cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The salience network dynamics in perceptual decision-making

Recent neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that the network consisting of the right anterior insula (rAI), left anterior insula (lAI) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is activated in sensory stimulus-guided goal-directed behaviors. This network is often known as the salience network (SN). When and how a sensory signal enters and organizes within SN before reaching the central executive network including the prefrontal cortices is still a mystery. Previous electrophysiological studies focused on individual nodes of SN, either on dACC or rAI, have reports of conflicting findings of the earliest cortical activity within the network. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies are not able to answer these questions in the time-scales of human sensory perception and decision-making. Here, using clear and noisy face-house image categorization tasks and human scalp electroencephalography (EEG) recordings combined with source reconstruction techniques, we study when and how oscillatory activity organizes SN during a perceptual decision. We uncovered that the beta-band (13-30Hz) oscillations bound SN, became most active around 100ms after the stimulus onset and the rAI acted as a main outflow hub within SN for easier decision making task. The SN activities (Granger causality measures) were negatively correlated with the decision response time (decision difficulty). These findings suggest that the SN activity precedes the executive control in mediating sensory and cognitive processing to arrive at visual perceptual decisions.
Response of some chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes to Orobanche foetida Poir. parasitism

In Tunisia, broomrape (Orobanche foetida Poir.) causes major drawbacks especially in faba bean (Vicia faba L.) Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) suffers little damage compared to faba bean, but with the winter sowing chickpea cultivars, broomrape might become a serious problem for chickpea cultivation. The development of resistant cultivars remains the most efficient way to solve this problem. The behavior of six chickpea genotypes to O. foetida was studied under field natural infestation and artificial inoculation in pots and petri dishes in greenhouse conditions. During the cropping seasons 2010-2011 and 2012-2013 the level of infection was very low. The number of emerged parasites per host plant varied from 0.18 to 0.43 and the incidence from 6.5% to 23%. Among the six tested genotypes, G1, G2, and G4 showed partial resistance to O. foetida with low number and dry weight of emerged parasite and high grain yield compared to the other genotypes, although no significant differences were recorded. In pot experiments, the number and total dry weight of broomrape per plant were lower for G1 and G2 genotypes than the other genotypes. Parasitism does not affect significantly the shoot dry weight and number of pods of these genotypes. The total chlorophyll content was significantly reduced under infestation in all genotypes. In Petri dishes experiments, results showed that percent germination of O. foetida seeds varied from 49% to 65% and does not play a role in the resistance of chickpea genotypes. In contrast, broomrape attachment was lower and slower for the genotypes G1, G2, and G4 than the other genotypes. Resistance in chickpea genotypes was characterized by few parasite attachments on roots and a limited growth of established tubercles. No necrosis of attached tubercles was observed in the different experiments.
324 DEMOGRAPHICS AND OBSTETRIC CORRELATES OF STILLBIRTHS IN A LARGE URBAN POPULATION.

Objective To determine the demographics and obstetric correlates of stillbirths. Material and Methods This was a retrospective review of 78,092 deliveries, including 468 (0.60%) stillbirths, of Hispanic and African American ethnicity in Los Angeles from 1981 to 2001. Statistical analysis was done as indicated; variables significant on univariate analysis were entered into a logistic regression analysis model; p values less than .01 were considered significant. Results Stillbirth was associated with a higher mean maternal age (27.13 vs 25.38 years, p = .000), lower delivery gestational age (35.06 vs 39.04 weeks, p = .000), and lower birth weight (2,322.66 vs 3,321.16 g, p = .000). Logistic regression showed that stillbirth was independently associated with (all p less than .001) African American ethnicity (OR = 1.55, [95% CI 1.24-1.95]), twin pregnancy (OR = 2.50 [95% CI 1.66-3.75]), birth defects (OR = 3.06 [95% CI 1.76-5.31]), placental abruption (OR = 3.08 [95% CI 1.98-4.81]), very preterm delivery (less than 33 weeks) (OR = 2.20 [95% CI 1.67-2.91]), preterm delivery (less than 36 weeks) (OR = 1.65 [95% CI 1.22-2.23]), and low birth weight (OR = 5.39 [95% CI 4.03-7.20]). Advanced maternal age showed borderline significance (OR = 1.41 [p Conclusions Stillbirths are associated with a distinct pattern of adverse obstetric outcomes. African Americans were more likely to have stillbirths when compared with Hispanics.
Remembering the self in cultural contexts: A cultural dynamic theory of autobiographical memory:

People from different cultures often tell diverse stories about their past experiences. Research in the past two decades has revealed systematic differences in the content (self-focus vs other-focu...
Otherness and an Ethics of Responsibility

This chapter proposes that relationships are not limited by our knowledge about each other. As I have argued in the previous chapter, our knowledge of others is fallible and finite. This, however, does not diminish our ability to relate and assume responsibility for them. To the contrary, accepting the finitude of knowledge and communicability allows for a deeper appreciation of responsibility towards others in our ethical thinking — a responsibility that is, in a sense, groundless and infinite. With this assertion, I aim to establish an approach to ethics that is not concerned with instituting or justifying a set of normative rules which would guide our decision-making processes. Instead, this chapter argues that a non-sovereign notion of the self necessitates a reformulation of our understanding of ethical responsibility. While concepts of the sovereign subject entail the understanding that the subject is accountable for its actions and their consequences, non-sovereignty undermines the possibility for such a ‘causal’ model of ethics. Ethical responsibility is then redefined as following from the relational character of the self and is not bound to any specific acts or decisions of the subject. Understanding ethics in terms of responsibility for others, then, is based on a notion of the subject as constituted by its relationship to the other.
More Battles among Licensed Occupations: Estimating the Effects of Scope of Practice and Direct Access on the Chiropractic, Physical Therapist, and Physician Labor Market

Primary-care physicians, chiropractors, and physical therapists (PTs) may all potentially treat patients experiencing back and neck pain — a $300 billion market. In this paper, we examine how state-level changes in chiropractic scope of practice and PT direct access to patients influence the wages, hours worked, and employment of each practitioner. Our results suggest that expansions in chiropractic scope of practice are associated with an increase in average chiropractor wages and a slight reduction in the average hours chiropractors work per week. We find little evidence that PT direct access has affected the labor market for any of the three studied practitioners.
Predicting Glioblastoma Recurrence by Early Changes in the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Value and Signal Intensity on FLAIR Images.

OBJECTIVE. Recurrence of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) arises from areas of microscopic tumor infiltration that have yet to disrupt the blood-brain barrier. We hypothesize that these microscopic foci of invasion cause subtle variations in the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and FLAIR signal detectable with the use of computational big-data modeling. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Twenty-six patients with native GBM were studied immediately after undergoing gross total tumor resection. Within the peritumoral region, areas of future GBM recurrence were identified through coregistration of follow-up MRI examinations. The likelihood of tumor recurrence at each individual voxel was assessed as a function of signal intensity on ADC maps and FLAIR images. Both single and combined multivariable logistic regression models were created. RESULTS. A total of 419,473 voxels of data (105,477 voxels of data within tumor recurrence and 313,996 voxels of data on surrounding peritumoral edema) were analyzed. For future areas ...
The Effect of Adenosine on TLR Signaling Pathways in Human Monocytic THP-1 Cells.

Adenosine is an important metabolite that serves as a potent regulator of inflammation and mediates various biological functions in different cell types. Adenosine inhibits the proinflammatory actions of inflammatory and immune cells via interaction with its receptors, particularly A2A receptors. Adenosine receptors belong to the seven-transmembrane G-protein coupled receptors and via the different G proteins transfer signals through different effectors including adenyl cyclase, PKA, PKC, PI3K, and MAP kinases. The mechanisms by which the adenosine regulates immune responses and how adenosine receptor pathways interact with other signaling pathways are currently unknown. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) of the innate immune cells recognize conserved microbial structures, such as bacterial lipopolysaccharide and viral double-stranded RNA, and activate signaling pathways that result in innate immune responses against microbial infections. Fcγ receptors of the innate cells play a critical role in the clearance of pathogens, regulation of inflammation and co-ordination of the immune response. We seek to understand the interaction between adenosine (via adenosine receptors) and TLR- and Fcγ R- mediated signaling pathways. We have initiated study on the effect of adenosine and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on expression of TLR2, TLR4, FcγRI and Fcγ RII receptors in the human monocytic cell line THP-1. We incubated cells with 100μM adenosine for three hours at 37°C and assayed the expression of receptors using flow cytometry. Our results suggest that adenosine increases the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in both undifferentiated cells and the cells induced to become macrophages by phorbol ester. Incubation with adenosine for 24 hours further increases the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in both undifferentiated and differentiated THP-1 cells. Similarly, incubation with LPS for three hours increases the expression TLR2 and TLR4 in both undifferentiated and differentiated THP-1 cells. In contrast, the expression level of FcγRI and FcγRII receptors do not change in the presence of either adenosine or LPS. These observations suggest that adenosine specifically enhances expression of TLRs but not Fcγ receptors. To further understand the interaction between adenosine and TLR pathways, we are continuously investigating the effect of adenosine on expression and the protein modification (e.g. phosphorylation) of TLR2, TLR4, and the molecules in the TLR signaling cascades including MyD88, IRAK and MAP kinases using real-time RT-PCR and western blotting.
Anatomical Parameters of tDCS to Modulate the Motor System after Stroke: A Review

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation method to modulate the local field potential in neural tissue and consequently, cortical excitability. As tDCS is relatively portable, affordable, and accessible, the applications of tDCS to probe brain-behavior connections have rapidly increased in the last ten years. One of the most promising applications is the use of tDCS to modulate excitability in the motor cortex after stroke and promote motor recovery. However, the results of clinical studies implementing tDCS to modulate motor excitability have been highly variable, with some studies demonstrating that as many as 50% or more of patients fail to show a response to stimulation. Much effort has therefore been dedicated to understanding the sources of variability affecting tDCS efficacy. Possible suspects include the placement of the electrodes, task parameters during stimulation, dosing (current amplitude, duration of stimulation, frequency of stimulation), individual states (e.g., anxiety, motivation, attention), and more. In this review, we first briefly review potential sources of variability specific to stroke motor recovery following tDCS. We then examine how the anatomical variability in tDCS placement (e.g., neural target(s) and montages employed) may alter the neuromodulatory effects that tDCS exerts on the post-stroke motor system.
Factors affecting utilization of woody residues for bioenergy production in the southern United States

Abstract Biomass is the renewable resource with the potential to serve as a substitute for fossil fuels. A form of biomass, woody residues, includes woody byproducts such as mill residues, logging residues, and other wood waste. This study estimated the impact of woody residue processing capacity, mill willingness to utilize additional logging residues for electricity production, mill equipment upgrades to facilitate electricity production, and different factors limiting the utilization of logging residues on the utilization of woody residues by mills. Data on the utilization of woody residues were collected via a census mail survey of mills in the southern United States. Data were analyzed using a two-stage least square (2SLS) regression model. Results indicated that average utilization was 91% of available woody residue processing capacity for bioenergy. Woody residue utilization increased with an increase in the processing capacity of woody residues, equipment upgrades, and lower transportation costs. In addition, the study found that there were only a few mills with a large enough processing capacity to utilize woody residues for bioenergy production. Thus, an increased utilization of woody residues will be highly dependent on mills' ability to increase woody residues processing capacity, implement necessary equipment upgrades, and lower transportation and processing costs. Logging residue utilization was relatively limited and had less of an impact on overall woody residue utilization. Findings will assist policy makers and mill managers in making informed decisions about woody residue utilization and identify specific mill factors that might help improve the economic feasibility of using woody biomass for bioenergy purposes.
Abstract 305: Nebivolol Confers Mitochondria-Targeted Cardioprotection in Isoproterenol-Induced Acute Stressor State

Introduction: Isoproterenol-induced acute stressor state simulates injury from burns or trauma, and results in Ca 2+ overloading and oxidative stress in diverse tissues, including cardiac myocytes and their subsarcolemmal mitochondria (SSM), overwhelming endogenous Zn 2+ -based antioxidant defenses. We hypothesized that pretreatment with nebivolol (Nebi), having dual beta-1 antagonistic and novel beta-3 receptor agonistic properties, would prevent Ca 2+ overloading and oxidative stress and upregulate Zn 2+ -based antioxidant defenses, thus enhancing its overall cardioprotective potential in acute stressor state. Methods: Eight-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats received a single subcutaneous dose of isoproterenol (1 mg/kg) and compared to those treated with Nebi (10 mg/kg by gavage) for 10 days prior to isoproterenol. SSM were harvested from cardiac tissue at sacrifice. Total Ca 2+ , Zn 2+ and 8-isoprostane levels in tissue, and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening, free [Ca 2+ ] m and H 2 O 2 production in SSM were monitored. Untreated, age-/sex-matched rats served as controls; each group had six rats and data shown as mean±SEM. Results: Compared to controls, isoproterenol rats revealed: (1) Significantly (*p 2+ (8.2±0.8 vs. 13.7±1.0*, nEq/mg fat-free dry tissue (FFDT)), which was abrogated ( # p # ); (2) Reduced cardiac Zn 2+ (82.8±2.4 vs. 78.5±1.0*, ng/mg FFDT), but restored by Nebi (82.4±0.6 # ); (3) Two-fold rise in cardiac 8-isoprostane (111.4±13.7 vs. 232.1±17.2*, pmoles/mg protein), and negated by Nebi (122.3+14.5 # ); (4) Greater opening propensity for mPTP that diminished by Nebi; (5) Elevated [Ca 2+ ] m (88.8±2.5 vs. 161.5±1.0*, nM), but normalized by Nebi (93.3±2.7 # ); and (6) Increased H 2 O 2 production by SSM (97.4±5.3 vs. 142.8±7.0*, pmoles/mg protein/min), and nullified by Nebi (106.8±9.0 # ). Conclusions : Cardioprotection conferred by Nebi, a unique beta-blocker, prevented Ca 2+ overloading and oxidative stress in cardiac tissue and SSM, while simultaneously augmenting antioxidant capacity and promoting mPTP stability. Therapeutic potential of Nebi in patients with acute stressor states remains a provocative possibility that deserves to be explored.
A ku band high-power, low-insertion-loss single pole, triple throw switch

In this paper, a novel implementation of 6-port ring combiner is presented that enables high-power, low-insertion-loss single pull triple throw (SP3T) switch functionality. A selectable pair of high power GaN power amplifiers are used to drive the appropriated ring combiner input ports to select the desired output port. This ring SP3T includes power amplifier combining and three selectable output ports eliminating a traditional electromechanical, high-power switch matrix, thereby increasing transmitter efficiency and reducing the overall size of system implementation. Two ring implementations are presented that show good correlation between simulation and measured performance. Measured power handling is shown greater than 100W with adjacent output isolation of greater than 30dBc. No degradation of linearity was observed with a 10MHz, 64 QAM LTE signal with 36dBc ACLR through the ring combiner.
Ghanaian immigrants’ differential trust in and obligation to obey the US police and Ghana police: findings from a qualitative study

AbstractQualitative research enhances scholars’ and practitioners’ understanding of our social world. Most published studies on trust in the institution of policing and obligation to obey the polic...
Modifying children's orienting reactions instrumentally

Normal Ss' GSRs to visual stimuli habituated more slowly than retarded Ss' GSRs and were larger. During conditioning, normal Ss' GSRs increased in magnitude under nonresponse-contingent reinforcement but not under response-contingent reinforcement. Retarded children's GSRs increased in magnitude slightly under response-contingent reinforcement but not under nonresponse-contingent reinforcement. More Ss who received response-contingent reinforcement improved in their performance on the Seguin form board than got poorer; Ss who received reinforcement contingent on nonresponding did not show this differential tendency. The retarded Ss showed this effect substantially more than normals. Children who were merely tested twice but received no conditioning showed no differential tendency toward improved form board performance.
A New Brand of Representational Standing

To have standing in a federal suit, a litigant must meet both constitutional and prudential requirements. Under the constitutional test, which arises from Article III's Case or Controversy Clause,' the plaintiff must establish a concrete injury in fact, causation between the alleged injury and the alleged conduct of the defendant, and redressability.2 To these constitutional requirements the Court has added prudential requirements: the plaintiff must assert her own particularized rights, and the plaintiff's complaint must fall "within the zone of interests to be protected or regulated by the statute or constitutional guarantee in question.,,3 The Court has established two narrow exceptions to this prudential doctrine. First, under associational standing, an association may bring suit on its members' behalf when the members would have standing in their own right, even if the association is not itself injured.4 Second, third-party standing allows a litigant to bring suit on behalf of a third party if the litigant and third party share a "close relationship," the litigant is also injured, and the third party is hindered from bringing the suit on her own behalf.5 Recently, a divided Third Circuit held that these two narrow exceptions may be combined to create a third exception to prudential standing doctrine called derivative standing.6 Derivative standing arises when an association pursues a claim that some or all of its members would have third-party standing to bring.
Wireless EAS Sensor Tags for Volatile Profiling in Food Packages

Real-time volatile profiling of packaged food is necessary to estimate shelf life, quality, and freshness of the food products along the supply chain. In this paper, volatile profiling is demonstrated using thin-film coated electronic article surveillance (EAS) compatible sensor tags fabricated on a porous substrate. The thin-film coated tag along with a reference tag without any coatings are placed inside an enclosed chamber and different volumes of volatiles vapors are introduced. The frequency shift between the sensor and the reference tags are monitored for identifying different concertation of volatiles. The tags are fabricated on a porous flexible substrate that enables surface adsorption due to capillary condensation. The wireless and flexible nature of the tags allows easy integration with existing packaging technology for real-time monitoring of food along the supply chain.
Mental Health Disparities Among College Students of Color.

Abstract Purpose Understanding the mental health needs of students of color is a growing priority on college and university campuses nationwide. This study aims to capture the state of mental health among students of color, including the prevalence of mental health problems and treatment utilization. Methods The sample is comprised of 43,375 undergraduate and graduate students at 60 institutions that participated in the survey-based Healthy Minds Study from 2012 to 2015. These data include over 13,000 students of color; we look separately at African-American, Latinx, Asian/Asian American, and Arab/Arab American students. Data are analyzed at the individual level using bivariate and multivariate modeling to elucidate variations across race/ethnicity. We examine symptom prevalence (measured by validated screens such as the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for depression), help-seeking behaviors, and related factors (including knowledge and stigma). Results Across race/ethnicity, we find modest variation in symptom prevalence and larger variation in service utilization. Overall, treatment use is lower among students of color relative to white students, even when controlling for other variables in regression models. Asian/Asian American students have the lowest prevalence of treatment, at only 20% among those with apparent mental health conditions. Attitudes related to mental health treatment also vary significantly and help to explain the primary findings. Conclusions College students of color represent a disparities population based on greater levels of unmet mental health needs relative to white students. This paper takes an important step toward understanding these needs and points to implications for future research and practice.
Individual variation in plasticity dulls transgenerational responses to stress

Much research has shown that environmental stress can induce adaptive and maladaptive phenotypic changes in organisms that persist for multiple generations. Such transgenerational phenotypic plasticity shrouds our understanding of the long‐term consequences of ongoing anthropogenic pressures. Here, we evaluated within‐ and transgenerational phenotypic responses to food stress in the freshwater crustacean, Daphnia. We reared 45 clones of Daphnia pulicaria each on high‐quality Scenedesmus and low‐quality (but also non‐toxic) cyanobacteria (generation 1). Offspring produced by generation 1 adults were then reared on Scenedesmus (generation 2), and life‐history traits were measured across both generations. The results show that Daphnia in generation 1 exhibited reduced fitness (i.e., delayed maturation, lower reproductive output, increased clutch interval) when reared in the presence of cyanobacteria as opposed to high‐quality food. However, maternal stress had no clear influence on the fitness of offspring. That is, Daphnia in the second experimental generation had similar mean trait values, irrespective of whether their mothers were reared on cyanobacteria or high‐quality food. Signals of transgenerational life‐history effects were obscured, in part, by extensive clonal variation among Daphnia in the direction of transgenerational responses to cyanobacteria (i.e., adaptive and maladaptive plasticity). Further analyses demonstrated that such individual variance in plasticity might be open to selection and potentially offer a means of contemporary adaptation to cyanobacteria. Taken together, our results denote a link between the overall strength of transgenerational responses to the environment and the potential for rapid evolution in populations. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
The Constraints of Fear and Neutrality in Title IX Administrators’ Responses to Sexual Violence

Under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972—a federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in education—universities are responsible for both addressing and preventing sexual v...
Educational utility of an online video-based teaching tool for sinus and skull base surgery.

Objective Surgical education has undergone major changes in recent years, as hands-on learning opportunities have been replaced or supplemented with online tools. The goal of this project is to examine the educational impact of a surgical training website, SinusVideos.com, on otolaryngologists at various levels of training. Methods Visitors to the website were asked to complete a survey after viewing a narrated video of a surgical procedure. Surveys were analyzed for demographics, needs assessment, and educational impact. Results A total of 105 completed surveys were completed by 68 (64.8%) attendings/practicing physicians, 32 residents/fellows (30.5%), and 5 medical students (4.8%). Whereas 14.3% of viewers reported online videos as their primary source for surgical preparation, 70.5% considered them important secondary supplements. After viewing a video, 92.4% of respondents reported a gained confidence in performing the surgery, and 62.9% said the video altered how they would perform the surgery in the future. Viewers' ratings of their knowledge (on a 1-7 Likert scale) of a particular surgical procedure before vs after watching the observed procedure increased significantly for participants at all levels of training-medical students (2.8 before vs 5.4 after, P < .01), residents/fellows (4.8 before vs 5.8 after, P < .0001), and attendings/practicing physicians (5.6 before vs 6.4 after, P < .0001). Conclusion High quality online surgical videos appear to be an effective learning tool for surgical trainees and practicing physicians alike. The educational benefit of such tools, as well as their widespread accessibility, makes them a powerful instrument for the training of surgeons worldwide. Level of Evidence Level 5.
New Chalcogenide-Based Hole Transport Materials for Colloidal Quantum Dot Photovoltaics

Colloidal Quantum Dot (CQD) thin films are advantageous for solar energy generation because of their low-cost and size-tunable, solution-processable nature. However, their efficiency in solar cells is limited in part by the performance of the hole transport layer (HTL). Through Solar Cell Capacitance Simulations and Transfer Matrix Method calculations, we show that significant photogeneration occurs in the standard HTL of ethanedithiol-passivated lead sulfide CQDs which is a problem due to the sub-optimal carrier mobility in this material. We report new HTLs composed of chalcogenide-based materials to address these issues, and demonstrate an absolute power conversion efficiency improvement of 1.35% in the best device.
Thermal conductivity of epoxy composites with controlled high loading of ceramic particles

Thermal conductivity and viscosity of epoxy composites were measured in order to study the effects of particle size distribution, by filled with the combination of two different particle sizes of Al 2 O 3 ceramic powders. Via the design of different size and weight ratio of fillers, the results showed that the fillers loading have been reached 50∼75 wt %, the relative thermal conductivity are in a range of 0.314 to 0.960 W/mK from the original epoxy matrix of 0.20 W/mK and the SEM morphologies showed obviously filler networks with micron and sub-micron size of hybrid fillers. It can be concluded that addition of partial sub-micron size with micron size particles in epoxy composite leads a higher particle packing and exhibits a better thermal performance than the composite filled with only a single size distribution of filler. In processability, the epoxy composites can also adjust the flowability through the design of different particle size distribution for electronic packaging applications.
Differential responses of sensory neurones innervating glycolytic and oxidative muscle to protons and capsaicin

Activation of thin fibre muscle afferent nerves by metabolic by-products plays a critical role in the initiation and maintenance of the autonomic response to exercise and the metabolic profile of active muscle can influence the response. The purpose of this report was to determine the responsiveness of sensory neurones innervating muscles comprising predominantly glycolytic and oxidative fibres to protons and capsaicin using whole-cell patch clamp methods. Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurones from 4- to 6-week-old rats were labelled by injecting the fluorescence tracer DiI into the muscle 3–5 days prior to the recording experiments. The percentage of the DRG neurones innervating glycolytic and oxidative muscle was similar in response to both protons and capsaicin. However, the neurones innervating glycolytic muscle had greater inward current amplitude responses to protons and capsaicin as compared with oxidative muscle. The peak current amplitudes to pH 6.0 were 0.84 ± 0.06 nA (oxidative muscle) versus 1.36 ± 0.07 nA (glycolytic muscle, P < 0.05). The capsaicin-induced current amplitudes were 2.3 ± 0.15 nA (oxidative muscle) versus 3.1 ± 0.21 nA (glycolytic muscle, P < 0.05). Of neurones that responded to pH 6.0 with a sustained current, 88% also responded to capsaicin. Capsaicin exposure enhanced the proton responsiveness in the neurones innervating the muscle; and protons also increased the capsaicin response. These data suggest that (1) receptors mediating protons and capsaicin responses coexist in the DRG neurones innervating muscle; (2) the responsiveness of acidosis and capsaicin can be sensitized by each other; and (3) DRG neurones with nerve endings in a glycolytic muscle developed greater inward current responses to protons and capsaicin than did those with nerve endings in an oxidative muscle.
Estimating Model Parameters of Adaptive Software Systems in Real-Time

Adaptive software systems have the ability to adapt to changes in workload and execution environment. In order to perform resource management through model based control in such systems, an accurate mechanism for estimating the software system’s model parameters is required. This paper deals with real-time estimation of a performance model for adaptive software systems that process multiple classes of transactional workload. First, insights in to the static performance model estimation problem are provided. Then an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) design is combined with an open queueing network model to dynamically estimate the model parameters in real-time. Specific problems that are encountered in the case of multiple classes of workload are analyzed. These problems arise mainly due to the under-deterministic nature of the estimation problem. This motivates us to propose a modified design of the filter. Insights for choosing tuning parameters of the modified design, i.e., number of constraints and sampling intervals are provided. The modified filter design is shown to effectively tackle problems with multiple classes of workload through experiments.
Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States

From foreword: "This report represents the most current methodology available for wetland classification and culminates a long-term effort involving many wetland scientists."
Secretion of streptavidin from Bacillus subtilis.

Streptavidin is an extracellular tetrameric protein produced by Streptomyces avidinii. A series of hybrid gene fusions consisting of Bacillus signal peptide coding regions fused to the mature streptavidin sequence were constructed. B. subtilis strains harboring these plasmids accumulate a tetrameric streptavidin in the growth medium. The properties of the streptavidin produced by B. subtilis are similar to those of the streptavidin produced by S. avidinii. B. subtilis strains carrying the various fusions can be grown to a high cell density in a biotin-free medium. Thus, B. subtilis represents an alternate host system for the production of streptavidin. Images
A Review of Uncertainty Quantification of Estimation of Frequency Response Functions

This paper will investigate methods for calculating the statistical reduction of variance in FRF measurements. Traditional analyses will be presented and the links to the analysis presented herein will be established. As the method for determining the variance, or confidence bounds, has changed since its first introduction nearly 40 years ago, both the original and more modern analysis will be discussed with descriptions of the pros and cons of each. After weighing these pros and cons and evaluating the assumptions made, the appropriate analysis is chosen for the testing at hand. The subsequent application in a data acquisition and analysis software package is detailed, including modifying the equations for use in the MATLAB language and some of the current drawbacks of the analysis. Conclusions from this work and areas for future work will be discussed to aid future iterations of this analysis.
Rhythms of the auroral dance

Earlier this year, the four satellites of the Cluster mission passed through part of the electric circuit that causes aurorae. Their observations support the view that intense aurorae form in regions largely devoid of electrons.
The inexact and separate science of economics: Karl Popper and falsificationism in economics

In chapter 9 we criticized contemporary alternatives to traditional views of theory appraisal in economics. But we need to look deeper to the philosophical underpinnings of this reaction. The philosopher who has had the greatest influence is Karl Popper (Maki 1990b). He is often invoked by Mark Blaug, Terence Hutchison, and lesser writers on economic methodology. His philosophy even influenced a major introductory textbook, Richard Lipsey's An Introduction to Positive Economics (1966). If Popper is right about what scientific methodology requires, then the traditional Millian view of justification in economics developed above in chapter 8 is indefensible. This chapter presents and answers the Popperian challenge to Mill's views by criticizing Popper's philosophy of science. These criticisms of Popper's views are widely accepted among philosophers. Although I share Popper's concern that scientific theories be testable, Popper's philosophy prevents one from coming to terms with the problems of testing in economics. A reasoned concern with testability leads one, I shall argue, to reject Popper's philosophy of science and to reconsider the Robbins-Mill view of theory appraisal in economics. The problems of demarcation Throughout his work Popper has been concerned with what he calls “the problem of demarcation,” the problem of distinguishing science from non-science (A.12). He is careful to stress that this is not the problem of distinguishing what is true from what is not, for science may lead us astray, and non-sciences or even pseudo-sciences may happen on the truth.
4,5‐Diazafluoren‐9‐one

[50890-67-0] C11H6N2O (MW 182.18) 1S/C11H6N2O/c14-11-7-3-1-5-12-9(7)10-8(11)4-2-6-13-10/h1-6H InChIKey = PFMTUGNLBQSHQC-UHFFFAOYSA-N (reagent used as a ligand in palladium catalysis) Alternate Names: diazafluorenone; DAF; daf; dafo; dafone. Physical Data: mp = 214–217 °C. Stability: soluble in dichloromethane, THF, chloroform, benzene, toluene, and other moderately polar organic solvents; insoluble in diethyl ether and alkanes. Form Supplied in: yellow crystalline powder; widely available. Purification: recrystallization from acetone. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: the dry reagent is an air-stable and nonhygroscopic solid. Data regarding health concerns are unavailable. Preparative Method: prepared by the oxidation of 1,10-phenanthroline with KMnO4 and KOH to produce the title compound and purified by recrystallization from acetone (eq 1).1, 2 (1)
Referring survivors of endometrial cancer and complex atypical hyperplasia to bariatric specialists: a prospective cohort study.

Objective The purpose of this study was to describe the acceptability of bariatric referrals when offered by gynecologic oncologists to women with a history of complex atypical hyperplasia or early-stage endometrial cancer and to detail compliance with referrals and weight loss attempts that are initiated 3 months after the referral. Study Design Obese women with complex atypical hyperplasia or early-stage endometrial cancer were approached for inclusion in this prospective cohort study. Those women who were not in the care of a bariatric specialist were offered a medical referral with or without a surgical referral. A survey was administered at inclusion and after 3 months. Results Of 121 women who were approached, 106 women were consented. Women reported that it was acceptable for their gynecologic oncologist to discuss weight loss (91.09%) and that a 10% loss of body weight would be beneficial (86.14%). Six women were already in the care of a bariatric specialist. Of the remaining 100 women, 43 accepted a referral: 35 of 100 medical and 8 of 66 surgical referrals that were offered. At 3 months, 17 women complied with a referral (16 medical and 1 surgical), and 59 women had initiated any weight loss attempt. On multivariate analysis, a higher initial weight ( P = .0403), Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥5 ( P = .0278), and shorter time from surgery to bariatric referral ( P = .0338) predicted acceptance of a referral. Conclusion Weight-loss counseling is well received by these women. After being offered bariatric referral, only 17% comply, but most women (59%) subsequently initiate a weight loss attempt. Referrals should be offered early in the course of cancer care to maximize acceptance.
We Are All Royalty: Narrative Comparison of a Drag Queen and King

Drag performances have been studied time and time again as important visible leisure spaces of gender transgression. Few studies, however, have sought to understand the ways in which drag performer...
Free‐air temperatures from observations on mountain peaks with application to Mt. Washington

The purpose of this paper is to treat, in the light of new principles (air-mass concept), the problem of temperature-differences between mountain tops and the free air at the same level and to indicate an approximate method for obtaining free-air temperatures from the Mt. Washington observations. With the development of the air-mass concept of the lower atmosphere, the problem of the temperature-difference between the temperature on mountain tops and that of the free-air at the same level over a point away from the mountain allows a more effective treatment, holding out a promise for free-air temperatures to be derived from mountain observations. In the past the relationship of this temperature-difference with meteorological elements was extensively studied, with the result that a large amount of literature on the subject has been published. In Europe, Schmauss [1], von Ficker [2], and de Quervain [3], to mention a few, and, in this country, Fergusson [4.5] and Clayton [6], have investigated this problem using observations from various mountain regions. More recently, W. Peppier [71, Kleinschmidt [8], Noth [9], Fergusson [10], and others have attempted to explain the establishment of the temperature-difference on the basis of wind-velocity on the mountain, sky-cover, lapse-rate in the free air, and radiation-effects. Though the observational material treated by some of the authors was very extensive, the results of their investigation often showed inconsistencies, rendering the relationship doubtful. The primary reason for this was that two essentially different types of cases—one when the same air-mass prevailed at both stations, the other when a front lay in between—were treated together. In the latter case, the temperature-difference represented the effect of the frontal discontinuity in addition to the mountain influence, a factor which often greatly outweighed the effect of the latter. By treating the two cases separately this source of error can be avoided.
Coastal resilience: an ecosystem-based coastal and marine spatial planning framework

Coastal Resilience is an ecosystem-based coastal and marine spatial planning framework that utilizes sea level rise, storm surge, ecological, and socioeconomic spatial information to identify and implement ecosystem-based adaptation strategies http://coastalresilience.org). Starting in Long Island in NY, the Coastal Resilience team has worked with local communities to map sea level rise and other coastal hazards alongside natural resources and human communities at risk. Communities are able to visualize this information via a web-based spatial decision support tool and identify potential impacts and adaptation options that can be implemented within their existing planning and regulatory frameworks. The Coastal Resilience project has expanded to multiple sites around the United States, including in the Gulf of Mexico, where it is now being used in the Gulf Restoration Decision Support tool (http://GulfRestorationDS.org) to help identify coastal habitat restoration sites (i.e. oyster reefs, salt marshes) that best benefit human communities. To date, three related but distinct web applications have been developed with similar goals, interface and architecture that all share a common code base. The individual sites are hosted on the Amazon cloud and utilize Esri's ArcGIS server technology. The client interface relies on the ArcGIS Javascript API, and has been developed in a modular, data driven approach. For example, in those Coastal Resilience applications that contain future sea-level rise and/or storm surge data, tools for analyzing and visualizing this data are automatically added to the web application via the application code base, relying on the data and services by utilizing a specific data model. When additions or modifications are made to the data the changes are posted to the site without modifying the code base. This is true for a number of other tools including a restoration analysis dashboard. The technical talk will focus on the architecture, data model and the project background.
Synthesis and film formation of polycarbonate‐co‐ poly(p‐ethylphenol)

The enzyme-catalyzed synthesis of poly(p-ethylphenol) (PEP) has received considerable interest in recent years. Nevertheless, the limited molecular weights restricts its application. In our preliminary research, PEP was modified by copolymerization with polycarbonates through both transesterification at high temperature, and triphosgene at low temperature to form polycarbonate-co-poly(p-ethylphenol) (PC-co-PEP). FTIR, NMR, GPC, and thermal analysis verified the formation of PC-co-PEP. The copolymers have an optical absorption in the UV range. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 169–178, 1999
Mycorrhizal abundance affects the expression of plant resistance traits and herbivore performance

Summary The effects of mutualistic interactions on partner phenotype and fitness can vary with many factors, including the abundance of interacting partners. Partner abundance may determine the relative costs and benefits associated with the interaction. Although arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can strongly influence plant phenotype and community interactions, the effects of AMF abundance on plant resistance traits and multitrophic interactions are not well understood. We tested the hypothesis that increasing AMF abundance in soil will increase mycorrhizal colonization and affect plant biomass, foliar phosphorus concentration, the expression of plant resistance and herbivore performance. We inoculated Asclepias syriaca seedlings with Glomus etunicatum, Scutellospora fulgida and a mix of the two species in 11 AMF abundance treatments. We quantified plant phosphorus (P), growth and resistance phenotype and the performance of a specialist herbivore, Danaus plexippus on plants associated with varying amounts of fungi. Increasing abundance of S. fulgida or G. etunicatum in soil increased the proportion of plant root colonized by AMF, but root colonization by a mix of the fungi was not related to inoculum density. The abundance of S. fulgida, but not G. etunicatum, increased per cent foliar P and trichome density, but decreased latex exudation. Abundance of all AMF treatments tended to decrease specific leaf mass (SLM), and the two single-species treatments unimodally affected the expression of total foliar cardenolides. Increasing abundance of the mix of AMF species also increased above-ground biomass, foliar P and trichome density, but had little effect on other traits. The presence of AMF, species identity and the AMF abundance all explained significant variation in the expression of plant traits, although their relative contribution varied depending on the trait examined. Mycorrhizal abundance strongly increased caterpillar growth rate, which was associated with a decline in SLM. Synthesis. Variation in mycorrhizal abundance can profoundly influence the expression of plant resistance and subsequent herbivore performance. AMF abundance may be a key, but overlooked factor in determining the outcome of mycorrhizal mutualisms.
Tissue alterations in intramuscularly transplanted developing molars.

Abstract When hamster developing maxillary molars were transplanted into a voluntary striated muscle of hosts and allowed to develop for 28 days, morphological alterations were found in transplanted tissues when compared to the corresponding tissues which were developed in the jaw. Some of these alterations were interpreted as evidence of nutritional embarrassment immediately following transplantation. The recovery of transplanted functional odontoblasts could be followed histologically in the sequential production of dentine types which led to the elaboration of orthodentine. Other alterations in intramuscular transplanted tissues showed changes which differ from the same tissues transplanted into subcutaneous connective tissue or into the marrow cavity of the femur. Dentine of the roots was altered histologically both in its organic and inorganic components, apparently because of the mobility of the developmental environment. Tremendous amounts of cellular cementum were formed around the roots which showed unusual curvatures and twisting. Despite these unusual root shapes and bends, periodontal ligament and alveolar bone proper were formed around the roots of all recovered intramuscular molar transplants.