cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the Relationship Between Coral Damage and Tsunami Dynamics; Case Study: 2009 Samoa Tsunami

On September 29, 2009, an Mw = 8.1 earthquake at 17:48 UTC in Tonga Trench generated a tsunami that caused heavy damage across Samoa, American Samoa, and Tonga islands. Tutuila island, which is located 250 km from the earthquake epicenter, experienced tsunami flooding and strong currents on the north and east coasts, causing 34 fatalities (out of 192 total deaths from this tsunami) and widespread structural and ecological damage. The surrounding coral reefs also suffered heavy damage. The damage was formally evaluated based on detailed surveys before and immediately after the tsunami. This setting thus provides a unique opportunity to evaluate the relationship between tsunami dynamics and coral damage. In this study, estimates of the maximum wave amplitudes and coastal inundation of the tsunami are obtained with the MOST model (Titov and Synolakis, J. Waterway Port Coast Ocean Eng: pp 171, 1998; Titov and Gonzalez, NOAA Tech. Memo. ERL PMEL 112:11, 1997), which is now the operational tsunami forecast tool used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The earthquake source function was constrained using the real-time deep-ocean tsunami data from three DART® (Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting for Tsunamis) systems in the far field, and by tide-gauge observations in the near field. We compare the simulated run-up with observations to evaluate the simulation performance. We present an overall synthesis of the tide-gauge data, survey results of the run-up, inundation measurements, and the datasets of coral damage around the island. These data are used to assess the overall accuracy of the model run-up prediction for Tutuila, and to evaluate the model accuracy over the coral reef environment during the tsunami event. Our primary findings are that: (1) MOST-simulated run-up correlates well with observed run-up for this event (r = 0.8), it tends to underestimated amplitudes over coral reef environment around Tutuila (for 15 of 31 villages, run-up is underestimated by more than 10 %; in only 5 was run-up overestimated by more than 10 %), and (2) the locations where the model underestimates run-up also tend to have experienced heavy or very heavy coral damage (8 of the 15 villages), whereas well-estimated run-up locations characteristically experience low or very low damage (7 of 11 villages). These findings imply that a numerical model may overestimate the energy loss of the tsunami waves during their interaction with the coral reef. We plan future studies to quantify this energy loss and to explore what improvements can be made in simulations of tsunami run-up when simulating coastal environments with fringing coral reefs.
The Autophagy Inhibitor Chloroquine Overcomes the Innate Resistance of Wild-Type EGFR Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells to Erlotinib

Introduction The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor erlotinib is much less effective in non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors with wild-type EGFR, than in tumors with activating EGFR mutations. Autophagy is a tightly regulated lysosomal self-digestion process, which may alternatively promote cell survival or type II cell death. This study assessed the role of autophagy in erlotinib-mediated cytotoxicity. Methods We used wild-type EGFR erlotinib-sensitive and erlotinib-resistant NSCLC cell lines to determine whether inhibiting autophagy by a therapeutic agent potentiated the antitumor activity of erlotinib in vitro and in vivo. Results Erlotinib at a clinically relevant concentration (2 μM) induced autophagy in NSCLC cells with wild-type EGFR, and the degree of induction was greater in cells that were resistant than sensitive, suggesting that autophagy is cytoprotective. This was confirmed by knockdown of the autophagy-related gene Atg-5, and by using the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CQ), both of which increased the cytotoxicity of erlotinib. The synergistic activity of CQ was not because of the potentiation of erlotinib's effects on autophagy, cell-cycle arrest, and inhibition of both EGFR or downstream signaling of EGFR. Rather, CQ markedly activated apoptosis in the cells. The ability of CQ to potentiate the antitumor activity of erlotinib was also seen in mice bearing NSCLC tumor xenografts. Conclusions The ability to adapt to anti-EGFR therapy by triggering autophagy may be a key determinant for resistance to erlotinib in wild-type EGFR NSCLC. Inhibition of autophagy by CQ represents a novel strategy to broaden the spectrum of erlotinib efficacy in wild-type EGFR NSCLC tumors.
Action and motivation: Measuring perception or strategies?

It has been suggested that when judging the distance to a desirable object, motivated distortions of perceived distance occur, and that these distortions can be measured by actions, such as throwing a beanbag. The results of two new experiments suggest that reported variations in beanbag performance may instead depend on instructional effects, such as ones that emphasize proximity rather than accuracy. When the goal was to be closest to the target, underthrowing was observed, whether the target was intrinsically valuable or not. When the goal was to hit the target, however, throwing performance was unbiased.
Progress or regress of the Millennium Development Goals: South Asian perspective

This paper examines the progress or regress of the countries of South Asia in achieving Millennium Development Goal 1. The eight countries of South Asia are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. A comparative analysis shows how each of the eight countries of South Asia is faring in the achievement of Millennium Development Goal 1. The multidimensional aspects of poverty, including social, political, environmental, economic and religious factors, are considered. Each country is examined for factors affecting poverty such as topography, population, economy, access to water, adequate nutrition and sanitation, and disaster impacts.
Some chemical treatments diminish the long-range ordering in the aluminosilicate framework of zeolite X

Abstract The long-range ordering in the aluminosilicate framework of zeolite X is sometimes diminished or lost during aqueous ion exchange and/or subsequent dehydration. This observation is based on 46 single-crystal determinations of the structure of zeolite X modified by a wide range of chemical treatments. A relationship is seen between the loss of long-range ordering and acidity (H3O+ or H+) within the zeolite, whether the result of direct H3O+ exchange or the exchange of hydrolyzing cations into the zeolite. This effect is seen more strongly when ion exchange is done at an elevated temperature and when vacuum dehydration is attempted, especially at elevated temperatures. Further increases in acidity and/or temperature lead to the loss of the single-crystal diffraction pattern and ultimately to the physical break-up of the crystal, including dissolution if a solvent is present. All crystals, of initial composition Na92Si100Al92O384 per unit cell exclusive of water molecules, were taken from batches prepared by Petranovskii, and all appear to have had Fd 3 symmetry initially with a high degree of Si/Al ordering. After relatively little crystal damage, the space group appears to become Fd 3 m as would be expected if the long-range Si/Al ordering were lost. Before then, the distinction between the Si and Al positions, both initially relatively pure with Si and Al atoms, respectively, diminishes, and the mean apparent Si–O and Al–O bond lengths converge. It is proposed that these initial effects are caused by the loss of infinitesimal to small amounts of aluminum from the zeolite framework, allowing, by local recrystallization, antidomains with opposite Si/Al ordering to form.
Observation of Mg-rich precipitates in the p-type doping of GaN-based laser diodes

Uniformly distributed precipitates have been observed by TEM in the p-type layers of laser structures. The precipitate density decreases with decreasing flow of biscyclopentadienyl-magnesium (Cp 2 Mg), which affects the hole concentrations in the p-type layers. The higher hole concentration, with the reduced precipitate density, reduces the threshold current density and improves the internal quantum efficiency because of the higher number of holes available for radiative recombination. The threshold current density is also reduced 30% from 20.8 V for lasers with a high precipitate density compared to 14.3 V for lasers with a lower precipitate density.
Mizoguchi-Takahashi's type common fixed point theorem

Abstract Recently Kamran extended the result of Mizoguchi and Takahashi for closed multi-valued mappings and proved a fixed point theorem. In this paper we further extend the result concluded by Kamran and prove a common fixed point theorem by using the concept of lower semi-continuity.
The world Banker's algorithm

Abstract The banker's algorithm for deadlock-free resource allocation is one of the basic algorithms in concurrent and distributed systems. However, it is a global algorithm applied to a global system state and thus is aesthetically inelegant as an algorithm to manage distributed systems. We present a version of the banker's algorithm that allows each process to make resource allocation decisions independently and concurrently. The algorithm accommodates changes in maximum resource requirements and in resource allocations and can be extended to multiple resource types and to fault tolerance.
Scapular Notching: Recognition and Strategies to Minimize Clinical Impact

Background Scapular notching is a unique complication of Grammont-style reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. While reverse total shoulder arthroplasty has revolutionized the treatment of pseudoparalysis secondary to cuff tear arthropathy, the implications of scapular notching with regard to patient function and implant stability remain unclear.
Do repetitive Valsalva maneuvers change maximum prolapse on dynamic MRI

This study seeks to quantify differences in anterior vaginal wall prolapse during sequential Valsalva attempts on dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Subjects were taken from an on-going case–control study evaluating anterior vaginal wall prolapse. Women with a prolapse whose leading edge extended ≥1 cm beyond the hymenal ring were included (n = 40). All subjects performed three maximal Valsalva efforts while mid-sagittal dynamic MRI scans were obtained. Bladder descent between the first, second, and third maximal Valsalva efforts were compared. Forty percent of women had a greater than 2-cm increase in prolapse size from their first to third Valsalva attempt. Ninety-five percent of women extended their prolapse further with a third Valsalva. As is true during clinical examination, several attempts may be required to have maximal anterior compartment prolapse present during dynamic MRI of the pelvic floor.
Molecular conformation trapping as an aid to chemical shift assignments for multi conformation systems: a platinum (II) complex

Recent work in our laboratory has shown that 31P{1H} dynamic NMR (DNMR) spectroscopy is useful in studying restricted rotation about the metal-phosphorus bonds in bulky bis-phosphine-di-halo complexes of platinum(II). Decoalescence is observed and the 31P{1H} NMR chemical shift is clearly sensitive to changes in molecular conformation. However, in most instances, the spectrum of a given conformation is a simple singlet which inherently contains no information regarding molecular geometry. Assignment of a given singlet to a specific conformation is problematic. A method is described for obtaining unequivocal assignment of NMR signals to specific molecular conformations by using DNMR spectroscopy. x-ray crystallography and dissolution of the conformationally homogeneous crystals at very low temperatures (‘molecular conformation trapping’). This methodology should be useful for the analysis of any multi-conformation system which has a sufficiently high energy barrier to conformational equilibration.
Stable Distributions in Statistical Inference: 2. Information from Stably Distributed Samples

Abstract Large-sample theory for the estimation of parameters for a stable distribution is developed using the theory of Fisher's information. The asymptotic standard deviations and correlations of the maximum-likelihood estimates of the index, skewness, scale and location parameters are computed and tabled and used to compute the relative asymptotic efficiency of other proposed estimators. It is shown that if the true distribution is symmetric stable, the MLE's of index and scale are asymptotically independent of those of skewness and location. The effect on the available information of grouping the data is investigated both analytically and numerically, and the most serious loss of information is shown to occur if extreme observations are grouped when estimating the index.
Diel, seasonal, postprandial and food-deprived thermoregulatory behaviour in tropical toads (Bufo marinus)

Abstract 1. 1.|Toads acclimatized to 25 ± 1°C and an L12:D12 photoperiod were fasted for 10 days, fed immediately before or 24 h before being placed in a linear thermal gradient (10 ± 1 to 40 ± 2°C) in the summer were compared with similar groups in the fall, winter and spring. 2. 2.|Other groups fasted for 20 d in the spring and 60 d in the fall were compared with the other fasted groups during the same seasons. 3. 3.|Feeding had no significant effect on thermal selection. 4. 4.|Mean daily selected body temperature was significantly higher in groups fasted for 10 d in spring (26.8 ± 0.55°C) than in fall (23.7 ± 0.9°C) and winter (2.9 ± 0.9°C). 5. 5.|There were no significant diel cycles in thermal selection.
Extraction of Signals from Chaotic Laser Data

Several experimental groups have demonstrated communication with chaotic lasers. We analyze data collected from a message-modulated erbium-doped fiber-ring laser (provided by VanWiggeren and Roy). We show that the transmitted signal is dominated by convolution of the message with the response function of the laser. A simple model based on the topology of the laser allows us to recover a hidden message. While prior estimates indicate that the laser dynamics are high dimensional, we show that only four parameters are required, each of which can be recovered from the transmitted signal alone.
Earth science: spread thin in the Arctic.

The northernmost segment of the global mid-ocean-ridge system, the Gakkel ridge, is a bit of an oddity. Provocative data are emerging from an international geophysical and geochemical study of the region.
Attribution of Fraudulent Resource Consumption in the Cloud

Obligated by a utility pricing model, Internet-facing web resources hosted in the public cloud are vulnerable to Fraudulent Resource Consumption (FRC) attacks. Unlike an application-layer DDoS attack that consumes resources with the goal of disrupting short-term availability, an FRC attack is a considerably more subtle attack that instead seeks to disrupt the long-term financial viability of operating in the cloud by exploiting the utility pricing model over an extended time period. By fraudulently consuming web resources in sufficient volume (i.e. data transferred out of the cloud), an attacker (e.g. botnet) is able to incur significant fraudulent charges to the victim. This paper proposes an attribution methodology to identify malicious clients participating in an FRC attack. Experimental results demonstrate that the presented methodology achieves qualified success against challenging attack scenarios.
Rapid quantification of the aminoglycoside arbekacin in serum using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Abstract Background This project entails the development and validation of a method for quantification of the aminoglycoside antibiotic arbekacin in serum using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) for therapeutic drug monitoring in future clinical trials. Methods Following a protein precipitation with 0.3 mol/l perchloric acid containing internal standard dibekacin at a concentration of 0.6 μg/ml, human serum samples containing arbekacin were analyzed using a Hypersil Gold PFP column and a liquid chromatography system. Elution occurred with a gradient of water and acetonitrile, each containing 0.05% (v/v) trifluoroacetic acid and 0.1% (v/v) formic acid. Analytes were detected over a 3.25 minute run time using a tandem mass spectrometer with a heated electrospray-ionization (HESI) source in positive ionization mode with selected reaction monitoring (SRM). Matrix effects, carryover, linearity, recovery, precision, and limit of quantification were carefully evaluated. Results The limit of quantification for arbekacin was 0.1 μg/ml. All simple and total precision CV's were less than 6.2%. The method was linear from 0.1 μg/ml to 45.9 μg/ml (slope of 0.973). The mean recovery ranged from 94.7 to 103.8%. No matrix effects were detected. Conclusions This developed and validated LC–MS/MS method allows for the quantification of arbekacin in serum following protein precipitation.
Assessing population effects from entrainment of fish at a large volume water intake

Abstract Industrial, municipal, and agricultural activities require large volumes of water that are generally obtained from lakes, reservoirs, rivers or oceans through intake systems that may also effect aquatic and marine organisms. Quantifying these effects is often difficult and may require innovative methods. We describe a method for estimating population effects from entrainment of juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) at a steam electric generating station on the Columbia River that required cooperation between power plant operators and fishery biologists. The method involved sampling fish in the river and entrained fish (both marked recaptures and naturally occurring downstream migrants) within the intake, and estimating the 1) total number of fish entrained, 2) size of the natural population, and 3) percent of the natural population affected.
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE AND MAGNETISM OF INTERFACES : SANDWICHES AND MODULATED STRUCTURES

It is now recognized that one of the most important developments in the last decade lies in the preparation of synthetic structures on the submicron level. The excitement surrounding this development lies in the promise of producing materials with desired properties to specification, of permitting new scientific phenomena to be investigated and novel device applications to be made on artificial materials not found in nature - in other words, materials engineering on the microstructure scale. The range and variety of new phenomena that can be studied pose an exciting challenge. Examples on the microstructure domain include thin film junctions (sandwiches) of dissimilar metals which are either magnetic or superconducting etc., and modulated structures consisting of alternating layers of materials A and B, i.e. ABABA --. In this paper, results of all-electron self-consistent spin-polarized band structure studies on a AgFe sandwich, and on CuNi and PdAu coherent modulated structures are presented. For CuNi, modulations along [111] and [100] for different wave lengths and supercells up to 12 layers predict Ni moments to be reduced vs. f.c.c. Ni, but no "dead" layers even in the most dilute system. Adjacent Cu layers acquire small magnetic moments, which may be measured by NMR. Increased exchange enhancements are found in PdAu and discussed in relation to the strongly exchange enhanced susceptibility observed in PdAu sandwiches by Brodsky and Freeman. For AgFe we find that the Ag serves to greatly decrease the enhanced magnetism (to 2.95 µB) found for the free Fe surface.
Radiolabeled high affinity peptidomimetic antagonist selectively targets αvβ3 receptor-positive tumor in mice

Abstract Objectives The aim of this research was to synthesize radiolabeled peptidomimetic integrin α v β 3 antagonists that selectively target integrin α v β 3 receptor and clear rapidly from the whole body. Methods Integrin α v β 3 antagonists, 4-[2-(3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine-2-ylamino)ethyloxy]benzoyl-2-( S )-aminoethylsulfonyl-amino-β-alanine (IA) and 4-[2-(3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-pyrimidin-2-ylamino)-ethyloxy]benzoyl-2-( S )-[ N -(3-amino-neopenta-1-carbamyl)]-aminoethylsulfonylamino-β-alanine hydrochloride (IAC), a hydrophobic carbamate derivative of IA, were conjugated with 2- p -isothiocyanatobenzyl-DOTA at the amino terminus and labeled with 111 In. The 111 In labeled IA and IAC were subjected to in vitro receptor binding, biodistribution and imaging studies using nude mice bearing the receptor-positive M21 human melanoma xenografts. Results The 111 In-labeled IA (40%) and -IAC (72%) specifically bound in vitro to α v β 3 (0.8 μM) at a molar excess. This receptor binding was completely blocked by a molar excess of cold IA to α v β 3 . The higher receptor-binding affinity of the 111 In-labeled IAC was reflected in higher tumor uptake and retention: 5.6±1.4 and 4.5±0.7 %ID/g vs. 3.8±0.9 and 2.0±0.3 %ID/g for the 111 In-labeled IA at 0.33 and 2 h. The tumor uptakes were inhibited by the co-injection of 200 μg of IA, indicating that the uptake was receptor mediated. These antagonists were excreted primarily via the renal system. The 111 In activity retained in the whole body was quite comparable between the 111 In-labeled IA (24% ID) and the 111 In-labeled IAC (33% ID) at 2 h. The higher peak tumor uptake and longer retention resulted in higher tumor-to-background ratios for the 111 In-labeled IAC at 2 h with 9.7, 2.3, 0.8, 1.9, 7.1, 2.2, 0.9, 3.7 and 9.9 for blood, liver, kidney, lung, heart, stomach, intestine, bone and muscle, respectively. The imaging studies with the 111 In-labeled IAC also clearly visualized the receptor-positive tumor at 4 h. Conclusions The 111 In-labeled IAC showed an improve tumor targeting kinetics with rapid accumulation and prolonged retention in the α v β 3 receptor-positive tumor. This together with the rapid whole-body clearance pharmacokinetics warrants further studies on this IAC analog for molecular imaging of tumor-induced angiogenic vessels and various malignant human tumors expressing the receptor.
Power Mapping: Enhancing Sociological Knowledge by Developing Generalizable Analytical Public Tools

In this article, I argue for and illustrate ‘power mapping’ as a concrete research approach that can benefit specific publics while enhancing professional sociological knowledge and theory. I present power mapping as an example of a more broad approach to public sociology which seeks to harness sociological theory and knowledge in order to create generalizable analytical tools that social movements, policy makers, concerned citizens, voluntary associations, and community organizations can use to develop their own strategic assessments of the sociological contexts in which they act. One of the ironies of the current discussion of public sociology is that it has been conducted in an abstract, hyper-theoretical discourse which is precisely one of the factors that has disconnected so much sociology from general publics. In this article, I instead turn towards presenting a specific concrete research strategy which could engender mutually beneficial research collaboration and dialogue between sociologists and specific publics.
Combinatorial self-assembly of DNA nanostructures

Here we report a modular design of self-assembly of DNA nanostructures in a combinatorial approach; a square with ∼25 nm cavity dimension, a chair with ∼80 nm in height and a line with ∼100 nm in length are formed through combinations of four cross-shaped DNA tiles which are kept constant and six variable linker tiles.
Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck: A retrospective case series†

Background. Eighty-five percent of all Merkel cell carcinomas appear on sun-exposed areas, with 50% to 55% occurring on the head and neck. Methods. A chart review was performed on 22 patients treated for Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck between 1981 and 1998. Results. Fifteen patients were men (68%). The average age at operation was 69.9 years (range, 24-84 years). The average duration of follow-up was 3.6 years (range, 3 days-8.6 years). Overall survival at 1, 2, and 3 years postoperatively was 78%, 68%, and 68%, respectively. The only independent predictor of survival was the type of surgical therapy. All patients who underwent wide local excision (WLE) of the primary tumor with dissection of the lymphatic drainage basin were alive at 2 years as opposed to 68% who had WLE alone and 33% who had Mohs surgery. Conclusions. WLE and dissection of the lymphatic drainage basin provided the best overall survival.
Aberration-free dynamic focusing with a multichannel micromachined membrane deformable mirror.

We demonstrate aberration-free dynamic focusing with a low-cost 19-channel continuous-surface micromachined membrane deformable mirror (MMDM). A lookup table of the optimum control voltages for various focal lengths is obtained with an adaptive optics algorithm. Diffraction-limited imaging resolution is achieved owing to the capablility of the MMDM for aberration compensation. The measured speed of the MMDM supports dynamic focusing operations at several hundred hertz. Our dynamic focusing approach is shown to function with either monochromatic or broadband optical sources.
Synthesis and antiviral activity of 3-formyl- and 3-cyano-2,5,6-trichloroindole nucleoside derivatives.

A series of trichlorinated indole nucleosides has been synthesized and tested for activity against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) and for cytotoxicity. The pre...
Beyond bricks and mortar

Geoscience has played a key role in the recovery of Haiti since the earthquake, but warnings were not heeded in the political sphere. Along with better houses, an adaptive disaster-management infrastructure that incorporates science needs to be built.
Shadow of Virtue: On a Painful if not Principled Compromise Inherent in Business Ethics

From a certain philosophical perspective, one that is at least as old as Plato but which is addressed also by Aristotle and Kant, business ethics – to the extent that it is marketed as form of enlightened self-interest – constitutes a Thrasymachean compromise: to argue that it is to our advantage to conduct business ethically, perhaps even advantageous to the bottom-line, comes curiously close to endorsing what Plato called the ‹shadow of virtue’ – i.e., of becoming temperate for the sake of ill-temperance. And yet it also seems true that moralistic campaigns to achieve the impossible, e.g., pursuing justice for its own sake or eradicating egoism, often “detract from attaining really important things.” This essay explores the need, in business ethics as well as elsewhere, to make – what Dewey and Niebuhr considered to be – painful if not principled philosophical compromises in order to secure is a society in which there would be “enough justice to avoid complete disaster.”
Aging Impairs the Ability to Detect Gas Odor

Weakened smelling is common in age. Two studies here show that this phenomenon frequently reveals itself in inability to detect ethyl mercaptan, the warning agent most commonly added to propane (LP-gas). The first study compared 21 young (18–25 years) with 21 old (70–85 years) persons for (a) detection threshold (average ten times higher in the elderly), (b) suprathreshold odor strength (weaker for the elderly at all levels), and (c) ability to identify common odors (the elderly did worse). Seven of the 21 elderly failed to detect ethyl mercaptan at or above a concentration associated with the boundary between acceptable and unacceptable levels of propane. Three of these failed to detect the odorant at a concentration where accompanying propane could explode. In the second study 50 of 110 persons over 60 years failed to detect odor reliably in commercial odorized propane diluted to the Department of Transportation's safety standard (one–fifth the lower explosive limit). Six of 52 persons under 40 also failed. The elderly person would seem at high risk of LP-gas fire.
Histology and ultrastructure of the pig parotid gland

Parotid glands of adult pigs were studied by light and electron microscopy. The parenchyma consists of acini, intercalated ducts, striated ducts, and excretory ducts. Acini had little affinity for periodic acid-Schiff and were alcian blue-negative at pH 2.6 or 0.5. These results indicate a paucity of neutral mucins and an absence of sialo- and sulfomucins. Histologically, acinar cells had vacuoles which corresponded ultrastructurally to large electron-lucent secretory granules. The latter contained electron-dense bodies and lipid droplets. Acinar cells differed histochemically and ultrastructurally from typical serous cells and were classified as special serous. Intercalated duct cells near acini contained electron-dense secretory granules and numerous microfilaments. Cells in distal segments lacked secretory granules. Striated ducts were lined by two types of columnar epithelial cells, light cells and dark cells. Light cells were characterized by numerous infoldings of the basal plasma membrane, mitochondria between the infoldings, and electron-lucent vesicles in the apical cytoplasm. The mitochondria contained tubular cristae. Dark cells were characterized by an abundance of microfilaments and numerous infranuclear processes which extended to the basement membrane. Excretory ducts, in addition to light and dark cells, also contained basal cells and goblet cells. Mitochondria in the light cells had flattened rather than tubular cristae. The pig parotid is a unique salivary gland and the most atypical mammalian parotid gland studied thus far. Mitochondria with tubular cristae and vacuolated special serous cells with lipid in the secretory granules are hallmarks of the pig parotid.
Seasonal Simulation as a Test for Uncertainties in the Parameterizations of a Budyko-Sellers Zonal Climate Model

Abstract The energy-transport parameterization of Budyko (1969), which was devised to parameterize mean annual net radiation as a function of zonally averaged surface temperature, is subjected to verification with seasonal transport data in order to evaluate its validity for climatic change experiments. It is found that Budyko's linear parameterization is able to describe the annual zonal heat transport divergence for all latitudes and also the seasonal cycle of heat transport divergence at high latitudes (ϕ > 50°), but has no predictive ability for the seasonal deviation from annual average in lower latitudes. The parameterization of infrared flux at the top of the atmosphere as a linear function of zonal surface temperature is tested using seasonal data for latitude zones in which the seasonal cycle of temperature has a large amplitude. The temperature coefficients for the different zones examined are found to differ from each other by as much as a factor of 2. This uncertainty, together with the uncert...
Spurious Correlation: A Causal Interpretation*

Abstract * I am indebted to Richard M. Cyert, Paul F. Lazarsfeld, Roy Radner, and T. C Koopmans for valuable comments on earlier drafts of this paper. To test whether a correlation between two variables is genuine or spurious, additional variables and equations must be introduced, and sufficient assumptions must be made to identify the parameters of this wider system. If the two original variables are causally related in the wider system, the correlation is “genuine.”
Visualization of iontophoretic pathways with confocal microscopy and the vibrating probe electrode

Abstract The primary barrier to the permeation of water and charged compounds through mammalian skin is an extracellular lipid matrix in its outermost layer, but skin is traverse by hair follicles and sweat glands, which may act as shunts. Transdermal permeation can be electrically facilitated (iontophoresis), but the pathways of this current flow are not known. We have used a vibrating probe electrode (VPE) to identify and vectorize site-specific ionic flows at the surface of current-clamped mammalian skin. The currents located were primarily appendageal. Laser-scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) can optically section thick tissues that are sufficiently transparent, do not strongly scatter light, and have low autofluorescence. The permeation pathways of iontophoretically driven fluorescent probes (used as model compounds) were visualized with LSCM in whole, unfixed skin. Transport of charged and polar substances appears to take place primarily via appendageal routes, whereas (non-facilitated) lipophilic fluores travel by paracellular pathways in the stratum corneum, and by both paracellular and transcellular paths in the living layers of the skin. Conventional methods (e.g., TEM) of tissue pathway visualization provide static images of pathways, and sample preparation may substantially modify tissue structure. dynamic information about current flow into and through living skin can be obtained by the VPE and by LSCM.
Organic complexes of iron and aluminium in natural waters

IN natural waters throughout the world1, iron concentrations are commonly several orders of magnitude greater than the equilibrium solubility of iron hydroxide2. Highly coloured waters (which have relatively high concentrations of organic matter) commonly have even greater iron concentrations. Two of the chemical species postulated to account for this phenomenon are: (1) fine colloidal particles of iron hydroxide (possibly associated with colloidal organic matter) and (2) dissolved complexes of iron with naturally occurring organic substances. While the existence of colloidal iron hydroxide in natural waters is widely accepted3, there is little conclusive evidence for or against the existence of dissolved organic complexes of iron. We wish to present evidence which suggests that dissolved organic matter forms complexes not only with iron but also with aluminium, with competition between Fe and Al for available complexing sites determining the relative abundances of the two metals in natural waters.
Comparative genomic analysis of tumors: detection of DNA losses and amplification

We demonstrate the use of representational difference analysis for cloning probes that detect DNA loss and amplification in tumors. Using DNA isolated from human tumor cell lines to drive hybridization against matched normal DNA, we were able to identify six genomic regions that are homozygously deleted in cultured cancer cells. When this method was applied in the reverse way, using normal DNA to drive hybridization against tumor cell DNA, we readily isolated probes detecting amplification. Representational difference analysis was also performed on DNAs derived from tumor biopsies, and we thereby discovered a probe detecting very frequent homozygous loss in colon cancer cell lines and located on chromosome 3p.
Growth and Survival of Largemouth Bass in Newly Stocked South Dakota Ponds

Abstract This study evaluated the growth and survival of age 0 and age I largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in South Dakota ponds relative to five stocking combinations and various environmental parameters. Species stocked with largemouth bass included golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas), fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), black bullhead (Ictalurus melas), and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). Stocking of largemouth bass only also was evaluated. Differences in first-year growth among four geographic regions of the state were significant (P 0.05) in first-year largemouth bass growth due to the combinations stocked. Young-of-the-year growth rates in 34 ponds ranged from 101 to 196 mm, with a mean of 153 mm. Relative Weight (W.) values for largemouth bass ranged from 100 to 135, with a mean of 114. No significant differences in Relative Weight (P > 0.05) were observed among regions or combinations. First-year survival values fo...
New Color Projection System

An optical system has been devised for projecting images in color. The color is selected by the spacing of diffraction gratings in each picture element and their amplitude determines the intensity of the element. The gratings can be formed either by a photographic process or by an electron beam in a simultaneous color television projection system. An improved primary color system is presented for use with this projector.
Performance of a lightwave system incorporating a cascade of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers

Abstract The photon-number distribution (PND) at the output of a cascade of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs), with coherent light at the input, turns out to be the noncentral-negative-binomial (NNB) distribution, even in the presence of intervening loss, provided that the normalized bandwidth is the same for all amplifiers. The probability of error (PE) for a cascade of several highgain EDFAs is essentially the same as that for a single EDFA. The performance of a sequence of postamplifiers is superior to that of a sequence of preamplifiers.
Orographic effects on precipitating clouds

[1] Precipitation over and near mountains is not caused by topography but, rather, occurs when storms of a type that can occur anywhere (deep convection, fronts, tropical cyclones) form near or move over complex terrain. Deep convective systems occurring near mountains are affected by channeling of airflow near mountains, capping of moist boundary layers by flow subsiding from higher terrain, and triggering to break the cap when low-level flow encounters hills near the bases of major mountain ranges. Mesoscale convective systems are triggered by nocturnal downslope flows and by diurnally triggered disturbances propagating away from mountain ranges. The stratiform regions of mesoscale convective systems are enhanced by upslope flow when they move over mountains. In frontal cloud systems, the poleward flow of warm-sector air ahead of the system may rise easily over terrain, and a maximum of precipitating cloud occurs over the first rise of terrain, and rainfall is maximum on ridges and minimum in valleys. If the low-level air ahead of the system is stable, blocking or damming occurs. Shear between a blocked layer and unblocked moist air above favors turbulent overturning, which can accelerate precipitation fallout. In tropical cyclones, the tangential winds encountering a mountain range produce a gravity wave response and greatly enhanced upslope flow. Depending on the height of the mountain, the maximum rain may occur on either the windward or leeward side. When the capped boundary layer of the eye of a tropical cyclone passes over a mountain, the cap may be broken with intense convection resulting.
Metabolic Profiling of Diabetes: From Black-Box Epidemiology to Systems Epidemiology

Type 2 diabetes (T2D)2 is a heterogeneous condition that is characterized by increased insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion. A progressive disorder with an insidious onset, T2D typically progresses from an early asymptomatic insulin resistance state to mild glucose intolerance and eventually to frank T2D that requires pharmacologic interventions. Whether insulin resistance or impaired insulin secretion is the primary defect in the pathogenesis of T2D remains a matter of debate. Interestingly, most genetic variants identified from recent genome-wide association studies are related to decreased β-cell function or impaired insulin secretion, which implicates a key role for β-cell dysfunction in the development of T2D. Still, obesity, with its fundamental influence on insulin resistance, is the single most important risk factor for T2D. Although T2D is largely predictable through anthropometric, lifestyle, and clinical factors and is preventable through diet and exercise, the metabolic pathways underlying the progression from normal glycemia to a prediabetes state and later to T2D are not completely understood. Classic epidemiology typically relates lifestyle and environmental exposures to chronic disease end points, such as T2D. This approach (sometimes referred to as “black-box epidemiology”) has identified many important lifestyle and environmental risk factors for chronic diseases, but it often does not illuminate biological mechanisms that underlie observed associations. Recent advances in “omics” technology, however, have enabled epidemiologists to incorporate novel biomarkers at multiple levels into human observational studies, with the potential to shift the research paradigm from the traditional black-box strategy to a systems approach (1, 2). This new model integrates a wide range of information—genetic predisposition (genome), epigenetic changes (epigenome), the expression of genes (transcriptome), proteins (proteome), metabolites (metabolome), and gut microbiota (microbiome)—into population-based studies to improve our understanding of the biological mechanisms that underlie disease pathophysiology in humans. Systems epidemiology is at the intersection of …
Learning systems for predicting experiential travel times in the presence of incidents: Insights and lessons learned

Implementation of the intelligent transportation systems program has resulted in a wealth of readily available data describing key transportation system parameters for many of the nation's roadways. However, the development of systems that can process the data to support effective decision making aimed at improving travel conditions has lagged behind the development of monitoring and data recording devices. A study investigated the feasibility of developing an artificial neural network (ANN) model to predict experiential travel time under transient traffic conditions, including accidents, by using readily available data from roadway sensors in real time. Computational experiments were performed to investigate the impact of several factors on the quality of the ANN's predictions: (a) the time lag of the input data, (b) the input variables, and (c) the temporal resolution of the input variables. With the correct input data set and network parameters, the ANNs were able to predict reasonable values for experiential travel time. The study shows that the length of the time lag did not have a statistically significant effect on ANN performance, that speed appears to be the most influential input variable, and that varying the resolution of the input data produced similar errors for both higher and lower resolutions.
Telomerase activity in solid transitional cell carcinoma, bladder washings, and voided urine

Telomerase activity has been detected in a wide variety of human malignancies. It appears to be one of the fundamental ingredients necessary for cellular immortality. We sought to determine the incidence of telomerase activity in solid transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) specimens, benign urothelium, bladder washings, and voided urine from patients with TCC identified cystoscopically compared with controls. Telomerase activity was measured in 26 solid bladder cancers and 13 benign urothelial specimens using the telomere repeat amplification protocol (TRAP), a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based assay. Telomerase activity was further measured in the centrifuged cellular material obtained from the bladder washings of 26 patients with TCC and 40 with benign urologic disease found to have a normal cystoscopy. All patients with hematuria were additionally evaluated with an upper tract radiographic examination and found to be free of malignancy. Voided urine was likewise evaluated in 11 patients with TCC, 12 with benign urologic diseases, and 56 asymptomatic control subjects. Telomerase activity was detected in 25 of 26 (96%) solid specimens, 21 of 26 (81%) bladder washings, and 6 of 11 (54%) voided urine specimens from patients with histologically confirmed TCC. In the control group, 2 of 13 (15%) benign urothelial specimens and 2 of 56 (4%) voided urine specimens from the asymptomatic volunteer group demonstrated telomerase activity. Of those with benign urologic disease, 16 of 40 (40%) bladder barbotage specimens and 6 of 12 (50%) voided urine specimens demonstrated telomerase activity. Sensitivity and specificity of telomerase as a marker for TCC were 81% and 60%, respectively, in the bladder washings group and 54% and 50%, respectively, in voided urine. These data indicate that activation of telomerase is frequent in solid TCC and appears to be a sensitive marker in bladder washings of patients with TCC. We noted an unexpectedly high false positive detection rate in patients with benign urologic diseases, especially those with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. An additional study of a larger number of both bladder cancer patients and those at risk is necessary to determine if telomerase activity could play a role as a diagnostic and/or surveillance marker of TCC. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.
Assessment of Management Techniques to Reduce Woodpecker Damage to Homes

Abstract Woodpecker damage to homes and buildings is a widespread and locally severe problem in vertebrate pest control. Woodpeckers may cause an average of $300 (United States currency) in damage to affected houses, resulting in millions of dollars of property damage annually in the United States. However, there is no known, practical, consistently effective technique to prevent woodpecker damage. We tested the effectiveness of 6 woodpecker control techniques available commercially, used anecdotally by homeowners, and recommended by wildlife specialists in different Cooperative Extension publications. These deterrents included Prowler Owls, Irri-TapeTM, the Bird Pro Sound System, Scare-Eyes (all manufactured by Bird-X, Inc., Chicago, IL), suet feeders, and roost boxes. We conducted our study in late spring and autumn during August 2003 through December 2004 in the Town of Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York, USA. We evaluated 16 homes with active woodpecker damage, and visited each house about 3 times per ...
Delta Modulation of Data Signals

This paper is an analytical study to determine the performance of single-integration delta-modulation (\DeltaM) encoders with inputs which are various voice-band data signals. Signal-to-quantizing noise ratios S/N are calculated for \DeltaM bit rates from 16 to 96 K bits/s. The input data signals studied are phase modulation at 1200 and 2400 bits/s, partial response at 4800 and 9600 bits/s, and single sideband at 4800 bits/s. Predictions of the performance of these modems, when transmitted over the \DeltaM systems, are based on the calculated S/N ratios.
Variable spring constant, high contact force RF MEMS switch

This paper presents the design, fabrication and measurements on a novel metal-contact RF MEMS switch with variable spring constant and high contact and release forces. The spring constant of the switch dramatically increases when the applied voltage is larger than the threshold voltage (V t ), defined when the tip touches a dielectric block. This design shows a total contact force and restoring force of 0.6 – 1.1 mN and a 0.5 mN, respectively, for an actuation voltage of 75–90 V. The measured switching time is < 10 µs. The switch is an excellent candidate for high performance microwave applications requiring high power handling and a large contact force.
Enhanced by-product desorption via laser assisted electron beam induced deposition of W(CO)6 with improved conductivity and resolution

Nanowires with higher tungsten (W) concentration and enhanced conductivity were grown via the laser assisted electron beam induced deposition (LAEBID) technique using tungsten hexacarbonyl W(CO)6 as the gas precursor. Periodic, pulsed laser irradiation facilitated CO desorption during growth by heating the deposit. Deposit purity improved with laser pulse width up to the threshold for pyrolytic laser chemical vapor deposition (LCVD). Higher resolution was also observed and was attributed to reduced CO incorporation and higher deposit density. The optimal composition and lowest resistivity was achieved by synchronizing the electron beam induced deposition and laser assist such that (1) the electron beam induced deposit is less than a monolayer per cycle and (2) the laser induced heating is just below the LCVD threshold.