cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous resolution of spectral and temporal properties of UV and visible fluorescence using single‐photon counting with a position‐sensitive detector

A new fluorescence spectrometer has been assembled at the U9B beamline of the National Synchrotron Light Source to allow simultaneous multiwavelength and time‐resolved fluorescence detection, as well as spatial imaging of the sample fluorescence. The spectrometer employs monochromatized, tunable UV and visible excitation light from a synchrotron bending magnet and an imaging spectrograph equipped with a single‐photon sensitive emission detector. The detector is comprised of microchannel plates in series, with a resistive anode for encoding the position of the photon‐derived current. The centroid position of the photon‐induced electron cascade is derived in a position analyzer from the four signals measured at the corners of the resistive anode. Spectral information is obtained by dispersing the fluorescence spectrum across one dimension of the detector photocathode. Timing information is obtained by monitoring the voltage divider circuit at the last MCP detector. The signal from the MCP is used as a ‘‘start’’ signal to perform a time‐correlated single photon counting experiment. The analog signal representing the position, and hence wavelength, is digitized concomitantly with the start/stop time difference and stored in the two‐dimensional histogramming memory of a multiparameter analyzer.
Active learning in nursing education (ALINE): New model for teaching and learning

Traditional teaching and learning pedagogical models do not adequately address the needs of students and often present substantial barriers to incorporating the benefits of technology enhanced learning. Active learning in nursing education (ALINE) is a practical teaching and learning model that: (a) provides a well-defined framework for accurate assessment of learning outcomes/objectives by requiring each outcome and/or objective be linked to an identified primary nursing competency; (b) identifies and defines the core components of a course (elements, objects and modules) and provides a framework for development of each of the components; (c) requires active learning principles be applied to every action taken by the learner throughout the course. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the ALINE learning model and the first virtual conference on aging that was held between 21 April to 2 May 2003.
Spatiotemporal dynamics of recent mountain pine beetle and western spruce budworm outbreaks across the Pacific Northwest Region, USA

Abstract Across the western US, the two most prevalent native forest insect pests are mountain pine beetle (MPB; Dendroctonus ponderosae ; a bark beetle) and western spruce budworm (WSB; Choristoneura freemani ; a defoliator). MPB outbreaks have received more forest management attention than WSB outbreaks, but studies to date have not compared their cumulative mortality impacts in an integrated, regional framework. The objectives of this study are to: (1) map tree mortality associated with MPB and WSB outbreaks by integrating forest health aerial detection surveys (ADS; 1970–2012), Landsat time series (1984–2012), and multi-date forest inventory data; (2) compare the timing, extent, and cumulative impacts of recent MPB and WSB outbreaks across forested ecoregions of the US Pacific Northwest Region (PNW; Oregon and Washington). Our Landsat-based insect atlas facilitates comparisons across space, time, and insect agents that have not been possible to date, complementing existing ADS maps in three important ways. The new maps (1) capture variation of insect impacts within ADS polygons at a finer spatial resolution (30 m), substantially reducing estimated insect extent; (2) provide consistent estimates of change for multiple agents, particularly long-duration changes; (3) quantify change in terms of field-measured tree mortality (dead basal area). Despite high variation across the study region, spatiotemporal patterns are evident in both the aerial survey- and Landsat-based maps of insect activity. MPB outbreaks occurred in two phases – first during the 1970s and 1980s in eastern and central Oregon and then more synchronously during the 2000s throughout dry interior conifer forests of the PNW. Reflecting differences in habitat susceptibility and epidemiology, WSB outbreaks exhibited early activity in northern Washington and an apparent spread from the eastern to central PNW during the 1980s, returning to northern Washington during the 1990s and 2000s. At ecoregional and regional scales, WSB outbreaks have exceeded MPB outbreaks in extent as well as total tree mortality, suggesting that ongoing studies should account for both bark beetles and defoliators. Given projected increases of insect and fire activity in western forests, the accurate assessment and monitoring of these disturbances will be crucial for sustainable ecosystem management.
Should one adjust the maximum step size in a Metropolis Monte Carlo simulation

Abstract It is common practice to adjust the maximum step size during Monte Carlo simulations to achieve a target fraction of accepted trial moves. Although simulation experts are well aware that this procedure is technically incorrect, the continuing publication of studies that employ it indicates that the pitfalls are not more widely known, or at least are assumed to be negligible. In this pedagogical Letter, it is shown that dynamic step size adjustment may lead to unwanted correlations and statistical undersampling of flat regions of the potential energy surface, thereby violating balance and producing systematic errors. A variety of examples highlight the conditions where the problem is likely to be worst.
Mood, personality disorder symptoms and disability in obsessive compulsive hoarders: a comparison with clinical and nonclinical controls

Hoarding is a symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), as well as a diagnostic criterion for obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). One recent study suggests that people who suffer from compulsive hoarding report more general psychopathology than people who do not [Frost, R.O., Krause, M.S., & Steketee, G. (1996). Hoarding and obsessive compulsive symptoms. Behavior Modification, 20, 116-132]. The present study addressed whether persons with OCD hoarding exhibit more depression, anxiety, OCD and personality disorders symptoms than community controls, OCD nonhoarders, or other anxiety disorder patients. Disability was also examined. Hoarding subjects were older than the other three groups, but age did not account for any of the differences observed among the groups. Compared to controls, OCD hoarding, nonhoarding OCD and anxiety disorder patients showed elevated YBOCS scores, as well as higher scores on depression, anxiety, family and social disability. Compared to nonhoarding OCD and anxiety disorder patients, OCD hoarding patients scored higher on anxiety, depression, family and social disability. Hoarding subjects had greater personality disorder symptoms than controls. However, OCD hoarding subjects differed from OCD nonhoarding and anxiety disorder subjects only on dependent and schizotypal personality disorder symptoms. The findings suggest that hoarding is associated with significant comorbidity and impairment compared to nonhoarding OCD and other anxiety disorders.
Moving phantom visibility as a function of fundus pigmentation

Moving phantom visibility was measured for subjects with a fundus classified as either lightly or darkly pigmented. The phantom-inducing pattern was a black-and-white square-wave grating drifting continuously from left to right, with a black horizontal occluder interrupting the middle of the grating. Moving phantom visibility was significantly reduced for darker relative to lighter pigmented subjects. The results show that fundus pigmentation can influence the perception of illusory contours and surfaces (i.e., phantoms). This finding supports and expands on previous research concerning fundus pigmentation influences on real contour perception.
Supercube: An optimally fault tolerant network architecture

A new class of interconnection network topology is proposed for parallel and distributed processing. The attractive features of this class include (a) the network can be constructed for any number of computing nodes, (b) the network is incrementally expandable, i.e., a new node can easily be added to the existing network, (c) it has good fault-tolerant characteristics (measured by the connectivity of the network graph) and (d) it has small delay characteristics (measured by the diameter of the network graph). The node connectivity of the network is equal to the minimum node degree. In this sense the network is optimally fault-tolerant.
Plasma lipoproteins can suppress accessory cell function and consequently suppress lymphocyte activation

Abstract The low density classes of plasma lipoproteins ( d ⩽ 1.063 g/ml) suppress mitogenic activation and proliferation of peripheral blood T lymphocytes. Here we demonstrate that lipoprotein suppression can be directed against the accessory cells (>85% monocytes) required for optimal activation of lymphocytes by polyclonal mitogens. Preincubation of accessory cells for 24 h with very low (VLDL) and low (LDL) density lipoproteins suppressed their ability to enhance lymphocyte activation, whereas preincubation of T lymphocytes with lipoproteins did not alter their responsiveness to mitogens. The phenotypic 3 distribution of the accessory cell population was not specifically altered by the lipoproteins, nor did loss of viability account for the suppressive effect of the lipoproteins. Furthermore, the lipoprotein-preincubated accessory cells did not secrete stable inhibitory substances, nor was their ability to produce interleukin 1 diminished. The results of mixing experiments indicate that VLDL-incubated accessory cells had not differentiated into suppressor cells. The lipoprotein-incubated accessory cells appeared to induce the interleukin 2-responsive state in the mitogen-activated lymphocytes, but could not deliver a signal or signals required for the further progression of the activated lymphocytes through the cell cycle. These important findings define at least two types of accessory cell function in the in vitro activation of T lymphocytes.
A cluster of microvillous inclusion disease in the Navajo population

We report 4 unrelated patients with characteristic microscopic findings of microvillous inclusion disease (MID) with early-onset phenotype. All 4 patients came from the Navajo reservation in northern Arizona. A literature search revealed a fifth unrelated Navajo child with MID. The unusually high incidence in this population indicates that a founder effect might be responsible for an increased frequency of this rare genetic disorder in the Navajo. It is recommended that all Navajo infants presenting with severe diarrhea during early infancy undergo investigation for MID.
Structure of putrebactin, a new dihydroxamate siderophore produced by Shewanella putrefaciens

Shewanella putrefaciens is a bacterium implicated in oil pipeline corrosion and fish spoilage, and is one of very few isolated microorganisms able to use iron(III) as an electron acceptor. S. putrefaciens strain 200 produced a novel cyclic dihydroxamate siderophore, putrebactin, during aerobic growth. Putrebactin was determined to be 1,11-dihydroxy-1,6,11,16-tetraazacycloeicosane-2,5,12,15-tetrone, a cyclic dimer of succinyl-(N-hydroxyputrescine), by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, fast atom bombardment and chemical ionization mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystallography. The protonation constants of putrebactin were determined to be 8.82 and 9.71. Potentiometric titration of the ferric complex revealed a sharp equivalence point at 3.0 equivalents of base per mole of Fe(III), consistent with loss of 3 protons per equivalent of bound ferric ion, while Job's method of continuous variation supported a shift from 1 : 1 to 3 : 2 complex stoichiometry as a function of pH. Putrebactin is similar in structure to two other siderophores, bisucaberin and alcaligin, produced by unrelated bacteria.
Random-start gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist-treated cycles with GnRH agonist trigger for fertility preservation.

Objective To describe our experience with random-start IVF with the use of GnRH agonist for final oocyte maturation, to reduce the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Design Case series. Setting University-based center for reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Patient(s) Patients with a new diagnosis of cancer who presented with a narrow time frame for IVF before initiating cancer therapy. Intervention(s) Random-start GnRH antagonist cycles with GnRH agonist trigger for final oocyte maturation. Main Outcome Measure(s) Number of oocytes retrieved, fertilization rate, rates of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Results Cycles were started in the late follicular or luteal phase, and the duration of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation ranged between 8-13 days. A total of 14-40 oocytes were retrieved and 5-20 embryos cryopreserved for each patient. Conclusion(s) Random-start IVF is a reasonable option for fertility preservation in those cancer patients for whom the treatment window may be narrow. In addition, the use of a GnRH agonist for final oocyte maturation may decrease the potential risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.
Associations between Sea Surface Temperature Gradient and Overlying Mid-Tropospheric Circulation in the North Pacific Region

Abstract An attempt was made to verify and further investigate a proposed relationship between the location of the maximum east-west sea surface temperature anomaly gradient (ΔSSTA) and the location of the maximum meridional component of the anomalous 700 mb geostrophic wind (VgA) in the North Pacific on a monthly and seasonal time scale. Previous empirical studies, mostly of a case study type, had suggested collocation of maximum values of these variables in the same time period, particularly during the cold seasons. Using 31 years of monthly sea surface temperature and 700 mb height data for the North Pacific, the two variables wore computed for each month and 3-month periods for each 10° longitude sector from 125°W to 155°E, and for each of three latitude bands (55–40°N, 40–25°N, 55–25°N). From these calculations, the spatial relationships of the two variables wore determined by counting frequencies of the collocation of maximum VgA and ΔSSTA for each month or season and latitude band, and by computing...
Globalization from Below: Labor Activists Challenging the AFL-CIO Foreign Policy Program

Building on Alberto Melucci’s argument that to understand a social movement, we must look at the period before emergence as a social movement, this article examines labor activists’ efforts to reform the foreign policy program of the AFL-CIO: has sufficient groundwork been laid that a serious possibility of an alternative globalization movement can emerge from within US Labor?This article discusses general efforts to challenge the AFL-CIO’s foreign policy program. It examines the work of US Labor Against the War (USLAW) since its founding in 2003, the California State AFL-CIO’s formal repudiation of the AFL-CIO foreign policy program in 2004, and then efforts at the 2005 National AFL-CIO Convention to keep California’s ‘Build Unity and Trust With Workers Worldwide’ resolution from being fairly discussed at the Convention. Based on evidence presented, it then evaluates whether there is an alternative globalization movement emerging within US Labor or not.
Limited stage small cell lung cancer: treatment and therapy.

Chemotherapy remains the key treatment for small cell lung cancer; today, that chemotherapy remains cisplatin and etoposide in a variety of acceptable schedules. Attempts to use new drugs in extensive disease have not been as successful as hoped; however, a recent trial from Japan supports the use of irinotecan and cisplatin over the standard cisplatin and etoposide, but these facts need to be verified in western countries. For limited disease, the addition of thoracic radiotherapy for all patients and prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in complete, or near complete, responders have resulted in improved survival. The best results occur with early, intensive thoracic radiotherapy concurrent with chemotherapy and PCI after completion of systemic and local therapy. The use of PCI and thoracic radiotherapy in extensive disease is more controversial and less evidence based. PCI and thoracic radiotherapy may be considered only in patients who have achieved a “systemic” complete response and excellent response in the chest. However, both prospects should be supported if there is complete response systemically and near complete response locally. The role of surgery is of limited value in the unusual cases of mediastinal negative disease, but it is a good treatment for patients with peripheral nodules and sufficient pulmonary function to withstand thoracotomy.
Prophylactic use of NSAIDs by athletes: a risk/benefit assessment.

AbstractAthletes often seek artificial means to gain advantage and prolong participation when competing. This often involves taking naturally occurring or chemically synthesized compounds. The World Anti-Doping Agency does not prohibit the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) because these agents are not performance enhancing, and their analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects are at best performance enabling. Consequently, athletes have relatively unrestricted access to NSAIDs, which are readily available as over-the-counter drugs. However, concern has been raised on athletes' prophylactic use of these agents. Data from many sporting fields have consistently demonstrated that many individuals self-administer NSAIDs prior to athletic participation to prevent pain and inflammation before it occurs. However, scientific evidence for this approach is currently lacking, and athletes should be aware of the potential risks in using NSAIDs as a prophylactic agent. These agents are not benign, and c...
MENU STRUCTURE AND ORDERING OF MENU SELECTION: INDEPENDENT OR INTERACTIVE EFFECTS?

The breadth/depth trade-off in menu structure refers to advantages and disadvantages of menu breadth (having fewer levels/pages of menu selections with more selections per level) and depth (having more levels/pages with fewer selections per level). Several studies (Snowberry, Parkinson & Sisson, 1983; Landauer & Nachbar, 1985) demonstrate enhanced user performance with increased breadth. However, other studies (Miller, 1981; Kiger, 1984; Tullis, 1985) fail to show an advantage in user performance with increased depth. Complicating the breadth/depth issue is the issue of the ordering of selections within each menu level. Snowberry et al. found superiority of breadth only with consistent ordering of selections within levels. Card (1982) reported that alphabetical ordering of selections is superior to functional ("logical") ordering, which in turn is superior to random ordering.
High intensity, argon ion laser-jet photochemistry

Abstract A new technique for the study of high intensity solution photochemistry has been developed. With this laser-jet technique, a high velocity microjet is irradiated with the focussed output of an argon ion laser. Under these extremely high intensity conditions, photochemically generated transient species with suitable absorption properties are excited further and produce relatively large amounts of photoproducts which are not observed under low intensity conditions. The application of this laser-jet technique in the study of the photochemistry of radicals, biradicals, photoenols and the higher excited states of carbonyl and polycyclic aromatic compounds is described.
Ovarian cancer: the duplicity of CA125 measurement

Since it was first described in 1981, CA125 has held an important role in monitoring patients with ovarian cancer. CA125 is elevated in 80% of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer at initial diagnosis and correlates well with response to therapy. CA125 monitoring is used for the follow up of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, and elevations in CA125 measurements often antedate any signs, symptoms or radiographic evidence of disease by several months. Unfortunately, data favoring early therapeutic intervention for recurrent ovarian cancer is lacking, especially in patients with isolated CA125 elevations. In asymptomatic patients, elevations in CA125 have been associated with considerable anxiety and deterioration in quality of life without any significant gains in survival. Patients with ovarian cancer should, therefore, be counseled regarding the advantages and shortcomings of intensive CA125 testing. While some patients may benefit from early detection of recurrent disease and be candidates for secondary cytoreductive surgery, others may choose to delay therapy until they develop symptoms of disease recurrence. The results of a clinical trial suggest that withholding treatment in the event of isolated rising CA125 levels will not negatively impact these patients overall survival, highlighting the need for improved salvage therapies for recurrent ovarian cancer.
Rat sternothyroid muscle: dissection and preparation for electrophysiologic and electronmicrograhic studies.

The sternothyroid muscle of the rat is described. The ease of dissection and localization of end-plate regions within the sternothyroid muscle by direct visualization of nerve supply provides a convenient mammalian muscle preparation for electrophysiological and ultrastructural research.
Center-surround interactions in two types of on-center retinal ganglion cells in the cat

Abstract Center-surround interactions of Group I and Group II cells ( Winters , Hickey and Pollack , 1973) were studied by simultaneously presenting a small spot in the center of a unit's receptive field and an annulus in the receptive field periphery. The responses to this target configuration were compared to those elicited by the center spot alone and those elicited by presenting an annulus alone. Group I cells gave a transient response to a maintained central spot while Group II cells gave a sustained response for the same stimulus. Both Group I cells and Group II cells gave on-off responses to a center spot plus peripheral annulus but the on portion of the response was much weaker in Group II cells than in Group I cells, indicating greater peripheral suppression in these units. Linear summation of central and peripheral responses could be demonstrated for Group II cells but not Group I cells.
Family communication and mental health after breast cancer

In the context of a traumatic event, such as a breast cancer diagnosis, talking with others about the event can facilitate emotional adjustment and meaning-finding. Among women with a history of breast cancer, open communication is likely to be of particular importance in the family setting, as the family is frequently a primary source of support. The goal of this cross-sectional survey study was to determine the association between open family communication about cancer and breast cancer survivors' mental health. Responses from 230 women at various stages post-treatment suggest that the majority of women are able to talk openly with their family about breast cancer. Multivariate regression analysis further indicates that open family communication is independently associated with better mental health outcomes. Given that many women live long after a breast cancer diagnosis, maintaining mental health functioning is an important long-term goal. Efforts to enhance productive communication between patients and their family members may help women cope with and overcome the challenges of breast cancer survivorship.
915 ACETAZOLAMIDE- INDUCED FORELLMB MALFORHATION

Acetazolamide sodium, a diuretic in man due to inhibition of carbonic anhydrase, produces postaxial forelimb deformities in mice when administered in utero on days 9 or 10 of gestation. The deformities are much more common on the right side. We have evaluated the pattern of mesenchyme cell aggregation and cartilage formation in day 11½ to 12½ forelimbs of C57BL/6J embryos, a strain known to be susceptible to this teratogen (Teratology 11:37, 1975). In d. 11½ forelimbs, in which aggregation of mesenchyme is normally not visible, there was no limb deformity and no necrosis of tissue. By d. 12 there is absence of the postaxial aggregates of either digits 4 and 5 or the ulna or both in the forelimbs, primarily the right. The remaining aggregates showed normal patterns of cell polarity, as determined by staining the Golgi apparatus with silver nitrate and determining the orientation of the stained mesenchyme cells toward the center of the aggregate. The mechanism of action of acetazolamide is not known. These studies suggest that it interferes with early mesenchyme cell aggregation in a restricted anatomic region presumably by interrupting the normal process of cell-to-cell adhesion. Supported by N.I.H. Grants HD09689 and HL18714 and a grant from the C.H. Hood Foundation, Boston.
Anodic properties of n-Si and n-Ge electrodes in HF solution under illumination and in the dark

Abstract In HF solution, the n-Si electrode is found to show unique properties under illumination and in the dark. It shows a quantum efficiency of the photocurrent as high as 400% (current quadrupling effect) when the light intensity is weak, i.e. less than 5×10−3 mW cm−2 in 1 M (M=mol dm−3) HF at pH 4.9. In the dark, an n-Si electrode that has been covered with an oxide layer shows a peak of anodic current a short time after it is immersed in a HF solution. Both these phenomena are attributable to the dissolution of the oxide layer by the HF solution and to electron injection from transient species, special forms of partially oxidized silicon at the Si/HF solution interface. The properties of an n-Ge electrode are also studied and compared with those of an n-Si electrode.
Fossiliferous Concretions--Possible Evidence of Purposeful Food Gathering: ABSTRACT

Concretions containing many, closely packed fossils are sufficiently numerous to warrant special attention and probably a distinctive designation. A few examples emphasize the problem of origin: (a) one concretion from shale above the no. 5 coal bed of Illinois (Pennsylvanian) yielded at least 1,000 uncrushed Composita argentea; the sparse fauna of the matrix is extensively crushed; (b) 3 concretions from the Deseret Limestone (Mississippian) of north-central Utah yielded several hundred specimens of the ammonoid Dzhaprakoceras known previously only from Asia; (c) one concretion from the Colorado shale (Early Cretaceous) near Harlowton, Montana, yielded 1,400 uncrushed specimens of the ammonite Gastroplites, a relatively rare genus in North America, (d) numerous concretio s from the Ferron Sandstone (early Late Cretaceous), Emery County, Utah, under investigation by the writers, have a well-preserved molluscan fauna, whereas the matrix is practically unfossiliferous; and (e) very abundant concretions in the Fox Hills Formation (late Late Cretaceous) of South Dakota commonly show dense accumulations of several molluscan species; fossils are otherwise sparse. It is proposed that such fossiliferous concretions have resulted from selective, purposeful, food-gathering or hoarding activities of large vertebrate or invertebrate marine animals. No other agency seems capable of bringing together large numbers of sessile, somewhat heavy, and probably still-living animals into small compact masses. Whether these represent food not yet ingested, undigestable residues (coprolites?), or contents of some part of the alimentary canal in process of digestion is not known. The term "gastric concretion" is proposed as sufficiently broad and descriptive to cover this type of accumulation. End_of_Article - Last_Page 962------------
Genotypic Analyses of Mycoplasma gallisepticum Isolates from Songbirds by Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA and Amplified-fragment Length Polymorphism

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) conjunctivitis emerged in 1994 as a disease of free-ranging house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) in North America and has also been isolated from other songbirds with conjunctivitis. Random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) of house finch and other songbird isolates has suggested that a single ‘strain’ initiated this outbreak. To explore the possibility of genomic variability among house finch isolates of MG and to evaluate the utility of a second technique for MG genotyping, we selected samples from our archive of reference strains and wild songbird isolates to analyze using both RAPD and amplified-fragment length polymorphism (AFLP); this is a newer technique that has been successfully used to explore the genomic variability of several Mycoplasma species. Both RAPD and AFLP results confirmed previous observations that during the initial stages of the MG epidemic in songbirds, isolates from different geographic locations and songbird species had genotypes that appeared...
Structure of Water Adsorbed on a Mica Surface

Monte Carlo simulations of hydration water on the mica (001) surface under ambient conditions revealed water molecules bound closely to the ditrigonal cavities in the surface, with a lateral distribution of approximately one per cavity, and water molecules (interposed between K+ counter ions) in a layer situated about 2.5 A from a surface O along a direction normal to the (001) plane. The calculated water O density profile was in quantitative agreement with recent x-ray reflectivity measurements indicating strong lateral ordering of the hydration water but liquidlike disorder otherwise.
Invisible decays of Higgs and other mesons in models with singlet neutrinos in large extra dimensions

Abstract In light of current atmospheric neutrino oscillation data, we revisit the invisible decay of the standard model Higgs boson and other pseudoscalar mesons which can be enhanced because of large number of KK modes in models with right-handed singlet neutrinos in large extra dimensions. We find that the invisible decay rate of Higgs can be as large as H→b b decay rate only for a very restricted region of parameter space. This parameter space is even further restricted if one demands that the dimensionless neutrino Yukawa coupling λ is O (1). We have also studied the scenarios where singlet neutrino propagate in a sub-space, which lowers the string scale M ∗ and keeps neutrino Yukawa coupling O (1). We have also considered decays of other spin-0 mesons to ν ν and found the rates to be too small for measurement.
Effect of thermal shock conditions on reliability of chip ceramic capacitors

Different size X7R MLCCs have been subjected to three types of thermal shock testing: terminal solder pot dip test, ice water test, and liquid nitrogen drop test. Electrical characteristics of the parts were measured through various test conditions to determine critical temperatures that result in fracturing and electrical failures. Optical examinations and cross-sectional analysis were used to confirm the presence of cracks. Mechanisms of fracturing and the effectiveness of different thermal shock methods are discussed. It is shown that the heat conduction and direction of temperature changes (heating or cooling) are critical factors of thermal shock testing of MLCCs. The probability of fracturing depends also on the level of residual mechanical stresses, mostly in terminal areas of ceramic capacitors.
Metabolism of 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 3-bromo-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and bromide by cell-free fractions of the marine red alga Odonthalia floccosa

Abstract Cell-free fractions from Odonthalia floccosa incubated with 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde-[U-14C], 3-bromo-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde-[U-14C] and 82Br− formed the dibromo-dihydroxybenzaldehyde derivatives of the bromophenols (brominated benzylalcohols) which were also identified as naturally occurring products.
Effects of Population Density and Feeding Rate on Growth and Feed Consumption of Red Swamp Crawfish Procambarns clarkii

Wire-mesh enclosures were used in production ponds to conduct growth trials in which population density and feeding rate were evaluated in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement for their effects on crawfish growth. Juvenile Procambarus clarkii of uniform size (0.5 g) were stocked at 2 or 20 animals/m2 in experiment 1 and weighed biweekly for 12 wk. Rice forage served as the detrital base, and supplemental feed (25% crude protein) was provided at either a low (26–52 kg/ha per week) or high (104–418 kg/ha per week) rate. In experiment 2, mixed sizes of crawfish were stocked at 10/m2 or 20/m2 and fed the formulated feed at either 52 or 312 kg/ha per week. Feed consumption was estimated for each treatment combination. Only population density significantly affected crawfish growth. Mean weight gain and final weights were inversely proportional to density but only when total crawfish biomass exceeded 1,235 kg/ha. Growth was not significantly influenced by feeding rate, but the high feeding rate resulted in a significantly greater ratio of hepatopancreas weight to body weight and tended to decrease hepatopancreas moisture levels, indicating improved condition. Population density, feeding rate, and their interaction had significant effects on estimated feed consumption. From the simple linear regression of mean feed consumption on crawfish standing crop, it was estimated that crawfish consume about 0.1 kg of dry feed per ha per week per kg of crawfish biomass on a 5 d per week feeding schedule at mean water temperatures, ranging from 14 to 30 C.
Intensity correction of phased‐array surface coil images

Phased-array coils distribute the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) performance of their small component surface coils over the larger area covered by the entire array. The inhomogeneous sensitivity profiles of the component surface coils result in images with very high signal near the phased-array and decreased signal far from the array. This paper presents a postprocessing algorithm for correcting these coil-related intensity variations. The algorithm's performance was evaluated by correcting images of volunteers acquired with several different receive-only phased-array surface coils.
Substitution Studies of the Second Divalent Metal Cation Requirement of Protein Tyrosine Kinase CSK

In addition to a magnesium ion needed to form the ATP−Mg complex, we have previously determined that at least one more free Mg2+ ion is essential for the activation of the protein tyrosine kinase, Csk [Sun, G., and Budde, R. J. A. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 2139−2146]. In this paper, we report that several divalent metal cations, such as Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+ bind to the second Mg2+-binding site of Csk with up to 13200-fold higher affinity than Mg2+. This finding enabled us to substitute the free Mg2+ at this site with Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, or Zn2+ while keeping ATP saturated with Mg2+ to study the role of the free metal cation in Csk catalysis. Substitution by these divalent metal cations resulted in varied levels of Csk activity, with Mn2+ even more effective than Mg2+. Co2+ and Ni2+ supports reduced levels of Csk activity compared to Mg2+. Zn2+ has the highest affinity for the second Mg2+-binding site of Csk at 0.65 μM, but supports no kinase activity, acting as a dead-end inhibitor. The inhibition by Zn...
What makes an antigen a food allergen

A limited number of foods are responsible for the majority of reactions in IgE-mediated food allergy, seafood, peanut and tree nut allergies predominating in adults whilst cow’s milk and hen’s egg are important allergenic foods for infants. Over the past 10 years there has been an explosion in the numbers of well characterized allergens which have been sequenced and collected into a number of databases which has facilitated bioinformatic analyses and allowed food allergens to be classified according to their structural and biological properties. This has shown that food allergens belong to only a limited number of protein superfamilies, with animal and plant derived food allergens showing similar distributions, the majority of allergens in each group falling into just three to four families with a tail of between 14 to 23 families comprising between 1-3 allergens each. Thus, around 65% of plant food allergens belong to just four protein families, the prolamin, cupin, Bet v 1-like, and profilin families whilst animal food allergens can be classified into three main families, the tropomyosins, EF-hand proteins, and caseins.Such patterns of behavior beg the questions what makes some foods such as peanut so much more allergenic than other closely related foods such as pea? Why do certain protein scaffolds dominate the landscape of allergen structures? Can we identify structural features that predispose certain proteins to becoming allergens? That the relationship between protein structure and allergenicity is not straight forward is indicated by the fact that previous detailed analysis of the secondary structure elements in proteins has not shown any relationship with allergenicity. It is further complicated by factors such as food processing and modification of allergen structures during digestion. Only a small number of the total number of proteins expressed in, for example an edible seed such as peanuts, have been defined as allergens and abundance alone does not account for the allergenic potency of certain proteins. Another factor that may be involved in determining allergenic potential of certain proteins is their stability to conditions commonly used in processing foods, especially in food such as peanuts which are rarely consumed raw. Lastly, in order for food proteins to either sensitize or elicit an allergic reaction they must also be bioaccessible, i.e. released from the food matrix and then survive gastrointestinal processing to be presented to the mucosal immune system in an immunologically relevant form. Structural therefore factors may contribute to the allergenicity of certain protein scaffolds and may vary between different scaffolds. Future work will focus on how the food matrix may modulate the bioaccessibility and digestion properties of these proteins and the route by which specific proteins drive class switching in B cells. Only by combining the knowledge and skills of allergen biochemists, immunologists and clinical allergists will the step-changes in thinking be achieved to address these questions in future.
Wireless telecommunications in Latin America: A comparison of the market portfolios of America Movil and Telefonica

With the growth of their Latin American mobile telecommunications markets slowing, regulatory pressures intensifying, and new entrants worsening an already unfavorable competitive environment, and in order to capitalize on the opportunity to increase revenues by providing new wireless data and video services to subscribers, Telefonica and America Movil management have begun to restructure their companies and re-think their internationalization strategies. This paper focuses on the two companies' Latin American market portfolios in 2008, comparing the portfolios with respect to the attractiveness of their markets and the companies' competitive positions in them, and how they changed from 2002 to 2008. The degrees of market attractiveness and competitive strength the portfolios possessed, as well as their variability across the markets in the portfolios, are considered. The portfolio analysis technique employed in the paper may have wider applicability for formulating corporate strategy.
The optimal estimation of earthquake parameters

Abstract The precision with which various earthquake parameters can be determined using an existing or a proposed network of seismographic stations has recently been of considerable interest. Analytical solutions for the optimal resolution are presented for the epicenter, hypocenter, focal mechanism, seismic moment, and local magnitude estimation problems. The algebraic method is to decompose orthogonally the equations of condition for each problem using the singular-value theorem. The orthonormal equations and the data covariance then yield the uncertainties in the estimations of the unknown earthquake parameters. Possible biases due to significant linear correlations among the observed data are included in the analysis. As an example, the ability of data from the Berkeley three-station network of broadband seismographs to determine the above earthquake parameters is discussed. The parameters of the ML 5.9 Coyote Lake earthquake of August 6, 1979 are determined in detail. In order to use all of the resolution that a network has for determining earthquake parameters, it is necessary to calibrate the network for regional earthquakes which have well-determined parameters. If the network is not calibrated, the use of relatively simple velocity models will lead to significant systematic errors in the estimation of some of the parameters.
Survival and growth of Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica in pork chops packaged under modified gas atmospheres.

Listeria monocytogenes Scott A, serotype 4b, and Yersinia enterocolitica from vacuum-packaged pork were inoculated onto fresh pork chops. Survival and growth were determined in different atmospheres at 4 °C during 35-days. Atmospheres were gas mixtures [20/0/80, 40/ 0/60, and 40/10/50 (CO2/O2/N2)], vacuum and air. In air L. monocytogenes and Y. enterocolitica grew slower than psychrotrophic spoilage flora. In gas atmospheres, Y. enterocolitica grew at the same rate as psychrotrophic spoilage flora and L. monocytogenes grew more slowly. When 10% O2 was included in the 40% CO2 mixture, growth was reduced. Vacuum packaging was no more effective than gas mixtures in retarding growth. Modified atmospheres provide an environment in the package that would allow growth of Y. enterocolitica and potentially compromise safety of meat products.
On Hamiltonian circuits in Cayley diagrams

Let S generate the group G. The Cayley diagram of the generators S in G is a directed graph denoted by Cay(S). In this paper, we study the existence of hamiltonian paths and circuits in Cay(S). In particular, we give sufficient conditions for the group G to have the property that for every set S generating G, there is a hamiltonian circuit in Cay(S). Two new conjectures are presented. Many questions are still open.
Statistical Methods for Vectorcardiographic Directions

Current statistical methods for treating vectorcardiographic directions are invalid because they treat the directions as points on a line or plane. It is more appropriate to consider the directions as points on a circle or sphere; the direction toward the center of gravity of such points is then a measure of the prevalent direction, and the distance from the center of the circle or sphere to the center of gravity is a measure of precision. The precision is a measure of how closely the directions cluster about the prevalent direction. The Fisher distribution is suggested as a probability model for spatial directions, and its usefulness is illustrated by 1) a test statistic for determining whether two samples of directions come from the same population, 2) the construction of a ``confidence circle'' for the spatial prevalent direction, and 3) a method for obtaining planar prevalent directions and precisions from the spatial ones.
A parallel-gradient microfluidic chamber for quantitative analysis of breast cancer cell chemotaxis.

Growth factor-induced chemotaxis of cancer cells is believed to play a critical role in metastasis, directing the spread of cancer from the primary tumor to secondary sites in the body. Understanding the mechanistic and quantitative behavior of cancer cell migration in growth factor gradients would greatly help in future treatment of metastatic cancers. Using a novel microfluidic chemotaxis chamber capable of simultaneously generating multiple growth factor gradients, we examined the migration of the human metastatic breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 in various conditions. First, we quantified and compared the migration in two gradients of epidermal growth factor (EGF) spanning different concentrations: 0–50 ng/ml and 0.1–6 ng/ml. Cells showed a stronger response in the 0–50 ng/ml gradient. However, the fact that even a shallow gradient of EGF can induce chemotaxis, and that EGF can direct migration over a large dynamic range of gradients, confirms the potency of EGF as a chemoattractant. Second, we investigated the effect of antibody against the EGF receptor (EGFR) on MDA-MB-231 chemotaxis. Quantitative analysis indicated that anti-EGFR antibody impaired both motility and directional orientation (CI = 0.03, speed = 0.71 μm/min), indicating that cell motility was induced by the activation of EGFR. The ability to compare, in terms of quantitative parameters, the effects of different pharmaceutical inhibitors, as well as subtle differences in experimental conditions, will aid in our understanding of mechanisms that drive metastasis. The microfluidic chamber described in this work will provide a platform for cell-based assays that can be used to compare the effectiveness of different pharmaceutical compounds targeting cell migration and metastasis.
Properties of UV-Curable Polyurethane Acrylates: Effect of Reactive Diluent.

Several families of UV-cured polyurethane acrylates were synthesized, and the effects of reactive diluent type and content on their physical properties were investigated. Increasing reactive diluent content promoted the development of a second, high glass transition temperature phase in all the materials, thereby leading to increased strength and modulus. Changes in the extensibility of the samples upon addition of reactive diluent were inversely related to the effect of the diluent on the crosslink density. The effects of using different reactive diluents (di-, tri-, and tetraethylene glycol diacrylate and N-vinyl pyrrolidone) on the physical properties of the samples were attributed to differences in the softening point (Tg) of the homopolymer reactive diluents and the relative compatibility of the reactive diluents with the urethane acrylate segments.
Model choice considerations and information integration using analytical hierarchy process

Abstract Using the theory of information-gap for decision-making under severe uncertainty, it has been shown that there exist irrevocable trade-offs between fidelity-to-data, robustness-to-uncertainty and confidence-in-prediction. The paper describes the assessment and trade-offs of these three components in a data-sparse application. To augment the data and corresponding modeling, a similar application with data and models is considered. A method of information integration is illustrated. Saaty's Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is used to determine weights for two models and two experimental data sets, by forming all possible pair-wise comparisons between model output and experimental data.
Some calculations on the large signal energy exchange mechanisms in linear beam tubes

The large signal energy exchange process both with and without space charge are studied by extending techniques used to compute multiple-cavity klystron bunching. The mechanics of this interaction at a klystron gap and in a traveling-wave type of system are examined in detail and the effects of space charge and of velocity spreading on efficiency are discussed.
Diversity of Feather Mites (Acari: Astigmata) on Darwin's Finches

Abstract: Feather mites are a diverse group of ectosymbionts that occur on most species of birds. Although Darwin's finches are a well-studied group of birds, relatively little is known about their feather mites. Nearly 200 birds across 9 finch species, and from 2 locations on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, were dust-ruffled during the 2009 breeding season. We found 8 genera of feather mites; the most prevalent genus was Mesalgoides (53–55%), followed by Trouessartia (40–45%), Amerodectes and Proctophyllodes (26–33%), Xolalgoides (21–27%), Analges and Strelkoviacarus (0–6%), and Dermoglyphus (2–4%). There was no evidence for microclimatic effects (ambient temperature and relative humidity) on mite diversity. Host body mass was significantly correlated with mean feather mite abundance across 7 of 8 well-sampled species of finches. Certhidea olivacea, the smallest species, did not fit this pattern and had a disproportionately high number of mites for its body mass.