cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating benthic impact of the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery using the swept area seabed impact (SASI) model

The Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act mandates US fisheries minimize adverse effects of fishing on essential fish habitat (EFH). The Gulf of Maine (GoM) American lobster (Hom...
Revisiting the genome-wide significance threshold for common variant GWAS.

Over the last decade, GWAS meta-analyses have used a strict P-value threshold of 5 × 10-8 to classify associations as significant. Here, we use our current understanding of frequently studied traits including lipid levels, height, and BMI to revisit this genome-wide significance threshold. We compare the performance of studies using the P = 5 × 10-8 threshold in terms of true and false positive rate to other multiple testing strategies: (1) less stringent P-value thresholds, (2) controlling the FDR with the Benjamini-Hochberg and Benjamini-Yekutieli procedure, and (3) controlling the Bayesian FDR with posterior probabilities. We applied these procedures to re-analyze results from the Global Lipids and GIANT GWAS meta-analysis consortia and supported them with extensive simulation that mimics the empirical data. We observe in simulated studies with sample sizes ∼20,000 and >120,000 that relaxing the P-value threshold to 5 × 10-7 increased discovery at the cost of 18% and 8% of additional loci being false positive results, respectively. FDR and Bayesian FDR are well controlled for both sample sizes with a few exceptions that disappear under a less stringent definition of true positives and the two approaches yield similar results. Our work quantifies the value of using a relaxed P-value threshold in large studies to increase their true positive discovery but also show the excess false positive rates due to such actions in modest-sized studies. These results may guide investigators considering different thresholds in replication studies and downstream work such as gene-set enrichment or pathway analysis. Finally, we demonstrate the viability of FDR-controlling procedures in GWAS.
Positive pressure hand ventilation: potential errors in estimating inflation pressures.

Despite increasing electronic sophistication in the design of mechanical ventilators, there has been persistent dependence on hand bagging in acute neonatal respiratory failure. Hand ventilation continues to be clinically useful in preparation for the application of the mechanical ventilator and to support airway suctioning.1 High inflation peak pressures can lead to the development of pulmonary air leaks; therefore, the use of a pressure manometer with neonatal hand bag ventilation equipment is widely recommended.2,3 Although no manufacturer currently markets a pressure manometer designed exclusively for use with neonatal hand ventilation equipment, many neonatal intensive care centers currently use diaphragm-type manometers for this purpose.
Chapter 30 Incomplete markets

Publisher Summary This chapter analyzes the GEI model of an exchange economy in which one finds that when markets are incomplete, changing the financial instruments, or when nominal assets are present, changing the money, supply leads to a change in the equilibrium allocation; in short, financial instruments and money are nonneutral. The chapter presents a systematic analysis of the concepts and mathematical techniques needed for a proper understanding of the behavior of GEI equilibria. While real assets are inflation proof, nominal assets are not. The economic consequence is the striking property exhibited by the GEI model with nominal assets: indeterminacy if the model is left unchanged and nonneutrality of money if a role is introduced for money as a medium of exchange. The chapter presents an analysis of the GEI model of a production economy: it is the theory that encounters great difficulties. When markets are incomplete each firm faces a public goods problem with respect to its constituency of shareholders (and employees) for which there is no evident solution. The chapter also presents a reasonably coherent view of the current status of the theory of incomplete markets.
SU-E-J-105: Trusting Dose Deformation and Accumulation for GYN Brachytherapy

Purpose: In brachytherapy, structures surrounding the target have the potential to move between treatments and receive unknown dose. Deformable image registration could overcome challenges through dose accumulation. This study uses two possible deformable dose summation techniques and compares the results to point dose summation currently performed in clinic. Methods: Data for ten patients treated with a Syed template was imported into the MIM software (Cleveland, OH). The deformable registration was applied to structures by masking other image data to a single intensity. The registration flow consisted of the following steps: 1) mask CTs so that each of the structures-of-interest had one unique intensity; 2) perform applicator — based rigid registration; 3) Perform deformable registration; 4) Refine registration by changing local alignments manually; 5) Repeat steps 1 to 3 until desired structure adequately deformed; 5) Transfer each deformed contours to the first CT. The deformed structure accuracy was determined by a dice similarity coefficient (DSC) comparison with the first fraction. Two dose summation techniques were investigated: a deformation and recalculation on the structure; and a dose deformation and accumulation method. Point doses were used as a comparison value. Results: The Syed deformations have DSC ranging from 0.53 to 0.97 and 0.75more » and 0.95 for the bladder and rectum, respectively. For the bladder, contour deformation addition ranged from −34.8% to 0.98% and dose deformation accumulation ranged from −35% to 29.3% difference from clinical calculations. For the rectum, contour deformation addition ranged from −5.2% to 16.9% and the dose deformation accumulation ranged from −29.1% to 15.3% change. Conclusion: Deforming dose for summation leads to different volumetric doses than when dose is recalculated on deformed structures, raising concerns about the accuracy of the deformed dose. DSC alone cannot be used to establish the accuracy of a deformation for brachy dose summation purpose.« less
Food source effect and residual efficacy of chlorfenapyr as a surface treatment on sealed and unsealed concrete

Abstract Adults of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), the red flour beetle, were exposed at 1 day, and 2, 4, and 6 weeks post-treatment on sealed and unsealed concrete arenas treated with chlorfenapyr at rates of 2.8, 6.9, 13.8, 20.6, 27.5 mg active ingredient/m2. Beetles were held either with or without flour, and assessments were done of the percentage of mobile beetles after 24 h and after 1 wk, and the percentage of beetles knocked down and dead after 1-wk. Although the percentage of adults that were still mobile after 24-hr of exposure increased on sealed and unsealed concrete with increasing post-treatment interval, there were less mobile adults on the arenas without flour compared to those with flour in week 0, but the opposite was true at weeks 2, 4 and 6. At the one week assessments, there were usually more beetles remaining mobile and more beetles knocked down on arenas with flour compared to those without flour, and more dead beetles on arenas without flour compared to those with flour. Sealing did not have a clear beneficial effect. The presence of the flour food source generally decreased efficacy of the insecticide, regardless of concentration.
Role of endogenous endothelin in normal hemodynamic status of anesthetized dogs

Endothelin (ET) is a potent vasoconstrictor that may be involved in a number of cardiovascular disorders, although its role in normal hemodynamics remains unclear. Twenty-two anesthetized open-ches...
In vivo measurement of unscheduled DNA synthesis and S-phase synthesis as an indicator of hepatocarcinogenesis in rodents.

Measurement of chemically induced DNA repair as unscheduled DNA synthesis in rodent liver following in vivo treatment is a useful screen for potential hepatocarcinogens. In addition to measurement of unscheduled DNA synthesis, examination of S-phase synthesis provides an indicator of chemically induced cell proliferation in the liver, which may be a basis for hepatic tumor promotion. Several chemicals and classes of chemicals have been examined using these end points. The pyrrolizidine alkaloid riddelline is a potent genotoxic agent in vitro, and in vivo studies confirm this response as riddelline induces significant elevations in unscheduled DNA synthesis and S-phase synthesis in rat liver. Conversely, H.C. Blue dyes #1 and #2 are both potent genotoxic agents in vitro but fail to express this genotoxicity in vivo. H.C. Blue #1 induces significant increases in S-phase synthesis in B6C3F1 mouse liver, which correlates with the observed carcinogenicity of this compound. Halogenated hydrocarbons likewise fail to induce unscheduled DNA synthesis in vivo, but many of these compounds do increase hepatic cell proliferation in mice, which may be the principal mechanism of hepatocarcinogenesis in this species.
Stabilizing properties of monetary feedback rules: A representative-agent approach

Abstract Evidence from theoretical models fails to support the obvious preference that many stabilization-policy advocates have for monetary policies that feature negative feedback over those that feature positive feedback. In this paper, I employ a representative-agent model to investigate the stabilizing properties of positive- and negative-feedback monetary policy rules. I consider two alternative policy objectives—price-level stabilization and inflation-rate stabilization—along with two alternative versions of the agent's intertemporal allocation problem. None of the results supports the notion that negative-feedback policies are more likely than positive-feedback policies to be successful in stabilizing the price level or the inflation rate.
Mg+NO and Mg+ON: potentially important ionospheric species

Abstract In order to determine the lowest energy isomer of the Mg + − NO complex, self-consistent field (SCF), configuration interaction including all single and double excitations (CISD), coupled cluster singles and doubles (CCSD), and CCSD with perturbatively evaluated triples [CCSD(T)] ab initio electronic structure methods were employed. Equilibrium geometries, relative energies, dipole moments, harmonic vibrational frequencies, and associated infrared (IR) intensities for the lowest triplet and closed-shell singlet structures were determined. At the CCSD(T) level with the largest basis set, triple-ζ plus double polarization augmented with one set of higher angular momentum and one set of diffuse functions (TZ2PF + diff), the global minimum was predicted to be closed shell, 1 A ′ Mg + NO with equilibrium geometry r e (Mg − N) = 2.378 A, r e (N − O) = 1.147 A, and θ e = 122.6°. At this same level of theory, 1 A ′ Mg + NO was predicted to lie approximately 14 kcal mol −1 below the Mg + + NO dissociation asymptote. At levels of theory below CCSD(T), the 3 Π state of Mg + NO is erroneously predicted to be the ground state. The dipole moment with respect to the center of mass is predicted to be 4.9 debyes for the 1 A ′ ground state of Mg + NO.
The impact of chronic blood-brain barrier breach on intracortical electrode function.

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have allowed control of prosthetic limbs in paralyzed patients. Unfortunately, the electrodes of the BCI that interface with the brain only function for a short period of time before the signal quality on these electrodes becomes substantially diminished. To truly realize the potential of BCIs, it is imperative to have electrodes that function chronically. In order to elucidate the physiological determinants of a chronically functional neural interface, we studied the role of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) in electrode function, because it is a key mediator of neuronal hemostasis. We monitored the status of the BBB and the consequences of BBB breach on electrode function using non-invasive imaging, electrophysiology, genomic, and histological analyses. Rats implanted with commercially available intracortical electrodes demonstrated an inverse correlation between electrode performance and BBB breach over a period of 16 weeks. Genomic analysis showed that chronically functional electrodes elicit an enhanced wound healing response. Conversely, in poorly functioning electrodes, chronic BBB breach led to local accumulation of neurotoxic factors and an influx of pro-inflammatory myeloid cells, which negatively affect neuronal health. These findings were further verified in a subset of electrodes with graded electrophysiological performance. In this study, we determine the mechanistic link between intracortical electrode function and failure. Our results indicate that BBB status is a critical physiological determinant of intracortical electrode function and can inform future electrode design and biochemical intervention strategies to enhance the functional longevity of BCIs.
Natural Disasters, Social Structure and Change in Traditional Societies

Etude de l'adaptation aux catastrophes naturelles dans les societes traditionnelles. Le cas des Gwembe Tonga de Zambie et de Rhodesie deplaces lors de la construction d'un barrage, en 1957-1959. Celui des Nubiens de la region d'Assouan (Egypte) en 1902 lors de la construction du premier barrage. Les deplacements de population provoques par la construction d'un barrage sur la Volta au Ghana au debut des annees soixante. Les consequences des cyclones qui ont frappe l'ile de Tikopia vers 1950.
Serotonin uptake and its kinetics in platelets of women with Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract The uptake of serotonin ( 14 C-5-hydroxytryptamine, 5HT) in platelets and its kinetic characteristics were investigated in a group of women ( n =20) with probable Alzheimer's Disease (mean age=76.0, years, SD=8.27, range=63–88) and in healthy normal women ( n = 18, mean age=72.6 years, SD=7.24, range=61–84). Both the apparent affinity of binding of 5HT to the platelet membrane ( K m ) and the maximum velocity ( V max ) of the rate of transport of 14 C-5HT into platelets were significantly higher in the Alzheimer's Disease group than in the normal comparison group. Initial velocity of 14 C-5HT uptake nor passive diffusion (nonspecific uptake of 14 C-5HT at 4 °C) differed significantly in the two groups. Our findings suggest abnormalities in the kinetic mechanisms involved in the uptake of 14 C-5HT by platelets in women with Alzheimer's Disease.
National Institute of Nursing Research commentary on the Idea Festival for Nursing Science Education

The Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science (CANS) Idea Festival (IF) produced important and timely recommendations (Henly et al., 2015a, b) for nursing science education and priorities for nursing science that should be incorporated into researchfocused doctoral programs. The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) supports the premise that doctoral research training needs to keep pace with our complex and global environments. This commentary outlines several NINR and National Institutes of Health (NIH) programs and initiatives that contribute to the growth and development of nursing science. The NINR’s strategic plan seeks to harness the strengths of nursing science tomeet current and future health care needs and anticipate future health challenges and priorities (NINR, 2013). The strategic plan is being implemented along four scientific themes (NINR, n.d.-a) or focus areas:
The synaptic architecture of neurons in opossum somatic sensory-motor cortex: a combined anatomical and physiological study.

Neurons in opossum somatic sensory-motor (SSM) cortex were studied to define some features of their normal ultrastructure and to identify the morphology and location of cortical cells that can be activated at short latencies by peripheral stimulation. Pyramidal neurons are characterized by rather triangular perikarya containing a relatively low density of cytoplasmic organelles and receiving few synaptic contacts on their somata and proximal dendrites. Synaptic contacts in this location are always of the ‘flat-symmetrical’ variety. The dendrites of pyramidal cells are densely laden with spines, and most of these postsynaptic elements receive ‘round-asymmetrical’ contacts. Some non-pyramidal neurons with beaded dendrites contain a high density of cytoplasmic organelles and receive both types of synaptic contact on their cell bodies. The dendrites of these neurons rarely bear spines. Many cortical neurons have electron-opaque satellite cells in close apposition to their perikaryal plasmalemma. Thus, the constituent neurons follow the same general rules of synaptic organization as equivalent cells in other mammals. To study these neurons, a technique was developed for the intracellular injection of Procion brown and horseradish peroxidase, because these substances are visible in both the light and electron microscope. Procion brown injection into single cortical neurons produces a vigorous response from a small number of glial cells that leads to partial phagocytosis in only a few hours after the injection. This response was not seen following HRP injections, and HRP-filled neurons could be studied at both the light and EM levels. Serial reconstruction of the cell body region of four pyramidal neurons showed that they received an average of 48 flat-symmetrical contacts per cell. Cells responding with a short latency to peripheral stimulation were all located in layer III of SSM cortex. We conclude that the basal dendrites of layer III pyramidal cells form one target of thalamic fibres in this cortex.
Tumor Necrosis Factor Induces Apoptosis in Hepatoma Cells by Increasing Ca2+ Release from the Endoplasmic Reticulum and Suppressing Bcl-2 Expression

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) plays an import role in the control of apoptosis. The most well known apoptotic pathway regulated by TNF involves the TNFR1-associated death domain protein, Fas-associated death domain protein, and caspase-8. This study examines the mechanism of TNF-induced apoptosis in FaO rat hepatoma cells. TNF treatment significantly increased the percentage of apoptotic cells. TNF did not activate caspase-8 but activated caspase-3, -10, and -12. The effect of TNF on the expression of different members of the Bcl-2 family in these cells was studied. We observed no detectable changes in the steady-state levels of Bcl-X(L), Bax, and Bid, although TNF suppresses Bcl-2 expression. Dantrolene suppressed the inhibitory effect of TNF on Bcl-2 expression. TNF induced release of Ca(2+) from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that was blocked by dantrolene. Importantly, the expression of Bcl-2 blocked TNF-induced apoptosis and decreased TNF-induced Ca(2+) release. These results suggest that TNF induces apoptosis by a mechanism that involves increasing Ca(2+) release from the ER and suppression of Bcl-2 expression.
Savoring with Intent: Investigating Types of and Motives for Responses to Positive Events

To contribute to a growing literature on positive affect (PA) regulation, we report on two studies investigating college students’ responses to hypothetical positive events using a new measure, the Positive Events and Responses Survey (PEARS). The PEARS includes various responses, including savoring (up-regulating PA) and dampening strategies (down-regulating PA), and novel responses (e.g., mass-sharing using Facebook). We examined its convergent and concurrent validity, its relationship with the value of happiness, and motives underlying savoring. Factor analyses supported a 3-factor model: natural savoring (e.g., expressing PA), intentional savoring (e.g., reflecting on the self), and dampening (e.g., minimizing the event). Both natural and intentional savoring were linked to other savoring behaviors, but only natural savoring was linked to perceived savoring ability and (in some bivariate results) to well-being. In contrast, dampening was consistently linked to less savoring and more dampening on other measures, lower well-being, and more depressive symptoms. People reporting valuing happiness more reported higher likelihood of all three types of responses. Qualitative data provided partial support for the hypothesis that intentional savoring strategies are more often used for instrumental reasons (e.g., boosting self-esteem), whereas natural savoring responses may sometimes be more automatic or stem from feeling PA. These studies validate a new measure and suggest that reasons underlying people’s savoring matter.
The effects of temporal modification of second speech signals on stuttering inhibition at two speech rates in adults

Abstract The recovery of ‘gestural’ speech information via the engagement of mirror neurons has been suggested to be the key agent in stuttering inhibition during the presentation of exogenous second speech signals. Based on this hypothesis, we expect the amount of stuttering inhibition to depend on the ease of recovery of exogenous speech gestures. To examine this possibility, linguistically non-congruent second speech signals were temporally compressed and expanded in two experiments. In Experiment 1, 12 participants who stutter read passages aloud at normal and fast speech rates while listening to second speech signals that were 0, 40, 80% compressed, and 40 and 80% expanded. Except for the 80% compressed speech signal, all other stimuli induced significant stuttering inhibition relative to the control condition. The 80% compressed speech signal was the first exogenously presented speech signal that failed to significantly reduce stuttering frequency by 60–70% that has been the case in our research over the years. It was hypothesized that at a compression ratio of 80%, exogenous speech signals generated too many gestures per unit time to allow for adequate gestural recovery via mirror neurons. However, considering that 80% compressed signal was also highly unintelligible, a second experiment was conducted to further examine whether the effects of temporal compression on stuttering inhibition are mediated by speech intelligibility. In Experiment 2, 10 participants who stutter read passages at a normal rate while listening to linguistically non-congruent second speech signals that were compressed by 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80%. Results revealed that 0 and 20% compressed speech signals induced approximately 52% stuttering inhibition. In contrast, compression ratios of 40% and beyond induced only 27% stuttering inhibition although 40 and 60% compressed signals were perceptually intelligible. Our findings suggest that recovery of gestural information is affected by temporal compression before intelligibility starts to decrease.
Defect in Early Lung Defence Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in DBA/2 Mice is Associated with Acute Inflammatory Lung Injury and Reduced Bactericidal Activity in Naive Macrophages

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes serious respiratory disease in the immune-compromised host. Using an aerosol infection model, 11 inbred mouse strains (129/Sv, A/J, BALB/c, C3H/HeN, C57BL/6, DBA/2, FVB, B10.D2/oSnJ, B10.D2/nSnJ, AKR/J and SWR/J) were tested for increased susceptibility to P. aeruginosa lung colonization. DBA/2 was the only mouse strain that had increased bacterial counts in the lung within 6 h post-infection. This deficiency incited a marked inflammatory response with reduced bacterial lung clearance and a mortality rate of 96.7 %. DBA/2 mice displayed progressive deterioration of lung pathology with extensive alveolar exudate and oedema formation at 48–72 h post-infection. The neutrophil-specific myeloperoxidase activity remained elevated throughout infection, suggesting that the increased leukocyte infiltration into alveoli caused acute inflammatory lung injury. DBA/2 mice lack the haemolytic complement; however, three additional mouse strains (AKR/J, SWR/J and A/J) with the same defect effectively cleared the infection, indicating that other host factors are involved in defence. Bone marrow-derived macrophages of DBA/2 showed an initial increase in phagocytosis, while their bactericidal activity was reduced compared to that of C57BL/6 macrophages. Comparison of pulmonary cytokine profiles of DBA/2 versus C57BL/6 or C3H/HeN indicated that DBA/2 had similar increases in tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, KC and interleukin (IL)-1a as C3H/HeN, but showed specific induction of IL-17, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Together, DBA/2 mice have a defect in the initial lung defence against P. aeruginosa colonization, which causes the host to produce a greater, but damaging, inflammatory response. Such a response may originate from the reduced antimicrobial activity of DBA/2 macrophages.
Influence of visual stimulus mode on transfer of acquired spatial associations.

Associations between corresponding stimulus–response locations are often characterized as overlearned, producing automatic activation. However, 84 practice trials with an incompatible mapping eliminate the benefit for spatial correspondence in a transfer Simon task, where stimulus location is irrelevant. The authors examined whether transfer occurs for combinations of physical-location, arrow-direction, and location-word modes in the practice and transfer sessions. With 84 practice trials, the Simon effect was reduced for locations and arrows, and there was complete transfer across these modes; location words showed little transfer within or between modes. These results suggest that the acquired short-term associations were based on visual-spatial stimulus codes distinct from semantic-spatial codes activated by the words. With 600 practice trials, words showed transfer to word and arrow but not location Simon tasks, suggesting that arrows share semantic-spatial codes with words. Reaction-time distribution functions for the Simon effect showed distinct shapes for each stimulus mode, with little impact of the practiced mapping on the shapes. Thus, the contribution of the short-term location associations seems to be separate from that of the long-term associations responsible for the Simon effect.
Short-pulse laser heating on metals

Abstract This work analyzes microscopic radiation-metal interactions in short-pulse laser heating processes and their effects on the material thermal response. The radiation-metal interactions are treated as a coupled two-step process : (1) the absorption of photon energy by electrons and (2) the subsequent heating of the metal lattice through electron-phonon collisions. Key parameters, pulse duration to relaxation, relaxation to diffusion, and heating intensity, are introduced to classify this two-step heating regime and the conventional one-step heating regime. In the two-step heating regime, the microscopic energy transfer among photons, electrons and phonons enlarges the size of the heat-affected region and lowers the peak metal lattice temperature rise significantly. The predicted transient reflectivity changes agree with subpicosecond laser heating experiments.
Moisture-Induced Delayed Alumina Scale Spallation on a Ni(pt)Al Coating

Delayed interfacial scale failure takes place after cooling for samples of a Ni(Pt)Al-coated CMSX4 single crystal superalloy, cycled at 1150 °C for up to 2000 h. One sample exhibited premature coating grain boundary wrinkling, alumina scale spallation to bare metal, and a final weight loss of 3.3 mg/cm2. Spallation under ambient conditions was monitored with time after cooldown and was found to continue for 24 h. This produced up to 0.05 mg/cm2 additional loss for each hold, accumulating 0.7 mg/cm2 (20% of the total) over the course of the test. After test termination, water immersion produced an additional 0.15 mg/cm2 loss (a duplicate sample produced much less wrinkling and time dependent spalling, maintaining a net weight gain). The results are consistent with the general phenomena of moisture-induced delayed spallation (MIDS) of mature, distressed alumina scales formed on oxidation resistant M-Al alloys. Relative ambient humidity is discussed as the factor controlling adsorbed moisture, reaction with the substrate, and hydrogen effects on interface strength.
Optical correlator field test results

A first phase demonstration of the capabilities and limitations of an optical correlator in a realistic environment has been completed. The testing was divided into several areas, from laboratory data gathering to a fully functional helicopter-delivered demonstration airframe. The basic research performed has led to three fully fieldable test units which have proven to be rugged and dependable under normal test range conditions. The units were transportable and required no realignment of the optics. Two of the test systems were modular in construction while the third was a 'solid optic' design having optical paths and components contained within a solid glass construction. Two flights have been completed so far, and in both cases the target was identified and tracked, and an airframe guided to target impact.
Micromechanical modeling of crack-tip rubber particle cavitational process in polymer toughening

A simple micromechanical modeling of the rubber particle cavitational process at the crack tip was conducted using the combination of Irwin's crack tip stress intensity factor analysis, slip-line field theory, and Dewey's closed-form elastic solution. This unique micromechanical modeling provides fruitful insights concerning the possible role(s) the rubber particles piay in front of a constrained (plane-strain) crack tip. The cavitation of the rubber particles at the tip of the crack causes the redistribution of the stress and strain fields around the cavitated rubber particles. This, in turn, alters the stress state the surrounding matrix experiences. Consequently, the fracture process is affected by the rubber particle cavitational event. The results of the micromechanical analyses suggest that both the preexisting holes and the occurrence of cavitation in the rubber particles in front of the crack serve (i) to relieve the plane-strain constraint, (ii) to promote shear yielding of the matrix, and (iii) as stress concentrators. The major difference between the preexisting holes and the rubber particle cavitational event lies on the sudden buildup of the octahedral stress component upon the cavitation of rubber particles in the crack tip region. Experimental observations of toughening mechanisms of various rubber-modified polymers support this micromechanical analyses.
A course on mathematical software

During the four academic years ending in 1981, a one semester course in mathematical software construction has been offered by the Computer Sciences Department at the University of Texas at Austin. Although originally offered at a graduate level, a modified version has been offered three times for undergraduate students. Those electing the class include students interested in scientific programming as a profession as well as mathematics, engineering, and science studetns who seek to improve their programming skills.
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition: a new era begins

The International Society of Sport Nutrition (ISSN) is dedicated to promoting and supporting the science and application of sports nutrition and is recognized as the only not-for-profit academic-based society dedicated to sports nutrition and growing the science of applied nutrition. The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (JISSN) is the official journal of the ISSN. After 3-years of publication, the ISSN is excited to announce that the JISSN is being converted to a BioMed Central journal. We believe doing so will enhance our mission to ISSN members, the scientific and medical community, and the general public up to date on the latest advances in exercise and sports nutrition. In addition, to provide a quality publication outlet for exercise and sport nutrition related research. The JISSN has published reviews, original research manuscripts, case-reports, and editorials related to the role of exercise and nutrition on health, disease, rehabilitation, training, and performance. We encourage authors looking for a quality journal to consider publishing their work in the JISSN.
Doing race and class

This essay argues that race is constructed not only by the conventions of social categorization, but also by the norms of social behavior. In analyzing the evolution of the American concept of race, it discusses Haynes’s Red Lines, Black Spaces; Jackson’s Harlemworld: Doing Race and Class in Contemporary Black America; Pattillo-McCoy’s Black Picket Fences; and Rockquemore and Brunsma’s Beyond Black: Biracial Identity in America.
Maintenance of gestation in hypophysectomized rats with highly purified pituitary hormones.

Pregnancy was maintained in Long-Evans rats hypophysectomized on day 1 and injected with ovine pituitary gonadotrophins from day 1 through day 11; and also in rats hypophysectomized on day 6 and injected from day 6 through day 11. For successful maintenance until term, no further injections were necessary after day 11. The combination of hormones considered close to optimal was; mammotrophin 2.5 mg; follicle-stimulating hormone 25 μg; and interstitial cell-stimulating hormone 5 μg injected daily, subcutaneously. Histological examination of ovaries after this regimen (on day 12) revealed interstitial and luteal tissue that was considered normal for this stage; and follicles that were in some cases larger than expected and occasionally with theca luteinization. The ovaries of the rats allowed to go to term and untreated after day 11 showed follicular and interstitial tissue that had regressed and well-stimulated corpora lutea. These findings showed no evidence of placental FSH or ICSH-like hormones; but confirmed earlier reports of a rat placental luteotrophic hormone.
Alibi believability: The impact of salacious alibi activities

We examined how alibi strength and a suspect’s claim of engaging in salacious alibi activities impact alibi believability. Specifically, we investigated whether an alibi of watching an X-rated movie versus watching a regular movie caused differences in alibi believability, perceived likelihood of guilt, and ratings of various character traits. Undergraduates read a crime description and a mock transcript before completing a questionnaire (adapted from Olson & Wells, 2004). Alibis were rated as more believable when the suspect provided a salacious alibi. Suspects with salacious alibis were rated as more honest, open, and less likely to be guilty.
Magnetic field on a fast charged particle traversing a ferromagnet: Random-phase approximation

Linear response theory is applied to a calculation of the dynamic magnetic field experienced by a particle of charge $\mathrm{Ze}$ when it passes through a ferromagnet with a velocity $v\ensuremath{\gg}Z{v}_{0}$ (${v}_{0}$ is the Bohr velocity). The wave-vector-dependent dielectric function and polarizability of an electron gas as calculated in the random-phase approximation are used in describing the response of the electrons in the ferromagnet to the Coulomb field of the traversing charge. The calculation results in a magnetic field acting on the moment of the charge of (0.86 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.01) $4\ensuremath{\pi}{M}_{0}Z(\frac{{v}_{0}}{v})$, where ${M}_{0}$ is the magnetization of the ferromagnet.
Toward Using Morphology in French-English Phrase-Based SMT

We describe the system used in our submission to the WMT-2009 French-English translation task. We use the Moses phrase-based Statistical Machine Translation system with two simple modications of the decoding input and word-alignment strategy based on morphology, and analyze their impact on translation quality.
A computational approach to high-resolution imaging of the living human retina without hardware adaptive optics

We demonstrate high-resolution imaging of the living human retina by computationally correcting highorder ocular aberrations. These corrections are performed post-acquisition and without the need for a deformable mirror or wavefront sensor that are commonly employed in hardware adaptive optics (HAO) systems. With the introduction of HAO to ophthalmic imaging, high-resolution near diffraction-limited imaging of the living human retina has become possible. The combination of a deformable mirror, wavefront sensor, and supporting hardware/software, though, can more than double the cost of the underlying imaging modality, in addition to significantly increasing the system complexity and sensitivity to misalignment. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) allows 3-D imaging in addition to naturally providing the complex optical field of backscattered light. This is unlike a scanning laser ophthalmoscope which measures only the intensity of the backscattered light. Previously, our group has demonstrated the utility of a technique called computational adaptive optics (CAO) which utilizes the complex field measured with OCT to computationally correct for optical aberrations in a manner similar to HAO. Until now, CAO has been applied to ex vivo imaging and in vivo skin imaging. Here, we demonstrate in vivo imaging of cone photoreceptors using CAO. Additional practical considerations such as imaging speed, and stability are discussed.
Pharmacodynamics of enoximone during intravenous infusion.

Abstract Twenty-one patients with heart failure (NYHA class II-IV) received a 24-hour infusion of enoximone, followed by a 12-hour washout period. Patients were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups. Groups I–III received a 0.5 mg/kg bolus, followed by a maintenance infusion of 2.5, 5.0 or 10.0 μg/kg/minute. Group IV patients received a maintenance infusion of 5.0 μg/kg/minute without the bolus. Serial assessments of haemodynamics, plasma levels of enoximone and enoximone sulphoxide, and ventricular ectopy were performed. Enoximone produced a significant increase in cardiac index (28.1–46.7%) and a decrease in mean pulmonary artery wedge pressure (6.4–35.7%) and systemic vascular resistance (34.7–78.9%). Enoximone had minimal effect on heart rate and blood pressure. In patients who did not receive an initial bolus of 0.5 mg/kg, haemodynamic changes were delayed by approximately 1 hour. Significant haemodynamic improvement was noted at even the lowest infusion rate and did not increase in linear fashion at higher infusion rates. During infusion of enoximone at 10.0 μg/kg/minute, both enoximone and its sulphoxide accumulated non-linearly and did not achieve a steady state. No significant adverse effects were noted in these patients. Enoximone infusion at rates greater than 5.0 μg/kg/minute may confer minimal additional haemodynamic benefit, while resulting in significant accumulation of enoximone and enoximone sulphoxide. Ventricular ectopy did not increase significantly in most patients.
Survival of Honey Bee Spermatozoa in Liquid Nitrogen

Worker progeny were produced by queen honey bees ( Apis mellifera L.) inseminated with semen that had been stored in liquid nitrogen. The cryoprotectant was DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide). Queen bees inseminated with a semen mixture (60% semen, 30% saline, and 10% DMSO) that was stored in liquid nitrogen retained 41% as many spermatozoa in their spermathecae as control queens.
Teachers’ sources of knowledge for field trip practices

Teachers draw from many personal and professional experiences when organising and leading field trips. In order to identify the influences on teachers’ field trip practices, I used surveys, interviews, artifacts and observations gathered from teachers who led trips to an aquarium. Findings clarified the types of influence and the impact that these influences had on practice. For example, teachers adapted knowledge acquired for use in their field trips from four types of training (1) informal mentoring, (2) past experience on various trips, (3) various outdoor education training and (4) traditional classroom education training. A focus was the nature of each of these training types and how teachers acquire and adapt their knowledge. Previous research has shown that, while a variety of cognitive and affective outcomes often results from field trips, there is also a pattern of underutilised resources and missed learning opportunities during trips. This study offers insight regarding strengths and weaknesses of teachers’ preparation for leading field trips by documenting how and what skills are learned and applied. Therefore the findings presented here are suggestive of ways in which efforts to formally support and enhance teachers’ trip-leading skills by means of professional development might build on teachers’ existing sources of knowledge.
An advanced programming language definition and domain correctness of programs

Program execution is not adequately reflected in usual syntactic programming language definition by formal grammar, although either actual or mental execution is referred to during reading (tracing) and correctness proving. An advanced programming languages definition associates in input/output variables, the domain, and the computable function with each program. It is based on a computer automaton when inputs from In, states from St are viewed as instructions, memory states, respectively. The heart of it, is its transition (next-state) function trans: In x St → St.Arithmetic symbols occuring in a program are interpreted (by programmer) in usual infinite arithmetics during problem solving while they are interpreted (by a computer) in finite computer arithmetics when the program is executed. The program is characterized by its execution-semantics expressed in its control (next-instruction) function contr: In x St → In. The discrepancy between finite and infinite interpretation-semantics are studied as suggested in [Hoar 69], in particular, the two computable functions are compared.Total and partial correctness [Mann 74] does not show which interpretation should be considered; therefore, the third component of a proof of correctness, a domain correctness proof, is added.
Coal Tar Wastewater Treatment and Electricity Production Using a Membrane-less Tubular Microbial Fuel Cell

We report on treatment of wastewater from a coal tar refinery and electricity production using a mediator-less, membrane-less microbial fuel cell (MFC). pH in the MFC decreased from 7.8 to 7.0 during a 24-day period, whereas 88% of chemical oxygen demand, 57% of sulfate, and 41% of sulfur were removed. The concentration of chemical elements such as aluminum, silver, barium, copper, iron, molybdenum, sulfur, and strontium also decreased. Removal of phenol and 2-methyl phenol exceeded 90%. Benzonitrile and naphthalene were not detected after the MFC treatment. Maximum voltage output and power density of the MFC were 543 mV and 4.5 mW/m2, respectively.
Mesh terminology 101

In any collaborative endeavor, when fields like medicine and bioengineering overlap, the proper use of technical vocabulary takes on added importance. It is important that scientists and clinicians, while coming from different backgrounds and educational systems, agree upon and utilize a common language based on mutually understood concepts and definitions. Regarding biomaterial testing applications, numerous terms are used to describe a wide variety of material behaviors when test specimens are subjected to mechanical, chemical, electrical and thermal stressors. In this discussion we will limit ourselves to the mechanical properties of materials which are utilized for soft tissue or fascial-based repairs. Following a literature search combining the keywords surgical mesh and biomaterials testing, common terms used to describe the mechanical properties of mesh were selected. Our analysis seeks to define the following terms and describe their applicability within the context of biomaterials for hernia repair: elasticity, stiffness, flexibility, tensile strength, distension, deformation, bending stiffness, and compliance. Unfortunately, in the technical literature, terms are often altered or extrapolated without adequate explanation. In other cases, related but technically different terms are mistakenly used interchangeably. With the mounting interest in biomaterials for the use in repair of abdominal wall defects, there is a need to standardize the terminology used to describe the biomechanical properties of mesh.
EXTINCTION IN FRAGMENTED HABITATS PREDICTED FROM STOCHASTIC BIRTH-DEATH PROCESSES WITH DENSITY DEPENDENCE

Abstract Habitat loss, the reduction of the habitat area available, is known to greatly reduce resident species' expected time to extinction. This process is widely recognized, if not adequately understood or quantified except in very simple models. However, it is not well understood how the time to extinction will change if the remaining habitat is distributed across a set of smaller, isolated patches, instead of being left in one single, continuous tract. The effect of habitat fragmentation on population persistence under demographic stochasticity has not been resolved. Specifically, it is not known whether a single large population will persist longer than an aggregate set of several smaller populations (with the same total size). Analytical studies of birth–death processes typically report the mean time to extinction for a single population as a function of the maximum population size, but omit higher moments. To estimate the overall persistence time, or the probability of extinction as a function of time, for a set of small populations, the entire distribution of extinction times must be known for a single population of each size. Knowing all the moments of the distribution of extinction times is not adequate, unless one can reconstruct the distribution from them. Here I analyse stochastic birth–death processes with linear density dependence in per capita birth and death rates, and obtain analytical expressions and numerical solutions for the distribution of extinction times in both subdivided and continuous populations. This is a single-species model that deals with demographic stochasticity only, and assumes independence of extinction events in different patches. These assumptions are relaxed elsewhere. Habitat fragmentation, even without any loss of overall area, has a great and detrimental effect on the persistence time of populations across all temporal and spatial scales. The effect is similar across spatial scales, but shifted in time—larger populations take longer to go extinct but the extinction risk relative to that of a smaller or more fragmented population is the same across spatial scales for the available habitat.