cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The developing relationship between the study of fungal communities and community ecology theory

Abstract Plant and animal systems had a head start of several decades in community ecology and have largely created the theoretical framework for the field. I argue that the lag in fungal community ecology was largely due to the microscopic nature of fungi that makes observing species and counting their numbers difficult. Thus the basic patterns of fungal occurrence were, until recently, largely invisible. With the development of molecular methods, especially high-throughput sequencing, fungal communities can now be “seen”, and the field has grown dramatically in response. The results of these studies have given us unprecedented views of fungal communities in novel habitats and at broader scales. From these advances we now have the ability to see pattern, compare it to existing theory, and derive new hypotheses about the way communities are assembled, structured, and behave. But can fungal systems contribute to the development of theory in the broader realm of community ecology? The answer to this question is yes! In fact fungal systems already have contributed, because in addition to many important natural fungal communities, fungi also offer exceptional experimental communities that allow one to manipulate, control, isolate and test key mechanisms. I discuss five well-developed systems and some of the contributions they have made to community ecology, and I briefly mention one additional system that is amenable to development.
Chromospheric oscillations observed in the line C ii λ1336 with OSO-8

Satellite observations of velocity and intensity oscillations were made of the upper chromospheric line C ii λ1336. The dominant period of oscillation is 300 s, with little evidence of the power peak in the range 150–200 s which has been observed in other chromospheric lines. Peak-to-peak amplitudes are 2 km s−1 and 8% in velocity and intensity, respectively. Tentative evidence for 900-s periodicity is presented. Relative phase measurements show that maximum intensity for the 300-s oscillation leads maximum blueshift by approximately 145 s. Comparison of line and background (scattered light) intensity variation shows upward wave propagation, with time delays between the λ1800 continuum and C ii λ1336 variation of 27 s and 70 s for different cases.
GPU-accelerated particle methods for evaluation of sparse observations for inverse problems constrained by diffusion PDEs

Abstract We consider the inverse problem of estimating parameters of a driven diffusion (e.g., the underlying fluid flow, diffusion coefficient, or source terms) from point measurements of a passive scalar (e.g., the concentration of a pollutant). We present two particle methods that leverage the structure of the inverse problem to enable efficient computation of the forward map, one for time evolution problems and one for Dirichlet boundary-value problems. The methods scale in a natural fashion to modern computational architectures, enabling substantial speedup for applications involving sparse observations and high-dimensional unknowns. Numerical examples of applications to Bayesian inference and numerical optimization are provided.
“Lines Written by a Lady”: Judith Sargent Murray and a Mystery of Feminist Authorship

A regular and prolific contributor to the Massachusetts Magazine, Judith Sargent Murray probably wrote an anonymously published and joyfully feminist poem that ran in the September 1794 issue: “Lin...
Analyzing and Clustering of baseline and non-baseline EEG signal using MATLAB toolboxes

Neural activity in the brain releases electrical impulses that can be captured using electrodes and analyzed. This signal, same as other types of real-world signals, contains noise and artifacts and needs preprocessing for better visualization and analysis. In this paper, MATLAB and specifically the EEGLAB add-on are used to perform the preprocessing and clustering on the set of data extracted from an extensive experiment.
Making Coherence Out of Nothing At All: Measuring Evolution of Gradient Alignment

We propose a new metric (m-coherence) to experimentally study the alignment of per-example gradients during training. Intuitively, given a sample of size m, m-coherence is the number of examples in the sample that benefit from a small step along the gradient of any one example on average. We show that compared to other commonly used metrics, m-coherence is more interpretable, cheaper to compute (O(m) instead of O(m2)) and mathematically cleaner. (We note that m-coherence is closely connected to gradient diversity, a quantity previously used in some theoretical bounds.) Using m-coherence, we study the evolution of alignment of per-example gradients in ResNet and EfficientNet models on ImageNet and several variants with label noise, particularly from the perspective of the recently proposed Coherent Gradients (CG) theory that provides a simple, unified explanation for memorization and generalization [Chatterjee, ICLR 20]. Although we have several interesting takeaways, our most surprising result concerns memorization. Naively, one might expect that when training with completely random labels, each example is fitted independently, and so m-coherence should be close to 1. However, this is not the case: m-coherence reaches moderately high values during training (though still much smaller than real labels), indicating that over-parameterized neural networks find common patterns even in scenarios where generalization is not possible. A detailed analysis of this phenomenon provides both a deeper confirmation of CG, but at the same point puts into sharp relief what is missing from the theory in order to provide a complete explanation of generalization in neural networks.
A Patient with a Pathological Diagnosis of Noninvasive Follicular Thyroid Neoplasm with Papillary-Like Nuclear Features (NIFTP)

Noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP) was proposed in 2016 as a new pathological diagnosis to replace the low-risk histologic diagnosis of noninvasive encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (NIEFVPTC). Development of this new nomenclature specifically omitted the word “cancer” from the name, since these tumors have been shown to have very low malignant potential and affected patients do not benefit from completion thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. NIFTP was subsequently codified as a diagnostic entity by the World Health Organization in 2017.
RG flow of integrable E-models

Abstract We compute the one- and two-loop RG flow of integrable σ-models with Poisson-Lie symmetry. They are characterised by a twist function with 2N simple poles/zeros and a double pole at infinity. Hence, they capture many of the known integrable deformations in a unified framework, which has a geometric interpretation in terms of surface defects in a 4D Chern-Simons theory. We find that these models are one-loop renormalisable and present a very simple expression for the flow of the twist function. At two loops only models with N=1 are renormalisable. Applied to the λ-deformation on a semisimple group manifold, our results reproduce the β-functions in the literature.
Local Governance, Pay Equity, and the Pandemic: Applying New York City Human Rights Law to Salary Negotiation

In the United States, equal pay is defined as a basic human right. Salary negotiation and other areas of the hiring process must also be structured within this human rights construct in order to fully achieve equality and its corresponding societal benefits. This Article applies New York City human rights law as a case study for how a local government may frame salary negotiation as a human right. In 2016, the New York City Council amended the body of its human rights law to add a ban on questions about salary history during the job interview process. This amendment has ignited debate about whether withholding information about past salary is helpful or harmful to job candidates. To create instead of hindering change, however, we should be asking—what additional mechanisms ensure that salary history ban legislation increases pay parity among different groups? Because of the impact salary has on a person’s life, well-being, and family, especially heightened for women, as evidenced during the coronavirus pandemic, this Article argues that the right to negotiate salary effectively and with transparency is a human right as plainly as the right to equal pay. This Article further urges local institutions and organizations to adopt this contextual view of the employment process. Especially now, in this global crisis of health, finance, and social justice, the right to equal pay is essential. The processes for accessing this basic human right must be equally considered.
Input Impedance Display of One-Port, Reflection-Type Amplifiers

Smith chart extended into negative resistance and admittance region of one port reflection type amplifiers for input impedance display
Moment Problems and Interpolation

In this chapter we see how the use of the Kolmogorov decomposition leads to a general method to solve interpolation and moment problems. We solve all the problems mentioned in Preface and we show the connection with the commutant lifting method. Two parametrizations of the solutions are indicated. One uses Schur parameters and the other upper triangular contractions. The connection between these two methods is explained, as well as the connection with the realization problem for unitary systems.
Inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor prevents immortalization of cervical epithelial cells by human papillomavirus type 16 E6 and E7 proteins

3291 Infection with a subset of high risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) is the major risk factor for cervical cancer. The HPV E6 and E7 viral oncogenes are selectively retained and expressed in most cervical carcinomas, and expression of E6 and E7 is sufficient to immortalize normal human epithelial cells. However, most HPV infections do not progress to malignancy, indicating that additional cofactors are important. Cervical epithelial cells express multiple epidermal growth factor-related mitogens, and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) is often over expressed in cervical carcinoma. EGF-R function can be selectively inactivated by small molecule kinase inhibitors that block ATP binding and autophosphorylation of the receptor on tyrosine. We investigated whether one EGF-R inhibitor, Erlotinib, could prevent immortalization of human cervical epithelial cells by the HPV-16 E6/E7 oncoproteins. Cells were cultured from normal cervix and infected in vitro with HPV-16 E6 and E7 genes using recombinant retrovirus vectors. Cultures were treated with Erlotinib (0.001 to 3.0 micro molar) for 6 weeks and the number of cultures that became immortal was determined. Erlotinib inhibited immortalization of human cervical cells by HPV E6/E7 in a dose-dependent manner. The drug stimulated apoptosis selectively in cells that expressed the HPV-16 E6/E7 oncoproteins. Cells expressing only E7 were more susceptible than those expressing E6 or E6/E7. Erlotinib induced senescence in a subpopulation of E6/E7-expressing cells that did not undergo apoptosis. These results suggest that inhibition of the EGF-R prevents immortalization by stimulating apoptosis or senescence in cells that express HPV-16 E6 and E7. Since immortalization by HPV-16 E6/E7 is an important early event in cervical carcinogenesis, the EGF-R may be a potential target for therapy.
Industrial Targeting and Free Trade Areas

In this paper we construct a mechanism where any group of nations can form a welfare enhancing free trade area and, at the same time, satisfy their industrialization targets efficiently. The mechanism does not rely on cross-country transfers and, therefore, allows each member country to reap welfare gains from the formation of the free trade area. Since industrialization targets are satisfied and neither tariff harmonization nor cross-country transfers are necessary, the mechanism presented in this paper is politically palatable.
On-line documentation and other interfaces for CD-ROM

In January 1991, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) distributed their first CD-ROM. On this CD-ROM, the NCHS released 1987 data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Before the final version of the 1987 NHIS CD-ROM was distributed, an abbreviated CD-ROM was beta tested. The author presents some of the information obtained from the beta test, findings that focus on developing the user interfaces within the constraints of using a CD-ROM for statistics on a desktop computer. Findings from the beta test indicate that users benefit from five different interfaces that can be used in any sequence and with any frequency: paper documentation, online reference documents, dialogue boxes, help screens, and simultaneous translation of values and codes. >
Phase I Trials in Oncology

This article outlines the goals and study design issues in phase I trials in oncology, with an emphasis on statistical design considerations. Traditional or 3 + 3 design is described. Statistical methods for phase I trials with long follow-up periods, multiple agents, and ordinary toxicity outcome are reviewed. Keywords: dose-finding; traditional design; maximum tolerable dose; dose-limiting toxicity
Interaction of Temperature and Photoperiod Increases Growth and Oil Content in the Marine Microalgae Dunaliella viridis.

Eukaryotic marine microalgae like Dunaliella spp. have great potential as a feedstock for liquid transportation fuels because they grow fast and can accumulate high levels of triacylgycerides with little need for fresh water or land. Their growth rates vary between species and are dependent on environmental conditions. The cell cycle, starch and triacylglycerol accumulation are controlled by the diurnal light:dark cycle. Storage compounds like starch and triacylglycerol accumulate in the light when CO2 fixation rates exceed the need of assimilated carbon and energy for cell maintenance and division during the dark phase. To delineate environmental effects, we analyzed cell division rates, metabolism and transcriptional regulation in Dunaliella viridis in response to changes in light duration and growth temperatures. Its rate of cell division was increased under continuous light conditions, while a shift in temperature from 25°C to 35°C did not significantly affect the cell division rate, but increased the triacylglycerol content per cell several-fold under continuous light. The amount of saturated fatty acids in triacylglycerol fraction was more responsive to an increase in temperature than to a change in the light regime. Detailed fatty acid profiles showed that Dunaliella viridis incorporated lauric acid (C12:0) into triacylglycerol after 24 hours under continuous light. Transcriptome analysis identified potential regulators involved in the light and temperature-induced lipid accumulation in Dunaliella viridis.
Computational Techniques and Strategies for Monte Carlo Thermodynamic Calculations, with Applications to Nanoclusters

Robert Q. Topper, David L. Freeman, Denise Bergin, and Keirnan R. LaMarche Department of Chemistry, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, 51 Astor Place, New York, New York 10003, and Department of Chemistry, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881 Present address: Department of Chemistry, Medical Technology, andPhysics,MonmouthUniversity,WestLongBranch, NewJersey
A market based evaluation of the election versus appointment of regulatory commissioners

This paper examines the elected versus appointed commissioner dichotomy from a market value perspective. Previous empirical analysis tends to concentrate on rates rather than examining the impact on shareholders' wealth. We examine life insurance industry data during the period surrounding the passage of California's Proposition 103. The primary impact of the referendum on life insurers is to change the method of commissioner selection from appointment to popular vote. We find that this change significantly reduced the value of life insurers doing business in California. This result is consistent with the recent findings of Boyes and McDowell (1989) and Smartt (1994) using alternative evaluation procedures for firms in other regulated industries. This implies that the change to a popular election of commissioners either increases the level of risk and/or decreases the expected cash flows of regulated firms.
May I See Your License? Terry Stops and License Verification

When are police justified in detaining someone engaging in an activity requiring a license in order to investigate whether that person, in fact, has a valid license? The answer to this question is surprisingly varied. In Delaware v. Prouse, the Supreme Court held that police officers generally need reasonable suspicion that a motorist is unlicensed before conducting a forcible stop. But the rules on other licenses vary widely. For example, in the hunting context, many courts have allowed either suspicionless stops of suspected hunters or, at most, required reasonable suspicion that a person is a hunter - not that the person is an unlicensed hunter. And in cases involving individuals carrying weapons, many courts have engaged in a formalistic inquiry that looks to whether non-licensure is an element of the offense or having a license to carry a gun is an affirmative defense. If the non-licensure is an element of the offense, some courts have required reasonable suspicion both that the person is carrying a gun and that he lacks a valid license; but most courts have held that if having a license to carry is an affirmative defense, then police may stop anyone suspected of carrying a gun until the person proves that he fits within the defense (i.e., he has a license). This Article suggests a unified framework for analyzing license-related Terry stops, and discusses how that standard interacts with the statutory structure of licensure laws. In this Article, I make two primary arguments. First, under current Supreme Court doctrine, there are only two ways to justify a forcible stop to check the validity of a license: either (1) a person must have a significantly diminished expectation of privacy by engaging in the underlying activity; or (2) officers must have reasonable suspicion that the particular individual is unlicensed. Second, I argue that (2) is true no matter how the law is structured - that is, regardless of whether non-licensure is an element of the offense or having a license is an affirmative defense. In other words, how the legislature structures a criminal statute is irrelevant for determining what truth conditions constitute “reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.”My second argument leads to a major theoretical question: What is the function of the element/defense distinction in criminal procedure? I argue that the distinction serves no function in Fourth Amendment criminal procedure; the only function of the element/defense distinction is to divide evidentiary burdens of production at trial. “Reasonable suspicion of criminal activity” (or “probable cause”) occurs only when there is reasonable suspicion (or probable cause) both that a person has satisfied the elements of the offense and that the person has no relevant defense making the action permissible.
Use of the bleomycin resistance gene to generate tagged insertional mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that require elevated CO2 for optimal growth.

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Dangeard possesses a CO2 concentrating mechanism (CCM) that enables it to grow at very low CO2 concentrations. In previous studies, insertional mutagenesis was successfully used to identify genes required for growth at low CO2 in C. reinhardtii. These earlier studies used the C. reinhardtii genes, Nit1 and Arg7 to complement nit1– or arg7– strains, thereby randomly inserting a second copy of Nit1 or Arg7 into the genome. Because these genes are already present in the C. reinhardtii genome, it was often difficult to identify the location of the inserted DNA and the gene disrupted by the insertion. We have developed a transformation protocol using the BleR gene, which confers resistance to the antibiotic Zeocin. The insertion of this gene allows one to use a variety of existing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methodologies to identify the disrupted gene. In this study the D66 strain (nit2–, cw15, mt+) was transformed by electroporation using a plasmid containing the BleR gene. Primary transformants (42 000) were obtained after growth in the dark on acetate plus Zeocin medium. Colonies were then tested for their ability to grow photosynthetically on elevated CO2 or low levels of CO2 (100 ppm). About 120 mutants were identified which grew on elevated CO2 but were unable to grow well at low CO2 concentrations. About 50% of these mutants had low affinities for inorganic carbon as assessed by K0.5(CO2), indicating a potential defect in the CCM. The location of the inserted DNA is being determined using inverse PCR (iPCR) and thermal asymmetric interlaced (TAIL) PCR. Using these methods, one can rapidly locate the inserted DNA in the genome and identify the gene that has been disrupted by the insertion.
The Riemann problem for the Euler equations

I will not attempt to present all of the details for the case of the Euler equations. In principle we proceed as in the examples already presented, but the details are messier. Instead, I will concentrate on discussing one new feature seen here, contact discontinuities, and see how we can take advantage of the linear degeneracy of one field to simplify the solution process for a general Riemann problem. Full details are available in many sources, for example [11], [77], [97].
On the convergence of the exponential multiplier method for convex programming

In this paper, we analyze the exponential method of multipliers for convex constrained minimization problems, which operates like the usual Augmented Lagrangian method, except that it uses an exponential penalty function in place of the usual quadratic. We also analyze a dual counterpart, the entropy minimization algorithm, which operates like the proximal minimization algorithm, except that it uses a logarithmic/entropy “proximal” term in place of a quadratic. We strengthen substantially the available convergence results for these methods, and we derive the convergence rate of these methods when applied to linear programs.
Replication of cowpea mosaic virus in protoplasts isolated from immune lines of cowpeas

In previous work, some lines from a collection of cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata, Walp.) were found to be immune to a cowpea mosaic virus strain (CPMV-SB) under specified conditions. At 24 hr after inoculation, protoplasts from a susceptible and most immune lines were sources of similar amounts of virus, but very little virus was recovered from protoplasts of line Arlington. Now we have compared the responses of Arlington, several other immune lines, a local lesion host (a selection out of the cowpea cross Chinese red x Iron), and a systemic host (Blackeye 5) after inoculation under a variety of conditions and by means of three types of virus assay. Replication of CPMV-SB apparently did occur in Arlington protoplasts, though to a low level only. For lines other than Arlington, in vitro inoculation of protoplasts initiated similar "growth curves" except that the onset of virus increase was delayed in some. Contrasting results were obtained with protoplasts isolated from leaves that had been heavily inoculated with CPMV-SB. The hypersensitivity of Chinese red x Iron seedlings then seemed to influence virus replication in the isolated protoplasts; little or no virus could be recovered from the protoplasts of the mechanically inoculated primary leaves of immune lines. Seedlings of the immune lines also were immune or highly resistant to graft inoculation. The results have implications regarding general mechanisms of immunity to CPMV-SB and indicate that immunity in this system is not an exaggerated form of hypersensitivity.
Structural and Reactivity Properties of Nb-MCM-41: Comparison with That of Highly Dispersed Nb2O5/SiO2 Catalysts

Abstract The molecular structures of Nb cations in mesoporous material NbMCM-41 and the supported Nb 2 O 5 /SiO 2 catalyst under hydrated and dehydrated conditions were investigated by in-situ Raman and UV-vis-NIR diffuse reflectance spectroscopies. Methanol oxidation was employed as a chemical probe reaction to examine reactivity/selectivity properties of these catalytic materials. The structural characterization techniques demonstrate that similar surface Nb oxide species are present in both NbMCM-41 and Nb 2 O 5 /SiO 2 catalysts, which are sensitive to the environmental conditions (ambient or dehydrated). However, the characterization results also suggest that some Nb atoms in NbMCM-41 may be incorporated within the siliceous framework. The spectroscopic results revealed that under dehydrated conditions, the Nb cations in NbMCM-41 and 1% Nb 2 O 5 /SiO 2 are predominantly composed of isolated NbO 4 units, while the Nb cations in the supported Nb 2 O 5 /SiO 2 catalysts possess polymerized NbO x species and/or bulk Nb 2 O 5 with increasing Nb loading. The catalytic results indicate that the dispersed Nb cations in both types of catalysts are active redox sites for methanol oxidation and exhibit similar reactivity and selectivity properties due to the presence of NbOSi bonds in their structures.
Protocol validation: principles and applications

Abstract We describe two techniques that have been developed for automated protocol validation, reachability analysis and random walk validation. A number of case studies are presented in order to demonstrate how the techniques can be applied to protocols of varying complexity. The effectiveness of automated protocol validation is discussed in terms of a simple model that shows why analysis of a restricted sample of the states in the reachable state space is sufficient to identify most errors when the latter are limited complexity.
WE-D-17A-01: A Dynamic Collimation System for Spot Scanned Proton Therapy: Conceptual Overview

Purpose: In the absence of a collimation system, the lateral penumbra in pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy delivered at low energies is highly dependent on the spot size. This dependence, coupled with the fact that spot sizes increase with decreasing energy, reduces the benefit of the PBS technique for treating shallow tumors such as those found in the head and neck region. In order to overcome this limitation, a dynamic collimation system (DCS) was developed for sharpening the lateral penumbra of low energy proton therapy dose distributions delivered by PBS. Methods: The proposed DCS consists of two pairs of orthogonal trimmer blades which intercept the edges of the proton beam near the target edge in the beam's eye view. Each trimmer blade is capable of rapid motion in the direction perpendicular to the central beam axis by means of a linear motor, with maximum velocity and acceleration of 2.5 m/s and 19.6 m/s2, respectively. Two-dimensional treatment plans were created both with and without the DCS for in-air spot sizes (σ_air) of 3, 5, 7, and 9 mm, representing a wide array of clinically available equipment. Results: In its current configuration, the snout of the DCS has outer dimensions of 22.6 × 22.6 cm2 and is capable of delivering a minimum treatment field size of 15 × 15 cm2. Using off the shelf components, the constructed system would weigh less than 20 kg. The treatment plans created with the DCS yielded a reduction in the mean dose to normal tissue surrounding the target of 26.2–40.6% for spot sizes of 3–9 mm, respectively. Conclusion: The DCS can be integrated with current or future proton therapy equipment and we believe it will serve as a useful tool to further improve the next generation of proton therapy delivery.
mBenchLab: Measuring QoE of Web applications using mobile devices

In this paper, we present mBenchLab, a software infrastructure to measure the Quality of Experience (QoE) on tablet and smartphones accessing cloud hosted Web services. mBenchLab does not rely on emulation but uses real phones and tablets with their original software stack and communication interfaces for performance evaluation. We have used mBenchLab to measure the QoE of well-known web sites on various devices (Android tablets and smartphones) and networks (Wifi, 3G, 4G). We present our experimental results and lessons learned measuring QoE on mobile devices with mBenchLab. In our QoE analysis, we were able to discover a new bug in a very popular smartphone that impacts both performance and data usage. We have also made the entire mBenchLab software available as open source to the community to measure QoE on mobile devices that access cloud-hosted Web applications.
Relative efficacy of different encoding structures and judgment topics in a cued-recall task

Abstract Existing research on the relative efficacy of the self as an encoding structure applies more to the self as an object than as a cognitive structure that guides the organization of incoming information. In order to provide a task that would be more directly relevant to encoding, subjects were asked to watch an interview of a resident assistant (RA) candidate by the housing department and to attend throughout to how similar the candidate's presentation was to the one they themselves or a typical RA would have given in the situation. Furthermore, judgments of similarity were divided into personality, ability, and nonverbal style. The dependent variable was a surprise cued-recall task, administered 20 min after the videotaped interview had ended. Consistent with prediction, subjects instructed to encode from a self-perspective exhibited better recall than those instructed to encode from a typical RA perspective. Also, as predicted, subjects who judged personality or ability similarity recalled more of the interview than those who judged nonverbal style similarity. Enhanced recall from the self-encoding perspective was consistent across all three types of judgments (personality, ability, nonverbal style), suggesting that the self is an efficient processing structure across a variety of diverse judgment topics.
Phenomenological modeling of the response of a dense colloidal suspension under dynamic squeezing flow

Abstract The split Hopkinson pressure bar experimental technique is used to evaluate the squeezing flow response of a concentrated, discontinuously thickening colloidal suspension of spherical silica particles loaded at high stresses/strain rates. These results provide insight into the transitional behavior of these materials, as well as the post-transitional response under compressive loading. A method of analyzing the strain and strain rate dependent behavior is presented to identify modes of material response (viscous, elastic, etc.). Experimental results are presented as stress–strain–strain rate plots and a surface fitting approach is used to develop a phenomenological model describing the overall response. From this model, it is possible to identify regions of elastic and viscous behavior using a gradient analysis approach. It was found that, after an initial period of viscous deformation, the suspension behaves like a viscoelastic material – this regime corresponds well with transition in which large clusters of particles percolate. This is followed by a third, viscous regime in which the material undergoes viscous deformation. At the highest stresses, a plateau region of plastic deformation has been identified. This approach and the conditions under which it may be applied are described in detail in the paper.
A physiologically relevant hyperthermia selectively activates constitutive hsp70 in H9c2 cardiac myoblasts and confers oxidative protection.

Whole body hyperthermia (42–43°C for 15–20 min) elicits the formation of heat shock proteins (hsps) and improves cardiac recovery from subsequent ischemia/reperfusion. However, the beneficial effects of this response are compromised by initial tissue injury, which limits its clinical applicability. Using a simplified myocardial model (rat heart-derived H9c2 myoblasts) a hypothesis was tested that chronic, mild hyperthermia is as effective as acute heat shock in inducing the heat shock response. Our results indicate that 39°C pre-conditioning evoked thermotolerance and oxidative resistance, but caused no detectable adverse effects. An improved survival after hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) exposure (40–54μmfor 3 h) was first observed in cells pre-conditioned at 39°C for 24 h. As the duration of thermal pre-incubation increased, cells became more resistant than the control (37°C) to a greater toxicity of H2O2(68μm). An optimal oxidative protection developed by 4 days at 39°C and this persisted for as long as the cells were incubated at this temperature. Three hsps are known to modulate cellular antioxidant defenses: the constitutive-hsp70 (hsc70), its inducible counterpart (hsp70), and hsp27. The authors found that mild hyperthermia selectively induced only hsc70, which demonstrates a lower temperature threshold for activation of hsc70. The initial protection against the milder H2O2challenge correlated with a homogenous distribution of pre-existing hsc70. The subsequent optimal protection was associated with an identical distribution pattern and a moderate increase of hsc70. These observations suggest that mild hyperthermia induces a beneficial adaptive response, in which hsc70 plays a critical role.
Medical management of children with primary hypertension by pediatric subspecialists

Our aim was to characterize medical management of children with primary hypertension (HTN) by pediatric subspecialists. We performed a medical-record review of children ≤18 years with primary HTN seen at pediatric cardiology or pediatric nephrology clinics at an academic center. Main outcomes were whether treatment decision was in agreement with national guidelines, whether an antihypertensive medication was prescribed, and medication choice. One hundred and eighty children had ≥1 visit to a pediatric cardiology or nephrology clinic. The majority (83%) of children were pharmacologically managed according to national guidelines. However, only 1/3 children with stage 2 HTN received appropriate antihypertensive therapy from either subspecialty. Only 26 children were prescribed an antihypertensive drug. Children evaluated by pediatric nephrologists were fourfold more likely to receive an antihypertensive than children seen by pediatric cardiologists (29% vs. 7%; p < 0.001). However, all antihypertensive prescriptions were prescribed according to guidelines by both subspecialties. Medical management of children with primary HTN by pediatric cardiologists and pediatric nephrologists is largely consistent with guidelines. However, initiation of appropriate antihypertensive drugs for children with highest severity of HTN is equally poor for both subspecialties. Future studies should explore the factors underlying physicians’ reluctance to initiate recommended chronic pharmacologic therapy in children and its associated outcomes.
Down-Regulation of Nerve Growth Factor Expression in the Bladder by Antisense Oligonucleotides as New Treatment for Overactive Bladder

Purpose: Nerve growth factor over expression in the bladder has a role in overactive bladder symptoms via the mediation of functional changes in bladder afferent pathways. We studied whether blocking nerve growth factor over expression in bladder urothelium by a sequence specific gene silencing mechanism would suppress bladder overactivity and chemokine expression induced by acetic acid.Materials and Methods: Female Sprague-Dawley® rats anesthetized with isoflurane were instilled with 0.5 ml saline, scrambled or TYE™ 563 labeled antisense oligonucleotide targeting nerve growth factor (12 μM) alone or complexed with cationic liposomes for 30 minutes. The efficacy of nerve growth factor antisense treatments for acetic acid induced bladder overactivity was assessed by cystometry. Bladder nerve growth factor expression levels and cellular distribution were quantified by immunofluorescence staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Effects on bladder chemokine expression were measured by Luminex® xMAP® an...
Complex questions, evolving answers: Creating a multidimensional assessment strategy to build support for the “teaching library”

SUMMARY Since 2001, librarians at Oregon State University's Valley Library have been working to build a “teaching library” supported by a clearly articulated instruction program. From the start, we believed that we needed to assess the teaching library's impact, not only to determine the success or failure of our efforts but also to demonstrate the need for intentional, proactive information literacy instruction on our campus. No single assessment tool or method proved adequate to effectively measure student learning happening both inside and outside the library. We describe our evolving, multi-pronged approach to measuring the impact of the library on student learning in the context of current assessment practices in academic libraries and higher education.
High‐temperature kinetic study for the reactive ion etching of InP in BCl3/Ar/O2

The reactive ion etching kinetics of InP studied uses BCl3/Ar and BCl3/Ar/O2 as etchants. High-temperature etching using BCl3 and Ar increases the etch rate negligibly. However, the addition of 30% oxygen in the gas feed increases etch rates by a factor of 10,000 up to 1.5 micron/min at wafer temperatures of 250°C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis reveals that oxygen removes the boron species adsorbing on the InP surface by scavenging the boron to form volatile boron oxides. To study the gas-phase chemistry, optical emission spectroscopy is used to monitor atomic chlorine intensity at different gas mixtures. The chlorine intensity shows a Gaussian-type dependence with oxygen addition, which is similar to the etch rate dependence. Two regimes of etching found are: at temperatures below 150°C, the etching is limited by the removal of indium chlorides; above 180°C, the etching is reaction-limited. The surface morphology shows that the etch profile becomes rougher as a result of increased chemical etching. At high power densities (0.21 W/cm2) and intermediate temperatures (150°C), near vertical wall shapes are obtained. A kinetic model for the high-temperature etching is developed, as well as a rate law based on the InCl formation reaction. The rate law compares favorably with experimental etch rate results.
Effect of axial halogen substitution on the performance of subphthalocyanine based organic photovoltaic cells

Abstract To probe the influence of molecular dipole on the open circuit voltage ( V OC ) of molecular heterojunction organic solar cells, we study axially fluorinated boron subphthalocyanine/fullerene (SubPc-F/C 60 ) junctions. These exhibit an open-circuit voltage V OC = 1.00 V, a value closer to the HOMO–LUMO offset at the donor–acceptor interface = 1.69 eV than the V OC = 1.06 V measured for junctions between the archetypal chlorinated SubPc and C 60 , with corresponding HOMO–LUMO offset = 1.84 eV. Aside from the axial halogen substitution, the two compounds exhibit similar molecular structure and optical absorption. The energy levels and structure of the heteromolecular polaron pair are calculated, and the ideal organic diode model for SubPc-Cl is modified accordingly, successfully reproducing the experimental SubPc-F device characteristics. The reproducible difference in V OC is attributed to the different electric dipole strength between SubPc-F and SubPc-Cl and its influence on polaron pair dynamics at the heterojunction.
Effect of PIP3 on adhesion molecules and adhesion of THP-1 monocytes to HUVEC treated with high glucose.

Background: Phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate (PIP3), a well-known lipid second messenger, plays a key role in insulin signaling and glucose homeostasis. Using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and THP-1 monocytes, we tested the hypothesis that PIP3 can downregulate adhesion molecules and monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells. Methods: HUVEC and monocytes were exposed to high glucose (HG, 25 mM, 20 h) with or without PIP3 (0-20 nM), or PIT-1 (25 µM), an inhibitor of PIP3. Results: Both HG and PIT-1 caused a decrease in cellular PIP3 in monocytes and HUVEC compared to controls. Treatment with PIT-1 and HG also increased the ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1) total protein expression as well as its surface expression in HUVEC, CD11a (a subunit of lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1, LFA-1) total protein expression as well as its surface expression in monocytes, and adhesion of monocytes to HUVEC. Exogenous PIP3 supplementation restored the intracellular PIP3 concentrations, downregulated the expression of adhesion molecules, and reduced the adhesion of monocytes to HUVEC treated with HG. Conclusion: This study reports that a decrease in cellular PIP3 is associated with increased expression of adhesion molecules and monocyte-endothelial cell adhesion, and may play a role in the endothelial dysfunction associated with diabetes.
From the Interim Editor

Professor Prakash Mirchandani found it necessary to step down as JOC Editor-in-Chief in February 2007, due to a family health issue. During and in the months before his time as EiC, Prakash brought a number of changes and needed initiatives, on which he reported in this column in the Winter 2007 issue. We thank him for his EiC work, not to mention his many years of prior service as JOC Area Editor for Telecommunications and Electronic Commerce. Professor Terry Harrison, INFORMS Vice President for Publications, then asked me to return as EiC on an interim basis, while last year’s search committee reconvenes and recommends a new EiC, and I was happy to do so. I’m grateful for the search committee’s agreement to resume their work; Bob Fourer chairs the committee, and its other members are Bruce Golden, Steve Graves, and Ramesh Sharda. In the meantime, the business of JOC continues uninterrupted, with submissions, reviews, decisions, production, and publication, as usual. Last year as EiC, I requested a substantial page-budget increase to 672 pages, which was granted by the INFORMS Board. Thus, this issue and the one before it this year are substantially thicker, with substantially more papers than has been possible over the past few years. Although we still have a healthy backlog of accepted work (see “Forthcoming Papers” on the JOC website), we’re now in the process of meaningfully reducing that backlog, with the result that the time from acceptance to publication is being shortened noticeably, better serving readers and authors alike. After many years of fine service to JOC, Professor Edward Kao of the University of Houston has decided to step down as Area Editor for Computational Probability and Analysis. Under Edward’s leadership, this important Area has grown and flourished, certainly covering the uncertain aspects of the OR/CS interface. Rather than naming a new Area Editor, I’m supporting that role until a new EiC is chosen. There are several changes among the Associate Editors to report as well. In the Simulation Area, Paul Fishwick (University of Florida), Harriet Black Nembhard (The Pennsylvania State University), and Leyuan Shi (University of Wisconsin) have rotated off after many years of fine service to that community, and James Calvin (New Jersey Institute of Technology) and Bruno Tuffin (IRISA/INRIA) have agreed to come on board. In the Telecommunications and Electronic Commerce Area, Debabrata Dey (University of Washington) has rotated off after long-standing and excellent work for the journal, and Bernard Fortz (Universite Libre de Bruxelles) has agreed to come on. In the Design and Analysis of Algorithms Area, we welcome Christoph Helmberg (Technische Universitat Chemnitz). And in the former High-Performance Computing Area, Betty Hickman (University of Nebraska at Omaha) has rotated off. At this writing, the JOC EiC search committee has made excellent progress, and by the time you read this editorial a new EiC could well have been named. Please check the JOC website for this information.
Mitogen-activated axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) splenocytes produce a cytokine that promotes growth of homologous lymphoblasts

Abstract Culture supernatants (PHA-SNs) from axolotl splenocytes cultured with phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA) in medium supplemented with bovine serum albumin (BSA) were collected after 1, 2, and 3 days, pooled, treated to remove residual PHA, precipitated with saturated ammonium sulfate, dialyzed, aliquoted, and stored at −20°C. PHA-SNs stimulated proliferation of homologous lymphoblasts, but not resting splenocytes. SDS-PAGE of metabolically labeled PHA-SNs revealed a band between 14 and 21 kDa. This corresponds to the M r of the gel fractions with biological stimulatory activity eluted from PHA-SNs. Blasts absorbed significant bioactivity of PHA-SNs whereas freshly harvested splenocytes did not. Although splenocytes cultured in medium supplemented with 1% fetal bovine serum (FBS) did not proliferate in response to PHA, they did secrete a cytokine with lymphoblast growth-promoting activity. Furthermore, PHA-induced lymphoblasts, initially cultured in medium supplemented with 0.25% BSA, could proliferate in response to PHA-SNs in 1% FBS-supplemented medium.
Chytridiomycosis impacts predator-prey interactions in larval amphibian communities.

Despite ecologists increasingly recognizing pathogens as playing significant roles in community dynamics, few experimental studies have quantified patterns of disease impacts on natural systems. Amphibians are experiencing population declines, and a fungal pathogen (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis; Chytridiomycota) is a suspected causal agent in many declines. We studied the effects of a pathogenic fungus on community interactions between the gray treefrog, Hyla chrysoscelis, and eastern newts, Notophthalmus viridescens. Recent studies have characterized chytridiomycosis as an emerging infectious disease, whose suspected rapid range expansion and widespread occurrence pose a significant risk for amphibian populations worldwide. We reared larvae in outdoor polyethylene experimental tanks and tested the effects of initial larval density, predator presence, and fungal exposure on Hyla recruitment and predator-prey interactions between Hyla and Notophthalmus. Newts reduced treefrog survival, and high intraspecific density decreased metamorphic body mass independent of B. dendrobatidis. The presence of fungi reduced treefrog body mass at metamorphosis by 34%, but had no significant main effect on survival or larval period length. B. dendrobatidis differentially affected larval development in the presence of predators; Hyla developed slower when reared with the pathogen, but only when newts were present. This significant predator-by-pathogen interaction suggests that the impact of chytridiomycosis on larval amphibians may be exacerbated in complex communities. Our data suggest that B. dendrobatidis effects on host life history may be complex and indirect. Direct measurements of the community-level effects of pathogens offer an important opportunity to understand a significant threat to global biodiversity—declining amphibian populations.
An Automatic Framework for Figure-Ground Segmentation in Cluttered Backgrounds

This paper proposes an automatic framework for figure-ground segmentation of edged images in the presence of cluttered background. Our work employs perceptual grouping concepts to characterize image segments by means of their saliency, which is computed via tensor voting. The main innovation of our work is a case-based thresholding scheme which iteratively eliminates edge segments with low-saliency in multiple scales, preserving those that are more likely to belong to foreground. The key idea is classifying saliency histograms in several cases by considering the relative position of the modes of the figure/ground distributions and applying specific actions in each case. We have performed extensive experiments in order to evaluate our framework both quantitatively and qualitatively, including real images from the Berkeley dataset.