cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE IMPACT OF THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE ACT ON LAND ALIENATION IN CALIFORNIA

The Agricultural College Act of 1862 provided land grants to states for the establishment of A & M colleges. It is widely held that this measure was primarily used by speculators to acquire vast tracts of public domain lands. An examination of the influence of the Act on land alienation in California only partially supports this notion. Regional variations in the pattern of land entries over time reflect changes in the provisions of the original land act allowing thousands of small holders also to make use of this land measure.
On dominance solvable auctions in the general symmetric model

Abstract A new class, of second-price auctions of the general symmetric model, is shown to be a dominance solvable game. Illuminating examples are provided.
Norovirus P Particle, a Novel Platform for Vaccine Development and Antibody Production

The norovirus P particle is an octahedral nanoparticle formed by 24 copies of the protrusion (P) domain of the norovirus capsid protein. This P particle is easily produced in Escherichia coli, extremely stable, and highly immunogenic. There are three surface loops per P domain, making a total of 72 loops per particle, and these are potential sites for foreign antigen presentation for immune enhancement. To prove this concept, a small peptide (His tag, 7 amino acids [aa]) and a large antigen (rotavirus VP8, 159 aa) were inserted into one of the loops. Neither insertion affects P particle formation, while both antigens were presented well on the P particle surface. The immune-enhancement effect of the P particle was demonstrated by significantly increased antibody titers induced by the P particle-presented antigens compared to the titers induced by free antigens. In addition, the measured neutralization antibody titers and levels of protection against rotavirus shedding in mice immunized with the VP8 chimeric P particles were significantly higher than those of mice immunized with the free VP8 antigen. Sera from P particle-VP8 chimera-vaccinated animals also blocked norovirus virus-like particle (VLP) binding to the histo-blood group antigen (HBGA) receptors. From these data, the P particle appears to be an excellent vaccine platform for antigen presentation. The readily available three surface loops and the great capacity for foreign antigen insertion make this platform attractive for wide application in vaccine development and antibody production. The P particle-VP8 chimeras may serve as a dual vaccine against both rotavirus and norovirus.
Phosphodiesterase type 1 inhibition improves learning in rats exposed to alcohol during the third trimester equivalent of human gestation.

Deficits in learning and memory have been extensively observed in animal models of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Here we use the Morris maze to test whether vinpocetine, a phosphodiesterase type 1 inhibitor, restores learning performance in rats exposed to alcohol during the third trimester equivalent of human gestation. Long Evans rats received ethanol (5 g/kg i.p.) or saline on alternate days from postnatal day (P) 4 to P10. Two weeks later (P25), the latency to find a hidden platform was evaluated (2 trials per day spaced at 40-min inter-trial intervals) during 4 consecutive days. Vinpocetine treatment started on the first day of behavioral testing: animals received vinpocetine (20 mg/kg i.p.) or vehicle solution every other day until the end of behavioral procedures. Early alcohol exposure significantly affected the performance to find the hidden platform. The average latency of ethanol-exposed animals was significantly higher than that observed for the control group. Treatment of alcohol-exposed animals with vinpocetine restored their performance to control levels. Our results show that inhibition of PDE1 improves learning and memory deficits in rats early exposed to alcohol and provide evidence for the potential therapeutic use of vinpocetine in FASD.
Interaction nonlinearity in asphalt binders

Asphalt mixtures are complex composites that comprise aggregate, asphalt binder, and air. Several research studies have shown that the mechanical behavior of the asphalt mixture is strongly influenced by the matrix, i.e. the asphalt binder. Characterization and a thorough understanding of the binder behavior is the first and crucial step towards developing an accurate constitutive model for the composite. Accurate constitutive models for the constituent materials are critical to ensure accurate performance predictions at a material and structural level using micromechanics. This paper presents the findings from a systematic investigation into the nature of the linear and nonlinear response of asphalt binders subjected to different types of loading using the Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR). Laboratory test data show that a compressive normal force is generated in an axially constrained specimen subjected to torsional shear. This paper investigates the source of this normal force and demonstrates that the asphalt binder can dilate when subjected to shear loads. This paper also presents the findings from a study conducted to investigate the source of the nonlinearity in the asphalt binder. Test results demonstrate that the application of cyclic shear loads results in the development of a normal force and a concomitant reduction in the dynamic shear modulus. This form of nonlinear response is referred to as an “interaction nonlinearity”. A combination of experimental and analytical tools is used to demonstrate and verify the presence of this interaction nonlinearity in asphalt binders. The findings from this study highlight the importance of modeling the mechanical behavior of asphalt binders based on the overall stress state of the material.
What to study? That is a question: : A conscious thought analysis

This lecture was intended to continue the discussions on why and how to establish a distinctive sport management discipline that was initiated by previous Earle F. Zeigler Lecture Award recipients. Through applying the dual process theory (Dijksterhuis & Nordgren, 2006), it was intended to explore the differences between tangible and intangible variables, how they have been studied as distinct perspectives, and how they can be integrated through two application examples, one on service quality of sport event operations and the other on market demand for sport events. Hopefully, this lecture would help reenergize the discussions and inquiries on this important matter. These illustrations are certainly debatable and subject to further empirical examinations.
Adenosine receptor-dependent modulation of inhibin secretion in cultured immature rat Sertoli cells

Abstract Inhibitory (A1) adenosine receptors that attenuate adenylate cyclase activity are present in cultured Sertoli cells. To investigate the possible effect of activating these receptors on the secretion of inhibin by the Sertoli cell, immature rat Sertoli cells were incubated for 24 h with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the absence or presence of the non-metabolizable, adenosine agonist phenyl-isopropyl-adenosine (PIA), and the accumulation of α-inhibin immunoreactivity was measured in the medium. Although devoid of effects when added alone, PIA inhibited the FSH-dependent secretion of α-inhibin in a concentration-dependent manner (ED n 50 = 1–1.5 nM). PIA treatment of the Sertoli cells also rendered the cells less sensitive to FSH in terms of α-inhibin secretion. The concentration-response curve to FSH was shifted to the right when cells were incubated in the presence of 100–1000 nM PIA. In contrast, dibutyryl cAMP stimulation of α-inhibin accumulation was unaffected by treatment with PIA, indicating that the site of PIA action is at the level of cAMP synthesis. These data provide experimental evidence of adenosine modulation of inhibin secretion by the Sertoli cell and suggest that adenosine may act as a local modulator within the pituitary-testicular axis.
Microstructural characterization of SiOx surface contaminants on ashed aluminum thin films

Abstract Thin films of aluminum were exposed in short increments to a plasma environment using a semiconductor plasma asher. The process gas was a mixture of air and oxygen. The total exposed oxygen fluence was 1.2 × 10 21 oxygen atoms cm −2 accumulated over 34 h. Heavy contamination of film surfaces resulted from plasma etching of the chamber seals. The surface microstructure of this deposited contaminant was studied with atomic force microscopy (AFM). The contaminants appear to nucleate and grow at protruding surface features. These features appear in the AFM data as dome-shaped growths rising rapidly from the surface. The density of these observed growths is much higher on sputtered films than on electron-beam evaporated films. These differences are most likely due to the microstructure of the as-deposited films. The as-deposited sputtered films are rougher than their evaporated counterparts and provide more sites for nucleation of the observed contaminant growths. The surface roughness of the contaminated films increases quickly by a factor of 3–6 within 300 min of exposure and saturates thereafter. It is postulated that the surface roughness increases until a continuous, but rough, contaminant layer is formed. After the formation of a continuous layer, additional material deposits while maintaining the existing surface microstructure. The growth of rough contaminant features has a significant effect on the specular reflectance of the films. Sputtered films show larger losses in specular reflectance than evaporated films after asher exposure.
mCrowd: a platform for mobile crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing is a new paradigm for utilizing the power of "crowds" of people to facilitate large scale tasks that are costly or time consuming with traditional methods. Crowdsourcing has enormous potential that can be truly unleashed when extended to sensor-rich mobile devices, such as smart phones. In this paper, we demonstrate mCrowd, an iPhone based mobile crowdsourcing platform that enables mobile users to post and work on sensor-related crowdsourcing tasks. mCrowd enables mobile users to fully utilize the rich sensors equipped with iPhone to participate and accomplish crowdsourcing tasks at fingertips, including geolocation-aware image collection, image tagging, road traffic monitoring, and others.
Drosophila Kelch Is an Oligomeric Ring Canal Actin Organizer

Drosophila kelch has four protein domains, two of which are found in kelch-family proteins and in numerous nonkelch proteins. In Drosophila, kelch is required to maintain ring canal organization during oogenesis. We have performed a structure-function analysis to study the function of Drosophila kelch. The amino-terminal region (NTR) regulates the timing of kelch localization to the ring canals. Without the NTR, the protein localizes precociously and destabilizes the ring canals and the germ cell membranes, leading to dominant sterility. The amino half of the protein including the BTB domain mediates dimerization. Oligomerization through the amino half of kelch might allow cross-linking of ring canal actin filaments, organizing the inner rim cytoskeleton. The kelch repeat domain is necessary and sufficient for ring canal localization and likely mediates an additional interaction, possibly with actin.
Three Drought-Responsive Members of the Nonspecific Lipid-Transfer Protein Gene Family in Lycopersicon pennellii Show Different Developmental Patterns of Expression

Genomic clones of two nonspecific lipid-transfer protein genes from a drought-tolerant wild species of tomato ( Lycopersicon pennellii Corr.) were isolated using as a probe a drought- and abscisic acid (ABA)-induced cDNA clone (pLE16) from cultivated tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). Both genes ( LpLtp1 and LpLtp2 ) were sequenced and their corresponding mRNAs were characterized; they are both interrupted by a single intron at identical positions and predict basic proteins of 114 amino acid residues. Genomic Southern data indicated that these genes are members of a small gene family in Lycopersicon spp. The 3′-untranslated regions from LpLtp1 and LpLtp2 , as well as a polymerase chain reaction-amplified 3′-untranslated region from pLE16 (cross-hybridizing to a third gene in L. pennellii , namely LpLtp3 ), were used as gene-specific probes to describe expression in L. pennellii through northern-blot analyses. All LpLtp genes were exclusively expressed in the aerial tissues of the plant and all were drought and ABA inducible. Each gene had a different pattern of expression in fruit, and LpLtp1 and LpLtp2 , unlike LpLtp3, were both primarily developmentally regulated in leaf tissue. Putative ABA-responsive elements were found in the proximal promoter regions of LpLtp1 and LpLtp2 .
Hierarchical SIR and rate control on the forward link for CDMA data users under delay and error constraints

We study the signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) and rate control for code division multiple access (CDMA) data users on the forward link under average or peak power constraints. The quality of service (QoS) for data users is specified by delay and error rate constraints as well as a family of utility functions representing the throughput and fairness among the data users. It is found that the optimal SIR and rate control algorithm has a hierarchical structure which can be easily implemented in a distributed manner. The SIR targets can be adjusted independently by the mobiles using information specific to the individual users. The data rates can be adjusted jointly by the base station based on limited feedback from the mobiles. We also propose a two-level iteration algorithm for both the mobile and the base station to efficiently compute the SIR and data rates. Our results show that a flexible tradeoff between total system throughput (sum of rates achieved) and fairness (similarity in data rates) can be achieved by choosing appropriate utility functions used in this scheme.
Student Award for Outstanding Research Winner in the Ph.D. Category for the 9th World Biomaterials Congress, Chengdu, China, June 1-5, 2012: The interplay of bone-like extracellular matrix and TNF-α signaling on in vitro osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.

As an initial step in the development of a bone tissue engineering strategy to rationally control inflammation, we investigated the interplay of bone-like extracellular matrix (ECM) and varying doses of the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) on osteogenically differentiating mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) cultured in vitro on 3D poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) microfiber scaffolds containing pregenerated bone-like ECM. To generate the ECM, PCL scaffolds were seeded with MSCs and cultured in medium containing the typically required osteogenic supplement dexamethasone. However, since dexamethasone antagonizes TNF-α, the interplay of ECM and TNF-α was investigated by culturing naive MSCs on the decellularized scaffolds in the absence of dexamethasone. MSCs cultured on ECM-coated scaffolds continued to deposit mineralized matrix, a late stage marker of osteogenic differentiation. Mineralized matrix deposition was not adversely affected by exposure to TNF-α for 4-8 days, but was significantly reduced after continuous exposure to TNF-α over 16 days, which simulates the in vivo response, where brief TNF-α signaling stimulates bone regeneration, while prolonged exposure has damaging effects. This underscores the exciting potential of PCL/ECM constructs as a more clinically realistic in vitro culture model to facilitate the design of new bone tissue engineering strategies that rationally control inflammation to promote regeneration.
Paradise in Danger

Catherine Caufield. In the Rainforest: Report from. Strange, Beautiful, Imperilled World. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1986. 304 pp. $10.95 (paper).
Design of an electronic differential for a formula electric racecar

Racecar performance, even on a collegiate or student level, depends on a multitude of factors, some of which are incidental to the track the race will be run upon. A careful balance of power, speed, and control needs to be maintained in order to optimize a vehicle's performance on the racetrack. As UC Irvine's entry into the 2012 Energy Invitational race, Gamma has been a testbed for different drive technologies at some point in time, and is now being used to investigate the effects of active torque bias on vehicle handling under racing conditions.
A single base transversion in the flanking region of an equine microsatellite locus affects amplification of one allele

The equine dinucleotide microsatellite HMS7 is part of a microsatellite panel utilized in a parentage verification programme at the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (Davis, California, USA). Apparent non-Mendelian inheritance was noted when a Quarter Horse mare was excluded as the parent of two offspring based on analysis of the HMS7 locus. The mare's DNA type qualified her as a parent of the offspring at an additional 20 microsatellite loci. The three animals appeared homozygous for HMS7 with each possessing an allele different from that of the other two animals. Polymerase chain reaction primers designed to bind outside the published primer-binding sites amplified an additional shared allele in all three horses, which qualified the mare as the dam of the two offspring. Sequencing of this newly detected allele revealed a C to A transversion in one of the published primer-binding regions. Apparent non-Mendelian inheritance at the HMS7 locus has been encountered in an additional 26 Quarter Horse parentage cases. In all instances, the lack of amplification and resultant 'null' allele was shown to be caused by the same transversion.
TEMPORAL DYNAMICS IN SOIL CARBON AND NITROGEN RESOURCES AT A GRASSLAND–SHRUBLAND ECOTONE

Plant communities of large portions of the southwestern United States have changed from grassland to desert shrubland. Previous studies have demonstrated that soil nutrient resources become spatially more heterogeneous and are redistributed into islands of fertility with the shift in vegetation. The research presented here addressed the question of whether soil resources become more temporally heterogeneous as well as more spatially heterogeneous when grassland undergoes desertification to form shrubland. Within adjacent grassland and creosotebush sites, soil profiles were described at three soil pits, and samples were collected for description of nutrient resources within the profile. Relative abundance of plant cover and bare soil was determined within each site using line transects. Surface samples (0-20 cm depth) of bare soil and soil beneath the canopies of grasses and creo- sotebush were collected 17 times during 1992-1994. Soil samples were analyzed for mois- ture, extractable ammonium and nitrate, nitrogen mineralization potential, microbial bio- mass carbon, total organic carbon, microbial respiration, dehydrogenase activity, the ratio of microbial C to total organic C (Cmic/Corg), and the ratio of microbial respiration to biomass carbon (metabolic quotient). The major differences in the structure of soils between sites were the apparent loss of 3-5 cm depth of sandy surface soil at the creosotebush site and an associated increase in calcium carbonate content at a more shallow depth. Soils under plants at both sites had greater total and available nutrient resources, with higher concen- trations under creosotebush than under grasses. Greatest temporal variation in available soil resources was observed in soils under creosotebush. When expressed on the basis of area, available soil resources were higher in the grassland than in the creosotebush shrub- land, primarily due to the difference in plant cover (45% in grassland, 8% in creosotebush shrubland).
Who benefits the most from a gratitude intervention in children and adolescents? Examining positive affect as a moderator

To date, nearly half of the work supporting the efficacy of gratitude interventions did so by making contrasts with techniques that induce negative affect (e.g., record your daily hassles). Gratitude interventions have shown limited benefits, if any, over control conditions. Thus, there is a need to better understand whether gratitude interventions are beyond a control condition and if there exists a subset of people who benefit. People high in positive affect (PA) may have reached an ‘emotional ceiling’ and, thus, are less susceptible to experiencing gains in well-being. People lower in PA, however, may need more positive events (like expressing gratitude to a benefactor) to ‘catch up’ to the positive experiences of their peers. We examined if PA moderated the effects of a gratitude intervention where youth were instructed to write a letter to someone whom they were grateful and deliver it to them in person. Eighty-nine children and adolescents were randomly assigned to the gratitude intervention or a control condition. Findings indicated that youth low in PA in the gratitude condition, compared with youth writing about daily events, reported greater gratitude and PA at post-treatment and greater PA at the 2-month follow-up.
Effects of atoms on brittle fracture

This article aims to answer two related sets of questions. First: in principle, how large an effect can structure at the atomic scale have upon the fracture of two macroscopically identical samples? The answer to this question is that the effects can be very large. Perfectly sharp cracks can be pinned and stationary under loading conditions that put them far beyond the Griffith point. Crack paths need not obey the rule K II = 0. Crack speeds can vary from zero to the Rayleigh wave speed under identical loading conditions but depending upon microscopic rules. These conclusions are obtained from simple solvable models, and from techniques that make it possible to extrapolate reliably from small numerical calculations to the macroscopic limit. These techniques are described in some detail. Second: in practice, should any of these effects be visible in real laboratory samples? The answer to this second question is less clear. The qualitative phenomena exhibited by simple models are observed routinely in the fracture of brittle crystals. However, the correspondence between computations in perfect two-dimensional numerical samples at zero temperature and imperfect three-dimensional laboratory specimens at nonzero temper- ature is not simple. This paper reports on computations involving nonzero temperature, and irregular crack motion that indicate both strengths and weaknesses of two-dimensional microscopic modeling.
The management of resources and the resource of management

Abstract The resource-based approach of deductive economics, the dynamic capabilities approach of strategy process, and organization theory research on organizational learning need to be joined in the next generation of resource-based research. This suggested redirection of resource-based research implies a return to a “resource-learning” theory of the firm begun by Penrose (published 1959). A synthesis of resource-based theory and learning theory allows us to examine how two sources of firm heterogeneity (resources and mental models) are intertwined. j busn res 1995. 33.91-101
Unusual temperature dependences of the reactions of triplet fluorenylidene with olefins

Abstract The reactions of triplet fluorenylidene with a series of olefins in acetonitrile show inverse temperature dependences. The effect is attributed to reversible formation of carbene—olefin complexes which are precursors to the final products. These complexes may be triplet 1,3-biradicals.
Predictive Value of Cell Cycle Biomarkers in Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Transitional Cell Carcinoma

Purpose: We determined whether the combined expression of p53, p21, p27 and pRB is associated with outcomes of patients with nonmuscle invasive bladder transitional cell carcinoma.Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemical staining for p53, p21, p27 and pRB was performed on archival bladder specimens from 9 normal controls and 74 patients who underwent transurethral bladder tumor resection for Ta, Tis and/or T1 transitional cell carcinoma.Results: Normal urothelium had wild type status of p53, pRB, p21 and p27. p53 expression was altered in 34% of patients with transitional cell carcinoma, pRB in 39%, p21 in 35% and p27 in 47%. When analyzed separately, p53, pRB and p21 were each independently associated with tumor progression. Combination of biomarkers stratified patients into statistically significantly different risk groups for disease recurrence and progression. When tumor stage and grade were modeled with all 4 biomarkers, p53 and p27 were the sole independent predictors of disease recurrence and pro...
Low-Light-Level Optical Interactions with Rubidium Vapor in a Photonic Band-Gap Fiber

We show that rubidium vapor can be produced within the core of a photonic band-gap fiber yielding an optical depth in excess of 2000. Our technique for producing the vapor is based on coating the inner walls of the fiber core with organosilane and using light-induced atomic desorption to release Rb atoms into the core. As an initial demonstration of the potential of this system for supporting ultralow-level nonlinear optical interactions, we perform electromagnetically induced transparency with control-field powers in the nanowatt regime, which represents more than a 1000-fold reduction from the power required for bulk, focused geometries.
Pharmacokinetics of high-dose oral thiamine hydrochloride in healthy subjects

Background High dose oral thiamine may have a role in treating diabetes, heart failure, and hypermetabolic states. The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetic profile of oral thiamine hydrochloride at 100 mg, 500 mg and 1500 mg doses in healthy subjects.
Cooperative task assignment of unmanned aerial vehicles in adversarial environments

This paper addresses the problem of risk in the environment and presents a new stochastic formulation of the UAV task assignment problem. This formulation explicitly accounts for the interaction between the UAVs /sub i/splaying cooperation between the vehicles rather than just coordination. As defined in the paper, cooperation entails coordinated task assignment with the additional knowledge of the future implications of a UAV's actions on improving the expected performance of the other UAVs. The key point is that the actions of each UAV can reduce the risk in the environment for all other UAVs; and the new formulation takes advantage of this fact to generate cooperative assignments that achieve better performance. This change in the formulation is accomplished by coupling the failure probabilities for each UAV to the selected missions for all other UAVs. This results in coordinated plans that optimally exploit the coupling effects of cooperation to improve the survival probabilities and expected performance. This allocation is shown to recover real-world air operations planning strategies that provide significant improvements over approaches that do not correctly account for UAV attrition. The problem is formulated as a dynamic programming (DP) problem, which is shown to be more computationally tractable than previous MILP solution approaches. Two DP approximation methods (the one-step and two-step look-ahead) are also developed for larger problems. Simulation results show that the one-step look-ahead can generate cooperative solutions very quickly, but the performance degrades considerably. The two-step look-ahead policy generates plans that are very close to (and in many cases, identical to) the optimal solution and the computation time is still significantly lower than the exact DP approach.
The development of a testicular self-examination instructional booklet for adolescents

Testicular cancer (TC) is the most common cancer in 15-34-year-old males, but many young men are unaware of their risks, symptoms, and possibility of detection by testicular self-examination (TSE). After a pretest to determine baseline knowledge and TSE activity, 66 young men, 15-20 years old (means = 18.5 +/- 1.5), were given a programmed-learning self-instructional booklet to read. A posttest after completion of reading the booklet assessed attitudes and new knowledge. A 2-year follow-up tested knowledge and current TSE activity. Pretest analysis revealed that only 15% of the subjects were aware of their risks of TC, and only 6% had been taught TSE by a health professional. Subjects were unable to correctly identify the symptoms of TC, and only 1.5% reported regularly performing TSE. At 2-year follow-up, 95% (p less than .001) knew that a small lump was the most common symptom of TC, and 67% reported performance of TSE (p less than .001). These results suggest that adolescent males are not being taught about TC and TSE, and that our booklet is effective in teaching young men about TC risks and symptoms and how to perform TSE. This self-instruction method may be useful in health education classes for high school and college age youth.
Dead-Time Elimination for Voltage Source Inverters

A novel dead-time elimination method is presented in this paper for voltage source inverters. This method is based on decomposing of a generic phase-leg into two basic switching cells, which are configured with a controllable switch in series with an uncontrollable diode. Therefore, dead-time is not needed. In comparison to using expensive current sensors, this method precisely determines the load current direction by detecting which anti-parallel diode conducts in a phase-leg. A low-cost diode-conduction detector is developed to measure the operating state of the anti-parallel diode. In comparison with complicated compensators, this method features simple logic and flexible implementation. This method significantly reduces the output distortion and regains the output RMS value. The principle of the proposed dead-time elimination method is described in detail. Simulation and experimental results are given to demonstrate the validity and features of this new method.
SPERM PRODUCTION AND CRYOPRESERVATION IN MUSKELLUNGE AFTER CARP PITUITARY EXTRACT AND HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN INJECTION

Abstract We investigated the effects of carp pituitary extract (CPE) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on the sperm production in muskellunge Esox masquinongy. Total volumes of milt collected from fish (mean weight, 4.8 ± 1.5 kg) injected with CPE, hCG, or the saline control were 5.36 ± 3.75 mL, 3.1 ± 1.52 mL, and 3.89 ± 2.16 mL, respectively. Sperm concentration, protein and mineral concentrations of semen, and osmolality of seminal plasma were similar in control and hormonally treated fish. Hormonal injections did not affect the initial percentage of motile sperm compared to untreated fish. However, motility of sperm from the CPE group was lower than for the saline group at 75 s after activation (statistical significance was P = 0.06). The fertilizing capacities of spermatozoa after cryopreservation from CPEinjected fish were similar to, if not better than, control fish. We report here, for the first time, the successful cryopreservation of muskellunge semen, which produced 30.1 ± 3.8% survival to ...
Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Northwest marine and freshwater recreational beaches

The aim of the study was to determine the spatial distribution of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at two marine and one freshwater recreational beaches in the Seattle area. Fifty-six marine water, 144 freshwater, and 96 sand samples were collected from June through August 2010. Isolates were biochemically verified as MRSA. Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), pulse field gel electrophoresis and the presence of other antibiotic resistance genes were determined. Twenty-two freshwater (15.3%; n = 144), one dry sand (1.9%; n = 53), six wet sand (14%; n = 43), and two marine water samples (3.6%; n = 56) were MRSA positive. Of the 27 freshwater stream sites sampled multiple times, 37% of the sites were positive for MRSA and/or S. aureus ≥ 2 times. Twenty-one (67.7%) of 31 MRSA were SCCmec type IV, 15 (48.4%) of the isolates had MLST types not previously associated with humans, and 29 (93.5%) of the isolates carried other antibiotic resistance genes. This study is the first to report and characterize repeated MRSA-positive samples from freshwater drainages and creeks surrounding popular recreational beaches.
Drifting derelicts in the North Atlantic 1883–1902

Abstract In December 1883 the U.S. Navy Hydrographic Office began to publish monthly Pilot Charts. These showed the positions and drifts of abandoned derelict sailing vessels and other danger to navigation in the North Atlantic. During the years 1887–1893 a total of 1,628 derelict sightings were made. The repeated sightings of 200 derelicts identified by name gave the first large-scale and long-term measurement of ocean trajectories. A new chart of these trajectories between 1883 and 1902 is presented showing features of the general ocean circulation and early evidence of the variability of ocean currents.
Riboflavin excretion in normal and diabetic rats

Twenty-four hour urinary excretion of riboflavin was determined in normal and short-term and long-term streptozotocin diabetic rats. Compared to non-diabetic rats (controls), short-term (1 week) diabetic rats had no increased urinary riboflavin. In contrast, long-term (20 week) diabetic rats excreted significantly elevated levels of urinary riboflavin. Results suggest that the reported riboflavin deficiency seen in chronic diabetes may be related to augmented urinary excretion of riboflavin.
Violent crime rates as a proxy for the social determinants of sexually transmissible infection rates: the consistent state-level correlation between violent crime and reported sexually transmissible infections in the United States, 1981-2010.

Background Numerous social determinants of health are associated with violent crime rates and sexually transmissible infection (STI) rates. This report aims to illustrate the potential usefulness of violent crime rates as a proxy for the social determinants of STI rates. Methods For each year from 1981 to 2010, we assessed the strength of the association between the violent crime rate and the gonorrhoea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae) rate (number of total reported cases per 100?000) at the state level. Specifically, for each year, we calculated Pearson correlation coefficients (and P-values) between two variables (the violent crime rate and the natural log of the gonorrhoea rate) for all 50 states and Washington, DC. For comparison, we also examined the correlation between gonorrhoea rates, and rates of poverty and unemployment. We repeated the analysis using overall syphilis rates instead of overall gonorrhoea rates. Results The correlation between gonorrhoea and violent crime was significant at the P Conclusions Because violent crime is associated with many social determinants of STIs and because it is consistently associated with STI rates, violent crime rates can be a useful proxy for the social determinants of health in statistical analyses of STI rates.
34. Traffic Safety for Diverse Populations

Injuries continue to be a serious health problem worldwide and account for more lives lost than any disease entity. In accordance with Healthy People 2010 objectives, efforts to reduce deaths and nonfatal injuries can be directed towards increasing usage of safety belt and child restraint devices for all occupants involved in motor vehicle crashes. US Census data reveal that immigration accounts for more than 31% of the shift in demographics of people within the United States since 1990. The projected impact on racial/ethnic groups is a rise of 15% within those electing to reside in the United States. Since 1998, Massachusetts has seen a steady rise in overall crash-related fatalities. A gap exists in the educational materials available to diverse populations or emerging linguistic groups within our state. Grant funding was provided through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, in Boston, Massachusetts, to develop traffic safety materials for diverse populations. Identification of the existing diversity with the state was conducted using 2000 US Census data. Of the state's total population of 6.3 million residents, there were positive gains in the following racial/ethnic groups: 16% Black, 49% Latino, and 70% Asian or Pacific Islander. Utilizing reports of hospital discharge data from the Massachusetts Division of Health Care Finance and Policy, as well as crash data from the Governor's Highway Safety Bureau, the incidence and mechanisms of injuries were examined. The project coordinator conducted online and telephone queries of state and national traffic safety organizations and outreach programs looking at prevention topics, languages available, and medium (such as brochures, cards, or other materials) to steer the project. The steady rise of traffic-related injuries and fatalities, coupled with the historically low safety belt use within the state, indicated a need for educational materials focused on the following 4 traffic topics: child passenger, restraint use, pedestrian, and bicycle safety. The languages selected were Haitian Creole, Khmer, Portuguese, Russian, and traditional Chinese. Based on the findings from the environmental scan, educational materials on the 4 priority topics were developed in each of the 5 languages identified. The educational materials are available in portable document format at http://bidmc.harvard.edu/injuryprevention. Accurate data regarding race and ethnicity of those injured in traffic-related events is very limited. Injury prevention programs may begin to identify populations at risk through the examination of readily available census data.
Short Note: Life history of the Antarctic sea star Labidiaster annulatus (Asteroidea: Labidiasteridae) revealed by DNA barcoding

Labidiaster annulatus, Sladen (1889) is a multi-rayed (9–50) voracious Antarctic sea star with numerous large, conspicuous crossed pedicellariae. An active and opportunistic predator, it commonly preys upon euphausiids, amphipods, and small fish in the water column (Dearborn et al. 1991). Labidiaster annulatus is distributed around the Antarctic, Kerguelen, South Orkney, South Sandwich Islands, South Georgia, and Shag Rocks, at recorded depths of 30–440 m (Fisher 1940, unpublished data).
Deposition And Characterization Of Silicon And Carbon Nitride

We attempted to deposit carbon nitride films on flat Si (111) substrates and on sharp -oriented silicon needles in a radio frequency (rf) inductively coupled plasma system utilizing a graphite source and a nitrogen plasma. The resultant polycrystalline films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). Both selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and lattice imaging were used to identify and characterize the particles, which grew as faceted crystals up to 1 μm in size. From SAED, high resolution TEM, and EELS, it was found that the particles on the Si needles were α-Si3N4 and that those on the Si wafer were mostly α-Si3N4 and β-Si3N4, with some β-C3N4 possible. Auger quantitative analysis suggests that β-C3N4 could be stabilized by the presence of silicon, resulting in a material with compositions CxSiyNz.
Shape of Total Revenue Curves

R ECENTLY THE problem of price discrimination and comsumption discrimination of agricultural products with respect to time and to local markets in order to increase agricultural income has been the object of an extended discussion.' This discussion was conducted in a highly theoretical way and with reference to inadequate empirical findings. It was agreed that the shape of the total revenue curve is decisive for the problem of determining how price discrimination would influence the farmers' income, that is, that it is important whether the total revenue curve is convex or concave from above. The returns from sales in several markets-either in one local market at different times or in different local markets at one or at different times-are at an extremum (minimum or maximum) if the marginal returns in all markets are equal. Ordinarily, except in cases of isoelastic demand curves,2 equal marginal returns in different markets mean discriminating prices in these markets. In cases of isoelastic or identical demand curves such as can be assumed for one market
Delegation and Divergent Interests? Global Universities, Global Corporations, and National Strategies

Scholars often conceive of international migration as a process centering on a transaction between the state and the individual. However, receiving states is increasingly delegating selection of immigrants, particularly highly-skilled immigrants to third parties, including companies, universities, and NGOs. This delegation leads to the possibility of a divergence between the interests of states and these agents under some conditions, a possibility considered by this presentation.
Three Synthetic Pyrethroids for Control of Drosophila Spp. in Wine Cellars

Three concentrations of resmethrin (0.50, 0.30, and 0.25%), one concentration of d-trans -allethrin (S-Bio-allethrin®) at 0.175% plus 0.500% piperonyl butoxide ami 0.825% MGK® 264 (N-(2-ethylhexy)-bicycio[2.2.1]-hept-5-ene-2,3-dicarboximide), and one concentration of RU-15-525 ([5-(phenyhnethyl)-3-furanyl] methyl [ 1R , 3 S , E] 3-[ (dihydro-2-oxo-3- (2H) -thienylidene) methyl]-2,2-dimethyl cyclopropanecarboxylate) at 0.015% + 0.300% piperonyl butoxide and 0.200% MGK® 264 proved equal in toxicity to a 0.25% pyrethrins plus 0.500% piperonyl butoxide and 0.825% MGK 264 thermal aerosol spray against infestation of Drosophila spp. in a wine cellar.
Thomas A. Staudt

ber of significant contributions to marketing over a period of twenty years. His view of the enterprise as a total system of action helped to place marketing in its proper perspective in corporate management: It diminishes the importance of any single operating activity, and elevates marketing to a philosophy of management which must permeate the entire organization. The corner stone of marketing as a philosophy of management consists of serving the market as a central focus for all corporate decision making. The operationalization of such a macro
Spatial distribution of hand foot and mouth disease in Gansu,2013

Objective To understand the spatial distribution of hand foot and mouth disease( HFM D) in Gansu province in 2013,and discuss the HFM D prevention and control in areas with high incidences. Methods Software Geo Da 1. 60 was used to conduct spatial local and overall autocorrelation analysis,and Moran's I Ratio was used as analysis index. Software Flexible V3. 1 and Sa TScan 9. 0 were used to conduct regular and irregular spatial scan and software Arc GIS 9. 3 was used to show the high aggregation areas of HFM D incidence on map. Results The spatial aggregation of HFM D was obvious in Gansu in 2013( P 0. 01). The local autocorrelation analysis showed that the hot spots of HFM D incidence were mainly at some counties or districts of Lanzhou,Maiji district of Tianshui and Guazhou county of Jiuquan,while the cold spots were mainly at Jinchang,linxia,Gannan,Dingxi and some counties and districts of Longnan. The most aggregation areas with high incidence were some counties and districts of Lanzhou and Baiyin( P 0. 01); while the less possible aggregation areas were some counties and districts of Tianshui and Jiuquan( P 0. 01). Conclusion Spatial aggregation was observed in the incidence of HFMD in Gansu in 2013. According to the results of this study,effective measures should be taken to strengthen health education and prevent the outbreak of HFM D. Attention should paid to hot spots monitoring and early warning to control the transmission of HFM D.
John Dunne's Journey of the Mind, Heart, and Soul

This paper looks back over the eight books of John S. Dunne as forming a unified theological project in two phases, each comprising four books. Dunne's first phase is a “journey of the mind,” in which Dunne is concerned with knowing and unknowing, with understanding and insight, and his basic epistemological stance is developed. His second phase is a “journey of the heart,” in which he moves from the basic loneliness of the human condition, to the “heart's desire” for God, to the presence of God in the desiring. Several changes in Dunne's understanding of the human relationships with God, others, and self are traced here. Dunne's most recent book adds a “pilgrimage of the soul” to those of mind and heart, so this paper moves to a discussion of the meaning and development of Dunne's idea of “soul.” It concludes by considering Dunne's work as spiritual writing and as theology.
One size does not fit all: Establishing the need for targeted eco-feedback

Abstract Despite all improvements in buildings shell, equipment, and design, CO2 emissions from buildings are increasing. Since occupants spend more than 87% of their time indoors, they are inseparable and significant elements of building system dynamics. Hence, there is a great potential for energy efficiency in buildings using a wide range of programs such as intervention and eco-feedback. Despite the high level of individual differences and intra-class variability of occupants’ behaviors, the current state-of-the-art eco-feedback programs treat all the occupants uniformly and do not target and tailor the feedback. Therefore, it leaves an opportunity to increase the efficacy of eco-feedback systems through the designing of tailored and targeted programs. In this paper, we conducted a comprehensive analysis and tested hypotheses on occupants’ behavioral responses to a normative comparison feedback program, in addition to the impact of notifications on the level of engagement of each group of occupants. We categorized occupants who participated in the normative comparison feedback program into three groups (i.e. low, medium, and high energy consumers) based on their baseline energy consumption, and tested 9 hypotheses. A mixed-effect regression model (MRM) and a paired t-test was implemented to evaluate the proposed hypotheses. The hypotheses examine the variability of occupants’ responses under the same eco-feedback program, and the effectiveness of notifications on reinforcing occupants’ engagement in these programs. The contribution of this paper is two-fold: (1) reporting that the effectiveness of the notifications in eco-feedback programs are initially highly dependent on the type and the nature of the program, and then the interval and the content of the notification, and (2) demonstrating the variability of occupants’ behavioral responses under the same normative comparison eco-feedback program. These findings indicate the need for a shift in focus toward targeted and tailored feedback programs which treat occupants based on their characteristics. Moreover, they highlight the need for eco-feedback design, development, testing and implementation research that acknowledges and addresses differences in occupant responses to feedback.
Microscopic mechanisms that govern the titration response and pKa values of buried residues in staphylococcal nuclease mutants

To probe the microscopic mechanisms that govern the titration behavior of buried ionizable groups, microsecond explicit solvent molecular dynamics simulations are carried out for several mutants of Staphylococcal nuclease using both fixed charge and polarizable force fields. While the ionization of Asp 66, Glu 66, and Lys 125 lead to enhanced structural fluctuations and partial unfolding of adjacent α-helical regions, the ionization of Lys 25 causes local unfolding of adjacent β sheets. Using the sampled conformational ensembles, good agreement with experimental pKa values is obtained with Poisson-Boltzmann calculations using a protein dielectric constant of 2-4 for V66D/E; slightly larger dielectric constants are needed for Lys mutants especially L25K, suggesting that structural responses beyond microseconds are involved in ionization of Lys 25. Overall, the set of unbiased simulations provides insights into the spatial and temporal scales of protein and solvent motions that dictate the diverse titration behaviors of buried protein residues. Proteins 2017; 85:268-281. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.