cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Viral cross-linking and solid-phase purification enables discovery of ribonucleoprotein complexes on incoming RNA virus genomes

Abstract The initial interactions between incoming, pre-replicated RNA virus genomes and host protein factors are important in infection and immunity. Yet there are no current methods to study these crucial events. We established VIR-CLASP (VIRal Cross-Linking And Solid-phase Purification) to identify the primary viral RNA-host protein interactions. First, host cells are infected with 4SU-labeled RNA viruses and irradiated with 365 nm light to crosslink 4SU-labeled viral genomes and interacting proteins from host or virus. The cross-linked RBPs are purified by solid-phase reversible immobilization (SPRI) beads with protein denaturing buffers, and then identified by proteomics. With VIR-CLASP, only the incoming viral genomes are labeled with 4SU, so cross-linking events specifically occur between proteins and pre-replicated viral genomic RNA. Since solid-phase purification under protein-denaturing conditions is used to pull-down total RNA and cross-linked RBPs, this facilitates investigation of potentially all RNA viruses, regardless of RNA sequence. Preparation of 4SU-labeled virus takes ∼7 days and VIR-CLASP takes 1 day.
Did Banks Pay 'Fair' Returns to Taxpayers on TARP?

Financial institutions received billions of dollars from the U.S. Treasury in the form of preferred equity under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in 2008. Investments were made during a bad state, but the repayments came in a relatively good time. Comparing TARP’s realized returns to private market securities with similar or lower risk over the same time period, we show that the recipients paid considerably lower returns to the taxpayers than the benchmarks. Consequently, the recipient banks enjoyed a subsidy of over $50 billion. The ex-post renegotiation of TARP contract terms were beneficial to the recipients, and soon after the repayment banks increased dividend payout and CEO compensation. While we do not evaluate the net social benefit of TARP, our results challenge the oft-cited narrative that taxpayers made profits on TARP investments from a purely financial standpoint.
Rapid Reinforcement Learning by Injecting Stochasticity into Bellman

The Courchevel environment is hereby published to ease the development of streaming machine learning algorithms. In first solving this problem, a rapid reinforcement learning algorithm was invented. A simple transformation is added to the Bellman equation, a principal pillar of AI, particularly for solving Markov Decision Problems. By adding stochasticity to Bellman, sustained Reward-Per-Episode gains of an order of magnitude are validated, for environments where the reward function is structurally anticipated to be multi-modal. Courchevel as a decision problem, a first solution, and the Biased Bellman innovation are revealed -- with accompanying data. For ease of discussion, Courchevel's dynamics are described in military terms.
Making Content Relevant: A Teaching and Learning Experiment with Replication.

Two experiments examined the effect of teaching with content relevance strategies on student learning outcomes. In both experiments, college students were randomly assigned to one of three teaching...
Surface Engineering in Wearable Sensors for Medical Diagnostic Applications

In a time of rising average population and complex illnesses, the healthcare system is strained and struggling to keep costs low. Wearable devices are a potential solution to detecting the onset of sickness allowing for early treatment as well as continuous monitoring to prevent readmittance. Utilization of sensors to monitor patients will allow them to return to the comfort of their home while still under physician supervision remotely in case treatment is necessary, freeing up hospital space and staff to treat those in need of direct care. Additionally, in the consumer market, wearable devices are utilized by millions of users to monitor their vital signs and general health. In this manuscript, various wearable device, biosensors, and their applications are presented, as well as methods such as surface engineering, a powerful tool to incorporate materials into devices to result in increased functionality. Current challenges and the future outlook of the wearables industry are also discussed.
Snow Property Inversion From Remote Sensing (SPIReS): A Generalized Multispectral Unmixing Approach With Examples From MODIS and Landsat 8 OLI

Spectral mixture analysis has a history in mapping snow, especially where mixed pixels prevail. Using multiple spectral bands rather than band ratios or band indices, retrievals of snow properties that affect its albedo lead to more accurate estimates than widely used age-based models of albedo evolution. Nevertheless, there is substantial room for improvement. We present the Snow Property Inversion from Remote Sensing (SPIReS) approach, offering the following improvements: 1) Solutions for grain size and concentrations of light absorbing particles are computed simultaneously; 2) Only snow and snow-free endmembers are employed; 3) Cloud-masking and smoothing are integrated; 4) Similar spectra are grouped together and interpolants are used to reduce computation time. The source codes are available in an open repository. Computation is fast enough that users can process imagery on demand. Validation of retrievals from Landsat 8 operational land imager (OLI) and moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) against WorldView-2/3 and the Airborne Snow Observatory shows accurate detection of snow and estimates of fractional snow cover. Validation of albedo shows low errors using terrain-corrected in situ measurements. We conclude by discussing the applicability of this approach to any airborne or spaceborne multispectral sensor and options to further improve retrievals.
Atomistic modeling of meso-timescale processes with SEAKMC: A perspective and recent developments

Abstract On-the-fly kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) methods have recently garnered significant attentions after successful applications to various atomic-scale problems using a timescale outside the reach of classical molecular dynamics. These methods play a critical role in modeling atomistic meso-timescale processes, and it is therefore essential to further improve their capabilities. Herein, we review one of the on-the-fly kMC methods, Self-Evolving Atomistic kinetic Monte Carlo (SEAKMC) and propose two schemes that considerably enhance the efficiency of saddle point searches (SPSs) during the simulations. The performance of these schemes is tested using the diffusion of point defects in bcc Fe. In addition, we discuss approaches to significantly mitigate limitations of these schemes, which further improves their efficiencies. Importantly, these schemes improve the SPS efficiency not only for SEAKMC but also for other on-the-fly kMC methods, broadening the applications of on-the-fly kMC simulations to complex meso-timescale problems.
Clinician perspectives on preemptive pharmacogenetic testing to guide chemotherapy dosing in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies.

54Background: Pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing for germline variants in the DPYD and UGT1A1 genes can be used to guide fluoropyrimidine and irinotecan dosing, respectively. Despite the known associati...
Synchronous-Clock Range-Angle Relative Acoustic Navigation: A Unified Approach to Multi-AUV Localization, Command, Control and Coordination

This paper presents a scalable acoustic navigation approach for the unified command, control and coordination of multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Existing multi-AUV operations typically achieve coordination manually, by programming individual vehicles on the surface via radio communications, which becomes impractical with large vehicle numbers; or they require bi-directional inter-vehicle acoustic communications to achieve limited coordination when submerged, with limited scalability due to the physical properties of the acoustic channel. Our approach utilizes a single, periodically-broadcasting beacon acting as a navigation reference for the group of AUVs, each of which carries a chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC) and fixed ultra-short baseline (USBL) array of acoustic receivers. One-way travel-time (OWTT) from synchronized clocks and time-delays between signals received by each array element allows any number of vehicles within receive distance to determine range, angle, and thus determine their relative position to the beacon. The operator can command different vehicle behaviors by selecting between broadcast signals from a predetermined set, while coordination between AUVs is achieved without inter-vehicle communication, by defining individual vehicle behaviors within the context of the group. Vehicle behaviors are designed within a beacon-centric moving frame of reference, allowing the operator to control the absolute position of the AUV group by re-positioning the navigation beacon to survey the area of interest. Multiple deployments with a fleet of three miniature, low-cost SandShark AUVs performing closed-loop acoustic navigation in real-time provide experimental results validated against a secondary long-baseline (LBL) positioning system, demonstrating the capabilities and robustness of our approach with real-world data.
Proton radiation experimental results on a III-V nBn mid-wavelength infrared focal plane array

This paper will report on the proton, and total ionizing dose characterizations of an MWIR nBn detector array. The FPA was fabricated using MWIR nBn infrared detectors, which have a cutoff wavelength of approximately 5.0 μm at 120 K. Full radiometric characterizations were performed at multiple total ionizing dose levels to determine the impact of the radiation on the FPA noise, responsivity, NEI, and dynamic range. Displacement damage effects on the MWIR nBn detectors was evaluated at a proton energy of 63 MeV. These displacement damage effects primarily degrade the performance of the detector array through increased dark current, generation of "hot pixels" due to elevated dark current that form a tail to the dark current distribution, reduction in responsivity, and degraded uniformity. The majority of the performance degradation of the MWIR nBn detectors due to proton interactions can be attributed to a reduction in the minority carrier lifetime in the absorber region of the nBn detector.
Accessibility as a determinant of landscape transformation in western Honduras: Linking pattern and process

This study evaluates the relationship between landscape accessibility and land cover change in Western Honduras, and demonstrates how these relationships are influenced by social and economic processes of land use change in the region. The study area presents a complex mosaic of land cover change processes that involve approximately equal amounts of reforestation and deforestation. Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite imagery of 1987, 1991 and 1996 was used to create three single date classifications and a land cover change image depicting the sequence of changes in land cover between 1987–1991–1996. An accessibility analysis examined land cover change and landscape fragmentation relative to elevation and distance from roads. Between 1987 and 1991, results follow ‘expected’ trends, with more accessible areas experiencing greater deforestation and fragmentation. Between 1991 and 1996 this trend reverses. Increased deforestation is found in areas distant from roads, and at higher elevations; a result of government policies promoting expansion of mountain coffee production for export. A ban on logging, and abandonment of marginally productive agricultural fields due to agricultural intensification in other parts of the landscape, has led to increased regrowth in accessible regions of the landscape. Roads and elevation also present different obstacles in terms of their accessibility, with the smallest patches of cyclical clearing and regrowth, relating mostly to the agricultural fallow cycle, found at the highest elevations but located close to roads. This research highlights the need to locate analyses of land cover change within the context of local socio-economic policies and land use processes.
Austrian Cycle Theory: Saving the Wheat while Discarding the Chaff

W ell into the 1930s, Austrian contributions to business cycles and economic coordination stood at the forefront of economic theorizing. What is now labeled the Austrian theory of the business cycle was articulated originally by Mises (1912), with significant subsequent elaboration by Hayek (1935).1 While the Austrian-type formulations represented a robust research program during that period, those formulations pretty much disappeared from economics in the 1940s, remaining alive only on a periphery here and there.2 The Keynesian hegemony, however, began to disintegrate in the late 1960s. Macro texts now commonly portray a menu of conceptual options that include Classical, Keynesian, monetarist, new Classical, and new Keynesian varieties of macro theorizing. Despite various restatements of the Mises-Hayek insights in recent years, the Austrian insights have experienced no renaissance within the universe of macro theorizing. A curmudgeonly response to this observation would be that this is because those insights now have no value to add to the understanding of macro phenomena, principally because they have been rendered obsolete by the advance of economic theory. Indeed, this response has been advanced by several respected economists who are familiar with and broadly sympathetic with Austrian approaches to other economic phenomena. Tullock (1987, p. 73) asserts that “the Austrian theory is not a serious contender [as a theory of depression].” Cowen (1997, p. 101) presents a 13-count indictment of general incoherence against Austrian cycle theory that can only be described as being intensely
Bound to Violence?: Achille Mbembe's On the Postcolony

Achille Mbembe, in this lucid and tightly argued book, first struck me as indeed the “afro-pessimist” he has been accused by some to be. Mbembe carpets both the theory and practice of politics in Africa, condemning as banal most critical reflections on the excesses of the African state. Literary protests and editorial cartoons that caricature the excesses, eruptions, and excretions of Cameroun’s Paul Biya are dismissed as gestures that actually confirm the potentate’s projected self image. Because I am always very wary of social theories that blame hapless citizens for their own social plight, I developed some initial misgiving about Mbembe’s project. But I had a reason to reread Chinua Achebe’s Anthills of the Savannah soon after reading On the Postcolony. Then I reconsidered my reflex rejection of Mbembe’s thesis that modern existence in Africa is one strange carnival in which a pervasive atmosphere of macabre conviviality binds the potentate and the dominated in a drawn out orgy of violence and death. The more I thought of the conditions of the African society depicted in Achebe’s novel–and Achebe has never been pessimistic about African cultures–in light of Mbembe’s claims, and vice-versa, the firmer my conviction grew that Mbembe’s philosophy may after all be realist, despite its pervasive symbolism and imagism.
Continuous Control Design for Synchronous Machines

For transient stability of a synchromous machine connected to an infinite bus, a new controller is introduced. The control is continuous, guarantees global exponential stability, and robust with respect to possible variations of system parameters. The design procedure is based on a straightforward application of Lyapunov's direct method. Neither local linearization nor feedback linearization is required. The design procedure as well as the resulting controller can be easily extended to a multimachine power system. Digital simulation is included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the control.
Physical controls on hypoxia in Chesapeake Bay: A numerical modeling study

[1] A three-dimensional circulation model with a relatively simple dissolved oxygen model is used to examine the role that physical forcing has on controlling hypoxia and anoxia in Chesapeake Bay. The model assumes that the biological utilization of dissolved oxygen is constant in both time and space, isolating the role that physical forces play in modulating oxygen dynamics. Despite the simplicity of the model, it demonstrates skill in reproducing the observed variability of dissolved oxygen in the bay, highlighting the important role that variations in physical forcing have on the seasonal cycle of hypoxia. Model runs demonstrate significant changes in the annual integrated hypoxic volume as a function of river discharge, water temperature, and wind speed and direction. Variations in wind speed and direction had the greatest impact on the observed seasonal cycle of hypoxia and large impacts on the annually integrated hypoxic volume. The seasonal cycle of hypoxia was relatively insensitive to synoptic variability in river discharge, but integrated hypoxic volumes were sensitive to the overall magnitude of river discharge at annual time scales. Increases in river discharge were shown to increase hypoxic volumes, independent from the associated biological response to higher nutrient delivery. However, increases in hypoxic volume were limited at very high river discharge because increased advective fluxes limited the overall length of the hypoxic region. Changes in water temperature and its control on dissolved oxygen saturation were important to both the seasonal cycle of hypoxia and the overall magnitude of hypoxia in a given year.
Good Intentions Are Not Enough: A Story of Collaboration in Science, Education, and Technology.

(1999). Good Intentions Are Not Enough: A Story of Collaboration in Science, Education, and Technology. Journal of Science Teacher Education: Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 3-20.
On the PIC method for elastic-plastic flow

The present work uses the PIC (particle in cell) numerical approximation with Operator splitting to hydro-elastic-plastic flow problems in two-dimensional Eulerian coordinates. The solid materials properties, such as shear modulus and Field strength are dependent on pressure, compression, temperature, and equivalent Plastic strain. However, the material melting is dependent on temperature only. Practure and void or crack propagations are not included although a simple spall model has been implemented currently. The second order PIC method is used for COmputing hydrodymic flow as well as material behavior. Applying the operator ~Plltting method, the basic set of cylindrical equations is split in radial and axial directions. The calculations, performed in each separate direction, are alternated for each time advancement to maintain the accuracy of one dimensional Procedure. A self-forging fragment problem is treated using the present code and the results are compared with the e×perimental data.
Effect of curli expression and hydrophobicity of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on attachment to fresh produce surfaces

Aim: To investigate the effect of curli expression on cell hydrophobicity, biofilm formation and attachment to cut and intact fresh produce surfaces. Methods and Results: Five Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains were evaluated for curli expression, hydrophobicity, biofilm formation and attachment to intact and cut fresh produce (cabbage, iceberg lettuce and Romaine lettuce) leaves. Biofilm formation was stronger when E. coli O157:H7 were grown in diluted tryptic soy broth (1 : 10). In general, strong curli-expressing E. coli O157:H7 strains 4406 and 4407 were more hydrophobic and attached to cabbage and iceberg lettuce surfaces at significantly higher numbers than other weak curli-expressing strains. Overall, E. coli O157:H7 populations attached to cabbage and lettuce (iceberg and Romaine) surfaces were similar (P > 0·05), indicating produce surfaces did not affect (P 0·05) in most cases. Escherichia coli O157:H7 attachment and attachment strength (SR) to intact and cut produce surfaces increased with time. Conclusions: Curli-producing E. coli O157:H7 strains attach at higher numbers to produce surfaces. Increased attachment of E. coli O157:H7 on cut surfaces emphasizes the need for an effective produce wash to kill E. coli O157:H7 on produce. Significance and Impact of the Study: Understanding the attachment mechanisms of E. coli O157:H7 to produce surfaces will aid in developing new intervention strategies to prevent produce outbreaks.
Miniature gas chromatography system realized using conventional VLSI fabrication techniques applied to quantifying toxic environmental pollutants

A miniature gas chromatography (GC) system has been designed, fabricated and developed using modern silicon micromachining and VLSI circuit processing techniques. The GC system is composed of a miniature sample injector that incorporates a 10 /spl mu/l sample loop; a 0.9 m long, rectangular-shaped (300 /spl mu/m width and 10 /spl mu/m height) capillary column coated with a 0.2 /spl mu/m thick copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) stationary phase: and a dual-detector scheme based upon a CuPc-coated chemiresistor and a commercially available, 125-/spl mu/m diameter thermal conductivity detector (TCD) bead. Silicon micromachining was employed to fabricate the interface between the sample injector and the GC system's column, the GC system's column itself, and the dual-detector cavity. A novel integrated circuit thin film processing technique was developed to sublime the CuPc stationary phase coating on the GC system's column walls micromachined in the host silicon wafer substrate and the Pyrex cover plate which are subsequently electrostatically bonded together. The CuPc-coated chemiresistor was designed and fabricated using conventional VLSI circuit processing techniques. The miniature GC system has demonstrated the capability to directly and completely separate parts-per-million (ppm) ammonia and nitrogen dioxide concentrations when isothermally operated (55-80/spl deg/C). With a helium carrier gas and nitrogen diluent, a 10 /spl mu/l sample volume containing ammonia and nitrogen dioxide injected at 40 psi can be separated in less than 30 minutes. >
Arctic marginal ice zone trending wider in summer and narrower in winter

[1] Declines in Arctic sea ice extent and thickness suggest scientifically important changes in the spatial pattern of the marginal ice zone (MIZ)—a dynamic and biologically active band of sea ice cover close to open ocean. Arctic MIZ widths were measured in satellite era sea ice concentrations over the years 1979–2011 using a recently published MIZ width analysis method. Over the record, the warm season (July–September) MIZ width increased by 13 km decade−1, amounting to a 39% widening. This widening trend resulted from a marked poleward advancement of the MIZ poleward edge into regions where sea ice was increasingly younger and thinner at the beginning of annual melt, while the MIZ's equatorward edge moved comparatively little. The warm season MIZ widening contrasted in sign and strength with a cold season (February–April) MIZ narrowing trend (4 km decade−1, amounting to a 15% narrowing).
Software Certification Services: Encouraging Trust and Reasonable Expectations

This paper proposes a more general acceptance of software certification that comprises two steps: first, it should certify the environment in which the software will execute, second, it should certify the software in the context of that environment. With the proposed certification, more complex single systems can be replaced with multiple simpler systems with increased reliability. A simpler system with a single party responsible for repair is far more likely to be fixed or replaced in a manageable time frame
Variability in letter-matching asymmetry.

Pairs of letters presented simultaneously and matched for identity have been reported to show opposite visual field superiorities, depending on whether the match must be made along a physical or along a name dimension (Davis & Schmit, 1973; Geffen, Bradshaw, & Nettleton, 1972; Umilta, Sava, & Salmaso, 1980). Thus, physically identical pairs (e.g., AA) are reported to show significant left visual field (LVF) advantage in response time, while nominally identical pairs (e.g., Aa) reportedly show right visual field (RVF) advantage. Under current interpretations of VF asymmetry, these differences are taken to reflect the operation of right-hemisphere visuospatial and left-hemisphere verbal processes, respectively. The first seven of the present experiments in lettermatching were conducted several years ago while the author was affiliated with the University of Oregon. They have not been reported prior to this time because it had appeared that interest in the paradigm, at least from a hemispheric standpoint, had declined following a flurry of research in the years 19701977 (Cohen, 1972, 1973; Davis & Schmit, 1973; Gazzaniga, 1970; Geffen et al., 1972; Green, 1977; Hellige, 1975, 1976; Lefton & Haber, 1974; Levy, 1974; Wilkins& Stewart, 1974; Green & Well, Note 1). However, recently there has been a resurgence of interest (Hellige, Cox, & Litvac, 1979; Ledlow, Swanson, & Kinsbourne, 1978; Segalowicz & Stewart, 1979; Simion, Bagnara, Bisiacchi, Roncato, & Umilta, 1980; Umilta et al., 1980), and so the present experiments are contributed in the interests of a more balanced viewpoint in the literature.
Crack jump conditions for elliptic problems

Abstract We derive jump conditions for a potential function and its derivatives across a crack. A crack is a “thin” region of very different conductivity, for example a fracture in otherwise homogeneous material. Such a sharp change of material properties introduces a discontinuity in the coefficient of the elliptic equation governing the potential. The crack cannot be neglected, because it substantially alters the behavior of the potential. Numerically, it is very difficult to resolve the potential near the crack. A strategy is to treat the crack as a lower dimensional interface (hypersurface). Jump conditions across the crack for the potential and its derivatives are necessary for the development of numerical schemes for this approach. Besides the jump conditions, we also give an analytic example of their validity.
Corrigendum to “A heartfelt response: Oxytocin effects on response to social stress in men and women” [Biol. Psychol. 90 (2012) 1–9]

Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA Department of Psychiatry, UC San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School/Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Tolerance induction by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells.

In this issue of Cell Stem Cell, Zheng et al. (2011) report that HSCs expressing PD-L1 display enhanced engraftment in irradiated allogeneic recipients. Independently in Nature, Fujisaki et al. (2011) observe allogeneic HSCs persisting in proximity to regulatory T cells in nonirradiated recipients, further connecting HSCs and immune tolerance.
Integrity and Regeneration of Mechanotransduction Machinery Regulate Aminoglycoside Entry and Sensory Cell Death

Sound perception requires functional hair cell mechanotransduction (MET) machinery, including the MET channels and tip-link proteins. Prior work showed that uptake of ototoxic aminoglycosides (AG) into hair cells requires functional MET channels. In this study, we examined whether tip-link proteins, including Cadherin 23 (Cdh23), regulate AG entry into hair cells. Using time-lapse microscopy on cochlear explants, we found rapid uptake of gentamicin-conjugated Texas Red (GTTR) into hair cells from three-day-old Cdh23+/+ and Cdh23v2J/+ mice, but failed to detect GTTR uptake in Cdh23v2J/v2J hair cells. Pre-treatment of wildtype cochleae with the calcium chelator 1,2-bis(o-aminophenoxy) ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA) to disrupt tip-links also effectively reduced GTTR uptake into hair cells. Both Cdh23v2J/v2J and BAPTA-treated hair cells were protected from degeneration caused by gentamicin. Six hours after BAPTA treatment, GTTR uptake remained reduced in comparison to controls; by 24 hours, drug uptake was comparable between untreated and BAPTA-treated hair cells, which again became susceptible to cell death induced by gentamicin. Together, these results provide genetic and pharmacologic evidence that tip-links are required for AG uptake and toxicity in hair cells. Because tip-links can spontaneously regenerate, their temporary breakage offers a limited time window when hair cells are protected from AG toxicity.
Evaluation of the pKa values and ionization sequence of bumetanide using 1H and 13C NMR and UV spectroscopy

Non-thiazide loop diuretics such as bumetanide and furosemide are well-established medicaments, with varying substituents that alter their chemical properties in ways that affect biological parameters, including biodistribution, efficacy, and safety. However, literature data supporting the assignment of pKa values and ionization sequence of bumetanide are limited. The present study summarizes available literature data and then characterizes nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and ultraviolet (UV) spectral changes over a range of pH values to delineate the apparent sequence of deprotonations. Three macroscopic pKa values, 1.44, 3.74, and 10.37, were determined in water via pH titration experiments monitored by 1H NMR. Both 1H and 13C analyses support assignment of the lowest pKa value to the anilinium ion, as described for another diuretic, piretanide. However, UV data suggest that initial deprotonation of the benzoic acid competes to some extent with deprotonation of the anilinium ion, such that both pathways may operate simultaneously in an aqueous environment. Thus, the observed pKa values likely represent the macroscopic averages of the two competing deprotonation sequences. Calculated pKa values for bumetanide, piretanide, and model compounds are contrary to the deprotonation sequence we and others have determined experimentally, which is not surprising given the complicated factors driving the acid–base properties of these molecules. Drug Dev Res 72: 416–426, 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The ontogenesis of defensive reactions to shock in preweanling rats

Behavioral observations were made on the reaction to tailshock and footshock in 5- to 20-day-old hooded rats. For detection thresholds, age differences were found for footshock but not for tailshock. During intershock intervals, more generalized activity and freezing were elicited by footshock, whereas more responding directed to the shock source was elicited by tailshock. The unconditional responding to shock indicated that the older animals had a larger behavioral repertoire of defensive reactions and responded differentially to different shock intensities. The younger animals appeared to have a more limited and stereotyped repertoire of defensive reactions and to be more sensitive to the same nominal shock level. These normative data should prove useful in evaluating motivational and response repertoire problems when assessing learning processes developmentally.
Cobalt doping of a polyimide adhesive

Abstract A polyimide adhesive was modified by the addition of CoCl 2 in an effort to create a graded interface between the adhesive and the aluminium adherends. Mechanical adhesion testing and surface analysis of the failed samples were performed. The additive did segregate preferentially towards the adherend surfaces, but this segregation did not increases the peel strength of bonds tested.
BIOFILMS - AN ESEM EVALUATION OF ARTIFACTS INTRODUCED DURING SEM PREPARATION

Descriptions of biofilms and their elemental compositions based on scanning electron micrographs and energy dispersive x-ray analysis cannot be related to the original condition of the biofilm on the surface. Solvent replacement of water removes extracellular polymeric material and reduces the concentration of elements bound within the biofilm. In the wet state, bacteria and microalgae are enmeshed in a gelatinous film that is either removed or dried to a thin inconspicuous residue during sample preparation for scanning electron microscopy. The environmental scanning electron microscope provides a fast, accurate image of biofilms, their spatial relationship to the substratum and elemental composition.
Antibiotic Treatment of Acute Respiratory Infections in Acute Care Settings

Objectives: To examine the patterns of antibiotic use for acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) in acute care settings. Methods: Chart reviews were performed retrospectively on a random sample of adult ARI visits to seven Veterans Affairs (VA) and seven non-VA emergency departments (EDs) for the period of November 2003 to February 2004. Visits were limited to those discharged to home and those with primary diagnoses of antibiotic-responsive (pneumonia, acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis) and antibiotic-nonresponsive conditions (acute bronchitis, nonspecific upper respiratory tract infection [URI]). Results are expressed as adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Results: Of 2,270 ARI visits, 62% were for antibiotic-nonresponsive diagnoses. Seventy-two percent of acute bronchitis and 38% of URI visits were treated with antibiotics (p < 0.001). Stratified analyses show that antibiotic prescription rates were similar among attending-only and housestaff-associated visits for antibiotic-responsive diagnoses (p = 0.11), and acute bronchitis (76% vs. 59%; p = 0.31). However, the antibiotic prescription rate for URIs was greater for attending-only visits compared with housestaff-associated visits (48% vs. 15%; p = 0.01). Antibiotic prescription rates for total ARIs varied between sites, ranging from 42% to 89%. Patient age, gender, race and ethnicity, smoking status, comorbidities, and clinical setting (VA vs. non-VA) were not independently associated with antibiotic prescribing. Conclusions: Acute care settings are important targets for reducing inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. The mechanisms accounting for lower antibiotic prescription rates observed with housestaff-associated visits merit further study.
Phase filter, an untested f.m. demodulator

A new demodulator structure, the phase filter, is proposed for f.m.-threshold extension. A mathematical model is derived which shows the structure is equivalent to a conventional phase-lock loop preceded by a linear filter operating on the phase of the received signal.
Porous biodegradable microparticles for delivery of pentamidine

Abstract The primary objective of this study was to develop a method for the preparation of porous biodegradable controlled release formulation of poly(lactide/glycolide) (PLGA). The model drug used for this study was pentamidine. Scanning electron microscopy pictures showed that these microparticles are highly porous and spherical in shape. A comparison of particle size reveals a similar median particle size (54–68 μm) in all six batches. The particles are all smaller than 90 μm. Differential scanning calorimetry thermograms revealed that pentamidine was mostly present in the crystalline form in the microparticles and did not dissolve in PLGA. The efficiency of encapsulation of pentamidine was higher than 58% in all six batches. The amount of drug released from these microparticles was at least 12% within the first 60 min. At least 50% of the total drug was released within the first 4 h. Drug release from these microparticles continued for up to 12 h. This faster drug dissolution was due to the highly porous surface. This highly porous surface will allow large molecules to release at a much faster rate than the regular microcapsules/microspheres.
Development of the Nightmare Intervention and Treatment Evaluation (NITE) Scale

Abstract The Nightmare Intervention & Treatment Evaluation (NITE) Scale is a self-report instrument developed to assess nightmare distress among those diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder. This article describes two studies that examine the psychometric properties of this scale. Male and female participants ranged in age from 23 to 84 years and were from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The first study (N=129) evaluated factor structure and internal consistency. Fifty-three scale items were tested and reduced to a 32-item scale with 24 items measuring nightmare distress, 6 validity items, and 2 frequency items. Factor analysis identified two factors, Nightmare Mastery and Nightmare Helplessness. In the second study (N=100), the Nightmare Mastery and Nightmare Helpless Scales were found to be reliable with test-retest correlations over an average of one month of .69 and .80 respectively.
HRTEM and EELS Studies of Py/Al and Co/Al Multilayers

Ferromagnetic/non-magnetic (F/N) metallic multilayers in the Current-Perpendicular-to-Plane (CPP) geometry show giant Magnetoresistance (MR) and are promising candidates for potential use in high density storage devices. F/Al interfaces were recently shown to have large interface specific resistances that enhance the CPP-resistance. However, the CPP resistances showed instability over time at room temperature and also upon annealing to 453K. To help understand both the large interface specific resistances and their instabilities, we have undertaken cross-sectional High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) and Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) studies of both as-sputtered and annealed Py/Al and Co/Al multilayers. We find well-layered, but rough structures with local F/Al interfaces being tilted up to ˜15°from the plane perpendicular to the growth direction. HRTEM images appear to show diffuse interfaces, but a through-focus series of images suggests considerable grain overlap in the electron beam direction, thereby complicating interpretation. This combination of HRTEM imaging and EELS analysis suggests that any interfacial mixing is limited in scale, and shows no evidence of intermetallic compound formation. No obvious differences are seen between assputtered and annealed samples.
TEMPERATURE REGULATION IN THE SOOTY TERN STERNA FUSCATA

SUMMARY Temperatures of eggs, young and adults of the Sooty Tern were measured under a variety of environmental conditions on Midway Island. The mean daytime body temperature of incubating adults (40·5° C.) was significantly higher than the mean (39·4° C.) for adults on nests at night. The mean incubation patch temperature (39·-6° C.) was significantly higher than the means for incubated eggs without visible embryos (34·8° C), incubated pipped eggs (36·6° C), or brooded, newly-hatched chicks (38·3° C). Severe heating by solar radiation is the principal environmental problem faced by nesting Sooty Terns. Shading by adults of eggs and young chicks prevents overheating; older chicks seek natural shade. When placed in the open sun, chicks of all ages can lose heat by vigorous panting. However, body temperature may rise almost to 45° C. and usually stabilizes in the lower range of prevailing black bulb temperatures. The relationship of physiological and behavioural mechanisms of thermoregulation to environmental conditions during the terns' nesting season on Midway Island is discussed.
A cultural history of gesture: From antiquity to the present day

(1994). A cultural history of gesture: From antiquity to the present day. History of European Ideas: Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 613-615.
Instrument inferences in sentence encoding.

Reading comprehension is an active inferential process. What factors control inferences? This paper examines the possibility that highly probable inferences are drawn even when they are unnecessary for comprehension. Three experiments are reported in which subjects read a list of sentences, each describing an action that accepts a highly likely instrument (e.g., “shovel” for “digging a hole”). In some sentences an explicit instrument is presented. In others the instrument remains implicit. Instrument cue effectiveness is then examined in a subsequent cued recall task. It is concluded that recall cue effectiveness is not a reliable measure of encoding in comprehension. It is further concluded, on the basis of instrument recall, that highly probable implicit instruments are not routinely inferred in comprehension.
Orographic Clouds in Terrain-Blocked Flows: An Idealized Modeling Study

Abstract Idealized numerical simulations of moist strongly stratified flow over topography are used to study the processes that control orographic clouds in terrain-blocked flows as a joint function of the nondimensional flow parameter Nh/U, the horizontal topographic aspect ratio β, and the Rossby radius of deformation Nh/f. The simulations show the competition between enhanced upstream condensation in the secondary vertically propagating gravity wave and the reduction of condensation owing to enhanced low-level flow deflection. As Nh/U increases above about 1.5, the tendency for flow to be deflected around the barrier reduces cloud formation in the primary gravity wave over the ridge, while increasing β expands low-level clouds over a broader upstream area. Ice clouds may form aloft in the secondary vertically propagating gravity wave and extend upstream for several hundred kilometers. In terrain-blocked flows, more than half of the condensate mass develops upstream of the barrier in the secondary gravi...
When should chickadees hoard food? Theory and experimental results

Abstract A dynamic programming model was developed to evaluate conditions that promote food caching. Long-term observations (3–4 months per bird) of caching behaviour by Carolina chickadees, Parus carolinensis , are discussed in the light of the predictions from the model. Two different fitness functions were modelled: net energy-rate maximization and survival-rate maximization. Under most simulated conditions, energy-rate maximizers are predicted to cache at uniformly high rates. Two tradeoffs are important in caching decisions of survival-rate maximizers. (1) When fat levels are high, caching decisions should reflect trade-offs between time allocated to foraging and non-foraging behaviour. At the highest fat levels, the expression of non-foraging behaviour should be relatively more valuable than foraging. As a result, caching is not predicted because it increases foraging time and thus reduces time available for alternative behaviour. As fat levels drop below the maximum, foraging requirements become more important and caching rates are predicted to increase. (2) At intermediate to low fat levels, caching decisions should reflect a response to trade-offs affecting starvation risk. At very low fat levels, the forager should eat any food at the site of discovery to reduce the risk of starvation in the near term. At intermediate fat levels, the forager is not at immediate risk of starvation, so it should cache to reduce starvation risk in the long-term. These mass-dependent trade-offs should also affect diurnal patterns in caching rates: caching rates should be low at dawn, when the forager's fat reserves are at their minimum, and at dusk, when fat reserves are at their peak; caching rates should be highest at midday. The experimental results suggest that chickadees do not maximize net energy intake rates; instead, their behaviour is in broad agreement with the predictions of a survival-rate maximizer. However, one additional prediction was clearly not supported: larger birds cached less than smaller birds. Observed seasonal patterns in caching, retrieval and recaching rates are also discussed.
Lipofibromatous hamartomas of the median nerve

Five cases of lipofibromatous hamartoma of the median nerve are reported. The initial onset of symptoms and recognition of a mass occurred in adults in four cases. The fifth patient was an infant when the mass was first noticed, and she also had macrodactyly. Treatment included carpal tunnel release in three patients, one of whom required a second procedure for excision of the mass and sural nerve grafting. Nerve ablation without grafting was performed in the other two patients; one of these patients noticed no sensory or motor deficit after surgery. From this small series we cannot recommend a preferred treatment for these patients; each case must be approached on an individual basis. The diagnosis is best confirmed by biopsy.
Membrane biophysical studies of lymphocytes and erythrocytes in manic-depressive illness.

Abstract Recent research suggests that manic-depressive illness is associated with a membrane abnormality which is detectable in peripheral tissues. Using fluorescence spectroscopy, the cellular membrane dynamics of intact erythrocytes and lymphocytes from manic-depressive patients and controls were studied in a double blind fashion. A cross-sectional analysis of membrane dynamics was obtained by using flourescent probes with known affinity for specific regions of cell membranes. This preliminary study demonstrates alterations in the hydrocarbon region of erythrocyte membranes and the cell surface of lymphocytes in patients with manic-depressive illness. These abnormalities appear to be independent of clinical symptomatology and medication. The membrane abnormality demonstrated by flourescence spectroscopy may provide clues to the molecular pathophysiology in manic-depressive illness, as well as a method of diagnosis in presymptomatic patients.
RISC versus CISC: a tale of two chips

This paper compares an aggressive RISC and CISC implementation built with comparable technology. The two chips are the Alpha* 21164 and the Intel Pentium® Pro processor. The paper presents performance comparisons for industry standard benchmarks and uses performance counter statistics to compare various aspects of both designs.
Critical Conductance and Its Fluctuations at Integer Hall Plateau Transitions

Under periodic boundary conditions in the transverse direction, we calculate the averaged zero-temperature two-terminal conductance $〈G〉$ and its statistical fluctuation $〈(\ensuremath{\delta}G{)}^{2n}〉$, for $n\ensuremath{\le}4$, at the critical point of integer quantum Hall plateau transitions. We find universal values for $〈G〉\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}(0.58\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03){e}^{2}/h$, and $〈(\ensuremath{\delta}G{)}^{2n}〉\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}({e}^{2}/h{)}^{2n}{A}_{2n}$, where ${A}_{2,4,6,8}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.081\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.005$, $0.013\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.003$, $0.0026\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.005$, and $(8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$, respectively. We also determine the leading finite size scaling corrections to these observables, and make comparisons with experiments.
Thermomechanics of a heterogeneous fluctuating chain

In this paper we present a theory to efficiently calculate the thermo-mechanical properties of fluctuating heterogeneous rods and chains. The central problem is to evaluate the partition function and free energy of a general heterogeneous chain under the assumption that its energy can be expressed as a quadratic function in the kinematic variables that characterize the configurations of the chain. We analyze the effects of various types of boundary conditions on the fluctuations of the rods and chains and show that our results are in agreement with recent work on homogeneous rods. The results for the heterogeneous chains are verified through Monte Carlo simulations. Finally, we consider a special heterogeneous chain with only two bending moduli and use it as a model to interpret experiments on partially unfolded protein oligomers.