cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immunotherapy: Tumor-infiltrating T cells--ready for prime time in melanoma?

Data from three phase II trials of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes demonstrate high and durable complete response rates in patients with stage IV melanoma. Improved clinical outcomes might be achieved by combining tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes with other novel immunotherapeutic agents.
Study of acid transport using IR spectroscopy and SEM

The migration of acid catalyst molecules from exposed regions into unexposed regions in chemically amplified photoresists and the resulting image blur, has long been recognized as an important topic requiring close study. A fuller understanding of acid transport mechanisms occurring during the post exposure bake is important to help guide the development and formulation of photoresists capable of reliably resolving the increasingly small features required by the semiconductor industry. This paper reports the direct measurement of diffusion coefficients for perfluorobutane sulfonic (nonaflate) acid in poly(4-hydroxystyrene) at several elevated temperatures. These results show that the Fickian diffusion coefficient for nonaflate acid in poly(4-hydroxystyrene) is too small, at typical post exposure bake temperatures, to account for observed isofocal bias. Also reported is a new technique for investigating acid transport properties of photoresist films. This method uses selective silylation to decorate cleaved resist film stacks, so that the extent of acid catalyst migration can be measured directly by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Acid transport distances from the SEM method are compared to those obtained from infrared (IR) spectroscopic techniques.
Variable standing-wave ratio magnetostatic wave-optical interaction in YIG films

The collinear and anticollinear interaction of guided light with magnetostatic forward volume waves in yttrium iron garnet epitaxial thin films was investigated experimentally. We set out to demonstrate double-beam modulation with the above interaction. This was not achieved, but the simultaneous occurrence of the above effects was used to expand the magnetostatic wave-optical interaction bandwidth.
The niche construction paradigm in ecological time

Niche construction has emerged as a central focus for a variety of phenomena that operate over evolutionary time. Although its importance in ecological time cannot be denied, an analysis of expected ecological dynamics of the concept has not yet appeared in the literature. Using the concepts of necessary and sufficient population, an equilibrium approach to the phenomenon is developed. The equilibrium theory states that there is a balance between the need for a certain population to maintain the constructed niche and the size of the population that can be sustained by that niche.
Chemical studies of polythionic acid stress-corrosion cracking

Abstract Low temperature stress corrosion cracking of sensitized stainless steel, promoted by aqueous solutions of polythionates S x O 6 2− , and related sulfur compounds, particularly thiosulfates, has been a long known problem in the petroleum industry and more recently has cropped up in the nuclear power industry. Membrane permeation results presented here show that S 4 O 6 2− and S 2 O 3 2− do not function simply as sources of sulfide to promote hydrogen permeation and embrittlement. They do promote anodic dissolution, also generating an unusual adsorption-related anodic spike in voltammetric scans. The oxidation of iron sulfide scales, said to be the source of the substances in petroleum refineries, has been shown to give rise mostly to Fe 2 O 3 and elemental sulfur, with low yields of both S 4 O 6 2− and S 2 O 3 2− .
Estimating Plant-Available Potassium in Potassium-Fixing Soils

Soil tests commonly used to develop potassium (K) fertilizer recommendations, such as extraction by 1 M ammonium acetate (NH4OAc) at pH 7, measure both soluble and exchangeable K. In soils that fix K so that it is no longer exchangeable, although a portion of it may still be available to plants, additional tests are required to understand the dynamics of soil K. The sodium tetraphenylboron method has been shown in some studies to provide a better measure of plant-available, nonexchangeable K. Two K-fixation-potential tests estimate the amount of K that a soil will fix in a nonexchangeable state. This study uses extractions with ammonium acetate and sodium tetraphenylboron along with the 1-h K-fixation-potential test to analyze the fate of K applied as potassium chloride (KCl) to K-fixing soil samples from the San Joaquin Valley of California. Samples were incubated moist for 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 days to evaluate the effect of time on the K-test values. The effects of drying on K-fixation potential and NH4OAc...
Preoperative biliary drainage: impact on intraoperative bile cultures and infectious morbidity and mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy☆

Whether it is necessary to perform biliary drainage for obstructive jaundice before performing pancreaticoduodenectomy remains controversial. Our aim was to determine the impact of preoperative biliary drainage on intraoperative bile cultures and postoperative infectious morbidity and mortality following pancreaticoduodenectomy. We retrospectively analyzed 161 consecutive patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy in whom intraoperative bile cultures were performed. Microorganisms were isolated from 58% of these intraoperative bile cultures, with 70% of them being polymicrobial. Postoperative morbidity was 47% and mortality was 5%. Postoperative infectious complications occurred in 29%, most commonly wound infection (14%) and intra-abdominal abscess (12%). Eighty-nine percent of patients with intra-abdominal abscess (P = 0.003) and 87% with wound infection (P = 0.003) had positive intraoperative bile cultures. Microorganisms in the bile were predictive of microorganisms in intraabdominal abscess (100%) and wound infection (69%). Multivariatc analysis of preoperative and intraoperative variables demonstrated that preoperative biliary drainage was associated with positive intraoperative bile cultures (P <0.001), postoperative infectious complications (P = 0.022), intra-abdominal abscess (P = 0.061), wound infection (P = 0.045), and death (P = 0.021). Preoperative biliary drainage increases the risk of positive intraoperative bile cultures, postoperative infectious morbidity, and death. Positive intraoperative bile cultures are associated with postoperative infectious complications and have similar microorganism profiles. These data suggest that preoperative biliary drainage should be avoided in candidates for pancreaticoduodenectomy.
Helium gas purity monitor for recovery systems

Abstract An inexpensive, direct reading, electro-acoustical system is described which continuously monitors the amount of air present in helium gas being returned to a recovery/re-liquification installation. Contamination as small as 0.1% is easily detectable.
Regulation of InsP3-induced contractions by myoplasmic calcium in permeabilized atrial muscle

Objective: We studied the effect of calcium on inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3)-induced contractions in saponin-permeabilized chick atrial muscle (80–100 μm in diameter). Calcium has been proposed to modulate InsP3-induced response and InsP3 binding in other tissue. Methods: A transient increase in tension was used to detect the release of calcium in this multicellular preparation. Pulsed (2–3 s) superfusion of either calcium or InsP3 produced a transient contraction. Results: Pulsed coapplication of both InsP3 and calcium resulted in a contraction greater than that predicted by an additive effect of both intracellular messengers. The release of calcium by InsP3 is positively and negatively modulated by myoplasmic calcium (EC50 ∼- 0.17 μM and IC50 of approximately 1.5 μM). The peak potentiation occurred at approximately pCa = 6.3 (0.51 μM free calcium). Conclusions: These observations indicate that an increase of InsP3 in the heart, as produced by cardiac neurotransmitters and hormones, may regulate the force of contraction by virtue of its synergistic action with calcium. While calcium remains the primary trigger for calcium release during excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling, we propose that changes in cytoplasmic calcium can modulate InsP3-induced calcium release on a beat-to-beat basis. Thus, InsP3 may regulate force generation during E-C coupling by activating calcium release during a heart beat.
Intra-firm Bargaining under Non-binding Contracts

We present a new methodology for studying the problem of intra-firm bargaining, based on the notion that contracts cannot commit the firm and its agents to wages and employment. We develop and analyse a general non-cooperative multilateral bargaining framework between the firm and its employees and consider outcomes which are immune to renegotiations by any party. Equilibrium firm profits are characterizable as both a weighted average of a neo-classical (non-bargaining) firm's profits and a generalization of Shapley value for a corresponding cooperative game. Furthermore, the resulting payoffs induce economically significant distortions in the firm's input and organizational-design decisions.
Biosensor-based magnetostrictive microcantilever

There is an urgent need for biosensors that are able to detect and quantify the presence of a small amount of biological threat agents in a real-time manner. The magnetostrictive microcantilever (MSMC) as the biosensor platform is reported in this paper. The resonance behavior and the sensitivity of MSMC as sensor platform were characterized and compared to the theoretical calculation. The stability and the performance of the MSMC in liquid are studied. The feasibility of MSMC as a high performance biosensor platform is demonstrated by detecting yeast cells in real-time manner used MSMC based-biosensor. Compare to current microcantilevers, the MSMCs have following advantages: 1) remote/wireless driving and sensing; 2) easy to fabricate. More importantly, the MSMC exhibits very high quality merit factor (Q value).
Asymptotic Ruin Probabilities In Finite Horizon With Subexponential Losses And Associated Discount Factors

Consider a discrete-time insurance risk model with risky investments. Under the assumption that the loss distribution belongs to a certain subclass of the subexponential class, Tang and Tsitsiashvili (Stochastic Processes and Their Applications 108(2): 299–325 (2003)) established a precise estimate for the finite time ruin probability. This article extends the result both to the whole subexponential class and to a nonstandard case with associated discount factors.
Wavelength ratiometric fluorescent probes for glucose

We have developed a new series of glucose sensitive fluorophores that display shifts in emission wavelengths upon the binding of glucose. Complexation of glucose with the boronic acid moiety changes both its orbital hybridization and its ability to accept and donate electrons. This change results in distinct emission spectra for the fluorophores when free in solution or complexed with glucose.
Identification of a Type 1 Peroxisomal Targeting Signal in a Viral Protein and Demonstration of Its Targeting to the Organelle

Peroxisomes are unimembrane, respiratory organelles of the cell. Transport of cellular proteins to the peroxisomal matrix requires a type 1 peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS1) which essentially constitutes a tripeptide from the consensus sequence S/T/A/G/C/N-K/R/H-L/I/V/M/A/F/Y. Although PTS-containing proteins have been identified in eukaryotes, prokaryotes, and parasites, viral proteins with such signals have not been identified so far. We report here the first instance of a virus, the rotavirus, which causes infantile diarrhea worldwide, containing a functional C-terminal PTS1 in one of its proteins (VP4). Analysis of 153 rotavirus VP4-deduced amino acid sequences identified five groups of conserved C-terminal PTS1 tripeptide sequences (SKL, CKL, GKL, CRL, and CRI), of which CRL is represented in approximately 62% of the sequences. Infection of cells by a CRL-containing representative rotavirus (SA11 strain) and confocal immunofluorescence analysis revealed colocalization of VP4 with peroxisomal markers and morphological changes of peroxisomes. Further, transient cellular expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-fused VP4CRL resulted in transport of VP4 to peroxisomes, whereas the chimera lacking the PTS1 signal, GFP-VP4ΔCRL, resulted in diffuse cytoplasmic staining, suggesting a CRL-dependent targeting of the protein. The present study therefore demonstrates hitherto unreported organelle involvement, specifically of the peroxisomes, in rotaviral infections as demonstrated by using the SA11 strain of rotavirus and opens a new line of investigation toward understanding viral pathogenesis and disease mechanisms.
Induction of DNA nucleotidyltransferase by the Shope fibroma virus.

Abstract DNA nucleotidyltransferase activity is increased in extracts of rabbit kidney cells infected by the Shope fibroma virus and assayed under various conditions. Determination of the optimal conditions for assay shows that there are two separate activities. One activity is primed best by native DNA at 30 m M MgCl 2 and pH 7.0, has a K m of 3.6 × 10 −2 mg/ml, and is protected against heat inactivation by native DNA. The second activity is primed best by heat-denatured DNA at 12 M M MgCl 2 and pH 7.6, has a K m of 2.5 × 10 −3 mg/ml, and is not protected against heat inactivation by either native or heat-denatured DNA. Both activities are induced by infection with the virus, and formation of both is stopped by actinomycin and puromycin. The preparations contain little terminal transferase activity. On the basis of the different requirements of the activities, it is suggested but not proved that they represent two different enzymes, only one of which resembles the enzyme of normal rabbit tissue.
Development of a simple potato growth model for use in crop-pest management.

Abstract A simple whole-plant level potato growth model was developed that accumulates and partitions dry matter into four state variables—leaves, stems, roots and tubers. Daily growth is computed from a function of the total solar radiation, the proportion of total radiation intercepted by the crop, temperature and soil water status. Dry matter is partitioned using modified Michaelis-Menten equations. At initialization, the seed piece size, plant and row spacing, and the values for the dry matter partitioning parameters are required. After initialization, the inputs required are the daily minimum and maximum temperatures and the daily soil water potential. Daily site-specific, seasonal radiation is presently estimated from a sine function. Model parameterization and output plotted against field data are presented for two cultivars, each planted a total of three times in two seasons. The model is intended for use in analyzing the dynamics of yield under variable pest pressures and environmental conditions. Model sensitivity, behavior and use in relation to modeling yield loss due to pests are discussed.
Mifepristone increases gamma-retroviral infection efficiency by enhancing the integration of virus into the genome of infected cells

Gamma-retroviruses are commonly used to deliver genes to cells. Previously, we demonstrated that the synthetic anti-glucocorticoid and anti-progestin agent, mifepristone, increased gamma-retroviral infection efficiency in different target cells, independent of viral titer. In this study, we examine how this occurs. We studied the effect of mifepristone on different steps of viral infection (viral entry, viral survival, viral DNA synthesis and retrovirus integration into the host genome) in three distinct retroviral backbones using different virus recognition receptors. We also tested the potential role of glucocorticoid and progesterone receptors in mediating mifepristone's ability to increase gamma-retroviral infectivity. We show that mifepristone increases gamma-retroviral infection efficiency by facilitating viral integration into the host genome and that this effect seems to be due to mifepristone's anti-glucocorticoid, but not its anti-progestin, activity. These results suggest that inhibition of the glucocorticoid receptor enhances retroviral integration into the host genome and indicates that cells may have a natural protection again retroviral infection that may be reduced by glucocorticoid receptor antagonists.
Effects of prostaglandin E2 on responses of T-cell subsets to mitogen and autologous non-T-cell stimulation

The cellular basis for prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)-mediated suppression of human T-cell proliferative responses was examined. Proliferation in response to concanavalin A was found to be more sensitive to the suppressive influence of PGE2 than was that to phytohemagglutinin. Studies of separated T cells indicated that T4+ cells were inhibited to a greater extent than were T8+ cells. Addition of interleukin 2 (IL-2) to the cultures did not overcome the suppression. In studies conducted in the autologous mixed-lymphocyte reaction (AMLR), both the T4+ cells and the T8+ cells were inhibited by PGE2, however, the T8+ cells were much more prominently inhibited. The inhibitory effect of PGE2 on the responsiveness of T8+ cells was found to be due to inhibition of T4+-dependent IL-2 production. In contrast to the case of mitogen-induced proliferation, the suppression of the AMLR by PGE2 was overcome by addition of IL-2. These results help explain the previously reported suppression of the (B + null) cell induced AMLR by macrophages (which produce PGE). Moreover, they indicate that the effects of the macrophage product, PGE2, can be differentially observed in functional activities of T-cell subsets.
Three-dimensional rodent motion analysis and neurodegenerative disorders.

Background Three-dimensional (3D) motion analysis is established in investigating, human pathological motion. In the field of gait, its use results in the objective identification of primary, and secondary causes of deviations, many current interventions are the result of pre- and post-testing, and it was shown recently that it can result in decreased number of surgeries and overall cost of care. Consequently, recent attempts have implemented 3D motion analysis using rat models to study, parkinsonism. However, to-date, a 3D user friendly analytical approach using rodent models to, identify etiologies of age-related motor impairment and accompanying pathologies has not been, implemented.
Executive function and psychosocial adjustment in healthy children and adolescents: A latent variable modelling investigation

The objective of this study was to establish latent executive function (EF) and psychosocial adjustment factor structure, to examine associations between EF and psychosocial adjustment, and to explore potential development differences in EF-psychosocial adjustment associations in healthy children and adolescents. Using data from the multisite National Institutes of Health (NIH) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Study of Normal Brain Development, the current investigation examined latent associations between theoretically and empirically derived EF factors and emotional and behavioral adjustment measures in a large, nationally representative sample of children and adolescents (7–18 years old; N = 352). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was the primary method of data analysis. CFA results revealed that, in the whole sample, the proposed five-factor model (Working Memory, Shifting, Verbal Fluency, Externalizing, and Internalizing) provided a close fit to the data, χ2(66) = 114.48, p < .001; RMSEA = .046; NNF...
Packing of HO(CH2)14COOH and HO(CH2)15COOH on Graphite at the Liquid−Solid Interface Observed by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Methylene Unit Direction of Self-Assembly Structures

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) composed of 15-hydroxypentadecanoic acid and 16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid are investigated with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at the solution-graphite interface. The observed packing structures of these two molecules on the surface are dramatically different and reveal different intermolecular bonding arrangements exhibiting a new type of "odd/even" chain-length effect. In addition, solvent coadsorption has been found to occur in the case of 15-hydroxypentadecanoic acid, and an unusual surface pattern in which the molecular axes in neighboring lamellae are completely aligned with one another is observed for 16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid.
Gas bubble with a moving contact line rising in an inclined channel at finite Reynolds number

Abstract The dynamics of a gas bubble with a moving contact line rising in an inclined channel is investigated. The solution of this free boundary problem is determined numerically by using a level-set method coupled with a finite difference solution of the Navier–Stokes equations. Results are presented as a function of Reynolds number ( Re ), Bond number, and the angle of inclination. Steadily rising bubbles are found for small values of both the Reynolds and Bond number. With increasing Reynolds number, the steady solution first bifurcates to a time periodic oscillation, and then the numerical results imply period doubling. Large values of Reynolds or Bond number cause the bubble to either detach from the wall or to rupture.
A State Level Assessment of the Well-Being of Black Children in the United States

In the United States, reports on child well-being that only focus on the national level mask enormous variations across states. Child well-being reports that focus on state-level data typically assess only the well-being of all children which masks important differences among subgroups of children. This report addresses the two shortcomings of previous research identified above by examining variation in the well-being of Black children across the states. The well-being of Black children in each state is assessed using a ten item index of well-being. First, the well-being of Black children in each state is examined relative to Black children in other states. Second, the gap between the well-being of Black children and White children in the same state is measured and states are assessed based on this black/white gap. The relationship between state rankings based on the two perspectives is discussed. Finally, several potential explanatory variables are examined in relation to the well-being of Black children compared to Black children in other states, and the Gap between Black children and White children in the same state.
Somatosensory evoked potential in man: Far field potentials

Abstract Three short latency positive potentials evoked by median nerve stimulation were recorded from the scalp, nose and ear of 11 normal adult subjects in leads where the hand or knee contralateral to the side of stimulation was used as the reference site. The short latencies and positive polarity of these components suggest that they are volume conducted far field potentials. Evidence is presented which suggests that the first potential arises in peripheral nerve fibers. Brain stem and dicencephalic structures are suggested as possible sources for the second and third potentials. The configuration of the response to median nerve stimulation recorded over the cervical spine in ear and hand reference recordings was different. Evidence is presented which suggests that this occurs because the electrode placed on the ear records the far field potentials described in the above paragraph. A far field potential was also recorded in hand--knee leads contralateral to the stimulated median nerve.
Komia Banks (Pennsylvanian) of Southwestern San Juan Mountains, Colorado: ABSTRACT

Investigation of a Pennsylvanian limestone unit exposed near Molas Pass, southwestern San Juan Mountains, Colorado, reveals a distribution of carbonate materials similar to those on some modern banks of south Florida. Local thickenings of an interval containing the problematical red alga Komia suggest bank-like accumulation at shallow sites which were favorable especially for the prolific growth of this organism. The size and twig-like nature of Komia and its common association with pelleted micrite matrix suggest a comparison with the modern alga Goniolithon which inhabits the Florida banks. Such comparison leads to the interpretation of a very shallow-water environment for the Pennsylvanian counterpart. Micritic matrix is replaced by sparry calcite cement near the fring of the Komia banks and demonstrates the slightly more agitated conditions of the seaward margin where carbonate mud was removed selectively from around Komia grains. End_of_Article - Last_Page 529------------
Pipelined van Emde Boas Tree: Algorithms, Analysis, and Applications

Priority queues are essential for various network processing applications, including per-flow queueing with quality-of-service (QoS) guarantees, management of large fast packet buffers, and management of statistics counters. In this paper, we propose a new data structure for implementing high-performance priority queues based on a pipelined version of the van Emde Boas tree. We show that we can achieve O(1) amortized time operations using our architecture, but we can achieve this algorithmic efficiency using only O (log log u) number of pipelined stages, where u is the size of the universe used to represent the priority keys.
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Is Required for the Maintenance of Cortical Dendrites

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is thought to be involved in neuronal survival, migration, morphological and biochemical differentiation, and modulation of synaptic function in the CNS. In the rodent cortex, postnatal BDNF expression is initially low but subsequently increases to reach maximal levels around weaning. Thus, BDNF expression peaks at a time when both structural and functional maturation of cortical circuitry occurs. Although the function of BDNF has been probed using many approaches, its requirements during this phase of life have not previously been examined genetically. To test the in vivo requirements for BDNF during this important phase of development we generated early-onset forebrain-specific BDNF mutant mice. Although these mice undergo forebrain-restricted deletion of BDNF by Cre-mediated recombination during embryogenesis, they are healthy, and we did not detect the loss of specific cortical excitatory or inhibitory neurons. However, the neocortex of 5-week-old mice was thinner, attributable at least partly to neuronal shrinkage. Importantly, although visual cortical layer 2/3 neurons in the mutants initially developed normal dendrite structure, dendritic retraction became apparent by 3 weeks of age. Thus, our observations suggest that cortically expressed BDNF functions to support the maintenance of cortical neuron size and dendrite structure rather than the initial development of these features. This is consistent with a role for BDNF in stabilizing the “survival” of circuitry during the phase of activity-dependent reorganization of cortical connectivity.
Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, and the 1998 House Elections

The outcome of the 1998 congressional elections was an exception to the rule that the president's party loses seats in midterm House elections. This article reviews and draws together theoretically the distinctive characteristics of the political context in 1998 and assesses the effects of the public's evaluations of Bill Clinton (as president and as a person) and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. The findings suggest that voters' views of Bill Clinton as president exerted a sizable effect on the elections. A substantial influence of public opinion toward Newt Gingrich is also revealed. The estimated effects of voters' opinions of Bill Clinton as a person were much smaller. Two estimates of the combined effects indicate that if public opinion toward Clinton and Gingrich had been evenly balanced, the Democratic party would have lost seats in the 1998 House elections as the president's party tradi- tionally has. In addition to providing insight into the 1998 elections, the findings answer broader questions about congressional elections. They also bear on important questions regarding the extent to which the determinants of political judgments are subject to influence ("prim- ing") by the political environment.
OCTUPOLE STRUCTURES IN THE 153,155Sm AND 155Gd NUCLEI

Microscopic structures of the low-lying intrinsic bands in the odd-neutron N = 91 153Sm, 155Gd and N = 93 155Sm nuclei near the onset of the quadrupole deformation region are investigated with special attention being paid to the formation of octupole collectivity. Octupole correlations between nonrotational states are analyzed using a model Hamiltonian containing an axially symmetric mean field, pairing, quadrupole-quadrupole and octupole-octupole interactions. In addition, the strong ΔK = 0 E1 transitions in the N = 91 nuclei are examined. These calculations provide a theoretical basis for the previous parity doublet assignments in 153Sm in the low energy region, and less conclusively for 155Gd. They suggest a more complex spectroscopy for 155Sm, intermediate between octupole vibration and deformation.
Path and trajectory diversity: Theory and algorithms

We present heuristic algorithms for pruning large sets of candidate paths or trajectories down to smaller subsets that maintain desirable characteristics in terms of overall reachability and path length. Consider the example of a set of candidate paths in an environment that is the result of a forward search tree built over a set of actions or behaviors. The tree is precomputed and stored in memory to be used online to compute collision-free paths from the root of the tree to a particular goal node. In general, such a set of paths may be quite large, growing exponentially in the depth of the search tree. In practice, however, many of these paths may be close together and could be pruned without a loss to the overall problem of path-finding. The best such pruning for a given resulting tree size is the one that maximizes path diversity, which is quantified as the probability of the survival of paths, averaged over all possible obstacle environments. We formalize this notion and provide formulas for computing it exactly. We also present experimental results for two approximate algorithms for path set reduction that are efficient and yield desirable properties in terms of overall path diversity. The exact formulas and approximate algorithms generalize to the computation and maximization of spatio-temporal diversity for trajectories.
Early Days of Food and Environmental Virology.

In July 1962, the author joined the Food Research Institute (FRI), then at the University of Chicago, to become its food virologist. There was a limited record of waterborne viral disease outbreaks at the time; recorded data on foodborne outbreaks were fewer still. Laboratory environmental (water and wastewater) virology was in its infancy, and food virology was in gestation. Detection of viruses was most often attempted by inoculation of primary primate cell cultures, with observation for plaque formation or cytopathic effects. Focus was initially on enteroviruses and reoviruses. Environmental and food samples had to be liquefied if not already in liquid form; clarified to remove solids, bacteria, and fungi; and concentrated to a volume that could be tested in cell culture. Cytotoxicity was also a concern. Studies at the FRI and some other laboratories addressed all of these challenges. The FRI group was the World Health Organization’s Collaborating Center for Food Virology for many years. Other topics studied were virus inactivation as functions of temperature, time, matrix, disinfectants, and microbial action; peroral and ex-vivo infectivity; and the suitability of various virus surrogates for environmental monitoring and inactivation experiments. Detection of noroviruses and hepatitis A virus required molecular methods, most often RT-PCR. When it was found that inactivated virus often gave the same RT-PCR signal as that of infectious virus, sample treatments were sought, which would prevent false-positive test results. Many laboratories around the world have taken up food and environmental virology since 1962, with the result that a dedicated journal has been launched.
Mass and heat transfer in a diatomic gas

The transfer of mass and heat through a diatomic gas bounded by two plane parallel surfaces is investigated by a kinetic model which includes translational, rotational and vibrational degrees of freedom. A full range moment method is employed in the solution. Numerical solutions obtained for small temperature and pressure differences show the effect of inelastic collisions on the mass and heat fluxes. Approximate analytical expressions are derived for the mass and heat transfer rates, which are valid over the entire density range and yield the correct free-molecule and continuum limits. The results agree well with existing heat transfer and density measurements.
BLACK GOO: Forceful Encounters with Matter in Europe's Muddy Margins

This article undertakes an evocative conjuration of alternative visions of materialism through consideration of intermediary states of matter. Specifically, it focuses on gelid, semiliquid, semisolid environments such as bogs, swamps, and marshes lying on the fringes of human settlement and against which the claims of reason and historical progress have often been staked. The article juxtaposes ethnographic and historical examples from Ireland, Italy, Scandinavia, and Siberia with reflections on (among others) Bachofen, Bataille, and Hegel. In doing so it seeks both to explore the limits of certain canonical formulations of historicity and historical knowledge and to ask what new cultural and political imaginaries and what possible futures might become thinkable through a more sustained engagement with the recalcitrant materiality of Europe's muddy margins. [Materiality; Naturecultures; Philosophy; Environmental History; Europe]
Effect of pH, chlorobutanol, cysteine hydrochloride, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, propylene glycol, sodium metabisulfite, and sodium sulfite on furosemide stability in aqueous solutions

A study was conducted to determine the effects of pH. two antioxidants, a chelaling agent, a preservative, and propylene glycol on furosemide stability. Aqueous solutions of furosemide containing 10% alcohol (v/v) were prepared in phosphate buffers with various pH values (5, 6, and 9) whose ionic strength was adjusted to 0.1 M with potassium chloride. Some solutions contained chlorobutanol, ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid, or sodium metabisulfite. Another set of aqueous solutions contained phosphate buffer (0.1 M), alcohol (10% v/v), and propylene glycol (40% v/v) with or without cysteine hydrochloride, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and sodium sulfite. The solutions were divided into two parts, stored at 24 and 50°, and assayed frequently using a previously developed high-pressure liquid chromatographic procedure. At the lowest pH value (pH 5), furosemide appeared to be very unstable. Cysteine hydrochloride, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and sodium sulfite failed to improve the stability of furosemide. Chlorobutanol and sodium metabisulfite had an adverse effect on the stability, probably due to the fact that they decreased the pH of the solution. The pH value appears to be the only critical factor for the stability of furosemide. Buffered solutions containing propylene glycol were very stable at both temperatures for 170 days, and they tasted good.
Dietary intakes of fruit, vegetables, and fiber, and risk of colorectal cancer in a prospective cohort of women (United States).

Objective: Although animal studies suggest an inverse association between consumption of plant foods and risk of colorectal cancer, many observational data have failed to support such an association. We prospectively examined the association between dietary intakes of fruit, vegetables, and fiber and colorectal cancer risk in a large female cohort from the Women’s Health Study. Methods: Among 39,876 healthy women aged ≥45 years at baseline, 36,976 with baseline self-reported information on dietary intakes and other risk factors for colorectal cancer were included in the analyses. During an average follow-up of 10 years, 223 women were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Intakes of fruit, vegetables, and fiber were assessed by a baseline food-frequency questionnaire. The analyses were carried out using the Cox proportional hazards regression and all tests were two-sided. Results: Intakes of fruit, vegetables, and the specific subgroups were not found to be associated with colorectal cancer risk. Multivariate relative risks (RRs) comparing the highest with lowest quintile were 0.79 (95% CI = 0.49–1.27,pfor trend = 0.30) for fruit intake, and 0.88 (95% CI=0.56–1.38,pfor trend=0.30) for vegetables intake. Similarly, intake of total fiber was not associated with colorectal cancer risk; the RR for the highest relative to lowest quintile was 0.75 (95% CI=0.48–1.17,pfor trend=0.12). However, higher intake of legume fiber was associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer; the RR for the highestversuslowest quintile was 0.60 (95% CI=0.40–0.91,pfor trend=0.02). Conclusions: Our data offer little support for associations between intakes of fruit, vegetables, and fiber, and colorectal cancer risk. However, our data suggest that legume fiber and/or other related sources may reduce risk of colorectal cancer.
Differing Lumbar Vertebral Mineralization Rates in Ambulatory Pediatric Patients with Osteogenesis Imperfecta

The purpose of this study was to evaluate serial changes in bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine in individual children and adolescents with untreated osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Twenty-seven pediatric patients with OI who had no historical or radiographic evidence of lumbar fracture, required no assistive device for mobility, and were taking no medications known to affect skeletal mineralization during the study period comprised the investigational group. Absolute BMD and age- and gender-matched BMD (Z-scores) were assessed relative to standard parameters of growth (height, weight, age, height adjusted for age and gender and body surface area) and severity of disease (lifetime fracture rate). The spinal mineralization rate (SMR) between examinations for 15 patients with more than one measurement (n= 20 intervals) was expressed as the magnitude of the change in BMD Z-score per year. Both BMD and BMD Z-score were closely correlated with height, height Z-score, weight and body surface area and were inversely related to fracture rate (P < 0.001 for all comparisons). BMD was also highly correlated with patient age (P < 0.001). Stepwise regression analysis showed that together height Z-score and lifetime fracture rate improved the prediction of BMD Z-score (r= 0.71; P < 0.001). SMRs ranged from −0.5 to 3.5. The average change in SMR between sequential measurements was 168% for the five children who had more than two DXA examinations. Linear regression showed a significant negative correlation between SMR and height Z-score (r=−0.79, P < 0.001). We conclude that vertebral body size is a critical determinant of BMD and BMD Z-score in OI because DXA results are expressed per unit area, not per unit volume. Pediatric patients with OI mineralize their lumbar vertebrae at rates similar to healthy children but tend to lag behind in overall mineralization. The rate of mineralization at any age appears to be related to the patient's height (adjusted for age- and gender-matched controls) and inversely related to the patient's lifetime rate of fractures. Our data suggest that vertebral mineralization in children with OI is related primarily to rapid increases in vertebral volume and only secondarily to increases in vertebral mineral density.
Infrared Spectroscopy at Electrode-Electrolyte Interfaces

The fundamental aspects of vibrational spectroscopy are reviewed. A classical and partial quantum mechanical description is given of the vibrational modes of polyatomic molecules along with an introduction to the use of Group Theory in identifying vibrational modes that would be active to infrared absorption and Raman scattering. Examples are given of the use of infrared spectroscopy to identify in-situ. the adsorbates and films that form on metal surfaces immersed in aqueous solutions.
How Rigid Are Prices in E-Commerce? An Analysis of Daily Price Change Activity in Internet Retailing

We explore daily patterns of Internet pricing for the two major Internet retailers, Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com, using data on 377 books collected over a 449-day period in 2003-2004. We frame this investigation in terms of a key question: How rigid are prices on the Internet? Internet retailers, in contrast with traditional firms, adjust prices any day of the week throughout the year; firms' price adjustments for books occur less frequently than daily-every 90 days on average; price change activity varies by book category, from a high of one change on average every 61 days for best-sellers to a low of one change every 184 days on average for steadysellers; and, Amazon changes prices less frequently than BN. The former changes book prices every 222 days and the latter every 56 days on average.
Neural correlates of performance monitoring in chronic cannabis users and cannabis-naïve controls

Chronic cannabis use is associated with residual negative effects on measures of executive functioning. However, little previous work has focused specifically on executive processes involved in performance monitoring in frequent cannabis users. The present study investigated event-related potential (ERP) correlates of performance monitoring in chronic cannabis users. The error-related negativity (ERN) and error positivity (Pe), ERPs sensitive to performance monitoring, were recorded from 30 frequent cannabis users (mean usage=5.52 days/week) and 32 cannabis-naive control participants during a speeded stimulus discrimination task. The "oddball" P3 ERP was recorded as well. Users and controls did not differ on the amplitude or latency of the ERN; however, Pe amplitude was larger among users. Users also showed increased amplitude and reduced latency of the P3 in response to infrequent stimuli presented during the task. Among users, urinary cannabinoid metabolite levels at testing were unrelated to ERP outcomes. However, total years of cannabis use correlated negatively with P3 latency and positively with P3 amplitude, and age of first cannabis use correlated negatively with P3 amplitude. The results of this study suggest that chronic cannabis use is associated with alterations in neural activity related to the processing of motivationally-relevant stimuli (P3) and errors (Pe).
Blind identification of FIR channels carrying multiple finite alphabet signals

The finite alphabet property of digital communication signals, along with oversampling techniques, enables the blind identification and equalization of an unknown FIR channel carrying a superposition of such signals, provided they have the same (known) period. Applied to multi-user wireless communications, the same framework allows the blind separation of multiple finite alphabet signals received at all arbitrary antenna arrays through an unknown multipath propagation environment with finite delay spread. An algorithm is proposed and tested on simulated data.
Readers' Perception of Bias in Public Education Documents The Case of Ballot Booklets

The purpose of this article is to explore an empirical approach to investigating whether and why readers may perceive bias in public education documents (PEDs). Focusing on explanatory ballot booklets as a paradigmatic example of such documents, the study addresses three questions: (a) Can readers' bias judgments be predicted from rhetorical analyses? (b) What is the relation of readers' partisanship to their perception of bias? and (c) What is the nature of readers' bias judgment process? The study investigates readers' perceptions of bias in a Colorado ballot booklet intended to explain a tax cut proposal. Based on a synthesis of current theories and research investigating bias perceptions in cognitive and social psychology and a rhetorical analysis of the presentation frames and semantic cues in the ballot booklet itself, the study hypothesizes that readers, regardless of partisanship, would be more likely to perceive the ballot booklet to be biased in favor of the proposed tax measure than against it....
Applications of optimal sampling lattices for volume acquisition via 3D computed tomography

There has been mounting evidence that the familiar Cartesian lattices, while convenient for signal processing and representation, are sub-optimal when it comes to signal fidelity. More suitable in this respect are optimal sampling lattices, such as the Hexagonal and Body Centered Cartesian (BCC) lattice, and recent work has employed these in the areas of volume rendering and image processing. In this paper we explore various applications of these lattices within the context of 3D Computed Tomographic Reconstruction, both in terms of the (2D) detector and the (3D) reconstructed object, and a theoretical analysis is provided. We combine this analysis with a practical application, that is, the use of these lattices within a real-time GPU-accelerated 3D reconstruction platform, in which performance is also of an immediate concern.
Adaptive Sensor Node Sleep Scheduling for Quality-of-Experience Enhancement

Focusing on a user’s quality-of-experience QoE has become important, because of the growing space of sensor-dependent applications and low-cost sensor design. QoE is typically affected by two quantities: the quality-of-information QoI received and the lifetime-of-service. Therefore, QoE is defined as a sensor network’s ability to consistently offer assured QoI for an expected lifetime when operating on a limited energy resource, such as a battery. However, dynamic factors, such as varying user requirements, unpredictable sensor environment, unreliable network conditions, and limited energy resource, affecting both QoI and lifetime-of-service, make it challenging to achieve a good QoE. In our previous work, we presented a SNR-based QoI metric which addresses the impact of several of these factors on QoI. In this paper, we design a QoE metric that quantifies the relationship between energy conservation, QoI received by a user, and an application’s quality expectation. Further, we develop an adaptive sleep schedule mechanism to demonstrate the usefulness of this metric. Finally, simulation results presented show the effectiveness of our mechanism in achieving QoE improvement.
CHROMOSOME EVOLUTION IN THE IGUANID LIZARD SCELOPORUS GRAMMICUS. II. ALLOZYME VARIATION.

In the previous paper Sites (1983) described several chromosome polymorphisms within three cytotypes of Sceloporus grammicus. It was concluded that evolution of these chromosomal rearrangements was probably not causally related to speciation. Several of the models discussed yielded specific predictions about population structure that are amenable to empirical testing with an independent data set. This study reports on allozyme variation within and among the same three cytotypes (2n = 32, 2n = 34, and 2n = 36) in the same geographic area as those studied by Sites (1982a) and focuses on three major points of interest: (1) genetic divergence within and among these cytotypes; (2) population subdivision as determined by the distribution of allele frequencies across the population samples; and (3) levels of heterozygosity maintained in each of these cytotypes.