cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Observations on the behaviour and ecology of the Patas monkey (Erythrocebus patas) in the Waza Reserve, Cameroon

Observations on the behaviour and ecology of Patas monkeys in Cameroon complement those made in Uganda by Hall (1965) and contribute to an understanding of the proximate factors involved in the maintenance of Patas social structure and to seasonal changes in their behaviour and ecology. The heterosexual groups had a mean size of 21. Five all-male groups were seen. High proportions of similarly sized infants indicate that there is a birth season at Waza from November to January inclusive. At the peak of the dry season intergroup contacts were very common at the water holes. The frequency of agonistic encounters increased remarkably at this time, especially between monkeys of different groups. The nature of these encounters indicated that the harem males are effective in driving off extragroup males and that females and juveniles are instrumental in maintaining space and social exclusiveness between heterosexual groups. The frequency of interspecific encounters also increased at the peak of the dry season.
Modeling two-dimensional reactive transport using a Godunov-mixed finite element method

Summary The development of a model to simulate transport of materials in variable-depth flows is discussed. The model numerically approximates solutions to the advection–dispersion-reaction equation using a time-splitting technique where the advective, dispersive, and reactive parts of the equation are solved separately. An explicit finite-volume Godunov method is used to approximate the advective part while a hybridized mixed finite element method is used to solve for the dispersive step. A backward Euler method is used to solve the reactive component. Rather than solving each component once at each time step, the advective and reactive steps are fractionally and symmetrically split around the dispersive step, so that half of a reactive and advective step are solved before and after each dispersive step. Since the dispersive step is implicit, but computationally expensive, while the advective step is explicit but has time step constraints, this allows stable and more efficient schemes to be implemented in contrast to non-split or simple time-split algorithms. This technique allows problems with high grid Peclet numbers, such as transport problems with sharp solute fronts, to be solved without oscillations in the solution and with virtually no artificial diffusion. By applying the technique to variable depth flows, a variety of applications to transport and reaction problems in surface water and unconfined aquifers can be undertaken. Numerical results for several non-reactive and reactive transport problems in one- and two-dimensions are presented. Observed convergence rates are up to second-order for these simulations.
On the weak law of large numbers for randomly indexed partial sums for arrays

Abstract The purpose of this note is to provide a general weak law of randomly indexed partial sums for arrays
Preparticipation screening of children for sports. Current recommendations

Every year physicians all over the world are asked to perform preparticipation physical evaluations (PPE) for children involved in sports. The PPE should be brief yet comprehensive enough to determine which athletes are at risk. In addition, the examination may help determine the athlete's general health and maturity level, uncover any disqualifying conditions and may also help establish a doctor-patient relationship. PPEs should be performed 4 to 6 weeks prior to initiation of the sport and be repeated every 1 to 3 years. A station-based exam may help evaluate large numbers of athletes within a limited time period. The history is the most important aspect of the PPE and should focus on prior cardiovascular complications, a family history of cardiovascular death before 50 years of age and any other limiting medical problems. A general physical examination should be performed to focus on areas involved in sports participation. Laboratory tests are not usually necessary. Disqualifying conditions may be determined based on the physical abnormality present and the amount of contact or energy involved in the sport to be played. Throughout the world, sports participation is growing rapidly. Although these guidelines have been drafted by a consortium of sports-related and general practice groups in the US, they can easily be applied worldwide. Unfortunately the health of young adults in developing countries may not be as good as that of those residing in more industrialised countries, therefore each athlete must be considered individually. With this type of individualised approach the examining physician can make informed and intelligent decisions concerning the athlete's participation.
Correlation between stoichiometry, strain, and metal-insulator transitions of NdNiO3 films

The interplay of film stoichiometry and strain on the metal-insulator transition (MIT) and Hall coefficient of NdNiO3 films grown under different conditions is investigated. Unstrained lattice parameters and lattice mismatch strains are evaluated for films grown under a range of growth pressures and on different substrates. It is shown that both the temperature of the MIT and the Hall coefficient in the metallic phase are highly sensitive to film strain. In films grown with lower oxygen/total growth pressures, very large compressive in-plane strains can be obtained, which can act to suppress the MIT. Both the Hall coefficient and the temperature of the MIT are relatively insensitive to growth pressure, provided that films under the same strain are compared. The results support an itinerant picture of the transition that is controlled by the Ni eg bands, and that is relatively insensitive to changes in film stoichiometry.
Learning through observation: the effects of peer modeling on acquisition and generalization in autistic children.

The purpose of this study was to systematically determine whether lowfunctioning autistic children [MA of approximately half of their CA or less] could learn through observation by the use of a peer modeling procedure. Since modeling is less structured than traditional one-on-one procedures, it was also thought that modeling might facilitate subsequent generalization of tasks learned through observation. Four autistic children were taught two receptive labeling tasks. One task was taught by a traditional trial and error procedure, while the other task was taught by a modeling procedure wherein the models were other autistic children. Results indicated that all four children learned through observation of their peer model. Additionally, generalization and maintenance of correct responding were superior when the children learned through observation rather than by trial and error. These results are discussed in terms of the modeling literature, generalization issues, and implications for designing teaching settings for autistic children.
Chemical Diagenesis of Some Modern Carbonate Sediments: ABSTRACT

Mineralogical determinations and pore-water chemical analyses have been conducted on fine-grained carbonate sediments from Bermuda and southern Florida. For the pore waters of normal marine sediments, the results clearly demonstrate no change within experimental error of the ratios Mg++/Cl- and Sr++/Cl- from values found in the overlying sea water. Also, there is a lack of consistent change in carbonate mineralogy with depth. No evidence was found for the recrystallization of metastable aragonite or high-Mg calcite to low-Mg calcite and dolomite in sediments which have been in contact with sea water since deposition. Carbonate saturometer measurements indicate equilibrium of the pore waters with low-Mg calcite, even though it is a minor phase in many samples. This conclusion is corroborated by calcium, alkalinity, and pH determinations, and by laboratory studies of the solution behavior of the sediments. Values of dissolved Ca++ lower than those expected for simple CaCO3 solution by dissolved CO2, in sediments rich in H2S, can be explained partly by the addition of excess HCO3- from bacterial sulfate reduction and partly by the precipitation of calcium phosphate. Pore waters from the brackish mangrove-swamp sediments of the Everglades contain a slight excess of dissolved Mg++ over that expected from the Mg++/Cl- ratio of the overlying brackish waters and of sea water. This suggests that transformation of high-Mg calcite to low-Mg calcite takes place in these sediments by interaction with fresh water. Loss of Mg from calcite in fresh water is directly demonstrated by the chemistry of Bermuda cave waters. The lack of diagenetic transformation of carbonate minerals in sea water may be caused mainly by the interaction of dissolved Mg++ with the surfaces of the mineral grains. End_of_Article - Last_Page 606------------
Nest platforms increase aggressive behavior in common loons

Artificial manipulations of habitat, such as those that incorporate adding nesting boxes or platforms for birds, often enhance the breeding success of threatened animals. However, such alterations are likely to have unintended behavioral and ecological effects that might negatively impact the target species or others in its community. We conducted a controlled study to investigate the effect of artificial nesting platforms on aggressive behavior and reproductive success of male common loons (Gavia immer). Males residing on territories to which platforms were added produced longer territorial "yodels" (reflecting willingness to escalate a contest), experienced increased levels of confrontation and aggression with territorial intruders, and experienced increased rates of territorial displacement by intruders. Surprisingly, males of treatment territories also experienced lower productivity. Therefore, in addition to providing novel empirical support of sequential assessment models of animal contests that predict contest escalation with increasing resource quality, this study is one of a few to show that tools used to mitigate habitat loss can negatively impact reproductive fitness in a threatened species.
Micro pulse lidar

An eye safe, compact, solid-state lidar for profiling atmospheric cloud and aerosol scattering is described. The transmitter of the micro pulse lidar is a diode pumped microjoule pulse energy, high-repetition-rate Nd:YLF laser. Eye safety is obtained through beam expansion. The receiver uses a photon counting solid-state Geiger mode avalanche photodiode detector. Data acquisition is by a single card multichannel scaler. Daytime background induced quantum noise is controlled by a narrow receiver field-of-view (FOV) and a narrow bandwidth temperature controlled interference filter. Dynamic range of the signal is limited by optical geometric signal compression. Signal simulations and initial atmospheric measurements indicate that systems built on the micro pulse lidar concept are capable of detecting and profiling all significant cloud and aerosol scattering through the troposphere and into the stratosphere. The intended applications are scientific studies and environmental monitoring. which require full-time unattended measurements of the cloud and aerosol height structure. >
Customization of a radiation management system to support in vivo patient dosimetry using diodes

Considerable effort is generally made in the quality control of radiation therapy units and in patient chart checking to ensure accurate delivery of treatment to the patients. Record and verify (RV) systems have been implemented which will inhibit the beam from being turned ON if the parameters set on the medical linear accelerators do not match a preprogrammed file. It should be emphasized, however, that RV systems are designed only to ensure proper setup of parameters on the therapy units and bear no direct link with proper patient position. The only real link between treatment planning and delivery to the patient is in-vivo dosimetry. Diodes provide a convenient way of measuring the dose received by the patient in real time and, after the initial tedious calibrations, require very little additional effort. In order to facilitate diode use by the therapists in our institution, the radiation management system (RMS) database in use with our linear accelerators was interfaced with the output obtained from a commercially available diode dosimetry system. The chart printout format was altered to read this value from the RMS database allowing a near real-time recording of the actual dose received by the patient for up to three sites concurrently. This provides for an immediate additional check to the planned and received doses already recorded by the RMS RV software. This procedure, if carried out during the first treatment and subsequently on a weekly basis, would ensure that differences of the order of 5% or larger between planned and delivered dose would not go undetected.
Non-Linear Cord-Rubber Composites

A method is presented for calculating the stress-strain relations in a multi-layer composite made up of materials whose individual stress-strain characteristics are non-linear and possibly different. The method is applied to the case of asymmetric tubes in tension, and comparisons with experimentally measured data are given.
Reversible defects in O-linked glycosylation and LDL receptor expression in a UDP-Gal UDP-GalNAc 4-epimerase deficient mutant

We previously isolated an unusual hamster cell mutant (ldlD) that does not express LDL receptor activity unless it is cocultivated with other cells or grown in high concentrations of serum. We now show that ldlD cells are deficient in the enzyme UDP-galactose and UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) 4-epimerase. When ldlD cells are grown in glucose-based media, they cannot synthesize enough UDP-galactose and UDP-GalNAc to allow normal synthesis of glycolipids and glycoproteins. The 4-epimerase deficiency accounts for all glycosylation defects previously observed in ldlD cells, including production of abnormal LDL receptors. All abnormal phenotypes of ldlD cells can be fully corrected by exogenous galactose and GalNAc. The separate effects of these sugars on LDL receptor activity suggest that O-linked carbohydrate chains are crucial for receptor stability. ldlD cells may be useful for structural and functional studies of many proteins, proteoglycans, and glycolipids containing galactose or GalNAc.
Ian Osborn. Can Christianity Cure Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? A Psychiatrist Explores the Role of Faith in Treatment

Ian Osborn Can Christianity Cure Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? A Psychiatrist Explores the Role of Faith in Treatment Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2008. 208 pp. ISBN 978-1-58743-206-4 To a Chri...
Universal fluctuations of Coulomb blockade peaks in quantum dots

Abstract We describe recent measurements of the statistics and parametric correlations of Coulomb blockade peak heights in shape-deformable GaAs/A1xGa1−xAs quantum dots. We find good agreement between the measured distributions of peak heights and probability distributions predicted by random matrix theory for bothB= 0 andB≠ 0. The measured magnetic flux correlation lengthϕcis of the order of but less than one flux quantum through the dot,ϕc∼ 0.8ϕ0, inconsistent withϕcpredicted by universal scaling theory for isolated chaotic quantum dots.
Games of monetary and fiscal interactions in the EMU

Abstract This paper constructs various models of the EMU and ECB when member countries have different objectives. Voting in pursuit of national interest can yield moderate and stable inflation. The metaphor of Walsh-type contracts implements a monetary policy rule that averages the member countries’ most preferred rules. In a repeated relationship where a country suffering a large adverse shock can use political bargaining to subvert the ECB's commitment, the optimal rule should incorporate some flexibility to forestall that. Finally, freedom of national fiscal policies undermines the ECB's monetary commitment; this may justify fiscal constraints like the Stability and Growth Pact.
Finite Element Modeling of Fluid Flow, Heat Transfer, and Melting of Biomaterials in a Single‐screw Extruder

: A mathematical model was developed to simulate non-isothermal plug flow of granular starch in feed zone, melting in transition zone, and non-Newtonian melt flow in metering zone and die channel during single-screw extrusion processing. The maximum deviations between the predicted and experimental pressure at the die entrance, product temperature at the die entrance, and minimum residence time were about 20%, 2.5%, and 8%, respectively, of the measured values when the barrel temperatures were 50°C in the feed zone and 120°C in the rest zones. The deviations were within 40%, 4%, and 15%, respectively, of the measured values when the barrel temperatures were 50°C in the feed zone and 140°C in the rest zones. Simulations were carried out to investigate the operating characteristics of an extruder, the melting degree, and profiles of pressure and bulk temperature during extrusion.
Gender, Grade, and Ethnic Differences in Student Attitudes and Perception of Harm Toward Substance Use

Abstract Inconclusive research results have emerged regarding students' attitudes and perception of harm toward substance use. Additionally, researchers have found mixed results regarding the combination of gender, grade level, and ethnicity with attitude toward use and perception of harm for drug usage. The current study attempts to explore the effects of gender, grade level and ethnicity on drug attitudes and perceived harm by youth. No overall gender differences were found in this study. However, significant differences were found for both grade level and ethnic groups on various drug types.
Conversion of rhenium alkylidyne complexes that contain unsupported metal-metal double bonds into relatives that contain μ-alkylidyne ligands

Abstract Photolysis of compounds of the type [Re(CCMe2R)(OR′)2] (R  Me or Ph; OR′  O′Bu, OCMe2(CF3), or OCMe(CF3)2) in benzene with a medium pressure mercury lamp yields compounds of the type [Re(OR′)2]2(μ-CCMe2R)2 in an intramolecular and irreversible manner. [Re(CCMe2R)(OR′)2]2 and [Re(OR′)2]2(μ-CCMe2R)2 (OR′  O′Bu or OCMe2(CF3)2) both react with excess carbon monoxide in several solvents to afford the dimers [Re(OR′)2(CO)]2(μ-CCMe2R)2 quantitatively. An X-ray study of [Re(OtBu)2(CO)]2 (μ-CtBu)2 shows it to consist of two distorted trigonal bipyramids connected by two symmetrically bridging neopentylidyne ligands. The unbridged dimers of general formula [Re(CCMe2R)(OR′)2]2 do not react readily with simple substrates such as phosphines, olefins, or acetylenes, although [Re(CCMe2R)(OtBu)2]2 can be oxidized by iodine to yield Re(CCMe2R)(OtBu)2I2 in good yield. In contrast, {Re[OCMe(CF3)2]2}2(μ-CtBu)2 reacts with one equivalent of phenylacetylene to give a species in which one of the two bridging alkylidyne ligands is retained.
Calcium released by photolysis of DM-nitrophen triggers transmitter release at the crayfish neuromuscular junction.

1. Spontaneous and evoked transmitter release at the crayfish neuromuscular junction were potentiated in response to photolytic release of calcium from the 'caged' calcium compound DM-nitrophen, which had previously been injected into presynaptic terminals. 2. The amount of calcium released from DM-nitrophen photolysis depends on the concentration of DM-nitrophen, its photoproducts, Ca2+, Mg2+, H+, ATP and the cell's native buffer. Since none of these are known in the crayfish terminal, the study was conducted in a qualitative fashion. 3. Photolytic release of calcium from DM-nitrophen increased excitatory junctional potentials (EJPs) by a range of 2-31 times over control values and the miniature excitatory junctional potential (MEJP) frequency increased from resting values of 1-10 quanta/s to 3000-11,000 quanta/s. 4. Extracellular calcium was not required for the light-evoked asynchronous release of transmitter. Calcium-bound DM-nitrophen previously pressure injected into crayfish presynaptic terminals increased the MEJP frequency from resting values of 1-8 quanta/s to 800-10,000 quanta/s during photolysis in a calcium-free cobalt Ringer solution. 5. Iontophoresis of calcium-free DM-nitrophen into presynaptic terminals released transmitter upon photolysis, but only in a calcium-containing Ringer solution. This suggests that DM-nitrophen is capable of binding calcium once injected into terminals, but this is dependent on the presence of external calcium. 6. Photolysis of DM-nitrophen at lower light intensities produced a slower rate of transmitter release. 7. Brief light exposures, i.e. those which photolysed 5-20% of the DM-nitrophen, resulted in a rapid decay of postsynaptic responses on extinguishing the light, due to rebinding of photolytically released calcium to unphotolysed DM-nitrophen. Longer light exposures which completely photolysed DM-nitrophen, leaving only the low affinity photoproducts, produced a slow decay of transmitter release after the light pulse, presumably due to the active extrusion of calcium from the presynaptic terminals. 8. During photolysis of DM-nitrophen, the time courses of changes in EJP amplitude and MEJP frequency were different, indicating that the two measures of transmitter release were not linearly related. 9. MEJP frequency and EJP amplitudes during DM-nitrophen photolysis were fitted to a 'non-linear summation model' in which photolytically released calcium sums with calcium entering during an action potential to evoke transmitter release with a calcium co-operativity of five.
The importance of poetry, hip-hop, and philosophy for an enlisted aviator in the USAF (2000–2004) flying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom

This special issue of Journal of Poetry Therapy focuses on the use of poetry and other forms of expressive writing to explore the transformative experiences of military veterans, and so in this article I discuss how the use of poetry, hip-hop, and philosophy positively influenced my life while I was serving in the United States Air Force (USAF) from 2000 through 2004. This article briefly reviews my reasons for enlisting and discusses the importance that poetry, hip-hop, and philosophy had for me during four different phases of my military history: (i) Basic Military Training, (ii) Aircraft Qualification, Combat Survival, and Water Survival Training, (iii) serving in the post 9/11 operations Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and (iv) the period after fulfilling my time of service for the USAF. In discussing each phase, I explain the unique challenges that I encountered, how I used poetry, hip-hop, and philosophy to successfully overcome these challenges, point out relevant examples o...
Factors Associated with Incidents of Sexual Assault among Undergraduate Women at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Abstract Despite high rates of sexual assault among undergraduate women and evidence that the prevalence of sexual assault varies by race, virtually nothing is known about sexual assault experiences of undergraduate women who attend a historically black college or university (HBCU). The present study addresses this gap in the literature by examining factors associated with experiencing sexual assault victimization among HBCU women. Findings suggest that the factors associated with sexual assault among HBCU women are similar to those found in prior research of women at predominantly white universities and that some risk factors are differentially associated with experiencing specific types of sexual assault.
Molecular Imaging in Cancer

Medical imaging technologies have undergone explosive growth over the past few decades and now play a central role in clinical oncology. But the truly transformative power of imaging in the clinical management of cancer patients lies ahead. Today, imaging is at a crossroads, with molecularly targeted imaging agents expected to broadly expand the capabilities of conventional anatomical imaging methods. Molecular imaging will allow clinicians to not only see where a tumor is located in the body, but also to visualize the expression and activity of specific molecules (e.g., proteases and protein kinases) and biological processes (e.g., apoptosis, angiogenesis, and metastasis) that influence tumor behavior and/or response to therapy. This information is expected to have a major impact on cancer detection, individualized treatment, and drug development, as well as our understanding of how cancer arises.
Kähler-Chern-Simons theory and symmetries of anti-self-dual gauge fields

Abstract Kahler-Chern-Simons theory, which was proposed as a generalization of ordinary Chern-Simons theory, is explored in more detail. The theory describes anti-self-dual instantons on a four-dimensional Kahler manifold. The phase space is the space of gauge potentials, whose symplectic reduction by the constraints of anti-self-duality leads to the moduli space of instantons. We show that infinitesimal Backlund transformations, previously related to “hidden symmetries” of instantons, are canonical transformations generated by the anti-self-duality constraints. The quantum wave functions naturally lead to a generalized Wess-Zumino-Witten action, which in turn has associated chiral current algebras. The dimensional reduction of the anti-self-duality equations leading to integrable two-dimensional theories is briefly discussed in this framework.
Pulmonary hypertension secondary to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) secondary to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is an increasingly recognized cause of PH due to an emerging epidemic of HFpEF. The mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of PH in HFpEF are not well established, but the presence of PH and right ventricular dysfunction in HFpEF is associated with worse prognosis. Currently, it is unclear whether PH is just a marker of underlying disease severity or whether it could be a target of treatment in HFpEF. Although PH-HFpEF and pulmonary arterial hypertension share several clinical characteristics, the evidence supporting the use of pulmonary arterial hypertension-specific therapies in PH-HFpEF is limited. Here, we review the disease classification, epidemiology, proposed pathophysiology, and treatments for PH-HFpEF. Our limited understanding highlights an urgent need for more research to elucidate the pathogenesis of PH in HFpEF and to develop novel therapies for this challenging syndrome.
Monte Carlo criticality analysis of simple geometries containing tungsten–rhenium alloys engrained with uranium dioxide and uranium mononitride

The critical mass and dimensions of simple geometries containing highly enriched uraniumdioxide (UO2) and uraniummononitride (UN) encapsulated in tungsten-rhenium alloys are determined using MCNP5 criticality calculations. Spheres as well as cylinders with length to radius ratios of 1.82 are computationally built to consist of 60 vol.% fuel and 40 vol.% metal matrix. Within the geometries the uranium is enriched to 93 wt.% uranium-235 and the rhenium content within the metal alloy was modeled over a range of 0 to 30 at.%. The spheres containing UO2 were determined to have a critical radius of 18.29 cm to 19.11 cm and a critical mass ranging from 366 kg to 424 kg. The cylinders containing UO2 were found to have a critical radius ranging from 17.07 cm to 17.844 cm with a corresponding critical mass of 406 kg to 471 kg. Spheres engrained with UN were determined to have a critical radius ranging from 14.82 cm to 15.19 cm and a critical mass between 222 kg and 242 kg. Cylinders which were engrained with UN were determined to have a critical radius ranging from 13.811 cm to 14.155 cm with a corresponding critical mass of 245 kg to 267 kg. The critical geometriesmore » were also computationally submerged in a neutronaically infinite medium of fresh water to determine the effects of rhenium addition on criticality accidents due to water submersion. The monte carlo analysis demonstrated that rhenium addition of up to 30 at.% can reduce the excess reactivity due to water submersion by up to $5.07 for UO2 fueled cylinders, $3.87 for UO2 fueled spheres and approximately $3.00 for UN fueled spheres and cylinders.« less
Adsorption Spectrum of Nitrogen on Tungsten

IT has recently been shown1 that even at low coverages of a fraction of a monolayer, nitrogen is simultaneously adsorbed on tungsten in different states of binding, of which three have so far been isolated. The temperatures above which these individual species are unstable have been estimated semi-quantitatively as 800° K. for state α, 2,000° K. for β and 200° K. for γ. In order to define the spectrum of binding energies of the molecular species adsorbed on the surface, it is necessary to measure the concentration of adsorbed entities as a function of sorbent temperature. We have now been able to do this by a simultaneous recording of the rise in pressure and the increase in electrical resistance when the tungsten wire sample is heated in a flash-filament cell. Since the variation of electrical resistance of tungsten with temperature is known, the flash filament can be used both as adsorption sample and resistance thermometer.
Quartz capillary microreactor for studies of oxidation in supercritical water

An inexpensive, low-power quartz capillary flow reactor was designed to investigate the global reaction rate for the supercritical water oxidation of acetic acid. The effluent from the ∼0.1 cm dia. quartz microreactor is such that it is easily incorporated into an online spectroscopic or vacuum mass spectrometer detection system. The reactor is capable of operating up to 28 MPa and 530°C. Standard HPLC sample injection valves permit the rapid change of reactant composition. This reactor is a nonisothermal design and requires a heat-transfer calculation that involves coupling the transport equations for momentum, mass, and heat with the chemical kinetics equations. A numerical calculation presented includes a rigorous treatment of the equation of state and the transport properties of pure water. With this design, the global rate data was fitted to the following form: r A =-9.3±0.7x10 10 exp(-(172.2±1.7)/RT)[C HOAc ] 0.89±0.07 [C Peroxide ] 0.2±0.1 (M/s).
Oxidation reactions of a series of benzidines : Electrochemical detection of dimerization of cation radicals and examples of potential inversion caused by very small steric effects

It has been previously reported that cation radicals of some benzidines undergo dimerization. In the present work dimerization equilibrium constants have been determined by UV−visible absorption spectroscopy for the cation radicals of benzidines 1a−d. This dimerization reaction was shown to produce subtle but significant effects in cyclic voltammograms recorded for oxidation of the benzidines. It is shown that cyclic voltammetry is a simple and rapid technique to detect such reactions, whose quantitative evaluation must, however, be accomplished by other means. The oxidation of certain N-peralkylated benzidines having substituents in the 3 and 3‘ positions, 1e−i, occurs in a single, two-electron oxidation process due to the fact that the two standard potentials for oxidation to the cation radical and dication, respectively, are very similar. In several cases, potential inversion occurs. That is, the potential for removal of the second electron is less positive than that for removal of the first. Causes of...
Chromosome 4 Jt gene controls murine T cell surface I-J expression

Data are presented suggesting a resolution to the paradox concerning the murine response subregion I-J, which encodes a suppressor T cell marker. The controversy arose when sequences corresponding to I-J DNA were not found in the central immune response region described by immunogeneticists. New evidence is presented that T cell surface I-J expression results from the action of at least two complementing genes. One gene is within the H-2 region on chromosome 17; the second gene, termed Jt, is on chromosome 4. The two recombinant mouse strains B10.A(3R) and B10.A(5R) originally used to define the I-J subregion apparently differ not within the H-2 region but elsewhere.
Bicuculline block of small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels.

Small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (SK channels) are gated solely by intracellular calcium ions and their activity is responsible for the slow afterhyperpolarization (AHP) that follows an action potential in many excitable cells. Brain slice studies commonly employ a methyl derivative of bicuculline (bicuculline-m), a GABAA (γ-aminobutyric acid) receptor antagonist, to diminish the tonic inhibitory influences of GABAergic synapses, or to investigate the role of these synapses in specialized neural networks. However, recent evidence suggests that bicuculline-m may not be specific for GABAA receptors and may also block the slow AHP. Therefore, the effects of bicuculline-m on cloned apamin-sensitive SK2 and apamin-insensitive SK1 channels were examined following expression in Xenopus oocytes. The results show that at concentrations employed for slice recordings, bicuculline-m potently blocks both apamin-sensitive SK2 currents and apamin-insensitive SK1 currents when applied to outside-out patches. Apamin-insensitive SK1 currents run down in excised patches. The potency of bicuculline-m block also decreases with time after patch excision. Site-directed mutagenesis that changes two residues in the outer vestibule of the SK1 pore that confers apamin sensitivity also reduces run down of the current in patches, and endows stable sensitivity to bicuculline-m indistinguishable from SK2. Therefore, the use of bicuculline-m in slice recordings may mask apamin-sensitive slow AHPs that are important determinants of neuronal excitability. In addition, bicuculline-m-insensitive slow AHPs may indicate that the underlying channels have run down.
Soil organic matter as a potential net nitrogen sink in a fertilized cornfield, South Deerfield, Massachusetts, USA

Net nitrogen (N) mineralization in situ and N mineralization potential (N0) over one complete year (1986–1987) were examined for a conventionally managed silage cornfield that received at least 235 kg fertilizer N ha-1. Net N mineralization at the site, measured by sequential in situ polyethylene-bag incubations, totaled −54 kg N ha-1 yr-1, and −31 kg N ha-1 over the May-to-August growing season. Nitrogen mineralization potential of the soil organic matter (SOM), measured by laboratory anaerobic incubations, was positive uniformly and varied with month of sample collection. The soil gained 72 kg inorganic N ha-1 from April to October, principally because of a fall manuring, only 7 kg N ha-1 from April to September. The in situ incubations, likely more representative of the balance between N mineralization and immobilization under N-fertilized conditions, suggest that SOM at the site is accumulating N.
Development of a Core Confidence-Higher Order Construct

The author develops core confidence as a higher order construct and suggests that a core confidence‐ higher order construct—not addressed by extant work motivation theories—is helpful in better understanding employee motivation in today’s rapidly changing organizations. Drawing from psychology (social, clinical, and developmental) and social anthropology, the author develops propositions regarding the relationships between core confidence and performance, attitudes, and subjective well-being. The core confidence‐higher order construct is proposed to be manifested by hope, self-efficacy, optimism, and resilience. The author reasons that these four variables share a common confidence core (a higher order construct) and may be considered as its manifestations. Suggestions for future research and implications of the work are discussed.
Structure in a desert rodent community: use of space around Dipodomys spectabilis mounds

In an earlier paper (Bowers et al. 1987) we reported patterns of microhabitat use by desert rodents among 0.25-ha plots where seeds were added or certain rodent species removed. We used the results to make inferences about the spatial organization of the whole rodent community. Here we change our focus to test for spatial usage patterns at a smaller (within-plot) scale. Specifically, we examine to what extent spatial use varies with proximity to mounded burrows of the large kangaroo rat, Dipodomys spectabilis. Capture frequency of five of nine rodent species was correlated with distance from D. spectabilis mounds, while six species showed correlations with vegetative cover that also increased with distance from mounds. In general, sites nearer mounds were underutilized, and sites further away overutilized by the rodent community as a whole. Logistic regression analyses showed for six species that vegetative cover and particularly, distance to nearest mound accounted for more of the variation in whether a station captured a species than did plot-to-plot (i.e., treatment) effects. Similar analyses using two plots where D. spectabilis was removed (where vacant mounds persited for years) suggested that the selection of microhabitats with contrasting vegetation structure was more pronounced in the absence than in the presence of D. spectabilis, and that in most cases distance from mounds was important only if mounds were occupied. Spatial structure in this community appears to revolve around the occupation of space by dominant individuals that partially modify/obscure large scale patterns involving the selection of particular structural microhabitats.
A preventive ethics approach to IVF in the age of octuplets

A preventive ethics approach recognizes that ethical obligations of the in vitro fertilization practitioner should prevail, regardless of whether embryo transfer is regulated.
Properties of primary afferent neurons from muscle which are spontaneously active after a lesion of their peripheral processes

Abstract Primary afferent neurons to the medial head of the gastrocnemius (MG) muscle were studied to determine when and where along the neuron spontaneous electrical activity begins after the peripheral nerve is damaged. Action potentials were recorded from the dorsal root and from the muscle's nerve itself as the nerve was crushed or frozen near the muscle and at intervals to 20 days afterward. Most MG units were not spontaneously active when recordings were made after the lesion. Others, which were recorded by 2 days after the lesion, fired either continuously or in intermittent trains. Some of the active units had conduction velocities in the group I fiber range. The ratio of quiet units to those with ongoing activity increased during regeneration of nerve fibers to the MG muscle. Both the peripheral terminal region of regenerating nerve fibers and the vicinity of their cell bodies initiated action potentials of spontaneous occurrence after the lesion and before the muscle had been reinnervated.
What TCP/IP protocol headers can tell us about the web

We report the results of a large-scale empirical study of web traffic. Our study is based on over 500 GB of TCP/IP protocol-header traces collected in 1999 and 2000 (approximately one year apart) from the high-speed link connecting The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to its Internet service provider. We also use a set of smaller traces from the NLANR repository taken at approximately the same times for comparison. The principal results from this study are: (1) empirical data suitable for constructing traffic generating models of contemporary web traffic, (2) new characterizations of TCP connection usage showing the effects of HTTP protocol improvement, notably persistent connections (e.g., about 50% of web objects are now transferred on persistent connections), and (3) new characterizations of web usage and content structure that reflect the influences of "banner ads," server load balancing, and content distribution. A novel aspect of this study is a demonstration that a relatively light-weight methodology based on passive tracing of only TCP/IP headers and off-line analysis tools can provide timely, high quality data about web traffic. We hope this will encourage more researchers to undertake on-going data collection and provide the research community with data about the rapidly evolving characteristics of web traffic.
RPE65, the major retinal pigment epithelium microsomal membrane protein, associates with phospholipid liposomes.

Abstract The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-specific protein RPE65 is the major protein of the RPE microsomal membrane fraction. Though RPE65 lacks transmembrane domains or signal peptide, detergents are required for its maximally effective solubilization in isotonic buffers. However, in 0.75–1.0 m KCl, RPE65 is as soluble without detergent, indicating a peripheral membrane association. We wished to understand why this non-membrane-inserted protein was so closely associated with RPE microsomal membranes. To explore the possible involvement of interactions with phospholipids, an isotonic salt-soluble extract of RPE was incubated with phosphatidylcholine (PC)/phosphatidylserine (PS)/phosphatidylinositol liposomes and centrifuged to sediment the liposomes. RPE65 cosedimented with the liposome pellet. RPE65 also cosedimented with synthetic dipalmitoyl-, 1-palmitoyl, 2-docosahexaenoyl-PC or dipalmitoyl-PS liposomes. Incubation with 1 m m Ca 2+ or 1 m m EGTA had no effect, indicating a Ca 2+ -independent association. A spectrophotometric assay showed that this interaction of RPE65 with phospholipid vesicles resulted in increased light scattering, consistent with phospholipid vesicle aggregation. Resonance energy transfer experiments showed that any putative aggregation occurred without subsequent vesicle fusion. This PC affinity was further confirmed by incubation of RPE extract with dimyristoyl-PC-immobilized artificial membrane (IAM.PC) matrix. The RPE65 selectively bound and was elutable with 2% detergent. This RPE65–phospholipid liposome association may explain the solubilization characteristics of RPE65 and may be related to the function of RPE65 and to its physical association with the RPE smooth endoplasmic reticulum.
Parametric interactions between Alfven waves and sonic waves

Parametric interactions between a sonic pump wave and a weak Alfven wave are studied. It is shown that if the Alfven-wave velocity V_{A} is small relative to the sonic-wave velocity V_{s} there is a time-growing instability leading to the increase of the Alfven wave at the expense of the sonic wave. This phenomenon can be of importance in solar and stellar physics. For V_{A} large relative to V_{s} , the interaction is of the stop-band type.
P147 The Wells PE Score – an Effective Pre-Test Probability Tool?

Introduction and Objectives British Thoracic Society guidelines advise all patients with possible PE should have pre-test clinical probability assessed and documented. The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) uses the Wells PE score. Validation studies have shown it to be a sensitive tool with a positive predictive value of: low risk (5%), medium risk (25%), and high risk (70%) respectively. We wanted to assess the correlation of the Wells PE score with PE positivity rates on CT Pulmonary Angiogram (CTPA) in our patient population. We anticipated similar positive predictive rates as those seen in the original validation studies. Methods We retrospectively collected data from CTPA requests submitted between October 2009 to September 2010. The Wells PE score was used to risk stratify patients into low (score 6). These were correlated with the outcome of the CTPAs. We also used the alternate dichotomised Wells PE score of PE Unlikely (score ≤ 4) and PE likely group (score > 4) and correlated with results. Results 1160 CTPA requests were identified, 66 were excluded, (they lacked a wells PE score). 1094 CTPA requests were analysed. Conclusion We found poor correlation between the pre-test probability score and confirmed PE; Results show a positive predictive value of low risk (21.4%), medium risk (22.1%) and high risk (35.3%). The dichotomised score showed PE Unlikely (19.1%) and PE Likely (27.4%). Analysis of the Wells PE variables revealed that they lacked a high specificity and high sensitivity, the subjective variable demonstrated the lowest specificity. The Wells PE score is not an effective pre-test probability tool for discriminating low, moderate and high risk groups in the patient population at NNUH Reference Wells PS, Anderson DR, Rodger M, et al. Derivation of a simple clinical model to categorise patients probability of pulmonary embolism: Increasing the models utility with the SimpliRED D-dimer. Thrombosis and Haemastasis. 2000; 83 (3): 416–420.
Discriminative value of inflammatory biomarkers for suspected sepsis.

Background Circulating biomarkers can facilitate sepsis diagnosis, enabling early management and improved outcomes. Procalcitonin (PCT) has been suggested to have superior diagnostic utility compared to other biomarkers. Study Objectives To define the discriminative value of PCT, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) for suspected sepsis. Methods PCT, CRP, and IL-6 were correlated with infection likelihood, sepsis severity, and septicemia. Multivariable models were constructed for length-of-stay and discharge to a higher level of care. Results Of 336 enrolled subjects, 60% had definite infection, 13% possible infection, and 27% no infection. Of those with infection, 202 presented with sepsis, 28 with severe sepsis, and 17 with septic shock. Overall, 21% of subjects were septicemic. PCT, IL6, and CRP levels were higher in septicemia (median PCT 2.3 vs. 0.2 ng/mL; IL-6 178 vs. 72 pg/mL; CRP 106 vs. 62 mg/dL; p < 0.001). Biomarker concentrations increased with likelihood of infection and sepsis severity. Using receiver operating characteristic analysis, PCT best predicted septicemia (0.78 vs. IL-6 0.70 and CRP 0.67), but CRP better identified clinical infection (0.75 vs. PCT 0.71 and IL-6 0.69). A PCT cutoff of 0.5 ng/mL had 72.6% sensitivity and 69.5% specificity for bacteremia, as well as 40.7% sensitivity and 87.2% specificity for diagnosing infection. A combined clinical-biomarker model revealed that CRP was marginally associated with length of stay (p = 0.015), but no biomarker independently predicted discharge to a higher level of care. Conclusions In adult emergency department patients with suspected sepsis, PCT, IL-6, and CRP highly correlate with several infection parameters, but are inadequately discriminating to be used independently as diagnostic tools.
SEMI-SUPERVISED TERM-WEIGHTED VALUE RESCORING FOR KEYWORD SEARCH

We present a semi-supervised algorithm for rescoring the output of a speech keyword search (KWS) system. Conventional loss functions such as squared-error and logistic loss are not suitable for optimizing the commonly-used KWS term-weighted value (TWV) performance metric. We derive a novel concave modified logistic log-likelihood function which lower-bounds TWV. We then use a manifold-regularized kernel classifier that maximizes this lower-bound. A manifold regularization term in our objective function uses available unlabeled speech data and makes our approach semi-supervised. This term is particularly useful for KWS in low-resource languages and ensures that the predicted keyword confidence scores are smooth on a low-dimensional manifold in the feature space. We conduct KWS experiments on the IARPA Babel Vietnamese task and show performance improvements in terms of the maximum TWV (MTWV). Our estimated confidence score is complementary with respect to the ASR posterior score and gives MTWV improvement upon interpolation with it.