cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Digital Image Analysis and Spectral Reflectance to Determine Turfgrass Quality

The limitations of the conventional visual rating system used to assess turfgrass quality include its subjective nature and the need for properly trained observers who can discern differences among treatments or turfgrass varieties. The objective of our study was to investigate if digital image analysis (DIA) and spectral reflectance [normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI)] can be used to evaluate turfgrass varieties. Trials were established at New Mexico State University and visual quality ratings, digital images, and NDVI were collected monthly on three warm-season and three cool-season variety trials and on one cool-season and one warm-season mixed species trial. Correlations among quality, NDVI, dark green color index (DGCI) and percent green cover (PCov) were computed. Multiple regression was used to determine if combining NDVI and DIA improved the association between visual turfgrass quality and other variables. Quality was most strongly associated with NDVI (R 2 ranging from 0.37 to 0.65) for most datasets. Additionally, multiple linear regressions identified NDVI as the variable affecting a higher change in R 2 when entered to the model than either DGCI or PCov. Visual quality had a weaker association with sampling date than did NDVI or DGCI, which indicates that NDVI may track quality changes more reliably over time. However, a stronger association between variety and visual quality than between variety and NDVI or DGCI indicates that a visual assessment detects varietal differences better. Therefore, it is questionable whether visual assessments can be replaced by NDVI or DIA to characterize the aesthetic appeal of turfgrasses accurately.
Is Lys-Nɛ-acetylation the next big thing in post-translational modifications?

Lys-Nɛ-acetylation (PKA) has recently ascended from a post-translational modification (PTM) of limited distribution to one approaching the abundance of O-phosphorylation. Thousands of KAC proteins have been identified in Archaea, bacteria, and Eukarya, and the KAC system of acetyltransferases, deacetylases, and binding proteins is superficially comparable with the kinases, phosphatases, and phospho- (P-)protein binding-proteins of O-phosphorylation. Herein, we describe recent results and compare several aspects of these two major systems of PTM in plants.
Visual navigation with a neural network

Abstract A simple linear neural network modelled on areas MT and MST of primate visual cortex can determine the direction of self-motion of an observer by using the optical flow field induced by observer translation relative to a rigid planar environment. The model's input layer consists of a set of motion detectors covering a 20° × 20° portion of the visual field with a subset of eight detectors selective to four primary directions and two speeds representing the optical motion within a single receptive field. Heading is represented distributively on the output layer in terms of azimuth and elevation. The network's heading accuracy under ideal conditions is on the order of 1° of visual angle, which is in agreement with perceptual studies of heading accuracy in human observers. The network's performance under noisy optical flow conditions matches remarkably well that of human subjects. Moreover, the network's tolerance of noise makes it potentially useful in robotic vision. A subsequent problem is to extend the model to combined observer translation and rotation.
Amine-templated syntheses and crystal structures of zeolite rho analogs

Abstract Hydrothermal syntheses and single-crystal structures of three zeolite rho analogs with novel framework compositions are presented. The incorporation of divalent metal atoms (Co 2+ , Mn 2+ and Mg 2+ ) into the framework metal-atom sites is directly and unambiguously established from single-crystal diffraction data. MnAP-RHO1 and MAP-RHO1 have the highest Mn 2+ or Mg 2+ substitution levels in aluminophosphate-based structures, respectively. These analogs are prepared using the amine-templated synthesis approach, and the organic amine uniquely templates the formation of the zeolite rho topology. The amine molecule is not located at the center of the large α-cage, but is instead positioned at the center of each double eight-ring.
PARALLEL MULTISPLITTINGS FOR OPTIMIZATION

The philosophy of multisplitting methods is the replacement of a large-scale linear or nonlinear problem by a set of subproblems, each of which can be solved locally and independently in parallel by taking advantage of well-tested sequential algorithms. Because of this formulation most compute-intensive operations can be calculated independently and the algorithms are highly parallel. Recent developments for optimization, constrained and unconstrained, are described. These new algorithms are, in some cases, faster in sequential mode than conventional algorithms. Results of implementations on the Intel Paragon and on a cluster of workstations using PVM3 demonstrate superlinear speedup when compared with a standard test algorithm programmed in sequential mode. Further, the same algorithm when programmed in sequential mode also exhibits speedup when compared to the non-split algorithm.
Mode of action and tissue dosimetry in current and future risk assessments

Two fundamental concepts have emerged to organize contemporary approaches to chemical risk assessment - mode of action and tissue dosimetry. Mode of action specifies the nature of the interactions between the chemical and the body that lead to toxic responses and should, under optimal circumstances, also specify the form of the tissue dose that leads to these effects. This paper highlights recent development of biologically based dose response (BBDR) models for specific toxic endpoints that use knowledge on mode of action to specify measures of dose. These dose measures then are used to support low dose and interspecies extrapolations. We first focus on a series of dose response models developed for several compounds that produce nasal toxicity. These examples demonstrate a range of model structures from simple dosimetry models (methylmethacrylate) to linkage of dosimetry with specific biological processes involved in carcinogenesis (formaldehyde). Two BBDR models with dioxin illustrate the organization of biological and dosimetry information into specific testable hypotheses that could distinguish these different models and lead to a more uniform approach to risk assessment for this compound. A final section discusses the impact of molecular biology and the genomic revolution in relation to development of BBDR models for specific toxic endpoints.
Dynamics of clathrin-mediated endocytosis and its requirement for organelle biogenesis in Dictyostelium

The protein clathrin mediates one of the major pathways of endocytosis from the extracellular milieu and plasma membrane. In single-cell eukaryotes, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the gene encoding clathrin is not an essential gene, raising the question of whether clathrin conveys specific advantages for multicellularity. Furthermore, in contrast to mammalian cells, endocytosis in S. cerevisiae is not dependent on either clathrin or adaptor protein 2 (AP2), an endocytic adaptor molecule. In this study, we investigated the requirement for components of clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) in another unicellular organism, the amoeba Dictyostelium. We identified a heterotetrameric AP2 complex in Dictyostelium that is similar to that which is found in higher eukaryotes. By simultaneously imaging fluorescently tagged clathrin and AP2, we found that, similar to higher eukaryotes, these proteins colocalized to membrane puncta that move into the cell together. In addition, the contractile vacuole marker protein, dajumin-green fluorescent protein (GFP), is trafficked via the cell membrane and internalized by CME in a clathrin-dependent, AP2-independent mechanism. This pathway is distinct from other endocytic mechanisms in Dictyostelium. Our finding that CME is required for the internalization of contractile vacuole proteins from the cell membrane explains the contractile vacuole biogenesis defect in Dictyostelium cells lacking clathrin. Our results also suggest that the machinery for CME and its role in organelle maintenance appeared early during eukaryotic evolution. We hypothesize that dependence of endocytosis on specific components of the CME pathway evolved later, as demonstrated by internalization independent of AP2 function.
Protein unfolding — an important process in vivo?

Protein unfolding is an important step in several cellular processes, most interestingly protein degradation by ATP-dependent proteases and protein translocation across some membranes. Unfolding can be catalyzed when the unfoldases change the unfolding pathway of substrate proteins by pulling at their polypeptide chains. The resistance of a protein to unraveling during these processes is not determined by the protein's stability against global unfolding, as measured by temperature or solvent denaturation in vitro. Instead, resistance to unfolding is determined by the local structure that the unfoldase encounters first as it follows the substrate's polypeptide chain from the targeting signal. As unfolding is a necessary step in protein degradation and translocation, the susceptibility to unfolding of substrate proteins contributes to the specificity of these important cellular processes.
Gamma knife radiosurgery in younger patients with vestibular schwannomas.

Objective Management options for patients with vestibular schwannoma include observation, surgical resection, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), and stereotactic radiation therapy. In younger patients, resection is often advocated because of concern regarding the long-term effects of radiation. We studied tumor response and clinical outcomes after SRS in such patients. Methods We reviewed long-term outcomes in 55 patients with vestibular schwannomas. Patients were 40 years of age or younger, underwent gamma knife (GK) SRS between 1987 and 2003, and were followed up for a minimum of 4 years. The median patient age was 35 years (range, 13-40 years). Forty-one patients had Gardner-Robertson class 1 to 4 hearing. Thirteen patients (24%) had undergone surgical removal. The median tumor volume was 1.7 mm. The median tumor margin dose was 13.0 Gy (range, 11-20 Gy). Results At a median of 5.3 years, (range, 4-20 years), 2 of 55 patients underwent GK SRS for a second time; 1 of these patients had had a recurrence after initial resection. The 5-year rate of freedom from additional management was 96%. Hearing preservation rates (i.e., remaining within the same Gardner-Robertson hearing class) were 93%, 87%, and 87% at 3, 5, and 10 years, respectively. In patients with serviceable hearing before SRS, it was maintained in 100%, 93%, and 93% of patients at 3, 5, and 10 years, respectively. Hearing preservation was related to a margin dose lower than 13 Gy (P = 0.017). At the last assessment, facial and trigeminal nerve function was preserved in 98.2% and 96.4% of patients, respectively; the only facial deficit (House-Brackmann grade III) occurred in a patient who received a tumor dose of 20 Gy early in our experience (1988). None of the patients treated with doses lower than 13 Gy experienced facial or trigeminal neuropathy. All patients continued their previous level of activity or employment after GK SRS. No patient developed a secondary radiation-related tumor. Conclusion Our experience indicates that GK SRS is an effective management strategy for younger patients with vestibular schwannoma, most of whom have no additional cranial nerve dysfunction.
Segmental intrusion with mini-screw implant anchorage: a radiographic evaluation.

Introduction: The orthodontist's ability to intrude and control supraeruption of multiple teeth is fundamental for effective and efficient treatment outcomes. To better understand segmental intrusion with fixed anchorage, we evaluated the effects of various forces on the amount of intrusion, root resorption, and mini-screw implant (MSI) stability. Methods: The sample included 8 mature beagle dogs, 20 to 24 months old. Intrusive forces were applied for 98 days by using a cast Vitallium appliance (Vitallium; Dentsply, York, Pa) incorporating the maxillary first, second, and third premolars as segments on each side. To accurately control the forces applied, 2 MSIs, 1 anterior and 1 posterior, were placed at the level of the first and third premolars of each segment. The sample was randomly divided into 2 groups; group 1 (n = 4) was assigned to have constant intrusive forces of 50 g anteriorly and 100 g posteriorly; the forces for group 2 (n = 4) were opposite those of group 1. Standardized periapical radiographs were taken at 14-day intervals to evaluate segmental intrusion and root resorption. Multilevel statistical procedures were used to model the treatment changes. Results: All MSIs remained stable throughout the experiment. Small but significant ( P P Conclusions: Segmental intrusion can be achieved successfully and reliably with immediately loaded MSIs and relatively light forces (150 g). Force distribution plays an important role in determining how the segments were intruded.
A Transparent Approach of Enabling SaaS Multi-tenancy in the Cloud

It has become more and more obvious that in Cloud Computing, applications are key drivers to make Cloud business a success. Multi-tenancy is a critical technology to allow one instance of application serving multiple customers at the same time to share Cloud resources and achieve high operational efficiency. There are different options of realizing multi-tenancy, in this paper we describe a transparent approach of making existing Web applications to support multi-tenancy and run in the public Cloud. Our approach includes intercepting the Web requests and deriving the tenant context, carrying the tenant context with a thread in the Web container, manipulating the isolation points (application artifacts that need to be isolated) in a Web application, and propagating tenant context to remote Cloud resources (such as database server, and message queue server) when necessary. With this approach, volumes of existing Web applications could quickly be provisioned through a public Cloud platform without rewriting the original source code. We have also implement a real system based on the common multi-tenancy model that separate the concerns of application developer, SaaS operator, tenant administrator, and tenant user. We finally integrate the SaaS multi-tenancy technique with Cloud platform services.
Reactions of triphenylsilyllithium with i-bromopropene and i-(triphenylsilyl)propene

Abstract i -Bromopropene reacted with triphenylsilyllithium yielding hexaphenyldisilane as the major product. However, seven other compounds were isolated as by-products. The reaction of i -(triphenylsilyl)-propyne, one of the by-products, with triphenylsilyllithium was investigated. The major products were i , a -bis(triphenylsilyl)propene and 1,3-bis(triphenylsilyl)products. When chlorotriphenylsilane was added to the above reaction mixture, an additional product, tris-(triphenylsilyl) propadiene, was isolated. By metalationc-coupling reactions three othe triphenylsilyl-substituted allenes were synthesized: 2,4-bis(triphenylsilyl)-2,3-pentadiene. i , i ,3-tris(triphenylsilyl)- i ,2-butadiene and tetrakis(triphenylsilyl)propadiene. Allytriphenylsilane reacted with triphenylsilyllithium in a similar manner to give i ,3-bis(triphenylsilyl)propene.
Aquarius/SAC-D: An international remote sensing mission to measure Sea surface salinity

International Sea surface salinity mission, SSS, global water cycle, microwave remote sensing, projects, climate studies, Aquarius/SAC-D, Observatory, spacecraft and instrument testing, performance, launch, NASA, CONAE, ASI, CNES, CSA, AEB (INPE-LIT), INVAP.
Hirschsprung's Disease: Evaluation of Mortality and Long-term Function in 260 Cases

• This report describes 260 patients treated for Hirschsprung's disease. There were 213 boys (82%) and 47 girls (18%). Age at diagnosis was younger than 30 days in 106 patients (41 %), 1 month to 1 year in 90 patients (35%), and older than 1 year in 64 patients (25%). Diagnosis was achieved with barium enema and rectal biopsy. Aganglionosis involved the rectum or rectosigmoid in 174 patients (67%), the left colon in 38 patients (15%), and the proximal colon in 23 patients (9%); 25 patients (9%) had total colonic aganglionosis. Enterocolitis occurred in 47 cases (18%). Following an initial colostomy or ileostomy, a definitive pull-through procedure was performed in 247 patients (95%) (modified Duhamel in 185, Soave in25, Swenson procedure in 15, and anomyectomy/sphincterotomy in 22); the overall survival rate was 93.8% (244 of 260 patients). An increased mortality was associated with Down syndrome, total colonic aganglionosis, and enterocolitis. Long-term follow-up (mean, 6 years 10 months) was available in 103 patients who underwent a Duhamel procedure. Sixty-seven (65%) had normal bowel function, 28 (27%) occasionally used enemas or stool softeners, and eight (8%) had severe constipation or soiling. Bowel habits improved with time and were considered normal in 58% of patients at less than 5 years of follow-up and in 88% of patients at more than 15 years of follow-up. The Duhamel operation is a very effective definitive procedure for Hirschsprung's disease. Long-term follow-up is an important component of patient care. ( Arch Surg . 1992;127:934-942)
Reversible pseudohyphal growth in haploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an aerobic process

Pseudohyphal growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been postulated to be an adaptation to foraging for nitrogen during nitrogen starvation. This process was described as a strictly diploid phenomenon which did not occur in haploid yeast cells and was under the genetic control of both the mating-type locus and a group of five genes, the BUD genes, regulating bud formation. We have also observed a dimorphic growth pattern in yeast growing on various nitrogen-limiting synthetic media. However, and in contrast to a previous report, we find that pseudohyphal growth is not precluded in haploid cells. We demonstrate that haploid pseudohyphal growth is strictly oxygen-dependent and is rapidly reversible, defining pseudohyphal growth as a reversible developmental pathway in yeast.
Estimation of protein digestibility—IV. Digestive proteinases from the pyloric caeca of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) fed diets containing soybean meal

Abstract The goal of this study was to better understand why dietary soybean products are poorly utilized by salmonids. The influence of dietary intake on coho salmon fingerling weight gain and specific properties of pyloric caeca enzymes was investigated. Fingerlings were fed diets containing heated or unheated soybean meal (SBM) or Promoveal™, as 15–25% herring meal replacer, for 8–12 weeks. Fish fed to apparent satiation with diets containing heated SBM replacer gained more weight than those fed unheated SBM at the same level. Fish increased in body weight at the same rate when fed restricted rations containing either 15% SBM replacer that was variously heated up to 20 min, 15% Promoveal™ replacer or the herring meal basal diet. After the experimental diets were fed, digestive proteinases were isolated from the pyloric caeca. Yield of pyloric caeca enzymes (PCE), recovery of trypsin in PCE, soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI) sensitivity of PCE trypsin, specific activity of PCE trypsin and in vitro casein digestibility by PCE were determined for each dietary group. Weight gain vs in vitro casein digestibility by PCE was linear for animals fed unheated SBM to apparent satiation (r2 = 0.71, P
ACUTE RUPTURE OF THE DESCENDING THORACIC AORTA : REPAIR WITH USE OF ENDOVASCULAR STENT-GRAFTS

Purpose To describe the use of endovascular stent-grafts to treat acute ruptures of the descending thoracic aorta as an alternative to surgery in high-risk patients. Materials and Methods From July 1992 to August 1996, 95 patients underwent stent-grafting of the descending thoracic aorta for a variety of lesions. Of these, 11 patients with acute (≤7 days) rupture from aneurysms ( n = 8) or trauma ( n = 3) underwent repair with use of endovascular stent-grafts. Rupture was confirmed with preoperative imaging studies and occurred in the mediastinum ( n = 9), the pleural space ( n = 1), or the lung ( n = 1). All patients were considered high surgical risk due to generalized cardiopulmonary disease and/or previous thoracotomies. Stent-grafts were constructed from Z stents covered with polyester fabric and delivered through a catheter under fluoroscopic control from a remote access site. Results Stent-graft deployment was successful in all patients. There were no complications of perigraft leak, stent migration, paraplegia, or intraoperative death. Two patients died in the follow-up period: one of ventricular perforation during unrelated thoracic surgery for tumor resection (day 1) and one of cardiac arrest (day 28). All others are alive (mean follow-up, 15.1 months). Conclusion For acute rupture of the thoracic aorta, endovascular stent-graft repair is technically feasible and may be a therapeutic alternative to a surgical interposition graft in patients considered high risk for conventional thoracotomy. Long-term studies are necessary to determine the role of stent-grafts in preventing future aortic rupture.
Respiration-dependent H2O2 removal in brain mitochondria via the thioredoxin/peroxiredoxin system

Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in both physiological cell signaling processes and numerous pathological states, including neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson disease. While mitochondria are considered the major cellular source of ROS, their role in ROS removal remains largely unknown. Using polarographic methods for real-time detection of steady-state H2O2 levels, we were able to quantitatively measure the contributions of potential systems toward H2O2 removal by brain mitochondria. Isolated rat brain mitochondria showed significant rates of exogenous H2O2 removal (9–12 nmol/min/mg of protein) in the presence of substrates, indicating a respiration-dependent process. Glutathione systems showed only minimal contributions: 25% decrease with glutathione reductase inhibition and no effect by glutathione peroxidase inhibition. In contrast, inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase, including auranofin and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, attenuated H2O2 removal rates in mitochondria by 80%. Furthermore, a 50% decrease in H2O2 removal was observed following oxidation of peroxiredoxin. Differential oxidation of glutathione or thioredoxin proteins by copper (II) or arsenite, respectively, provided further support for the thioredoxin/peroxiredoxin system as the major contributor to mitochondrial H2O2 removal. Inhibition of the thioredoxin system exacerbated mitochondrial H2O2 production by the redox cycling agent, paraquat. Additionally, decreases in H2O2 removal were observed in intact dopaminergic neurons with thioredoxin reductase inhibition, implicating this mechanism in whole cell systems. Therefore, in addition to their recognized role in ROS production, mitochondria also remove ROS. These findings implicate respiration- and thioredoxin-dependent ROS removal as a potentially important mitochondrial function that may contribute to physiological and pathological processes in the brain.
An Empirical Large-Signal Model for SiC MESFETs With Self-Heating Thermal Model

An empirical large-signal model for high-power microwave silicon-carbide MESFETs capable of predicting self-heating thermal behavior is presented. A generalized drain-current equation based on pulsed-gate IV characteristics measuring up to 2 A and 58 V is presented along with its dependence on temperature. A thermal subcircuit with a nonlinear thermal resistance characterized by a dc method is used to model the temperature behavior of the device. The effect of substrate trapping is modeled as a gate-source voltage correction. The complete drain-current model accurately predicts pulsed-gate and pulsed-gate-and-drain IV characteristics for various quiescent biases, as well as static IV characteristics. The complete large-signal model is shown to accurately predict S -parameters, large-signal output, and input reflected power across biases and frequencies, and third-order intermodulation products.
High-power multiple-gap back-lighted thyratrons

The authors report successful operation of flashlamp-switched multiple-stage back-lighted thyratrons at very high pulsed power levels, including 100 kV stand-off voltage and >70 kA switched peak current. Simultaneous optical triggering of each gap for precision timing and plasma triggering is also discussed. The switch closure generates a highly ionized, very homogeneous plasma in a low pressure static background gas, and thus does not require exchange of high pressure gas for repetition rate operation. The results suggest that fairly simple multiple-gap configurations of the device will be useful for applications such as multiple high-power modulator systems for accelerators. >
A marmoset T lymphoma which functions as a human amplifier T cell.

SUMMARY A long-term in vitro grown T cell line derived from a cotton-topped marmoset (Saguinus oedipus)) infected with Herpesvirus saimiri was found to share surface antigens with human amplifier T cells and to augment the capacity of human B cells to secrete immunoglobulin. This is the first demonstration of T/B collaboration across such a large phylogenetic barrier and might have interesting implications for understanding the nature of molecular interactions mediating cell/cell cooperation.
Determination of alloxan by fluorometric high-performance liquid chromatography.

A fluorometric, reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method that allows quantitation of low levels of alloxan has been described. The method involved derivatization of alloxan with 500– 200,000-fold excess of 1, 2-phenylenediamine (PD) in 0.1 M acetate buffer, pH 4.5 for 15 min at room temperature. The fluorescent product alloxazine (excitation: 382 nm; emission: 435 nm) was then analyzed by RP-HPLC using an Eclipse XDB-C18 (4.6 × 150 mm) column and a mobile phase consisting of 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid in 15/85 (v/v) acetonitrile/water at a flow of 1 mL/min (injection volume: 20 μL). The method is robust, and as low as 0.1 pmol of the analyte could be successfully detected and quantified. Following a minimal pre-treatment such as ultrafiltration (molecular weight cut-off 5000 Da) or protein precipitation using perchloric acid, acetonitrile, or phosphotungstic acid, the method is suitable for analysis of alloxan in complex physiological fluids (e.g. fetal bovine serum) and tissue homogenates (e.g. heart and kidney). The method has been rigorously evaluated and adapted in the laboratory for routine analysis and determination of alloxan added to cell cultures.
Jupiter’s Microwave Spectrum: Implications for the Upper Atmosphere

It is shown through the use of weighting functions that Jupiter’s brightness temperature in the wavelength range 0.8–1.5 cm contains information on the thermal structure and abundance of ammonia in and above the tropopause in Jupiter’s atmosphere. We present new data of Jupiter’s brightness temperature in this wavelength range, and compare the results with theoretical spectra. The pressure in the Jovian atmosphere is estimated from these data to be 0.48 atm at 130K.
Combining statistical alignment and phylogenetic footprinting to detect regulatory elements

Motivation: Traditional alignment-based phylogenetic footprinting approaches make predictions on the basis of a single assumed alignment. The predictions are therefore highly sensitive to alignment errors or regions of alignment uncertainty. Alternatively, statistical alignment methods provide a framework for performing phylogenetic analyses by examining a distribution of alignments. Results: We developed a novel algorithm for predicting functional elements by combining statistical alignment and phylogenetic footprinting (SAPF). SAPF simultaneously performs both alignment and annotation by combining phylogenetic footprinting techniques with an hidden Markov model (HMM) transducer-based multiple alignment model, and can analyze sequence data from multiple sequences. We assessed SAPF's predictive performance on two simulated datasets and three well-annotated cis-regulatory modules from newly sequenced Drosophila genomes. The results demonstrate that removing the traditional dependence on a single alignment can significantly augment the predictive performance, especially when there is uncertainty in the alignment of functional regions. Availability: SAPF is freely available to download online at http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~satija/SAPF/ Contact: satija@stats.ox.ac.uk Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
An agent-based trust and reputation management scheme for wireless sensor networks

The operation of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is functionally affected by the selfish and/or malicious network nodes; and their resource constraints complicate the design of any WSN-based protocol and application. Rating nodes' trust and reputation have proven to be an effective solution to improve security, to support decision-making and to promote node collaboration in both wired and wireless networks. However, existing approaches to trust and reputation management emphasize mostly on trust and reputation modeling and ignore the overhead problems brought by their proposed schemes. In this paper, taking into consideration the power and bandwidth constraints of WSNs, we propose a novel agent-based trust and reputation management scheme (ATRM) from a system design point of view. Our objective is to manage trust and reputation with minimal overhead in terms of extra messages and time delay. The main contribution of our work is the introduction of a localized trust and reputation management strategy, which reduces both communication cost and acquisition latency.
Dancing together. Social controls in parasitic plant development.

In contrast to animals, the basic body plan of plants develops largely postembryonically and is directed by two primary meristems located on opposite ends of a bipolar embryo ([Jurgens, 2001][1]). The basal root meristem serves to extend the primary root established in the embryo, whereas the
Perceptions of an Employee Assistance Program and Employees' Willingness to Participate

Little empirical research has examined employees' perceptions of employee assistance programs (EAPs) and their willingness to participate in them. A sample of 150 employees of a white collar firm w...
Annual intensification of the Somali jet in a quasi-equilibrium framework: Observational composites

The annual intensification of the Somali jet, which accompanies the onset of the Indian summer monsoon, is rapid compared to the evolution of the seasonal insolation forcing. Using observationally-based data sets, the dynamic and thermodynamic changes accompanying the onset of this jet are presented. The abrupt component of jet onset is shown to occur over ocean about 1000 km east of the East African highlands, and is accompanied by increases in both deep convection and baroclinic flow over the off-equatorial Arabian Sea. These abrupt changes are well separated from the core of the cross-equatorial jet, which is located over land adjacent to the East African highlands. The onset of the Somali jet and the associated monsoon are then examined in a convective quasi-equilibrium framework. Such a framework is consistent with the mean summer state, in that peak free-tropospheric temperatures are nearly collocated with peak subcloud layer entropies over the northern Bay of Bengal and adjacent coastal regions. Jet onset is accompanied by a large (O{100 W m −2 }) increase in surface enthalpy flux over the Arabian Sea that is nearly collocated with, and linearly related to, the concurrent increase in deep tropospheric ascent. At the same time, the highest subcloud entropies shift inland slightly from the Bay of Bengal, and the region of warmest free-tropospheric temperatures expands poleward. The consistency of all of these changes with a wind-evaporation feedback and several other hypothesized mechanisms of abrupt monsoon onset is discussed. Copyright c � 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Diffraction, crystallography and microscopy beyond three dimensions: structural dynamics in space and time

In this article we highlight recent developments of ultrafast electron diffraction and crystallography at Caltech. These developments have made it possible to resolve transient structures, both spatially (0.01 A) and temporally (picosecond and now femtosecond), in the gas phase and condensed media—surfaces, interfaces, and crystals—with wide-ranging applications. With the extension to ultrafast electron microscopy, discussed here and elsewhere, we present an overview of one major research area at our centre, the Laboratory for Molecular Sciences.
Risk analysis communication

Risk assessment is based on scientific information that is often highly uncertain and speculative. Scientific representation of probability has suffered a serious loss of credibility. The acceptability of any given risk can change based on new information or on the interdependence of one risky activity on another. Risk acceptability must be determined not only one on the basis of technological expertise and statistical validity, but also in consideration of such social and ethical issues as the protection of individual rights, the equity of risk-to-benefit distribution, the legitimacy of risk assessment and risk management processes, and most importantly awareness for and respect of the public's perception of risk.
Applications of the leading-order Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Altarelli-Parisi evolution equations to the combined HERA data on deep inelastic scattering

We recently derived explicit solutions of the leading-order Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Altarelli-Parisi (DGLAP) equations for the ${Q}^{2}$ evolution of the singlet structure function ${F}_{s}(x,{Q}^{2})$ and the gluon distribution $G(x,{Q}^{2})$ using very efficient Laplace transform techniques. We apply our results here to a study of the HERA data on deep inelastic $ep$ scattering as recently combined by the H1 and ZEUS groups. We use initial distributions ${F}_{2}^{\ensuremath{\gamma}p}(x,{Q}_{0}^{2})$ and $G(x,{Q}_{0}^{2})$ determined for $xl0.1$ by a global fit to the HERA data, and extended to $x=1$ using the shapes of those distributions determined in the CTEQ6L and MSTW2008LO analyses from fits to other data. Our final results are insensitive at small $x$ to the details of the extension. We obtain the singlet quark distribution ${F}_{s}(x,{Q}_{0}^{2})$ from ${F}_{2}^{\ensuremath{\gamma}p}(x,{Q}_{0}^{2})$ using small nonsinglet quark distributions taken from either the CTEQ6L or the MSTW2008LO analyses, evolve ${F}_{s}$ and $G$ to arbitrary ${Q}^{2}$, and then convert the results to individual quark distributions. Finally, we show directly from a study of systematic trends in a comparison of the evolved ${F}_{2}^{\ensuremath{\gamma}p}(x,{Q}^{2})$ with the HERA data that the assumption of leading-order DGLAP evolution is inconsistent with those data.
Nuclear and Cytoplasmic Changes in the Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) Alimentary Canal During Metamorphosis and Their Relationship to Programmed Cell Death

The metamorphic programmed death of Culex pipiens (L.) alimentary canal cells was studied. Hoechst DNA, Acridine Orange, and TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling) staining of larval alimentary canal whole mounts showed that programmed death of polytene cells started during the 4th stadium. The cell death program was initiated in anterior stomach polytene cells and progressed to posterior stomach and gastric caeca polytene cells. Agarose gel electrophoresis confirmed that fragmentation of alimentary canal DNA into nucleosome size fragments occurred. Diploid nuclei of the anterior and posterior stomach increased in number during the time in which programmed death of polytene cells occurred. However, TUNEL staining showed that just before pupation there was also degradation of some diploid nuclear DNA in both the anterior and posterior stomach, which suggested that some of these cells also underwent programmed cell death. MTT (3-[4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide) staining of the alimentary canal indicated that mitochondrial activity persisted while polytene nuclei were degraded. In addition, histological examination of serial thick sections showed that prepupal midgut cells had vacuoles which suggested that cytoplasmic cell death occurred during metamorphosis.
Relationship of Selected Tests of Leg Strength and Leg Power on College Men.

Abstract Thirty-eight male university students served as Ss. They were tested for leg power using seven tests and for leg strength by means of cable tensiometer methods. The power tests were the vertical jump, standing broad jump, chalk board jump, 5-yd. sprint, 10-yd. sprint, running 5-yd. sprint, and a criterion power score consisting of a vertical jump task performed on a force platform. The leg strength tests were hip extension, knee extension, and ankle plantar flexion with scores recorded for both the dominant and nondominant legs. Data were treated by the product-moment, multiple correlation, canonical correlation, and factor analysis techniques. All the computed correlations were low to moderate suggesting that the contribution of strength to power is minor and that power is a more complex entity.
Incremental smoothing and mapping

Incremental smoothing and mapping (iSAM) is presented, a novel approach to the simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) problem. SLAM is the problem of estimating an observer's position from local measurements only, while creating a consistent map of the environment. The problem is difficult because even very small errors in the local measurements accumulate over time and lead to large global errors. iSAM provides an exact and efficient solution to the SLAM estimation problem while also addressing data association. For the estimation problem, iSAM provides an exact solution by performing smoothing, which keeps all previous poses as part of the estimation problem, and therefore avoids linearization errors. iSAM uses methods from sparse linear algebra to provide an efficient incremental solution. In particular, iSAM deploys a direct equation solver based on QR matrix factorization of the naturally sparse smoothing information matrix. Instead of refactoring the matrix whenever new measurements arrive, only the entries of the factor matrix that actually change are calculated. iSAM is efficient even for robot trajectories with many loops as it performs periodic variable reordering to avoid unnecessary fill-in in the factor matrix. For the data association problem, I present state of the art data association techniques in the context of iSAM and present an efficient algorithm to obtain the necessary estimation uncertainties in real-time based on the factored information matrix. I systematically evaluate the components of iSAM as well as the overall algorithm using various simulated and real-world datasets.
Correlation/causation in ecology: towards mechanistic explanations for the Species-Area Relationship

There is a common intuition in biology that strict laws are very difficult to be found. Still, there are recurrent patterns in nature, suggesting broad generalizations and understanding of phenomena. The problem is that many generalizations in biology, especially in the form of correlations, might be decoupled from causality, weakening their power of explanation. Here, I bring an example on the Species-Area Relationship (SAR). The SAR is a well-known generalization in biology. The recurrent pattern states a positive relationship between area size and species richness. Understanding the mechanisms why there is a correlation between area and diversity remains a major challenge. I suggest an explicitly focus on mechanistic explanations for the SAR. I propose to use the integration, comparison and interpretation of other (associated or secondary) natural patterns in the searching for causal explanations. Area per se might not account for causality in species diversification or absolute species richness in larger regions. Biotic and abiotic factors of a given area might be studied in order to discover the causal underpinnings of the SAR.
Pathogenic Bacteria in Hog Cholera Blood

A great deal of interest is centered about the question of the importance of pathogenic secondary invading bacteria in hog cholera blood. This question is of practical interest on account of the possible causal relationship of these secondary invaders to the losses which frequently occur in hogs injected with large amounts of hog cholera blood in the production of antihog cholera serum. In this study it is attempted to determine the relationship between the presence of gasproducing bacteria in hog cholera blood and the pathogenicity of such blood for rabbits and hogs.
A COMPARATIVE META-ANALYSIS FOR LONG-TERM STROKE IN PATIENTS RECEIVING EDWARDS-SAPIEN VERSUS COREVALVE

Stroke has emerged as an ominous complication after transcatheter aortic valve replacement. While short-term stroke risk of this procedure has been studied, long-term stroke risk with different valve types is not defined. We performed a comprehensive meta-analysis to compare long-term risk of two
Five cases of recurrent meningitis associated with chronic strongyloidiasis.

Abstract. Although meningitis secondary to chronic strongyloidiasis is a rare complication, it is associated with a high mortality rate. Recurrent meningitis can occur if the underlying parasitic infection is left untreated. We report five cases of recurrent meningitis related to chronic strongyloidiasis that were associated with human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection. Common causative organisms are Escherichia coli, Streptococcus bovis, and Klebsiella pneumonia. One patient died during the second episode of meningitis. Three patients showed significant gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms before developing headache and fever. In four cases, patients developed multiple recurrences even with the treatment of thiabendazol. Ivermectin seems to be a better agent compared with thiabendazol to achieve eradication of strongyloidiasis.
BASELINE AND SERIAL EXAMINATION OF THE RVOT DOPPLER FLOW PROFILE PREDICTS THE DEGREE OF PULMONARY VASCULAR OBSTRUCTION PRE AND POST THROMBOLYSIS IN ACUTE SUBMASSIVE PE

Analysis of the right ventricular (RV) outflow tract Doppler flow profile (RVOTDoppler) has been shown to provide important insight into the relationship between RV function and pulmonary arterial load. We hypothesized that baseline and serial examination of the RVOTDoppler profile would serve as an
Brain metabolism and autoantibody titres predict functional impairment in systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective We investigated whether systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease duration or serology associate with abnormal regional glucose metabolism as measured with [ 18 F]2-fluoro-2-deoxy- D -glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and deficits on neuropsychological testing. Methods Subjects with SLE with stable disease activity, without brain damage or clinical symptoms of neuropsychiatric (NP) SLE, stratified by disease duration (short-term (ST)-SLE=disease ≤2 years, long-term (LT)-SLE=disease ≥10 years), underwent clinical assessments, neuropsychological testing, resting FDG-PET scan imaging and measurement of serum titres of antibody to N -methyl-d-aspartate receptor (DNRAb). FDG-PET scans were compared with age-matched and gender-matched healthy controls. Results Subjects with LT-SLE demonstrated hypometabolism in the prefrontal and premotor cortices that correlated with accrued SLE-related damage, but not with DNRAb titre or performance on NP testing. Independent of disease duration, subjects with SLE demonstrated hypermetabolism in the hippocampus and orbitofrontal cortex that correlated with impaired memory performance and mood alterations (depression, anxiety, fatigue). Serum DNRAb also correlated independently with impaired memory performance and increased anxiety. Together, serum DNRAb titre and regional hypermetabolism were more powerful predictors of performance than either alone. Interpretation The presence of serum DNRAbs can account for some aspects of brain dysfunction in patients with SLE, and the addition of regional measurements of resting brain metabolism improves the assessment and precise attribution of central nervous system manifestations related to SLE.
Discouraging Dissent The Chief Judge’s Influence in State Supreme Courts

Chief judges often strive to promote consensus in their courts to promote public confidence, durable precedents, and intracourt collegiality; yet, some chiefs succeed, whereas others fail. In this ...
Compliance with Judgments of International Courts: Proceedings of the Symposiums Organized in Honour of Professor Henry G. Schermers by Mordenate College and the Department of International Public Law of Lieiden University

Review of "Compliance with Judgments of International Courts: Proceedings of the Symposiumms Organized in Honour of Professor Henry G. Schermers by Mordenate College and the Department of International Public Law of Lieiden University" edited by M.K. Bulterman and M. Kuije (Martinus Nijhoff, 1996).
Emotional Reactions to Employee Theft and the Managerial Dilemmas Small Business Owners Face

Employee theft is one of the most harmful crimes that can occur to a small business. Research on this crime has focused primarily on its financial impact and how to prevent it. However, like other forms of crime, employee theft also has more personal and subjective effects on victims. To date, these aspects of employee theft victimization have been largely ignored. We address this gap in the literature by exploring the emotional consequences of employee theft as experienced by the owners of small businesses. Guided by grounded theory methodology, we conducted a series of in-person interviews with the owners of small businesses to gain a better understanding of the total impact of employee theft. Analysis of interviews indicated that victimized business owners experienced a range of cognitive and emotional reactions to theft. At times, these reactions were severe, and they were exacerbated if the victim had a strong emotional connection with the offender.
Copper(I) clusters with bulky dithiocarboxylate, thiolate, and selenolate ligands

The coordination chemistry of copper has interest due to its use in biological systems as well as for photochemical and medicinal properties. We report the coordination chemistry of copper(i) complexes using terphenyl-based dithiocarboxylate, thiolate, and selenolate ligands. The number of metal ions of the resulting complexes can be tuned by varying the steric properties of the terphenyl ligands, changing the starting material, as well as adding PEt3. In addition, the steric crowding of the terphenyl ligand leads to varying reactivity. For example, while the reaction of carbon disulfide with [Cu(2,6-(Ph)2C6H3)]2 results in an insertion into the copper-carbon bond, no reaction occurs with [Cu(2,4,6-(Mes)2C6H3)], Mes = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2, or [Et3PCu(2,4,6-(Mes)2C6H2)2C6H3]. The synthesis and characterization of new copper(i) complexes using NMR and IR spectroscopy, as well as X-ray crystallography is described.
Exploring preservice teachers’ conceptions after ‘living a hybrid curriculum’

Physical education reform efforts support constructivist learning theory (CLT) to re-conceptualize K-12 physical education. Advocates of models-based instruction (MBI) indicate that sport education...