cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DETERMINATION OF THE FOLDING TOPOLOGY OF THE SL1 RNA FROM CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS BY MULTIDIMENSIONAL HETERONUCLEAR NMR

The process of trans-splicing involves the transfer of a short spliced leader (SL) RNA sequence to a consensus acceptor site on a separate pre-mRNA transcript. In this study, the first stem loop of the SL1 RNA from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was examined by homonuclear and heteronuclear NMR. Results of enzymatic cleavage patterns established that the first 36 nucleotides (which includes the splice site and a complementary base-paired region surrounding a nine-nucleotide hairpin loop) remain structurally independent of the rest of the 100-nucleotide full-length transcript. A comparison of exchangeable and non-exchangeable proton chemical shifts in the region of the splice site and loop between the native sequence and a modified 26-nucleotide fragment from which an asymmetric internal loop had been deleted was made. There was no significant difference between the resonance locations of the equivalent protons in the two molecules, establishing that there was no tertiary interaction between the hairpin and internal loops. Full chemical shift assignments of 1H, 13C, and 15N chemical shifts were obtained for the modified fragment by multidimensional homonuclear and heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. The stem adopts an A-form helix typical of RNA. The A-type helical conformation of the stem appears to continue for the first three nucleotides of the 5' side of the loop, followed by a guanosine residue in a syn conformation about the glycosidic bond. Base stacking is not seen on the 3' side of the loop. There was no evidence for formation of Watson-Crick base-pairs within the loop, but several long distance NOEs indicated cross-loop contacts, indicative of a structured loop. The final loop residues, an adenine which is conserved among all known nematode SL RNA sequences, adopts an extrahelical conformation.
Unclad emperors: A case of mistaken identity

I am ready to rest my case. In summary, I will simply provide the two paragraphs of the conclusion of my “Trivial Mathematics” paper that Koblitz did not quote.
From Sowthistles and Brambles to a More Humanistic Response

When Marjorie Nicolson, some thirteen years ago, outlined certain problems facing the teacher of Milton, she was pointing up a trilogy of obstacles that seem today, if anything, even more impenetrable and adamantine than they were when she was writing her helpful little guidebook before the liberating Sixties.1 Now, as then, one confronts the inadequacy of background in fields of particular importance to Milton study (to use Nicolson's divisions): lack of background in the Bible, lack of background in classical mythology, and lack of background in languages. Of course, it is still true, as Nicolson says, that “To know the poetry of John Milton is indeed to have a liberal, a generous, education” (p. xiii), but, sadly, a prior necessity for such a liberal education is a grounding, some kind of primer (or “prerequisite” as we might say now) which in most undergraduates is just not there. It's like the old joke: we'd have some ham and eggs if we had any ham-but we're all out of eggs!
Cholinergic neurons in the rabbit retina: immunocytochemical localization, and relationship to GABAergic and cholinesterase-containing neurons

Cholinergic neurons have been identified in the rabbit retina by an immunocytochemical technique for the localization of choline acetyltransferase. The dendritic processes of these cells form two strata in the inner plexiform layer; these strata show almost no overlap with GABAergic strata (identified with glutamate decarboxylase immunocytochemistry) or with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) containing strata (identified with AChE cytochemistry), but the latter two overlap almost exactly. Implications of these data for the possible mechanisms of directional selectivity are discussed.
Conformity as a function of experimentally induced minority and majority competence

Two levels of minority competence and four levels of majority competence were induced by means of bogus feedback on 10 nonpressure perceptual trials. On the ensuing 15 conformity pressure trials it was found that high competent minority Ss conformed less than low competent Ss, and there was a direct relationship between the conformity behavior of the minority Ss and the number of purportedly high competent subjects in the majority.
Ground state, quasihole, a pair of quasihole wave functions, and instability in bilayer quantum Hall systems

The bilayer quantum Hall system (BLQH) differs from its single layer counterparts (SLQH) by its symmetry breaking ground state and associated neutral gapless mode in the pseudospin sector. Due to the gapless mode, qualitatively good ground-state and low energy excited-state wave functions at any finite distance are still unknown. We investigate this important open problem by the composite boson (CB) theory developed by one of the authors to study BLQH systematically. We derive the ground state, quasihole, and a pair of quasihole wave functions from the CB theory and its dual action. We find that the ground-state wave function is the product of two parts, one in the charge sector which is the well known Halperin (111) wave function and the other in the spin sector which is nontrivial at any finite $d$ due to the gapless mode. So the total ground-state wave function differs from the well known (111) wave function at any finite $d$. In addition to commonly known multiplicative factors, the quasihole and a pair of quasihole wave functions also contain nontrivial normalization factors multiplying the correct ground state wave function. We expect that the quasihole and pair wave function not only has logarithmically divergent energy and well localized charge distribution, but also correct interlayer correlations. All the distance dependencies in all the wave functions are encoded in the spin part of the ground-state wave function. The instability encoded in the spin part of the ground-state wave function leads to the pseudo-spin-density wave proposed by one of the authors previously. Some subtleties related to the Lowest Landau Level (LLL) projection and shortcomings of the CB theory are also noted.
A Distal Regulatory Region Is Required for Constitutive and IFN-β-Induced Expression of Murine TLR9 Gene

TLR9 is critical for the recognition of unmethylated CpG DNA in innate immunity. Accumulating evidence suggests distinct patterns of TLR9 expression in various types of cells. However, the molecular mechanism of TLR9 expression has received little attention. In the present study, we demonstrate that transcription of murine TLR9 is induced by IFN-beta in peritoneal macrophages and a murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7. TLR9 is regulated through two cis-acting regions, a distal regulatory region (DRR) and a proximal promoter region (PPR), which are separated by approximately 2.3 kbp of DNA. Two IFN-stimulated response element/IFN regulatory factor-element (ISRE/IRF-E) sites, ISRE/IRF-E1 and ISRE/IRF-E2, at the DRR and one AP-1 site at the PPR are required for constitutive expression of TLR9, while only the ISRE/IRF-E1 motif is essential for IFN-beta induction. In vivo genomic footprint assays revealed constitutive factor occupancy at the DRR and the PPR and an IFN-beta-induced occupancy only at the DRR. IRF-2 constitutively binds to the two ISRE/IRF-E sites at the DRR, while IRF-1 and STAT1 are induced to bind to the two ISRE/IRF-E sites and the ISRE/IRF-E1, respectively, only after IFN-beta treatment. AP-1 subunits, c-Jun and c-Fos, were responsible for the constitutive occupancy at the proximal region. Induction of TLR9 by IFN-beta was absent in STAT1-/- macrophages, while the level of TLR9 induction was decreased in IRF-1-/- cells. This study illustrates the crucial roles for AP-1, IRF-1, IRF-2, and STAT1 in the regulation of murine TLR9 expression.
Drug release from film-coated chlorpheniramine maleate nonpareil beads: water influx and development of a new drug release model.

The purpose of this work was to investigate drug release from film-coated chlorpheniramine maleate (CPM) nonpareils (sugar spheres) and the effect of water influx on the drug release mechanism. The methods used in the study involved the layering of CPM onto nonpareil cores using a fluid-bed apparatus. These CPM cores were then coated with an aqueous ethylcellulose dispersion, which was blended with a solution of hydroxylpropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) at different concentrations. The net water influx was determined by measuring water uptake during dissolution. The film surface area was calculated from bead diameters measured with an optical microscope. Drug release profiles were measured using USP dissolution method I (basket). The results showed that significant water influx occurred, which produced an internal liquid phase ranging from 0 to 1.8 × 103 mm3/g of sample. As a result of the water uptake, an increase in bead size was observed. The bead surface area varied over the range of 40–80 × 103 mm2/g samp...
High numerical aperture lithographic imagery at the Brewster angle

Recent advances have enabled exposure tool manufacturers to ship tools with numerical aperture (NA) = 0.8, and to envision optics with even larger NA. Thus the lithography community must grapple with images formed by oblique waves close to the Brewster angle. (For a typical chemically amplified resist with index of refraction n = 1.7, the Brewster angle is 59°, corresponding to NA = 0.86.) In this paper we will consider some of the surprising phenomena that occur at such high NA. Both vector diffraction simulation results and experimental results from the IBM interferometric lithography apparatus will be discussed. One of the most interesting modeling predictions is that, near the Brewster angle, the swing curve for transverse magnetic (TM) polarization is much smaller than normal, while the swing curve for transverse electric (TE) polarization is much larger than normal, and experimental measurements verify this prediction. Special image cross sections using the Flagello decoration method will also demonstrate the loss of TM image contrast due to vector imaging effects.
Optical Pattern Recognition Using Sequentially Addressed Matched Filter Arrays

This paper discusses a method of increasing the memory of an optical correlator through the use of matched filter arrays. The matched filters are sequentially addressed using an acousto-optic beam deflector.
Grassland Bird Communtiy Response To Large Wildfires

Abstract We studied breeding season communities of grassland birds on short-grass and mixed-grass prairie sites during the second and third breeding seasons following two large wildfires in March 2006 in the Texas panhandle, USA. There was an apparent temporary shift in avian community composition following the fires due to species-specific shifts associated with life-history traits and vegetation preferences. Species that prefer sparse vegetation and bare ground on short-grass sites, such as Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris), benefited from wildfires, while others, such as Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta), that prefer more dense vegetation, were negatively impacted. Mixed-grass sites had species-specific shifts in 2007, two breeding seasons after the fires; grassland bird communities on burned plots were similar by 2008 to those on unburned plots. Avian communities appeared to return to pre-burn levels within 3 years following wildfires. Many of the responses in our study of wildfire were similar...
Dexmedetomidine as an Adjuvant to Analgesic Strategy During Vaso-Occlusive Episodes in Adolescents with Sickle-Cell Disease.

Patients with sickle-cell disease (SCD) can experience recurrent vaso-occlusive episodes (VOEs), which are associated with severe pain. While opioids are the mainstay of analgesic therapy, in some patients with SCD, increasing opioid use is associated with continued and increasing pain. Dexmedetomidine, an α2 -adrenoreceptor agonist with sedative and analgesic properties, has been increasingly used in the perioperative and intensive care settings and has been shown to reduce opioid requirement and to facilitate opioid weaning. Therefore, there might be a role for dexmedetomidine in pain management during VOEs in patients with SCD. Here, we present the hospital course of 3 patients who during the course of VOEs had severe pain unresponsive to opioids and ketamine and were treated with dexmedetomidine. Dexmedetomidine infusions that lasted for 3 to 6 days were associated with marked reduction in daily oral morphine-equivalent intake and decreases in pain scores (numeric rating scale). There were no hemodynamic changes that required treatment with vasoactive or anticholinergic agents. These preliminary findings of possible beneficial effects of dexmedetomidine in decreasing opioid requirements support the hypothesis that dexmedetomidine may have a role as a possible analgesic adjuvant to mitigate VOE-associated pain in patients with SCD.
A comparison of gravimetric undulations computed by the modified Molodensky truncation method and the method of least squares spectral combination by optimal integral kernels

Gravimetric geoid undulations have been computed by the modified Molodensky truncation method (the Meissl procedure) and by the method of least squares spectral combination by optimal kernels (the Wenzel procedure). These undulations have been compared in two manners. One comparison used Doppler-derived undulation-at 65 stations in the United States as references. A second comparison used Geos-3 derived undulations in 30°×30° areas in the Indian Ocean and Tonga Trench as references. the mean difference of undulation-computed by the Wenzel procedure was 0.6 m smaller than that of the Meissl procedure when compared to the Doppler derived undulations. The standard deviations of the differences of both procedures appeared to be not significantly different. There are no significant changes in the mean differences of both procedures when compared to Geos-3 derived undulations. The standard deviations of the differences computed by the Wenzel procedure were of the order of 0.2 m smaller than those computed by the Meissl procedure.
C5 palsy after posterior cervical decompression and fusion: cost and quality-of-life implications

Abstract Background context C5 palsy is a debilitating postoperative complication of cervical decompression surgery. Although the prognosis is typically good, patients may be unable to perform basic activities of daily living, resulting in a decreased quality of life. No studies have investigated the quality-of-life and financial implications. Purpose The aim of the study was to determine the impact on quality-of-life and costs of C5 palsy after posterior cervical decompression and fusion (PCDF). Study design/setting A 2:1 matched retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single tertiary-care institution between 2007 and 2012. Patient sample Individuals who had undergone PCDF were included. Outcome measures Self-reported: Euroqol-5 Dimensions quality-of-life survey. Physiologic: postoperative change in deltoid and biceps strength via manual muscle testing. Functional: cost of interventions and missed workdays postoperatively. Methods Individuals with postoperative C5 palsy were matched to controls based on age, gender, body mass index, and diagnosis. Demographic, operative, postoperative, quality-of-life, and cost data were collected for both the C5 palsy and control groups, with 1-year follow-up. Results We reviewed 245 patients who underwent PCDF and 17 were identified (6.9%) with C5 palsy and matched to 34 controls. No significant differences in demographic or operative characteristics were observed between groups. The C5 palsy group had a significantly reduced capacity for self-care in the immediate postoperative (2.0±0.71 vs. 1.2±0.4, p Conclusions This study represents the first quantification of the impact of C5 palsy on patients' quality of life and the associated costs for care. We found that C5 palsy adds a significant burden on patients' quality of life and presents a financial burden to the health-care system.
Critical evaluation of cloud contamination in the MISR aerosol products using MODIS cloud mask products

Abstract. Using Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-based cloud screening methods, the impacts of cloud contamination on the Terra Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR) aerosol optical depth (AOD) product are evaluated. Based on one year of collocated MISR and MODIS data, this study suggests that cloud contamination exists in both over-water and over-land MISR AOD data, with heavier cloud contamination occurring over the high latitude southern hemispheric oceans. On average globally, this study shows that thin cirrus cloud contamination introduces a possible ~ 0.01 high bias for the over-water MISR AOD retrievals. Over the mid- to high-latitude oceans and Southeast Asia, this number increases to 0.015–0.02. However, biases much larger than this mean value are found in individual retrievals, especially in retrievals that are near cloud edges. This study suggests that cloud-clearing methods using observations from MISR alone, which has only visible and near-infrared channels, may not be sufficient for all scenarios. Measurements from MODIS can be applied to assist cloud-clearing of the MISR aerosol retrievals. Cloud screening algorithms based on multi-sensor approaches are feasible and should be considered for current and future satellite aerosol studies.
Improving the electrical systems service course

This work in progress describes one aspect of a project being undertaken at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (RHIT) to improve the effectiveness of electrical engineering service courses offered to mechanical engineering students. The authors had taught these courses several times and were dissatisfied with the outcomes. The delivery features of the new course will include: studio format; presentation of material from the viewpoint and in the context of the discipline being served; a variety of active learning strategies; and Web-based learning and assessment tools including on-line quizzes, lecture notes, multimedia simulations, and detailed problem solutions in an intuitive point-and-click format. For the duration of the project, a board will review the educational materials developed, provide information for their continuous improvement, and assure that the materials developed can serve as a model for the development of service courses in electrical systems.
In Situ Gamma Radiation‐Induced Attenuation in Sapphire Optical Fibers Heated to 1000°C

The purpose of this work was to determine the suitability of using instrumentation utilizing sapphire optical fibers in a high-temperature gamma radiation environment. In this work, the broadband (500–2200 nm, or 0.56–2.48 eV) optical attenuation of commercially available sapphire optical fibers was monitored in situ during continuous gamma irradiation from room temperature up to 1000°C. The gamma dose rate of the irradiation facility was measured to be 370 rad/h (dose in sapphire). Results show rapid growth of an absorption band centered below 500 nm (the minimum detectable wavelength in this work) and extending as far as ~1000 nm that reached a dynamic equilibrium after approximately 4 h of irradiation at room temperature. Increasing temperature generally reduced the added attenuation, although the added attenuation came to a nonzero equilibrium at temperatures of 1000°C and below. No peaks in the added attenuation were observed above 1000 nm, and the added attenuation at 1300 and 1550 nm remained less than 0.7 dB throughout the entire experiment. Fitting the attenuation spectra to Gaussian functions at each temperature revealed a large absorption band near 3 eV that monotonically decreased both in magnitude and width with increasing temperature. A second smaller band near 1.73 eV monotonically increased in both magnitude and width with increasing temperature, suggesting that some interconversion between defects may be occurring at higher temperatures.
Accelerating molecular monte carlo simulations using distance and orientation-dependent energy tables: Tuning from atomistic accuracy to smoothed “coarse-grained” models

Typically, the most time consuming part of any atomistic molecular simulation is due to the repeated calculation of distances, energies and forces between pairs of atoms. However, many molecules contain nearly rigid multi-atom groups such as rings and other conjugated moieties, whose rigidity can be exploited to significantly speed up computations. The availability of GB-scale random-access memory (RAM) offers the possibility of tabulation (pre-calculation) of distance and orientation-dependent interactions among such rigid molecular bodies. Here, we perform an investigation of this energy tabulation approach for a fluid of atomistic - but rigid - benzene molecules at standard temperature and density. In particular, using O(1) GB of RAM, we construct an energy look-up table which encompasses the full range of allowed relative positions and orientations between a pair of whole molecules. We obtain a hardware-dependent speed-up of a factor of 24-50 as compared to an ordinary (“exact”) Monte Carlo simulation and find excellent agreement between energetic and structural properties. Second, we examine the somewhat reduced fidelity of results obtained using energy tables based on much less memory use. Third, the energy table serves as a convenient platform to explore potential energy smoothing techniques, akin to coarse-graining. Simulations with smoothed tables exhibit near atomistic accuracy while increasing diffusivity. The combined speed-up in sampling from tabulation and smoothing exceeds a factor of 100. For future applications greater speed-ups can be expected for larger rigid groups, such as those found in biomolecules.
Sir3-Nucleosome Interactions in Spreading of Silent Chromatin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Silent chromatin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is established in a stepwise process involving the SIR complex, comprised of the histone deacetylase Sir2 and the structural components Sir3 and Sir4. The Sir3 protein, which is the primary histone-binding component of the SIR complex, forms oligomers in vitro and has been proposed to mediate the spreading of the SIR complex along the chromatin fiber. In order to analyze the role of Sir3 in the spreading of the SIR complex, we performed a targeted genetic screen for alleles of SIR3 that dominantly disrupt silencing. Most mutations mapped to a single surface in the conserved N-terminal BAH domain, while one, L738P, localized to the AAA ATPase-like domain within the C-terminal half of Sir3. The BAH point mutants, but not the L738P mutant, disrupted the interaction between Sir3 and nucleosomes. In contrast, Sir3-L738P bound the N-terminal tail of histone H4 more strongly than wild-type Sir3, indicating that misregulation of the Sir3 C-terminal histone-binding activity also disrupted spreading. Our results underscore the importance of proper interactions between Sir3 and the nucleosome in silent chromatin assembly. We propose a model for the spreading of the SIR complex along the chromatin fiber through the two distinct histone-binding domains in Sir3.
Integrating GIS into farmland preservation policy and decision making

Abstract The paper describes an experiment with the integration of geographic information systems (GIS) into farmland preservation techniques using the data and policies of Hunterdon County, NJ as a case study. The automation process incorporates a variety of factors as criteria for evaluating properties for a purchase of development rights. The spatially explicit criteria include evaluations of the soils, neighboring land uses, proximity to preserved farms, and local communities’ commitment to practices contributing to sustaining farming. This automation is particularly notable in that it uses a parcel-based approach at a county-wide scale. This supports both an assessment of individual farms and a broad understanding of policy outcomes and pattern across the entire county. More interesting are the emerging pattern of benefits and barriers in the automation process highlighted by this exploration.
Antecedents and Consequences of Merit Pay Fairness for Industrial Salespeople

Abstract How do salespeople make judgments of merit pay fairness? By what mechanisms do fairness judgments influence the performance and commitment of salespeople? Using equity and social exchange theories, the authors examine these questions for industrial salespeople who work in a Fortune 500 firm and provide four key findings. First, of the three dimensions of fairness judgments, they find the interactional fairness dimension to be relatively more important than procedural or distributive fairness in influencing job outcomes of salespeople. Second, supervisory behaviors have significant influence in shaping salespeople’s fairness judgments, particularly judgments of distributive and interactional fairness. Third, the results underscore the contrasting mediating role of trust in supervisor and job satisfaction. Although trust in the supervisor is important in reducing salespeople’s opportunistic behaviors, the authors find job satisfaction to be important in enhancing their loyalty to the organization. ...
Every bite you take . . . food and the struggles of embodied subjectivity in organizations

The purpose of this article is to offer new insights on subjectivity in organizations by examining discourses of food and their implications for how the self is constructed and embodied at work. To this end, empirical material, consisting of 35 narratives about food in organizations, is explored from different vantage points including hermeneutic, critical, postmodern and psychoanalytic perspectives. Themes examined include discourses in which food practices are associated with social activities and organizational care but also with controlling the self and others and as embodied performances of conflicting ethics of production and consumption. The implications of the various perspectives are discussed highlighting the role of food discourse for more creative embodiments of subjectivity in organizations.
U(VI) Reduction by Diverse Outer Surface c-Type Cytochromes of Geobacter sulfurreducens

Early studies with Geobacter sulfurreducens suggested that outer-surface c-type cytochromes might play a role in U(VI) reduction, but it has recently been suggested that there is substantial U(VI) reduction at the surface of the electrically conductive pili known as microbial nanowires. This phenomenon was further investigated. A strain of G. sulfurreducens, known as Aro-5, which produces pili with substantially reduced conductivity reduced U(VI) nearly as well as the wild type, as did a strain in which the gene for PilA, the structural pilin protein, was deleted. In order to reduce rates of U(VI) reduction to levels less than 20% of the wild-type rates, it was necessary to delete the genes for the five most abundant outer surface c-type cytochromes of G. sulfurreducens. X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy demonstrated that whereas 83% ± 10% of the uranium associated with wild-type cells correspond to U(IV) after 4 h of incubation, with the quintuple mutant, 89% ± 10% of uranium was U(VI). Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersion spectroscopy revealed that wild-type cells did not precipitate uranium along pili as previously reported, but U(IV) was precipitated at the outer cell surface. These findings are consistent with those of previous studies, which have suggested that G. sulfurreducens requires outer-surface c-type cytochromes but not pili for the reduction of soluble extracellular electron acceptors.
Creativity and cortical activation during creative, intellectual and eeg feedback tasks

Thirty-two male subjects were divided into four groups based on their performance on the remote associates test and alternate uses test, two measures of creativity. Right EEG alpha presence was monitored under basal conditions, while subjects took tests of creativity and intelligence, and while they attempted to enhance and suppress the amount of alpha in a feedback situation. High scorers on the alternate uses test operated at a high percentage of basal alpha during all tests while high scorers on the remote associates test showed differential amounts of alpha presence across tests, with the highest percentage of basal alpha during tests of creativity and the lowest percentage during an intellectual test. Both high creative groups tended to show increases in amount of alpha across trials when trying to suppress alpha as well as when trying to enhance it, but did not differ in overall control from the low creative groups.
Effects of spatiotemporal resource heterogeneity on home range size of American beaver

Home range size of terrestrial animals may be influenced by spatiotemporal dynamics of resources. However, little is known regarding the effects of spatiotemporal resource availability on semi-aquatic central place foragers such as the American beaver Castor canadensis. From January 2011 to April 2012, 26 beavers at 11 wetlands at Redstone Arsenal in north-central Alabama, USA, were captured and radio-tracked using radio telemetry. The objectives of this study were to test the predictions of three hypotheses: (1) the resource dispersion hypothesis: more spatially dispersed resources throughout a landscape increase home range sizes; (2) the temporal resource variability hypothesis: more temporally variable resources result in decreases in home range sizes; (3) the habitat productivity hypothesis: increases in habitat productivity lead to decreases in home range sizes. Twenty-three of 26 radio-tagged beavers had well-bounded home ranges, and their home range sizes were positively related to the diversity of land cover within home ranges as predicted by the resource dispersion hypothesis. Furthermore, home range sizes of 26 beavers, including three seasonally dispersing beavers, decreased with increasing seasonal variability of within-home-range normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), supporting the prediction of the resource heterogeneity hypothesis. Home range sizes of American beavers increased with increasing total NDVI and proportions of woody plant cover within home ranges probably to avoid overexploitation of woody plants. Our results suggest that the combination of resource quantity, spatial distribution and seasonal variation of resources influences movements and home ranges of central place foragers.
Structural enhancements for increased energy absorption in composite sandwich structures

Facesheet debonding and buckling failure modes are often the cause of low energy absorption in composite sandwich panels under edgewise compression loading. To control the failure mode and initial ...
Light and growth rate effects on crop and weed responses to nitrogen

Abstract The nitrogen (N) response of competing plants may be affected by photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) availability and maximum potential growth rate, which determine N requirements. The responses of two crop (corn and soybean) and six weed species (common lambsquarters, common waterhemp, giant foxtail, velvetleaf, wild mustard, and woolly cupgrass) in low and high (150 and 450 μmol m−2 s−1) PAR levels to daily fertilization with either low or high (0.2 or 7.5 mM) NH4NO3 levels were studied. Leaf area of all species responded positively to N by 8 d after emergence (DAE) when grown in high PAR; in low PAR, most species did not respond until 11 DAE. Dry weight and leaf area of all species at 18 DAE were greater with high than with low N. These responses to high N were also greater in high than in low PAR for all species. Dry weights with high N were up to 100% greater in low PAR and up to 700% greater in high PAR than dry weights with low N. These responses suggest that low PAR reduced the bene...
Visible Ventilation: A Return to Passive Cooling

In 2007, the University of Oregon signed the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment to take steps toward becoming a carbon neutral campus by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and integrating sustainability into their curriculum. With fossil fuels supplying 76% of total building sector energy consumption (Architecture2030), campuses must adopt energy efficiency policies, which establish more stringent energy targets for new and existing construction, while utilizing renewable energy sources.There are more then 60 double loaded corridor buildings on the University of Oregon campus that rely solely on mechanical cooling. Pacific Hall, which is one of these types of buildings, is the focus of this study. It is along, narrow building oriented north-south, and occupants on the east and west sides often complain of thermal discomfort in the morning and the afternoon. Over the years, renovations have covered transoms above doors, openings to the corridor have been blocked, and windows, though operable, are generally left closed. Our approach to determine the passive cooling potential includes: 1) climate analysis, 2) building measurements (enclosure and interior wall systems, building proportions, operable glazing ratio), 3) onsite measurements of building base case conditions (temperature, humidity, surface temperatures, air movement, CO2 levels), and 4) development of appropriate climate-responsive renovation strategies. The effectiveness of these strategies is evaluated through 5) prediction of comfort using the ASHRAE Standard55-2010, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy, 6) manual calculations using passive cooling guidelines and computer simulations to examine energy use comparisons, and 7) a carbon emissions saved calculation. We found that Pacific Hall can rely on passive cooling for 5 months of the year with minor interior renovations. Energy analysis revealed an EUI savings of 149.5 kWh/m2 (25.3 kBtu/ft2) per year. Such aprotocol reveals a fairly easy approach to examine other buildings on campus and estimate the overall campus carbon reduction that is possible through a shift from mechanical to passive cooling.
Palladium Membrane Microreactors

Novel palladium membrane microreactors have been designed and microfabricated. Selective hydrogen flux has been demonstrated through the palladium membrane in the microreactor. The membrane microreactors can be used for a variety of hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions, as well as in hydrogen purification applications. The microfabrication process allows for integration of heaters and temperature sensors into the device. The e-beam deposited thin Pd film achieves excellent hydrogen selectivity at high permeation rates. The membrane has good mechanical strength and has been shown to withstand pressure gradients of over 5 atm. A model hydrogenation reaction has been demonstrated in the palladium membrane reactor. Microfabricated palladium membrane reactors enable new applications because of their small size, fast thermal response times, and high efficiency.
Compactness in the Theory of Continuous Automata

We develop a topological theory of continuous-time automata which replaces finiteness assumptions in the classical theory of finite automata by compactness assumptions. The theory is designed to be as mathematically simple as possible while still being relevant to the question of physical feasibility. We include a discussion of which behaviors are and are not permitted by the framework, and the physical significance of these questions. To illustrate the mathematical tractability of the theory, we give basic existence results and a Myhill-Nerode theorem. A major attraction of the theory is that it covers finite automata and continuous automata in the same abstract framework.
The VC-Dimension of Visibility on the Boundary of a Simple Polygon

In this paper, we prove that the VC-Dimension of visibility on the boundary of a simple polygon is exactly 6. Our result is the first tight bound for any variant of the VC-Dimension problem regarding simple polygons. Our upper bound proof is based off several structural lemmas which may be of independent interest to researchers studying geometric visibility.
A Catalyst Selection Protocol That Identifies Biomimetic Motifs from β-Hairpin Libraries

Assaying a solid-phase library of histidine-containing β-hairpin peptides by a reactive tagging scheme in organic solvents selects for catalysts that reproduce the strategies used by His-based enzyme active sites to accelerate acyl- and phosphonyl-transfer reactions. Rate accelerations (krel) in organic solvents of up to 2.4 × 108 are observed.
Peak Loop Pressure and Temperature and Comparison of Total Cooling Provided to the Energy Released after Low Current Quenches of SSC Dipoles in Magcool Cryogenic System

The performance of the MAGCOOL cryogenic system after low current strip heater quenches of the SSC dipoles has been investigated. For quench currents between 2000 and 3500 amperes, the loop pressure after a quench does not exceed the set relief pressure. The peak pressure and temperature in the magnet cooling loop were found to be linearly proportional to the energy released during a quench. Excellent agreement between total cooling provided and the magnetic stored energy was found for each of the several values of quench current. The results indicate that the magnetic stored energy is the key parameter; the measurements are accurate and the methodology is appropriate and one that could be applied to similar cryogenic systems.
Evaluating different standard-setting methods in an ESL placement testing context

In language programs, it is crucial to place incoming students into appropriate levels to ensure that course curriculum and materials are well targeted to their learning needs. Deciding how and where to set cutscores on placement tests is thus of central importance to programs, but previous studies in educational measurement disagree as to which standard-setting method (or methods) should be employed in different contexts. Furthermore, the results of different standard-setting methods rarely converge on a single set of cutscores, and standard-setting procedures within language program placement testing contexts specifically have been relatively understudied. This study aims to compare and evaluate three different standard-setting procedures – the Bookmark method (a test-centered approach), the Borderline group method (an examinee-centered approach), and cluster analysis (a statistical approach) – and to discuss the ways in which they do and do not provide valid and reliable information regarding placement...
An Exploratory Study of Brand Loyalty in Selecting Travel Destinations

This paper investigates the differences between repeat visitors and first-time visitors regarding various travel related behavior. A mail survey was used to obtain data for the analysis. There are differences in the two groups in terms of travel destinations, cost of trip, duration of trip, mode of travel, purpose of trip and likelihood to return to the same destination.
Law enforcement attitudes towards naloxone following opioid overdose training.

ABSTRACTBackground: Opioid intoxication and overdoses are life-threatening emergencies requiring rapid treatment. One response to this has been to train law enforcement to detect the signs of an opioid overdose and train them to administer naloxone to reverse the effects. Although not a new concept, few studies have attempted to examine this policy. Methods: At 4 different locations in Indiana, law enforcement personnel were trained to detect the signs of an opioid-related overdose and how to administer naloxone to reverse the effects of the overdose. Pre and post surveys were administered at each location (N = 97). To examine changes in attitudes following training, the authors included items from the Opioid Overdose Attitudes Scale (OOAS), which measures respondents' competency, concerns, and readiness to administer naloxone. Results: Among the full sample, naloxone training resulted in significant increases in competency, concerns, and readiness. Examining changes in attitudes by each location revealed...
Tactical Tactility: Warfare, Gender, and Cultural Intelligence

The participation of women in the landscape of warfare is increasingly visible; nowhere is this more evident than in the US military’s global endeavors. The US military’s reliance on cultural intelligence in its conceptualization of engagement strategies has resulted in the articulation of specific gendered roles in warfare. Women are thought to be particularly well suited to non-violent tactile engagements with civilians in war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan because of gender segregation in public and private spaces. Women in the military have consequently been able to argue for recognition of their combat service by framing this work in the war zone as work only women can do. Women reporters have been able to develop profiles as media producers, commentators, and experts on foreign policy, women, and the military by producing intimate stories about the lives of civilians only they can access. The work soldiers and reporters do is located in the warzone, but in the realms of the domestic and social, in the periods between bursts of violent engagement. These women are deployed as mediators between civilian populations in Afghanistan and Iraq and occupying forces for different but related purposes. Soldiers do the auxiliary work of combat in these encounters, reporters produce knowledge that undergirds the military project. Their work in combat zones emphasizes the interpersonal and relational as forms of tactile engagement. In these roles, they are also often mediating between the “temporary” infrastructure of the war zone and occupation, and the “permanent” infrastructure of nation state, local government, and community. The work women do as soldiers and reporters operates effectively with the narrative of militarism as a means for liberating women, reinforcing the perception of the military as an institution that is increasingly progressive in its attitudes towards membership, and in its military strategies. When US military strategy focuses on cultural practice in Arab and Muslim societies, commanders operationalize women soldiers in the tactics of militarism, the liberation of Muslim women becomes central in news and governmental discourses alike, and the notion of “feminism” is drawn into the project of US militarism in Afghanistan and Iraq in complex ways that elucidate how gender, equality, and difference, can be deployed in service of warfare.
A comparison of two methods for energy efficient tracking control using filtered basis functions

This paper presents and compares two methods for trading off energy efficiency and feedforward tracking accuracy using filtered basis functions. In the regular filtered basis function (FBF) approach, the control input to the system is expressed as a linear combination of basis functions. The basis functions are forward filtered using the dynamics of the system and their coefficients selected such that a performance index which penalizes tracking errors is minimized. It is shown that, in the regular FBF approach, varying the number of basis functions can be used to tradeoff energy efficiency (control energy) and tracking accuracy. Another way of achieving the same goal using FBFs is to minimize a weighted sum of tracking and control energy objectives (i.e., linear quadratic tracking) using a fixed number of basis functions. Simulation-based examples are used to compare both approaches with regard to their degree of tradeoff between tracking accuracy and energy efficiency.
176. Hyperglutamatergia and Bioenergetic Metabolism in Schizophrenia: Next Generation of Studies

Abstract Overall Abstract: Pharmacologic, genetic, postmortem, and imaging studies have firmly established schizophrenia as a disorder of excitatory synapses. Consistently, the first generation of H-MRS studies with single voxels and lower field strengths have mostly confirmed subtle increases in brain glutamate. However, the translational effort linked to this body of research has been disappointing with no efficacious glutamatergic drugs identified so far. A renewed effort to understand the spatial distribution, timing, clinical correlates, and underlying mechanisms of glutamatergic dysfunction is warranted. Hence, we present a new generation of studies with various methodological advances: broad spatial imaging of glutamate (proton echo planar spectroscopic imaging at 3T), improved spectral resolution of glutamate metabolites and lactate (H-MRS at 7T), dynamic assessment of phosphoenergetics and its relationship with glutamate (31P MRS at 4T) as well as postmortem and animal model investigations of the molecular bioenergetics of the glial/synaptic units. These studies provide converging evidence that early in schizophrenia, there is a cortical hyperglutamatergic process, linked to a fundamental shift toward anaerobic metabolism, alteration in the lactate shuttle with accumulation of lactate, and decreased availability of ATP, which accounts for part of the cognitive and functional deficits that persist, despite dopamine D2 blockade provided by standard treatment. The implications from these data, for the development of novel pharmacological strategies, will be discussed.
The Sad Irony of Affirmative Action

There is considerable evidence that race-preferential admissions policies have resulted in fewer rather than more African American physicians, scientists, engineers, lawyers, etc.
Characterization of chemical contaminants generated by a desktop fused deposition modeling 3-dimensional Printer

ABSTRACTPrinting devices are known to emit chemicals into the indoor atmosphere. Understanding factors that influence release of chemical contaminants from printers is necessary to develop effective exposure assessment and control strategies. In this study, a desktop fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3-dimensional (3-D) printer using acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polylactic acid (PLA) filaments and two monochrome laser printers were evaluated in a 0.5 m3 chamber. During printing, chamber air was monitored for vapors using a real-time photoionization detector (results expressed as isobutylene equivalents) to measure total volatile organic compound (TVOC) concentrations, evacuated canisters to identify specific VOCs by off-line gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, and liquid bubblers to identify carbonyl compounds by GC-MS. Airborne particles were collected on filters for off-line analysis using scanning electron microscopy with an energy dispersive x-ray detector to identify elem...
Endoscopic management of upper-tract urothelial carcinoma.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Radical nephroureterectomy with an ipsilateral bladder cuff is the referent standard for management of muscle-invasive, high-grade, or bulky upper-tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Nonetheless, certain patients with UTUC have imperative or elective indications for kidney preservation thereby lending to more conservative strategies for management of this disease.Areas covered: A review of the PubMED and Medline databases was performed to identify original scientific and review articles discussing retrograde ureteroscopic or percutaneous antegrade resection of UTUC tumors published between 1995 and 2016. Comparative studies with radical nephroureterectomy were also included.Expert commentary: Endoscopic ablative treatments via retrograde or antegrade approaches may appropriately treat small, solitary, and low risk UTUC tumors. Recurrences in the ipsilateral upper-tract and bladder distal to the original tumor can occur following nephron-sparing treatments and therefore a vigilant surv...