cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ESTIMATION OF HABITAT-SPECIFIC DEMOGRAPHY AND POPULATION GROWTH FOR PEREGRINE FALCONS IN CALIFORNIA

American Peregrine Falcons in California (Falco peregrinus anatum) have been managed in one of the largest reintroduction programs in the history of endangered species management. However, as for most other widespread natural populations, the spatial and temporal dynamics of California Peregrines have remained poorly understood. Long- term monitoring data on this highly managed species present a unique opportunity for retrospective analysis of the factors contributing to the successful recovery of Peregrine Falcons in California, as well as demographic differences between habitat types. We used a newly developed mark-recapture model (the Barker model), which allows the simulta- neous use of recaptures, dead recoveries, and live resightings, to provide estimates of first- year, second-year, and adult survival of Peregrine Falcons in the mid- and south-coast regions of California. Annual survival rates for second-year and adult Peregrines were estimated at 86%. Through model fitting, we show positive effects of urban habitats on first-year survival. In our best-fit models, first-year birds fledged in urban areas had a survival rate of 65%, whereas rural (non-urban) first-year survival was only 28%. The introduction method also influenced first-year survival after dispersal; in rural areas, es- timated survival of hacked young (after independence) was lower than estimated survival of wild-reared young. We also show that birds in urban habitats have significantly higher fecundity rates than birds in rural habitats, even though the fecundity of rural breeders has increased significantly over the last two decades. We argue that the strong habitat differences in first-year survival combined with lower fecundity rates in rural habitats (due to slower improvement in eggshell thinning rates) facilitates spatial structuring of the California Peregrine population. Matrix population models constructed for both rural and urban hab- itats support this assessment. The temporally averaged population growth rate in urban habitats was estimated as X = 1.28, compared to X = 0.99 in rural habitats. Yearly analytical X values in rural habitat predict declining population growth (X 1) in the 1990s due to improved reproductive performance. These results indicate that the introduction effort was pivotal in recovering the rural population in this portion of its former habitat, because intrinsic growth rates alone would have been insufficient to yield the observed population recovery.
Treatment and Prevention of Otitis Media

OBJECTIVE:To review and summarize recent advances in the treatment and prevention of otitis media (OM).DATA SOURCES:A MEDLINE search (1996–March 2000) was performed to identify relevant primary and review articles. References from these articles were also reviewed if deemed important.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:English-language primary and review articles focusing on the treatment and prevention of acute otitis media (AOM) were included. Studies focusing exclusively on OM with effusion or serous OM and chronic suppurative OM were excluded. Information regarding prevention and drug therapy was reviewed, with an emphasis placed on advances made in the last two years.DATA SYNTHESIS:Recently, an expert panel of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended use of only three of 16 systemic antibiotics approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of AOM: amoxicillin, cefuroxime axetil, and ceftriaxone. Controversy exists over the importance of key selection factors used by the...
Moving-focus versus self-waveguiding model for long-distance propagation of femtosecond pulses in air

Experiments on focused femtosecond pulse propagation in air in the infrared which can test whether a strict moving-focus model interpretation is applicable were recently analyzed by Lange et al. Using numerical simulations, we show that filament propagation can be given a consistent interpretation in terms of the dynamic spatial replenishment model. While the moving-focus model cannot explain the persistence of a filament past the linear focus, the self-waveguiding model also presents problems of interpretation.
Two‐way coupling in reservoir–geomechanical models: vertex‐centered Galerkin geomechanical model cell‐centered and vertex‐centered finite volume reservoir models

Procedures to couple reservoir and geomechanical models are reviewed. The focus is on immiscible compressible non-compositional reservoir – geomechanical models. Such models require the solution to: coupled stress, pressure, saturation and temperature equations. Although the couplings between saturation and temperature with stress and fluid pressure are “weak” and can be adequately captured thru staggered (fixed point) iterations, the couplings between stress and pressure equations are “strong” and require special procedures for accurate integration. As shown and discussed in detail in (Prevost, 2013), two-way coupling (i.e., simultaneous integration) of pressure and stress equations is required if poromechanical effects are to be captured accurately. In our previous work a Galerkin implementation of both pressure and stress equations was used with equal order interpolant for both pressure and solid displacements.
Membrane biogenesis and the unfolded protein response

In addition to serving as the entry point for newly translated polypeptides making their way through the secretory pathway, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) also synthesizes many lipid components of the entire endomembrane system. A report published in this issue implicates a signaling pathway known to respond to ER unfolded protein load in the control of phospholipid biosynthesis by the organelle (Sriburi et al., 2004). The reasonable notion that demand for ER membrane is integrated with protein processing capacity was initially suggested by genetic analysis of yeast. The new data lend direct support for this idea and imply interesting mechanistic possibilities for how this coupling develops.
Assessing advanced cancer pain in older adults with dementia at the end-of-life.

Monroe T., Carter M., Feldt K., Tolley B. & Cowan R.L. (2012) Assessing advanced cancer pain in older adults with dementia at the end-of-life. Journal of Advanced Nursing68(9), 2070–2078. Abstract Aim. To assess advanced cancer pain in older adults with dementia at the end-of-life. Background. Self-report is the gold standard for pain assessment; however, people with Alzheimer’s disease may lose the ability to report pain. Biochemical and neuropathological changes occur in Alzheimer’s disease that impairs the affective, sensory, and motor pain processing regions of the brain. Because people with severe Alzheimer’s disease may lose the ability to report their sensory and emotional response to pain verbally, external motor displays of pain, such as grimacing, have been suggested for use in people with Alzheimer’s Disease. Design. Between groups cross sectional study. Method. Retrospective chart audits of people with Alzheimer’s disease in nine nursing homes in the US in 2009. Participants were nursing home residents (n = 48) with mild to very severe dementia, pain and cognitive measures were collected during the final 3 months of life. The primary outcome variable was the Discomfort Behaviour Scale score (a measure of observed pain behaviour) and the main predictor variable was the Cognitive Performance Scale score (a measure of Alzheimer’s disease severity). Medication administration (opioid, non-narcotic, and psychotropic medications) recorded over the final 2 weeks of life was collected as a covariate of interest. Results. Alzheimer’s disease severity was negatively associated with pain behaviours. Post hoc procedures showed that this difference was due to the difference in pain behaviours between individuals with moderate and very severe Alzheimer’s disease. Total amount of opioid analgesic, total number of doses of non-narcotic medications, and psychotropic medications administered over the last 2 weeks of life were not statistically significantly correlated with pain behaviour. An inverse correlation was found between cognitive ability (Cognitive Performance Scale score) and total amount of opioid medication indicating that individuals with severe Alzheimer’s disease received less opioid. Conclusion. Because people with worsening Alzheimer’s disease have fewer pain behaviours, assessing pain using behavioural indicators can be a challenge. Improving methods to assess for pain in people with Alzheimer’s disease is of critical public health importance. Moreover, future studies are urgently needed to further examine the sensory, emotional, and behavioural responses to pain in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Effects of ethnic targeting on the perceived effectiveness of cancer prevention messages among latinas and non-latina white women.

In general, efforts to target Latinos are made through Spanish-language messages, yet 75% of U.S. Latinos are bilingual or English dominant. Acculturation (adapting mainstream traits) is associated with increased lifestyle-related risk behaviors. Latinos maintain cultural traits and ethnic identification even as they appear to acculturate (e.g., through language). This raises questions about how to communicate health information to more-acculturated Latinos who are not reached by traditional Spanish outreach yet may not identify with general-market messages. This study tested the relative efficacy of English-language messages targeted to Latinas, compared with general-market messages, among highly acculturated Latina women and non-Latina White women. In this pair of online experiments, Latinas (n = 715) and non-Latina White women (n = 704) rated the perceived effectiveness of general-market versus Latina-targeted Pap smear and mammogram public service announcements. In 1 of 2 experiments ethnically target...
Postnatal IgG Levels in Very-low-birth-weight Infants Preliminary Observations

We studied the gammaglobulin levels (IgG) postnatally, serially, in 42 infants of very low birthweight (mean ± SD 971 ± 225 g) with gestational ages ranging from 23 to 31 weeks. Eighteen infants (42.8%) had IgG levels of less than 100 mg/dl by a mean postnatal age of 71.2 ±16 days. The lowest level was 22 mg/dl in an infant whose birthweight was 700 g. Sixteen of the 42 infants (mean birthweight 946.8 ± 260 g) also had cord blood IgG levels determined. The mean cord blood IgG was 413.5 ± 163 mg/dl. This had dropped to 140.3 ± 87 mg/dl by 57 days, a drop of 66 percent. As expected, the lowest IgG levels postnatally was a reflection of the degree of prematurity and the length of postnatal age. Such extremely low levels of IgG have not been reported previously.
DEVELOPMENT OF A REAL-TIME CONTROL SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE FOR AUTOMATED STEEL CONSTRUCTION

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is developing a real-time control system for a robotic crane (the NIST RoboCrane) that will perform automated structural steel pick-and-place operations. The control system architecture is based on the NIST Real-time Control Systems (RCS) reference model, which defines a system development methodology and a hierarchical control architecture in which system tasks and associated information are decomposed and organized into more easily manageable components or subsets. The task of picking and placing a structural steel beam was decomposed into multiple sub-task levels that must be performed in order to complete the pick-and-place operation. Tasks were decomposed from high-level operator input, such as "Install Beam A" down through the controller to the sensor and actuator level on the crane, at which, for example, voltages are computed and output to individual motors. Each level was organized into a series of control nodes each responsible for executing the sub-tasks at that given level of control. The control nodes share a common generic node model for sensor information processing, world modeling, and behavior generation. The control system development effort and its implementation on RoboCrane are presented in this paper.
Computing Incremental Capacity Provided By Distributed Resources For Distribution Planning

This panel summary describes a technique for including distributed resources (DR) in the distribution planning process. It captures the incremental capacity provided by DR in a way that is meaningful for assessing the impact of the DR on the reliability and efficiency of the distribution system. Computational methods for executing this technique are discussed.
Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy for Patients in Nursing Homes

Since the number of aged Americans who require long-term care in nursing homes is increasing, attention has been focused on the cost-effective provision of medical care in the nursing home. In this health care setting, pneumonia and serious urinary tract infection are common among patients. These infections can now often be treated successfully with use of parenteral antibiotic therapy in the nursing home, thereby not subjecting the patient to the added stress of hospitalization. However, the physician's decision to use parenteral antibiotic therapy for the nursing home resident is complex and must be guided by the patient's condition, the wishes of the patient and family, the frequent shortage of professional staff, and the cost of the drug. Nevertheless, with these factors in mind, compassionate, high-quality care can often be provided in the nursing home in a cost-effective fashion.
Further evidence of association between two NET single-nucleotide polymorphisms with ADHD

The norepinephrine transporter (NET) gene is an attractive candidate gene for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Noradrenergic systems are critical to higher brain functions such as attention and executive function, which are defective in ADHD. The clinical efficacy of medications that target NET also supports its role in the etiology of ADHD. Here, we have applied a dense mapping strategy to capture all genetic variations within the NET gene in a large number of ADHD families (474 trios). As a result, we found association of the same alleles from two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs3785143 and rs11568324) previously identified in another large-scale ADHD genetic study (International Multisite ADHD Geneproject). Furthermore, the effect sizes were consistent across both studies. This is the first time that identical alleles of NET from different studies were implicated, and thus our report provides further evidence that the NET gene is involved in the etiology of ADHD.
Indentation load relaxation experiments with indentation depth in the submicron range

Indentation load relaxation (ILR) experiments with indentation depths in the submicron range are described. Under appropriate conditions, the ILR data are found to yield flow curves of the same shape as those based on conventional load relaxation data. Variations in flow properties as a function of depth in submicron metal films deposited on a hard substrate are detected by the experiments described.
Of energy and survival incognito: a relationship between viable but non-culturable cells formation and inorganic polyphosphate and formate metabolism in Campylobacter jejuni.

Campylobacter jejuni is a Gram-negative foodborne bacterium that can cause mild to serious diseases in humans. A variety of stress conditions including exposure to formic acid, a weak organic acid, can cause C. jejuni to form viable but nonculturable cells (VBNC), which was proposed as a potential survival mechanism. The inability to detect C. jejuni VBNC using standard culturing techniques may increase the risk of exposure to foods contaminated with this pathogen. However, little is known about the cellular mechanisms and triggers governing VBNC formation. Here, we discuss novel mechanisms that potentially affect VBNC formation in C. jejuni and emphasize the impact of formic acid on this process. Specifically, we highlight findings that show that impairing inorganic polyphosphate (poly-P) metabolism reduces the ability of C. jejuni to form VBNC in a medium containing formic acid. We also discuss the potential effect of poly-P and formate metabolism on energy homeostasis and cognate VBNC formation. The relationship between poly-P metabolism and VBNC formation under acid stress has only recently been identified and may represent a breakthrough in understanding this phenomenon and its impact on food safety.
A fast detection algorithm suitable for mitigation of numerous power quality disturbances

In this paper, a fast detection method for voltage disturbances is explored. The proposed method provides reliable and fast detection for either single-phase or polyphase voltage disturbances such as voltage sags, voltage swells, flicker, frequency change in the utility voltage, and harmonic distortion. The algorithm is based on the theory that allows a set of three-phase voltages be represented as dc voltages in a d-q synchronous rotating frame. In this case, the utility input voltages are sensed and then converted to dc quantities in the d-q reference frame. Thus, any disturbance at the utility input voltages will be promptly reflected as disturbances in the d-q values. Further processing of the signals minimizes the point-on-wave effect and yields a trip signal indicating if the disturbance is a voltage sag or a voltage swell. Analysis, simulation, and experimental results are presented for a three-phase system. The proposed algorithm is implemented on a digital signal processor (DSP)-based system to provide ride-through for critical loads.
Allocating spatially distributed tasks in large, dynamic robot teams

For an interesting class of emerging applications, a large robot team will need to distributedly allocate many more tasks than there are robots, with dynamically appearing tasks and a limited ability to communicate. The LA-DCOP algorithm can conceptually handle both large-scale problems and multiple tasks per robot, but has key limitations when allocating spatially distributed tasks. In this paper, we extend LA-DCOP with several alternative acceptance rules for robots to determine whether to take on an additional task, given the interaction with the tasks it has already committed to. We show that these acceptance rules dramatically outperform a naive LA-DCOP implementation. In addition, we developed a technique that lets the robots use completely local knowledge to adjust their task acceptance criteria to get the best possible performance at a given communication bandwidth level.
Infrastructure, Components and System Level Testing and Analysis of Electric Vehicles: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-09-353

Battery technology is critical for the development of innovative electric vehicle networks, which can enhance transportation sustainability and reduce dependence on petroleum. This cooperative research proposed by Better Place and NREL will focus on predicting the life-cycle economics of batteries, characterizing battery technologies under various operating and usage conditions, and designing optimal usage profiles for battery recharging and use.
Best subsets logistic regression

Selection of covariates is an important step in any regression modeling situation. An effective strategy when the model is a linear regression with normal errors is to use a software package that implements a best subsets selection algorithm. A number of years ago Lawless and Singhal (1978) proposed a method for efficiently screening nonnormal regression models, thus providing the basis for best subsets nonlinear regression. Recently Lawless and Singhal (1987a, 1987b) have made available a software package that implements their method. The purpose of this note is to illustrate that for one of the more frequently used nonnormal regression models, logistic regression, we may perform the Lawless-Singhal analysis with any best subsets linear regression program that allows for case weights. The methods presented may also be obtained from the general method for model selection proposed by Gilks (1986). We also discuss the use and interpretation of Mallows's measure of predictive squared error as a statistic for comparing models with different subsets of variables.
Trigger Wrist Phenomenon in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Case Report

Flexor tendon synovitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis commonly presents with a carpal tunnel syndrome and a trigger finger. Triggering at the wrist joint is an uncommon feature in this disease. In this case there was a rheumatoid nodule at the wrist joint. The passage of the nodule from the proximal side of the transverse carpal ligament to the distal end, when the fingers were extended, caused a trigger wrist with a click. On surgical exploration, an oval shaped mass arising from the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon of the middle finger was excised, and the transverse carpal ligament was also released. Postoperatively the patient had no further symptoms.
And We're Off!

This issue of JASN represents the second assembled by the new editorial team that took over in July of 2001 from the team led by Craig Tisher. Most of the articles are still ones that were accepted by the previous team; several are not. The proportion of papers accepted by the new team will increase
A multiple-center clinical study on quantitative T2* magnetic resonance imaging of iron deposition of liver,pancreas and heart of beta-thalassemia major patients

ObjectiveTo study the T2* magnetic resonance imaging for evaluation of iron deposition of liver,pancre-as and heart in β- thalassemia major(β-TM)patients and the relationship of the serum ferritin with iron overload.MethodsMeasurement of hepatic,pancreatic and cardiac MRI T2* was performed in 153 patients with β-TM fromMay 1,2010 to December 31,2010. The demographics and serum ferritin(SF)were collected. The rate of the ironoverload in liver,pancreas and heart was analyzed. The rates of combined pancreatic and cardiac iron overload in differ-ent hepatic iron overload groups were compared.ResultsAccording to MRI T2*,there was serious hepatic iron over-load in 85 cases,moderate in 39,mild in 21,no iron overload in 8. Similarly,there was pancreatic iron overload in134,no iron overload in 19. In terms of cardiac iron overload,there was serious cardiac iron overload in 37 cases,mildin 21,no iron overload in 95. No correlation was found between hepatic,pancreatic and cardiac MRI T2* and age orSF,but hepatic MRI T2* correlated with pancreatic and cardiac MRI T2*(P = 0.000,r = 0.529,r = 0.369),and pan-creatic MRI T2* correlated with cardiac MRI T2* well(P = 0.000,r = 0.715). As grade of hepatic iron over-load increases,the patients demonstrated higher rate ofcombination of pancreatic and cardiac iron overload si-multaneously( χ2= 20.78, P = 0.000).ConclusionThere are correlations among hepatic T2*,pancreatic T2* and myocardial T2*. The patients withβ-TM show higher rate of combined pancreatic and cardiaciron overload simultaneously with the increasing degree of hepatic iron overload.
Understanding the barriers of clean water access in urban slums of Kolkata, India

Introduction: Safe drinking water is scarce in Kolkata. Inadequate knowledge and poor practices of storing and cleaning drinking water can cause severe effects on the health of the population. There is a need to understand the current trend of attitudes and practices of individuals living in urban slums to reduce water borne diseases and mortality.Methods: This pilot cross sectional study was conducted in Kolkata, India during June and July 2014. Five urban slums were selected conveniently based on proximity and cooperation from the community. A sample of 50 women was taken which represented 5 different sums, with a sample of 10 women taken from each slum.Results: The majority (80%) of the participants said they regularly have enough water available to meet the needs of their household. Fifty-two percent of subjects received their water for drinking from a tap, hand pump, or time pump. Thirty percent had water pumped into their homes, and 18% purchased their water from a water truck. Fourteen percent said they did not treat their water because it was too time consuming, 40% said it was too much work, and 34% said it was not needed. Ninety percent said they felt it was important to clean their water, almost half (48%) thought their water was not clean, but only 42% used some method to clean their water. Many subjects (68%) stated they knew how to clean their water, but 66% were unaware that visible dirt is not an indicator of illness-causing bacteria in water.Conclusions: More focus should be directed towards improving the awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of perceived susceptibility of clean water within slum communities in Kolkata, India.
The mathematical basis for the increased sensitivity in cancer detection in air-dried cytopreparations.

It is known that the volume of a sphere is 4/3 pi r3, the area of a circle is pi r2, and the nuclear volume remains constant even when a cell is flattened. The effect of air-drying that flattens a spherical nucleus with a radius of r to a discoid nucleus with an expanded radius of R and a thickness of T can be stated as follows: pi R2 = (4/3 pi r3)/T. Based on this formula, a graph was plotted to illustrate the effect of air-drying on the observed nuclear areas (ONA) of cells of various size. The ONA of ethanol-fixed Pap/HE the ONA of air-dried Diff-Quik-stained cells is pi R (2), i.e., (4/3 pi r3)/T. The former follows a first-order straight line, and the latter follows a second-order curve. As a consequence, the subtle "nuclear size enlargement" and "broader nuclear size distribution" of low-grade cancer cells, detectable only by statistical analysis of the data obtained by an image analyzer in ethanol-fixed cytopreparations or in formaldehyde-fixed tissue sections, become augmented to such a degree on the air-dried Diff-Quik-stained preparations that they are easily detected by direct microscopic observation. In conclusion, the increased sensitivity in cancer detection in air-dried cytopreparations is due to the fact that the ONA of air-dried cells reflects nuclear volume.
Community-wide validation of geospace model local K-index predictions to support model transition to operations

We present the latest result of a community-wide space weather model validation effort coordinated among the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC), NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), model developers, and the broader science community. Validation of geospace models is a critical activity for both building confidence in the science results produced by the models and in assessing the suitability of the models for transition to operations. Indeed, a primary motivation of this work is supporting NOAA/SWPC's effort to select a model or models to be transitioned into operations. Our validation efforts focus on the ability of the models to reproduce a regional index of geomagnetic disturbance, the local K-index. Our analysis includes six events representing a range of geomagnetic activity conditions and six geomagnetic observatories representing midlatitude and high-latitude locations. Contingency tables, skill scores, and distribution metrics are used for the quantitative analysis of model performance. We consider model performance on an event-by-event basis, aggregated over events, at specific station locations, and separated into high-latitude and midlatitude domains. A summary of results is presented in this report, and an online tool for detailed analysis is available at the CCMC.
New Host Records for Alloglossidium progeneticum (Digenea: Alloglossiidae) in Crayfishes (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from Arkansas and Oklahoma, U.S.A.

ABSTRACT: We examined 125 individual crayfish representing 9 species from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, U.S.A., for the presence of the antennal gland digenetic trematode Alloglossidium. Fifteen (12%) individuals were found to harbor Alloglossidium progeneticum, which is reported for the first time from the following second intermediate hosts: 2 of 7 (29%) Orconectes longidigitus (longpincered crayfish), 3 of 53 (6%) Orconectes ozarkae (Ozark crayfish), 3 of 15 (20%) Orconectes punctimanus (spothanded crayfish), 4 of 7 (57%) Procambarus ouachitae (Ouachita River crayfish) from Arkansas, and 3 of 10 (30%) Orconectes menae (Mena crayfish) from Oklahoma. Four other crayfish species were negative for infection.
Exportaciones de carne bovina del MERCOSUR: Una cuantificación de los efectos comerciales de medidas sanitarias nuevas y tradicionales

En esta nota tecnica se analizan los efectos comerciales sobre las exportaciones de carne bovina de Argentina, Brasil, Paraguay y Uruguay de las medidas sanitarias en materia de fiebre aftosa (FA), encefalopatia espongiforme bovina (EEB) y la prohibicion por parte de la Union Europea (UE) de la importacion de carne producida con ganado que ha sido alimentado con hormonas promotoras del crecimiento. Para eso se estima un modelo gravitacional utilizando una tecnica de estimacion Poisson de cuasi-maxima-verosimilitud (PPML). Se encuentra que la FA tiene una asociacion negativa y significativa con las exportaciones. Tambien se encuentra una asociacion negativa y significativa entre una variable creada especialmente para tener en cuenta la asimetria de que un pais pierde su status de libre de determinada enfermedad tan pronto como se detecta el primer brote, mientras que la recuperacion del status de libre de dicha enfermedad es un proceso lento, con muchas etapas politicas y que puede insumir varios meses y/o anos. Contra-intuitivamente la controversia UE-EEUU arroja una significativa asociacion negativa a nivel general. Sin embargo, la asociacion es positiva sobre las exportaciones de carne de calidad, aproximadas por la carne sin hueso. Este resultado muestra la importancia de incorporar servicios de informacion a los efectos de superar las asimetrias de informacion que explican la racionalidad de la existencia de los estandares sanitarios.
Complete Genome Sequence of Gluconacetobacter hansenii Strain NQ5 (ATCC 53582), an Efficient Producer of Bacterial Cellulose

ABSTRACT This study reports the release of the complete nucleotide sequence of Gluconacetobacter hansenii strain NQ5 (ATCC 53582). This strain was isolated by R. Malcolm Brown, Jr. in a sugar mill in North Queensland, Australia, and is an efficient producer of bacterial cellulose. The elucidation of the genome will contribute to the study of the molecular mechanisms necessary for cellulose biosynthesis.
Effects of Paver Stoppage on Temperature Segregation in Asphalt Pavements

AbstractTemperature segregation, which occurs as a result of differential cooling of asphalt mixtures, is a serious challenge during asphalt paving operations. The objective of this study is to investigate temperature segregation caused by paver stoppage through field measurements, laboratory tests, and finite-element (FE) analyses. Five Louisiana asphalt rehabilitation projects were selected for the study. A multisensor infrared temperature scanning bar (IR-bar) system was used for field measurements of the real-time thermal profiles of uncompacted asphalt mats behind the paver. Laboratory performance of thermally segregated asphalt pavements from three selected projects were evaluated by measuring the fracture resistance of field asphalt samples at 25°C using the semicircular bend (SCB) test. From field measurements, it was clear that temperature segregation occurs whenever the paver stops, and the level of segregation (temperature drop) is dependent on the duration of paver stoppage, e.g., temperature ...
The Treatment of Chronic Constipation in Adults

To evaluate whether laxatives and fiber therapies improve symptoms and bowel movement frequency in adults with chronic constipation. English language studies were identified from computerized MEDLINE (1966-1995), Biological Abstracts (1990-1995), and Micromedex searches; bibliographies; textbooks; laxative manufacturers; and experts. Randomized trials of laxative or fiber therapies lasting more than 1 week that evaluated clinical outcomes in adults with chronic constipation Two independent reviewers appraised each trial's characteristics including methodologic quality. There were 36 trials involving 1,815 persons from a variety of settings including clinics, hospitals and nursing homes. Twenty-three trials were 1 month or less in duration. Several laxative and fiber preparations were evaluated. Twenty trials had a placebo, usual care, or discontinuation of laxative control group, and 16 directly compared different agents. Laxatives and fiber increased bowel movement frequency by an overall weighted average of 1.4 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-1.8) bowel movements per week. Fiber and bulk laxatives decreased abdominal pain and improved stool consistency compared with placebo. Most nonbulk laxative data concerning abdominal pain and stool consistency were inconclusive, though cisapride, lactulose, and lactitol improved consistency. Data concerning superiority of various treatments were inconclusive. No severe side effects for any of the therapies were reported. Both fiber and laxatives modestly improved bowel movement frequency in adults with chronic constipation. There was inadequate evidence to establish whether fiber was superior to laxatives or one laxative class was superior to another.
Understanding Motivations and Acceptance of Location-Based Services

ABSTRACTLocation-based services (LBS) provide new opportunities for consumer convenience, just-in-time access to information, and services based upon the context of one’s location. Using a hotel/resort industry context, this study examines the impacts of LBS usage motivations on customers’ intentions and the moderating effects of age, gender, and experience on the relationships between motivations and intentions. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to analyze data collected from 398 hotel/resort customers owning smartphones. The results reveal the importance of utilitarian and social values in a customer’s adoption of LBS. This study provides practical significance to hospitality operators looking to deploy this type of technology to enhance the guest experience and revenue generating opportunities.
Core curriculum illustration: pediatric buckle fracture of the distal radius.

This is the 38th installment of a series that will highlight one case per publication issue from the bank of cases available online as part of the American Society of Emergency Radiology (ASER) educational resources. Our goal is to generate more interest in and use of our online materials. To view more cases online, please visit the ASER Core Curriculum and Recommendations for Study online at: http://www.erad.org/page/CCIP_TOC
Effects of operational mode on particle size and number emissions from a biomass gasifier cookstove

Interest in the size distribution of particles emitted from biomass cookstoves stems from the hypothesis that exposure to ultrafine particles is more detrimental to human health than exposure to accumulation mode or other size regimes. Previous studies have reported that gasifier cookstoves emit smaller particles than other cookstove designs under steady operating conditions. In the present study, the number size distribution of particles emitted from a forced-air gasifier cookstove was measured at 1 Hz as the stove transitioned between several steady and transient operating modes. During normal operation, when the stove functioned as a top-lit updraft gasifier, the distribution was bimodal, with peaks at 10 nm and 40 nm, when a pot of water was on the stove. The distribution became unimodal with a peak at 10 nm when the pot was removed. Once the fuel bed had completely gasified and the secondary flame extinguished, the concentration of particles increased and the peak in number concentration shifted to a...
Health maintenance practices and healthcare experiences among international university students.

Background and purpose While over a million international students attend U.S. universities, there is little information to guide providers on their care. Differences in language and health beliefs can lead to misunderstandings and poor outcomes. The purpose of this study was to describe the health practices and healthcare experiences of international students before and after they move to the United States to carve out specific quality improvement activities at a student health center. Methods International students volunteered to attend focus groups. Data were analyzed using text coding software (Dedoose) to identify salient themes that reflected participants’ experiences. Conclusions Participants (N = 19) identified four areas of health maintenance: exercise, nutrition, yearly checkups, and self-care for minor ailments. While participants described health care in their home countries as accessible and affordable, they described health care in the United States as less accessible, more expensive, and laden with communication mishaps. Implications for practice A broader educational message to international students, that is, how to maintain healthy habits in the United States and how to access/navigate U.S. health care, coupled with staff training on effective health communication and the use of interpreter services would enhance the health and healthcare experience of this vital population.
How fast to run in the Red Queen race

Summary This paper creates a market ecosystem, via an agent-based model, that combines the dynamic features of the Red Queen effect with well-accepted business world performance indicators. Essentially, firms are tasked with remaining ‘alive’ by adapting to their environment through implementing a competitive response of innovating or imitating. An analysis of the firms’ behaviours delivers a deep understanding of the drivers of innovative behaviour within the economy. The key findings of the paper are (1) that concentrated markets are not entirely detrimental to innovative behaviour, with the blend of firm type being a more important consideration, and (2) that the rate at which an innovation impairs existing markets affects the activity levels of the firms within the population. The model's results are validated against a matching study based on real-world data.
Why is the Universe Just Right for Life

A longstanding mystery concerning the laws of physics and the cosmological initial conditions is that they are peculiarly well suited to the emergence of life – at least, life as we know it. The favoured explanation is that the region of space we call “the universe” is in fact merely an infinitesimal fragment of a vast and elaborate assemblage of universes, collectively termed “the multiverse.” According to the multiverse theory, each universe has its own distinctive laws and initial conditions, perhaps chosen randomly. Only in those universes which, by chance, the circumstances are just right for life will observers like us emerge and puzzle over the weird bio-friendliness of their own particular universe. Although popular, the multiverse theory falls far short of a complete explanation of physical reality, because it assumes a set of meta-laws, including a universe-generating mechanism, which must simply be accepted as a brute fact. I this paper I review the multiverse theory and discuss its shortcomings, and outline the challenge of trying to construct a theory of physical existence that does not depend on arbitrary starting assumptions.
Review of Microscale Thermometry Techniques

There has been considerable progress in recent years in thermometry techniques that characterize microdevices and their constituent materials. Some of these techniques are applicable for both device and material characterization while others are suitable only for device thermometry. This chapter reviews thermometry techniques for microdevices and microstructures. The techniques are categorized depending on whether they employ electrical or optical signals.
Locke on the Intentionality of Sensory Ideas

The theory of ideas is the foundation of Locke’s account of human understanding. Whatever perceptual cognition we have of external objects, it involves immediate awareness of sensory ideas. Since the direct perception of sensory ideas enables cognizance of those objects, the question arises of how simple ideas of sensation contribute to the mind’s awareness of external things. What is it in virtue of which a perceptual state or act is directed to an external object, according to Locke, and what role do simple ideas have in this context? Currently, there are two competing interpretations. John Yolton, on the one hand, holds that ideas, as such, are intrinsically intentional; it is their nature as contents of immediate awareness to represent, to be “of” things.1 According to Yolton’s interpretation, Locke’s notion of idea is largely the same as the Cartesian doctrine as explicated by Arnauld. Hence, Locke held ideas to be signs or meanings that exhibit what they signify in immediate awareness. Yolton’s aim is to show that Locke’s model of idea is consistent with direct realism. Michael Ayers, on the other hand, argues that the simple ideas of sensation are “blank sensations”; they represent solely in virtue of the relational fact that they are caused in us by objects acting on our sensory organs. As the contents of immediate awareness, the ideas are bereft of representational character.2 Hence, sensory ideas have no intrinsic intentionality at all. On the contrary, sensory ideas have representational content in virtue of the relational fact that they are caused in us by objects acting on our sensory organs. According to Ayers, Locke argues that the mind finds it evident that its sensory ideas are effects that come from without and takes its ideas to refer to their external causes. This interpretation supports an indirect realist understanding of Locke’s theory of sensory perception.
Growth, Fitness, and Overwinter Survival of a Shattercane (Sorghum bicolor ssp. drummondii)×Grain Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor ssp. bicolor) F2 Population

Although sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench ssp. bicolor] is the fifth most important grain crop in terms of global production, no commercial hybrids carry genetically engineered (GE) traits for resistance to insect pests or herbicides due to regulatory concerns about gene flow to weedy relatives. However, non-GE herbicide resistance currently is being developed in grain sorghum and will likely transfer to related weeds. Monitoring the impact of this new nuclear technology on the evolution and invasiveness of related weeds requires a baseline understanding of the population biology of grain sorghum genes once they transfer to in situ weed populations. We previously characterized the rate of gene flow from grain sorghum to shattercane [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench nothosubsp. drummondii (Steud.) de Wet ex. Davidse], a conspecific weed relatively common in North America; as well as the ecological fitness of an F1 population when S. bicolor nothosubsp. drummondii was the maternal parent. Here we report the ecological fitness of a S. bicolor nothosubsp. drummondii × S. bicolor ssp. bicolor F2 population relative to its crop and weed parents. Parental and F2 populations were grown in two Nebraska environments in 2012 and 2013. Traits evaluated included overwinter survival, field emergence, biomass production and partitioning at anthesis, total seed production, and 100-seed weight. Results indicated that F2 traits were generally intermediate between the parents, but more similar to S. bicolor nothosubsp. drummondii than to grain sorghum. The one exception was overwinter survival, which was nearly 0% for both the F2 and the grain sorghum parent in these northern environments. Thus, the frequency of crop alleles stably introgressed into S. bicolor nothosubsp. drummondii populations appears to primarily depend on overwinter survival of the F2 and which selective pressures are imposed upon it by the cropping system. These data provide needed baseline information about the environmental fate of nuclear genetic technologies deployed in this important global crop.
Distinct molecular signatures in dissolved organic matter produced by viral lysis of marine cyanobacteria

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays a central role in the microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of aquatic environments, yet little is known about how the mechanism of DOM release from its ultimate source, primary producer biomass, affects the molecular composition of the inputs to the dissolved pool. Here we used a model marine phytoplankton, the picocyanobacterium Synechococcus WH7803, to compare the composition of DOM released by three mechanisms: exudation, mechanical cell lysis and infection by the lytic phage S-SM1. A broad, untargeted analytical approach reveals the complexity of this freshly sourced DOM, and comparative analysis between DOM produced by the different mechanisms suggests that exudation and viral lysis are sources of unsaturated, oxygen-rich and possibly novel biomolecules. Furthermore, viral lysis of WH7803 by S-SM1 releases abundant peptides derived from specific proteolysis of the major light-harvesting protein phycoerythrin, raising the possibility that phage infection of these abundant cyanobacteria could be a significant source of high molecular weight dissolved organic nitrogen compounds.
Nondaily Cigarette Smoking Is Increasing Among People With Common Mental Health and Substance Use Problems in the United States:: Data From Representative Samples of US Adults, 2005–2014

OBJECTIVE The current study estimated trends in the prevalence of daily and nondaily cigarette smoking among United States adults with any common mental health or substance use problem (MHSUP), compared to US adults without MHSUP, from 2005 to 2014. METHODS Data were drawn from the years 2005 to 2014 from the public use data files for the annually conducted National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Linear time trends of current, daily, and nondaily cigarette smoking among adults (age 18 years and older) with and without MHSUP were assessed using logistic regression models with continuous year as the predictor. RESULTS In 2014, the prevalence of current cigarette smoking among those with MHSUP was more than twice that of those without MHSUP. Nondaily cigarette smoking increased significantly from 2005 to 2014 among those with MHSUP (P = .001) in contrast to a decline in nondaily cigarette smoking among those without MHSUP (P < .01). The rate of change differed significantly (P < .001). Daily cigarette smoking declined significantly from 2005 to 2014 among those with and without MHSUP (P values < .001). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of nondaily cigarette smoking is increasing among US adults with common mental health and substance use problems, while it continues to decline among those without these vulnerabilities. The disparity in prevalence of daily cigarette smoking between those with and without MHSUP remains substantial. Conclusions about how to reach the tobacco endgame may need to be reconsidered to develop targeted tobacco control public health approaches that address common MHSUP.