cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of feedbacks and seed rain on ecotone patterns

Ecotones can be abrupt changes in vegetation on gradual abiotic gradients, such as some treelines, and so have been considered as potential indicators of response to climatic change and regulators of fluxes across landscapes. Factors of positive feedback for growth and establishment and seed rain from source areas have been suggested as playing a role in such patterns and dynamics. The effects of variation in feedback strength and seed rain on the abrupt pattern have not, however, been assessed. A spatially explicit computer simulation is used to represent an ecotone as might occur at a mountain treeline. The steepness of the abiotic gradient determines the general location of the treeline, while the strength of feedback determines how abrupt it is. Increased seed rain and seedling survival modify the dominant patterns by creating patches of krummholz or small seedings. The feedbacks are spatially autocorrelated and so create waves of mortality and regeneration on the simulated slopes comparable to dynamics observed on some mountains. These dynamics may mean that the pattern at the ecotone at any point in time is ephemeral and may respond differently to environmental change.
Amyloid β Prevents Activation of Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II and AMPA Receptor Phosphorylation During Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation

Accumulation of amyloid β-peptides (Aβ) in the brain has been linked with memory loss in Alzheimer's disease and its animal models. However, the synaptic mechanism by which Aβ causes memory deficit...
An algorithm for linear programming that is easy to implement

Abstract We present a new linear-programming algorithm that is simple, effective, fully parallelizable, and immediately implementable on personal computers as well as on more sophisticated machines. Sufficient conditions are found that guarantee the convergence of the algorithm. Some applications are given showing that the applicability of the algorithm is actually wider than indicated by the theoretical results.
HBT laser driver array for WDM optical transmitters

We will report on an 8-channel laser driver circuit intended to drive arrays of Distributed Feedback (DFB) lasers. These have been incorporated into transmitter modules operating at both 155 Mbit/sec and 2.488 Gbit/sec. Considerable power, cost and packaging savings can be achieved by this approach because the small driver size allows direct coupling of the driver and laser in compact modules, which also reduces the fiber alignment complexity. The peak current delivered to each laser is 60 mA; of this, up to 30 mA can be a DC bias current with the modulation current adjustable up to 30 mA peak-to-peak. The circuit is designed for an input signal of 300 mV differential into 50 Ohms. The modulation currents are separately adjustable for each channel. The circuit uses a differential signal path to achieve good common mode rejection to reduce crosstalk. The drivers were fabricated on a 500 micrometers spacing to match the DFB laser spacing, and care was taken to minimize capacitive coupling and crosstalk between channels. The power dissipation at maximum drive is 2.3 W with all 8 channels active.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A Comparison of Cyclic Variations in Anterior Knee Laxity, Genu Recurvatum and General Joint Laxity across the Menstrual Cycle

Changes in anterior knee laxity (AKL), genu recurvatum (GR) and general joint laxity (GJL) were quantified across days of the early follicular and early luteal phases of the menstrual cycle in 66 females, and the similarity in their pattern of cyclic variations examined. Laxity was measured on each of the first 6 days of menses (M1–M6) and the first 8 days following ovulation (L1–L8) over two cycles. The largest mean differences were observed between L5 and L8 for AKL (0.32mm), and between L5 and M1 for GR (0.56°) and GJL (0.26)(P<.013). At the individual level, mean absolute cyclic changes in AKL (1.8±0.7mm, 1.6±0.7mm), GR (2.8±1.0°, 2.4±1.0°) and GJL (1.1±1.1, 0.7±1.0) were more apparent, with minimum, maximum and delta values being quite consistent from month to month (ICC2,3=.51–.98). Although the average daily pattern of change in laxity was quite similar between variables (Spearman correlation range 0.61 and 0.90), correlations between laxity measures at the individual level were much lower (range −0.07 to 0.43). Substantial, similar, and reproducible cyclic changes in AKL, GR and GJL were observed across the menstrual cycle, with the magnitude and pattern of cyclic changes varying considerably among females.
Content Factor: A Measure of a Journal's Contribution to Knowledge

Impact Factor, the pre-eminent performance metric for medical journals, has been criticized for failing to capture the true impact of articles; for favoring methodology papers; for being unduly influenced by statistical outliers; and for examining a period of time too short to capture an article’s long-term importance. Also, in the era of search engines, where readers need not skim through journals to find information, Impact Factor’s emphasis on citation efficiency may be misplaced. A better metric would consider the total number of citations to all papers published by the journal (not just the recent ones), and would not be decremented by the total number of papers published. We propose a metric embodying these principles, “Content Factor”, and examine its performance among leading medical and orthopaedic surgery journals. To remedy Impact Factor’s emphasis on recent citations, Content Factor considers the total number of citations, regardless of the year in which the cited paper was published. To correct for Impact Factor’s emphasis on efficiency, no denominator is employed. Content Factor is thus the total number of citations in a given year to all of the papers previously published in the journal. We found that Content Factor and Impact Factor are poorly correlated. We further surveyed 75 experienced orthopaedic authors and measured their perceptions of the “importance” of various orthopaedic surgery journals. The correlation between the importance score and the Impact Factor was only 0.08; the correlation between the importance score and Content Factor was 0.56. Accordingly, Content Factor better reflects a journal’s “importance”. In sum, while Content Factor cannot be defended as the lone metric of merit, to the extent that performance data informs journal evaluations, Content Factor– an easily obtained and intuitively appealing metric of the journal’s knowledge contribution, not subject to gaming– can be a useful adjunct.
Ring of Silence: African American Women's Experiences Related to their Breasts and Breast Cancer Screening

The purpose of this study was to explore women’s memories and feelings concerning their breasts and breast cancer screening experiences in relation to their current breast cancer screening behaviors. Twelve African American women shared stories that were generated in written narratives and individual interviews. Two core themes emerged from the data analysis: silence and societal contradictions. On further review and interpretation of the core themes, one integrative theme became apparent: Ring of silence. Contradictory messages women receive from society, both voiced and unvoiced, can have a long-term effect on how some women perceive their bodies, and how they value early detection related to breast
INVESTIGATIONS IN INSTRUCTED SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

INVESTIGATIONS IN INSTRUCTED SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION. Alex Housen and Michel Pierrard (Eds.). Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 2005. Pp. ix + 568. $165.20 cloth.This volume is a compilation of revised and expanded papers from the 2004 Colloquium on “Instructed Second Language Learning/L'appropriation d'une langue second en milieu guide.” Nearly all of the assembled papers report on empirical studies that investigate second language (L2) production or acquisition by language learners in a range of formal instructional contexts, from elementary school immersion classes to adult and university foreign language courses. Following the editors' introduction, the 17 subsequent chapters are organized into four sections: (a) investigating cognitive and processing mechanisms in instructed SLA, (b) investigating the role and effects of form-focused instruction, (c) investigating the role and effects of interaction and communication-focused instruction, and (d) comparing the effects of instructed and naturalistic SLA contexts. Space constraints limit a thorough discussion of each of the papers, but a few noteworthy examples from each section will be discussed here.
Structure‐activity relationship studies on the toxicities of benzene derivatives: I. An additivity model

A quantitative structure-activity analysis was performed on a series of substituted benzenes for which toxicity values have been obtained over 96 h in the fathead minnow. We have determined the additive contribution of several substituent groups. We have found a decreasing contribution to toxicity to be Cl > Br > NO2 > CH3 > OCH3 > NH2 > OH. This additivity model, expressed as an equation, yields a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.951, compared with the log of the lethal concentration (LC50). The positional dependence of substituents on benzene has been studied, as has the relationship between the substituent toxicity ranking and physical properties.
Fallacies of Welfare-to-Work Policies:

One main effort of welfare reform is to replace public assistance with earnings. To date, politicians and welfare reform advocates have applauded the efforts and claimed success. However, lurking at the surface of welfare-to-work policies are serious problems and structural impediments. Lack of jobs, low pay, job-readiness, and difficulties in securing ancillary supports like transportation and child care are obvious problems that are not easily resolved. However, a deeper and usually unaddressed problem is that the jobs low-income women take (or need) are not mother ready. Full-time low-wage work does not provide enough income to support families, nor does it accommodate the demands that full-time parents have. These problems plague welfare-to-work efforts and make life very difficult for poor, single-mother families. At the same time, they create an opportunity to consider the value of caregiving work and to reform the nature of low-wage work.
Theoretical influences on research on language development and intervention in individuals with mental retardation

In this article, we consider the theoretical debates and frameworks that have shaped research on language development and intervention in persons with mental retardation over the past four decades. Our starting point is the nativist theory, which has been espoused most forcefully by Chomsky. We also consider more recent alternatives to the nativist approach, including the social-interactionist and emergentist approaches, which have been developed largely within the field of child language research. We also consider the implications for language development and intervention of the genetic syndrome-based approach to behavioral research advocated by Dykens and others. We briefly review the impact and status of the debates spurred by the nativist approach in research on the course of language development in individuals with mental retardation. In addition, we characterize some of the achievements in language intervention that have been made possible by the debates spurred by nativism and the various alternatives to it. The evidence we consider provides support for all three alternatives to the nativist approach. Moreover, successful interventions appear to embody elements of several of these approaches as well as other theoretical approaches (e.g., behaviorism). We conclude that language intervention must be theoretically eclectic in its approach, with different strategies appropriate for teaching different features of language, at different points in development, and for children displaying different characteristics or learning histories.
Acute effect of growth hormone to induce peripheral insulin resistance is independent of FFA and insulin levels in rats

To examine whether growth hormone (GH) induces peripheral insulin resistance by altering plasma free fatty acid (FFA) or insulin levels, the effects of GH infusion on insulin-stimulated glucose flu...
The structure and function of a speech control language for text processing and robotic control

A control language that accepts user commands through an isolated-word recognizer is described in terms of its function and structure. The commands enable either text processing or robotic motion. Entirely speech driven, the system functions as an augmentative aid for individuals with severe motor disabilities. Based on a design that results in a transparent user interface, the system puts the technically nontrained end user in control of developing a speech recognition vocabulary and programming a robot to perform useful tasks. >
Single-pass rendering of composable volumetric lens effects

We describe an efficient single-pass rendering approach for composable 3D volumetric lenses. Composing rendering effects by intersecting multiple 3D lenses is a logical and intuitive extension of the Magic Lens metaphor and volumetric lenses. However, 3D lens composition was once considered intractable and recent multi-lens approaches require a number of passes that can grow exponentially with lens count. They generally involve substantial per-frame data structure generation or advanced techniques such as depth peeling. In contrast, we summarize a simple and effective technique that renders intersecting lenses of various shapes and effects in a single pass, does not require the maintenance of costly data structures, and can easily be incorporated into existing real-time rendering systems. It also supports more flexibility in the way complex lens effects are combined by using shade tree concepts to build composite shader programs.
Timing models of reward learning and core addictive processes in the brain

People become addicted in different ways, and they respond differently to different interventions. There may nevertheless be a core neural pathology responsible for all distinctively addictive suboptimal behavioral habits. In particular, timing models of reward learning suggest a hypothesis according to which all addiction involves neuroadaptation that attenuates serotonergic inhibition of a mesolimbic dopamine system that has learned that cues for consumption of the addictive target are signals of a high-reward-rate environment.
Factors Associated with the Use of and Compliance with the IIA Standards: A Study of Anglo‐culture CAEs

Chief audit executives (CAEs) are required to use and comply with The International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing (Standards). However, this study finds that 13.5 percent of CAEs in Anglo-culture countries do not use the Standards. Furthermore, of those who use the Standards a significant number fail to comply with specific standards. Multivariate tests of data from CAEs in this study show that ‘Length of IIA membership’ and ‘Internal auditing certification’ are positively associated with use. Other significant variables are ‘Superseded by local/government regulations or standards,’‘Not perceived as value added by management/board’ and ‘Compliance not expected in the country’ that are inversely related to use. The length of training is also positively associated with compliance, while other significant variables are internal audit certification, ‘Standards are too costly,’‘Not perceived as value added by management/board’ and ‘Inadequate internal audit staff’ that are negatively associated with compliance. The paper ends with a discussion of the implications of these results for practice and research.
Superhydrophobic perfluorinated metal–organic frameworks

Three perfluorinated Cu-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) were prepared starting from extensively fluorinated biphenyl-based ligands accessed via C–H functionalization. These new materials are highly hydrophobic: with water contact angles of up to 151 ± 1°, they are among the most water-repellent MOFs ever reported.
Strategies used to stabilize the elbow joint challenged by inverted pendulum loading.

Abstract The stiffness of activated muscles may stabilize a loaded joint by preventing perturbations from causing large displacements and injuring the joint. Here the elbow muscle recruitment patterns were compared with the forearm loaded vertically (a potentially unstable inverted pendulum configuration) and with horizontal loading. Eighteen healthy subjects were studied with the forearm vertical and supinated and the elbow flexed approximately 90°. In the first experiment EMG electrodes recorded activity of biceps, triceps, and brachioradialis muscles for joint torques produced (a) by voluntarily exerting a horizontal force isometrically (b) by voluntarily flexing and extending the elbow while the forearm was loaded vertically with 135 N. The relationship between the EMG and the torque generated was quantified by the linear regression slope and zero-torque intercept. In a second experiment a vertical load increasing linearly with time up to 300 N was applied. In experiment 1 the EMG–torque relationships for biceps and triceps had an intercept about 10% of maximum voluntary effort greater with the vertical compared to the horizontal force, the inverse was found for Brachioradialis, but the EMG–torque slopes for both agonist and antagonistic muscles were not different. In experiment 2 there were 29 trials with minimal elbow displacement and all the three muscles activated on the order of 11% of maximum activation to stabilize the elbow; 19 trials had small elbow extension and 14 trials small flexion requiring altered muscle forces for equilibrium; 7 trials ended in large unstable displacement or early termination of the test. An analysis indicate that the observed levels of muscle activation would only provide stability if the muscles’ short-range stiffness was at the high end of the published range, hence the elbow was marginally stable. The stability analysis also indicated that the small elbow extension increased stability and flexion decreased stability.
Deformation of Elastomeric Networks: Relation between Molecular Level Deformation and Classical Statistical Mechanics Models of Rubber Elasticity

In this work a specialized molecular simulation code has been used to provide details of the underlying micromechanisms governing the observed macroscopic behavior of elastomeric materials. In the simulations the polymer microstructure was modeled as a collection of unified atoms interacting by two-body potentials of bonded and non-bonded type. Representative Volume Elements (RVEs) containing a network of 200 molecular chains of 100 bond lengths are constructed. The evolution of the RVEs with uniaxial deformation was studied with molecular dynamics techniques. The simulations enable observation of structural features with deformation including bond lengths and angles as well as chain lengths and angles. The simulations also enable calculation of the macroscopic stress-strain behavior and its decomposition into bonded and non-bonded contributions. The distribution in initial end-to-end chain lengths is consistent with Gaussian statistics treatments of rubber elasticity. It is shown that application of an axial strain of +/ 0.7 (a logarithmic strain measure is used) only causes a change in the average bond angle of /+ 5 degrees indicating the freedom of bonds to sample space at these low-moderate deformations; the same strain causes the average chain angle to change by /+ 20 degrees. Randomly selected individual chains are monitored during deformation; their individual chain lengths and angles are found to evolve in an essentially ane manner consistent with Gaussian statistics treatments of rubber elasticity. The average chain length and angle are found to evolve in a manner consistent with the eight-chain network model of elasticity. Energy quantities are found to remain constant during deformation consistent with the nature of rubber elasticity begin entropic in origin. The stress-strain response is found to have important bonded and non-bonded contributions. The bonded contributions arise from the rotations of the bonds toward the maximum principal stretch axis(es) in tensile(compressive) loading.
Chronic administration of nitric oxide reduces angiotensin II receptor type 1 expression and aldosterone synthesis in zona glomerulosa cells.

Acute nitric oxide (NO) inhibits angiotensin II (ANG II)-stimulated aldosterone synthesis in zona glomerulosa (ZG) cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of chronic administration of NO ...
Hybrid time-data-driven control for biological cellular systems

This paper proposes a hybrid time-data-driven control to regulate biological activities of cellular systems. The proposed control framework integrates data-driven, time-driven and feed forward controls into a hybrid framework. In principle, the proposed control can be used for tracking control of nonlinear systems with limited measurements. To show the effectiveness of the proposed control, we have used it to externally regulate activities of the GAL network in yeast.
Lessons for non-VA care delivery systems from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Quality Enhancement Research Initiative: QUERI Series

The U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) may have a very different structure and function from the organizations and practices that provide medical care to most Americans, but those organizations and practices could learn a lot from the VHA's Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI). There are at least six topics of increasing importance for implementation research where QUERI experience should be of value to other non-VHA organizations, both within and external to the United States: 1) Researcher-clinical leader partnerships for care improvement; 2) Attention to culture, capacity, leadership, and a supportive infrastructure; 3) Practical economic evaluation of quality implementation efforts; 4) Human subject protection problems; 5) Sustainability of improvements; and 6) Scale-up and spread of improvements.
Training School Personnel to Facilitate a Family Intervention to Prevent Conduct Problems

This study evaluates school personnel perceptions, knowledge, and behaviors before and after a 36-hr training program designed to prepare early childhood school personnel for implementation of an after-school family preventive intervention for conduct problems. Participants were 40 female school personnel (22 professionals and 18 paraprofessionals). Research Findings: Participation and satisfaction with the training program were high. Before training, school personnel responded correctly to 53% to 66% of knowledge questions and indicated that they would be “somewhat comfortable to comfortable” in facilitating the after-school groups with families. Before training, professionals had greater knowledge than paraprofessionals; there was no difference in initial comfort level by professional status. Trainees made substantial gains in knowledge related to cognitive–behavioral strategies for preschoolers, program philosophy, and group facilitation skills, responding correctly to 69% to 77% of questions. These la...
Global-Stabilizing Near-Optimal Control Design for Nonholonomic Chained Systems

It is well known that a nonlinear optimal control requires the solution to a two-point boundary value problem or to a nonlinear partial differential equation and that such a solution can only be obtained off line by numerical iteration. In this paper, a new and near-optimal control design framework is proposed for controlling any nonholonomic system in the chained form. The proposed design is based upon thorough study of uniform complete controllability of the corresponding linear time varying nominal system. It is shown that, no matter whether the first component u1d(t) of reference input vector is uniformly nonvanishing or simply nonconvergent to zero or vanishing or identically zero, uniform complete controllability of the (nominal) system can be recovered by employing the proposed time-folding/unfolding technique. Upon establishing the common property of uniform complete controllability, the proposed framework can be used to design both trajectory tracking control and regulation control in a systematic and unified manner. Using duality, uniform complete observability can also be established, a closed-form and exponentially convergent observer can be synthesized, and the controls designed using the proposed framework can be either state-feedback or output-feedback. The tracking controls are designed using the same three-step process. That is, design of the proposed controls starts with optimal control solutions to two linear nominal subsystems, one time-invariant and the other time varying. The two solutions combined together render a globally stabilizing suboptimal control for the overall system. Then, the optimality condition is invoked to determine the distance between the suboptimal control and the optimal one. Consequently, an improved control can be obtained by introducing a nonlinear additive control term in such a way that the distance aforementioned is minimized as much as possible in closed form. An example is used to show that regulation control can be designed similarly. All the controls designed are in simple closed forms and hence real-time implementable, they are time varying and smooth, globally and exponentially/asymptotically stabilizing, and they are near optimal since their closeness to the optimal control (attainable only offline) can be measured, monitored on line, and has been minimized
Stomatal conductance predicts yields in irrigated Pima cotton and bread wheat grown at high temperatures

Recent studies of historical series from Pima cotton and bread wheat bred for higher yields at supra-optimal temperatures under ample water supply have shown that incremental increases in stomatal conductance have accompanied lint and grain yield increases in successive commercial releases. Pima cotton studies showed that the differences in stomatal conductance are under genetic control. F 4 progeny of F 2 plants selected solely for high stomatal conductance had higher lint yields than progeny from low conductance plants. Carbon isotope discrimination is positively correlated with stomatal conductance and yields in both wheat and Pima cotton. A gas exchange study showed that the stomatal response to temperature, but not to light or to water vapour pressure deficit (VPD), separated low and high-yielding Pima lines in the same order as their stomatal conductance in field conditions. Selection for higher yields in Pima cotton and bread wheat appear to have generated selection pressures for higher stomatal conductances that are independent of operating pressures for higher photosynthetic rates. The adaptive advantage of higher stomatal conductance appears to be associated with leaf cooling, which provides an avoidance type of heat resistance at supra-optimal temperatures. Lower leaf and canopy temperatures at critical developmental stages associated with flowering and fruiting during July for Pima cotton in Arizona, and February for bread wheat in north-west Mexico appear to favour higher yields. Stomatal conductance could be a valuable selection criterion for higher yields in irrigated crops grown at supra-optimal temperatures.
The Schizosaccharomyces pombe inv1+ Regulatory Region Is Unusually Large and Contains Redundant cis-Acting Elements That Function in a SAGA- and Swi/Snf-Dependent Fashion

The Schizosaccharomyces pombe inv1+ gene encodes invertase, the enzyme required for hydrolysis of sucrose and raffinose. Transcription of inv1+ is regulated by glucose levels, with transcription tightly repressed in high glucose and strongly induced in low glucose. To understand this regulation, we have analyzed the inv1+ cis-regulatory region and the requirement for the trans-acting coactivators SAGA and Swi/Snf. Surprisingly, deletion of the entire 1-kilobase intergenic region between the inv1+ TATA element and the upstream open reading frame SPCC191.10 does not significantly alter regulation of inv1+ transcription. However, a longer deletion that extends through SPCC191.10 abolishes inv1+ induction in low glucose. Additional analysis demonstrates that there are multiple, redundant regulatory regions spread over 1.5 kb 5′ of inv1+, including within SPCC191.10, that can confer glucose-mediated transcriptional regulation to inv1+. Furthermore, SPCC191.10 can regulate inv1+ transcription in an orientation-independent fashion and from a distance as great as 3 kb. With respect to trans-acting factors, both SAGA and Swi/Snf are recruited to SPCC191.10 and to other locations in the large inv1+ regulatory region in a glucose-dependent fashion, and both are required for inv1+ derepression. Taken together, these results demonstrate that inv1+ regulation in S. pombe occurs via the use of multiple regulatory elements and that activation can occur over a great distance, even from elements within other open reading frames.
Gasotransmitters in cancer: from pathophysiology to experimental therapy

The three endogenous gaseous transmitters - nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) - regulate a number of key biological functions. Emerging data have revealed several new mechanisms for each of these three gasotransmitters in tumour biology. It is now appreciated that they show bimodal pharmacological character in cancer, in that not only the inhibition of their biosynthesis but also elevation of their concentration beyond a certain threshold can exert anticancer effects. This Review discusses the role of each gasotransmitter in cancer and the effects of pharmacological agents - some of which are in early-stage clinical studies - that modulate the levels of each gasotransmitter. A clearer understanding of the pharmacological character of these three gases and the mechanisms underlying their biological effects is expected to guide further clinical translation.
Sandostatin®: Assay and Efficacy in VIPoma and Insulinoma

This communication is divided into three sections. The first deals with the clinical application of gut peptide radioimmunoassay (RIA) and a description of the Sandostatin® RIA performed at The Ohio State University. The second section briefly addresses the utility of peptide RIA in endocrine tumors of the gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) system and a rationale for Sandostatin therapy specifically as it pertains to VIPoma/watery diarrhea syndrome (WDS). The final section discusses observations regarding chronic Sandostatin therapy of our patient with malignant insulinoma.
Comparing Measured and Computed Nonlinear Frequency Responses to Calibrate Nonlinear System Models

Many systems of interest contain nonlinearities that are difficult to accurately model from first principles, so it would be preferable to characterize the system experimentally. For many nonlinear systems, it is now possible to measure frequency response curves with stepped sine testing and to compute frequency response curves with numerical continuation. Nonlinear frequency response curves are very sensitive to the system model and the nonlinearities and they provide a lot of insight into the response of the system to a variety of inputs. This paper explores the feasibility of a nonlinear model updating approach based on nonlinear frequency response and the experimental and analytical tools that are needed. For the experiment, a cantilever beam with an unknown nonlinearity is driven with a harmonic force at various frequencies. The steady-state response is measured and processed with the fast Fourier transform to obtain the frequency response curve. Some subtle yet important details regarding how this is implemented are discussed. An analytical model is also constructed and its frequency response computed using a recently developed technique. The measured and simulated frequencies are then compared and used to tune the analytical model.
In Memory of Da Ruan

It is with a great sense of loss that I am writing this small memoriam about Da Ruan. I believe Da, who was full of ideas and energy for new ventures, had a bright future from which all of us would have benefited.
Harnessing Leaky Modes for Fluorescence Enhancement in Gold-Tipped Silicon Nanowires

Hybrid structures containing plasmonic and photonic components can enhance light–matter interaction through both photonic and plasmonic modes and potentially their interactions. In this article, we systematically investigate the optical properties of nanoparticle-tipped silicon nanowires (NPTWs) and characterize their ability to enhance the fluorescence signal of two cyanine dyes (Cy3 and Cy5) selectively bound to the gold tip. Although both gold and silicon components contribute to the fluorescence signal enhancement, the experimentally observed strong morphology dependence of the fluorescence emission enhancement is demonstrated to depend on tunable leaky modes of the silicon nanowires. The ability to encode emission fluorescence enhancement in the structure of NPTWs is of high relevance for multiparametric biosensing and imaging.
Development of Innovative Radioactive Isotope Production Techniques at the Pennsylvania State University Radiation Science and Engineering Center

The Penn State Breazeale Nuclear Reactor (PSBR) at the Radiation Science and Engineering Center (RSEC) has produced radioisotopes for research and commercial purposes since 1956. With the rebirth of the radiochemistry education and research program at the RSEC, the Center stands poised to produce a variety of radioisotopes for research and industrial work that is in line with the mission of the DOE Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics, Isotope Development and Production Research and Application Program. The RSEC received funding from the Office of Science in 2010 to improve production techniques and develop new capabilities. Under this program, we improved our existing techniques to provide four radioisotopes (Mn-56, Br-82, Na-24, and Ar-41) to researchers and industry in a safe and efficient manner. The RSEC is also working to develop new innovative techniques to provide isotopes in short supply to researchers and others in the scientific community, specifically Cu-64 and Cu-67. Improving our existing radioisotopes production techniques and investigating new and innovative methods are two of the main initiatives of the radiochemistry research program at the RSEC.
Insect growth regulators: mode of action on the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae).

Four insect growth regulators, Ro 16-1295, methoprene, fenoxycarb, and Ro 15-8630, caused 99% reduction in larval-to-adult (emerged) development of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis , when they were incorporated in the larval rearing medium at rates of 10.5, 13.3, 15.9, and 41.6 ppb, respectively. Significantly higher concentrations of hydroprene (355.6 ppb), Pro-Drone (648.5 ppb), and CGA-112913 (4.500 ppm) had to be applied to achieve the same result. Methoprene, Pro-Drone, Ro 15-8630, and CGA-112913 affected mainly the pupal stage (adult emergence), while fenoxycarb and Ro 16-1295 affected both larval (cocoon formation) and pupal stages. At lower concentrations hydroprene affected the pupal stage more than the larval stage, but at higher concentrations it affected both stages equally. When methoprene was applied to larvae from 1.5 to 5.5 days old, no significant differences were noticed for larval and pupal mortalities among the different ages. Adult emergence was reduced by 84% when cocoons less than 2 days old were exposed to 0.01 ppm of methoprene. Methoprene, fenoxycarb, Ro 15-8630, hydroprene, and Pro-Drone caused from 1 to 5% of larvae to pupate without spinning silk cocoons.
The reliability of psychological instruments in community samples: A cautionary note.

Although researchers norm and validate measures of psychological constructs largely on educated samples, they often use these instruments more broadly, assuming generalizability. We examined whether the assumption of generalizability is warranted. We administered three commonly used psychological measures—the Behavioral Activation/Behavioral Inhibition Scale, the Regulatory Focus Questionnaire, and the Need for Cognition Scale—to a community sample (N = 332) with limited education. For the three instruments, five of seven scales/subscales had unsatisfactory reliabilities. Internal consistency was lowest among participants with less education. The results suggest that instruments normed on educated samples may not generalize to uneducated samples.
An Application of Structural Filter and Gabor Deconvolution for AVO Processing

This paper discusses two seismic data conditioning processes – Structural Filter (SF) and Gabor deconvolution. We found that these two techniques can improve AVO analysis in CMP and CRP gathers. Structural Filter greatly enhances the S/N of gathers by removing abnormal single high amplitude events, outliers and strong random noise. At the meantime, the relative amplitude is well preserved. A smoother AVO anomaly is observed in the gathers with enhanced S/N. The gather was measured for AVO fit using a 2-term Aki-Richards equation. The AVO gradient analysis shows an amplitude change discontinuity at far offsets. We speculated that this is caused by tuning effect. Gabor deconvolution is used to increase the resolution of the data and remove the Q effect. The gradient analysis showed a much more reasonable class 2 AVO anomaly with a fit of 0.85 for top of the layer after Gabor deconvolution.
Supply chain network design under production disruption risk

A model reguarding the supply chain network under production disruption risk was developed based on the concept of supernetworks and the theory of variational inequalities.The model consists of multiple suppliers and multiple manufacturers,and considers the impact of production disruption risks on the costs,profits,and capacity decisions of the supply chain firms.The variational inequality formulation was used to express the equilibrium conditions of the supply chain network where all decision makers' optimal conditions are simultaneously satisfied.The conditions for the existence of solution and conditions of monotonicity were provided.
Generation of an Inducible Mouse ES Cell Lines Deficient for Argonaute Proteins

Argonautes (Agos) are core effectors of RNA silencing. In several nonmammalian organisms, multiple Agos are known to exhibit specialized functions for distinct RNA silencing pathway. Mammals have four closely related Agos. To examine the functions of mammalian Agos in the microRNA silencing pathway, we generated mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells that are nullizygous for all Agos. This chapter describes a variety of techniques including BAC recombineering, gene targeting, and inducible Cre-loxP recombination, used to generate inducible Ago knock-out ES cells. The Ago-deficient ES cells provide an important tool for the study of mammalian RNA silencing.
The pineal as a neuroendocrine transducer.

The past decade has seen a drastic revision in our concept of the pineal's role. Once considered a gland, it is now seen as a neuroendocrine transducer, bearing major responsibility for synchronizi...
Is Our Health Care System Equipped for the Changing Heart Failure Demographics

The composition of the population according to race/ethnicity is changing. In 2014 the proportions of non-Hispanic white and minority populations were 62% and 38%, respectively. Projected change of the racial and ethnic diversity for 2060 is: non-Hispanic whites 44%, minorities 56% [(1)][1]. A
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung and Bronchus

This chapter focuses on squamous cell carcinoma of the lung and bronchus, the most important cause of which is cigarette smoking. The degree of causation is modified by the amount smoked, the years of smoking, and the interval since quitting. Rates of squamous cell carcinoma are roughly similar in the populations of Los Angeles County and other parts of the country, except for that of Utah, which has a lower prevalence of smokers and lower rates. Incidence of this malignancy is over twice as high among men as among women. Occurrence is higher among whites and especially African-Americans of both sexes in comparison with those of other racial/ethnic groups. Among the male residents of high-risk census tracts, incidence is not decreasing, whereas among women the decrease is greater than it is in the county as a whole.
Between the market and the state: the capacity of business associations for policy engagement in Uganda

This study assesses the capabilities of business associations for conducting meaningful policy engagements with government. Using information from 21 associations and five state institutions, this work investigates the level of autonomy and ability of business associations to coordinate and order their interests for policy decision-making. Findings reveal that the ability to organise an association's own interests is hindered by weak systems and internal structures, especially at sub-sector level. Most associations are financially weak, have limited professional expertise and experience a low level of commitment from members, which affects their capacity for autonomy. It is important that business associations create regulations to make membership ties binding, so as to strengthen their influence on policy. Associations should also be more aggressive in mobilising finances, and they should identify synergies and develop partnerships with the state to build their capacity for participating in policy-making.
Derivation and Application of Equivalent Circuits to Model Common-Mode Current in Microgrids

In this paper, a formalized common-mode (CM) modeling approach is proposed to transform mixed-mode power system models into their CM equivalent circuits. The approach is first validated through comparison of time-domain waveforms predicted by detailed mixed-mode and CM equivalent models of a representative ship power system. Subsequently, the approach is validated using hardware measurements of the Purdue reduced-scale naval dc microgrid. The experimental studies highlight the utility of the proposed modeling approach to assess design questions regarding placement and impedance of system grounds.
The Russian army in the Great War: the Eastern Front, 1914–1917; Imperial apocalypse: the Great War and the destruction of the Russian Empire

Despite the vast landscape on which it was fought, the large-scale operations that featured a war of movement, the engagement of millions of people and expenditure of enormous amounts of national r...
Predicting shifts in large herbivore distributions under climate change and management using a spatially-explicit ecosystem model

Wildlife managers use a variety of interventions to alter species distributions but it is uncertain how effective these techniques will be under shifting climate. There is growing recognition of the importance of including climate change scenarios into management planning and actions, but this is lacking in many systems. The spatially-explicit ecosystem model, SAVANNA, was used to predict shifts in large herbivore distribution from 2020 to 2079 under scenarios of climate change, water management, and elephant population growth in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Directional persistence was used to indicate where five large herbivore species – elephant (Loxodonta africana), buffalo (Syncerus caffer), impala (Aepyceros melampus), wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), and zebra (Equus quagga) – were predicted to increase or decrease their density relative to historic conditions. The overlap in herbivore distributions both within and between species was measured to indicate which change agents were likely to influence future distributions as well as when those influences are expected to occur. We found that patterns differed across climate scenarios. Altering artificial water availability had a mixed overall effect on the persistence of herbivore densities across the park, but strongly influenced the overlap in both within- and between-species distributions. Elephant numbers generally only had an influence under the most extreme case of population growth. While management actions at the scale of large protected areas or regions may not be able to directly alter climate outcomes, they have the potential to mitigate other stressors, increasing the opportunity for species and ecosystems to adapt to uncertain climate effects. Simulation studies of future conditions under interacting climate and management, such as presented here, have important potential to inform decision making, but do not remove the need for continued monitoring and adaptive management.
Abstract WMP38: ABCA1/HDL Pathway Mediates GW3965 Induced Neurorestoration and White Matter Remodeling After Stroke

ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), a major cholesterol transporter in the central nervous system, plays an important role in the formation of brain HDL-cholesterol. ABCA1 is up-regulated by the transcription factors, liver X receptors (LXRs). Our previous study using brain-specific ABCA1 deficient (floxed, nestin-Cre positive, ABCA1-B/-B) and ABCA1 floxed-control (ABCA1fl/fl) mice showed that ABCA1 has anti-inflammatory effects and reduces white matter (WM) damage in ischemic stroke models. Here, we further test whether GW3965, a synthetic LXR agonist treatment of stroke increases ABCA1 and HDL, and thereby improves WM-remodeling and functional outcome. Adult male ABCA1fl/fl and ABCA1-B/-B mice were subjected to permanent extraluminal distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAo) by transcranial ligation method. Animals were gavaged with saline or GW3965 (10 mg/kg) starting 24h after dMCAo and daily till sacrificed 14 days after dMCAo. There were no differences in the lesion volume and blood levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride before and after dMCAo between ABCA1-B/-B and ABCA1fl/fl mice. However, GW3965 treatment significantly increased blood HDL levels in ABCA1fl/fl mice, but not in ABCA1-B/-B mice 14 days after dMCAo. GW3965 treatment of ABCA1fl/fl stroke mice, but not in ABCA1-B/-B stroke mice, also increased: 1) WM-density identified by Luxol Fast Blue (myelin marker), Bielshowsky silver (axon marker), and SMI31 (phosphorylated neurofilament marker) staining; 2) the number of platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha positive oligodendrocyte progenitor cells; 3) ABCA1, synaptophysin and myelin basic protein expression in the ischemic brain; 4) functional outcome 7 and 14 days after dMCAo, compared with non-treatment ABCA1fl/fl stroke mice (p
Institutional Colorblindness: Education, Law, and Organizations

Chapter 8 provides an in depth review of the impact of racial colorblindness within specific institutional contexts: namely, within the domains of education, law, and organizations. As each of these domains has a vested interest in efficient and effective diversity policies, relatively sizeable academic literatures specific to each domain have developed. We also know a great deal about the respective real-world impacts of colorblindness within these domains. As in the previous chapter, almost all available evidence suggests that colorblind institutional policies are harmful with respect to minorities.