cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Climate and history: a critical review of historical climatology and climate change historiography

This paper provides a critical analysis of recent climate history (or historical climatology) scholarship. It identifies four key subfields in this historiography of climate change. First, it examines scholarship on climate reconstructions that use a variety of innovative historical sources to document past climatic conditions. Second, it analyzes scholarship on social impacts and responses to climate change. This literature is prolific with significant attention given to climatic variability and climatic or weather-related disasters. Third, the paper discusses research on the uses and abuses of climate knowledge, such as innovations in meteorology and climatology as well as ways that Western climate knowledge helped justify colonialism and perpetuate racism. Fourth, the paper examines research on cultural constructions and perceptions of climate. This includes analysis of diverse climatic understandings and climate narratives that have varied across time and space. While the climate historiography is steadily expanding and constantly probing new areas, this paper contends that the field overall would benefit from a stronger emphasis on social history to examine race, class, and gender in climate history while also focusing on how social relations and power dynamics affect human–climate interactions. Additionally, it argues that the uncovering of more diverse climate meanings and narratives, partly through better social history, could both enrich the historiography and contribute to today's broader discussions about global climate change in the past and future. WIREs Clim Change 2012 doi: 10.1002/wcc.171 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Compressed differential angles as a feature in handwritten digit recognition

Summary form only given. A feature extraction method using differential angles is discussed. A pointer follows a connected path along a skeletonized image. As it moves along, angles of the pointer movement from reference are recorded. From this, a differential angle vector, whose element is obtained by subtracting the previous angle from the current angle, is obtained. The differential angle vector is processed in such a way that isolated pairs of (-45 degrees ,45 degrees ), (45 degrees ,-45 degrees ), (-90 degrees ,-90 degrees ), (90 degrees ,-90 degrees ) (135 degrees ,-135 degrees ), (-35 degrees ,135 degrees ) are removed; there is no effect on the final decision. A string of zeros in the differential angle vector indicates the existence of a straight line. The differential angle vector is compressed by eliminating all zeros in a string of zeros. When the point reaches an end point and no further advancement is possible, it moves backward until reaching an untraversed segment of image. >
A STUDY OF OXIDATIVE PHOSPHORYLATION WITH O18-LABELED INORGANIC PHOSPHATE

It has been generally accepted for some time (1) that phosphorylation processes occur concomitantly with oxidation in the electron transport system via pyridine nucleotide, flavoprotein, and cytochrome c to oxygen; indeed in recent years direct experiments by Lehninger and coworkers have demonstrated that phosphorylation accompanies the oxidation of reduced diphosphopyridine nucleotide in mitochondrial preparations (2). However, there have been no experiments which give an insight into the nature of the interaction of the electron transport system with phosphate or any part of the phosphorylating system. The present paper deals with a new approach to this problem with Ols-labeled phosphate. The rationale of the method depends upon the fact that the phosphate group does not necessarily proceed intact through a sequence of phosphorylation, transphosphorylation, and dephosphorylation reactions, but may lose one or more of its original oxygen atoms. Thus, by labeling the oxygen of the phosphate group, it may be possible to follow the path of the phosphate group through a series of reactions in which the phosphorus leaves no trace. If inorganic phosphate labeled with 01* is taken up in organic linkage by the formation of a carbon-oxygen bond as in phosphorylase reactions (3) and in the glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase reaction: the oxygen bridging the carbon and phosphorus becomes labeled with O’*. Should the organic phosphate now be cleaved by the rupture of the phosphorus-oxygen bond as in phosphatase reactions (3), the organic moiety remaining would contain 018. Moreover, if inorganic phosphate were formed in such a reaction, one of the four labeled oxygens would have been replaced by normal oxygen from the water. This opens up two possibilities, (1) the identification of phosphorylated intermediates by the presence of Oi* in the dephosphorylated products and (2) the detection of reactions otherwise unobservable by following the loss of Oi* from inorganic phosphate.
Ultra sensitive lorentz force MEMS magnetometer with pico-tesla limit of detection

This work presents ultra-high sensitivities for Lorentz Force resonant MEMS magnetometers enabled by internal thermal-piezoresistive vibration amplification. Up to 2400X increase in sensitivity has been demonstrated by tuning the resonator bias current to maximize its internal amplification factor boosting the effective Quality Factor (Q) from its intrinsic value of 680 to 1.14×106 (1675X amplification). For a bias current of 7.245mA, where the sensitivity of the device is maximum (2.107mV/nT), the noise floor is measured to be as low as 2.8 pT/√Hz. This is by far the most sensitive MEMS Lorentz force magnetometer demonstrated to date.
The j-j coupling in bound excitons in the effective mass approximation

Abstract The j-j coupling of two holes in the bound exciton - neutral acceptor complexes in semiconductors with diamond or zinc blende structure is investigated in the effective mass approximation (EMA) for the first time. We find that the d -like wave function in the EMA generates an apparent j-j coupling, even when the short range interactions are omitted. Our estimates of the splitting suggest that the experimental data for excitons bound to Zn in GaAs, InP, and GaP can be explained in the EMA.
Automated design technique for steel trusses supporting close-packed hexagonal mirror segment arrays

One method of reducing the cost of a large terrestrial telescope is to fix its spherical primary mirror with respect to gravity and utilize a tracking mechanism revolved about the mirror's center of curvature to compensate for an astronomical image's ephemeral position and rate. To maximize throughput, hexagonal segments may be arrayed in a close-packed fashion on the primary sphere, but because regular hexagons do not tile a spherical surface, either the hexagons must be irregular, as in the Keck 10 m telescope, or they must be irregularly spaced. In either case, we can exploit the natural symmetry of the underlying geometry in order to define a truss generation scheme which is generally useful in both design and cost reduction.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Molecular simulations of carbon dioxide and water: cation solvation.

Proposed carbon dioxide sequestration scenarios in sedimentary reservoirs require investigation into the interactions between supercritical carbon dioxide, brines, and the mineral phases found in the basin and overlying caprock. Molecular simulations can help to understand the partitioning of metal cations between aqueous solutions and supercritical carbon dioxide where limited experimental data exist. In this effort, we used classical molecular dynamics simulations to compare the solvation of alkali and alkaline-earth metal cations in water and liquid CO2 at 300 K by combining a flexible simple point charge model for water and an accurate flexible force field for CO2. Solvation energies for these cations are larger in water than in carbon dioxide, suggesting that they will partition preferentially into water. In both aqueous and CO2 solutions, the solvation energies decrease with cation size and increase with cation charge. However, changes in solvation energy with ionic radii are smaller in CO2 than in ...
Dermatologic complications of HIV infection

Cutaneous disorders occur with great frequency in patients with HIV infection and increase in number and severity as the disease progresses and immune function declines. In addition, the first findings related to HIV infection are often on the skin. Cutaneous infections with herpesviruses may be severe and atypical in their presentations; papillomaviruses and MC are common as well. Bacterial infections may be primary or secondary to other skin diseases; superficial and deep fungal infections are also prevalent. Papulosquamous disorders, including seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, and eczema, may be disfiguring and result in secondary complications. Neoplastic disorders, especially Kaposi's sarcoma, demand early diagnosis, to afford the patient maximal treatment options. All physicians must be aware of these cutaneous manifestations to decrease morbidity and improve quality of life in the HIV-infected individual.
Cosmetic Preservatives as Therapeutic Corneal and Scleral Tissue Cross-Linking Agents

PURPOSE Previously, aliphatic β-nitroalcohols (BNAs) have been studied as a means to chemically induce tissue cross-linking (TXL) of cornea and sclera. There are a number of related and possibly more potent agents, known as formaldehyde releasers (FARs), that are in commercial use as preservatives in cosmetics and other personal care products. The present study was undertaken in order to screen such compounds for potential clinical utility as therapeutic TXL agents. METHODS A chemical registry of 62 FARs was created from a literature review and included characteristics relevant to TXL such as molecular weight, carcinogenicity/mutagenicity, toxicity, hydrophobicity, and commercial availability. From this registry, five compounds [diazolidinyl urea (DAU), imidazolidinyl urea (IMU), sodium hydroxymethylglycinate (SMG), DMDM hydantoin (DMDM), 5-Ethyl-3,7-dioxa-1-azabicyclo [3.3.0] octane (OCT)] were selected for efficacy screening using two independent systems, an ex vivo rabbit corneal cross-linking simulation setup and incubation of cut scleral tissue pieces. Treatments were conducted at pH 7.4 or 8.5 for 30 minutes. Efficacy was evaluated using thermal denaturation temperature (Tm), and cell toxicity was studied using the trypan blue exclusion method. RESULTS Cross-linking effects in the five selected FARs were pH and concentration dependent. Overall, the Tm shifts were in agreement with both cornea and sclera. By comparison with BNAs previously reported upon, the FARs identified in this study were significantly more potent but with similar or better cytotoxicity. CONCLUSIONS The FARs, a class of compounds well known to the cosmetic industry, may have utility as therapeutic TXL agents. The compounds studied thus far show promise and will be further tested.
In Appreciation of Claude Warren and Susan Rose's "William Pengelly's Techniques of Archaeological Excavation"

The short (40 pages) pamphlet by Warren and Rose (1994) provides the answer to a complex question regarding credit for an important archaeological methodology, stratigraphic excavation. Let me set the stage for this appreciation. Continuing research on the beginnings of stratigraphic excavations in North America (Browman and Givens 1996), I sought the origins of the idea of actually excavating by strata, rather than post-facto interpretation, seen in North American as early as 1895 in the work of Henry Chapman Mercer, but not really introduced into the repertoire of American techniques until the work of Gamio, Kidder and Nelson between 1911 and 1914. The roots of the latter three seemed to lie with individuals such as Reisner, Boas, Uhle, who in turn seemed to rely on Hugo Obennaier, Gabriel de Mortillet, Marcellin Boule, and perhaps Pitt-Rivers, while Mercer's work could be traced to Boule and Albert Gaudry. Doggedly following back the roots, I found that Chapman (1989) could make a reasonable case that Pitt-Rivers had actually learned of the idea of strati­graphic excavation from Evans, Prestwich, and Lubbock, from the British scientists working with the Upper and Middle Paleolithic excavations during 1858-1868.
Correlation of thallium-201 scintigrams with coronary anatomy: factors affecting region by region sensitivity.

Abstract Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy, performed after administration of thallium-201 during exercise, has come into widespread use for evaluating patients with coronary artery disease. Previous studies indicate that it is both sensitive and highly specific. However, thallium-201 scintigraphy evaluates relative rather than absolute perfusion and may therefore be misleading in estimating the extent of coronary disease. This study evaluated the effect of the number and location of diseased vessels, the severity of coronary stenosis and the presence of previous infarction on the overall and regional sensitivity of scintigraphy in 78 patients. The overall sensitivity and specificity levels were 89 and 93 percent, respectively; vessel by vessel, the respective values were 67 and 96 percent. Scintigraphy had greater overall sensitivity in patients with multivessel disease than in those with single vessel disease, but in individual patients the regional sensitivity was not affected by the number of vessels involved. Scintigraphy correctly indicated the number of diseased vessels in only a minority of patients. Left circumflex arterial obstructions were frequently not detected (sensitivity 45 percent compared with 75 percent for other major arteries). Perfusion abnormalities were much more likely to be present (80 versus 39 percent, P The findings indicate that the sensitivity of exercise thallium-201 scintigraphy, despite its relative nature, is not impaired by the presence of widespread coronary disease or areas of old infarction. The most important factor determining the regional sensitivity of scintigraphy is the severity of the corresponding stenosis, and the major factor affecting sensitivity in an individual patient is the number of vessels involved.
An Open-Label Pilot Study of Divalproex Sodium for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Related to Childhood Abuse

Background: Few effective pharmacotherapeutic strategies have been established for the treatment of symptoms associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Preliminary evidence supports the efficacy of serotonergic agents and anticonvulsants, such as divalproex sodium, for the treatment of PTSD symptoms, particularly in military populations. Objective: The aim of this study was to obtain pilot data on the use of divalproex sodium for the treatment of PTSD among adult civilian outpatients with a history of childhood physical and/or sexual abuse. Methods: Outpatients with a primary psychiatric diagnosis of PTSD received open-label, flexibly dosed divalproex sodium as adjuvant therapy or monotherapy for 8 weeks. Overall and subcluster PTSD features, as well as affective symptoms and clinical global improvement, were monitored using standardized assessment scales. Results: A total of 7 patients (5 women, 2 men; mean age, 44.1 years [range, 29–57 years]) were enrolled. At a mean (SD) peak dosage of 1500 (661) mg/d, significant improvement occurred in overall PTSD symptom severity (P<0.02) and in the diagnostic subclusters of hyperarousal and avoidance (P<0.02 for both). Depressive symptoms also were significantly improved from baseline (P<0.02). Divalproex sodium was well tolerated, except in 1 patient who prematurely discontinued treatment due to cognitive adverse events. Conclusions: These provisional findings support the possible utility of divalproex sodium therapy for adult outpatients with PTSD related to physical and/or sexual abuse during childhood. Controlled trials with larger sample sizes powered to show safety and efficacy are needed to substantiate these initial findings.
Novel cholesterol feeding strategy enables a high-density cultivation of cholesterol-dependent NS0 cells in linear low-density polyethylene-based disposable bioreactors.

We have developed a perfusion-based high cell density (HD) cell banking and inoculum expansion procedure for a cholesterol-dependent NS0 myeloma cell line using linear low-density polyethylene-based disposable bioreactors. Challenges associated with cholesterol–polymer interactions, which suppress cholesterol-dependent NS0 myeloma cell growth, were overcome using a novel cholesterol feeding protocol that included a combination of two cholesterol formulations: an ethanol-based formulation and an aqueous formulation. Using a cholesterol feed optimized for HD cell culture in a disposable bioreactor perfusion system, cell densities of >25 × 106 viable cells/ml at ≥90 % cell viability were achieved. Vials of high density cell banks were created by filling 90–100 × 106 viable cells/ml in 5 ml cryotube vials. Implementation of the HD cell banks enabled a significant reduction in the number of step operations in the inoculum expansion phase in a large-scale manufacturing setting.
Geographic variation, taxonomy, and distribution of Eumeces skiltonianus and E. lagunensis (Squamata: Scincidae) in Baja California, México

An analysis of scalation, color pattern, and distribution of Eumeces skiltonianus and E. lagunensis in Baja California indicates that these taxa are discretely diagnosable from one another and allopatric. In the context of an evolutionary species concept, they are considered to be separate species. New records extend the range of E. lagunensis 220 km to the north in central Baja California. An erroneous report on the southern extent of E. skiltonianus in northern Baja California is corrected, restricting its southern distribution 145 km further north than previously reported.
THEORY OF SPIN DIFFUSION OF DILUTE, POLARIZED FERMIONS FOR ALL TEMPERATURES

We describe the solution of the transport equation over the entire range of temperature from the Boltzmann to fully degenerate regimes for dilute, polarized Fermi systems. Since spin-polarized systems can show unusual quantum effects involving spin rotation in both Boltzmann and degenerate regimes, a solution of the kinetic equation over the whole temperature range is expected to be useful. Our results for the longitudinal spin diffusion coefficient reduce to the known limits in the Boltzmann and degenerate regimes and also to the expected form in the peculiar high-polarization regime in which one spin species is degenerate and the other described by classical statistics (the degenerate-classical case). We derive numerical results for the spin-rotation quality parameter μ over the full temperature range. Unlike experimental results that show μ diminishing anomalously as the temperature decreases toward the degenerate regime, our value for μ is monotonically increasing. However, the transition to the degenerate-classical regime is found to occur with a rounded-step jump in μ as a function of polarization.
Subcritical crack growth in rocks under shear loading

[1] In this study, the subcritical crack growth parameters for Coconino sandstone under modes II and III loading were determined experimentally by using the constant stress rate test. We extend the constant stress rate test technique to modes II and III subcritical crack growth in rocks. The experimental results of the modes II and III tests, combined with mode I results published elsewhere, show that the values of the modes I, II, and III subcritical crack growth parameters are very similar to each other regardless of the loading configuration and the specimen geometries. The main reason for this is thought to be that subcritical crack growth is environmentally induced crack growth rather than the mechanical rupture of bonds. The effect of confining stress, specimen size, and water saturation on subcritical crack growth under mode II loading has also been investigated. The parameter n linearly increases with increasing confining stress and the parameter A exponentially decreases with increasing confining stress. Increasing the specimen size results in a linear increase in the subcritical crack growth parameter A. But, the parameter n is independent of the specimen size. The parameter n is almost constant regardless of water saturation, and the parameter A is found to increase slightly when the specimen is fully saturated. These results suggest that the subcritical crack growth parameter n can be considered a material constant for a given rock type.
E–government challenges at the UK's customs and tax department

The last two decades have seen an evolution of information and communication technology capabilities in the public sector which facilitates the adoption of several technology innovations. Electronic government is one of the strategic innovations that many government agencies have considered adopting to deliver efficient government services and support the development of government operations. Initial efforts to examine the process of adopting electronic government initiatives suggest that many government agencies face several challenges that could hamper the progress of the adoption process. An e–government initiative, represented by Extensible Business Reporting Language has been adopted by the UK's HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The paper examines the influential e–government challenges that affected the adoption process at HMRC. Research findings provide practical implications that could aid government decision makers to plan for the future of electronic government by identifying the key potential challenges associated with the adoption of e–government initiatives.
The Preparation and Kinetic Properties of Fully‐Functionalized Imidazole Vesicles

The 4-imidazolecarboxylic acid ester of N,N-dihexadecyl-N-methyl-N-(β-hydroxyethyl)ammonium chloride (1) and an analogous monohexadecyldi-methylammonium ion surfactant (2) were prepared from readily available starting materials. Surfactant (1) formed fully-functionalized imidazole vesicles which are powerful catalysts for the cleavage of p-nitrophenyl acetate, p-nitrophenyl hexanoate and 4-acetoxy-3-nitrobenzenesulfonate. Maximum observed rate constants ([1] = 3.4 × 10−3 M, pH 8.0, 0.01 Tris buffer, μ = 0.01, 25°C) are 2.82, 16.3 and 14.3 s−1, respectively, for the three substrates. These and related kinetic parameters are compared with those of imidazole-functionalized micellar surfactants, such as 2.
The Influence of Temperature and Sex on the Amino Acid Requirements of the Broiler

Abstract Four trials consisting of a total of 3840 male and 3840 female chicks were conducted to determine if environmental temperature (18.3° vs. 29.4°C.), sex, and amino acid levels affect the performance of broilers reared sexes separately. In two of the four trials, a natural infection of Gumboro disease occurred, while the birds in two trials were maintained specific pathogen-free. Results show that elevated temperature depressed body weights for both sexes in all trials. The two trials in which the chicks were maintained specific pathogen-free do not support the generally accepted concept of increasing the amino acid levels during periods of high temperature. However, when the birds became infected with Gumboro disease, higher levels of amino acids were required. There are numerous conditions such as disease, be it clinical or subclinical, which may affect performance of broilers and must be considered in diet formulation.
Distribution-transformer voltage stresses

INFREQUENT REPORTS of severe mechanical damage to small transformers as a result of nearby lightning strokes have led to the conclusion that the cause of the damage was the passage of heavy lightning currents in opposing directions in the two halves of the low-voltage windings. These cases have been rare but are of considerable interest as they have led to the consideration of the effects of the more frequent lightning currents of smaller magnitude flowing in distribution-transformer low-voltage windings.
Passive electrical properties of toad urinary bladder epithelium. Intercellular electrical coupling and transepithelial cellular and shunt conductances.

The electrical resistances of the transcellular and paracellular pathways across the toad urinary bladder epithelium (a typical "tight" sodium-transporting epithelium) were determined by two independent sets of electrophysiological measurements: (a) the measurement of the total transepithelial resistance, the ratio of resistance of the apical to the basal cell membrane, and cable analysis of the voltage spread into the epithelium; (b) the measurement of the total transepithelial resistance and the ratio of resistances of both cell membranes before and after replacing all mucosal sodium with potassium (thus, increasing selectively the resistance of the apical membrane). The results obtained with both methods indicate the presence of a finite transepithelial shunt pathway, whose resistance is about 1.8 times the resistance of the transcellular pathway. Appropriate calculations show that the resistance of the shunt pathway is almost exclusively determined by the zonula occludens section of the limiting junctions. The mean resistance of the apical cell membrane is 1.7 times that of the basal cell membrane. The use of nonconducting materials on the mucosal side allowed us to demonstrate that apparently all epithelial cells are electrically coupled, with a mean space constant of 460 µm, and a voltage spread consistent with a thin sheet model.
Building resolving large-eddy simulations and comparison with wind tunnel experiments

We perform large-eddy simulations (LES) of the flow past a scale model of a complex building. Calculations are accomplished using two different methods to represent the edifice. The first method employs the standard Gal-Chen and Somerville terrain-following coordinate transformation, common in mesoscale atmospheric simulations. The second method uses an immersed boundary approach, in which fictitious body forces in the equations of motion are used to represent the building by attenuating the flow to stagnation within a time comparable to the time step of the model. Both methods are implemented in the same hydrodynamical code (EULAG) using the same nonoscillatory forward-in-time (NFT) incompressible flow solver based on the multidimensional positive definite advection transport algorithms (MPDATA). The two solution methods are compared to wind tunnel data collected for neutral stratification. Profiles of the first- and second-order moments at various locations around the model building show good agreement with the wind tunnel data. Although both methods appear to be viable tools for LES of urban flows, the immersed boundary approach is computationally more efficient. The results of these simulations demonstrate that, contrary to popular opinion, continuous mappings such as the Gal-Chen and Somerville transformation are not inherently limited to gentle slopes. Calculations for a strongly stratified case are also presented to point out the substantial differences from the neutral boundary layer flows.
Embrace change effectively to achieve organizational excellence and effectiveness

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to embrace change effectively to achieve organizational development. Design/methodology/approach – The paper outlines the case studies on two turnaround leaders – Alan Mulally and Lou Gerstner. It explains various aspects of organizational change and development. It unveils a blueprint to embrace change effectively. Findings – It underscores that the only thing constant in the current global business environment is change and competition. It enlightens that change requires a new mindset, tool set and skill set. The only successful leaders are the ones who accept and mould themselves as per the changing times and technologies. Practical implications – The methodologies adopted by turnaround leaders can be applied to any type of organizational change, in any industry and any size of organization. Social implications – The social implications of this research suggests that turnaround leaders can do much better by communicating clearly to overcome resistance to lead chan...
Bielliptic surfaces as covers of rational surfaces

Abstract We present a construction of the bielliptic surfaces as covers of certain rational elliptic surfaces.
Strategic self-presentation online: A cross-cultural study

Contemporary social networking sites (SNSs) make idealized self-presentation and image maintenance difficult because users' audiences are becoming more diverse and individual users must negotiate often unanticipated other-provided information in the form of text posts and digital images on their profile pages. This cross-cultural study examines how audience-related variables affect a range of strategic self-presentation and image management behaviors online. Results from samples of Singaporean and American SNS users (N=411) show that while Americans update their profiles with text-based wall posts more frequently, Singaporeans share significantly more photos. Audience diversity is positively associated with active management of other-provided information, and females share more photos and actively manage unwanted photo tagging. Cultural identity and the tendency to 'friend' unknown others interact on managing other-provided wall posts; individualistic cultural identity exhibited positive relationships with these reactions for those less likely to friend unknown others but negative ones for those more likely to friend unknown others. Implications for the theoretical understanding of and practical suggestions about self-presentation online are discussed.
The Efficacy of Repeated Reading and Wide Reading Practice for High School Students with Severe Reading Disabilities.

This experimental study was conducted to examine the efficacy of repeated reading and wide reading practice interventions for high school students with severe reading disabilities. Effects on comprehension, fluency, and word reading were evaluated. Participants were 96 students with reading disabilities in grades 9–12. Students were paired within classes and pairs were randomly assigned to one of three groups: repeated reading (N = 33), wide reading (N = 34), or typical instruction (N = 29). Intervention was provided daily for approximately 15–20 minutes for 10 weeks. Results indicated no overall statistically significant differences for any condition, with effect sizes ranging from −.31 to .27. Findings do not support either approach for severely impaired readers at the high school level. We hypothesize that these students require more intensive interventions that include direct and explicit instruction in word- and text-level skills as well as engaged reading practice with effective feedback.
The Existence and Vertical Structure of Fast, Eastward-Moving Disturbances in the Equatorial Troposphere

Abstract Eastward phase propagation, at speed faster than 30 m s−1, of a signal in the equatorial troposphere of the Eastern Pacific is detected, first in historical meteorological observations and then in more recent data. A first baroclinic mode vertical structure is identified with this signal in separate analyses based on linear theory and complex empirical orthogonal functions, respectively. This rapid, eastward signal is conceptualized as a far-field dispersion product of strong convection associated with the intraseasonal tropical oscillation in the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific.
Phase correction in two-crystal optical parametric oscillators

The effect of the pump, signal, and idler wave phases on three-wave nonlinear parametric mixing is investigated in a series of single-pass- gain experiments. Measurements are made with two angle-tuned KTP crystals in a 532 nm pumped, walkoff-compensated, optical parametric amplifier that is seeded by an 800 nm cw diode laser. In one of the measurements the second crystal is orientated to have its effective nonlinearity deff. of opposite sign to that of the first crystal, so that all mixing that occurred in the first crystal is canceled by the second when the phase mismatch (Delta) kcrystal 1 equals (Delta) kcrystal 2 equals 0. Efficient two-crystal amplification is subsequently restored by selecting the correct phase relationship for the three waves entering the crystal by inserting a dispersive plate between the crystals. The experimental results are explained in a straightforward manner with diagrams involving the three input wave polarizations. These results demonstrate that walkoff-compensated geometries require phase correction to achieve efficient mixing in the second crystal whenever the nonlinear interaction involves two extraordinary waves (e-waves). One practical application of this work may be lower oscillation thresholds and enhanced performance in walkoff- compensated optical parametric oscillators which use two e-waves.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Non-immunologic actions of calcineurin inhibitors in proteinuric kidney diseases.

Diseases affecting the glomerulus are the most common cause of end-stage kidney disease in developed countries (1). These disorders are characterized by significant proteinuria, and the level of proteinuria is an independent risk factor for disease progression (2). Podocytes are thought to play a key role in the pathogenesis of glomerular diseases (3, 4). The importance of podocytes in glomerular diseases is highlighted by genetic studies, which have identified mutant podocyte proteins that cause familial forms of nephrosis (5). Because podocytes are terminally differentiated cells with little capacity for replication, their ability to compensate for podocyte loss is limited (3). A component of current therapy is, therefore, focused on reducing podocyte injury by decreasing systemic blood pressure (BP) and inhibition of the renin–angiotensin system (2, 6).
High level language memory management on parallel architectures

Abstract HEP memory management packages such as YBOS and ZEBRA have been implemented and are currently running on a variety of mainframe computers. These packages were originally designed to run on single CPU engines. Implementation of these packages on parallel machines, with loosely or tightly coupled architectures, is discussed. ZEBRA (CERN package) on ACP (Fermilab) is presented in detail. The design of memory management systems for the new generation of ACP systems or similar parallel architectures is presented. The future of packages such as ZEBRA is not only linked to system architecture, but also to languages issues. We briefly mention penalties in using F77 with respect to other increasingly popular languages in HEP, such as C, on parallel systems.
Restoration of Leukotriene B4-12-Hydroxydehydrogenase/15-oxo-prostaglandin 13-Reductase (LTBDH/PGR) Expression Inhibits Lung Cancer Growth in Vitro and in Vivo

Abstract Leukotriene B 4 -12-hydroxydehydrogenase/15-oxo-prostaglandin 13-reductase (LTBDH/PGR) is a bifunctional enzyme capable of inactivating leukotriene B 4 (LTB 4 ) and 15-oxo-prostaglandins (15-PGs). Its role in growth suppressive functions in lung cancer was studied in in vitro and in vivo systems. The LTBDH/PGR gene was expressed in lung cancer cell lines through recombinant adenovirus infection, and through a tetracycline-inducible expression system. After restoration of LTBDH/PGR expression in LTBDH/PGR-negative (H1299) or -low (A549) lung cancer cell lines, the restored enzyme induced apoptosis and growth inhibition in vitro . Ectopic expression of LTBDH/PGR caused also suppression of tumorigenicity of A549 cells in nude mice. In contrast, LTBDH/PGR over-expression in LTBDH/PGR-positive (H157) lung cancer cell line induced little apoptosis and growth inhibition. This study indicates that restoration of LTBDH/PGR expression is effective in preventing lung cancer growth in vitro and in vivo .
Direct observation of diffractive probe spreading

Abstract Preliminary results for the diffractive probe spreading in a STEM are described. Clear evidence is found for two beam Bormann fan effects due to high order beams.
Interaction of Fcγ receptor type IIIB with complement receptor type 3 in fibroblast transfectants: Evidence from lateral diffusion and resonance energy transfer studies

To explore potential inter-receptor interactions between FcγRIIIB, a GPI-linked protein, and the leukocyte integrin CR3, we have prepared transfected 3T3 fibroblast cell lines expressing FcγRIIIB, CR3, or both FcγRIIIB and CR3. We test the hypothesis that FcγRIIIB and CR3 are physically associated in membranes using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) and resonance energy transfer (r.e.t.) microscopy. Cells expressing FcγRIIIB alone displayed a diffusion coefficient ( D ) of 3.4×10 −9 (±2.9×10 −9 ) cm 2 /second and a mobile fraction ( m.f. ) of 0.73 (±0.10). In contrast, FcγRIIIB exhibited D = 2.5×10 −9 (±1.4×10 −9 ) cm 2 /second (n.s.) and a m.f. of 0.48 (±0.08) ( p p N -acetyl- d -glucosamine, but not indomethacin, diminished the magnitude of these interactions in transfectant membranes. These data support the notion that a subpopulation of FcγRIIIB is physically associated with CR3 and that this association can be affected by exogeneous compounds.
Two Computational Primitives for Algorithmic Self-Assembly: Copying and Counting

Copying and counting are useful primitive operations for computation and construction. We have made DNA crystals that copy and crystals that count as they grow. For counting, 16 oligonucleotides assemble into four DNA Wang tiles that subsequently crystallize on a polymeric nucleating scaffold strand, arranging themselves in a binary counting pattern that could serve as a template for a molecular electronic demultiplexing circuit. Although the yield of counting crystals is low, and per-tile error rates in such crystals is roughly 10%, this work demonstrates the potential of algorithmic self-assembly to create complex nanoscale patterns of technological interest. A subset of the tiles for counting form information-bearing DNA tubes that copy bit strings from layer to layer along their length.
The ν2 band of CHD3: Ground-state parameters for CHD3 from combination differences

Abstract The ν2 fundamental band of CHD3, centered near 2143 cm−1, has been recorded at a resolution of 0.015–0.025 cm−1. Analysis of ground-state combination differences has yielded well-determined values for the ground-state molecular parameters B0, D 0 J , D 0 JK , H 0 J , H 0 JK , and H 0 KJ for CHD3. These parameters have been used in the determination of the molecular parameters α 2 B , ( α 2 A - α 2 B ), β 2 K , β 2 JK and β 2 J for ν2.
The Behavior of Juvenile Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) and Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) with Regard to Temperature and to Water Velocity

Abstract Atlantic salmon parr and brook trout were observed in stream tanks at the Matamek Research Station, Quebec. In the autumn, at 10 C Atlantic salmon parr began sheltering in rubble, and at 9 C the majority had disappeared into hiding. Brook trout also had this tendency to hide at cold temperatures, but not as strongly as the salmon. In slow water flows (<5 cm/s), Atlantic salmon parr tended to hide in the rubble substrate at any temperature, and aggression decreased. In both slow and faster water velocities during summer and autumn the commonest agonistic act by Atlantic salmon parr was “charge and chase”. Brook trout in July showed “nip” as the commonest agonistic act, but in September and October “approach” and “charge and chase” were more common, possibly due to aggression associated with spawning. Shade was attractive to both species in shallow water, but given the choice of a shallow (30 cm) tank with a shade cover, and a deeper (50 cm) tank with no shade, the majority of brook trout and Atlan...
FDA regulation of tobacco--pitfalls and possibilities.

It is likely that during the coming year, Congress will pass legislation bringing tobacco products under the regulatory authority of the FDA. Allan Brandt writes that it behooves public health advocates and Congress to fully understand all the implications of FDA regulation. View an audio slide presentation in which Dr. Brandt discusses cigarette advertisements in the 20th century. Dr. Allan Brandt discusses the provisions, benefits, and criticisms of legislation that would grant the FDA regulatory authority over tobacco products. Dr. Brandt is a professor of the history of medicine at Harvard Medical School, Boston, and dean of the graduate school of arts and sciences at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
Detection of viable Zygosaccharomyces bailii in fruit juices using ethidium monoazide bromide and real-time PCR

Abstract In this study, we use ethidium monoazide (EMA) a dye commonly used to differentiate viable and nonviable populations of bacteria in real-time PCR (QPCR) assays to eliminate the nonviable cells from the Z. bailii population. Thus we are able to determine the viable Z. bailii population using QPCR plus EMA. To do this we first, optimized the EMA exposure conditions; EMA concentration of 50 µg/ml with an incubation at 30 °C in the dark for 5 min. Followed by light exposure on ice, for 5 min using a 500 W halogen lamp at a distance of 12 cm. Using these optimized conditions, we determined that the assay could detect as few as 12.5 viable Z. bailii cells in the presence of 105 CFU/ml of heat killed-cells. The EMA assay was also more consistent at determining viable cell counts when compared to plating than fluorescent microscopy viable cell counts. Finally, we used the assay to determine the viable population in heat-treated (72 °C, 2 min), ethanol-treated and raspberry cranberry juice Z. bailii cultures. When examining Z. bailii cells treated with 70% ethanol the QPCR assay with EMA (1.22 × 102) showed a better correlation with plating (4.5 × 101 CFU/ml) compared to the QPCR assay without EMA (5.31 × 106 CFU/ml) and this was also seen in the other two injured populations. Thus we feel that we have designed an assay which will be useful for the detection of viable spoilage yeasts in various fruit juices.
The debate over food biotechnology in the United States: is a societal consensus achievable?

Unless the public comes to agree that the benefits of food biotechnology are desirable and the associated risks are acceptable, our society may fail to realize much of the potential benefits. Three historical cases of major technological innovations whose benefits and risks were the subject of heated public controversy are examined, in search of lessons that may suggest a path toward consensus in the biotechnology debate. In each of the cases—water fluoridation, nuclear power and pesticides—proponents of the technology gathered scientific evidence that they believed established that the innovations were safe. In each case, the federal government was heavily involved in oversight, safety regulation, and in the first two cases, active promotion of the technology. Supporters of the technologies employed a variety of communications strategies, ranging from massive “educational” campaigns (e.g. “Our Friend The Atom”) to vituperative ad hominem attacks on leading opponents. None of these strategies succeeded in achieving broad societal acceptance of the technologies. Fluoridation today is opposed as vigorously by activist groups as it was when first introduced around 1950; it has not been universally adopted even in the U.S., and it has been rejected in most other countries. The American nuclear power industry is moribund, and the public has essentially rejected the technology. The pesticide industry is thriving, with new generations of products succeeding older more hazardous chemicals in a constant cycle. However, strong regulation has failed to prevent adverse health and ecological effects, which have been empirically associated with pesticide uses after the chemicals were dispersed in the environment. Debate over whether risks of such effects are acceptable has been heated for four decades, with scientists and the public divided. None of these cases offers an ideal model for the biotechnology revolution, though they do reveal many strategies that have not worked. The biotechnology debate is also taking place at a time when our concepts of risk communication have improved, and when many consumers are more actively concerned with buying products perceived to be less likely to harm the environment. Based on the three case histories and more recent trends, some characteristics of a process for seeking a societal consensus are described. They include explicitly defining the subjects for consensus; including all stakeholders in a respectful dialogue; confronting value issues, such as acceptability of risks and ethical perceptions; listening to others’ perspectives, and being willing to change one’s own point of view. If activists on all sides of the food biotechnology debate are willing to commit to such a consensus-building process, there is hope that the U.S. national debate can be resolved in a manner satisfactory to essentially all parties.
Visible and near-infra-red transmission and reflectance measurements of the Luna 20 soil.

Visible and near-infrared spectra of chemically analyzed grains of glass and minerals from the Luna 20 sample were compared with diffuse reflectance spectra of the bulk soil. As in the spectra of soil samples from other localities on the moon, pyroxene contributes two broad absorption features near 1 and 2 microns. The soil has a high integral reflectance (or albedo) arising from plagioclase, which appears to be the dominant mineral in the lunar highlands. The Luna 20 soil curve is most similar to the reflectance curves of the non-rayed soils at Apollo 16, in agreement with the generally similar mineralogy of these samples. The average pyroxene composition in the Luna 20 soil, as determined from the absorption bands in the diffuse reflectance spectra, and analyses of single crystals, is more calcic than in the lithic fragments. Thus, the soil appears to have a few per cent of admixed material derived from mare basalts. Comparison of the soil spectrum with telescopic curves of nearby areas reveals a close similarity.
Chromosome segregation in Escherichia coli division: A free energy-driven string model

Although the mechanisms of eukaryotic chromosome segregation and cell division have been elucidated to a certain extent, those for bacteria remain largely unknown. Here we present a computational string model for simulating the dynamics of Escherichia coli chromosome segregation. A novel thermal-average force field accounting for stretching, bending, volume exclusion, friction and random fluctuation is introduced. A Langevin equation is used to simulate the chromosome structural changes. The mechanism of chromosome segregation is thereby postulated as a result of free energy-driven structural optimization with replication introduced chromosomal mass increase. Predictions of the model agree well with observations of fluorescence labeled chromosome loci movement in living cells. The results demonstrate the possibility of a mechanism of chromosome segregation that does not involve cytoskeletal guidance or advanced apparatus in an E. coli cell. The model also shows that DNA condensation of locally compacted domains is a requirement for successful chromosome segregation. Simulations also imply that the shape-determining protein MreB may play a role in the segregation via modification of the membrane pressure.