cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Challenges and opportunities of thermal management issues related to fuel cell technology and modeling

Development and application of fuel cell technology will be increased significantly through analysis and improvement of the heat transfer in the fuel cell stack and auxiliary components and by implementation of innovative heat transfer schemes that address those issues. A detailed review of these problems related to fuel cell technology, including recently developing challenges, is presented. Current technical limitations can be overcome through a combination of novel methodologies, increased efficiency of components, decreased component size and mass, and detailed modeling. This paper also outlines the existing fuel cell technologies and developers, fuel cell models, and unresolved issues in fuel cell modeling.
Self-Esteem Stability and Early Adolescent Adjustment An Exploratory Study:

The relation of self-esteem stability to early adolescent adjustment was investigated among 53 eighth- and ninth-grade junior high school students. Youth reported domain specific self-evaluations and global feelings of self-worth on 9 separate days over a 3-week period. Measures of adjustment assessed symptoms of depression and aggressive behavior Instability in self-evaluations of peer relationships and physical appearance predicted greater depression independent of ratings of trait-oriented self-evaluations and daily hassles for those same domains. Relatively less stable evaluations of physical appearance also were associated significantly with reports of aggressive behavior, although not when controlling for trait-oriented self-evaluations and daily hassles. Further findings indicated interactions between self-esteem stability and corresponding aspects of trait self-esteem and daily hassles in the prediction of adjustment measures. The need for a complex, multifaceted conceptualization of self-esteem d...
A simpler origin for life.

Extraordinary discoveries inspire extraordinary claims. Thus James Watson reported that, immediately after they had uncovered the structure of DNA, Francis Crick "winged into the Eagle (pub) to tell everyone within hearing that we had discovered the secret of life." Their structure--an elegant double helix--almost merited such enthusiasm. Its proportions permitted information storage in a language in which four chemicals, called bases, played the same role as twenty six letters do in the English language.
Free energy calculations on dimer stability of the HIV protease using molecular dynamics and a continuum solvent model.

Dimerization of HIV-I protease (HIV PR) monomers is an essential prerequisite for viral proteolytic activity and the subsequent generation of infectious virus particles. Disrupting dimerization of the enzyme can inhibit its activity. We have calculated the relative binding free energies between different dimers of the HIV protease using molecular dynamics and a continuum model, which we call MM/PBSA. We examined the dominant negative inhibition of the HIV PR by a mutated form of the protease and found relative dimerization free energies of homo- and hetero-dimerization consistent with experimental data. We also developed a rapid screening method, which was called the virtual mutagenesis method to consider other mutations which might stabilize non-wild-type heterodimers. Using this approach, we considered the mutations near the dimer interface which might cause dominant negative inhibition of the HIV PR. The rapid method we developed can be used in studying any ligand-protein and protein-protein interaction, in order to identify mutations that can enhance the binding affinities of the complex.
The Impact of a Modern, Naturalistic Exhibit Design on Visitor Behavior: A Cross-Facility Comparison

ABSTRACT This study explored how the physical context of a species enclosure might affect visitor exploration of the exhibit space. Tracking and timing studies were conducted in 2 different designs of an exhibition space focused on African apes to determine if the new, more naturally designed exhibit was explored in a manner different from the former, more traditionally designed space. Observations of 825 individuals demonstrated that visitors spent 59% more time within the more naturalistic setting and moved more slowly through the space compared with the more traditional structure. In addition, significantly fewer visitors engaged in inappropriate glass tapping within the new space. The naturalistic design seemed to affect certain groups more than others, as females tended to have longer visit durations and adults tended to observe the resident apes more than children. This research highlights the importance of physical context to the overall learning experience of visitors to zoos and assists in unders...
Genetic relationship between kernel discoloration and grain protein concentration in barley

Kernel color and grain protein concentration (GPC) are two of the most important attributes of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grain intended for use in malting and brewing. Grain with protein levels that are too low or high or that have dark kernel color, which may result from the disease complex of kernel discoloration (KD), is unacceptable for the malting and brewing industries. The purpose of this study was to use molecular markers to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for KD and GPC in two recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations. One population was created by means of the high GPC and KD resistant cultivar Chevron. The other population was created from a KD resistant cultivar MNBrite that was derived from Chevron through eight generations of crossing and selection for bright kernels. The traits KD and GPC were evaluated in four and three environments, respectively, using the Chevron population and six environments using the MNBrite population. GPC and KD score were negatively correlated in both populations. A revised genetic map for the Chevron/M69 population, with an additional 45 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, was used to identify nine QTLs associated with KD on chromosomes 1(7H), 2(2H), 4(4H), 6(6H), and 7(5H), including two major QTLs on chromosome 6(6H). A single QTL for GPC identified in the Chevron mapping population, accounting for over 55% of the phenotypic variation, was located on chromosome 6(6H) and was coincident with one of the two major QTLs for KD. In this region, the Chevron allele increased GPC and decreased KD score. In the MNBrite mapping population, the same region of chromosome 6(6H) was mapped with SSR markers, and QTL analysis verified that this region was associated with both KD and GPC, indicating that MNBrite inherited this region of chromosome 6(6H) from Chevron. The results of this study suggest that if GPC and KD are controlled by tightly linked genes, then it should be possible to use SSR markers to identify recombinants in this region of chromosome 6(6H) and break the linkage to allow selection for KD resistance without high GPC. Alternatively, if GPC and KD are conditioned by the same gene, then it should be possible to select for KD resistance from Chevron by means of SSR markers and to use phenotypic selection to introgress other genes to reduce GPC to acceptable levels.
Tracheotomy and inhalation injury

Indications for tracheotomy in patients with respiratory burns have been unclear. Much of the literature is inconclusive or misleading. A thorough understanding of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapy of inhalation injury is necessary to understand the role of tracheotomy. A critical review reveals relatively clearcut indications for the use of tracheotomy in inhalation injury, but many unanswered questions. Increased participation by otolaryngologists in burn management is recommended.
Morphology of HDPE/LDPE blends with different thermal histories

Abstract High-density and low-density polyethylene (HDPE and LDPE) were melt-blended with the intent of building a morphological model from the unit cell level as a function of weight content and heat treatment. The compression-moulded sheets were slowly and rapidly cooled to compare the extremes in crystallization conditions. Based on the d -spacings, there is no apparent distortion on the unit cell level for either heat treatment. The addition of LDPE caused the crystallite size to decrease from 265 A for the HDPE homopolymer to 130 A for the LDPE. This is indicative of separate crystallite formation since a co-crystal would necessarily have the same size regardless of LDPE weight content. The high branch content of the LDPE seems to suppress crystallite growth of the rapidly cooled blends as the 25 wt% HDPE blend and LDPE have the same crystallite dimensions. Although two phases are present, there is a noticeable shift of both the HDPE and LDPE peaks towards one another, indicating some interaction on the molecular level. The lamellae that comprise the crystalline phase decrease in population and thickness as the LDPE content increases.
Universal properties of the transition from quasi periodicity to chaos in dissipative systems

Abstract An exact renormalization group transformation is developed for dissipative systems which describes how the transition to chaos may occur in a continuous and universal manner if the frequency ratio in the quasi-periodic regime is held at a fixed irrational value. Our approach is a natural extension of K.A.M. theory to strong coupling. Most of our analysis is for analytic circle maps. We have found a strong coupling fixed point where invertibility is lost, which describes the universal features of the transition to chaos. We find numerically that any two such critical maps with the same winding number are C 1 conjugate. It follows that the low frequency peaks in an experimental spectrum are universal and we determine how their envelope scales with frequency. When the winding number has a periodic continued fraction, our renormalization transform has a fixed point and spectra are self similar in addition. For a set of non-periodic winding numbers with full measure our renormalization transformation yields an ergodic trajectory in a sub-space of all critical maps. Physically one finds singular and universal spectra that do not scale.
Assessment of acute and chronic pain symptoms in children with cystic fibrosis.

Pain is important to assess and treat in children with cystic fibrosis (CF), because pain symptoms may limit children's ability to participate in their CF-related care and may reduce their overall well-being and quality of life. The aims of this study were to: 1) assess acute and chronic pain symptoms as reported by children with CF, and 2) examine the relationship between pain symptoms and disease severity as measured by percentage of forced expired volume in 1 sec (FEV1%). Forty-six children completed a self-report questionnaire assessing characteristics of chronic disease-related pain (frequency, intensity, duration, associated emotional upset, and location of pain). Children also rated their pain intensity associated with common CF-related procedures. The primary locations of pain reported were the abdominal/pelvic region, chest, and head/neck. Forty-six percent of the sample described pain occurring at least once per week. Most children reported their pain intensity as mild and of short duration. However, a small subgroup of children reported longer-lasting and moderately intense pain. Children with chest pain were found to be particularly at risk for experiencing more functional limitations and a significantly lower FEV1% compared to children without chest pain. The majority of children reported that nonpharmacological therapies (e.g., medication, rest, or distracting activities) provided some pain relief. Disease-related pain is common for children and adolescents with CF, suggesting that pain assessment should be a routine part of their clinical care. Further research is clearly needed to better understand the sources of pain and how best to provide relief. Pediatr Pulmonol. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Long-term effects on microbial communities after a subarctic oil spill

Abstract A combination of microbial assays was used to examine soil population structure and community-level metabolism at the site of a 1976 experimental crude oil spill conducted in Alaska. Estimates of total bacterial numbers and soil C mineralization potentials were not significantly different between pristine and hydrocarbon-affected soils. In contrast, net N mineralization potential was lower, metabolically active (FDA stain) bacteria were less abundant and hydrocarbon degrading microbes were more abundant in the oiled soils. Additionally, the effects of dilution on the kinetics of community-level substrate use were examined in multiple substrate microplates. Microplate kinetic patterns varied less with dilution and by season in oiled soils. In oiled soils, absence of seasonal variation in soil C mineralization potentials, coupled with the microplate data, indicated that population diversity (evenness, richness or both) was diminished compared to the pristine soils. Further analysis of microplate data suggested that the communities surviving in the oiled soils may be considered metabolic generalists. By using several independent microbial assays, differences in soil microbial community structure attributable to oiling could be seen decades after the spill event.
J.-K. Huysmans’s Spiritual Naturalism and the Alchemy of Redemption

Confounded by the impasse into which literature had been driven by the success of Emile Zola’s ‘materialist art’, J.-K. Huysmans’s protagonist, Durtal, is shown, in the opening of La-bas, imagining the possibility of a nobler form of fiction, one examining both the body and soul of man, and considering ‘leurs reactifs’, ‘leurs conflits’. This essay discusses how — after finding in occultism ‘une compensation aux degouts de la vie quotidienne’ — Huysmans was drawn to alchemy for exemplifying the twin aims of spiritual naturalism, since on the material plane, it transmutes base metal into gold, while on the spiritual plane, it purifies the soul of the artifex through suffering.
Cell-type-specific and hypoxia-inducible expression of the human erythropoietin gene in transgenic mice.

Abstract Synthesis of erythropoietin, the primary humoral regulator of erythropoiesis, in liver and kidney is inducible by anemia or hypoxia. Analysis of human erythropoietin gene expression in transgenic mice revealed that sequences located 6-14 kilobases 5' to the gene direct expression to the kidney, whereas sequences within the immediate 3'-flanking region control hepatocyte-specific expression. Human erythropoietin transcription initiation sites were differentially utilized in liver and kidney. Inducible transgene expression was precisely targeted to peritubular interstitial cells in the renal cortex that synthesize endogenous mouse erythropoietin. These studies demonstrate that multiple erythropoietin gene regulatory elements control cell-type-specific expression and inducibility by a fundamental physiologic stimulus, hypoxia.
Lipids of the Living Coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae

The muscle of Latimeria chalumnae contains 30 to 71 percent (dry weight) of lipid deposited extracellularly. Wax esters constituted 90 percent or more of the lipids from muscle and fat storage tissues. These esters, by gaschromatographic analysis, consisted of C(30) to C(40) homologs with one or two double bonds.
Adrenal autoantibodies and Addison disease in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Stored sera from 466 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and from 144 controls were examined for organ-specific antibodies to human adrenal cortex. Adrenal antibodies were found in seven of the patients with IDDM (1.5%) and in one control (0.7%). None of 91 black patients with IDDM had adrenal antibodies. All of the seven patients with adrenal antibodies had other organ-specific antibodies. Three had clinical hypothyroidism and one was thyrotoxic. All of these seven patients had a HLA-B8-bearing haplotype, suggesting that the B8-bearing haplotype confers an extremely high “relative risk” for adrenal autoimmunity in IDDM. Organ-specific autoimmune disease and/or organ-specific antibodies were found in 30% of the first-degree relatives of these eight probands with the adrenal antibodies (seven with IDDM and one control). We conclude that screening patients with IDDM for adrenal antibodies is of low yield (1.9% among white patients). Further, adrenal antibodies may be present for at least two years without the development of Addison disease. Antibodies reactive only to the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex may be benign. Patients with IDDM and thyroid microsomal antibodies are more likely to have adrenal antibodies (6.5%), as are patients with IDDM and a B8-bearing haplotype and those with IDDM and family histories of organ-specific autoimmunity.
Adversary activities and per capita income growth

Abstract When some present or future markets are either imperfect or incomplete, the selfish motivations of individual agents may (but not necessarily) lead to rent-seeking activities that can make society worse off. Legal activities tend to raise the costs of doing business. Moreover, because they are biased in the direction of suits by firms and consumers against other firms, they may as a whole lower profit and hence both investment and growth rates relative to what they would be without such activities. This paper uses international cross-section data to provide a simple test of this hypothesis. Despite the crudeness of the test, the small size of the sample and possible ambiguities in interpretation, the results provide a tentative confirmation of the hypothesis.
The Emerging Market of Sub-Saharan Africa and Technology Adoption: Features Users Desire in Mobile Phones

In the United States, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries and several emerging economies in Asia, mobile technologies have become ubiquitous and core to everyday lives. The same cannot be said for many countries in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA). The availability, affordability and use of information and communication technology (ICT) continue to pose a major challenge to the progress of this important emerging economy and their participation in a networked and â€œflat world.â€ Writers (Bishop et al., 1999; ADB, 2003; Fisher et al., 2004; Elijah & Ogunlade, 2006; Etim, 2009; Ssewanyana, 2007) argue for the use of ICT to enable the SSA population in the area of economic and personal development. This paper examines the emerging economy of SSA adoption of mobile technologies in comparison to the U.S.A and reports a study on the features that SSA students desire in mobile phones. The key finding was that study participants desired Internet access via mobile phones.
The study of the charge distribution in deformed nuclei by muonic hyperfine structure

Abstract The effects of different models of the charge distribution of deformed nuclei on the muonic hyperfine structure are studied. It is shown that besides the quadrupole moment at least one additional parameter may be determined, specifying the distribution of the quadrupole-producing charge. A modified Fermi distribution was chosen for the nucleus, where not only the radial parameter c , but also the surface thickness t shows an angular dependen ce. Besides, the model of a Gaussian quadrupole charge distribution was studied. Numerical calculations were done for 238 U. The sensitivity of the spectra on the parameters was studied.
Progress in the prevention of otitis media through immunization

Objective: To review the progress that has been made in developing effective vaccines against the major bacterial pathogens responsible for acute otitis media. Data Source: Review of the literature with the aid of the MEDLINE database using the search terms otitis media and otitis media and vaccine. Data Extraction: Data were collected from clinical trials and laboratory studies. Findings: The heptavalent pneumococcal conjugated vaccine, Prevnar, reduced the incidence of acute otitis media from all causes by 7% in one study and by 6% in another study. For culture-positive pneumococcal otitis media, the point estimate of efficacy was 66.7% in one study, and the reduction in incidence was 34% in another study. A Phase I clinical trial has been completed successfully for a conjugated vaccine against nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), which has high immunogenicity for mice and rabbits, induces complement-mediated bactericidal activity against NTHi in rabbits, and is protective against NTHi otitis media in chinchillas. A conjugated vaccine against Moraxella catarrhalis elicits strong immune responses in mice and rabbits and induces complement-mediated bactericidal activity in rabbits. Conclusion: The prevention of otitis media is likely to require multivalent pneumococcal, NTHi, and M. catarrhalis vaccines, and these vaccines likely can be developed within a decade.
Thermally induced failure mechanisms of organic light emitting device structures probed by X-ray specular reflectivity

Abstract The thermal evolution of organic light emitting device structures and materials has been measured using X-ray specular reflectivity. Thermally induced failure of these structures is found to be due to the large thermal expansion of the hole transport layer (N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-bis(3-methylphenyl)1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′diamine, or TPD) associated with its low glass transition temperature, suggesting a strain-driven failure mechanism (as opposed to TPD recrystallization). These results suggest the possibility of optimizing organic light emitting devices through direct in-situ measurements of their structure and stability.
The characteristics and anatomic distribution of lesions that cause reversed vein graft failure: A five-year prospective study ☆ ☆☆

Abstract Purpose: The cause of vein graft failure in the intermediate postoperative period (3 to 18 months) has not been well defined. To delineate the incidence, characteristics, and anatomic distribution of lesions that cause graft failure in this critical interval, 227 consecutive infrainguinal reversed vein grafts (IRVGs) constructed at a single institution from July 1986 to December 1991 were prospectively entered into a duplex scan surveillance protocol. Methods: Duplex surveillance with arteriographic confirmation identified 29 patent, hemodynamically failing IRVGs during a mean follow-up of 22 months (range 1 to 64 months). An additional 18 grafts thrombosed before detection of any underlying abnormality; thrombolytic therapy and repeat operation uncovered the cause of occlusion in 12 of these grafts. The cause of graft failure (failing as well as failed) was therefore clear in 41 (87.2%) of 47 instances. Results: The causes of failure were intrinsic graft stenosis ( n = 28; 59.6%), inflow failure ( n = 6; 12.8%), outflow failure ( n = 4; 8.5%), muscle entrapment ( n = 2; 4.3%), and hypercoagulable state ( n = 2; 4.3%). The most common intrinsic graft lesion was focal intimal hyperplasia (18 lesions in 16 grafts) in the juxtaanastomotic position, occurring solely in the vein graft itself. It occurred with equal frequency immediately distal to the proximal anastomosis or proximal to the distal anastomosis. Only rarely ( n = 5) did this involve the juxtaanastomotic artery. Focal midgraft valvular stenoses ( n = 6) and diffuse myointimal hyperplasia ( n = 4) were also detected. The peak incidence of graft failure was 4 to 12 months after operation (70% within 12 months, 80% within 18 months). Conclusions: We conclude that duplex surveillance of IRVGs is warranted by the 21% incidence of potentially remediable graft failure. A significant portion of these failures occur during the intermediate postoperative period (3 to 18 months), usually as a result of focal intrinsic vein graft lesions. With reversed vein conduits, these lesions arise predominantly in the vein graft itself, in the juxtaanastomotic position. (J VASC SURG 1993;17:195-206.)
Active Thermochemical Tables: thermochemistry for the 21st century

Active Thermochemical Tables (ATcT) are a good example of a significant breakthrough in chemical science that is directly enabled by the US DOE SciDAC initiative. ATcT is a new paradigm of how to obtain accurate, reliable, and internally consistent thermochemistry and overcome the limitations that are intrinsic to the traditional sequential approach to thermochemistry. The availability of high-quality consistent thermochemical values is critical in many areas of chemistry, including the development of realistic predictive models of complex chemical environments such as combustion or the atmosphere, or development and improvement of sophisticated high-fidelity electronic structure computational treatments. As opposed to the traditional sequential evolution of thermochemical values for the chemical species of interest, ATcT utilizes the Thermochemical Network (TN) approach. This approach explicitly exposes the maze of inherent interdependencies normally ignored by the conventional treatment, and allows, inter alia, a statistical analysis of the individual measurements that define the TN. The end result is the extraction of the best possible thermochemistry, based on optimal use of all the currently available knowledge, hence making conventional tabulations of thermochemical values obsolete. Moreover, ATcT offer a number of additional features that are neither present nor possible in the traditional approach. With ATcT, new knowledge can be painlessly propagated through all affected thermochemical values. ATcT also allows hypothesis testing and evaluation, as well as discovery of weak links in the TN. The latter provides pointers to new experimental or theoretical determinations that can most efficiently improve the underlying thermochemical body of knowledge.
Exploring wearable ambient displays for social awareness

Mobile phones represent not only a means of communication, but an increasingly omnipresent computing platform, enabling diverse modes of communication including ambient displays that are tied to bodies and social groups, rather than physical environments. As an example of such a display, we present Damage, a prototype device for mobile ambient awareness of a social group, and discuss design considerations for such devices.
Nucleotide Complexes of Escherichia coli Phosphoribosylaminoimidazole Succinocarboxamide Synthetase.

Abstract Phosphoribosylaminoimidazole-succinocarboxamide synthetase (SAICAR synthetase) converts 4-carboxy-5-aminoimidazole ribonucleotide (CAIR) to 4-(N-succinylcarboxamide)-5-aminoimidazole ribonucleotide (SAICAR). The enzyme is a target of natural products that impair cell growth. Reported here are the crystal structures of the ADP and the ADP·CAIR complexes of SAICAR synthetase from Escherichia coli, the latter being the first instance of a CAIR-ligated SAICAR synthetase. ADP and CAIR bind to the active site in association with three Mg2+, two of which coordinate the same oxygen atom of the 4-carboxyl group of CAIR; whereas, the third coordinates the α- and β-phosphoryl groups of ADP. The ADP·CAIR complex is the basis for a transition state model of a phosphoryl transfer reaction involving CAIR and ATP, but also supports an alternative chemical pathway in which the nucleophilic attack of l-aspartate precedes the phosphoryl transfer reaction. The polypeptide fold for residues 204–221 of the E. coli structure differs significantly from those of the ligand-free SAICAR synthetase from Thermatoga maritima and the adenine nucleotide complexes of the synthetase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Conformational differences between the E. coli, T. maritima, and yeast synthetases suggest the possibility of selective inhibition of de novo purine nucleotide biosynthesis in microbial organisms.
Ultrastructure of HIV=AIDS

Transmission electron microscopy has played a key role in our understanding of the human immunodeficiency virus and the opportunistic infections that accompany HIV disease. This paper describes features of HIV production; HHV-8, the virus that is associated with Kaposi sarcoma; Trachipleistophora anthropophthera, a new disseminating microsporidian; and bacterial enteritis, which causes diarrhea in patients with AIDS.
Melting and crystallization behavior of aliphatic polyketones

The basic crystallization and melting behavior of three aliphatic polyketones were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and optical microscopy. One resin was a perfectly alternating copolymer of ethylene and carbon monoxide, while the other two resins were terpolymers in which 6 mol % propylene was substituted for ethylene. Small decreases in the melting point and percent crystallinity of these materials were displayed with repeated melting. This behavior was attributed to light crosslinking as a result of condensation reactions occurring at temperatures in the melting range. WAXS showed that, after cooling to room temperature, the crystalline form in the copolymer was the α-phase, while that in the terpolymers was the β-phase. Optical microscopy revealed that the materials produce both negative and mixed birefringence spherulites under the conditions studied. SAXS measurements showed that the lamella thickness was largely a function of the temperature of crystallization. Attempts were made to measure the equilibrium melting temperature of these resins using several available techniques. The best value of the equilibrium melting temperature was concluded to be 278 ± 2°C for the copolymer. The results varied over a wide range for the terpolymers, but it is suggested that appropriate values are of order 252°C for the terpolymers. Crystallization kinetics studies, carried out under isothermal conditions using DSC, were evaluated using the Avrami equation. Results showed the Avrami exponent to lie in the range of 2–3. Spherulite growth rates were interpreted in terms of the secondary nucleation theory of Lauritzen and Hoffman. A transition from regime II to regime III was discovered. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 83: 2124–2142, 2002
Key Pre-Distribution Using MDS Codes in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

In this paper, we propose a new key management system in mobile ad hoc networks based on maximum distance separable (MDS) codes to satisfy cover-free family (CFF) properties. The main idea in the proposed scheme is to use a global MDS code to generate node key chains.
Underwater FDTD simulation at low frequencies

Modern anti-ship mines can be detonated by the electromagnetic signature of a surface ship [1]. For this reason, it is desirable to have simulation methods to study the propagation of extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic waves under water. The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method [2-5] is one of the most widely used methods in electromagnetic simulation. Unfortunately, the discrete Fourier transform method used to quantify the results of the time-domain simulation is not practical at ELF. Furthermore, the Bessel/Legendre expansion method used to verify the FDTD results is also not valid at low frequencies. These two major issues are addressed in this paper. Results comparing the FDTD and an analytic method confirm the accuracy of FDTD at low frequencies.
Photosensitive Lichenoid Reaction to Torsemide—a Loop Diuretic

Torsemide, a potent loop diuretic of the sulfonylurea class, has been available for clinical use in the United States since 1993. Adverse generalized and cutaneous reactions to this medication are uncommon and are usually mild and transient. In this article, we describe an 82-year-old man who had a photosensitive lichenoid reaction due to torsemide therapy, a previously undescribed phenomenon. The overwhelming presence of T lymphocytes within the lesional skin biopsy specimen and the photodistributed nature of the eruption supported a localized photoallergic cell mediated hypersensitivity reaction to torsemide. The presumed epitope targeted in this reaction is unclear. Because of the potential risk for cross-reactivity of torsemide with the sulfonamide group of medications, torsemide should be used cautiously in sulfonamide hypersensitive patients.
High-level transistor operation and transport capacitance

A two-dimensional analysis of high-level transistor operation is presented which includes the effects of an extended base region, internal emitter biasing, γ-falloff, unequal collector and emitter dimensions, and surface recombination. The transistor model considered is directly appropriate to the strip-type geometry, but also yields results which are approximately valid for the ring-and dot-type structures under certain conditions. Transforming the geometry permits a solution to be obtained for the charge-density distribution in the base as well as the current density distribution at the emitter and collector junctions. From these relations, both the collector and emitter transport (diffusion) capacitances are also determined. Two complete numerical evaluations of the theoretical results are given, first for a symmetrical unit with equal emitter and collector dimensions, and second for an unsymmetrical unit with the collector dimension 24 per cent greater than that of the emitter. It is indicated that an appreciable fraction of the total base charge can exist external to the emitter and collector, particularly for very high-level operation, causing large increases (1.5 to 3 times the one-dimensional values) in both the emitter and collector transport capacitances, particularly for units having grossly extended base regions and low surface-recombination velocities. Further shown is the effect of increasing the collector dimension over that of the emitter; the capacitances are appreciably lowered and the transport efficiency (and thus the current gains) is increased. Finally, some collector transport capacitance measurements are presented covering the entire operating range which tend to substantiate the theoretical results.
Institutions and Policies to Protect Rural Livelihoods in REDD+ Regimes

While there is growing interest among researchers and practitioners concerning the risks that emerging REDD+ regimes pose to rural livelihoods, there has been little scholarly analysis of specific policies that could be applied to guard against these risks. We argue that for REDD+ regimes to avoid negative impacts on local populations, social safeguard policies will need to overcome the significant barriers posed by ambiguous property rights and weak governance and create five institutional conditions: (1) local community support for project-level activities, (2) citizen participation in reforms affecting property rights and land use, (3) transparency of forest carbon revenue flows, (4) citizen access to grievance mechanisms, and (5) opportunities for adaptive management through evaluation. We identify and discuss various policies that could be applied to produce these conditions. We argue that positively engaging rural populations in REDD+ may be integral to the effectiveness of programs in reducing defo...
The Response of Photosystem II to Soil Salinity and Nutrients in Wetland Plant Species of the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Madrid, E.N.; Armitage, A.R., and Quigg, A., 2012. The response of photosystem II to soil salinity and nutrients in wetland plant species of the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico. The photosynthetic response of many wetland plant species to soil salinity and nutrients has been described in the laboratory, but less is known about the cumulative effect of these abiotic factors in the natural environment. In this investigation we correlated field measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence with simultaneous measurements of soil nitrogen and phosphorus content, soil salinity, and relative leaf nitrogen content in Spartina alterniflora (Loisel), Spartina patens ((Aiton) Muhl), Schoenoplectus californicus ((C.A. Mey.) Steud.) and Schoenoplectus robustus ((Pursh) M.T. Strong), common in brackish and salt marshes of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. The relationship between chlorophyll fluorescence and soil N ∶ P ratio was not significant in S. alterniflora, nonlinear in S. patens and S. robustus, and significant ...
Doping superlattices ("n-i-p-i crystals")

Semiconductors with doing superlattices exhibit a number of unique features by which they differ from uniform bulk crystals as well as from semiconductors with a compositional superlattice. The properties which make them particularly appealing as a new kind of semiconductor are tunability of carrier concentration, bandgap, two-dimensional subband structure, and recombination lifetimes, in combination with an enormous flexibility in tailoring. Moreover, the choice of host materials is not restricted by interface- or lattice-matching problems. The possibility of varying conductivity, absorption coefficient, optical gain, and luminescence spectra by light or external electrical potentials implies new concepts for photodetectors, tunable light sources, optical amplifiers, and modulators. The long recombination lifetimes result in large low-power nonlinearities of the optical absorption coefficient and the refractive index. These properties offer applications for saturable absorbers and bistable optical devices. In this paper the basic concept of doping superlattices and experiments which have provided its verification will be reviewed first. New physical phenomena and possible device applications will then be discussed. Finally, we will report some recent results of extensions of the concept to "hetero n-i-p-i's," obtained by periodic modulation of composition superimposed on the periodic n-i-p-i doping profile.
Comparison of Laterally Condensed .06 and .02 Tapered Gutta-Percha and Sealer In Vitro

The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the quality of the seal in canals prepared in a standardized manner and obturated with a .06 or a .02 tapered gutta-percha master cone using lateral condensation. Forty-four extracted human anterior teeth with single, straight canals were divided into two experimental groups of 20 teeth each and two control groups of 2 teeth each. The teeth were instrumented with Series 29 Profile .06 tapered rotary nickel-titanium files to a master apical file of 0.46 mm. Teeth in group 1 were obturated with a .02 tapered master gutta-percha cone and Roth 801 sealer using lateral condensation. Teeth in group 2 were obturated similarly, except a .06 tapered master gutta-percha cone was used. The depth of spreader penetration was recorded in millimeters. Positive control teeth were instrumented but not filled. Negative control teeth were instrumented, obturated, and externally sealed. The teeth were placed into a coronal leakage apparatus that contained an upper and lower reservoir of trypticase soy broth separated by the tooth. A 24-h growth of Proteus vulgaris in 0.25 ml of trypticase soy broth was placed in the coronal reservoir every 7 days for 70 days and incubated at 37 degrees C. Student's t test was used to determine whether there was a difference in spreader penetration between the groups, and a Fisher's exact test was used to determine whether there was a difference in bacterial leakage. The positive and negative controls validated the testing model. When a .02 tapered master cone was used, the spreader penetrated significantly closer to working length than when a .06 tapered master cone was used (p 0.05).
Stem Cells and Myocardial Regeneration: Cooperation Wins over Competition

Antagonism between stem cells is not new. Competitive mechanisms are known to be critical for the modulation of organ homeostasis and regeneration. Competitive interaction within the niches results in survival of the fittest stem cells and death of the more vulnerable cells. An upregulation of c-myc transforms cells into supercompetitors capable of clonal expansion. The cluster of supercompetitors influences the behavior of the weakest surrounding cells, which are at a growth disadvantage.1 The presence of supercompetitors within niches regulates niche function, and the absence of supercompetitors may alter the preservation of stem cell self-renewal, leading to the generation of old dysfunctional niches.2 However, supercompetitor stem cells may fail to trigger apoptosis in the neighboring aging cells, promoting uncontrolled growth arrest and cellular senescence. This process may become excessive, favoring the formation of crowded niches where old stem cells predominate, opposing the activation of young functionally-competent stem cells. Thus, cooperative cell-to-cell communication may regulate more effectively the fate of stem cells within the niches, because the supporting cells transmit growth signals to stem cells according to the need of the organ and organism. Article see p 213 The concept of cooperation between stem cells and cardiomyocytes, functioning as supporting cells within the myocardial niches, has previously been documented,3 but the study by Williams et al4 in this issue of Circulation reports the cooperation between human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and human c-kit–positive cardiac stem cells (CSCs) after myocardial infarction in the swine heart. This clever approach has combined the regenerative potential of CSCs with the powerful secretory phenotype of MSCs. The low efficiency of transdifferentiation of MSCs has been overcome by the ability of the delivered CSCs to expand locally and create a large myocyte progeny, together with the required coronary microcirculation. Despite the significant growth reserve …
Synchrotron radiation as a probe of the inner magnetosphere of Jupiter

A short review is given on the characteristics of Jupiter's inner magnetosphere derived from radio observations in the decimetric wavelength range. A comparison of the data with sophisticated model calculations yields information on the magnetic field configuration and the electron distribution, its density, energy spectrum, and pitch angle dependence as a function of spatial coordinates. The latter information can be used to derive, e.g., the radial diffusion parameters plus the effects of the satellites, Jupiter's ring, and wave-particle interactions upon the electron distribution.
Polynomial-time optimization, parallel approximation, and fixpoint logic

A study of polynomial-time optimization from the perspective of descriptive complexity theory is initiated. It is established that the class of polynomial-time and polynomially bounded optimization problems with ordered finite structures as instances can be characterized in terms of the stage functions of positive first-order formulas, i.e., the functions that compute the number of distinct stages in the bottom-up evaluation of the least fixpoints of such formulas. After this, the stage functions of several first-order formulas whose least fixpoints form natural p-complete problems are studied, and it is shown that they are not NC-approximate within any factor of the optimum, unless P=NC. Finally, it is proved that certain polynomial-time optimization problems are complete with respect to a new kind of restricted reductions that preserve parallel approximability and are definable using quantifier-free formulae. >
Magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities and cognitive deficits in systemic lupus erythematosus patients without overt central nervous system disease.

Objective To investigate cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities in relation to cognitive functioning in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients without a history of central nervous system (CNS) disease. Methods Ventricle-to-brain ratios (VBRs) and the total number of white matter hyperintensities (WMHIs) were computed in 20 female patients with non-CNS SLE using established MRI computer-generated quantification procedures. Comprehensive neuropsychological test scores across 8 domains were also obtained. Results A mean VBR of 2.83% (SD = 0.7) occurred in the non-CNS SLE patients compared with a VBR of 1.36% in a normative sample. The average number of WMHIs was 4.95 (SD = 6.0). Using a combined rating scale (VBR >2.25%, WMHIs >5), 7 of 20 MRI scans (35%) were classified as abnormal. Increased VBRs and larger numbers of WMHIs showed a trend association with longer duration of SLE. Thirty-five percent of the non-CNS SLE patients demonstrated neuropsychological deficits. No significant correlations were found between the VBR, total WMHIs, and cognitive scores. Comparisons of cognitively impaired and nonimpaired patients with non-CNS SLE revealed no significant differences across clinical characteristics or MRI values. Conclusion Quantified MRI analyses indicated atypical brain structure and an increased number of WMHIs in a subset of non-CNS SLE patients. However, these MRI abnormalities were not associated with functional abnormalities determined by comprehensive neuropsychological testing. Therefore, MRI analyses are not likely to provide additional clinical information on cognitively impaired SLE patients who have no other evidence of CNS involvement.
Thyroid surgery in octogenarians is associated with higher complication rates

Background The incidence of thyroid nodules increases with age and little information is available regarding the risks of thyroid surgery in elderly patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether thyroid surgery in patients ≥80 is associated with higher complication rates. Methods Out of 3,568 patients undergoing thyroid surgery between July 2001 and October 2007 at a single institution, the records of 90 consecutive patients ≥80 years were reviewed retrospectively and compared with a cohort of 242 randomly selected patients aged 18–79, who underwent thyroid surgery during the same time period. Clinical variables included age, gender, pre-operative diagnosis, substernal component, previous surgery, final pathology, length of stay, comorbidities, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, body mass index, postoperative complications, and mortality. Results Preoperative indications for surgery included benign disease in 51% vs 39%, suspected malignancy in 19% vs 26%, and suspected follicular neoplasms in 30% vs 35% in the octogenarian patient group (≥80 years old) vs the younger patient cohort (P = NS). Octogenarians had 20% significant malignancy on final pathology vs 27% in the younger cohort (P = NS). The overall complication rate in the octogenarian group was 24% vs 9% in the younger cohort (P Conclusion Age ≥80 is associated with higher morbidity after thyroid surgery, although not independently. Earlier operative intervention may be advised in those at high risk for disease progression, whereas follow-up strategies without operation may be advised for others.
Colorado Potato Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Feeding, Development, and Survival to Adulthood After Continuous Exposure to Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis-Treated Potato Foliage from the Field

Abstract Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), feeding, development, and survival to adulthood were examined after continuously exposing large larvae to Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis-treated potato foliage from the field. In laboratory assays, the overall consumption and the length of period to become prepupae were determined for larvae, which began as 3rd and 4th instars, that were offered potato leaf disks with naturally declining levels of B. thuringiensis residue. In small-cage field experiments, survival to adulthood and the period to adult emergence for beetles confined to potato plants treated with B. thuringiensis beginning as 3rd and 4th instars also were examined. Third instars remaining on plants after a B. thuringiensis application were unlikely to feed and 4th instars consumed only ≈50% as much foliage as those fed untreated foliage. Many late instars subjected to B. thuringiensis-treated foliage failed to survive to adulthood; 58–83% of these beetles died durin...