cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lighthouse in the dust: infrared echoes of periodic emission from massive black hole binaries★

The optical and UV emission from sub-parsec massive black hole binaries (MBHBs) in active galactic nuclei (AGN) is believed to vary periodically, on timescales comparable to the binary's orbital time. If driven by accretion rate fluctuations, the variability could be isotropic. If dominated by relativistic Doppler modulation, the variability should instead be anisotropic, resembling a rotating forward-beamed lighthouse. We consider the infrared (IR) reverberation of either type of periodic emission by pc-scale circumbinary dust tori. We predict the phase and amplitude of IR variability as a function of the ratio of dust light crossing time to the source variability period, and of the torus inclination and opening angle. We enumerate several differences between the isotropic and anisotropic cases. Interestingly, for a nearly face-on binary with an inclined dust torus, the Doppler boost can produce IR variability without any observable optical/UV variability. Such orphan-IR variability would have been missed in optical searches for periodic AGN. We apply our models to time-domain WISE IR data from the MBHB candidate PG 1302-102 and find consistency with dust reverberation by both isotropically emitting and Doppler-boosted sources in the shorter wavelength W1-W2 (2.8-5.3 micrometer) bands. We constrain the dust torus to be thin (aspect ratio ~0.1), with an inner radius at 1-5 pc. More generally, our dust echo models will aid in identifying new MBHB candidates, determining their nature, and constraining the physical properties of MBHBs and their dust tori.
An Assessment of the AdenoPlus Point-of-Care Test for Diagnosing Adenoviral Conjunctivitis and Its Effect on Antibiotic Stewardship.

Objective To determine the sensitivity and specificity of the AdenoPlus test compared with real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and to determine whether there was a reduction in antibiotic prescriptions with the use of AdenoPlus compared with the previous year.
The soft keratoprosthesis.

Abstract PURPOSE: The purpose of this work was to develop a keratoprosthesis which utilizes a biocolonizable skirt attached to a soft, elastomeric optic for world-wide application. METHODS: Over a period of 20 years, using in vivo animal implantation studies, a series of experiments was conducted testing materials for biocompatibility and durability which resulted in the development of an improved design. A new surgical technique was developed, using porous, biocolonizable haptics embedded within the sclera and combined with the established techniques of resection of Descemet's membrane and a conjunctival flap. RESULTS: Animal implantation studies indicated that 6 haptics, equidistantly placed, was the optimal shape. Two clinical trials resulted in the selection of an aliphatic polyether-based urethane for the optic and 60 mu pore polytetrafluoroethylene for the porous ingrowth material. Heated, pressurized injection moulding proved to be the optimal bonding method between the skirt and the optic. Sclerally embedded haptics achieved excellent integration with the tissue. CONCLUSIONS: This keratoprosthesis is a significant improvement over previous models with a rigid optic in that: 1. The porous ingrowth haptic is sclerally anchored, preventing extrusion. 2. It has a soft elastomeric optic which more successfully defuses the shearing forces of the keratoprosthesis/tissue interface secondary to blinking. 3. The optic is less massive and of greater circumference at the optic/tissue interface, thereby imparting less energy per area with a given movement. 4. The optic does not project posteriorly thereby decreasing anterior chamber irritation and reducing the possibility of glaucoma, uveitis, endophthalmitis, and retinal detachment. 5. This keratoprosthesis allows a normal field of view for the patient and an effective funduscopic view for the surgeon. 6. The large optical diameter eliminates problems with decentralization of the image. 7. It has a significantly better cosmetic appearance.
SRC: geospatial visual analytics belongs to database systems: the BABYLON approach

GeoVisual analytics, abbr. GeoViz, is the science of analytical reasoning assisted by GeoVisual map interfaces. For example, a GeoViz heat map of the New York City taxi trips tells the taxi company where the hot pick-up and drop-off locations are. GeoViz involves the following two memory and compute intensive phases: Phase I: Spatial Data Preparation: In this phase, the system first loads the designated spatial data from the database (e.g., Shape files, PostGIS, HDFS). Based on the application, the system may then need to perform data processing operations (e.g., spatial range query, spatial join query) on the loaded spatial data to return the set of spatial objects to be visualized. Phase II: Map Visualization: In this phase, the system applies the map visualization effect, e.g., Heatmap, on the spatial objects produced in the Phase I. The system first pixelizes the spatial objects, then aggregates overlapped pixels, and finally renders an image for each geospatial map tile.
On the Riesz means of δ k (n)

Let k ≥ 1 be an integer. Let δ k (n) denote the maximum divisor of n which is co-prime to k. We study the error term of the general m-th Riesz mean of the arithmetical function δ k (n) for any positive integer m ≥ 1, namely the error term E m,k (x) where 1 m! n≤x δ k (n) 1 − n x m = M m,k (x) + E m,k (x). We establish a non-trivial upper bound for E m,k (x) , for any integer m ≥ 1.
Analysis of edge-to-center settlement ratio for circular storage tank foundation on elastic soil

Abstract This paper presents a semi-analytical, elastic analysis model for a uniformly-loaded circular tank foundation resting on soil. The soil is assumed to behave as a linear-elastic material in a semi-infinite half space, and the foundation is modeled as a thin circular plate. The governing differential equations are derived based on variational principles and solved semi-analytically. Model validation was achieved by comparing results from the present analyses with those from finite element analysis. A parametric study highlights important insights for the effects of plate diameter, plate thickness, and stiffness ratio of plate to soil on differential settlement of the tank foundation.
Outcomes of patients with a pretransplant history of early-stage melanoma.

A history of melanoma within the preceding 5 years is commonly considered a contraindication to solid organ transplantation. We investigated how a pretransplant history of melanoma impacts patient survival and melanoma recurrence. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained, and Duke’s retrospe
Models and Modeling for Teacher Education Evaluation

The year 1973 marked the beginning of what Madaus, Stufflebeam, and Scriven refer to as the “age of professionalization” (1983, p. 15) in the field of evaluation. In the 1970s, eight journals devoted partially or entirely to evaluation were established, universities began offering graduate programs in evaluation, and centers for the study of evaluation were established. Educators and legislators called for accountability and more evaluation models were developed. A recent count yielded over fifty extant evaluation models. How does this proliferation of models and theories about modeling affect the routine operation of teacher education programs? Most decisions can be traced to the use of some model. Understanding the models and the role of empirical evidence in decision-making will enhance the ability to make good decisions. This chapter is written for use by individuals who have addressed the questions relative to accreditation for their units but who face additional questions about program evaluation and improvement. The emphasis is on models and how they can be applied to improve teacher education programs. Readers who find this chapter too elementary will want to go directly to the cited sources for more sophisticated treatments of the content. Background information, definitions, and suggestions for choosing the appropriate model(s) for a given situation are provided.
Neoliberalism, the Market and Performativity

This article provides a brief history of neoliberalism discussing the centrality of Hayek and the rise of the New Right during the 1980s. The article then highlights the notion of perfomativity in Lyotard's work to analyze the culture of performance that has become so important for neoliberal capitalism. It concludes with a discussion concerning the age of performativity where performance, as a tool for analyzing human capital and technological standards, is now the dominant social model of evaluation in knowledge capitalism.
Perceiving surprise on cue words: prosody and semantics interact on right and really.

Cue words in dialogue have different interpretations depending context and prosody. This paper presents a corpus study and perception experiment investigating when prosody causes right and really to be perceived as questioning or expressing surprise. Pitch range is found to be the best cue for surprise. This extends to the question rating for really but not for right. In fact, prosody appears to interact with semantics so ratings differ for these two types of cue word even when prosodic features are similar. So, different semantics appears to result in different surprise/question rating thresholds.
Empleo y emprendimiento como responsabilidad social de las empresas

Business enterprises, as part of their responsibility to society, can and must contribute to employment and entrepreneurship. They can contribute through direct employment creation, resecting human dignity, and in particular through the reduction of youth unemployment through their participation in apprenticeship. They can also participate, indirectly, through employment education programs. They can contribute to enterprise creation as part of their supply chain development and as part of local community development. Can and should also contribute directly to entrepreneurship through their strategic philanthropy programs and the support of intrapreneurship and indirectly through the support of entrepreneur mentoring and the development of institutions and policies. But all of this requires a supporting ecosystem, in particular of supportive public policies, especially in education, financial system development and legal framework. These activities can be enhanced through alliances between companies themselves, with the public sector and civil society organizations, both in policies and in activities.
Development of a selective differential agar for isolation and enumeration of Campylobacter spp.

Direct plating is an effective technique for isolation and enumeration of Campylobacters from a variety of sample types; however, distinguishing Campylobacters from non-Campylobacter contaminants that frequently grow on many existing agars is difficult. In this study, it was determined that exposing Campylobacters to low levels (200 mg/liter) of triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) was not inhibitory to growth yet was sufficient to give a deep-red to magenta color to the colonies. The new agars (Campy-Line agar [CLA] and Campy-Line blood agar [CLBA]) are translucent. The contrast of deep-red colonies on a translucent background greatly facilitates Campylobacter isolation and makes enumeration on light boxes or by electronic means possible. Direct plating of broiler carcass rinse samples (n = 20) was compared on Campy-Cefex agar and CLA. Recovery of Campylobacter populations was not significantly different between the agars (P < 0.05); however, enumeration was much less labor intensive with the CLA. No cont...
Linear Groups over Division Rings

Let R be a division ring and V a finite dimensional vector space over R. The concern of this chapter is the investigation of the group GL(V) and its important subgroups. In an initial section it is proved that GL(V) is generated by transvections and dilations in a certain efficient way. Also, the orders of the linear groups are computed when R is finite. A subsequent section considers the subgroup E(V) generated by the transvections alone. This group is equal to the group EX(V), already studied in §1.2C, for any basis X of V. In addition, E(V) is the kernel of the Dieudonne determinant and the quotient E(V)/Cen E(V) is a simple group, aside from the two exceptions where dim V = 2 and R is the Galois field \( {\mathbb{F}_2}{\text{ or }}{\mathbb{F}_3} \). For a division ring R which is finite dimensional over its center this section also introduces the “norm one” subgroup of GL(V). This group is denoted SL(V). If R is a field SL(V) is the kernel of the determinant so that this notation is consistent with that already in use. The group SL(V) always contains E(V). The question as to whether it is equal to E(V) in general was for years an important open problem known in the literature as the problem of “Tanaka-Artin” or (in a more general setting) as the problem of “Kneser-Tits”. This question, and its more recent negative solution, is discussed without proofs. A final section develops a Bruhat decomposition for GL(V). This in combination with the K-Theory of Chapter 1 leads to several presentation theorems for the linear groups. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the Theorems of Matsumoto and Merkurjev-Suslin.
Parameterization Strategies for Intermolecular Potentials for Predicting Trajectory-Based Collision Parameters.

The accuracy of separable strategies for constructing full-dimensional potential energy surfaces for collisional energy transfer and collision rate calculations is studied systematically for three alcohols (A = methanol, ethanol, and butanol) and three bath gases (M = Ar, N2, and H2O). The fitting efficiency (defined as the number of ab initio data required to achieve parametrizations of a desired accuracy) is quantified for both pairwise (Buckingham or “exp6”) and nonpairwise (permutationally invariant polynomials, PIPs, of Morse variables) functional forms, for four sampling strategies, and as a function of the complexity and anisotropy of the interaction potential. We find that convergence with respect to the number of sampled ab initio data is largely independent of the choice of functional form but instead varies nearly linearly with the number of adjustable parameters and depends strongly on the sampling strategy. Specifically, the use of biased Sobol quasirandom sampling is ∼7× more efficient than ...
Floquet heating in interacting atomic gases with an oscillating force

Collisional heating of a cold-atom system subjected to time-periodic forces is investigated theoretically. A general description of the heating rate is proposed and the crossover between the quantum and semiclassical regimes is identified.
Regrading on and through timescales

Abstract This study explores regrading in interaction, with a specific focus on regrading involving timescales. There are at least two ways of upgrading and downgrading with timescales. A detailed analysis of conversations in Japanese between friends examines two types of timescale: linear (timescales in which something can change as time progresses; e.g., deterioration over time) and cyclical (repeating timescales; e.g., years, days of the week). In these interactions, upgrading occurs when a speaker has succeeded in establishing tellability of a second story by eliciting expected responses from a recipient. These upgrades may then be followed by downgrades when they are vulnerable to being challenged. In addition to contributing to an understanding of interactional regrading, scaling, and timescales in general, this study demonstrates the complex interaction among scales and speakers' manipulation of multiple scales.
Volterra Integral Dynamic Equations

In this chapter, we apply the concept of resolvent that we developed in Sect. 1.4.1 for vector Volterra integral dynamic equations and show the boundedness of solutions. The resolvent is an abstract term which makes it difficult, if not impossible, to make efficient use of it. However, by the help of Lyapunov functionals and variation of parameters, we will be able to verify all the conditions that are related to the resolvent. In Sect. 6.1.1 we make use of the resolvent along with fixed point theory and show the existence and uniqueness of solutions of nonlinear Volterra dynamic equations. Later in the chapter, we consider nonlinear Volterra integral dynamic equations and construct suitable Lyapunov functional to obtain results regarding boundedness and stability of the zero solution. Contents of this chapter are totally new and not published anywhere else except those of Sect. 6.3 that can be found in Adivar and Raffoul (Appl Math Comput 273:258–266, 2016).
Populus euphratica annexin1 facilitates cadmium enrichment in transgenic Arabidopsis.

Abstract Phytoremediation offers a great potential for affordable remediation of heavy metal (HM)−polluted soil and water. Screening and identifying candidate genes related to HM uptake and transport is prerequisite for improvement of phytoremediation by genetic engineering. Using the cadmium (Cd)−hypersensitive Populus euphratica, an annexin encoding gene facilitating Cd enrichment was identified in this study. With a 12 h exposure to CdCl2 (50–100 μM), P. euphratica cells down-regulated transcripts of annexin1 (PeANN1). PeANN1 was homologue to Arabidopsis annexin1 (AtANN1) and localized mainly to the plasma membrane (PM) and cytosol. Compared with wild type and Atann1 mutant, PeANN1 overexpression in Arabidopsis resulted in a more pronounced decline in survival rate and root length after a long-term Cd stress (10 d, 50 μM), due to a higher cadmium accumulation in roots. PeANN1−transgenic roots exhibited enhanced influx conductance of Cd2+ under cadmium shock (30 min, 50 μM) and short-term stress (12 h, 50 μM). Noteworthy, the PeANN1-facilitated Cd2+ influx was significantly inhibited by a calcium-permeable channel (CaPC) inhibitor (GdCl3) but was promoted by 1 mM H2O2, indicating that Cd2+ entered root cells via radical-activated CaPCs in the PM. Therefore, PeANN1 can serve as a candidate gene for improvement of phytoremediation by genetic engineering.
Trends in Real Estate Mutual Fund Efficiency

This paper examines real estate mutual fund (REMF) efficiency from an investor’s perspective during the 2008–2010 real estate investment trust (REIT) liquidity crisis. Investors not only regained c...
Dexmedetomidine Induced Polyuria in the Intensive Care Unit

Dexmedetomidine is an α2-adrenergic used as an adjunct therapy for sedation in the intensive care unit. While it is known to cause polyuria exclusively in perioperative conditions, not many cases are known in the intensive care unit, thus making the diagnosis challenging. We present the case of a 61-year-old male who had developed polyuria secondary to central diabetes insipidus after receiving dexmedetomidine intravenous infusion in the medical ICU. Increased awareness of this uncommon side effect of dexmedetomidine will help clinicians recognize and address it early.
Disabled Masculinity: Njáll's beardlessness in the changing religious landscape of Medieval Iceland

This article focuses on the implications of ‘disabled masculinity’ within the broader religious context of medieval Iceland as it is portrayed in Brennu-Njals saga. Njall Þorgeirsson, the titular character of the saga, is first introduced as being unable to grow a beard; this inability to engage in this traditional performance of masculinity marks him as a disabled man within medieval Icelandic society. The article not only explores how his disabled appearance interacts with gender-based insults and ridicule from his peers, but also considers his evolving depiction alongside the changing religious landscape of saga age Iceland. The intersectional approach between gender and disability studies employed here allows for a better understanding of the function of religious and legal knowledge within medieval Iceland’s patriarchal society.
Vaginal Electrical Stimulation for Postpartum Neuromuscular Recovery: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare 3-month postpartum anal incontinence symptoms in women who sustain obstetric anal sphincter injuries and begin immediate vaginal electrical stimulation versus sham therapy. METHODS In this double-blind randomized controlled trial, women who sustained obstetric anal sphincter injuries were randomized to receive self-administered vaginal electrical stimulation using a commercial device or sham therapy with an identical device. Anal incontinence symptom severity was assessed at 1 week (baseline) and again at 13 weeks postpartum using the Fecal Incontinence Severity Index. The primary outcome was anal incontinence symptom severity measured by the total Fecal Incontinence Severity Index score at 13 weeks postpartum. RESULTS Between February 2016 and September 2018, 48 women completed a 13-week follow-up. At 13 weeks postpartum, median Fecal Incontinence Severity Index scores were higher (more severe) in the vaginal electrical stimulation group (12; interquartile range, 0-23) than in the sham group (4; interquartile range, 0-10) (P = 0.04). Unlike the vaginal electrical stimulation group, the improvement in Fecal Incontinence Severity Index scores in the sham group (vaginal electrical stimulation: 12 [interquartile range, 8-22] to 12 [interquartile range, 0-23] [P = 0.12] vs sham: 12 [interquartile range, 6-18] to 4.0 [interquartile range, 0-11] [P < 0.001]) met the threshold for clinical significance based on the minimum important difference of the Fecal Incontinence Severity Index. CONCLUSION At 13 weeks postpartum, women who underwent postpartum vaginal electrical stimulation reported more anal incontinence symptoms compared with those receiving sham therapy. Vaginal electrical stimulation after obstetric anal sphincter injury was not beneficial in reducing anal incontinence symptoms and may impede recovery.
Choosing the Lesser Evil: Forecasting Presidential Elections in Peru

The Peruvian political landscape is dominated by the weakness of party organizations, the continuous rotation of political personalities, and, in turn, high electoral volatility and uncertainty. Nevertheless, we observe patterns of electoral competition that suggest candidates learn to capture the political center and compete over the continuation of an economic model that has sustained growth. We use this information to record the vote intention for the candidate viewed as the lesser evil. Our forecasting results predict a good share of the variation in political support for this candidate. The out-of-sample prediction also comes fairly close to the real electoral results. These findings provide some degree of electoral certainty in an area that, to date, remains understudied.
The Emergence of Bank-Issued Credit in Russia: An Empirical Characterization

Bank-issued credit is an important source of external financing for dynamic firms in transition economies. However, banks with a primary mission of issuing loans to private firms have only recently emerged in Russia. While this emergence (and subsequent expansion) appears to be carrying significant implications for Russia’s continuing economic development, it is a far from universal phenomenon when viewed from a regional perspective. The purpose of this paper is to document regional patterns of the emergence and expanding importance of bank-issued credit within Russia; to note its relationship with regional patterns of economic activity; and to seek an empirical account of the regional variations we observe. In pursuing the latter objective, we document that regional variations in the influence of the communist party evident in the former Soviet Union retain remarkable explanatory power in accounting for regional variations in bank-financing activity. An account of the persistence of this influence will be the subject of future research.
Studies on protein multimers. I. Urease.

Abstract The sedimentation equilibrium behavior of urease has been studied at pH 7 and 2. At the latter pH, dissociation is evident. The data suggest that at pH 7 there are association-dissociation phenomena modified but not eliminated by β-mercaptoethanol. The amino acid analysis of urease is included.
Why & How Families Move: Residential Mobility and Housing Consumption Behaviors Restructured

Over the course of the past 60 years, research in the area of residential mobility and housing consumption behaviors has become a well-established field of social and regional sciences in term of its particular causes and outcomes. However, much of the findings in this area are dispersed across different studies from a variety of disciplines and approaches. This paper restructures the current state of knowledge on residential mobility and housing consumption behaviors in a holistic scan of the literature delivering a comprehensive picture of participating factors. Such a restructured overview creates the opportunity to look at interactions between influential variables in residential mobility process and possible outcomes that can amplify, moderate, or neutralize effects of other factors in the mobility process. The discussion section of this paper provides a scenario to understand possible cumulative effects of mobility factors on a neighborhood setting, emphasizing the complexities involved in the residential mobility process and its repercussions on metropolitan areas.
Reflecting Team Group Therapy and Its Congruence with Feminist Principles

Abstract The author suggests that the reflecting team approach to group therapy can enhance and further the goals of feminist counseling. Specific strategies that help accomplish this goal include allowing clients to act as consultants and rotating the focus of the team from session to session so that each member has multiple opportunities to speak the language of agency. An illustration of an individual session demonstrates how women of color, in particular, may benefit from this therapeutic intervention.
Ramond-Ramond Field Transformation

We find that the mixture of Ramond-Ramond fields and Neveu-Schwarz two form are transformed as Majorana spinors under the T-duality group $O(d,d)$. The Ramond-Ramond field transformation under the group $O(d,d)$ is realized in a simple form by using the spinor representation. The Ramond-Ramond field transformation rule obtained by Bergshoeff et al. is shown as a specific simple example. We also give some explicit examples of the spinor representation.
Brain stimulation for the treatment of epilepsy.

Direct brain stimulation is an emerging treatment of epilepsy. Scheduled or responsive stimulation has been applied. The most explored targets for scheduled stimulation are the anterior nucleus of the thalamus and the hippocampus. The anterior nucleus of the thalamus was studied in a large multicenter trial. There was a significant seizure reduction with the stimulator "on" versus "off' during several months after stimulator implantation. The hippocampus as stimulation target has not yet been studied in a large randomized trial. Responsive stimulation applies a stimulus whenever epileptiform activity occurs. It requires on-line detection of epileptiform activity. This concept is based on the observation that epileptiform activity during functional mapping can be aborted by brief pulses of cortical stimulation. Current technology is able to detect seizure activity intracranially on-line and delivers a high frequency stimulus if epileptiform activity is detected. A large randomized multicenter trial has been conducted testing this system for focal epilepsy.
The use of thermal manikins to evaluate clothing and environmental factors

Abstract Life-size, heated manikins are used in a variety of ways to study the human environmental condition. They have been used by many researchers to measure the thermal resistance (insulation) of clothing, sleeping bag systems, bedding systems, and chairs, with the manikin either standing, sitting, walking, or lying down. Standing sweating manikins have been used to measure the evaporative resistance of clothing. Manikins have been used to evaluate the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems (HVAC) in buildings and vehicles by measuring the impact of the environmental conditions on the manikin and by measuring the impact of the manikin on the HVAC systems. Manikins have also been used to measure the effects of fire and heat on protective clothing and the body. Manikin tests have been conducted under steady-state and transient conditions.
Performance improvement of transmission in Unmanned Aerial Systems using multipath TCP

One Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is not efficient for carrying out search-and-rescue, reconnaissance, and surveillance because it has to make multiple back-and-forth trips across an area. The solution is to use a swarm of cooperating UAVs to form an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). Using UASs poses the well-known problems exhibited by Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETS) of frequent disconnections and high rates of failed transmissions as vehicles move in and out of network coverage areas. Seamless handover can be achieved by using multiple and diverse transmission paths per UAV. The first contribution of this paper is a novel mathematical relationship model that assigns fitness scores for purposes of matching a UAV interface type to transmission type. Transmission type examples are telemetry, video, and still images. The second contribution is the first ever wireless Multipath Transmission Control Protocol (MPTCP) module in Network Simulator 2 (NS2). The third contribution is a simulation implementation of our mathematical model in the new MPTCP over wireless protocol. In simulation, this approach improves transmission throughput by 20% over the recommended standard MPTCP. Our implementation design for a real UAS that uses multi-interface networks is reported.
Sex-Specific Placental Responses in Fetal Development

The placenta is an ephemeral but critical organ for the survival of all eutherian mammals and marsupials. It is the primary messenger system between the mother and fetus, where communicational signals, nutrients, waste, gases, and extrinsic factors are exchanged. Although the placenta may buffer the fetus from various environmental insults, placental dysfunction might also contribute to detrimental developmental origins of adult health and disease effects. The placenta of one sex over the other might possess greater ability to respond and buffer against environmental insults. Given the potential role of the placenta in effecting the lifetime health of the offspring, it is not surprising that there has been a resurging interest in this organ, including the Human Placental Project launched by the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development. In this review, we will compare embryological development of the laboratory mouse and human chorioallantoic placentae. Next, evidence that various species, including humans, exhibit normal sex-dependent structural and functional placental differences will be examined followed by how in utero environmental changes (nutritional state, stress, and exposure to environmental chemicals) might interact with fetal sex to affect this organ. Recent data also suggest that paternal state impacts placental function in a sex-dependent manner. The research to date linking placental maladaptive responses and later developmental origins of adult health and disease effects will be explored. Finally, we will focus on how sex chromosomes and epimutations may contribute to sex-dependent differences in placental function, the unanswered questions, and future directions that warrant further consideration.
Predicting the Planform Configuration of the Braided Toklat River, Alaska, With a Suite of Rule-Based Models1

: An ensemble of rule-based models was constructed to assess possible future braided river planform configurations for the Toklat River in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska. This approach combined an analysis of large-scale influences on stability with several reduced-complexity models to produce the predictions at a practical level for managers concerned about the persistence of bank erosion while acknowledging the great uncertainty in any landscape prediction. First, a model of confluence angles reproduced observed angles of a major confluence, but showed limited susceptibility to a major rearrangement of the channel planform downstream. Second, a probabilistic map of channel locations was created with a two-parameter channel avulsion model. The predicted channel belt location was concentrated in the same area as the current channel belt. Finally, a suite of valley-scale channel and braid plain characteristics were extracted from a light detection and ranging (LiDAR)-derived surface. The characteristics demonstrated large-scale stabilizing topographic influences on channel planform. The combination of independent analyses increased confidence in the conclusion that the Toklat River braided planform is a dynamically stable system due to large and persistent valley-scale influences, and that a range of avulsive perturbations are likely to result in a relatively unchanged planform configuration in the short term.
Up, up and away

In 1961, Jay Forrester introduced economists, management scientists and other social scientists to a new methodology for studying the behavior of dynamic systems, a methodology which he called Industrial Dynamics. Following closely on the heels of Industrial Dynamics was Urban Dynamics, which purported to analyze the nature of urban problems, their cases, and possible solution to these problems in terms of interactions among components of urban systems. More recently, Forrester has come forth with World Dynamics. We and the inhabitants of the other planets in our universe are now anxiously awaiting the publication of Universe Dynamics, a volume which is to be sponsored by the Club of Olympus, God, the Pope, Buddha, Mohammed, and the spiritual leaders of several other major religions of this world and the universe. Not unlike World Dynamics and other books by Jay Forrester, Universe Dynamics will be characterized by a number of distinct features. These features will be summarized in this paper.In this presentation we shall comment on the methodology used by Forrester in World Dynamics as well as the methodology which is being set forth by his disciples who publish The Limits of Growth and the other people involved in the Club of Rome project. We shall address ourselves to the whole question of the feasibility of constructing models of the entire world and to model structures alternative to the one set forth by Forrester, et al.It is first necessary to consider what possible objectives one might have in trying to prove programs correct, since different correctness criteria can be relevant to any particular program, especially when the program is to be used for numerical computation. Then it will be shown that careful structuring, along with the judicious use of assertions, can help one to organize proofs of correctness. Good language facilities are needed for the structuring, while assertions help make specific the details of the proof.Examples from linear algebra, differential equations and other areas will be used to illustrate these ideas. The importance of language facilities will be emphasized, and implications for Computer Science curricula will be pointed out. A useful analogy with proofs of theorems in mathematics and the relevance of this analogy to certification procedures for computer programs will be discussed.
Oxidant-induced hepatocyte injury from menadione is regulated by ERK and AP-1 signaling

Oxidative stress has been implicated as a mechanism for a variety of forms of liver injury. Although reactive oxygen species (ROS) may damage cellular macromolecules directly, oxidant-induced cell death may result from redox effects on signal transduction pathways. To understand the mechanisms of hepatocyte death from oxidative stress, the functions of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were determined during oxidant-induced hepatocyte injury from menadione. Low, nontoxic, and high toxic concentrations of the superoxide generator menadione were established in the RALA255-10G rat hepatocyte cell line. Death from menadione was blocked by catalase and ebselen, indicating that death was secondary to oxidant generation and not arylation. Treatment with a nontoxic menadione concentration resulted in a brief activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). In contrast, treatment with a toxic menadione concentration induced a prolonged activation of both ERK and JNK. Chemical inhibition of ERK function sensitized RALA hepatocytes to death from previously nontoxic menadione concentrations in association with sustained JNK activation. Adenoviral expression of a dominant-negative protein for c-Jun, a downstream substrate for JNK, blocked death from menadione. The pro-apoptotic effect of c-Jun was not mediated through the mitochondrial death pathway. In conclusion, RALA hepatocyte resistance to oxidant-induced death from menadione is dependent on ERK, whereas cell death is mediated by AP-1 activation. These findings identify signaling pathways that may be therapeutic targets in the prevention or treatment of oxidant-induced liver injury.
Factors that influence the proportion of offspring sired by a male following heterospermic insemination

Heterospermic insemination (HI) is the situation when sperm from two or more males are present in the female before fertilization. There are various means of distinguishing paternity after HI, extending from identifying the fertilizing sperm microscopically to examining the phenotype of offspring. Invariably, sperm from one male fertilizes a majority of the eggs. The advantage one male may have can be due to an innate difference between the males, an unequal ratio of sperm in the mixture or a more appropriate interval from insemination to ovulation when inseminations are not simultaneous. The relationship between the proportion of females that conceive from a homospermic insemination by a particular male and the proportion of eggs fertilized after HI by that male is positive. The ranking of quality of semen by morphological, motility or biochemical tests corresponds in nearly every case with the ranking resulting from an index derived from HI. The effect of treatment of the male on his fertility can be detected readily by a change in the proportion of offspring he sires from HI. Sperm suspended in a less than ideal extender, exposed to less than ideal handling procedures or stored for a prolonged period, will fertilize a smaller proportion of offspring when competing with sperm exposed to more suitable conditions. The advantage a sperm may have in HI may be associated with the speed of attachment to and penetration of the egg. HI provides a means of more accurate assessment of the relative fertilizing ability of sperm with fewer observations than with most other techniques.
Temporal Variation of Low-Latitude Zonal Circulations

Abstract The response of the tropical atmosphere to steady forcing for all four seasons is computed using a simple two-layer linear primitive-equation model allowing an arbitrary basic flow with two-dimensional shear. The character of each seasonal response is studied, and two distinct forms of behavior are found. Near the Equator, the forcing excites a slowly varying Kelvin wave of the time scale of months while, in midlatitudes, the atmosphere responds via the Rossby mode. Both regimes are separated by the critical latitudes existing on the poleward limits of the easterly channel of the basic flow. The long-wave scale response of the equatorial motions noted by Krishnamurti are shown to be the results of the natural filtering of the slowly varying Kelvin wave. The temporal variation of this zonal circulation is discussed. The analysis is extended to infer the behavior and location of transient disturbances in the upper tropical troposphere for time scales much less than seasonal. Also shown is that the ...
Energy transfer and two-center optical transitions involving rare-earth and O H − impurities in condensed matter

We present theoretical calculations for energy transfer and two-center optical processes involving simultaneous rare-earth electronic and O${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ vibrational transitions in condensed matter. Along the lines sketched at the 1978 Paris Luminescence Conference [(J. Luminescence 1979)]. We use an electrostatic coupling model and perturbation theory to develop formal expressions for transition rates. Approximate expressions are derived and numerical results are presented for several specific processes and systems. Comparison with transition rates for rare-earth (RE) ion pairs indicates that the effects discussed can be observed experimentally. The importance of these effects as a local probe of the structure of the RE-ion's environment (not only in solids) as well as means for production of a high population of a specific RE excited state is noted.
Cascade theory for double K x-ray emission in transfer and excitation collisions.

We propose a cascade model to interpret a recent, novel experiment of ${\mathrm{S}}^{15+}$ + ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ collisions with simultaneous excitation capture in which two $K$ x rays were detected. Cascade effects leading to double $K$ x-ray emission are carefully examined to obtain $K\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{-}K\ensuremath{\alpha}$, $K\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{-}K\ensuremath{\beta}$, and $K\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{-}K\ensuremath{\gamma}$ (and higher states) coincidence cross sections. The overall spectral shapes and absolute magnitudes are consistent with the predictions of the model.
Characterization of HEp-2 cell projection formation induced by diffusely adherent Escherichia coli.

Abstract Diffusely adherent Escherichia coli (DAEC) are diarrheagenic E. coli whose pathogenetic mechanisms are largely unknown. DAEC have been shown to induce an unusual phenotype upon adherence to HEp-2 cells in culture characterized by the induction of long thin membrane processes extending from the cell surface. In addition, DAEC have been shown to be protected from the bactericidal effects of gentamicin when incubated with HEp-2 cells. In our studies, we found that three DAEC strains induced formation of eukaryotic cell processes and were protected from gentamicin killing after a 3 h incubation. Pre-incubation of HEp-2 cells with colchicine or cytochalasin D prior to infection with DAEC strain C1845 resulted in decreased projection formation, suggesting that the effect was dependent upon microfilament and microtubule rearrangement. When the standard gentamicin protection assay was extended for an additional 3 h incubation in the presence of gentamicin, a greater number of DAEC survived gentamicin treatment, more eukaryotic projections were seen in association with the bacteria and the bacteria were actually observed to be «embedded» within these projections. Projection formation was not observed when the bacteria were separated from the cells by a permeable membrane or when the inoculum was inactivated by ultraviolet irradiation. Transposon Tn phoA mutants of C1845 were screened for decreased gentamicin protection. All three mutants which were deficient in gentamicin protection demonstrated less projection formation. Insertion mutations affecting gentamicin protection were localized to both the chromosome (two) and a plasmid (one). Eukaryotic projections are a novel interaction of DAEC with epithelial cells, may play a role of the survival of the bacteria against host defenses and may contribute to DAEC pathogenesis. The effect is dependent upon epithelial cell contact and requires multiple bacterial genes.
Anderson's localization of molecular excitons in substitutionally disordered systems

We present clear evidence for the presence of Anderson's localization in molecular solids. Diagonal and off-diagonal disorder is introduced and controlled by substitutionally disordering the lattice at different temperatures. Optical and optically-detected magnetic resonance spectroscopy have been used to directly obtain the resonance interactions, the inhomogeneous site-energy fluctuations, and the threshold for Anderson's transition. The results on the two-dimensional lattice when compared with quasi-one-dimensional systems indicate that cross chain interactions and phonon-assisted processes are important in determining the nature of extended states in disordered systems.
Working smarter: The effects of motivational orientations on purchasing task selection and retail buyer performance

Retail buyers' motivational orientations can influence which tasks they select in order to perform their jobs and which kinds of buying mistakes they may be likely to make. Research reported here found that intrinsically motivated buyers were more likely to use diverse sources of information, to seek and recommend new vendors, to have more positive relationships with vendors and sales personnel, and to make fewer “Type 2” buying errors. Discussion focuses on managerial and theoretical contributions of the findings.
Science-based decision-making on complex issues: Marcellus shale gas hydrofracking and New York City water supply

Complex scientific and non-scientific considerations are central to the pending decisions about “hydrofracking” or high volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) to exploit unconventional natural gas resources worldwide. While incipient plans are being made internationally for major shale reservoirs, production and technology are most advanced in the United States, particularly in Texas and Pennsylvania, with a pending decision in New York State whether to proceed. In contrast to the narrow scientific and technical debate to date, focused on either greenhouse gas emissions or water resources, toxicology and land use in the watersheds that supply drinking water to New York City (NYC), I review the scientific and technical aspects in combination with global climate change and other critical issues in energy tradeoffs, economics and political regulation to evaluate the major liabilities and benefits. Although potential benefits of Marcellus natural gas exploitation are large for transition to a clean energy economy, at present the regulatory framework in New York State is inadequate to prevent potentially irreversible threats to the local environment and New York City water supply. Major investments in state and federal regulatory enforcement will be required to avoid these environmental consequences, and a ban on drilling within the NYC water supply watersheds is appropriate, even if more highly regulated Marcellus gas production is eventually permitted elsewhere in New York State.
Somatostatin receptor subtype 1 and subtype 2 mRNA expression is regulated by nutritional state in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Somatostatin receptors (sst) mediate the numerous physiological actions (e.g., aspects of growth, development, and metabolism) of the somatostatin family of peptides. In this study, we used rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to establish the pattern of sst subtype 1A, 1B, and 2 mRNA expression in selected tissues (optic tectum of brain, endocrine pancreas, and liver) and to evaluate nutritional regulation of sst expression. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR, sensitive to less than 100 copies, revealed that sst1s and sst2 was differentially expressed, both in terms of distribution among the tissues of study and in terms of relative abundance within a particular tissue. Under normal physiological (fed) conditions, sst1B levels were two times greater than those of sst1A in all tissues examined and levels of sst2 were 2-5 times greater those of sst1B, except in optic tectum, in which sst1B and sst2 mRNA levels appeared equal. Nutritional state modulated the pattern of sst1 and sst2 mRNAs expression. Fasting for 2 or 6 weeks reduced the expression of sst mRNAs in optic tectum; whereas, fasting increased the expression of sst mRNAs in both pancreas and liver. Re-feeding animals for 2 weeks following a 4-week fast restored mRNA levels to near those in tissues from animals which were fed continuously. These findings indicate that the pattern of sst expression in optic tectum, pancreas, and liver is regulated by nutritional state.