cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary Consequences of Extinctions in Populations of a Hawaiian Honeycreeper

We report on the evolutionary change in bill size of a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper resulting from an apparent dietary shift caused by dramatic declines and extinctions of lobelioids, a historically favored nectar source. Although it now feeds mainly on the flowers of the ohia tree (Metrosideros polymorpha), early Hawaiian avifaunal accounts report that the i’iwi (Vestiaria coccinea), which has a long decurved bill, fed primarily on the flowers of Hawaiian Lobelioideae, which typically have long decurved corollas. A coevolutionary association of i’iwi bill and flower morphology has often been asserted. We test the hypothesis that the shift in the i’iwi’s diet from the long corolla lobelioid flowers to ohia flowers, which lack corollas, resulted in directional selection for shorter bills. We evaluate this hypothesis by comparing the morphological characters of museum specimens from the island of Hawaii collected before 1902 with recent specimens from the Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge, Hawaii. We examine evidence of change in morphological characters using multivariate analysis and a nonparametric cubic spline technique. Results from all analyses are congruent: bill length is shorter in recent specimens. Presentamos un reporte sobre los cambios evolutivos en el tamano del pico de una especie de “honeycreeper” hawaiano que fueron originados por un cambio aparente en la alimentacion causado por declinaciones y extinciones dramaticas de lobeliaceas, una fuente de nectar preferida por estas aves. Si bien en la actualidad estas aves obtienen su alimento a partir de flores del arbol ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha), relatos Hawaianos reportan que el i’iwi (Vestiaria coccinea), que posee un pico largo y curvado hacia abajo, se alimentaba principalmente a partir de flores de Lobelioideae hawaianas, las cuales poseen tipicamente corolas largos y curvadas hacia abajo. Se ha afirmado frecuentemente que existe una asociacion coevolutiva entre el pico del i’iwi y la morfoloǵia de la flor. En este trabajo, nosotros probamos la hipotesis de que el cambio de dieta, consistente en dejar de alimentarse a partir de las flores de lobeliaceas, que poseen corolas largas, para alimentarse a partir de flores de ohia, que carecen de corolas, resulto en una seleccion direccional hacia picos mas cortos. Evaluamos esta hipotesis por medio de la comparacion de los caracteres morfologicos de especimenes de museos provenientes de la isla de Hawaii colectados antes de 1902 y de especimenes recientes obtenidos en el Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre de Hakalau, en Hawaii. La evidencia del cambio en los caracteres morfologicos es examinada usando analisis multivariado y una tecnica no parametrica de “cubic spline”. Los resultados de todos los analisis son coincidentes: la longitud del pico es menor en los espicimenes recientes.
Capacity bounds for certain channels with states and the energy harvesting channel

We study two types of channels in this paper: certain channels with states and energy harvesting channels. The first is based on Gallager's finite state channel with input constraints and causal CSIT. The second deals with two different scenarios with regard to the availability of energy information at the transmitter. For both channels we derive new capacity bounds, mostly using bounding techniques of Verdu and Han and Gallager.
A Viewpoint for Plant Physiology

Notable as has been the growth of plant physiology and great as have been its contributions to agriculture, horticulture, forestry, and other fields, it may be questioned whether it is making as substantial contributions to plant science as it can and should make. There is considerable evidence that it is not. There are still too few courses in plant physiology offered in our colleges and some of those offered are not taught so effectively as would be possible and desirable. As a result many professional botanists and workers in applied fields of plant science have had little or no training in plant physiology. It is particularly unfortunate to find men going into agriculture and forestry lacking such training, because without it they can never really understand the growth processes of plants. There are also few plant physiologists employed in research projects by allied fields. While plant physiologists have been widely employed in horticulture for many years, few are in agronomy, and until very recently almost none in forestry. Many agricultural experiment stations do not even list plant physiologists as staff members. Likewise, few plant physiologists have entered industrial research. Although industrial laboratories such as those of food-processing companies and fertilizer manufacturers employ agronomists, chemists, plant pathologists, plant breeders, and soils specialists, they seldom have plant physiologists on their staffs. While considerable physiological research is being done in industrial laboratories, most of it is carried on under conditions such that our field receives no credit.
A microapparatus for liquid hydrogen fluoride solvolysis: Sugar and amino sugar composition of Erysiphe graminis and Triticum aestivum cell walls

The assembly and use of a simple and safe apparatus for HF solvolysis of microgram amounts of cell walls, polysaccharides, or glycoproteins are described. Using this apparatus the cell wall composition of Erysiphe graminis was compared with that of its wheat host. The HF solvolysis combined with TFA posthydrolysis considerably increased sugar yields compared with TFA hydrolysis alone, due mainly to increased yields of glucose from wheat, and glucosamine from Erysiphe, corresponding to cellulose and chitin, respectively. A potentially useful method for determining amounts of fungal hyphae in plant tissue is also provided.
Diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection: measure for measure.

IN 2003, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION REPORTED 8.8 million cases of tuberculosis (TB) worldwide, nearly half of them presenting with an infectious form of disease, and resulting in 1.7 million deaths from TB. Since TB transmission occurs before diagnosis in the index case, even when an optimal TB control program is in place, new and undiagnosed cases are the driving force behind the current TB epidemic. If each new TB case in 2003 infected up to 10 susceptible contacts before diagnosis, up to 40 million new infections could have occurred worldwide that year alone. Since TB has a long period of latent infection, these new infections added to the pool of existing infections, which represents a source for potential TB cases in the years, and even decades, to come. One strategy for global TB control would be to implement an effective screening program in high-risk populations that would identify individuals with latent TB infection and treat them to prevent disease. In the United States, screening for latent TB infection in high-risk populations is a key feature of TB control. The declining rates of TB since 1993 and the current level of control represent a remarkable achievement in public health and foster optimism that the United States can reach the goal of eliminating TB by 2010. But because of the global burden of TB, intercontinental travel, and immigration, the elimination of TB in the United States is intertwined with the success of TB control around the world.
Higgs Search with the Compact Muon Solenoid(CMS) detector at the Large Hadron Collider(LHC)

The Large Hadron Collider(LHC) is a proton proton collider being built at CERN, Geneva which will collide two 7 TeV proton beams giving a center of mass energy of 14 TeV. The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) is a multi-purpose detector at the LHC which is designed to discover the Higgs boson over the mass range of 90 to 1000 GeV. Since LEP searches have put a 95% C.L. lower bound on (standard model) Higgs mass of 114.4 GeV and theory excludes mass above about 1 TeV, CMS should discover the Higgs if it exists. In this paper, we will review CMS's Higgs-discovery potential both in the Standard Model and the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model for Higgs bosons produced in gluon-gluon fusion and in vector boson fusion mechanisms. Particular emphasis will be placed on discovery in the early years of running with luminosity of about 2 × 1033cm-2/s.
Tris-olefin complexes of rhodium(I) and iridium(I) containing the tetradentate ligands tris(but-3-enyl)phosphine and tris(pent-4-enyl)phosphine

The rhodium(I) and iridium(I) complexes, RhX(tbp), RhX(tpp), X = Cl, Br or I, and IrCl(tbp) and IrCl(tpp) where tbp = P(CH2CH2CH=CH2)3 and tpp = P(CH2CH2CH2CHCH2)3 have been prepared. These compounds, except for RhI(tbp), all exhibit the same “umbrella” type five coordinate structure in the solid state, in which all three olefins are bonded to the metal. At −60° in solution, RhI(tbp) adopts the same five coordinate stereochemistry. Due to restricted rotation, the methylene protons in RhCl(tbp) become inequivalent at low temperature. RhCl(tbp) forms 11 adducts with carbon monoxide and triphenylphosphine. Infrared, Raman and PMR studies conclude that the metalolefin bond is stronger for the iridium complexes compared to the corresponding rhodium complexes.
An acrosin-acrosin inhibitor complex in ejaculated boar sperm

Abstract Acrosin (a proteolytic enzyme) activity is high in extracts of epididymal sperm acrosomes but low in extracts of ejaculated sperm acrosomes. This lower activity from ejaculated sperm has previously been postulated as resulting from the reaction of a seminal plasma proteolytic enzyme inhibitor with acrosin in the acrosome. Evidence is presented which demonstrates that an acrosin-acrosin inhibitor complex exists in extracts of ejaculated boar sperm acrosomes. Upon incubation at pH 3 the complex dissociates and the free enzyme is demonstrable with the use of the synthetic substrate, benzyl arginine ethyl ester (BAEE). The increase in activity from incubation at pH 3 does not result from zymogen activation. Epididymal sperm have the ability to pick up the protease inhibitor from solution. The fact that there is no excess of free acrosin nor of free inhibitor in extracts of ejaculated sperm acrosomes is further evidence for the existance of an acrosin-acrosin inhibitor complex.
Do public sector unions erode business climates

This article addresses whether the growing prevalence of public sector unions exerts effects that spill over to the private sector. The hypothesis that higher prevalence erodes business climate is tested on an index of CEO ratings of the best and worst states in which to conduct business. Evidence indicates that business climates are inversely related to public sector union prevalence. An implication is that erosion of business climates should be a concern to union members as well since they rely on businesses, their employees and customers to pay for government.
Moiré deflectometry using the Talbot-Lau interferometer as refraction diagnostic for high energy density plasmas at energies below 10 keV.

The highly localized density gradients expected in High Energy Density (HED) plasma experiments can be characterized by x-ray phase-contrast imaging in addition to conventional attenuation radiography. Moire deflectometry using the Talbot-Lau grating interferometer setup is an attractive HED diagnostic due to its high sensitivity to refraction induced phase shifts. We report on the adaptation of such a system for operation in the sub-10 keV range by using a combination of free standing and ultrathin Talbot gratings. This new x-ray energy explored matches well the current x-ray backlighters used for HED experiments, while also enhancing phase effects at lower electron densities. We studied the performance of the high magnification, low energy Talbot-Lau interferometer, for single image phase retrieval using Moire fringe deflectometry. Our laboratory and simulation studies indicate that such a device is able to retrieve object electron densities from phase shift measurements. Using laboratory x-ray sources from 7 to 15 μm size we obtained accurate simultaneous measurements of refraction and attenuation for both sharp and mild electron density gradients.
Structure-guided modification and optimization of antibody VRC07

Background Eliciting a neutralizing human antibody against HIV-1 still remains to be elusive. Nevertheless, a number of studies have reported isolation of potent and broadly reactive antibodies against HIV-1 from HIV-1 infected patient serum. Antibody VRC01 is one of these kinds that binds to the CD4 binding site of gp120 and neutralizes the viruses. Recently, we identified antibody VRC07, which is more potent and broadly reactive antiHIV-1 antibody than its derivative, VRC01. Methods In this study, we determined the crystal structure of gp120 in complex with VRC07 and utilized mechanistic insights and structure-guided modification to increase potency and breadth. Results
What happened to the class of Year 2000: Examining their research and employment records

Abstract Today's academic environment requires high levels of research from faculty to earn promotion and tenure [P&T], merit pay, summer research grants, and other university resources. Increasingly rigorous doctoral programs have increased the competition for publishing high quality academic research. Those individuals seeking faculty positions should recognize the varying research standards of different strata of accounting programs. Most P&T committees compare candidates' research productivity to that of schools in their strata (i.e., their peer or aspirational schools). This study thus examines the research productivity through 2009 for all Year 2000 graduates from U.S. accounting doctoral programs. Information is categorized by different strata of schools to highlight current research accomplishments, and, by implication, research requirements. These results should help faculty and university administrators make better informed decisions.
A Relational Framework for Analyzing Ventures in Cognitive Environments: Illustrations from the TNK-BP Experience

This article looks at multinational investments in Central and Eastern Europe from a relational matrix perspective. The matrix posits a set of business relationships as outcomes of environment, regulatory or cognitive, and cluster valence combinations of power, urgency, and legitimacy. BP's pursuit of petroleum reserves leading to the venture with Russia's TNK is offered as a case study pointing to two general propositions relating the conduct of global firms in the region. Data analysis relating foreign direct investment with degrees of perceived corruption supports the propositions of opportunistic behavior and acceptance of opaque environments by global petroleum companies. The legitimacy construct is shown to be most prone to erosion, and its diminution impacts a firm's operating flexibility.
TETRA-TERT-BUTYLETHYLENE : AN ELUSIVE MOLECULE WITH A HIGHLY TWISTED DOUBLE BOND. CAN IT BE MADE BY CARBENE DIMERIZATION ?

A theoretical evaluation of tetra-tert-butylethylene (1) at the BLYP/DZd level confirms that it should be a stable molecule with a singlet ground state. The synthesis of 1 from two molecules of di-...
Rapid Amino Acid Uptake in Rat Pituitary Neural Lobe during Functional Stimulation by Chronic Dehydration

We studied the transfer of a small neutral amino acid, α-aminoisobutyric acid, from arterial blood into the pituitary neural lobe in normal rats and in rats deprived of water for 5 days. A threefold increase in the neural lobe uptake of the amino acid was found in the chronically dehydrated rats. Possible causes for this effect include enlargement of the capillary and pituicyte membrane surface areas available for solute flux and increased permeability of these membranes. Such functional and structural alterations may be associated with an increase in protein turnover in the neural lobe during dehydration.
When only the right hemisphere is left: studies in language and communication.

Abstract An adult of above normal intelligence, BL, underwent left hemispherectomy at age five, and subsequently graduated from college and has been regularly employed. Using standardized neuropsychological instruments, previous extensive testing had revealed optimal performance for a hemispherectomized subject. To probe communicative abilities in greater detail, and to examine current questions about linguistic superiority of the left hemisphere and “crowding” of right hemisphere functions, 12 additional protocols were administered. BL performed at normal or above on nearly all protocols. However, performance on production of phonemically complex words was effortful, and deficits were seen on two tests requiring comprehension of linguistic contrasts in prosody (Linguistic Prosody Test) and syntax (the Active–Passive Test). These findings support previous claims of reduced ability in specific, circumscribed linguistic functions in the left hemispherectomized person, and lead to suggestions for further testing of communicative competence in individuals with a single intact hemisphere.
The Pricing of Equity Carve‐Outs

This article examines the pricing of stock for 251 equity carve-outs during the 1986–1995 period. We document a mean initial-day return of 5.83% and a mean one-week return of 5.43%. Among carve-outs, the initial underpricing is lower for issues represented by high prestige investment bankers and those that have a lower offer price. In comparison with 251 initial public offering (IPO) firms matched by size and book-to-market ratio of equity, carveouts exhibit significantly lower initial-day returns, but their buy-and-hold returns for sixmonth and one-year periods are not significantly different from IPOs. The IPO firms have a three-year return of 28.82% which is significantly higher than the 21.07% return for the carve-out firms.
Analysts’ Cash Flow Forecasts are Not Sophisticated: a Rebuttal of Call, Chen and Tong (2013)

Call, Chen and Tong (2013) claim that the conclusion we reached in Givoly, Hayn and Lehavy (2009) that analysts’ forecasts of cash flow from operations are unsophisticated (in the sense that they can be replicated by a naive extension of analysts’ own earnings forecasts) is wrong. They conclude that these forecasts are, in fact, sophisticated. Call et al.’s claim is based on inappropriate and contradictory tests and their interpretation of their own evidence suffers from serious logical flaws. In fact, rather than raising doubts about our conclusions, the evidence in Call et al. reinforces them.
Automated synthesis of symbolic instruction encodings from I/O samples

Symbolic execution is a key component of precise binary program analysis tools. We discuss how to automatically boot-strap the construction of a symbolic execution engine for a processor instruction set such as x86, x64 or ARM. We show how to automatically synthesize symbolic representations of individual processor instructions from input/output examples and express them as bit-vector constraints. We present and compare various synthesis algorithms and instruction sampling strategies. We introduce a new synthesis algorithm based on smart sampling which we show is one to two orders of magnitude faster than previous synthesis algorithms in our context. With this new algorithm, we can automatically synthesize bit-vector circuits for over 500 x86 instructions (8/16/32-bits, outputs, EFLAGS) using only 6 synthesis templates and in less than two hours using the Z3 SMT solver on a regular machine. During this work, we also discovered several inconsistencies across x86 processors, errors in the x86 Intel spec, and several bugs in previous manually-written x86 instruction handlers.
Differential Contractile Response of Cultured Microvascular Pericytes to Vasoactive Agents

Objective: Microvascular pericytes may contract in two different ways: In the first, a circumferential or radial mechanical force applied at right angles to the long axis of the vessel may constrict the underlying vessel affecting blood flow and transmural pressure. Retraction and elongation of pericyte processes may also occur tangentially and at right angles to the vessel axis and alter microvessel permeability by changing the amount of ablumenal surface covered or the openness of interendothelial junctions. In this study, cultured pericytes were utilized as a model experimental system to determine if vasoactive stimulation changes their shape in a manner consistent with this hypothesis.Methods: Pericytes cultured from isolated rate capillaries were subjected to angiotensin II and histamine. Their response was monitored by measuring the area of nonyielding substrate covered by the pericytes and the manner in which their shape changed. Shape changes were quantified by calculating the surface area: perime...
Does erectile dysfunction drug use contribute to risky sexual behavior

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common sexual problem affecting up to one-third of men throughout their lives. According to the Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS), ED affects an estimated 52% of men between the ages of 40 and 70. With the approval of sildenafil (USA in March 1998), the first phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitor to be made available for treatment of ED, and the subsequent approval of vardenafil (USA in August 2003) and tadalafil (USA in November 2003), the PDE-5 inhibitor class of drugs has rapidly become the first-line therapy for ED of varying etiologies and severities.
β-Herpesviruses in Febrile Children with Cancer

We conducted a cross-sectional study of β-herpesviruses in febrile pediatric oncology patients (n = 30), with a reference group of febrile pediatric solid-organ transplant recipients (n = 9). One (3.3%) of 30 cancer patients and 3 (33%) of 9 organ recipients were PCR positive for cytomegalovirus. Four (13%) of 30 cancer patients and 3 (33%) of 9 transplant recipients had human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) DNAemia, which was more common within 6 months of initiation of immune suppression (4 of 16 vs. 0 of 14 cancer patients; p = 0.050). HHV-6A and HHV-7 were not detected. No other cause was identified in children with HHV-6B or cytomegalovirus DNAemia. One HHV-6B–positive cancer patient had febrile disease with concomitant hepatitis. Other HHV-6B–positive children had mild “viral” illnesses, as did a child with primary cytomegalovirus infection. Cytomegalovirus and HHV-6B should be included in the differential diagnosis of febrile disease in children with cancer.
Abandoned Buildings: A Stochastic Analysis

Abstract Many buildings have been boarded up, forfeited, or demolished to make way for vacant lots in large United States Cities. Why? And why do these "abandoned" properties retain positive prices in the market? These phenomena, I argue, can be understood only in the context of uncertainty. The paper develops a model of building life cycles under uncertainty. In such a model it can, in certain states, be efficient to shut buildings down or demolish them without rebuilding. Because private owners have a forfeiture alternative, however, actual life cycles are likely to be marked by too little rebuilding, too little maintenance, and, possibly, too many demolitions. Abandonment raises a host of public policy questions. The most unavoidable are those about how cities should handle, maintain, and dispose of forfeited property that becomes theirs. Optimal code enforcement also becomes an interesting topic. These are all second-best problems.
A simple algorithm for joint blur identification and image restoration

Earlier work on blur identification suffers from using space-invariant image models to match space-variant (piecewise smooth) images. It is expected that an effective space-adaptive image model or estimate would improve the joint blur and image estimation. A well-known space-adaptive regularization method for image restoration is extended to solve this problem. The resulting scheme has two regularization terms, one for the image and the other for the blur. Very good performance is observed even though no stringent assumption about the structure of the underlying blur operator is made. The computational overhead for blur identification is less than the computational load required for regularized image restoration when the blur operator is exactly known. >
Comparison of total dose responses on high resolution analog-to-digital converter technologies

Two different 12-bit analog-to-digital converter technologies, CMOS and BiCMOS, from Burr-Brown were compared for total dose responses. The BiCMOS converter appears to be a better candidate for space applications. CMOS devices showed larger degradation with both high dose rate (HDR) and low dose rate (LDR). An external voltage reference can be used for a radiation hardened process 12-bit converter from Analog Devices to maintain accuracy up to 1 Mrad(Si). DATEL's 16-bit hybrid converter showed a low failure level with HDR.
Supramolecular electrostatic nanoassemblies for bacterial forensics.

Abstract : Microbial detection and identification are relevant to medicine, biosecurity, and the supply of food and water. Recent infections with enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (E. coli) highlight the need to quickly identify the origin of the pathogen and thereby minimize the impact of the outbreak. Tracking pathogens by their source and environmental history through genetic, proteomic, and traditional microbiological techniques is known as microbial forensics. The growth medium, temperature, pH, and related factors affect the membrane lipid composition of a variety of microbes. For example, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) variations have been observed for pathogens such as Salmonella anatum, E. coli O157:H7, and Yersinia pestis. Protein expression also changes with temperature, and modern proteomic techniques have explored this relationship. The techniques described above are useful for understanding detailed adaptations under various growth conditions; however they are not amenable to rapid diagnostic assays as they generally require sophisticated, non-portable equipment and may involve time-consuming sample preparation. Simpler methods of relevance to microbial forensics are therefore desired.
Fertility and ovum fertilization rate after laparoscopic or transcervical intrauterine artificial insemination of oxytocin-treated ewes.

Based on our previous work, we found that exogenous oxytocin induces uterine tetany and cervical dilation, and permits transcervical access to the uterus. However, the oxytocin does not reduce sustained sperm transport from the uterus to the oviducts. Thus, we hypothesized that exogenous oxytocin may be a useful adjunct to transcervical intrauterine AI procedures for sheep: two experiments were conducted to test our hypothesis. In Experiment 1, purebred ewes (n = 75/group) were artificially inseminated intrauterine with either laparoscopic or oxytocin-transcervical (i.e., 200 USP units of oxytocin 30 min before AI) procedures. At 54 h after progestogenated pessaries were removed, ewes were inseminated with 200 x 10(6) sperm/0.25 ml of fresh, extended semen, which was collected from a purebred ram of the corresponding breed. Pregnancy rate was greater (P < 0.05) after laparoscopic (37.5%) than after transcervical AI (0%). Because of the disappointing results of Experiment 1, Experiment 2 was conducted to determine whether oxytocin or the AI procedure per se reduced ovum fertilization rate. Treatments were designed in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. At 60 h after norgestomet implant removal and 10 min before either laparoscopic or transcervical (cervical in a saline group) AI with 100 x 10(6) sperm/0.25 ml, ewes (n = 10/group) received an intravenous injection of either isotonic saline or 200 USP units of oxytocin. Fertilization rate, which was determined 72 h after AI, was greater (P < 0.05) after laparoscopic than after transcervical/cervical AI (92.5 vs 28%), but oxytocin treatment did not affect fertilization rate. The results indicate that exogenous oxytocin did not reduce ovum fertilization rate, but the transcervical AI procedure per se seemed to reduce fertilization rate.
The effects of heterospecifics and climatic conditions on incubation behavior within a mixed-species colony

Parental incubation behavior largely influences nest survival, a critical demographic process in avian population dynamics, and behaviors vary across species with different life history breeding strategies. Although research has identified nest survival advantages of mixing colonies, behavioral mechanisms that might explain these effects is largely lacking. We examined parental incubation behavior using video-monitoring techniques on Alcatraz Island, California, of black-crowned night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax (hereinafter, night-heron) in a mixed-species colony with California gulls Larus californicus and western gulls L. occidentalis. We first quantified general nesting behaviors (i.e. incubation constancy, and nest attendance), and a suite of specific nesting behaviors (i.e. inactivity, vigilance, preening, and nest maintenance) with respect to six different daily time periods. We employed linear mixed effects models to investigate environmental and temporal factors as sources of variation in incubation constancy and nest attendance using 211 nest days across three nesting seasons (2010–2012). We found incubation constancy (percent of time on the eggs) and nest attendance (percent of time at the nest) were lower for nests that were located < 3 m from one or more gull nest, which indirectly supports the predator protection hypothesis, whereby heterospecifics provide protection allowing more time for foraging and other self-maintenance activities. To our knowledge, this is the first empirical evidence of the influence of one nesting species on the incubation behavior of another. We also identified distinct differences between incubation constancy and nest attentiveness, indicating that these biparental incubating species do not share similar energetic constraints as those that are observed for uniparental species. Additionally, we found that variation in incubation behavior was a function of temperature and precipitation, where the strength of these effects was dependent on the time of day. Overall, these findings strengthen our understanding of incubation behavior and nest ecology of a colonial-nesting species.
Personal Identity, Consciousness, and Joints in Nature

Many philosophers have thought that the problem of personal identity over time is not metaphysically deep. Perhaps the debate between the rival theories is somehow empty or is a ‘merely verbal dispute’. Perhaps questions about personal identity are ‘nonsubstantive’ and fit more for conceptual analysis and close attention to usage than for theorizing in the style of serious metaphysics, theorizing guided by considerations of systematicity, parsimony, explanatory power, and aiming for knowledge about the objective structure of the world. I discuss a thesis about consciousness according to which there are perfectly natural phenomenal properties. Although I do not argue for this thesis, I believe that it is plausible, whether or not physicalism is true. Given the thesis, there are deep, substantive questions about which individuals or pluralities instantiate the relevant phenomenal properties. Equally substantive questions can then be asked about the duration and other spatiotemporal characteristics of those individuals or pluralities, both in actual cases and in hypothetical puzzle cases adapted from the personal identity literature. I suggest that, at least prima facie, these questions interact with our future-directed egoistic concern in much the same way that the personal identity question is often thought to. As a slogan: “you give me substantive, determinate facts about consciousness; I give you substantive, determinate facts about personal identity”.
Blown film, cast film and lamination processes

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on blown film, cast film, and lamination processes. Blown film extrusion is a major processing technique used for producing a biaxial melt drawn film. This technique uses air pressure to produce a transverse direction (TD) draw and a higher speed haul off roll speed to provide a machine direction (MD) draw. This technique is used to process several types of polymer including polyethylene, polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyamide (PA), and polyurethane (PU). The markets served by blown film extrusion process include industrial films and bags, agricultural and construction films, barrier films stretch films, PVC cling films, laminating films, can liners, and high barrier small tube systems. A cast film process quenches the molten extrudate on a chilled steel roller or rollers after it exits the die. Sheet can also be made with this process, however, the line speeds are slower and there are multiple chill rolls to provide the required heat removal. The difference between extrusion coating and extrusion lamination is the presence of the second or auxiliary web that sandwiches the melt on the second side. For extrusion coating, only one substrate is used and the extrudate coats the surface and is quenched on a chill roll much like a cast film process. The various products that are typically made with extrusion coating and laminations include lidding stock, candy wrapper, snack food bags, and medical packaging.
The Noise and the Noise-deltamethrin Combined Effection on the Impact of Production Workers' Health

Objective Understanding the combined effects of noise-deltamethrin if will be or not more harmful on production workers’ health.Methods Analyze the health physical examination data of production workers who single exposure to noise and who simultaneous exposure to noise– deltamethrin.Results Noise –deltamethrin combined promotes cardiovascular system and the occurrence of hearing loss.Conclusions Noise–deltamethrin is more harmful to production workers’ health.In the case of protects workers’ health,we should prevention and control of noise.At the same time,we should reduce the deltamethrin concentration in production environment.
Microstructure and properties of TiB_2 reinforced Co-based alloy coating by laser cladding

In order to study the effect of TiB2 on microstructure and sliding wear resistance of Co-based alloy coating,laser clad Co-base alloy and metal-ceramics layers of Co-based TiB2 was obtained on low carbon steel surface by means of 5kW continuous wave CO2 laser.The results showed that TiB2/Co metal-ceramics composite coating was mainly consisted of γ-Co,Cr23C6,TiB2,TiC and Co3Ti;the Co-based alloy coating was consisted of developed dendrite and hypoeutectic structure.Cinquefoil grain and fine eutectic structure were observed in the TiB2/Co metal-ceramics coating;the microhardness and sliding wear resistance of the TiB2/Co metal-ceramics coating were more excellent than that of Co-based alloy coating.These results are expected to provide available reference for further research of laser cladding metal-ceramics.
Determination of Organophosphorus Pesticide Residues in Vegetables by Capillary Gas Chromatography

[Objective] To establish the capillary gas chromatography for the determination of organophosphorus pesticide residues in vegetables.[Methods]The samples were extracted by acetone, and determined by temperature-programmed gas chromatography with OV-1701fused silica capillary column.[Results]In the determination of 12 kinds of organophosphorus pesticide residues in vegetables, the method had the wide linear range (0.05～5 μg/ml) and good linear correlation (r=0.9958～0.9996), reproducibility was good (RSD=2.2%～11.8%), and the detection limit was 0.003～0.01μg/ml.[Conclusion]The method is accurate and rapid, and has high sensitivity.
Tracking white matter fiber pathways based on moving least square

In order to reconstruct the three-dimensional pathway of white matter fiber bundles,put forward with a three-dimensional tracking algorithm based on moving least square.Diffusion weighted imaging(DWI) data were converted to diffusion tensor imaging(DTI) data according the b-value and the table of magnetic gradients,and DTI data were filtered by Gaussian filter.Then cubic spline function was used as weighted function to fit the diffusion tensors.Under the conditions of provided bending angle and step distance,the tracking process began from the region of interest(ROI).The result based on a real DTI dataset shows that this method is suitable for the tracking of white matter(WM) fiber pathways macroscopically.
Analysis of Epidemic Regularity of Pebrine Disease of Silkworm in Hubei Province

In this study,a regression analysis was conducted to analyze the data of silkworm egg production and in- spection.The data came from 6silkworm egg stations in Hubei province from 1993to 2012.The result suggests the silkworm egg production and super virus rate are positively related.To avoid the outbreak of pebrine disease, a mathematics model was established,which could deduce the critical value of safe silkworm egg production in different silkworm egg farms.
Does teaching by family physicians in the second year of medical school increase student selection of family practice residencies

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Most educators feel that early instruction by family physician teachers increases the probability of students selecting family practice residencies. METHODS To examine this hypothesis, a retrospective cohort study was performed to evaluate residency selection of students who received their second-year Introduction to Clinical Medicine (ICM) teaching either from family physicians or other specialists (most commonly, internists). RESULTS For the 971 students who could be followed to residency, 13.6% of those having family physicians as instructors and 15.7% of those having other specialists as instructors chose family practice residencies. The difference is not significant. CONCLUSION It is probable that the effect of having a family physician as a second-year ICM instructor is not significant enough to be detected by a study of this size and is simply "washed out" by other factors. It is also possible that no positive effect of second-year teaching by family physicians on residency selection exists.
Intra-articular dexamethasone to inhibit the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis.

Injury to the joint provokes a number of local pathophysiological changes, including synthesis of inflammatory cytokines, death of chondrocytes, breakdown of the extra-cellular matrix of cartilage, and reduced synthesis of matrix macromolecules. These processes combine to engender the subsequent development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to inhibit these disparate responses to injury; given their heterogeneity, this is challenging. However, dexamethasone has the necessary pleiotropic properties required of a drug for this purpose. Using in vitro models, we have shown that low doses of dexamethasone sustain the synthesis of cartilage proteoglycans while inhibiting their breakdown after injurious compression in the presence or absence of inflammatory cytokines. Under these conditions, dexamethasone is non-toxic and maintains the viability of chondrocytes exposed chronically to such cytokines as interleukin (IL) -1, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory properties of dexamethasone have been appreciated for decades. In view of this information, we have initiated a pilot clinical study to determine whether a single, intra-articular injection of dexamethasone into the wrist shows promise in preventing PTOA after intra-articular fracture of the distal radius. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Suppressing the various etiopathophysiological responses to injury in the joint is an attractive strategy for lowering the clinical burden of PTOA. The intra-articular administration of dexamethasone soon after injury offers a simple and inexpensive means of accomplishing this. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:406–411, 2017.
Hemorrhagic Complications in Cutaneous Surgery

It is logical to assume that anyone who performs cutaneous surgery has had or will have some sort of hemorrhagic complication, an inevitable event even in the hands of the most careful and skilled surgeon. Therefore, it is important for cutaneous surgeons to not only take precautions to prevent bleeding complications before they occur, but also to be capable of diagnosing and managing these unfortunate events as they arise to provide a better service for patients. This article will focus on the prevention, diagnosis, and management of hemorrhagic complications in cutaneous surgery.
Deconstructing the Transfer Student Capital: Intersect between Cultural and Social Capital among Female Transfer Students in STEM Fields.

abstractThis qualitative study explored the experiences of female transfer students majoring in STEM areas at a midwestern university by highlighting the role of Transfer Student Capital in their academic and social adjustment. The authors further deconstructed the notion of Transfer Student Capital by looking at how cultural and social capital intersect through the early background influences as well as the pre- and posttransfer experience of female community college transfer students in STEM disciplines. The findings highlight the importance of positive student-faculty interactions and positive and supportive classroom environments and the effect that the above factors have on female students’ self-efficacy and their view of their capabilities and abilities to successfully perform in STEM majors.
The ethics of policing: The use of deception

To tell the truth is a duty: but it is a duty only in respect to one who has a right to the truth. Benjamin Constant Lying is the throwing away and, as it were, the obliteration of one's dignity as a human being. Immanuel Kant Although the capacity to use force still remains central to police law enforcement activities, its importance has been increasingly rivaled by the use of deception. There have been several reasons for that. For one thing, it is no longer permissible to use third-degree tactics to elicit information and confessions from criminal suspects, and the measures adopted in many jurisdictions to ensure that coercion is not used have made it much harder to employ surreptitiously. Although verbal statements and confessions are still, and will surely remain, admissible as evidence, there is little doubt that the courts have put increasing pressure on prosecutors to supplement their cases with “hard” material or physical evidence. In many cases that is not easy to do: The offenses do not involve “witnesses” (as is the case with much white-collar crime) or the witnesses are not complainants (as is the case with vice). So, over the past forty years police investigators have placed an ever greater reliance on deception as a means of accessing both material and verbal evidence. At first the deployment of deceptive tactics occasioned some misgivings.
On the Influence of Microstructure on the Threshold Level for Fatigue Crack Growth in Steels

ABSTRACT The influence of a duplex ferritic-martensitic microstructure on fatigue crack growth in the near-threshold region has been studied for AISI 1018 steel, AISI 1045 and 2 1/4 Cr-1 Mo alloy steels. For 1018 steel and 2 1/4 Cr-1 Mo steel, a duplex microstructure in which the ferrite phase is encapsulated by a continuous martensitic phase results in an increase in the threshold level combined with an increase in yield strength, whereas in the higher carbon 1045 steel such a microstructure results in a decrease in the threshold level. The reason for the influence of the duplex microstructure is discussed in terms of the microstructural nature of crack path, constrain effects, and the closure effect associated with local plastic deformation at a crack tip.
Accelerated age hardening response by in-situ ultrasonic aging of a WE43 alloy

ABSTRACTCustom built in-situ ultrasonic aging equipment was used to investigate the precipitation hardening response in a commercial WE43 alloy at 210°C. Three power levels (100, 300, 400 W) with time intervals of 15, 30, and 60 s between sonication were used to measure the change in hardness. Aging response was 24 times faster, decreasing the time to achieve peak hardness from 48 hrs during conventional aging to 2 hrs under the influence of ultrasonic waves. While higher power increased the peak hardness, shortening the interval time from 30 to 15 s did not have any influence. Transmission electron micrographs revealed well-developed β1 variants in as little as 15 minutes for ultrasonically aged samples, which was the reason for enhanced age hardening response.
A Description of the Skin Glands and Cloacal Morphology of the Plethodontid Salamander Karsenia koreana

The skin glands and cloacal morphology of the Korean crevice salamander, Karsenia koreana, were similar to those of other plethodontids. The skin contained mucous, granular, and modified granular glands in varying frequencies and sizes. Males had sexually dimorphic glands in the skin of the chin (mental glands) and the dorsal tail base (caudal courtship glands). On the ventral surface of the tail base, modified granular glands were sexually dimorphic in size, with male glands larger than those in females. The cloacal glands in males, as in other plethodontids, consisted of four eosinophilic gland clusters (dorsal pelvic glands, lateral pelvic glands, caudal pelvic glands, and vent glands) and three basophilic glands (anterior ventral glands, posterior ventral glands, and Kingsbury's glands). In females, the only cloacal gland was the spermatheca, which, as in other plethodontids, was a compound tubulo-alveolar gland in the roof of the cloaca.
Autologous Fascial Sling for Female Stress Urinary Incontinence

The autologous fascia pubovaginal sling remains an excellent choice for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI), nearly four decades after it was first popularized. We contend that the autologous sling should be offered to all women considering surgical treatment for SUI as one of several available options. As one might expect, proper technique and training is required for an optimal outcome. This chapter focuses on indications, proper surgical technique, postoperative care, outcomes and adverse events of this procedure.
Ritualizing the Routine: Collective Identity Affirmation

Groups use rituals to create and preserve collective identities. Separation of sacred practices from customary activities has long been considered a key property of ritual. However, customary activities form the basis of some ritual celebrations. We explain how a different process of identity creation results: identity affirmation. We find that groups affirm their customary practices on ritual occasions when they intend to celebrate practices already associated with the sacred, and we explain the structure of such rituals using a case study of a university centennial celebration. We argue that attention to variation in ritual casts light on the values and collective identity of groups.
Winds in Transitional Millisecond Pulsars

Transitional millisecond pulsars are a newly recognized population of neutron stars in compact binaries that undergo metamorphoses between a disk-free rotation-powered pulsar dominated state and an accretion-disk-dominated X-ray binary state. In the non-accreting state, the action of the pulsar wind can result in heating of the close stellar companion and the occurrence of an X-ray (and possibly γ-ray) luminous shock. In the accreting state, there is growing evidence that the MSP wind is not completely extinguished by the accretion flow and may be partly responsible for the peculiar behavior observed across the electromagnetic spectrum. Herein, I present an overview of our current understanding of transitional MSP systems, with an emphasis on the role of the rotation-powered pulsar wind on the phenomenology of the radio pulsar and accreting states.