cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phylogenetic significance of the skin of New World monkeys (order primates, infraorder Platyrrhini)

The combined properties of a given cutaneous system, like other characters classically employed by systematic zoologists, are useful criteria in the assessment of primate taxonomy and phylogeny. From the synthesis of all available data, it is also concluded that (1) the results define a baseline regarding the normal histology and histochemistry of the skin of most genera and many species of New World monkeys; (2) intrageneric and intraspecific subtleties in cutaneous variation exist in primate integument; (3) single and multiple cutaneous traits contribute to the characterization and accurate identification of most levels of taxa within the primate hierarchy; (4) some traits, however, negate recent taxonomic practices, e.g., the familial position of Callimico; (5) basic cutaneous patterns confirm currently accepted concepts of taxonomy and phylogeny; and (6) the various cutaneous signatures of extant platyrrhines record a history of adaptive radiation in isolation, and suggest that the designation of at least two distinct families is warranted.
Psychobiology of sexual behavior in a Whiptail lizard, Cnemidophorus inornatus

This study investigated the effects of social environment on gonadal recrudescence and sexual behavior in male and female Little Striped Whiptail lizards (Cnemidophorus inornatus). The presence of sexually active males facilitates ovarian recrudescence in conspecific females. Similarly, the presence of reproductively active females facilitates testicular recrudescence in conspecific males. Males housed with females, however, had lower average circulating concentrations of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, and higher average concentrations of corticosterone compared to intact males housed in isolation. In other studies, the presence of reproductively active females partially restored courtship behavior in castrated males compared to castrated males housed in isolation. Despite the stimulatory effects of females on castrates, exogenous androgens are required for complete restoration of all components of sexual behavior in male C. inornatus. Females are receptive to male courtship and copulatory behavior only during the vitellogenic stages; females in previtellogenic or postovulatory ovarian stages aggressively reject male courtship advances. These findings demonstrate reciprocal effects of sexual behaviors of males and females upon each other's reproductive behavior and physiology.
An ecosystem approach to soil toxicity testing: a study of copper contamination in laboratory soil microcosms

An ecosystem approach to soil toxicity testing allows for integration of the effects of chemical contaminants on different components of the soil food web (system structure) and ecosystem-level processes (system function). We used this approach to study copper contamination in small laboratory soil microcosms. Microcosm soils were treated with CuSO4 at the following concentrations: 0, 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 mg Cu kg−1 soil. Five, 10, 20 and 40 days after soil treatment, we made the following organism-level measurements: microbial biomass N, substrate-induced respiration (SIR) and soil urease activity; total nematode numbers; earthworm mortality, growth and body accumulation of Cu. Our process-level measurements were net N mineralization and litter decomposition. SIR was the most sensitive of the parameters measured with significant effects observed at Cu concentrations as low as 50 mg kg−1. Microbial biomass N and earthworm growth showed intermediate sensitivity with effects at 200 mg kg−1 Cu. The least sensitive organism-level parameters were soil urease activity and nematode abundance, both showing significant effects only at 800 mg kg−1 Cu. At the process-level, there was an inhibition of litter decomposition starting at 100 mg kg−1 Cu, and a sharp increase in net N mineralization at 800 mg kg−1 Cu. By examining both the structure and function of the soil system, we were able to link the direct effects of copper on organisms to indirect effects on ecosystem-level processes and were able to suggest mechanisms to account for our results. The release of nitrogen from microbial cells killed by direct toxicity of Cu at 800 mg kg−1 resulted in a transient increase in dissolved organic N, followed by a flush of N mineralization, resulting in large increase in NH4N compared with the untreated control. Microbial mortality also apparently led to the inhibition of litter decomposition. Measuring the effects of contamination at different trophic levels simultaneously, and linking them to ecosystem processes, provided insights into the ecological mechanisms of the observed effects. This makes the ecosystem approach particularly valuable for analyzing the highly complex soil system. We suggest that the information obtained in a laboratory test based on the ecosystem approach is the most appropriate method for extrapolation to field situations.
Mass spectrometric analysis of cardiac glycosides by the desorption/ionization technique potassium ion ionization of desorbed species

The analysis of cardiac glycosides by the desorption/ionization (D/I) mass spectrometric technique potassium ion ionization of desorbed species (K+IDS) is presented. K+IDS mass spectra of digitonin, digoxin, digoxigenin, digitoxin and ouabain are discussed to demonstrate the capabilities of this D/I method. The K+IDS analysis consists of two steps: thermal desorption of neutral molecules representative of the analyte, followed by gas-phase addition of K+ ions to these species. Structural and molecular weight information of the cardiac glycosides is obtained with the K+IDS technique. The most intense peak in the K+IDS mass spectrum of an analyte, M, is frequently the [M]K+ ion. Interpretation of the K+IDS mass spectra is simple, since one thermal degradation mechanism dominates. This mechanism is a 1,2-elimination process. A variation of the original K+IDS technique, performed by changing the ionizing metal from K+ to Na+ (i.e. Na+IDS), is presented for the analysis of digoxin. The Na+IDS mass spectrum of digoxin contains more structural information than the K+IDS mass spectrum of that compound. This may lead to a means of controlling the types of information obtainable with this D/I technique by varying the cation that is thermionically generated. K+IDS analyses can be performed rapidly, no sample derivatization is necessary, no matrix is required and little instrument modification is necessary.
A fixed point method for homotopic ℓ0-minimization with application to MR image recovery

A novel method for highly-undersampled Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) reconstruction is presented. One of the principal challenges faced in clinical MR imaging is the fundamental linear relation between net exam duration and admissible spatial resolution. Increased scan duration diminishes patient comfort while increasing the risk of susceptibility to motion artifact and limits the ability to depict many physiological events at high temporal rates. With the recent development of Compressive Sampling theory, several authors have successfully demonstrated that clinical MR images possessing a sparse representation in some transform domain can be accurately reconstructed even when sampled at rates well below the Nyquist limit by casting the recovery as a convex e 1 -minimization problem. While e 1 -based techniques offer a sizeable advantage over Nyquist-limited methods, they nonetheless require a modest degree of over-sampling above the true theoretical minimum sampling rate in order to guarantee the achievability of exact reconstruction. In this work, we present a reconstruction model based on homotopic approximation of the e 0 quasi-norm and discuss the ability of this technique to reconstruct undersampled MR images at rates even lower than are achievable than with e 1 -minimization and arbitrarily close to the true minimum sampling rate. A semi-implicit numerical solver is presented for efficient numerical computation of the reconstruction process and several examples depicting the capability for accurate MRI reconstructions from highly-undersampled K-space data are presented.
First-principles determination of low-temperature order and ground states of Fe-Ni, Fe-Pd, and Fe-Pt

While the binary $\text{Fe-}X$ $(X=\text{Ni},\text{Pd},\text{Pt})$ alloys are among the most widely applied bimetallics, open questions remain regarding whether and which of their compounds are stable at low $T$. Based on density-functional theory and first-principles cluster expansions that are ``filtered'' against structural and magnetic bistabilities, we assess all three systems. We (i) review the stability of the known phases; (ii) predict phases unstable with respect to bcc-fcc mixtures but stable if restricted to fcc; and, (iii) remarkably, predict previously unknown stable phases. This pinpoints where more definitive low-$T$ experiments should find new stable compounds.
Rate equation analysis of high-speed photon-lifetime-modulated strongly injection-locked semiconductor ring lasers

A novel method for modulation bandwidth enhancement is presented, involving strongly injection-locked whistle-geometry semiconductor ring laser modulated through photon lifetime. Advantages of photon-lifetime modulation over conventional injection-current modulation are confirmed through numerical modeling.
Measurement of the Transition Probability of the O i Multiplet at 6157 A

A transition probability of 7.6×106 sec−1 for the 3p5P–4d5D° multiplet of O i at 6157 A was measured in a wall-stabilized high-current arc operating in an atmosphere of oxygen containing a trace of hydrogen. Electron densities were obtained from Hβ line-profile measurements, and upper-level populations were calculated as a function of electron density by assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium. The method minimizes the turbulence and “demixing” problems associated with earlier measurements. Special attention was given to the accurate determination of the background of the spectral lines.
Hypertriton as a test of theoretical hyperon-nucleon potentials. II

A separable approximation to meson theoretic hyperon-nucleon potentials is made such that low-energy-scattering parameters are reproduced. Explicit $\ensuremath{\Lambda}N\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\Sigma}N$ coupling is neglected. The important tensor nature of triplet force is included. Several recently proposed hyperon-nucleon potentials lead to acceptable $_{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{3}\mathrm{H}$ binding energy estimates.
The reaction of pyridoxal 5-phosphate with cyanide and its analytical use.

Abstract 1. 1. The reaction of cyanide with pyridoxal hydrochloride and pyridoxal 5-phosphate causes characteristic changes in the absorption and fluorescence spectra of both compounds. 2. 2. The analytical use of the reaction has been shown to be possible. Fluorescence measurements allow the determination of each compound in the presence of the other within certain limits. 3. 3. Data concerning the reaction of KCN with pyridoxal 5-phosphate in crystalline phosphorylase are presented.
Movement of bromacil and hexazinone in soils of Hawaiian pineapple fields

Abstract Bromacil and hexazinone have been heavily used to control weeds in the pineapple fields in central Oahu, Hawaii, USA, since 1970s and 1980s, respectively. The last application prior to this study was at a rate of 0.6 kg active ingredient (a.i.) ha −1 for hexazinone and 1.8 or 3.4 kg (a.i.) ha −1 for bromacil in the six study fields during June–October 1998. Soils were collected from 0 to 1860 cm below the surface in January–May 1999 to survey the residue profiles of the two herbicides. Stratoprobe sampling showed to be an efficient and convenient method for deep soil cores. Bromacil was detected in all the soil samples above 60 cm (105–1338 ng g −1 dry weight) and in 74% of the samples above 400 cm (26–473 ng g −1 ). Trace amounts of bromacil (90–113 ng g −1 ) were detected in some of the samples collected from as deep as 1540 cm. Hexazinone was detected in three of the six fields at 0–60 cm only (86–107 ng g −1 dry weight). The more frequent detection of bromacil at higher concentrations than hexazinone is related to the prolonged higher application rates of bromacil in the fields and its higher persistence and mobility in soil.
Orbit distributions of iterated function systems with finitely many forms

Let F={f"i}"i"@?"I be a finite family of measure preserving self maps on a complete measure space (X,@S,@m), indexed by the set I. For a sequence @a=a"1, a"2, ..., where a"i@?I the n-fold composition with respect to @a is F"@a^n=f"a"""n@?F"@a^n^-^1. When the n-fold compositions from the family F take finitely many forms, the discrete time distribution of the orbit of F"@a^k(x"0) is a weighted average of the discrete time distributions of the orbits of the finite forms at the point x"0 for @m-almost all x"0 and for almost all sequences @a. The weighted average is arrived at by showing that an independence condition holds through an application of the strong law of large numbers to a subsequence of the Rademacher functions. When the discrete time distributions of the finite forms are identical for @m-almost all x"0@?X the weighted sum of the discrete time distributions reduces to the single valued distribution for any one of the finite forms.
Subtyping as a knowledge preservation strategy in category learning

Subtyping occurs when atypical examples are excluded from consideration in judging a category. In three experiments, we investigated whether subtyping can influence category learning. In each experiment, participants learned about a category where most, but not all, of the exemplars corresponded to a theme. The category structure included a subtyping dimension, which had one value for theme-congruent exemplars and another for exception exemplars. On the basis of work by Hayes, Foster, and Gadd (2003) and studies on social stereotyping, we hypothesized that this subtyping dimension would enable the participants to discount the exception exemplars, thereby facilitating category learning. Contrary to expectations, we did not find a subtyping effect with traditional category-learning procedures. By introducing the theme prior to learning, however, we observed increased effects on typicality ratings (Experiment 1) and facilitated learning of the category (Experiment 2). Experiment 3 provided direct evidence that introducing the theme prior to learning enhanced the subtyping effect and provided support for a knowledge-gating explanation of subtyping. We conclude that subtyping effects are strongest on already-learned concepts and that subtyping is unlikely to aid in the learning of new concepts, except in particular circumstances.
Minority environmental activism in Britain: From brixton to the lake district

Historically, the British environmental movement has been devoid of minority participation, but this is changing very slowly, with the emergence of ethnic minority environmental groups and multiracial environmental alliances. These groups have argued that ethnic minorities have little or no access to public funds earmarked for countryside and wildlife preservation issues. They argue that white environmental organizations do not pay attention to the needs of inner-city minority residents and minority access to the countryside. Increased access, community improvement and beautification projects, environmental education, youth training, community garden projects, and issues of environmental racism are all foci of ethnic minority environmental movements. While some white environmentalists have been supportive of them, others have been uncomfortable with them or even hostile to their existence.
Human Expression Variation in the Mu-Opioid Receptor is Paralleled in Rhesus Macaque

The mu-opioid receptor is a key component in many neurobiological systems including those affecting perceptions of pain and pleasure. In humans and non-human primate model systems, genetic variation in the receptor has been associated with numerous behavioral and physiological traits. In humans, polymorphisms have been identified which affect not only the biochemical function of the receptor, but also expression level. Existing rhesus macaque variation parallels the functional protein changes seen in human, but it remains unknown if expression level differences or concomitant protein changes may also exist. Here we perform a comprehensive survey of naturally occurring polymorphisms in Indian-origin rhesus macaques and identify three 5′ UTR haplotypes with effects on expression level. These expression level effects are in linkage disequilibrium with the previously identified rhesus coding polymorphism C77G. The C77G polymorphism in rhesus parallels the functional effects of the A118G polymorphism in humans and expression level differences occur within both species. Together, the functional variations reported here have implications for future studies seeking to model the opioid system and its associated phenotypes in rhesus macaques.
Metformin alters the insulin signaling pathway in ischemic cardiac tissue in a swine model of metabolic syndrome

Objective The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of metformin on insulin signaling in ischemic cardiac tissue in a swine model of metabolic syndrome. Methods Ossabaw miniswine were fed either a regular diet (Ossabaw control [OC]) or a hypercaloric diet (Ossabaw high cholesterol [OHC], Ossabaw high cholesterol with metformin [OHCM]). After 9 weeks, all animals underwent placement of an ameroid constrictor to the left circumflex artery to induce chronic ischemia. OHC animals were continued on a hypercaloric diet alone; the OHCM group was supplemented with metformin in addition to the hypercaloric diet. Seven weeks after ameroid placement, myocardial perfusion was measured and ischemic cardiac tissue was harvested for protein expression and histologic analysis. Results The OHC and OHCM groups had significantly higher body mass indices and serum insulin levels compared with the OC group. There were no differences in myocardial perfusion in the chronically ischemic territories. In the OHC group, there was upregulation of both an activator of insulin signaling insulin receptor substrate 1, and an inhibitor of insulin signaling phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 2. In the OHCM group, there was upregulation of activators of insulin signaling including phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase α, protein kinase B, phosphorylated protein kinase B, mammalian target of rapamycin, phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin, and phosphoinostitide 3-kinase, and upregulation of inhibitors including phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 1, phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 2, and retinol binding protein 4. Histologic analysis demonstrated increased expression of glucose transporter 1 at the plasma membrane in the OHCM group, but there was no difference in cardiomyocyte glycogen stores among groups. Conclusions Metformin treatment in the context of metabolic syndrome and myocardial ischemia dramatically upregulates the insulin signaling pathway in chronically ischemic myocardium, which is at the crossroads of known metabolic and survival benefits of metformin.
Re-examining the measurement models of success for internet commerce

In an effort to understand the value of Internet commerce, Keeney interviewed over 100 individuals and proposed two sets of variables: means and fundamental objectives for Internet shopping. The first help businesses deliver what is important for customers so that the customers' objectives are achieved. Fundamental objectives represent ultimate values that customers care about and will influence their overall satisfaction. Using a sample of 620 responses in a two-phase exploratory study, two of the authors previously developed a 5-factor 21-item instrument to measure means objectives and a 4-factor 16-item instrument to measure fundamental objectives. They also proposed a second-order model of the fundamental objectives as a measure of overall customer satisfaction. The new study described here examined the two hypothesized measurement models and the proposed second-order model using a sample of 331 responses. Results confirm factor structures of the two models and suggest a more parsimonious instrument for each; a 5-factor 15-item scale for means objectives and a 4-factor 8-item scale for fundamental objectives. Goodness-of-fit indices for putative models of factor structures and the second-order model are presented.
Effects of chlorpromazine on plasma concentrations of long chain fatty acids and glucose in sheep

Intravenous chlorpromazine was found to cause rapid increases in plasma concentrations of glucose and long chain fatty acids in adult sheep of both sexes. α-adrenergic blockade with phentolamine suppressed the increase in glucose concentration but not the increase in concentration of long chain fatty acids caused by chlorpromazine. β-adrenergic blockade with propranolol suppressed the increase in concentration of long chain fatty acids but not the increase in glucose concentration caused by chlorpromazine. These results were consistent with the hypothesis that chlorpromazine caused a systemic release of epinephrine.
Intravenous administration of prochlorperazine by 15-minute infusion versus 2-minute bolus does not affect the incidence of akathisia: a prospective, randomized, controlled trial.

Abstract Study Objective: We sought to compare the rate of akathisia after administration of intravenous prochlorperazine as a 2-minute bolus or 15-minute infusion. Methods: We conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blind study in the emergency department of a central-city teaching hospital. Patients aged 18 years or older treated with prochlorperazine for headache, nausea, or vomiting were eligible for inclusion. Study participants were randomized to receive 10 mg of prochlorperazine administered intravenously by means of 2-minute push (bolus group) or 10 mg diluted in 50 mL of normal saline solution administered by means of intravenous infusion during a 15-minute period (infusion group). The main outcome was the number of study participants experiencing akathisia within 60 minutes of administration. Akathisia was defined as either a spontaneous report of restlessness or agitation or a change of 2 or more in the patient-reported akathisia rating scale and a change of at least 1 in the investigator-observed akathisia rating scale. The intensity of headache and nausea was measured with a 100-mm visual analog scale. Results: One hundred patients were enrolled. One study participant was excluded after protocol violation. Seventy-three percent (73/99) of the study participants were treated for headache and 70% (70/99) for nausea. In the bolus group, 26.0% (13/50) had akathisia compared with 32.7% (16/49) in the infusion group (Δ=–6.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI] –24.6% to 11.2%). The difference between the bolus and infusion groups in the percentage of participants who saw a 50% reduction in their headache intensity within 30 minutes was 11.8% (95% CI –9.6% to 33.3%). The difference in the percentage of patients with a 50% reduction in their nausea was 12.6% (95% CI –4.6% to 29.8%). Conclusion: A 50% reduction in the incidence of akathisia when prochlorperazine was administered by means of 15-minute intravenous infusion versus a 2-minute intravenous push was not detected. The efficacy of prochlorperazine in the treatment of headache and nausea likewise did not appear to be affected by the rate of administration, although no formal statistical comparisons were made. [Collins RW, Jones JB, Walthall JDH, Chisholm CD, Giles BK, Brizendine EJ, Cordell WH. Intravenous administration of prochlorperazine by 15-minute infusion versus 2-minute bolus does not affect the incidence of akathisia: a prospective, randomized, controlled trial. Ann Emerg Med. November 2001;38:491-496.]
Microwave Zeeman Effect of Free Hydroxyl Radicals

Paramagnetic resonance absorption at 3-cm wavelength has been observed in the products of an electric discharge in low-pressure ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O and ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$O vapor. The spectra are of the electric dipole type, and arise from $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$-type doubling transitions in low-lying rotational levels of the free ${\mathrm{O}}^{16}$H and ${\mathrm{O}}^{16}$D radicals. The theory of the Zeeman effect in $^{2}\mathrm{II}$ levels of light diatomic radicals is extended to the general intermediate coupling case, and is used for a detailed analysis of the observed spectra. Numerical results of this analysis include molecular $g$ factors precise to within 3 parts in ${10}^{5}$, and magnitudes of the $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$-type doubling intervals in several low rotational levels. The measured $g$ factors are compared with theory, including small corrections for molecular rotation, the anomalous spin magnetic moment of the electron, and estimated relativistic effects. This comparison yields the value 0.67\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01 for the molecular matrix element ($\ensuremath{\Pi}|{L}_{y}|\ensuremath{\Sigma}$), and also brings to light serious discrepancies between the present experimental results and earlier measurements of the $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$-type doubling in OH and OD. The paramagnetic resonance spectra also exhibit hyperfine structure, from which are derived molecular constants that describe the distribution of unpaired electrons about the H or D nucleus.
Characterization of electrochemically polymerized metal phthalocyanines using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry

Abstract A new electrochemical polymerization method for producing electronically conductive thin films of metal phthalocyanines has been developed. The thickness and stoichiometric composition of nickelphthalocyanine films produced with this technique have been measured using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. The film thickness is directly proportional to the number of polymerization cycles in the thickness range of 100–2000 (1015 atoms/cm2). Diffusion of the solvent, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or dimethylformamide (DMF), into the glassy carbon electrodes was observed whereas no solvent diffusion into a pyrolytic graphite electrode was observed.
Simple considerations on microanalysis using electron beams

Abstract In this paper we review, in a quasi-consistent fashion, the equations of quantitation for three complementary electron beam microanalysis techniques which all use the same primary interaction event as the basis of analysis: electron energy-loss spectroscopy, X-ray emission spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy. The equations are presented in the context of analysis using focused electron beams.
Lipogenic Enzymes and Surfactant Proteins in Fetal Sheep Lung Have Different Ontogenic Patterns. 272

Functional maturation of fetal sheep lung is enhanced by glucocorticoids(GC), but ontogeny and hormonal regulation of enzymes involved in surfactant production have not been studied. Activities of two lipogenic enzymes (fatty acid synthetase, FAS; cholinephosphate cytidylyltransferase, CYT) increase during development and are induced by GC in fetal lung of 2 species (rat, human) in vivo and/or in vitro. We studied these enzymes and surfactant proteins A and B (SPA, SPB) in lungs (n =15) from sheep fetuses of ≈60d gestation to ≈10d postnatal. FAS protein content (western blot), FAS activity (14Cmalate incorp. into fatty acid), CYT activity(14CCDPcholine formed), and SPA and SPB contents (immunodot assay) were determined. FAS specific activity was maximal at ≈120d (0.36±0.05 nmol/min/mg prot), dropping by 75% at term (≈148d, p<0.01); western analysis confirmed a similar decline in FAS protein content. CYT activity in both soluble and particulate fractions was highest at ≈90d(0.36±0.03 and 0.19±0.04 nmol/min/mg prot., respectively), decreasing by 50% at term (p<0.05). Tissue protein/DNA ratio was constant at all ages. Tissue SPA and SPB were undetectable at 60d or 90d, present at 125d gestation, and increased 510 fold by term (p<0.05). To assess shortterm GC effect, fetuses were treated with betamethasone (0.5 mg/kg) via maternal or intraamniotic injection 48h prior to delivery at 125d gestation. Lung compliance increased with treatment (≈50%, p<0.05), but FAS and CYT activities remained constant. We conclude that FAS and CYT enzymes are not developmentally correlated with other markers of surfactant system maturation(increased DPPC, SPA, SPB) in fetal sheep lung, nor responsive to short GC exposure. We hypothesize that either de novo lipogenic activity in fetal sheep lung is adequate by early third trimester or that circulationderived fatty acid is the primary source for surfactant lipid synthesis in the fetal sheep.
Relating low δ15N values of zooplankton to N2-fixation in the tropical North Atlantic: insights provided by stable isotope ratios of amino acids

Abstract Recent evaluations of the global nitrogen budget include greatly increased estimates of N2-fixation in oceanic waters. Low stable N isotope ratios in planktonic food webs of tropical and subtropical oceans have been used as one indication of the importance of N2-fixation. Interpretation of bulk stable N isotope ratios can, however, be confounded when the source and process information that they contain cannot be separated clearly. In this paper, we use stable N isotope ratios of amino acids to help separate source and trophic effects associated with changes in bulk stable N isotope ratios of zooplankton across the tropical North Atlantic. Patterns in stable N isotope ratios of amino acids along a transect from the Cape Verde Islands to Barbados identify a change in N source supporting zooplankton production, and virtually no change in the trophic position of zooplankton size classes from the eastern to the western side of the tropical North Atlantic. Furthermore, comparison of stable N isotope ratios of amino acids in zooplankton with those in Trichodesmium suggests that diazotrophs are the source of the low stable N isotope ratios at the western end of the transect. The evidence provided by stable N isotope ratios of amino acids supports the interpretation of large-scale patterns in bulk stable N isotope ratios that N2-fixation indeed makes a major contribution to the global N budget.
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report.

Neurophenomenological studies seek to utilize first-person self-report to elucidate cognitive processes related to physiological data. Grounded theory offers an approach to the qualitative analysis of self-report, whereby theoretical constructs are derived from empirical data. Here we used grounded theory methodology to assess how the first-person experience of meditation relates to neural activity in a core region of the default mode network –the posterior cingulate cortex. We analyzed first-person data consisting of meditators’ accounts of their subjective experience during runs of a real-time fMRI neurofeedback study of meditation, and third-person data consisting of corresponding feedback graphs of posterior cingulate cortex activity during the same runs. We found that for meditators, the subjective experiences of ‘undistracted awareness’ such as ‘concentration’ and ‘observing sensory experience’, and ‘effortless doing’ such as ‘observing sensory experience’, ‘not efforting’, and ‘contentment’, correspond with posterior cingulate cortex deactivation. Further, the subjective experiences of ‘distracted awareness’ such as ‘distraction’ and ‘interpreting’, and ‘controlling’ such as ‘efforting’ and ‘discontentment’, correspond with posterior cingulate cortex activation. Moreover, we derived several novel hypotheses about how specific qualities of cognitive processes during meditation relate to posterior cingulate cortex activity, such as the difference between meditation and ‘trying to meditate’. These findings offer novel insights into the relationship between meditation and self-related thinking and neural activity in the default mode network, driven by the first-person experience.
Exogenous but not endogenous PGE2 modulates pony tracheal smooth muscle contractions

The modulatory role of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) was examined in pony tracheal smooth muscle strips. Although exogenous PGE2 inhibited the contractile response to both electrical field stimulation (EFS) and acetylcholine (ACh) in a dose-dependent manner, the concentration required to inhibit the response to EFS (10 nM) was less than that required to inhibit the response to ACh (0.1 microM). Cyclooxygenase inhibition with aspirin or meclofenamate had no effect on either the response to EFS or to ACh even though PGE2 production was inhibited. Our results demonstrate that in ponies as in other species, exogenous PGE2 can inhibit the airway smooth muscle's response to EFS and ACh. However, the failure of cyclooxygenase inhibition to alter the response to EFS and ACh suggests that endogenous prostanoids do not exert a significant modulatory effect on pony tracheal smooth muscle in vitro.
Application of dynamical systems theory to nonlinear combustion instabilities

Two important approximations have been incorporated in much of the work with approximate analysis of unsteady motions in combustion chambers: truncation of the series expansion to a finite number of modes, and time averaging. A major purpose of the analysis reported in this paper has been to investigate the limitations of those approximations. In particular two fundamental problems of nonlinear behavior are discussed: the conditions under which stable limit cycles of a linearly unstable system may exist; and conditions under which bifurcations of the limit cycle may occur. A continuation method is used to determine the limit cycle behavior of the equations representing the time dependent amplitudes of the longitudinal acoustic modes in a cylindrical combustion chamber. The system includes all linear processes and second-order nonlinear gas dynamics. The results presented show that time averaging works well only when the system is, in some sense, only slightly unstable. In addition, the stability boundaries predicted by the two-mode approximation are shown to be artifacts of the truncation of the system. Systems of two, four, and six modes are analyzed and show that more modes are needed to analyze more unstable systems. For the six-mode approximation with an unstable second mode two bifurcations are found to exist. A pitchfork bifurcation causes a new branch of limit cycles to exist in which the odd acoustic modes are excited. This new branch of limit cycles then undergoes a torus bifurcation that causes the system to exhibit stable quasi-periodic motions.
HaptiMoto: turn-by-turn haptic route guidance interface for motorcyclists

A national study by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau revealed that motorcyclist deaths were nearly thirty times more prevalent than that of drivers of other vehicles. These fatalities represent approximately 5% of all highway deaths each year, yet motorcycles account for only 2% of all registered vehicles in the USA. Motorcyclists are highly exposed on the road, so maintaining situational awareness at all times is crucial. Route guidance systems enable users to efficiently navigate between locations using dynamic visual maps and audio directions, and have been well tested with motorists, but remain unsafe for use by motorcyclists. Audio/visual routing systems decrease motorcyclists' situational awareness and vehicle control, and thus elevate chances of an accident. To enable motorcyclists to take advantage of route guidance while maintaining situational awareness, we created HaptiMoto, a wearable haptic route guidance system. HaptiMoto uses tactile signals to encode the distance and direction of approaching turns, thus avoiding interference with audio/visual awareness. Our evaluations demonstrate that HaptiMoto is both intuitive and a safer alternative for motorcyclists compared to existing solutions.
Sequence Planning for Electrical Construction

The sequences in which work is completed bear significantly on the performance of electrical contractors in building construction projects. When project work sequences are poorly planned or poorly executed, electrician constructors often must contend with compressed schedules, trade stacking, and out-of-sequence work to ensure timely completion of a project. This paper analytically evaluates the importance of sequence planning to efficient electrical work. It describes changes that were made to crew-level planning procedures for an electrical contractor and the impact these had on crew performance. The analysis shows that sequence planning at both the project level and the crew level are important to the performance of electrical crews. Most notably, a strong correlation (0.73) was detected between crew planning performance one week and crew productivity performance in the following week. Results of the study are provided. Principles of sound sequences and guidelines for sequence planning are also capture...
Integrated Fate and Toxicity Assessment for Site Contaminants

Understanding the fate and toxicity of environmental contaminants is essential to framing practical management decisions. Forms and bioavailable concentrations often change over time due to natural physical, chemical, and biological processes. For some sites, hundreds of contaminants may be of initial interest, and even small projects can involve a substantial number of contaminants. With multiple assessments common, attention to effectiveness and efficiency is important, and integrating fate and toxicity information provides a valuable way to focus the analyses. Fate assessments help identify what forms may be present where and when, while toxicity information indicates what health effects could result if people were exposed. The integration process is illustrated by an application for the Hanford site, to support long-term management decisions for the cesium and strontium capsules. Fate data, health-based benchmarks, and related toxicity information were effectively combined to indicate performance targets for chemicals and radionuclides identified for capsule leachate that could migrate to groundwater. More than 50 relevant benchmarks and toxicity context were identified for 15 of the 17 study contaminants; values for chronic drinking water exposure provided the common basis for selected indicators. For two chemicals, toxicity information was identified from the scientific literature to guide the performance targets.
A COMPUTATIONAL METHOD FOR ESTIMATING DENSITIES OF NON‐GAUSSIAN NONSTATIONARY UNIVARIATE TIME SERIES

. Kitagawa's (1987a) numerical integration formulae used to approximate the filtering, prediction and smoothing densities of nonlinear non-Gaussian state-space models are modified. The method involves integration by parts which permits the integration of the conditional system density and, possibly, the observational density prior to and independently of the computation of the filtering, prediction and smoothing densities. In addition to a substantial reduction in computing time and an increase in accuracy, this approach eliminates the necessity of incorporating dynamic adjustments to the filtering, prediction and smoothing processes to accommodate difficult noise densities. Three numerical examples are presented. One example replicates Kitagawa's non-Gaussian state-space model; the second is a linear Gaussian model; and the third is a nonlinear non-Gaussian model. Comparisons of speed and accuracy between alternative methods and between three computers (personal computer, minicomputer and supercomputer) are made.
Evaluation of Hypotheses for Describing Temporal Trends in Atlantic Salmon Parr Densities in Northeast U.S. Rivers

Abstract Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in the USA have declined dramatically and their persistence is heavily dependent on stocking juvenile fish, predominantly fry. The success of stocking hatchery fry is evaluated annually throughout New England by electrofishing surveys targeting age-1 parr. The objective of this study was to examine temporal trends in Atlantic salmon parr densities throughout New England and determine how trends vary among river basins. We fit generalized additive mixed models to investigate potential linear and nonlinear temporal trends in parr density. Akaike's information criterion was used to evaluate competing hypotheses about how temporal trends vary regionally. The top-ranked model suggested two types of trends. The first type (the Penobscot River) showed a nonlinear trend in which parr densities increased until the 1990s and then rapidly decreased through 2008. The second type (all other rivers) showed a linear decrease throughout the time series. Parr density trends reflected t...
Examining Racial Differences in the Effects of Substance Abuse on High School Students' Academic Achievement

Abstract Many studies document racial disparities in the American educational system, finding that white students generally outperform black students. Researchers justifiably focus on structural explanations for such disparities, but generally pay less attention to more proximate influences on academic achievement. However, studies have found that substance use negatively impacts adolescent academic achievement; other findings on race and substance use suggest that this relationship could be more damaging for black students. This paper uses National Education Longitudinal Study data to determine if substance use negatively impacts the academic achievement of high school students, and if black students are more negatively affected than whites. The analysis finds that substance use has a negative impact on academic achievement, even while controlling for a range of known influences on academic achievement. However, this relationship is not found to be more damaging to black students, probably due to white s...
Assembly and characterization of lipid-lipid binding protein particles.

Abstract Lipid–protein complexes, lipoplexes, are currently of great interest because of their immunogenic, gene free, and low cost properties. For their applications as potential vaccines, it is critical to display a target protein on the surface of lipoplex particles to allow external interactions to take place. However, how to effectively assemble lipoplexes with target proteins externally accessible is a constant challenge. In this study, human liver fatty acid binding protein 1 (hl-FABP1) was used as a model protein in lipoplex assembly with a non-lipid binding protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), serving as a comparison. The protein–lipid particles were assembled by four different processes and characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscope (TEM), flow cytometry (FCM), and a modified ELISA. Results indicate that by incubating the target protein with pre-formed liposomes at a temperature higher than all transition temperatures (Tm) of the lipids used through an extended period of time, 1.48 × 10−6 nmol per lipoplex of incorporated proteins can be detected by ELISA and are externally accessible. Additional experiments showed that most of those externally accessible proteins are likely embedded in the lipid bilayer structure and are not subject to dissociation from the lipoplex particles at elevated salt concentrations.
Morphology development during solid‐state annealing of poly(ether‐ester) multiblock copolymers

Morphology development during isothermal annealing of poly(ether-ester) multiblock copolymers with hard segments containing poly(tetramethylene isophthalate) is examined by DSC and SAXS. Reorganization in the solid-state occurs by melting and recrystallization. At temperatures close to the melting point, glass transition measurements after quenching from the annealing temperature suggest microphase mixing follows melting. The temperature of maximum recrystallization rate is elevated relative to that of isothermal crystallization. SAXS experiments suggest that a memory of the initial morphology is retained during annealing. Aspects of the DSC scans related to crystallization on cooling and rescanning also suggest that the morphology at the annealing temperature plays a governing role in the determination of the degree of order possible on cooling. The crystalline regions stable at the annealing temperature are envisioned to function in a dual role, acting as nucleation centers for recrystallization and as a form of constraint to ordering on cooling.
Analytic Generalized Inverse For CDP And VSP Traveltime Equations

An analytic formula is derived for the generalized inverse matrix associated with VSP and CDP traveltime equations. This derivation assumes that the earth model consists of evenly spaced layers and that there is negligible raybending. The importance of the generalized inverse is that it can be used to derive closed form expressions for the covariance matrix, condition number, resolution matrix, and average inverse eigenvalues as explicit functions of the source-receiver variables and the earth model parameters. These formulae are useful in designing source-receiver geometries which optimize velocity reconstruction by traveltime inversion. In addition, an ad hoc analytic generalized inverse is proposed which provides an excellent approximation to the numerically computed generalized inverse for bent ray traveltime equations. Its range of validity appears to be for any practical source-receiver offset and any plane layered velocity structure. The importance of this result is that it establishes a fundamental understanding of how the model complexity and source-receiver geometry control the velocity resolution in tmveltime inversion.
Alcohols potentiate ion current mediated by recombinant 5-HT3RA receptors expressed in a mammalian cell line

Abstract The effect of acute exposure to alcohols on ion current mediated by recombinant 5-HT 3 RA receptors transiently expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 cells was investigated. Cells transfected with 5-HT 3 RA cDNA expressed receptors with pharmacological and functional properties similar to those of native 5-HT 3 receptors. Potentiation of receptor-mediated cation current was observed in the presence of ethanol (10–100 mM), butanol (0.1–20mM), isopentanol (0.01–25 mM) and trichloroethanol (0.5–25 mM). Potentiation increased in a concentration-dependent manner until saturation was achieved for all alcohols tested. The maximal efficacies of potentiation differed among the alcohols with isopentanol > butanol = trichloro-ethanol > ethanol. Potentiation by butanol and isopentanol appeared to show acute tolerance such that the percent increase in current amplitude was largest upon the first of a series of alcohol applications and decreased during subsequent applications. The effect of ethanol was variable with potentiation occurring in 74% of cells examined, but not in the remaining cells. These observations indicate that the potentiating action of alcohols is similar in recombinant receptors to that previously observed in neuroblastoma cells and neurons expressing native receptors. These findings indicate that this recombinant system is suitable for studying the molecular basis of alcohol actions on the 5-HT 3 receptor.