cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurement of K-values in Diamondback Hoppers using pressure sensitive pads

Abstract Measurement of wall loads in hoppers has been difficult due to the expense of constructing multiple loads cell measurement units in a hopper. Recent advances in measurement techniques have allowed significant improvements in the measurement of multiple point normal stresses in hoppers. This paper presents measurements of wall stresses using pressure sensitive pads made by TekScan™. The wall stresses in a Diamondback Hopper™ were measured, indicating significant spatial stress variation. These hopper stresses were used to compute spatially varying K-values using a modified Janssen stress approach. The Janssen stress ratio approach with varying K-values that were a function of local hopper slope angle generated wall load curves that captured the general behavior of the observed wall loads.
Toxicologic studies on o-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile.

Abstract The acute intravenous LD 50 of o -chlorobenzylidene malononitrile for rabbits is about 8 mg/kg. The subcutaneous LD 50 for mice is greater than 800 mg/kg. o -Chlorobenzylidene malononitrile caused only conjunctivitis when placed in the eyes of rabbits. The acute inhalation LCt 50 of o -chlorobenzylidene malononitrile for rats, mice, guinea pigs, and pigeons is 32,500, 43,500, 8300, 17,300 and 36,000 mg min/m 3 respectively. The administration of penicillin and isoproterenol did not alter mortality responses in guinea pigs following inhalation of o -chlorobenzylidene malononitrile. Daily exposure to o -chlorobenzylidene malononitrile, 5 days a week for 5 weeks, had no apparent effect on dogs. Daily exposure (3600 mg min/m 3 ) caused death of some of the exposed rats. o -Chlorobenzylidene malononitrile is a potent sternutator and lacrimator and has a high ratio between the lethal and irritating airborne concentration in animals.
Wear of carbon fiber reinforced carbon matrix composites: Study of abrasive, oxidative wear and influence of humidity

Abstract The wear of C/C composites has been studied using a subscale aircraft brake dynamometer linked with a mass spectrometer. A disc-on-disc configuration allowed for simulation of various aircraft landing energy conditions (12.5%, 25%, 50%, and 100% of normal landing energy of a Boeing 737 aircraft) performed at 50% and 90% relative humidity levels. The microstructure of composite brakes was altered by applying three different heat treatment temperatures: 1800, 2100, and 2400 °C, respectively. A mass spectrometer linked to an environmental chamber of the subscale dynamometer was utilized to measure the in situ CO 2 release during the wear tests. The relationships between microstructure, hardness of individual components of composites and wear performance at varied conditions are presented. Carbons obtained at higher heat treatment temperatures are most vulnerable to abrasive wear, while the less ordered carbons, typical for samples heat treated at lower temperatures, showed significant amount of oxidative wear. Oxidative wear was related to excessive heating of materials. Optimization of wear behavior of C/C composite is only possible by understanding the mechanisms of the microstructural changes of materials, corresponding mechanical properties and the nature of wear under various environmental conditions.
Militarising – and marginalising? – African Studies USA

The militarisation of US–African relations has attracted considerable attention in recent years. Left largely unexplored, however, is the question of how this process has involved US-based scholars. This essay examines this process with particular attention to the rapid expansion of military and intelligence research on and in Africa, and, in particular, military and intelligence funding of US Africanists' research including at the major African Studies centres. While the classification of much federal research limits conclusions, it is apparent that military and intelligence priorities are coming to significantly shape the present and future of much research and training.
A Model for Developing and Testing Custom-Made Laboratory Manuals to Use with Food Chemistry and Food Analysis Courses

: This project reports on a model for preparing food chemistry and food analysis laboratory manuals that provide a closer link between lecture material and laboratory exercises. Teaching effectiveness was also improved by evaluating the composition and eliminating duplication between these complementary courses. Utilizing the combination of personal experience and the scientific literature, laboratory exercises were developed and modified to fit with the lecture material. Labs were initially performed and critiqued by a graduate student. After making appropriate revisions, undergraduate students tested the labs under the graduate student's supervision and completed a questionnaire about their experiences. Based on the undergraduate feed-back, final revisions were made and custom laboratory manuals were printed. This project demonstrates one effective way for developing custom food science labs to parallel with lecture material.
The Albedo of Vegetated Land Surfaces: Systems Analysisand Mathematical Modeling

The albedo of vegetated land surfaces (surface albedo) is a key factor in climate modeling and in mechanistic accounting of many ecological processes. This paper proposes a testable numerical equation for the analysis and projection of surface albedo. Conceptualized as the manifestation of a canopy elements-determined basic property after modifications by temporal and spatial circumstances, surface albedo was depicted analytically in relation to 11 driving variables (leaf size, leaf life span, relative leaf age, canopy leaf cover, relative stem cover, vegetation height, stress-calendar day, drought indicator, optical air mass, station atmospheric pressure, snow cover). With peripheral algorithms developed to derive all but two of those variables, surface albedo was linked ultimately to eight rudimentary factors (calendar day, latitude, elevation, vegetation height, dominant plant species, monthly air temperature, monthly precipitation, snow cover). The analytical framework, and then its coefficient values, for surface albedo were generally supported by a series of statistical evaluations in terms of: (i) the equation’s ability to capture, by regression fitting, the variation in the surface albedo of 26 forests (135 data points) distributed around the world; (ii) the quantitative significance of individual driving variables; (iii) the randomness of residual or error distributions; (iv) the performance of the forests-fitted equation in extrapolative prediction of surface albedo against independent data for 8 deforested sites (93 data points) and for 3 types of vegetation (7 data points) at the Arctic treeline. Compared to the data, the fitted or projected albedo values had a margin of error generally within ±10%. The individual coefficient values and component functions of the final equation were consistent with their supposed mechanistic underpinnings, based on independent information from the literature. The equation shed new insight into the quantitative behavior of surface albedo, and upon further validation, should be useful for modeling surface albedo as a key land surface-atmosphere feedback link that varies and interacts with climate and vegetation.
Herpes simplex virus-1 infection causes the secretion of a type I interferon-antagonizing protein and inhibits signaling at or before Jak-1 activation.

Host cells respond to viral infection by the production of type I interferons (IFNs), which induce the expression of antiviral genes. Herpes simplex virus I (HSV-1) encodes many mechanisms that inhibit the type I IFN response, including the ICP27-dependent inhibition of type I IFN signaling. Here we show inhibition of Stat-1 nuclear accumulation in cells that express ICP27. ICP27 expression also induces the secretion of a small, heat-stable type I IFN antagonizing protein that inhibits Stat-1 nuclear accumulation. We show that the inhibition of IFN-induced Stat-1 phosphorylation occurs at or upstream of Jak-1 phosphorylation. Finally, we show that ISG15 expression is induced after IFNα treatment in mock-infected cells, but not cells infected with WT HSV-1 or ICP27− HSV-1. These data suggest that HSV-1 has evolved multiple mechanisms to inhibit IFN signaling not only in infected cells, but also in neighboring cells, thereby allowing for increased viral replication and spread.
RECONNAISSANCE RUBIDIUM-STRONTIUM GEOCHRONOLOGY OF NEW ZEALAND PLUTONIC AND METAMORPHIC ROCKS

Abstract A reconnaissance rubidium-strontium geochronological study of the plutonic and metamorphic rocks of the South Island and Stewart Island, New Zealand, shows that many of these deep-seated rocks have mineral ages that fall within the narrow limits of 98-119 million vears. In this grouping are rocks associated with the Separation Point Granite, the Charleston Gneiss, the Fiordland — southern Stewart Island Complex, and the Otago Schists. The metamorphism of the Otago Schists has heretofore been related to the Rangitata Orogeny on geological grounds; the present work suggests that this orogeny is of mid-Cretaceous age and was associated with the production of plutonic rocks over a wide area of the South Island.
Effect of particulate/matrix debonding on the formation of adiabatic shear bands

Abstract We use the cohesive zone failure model to simulate debonding and failure in high strain-rate plane strain deformations of a heat conducting particulate composite comprised of initially circular metallic particulates immersed in a metallic matrix, with the goal of delineating the effect of these failures on the initiation and propagation of adiabatic shear bands (ASBs). Failure is assumed to ensue at an interface between two elements when a predefined combination of the normal and the tangential tractions on that interface reaches a critical value. We postulate that the critical value of the traction in the cohesive zone failure model decreases affinely with an increase in the temperature. Both particulate and matrix materials are assumed to be isotropic, heat conducting, and to obey the von Mises yield criterion with the flow stress depending upon the effective strain, the effective strain rate, and the temperature according to the Johnson–Cook relation. The coupled transient thermomechanical problem is analyzed by the finite element method by using 3-node triangular elements and the finite calculus technique to prevent volumetric locking. It is found that the critical strength of the bond between the particulate and the matrix significantly influences the loss of strength of the entire specimen. The time of initiation of an ASB is influenced by the time when debonding ensues which depends upon the values of the critical traction and the mode-mixity parameter in the cohesive zone failure criterion.
Evaluation of inter-simple sequence repeat analysis for mapping in Citrus and extension of the genetic linkage map

Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) analysis was evaluated for its usefulness in generating markers to extend the genetic linkage map of Citrus using a backcross population previously mapped with restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and isozyme markers. ISSR markers were obtained through the simple technique of PCR followed by analysis on agarose gels, using simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers. Optimization of reaction conditions was achieved for 50% of the SSR primers screened, and the primers amplified reproducible polymorphic bands in the parents and progeny of the backcross population. Mendelian segregation of the polymorphic bands was demonstrated, with an insignificant number of skewed loci. Most of the SSR primers produced dominant loci; however co-dominance was observed with loci derived from three primers. A new genetic map was produced by combining the segregation data for the ISSR markers and data for the RFLP, RAPD and isozyme markers from the previous map and creating genetic linkages among all the markers using JoinMap 2.0 mapping software. The new map has an improved distribution of markers along the linkage groups with fewer gaps, and marker order showed partial or complete conservation in the linkage groups. The incorporation of ISSR markers into the genetic linkage map demonstrates that ISSR markers are suitable for genetic mapping in Citrus.
DETAILED TEMPERATURE STRUCTURES OF THE SEA OFF BAJA CALIFORNIA

Examples of the detailed tcmpcrature structure of the upper 245 m of the sea off Baja California provide clues to the dynamic processes occurring in the sea. The examples accurately portray the roughness of the thcrmoclinc, which always contains small highfrequency internal waves. Some sections show a probable tidal effect on the thermocline. These cxamplcs also provide clues to the nature of thermal fronts and to relative flow between water of different levels.
Data Assimilation with Gaussian Mixture Models Using the Dynamically Orthogonal Field Equations. Part I: Theory and Scheme

AbstractThis work introduces and derives an efficient, data-driven assimilation scheme, focused on a time-dependent stochastic subspace that respects nonlinear dynamics and captures non-Gaussian statistics as it occurs. The motivation is to obtain a filter that is applicable to realistic geophysical applications, but that also rigorously utilizes the governing dynamical equations with information theory and learning theory for efficient Bayesian data assimilation. Building on the foundations of classical filters, the underlying theory and algorithmic implementation of the new filter are developed and derived. The stochastic Dynamically Orthogonal (DO) field equations and their adaptive stochastic subspace are employed to predict prior probabilities for the full dynamical state, effectively approximating the Fokker–Planck equation. At assimilation times, the DO realizations are fit to semiparametric Gaussian Mixture Models (GMMs) using the Expectation-Maximization algorithm and the Bayesian Information Cri...
Team analytics: understanding teams in the global workplace

Many medium and large companies maintain internal employee directories. Unfortunately, most directories only allow the lookup of individual profiles, one profile at a time. Team Analytics is a novel application that integrates information from disparate enterprise tools for groups of people. Besides accelerating the lookup process, Team Analytics also displays information that is only available in the group context, such as an organizational chart and time zone awareness. We present the Team Analytics application, its integration with our corporate email client, and results from a user survey that evaluates various aspects of the application.
Optimization of time delay systems by hybrid functions

A method for finding the optimal control of a linear time varying delay system with quadratic performance index is discussed. The properties of the hybrid functions which consists of block-pulse functions plus Taylor series are presented. The method is based upon expanding various time functions in the system as their truncated hybrid functions. Operational matrices of integration and delay are presented and are utilized to reduce the solution of an optimazation problem to the solution of algebraic equations. Illustrative examples are included to demonstrate the validity and applicability of the technique.
Toxic substances from entomophthoraceous fungi

Abstract Reconstituted freeze-dried filtrates of Entomophthora coronata and Entomophthora apiculata week-old cultures were found toxic when injected into larvae of the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella , and adults of the face fly, Musca autumnalis . Similar preparations of Entomophthora virulenta proved nontoxic to wax-moth larvae but produced mortality in adult face flies. Suspensions of the freeze-dried supernatants from E. coronata cultured on a synthetic medium were also found toxic. Two to 3 hr after injection with the toxic material insects blackened, and death usually occurred within 24 to 48 hr later. Mortality occurred when wax-moth larvae were injected with a suspension of the freeze-dried filtrates from homogenized E. coronata -infected larvae. With larvae of the greater wax moth, the calculated ld 50 value for the crude freeze-dried filtrate from E. coronata cultures was 1.04 mg.
OPHTHALMIC COMPLICATIONS OF HIV INFECTION

More than 50% of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have ophthalmic changes associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Microvascular abnormalities and opportunistic infections cause the majority of ophthalmic lesions seen in HIV-infected individuals. As a consequence of the chronic loss of T lymphocytes, infections generally occur with minimal reactive inflammation and require prolonged medical therapy to prevent disease recurrence. Certain ocular infections, such as herpes simplex keratitis, do not appear to occur any more frequently in patients with AIDS than in immunocompetent age-matched patients but can be more severe and atypical. Others, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis, occur almost exclusively in patients with AIDS. The ocular manifestations of HIV infection can be grouped into five general categories: (1) a noninfectious microangiopathy, often referred to as HIV retinopathy; (2) opportunistic ocular infections; (3) neoplasms of the ocular adnexa; (4) neuro-ophthalmic lesions; and (5) drug-induced manifestations (Table 1).
Government-Binding Theory and some of its applications: a tutorial.

Government-Binding Theory is the dominant theory of grammar in present-day linguistics, and is receiving increasing attention from investigators of normal and disordered language behavior. This pap...
In Situ Observation of Recovery and Grain Growth in High Purity Aluminum

We have used high energy x-ray diffraction microscopy (HEDM) to study annealing behavior in high purity aluminum. In-situ measurements were carried out at Sector 1 of the Advanced Photon Source. The microstructure in a small sub-volume of a 1 mm diameter wire was mapped in the as-received state and after two differential anneals. Forward modeling analysis reveals three dimensional grain structures and internal orientation distributions inside grains. The analysis demonstrates increased ordering with annealing as well as persistent low angle internal boundaries. Grains that grow from disordered regions are resolution limited single crystals. Together with this recovery behavior, we observe subtle motions of some grain boundaries due to annealing.
On the Road to Precision Cancer Medicine: Analysis of Genomic Biomarker Actionability in 439 Patients

Despite the increased use of molecular diagnostics, the extent to which patients who have these tests harbor potentially actionable aberrations is unclear. We retrospectively reviewed 439 patients with diverse cancers, for whom next-generation sequencing (mostly 236-gene panel) had been performed. Data pertaining to the molecular alterations identified, as well as associated treatment suggestions (on- or off-label, or experimental), were extracted from molecular diagnostic reports. Most patients (420/439; 96%) had at least one molecular alteration: 1,813 alterations (in 207 distinct genes) were identified [the majority being mutations (62%) or amplifications (29%)]. The three most common gene abnormalities were TP53 (44%), KRAS (16%), and PIK3CA (12%). The median number of alterations per patient was 3 (range, 0-16). Nineteen patients (4%) had no alterations; 48 patients (11%) had only one alteration; and 372 patients had two or more abnormalities (85%). The median number of potentially actionable anomalies per patient was 2 (range, 0-8). Most patients (393/439; 90%) had at least one potentially actionable alteration, and in all these cases the aberration could at least be targeted by an experimental drug in a clinical trial. A total of 307 patients (70%) had an alteration that was actionable with an approved drug, but in only 89 patients (20%) was the drug approved for their disease (on-label). Next-generation sequencing identified theoretically actionable aberrations in 90% of our patients. Many of the drugs are, however, experimental or would require off-label use. Strategies to address drug access for patients harboring potentially actionable mutations are needed.
SOME CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS UPON THE METABOLISM AND UTILIZATION OF CRYSTALLINE PROGESTERONE

IN TWO RECENT communications (i, 2) by members of our group, attention was directed to a failure to observe any significant alterations in the urin' ary titers of sodium pregnandiol glucuronide of patients with various functional irregularities of uterine bleeding following intramuscular injections of oily solutions of crystalline progesterone. These data and those also reported regarding the infrequent occurrence of specific endometriotropic responses suggested that, perhaps, ineffective metabolism of crystalline progesterone was related to its inadequate utilisation by the endometrium. Stover and Pratt (3) have reported recently that they also had failed to recover any of the pregnandiol complex from the urine of patients who had been given intramuscular injections of an active extract of corpora lutea. Venning and Browne (4), however, had described the recovery of amounts of the pregnan' diol complex comparable to 46 to 12‰ of that expected from the injected progesterone.
Mapping Mortality: Evaluating Color Schemes for Choropleth Maps

Use of color for representing health data on maps raises many unanswered questions. This research addresses questions about which colors allow accurate map reading and which colors map users prefer. Through the combination of a review of previous color research and an experiment designed to test specific combinations of colors on maps, criteria were established and evaluated for selecting colors for choropleth maps of mortality data. The color-selection criteria provide pairs of hues for diverging schemes that avoid naming and colorblind confusions. We also tested sequential and spectral schemes. Our results show that color is worth the extra effort and expense it adds to map making because it permits greater accuracy in map reading. In addition, people prefer color maps over monochrome maps. Interestingly, scheme preference is affected by levels of clustering within mapped distributions. In this research, people preferred spectral and purple/green hue combinations. Contrary to our expectations, spectral ...
Understanding policy reform in Colorado's domestic violence offender treatment standards

This study examines the perceived conditions leading to Colorado adopting revised Standards for treating domestic violence offenders from the perspective of Kingdon's multiple streams theory. A within-case analysis of ten semi-structured interviews explores the Domestic Violence Offender Management Board in Colorado's process for revising Colorado's 2001 Treatment Standards. FINDINGS suggest a benign political stream, supported by technically feasible and value-accepted policy ideas, feedback and indicators of the problem, promoted a favourable setting for change. At least two policy entrepreneurs championed the decision-making process. Agenda setting and policy formulation depended on three elements: feedback from existing programmes, indicators of continued difficulty in effectively treating offenders, and the existence of a suitable policy alternative. This study contributes a rare application of multiple streams theory to a criminal justice context in a sub-national government. Future research should explore whether the presence of a benign political stream influences the development and revision of domestic violence policy in other policy environments. Language: en
The Effect of Hypocapnia on Arterial Blood Pressure

In man, hypocapnia induced by hyperventilation causes a drop in arterial pressure. The calculated peripheral resistance is decreased, indicating a net vasodilatation. The forearm blood flow is markedly increased, and the vascular resistance of the forearm is much reduced. Persons with impaired function of the sympathetic nervous system continue to show these effects. The increase in forearm flow is not prevented by brachial block. These results suggest that hypocapnia acts directly on blood vessels to produce a net over-all vasodilatation and fall in blood pressure, and that this effect is not mediated through the nervous system, as usually supposed.
Fitting and interpreting continuous-time latent Markov models for panel data

Multistate models characterize disease processes within an individual. Clinical studies often observe the disease status of individuals at discrete time points, making exact times of transitions between disease states unknown. Such panel data pose considerable modeling challenges. Assuming the disease process progresses accordingly, a standard continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) yields tractable likelihoods, but the assumption of exponential sojourn time distributions is typically unrealistic. More flexible semi-Markov models permit generic sojourn distributions yet yield intractable likelihoods for panel data in the presence of reversible transitions. One attractive alternative is to assume that the disease process is characterized by an underlying latent CTMC, with multiple latent states mapping to each disease state. These models retain analytic tractability due to the CTMC framework but allow for flexible, duration-dependent disease state sojourn distributions. We have developed a robust and efficient expectation-maximization algorithm in this context. Our complete data state space consists of the observed data and the underlying latent trajectory, yielding computationally efficient expectation and maximization steps. Our algorithm outperforms alternative methods measured in terms of time to convergence and robustness. We also examine the frequentist performance of latent CTMC point and interval estimates of disease process functionals based on simulated data. The performance of estimates depends on time, functional, and data-generating scenario. Finally, we illustrate the interpretive power of latent CTMC models for describing disease processes on a dataset of lung transplant patients. We hope our work will encourage wider use of these models in the biomedical setting.
Uptake of trichloroethylene by hybrid poplar trees grown hydroponically in flow-through plant growth chambers

Phytoremediation is being promoted as a cost-effective treatment option for shallow groundwater and soils contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE). However, its effectiveness is difficult to assess due to contradictory reports regarding the magnitude of plant uptake and phytovolatilization. Experimental artifacts and plant stress, resulting from the use of static or low-flow plant growth laboratory systems, may account for part of the discrepancy. High exposure concentrations and short durations may also cause artifacts in laboratory studies. A dual-chamber plant growth system designed to minimize experimental artifacts was used to determine the uptake of ( 14C) TCE by hydroponically grown hybrid poplar as a function of plant stress (aerobic and oxygen-reduced root zone), exposure concentration (1-70 mg/L), and exposure duration (12 or 26 d). The (14C)TCE recoveries ranged from 92 to 101% in 11 dosed chambers. Trichloroethylene mass equivalent concentrations in the shoot tissue (2-168 mg/kg) were dependent on the amount of water transpired and the exposure concentration. Root-zone oxygen status did not significantly impact TCE uptake. Transpiration stream concentration factors (TSCFs) determined in these studies (0.02-0.22) were independent of exposure duration and are much lower than those previously reported and predicted. The role of TSCF and other factors in estimating the significance of plant uptake in the phytoremediation of TCE-contaminated groundwater is discussed.
Specialization, homophily, and gender in a social curation site: findings from pinterest

Pinterest is a popular social curation site where people collect, organize, and share pictures of items. We studied a fundamental issue for such sites: what patterns of activity attract attention (audience and content reposting)-- We organized our studies around two key factors: the extent to which users specialize in particular topics, and homophily among users. We also considered the existence of differences between female and male users. We found: (a) women and men differed in the types of content they collected and the degree to which they specialized; male Pinterest users were not particularly interested in stereotypically male topics; (b) sharing diverse types of content increases your following, but only up to a certain point; (c) homophily drives repinning: people repin content from other users who share their interests; homophily also affects following, but to a lesser extent. Our findings suggest strategies both for users (e.g., strategies to attract an audience) and maintainers (e.g., content recommendation methods) of social curation sites.
Role of Aspirin with Thrombolytic Therapy in Acute Myocardial Infarction

Thrombolytic therapy has been shown to limit infarct size, improve ventricular function, and decrease mortality in suspected evolving myocardial infarction (MI). Aspirin therapy also decreases mortality as well as stroke and reinfarction in suspected evolving MI. The combined ability of both agents to lyse as well as to prevent clots yields a greater benefit than either alone. The use of aspirin with thrombolysis also protects against the increase in reinfarction observed when thrombolytic therapy is given alone. While ongoing research is evaluating the optimal thrombolytic agent as well as the possible role of heparin, it is already clear that the use of aspirin with thrombolytic therapy will significantly decrease reinfarction, stroke, and vascular mortality in suspected evolving MI.
Controlled release of nonionic compounds from poly(lactic acid)/cellulose nanocrystal nanocomposite fibers

Poly(lactic acid)(PLA)/cellulose nanocrystal nanocomposite fibers were prepared by electrospinning at elevated temperature. Columbia Blue, a nonionic hydrophobic dye with a molecular weight and partition coefficient that mimics a systemic agrichemical, was incorporated into the fibers as a model compound. The release of Columbia Blue into water displayed little burst release. Diffusion-controlled release of Columbia Blue was significantly influenced by the hydrophobicity of the electrospun PLA nanocomposite fibers and followed Fickian diffusion kinetics. The release of Columbia Blue by degradation-controlled mechanism followed zero-order, time-independent Case II kinetics (n = 1.0). Increasing cellulose nanocrystal content in the fibers increased the fiber degradation rate and the Columbia Blue release rate. The plasticizing effect of Columbia Blue on the thermal properties of the electrospun nanocomposite fibers showed the miscibility of Columbia Blue inside the electrospun nanocomposite fibers. A greenhouse trial confirmed the anticipated trends of higher pesticide dosage causing higher whitefly mortality percentage. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2013
Efficient distributed signaling schemes for cooperative wireless networks

Multiple-element antenna channels provide increased spectral efficiency and reduced error probabilities through their potential for spatial multiplexing and diversity signaling. Cooperative signaling can be employed to emulate these features in a distributed fashion in networks where communicating nodes cannot be equipped with multiple-element antennas for practical reasons. Towards this end, this paper proposes conceptually simple distributed cooperative signaling algorithms for both the downlink and the uplink of a class of adaptively reconfigurable networks called quasi-structured networks. These signaling algorithms are spectrally efficient and provide the maximum diversity achievable for the emulated multiple-antenna configuration.
Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy Literature Summaries and Analyses

Timely and important studies are reviewed and commentaries provided by leading palliative care clinicians. Symptoms, interventions, and treatment-related adverse events addressed in this issue are management of Alzheimer's agitation with donepezil; needle-free lidocaine powder for minor painful procedures; psychostimulants in depression; anticoagulation for cancer-related venous thromboembolism; effect of waiting for acute pain treatment on risk of chronic pain; and an update on severe cutaneous reactions associated with medications.
Plasmodesmata during development: re-examination of the importance of primary, secondary, and branched plasmodesmata structure versus function

Plasmodesmata (PD) structure and function vary temporally and spatially during all stages of plant development. PD that originate during, or post, cell division are designated as primary or secondary according to classical terminology. PD structure may be simple, twinned, or branched. Studies of PD during leaf, root, and embryo development have lead to the generalization that cells in less mature tissues contain predominantly simple PD. New quantitative analyses reveal that twinned and branched PD also occur in immature tissues. New data also highlight the versatility of viral movement proteins as tags for labeling PD in immature tissues as well as PD in mature tissues. A summary of the formation and function of primary, secondary, and branched PD during leaf, trichome, embryo, apical meristem, vascular cambium, and root development underscores the remarkable and indispensible plant-specific intercellular communication system that is mediated by PD.
Thromboembolic Events During Continuous Vasopressin Infusions: A Retrospective Evaluation

Background:Published guidelines suggest that vasopressin has a role in shock treatment, although its safety has not been adequately evaluated in a clinical setting. Vasopressin causes platelet aggregation and has been associated with the release of factor VIII coagulant and von Willebrand factor.Objective:To compare the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with a diagnosis of shock who received vasopressin with those who did not receive vasopressin for hemodynamic support.Methods:A retrospective, single-center, cohort study was conducted at an academic, tertiary care center with 350 patients with a diagnosis of shock. Patients from the intensive care unit were randomly selected and separated into 2 groups for comparison of those receiving only catecholamines with those receiving vasopressin with or without catecholamines for hypotension. Patients with diabetes insipidus or variceal hemorrhage and those with any documented history of VTE were excluded. The primary outcome, VTE occurrence, ...
The Intersection of Violence, Crime, and Mental Health

Without doubt, interpersonal violence, crime, and sudden traumatic death remain pervasive public health issues that continue to generate concern and challenges for psychiatric and mental health providers and for society at large. Inherent to the professional pathways of psychiatric nurses, there are often necessary intersections with clients, both offenders and victims, in daily practice and across a wide variety of clinical settings. We are honored to have been afforded the opportunity to be guest editors for this specially themed issue of the Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association regarding the ongoing evolution of psychiatric and mental health theory, assessment, and intervention within a frame of violence prevention and response. We have spent considerable time engaged in introspection and concerted discussion surrounding the many challenges and successes within our own research and practice experiences and are pleased with the variety of submitted manuscripts covering a broad array of violence-related topics. We are hopeful that these articles will provide insight into contemporary trends and issues for clinicians confronted with the investigation of violence and crime and for researchers seeking best practices for intervening with both offenders and survivors. This shared journey, including reflections on our career journeys and working with the various authors, has resulted in an expanded awareness. At each fork in the road we, as psychiatric and mental health practitioners, are uniquely positioned to guide survivors as they navigate the chaotic aftermath of
The Meaning of Marriage to Same-Sex Families: Formal Partnership, Parenthood, Gender, and the Welfare State in International Perspective

Lesbian and gay male couples formalize romantic partnerships at different rates. These rates differ differently depending on national context, with female partnerships exceeding male partnerships in U.S. contexts, while gay male partnerships exceed lesbian partnerships in some European contexts, and rough parity is reached in Canada. Through a cross-national analysis of welfare regimes, partnership forms, and patterns of formal same-sex partnership in eight nations and three U.S. states over time, we explain these gendered differences in formal partnership rates. We conclude that forms of relationship recognition interact with parental rights, either to facilitate or impede the achievement of social and legal parental ties between same-sex couples and their children. As formal partnership forms for same-sex couples change over time, their relative appeal to male and female couples changes as well.
A Complementarity Constraint Formulation of Convex Multiobjective Optimization Problems

We propose a new approach to convex nonlinear multiobjective optimization that captures the geometry of the Pareto set by generating a discrete set of Pareto points optimally. We show that the problem of finding a maximally uniform representation of the Pareto surface can be formulated as a mathematical program with complementarity constraints. The complementarity constraints arise from modeling the set of Pareto points, and the objective maximizes some quality measure of this discrete set. We present encouraging numerical experience on a range of test problems collected from the literature.
A Stirling Encounter with Harmonic Numbers

(2002). A Stirling Encounter with Harmonic Numbers. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 75, No. 2, pp. 95-103.
Impact of cocaine abuse on HIV pathogenesis

Over 1.2 million people in the United States are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Tremendous progress has been made over the past three decades on many fronts in the prevention and treatment of HIV-1 disease. However, HIV-1 infection is incurable and antiretroviral drugs continue to remain the only effective treatment option for HIV infected patients. Unfortunately, only three out of ten HIV-1 infected individuals in the US have the virus under control. Thus, majority of HIV-1 infected individuals in the US are either unaware of their infection status or not connected/retained to care or are non-adherent to antiretroviral therapy (ART). This national public health crisis, as well as the ongoing global HIV/AIDS pandemic, is further exacerbated by substance abuse, which serves as a powerful cofactor at every stage of HIV/AIDS including transmission, diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment. Clinical studies indicate that substance abuse may increase viral load, accelerate disease progression and worsen AIDS-related mortality even among ART adherent patients. However, confirming a direct causal link between substance abuse and HIV/AIDS in human patients remains a highly challenging endeavor. In this review we will discuss the recent and past developments in clinical and basic science research on the effects of cocaine abuse on HIV-1 pathogenesis.
The incubation effect: How mathematicians recover from proving impasses

Abstract The literature on mathematicians’ actions during proving has, thus far, been primarily anecdotal. This paper reports the observed actions of nine mathematicians, six of whom came to an impasse while constructing proofs alone on an unfamiliar topic, from a set of notes, and with unlimited time. The existence of impasses and the actions participants took to recover from them were either directly observed from the real-time data collected (using an innovative technique) or obtained from exit interviews or focus groups. Certain times could be considered a period of incubation , which psychologists have defined as a “temporary shift away from an unsolved problem that allows a solution to emerge seemingly as if from no additional effort” ( Sio & Ormerod, 2009 , p. 94). These actions to overcome impasses, while naturally part of mathematicians’ proving processes, could be discussed with students in a classroom setting to help alleviate difficulties in proving.
Correlation of genetic instability and apoptosis in the presence of oncogenic Ki -Ras

The product of the ras proto-oncogene has been implicated as an essential signal transducer, involved in a variety of biological or pathological activities, including apoptosis. The aim of this investigation was to further explore the mechanisms of apoptosis triggered by Ras. Stable expression of constitutively-activated (v)-Ki-Ras in Balb/c-3T3 mouse fibroblasts resulted in a loss of G1 arrest in response to treatments which induced cell cycle arrest in the parental Balb/c-3T3 cells, accompanied by decreased expression of the p53 tumor suppressor protein and the GADD45 gene, the product of which is involved in DNA repair, and deregulated expression of the MDM-2 gene, the product of which can regulate p53 expression. Ki-Ras expression also increased the frequency of PALA-selectable CAD gene amplification, and paradoxically the susceptibility to PALA-induced apoptosis. After persistent serum-starvation, cells expressing the activated ras gene lost clonogenic potential, indicating impaired capability for genetic repair in the cells. Taken together, these data suggest that activated Ki-ras may confer genetic instabilty upon cells, possibly through interference with tumor suppressors, such as p53. While this instability may facilitate adaptation to environmental stresses, this instability in the genome also renders cells containing activated ras genes intrinsically more susceptible to programmed cell death, possibly by accumulation of undesirable or lethal genetic events during the process of tumor development.
Dissociative Hydrogen Adsorption on Close-Packed Cobalt Nanoparticle Surfaces

The dissociative adsorption of hydrogen on cobalt is central to a number of catalytic reactions, yet to date there are relatively few studies examining this important process. Here we utilize Co nanoparticles grown on Cu(111), instead of the traditional planar Co single crystals, to study a more catalytically relevant form of Co. We present scanning tunneling microscopy images of different phases of H on the close-packed Co nanoparticle surfaces with a range of densities. Our data reveal a so-far unreported high coverage phase of H with a (1 × 1) structure and elucidate the importance of spillover from step edges in H adsorption. We also illustrate that, in contrast to the low density phases, the H-(1 × 1) structure can only be formed at an intermediate temperature, indicating that compression to this higher-density phase is activated. Density functional theory calculations yield energies for each of the H overlayer structures, as well as their preferred geometries. This work is the first to report on hig...
SU5416 sensitizes ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin through inhibition of nucleotide excision repair.

SU5416 is reported to be a selective inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor, and it has met with limited success in the clinic. In the present study, we investigated whether SU5416 could augment cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in human ovarian cancer cells. When used as a single agent, 2-h exposures to SU5416 were not harmful to the cells up to doses of 100 μM. For 48-h exposures, the SU5416 IC20 and IC50 were 17 and 34 μM, respectively. When used with cisplatin, the effect of SU5416 was sequence dependent. SU5416 given first was subadditive, whereas cisplatin given first was supraadditive. Cisplatin was given as a 1-h exposure. Augmented cisplatin cytotoxicity was seen with 2-h exposures to SU5416 at doses of 17-34 μM. This was associated with a decrease in cisplatin-DNA adduct repair, as measured by atomic absorbance spectrometry. Treatment of the ovarian carcinoma cells with SU5416 was also associated with a reduced expression of ERCC-1 protein and c-jun mRNA, as well as a decrease in c-Jun and JNK activities. We conclude that SU5416 can be used to augment cisplatin-induced cell killing at doses that are non-toxic. This effect may occur through direct or indirect reduction of the activity of AP-1 and DNA repair.
Comparative electrophoresis and numerical taxonomy of some Candida species.

Protein extracts were prepared from six isolates of Candida albicans, three of C. stellatoidea, four of C. tropicalis, C. krusei and C. pseudotropicalis, and five of C. parapsilosis and C. guilliermondii. The 31 extracts were fractionated by disc electrophoresis using an anionic and a cationic system. Forty-six protein fractions were observed, including 27 different acidic fractions with the anionic system and 19 different basic fractions with the cationic system. Isolates of each species were identical or very similar in number and mobility of fractions. Interspecific differences were observed. Similarities among taxa were determined by numerical taxonomic methods. Isolates of each species, except C. albicans and C. stellatoidea, joined initially in a single cluster prior to linking interspecifically. Candida albicans and C. stellatoidea could not be separated by comparative disc electrophoresis.
Epidemiological characteristics of measles in urban Daxing,Beijing during 2006~2010

Objective To analyze epidemiological characteristics of measles in urban Daxing,Beijing during 2006~2010 to provide scientific basis for elimination of the disease.Methods Measles incidence during 2006~20101 were analyzed with descriptive epidemiology.Results During 2006~2010,928 cases of measles were reported in urban Daxing,with an average incidence of 13.76 per 100 000.Number of measles cases reported from towns of Huangcun,Jiugong and Xihongmen ranked the top three of the district,accounting for 53.77 percent of the total.Five hundred and thirty-six measles cases occurred in persons at age of 15 years or over,accounting for 57.76 percent of the total,and number of cases in children with measles vaccination aged eight months to 14 years accounted for 52.81 percent.Conclusion All those are effective measures for elimination of the disease to keep high coverage of measles immunization,to consolidate the effect of enforced measles revaccination,to enhance monitoring for measles in adults and timely to implement emergency vaccination.
Test method study of single-use filter for anaesthesia's particulate content

Objective:Correct the error of the test method for the single-use filter for anaesthesia.Method:Give the academic analysis and assume to the problem appeared in the actual test;Adopt the method of pretreatment of particulate-filter and give several different project design of particulate-hangover;Achieve the request of condition control of particulate content by test validation and analysis of academic statistic.Result:The flusher and particulate hangover result in the lost of particulate content test of the filter itself.Conclusion:The selection of the flusher and particulate hangover is the key factor in the test of single-use filter for anaesthesia,for credible result,the number of particulate hangover which size is more than 5um should be no more than 10(in 60 mL) and the filter should be pure water.
The Ubp15 deubiquitinase promotes timely entry into S phase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The accumulation of S-phase cyclins regulates DNA synthesis. In budding yeast, the S-phase cyclin Clb5 is degraded in M phase after ubiquitination by the anaphase-promoting complex (APC). Clb5 accu...