cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Posthumanist Perspectives on Causality, Agency, and Ethics in International Relations

Conventional International Relations (IR) studies and some critical IR studies tend to solely focus on the human and treat the social world as if it were separate from non-human matter. Since those...
Variations in state-level SARS-COV-2 testing recommendations in the United States, March-July 2020

Background: State health departments have been responsible for prioritizing and allocating SARS-CoV-2 tests and vaccines. Testing and vaccination recommendations in the United States varied by state and over time, as did vaccine rollouts, COVID-19 cases, and estimates of excess mortality. Methods: We compiled data about COVID-19 testing, cases, and deaths, and excess pneumonia + influenza + COVID-19 deaths to assess relationships between testing recommendations, per capita tests performed, epidemic intensity, and excess mortality during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. We compiled further data about state-level SARS-CoV-2 vaccination policies and doses administered during the early months of the vaccine rollout. Results: As of July 2020, 16 states recommended testing asymptomatic members of the general public. The rate of COVID-19 tests reported in each state correlated with more inclusive testing recommendations and with higher epidemic intensity. Higher per capita testing was associated with more complete reporting of COVID-19 deaths, which is a fundamental requirement for analyzing the pandemic. Testing per capita during the first three months was associated with vaccination per capita in the first three months of rollout. Per capita vaccine doses in each state were not associated with adherence to national guidelines. Conclusions: Reported deaths due to COVID-19 likely represent an undercount of the true burden of the pandemic. States that struggled with testing rollout have also frequently struggled with vaccine rollout. Coordinated, consistent guidelines for COVID-19 testing and vaccine administration should be a high priority for state and national health systems.
Maladaptive brain organization at 1 month into abstinence as an indicator for future relapse in patients with alcohol use disorder.

Abstinence is a lifelong endeavor, and the risk of a relapse is always present for patients with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). The aim of the study was to better understand specific characteristics of the intrinsic whole-brain-network architecture of 34 AUD patients that may support abstinence or relapse. We used Graph Theory Analysis (GTA) of resting-state fMRI data from treatment seekers at 1 month of abstinence and their follow-up data as abstainers or relapsers 3 months later, together with data from 30 light/non-drinking controls scanned at the same interval. We determined the group-specific intrinsic community configurations at both timepoints as well as the corresponding modularity Q, a GTA measure that quantifies how well individual network communities are separated from each other. Both AUD groups at both timepoints had community configurations significantly different from those of controls, but the three groups did not significantly differ in their Q values. However, relapsers showed a maladaptive community configuration at baseline, which became more similar to the controls' community organization after the relapsers had started consuming alcohol again during the study interval. Additionally, successful recovery from AUD was not associated with re-gaining the intrinsic brain organization found in light/non-drinkers, but with a re-configuration resulting in a new brain organization distinctly different from that of healthy controls. Resting-state fMRI provides useful measures reflecting neuroplastic adaptations related to AUD treatment outcome.
Assessment of gastrointestinal nematode parasitism in dairy calves housed in calf hutches

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are an important cause of morbidity and production losses in cattle. Clinical infection with GIN can cause diarrhea and hypoalbuminemia, but subclinical infections are more prevalent, harder to recognize, and a greater threat to productivity. Emphasis in the dairy industry has been placed on management strategies to mitigate disease and productive losses caused by GIN infections in grazing heifers and adult cattle, but hutch calves have largely been left out of this discussion. Milk-fed dairy calves housed in hutches are presumed not to acquire GIN infection because transmission of GIN is thought to require exposure to a pasture environment and subsequent ingestion of contaminated forage. However, a recent assessment of fecal egg counts (FEC) in hutch calves for another research project revealed calves raised in hutches with unexpectedly high FEC. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and magnitude of GIN in hutch calves on two calf ranches and to evaluate factors associated with the probability for calves to be parasitized.
Kautilya's 'Arthashastra' and Modern Economics

Kautilya’s ‘Arthashastra’ is fundamentally a book of state management. Arthashastra comprises of fifteen books. Of these, the first five deals with internal administration, the next eight deals with relations with bordering states and rest two are miscellaneous in character. Arthashastra by Kautilya put emphasize on two broad objectives: Resource maximization and also their optimum management. This paper is an attempt to relate his economic thoughts which he suggested in Fourth Century B.C. and its application in modern days. The entire study shows that economic ideas of Kautilya is based on certain scientific principles. Arthashasra is a great expression of setting guidelines for state management. His economic ideas are still pertinent in modern times. Hence, this great philosopher as well as statesman must have a prominent place among the gems of the history of economic thoughts.
A critical review of environmentally persistent free radical (EPFR) solvent extraction methodology and retrieval efficiency.

Abstract Long-lived environmentally persistent free radical (EPFR) exposures have been shown in toxicology studies to lead to respiratory and cardiovascular effects, which were thought to be due to the persistence of EPFR and their ability to produce reactive oxygen species. To characterize EPFR exposure and resulting health impacts, it is necessary to identify and systematize analysis protocols. Both direct measurement and solvent extraction methods have been applied to analyze environmental samples containing EPFR. The use of different protocols and solvents in EPFR analyses makes it difficult to compare results among studies. In this work, we reviewed EPFR studies that involved solvent extraction and carefully reported the details of the extraction methodology and retrieval recovery. EPFR recovery depends on the structure of the radical species and the solvent. For the limited number of studies available for review, the polar solvents had superior recovery in more studies. Radicals appeared to be more oxygen-centered following extraction for fly ash and particulate matter (PM) samples. Different solvent extraction methods to retrieve EPFR may produce molecular products during the extraction, thus potentially changing the sample toxicity. The number of studies reporting detailed methodologies is limited, and data in these studies were not consistently reported. Thus, inference about the solvent and protocol that leads to the highest EPFR extraction efficiency for certain types of radicals is not currently possible. Based on our review, we proposed reporting criteria to be included for future EPFR studies.
Species Variation in the Zona Pellucida

The mammalian fertilization process is an intricate one which involves many aspects of species specificity. Before the fusion of gamete membranes occurs and fertilization is achieved, a number of closely synchronized events must take place. In order to monitor and ultimately to control this process, it is necessary to understand the fundamental nature as well as the timing of these events. Central to the success of fertilization is the ovulation of a mature ovum which is surrounded by a unique extracellular matrix, the zona pellucida (ZP). This glycoprotein matrix surrounds the mammalian oocyte at a time early in follicular development and remains intact until the eventual implantation of the fertilized ovum. After ovulation, the sperm must attach to and penetrate the ZP. Over the past decade, much attention has been brought to studies which have demonstrated that immunization with ZP glycoproteins results in a dramatic reduction in fertility. In order for us to appreciate the mechanisms by which this immunologically induced infertility occurs, it is essential to understand the biochemical and functional properties of the ZP throughout ovarian follicular development.
SpaceWire Plug and Play Updates

This viewgraph presentation reviews the work of the SpaceWire Plug N Play Workgroup. (SpW PnP WG). The chief product of SpW PnP WG will be to develop specification of necessary hardware features required in support upper layer (software) PnP implementations.
Characterization of aluminum x-pinch plasmas driven by the 0.5 TW Lion accelerator

The x-pinch, obtained by crossing two fine wires at one or more points as the load for the 0.5-TW Lion accelerator, has been used as a bright X-ray source. High-density and high-temperature hot spots are observed at the crossing point(s). From these hot spots, an intense, spatially confined burst of X-rays is emitted which can served as a pump for resonant photopumping lasers. Experimental results concerning the radiation emission using Al x-pinches are reported. The optimum mass loading for different ionization stages of Al ions and the total X-ray energy yields have been examined. The density and temperature of the plasma and the size of the hot spots have been measured. Diagnostics used for these include pinhole photography, streak and framing photography, filtered XRDs, pin diodes, and XUV and soft X-ray spectroscopy. The size of the hot spots is determined from pinhole photographs. No strong Al line radiation for photon energy is found in the range from 300 to 1500 eV. When the He-like or H-like ionization stage is reached, radiation is dominated by resonant K-shell line radiation approximately 1.6 keV in energy. Thus, at the higher hot-spot temperatures, XRDs with filters suitable for the soft X-ray region are used to estimated the Al plasma temperature and to measure the soft X-ray radiation energy yield. The total K-shell line radiation of Al ions is monitored by a pin diode. >
Optical depth of molecular gas in starburst galaxies - Is M82 the prototype?

An attempt is made to survey the CO(2-1) emission toward the centers of 17 IR-luminous galaxies which have previously been detected in CO(1-0). These galaxies span a wide range of size and L(FIR)/L(B) ratio, many have multiple-wavelength studies establishing them as starbursts, and some bear a morphological resemblance to M 82. Nine galaxies are detected and useful upper limits are placed on the remaining eight. Using the CO(2-1)/CO(1-0) ratio of antenna temperature as a diagnostic of optical depth, it is found that all of the galaxies contain predominantly optically thick molecular gas. This implies that the phase of starburst during which the molecular gas is optically thin, currently witnessed in M 82, is either uncommon or short-lived.
Wind and Accretion Variability in T Tauri Stars

The winds and accretion flows of classical T Tauri stars are highly variable on a variety of timescales. While much of this variability appears random, or chaotic, there are a few instances of periodic variations in the wind/accretion signatures on some stars. The periods detected are equal to either the stellar rotation period or in one instance equal to the orbital period in a close binary system. We discuss these results in terms of the popular magnetocentrifugally driven flow models for classical T Tauri stars.
The financial performance of rural hospitals and implications for elimination of the Critical Access Hospital program

Purpose: To compare the financial performance of rural hospitals with Medicare payment provisions to those paid under prospective payment and to estimate the financial consequences of elimination of the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) program. Methods: Financial data for 2004-2010 were collected from the Healthcare Cost Reporting Information System (HCRIS) for rural hospitals. HCRIS data were used to calculate measures of the profitability, liquidity, capital structure, and financial strength of rural hospitals. Linear mixed models accounted for the method of Medicare reimbursement, time trends, hospital, and market characteristics. Simulations were used to estimate profitability of CAHs if they reverted to prospective payment. Findings: CAHs generally had lower unadjusted financial performance than other types of rural hospitals, but after adjustment for hospital characteristics, CAHs had generally higher financial performance. Conclusions: Special payment provisions by Medicare to rural hospitals are important determinants of financial performance. In particular, the financial condition of CAHs would be worse if they were paid under prospective payment.
Nonlinear dynamics of the Great Salt Lake: system identification and prediction

A case study of the application of recent methods of nonlinear time series analysis is presented. The 1848–1992 biweekly time series of the Great Salt Lake (GSL) volume is analyzed for evidence of low dimensional dynamics and predictability. The spectrum of Lyapunov exponents indicates that the average predictability of the GSL is a few hundred days. Use of the false nearest neighbor statistic shows that the dynamics of the GSL can be described in time delay coordinates by four dimensional vectors with components lagged by about half a year. Local linear maps are used in this embedding of the data and their skill in forecasting is tested in split sample mode for a variety of GSL conditions: lake average volume, near the beginning of a drought, near the end of a drought, prior to a period of rapid lake rise. Implications for modeling low frequency components of the hydro-climate system are discussed.
K-Type doubling of linear molecules in 1π electronic states

Abstract Expressions have been derived for the doubling of the rotational levels in Π vibronic states in Π electronic states. It is shown that the doubling due to electronic effects can be treated separately from the doubling due to vibrational effects. The magnitude of the electronic or Λ-type doubling is similar to that encountered in Π states of diatomic molecules and depends on the presence of Σ electronic states. The magnitude of the vibrational or l-type doubling is similar to that found in Π vibrational states of linear molecules in Σ electronic states, but the sign of this doubling is different for the two Π vibronic states formed for all even values of v 2 greater than zero. The predictions are compared with experimental values for the 1 Π state of the linear symmetric molecule C 3 .
Polymorphism in fowl serum albumin-V. Protein synthesis in cell-free systems from regenerating liver of the fowl (Gallus domesticus).

Abstract 1. 1. Removal of the left hepatic lobe from 2–6 week old chicks results in liver regeneration. 2. 2. Polyribosomes from regenerating livers contain fewer 80 S monomers than those from normal or sham-operated livers, but were as active in cell-free protein synthesis. 3. 3. High speed supernatant from regenerating liver stimulated amino acid incorporation more than preparations from sham-operated controls over wide ranges of time and supernatant, Mg2+ and GTP concentrations. Supernatant activity was maximal (160% of control) 12–18 hr after partial hepatectomy. 4. 4. Neither the activity of amino acid activating enzymes nor ribonuclease differed sufficiently between regenerating and control liver preparations to explain the protein biosynthesis differences. 5. 5. The data were consistent with the hypothesis of a temporary increase in elongation factor activity following partial hepatectomy.
A simple Riemann solver and high-order Godunov schemes for hyperbolic systems of conservation laws

A simple approximate Riemann solver for hyperbolic systems of conservation laws is developed for its use in Godunov schemes. The solver is based on characteristic formulations and is illustrated through Euler and ideal magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) equations. The procedure of a high-order Godunov scheme incorporated with the Riemann solver for one-dimensional hyperbolic systems of conservation laws is described in detail. The correctness of the scheme is shown by comparison with the piecewise parabolic method for Euler equations and by comparison with exact solutions of Riemann problems for ideal MHD equations. The robustness of the scheme is demonstrated through numerical examples involving more than one strong shock at the same time. It is shown that the scheme offers the principle advantages of Godunov schemes: robust operation in the presence of strong waves, thin shock fronts, thin contact and slip surface discontinuities.
Construction of coliphage lambda Charon vectors with BamHI cloning sites.

Abstract Three new λ phage cloning vectors have been constructed, Charons (Ch) 27, 28 and 30. Ch27 and Ch30, are suitable for cloning small and large DNA fragments, respectively, cut with Bam HI, Bgl II, Bcl I, Mbo I, Sau 3A, Eco RI, Hind III, Sal I and Xho I. Ch30 is similar to Ch28, but since it does not contain extraneous host DNA it should replace Ch28 in all future cloning applications. In vitro selection for the removal of the Bam HI site, as used in this study, employs several cycles of in vitro packaging.
Ability of healthy men to discriminate between added inspiratory resistive and elastic loads.

Previous studies of the latencies for the detection of inspiratory resistive (R) and elastic (E) loads revealed that R loads were detected earlier in the loaded breath than E loads (Respir. Physiol. 34: 267–277, 1978). These results suggested that the load information generated by R and E loads have different temporal patterns. We hypothesized that these difference might provide a mechanism for subjects to accurately discriminate between R and E loads and secondly, that the R and E load sensations perceived by subjects should have different temporal characteristics. To test these hypotheses we studied six healthy subjects in a two-part study. In this first, two levels of R and E loads (near threshold and 4–5 times threshold) were randomly presented for single inspirations separated by 3–6 unloaded breaths for a total of 10 presentations each. Subjects indicated detection and type of load perceived by pressing R or E marker buttons. In the second part, using the same loading protocol, subjects squeezed a hand grip dynamometer to express the pattern of perceived load sensation. Results indicate that subjects cannot discriminate between near-threshold R and E load but can discriminate between R and E loads 4–5 times threshold with considerable accuracy. Mean grip responses show that perceived load sensations arise earlier and reach maximum values sooner during R loaded breaths. Grip responses are consistent with the previously reported difference in R and E detection latencies and support the hypothesis that load discrimination is mediated by differences in the temporal pattern of load information generated during R and E loaded breaths.
BPA 1100 kV Transmission System Development-Environmental Studies

Environmental studies are an integral part of the Bonneville Power Administration Lyons 1200-kV prototype line test program being conducted at Lyons, Oregon. Through the first two growing seasons following energization, these studies have documented the lack of significant impact of the facility on tree and crop growth, cattle, honeybees and wildlife. Douglas fir trees left growing near the line have experienced some damage due to induced corona which is similar to that documented for EHV lines.
A US experience: consumer responsive quality of life measurement.

Objective: In the United States, interest in quality of life and social disabilities associated with mental illne intensified in the wake of the deinstitutionalization of the late '60s abd '70s. Although mental health professionals in the United States have begun to recognize the importance of quality of life considerations to patient management and treatment outcomes, review of the literature shows there is minimal research in mental health on this important topic. As a result, little theoretical or methodological progres has been made. Quality of life has not been clearly conceptulized or defined and there are no agreed-upon standards or criteria for measurement. This presentation will; (a) review important conceptual issues in quality of life research, (b) discuss the benefits of and obstacles to incorporating consumer values in judgments of quality of life, and (c) present data from Wisconsin Quality of Life Index (W-QLI; Becker et al., 1993) to illustrate the usefulness of a consumer responsive model...
Numerical solutions of boundary value problems for Κ-surfaces inR3

A K-surface is a surface whose Gauss curvature K is a positive constant. In this article, we will consider K-surfaces that are defined by a nonlinear boundary value problem. In this setting, existence follows from some recent results on nonlinear second-order elliptic partial differential equations. The analytical techniques used to establish these results motivate effective numerical methods for computing K-surfaces. In theory, the solvability of the boundary value problem reduces to the existence of a subsolution. In an analogous way, we find that if an approximate numerical subsolution can be determined, then the corresponding K-surface can be computed. We will consider two boundary value problems. In the first problem, the K-surface is a graph over a plane. In the second, the K-surface is a radial graph over a sphere. From certain geometrical considerations, it follows that there is a maximum Gauss curvature Kmax for these problems. Using a continuation method, we estimate Kmax and determine numerically the unique one-parameter family of K-surfaces that exist for K E (0,Kmax). This is the first time that this numerical method has been applied to the nonlinear partial differential equations for a K -surface. Sharp estimates for Kmax are not available analytically, except in special situations such as a surface of revolution, where the parametrization can be obtained explicitly in terms of elliptic functions. We find that our numerical estimates for Kmax are in close agreement with the expected values in these cases. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
High-throughput screening of a small molecule library for promoters and inhibitors of mesenchymal stem cell osteogenic differentiation

The use of high-throughput screening (HTS) techniques has long been employed by the pharmaceutical industry to increase discovery rates for new drugs that could be useful for disease treatment, yet this technology has only been minimally applied in other applications such as in tissue regeneration. In this work, an assay for the osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) was developed and used to screen a library of small molecules for their potential as either promoters or inhibitors of osteogenesis, based on levels of alkaline phosphatase activity and cellular viability. From a library of 1,040 molecules, 36 promoters, and 20 inhibitors were identified as hits based on statistical criteria. Osteopromoters from this library were further investigated using standard culture techniques and a wider range of outcomes to verify that these compounds drive cellular differentiation. Several hits led to some improvement in the expression of alkaline phosphatase, osteogenic gene expression, and matrix mineralization by hMSCs when compared to the standard dexamethasone supplemented media and one molecule was investigated in combination with a recently identified biodegradable and osteoconductive polymer. This work illustrates the ability of HTS to more rapidly identify potential molecules to control stem cell differentiation.
Primary isolated human brain microvascular endothelial cells express diverse HIV/SIV-associated chemokine coreceptors and DC-SIGN and L-SIGN.

Chemokines have received increasing attention due to their inhibitory activities on human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) replication and the potential for chemokine receptors to assist in HIV-1/SIV entry into permissive cells. Besides CD4, which is the major receptor for HIV-1 and SIV, a number of chemokine receptors including but not limited to APJ, CCR3, CXCR4, and CCR5 may be coreceptors for HIV-1/SIV, not only in peripheral blood and lymphoid tissues but also in the central nervous system (CNS). The present studies reveal the lack of CD4, but the significant expression of various chemokine receptors, APJ, CCR3, CXCR4, and CCR5, plus C-type lectins DC-SIGN and L-SIGN on isolated primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells (MVECs). As these MVECs do not express CD4, this suggests a CD4-independent HIV/SIV entry/infection of these cells, which are the major cells constituting the human blood-brain barrier. We also found that chemokines for cognate chemokine receptors individually were unable to block binding of HIV-1 to brain MVECs. These results reveal that in primary isolated brain MVECs viral attachment is mediated by a possible previously unknown receptor(s) or by cooperative activity of various receptors. Moreover, mRNA transcripts for DC-SIGN/L-SIGN, as well as DC-SIGN protein expression, suggest the capability of MVECs to attach viral particles on cell surfaces, even though polyclonal antisera for DC-SIGN did not affect viral binding to these cells. These data will assist in further understanding lentiviral entry into the CNS.
Lyusternik-Schnirelman theory and eigenvalue problems for monotone potential operators

Abstract We treat the eigenvalue problem Ax = λBx , where A and B are odd potential operators, A is strictly monotone, bounded, coercive, and continuously invertible, and B is monotone and compact. A naturally defined iteration operator is employed, together with the Lyusternik-Schnirelman theory, to prove the existence of infinitely many nontrivial eigenfunctions. With the possible exception of the multiplicity assertion the results which we obtain are not new. The method which we use, however, has not been applied before to problems of this type. It exploits both the potential character and the monotonicity of the operators and makes the treatment of the infinite dimensional problem essentially as simple as that of its finite dimensional analog. This simplification results primarily from the compactness properties of the iteration operator.
Systematic analysis of the physiological importance of deubiquitinating enzymes

Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) are proteases that control the post-translational modification of proteins by ubiquitin and in turn regulate diverse cellular pathways. Despite a growing understanding of DUB biology at the structural and molecular level, little is known about the physiological importance of most DUBs. Here, we systematically identify DUBs encoded by the genome of Drosophila melanogaster and examine their physiological importance in vivo. Through domain analyses we uncovered 41 Drosophila DUBs, most of which have human orthologues. Systematic knockdown of the vast majority of DUBs throughout the fly or in specific cell types had dramatic consequences for Drosophila development, adult motility or longevity. Specific DUB subclasses proved to be particularly necessary during development, while others were important in adults. Several DUBs were indispensable in neurons or glial cells during developmental stages; knockdown of others perturbed the homeostasis of ubiquitinated proteins in adult flies, or had adverse effects on wing positioning as a result of neuronal requirements. We demonstrate the physiological significance of the DUB family of enzymes in intact animals, find that there is little functional redundancy among members of this family of proteases, and provide insight for future investigations to understand DUB biology at the molecular, cellular and organismal levels.
Serologic Survey for Arbovirus Activity in Deer Sera from Nine Counties in New York State

Sera from 352 deer from nine New York State counties were tested for neutralizing and hemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies to six arboviruses representing four groups. Antibody titers to California encephalitis and Cache Valley viruses were detected in varying frequency in the 9 counties with foci for the Bunyamwera group in Seneca, Dutchess, and Erie counties. Neutralizing antibodies to western equine encephalomyelitis were noted in sera collected in 1959–61 from Albany and Seneca counties while a focus of group B arbovirus activity, most probably due to Powassan virus, was found in Shelter Island, Suffolk County. Our experience indicates the usefulness of deer as natural indicators of activity of certain arboviruses.
Design of a High-Speed On-Off Valve

On-off control of hydraulic circuits enables significant improvements in efficiency compared with throttling valve control. A key enabling technology to on-off control is an efficient high-speed on-off valve. This paper documents the design of an on-off hydraulic valve that minimizes input power requirements and increases operating frequency over existing technology by utilizing a continuously rotating valve design. This is accomplished through use of spinning port discs, which divides the flow into pulses, with the relative phase between these discs determining the pulse duration. A mathematical model for determining system efficiency is developed with a focus on the throttling, leakage, compressibility, and viscous friction power losses of the valve. Parameters affecting these losses were optimized to produce the most efficient design under the chosen disc-style architecture. Using these optimum parameter values, a first generation prototype valve was developed and experimental data collected. The experimental valve matched predicted output pressure and flows well, but suffered from larger than expected torque requirements and leakage. In addition, due to motor limitations, the valve was only able to achieve a 64Hz switching frequency versus the designed 100Hz frequency. Future research will focus on improving the prototype valve and improving the analytical model based on the experimental results.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Review of factors affecting microbial survival in groundwater.

This review quantitatively examines a number of published studies that evaluated survival and inactivation of public-health-related microorganisms in groundwater. Information from reviewed literature is used to express microbial inactivation in terms of log10 decline per day for comparison to other studies and organisms. The geometric mean value for inactivation rates for coliphage, poliovirus, echovirus, coliform bacteria, enterococci, and Salmonella spp. were similar at approximately 0.07−0.1 log10 day-1, while geometric mean inactivation rates for hepatitis A virus, coxsackievirus, and phage PRD-1 were somewhat less at 0.02−0.04 log10 day-1. Viruses show a temperature dependency with greater inactivation at greater temperatures; however this occurs largely at temperatures greater than 20 °C. Coliform bacteria dieoff in groundwater does not show the temperature dependency that viruses show, likely indicating a complex interplay of inactivation and reproduction subject to influences from native groundwat...
Assessing Impacts of Hydropattern Restoration of an Overdrained Wetland on Soil Nutrients, Vegetation and Fire

Restoring hydrology to overdrained wetlands can facilitate restoration of degraded ecosystems. In the northern Everglades, the Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area (RWMA) became a rain-driven system as historic overland inflows were redirected. Consequently, the soil experienced severe drying, resulting in frequent muck fires, oxidation and a shift in vegetation composition. In July 2001, the RWMA hydropattern restoration began utilizing discharge from Stormwater Treatment Area 5 (STA-5), a constructed wetland. As a result, predischarge hydroperiods averaging 124 days increased to an average of 183 days. Soil total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the topsoil layer did not significantly change from predischarge (637 mg/kg) to postdischarge (633 mg/kg) concentrations. Muck fires appear to be the catalyst for rapid alterations in the bioavailability and solubility of P. Prior to muck fires, soil P pools were 88% organic P and 12% inorganic P, shifting to 49% organic P and 51% inorganic P measured after a muck fire. Sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense, OBL) and Cattail (Typha domingensis, OBL) cover approximately 75% of the RWMA area as dominant or codominant species. Predischarge vegetation community composition documented obligate (OBL) and facultative wetland (FACW) species, each composing 46% of all species surveyed. Postdischarge vegetation compositions shifted to 59% OBL and 39% FACW species. In addition, there were significant elevations in tissue nutrient concentrations, TP, and total nitrogen, between pre- and postdischarge samples. An adaptive management approach to inflow and outflow operations will be an important part of successful wetland restoration.
Changes in lysosomal properties of alveolar macrophages of rats treated with chlorphentermine

Abstract Rats were treated with chlorphentermine (30 mg/kg) 5 days per week for 4 weeks. Alveolar macrophages washed from the lungs were greatly enlarged and filled with lamellated inclusions. Lysosomal acid hydrolase activity was increased in these cells when compared to macrophages from untreated rats. Chlorphentermine treatment appeared to have marked effects on lysosomal stability. The latency of acid phosphatase was increased. The effects on β- N -acetyl-glucosaminidase were somewhat different, however, with the latency of this enzyme characterized by an increased lysosomal fragility. These findings indicated that in addition to producing morphological changes within alveolar macrophages, chlorphentermine administration leads to lysosomal changes as well.
Marangoni Flow of Ag Nanoparticles from the Fluid−Fluid Interface†

Fluid flow is observed when a volume of passivated Ag nanoparticles suspended in chloroform is mixed with a water/ethanol (v/v) mixture containing acidified 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid. Following mechanical agitation, Ag nanoparticles embedded in a film are driven from the organic-aqueous interface. A reddish-brown colored film, verified by transmission electron microscopy to contain uniformly dispersed Ag nanoparticles, is observed to spontaneously climb the interior surface of an ordinary, laboratory glass vial. This phenomenon is recorded by a digital video recorder, and a measurement of the distance traveled by the film front versus time is extracted. Surface (interfacial) tension gradients due to surfactant concentration, temperature, and electrostatic potential across immiscible fluids are known to drive interface motion; this well-known phenomenon is termed Marangoni flow or the Marangoni effect. Experimental results are presented that show the observed mass transfer is dependent on an acid surfactant concentration and on the volume fraction of water in the aqueous phase, consistent with fluid flow induced by interfacial tension gradients. In addition, an effective desorption rate constant for the Marangoni flow is measured in the range of approximately 0.01 to approximately 1 s(-1) from a fit to the relative film front distance traveled versus time data. The fit is based on a time-dependent expression for the surface (interface) excess for desorption kinetics. Such flow suggests that purposeful creation of interfacial tension gradients may aid in the transfer of 2- and 3-dimensional assemblies, made with nanostructures at the liquid-liquid interface, to solid surfaces.
Committee plans for next decade of U.S. Earth observations

A U.S. National Academies committee has created a comprehensive plan for Earth observations for the next decade, but the U.S. government will need to renew its investment in these satellite systems to accomplish the plan, according to the committee's 16 January report. The report, “Earth Science and Applications From Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond,” (available at http://books.nap.edU/catalog/l 1820.html) is the first ever ‘decadal survey’ for the Earth sciences. It is modeled after similar surveys from other scientific communities, such as astronomy. Around 100 Earth scientists and others from related fields were involved in the 2-year process that created the report.
High rate molten salt cells employing barium nickel sulfide cathodes

Abstract Barium nickel sulfide (BaNiS2) was investigated as a cathode material in high temperature molten salt cells using lithium—aluminum alloy as the anode and a eutectic mixture of lithium chloride and potassium chloride immobilized with magnesium oxide as the electrolyte. Results are presented on the cathode utilization, cathode energy and power densities obtained at current densities of 0.05 to 2.0 A/cm2 at 400 °C. The performance of these cells is also compared with the performance of similar cells using nickel monosulfide or its mixture with barium sulfide as cathodes. The electrode reactions occurring at the positive electrode in these cells during charge and discharge operations are also discussed.
An Application of a Free Volume Model to Lubricant Rheology I—Dependence of Viscosity on Temperature and Pressure

Analyses of the dependence of lubricant viscosity on temperature and pressure, μ(T,P), have been carried out by using a modified WLF equation in which pressure effects on viscosity are given in terms of the pressure dependence of the glass transition temperature, Tg , and of thermal expansivity of free volume, αf . log μ(T,P)= log μg−C1•(T−Tg(P))•F(P)C2+(T−Tg(P))•F(P) where C1 and C2 are well known WLF constants, and μg is a viscosity at Tg . Tg (P) and F(P) are functions for describing the pressure dependence of Tg and αf , respectively. On the basis of the iso-viscous concept for Tg (P), μg has been assumed to have a constant value, 1 TPa•s, at any pressure (SCHEME I). SCHEME I yields a reasonable variation in Tg and αf with pressure for synthetic lubricants, while this analysis suggests a lower μg for mineral oils. In order to improve the applicability of the free volume model, a reference temperature Ts (P), at which the viscosity is 10 MPa•s, has been introduced instead of Tg (P) (SCHEME II). Analyses of dielectric transition for some lubricants and of μ(T,P) in the ASME Pressure-Viscosity Report have confirmed the excellent applicability of the present free volume model over wide ranges of temperature and pressure.
A simple technique for the generation of institution-specific nomograms for permanent prostate cancer brachytherapy

Purpose: Nomograms once had a vital role in prostate brachytherapy practice. Although some of their functions have been assumed by computerized dosimetry, many programs still find them useful to determine the number and strength of seeds to be ordered in advance of the implant. As it has been demonstrated that brachytherapists differ in their implant practices and preferences (in regard to seed distribution and total implanted activity), we propose a simple technique for generating institution-specific nomograms. Material and methods: Using the data generated by previous implants, we demonstrate a simple technique, utilizing ubiquitous software, for generating nomograms to predict seed number, strength, and total implant activity. Results: Despite wide variations in the degree of post-implant swelling (+12% to +56%), nine of the first ten implants using the generated nomogram have met all target dose parameters. Conclusions: It is appropriate for each institution to develop nomograms specific to their prostate brachytherapy technique and constraints. Nomograms can estimate the number and strength of seeds to be ordered, and may partially compensate for the effects of implant-induced swelling. J Contemp Brachytherapy 2014; 6, 3: 293–296 DOI: 10.5114/jcb.2014.45582
Geographers and Nuclear War: Why We Lack Influence on Public Policy

Abstract Issues of nuclear war and deterrence are inherently geographical, yet our disciplinary literature is either silent on the subject or poorly focused. The result is very little impact on public policy. Through a review of this literature, seven potential research areas are identified: peace education and professional responsibility, environmental effects of nuclear war, post-nuclear landscapes, emergency management, peace movements, societal transformations based on nuclear war preparation, and cartography. I suggest that there are two reasons why the discipline's contribution to the public policy debates on this issue has been so small: the lack of a comprehensive geographic theory to explain the impact of nuclear war and the fragmentation of the discipline. Geography's greatest strength is its ability to focus on a wide range of interdisciplinary theories and analytical techniques and apply these to the understanding of specific regions or areas. Concentrating on the effects of nuclear war and wa...
Should Poetry Be Ethical or Otherwise

In recent years there has been a good deal of important work on the relation between poetry and ethics.1 Not surprisingly, one conclusion to be drawn from this material is that the relation between poetry and ethics is highly conflicted, not simply because of the conceptual instability of the terms in question "Ethics does not exist," says Alain Badiou (Ethics, 28) but also because any effort of conjunction threatens to limit the autonomy that opens the practice of poetry to its multifarious futures. (On my desk, as I write this, is a copy of TLS containing a review, entitled "The Poetry of Ethics," of Geoffrey Hill's Collected Critical Writings. The reviewer, Adam Kirsch, notes that ever since his first book of poems, published in 1959, "Hill has been concerned with the ethics of poetry. What, if anything, makes it morally acceptable to write poetry in an age dominated by suffering and evil?"2 The word "barbarism" has had poetry under surveillance for at least the last half-century.) Like the effort to link up poetry and the political the critical mandate from the 1970s whose force is still felt both in and out of the seminar room the articulation of
Curative action of drugs in lophurae malaria of the duck.

SummaryA number of drugs have been examined for their curative action in lophurae malaria in the duck. Pamaquine appears to cure a fair percentage of the birds, while quinine, quinacrine, chloroquine and a number of other drugs do not.
Silicon Carbide Nanosprings

Amorphous silicon carbide nanosprings, as well as biphase (crystalline core/amorphous sheath) helical nanowires, have been synthesized by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Both variants grow via the vapor−liquid−solid mechanism. The formation of the amorphous silicon carbide nanosprings is explained in terms of the contact angle anisotropy model initially proposed to explain the formation of amorphous boron carbide nanosprings. A modified contact angle anisotropy model, where the presence of temperature gradients within the catalyst are imposed, has been proposed to explain the formation of the biphase helical nanowires. The basis for this model is that the crystalline core acts to pin the catalyst, thereby prohibiting nanospring formation. The model is supported by the experimental observation of a transition to nanospring growth at the point of extinction of the crystalline core of a linear biphase nanowire at a position where the catalyst is off-center with respect to the axis of the growth di...
Wide-band ground-penetrating radar portable data acquisition system

Evaluating performance of microwave-based handheld mine detection sensors has until recently been limited to using tethered test carts instrumented with a network analyzer and computer controller. The Army's Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate's (NVESD) Mine Detection Division has completed the development of a versatile portable data acquisition system (DAS) enabling researchers to simulate handheld mine detection systems and to evaluate mine detection antennas from 500 MHz to 2000 MHz. The data that is collected by the DAS is in the form of the complex S21 and S11 scattering parameters and includes sensor head position. System software is in a data collection instrument useful for evaluating the performance of detection algorithms and antennas, or as a fully operational handheld mine detector brassboard. Described in this paper are the technologies comprising the DAS, a detailed system description, and results from an experimental effort using the separated aperture antenna mine detection technique to measure the performance of the DAS in an outdoor environment.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Stepping Pattern of Myosin X Is Adapted for Processive Motility on Bundled Actin

Myosin X is a molecular motor that is adapted to select bundled actin filaments over single actin filaments for processive motility. Its unique form of motility suggests that myosin X's stepping mechanism takes advantage of the arrangement of actin filaments and the additional target binding sites found within a bundle. Here we use fluorescence imaging with one-nanometer accuracy to show that myosin X takes steps of ∼18 nm along a fascin-actin bundle. This step-size is well short of the 36-nm step-size observed in myosin V and myosin VI that corresponds to the actin pseudohelical repeat distance. Myosin X is able to walk along bundles with this step-size if it straddles two actin filaments, but would be quickly forced to spiral into the constrained interior of the bundle if it were to use only a single actin filament. We also demonstrate that myosin X takes many sideways steps as it walks along a bundle, suggesting that it can switch actin filament pairs within the bundle as it walks. Sideways steps to the left or the right occur on bundles with equal frequency, suggesting a degree of lateral flexibility such that the motor's working stroke does not bias it to the left or to the right. On single actin filaments, we find a broad mixture of 10-20-nm steps, which again falls short of the 36-nm actin repeat. Moreover, the motor leans to the right as it walks along single filaments, which may require myosin X to adopt strained configurations. As a control, we also tracked myosin V stepping along actin filaments and fascin-actin bundles. We find that myosin V follows a narrower path on both structures, walking primarily along one surface of an actin filament and following a single filament within a bundle while occasionally switching to neighboring filaments. Together, these results delineate some of the structural features of the motor and the track that allow myosin X to recognize actin filament bundles.
Confirmation theory and moral justification

Une proposition empirique est justifiee si elle est necessaire a une meilleure explication empirique du monde (ce que l'A. nomme explicationisme), faut-il considerer qu'il en est de meme pour la justification morale? La theorie de confirmation adoptee par David Copp dans une perspective de naturalisme ethique, est etudiee
ACCLIMATION OF METABOLIC RATE IN RESPONSE TO DEVELOPMENTAL TEMPERATURE IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Abstract 1. 1. Metabolic rates of adult Drosophila melanogaster reared at three fixed temperatures (18, 25 and 29°C) were measured on small groups of adult flies while ramping temperature upward from 15 to 40°C. 2. 2. There were significant effects of developmental temperature on average metabolic rate at high and low temperatures, with compensatory increases in metabolic rate in flies reared at low temperature. 3. 3. Flies reared at lower temperature initiated escape behavior sooner than flies reared at high temperature. 4. 4. Measurement of physiological rates while ramping temperature can reveal more details of plastic responses to temperature than measurement at fixed temperatures.