cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stasis in the Shark Tank: Persuading an Audience of Funders to Act on Behalf of Entrepreneurs:

This study investigates the role of stasis, an ancient rhetorical tool with both heuristic and analytic capabilities, in entrepreneurial rhetoric, specifically in pitching and question-and-answer s...
Helicobacter pylori Detection and Eradication in Pediatric and Adult Patients.

This column is based on a 2014 Digestive Disease Week presentation sponsored by Otsuka. Dr Gold is a consultant and scientific advisor for Otsuka. Dr Elfant is a consultant and on the speakers bureau for Otsuka.
Antithrombotic Agent Use in Elderly Patients Sustaining Low-Level Falls.

Abstract Background Elderly patients who are injured from a low-level fall comprise an increasing percentage of trauma admissions. We sought to evaluate the prevalence of antithrombotic (anticoagulant or antiplatelet) agent use, injury patterns, and outcomes in this population, focusing on intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). Methods We retrospectively reviewed the trauma registry at an American College of Surgeons–verified Level I trauma center for all patients aged 65 y or older admitted between 2007 and 2016 following a low-level fall. Medical records of patients on antithrombotic agents were examined in detail. Patients were divided into four groups based on the presence/absence of ICH and presence/absence of preadmission antithrombotic medication use. Results There were 4074 elderly patients admitted after a low-level fall, of which 1153 (28.3%) had a traumatic ICH, and 1238 (30.4%) were on antithrombotic agents. Notably, 35.9% of patients on antithrombotics had an ICH, as compared to 25.0% of 2836 patients not on antithrombotics other than aspirin (P Conclusions Antithrombotic agent use was common in admitted elderly patients sustaining a low-level fall and is associated with an elevated rate of ICH. Anticoagulants were also associated with increased mortality.
On the inter- and intra-annual variability of ecosystem evapotranspiration and water use efficiency of an oak savanna and annual grassland subjected to booms and busts in rainfall.

Whether annual evapotranspiration of native ecosystems is increasing or decreasing with time as CO2 concentrations are rising, the climate is warming and rainfall experiences booms and busts, remains an unanswered question in the field of global change biology. To answer this question, we measured evapotranspiration and carbon dioxide exchange over and under an oak savanna and over an annual grassland in the Mediterranean climate of California, USA, from 2001 through 2019 with the eddy covariance method; during this 19-year period, CO2 rose 40 ppm, air temperature increased by 1°C and annual rainfall ranged between 133 and 890 mm/year. No temporal trend in evapotranspiration or water use efficiency was observed over this time duration. Many competing positive and negative feedbacks among stomatal sensitivity to carbon dioxide concentrations, soil moisture, and vapor pressure deficit, the impact of temperature on saturation vapor pressure and access to groundwater muted the response of evapotranspiration to its changing world when integrated to the ecosystem scale and annual time steps. At the intra-annual time scale, we found that plants transmit information on soil moisture status through their influence on the vapor pressure deficit of the atmospheric boundary layer. The inter-annual variations in evaporative water use by the savanna and annual grassland were relatively decoupled from the booms and busts in rainfall. Instead, variations in length of growing season and access to groundwater explained much of this year-to-year variation in annual evapotranspiration. The access of groundwater by the oak savanna may make these ecosystems more robust in a warmer world, than was previously thought. This is a scale emergent property that needs better consideration in coupled climate-ecosystem models.
Free-Space Excitation of Optofluidic Devices for Pattern-Based Single Particle Detection

Optofluidic sensors have enabled single molecule sensing using planar, waveguide dependent multi-spot fluorescence excitation. Here, we demonstrate a new approach to single-particle fluorescence sensing using free-space, top-down illumination of liquid-core antiresonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW) devices using two different multi-spot excitation techniques. First, the liquid core ARROW waveguide is excited with a focused beam through a slit pattern milled into an opaque aluminum film, showing comparable performance for single bead fluorescence detection as in-plane, multi-mode interference waveguide based excitation. The second top-down illumination technique images the spot pattern from a Y-splitter SiO2 waveguide chip directly onto the detection device for efficient power utilization and circumventing the need for an opaque cover, producing a further $2.7\times $ improvement in signal-to-noise ratio. The two top-down approaches open up new possibilities for chip-based optical particle sensing with relaxed alignment tolerances.
Effects of Caffeine on Exercise Duration, Critical Velocity, and Ratings of Perceived Exertion During Repeated-Sprint Exercise in Physically Active Men

Caffeine improves short-to-moderate distance running performance, but the effect of caffeine on repeated sprints are equivocal. This research determined if caffeine improved exercise tolerance during repeated-sprint exercise. iCV is a running velocity that distinguishes intermittent running velocities (velocities ≤ iCV) that are sustainable from those resulting in a predictable time to exhaustion (velocities > iCV). Seven physically active men (age = 21.6 ± 1.5 years, body mass = 72.8 ± 5.1 kg, VO2max = 56.9 ± 9.8 mL/kg/min) ingested caffeine (5 mg/kg) or placebo (crossover design) 60 min prior to an intermittent critical velocity (iCV) test. The treadmill grade and velocity at VO2max (vVO2max) were used for iCV testing, and consisted of 3 bouts (10 sec running and 10 sec passive rest) at 130, 110 and 120% vVO2max. Each bout continued until volitional exhaustion and was separated by 20 min of passive rest. Total distance and duration were recorded to determine exercise tolerance using the iCV model. Caffeine ingestion increased running duration at 110% vVO2max (p = 0.02), but not at 120 (p = 0.93) and 130% vVO2max (p = 0.14). Caffeine did not improve iCV model parameters. A single dose of caffeine consumed 60 min before repeated-sprints can improve performance at 110% vVO2max, but not at higher velocities.
Information Policy, Privacy Failings, and Steps Towards Empowerment in Cases of Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence

The interconnected, automized nature of Internet of Things (IoT) devices can support the ease and enjoyment of many everyday activities. However, developing effective policy for how data is collected and used, including security vulnerabilities and potential threats to personal privacy raised by the intimate data often recorded by these devices, is challenging. As these technologies become more pervasive in everyday life, one domain in which IoT could have particularly adverse outcomes is in cases of technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV). TFSV has deep and lasting impacts on those affected by it (Lopez-Neira et al., 2019; Loya, 2015), but as firsthand victim accounts (Powell & Henry, 2019) and the myriad recent privacy failings of online technologies demonstrate (Li et al., 2018), existing policy and legal practice in this domain are insufficient and can actively increase harm to victims. Additionally, existing work has not closely considered the unique affordances and potential harms of IoT devices specifically. To better understand the prevalence and impacts of IoT TFSV, we surveyed 384 women in the United States about their experiences with intimate partner violence and IPV, their Internet use and security practices, and the impacts of experiencing abuse on their day-to-day life. Combining multiple-choice responses and essay questions, our findings suggest that experiencing traditional IPV predicts experiencing IoT-related IPV, suggesting similar risk factors and mechanisms of harm. However, IoT-related abuses predicted adverse impacts more strongly than traditional abuse, demonstrating the amplified impacts of these emerging technologies. We conclude with a discussion of the policy implications of these findings and potentially fruitful directions for future work.
Precast concrete deck-to-girder connection using Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) shear pockets

Abstract Precast concrete deck systems have been successfully used in Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC). In most systems, precast concrete deck-to-girder connections use special shear connectors embedded in the girders and projecting into the deck block-outs (pockets or troughs) that are grouted to achieve composite sections. This requires tight production/erection tolerances that complicate deck and girder fabrication and compromises the economics of the precast concrete deck systems. In this paper, a new deck-to-girder connection is developed using ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) to relax production/erection tolerances for both precast deck panels and girders. Typical girder shear reinforcement remains unchanged but terminated in the haunch below the soffit of deck panels to eliminate any conflict with the deck shear pockets. Loop bars are installed in the shear pockets that are filled with UHPC to provide required interface shear capacity while relaxing production/erection tolerances. Small scale push-off and double shear tests were conducted to evaluate the interface shear resistance of the connection. Full-scale push-off specimens are fabricated and tested to evaluate the structural performance and constructability of the proposed connection. Test results indicated that interface shear resistance of the connection can be predicted using the AASHTO LRFD shear friction model with different cohesion and friction factors that are dependent on the UHPC compressive strength. Also, UHPC fiber stability has a significant effect on the capacity of the proposed connection. Design example and design aids are presented to demonstrate the design of the new connection in a typical bridge.
Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas fluorescens Species Group Recovery from Human Homes Varies Seasonally and by Environment

By shedding light on variation in time as well as in space, long-term biogeographic studies can help us define organisms’ distribution patterns and understand their underlying drivers. Here we examine distributions of Pseudomonas in and around 15 human homes, focusing on the P. putida and P. fluorescens species groups. We describe recovery from 10,941 samples collected during up to 8 visits per home, occurring on average 2.6 times per year. We collected a mean of 141 samples per visit, from sites in most rooms of the house, from the surrounding yards, and from human and pet occupants. We recovered Pseudomonas in 9.7% of samples, with the majority of isolates being from the P. putida and P. fluorescens species groups (approximately 62% and 23% of Pseudomonas samples recovered respectively). Although representatives of both groups were recovered from every season, every house, and every type of environment sampled, recovery was highly variable across houses and samplings. Whereas recovery of P. putida group was higher in summer and fall than in winter and spring, P. fluorescens group isolates were most often recovered in spring. P. putida group recovery from soils was substantially higher than its recovery from all other environment types, while higher P. fluorescens group recovery from soils than from other sites was much less pronounced. Both species groups were recovered from skin and upper respiratory tract samples from healthy humans and pets, although this occurred infrequently. This study indicates that even species that are able to survive under a broad range of conditions can be rare and variable in their distributions in space and in time. For such groups, determining patterns and causes of stochastic and seasonal variability may be more important for understanding the processes driving their biogeography than the identity of the types of environments in which they can be found.
Ground Rules for Marriage

“What, if anything, has changed in the last century?” The implication of this question is sometimes “Has anything really changed?” Do we merely have a situation in which, despite efforts to improve marriage and family, “plus ca change, le plus c’est la meme chose”? It is a question that receives quite opposite answers from different observers. Using exactly the same data, some conclude that marriage, and hence family, have changed for the worse and are now suffering severe and perhaps even irremediable disintegration. Others label such a point of view as mere myth. The general academic “line” seems to be that, yes, there have been some changes and as a result some things are clearly wrong about the current situation of marriage and family, but in the overall perspective it remains essentially strong; the evidence actually shows marriage and the family better in some ways than in the past. Most of the research on which these conflicting conclusions are based is statistical. In and of themselves, statistics can tell us only about trends or prevalence or incidence. What looks like a lasting change to one observer may seem a mere short-term change to another. What seems like a widespread, even revolutionary, change to one observer may be minimized by another because its incidence is relatively low. In the present discussion the research data themselves are secondary to what are called “ground rules.” It is clear that these ground rules have indeed changed in the last century. Whether these changes show the glass half empty or half full is difficult to discern. Whether it is under our power to fill—or empty—it is not all clear to me. The glass may be fuller now for one member of the marriage or family but emptier for another; fuller for women in some classes, emptier for those in other classes.
Head pose estimation using Fisher Manifold learning

Here, we propose a new learning strategy for head pose estimation. Our approach uses nonlinear interpolation to estimate the head pose using the learning result from face images of two head poses. Advantage of our method to regression method is that it only requires training images of two head poses and better generalization ability. It outperforms existed methods, such as regression and multiclass classification method, on both synthesis and real face images. Average head pose estimation error of yaw rotation is about 4/sup 0/, which proves that our method is effective in head pose estimation.
Special cutaneous receptor organs of fish: VI. Ampullary and tuberous organs of Hypopomus

Both ampullary and tuberous special cutaneous receptor organs are present in the gymnotid fish Hypopomus. The ampullary receptor organs are morphologically very much like those of the related genus, Eigenmannia, in organ structure and receptor cell ultrastructure. The tuberous organs are of three types, two of which are restricted to the anterior part of the fishes' body and one to the posterior part. The anterior tuberous organs differ from the single type found in Eigenmannia primarily in synaptic ultrastructure. The posterior tuberous organs differ in having a long canal between the organ capsule and the epidermis, and in having the receptor cells in a compartment that is separated by a continuous cellular cap from the extracellular spaces of the canal and the overlying epidermis.
Acid Adaptation Does Not Promote Survival or Growth of Listeria monocytogenes on Fresh Beef following Acid and Nonacid Decontamination Treatments

The objective of this study was to evaluate the survival and growth of acid-adapted and nonadapted Listeria monocytogenes inoculated onto fresh beef subsequently treated with acid or nonacid solutions. Beef slices (2.5 by 5 by 1 cm) from top rounds were inoculated with acid-adapted or nonadapted L. monocytogenes (4.6 to 5.0 log CFU/cm2) and either left untreated (control) or dipped for 30 s in water at 55 degrees C, water at 75 degrees C, 2% lactic acid at 55 degrees C, or 2% acetic acid at 55 degrees C. The beef slices were vacuum packaged and stored at 4 or 10 degrees C and were analyzed after 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days of storage. Dipping in 75 degrees C water, lactic acid, and acetic acid resulted in immediate pathogen reductions of 1.4 to 2.0, 1.8 to 2.6, and 1.4 to 2.4 log CFU/cm2, respectively. After storage at 10 degrees C for 28 days, populations of L. monocytogenes on meat treated with 55 degrees C water increased by ca. 1.6 to 1.8 log CFU/cm2. The pathogen remained at low population levels (1.6 to 2.8 log CFU/cm2) on acid-treated meat, whereas populations on meat treated with 75 degrees C water increased rapidly, reaching levels of 3.6 to 4.6 log CFU/cm2 by day 14. During storage at 4 degrees C, there was no growth of the pathogen for at least 21 days in samples treated with 55 and 75 degrees C water, and periods of no growth were longer for acid-treated samples. There were no differences between acid-adapted and nonadapted organisms across treatments with respect to survival or growth. In conclusion, the dipping of meat inoculated with L. monocytogenes into acid solutions reduced and then inhibited the growth of the pathogen during storage at 4 and 10 degrees C, while dipping in hot water allowed growth despite initial reductions in pathogen contamination. The results of this study indicate a residual activity of acid-based decontamination treatments compared with water-based treatments for refrigerated (4 degrees C) or temperature-abused (10 degrees C) lean beef tissue in vacuum packages, and these results also indicate that this activity may not be counteracted by prior acid adaptation of L. monocytogenes.
Creating Meaning for and with the Graphing Calculator.

In this study, we seek to describe how the meaning of a tool was co-constructed by the students and their teacher and how the students used the tool to construct mathematical meaning out of particular tasks. We report the results of a qualitative, classroom-based study that examined (1) the role, knowledge and beliefs of a pre-calculus teacher, (2)how students used graphing calculators in support of their learning of mathematics, (3) the relationship and interactions between the teacher's role, knowledge and beliefs and the students' use of the graphing calculator in learning mathematics, and (4) some constraints of the graphing calculator technology that emerged within the classroom practice. We found five patterns and modes of graphing calculator tool use emerged in this practice: computational tool, transformational tool, data collection and analysis tool, visualizing tool, and checking tool. The results of this study suggest that nature of the mathematical tasks and the role, knowledge and beliefs of the teacher influenced the emergence of such rich usage of the graphing calculator. We also found that the use of the calculator as a personal device can inhibit communication in a small group setting, while its use as a shared device supported mathematical learning in the whole class setting.
Spin-based quantum interference effects and dephasing in strongly disordered Au nanobridges

We investigate quantum interference effects with magnetic field (magnetofingerprints) in strongly disordered Au nanobridges. The magnetofingerprints are unconventional because they are caused by the Zeeman effect, not by the Aharonov-Bohm effect. These spin-based magnetofingerprints are equivalent to the Ericson's fluctuations (the fluctuations in electron transmission probability with electron energy). We present a model based on the Landauer-Buttiker formalism that describes the data. We show that the dephasing time ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\phi}}(E,T)$ of electrons at temperature $T$ and energy $E$ above the Fermi level can be obtained from the correlation magnetic field. In samples with localization length comparable to sample size, $h∕{\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\phi}}(E,T)\ensuremath{\approx}E$, for $E⪢{k}_{B}T$, which shows that the Fermi liquid description of electron transport breaks down at length scale comparable to the localization length.
Variable-rate multi-stage vector quantization for image coding

A hierarchical approach to encoding of images using vector quantization (VQ) is described which allows VQ of large blocks with a tolerable computational complexity and permits progressive image reconstruction at bit rates as low as 0.3 bit/pixel. The technique used, multi-stage hierarchical VQ (MSHVQ), is a successive approximation approach for quantization that is based on recursive decomposition of larger image blocks into smaller subblocks. The encoder of MSHVQ consists of several stages, each of which encodes the quantization error generated from the previous stage. Digital decimation and interpolation techniques are used to convert between different vector dimensions in the higher level stages and to reduce the otherwise highly noticeable blocking effect in the reconstructed image. Variable-rate encoding increases the compression efficiency by allocating greater resolution to high-detail regions and provides a perceptually more consistent image quality throughout all areas of the decoded image. Experimental results show that MSHVQ yields a significantly improved image quality over conventional VQ of equivalent complexity. >
Computer Aided Instruction: A Study Of Student Evaluations And Academic Performance

Computer aided instruction (CAI) encompasses a broad range of computer technologies that supplement the classroom learning environment and can dramatically increase a student’s access to information. Criticism of CAI generally focuses on two issues: it lacks an adequate foundation in educational theory and the software is difficult to implement and use. This paper describes the educational use of CAI in two different courses at a small, private university and the implementation and use experiences of the instructors. One instructor used Homework Manager in Principles of Financial Accounting and the other instructor used Aplia in Principles of Microeconomics. It is shown that the use of CAI is pedagogically effective and that currently available applications are easy to integrate into the student’s in-class experience. The paper also reports on the impact that using CAI has on student evaluations of both the course and the instructor and on student grades. For student evaluations, mean responses were compared on ten questions believed to be influenced by the switch from traditional homework assignments to CAI-based homework assignments. While differences were generally in the expected direction, it could not be shown that CAI had a direct impact on student evaluations of either the course or the instructor. For student grades, final exam grades were compared before and after the adoption of CAI. It is shown that the use of CAI significantly increased student final exam grades.
Stochastic flocculation of cohesive sediment : Analysis of floc mobility within the floc size spectrum

[1] A stochastic Lagrangian model is proposed to describe flocculation of suspended cohesive sediment flocs. This model takes into account the floc population in a parametric fashion, and predicts the time evolution of an individual floc by a sequence of stochastic aggregation and breakup events. Upon calibration on experimental data, the model was used to investigate floc mobility within the population size spectrum, bringing to light dynamical aspects not otherwise detectable with deterministic models. Our analysis showed that floc size fluctuations correlated with the population size distribution and breakup probability, and that size-dependent burst events repeated intermittently in time. Further analysis showed the effect of the floc population distribution on individual floc size transition and equilibrium, and the effect of using either a constant or variable floc capacity dimension to describe floc geometry.
Cardiología "basada en la evidencia": aplicaciones prácticas de epidemiología

como una “ciencia basica para la medicina clinica”, este cono-cimiento le permite establecer un criterio acerca de la respuesta a ciertas preguntas que sus pacientes le pre-sentan. En los proximos numeros de la revista Archivos de Cardiologia de Mexico, presentaremos una discusion breve y enfocada a escenarios clinicos que ofrecen una oportunidad para abordar los siguientes temas:• Utilidad de una prueba diagnostica • El uso de biomarcadores de escrutinio o tamizaje• La valoracion del pronostico de un paciente car-diovascular• El analisis de estudios terapeuticosCon la finalidad de hacer el abordaje eminentemente practico y digerible, los temas no se trataran de un punto de vista exhaustivo, sino orientados a distinguir concep-tos clave de analisis de estudios. Para el lector que quie-ra profundizar en el tema, se ofreceran las referencias pertinentes. Con este espiritu, estaremos sacrificando cierta profundidad en la discusion, pero seguramente se ganara mayor aplicabilidad de los conceptos vertidos. Con esta serie de articulos, esperamos fomentar el inte-res por esta disciplina como un instrumento tan util para el cardiologo como su estetoscopio.
Family Business Research: The Evolution of an Academic Field:

The establishment of a field of study or a discipline with academic or professional standing requires, among other things, a body of knowledge that expands understanding of that domain. This paper ...
On the minimal realization of 2D Roger-Ramanujan CFE systems

In this paper a two-dimensional (2D) minimal circuit and state space realization is presented for a 2D continued fraction expansion of Roger-Ramanujan type. The proposed state space realization is based on the corresponding circuit implementation. For the state-space realization the 2D Roesser model of cycled structure is used. The dimension of the state vector, of the state space model, and the number of the delay elements, of the circuit realization, are absolutely minimal. Also minimal are the number of required multipliers. A step-by-step example is presented to illustrate the proposed results.
The Moduli Space of Flat Connections on Oriented Surfaces with Boundary

Abstract A 2-form is constructed on the space of connections on a principal bundle over an oriented surface with boundary. This induces a symplectic structure for the moduli space of flat connections with boundary holonomies lying in prescribed conjugacy classes. The Yang–Mills quantum field measure is described for this situation. This measure converges to the normalized symplectic volume measure in the “classical” limit.
Optimization of tocotrienols as antiproliferative and antimigratory leads

Abstract The vitamin E family members γ- and δ-tocotrienols ( 2 and 3 , respectively) are known natural products with documented anticancer activities. Redox-silent structural modifications, such as esterification, etherification and carbamoylation, of 2 and 3 significantly enhanced their anticancer activities. However, hit-to-lead optimization of tocotrienols and their analogs was yet to be reported at the outset of the project described herein. Subjecting the chroman ring of 2 and 3 to the electrophilic substitution reactions, namely, Mannich and Lederer–Manasse procedures, afforded 42 new products. These included the 3,4-dihydro-1,3-oxazines 3 – 29 and 35 – 44 , Mannich bases 30 – 31 , and the hydroxymethyl analogs 32 – 34 . Of these, the δ-tocotrienol analogs 8 , 11 , 18 , 24 , 25 , 27 , and 40 inhibited the proliferation of the highly metastatic +SA mammary epithelial cancer cell line, with IC 50 values in the nanomolar (nM) range. In NCI's 60 human tumor cell line panel, 8 , 17 , 38 , and 40 showed antiproliferative activity, with nM GI 50 values. The δ-tocotrienol analogs 10 and 38 inhibited the migration of the highly metastatic human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 with IC 50 values of 1.3 and 1.5 μM, respectively, in the wound-healing assay. A dose of 0.5 mg/day for 14 days of one of the active analogs, 30 , significantly slowed the growth of +SA mammary tumors in the syngeneic BALB/c mouse model, compared to the vehicle- and the parent γ-tocotrienol-treated control groups. Electrophilic substitution reactions promoted tocotrienols to lead level and can enable their future use to control metastatic breast malignancies.
Chaos: to see a world in a grain of sand and a heaven in a wild flower.

Chaos is almost as old as time. An early creation myth says, "Darkness was first, and from Darkness sprang Chaos. From the union between Darkness and Chaos sprang Night, Day, Erebus, and the air." 1 As discussed by Bulfinch, 2 "before earth and sea and heaven were created, all things wore one aspect, to which we give the name Chaos—a confused and shapeless mass, nothing but dead weight, in which however, slumbered the seeds of things." After this beginning we end up in our modern world with a new chaos engendered by new deities: HIFCA, DRG, HMO, IPA, and RVS. Mankind has "gressed" (a neologism, derived from progressed and retrogressed , implying movement with the inability to interpret whether the direction has been forward or backward) from Olympian gods with proper names to our current state in which the gods are so powerful that one must use their acronyms. The true
European Corn Borer: Yield Losses in Relation to Hybrid and Stage of Corn Development

Losses in yield due to damage by Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner) at different stages of plant development and different levels of infestation were ascertained for 4 corn hybrids, Zea mays L., commonly grown in the Midwest. Yield losses resulted primarily from physiological damage due to the corn borer infestation rather than losses due to unharvestable ears. During the whorl stage (stage 2) of plant development, yield losses per unit of infestation were greater for the susceptible, long-season hybrid than for the mid-season hybrid with an intermediate level of resistance to corn borer leaf feeding. However, the yield potential of the long-season hybrid, especially B73 × Mo 17, was great enough to compensate for the greater loss. During the pretassel (stage 4) and pollen-shedding (stage 5) stages, losses tended to be greater for the long-season than for the mid-season hybrids. B37 × Oh 43 was more tolerant to damage than the other hybrids as expressed by yield loss during these stages. Physiological yield losses tended to be lower when an infestation was initiated in stage 6 (kernels blistered), but losses due to unharvestable ears were greater.
Effects of a winter legume on phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium cycling in a humid subtropical agroecosystem

Abstract Phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium cycling were compared in sorghum agroecosystems with winter legume ( Trifolium incarnatum L.) or inorganic fertilizer nitrogen inputs. The system with fertilizer N input had winter rye ( Secale cereale L.) as a winter cover crop. Nutrient uptake by winter and summer crops, double acid extractable soil nutrients, soil pH and soil ammonium/nitrate ratio were measured. The legume took up more of all nutrients than the rye and also provided higher amounts of available nutrients in soil for the subsequent summer crop. Soil pH was also increased in the clover-N treatment. Nutrient uptake by winter crops is important for reducing leaching losses and chemical fixation of nutrients in humid subtropical regions.
Noise Figure of Silicon Raman Amplifiers

Quantum mechanical Langevin calculations show nonlinear absorption significantly degrades the noise figure of silicon Raman amplifiers, and lifetimes in the 20 ps range or less are needed to approach the theoretical limit of 3 dB noise figure.
Effect of ribonuclease on Escherichiacoli ribosomes

Partial digestion of Escherichiacoli 70S ribosomes with pancreatic ribonuclease releases about 3% absorbance at 260 mμ. RNA isolated from the nuclease-treated particles consists of a large fraction in low molecular weight pieces, as judged by urea-Sephadex gel filtration patterns. These ribosomes, although containing RNA with several breaks, are as active as normal ribosomes in poly U-directed 14C-polyphenylalanine synthesis. Thus the surface RNA removed by limited digestion with ribonuclease is of little importance in maintaining the ribosomes functional in invitro polyphenylalanine synthesis.
Mla- and Rom1-mediated control of microRNA398 and chloroplast copper/zinc superoxide dismutase regulates cell death in response to the barley powdery mildew fungus

• Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Mildew resistance locus a (Mla) confers allele-specific interactions with natural variants of the ascomycete fungus Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei (Bgh), the causal agent of powdery mildew disease. Significant reprogramming of Mla-mediated gene expression occurs upon infection by this obligate biotrophic pathogen. • We utilized a proteomics-based approach, combined with barley mla, required for Mla12 resistance1 (rar1), and restoration of Mla resistance1 (rom1) mutants, to identify components of Mla-directed signaling. • Loss-of-function mutations in Mla and Rar1 both resulted in the reduced accumulation of chloroplast copper/zinc superoxide dismutase 1 (HvSOD1), whereas loss of function in Rom1 re-established HvSOD1 levels. In addition, both Mla and Rom1 negatively regulated hvu-microRNA398 (hvu-miR398), and up-regulation of miR398 was coupled to reduced HvSOD1 expression. Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV)-mediated over-expression of both barley and Arabidopsis miR398 repressed accumulation of HvSOD1, and BSMV-induced gene silencing of HvSod1 impeded Mla-triggered H₂O₂ and hypersensitive reaction (HR) at barley-Bgh interaction sites. • These data indicate that Mla- and Rom1-regulated hvu-miR398 represses HvSOD1 accumulation, influencing effector-induced HR in response to the powdery mildew fungus.
Synthetic, Thermochemical, and Catalytic Studies of Fluorinated Tertiary Phosphine Ligands R2PRf [R = Cy, Ph, iPr; Rf = CH‘2CH2(CF2)5CF3] in Rhodium Systems

The fluoroalkylphosphine compounds PR2Rf (R = Cy (1); iPr (2); Rf = CH2CH2(CF2)5CF3) have been prepared from the reactions of the Grignard reagent IMgRf and appropriate ClPR2 (R = Cy, iPr). The flu...
CASE HISTORY: OPEC IN SOUTHERN IDAHO

ABSTRACT The City of Nampa, Idaho, has had an oil pollution problem for about eight years. Oil was found in basements of downtown buildings, in sewers, and occasionally in a local stream. Numerous efforts to locate the source failed. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency assisted the city in locating the source and establishing a recovery system which continually removes oil from the shallow groundwater aquifer.
Review Essay: Globalization and Its Discontents: Qualitative Research on the Second Industrial Divide

Sociology emerged in the nineteenth century as a response to the social turmoil generated by the Industrial Revolution. The substantial restructuring of both the global economic system and individual workplaces in recent decades, what has been termed the “second industrial divide” (Piore and Sabel 1984), has also generated a substantial sociological literature, although little consensus and only imperfect understanding of these dramatic, rapid, and ongoing changes. These two books by Vicki Smith and Frank Munger represent valuable contributions to our evolving understanding of the new global economy. The Smith book is comprised of four case studies, framed by a substantial introduction and an insightful conclusion. The case studies include: a document reproduction service company which subcontracts its services to corporations (Reproco), a timber products plant experiencing substantial downsizing and the danger of plant closing (Woodworks), a leading high-tech company that designs and manufactures computer related products (CompTech), and a job search “club”/agency for professional, managerial, and technical workers seeking employment (Experience Unlimited). The central argument of the book is that “uncertainty and unpredictability and . . . personal risk have diffused into a broad
Minimal properties of Moore-Penrose inverses

Abstract Let Ax = y be consistent; let x0 = Gy be any minimum-norm solution satisfying (AG)′ = AG; and let A+ be the Moore-Penrose inverse of A. It is shown that φ(G) ⩾ φ(A+) for any φ in a class Φ containing the unitarily invariant matrix norms. The conditioning of the system Ax = y is studied via condition numbers Cφ(A, G). It is shown that Cφ(A, G) ⩾ Cφ(A, A+) for every φ∈ Φ. Moreover, bounds on Cφ(A, G) are given in terms of singular values. Parallel results are found when A and G are symmetric, with applications to linear models of less than full rank.
Metabolic activation in drug-induced liver injury

It is generally believed that metabolic bioactivation of drug molecules to form reactive metabolites, followed by their covalent binding to endogenous macromolecules, is one of the mechanisms that can lead to hepatotoxicity or idiosyncratic adverse drug reactions (IADRs). Although the role of bioactivation in drug-induced liver injury has been reasonably well established and accepted, and methodologies (e.g., structural alerts, reactive metabolite trapping, and covalent binding) continue to emerge in an attempt to detect the occurrence of bioactivation, the challenge remains to accurately predict the likelihood for idiosyncratic liver toxicity. Recent advances in risk-assessment methodologies, such as by the estimate of total body burden of covalent binding or by zone classification, taking the clinical dose into consideration, are positive steps toward improving risk assessment. The ability to better predict the potential of a drug candidate to cause IADRs will further be dependent upon a better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of such reactions. Until a thorough understanding of the relationship between liver toxicity and the formation of reactive metabolites is achieved, it appears, at present, that the most practical strategy in drug discovery and development to reduce the likelihood of idiosyncratic liver toxicity via metabolic activation is to minimize or eliminate the occurrence of bioactivation and, at the same time, to maximize the pharmacological potency (to minimze the clinical dose) of the drug of interest.
Studies on the nucleotide arrangement in deoxyribonucleic acids V. Pyrimidine nucleotide clusters: Isolation and characterization

Abstract The isolation and characterization of the pyrimidine oligonucleotide clusters occuring in DNA are described. The method is based on the fractionation of acidic hydrolysates of DNA on DEAE-cellulose and on the subsequent two-dimensional paper chromatography of these fractions. Pyrimidine oligonucleotide clusters of up to nine pyrimidine units in length, and individual pyrimidine oligonucleotides up to the pentanucleotide level, have been isolated and characterized with the use of their distinctive spectral ratios and, in many instances, their composition. The fractionation method accounts for nearly all of the original DNA phosphorus.
Probability of radiation-induced complications in normal tissues with parallel architecture under conditions of uniform whole or partial organ irradiation

A biologically based model is developed for normal tissue complication probability as a function of dose and irradiated volume fraction for organs such as the kidney and the lung. The organ is assumed to be composed of functional subunits (FSUs) which are arranged in a parallel architecture. The complication is produced only if a sufficiently large fraction of the FSUs are inactivated by radiation and an FSU is inactivated only when all the clonogenic cells within it are killed. The linear-quadratic model is used for the dose-response of individual cells within an FSU. The predictions of this model are compared with those of an empirical power law function for uniform whole and partial organ irradiation.
D0 tracking experience : From the inside looking out

Abstract We describe the design, construction, and operation of the D0 detector and its upgrades at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider.
Norms and Folkways in Congress: How Much Has Actually Changed?

The purpose of this article is to question the widely-accepted notion that the basic norms of the United States Congress have undergone a dramatic change. In the face of an increased workload, a more divisive political environment, and significant alterations of the formal rules, this article suggests that the basic "folkways" of the House and Senate in the 1980s are remarkably similar to those described by students of Congress three decades ago. Despite some interview evidence to the contrary, patterns of legislative behavior, distinctions between "insiders" and "outsiders," and the pathways to legislative power continue to be defined in terms of such basic norms as reciprocity, apprenticeship, and specialization.
Taking Chances: Evaluating Risk as a Guide to Better Use of Best Practices

Recent attention to best practices has resulted in a complex array of terminology and a number of compendia of effective practices that may be daunting to public policy makers and administrators seeking solutions to important public problems. This study clarifies these distinctions and builds on them to create a decision tool that will help policy makers as they use best practice information in program adoption or development. Decision makers must know their goals in seeking out best practices. As they evaluate potential practices, they should consider not only the quality of available evidence of effectiveness but also the risk of harm to constituents and the cost per unit of benefit generated. The study applies the rubric to an emerging practice in support services for individuals with disabilities known as Cash and Counseling, demonstrating that the practice is low risk, cost neutral, and improves effectiveness and consumer satisfaction. The tool highlights the judgmental elements of concern in the decision process while providing a means to assess multiple decision dimensions in a coherent fashion.
Comments on Aksnes' intermediary

The Hamiltonian offered by Aksnes as an intermediary to the main problem in the theory of an artificial satellite is proved to be separable in spherical coordinates. But it is not of Staeckel type, and its latitude equation cannot be integrated by a quadrature. To circumvent the difficulty, a new concept of intermediary is proposed. From this standpoint, Aksnes' theory is revised (i) to simplify a possible automation of Aksnes' literal developments and (ii) to bring forth the connection with the radial intermediary based on a preparatory elimination of the parallax from the main problem.
Homoploid hybrid origin of Yucca gloriosa: intersectional hybrid speciation in Yucca (Agavoideae, Asparagaceae)

There is a growing appreciation for the importance of hybrid speciation in angiosperm evolution. Here, we show that Yucca gloriosa (Asparagaceae: Agavoideae) is the product of intersectional hybridization between Y. aloifolia and Y. filamentosa. These species, all named by Carl Linnaeus, exist in sympatry along the southeastern Atlantic coast of the United States. Yucca gloriosa was found to share a chloroplast haplotype with Y. aloifolia in all populations sampled. In contrast, nuclear gene-based microsatellite markers in Y. gloriosa are shared with both parents. The hybrid origin of Y. gloriosa is supported by multilocus analyses of the nuclear microsatellite markers including principal coordinates analysis (PCO), maximum-likelihood hybrid index scoring (HINDEX), and Bayesian cluster analysis (STRUCTURE). The putative parental species share only one allele at a single locus, suggesting there is little to no introgressive gene flow occurring between these species and Y. gloriosa. At the same time, diagnostic markers are segregating in Y. gloriosa populations. Lack of variation in the chloroplast of Y. aloifolia, the putative maternal parent, makes it difficult to rule out multiple hybrid origins of Y. gloriosa, but allelic variation at nuclear loci can be explained by a single hybrid origin of Y. gloriosa. Overall, these data provide strong support for the homoploid hybrid origin of Y. gloriosa.
Reactions of pulsed-laser evaporated lithium atoms with O2 and N2O

Abstract Pulsed laser evaporated Li atoms were codeposited with O2 in excess argon at 12 K. The same LiO2 and LiO2Li products were observed that were formed with thermal Li atoms. However, with N2O the LiO product was observed in contrast to thermal Li atom reactions. Excess kinetic energy in the laser evaporated Li atoms provided activation energy for the abstraction reaction. In addition the extremely large yield of O4− observed in O2 experiments provides evidence for photoelectron emission from the lithium metal surface.
Segregation, the concentration of poverty, and the life chances of individuals

Abstract We outline a theoretical model that identifies residential segregation as a primary structural cause of the geographic concentration of poverty in U.S. urban areas. From this theory we specify and estimate a multilevel equation that links minority poverty and segregation within metropolitan areas to the concentration of socioeconomic deprivation within neighborhoods. We then estimate a second set of multilevel equations that connect neighborhood poverty rates to individual-level outcomes commonly associated with the underclass: male joblessness, teenage motherhood, and single parenthood. Our results link economic and social structures at the metropolitan level to individual outcomes that operate to perpetuate poverty and lead to the creation of the underclass.
An asymptotic formulation of shear effects in two dimensional rolling

Abstract This paper evaluates the effect of shear in plane-strain rolling using asymptotic methods. The formulation is valid for thin sheets. The material behavior is rigid-plastic, and the flow stress can be a function of total plastic strain, effective strain rate and temperature. The primary results of the paper are the identification of two contributions to the vertical roll traction and the generation of a modified equation for the roll force. The present model contains earlier rolling models and provides a systematic method for improving these models.
A flexible, laser-defined, paper platform for localized oxygen generation and delivery

A flexible, parchment paper/PDMS based platform for local wound oxygenation was fabricated and characterized. The platform consists of a PDMS microfluidic network bonded to a parchment paper substrate. Generation of oxygen occurs by flowing H2O2 through the channels and chemically decomposing it via a catalyst embedded in laser-defined regions of the parchment paper. PDMS was bonded to parchment paper using partially cured PDMS followed by air plasma, resulting in a strong bond (323 Torr). For pressures below 110 Torr the parchment paper was observed to be impermeable to water. The measured gas permeability of parchment paper was 1.42 μL/ (Torr · mm2 · min). Oxygen generation in the catalyst spots raised the oxygen level on the opposite side of the parchment paper from atmospheric levels to 25.6%. Device and material biocompatibility with NIH 3T3 fibroblast cells was confirmed via alamar blue assays.
Retrotransposon-based profiling of mammalian epigenomes: DNA methylation of IAP LTRs in embryonic stem, somatic and cancer cells

In the current study, we have used HT-TREBS to individually analyze the DNA methylation pattern of 4799 IAP LTR retrotransposons in embryonic stem, somatic and Neuro2A cells. According to the results, half of the loci within this family show constant methylation patterns between the three cell types whereas the remaining half display variable levels of methylation. About half of the variably methylated IAP LTRs tend to be hypomethylated in ES cells, and nearly all in this group are hypomethylated in Neuro2A cells. The observed hypomethylation in both cell types occur in a non-uniform, locus-specific manner and to various degrees of severity, with some of them being easily detectible by COBRA. Overall, this study demonstrates the feasibility of HT-TREBS to study DNA methylation changes at retrotransposons in a locus-specific manner in multiple cell types and further suggests the potential utility of this technique in developing epigenetic biomarkers for tracking disease progression.