cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Germplasm Release: Three Tetraploid Potato Clones with Resistance to Common Scab

Common scab caused by the soil-borne bacterium Streptomyces scabies is a serious disease for the potato industry. We have identified a strong source of resistance in the diploid wild relative Solanum chacoense. This resistance has been introgressed into tetraploid cultivated potato via unilateral sexual polyploidization. This paper describes three hybrid clones (M8, M16, M17) for use by potato breeding programs to enhance resistance to common scab. They were created by crossing a diploid clone (50% S. tuberosum, 50% S. chacoense) to tetraploid cultivars, producing hybrids with 75% cultivated and 25% wild germplasm. The clones are male and female fertile, and are adapted to temperate zone production environments.
Potential health benefits from the flavonoids in grape products on vascular disease.

In spite of recent advances in diagnosis and treatment, coronary artery disease and cerebral artery disease continue to be the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the United States (Scharf and Harker, 1987; Lenfant, 1999). More than 1 million people had heart attacks last year in the U.S. and one-third of them died from their first heart attack (Lenfant, 1999). Thus there is considerable interest in the prevention of coronary and cerebral artery disease. The underlying pathogenesis of these problems is atherosclerotic vascular disease. This is marked by the chronic silent evolution of atheromas over many years, from as early as age 10 up to ages 40–50 years. Then an acute thrombotic phase appears with plaque rupture, the onset of unstable angina, and fatal or nonfatal myocardial or cerebral infarction (Scharf and Harker, 1987; Loscalzo, 1990; Ross, 1986).
Toward an Understanding of Placentas, Umbilical Cords, and Cauls Among Kaqchikel Maya Midwives of Guatemala

For Kaqchikel Maya midwives of Guatemala, organs like placentas, umbilical cords, and cauls are anything but ordinary. Midwives handle these body parts as they must and look to see that they are intact when they first emerge. But when midwives behold them, they see more than just the agglomerations of tissues, vessels, and blood that clinicians see. When a midwife observes the afterbirth, the cord, and the amniotic shroud, she sees the outcomes of both physical growth processes and of fetal animation. Her understanding of these organs prompts her to enact certain protective procedures to ensure the physical health of the mother, as well as the physical, spiritual, and vocational well-being of the child. In this chapter, I explore the larger meanings of birth organs in the work of Kaqchikel Maya midwives, attending to how midwives and their clients ritually handle these body parts to ensure better life outcomes for mother and child. By walking through the experience of these midwives, this work aims to enlarge the medical community’s understanding of what childbirth means for Mayas and to improve health workers’ relations with indigenous midwives.
Intelligent real time design: application to prototype selection

Abstract An intelligent real time problem solving (IRTPS) methodology is developed for design applications. The goal of the approach is to select sequences of actions that balance the cost of the limited resources consumed during the design process, particularly the designee's time, against the benefit to be derived from the utilization of those resources in terms of expectations of an improved design. Examples from design prototype selection are presented to clarify the theory.
A Case Study of a Government-Sponsored Enterprise Resource Planning Project in a Chinese Apparel Company

There is much literature on problems pertaining to information systems localization in Chinese companies, yet few had been on how companies solve these problems. This paper presents a case study that uses the technology, organization, and environment (TOE) framework to explain the failure of a Chinese apparel companyâ€™s initial enterprise resource planning (ERP) effort and the success of its subsequent endeavor. Using the TOE framework, this paper sheds light on issues that inflict Chinese companies in their informationization process and what can be done to increase the possibilities of system success.
EPR and NMR Detection of Transient Radicals and Reaction Products

Magnetic resonance methods in radiation chemistry are illustrated. The most recent developments in pulsed EPR and NMR studies in pulse radiolysis are outlined with emphasis on the study of transient radicals and their reaction products.
The Only True Sovereign of a Free People? Lincoln and Majority Rule

Abraham Lincoln considered the Civil War a test, not only of the proposition that “all men are created equal,” but also of the moral authority of majority rule. Slave states seceded rather than accept the results of a fair election. Lincoln argued that rule by a deliberate, constitutionally-checked majority was “the only true sovereign of a free people.” Popular government can survive only if those who lose elections refrain from armed resistance and instead trust to “time, discussion, and the ballot box” to settle disputes. The essay argues that Lincoln’s defense of majority rule, though concise, is carefully considered and recognizes that majorities can act unjustly. Lincoln’s commitment to majority rule is distinguishable from, though connected with, his faith in natural right, his opposition to slavery, and his nationalism. Lincoln’s argument for majority rule is contrasted with John C. Calhoun’s critique. Calhoun believed majority rule over a large territory would create entrenched, sectionally-concentrated majorities oppressively governing numerically weaker regions of the country. Lincoln denied that sectional majorities were inherently unjust. The essay notes the tragic dimension of Lincoln’s defense of majority rule: his argument failed to persuade the South peacefully to return to the Union. The American Civil War settled the moral and constitutional question of slavery. But the legitimacy of majority rule, and how much it should be checked, remains contested, in the United States and elsewhere. Lincoln’s argument invites us to explore the possibilities and limits of majority rule for resolving unusually deep social and political conflicts.
Robust fault detection of piecewise affine ARX systems

In this paper, l 1 regularisation-based robust fault detection technique for PWARX (PieceWise affine Auto Regressive eXogenous) systems is discussed. The problem is formulated in convex optimisatio...
The Role of Osmotic Pressure and Tension-Compression Nonlinearity in the Frictional Response of Articular Cartilage

Articular cartilage is the bearing material of diarthrodial joints such as the knee, hip, or shoulder. Some studies of cartilage lubrication have hypothesized that pressurization of its interstitial fluid may contribute predominantly to reducing the friction coefficient at the contact interface of articular layers. This study introduces a formulation for the dependence of the frictional response of articular cartilage on interstitial fluid pressurization, which accounts for the osmotic pressure in cartilage as well as the tissue's tension-compression nonlinearity, and is based on the theory of mixtures for soft hydrated charged tissues. Theoretical predictions of this model are obtained for the configuration of unconfined compression creep. It is observed from theory that increasing the salt concentration of the tissue's bathing solution reduces the minimum friction coefficient that can be achieved, relative to its equilibrium value; the model also predicts that increasing the applied load can similarly reduce the minimum friction coefficient. Physical interpretations of these phenomena are provided by the model. Experimental results are presented which support these theoretical findings and produce time-dependent responses in good agreement with model predictions. Furthermore, it is observed that the equilibrium friction coefficient does not remain constant under various loads or salt concentrations, and correlation analyses suggest that the equilibrium value depends in part on the compressive strain in the tissue.
An Integrated Mental Healthcare Model for the Patient with Sexual Trauma

Sexual violence survivors are at risk of a number of mental and physical health problems. Integrated care, which describes a spectrum of models of care to combine mental health and physical health provision into a single holistic model, can reduce obstacles to care and improve outcomes. This chapter discusses the benefits and challenges of integrated care and different options for integrated care models, known as “levels.” The chapter discusses one specific model in detail, the EMPOWER Clinic for Survivors of Sex Trafficking and Sexual Violence.
Orthogonal Procrustes and norm-dependent optimality

This note revisits the classical orthogonal Procrustes problem and investigates the norm-dependent geometric behavior underlying Procrustes alignment for subspaces. It presents generic, deterministic bounds quantifying the performance of a specified Procrustes-based choice of subspace alignment. Numerical examples illustrate the theoretical observations and offer additional, empirical findings which are discussed in detail. This note complements recent advances in statistics involving Procrustean matrix perturbation decompositions and eigenvector estimation.
Transcendendo Disjunções Cívicas: organização de jovens transnacionais em um espaço educacional comunitário

Recent national migration policies - separations of migrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border, increased arrests and removals by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Muslim travel ban - raise questions of discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and religion. This article examines how, during times of racial tension and conflict, Latinx immigrant and Muslim refugee members of an immigrant youth organization have challenged deficit-based narratives through collective action in a community-based educational space. I argue that a community-based educational space (CBES) in a large Midwestern city offers a unique space for transnational immigrant youth to build transformative panethnic coalitions in ways that attend to civic disjuncture - the conflict between youths’ daily realities and the democratic civic ideals espoused by school curricula and staff - and competing messages from students’ schools, communities, and national and global conflicts.
Clear cap-assisted luminal stenting may improve technical success in gastroduodenal and colonic obstruction.

Background Luminal stenting is safe, effective, and at times the preferred method for relieving gastrointestinal obstruction. However, stent placement is not technically feasible when lesions cannot be traversed with a guidewire, resulting in the need for more invasive methods of palliation and urgent/emergent surgical intervention. In this series, we report our experience with cap-assisted stenting to improve lumen visualization in obstructed segments of the gastrointestinal tract and salvage cases that may have otherwise resulted in technical failure. Methods A clear cap (i. e. distal attachment) was affixed to the scope tip to facilitate visualization and stenting in two cases of gastroduodenal obstruction and three cases of colonic obstruction. Indications for stent placement included malignant obstruction, diverticulitis-associated obstruction, and Crohn’s disease-associated stricture. Results In this report, we demonstrate that use of a clear cap facilitated endoscopic stenting in challenging cases of malignant and benign gastroduodenal and colonic obstruction. Conclusions A clear cap for endoscopic stenting can be used in cases in which standard techniques are unsuccessful or those anticipated to be technically difficult at the outset. Cases with tortuous anatomy or particularly tight, friable, or exophytic obstructive lesions may benefit most from this novel technical modification.
Experimental study and demonstration of pilot-scale, dry feed, oxy-coal combustion under pressure

Abstract Pressurized oxy-combustion is a promising technology for low-carbon, fossil fuel utilization. It has the potential of improved efficiency and economics compared with conventional atmospheric pressure oxy-combustion. Washington University in St. Louis has proposed a new pressurized oxy-combustion process, namely Staged Pressurized Oxy-Combustion, which has the potential to improve further the plant efficiency, operational flexibility, and economics. This process burns pulverized coal in a pressurized, oxy-combustion environment, which has not been demonstrated in a pilot-scale system before. To address this gap, a 100 kWth pressurized oxy-combustion facility was designed and constructed. This facility has a unique burner and furnace design featuring a co-axial, low-mixing flow field, which is drastically different from conventional coal-fired boiler designs where strong mixing is sought by introducing swirl or recirculating flows. This work aims to present the first pilot-scale experimental results of a dry-feed, pressurized oxy-combustion system. The tests focused on exploring flame stability and shape, char burnout, and fine particulate matter formation. Testing results suggest that the burner has excellent flame stability. The flame shape is consistent with the design philosophy and agrees with large eddy simulations. Importantly, complete char combustion can be achieved with an oxygen mole fraction in the flue gas of only 0.8%, as opposed to a required value of ~3% for conventional atmospheric pressure air-fired or oxyfuel combustion, which reduces the costs of both oxygen generation upstream and oxygen removal downstream. The testing results show promise for dry-feed, pressurized oxy-combustion, and the new burner and furnace design.
Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction and Pulmonary Hypertension: Outcomes in SAVR.

Background Severe pulmonary hypertension (PH) and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) are independently associated with poor outcomes in cardiac surgery. We evaluated the relationship of several measures of LVDD, PH, and hemodynamic subtypes of PH including precapillary pulmonary hypertension(pcPH) and isolated post-capillary pulmonary hypertension(ipcPH) and combined pre and post capillary pulmonary hypertension(cpcPH) capillary PH to postoperative outcomes in a cohort of patients who underwent elective isolated-AVR. Methods We evaluated (n = 206) patients in our local STS database who underwent elective isolated-AVR between 2014 and 2018, with transthoracic echocardiogram (n = 177) or right heart catheterization (n = 183) within 1 year of operation (or both, n = 161). The primary outcome was a composite end point of death, prolonged ventilation, ICU readmission, and hospital stay >14 days. Results Severe PH was associated with worse outcomes (moderate: OR, 1.1, p = 0.09; severe: OR, 1.28, p = 0.01), but degree of LVDD was not associated with worse outcomes. Across hemodynamic subtypes of PH, odds of composite outcome were similar (p = 0.89), however, patients with cpcPH had more postoperative complications (67 vs. 36%, p = 0.06) and patients with ipcPH had greater all-cause mortality at 1 (8 vs. 1%, p = 0.03) and 3 years (27 vs. 4%, p = 0.008). Conclusion Severe PH conferred modestly greater risk of adverse events, and both LVDD grade and the combination of severe PH and LVDD were not associated with worse outcomes. However, hemodynamic stratification of PH revealed higher postoperative complications and worse long-term outcomes for those with cpcPH and ipcPH. Preoperative stratification of PH by hemodynamic subtype in valve replacement surgery may improve our risk stratification in this heterogenous condition. Further evaluation of the significance of LVDD and PH in other cardiac operations is warranted.
A Perpetual Search: Mary Brown Bullock and American Philanthropy and Education in China

Few scholars (and perhaps historians in particular) are capable of conducting in-depth research while simultaneously playing a major leadership role in academic organizations and institutions. Mary...
The Criminalized Victim: Evaluating Public Perceptions of Sex Trafficked Individuals.

Individuals who have been sex trafficked are continuously being targeted for prostitution and other related offenses instead of being recognized for their victimization. This may occur due to a fun...
Structural dynamics determine voltage and pH gating in human voltage-gated proton channel

Abstract Voltage-gated ion channels are key players of electrical signaling in cells. As a unique subfamily, voltage-gated proton (Hv) channels are standalone voltage sensors without separate ion conductive pores. They are gated by both voltage and transmembrane proton gradient (i.e ΔpH), serving as acid extruders in most cells. Amongst their many functions, Hv channels are known to regulate the intracellular pH of human spermatozoa and compensate for the charge and pH imbalances caused by NADPH oxidases in phagocytes. Like the canonical voltage sensors, the Hv channel is a bundle of 4 helices (named S1 through S4), with the S4 segment carrying 3 positively charged Arg residues. Extensive structural and electrophysiological studies on voltage-gated ion channels generally agree on an outwards movement of the S4 segment upon activating voltage, but the real time conformational transitions are still unattainable. With purified human voltage-gated proton (hHv1) channel reconstituted in liposomes, we have examined its conformational dynamics at different voltage and pHs using the single molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET). Here we provided the first glimpse of real time conformational trajectories of the hHv1 voltage sensor and showed that both voltage and pH gradient shift the conformational dynamics of the S4 segment to control channel gating. Our results suggested the biological gating is determined by the conformational distributions of the hHv1 voltage sensor, rather than the conformational transitions between the presumptive ‘resting’ and ‘activated’ conformations. We further identified H140 as the key residue sensing extracellular pH and showed that both the intracellular and extracellular pH sensors act on the voltage sensing S4 segment to enrich the resting conformations. Taken together, we proposed a model that explains the mechanisms underlying voltage and pH gating in Hv channels, which may also serve as a general framework to understand the voltage sensing and gating in other voltage-gated ion channels.
Pharmaceutical treatment studies in autism and ADHD: A design based review of study quality

The overall design quality of studies conducted on psychotropic substances prescribed to autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder children is reviewed. Searches were conducted on Medline and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. Peer-reviewed, published studies, written in English were included. Only studies that focused on children, had a minimal sample size of ten participants, and were conducted between 1994 and 2004 were included in the review. Two hundred and eighty one studies were identified and reviewed with 184 (65.5%) focused primarily on methylphenidate, with the remaining 97 studies examined stimulants, antipsychotics, antidepressants, alpha agonists, anxiolytics, and mood stabilizers. Of these, 152 (54.1%) did not employ optimal double blind placebo controlled design and 106 (37.7%) were conducted with less than 30 participants. The upper quartile for median study duration across all medications examined was 9.75 weeks for double-blinded studies and 16 weeks for all studies. Many pharmacotherapy studies conducted on children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are of limited duration, weak quality design and may be seriously underpowered. The issue of follow-up is rarely adequately addressed. These findings raise both safety and efficacy questions that have yet to be adequately studied.
The Inclusive Data View

The Inclusive Data View results from the Explanatory View when we enlarge the class of data to be made sense of or in light of,1 and we provide an account of what counts as making sense (in light) of them. The key principle of the Inclusive Data View states that we rationally ought to be guided by those less basic reason-attributing normative principles that make maximally good sense of, or in light of, all relevant data and background theories. On the Inclusive Data View, as on the Explanatory View, the feature that makes purported principles about reasons into principles that we rationally ought to be guided by, is their usefulness in making sense of a variety of data2—rather than, say, their success in articulating the considerations that figure in our actual shared practices of deliberation, or their usefulness in explicating the agreed-on considered judgments of people who take the objective standpoint.
Innate immune responses play a role in heterogeneity of EAE. (INM8P.445)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a heterogeneous disease, which makes treatment difficult. For example, responsiveness to IFNβ treatment among MS patients varies to a great extent. Using EAE as an animal model of MS, we found that IFNβ treatment is not effective when EAE develops in the absence of the NLRP3 inflammasome with alternative EAE induction methods. Importantly, innate immune responses triggered by alternative EAE induction methods played a role to generate different subtype of EAE. This led us to hypothesize EAE have subtypes (although they are not mutually exclusive), at least based on the dependency of the disease pathology on the NLRP3 inflammasome and on the response to IFNβ. In NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent IFNβ-responsive EAE (termed type-A EAE), the NLRP3 inflammasome plays a key role as a pathogenic factor of EAE by enhancing immune cell migration and the resulting immune cell recruitment in the CNS. On the other hand, the NLRP3 inflammasome is not essential for EAE induction, and IFNβ treatment is not effective in NLRP3 inflammasome-independent EAE (termed Type-B EAE). Type-A and Type-B EAE show clear difference in their phenotypes and pathological mechanisms, mediated by differential activation of innate immune responses. M.I. performed all the experiments and M.L.S. is the corresponding author of this study.
The use of projective invariants in image standardization

An attempt is made to solve the problem of image standardization through processing techniques so as not to burden either the patient or practitioner with cumbersome mechanical devices. Instead of using mechanical devices to keep the imaging geometry the same, geometric relationships among features of the anatomy that remain the same are used to standardize the geometry. The fundamental concept of projective invariants allows standardization of 3-D imaging geometry without any extra mechanical control of the radiograph formation. The feasibility of the solution has been proven through controlled computer simulation experiments. >
IS THERE A COMPACT CENTRAL MASS CONCENTRATION IN OUR GALAXY

Since the center of our own galaxy is the closest region of this type, it should provide a proving ground for our understanding of such regions. And fortunately, recent developments in radio, infrared, and x-ray astronomy allow us to look at the center of our galaxy in considerable detail — a privilege not possible in the visible region because of the rather dense dust clouds surrounding it. We find there many complex and interesting phenomena, including evidence for a compact central mass of a few million solar masses from the dynamics of stars and gases. However, its existence has been doubted because the radiant energy coming from the very center is much less than normal theoretical expectations for a black hole of such a mass. This discrepancy has led to speculation whether the velocity measurements could be misleading, whether the concentrated mass is in some form other than the expected black hole, whether the radiation might be taking place in an exotic form, being directed away from us or happening to be low at the moment, or whether our theories of such radiation are as yet incomplete. The general characteristics of the very central region of our galaxy will be reviewed along with the dynamic evidence for a large concentrated mass and comparison of the radiation it emits with that of various theoretical models.
An Exercise in Cost-Effectiveness Analysis: Treating Emotional Distress in Melanoma Patients

This study presents a retrospective assessment of a psychological intervention examined for its potential cost-effectiveness if implemented into standard care. It discusses (1) the cost of instituting a psychological intervention for distressed melanoma patients, (2) the effectiveness of that intervention for reducing distress when compared with a standard care group, and (3) the costs of providing the treatment as compared to costs of physician time to answer distress-driven questions as part of standard care. Although the per-minute cost of providing the psychological intervention was marginally greater than standard care, providing the intervention was significantly cheaper in terms of distress reduction. Inclusion of 60% payer reimbursement rates for the intervention further suggested that incorporating a psychological intervention into standard medical care for melanoma patients would potentially generate revenue.
The Interferon Refractory State II. Biological Characterization of a Refractoriness-Inducing Protein

When L929 cells were treated with samples collected from cells or mice producing interferon, almost complete refractoriness to subsequent interferon induction was observed. The relationship of this refractoriness-inducing product (RIP) 5 to the antiviral activity of the samples was determined. Using interferon in the pretreatment sample as a measure of RIP concentration, a semilog plot of the pretreatment interferon titer and interferon subsequently produced, resulted in an approximately linear relationship between 10 and 100 units of interferon in the pretreatment sample. This relationship was largely independent of the multiplicity of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) used to produce interferon in the treated monolayers. A 2- to 6-fold temporal differentiation in the refractoriness-inducing activity and the antiviral activities was obtained both in vitro and in vivo. Supernatants collected 48 hr after NDV infection of L929 cells had 2- to 4-fold more refractoriness-inducing activity than those collected earlier. In serum of ICR mice given poly rI n :rC n -poly-d-lysine, a quantitatively similar temporal increase in refractoriness-inducing activity was observed. Treatment of L929 cells with cycloheximide resulted in a 4-fold increase in interferon production. At equivalent interferon concentrations, supernatants from the cycloheximide-treated monolayers inhibited interferon production 4-fold less than did comparable supernatants from non-cycloheximide-treated monolayers. Soluble cell extracts inhibited interferon production to a greater degree than did extracellular preparations. The protein nature of the refractoriness-inducing activity was suggested by its trypsin sensitivity. These findings suggest that the refractoriness-inducing and antiviral activities of interferon preparations result from different proteins.
RESONANCES AND BIFURCATIONS

The nonlinear steady pulsations of two sequences of stellar models are computed. The role of internal resonances in determining the bifurcations (’modal selection’) is exhibited. The need to perform systematic studies of sequences of models is thus stressed. The capability to compute exact periodic attractors (limit cycles) and their Hoquet stability coefficients is essential for the construction of the bifurcation diagrams and for the understanding of the pulsations.
Unexpected Sink for Deepwater Horizon Oil May Influence Future Spill Response

A town hall meeting was organized by the Marine Oil Snow Sedimentation and Flocculent Accumulation (MOSSFA) inter-consortia Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) working group and the Center for Spills in the Environment in conjunction with the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference. The meeting had the goal of evaluating sedimentation to the seafloor as a significant pathway and fate of oil after the Deepwater Horizon (DwH) well blowout in 2010. About 78,000 cubic meters of crude oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico from a depth of 1500 meters for 86 days, spreading over a large area. Natural and chemically enhanced dispersion, evaporation, dissolution, burning, surface skimming, and direct capture at the wellhead accounted for a significant proportion of the released oil, but the fate of at least 30% of the oil remains unknown. Scientists from different research consortia studying sediments and marine snow in the Gulf began to observe signs of increased sedimentation and hydrocarbon deposition. Sediment mass accumulation rates for the northern Gulf of Mexico increased sixfold to eightfold in 2010, directly following the DwH blowout.
Citizens of the Corporation? Workplace Democracy in a Post-Union Era

In the 20th century, the idea of industrial democracy was more closely linked to collective bargaining in the United States than in the rest of the industrial world. As union representation and collective bargaining coverage has shrunk to less than 7 percent of the private sector workforce, the very idea of workplace democracy has faded from public discourse. Against that bleak background, this essay asks what workplace democracy could mean in the 21st century for the great majority of workers who are destined to remain without union representation. It contends for a form of workplace democracy that can meet some employee needs and aspirations without provoking vehement employer resistance - a domesticated or "digestible" version of workplace democracy to supplement (not to replace) the essential right of workers to form a union. The essay reviews evidence of "what workers want," what they have, and what they need by way of representation in today’s workplace. It contends that workers still need a collective voice despite the rise of employment mandates and, in some quarters, improved workplace management practices. Finally, it suggests a role for responsible corporate citizens in supplying a measure of what workers want and need as workplace citizens (if the law would allow them to do so). The corporate embrace of workforce diversity and inclusion could offer a template for how norms of corporate social responsibility could be harnessed in support of a norm of worker representation in governance - but only if "worker representation" is not exclusively identified with unions.
A Call to Improve Methods for Estimating Tree Biomass for Regional and National Assessments

Tree biomass is typically estimated using statistical models. This review highlights five limitations of most tree biomass models, which include the following: (1) biomass data are costly to collect and alternative sampling methods are used; (2) belowground data and models are generally lacking; (3) models are often developed from small and geographically limited data sets; (4) simplistic model forms and predictor variables are used; and (5) variation is commonly averaged or grouped rather than accounted for. The consequences of these limitations are highlighted and discussed. Several recommendations for future efforts are presented including the following: (1) collection of field measurements of tree biomass using consistent protocols; (2) compilation of existing data; (3) continued evaluation and improvement of existing models; (4) exploration of new models; and (5) adoption of state-of-the-art analytical and statistical techniques. Given the increasing importance of accurately estimating forest biomass, there is a critical need to understand, evaluate, and improve current tree biomass prediction methods.
The angular correlation interval for static and dynamic patterns in phased array antennas

Static and dynamic radiation patterns are investigated, and the differences are brought out by a statistical analysis. The two types of patterns can be separately identified because the static pattern represents the case in which the beam is stationary as the target moves, and the dynamic pattern represents the case in which the beam is electronically scanned through the target. In each type of pattern, the spatial angle for which high correlation occurs is computed from an approximate analysis. That information, when combined with the error fields resulting from randomized phase shifter quantization, is used to predict the detailed differences between the two types of patterns. A knowledge of the difference is important in selecting the least expensive method of phased array pattern testing, particularly for large antennas. The radiation pattern ensemble statistics in the presence of elemental amplitude and phase errors were found to be the same for either type of pattern. Therefore, uncorrelated samples of either pattern will establish the array radiation characteristics. However, it is shown both in an approximate analysis and experimentally that quite a difference can exist between individual static and dynamic patterns. The exact amount of difference depends on many factors, but primarily on the aperture size and the number of phase-shifter bits. In the effort described here, the various errors throughout the antenna are characterized by their mean and standard deviation in a probability distribution function. As a result, their effect on radiation patterns is described in terms of probabilities. The general analytical approach of Ruze (Ref.1) and Adams (Ref. 2) is used as a background. The analysis is divided into several sections. The ensemble statistics of the errored radiation pattern are first described and examined for sensitivity to the type of pattern. Next, the differences between static and dynamic patterns are indicated by reference to spatial autocorrelation functions and heuristic aperture analysis. The analysis, though approximate, appears to provide useful results, as illustrated by the good comparison between theoretical and experimental patterns for a 48-element linear array.
Inertial Confinement Fusion Energy with Particle Beams

This paper introduces the concepts associated with inertial confinement fusion (ICF) energy production, and outlines particle beam technologies of interest for ICF applications with emphasis on ion beams. Progress in obtaining larger thermonuclear neutron yields from laser fusion pellets and the constantly improved understanding of these experiments, makes the application of particle beam techniques to this area look increasingly promising. The reason for this is that lasers suitable for demonstrating the feasibility of igniting fusion pellets are becoming available, but lasers offering the requisite properties for fusion power plant application have apparently not been identified. Accelerator designers can suggest several promising avenues to produce a driver for a power plant. To place some perspective on the issues, a brief review will be given of ICF target requirements. This will be followed by a brief historical view of heavy ion fusion, a synopsis of the various accelerator approaches and associated problems that have been recognized, and a summary of power plant considerations.
MUC5B Is the Predominant Mucin Glycoprotein in Chronic Otitis Media Fluid

Chronic otitis media (COM), e.g. "glue" ear is characterized by middle ear effusion and conductive hearing loss. Although mucous glycoproteins (mucins), which contribute to increased effusion viscosity, have been analyzed in ear tissue specimens, no studies have been reported that characterize the molecular identity of secreted mucin proteins present in actual middle ear fluid. For this study, effusions from children with COM undergoing myringotomy at Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC were collected. These were solubilized and gel fractionated, and the protein content was identified using a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) proteomics approach. Western blot analyses with mucin specific antibodies and densitometry were performed to validate the mass spectrometry findings. LC-MS/MS results identified mucin MUC5B by >26 unique peptides in six of six middle ear effusion samples, whereas mucin MUC5AC was only identified in one of six middle ear effusions. These findings were validated by Western blot performed on the same six and on an additional 11 separate samples where densitometry revealed on average a 6.4-fold increased signal in MUC5B when compared with MUC5AC (p = 0.0009). In summary, although both MUC5AC and MUC5B mucins are detected in middle ear effusions, MUC5B seems to be predominant mucin present in COM secretions.
Real-time optical implementation of difference-of-Gaussians wavelets

We propose a hybrid optical/electronic image processing system for the real-time implementation of a wavelet transform. Specifically, the difference-of-Gaussians (DOG) wavelet is synthesized in the hybrid system and used to process an input object. In the implementation, two laser beams with different temporal frequencies are first generated by an acousto-optic modulator. The two optical beams are then combined spatially and used to scan and process the object. The scattered light from the object is then picked up by a photodetector. The photodetector's electrical output signal, after appropriate electronic filtering, represents a scanned and processed version of the original object and can be sent to a monitor for real-time display or to a digital storage device for possible further processing. Because the hybrid system is based on optical scanning, it is an incoherent system and hence has a much better signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as compared to its coherent counterpart. Experimental results are presented and shown to be in excellent agreement with computer simulations.
Electrophoresis of particles and biological cells measured by the doppler shift of scattered laser light

Abstract A He-Ne laser and a simple light scattering system were used to observe the electrophoretic motion of particles in dilute salt concentrations. A narrow gap electrode arrangement allowed high electric fields, 100 V/cm to 200 V/cm, in an experimentally attractive range of salt concentration without excessive signal deterioration from heating effects. The electrophoretic mobilities of erythrocytes, a bacterium (Staphylococcus epidermidis), and polystyrene spheres were measured by direct spectrum analysis as well as by autocorrelation analysis.
MicroRNA 648 Targets ET-1 mRNA and Is Cotranscriptionally Regulated with MICAL3 by PAX5

Pulmonary hypertension (PHT) is associated with high mortality in sickle cell anemia (SCA). Previously, we showed that elevated levels of placenta growth factor (PlGF) in SCA patients correlate with increased levels of the potent vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 (ET-1) and PHT. Moreover, PlGF induced the expression of ET-1 via hypoxia-inducible factor 1α. Here, we show a novel example of ET-1 posttranscriptional regulation by PlGF via action of microRNA 648 (miR-648), which is subject to transcriptional coregulation with its host gene, MICAL3 (microtubule-associated monooxygenase, calponin, and LIM domain containing 3gene). PlGF repressed expression of miR-648 in endothelial cells. Luciferase reporter assays using wild-type and mutant ET-1 3' untranslated region (UTR) constructs, and transfection of miR-648 mimics showed that miR-648 targets the 3' UTR of ET-1 mRNA. Since miR-648 is located in a 5'-proximal intron of MICAL3, we examined which of three potential promoters was responsible for its expression. The MICAL3 distal promoter (P1) was the predominant promoter used for transcription of pre-miR-648, and it was under positive control by PAX5 (paired box protein 5) transcription factor, as demonstrated by the loss and gain of function of PAX5 activity, and chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis. These studies provide a novel link wherein PlGF-mediated downregulation of PAX5 attenuates miR-648 expression leading to increased ET-1 levels that are known to induce PHT in SCA.
Autoradiographic localization of sex steroid-concentrating cells in the brain of the teleost Macropodus opercularis (Osteichthyes: Belontiidae)

Tritiakd estradiol or testosterone was administered to gonadectomized male paradise fish, Macropodus opercularis, to investigate the neuroanatomical location of sex steroidretaining cells. Each male was sacrificed 2 hr following intraperitoneal injection of the labeled hormone. Autoradiograms were prepared, and sections were taken from the entire brain, the anterior spinal cord, and the pituitary. Following 4 to 12 months of exposure, the distribution of labeled cells was seen to be the same for males which had received the estradiol as those which received testosterone, but estradiol resulted in a greater number of labeled cells. Steroid-concentrating cells were located in the ventral telencephalon, preoptic area, lateral tuberal nucleus, nucleus of the lateral recess of the third ventricle, and caudal portion of the posterior periventricular nucleus. In addition, the
Thermal energetics and thermoregulatory costs of small arctic mammals.

Thermal energetics for shrews, weasels, and lemmings from arctic environments were evaluated by using physical and physiological energy exchange data in an energy budget equation. This approach allowed quantification of the effects of different temperature and radiative and convective regimes on metabolic heat production requirements. Tests of the predictive accuracy of the technique were carried out by placing fur-covered, internally heated metal casts of the animals in natural settings and comparing predicted with actual power input requirements. Test results were good, confirming the accuracy of the energy budget model. Thermoregulatory energy requirements were computed for small mammals in several microclimate regimes typical of the Alaskan North Slope region. Estimations were also made of daily and yearly metabolic expenditures by integrating energy budget information with climatic data and the behavior patterns of the animals. The energy requirements of these animals are high throughout the year, but differ significantly between the various available microhabitats. Maintenance of a positive energy balance depends heavily on efficient foraging strategies, selection of the most energetically favorable microhabitats, and the use of winter nests.
Ecosystem approach to a global nitrous oxide budget

An approach using relationships among soil fertility, nitrogen cycling, and nitrous oxide production is presented in order to estimate nitrous oxide flux from humid tropical forests. The effects of human disturbance are also investigated. It is noted that recent estimates suggest that 6-10 million ha. of tropical forest are cleared permanently each year. The results of measurements of nitrous oxide flux from cleared and burned sites in Costa Rica and Brazil, in conjunction with satellite-based classifications of ecosystem types, are used to calculate average hourly fluxes for a given region. In the NASA intensive site near Manaus, Brazil, it was found that although pasture areas cover only 11 percent of the region they account for 40 percent of the nitrous oxide flux. This analysis of the fluxes of trace gases through consideration of the gradients of factors that control both fluxes and ecosystem properties and processes will prove useful for extrapolating fluxes and for calculating budgets of nitrous oxide, methane, nonmethane hydrocarbons, and carbon dioxide.
Tracing flocculent industrial and domestic sewage transport on San Pedro Shelf, Southern California, by nitrogen and sulphur isotope ratios

Abstract Domestic and industrial sewage is discharged at a depth of 60 m near Whites Point on the San Pedro Shelf, Southern California borderland. A density-stratified thermocline, above the outfall at a depth of 20 to 30 m, is thought to prevent most effluent particles from reaching shallower depths and recreational facilities. In this investigation, measurement of the natural abundance of nitrogen isotopes ( 15 N 14 N ) is used to determine the level of sewage contribution to flocculent suspended material persisting at water depths of 7, 13 and 20 m. Organic nitrogen at 20 m depth was shown to be predominantly of sewage-origin and at 7 m, predominantly of marine origin. Organic nitrogen at 13 m depth and within 3 km of the outfall pipes is predominantly sewage in origin. Stable isotope composition of sulphur ( 32 S 34 S ) in the flocculent material indicates that the effluent particles contain metabolic sulphur, incorporated from dissolved seawater, as well as bacterially produced mineral sulphide.
The prevalence of ureaplasma urealyticum, mycoplasma hominis, chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhoeae infections, and the rubella status of patients undergoing an initial infertility evaluation.

Purpose To determine the prevalence of positive test for Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU), Mycoplasma hominis (MH), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infections, and their corresponding Rubella status when undergoing workup for infertility.
Weathering and durability of PV backsheets and impact on PV module performance

Polymeric backsheets form the outer protective layer of most crystalline and multi-crystalline silicon cell photovoltaic panels. The mechanical, electrical, optical and chemical properties and durability of these backsheets are critical to the long term reliability, durability and safety of the photovoltaic modules. The stability of these backsheet properties is typically determined based on accelerated testing using individual stresses. However, the impact of multiple stresses applied sequentially or simultaneously can lead to changes in materials properties that are more predictive of performance in the field. An important consideration in the development of accelerated test protocols is the level and duration of the stress, including temperature variation, light intensity and spectral power distribution, humidity, rainfall and powered module current. In this paper, we discuss observations of the aging and degradation of solar panel from the field. Then how these changes correlate to accelerated testing results, and how accelerated tests can be modified to better match observations in the field.
Radiative and Multiphonon Relaxation of Rare-Earth Ions in Y 2 O 3

Spontaneous-emission probabilities for electric- and magnetic-dipole transitions from excited electronic states of ${\mathrm{Pr}}^{3+}$, ${\mathrm{Nd}}^{3+}$, ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{3+}$, ${\mathrm{Er}}^{3+}$, and ${\mathrm{Tm}}^{3+}$ impurities in ${\mathrm{Y}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ are calculated using eigenstates in intermediate coupling and experimental intensity parameters. The predicted radiative lifetimes are in good agreement with experimental lifetimes measured using pulsed-selective-excitation techniques for those levels where unit quantum efficiency is expected. Discrepancies do exist, however, which indicate the importance of $J$-state mixing and possible breakdown of the closure approximation used in Judd and Ofelt's treatment. Nonradiative decay rates were determined by subtracting the radiative contribution from the observed lifetime. The rates of multiphonon emission in ${\mathrm{Y}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ exhibit a systematic variation with proximity of the next-lowest level, and contribute significantly to the decay for levels having energy gaps to the next-lowest level of less than 3000 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. Selection-rule restrictions are evident from the reduced relaxation rates for the $^{5}D_{J}$ levels of ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{3+}$. The concentration dependence of the excitation spectra and excited-state lifetimes of ${\mathrm{Tm}}^{3+}$ were investigated to establish the importance of ion-pair relaxation; however, these processes were generally avoided.
General Pathway for Turning on Promoters Transcribed by RNA Polymerases Containing Alternative σ Factors

In Escherichia coli , the vast majority of transcription results from the RNA polymerase (RNAP) holoenzyme containing σ70 (Eσ70). However, there are six other σ factors that each recognize other sets of promoters, often united by common function. σ32 (σH) controls heat shock promoters, σ54 (σ