cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Indices of forest floor nitrogen status along a climate gradient in Maine, USA

Abstract Nitrogen has long been recognized as the most commonly limiting nutrient for plant production throughout the world. Yet, air pollution has created a modern chemical climate that has sometimes resulted in excess ecosystem N due to N deposition. In addition, climate warming could accelerate N cycling and N export from forested ecosystems. The result is increasing interest in understanding forest ecosystem N dynamics. This study used recently delineated climatic regions in Maine to investigate the possible influences of forest species composition, and energy and moisture gradients, on laboratory indices of forest floor N cycling. Concentrations of N and C, and potential net nitrification, potential net ammonification, and potential net N mineralization, were measured on forest floor samples from 20 sites distributed across Maine in both hardwood and softwood stands. Both forest types had nearly identical concentrations of N in the forest floor (∼1.6%), but the mean C/N ratio (28) under softwoods was significantly higher than that under hardwoods (24) due to higher concentrations of total C in soils under conifers. Forest floor N concentration was a better predictor of potential net N mineralization than was total C or C/N ratio. Although the most northerly region in this study was predictably the coldest, it was also the region with the highest values for total N and N cycling indices. Wet N deposition for the region indicates N deposition differences are not responsible for this spatial pattern, and further work is warranted to explain these results. Laboratory incubation measures of potential net N mineralization were significantly correlated with in situ annual net N mineralization, which supports the use of these techniques for forest soil N status evaluations. Most site measures of mean temperatures were negatively correlated with soil N indices indicating that warmer sites had lower rates of N cycling. Although differences existed in forest floor N characteristics between climate regions, they could not be predicted by simple relationships with temperature.
Microcavity Exciton-Polariton

We have studied the exciton-photon coupling in a high-Q semiconductor microcavity. Strong coupling of quantum well exciton states to the cavity photon state results in the formation of exciton-polariton states. Coherent microcavity emission exhibits temporal oscillation due to the beating among exciton-polariton states. Our study indicates that a high-Q microcavity can strongly modify exciton’s spontaneous emission process, leading to coherent coupling between excitons and photons.
Upstream reciprocity and the evolution of gratitude.

If someone is nice to you, you feel good and may be inclined to be nice to somebody else. This every day experience is borne out by experimental games: the recipients of an act of kindness are more likely to help in turn, even if the person who benefits from their generosity is somebody else. This behaviour, which has been called ‘upstream reciprocity’, appears to be a misdirected act of gratitude: you help somebody because somebody else has helped you. Does this make any sense from an evolutionary or a game theoretic perspective? In this paper, we show that upstream reciprocity alone does not lead to the evolution of cooperation, but it can evolve and increase the level of cooperation if it is linked to either direct or spatial reciprocity. We calculate the random walks of altruistic acts that are induced by upstream reciprocity. Our analysis shows that gratitude and other positive emotions, which increase the willingness to help others, can evolve in the competitive world of natural selection.
Rapid controlled movement through a virtual 3D workspace

Computer graphics hardware supporting real-time interactive 3D animation has the potential to support effective user interfaces by enabling virtual 3D workspaces. However, this potential requires development of viewpoint movement techniques that support rapid and controlled movement through workspaces. Rapid movement through large distances avoids wasted work time; controlled movement near target objects allows the user to examine and interact with objects in the workspace. Current techniques for viewpoint movement typically use high velocities to cover distances rapidly, but high velocities are hard to control near objects. This paper describes a new technique for targeted viewpoint movement that solves this problem. The key idea is to have the user indicate a point of interest (target) on a 3D object and use the distance to this target to move the viewpoint logarithmically, by moving the same relative percentage of distance to the target on every animation cycle. the result is rapid motion over distances that slows as the viewpoint approaches the target object. The technique can be used with 2D and multidimensional input devices. We also extend the technique to move objects in the workspace.
Epithelial Wnt Ligand Secretion Is Required for Adult Hair Follicle Growth and Regeneration

β-Catenin, a key transducer molecule of Wnt signaling, is required for adult hair follicle growth and regeneration. However, the cellular source of Wnt ligands required for Wnt/β-catenin activation during anagen induction is unknown. In this study, we genetically deleted Wntless (Wls), a gene required for Wnt ligand secretion by Wnt-producing cells, specifically in the hair follicle epithelium during telogen phase. We show that epithelial Wnt ligands are required for anagen, as loss of Wls in the follicular epithelium resulted in a profound hair cycle arrest. Both the follicular epithelium and dermal papilla showed markedly decreased Wnt/β-catenin signaling during anagen induction compared with control hair follicles. Surprisingly, hair follicle stem cells that are responsible for hair regeneration maintained expression of stem cell markers but exhibited significantly reduced proliferation. Finally, we demonstrate that epidermal Wnt ligands are critical for adult wound-induced de novo hair formation. Collectively, these data show that Wnt ligands secreted by the hair follicle epithelium are required for adult hair follicle regeneration and provide new insight into potential cellular targets for the treatment of hair disorders such as alopecia.
Multi-Pattern $n$ -Detection Stuck-At Test Sets for Delay Defect Coverage

An n-detection test set detects each target fault n times. A higher value of n increases the likelihood that defects around the site of a target fault will be detected. However, an n -detection test set that consists of single-pattern tests (generated for single stuck-at faults) cannot guarantee that delay defects will be detected. For this it is necessary to use multi-pattern tests. The procedure described in this work generates a multi-pattern n-detection test set for single stuck-at faults. The procedure is applied starting from a single-pattern n-detection test set for single stuck-at faults. Experimental results demonstrate that the multi-pattern n-detection test set achieves a high transition fault coverage. It achieves a similar bridging fault coverage to the single-pattern test set. An added advantage is that the multi-pattern test set typically requires significantly fewer clock cycles for test application than the single-pattern test set.
PELVIC TUMOR PRESENTING AS CHRONIC BACK PAIN IN A YOUNG ADULT

A large proportion of Emergency Department visits are for chronic pain, specifically for chronic back pain. Often this entity requires minimal diagnostics. However, certain populations and presentations require a higher vigilance and a more detailed evaluation. This report describes the clinical presentation of a young adult with chronic back pain who exhibited new symptoms and subtle examination findings that expedited the ultimate diagnosis of pelvic chondrosarcoma.
Regional heterogeneity in expression of the sphingosine-1 -phosphate pathway in the female rat lower urinary tract

Objective We investigated the existence and regional distribution of sphingosine-1-phosphate regulatory enzymes and receptors in the lower urinary tract and determined the functional role of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors in the bladder. Study Design Lower urinary tract tissue from 10 female rats was harvested for real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction or organ bath physiology, whereas blood serum was obtained for high-performance liquid chromatography determination of sphingosine-1-phosphate levels. Statistical analysis included the Student t test and analysis of variance. Results All 3 sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors and major enzymes were expressed throughout the lower urinary tract, but expression and physiologic force generation varied among regions. Sphingosine-1-phosphate was detected in serum. Conclusion We provide novel data that the sphingosine-1-phosphate signaling pathway regulatory proteins exist throughout the female rat lower urinary tract, but that relative expression exhibits regional heterogeneity corresponding with lower urinary tract contractile response to sphingosine-1-phosphate. Our study suggests that sphingosine-1-phosphate signaling is important in the lower urinary tract and identifies this pathway as a possible target for altering bladder smooth muscle tone.
Cerebral Edema and Hyperammonemia After Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Placement in a Cirrhotic Patient

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement has been widely performed for nearly two decades and has been shown to alleviate refractory ascites in patients with cirrhosis. Hepatic encephalopathy after TIPS is rarely severe; however, a risk of cerebral edema resulting from hyperammonemia after TIPS does exist. Here we describe a case demonstrating the development of severe hepatic encephalopathy with cerebral edema caused by hyperammonemia as a complication of TIPS in a patient with chronic liver disease with relatively preserved liver function.
Effects of a Nutrition Education Program for Urban, Low-Income, Older Adults: A Collaborative Program Among Nurses and Nursing Students

Nutrition education programs can be effective in reducing risks of cardiovascular disease in older adults. The objective of the Eat and Learn Nutrition Program was to increase knowledge of nutrition and promote healthy eating among the residents of an older adult, low-income, urban housing community. The program was a series of 3 discussions on nutrition topics, based on a community needs assessment, that were presented in the common room of the participants' residence over a heart-healthy lunch. On average, participants were able to increase their nutrition knowledge learning 1 major point per session. In addition, participants discussed alternative methods for healthy eating and shared culturally diverse nutritious recipes with each other. The collaborative nursing effort in designing the program served to facilitate learning about community program implementation for all nursing students involved. Collaboration between nurses and nursing students from a variety of educational backgrounds may enhance learning and program success.
2013 feedstock supply and price projections and sensitivity analysis

Abstract: Farmgate prices (i.e. price delivered roadside ready for loading and transport) for biomass feedstocks directly inﬂ uence biofuel prices. Using the latest available data, marginal (i.e. price for the last ton) farmgate prices of $51, $63, and $67 dry ton –1 ($2011) are projected as necessary to provide 21 billion gallons of biofuels from about 250 million dry tons of terrestrial feedstocks in 2022 under price-run deterministic, demand-run deterministic, and stochastic simulations, respectively. Sources of uncertainty in these feedstock supply and price projections include conversion efﬁ ciency, global market impacts on crop price projections, crop yields, no-till adoption, and climate. Under a set of low, high, and reference assumptions, these variables introduce an average of +/– $11 dry ton -1 (~15%) uncertainty of feedstock prices needed to meet EISA targets of 21 billion gallons of biofuels produced with 250 million dry tons of biomass in 2022. Market uncertainty justiﬁ es the need for fairly frequent (i.e. annual or biennial) re-assessment of feedstock price projections to inform strategies toward com-mercialization of biofuels. Published in 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, LtdKeywords: biomass; resource assessment; economic availability; bioenergy feedstocks; sensitivity analysis
Swallow Syncope: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Swallow or deglutition syncope is a relatively rare syndrome. It is a vagally mediated syncope induced by swallowing. Swallow syncope may occur in all age groups and, when diagnosed, is treatable. A woman, aged 60 years, presented with an episode of a syncopal attack associated with swallowing a sandwich. She had a 6-month history of recurrent episodes of lightheadedness while eating solid foods. Telemetry monitoring demonstrated several episodes of severe bradycardia and complete atrioventricular block with up to a 7.0 second pause associated with meals. Computed tomography of the head and neck revealed no significant findings, and barium esophagram was normal. Echocardiogram was within normal limits. Her symptoms resolved after permanent pacemaker placement. Herein, we review the diagnosis, mechanism, and management of swallow syncope.
A simplified method for calculating klystron performance

Designers of multicavity klystrons, faced with decisions in connection with the drift length/gain/efficiency compromise, can find theoretical treatment in an alarming variety of literature based both on the space-charge wave and the ballistic-electron-bunching theory. The only papers which effectively combine both theories are those of Webber [1], [2], in which a large number of curves representing considerable diversity of conditions have been computed. It has been found that, at the cost of a small error, a rearrangement of these results leads to useful universal curves (Fig. 1) enabling rapid decision making with regard to the effficiency/gain/ drift length compromise, in most situations. Gain calculations using Fig. 2 have given good agreement with practical results.
Interface paradigms in Energy Management System

An Energy Management System (EMS) is a complex computer system for controlling the real time operation of electric power systems. An EMS consists of a set of subsystems that are composed of various applications, tools, and data stores. These different parts of the system interface with each other in terms of function invocation and data exchange. An EMS may also need to interact with external systems or external data stores. Different types of interactions have their own characteristics and requirements. This paper presents possible interface paradigms in the EMS and feasible ways of realizing such interfaces.
Education for sustainable agriculture: a typology of the role of teaching farms in achieving learning goals and objectives

Teaching farms have recently gained popularity, but they are often expensive venues per student credit hour. It is therefore important they are used effectively. This research explored why faculty members use teaching farms, their goals and objectives with regard to the farm, and how they integrate teaching farms into curriculum. Twenty interviews were completed with faculty representing 15 institutions. A combined inductive and deductive approach was used to analyze data. The result was a typology of the roles of teaching farms in achieving educational goals and objectives. Four types of roles emerged: enhancement, competency, exploration, and foundation. Three of the four types reflect one of three models of higher education prevalent in the US. Our research suggests a better understanding of educational theory and pedagogy, combined with a firm appreciation of the different models of higher education could significantly enhance the quality of the learning experience provided on teaching farms.
Amorphous Silicon Materials and Devices for Active Matrix Arrays

The various applications of amorphous silicon take advantage of its ability to be deposited on large area substrates. The invention of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin film transistor (TFT) opened up possibilities for large area electronic devices based on matrix addressing. Linear scanners for FAX machines were first, but the most significant product has been the active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD). This is now a $20 billion industry for lap-top computer screens, and is now extending to desk-top monitors. Active matrix image sensors have recently emerged as an important technology for digital x-ray medical imaging.1 Photoreceptors for xerography, position sensors, integrated color sensors, light emitting diodes and sensors for CMOS video cameras, are further applications of a-Si:H.2
A Comparative Analysis of Workplace Bullying as an Occupational Safety and Health Concern

Several countries, including Norway, Sweden, and the U.K., have recognized workplace bullying as an occupational safety and health hazard, and have initiated preventative and restorative efforts addressing the problem. The U.S. lags behind these countries, both in terms of regulatory reform and self-governance initiatives. Despite a growing body of inter-disciplinary work highlighting the prevalence and costs of workplace bullying in the U.S., there are currently no U.S. laws expressly addressing the issue. In an earlier Article, I explained how the experience of the U.K. in combating workplace bullying can provide lessons for similar efforts in the U.S. In that Article, I reviewed the impact of legislation as only one part of the response to the problem, alongside the efforts of trade unions, the British government and management, and drew the conclusion that legislative initiatives in the U.S. are similarly only one part of what should be a multi-pronged approach. Building on that work, in a follow up Article presented at the International Labour Organization in July 2009, I proposed a new regulatory alternative for the U.S., viewing workplace bullying through the lens of the existing federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and applying new governance theory. OSHA, although not without its shortcomings, has the advantage of being a well-established regulatory regime and having an existing regulatory apparatus with enforcement power and training/counseling resources. I now propose a new Article, building on my two prior articles by combining my proposal for regulatory recognition of workplace bullying as an occupational safety and health concern, with a comparative law approach. This will be achieved through review and analysis of the safety and health regulatory and self governance initiatives in other countries, in order to draw comparative lessons for the United States.
Differential Anomic Responses in a Religious Community

A religious community of nuns, in which institutional change has resulted in a situation of structural anomie, is examined with a view to discovering what types of persons in the community experience individual feelings of anomie. The data point to the conclusion that three variables are operating to determine individual anomie: authoritarianism, traditionalism, and a non-rational orientation. The concept of anomie has had a long and well-developed history in sociological thought. A number of questions about it are still unanswered, notably the question of whether the concept most usefully refers to a characteristic of the social structure or to a characteristic of individual personalities. Most of the studies taking a social-structural approach to anomie see it as a pathological state of society and culture resulting from large-scale societal and cultural changes (such as industrialization). The studies taking an individual approach to anomie see it as a psychological pathology produced in certain individuals by such variables as faulty socialization, an inability to deal successfully with the dislocations of a rapidly changing society and culture, and others. This paper attempts to combine the sociological and the psychological approaches to anomie. Individual anomie, a psychological state, will be related to structural anomie within a social sub-system: a religious community. The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate that individual anomie is neither a uniform nor a random response to anomic, dislocating conditions in the society, but rather that it is a response within a specific community of those individuals whose characteristics lead them to respond differentially to anomic conditions in that community. The paper is predicated on three assumptions, each of which is stated and discussed below. 1. Individual anomie is assumed to be a psychological state that is a reaction to conditions of rapid socio-cultural change and to the consequence of such change, structural anomie. Emile Durkheim pointed out the connection between anomie and socio-cultural change. In The Division of Labor in Society, he describes anomie as an absence of rules governing the interaction among society's various functions. Rules ordinarily develop as a result of frequent and close interaction, and it is the absence of such frequent and close interaction, he claims, that produces anomie in societies characterized by the division of labor (1964:353-73). In Suicide, Durkheim says that society is a power controlling individuals, and that in periods of crisis or abrupt transition society temporarily loses its ability to exercise social
Women and fair trade coffee production in Nicaragua

Nicaragua is one of the poorest countries in Latin America with a population of 5.8 million of whom just over half are women. Systems such as Fair Trade allow consumers to express concern and take action by utilizing their purchasing power to help small scale producers. If Fair Trade is understood correctly, the system will be more affective at both ends of the supply chain, from the producer to the consumer. Yet, it has long been understood that the benefits of development do not always trickle down equally to both men and women. This paper argues that Fair Trade can make an impact on women and it must be analyzed through a gendered lens as in a case study of a coffee Fair Trade cooperative in Nicaragua. This study shows that the SOPPEXCCA cooperative would not have been such a success for women farmers without being a part of Fair Trade, which provides the means by which women are empowered as producers, mothers, and community members. Though, it is not Fair Trade alone that has created this success. It is the hard work and determination of the cooperative staff and the female producers themselves. The recent history of dictatorship, revolution, civil war and the feminist movement in Nicaragua set the stage for the cooperative to make physical and mental changes for cooperative members a more realistic endeavour. Keywords: cooperatives, Fair Trade, gender factor, supply chain, women empowerment, women farmers
Willingness to Record Police-Public Encounters: The Impact of Race and Social and Legal Consciousness

Although using personal electronic devices to record police–public encounters has surfaced as an important social phenomenon that could potentially shape public perceptions of the police and police...
Luminosity and contrast normalization in color retinal images based on standard reference image

Color retinal images are used manually or automatically for diagnosis and monitoring progression of a retinal diseases. Color retinal images have large luminosity and contrast variability within and across images due to the large natural variations in retinal pigmentation and complex imaging setups. The quality of retinal images may affect the performance of automatic screening tools therefore different normalization methods are developed to uniform data before applying any further analysis or processing. In this paper we propose a new reliable method to remove non-uniform illumination in retinal images and improve their contrast based on contrast of the reference image. The non-uniform illumination is removed by normalizing luminance image using local mean and standard deviation. Then the contrast is enhanced by shifting histograms of uniform illuminated retinal image toward histograms of the reference image to have similar histogram peaks. This process improve the contrast without changing inter correlation of pixels in different color channels. In compliance with the way humans perceive color, the uniform color space of LUV is used for normalization. The proposed method is widely tested on large dataset of retinal images with present of different pathologies such as Exudate, Lesion, Hemorrhages and Cotton-Wool and in different illumination conditions and imaging setups. Results shows that proposed method successfully equalize illumination and enhances contrast of retinal images without adding any extra artifacts.
Increased Ultraviolet Light Exposure is Associated With Reduced Risk of Inpatient Surgery Among Patients With Crohn’s Disease

Background and aims: Due to the formation of strictures and fistulas, patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) frequently need surgery. Vitamin D has been found to play a role in the degree of inflammation. We aimed to study the effect of UV exposure on the need for inpatient surgery in patients with CD. Methods: The national inpatient sample, the largest database of hospitalizations from the USA, was used to conduct a retrospective study of patients hospitalized from 2004–2011 with CD by ICD-9CM code 555. Surgery was characterized as any intestinal surgery or fistula repair. An average state UV exposure was calculated for each hospitalization. Multivariate logistic regression was used to calculate the effect of UV exposure on surgery accounting for important covariates. Results: There were 481712 hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of CD. Of these hospitalizations, 67751 included a relevant surgical procedure code. Mean UV exposure was statistically lower in the group undergoing surgery (4.3 units versus 4.4 units, p = 0.001). The ratio of hospitalizations per UV exposure tertile for CD was statistically different compared with all hospitalizations ( p < 0.001). In univariate analysis, increased UV exposure was associated with a lower risk of inpatient surgery with an OR of 0.90 per unit (95% CI 0.84–0.96, p = 0.001). Accounting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, season, income, hospital setting, and Charlson–Deyo comorbidities, the effect of UV exposure remained protective for inpatient surgery (OR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84–0.98, p = 0.01). Conclusions: Increased UV exposure is associated with a reduced risk of inpatient surgery among patients with CD. Further studies of vitamin D’s role in CD are necessary. * Abbreviations : CD : Crohn’s disease UV : Ultraviolet NIS : National Inpatient Sample IBD : inflammatory bowel disease UC : ulcerative colitis
Supramolecular Metal–Organic Frameworks of s- and f-Block Metals: Impact of 1,8-Naphthalimide Functional Group

The new ligand 5-(1,8-naphthalimido)isophthalate (L1352–), containing two carboxylate donor groups and the 1,8-naphthalimide supramolecular tecton, has been used under solvothermal conditions to prepare a series of group 2, lanthanide, and actinide metal complexes: [Ca4(L135)4(H2O)8]·(H2O)9.5(DMF)2.6 (1), Ba(L135)(H2O)1.5(DMF)0.5 (2), La2(L135)3(DMF)4 (3), Ce2(L135)3(DMF)4 (4), Eu2(L135)3(DMF)4 (5), Tb2(L135)3(DMF)4 (6), [UO2(L135)(DMF)]·(py)0.5(EtOH)0.5 (7), and Th(L135)(NO3)2(DMF)2]·(DMF)2 (8). The solid state structure of the calcium complex 1 is based on helical rod-shaped secondary building-units (SBUs) of edge-shared polyhedra bridged by oxygen atoms from the carboxylate groups. The crystals are racemic, with the one-dimensional (1D) helical rods organized by π···π stacking interactions of the naphthalimide group into a three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular metal-organic framework (SMOF) structure. Although the structure of the barium complex 2 also contains rod-shaped SBUs, the rods are linked thro...
The Design of Ground Control System based on Distributed Computer Network for UAVs

The traditional centralized architecture for the ground control system(GCS) of UAVs exists the problems that the system has lower reliability and fewer functions,and it is also hard to be extended and upgraded.According to the computer network features of the flexibility,co-current and resource sharing,the distributed dual redundancy and star-like architecture for GCS based on computer network is proposed.The hardware architecture system for GCS is designed and the software is implemented.Hundreds of UAV flights have shown that the GCS designed above has the features of higher reliability and flexibility.
Radiographic Assessment of Renal Trauma: A 10-Year Prospective Study of Patient Selection

AbstractTo develop criteria to determine which patients require radiographic assessment after blunt renal trauma, we studied prospectively 1,146 consecutive patients with either blunt (1,007) or penetrating (139) renal trauma between 1977 and 1987. Based on our preliminary results from 1977 to 1983, in which none of the 221 patients with blunt trauma and microscopic hematuria without shock had significant renal injuries, we designed a prospective study to determine if such patients could be managed safely without radiographic staging. During the last 10 years significant renal injuries were found in 44 patients (4.4 per cent) with blunt trauma and gross hematuria or microscopic hematuria associated with shock, and in 88 patients (63 per cent) with penetrating trauma. No significant injuries occurred in the 812 patients with blunt trauma and microscopic hematuria without shock, 404 of whom had complete radiographic assessment and 408 of whom did not. There were no delayed operations or significant sequelae...
Wrapping of the legs reduces the decrease in blood pressure following spinal anesthesia. A study in men undergoing urologic procedures.

Background and Objectives. Hypotension after induction of spinal anesthesia remains a common and a potentially serious complication despite acute expansion of intravascular volume. The current study evaluated the role of leg wrapping as an adjunct to acute volume expansion. Methods. Twenty-four men undergoing elective urologic procedures were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients in the experimental group had their legs wrapped tightly while those in the control group had their legs wrapped loosely with elastic bandages immediately following spinal anesthesia. Significant hypotension was defined as a decrease in mean arterial pressure to less than 65 mm Hg. Results. Systolic blood pressure was significantly lower (P Conclusions. Tightly wrapping the legs with elastic bandages immediately after placing spinal anesthesia in mature men is a safe and efficient adjunct in preventing hypotension.
Influence of Temperature Differential between Tomatoes and Postharvest Water on Salmonella Internalization.

ABSTRACT Salmonella bacteria may internalize into tomato pulp when warm tomatoes from the field are submerged into colder water. Several washing steps may follow the initial washing and packing of tomatoes at the packinghouses; the potential for internalization into tomatoes in subsequent washing steps when tomatoes have a cooler pulp temperature is unknown. Our objective was to evaluate Salmonella internalization into mature green and red tomatoes with ambient (21°C) and refrigeration (4°C) pulp temperatures when they were submerged into water at various temperature differentials, simulating repacking and fresh-cut operations. Red (4°C and 21°C) and mature green (21°C) tomatoes were submerged (6 cm) into a six-strain Salmonella cocktail (6 log CFU/ml) and maintained at ±5 and 0°C temperature differentials for varying time intervals, ranging from 30 s to 5 min. Following submersion, tomatoes were surface sterilized using 70% ethanol, the stem abscission zone and blossom end epidermis were removed, and cor...
An environmental cost-benefit analysis of alternative green roofing strategies

Abstract Green roofs and cool roofs are alternative roofing strategies that mitigate urban heat island effects and improve building energy performance. Green roofs consist of soil and vegetation layers that provide runoff reduction, thermal insulation, and potential natural habitat, but can require regular maintenance. Cool roofs involve a reflective layer that reflects more sunlight than traditional roofing materials, but require additional insulation during winter months. This study evaluates several roofing strategies in terms of energy performance, urban heat island mitigation, water consumption, and economic cost. We use MLCan, a multi-layer canopy model, to simulate irrigated and non-irrigated green roof cases with shallow and deep soil depths during the spring and early summer of 2012, a drought period in central Illinois. Due to the dry conditions studied, periodic irrigation is implemented in the model to evaluate its effect on evapotranspiration. Traditional and cool roof scenarios are also simulated by altering surface albedo and omitting vegetation and soil layers. We find that both green roofs and cool roofs significantly reduce surface temperature compared to the traditional roof simulation. Cool roof temperatures always remain below air temperature and, similar to traditional roofs, require low maintenance. Green roofs remain close to air temperature and also provide thermal insulation, runoff reduction, and carbon uptake, but might require irrigation during dry periods. Due to the longer lifetime of a green roof compared to cool and traditional roofs, we find that green roofs realize the highest long term cost savings under simulated conditions. However, using longer-life traditional roof materials (which have a higher upfront cost) can help decrease this price differential, making cool roofs the most affordable option due to the higher maintenance costs associated with green roofs.
Transceiver MMIC's for street surveillance radar

We adopted the GaAs-PHEMT 3-D Wafer Level Chip Size Package (3-D WLCSP) technology to a prototype 76–81 GHz street surveillance radar MMIC's. A transmitter (Tx) MMIC is a compact harmonic up-mixer MMIC with an integrated local chain, followed by a power amplifier (PA) MMIC. A receiver MMIC integrates a pair of receivers each of which contains a compact image-rejection harmonic mixer, low noise amplifier, and a local amplifier. The chip size of the Tx MMIC is 2.9 mm × 3.2 mm. PA MMIC exhibited a saturated output power level at 20 dBm, and a linear gain of 28 dB. The chip size is 2.9 mm × 2.3 mm. The conversion gain of the Rx MMIC is 9 dB and the noise figure better than 6 dB. The chip size is 3.5 mm × 2.9 mm for two channels.
Collecting visual voices: Understanding identity, community, and the meaning of participation within gay rodeos:

Rodeos have been an integral part of American cowboy culture since the 1800s, however, it wasn’t until the 1970s when gay rodeos began to form and challenge some of the assumptions about ‘cowboys,’ ‘sexuality,’ and ‘masculinity.’ The purpose of this ethnographic study was to utilize participant-driven photo-elicitation (PDPE) method to understand how individuals who participate in gay rodeos experience their identities and the meanings they attribute to their participation in this queer subculture. The diverse images shared by the participants illustrate their unique identities and the various meanings they attribute to their participation in gay rodeo. The findings from this study serve to highlight various aspects of the gay rodeo subculture and the role of gay rodeo as a site of support and solidarity for LGBTQ communities. In this study, gay rodeo emerges as a space of contestation, resistance and reification of gender norms and heterosexuality. The findings call into question tensions that exist when...
Structural Damage Detection Using Convolutional Neural Networks

Detection of the deficiencies affecting the performance of the structures has been studied over the past few decades. However, with the long-term data collection from dense sensor arrays, accurate damage diagnosis has become computationally challenging task. To address such problem, this paper introduces convolutional neural network (CNN), which has led to breakthrough results in computer vision, to the damage detection challenge. CNN technique has the ability to discover abstract features which are able to discriminate various aspect of interest. In our case, these features are used to classify “damaged” and “healthy” samples modeled through the finite element simulations. CNN is performed by using a Python library called Theano with the graphics processing unit (GPU) to achieve higher performance of these data-intensive calculations. The accuracy and sensitivity of the proposed technique are assessed with a cracked steel gusset connection model with multiplicative noise. During the training procedure, strain distributions generated from different crack and loading scenarios are adopted. Completely unseen damage setups are introduced to the simulations while testing. Based on the findings of the proposed study, high accuracy, robustness and computational efficiency are succeeded for the damage diagnosis.
Oxidation of C18 Hydroxy-Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids to Epoxide or Ketone by Catalase-Related Hemoproteins Activated with Iodosylbenzene

Small catalase-related hemoproteins with a facility to react with fatty acid hydroperoxides were examined for their potential mono-oxygenase activity when activated using iodosylbenzene. The proteins tested were a Fusarium graminearum 41 kD catalase hemoprotein (Fg-cat, gene FGSG_02217), a Pseudomonas fluorescens Pfl01 catalase (37.5 kD, accession number WP_011333788.1), and a Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis 33 kD catalase (gene MAP-2744c). 13-Hydroxy-octadecenoic acids (which are normally unreactive) were selected as substrates because these enzymes react specifically with the corresponding 13S-hydroperoxides (Pakhomova et al. 18:2559–2568, 5; Teder et al. 1862:706–715, 14). In the presence of iodosylbenzene Fg-cat converted 13S-hydroxy-fatty acids to two products: the 15,16-double bond of 13S-hydroxy α-linolenic acid was oxidized stereospecifically to the 15S,16R-cis-epoxide or the 13-hydroxyl was oxidized to the 13-ketone. Products were identified by UV, HPLC, LC–MS, NMR and by comparison with authentic standards prepared for this study. The Pfl01-cat displayed similar activity. MAP-2744c oxidized 13S-hydroxy-linoleic acid to the 13-ketone, and epoxidized the double bonds to form the 9,10-epoxy-13-hydroxy, 11,12-epoxy-13-hydroxy, and 9,10-epoxy-13-keto derivatives; equivalent transformations occurred with 9S-hydroxy-linoleic acid as substrate. In parallel incubations in the presence of iodosylbenzene, human catalase displayed no activity towards 13S-hydroxy-linoleic acid, as expected from the highly restricted access to its active site. The results indicated that with suitable transformation to Compound I, monooxygenase activity can be demonstrated by these catalase-related hemoproteins with tyrosine as the proximal heme ligand.
A family-of-models approach to HMM-based segmentation for unit selection speech synthesis.

For segmenting a speech database, using a family of acoustic models provides multiple estimates of each boundary point. This is more robust than a single estimate because by taking consensus values, large labeling errors are less prevalent in the synthesis catalog, which improves the resulting voice. This paper describes HMM-based segmentation in which up to 500 related models are applied to each wavefile. In a listening test of twelve utterances, human judges preferred the proposed technique over the baseline by a tally of 6 to 2, with 4 ties.
Polarization-independent, Narrowband Transmission Filter Using Symmetry-protected Bound States in the Continuum

We computationally and experimentally demonstrate a narrowband, polarization-independent transmission filter using a subwavelength, 2D photonic crystal slab that operates through coupling to symmetry-protected bound states in the continuum.
CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells are mobilized with exercise independently of beta-2 adrenergic receptor signaling

A single exercise bout mobilizes CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to the bloodstream, potentially serving as an economical adjuvant to boost the collection of HSCs from stem cell transplant donors. The mechanisms responsible for HSC mobilization with exercise are unknown but are likely due to hemodynamic perturbations and/or beta-2 adrenergic receptor signaling. The aim of this study was to delineate the effects of beta-2 adrenergic receptor signaling from hemodynamic perturbations on the mobilization of CD34+ HSCs with exercise. In a randomized double-blind crossover design,10 healthy men completed 30-min of high-intensity steady state cycling exercise after ingesting (i) a selective beta1-adrenergic receptor antagonist (bisoprolol); (ii) a non-selective beta-1 + beta-2 adrenergic receptor antagonist (nadolol); or (iii) placebo. CD34 + HSCs were enumerated in blood before and after exercise by flow cytometry. Relative to placebo, nadolol and bisoprolol reduced hemodynamic perturbations with exercise (as determined by exercising heart rate and blood pressure) to comparable levels. Exercise mobilized CD34+ HSCs in all three trials, but the relative mobilization was markedly lower and comparable between the nadolol and bisoprolol trials (placebo: 118 ± 68%, bisoprolol: 67 ± 33%, and nadolol: 57 ± 38%). We conclude that the mobilization of CD34+ HSCs with exercise is not dependent on beta-2 adrenergic receptor signaling and is likely due to increased hemodynamic perturbations within the vasculature and/or beta-1 adrenergic receptor activation.
F202. ABNORMAL REMODELING PROCESSING IN NEURAL GPI-APS SECRETORY PATHWAY IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

AbstractBackgroundAbnormalities in post translational modifications (PTMs) such as glycosylation have become targets of schizophrenia (SCZ) research and are implicated in the neuropathophysiology of this illness. Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) attachment to proteins and glycoproteins events; proteins essential to cellular function, including neurotransmitter rreceptors, adhesion molecules, and enzymes, are all modified by GPI. Biosynthesis of GPI -APs occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Once GPI-APs are synthesized, they are transported from the ER to the cell surface through the Golgi apparatus. Inositol deacylation of the GPI-APs by is common PTMs. The GPI-anchored proteins (GPI-APs) play an essential role in many biological PGAP1 is required for efficient export from the ER and acts a molecular mechanism for quality control of GPI-APs. The p24 complex binds specifically to GPI-APs and plays a role in their selective trafficking by sensing the status of the GPI anchor and to promote efficient ER exit of remodeled GPI-APs. In this study, we identified abnormalities of proteins associated with the ER exit of GPI-APs in SCZ. To address mechanisms of GPI-APs ER exit, we measured expression of proteins of the GPI-APs ER exit and targeting pathway. We also measured expression of GPI-APs which have been previously implicated in SCZ, including GPC1, NCAM, MDGA2 and EPHA1.MethodsWe assessed the total expression and subcellular localization of proteins involved in ER export processing of GPI-APs from the DLPFC of 15 matched pairs of SCZ and comparison subjects. Specifically, we measured levels of PGAP1 and Tmp21 (p24). Additionally, we performed a Triton X-114 phase separation to distinguish between membrane-associated and cytosolic forms of protein substrates. We confirmed the sensitivity of each target GPI-AP to phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC), an enzyme that specifically cleaves GPI from GPI-APs.ResultsWe found a significant decrease in p24 in total tissue homogenates and PGAP1 in an ER enriched fraction from subjects with SCZ. We also identified diminished sensitivity of the GPI-APs, GPC1 and NCAM, to PI-PLC treatment in SCZ.DiscussionDecreased PGAP1 in an ER enriched fraction in consistent with reduced inositol deacylation and potential dysfunction as the gatekeeper of GPI-AP ER exit in SCZ. This also suggests that the GPI-anchor is not correctly modified. Decreased p24 levels suggest downregulation of transport between the Golgi and the ER in SCZ. Additionally, we observed unchanged total level of GPI-APs in Triton X-114 phase separation, but a significant decrease in the amount of NCAM and GPC1 that was sensitive to PI-PLC in SCZ. This finding may be consistent with abnormal GPI modification of these two candidate proteins. Together, these findings suggest dysregulation of the GPI-APs remodeling system in SCZ, which may impact the structure of the GPI-anchor for SCZ-relevant proteins like NCAM and GPC1.
The role of irradiance and C-use strategies in tropical macroalgae photosynthetic response to ocean acidification.

Fleshy macroalgae may increase photosynthesis with greater CO2 availability under ocean acidification (OA) and outcompete calcifying macroalgae important for tropical reef accretion. Macroalgae use energy-dependent carbon concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) to take up HCO3−, the dominant inorganic carbon for marine photosynthesis, but carbon-use strategies may depend on the pCO2, pH and irradiance. We examined photosynthesis in eight tropical macroalgae across a range of irradiances (0–1200 μmol photon m−2 s−1), pH levels (7.5–8.5) and CO2 concentrations (3–43 μmol kg−1). Species-specific CCM strategies were assessed using inhibitors and δ13C isotope signatures. Our results indicate that the log of irradiance is a predictor of the photosynthetic response to elevated pCO2 (R2 > 0.95). All species utilized HCO3−, exhibited diverse C-use pathways and demonstrated facultative HCO3− use. All fleshy species had positive photosynthetic responses to OA, in contrast to a split amongst calcifiers. We suggest that shifts in photosynthetically-driven tropical macroalgal changes due to OA will most likely occur in moderate to high-irradiance environments when CCMs are ineffective at meeting the C-demands of photosynthesis. Further, facultative use of HCO3− allows greater access to CO2 for photosynthesis under OA conditions, particularly amongst fleshy macroalgae, which could contribute to enhance fleshy species dominance over calcifiers.
Cardiac structural predictors of ventricular tachycardia…looking beyond ejection fraction and ventricular scar

Background Each year, about 424,000 adults experience sudden cardiac death (SCD) in the United States. Assessment for cardiac structural anatomy is vital in this population. While left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is an established predictor of ventricular tachycardia (VT), it is known that VT occurs in nonischemic patients, with normal LVEF. Contribution of ventricular scar is also under investigation. Our study aims to assess the role of newer cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) based parameters in this population.