cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Water Diplomacy from a Duck's Perspective: Wildlife as Stakeholders in Water Management

Contemporary water management strategies call for the inclusion of ecological research in the decision-making process and emphasize environmentally sustainable management solutions. Most ecological information used in water management shares two problematic characteristics; 1) simplistic, phenomenological approaches and aggregated data that may not properly describe system behavior, and 2) a “zero-sum” perspective treating ecological water needs as constraints to management. We argue that the newly devised Water Diplomacy Framework (WDF) can help overcome these shortcomings. We also provide a simple and intuitive method for integrating ecological factors into the WDF. We suggest that treating ecological phenomena as “surrogate stakeholders” in water negotiations increases opportunities for discovering mutual-gains solutions and encourages a hypothesis-based approach to research on the ecology of water management. By differentiating between the “positions” and “interests” of ecological stakeholder surrogates, decision-makers can make greater use of the potential added value of ecosystem services in water management and avoid costly misunderstandings of the behavior of relevant ecological systems. We outline how the WDF can be applied to better integrate ecological factors into water management, and show how our approach could create synergies between endangered waterbird conservation and sustainable water management on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
Functional assessment after sciatic nerve injury in a rat model

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Sciatic Function Index (SFI) and Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) Locomotor Rating in assessing peripheral nerve injuries. SFI is a standard method for evaluating crush and transected peripheral nerve injuries, likewise BBB for spinal cord injury. Models of chronic nerve compression (CNC), crush, and transection injury were created on Sprague-Dawley rats and functional outcomes were measured using BBB and SFI at 1-week interval for 6 weeks. All injury models showed high correlation between SFI and BBB scores. With crush injury, the SFI showed near complete recovery while BBB showed residual deficits 6 weeks after injury. Both the BBB and SFI were unable to detect motor deficits in 6-week CNC animals. The BBB score should be considered as an adjunct in evaluating peripheral nerve recovery and may be more sensitive in detecting residual deficits than SFI after crush-type injuries.
Longitudinal health endangering behavior risk among resilient and nonresilient early adolescents

Abstract Purpose: To explore the relative likelihood of engaging in new health-endangering behaviors among a group of resilient early adolescents compared to a sample of nonresilient peers and a sample of normal, low-risk peers in a nonclinical, school-based setting. Methods: Resilient adolescents and their peer groups were identified by way of a multiple linear regression equation in which age, family structure (single or step-parent family), gender, self-injurious behaviors, and emotional risk were used to predict propensity to initiate risky health behaviors. The resilient sample consisted of those adolescents who were predicted to be above the standardized mean, yet actually scored below it. The nonresilient population included those who were predicted to and actually scored above the standardized mean. The normal, low-risk population consists of adolescents who were predicted to and scored below the standardized mean. The mean age for all populations was 13.78 years. All students completed a Health Behavior Questionnaire and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory. Results: Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals revealed that in the year following identification as resilient, nonresilient, or normal, the resilient adolescents were less likely than the nonresilient adolescents to initiate a variety of risky behaviors. At the same time, the resilient adolescents were more likely than their normal, not at-risk peers to have initiated those same risky behaviors. The resilient adolescents have modestly higher mean self-esteem than the nonresilient peers ( t = 2.47, p t = 3.66, p Conclusions: Determination of resilience status by way of multiple linear regression yielded identifiable groups which conformed to expected elevated risk of initiating new risky behaviors relative to normal, not at-risk peers but lowered risk relative to nonresilient peers. Differences were most notable with reference to new reports of substance use. The lower rate of initiating new risky behaviors among resilient relative to nonresilient peers is seen as a reflection of behavioral competence in an adverse context. However, the elevated rate of initiating new risky behaviors among resilient relative to normal, not at-risk peers is seen as a reflection of the continuing, negative impact of that adverse context.
Spectral efficiency of cooperative full-duplex relaying with imperfect channel estimation

The impact of overhead on spectral efficiency for different cooperative relaying schemes is quantitatively analyzed in [1], in which half-duplex (HD) relaying is assumed for all cooperative nodes. With the recent development of cancellation methods for full-duplex (FD) relays or radios, FD has become feasible in practical implementations, providing a higher spectral efficiency than HD. In this paper, we model the residual self-loop interference and cross-talk interference caused by imperfect channel estimation, which is an extra overhead for FD compared with that of HD. Then, we analyze the overhead, outage probability and spectral efficiency of three typical cooperative relaying schemes (timer-based best-select, distributed space-time-coded relaying and M-group) operating in FD mode. Finally, numerical results are provided to compare the outage probability and spectral efficiency of HD and FD relaying.
Down Syndrome Screening in the First and Second Trimesters: What Do the Data Show?

Recent advances in Down syndrome screening are providing women with additional options in how they are assessed for this condition. First trimester screening tests are at least as accurate as traditional second trimester testing and provide results earlier in a woman's pregnancy. Combining first and second trimester results increases the sensitivity and specificity of screening and reduce the number of women requiring invasive testing. This review summarizes and critiques the available data on Down syndrome screening and compares different testing algorithms. Meta-analyses of first trimester screening techniques are presented. Nuchal lucency measurements and other first trimester ultrasound markers, first trimester serum markers, and methods for combining these screens are addressed.
Three‐Dimensional Spectroscopic Imaging with Time‐Varying Gradients

A spectroscopic imaging sequence with a time-varying readout gradient in the slice selection direction is used to image multiple contiguous slices. For a given voxel size, the imaging time and signal-to-noise ratio of the three-dimensional spectroscopic sequence are the same as for a single slice acquisition without the oscillating readout gradient. The data reconstruction employs a gridding algorithm in two dimensions to interpolate the nonuniformly sampled data onto a Cartesian grid, and a fast Fourier transform in four dimensions: three spatial dimensions and the spectral dimension. The method is demonstrated by in vivo imaging of NAA in human brain at 1.5 T with 10 slices of 16 x 16 pixels spectroscopic images acquired in a total scan time of 17 min.
Safety of one-step conversion of gastric band to sleeve: a comparative analysis of ACS-NSQIP data.

Abstract Background The conversion rate of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) to laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has increased during recent years. The safety profile of one-step conversion of LAGB to LSG is not clear from the current literature. Methods Using the database of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP), morbidly obese patients undergoing primary LSG and conversion of LAGB to LSG in one-step between 2010 and 2012 were identified. Perioperative outcomes (including 30-day composite rate comprised of 18 postoperative adverse events) were compared between groups using a univariate cross-sectional analysis. Results Data of 11,320 patients (10,997 primary LSG and 323 LAGB to LSG) were analyzed. The LAGB-to-LSG group had better preoperative health status, including significantly lower body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists scores, and prevalence of diabetes and hypertension. Operative time for the LAGB–to-LSG group (130.0±53.7 min) was significantly longer than primary LSG group (98.5±42.8 min, P P = .29). The rate of minor complications, including urinary tract infection and wound infection were significantly higher in the revisional surgery group. Thirty-day rates of other postoperative complications, reoperation, readmission, mortality, and length of hospital stay were comparable between the 2 groups. Conclusions This national data suggests that conversion of LAGB to LSG in a single stage has comparable safety to primary LSG. In this study, improved preoperative health status of patients in the revisional group may serve as an equalizer with regards to postoperative outcomes of conversion to LSG.
Comparison of the number of anti-L-binding sites on LK goat red cells with the number of Na-K pumps.

SHEEP1, goats2, possums3 and some other species are unusual mammals in that the red cells of individual animals have either high (HK) or low (LK) concentrations of potassium, which correlate with the activity of the Na–K pump. The pump of LK cells is less active than that of HK cells4,5. When LK sheep red cells are injected into HK sheep an antibody of the IgG class (anti-L) is raised which, when reacted with LK sheep or goat red cells, stimulates the pump5,6. In goat cells the major, if not the only, effect of the antibody is to reduce the affinity of the pump for K at the inside cell surface, and that stimulation results from the relative increase in the effectiveness of Na as a substrate. It has been reported that in sheep, anti-L also increases the maximal pump rate8. The antibody might function by binding either to the pump, and so altering its kinetic characteristics, or to another component of the cell surface, indirectly altering the environment of the pump. If it combines with the pump, the number of anti-L molecules bound should be about the same as the number of pumps. We have now confirmed this using an estimate of the number of pumps of LK goat cells obtained with 3H-ouabain9, and our own estimate of the number of 131I-labelled antibody molecules bound when the pump is stimulated maximally. We used LK goat red cells as LK sheep red cells seem to contain a second antigen in addition to the antigen associated with pump stimulation5,10.
Multilingual web sites: Internationalized Domain Name homograph attacks

Homograph attacks are a very common type of security vulnerability on the Web. The attack aims to hide the domain name origin by switching some letters in the URL. As the Web evolves beyond the traditional base of English-speaking users, this kind of threat will increase significantly with the use of non-Latin scripts in the entire domain name. The recent introduction of Internationalized Domain Names (IDN) country-code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs) adaptation has made this new homograph attack possible. This paper outlines some of the possible security risks from using non-Latin scripts in the domain name, using examples drawn from Arabic, including the confusion from transforming the non-Latin scripts to ASCII compatible Encoding (ACE). The paper describes some of the existing defenses against IDN homograph attacks, such as white listing of domains and algorithmic analysis of the scripts in the URL. A preliminary design for a new client-side approach to the problem is also outlined. The approach focuses on drawing the user's attention to possible threats when browsing a non-Latin Web site. Some of the techniques being considered include Punycode generation and comparison, highlighting confusing letters (including increasing font sizes for Arabic script), and pre-fetching thumbnail images of Web pages. These solutions will not prevent the attack, but they can provide a visual defense to the user in an unobtrusive and easily adoptable manner.
Three-coloring Klein bottle graphs of girth five

We prove that every graph of girth at least five which admits an embedding in the Klein bottle is 3-colorable. This solves a problem raised by Woodburn, and complements a result of Thomassen who proved the same for projective planar and toroidal graphs.
Modeling the Growth Characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes and Native Microflora in Smoked Salmon

Smoked salmon contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes has been implicated in foodborne listeriosis. The objectives of this study were to model the growth characteristics and examine the growth relationship of L. monocytogenes and native microflora in smoked salmon. Smoked salmon samples with a native microflora count of 2.9 log(10) CFU/g were inoculated with a 6-strain mixture of L. monocytogenes to levels of log(10) 1.6 and log(10) 2.8 CFU/g, and stored at 4, 8, 12, and 16 degrees C. Growth characteristics (lag phase duration [LPD, h], growth rate [GR, log(10) CFU/h], and maximum population density [MPD, log(10) CFU/g]) of L. monocytogenes and native microflora were determined. At 4 to 16 degrees C, the LPD, GR, and MPD were 254 to 35 h, 0.0109 to 0.0538 log(10) CFU/h, and 4.9 to 6.9 log(10) CFU/g for L. monocytogenes, respectively, and were 257 to 29 h, 0.0102 to 0.0565 log(10) CFU/h, and 8.5 to 8.8 log(10) CFU/g for native microflora. The growth characteristics of L. monocytogenes or the native microflora were not significantly different (P > 0.05), regardless the initial levels of L. monocytogenes. Mathematical equations were developed to describe the LPD, GR, and MPD of L. monocytogenes and native microflora as a function of storage temperature. The growth relationship between L. monocytogenes and native microflora was modeled and showed that the LPD and GR of L. monocytogenes were similar to those of native microflora. These models can be used to estimate the growth characteristics of L. monocytogenes in smoked salmon, and thereby enhance the microbiological safety of the product.
An investigation of everyday prospective memory.

Prospective memory, remembering to carry out one’s planned activities, was investigated using a naturalistic paradigm. Three experiments, with a total of 405 participants, were conducted. The goal was to demonstrate that the cognitive processing underlying successful everyday prospective remembering involves components other than mere “memory.” Those components are probably best represented as individual differences in various cognitive capacities. More specifically, metamemory, attentional capacities, and planning processes that reprioritize intentions according to the demands of everyday life may determine how people actually accomplish the plans they establish for themselves. The results of these experiments suggest that researchers interested in the topic will have to contend with a multidimensional set of factors before any comprehensive understanding of prospective remembering can be realized.
The occurrence and determination of N-Nitroso compounds

Abstract This article reviews the occurrence of nitrosamines in food products, the methods used for their determination, and their associated problems. Low concentrations of nitrosamines (ppb) have been primarily confirmed in fish exposed to nitrite and in cured meats. Many early reports of nitrosamines were based on results obtained using nonspecific methods. At present, selective gasliquid chromatographic detectors and mass spectrometry are commonly used for detecting and confirming the identity of volatile nitrosamines.
Genetic influences on behavior of infant Mus domesticus: a comparison of results from diallels derived from single and multiple populations.

A complete diallel cross was generated from six Jax inbred strains ofMus domesticus from diverse origins and a second 6×6 diallel generated from strains derived from a single wild population. During their second day of life, infants from both diallels were tested for latency to orient toward and root beneath mothers and, in a separate test, for latency to attach to mother's nipple. Rooting latency showed a significant additive maternal strain effect but little systematic effect of pup genotype. Nipple attachment latencies exhibited complete genetic dominance favoring rapid attachment, with no maternal effects. Patterns of genetic and environmental influences obtained from the two diallels were highly similar for both behaviors, suggesting that for many traits the requirement that strains be drawn from a common base population may be relaxed.
PL/C: the design of a high-performance compiler for PL/I

A general purpose production compiler faces many diverse and demanding tasks. It must obviously accept the full source language---including all rarely used and difficult to compile features; it must produce efficient object code; it must be prepared to accept very large and long programs---and accept them in pieces to be integrated later. It is obvious that by yielding on some of these requirements, and by sacrificing generality for efficiency for a particular class of program or user, improved compiler performance should be obtainable. One large and important class of users are those just learning the language. Their programs are typically short, submitted all at once, and require only a modest subset of the language. They need to be compiled repeatedly to eliminate errors, and are often discarded as soon as they execute properly. In general, their execution time is very small relative to the total compilation time. It should also be noted that such programs occur in tremendous numbers since classes of hundreds of students submitting programs daily are not at all uncommon. This class of program is further enlarged by the observation that even experienced programmers have rather similar requirements (except for requiring a larger subset of the language) during the development and checkout of a new system.
Efficacy of chlorine dioxide for disease control on stored potatoes

The post-harvest application of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) was evaluated as a disease suppressant for stored potatoes. Chlorine dioxide was prepared by acidifying a buffered sodium chlorite solution with a food grade acid.In vitro studies verified the effectiveness of C1O2 at low concentrations (ED50 = 2 to 122 ppm) againstErwinia carotovora (soft rot),Fusarium spp. (dry rot) andHelminthosporium solani (silver scurf). Evaluations of tubers inoculated withPhytophthora infestans (late blight) andFusarium spp. or infected withH. solani and then treated with ClO2 either going into storage or through the humidification system resulted in a lack of disease suppression. Inconsistent performance of C1O2 in storage appeared to be a result of several contributing factors. Chlorine dioxide concentrations varied greatly (up to six-fold), depending upon the method of activating and diluting sodium chlorite solutions. Chlorine dioxide is a gas soluble in water and, therefore, is easily released from solution (25% –75% loss) into the air when applied as an aqueous spray. Chlorine dioxide reacts quickly with the tuber and associated organic matter, thereby reducing the effectiveness. Applying higher than currently registered rates may be necessary to achieve measurable disease suppression.
Technetium 99m Sulfur Colloid Scintigraphy to Evaluate Reticuloendothelial System Function in Dogs With Portasystemic Shunts

In a retrospective study, technetium 99m sulfur colloid scintigraphy was used to evaluate reticuloendothelial system function in 61 dogs with single congenital and 40 dogs with multiple acquired portasystemic shunts. Whole body reticuloendothelial function was measured by calculating the plasma clearance rate constant from a dynamic study of liver uptake of 99mTc sulfur colloid. Relative liver, spleen, and lung uptake, and a ratio of hepatic:extrahepatic uptake were measured on static equilibrium images. Results were compared with those of a group of 26 normal dogs. Compared with values for the group of normal dogs, the plasma clearance rate constant, relative liver uptake, and hepatic:extrahepatic uptake ratio were significantly decreased, and relative spleen and lung uptake were significantly increased in dogs with portasystemic shunts (P < .0001). The only significant difference between dogs with single congenital versus multiple acquired shunts was that the relative splenic uptake was higher in the former group (P < .0002). Based on these results, we concluded that dogs with portasystemic shunts have significantly impaired reticuloendothelial function. The primary cause of this dysfunction is likely a reduction in effective liver blood flow. Increases in spleen and lung reticuloendothelial activity did occur, but only partially compensated for the reduction of liver reticuloendothelial activity. Possible mechanisms for the increased spleen and lung uptake are discussed.
Effects of recombinant human erythropoietin on HLA sensitization and cell mediated immunity

Effects of recombinant human erythropoietin on HLA sensitization and cell mediated immunity. Highly presensitized patients wait longer for a renal allograft than unsensitized patients and have a poorer allograft survival rate. Repeated blood transfusions have been implicated in the induction and maintenance of sensitization. To determine the effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) therapy on five transfusion dependent, highly sensitized adolescents on dialysis, we serially measured percentage panel reactive antibody (%PRA) levels, titers of identifiable discrete anti-HLA Class I antibody specificities, and nonspecific indices of cellular immunity before and following initiation of rHuEPO therapy. Although four of the five patients had previously rejected at least one renal allograft, the removal of chronic antigenic stimulation from blood transfusions led to a marked reduction in anti-HLA antibody titers to recognizable private and public specificities (P
Fluctuations of isotopic composition of strontium in seawater during the Phanerozoic Eon

Inclusion of a runout Sr term in the equation for the isotopic budget of seawater provides a better understanding of the cause for the lack of correlation between sea-level changes and the isotopic variations of Sr in seawater during the Phanerozoic Eon. Continental unions and break-ups that change the length of coastlines can greatly alter the flux of runout Sr. The estimate for the present-day flux of runout Sr is (1.9–2.0) · 1012 g a−1. Taking the runout Sr as an additional component of continental Sr delivered to the oceans, the flux of Sr from ridge basalts at hydrothermal centers is estimated at ∼ 1.27 · 1012 g a−1.
Hemolysis and deformability of erythrocytes exposed to butoxyacetic acid, a metabolite of 2‐Butoxyethanol: II. Resistance in red blood cells from humans with potential susceptibility

2-Butoxyethanol causes hemolysis in rodents but not in humans. 2-Butoxyethanol-induced hemolysis is primarily due to the effect of its metabolite 2-butoxyacetic acid (BAA). 2-Butoxyacetic acid did not cause hemolytic effects when incubated with blood from a limited number of normal individuals. Because 2-butoxyethanol is contained in many consumer products, the possibility that there may be human subpopulations susceptible to hemolysis by BAA was examined. 2-Butoxyacetic acid was incubated with red blood cells from healthy young and older individuals and with red blood cells from patients with hereditary spherocytosis and sickle cell disease. After incubation of red blood cells with or without 2.0 mM BAA for up to 4 h, conditions that readily hemolyzed rat red blood cells, there was no increase in hemolysis or changes in mean cellular volume or morphology. The deformability of erythrocytes treated with BAA was also measured using a nuclepore filtration technique. No changes in deformability due to treatment with BAA were detected. Although BAA is a potent cause of hemolysis in rats, red blood cells in humans, including the elderly and patients with two disorders marked by chronic hemolysis, were not susceptible to BAA-induced hemolysis or loss of deformability.
Different phenotypes for mice deficient in either activins or activin receptor type II

Activins are believed to initiate a signal transduction cascade by binding to serine/threonine kinase receptors types I and II. Activins bind to several different receptors in vitro, but the significance of this interaction in vivo has not been confirmed. To test the function of the type II activin receptor (ActRcII) in mammalian development and reproduction, we generated a null mutation in the ActRcII gene in mice using embryonic stem cell technology. We expected ActRcII-deficient mice to phenocopy activin-deficient mice. A few ActRcII-deficient mice had skeletal and facial abnormalities reminiscent of the Pierre-Robin syndrome in humans, but most lacked these defects and developed into adults; their follicle-stimulating hormone was suppressed, and their reproductive performance was defective. These findings confirm a role of ActRcII in activin signalling in pituitary gonadotrophs. The striking lack of overlap between phenotypes of ActRcII-deficient and activin-deficient mice suggests that the ligands that signal through ActRcII during embryonic development are not activins.
Oblique hyperspectral target detection

This work investigates target detection using simulated hyperspectral imagery captured from highly oblique angles. This paper seeks to determine which domain, radiance or reflectance, is more appropriate for the off-nadir case. An oblique atmospheric compensation technique based on the empirical line method (ELM) is presented and used to compensate the simulated data used in this study. The resulting reflectance cubes are subjected to a variety of standard target detection processes. A forward modeling technique that is appropriate for use on oblique hyperspectral data is also presented. This forward modeling process allows for standard target detection techniques to be applied in the radiance domain. Results obtained from the radiance and reflectance domains are comparable. Under ideal circumstances, however, the radiance domain results are slightly better than the results observed in the reflectance domain. These somewhat favorable results for the radiance domain, considered with the practicality and potential operational applicability of the forward modeling technique presented, suggest that the radiance domain is an attractive option for oblique hyperspectral target detection.
Legacy of Edwin Beer: fulguration of papillary bladder tumors.

Purpose: Edwin Beer introduced the first endoscopic treatment of papillary bladder tumors in 1910. This historical review describes how his landmark discovery paved the way for office cystodiathermy to treat recurrent papillary tumors. Materials and Methods: The medical writings of Edwin Beer and all studies pertaining to the treatment of papillary bladder tumors from 1879 to the present were reviewed. Results: Edwin Beer discovered that papillary bladder tumors could be destroyed through the ordinary cystoscope with high frequency current by electro-coagulation. This therapy revolutionized the treatment of bladder tumors. Conclusions: The legacy of Edwin Beer is that office fulguration of recurrent papillary bladder tumors has now become a practical reality due to recent changes in the histological classification of papillary tumors, better definition of their biological behavior and improved endoscopic equipment.
Design Analysis of the General Electric T58 Engine

The General Electric T58 is a lightweight, compact 1050 HP shaft powered gas turbine designed primarily for helicopters. Under sponsorship of the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, this design was initiated with a development contract in June 1953.Copyright © 1958 by ASME
Effect of retinal impulse blockage on cytochrome oxidase-poor interpuffs in the macaque striate cortex: quantitative EM analysis of neurons.

One of the hallmarks of the primate striate cortex is the presence of cytochrome oxidase-rich puffs in its supragranular layers. Neurons in puffs have been classified as type A, B, and C in ascending order of cytochrome oxidase content, with type C cells being the most vulnerable to retinal impulse blockade. The present study aimed at analysing cytochrome oxidase-poor interpuffs with reference to their metabolic cell types and the effect of intraretinal tetrodotoxin treatment. The same three metabolic types were found in interpuffs, except that type B and C neurons were smaller and less cytochrome oxidase-reactive in interpuffs than in puffs. Type A neurons had small perikarya, low levels of cytochrome oxidase, and received exclusively symmetric axosomatic synapses. The largest neurons were pyramidal, type B cells with moderate cytochrome oxidase activity and were also contacted exclusively by symmetric axosomatic synapses. Type C cells were medium-sized with a rich supply of large, darkly reactive mitochondria and possessed all the characteristics of GABAergic neurons. They were the only cell type that received both symmetric and asymmetric axosomatic synapses. Two weeks of monocular tetrodotoxin blockade in adult monkeys caused all three major cell types in deprived interpuffs to suffer a significant downward shift in the size and cytochrome oxidase reactivity of their mitochondria, but the effects were more severe in type B and C neurons. In nondeprived interpuffs, all three cell types gained both in size and absolute number of mitochondria, and type A cells also had an elevated level of cytochrome oxidase, indicating that they might be functioning at a competitive advantage over cells in deprived columns. However, type B and C neurons showed a net loss of darkly reactive mitochondria, indicating that these cells became less active. Thus, mature interpuff neurons remained vulnerable to retinal impulse blockade and the metabolic capacity of these cells remains tightly regulated by neuronal activity.
Methyl jasmonate and CMN-pyrazole applied alone and in combination can cause mature orange abscission

Abstract Methyl jasmonate (MJ) and CMN-pyrazole alone and in combination were applied to ‘Hamlin’ and ‘Valencia’ orange trees ( Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) in seven separate experiments in the 1998/1999 and 1999/2000 growing seasons to induce abscission of mature fruit for mechanical harvesting. MJ alone significantly reduced fruit detachment force (FDF) of ‘Hamlin’ oranges at concentrations of 10 mM and higher. However, MJ at 20 and 100 mM caused significant defoliation. For ‘Hamlin’ oranges, the most effective treatments were those combining 10 mM MJ and 50 mg l −1 CMN-pyrazole, and 20 mM MJ and 25 mg l −1 CMN-pyrazole. ‘Valencia’ oranges did not respond to 10 mM MJ treatments alone or in combination with CMN-pyrazole, and required MJ at 20 mM in combination with CMN-pyrazole to loosen this late-maturing variety to below 50 N, but excessive defoliation occurred.
Discontinuous scaling of hysteresis losses

We study the dependence of hysteresis loop area A on the frequency \ensuremath{\Omega} and amplitude H of the driving field for several mean-field treatments of the kinetic Ising model. An unusual discontinuous double-power-law scaling behavior is found in all cases. In the low-frequency regime, it is found that A-${\mathit{A}}_{0}$\ensuremath{\sim}${\mathit{H}}^{2/3}$${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}^{2/3}$${\mathit{scrG}}_{\mathit{L}}$(\ensuremath{\Omega}/${\mathit{H}}^{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$), where ${\mathit{A}}_{0}$ is the zero-frequency value of the loop area, ${\mathit{scrG}}_{\mathit{L}}$ is a scaling function, and \ensuremath{\gamma} is a model-dependent exponent. In the high-frequency regime, the loop area itself scales with frequency and amplitude as A\ensuremath{\sim}${\mathit{H}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}$${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$, where \ensuremath{\alpha} is also a model-dependent exponent. The transition between these extremes is sharp and can be characterized by an amplitude-dependent critical frequency. We also note differences in behavior above and below the critical ordering temperature ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{C}}$.
Independent agencies: more than a cheap copy of independent central banks?

The rise of independent regulatory agencies (IRAs) confronts governments with new challenges. More specifically, it raises the twin issue of (democratic) legitimacy of both the IRAs and of the delegating government once a large number of key areas of policymaking are moved outside its direct control. So, the effectiveness of IRAs depends on their interactions with the other branches of government and on governance arrangements that provide the right incentives to all stakeholders involved. To identify such models, this paper first reiterates the history of independent central banks, the prototype IRA. The main lesson from is that the independent central bank model is characterized by an independence-bias and that there is a growing realization that more attention needs to go to the entire governance model, as opposed to simply independence. Based on this lesson, the paper proposes a governance model for IRAs based on independence, accountability, transparency and integrity to provide the right incentives to all stakeholders. The last part of the paper empirically illustrates how policymakers are currently dealing with two of these four pillars—independence and accountability—when redesigning financial sector supervisors. More specifically we show that the virtuous interaction between independence and accountability is not (yet) always well understood.
The role of apoptotic volume decrease and ionic homeostasis in the activation and repression of apoptosis

The mechanism of activation and repression of apoptosis has been a central focus of many studies examining the role of programmed cell death in both normal and pathological conditions. Despite intensive research efforts, the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms that trigger and/or prevent apoptosis remain undefined. A universal characteristic of apoptosis is the loss of cell volume or cell shrinkage, recently termed apoptotic volume decrease. While cell shrinkage has traditionally been viewed as a passive event during apoptosis, recent work from several laboratories has shown that the loss of cell volume, or more specifically the flux of ions associated with the change in cell size, play a critical role in the regulation of the cell death machinery. On going studies continue to support the hypothesis that the change in intracellular ions can alter a cells decision to die by apoptosis.
Radionuclide imaging studies ofgastrointestinal disorders

The ability to detect Meckel's diverticulumwith conventional radiographic methods is usually quite uncertain. The concentration of 99m TcNa pertechnetate by gastric parietal cells has been used effectively to detect the presence of gastric mucosa in these ectopic sites. In addition, several cases of intussusception and small bowel obstruction have been demonstrated with radiopertechnetate and abdominal imaging. It is believed that the radiopertechnetate is concentrated in the edematous interstitial fluid associated with such obstructive lesions, where a compromise of the vascular supply exists. The use of this nonspecific test has so far been very limited. Its reliability, and role in the evaluation of difficult diagnoses of the abdomen can only be clearly defined with further clinical experience. This brief report is included to acquaint the reader with an area of potential future development.
Effect of Aromatic Cedar Mulch on Argentine Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Foraging Activity and Nest Establishment

In the laboratory, Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr), mortality was positively correlated to the length of an aromatic cedar mulch section that had to be crossed before food could be reached. When ants could access food without crossing the mulch, mortality was not correlated to mulch section length. In the field, Argentine ants showed a tendency to avoid aromatic cedar mulch as a nesting substrate. In plant beds alongside buildings the number of ant nests (pockets containing brood) found was not significantly different between aromatic cedar and cypress mulch. However, when pine straw mulch around oak trees was replaced with aromatic cedar or cypress mulch, a similar number of ant nests was found in the cypress mulch as in the original pine straw, whereas numbers in aromatic cedar mulch were significantly lower. Also, fewer ants were trailing on the trees surrounded by aromatic cedar mulch compared with cypress mulch or the original pine straw. The number of ants attracted to apple jelly baits placed alongside the buildings did not differ between mulch types; neither did the number of ant trails crossing the mulch beds around the buildings. We suggest that aromatic cedar mulch may help control Argentine ants and reduce insecticide input when applied in combination with conventional control methods.
Scaling patterns of the suppression of π 0 yields in Au + Au collisions at s NN = 200 GeV: Links to the transport properties of the QGP

Suppression measurements for neutral pions (${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$) are used to investigate the predicted path length $L$ and transverse momentum ${p}_{T}$ dependent jet quenching patterns of the hot QCD medium produced in $\mathrm{Au}+\mathrm{Au}$ collisions at $\sqrt{{s}_{\mathit{NN}}}=200$ GeV. The observed scaling patterns show the predicted trends for jet-medium interactions dominated by radiative energy loss. They also allow simple estimates of the transport coefficient $\stackrel{\ifmmode \hat{}\else \^{}\fi{}}{q}$ and the ratio of viscosity to entropy density $\ensuremath{\eta}/s$. These estimates indicate that the short mean free path $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ in the QCD medium leading to hydrodynamic-like flow with a small value of $\ensuremath{\eta}/s$ is also responsible for the strong suppression observed.
Detectability of simultaneously masked signals as a function of signal bandwidth for different signal delays.

The improvement in signal detectability as signal onset is delayed from masker onset was measured as a function of signal bandwidth for wideband and notched‐noise maskers. The signal was centered at 2500 Hz. In two conditions, the 20‐ms signal was gated 1 or 250 ms after the onset of a 420‐ms masker. Although there were marked individual differences, the signal was consistently more difficult to detect in the short‐delay than in the long‐delay condition. The difference in detectability decreased as signal bandwidth increased and was similar in magnitude across the two masker types. This result indicates that an across‐channel process contributes to the improvement in detectability as the signal delay is increased, because the masking components at the signal frequency in the wideband masker exerted very little influence on the size of the effect. In a third condition, the signal was gated 1 ms after the onset of a 23‐ms masker. The signal was hardest to detect in this burst condition, and performance varied differently as a function of signal bandwidth in this than in the other two conditions, particularly for the notched‐noise maskers. This outcome suggests the presence of a second across‐channel process that is sunsitive%to masker%ocfsets, especi‘lly when theze are no%masking componegts%at tha smgnal%frequency. Finally, the pattezn%of%results obtained across the thzee conditions using Thd%sidec‘nd masker was consistent with the i‘ea that the critical bandwidth narrows as the signal is delayed from masker onset.
Energetics of flapping-wing robotic insects: towards autonomous hovering flight

Flapping-wing mechanisms inspired by biological insects have the potential to enable a new class of small, highly maneuverable aerial robots with hovering capabilities. In order for such devices to operate without an external power source, it is necessary to address a complex system design challenge: the integration of all of the required components on board the robot. This paper discusses the flight energetics of flapping-wing robotic insects with the goal of selecting design parameters that enable power autonomy and maximize flight time. The subsystems of the robot are analyzed both from a broad perspective and using a detailed set of models for a piezoelectrically driven two-wing design. The models are used to perform a system-level optimization for the maximum flight time permitted by current technology, compare the resulting robot configurations to biological insects across several key metrics, and discuss the effect of performance gains in various subsystems of the robot.
A Few Points of French Grammar to Clarify for Our Students

Author's Summary— This study aims at clarifying certain points of elementary French grammar or of the French language that seem to create difficulties in the minds of our American students. I have chosen 11 cases in which errors are committed quite often.
Application of computer aided simulation to investigate metal flow in selected forging operations

Abstract The application of computer aided engineering (CAE) techniques continues to increase in metal forming research and development. The two dimensional computer code DEFORM is now extensively used in forging applications for the investigation of die fill, defect analysis and prevention, as well as prediction of part properties. The three dimensional version of DEFORM has recently been released. At the Engineering Research Center for Net Shape Manufacturing (ERC/NSM), DEFORM is one of the available computer aided tools used in cold-, warm- and hot-forging research and for educational purposes. This paper summarizes the results of industrially relevant “work-in-progress” research with the DEFORM and DEFORM-3D FEM systems. Current projects include: a new tool design for cross groove inner race for a constant velocity joint, the flashless forging of an aluminum connecting rod, design of cold forgings and forming sequences, die wear in warm forging extrusion, and examples of DEFORM-3D simulations of a connecting rod, blade coining, and wire drawing of shapes.
Employee alcoholism in the healthcare setting.

Abstract Alcoholism is the United States's most serious drug problem. Within the health services, it is detrimental to the function of an organization as well as its employees. This article examines alcoholism in the healthcare organization and ofiers suggestions on how health services administrators can manage employees who demonstrate alcoholic symptoms.
Surviving in a turbulent environment

An anonymous Chinese quotation aptly describes the state of mind of many of us today. About 1,000 years ago, it was said, “When a big fish is pulled from the water, it flops about wildly to find its way back in. The fish never asks where the next flip or flop will take it; it senses only that its present position is intolerable and something else must be tried.” In the face of our current turbulent environment, many businesses are flipping and flopping about because they do not understand what is causing the turbulence. By borrowing concepts from two of the physical sciences, geology and biology, I believe we can begin to understand the forces that are driving this environmental turbulence.
Political Tactics as Affective Events: Implications for Individual Perception and Attitude

Leaders use a wide spectrum of political tactics to achieve objectives, both personal and organizational. Grounded in Affective Events Theory (Weiss & Cropanzano, 1996), the current study conceptualized political tactics employed by leaders as work events with an affective component that can be perceived and responded to positively and negatively. Affective responses are dependent upon the perceived legitimacy of the tactic (sanctioned vs. unsanctioned), which are considered in light of follower expectations and attributions. The extent to which political tactics benefit the leader or organization was also examined. Participants were involved in a low-fidelity simulation that required reading a series of emails containing information regarding political tactics employed by their immediate manager and the outcome of these actions. Participants then indicated their level of affect on both positive and negative scales, their perceptions of leader effectiveness, and perceptions of organizational justice. Resu...
Effects of Left Ventricular Assist Device Therapy on Ventricular Arrhythmias

Objectives: In a retrospective study, we sought to evaluate the effect of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy on ventricular tachyarrhythmias in patients with advanced congestive heart fa...
Neuropsychologic dysfunction in women following leuprolide acetate induction of hypoestrogenism.

The study investigated the neuropsychological status of women with induced hypoestrogenism.
Mixed Methods in Gerontological Research: Do the Qualitative and Quantitative Data “Touch”?

This article distinguishes between parallel and integrated mixed methods research approaches. Barriers to integrated mixed methods approaches in gerontological research are discussed and critiqued. The author presents examples of mixed methods gerontological research to highlight approaches to data integration at the levels of data analysis, interpretation, and research reporting. As a summary of the methodological literature, four basic levels of mixed methods data combination are proposed. Opportunities for mixing qualitative and quantitative data are explored using contemporary examples from published studies. Data transformation and visual display, judiciously applied, are proposed as pathways to fuller mixed methods data integration and analysis. Finally, practical strategies for mixing qualitative and quantitative data types are explicated, as gerontological research moves beyond parallel mixed methods approaches to achieve data integration.
Crosslinked bifunctional gonadotropin analogs with reduced efficacy.

Abstract The N-linked oligosaccharides on human choriogonadotropin (hCG) and follitropin (hFSH) α-subunit loop 2 (α2) have a dominant influence on hormone efficacy. hCG analogs lacking this oligosaccharide retain approximately 40% the efficacy of the fully glycosylated hormone in cyclic AMP accumulation assays. Previous efforts to reduce efficacy further have involved removing the other N-linked oligosaccharides. We found that some intersubunit disulfide crosslinks reduced the efficacies of hCG analogs lacking only the α2 oligosaccharide. The least active analog was an hCG/hFSH chimera containing hFSH residues 95–108 in place of hCG residues 101–114 and a disulfide bond between α-subunit residue 37 and β-subunit residue 33. While it bound lutropin receptors 2- to 3-fold better than hCG and follitropin receptors 10–30% as well as hFSH, it had less than 10% and 5% the efficacies of either hormone. This suggests that complete deglycosylation will not be required to produce glycoprotein hormone analogs that have low efficacies.
Left Atrial Appendage Aneurysm

Aneurysms of the left atrial appendage are exceedingly rare. Patients most commonly present with atrial tachyarrhythmias and thromboembolism. Resection of the aneurysm is usually curative. We present a case report of a 60-year-old female with a long-standing history of atrial arrhythmias found to have a large left atrial appendage aneurysm with additional bi-atrial enlargement and a family history of atrial arrhythmias. The patient was successfully treated with resection of the aneurysm and a Cox-Maze III procedure.