cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Energy partition in a barotropic atmosphere

The response of an unbounded rotating barotropic atmosphere to a randomly distributed initial energy input is investigated. The initial condition is specified in terms of an energy density function and the solutions (kinetic and potential energies) of a one-dimensional and time-dependent linearized system are determined. The results show that the approach to a predominantly steady-state geostrophic energy distribution is rapid if the initial energy density spectrum is broad and/or the wave number of maximum initial energy density occurs at a relatively large wave-number, k ? 4. If the initial energy density is concentrated in a narrow band in the low wave-number part of the spectrum a significant amount of energy goes into ageostrophic inertia-motion and the approach to the steady-state occurs slowly. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1967.tb01471.x
Contextual analysis and intermediate cell markers enhance high-resolution cell image analysis for automated cervical smear diagnosis.

Until now, efforts to automate cervical smear diagnosis have focused on analyzing features of individual cells. In a complex specimen such as that obtained from a cervical scrape, diagnostically significant cells may not be adequately represented or may elude detection by the automated technology. An approach is needed that extracts additional quantitative information from cervical smears beyond what the cell-by-cell approach can provide. A new methodology, contextual analysis, was developed to extract global quantitative information about cells, cell clusters, and background debris. This pilot study was designed to compare the efficacy of contextual analysis with high-resolution, single cell analysis and the analysis of intermediate cell markers. Thirty-four samples prepared as mono-layers and stained with the Feulgen-Thionin/Congo Red stain were measured. Contextual analysis alone was able to classify 91% of the smears correctly; single cell analysis classified 94% of the cells correctly; and the intermediate cell analysis correctly identified the smear diagnosis for 84% of the cells. When all three analysis methods were combined into a simple smear level classifier, the overall smear classification accuracy was improved over those obtained using the three methodologies alone.
Summer Patch Disease Severity on Kentucky Bluegrass in Response to Fertilizer Source

Abstract Summer patch is caused by the ectotrophic, root‐infecting fungus Magnaporthe poae Landschoot and Jackson. The disease, which often infects high maintenance turf, can be difficult to control because root infection often occurs six to eight weeks before the appearance of foliar symptoms. Disease severity is reduced when turf is fertilized with ammonium nitrogen (N) sources, compared to nitrate or urea sources of N. Thiosulfate, from (NH4)2S2O3 or K2S2O3, is a nitrification inhibitor which may enhance ammonium uptake of turf by slowing nitrification. N‐SURE is a triazone‐based, slow release N source that is commonly used to fertilize turfgrass. Field studies were conducted from 1995 to 1996 on Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) grown on a Nixon loam (fine‐loamy, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludult) to evaluate the effectiveness of the several N and K sources for their ability to control summer patch disease. Nitrogen fertilizers, N‐SURE, (NH4)2S2O3, and (NH4)2SO4, were applied in combination with either...
Is Evil Evidence Against the Existence of God

In a recent article, Robert Pargetterl considers the existence of evil as the basis for a non-demonstrative argument for the non-existence of God. He maintains that the existence of evil has yet to be shown to be strong evidence for the non-existence of God. I believe that Pargetter has not given atheists their due; he has not presented the best nondemonstrative argument from evil to the non-existence of God that is available. In this paper I will outline a more adequate argument. First I will present the argument informally and then I will give a more formal presentation. Finally, I will answer some objections to the argument.
Errors in measuring absorbed radiation and computing crop radiation use efficiency

Radiation use efficiency (RUE) is often a crucial component of crop growth models that relate dry matter production to energy received by the crop. RUE is a ratio that has units g J −1 , if defined as phytomass per unit of energy received, and units J J −1 , if defined as the energy content of phytomass per unit of energy received. Both the numerator and denominator in computation of RUE can vary with experimental assumptions and methodologies. The objectives of this study were to examine the effect that different methods of measuring the numerator and denominator have on the RUE of corn (Zea mays L.) and to illustrate this variation with experimental data [...]
Study of the phase diagrams of the two-component electron-hole liquid in stressed germanium

We present a theoretical study of the phase equilibria of the electron-hole drop (EHD) containing two inequivalent electron species ("hot" and "cold" electrons) in $〈111〉$-stressed Ge. We assume that transitions between the hot and cold electron states can be ignored and that the exchange-correlation energy density of the EHD depends only on the total density of the two electron species. We predict that for intermediate values of the stress at $T=0$ the EHD separates into two phases if the concentration of hot electrons in the EHD is not too high. One phase consists entirely of cold electrons and holes while the other phase contains both hot and cold electrons. We also discuss the phase diagrams of this system at finite temperatures. A variety of phase diagrams is predicted, different ones for different stress values. If our predictions are verified experimentally the two-component EHD would be a unique laboratory system whose closest analog is the fluid of neutrons and protons in neutrons stars.
Substituent effects in heterocyclic systems. 1H‐NMR Study of methyl 3,5‐diarylisoxazolium iodides

Methyl 3-aryl-5-phenylisoxazolium iodides (I) and methyl 3-phenyl-5-arylisoxazolium iodides (II) were synthesized from the corresponding isoxazoles in moderate yields. The 1H-nmr chemical shifts for H-4, series I and II, and the quaternary methyl group series II were found to correlate with values. The rho value observed for H-4 series II was 3.3 times that observed in series I. The correlation observed in series I contrasts with the lack of (poor) correlations reported in the corresponding isoxazole and chalcone systems. The rho value observed in the correlation of the quaternary methyl group series II correlates well with an estimate based on methyl pyridinium salt data. The chemical shifts of the quaternary methyl group series I showed little or no variation. Swain-Lupton and DSP treatments did not show improved correlations over the single parameter results. However, interpretation of these treatments reveals that similar processes are occuring in all three cases. The results for H-4 series I showed that the reduction of transmission of the substituent effect in series I compared to that in series II was essentially due to equal reduction of both inductive and resonance effects. The mechanism of transmission seems to differ only in degree and not type.
NSF scientific and funding priorities in Earth sciences

The Earth Science Division (EAR) of the National Science Foundation provides about two-thirds of the funding for basic geological scientific research at academic institutions in the United States. This funding is provided through three budget units: Earth Science Project Support, which funds individual researchers; Instrumentation and Facilities, for the support of research equipment for individual investigators and larger facilities for shared use; and Continental Lithosphere, for the support of large multidisciplinary and multiinstitutional studies of the continental lithosphere. The latter two programs, established in 1984, open opportunities for new styles of research not previously available through the programs for individual investigators. From 1980 to 1988, the EAR budget increased from $25.98 million to $51.29 million, allowing the number of awards per year during that period to double. Over the same period, applications more than doubled, leading to a decline in the success rate from over 40% to less than 30%. Similarly, average award size increased but at a rate less than inflation. Congressional appropriations for EAR have been significantly less than the amounts requested in the President's budget r8—Hi-⅞ for NSF in the last 4 fiscal years, thus stalling the ability of the division to increase both the success rate and the amounts of individual grants and to move forward with a fully diversified research agenda. In 1986 the Advisory Committee for Earth Sciences (ACES), the official external advisor to the EAR scientific staff, reexamined this diversified agenda and began to develop a set of long-range scientific and fiscal priorities.
Interpreting What is Rural and Urban for Western U.S. Counties

The paper examines how rural and urban are interpreted and applied to counties in eleven states in the western United States. After reviewing various conceptual approaches, we turn to a three-part analysis of county commissioners' perceptions and census data to identify characteristics associated with urban-ness and rurality. The analysis involves comparing qualitative and quantitative survey and interview data, using a multiple regression analysis to correlate census variables with commissioners' perceptions of their home counties, and using cluster analysis techniques on census variables to identify patterns and unevenness in rurality and urbanness. Three characteristics mentioned by the widest range of commissioners and found to be statistically significant in the regression analysis were population concentration, total population, and the agricultural land base. Population concentration, in particular, was identified most frequently by interviewees as the single most important variable in characterizi...
Passive electrical properties of squid axon membrane.

The admittance of the resting membrane of squid axon is investigated in natural and artificial seawater with alternating currents using an internal axial electrode. Corrections for the series electrolyte resistance between electrodes and membranes were applied to the measured admittance and the membrane capacitance and conductance are calculated. The membrane capacity was found to decrease from 1 μF/cm2 to about 0.6μF/cm2 between 1 kHz and 50 kHz. The conductivity was found to increase from 1.2 mmho/cm2 to 40 nmho/cm2 in the same frequency range. In addition to the capacitive and conductive components, and inductive element is observed at low frequencies confirming the early work by Cole and co-workers. The effect of tetrodotoxin (TTX) and tetraethylammonium (TEA) on the membrane admittance was investigated. It was found that TTX did not have any effect on the capacitive component but has a profound effect on the inductive element. TEA alters the inductive element even more drastically than TTX.
Angina: Evolution of the role of nitrates

In recent years, concern has been expressed over attenuation of therapeutic effect in patients receiving continuous nitroglycerin therapy for the treatment of angina. Studies have shown that exercise tolerance time does not improve with continuous nitroglycerin regimens, although the frequency of anginal attacks may decrease. Intermittent therapy, which incorporates a nitrate-free interval, improves both exercise time and clinical angina. The optimal duration of the nitrate-free interval has yet to be determined. Future research is likely to focus more on supply-side factors in angina. Of the available antianginal drugs, nitrates have been shown to be highly effective coronary vasodilators, particularly in areas of stenosis.
The Science of Dystopia: A Retrospective on Nuclear Winter Modeling*

This essay questions the effectiveness of nuclear winter modeling as a means of impacting nuclear policy and changing public attitudes about nuclear issues. In nuclear winter modeling, humanistic concern over the possibility of global environmental destruction is cloaked in the ostensibly neutral language of science. Nuclear winter modeling attempts to apply rational argument to an issue that is rooted instead in human affect and morality. The implications of this misappropriation are discussed in terms of the dehumanizing nature of the images conjured up by nuclear winter, its attention to the effects of nuclear weapons rather than deeper structural problems, and its political ambiguity as a function of unresolvable uncertainty in model results.
Abstract 2106: The role of KSRP in non-small cell lung cancer

Precedent has established the role of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in oncogenesis. Several members of the Wnt family are known to be tumor promoting in non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC. In this pathway β-catenin, a downstream component, accumulates and serves as a T-cell transcription /lymphoid enhancer factor. We previously identified the Wnt ligand in the lung, Wnt 7a, as a member of the non-canonical pathway/ β-catenin independent pathway, which inhibits transformed cell growth. Currently, we hypothesize that the regulatory protein, KSRP, holds a switch between the canonical and non-canonical pathway. K-homology splicing regulatory protein (KSRP) is a member of the family of AU rich element binding proteins. It possesses four K-homology motifs and causes decay of specific mRNA transcripts in different cell types. In mouse F9 teratocarcinoma cells KSRP negatively regulates β-catenin. The role of KSRP in the non-canonical Wnt pathway in the lung has previously been unknown. Using NSCLC cell lines and nontransformed lung cells we show a correlation between Wnt 7a expression and a positive regulation of KSRP. KSRP expression is elevated in nontransformed cells and alternatively, lower levels of KSRP expression in NSCLC. Over expression of KSRP in NSCLC cells decreases cell proliferation in MTS assay as well as reducing colony formation in clonogenic assays. The silencing of KSRP in nontransformed cells results in an increase in cell proliferation. The positive regulation of KSRP by Wnt 7a positively regulates this mRNA regulatory protein in the noncanonical Wnt pathway as an important factor in tumor suppression. The canonical pathway negatively regulates KSRP, which allows the stabilization of β-catenin mRNA thereby promoting progression of the tumor-promoting pathway. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2106. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2106
Effect of adenosine triphosphate analogues on skeletal muscle fibers in rigor.

It is commonly believed, for both vertebrate striated and insect flight muscle, that when the ATP analogue adenyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate (AMPPNP) is added to the muscle fiber in rigor, it causes the fiber to lengthen by 0.15%. This has been interpretated (Marston S.B., C.D. Roger, and R.T. Tregear. 1976. J. Mol. Biol. 104:263–267) as suggesting (a) that in rigor the crossbridge is fixed to, i.e., almost never detaches from the actin filament; (b), that the crossbridge remains fixed to the actin filament after AMPPNP addition; and (c) that the ability of AMPPNP to cause apparent lengthening of a muscle fiber is due to its ability to cause a conformational change in the myosin crossbridge that has an axial component of approximately 1.6 nm/half-sarcomere. The present study, done only on chemically-skinned rabbit psoas fibers, confirms that AMPPNP can cause muscle fibers to lengthen by 0.15% but only for a narrow set of experimental conditions. When experimental conditions are varied over a wider range, it becomes apparent that the extent of lengthening of a rigor muscle fiber upon AMPPNP addition depends almost entirely on the strain present in the rigor fiber before AMPPNP addition. Addition of AMPPNP to an unstrained rigor fiber (one supporting zero tension), induces zero length change while addition of AMPPNP to very highly strained rigor fibers induces length changes greater than 0.15%. The data thus do not support the hypotheses that the crossbridges remain fixed to the actin filament after AMPPNP addition and that the size of the apparent length change induced by AMPPNP is related to the size of the axial component of a conformational change.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Optical anisotropies in chalcogenide glasses induced by band-gap light.

A model is proposed that qualitatively explains a variety of experiments on light-induced optical anisotropies in chalcogenide glasses and amorphous films. The model accounts for the sign of the observed anisotropies in thin films and predicts that even unpolarized light will cause these materials to become optically anisotropic. The model probably applies also to oxide glasses and other light-sensitive disordered materials and polymers. Photoinduced anisotropies are produced when one or both of the photocarriers excited by band-gap light remain in the absorbing microvolume and cause local changes in atomic bond configurations while recombining nonradiatively.
Local estimation of smooth curves for longitudinal data

Longitudinal data are commonly analysed using mixed-effects models in which the population growth curve and individual subjects' growth curves are assumed to be known functions of time. Frequently, polynomial functions are assumed. In practice, however, polynomials may not fit the data and a mechanistic model that could suggest a non-linear function might not be known. Recent, more flexible approaches to these data approximate the underlying population mean curve or the individual subjects' curves using smoothing splines or kernel-based functions. I apply the local likelihood estimation method of Tibshirani and Hastie and estimate smooth population and individual growth curves by assuming that they are approximately linear or quadratic functions of time within overlapping neighbourhoods. This method requires neither complete data, nor that measurements are made at the same time points for each individual. For descriptive purposes, this approach is easy to implement with standard software. Inference for the resulting curve is facilitated by the theory of estimating equations. I illustrate the methods with data sets containing longitudinal measurements of serum neopterin in an AIDS clinical trial, measurements of ultrafiltration rates of high flux membrane dialysers for haemodialysis, and measurements of the volume of air expelled by individuals.
Interleukin-6 inhibits hepatic growth hormone signaling via upregulation of Cis and Socs-3

Cytokines may cause an acquired growth hormone (GH) resistance in patients with inflammatory diseases. Anabolic effects of GH are mediated through activation of STAT5 transcription factors. We have...
Theoretical study on the structures, force field, and vibrational spectra of cyclooctatetraene and cyclooctatetraene-d8

Abstract The structures and force field of 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene (COT) have been studied using ab initio theory at the SCF level with the 4-21G basis set. The quadratic force field of the D 2 d structure obtained by systematic scaling of the ab initio force constants successfully reproduces the observed frequencies of COT and COT- d 8 with a mean deviation of less than 10 cm −1 for non-CH stretching modes. On the basis of the calculated results, assignments of the fundamental vibrations are examined. The normal mode υ 5 is reassigned to a weak band at 758 cm −1 in the Raman spectrum of COT and to a weak band at 591 cm −1 in the Raman spectrum of COT- d 8 . The calculations favor the assignment of υ 26 given by Lippincott et al . [J. Am. Chem. Soc. 73, 3370 (1951)] over the revised assignment of Perec [Spectrochim. Acta 47A, 799 (1991)]. The calculations also furnish reliable prediction for the inactive A 2 fundamentals of COT and COT- d 8 . The fundamental frequencies and IR and Raman intensities of 13 CC 7 H 8 , which constitutes about 9% of COT in natural abundance, are also calculated. Only ν 10 (calculated at 908 cm −1 ) of the formal inactive A 2 modes has appreciable Raman intensity (0.23 A 4 /amu). A spectral feature due to this fundametal is identified in the liquid Raman spectrum of Tabacik and Blaise [C. R. Acad. Sci. Ser. II 303, 539 (1986)] as a weak peak at 908 cm −1 .
Lightning disturbances on transmission lines

MOST OF THE more important studies of lightning disturbances on transmission lines have been confined to steel tower lines of 110 kv. and above. A field investigation of the effect of lightning on 33-kv. and 66-kv. transmission lines on wood poles is now being carried on, the preliminary investigations having been completed.
Testosterone regulation of the regenerative properties of injured rat sciatic motor neurons

We have previously demonstrated that systemic administration of testosterone differentially regulates the regenerative properties of injured hamster facial motor neurons, which are androgen receptor-containing cranial motor neurons. In this investigation, the hypothesis that testosterone alters the regenerative properties of rat sciatic motor neurons, which are androgen receptor-containing spinal motor neurons, was tested using fast axonal transport of radioactively labeled proteins to assess sciatic nerve regeneration. Adult castrated male rats were subjected to crush axotomy of the sciatic nerve at the level of the gemelli tendons (mid-thigh). One-half of the axotomized animals received subcutaneous implants of testosterone propionate (TP), with the remainder of the animals sham implanted with blank capsules. The outgrowth distances of the leading axons were measured at 5, 6, 7, and 11 days postoperative. Linear regression analysis was accomplished, with the slope of the line representing the regeneration rate and the x-intercept the initial delay of sprout formation. Systemic administration of testosterone resulted in a 13% increase in the rate of regeneration, relative to the control, -TP group. Outgrowth distances were significantly increased in the +TP group only in the later stages of regeneration. However, TP did not shorten the delay in sprout formation in regenerating sciatic motor neurons, but instead produced a small prolongation in the delay time. This pattern of hormonal regulation of the regenerative properties of spinal motoneurons is similar to that previously found in cranial motoneurons. The prolongation of the initial delay may have been a factor in the lack of significant outgrowth distances during the early stages of regeneration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Modular synthesis of bipyridinium oligomers and corresponding donor-acceptor oligorotaxanes with crown ethers.

Donor–acceptor [4]- and [6]rotaxanes have been prepared from bipyridinium (BIPY2+) oligomers and 1,5-dinaphtho[38]crown-10 (DN38C10) by a threading-followed-by-stoppering protocol employing click chemistry. An efficient, straightforward route to the BIPY2+ oligomers has been developed that requires little to no chromatographic purification. Unlike most donor–acceptor oligorotaxanes that have been reported to date, 100% of the recognition sites on the dumbbells are occupied by rings.
Selecting for resistance to diseases in early generations

Screening in the seedling and first clonal generations is a potentially cost-effective and efficient way to incorporate resistance to important diseases and reduce large breeding populations to manageable size. In practice, however, early screening is often limited by the need to maintain clean seedstocks of promising clones, unreliability of single-plant evaluations, associations of disease resistance with undesirable horticultural characteristics, or the higher priority placed on traits other than disease resistance. Possible methods to overcome these limitations are discussed. Examples of early generation screening for resistance to several diseases are given.
Taxol effects on glia in organotypic mouse spinal cord-DRG cultures

Abstract Exposure of organotypic mouse spinal cord-dorsal root ganglion cultures to 1–2 μM taxol for up to 6 days results in a remarkable increase in cytoplasmic microtubules in differentiated oligodendroglia. In contrast, there is a notably smaller change in the microtubule compliment of astroglia. This suggests that the regulatory and/or synthetic systems for tubulin in these glial types may differ, and that oligodendroglia appear more responsive to modulation in the levels of tubulin subunits as a result of the action of taxol.
Predicates of personal control among middle-aged and young-old men and women in middle America.

These analyses explore relationships between the conscious general sense of control and :1) personal evaluations of major life domains (health, spouse's health, marriage, parenting, work, leisure): and 2) spouse's evaluations of life domains, within groups defined by gender and age. Respondents include 101 men and 127 women; all are Caucasian; they reside in a middle-class community in the midwestern United States; they are aged forty-three to seventy-six (M = 56); they are all in long-term marriages, with an average of 4.4 children; and 73 percent had at least one child living at home. Evaluations of life domains included self-report satisfaction and investment scales completed after personal interview questions about the domain. There were no gender differences and minimal age differences in levels of sense of control or evaluations of the life domains. However, as expected, multiple regression analyses indicated that the evaluations that contribute to a sense of control vary by gender and be age group within gender group. For men, the sense of control is linked to experiences in work; for younger middle-aged men, satisfaction with health is important; and for older men, investment in marriage is also important. Younger middle-aged women's sense of mastery is tied to satisfaction with mothering and investment in their own health; older women's sense of control is linked to satisfaction with marriage, health, and leisure. Age group patterns may reflect both developmental and cohort effects.
A maternal mRNA localized to the vegetal hemisphere in xenopus eggs codes for a growth factor related to TGF-β

Abstract We report that Vg1, a maternal mRNA localized to the vegetal hemisphere of frog eggs, encodes a member of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family of proteins. Furthermore, we show that Vg1 mRNA is distributed to presumptive endodermal cells after fertilization. Previous studies had shown that the vegetal end of a frog egg produces a signal that induces the overlying animal pole cells to form mesodermal tissue. More recently it has been shown that fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and TGF-β can participate in the induction of muscle. Together, these results lead us to propose that the formation of mesoderm during frog development is specified by the products of localized maternal mRNAs, including Vg1.
Cocaine abuse in pregnancy – anesthetic implications

Substance abuse, including that of cocaine, has crossed social, economic and geographic borders and remains one of the major problems facing society today. The prevalence of cocaine abuse in young adults (including women) has increased markedly over the past two decades. Nearly 90% of cocaine-abusing women are of childbearing age. Consequently it is not surprising to find pregnant women who abuse this drug, and numerous case reports of cocaine abuse in pregnancy have been published. The diverse clinical manifestations of cocaine abuse combined with physiologic changes of pregnancy, and pathophysiology of coexisting pregnancy-related disease might lead to life-threatening complications and significantly impact the practice of obstetric anesthesia. A complete understanding of the physiology of pregnancy, pathophysiology of pregnancy-specific disorders and anesthetic implications of cocaine abuse in pregnancy is essential to tailor a safe anesthetic plan for this high-risk group of patients.
The surface acidity and characterization of some commercial activated carbons

Abstract The surface properties of activated carbon are characterized by their surface acidity, surface ash content and elemental composition. The surface acidity of activated carbon can be readily determined by alkalimetric titration and calculated by the Gouy-Chapman theory of electrical double layer. Electrophoretic mobility measurement provides little information on the nature of the acidity of the activated carbons. No correlation can be deduced between the surface chemical composition and the acidity.
Personnel Psychology: Performance Evaluation and Pay for Performance

Although there is a voluminous psychological literature on performance evaluation (PE), surprisingly little of this research examines the consequences of linking pay to evaluated performance in work settings. Rather, PE research has been dominated by cognitive processing, measurement, and construct validity issues. At the same time, a large literature on pay-for-performance (PFP) linkages does exist, but most of it has been conducted in disciplines other than psychology. We think this pattern should change. To this end, we briefly trace the origins of the general separation of PE research from PFP research in psychology. From there, we review recent research on the relationship between PE and performance improvement, particularly with respect to multisource or 360-degree evaluation. We then turn to research on various PFP systems, such as merit pay and individual and group incentives. We conclude with suggestions as to how psychological research can make useful contributions to knowledge of PE, PFP, and p...
The University of California, San Francisco Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment score: a straightforward and reliable preoperative predictor of disease recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

ABSTRACTPurpose:: Multivariate prognostic instruments aim to predict risk of recurrence among patients with localized prostate cancer. We devised a novel risk assessment tool which would be a strong predictor of outcome across various levels of risk, and which could be easily applied and intuitively understood.Materials and Methods:: We studied 1,439 men diagnosed between 1992 and 2001 who had undergone radical prostatectomy and were followed in the Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor (CaPSURE) database, a longitudinal, community based disease registry of patients with prostate cancer. Disease recurrence was defined as prostate specific antigen (PSA) 0.2 ng/ml or greater on 2 consecutive occasions following prostatectomy or a second cancer treatment more than 6 months after surgery. The University of California, San Francisco-Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (UCSF-CAPRA) score was developed using preoperative PSA, Gleason score, clinical T stage, biopsy results and age. The i...
Melatonin attenuates the skin sympathetic nerve response to mental stress

Melatonin attenuates muscle sympathetic nerve responses to sympathoexcitatory stimuli, but it is unknown whether melatonin similarly attenuates reflex changes in skin sympathetic nerve activity (SS...
What’s Taking So Long? Identifying the Underlying Causes of Delays in Planning Transportation Megaprojects in the United States

By integrating literature on transportation planning, megaprojects, and public choice theory, this article identifies the following eight factors that can cause delays in planning transportation megaprojects in the United States: impacts to neighborhoods and the environment, laws and regulations relating to the environment and planning, insufficient funding, changes in scope and design of a project, government bureaucracies and conflict between agencies, overly optimistic expectations, uncertainty involved in identifying the best alternative, and the absence of an effective public sector champion.
Bilateral Sciatic Nerve Palsy: A New Presentation of Toilet Bowl Neuropathy

Abstract Background: Presentations of lower extremity compression palsies are rare and exist only in case reports. The true incidence of emergency department (ED) presentations of bilateral sciatic nerve palsy, “toilet bowl neuropathy,” is unknown. The following is a case of a 28-year-old active duty Navy woman who presented to our ED via ambulance with bilateral sciatic nerve palsy from prolonged immobility. Objectives: This discussion reviews the historical precedence for the diagnosis and details the work-up and prognosis. Case Report: The patient presented complaining of bilateral lower extremity swelling, numbness, and an inability to walk after a prolonged, medication-facilitated sleep in an unusual position. She had significant weakness on examination and was admitted for further evaluation and care. Specialized neurologic studies were consistent with bilateral sciatic nerve palsy. Conclusion: Bilateral sciatic nerve palsy is an uncommon cause of lower extremity weakness. In the ED, other diagnoses such as Guillain-Barre syndrome, cauda equina, disk herniation, and gluteal compartment syndrome should be considered initially. The diagnosis of toilet bowl neuropathy, however, is dependent on obtaining an accurate history. This case report adds another perspective to the literature on sciatic nerve palsy recognition, diagnosis, and prognosis.
Attentional Capture for Simple Shapes from Gamified Visual Search Training

Attentional capture is a phenomenon in which rewarded stimuli become more salient, automatically drawing attention when encountered later. Attentional capture can be reliably produced in the laboratory, usually by paying participants money for finding certain targets in a visual search task (Anderson, Laurent, & Yantis, 2011). We have recently shown that attentional capture can also be produced by presenting tasks in a videogame-like format, with points and sound effects serving as the rewards in place of money (Miranda & Palmer, 2014). In the current study, we apply gamified attentional capture training to the automatic processing of target shapes rather than target colors. Participants were rewarded for locating certain shapes in a training phase and then in a later test phase (during which shape was irrelevant to the task) participants were significantly slower to identify oddball color targets if a previously rewarded shape was present as a distractor. This demonstrates that participants’ visual systems learned to prioritize processing of rewarded shapes and automatically attend to them even when they were irrelevant to the task. Implications of this work for training of socially critical visual search tasks is discussed.
Supercomputing research networks

The need for a federal high-performance computing network has been presented before several congressional committees over the last several weeks. Championing the cause is Senator Albert Gore, Jr.(D-TN), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Science, Space and Technology. Gore has been trumpeting the creation of computer “superhighways,” which would link supercomputers at universities, national laboratories and in industry and have the capability of transmitting 1000 times more data per second than current networks. The National High-Performance Computer Technology Act (S.1067) was introduced by Gore in May 1989 and authorizes $1.75 billion over 5 years for the program. The proposed program would involve the National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Department of Energy and Department of Defense. Other agencies such as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey, National Institutes of Health and Library of Congress would also play important roles. Gore's bill authorizes specific funds for the NSF in this area; however, to gain authorization for the program for some of the other agencies' “companion” bills must be introduced.
PatternQuest: learning patterns of interest using relevance feedback in multimedia information retrieval

We present a PatternQuest framework to learn the patterns of interest (i.e., the distribution patterns of positive objects) using classification methods and relevance feedback. To improve the performance of multimedia retrieval, our PatternQuest first employs an efficient feature selection method to extract a low-dimensional feature subspace. With the feature selection, PatternQuest can effectively alleviate the curse of dimensionality for learning-based relevance feedback. To discover patterns of interest in the feature subspace effectively, we propose a multiresolution pattern discovery (MPD) approach, which trains an online pattern classification method known as adaptive random forests to filter negative objects, from the neighborhood of the query to the global scope, in a fine to coarse way. With MPD, our PatternQuest method can iteratively capture the patterns of interest with a little training data from the user's feedback. We have carried out extensive experiments on an image database (with 31,438 Corel images) to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of our method.
A modified version of the Drug Abuse Screening Test among undergraduate students

The present study assesses the prevalence of items from a modified version of the Drug Abuse Screening Test, Short Form (DAST-10) for substances other than alcohol among undergraduate students. More than 4,500 undergraduate students at a large Midwestern research university completed a web-based survey in 2005. Nearly 1 every 10 undergraduate students experienced three or more DAST-10 items in the past 12 months. Although the prevalence of illicit drug use did not differ by gender, undergraduate men were significantly more likely than women to report DAST-10 items. Less than 6% of individuals who reported three or more drug DAST-10 items had ever used treatment services for substance use. As a brief screening instrument, the DAST-10 offers promise for detecting possible drug abuse among college students. Based on the prevalence of drug use, colleges and universities are encouraged to provide screening opportunities to identify and to provide services for students at high risk for drug abuse.
Legal Responses to Drought in Kansas

In this article I examine legal responses to drought in Kansas since statehood in 18611 by persons and various levels of government. An article about drought should probably use or create a definition for the term. Although precision in such definitions can be important in some legal contexts, it is not required here. The term drought has many meanings. I have not adopted any one definition against which to examine the legal responses, but rather have chosen to accept and use some periods of Kansas drought identified by experts.Even after identifying drought periods since statehood, one finds it difficult to discern whether a legal event during or following a drought has necessarily been a direct response to a particular drought or instead just a part of sound, long-term water resources planning efforts. Some state water planning efforts, such as the State Water Plan in Kansas, involve attempts to deal with droughts generally.This article is essentially retrospective and descriptive, not prospective and analytical. Analyses of state drought programs outside Kansas have been conducted, including a recent one published by the American Water Resources Association, which described and analyzed case studies in proactive drought management in Texas, Oregon, Hawaii, and Oklahoma. Such a study of responses to drought in Kansas, along with comparative analysis with other states' drought management techniques and experience, would be a worthy project.
Evidence that Bacteria Are Not Causative Agents of Stunting Syndrome in Poults

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of removing bacteria, including long segmented filamentous organisms (LSFO), from inoculum known to induce stunting syndrome (SS) in poults. Experiment 1 consisted of two identically designed trials. In each trial, each of four treatments was assigned to an isolator. Three treatments consisted of dosing, by crop intubation, groups of 1-day-old poults with unfiltered SS inoculum or filtrate of inoculum passed through .45- or .20-μm microfilters. Uninoculated poults were dosed with inoculum carrier, saline. Experiment 2 was done in battery facilities. Three rooms were used and each room housed one of three treatment groups. Triplicate pens of 10 poults each within each room were dosed by crop intubation with saline (uninoculated), unfiltered inoculum, or filtrate from .20-μm filtration. As compared with uninoculated poults, weight gain through 7 days was reduced 20% (P
Using the Karhunen-Loe've transformation in the back-propagation training algorithm

A novel training approach based on the back-propagation algorithm is introduced. In the proposed approach, initially, a set of training vectors is obtained by applying the Karhunen-Loe've transform on the training patterns. The training is first started in the direction of the major eigenvectors of the correlation matrix of the training patterns and then continues by gradually including the remaining components, in their order of significance. With this approach, the number of computations is significantly reduced and the learning rate is improved. The performance of this method is compared with the standard back-propagation algorithm in segmenting a synthetic noisy image. >
The impact of carbon cap and trade regulation on congested electricity market equilibrium

Greenhouse gas regulation aimed at limiting the carbon emissions from the electric power industry will affect system operations and market outcomes. The impact and the efficacy of the regulatory policy depend on interactions of demand elasticity, transmission network, market structure, and strategic behavior of generators. This paper develops an equilibrium model of an oligopoly electricity market in conjunction with a cap-and-trade policy to study such interactions. We study their potential impacts on market and environmental outcomes which are demonstrated through a small network test case and a reduced WECC 225-bus model with a detailed representation of the California market. The results show that market structure and congestion can have a significant impact on the market performance and the environmental outcomes of the regulation while the interactions of such factors can lead to unintended consequences.
Old Books and E-Books

The crisis in academic publishing has reached a point where young scholars in many fields of the humanities may no longer be able to communicate their research in the time-honoured manner – that is, in the form of a traditional codex printed by a university press. Sooner or later, most monographs will probably have to be published on the Internet. What form will they take? Atentative answer to that question is provided by a sketch for an electronic book about publishing and the book trade in 18th-century France.
Correlation of Cigarette Smoke-Induced Pulmonary Inflammation and Emphysema in C3H and C57Bl/6 Mice

Cigarette smoke (CS)-exposed mice have been used to model airway inflammation and emphesema in humans; however, the impact of exposure duration, sex, and strain differences in susceptibility to progression of airway inflammation and to emphesema are poorly investigated. This study was designed to determine the association between inflammation and emphysema by exposing 2 strains of mice, C3H/HeN (C3H) and C57BL/6 (Bl/6), to filtered air (FA) or CS for 10, 16, or 22 weeks. Both genders and strains of CS-exposed mice developed pulmonary inflammation as characterized by cell counts in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and the levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the BALF. CS exposure caused persistently higher number of BALF macrophages in C3H compared to BL/6 mice, while more BALF neutrophils and persistently higher MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels were observed in BL/6 mice. The mean linear intercept (Lm) increased progressively by 26%, 33%, and 55% at 10, 16, and 22 weeks, respectively, in CS-exposed C3H mice compared to the matched air controls. In BL/6 mice, although CS exposure also increased the Lm compared to FA controls, no further increase in Lm beyond the levels observed at 16 weeks of exposure was observed by 22 weeks. These findings suggest that extent of inflammation is not associated with severity of emphysema and underscores the importance of carefully selecting the mouse strains and endpoints when exploring effective treatments for emphesema.
A First-Principles Study of the Structure and Dynamics of C8H8, Si8H8, and Ge8H8 Molecules

We present a first-principles study to elucidate the nature of the bonding, stability, energetics, and dynamics of individual X8H8 molecules (X = C, Si, Ge). The results obtained from both “local basis” and “pseudopotential” ab initio methods are in good agreement with the experimental data that exists for cubane (C8H8). The trends among these molecules are reminiscent of those prevailing in the bulk solids of C, Si, and Ge. High-temperature dynamics and fragmentation of X8H8 were studied by the quantum molecular dynamics method which shows that at high temperatures cubane is transformed to the 8-fold ring structure of cyclooctotetraene.
Notes on the Use of Soda Straws as Nesting Sites by Rygchium foraminatum (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Rygchium foraminatum (Saussure), a wasp recorded previously as nesting only in hollow twigs or borings in wood (Rau and Rau 1918, Rau 1928, Cooper 1954, Medler 1964), was found constructing nests in 6-cm sections of soda straws (Fig. 1). In the alfalfa-seed-growing regions of southwestern Idaho, uncountable numbers of half-length soda straws are set out in special shelters or around old buildings as one means of furnishing artificial nesting sites for the leafcutter bee Magachile rotundata (F.), an important pollinator of this crop. During 1962, 1963, and the spring of 1964, 48 mud-plugged soda straws being utilized as nests by R. foraminatum were collected from these “bee boxes.” The nesting biology of this wasp in southwestern Idaho was found to agree very closely with that worked out from material reared from trap nests in Wisconsin by Medler (1964).
Functional modifications of macrophage activity after sublethal whole-body irradiation.

The effect of whole body x-irradiation on macrophage activity was evaluated by in vitro C3b-receptor-mediated ingestion and in vivo carbon clearance. Peritoneal macrophages from B/sub 6/D/sub 2/F/sub 1/ mice were tested from 20 min to 24 hr postirradiation and at doses up to 1000 rad x-irradiation. When compared to peritoneal macrophages from normal unstimulated mice, whole-body irradiation produced an increase in macrophage activity in both C3b-mediated ingestion and carbon clearance. The enhancement of macrophage activity was optimal at an exposure of 200 rad and waned as the exposure dose increased. Enhanced activity appeared as early as 20 min postirradiation and peaked by 3 hr.