CGE to skin5mm with history of smoking increased the AUC to 0.75 and 0.83, respectively. In the current study, we identified prognostic factors for grade 3 radiation dermatitis in patients treated with passive-scattering proton therapy for breast cancer. This study provides promising tool for identifying high risk patients for whom treatment plan adjustment could be done to reduce the risk of radiation-induced grade 3 skin toxicity.
Location of DNAs Coding for Various Kinds of Chloroplast Proteins

The genus Nicotiana is one of the few genera in the biological spectrum which allows for the production of a wide range of viable, interspecific F1 hybrids. The genus consists of sixty or more species from which many different hybrid combinations have been made (Goodspeed, 1954). Several reciprocal hybrid combinations have provided a means for ascertaining whether the coding information for different kinds of proteins localized within chloroplasts is contained in chloroplast or nuclear DNA. The idea for using Nicotiana interspecific hybrids for this purpose is most easily explained with the aid of the photographs in Fig. 1. In the top row of plants, pollen from a variegated strain of N. tabacum fertilized the egg cells of the normal, unvariegated strain of N. tabacum. The result of this cross at the F1 level shown in the photograph is the total absence of the variegation. Also any subsequent generations arising from self-pollination of the F1 plant remain entirely free of the variegation. That pollen from the variegated plant did contain information necessary for the perpetuation of normal tabacum phenotypic characters during sexual reproduction is shown by the middle row of pictures. Pollen from the variegated strain readily fertilized the eggs of a different species, N. glauca, to produce the F1 interspecific hybrid, N. tabacum × N. glauca. Many of the tobacco phenotypic traits are evident in the F1 hybrid, but not a sign of the variegation character is evident.
Applications of Nuclear Spectrometry in Crime Detection

The technique of comparison of samples of physical evidence by activation analysis and nuclear spectrometry is becoming a powerful supplement to classical comparison methods. Nuclear spectrometry using NaI(Tl) or semiconductor gamma detectors or both has been applied to the determination of trace elements in hair specimens. The feasibility of attaining higher selectivity for certain isotopes by gamma-gamma and beta-gamma coincidence analysis has been evaluated. Studies of the physical effect of high-flux irradiations on hair specimens show that significant deterioration occurs at neutron fluxes of ~1013 neutrons/cm2-sec.
Test Sites and Vehicles for Yield and Process Monitoring

Characterization and subsequent corrective actions play an important role in complex integrated circuit development and manufacturing. Information on yield is an especially critical factor since it relates directly to manufacturing cost. In the early days of integrated circuit manufacturing, this type of information was obtained from the product itself through the use of visual inspection, microprobing and final testing. This approach was possible since the chip design was quite simple with large feature size and single level metallization, and the manufacturing cycle was very short. Decreasing feature size, increasing circuit density and very low defect density combine to make inspection with optical microscopes or SEM’s very time consuming. If a limited sample size is used in order to reduce inspection time, the results can also be misleading. Physical unlayering of the product after final test is still an important tool. Its feedback time, however, is considerably long since the manufacturing cycle can be greater than three months.
Effects of a Novel Probiotic Combination on Pathogenic Bacterial-Fungal Polymicrobial Biofilms

Dysbiosis of the gut microbiome has been implicated in inflammatory bowel diseases. We have shown that levels of Candida tropicalis, along with those of Escherichia coli and Serratia marcescens, are significantly elevated in Crohn's disease (CD) patients. Here, we evaluated the ability of a novel probiotic to prevent and treat polymicrobial biofilms (PMB) formed by C. tropicalis with E. coli and S. marcescens Since Candida albicans has been reported to be elevated in CD patients, we investigated the interactions of C. albicans with these bacterial species in biofilm formation. We determined whether the interaction between Candida spp. and bacteria is specific by using Trichosporon inkin and Saccharomyces fibuligera as comparators. Additionally, the effects of probiotics on C. albicans germination and biofilm formation were determined. To determine the ability of the probiotic to prevent or treat mature biofilms, probiotic filtrate was added to the PMB at early (prevention) and mature (treatment) phases. Biofilm thickness and architecture were assessed by confocal scanning laser microscopy. The effects of the probiotic on germination were evaluated in the presence of serum. Exposure of C. tropicalis PMB to probiotic filtrate reduced biofilm matrix, decreased thickness, and inhibited hyphal formation. We showed that C. albicans or C. tropicalis formed significantly thicker PMB than control biofilms, indicating that this interaction is Candida specific. Treatment with probiotic filtrate inhibited C. albicans germination and prevented/treated C. albicans PMB. The designed probiotic may have utility in the management of biofilm-associated gastrointestinal diseases such as Crohn's and colorectal cancer.IMPORTANCE The effects of diversity of the gut microbiome on inflammation have centered mainly on bacterial flora. Recent research has implicated fungal species and their interactions with other organisms in the inflammatory process. New ways to restore microbial balance in the gut are being explored. Our goal was to identify beneficial probiotic strains that would antagonize these fungal and bacterial pathogens that are elevated in the inflamed gut, and which also have antibiofilm activity. Fungus-bacterium correlation analysis allowed us to identify candidate probiotic species that can antagonize microbial pathogens, which we subsequently incorporated into a novel probiotic formulation. Amylase, which is known to have some antibiofilm activity, was also added to the probiotic mixture. This novel probiotic may have utility for the management of inflammatory bowel diseases by disrupting polymicrobial biofilm formation.