cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE USES AND MEANINGS OF THE FEMALE TITLE MS.

This article examines the use of the female title Ms. by students, faculty, and staff at a Midwestern university in the United States using data generated with the written survey used by Donna Lillian (1993) in a similar study in Canada. Findings show that faculty are fairly consistent in their understanding of Ms. as a neutral title to be used for all women and are more likely to choose this title than students and staff. Student responses show a wide range of meanings for Ms., with the meanings 'young' and 'single' being the most common. Female students were far less likely to select Ms. than male students, showing a gender gap in the student data that is not seen in the staff and faculty responses. These data show multiple meanings and patterns of female title use in the United States today, with little evidence pointing toward a decrease in this variation
Impaired behavior on real-world tasks following damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex

Patients with damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortices (VMPC) commonly manifest blatant behavioral navigation defects in the real world, but it has been difficult to measure these impairments in the clinic or laboratory. Using a set of “strategy application” tasks, which were designed by Shallice and Burgess (1991) to be ecologically valid for detecting executive dysfunction, we investigated the hypothesis that VMPC damage would be associated with defective performance on such tasks, whereas damage outside the VMPC region would not. A group of 9 patients with bilateral VMPC damage was contrasted with comparison groups of participants with (a) prefrontal brain damage outside the VMPC region (n = 8); (b) nonprefrontal brain damage (n = 17); and (c) no brain damage (n = 20). We found support for the hypothesis: VMPC patients had more impaired performances on the strategy application tasks, especially on a Multiple Errands Test that required patients to execute a series of unstructured tasks in a real-w...
Model for anomalous self-diffusion in group-IVB transition metals

A model for anomalous diffusion in the bcc phase of group-$\mathrm{IV}B$ transition metals is proposed, based on the identity of structure of the activated complex for diffusion and the basal plane of the low-temperature metastable $\ensuremath{\omega}$ phase. An expression for the diffusion coefficient is derived from a phenomenological free energy of formation of an $\ensuremath{\omega}$ embryo. Excellent agreement is obtained with experimental data for bcc Zr.
Thiamine Deficiency (Beriberi) Induced Polyneuropathy and Cardiomyopathy: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Thiamine, also known as v itamin B1, is an essential nutrient required for all living tissues. It can be found in high concentration inside the heart, kidneys, brain and skeletal muscles. A severe depletion is not commonly seen, except in cases of inadequate nutrition and/or alcoholism. The major manifestation of t hiamine d eficiency involves the nervous (d ry b eriberi, or neuropathy and/or Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome) and cardiovascular (wet b eriberi or c ardiomyopathy) systems. This report details the case of a female patient with severe t hiamine d eficiency secondary to dysphagia caused by radiation injury. She developed debilitating polyneuropathy and cardiomyopathy with decreased ejection fraction. Early recognition and adequate t hiamine replacement led to a full recovery in this case. In addition, we will discuss the potential benefits of t hiamine supplementation in treating c ongestive h eart f ailure. J Med Cases. 2014;5(5):308-311 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc1780w
High-lift airfoil trailing edge separation control using a single dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator

Control of flow separation from the deflected flap of a high-lift airfoil up to Reynolds numbers of 240,000 (15 m/s) is explored using a single dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuator near the flap shoulder. Results show that the plasma discharge can increase or reduce the size of the time-averaged separated region over the flap depending on the frequency of actuation. High-frequency actuation, referred to here as quasi-steady forcing, slightly delays separation while lengthening and flattening the separated region without drastically increasing the measured lift. The actuator is found to be most effective for increasing lift when operated in an unsteady fashion at the natural oscillation frequency of the trailing edge flow field. Results indicate that the primary control mechanism in this configuration is an enhancement of the natural vortex shedding that promotes further momentum transfer between the freestream and separated region. Based on these results, different modulation waveforms for creating unsteady DBD plasma-induced flows are investigated in an effort to improve control authority. Subsequent measurements show that modulation using duty cycles of 50–70% generates stronger velocity perturbations than sinusoidal modulation in quiescent conditions at the expense of an increased power requirement. Investigation of these modulation waveforms for trailing edge separation control similarly shows that additional increases in lift can be obtained. The dependence of these results on the actuator carrier and modulation frequencies is discussed in detail.
Family Instability and Child Well-Being

Past research suggests that children who experience multiple transitions in family structure may face worse developmental outcomes than children raised in stable two-parent families and perhaps even children raised in stable, single-parent families. However, multiple transitions and negative child outcomes may be associated because of common causal factors such as parents' antecedent behaviors and attributes. Using a nationally-representative, two-generation longitudinal survey that includes detailed information on children's behavioral and cognitive development, family history, and mother's attributes prior to the child's birth, we examine these alternative hypotheses. Our results suggest that, for white children, the association between the number of family structure transitions and cognitive outcomes is largely explained by mother's prior characteristics but that the association between the number of transitions and behavioral outcomes may be causal in part. We find no robust effects of number of transitions for black children.
Gust Mitigation of Micro Air Vehicles Using Passive Articulated Wings

Birds and insects naturally use passive flexing of their wings to augment their stability in uncertain aerodynamic environments. In a similar manner, micro air vehicle designers have been investigating using wing articulation to take advantage of this phenomenon. The result is a class of articulated micro air vehicles where artificial passive joints are designed into the lifting surfaces. In order to analyze how passive articulation affects performance of micro air vehicles in gusty environments, an efficient 8 degree-of-freedom model is developed. Experimental validation of the proposed mathematical model was accomplished using flight test data of an articulated micro air vehicle obtained from a high resolution indoor tracking facility. Analytical investigation of the gust alleviation properties of the articulated micro air vehicle model was carried out using simulations with varying crosswind gust magnitudes. Simulations show that passive articulation in micro air vehicles can increase their robustness to gusts within a range of joint compliance. It is also shown that if articulation joints are made too compliant that gust mitigation performance is degraded when compared to a rigid system.
Response of newly established Juniperus ashei and Carex planostachys plants to barrier-induced water restriction in surface soil.

Abstract Plant species in the Edwards Plateau region of central Texas often face drought conditions. Some of these species reduce water stress by rooting into moist bedrock crevices. A dominant woody plant (Juniperus ashei) and co-occurring xeric sedge (Carex planostachys) were greenhouse-grown in growth tubes with or without water-blocking partial barriers in tubes with water added below the barrier (∼70 cm). Soil moisture at various depths was related to growth response (above- and below-ground biomass, root length, and number of root tips) per species. Barrier treatment yielded significantly drier soil than non-barrier. Juniperus plants were significantly smaller with barrier treatment, while Carex showed no significant differences between treatments. The results suggest the sedge is more able than the shrub to increase root production in the upper layers of the soil when faced with access restriction to lower layers. The sedge may resist drought by exploring sub-superficial soil layers. When access to sub-superficial water sources is restricted, the shrub is more affected than the sedge. The plants’ growth in water-restricted surface soil for several months suggests these species may not need deep water to survive. In fact seedling growth may differ in mature plants.
Protein structural ensembles are revealed by redefining X-ray electron density noise

To increase the power of X-ray crystallography to determine not only the structures but also the motions of biomolecules, we developed methods to address two classic crystallographic problems: putting electron density maps on the absolute scale of e−/A3 and calculating the noise at every point in the map. We find that noise varies with position and is often six to eight times lower than thresholds currently used in model building. Analyzing the rescaled electron density maps from 485 representative proteins revealed unmodeled conformations above the estimated noise for 45% of side chains and a previously hidden, low-occupancy inhibitor of HIV capsid protein. Comparing the electron density maps in the free and nucleotide-bound structures of three human protein kinases suggested that substrate binding perturbs distinct intrinsic allosteric networks that link the active site to surfaces that recognize regulatory proteins. These results illustrate general approaches to identify and analyze alternative conformations, low-occupancy small molecules, solvent distributions, communication pathways, and protein motions.
Numerical coupled Hartree–Fock study of the total (electronic and nuclear) parallel polarizability and hyperpolarizability for the FH, H+2, HD+, and D+2 molecules

Polarizabilities and hyperpolarizabilities of molecules have both electronic and vibrational contributions. The latter can be important in experimental determinations involving static electric fields, as in the Kerr effect. This paper reports purely numerical coupled Hartree–Fock calculations for the electronic states of FH. Electronic energy surfaces obtained for different electric field strengths are then used to solve, numerically, the nuclear equation for several vibrational states. The vibrational contributions to βzzz exceed the electronic component and change the sign of the total hyperpolarizability. γzzzz is similarly increased by an order of magnitude. It is also shown that a Born–Oppenheimer treatment of H+2 for γzzzz is in perfect agreement with a recent fully nonadiabatic three particle solution.
Production and cellular localization of functional oligomeric peptides in E. coli: expression of the N. crassa polymetallothionein

Abstract Tandem repeat oligomers of the Neurospora crassa metallothionein peptide were expressed in Escherichia coli and targeted to the periplasm as a fusion to the maltose binding protein. Production of these peptide oligomers in E. coli resulted in enhanced cadmium removal from solutions of cells containing short number of repeats. However, cells containing longer peptide oligomers demonstrated diminished cadmium removal capacity. Cellular distribution of expressed fusion protein revealed that while the majority of the short-tandem oligomers reside within the periplasmic space, cells expressing the longer oligomers harbor these proteins as insoluble inclusion bodies that are not localized properly. Analysis of the purified proteins by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) revealed a ladder of protein bands indicating the possibility of proteolysis or premature translation termination of the repeating peptide oligomers. These results indicate that although metal removal by cells can be enhanced through production of tandem repeats, due to the nature of the repetitive sequences, or other factors, longer oligomers do not properly localize within the periplasmic space, and therefore a diminished rate of metal accumulation is observed by these cells.
Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication Contributes to Hormonal Responsiveness in Osteoblastic Networks

To evaluate whether intercellular coupling via connexin43 gap junction channels modulates hormonal responsiveness of cells in contact, we have created osteoblastic cell lines deficient in connexin43. Osteoblastic ROS 17/2.8 cells were transfected with a plasmid containing an antisense cDNA construct to rat connexin43. Control transfection did not alter cell-to-cell coupling nor connexin43 mRNA or protein expression relative to nontransfected ROS 17/2.8 cells. In contrast, stable transfection with an antisense connexin43 cDNA resulted in two clones, RCx4 and RCx16, which displayed significant decreases in connexin43 mRNA and protein expression and were dramatically deficient in cell-to-cell coupling. Phenotypically, all transfectants retained osteoblastic characteristics. However, cells rendered connexin43-deficient through antisense transfection displayed a dramatic attenuation in the cAMP response to parathyroid hormone. Alterations in hormonal responses were not due to changes in parathyroid hormone receptor number or binding kinetics nor to alterations in adenylyl cyclase activity. These results indicate that gap junctions may be required for mediating hormonal signals. Furthermore, these experiments support a regulatory role for connexin43-mediated intercellular communication in the modulation of hormonal responses within elaborately networked bone cells.
Correlates and Predictors of Black Women’s Physical Activity Afrocentric Insights

The health benefits of physical activity have long been well documented. However, standing at the crossroads of gender, race, and physical inactivity are Black women. Consequently, Black women tend to have higher health maladies than Black males, Caucasian women, and other Women of Color. As such, this investigation sought to examine the behavioral correlates and predictors of a case selection of Black women’s (N = 123) physical activity, noting the impact of race. The analyses revealed that: (a) the women were moderately physically active, (b) their physical activity was positively correlated with their sport media behaviors, and (c) psychological stimulation, educational attainment, and racial identification were positive predictors of their participation in physical activity. A noteworthy contribution of this exploratory investigation was the finding of an operative and influential ‘raced/Black psyche’ and the illumination of the corresponding Afrocentric insights yielded.
The spiral ganglion and cochlear nuclei of deafness mice.

Abstract Deafness mice ( dn dn ) never develop hearing, but, except for the associated physical defects, have no other known abnormalities. For this study, cochleas and brains of five adult homozygotes ( dn dn ) and five adult heterozygotes ( + /dn), matched by weight and sex, were prepared for serial section light microscopy. In the homozygotes, the organ of Corti was totally degenerated basally, gradually improving toward the apex where supporting cells, border cells and pillar cells were present; however, the stria vascularis was dystrophic in the apex. The saccular macula was atrophied or dystrophic in seven of the ten homozygote ears. The homozygotes had only 23% of the number of spiral ganglion cells found in the heterozygotes, but they appeared robust. In six of the ears of each group there was clumping of apical spiral ganglion neurons. In the homozygotes, the volume of Rosenthal's canal was 121%, that of the dorsal nuclei was 90%, and that of the ventral cochlear nuclei was 63% of the comparable volumes in heterozygotes. The globular cells of the homozygote ventral cochlear nucleus were 72% of the size of those of heterozygotes. These quantitative morphological abnormalities of the homozygote spiral ganglion and cochlear nuclei may result from organ of Corti atrophy.
Voltage-gated sodium channels are present on both the neural and capsular structures of Pacinian corpuscles

It has long been accepted that action potentials arising from Pacinian corpuscles (PCs) originate at the first node of Ranvier located within the PC and that the mechanotransduction events (receptor potentials) are formed by stretch-activated channels selectively sensitive predominantly to Na+. Also, it has been shown previously that tetrodotoxin (TTX) affects the receptor potential suggesting that transduction may involve voltage-sensitive Na+ channels. To determine whether voltage-sensitive Na+ channels exist in the membrane thought to be responsible for transduction, immunocytochemical studies were performed using polyclonal antibodies raised in rabbit against the alpha subunit of rat type I and type II voltage-gated sodium channels. The results show the presence of label on the neurite and axolemma, as well as in the node regions. Interestingly, labeling is also found on the inner and outer lamellae that form the non-neural accessory structure surrounding the neurite. The presence of this label in the surrounding lamellae suggests that voltage-sensitive Na+ channels, that are involved in both transduction and action-potential generation, may be made available to the neurite via transport from the lamellae, a mechanism perhaps operating in parallel to axoplasmic transport.
Development of the klystron tube

ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS have wanted to use higher frequency signals for a number of reasons. Since the ordinary vacuum tiiode could not fulfill their needs without introducing unconquerable problems, these men sought other means of amplifying, oscillating, and multiplying their high frequency signals. Out of this search came the idea of velocity-modulated tubes, of which the klystron is an important type.
CML delay cell with extended tuning range

A method is presented to extend the tuning range of current-mode logic based delay cells applied in a ring oscillator. Switching-point-optimised inverters are used to implement a feed-forward control of the delay cell's output common‐mode voltage that compensates for the non-ideal frequency tuning characteristic.
Quantifying light exposure patterns in young adult students.

Exposure to bright light appears to be protective against myopia in both animals (chicks, monkeys) and children, but quantitative data on human light exposure are limited. In this study, we report on a technique for quantifying light exposure using wearable sensors. Twenty-seven young adult subjects wore a light sensor continuously for two weeks during one of three seasons, and also completed questionnaires about their visual activities. Light data were analyzed with respect to refractive error and season, and the objective sensor data were compared with subjects’ estimates of time spent indoors and outdoors. Subjects’ estimates of time spent indoors and outdoors were in poor agreement with durations reported by the sensor data. The results of questionnaire-based studies of light exposure should thus be interpreted with caution. The role of light in refractive error development should be investigated using multiple methods such as sensors to complement questionnaires.
Effect of Adjuvants on Tackiness of Polyvinylpyrrolidone Film Coating

Two formulations were developed using polyvinylpyrrolidone for the film coating of tablets by the pan-coating method. The addition of ethylcellulose and shellac eliminated the tackiness sometimes associated with polyvinylpyrrolidone coating due to the hygroscopicity of the film former. The film coats increased the resistance of the tablet to mechanical stress, did not significantly increase the weight of the tablet, and were physically acceptable after storage at 2 and 45°. The film coats did not interfere with the disintegration and dissolution of the tablet since the film coats were rapidly removed from the tablet in water, simulated gastric fluid, and simulated intestinal fluid.
Evaluation of tubing losses during field sampling for hydrogen halide gases

In field sampling for halogen acid gases, various types of tubing are used to transport the air sample from the source to the monitoring instrument or sampling container. During this process, losses of the analyte can occur through interaction with the component material of the tubing or sampling container. The purpose of this study was to investigate this interaction between hydrogen halide gases and various types of common laboratory tubing. A 20-ft length of tubing was placed between an acid gas diluter and the inlet port of a real-time gas analyzer. Electronic flow controllers provided a fixed concentration and flow rate. The acid gas was diluted with nitrogen. The concentration of and the time required for the gas to flow through the tubing was followed with a real-time halogen acid gas analyzer that was interfaced with a computer. By comparing the response characteristics with a calculated theoretical zero interaction, the amount of interaction can be estimated. The gases hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, and hydrogen iodide were each studied with 24-26 types of common laboratory tubing. The best choices for use with any of the hydrogen halides would be either Norprene or any of the three Teflons .
Effect of Intestinal Contents on Uptake of Radio-iron by Everted Rat Gut Sacs.∗:

SummaryOur observations suggest that there is a factor in the intestinal contents of feeding rats not present in fasting rats, which potentiates the uptake of Ferrous59 by everted gut sacs. This factor can be destroyed by heat. There is also a factor in fasting gastric juice other than acid which has a similar effect.
Appropriate management of axial spondyloarthritis.

The management of axial spondyloarthritis includes a structured baseline assessment of the disease and follow-up of treatment efficacy using validated instruments. The treatment will depend on the severity and predominant manifestations of the disease. The cornerstone of management remains physical therapy and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs such as sulfasalazine have shown efficacy only in treating peripheral arthritis, whereas thalidomide and pamidronate have shown some efficacy in treating axial inflammation. Antitumor necrosis factor-α agents are an efficacious option for treating signs and symptoms of axial disease, peripheral arthritis, and enthesitis, and for improving functional outcomes. They have not shown efficacy in reducing radiographic progression in axial disease. Recent evidence suggests that the new bone formation in ankylosing spondylitis may be due to upregulation of Wnt signaling in the osteoblastic pathway secondary to low serum DKK-1 levels, which are further suppressed by tumor necrosis factor inhibitor therapy.
Antisocial personality in the biological relatives of schizophrenics

Abstract Psychiatric morbidity in the relatives of schizophrenics has been the focus of many papers, with antisocial personality, or sociopathy, the focus of several studies. 1–3 A diagnosis of antisocial personality in the relatives of schizophrenics has been noted by many researchers, with probably the highest rates reported by Kallman with 17% 4 and Heston with 19%. 5 However, other researchers have found no difference in antisocial personality or sociopathy between schizophrenic and control samples. 6,7 Those who find an excess of antisocial personality in the relatives of schizophrenics offer a variety of explanations for the higher rates. One explanation is that antisocial personality is actually part of the schizophrenia spectrum. 4,5,8 Another explanation, given the evidence that antisocial personality is a distinct genetic disorder, 9,10 is that the high figures noted may be due to assortative mating, that is the tendency of schizophrenics to mate with sociopaths. 3,11 On the other hand, it has been suggested that sampling bias 12 such as the use of adoption samples and out of wedlock conception, both of which are weighted toward lower class and associated with antisocial personality, could be an explanation of the results obtained. Finally, methodological techniques, such as very broad diagnostic categories for schizophrenic relatives, have also been used to explain the rates obtained. 13 To explore the issues mentioned above, this article examines the prevalence of antisocial personality in the biological relatives of adopted schizophrenics as contrasted to biological relatives of a control group. Of particular importance is the fact that several sources of information are used to make a diagnosis, and research diagnostic criteria based on validated diagnostic criteria 14 are used to make the diagnosis of antisocial personality.
IUGR Alters Postnatal Rat Skeletal Muscle Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Coactivator-1 Gene Expression in a Fiber Specific Manner

Uteroplacental insufficiency and subsequent intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) increase the risk of insulin resistance in humans and rats. Aberrant skeletal muscle lipid metabolism contributes to the pathogenesis of insulin resistance. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma co-activator-1 (PGC-1) is a transcriptional co-activator that affects gene expression of key lipid metabolizing enzymes such as carnitine palmitoyl-transferase I (mCPTI). Because gene expression of lipid metabolizing enzymes is altered in IUGR postnatal skeletal muscle, and we hypothesized that PGC-1 expression would be similarly affected. To prove this hypothesis, bilateral uterine artery ligation and sham surgery were used to produce IUGR and control rats respectively. Western Blotting demonstrated that PGC-1 hind limb skeletal muscle protein levels were increased in perinatal and postnatal IUGR rats. Conventional RT-PCR demonstrated that PGC-1 mRNA levels were similarly increased in perinatal hind limb skeletal muscle and juvenile extensor digitorum longus (EDL), but were decreased in juvenile soleus. Because a gender specific trend was noted in PGC-1 mRNA levels, real time RT-PCR was used for further differentiation. Real time RT-PCR revealed that changes in postnatal skeletal muscle PGC-1 expression were more marked in male IUGR rats versus female IUGR rats. Down stream targets of PGC-1 followed a similar pattern of expression. We conclude that PGC-1 expression is altered in rat IUGR skeletal muscle and speculate that it contributes to the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in the IUGR rat.
I fall to musing

This is a narrative of the author reading—with his students in a remedial English class at a community college in Brooklyn, New York—a story by Leo Tolstoy about a shoemaker's awakening through reading. As it recounts the students' reactions and the instructor's remarks, it quotes the story ‘Where Love Is, There God Is Also’ piece by piece. For the instructor, Tolstoy's story is problematic, for the story is patently religious (and his students are widely divergent in their beliefs, he is an atheist and the college is emphatically and legally secular), and yet its deeper significance, he hopes, is that it dramatises the deep thinking and feeling that only reading seems able to provide.
Resistance of Kansas Sclerotinia homoeocarpa Isolates to Thiophanate-Methyl and Determination of Associated β-Tubulin Mutation

Ostrander, J. C., Todd, R. B., and Kennelly, M. M. 2014. Resistance of Kansas Sclerotinia homoeocarpa isolates to thiophanate-methyl and determination of associated β-tubulin mutation. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-RS-13-0120. Eighty-two isolates of Sclerotinia homoeocarpa from 12 sites in Kansas were evaluated for in vitro sensitivity to the methyl benzimidazole carbamate (MBC) fungicide thiophanate-methyl at the discriminatory dose of 10 µg/ml. Seventeen isolates were sensitive to thiophanate-methyl and the remaining isolates were resistant. Of the 65 isolates from golf course putting greens, two isolates were sensitive and the remaining 63 isolates were resistant. Six resistant and five sensitive isolates were also evaluated in greenhouse assays on fungicide-treated plants. The isolates that were sensitive to thiophanate-methyl in vitro did not cause any disease on thiophanate-methyl-treated plants, and those that were resistant in vitro caused blighting on treated plants equivalent to the nontreated controls. The entire β-tubulin gene was sequenced for four resistant and four sensitive isolates. The resistant isolates all harbored a substitution of alanine for glutamic acid at codon 198 (E198A). These results provide a starting point for further surveys and monitoring of fungicide sensitivity.
How good is good agreement: Evaluating the reliability of quantum‐mechanically calculated observables

The practical value of a wave function derives from its ability to estimate or predict the chemical and physical properties of the electronic structure which it describes. Reliability is defined as a property to be evaluated on the basis of (i) the magnitude of the difference between the measured and calculated values of the observable together with (ii) the sign of the difference, (ii) the number and nature of observables correctly estimated, and (iv) the number and type of electronic structures that are correctly estimated. Systematic statistical comparison implies the existence of both internally consistent sets of wave functions for homologous series of molecules and their corresponding experimental values together with reliable error estimates. The most complete data base currently available for comparison is the spectroscopic constants for the first and second row diatomic hydrides. Utilizing appropriate statistical comparison techniques, four approximations (CEPA, PNO-CI, GTO-SCF, and STO-SCF) are compared among themselves and against experimentally measured values. The CEPA approximation yields differences from experiment that approximate a normal error distribution, while the other approximations show systematic departures from experiment. Two values, ωe and ωeχe, for SH exhibit differences large enough to cast doubt upon the calculated value, the experimental value, or both.
Leaf-Eating Lepidoptera in North American Vineyards

Leaf eating Lepidoptera commonly found in North American vineyards include four species. Two of these, the grape leaffolder, Desmia funeralis (Hbner) (Pyralidae) and the western grape leaf skeletonizer, Harrisina brillians Barnes McDunnough (Zygaenidae), are considered major pests. A fifth species, the omnivorous leafroller Platynota stultana Walsingham (Tortricidae), can be found webbing leaves but primary damage is through direct feeding on flowers and berries that results in secondary infection of bunch rot organisms. Damage to leaves by this insect is of no economic importance. Omnivorous leafroller is a major grape pest of western United States. Less common defoliating lepidopterans include the Achemon sphinx moth, Eumorpha achemon (Drury) (Sphingidae) and the whitelined sphinx, Hyles lineata (F.) (Sphingidae).
Investigating thermal hydraulic quenchback in a cable-in-conduit superconductor

Quench propagation of a cable-in-conduit force-cooled superconductor plays a very important role in the protection of a magnet built with such a conductor as in a superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) system. Some thermal analysis showed that the compressional and frictional heating exerted by the expanding hot helium could heat the helium away from the normal zone above the superconductor current sharing temperature. Thus, an acceleration of the quench propagation could be realized. This phenomenon is called thermal hydraulic quenchback (THQ). A setup was built specifically to investigate this phenomenon. The test sample consists of a 50 m long NbTi superconducting cable enclosed in a stainless steel conduit. Heaters 0.2 to 8 m long are provided to quench the conductor. The authors report experimental finding of THQ and its dependence on the initial normal zone length, the conductor current, the magnetic field, and the coolant temperature. >
Trends in the Utilization and Outcomes of Medicare Patients Hospitalized for Hip Fracture, 2000-2008

Objective: This study examines temporal trends in hip fracture related utilization and outcomes among elderly fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries. Method: The study uses claims data for a 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries with an incident hip fracture hospitalization between 2000 and 2008. We present annual mean patient characteristics, health services utilization, and outcomes and use ordinary least squares regressions to examine adjusted trends in utilization and outcomes after controlling for changes in patient characteristics. Results: We observe a statistically significant temporal decline in inpatient acute days and a statistically significant increase in inpatient post-acute days following hip fractures. In models that control for patient characteristics, we observe statistically significant declines in 1-year hip fracture readmission and mortality rates. Rates of nursing home residence 1-year following fracture were unchanged and remain high. Discussion: Hip fractures remain highly debilitati...
Adaptive Wiener Filter Super-Resolution of Color Filter Array Images

Digital color cameras using a single detector array with a Bayer color filter array (CFA) require interpolation or demosaicing to estimate missing color information and provide full-color images. However, demosaicing does not specifically address fundamental undersampling and aliasing inherent in typical camera designs. Fast non-uniform interpolation based super-resolution (SR) is an attractive approach to reduce or eliminate aliasing and its relatively low computational load is amenable to real-time applications. The adaptive Wiener filter (AWF) SR algorithm was initially developed for grayscale imaging and has not previously been applied to color SR demosaicing. Here, we develop a novel fast SR method for CFA cameras that is based on the AWF SR algorithm and uses global channel-to-channel statistical models. We apply this new method as a stand-alone algorithm and also as an initialization image for a variational SR algorithm. This paper presents the theoretical development of the color AWF SR approach and applies it in performance comparisons to other SR techniques for both simulated and real data.
A synchronous coherent OFDM air interface concept for high data rate cellular systems

This paper continues the investigation of a new air interface concept for future OFDM-based cellular systems called synchronous coherent orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (SC-OFDM). SC-OFDM is based on combination of synchronized cells, orthogonal pilot codes, and a cyclic extension which is large enough to absorb both delay spread and intercell propagation delay. The primary advantages of SC-OFDM are that it mitigates the effect of co-channel interference on desired signal channel estimates and facilitates the direct measurement of the channel response of individual co-channel interfering signals. These measurements provide channel state information and enable the use of interference-mitigating detection techniques such as MMSE diversity combining or joint-detection. The performance of an SC-OFDM downlink air interface is evaluated with computer simulations.
Roentgenographic service for the gagging patient.

Abstract The patient who has an accentuated gag reflex, for whatever reason, can pose a severe problem in the dental office when roentgenographic service is necessary. There is no substitute for experience and ingenuity in dealing with problems which the patient may present. However, several procedures have been presented, varying from the simple to the more elaborate, which alone or in combination, may help overcome the gag reflex. Since in many cases the patient's problem is psychologic rather than physical, the ultimate method of treatment may be through hypnosis.
Anchor modification for a foot-hold snare to capture American black bears

Abstract During 1995–2006 research projects in Florida and Kentucky, USA, we captured 191 (72 F∶119 M) American black bears (Ursus americanus) 251 times using modified Aldrich spring-activated snares. In our modification, the swivel at the base of the foot loop was attached to 2 cables that ran in opposite directions and were anchored to trees. Shortening the free cable to only the foot loop limited the area in which the captured animal could move and provided more options for snare placement. This smaller area reduced the distance that a captured bear could run when attempting to charge or flee, which made immobilization easier. This modification also prevented the bear from climbing or reaching the anchor trees. Using this modification also increased available trap sites by allowing use of trees that would have been inadequate as a single anchor because of low branches, forked or leaning trunks, proximity to hazards, or small size. We believe this alternative anchor method is an improvement, particularl...
Finite impulse response estimator (FIRE)

FIRE is an optimal filter structure combining a deterministic digital filter and a stochastic filter. A model of the system is described by a stale equation and the output of the system is modeled by an FIR filter. This integrated structure has demonstrated the capability of processing signals contaminated by deterministic band-limited harmonic noises as well as random Gaussian noises. This article shows the derivation of FIRE and provides the simulation results for its tracking application. >
Lossless compression of waveform data for efficient storage and transmission

A two-stage technique for lossless waveform data compression is described. The first stage is a modified form of linear prediction with discrete coefficients, and the second stage is bilevel sequence coding. The linear predictor generates an error or residue sequence in a way such that exact reconstruction of the original data sequence can be accomplished with a simple algorithm. The residue sequence is essentially white Gaussian with seismic or other similar waveform data. Bilevel sequence coding, in which two sample sizes are chosen and the residue sequence is encoded into subsequences that alternate from one level to the other, further compresses the residue sequence. The algorithm is lossless, allowing exact, bit-for-bit recovery of the original data sequence. The performance of the algorithm at each stage is analyzed. Applications of the two-stage technique to typical seismic data indicates that an average number of compressed bits per sample close to the lower bound is achievable in practical situations. >
Simultaneous Recovery of RNA and DNA from Soils and Sediments

Recovery of mRNA from environmental samples for measurement of in situ metabolic activities is a significant challenge. A robust, simple, rapid, and effective method was developed for simultaneous recovery of both RNA and DNA from soils of diverse composition by adapting our previous grinding-based cell lysis method (Zhou et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 62:316–322, 1996) for DNA extraction. One of the key differences is that the samples are ground in a denaturing solution at a temperature below 0°C to inactivate nuclease activity. Two different methods were evaluated for separating RNA from DNA. Among the methods examined for RNA purification, anion exchange resin gave the best results in terms of RNA integrity, yield, and purity. With the optimized protocol, intact RNA and high-molecular-weight DNA were simultaneously recovered from 19 soil and stream sediment samples of diverse composition. The RNA yield from these samples ranged from 1.4 to 56 μg g of soil−1 dry weight), whereas the DNA yield ranged from 23 to 435 μg g−1. In addition, studies with the same soil sample showed that the DNA yield was, on average, 40% higher than that in our previous procedure and 68% higher than that in a commercial bead milling method. For the majority of the samples, the DNA and RNA recovered were of sufficient purity for nuclease digestion, microarray hybridization, and PCR or reverse transcription-PCR amplification.
Pathways to change: Use trajectories following trauma-informed treatment of women with co-occurring post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders

Introduction and Aims Despite advances towards integration of care for women with co-occurring substance use disorder (SUD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), low abstinence rates following SUD/PTSD treatment remain the norm. The utility of investigating distinct substance use trajectories is a critical innovation in the detection and refining of effective interventions for this clinical population. Design and Methods The present study reanalysed data from the largest randomised clinical trial to date for co-occurring SUD and PTSD in women (National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network; Women and Trauma Study). Randomised participants (n = 353) received one of two interventions in addition to treatment as usual for SUD: (i) trauma-informed integrative treatment for PTSD/SUD; or (ii) an active control psychoeducation course on women's health. The present study utilised latent growth mixture models (LGMM) with multiple groups to estimate women's substance use patterns during the 12-month follow-up period. Results Findings provided support for three different trajectories of substance use in the post-treatment year: (i) consistently low likelihood and use frequency; (ii) consistently high likelihood and use frequency; and (iii) high likelihood and moderate use frequency. Covariate analyses revealed improvement in PTSD severity was associated with membership in a specific substance use trajectory, although receiving trauma-informed treatment was not. Additionally, SUD severity, age and after-care efforts were shown to be related to trajectory membership. Discussion and Conclusions Findings highlight the necessity of accounting for heterogeneity in post-treatment substance use, relevance of trauma-informed care in SUD recovery and benefits of incorporating methodologies like LGMM when evaluating SUD treatment outcomes. [Lopez-Castro T, Hu M-C, Papini S, Ruglass LM, Hien DA. Pathways to change: Use trajectories following trauma-informed treatment of women with co-occurring post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015]
A tick-borne illness unmasking asymptomatic Brugada syndrome

Brugada syndrome is an important cause of sudden cardiac death and should be recognized in asymptomatic patients with characteristic electrocardiographic (ECG) findings. We report a case of a 59-year-old male who presented with fever and generalized malaise after a camping trip with confirmed tick exposure. Initial diagnostic work-up included an ECG, which showed incidental ST-segment elevation in the right precordial leads consistent with a type 1 ECG pattern seen in Brugada syndrome. He was diagnosed with fever-induced Brugada syndrome and treated with doxycycline and antipyretics. The type 1 ECG pattern resolved a few hours later with a resultant right bundle branch block. Implantable cardioverter–defibrillator implantation was not indicated after risk stratification. The case highlightsthe importance of considering Brugada syndrome in patients with characteristic ECG changes in the setting of fever, and reviews the latest criteria for diagnosis, management and risk stratification of this fatal condition.
Rough interfaces in THz quantum cascade lasers

The impact of interface roughness scattering on the device performance of state-of-the-art THz quantum cascade lasers is theoretically analyzed using the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism. It is shown that for a particular direct transition QCL design style rough interfaces hardly change the electronic energy spectrum, but dramatically reduce the occupation inversion and the optical gain. A spatial separation leading to a diagonal transition laser, leads in contrast to a limited sensitivity to interface roughness. Diagonal transition QCL designs result in a better device performance and an improved reliability with respect to interface roughness induced by growth quality variations.
The Effects of Pharmacological and Lentivirus-Induced Immune Suppression on Orbivirus Pathogenesis: Assessment of Virus Burden in Blood Monocytes and Tissues by Reverse Transcription-In Situ PCR

We investigated the effects of pharmacological and lentivirus-induced immunosuppression on bluetongue virus (BTV) pathogenesis as a mechanism for virus persistence and induction of clinical disease. Immunologically normal and immunosuppressed sheep were infected subcutaneously with BTV serotype 3 (BTV-3), a foreign isolate with unknown pathogenicity in North American livestock, and with North American serotype 11 (BTV-11). Erythrocyte-associated BTV RNA was detected earlier and at greater concentrations in sheep treated with immunosuppressive drugs. Similarly, viral RNA and infectious virus were detected in blood monocytes earlier and at higher frequency in immunosuppressed animals: as many as 1 in 970 monocytes revealed BTV RNA at peak viremia, compared to <1 in 105 monocytes from immunocompetent sheep. Animals infected with BTV-3 had a higher virus burden in monocytes and lesions of greater severity than those infected with BTV-11. BTV RNA was detected by in situ hybridization in vascular endothelial cells and cells of monocyte lineage, but only in tissues from immunocompromised animals, and was most abundant in animals infected with BTV-3. In contrast, reverse transcription-in situ PCR showed BTV RNA from both viral serotypes in high numbers of tissue leukocytes and vascular endothelial cells from both immunosuppressed and, to a lesser extent, immunocompetent animals. Collectively, these findings show that BTV infection is widely distributed during acute infection but replication is highly restricted in animals with normal immunity. These findings also suggest that in addition to virulence factors that define viral serotypes, immunosuppression could play a role in the natural history of orbivirus infection, allowing for higher virus burden, increased virus persistence, and greater potential for acquisition of virus by the arthropod vector.
High-speed liquid chromatographic determination of procaine in pharmaceuticals.

Abstract The operating conditions for a quantitative method of determining procaine in pharmaceutical preparations by highspeed liquid chromatography are described. The presence of decomposition products and the possible interference of other ingredients usually present in pharmaceutical preparations were found to have no effect. The method, because of its simplicity, is highly suited for routine analysis of pharmaceutical preparations containing procaine.