cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is there a role for culture in human behavioral ecology

Abstract Most research in human behavioral ecology has been acultural, which raises the question of how best to incorporate the concept of culture into this approach. A necessary step in this direction is to pare the culture concept down to its ideational elements, excluding behavior and its material products (Durham 1991; Geertz 1973; Keesing 1974). The cultural and reproductive success hypothesis, though empirically successful (Irons 1993), is not a model for all of culture because of widespread discrepancies between behavior and culture to which it does not call attention. Cultural transmission models are also weakened by such discrepancies, but, more importantly, such models are most relevant to phenomena different from those central to human behavioral ecology. A better way to incorporate culture into human behavioral ecology is to see it as the context of human action and as a tool people use in social manipulation. The study of signal systems is a key to an understanding of social manipulation and to the incorporation of culture into human behavioral ecology. Examples of the manipulation of culture for reproductive benefit include Yanomamo kin term manipulation (Chagnon 1988), incest rules (Thornhill 1990, 1991), and the derogation of sexual competitors (Buss and Dedden 1990). The human behavioral ecological study of social manipulation in cultural contexts needs to be expanded. Two phenomena that might shed light on such manipulation are the Rashomon effect and the audience effect.
MMPI‐2 profiles of adult children of alcoholics

This study compared 69 adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) with 30 control college students on scales from the revised MMPI (MMPI-2). ACOA subjects could be differentialted from control subjects on several MMPI-2 scales and two-scale profiles, many of which differentiate alcoholic from nonalcoholic samples. However, the length of time the child had lived in the home with the alcoholic parent and the degree of impairment associated with alcohol abuse in the parent did not moderate these findings. In contrast, MMPI-2 scales that measure impulsive and antisocial behavior did differentiate ACOAs who drank at least once a week from ACOAs who did not report this level of drinking.
Modulation of uncoupler-induced sugar uptake in isolated adult rat heart cells by isoproterenol.

Abstract When cells (2.4 mg/ml) in the presence of glucose were exposed to 0.15 μ m p -trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP), the time until 50% of the rod-shaped cells had undergone contracture was more than twice as long for cells without isoproterenol as for cells with isoproterenol. The cause of this large effect was revealed in experiments without glucose where 3- O -methylglucose entry, ATP levels, and cellular configuration were measured simultaneously. It was found that the onset of contracture was almost coincident with the decline in total measured ATP, suggesting that, in any cell, contracture was accompanied by a sudden and total ATP loss. In control cells, FCCP stimulated 3- O -methylglucose entry at or before the time this ATP catastrophe occurred. In cells exposed to isoproterenol, however, the stimulation of 3- O -methylglucose entry by FCCP did not occur until after the ATP catastrophe, and the extent of stimulation was reduced. This suggests that, when glucose was present, the FCCP-induced glucose influx was sufficient to significantly delay the onset of contracture in control cells but not in cells treated with isoproterenol. This conclusion was borne out by the observation that the effect of isoproterenol on contracture could be overcome with insulin.
Termination of asymmetric cell division and differentiation of stomata

Stomata consist of a pair of guard cells that mediate gas and water-vapour exchange between plants and the atmosphere. Stomatal precursor cells-meristemoids-possess a transient stem-cell-like property and undergo several rounds of asymmetric divisions before further differentiation. Here we report that the Arabidopsis thaliana basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein MUTE is a key switch for meristemoid fate transition. In the absence of MUTE, meristemoids abort after excessive asymmetric divisions and fail to differentiate stomata. Constitutive overexpression of MUTE directs the entire epidermis to adopt guard cell identity. MUTE has two paralogues: FAMA, a regulator of guard cell morphogenesis, and SPEECHLESS (SPCH). We show that SPCH directs the first asymmetric division that initiates stomatal lineage. Together, SPCH, MUTE and FAMA bHLH proteins control stomatal development at three consecutive steps: initiation, meristemoid differentiation and guard cell morphogenesis. Our findings highlight the roles of closely related bHLHs in cell type differentiation in plants and animals.
Recursive implementation of exponential linear phase FIR filters

A family of exponential linear phase FIR filters that can be recursively implemented is proposed in this work. The advantage of this family is that the hardware implementation requires a fixed number of scalar multiplication and addition/subtraction operations, regardless of the filter order. Part of the arithmetic operations used in the implementation of these filters mandates exact computations, without any truncation or rounding. The paper includes a detailed discussion of the bit-width requirements of these operations. The proposed implementation is described in hardware description language and simulated using ModelSim. The simulation results show that, when done properly, the recursive implementation successfully achieved a linear phase response.
Quantitative Analysis of Hydroperoxyl Radical Using Flow Injection Analysis with Chemiluminescence Detection

The hydroperoxyl radical (HO2) is one of the most abundant free radicals in the atmosphere, where it participates in a series of photochemical reactions that determine the fate of natural and anthropogenic emissions. In addition, HO2 is found in droplets and surface water as a result of photochemical formation and gas-phase scavenging. We describe a quantitative method for determining trace concentrations of HO2 radicals that exploits the chemiluminescence produced upon reaction with a synthetic analogue of luciferin from the crustacean Cypridina. The technique is linear at least up to 1 μM HO2(aq) and has a minimum detection limit of 0.1 nM. A unique feature of this analysis is a calibration method using stable aqueous HO2 standards produced in submicromolar concentrations using 60Co γ-radiolysis. The advantage of this method in comparison to others in consideration of field deployment is its simplicity, low cost, and minimal size and power requirements. One intended application of this technique is the ...
Child Welfare Service Plan Compliance: Perceptions of Parents and Caseworkers:

Child welfare practice and decision making center around service plans, but few recent studies have focused specifically on service plans and their use in routine child welfare settings. This qualitative study involving interviews, case record reviews, and court observations illuminates parent and caseworker perceptions about the meaning of service plans and service plan compliance, and about influences on compliance. Parents and caseworkers similarly perceive service plans as directives and service plan compliance as parental task completion and cooperation. But whereas caseworkers perceive a motivation to parent as the primary influence on service plan compliance, parents perceive multiple influences. Findings contribute to ongoing work to develop theories that can explain client service participation and its connection to positive child welfare outcomes.
Hugo Chavez and President Bush's Credibility Gap: The Struggle Against US Democracy Promotion

US President George W. Bush confronts a problem as he tries to promote global democracy. When he speaks about spreading freedom, many academics, world leaders, and media pundits respond that he is trying to bolster the USA's global influence. This article explores Bush's “credibility gap.” It focuses on President Bush's democracy assistance in Venezuela and how it reinforces the notion that he has a legitimacy problem. This study also identifies how President Hugo Chavez has helped widen Bush's credibility gap. Finally, by using Venezuela as a case study, this article shows that Bush's lack of legitimacy limits his ability to spread democracy.
Drinking place selection factors among drunk drivers.

Summary The present study examined the stated reasons for selecting drinking places among convicted drunken drivers (N=7,149). Six drinking place selection factors were identified: entertainment, ambience, facilities, friendship, avoidance, and service. Relationships between these factors and the sociodemographic characteristics and drinking locations of the respondents were examined to determine why different subgroups of drunk drivers make trips to specific types of drinking places. Younger drunk drivers were more likely than others to report that they select drinking places for entertainment, facilities, and avoidance. Entertainment and friendship were especially important reasons for selecting drinking places among unmarried respondents. Drinking-related trip-making to bars or lounges appeared to be influenced by the desire for entertainment, friendship, and facilities; while service and ambience were related to the frequency of drinking in restaurants, and avoidance was related to the frequency of drinking in automobiles and parking lots.
Paediatric voiding dysfunction and enuresis.

Urinary incontinence and nocturnal enuresis are frequently encountered problems in children. In this review some aspects will be highlighted. Especially the different types of monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis as well as some recent developments in children with dysfunctional voiding will be discus
Fact Retrieval Deficits in Low Achieving Children and Children With Mathematical Learning Disability

Using 4 years of mathematics achievement scores, groups of typically achieving children (n = 101) and low achieving children with mild (LA-mild fact retrieval; n = 97) and severe (LA-severe fact retrieval; n = 18) fact retrieval deficits and mathematically learning disabled children (MLD; n = 15) were identified. Multilevel models contrasted developing retrieval competence from second to fourth grade with developing competence in executing arithmetic procedures, in fluency of processing quantities represented by Arabic numerals and sets of objects, and in representing quantity on a number line. The retrieval deficits of LA-severe fact retrieval children were at least as debilitating as those of the children with MLD and showed less across-grade improvement. The deficits were characterized by the retrieval of counting string associates while attempting to remember addition facts, suggesting poor inhibition of irrelevant information during the retrieval process. This suggests a very specific form of working memory deficit, one that is not captured by many typically used working memory tasks. Moreover, these deficits were not related to procedural competence or performance on the other mathematical tasks, nor were they related to verbal or nonverbal intelligence, reading ability, or speed of processing, nor would they be identifiable with standard untimed mathematics achievement tests.
On computing a 'fuzzy' focus of expansion for autonomous navigation

The focus of expansion (FOE) is an important concept in dynamic scene analysis, particularly where translational motion is dominant, as in mobile robot applications. In practice, it is difficult to determine the exact location of the FOE from a given set of displacement vectors due to the effects of camera rotation, digitization, and noise. Instead of a single image location, the authors propose to compute a connected region, termed fuzzy FOE, that marks the approximate direction of camera heading. The fuzzy FOE provides numerous clues about 3D scene structure and independent object motion. The main problems of the classic FOE approach are discussed, concentrating on the details of computing the fuzzy FOE for a camera undergoing translation and rotation in 3D space. Results on real outdoor images are presented. Experiments show that even erroneous point matches in the given image displacement vector field can be tolerated, which is a necessity in a fully automated process. >
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) decrease postoperative adhesions by increasing peritoneal fibrinolytic activity

METHODS: Adhesions were surgically induced in male Wistar rats (n 56) using an ischemic button model previously described. Rats received either vehicle (controls) or lovastatin (30mg/kg) as an intraperitoneal bolus dose at laparotomy. Animals were sacrificed after 1 or 7 days, adhesions were quantified, and peritoneal fluid and tissue were collected to measure tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). The effects of statins on tPA and PAI-1 production were also measured in vitro in human mesothelial cells (HMC).
The occurrence and management of fluid retention associated with TKI therapy in CML, with a focus on dasatinib

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) like dasatinib and nilotinib are indicated as second-line treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia resistant or intolerant to the current first-line TKI imatinib. These are agents are well tolerated, but potent and as such should be monitored for potentially serious side-effects like fluid retention and pleural effusions. Here we present key clinical trial data and safety considerations for all FDA approved TKIs in context for effective management of fluid retention and pleural effusions. Altering the dasatinib regimen from 70 mg twice daily to 100 mg daily reduces the risk of pleural effusion for patients taking dasatinib. Should pleural effusion develop, dasatinib should be interrupted until the condition resolves. Patients with a history of pleural effusion risk factors should be monitored closely while taking dasatinib. Patients receiving imatinib and nilotinib are not without risk of fluid retention. All patients should also be educated to recognize and report key symptoms of fluid retention or pleural effusion. Pleural effusions are generally managed by dose interruption/reduction and other supportive measures in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia receiving dasatinib therapy.
Equilibrium Response of an Atmosphere–Mixed Layer Ocean Model to Different Radiative Forcing Agents: Global and Zonal Mean Response

Abstract The equilibrium response to various forcing agents, including CO2, solar irradiance, tropospheric ozone, black carbon, organic carbon, sulfate, and volcanic aerosols, is investigated using an atmospheric general circulation model coupled to a mixed layer ocean model. The experiments are carried out by altering each forcing agent separately. Realistic spatial patterns of forcing constituents are applied but the magnitude of the forcing is adjusted so that each forcing constituent yields approximately the same strength of radiative forcing. It is demonstrated that the global mean temperature response depends on the types of forcing agents and the efficacy with respect to CO2 forcing ranges from 58% to 100%. The smallest efficacy is seen in one of the black carbon experiments and is associated with negative cloud feedback. The sign of the cloud feedback is shown to be sensitive to the vertical distribution of black carbon. The feedback analysis suggests that the small efficacy in tropospheric ozone ...
The hispanic family—consumer research issues

There are significant differences in the structure and composition of the Hispanic-American family when compared to models of the American family in the family life-cycle literature. For researchers using the family life-cycle framework to classify consumers, it is important to recognize key differences in families and the effects of these differences on family consumption behavior. The primary theoretical assumption made in this paper is that ethnic/racial differences in family structure and composition represent variations in subcultural norms governing family behaviors, including family consumption behaviors. Consumer research issues—such as difficulties encountered when conducting research on Hispanics—are discussed, as well as the effects of subcultural norms on aspects of consumer behavior. Future research is recommended to enrich our understanding of family consumption behavior by introducing a cultural dimension.
A Model of the Negative Correlation between Male Recombination and Transmission Frequency in DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

A model is proposed to account for the phenomenon of negative correlation between male recombination (θ) and transmission frequency (k) in Drosophila melanogaster. The model assumes that, in some stage or stages of development, the male recombination elements cause a particular event that does not occur in normal males and that this event, in turn, induces with certain probabilities male recombination and/or sperm dysfunction. The regression equations of θ on k predicted by the model were compared with those actually observed. There was generally excellent agreement between them.
Global node selection for localization in a distributed sensor network

This paper discusses a new localized resource manager for a wireless sensor network of bearings-only sensors. Specifically, each node uses knowledge of the target under surveillance to determine whether it should actively collect measurements and how far to disseminate the data in order for the sensor network to maintain track of the target. At each node, the resource manager requires only knowledge of the relative location to the target for itself and the active nodes from the previous snapshot. The decentralized strategy represents a modification to the global node selection (GNS) method that exploits knowledge of the location of all nodes in the network. Simulations show that despite the lack of global network knowledge, the new localized management method is almost as effective as GNS in terms of balancing the tradeoff between energy usage and localization accuracy.
Examining the Traumatic Effects of Sexual Victimization on the Health of Incarcerated Women

Data from the 2004 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities were used to examine the effects of sexual abuse on the physical and mental health of incarcerated women. This nationally representative sample consisted of a cross-section of 2,885 female inmates ranging in age from 16 to 74. Using bivariate analysis, we made comparisons between sexually abused (n = 1,205) and non–sexually abused (n = 1,680) inmates. Abused women were more likely to report increases in health problems and mental health diagnoses, as well as other self-reported mental health conditions, such as paranoia, depressive symptoms, anger, and lifestyle changes. Respondents with extensive sexual abuse histories (multiple and across the life cycle) were also more likely to suffer higher levels of paranoia, depression, chronic health problems, and attempted suicide.
Evolution of pulmonary physical therapy in the United States

The physiotherapist or physical therapist's role in the care of the patient with pulmonary disease has its origins in Great Britain. Subsequent practices and studies regarding efficacy have been published by therapists throughout the world. The evolution of pulmonary care and the physical therapist's role and contribution in the United States is one that at times parallels but also contributes to the advancement of care provided in other countries. This paper will trace the origins and progress in the United States, including the recognition of the first certified clinical specialists in Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy.
Variable interaction measures with random forest classifiers

Novel variable interaction measures with random forest classifiers are proposed. The proposed methods efficiently measure the change in classification performance due to non-linear interactions between variables by exploiting random permutation of out-of-bag samples in random forests. They can be readily extended to measure n-subset interactions in multi-class bagging ensembles with any base supervised classifiers. This paper experimentally compares pairwise versions of our measure in binary RF classifiers against Breiman's Gini-based measure using three datasets, a toy dataset with known interactions and two biomedical datasets from the UCI ML repository, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Nanotopography-induced changes in focal adhesions, cytoskeletal organization, and mechanical properties of human mesenchymal stem cells

The growth of stem cells can be modulated by physical factors such as extracellular matrix nanotopography. We hypothesize that nanotopography modulates cell behavior by changing the integrin clustering and focal adhesion (FA) assembly, leading to changes in cytoskeletal organization and cell mechanical properties. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) cultured on 350 nm gratings of tissue-culture polystyrene (TCPS) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) showed decreased expression of integrin subunits alpha2, alpha , alpha V, beta2, beta 3 and beta 4 compared to the unpatterned controls. On gratings, the elongated hMSCs exhibited an aligned actin cytoskeleton, while on unpatterned controls, spreading cells showed a random but denser actin cytoskeleton network. Expression of cytoskeleton and FA components was also altered by the nanotopography as reflected in the mechanical properties measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM) indentation. On the rigid TCPS, hMSCs on gratings exhibited lower instantaneous and equilibrium Young's moduli and apparent viscosity. On the softer PDMS, the effects of nanotopography were not significant. However, hMSCs cultured on PDMS showed lower cell mechanical properties than those on TCPS, regardless of topography. These suggest that both nanotopography and substrate stiffness could be important in determining mechanical properties, while nanotopography may be more dominant in determining the organization of the cytoskeleton and FAs.
The association between nurse staffing and hospital outcomes in injured patients.

Background: The enormous fiscal pressures facing trauma centers may lead trauma centers to reduce nurse staffing and to make increased use of less expensive and less skilled personnel. The impact of nurse staffing and skill mix on trauma outcomes has not been previously reported. The goal of this study was to examine whether nurse staffing levels and nursing skill mix are associated with trauma patient outcomes. Methods: We used data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample to perform a cross-sectional study of 70,142 patients admitted to 77 Level I and Level II centers. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between nurse staffing measures and (1) mortality, (2) healthcare associated infections (HAI), and (3) failure-to-rescue. We controlled for patient risk factors (age, gender, injury severity, mechanism of injury, comorbidities) and hospital structural characteristics (trauma center status - Level I versus Level II, hospital size, ownership, teaching status, technology level, and geographic region). Results: A 1% increase in the ratio of licensed practical nurse (LPN) to total nursing time was associated with a 4% increase in the odds of mortality (adj OR 1.04; 95% CI: 1.02-1.06; p=0.001) and a 6% increase in the odds of sepsis (adj OR 1.06: 1.03-1.10; p<0.001). Hospitals in the highest quartile of LPN staffing had 3 excess deaths (95% CI: 1.2, 5.1) and 5 more episodes of sepsis (95% CI: 2.3, 7.6) per 1000 patients compared to hospitals in the lower quartile of LPN staffing. Conclusions: Higher hospital LPN staffing levels are independently associated with slightly higher rates of mortality and sepsis in trauma patients admitted to Level I or Level II trauma centers.
Cold Atmospheric Plasma for Selectively Ablating Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells

Traditional breast cancer treatments such as surgery and radiotherapy contain many inherent limitations with regards to incomplete and nonselective tumor ablation. Cold atomospheric plasma (CAP) is an ionized gas where the ion temperature is close to room temperature. It contains electrons, charged particles, radicals, various excited molecules, UV photons and transient electric fields. These various compositional elements have the potential to either enhance and promote cellular activity, or disrupt and destroy them. In particular, based on this unique composition, CAP could offer a minimally-invasive surgical approach allowing for specific cancer cell or tumor tissue removal without influencing healthy cells. Thus, the objective of this research is to investigate a novel CAP-based therapy for selectively bone metastatic breast cancer treatment. For this purpose, human metastatic breast cancer (BrCa) cells and bone marrow derived human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were separately treated with CAP, and behavioral changes were evaluated after 1, 3, and 5 days of culture. With different treatment times, different BrCa and MSC cell responses were observed. Our results showed that BrCa cells were more sensitive to these CAP treatments than MSCs under plasma dose conditions tested. It demonstrated that CAP can selectively ablate metastatic BrCa cells in vitro without damaging healthy MSCs at the metastatic bone site. In addition, our study showed that CAP treatment can significantly inhibit the migration and invasion of BrCa cells. The results suggest the great potential of CAP for breast cancer therapy.
Submillimeter-wave InP Gunn devices

Recent advances in design and technology significantly improved the performance of low-noise InP Gunn devices in oscillators first at D-band (110-170 GHz) and then at W-band (75-110 GHz) frequencies. More importantly, they next resulted in orders of magnitude higher RF output power levels above D-band and operation in a second-harmonic mode up to at least 325 GHz. Examples of the state-of-the-art performance are continuous-wave RF power levels of more than 30 mW at 193 GHz, more than 3.5 mW at 300 GHz, and more than 2 mW at 315 GHz. The dc power requirements of these oscillators compare favorably with those of RF sources driving frequency multiplier chains to reach the same output RF power levels and frequencies. Two different types of doping profiles, a graded profile and one with a doping notch at the cathode, are prime candidates for operation at submillimeter-wave frequencies. Generation of significant RF power levels from InP Gunn devices with these optimized doping profiles is predicted up to at least 500 GHz and the performance predictions for the two different types of doping profiles are compared.
Finite and infinite element analysis of coupled cylindrical microstrip line in a nonhomogeneous dielectric media

An effective method for computing the parameters of a coupled cylindrical microstrip line system is presented in this paper. Consider a cylindrical microstrip line cross-sectional configuration consisting of two concentric cylindrical dielectric substrates. Two arbitrary number C/sub 1/ and C/sub 2/ of infinitesimally thin arc strips of the arbitrary size (/spl alpha//sub 1//spl les/S/sub 1//spl les//spl beta//sub 1/) and (/spl alpha//sub 2//spl les/S/sub 2//spl les//spl beta//sub 2/) are clad on the dielectric cylindrical interfaces. The dielectric cylinders are characterized by real scalar permittivity /spl epsiv//sub i/ and permeability /spl mu//sub 0/ while the region outside of the dielectric cylinders is free space providing constitutive parameters /spl epsiv//sub 0/ and /spl mu//sub 0/, respectively. The two conductors are charged by V/sub 1/ and V/sub 2/ while the C/sub 0/ is grounded. The analysis is based on finite and infinite element methods and the quasi-static TEM mode approximation. The quasistatic TEM is essentially a low frequency model of a microstrip line that can be concerned with the existence of electric and magnetic fields separately. The microstrip line system is analyzed with both the ordinary finite to discretize the /spl Omega//sub i/ bounded region and global exterior infinite element to cover the /spl Omega//sub 0/ unbounded domain. The potential and field distribution in the cross section of the microstrip line are determined by minimizing the energy functional of the Laplace's equation using the variational principle. Then it can be used to calculate the Maxwellian capacitance or inductance matrix per unit length of the microstrip line. The parameters of the microstrip line can be determined in terms of the capacitance or inductance matrix. The equivalent circuit for the coupled microstrip lines is developed and its application to the solution of wave propagation modes is demonstrated. In this investigation, the accurate solution of characteristic impedance, effective dielectric constant, attenuation, coupling, propagation constant, and so on has been analyzed in terms of the capacitance matrix. These parameters are important in the design of microstrip lines, strip lines, and transmission lines.
In Search of Optimal Number of Bond Funds

Although bonds are less volatile than equities and the median bond fund holds about 200 bonds, bond investors still need to hold more than one bond fund to realize the optimal benefit of diversification. The simulation results show that three to five bond funds reduce standard deviation of terminal wealth by 50% and about 100 funds reduce the standard deviation by 90%. Given the annualized marginal cost of 0.13% for bond funds, bond investors should hold three to five funds. However, equity investors who want to diversify need only one to two bond funds, regardless of risk measures. Holding more than two bond funds does not reduce portfolio risk much further especially for portfolios with high equity weights. The portfolios mixed with government and corporate bond funds require even fewer funds than the portfolios mixed with high yield bond funds. These results are robust to different investment strategies, holding periods and time periods and not subject to survivorship bias. These findings can be generalized to portfolios with other asset mixes.
The Evolution of Basic Appraisal Principles - Some Comparative Observations

The vast increase in the production of documents during and after World War I led to a reconsideration of the role of the archivist in the appraisal of records. This reconsideration took various and quite opposite directions, in particular among English and German archivists. The German archivist has always put preservation before destruction; the English archivist has wished to defer to the office of origin for decisions on records retention. In addition to these two national variations, the author expands his review to include the Norwegian, eastern European, and United States archival contexts. He probes the variety of archival theories and practices of these countries, and concludes with observations on the further development of appraisal criteria in light of automation, market value theory, and democratization in eastern Europe.
Habitat connectivity as a metric for aquatic microhabitat quality: application to Chinook salmon spawning habitat

Quality of fish habitat at the scale of a single fish, at the metre resolution, which we defined here as microhabitat, has been primarily evaluated on short reaches, and their results have been extended through long river segments with methods that do not account for connectivity, a measure of the spatial distribution of habitat patches. However, recent investigations of quality of aquatic habitat at the stream segment scale, at hundredth of metre resolution macrohabitat, indicate that the spatial distribution of aquatic habitat quality and size is an important factor at the network scale. Here, we hypothesize that aquatic habitat connectivity, quality and patch size are also important at the microhabitat scale. We test this hypothesis by modelling Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) spawning habitat in a 6-km long reach of Bear Valley Creek (Idaho, USA) with microhabitat resolution of 1-m square. We use two-dimensional hydraulic numerical modelling coupled with suitability curves to predict the spatial distribution of spawning habitat quality. We quantify connectivity for each habitat patch with the ratio between the area of neighbouring patches and their squared hydrographic distances. Results from a logistic regression analysis comparing predicted with observed spawning locations indicate that habitat quality and patch size are important factors and connectivity among patches may have a secondary effect. Therefore, spatial distribution of aquatic habitat and size of habitat patches are important aspects of its quality, suggesting that composite metrics such as weighted usable area may not be sufficient in defining the condition of the river environment. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Secularization Theories and Their Discontents

The apparent return of religion (which, despite claims to the contrary, never retired from the public sphere) and the new interest in political theology have given secularization theories new relev...
Effect of Framework Flexibility on C8 Aromatic Adsorption at High Loadings in Metal–Organic Frameworks

Many simulations of adsorption in nanoporous materials such as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) treat the adsorbing materials as rigid. We show that the use of this approximation to describe the multicomponent adsorption of C8 aromatics in MOFs under industrial conditions gives results that differ dramatically from descriptions that include local framework flexibility. To address this issue, we develop an efficient method for capturing the effect of framework flexibility on adsorption in nanoporous materials. Our “flexible snapshot” method uses GCMC simulations to model adsorption in snapshots collected using fully flexible MD simulations and can be applied to any framework-adsorbate system for which reliable force fields are available. Our method gives considerably better agreement with experiments for multicomponent C8 aromatic selectivities in multiple MOFs than more traditional calculations using a single rigid framework. The rotation of organic linkers in the MOFs has a strong influence on selectiviti...
Preliminary Inter-Comparison between AHI, VIIRS and MODIS Clear-Sky Ocean Radiances for Accurate SST Retrievals

Clear-sky brightness temperatures (BT) in five bands of the Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI; flown onboard Himawari-8 satellite) centered at 3.9, 8.6, 10.4, 11.2, and 12.3 µm (denoted by IR37, IR86, IR10, IR11, and IR12, respectively) are used in the NOAA Advanced Clear-Sky Processor for Oceans (ACSPO) sea surface temperature (SST) retrieval system. Here, AHI BTs are preliminarily evaluated for stability and consistency with the corresponding VIIRS and MODIS BTs, using the sensor observation minus model simulation (O-M) biases and corresponding double differences. The objective is to ensure accurate and consistent SST products from the polar and geo sensors, and to prepare for the launch of the GOES-R satellite in 2016. All five AHI SST bands are found to be largely in-family with their polar counterparts, but biased low relative to the VIIRS and MODIS (which, in turn, were found to be stable and consistent, except for Terra IR86, which is biased high by 1.5 K). The negative biases are larger in IR37 and IR12 (up to ~−0.5 K), followed by the three remaining longwave IR bands IR86, IR10, and IR11 (from −0.3 to −0.4 K). These negative biases may be in part due to the uncertainties in AHI calibration and characterization, although uncertainties in the coefficients of the Community Radiative Transfer Model (CRTM, used to generate the “M” term) may also contribute. Work is underway to add AHI analyses in the NOAA Monitoring of IR Clear-Sky Radiances over Oceans for SST (MICROS) system and improve AHI BTs by collaborating with the sensor calibration and CRTM teams. The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) analyses will be also added in MICROS when GOES-R is launched in late 2016 and the ABI IR data become available.
Experimental Study of Cryogenic Cavitation Using Fluoroketone

Cavitation under simulated cryogenic conditions was studied on a NACA0015 hydrofoil in a watertunnel filled with the perfluorinated ketone 2-trifluoromethyl-1,1,1,2,4,4,5,5,5nonafluoro-3-pentanone. Through pressure measurements on the hydrofoil, flash high-speed photography and laser-induced fluorescence in the fluoroketone medium, the extent of cavitation and the characteristic frequencies of its oscillation were studied under varying speeds and angle of attack. While Stc=0.56 oscillations were found for a wide range of conditions, these were attributed to effects of dissolved gas. For properly degassed fluoroketone, Mode I-II cavitation transition was observed to occur in a generally similar manner to in water. The size of the formed bubbles was found to be significantly smaller than in water tests under similar conditions.
Determining Upconversion Parameters and Invertibility of Nonlinear Dynamical Systems

Determining upconversion parameters is of high interest in laser material development. For many materials these parameters cannot be directly measured by experimental methods. These upconversion coefficients appear as unknown parameters in the laser rate equations, which are a system of coupled nonlinear differential equations that are used to model the dynamics of population densities in different energy levels. In this paper we propose the well-established system theoretic tools pertaining to the system inversion to be applied in this case. The unknown parameters can be considered as the inputs and the fluorescence signals can be considered as the outputs of the dynamical system. Therefore the determination of the unknown upconversion rates in the system equations from the output data is a classical system inversion problem. In this paper we demonstrate how to compute the unknown coefficients in the rate equations from the experimental emission data utilizing this method.
High-harmonic spectroscopy of laser-driven nonadiabatic electron dynamics in the hydrogen molecular ion

We theoretically explore a mechanism resulting in a minimum in the high-harmonic spectrum of a hydrogen molecular ion driven at extended internuclear distances by a mid-infrared laser source. Our analysis identifies this minimum to be a signature of the transient localization of the electron upon alternating nuclear centers and is representative of dynamics occurring exclusively at the time of ionization. We further demonstrate the sensitivity of this spectroscopic feature to driving field parameters as well as its robustness to distributions of laser field intensities and internuclear distances. Finally, we show how variations in the nonadiabatic dynamics induced by the ramping driving field can be imaged through changes in the number and locations of minima in the spectra.
Abstract 4083: Reduced carbohydrates in resistant aggressive tumors, The RECHARGE Trial: A safety and feasibility nutritional study in ten patients

Background: Many aggressive cancers share a glycolytic phenotype associated with increased 18F-2-fluoro, 2-deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) uptake. Carbohydrate restricted (CR) diets, by inhibiting insulin secretion, enlist plausible but unproven mechanisms to limit cancer growth. Objectives: We evaluated safety/feasibility of a CR diet in patients with advanced FDG-avid cancers using a change in exit vs. baseline FDG uptake as a surrogate measure of tumor response using prospective EORTC criteria. Methods: Patients with advanced, incurable cancers and FDG-positive scans were recruited. Eligibility required ECOG performance status of 0-2, normal hepatic, renal, and gastrointestinal function, no diabetes or recent weight loss (> 5% within 3 months), and a body mass index of >20 kg/M2. A supervised CR diet (5% of total kCal) was monitored weekly for macronutrient intake, body weight, serum electrolytes, betahydroxybutyrate concentrations [BHB]. An exit four-week PET scan was obtained. Results: Ten subjects with advanced cancer completed > 26 days of the diet without associated adverse effects. Mean daily caloric intake decreased (35 + 6) % vs. Harris-Benedict formula9s predicted energy requirements, and median/mean weight loss were 4.1% (range 0.0-6.1%.) and (4.1 + 0.7) %, respectively. One patient had advanced but indolent disease (14 years without chemotherapy). Among nine patients with pre-trial progressive disease (Table 1), 4 continued to progress on PET, and 5 did not. Non-progression (n=5) vs. continued progession (n=4) correlated (p=0.02) with three fold higher dietary ketosis but not with reduced energy intake (p=0.65). Conclusions: Preliminary data suggest safety/feasibility of carbohydrate restriction in patients with advanced cancer, and that ketosis correlated with disease stabilization, supporting further evaluation of CR as a complementary approach in conjunction with standard therapies. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4083. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4083
The Effects of Longitudinal and Circumferential Cracks on the Torsional Dynamic Response of Shafts

Turbo generator shafts are manufactured through the extrusion process. This results in formation of weak planes along the extrusion direction. Under service loading (e.g. cyclic torsion due to electrical line faults), large longitudinal cracks often form in these shafts before the appearance of any circumferential cracks. The presence of these cracks could severely compromise the shaft resonance frequencies. Here, we investigated the dynamic response of solid turbo generator shafts with longitudinal and circumferential cracks. The longitudinal cracked section of the shaft section was modeled as a shaft with reduced effective torsional rigidity. The effective torsional rigidity was found to be a function of ratio of crack depth to the shaft radius only. The circumferential cracked section was modeled as a torsional spring, with the torsional spring constant determined using fracture mechanics principles. It was found that the resonance frequency of the shaft may be little affected by the presence of a longitudinal crack. The resonance frequencies of the shaft with the circumferential crack depend on the crack length and its location. The effects of crack surface interactions for both longitudinal and circumferential cracks were also investigated. For circumferential cracked shafts, the sever crack surface interaction results in the peak response frequency approaches to that of un-cracked shafts. However the frequency where the peak response occurs for a longitudinally-cracked shaft generally exceeds that of un-cracked shaft first resonance frequency.© 2013 ASME
Flow Structure and Unsteady Loading over a Pitching and Perching Low-Aspect-Ratio Wing

This study addresses the flow structure and unsteady loading arising over a low-aspect-ratio rectangular wing subjected to high-amplitude pitching and perching maneuvers under low-Reynolds-number conditions of interest in small unmanned aerial vehicle operation and gust interactions. Simulations are performed employing an extensively-validated high-fidelity computational approach capable of accurately capturing the complex unsteady transitional flows. Canonical pitching motions for a non-translating wing in the presence of a constant freestream are first investigated in order to elucidate the effects of pitch rate and Reynolds number on the flow structure and aerodynamic loading. The wing is pitched about its quarter-chord axis to a maximum incidence of 45◦ with nominal non-dimensional angular rates 0.05 ≤ Ω ≤ 0.2. The Reynolds number based on the wing chord varied from 10 to 4 × 10. For the highest pitch rate, good agreement between the computed three-dimensional flow structure and recent experimental measurements is demonstrated. The 3D dynamic stall process is characterized by the formation of an initial spanwise-oriented leading-edge vortex which evolves into an arch-type structure with legs anchored on the wing surface. This dominant flow element of low-aspect-ratio wings exhibits a long residence time and establishes a well-defined low-pressure region and swirling pattern on the wing surface. Increasing pitch rate promotes an angular delay in the flow evolution and corresponding aerodynamic loads. Even for the lowest pitch rate, a significant increase in maximum lift is achieved relative to the static situation. The low-aspect-ratio of the wing also promotes further delay of dynamic stall and a much smoother behavior of the aerodynamic coefficients when compared to a pitching 2D wing section. The formation of the arch vortex and swirling pattern are found to be qualitatively similar over the range of Reynolds number studied. At fixed pitch rate, higher Reynolds number promotes a more compact arch vortex, a stronger suction on the wing and further stall delay. Canonical perching maneuvers involving simultaneous rotation and deceleration to rest are considered at two values of pitch rate. The reduction in translating velocity halts the development of the leading-edge vortex system which eventually moves upstream in front of the wing. Attempts to correlate the perching loads with the constant-freestream pitching cases indicate that agreement can only be achieved for the initial portion of the maneuver. Discrepancies arise at high angles of attack which depend on the value of pitch rate itself.
Avoiding an Affront to Nature: Proposing a Front-End Regulatory Framework for Dispersants

Dispersants thundered into the public eye in the wake of the BP oil spill disaster. The unprecedented volume of dispersant application, and the uncertainty regarding their potential negative effects on the public health and the environment provide more than ample reason to address the existing dispersant regulatory structure (or lack thereof). Such uncertainty and unpreparedness is in opposition to the prevailing policy motivations behind the creation of both the EPA and National Contingency Plan (NCP). The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), a front-end framework used to regulate pesticides in the United States, provides a worthwhile model for dispersant regulation going forward. While FIFRA is by no means the pinnacle of regulatory efficiency and success, its front-end structure would prove quite valuable to an increased federal regulation of dispersants as they appear within the NCP.