cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Land use history and seed dispersal drive divergent plant community assembly patterns in urban vacant lots

Summary Despite high levels of disturbance and habitat modification, urban ecosystems still host substantial levels of biodiversity. The processes that maintain existing levels of diversity, however, remain understudied. Identifying the links between urban ecological processes and patterns has, therefore, become a fundamental research goal to support urban biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. We conducted a study to determine how the diversity and composition of urban plant communities is affected by spatially and temporally variable land use legacies. We constructed a chronosequence of vacant lot properties covering a range of 3-22 years since demolition, in an urban neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland (USA). Surveys of herbaceous plant species abundance were conducted during the summers of 2012 and 2013 in sections of each vacant lot where the building previously stood (the ‘building footprint’) and sections of the lot that was previously a backyard or garden (the ‘remnant garden’). We found divergent patterns in plant community composition between areas of vacant lots with varying land use histories. This includes significant shifts in the functional composition of biotically-vectored seed dispersal strategies, as well as an increase in seed mass and terminal velocity trait values of plant communities in building footprints over time. Additionally, we found that plant communities in different sections of the same vacant lot tended to become more functionally dissimilar in seed dispersal strategies over time. In contrast, we found no significant changes in taxonomic diversity over time for any of our measures. Policy implications. Our study suggests that regional-scale patterns of seed dispersal interact with diverse land use legacies to structure the plant communities of urban vacant lots. Although it has been suggested that highly altered local environmental conditions and competition from introduced species limit native plant diversity in urban environments, we find seed dispersal to be a more significant driver of urban plant community assembly patterns. Implementing management strategies that focus on habitat connectivity and enhancing species pools via seeding may present an effective strategy for promoting more successful establishment of diverse plant communities in urban environments. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Determination of Bond Strengths in Non-woven Fabrics: a Combined Experimental and Computational Approach

Interfiber bonds are important structural components in non-woven fabrics. Bond fracture greatly affects the strength and damage progression in a fiber network structure. Here, we present a novel combined experimental and computational approach to extract bond strengths in non-wovens. In this method, a small specimen is imaged and the obtained 3D geometry of the network is directly modeled in a finite element framework. Bond properties are determined by matching finite element simulation predicted mechanical response to the experimental data. This method is demonstrated by applying it to six specimens of a commercial polypropylene non-woven. A four parameter bi-linear interface law is used with normal stiffness k, shear stiffness βk, separation at the start of damage d 1, and separation at total loss of bond stiffness d 2. The determined normal strength (kd 1)and shear strength (βkd 1) are (1.3 ± 0.3) × 102 MPa and (1.0 ± 0.2) × 102 MPa, respectively. To show that the obtained bond parameters can be applied to a new specimen, a cross validation is conducted whereby parameters are fit from five specimens and then evaluated on the sixth. Additional validation of the obtained bond strength parameters was conducted with larger size artificial network simulations and peel tests. The proposed method in this work carries the dual advantages of characterizing actual bonds in a non-woven and characterizing hundreds of bonds simultaneously. The method can be applied to a variety of non-woven fabrics that are bonded at fiber-fiber intersections.
Expectations and adaptation to environmental risks

Climate change is projected to severely damage the global economy. Adaptation in response to a changing climate will affect how much damage ultimately occurs. A major source of uncertainty in existing damage estimates is the extent to which they include or exclude such adaptation. This paper shows how to estimate damages while accounting for forward-looking adaptation using an empirical strategy that compares responses to forecasts and to realizations of weather. The empirical strategy is applied to study climate damages and adaptation in a fishery using a novel dataset of climate forecasts and detailed, firm-level records. Empirically, the benefit of forward-looking adaptation is large and important, and accounting for adaptation substantially changes the estimated damages from climate variation. Mechanism analysis shows that firms adapt by reducing production costs and timing entry into the fishery.
Does the Rotator Cuff Tear Pattern Influence Clinical Outcomes After Surgical Repair

Background:Limited literature exists regarding the influence of rotator cuff tear morphology on patient outcomes.Purpose:To determine the effect of rotator cuff tear pattern (crescent, U-shape, L-s...
Marriages of Convenience: International Marriage Brokers, 'Mail-Order Brides,' and Domestic Servitude

The International Marriage Broker Regulation Act of 2005 (IMBRA) expands federal regulation of the burgeoning "mail-order bride" industry by requiring international matchmaking agencies to conduct minimal criminal background checks on their U.S.-based clients and disclose the results to participating women, obtaining their signed consent before releasing any contact information to male clients. Two federal suits challenging IMBRA complain that it violates equal protection guarantees by exempting not-for-profit and religious matchmaking agencies, and violates First Amendment protections for commercial speech by regulating the agencies' communications with its clients. Defenders of the law's constitutionality accurately but incompletely describe IMBRA's purpose as preventing domestic violence and human trafficking against immigrant women. IMBRA is also intended to target a form of involuntary servitude hidden by marriage: forced and coerced extortion of domestic and sexual services, practices intrinsic to women's experiences of slavery in the United States. IMBRA is, therefore, a legitimate exercise of Congress' authority under the Thirteenth Amendment. Failure to prosecute crimes of involuntary servitude arising in the domestic sphere leaves women and girls without adequate and equal protection of the law.
The relation of socioeconomic and scholastic aptitude variants to academic achievement for males and females at third and fifth grades

To determine the relation of socioeconomic and scholastic aptitude variants to academic achievement, data were collected from 332 elementary students in a small midwestern city. Independent variables included group aptitude test scores from third grade and fifth grade admini­ strations, sex of subject, family socioeconomic status (SES) based on parental occupation, and school of attendance (Title I versus Nontitle I). Dependent variables included group achievement test scores from third and fifth grade administrations and teacher grades for Reading and Math at fifth grade. Group aptitude indices included total apti­ tude scores and the difference between verbal and nonverbal aptitude scores. The study was designed to examine: (a) whether achievement patterns were the same for males and females when different levels of SES, total aptitude, and differences between verbal and nonverbal aptitude were considered; (b) whether similar results would be found at third and fifth grades and across various achievement measures (i.e., achievement subtests and teacher grades at fifth grade; and (c) whether SES distinctions based on family characteristics versus more general sociological characteristics (i.e., school of attendance) pro­ vided similar information about a student's probable level of academic achievement. In general, the data support achievement differences between males and females based on the interaction between total aptitude and verbal-nonverbal discrepancies. The contrast between high verbal and high nonverbal students was most pronounced for females with low
Error Analysis, Statistics and Other Uncertainties Associated with Linearity

Many traits of humankind have been suggested as being characteristics of the species. It seems to me that the ability and/or desire to plan for future events must be one of the dominant traits of civilized people. Such planning has certainly contributed to the survival of the species and has perhaps led to a social being with a predisposition for anticipating, if not predicting the future. In a sociological context, forecasting is important for endeavors ranging from economic to military to recreational. As scientists we strive to understand the underlying processes and to correct deficiencies in both our understanding of these processes and in the limitations of forecasting from extant data. The study of the question of our fundamental limitations of forecasting has been termed “predictability.”
Managing immune dysregulation resulting from immune checkpoint inhibitors: impact of the ASCO guidelines and key take-homes for immunologists

By targeting inhibitory checkpoint molecules, with resultant reinvigoration of antitumor immunity, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have opened a new chapter in cancer treatment [1]. Full activa...
Improving PMUT Transmit Performance via Sub-Micron Thickness Scaling

Analytical models for micro machined ultrasonic transducers (MUTs)show that the transmit voltage sensitivity (Pa/V)has an inverse dependence on thickness. However, the ability to scale capacitive MUTs (CMUTs)to submicron thickness is limited by electrostatic pull-in instability. PMUTs are not subject to pull-in instability, making them an ideal vehicle to explore the benefits of thickness scaling. Using analytical model and experiment measurements, we demonstrated individual PMUT's transmit voltage sensitivity at a given frequency is inversely proportional to the device thickness, while the quality factor dominated by the acoustic radiation loss linearly scales with the device thickness. AIN PMUTs with 500 nm and 1 μm thick piezoelectric layer were fabricated to demonstrate an improved transmit voltage sensitivity via sub-micro thickness scaling.
A Personalized Subreddit Recommendation Engine.

This paper aims to improve upon the generic recommendations that Reddit provides for its users. We propose a novel personalized recommender system that learns from both, the presence and the content of user-subreddit interaction, using implicit and explicit signals to provide robust recommendations.
Pleural catheter placement and intrapleural fibrinolysis following lung transplantation

Background This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of lung transplant recipients requiring additional pleural drainage catheters early post-lung transplantation and to determine the safety and efficacy of intrapleural fibrinolytics in these patients. Methods A retrospective review of lung transplant recipients at a single center was performed. Patient and transplant characteristics, placement of pleural drainage catheters within 90 days of transplant, and use of intrapleural fibrinolytics were determined. Results Out of 128 patients who underwent lung transplantation, 54 patients required 86 additional chest tubes, the majority of which were size 14 French or smaller. Pleural effusion was the most common indication for tube placement. Patients who required additional chest tubes were more likely to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than those who did not. Use of intrapleural fibrinolytics led to radiographic improvement in 77.8% of patients and was not associated with bleeding, pneumothorax, or mortality within 30 days. Conclusions Use of small-bore chest tubes and intrapleural fibrinolytics can be safe and effective in lung transplant recipients with persistent pleural effusions.
Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics

Bio-mediated geotechnics, wherein biogeochemical processes are employed to directly modify the engineering properties of soil, and bio-inspired geotechnics, wherein natural biological systems provide inspiration for the development of novel geotechnical solutions, provide two complimentary opportunities for geotechnical engineering innovation. The field of bio-mediated geotechnics has been developing for more than one decade while the field of bio-inspired geotechnics is just now emerging. Both domains require geotechnical engineers to reconsider the importance and role of biology and biological systems in geotechnical engineering. This chapter provides the context and general principles for these emerging fields followed by specific examples of both fields. The importance of sustainability and how these fields can contribute to sustainable development is discussed. The chapter concludes by briefly addressing some of the steps required for biogeotechnics to become a recognized sub-discipline within the domain of geotechnical engineering.
EU Bio-Based Economy Strategy

The bio-based economy has increased in importance over the past decades. The sector has received substantial policy support. This chapter reviews the history of the policy developments and provides an overview about the current status and expectations for the future. The methods developed for measuring the bioeconomy and related challenges are discussed in more detail. The traditional sectors of the bioeconomy, agriculture, forestry, and fishery are well covered by national accounting systems while the bio-based economy sectors such as parts of the chemical sector are less covered. Another challenge is the monitoring of biomass production and biomass flows and related emissions.
Machine learning techniques for estimation of Los Angeles abrasion value of rock aggregates

Rock aggregates are extensively used in the production of materials such as asphalt concrete and Portland cement concrete. Los Angeles Abrasion (LAA) value is one the basic characteristics of crush...
Early Warning Systems for the Mitigation of Geological Hazards — an Overview

For all geological hazards, e.g. earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides and tsunamis, hazard and risk assessments are needed as a basis for long-range planning, and for allocating resources for early warning systems. Warning systems must build on public awareness and commitment by public authorities. Decision making for disaster management could be substantially improved by better integrating information systems and paying more attention to specific, tailor-made products.
Disposing of Victim Bodies

The mass executions and rampant killings left behind a huge number of corpses, which remained strewn about in and outside the city. Many of the bodies stayed in the open for an extended period of time, and could be seen along streets, in ponds, by rivers, in fields, around buildings, and at the foot of city walls. At the mass execution sites along the Yangtze River and in the suburbs, bodies piled up. For different reasons, disposing of the bodies was carried out by various parties at different times and different locations, due to the huge number and widespread locations. Japanese troops, charity organizations, local governments, individual groups, and family members all participated in burial activities.
Authorship and study characteristic trends in spine publications from years 2004 to 2017

Background The goal of this study was to analyze the trends in authorship and study characteristics in Spine using two overlapping ten-year time periods: 2004-2014 and 2007-2017. To our knowledge, no other literature reports study characteristics and authorship in the same time period for spine that would allow for the assessment of confounding factors of trends. Methods Authorship and study characteristic data was collected from all scientific manuscripts published in Spine during the years of 2004, 2007, 2014, and 2017. Basic statistics and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to analyze the data. Results We found a significant increase in total number of authors (P<0.0001) without discrepancy of unequivocal increases in author degree type: MD/Equivalent (P≤0.0001), PhD/Doctorate (P=0.0017), Masters (P=0.0015), and Bachelors (P≤0.0001). We observed an increase in industry authorship (P≤0.0001), but without a significant increase in industry funding during the same time span. Increases in administration database studies (P≤0.0001) and economic/value studies (P≤0.0001) were also noted. A significant change in percentage of articles with trauma pathology (decrease, P<0.0001) and deformity (increase, P=0.0002) occurred. The number of multi-institutional studies increased (P≤0.0001), while no change in the number of multi-disciplinary studies. Conclusions Increases in author number for spine articles over time are a result of a general increase in authors in all degree types, not just non-doctorate degrees. This may be potentially influenced by the increase in multi-institutional studies. From 2004-2017, higher percentages of articles focus on economics. An increase in industry authorship without a corresponding increase in funding suggests industry's more 'hands-on' approach to publication results from their funded studies.
Parametrization of speckle intensity correlations over object position for coherent sensing and imaging in heavily scattering random media

The authors provide an statistical treatment of speckle intensity correlations as a function of the position of an obscured moving object and perform experiments to compare with their theory
Mental Wellness Among Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Psychiatric nursing providers and their unique challenges in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic are not well-represented in the literature. Therefore, this study sought to describe mental well-being of psychiatric nurses, and sought to elucidate factors related to mental wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study utilized cross-sectional survey methodology to evaluate burnout, mental wellness, COVID-related anxiety, professional fulfillment, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms among psychiatric nurses. There was a total of 151 respondents. A linear regression model was employed to identify predictors of mental wellness. The final regression model included the following predictors: depressive symptoms, burnout, professional fulfillment, and educational status. These predictors together accounted for 73% of the variance for the outcome variable of mental well-being.
Treating Hepatitis C Virus Reinfection With 8 Weeks of Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir Achieves Sustained Virologic Response.

Three patients reinfected with hepatitis C virus after a sustained virologic response were considered treatment naive and treated with a short-course direct acting antiviral regimen.
Emerging Social Capital in the Lives of Latinx First-Generation College Students: The Case for “Apprentice Agents” in a Social Capital Framework

Latinx first-generation college students (LFGCS) build unique social networks that support their persistence in college. Utilizing a social capital framework to analyze the college experiences of 1...
Efficient reduced-rank methods for Gaussian processes with eigenfunction expansions.

In this work we introduce a reduced-rank algorithm for Gaussian process regression. Our numerical scheme converts a Gaussian process on a user-specified interval to its Karhunen-Loeve expansion, the $L^2$-optimal reduced-rank representation. Numerical evaluation of the Karhunen-Loeve expansion is performed once during precomputation and involves computing a numerical eigendecomposition of an integral operator whose kernel is the covariance function of the Gaussian process. The Karhunen-Loeve expansion is independent of observed data and depends only on the covariance kernel and the size of the interval on which the Gaussian process is defined. The scheme of this paper does not require translation invariance of the covariance kernel. We also introduce a class of fast algorithms for Bayesian fitting of hyperparameters, and demonstrate the performance of our algorithms with numerical experiments in one and two dimensions. Extensions to higher dimensions are mathematically straightforward but suffer from the standard curses of high dimensions.
The Jury-Trial Right in the UCC: On a Slippery Slope

Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) drafters have attempted to reduce the role of juries in commercial cases by drafting provisions in the UCC that assign the court to decide as a question of law certain matters which have traditionally been decided by the jury. This article addresses the questions of whether the gradual erosion of the right to a jury trial in UCC cases should be continued or reversed, and whether or to what extent Article 1 should have a role in the process.This article will first consider federal and state constitutional requirements of the right to a jury trial and their applicability to cases brought under the UCC. It will then examine specific UCC provisions where the drafters allocated to the court determination of matters that are typically decided by the jury. A brief examination will then be made of the reaction of some state bar committees, law revision commissions, and legislatures to the question of the constitutionality of such reallocation under state law. Next, the article will consider the constitutionality of the specific UCC provisions in light of traditional Seventh Amendment of jurisprudence, as well as recent Supreme Court decisions regarding the scope of the Seventh Amendment guarantee. It will then examine the policies favoring or opposing jury trials and will compare results of empirical studies of jury performance with beliefs and attitudes upon which various policy views are based. Finally, the question of whether Article 1 has a role with respect to this issue will be considered. The article concludes that reallocation by the drafters of factual matters to the court is both constitutionally troubling and not justified on policy grounds
Multiuser Detection for Out-of-Cell Cochannel Interference Mitigation in the IS–95 Downlink

This paper considers the application of multiuser detection techniques to improve the quality of downlink reception in a multi-cell IS---95 digital cellular communication system. In order to understand the relative performance of suboptimum multiuser detectors including the matched filter detector, optimum multiuser detection in the context of the IS---95 downlink is first considered. A reduced complexity optimum detector that takes advantage of the structural properties of the IS---95 downlink and exhibits exponentially lower complexity than the brute-force optimum detector is developed. The Group Parallel Interference Cancellation (GPIC) detector, a suboptimum, low-complexity multiuser detector that also exploits the structure of the IS---95 downlink is then developed. Simulation evidence is presented that suggests that the performance of the GPIC detector may be near-optimum in several cases. The GPIC detector is also tested on a snapshot of on-air data measured with an omnidirectional antenna in an active IS---95 system and is shown to be effective for extracting weak downlink transmissions from strong out-of-cell cochannel interference. The results of this paper suggest that the GPIC detector offers the most performance gain in scenarios where weak downlink signals are corrupted by strong out-of-cell cochannel interference.
Fetal endocrine and renal disorders: Clues to the origin of hydramnios

Abstract Newborn anencephalic infants have a subnormal number of nephrons and a reduced cytoplasmic mass in renal tubular cells. The infants associated with hydramnios have patent collecting tubules, suggesting some fetal micturition, while those without hydramnios have almost closed tubules. Findings are similar in monovular twin partners with the transplacental twin transfusion syndrome. Two infants with isolated absence of the pituitary gland had renal abnormalities like those found in the anencephalic neonates; two infants with defective anterior lobes of the pituitary had cellular abnormalities centered in the more proximal portions of the renal tubules.
A Robust Point Matching Algorithm for Autoradiograph Alignment

Neuroimaging of the human brain has opened the way for a genuine understanding of human cognition; but the circuitry and cellular basis of the extraordinary information processing capacity of humans can be addressed only in experimental animals such as nonhuman primates by using the 2-DG autoradiographic method. This method requires sacrifice of the animal and sectioning of the brain into serial sections followed by production of autoradiographs of individual brain sections which are not in register. We have developed a new automated alignment method to reconstitute the autoradiographs. Our alignment method automatically finds the 2-D spatial mapping and the homologies between the slices and robustly accounts for the natural and artifactual differences by applying the powerful mechanism of outlier rejection adapted from the robust statistics literature.
Performance analysis of an optical circuit switched network for peta-scale systems

Optical Circuit Switching (OCS) is a promising technology for future large-scale high performance computing networks. It currently widely used in telecommunication networks and offers all-optical data paths between nodes in a system. Traffic passing through these paths is subject only to the propagation delay through optical fibers and optical/electrical conversions on the sending and receiving ends. High communication bandwidths within these paths are possible when using multiple wavelengths multiplexed over the same fiber. The set-up time of an OCS circuit is non-negligible but can be amortized over the lifetime of communications between nodes or by the use of multi-hop routing mechanisms. In this work, we compare the expected performance of an OCS network to more traditional networks including meshes and fat-trees. The comparison considers several current large-scale applications. We show that the performance of an OCS network is comparable to the best of the network types examined.
Generating Homogeneous Poisson Processes

We present an overview of existing methods to generate pseudorandom numbers from a nonhomogeneous Poisson process. We start with various definitions of the nonhomogeneous Poisson process, present theoretical results (sometimes with a proof) that form the basis of existing generation algorithms, and provide algorithm listings. Whenever available, we also provide links to sources containing computer codes. With the intent of guiding users seeking an appropriate algorithm for a given setting, we emphasize computationally burdensome operations within each algorithm. Our treatment includes both one-dimensional and two-dimensional Poisson processes. Keywords: statistics; simulation; random process generation; Poisson processes
On accelerating sequential procedures for point estimation: the normal case

An accelerated sequential procedure is proposed to save the number of sampling operations we would have observed had the purely sequential procedures been used. The method is outlined as it pertains to the point estimation of the unknown normal mean. We supplement our theoretical findings with simulations to study the moderate sample size performance of the proposed procedure.
What Kind of People Call Themselves Environmentalists

Many studies have shown that environmentalist attitudes are increasingly prominent both domestically and internationally, although they often vary in depth and commitment. However, consumption studies and the rate of depletion and pollution of natural resources have shown even more clearly that detrimental human activity, per capita, is still rising. These observations contradict each other, resulting in a disparity between values/attitudes and consumptive behavior. We argue that this condition cannot be rationalized away with simplistic explanations followed by a call for better education, shifts in morality, changes in consciousness, or new laws, policies and other forms of social control. Thus, the purpose of our study was to find out why the disparity between positive (green) values and negative (consumptive-exploitative) behavior exists in the majority of our sampled population. 1047 participants completed a 2-part survey that included both demographic variables and value/attitude test items. Our ana...
Majority Party Power and Procedural Motions in the U.S. Senate

While the metaphor of House parties as cartels is widely accepted, its application to the Senate is difficult as the majority party lacks the power to unilaterally manipulate rules and pass legislation. Nevertheless, several scholars have argued that the Senate majority party is able to employ nondebatable motions to table to exclude unwanted amendments with procedural rather than substantive votes. Does the motion to table yield negative agenda control or special party influence? Using an analysis of individual Senators' behavior on thousands of votes and an assessment of interest group scores, we find that motions to table do not elicit higher party influence or provide much political cover. A desire to speed up the legislative process, rather than to insulate members from electoral scrutiny, seems to motivate the use of motions to table.
An Na(+)-dependent and an Na(+)-independent system for glutamine transport in rat liver basolateral membrane vesicles.

In the present study the transport of glutamine across rat liver basolateral membrane was examined with special emphasis on the existence of an Na(+)-independent system and on the characteristics of the Na(+)-dependent system with respect to stoichiometry of glutamine to Na+. Well-validated and purified liver basolateral membrane vesicles were used in the study. Results of studies on the effect of incubation medium osmolarity and incubation temperature indicated that glutamine uptake by liver basolateral membrane vesicles is largely the result of transport of the substrate into the intravesicular compartment with little binding to basolateral membrane vesicles. Transport of glutamine with time was Na+ gradient dependent (out greater than in) with a distinct "overshoot" phenomenon. Replacing Na+ with an equivalent concentration of K+, NH4+, choline, or mannitol caused significant inhibition of the initial rate of glutamine transport; on the other hand, Li+ could partially substitute for Na+. The initial rate of transport of glutamine as a function of concentration (0.05-12 mmol/L) was saturable both in the presence and in the absence of an inwardly directed Na+ gradient. Apparent Km values of 2.95 and 3.35 mmol/L and Vmax values of 11,565 and 6663 pmol.mg protein-1.10s-1 were calculated in the presence and absence of a Na+ gradient, respectively. Both in the presence and absence of an Na+ gradient (out greater than in), transport of [3H]glutamine was significantly inhibited by the addition to the incubation medium of unlabeled glutamine as well as histidine, asparagine, and serine. Transport of glutamine by the Na(+)-dependent process was significantly inhibited or stimulated, respectively, by inducing a relatively positive or negative intravesicular space. On the other hand, glutamine transport by the Na(+)-independent process was not affected by changes in transmembrane electrical potential. Using the "activation method," the stoichiometry of glutamine Na+ transport was found to be 1:1. These results show that glutamine transport in rat liver basolateral membrane vesicles is carrier mediated both in the presence and absence of an Na+ gradient. Furthermore, the Na(+)-dependent process is electrogenic in nature (net positive) and cotransports one glutamine molecule with one Na+. Transport of glutamine by the Na(+)-independent system, on the other hand, is electroneutral in nature.
The Fictional Arts: An Inter-Art Journey from Theatre Theory to the Arts

This text is a remarkable work on aesthetics, the product of seasoned thinking on a multiplicity of media and theoretical constructs. It consists of three parts: the first on what the author calls ...
Honoring Conference: Wesleyan Reflections on the Dynamics of Theological Reflection

This essay gathers and ponders a range of concerns that have been raised about popular appeal to the “Wesleyan Quadrilateral” as a model of theological reflection. Beyond assessing the relative seriousness of these various concerns, its goal is constructive. It contends that John Wesley’s precedent in theological reflection is better captured by the language or metaphor of “honoring conference,” and explores the fruitfulness of this metaphor for evoking a richer sense of the dynamics of current theological reflection and instilling deeper appreciation for authentic conferencing in that reflection.
Network management and performance monitoring

Network performance monitoring is essential for managing a network efficiently and for insuring continuous operation of the network. The paper discusses the implementation of a network monitoring tool and the results obtained by monitoring the College of Engineering Network at the University of South Carolina using this monitoring tool. The monitoring tool collects statistics useful for fault management, resource management, congestion control, and performance management. >
Mel-frequency cepstrum encoding in analog floating-gate circuitry

This paper presents a continuous-time mel-frequency cepstrum encoding IC using analog circuits and floating-gate computational arrays. We present the dynamics of several floating-gate computational building blocks and accompanying experimental measurements. We also present a novel approach to programmable signal spectrum decomposition, analog frequency transforms, and spectrum compaction. Experimental data is presented from circuits fabricated on a 0.5 /spl mu/m nwell CMOS process available through MOSIS. This system can act as the front-end for larger digital or analog speech processing systems.
Does the Potato Supply Management Program Work? A Case of the Idaho Potato Industry

High fresh potato price volatility, over-production of fresh potatoes and potato prices below the potato production costs led to a decision of a group of Idaho potato growers to organize the United Potato Growers of Idaho, a marketing cooperative. The potato supply management program was developed to stabilize the supply of fresh potatoes in Idaho in order to provide a fair level of returns to Idaho potato growers. Based on theoretical models and empirical findings presented in the paper, the effective implementation of this program was likely to contribute to an increase in the Lerner Index of market power of the Idaho potato industry from 0.4% in 2004 to 11.3% in 2005.
Effects of timing and duration of dietary vitamin A reduction on carcass quality of finishing beef cattle.

Two feedlot studies were conducted to investigate the timing and duration of supplemental vitamin A withdrawal from feedlot cattle (Bos taurus) diets to reduce intramuscular adipose tissue vitamin A concentration and improve carcass quality. In Exp. 1, Angus crossbred steers (n = 84, BW = 211 ± 4 kg) were allotted to 4 treatments: no supplemental vitamin A for 227 d, no supplemental vitamin A for 112 d followed by 115 d of supplemental vitamin A, supplemental vitamin A for 112 d followed by no supplemental vitamin A for 115 d, or supplemental vitamin A for 227 d. In Exp. 2, Angus crossbred steers (n = 80, BW = 210 ± 5 kg) were allotted to 4 treatments: early weaning with or without supplemental vitamin A, and traditional weaning with or without supplemental vitamin A. In both experiments, serum vitamin A concentrations were greatest (P 0.10). Dietary vitamin A supplementation did not affect USDA yield grades. However, in Exp. 2, cattle without supplemental vitamin A had greater (P < 0.001) ether extractable lipid in the LM. Ether extractable lipid in the LM or marbling scores were enhanced when intramuscular adipose tissue vitamin A concentration was reduced in response to feeding diets without supplemental vitamin A.
Forbidden Electronic Transitions between the Singlet Ground State and the Triplet Excited State of Pt(II) Complexes

Direct access to the triplet emitting state from the ground state is observed for Pt(II) complexes containing heterocyclic (CwedgeC', CwedgeN, NwedgeN') and bis(diphenylphosphino)alkane (PwedgeP') ligands. Extinction coefficients for such transitions are in the range 4-25 M(-)(1) cm(-)(1). Emission quantum yields resulting from singlet-to-triplet excitation are as high as 61-77 times the emission quantum yields resulting from singlet-to-singlet excitation at 296 K. The intersystem crossing quantum yield from the singlet excited state to triplet emitting state is lower than 2% at 296 K but is greatly enhanced at 77 K. The forbidden electronic transition observed for Pt(II) complexes is attributed to result from spin-orbit coupling due to the presence of Pt(II) in the skeleton structure. The importance of excitation spectra on the computation of emission quantum yields is discussed.
Use of charged membranes to control interference by body chemicals in a glucose biosensor

Abstract The prerequisite for the continuous in vivo monitoring of glucose concentration is the development of an implantable glucose sensor with long-term stability. A new enzyme electrode concept featuring fluid-state glucose oxidase modified carbon powder along with a cross-linked glucose oxidase enzyme layer has been developed. The glucose sensor incorporating this enzyme electrode has been tested in vitro at 37°C. It has a lifetime of three months after which it can be recharged with fresh enzyme. The next step in the characterization of this sensor is its in vitro behaviour in the presence of interfering substances commonly encountered in human blood. Here we report such a study of the sensor. The glucose diffusion membranes used were polycarbonate membranes. We used standard polycarbonate membranes (membranes treated with polyvinylpyrrolidone or PVP), PVP-free polycarbonate membranes, and standard polycarbonate membranes coated with positively and negatively charged hydrogel layers. The sensors showed a response to glucose concentrations −1 , both in pure phosphate buffer and in the presence of interferences. The influence of ascorbic acid, bilirubin, creatinine, L-cystine, glycine, uric acid and urea on the amperometric signal of the sensor was investigated. The polycarbonate membrane coated with the negatively charged hydrogel layer provided good protection for the enzyme electrode, especially in the presence of ascorbic acid and uric acid.
Comparison of selenium status in sheep after short-term exposure to high-selenium-fertilized forage or mineral supplement.

Abstract Sheep grazed in Se-deficient areas without access to Se supplements may be Se deficient by the end of the grazing season. One limitation to feeding mineral mixes and feeds containing inorganic Se-supplements is the short duration of Se storage in the animal. Another is that Se supplementation may be limited by country-specific regulations. However, the use of feedstuffs naturally high in Se to deliver surpranutritional levels of Se is not regulated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate Se status in sheep after short-term exposure to high-Se-fertilized forage vs. a commonly used mineral supplement containing inorganic sodium selenite. Selcote Ultra® was mixed with nitrogen fertilizer in the form of urea and applied to pasture at a rate of 3.4 kg Selcote Ultra®/ha and 67.4 kg nitrogen/ha. Thirty ewes were randomly divided into two groups. One group of 15 ewes grazed Se-fertilized pasture for 40 days and had no mineral supplementation. The other group of 15 ewes grazed a non-Se-fertilized pasture and received a custom made mineral supplement containing 200 mg/kg sodium selenite for 40 days. Subsequently the two groups of ewes were combined and grazed a non-Se-fertilized pasture and had no mineral supplementation. Sheep were bled pre- and post-treatment and then every 2–4 weeks thereafter for approximately 9 months to assess whole-blood Se concentrations. Whole-blood Se concentrations were higher (P
Interferon treatment enhances the expression of underphosphorylated (biologically-active) retinoblastoma protein in human papilloma virus-infected cells through the inhibitory TGFβ1/IFNβ cytokine pathway

Abstract Interferons (IFN) regulate transcription of certain genes playing a role in cell proliferation. Targets of IFN action may include tumor suppressor genes such as the retinoblastoma (RB) gene and cytokines such as transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) and IFNβ which are inhibitors of epithelial cell proliferation. Using reverse transcription followed by PCR amplification, an increase of those growth inhibitory gene mRNA levels (TGFβ1, IFNβ and RB) were found after interferon treatment in condylomas harboring non-oncogenic human papilloma virus (HPV 6/11) types, in an oncogenic HPV 16-containing cell line and in a HPV negative, epidermoid carcinoma cell line. In addition, immunodetection by Western blot demonstrated a higher proportion of undderphosphorylated (active form) retinoblastoma gene protein (pRB) after IFN treatment due to the decrease in the phosphorylating cdc2 kinase levels. Changes in the phosphorylation pattern of pRB together with the increased expression of those inhibitory genes represent a growth inhibited state in those cells as demonstrated by diminished c-myc expression. Since the extent of c-myc inhibition was significantly lower in the case of oncogenic HPV infection, a role of viral oncoproteins in abrogation of the antiproliferative effect of IFN therapy could be considered. These results demonstrate a new mechanism via which IFNs exert their antiproliferative effect on HPV-infected cells by affecting the expression and phosphorylation of the RB tumor suppressor gene, through the inhibitory TFGβ1/IFNβ cytokine pathway.
Direct synthesis of cellulose adipate derivatives using adipic anhydride

The poor aqueous solubility of many drugs can be overcome by formulation as amorphous solid dispersions (ASD) in cellulosic-based polymer matrices. Cellulose esters containing adipates and other ester groups have shown great promise as new ASD polymers. Previous attempts to synthesize these cellulose adipate esters by direct reaction of cellulose derivatives with adipic anhydride failed due to crosslinking and gelation, caused by formation of poly(adipic anhydride) and subsequent reaction of the poly(anhydride) with cellulosic hydroxyls. In order to develop direct, efficient syntheses of these pH-sensitive cellulose adipate derivatives, we have developed new synthetic procedures that cleanly afford soluble ester products by direct condensation with adipic anhydride, that show no evidence of crosslinking. A series of cellulose ester adipates has been synthesized by this direct route, containing substantial adipate DS (up to 0.53). This new method requires no complex solvents or protective groups, and is an effective and versatile route to these useful materials. Reaction of cellulose acetate propionate (CAP-504-0.2) with adipic anhydride
Metrifonate effects on acetylcholine and biogenic amines in rat cortex.

The effect of systemic and local administration of metrifonate (MTF), a long-acting cholinesterase inhibitor (ChEl) on extracellular levels of acetylcholine (ACh), norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) was investigated in the rat cortex by using transcortical microdialysis. Metrifonate (20, 40, and 80 mg/kg, s.c.) increased ACh levels in a dose-dependent manner above the baseline. Two consecutive administrations (80 mg/kg) enhanced ACh levels producing two similar patterns of elevation. A significant increase in NE was also seen at 80 mg/kg. Systemic administration (20 mg/kg) of MTF produced a significant increase of DA levels. Local cortical perfusion of MTF through the probe caused a significant but slow increase of ACh as well as an increase of NE levels. Compared to NE, the elevation of DA was more rapid and more long-lasting. The cortical levels of 5-HT were not modified by MTF given by either route. These results support the concept of MTF being a potential drug for treatment of Alzheimer disease (AD).
Inhibition by barbituric acid and its derivatives of the enzymes in rat brain which participate in the synthesis of pyrimidine ribotides.

Abstract Barbituric acid competitively inhibits dihydro-orotate dehydrogenase, uridine phosphorylase, and (directly or indirectly) orotate phosphoribosyltransferase. In addition, the ribotide of barbituric acid, 6-hydroxyuridine-5′-monophosphate, inhibits uridine monophosphate kinase and is a powerful competitive inhibitor of orotidylate decarboxylase—the final enzyme in the sequence for the de novo synthesis of pyrimidine ribotides. Barbituric acid itself causes marked competitive inhibition of decarboxylase activity provided the reaction mixture contains 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP). Another barbituric acid derivative, phenobarbital, is a weak non-competitive inhibitor (in the presence of PRPP) of the decarboxylase. One convulsant barbiturate, DMBB [5-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-5-ethyl-barbituric acid], and bemegride—a stimulant structurally resembling the barbiturates—were found to inhibit rat brain uridine phosphorylase activity, and this same enzyme was also inhibited by isobarbituric acid.
Interaction potentials for the alkali ion—rare-gas systems

Abstract The halide ion-rare gas interaction potentials are determined directly from gaseous ion transport data. The potentials are tested by calculating the transport coefficients from them and then comparing the calculated values with the available data. Similar tests are made of other potentials that have been proposed for these systems. These tests indicate that the present potentials are the most accurate ones presently available at intermediate and large separations. In favorable cases, these potentials are expected to be accurate within 10% over wide ranges of ion-atom separation.
Autoradiographic Study of Insulin Distribution in the Rat with Special Reference to Elastic Tissue

Insulin labeled with 131I or 125I was injected into the femoral or hepatic portal vein of albino rats, and autoradiographs of tissues and organs were prepared. Diffuse radioactivity, which varied widely in intensity from one region to another, occurred in the connective tissues. Localization of radioactive material in elastic tissue was readily detectable 1 and 15 min after injection. Radioactive material accumulated in elastic tissue of larynx, trachea and bronchi, splenic capsule and trabeculae, atrial endocardium, elastic cartilage of the xiphoid process and the tunica intima of large veins. Radioactive material occurred through full sections of the wall of the pulmonary artery and its major branches, and in the outer third of the elastic media of the aorta. Control tissues prepared after injection of monoiodotyrosine-131I, Na131I and enzymatically degraded insulin-125I gave negative results. In confirmation of previous findings, concentrations of radioactive material in the proximal tubules of the kid...
Star formation in galaxies with large lower surface brightness disks

We present B, R, and H? imaging data of 19 large disk galaxies whose properties are intermediate between classical low surface brightness galaxies and ordinary high surface brightness galaxies. We use data taken from the Lowell 1.8 m Perkins telescope to determine the galaxies' overall morphology, color, and star formation properties. Morphologically, the galaxies range from Sb through Irr and include galaxies with and without nuclear bars. The colors of the galaxies vary from B - R = 0.3 to 1.9, and most show at least a slight bluing of the colors with increasing radius. The H? images of these galaxies show an average star formation rate lower than is found for similar samples with higher surface brightness disks. In addition, the galaxies studied have both higher gas mass-to-luminosity ratios and more diffuse H? emission than is found in higher surface brightness samples.