cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coincidence-anticoincidence gamma-ray spectroscopy with a NaI(TI) split annulus and a Ge(Li) detector

Abstract A versatile gamma-ray spectrometer system consisting of a Ge(Li) detector surrounded by a large (20.3 cm × 20.3 cm) split NaI(Tl) annulus is described, and experimental results are presented as examples of its use in a number of coincidence and anticoincidence experiments. The annulus as a whole was used as an anti-Compton spectrometer and was found to reduce the Compton backgrounds in the Ge(Li) detector considerably. When the optically-isolated halves of the annulus were used separately, the system was found to be very efficient for triple-coincidence experiments and as a pair spectrometer. As the latter, it yielded double-escape spectra having essentially no underlying backgrounds, even when used with complex gamma-ray emitters such as 56Co. It was also very effective in determining relative β+ feedings to various levels in the decay of position emitters. When the system was used as a coincidence spectrometer with narrow gates set on the pulses from the annulus, the Compton backgrounds of coincident gamma-rays detected in the Ge(Li) detector were reduced significantly.
A NOTE ON THE COST OF EQUITY WHEN DIVIDEND CHANGES ARE LEVEL GRADIENTS

Abstract One of the more controversial aspects of a public utility rate case is the determination of the cost of equity component of the allowed return. In practice, the Capital Asset Pricing Model, CAPM, and the Discounted Cash Flow Model, DCF, are used for this purpose. The difficulties in using the CAPM have been documented elsewhere. This note examines the DCF model. The DCF implicitly assumes that earnings and dividends are growing at a constant rate. When dividend changes are in discrete jumps, the underlying assumptions of the DCF model have been violated. This note derives a DCF model for dividend changes that occur in discrete jumps.
Noninvasive flowmetry in vascular surgery: Use of a noninvasive electromagentic flowmeter

Using anin vitro model, the measurements made using a noninvasive electromagnetic flowmeter have been validated using standard square wave electromagnetic flowmetry. Clinically, the noninvasive electromagnetic flowmeter provides information as to the functional significance of vascular occlusive disease that is not available through other techniques, gives an accurate, quantitative measurement of the peak pulsatile blood flow through a limb, thus providing an index of tissue perfusion and therefore, the degree of involvement of the disease in the peripheral, vascular system.
A Brokerage-Based Approach for Cloud Service Selection

great opportunities for consumers to find the best service and best pricing, which however raises new challenges on how to select the best service out of the huge pool. It is time-consuming for consumers to collect the necessary information and analyze all service providers to make the decision. This is also a highly demanding task from a computational perspective, because the same computations may be conducted repeatedly by multiple consumers who have similar requirements. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a novel brokerage-based architecture in the Cloud, where the Cloud brokers is responsible for the service selection. In particular, we design a unique indexing technique for managing the information of a large number of Cloud service providers. We then develop efficient service selection algorithms that rank potential service providers and aggregate them if necessary. We prove the efficiency and effectiveness of our approach through an experimental study with the real and synthetic Cloud data.
Mansions, Men, Women, and the Creation of Multiple Publics in Eighteenth-Century British North America

The evolution of the many-roomed mansion in colonial British America permitted the creation of multiple public spaces within the house itself. Using the theoretical insights of Jurgen Habermas, Hannah Arendt, and Karen Hansen on the nature of the kinds of publics possible in the eighteenth century, this article demonstrates how real as opposed to theoretical publics arose. As outside space and mansions formed a continuum from "public public space" to "private public space," mansions permitted elite men to control "private public space." For elite men mansions provided a social geography wherein the range of alternative publics broadened. However, that process marginalized women by trivializing the ways that heterosocial social space was used and relegating female homosocial space to the mansion's political, economic, intellectual, and psychological periphery. The eighteenth-century mansion provided gendered spaces which facilitated the integration of elite men into local, provincial, and international publics but which simultaneously contributed to a wider segregation of men and women and the exclusion of women from the political, economic, and intellectual world beyond the house. In the nineteenth century these patterns would become legitimized for the middle classes through the ideology of domesticity and the notion of "separate spheres."
Multifocal motor neuropathy without overt conduction block

One of the defining electrophysiological characteristics of multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) is focal motor nerve conduction block. We have noted occasional patients with typical clinical features of MMN in whom there is no demonstrable conduction block. Upon review of 5 such cases, we conclude that otherwise typical MMN may present without overt conduction block. This subset of patients does not otherwise differ from patients with MMN in whom this hallmark electrodiagnostic feature is present.
Quantitative extraction of organic tracer compounds from ambient particulate matter collected on polymer substrates

Abstract Organic compounds in ambient particulate matter (PM) samples are used as tracers for PM source apportionment. These PM samples are collected using high volume samplers; one such sampler is an impactor in which polyurethane foam (PUF) and polypropylene foam (PPF) are used as the substrates. The polymer substrates have the advantage of limiting particle bounce artifacts during sampling; however these substrates may contain background organic additives. A protocol of two extractions with isopropanol followed by three extractions with dichloromethane (DCM) was developed for both substrate precleaning and analyte extraction. Some residual organic contaminants were present after precleaning; expressed as concentrations in a 24-h ambient PM sample, the residual amounts were 1 μ g m−3 for plasticizers and antioxidants, and 10 ng m−3 for n-alkanes with carbon number lower than 26. The quantification limit for all other organic tracer compounds was ≈ 0.1 ng m−3 in a 24-h ambient PM sample. Recovery experiments were done using NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM) Urban Dust (1649a); the average recoveries for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from PPF and PUF substrates were 117 ± 8 % and 107 ± 11 % , respectively. Replicate extractions were also done using the ambient samples collected in Nogales, Arizona. The relative differences between repeat analyses were less than 10% for 47 organic tracer compounds quantified. After the first extraction of ambient samples, less than 7% of organic tracer compounds remained in the extracted substrates. This method can be used to quantify a suite of semi- and non-polar organic tracer compounds suitable for source apportionment studies in 24-h ambient PM samples.
The Impact of High School Substance Use on Choice of Young Adult Living Environment and Career Direction

The transition from adolescence to young adulthood is fraught with many important life decisions, including the choice of career direction and living arrangements. This study uses longitudinal data from 640 subjects to examine the impact of adolescent drug use on choice of life pursuit and living arrangements four years later as young adults. Use of nonprescription medication had no predictive power to understand young adult living situation or life pursuit, whereas adolescent cigarette use, alcohol use, cannabis use, and hard drug use all significantly influenced these young adult life situations. Results indicate that low levels of drug use are associated with parent and dormitory living arrangements and military and university career pursuits. On the other hand, high levels of adolescent drug use are predictive of marital or cohabitation living arrangements and none or full-time employment. These findings are interpreted to suggest that adolescent drug use is associated with precocious acquisition of a...
Guardianship Determinations by Judges, Attorneys, and Guardians

Guardianship is intended to protect incapacitated individuals through the appointment of a surrogate decision maker. Little is known about how judges, attorneys, and professional guardians assess the need for guardianship, to what extent they apply statutory guidelines when making these determinations, and how their decisions compare. Three groups of participants (probate judges, elder law attorneys, and professional guardians) read vignettes portraying older adults that varied in the extent to which the evidence supported the appointment of a guardian. They were asked about the appropriateness of various resolutions. Participants were reluctant to endorse full guardianship even when warranted by the evidence and preferred informal, family-based interventions that do not involve legal action. Professional groups did not always agree on the appropriate resolutions, suggesting that one's professional orientation may play a role in perceptions of older adults.
Cryptic planktonic diatom challenges phytoplankton ecologists

Planktonic diatoms are of major biogeochemical importance in the sea; their photosynthesis contributes 40% of the total annual marine production (1). Their distinguishing feature is an areolated cell wall (frustule) composed of hydrated silicon dioxide and a small amount of organic matter organized as two unequally sized, overlapping valves (thecae) similar to a Petri dish. Growth proceeds through progressive vertical separation of the thecae, culminating in an asexual division that produces two differently sized daughter cells, one of which is always smaller than the parent cell, resulting in a progressive diminution in cell size (1, 2). Cell size must be periodically restored through sexual reproduction or asexual cell enlargement (3) to prevent morbidity leading to extinction of the reproducing clone.
Security on z/OS: comprehensive, current, and flexible

In this paper, we summarize and explain the security functions available to a typical enterprise computing installation using the IBM z/OSTM operating system and Security Server. The discussion is at a high level, aimed at enterprise decision makers and application architects. The intent is to explain the comprehensive security componentry within z/OS and to show how these techniques and functions are exploited by modern distributed and Internet applications. Both z/OS and the IBM @® server zSeriesTM product family have a rich heritage and significant presence in the evolving computing marketplace. Consequently, this discussion includes some computer security history and projections of the relevant future.
Protein Kinase Inhibitors Block Neurite Outgrowth from Explants of Goldfish Retina

A role for protein phosphorylation in the process of neurite outgrowth has been inferred from many studies of the effects of protein kinase inhibitors and activators on cultured neurotumor cells and primary neuronal cells from developing brain or ganglia. Here we re-examine this issue, using a culture system derived from a fully differentiated neuronal system undergoing axonal regeneration—the explanted goldfish retina following optic nerve crush. Of the relatively non-selective protein kinase inhibitors employed, H7, staurosporine and K252a were found to block neurite outgrowth, whereas HA1004 had no effect, a result which appears to rule out a critical role for protein kinase A. The more selective protein kinase C inhibitors, sphingosine, calphostin C and Ro-31-8220 were all inhibitory, as was prolonged treatment with phorbol ester and the protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid. These results are in support of a role for protein kinase C in axonal regrowth.
Analysis of Sediment Retention in Western Riverine Wetlands: The Yampa River Watershed, Colorado, USA

We quantified annual sediment deposition, bank erosion, and sediment budgets in nine riverine wetlands that represented a watershed continuum for 1 year in the unregulated Yampa River drainage basin in Colorado. One site was studied for 2 years to compare responses to peak flow variability. Annual mean sediment deposition ranged from 0.01 kg/m2 along a first-order subalpine stream to 21.8 kg/m2 at a sixth-order alluvial forest. Annual mean riverbank erosion ranged from 3 kg/m-of-bank at the first-order site to 1000 kg/m at the 6th-order site. Total sediment budgets were nearly balanced at six sites, while net export from bank erosion occurred at three sites. Both total sediment deposition (R2 = 0.86, p < 0.01) and bank erosion (R2 = 0.77, p < 0.01) were strongly related to bankfull height, and channel sinuosity and valley confinement helped to explain additional variability among sites. The texture and organic fraction of eroded and deposited sediment were relatively similar in most sites and varied among sites by watershed position. Our results indicate that bank erosion generally balances sediment deposition in riverine wetlands, and we found no distinct zones of sediment retention versus export on a watershed continuum. Zones of apparent disequilibrium can occur in unregulated rivers due to factors such as incised channels, beaver activity, and cattle grazing. A primary function of many western riverine wetlands is sediment exchange, not retention, which may operate by transforming materials and compounds in temporary sediment pools on floodplains. These results are considered in the context of the Hydrogeomorphic approach being implemented by the U.S. government for wetland resource management.
Toward Eubiosia: Bridging Oncology and Palliative Care

How can oncologists approach patients with advanced and progressive cancer and yet not rob them of hope? In this edition of The Oncologist, four articles lend context to the issues regarding the bridge between palliative care and oncology.
Angiogenesis and Pathology in the Oral Cavity

This chapter discusses the role of angiogenesis in non-neoplastic pathologies that affect the dentition and its supporting structures. Teeth and the tissues that support the teeth frequently respond to insults such as injury, infection, and orthodontic stress with the development of a robust proangiogenic environment. Yet aside from malignancies, the role of angiogenesis in pathologies of the oral cavity has not received widespread attention. Several recent studies suggest a role for angiogenesis in the development of diseases of the periodontium and the dental pulp. The evidence also supports the emerging concept that the severity of diseases such as chronic periodontitis depends upon individualized host responses.
Multiple Sequence Alignment Containing a Sequence of Regular Expressions

A classical algorithm for the pairwise sequence alignment is the Smith Waterman algorithm which uses dynamic programming. The algorithm computes the maximum score of alignments that use insertions, deletions, and substitutions, with no consideration given in composition of the alignments. However, biologists favor applying their knowledge about common structures or functions into the alignment process. For alignment of protein sequences, several methods have been suggested for taking into account the motifs (a restricted regular expression) from the PROSITE database to guide alignments. One method modifies the Smith Waterman dynamic programming solution to reward alignments that contain matching motifs. Another method introduces the regular expression constrained sequence alignment problem in which pairwise alignments are constrained to contain a given regular expression. This latter method constructs a weighted finite automaton from a given regular expression, and presents a dynamic programming solution that simulates copies of this automaton in seeking an alignment with maximum score containing the regular expression. We generalize this approach: 1) We introduce a variation of the problem for multiple sequences, namely the regular expression constrained multiple sequence alignment, and present an algorithm for it; 2) We develop an algorithm for the case of the problem when the alignments sought are required to contain a given sequence of regular expressions.
Effects of changes in hip joint angle on H-reflex excitability in humans

We examined the amplitude modulation of the soleus (Sol) H-reflex during controlled variations of the hip joint angle in 21 healthy adult human subjects. Hip angle variations were imposed separately, or in combination either with stimulation of the plantar skin or with electrical activation of muscle afferents from the medial gastrocnemius (MG) nerve. We found that with subjects in the supine position, flexion of the hip significantly depressed Sol H-reflex excitability, by as much as 50% of control reflex values (Ho) recorded at 10° of hip flexion. Conversely, significant facilitation of the H-reflex was observed when the hip joint was extended (10°), with amplitudes reaching 200±15.3% of Ho. Changes in H-reflex amplitude were also observed during electrical stimulation of either the foot sole or the MG nerve, when stimuli were delivered at different hip angles. Foot sole stimulation resulted in facilitation of the H-reflex with the hip extended while depression of the reflex was recorded with the hip flexed. In contrast, MG nerve stimulation at group-I muscle afferent strength resulted in a significant increase in the Sol H-reflex magnitude with the hip flexed, while during hip extension, suppression of the H-reflex was present. This study provides evidence for the existence of a spinal mechanism, determined principally by the hip joint angle, which promotes switching between inhibitory and facilitatory pathways during hip flexion and extension. The origins of such a spinal mechanism are discussed.
auroraDL and responding to end-user digital library needs

This paper reports on functions and extensions to a digital library record creation, search, and collection-building tools, auroraDL, as a response to academic and professional focus groups' interest in digital library/content exploration tools.
How GIS can help address the uncertain geographic context problem in social science research

The uncertain geographic context problem (UGCoP), first articulated by Kwan (2012; The uncertain geographic context problem. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 102 (5), 958–968), refers to the problem that findings about the effects of area-based contextual variables on individual behaviors or outcomes may be affected by how contextual units (e.g., neighborhoods) are geographically delineated and the extent to which these areal units deviate from the true geographic context. It is a significant methodological problem because it means that analytical results can differ for different delineations of contextual units even if everything else is the same. Drawing upon Kwan (2012) and recent social science studies (especially environmental health and neighborhood effects research), this article further elaborates on the nature of the UGCoP and explores how recent advances in geographical information system (GIS) and geospatial technologies can help address the problem. It discusses possible mean...
Holocaust Survivors Report Long-Term Effects on Attitudes toward Food

Abstract Objective To gather information from survivors on the effects that the Holocaust had on their current attitudes toward food. Design Qualitative study: one-on-one semistructured interviews with a script shaped by a pilot study. Setting South Florida homes and community sites, including the Miami Beach Holocaust Memorial. Participants Convenience sample of 25 Holocaust survivors: 14 men, 11 women; ages 71 to 85 years. Phenomenon of Interest Current attitudes toward food in relation to Holocaust experiences. Analysis Themes and illustrative quotations from transcriptions of audiotaped interviews. Results Food attitudes were influenced by Holocaust experiences. Five themes emerged: (1) difficulty throwing food away, even when spoiled; (2) storing excess food; (3) craving certain food(s); (4) difficulty standing in line for food; and (5) experiencing anxiety when food is not readily available. Empathy for those currently suffering from hunger was also reported. Conclusions and Implications Food-related issues from the Holocaust remain for survivors. Now in their 70s and 80s, many use health care and related services. Nutritionists, educators, and health professionals should be aware of such issues. Food and nutrition programs should minimize uncomfortable food-related situations for Holocaust survivors and others who experienced food deprivation.
Synthesis and electrochemical properties of layer-structured 0.5Li(Ni0.5Mn0.5)O2–0.5Li(Li1/3Mn2/3)O2 solid mixture ☆

Abstract A 1:1 mixture of electrochemically active Li(Ni 0.5 Mn 0.5 )O 2 and electrochemically inactive Li(Li 1/3 Mn 2/3 )O 2 , i.e. Li(Li 0.17 Ni 0.25 Mn 0.58 )O 2 , has been synthesized by a sol–gel method. The mixture was calcined at 900 °C in air for 24 h and cooled at three different rates: quenched into liquid nitrogen, 2 °C/min, and 0.5 °C/min. It was found that the crystallographic structure and electrochemical properties of Li(Li 0.17 Ni 0.25 Mn 0.58 )O 2 highly depend on the cooling rate. The sample quenched into liquid nitrogen exhibited a long irreversible plateau at ca. 4.5 V during the first charge, and the discharge capacity gradually increased from 170 to 210 mAh/g after 40 cycles. The samples cooled at slower rates exhibited more monoclinic character and cubic spinel phase was observed; they showed no plateaus at 4.5 V during the first charge and the discharge capacities also gradually increased from 80 and 55 mAh/g to 130 and 85 mAh/g for 2 and 0.5 °C/min-cooled samples, respectively.
Resveratrol promotes endothelial cell wound healing under laminar shear stress through an estrogen receptor-α-dependent pathway

Restenosis is an adverse outcome of angioplasty, characterized by vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) hyperplasia. However, therapies targeting VSMC proliferation delay reendothelialization, increasing the risk of thrombosis. Resveratrol (RESV) inhibits restenosis and promotes reendothelialization after arterial injury, but in vitro studies assessing RESV-mediated effects on endothelial cell growth contradict these findings. We thus hypothesized that fluid shear stress, mimicking physiological blood flow, would recapitulate RESV-dependent endothelial cell wound healing. Since RESV is an estrogen receptor (ER) agonist, we tested whether RESV promotes reendothelialization through an ER-α-dependent mechanism. Mice fed a high-fat diet or a diet supplemented with RESV were subjected to carotid artery injury. At 7 days after injury, RESV significantly accelerated reendothelialization compared with vehicle. In vitro wound healing assays demonstrated that RESV exhibits cell-type selectivity, inhibiting VSMC, but not endothelial cell growth. Under laminar shear stress (LSS), RESV dramatically enhanced endothelial cell wound healing and increased both the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and endothelial cell proliferation. Under LSS, small interfering RNA against ER-α, but not endothelial nitric oxide synthase, abolished RESV-induced ERK activation, endothelial cell proliferation, and wound healing. Thus these studies suggest that the EC phenotype induced by LSS better models the prohealing effects of RESV and that RESV and LSS interact to promote an ER-α-dependent mitogenic effect in endothelial cells.
Reduced Feedback MIMO-OFDM Precoding and Antenna Selection

Transmitter precoding for multiple-input-multiple-output orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) is an effective way of leveraging the diversity gains afforded by a multiple-transmit multiple-receive antenna system in a frequency selective environment. In the limited feedback scenario, optimal precoder representation for narrowband MIMO systems using moderately sized codebooks designed on the Grassmann manifold has been shown to perform remarkably well. In MIMO-OFDM systems, precoder matrices have to be designed for all subcarriers and the amount of feedback can get prohibitively large. This is especially true for next generation wireless local area networks and wireless metropolitan area networks which have a large number of subcarriers. In this paper, we present techniques to reduce this feedback requirement and the performance of these algorithms is numerically shown to provide improvement over existing schemes
A Failure Mode for PWM Inverter-Fed AC Motors Due to the Anti-Resonance Phenomenon

A failure mode for PWM inverter-fed AC motors due to the anti-resonance phenomenon is introduced and investigated in this paper. At high frequencies, an AC motor behaves as a series RLC circuit with a resonance point, so-called anti- resonance, typically above 1.0 MHz. If the voltage oscillation frequency, caused by the reflected wave phenomenon matches the motor anti-resonance frequency, an amplified voltage will appear internally between the turns of the stator windings. This externally unobservable state causes winding insulation failure in the AC motor. This phenomenon is experimentally verified using a rewound Permanent Magnet (PM) motor with accessible taps along the stator windings, and the results are presented in this paper.
Dynamic sensor activation for event diagnosis

We consider the problem of dynamic sensor activation for event diagnosis in partially-observed discrete-event systems. The observing agent is able to activate sensors dynamically during the evolution of the system. The sensor activation policy is the function that describes which sensors are to be activated after an observed string of events. The sensor activation policy must achieve the requirements of the property of diagnosability previously defined for discrete event systems. A policy is said to be minimal if there is no other policy, with strictly less sensor activation, that achieves diagnosability. For the purpose of computing minimal policies, we define language partition methods that lead to efficient computational algorithms. Specifically, we define “window-based” language partitions that lead to scalable algorithms for computing minimal policies. By increasing the size of the window in this class of partitions, one is able to refine the solution space over which minimal solutions are computed.
Marathon Group Therapy: Potential for University Counseling Centers and Beyond

ABSTRACT A descriptive analysis of marathon group therapy was conducted, specifying issues of set-up, screening, preparation, start-up, introduction to group process, facilitating therapeutic moments throughout the weekend, termination, and follow-up. Factors and dynamics unique to this modality are outlined for marathon groups in university counseling centers. A description of advantages and disadvantages and evaluation data from participating members are provided. Implications for the revitalization of this modality within and potentially beyond the scope of university counseling centers are addressed.
Mode properties of annular gain lasers

The properties of a new class of laser resonators are investigated theoretically and experimentally. In these lasers the radiation propagates longitudinally in an annular amplifying medium, and useful low loss modes can be obtained even when the axial region is obscured. Alignment characteristics and far field patterns are discussed, and experiments have been conducted using coaxial double-discharge CO2 devices.
Anamnesis in the Meno: Part One: The Data of the Theory

In the Meno we have a chance, rare in Greek philosophy, to compare a philosophical theory with the data which make up its ostensible evidence. Meno asks if there is any way Socrates can show him that “learning” is recollecting. Socrates offers to produce the proof on the spot. Meno will see the slave-boy learning, and this will show that he was recollecting. I wish to make the most of this opportunity to examine the presented data before considering the theory. To this I will devote the first and somewhat longer part of the paper, where I will seek by controversial argument to establish the right interpretation of the text. While doing this, it will be convenient to use “recollection” in quotes, suspending judgment upon its philosophical implications and even withholding attention from its dictionary meaning. Plato says the boy is “recollecting” and so shall I of this and all other situations which are equivalent to it in a sense which I shall make clear. When a decision has been reached on what exactly is taking place when people are “recollecting” in this purely nominative sense, it will be time to examine Plato's thesis that this “recollecting” is recollecting.
Differentiation of Brucella abortus bv. 1, 2, and 4, Brucella melitensis, Brucella ovis, and Brucella suis bv. 1 by PCR.

Several PCR assays which identify the genus Brucella but do not discriminate among species have been reported. We describe a PCR assay that comprises five oligonucleotide primers which can identify selected biovars of four species of Brucella. Individual biovars within a species are not differentiated. The assay can identify three biovars (1, 2, and 4) of B. abortus, all three biovars of B. melitensis, biovar 1 of B. suis, and all B. ovis biovars. These biovars include all of the Brucella species typically isolated from cattle in the United States, a goal of the present research. The assay exploits the polymorphism arising from species-specific localization of the genetic element IS711 in the Brucella chromosome. Identity is determined by the size(s) of the product(s) amplified from primers hybridizing at various distances from the element. The performance of the assay with U.S. field isolates was highly effective. When 107 field isolates were screened by the described method, there was 100% agreement with the identifications made by conventional methods. Six closely related bacteria (Agrobacterium radiobacter, Agrobacterium rhizogenes, Ochrobactrum anthropi, Rhizobium leguminosarum, Rhizobium meliloti, and Rhodospirillum rubrum) and two control bacteria (Bordetella bronchiseptica and Escherichia coli) tested negative by the assay.
Influence of Maleic Hydrazide on Yield and Sugars in Atlantic, Freedom Russet and White Pearl Potato Tubers

Maleic hydrazide has been reported to increase the proportion of US #1 (> 113 g) potatoes and lower the concentration of reducing sugars of potato tubers in storage, thus improving fry color. We tested the effect of three different application timings of maleic hydrazide on total and US #1 yields, average tuber weight, “b” and cull yields, and tuber glucose and sucrose concentrations at harvest and after storage. The cultivars evaluated included two round white potatoes, Atlantic and White Pearl, and one russeted cultivar, Freedom Russet. Maleic hydrazide had no effect on total yield or US #1 yield for either round white cultivar, but increased both total and US #1 yield for Freedom Russet. In addition, maleic hydrazide reduced average tuber weight for Atlantic. These yield effects were dependent on application timing. Maleic hydrazide had no effect on yield of cull tubers. Maleic hydrazide did not lower glucose or sucrose concentrations at harvest or during storage for any of the cultivars tested, and increased Atlantic tuber glucose concentration at harvest. In summary, the effect of maleic hydrazide on yield was cultivar-dependent and maleic hydrazide did not reduce tuber glucose concentrations for any cultivar tested.
A model of articular cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery: A validation construct and computational insights

This study sought to develop a computational framework that emulates the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery using transtibial portal technique. The proposed model included the tibia–femoral and patella–femoral joints, articular cartilage and menisci. Key surgical parameters were incorporated including bone-patellar-tendon-bone graft excision and pre-tensioning, tunnel morphology, bone plugs, and bone plug fixation. Several simulation steps were parameterized to reflect the clinically reported surgical procedure. Our focus was to explore the intra-operative effects of variations in tunnel directions on the selected metrics of joint mechanics during Lachman and Anterior Drawer tests. A mathematical construct capable of transforming the limited and heterogeneous experimental and surgical data to evidence-based validation was adopted to ensure the viability of the finite element models. We found that the proposed models, subject to a variation in tunnel directions, resulted in simulation outputs that favor the reported experimental data of Lachman and Anterior Drawer tests under uncertainty. Simulation results for a population of three-dimensional tunnel orientations provided insights into the graft–tunnel contact mechanics and the spatial stress distribution in the graft, insights that have been anecdotally observed in prior experimental studies. The intraarticular graft tension was found to be higher than the estimated in tunnel graft force, and larger differences were found for the least inclined tunnels exhibiting higher contact pressures, transverse bending and twisting of the graft and Von-Mises stress at the graft–femoral tunnel interface. Conversely, tunnels with high inclination angles exhibited higher intraarticular graft tension and Von-Mises stress at the graft–tibial bone plug interface.
Drainage network reveals patterns and history of active deformation in the eastern Greater Caucasus

The Greater Caucasus Mountains are a young (∼5 m.y. old) orogen within the Arabia-Eurasia collision zone that contains the highest peaks in Europe and has an unusual topographic form for a doubly vergent orogen. In the east-central part (45°E–49°E), the range is nearly symmetric in terms of prowedge and retrowedge widths and the drainage divide is much closer to the southern margin of the range (prowedge side) than it is to the northern margin (retrowedge side). Moreover, the divide does not coincide with the topographic crest, but rather the crest is both shifted northward by as much as 40 km and traversed by several large north-flowing rivers. Both the topographic crest and drainage divide appear to coincide with zones of active rock uplift, because they are characterized by bands of high local relief and normalized channel steepness values (>300). This uplift pattern could result from a synchronous initiation of the two uplift zones or propagation of deformation either northward or southward. The two propagating scenarios differ fundamentally in their predictions for the relative ages of topographic features; northward propagation predicts that the topographic crest is younger than the drainage divide, and the southward scenario predicts the converse. Because available geologic and topographic data are consistent with both propagation directions, we use a landscape evolution model to test all three scenarios. Model results indicate that the current topography and drainage network is best explained by a northward propagation of deformation from the south flank into the interior of the east-central Greater Caucasus. Such propagation implies recent out-of-sequence deformation within the Greater Caucasus due to reactivation or development of new structures within the core of the orogen. It remains unclear if such deformation is a transient response to an accretion cycle or stems from a fundamental change in the structural architecture of the orogen.
Invasive spread dynamics of Anthriscus caucalis at an ecosystem scale: propagule pressure, grazing disturbance and plant community susceptibility in canyon grasslands

Several factors may influence invasive spread dynamics once a species becomes naturalized. Propagule pressure generated from established populations is likely mediated by local scale factors such as plant community characteristics and disturbance regimes as well as ecosystem scale factors such as landscape features that shape dispersal patterns and propagule availability. Using a multi-scale observational approach, we explore how propagule pressure generated from naturalized populations of Anthriscus caucalis (M.-Bier) influences invasive spread dynamics in the Snake River canyon grassland ecosystem of the Intermountain Pacific Northwest, USA. In this study, we utilize demographic insights into A. caucalis naturalization across plant communities and a companion ecosystem scale distribution survey to elucidate invasive spread dynamics using spatially-explicit SDMs. We modeled A. caucalis occurrence as a function of plant community type, grazing disturbance, and propagule pressure generated from high-shrub communities. A. caucalis was almost uniformly present in low- and high-shrub (>90 %) communities. Within bunchgrass communities, A. caucalis occurrence was significantly lower within grazed paddocks (3 %) compared to ungrazed paddocks (52 %). The probability of A. caucalis occurrence in bunchgrass communities within ungrazed paddocks also increased at a faster rate as the relative area of high-shrub communities increased. These results suggest propagule pressure generated from high-shrub communities strongly influence invasive spread into bunchgrass communities. Our results also suggest that livestock disturbance slows invasive spread by decreasing propagule supply from high-shrub communities. Plant community composition also contributed to A. caucalis occurrence patterns within bunchgrass communities. A. caucalis occurrence declined as native bunchgrass cover increased, whereas occurrence increased with increasing cover of exotic annual species. As native bunchgrass cover declined, A. caucalis occurrence increased in locations with greater relative area of high-shrub communities. These results suggest that undisturbed bunchgrass communities are resistant to A. caucalis invasion regardless of propagule supply. In disturbed bunchgrass communities dominated by exotic annuals, A. caucalis invasion levels were positively associated with increased propagule pressure generated from high-shrub communities. In conclusion, the coupling of comparative demographic observations with spatially-explicit SDMs yielded significant insights into invasive spread dynamics. This approach should be applicable for elucidating invasive spread dynamics of other invading plant species and ecosystems.
Combined Associations of Muscle-Strengthening Activities and Accelerometer-Assessed Physical Activity on Multimorbidity: Findings From NHANES.

Abstract Purpose. Physical activity (PA) has previously been demonstrated to be inversely related with multimorbidity (having more than one chronic disease); however, it is unknown whether dual participation in both PA and muscle-strengthening activities (MSA) may further reduce the odds of being multimorbid. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to determine the association between multimorbidity and individuals meeting recommended guidelines for both PA and MSA. Design. Nonexperimental. Setting. The 2003–2006 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. Subjects. Four thousand five hundred eighty-seven adults aged ≥20 years. Measures. Accelerometry-measured PA, self-reported MSA, and multimorbidity. Analysis. Data were analyzed using multivariable linear and logistic regression. Results. The odds (95% confidence interval) of being multimorbid for those only meeting MSA guidelines, only meeting PA guidelines, and meeting both PA and MSA guidelines (vs. not meeting either), respectively, were .69...
One Free Shot: Must an Objector to a Shareholder's Derivative Settlement Intervene to Be Heard on Appeal?

This article previews the issues and arguments in California Public Employees’ Retirement Fund v. Felzen, on the Court’s 1998-99 docket. In the second case on the Court's docket this term dealing with class action settlements (see also Ortiz v. Fibreboard Corp.), the Supreme Court will turn its attention to the interesting and technical question whether an objector to a shareholders' derivative class settlement must intervene in order to be heard on appeal. The Court will determine whether a nonparty objector to a shareholder derivative settlement who appears and objects to the settlement and suffers an adverse ruling must formally intervene under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 24 in order to appeal that adverse ruling.Federal class actions generally are governed by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23. In 1996 the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules carved out a separate provision, Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23.1, to govern a particular type of class action, the shareholder derivative suit. A shareholders' derivative lawsuit is a class action brought by one or more shareholders to enforce a right of the corporation and to recover for injury to the corporation. In the past decade, highly publicized shareholder derivative settlements have been under attack for returning little value to class members while awarding significant legal fees to class lawyers. Against this contentious backdrop, the Felzen appeal broadly raises the technical quandary of clarifying who are parties to a class action, as well as who are parties to a shareholders' derivative lawsuit. The appeal more narrowly focuses on the issue of whether the ability, under the rule, for objectors to appear and oppose a derivative settlement also confers a right to appeal an adverse ruling, without requiring the objector to officially seek party designation through intervention.In the broadest policy sense, the Court will have to determine how seriously it takes the role of objectors in keeping everyone honest in negotiating and approving shareholder derivative settlements. The Supreme Court, in Amchem Products Co. v. Windsor, 117 S. Ct. 2231 (1997) indicated that federal district courts must provide heightened attention to class certification requirements in reviewing proposed class-action settlements. In so doing, the Court tacitly recognized the important role of objectors in presenting an adversarial view of proposed settlements. Under the current shareholder derivative rule, objectors get one free shot at contesting a proposed settlement without having to intervene in the litigation to present those objections.The Felzen appeal is significant because the Court will determine whether any further participation by objectors will be cabined by requiring technical intervention in the lawsuit in order to pursue an appeal.
Arbitrating Antitrust Claims: From Suspicion to Trust

This Article examines the evolving role of international commercial arbitration in the enforcement of domestic antitrust laws. It first explores how antitrust claims and issues arise in international arbitrations. It then describes three phases in the evolution of domestic courts’ attitude toward the adjudication of antitrust claims by international arbitral tribunals. Initially, national courts—like courts of the United States prior to the U.S. Supreme Court’s pathmarking 1985 decision in Mitsubishi v. Soler—were suspicious of private adjudication of antitrust claims, cognizant of the public values implicated by antitrust law. A remarkable but unnoticed transformation has since ensued. Now, the national courts of most developed economies accept (and even mandate) adjudication of antitrust claims by private international arbitral tribunals. This transformation may be predictive of future acceptance of international arbitral tribunals as trustworthy forums for dispute resolution of other “public” subject matters. This Article concludes by suggesting how international arbitrators should discharge their new role and how domestic courts might police it.
Laparoscopic Treatment of Obstructed Ureter Due to Endometriosis by Resection and Ureteroureterostomy: A Case Report

AbstractPartial ureteral resection and ureteroureterostomy were accomplished using operative laparoscopy in a 36-year-old woman with a long-standing history of endometriosis, left ureteral obstruction and nephrostomy.
Lurin Valley, Peru: Early Intermediate Period Settlement Development

The relationships between the social development in the upper Lurin valley and an expanding Early Intermediate period Lima state are examined. Internally, population growth and irrigation complexity progress together in the Lurin. Warfare, although not directly caused by population expansion, may function to regulate population. With irrigation and population expansion, a local social stratification originates but political control remains highly dispersed. A centralized control is only initiated by the external introduction of direct dominance by the Lima state.
IS A COMPANY KNOWN BY THE COMPANY IT KEEPS? ASSESSING THE SPILLOVER EFFECTS OF BRAND ALLIANCES ON CONSUMER BRAND ATTITUDES

The authors examine the growing and pervasive phenomenon of brand alliances as they affect consumers’ brand attitudes. The results of the main study (n = 350) and two replication studies (n = 150, ...
Zero-order half-wave plates of lithium niobate for integrated optics applications in the 1.55-µm waveband

We report on polarization mode conversion in ~10-µm-thick zero-order half-wave plates of lithium niobate obtained by crystal ion slicing. Extinction ratio in excess of 27 dB was measured with a 3-dB-bandwidth >80 nm at 1550 nm, and excess loss of <0.08 dB.
Kelvin Probe Force Microscopic Imaging of the Energy Barrier and Energetically Favorable Offset of Interfaces in Double-Junction Organic Solar Cells

A double-junction polymer solar cell (PSC) has attracted extensive attention as a promising approach to increasing efficiency. Tunneling/recombination interlayers between subcells play a critical role in double-junction PSCs. Interlayers include electron-transport layers (ETLs) such as Nb₂O₅, ZnO, and TiO(x) and hole-transport layers (HTLs) including PEDOT:PSS. These materials have all been used as interlayer materials, but it remains unclear which one is better than the other. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KFM) was used to identify the energy barrier and energetically favorable energy offset at the interfaces of acceptor-ETL (e.g., PCBM-Nb₂O₅, PCBM-ZnO, and PCBM-TiO(x)) and donor-HTL (e.g., MDMO-PPV/PEDOT:PSS). Here the interface refers to the junction of two materials, formed by drop-casting one on top of other. The interface is buried and is therefore not accessible to the KFM probe. The energy barrier for electron transport from PCBM to ETL was found at ∼0.20, ∼0.12, and ∼0.012 eV at the PCBM-Nb₂O₅, PCBM-ZnO, and PCBM-TiO(x) interfaces, respectively. Hole transport from the donor polymer to PEDOT:PSS was found to be energetically favorable with an energy offset of ∼0.14 eV to facilitate hole transport. The thickness independences of the energy barrier and energetically favorable energy offset at the interfaces of acceptor-ETL and donor-HTL were also observed. This work will provide guidance for researchers to identify and select appropriate materials as interlayers in double-junction PSCs.