cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SHORT-TERM RESPONSE OF HERPETOFAUNA TO VARIOUS BURNING REGIMES IN THE SOUTH TEXAS PLAINS

Data on effects of fire on herpetofauna generally are lacking. With increased use of prescribed fire to manage rangelands in South Texas for wildlife and livestock, a better understanding of effects of fire on the herpetofauna is needed. We investigated effects of combinations of winter and summer prescribed fire on rangeland sites on the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area in southern Texas. Dormant-season fires had little effect on diversity and abundance of the herpetofauna. Inclusion of growing-season fire into the burning regime tended to increase diversity and abundance of grassland species, such as the six-lined racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus). Although our experimental design limits interpretation of results to the study site, our data suggest that prescribed fire may be used to manage rangelands in South Texas without negative affects on the herpetofauna. A varied burning regime is recommended to increase herpetofaunal diversity. RESUMEN—Informacion sobre el efecto del fuego en la herpetofauna generalmente es muy escueta. Con el aumento del uso de quemas prescritas para manejar pastizales del sur de Texas para la fauna silvestre y el ganado domestico es necesario tener un mejor entendimiento del efecto del fuego en la herpetofauna. Investigamos el efecto de combinaciones de quemas prescritas de invierno y de verano en sitios del Chaparral Wildlife Management Area en el sur de Texas. Las quemas conducidas durante la estacion latente tuvieron muy poco efecto en la diversidad y abundancia de los reptiles. La diversidad y abundancia de las especies de pastizal como la lagartija Cnemidophorus sexlineatus tendieron a aumentar con la adicion de quemas durante la temporada de crecimiento. Aunque nuestro diseno experimental limita la interpretacion de resultados al a de estudio, los datos sugieren que las quemas prescritas realizadas en terrenos del sur de Texas pueden ser implementadas sin efectos negativos en la herpetofauna. Se recomienda utilizar un regimen de quemas variado para aumentar la diversidad de la herpetofauna.
Supersymmetric QCD corrections to Higgs pair production from bottom quark fusion

We present a complete next-to-leading order calculation for the total cross section for inclusive Higgs pair production via bottom-quark fusion at the CERN Large Hadron Collider in the minimal supersymmetric standard model and the minimal supergravity model. We emphasize the contributions of squark and gluino loops and the decoupling properties of our results for heavy squark and gluino masses. The enhanced couplings of the $b$ quark to the Higgs bosons in supersymmetric models with large $\mathrm{tan}﻿\ensuremath{\beta}$ yield large next-to-leading order supersymmetry QCD corrections in some regions of parameter space.
Modeling the Motion of Microcapsules on Compliant Polymeric Surfaces

By integrating mesoscale models for hydrodynamics and micromechanics, we examine the fluid-driven motion of microcapsules on compliant surfaces. The capsules, modeled as fluid-filled elastic shells, represent polymeric microcapsules or biological cells. We examine the motion of these capsules on flat, mechanically uniform surfaces, mechanically patterned surfaces that contain alternating regions of hard and soft domains, and topologically patterned surfaces, i.e., a corrugated substrate and a substrate that encompasses a regular array of compliant posts. We isolate conditions where the mechanically and topographically patterned surfaces can transmit “stop” and “go” instructions, causing the capsules to halt at specific locations on the substrate, and with an increase in the imposed flow velocity, to resume moving. In the case of the corrugated surfaces, varying the size of the asperities permits significant control over the translational velocity of a capsule for a given shear rate. For surfaces containin...
The selection process: Interview tips for nurse managers

C m IN PERIANESTHESIA UNITS, openings for registered nurse positions may be fairly uncommon. Many nurses choose to stay in the specialty and continue to work until retirement. In other units, staff turnover and RN vacancies may be frequent and may create daily problems with unit coverage and staff exhaustion. Nurse managers have a particular burden replacing seasoned nurses. The needs of the unit may be imminent, but the most qualified candidates for the positions may be difficult to find. Orientation is usually lengthy, with many months of preparation, experience, and coaching before newly hired nurses can perform independently.
Focusing effect of a metamaterial slab on the radiation pattern produced by a patch antenna

Abstract We present experimental results of the transmission coefficient of a metamaterial slab and the effect of the metamaterial on the radiation pattern of an antenna placed near the slab in the frequency range close to the plasma frequency of the slab. The metamaterial focuses the radiation from the patch antenna within a narrow cone close to the slab's normal. We give a new simple explanation of the focusing effect based on the index of refraction of the metamaterial being less than one and the attenuation of electromagnetic waves within the metamaterial slab.
Decreased dendrite growth from cultured mouse cortical neurons surviving excitotoxic activation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate/kainate receptors

During cerebral ischemia, massive glutamate release leads to cell death through ionotropic glutamate receptor activation. An early consequence of this excitotoxicity is dendrite injury, which can precede cell death. We therefore tested whether cells that survived an excitotoxic insult triggered by overactivation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA)/kainate (KA) subtype of ionotropic glutamate receptors displayed altered dendrite growth. We demonstrate that 24 h exposure of cultured cortical neurons to AMPA or KA dramatically reduced dendrite growth from surviving neurons. AMPA or KA exposure decreased primary dendrite number and length, and also reduced dendritic branching. The AMPA/KA receptor antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione blocked the deleterious effect of AMPA and KA on dendrite growth. These results suggest that AMPA/KA receptor overactivation may contribute to dendritic injury from neurons that survive an ischemic insult.
Covariance of antiproton yield and source size in nuclear collisions

We confront for the first time the widely-held belief that combined event-by-event information from quark gluon plasma signals can reduce the ambiguity of the individual signals. We illustrate specifically how the measured antiproton yield combined with the information from pion-pion HBT correlations can be used to identify novel event classes. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
Synthesis and characterization of highly textured Pt–Bi thin films

Pt–Bi films were synthesized on glass and thermally oxidized silicon substrates by e-beam evaporation and annealing. The structures were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy/selected area electron diffraction (TEM/SAED) techniques. Single-phase PtBi was obtained at an annealing temperature of 300°C, whereas a higher annealing temperature of 400°C was required to obtain the highly textured γ-PtBi2 phase. TEM/SAED analysis showed that the films annealed at 400°C contain a dominant γ-PtBi2 phase with a small amount of β-PtBi2 and α-PtBi2 phases. Both the PtBi and γ-PtBi2 phases are highly textured in these two kinds of film: the c-axis of the hexagonal PtBi phase is mostly in the film plane, whereas the c-axis of the trigonal γ-PtBi2 phase is perpendicular to the film plane. The electrical resistivity of the film with the γ-PtBi2 phase was smaller by one order of magnitude than that of the film with the PtBi phase.
L1 cell adhesion molecule promotes resistance to alcohol-induced silencing of growth cone responses to guidance cues

Abstract Alcohol exposure in utero is a common cause of mental retardation, but the targets and mechanisms of action are poorly understood. Several lines of data point toward alterations in cortical connectivity, suggesting that axon guidance may be vulnerable to alcohol exposure. To test this, we asked whether ethanol directly affects cortical axonal growth cone responses to guidance cues. We find that even low concentrations of ethanol (12.5 mM; 57.2 mg/dl) commonly observed in social drinking prevent growth cone responses to three mechanistically independent guidance cues, Semaphorin3A, Lysophosphatidic Acid, and Netrin-1. However, this effect is highly dependent on substrate; axonal growth cones extending on an L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) substrate retain responsiveness to cues following exposure to ethanol, while those growing on poly- l -lysine or N-cadherin do not. The effects of ethanol on axon extension are, by contrast, quite modest. Quantitative assessments of the effects of ethanol on the surface distribution of L1CAM in growth cones suggest that L1CAM homophilic interactions may be particularly relevant for retaining growth cone responsiveness following ethanol exposure. Together, our findings indicate that ethanol can directly and generally alter growth cone responses to guidance cues, that a substrate of L1CAM effectively antagonizes this effect, and that cortical axonal growth cone vulnerability to ethanol may be predicted in part based on the environment through which they are extending.
Efficacy of preplant treatments of gladiolus corms with combinations of acibenzolar-S-methyl and biological or chemical fungicides for suppression of fusarium corm rot [Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. gladioli]

In 2003-2005, corms of gladiolus (Gladiolus ×hortulanus) susceptible to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. gladioli were soaked for 30 min in Actigard® 50WP (50% in wettable powder; acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM)), with or without biological or chemical fungicides, to determine if any treatment or combination of treatments provided season-long suppression of fusarium corm rot in the fields in Hamden, Connecticut, United States. Corms treated with ASM produced 48% more marketable flower spikes than untreated corms, and the value of the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was reduced by 12%. However, this reduction was not significant. The chemical fungicides Medallion® 50WP (fludioxonil) and Terraguard™ 50WP (triflumizole) reduced the AUDPC by 27% and 23%, respectively, and almost doubled the number of marketable flower spikes. None of the biological fungicides (Actinovate™ SP (water-soluble powder), Companion®, MycoStop®, and PlantShield™), nor the chemical fungicide 3336™ 50WP, were effective in reducing th...
Quantification of Macrophage Viability and Inflammatory Response to Dental Bonding Resins

This study presented a well-characterized biocompatibility profile of dental bonding agents in a mouse macrophage in vitro model. The cellular response to four different formulations of dental bonding resins and the cell viability was determined. Materials were prepared by photopolymerization and the unreacted monomers were extracted in a buffered medium. Murine macrophages were incubated in the extract medium for 24 h. Cellular viability was assessed by fluorescence microscopy and Wst-1 assay, while flow cytometry was used to quantify the apoptotic response. As an indicator of inflammatory responses, real-time polymerase chain reaction was utilized to quantify elevated cytokine production. These responses were monitored by quantifying the levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and interleukin-1 β (IL-1β) produced by the cells. Murine macrophage cells exposed to the unfilled resin systems containing glycidyl ether of bisphenol A (Bis-GMA) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) had the most adverse r...
Addressing the data aspects of compliance with industry models

A fundamental aspect of compliance involves the capability to produce business reports which constitute adequate audit and control records. This presents two significant challenges. Very often, international and government regulators do not coordinate their policies, creating a great deal of overhead for the implementing organizations, particularly those represented in multiple geographical areas. In addition, the information required to produce these reports may be in inconsistent formats throughout the enterprise or unavailable at the right level of detail. To overcome these challenges, organizations need to develop an enterprise-wide data architecture that enables the consolidation of regulatory reporting requirements and the integration of data from different business areas. The definition of data standards and the use of common data-modeling techniques throughout the enterprise can assist in this effort. IBM has developed a series of industry models that address these challenges based on the principles of data warehousing and business intelligence. This paper describes in detail the technical and business challenges of information management in the context of compliance and presents a few practical examples of how customers in the financial services industry have addressed compliance requirements such as Basel II and Solvency II by using enterprise-wide information management approaches based on industry models and related technology.
Microwave spectrum of pivalonitrile-N-oxide ,

Abstract The microwave spectrum of pivalonitrile-N-oxide is shown to be that of a symmetric top with B o = 1459.2270 ± (63) MHz, D J = 0.102 ± (22) kHz, and D JK = 13.151 ± (29) kHz. The lowest degenerate bending mode was estimated to be at 86 ± 20 cm −1 from intensity measurements.
A New Boundary Element Method for Three-Dimensional Coupled Problems of Consolidation and Thermoelasticity

A general boundary element method (BEM) for the complete three-dimensional Biot consolidation theory is developed which operates directly in the time domain and requires only boundary discretization. Consequently, the dimensionality of the problem is reduced by one and the method becomes quite attractive for geotechnical analyses, particularly those that involve extensive or infinite domains. Furthermore, as a result of a well-known analogy fully elaborated here, the new BEM formulation is equally applicable for quasi-static thermoelasticity. Several detailed examples are presented to illustrate the accuracy and suitability of this boundary element approach for both consolidation and thermomechanical analyses.
Digital wavefront reconstruction and its application to image encryption

Phase-shifting digital holography can be used to artificially reconstruct both the amplitude and phase information of a complex object. We apply digital wavefront reconstruction to image encryption. The encrypted wavefront is recorded using a CCD sensor array, facilitating real time transmission of the encrypted message via traditional digital communication methods. Initial experimental results show that high security strength can be obtained with currently available devices.
Daily hassles and suicide ideation in African-American female suicide attempters: moderating effect of spiritual well-being

Suicide risk is increased for previous suicide attempters, who may be vulnerable to exacerbating factors such as daily hassles; yet, individual-level, adaptive characteristics may ameliorate risk. We examined the influence of daily hassles on suicidal ideation and the moderating role of spiritual well-being and its subscales of religious and existential well-being. In our cross-sectional study, 148 African-American female suicide attempters were recruited from a large, urban hospital and completed the Survey of Recent Life Events, Spiritual Well-Being Scale, and Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation. Religious and existential well-being moderated the association between hassles and suicidal thoughts; this relationship was weaker for individuals with greater levels of spiritual well-being. Historically, spiritual beliefs have been important to the African-American community and their promotion may effectively prevent additional thoughts of suicide by attempters experiencing hassles of daily life.
Theoretical description and numerical simulations of a simplified Hadamard transform imaging spectrometer

A familiar concept in imaging spectrometry is that of the three dimensional data cube, with one spectral and two spatial dimensions. However, available detectors have at most two dimensions, which generally leads to the introduction of either scanning or multiplexing techniques for imaging spectrometers. For situations in which noise increases less rapidly than as the square root of the signal, multiplexing techniques have the potential to provide superior signal-to-noise ratios. This paper presents a theoretical description and numerical simulations for a new and simple type of Hadamard transform multiplexed imaging spectrometer. Compared to previous types of spatially encoded imaging spectrometers, it increases etendue by eliminating the need for anamorphically compressed re-imaging onto the entrance aperture of a monochromator or spectrophotometer. Compared to previous types of spectrally encoded imaging spectrometers, it increases end-to-end transmittance by eliminating the need for spectral re-combining optics. These simplifications are attained by treating the pixels of a digital mirror array as virtual entrance slits and the pixels of a 2-D array detector as virtual exit slits of an imaging spectrometer, and by applying a novel signal processing technique.
Intraoperative diffusion imaging on a 0.5 Tesla interventional scanner

Intraoperative line scan diffusion imaging (LSDI) on a 0.5 Tesla interventional MRI was performed during neurosurgery in three patients. Diffusion trace images were obtained in acute ischemic cases. Scan time per slice was 46 seconds and 94 seconds, respectively, for diffusion tensor images. Diagnosis of acutely developed vascular occlusion was confirmed with follow-up scans. White matter tracts were displayed with the principal eigenvectors and provided guidance for the tumor surgery. In all cases, the diagnostic utility of LSDI was established. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2001;13:115–119. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Perioperative noninvasive hemodynamic ankle indices as predictors of infrainguinal graft patency

Of 129 femoropopliteal bypasses, 40 closed in 0 to 42 months. Early and late closures were not predicted by pre- or postoperative ankle/brachial pressure index (ABPI) or ankle pulse volume recording amplitude (APVR) or their increments (delta). Of 141 femorotibial bypasses, 60 closed in 0 to 12 months, with 46 closing early (less than 1 month). Early failure occurred in 19 of 52 limbs (37%) with pre-ABPI less than 0.2 and 17 of 89 limbs (19%) with pre-ABPI greater than 0.2 (p less than 0.025). Similar significant differences in early patency occurred between limbs with pre-APVR less than 5 and greater than 5 mm (29 of 94 [34%] vs. 7 of 47 [15%], respectively). Late closure was not predicted by either value. Thus in the 44 limbs with pre-ABPI greater than 0.2 and pre-APVR greater than 5 mm, only 11 grafts closed (25%), whereas if pre-ABPI was less than 0.2 or pre-APVR less than 5 mm, 49 of 97 grafts (51%) occluded within 17 months (p less than 0.025). Postoperative or delta indices had no predictive value. Preoperative ABPI less than 0.2 or APVR less than 5 mm was associated with twice the risk of early femorotibial graft closure; however, cumulative life-table patency was still 39% at 24 months.
Pharmacology of the high-affinity apamin receptor in rabbit heart

Apamin is a potent blocker of calcium-activated small conductance potassium (SK) channels in neurons, liver, skeletal muscle and ileum smooth muscle, but not in cardiac muscle. Cardiac muscle is devoid of SK channels; however, in isolated, single ventricular myocytes apamin is an extremely potent blocker of the L-type calcium current, and the anti-arrhythmic drug quinidine reverses apamin block. Objective: To characterize the receptor binding properties and pharmacology of the apamin receptor in heart. Methods: The binding properties of the apamin receptor were determined by rapid filtration of purified rabbit heart membranes. Results: Monoiodinated apamin binds to a labile, membrane-bound protein in heart membranes at a single, high-affinity site (KD = 8.07 ± 2.14 pM and Bmax = 686 ± 167 fmoles/mg protein, significant run test at P = 0.05 for a one site fit). 125I-apamin binding is dose-dependently inhibited by apamin, scyllatoxin, quinidine, amiloride, as well as a variety of di- and trivalent cations that are classical blockers of L-type calcium channels (e.g. Co2+, Cd2+, Mn2+, La3+, Gd3+). The cardiac apamin receptor is also critically dependent upon pH, temperature and KCl, and co-purifies in the same membrane fraction as L-type cardiac Ca2+ channels. Conclusions: The apamin receptor in rabbit heart P2 membranes has pharmacological and biochemical properties in common with both an SK channel and an L-type Ca2+ channel.
Stabilization of nerve growth factor in controlled release polymers and in tissue

We have studied the release of nerve growth factor (NGF), a protein under consideration for treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, from polymer matrices and microspheres to characterize the stability of NGF, the dynamics of NGF release, and the distribution of NGF within the brain interstitium. Poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVAc) disks and poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA) microspheres were formed by codispersing NGF with one of a variety of molecules. The mass of mouse NGF (mNGF) detected following release from EVAc disks into buffered saline varied five-fold over the range of codispersants studied, with carboxymethyldextran providing optimal release, while the mass of recombinant human NGF (rhNGF) released varied four-fold from both EVAc disks and PLA microspheres, with albumin and carboxymethyldextran providing optimal release. Variation of the codispersant species significantly affected NGF release into buffered saline; it also had a noticeable, but small, effect of the amount of NGF found in the brain tissue following implantation of a polymer device. To improve NGF retention in tissue, NGF was conjugated to 70,000 molecular weight dextran and incorporated into a polymeric device. The distribution of NGF was enhanced by conjugation; comparison of NGF concentrations in the brain to a mathematical model of diffusion and elimination suggested that the elimination rate of NGF-dextran conjugate in the tissue was over seven times slower than the elimination rate of NGF. These results indicate that variation of the properties of the controlled release system may be useful in regulating the time course of NGF delivery to tissue, and that modification of the NGF itself can improve penetration and retention in the brain.
Neither prolactin nor growth hormone restore the nocturnal rise in pineal N-acetyltransferase activity or melatonin content in hypophysectomized rats

Hypophysectomy in adult male rats greatly attenuated the nocturnal rise in both pineal N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity and melatonin content. High nighttime levels of NAT and melatonin were not restored by treating the animals with either prolactin or growth hormone, alone or in combination. Treating intact rats with bromocriptine, which depresses circulating prolactin levels, also was without effect on pineal melatonin synthesis. It appears that neither prolactin nor growth hormone are of major importance in determining pineal melatonin production.
Evaluation of Fiber and Yam from Three Cotton Fiber Mutant Lines

Analysis of the biochemical factors required for improved cotton fiber growth is aided by a collection of near isogenic mutants. The cotton mutants (Gossypium hir sutum L. Texas Marker-1 background ) tested in this study include immature fiber, pilose, and naked seed. Fiber physical properties for each mutant were determined for two years of greenhouse-grown and one year of field-grown cotton plants. Yarn spun from 50-gram fiber samples was subjected to physical properties testing. A com parison of open-end and ring spinning methods was made for two of the fiber samples. The comparison of nep content in yam and fiber between the mutants and Texas Marker-1 control lines shows one mutant (naked seed) with a substantial reduction in biological nep content. Another mutant, pilose, has a substantial increase in bio logical neps over the control fiber. Quantitative data on fiber physical properties ob tained from this study support the mostly descriptive information previously reported for these mutants lines.
Synthesis of boron-containing cholesterol derivatives for incorporation into unilamellar liposomes and evaluation as potential agents for BNCT

Abstract Four carborane-containing derivatives of cholesterol were prepared for incorporation into the bilayer of unilamellar liposomes and evaluation as potential agents for boron neutron capture therapy. The derivatives enable the evaluation of the linker moiety and the type of carborane head group on the bilayer stability and ultimate in vivo tumor specificity.
Happy anniversary from founding associate editor Dr. Orrin Devinsky.

In the 1970s, we both fell under the spell of a neuromagician, Norman Geschwind — a physician and scientist, but mainly a thinker, who brought the field of behavioral neurology out of the shadows. His intellectual appetite was enormous, and his instinct for inquiry was extraordinarily keen. Among themanyfires that he lit, onewas epilepsy as a model of behavioral change. It was politically incorrect at that time to talk about epilepsy as a mechanism leading to behavioral changes— or even worse, psychiatric disorders. Yet he recognized that political wisdom would constrain science and hurt patients. This journal and its 15 years of growth and success are a testament to his legacy and to your ability to infuse his vision with creativity and
Drop size-dependent chemical composition of clouds and fogs. Part II: Relevance to interpreting the aerosol/trace gas/fog system

Abstract Size-resolved fog drop chemical composition measurements were obtained during a radiation fog campaign near Davis, California in December 1998/January 1999 (reported in Reilly et al., Atmos. Environ. 35(33) (2001) 5717; Moore et al., Atmos. Environ. this issue). Here we explore how knowledge of this size-dependent drop composition—particularly from the newly developed Colorado State University 5-Stage cloud water collector—helps to explain additional observations in the fog environment. Size-resolved aerosol measurements before and after fog events indicate relative depletion of large (>2 μm in diameter) particles during fog accompanied by a relative increase in smaller aerosol particle concentrations. Fog equivalent air concentrations suggest that entrainment of additional particles and in-fog sedimentation contributed to observed changes in the aerosol size distribution. Calculated deposition velocities indicate that sedimentation was an important atmospheric removal mechanism for some species. For example, nitrite typically has a larger net deposition velocity than water and its mass is found preferentially in the largest drops most likely to sediment rapidly. Gas–liquid equilibria in fog for NO3−/HNO3, NH4+/NH3, and NO2−/HONO were examined. While these systems appear to be close to equilibrium or relative equilibrium during many time periods, divergences are observed, particularly for low liquid water content (
The effect of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde on the swelling of cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in salt solutions and their interactions with amines and carboxylic acids.

SummaryA mixture of 1.0 mole of ethylenediamine and 2.0 moles of formaldehyde cause a rapid swelling of cell of Pseudomonas aeruginosa shrunk in 0.2 M Na chloride or phosphate. It is much more effective than formaldehyde alone. A similar mixture of spermidine and formaldehyde is less effective, and the spermine-formaldehyde mixture inhibits swelling. Low concentrations of ethanolamine antagonize the effect of the ethylenediamine mixture as well as that of other agents which increase swelling rates. Ethylamine is inactive. Carboxylic acids also antagonize the effect of the ethylenediamine mixture as well as other agents. Low concentrations of the mixture which are by themselves without effect act synergistically with formaldehyde, butyl alcohol and chloroform.
Procainamide-induced agranulocytosis differs serologically and clinically from procainamide-induced lupus.

Abstract Agranulocytosis is a well recognized but uncommon complication of procainamide (PA) therapy, whereas a lupus-like syndrome occurs in approximately 20% of patients treated chronically with PA. In order to gain insight into the immunopathogenic relationships among these conditions, we compared the humoral immune abnormalities in these patient groups as well as in asymptomatic PA-treated patients. A relatively uniform profile of IgM but not IgG autoantibody reactivity with a set of chromatin-related antigens was observed in eight elderly men who developed agranulocytosis after treatment with PA. In contrast PA-induced lupus patients had predominant reactivity with [(H2A-H2B)-DNA] in both IgM and IgG classes. Five of eight patients with agranulocytosis had elevated levels of neutrophil-reactive IgG which appeared to be due to immune complexes based on Fcγ receptor blocking studies. However, 12 of 15 patients with PA-induced lupus, none of whom had neutropenia, had similar levels of neutrophil-reactive IgG, suggesting that this reactivity was not causally related to agranulocytosis. Agranulocytosis developed after less than 3 months treatment with PA in six of eight patients. This time course was similar to that seen in 77 PA-induced agranulocytosis patients reported in the literature plus 127 patients reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in whom 90% developed agranulocytosis within 3 months of starting PA. In contrast, the mode duration of treatment with PA before lupus-like symptoms develop is 10–12 months. These findings, together with the different profiles of autoantibodies and clinical presentations, suggest that agranulocytosis arises from a different mechanism than that underlying PA-induced lupus.
Interaction of a traveling magnetic field with rigid conducting spheres or cylinders

The case of a rigid conducting sphere or cylinder that travels with uniform velocity relative to a two-dimensional primarily transverse magnetic field with sinusoidal variation in space and time is analyzed to determine the electromechanical characteristics of the interaction. Interest is centered on conductors with diameters small relative to the wavelength of the applied field. For the sphere, an exact solution is not tractable by standard techniques, hence, a method is utilized in which the force is approximated by one of its components. The results are verified by: 1) applying the approximation to the analogous case of a cylinder and comparing the result with the exact solution to that case, 2) comparing the limit of the approximate solution for the sphere with the result obtained by assuming the magnetic Reynolds number to be small, and 3) determining the net time-average force of electromagnetic origin experimentally for comparison with the predictions of the theory. The latter were carried out for the cylinder as well as the sphere over a range of magnetic Reynolds numbers (sR m = µ 0 σsωD2) from 0.4 to 20. In the course of the work, a method is also utilized in which the original "skin effect" problem is reduced to a problem involving interacting low sR m components and the force is found via the techniques of lumped parameter electromechanics. The study is concluded with a determination of the condition under which two spheres or cylinders are electromagnetically independent so that the results for a distribution of conductors may he obtained by superposition of the results for a single body. Situations which may be modeled using the results of this study include holdup or separation of a highly conducting liquid phase from a two-phase flow in heat transfer apparatus as a result of the application of a magnetic field gradient or the energy conversion in a liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic induction machine with a two-phase working fluid.
Estimating genetic correlations among discontinuous phenotypes: an analysis of criminal convictions and psychiatric-hospital diagnoses in Danish adoptees.

A biometrical model-fitting approach was applied to data from a full adoption design to study phenotypic variation and covariation among multiple discontinuous traits. Using statistical methods available for factor analyses of dichotomous-item data, generalized least-squares estimates were obtained for parameters of additive polygenic and environmental influences on criminal convictions and psychiatric-hospital diagnoses in 2532 Danish male adoptees and their family members. The procedure also provided estimates of genetic correlations, environmental correlations, and genotype-environment correlations among the measures while taking into account the effects of selective placement, assortative mating, and cultural transmission from parental phenotypes to off-spring environments. Significant heritable influences were found for property crime and for a composite psychiatric variable pertaining to hospital admissions for alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and personality disorders. Both correlated environmental factors and correlated genetic factors important to the different variables accounted for the observed phenotypic relationship between property crime and these antisocial disorders. No cultural transmission was present for the adoptees' antisocial disorders, although significant paternal cultural transmission was found for property crimes. Patterns of assortative mating differed for the biological versus adoptive parents, and selective placement was found to be negligible.
Designing a service learning project for Freshman Engineers

Within the Department of Freshman Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh, a pilot program was conducted to assess the value of a service learning course for freshman honor's engineering students. This venture was based on the success of using service learning as an educational tool for undergraduate engineering students at many universities world wide. At the University of Pittsburgh, all students entering the school of engineering are required to enroll in a two-semester course in introductory engineering analysis and programming. The student population chosen for the pilot course included the honors' students who had completed a fall course which covered the material contained in the traditional two-semester introductory course at an accelerated rate. This paper will focus on the challenges in developing a service learning specifically for freshman engineering students.
Efeito de diferentes fontes protéicas sobre desempenho, composição corporal e morfologia intestinal em leitões

Foi desenvolvido um estudo com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da inclusao do leite desnatado em po (LDP) em dietas de desmame contendo diferentes niveis de proteina concentrada de soja (PCS), para leitoes desmamados aos 21 dias de idade. Foram comparadas cinco dietas, fornecidas do dia do desmame ate 14 dias apos: T1 - dieta testemunha, tendo o farelo soja (FS) como principal fonte proteica; T2 e T4 - substituicao de 30 e 50%, respectivamente, do FS da dieta testemunha por PCS; T3 e T5 - substituicao de 30 e 50%, respectivamente, do FS da dieta testemunha por PCS e 20% por LDP. A substituicao parcial do FS por PCS em qualquer dos niveis testados, bem como a substituicao de 20% do FS por LDP nao influenciaram o desempenho nem a composicao corporal ou a taxa de deposicao de tecidos dos leitoes em nenhum dos periodos avaliados. A altura da mucosa e a altura das vilosidades intestinais aos 14 dias apos o desmame nao foram afetadas pela fonte proteica da dieta, porem a profundidade da cripta foi reduzida nos leitoes que receberam as dietas contendo PCS, independente da inclusao de LDP. A fonte proteica na dieta de desmame nao afetou o desempenho nem a composicao corporal dos leitoes, mas a PCS proporcionou menor nivel de alteracoes na morfologia da parede intestinal, indicado pela menor profundidade da cripta.
Modeling to Improve the Risk Reduction Process for Command File Errors

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has learned that even innocuous errors in the spacecraft command process can have significantly detrimental effects on a space mission. Consequently, such Command File Errors (CFE), regardless of their effect on the spacecraft, are treated as significant events for which a root cause is identified and corrected. A CFE during space mission operations is often the symptom of imbalance or inadequacy within the system that encompasses the hardware and software used for command generation as well as the human experts and processes involved in this endeavor. As we move into an era of increased collaboration with other NASA centers and commercial partners, these systems become more and more complex. Consequently, the ability to thoroughly model and analyze CFEs formally in order to reduce the risk they pose is increasingly important. In this paper, we summarize the results of applying modeling techniques previously developed to the DAWN flight project. The original models were built with the input of subject matter experts from several flight projects. We have now customized these models to address specific questions for the DAWN flight project and formulating use cases to address their unique mission needs. The goal of this effort is to enhance the project's ability to meet commanding reliability requirements for operations and to assist them in managing their Command File Errors.
The information supermarket

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how finances in an academic library might differ from household finances; in particular, how a library budget might be unbalanced throughout a fiscal year.Design/methodology/approach – The author compares typical library resources to representative groceries purchased for a home and assess the relative nutritional value of each.Findings – The author concludes that using a library‐style budget is likely to result in a less interesting diet, but such a budget is, with planning, adequate to sustain a minimum level of health. In future columns the author plans to examine ways a library budget might be altered in order to move beyond adequacy to higher performance levels.Originality/value – The approach should be worthy of note for administrators who struggle with the “use it or lose it” philosophy common in libraries.
Real engines of creation

Some enzyme complexes function literally as machines, and come equipped with springs, levers and even rotary joints. Clever biophysical techniques allow new approaches to macromolecular mechanics.
Molecular dynamics simulation of nucleic acids: successes, limitations, and promise.

In the last five years we have witnessed a significant increase in the number publications describing accurate and reliable all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of nucleic acids. This increase has been facilitated by the development of fast and efficient methods for treating the long-range electrostatic interactions, the availability of faster parallel computers, and the development of well-validated empirical molecular mechanical force fields. With these technologies, it has been demonstrated that simulation is not only capable of consistently reproducing experimental observations of sequence specific fine structure of DNA, but also can give detailed insight into prevalent problems in nucleic acid structure, ion association and specific hydration of nucleic acids, polyadenine tract bending, and the subtle environmental dependence of the A-DNA-B-DNA duplex equilibrium. Despite the advances, there are still issues with the methods that need to be resolved through rigorous controlled testing. In general, these relate to deficiencies of the underlying molecular mechanical potentials or applied methods (such as the imposition of true periodicity in Ewald simulations and the need for energy conservation), and significant limits in effective conformational sampling. In this perspective, we provide an overview of our experiences, provide some cautionary notes, and provide recommendations for further study in molecular dynamics simulation of nucleic acids.
Young Children's Harmonic Perception

Harmony and tonality are two of the most difficult elements for young children to perceive and manipulate and are seldom taught in the schools until the end of early childhood. Children's gradual harmonic and tonal development has been attributed to their cumulative exposure to Western tonal music and their increasing experiential knowledge of its rules and principles. Two questions that are relevant to this problem are: (1) Can focused and systematic teaching accelerate the learning of the harmonic/tonal principles that seem to occur in an implicit way throughout childhood? (2) Are there cognitive constraints that make it difficult for young children to perceive and/or manipulate certain harmonic and tonal principles? A series of studies specifically addressed the first question and suggested some possible answers to the second one. Results showed that harmonic instruction has limited effects on children's perception of harmony and indicated that the drastic improvement in the perception of implied harmony noted approximately at age 9 is due to development rather than instruction. I propose that young children's difficulty in perceiving implied harmony stems from their attention behaviors. Older children have less memory constraints and more strategies to direct their attention to the relevant cues of the stimulus. Younger children focus their attention on the melody, if present in the stimulus, and specifically on its concrete elements such as rhythm, pitch, and contour rather than its abstract elements such as harmony and key. The inference of the abstract harmonic organization of a melody required in the perception of implied harmony is thus an elusive task for the young child.
Deposit market deregulation, implicit deposit rates, and monetary policy

Previous analyses of the economic effects of deposit market deregulation generally have treated the gradual elimination of deposit rate ceilings and the effective removal of barriers to bank competition for deposits as separate issues. The key implication of the analysis utilized in this paper is that there are important interactions between these two forms of deposit market deregulation and their ultimate effects on market behavior and outcomes. One aspect of this interaction concerns the payment of implicit interest on deposit balances. Although implicit interest payments usually are viewed as a response to the imposition of ceilings on explicit deposit rates, the amount of implicit interest paid by banks in fact depends crucially upon the amount of monopoly power available to banks as a result of entry restrictions. Competition in deposit markets drives the implicit interest rate to 0 even if the explicit deposit rate is regulated, and the existence of imperfect competition in deposit markets makes the payment of positive implicit deposit interest a theoretical possibility even if the explicit deposit rate ceiling is removed.
Statistics of the turbulent phase in strong scintillation conditions

Under strong scintillation condition the phase of the optical field propagating through turbulence contains phase singularities. Commonly used statistical description of phase in terms of phase structure function is based on smooth perturbation (Rytov) theory, and does not account for singularities. Markov approximation for wave propagation in turbulence predicts asymptotically normal probability distribution with zero mean for the optical field under strong scintillation conditions, and provides an equation for the coherence function. These allow calculation of all statistics of the field including the amplitude and phase. We derive equations for the single and two-point joint and marginal probabilities distributions of the amplitude and phase, and equation for the phase structure function that are valid for the strong scintillation condition when phase singularities are present.
Shadow Moiré Evaluation of Motherboard Warpage Under Preload CPU Thermal Solutions

This work investigated the motherboard coplanarity and preload correlation using the shadow moire interferometry. Motherboards under three different preloads in the CPU area were examined at room temperature and elevated temperature. Both the global board warpage and the local board warpage around the CPU area were measured for preload and temperature correlations. The measured board coplanarity was correlated to the board preload successfully. The results clearly identified a failure mode from the outlier, which has totally different warpage shape and corresponds to the uneven preload case. Also, the creep effect under preload during heating stage was observed and quantified.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Ultrafast photoresponse of metallic and semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes

Utilizing a transient absorption (TA) technique based on a chirp-corrected broadband probe, we have studied the ultrafast photoresponse of dispersed HiPco single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) over the range of 440--1050 nm for excitation in the range of 430--1700 nm. While both metallic and semiconducting SWNTs show transient bleaching at their ${M}_{11}$ and ${S}_{11}$ energies for excitation above these energies, metallic SWNTs uniquely exhibit a photoresponse to sub-${M}_{11}$ excitation. We observe a TA spectral response for metallic SWNTs which is consistent with thermal broadening of the ${M}_{11}$ transition bands. In contrast to metallic SWNTs, specific semiconducting SWNTs exhibit transparency for sub-${S}_{11}$ excitation, in accord with the expected zero density of states below the first interband transition. We report the observation of a long-lived $(\ensuremath{\tau}g1\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ns})$ transient bleach component for three semiconducting SWNT species.
The Role of Attitude toward the Ad as a Mediator of Advertising Effectiveness: A Test of Competing Explanations:

Attitude toward the ad (Aad) has been postulated to be a causal mediating variable in the process through which advertising influences brand attitudes and purchase intentions. Previous conceptual a...
Production and Characterization of Carbon−Silica Nanocomposites from the Pyrolysis of Polyacrylonitrile in a Porous Silica Matrix

Carbon−silica nanocomposites are fabricated from the pyrolysis of polyacrylonitrile (PAN), which has been photopolymerized in the ∼7 nm voids of porous Vycor glass. The effect of the pores on the pyrolysis process was investigated by thermal analysis. Temperatures at which key processes in the pyrolysis of bulk PAN occur are not significantly changed in the porous constraints of the Vycor, although prepolymer (nitrile cyclization) formation (∼270 °C) was split into two exotherms. The carbon that forms in the pores was found to exist as graphitic nanoparticles. In contrast to bulk pyrolyzed PAN, little amorphous carbonaceous material is formed when carbonization is carried out in the pores. Moreover, the graphitic nanoparticles were oriented in the pores with the 002 graphitic planes aligned from crystallite to crystallite. A mechanism for this orientation is proposed on the basis of how the polymer aligns in the pores when the monomer is photopolymerized. Heating to 1100 °C closed the pores around the car...
Analysis for Science Librarians of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics: Broken Symmetry and the BEH Mechanism

On October 8, 2013, the Royal Swedish Academy of Science announced that the Nobel Prize in Physics for 2013 would go to Peter W. Higgs (University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom) and Francois Englert (Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium). Forty-nine years ago, these two scientists developed a theory to explain the origin of mass in the universe, and it forms the basis for our understanding of particles. Their theory sparked a decades-long experimentalist search for confirmation, which culminated on July 4, 2012, when the discovery of a fundamental particle at the ATLAS and CMS experiments at CERN was announced. The discovered particle shared a substantial number of properties with Higgs and Englert’s predictions.