cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tropical zooplankton: phenotypic and spatial analyses of polymorphic Ceriodaphnia cornuta (Crustacea: Cladocera)

SUMMARY. 1. The predation-balanced polymorphism of Ceriodaphnia cornuta (a small-eyed horned form and a large-eyed unhorned form) in Lake Gatun, Panama, is re-examined approximately 12 years after the original study (Zaret, 1972a). We consider morphological variability, distribution and fecundity of the population inhabiting Laboratory Bay. 2. The two morphological characters emphasized by Zaret, eye size and horn length, are studied in detail. The C. cornuta population exhibits wide, yet continuous variation; coefficients of variation are 28% or eye diameter and range from 114% to 136% for horn and spine lengths. Phenotypic variation in the population is characterized by: (1) negative correlations between spine lengths and eye size; (2) positive correlations among spines from different body regions (anterior horn, lateral spines, and tail spine); and (3) weak correlations between body length and spine lengths. 3. While the horned and unhorned forms continue to coexist in Laboratory Bay. the frequencies of horned forms have increased in the open water areas since the time of the original study. The increase in horned form frequencies may be due to changes in fish predation intensity. Did vertical distribution patterns of the forms remain very similar to each other. 4. In contrast to previous laboratory findings, egg ratio calculations from field samples revealed similar clutch sizes for the horned and unhorned forms. The egg development time of the horned form, however, was found to be approximately 30% longer than that of the unhorned form, perhaps because of increased moulting difficulties produced by the presence of spines.
Computed tomography evaluation of subependymal cortical heterotopia: A case report

Cortical heterotopia is a rare disorder of migrational brain development. A case of subependymal cortical heterotopia is reported. Usual clinical features and specific computed tomography findings are discussed.
Release of low density lipoprotein receptors from human fibroblasts or Hela cells by tryptic digestion

Abstract Trypsin treatment of cultured normal human skin fibroblasts or Hela cells releases material which is retained on a low density lipoprotein (LDL)-Sepharose affinity column, may be eluted from it with 2.5 M KI and, after dialysis, agglutinates LDL or apo-B-coated formocells. Such agglutination is prevented by preincubation of the receptor with LDL in solution or with arginine-rich protamine. Trypsin treatment of “receptor defective” or “receptor negative” mutant fibroblasts releases material which is retained on LDL-Sepharose column but fails to agglutinate LDL-coated formocells. The receptor may be labeled with 6-[ 3 H]-glucosamine·HCl and [ 3 H ]-leucine, it is inactivated by heating at 80°C for 10 min and may be obtained from normal fibroblasts or Hela cells, whether they were cultured in presence or in absence of lipoprotein-containing fetal calf serum.
Amino Acid Substitution Analyses of the DNA Contact Region, Two Amphipathic α-Helices and a Recognition-Helix-Like Helix outside the Dimeric β-Barrel of Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigen 1

Objectives and Methods: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1), which is essential for EBV latency, homodimerizes and binds to the EBV replication origin, oriP
Response of erythrocytic 2,3-diphosphoglycerate to strenuous exercise.

Since increases of erythrocytic 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) have been shown to enhance the release of oxygen from hemoglobin, experiments were designed to evaluate the response of 2,3-DPG to two different workloads in 13 fasted human subjects. No significant mean change in 2,3-DPG was found following 16 min of strenuous exercise on a bicycle ergometer, but when the subjects were subjected later to a greater workload for 20 min, there was a significant mean decrease in 2,3-DPG despite much individual variation. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation of 2,3-DPG reduction with increases in postexercise lactate, and a significant inverse correlation of oxygen consumption during exercise with postexercise lactate. The data suggest that the 2,3-DPG mechanism may not be compensating in exercise when the workload requires a preponderance of anaerobic metabolism promoting lactacidaemia.
The need for a science of larger social units: A contextual approach *

This paper describes current issues in behavior therapy which point to the need for research on the larger context for behavior problems of individuals. Contextualism is advocated as a paradigmatic framework for the analysis of larger social units. We discuss its implications for theoretical analysis and empirical research. The concept of the cultural practice is advocated as the key dependent variable to be addressed in work focused on the larger context for behavior problems. The main theoretical concepts of cultural materialism are briefly described (Harris, 1979). These concepts suggest key aspects of the larger context for the environments of individuals which must be manipulated for research on the larger context to help ameliorate or prevent behavior problems. Finally, detailed examples of contextual analyses of tobacco use and childrearing practices are provided to illustrate how the present framework can be applied to important behavioral and societal problems.
Intestinal transplantation: effects on ileal enteric absorptive physiology.

Background. The effects of small intestine transplantation on enteric physiology are poorly understood. After orthotopic jejunoileal autotransplantation, dogs develop a severe watery diarrhea and lose up to 15% of their body weight. The cause of these changes has not been explained. Our aim was to determine the influence of jejunoileal autotransplantation on ileal absorption of water, electrolytes, and bile salts and the effects of proabsorptive and prosecretory agents on ileal transport. methods. Seven dogs were studied before and at 2 and 8 weeks after in situ jejunoileal neural and lymphatic isolation (a model of small intestine autotransplantion). With a triple-lumen perfusion technique, net ileal fluxes of water, electrolytes, and bile salts were measured before and at 2 and 8 weeks after this model of jejunoileal autotransplantation. In addition, the effects of an intravenous infusion of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (a prosecretory agent) and norepinephrine (a proabsorptive agent) on net transport were evaluated. Results. Dogs developed a profuse diarrhea after this model of autotransplantation. Ileal absorption of water and electrolytes decreased immediately (measured during operation), remained decreased for 2 weeks, and returned toward baseline by 8 weeks. A similar decrease in net flux of bile salts was shown at 2 weeks after transplantation and returned toward baseline by 8 weeks. The prosecretory response of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide on ileal fluxes of water and electrolytes was unchanged, whereas the proabsorptive response to norepinephrine increased after this model of autotransplantation. Conclusions. Jejunoileal autotransplantation decreases ileal absorption of water, electrolytes, and bile salts. The profuse watery diarrhea observed in dogs after small intestine autotransplantation may be a secretory and/or a bile salt-induced diarrhea related to the effects of jejunoileal denervation.
Developmental Down-Regulation of LTD in Cortical Layer IV and Its Independence of Modulation by Inhibition

For in vitro LTD to remain viable as a model for synaptic weakening in visual cortical plasticity, it is crucial that it display a critical period for its induction within layer IV. A complicating factor, however, is that LTD in layer IV is modulated by inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs); postsynaptic responses characterized as containing IPSPs do not depress in response to 1 Hz afferent stimulation. By blocking IPSPs intracellularly, we find that the ability to induce LTD in layer IV neurons is restored in juvenile, but not in mature animals. This developmental down-regulation of LTD induction is specific for layer IV when compared with LTD induction in layers II/III. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that an LTD-like phenomenon is involved in critical period plasticity and is apparently independent of developmental changes in inhibitory circuitry.
Post-harvest residue management of creeping red and Chewings fescue seed crops

Legislative actions in the Pacific Northwest have greatly restricted the total area of grass seed crops that can be burned each year. Grass seed growers are searching for alternatives to postharvest residue burning. In on-farm experiments in western Oregon, we compared four postharvest residue management methods for effects on seed yield of creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra L. subsp. rubra cv. Cindy) and Chewings fescue (Festuca rubra L. subsp. commutata Gaudin cv. Center). Treatments were (i) straw residue removed and stubble flail-chopped (flail-chop), (ii) straw residue removed and stubble close-clipped and vacuum-swept (close-clip), (iii) straw residue removed and stubble propane-burned (propane-burn), and (iv) residue and stubble open-burned with full straw load (open-burn). Seed yield components were also measured, to identify the component through which treatments affected yield. Treatment effects on seed yield of both crops interacted with years. Averaged across years, creeping red fescue seed yield was 993, 903, 804, and 620 kg ha -1 for open-burn, propane-burn, close-clip, and flail-chop treatments, respectively. The greatest treatment effect was on number of panicles, and consequently on number of floret sites and seeds produced per unit area. The number of spikelets per panicle, florets per spikelet, and seeds produced per panicle were unaffected. Open-burn also resulted in the fewest weed seeds and the highest purity of the harvested seed. Treatments affected Chewings fescue seed yield in only one year, when seed yield was 750, 680, 477, and 553 kg ha -1 for open-burn, propaneburn, close-clip, and flail-chop treatments, respectively. Treatments did not affect the number of panicles or seeds produced per unit area in Chewings fescue, the number of weed seeds, or the purity of the harvested seed. We concluded that mechanical removal ofpostharvest residue in Chewings fescue can maintain seed yield and seed quality similar to open-burn. In contrast, open-burn is required to achieve maximum seed yield and seed quality in creeping red fescue.
Probabilistic analysis of multi-step failure process of a laminated composite in bending

This paper presents results of a theoretical and experimental analysis of the random bending strength of laminated composites. Multi-layered composites with a periodic structure of sublaminates are considered in a combined loading (bending action and plane stress) state. The random strength response of the composites is analyzed on the basis of a multi-step failure probabilistic model. Here, the multi-step failure is considered as a process in which the failure of some single structural elements (sublaminates, laminae) leads to load redistribution onto other intact elements. A numerical algorithm based on the Monte Carlo technique and respective computer code are offered. The effect of scatter of structure parameters and number of sublaminates on the bending strength distribution is analyzed in detail. Experimental confirmation is considered on an example of uniaxial bending of laminated carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics. A method for evaluation of reliability in a random combined loading is also suggested.
Stress relaxation of porcine septal cartilage during radio-frequency-generated heating

Alteration of the cartilaginous framework within the face and upper airway is a focus of intense clinical research. In this study, radiofrequency (RF) heating was used to induce stress relaxation and reshape mechanically deformed porcine nasal septal cartilage. After RF heating and rehydration, the previously straight cartilage specimens were reshaped into new curved configurations. Two commercial RF devices were used in this study: (1) a 460 kHz device with a series of integrated microthermocouples within the electrode, which allowed monitoring cartilage temperature and (2), a 2.8 MHz device with variable power settings. RF heating duration was determined by measuring the denaturation of albumin to simulate thermal alteration of the cartilage matrix. In cartilage, changes in diffuse transmittance from a diode laser ((lambda) equals 650 nm) during RF heating were measured using a lock-in detection technique, as this correlates with stress relaxation. Alterations in diffuse transmittance were observed during RF generated heating and cartilage was successfully reshaped using both devices, which were objectives of this preliminary study.
Selectively willing and conditionally able: HIV vaccine trial participation among women at "high risk" of HIV infection.

Efficacy studies of investigational HIV vaccines require enrollment of individuals at ‘high risk’ for HIV. This paper examines participation in HIV vaccine trials among women at ‘high risk’ for HIV acquisition. In-depth interviews were conducted with 17 African-American women who use crack cocaine and/or exchange sex for money/drugs to elicit attitudes toward medical research and motivators and deterrents to HIV vaccine trial participation. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed; data were coded and compiled into themes. Most women expressed favorable attitudes toward medical research in general. Motivators for trial participation included compensation; personal benefits including information, social services, and the possibility that the trial vaccine could prevent HIV; and altruism. Deterrents included: dislike of needles; distrust; concern about future consequences of participating. In addition, contingencies, care-giving responsibilities, and convenience issues constituted barriers which could impede participation. Respondents described varied, complex perspectives, and individual cases illustrate how these themes played out as women contemplated trial participation. Understanding factors which influence vaccine research participation among women at ‘high risk’ can aid sites to tailor recruitment procedures to local contexts. Concerns about future reactions can be addressed through sustained community education. Convenience barriers can be ameliorated by providing rides to study visits when necessary, and/or conducting study visits in accessible neighborhood locations. Women in this sample thought carefully about enrolling in HIV vaccine trials given the structural constraints within which they lived. Further research is needed regarding structural factors which influence personal agency and individuals’ thinking about research participation.
Trend adjustment in color images using bidimensional empirical mode decomposition

Bidimensional empirical mode decomposition (BEMD) decomposes an image into several bidimensional intrinsic mode components, which is useful for various image enhancement and/or feature extraction applications. However, because of the requirement of scattered data interpolation and associated difficulties, the classical BEMD methods appear unsuitable for many applications. Recently, a fast and adaptive BEMD (FABEMD) method is proposed, which alleviates some of the difficulties, otherwise encountered in classical BEMD approaches. On the other hand, existing BEMD methods are proposed for gray scale images only. This paper first presents a novel BEMD approach for color images known as color BEMD (CBEMD), which employs FABEMD principle and decomposes a color image into color bidimensional intrinsic mode components based on hierarchical local spatial variation of image intensity and color. In fact, FABEMD facilitates the extension of the BEMD process for color images in a convenient and useful way, whereas the other interpolation based BEMD techniques appear unsuitable for this purpose. In FABEMD, order statistics filters are employed to estimate the envelope surfaces from the data instead of surface interpolation, which enables fast decomposition and well characterized bidimensional intrinsic mode components. Second, the CBEMD is utilized in this paper for adjusting and/or modifying the trend of color images. In this process, the image is reconstructed by adding the color bidimensional intrinsic mode components after applying suitably selected weights. Test results with real images demonstrate the potential of the proposed CBEMD method for color image processing, which include color trend adjustment.
Regulation of Cellular Plasticity Cascades in the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Mood Disorders

There is increasing evidence from a variety of sources that mood disorders are associated with regional reductions in brain volume, as well as reductions in the number, size, and density of glia and neurons in discrete brain areas. Although the precise pathophysiology underlying these morphometric changes remains to be fully elucidated, the data suggest that severe mood disorders are associated with impairments of structural plasticity and cellular resilience. In this context, it is noteworthy that a growing body of data suggests that the glutamatergic system--which is known to play a major role in neuronal plasticity and cellular resilience--may be involved in the pathophysiology and treatment of mood disorders. Preclinical studies have shown that the glutamatergic system represents targets (often indirect) for the actions of antidepressants and mood stabilizers. There are a number of glutamatergic "plasticity enhancing" strategies that may be of considerable utility in the treatment of mood disorders. Among the most immediate ones are NMDA antagonists, inhibitors of glutamate-release agents, and AMPA potentiators; this research progress holds much promise for the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of severe, refractory mood disorders.
Active Fault Near‐Source Zones Within and Bordering the State of California for the 1997 Uniform Building Code

Abstract The fault sources in the Project 97 probabilistic seismic hazard maps for the state of California were used to construct maps for defining near‐source seismic coefficients, Na and Nv, incorporated in the 1997 Uniform Building Code (ICBO 1997). The near‐source factors are based on the distance from a known active fault that is classified as either Type A or Type B. To determine the near‐source factor, four pieces of geologic information are required: (1) recognizing a fault and determining whether or not the fault has been active during the Holocene, (2) identifying the location of the fault at or beneath the ground surface, (3) estimating the slip rate of the fault, and (4) estimating the maximum earthquake magnitude for each fault segment. This paper describes the information used to produce the fault classifications and distances.
Coexistence in dipolar fluids in a field.

We examine two phase coexistence for soft sphere dipolar fluids in an applied field, H. Besides being a fundamental test system for theory, dipolar fluids are used as models for ferrofluids. Gibbs ensemble simulations were performed to determine the coexistence curve and an estimate of the critical temperature, ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$, and density, ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\rho}}}_{\mathit{c}}$, as a function of applied magnetic field. In zero field we show that coexistence most likely does not occur and if it does can only do so in a narrow range of densities much lower than predicted theoretically. We discuss the structure of soft sphere dipolar systems, which turns out to be much more complex than previously thought.
On the design of a new CPU architecture for pedagogical purposes

Ant-32 is a new processor architecture designed specifically to address the pedagogical needs of teaching many subjects, including assembly language programming, machine architecture, compilers, operating systems, and VLSI design. This paper discusses our motivation for creating Ant-32 and the philosophy we used to guide our design decisions and gives a high-level description of the resulting design.
cis,cis,cis-tetramethyl 1,2,4,5-cyclohexanetetracarboxylate

The title compound, C14H20O8, was synthesized from the hydrogenation of tetra­methyl 1,4-cyclo­hexa­diene-1,2,4,5-tetra­carboxyl­ate with a catalytic amount of palladium/carbon. All four carbonyl moieties of the methyl ester groups are on the same face of the chair-conformed ring. The substantial ring distortion associated with the 1,3-diaxial methoxycarbonyl substituents is reflected in the large difference between bond angles as well as torsion angles, respectively, that in undistorted cyclo­hexanes would be approximately the same.
Tour guide communication competence: French, German and American tourists' perceptions

Abstract The primary goal of this paper is to examine cross-national variations in the perceived importance of communication competencies of tour guides. Tour guides play an important role as cultural buffers and also serve as communication links between tourists and host populations, and yet their communication competence is perhaps the least emphasized aspect in tourism research. Communication research provides a theoretical framework to investigate this topic and this research represents a first bridge between these two disciplines. This study takes a behavioral-cognitive approach, based on two assumptions: (1) that individuals hold cognitive notions about what comprises communication competence, and (2) they then use these expectations as guidelines to judge their own and others' behaviors. In this study, tourists visiting the US Southwest from France, Germany, and the United States completed a questionnaire asking for their perceptions of the importance of 4 nonverbal dimensions (approachability, poise, attentiveness, and touch) and three verbal dimensions (language adaptability, interpersonal inclusion, and assertiveness) of intercultural communication competence of tour guides. Results indicate that there are significant differences in the perceptions of important communication competencies among the three nationality groups. For the most part, the French and German tourists ranked the dimensions differently from the American tourists. That is, the Americans ranked most nonverbal and verbal competence behaviors as more important than the European tourists. This study makes several important contributions to both the communication and the tourism fields. The cultural differences found in this study fit theoretically with prior research investigating US and European patterns of communication. In addition, the study raises some questions about the appropriateness of applying US competence frameworks to other cultural groups. Finally, the study contributes to the field of tourism in suggesting ways that tour guides might enhance their perceived competence depending on the nationality of the group they are leading.
Through the sartrean lens: Existential freedom in Camilo José Cela's la colmena

Readers return once and again to Camilo Jose Cela's innovative novel La colmena (1951) and note its gritty and unapologetic approach to the problem of existence. This approach, however, has never been elucidated with any degree of precision, particularly when it comes to the fundamental question of existential freedom that is palpable in the text. In this article I propose to take up the discussion of how La colmena offers an existentialist view on the dialectic of freedom. My argument is that the very concept of freedom and its attendant responsibility as articulated in this early novel can be considered part and parcel of Cela's broader social critique of post-Civil War Spain.
The Social Bases of Environmental Treaty Ratification, 1900–1990

Most accounts of environmental treaty ratification emphasize the boundedness of states, characterizing ratification as a calculated “choice” of interested, rational actors. Here I present an alternative to this view, depicting nation-states as constructed of globally legitimated models, including those seen to promote environmental protection. Countries with dense connections to world society are most likely to embody global models of nation-state environmentalization, regardless of measures of national interests, such as natural degradation, economic development, scientific capacity, or political openness. I test the alternative views in a series of structural equation models with latent variables, analyzing cross-national variation in the number of international environmental treaties ratified during the periods 1900-1945, 1946-1962, 1963-1972, and 1973-1990. In every analysis a nation-state's linkage to world society is the strongest predictor of its number of ratifications. The results lend support to the notion that nation-states are constituted within a wider world social system, in which environmental protection forms a central and highly legitimate node of discourse and activity.
Mechanism of allyl alcohol-induced hepatic necrosis.

Ces recherches indiquent que la repartition des lesions necrotiques produites chimiquement peut etre determinee par la localisation intrahepatique d'enzymes metabolisant les drogues, enzymes qui synthetisent, dans les cellules ou ils sont produits, les metabolites chimiquement actifs capables d'alkylation des macromolecules
Design and implementation of a unique blood-vessel detection algorithm towards early diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), a major complication of diabetes and the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults, can be cured by the early and precise detection of the disease. An important aspect of DR is the micro-vascular changes that cause detectable changes in the appearance of retinal blood vessels. In this paper, we propose a new blood-vessel detection technique in retinal images, based on the regional recursive hierarchical decomposition using quadtrees and post-filtration of edges. We exploit the fact that in retinal images, the blood vessels appear as focal and/or penumbral blurred edges, which can be characterized by an estimable intensity gradient, which also serves in dismissing false alarms to a large extent. Our technique provides information on retinal blood vessel morphology that can be calibrated to normal expected blood vessel diameters and which can detect fine blood vessel anomalies that characterize the blood vessel pathology and hence aid early detection of diabetic retinopathy.
Chapter 9: Guidelines for Using Humor in Therapy with Children and Young Adolescents

Summary This chapter begins with a discussion of prominent characteristics of therapy with children and issues relevant to the use of humor in children's therapy. Applications of therapeutic humor are presented and discussed in the contexts of: (a) psychodynamic psychotherapy, (b) the use of humor in behavioral treatments, predominantly of child phobias, (c) humor in family therapy, and (d) purposeful use of games and stories‥Finally, possibly directions for future applications are discussed.
Designing School Systems to Encourage Data Use and Instructional Improvement A Comparison of School Districts and Charter Management Organizations

Purpose: As state and federal accountability systems have increased demands for evidence of student achievement, the use of data to inform practice has become more prevalent. More research is neede...
A Parametric Approach to Vehicle Seating Buck Design

Vehicle package development is an important part of the entire vehicle design. It consists of determining the occupant’s spatial environment, the vehicle’s mechanical spatial configuration and the overall exterior/interior dimensions while meeting the engineering requirements, including packaging, structure, manufacturing, etc. Developing and verifying the occupant compartment configuration is usually conducted by using a seating buck. To build a seating buck, vehicle interior surfaces are generated in CAD using vehicle exterior surfaces, package layouts and master sections. During early program stages, this information is scattered, incomplete and constantly changing, which makes the seating buck creation challenging and the package design decision-making more difficult. A new method has been developed to quickly generate the seating buck surfaces from scattered information. It has shown to significantly reduce the time conventionally required for the seating buck surface modeling. This paper documents the method and process and summarizes the potential of the method and its impact on vehicle package design.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
All-polymer RC filter circuits fabricated with inkjet printing technology

Abstract All-polymer RC filter circuits by all-inkjet printing technology are fabricated for the first time. Conductive polymers such as polyaniline and poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) have been used as the electrode material of the capacitor as well as the resistor material. The fabrication process and the characteristics of the printed capacitor and RC filter have been demonstrated. Simulation of the printed RC circuit has been demonstrated and compared with the experimental measurement results. A detail discussion has been given about the all-polymer capacitor and RC filter.
The facets of group technology and their impacts on implementation—A state-of-the-art survey

Abstract The recent use of the Group Technology concept of grouping parts into ‘families’ has received much notice due to the integration of this technique with the varied technologies of computer integrated manufacturing. This is but one of the facets of Group Technology, which is essentially a set of techniques and operating policies designed to improve the operational efficiency of manufacturing. With the exception of the parts grouping concept, the many facets of Group Technology have been largely neglected. This paper presents a survey of the literature on the concepts of Group Technology, attempts to categorize these topics in a natural manner, and link the processes, technology and experiences together. This paper reviews the problems addressed and the optimal and heuristic solution methodologies suggested in the literature. The conclusion indicate various areas and topics for future research/implementation activities.
“Was it good for you, too?”: Gender differences in first sexual intercourse experiences

First sexual intercourse is considered to be a major life transition, but it is not always a pleasurable experience, especially for females. The major purposes of this research were to examine gender differences in emotional reactions (pleasure, anxiety, and guilt) to first intercourse and to test possible explanations for these gender differences. Based on data collected from 1,659 college students who had had sexual intercourse, we found that men reported experiencing more pleasure and anxiety than did women, whereas men reported experiencing less guilt than did women. Men's greater subjective pleasure in response to first intercourse was explained, in part, by their greater likelihood of having an orgasm. Similar gender differences in emotional reactions were found regardless of the stage and length of the relationship in which first intercourse occurred; both genders reported more pleasure, more anxiety, and less guilt when sex occurred in a close relationship than in a casual one. However, continuing...
Tuning a Josephson junction through a quantum critical point

We tune the barrier of a Josephson junction through a zero-temperature metal-insulator transition and study the thermodynamic behavior of the junction in the proximity of the quantum-critical point. We examine a short-coherence-length superconductor and a barrier ~that is described by a Falicov-Kimball model! using the local approximation and dynamical mean-field theory. The inhomogeneous system is self-consistently solved by performing a Fourier transformation in the planar momentum and exactly inverting the remaining onedimensional matrix with the renormalized perturbation expansion. Our results show a delicate interplay between oscillations on the scale of the Fermi wavelength and pair-field correlations on the scale of the coherence length, variations in the current-phase relationship, and dramatic changes in the characteristic voltage as a function of the barrier thickness or correlation strength ~which can lead to an ‘‘intrinsic’’ pinhole effect !.
180-nm CMOS Wideband Capacitor-Free Inductively Coupled Power Receiver and Charger

Wireless microsystems like biomedical implants and embedded sensors derive energy from tiny in-package sources that, unfortunately, exhaust easily, which means that operational life is short. Periodically coupling power wirelessly is one way of replenishing onboard batteries, except that small receiver coils suffer from low coupling factors kC and induce low electromotive-force voltages. Today, receivers store and resonate incoming energy between the receiving coil and an off-chip capacitor until the voltage rises sufficiently high for a diode-bridge rectifier to steer power into a battery. The capacitor, however, requires board space and constrains the source to a particular frequency. The 180-nm CMOS power receiver presented in this paper removes the diode bridge, which establishes a minimum voltage below which the system cannot derive power, so that neither tuning nor a resonating capacitor is necessary. Experimental measurements show that the system draws power from 30-mV signals when kC is 0.0046 and coil separation is 11.35 mm, and this threshold voltage only changes 13.6 mV across 100-150 kHz, which is a 27.1% lower threshold voltage that is 36 × less sensitive than its resonating counterpart. The peak efficiency of the receiver when rectifying to 1.2 V is 82% at 224 μW and 125 kHz and average efficiency is 76% for 90-386-mV coil voltages.
Characterizing urban heat islands of global settlements using MODIS and nighttime lights products

Impervious surface area (ISA) from the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) and land surface temperature (LST) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) averaged over three annual cycles (2003–2005) are used in a spatial analysis to assess the urban heat island (UHI) signature on LST amplitude and its relationship with development intensity, size, and ecological setting for more than 3000 urban settlements globally. Development intensity zones based on fractional ISA are defined for each urban area emanating outward from the urban core to the nearby nonurban rural areas and used to stratify sampling for LST. Sampling is further constrained by biome type and elevation data to ensure objective intercomparisons between zones and between cities in different biomes. We find that the ecological context and settlement size significantly influence the amplitude of summer daytime UHI. Globally, an average of 3.8 °C UHI is found in cities built in biomes dominated by forests; 1.9 °C UHI in c...
Assessing fish collections from random and fixed site sampling methods on the Illinois River

The fish assemblage of the Illinois River is monitored annually through a long-term electrofishing (LTEF) program. Through the LTEF program, fish species composition and abundances are examined in six navigation reaches using a fixed site sampling design. We added a series of random sites to the LTEF sampling program in 2005 and 2007 to supplement current monitoring efforts. We used random and fixed site samples to assess fish species richness, relative abundance, and species-specific contributions to catches. We collected 17,537 fish from both sampling designs. Total fish and mean catch per hour was greater for fixed sampling (10,221 and 379.1, respectively) compared to random sampling (7316 and 259.6, respectively). Total fish species richness was 70, with 63 and 62 species collected through fixed and random samplings, respectively. Fish species diversity and evenness was greater for fixed site sampling. Eight fish species were unique to the fixed site design with seven fish species unique to random sam...
Development of a cost-effective torsional unit for rodent long bone assessment

Thorough mechanical testing of rodent bones requires an understanding of bone behavior in a variety of loading modes including tension, compression, bending and shear. While these tests are easily conducted with single axis mechanical testing machines, it may also be desirable to determine torsional properties of bone. Although higher-end materials testing machines will enable torsional and/or rotational testing, simpler, less expensive systems rarely offer these capabilities. In this work, we illustrate the development of a torsional system that uses a simple rack and pinion concept to deliver a rotary motion to bones given the linear motion of a testing machine. As the bone field becomes increasingly interdisciplinary, more biologists and non-test engineers need cost-effective mechanical testing capabilities and the torsional system described here has proven to be more than adequate for standard biomechanical testing requirements. Furthermore, given the small-scale size of rodent long bones, a series of potting/testing fixtures were developed that enabled preparation and handling of the specimens without incurring damage to the bone shafts. Once fabricated the system was used to destructively load mice humeri and femurs and quantify torsional properties.
Effect of actinomycin D on lactic dehydrogenase virus multiplication in mouse macrophages.

SummaryThe mouse macrophage tissue culture technique was used to show that LDV multiplication is independent of DNA-dependent RNA synthesis since concentrations of actinomycin D which inhibited host RNA synthesis did not inhibit LDV multiplication.The assistance of Dr. S. Margolis in the determination of RNA synthesis is gratefully acknowledged.
Analytical construction of 3D NPS for a cone beam CT system

Several experimental studies of the noise power spectrum (NPS) of cone-beam CT have been performed, but less attention has been paid to the analytical derivation of the 3D NPS. It is well known that noise in cone beam CT is nonstationary. When the image is reconstructed by using the FDK algorithm, different back-projection and cosine weightings are used for different reconstruction regions. In addition, the ray density and cone angle are also spatially dependent. As a result, a cone beam system has non-stationary noise. In order to characterize the noise behavior, we first construct the 3D NPS in a local reconstruction volume. Because cone beam rays passing through a small volume can be approximated as parallel rays, the 3D NPS of a small volume can be constructed by considering all effects. The 3D NPS of a large volume (which describes the average noise behavior but may not be valid throughout the volume) was generated by summing 3D NPS of small sub-volumes. The method was validated with computer simulations with uniform noise in the projection. 3D noise spectra of 3cm, 6cm, and 10 cm thick volumes were generated, and the radial NPS at different kz planes were compared with those of the analytically constructed 3D NPS. The results showed excellent matching for all cases. With the proposed method, non-stationary noise behavior of any local volume can be analyzed. The non-stationary noise behavior also causes a high-frequency roll-off in the NPS of a large volume, and as the volume size increases, the roll-off frequency decreases because the larger volume has more heterogeneous noise behavior.
Enhanced endoscopic detection of early colon cancer

Enhanced endoscopic detection of small flat adenomas is becoming increasingly important as they have a reported 14 percent incidence of dysplasia when compared with 5% incidence in polypod adenomas of the same size. These lesions even when invasive do not show up against the translucent surrounding mucosa making endoscopic detection difficult. Dye spraying with indigo carmine makes their morphology clear, with well-circumscribed borders. Dye spraying and magnifying endoscopes can be used to observe pit patterns on the surface of the bowel. Combining dye spraying and high-resolution video endoscopy demonstrates well the colorectal epithelial surface. Scanning immersion video endoscopy visualizes the epithelial surface of the colorectal mucosa by high-resolution endoscopy after filling the lumen with water. Endoscopic ultrasound can be used to see if the lesion is intramucosal or not and assess the depth of invasion if malignancy is presented. Laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy has the potential to detect colonic dysplasia in vivo. Combining such technologies with conventional colonoscopy can help in the surveillance of large areas of colonic mucosa for the presence of dysplasia. Guided biopsy can replace random biopsy based on information provided at the time of colonoscopic examination.
A field lysimeter study to evaluate herbicide transport in a wyoming irrigated pasture

Abstract A field study was conducted to assess the fate and mobility of two commonly used herbicides, dicamba (3,6‐dichloro‐2‐methoxybenzoic acid), and picloram (4‐amino‐3,5,6, trichloro‐2 pyridinecarboxylic acid), in an irrigated pasture. The herbicides were applied at two application rates to four plots (two replicates) that contained soil‐water collectors. Herbicide concentrations as a function of depth and application rate were evaluated statistically to determine if replicate data could be combined. Results indicated dicamba concentration variations were low, suggesting the mean value of the replicate plots could be compared; however, picloram concentration variations were high, and the replicate plot data could not be combined. Half‐time values for herbicide disappearance (time required for herbicide concentration to diminish from its maximum to half maximum levels), calculated from the arithmetic mean of the logistic equations, were found to be useful in describing herbicide transport. Half‐time va...
Association of DNA helicase and primase activities with a subassembly of the herpes simplex virus 1 helicase-primase composed of the UL5 and UL52 gene products

Herpes simplex virus 1 encodes a helicase-primase that is composed of the products of the UL5, UL8, and UL52 genes. A stable subassembly consisting of only the UL5 and UL52 gene products has been purified to near homogeneity from insect cells doubly infected with baculovirus recombinant for these two genes. The purified subassembly has the DNA-dependent ATPase, DNA-dependent GTPase, DNA helicase, and DNA primase activities that are characteristic of the three-subunit holoenzyme. The purified UL8 gene product, although required for viral DNA replication, neither exhibits these enzymatic activities nor stably associates with either the UL5 or the UL52 gene product.
Crisis, leadership, consensus: the past and future federal role in health.

This paper touches on patterns of federal government involvement in the health sector since the late 18th century to the present and speculates on its role in the early decades of the 21st century. Throughout the history of the US, government involvement in the health sector came only in the face of crisis, only when there was widespread consensus, and only through sustained leadership. One of the first health-related acts of Congress came about as a matter of interstate commerce regarding the dilemma as to what to do about treating merchant seamen who had no affiliation with any state. Further federal actions were implemented to address epidemics, such as from yellow fever, that traveled from state to state through commercial ships. Each federal action was met with concern and resistance from states' rights advocates, who asserted that the health of the public was best left to the states and localities. It was not until the early part of the 20th century that a concern for social well-being, not merely commerce, drove the agenda for public health action. Two separate campaigns for national health insurance, as well as a rapid expansion of programs to serve the specific health needs of specific populations, led finally to the introduction of Medicaid and Medicare in the 1960s, the most dramatic example of government intervention in shaping the personal health care delivery system in the latter half of the 20th century. As health costs continued to rise and more and more Americans lacked adequate health insurance, a perceived crisis led President Clinton to launch his 1993 campaign to insure every American—the third attempt in this century to provide universal coverage. While the crisis was perceived by many, there was no consensus on action, and leadership outside government was missing. Today, the health care crisis still looms. Despite an economic boom, 1 million Americans lose their health insurance each year, with 41 million Americans, or 15% of the population, lacking coverage. Private premiums are going up again as federal programs are capped and the lack of a federal framework for quality assurance leads to growing problems of access and quality that will need to be addressed as we enter the 21st century. What role will government play?
Expression profiling reveals altered satellite cell numbers and glycolytic enzyme transcription in nemaline myopathy muscle

The nemaline myopathies (NMs) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by nemaline rods and skeletal muscle weakness. Mutations in five sarcomeric thin filament genes have been identified. However, the molecular consequences of these mutations are unknown. Using Affymetrix oligonucleotide microarrays, we have analyzed the expression patterns of >21,000 genes and expressed sequence tags in skeletal muscles of 12 NM patients and 21 controls. Multiple complementary approaches were used for data analysis, including geometric fold analysis, two-tailed unequal variance t test, hierarchical clustering, relevance network, and nearest-neighbor analysis. We report the identification of high satellite cell populations in NM and the significant down-regulation of transcripts for key enzymes of glucose and glycogen metabolism as well as a possible regulator of fatty acid metabolism, UCP3. Interestingly, transcript level changes of multiple genes suggest possible changes in Ca2+ homeostasis. The increased expression of multiple structural proteins was consistent with increased fibrosis. This comprehensive study of downstream molecular consequences of NM gene mutations provides insights in the cellular events leading to the NM phenotype.
A Triple-Hurdle Model of Production and Market Participation in Kenya's Dairy Market

Existing analyses of market participation are based on a “double‐hurdle” modeling approach. Such models are appropriate only when all members of the population of interest actually produce the good. In some contexts, however (e.g., smallholder farmers), many members of the population do not produce particular goods that they could produce and that their neighbors do produce. Policies influencing market participation among producers may thus also induce additional farmers to become producers. Previous double‐hurdle approaches do not allow explicitly for this possibility. To address these limitations, this article presents a “triple‐hurdle” approach with an initial stage that includes nonproducers. The model is used to identify the factors associated with Kenyan smallholder farmers choosing to participate in dairy production, and the role that these producers choose to play (or not) in the marketplace. In the midst of debates underway over the privatization of the parastatal Kenya Creameries Company, new knowledge about smallholder participation in dairy could be an important contribution. Results suggest the importance of rural electrification, training, and improved grazing practices. We find that expected net sales are significantly higher when farmers have access to informal private markets. We also describe a version of the ordered tobit model that includes nonproducers and is nested in our triple‐hurdle model. A likelihood ratio test shows the latter to be a significantly better fit to our data. We discuss how insights gained from this study differ from the insights that would come from a double‐hurdle ordered tobit that also includes nonproducers.