cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An evaluation of West Virginia's Managed Timberland Tax Incentive Program

Abstract Preferential property tax treatment of forested land is part of legislative policy in all 50 states. West Virginia's Managed Timberland (Managed Timberland) is designed to retain private forest land in forested use. In West Virginia, although private forest land owners hold 9.7 million acres of forest land (83% of forest land), Managed Timberland enrolled acres have remained at approximately 2 million acres since 1998. This lack of enrollment may be a cause for concern regarding the success and benefits of the program. This study evaluates West Virginia's Managed Timberland program, examines the factors that influence forest landowners' decision to participate in the program, and proposes strategies for increasing enrollment and improving the program. The data for this study were collected from a mail survey of participants and non-participants of the program conducted in the fall of 2008 on West Virginia forest landowners. Participants tended to hear about the Managed Timberland program from a professional forester and the majority of them were satisfied with the program administration. Aspects of the program that participants opposed most strongly were the annual contract renewal requirement and the tax assessors' overriding authority. Most participants (51%) indicated that a longer contract time was a favorable change to the program. Many non-participants reported that they were not enrolled in Managed Timberland because they had never heard of the program. Although most non-participants were undecided as to whether they would enroll in the future, 25% said they would consider it. Significant factors influencing enrollment were age, income, place of residence, county location of the enrolled property, and perceived benefits of the program.
Designing smart machines: Teaching mechatronics to mechanical engineers through a project-based, creative design course

Design curricula in departments of mechanical engineering should provide students with an exposure to systems which incorporate embedded processors, real-time software, sensors and actuators. A graduate-level, project-based design course taught at MIT is described as one model for such an experience. The challenges in developing such courses are to channel student energy into a successful learning experience and to manage the high costs of student and instructor time, equipment and supplies. Embedded processor courses need not be at the forefront of technology to be effective.
Localization of the fourth membrane spanning domain as a ligand binding site in the human platelet alpha 2-adrenergic receptor.

The human platelet {alpha}{sub 2}-adrenergic receptor is an integral membrane protein which binds epinephrine. The gene for this receptor has been cloned, and the primary structure is thus known. A model of its secondary structure predicts that the receptor has seven transmembrane spanning domains. By covalent labeling and peptide mapping, the authors have identified a region of the receptor that is directly involved with ligand binding. Partially purified preparations of the receptor were covalently radiolabeled with either of two specific photoaffinity ligands: ({sup 3}H)SKF 102229 (an antagonist) or p-azido({sup 3}H)clonidine (an agonist). The radiolabeled receptors were then digested with specific endopeptidases, and peptides containing the covalently bound radioligands were identified. Lysylendopeptidase treatment of ({sup 3}H)SKF 102229 labeled receptor yielded one peptide of M{sub r} 2400 as the product of a complete digest. Endopeptidase Arg-C gave a labeled peptide of M{sub r} 4000, which was further digested to the M{sub r} 2400 peptide by additional treatment with lysylendopeptidase. Using p-azido({sup 3}H)clonidine-labeled receptor, a similar M{sub r} 2400 peptide was obtained by lysylendopeptidase cleavage. This M{sub r} 2400 peptide corresponds to the fourth transmembrane spanning domain of the receptor. These data suggest that this region forms part of the ligand binding domainmore » of the human platelet {alpha}{sub 2}-adrenergic receptor.« less
Antibody-cytokine fusion proteins: innovative weapons in the war against cancer

Cancer patients who are administered therapeutic doses of cytokines (e.g., interleukin-2, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor, interleukin-12, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha) frequently develop devastating toxic side effects that can lead to discontinuation of therapy. This problem has compelled numerous investigators to design innovative strategies that will reduce prolonged systemic cytokine exposure and promote cytokine accumulation at the site of the tumor. One such strategy involves the use of antibody-cytokine fusion proteins consisting of immunoenhancing cytokines genetically fused to antibodies that are able to target specific antigens exclusively expressed or overexpressed on the surface of tumor cells. Preclinical studies examining their therapeutic efficacy demonstrate that they posses potent tumoricidal activity, suggesting that they may be clinically useful as novel cancer therapeutic agents.
Adsorption of Oxygen on Ultra-thin Titanium Films

A COMMON preparatory method used in the investigation of thin films is evaporation of a metal on to a non-metallic substrate. The actual formation of the film on the substrate is an intriguing process, for a collection of independently nucleated islands must grow together to form a continuous, two-dimensional body. This process has been examined with an electron microscope by Bassett et al.1 and they have documented the case of gold on sodium chloride.
THE THOMSON SURFACE. I. REALITY AND MYTH

The solar corona and heliosphere are visible via sunlight that is Thomson-scattered off free electrons and detected by coronagraphs and heliospheric imagers. It is well known that these instruments are most responsive to material at the "Thomson surface," the sphere with a diameter passing through both the observer and the Sun. It is less well known that in fact the Thomson scattering efficiency is minimized on the Thomson surface. Unpolarized heliospheric imagers such as STEREO/HI are thus approximately equally responsive to material over more than a 90° range of solar exit angles at each given position in the image plane. We call this range of angles the "Thomson plateau." We observe that heliospheric imagers are actually more sensitive to material far from the Thomson surface than close to it, at a fixed radius from the Sun. We review the theory of Thomson scattering as applied to heliospheric imaging, feature detection in the presence of background noise, geometry inference, and feature mass measurement. We show that feature detection is primarily limited by observing geometry and field of view, that the highest sensitivity for detection of density features is to objects close to the observer, that electron surface density inference is independent of geometry across the Thomson plateau, and that mass inference varies with observer distance in all geometries. We demonstrate the sensitivity results with a few examples of features detected by STEREO, far from the Thomson surface.
Are RN's the best family planning specialist recruits?

A training program was initiated to give Registered Nurses and people with less medical experience the didactic and clinical instruction necessary to provide family planning, cancer screening and prenatal services to healthy patients. Both groups performed equally well, and relatively as soon, in the physical examination techniques at the end of the 20-week program. These new Family Planning Specialists will not replace any existing health care personnel, but will be additions to the health manpower team. The goal is to combat the shortage of health personnel. Rather than subtract from the practicing numbers of needed Registered Nurses by training them as Family Planning Specialists, it may be more reasonable to use persons with less medical experience who can be trained to perform as well as RN's.
The Stochastic Capacity of a Roadway: Is it the Answer for Better "Real- Time" Management of Freeway Operations?

Rapid growth in vehicles has been observed in many developing countries in recent years. The number of vehicles has grown but non-motorized vehicles have not disappeared. The presence of dissimilar modes of travel results in unsafe roads. Additional factors that exacerbate the traffic problem in these countries are the tendency of users to not observe traffic rules and the lax enforcement of traffic rules by law enforcement agencies. The combination of these factors can be deadly for road users. For example in India, a total of 134,513 people lost their lives to road accidents in 2010 compared to 32,885 road fatalities in the US during that year. Are roads in developing countries unsafe? Such questions are explored in this paper. Researchers who have studied road safety problems in developing countries have suggested measures to improve safety. Specifying interventions alone will not be sustainable in the long run. Road safety is a complex matter with multiple dimensions. One of the prerequisites for interventions to be effective and sustainable is better institutional management of the safety problem. The paper explores the factors that indicate whether a lead institution to manage the road safety problem will need to be set up before interventions are implemented and safety targets are set. *Corresponding author: Mandar Khanal, Chair Department of Civil Engineering, Executive Editor, Boise State University, USA, Tel: 208-4261430; E mail: mkhanal@boisestate.edu Received November 28, 2013; Accepted January 01, 2014; Published February 04, 2014 Citattion: Khanal M, Sarkar P (2014) Road Safety in Developing Countries. J Civil Environ Eng S3:001. doi:10.4172/2165-784X.S3-001 Copyright: © 2014 Khanal M, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Fourfold reduction of water permeability in inner medullary collecting duct of aquaporin-4 knockout mice

Aquaporin (AQP)-3 and AQP4 water channels are expressed at the basolateral membrane of mammalian collecting duct epithelium. To determine the contribution of AQP4 to water permeability in the initial inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD), osmotic water permeability (Pf) was compared in isolated perfused IMCD segments from wild-type and AQP4 knockout mice. The AQP4 knockout mice were previously found to have normal gross appearance, survival, growth, and kidney morphology and a mild urinary concentrating defect (T. Ma, B. Yang, A. Gillespie, E. J. Carlson, C. J. Epstein, and A. S. Verkman, J. Clin. Invest. 100: 957-962, 1997). Transepithelial Pf was measured in microdissected IMCDs after 18-48 h of water deprivation and in the presence of 0.1 nM arginine vasopressin (to make basolateral Pf rate limiting). Pf values (37 degrees C; means +/- SE in cm/s x 10(-3)) were 56.0 +/- 8.5 for wild-type mice (n = 5) and 13.1 +/- 3.7 for knockout mice (n = 6) (P < 0.001). Northern blot analysis of kidney showed that transcript expression of AQP1, AQP2, AQP3, and AQP6 were not affected by AQP4 deletion. Immunoblot analysis indicated no differences in protein expression of AQP1, AQP2, or AQP3, and immunoperoxidase showed no differences in staining patterns. Coexpression of AQP3 and AQP4 in Xenopus laevis oocytes showed additive water permeabilities, suggesting that AQP4 deletion does not affect AQP3 function. These results indicate that AQP4 is responsible for the majority of basolateral membrane water movement in IMCD but that its deletion is associated with a very mild defect in urinary concentrating ability.
Community Involvement, Perceived Control, and Attitudes toward Aging among Lesbians and Gay Men:

A person-environment approach was used to explore the relationship between community involvement and attitudes toward aging among middle-age and older lesbians and gay men. Specifically, this study...
Linking biotic homogenization to habitat type, invasiveness and growth form of naturalized alien plants in North America

Aim Biotic homogenization is a growing phenomenon and has recently attracted much attention. Here, we analyse a large dataset of native and alien plants in North America to examine whether biotic homogenization is related to several ecological and biological attributes. Location North America (north of Mexico). Methods We assembled species lists of native and alien vascular plants for each of the 64 state- and province-level geographical units in North America. Each alien species was characterized with respect to habitat (wetland versus upland), invasiveness (invasive versus non-invasive), life cycle (annual/biennial versus perennial) and habit (herbaceous versus woody). We calculated a Jaccard similarity index separately for native, for alien, and for native and alien species. We used the average of Jaccard dissimilarity index (1 ) Jaccard index) of all paired localities as a measure of the mean beta diversity of alien species for each set of localities examined in an analysis. We used a homogenization index to quantify the effect of homogenization or differentiation.
Comparative incidence of de novo nonlymphoid malignancies after liver transplantation under tacrolimus using surveillance epidemiologic end result data.

BACKGROUND An increased incidence of de novo nonlymphoid malignancies has been shown in immunocompromised patients. However, the true risk over time compared to the general population has not been determined. METHODS One thousand consecutive patients were carefully followed for an average of 77.8+/-11.1 (range, 56.3-96.3) months after primary liver transplantation at a single center. All de novo nonlymphoid malignancies were recorded. Each malignancy was compared with a standard Occupational Cohort Mortality Analysis Program population matched for age, sex, and length of follow-up using modified life table technique and surveillance epidemiology end result (SEER) data. RESULTS Fifty-seven patients accounted for de novo malignancies and contributed 4795.3 total person years, a mean+/-SD of 36+/-21 (median, 36; range, 6-74) months after liver transplantation. Twenty-two of these malignancies were skin malignancies including two melanomas. Oropharyngeal cancers (n=7) were found to be 7.6 times higher (P 0.05) compared to the SEER incidence rate. Female reproductive system malignancies including breast cancer (n=3) were 1.9 times lower (P>0.05) and genitourinary malignancies were (n=5) 1.5 times lower (P>0.05) than their matched cohorts. No differences was observed in gastrointestinal malignancies (n=5). There was a significant difference in survival of the patients after diagnosis of malignancy depending on the type of cancer. There were two Kaposi's sarcomas, two metastatic unknown primaries, one thyroid, one brain, and one ophthalmic malignancies in the series. Mortality for Kaposi's and metastatic disease of unknown primary was 100% within 5 months, while the 1-year mortality for oropharyngeal cancer was 57.1% and that for lung cancers was 62.5%. Long-term survival for skin cancer was highest: 86.4% at 3 years (P=0.015 by log-rank test). CONCLUSION An increased incidence of de novo cancers in the chronically immunocompromised patient demands careful long-term screening protocols which will help to facilitate the diagnosis at an early stage of the disease. This is particularly true for oropharyngeal cancers where the risk is more than 7 times higher compared to SEER incidence data matched for age, sex, and length of follow-up.
Modeling information navigation: implications for information architecture

Previous studies for menu and Web search tasks have suggested differing advice on the optimal number of selections per page. In this article, we examine this discrepancy through the use of a computational model of information navigation that simulates users navigating through a Web site. By varying the quality of the link labels in our simulations, we find that the optimal structure depends on the quality of the labels and are thus able to account for the results in the previous studies. We present additional empirical results to further validate the model and corroborate our findings. Finally we discuss our findings' implications for the information architecture of Web sites.
APPLICATION OF CARBON MONOXIDE DIFFUSING CAPACITY IN THE MOUSE LUNG

In the past decade the mouse has become the primary animal model of a variety of lung diseases. To assess various mechanisms underlying such pathologies, it is essential to make functional measurem...
A Statistical Index of Bio-Optical Seawater Types

Water-type (WT) definition as a function of bio-optical properties has relevance to the exploitation of satellite ocean color data because it may provide a mean to optimize the atmospheric correction process or select the most appropriate bio-optical algorithm for the determination of optically significant constituents in seawater. Within such a framework, this paper defines a WT index assuming the existence of two extreme conditions. On one side, there are waters with optical properties totally depending on the phytoplankton component. On the other side, waters characterized by fully unrelated bio-optical quantities. The index of intermediate WTs is then defined on a statistical basis, and the resulting scheme is applied to a set of experimental data collected in an optically complex coastal region. Finally, in view of supporting remote sensing applications, a neural network algorithm is implemented to identify WTs using the normalized water leaving radiance.
Remainder sum and quotient sum function

This paper is concerned with two arithmetical functions namely remainder sum function and quotient sum function which are respectively the sequences A004125 and A006218 in Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences. The remainder sum function is defined by for every positive integer n, and quotient sum function is defined by where q(n, i) is the quotient obtained when n is divided by i. We establish few divisibility properties these functions enjoy and we found their bounds. Furthermore, we define restricted remainder sum function by RA(n) = ∑k∈A n mod k where A is a set of positive integers and we define restricted quotient sum function by QA(n) = ∑k∈A q(n, k). The function QA(n) is found to be a quasi-polynomial of degree one when A is a finite set of positive integers and RA(n) is found to be a periodic function with period ∏a∈A a. Finally, the above defined four functions found to have recurrence relation whose derivation requires few results from integer partition theory.
Childhood Abuse and Mental Health Indicators Among Ethnically Diverse Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults

Objective Prior research has established that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people experience higher rates of childhood abuse compared to heterosexuals. However, there has been little research on the mental health impact of these experiences, or how race/ethnicity might influence prevalence and mental health impact of childhood abuse in this population. The study’s objective was to examine the relationships between race/ethnicity and childhood abuse and their effect on mental health indicators in a national sample of LGB adults.
Modelling The Sir-b Image Response `io Partially Coherent Seas

A mathematical model of transient seas modulated by coherent swells is developed as a Rayleigh-Poisson random process subject to deterministic correlations of scattering sites, as they appear in a time window defined by a SAR's range-Doppler measurements of the surface coordinates. This model of SAR response to sea surface dynamics is discussed as a Fourier domain predictor/corrector of a dynamic motion blur.
Assessing the efficacy of medical treatments for alcohol use disorders.

Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are common health problems that have a significant impact on society as a whole. There is a need for more effective treatments. In the last two decades, evidence for the efficacy of pharmacological approaches to treatment has increased. Although it has long been clear that medications are needed for the treatment of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome, the important role of medications in the longer-term treatment of AUDs has only recently been appreciated. In particular, naltrexone, acamprosate and topiramate appear to be efficacious treatments, especially when combined with psychosocial interventions that emphasise compliance with medication and encourage treatment retention. The goal of this review is to bring together the existing literature supporting the usefulness of pharmacological treatments for the alcohol withdrawal syndrome, for longer-term treatment of AUDs, and for comorbid AUDs and other psychiatric disorders. In addition, opportunities for future research will be i...
Efficient subtorus processor allocation in a multi-dimensional torus

Processor allocation in a mesh or torus connected multicomputer system with up to three dimensions is a hard problem that has received some research attention in the past decade. With the recent deployment of multicomputer systems with a torus topology of dimensions higher than three, which are used to solve complex problems arising in scientific computing, it becomes imminent to study the problem of allocating processors of the configuration of a torus in a multi-dimensional torus connected system. In this paper, we first define the concept of a semitorus. We present two partition schemes, the Equal Partition (EP) and the Non-Equal Partition (NEP), that partition a multi-dimensional semitorus into a set of sub-semitori. We then propose two processor allocation algorithms based on these partition schemes. We evaluate our algorithms by incorporating them in commonly used FCFS and backfilling scheduling policies and conducting simulation using workload traces from the Parallel Workloads Archive. Specifically, our simulation experiments compare four algorithm combinations, FCFS/EP, FCFS/NEP, backfilling/EP, and backfilling/NEP, for two existing multi-dimensional torus connected systems. The simulation results show that our algorithms (especially the backfilling/NEP combination) are capable of producing schedules with system utilization and mean job bounded slowdowns comparable to those in a fully connected multicomputer
An estimate of equatorial gravity from terrestrial and satellite data

Equatorial gravity has been estimated from terrestrial gravity data and from satellite implied data. The terrestrial estimate was based on the analysis of 43271 1°×1° mean free air gravity anomalies. The value estimated was 978032.35±0.5 mgals. This value may be slightly (0 to 1.5 mgals) too low because of the neglect of the downward continuation of surface free air anomalies to the geoid. An alternate estimate based on the comparison of terrestrial anomalies and altimeter derived anomalies yields 978032.6 mgals. Equatorial gravity from space data depends on GM from Lageos and lunar laser data and on a new estimate (6378136.2±0.5 m) of the equatorial radius based on Doppler tracking station positions and a new spherical harmonic expansion of the earth's gravity field to degree 360. The resultant equatorial gravity is 978032.78±0.2 mgals. The difference between the two terrestrial estimates is 0.4 and 0.2 mgals (or 0.4 ppm or 0.2 ppm). The agreement is within the accuracy of the two separate estimates. These comparisons can put constraints on parameters of non-Newtonian force models.
Ex-Addict Versus Nonaddict Counselors’ Knowledge of Clients’ Drug Use

The accuracy of drug counselors' knowledge of their clients' drug use was assessed to determine whether counselor reports might constitute adequate research and evaluation data. Ex-addict paraprofessionals, non-ex-addict paraprofessionals, and degreed professional counselors (N = 82) reported on the drug use by 302 methadone maintenance and drug-free outpatient clients, as did the clients themselves. Counselor nonresponse rates to individual drug category items were acceptably low (less than or equal to 5%) for all but marijuana/hashish and over-the-counter drugs. Counselors' estimates of drug use rates at a group level were relatively accurate. However, reliability coefficients reflecting accuracy on a case-by-case basis were lower than desirable for use in prediction schemes for individual clients. Ex-addicts were overall somewhat more accurate than the other counselor groups.
Initial assessment and validation of an instrument to measure student perceptions of leadership skills

This article reports on development and validation of an instrument for use in measuring student perceptions of leadership skills. The article describes the development process of an instrument through use of subject matter experts for measuring leadership skill perception among students and use of an exploratory factor analysis technique to validate the resulting instrument. These data were obtained from a survey of 214 students in a small liberal arts college of business. The article presents an instrument for assistance with measuring leadership skill perception, development, and importance as well as further reports on the initial validity and reliability measures resulting from the analysis. In addition, the usefulness of the instrument for educators and workplace trainers is explored.
Temperature-dependent consumption and gut-residence time in the opossum shrimp Mysis relicta

Maximum daily consumption was estimated for Mysis relicta fed ad libitum rations of Daphnia pulex at 4,10,15 and 18°C. Gut-residence time was also evaluated for M.relicta fed clado- ceran prey at 4, 10 and 15°C. Mean daily consumption (g dry weight of Daphnia g~' dry weight of Mysis day1) ranged from 6% at 4°C to 12% at 10°C. At 18°C, Mysis feeding rate declined to 9% day1. Mean, weight-adjusted consumption rates exhibited a 'dome-shaped' response in relation to water temperature. Consumption rate was highest at 10°C and lowest at 4°C. Estimated Qt0 was more sensitive from 4 to 10°C (Q,o= 3) than from 10 to 15°C (£?10 = 1.2). Gut-residence time for Mysis was inversely related to water temperature, implying that evacuation rate increases linearly with water temperature. Feeding and gut-evacuation rates become disassociated at water temperatures >10°C. As water temperature increased above 10°C, relative evacuation rate increased, whereas feeding rate declined. It is postulated that at higher water temperatures, disassociated feeding and gut-evacuation rates reduce the scope for growth of vertically migrating Mysis and impose a physiological constraint that isolates Mysis from warm, epilimnetic water during thermal stratification.
Narcissistic Aspects of Aging and Illness

Although people can flourish as they get older, aging is difficult and requires us to manage blows regarding the ways our bodies’ change and lets us down. Growing older involves adjustments to alterations in physical abilities, the time required to complete tasks and activities, fluctuations in appearance, and an awareness of the inevitability of death. Although some people manage the passing of time with only minor ailments, aging increases possibilities for the development of various illnesses, a reality that serves as a disquieting threat for those who allow themselves to become conscious of this fact. A further complication of aging is that aspects of self-care and adherence to medical treatment become increasingly important to ward off health problems or to manage existing illness. Regarding self-care, this can be an enormous challenge for people who struggle to refrain from behaviors that put them at risk. This chapter will address some aspects of narcissistic injury in aging and illness. I am going to focus on certain aspects of sense of self and self-esteem (which are perhaps the unifying ideas underlying all theories of narcissism) that I have found to be most salient and vexing in clinical situations. I will describe the confused and at times contradictory states that relate to how the sense of self is hit by aging and illness. The main aspects of narcissistic complications that I will speak to are ideas of bodily omnipotence, failures in regard to dealing with dependency, consequences of a collapsed sense of self, the use of denial, extensive focus on the external, and perhaps most important, a paucity of a rich internal emotional life. Self-destructive behavior is one kind of collapse when narcissistic defenses fail and all hope is lost for gaining an internal sense of self and self-structure. The onset of physical difficulties can be the final prompt to come to terms with narcissistic issues, and many of us have this opportunity starting in midlife. Therefore, I will also be highlighting vulnerabilities that can impact us as we age with an emphasis on those who have not been able to navigate the demands of aging in a successful way. In the absence of the resolution of narcissistic conflicts, middle age can be a tumultuous time, when unaddressed narcissism interacts with the ability to take care of oneself. The likelihood of engaging in health-promoting behaviors or not is often related to the ability to accept reality, develop a more nuanced emotional life that allows tolerance of difficult feelings, release the tight grip of excessive self-sufficiency, and mourn previous losses. Because a narcissistic collapse results in overwhelming confusion, those who are tortured by the threat of loss of self-cohesion revert to anything that can make them feel whole, connected with their body, and complete. This explains why some people can organize around superficial issues, such as anger at those trying to provide help and even at themselves for not really knowing who they are.
Flammability Evaluation Methods for Textiles

This chapter will discuss flammability evaluation of fabrics as well as of end-use items containing fabrics, such as apparel, curtains and draperies, tents, mattresses, upholstered furniture, etc.
American Federalism: How Well Does It Support Lady Liberty?

Democratic governments can be either national or federal in form. Whether the form of democracy matters, how it matters if, indeed, it does matter, and for whom it might matter are the types of questions this paper explores. Federalism is generally described as a pro-liberty form of government. Yet it is surely reasonable to wonder how the presence of two sources of political power within the same territory can be more favorable to liberty than when there is but a single source. It turns out that the pro-liberty quality of federalism is a possible but not a necessary feature of federalism. This essay explores this two-edged quality of federalism to discern more clearly the relation between federalism and liberty.
Long-term demographic trends in a fire-suppressed mixed-conifer forest

In the western United States, forests are experiencing novel environmental conditions related to a changing climate and a suppression of the historical fire regime. Mixed-conifer forests, considered resilient to disturbance due to their heterogeneity in structure and composition, appear to be shifting to a more homogeneous state, but the timescale of these shifts is not well understood. Our objective was to assess the effects of climate and fire suppression on stand dynamics and demographic rates of an old-growth mixed-conifer forest in the Sierra Nevada. We used a Bayesian hierarchical analysis to quantify species and community rates of recruitment, growth, and mortality. Despite a warming climate, we found that stand density, basal area, and carbon have increased over 56 years. Fir recruitment and growth significantly exceeded the community-level median rates, whereas pine recruitment and growth was significantly lower than the community-level median rates. Shifts in species composition from a well-mixe...
My life: Marking time

REaD BOX WARNING: Reading this reflection will WASTE your TIME. It will NOT make you more successful, richer, more patient-centric, or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. If you know that Fyodor Dostoyevsky is NOT the goalie on the Russian Federation hockey team, STOP before it is too
Serial Descendant Primary Molt or Staffelmauser in Black-Crowned Night-Herons

Primary molt in Black-crowned Night-Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) has been described as irregular. However, through an examination of museum specimens we determined that the molt of juvenal primaries progresses as a single descendant wave as primaries molt in sequence from primary 1 to primary 7 or 8. Molt then skipped to primary 10, the terminal primary, in most birds before the skipped primary or primaries were molted. The molt of juvenal primaries was arrested in 56% of specimens and a median of eight primaries was replaced (range 2-10). In contrast to the molt of juvenal primaries, 88% of adults had at least two descendant waves (range 1-4) of molt simultaneously active in primaries. Adults replaced from 2-10 primaries during a period of molt. The number of primaries replaced was bimodal with modes at 3.5 and nine. We were unable to track the transition from the single wave of molt evident in juvenal primary molt to the serial descendant waves in the adult primary molts. However, our findings for the juvenal and adult molts indicate that primary molt of Black-crowned Night-Herons is similar to serial descendant molt (Staffelmauser) in other species. Typically, serial waves in the adults arise through the arrest and continuation of descendant waves generated from a proximally located molt center. The variation in the number of primaries replaced by night-herons is evidence that the waves that typify serial descendant molt are simply a consequence of molt arresting due to time constraints on the length of the molt period. On the basis of available data for night-herons, serial descendant molt does not minimize the aerodynamic impact of primary molt or equalize the frequency of primary replacement.
Dynamics of layer-by-layer growth of a polyelectrolyte multilayer studied in situ using attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy.

Attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) was used to study the dynamic layer-by-layer (LBL) growth of a sodium polyacrylate (NaPA)/poly(diallydimethylammonium) chloride (PDADMAC) multilayer on TiO2 particles. Molecular weights (Mw) used were 30 and 60 kDa for NaPA and 8.5 and 150 kDa for PDADMAC. IR spectra were recorded in situ as a function of time and were used to obtain the dynamic mass adsorbed and bound fraction of the polymers during each deposition step. For 30 kDa NaPA layers, the dynamics of adsorption show an initial rapid rise in mass followed by a slow increase toward a plateau value upon LBL with 150 kDa PDADMAC. In contrast, the 60 kDa NaPA layers achieve a plateau quickly and do not show a slow increase toward a plateau. In the case of LBL with 150 kDa PDADMAC, the dynamics of the bound fraction of polymer per layer suggest that polymer diffusion and conformational rearrangement occur for the layers of 30 kDa NaPA but not for the 60 kDa NaPA layers. Furthermore, PDADMAC ...
Providing Privacy through Plausibly Deniable Search.

Query-based web search is an integral part of many people’s daily activities. Most do not realize that their search history can be used to identify them (and their interests). In July 2006, AOL released an anonymized search query log of some 600K randomly selected users. While valuable as a research tool, the anonymization was insufficient: individuals were identified from the contents of the queries alone [2]. Government requests for such logs increases the concern. To address this problem, we propose a client-centered approach of plausibly deniable search. Each user query is substituted with a standard, closely-related query intended to fetch the desired results. In addition, a set of k-1 cover queries are issued; these have characteristics similar to the standard query but on unrelated topics. The system ensures that any of these k queries will produce the same set of k queries, giving k possible topics the user could have been searching for. We use a Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) based approach to generate queries, and evaluate on the DMOZ [10] webpage collection to show effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Using Arc Length to Cluster Financial Time Series According to Risk

ABSTRACTThis article investigates how arc length can be used to partition financial time series according to variability (risk). This technique is predicated on the idea that arc length is an index of volatility, and thus the end result is that safer stocks can be sorted from more risky ones. Performance of arc length is compared with squared returns and absolute returns, two commonly used measures for quantifying the variability of prices. An application involving 30 popular stocks is presented using Maharaj, k-means ++, and correlation-based clustering techniques.
Chronic Ventilatory Support for Children Following Trauma or Severe Neurologic Injury

Traumatic injuries are a leading cause of death and significant morbidity. Children who survive can suffer from respiratory failure and need for chronic ventilatory support. Care of children following trauma or severe neurologic injury includes providing for adequate ventilation, optimizing pulmonary care with airway clearance and prevention of recurrent pneumonias. There are several options for ventilatory support including positive pressure ventilation which is the most common, noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) and diaphragm pacing. In this chapter, we review the pulmonary complications of trauma, the pathophysiology of respiratory failure, and the care of trauma survivors needing chronic assisted ventilation and respiratory care.
Lubricity from Entangled Polymer Networks on Hydrogels

Structural hydrogel materials are being considered and investigated for a wide variety of biotribological applications. Unfortunately, most of the mechanical strength and rigidity of these materials comes from high polymer concentrations and correspondingly low polymer mesh size, which results in high friction coefficients in aqueous environments. Recent measurements have revealed that soft, flexible, and large mesh size hydrogels can provide ultra low friction, but this comes at the expense of mechanical strength. In this paper, we have prepared a low friction structural hydrogel sample of polyhydroxyethyl-methacrylate (pHEMA) by polymerizing an entangled polymer network on the surface through a solution polymerization route. The entangled polymer network was made entirely from uncrosslinked polyacrylamide (pAAm) that was polymerized from an aqueous solution and had integral entanglement with the pHEMA surface. Measurements revealed that these entangled polymer networks could extend up to similar to 200 mu m from the surface, and these entangled polymer networks can provide reductions in friction coefficient of almost two orders of magnitude (mu > 0.7 to mu < 0.01).
Effects of Nanotopography on the In Vitro Hemocompatibility of Nanocrystalline Diamond Coatings.

Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) coatings have been investigated for improved wear resistance and enhanced hemocompatibility of cardiovascular devices. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of NCD surface nanotopography on in vitro hemocompatibility. NCD coatings with small (NCD-S) and large (NCD-L) grain sizes were deposited using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, contact angle testing, and Raman spectroscopy. NCD-S coatings exhibited average grain sizes of 50-80 nm (RMS 5.8 nm), while NCD-L coatings exhibited average grain sizes of 200-280 nm (RMS 23.1 nm). In vitro hemocompatibility testing using human blood included protein adsorption, hemolysis, nonactivated partial thromboplastin time, platelet adhesion, and platelet activation. Both NCD coatings demonstrated low protein adsorption, a nonhemolytic response, and minimal activation of the plasma coagulation cascade. Furthermore, the NCD coatings exhibited low thrombogenicity with minimal platelet adhesion and aggregation, and similar morphological changes to surface-bound platelets (i.e., activation) in comparison to the HDPE negative control material. For all assays, there were no significant differences in the blood-material interactions of NCD-S versus NCD-L. The two tested NCD coatings, regardless of nanotopography, had similar hemocompatibility profiles compared to the negative control material (HDPE) and should be further evaluated for use in blood-contacting medical devices. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 253-264, 2017.
What We Know and Do Not Know About Actin

Seven decades of research have revealed much about actin structure, assembly, regulatory proteins, and cellular functions. However, some key information is still missing, so we do not understand the mechanisms of most processes that depend on actin. This chapter summarizes our current knowledge and explains some examples of work that will be required to fill these gaps and arrive at a mechanistic understanding of actin biology.
More Questions than Answers

We all owe Jonathan Sheehan and Dror Wahrman our thanks for this terrific and enlightening book. I, at least, was unaware of how thoroughly the language and thought-patterns of self-organization ha...
Abstract 329: HSF-1 Knockout Enhances Dietary Cholesterol Metabolism by Inducing CYP7A1 Gene Expression and Attenuates Atherosclerosis

Objective: Coronary heart disease and diabetes are highly prevalent among obese populations due to aberrant dietary cholesterol metabolism. Here we investigated the effect of heat shock factor-1 (H...
Stellar surface as low-rank modification in iterative methods for binary neutron stars

Abstract We present a new multidomain spectral method for the treatment of non-spherical stellar surfaces in iterative methods for binary neutron stars. A stellar surface changes throughout the course of an iterative solution, potentially stalling the convergence. Our method affords low-complexity updates of the relevant subdomain preconditioners, thereby avoiding such stalling. Unlike current collocation (or nodal) approaches for treating surfaces (which rely on coordinate transformations to ensure that stellar surfaces arise at subdomain boundaries), our approach requires no regridding or nontrivial Jacobians. For polytropes with an equation of state specified by an integer polytropic index, our method delivers exponential accuracy with increased truncation, although for “stiff” equations of state (e.g. fractional) it suffers from the same accuracy loss as current methods. We have presented an outline of our approach before, but here present details with numerical tests.
Exploring Learner Talk in English Interviews

The guiding question behind this section is straightforward: what can we learn about the L2 learning experience by asking L2 learners to discuss their own L2 learning? In order to answer this question, we use specialized software to analyze the semantic content of L2 learner talk as advanced English learners reflect on their learning experience in a structured interview. By using three different analytical techniques, we approach the question from different angles, distinguishing both general patterns in the experience of learning a L2 as well as individual differences in learning experience. The purpose of this and the following chapters in Part III, therefore, is threefold: (1) to discover the words and themes used by highly proficient L2 English learners as they describe their learning experience; (2) to discern what these words can tell us about the learning process; and (3) to determine what these words can tell us about individual learners.
Skywriting unmanned aerial vehicle proof-of-concept design

With the goal of a skywriting unmanned aerial vehicle, a proof-of-concept design is presented. Drone swarms act as illuminated pixels for night-time aerial imagery. By contrast, this proof-of-concept employs a single quadcopter for day-time skywriting with smoke. This paper describes hardware and software selection and mounting configuration. A Snellen Chart approach is used to calculate appropriate sizing of letters written in the sky. Testing-and-evaluation reveal higher letter- shape fidelity when flight path factors in wind speed and direction. The proof-of-concept's efficacy present a platform for future work with multiple UAV coordination to acts as a dot-matrix or ink-jet printer for the sky.
In Situ Time-Resolved Attenuated Total Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy for Probing Metal–Organic Framework Thin Film Growth

In situ chemical measurements of solution/surface reactions during metal–organic framework (MOF) thin film growth can provide valuable information about the mechanistic and kinetic aspects of key reaction steps and allow control over crystal quality and material properties. Here, we report a new approach to studying the growth of MOF thin films in a flow cell using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Real-time spectra recorded during continuous-flow synthesis were used to investigate the mechanism and kinetics that govern the formation of (Zn,Cu) hydroxy double salts (HDSs) from ZnO thin films and the subsequent conversion of HDS to HKUST-1. We found that both reactions follow pseudo-first-order kinetics. Real-time measurements also revealed that the limited mass transport of reactants may lead to partial conversion of ZnO to HDS and therefore leaves an interfacial ZnO layer beneath the HDS film, providing strong adhesion of the HKUST-1 coating to the substrate...
A Collaborative Data Management System for Additive Manufacturing

As additive manufacturing (AM) continues to mature as a production technology, the limiting factors that have hindered its adoption in the past still exist, for example, process repeatability and material availability issues. Overcoming many of these production hurdles requires a further understanding of geometry-process-structure-property relationships for additively manufactured parts. In smaller sample sizes, empirical approaches that seek to harness data have proven to be effective in identifying material process-structure-property relationships. This paper presents a collaborative AM data management system developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This data management system is built with NoSQL (Not Only Structured Query Language) database technology and provides a Representational State Transfer (REST) interface for application integration. In addition, a web interface is provided for data curating, exploring, and downloading. An AM data schema is provided by NIST for an alpha release, as well as a set of data generated from an interlaboratory study of additively manufactured nickel alloy (IN625) parts. For data exploration, the data management system provides a mechanism for customized web graphic user interfaces configurable through a visualization ontology. As a collaboration platform, the data management system is set to evolve through sharing of both the AM schema and AM development data among the stakeholders in the AM community. As data sets continue to accumulate, it becomes possible to establish new correlations between processes, materials, and parts. The functionality of the data management system is demonstrated through the curation and querying of the curated AM datasets.