cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Probabilities and temporal parts

Adopting temporal parts theory is the most popular way of addressing a host of puzzles about diachronic identity. For example, it is not obvious how I am the same person as the baby who shared my name. With the theory, sameness of person, e.g., consists in being comprised by the same temporally extended, four-dimensional object. However, temporal parts theory has unacceptable consequences for notions of freedom and probability. I show that the only acceptable reading of four-dimensionalism entails that the four dimensional object that is me, say, already exists in its entirety. This entails that all of my future properties are already set. This nearly Spinozistic result robs us of familiar notions of choice and possibility. I argue that these notions are more central to our thinking than temporal parts theory, and that on these grounds we must look elsewhere for solutions to our questions about identity across time.
A Fiberoptic Recirculating Delay Line

The use of optical fibers as the delay line element in radio frequency memory loops, promise light weight and small size devices with long time delays. This paper presents the experimental results and performance analysis of a 2-6 GHz fiber optic recirculating delay line, using commercially-available components. Novel techniques using hybrid optical and electrical recirculation are also investigated.
Utility of Continuous Measurement of Pulmonary Artery Oxygen Saturation During Episodic Myocardial Ischemia in Patients

The use of continuously monitored pulmonary artery oxygen saturation (PAOS)for the assessment of transient myocardial ischemia was examined in a controlled human model during coronary angioplasty, producing brief reversible episodes of myocardial ischemia. Clinical and anatomic variables were prospectively recorded and correlated with changes in continuous PAOS during repeated episodes of coronary artery occulsion. Forty-seven patients underwent left anterior descending (LAD, n = 43) or circumflex (n = 4) coronary balloon occlusion. Patients were subgrouped by PAOS responses: group 1, 22 patients with ± 10% drop in PAOS during balloon inflation and group 2, 25 patients in whom the PAOS signal was stable or only minimally affected during transient ischemia. Anatomical features analyzed included normal coronary diameter, location of lesion (e.g., proximal to the first septal branch) and extent of myocardium supplied by an occluded artery (LAD extending beyond the apex of the left ventricle [LV] or a large diagonal after the occlusion point). Left ventricular wall motion abnormalities, presence of other coronary artery disease, diabetes and hypertension were also analyzed. Groups were similar with respect to age (61 ± 13, 62 ± 10 years), LV ejection fraction, LV score, incidence of hypertension and diabetes or anatomic scores (2.2 ± 1.0, for group 1 vs 2.0 ± 0.9 for group 2), normal angiographic arterial diameter and presence of coronary collateral supply. Although some episodes of myocardial ischemia in electively studied stable patients may be associated with significant reducitons in PAOS, the occurrence or degree of PAOS reduction is not predicted by coronary anatomy, LV function or other clinical variables. Use of PAOS to identify ischemic events in more critically ill patients is potentially useful, but must be assessed individually during the clinical situation. (J Interven Cardiol 1988:1:2)
Double jeopardy in the nanoscale court [MOSFET modeling]

Physics-based compact short-channel models of threshold voltage and subthreshold swing for undoped symmetric double-gate MOSFETs are presented, developed from analytical solutions of the two-dimensional Poisson equations in the channel region. These models accurately characterize the subthreshold and near-threshold regions of operation by appropriately including essential phenomena such as volume inversion and the dominance of mobile charges over fixed charges under threshold conditions. Explicit, analytical expressions are derived for a scale length, which results from an evanescent-mode analysis. These equations readily quantify the impact of silicon film thickness and gate oxide thickness on the minimum channel length and device characteristics and can be used as an efficient guideline for device designs. These newly developed models are exploited to make a comprehensive projection on the scaling limits of undoped double-gate MOSFETs. On the individual device level, model predictions indicate that the minimum channel length can be scaled beyond 10 nm for a turn-off behavior of S=100 mV/dec for a silicon film thickness below 5 nm and an electrical equivalent oxide thickness below 1 nm.
Federalism and Corporate Litigation

It is moving on towards half a century now since Mestmacker 's Verwaltung, Konzerngewalt und Rechte der Aktionare appeared. It was among the first significant postwar studies of modern corporation law in a comparative context and one that productively used his comparative mastery of American law in ways that in turn were influential in shaping the terms of reference for the 1965 reform of the Aktiengesetz . Two topics dominated his study: the treatment of conflict-of-interests transactions by managers and controlling shareholders, and the application of appropriate principles of corporation law to the affiliatedenterprise system, the Konzern . On both counts the book repays reading today; at the same time, because of the clarity of its conception and organization, it encourages the reader to reflect on what a Habilitand of today might bring back from a similar intellectual voyage.
Clinicopathological Conference: Abducens Nerve Palsy and Weakness in an Attorney

A 48-year-old man presented to the emergency department (ED) with the chief complaint of mild constant chest discomfort for several days. The symptom had started in his upper torso approximately two weeks prior to presentation and had since migrated to his shoulders, neck, and arms. Coinciding with the onset of the chief complaint, the patient had also developed a headache described as dull and mild, but constant and like a ‘‘compression’’ of the entire head. He denied any change in his symptoms with movement or with rest, but stated that they had increased in intensity over the previous several days. On the date of presentation, the patient also complained of pain in his arms and hands with associated numbness and tingling. He had difficulty writing and gripping his pen at work and was concerned that he might have had a stroke. On further questioning, the patient complained of difficulty moving from a stationary position, a symptom that had also been worsening over the last two weeks. He denied joint stiffness or pain, but stated he could not move from rest without a ‘‘concerted mental effort.’’ He described it as a feeling of ‘‘inertia.’’ He denied any prior history of any of these symptoms and denied any accentuating or ameliorating factors. The review of systems was significant for fatigue, headaches, shortness of breath with exertion, difficulty moving from rest, muscle ache, chest/neck/ back discomfort, and the numbness and tingling as described above. The patient had no significant
A Switching Loss Minimization Current Sensor-less Control for AC-DC Boost Rectifiers

This paper presents a switching loss minimization, current-sensor-less control algorithm for AC-DC boost rectifiers. The current sensors are eliminated by aligning the modulation signals with the line currents. The zero sequence signals added to the modulation signals are properly selected such that the switching devices are clamped at the regions where the phase currents are high. This method results in the reduction of the device switching losses. The steady state analysis and simulation results included in the paper validate the proposed control scheme. This simple and robust control scheme is especially good for high power low dc output voltage applications and it renders close to unity input power factor.
Fast image database search using tree-structured VQ

We exploit the techniques of tree structured vector quantization (TSVQ), branch and bound search, and the triangle inequality to speed the search of large image databases. Our method can reduce search computation required to locate images which best match a query image provided by a user. While exact search is possible, a free parameter allows search accuracy to be reduced, thereby providing a substantially better speed-up versus accuracy tradeoff.
Life-Span Developmental Changes in Mnemonic Organization: A Multimethod Analysis:

A set of pictures of common objects classifiable either perceptually on the basis of five color categories or semantically on the basis of five categories of meaning was randomly arranged and presented to groups of 4-year old, 6-year old, 10-year old, adult and elderly adult subjects. Free recall was assessed for the tendency to cluster semantically related items and items of the same color. In a recognition memory task, the tendency for subjects to erroneously select semantically or chromatically similar distractors was measured. Subjects also classified the pictures in a free sorting task, and the amount of semantic and color sorting was measured. A maximum-likelihood multimethod factor analysis of the correlations among the measures of recall clustering, free sorting and recognition errors revealed significant convergent validity for consistent use of a semantic and perceptual organization strategy in the three tasks. Subsequent analysis of errorfree "latent" organization scores revealed that 10-year o...
Bottlenecks in multimedia processing with SIMD style extensions and architectural enhancements

Multimedia SIMD extensions such as MMX and AltiVec speed up media processing; however, our characterization shows that the attributes of current general-purpose processors enhanced with SIMD extensions do not match very well with the access patterns and loop structures of media programs. We find that 75 to 85 percent of the dynamic instructions in the processor instruction stream are supporting instructions necessary to feed the SIMD execution units rather than true/useful computations, resulting in the underutilization of SIMD execution units (only 1 to 12 percent of the peak SIMD execution units' throughput is achieved). Contrary to focusing on exploiting more data-level parallelism (DLP), we focus on the instructions that support the SIMD computations and exploit both fine and coarse-grained instruction level parallelism (ILP) in the supporting instruction stream. We propose the MediaBreeze architecture that uses hardware support for efficient address generation, looping, and data reorganization (permute, packing/unpacking, transpose, etc.). Our results on multimedia kernels show that a 2-way processor with SIMD extensions enhanced with MediaBreeze provides a better performance than a 16-way processor with current SIMD extensions. In the case of application benchmarks, a 2-/4-way processor with SIMD extensions augmented with MediaBreeze outperforms a 4-/8-way processor with SIMD extensions. A first-order approximation using ASIC synthesis tools and cell-based libraries shows that this acceleration is achieved at a 10 percent increase in area required by MMX and SSE extensions (0.3 percent increase in overall chip area) and 1 percent of total processor power consumption.
Sediment storage and yield in an urbanized karst watershed

Abstract In karst watersheds, sinkholes and other drainage features control the temporal and spatial pattern of sediment storage across the landscape. However, studies dealing with sedimentation in karst watersheds are scarce and the sediment storage function of sinkholes and caves has not been investigated using a sediment budget approach. In this study, we use estimates of channel erosion, sinkhole sedimentation, and suspended sediment yield to examine changes in sediment storage in the 9 km 2 Upper Pigeon Roost Creek fluviokarst watershed near Cookeville, TN. The study watershed has undergone urbanization over the last ∼ 50 years, and sinkholes and caves in the area show signs of recent sedimentation (buried tree roots, buried cultural artifacts, etc.). While sinkholes are generally considered to be sediment sinks, sinkholes examined in this study are shown to cycle between periods of net sediment storage and net sediment loss. Using copyright dates on trash items buried in sinkhole deposits, we estimated the residence time of sinkhole-stored sediment to range from 6 to 10 years. However, other evidence indicates that some sinkholes may store sediment for several centuries. We propose that sediment storage within sinkholes is controlled by several factors including sinkhole drainage area, sinkhole morphology, and basin sediment yield. In addition, changes in sediment storage in karst watersheds are contingent upon random events such as sinkhole collapses. Annual sediment yield was estimated to be 111 Mg km − 2 year − 1 for the entire study watershed and ranged from 11 to 128 Mg km − 2 year − 1 for 3 sub-watersheds. Sediment eroded from the watershed, perhaps during historic settlement of the area, is stored within a large cave system underlying the city. However, the results of a partial sediment budget indicate that the cave is presently a net sediment source. Overall, the findings indicate that the sediment storage function of caves and sinkholes varies spatially and temporally, and that these changes need to be incorporated into sediment budgets for karst watersheds.
Isothermal Measurements and Thermal Desorption of Organic Vapors Using SAW Devices

Donnees sur les mesures des isothermes d'adsorption-desorption et des spectres de thermodesorption d'une serie de vapeurs de composes organiques a l'aide d'un dispositif a ondes acoustiques de surface (SAW)
Discordant bodies from olivine-bearing zones III and IV of the Stillwater Complex, Montana – evidence for postcumulus fluid migration and reaction in layered intrusions

Mineralogically zoned and unzoned discordant bodies composed predominately of plagioclase with up to 35% olivine, occur at three different levels in Olivine-Bearing zones III and IV of the Middle Banded series of the Stillwater complex. The discordant bodies are elongate perpendicular to the layering of the host cumulates with slender concordant apophyses. Although the host olivine-gabbros are foliated with tabular plagioclase, the discordant bodies lack a discernible fabric and have blocky plagioclase. Average olivine in the host rocks is slightly more magnesian than that of the discordant bodies (Mg#75.8 ± 0.7 versus Mg#74.6 ± 0.3 respectively) but plagioclase compositions are indistinguishable (An77.6 ± 2.0 versus An76.6 ± 4.3– average host and discordant bodies respectively). Whole-rock major- and trace-element compositions of the discordant bodies are generally indistinguishable from cumulates with similar modal abundance. However, bulk compositions of anorthositic cores from the discordant bodies are enriched in K, Na, Ba, Sr and P. We conclude that the discordant bodies formed when cooler volatile fluids or fluid-rich silicate liquids moved upward and encountered a hotter undersaturated solid-plus-liquid assemblage. Continued liquid/fluid fluxing increased the permeability along the flow path and focused the flow, allowing the original bulk compositions to be modified and leaving plagioclase-rich troctolites and anorthosites. The shapes of the discordant bodies suggest that the cumulus pile had anisotropic permeability during late-stage liquid/fluid flow. Chemical and mineralogical evidence from other parts of Olivine-Bearing zones III and IV suggests that the processes that formed the discordant bodies may have influenced other cumulates. In fact, it appears that the same processes that formed the discordant bodies operated within an anorthositic layer, strongly modifying the chemistry of the rock but leaving no mineralogical or textural evidence.
Boundary effects on granular shear flows of smooth disks

We obtain boundary conditions for two-dimensional flows of identical, nearly elastic, circular disks that interact with a flat wall to which identical, evenly spaced half-disks have been attached. Expressions for the transfer of momentum and energy from the boundary to the flow are obtained by statistical averaging over all possible wall-flow disk collisions. We improve upon the expressions derived by Jenkins and Richman [1986] by employing in the averaging process a more elaborate velocity distribution function obtained through the method of moments. In addition we expand the distribution function about a point near the flat wall that guarantees positive slip velocities. With these boundary conditions, we analyze a two-dimensional shear flow driven by parallel bumpy boundaries. The constitutive theory employed includes both the effects of particle collisions and particle transport on the transfer of momentum and energy throughout the flow. We demonstrate how the resulting profiles of velocity, granular temperature, and solid fraction are affected by changes in the geometry of the boundary. We also predict how the induced stresses vary with the geometry of the boundary and the average solid fraction within the flow.
The Effects and Value of a Resistant Perennial Variety: An Application to Pudrición del Cogollo Disease

This article develops a forestry model to obtain the optimal control strategy and optimal rotation length after a disease attacks in a perennial variety. Three cases are considered: a benchmark consisting of a disease‐free field, an identical field with the disease present but no resistant variety with which to replant, and an identical field with the disease present and a resistant variety with which to replant. We determine general decision rules and then apply the model to the case of Pudricion del Cogollo, a major disease threat to the Colombian oil palm industry. In the application, we compare the optimal rotation length between the three scenarios and determine the optimal level of control in each period for the disease scenarios. The singular solution involves complete control of the disease, and in the absence of a resistant variety, the presence of the disease increases the rotation length. With these solutions, we then determine the value of developing a resistant variety. This value depends heavily on the age distribution of the current trees and decreases as the average tree age decreases. The value further declines when the resistance variety has negative attributes such as higher replanting and maintenance costs than the original variety.
transverse tensile behavior of SiC-fiber/ Ti–6Al–4V composites—1. experimental results

Abstract Under transverse tension (loads normal to the fiber axis), fiber/matrix debonding in fiber-reinforced titanium-matrix composites results in reductions in specimen stiffness and ultimate strength, and increased loading of the matrix. The interface structure and chemistry have a strong influence on the debond stress and therefore contribute significantly to the transverse composite behavior. In the present study a cruciform specimen geometry was employed over a range of specimen thicknesses to investigate the remote stress levels where debonding initiates in Ti–6Al–4V composites containing SCS-6 (C+Si coating), SCS-0 (no coating), and Trimarc 1 (carbon coating) SiC fibers. The different surface conditions of the fibers resulted in a range of remote interface debond stresses with SCS-0 being the strongest and Trimarc 1 being the weakest. Multiple-fiber, single-ply specimens of the three different fibers revealed that the remote debond stress did not vary for SCS-6 and Trimarc 1 compared to single-fiber tests, but were slightly lower for SCS-0. Part 2 of this study presents analytical and numerical modeling studies of the local stress state at the interface in relation to the applied stress, and discusses them with regard to these experimental results.
Realizing True Education with Mindfulness

True education has as its aim to awaken the student to him- or herself and to the world. We can find helpful guidance for accomplishing this in the Buddha's teachings on the seven factors of enlightenment (joy, rest, concentration, curiosity, diligence, equanimity and mindfulness). In this article I discuss impediments to the realization of these factors that exist in current education. I then describe approaches based on mindfulness that I have used to address these obstacles and promote each of the factors of enlightenment in a secondary school setting. I include readings I give to students and student descriptions of their experiences with this educational approach.
Visna-Maedi-Like Disease Associated with an Ovine Retrovirus Infection in a Corriedale Sheep

A visna-maedi-like disease was found in a Corriedale sheep from which a retrovirus sharing the group antigen of visna-progressive pneumonia virus was isolated from lung, brain, and spleen. Clinically, the sheep had acute neurologic signs and dyspnea. Pathologic examination showed lesions similar to both visna and maedi. In the lung, there was a patchy interstitial pneumonia with marked lymphoid hyperplasia. Changes in the central nervous system were necrotizing nonsuppurative encephalitis of the brain stem, poliomyelitis of the cervical cord, and ependymitis and subependymal gliosis of the ventricles. Histologically, the central nervous system lesions seemed to have arisen sequentially, perhaps in response to bursts of virus replication as the agent underwent possible antigenic mutation. The severe lesions in both the central nervous system and lungs suggested a virus strain with dual tropism.
Myths and Misunderstandings: Health Policy, the Devolution Revolution, and the Push for Privatization

For more than 200 years, policy makers and policy analysts have struggled to determine an appropriate division of labor between local governments, the states, the federal government, and the privat...
Here to help? Western intervention and gender in the Palestinian public sphere:

This article analyzes the impact of western funding projects on the place of women in the mediated Palestinian public sphere. Drawing upon archival evidence, it shows that – in an effort to avoid o...
Thermal conductance of nanostructured phononic crystals

The thermal conductance of mechanically suspended nanostructures has recently received much attention, in part due to the recent prediction and observation of the quantum limit for thermal conductance, which is observed in long, thin insulating beams at very low temperatures [D. E. Angelescu, M. C. Cross, and M. L. Roukes, Superlattices Microstruct. 23, 673 (1998); K. Schwab, E. A. Henriksen, J. M. Norlock, and M. L. Roukes, Nature 404, 974 (2000); I. G. C. Rego and G. Kirczenow, Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 232 (1998); M. P. Blencowe, Phys. Rev. B 59, 4992 (1999)]. In this brief report, we describe a model calculation where the simple beam used to calculate quantum conductance [L. G. C. Rego and G. Kirczenow, Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 232 (1998)] is replaced by a beam made from an artificial one-dimensional phononic crystal. We find that at the lowest temperatures and longest thermal-phonon wavelengths, the quantum limit is recovered, while for intermediate temperatures, where the dominant phonon wavelength is of the order of the phononic-crystal repeat distance, a significant suppression of the conductance is predicted. At higher temperatures the conductance returns to that of a simple beam.
Suppressed adrenocortical responses and thyroid hormone levels in birds near a mercury-contaminated river.

Much of the research on sublethal, adverse effects of mercury (Hg) has focused on impairment of neurological function and reproduction in fish and fish-eating vertebrates. Here we examined the associations between Hg and endocrine function (adrenocortical responses and plasma thyroid hormone concentrations) of insectivorous tree swallow nestlings adjacent to a Hg-contaminated river and nearby reference rivers in Virginia. Nestlings from the contaminated sites had blood Hg concentrations that exceeded those from the reference sites by more than an order of magnitude (354 ± 22 vs 17 ± 1 ppb wet weight). A regression of age and Hg concentrations suggested dietary Hg at the contaminated sites exceeded the nestlings’ capacity to eliminate Hg through deposition into growing feathers. Although blood Hg concentrations among nestlings at the contaminated sites were lower than those typically associated with abnormal behavior or altered physiology in young birds, adrenocortical responses, plasma triiodothyronine, a...
Apprenticeship Learning About Multiple Intentions

In this paper, we apply tools from inverse reinforcement learning (IRL) to the problem of learning from (unlabeled) demonstration trajectories of behavior generated by varying "intentions" or objectives. We derive an EM approach that clusters observed trajectories by inferring the objectives for each cluster using any of several possible IRL methods, and then uses the constructed clusters to quickly identify the intent of a trajectory. We show that a natural approach to IRL—a gradient ascent method that modifies reward parameters to maximize the likelihood of the observed trajectories—is successful at quickly identifying unknown reward functions. We demonstrate these ideas in the context of apprenticeship learning by acquiring the preferences of a human driver in a simple highway car simulator.
Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus in Zoos: A Perspective from the Veterinary Team.

The many different species in close proximity make zoological collections a unique environment for disease transmission. Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) is of special concern with zoos due to the numerous exotic ruminant species that this virus can infect. BVDV occurs as both a non-cytopathic and a cytopathic strain both of which are capable of infecting exotic ruminants. The cytopathic strain causes mucosal disease and death. Infection with the non-cytopathic strain may produce persistently infected (PI) animals. PI individuals may show vague clinical signs, including abortion. Management of BVDV in zoos should focus on identification of PI individuals and prevention of infection of other animals of the collection. Variability makes serological testing as the sole method of screening for BVDV infection undesirable in exotic ruminants. Combination testing provides a definitive answer, especially in sensitive wildlife. Use of a combination of antigen-capture ELISA (ACE) with haired skin, Real Time-PCR (RT-PCR) on whole blood, and antibody detection via serum neutralization has the greatest potential to identify PI animals. An animal that is positive on both ACE and RT-PCR, but is negative on serology should be considered highly suspicious of being a PI, and should be isolated and undergo repeat testing 4 to 6 weeks later to confirm positive status. This testing methodology also allows screening of pregnant and newborn animals. Isolation or culling may need to be considered in animals determined to be positive via combination testing. These decisions should only be made after careful consideration and evaluation, especially with endangered species.
Deference, Defiance, and Useful Arts

My objective in this Article is to demonstrate that the PTO's patentability determinations are questions of policy and, therefore, the Federal Circuit's standards of review, as applied to these determinations, are unsound. With respect to the Commissioner's statutory interpretations, I intend to demonstrate that the court's “traditional factors of statutory construction,” which are used in such a way as to avoid deferring to the PTO, result in irrational decisions, or at the very least, an alternative theory of interpretation no more convincing than that put forth by the PTO. My principle assertion, grounded in both doctrine and policy, is that the Federal Circuit's judicial review of the BPAI's patentability determinations and the Commissioner's statutory interpretations is paternalistic and results in a less than optimal balance of interpretive power. What I ultimately advocate, therefore, is a “paradigm shift” with respect to the way deference is viewed by the Federal Circuit.
A hemidesmosomal protein regulates actin dynamics and traction forces in motile keratinocytes

During wound healing of the skin, keratinocytes disassemble hemidesmosomes and reorganize their actin cytoskeletons in order to exert traction forces on and move directionally over the dermis. Nonetheless, the transmembrane hemidesmosome component collagen XVII (ColXVII) is found in actin-rich lamella, situated behind the lamellipodium. A set of actin bundles, along which ColXVII colocalizes with actinin4, is present at each lamella. Knockdown of either ColXVII or actinin4 not only inhibits directed migration of keratinocytes but also relieves constraints on actin bundle retrograde movement at the site of lamella, such that actin bundle movement is enhanced more than 5-fold. Moreover, whereas control keratinocytes move in a stepwise fashion over a substrate by generating alternating traction forces, of up to 1.4 kPa, at each flank of the lamellipodium, ColXVII knockdown keratinocytes fail to do so. In summary, our data indicate that ColXVII-actinin4 complexes at the lamella of a moving keratinocyte regulate actin dynamics, thereby determining the direction of cell movement.-Hiroyasu, S., Colburn, Z. T., Jones, J. C. R. A hemidesmosomal protein regulates actin dynamics and traction forces in motile keratinocytes.
Comparison of Three Egg Mass Survey Methods in Relation to Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Defoliation in Michigan

We evaluated 3 egg mass survey methods used to predict gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), defoliation in 32 oak stands in northwestern lower Michigan. Fixed-radius plots, timed walks, and a recently developed method, the 100-tree plot, were used to assess egg mass density in each stand. Defoliation in each stand was estimated visually the following summer, and associations among defoliation levels and the 3 survey methods were evaluated. Larval cadavers were collected in each stand to determine if the gypsy moth pathogens Entomophaga maimaiga and nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) were present. Egg mass counts from the fixed-radius plot and 100-tree plot methods were significantly associated with subsequent defoliation, but timed walk counts were not. We used common egg mass density thresholds and results of the 3 survey methods to determine if the stands would require treatment in a hypothetical suppression program. Treatment decisions based on results of the fixed-radius plots and timed walks were similar. The 100-tree plot method, however, yielded fewer erroneous decisions to treat stands when suppression was not needed. All stands that sustained >30% defoliation had at least 84% new egg masses and a new egg mass density of at least 6,563 egg masses per hectare as determined by fixed-radius plots. Surveys conducted using fixed-radius plots and 100-tree plots took 2–3 times longer than surveys using timed walks. Infection of cadavers by NPV was higher in stands with high egg mass density and defoliation, whereas infection by E. maimaiga was more prevalent in stands with low egg mass density and defoliation.
Respiratory Environments of Grain-Infesting Weevils. I. Comparison of Culture-Jar and Laboratory Rearing-Room Atmospheres

Respiratory atmospheres in laboratory culture jars were analyzed with a Fisher-Hamilton Gas Partitioner with a dual column-dual detector system. Larger rice weevils, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, were reared in open-top mason jars in which CO2, was retained and in specially designed plastic jars open at both ends so as to allow dissipation of CO2. CO2 gradually built up, while O2 was gradually deplcted during larval development. Greatest CO2 accumulation occurred in the bottom of the mason rearing jars and in the middle of the plastic jars. Laboratory atmospheres contained less CO2 and more O2 than rearing room atmospheres and each had much less CO2 and more O2 than the culture jars. CO2 buildup was greatly increased at each 5% level when weevil infestations were increased between 5 and 20%.
Mechanisms of ferroptosis

Ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic form of cell death that can be triggered by small molecules or conditions that inhibit glutathione biosynthesis or the glutathione-dependent antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). This lethal process is defined by the iron-dependent accumulation of lipid reactive oxygen species and depletion of plasma membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids. Cancer cells with high level RAS-RAF-MEK pathway activity or p53 expression may be sensitized to this process. Conversely, a number of small molecule inhibitors of ferroptosis have been identified, including ferrostatin-1 and liproxstatin-1, which can block pathological cell death events in brain, kidney and other tissues. Recent work has identified a number of genes required for ferroptosis, including those involved in lipid and amino acid metabolism. Outstanding questions include the relationship between ferroptosis and other forms of cell death, and whether activation or inhibition of ferroptosis can be exploited to achieve desirable therapeutic ends.
The winds of change revisited: progress towards building a culture of evidence-based dentistry.

In 2008, Texas AM the faculty response rates were 53% (62/117) in 2009 and 66% in 2013 (81/123). In the results, the trained students scored significantly higher in knowledge than the untrained students at each of the first three PEAK administrations (p≤0.001). Regarding confidence in appraising a research report, the first trained group significantly gained in appropriate use of statistical tests (p
Recommending a Child Enter a STEM Career The Role of Religion

Apparent conflicts between religion and science are often observed in the United States. One consequence of such conflicts might be that religious individuals will be less likely to recommend their...
A few think deeply of the influenza A (H1N1) on field epidemiology

甲型(H1N1)流感曾被称为人感染猪流感,最早发生于墨西哥和美国.WHO于2009年4月24日和美国疾病预防控制中心(CDC)4月23日分别在其网站上做了正式报道.该型流感由包含少见基因片段复合体的新病毒引起,甲型(H1N1)病毒此前在美国和世界其他地方的人和猪体内从未被发现[1,2].从甲型(H1N1)流感暴发的短短几天时间内,即被WHO确定为具有国际影响的公共卫生突发事件,并将大流感预警级别由开始的3级提升为4级后,再提升至5级.目前全球已经进入流感大流行的边沿[3-5]。
Reproduction of 3/4 White composite and 1/4 Duroc, 1/4 Meishan, 1/4 Fengjing, or 1/4 Minzhu gilts and sows

Females were either 1/4 Duroc, 1/4 Meishan, 1/4 Fengjing, or 1/4 Minzhu, and the remainder were 3/4 White Composite. A greater percentage of Fengjing crosses reached puberty than Duroc or Minzhu (P .05) from other breed types. After adjusting for differences in percentage detected owing to termination of observation for estrus, breed types ranked Fengjing, Meishan, Minzhu, and Duroc from youngest to oldest at puberty with approximately 14 d between adjacent breed types. Meishan and Fengjing crosses had a greater (P .05) for litter or uterine traits measured on gilts slaughtered at 60 or 100 d of gestation. Total number of pigs born was greater (P .05) among breed types. Duroc crosses were heavier (P .05) for backfat thickness at those times. Breed types did not differ (P > .05) for the ratio of litter gain from 0 to 28 d/total Mcal or any of the component traits in the ratio. Postweaning estrus activity, conception rate, and litter and uterine traits of sows bred for second parity were not affected (P > .05) by breed type. These analyses indicate that crossbred gilts containing 1/4 Meishan, 1/4 Fengjing, or 1/4 Minzhu will reach puberty earlier, have larger litters, and weigh less at first parity than gilts containing 1/4 Duroc, but they do not have any significant advantage in litter size at second parity.
12 – Intermetallics for hydrogen storage

Publisher Summary Metal hydrides are important energy storage materials. In recent years, the hydrides have been classified into three main categories: (1) classical metal hydrides, (2) chemical hydrides, and (3) light metal complex hydrides. This chapter focuses on the classical metal hydrides their thermal, cyclic hydrogen charge–discharge behavior, and methodology of intrinsic and extrinsic testing to test long-term durability of the alloys, from a metallurgical engineer's perspective. The classical metal hydrides may be further classified as (1) elemental hydrides, such as vanadium or magnesium hydrides, (2) intermetallic hydrides, such as heavy metal hydrides AB5 (for example: LaNi5, AB2 (ZrFe2), AB (FeTi) alloy, and (3) amorphous hydrides, which are generally evolved from crystalline hydrides at higher temperatures and pressures (for example: GdFe2). The chapter summarizes the important contributions on the AB5/AB and elemental hydrides, emphasizes on the examples of microalloying in LaNi5- and FeTi-based intermetallic hydrides, and discusses elemental hydrides. It presents the classification of testing methods for durability of alloys/intermetallics and reports examples of intrinsic and extrinsic tests that include cycling and aging for AB5/AB and other alloys and more recent results on extrinsic tests on lightweight complex hydrides (imide-amide) that were cycled between Li2NH/LiNH2 phases. In general, a reasonable amount of intrinsic data is available, but extrinsic data are lacking; more research is needed for the hydrides to be used in practical applications.
Revision of Failed Hip Resurfacing and Large Metal on Metal Total Hip Arthroplasty - Utilising the Dual Mobility Device

Background Revision surgery for failed metal-on-metal (MOM) total hip arthroplasty (THA) or hip resurfacing (HR) has been a challenge. Previous studies have reported high failure and complication rates, including dislocation, infection, aseptic loosening and lower patient satisfaction. Options for revision depend on the integrity and stability of the femoral and acetabular components. When both components fail, full revision is required; however, when the acetabular component remains well fixed and oriented, only the isolated femoral component revision can be performed. Dual mobility components can be utilized to match the size to the inner diameter of the metal cup. With the dual mobility implant, the morbidity and complications associated with cup revision are avoided while maintaining a natural femoral head size and potentially increasing range of motion and stability postoperatively compared to standard THA. Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate short- to mid-term results of revision THA after failed metal-on-metal THA or HR using the dual mobility device. Study Design Retrospective case series with prospective follow-up Methods A cohort of consecutive patients who underwent revision THA for failed MOM THA or HR utilizing a dual mobility device with a minimum follow-up of a year was identified. Charts were retrospectively reviewed for surgical indications, comorbidities, concomitant procedures, cup size, inner head size, outer head size, and perioperative complications, including infection, dislocation, mechanical failure and reoperation. Visual analogue pain scale (VAS), modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) and SF-12 questionnaires were collected prospectively to assess functional outcomes after THA revision with a dual mobility component. Results Fifteen consecutive patients (16 hips) underwent revision surgery utilizing a dual mobility component. Six hips were indicated for failed metal-on-metal THA and 10 for failed HR. The mean follow-up was 20 months (range, 12–29 months) and the mean VAS scores decreased from 8.9 preoperatively to 3.8 postoperatively ( p p p Conclusion Single component revision THA for failed MOM THA or HR utilizing a dual mobility device is an effective and relatively simple procedure for a complex problem.
Provider Influences on Sperm Banking Outcomes Among Adolescent Males Newly Diagnosed With Cancer

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine provider communication and sociodemographic factors which associate with sperm banking outcomes in at-risk adolescents newly diagnosed with cancer. Methods A prospective single-group quasi-experimental study design was used to test the contributions of provider factors on sperm banking outcomes. Medical providers (N = 52, 86.5% oncologists) and 99 of their at-risk adolescent patients from eight leading pediatric oncology centers in North America completed questionnaires querying provider factors and patient sperm banking outcomes. Logistic regression with single covariates was used to test each provider factor as a potential correlate of the two binary sperm banking study outcomes (collection attempt/no attempt and successful sperm bank/no bank). Multicovariate logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for specified banking outcomes. Results Fertility referral (OR, 9.01; 95% CI, 2.54–31.90; p p p Conclusions Provider training in communicating/managing adolescents and their families about sperm banking, and increasing utilization of fertility preservation referrals, should increase the proportion of at-risk males preserving fertility before treatment initiation.
Glacier advance during Marine Isotope Stage 11 in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica.

We mapped six distinct glacial moraines alongside Stocking Glacier in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Stocking Glacier is one of several alpine glaciers in the Dry Valleys fringed by multiple cold-based drop moraines. To determine the age of the outermost moraine, we collected 10 boulders of Ferrar Dolerite along the crest of the moraine and analyzed mineral separates of pyroxene for cosmogenic 3He. On the basis of these measurements, the exposure age for the outermost moraine is 391 ± 35 ka. This represents the first documented advance of alpine glacier ice in the Dry Valleys during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11. At this time, Stocking Glacier was ~20–30% larger than today. The cause of ice expansion is uncertain, but most likely it is related to increased atmospheric temperature and precipitation, associated with reduced ice extent in the nearby Ross Embayment. The data suggest complex local environmental response to warm climates in Antarctica and have implications for glacial response to Holocene warming. The study also demonstrates the potential for using alpine glacier chronologies in the Transantarctic Mountains as proxies for retreat of grounded glacier ice in the Ross Embayment.
Correct blue-light regulation of pea Lhcb genes in an Arabidopsis background

Irradiation of etiolated Arabidopsis or pea, or dim-red-light-grown pea seedlings with a single, short (under 10 s) pulse of blue light (threshold at 0.1 µmol/m2) is sufficient to induce the expression of specific members of the Lhcb gene family including the pea Lhcb1*4 gene and the Arabidopsis Lhcb1*3 gene. Other Lhcb genes, such as the pea Lhcb1*3 gene and the Arabidopsis Lhcb1*1 and 1*2 genes are unaffected by this blue-light treatment. Transgenic Arabidopsis bearing pea Lhcb1*3::Gus (β-glucuronidase), pea Lhcb1*4::Gus or Arabidopsis Lhcb1*3::Gus constructs were used to determine if pea and Arabidopsis employ a similar mechanism to achieve blue-light induced Lhcb expression. Examination of the respective Gus expression patterns in white-light-grown seedlings indicates that the pea promoters are active and properly expressed in the Arabidopsis background. Irradiation of dark-grown Arabidopsis with a 20 s pulse of blue light with a total fluence of 100 µmol/m-2 results in expression of the pea Lhcb1*4::Gus (β-glucuronidase) construct, but not of the pea Lhcb1*3::Gus construct indicating that the pea promoters respond correctly to blue light in the Arabidopsis background. Fluence-response, time-course and reciprocity characteristics for the blue-light-induced expression of the pea Lhcb1*4::Gus construct closely resemble those of the endogenous Arabidopsis Lhcb genes, confirming the proper interpretation of the Arabidopsis blue-light-signaling mechanism by the pea Lhcb1*4 promoter and suggesting that the signaling mechanisms in the two plants are very similar, if not identical. Fluence response data for the steady-state level of transcript derived from an Arabidopsis Lhcb1*3::Gus construct extending 200 bp upstream of the site of transcription indicate that the blue light responsive element(s) are contained within this 200 bp region.
Zebra chip disease enhances respiration and oxidative stress of potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum L.)

The physiological phenotype of potato tubers afflicted by zebra chip disease is characterized by increased oxidative stress metabolism and upregulation of systems for its mitigation. Starch catabolism and extensive buildup of reducing sugars render potatoes infected with zebra chip (ZC) pathogen (Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum) unsuitable for fresh market and processing into chips/fries. Here we show that the disease inflicts considerable oxidative stress, which likely constitutes a substantial sink for metabolic energy, resulting in increased respiration rate of afflicted tubers. In contrast to healthy tubers, tissue from diseased tubers had greater ability to reduce 2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride to formazan, indicating enhanced dehydrogenase activity, probable disease-induced changes in cellular redox potential, and increased respiratory activity. The respiration rate of diseased tubers (cv. Atlantic) was 2.4-fold higher than healthy tubers and this correlated with increased activities of glucose-6-phosphate and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenases, key enzymes responsible for synthesis of cytosolic reducing equivalents. Wound-induced NADPH oxidase activity was greater for ZC than healthy tubers, but the resulting superoxide was rapidly catabolized by higher superoxide dismutase activity in ZC tubers. Peroxidase, catalase, glutathione reductase and ascorbate free radical reductase activities were also higher in diseased tubers, as was malondialdehyde, a biomarker of peroxidative damage and oxidative stress. Upregulation of the glutathione–ascorbate pathway is a direct response to (and indicator of) oxidative stress, which consumes reducing equivalents (NADPH) to catabolize reactive oxygen species and maintain cellular redox homeostasis. ZC disease substantially altered the oxidative metabolism of tubers, resulting in a physiological phenotype defined by metabolic changes directed toward mitigating oxidative stress. Paradoxically, the increased respiration rate of ZC tubers, which fuels the metabolic pathways responsible for attenuating oxidative stress, likely also contributes to oxidative stress.
Characterization of waveform performance in clutter for dynamically configured sensor systems

In this paper, we consider the problem of dynamic selection of frequency modulated waveforms and their parameters for use in agile sensing. The waveform selection is driven by a tracker that uses probabilistic data association to track a single target in clutter, employing measurements derived from a nonlinear observations model. We present an algorithm that performs the selection so as to minimize the predicted mean square error which is computed using the unscented transform. We compare and analyze the performance of several trapezoidal envelope frequency modulated waveforms with different time-frequency structures using the Cramer-Rao lower bound. The simulation results indicate that the dynamic selection of waveforms and their corresponding parameters improves the tracking performance.
The Stress Dependence of Adsorption

Abstract Considering a gas-solid adsorption system, we present a simple analysis of the changes in the chemical potential of the adsorbed gas as the substrate solid is subjected to external forces. Using the canonical partition function, we show that the chemical potential varies with applied stress which variation we call the chemostress coefficient. Numerical values obtained for these coefficients indicate that the magnitude of the effect depends sensitively on the solid-gas interaction potential which in turn depends on the changes of the polarizabilities and of excitation energies of the solid.
The Influence of Interface States on the Photovoltaic Properties of CdSe Thin Film Solar Cells

ABSTRACT Polycrystalline n-CdSe MIS solar cells have been produced and investigated by I-U measurements and admittance spectroscopy. A high density of interface states (≥ 1013 cm−2 (ev)−1) has been estimated, possibly due to disorder phenomena at the n-CdSe surface.