cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of depressive symptoms with bone mineral density in older men: a population‐based study

Objective Thirty percent of hip fractures occur in men; nevertheless, the determinants of osteoporosis in men are unclear. Methods We assessed the association of ultrasound-derived bone mineral density (UD-BMD) with depressive symptoms in a population-based study. We assessed the association of 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score with the ultrasound-derived T-score, Z-score, and Stiffness index in all 306 subjects aged 75 + living in Tuscania (Italy). Results In multivariable linear regression analysis, GDS was associated among men with the ultrasound-derived T-score (β = −0.09; 95% CI = −0.15 to −0.03; p = 0.003), Z-score (β = −0.07; 95% CI = −0.13 to −0.01; p = 0.032), and the Stiffness index (β = −0.90; 95% CI = −1.64 to −0.16; p = 0.018) after adjusting for potential confounders. No significant associations were observed in women. In linear discriminant analysis, the GDS score cutoff that best predicted osteoporosis was ≥19. Participants with mild to severe depressive symptoms had threefold increased probability of having an ultrasound-derived T-score < −2.5. Conclusions Depressive symptoms are independently associated with all UD-BMD parameters. As depression is a common feature among older populations, and because subjects with depression are infrequent users of preventive services, older men with depression should be prompted to undergo screening for osteoporosis. Conversely, assessment for depression should be performed in older men with diagnosis of osteoporosis. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A General Formulation for Admittance of an Open-Ended Rectangular Waveguide Radiating into Stratified Dielectrics

A general approach is presented for calculating the aperture admittance of a rectangular waveguide radiating into layered dielectric media. The two specific geometries of stratified, lossy dielectric media that are addressed terminate into either an infinite half-space or a perfectly conducting surface. The geometries describe two prevalent categories of layered dielectric composites and coatings that often are encountered in practical microwave nondestructive evaluation applications. Solutions are found initially by constructing a complete set of field components and subsequently enforcing the continuity of power flow across the aperture interface of the waveguide. Final results are presented as a superposition of transverse electric and magnetic components of the aperture admittance. The solutions presented allow the systematic calculation of admittance in the presence of arbitrary multilayer media, which in turn may be related to experimentaly measurable quantities of interest. With the practical assumption of dominant mode incidence on the aperture, the final expressions may be implemented without intense computational power, which often is desirable in practice where inaccuracies due to random errors and instrumentation sensitivity render incorporation of more rigorous solutions inefficient. Numerically simulated data also are presented to verify and interpret the results.
Biassed secondary electron imaging in a UHV-STEM

Abstract A new dedicated ultra-high-vacuum scanning transmission electron microscope (UHV-STEM) has been developed for the NSF HREM facility at Arizona State University, in conjunction with VG Microscopes Ltd. This instrument is fitted with a specimen preparation chamber in which vacua of better than 5x10-10 mbar can be routinely achieved; the pressure inside the column is better than 10-10 mbar. The initial performance in various imaging modes is reported. Several techniques have been incorporated to obtain information from surfaces. Here we demonstrate the usefulness of biassed secondary electron imaging from both sides of thin transmission samples. In conjunction with conventional STEM imaging and analysis techniques, these methods can be used to correlate surface and subsurface information on samples with complex surface topography. Examples typical of catalytic and semiconductor applications are given.
Improving energy supply to late gestation and early postpartum dairy cows.

Abstract Sixty-five multiparous Holstein cows were used to test the effects of feeding diets of varied ruminal carbohydrate availability during the transition period on dry matter intake, blood metabolites, and lactational performance. Cows received total mixed rations containing either cracked corn or steam-flaked corn beginning 28 d prior to expected calving date. At parturition, cows were assigned to a postpartum total mixed ration that contained either cracked corn or steam-flaked corn. Diets were fed until 63 d in milk. No treatment effects on prepartum or postpartum dry matter intake, body weight, and body condition score were observed. Cows fed steam-flaked corn had lower blood urea N concentrations during the prepartum period and lower plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentrations during the prepartum and postpartum periods. Cows fed steam-flaked corn postpartum produced 2.3kg/d more milk than cows fed cracked corn during the first 63 d in milk. Fat corrected milk showed no treatment effect. Seven cows were used to evaluate treatment effects on ruminal fermentation and digesta kinetics. Prepartum and postpartum treatments had minimal effects on ruminal fermentation. Feeding steam-flaked corn prepartum decreased apparent fiber digestibility and ruminal NH 3 N. Feeding steam-flaked corn postpartum decreased the acetate to propionate ratio. Prepartum and postpartum treatments did not affect digesta kinetics. An increase in ruminal carbohydrate availability during the postpartum period enhanced milk production, but had variable results on ruminal fermentation.
The promise of myocardial fibrosis assessment by T1 mapping.

Two intertwined needs have promoted the development of T1 mapping in cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) during the past decade. The first need relates to the desire for greater spatial granularity as investigators venture outside the infarct- and scar-sizing paradigm to probe the regional
A satellite data transmission antenna

A retrodirective satellite antenna for a broad bandwidth, satellite-to-ground data transmission link, is described. An information-collecting satellite which transmits its data in the direction of the ground receiver upon command, is considered. The satellite antenna described for this system is an active retrodirective antenna which utilizes the beam-forming characteristics of a phasing matrix. A signal from the ground station is received on a particular beam port of the matrix which corresponds to a particular beam-pointing direction. Control circuitry in the satellite activates a switching matrix and a transmitter so that the data-carrying signal is transmitted in the same direction from which the satellite is interrogated. Other retrodirective techniques in addition to the phasing-matrix antenna are evaluated in terms of their relative merit. The systems considered include the active Van Atta array, the automatic three-dimensional electronic scanning, antenna (ATHESA), the Luneberg lens and various other antenna array techniques.
Treating substance abuse in the context of severe and persistent mental illness: Clinicians' perspectives

Patients with comorbid substance use and major mental disorders are treated frequently in the mental health system. Treatment models relevant for this subset of patients have emerged in recent years, however, few have been validated empirically and so relatively few sites benefit from this treatment development activity. Important additional sources of information about good treatment practices are the clinicians who have adopted the treatment of patients with dual disorders as a specialty. We conducted four focus groups (N = 12) with clinicians who were nominated by their peers as experienced and/or expert in treating persons with comorbid substance use and psychiatric disorders. Discussions followed a four-part outline that included (a) general questions about training and experience with the population, (b) preferred treatment methods, (c) motivational issues, and (d) recommendations to the field. Participants were trained in a variety of mental health disciplines and pursued substance abuse treatment credentials or other educational experiences outside of their primary training programs. Their treatment approaches emphasized psychoeducation, a good therapeutic relationship, and the need to be flexible regarding methods and goals. Abstinence was the preferred goal among most clinicians; even so, they expressed a pragmatic flexibility and other views consistent with the principles of harm reduction. Clinicians tended to respond to patients' ambivalent motivational states by addressing the consequences of behaviors in a nonconfrontive style; they also made use of positive incentives and external support. A number of recommendations were made to improve treatment, including greater institutional and programmatic support for the unique needs of this population.
Gender differences in freshman engineering students' identification with engineering

Despite a significant increase in efforts to recruit and retain more engineering students through initiatives such as learning communities, mentoring, and pre-college programs, the decline in engineering enrollment continues. Recent research and some of our previous work suggest that students' identification with engineering plays a critical role in their decision to pursue engineering and to persist. Herein, we present findings from a survey that was developed and piloted to freshman engineering students (N=45) to provide us insight into the development of an engineer identity. Survey items, primarily comprised of open-ended questions, were developed based on our prior interview data and analysis aimed at understanding factors pertinent to students identifying with engineering. We present comparative analyses of male and female responses of freshmen engineering students. Our findings suggest that there are significant gender differences in how freshman students identify with engineering and with becoming an engineer. The findings of this study have key implications for improving recruitment and retention.
Using Web technologies for implementing testing strategies.

Web technologies will play an increasingly important role in connecting the clinician to the laboratory in both the ambulatory care and hospital settings, so it is timely to incorporate their consideration into any discussion focused on clinical laboratory testing strategies. Web technologies can help activate a testing strategy and make its application more likely by disseminating information about the strategy and, more importantly, by facilitating and reinforcing clinician intent to use the strategy. Web-mediated approaches to test strategy facilitation include access to electronic laboratory handbooks and other pertinent knowledge resources, enhanced order forms, abstracted test order subsets, workflow integration, alerts and reminders, automated policy-driven ordering, and reports augmented with interpretive knowledge. The rapid evolution of the use of Web technology in the clinical laboratory presents interesting challenges to laboratory leaders.
Factors Affecting Heat Inactivation and Partial Reactivation of Peroxidase Purified by Ion‐Exchange Chromatographya,b

SUMMARY Diethylaminoethyl-cellulose (DEAE) was used in an ion-exchange chromatographic fractionation of commercially prepared horse-radish peroxidase. One major fraction was separated from other minor fractions and used for heat inactivation and reactivation work. Heat inactivation was carried out at 250–300° F, with most of the inactivation work at 280° F. Peroxidase activity was assayed in measuring the rate of utilization of hydrogen peroxide in the formation of tetraguaiacol from guaiacol. The concentration of tetraguaiacol was measured with a recording spectrophotometer. The ionic strength of the buffer solution in which the peroxidase was heated had an effect on its inactivation. Within limits, the higher the ionic strength the greater the heat inactivation of the enzyme. Activity was maximum at pH 7. Purified peroxidase heated 30 set at 280° F and stored 24 hr at 72° F, with the heat treatment and storage time repeated three times, decreased in activity as a first-order reaction. The storage temperature of heat-inactivated peroxidase affected the rate and degree of reactivation.
Measurements of lifetimes of radioactive sources

Abstract The measurement of the intensity of gamma rays as a function of time is used to determine decay times and branching ratios of some radioactive sources. The half-lives of Cl 38 , K 42 and Na 24 were measured to be 37.12 ± 0.18 min, 12.47 ± 0.07 h and 15.05 ± 0.05 h, respectively. In the decay of Cl 38 , the β branch to the 2.1-MeV state in A 38 has 0.31 ± 0.07 times the intensity of the branch to the 3.7-MeV level.
Promoting colorectal cancer screening through group education in community-based settings

National colonoscopy adherence rates near 65 % and New York City (NYC) colonoscopy rates approach 69 %. Despite an overall increase in national colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates, rates of CRC screening among Blacks and Latinos are lower than non-Latino Whites. We developed two group level, culturally targeted educational programs about CRC for Blacks and Latinos. One hour programs included education about screening, peer testimony given by a colonoscopy-adherent person, and pre- and post-knowledge assessment. From 2010 to 2012, we conducted 66 education programs in NYC, reaching 1,065 participants, 62.7 % of whom were 50 years of age or older identified as Black or Latino and provided information about colonoscopy history (N = 668). Colonoscopy adherence in the sample was 69.3 %. There was a significant increase in mean knowledge score about CRC and CRC screening from pretest to posttest. Sixty-eight percent of attendees without prior colonoscopy reported intent to schedule a colonoscopy as a result of attending the program. Culturally targeted education programs with peer testimony are a valuable way to raise awareness about CRC and colonoscopy and can influence intent to screen among nonadherent persons. Additional research is needed to establish group level education as an effective means of promoting CRC screening.
Spectropolarimetric Properties of a Gallium Nanoparticle Layer on a Sapphire Substrate

Gallium nanoparticles (Ga NPs) are currently the subject of vigorous research as possible substrates in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) experiments in the ultraviolet spectral domain. Verification of any comprehensive model of the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with Ga NPs requires that complete polarimetric measurements be made. These spectropolarimetric properties can be obtained using a Mueller matrix spectropolarimeter (MMSP). The position of localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) and spectral depolarization data of Ga NPs in the 300 to 1100 nm spectral region are presented. Spectral depolarization data may be of value in creating a better understanding of how light couples to individual nanoparticles, as well as the role played by interparticle coupling and the connection to phenomena such as SERS.
Oral contraceptives and systemic lupus erythematosus.

PIP: The discontinuation of oral contraceptive use at the time of diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been the usual practice in patients enrolled in the Hopkins Lupus Cohort. The evidence in the literature of a deleterious effect of combined oral contraceptives upon the activity of SLE or on thromboembolism (TE) in SLE is reviewed together with an examination of the potential beneficial effects of oral contraceptives, including better contraception, the control of cyclic SLE disease activity, prevention of osteoporosis, and the preservation of fertility during cyclophosphamide treatment. It is argued that while SLE is a hormonally-driven disease, multiple hormones, and not just estrogen, play a role. Estrogen use as both combined oral contraceptives and for hormone replacement therapy has not been systematically studied, so no quantification of risk and no identification of high-risk groups can be made.
Colour is what the eye sees best

It has been argued by Watson, Barlow and Robson that the visual stimulus that humans detect best specifies the spatial-temporal structure of the receptive field of the most sensitive visual neurons. To investigate 'what the eye sees best' they used stimuli that varied in luminance alone. Because the most abundant primate retinal ganglion cells, the P cells, are colour-opponent, we might expect that a coloured pattern would also be detected well. We generalized Watson et al.'s study to include variations in colour as well as luminance. We report here that our best detected coloured stimulus was seen 5-9-fold better than our best luminance spot and 3-8-fold better than Watson's best luminance stimulus. The high sensitivity to colour is consistent with the prevalence and high colour contrast-gain of retinal P cells, and may compensate for the low chromatic contrasts typically found in natural scenes.
The action of aldosterone on sodium transport: further studies with inhibitors of RNA and protein synthesis.

In the isolated toad bladder, addition of actinomycin D to the medium, either IS, 30 or 60 min after aldosterone attenuated the response to the hormone but did not alter the duration of the latent period. The initial rate of rise in Na+ transport and the magnitude of the peak varied with the time of exposure to aldosterone without inhibitor. The peak of the response was attained ISO min after addition of aldosterone regardless of the time of introduction of actinomycin D. Addition of cycloheximide 15 min before aldosterone and removal of the inhibitor 60 min after aldosterone had little effect on the timecourse or magnitude of the increase in Na+ transport. Addition of cycloheximide 90 min after aldosterone arrested the increase in Na+ transport; removal of the inhibitor 75 min later, evoked an accelerated rise in Na+ transport, which was unaffected by either removal of aldosterone or addition of actinomycin D. In aldosterone pre—induced bladders, actinomycin D did not “ super—induce.” Sodium transport de...
The new century of the metropolis: urban enclaves and orientalism

Tom Angotti's The New Century of the Metropolis is an ambitious examination of urbanization around the world. In the preface of the book, he notes that this project began as a follow up to Metropol...
Differential modulation of TCF/LEF-1 activity by the soluble LRP6-ICD.

The canonical Wnt/β-catenin (Wnt) pathway is a master transcriptional regulatory signaling pathway that controls numerous biological processes including proliferation and differentiation. As such, transcriptional activity of the Wnt pathway is tightly regulated and/or modulated by numerous proteins at the level of the membrane, cytosol and/or nucleus. In the nucleus, transcription of Wnt target genes by TCF/LEF-1 is repressed by the long Groucho/TLE co-repressor family. However, a truncated member of the Groucho/TLE family, amino terminal enhancer of Split (AES) can positively modulate TCF/LEF-1 activity by antagonizing long Groucho/TLE members in a dominant negative manner. We have previously shown the soluble intracellular domain of the LRP6 receptor, a receptor required for activation of the Wnt pathway, can positively regulate transcriptional activity within the Wnt pathway. In the current study, we show the soluble LRP6 intracellular domain (LRP6-ICD) can also translocate to the nucleus in CHO and HEK 293T cells and in contrast to cytosolic LRP6-ICD; nuclear LRP6-ICD represses TCF/LEF-1 activity. In agreement with previous reports, we show AES enhances TCF/LEF-1 mediated reporter transcription and further we demonstrate that AES activity is spatially regulated in HEK 293T cells. LRP6-ICD interacts with AES exclusively in the nucleus and represses AES mediated TCF/LEF-1 reporter transcription. These results suggest that LRP6-ICD can differentially modulate Wnt pathway transcriptional activity depending upon its subcellular localization and differential protein-protein interactions.
Review of multiphoton absorption in crystalline solids

An extensive review of theoretical and experimental investigations conducted over the last two decades since the advent of the laser and relating to the simultaneous absorption of one or more photons by the valence electrons of a crystalline solid is given. The following topics are addressed, with greatest emphasis on the most recent results: the pioneering models of Braunstein and Ockman and that of Basov for two-photon absorption in direct-gap crystals, based on second-order time-dependent perturbation theory and parabolic and isotropic energy bands; extensions and modifications of the above models by various authors to take into account the effects of excitons, crystal anisotropy, laser polarization, and nonparabolicity as well as degeneracy of the electronic energy bands; rigorous band-structure calculations that employ realistic energy bands and momentum matrix elements that include many intermediate states to obtain good convergence in the perturbation calculation; the semiclassical theory of Keldysh that takes into account electric-field effects on the electronic energies and wave functions and that employs first-order perturbation theory to obtain multiphoton transitions of all orders; the fully quantized treatment of the multiphoton absorption (MPA) process along the above lines by Kovarskii and Perlin; the Volkov approximation method of Jones and Reiss; descriptions of the various experimental techniques that are usually employed to study nonlinear phenomena in solids; critical comparison between different theoretical predictions and experimental data; and finally, theoretical and experimental work relating to phonon-assisted two-photon transitions, three-photon absorption, four-photon absorption, and higher-order MPA processes in crystalline solids.
Light-dependence of fluorescence of solutions of cigarette smoke.

In the issue of 2 September, page 421,the address of Hermann Druckrey, coauthor of thepaper "Light-dependence of fluorescence of solutions of cigarette smoke," was incorrectly given asSloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research,New York. Dr. Druckrey9s address is ChirurgischeUniversitats-Klinik, Hugstetterstrasse 55, Freiburgim Breisgau, Germany.
Longitudinal changes in left ventricular architecture and function in peripartum cardiomyopathy

Abstract Left ventricular (LV) function was quantitated in 14 patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy, in 10 using 2-dimensional (2-D) echocardiography and in 4 radionuclide ventriculography, and values were compared with those in 11 normal women in the immediate postpartum period. LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volume indexes, LV wall mass index and ejection fraction were calculated during the acute phase of the illness and serially through long-term follow-up (mean 24 months). During the acute phase of illness there was marked LV dilatation: mean end-diastolic volume index was 95 ± 22 MI/M2, vs 67 ± 9 ml/m2 in control subjects (p
428 THE ONTOOENY OF THE RESPONSE TO GROWTH HORMONE

We defined the ontogeny of five hepatic mRNA sequences which are responsive to growth hormone (GH) in juvenile (35 d) hypophysectomized rats ay in vitro translation of mRNA sequences and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the 35[S]-methionine labeled products. Each of the five had a well defined ontogeny which did not parallel the ontogeny of hepatic GH receptors or serum GH. Major periods for transition of this family of mRNA sequences were weaning and puberty. The pattern of ontogeny for two of the products was similar to that observed for GH responsive serum proteins. Induction of relative GH deficiency in rat pups by administration of propylthiouracil resulted in alterations in the mRNA sequences suggestive of GH deficiency; however, in twelve day old animals GH was much less effective in reversing these alterations than in older animals. Augmentation of normal pups with pituitary dependent hormones (thyroxine corticosterone and GH) resulted in changes consistent with an overall increase in maturation of the liver. This effect was also observed in non-hormonally responsive products, suggesting the change is not specific to the GH responsive mRNA family. From these observations we conclude that: 1). factors other than GH or GH receptor content are of importance in the expression of GH responsive products in the 12 day old animal; 2) the ontogeny of GH responsive serum proteins may reflect pretranslational events; 3) GH and the other pituitary dependent hormones modify the cadence of expression of hepatic gene products;4) and that the ability of the liver to respond to GH is an age dependent phenomenon.
Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy for food systems

Abstract The theory and applications of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and spectroscopy in food research are reviewed in detail, with emphasis on internal quality evaluation and measurement of dynamic phenomena in food systems, such as colloidal stability, fat and water crystallization, and macroscopic diffusion of fat, water, solutes and solids, as well as rheological measurements. MR imaging and spectroscopy are based on magnetic properties of atomic nuclei (e.g. the proton), and allow the measurement of the motional freedom of species of atoms in various types of molecules. This technique is non-invasive and can be applied in real time to follow dynamic phenomena such as fluid flow, processing, moisture and fat migration during frying, liquid drainage in a foam, or fat crystallization in a biscuit. It provides a powerful tool to the food scientist for studying the physical properties of food systems or specific food components and their evaluation during various processes.
Using a critical incident technique to develop nutrition information materials for adults with low literacy skills

One problem encountered by many who work with nutrition and health education programs is the lack of curricular and instructional materials appropriate for adults with low literacy skills. In their seminal work, Doak et al. (1) clearly demonstrated the breadth and depth of this problem in patient education. Systematic methods for determining appropriate written materials for adults with low literacy skills are badly needed. A method that holds promise for identifYing and developing instructional materials for adults with low literacy skills is the Critical Incident Technique (CIT). Studies have shown the CIT to be a powerful approach to identifYing specific behaviors associated with effective and ineffective performance (2). This technique has been adopted by various professions as a strategy for developing educational and training programs. Few studies, however, have used the cq for groups with low levels of literacy. In addition, its application to the development of instructional materials remains unexplored. The purposes of this paper are to provide an overview of the CIT and to report on the use of the CIT in the development of nutrition information materials for adults with low literacy skills.
CDAOStore: A Phylogenetic Repository Using Logic Programming and Web Services

The CDAOStore is a portal aimed at facilitating the storage and retrieval of data and metadata associated to studies in the field of evolutionary biology and phylogenetic analysis. The novelty of CDAOStore lies in the use of a semantic-based approach to the storage and querying of data. This enables CDAOStore to overcome the data format restrictions and complexities of other repositories (e.g., TreeBase) and to provide a domain-specific query interface, derived from studies of querying requirements for phylogenetic databases. CDAOStore represents the first full implementation of the EvoIO stack, an inter-operation stack composed of a formal ontology (the Comparative Data Analysis Ontology), an XML exchange format (NeXML), and a web services API (PhyloWS). CDAOStore has been implemented on top of an RDF triple store, using a combination of standard web technologies and logic programming technology. In particular, we employed Prolog to support some of the format transformation tasks and, more importantly, in the implementation of several of the domain-specific queries, whose structure is beyond the reach of standard RDF query languages (e.g., SPARQL). CDAOStore is operational and it already hosts over 90 million RDF triples, imported from TreeBase or submitted by other domain scientists.
Pediatric Bipolar Disorder: Subtype Trend and Impact of Behavioral Comorbidities.

The diagnosis of pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) has increased dramatically in community-treated youth in the past 20 years. No previous study has assessed the trend in PBD subtype diagnoses or the impact of clinician-reported behavioral comorbidities (BC) on psychotropic medication prescribing patterns. This study aims: (1) to characterize national trends in PBD visits in relation to PBD subtypes; and (2) to assess differences in socio-demographic PBD subtype diagnostic patterns and psychotropic medications prescribed in PBD visits with and without behavioral comorbidities (w/w/o BC). PBD visits for 1999–2010 from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) data were assessed using population-weighted chi-square and logistic regression analyses. While PBD visit rates were stable across 12 years, the proportional shift of subtype diagnosis from Bipolar I (89.0%) in 1999–2002 to Bipolar Not Otherwise Specified (NOS) (74.1%) in 2007–2010 was notable. Compared with PBD without behavioral comorbidities (w/o BC), PBD visits w/BC had greater proportions of the bipolar-NOS subtype, more males, 2–14-year-olds, and more publicly-insured visits. The prescription of antipsychotics (60% vs. 61%) was common in PBD visits regardless of the presence of behavioral comorbidities. Stimulants were the predominant class prescribed for PBD visits with BC (67.8% vs. 9.4%). Antidepressants were significantly greater in PBD visits without BC (41.6% vs. 21.0%). Overall one-third of PBD youth visits were prescribed antipsychotics concomitant with other psychotropic classes. Behavioral conditions accompanying PBD visits were prominent, suggesting the need for monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of complex medication regimens in community populations.
Resource competition and fire-regulated nutrient demand in carnivorous plants of wet pine savannas

Abstract Question: What are the mechanisms by which fire reduces competition for both a short-lived and a long-lived species in old-growth ground-cover plant communities of wet pine savannas (originally Pinus palustris, replaced by P. elliottii)? Location: Outer coastal plain of southeastern Mississippi, USA. Methods: I reviewed previous competition experiments and proposed a new hypothesis to explain the relationship between fire, competition, and species co-existence in wet longleaf pine savannas. The first study is about growth and seedling emergence responses of a short-lived carnivorous plant, Drosera capillaris, to reduction in below-ground competition and above- plus below-ground competition. The second study deals with growth and survival responses of a long-lived perennial carnivorous plant, Sarracenia alata, to neighbour removal and prey-exclusion to determine if a reduction in nutrient supply increased the intensity of competition in this nutrient-poor system. Results: Fire increased seedling e...
A closed-form solution for the control of manipulators with kinematic redundancy

A closed-form equation for inverse kinematics of manipulators with redundancy is derived, using the Lagrangian multiplier method. The proposed equation is proved to provide the exact equilibrium state for the resolved motion method, and is shown to be a general expression that yields the extended Jacobian method. The repeatability problem in the resolved motion method does not exist in the proposed equation. The equation is demonstrated to give more accurate trajectories than the resolved motion method.
A contribution to identification of convex structures for global optimization of permanent magnet machines

Application of modern mathematical optimization has become an important tool for the design of permanent magnet machines. This paper focuses on identification of particular mathematical structures, which can be obtained by appropriate formulation of otherwise well-known analytical equations. This problem formulation can be used for reliable and efficient optimization, notably in regards to the certification of the optimality. In other words, locally optimal solutions are avoided, and it can be guaranteed that a solution is globally optimal. The tool for the certification of optimality is the exploitation of convexity characteristics during the problem formulation, as convex optimization has proven to be a very efficient and highly reliable optimization method. To this aim, the problem formulation for maximization of several performance parameters of a brush less DC permanent magnet motor with use of soft magnetic composites and 3D flux distribution is discussed. The results can be considered as elements of a library of tools leading towards reliable and efficient optimization of permanent magnet machines.
Multiscale fusion of visual and thermal images for robust face recognition

This paper presents data fusion of visual and thermal infrared (IR) images in discrete wavelet transform (DWT) domain for robust face recognition. A combined use of face images in visible and thermal IR spectra has demonstrated robustness in face recognition under illumination variations. In the proposed approach, different fusion rules are applied separately to the approximation and the details components of the level-2 DWT decomposition to produce illumination-invariant face images. In case eyeglasses are present in the face, thermal images fail to provide useful information around the eyes since glass blocks a large portion of thermal energy. The DWT-based fusion method preserves visual details of eyeglass regions useful for face recognition in the fused images. Experiment results demonstrate that the fusion method is effective in terms of both visual quality and the entropy compared to conventional fusion approaches
Lower nephron nephrosis.

1. Analysis of a series of cases with lower nephron nephrosis caused by war injuries demonstrates the commonest traumatic cause to be vascular damage, and the next commonest to be crushing injury of muscle masses. 2. Reasons are advanced which suggest that the separation of these two groups from each other is artificial. 3. The association of the syndrome with shock is taken to indicate that the latter may have a role in the pathogenesis of the condition.
The Rise of Xiaoshuo as a Literary Concept: Lu Xun and the Question of “Fiction” in Chinese Literature

Originally derived from historical and philosophical writings, xiaoshuo is the modern Chinese term for fictional work of any length. However, how this term came to be used to translate the Western concepts of “fiction” and “novel” is a question that remains to be fully explored. This paper focuses on Lu Xun’s seminal work Zhongguo xiaoshuo shilue (A brief history of Chinese fiction; 1925) so as to investigate the ways in which the Western concept of fiction is built into Lu Xun’s historicization of xiaoshuo. I argue that Lu Xun’s articulation of xiaoshuo is distinguished by his emphasis on both the term’s universality and its “Chinese-ness.”
Analysis of scale dependencies in an urban land-use-change model

Different processes shaping land‐use patterns are observed at different scales. In land‐use modelling, scale can influence the measurement and quantitative description of land‐use patterns and can therefore significantly impact the behaviour of model parameters that describe land‐use change processes. We present results of a rigorous sensitivity analysis of a cellular urban land‐use‐change model, SLEUTH, testing its performance in response to varying cell resolutions. Specifically, we examine the behaviour of each type of urban growth rule across different cell sizes, and explore the model's ability to capture growth rates and patterns across scales. Our findings suggest that SLEUTH's sensitivity to scale extend beyond issues of calibration. While the model was able to capture the rate of growth reliably across all cell sizes, differences in its ability to simulate growth patterns across scales were substantial. We also observed significant differences in the sensitivity of the growth rules across cell si...
Insights into the mechanism of ADP action on flagellar motility derived from studies on bull sperm.

Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) is known to have interesting effects on flagellar motility. Permeabilized and reactivated bull sperm exhibit a marked reduction in beating frequency and a greatly increased beat amplitude in the presence of 1-4 mM ADP. In this study we examined the force production of sperm reactivated with 0.1 mM ATP with and without 1 mM ADP and found that there is little or no resulting change in the stalling force produced by a bull sperm flagella in response to ADP. Because bull sperm bend to a higher curvature after ADP treatment we explored the possibility that ADP-treated sperm flagella are more flexible. We measured the stiffness of 50 mM sodium vanadate treated bull sperm in the presence of 4 mM ADP, but found no change in the passive flagellar stiffness. When we analyzed the torque that develops in ADP-treated sperm at the point of beat reversal we found that the torque developed by the flagellum is significantly increased. Our torque estimates also allow us to calculate the transverse force (t-force) acting on the flagellum at the point of beat direction reversal. We find that the t-force at the switch-point of the beat is increased significantly in the ADP treated condition, averaging 0.7 6 0.29 nN/m mi n 0.1 mM ATP and increasing to 2.9 6 1.2 nN/mm in 0.1 mM ATP plus 4 mM ADP. This suggests that ADP is exerting its effect on the beat by increasing the tenacity of dynein attachment at the B-subtubule. This could be a direct result of a regulatory effect of ADP on the binding affinity of dynein for the B-subtubule of the outer doublets. This result could also help to explain a number of previous experimental observations, as discussed. duced (7). These results suggest that the reduced beating frequency in ADP-treated sperm could be explained by a reductioninthevelocityofmicrotubuleslidinginADP-treated flagella. Paradoxically, Yagi (8) reported that inner arm dyneins actually improve their ability to translocate micro- tubules in the presence of ADP as compared to ATP alone. In line with this it has also been reported that the completeness of the disintegration is actually increased in the presence of ADP (9). This seems, at least superficially, to counter the slowing action of ADP on intact doublet sliding rates, and suggests amechanism bywhich aselective effect ontheinner arms could actually have a strengthening effect on beating amplitude and a positive effect on coordinated beating.
The Use of Muscle Flaps for the Management of Recalcitrant Gastrointestinal Fistulas

& Discussion & Summary & References Enterocutaneous fistulas (ECFs) can result from various surgical and nonsurgical conditions. In approximately 85% of the cases, fistulas develop after various intra-abdominal interventions and are primarily caused by leakage from an anastomotic site of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, erosion from a synthetic mesh, or inadvertent enterotomies. The remaining 15% of GI fistulas occur spontaneously and are caused by various medical conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, and malignancy or radiation injury. Postoperative fistulas represent a dreaded complication, carrying a significant degree of morbidity and mortality. With accumulated experience, better understanding of the anatomy and physiology of fistulas, and extensive use of parenteral nutrition, improved strategies for management and aggressive protocols for care have been introduced. Eradication of coexisting infection, drainage of all collections, optimization of patients’ nutritional status with total parenteral nutrition (TPN), wound care and delayed repair of fistulas, at least 6 weeks following the initial intervention, has resulted in a significant reduction of morbidity and mortality from ECF. Several authors have reported their protocols and outcomes for management of these difficult cases
Efficient verification of determinate processes

Determinacy, or predictability, is often demanded from engineered concurrent systems. In this paper we use labeled transition systems to express the specifications and implementations of concurrent systems, and present three efficient algorithms (1) to determine if a process P has determinacy property as defined by Robin Milner; (2) to verify whether an implementation process P is observationally equivalent to a determinate specification process S; and (3) to compute the equivalence classes of determinate process P under observational equivalence. We deal only with finite state processes in this paper.
Modeling Road Centerlines and Predicting Lengths in 3-D Using LIDAR Point Cloud and Planimetric Road Centerline Data

: Transportation is one of a few engineering domains that work with linear objects—roads. Accurate road length information is critical to numerous transportation applications. Road lengths can be obtained via technologies such as ground surveying, global positioning systems (GPS), and Distance Measurement Instruments (DMI). But using these methods for data collection and length determination is time-consuming, labor intensive, and costly. The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy and feasibility of an alternative. This article reports on a study that provides an alternative to obtaining road centerline lengths by measurement; instead it proposes using geographic information systems (GIS) and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) point cloud data. In this study, a three-dimensional (3-D) vector model based on linear referencing systems (LRS) concepts was developed to represent road centerlines in a 3-D space and to predict their 3-D lengths. A snapping approach and an interpolation approach to obtain 3-D points along lines when working with LIDAR point clouds were proposed and discussed. Quality control measures were initiated to validate the approach. The accuracy of the predicted 3-D distances was evaluated via a case study by comparing them to distances measured by DMI. The results were also compared to road lengths obtained by draping planimetric road centerlines on digital elevations models (DEMs) constructed from LIDAR points. The effects of the average density of 3-D points on the accuracy of the predicted distances were evaluated. This study concluded that the proposed 3-D approach using LIDAR data was efficient in obtaining 3-D road lengths with an accuracy that was satisfactory for most transportation applications.
Topical anesthesia of the eye as a diagnostic test

We investigated whether ocular response to topical anesthetic could assist the physician in distinguishing between patients with simple corneal injury and those with iritis, conjunctivitis, or other causes of acute eye pain. Seventy-one patients who presented to the emergency department filled out visual analog pain scores (range, 0 to 10) before and after use of topical anesthetic (proparacaine 0.5%). Mean initial pain scores were higher (6.3 ± 3.0 vs 4.8 ± 2.8, P P P
Monoclonal antibodies and conventional antisera to the GABAA receptor/benzodiazepine receptor/Cl- channel complex

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and conventional antisera were raised to the affinity-purified GABAA receptor/benzodiazepine receptor/Cl- channel complex. The antibodies immunoprecipitated the affinity-purified complex in Triton X-100 and also reacted with the complex in a solid-phase radioimmunoassay. Immunoblots indicated that the mAb 62-3G1 reacted with the 57,000 Mr peptide subunit of the affinity-purified complex, while the antisera mainly reacted with the 51,000 Mr peptide subunit. The mAbs and the antisera also immunoprecipitated the GABAA receptor/benzodiazepine receptor/Cl- channel complex after being solubilized from cerebral cortex membranes by the zwitterionic detergent CHAPS. The immunoprecipitated complex bound 3H-muscimol, 3H-flunitrazepam (FNZ) and 35S-t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate (TBPS). The 3H-FNZ binding was stimulated by GABA, indicating that the functional interactions among the immunoprecipitated components of the complex were preserved. The mAb 62-3G1 also recognized the 57,000 Mr peptide in immunoblots with crude brain membranes. Immunocytochemistry experiments showed that the binding of both the mAb 62-3G1 and 3H-muscimol colocalized throughout the brain. The results suggest that (1) the 57,000 Mr peptide is the muscimol (GABAA receptor agonist) binding peptide of the complex, and (2) in the cerebral cortex, most of the GABAA receptors (GABARs), benzodiazepine receptors (BDZRs), and Cl- channels are physically coupled to one another.
Carl Kisslinger (1926–2008)

Carl Kisslinger, a geophysicist who furthered scientific and international understanding through tireless devotion to his field, died on 31 December 2008 at his home in Boulder, Colorado. ![][1] ▴ Carl Kisslinger ( photo courtesy of University of Colorado at Boulder ). Kisslinger served on the University of Colorado in Boulder faculty since 1972. He arrived from St. Louis University, where he chaired the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and earned his undergraduate and doctoral degrees under the mentorship of James Bernard Macelwane, S.J. For seven years he also served as director of CIRES, the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, a partnership between the University of Colorado and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. According to the CIRES Web site: “The casual, respectful, and mutually supportive atmosphere among the institute's scientists and staff was … [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Is Safe Mail Worth the Price

In response to the anthrax episode of October 2001, the U.S. Postal Service is evaluating a variety of technologies and procedures for making the mail more terrorism-resistant. Early optimism has given way to the realization that most currently available safety measures have both uncertain benefits and serious drawbacks including high costs, inconvenience, intrusion, and damage to mail contents. Whether or not to accept these drawbacks for an uncertain measure of added safety is a value judgment best made with full participation of the public and postal workers.
Scalable Topology Discovery and Link State Detection Using Routing Events

Discovering the topology of a network and detecting link state changes (e.g.: link failures) is an essential element for various network management and monitoring tasks. In this paper, we investigate scalable mechanisms to monitor the topology and link states of networks based on information available in network nodes' routing tables. We first present an algorithm that infers the network topology based on the full or partial information about network distances between nodes, based on which we obtain a scalable network topology discovery solution via a novel use of random walk in graphs. We then present scalable algorithms to detect the state changes of remote links by monitoring the routing tables of a small fraction of the routers, where the routers to be monitored are selected by a greedy approach to an NP-complete Tree Cover problem. We show the efficacy and scalability of our topology monitoring algorithms through experimental evaluation performed both on synthetic topologies and on a large topology data-set from a real enterprise network.