cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electromagnetic Induction in a Thin Strip

Summary Electromagnetic induction in a thin strip is investigated to provide further understanding of the geomagnetic effects at an ocean edge. A solution to the equations is found by an analytic technique. It is shown that even in the case where the integrated conductivity is finite, infinite field strengths occur at the edges accompanied by rapid changes in phase.
Coumarins and alkaloids of the genus ptelea

Abstract A study of the extractives of the three species of the genus Ptelea (Rutaceae) has yielded typically rutaceous coumarins and furoquinoline alkaloids. The fruit of P. aptera contains small amounts of a new furoquinoline alkaloid shown to be 7-isopentenyloxy-γ-fagarine (III). A further new alkaloid, identified as 3-isopentenyl-4-methoxy-7,8-methylenedioxy-2-quinolone (II), has been obtained from the extracts of one sample of P. trifoliata L.
Conversion of 2-propanol over chromium aluminum orthophosphates

The catalytic conversion (dehydration/dehydrogenation) of 2-propanol on a series of CrPO4-AlPO4 (CrAlP) catalysts, which were differently prepared and thermally treated at 773–1073 K, has been studied by microcatalytic pulse reactor technique at different temperatures (473–573 K). Kinetic parameters for conversion of 2-propanol to propene have been obtained by analysis of the data through the Bassett-Habgood equation for first-order reaction processes. The influence of the reaction temperature upon alcohol conversion and product selectivities was also investigated. Catalytic performance was affected by the precipitation agent. Catalysts obtained in propylene oxide-aqueous ammonia showed the highest activity towards propene compared to other catalysts. Calcination at increasing temperatures caused a decrease in the activity due to the decrease in surface acid character. The results of dehydration to propene can be well interpreted through the differences in the number and strength of acid sites, which were gas-chromatographically measured using pyridine and 2,6-dimethylpyridine chemisorbed at different temperatures (573 and 673 K). Dehydrogenation to 2-propanone occurred to a small extent at all reaction temperatures and, besides, its conversion changed slightly with reaction temperature. Propene selectivity strongly increased with increasing reaction temperature.
Titanium mineralization in ferritin: a room temperature nonphotochemical preparation and biophysical characterization

The incremental addition of titanium(III) citrate to H-chain homopolymers of human ferritin results in the formation of 1.5-6.5-nm particles of amorphous TiO(2) within the nanocage of the protein. The mineralization conditions are mild, featuring ambient temperature and no need for photochemical activation. Low ratios of titanium to protein favor intraprotein mineralization, and the products are characterized by stained and unstained transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, analytical ultracentrifugation, and metal analysis. With up to 1,000 equiv of metal, there is no change to the protein hydrodynamic radius or diffusion constant. There is, however, a systematic shift in the sedimentation coefficient, which confirms mineralization within the protein core.
Screening for iron deficiency anemia in one-year-old infants: hemoglobin alone or hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume as predictors of response to iron treatment

Initial screening for anemia was performed on a capillary blood sample in 800 apparently healthy one-year-old white infants. Twenty-six percent had a Hgb or MCV below the estimated tenth percentile of normal and were asked to return for blood counts on a venous sample. They were then started on a three-month course of oral iron. Of the 151 infants who satisfactorily completed the treatment regimen, 54 had a≥1 gm/dl rise in venous Hgb (2.8 infants treated/response). If confirmation of the capillary by the venous values had been a prerequisite for treatment, the size of the treatment group would have decreased from 151 to 87, the response rate would have been improved to 2.0 infants treated per response, but 11 of the infants who had a ≥1 gm/dl response would have been missed. Since toxicity from iron therapy is rare, either the use of capillary blood counts alone or in combination with venous values constitutes a satisfactory basis for a therapeutic trial of iron in similar populations. Further evaluation can then be reserved for the small number whose Hgb remains below the lower limit of normal after treatment.
Intralayer transitions in phyllosilicates of Martinsburg shale

Phyllosilicates that occur in shales and slates show complex features as generally detected by methods such as X-ray diffraction. Diffraction patterns commonly display features such as broadened and asymmetric peaks which in many cases have been shown to reflect random interlayering of more than one kind of phyllosilicate1; for example, illite–smectite and vermiculite–chlorite. Ordered interlayering of more than one phase has also been frequently observed. However, powder diffraction data generally provide insight only into the differences between units of many layers and then they only yield average values. The possibility of variations within individual layers can be investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and analytical electron microscopy (AEM). We report here on the occurrence of transitions within individual phyllosilicate layers from one trioctahedral structure to another (ferroan lizardite to chlorite) and from trioctahedral to dioctahedral (illite) layers. These variations in structure introduce a new range of complexities into those non-equilibrium phyllosilicate structures which occur in low-temperature sedimentary environments.
Accurate determination of the capacitance of a thin rectangular plate

THE PURPOSE of this paper is two fold: to determine by the method of subareas the charge distribution and capacitance of a rectangular area; and to advance therefrom a universal curve which furnishes accurate values of the capacitance of a rectangular area of any specified dimensions. From well-known theory, rigorous determination of these electrical quantities hinges on determination of the corresponding electrostatic potential function V. However, determination of the function for a specified plane area is of such mathematical difficulty that solution to date has been achieved for only one plane area, the elliptical disk of which the circular disk is a special case. In consequence, explicit equations for the charge distribution and electrical capacitance are known only for these two plane areas. However, need of accurate knowledge of the capacitance of a rectangular plane area, or of a certain parameter1 equal in magnitude to the capacitance, occurs in numerous physical problems. (Thus, the normal force R on a thin rectangular plate moving in the direction of its normal with a velocity V through a liquid of viscosity �� is R = 8����CV, where C is a parameter equal to the capacitance of a rectangular planar conductor of the same dimensions as the thin plate.) To cite an example of much current interest in electrical engineering, a knowledge of the capacitance of rectangular plates is required in the rational design of grounding systems for high-voltage power systems.2���4 Accordingly, it is obviously most desirable to have in hand curves which readily afford values of the capacitance with accuracy sufficient for design purposes. Precisely such a set of curves is advanced in this paper, the essential content of which may be summarized as follows: The method of subareas, earlier formulated and used by the authors to obtain excellent approximate solutions of the difficult, long-standing problems of determination of the capacitance and charge distribution of a plane annulus5 and a cube,6,7 is recast to enable solution of the present problem. Therewith equations for the capacitance and charge distribution of an arbitrarily dimensional rectangular area are formulated; and the solutions of these equations, as effected through use of International Business Machines equipment, are then utilized to plot a universal curve of capacitance versus width/height from which can be read the capacitance of any specified rectangular area with sufficient accuracy for most design purposes. Corroborative of the correctness of the solution in general, this curve falls within the narrow upper and lower bounds to be calculated from the known expressions for the capacitances of the circumscribed and inscribed ellipses. Finally, comparison of this universal curve with the corresponding curve plotted from Howe'8 wellknown and much used expression for the approximate capacitance of a rectangular area reveals that this expression yields values in considerable error over much of the range of w/h (width/height).
Prices, Product Qualities and Asymmetric Information: The Competitive Case

Recent developments in the economics of information emphasize the informational content of prices. We examine the degree to which prices convey information on product quality to uninformed agents. Under perfect competition, we show that a rational expectations equilibrium may not exist. When an equilibrium does exist, the information on quality conveyed by prices depends on the shape of the average cost curves and the relative numbers of informed and uniformed agents.
Groundwater Remediation Design under Uncertainty Using Genetic Algorithms

In groundwater problems, there always is some uncertainty associated with appropriate values for aquifer parameters. Therefore an optimal remediation strategy identified by assuming a deterministic description of the system may not yield an optimal and feasible design. This work develops a robust genetic algorithm (GA) approach that takes into account the uncertainty of hydraulic conductivity values when determining the best remediation design possible. Within a generation of the robust GA, all designs are evaluated using the same realization of the heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity field, but the realizations vary between GA generations. Ongoing performance of the designs is measured and is used in the GA evolution process. While the robust GA is a multiple realization method, minimal additional computation effort over that of a basic GA is required to identify robust designs. The robust GA is applied to two cases of varying heterogeneity of an example contaminated aquifer remediated by a pump-and-tre...
Chromosomal polymorphisms in the pitcher-plant mosquito, Wyeomyia smithii

A local population of the pitcher-plant mosquito, Wyeomyia smithii (Diptera: Culicidae, Culicini) in western New York State contains naturally polymorphic salivary gland chromosomes. Maps depicting the proposed standard sequence of bands along each of the three chromosomes are presented. Structural conformations of heterokaryotypes reveal ten paracentric inversions. Four inversions occur in chromosome 1, and three in each of chromosomes 2 and 3. All the inversions are small, occupying 3–17% of the length of their respective chromosomes, and all are located in the terminal 1/5 to 1/2 of a chromosome arm. Three inversions are almost adjacent on chromosome 1. On chromosome 2 one inversion lies completely within another. Three inversions on chromosome 3 partially overlap. The remaining two inversions occur alone, one on chromosome 1 and the other on chromosome 2. Another polymorphism, with no visible alteration of band sequence, produces asynapsis of all but the tip of the left arm of chromosome 1, and shows a significant change in frequency between two successive years. No inversion exhibits a significant seasonal change in frequency, though some fluctuation in frequency was noted in two cases. The rarest inversion in the population exists at a frequency below 0.01, and the two most common inversions at frequencies of 0.44 and 0.52. The average inversion heterozygosity of an individual is between 1.7 and 2.4 based on two different estimation procedures. Heterokaryotypes for several of the inversions were significantly more frequent than they should have been, given binomial expectations. Cytogenetic analysis of W. smithii was deemed particularly desirable because this species has been and continues to be the subject of extensive biometrical-genetic, ecological, and evolutionary investigation.
Structural Changes to Monomeric CuZn Superoxide Dismutase Caused by the Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-Associated Mutation A4V

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive motor neuron degenerative disease, and the inherited form, familial ALS (fALS), has been linked to over 100 different point mutations scattered throughout the Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase protein (SOD1). The disease is likely due to a toxic gain of function caused by the misfolding, oligomerization, and eventual aggregation of mutant SOD1, but it is not yet understood how the structurally diverse mutations result in a common disease phenotype. The behavior of the apo-monomer fALS-associated mutant protein A4V was explored using molecular-dynamics simulations to elucidate characteristic structural changes to the protein that may allow the mutant form to improperly associate with other monomer subunits. Simulations showed that the mutant protein is less stable than the WT protein overall, with shifts in residue-residue contacts that lead to destabilization of the dimer and metal-binding sites, and stabilization of nonnative contacts that leads to a misfolded state. These findings provide a unifying explanation for disparate experimental observations, allow a better understanding of alterations of residue contacts that accompany loss of SOD1 structural integrity, and suggest sites where compensatory changes may stabilize the mutant structure.
On the Isolation Properties of Semiactive Dampers

The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate and better understand the isolation properties of semiactive suspensions. Specifically, this study will answer the question regarding why semiactive dampers are able to isolate at frequencies well below those for passive dampers, even though they do not add any energy to the system. A single suspension model is used to derive and analytically evaluate the transmissibility properties of passive and semiactive dampers. The results show that for semiactive dampers, the frequency range of isolation and the transmissibility amplitude are functions of ξ, the damping ratio. In contrast, the isolation frequency range for passive dampers is completely independent of ξ. Furthermore, the results show that for sufficiently large ξ, semiactive dampers are able to provide isolation at all frequencies. This feature is useful for many applications, particularly for sensitive machinery that cannot tolerate any overshoot in power- up or power-down, and yet must have good iso...
A 1.5-Mb cosmid contig of the CMT1A duplication/HNPP deletion critical region in 17p11.2-p12.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) is associated with a 1.5-Mb tandem duplication in chromosome 17p11.2-p12, and hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) is associated with a 1.5-Mb deletion at this locus. Both diseases appear to result from an altered copy number of the peripheral myelin protein-22 gene, PMP22, which maps within the critical region. To identify additional genes and characterize chromosomal elements, a 1.5-Mb cosmid contig of the CMT1A duplication/HNPP deletion critical region was assembled using a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC)-based isolation and binning strategy. Whole YAC probes were used for screening a high-density arrayed chromosome 17-specific cosmid library. Selected cosmids were spotted on dot blots and assigned to bins defined by YACs. This binning of cosmids facilitated the subsequent fingerprint analysis. The 1.5-Mb region was covered by 137 cosmids with a minimum overlap set of 52 cosmids assigned to 17 bins and 9 contigs. 20 refs., 2 figs.
Cockroach allergen exposure and sensitization in suburban middle-class children with asthma

Background: Exposure to cockroach allergen is prevalent in inner-city homes and is associated with an increased risk of cockroach sensitization. Objective: We sought to determine the prevalence of cockroach allergen exposure in suburban middle-class homes and to study its relationship to cockroach sensitization. Methods: Children with asthma, 6 to 17 years of age, were recruited from 3 pediatric practices located in counties surrounding Baltimore city and from 1 practice located within Baltimore city limits. Participants underwent skin prick testing and completed baseline questionnaires. In addition, their homes were inspected, and settled dust samples were collected for allergen analysis. Results: Forty-one percent of the total study population (n = 339) had kitchen Bla g 1 levels of greater than 1 U/g. Fortynine percent were white, 53% had annual incomes of greater than $50,000, and 48% of mothers had college degrees. Seventy-seven percent of the study population resided in a suburban or rural location, and 30% of kitchens in these homes had Bla g 1 levels of greater than 1 U/g. Among the suburban-rural subgroup, 21% were sensitized to cockroach compared with 35% of the city group. In multivariate analysis, exposure to kitchen Bla g 1 levels of greater than 1 U/g was associated with cockroach sensitization for both the total study population (odds ratio, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.28-4.11) and the suburban-rural subgroup (odds ratio, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.23-4.57). Conclusions: Cockroach allergen exposure might be more common in suburban middle-class homes of asthmatic children than previously thought. Moreover, the data suggest that low-level cockroach exposure is a risk factor for cockroach sensitization. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;112:87-92.)
Is surface-based orientation influenced by a proportional relationship of shape parameters?

We investigated the extent to which parameters of environmental shape – namely the major and minor principal axes of space which pass through the centroid and approximate length and width of the entire space, respectively, were subject to similar psychophysical principles as those involved in distance discriminations. We developed an orientation task that allowed us to manipulate the ratio of the major to the minor principal axes of an enclosure during training and control for orientation by alternative cues other than principal axes such as wall lengths or corner angles during testing. Participants trained in an environment with a larger hypothetical discriminability ratio allocated more responses to locations specified by the principal axes of space across novel enclosure types compared to a group trained with a smaller hypothetical discriminability ratio. Results suggest that psychophysical principles may operate on the discrimination of environmental shape parameters and delineate a potential mechanism for experiential and developmental changes in orientation ability.
Bioprocessing in space

Two approaches for biomass processing in Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems are compared in a literature survey. The approaches are based on (1) total oxidation of plant matter and (2) the potential of bioregenerative recovery.
A seemingly unrelated Poisson model for revealed and stated preference data.

A seemingly unrelated Poisson regression model is proposed as an alternative to single equation Poisson models for joint estimation of revealed preference (RP) and contingent behaviour (CB) trip demand. Findings indicate that RP and CB data should be estimated jointly.
Intracellular calcium mobilization following prostaglandin receptor activation in human ciliary muscle cells.

PURPOSE. To investigate the presence of specific prostaglandin receptors in primary cultures of human ciliary muscle cells by measuring agonist-stimulated intracellular calcium mobilization. METHODS. The ciliary muscle cells, cultured from postmortem human ciliary muscle explants, were first characterized by anti-desmin and anti-smooth muscle a-actin antibodies. Increase in intracellular calcium concentrations, in fura 2-AM loaded human ciliary muscle cells stimulated by prostaglandin receptor agonists, were determined with a digital fluorescence imaging system. RESULTS. The resting intracellular calcium concentration in the fura 2-AM loaded cells was 60.0 ± 6.0 nM. The threshold concentration of PG receptor agonists needed to increase the concentration of intracellular calcium was 10 - 8 M. The stimulation of these cells by PGF 2a, 17-phenyl trinor PGE 2, and U46619, the FP, EP 1, and TP receptor agonists, resulted in the dose-dependent increase of intracellular calcium. CONCLUSION. The results of the pr...
Influence of race and socioeconomic status on engagement in pediatric primary care.

Objective To understand the association of race/ethnicity with engagement in pediatric primary care and examine how any racial/ethnic disparities are influenced by socioeconomic status.
Mediated electron transfer across Nafion®|solution interfaces. Comparison with Marcus theory for cases involving Gaussian arrays of mediator couples

Abstract The kinetics of electron transfer between cationic complexes of RuII confined within Nafion® coatings on electrodes and anionic oxidants in solution were measured and analyzed according to a model in which the reactants in the Nafion® exhibit an array of formal potentials with a Gaussian distribution. The variety of anionic co-reactants employed provided a range of driving forces for the electron-transfer cross-reactions involved. With thermodynamically disfavored cross-reactions the experimental results could be accommodated only by taking into account the array of formal potentials of the mediating complexes within the Nafion® coatings. For thermodynamically favored reactions it was possible to approximate the array of formal potentials by a single formal potential at the center of the array. It is shown that the linear correlation between the rate constants and driving forces of electron-transfer cross-reactions predicted by Marcus theory is not affected when one of the co-reactants presents a distributed array of formal potentials instead of a single value. Kinetic data are presented for the reactions of Ru(NH3)2+6 and/or Ru(NH3)5py2+ with RuIII(edta)−, FeIII(edta)− and FeXW11Om−39 (X  P. m = 4; X  Ge, Si, m = 5).
A framework for strategic service management

Abstract A service framework is needed to foster strategic thinking in services. This paper introduces the service process/service package matrix to meet that need. The important feature of the service process is the degree of customer influence on the service process. The unique characteristic of the service package is that it consists of both tangible and intangible aspects. The service package is described by the degree of customization found in those tangible and intangible elements. Strategic competencies are identified and discussed along the service process dimension, the service package dimension, and the main diagonal of the matrix. Some existing strategic frameworks are embedded and incorporated in the matrix. Additionally, we formulate research propositions based on the matrix. Service firms can use this matrix to gain strategic insights by aligning the type of service package offered with the type of process used to create the service and to have a better understanding of their service operations strategy.
Bemerkungen zu vorstehender Arbeit zur „Theorie der Supraleitung” von Max von Laue

Obwohl der Leser sich leicht selbst davon uberzeugen kann, das die kritischen Bemerkungen in der vorstehenden Arbeit samtlich auf Misverstandnissen beruhen, will ich, einer Anregung des Herausgebers der „Annalen” folgend, meine Stellungnahme hier zur Sprache bringen. Die Numerierung der folgenden Abschnitte entspricht den Ziffern der Abschnitte der v. Laueschen Note.
Differences in the outcomes of anterior versus posterior interbody fusion surgery of the lumbar spine: a propensity score-controlled cohort analysis of 10,941 patients

Few studies have measured outcome differences between the various available spinal fusion techniques. We compare long-term outcomes of anterior versus posterior lumbar interbody fusion. Using the MarketScan database (Truven Health Analytics, Ann Arbor, MI, USA) we selected patients ⩾18 years old who underwent lumbar fusion surgery from 2000-2009 using either approach. Exclusion criteria included circumferential fusion, and having less than 1 year of preoperative or less than 2 years of postoperative follow-up. Using an inverse probability-weighted propensity-score model we compared reoperation and 90 day complication rates, and postoperative health resource utilization of both approaches. A total of 10,941 patients were identified. Of these, 7460 (68.2%) and 3481 (31.8%) underwent posterior and anterior interbody fusion, respectively. Anterior fusion patients had a higher 2 year reoperation rate (odds ratio 1.43, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-1.70, p<0.0001), although differences became non-significant at maximum follow-up (p=0.0877). The 90 day complication rate was 15.7%, with anterior fusion patients being more likely to experience complications (relative risk 1.24, 95%CI: 1.13-1.36, p<0.0001). Anterior fusion patients also had greater levels of postoperative health utilization, surpassing posterior fusion patients by an average of $US7450 in total charges (95% CI: $4670-$10,220, p<0.0001). As currently practiced in the USA, anterior lumbar surgical approaches may be associated with higher postoperative morbidity and reoperation rates than posterior fusion approaches.
Identifying key factors for successful joint venture in China

China has become one of the top three nations for attracting foreign investment in the international market since 1990. Hundreds of international corporations are currently competing for business opportunities in China in the form of joint venture or direct investment. Both successful joint ventures and failed investments have been reported. Research, addressing issues of the conflicts between different cultures, traditions, as well as value systems, has appeared recently, but few focuses on identifying the key factors and their managerial implications for foreign investors to successfully enter China’s market. This paper presents an application of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in such an effort, through a case study of China Motorola. This study shows that for foreign investors, by identifying key success factors and then incorporating those factors into firm’s long‐term business strategies and policies can enhance their business opportunities in China for a long time to come, even under China’s current complex economic and marketing conditions.
The role of debris‐induced cantilever effects in cyclic fatigue of micron‐scale silicon films

The presence of debris, surface roughness, or other asperities on crack faces creates a geometry that is reminiscent of a lever (the crack face) on a fulcrum (the debris or surface asperity). This ‘cantilever effect’ is intuitive and is routinely forwarded as a mechanism for crack advance when compressive loads are applied. Recently this cantilever effect has also been linked to fatigue of micron-scale silicon films. Finite-element modelling was used in this study to evaluate different wedging configurations that would be likely to occur within micromachined silicon thin films. The results of the model clearly show that wedges or other asperities in the wake of a crack do not increase the magnitude of the stress intensity factor during compression.
Modulations of ongoing alpha oscillations predict successful short-term visual memory encoding

Alpha-frequency band oscillations have been shown to be one of the most prominent aspects of neuronal ongoing oscillatory activity, as reflected by electroencephalography (EEG) recordings. First thought to reflect an idling state, a recent framework indicates that alpha power reflects cortical inhibition. In the present study, the role of oscillations in the upper alpha-band (12 Hz) was investigated during a change-detection test of short-term visual memory. If alpha oscillations arise from a purely inhibitory process, higher alpha power before sample stimulus presentation would be expected to correlate with poorer performance. Instead, participants with faster reaction-times showed stronger alpha power before the sample stimulus in frontal and posterior regions. Additionally, faster participants showed stronger alpha desynchronization after the stimulus in a group of right frontal and left posterior electrodes. The same pattern of electrodes showed stronger alpha with higher working-memory load, so that when more items were processed, alpha power desynchronized faster after the stimulus. During memory maintenance, alpha power was greater when more items were held in memory, likely due to a faster resynchronization. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the level of suppression of alpha power by stimulus presentation is an important factor for successfully encoding visual stimuli. The data are also consistent with a role for alpha as actively participating in attentional processes.
Aquacultural approaches to recycling of dissolved nutrients in secondarily treated domestic wastewaters-II biological productivity of artificial food chains

Abstract We have studied the biological productivity, measured as biomass yields, of laboratory scale artificial food chains composed of sequential monocultures of suspended unicellular green algae (Scenedesmus), herbivorous cladoceran crustaceans (Daphnia magna), and herbivorous teleost fish (Hypophthalmichthys). These food chains were grown in minimally modified secondarily treated, chlorinated then dechlorinated, domestic waste waters. Successive stages in the chains were fed the organisms grown in the just preceding stages. Additions of 1 ppm ferrous sulfate and aeration with mixtures of air plus 5% carbon dioxide (buffered cultures) increased yields of Scenedesmus cultures by 52% above yields of air aerated, unsupplemented cultures (unbuffered cultures). Buffered cultures remained stable for long periods (1–2 weeks) and maintained good cell quality (no chlorosis; 90+% of cells present were Scenedesmus). Unbuffered, unsupplemented cultures soon became chlorotic, cells autoflocculated (which greatly reduced yields), and changes occurred in species composition. These latter cultures were unsuitable as food for cladocerans. Three production indices (conversion coefficients, specific production, and production/biomass ratios) showed that better growth occurred in cladoceran cultures fed buffered algal cultures as compared with unbuffered cultures. When fed unbuffered cultures cladocerans showed higher production indices when flocculated but unsettled cultures were used, as compared with supernates from flocculated, settled cultures. Attempts to grow the primarily herbivorous silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) in a two-stage (buffered algae-fish) food chain failed. Ammonia toxicity may have been the cause of fish deaths.
The new German citizenship law and its impact on German demographics: research notes

The processes of marginalization and inclusion of immigrants vary widely among industrialized welfare states. Models of citizenship, as a mechanism of both inclusion and exclusion, shape, to a large degree, the outcome of these processes. They affect the way immigrant and ethnic groups identify themselves within the mainstream society. This research note discusses whether or not institutional approaches to naturalization developed in the United States apply to the German case in the wake of the German citizenship reform of 1999. It also demonstrates how the introduction of birthright citizenship has caused a dramatic change in such demographic trends as the number of births to immigrants at both the federal and local levels. Berlin will provide the context at the local level for the impact of the citizenship reform on local official statistics.
FELINE CRYSTALLURIA : DETECTION AND INTERPRETATION

Crystalluria results from oversaturation of urine with crystallogenic substances. However, oversaturation may occur as a result of in vivo and in vitro events. Therefore, care must be used not to overinterpret the significance of crystalluria. Evaluation of urine crystals may aid in (1) detection of disorders predisposing cats to urolith or matrix-crystalline urethral plug formation; (2) estimation of the mineral composition of uroliths or urethral plugs; and (3) evaluation of the effectiveness of medical protocols initiated to dissolve or prevent urolithiasis.
A role for ADP-ribosylation factor in nuclear vesicle dynamics

Two distinct steps in nuclear envelope assembly can be assayed in vitro1–3: the protein-mediated binding4 of nuclear-specific vesicles to chromatin, and the subsequent fusion5 of these vesicles to enclose the chromatin within a double nuclear membrane. Nuclear vesicle fusion, like fusion in the secretory pathway6,7, requires ATP8,9 and cytosol1,3,5 and is inhibited by nonhydrolysable GTP analogues1,2. The sensitivity of nuclear vesicle fusion to GTP-γS requires a GTP-dependent soluble factor, the properties of which are strikingly similar to a GTP-dependent Golgi binding factor (GGBF) that inhibits Golgi vesicle fusion in the presence of GTP-γS and belongs to the ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) family of small GTPases10,11. In the presence of GTP-γS, ARF proteins and α-, β-, γ-, δ-COP (‘coatomer’) subunits are associated with Golgi transport vesicles6,12,13, but the exact roles of ARF proteins in secretion are not yet understood. We report here that purified ARF1 and GGBF have GTP-dependent soluble factor activity in the nuclear vesicle fusion assay. Our results show that the function of ARF is not limited to the Golgi apparatus, and indicate that there may be a link between the formation of nuclear vesicles during mitosis and proteins involved in secretion.
Optical Design Criteria For Grating Spectroradiometers

Parametric and scaling equations for a generalized grating spectrometer configuration are presented; these equations specify noise equivalent radiance in terms of instrument optical design parameters. Optical design criteria are derived from these equations for a multi-channel IR grating spectrometer for use as an advanced atmospheric sounder.
Metamaterials: From THz to optical frequencies

Recent theory predicted a new class of meta structures made of engineered sub wavelength entities - meta ldquoatomsrdquo and ldquomoleculesrdquo which enable the unprecedented electromagnetic properties that do not exist in the nature. For example, artificial plasma and artificial magnetism, and super lens that focuses far below the diffraction limit. The metamaterials may have profound impact in wide range of applications such as nano-scale imaging, nanolithography, and integrated nano photonics..
Diagnostic Yield of Cytologic Analysis of Pericardial Effusion in Dogs

Background Pericardial effusion cytology is believed by many to be of limited value, yet few studies have evaluated its diagnostic utility. Objectives To determine the diagnostic utility of cytologic analysis of pericardial effusion in dogs and to determine if consideration of additional data could improve the diagnostic yield. Animals Two hundred and fifty-nine dogs with cytologic analysis of pericardial effusion performed between April 1990 and June 2012. Methods Electronic medical records from a university teaching hospital were retrospectively reviewed; signalment, complete blood count, serum biochemistry, cytologic analysis of pericardial effusion, and echocardiographic data were recorded. Cytology was classified as diagnostic (infectious or neoplastic) or nondiagnostic (hemorrhagic or other) and groups were compared with multiple Student's t-tests. Results Cytology was grouped as nondiagnostic (92.3%) or diagnostic (7.7%) and characterized as hemorrhagic (90%), neoplastic (4.6%), infectious (3.1%), or other (2.3%). Overall cytologic analysis of pericardial effusion diagnostic utility was 7.7% and increased to 20.3% if the effusion hematocrit (HCT) <10%; echocardiographic evidence of a mass did not result in a significant increase in the diagnostic utility. Conclusions and Clinical Importance The diagnostic utility of cytologic analysis of canine pericardial effusion is variable depending on the underlying etiology. In this group of dogs, the diagnostic yield of cytologic analysis was greater for pericardial effusion samples in which the HCT was less than 10%.
Carrot man: A case of excessive beta-carotene ingestion†

In this case report, the authors describe a 48-year-old male who complained to his primary care physician of abdominal discomfort and yellow/orange skin discoloration. Physical examination was normal except for some mild mid-abdominal discomfort (no observed skin color changes). An abdominal CT scan indicated a colon that was full of stool. Laboratory studies indicated elevated liver enzymes. Upon further questioning, the patient reported ingesting 6-7 pounds of carrots per week to facilitate his dieting effort. The patient was diagnosed with constipation, hypercarotinemia, and possible vitamin A toxicity. Following the cessation of excessive carrot ingestion, his liver enzymes normalized within 1 month.
NMDAR antagonist action in thalamus imposes delta oscillations on the hippocampus

Work on schizophrenia demonstrates the involvement of the hippocampus in the disease and points specifically to hyperactivity of CA1. Many symptoms of schizophrenia can be mimicked by N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist; notably, delta frequency oscillations in the awake state are enhanced in schizophrenia, an abnormality that can be mimicked by NMDAR antagonist action in the thalamus. Given that CA1 receives input from the nucleus reuniens of the thalamus, we sought to determine whether an NMDAR antagonist in the thalamus can affect hippocampal processes. We found that a systemic NMDAR antagonist (ketamine; 50 mg/kg) increased the firing rate of cells in the reuniens and CA1 in awake rats. Furthermore, ketamine increased the power of delta oscillations in both structures. The thalamic origin of the change in hippocampal properties was demonstrated in three ways: 1) oscillations in the two structures were coherent; 2) the hippocampal changes induced by systematic ketamine were reduced by thalamic injection of muscimol; and 3) the hippocampal changes could be induced by local injection of ketamine into the thalamus. Lower doses of ketamine (20 mg/kg) did not evoke delta oscillations but did increase hippocampal gamma power, an effect not dependent on the thalamus. There are thus at least two mechanisms for ketamine action on the hippocampus: a low-dose mechanism that affects gamma through a nonthalamic mechanism and a high-dose mechanism that increases CA1 activity and delta oscillations as a result of input from the thalamus. Both mechanisms may be important in producing symptoms of schizophrenia.
The Use of Organic vs. Chemical Fertilizer with a Mineral Losses Tax: The Case of Dutch Arable Farmers

The paper focuses on farm-level nitrogen fertilization strategies of Dutch arable farmers for analyzing the substitution of organic fertilizers (manure) with chemical fertilizers. The model developed investigates the impact of the major parameters affecting the inferiority of manure compared with chemical fertilizers, including the low availability and non-uniformity of the nitrogen in manure, and the low level and high non-uniformity of plant-available nitrogen supplied via manure. The sensitivity of the optimal fertilization decisions and its associated environmental impact to product price, manure cost, and environmental tax is also examined. The theoretical analysis is applied to a representative Dutch grower of ware potatoes in the northern part of the Netherlands. The results suggest that in the absence of a subsidy the representative farmer will prefer to apply nitrogen only via chemical fertilizers.
Moderation of Religious Parties: Electoral Constraints, Ideological Commitments, and the Democratic Capacities of Religious Parties in Israel and Turkey

Whether religious parties’ inclusion in electoral competition moderates or polarizes their positions remains an enigma as deductive accounts yield contradictory results. This analysis questions the...
Treatment of Sexual-Orientation Obsessions in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Exposure and Ritual Prevention:

Presented is a case report of exposure and ritual prevention (EX/RP) therapy administered to a 51-year-old, White, heterosexual male with sexual-orientation obsessions in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The patient had been previously treated with pharmacotherapy, resulting in inadequate symptom reduction and unwanted side effects. OCD symptoms included anxiety about the possibility of becoming gay, mental reassurance, and avoidance of other men, which resulted in depressive symptoms and marital distress. The patient received 17 EX/RP sessions, administered twice per week. The effect of treatment was evaluated using standardized rating instruments and self-monitoring by the patient. OCD symptoms on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) fell from 24 at intake to 3 at posttreatment and to 4 at a 6-week follow-up, indicating minimal symptoms. Improvement also occurred in mood, quality of life, and social adjustment. Issues concerning the assessment and treatment of homosexuality-themed obsessions in OCD are highlighted and discussed.
Patterns of medication administration from 2001 to 2009 in the treatment of children with acute burn injuries: A multicenter study

Children with burn injuries receive a broad range of medications, from analgesics to antipsychotics, but how utilization of these drugs differs from one pediatric burn center to another is unclear. This study examined utilization patterns of six categories of medication administered acutely to burned children as a first step in creating evidence-based practice guidelines. Six medications administered to pediatric patients enrolled in a multicenter study were recorded from patient charts using a standardized chart review template. The medication categories included opiates, benzodiazepines, antidepressants, beta-blockers, two different anesthetics, and antipsychotics. Data were analyzed by χ and logistical regression analysis. Analysis of data from three sites and 470 patients revealed significant differences in prescription patterns across hospitals for all medication groups except opiates. Differences were significant for benzodiazepines and antidepressants (χ = 7.3; P < .01 for both) controlling for age, gender, race, language, burn size, and length of stay. Differences in prescribing patterns for beta-blockers and the anesthetics ketamine and propofol failed to reach statistical significance; however, the results did trend in that direction (χ = 3.8 and 3.4, respectively; P < .10 for both). The pharmacotherapeutic agents described in this study are an integral part of acute pediatric burn care, and yet there is variation in use of these medications among the centers. The differences in prescribing indicate that, for certain drugs, a range of approaches to pharmacotherapeutics is being used and suggest that evidence-based guidelines for administration of these agents need to be developed.
Analysis of participant reactions to a series of family planning training events

Intrah conducts training in family planning for health workers in Africa and Asia. This paper assesses the training on the basis of reactions of participants and a model that views participant reactions as a function of characteristics of the setting in which the training takes place, training event, and the participants. Data are participant reactions from 1659 trainees in 92 events from 1984 to 1987. Factor analysis is used to reduce fifteen participant reaction items to a smaller set of dimensions. Regression analysis is used to test the conceptual model. Analysis produced five participant reaction factors, usefulness of the training, practicality of the training, presentation, a trainer rating and extent of activity. Between twenty six and fifty six percent of the variance in these measures is accounted for by the variables selected on the basis of the conceptual model.
A duality for symmetric spaces with applications to group representations

$1. Totally Geodesic Submanifolds of Xand of S. Reduction to the Hermitian Hyperbolic Case $2. Conical Distributions. Elementary Properties $3. Conical Functions and Finite-Dimensional Representations ...... $4. The Determination of the Conical Distributions $5. The Spherical Representations and the Fourier Transform on X .... 96. Construction of the Intertwining Operators
Auger-electron spectra from boron carbide.

Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) has been used to study the surface composition and electronic structure of hot-pressed samples of boron carbide. The samples had bulk compositions of B/sub 9/C and B/sub 4/C. After removing oxygen and excess carbon contaminants from the surfaces of the samples by noble-ion sputtering the AES estimates of surface B/C ratios were close to those of the bulk for each sample. Using the Auger data as a probe of the valence band (VB) of the samples, the shapes of the B KVV and C KVV lines were not found to be dependent on the stoichiometry of the sample, indicating that the local chemical bonding, respectively, for B and for C does not change significantly in going from B/sub 9/C to B/sub 4/C. Comparisons of the Auger line shapes with site-specific projected VB density-of-states calculations for B/sub 13/C/sub 2/ by Armstrong et al. (Acta Crystallogr. Sect. B 39, 324 (1983)) indicated at least a limited agreement between theory and experiment in terms of the total VB bandwidth. The shapes of the Auger lines indicate that both s and p VB electrons take part in the Auger decays.
Perceptron Reranking for CCG Realization

This paper shows that discriminative reranking with an averaged perceptron model yields substantial improvements in realization quality with CCG. The paper confirms the utility of including language model log probabilities as features in the model, which prior work on discriminative training with log linear models for HPSG realization had called into question. The perceptron model allows the combination of multiple n-gram models to be optimized and then augmented with both syntactic features and discriminative n-gram features. The full model yields a state-of-the-art BLEU score of 0.8506 on Section 23 of the CCGbank, to our knowledge the best score reported to date using a reversible, corpus-engineered grammar.