cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Current status of the IOTA interferometer

The first two telescopes of the Infrared-Optical Telescope Array (IOTA) project are now in place and yielding data at the Smithsonian Institution's F. L. Whipple Observatory on Mt. Hopkins, near Tucson, Arizona. The IOTA collectors are 45 cm in diameter, and may be moved to various stations in an L-shaped configuration with a maximum baseline of 38 m. A third collector will be added as soon as funding permits. Each light-collector assembly consists of a siderostat feeding a stationary afocal Cassegrain telescope that produces a 10-X reduced parallel beam, which is in turn directed vertically downward by a piezo-driven active mirror that stabilizes the ultimate image position. The reduced beams enter an evacuated envelope and proceed to the corner of the array, where they are turned back along one arm for path compensation. The delay line, in one beam, consists of two parts: one dihedral reflector positioned in a slew-and-clamp mode to give the major part of the desired delay; and a second dihedral mounted on an air-bearing carriage to provide the variable delay that is needed. After delay, the beams exit from the vacuum and are directed by dichroic mirrors into the infrared beam-combination and detection system. The visible light passes on to another area, to the image-tracker detectors and the visible-light combination and detection system. The beams are combined in pupil-plane mode on beam splitters. The combined IR beams are conveyed to two cooled single-element InSb detectors. The combined visible-light beams are focussed by lenslet arrays onto multimode optical fibers that lead to the slit of a specially-designed prism spectrometer. For the visible mode, the delay line is run at several wavelengths on one side of the zero- path point, so that several cycles of interference occur across the spectrum. First results were obtained with the IR system, giving visibilities for several K and M stars, using 2.2 micrometers radiation on a N-S baseline of 21.2 m. From these measurements we obtained preliminary estimates of effective stellar diameters in the K band.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A guideline matrix for technological system evaluation

It is often necessary to scientifically evaluate a complex technological system. Such an evaluation usually requires determination by the system's costs, its effectiveness in achieving the system's objectives, its efficiency in the use of costly resources, its cost-effectiveness as compared to other alternatives, and the benefits gained by its expenditures. A matrix is presented as a suggested guideline for a comprehensive evaluation of a technological system.
Meaning, Memory, and Multiplication: Integrating Patterns and Properties With Basic Facts

I had been to school … and could say the multiplication table up to six times seven is thirty-five, and I don't reckon I could ever get any further than that if I was to live forever. I don't take ...
Risk Aversion, Business Volatility and Exchange Rate Regimes in Small Open Economies

This paper explores the effect of asymmetric information and entrepreneurial risk aversion on the dynamics of a small open economy. A private equity premium arises from the optimal contract between a domestic risk-averse borrower and a foreign lender, which, in general equilibrium, helps magnify the effect of shocks over time. In terms of an exchange rate regime comparison, when entrepreneurial risk aversion is considered, shocks are significantly more amplified under fixed than under flexible exchange rates. This result stems from the direct impact of deflation on real wages, which more strongly affects entrepreneur's wealth and hence the private equity premium.
Stochastically-driven climatic fluctuations in the sea-ice, ocean temperature, CO 2 feedback system

A simple climatic feedback system described previously (Saltzman and Moritz, 1980), involving sea-ice extent, mean ocean temperature and atmospheric CO 2 , is modified in plausible ways to yield (1) a single stable equilibrium with slow periodic damping, and (2) auto-oscillatory (i.e., limit-cycle) behavior. These constitute two primary prototypical possibilities for the deterministic behavior of the real climatic system (others being the existence of multiple equilibria with assorted stabilities). The necessity for including stochastic forcing is discussed, and the role of this forcing in generating sustained irregular and quasi-periodic variability similar to that observed in the real system is illustrated. It is suggested that the spectral and “residence density” signatures of theoretical models such as these may be of value in identifying the deterministic phase space behaviour (e.g., number and nature of equilibria) underlying observed climatic variability, through an inspection of these signatures in real data. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1982.tb01797.x
From One `Battle' to Another: The Making of a Travesti Political Movement in a Brazilian City

This article examines the emergence of a travesti political movement out of a work group for transgendered sex professionals run by the Grupo de Apoio a Prevencao da AIDS/Rio Grande do Sul (Support Group for AIDS Prevention, or GAPA/RS) in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The author first discusses the history of GAPA/RS' involvement with sex workers and the ways in which violence structures the lives of many travestis. He then documents the killing of Cris Loira, a regular work group participant, on the streets of Porto Alegre's main travesti prostitution zone and recounts the political reaction, including a protest march through downtown Porto Alegre, which arose in response to her murder. He concludes by assessing the cultural, organizational, and political factors that made this mobilization possible and argues that it constitutes an important step in the development of political organization among travestis in Brazil.
Conditions that Create Therapeutic Connection: A Phenomenological Study.

In this phenomenological study, counselor and client participants (N = 14) described the conditions that fostered meaningful therapeutic connections. Among all participants, consistent descriptors appeared that were rigorously synthesized into a detailed depiction of therapeutic contact.
Toxicity of Combined Therapy with Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors and Aspirin

A 67-year-old woman and a 75-year-old woman taking carbonic anhydrase inhibitors for therapy of glaucoma and high doses of aspirin for therapy of arthritis developed severe acid-base imbalance and salicylate intoxication. Neither patient exhibited ill effects when taking high aspirin doses without carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. Carbonic anhydrose inhibitor-induced acidemia increases the risk of developing salicylate intoxication in patients receiving high aspirin doses.
A critical intervention in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender health: knowledge and attitude outcomes among second-year medical students.

Background: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons represent an underserved population susceptible to health care disparities. Description: In February 2004, we implemented an LGBT health curriculum for students at the University of California at San Francisco. Confidential matched questionnaires elicited students' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about LGBT health issues before and after the intervention. Evaluation: The surveyed population (52% response rate) was demographically similar to the entire class. There was statistically significant change in the responses to 4 of 16 questionnaire items ( p ≤ .001; largest absolute change was 0.57 on a 5-point scale). Students demonstrated increased knowledge about access to health care and LGBT relationships, increased willingness to treat patients with gender identity issues, and enhanced awareness that sexual identity and practices are clinically relevant. Conclusions: Our simple curricular intervention led to significant short-term changes...
The Evolutionary Armistice Attachment Bonds Moderate the Function of Ovulatory Cycle Adaptations

Natural selection modified the attachment-behavioral system to bond adult mating partners in early members of the genus Homo, thus facilitating increased investment, especially paternal investment, in offspring. Previously existing adaptations that fostered intersexual conflict (e.g., ovulatory adaptations) could have threatened attachment bonds; therefore, the attachment-behavioral system might have evolved the ability to mute or refocus such adaptations for the purpose of strengthening the bond. Two studies offer support for this prediction. Women who were strongly attached to their romantic partner revealed positive associations of fertility with reports of romantic physical intimacy, but these associations were negative among unbonded women. This moderational effect of attachment bond strength was robust beyond dispositional attachment anxiety and avoidance, relationship satisfaction, relationship commitment, and partner physical attractiveness, none of which revealed robust moderational effects. Findings highlight how researchers can use the timeline of hominid evolution (i.e., phylogeny) as a tool to complement functional, adaptationist hypotheses.
Paleomagnetism of the Dunn Point Formation (Nova Scotia): High paleolatitudes for the Avalon Terrane in the Late Ordovician

Volcanic flows of the Late Ordovi- clan Dunn Point Formation contain a generally univectorial magnetization which passes the fold test. Its steep direction (D = 335 o , I = -61 o , k = 79, 95 = 4.2o, paleopole at 2oS, 136oE) is un- like any known for North America or for the Ava- lon terrane for post-Ordovician time, so that a primary age of the magnetization appears to be very likely. The paleoiatitude (42oS) for the Avalon terrane derived from this result is much higher than that predicted for the area on the basis of the cratonic North American apparent polar wander path, and a substantial post-Ordo- vician displacement (>3500 km) of Avalon with respect to the craton can be deduced. In all likelihood the Avalon terrane did not collide with North America until Middle Devonian time. This collision produced the Acadian orogeny. High Ordovician paleolatitudes have also been obtained for northern Africa and for several localities in
The Playbook for Primary Care Practice Management

In reading the articles for this volume of Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice dedicated to practice management, I became nostalgic thinking about when I was applying to medical school. As for most applicants, colleges and universities require a personal statement of some form where we highlight our passions for entering the field of medicine. Then, there is a usually an interview process with a panel of professors dubbed the “Pre-Professional Advisory Committee,” or some other very similar moniker. In 1991, when I was invited to discuss my dreams of becoming a physician and convince the committee that I was a suitable candidate for admission to medical school, I was asked, “what will be the greatest challenge facing physicians in the coming years”? My answer was both insightful and foreshadowing: “the physician of the future will not only need to be adept at medical science and current in knowledge with newmedications, therapies, and technologies, but will also require a keen understanding of the business aspects of medicine with respect to cost-effective provisions of care and integration between various levels of providers.” Not realizing that my answer would serve as the proverbial “lightning rod,” a member of the committee retorted, “I recommend that this committee NOT support your application to medical school, because medicine is a science, NOT a business!” Hanging my head low, I figured I had blown my chances for endorsement as a medical school applicant. Perhaps not ironically, we ALL now recognize that medicine, for better or for worse, is an exceptionally complicated business paradigm, and a national crisis requiring the need for immediate and powerful reform due to rapidly escalating costs. In this volume of Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice, impressively the topics of utilizing international medical graduates and integrating behavioral medicine, palliative care, and pain management in primary care offer guidelines for augmenting our daily practices. Every aspect of practice management is now dependent on electronic medical records, as most practices and clinicians use some form of this on a daily basis; yet, the challenges of ensuring adequate and appropriate documentation to
Simulating solvent effects in organic chemistry: combining quantum and molecular mechanics

As computational methods improve, the need for accuracy must still be tempered with practicality. When calculating how molecules interact in solution, treating solute molecules quantum mechanically and the surrounding solvent molecules classically combines accuracy with computational efficiency. Computational methods for modeling solute-solvent interactions generally fall into two categories. A macroscopic approach treats the solvent as a continuous (unstructured) medium characterized by a bulk dielectric constant. Macroscopic methods, while generally faster because solvent molecules are not explicitly represented, are unable to provide specific details of the solute-solvent interaction. The microscopic method, which is the subject of this article, treats the solvent in its discrete molecular form. Most molecular dynamics or Monte Carlo simulations use molecular-mechanical (MM) potentials for both solute and solvent. However, hybrid quantum-mechanical and molecular-mechanical potential functions have recently emerged. We describe this combined approach for simulating chemical reactions in solution.
AN EVALUATION OF INFLATABLE TRUSS FRAME FOR SPACE APPLICATIONS

NASA has been evaluating several very large space solar power (SSP) system concepts with a varying degree of configurations. A key to successful deployment of these very large-scale systems lies in meeting their structural needs. The structures that will support the SSP system requirements will, thus, be extremely large compared to current standards. These structures must meet the requirements of extremely low mass, low packaging volume and be capable of controlled deployment. A breakthrough in the current state-of-the-art of the structural booms is required to meet these diverse requirements. To meet this goal several boom concepts, which have the potential to be deployable to very long lengths, are under consideration for their structural and volume packaging efficiencies. Different current and potential structural concepts were compared for their structural efficiency to meet the desired loading expected in typical space missions. From this analysis a truss frame boom was found to be very mass efficient for very long length booms. This truss frame was configured into a unique space inflatable structure known as the Inflatable Space Frame (ISF). This structure was designed and built using a shape memory polymer as matrix and graphite as the reinforcement to achieve the
The signal recognition particle database (SRPDB).

This release of the SRPDB (signal recognition particle database, http://pegasus.uthct.edu/SRPDB/SRPDB . html ) adds four SRP RNA sequences (a total of 99 SRP RNA sequences), 23 SRP protein sequences (a total of 63 protein sequences from SRP9, SRP14, SRP19, SRP21, SRP54, SRP68 or SRP72), and, for the first time, sequences of the alpha subunit of the eukaryotic SRP receptor and its homologous bacterial proteins (a total of 21 sequences). Sequences are offered phylogenetically ordered, annotated with links to the primary databases, and in aligned form. Also downloadable are sample SRP RNA secondary structure diagrams, three-dimensional models of representative SRP RNAs, and search motifs.
Substitution, Insertion, Deletion, Suppression, and Altered Substrate Specificity in Functional Protocatechuate 3,4-Dioxygenases

Protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase is a member of a family of bacterial enzymes that cleave the aromatic rings of their substrates between two adjacent hydroxyl groups, a key reaction in microbial metabolism of varied environmental chemicals. In an appropriate genetic background, it is possible to select for Acinetobacter strains containing spontaneous mutations blocking expression of pcaH or -G, genes encoding the a and b subunits of protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase. The crystal structure of the Acinetobacter oxygenase has been determined, and this knowledge affords us the opportunity to understand how mutations alter function in the enzyme. An earlier investigation had shown that a large fraction of spontaneous mutations inactivating Acinetobacter protocatechuate oxygenase are either insertions or large deletions. Therefore, the prior procedure of mutant selection was modified to isolate Acinetobacter strains in which mutations within pcaH or -G cause a heat-sensitive phenotype. These mutations affected residues distributed throughout the linear amino acid sequences of PcaH and PcaG and impaired the dioxygenase to various degrees. Four of 16 mutants had insertions or deletions in the enzyme ranging in size from 1 to 10 amino acid residues, highlighting areas of the protein where large structural changes can be tolerated. To further understand how protein structure influences function, we isolated strains in which the phenotypes of three different deletion mutations in pcaH or -G were suppressed either by a spontaneous mutation or by a PCR-generated random mutation introduced into the Acinetobacter chromosome by natural transformation. The latter procedure was also used to identify a single amino acid substitution in PcaG that conferred activity towards catechol sufficient for growth with benzoate in a strain in which catechol 1,2-dioxygenase was inactivated.
Evaluation of Protection Afforded by Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis Unmarked Deletion Mutants Exhibiting Different Rates of Clearance in BALB/c Mice

Research for novel Brucella vaccines has focused upon the development of live vaccine strains, which have proven more efficacious than killed or subunit vaccines. In an effort to develop improved vaccines, signature-tagged mutant banks were screened to identify mutants attenuated for survival. Mutants selected from these screens exhibited various degrees of attenuation characterized by the rate of clearance, ranging from a failure to grow in macrophages after 24 h of infection to a failure to persist in the mouse model beyond 8 weeks. Ideal vaccine candidates should be safe to the host, while evoking protective immunity. In the present work, we constructed unmarked deletion mutants of three gene candidates, manBA, virB2, and asp24, in both Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis. The Δasp24 mutants, which persist for extended periods in vivo, are superior to current vaccine strains and to other deletion strains tested in the mouse model against homologous challenge infection after 12, 16, and 20 weeks postvaccination. The Δasp24 mutants also display superior protection compared to ΔmanBA and ΔvirB2 mutants against heterologous challenge in mice. From this study, a direct association between protection against infection and cytokine response was not apparent between all vaccine groups and, therefore, correlates of protective immunity will need to be considered further. A distinct correlation between persistence of the vaccine strain and protection against infection was corroborated.
Complexity in Common Diseases: Big Biology for All

The Commentary of Mills and Sykes in Science Translational Medicine presented their thesis on the advent of high-throughput technologies and the dangers they may represent for the future of biomedical research. In response, we argue that true progress on the diagnosis and treatment of common human diseases will require the advent of big biology and its deep integration with focused research as practiced in both academic and industrial institutions.
Radiation Hydrodynamics of a Surface Effect Ship

The radiation hydrodynamics of a heaving surface effect ship (SES) is examined including the effect of air compressibility on the hydrodynamic forces and surface waves. Of particular focus of the study has been on determining the nonlinear viscous and air compressibility effects at natural frequencies corresponding to the piston and sloshing wave modes between the hulls and at the natural frequency corresponding to the heave motion of a surface effect ship with the restoring force dominated by the compressibility of the air cushion. In the present paper, the air cushion pressure is assumed to be uniform with its variation due to change of volume modeled using the adiabatic gas law pVγ = constant, where p denotes the absolute pressure of the air, V the air volume bounded by the side hulls, the free surface and the wet deck, and γ the ratio of specific heats Cp/Cv which is about 1.4 for air. The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations governing the nonlinear viscous wave-air-body interaction problem is solved in the time domain using a finite-difference method based on boundary fitted coordinates. New results presented in this paper show that air cushion compressibility affects the generation of waves and wave radiation forces significantly even at small amplitude of hull motion. As already well known, the free surface nonlinearity due to hull motion is significant for large amplitude of oscillation. At small amplitude of body oscillation, significant nonlinearity can be caused by air compressibility resulting in the generation of higher harmonic waves and forces. The results also highlight the significance of viscosity and flow separation, in conjunction with air compressibility, in the case of large amplitude hull motion with a small draft.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Pleistocene range dynamics and episodic rarity in an extinct bird.

In an influential report in the field of conservation biology, Rabinowitz et al. (1) described seven ways in which species may show rarity, based on different combinations of range size, ecological amplitude, and local abundance; this paper has guided many avenues of thought in the field of conservation biology. To a conservation biologist in the 17th century, however, the passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) would not have qualified as “rare” under any of the seven categories; quite simply, the species had a broad range (eastern North America), was not particularly limited to any one set of conditions, and was massively locally abundant. Still, this species disappeared entirely by the early 20th century for reasons that have never been entirely clear. A report in PNAS by Hung et al. (2) sheds an initial glimmer of insight into this question.
Cataclysmic Fall or a Fumbling Slip? A Christian Engagement with Islamic Hamartiology

: This article addresses the large issue that looms in any Christian engagement with a different faith: the confession of Christ as incarnate God. The manner in which this issue is addressed is by focusing on the difference between Islamic and classical Lutheran understandings of sin. I shall attempt to present the Islamic understanding of sin and articulate how the Islamic understanding of Christ is shaped by its hamartiology. I shall conclude with a few practical suggestions for dialoguing with Muslims on the issue of sin.
Self-Regulated Strategy Development as a Tier 2 Writing Intervention:

In a response to intervention framework, the implication of limited writing instruction suggests an immediate need for Tier 2 interventions to support struggling writers while at the same time addr...
Do prokaryotes contain microtubules

In eukaryotic cells, microtubules are 24-nm-diameter tubular structures composed of a class of conserved proteins called tubulin. They are involved in numerous cell functions including ciliary motility, nerve cell elongation, pigment migration, centrosome formation, and chromosome movement. Although cytoplasmic tubules and fibers have been observed in bacteria, some with diameters similar to those of eukaryotes, no homologies to eukaryotic microtubules have been established. Certain groups of bacteria including azotobacters, cyanobacteria, enteric bacteria, and spirochetes have been frequently observed to possess microtubule-like structures, and others, including archaebacteria, have been shown to be sensitive to drugs that inhibit the polymerization of microtubules. Although little biochemical or molecular biological information is available, the differences observed among these prokaryotic structures suggest that their composition generally differs among themselves as well as from that of eukaryotes. We review the distribution of cytoplasmic tubules in prokaryotes, even though, in all cases, their functions remain unknown. At least some tend to occur in cells that are large, elongate, and motile, suggesting that they may be involved in cytoskeletal functions, intracellular motility, or transport activities comparable to those performed by eukaryotic microtubules. In Escherichia coli, the FtsZ protein is associated with the formation of a ring in the division zone between the newly forming offspring cells. Like tubulin, FtsZ is a GTPase and shares with tubulin a 7-amino-acid motif, making it a promising candidate in which to seek the origin of tubulins.
An error restraining method for accurate freeform surface cutting

Producing sculptured surfaces of special parts always poses challenges to machining industry. In this paper, an effective tool path error restraining method utilizing adaptive rules for cutting control is proposed for freeform surface machining. Based on the proposed approach an experimental verification is accomplished in milling a sample part with curved surfaces. Specifically, the parametric spatial curves representing the part's sculptured surface are approximated by sequences of connected line segments. From the current reference point of the cutting tool, the method has the capability of predicting the next reference point of the tool for a given feed. If the predicted position is not within the required tolerance, the algorithm will automatically adjust the position of the cutter so as to satisfy the tolerance requirements using feedback control philosophy. It is proved that the developed adaptive cutting laws are robust in achieving the desired freeform surface cutting with pre-specified tolerance requirements. The given tolerance is measured as the angular deviations to which the generated tool path deviates from the desired profile. Feedrate variations have been implemented in the investigation in the range between 5 mm/second and 30 mm/second. The tool paths generated with and without the adaptive mechanisms are compared. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed tolerance feedback mechanism is very effective for producing parts having curved surfaces.
Thermodynamic Study of Hydrogen Sulfide Corrosion of Mild Steel

Expanding the basic knowledge required for improved understanding of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) corrosion of mild steel is needed. When it comes to even the most basic chemical descriptors of aqueous H2S systems such as H2S solubility, water chemistry, polymorphism of iron sulfide, the formation or dissolution of iron sulfide scale, and its protectiveness, many open questions persist and more investigation is required. Inconsistencies in prevailing expressions for H2S solubility constant (KH2S), the first dissociation constant (Ka,1), and the second dissociation constant (Ka,2) are reviewed here. By comparing with experimental data, the best prediction model for H2S solubility and dissociation in an H2S–H2O system was identified. Occurrence of iron sulfide polymorphs was experimentally investigated and it was found that, in short-term exposures, mackinawite formed at 25°C, while greigite and pyrite were detected at 60°C. The solubility limits for these iron sulfides were determined. Simplified Pourbaix diagra...
Resilience: The Food Policy Imperative for a Volatile Future

To sustain a growing population on a changing planet, food policies at all levels — community, regional, national, and global — must promote judicious resource use, prioritize stewardship, align with ecosystems, advance social and distributive justice, consider national security, and position us to weather long- and short-term disruptions, both climate change-driven and otherwise. This Comment considers the power of a profuse human population, reviews climate consequences of the way we have been satisfying our food needs, and demonstrates the exigencies of new approaches to withstand the mounting pressures and disruptions assailing agriculture. It offers resilience as an essential organizing imperative for agrifood systems, policies, and laws. In so doing, the Comment explores the nature and value of resilience, outlines the characteristics of resilient food systems, identifies benefits of orienting our food future around resilience, and suggests preliminary steps in the direction of reforming agrifood policy for resilience.
Pelvic Ring Injury I

DP is a 43-year-old man who complains of right pelvic pain after being a restrained passenger in a motor vehicle accident. He is transferred to the emergency department via EMS. On presentation, he demonstrates a GCS of 15 and denies any loss of consciousness. On primary survey, his airway is patent, and he is hemodynamically stable. On secondary survey, he demonstrates some pain with manipulation of his pelvis on the right side. His secondary survey is otherwise negative.
Simulating the Interacting Effects of Intraspecific Variation, Disturbance, and Competition on Climate-Driven Range Shifts in Trees.

Climate change is expected to favor shifts in plant distributions; some such shifts are already being observed along elevation gradients. However, the rate of such shifts may be limited by their ability to reach newly suitable areas and by competition from resident species. The degree of local adaptation and genetic variation may also play a role in the interaction between migrants and residents by affecting relative fitness. We used a simulation model to explore the interacting effects of dispersal, fecundity, disturbance, and genetic variation on range-edge dynamics between a pair of demographically similar tree species. Ideal climate for an individual is determined by genotype. The simulated landscape undergoes an 80-year period of climate change in which climate bands shift upslope; subsequently, climate is held constant for 300 years. The presence of a high-elevation competitor caused a significant lag in the range shift of the low-elevation species relative to competition-free scenarios. Increases in fecundity and dispersal distance both helped to speed up the replacement of the high-elevation species by the low-elevation species at their range boundary. While some disturbance scenarios facilitated this transition, frequent canopy disturbance inhibited colonization by removing reproductive adults and led to range contractions in both species. Differences between dispersal scenarios were more pronounced when disturbance was frequent (15 vs. 25 year return interval) and dispersal was limited. When the high-elevation species lacked genetic variation, its range was more-easily invaded by the low-elevation species, while a similar lack of variation in the low-elevation species inhibited colonization—but only when this lack of variation decreased the fitness of the affected species near the range boundary. Our model results support the importance of measuring and including dispersal/fecundity, disturbance type and frequency, and genetic variation when assessing the potential for range shifts and species vulnerability to climate change.
Untangling the phylogeny of Leandra s.str. (Melastomataceae, Miconieae) ☆

Phylogenetic studies in Melastomataceae have demonstrated the need for taxonomic rearrangements in the current classification. Nonetheless, melastomes are among the most diverse groups of plants and several cases of known artificial taxa have been observed and awaiting further resolution. The Leandra s.str. clade, with ca. 200 species, includes the majority of the taxa traditionally treated in the genus Leandra and is almost restricted to eastern Brazil. In earlier studies, some attempts have been made to infer the relationships within Leandra s.str., but the sampling was sparse and the resolution low inside the clade. Here, we attempt to provide an improved phylogenetic hypothesis for this group on which to base further studies. Specifically, we provide a comprehensive taxon sampling and attempt to infer a species tree for this group, dissecting potential noise in the phylogenetic reconstruction, such as paralogy, rogue taxa, hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting. Our data set includes 126 ingroup species (192 terminals) and four partitions (six markers). We implement the (∗)BEAST model for species tree inference and perform several simulation methods to assess model fit and to discuss potential causes for the observed patterns. Major lineages of Leandra s.str. were delineated, a strictly bifurcating species tree model seems to not account for the observed data, and hybridization is very likely an important evolutionary force in this group.
High resolution synchrotron x-ray diffraction tomography of polycrystalline samples

The macroscopic response of polycrystalline materials to loading depends on both the spatial distribution of strain and the variation of microtexture on the scale of 100 μm. Nondestructive measurements are needed if the three-dimensional evolution of strain is to be studied. This paper describes approaches for high resolution synchrotron polychromatic x-ray diffraction tomography of polycrystalline materials. Preliminary experiments are reported on partially cracked compact tension samples of Al-Li 2090 and on model samples of randomly-packed, millimeter-sized pieces of Si wafers. Polychromatic beams collimated to 100 μm diameter have been used, and the distribution of diffracted intensity has been collected on high resolution x-ray film as well as on image storage plates. The depths of diffracting volume elements are determined from the changes in the spatial distribution of diffracted intensity with varying sample to detector separation.
Responsiveness of tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neurons to 5-hydroxytryptophan: effects of aging.

Serotonin is known to stimulate prolactin secretion by decreasing tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity in the tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic (TIDA) neurons. However, the effects of aging on the responsiveness of TIDA neurons to serotonin are not known. An effective way to increase serotonergic activity is to administer 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), a serotonin precursor. The present study was done to investigate the effects of 5-HTP on TIDA neuronal activity in aging animals. Middle-aged (10–12 mo), old (18–20 mo), and very old (22–24 mo) female Sprague-Dawley rats were bilaterally ovariectomized. Ten days later, they were injected iv with 50 mg/kg body wt of 5-HTP or the vehicle for 5-HTP (PBS-HCl). Twenty minutes later, m-hydroxybenzylhydrazine (NSD), a DOPA decarboxylase inhibitor, was administered. Ten minutes later, the animals were killed, and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity was determined by measuring l-DOPA accumulation in the stalk median eminence by HPLC-EC. In all three groups, administration of 5-HTP increased serum prolactin levels significantly. In control middle-aged rats, TH activity (l-DOPA pg/µg protein) was 33.0 ± 5.6. Treatment with 5-HTP decreased TH activity by 60%. Similarly, 5-HTP treatment decreased TH activity by 52 and 56% in 18- to 20- and 22- to 24-mo-old rats, respectively, compared to the control rats. The magnitudes of the 5-HTP-induced decreases in TH activities in middle-aged, old, and very old rats were not different from each other. These results indicate that TIDA neuronal responsiveness to serotonin does not change with age and that 5-HTP is capable of stimulating PRL release even in very old rats.
Problem Solving Through “Cheating” in Video Games

In this chapter, we consider the concept and definition of cheating as applied to digital games. We posit that some methods of cheating in games, such as taking advantage of quirks in the game’s programming, thinking outside the box and using different methods than the programmers may have intended, and some forms of glitching and hacking, may reflect expressions of creativity and creative problem-solving rather than ethical breaches in game play. We discuss these expressions, ways to evaluate them, and their ramifications for enhancing game play and learning in school settings.
The Discourse of Local Public Broadcasting Managers and Producers: The Speech Act in the Midst of Organizational Transition

South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB) underwent significant structural and organizational transition in the 1990’s. This historical study provides a description of the discursive activity of SDPB managers and producers in the midst of that change. It also discusses a number of structural and historical arrangements that appear to have caused contradiction and conflict. What follows is the transcribed discourse and speech act activity of a number of individuals involved in South Dakota Public Broadcasting including those in management, programming and production. It describes interaction during activity such as departmental strategic planning meetings, network reorganizational sessions, production meetings, interviews and Educational Telecommunications Board (ETB) meetings, as well as hallway conversation over the course of many months. Since Universal Pragmatics encourages attention to the representation of the external, internal and social worlds through language in the context of everyday life as it is lived (the lifeworld), these transcriptions provide substantive evidence for analysis of how reality is constructed by these local public broadcasting managers and producers in the midst of conflict and change. Universal Pragmatics assumes that the presence of such "de-linguistified steering media" as power and money can replace language as a mechanism of social integration and therefore have a "disintegrative effect on the lifeworld (Habermas, 1984, 343). My previous article (IJHCS 1(4), 2015, pp. 469-490) held that various steering mechanisms can exist within institutions like South Dakota Public Broadcasting and can influence the relationships within them. It suggested that Universal Pragmatics could be used as a methodology for analyzing institutional cultures. This work is the second of three articles in a process that will put that methodology into practice. The following historical analysis includes three segments concerning a time period during a year in which there was a resignation and replacement in the Executive Director position at South Dakota Public Broadcasting. This became a catalyst for total network reorganization. The three segments include (1) a six-month period following the resignation of the Executive Director, (2) the arrival of the new Executive Director, and (3) a three-month period following the arrival of the new Executive Director.
Molecular Self-Assembly Strategy for Generating Catalytic Hybrid Polypeptides

Recently, catalytic peptides were introduced that mimicked protease activities and showed promising selectivity of products even in organic solvents where protease cannot perform well. However, their catalytic efficiency was extremely low compared to natural enzyme counterparts presumably due to the lack of stable tertiary fold. We hypothesized that assembling these peptides along with simple hydrophobic pockets, mimicking enzyme active sites, could enhance the catalytic activity. Here we fused the sequence of catalytic peptide CP4, capable of protease and esterase-like activities, into a short amyloidogenic peptide fragment of Aβ. When the fused CP4-Aβ construct assembled into antiparallel β-sheets and amyloid fibrils, a 4.0-fold increase in the hydrolysis rate of p-nitrophenyl acetate (p-NPA) compared to neat CP4 peptide was observed. The enhanced catalytic activity of CP4-Aβ assembly could be explained both by pre-organization of a catalytically competent Ser-His-acid triad and hydrophobic stabilization of a bound substrate between the triad and p-NPA, indicating that a design strategy for self-assembled peptides is important to accomplish the desired functionality.
Vaginal Immunization Against Induced Cystitis in Monkeys

Abstract Cynomolgus monkeys received either vaginal immunization with formalin-killed E. coli or vaginal instillation of excipient without the bacteria. At 2, 7, 14 and 21 days after induction of a urinary tract infection with live E. coli, immunized monkeys showed enhanced clearance of bacteriuria compared to non-immunized controls. Immunized monkeys also showed Increased levels of urinary anti-E. coli IgA and IgG after the immunizing and Infecting procedures. Induction of heightened local immunity by vaginal Immunization may lessen host susceptibility to urinary tract infections.
Isolated Gust Generation for the Investigation of Airfoil-Gust Interaction

As part of an effort to examine the impact of vortical gusts on airfoils, a simple gust generator has been built and investigated. This consists of a heaving at plate capable of following a specifed transverse trajectory across a water tunnel. The relationship between the trajectory and the properties of the gusts that are shed downstream is characterized for non-periodic heaving motion described by Eldredge's smooth motion equation. PIV experiments show that the circulation of the vortical gust is proportional to the heaving speed of the plate. Tests with a downstream NACA 0018 airfoil demonstrate repeatable forces in response to the produced gusts.
Electrochemical Generation of Fluorinated Active Species — A New Approach to the Synthesis of Organofluorine Compounds

Cyclic voltammetry is a powerful method for the estimation of relative reactivity of various nucleophilic agents towards perfluoroalkyl halides. This method can be applied also for monitoring the reactivity of aromatic compounds towards trifluoromethyl radicals, generated by the electrochemical oxidation of the trifluoromethanesulfinate anion.
Thickness and Binder Type Evaluation of a 4.75-mm Asphalt Mixture Using Accelerated Pavement Testing

An increasing number of transportation agencies are investing in thin overlays consisting of small aggregate size asphalt mixtures to address routine maintenance needs and pavement preservation initiatives. Reported benefits of thin overlays include a smooth riding surface, reduced tire-pavement noise, and the ability to more easily maintain and control grade and cross-slope. The smallest aggregate size mixture the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) currently specifies is a 9.5-mm nominal maximum aggregate size (NMAS) mixture. When used as a dense graded friction course, the 9.5-mm NMAS mixture is placed in 1.0 in. lifts, which allows more flexibility and better optimization of milling depths, as well as structural or overbuild lift thickness to achieve a structurally appropriate and economical pavement. However, the ability to place an even thinner asphalt layer may potentially provide designers with more cost-effective alternatives. FDOT recently investigated the layer thickness of a 4.75-mm NMAS mixture using accelerated pavement testing (APT). During the APT study, overlay thicknesses of 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 in. were placed with PG 67-22 (unmodified) and PG 76-22 (polymer modified) asphalt binders. Pavement instrumentation, laboratory data, and results from a field test section were also considered. This report documents the findings of the APT study and provides recommendations for the use and appropriate thickness of a 4.75-mm NMAS overlay.
New approaches for developing viral vaccines against influenza and respiratory syncytial virus

R syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most important causes for viral lower respiratory tract disease in humans. There is no licensed RSV vaccine. Here, we generated recombinant influenza viruses carrying the chimeric constructs of hemagglutinin (HA) and central conserved-domains of the RSV G protein or RSV F neutralizing epitopes. Chimeric recombinant influenza viruses showed lower pathogenicity without compromising immunogenicity in mice. Single intranasal inoculation of mice induced RSV neutralizing activity. Mice with single intranasal inoculation of chimeric recombinant influenza viruseswere protected against RSV infection as evidenced by significant reduction of lung viral loads upon RSV challenge. Chimeric recombinant influenza virus inoculation of mice did not induce pulmonary eosinophilia and inflammationupon RSV infection. To improve cross protection overcoming HA specific immunity, we engineered replication-competent influenza A virus to express tandem repeat of heterologous M2 extracellular (M2e) domains in a chimeric HA conjugate form.Immune sera from mice with inoculation of live recombinant influenza virus expressing M2e4x-HA were effective in conferring cross protection against H1, H3, and H5 subtype influenza viruses. These findings support a concept that chimeric recombinant influenza viruses carrying the RSV neutralizing or influenza conserved-domain can be developed into new viral vaccines against RSV or influenza virus.
Examining Interactions between Problem Posing and Problem Solving with Prospective Primary Teachers: A Case of Using Fractions

Existing studies have quantitatively evidenced the relatedness between problem posing and problem solving, as well as the magnitude of this relationship. However, the nature and features of this relationship need further qualitative exploration. This paper focuses on exploring the interactions, i.e., mutual effects and supports, between problem posing and problem solving. More specifically, this paper analyzes the forms of interactions that happened between these two activities, the ways that those interactions supported prospective primary teachers’ conceptual understanding, and the difficulties that prospective teachers encountered while engaged in alternating problem-posing and problem-solving activities. The results indicate that problem posing contributes to problem-solving effectiveness while problem solving supports participants in posing more reasonable problems. Finally, multiple difficulties that demonstrate prospective primary teachers’ misunderstanding with fractions and their operations provide insight for teacher educators to design problem-posing tasks involving fractions.
IRF3 deficiency contributes to impaired memory T cell function in response to influenza infection (IRM14P.453)

The role of IRF3 in initiating the type I interferon response in innate immune cells has been well studied in the context of viral infection. However, it remains unclear what impact IRF3 has in shaping and maintaining adaptive immune responses. To address this, IRF3 deficient (IRF3 KO) mice were infected with influenza A virus (IAV) and T cell responses measured. At day 9 post infection, the frequency of IFN-γ and Granzyme B (GrB) positive T cells were similar between IRF3 KO and wildtype mice. Despite similar primary responses, IRF3 KO mice exhibited significant deficits in recall memory T cell responses to IAV with reduced expression of IFN-γ and GrB. Since IRF3 has been implicated in the expression of cytokines that influence effector and memory T cells responses, cytokine supplementation studies were performed. Addition of IL-12 was the only cytokine tested that was able to rescue the IFN-γ deficiencies in IRF3 KO T cells. Interestingly, peptide specific GrB re-expression could not be restored by any cytokines tested. These results suggest that IRF3 plays a role in the maintenance of antigen specific memory T cell responses and that IRF3 deficiency has a substantial impact on the cytotoxic potential of memory T cells and recall responses. Together, this work provides further insight into the molecular regulation of adaptive immune responses to viral infections and may serve to inform future vaccine strategies that require the development of memory T cells.