cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shape functions for polygonal domains with interior nodes

The presented formulation follows in a series of publications which outline a method for constructing test functions which satisfy essential edge conditions exactly. The method promises a complete solution, satisfying allof the requirements of a Ritz coordinate function. The influence of interior points on the domain solution is included in this construction. Similar to conformal bubble functions, the test functions are zero along the boundary and single valued only at the points they describe. Unlike the bubble function construction, the interior points can be located at any desired point in the domain. The resulting set of trial functions can satisfy the required global conditions including the exact reproduction of constant and linear fields.
Cytosol stimulation of pregnenolone synthesis by isolated adrenal mitochondria

Abstract Hypophysectomized male rats were injected with either ACTH or saline (control) and killed 15 min later. Mitochondrial and 235, 000 x g supernatant (cytosol) fractions were prepared from the adrenal glands. When cytosol from ACTH-treated animals was mixed with isolated mitochondria from the control animals, a dose-dependent increase in pregnenolone production occurred. Liver cytosol caused no increase in the production of pregnenolone. Thus, ACTH elicits a soluble adrenal factor(s) which activates the mitochondrial cholesterol side-chain cleavage system which is the rate-limiting step in steroidogenesis. The cytosol stimulatory factor was found to be nondialyzable, heat-sensitive, and resistant to trypsinization.
PSF controls Expression of Histone Variants and Cellular Viability in Thymocytes

Even with the availability of tissue-restricted knockouts, studying the role of essential, multifunctional proteins in vivo is often complicated by the complete loss of cell viability. Here we make use of a knock-down approach to investigate the function of the essential protein PSF (polypyrimidine tract binding protein-associated splicing factor) in thymocytes. PSF is an RNA- and DNA-binding protein that has roles in all aspects of RNA biogenesis from transcription to stability. We show that a 50% reduction in expression of PSF in the thymus leads to an increase in apoptosis and a corresponding decrease in thymic cellularity. Using microarrays we find that thymocytes depleted of PSF show reduced expression of several histone genes relative to wildtype littermates likely due to reduced mRNA stability. Remarkably, reduced expression of a specific one of these histone genes (H2AE from histone cluster 1) is sufficient to induce apoptosis of a cultured T cell line. Therefore, we conclude that PSF contributes to the stability of a subset of histone genes and that loss of H2AE expression in the PSF-deficient thymocytes uniquely contributes to an increase in thymic apoptosis.
The case for efferent change during prism adaptation.

(1968). The Case for Efferent Change During Prism Adaptation. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 68, No. 1, pp. 9-13.
Recurrent pain, emotional distress, and health service use in childhood.

Abstract Objectives: To determine the psychosocial correlates of recurrent pediatric pain and its relationship to health service use and medical presentations for "unexplained" symptoms in primary care. Study design: Children 4 to 15 years of age who complained frequently of aches and pains to parents were compared with those with infrequent or no pain on measures of demographics, psychopathology, school attendance and performance, perceived health, and service use. Univariate analysis was followed by logistic regression. Results: Children who complained often of aches and pains used more health services, had more psychosocial problems, missed more school, and did worse academically. After controlling for health service use and demographics, recurrent pain was significantly associated with negative parental perceptions of child health and the presence of internalizing psychiatric symptoms. Higher levels of ambulatory health service use were associated with negative perceptions of child health, recurrent pain, visits for "unexplained" symptoms, and internalizing psychiatric symptoms. Conclusions: Pediatric recurrent pain challenges traditional service delivery models characterized by segregated systems of care for physical and mental disorders. Longitudinal and psychobiological studies of the relationship between recurrent pain, internalizing psychopathology, and health beliefs are warranted to direct future treatment efforts. (J Pediatr 2002;141:76-83)
The Waitress-Diner Relationship A Multimethod Approach To the Study of Subordinate Influence

Literature in the area of work and occupations suggests that a variety of manipulative ploys are practiced by service workers. Although these maneuvers may be aimed at controlling diverse facets of...
Interactions between charged surfaces and functionalized grafted polymer layers

The interactions between charged surfaces and grafted polymers with a functional group of opposite charge have been studied using a molecular theory. The ability to control the range and strength of the interactions by changing the polymer chain length, surface coverage, surface charge density, solution ionic strength, and position of the functional group along the chain is demonstrated. When the charge density on the surface is larger than that of the polymer, the minimal free energy is relatively sharp and is found at a separation between the surfaces equal to the polymer layer thickness. For polymer layers that have more charge than the opposite surface, the minimal free energy shows a plateau that can extend for a few nanometers. We show that manipulation of the position of the charged moiety along the polymer chain enables the design of surfaces with optimal attractive interactions of tunable range and strength.
Discrete analog of an iterative method for inverse eigenvalue problems for Jacobi matrices

The discrete analog of an iterative procedure for solving inverse Sturm-Liouville problems is adapted to the construction of a Jacobi matrix from spectral data.
Extending corporate accountability: A survey and framework for analysis☆

Abstract This paper has three objectives: to review the state of the art with regard to the literature on corporate internal audit activities; to report on a research study of recent developments in the scope and organization of the internal audit function in major companies in U.S.A.; and to propose an analytical framework which may be used in future research to describe the scope, procedures and responsibilities of the corporate internal audit function. Although there appears to be some confusion in the extant literature regarding the definition and scope of certain internal audit efforts, this research provides new evidence that major U.S. companies are engaging in unprecedented experiments into the use of auditing as a tool for enforcing management and social accountability. This is a movement away from the traditional financial audit which is frequently assumed to fully circumscribe the internal audit function. The implications for implementing heightened standards of corporate accountability should be of interest to audit committees of boards of directors, corporate management, investors, consumers, and future researchers.
Boundary effects in transverse spin dynamics of spin-polarized quantum gases

Spin dynamics of spin-polarized quantum gases near nonmagnetic walls is discussed. We consider boundary-induced line shifts and attenuation of spin-waves, and a possible “macroscopic” boundary condition for systems close to a Knudsen ballistic regime. By a coordinate transformation, we reduce the problem of collisions with a rough wall to an equivalent problem with a specular wall but with stochastic bulk perturbations. The boundary effects are described by a bulk-like transverse spin-diffusion coefficient inversely proportional to the correlation function of surface inhomogeneities. This leads to an effective macroscopic boundary condition applied for the spin-wave resonances. The situation is changed at low temperatures by an appearance of absorbed boundary layers which lead to additional exchange processes and renormalize the molecular field near the walls. The experimental implications for helium and hydrogen systems are discussed, including the signs of surface spin modes.
Adjustable supply in uniform price auctions: Non-commitment as a strategic tool

Abstract In some uniform-price auctions, the auctioneer decides how much to sell after the bidding. Auctioneer expected profit and social welfare can each be strictly higher in all equilibria given such “adjustable supply” than in all equilibria given any fixed quantity and reserve price.
Mitochondrial bioelectrocatalysis for biofuel cell applications

Mitochondria modified electrodes have been developed and characterized that utilize whole mitochondria isolated from tubers and immobilized within a quaternary ammonium modified Nafion membrane on a carbon electrode that can oxidize pyruvate and fatty acids. Detailed characterization of the performance of these mitochondria modified electrodes has been accomplished by coupling the mitochondria-based bioanode with a commercial air breathing cathode in a complete pyruvate/air biofuel cell. The studies included the effect of fuel (pyruvate) concentration, mitochondria lysing, temperature and pH on the performance of the mitochondria catalyzed, pyruvate/air biofuel cell. Effect of oxygen and cytochrome c oxidase inhibitors on biofuel cell performance has allowed us to further understand the mechanism of electron transfer with the carbon electrode.
Multiple access and inter-carrier interference in OFDM-CDMA with random sequences

In this paper, we analyze the performance of code division multiple access (CDMA) systems with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) that employ random spreading sequences in an additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel. We obtain the probability density function (pdf) of the multiple access interference and extend the results to OFDM-CDMA systems to determine the pdf of multiple access and inter-carrier interference in terms of the number of users, the spreading length, the number of sub-carriers, and the frequency offset. We consider the synchronous downlink of cellular multi-carrier CDMA and derive a Gaussian approximation of the multiple access and inter-carrier interference. Overall the effect of frequency offset is shown to vary with the system loading. The analysis in this paper is critical for further development into fading channels and frequency selective multipath channels.
Image invariance with changes in distance: the effect of a nonuniform visual system

Invariant perception of objects is desirable. Contrast constancy assures invariant appearance of suprathreshold image features as they change their distance from the observer. Fully robust size invariance also requires equal contrast thresholds across all spatial frequencies and eccentricities so that near-threshold image features do not appear or disappear with distance changes. This clearly is not the case, since contrast thresholds increase exponentially with eccentricity. We showed that a less stringent constraint actually may be realized. Angular size and eccentricity of image features covary with distance changes. Thus the threshold requirement for invariance could be approximately satisfied if contrast thresholds were to vary as the product of spatial frequency and eccentricity from the fovea. Measurements of observers' orientation discrimination contrast thresholds fit this model well over spatial frequencies of 1 - 16 cycles/degree and for retinal eccentricities up to 23 degrees. Measurements of observers’ contrast detection thresholds from three different studies provided an even better fit to this model over even wider spatial frequency and retinal eccentricity ranges. The fitting variable, die fundamental eccentricity constant, was similar for all three studies (0.036, 0.036, 0.030, respectively). The eccentricity constant for the orientation discrimination thresholds was higher (0.048 and 0.050 for two observers, respectively). We simulated the appearance of images with a nonuniform visual system by applying the proper threshold at each eccentricity and spatial frequency. The images exhibited only small changes over a simulated 4-octave distance range. However, the change in simulated appearance over the same distance range was dramatic for patients with central visual field loss. The changes of appearance across the image as a function of eccentricity were much smaller than in previous simulations, which used data derived from visual cortex anatomy rather than direct measurements of visual function. Our model provides a new tool for analyzing the visibility of displays and for designing equal visibility or various visibility displays.
On continuous dependence of controls upon parameters in fixed-time free-terminal-state optimal control

Let P be the class of optimal control problems having given fixed dimensions for states and controls, time interval t0, t1], and control region, and assume each problem P in P is characterized by its initial state, control law, and integral objective functional: J=?t0t1?0x(t), u(t), t] dt Perturbations P? of problems P in P are considered with respect to a certain topology ? on P and the L1 metric on the space of control functions, or controls. Essential uniqueness of an optimal control is introduced, and it is shown that any optimal control u??, for a perturbation P? of a problem P having an essentially unique optimal control u?, depends continuously upon P?, that is, with respect to J and the L1 metric; i.e., given e >; 0, there is a neighbourhood N of P in P such that PeN ? d(u?, u??) ; 0, il y a une proximite N de P dans P telle que PeN ? d(u?, u??) ; 0 gibt es eine solche Nachbarschaft N von P in P, dais PeN ? d(u?, u??) 0, ??ee?c? ????oc?? N ? P ? P ?a?o?a? ??o PeN ? d(u?, u??) < e, ??e d ?pe?c?a???e? co?o? pa??ep?oc?? L1. Ta??e ?o?a???ae?c? ??o o????a???oe y?pa??e??e ? c ????y??? o?pa???e???? ?o??ypo? ? ?a?ec??e o??ac?? y?pa??e??? ? ?op?e o??o??a??o. M? ?o?y?ae? ?a??? o?pa?o? ?eope?y, ?o?opa? o?o??ae? ??? pe?y???a?a ?o?y?e??o?o ??p???o?o? ? ???ec???? B?3, Ma?e?a???a, ?o. 4(5), 1958, c?p. 113-126, ?o?op?? ??? ?epe?e?e? H.B. He???a??o? ? C?AM ??op?a?? o? ?o??po??, ?o? 1, ?o. 2, ??e ??p???o?a pacc?a?p??a?a ?po??e?? o????a????e ?o ?pe?e?? ??ec?o ?po??e? c ?oc?o????? ?pe?e?e? ?o ?o?yc?a?a ???? ???e???e ?o??y??e??? ??? ??o? ?po??e??. Teope?? ?a??e c???a?? ??ec? c ?o?ee ?o???? pa?o?a??, pe?epe???? ?o?op?? ?p??o???c?.
The Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-κB Ligand-mediated Osteoclastogenic Pathway Is Elevated in Amelogenin-null Mice

Amelogenins, major components of developing enamel, are predominantly involved in the formation of tooth enamel. Although amelogenins are also implicated in cementogenesis, their precise spatial expression pattern and molecular role are not clearly understood. Here, we report for the first time the expression of two alternate splice forms of amelogenins, M180 and the leucine-rich amelogenin peptide (LRAP), in the periodontal region of mouse tooth roots. Lack of M180 and LRAP mRNA expression correlated with cementum defects observed in the amelogenin-null mice. The cementum defects were characterized by an increased presence of multinucleated cells, osteoclasts, and cementicles. These defects were associated with an increased expression of the receptor activator of the nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), a critical regulator of osteoclastogenesis. These findings indicate that the amelogenin splice variants, M180 and LRAP, are critical in preventing abnormal resorption of cementum.
Alterations in Free Fatty Acid Metabolism in Endocrine Disorders. Part II: Sequential Studies and the Effect of 2-Deoxy-D-glucose

An inhibitor of glucose metabolism, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) was used to study sequential changes in carbohydrate and fat metabolism in patients with various endocrine disorders. The mobilization of free fatty acid (FFA) following inhibition of glycolysis with 2-DG was compared with the mobilization following epinephrine infusion. Thyroid hormone was found to be important in the regulation of fasting levels of FFA and in the response to both 2-DG and catechol amines. Cortisone appeared to be slightly inhibitory in this response. Glucose release following inhibition of glycolysis was increased by cortisone and diminished by thyroid hormone. The thesis is advanced that relative availability of lipid or carbohydrate as energy substrate may be regulated by a balance of these hormones.
Investigation of Epitaxial Overgrowth on Germanium Quantum Dots

We report on the characterization of germanium quantum dots grown on silicon (001) substrates by ultra-high vacuum chemical vapor deposition (UHV/CVD). In many applications small and uniform quantum dots are required which must be overgrown by a silicon epitaxial layer. We report here on the effect of carbon predeposition from methylsilane on the dot size and uniformity. In addition, we use reciprocal space mapping to evaluate the qualityof epitaxial layers which overgrow the quantum dots. The results show some differences from previous reports on MBE-grown dots.
Ultrasonic guided wave inspection of adhesive bonds between composite laminates

Abstract Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of adhesively bonded joints requires a technique that is sensitive to adhesive defects without direct access to the bonded region. The intrinsic advantages of ultrasonic guided waves, an ability to inspect for different types of defects and travel through a structure having nonuniform cross section, make them a powerful tool for NDE of adhesive joints. An adhesive defect that exists at the interface between the skin and adhesive layer of a laminated composite skin–stringer structure is considered. Guided wave modes of interest have relatively large in-plane displacement at the interface indicating high shear stress there. However, the two geometry transitions in a skin–stringer configuration result in mode conversion and make it more challenging to generate sensitive modes for inspection. A wave structure based correlation coefficient is defined to predict the mode conversion at the geometry transition. An effectiveness index is calculated as a product of in-plane displacement at the interface and the correlation coefficients at the transitions. Based on the effectiveness index, two high-index incident modes are selected for simulation and experiments; mode 6 at 0.75 MHz and mode 7 at 0.95 MHz. Finite element analysis shows that both modes have relatively large in-plane displacement at the interface and that the shear stress is near a local maximum there as well. The experimental results show that both modes are sensitive to adhesive defects by either frequency content or amplitude ratio.
Seven-coordinate anion complex with a tren-based urea: binding discrepancy of hydrogen sulfate in solid and solution states.

Structural characterization of a hydrogen sulfate complex with a tren-based urea suggests that the anion is coordinated with six NH⋯O bonds (dN⋯O = 2.857 (3) to 3.092 (3) A) and one OH⋯O bond (dO⋯O = 2.57 (2) A) from three receptors; however, in solution the anion is bound within the pseudo-cavity of one receptor.
Statistical Reasoning in Journalism Education

Surveys of journalism department heads in 1997 and 2008 showed general support for the need for journalism students to reason with statistical information. Stronger support was associated, in parti...
Telomerase insufficiency in rheumatoid arthritis

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), chronically stimulated T lymphocytes sustain tissue-destructive joint inflammation. Both naive and memory T cells in RA are prematurely aged with accelerated loss of telomeres suggesting excessive proliferative pressure or inadequate telomeric maintenance. Upon stimulation, RA naive CD4 T cells are defective in up-regulating telomerase activity (P < 0.0001) due to insufficient induction of the telomerase component human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT); T cell activation and cell cycle progression are intact. Telomerase insufficiency does not affect memory T cells or CD34 hematopoietic stem cells and is present in untreated patients and independent from disease activity. Knockdown of hTERT in primary human T cells increases apoptotic propensity (P = 0.00005) and limits clonal burst (P = 0.0001) revealing a direct involvement of telomerase in T cell fate decisions. Naive RA CD4 T cells stimulated through the T cell receptor are highly susceptible to apoptosis, expanding to smaller clonal size. Overexpression of ectopic hTERT in naive RA T cells conveys apoptotic resistance (P = 0.008) and restores proliferative expansion (P < 0.0001). Telomerase insufficiency in RA results in excessive T cell loss, undermining homeostatic control of the naive T cell compartment and setting the stage for lymphopenia-induced T cell repertoire remodeling. Restoring defective telomerase activity emerges as a therapeutic target in resetting immune abnormalities in RA.
Modified Broth-Disk Method for Testing the Antibiotic Susceptibility of Anaerobic Bacteria

The most commonly used method for testing the antibiotic susceptibility of aerobic and facultative bacteria is the disk diffusion method. However, some anaerobic bacteria do not grow well enough in anaerobic jars for performance of disk diffusion tests. A modification of the broth-disk method of Schneierson allowed us to determine antibiotic susceptibility in a completely anaerobic environment. Commercial antibiotic disks were added anaerobically to tubes of prereduced brain heart infusion broth to achieve a concentration of each antibiotic approximating that attainable in blood. The tubes were then inoculated and incubated for 18 h. Resistance or susceptibility to each antibiotic was determined according to the amount of growth in each tube as compared with a control culture without the antibiotic. There was good correlation between results obtained by this broth-disk method and minimal inhibitory concentrations.
Using U Statistics to Derive the Asymptotic Distribution of Fisher's Z Statistic

Abstract A simple derivation of the asymptotic distribution of Fisher's Z statistic for general bivariate parent distributions F is obtained using U-statistic theory. This method easily reveals that the asymptotic variance of Z generally depends on the correlation ρ and on certain moments of F. It also reveals the particular structure of F that makes the asymptotic variance of Z independent of ρ, and shows that there are many distributions F with this property. The bivariate normal is only one such F.
Effects of Microbial Phytase Supplementation in Corn Distiller's Dried Grain with Solubles on Nutrient Digestibility and Growth Performance of Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of microbial phytase in corn distiller's dried grain with solubles (DDGS) on apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) and growth performance of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. In experiment 1, DDGS was supplemented with phytase at 0,300,600,900, and 1200 FTU/kg diet. A total of 180 fish (129.1±9.3 g) were stocked into six 140-L tanks with 30 fish/tank. Fish were assigned randomly to a reference diet and each of the 5 diets containing DDGS. Yttrium oxide was used as an inert marker. Results showed that ADCs in DDGS supplemented with different dosages of phytase were: dry matter, 49.1-58.6%; crude fat, 78.9-88.9%; crude protein, 80.0-91.9%; gross energy, 50.5-66.6%; minerals, -7.3-99.7%; and amino acids: 73.9 to 96.8%. In experiment 2, abasal diet containing 15% DDGS supplemented with lysine and methionine was used to determine if trace mineral supplemental levels in rainbow trout diets could be reduced if microbial phytase was supplement...
Patterns in connectivity and retention of simulated Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi) larvae in the eastern Bering Sea

Abstract The eastern Bering Sea (EBS) population of Tanner crab ( Chionoecetes bairdi ) has exhibited high variability in recruitment to the commercially exploited stock since the late 1970s. Concurrently, apparent shifts in crab distribution have also been observed. Larval advection patterns and associated local retention offer a potential mechanism for these observations. The Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) was used to simulate larval Tanner crab advection patterns over 1978–2004 based on larval hatching sites inferred from the distributions of reproductive females sampled during annual National Marine Fisheries Service trawl surveys. Connectivity among EBS subregions was examined by comparing start and end float locations after 60 days of simulated drift. High levels of retention (>50% of floats) were observed in the majority of source subregions, and contributed significantly to the total number of endpoints in each region. Patterns in advection and resultant interregional connectivity were variable, with strongest sustained connectivity occurring along shelf, within individual domains. Increased settlement potential in the outer domain and southern middle domain after 1990 is consistent with an observed geographic shift in fishery productivity. Apparent reliance of Bristol Bay on local larval retention validates recent spatial fishery management to conserve this area as a subpopulation.
HETEROGENEOUS SPACE IN REGIONAL ECONOMICS AND BEYOND

. This paper points to the multiple forces which establish differential prices and outputs over heterogeneous space. Such space clearly applies to a regional economy where costly distance provides opportunities for sellers to discriminate in price among customers. Similar discriminatory opportunities may be created in a spaceless world through, for example, product differentiation and the passage of time. It is in this broad perspective that a generalized theory of discriminatory spatial pricing is formulated. Simulations reveal a remarkable panoply of cost, price, and output relationships, highlighting the criticality of variations in elasticity in determining macro, micro, and regional economic behaviour.
Computational Model for Effects of Ligand/Receptor Binding Properties on Interleukin-2 Trafficking Dynamics and T Cell Proliferation Response

Multisubunit cytokine receptors such as the heterotrimeric receptor for interleukin-2 (IL-2) are ubiquitous in hematopoeitic cell types of importance in biotechnology and are crucial regulators of cell proliferation and differentiation behavior. Dynamics of cytokine/receptor endocytic trafficking can significantly impact cell responses through effects of receptor down-regulation and ligand depletion, and in turn are governed by ligand/receptor binding properties. We describe here a computational model for trafficking dynamics of the IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) system, which is able to predict T cell proliferation responses to IL-2. This model comprises kinetic equations describing binding, internalization, and postendocytic sorting of IL-2 and IL-2R, including an experimentally derived dependence of cell proliferation rate on these properties. Computational results from this model predict that IL-2 depletion can be reduced by decreasing its binding affinity for the IL-2R betagamma subunit relative to the alpha subunit at endosomal pH, as a result of enhanced ligand sorting to recycling vis-a-vis degradation, and that an IL-2 analogue with such altered binding properties should exhibit increased potency for stimulating the T cell proliferation response. These results are in agreement with our recent experimental findings for the IL-2 analogue termed 2D1 [Fallon, E. M. et al. J. Biol. Chem. 2000, 275, 6790-6797]. Thus, this type of model may enable prediction of beneficial cytokine/receptor binding properties to aid development of molecular design criteria for improvements in applications such as in vivo cytokine therapies and in vitro hematopoietic cell bioreactors.
Primate seed dispersers as umbrella species: a case study from Kibale National Park, Uganda, with implications for Afrotropical forest conservation.

Almost half of the world's extant primate species are of conservation concern [IUCN, International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, 2008]. Primates are also effective seed dispersers. The implications of and interactions between these two facts are increasingly understood, and data demonstrating the consequences of losing primates for forest ecology are now available from throughout the tropics. However, a reality is that not all species—and the mutualisms among them—can be protected. Conservation managers must make difficult decisions and use shortcuts in the implementation of conservation tactics. Using taxa as “umbrellas” is one such shortcut, although a lack of an operational definition of what an umbrella species is and how to choose one has made implementing this tactic difficult. In this study, I discuss primates as umbrellas by defining a selection index in terms of richness/co-occurrence, rarity, and sensitivity to anthropogenic disturbance. I evaluate the anthropoid assemblage of Kibale National Park, Uganda, in light of the selection index and determine that Cercopithecus is the genus best fitting the criteria for umbrella status. I then evaluate the functional significance—in terms of seed dispersal—of using Cercopithecus monkeys (guenons) as umbrellas. Results from 1,047 hr of observation of focal fruiting trees in Kibale indicate that Cercopithecus ascanius was the most commonly observed frugivore visitor (July 2001–June 2002). These data corroborate earlier data collected in Kibale demonstrating that guenons are highly effective seed dispersers. Patterns of richness/co-occurrence, rarity, and sensitivity observed in Kibale are reflected in Afrotropical forests more generally, with the genus Cercopithecus tending to exhibit greatest richness/co-occurrence with taxonomically similar species, to be neither extremely rare nor ubiquitous, and also to be moderately sensitive to human disturbance. Moreover, in all available evaluations of frugivory in Afrotropical forests, guenons emerge as among the most important seed dispersers relative to other taxa. Am. J. Primatol. 73:9–24, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Drag coefficient, dynamic roughness and reference wind speed

Surface waves are the roughness element of the ocean surface. The parameterization of the drag coefficient of the ocean surface is simplified by referencing to wind speed at an elevation proportional to the characteristic wavelength. The dynamic roughness is analytically related to the drag coefficient. Under the assumption of fetch limited wave growth condition, various empirical functions of the dynamic roughness can be converted to equivalent expressions for comparison. For datasets covering a wide range of the dimensionless frequency (inverse wave age), it is important to account for the variable rate of wave development at different wave ages. As a result, the dependence of the Charnock parameter on wave age is nonmonotonic. Finally, the analysis presented here suggests that the significant wave steepness is a sensitive property of the ocean surface and a single variable normalization of the dynamic roughness using a wavelength or wave height parameter actually produces more robust functions than bi-variable normalizations using wave height and wave slope.
Synthesis and Analysis of Alpha Silicon Carbide Components for Encapsulation of Fuel Rods and Pellets

The chemical, mechanical and thermal properties of silicon carbide (SiC) along with its low neutron activation make it an attractive material for encapsulating fuel rods and fuel pellets. The alpha phase of SiC has particularly attractive thermal properties. Unfortunately, it requires very high temperature processing and continuous alpha SiC fiber is not available commercially. This paper describes a method for fabricating continuous, composite (SiC/C) fibers as well as monolithic SiC fibers by direct conversion of carbon fibers using SiO vapor at ∼ 1600°C. EDS analysis indicates the converted SiC product contains 1:1 stoichiometric amounts of C and Si. Hexagonal (α) SiC was found to be the dominant crystal structure by x-ray diffraction.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
The development of the ordered structure from cold worked disordered alpha in Ni4Mo

Abstract The Ni-20 at.% Mo alloy has an order-disorder critical temperature of 1141 K (868[ddot]C). The disordered phase α can be retained by quenching and in this condition samples were cold worked by swaging 43% reduction in area, then aged at 1123K (850[ddot]C) and 973 K (700[ddot]C) for up to 172800 s (48 h). The kinetics of the disorder-order (α to β) transformation has allowed an examination of the interaction of recrystallization and ordering, which was followed by micro-hardness measurements and transmission electron microscopy observations. At 1123 K, the α recrystallized with accompanying softening, then ordered domains (β phase) formed with an accompanying sharp increase in hardness. The hardness began to decrease as the domains increased in size. However, some deformed material was still present after 48 h. At 973 K, the deformed α first changed to deformed β, with a considerable increase in hardness. Then recrystallized β domains formed in the deformed β, and eventually the hardness began to ...
Practices in technical writing in agriculture and engineering industries, firms, and agencies

This article describes a study of written communication on-the-job and reports writing practices found in seventeen agricultural and engineering firms and agencies in the authors' immediate geograp...
Percutaneous Placement of Tracheal T Tube

Tracheal T tubes provide effective palliation of unresectable benign and malignant tracheal obstruction, but placement may be difficult when previous operation, radiation, or tumor limits surgical exposure of the cervical trachea. Percutaneous placement using commercially available percutaneous tracheostomy kits may provide an alternative approach in these cases.
Neurobiology: how fast can you go?

Rhythmic activities such as walking need tight coordination. In mice, pace is tweaked by a specific set of spinal-cord neurons that, surprisingly, make the animals walk faster by inhibiting the underlying circuit.
Crack propagation and branching in burning solid propellants

The processes of crack propagation and branching in burning solid propellants are not as yet well understood. These processes could be vitally instrumental in creating large specific-surface areas for burning, and could cause rocket motor failure. Propellant samples have been recovered from interrupted-burning experiments. Different modes of crack propagation and/or branching were observed. Depending upon the rate of pressurization, these modes are: unidirectional crack propagation; single-crack propagation accompanied by branching from various locations; and multiple branching in various directions from the initial crack-tip region. The crack-propagation problem is analyzed through the use of basic physical principles, experimental results, and Schapery's theory of crack propagation. A set of governing dimensionless parameters which control and characterize the degree of damage has been obtained. The controlling dimensionless parameter has been found to depend strongly upon the igniter strength, the chamber pressurization rate, and the fracture energy of the propellant. This set of parameters can be used to develop guidelines for safe operating conditions of rocket motors.
Combination systemic and intravitreal antiviral therapy in the management of acute retinal necrosis syndrome (an American Ophthalmological Society thesis).

Purpose: To compare the outcomes of combination systemic and intravitreal antiviral therapy vs systemic antiviral therapy alone for treating acute retinal necrosis syndrome (ARN). We hypothesize that combination therapy might result in superior visual acuity (VA) and retinal detachment (RD) outcomes vs traditional systemic antiviral therapy alone.
A novel microcalcification shape metric to classify regions of interests

This paper proposes a microcalcification shape feature to aid in classifying regions of interest that are difficult to diagnosis. The proposed feature extraction method is based on a wavelet approximation of a microcalcification's contour distance sequence, which is the Euclidean distance of each contour point to the centroid. A novel metric is proposed to quantify the roughness of a microcalcification. Experimental results from evaluations that include several published features are presented to establish the robustness of the proposed roughness feature.
Synthesis, characterization and structural investigation of novel meso-pyridyl BODIPY-cobaloxime complexes.

We report the synthesis of four boron–dipyrromethene (BODIPY) sensitized cobaloxime complexes as structural models of light-driven proton reduction catalysts. The BODIPY chromophore is covalently linked to the cobaloxime via a pyridine molecule in the meso-position of the BODIPY. Electron withdrawing or donating substituents on the pyridine (e.g. chloro- or methyl-groups) allow a comparison of the influence of these substituents on cobaloxime–BODIPY interactions. This includes altering the overall stability of the complexes and tuning the catalytically relevant CoII/III redox couple over a range of 220 mV, which will assist in the design of future cobaloxime–chromophore complexes. All complexes were characterized using electrochemistry, electronic absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Additionally, we present crystal structures of the four new BODIPY–cobaloxime complexes and elucidate the influence of the structural modifications. We found that these compounds produce sub-stoichiometric quantities of hydrogen under standard photon-driven hydrogen evolving conditions.
Capitalizing on Segregation, Pretending Neutrality: College Admissions and the Texas Top 10% Law

In response to the judicial ban on the use of race-sensitive admissions, the seventy-fifth Texas legislature passed H.B. 588, which guarantees admission to any Texas public college or university for all seniors graduating in the top decile of their class. We show that high levels of residential and school segregation facilitate minority enrollment at selective public institutions under the uniform admission law because black and Hispanic students who rank at the top of their class disproportionately hail from minority-dominant schools. However, qualifying minority students? lower likelihood of college enrollment at the flagships reflects concentrated disadvantage rather than segregation per se.
Cytokines in Radiobiological Responses: A Review

Cytokines function in many roles that are highly relevant to radiation research. This review focuses on how cytokines are structurally organized, how they are induced by radiation, and how they orchestrate mesenchymal, epithelial and immune cell interactions in irradiated tissues. Pro-inflammatory cytokines are the major components of immediate early gene programs and as such can be rapidly activated after tissue irradiation. They converge with the effects of ionizing radiation in that both generate free radicals including reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS). “Self” molecules secreted or released from cells after irradiation feed the same paradigm by signaling for ROS and cytokine production. As a result, multilayered feedback control circuits can be generated that perpetuate the radiation tissue damage response. The pro-inflammatory phase persists until such times as perceived challenges to host integrity are eliminated. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory cytokines then act to restore homeostasis....
How Conformity to Labor Market Norms Increases Access to Job Search Assistance A Case Study From Japan

Recent studies have shown that providing job search assistance to job seekers who violate labor market norms can be costly. Consequently, people with information about jobs are less willing to help...
The valence of copper and the role of superoxide in the D-galactose oxidase catalyzed reaction

Abstract Evidence for the involvement of Cu(III) in an enzymic reaction (that catalyzed by D-galactose oxidase) is reported. Superoxide dismutase inhibits the rate of the D-galactose oxidase catalyzed reaction and causes a small increase in the EPR signal due to Cu(II). Both ferricyanide and superoxide activate the enzyme (frequently 4 fold or greater) and cause a decrease (to essentially zero in some cases) in the intensity of the EPR signal. These and other results suggest that in its catalytic cycle the enzyme oscillates between Cu(I) and Cu(III) with superoxide bound to a Cu(II) state being only a fleeting intermediate. The Cu(III) enzyme is apparently the oxidant which converts the primary alcohol function of galactose to an aldehyde.
Variability of the Breathing Pattern Before and After Extubation

A stable breathing pattern during unassisted ventilation through an endotracheal tube (ETT) prior to extubation is an important factor in determining whether a patient can be successfully extubated. Proper interpretation of changes in the breathing pattern requires knowledge of the normal variability of the breathing pattern in critically ill, intubated patients. To establish these guidelines, 50 spontaneously breathing patients who were being weaned from mechanical ventilation were monitored with respiratory inductive plethysmography for one hour immediately prior to and following successful extubation. Immediately after extubation, respiratory rate (f), tidal volume (VT), minute ventilation, and mean inspiratory flow increased slightly. By 30 minutes postextubation, these parameters were similar to preextubation values. There was no significant change in variability of f or VT. Although the breathing pattern of these relatively stable, intensive care patients differed from values of normal ambulatory subjects, values were similar in the preextubation and postextubation periods.
Discovery of a mini-RNase P in archaea

The remarkable and unexpected finding of an abbreviated version of archaeal RNase P RNA reported by Lai et al. in PNAS (1) raises the proverbial question: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? However, given nature's tinkering ability, this finding hints at the possibility of independent evolution of domains in biological catalysts. Lai et al. (1) report that an ancient RNA-processing RNA catalyst, which typically consists of catalytic and specificity domains (Fig. 1), functions without the latter in several hyper-thermophilic crenarchaea.
Optimal Timing of Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy Following Craniotomy for Cerebral Malignancies.

Background For patients with cerebral metastases that are limited in number, surgical resection followed by whole-brain radiation therapy is the standard of care. In addition, for high-grade gliomas, maximal surgical resection followed by local radiotherapy is considered the optimal treatment. Radiation is known to impair wound healing, including healing of surgical incisions. Radiotherapy shortly after surgical resection would be expected to minimize the opportunity for tumor regrowth or progression. Owing to these competing interests, the purpose of this study was to shed light on the optimal timing of radiotherapy after surgical resection of brain metastasis or high-grade gliomas. Methods A review of the literature was conducted on the following topics: radiation and wound healing, corticosteroid use and wound healing, radiotherapy for tumor control for cerebral metastases and high-grade gliomas, and whole-brain radiation therapy or focal radiotherapy after craniotomy with focus on the timing of radiotherapy after surgery. Results In animal models, wound integrity and healing was less impaired by radiotherapy administered 1 week after surgery. In humans, this timing would be expected to be significantly longer, on the order of several weeks. Conclusions Given the limited literature, insufficient conclusions can be drawn. However, animal data suggest a period of at least 1 week (but it is likely several weeks in humans) is necessary for reconstitution of wound strength before initiation of radiation therapy. A randomized prospective study is recommended to understand better the effect of the timing of radiation therapy following surgical intervention for brain metastasis or high-grade gliomas.
Nearly orthogonal two-dimensional grid generation with aspect ratio control

An improved method for nearly orthogonal grid generation is presented in this study. The generating system is based on solution of a system of partial differential equations with finite difference discretization. To prevent grid lines from collapsing onto each other, the grid cell aspect ratio is controlled by functions that limit excessive ratios. Bounding all the aspect ratios is essential for high-quality numerical approximations using such grid-based methods as finite elements, finite differences, or finite volumes. The influence of the number of grid points, type of boundary, and intensity of the grid quality control function and grid properties are investigated. Specification of both boundary point distribution on all sides and moving boundaries is used. The proposed method is applied to various test problems from the literature. This method is shown to provide a good balance between controlling grid orthogonality and cell aspect ratio. c ∞ 2001 Academic Press
The peculiar nemertean larva pilidium recurvatum belongs to Riserius sp., a basal heteronemertean that eats Carcinonemertes errans, a hoplonemertean parasite of Dungeness crab

A typical nemertean pilidium larva resembles a hat with ear flaps. But one type, called pilidium recurvatum, looks more like a sock, swimming heel first. This distinctive larva was discovered in 1883 off the coast of Rhode Island and subsequently found in plankton samples from other parts of the world. Despite the long time since discovery, and its significance in discussions of larval evolution, this larva remained unidentified even to the family level. We collected pilidium recurvatum larvae from plankton samples in Coos Bay, OR, and identified them as belonging to the heteronemertean genus Riserius based on juvenile morphology and DNA sequence data. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that two distinct types of pilidium recurvatum from Oregon represent two new species within this currently monotypic genus. We describe the morphology of pilidium recurvatum using confocal microscopy and compare it to that of the typical pilidium, discussing possible implications for larval feeding. We also report our surprising discovery that juveniles of Riserius sp. from Oregon prey on another nemertean, Carcinonemertes errans, an egg predator of Cancer magister (Dungeness crab), a commercially important species. We speculate that the species-level diversity and geographic distribution of Riserius may be much greater than currently appreciated.
Training Factor Graphs with Reinforcement Learning for Efficient MAP Inference

Large, relational factor graphs with structure defined by first-order logic or other languages give rise to notoriously difficult inference problems. Because unrolling the structure necessary to represent distributions over all hypotheses has exponential blow-up, solutions are often derived from MCMC. However, because of limitations in the design and parameterization of the jump function, these sampling-based methods suffer from local minima—the system must transition through lower-scoring configurations before arriving at a better MAP solution. This paper presents a new method of explicitly selecting fruitful downward jumps by leveraging reinforcement learning (RL). Rather than setting parameters to maximize the likelihood of the training data, parameters of the factor graph are treated as a log-linear function approximator and learned with methods of temporal difference (TD); MAP inference is performed by executing the resulting policy on held out test data. Our method allows efficient gradient updates since only factors in the neighborhood of variables affected by an action need to be computed—we bypass the need to compute marginals entirely. Our method yields dramatic empirical success, producing new state-of-the-art results on a complex joint model of ontology alignment, with a 48% reduction in error over state-of-the-art in that domain.