cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Affinity for natal environments by dispersers impacts reproduction and explains geographical structure of a highly mobile bird

Understanding dispersal and habitat selection behaviours is central to many problems in ecology, evolution and conservation. One factor often hypothesized to influence habitat selection by dispersers is the natal environment experienced by juveniles. Nonetheless, evidence for the effect of natal environment on dispersing, wild vertebrates remains limited. Using 18 years of nesting and mark-resight data across an entire North American geographical range of an endangered bird, the snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis), we tested for natal effects on breeding-site selection by dispersers and its consequences for reproductive success and population structure. Dispersing snail kites were more likely to nest in wetlands of the same habitat type (lacustrine or palustrine) as their natal wetland, independent of dispersal distance, but this preference declined with age and if individuals were born during droughts. Importantly, dispersing kites that bred in natal-like habitats had lower nest success and productivity than kites that did not. These behaviours help explain recently described population connectivity and spatial structure across their geographical range and reveal that assortative breeding is occurring, where birds are more likely to breed with individuals born in the same wetland type as their natal habitat. Natal environments can thus have long-term and large-scale effects on populations in nature, even in highly mobile animals.
Usefulness of sodium hyaluronate solution in colorectal endoscopic mucosal resection.

Background: In endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), it is essential to inject submucosal fluid to prevent complications and ensure safe and complete en bloc resection of tumors. Sodium hyaluronate (SH) solution, which is effective in forming and maintaining a mucosal lift and is innocuous to mucosal tissue, is considered a useful injection solution for endoscopic submucosal dissection, a procedure associated with a high risk of perforation. This study was undertaken to assess the usefulness of this solution in EMR. Methods: Ninety-four patients with colorectal tumors of ≤20 mm in diameter were enrolled for this study and randomized to a SH solution group (0.2% two-fold diluted MucoUp) or to a normal saline group (control). Ease of EMR was primarily assessed based on ease of submucosal injection, ease of snaring and injection time. Results: SH solution was superior to normal saline for ease of submucosal injection (57 ± 0.7 vs 50 ± 0.7; P < 0.05), and it showed better results for ease of snaring with less variability (63 ± 0.8 vs 51 ± 1.0; P < 0.05). The mean injection time was similar between the two groups (3.0 ± 9.0 s and 3.0 ± 2.7 s, respectively). Post-procedural hemorrhage occurred in 7% patients (3/46) injected with SH solution and in 6% of patients (3/48) in the control group; there was no significant difference between the groups. Conclusions: Use of two-fold diluted MucoUp facilitated colorectal EMR.
An Exploratory Study of the Use of Movement-Correlated Cues in an Auditory Head-Up Display:

An auditory head-up display (AHUD) can provide a pilot with information about target azimuth and elevation. The AHUD presents headphone stimuli whose apparent position is fixed relative to the cockpit and invariant with respect to head movement. In normal (movement-linked) operation the AHUD samples the head position and then corrects the headphone stimuli so that they are perceived to be at fixed positions in physical space. This experiment tested the ability of observers to localize targets with an AHUD under different movement conditions. After listening to a sequence of three signals, the observer had to indicate the target's location. Three different conditions relating the observer's head movement to the target's spatial position were tested: (a) target fixed in physical space (normal AHUD mode), (b) no head movement allowed, and (c) target fixed in position relative to the observer's head. Azimuthal localization was much better when the position of the stimulus was veridically correlated with head ...
Journeys through Ethnography: Realistic Accounts of Fieldwork

Journeys through Ethnography: Realistic Accounts of Fieldwork. Annette Lareau and Jeffrey Shultz, eds. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1996. 260 pp.
Low-defect-density silicon on sapphire

Abstract Low-defect-density epitaxial silicon films on sapphire substrates have been produced using a novel three-step process. This three-step process is a hybrid of vapor-phase epitaxial growth and solid-phase epitaxial regrowth. The solid-phase regrowth is preceded by a simple room temperature Si ion implantation. X-ray rocking curves, MeV helium backscattering and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used to evaluate the crystalline quality of silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) wafers produced by this method. The full-width-at-half-maximum intensity of the X-ray rocking curve of this material is typically less than 600 arc seconds for a 600 nm layer. The best backscattering minimum yields at the interface and the surface of the three-step SOS layer are 0.12 and 0.03, respectively. These values indicate that the crystalline quality is much superior to that of normal SOS films prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Cross-sectional TEM micrographs indicate reductions in both the dislocation and microtwin densities.
Burkean Invention in Technical Communication

This article supplements existing rhetorical scholarship by returning to the notion of invention as general preparation of the communicator. Although much scholarship about invention in technical communication exists, it consists mainly of heuristics, checklists, ethical considerations, and audience awareness. Part of invention is using basic strategies to prepare the communicator to assess any communication situation and its context and to generate the appropriate discourse. Rhetorician Kenneth Burke's theories of dialectic and rhetoric are a twentieth-century version of this; this article explains important Burkean strategies such as etymological extension, limits of agreement with the thesis, finding the complex in the simple, expanding the circumference, translation or alembication, the four master tropes, and the pentad, and it shows how to apply these in technical communication. The article closes with a classroom assignment that uses Burkean invention strategies.
Heterogeneous material modeling with distance fields

We propose a universal approach to the problem of computer modeling of shapes with continuosly varying material properties satisfying prescribed material conditions on a finite collection of material features and global constraints. The central notion is a parameterization of space by distances from the material features-either exactly or approximately. Functions of such distances provide a systematic and intuitive means for modeling: of desired material distributions as they arise in design, manufacturing, analysis and optimization of components with varying material properties.The proposed framework subsumes and generalizes a number of earlier proposals for heterogeneo as material modeling. It is theoretically complete in the sense that it allows representation of all material property functions. We demonstrate that the approach can be implemented within the existing framework of solid modeling and its numerous advantages, including: precise and intuitive control using explicit, analytic, differential, and integral constraints specified on the native geometry; guaranteed smoothness and analytic properties without meshing; and applicability to material features of arbitrary dimension, shape, and topology.
Surface modification of SU-8 by photografting of functional polymers for lab-on-a-chip applications

Due to the high flexibility and versatility in the process development of microfluidic devices, an epoxy-based, high-aspect ratio photoresist SU-8 is now attracting attention as the main structuring material of the fluidic channels. Manipulation of the surface properties of SU-8 channel wall is critical to attach functional films such as enzyme-immobilized layers or biocompatible layers. We describe a new in situ patterning method to form a hydrogel film on SU-8 by a photografted polymerization procedure. The hydrophobic surface of SU-8 is modified using a surface bound initiator HCPK (1-hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone). A p-HEMA (poly-2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate) hydrogel film is grafted by photopolymerization of solution-phase precursors on the modified surface. The contact angle measurements reveal that the hydrophilicity was increased after the grafting. This is a promising in situ formation method of patterned functional films within a completed microfluidic channel.
Safety aspects of laser fusion research at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory

Abstract In 1972, the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory initiated an organized effort — by forming a Laser Research and Technology Division — to investigate the practicability of using the energy in focused laser beams to confine fusion targets of deuterium for themonuclear burn and subsequent extraction of heat for generating electricity. Criteria for evaluating hazards in high energy laser environments were only in formative stages, and many associated hazards were not contemplated. Fundamental biological data for fast-pulsed lasers was also lacking. This paper describes the control measures instituted and eye-wear developed for the protection of employees. Results of threshold damage experiments are summarized and a programme designed for comprehensive control of the hazards is outlined. To date no biological damage has been experienced by any employee.
Spontaneous Mammary Tumors: Decrease of Incidence in Mice Infected with an Enzyme-Elevafing Virus

Mice infected with a virus which causes increased activity of lactate dehydrogenase, and of other enzymes in blood plasma, had a significantly lower incidence of spontaneous mammary carcinoma than did controls. When the experiment was terminated at 18 months, the incidence of mammary tumors in controls was 90 percent, and in infected mice, 53 percent.
Amplified label-free electrical detection of DNA hybridization

A new protocol is described for amplifying label-free electrochemical measurements of DNA hybridization based on the enhanced accumulation of purine nucleobases in the presence of copper ions . Such electrical DNA assays involve hybridization of the target to inosine-substituted oligonucleotide probes (captured on magnetic beads), acidic dipurinization of the hybrid DNA, and adsorptive chronopotentiometric stripping measurements of the free nucleobases in the presence of copper ions. Both amplified adenine and guanine peaks can be used for detecting the DNA hybridization. The dramatic signal amplification advantage of this type of detection has been combined with efficient magnetic removal of non-complementary DNA, use of microliter sample volumes and disposable transducers. Factors influencing the signal enhancement were assessed and optimized. A detection limit of 40 fmol (250 pg) was obtained with 10 min hybridization and 5 min adsorptive-accumulation times. The advantages of this procedure were demonstrated by its application in the detection of DNA segments related to the BRCA1 breast cancer gene. The copper enhancement holds great promise not only for the detection of DNA hybridization, but also for trace measurement of nucleic acids.
Microstructure, crystallographic texture, and plastic anisotropy evolution in an Mg alloy during equal channel angular extrusion processing

Abstract In this article, we report on the relationship between the active deformation mechanisms and the development of texture, grain size and morphology, and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) during large plastic strain deformation of an AZ31B magnesium alloy. Equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) is used to apply a variable amount and sequence of simple shearing at 200 °C. Two different starting textures were used: basal poles either aligned with or perpendicular to the extrusion direction. A multi-scale ECAE simulation model based on crystal plasticity was employed to determine the relative contributions of different slip systems during ECAE at 200 °C. These simulations clarified how different active deformation modes were responsible for specific grain size and distribution, and grain morphology as a function of the starting textures and ECAE route. For instance, we found that relatively intense prismatic slip activity suppresses DRX, which, in turn, leads to an elongated grain structure. Room temperature mechanical testing was carried out on the processed samples along three orthogonal directions to characterize flow stress anisotropy and tension–compression asymmetry. It is shown that with proper selection of the starting texture and ECAE route, it is possible to control the level of mechanical anisotropy in the processed samples and obtain strongly or weakly anisotropic mechanical response in Mg alloys.
Dimerization of CD4-Cκ chimeric molecules leads to loss of CD4 epitopes

Structural similarities between two members of the immunoglobulin superfamily were explored by making chimeric immunoglobulin/CD4 antigen molecules. A crossover in the middle of the originally proposed Jκ homology unit of the first domain of the CD4 molecule was used to construct a chimeric molecule having human and mouse CD4 antigen sequence through the first 108 amino acids and murine Jκ and Cκ sequence thereafter. This molecule was expressed in the presence and absence of an immunoglobulin heavy chain. The resulting proteins were assayed for the expression of CD4 epitopes that should be present based on epitope mapping data. Monomeric, homodimeric, and heavy chain/light chain tetrameric forms of the recombinant protein were secreted and were all detectable with anti-kappa reagents. CD4 antibodies precipitated only the form of the CD4-Cκ light chain protein which appears as a monomer by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Neither the homodimer nor the heavy chain/light chain tetramer were detected with CD4 monoclonal antibodies. An engineered gene having this CD4 antigen first domain joined to the human IgGI constant region, when coexpressed with a mouse lambda light chain, also failed to express detectable CD4 epitopes. The structural implications of the presence or absence of CD4 epitopes on these proteins is discussed.
Synthesis of Fluorapatite Nanorods and Nanowires by Direct Precipitation from Solution.

In natural tooth enamel, fluoride is always present in the carbonated hydroxyapatite mineral and plays a key role in the prevention of tooth decay. In this study we aimed at mimicking the natural anticaries ability of the tooth by developing new, effective anticaries materials using fluorapatite nanorods or nanowires. We therefore investigated the conditions necessary to synthesize fluorapatite nanorods of different size, shape, and composition for future use either directly or indirectly, that is by incorporation into dental materials or in the treatment and prevention of caries. By controlling the chemical conditions, nanorods of desirable chemical composition and dimension were produced. The mechanism of how these structures were formed is also proposed.
A Dynamic Modeling And Dimensioning Approach For All-Optical Networks

In this paper we introduce a new dimensioning model for the optical network by the time-dependent blocking probability. This approach is motivated by [6] where the absorption probability based on transient analysis of continuous time Markov chain (CTMC) is used. Unlike the absorption probability model, the blocking probability has been used to dimensioning network for long time and has lower computation complexity. However, using traditional steady-state probability will cause overprovisioning in most cases. So we introduce a time-dependent blocking probability model which is based on the transient analysis of CTMC. Then we propose a novel closed-form transient analysis methods for a single link and and an arbitrary topology network. Applying this approach, the time-dependent provisioning can satisfy dynamically changing traffic demands and avoid overprovisioning problem in optical networks.
Occlusion and infection in broviac catheters during intensive cancer therapy

Before administration of intensive cytotoxic therapy, 90 central venous catheters were inserted into 80 patients with malignancies. Twenty-seven episodes of bacteremia and fungemia occurred during 96 treatment courses. The majority of these infections were due to gram-positive bacteria (45%) or fungi (22%), although gram-negative organisms accounted for 33%. Catheter occlusion occurred in patients receiving intravenous phenytoin, but blood products could be infused without difficulty. An increase in gram-positive bacteremias in patients with these catheters and drug-induced catheter occlusion must now be appreciated.
Chemical autocatalysis in the NO + CO reaction on Pt(100)

Abstract It is shown that the reaction between NO and CO on Pt(100) is autocatalytic and probably involves a surface species which accelerates the reaction. Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of co-adsorbed NO and CO yields complete reaction, with N 2 and CO 2 desorbing simultaneously in sharp peaks at ≈410 K. Isothermal desorption also yields rates characteristic of chemical autocatalysis.
Falling apart and merging: diversification of slender salamanders (Plethodontidae: Batrachoseps) in the American West

The plethodontid genus Batrachoseps, the slender salamanders, is the most diverse clade of salamanders in western North America, but it has posed taxonomic difficulties because it contains many morphologically cryptic species. A segment of the mitochondrial DNA gene cytochrome b was studied for 278 individuals densely sampled from throughout the range of all 18 described species and several undescribed species. Phylogenetic analyses of the mtDNA data identify six major clades, one corresponding to the subgenus Plethopsis and five within a monophyletic subgenus Batrachoseps. All major clades and most species within these clades display strong phylogeographic structuring. Comparisons of mtDNA and allozyme data show that several allozymically cohesive groups are not monophyletic with respect to mtDNA. We suggest that this phenomenon results from fragmentation of populations, divergence in allopatry, and then recontact and gradual merging of units caused predominantly by male-mediated gene flow. The mtDNA offers evidence that populations were once more isolated than they are now, while the patterns of allozyme variation reflect recent and current interactions among populations. The complex patterns of morphological, allozymic and mtDNA variation associated with the constantly changing geological landscape give insight into the nature of processes responsible for species formation in Batrachoseps. © 2002 The Linnean Society of London. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2002, 76, 361–391.
Regional variation in cuticular hydrocarbon composition in the common house cricket, Acheta domesticus

Abstract 1. 1. The hydrocarbon composition of different cuticular regions (pronotum, legs, abdominal tergites and sternites, pleural membrane) was determined for adult female crickets ( Acheta domesticus ). 2. 2. Hydrocarbon groups included n -alkanes, 2-methylalkanes, long-chain internally branched monomethyl- and dimethyalkanes, n -alkenes, 2-methylalkenes and alkadienes. 3. 3. Saturated hydrocarbons were more abundant than unsaturated hydrocarbons and branched saturates more abundant than n -alkanes in all regions of the cuticle examined. 4. 4. Except for a higher percentage of n -alkanes in the pleural membrane (soft cuticle), little difference was noted in compositional patterns or relative amounts of individual molecules from the different cuticular regions.
Reformulating Urban Regime Theory: The Division of Labor between State and Market Reconsidered

Urban regime theory has emerged as the dominant paradigm for the study of local politics. The ascendancy of regime theory has made it the subject of intense critical scrutiny. While urban scholars ...
Synthesis of [11C]tetrabenazine, a vesicular monoamine uptake inhibitor, for PET imaging studies

Abstract Tetrabenazine (TBZ), a high affinity and specific inhibitor of the vesicular monoamine transporter, has been labeled with carbon-11 as a potential probe for in vivo positron emission tomographic imaging of monoaminergic neuronal losses in neurodegenerative diseases. [ 11 C]TBZ was synthesized by O -[ 11 C]methylation of the 9- O -desmethylTBZ using [ 11 C]methyl iodide in the presence of tetrabutyl-ammonium hydroxide. The radiochemical yields were 35–55% (decay corrected) and the synthesis time 32–37 min from EOB. [ 11 C]TBZ was obtained with specific activities of 2000–2500 Ci/mmol (EOS) and radiochemical and chemical purities were >95%. [ 11 C]Tetrabenazine is a promising new radioligand for the in vivo study of monoaminergic neurons using PET.
Methylazoxymethanol acetate: effect of postnatal injection on brain amines and behavior.

Abstract The antimitotic drug, methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAMA), was injected into newborn rats during the first four days of life. At 48 days of age, these rats weighed one-third less than controls, as did the cerebella of their brains, but the rest of their brains weighed only 7% less than those of controls. The cerebellar structure of the drug-injected rats was highly disorganized. Purkinje cells were scattered haphazardly in the granular layer instead of forming a monolayer. More foldings and short folia were found in the cerebella of drugged animals. In spite of these large morphological differences, the total amounts of norepinephrine and serotonin in the cerebella of the drugged rats were not different from those of the control rats. Behavioral effects of postnatal injection of MAMA include retarded development of the righting reflex, i.e., the drugged pups took longer time to right themselves when placed on their backs during the first nine days after birth; and secondly, MAMA reduced locomotor activity measured 45 days after birth.
Template matching for improved accuracy in molecular tagging velocimetry

In 2D molecular tagging velocimetry (MTV), tags are written into a fluid flow with a laser grid and imaged at discrete times. These images are analyzed to calculate Lagrangian displacement vectors, often by direct cross correlation. The cross correlation method is inherited from particle imaging velocimetry, where the correlated images contain a random pattern of particles. A template matching method is presented here which takes advantage of the known geometry of laser written tag grids in MTV to achieve better accuracy. Grid intersections are explicitly located in each image by correlation with a template with several linear and rotational degrees of freedom. The template is a continuous mathematical function, so the correlation may be optimized at arbitrary sub-pixel resolution. The template is smooth at the spatial scale of the image noise, so random error is substantially suppressed. Under typical experimental conditions at low imaging resolution, displacement uncertainty is reduced by a factor of 5 compared to the direct cross correlation method. Due to the rotational degrees of freedom, displacement uncertainty is insensitive to highly deformed grids, thus permitting longer delay times and increasing the relative accuracy and dynamic range of the measurement. In addition, measured rotational displacements yield velocity gradients which improve the fidelity of interpolated velocity maps.
Sigma model beta-functions and string compactifications

Abstract The geometric conditions for (1, 0) and (1, 1) supersymmetric non-linear sigma models to have a β-function that is trivial or that has a fixed point are considered. The (2, 0) and (2, 1) models will have an off-shell effective action that is completely finite at one-loop if the holonomy group of the internal manifold is SU( n ), it not being necessary that the Ricci tensor with torsion vanish. The (2, 0) models will be finite at two loops if the spin connection and gauge connection differ by an amount proportional to the torsion. The implications for string compactifications are discussed.
A systematic review of US state environmental legislation and regulation with regards to the prevention of neurodevelopmental disabilities and asthma

Background While much attention is focused on national policies intended to protect human health from environmental hazards, states can also prevent environmentally mediated disease through legislation and regulation. However, relatively few analyses have examined the extent to which states protect children from chemical factors in the environment.
A Java and world wide web implementation of VisAD

Abstract The VisAD approach to scientific visualization is to provide an abstract view of data and displays that can be adapted to virtually any scientific observations and simulations. The Java approach is to provide an abstract computer and operating system that can be implemented on any computing platform. The Java/VisAD software combination will be capable of connecting scientists' diverse computing equipment and diverse data sets, and supporting shared, collaborative user interfaces. The C implementation of VisAD confronted users with the full generality of its data and display models through its user interface. The Java implementation will instead support a variety of discipline-specific user interfaces.
Intensity-modulated radiotherapy versus conventional three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for boost or salvage treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Abstract Purpose: To compare intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and conventional three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) for the boost treatment of new-onset nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) or the salvage treatment of locally recurrent NPC. Methods and Materials: Between January 14 and February 23, 2000, 5-field 3D-CRT treatment plans were generated for 14 consecutive NPC patients using the ADAC Pinnacle planning system in Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The planning data of these patients were later transferred to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where new IMRT plans, also using 5–7 radiation fields were created for each patient using an inverse treatment planning system. The IMRT and 3D-CRT plans were compared for all 14 patients. The relationship between the anatomic shapes and locations of targets and the results of different plans were studied. Results: Target doses were more homogeneous in IMRT plans. The average maximal brainstem dose (D 05 , the dose received by 5% of the brainstem volume) decreased from 30.9% of the prescription dose with 3D-CRT to 15.3% and 14.7% with 5- and 7-field IMRT, respectively ( p = 0.004 and 0.003, respectively, compared with 3D-CRT, paired Student's t test). Five anatomic factors were found that predicted greater benefits with IMRT. These factors were ( 1 ) vertical length of target >7 cm, ( 2 ) minimal distance between target and brainstem 3 ) maximal AP overlap of target and brainstem >0.6 cm, ( 4 ) maximal AP overlap of target and spinal cord >1 cm, and ( 5 ) vertical overlap of target and eyes >0 cm. For the 7 patients with at least 1 of these 5 anatomic factors, the benefits achieved by IMRT planning would have been greater than the benefits for the other 7 patients ( p = 0.005, Fisher's exact test). Conclusion: For boost or salvage treatment of NPC, lower normal tissue doses and more homogeneous target doses were achieved with IMRT plans. For NPC patients with at least 1 of the 5 anatomic factors, IMRT is highly recommended.
Design Effects in the Transition to Web-Based Surveys

Innovation within survey modes should always be mitigated by concerns about survey quality and in particular sampling, coverage, nonresponse, and measurement error. This is as true today with the development of web surveying as it was in the 1970s when telephone surveying was being developed. This paper focuses on measurement error in web surveys. Although Internet technology provides significant opportunities for innovation in survey design, systematic research has yet to be conducted on how most of the possible innovations might affect measurement error, leaving many survey designers "out in the cold." This paper summarizes recent research to provide an overview of how choosing the web mode affects the asking and answering of questions. It starts with examples of how question formats used in other survey modes perform differently in the web mode. It then provides examples of how the visual design of web surveys can influence answers in unexpected ways and how researchers can strategically use visual design to get respondents to provide their answers in a desired format. Finally, the paper concludes with suggested guidelines for web survey design.
The convergence of a collocation method for a class of Cauchy singular integral equations

In several recent papers we have studied the numerical solution of Cauchy singular integral equations of the first kind by a polynomial collocation method [4-61. This technique has proved to be quite efftcient for many problems, even when the kernel (but not the right-hand side) is discontinuous [4-61. The L, convergence and stability was established in [S] and [6]. In [ 121 Ioakimidis extended this method to solve Cauchy singular integral equations of the second kind with constant coefficients. Although some discussion of convergence was given it appears (at least to this author) that the proof is incomplete and the conditions on the kernel and the right-hand side are somewhat more restrictive than necessary. In this paper we will show that the convergence analysis given in [5,6] can be generalized to establish the L, convergence of collocation under rather mild restrictions on the data. Although a variety of numerical techniques such as Galerkin’s method and direct quadrature have been used extensively to solve Cauchy singular equations, they seem to be generally suited for problems with smooth kernels. For problems with discontinuous kernels collocation methods appear to be a reasonable compromise between time-consuming Galerkin methods [2] and direct quadrature methods which require the evaluation of the kernel at pairs of points where the kernel may become unbounded [3, 131. It is well known that for Fredholm equations collocation is related to product integration quadrature methods [ 11. Since such methods seem not to have been developed for the solution of Cauchy singular equations collocation appears to be a good way of dealing with fairly general integral equations of this type [4, 71.
Protein synthesis in neuronal perikarya isolated from cerebral cortex of the immature rat.

— Homogenates of neuronal perikarya isolated from the cerebral cortex of the 8-day-old rat were incubated with [3H]leucine, and the characteristics of the protein synthetic process were studied. Incorporation of leucine into protein was linear up to 90 min, proceeded optimally at pH 7.6 and was stimulated by K+ and NH4+, unaffected by Li+ and inhibited by Na+. Puromycin, cycloheximide, RNAse, sulphhydryl blocking agents and phospholipase A exerted a pronounced inhibition, whereas chloramphenicol and phospholipase C had no effect. About 42 per cent of the total radioactive protein formed in the optimally fortified in uitro system was recovered in non-sedimentable form. Incorporation into the subcellular fractions of the neuronal perikarya increased steadily with increasing time of incubation. The microsomal fraction acquired the highest specific radioactivity (d.p.m./mg of protein), followed by the mitochondrial and the nuclear + cell debris fractions. The high-speed soluble fraction exhibited the lowest specific radioactivity. Although the addition of L-methionine to a suitably fortified incubation medium inhibited neuronal protein synthesis by about 80 per cent, the addition of D-methionhe, α-methyl-DL-methionine or L-tryptophan was relatively ineffective by comparison.
Is There a Power Transition between the U.S. and China? The Different Faces of National Power

Is China about to overtake the United States? Although China scores high on most traditional measures of national power, it continues to perform poorly in information technology and human capital, important assets that are necessary to promote productivity and sustain affluence in modern economies.
Behavioral changes associated with introductions of male maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) to females with pups

Three male maned wolves were successfully introduced to their mates and 7- to 12-week-old pups at the Houston Zoological Gardens and Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in 1994 and 1995. The introductions took 3–7 weeks and had three stages: 1) allowing the male to see the female and pups through a chain-link panel or a full chain-link fence, 2) introducing the male and female without the pups present, and 3) introducing the male to the pups. For 7 days before Stage 2 and 7 days during Stage 3, the adults were observed for 150 hr. The amount of time they spent active and the amount of time they spent near the pups were recorded, as well as all behaviors they directed to the pups. After the males were introduced, the females' activity decreased, and the males' activity increased. The females spent less time near the pups after the introduction. The introduction did not affect the females' rates of affiliative or aggressive behaviors to the pups, and there was no difference between males' and females' rates of affiliative or aggressive behaviors. This introduction procedure offers an alternative to leaving the male with the pups from the time they are born. The adults' behavioral changes after the introduction show the benefits that occur when captive male maned wolves are allowed to help rear their pups. Zoo Biol 18:189–197, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effect of erythrityl tetranitrate on the electrocardiogram as recorded during exercise by radioelectrocardiography.

Abstract The effect of erythrityl tetranitrate administered sublingually in a dose of 15 mg. was evaluated in 43 patients with angina pectoris by means of radioelectrocardiography. Leads ii , V 4 and V 6 were telemetered successively for 10 sec. each throughout the test and one, three and five minutes after cessation of the exercise in the standing position. The type and amount of exercise performed was similar to that of the standardized double (Master) two-step exercise test. Of the 43 patients included in this study, 29 (Group A) showed definite electrocardiographic alterations during the control exercise test, 11 (Group B) revealed minor or equivocal changes, and 3 (Group C) exhibited no electrocardiographic alterations, but severe chest pain developed during the control test. Forty-five minutes after administration of erythrityl tetranitrate the exercise tests were repeated under similar conditions. Twenty-six of the 40 patients (65 per cent) with electrocardiographic changes during the control test showed improvement in their tracings during the repeat test. In 18 of 19 patients (95%) who experienced chest pain during the control test, the pain failed to occur after administration of erythrityl tetranitrate. Nineteen of 25 patients (75%) with definite depressions of the S-T segment during the control exercise test showed improvement after erythrityl tetranitrate; in contrast, only 6 of 11 patients (55%) with minor S-T or T changes were improved. Placebos given to 20 patients had no effect on the electrocardiographic alterations.
The thermal deaquation of some cobalt(ii) salt hydrates

Abstract The solid-state thermal deaquation reactions of the compounds, CoX 2 ·6H 2 O (X = Cl, Br, No 3 ), CoSO 4 ·7H 2 O, and Co(OAc) 2 ·4H 2 O, were investigated by thermogravimetry, DTA, magnetic susceptibility and electrical conductivity techniques. Quantitative DTA measurements were made to determine the reaction enthalpies using both sealed and open sample containers. The effects of the presence of water vapor on the deaquation reactions were also studied.
Bessel function output from an optical correlator

We introduce a new filter for an optical correlator that produces a Bessel function correlation output. The advantage of this type of output is that the width of the central dark spot at the center of the correlator output is narrower than the width of the usual correlation spot. In addition, the dark spot is insensitive to changes in illumination intensity. We present experimental results with which we write the new filter onto a programmable magneto-optic spatial light modulator.
Lactoferrin and Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Lactoferrin (LF) is a multifunctional protein and a member of the transferrin family. LF and lysozyme in breast milk kill bacteria. In the stomach, pepsin digests and releases a potent peptide antibiotic called lactoferricin from native LF. The antimicrobial characteristics of LF may facilitate a healthy intestinal microbiome. LF is the major whey in human milk; its highest concentration is in colostrum. This fact highlights early feeding of colostrum and also fresh mature milk as a way to prevent necrotizing enterocolitis.
A multidisciplinary approach to improving women's health in semi-urban Ecuador.

Abstract Objective To examine women's reasons for seeking care at The Quito Project (TQP), a student-led organization that aims to improve the health, education, and well-being of a semi-urban community in Quito, Ecuador, and to explore the need for additional preventative interventions. Methods An oral survey was administered to 86 adult patients in 2008. We also completed a chart review to evaluate patient demographics and medical conditions. Results Sixty-three (73.3%) survey respondents were female. Nearly three-quarters of the women reported an income below the minimum wage; 60% reported that the cost of medical care posed a burden. Fifty-two percent sought care at TQP because the services were free. Additionally, 77% of women reported going to the doctor only when ill and did not access preventative services. Conclusions By offering medical, dental, and tutoring services, along with preventative health workshops, TQP addresses established barriers to achieving adequate women's health. Survey results have reinforced TQP's focus on prevention.
Comparison of antacid and sucralfate in the prevention of gastrointestinal bleeding in patients who are critically III

In a randomized open trial, a regimen consisting of sucralfate administered every six hours was shown to be as effective as a regimen consisting of an antacid given hourly in the prevention of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in 155 patients who were critically ill. Two of 75 (2.6 percent) patients receiving antacid and three of 80 patients (3.8 percent) receiving sucralfate showed evidence of bleeding. In no case was bleeding severe enough to necessitate blood transfusions or surgery. The cost-effectiveness, ease of administration, reduced nursing hours, greater compliance, and fewer side effects make sucralfate a useful substitute for antacid in preventing upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients who are critically ill.
PERIODIC RESPONSE OF MECHANICAL SYSTEMS WITH LOCAL NON-LINEARITIES USING AN ENHANCED GALERKIN TECHNIQUE

Abstract A new semi-analytical framework for the study of mechanical systems with local non-linearities is presented. It recognizes that many practical built-up structures consist of non-linearities, typically at joints or junctions, with a few degrees-of-freedom, coupled with many linear degrees-of-freedom of the adjoining components. Unlike linear systems, sinusoidal excitation produces a periodic response, including super and subharmonics. A Galerkin based computational method for the solution of the steady state periodic response of mechanical systems with local non-linearities, defined in the time and/or frequency domains is proposed. The method incorporates a form of order reduction and numerical continuation with distinct benefits. Order reduction enables inclusion of the extensive and necessary, but often linear, assembled component dynamics with minimal computational cost. Additionally, the proposed form of reduction allows non-linearities explicitly defined in the frequency and the time domain to be handled simultaneously. The continuation scheme, based on the QR decomposition, facilities parametric studies for design by using the system solution for one set of parameters to optimally predict the steady state periodic solution for a similar set of parameters. Two specific examples have been chosen to illustrate the key concepts and methodology of the dual domain method. In the first example, a rigid body connected to a simply supported elastic beam via a non-linear spring is considered. The hydraulic engine mounting system is presented as the second example; a practical representative of the issues discussed in this article. Results of digital and analog computational studies verify the accuracy of the proposed method and highlight its unique capabilities.
Reduction in Specific Contact Resistivity to $ \hbox{n}^{+}$ Ge Using $\hbox{TiO}_{2}$ Interfacial Layer

We report a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) contact using a TiO2 interfacial layer on highly doped n+ Ge to overcome the problem of metal-Fermi-level pinning on Ge, which results in a large electron barrier height. A specific contact resistivity of 1.3 × 10-6 Ω·cm2 was achieved, which represents a 70× reduction from conventional contacts. For the first time, interfacial layer conductivity is experimentally identified as an important consideration for high-performance MIS contacts. New insights on the mechanism responsible for contact resistance reduction are presented.
Image deconvolution via superfast inversion of a class of two-level Toeplitz matrices

In this work we present an efficient method to recover images that have been corrupted by a certain class of image filters. For this class of filters, the image degradation process is described by a linear system of equations involving a two-level Toeplitz matrix with triangular structure on either the block or subblock level. This type of structure has algebraic properties that allow us to adapt “superfast” methods for Toeplitz matrix inversion to the two-level case. Our novel two-level superfast algorithm performs the majority of its calculation with the Fast Fourier Transform and allows us to invert an N × N matrix in O(N log N) with reasonable overhead constant. To demonstrate the power of the algorithm we deblur severely corrupted images in short execution times.
PHM system enhancement through noise reduction and feature normalization

The accuracy and precision of diagnostic features in a Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) system depends on the feature's sensitivity to not only signal quality or signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), but also failure modes and operating conditions. The data acquired in real applications are not only a measure of the direct response of the system of interest, but also unwanted noises or abnormal signals. Before extracting diagnostic features, it is therefore critical to reduce the noises and eliminate the abnormal data (i.e., outliers) that can contaminate the data and result in a distortion or reduction in the amount of accurate information that can be obtained. In this paper, the authors will review existing outlier detection methods, such as Distance Based (DB), DBSCAN, and Minimum Covariance Determinant (MCD), and highlight their application to identify the data points that should be discarded. While these outlier detection methods will detect and help remove outliers, there is still a need to eliminate or reduce random noise or unwanted signals. Therefore, the authors have also applied a number of noise reduction techniques to the raw signal to increase the SNR. Finally, the on-board sensors mounted on a system operating in extreme environments can experience dramatic shifts in outputs over short durations or transient events. Furthermore, most existing diagnostic features are quite sensitive to the system's operating conditions (e.g., speed, load, or torque) and therefore directly using the features for the system health monitoring can cause erroneous results or high false alarm rates. To mitigate the influence of transient data, the authors employ a clustering method for operational mode detection, as well as a novel feature normalization technique on the operating conditions. In this paper, the authors will compare and evaluate the contributions of the afore-mentioned algorithms and techniques to rotating machinery health monitoring. 1, 2
The role of the state in governing the commons

Elinor Ostrom did not argue that state action is antithetical to local knowledge and effective organization. She argued, to the contrary, that higher levels of state action are often necessary to solve complex common-pool resource problems. In Ostrom's central concept of polycentrism, local decision making groups must often be “nested” within state structures at a higher level, so that the higher structures can provide the coercion and other resources that make local negotiation efficient. The state has four potentially crucial roles in a polycentric system. The first is to threaten to impose a solution (a “public-interest penalty default”) if local parties cannot come to a negotiated agreement. The second is to provide a source of relatively neutral information to mitigate the problem of self-serving bias regarding the relevant facts. The third is to provide an arena for negotiating that facilitates low-cost, enforceable agreements. The fourth is to help monitor compliance and sanction defection in the implementation phase. All four arise in Governing the Commons. Today we must also consider the international level, which has no state. Issues such as global warming therefore require that we build overarching institutions to perform these state functions while at the same time preserving the flexible, grounded, local knowledge and participant commitment that facilitate legitimate and efficient systems of cooperation.
N2 pressure broadened Q branch spikes and vibration–contortion–rotation effects in the high resolution FTIR spectrum of tropolone

Abstract Nitrogen pressure broadening effects are observed on the high resolution ( 0.0025 cm −1 ) FTIR spectrum of gaseous tropolone at 298 K and 32 m of path length. Broadening observations on narrow absorption spikes contribute to understanding of the spectroscopy and dynamics of tropolone in several ways. First, they help to establish a remarkable progression of sharp peaks near 752 cm −1 as a part of the Q branch of the anharmonic ν22 (COH torsion) fundamental. The subband spacings of about 0.005–0.010 cm −1 are too large to be determined by harmonic vibrational differences in the rotational constants alone and are attributed to vibration–contortion–rotation perturbations of the upper state (ν22) energy levels of this anharmonic and relatively large amplitude vibration. Second, the isolated and sharp Q branch spikes near 915 cm −1 allow first estimates to be made for effective composite pressure broadening coefficients of tropolone–N2 collisions. The coefficients for transitions within the Ncon=0 and Ncon=1 contortion states differ from each other. They are relatively small due to the preponderance of high rotational states in their composition. Third, N2 broadening effects on substructure in the Q branch doublet near 754 cm −1 help support the assignment of this doublet to tunneling structure of the ν37 fundamental (contortion or incipient skeletal tunneling). The observed doublet components appear as perturbatively IR enhanced three and five peak fragments of weak longer progressions. The parallel spectroscopic behaviors of the perturbed anharmonic ν22 and ν37 vibrations differ markedly from behavior observed for the quasiharmonic vibrations.