cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Where do the meteorites come from? A re-evaluation of the earth-crossing apollo objects as sources of chondritic meteorites☆

Abstract The total number of Earth-crossing Apollo objects larger than 500 m in radius is estimated to be 600, based on failure of chance rediscovery, lunar crater frequency and completeness-of-search results of Shoemaker, Helin and Gillett. The number of Amor objects (perihelion between 1.0 and 1.3 A.U.) is estimated to be about 500. These estimates are about an order of magnitude higher than those given by previous workers, and these objects appear sufficiently numerous to dominate post-mare lunar and terrestrial cratering ( d ≥ 10 km). The terrestrial meteorite and meteorite yield of 100-10 6 g bodies derived from fragmentation of Apollo objects is re-evaluated using this estimate, together with more recent data on asteroid albedos and on hypervelocity impact. Terrestrial rate of impacts of these fragments at sufficiently low velocities to penetrate the atmosphere is estimated to be ~2 × 10 8 g/yr. This is in the middle of the range of the actual extraterrestrial impact rate based on photographic fireball surveys (Prairie Network), lunar seismometry, and recovery of meteorites. It is likely that most ordinary chondrites are fragments of Apollo objects, provided that these fragments are sufficiently strong to survive atmospheric entry. Possible asteroidal and cometary sources of Apollo objects are reviewed. Several mechanisms for the removal of asteroids into Earth-crossing orbit are qualitatively acceptable, but appear inadequate by at least an order of magnitude to supply the required number. Most Apollo objects are probably the cores of comets which have lost their volatile material by repeated solar evaporation, as proposed by Opik. The distribution of the component of the Apollo objects' angular momentum perpendicular to the plane of the solar system is tabulated. It is found that considerable non-random clustering of these values exists, for which no adequate explanation is known.
A high prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among surgically drained soft-tissue infections in pediatric patients

Over the past decade, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged as a global problem, prompting extensive surveillance efforts. A previous study of S. aureus isolates at our institution revealed alarming increases in the prevalence of MRSA with no sign of plateau. However, evidence of MRSA in pediatric surgical patients remains largely anecdotal, as there are no published reports of institutional MRSA surveillance in the pediatric surgical literature. We conducted a retrospective review of incision and drainage (I and D) procedures at our institution from 1998 through 2004. All I and D procedures performed at the University of Chicago Children’s Hospital were identified and the patients’ charts reviewed for pertinent information. A total of 99 I and D procedures were performed during the study period, ranging from 5 in 1998 to 32 in 2004. Among cultures with positive growth, 52 (65.8%) were MRSA, 14 (17.7%) were methicillin-sensitive S. aureus, and 13 (16.5%) were miscellaneous species. The number of MRSA isolates increases from 2 in 1998 to 20 in 2004, the largest increase occurring during the last 3 years of the study. A large proportion of MRSA isolates were resistant to antimicrobials from other classes, with over 70% being resistant to both erythromycin and cefazolin. A majority of MRSA isolates (71.4%) were obtained from patients with no record of prior hospitalization. Our analysis confirms a high prevalence of MRSA among soft-tissue infections requiring surgical drainage. In addition, a majority of MRSA isolates were resistant to multiple antimicrobials and were isolated from children without a previous documented exposure to the hospital milieu. Thus, pediatric surgeons should be aware of MRSA prevalence and resistance patterns in the local communities.
Five children—vignettes of language disorders

The pediatric otolaryngologist cares for children who have abnormal language as a primary or secondary deficiency. Five children, each with a different form of language disorder, are presented. These are children with specific language impairment (SLI) expressive, pervasive developmental delay (autism), expressive language delay associated with severe to profound hearing loss early in life, language delay secondary to a moderate to severe hearing loss diagnosed late and not cared for, and language delay secondary delay secondary to social deprivation and otitis media with effusion.
Dominant negative regulation of the mouse α-fetoprotein gene in adult liver.

Transcription of the mouse alpha-fetoprotein gene is activated in the developing fetal liver and gut and repressed in both tissues shortly after birth. With germline transformation in mice, a cis-acting element was identified upstream of the transcription initiation site of the alpha-fetoprotein gene that was responsible for repression of the gene in adult liver. This negative element acts as a repressor in a position-dependent manner.
Positive- and Negative-acting Krüppel-like Transcription Factors Bind a Transforming Growth Factor β Control Element Required for Expression of the Smooth Muscle Cell Differentiation Marker SM22α in Vivo

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is implicated in the regulation of smooth muscle cell (SMC) differentiation. We previously identified a novel TGF-β control element (TCE) in the promoters of SMC differentiation marker genes, including α-smooth muscle actin and SM22α. In this study, the importance of the TCE in regulation of SM22α gene expressionin vivo was investigated by mutating it within the context of a mouse SM22α promoter-lacZ transgenic construct. Mutation of the TCE completely abolished SM22α promoter activity in arterial SMCs as well as in developing heart and skeletal muscle. To identify the transcription factor(s) binding to the TCE, we performed yeast one-hybrid cloning analysis and identified gut-enriched Kruppel-like factor (GKLF). However, cotransfection studies in cultured cells showed that GKLF repressed the TGF-β-dependent increases in SM22α and α-smooth muscle actin promoter activities. Furthermore, GKLF was not highly expressed in differentiated SMCs in vivo, and TGF-β down-regulated GKLF expression in dedifferentiated cultured SMCs. In contrast, overexpression of a related factor (BTEB2) transactivated SM22α promoter activity. Thus, our findings suggest a reciprocal role for related Kruppel-like transcription factors in the regulation of SMC differentiation through a TCE-dependent mechanism.
Design of an aspheric mirror for synchrotron radiation X-ray lithography beamline

Abstract The illumination system for synchrotron radiation X-ray lithography consists of a storage ring to produce the X-rays, and a beamline to transport the X-rays to the exposure stage. Because the wavelengths are short, only grazing incident mirrors are used in the beamlines. The beamline optics need to deliver a beam with high transmission in the X-ray region. A condenser is a key component in the X-ray lithography beamline. For a scanning X-ray lithography system, the condenser is used to focus X-rays vertically while collimating horizontally. The lack of symmetry in grazing incident optics results in large aberrations if simple conical mirrors are used. In the past, we have used two toroidal mirrors to compensate each other's aberrations. Here we present the design for a novel aspherical mirror. It is calculated using numerical methods and described by polynomials. Ray-tracing with a finite synchrotron radiation source shows that the novel mirror shape gives superior performance in the synchrotron radiation collecting angle, and beam uniformity at the exposure stage. The design method is useful in designing aspheric surfaces in other beamlines.
Photoinitiator Nucleotide for Quantifying Nucleic Acid Hybridization

This first report of a photoinitiator-nucleotide conjugate demonstrates a novel approach for sensitive, rapid and visual detection of DNA hybridization events. This approach holds potential for various DNA labeling schemes and for applications benefiting from selective DNA-based polymerization initiators. Here, we demonstrate covalent, enzymatic incorporation of an eosin-photoinitiator 2′-deoxyuridine-5′-triphosphate (EITC-dUTP) conjugate into surface-immobilized DNA hybrids. Subsequent radical chain photoinitiation from these sites using an acrylamide/bis-acrylamide formulation yields a dynamic detection range between 500pM and 50nM of DNA target. Increasing EITC-nucleotide surface densities leads to an increase in surface-based polymer film heights until achieving a film height plateau of 280nm ±20nm at 610 ±70 EITC-nucleotides/μm2. Film heights of 10–20 nm were obtained from eosin surface densities of approximately 20 EITC-nucleotides/μm2 while below the detection limit of ~10 EITC-nucleotides/μm2, no detectable films were formed. This unique threshold behavior is utilized for instrument-free, visual quantification of target DNA concentration ranges.
Phosphorylation of a Single Head of Smooth Muscle Myosin Activates the Whole Molecule

Regulatory light chain (RLC) phosphorylation activates smooth and non-muscle myosin II, but it has not been established if phosphorylation of one head turns on the whole molecule. Baculovirus expression and affinity chromatography were used to isolate heavy meromyosin (HMM) containing one phosphorylated and one dephosphorylated RLC (1-P HMM). Motility and steady-state ATPase assays indicated that 1-P HMM is nearly as active as HMM with two phosphorylated heads (2-P HMM). Single-turnover experiments further showed that both the dephosphorylated and phosphorylated heads of 1-P HMM can be activated by actin. Singly phosphorylated full-length myosin was also an active species with two cycling heads. Our results suggest that phosphorylation of one RLC abolishes the asymmetric inhibited state formed by dephosphorylated myosin [Liu, J., et al. (2003) J. Mol. Biol. 329, 963-972], allowing activation of both the phosphorylated and dephosphorylated heads. These findings help explain how smooth muscles are able to generate high levels of stress with low phosphorylation levels.
Social Workers’ Perspectives on Effective Practice in Criminal Justice Settings

Social workers practicing within the field of criminal justice face significant challenges. Through individual interviews, 17 experienced social workers from diverse criminal justice settings share their perspectives about the attributes needed for effective social work practice. Participants describe how they define success in their work and what it takes to be successful. They highlight specific ways of behaving within criminal justice settings, relationship qualities for working with criminal justice clients, and personal traits believed to be critical to effective practice. The participants also reflect on the value of their education and offer a suggestion for prospective criminal justice social workers.
Pandemic influenza: implications for preparation and delivery of critical care services

In a 5-week span during the 1918 influenza A pandemic, more than 2000 patients were admitted to Cook County Hospital in Chicago, with a diagnosis of either influenza or pneumonia; 642 patients, app...
Water ice cloud formation on Mars is more difficult than presumed: Laboratory studies of ice nucleation on surrogate materials

Abstract The role of water ice clouds in the martian water cycle and climate depends on cloud properties such as particle size and number distribution. These properties, in turn, depend on heterogeneous nucleation parameters which are poorly understood. Here we report laboratory experiments performed under martian temperature and water partial pressure conditions (158–185 K, 9 × 10−7–1 × 10−4 Torr H2O) to determine the critical saturation ratio for ice onset, Scrit, as a function of temperature and dust composition. Using infrared spectroscopy to monitor ice nucleation and growth, we find a significant barrier to ice formation, with a pronounced temperature dependence. Even on clay minerals which show uptake of non-crystalline water before ice nucleation, we find a saturation ratio of 2.5 or more (RHice > 250%) is needed to begin ice growth at temperatures near 160 K. These results could lead to changes of four orders of magnitude in the nucleation rate relative to the presumptions used currently in Mars microphysical models, which commonly set the contact parameter, m, to a single value of 0.95. Our results range from m = 0.84 to m = 0.98. For ice nucleation on Arizona Test Dust, the temperature dependence is described by m = 0.0046 * Tnucl + 0.1085, while m = 0.0055 * Tnucl + 0.0003 on a smectite-rich clay sample. Our findings suggest that cloud formation will be more difficult than previously thought, potentially leading to areas of increased near-surface humidity but generally drier conditions in the atmosphere of Mars, overall.
A NOTE ON EQUILIBRIA IN A CIRCULAR LOCATION MODEL WITH A SINGLE-PEAKED DISTRIBUTION OF CONSUMERS

We describe a circular location model in which consumers are distributed according to a symmetric, single-peaked distribution function. Optimal location choices are described and it is determined that equilibria are possible only with one or two firms. Firm strategy is also discussed for greater numbers of firms, and it is shown that even out of equilibrium firms tend to choose locations that are symmetric around the point of highest density, and there can be no agglomeration.
How game-theoretical semantics works: Classical first-order logic

The structure of strategies for semantical games is studied by means of a new formalism developed for the purpose. Rigorous definitions of strategy, winning strategy, truth, and falsity are presented. Non-contradiction and bivalence are demonstrated for the truth-definition. The problem of the justification of deduction is examined from this perspective. The rules of a natural deduction system are justified: they are seen to guarantee existence of a winning strategy for the defender in the semantical game for the conclusion, given winning strategies for that player in the games for the premises. Finally, it is shown how semantical games and the truth-definition can be given for languages lacking individual constants. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** AZ902009 00003
Home range orientation and territoriality in harvesting ants.

Abstract Trunk trails, used by Pogonomyrmex barbatus and P. rugosus during foraging and homing, have the effect of avoiding aggressive confrontations between neighboring colonies of the same species. They channel the mass of foragers of hostile neighboring nests into diverging directions, before each ant pursues its individual foraging exploration. This channeling subtly partitions the foraging grounds and allows a much denser nest spacing pattern than a foraging strategy without trunk trails, such as that employed by P. maricopa.
Spontaneous fecal contamination of cerebrospinal fluid: An unusual complication of lymphogranuloma venereum

A case of a spontaneously occurring rectal-subarachnoid fistula with gross fecal contamination of the spinal fluid is reported. Pathologic examination suggested that lymphogranuloma venereum was the underlying disease responsible for this bizarre occurrence.
Origins of the AmaWasha: the Zulu Washermen's Guild in Natal, 1850–1910

Research into the perspectives of both worker and consumer has shown the social history of Zulu washermen to be far more complex than was previously thought. Viewed from the standpoint of Zulu men, washing clothes was not a humiliating female task into which they had been coerced by adverse circumstances. Laundering recalled the specialist craft of hide-dressing in which Zulu males engaged as izinyanga, a prestige occupation that paid handsomely. These astute tradesmen, a number of whom may have come from artisanal families, recognized they could play a crucial role in the European household economy. ‘Craft conscious’, building on indigenous institutions and customs, they combined not merely to secure their position and bar entry into ‘the trade’, but also to impose standards of wages and regulate the labour given by the younger men. In this manner they became one, if not indeed the most, powerful group of African workmen in nineteenth-century Natal.The social history of the AmaWasha guild compels a re-evaluation of notions regarding openness to change in traditional societies; indeed, it underscores their capacity for innovation. Moreover, it has a fundamental bearing on the structural nature and patterns of resistance of early black working populations in South Africa. This study indicates that there were intimate historical links between precolonial artisanal associations and subsequent worker organizations, activities and consciousness.
Finite-element calculation of low-lying states of hydrogen in a superstrong magnetic field

The finite-element method has been applied to the problem of hydrogen in a superstrong magnetic field. Binding energies have been calculated for the low-lying states (1{ital s}{sub 0}, 2{ital s}{sub 0}, 2{ital p}{sub 0}, and 2{ital p}{sub {minus}1}) for a range of magnetic fields from 10{sup 5} to 10{sup 12} G. This calculation establishes highly accurate lower bounds for the binding energy of the excited states.
Bitter taste in aging: Compound-specific decline in sensitivity

Threshold sensitivity to and the perceived intensity of two bitter compounds, quinine sulfate and urea, were assessed in 52 young adults and 60 elderly adults. Consistent with previous literature, age-related declines in sensitivity to the bitterness of quinine were observed at both threshold and suprathreshold levels. In contrast, the same young and elderly subjects showed comparable sensitivity to the bitterness of urea. These results provide further support for the existence of multiple bitter taste transduction sequences in humans, and indicate that they may be differentially affected by aging.
Inorganic-melt-catalysed hydrogenation of phenanthrene

Abstract The hydrogenation of the coal model compound phenanthrene was investigated using a molten hydroxide-carbonate catalyst. The rate of catalysed hydrogenation was found to be approximately an order of magnitude greater than the uncatalysed reaction. Batch experiments were conducted at 20.7 MPa hydrogen pressure in a 1-l top-stirred autoclave at 480 °C for reaction times up to 1 h. Spinning-band distillation and gas-liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry were used to separate and identify reaction products. Principal hydrogenation products were 9,10 dihydrophenanthrene and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrophenanthrene. In addition, substituted naphthalenes and biphenyls were formed by hydrocracking of these two compounds. A similar product distribution was reported by others for an investigation of the thermal high-pressure hydrogenolysis of phenanthrene. The rate of the thermal reaction, however, was considerably lower.
Formulae and applications of interconnect estimation considering shield insertion and net ordering

It has been shown recently that simultaneous shield insertion and net ordering (called SINO/R as only random shields are used) provides an area-efficient solution to reduce the RLC noise. In this paper, we first develop simple formulae with errors less than 10% to estimate the number of shields in the min-area SINO/R solution. In order to accommodate pre-routed P/G wires that also serve as shields, we then formulate two new SINO problems: SINO/SPR and SINO/UPG, and propose effective and efficient two-phase algorithms to solve them. Compared to the existing dense wiring fabric scheme, the resulting SINO/SPR and SINO/UPG schemes maintain the regularity of the P/G structure, have negligible penalty on noise and delay variation, and reduce the total routing area by up to 42% and 36%, respectively. Further, we develop various pre-layout estimation formulae for shielding areas and optimal P/G structures under different routing styles. These formulae can be readily used to guide global routing and high-level design decisions.
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF SOLITARY WAVE EVOLUTION OVER A 3D SHALLOW SHELF

A laboratory experiment was performed to investigate the three-dimensional turbulence and kinematic properties that develop due to a breaking solitary propagating over an irregular shallow water bathymetry. The bathymetry consisted of a deep water region connected to a shallow shelf via a relatively steep slope. The offshore boundary of the shelf break varied in the longshore direction, such that the shelf had a triangular shape in plan view, with the widest part of the shelf along the basin centerline. Free surface elevations and fluid velocities were measured using wave gauges and three-dimensional acoustic-Doppler velocimeters (ADVs), respectively. From the free surface elevations the evolution and runup of the wave was revealed; while from the ADVs, the velocity and turbulent energy was determined and specific turbulent events and coherent structures were identified. It was found that significant shoaling was confined to areas with gentler sloping bathymetry near the basin side walls and the runup varied weakly in the alongshore direction. The runup was characterized by a refraction-generated jetting mechanism caused by the convergence of water mass near the basin centerline. The jetting mechanism caused the greatest cross-shore velocities to be located near the basin centerline. The greatest turbulent events were well correlated to borefronts, of which there were four, caused by the leading wave, beach reflections, and shelf-trapped oscillations. Along the shelf break, a large, shallow-water eddy developed which was found to have a peculiar three-dimensional flow field, where maximum velocity components were found at mid-depth.
Parasympathetic effects on heart rate recovery after exercise

Background Exercise and its recovery period are associated with increased risk of death relative to sedentary periods. They are also accompanied by dynamic changes in autonomic tone. Little information is available regarding parasympathetic effects during high-intensity exercise and recovery. Methods Ten normal subjects (five women; age 33 ± 2 years) underwent exercise testing on a bicycle ergometer. On day 1, subjects exercised to maximum tolerated workload using a graded protocol with 5 minutes at maximal workload (peak heart rate achieved 174.7 ± 5.4 bpm). On day 2, subjects performed the identical exercise protocol as on day 1; 1 minute into the maximum exercise stage, atropine (0.04 mg/kg) was administered. Heart rate was recorded every minute during exercise, and an electrocardiogram was recorded every minute in recovery for 10 minutes. The parasympathetic effect on heart rate was defined by the difference in heart rate with and without atropine. Results The parasympathetic effect during maximal exercise was 3.4 to 6 bpm (p Conclusion These data indicate that in normal subjects, parasympathetic effects persist during high-intensity exercise and are prominent in the early phases of recovery. These parasympathetic effects may play an important role in prevention of sudden cardiac death during these periods of increased risk.
Effect of Mercuric Chloride on Turkeys and on Hexamita meleagridis

Abstract AN AQUEOUS solution of mercuric chloride as a substitute for drinking water has been used by poultrymen in attempts to control many of the infectious diseases, but a review of the literature has failed to reveal any experiments to justify its use. Though seldom mentioned in present day poultry disease literature, some newly described disease occasionally is responsible for attempts to revive its use. This has been the case with hexamitiasis of turkeys, and the method has become widespread in certain areas. Erratic reports on its value have come to the writers’ attention, but some growers have insisted that good results were obtained. The trials reported herein were made for the purpose of determining, first, the toxicity of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) for turkey poults and, secondly, its therapeutic possibilities in outbreaks of hexamitiasis. METHODS AND RESULTS In order to determine the effect on both turkey poults and Hexamita, a series . . .
Comparison of cytotoxicity of the (-)- and (+)-enantiomer of 2',3'-dideoxy-3'-thiacytidine in normal human bone marrow progenitor cells.

The effects of racemic cis-2',3'-dideoxy-3'-thiacytidine [(±)-BCH-189] and its two enantiomers on human myeloid and erythroid colony-forming cells were studied by clonogenic assays. The (+)-isomer was the most toxic with a median inhibitory concentration approximating 2 μM in both cell lineages. In contrast, concentrations of the (−)-isomer required for 50% inhibition of granulocyte macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM) and erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E) were 33.9 ± 15.1 and 169.4 ± 87.9 μM, respectively. The racemic BCH-189 was quite toxic to these cells, but to a lesser extent than observed with 3′-azido-3′- deoxythymidine and 3′-fluoro-3′-deoxythymidine (positive controls).
Dynamic spectrum access [Guest Editorial]

The transformation of dynamic spectrum access (DSA) from theory into practice has begun - regulatory decisions such as the recent U.S. FCC "TV White Space Order" embrace DSA, standards bodies have ratified DSA enabling standards, commercial DSA devices are now available, and numerous DSA prototypes, such as DARPA's XG, have been demonstrated. As networks and devices increasingly gain intelligence and "cognitive" capabilities, and regulators around the world seek to enhance spectrum utilization, dynamic access is becoming one of the most important but most complex topics in wireless communications development. Such spectrum access methods present numerous challenges that broadly span technology, economics and public policy.
High-Energy Proton Radiation Damage of High-Purity Germanium Detectors

Motivated by their applicability to gamma-ray spectroscopy experiments in space, quantitative studies of radiation damage effects in high-purity germanium detectors due to high-energy charged particles have been initiated with the irradiation by 6 GeV/c protons of two 1.0 cm thick planar detectors maintained at 88°K. The threshold for resolution degradation and the annealing characteristics differ markedly from those previously observed for detectors irradiated by fast neutrons. Under proton bombardment, degradation in the energy resolution was found to begin below 7 × 107 protons/cm2, and increased proportionately in both detectors until the experiment was terminated at a total flux of 5.7 × 108 protons/cm2, equivalent to about a six year exposure to cosmic-ray protons in space. At the end of the irradiation, the FWHM resolution measured at 1332 keV stood at 8.5 and 13.6 keV, with both detectors of only marginal utility as a spectrometer due to the severe tailing caused by charge trapping. The two detectors displayed a significant difference in proton damage sensitivity, which is consistent with fast neutron damage effects. To ensure that detector variability did not influence the comparision of proton-and neutron-induced damage effects, one of the detectors had been used previously in a neutron damage experiment. The threshold for high-energy proton damage was found to be markedly lower, roughly 5 × 107 protons/cm2, compared to 3 × 109 neutrons/cm2 for fast neutrons. Annealing these detectors after proton damage was found to be much easier than after neutron damage.
Effect of amino acid supplements on dental caries in the syrian hamster.

Abstract Various amino acids have been associated with “inhibition” of dental caries in albino rats and with reductions of enamel demineralization in vitro . Three experiments were conducted to determine if an excess of certain amino acids had an anticaries potential in hamsters fed a reasonably adequate experimental diet and inoculated with a streptococcus known to be cariogenic. Young hamsters were challenged with an intraoral inoculation of cariogenic streptococci which had been made resistant to streptomycin and with a high-carbohydrate, low-fat experimental diet. Other inoculated animals received the experimental diet supplemented with either 2 % l -aspartic acid, l -glutamic acid or l -lysine. During the 40-day experimental period, heavy deposits of dental plaque accumulated on the teeth, and large numbers of resistant streptococci could be obtained from the mouths of all animals. Every animal developed rampant dental caries, and no distinctions in dental caries activity could be made between groups on the various dietary programmes.
Cp* Iridium Precatalysts for Selective C- H Oxidation with Sodium Periodate As the Terminal Oxidant

Sodium periodate (NaIO4) is shown to be a milder and more efficient terminal oxidant for C–H oxidation with Cp*Ir (Cp* = C5Me5) precatalysts than ceric(IV) ammonium nitrate. Synthetically useful yields, regioselectivities, and functional group tolerance were found for methylene oxidation of substrates bearing a phenyl, ketone, ester, or sulfonate group. Oxidation of the natural products (−)-ambroxide and sclareolide proceeded selectively, and retention of configuration was seen in cis-decalin hydroxylation. At 60 °C, even primary C–H bonds can be activated: whereas methane was overoxidized to CO2 in 39% yield without giving partially oxidized products, ethane was transformed into acetic acid in 25% yield based on total NaIO4. 18O labeling was demonstrated in cis-decalin hydroxylation with 18OH2 and NaIO4. A kinetic isotope effect of 3.0 ± 0.1 was found in cyclohexane oxidation at 23 °C, suggesting C–H bond cleavage as the rate-limiting step. Competition experiments between C–H and water oxidation show tha...
Optical asymmetrical median filtering using gray-scale convolution kernels

Morphological transformations such as erosion and dilation can be performed optically by convolving the binary input image with a binary kernel and then passing the result through an ideal thresholder–hardlimiter. Generalizations result from using gray-scale convolution kernels. It is shown that gray-scale kernels can be used to perform transformations similar to openings and closing with just one convolution instead of the ususal cascade of erosion and dilation normally required for these operations. Optical experimental results are presented.
Determination of nutritional requirements in rats: variation with time of weight gain responses to indispensable amino acids.

The Saturation Kinetics Model (SKM) can be used to describe physiological responses as functions of a limiting dietary nutrient. Physiological responses also vary with time, and, by graphing each parameter of the SKM as a function of time, the model equation can be used to produce a three-dimensional response surface, allowing the investigator to predict requirement as a function of both dietary nutrient concentration and time. To test this hypothesis, rats were fed diets containing graded levels of indispensable amino acids (0-10 g/100 g). The inhibition form of the SKM was able to predict the complete response range of weight gain, food intake, weight-specific weight gain and weight-specific food intake for each amino acid on a day-by-day basis. With a complete response range established, nutrient requirements (defined as maximum responses) could be determined explicitly by the equation: Requirement = (K0.5.KS)0.5, where K0.5 and KS are parameters of the SKM. No arbitrary decisions (such as break points, slopes, percentages of maximum, etc.) were necessary to accomplish this. This approach allows one to set nutritional requirements and optimize responses in a dynamic system without causing inhibiting and/or toxic responses. In each case (valine, methionine, threonine and histidine), the dietary amino acid concentration required for maximal weight gain exceeded current NRC recommendations, which may be low because they fall in the more time-dependent portion of the response curve whereas maximum responses do not.
New aging diagnostics for microdischarge assessment of high dV/dt stressed mica paper capacitors

Very fast dV/dt pulsing influences the amount of subpicocoulomb microdischarges observed in reconstituted mica paper capacitors. These microdischarges are analyzed by means of a new aging diagnostic technique. This new approach involves the measurement of the microdischarge inception voltage-the point when microdischarges reach approximately 0.5 pC-and its dependence on the quantity and magnitude of high dV/dt stressing. Taking into account mica's robust nature in thermal environments, little effect from high dV/dt pulses is observed in the material. However, aging does occur at the electrode-mica interface. The Energy Systems Institute (ESI) has developed, over many years, research oriented diagnostic tools for measuring microdischarges on various materials. The Biddle Micro Discharge Analyzer (/spl mu/DA), developed at the ESI in conjunction with AVO-Biddle, accurately measures subpicocoulomb levels of charge on a sample up to at least 20 kV AC+DC. The Model-9 MIT Hard Tube Pulser (MOD-9) has been updated and improved to voltage stress various samples up to a megavolt per microsecond. The focus of this research combines the abilities of the Biddle /spl mu/DA, with the high dV/dt MOD-9 for looking into the relationship of insulation aging as a function of very fast voltage pulses. As more applications move to pulse power, specifically in the military, there is a critical need to evaluate the ability of certain dielectric materials to survive the transition from traditional DC and/or AC power to high rep-rate pulsed power.
A decade o nosocom a acinetobacter

Abstract A review of nosocomial infections (NI) from January 1971 to April 1981 was conducted in a university-affiliated hospital to examine NI caused by Acinetobacter and to determine whether a rising trend in rates could be detected. Acinetobacter accounted for 85 of 6115 (1.4%) NI. Sites of infection were respiratory tract (42.2%), blood (17.8%), peritoneum (16.7%), urinary tract (10%), surgical wounds (7.8%), central nervous system (3.3%), and skin or eye (2.2%). All patients who developed NI from Acinetobacter were receiving systemic antimicrobial therapy; 58.8% were in the intensive care unit (ICU). The highest rates of Acinetobacter infection occurred in the early 1970s (2.3%); the lowest occurred from 1978 to 1981 (0.94%), p ∼ 0.06. This decrease primarily resulted from two factors: a reduction in cross-infections, probably related to a structural change in the ICU from open-bed ward to single rooms, and the elimination of peritoneal infections traced to contamination of dialysate solution. We conclude that in this institution no rise in the proportion of NI caused by Acinetobacter has occurred over the past decade; if anything, there is a downward trend.
Women's Technologies, Women's Literacies: Sewing and Computing across the Years:

This article compares the historical and contemporary clothing industry with the current microelectronics industry. It argues that the development of paper patterns, along with the perfection of the sewing machine as a technology in the 1870s, “democratized fashion” for lower and middle class women just as the development of the World Wide Web and Web-making software has democratized publishing for authors before unable to gain access to an audience for their writing. Comparing the businesses of three groups of women using the World Wide Web, this article finally problematizes these historical and contemporary democratizing technologies—the sewing machine and the computer—by pointing out both obvious and more subtle socioeconomic realities which undercut some utopian promises of publishing in Cyberspace.Women are … without class because the cut and fall of the skirt and good leather shoes can take you across the river and to the other side: the fairytales tell you that goose-girls may marry kings [1, pp. ...
Social Problem Construction and National Context: News Reporting on Overweight and Obesity in the United States and France

Drawing on analyses of American and French news reports on "overweight" and "obesity," this article examines how national context—including position in a global field of nation states, as well as different national politics and culture—shapes the framing of social problems. As has been shown in previous research, news reports from France—the economically dominated but culturally dominant nation of the two—discuss the United States more often than vice versa, typically in a negative way. Our contribution is to highlight the flexibility of anti-American rhetoric, which provides powerful ammunition for a variety of social problem frames. Specifically, depending on elite interests, French news reports may invoke anti-American rhetoric to reject a given phenomenon as a veritable public problem, or they may use such rhetoric to drum up concern over an issue. We further show how diverse cultural factors shape news reporting. Despite earlier work showing that a group-based discrimination frame is more common in the United States than in France, we find that the U.S. news sample is no more likely to discuss weight-based discrimination than the French news sample. We attribute this to specific barriers to this particular framing, namely the widespread view that body size is a behavior, akin to smoking, rather than an ascribed characteristic, like race. This discussion points, more generally, to some of the mechanisms limiting the diffusion of frames across social problems.
The S/X-band microwave feed system for NASA's first beamwaveguide antenna

This paper reports on configuration, detail design, and performance of the dual S/X-band microwave feed system for the first Deep Space Network (DSN) beamwaveguide (BWG) antenna. By using existing spare components, simplifying the design of new components, and using new fabrication techniques and material, this feed system was implemented successfully with a small budget and a very tight schedule. The measured noise temperature of the feed systems is 17.5 Kelvin for S-band and 24.0 Kelvin for X-band, which agrees very closely with the predicted performance.
A phase noise suppression algorithm for OFDM-based WLANs

Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) has been specified by the IEEE 802.11a standard as the transmission technique for high-rate wireless local area networks (WLANs). The performance of an OFDM system, however, is heavily degraded by random Wiener phase noise, which causes both common phase error (CPE) and inter-carrier interference (ICI). To mitigate this problem, a new phase noise suppression (PNS) algorithm is proposed to efficiently eliminate the effect of phase noise on OFDM-based WLANs. Numerical results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
The Public-Use National Health Interview Survey Linked Mortality Files: Methods of Reidentification Risk Avoidance and Comparative Analysis

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) conducts mortality follow-up for its major population-based surveys. In 2004, NCHS updated the mortality follow-up for the 1986-2000 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) years, which because of confidentiality protections was made available only through the NCHS Research Data Center. In 2007, NCHS released a public-use version of the NHIS Linked Mortality Files that includes a limited amount of perturbed information for decedents. The modification of the public-use version included conducting a reidentification risk scenario to determine records at risk for reidentification and then imputing values for either date or cause of death for a select sample of records. To demonstrate the comparability between the public-use and restricted-use versions of the linked mortality files, the authors estimated relative hazards for all-cause and cause-specific mortality risk using a Cox proportional hazards model. The pooled 1986-2000 NHIS Linked Mortality Files contain 1,576,171 records and 120,765 deaths. The sample for the comparative analyses included 897,232 records and 114,264 deaths. The comparative analyses show that the two data files yield very similar results for both all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Analytical considerations when examining cause-specific analyses of numerically small demographic subgroups are addressed.
IDENTIFYING RESOURCE BARRIERS TO LOCAL ECONOMY GROWTH

Congress and the majority of coastal states have recognized the complexity of public decisions concerning growth in coastal areas. The preponderance of common pool resources and regional goods in coastal areas has prompted lawmarkers to pass coastal zone management legislation prior to a national land use bill. New state level institutions have been fostered by the Office of Coastal Zone Management. However, it is at the local level where resulting institutional rules represent self-imposed natural resource barriers to growth. Communities face the task of improving income streams from expansion of existing business activity or opting for new industries. Local governments have scurried to consultants and universities for solutions of community development and natural resource problems. The study described here represents one type of response. Although an Oregon county was the researcher's focus, it involved the pith of local economy growth—income generation and natural or self-imposed resource barriers.
Analysis of Fin-Tube Joints in a Compact Heat Exchanger

This article deals with an analysis of fin-tube joints as functions of topological alterations of the joint fillet size. Based on numerical predictions of a joint topology formed by the surface tension driven reactive flow of molten metal, and subsequently verified by empirical evidence gathered through both laboratory and industrial testing, the topology alterations were identified for thermal integrity studies. Subsequently, thermal characteristics of corresponding fin-tube joints were determined in terms of two models of the thermal contact resistance. Model predictions of the fin efficiency with an altered topology of the joint zone were compared with the simulation results from a computational fluid dynamics study, and the results fit well. Numerical predictions of joint topology were devised using an in-house-developed finite-element code, and verified by the Surface Evolver code. Such prediction provided quantitative joint topology information that was needed in assessments of the joint thermal per...
Polarity of Liquid Interfaces by Second Harmonic Generation Spectroscopy

A spectroscopic method, based on the interface selectivity of second-harmonic generation, is used to obtain the polarity of liquid interfaces. In this paper the second-harmonic measurement of the spectrum of the polarity indicator molecule N,N‘-diethyl-p-nitroaniline (DEPNA) at the air/water interface demonstrates the method. Two different approaches are used to measure the intramolecular charge transfer (CT) absorption band position of DEPNA at the air/water interface. The DEPNA CT band blue-shifts from 429 nm in bulk water (polar solvent) to 359 nm in bulk hexane (nonpolar solvent) and 329 nm in the gas phase (no solvent). At the air/water interface, the charge transfer peak band maximum occurs at 373 nm, which indicates that the polarity of the air/water interface is similar to those of the bulk solvents carbon tetrachloride and butyl ether. The DEPNA results together with the results from another solvatochromic polarity indicator molecule, ET(30), which will be reported elsewhere, show that the polari...
THE HIGH-ELEVATION POPULATION OF MOUNTAIN PLOVERS IN COLORADO

Abstract We surveyed a discrete population of Mountain Plovers (Charadrius montanus) in South Park, Park County, Colorado, to determine the size and relative contribution of this geographically isolated area to the global population of plovers. First, we mapped potential plover habitat within South Park based on landform and vegetation descriptors. Second, we identified occupied habitat using observations from a systematic inventory of potential habitat from 1995–1999 and from a study of breeding biology from 2000–2002. Third, we estimated breeding densities within a framework designed specifically for distance sampling. We mapped 82 750 ha of potential habitat. We recorded 2516 plover locations from which we estimated 29 176 ha of occupied habitat. We estimated densities for 14 960 ha of potential habitat. Average plover density from 2000–2002 was 7.9 ± 0.9 (SE) breeding adults km−2, a high value compared with other sites. We calculated a population of 1187 ± 140 (SE) plovers in the distance sampling are...
Simulating the Cuban Missile Crisis: Crossing Time and Space in Virtual Reality

The Cold War is now ancient history to most university students. They can learn the facts of this period, but the feelings associated with the experience are beyond the scope of social science. Such feelings should be part of teaching and learning about international studies. Instructors can present history and politics, but without an emotional sense of empathy, students will never fully understand the subtle complexity of international affairs. They must be able to view the world from different perspectives, participating in the values, feelings, and perceptions of others. This study describes a computer simulation that allows students to participate in the emotional affect of the Cold War, developing a sense of empathy with decision makers. Part one presents a literature survey and discusses the need for control groups and research replication. Part two describes the simulation. Part three evaluates the results on student learning. A conclusion introduces a means by which instructors can replicate the simulation experience.
Response patterns of bonnet macaques following up to 75 weeks of continuous access to social-video and food rewards.

Three individually housed bonnet macaque males were given 75 weeks of continuous access to a joystick task with a reward choice of either viewing live color video of a bonnet group or obtaining a banana-flavored food treat. Here we report data for weeks 44-75 following a change in the stimulus group displayed in the video. The new stimulus group enhanced responding to the video for two subjects over the entire 32 weeks of this study, although there was some decline across weeks, and the video continued to be an effective reward for the duration of the study for all subjects.
Cache performance of vector processors

An instruction-level simulator for IBM 3090 with VF (vector facility) has been developed for studying the performance of vector processors and their memory hierarchies. Initial use of the simulator is to understand the program locality of real vectorized applications. Observation on several large scientific applications indicates that the program locality of vector execution can be significantly different from that of the scalar execution of the same application. Although these large applications generally do not exhibit a locality as strong as that of the conventional mainframe applications, their cache hit ratios are high enough to take advantage of a cache. The cache performance of these applications with respect to various cache parameters is also presented.
Cigarette smoking and asthma symptom severity among adult asthmatics.

Contrary to what would be expected, smoking habits of asthmatics do not differ from those of the general population: approximately 30% of asthmatic patients smoke cigarettes. Although the relationship between smoking and the incidence of asthma has been well explored, little attention has been paid to documenting the relationship between smoking and asthma symptoms among adults with asthma. The objective of this study was to assess the association of cigarette smoking with asthma symptom severity. The present report is of a cross-sectional study of 225 asthmatics, aged 20–54 years, from six general practice clinics in East Anglia, U.K. The outcome measures are overall asthma symptom score (range 6.3–28) and three asthma symptom domains: respiratory (range 1.3–8), daily activity interference (range 2–8), and physical activity interference (range 3–12), generated from the sum of ordinal responses to questions on asthma symptom severity. Of the sample, 27.0% were current and 22.1% were former smokers. Curren...