cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimisation of the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar in a cluttered marine environment

Discusses the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) for the new airport at Chek Lap Kok (CLK) of Hong Kong. This paper discusses the radar characteristics that ensure that the TDWR is able to meet its mission requirements while working in the highly cluttered marine environment of Hong Kong. The Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) system, developed by Raytheon Company for the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), provides automatic detection of microbursts and low-level wind shear. The second major function of TDWR is to improve air traffic management through forecasts of wind shifts, precipitation and other weather hazards. The TDWR system generates meteorological base data and wind shear products and automatically prepares warning messages for the air traffic controllers, through the timely detection and reporting of hazardous wind shear. It collects low altitude meteorological data and performs reliably in the terminal area environment characterized by natural and man-made ground clutter. The TDWR design specifically addresses the extraction of weather information in the presence of radar returns from severe ground clutter. The TDWR radar utilizes the Doppler effect to measure the radial velocity of rain or airborne microparticulates. This paper addresses the characteristics of the TDWR system design, siting, and signal processing techniques that are critical to optimal performance in the Hong Kong environment, and discusses observations during the optimisation of the TDWR.
Experimental measurement of proton, Cd, Pb, Sr, and Zn adsorption onto the fungal species Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Proton, Cd, Pb, Sr, and Zn adsorption onto the fungal species Saccharomyces cerevisiae were measured in bulk adsorption experiments as a function of time, pH, surface:metal ratio, and ionic strength, and we measured the electrophoretic mobility of the cells as a function of pH. We modeled the acid/base properties of the fungal cell wall by invoking a nonelectrostatic surface complexation model with four discrete surface organic acid functional group types, with average pKa values (with 1σ uncertainties) of 3.4 ± 0.4, 5.0 ± 0.2, 6.8 ± 0.4, and 8.9 ± 0.6. The affinity of the fungal cells for the metal ions follows the following trend: Pb > Zn > Cd > Sr. We used the metal adsorption data to determine site-specific stability constants for the important metal fungal surface complexes. Our results suggest that S. cerevisiae may represent a novel biosorbent for the removal of heavy metal cations from aqueous waste streams.
Raman and X-ray absorption spectroscopy studies of chromium–phosphorus interactions in high-bismuth high-level waste glasses

Abstract High-level waste (HLW) glasses containing bismuth, phosphorus, and chromium were investigated using Raman and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The novel and practically important occurrence of foaming on cooling of these melts is associated with P and Cr from the HLW. In response, glasses were synthesized where Bi 2 O 3 and P 2 O 5 contents were varied independently. Relationships between P and Cr were found, where as P 2 O 5 -content increases, chromate Cr–O stretch Raman modes diminish intensity, while Cr XAS shows that Cr reduces, from 50% Cr 6+ + 50% Cr 3+ to nearly 20% Cr 6+ + 80% Cr 3+ , explaining the chromate mode behavior. In the most P 2 O 5 -rich glass, the chromate Cr–O distance increases by approximately 0.10 A, which may indicate bonding between CrO 4 and PO 4 tetrahedra, similar to that in chromo-phosphates. The presence of chromo-phosphate domains in HLW melts can be linked to oxygen generation as a source of the foaming.
Emission patterns of wound volatile compounds following injury of ripe strawberry fruit

Volatile compounds emitted from plants following wounding influence the growth of fungal pathogens, including Botrytis cinerea (grey mould), which causes serious economic loss of strawberry fruit. In the present study the patterns of volatile compound emission from ripe strawberry fruit, comprising store-purchased fruit and two known cultivars, were determined following injury, using solid phase microextraction analysis to sample a stream of air continuously flowing over the fruit. The principal compounds produced from all fruits comprised C6 aldehydes, alcohols and acetate and butyrate esters derived from the lipoxygenase–hydroperoxide lyase pathway. There was an initial burst of production of aldehydes, including t-2-hexenal, following wounding and then a gradual decline, which in one cultivar continued for 3 h. t-2-Hexenal is of special interest, since it has been shown to inhibit or promote Botrytis growth in vitro depending on concentration. The acetate esters t-2-hexenyl acetate, c-3-hexenyl acetate and hexyl acetate were major wound compounds released by the fruit and were produced for 3 h after wounding. The production of relatively large quantities of wound-derived esters is markedly different from the patterns observed for most vegetative tissue. Knowledge of the wound compounds produced by strawberry fruit and their profiles of emission after injury provides a basis for studies of the potential roles of these compounds in pathogen development on fruit. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
Yellowstone geysers influenced by internal processes

The intervals between geyser eruptions depend on a delicate balance of underground factors, such as heat and water supply, as well as on their interactions with surrounding geysers. Some geysers are highly predictable, their intervals between eruptions (IBEs) varying only slightly. The predictability of these geysers offers Earth scientists a unique opportunity to investigate what may influence their eruptive activity and to apply that information to rare and unpredictable types of eruptions, such as those from volcanoes.
The Origins of Domestic Sheep and Goats: a Reconsideration in the Light of the Fossil Evidence.

In recent discussions of the origins and process of animal domestication (Reed, 1961, Zeuner, 1963), both authors rely on two kinds of evidence: on the one hand, the present distributions and characteristics of the different breeds of whatever animal is being discussed, together with its feral and wild relatives, and, on the other hand, the past record, given by literary and pictorial sources and the bones from archaeological and geological sites. Increased recognition of the limitations of the past record, whether in the accuracy of the information it appears to give (as in the case of pictorial sources), or in the certainty of the deductions we are at present capable of drawing from it (this applies especially to the osteological record), has led these authors to argue mainly from the present situation, using the past record to confirm or amplify the existing picture.Arguing from the present, many hypotheses about the origins and process of domestication are available. The only test we have, when attempting to choose between these, lies in the direct evidence of the past record. The past record, it is freely admitted, is very fragmentary: the information provided by the present situation is more exact, ranges over a much wider field, and is more open to test and control. Nevertheless, the past record, however imperfect it is, is the only direct evidence we have about the process of domestication.
Solitons in magneto-optic waveguides

The soliton perturbation theory is used to obtain the adiabatic parameter dynamics of solitons in magneto-optic waveguides. This is governed by the generalized vector nonlinear Schrodinger's equation.
Severe hypertensive reaction to indigo carmine

An episode of severe hypertension induced by indigo carmine is herein reported. Treatment with intravenous hydralazine was required to restore systemic blood pressure to a safe level. The reported association of indigo carmine with hypertension is reviewed.
Hybrid photonic switch matrix for sub-wavelength switching

Exploiting the wavelength-time-space switching in semiconductor optical amplifiers, a multi-terabit optical switch matrix capable of sub-wavelength switching has been demonstrated.
Fuzzy cluster analysis of bioinformatics data composed of microarray expression data and gene ontology annotations

This paper presents the framework and results of the cluster analysis of a selected set of Arabidopsis (a leafy plant) genes in the presence of insect-feeding and wounding stress. We outline the methodology by which we coupled the results of a microarray experiment with the Gene Ontology (GO) annotations of each gene to produce aggregate relational data. Our method combines two relational matrices: one matrix is derived from a fuzzy GO similarity measure and another is derived from the microarray data using a statistical similarity measure. Finally, we used a fuzzy clustering algorithm (NERFcM) and a validity measure (CCV) to cluster and validate the resulting relational data. Results are presented that outline the functional summarization of the clusters. The methods presented here give microarray researchers additional tools to investigate relations between gene expression and gene functions.
The Steens Basalt: Earliest lavas of the Columbia River Basalt Group

The Steens Formation, or Steens Basalt, is formally recognized as the oldest lithostratigraphic unit of the Columbia River Basalt Group, with an estimated areal extent and volume of 53,000 km 2 and 31,800 km 3 , respectively. We integrate petrochemical, paleomagnetic, and 40 Ar- 39 Ar age data on 13 collected sections to help evaluate stratigraphic and petrogenetic relationships through the Steens succession. We estimate that the overall duration of Steens Basalt volcanism from lingering eruptions could be as much as 300,000 yr, centered at ca. 16.7 Ma, but that the far greater volume erupted in <50,000 yr at an effusion rate ~0.67 km 3 /yr. Lava fl ows of primitive, homogeneous tholeiite initially erupted over a wide expanse of eastern Oregon during a reversed polarity interval (R 0 ). Later eruptions became more focused at the presumed shield volcano at Steens Mountain, where dikes exploited a NNE-trending zone of crustal weakness related to the northeast extension of the mid-Cretaceous western Nevada shear zone. The Steens Mountain shield volcano generated increasingly more diverse fl ows of tholeiite, alkali basalt, and basaltic trachyandesite that erupted during a geomagnetic polarity transition culminating in upper fl ows of normal polarity
Optimization of SMN Trans -Splicing Through the Analysis of SMN Introns

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a neurodegenerative disease, is the leading genetic cause of infantile death and is caused by the loss of survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1). Humans carry a duplicated copy gene, SMN2, which produces very low levels of functional protein due to an alternative splicing event. This splicing difference is the reason that SMN2 cannot prevent SMA development when SMN1 is deleted. SMN2 generates a transcript lacking exon 7 and consequently gives rise to an unstable truncated SMN protein that cannot protect from SMA. To increase full-length SMN protein, we utilize a strategy referred to as trans-splicing. This strategy relies upon pre-mRNA splicing occurring between two separate molecules: (1) the endogenous target RNA and (2) the therapeutic RNA that provides the correct RNA sequence via a trans-splicing event. The initial trans-splicing RNA targeted intron 6 and replaced exon 7 with the SMN1 exon 7 in SMN2 pre-mRNA. To determine the most efficient intron for SMN trans-splicing event, a panel of trans-splicing RNA molecules was constructed. Each trans-splicing RNA molecule targets a specific intron within the SMN2 pre-mRNA and based on the target intron, replaces the downstream exons including exon 7. These constructs were examined by RT-PCR, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting. We have identified intron 3 as the most efficient intron to support trans-splicing in cellular assays. The intron 3 trans-splicing construct targets intron 3 and replaces exons 4–7 and was distinguished based on its ability to produce the highest level of the trans-spliced RNA and full-length SMN protein in SMA patient fibroblasts. The efficiency of the intron 3 construct was further improved by addition of an antisense that blocks the 3′ splice site at the intron 4/exon 5 junction. Most importantly, intracerebroventricular injection of the Int3 construct into SMNΔ7 mice elevated the SMN protein levels in the central nervous system. This research demonstrates an alternative platform to correct genetic defects, including SMN expression and examines the molecular basis for trans-splicing.
Successful repair of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in a renal transplant recipient

A 53-year-old renal transplant recipient went into hypovolemic shock due to rupture of his abdominal aortic aneurysm. His successful perioperative and postoperative management are described. Fourteen cases of infrarenal aortic aneurysm repair in hemodynamically stable transplant recipients are reviewed with a discussion of management alternatives.
Mixed-V/sub th/ (MVT) CMOS circuit design methodology for low power applications

Dual threshold technique has been proposed to reduce leakage power in low voltage and low power circuits by applying a high threshold voltage to some transistors in non-critical paths, while a low-threshold is used in critical path(s) to maintain the performance. Mixed-V/sub th/ (MVT) static CMOS design technique allows different thresholds within a logic gate, thereby increasing the number of high threshold transistors compared to the gate-level dual threshold technique. In this paper, a methodology for MVT CMOS circuit design is presented. Different MVT CMOS circuit schemes are considered and three algorithms are proposed for the transistor-level threshold assignment under performance constraints. Results indicate that MVT CMOS design technique can provide about 20% more leakage reduction compared to the corresponding gate-level dual threshold technique.
Crossing the digital divide: cost-effective broadband wireless access for rural and remote areas

The use of wireless, DSL, and cable for broadband access has become increasingly prevalent in metropolitan areas. While these technologies are being successfully utilized in terms of both service quality and economics in densely populated areas, there are still vast geographic regions where broadband services are either prohibitively expensive or simply unavailable at any price. The article examines several alternatives for using 2.4 GHz 802.11b (WiFi) technology to provide fixed broadband access in rural areas consisting of towns, smaller remote communities, clusters of subscribers separated by large intercluster distances, as well as widely scattered users. Our approach is to model a network based on realistic demographics, equipment and operations costs, service revenues, and customer demand and usage, and calculate the lifecycle economics in terms of capital investment and profitability. We consider the cost benefits of several emerging technologies and architectures, including high gain antennas, dynamically steerable beamforming antennas, and multihop routing. Our results show that cost-effective affordable high-speed wireless Internet access can be provided in rural and remote areas using nontraditional and innovative approaches, bridging the so-called digital divide.
Distinct Roles of STIM1 and STIM2 C-Terminal Orai-Coupling Domains

Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCe) is essential for Ca2+ homeostasis and signaling. SOCe is mediated by STIM proteins which function as ER Ca2+ store sensors, coupling with and activating PM Orai Ca2+ channels. While STIM1-Orai1 coupling is well characterized, the coupling between STIM2 and Orai1 shows some important functional differences from STIM1. The molecular basis of these differences remains uncharacterized. We examined the STIM2 C-terminal (S2-Ct) region that has considerable homology with the known functional coupling domains of S1-Ct. We examined the comparative functions of STIM1 and STIM2 fragments using a combination of Ca2+ imaging, patch-clamp current analysis, and analysis of the pharmacological modifier, 2-APB. Deletion of the “variable” C-terminal region (534-833) immediately downstream from the STIM-Orai activating region of STIM2 (SOAR2; 435-533) from either whole STIM2 or S2-Ct, had little effect on the activation of Orai1 channels. Similarly, deletion from S2-Ct of the N-terminal region (325-433) upstream from SOAR2, had little effect on Orai1-activation by S2-Ct. Thus the cytosolic regions outside SOAR2 seem to be less important for mediating STIM2 coupling to and activate Orai1. Interestingly, SOAR2 expression alone is sufficient to mimic some of the different coupling properties that distinguish full length STIM2 from STIM1, including the poor intrinsic coupling to activate Orai1 and the strong enhancement of Orai1 activation induced by 2-APB. To gain further insights on how the two SOAR domains couple and activate Orai1, we constructed a series of SOAR1 and SOAR2 chimeras. Using these chimeras, our results reveal that the Sα1-Sα3 helices in the SOAR molecules are important for defining the distinct Orai1 activating properties of STIM1 and STIM2.
PHOTOINDUCED ONE‐ELECTRON TRANSFER BETWEEN BACTERIOCHLOROPHYLL AND QUINONE IN ACETONE*

— Illumination with red light of a degassed solution of bacteriochlorophyll and benzoquinone or ubiquinone in dry acetone at low temperatures (< - 105°C) leads to the formation of the bacteriochlorophyll cation radical and the quinone anion radical, as detected by ESR spectroscopy. At temperatures around - 110°C, the quinone radical signal corresponds to an emission of microwave radiation. These results are interpreted in terms of a one-electron transfer from a spin-polarized bacteriochlorophyll triplet state to the quinone, producing an anion radical which is predominantly in the upper spin state.
JAZ8 Lacks a Canonical Degron and Has an EAR Motif That Mediates Transcriptional Repression of Jasmonate Responses in Arabidopsis

The lipid-derived hormone jasmonoyl-l-Ile (JA-Ile) initiates large-scale changes in gene expression by stabilizing the interaction of JASMONATE ZIM domain (JAZ) repressors with the F-box protein CORONATINE INSENSITIVE1 (COI1), which results in JAZ degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Recent structural studies show that the JAZ1 degradation signal (degron) includes a short conserved LPIAR motif that seals JA-Ile in its binding pocket at the COI1-JAZ interface. Here, we show that Arabidopsis thaliana JAZ8 lacks this motif and thus is unable to associate strongly with COI1 in the presence of JA-Ile. As a consequence, JAZ8 is stabilized against jasmonate (JA)-mediated degradation and, when ectopically expressed in Arabidopsis, represses JA-regulated growth and defense responses. These findings indicate that sequence variation in a hypervariable region of the degron affects JAZ stability and JA-regulated physiological responses. We also show that JAZ8-mediated repression depends on an LxLxL-type EAR (for ERF-associated amphiphilic repression) motif at the JAZ8 N terminus that binds the corepressor TOPLESS and represses transcriptional activation. JAZ8-mediated repression does not require the ZIM domain, which, in other JAZ proteins, recruits TOPLESS through the EAR motif–containing adaptor protein NINJA. These findings show that EAR repression domains in a subgroup of JAZ proteins repress gene expression through direct recruitment of corepressors to cognate transcription factors.
Mesenchymal stem (stromal) cells for treatment of ARDS: a phase 1 clinical trial

Summary Background No effective pharmacotherapy for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) exists, and mortality remains high. Preclinical studies support the efficacy of mesenchymal stem (stromal) cells (MSCs) in the treatment of lung injury. We aimed to test the safety of a single dose of allogeneic bone marrow-derived MSCs in patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS. Methods The STem cells for ARDS Treatment (START) trial was a multicentre, open-label, dose-escalation, phase 1 clinical trial. Patients were enrolled in the intensive care units at University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA, and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA, between July 8, 2013, and Jan 13, 2014. Patients were included if they had moderate-to-severe ARDS as defined by the acute onset of the need for positive pressure ventilation by an endotracheal or tracheal tube, a PaO 2 :FiO 2 less than 200 mm Hg with at least 8 cm H 2 O positive end-expiratory airway pressure (PEEP), and bilateral infiltrates consistent with pulmonary oedema on frontal chest radiograph. The first three patients were treated with low dose MSCs (1 million cells/kg predicted bodyweight [PBW]), the next three patients received intermediate dose MSCs (5 million cells/kg PBW), and the final three patients received high dose MSCs (10 million cells/kg PBW). Primary outcomes included the incidence of prespecified infusion-associated events and serious adverse events. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01775774. Findings No prespecified infusion-associated events or treatment-related adverse events were reported in any of the nine patients. Serious adverse events were subsequently noted in three patients during the weeks after the infusion: one patient died on study day 9, one patient died on study day 31, and one patient was discovered to have multiple embolic infarcts of the spleen, kidneys, and brain that were age-indeterminate, but thought to have occurred before the MSC infusion based on MRI results. None of these severe adverse events were thought to be MSC-related. Interpretation A single intravenous infusion of allogeneic, bone marrow-derived human MSCs was well tolerated in nine patients with moderate to severe ARDS. Based on this phase 1 experience, we have proceeded to phase 2 testing of MSCs for moderate to severe ARDS with a primary focus on safety and secondary outcomes including respiratory, systemic, and biological endpoints. Funding The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Necrotizing Sweet syndrome: a new variant of neutrophilic dermatosis mimicking necrotizing fasciitis.

Background We report a series of patients initially given the diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis whose course progressed despite surgical debridement, antibiotic therapy, or both, but who responded rapidly to systemic corticosteroids. Objective We sought to evaluate the clinical data, histopathologic and microbiology information, and treatment course of this unusual entity. Methods This was a descriptive study/case series. Results Three immunocompromised patients who presented with signs and symptoms of necrotizing fasciitis were included. They appeared septic, failed multiple courses of antibiotics, demonstrated pathergy, and two of them underwent extensive surgical debridement. None of the cases yielded a microbial source. Dermatologic consultation and histopathology confirmed deep Sweet syndrome in all cases, with marked necrosis of the soft tissue–including myonecrosis–in the two patients with debridement. All patients responded rapidly to high-dose systemic corticosteroids. Limitations To our knowledge, this is the first report of this unusual presentation; there are a limited number of cases. Conclusion We propose that these cases represent a new variant of neutrophilic dermatosis: "necrotizing Sweet syndrome," an acute necrotizing neutrophilic dermatosis. This subtype is also characterized by the rapid onset of progressive erythematous, warm, edematous cutaneous lesions with deep-tissue neutrophilic infiltration and soft-tissue necrosis, in the absence of infectious cause. Awareness of this entity and early dermatologic consultation is critical as debridement results in expansion of the process, resulting in additional and aggressive resection–a vicious cycle with significant possible morbidity.
Primary Role of Plasma Hydrocortisone Concentration in the Regulation of the Normal Forenoon Pattern of Urinary Phosphate Excretion1

The mechanism of the forenoon phosphaturic pattern has been investigated in normal subjects and in patients with various endocrine disorders. The normal pattern consists of the excretion of a progressively increasing fraction of filtered phosphate (Cp/GFR). Patients with hyperparathyroidism exhibit a normal rhythm of increased amplitude, whereas patients with untreated hypoparathyroidism exhibit little or no change during the forenoon. Grossly abnormal rhythms were observed in patients with pituitary or adrenal dysfunction, whereas little variation from the normal basic rhythm was observed in patients with thyroid or testicular dysfunction. The degree of phosphaturia appears to depend upon the interaction of hydrocortisone with parathyroid, thyroid and growth hormones. Whereas the last 3 of these hormones serve primarily to set the range within which the phosphaturic rhythm operates, rhythmic variations in plasma hydrocortisone concentration appear to be responsible for the rhythmic changes in phosphate e...
Traditions and Customs of Lancashire Popular Radicalism in Late Nineteenth-Century Industrial America

During a decade of constant turmoil in the 1870s, immigrant textile workers from Lancashire, England seized control of labor politics in the southern New England region of the United States. They were men and women who had immigrated in successive waves before and after the American Civil War to the United States, specifically to the textile cities of Fall River and New Bedford, Massachusetts and to the mill villages north of Providence, Rhode Island.
Laser Direct-Write Of Alkaline Microbatteries

We are developing a laser engineering approach to fabricate and optimize various types of alkaline microbatteries. Microbattery cells are produced using a laser forward transfer process that is compatible with the materials required to make the anode, cathode, separator and current collectors. The use of an ultraviolet transfer laser (wavelength = 355 nm, 30 ns FWHM) enables other operations such as surface processing, trimming and micromachining of the transferred materials and substrate and is performed in situ. Such multi-capability for adding, removing and processing material is unique to this direct-write technique and provides the ability to laser pattern complicated structures needed for fabricating complete microbattery assemblies. In this paper, we demonstrate the production of planar zinc-silver oxide alkaline cell by laser direct-write under ambient conditions. The microbattery cells exhibit 1.5-1.6 V open circuit potentials, as expected for the battery chemistry and show flat discharge behavior under constant current loads.
Electromigration Evaluation - MTF Modeling and Accelerated Testing

Fail times and activation energies were determined to vary widely for different metal compositions. General results indicate that temperature, current density and grain size are the most dominant factors that affect electromigration behavior for the various metal compositions. The technique of using changes in metal stripe resistance to predict the time of failure was evaluated.
Understanding helical magnetic dynamo spectra with a non-linear four-scale theory

Recent magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) dynamo simulations for magnetic Prandtl number >1 demonstrate that when MHD turbulence is forced with sufficient kinetic helicity, the saturated magnetic energy spectrum evolves from having a single peak below the forcing scale to become doubly peaked with one peak at the system (= largest) scale and one at the forcing scale. The system scale field growth is well modelled by a recent non-linear two-scale helical dynamo theory in which the system and forcing scales carry magnetic helicity of opposite sign. However, a two-scale theory cannot model the shift of the small-scale peak toward the forcing scale. Here I develop a four-scale helical dynamo theory which shows that the small-scale helical magnetic energy first saturates at very small scales, but then successively saturates at larger values at larger scales, eventually becoming dominated by the forcing scale. The transfer of the small-scale peak to the forcing scale is completed by the end of the kinematic growth regime of the large-scale field, and does not depend on magnetic Reynolds number R M for large R M . The four- and two-scale theories subsequently evolve almost identically, and both show significant field growth on the system and forcing scales that is independent of R M . In the present approach, the helical and non-helical parts of the spectrum are largely decoupled. Implications for fractionally helical turbulence are discussed.
Relationships between geographical range size, body size, local abundance, and habitat breadth in North American suckers and sunfishes

Aim I examine the relationship between geographical range size and three variables (body size, an index of habitat breadth, and an index of local abundance) within a phylogenetic framework in North American species of suckers and sunfishes. Location North America Methods Regressions after independent contrasts of geographical range size, body size, habitat breadth, and local abundance. Results Species with large range sizes tend to be larger-bodied, be more locally abundant, and have higher habitat breadths. Character reconstructions support the prediction that variables associated with rarity (small geographical range size, low local abundance, low niche breadth, and large body size) evolve in unison, although large body size was associated with the opposite traits in these taxa. Gaston & Blackburn (1996a) suggested using visual identification of the lower boundary of the geographical range-body size relationship to identify extinction-prone species; this resulted in thirteen species that are potentially extinction-prone. Main conclusions Similar evolutionary mechanisms appear to operate on body size and other variables related to rarity, even in distantly related taxa.
Effects of sodium, potassium and calcium on salt‐stressed barley. I. Growth analysis

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. CM 72) was grown for a 28-day period and stressed with treatments of 125 mol m−3 NaCl or KC1 with low Ca2+ (0.4 mol m−3 Ca2+) or high Ca2+ (10 mol m−3 Ca2+). Plants were harvested periodically so that relative growth rate (RGR), net assimilation rate (NAR) and leaf area ratio (LAR) could be calculated using the functional approach to plant growth analysis. Relative growth rate declined with time for all treatments, including controls. Salinity inhibited RGR relative to control values by day 10. High Ca2+ improved the growth of salt-stressed plants in both NaCl-salinity and KCl-salinity. KC1 proved more toxic than NaCl, especially for KCI-salinity plants with low Ca2+, which died by day 28. Net assimilation rate, but not LAR, was highly correlated with RGR for all treatments. This indicates that the photosynthetic-assimilatory machinery was limiting RGR and not the leaf area of the plant.
Relation between the Generalized Acoustic Analogy and Lilley's Contributions to Aeroacoustics

This paper reviews Lilley's reformulation of Lighthill's equation and shows that it can be obtained as a special case of a much more general acoustic analogy. It also shows how this generalized analogy can be used to eliminate some of the difficulties that arise when more conventional parallel flow analogies are applied to high speed jets. And, finally, some recent applications of these ideas are discussed.
Sensitivity Study of Lower Plenum Boron Injection in a BWR

Boiling water reactors (BWRs) are equipped with a standby liquid control system (SLCS). The SLCS is used to inject boron to shutdown the reactor from full power condition in the event that the control rods fail to insert. In order for the SLCS system to shut down the reactor, adequate mixing of the borated solution with the reactor coolant is necessary. In BWRs prior to BWR 5, the boron injection points are located in the lower plenum. The objective of this project is to evaluate the impact of the operating conditions on the boron injection based on the understanding of the behavior of multi-species flow in typical pre-BWR 5 reactors by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The project is divided into two phases. At the first phase, a CFD model based on the test configurations of GE 1/6 scale test program was established. The results were validated against measurements conducted by GE during the 1/6 scale test program performed in 1981. The validation shows that the CFD can give accurate predictions of the boron mixing. The technical approach employed in the CFD model was adequate to capture the boron mixing process in the BWR lower plenum. The second phase of the project is the sensitivity study based on the same technical approach developed in the first phase. However, a simplified BWR lower plenum model was used due to the time constrain. In the sensitivity study, the baseline case and four additional cases with different operating conditions were investigated using the same CFD approach.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
On-Demand CFD-Based Aeroelastic Predictions Using a Database of Reduced-Order Bases and Models

This paper demonstrates the feasibility of a CFD-based computational strategy aimed at on-demand predictions of aeroelastic responses of full aircraft configurations for variable flight conditions. The strategy relies on the pre-computation of a database of reduced-order bases and models for discrete flight parameters, and an interpolation method suitable for adapting in real-time the stored reduced-order information to parameter values not populated in the database. It also features a database training and reduction scheme based on concepts from machine learning to maximize both the robustness and performance of local interpolations. The application of this computational strategy to the broad aeroelastic identification of a complete F-16 fighter configuration highlights its near-real-time processing capability and demonstrates its potential for assisting flutter flight testing.
Quasicrystalline Phase of Silicon on Glass

In this paper, we report new phase of crystalline silicon, quasicrystalline silicon thin-film on glass substrate. The surface topography of these films reveal simultaneous existence of sixfold and fivefold symmetry. We found an array of quasi-unit cell in 2-D that formed quasicrystalline solid. This is first time demonstration of quasicrystalline for single element, silicon (Si). Raman spectra suggests that we found crystalline silicon structure on glass substrate that is not single-crystal silicon (c-Si) but very close to c-Si.
Influence Factors of Associated Polymer Solution Injectivity

This paper presents the experimental study on rheological behavior for the associated polymer solution through screen cloth and the relationship between screen coefficient and mass concentration and viscosity.Through analysis of injectivity of the associated polymer in porous media,it is found that this polymer is of good flow and injection properties under high pressure difference near the bottom hole perforation,bringing bigger drag coefficient under low pressure difference of deep pay zone in favor of improving oil-displacement efficiency of it.Meanwhile,the experimental result shows that the existing methods for evaluation of polymer solution injectivity cannot be used to properly and/or objectively appraise the behavior of associated polymer solution injectivity,which can be as an important guide for development of this new assessment method.
Prevalence and control of hand-foot-mouth disease in Maoming City

Aim To survey the prevalence and control of hand-foot-mouth disease in Maoning City.Methods The surveillance data and results in control of hand-foot-mouth disease from 2008 to 2009 in Maoming City were gathered and analyzed.Results From 2008 to 2009,there 4389 hand-foot-mouth disease cases were reported,including 38 laboratory diagnosed cases,4 severe cases and 2 deaths,the annual average incidence rate was 37.58/100 000,the fatality rate was 0.05%.There38 laboratory diagnosed cases(47.37%) were EV71 infections,42.11% were CoxA16 infections.Median age of the cases was 2 years old and 89.43% of them were uder age of 5 years.Conclusion The main virus types of hand-foot-mouth disease in Maoming City were EV71 and CoxA16.There was no obvious variation in incidence rates of different seasons and the infections mainly occurred to infants under 5 years of age.
3 New grant programs offered by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Many changes have taken place at the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) over the past few years that affect the way research will be funded in the future. Some of these changes ...
Impact of Low Immunoglobulin G Levels on Disease Outcomes in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are considered immune-mediated disorders with dysregulated innate and adaptive immunities. Secondary immunogloblin deficiency can occur in IBD and its impact on the disease course of IBD is not clear. We sought to determine associations between low IgG/G1 levels and poor clinical outcomes in IBD patients. This historic cohort study was performed on IBD patients with obtained IgG/IgG1 levels. The primary outcome was defined as any IBD-related bowel resection surgery and/or hospitalization. Subgroup analyses assessed particular surgical outcomes in Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC) or indeterminate colitis (IC), and ileal pouch–anal anastomosis (IPAA). The secondary outcomes included IBD drug escalations and C. difficile or cytomegalovirus infections. A total of 136 IBD patients had IgG/G1 levels checked and adequate follow-up, 58 (42.6 %) with normal IgG/G1 levels and 78 (57.4 %) having low levels. A total of 49 patients (62.8 %) with low immunoglobulin levels had IBD-related surgeries or hospitalizations, compared to 33 patients (56.9 %) with normal levels [odds ratio (OR) 1.28, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.64–2.56; p = 0.49]. Low IgG/G1 levels were associated with IBD-related surgery in CD in univariate analysis [hazard ratio (HR) 4.42, 95 % CI 1.02–19.23; p = 0.048] and in Kaplan–Meier survival curve analysis (p = 0.03), with a trend toward significance on multivariate analysis (HR 3.07, 95 % CI 0.67–14.31; p = 0.15). IBD patients with low IgG/G1 levels required more small bowel resections (12.8 vs. 1.7 %, p = 0.024) and 5-aminosalicylate initiations (28.2 vs. 13.8 %, p = 0.045). Our study demonstrated a possible association between low IgG/G1 levels and poor outcomes in CD including surgery. Future implications include using immunoglobulin levels in IBD patients as a prognostic indicator or boosting humoral immunity as a treatment in this subset.
Specific expectancies are associated with symptomatic outcomes and side effect burden in a trial of chamomile extract for generalized anxiety disorder.

Abstract Objective Patient expectancies are hypothesized to contribute to the efficacy and side effects of psychiatric treatments, but little research has investigated this hypothesis in the context of psychopharmacological therapies for anxiety. We prospectively investigated whether expectancies predicted efficacy and adverse events in oral therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), controlling for confounding patient characteristics correlating with outcomes. Methods Expectancies regarding treatment efficacy and side effects were assessed at baseline of an eight week open-label phase of a trial of chamomile for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). The primary outcome was patient-reported GAD-7 scores, with clinical response and treatment-emergent side-effects as secondary outcomes. Expectancies were used to predict symptomatic and side-effect outcomes. Results Very few baseline patient characteristics predicted either type of expectancy. Controlling for a patient's predicted recovery based on their baseline characteristics, higher efficacy expectancies at baseline predicted greater change on the GAD-7 (adjusted β = −0.19, p = 0.011). Efficacy expectancies also predicted a higher likelihood of attaining clinical response (adjusted odds ratio = 1.69, p = 0.002). Patients with higher side effect expectancies reported more side effects (adjusted log expected count = 0.26, p = 0.038). Efficacy expectancies were unrelated to side effect reports (log expected count = −0.05, p = 0.680), and side effect expectancies were unrelated to treatment efficacy ( β = 0.08, p = 0.306). Conclusions Patients entering chamomile treatment for GAD with more favorable self-generated expectancies for the treatment experience greater improvement and fewer adverse events. Aligning patient expectancies with treatment selections may optimize outcomes. Registration Trial Number NCT01072344 at ClinicalTrials.gov .
Metaphase Cytogenetics Adds to Gene Expression Profiling in the Identification of High Risk Multiple Myeloma.

The International Staging System (ISS), based on B2-microglobulin and albumin levels at the time of diagnosis, has now generally been adopted as a new prognostic classification system for multiple myeloma (MM). While readily and widely applicable, ISS does not account for genetic disease features, such as metaphase (CA) and interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) cytogenetic abnormalities, which when examined in the context of standard prognostic variables, confer higher hazards of relapse and disease-related death. Recently, gene expression profiling (GEP) uncovered the major prognostic significance for outcome of high expression of CKS1B, a gene mapping to an amplicon at chromosome 1q21 . We have performed a comprehensive study of CA, FISH, GEP and ISS staging in 351 newly diagnosed MM patients, treated uniformly on Total Therapy 2. We have analyzed outcome based on a combination of high CKS1B by GEP and CA. GEP-based t(11;14) was prognostically favorable, irrespective of expression of CKS1B and, therefore, was removed from the group of patients with high CKS1B expression. After this adjustment, with the combination of both CA and high CKS1B (approximately 10% of all patients) conferred a very poor outcome with only 24% and 40% of such patients being event-free and/surviving at 3 years, compared with 72% and 84% for the others (p values : <.0001). Such patients fared poorly, irrespective of their ISS stage. Similar prognostic information could be gained by combining CA with FISH-defined amplification of 1q21 and t(11;14). Because of their major prognostic impact, all newly diagnosed patients should be tested for these genetic markers. Novel treatment modalities are justified in the small subgroup of such poor prognosis patients, since they derive only a minor benefit from advances in MM therapy. ![Figure][1] CKS1B Q4 + CA (with no CCND1) vs. Others [1]: pending:yes
Seasonal Variations in Color Preference

We investigated how color preferences vary according to season and whether those changes could be explained by the ecological valence theory (EVT). To do so, we assessed the same participants' preferences for the same colors during fall, winter, spring, and summer in the northeastern United States, where there are large seasonal changes in environmental colors. Seasonal differences were most pronounced between fall and the other three seasons. Participants liked fall-associated dark-warm colors-for example, dark-red, dark-orange (brown), dark-yellow (olive), and dark-chartreuse-more during fall than other seasons. The EVT could explain these changes with a modified version of Palmer and Schloss' (2010) weighted affective valence estimate (WAVE) procedure that added an activation term to the WAVE equation. The results indicate that color preferences change according to season, as color-associated objects become more/less activated in the observer. These seasonal changes in color preferences could not be characterized by overall shifts in weights along cone-contrast axes.
Electromagnetic force on structured metallic surfaces

We present a method by which the relatively weak electromagnetic force exerted on a surface can be dramatically enhanced. By structuring a metal surface at the nanoscale, we show that the force can be substantially increased over that on the planar metallic surface. The basis for this effect is found to be cavity-enhanced fields and the excitation of surface waves, and results are related to theory. In practice, this force enhancement could be expanded to other materials in various frequency regimes. This increased electromagnetic force should facilitate an expansion of applications related to optomechanics.
Poliovirus Biology and Pathogenesis

Poliovirus is the causative agent of the acute central nervous system disease known as poliomyelitis. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, epidemics of poliomyelitis began to occur in the United States and in Europe, much to the surprise of the medical community, which had previously viewed the disease as a rarity, seen largely as sporadic cases in infants. Poliovirus was first isolated in 1908 by inoculation of monkeys with a cell-free extract made from the spinal cord of a fatal case of poliomyelitis (Landsteiner and Popper 1908). For the next 40 years, research on the virus provided the necessary information on antigenic types, pathogenesis and immunity required to formulate vaccines that could prevent infection. As a result of this work, two excellent vaccines were developed which have effectively controlled poliomyelitis in much of the world.
A calcium-dependent pathway underlies activity-dependent plasticity of electrical synapses in the thalamic reticular nucleus.

Key points Electrical synapses are modified by various forms of activity, including paired activity in coupled neurons and tetanization of the input to coupled neurons. We show that plasticity of electrical synapses that results from paired spiking activity in coupled neurons depends on calcium influx and calcium-initiated signalling pathways. Plasticity that results from tetanization of input fibres does not depend on calcium influx or dynamics. These results imply that electrically coupled neurons have distinct sets of mechanisms for adjusting coupling according to the specific type of activity they experience. Abstract Recent results have demonstrated modification of electrical synapse strength by varied forms of neuronal activity. However, the mechanisms underlying plasticity induction in central mammalian neurons are unclear. Here we show that the two established inductors of plasticity at electrical synapses in the thalamic reticular nucleus - paired burst spiking in coupled neurons, and mGluR-dependent tetanization of synaptic input - are separate pathways that converge at a common downstream endpoint. Using occlusion experiments and pharmacology in patched pairs of coupled neurons in vitro, we show that burst-induced depression depends on calcium entry via voltage-gated channels, is blocked by BAPTA chelation, and recruits intracellular calcium release on its way to activation of phosphatase activity. In contrast, mGluR-dependent plasticity is independent of calcium entry or calcium dynamics. Together, these results show that the spiking-initiated mechanisms underlying electrical synapse plasticity are similar to those that induce plasticity at chemical synapses, and offer the possibility that calcium-regulated mechanisms may also lead to alternate outcomes, such as potentiation. Because these mechanistic elements are widely found in mature neurons, we expect them to apply broadly to electrical synapses across the brain, acting as the crucial link between neuronal activity and electrical synapse strength.
Assessment of assisted reproductive technology use questions: Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System Survey, 2004.

Objective.Women who conceive with the assistance of fertility treatments are at increased risk for multiple-gestation pregnancies and accompanying adverse pregnancy outcomes. The Pregnancy Risk Ass...