cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Allospecific Rejection of MHC Class I-Deficient Bone Marrow by CD8 T Cells

Avoidance of long-term immunosuppression is a desired goal in organ transplantation. Mixed chimerism offers a promising approach to tolerance induction, and we have aimed to develop low-toxicity, nonimmunodepleting approaches to achieve this outcome. In a mouse model achieving fully MHC-mismatched allogeneic bone marrow engraftment with minimal conditioning (3 Gy total body irradiation followed by anti-CD154 and T cell-depleted allogeneic bone marrow cells), CD4 T cells in the recipient are required to promote tolerance of preexisting alloreactive recipient CD8 T cells and thereby permit chimerism induction. We now demonstrate that mice devoid of CD4 T cells and NK cells reject MHC Class I-deficient and Class I/Class II-deficient marrow in a CD8 T cell-dependent manner. This rejection is specific for donor alloantigens, since recipient hematopoiesis is not affected by donor marrow rejection and MHC Class I-deficient bone marrow that is syngeneic to the recipient is not rejected. Recipient CD8 T cells are activated and develop cytotoxicity against MHC Class I-deficient donor cells in association with rejection. These data implicate a novel CD8 T cell-dependent bone marrow rejection pathway, wherein recipient CD8 T cells indirectly activated by donor alloantigens promote direct killing, in a T cell receptor-independent manner, of Class I-deficient donor cells.
How to Build a Beowulf: A Guide to the Implementation and Application of PC Clusters

This how-to guide provides step-by-step instructions for building aBeowulf-type computer, including the physical elements that make up aclustered PC computing system, the software required (most of which isfreely available), and insights on how to organize the code to exploitparallelism.Supercomputing research-the goal of which is to make computers that are ever faster and more powerful-has been at the cutting edge of computer technology since the early 1960s. Until recently, research cost in the millions of dollars, and many of the companies that originally made supercomputers are now out of business.The early supercomputers used distributed computing and parallel processing to link processors together in a single machine, often called a mainframe. Exploiting the same technology, researchers are now using off-the-shelf PCs to produce computers with supercomputer performance. It is now possible to make a supercomputer for less than $40,000. Given this new affordability, a number of universities and research laboratories are experimenting with installing such Beowulf-type systems in their facilities.This how-to guide provides step-by-step instructions for building a Beowulf-type computer, including the physical elements that make up a clustered PC computing system, the software required (most of which is freely available), and insights on how to organize the code to exploit parallelism. The book also includes a list of potential pitfalls.
Revoicing Sámi Narratives: North Sámi Storytelling at the Turn of the 20th Century

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Coppelie Cocq Year: 2008 Pages: 270 Publisher: Sami Studies, Umea University ISBN: 978-91-7264-516-5 (soft cover).
The interaction of oxygen and nitrogen with the niobium (100) surface. II. Reaction kinetics

Abstract Auger spectroscopy has been used to investigate the interactions of oxygen and nitrogen with both the (100) face niobium and with polycrystalline niobium. Sticking coefficients for both gases have been determined as a function of coverage. A temperature and concentration ependent segregation of oxygen at the surface has been observed even under conditions where the solid solubility of the bulk was not exceeded. A model to describe this segregation has been developed and extended to explain discrepancies in earlier investigations f the reaction of oxygen with niobium.
A novel theory of relativistic crossed-field limiting current

Summary form only given. Strictly speaking, the maximum injected current for a time-independent cycloidal flow in a relativistic, magnetically insulated diode has never been correctly solved. Lovelace and Ott (1974) assumed the space charge limited (SCL) condition on the cathode surface in their classic paper. They included the self electric and magnetic fields of the cycloidal flow. Their result is often considered to be the maximum emission current density for time-independent flows, because in a nonmagnetized diode, the maximum emission current density is indeed given by the SCL condition if the electrons are assumed to be emitted with a zero velocity. Adopting the SCL condition for a magnetically insulated gap was thus a natural assumption. We extend the analytical theory of Lovelace-Ott by relaxing the SCL assumption. Our theory reduces to Christianson's results in the deeply non-relativistic regime, and to the Lovelace-Ott results under the SCL assumption. A set of "universal curves" for the limiting current density has been obtained at various gap voltages, ranging from the deeply nonrelativistic to relativistic.
Optimizing kidney exchange with transplant chains: theory and reality

Kidney exchange, where needy patients swap incompatible donors with each other, offers a lifesaving alternative to waiting for an organ from the deceased-donor waiting list. Recently, chains---sequences of transplants initiated by an altruistic kidney donor---have shown marked success in practice, yet remain poorly understood. We provide a theoretical analysis of the efficacy of chains in the most widely used kidney exchange model, proving that long chains do not help beyond chains of length of 3 in the large. This completely contradicts our real-world results gathered from the budding nationwide kidney exchange in the United States; there, solution quality improves by increasing the chain length cap to 13 or beyond. We analyze reasons for this gulf between theory and practice, motivated by our experiences running the only nationwide kidney exchange. We augment the standard kidney exchange model to include a variety of real-world features. Experiments in the static setting support the theory and help determine how large is really "in the large". Experiments in the dynamic setting cannot be conducted in the large due to computational limitations, but with up to 460 candidates, a chain cap of 4 was best (in fact, better than 5).
Mescaline treated rats attack immobile targets.

Rats were exposed to a series of targets in a shock induced aggression situation. Control rats fought most with moving targets, such as another normal rat, and did not attack immobile targets, such as a dead rat or a rat model. Rats treated with 15 mg mescaline/kg showed a similar pattern of target control though they bit frequently while controls did not bite. Rats treated with 50 mg/kg delivered vigorous biting attacks to a variety of targets but fought most with the immobile dead rat. They failed to attack only the rat model. Much of the data were consistent with the hypothesis that mescaline releases aggressive behavior from inhibitory control, leading to longer and more vigorous attacks on a wider variety of targets. This hypothesis, however, failed to explain why stationary targets were most effective for animals treated with 50 mg mescaline/kg while only moving targets were effective for controls.
Validation of an MRI-Based Method for Measuring the Deformation of the Brain During Angular Acceleration

A magnetic resonance (MR) method for measuring the deformation of the brain during angular acceleration was validated in a simple model system. Experimentally-derived shear strain patterns in a cylindrical gel “phantom” under angular acceleration were compared to analogous strain fields predicted by finite element simulation.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Reminiscences of The Founder and Editor of The Engineering Economist

The following article appeared in volume 20, number 4 of The Engineering Economist. I was asked some time ago how one goes about starting a journal from scratch when it does not have a captive clie...
Tales from the climate-change crossroads

Four books by prominent global-warming pundits illustrate that exhortation and authority are not enough to solve the climate crisis — it is time for some humility, concludes Roger Pielke Jr.
QUANTUM CORRECTIONS (WITHIN THE CLASSICAL PATH APPROXIMATION) TO THE BOLTZMANN DENSITY MATRIX

Abstract A previously derived classical path approximation for diagonal matrix elements of the Boltzmann density matrix (i.e., the particle density) is expanded in a power series in about the classical density. Comparing term by term with Wigner's expansion of the exact quantum mechanical density, one sees that the first quantum correction to the classical density (which involves first and second derivatives of the potential energy) is given correctly by the classical path approximation. wigner's expression for the second correction term, however, involves the first four derivatives of the potential, and the classical path approximation gives only the part of this term that involves the first three derivatives.
The Weibull scheduling index for client driven manufacturing processes

Abstract This paper highlights a new dispatching rule based on an index developed from a modified two parameter Weibull probability distribution function. This new dispatching rule is named the Weibull Urgency Index (WUI), which uses the capability of the Weibull function's generation of unique curves to develop an index behavior based on job type. Hence, this unique index curve reflects how a job will behave within the queue. The paper describes in detail the development of this new heuristic function and it is compared to the well established Apparent Tardiness Cost (ATC) dispatching rule through a simulation study. The new index is tested in a stochastic environment where jobs arrive randomly and the processing time of the jobs is also not completely known.
The elusive thermotropic biaxial nematic phase in rigid bent-core molecules

The biaxial nematic liquid crystalline phase was predicted several decades ago. Several vigorous attempts to find it in various systems resulted in mis-identifications. The results of X-ray diffraction and optical texture studies of the phases exhibited by rigid bent-core molecules derived from 2,5-bis-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-l,3,4-oxadiazole reveal that the biaxial nematic phase is formed by three compounds of this type. X-ray diffraction studies reveal that the nematic phase of these compounds has the achiral symmetry D2h, in which the overall long axes of the molecules are oriented parallel to each other to define the major axis of the biaxial phase. The apex of the bent-cores defines the minor axis of this phase along which the planes containing the bent-cores of neighboring molecules are oriented parallel to each other.
Prehension synergies: A study of digit force adjustments to the continuously varied load force exerted on a partially constrained hand-held object

We examined how the digit forces adjust when a load force acting on a hand-held object continuously varies. The subjects were required to hold the handle still while a linearly increasing and then decreasing force was applied to the handle. The handle was constrained, such that it could only move up and down, and rotate about a horizontal axis. In addition, the moment arm of the thumb tangential force was 1.5 times the moment arm of the virtual finger (VF, an imagined finger with the mechanical action equal to that of the four fingers) force. Unlike the situation when there are equal moment arms, the experimental setup forced the subjects to choose between (a) sharing equally the increase in load force between the thumb and VF but generating a moment of tangential force, which had to be compensated by negatively co-varying the moment due to normal forces, or (b) sharing unequally the load force increase between the thumb and VF but preventing generation of a moment of tangential forces. We found that different subjects tended to use one of these two strategies. These findings suggest that the selection by the CNS of prehension synergies at the VF-thumb level with respect to the moment of force is non-obligatory and reflects individual subject preferences. This unequal sharing of the load by the tangential forces, in contrast to the previously observed equal sharing, suggests that the invariant feature of prehension may be a correlated increase in tangential forces rather than an equal increase.
Empirically supported treatments for children and adolescents: Where to from here?

In this commentary, we provide additional detail about the movement to identify, evaluate, and disseminate empirically supported treatments (ESTs), suggest a Web-based strategy that might prove useful in disseminating ESTs, and comment on professional and ethical issues associated with the use and failure to use ESTs. We provide a series of Web-based recommendations and then assert that the ongoing practice of invalidated treatments not only is bad practice, but also may be unethical. The children, adolescents, and families the profession serves deserve the very best it has to offer them. It is our responsibility as practicing professionals to keep abreast of developments about which treatments work and which ones do not. Further, if we are not proficient in those strategies that do work, then we need to refer children with these problems to professionals who are. We recognize the boldness of our assertion but suggest that if we stay the course and are successful in disseminating these interventions, they will become “treatment as usual” over time.
Photoreflectance Spectroscopy Studies Of Alloy Compositions And Ion Implant Damage In Zincblende-Type Semiconductors

The optical transitions near the band gap energy E0 have been obtained by photoreflectance (PR) measurements on GaAs and CdTe single crystals, various epitaxially grown AlxGai_xAs layers, and GaAs-AlGaAs quantum well and superlattice structures. The PR spectra have been analyzed to determine the behavior of the E0 values and lineshape parameters at different alloy compositions and structural periodicities for the multilayer materials. The alloy compositions derived from the PR data are shown to be consistent with the values obtained by Raman and x-ray diffraction measurements on the same samples. PR is also found to be a convenient method to study the effects of ion implantation and subsequent annealing treatments on the structural and electronic properties of GaAs and CdTe. The incomplete recoveries of the PR spectra following thermal anneals at 500°C and 850°C for CdTe and GaAs, respectively, suggest these treatments are only partially effective in reducing the lattice damage caused by these implants.
Novel approach in magnetorheological finishing(MRF) system configuration

In classical polishing techniques, each geometry of the part requires a dedicated, appropriately shaped polishing lap. In addition, the polishing lap shape changes with time and must be periodically reconditioned to obtain consistent removal efficiency. The traditional method therefore does not offer a flexible, cost-effective option for finishing, particularly for advanced optical shapes such as aspheres or conformal optics. A new precision polishing method called magnetorheological finishing (MRF) has been developed to overcome fundamental limitations of traditional finishing techniques [1]. MRF may produce surface accuracy of the order of 10 nm peak to valley and surface micro-roughness less than 10A on optical glasses, single crystals (calcium fluoride, silicon) and ceramics. High precision spheres and flats, nearly any asphere, square and rectangular aperture optics, prisms and cylindrical optics may be corrected and finished with MRF. Currently manufactured by QED Technologies, MRF equipment is being employed in the production of high precision optics in North America, Europe, and Asia. In this paper, it will be shown that the future utilization of unique properties of magnetorheological fluid offers several advantages over current MRF systems. The next generation of MRF machines practically is not limited in the size of large optics, has the advantage in polishing concave optics and has a more stable and easier to maintain delivery system.
Long-Term Stability of Screening for Behavioral and Emotional Risk.

The practice of screening students to identify behavioral and emotional risk is gaining momentum, with limited guidance regarding the frequency with which screenings should occur. Screening frequency decisions are influenced by the stability of the constructs assessed and changes in risk status over time. This study investigated the 4year longitudinal stability of behavioral and emotional risk screening scores among a sample of youth to examine change in risk status over time. Youth (N = 156) completed a self-report screening measure, the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System, at 1-year intervals in the 8th through 11th grades. Categorical and dimensional stability coefficients, as well as transitions across risk status categories, were analyzed. A latent profile analysis was conducted to determine if there were salient and consistent patterns of screening scores over time. Stability coefficients were moderate to large, with stronger coefficients across shorter time intervals. Latent profile analysis pointed to a three-class solution in which classes were generally consistent with risk categories and stable across time. Results showed that the vast majority of students continued to be classified within the same risk category across time points. Implications for practice and future research needs are discussed.
The Structure of a Conserved Piezo Channel Domain Reveals a Topologically Distinct β Sandwich Fold

Piezo has recently been identified as a family of eukaryotic mechanosensitive channels composed of subunits containing over 2,000 amino acids, without recognizable sequence similarity to other channels. Here, we present the crystal structure of a large, conserved extramembrane domain located just before the last predicted transmembrane helix of C. elegans PIEZO, which adopts a topologically distinct β sandwich fold. The structure was also determined of a point mutation located on a conserved surface at the position equivalent to the human PIEZO1 mutation found in dehydrated hereditary stomatocytosis patients (M2225R). While the point mutation does not change the overall domain structure, it does alter the surface electrostatic potential that may perturb interactions with a yet-tobe- identified ligand or protein. The lack of structural similarity between this domain and any previously characterized fold, including those of eukaryotic and bacterial channels, highlights the distinctive nature of the Piezo family of eukaryotic mechanosensitive channels.
A numerical model of the transport and diffusion of Peronospora tabacina spores in the evolving atmospheric boundary layer

Abstract Numerical solutions of the diffusion equation of Peronospora tabacina spores from a finite-area source over flat terrain in the evolving convective boundary layer are presented. Temporal variations in the release of spores, atmospheric stability, wind speed, and eddy diffusivity are considered. The model also includes the vertical variations of wind and eddy diffusivity. The model results indicate that ground level concentrations decrease with time as wind speed and eddy diffusivity increase in the evolving convective boundary layer. The loss of P. tabacina spores due to deposition at the surface also decrease with increasing instability and wind speed. Deposition is found to be particularly important close to the source area.
Towards a pedagogy of uncertainty: Transatlantic perspectives on Masculinities in Text and Teaching

This article introduces a forum of response articles to the edited volume Masculinities in Text and Teaching. The forum features two scholars of English in a transatlantic conversation and then a response by the editor of the volume. The forum develops, from the edited collection, the theme of pedagogical uncertainty in studies of masculinity and the ways those conversations can be used to help students develop their own humanistic ethics in the classroom. Employing two styles of doing work on teaching from the perspective of textual scholars, the author of one article reads her own experience and classroom moments to build an argument about the high stakes of doing work around gender for students and the profession. The other author reads from both classroom experience and from a text she teaches to open up new pedagogical possibilities. These techniques are echoed in the collected volume. A key argument throughout is that classroom struggles around texts and identities — which often provoke feelings of ...
Abnormal whole blood thrombi in humans with inherited platelet receptor defects.

To delineate the critical features of platelets required for formation and stability of thrombi, thromboelastography and platelet aggregation measurements were employed on whole blood of normal patients and of those with Bernard-Soulier Syndrome (BSS) and Glanzmann’s Thrombasthenia (GT). We found that separation of platelet activation, as assessed by platelet aggregation, from that needed to form viscoelastic stable whole blood thrombi, occurred. In normal human blood, ristocetin and collagen aggregated platelets, but did not induce strong viscoelastic thrombi. However, ADP, arachidonic acid, thrombin, and protease-activated-receptor-1 and -4 agonists, stimulated both processes. During this study, we identified the genetic basis of a very rare double heterozygous GP1b deficiency in a BSS patient, along with a new homozygous GP1b inactivating mutation in another BSS patient. In BSS whole blood, ADP responsiveness, as measured by thrombus strength, was diminished, while ADP-induced platelet aggregation was normal. Further, the platelets of 3 additional GT patients showed very weak whole blood platelet aggregation toward the above agonists and provided whole blood thrombi of very low viscoelastic strength. These results indicate that measurements of platelet counts and platelet aggregability do not necessarily correlate with generation of stable thrombi, a potentially significant feature in patient clinical outcomes.
Ocular oxygen toxicity: the effect of hyperbaric oxygen on retinal Na+-K+ ATPase.

A comparative study was conducted of the effect of hyperbaric oxygen on Na+−K+ ATPase activity in the retina. Isolated retinas of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri), frogs (Rama pipiens) and rats (Long-Evans strain) were exposed, in tissue culture medium, to hyperbaric oxygen at 3800–11600 mmHg or air at 740 mmHg (control) for 4 hr. Exposure of trout retinas to hyperbaric oxygen at 14°C had no effect on Na+−K+ ATPase activity, while an increase in temperature to 23°C resulted in a 10–20% decrease in enzyme activity compared to control. Na+−K+ ATPase activity of frog retinas was not affected by exposure to hyperbaric oxygen at 22 or 37°C. Exposure of rat retinas to hyperbaric oxygen at 37°C resulted in a 50–60% inhibition of Na+−K+ ATPase activity. These results are in agreement with previous studies of oxidative metabolism, lactate dehydrogenase activity and the electroretinogram which indicate that the teleost retina is resistant to oxygen toxicity, while the mammalian retina is highly susceptible to oxygen toxicity. It is concluded that inhibition of Na+−K+ ATPase is involved in the toxicity of oxygen to the mammalian retina and that the inhibition of this enzyme may be a contributing factor in the attenuation of the electroretinogram which has been observed during exposure of retinas to hyperbaric oxygen.
Regulation of M-phase progression in Chaetopterus oocytes by protein kinase C

We have examined the presence of protein kinase C in oocytes of Chaetopterus pergamentaceus and its role in the initiation of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). First, we demonstrated that the oocytes contain a phospholipid- and calcium-dependent protein kinase, protein kinase C (PKC). Since PKC is the primary intracellular receptor for phorbol esters, we tested the ability of phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) to induce GVBD and compared several critical events and processes involved in GVBD induced by PDBu to those induced normally (by seawater). Seawater and 100-200 nM PDBu induced chromosome condensation, spindle formation, and spindle migration over a similar time course. Both treatments induced similar alterations in the SDS-PAGE pattern of newly synthesized proteins. The synthesis of polypeptides of approximately 46 and 54 kDa increased specifically. Both treatments increased oocyte protein phosphorylation, especially of proteins of 22, 32, 46, 55, 64, and 84 kDa. Both treatments resulted in the activation of an M-phase-specific histone H1 kinase activity, which demonstrates the appearance of maturation-promoting factor. Staurosporine, a potent protein kinase C inhibitor, blocked GVBD and the activation of M-phase-specific H1 kinase, whereas HA1004, which preferentially antagonizes protein kinase A, had no effect. The results of this study demonstrate that protein kinase C can activate a wide spectrum of essential biochemical and morphological processes involved in GVBD. Further, these studies suggest that protein kinase C elicits GVBD by activating maturation-promoting factor and support the hypothesis that protein kinase C plays an essential role in oocyte maturation in this species.
HIV-1 matrix organizes as a hexamer of trimers on membranes containing phosphatidylinositol-(4,5)-bisphosphate

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) matrix (MA) protein represents the N-terminal domain of the HIV-1 precursor Gag (PrGag) protein and carries an N-terminal myristate (Myr) group. HIV-1 MA fosters PrGag membrane binding, as well as assembly of envelope (Env) proteins into virus particles, and recent studies have shown that HIV-1 MA preferentially directs virus assembly at plasma membrane sites enriched in cholesterol and phosphatidylinositol-(4,5)-bisphosphate (PI[4,5]P2). To characterize the membrane binding of MA and PrGag proteins, we have examined how Myr-MA proteins, and proteins composed of Myr-MA and its neighbor Gag capsid (CA) protein associate on membranes containing cholesterol and PI[4,5]P2. Our results indicate that Myr-MA assembles as a hexamer of trimers on such membranes, and imply that MA trimers interconnect CA hexamer rings in immature virus particles. Our observations suggest a model for the organization of PrGag proteins, and for MA-Env protein interactions.
Norepinephrine Content And Adrenoceptor Function In The Bladder Of Cats With Feline Interstitial Cystitis

Purpose: Interstitial cystitis is a chronic syndrome affecting humans and domestic animals, including cats (feline interstitial cystitis). The aggravation of interstitial cystitis symptoms by stress suggests involvement of the sympathetic nervous system. Studies have identified increased sympathetic nervous system activity in patients with interstitial cystitis but to our knowledge effects on bladder function have not been reported. To address this question we measured bladder norepinephrine (NE) content, the electrical field stimulation flux of NE and acetylcholine (ACh), and the effects of feline interstitial cystitis on adrenoceptor (AR) mediated bladder strip contractility.Materials and Methods: Bladders were obtained from healthy cats and cats with feline interstitial cystitis. In experiment 1 bladder tissue NE content was determined and the simultaneous release of 3H-NE and 14C-ACh in perfusion bath effluent after electrical field stimulation was measured. NE and ACh release was calculated from the ...
Fuzzy reasoning processor for camera image autofocus

A fuzzy reasoning processor for the autofocusing operation of a camera has been developed. The automatic focus is performed by evaluating the object distance and luminance. The object distance is measured by the beams of infrared light. The adequate contrast of object contours is evaluated by the image luminance. The proposed fuzzy reasoning processor can efficiently determine a good focusing point and its computation power can reach 3.75 million fuzzy logic inferences per second at a system clock of 30 MHz.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Heat flow in the Ozark Plateau, Arkansas and Missouri: relationship to groundwater flow

Abstract Heat flow values were calculated from direct measurements of temperature and thermal conductivity at thirteen sites in the Arkansas-Missouri Ozark Plateau region. These thirteen values are augmented by 101 estimates of heat flow, based on thermal conductivity measurements and temperature gradients extrapolated from bottom-hole temperatures. The regional heat flow profile ranges from 9 mW m −2 to over 80 mW m −2 , but at least two distinct thermal regimes have been identified. Seven new heat flow determinations are combined with three previously published values for the St. Francois Mountains (SFM), a Precambrian exposure of granitic and rhyolitic basement rocks, average 47 mW m −2 . Radioactive heat production of 76 samples of the exposed rocks in the SFM averages 2.4 μW m −2 and a typical continental basement contribution of 14 mW m −2 is implied. Conversely, the sedimentary rock sequence of the plateau is characterized by an anomalously low heat flow, averaging approximately 27 mW m −2 . Groundwater transmissivity values that are based on data from 153 wells in deep regional aquifers demonstrate an inverse relationship to the observed heat flow patterns. The areas of high transmissivity that correspond to areas of low total heat flux suggest that the non-conservative vertical heat flow within the Ozark sedimentary sequence can be attributed to the effects of groundwater flow.
An Exploratory Study of Home Brewers’ Motivational Factors

Recently there has been growth in the home brewing of beer. The purpose of this exploratory study is to identify the motivational factors for becoming a home brewer and the motivational factors for continuing to participate in the home brewing activity. A mixed-mode study utilizing semi-structured interviews and a survey instrument was used to understand home brewer motivational factors. The results indicate that home brewers engage and continue to participate in the activity primarily because of intrinsic motivational factors of fun, excitement, and enjoyment, and to a lesser degree by extrinsic motivational factors of learning opportunities and non-monetary savings.
The Average Distribution of Volume Transport and Potential Vorticity with Temperature at Three Sections across the Gulf Stream

Abstract Average cross sections of downstream velocity and temperature, obtained using PEGASUS current profiles at three locations along the Gulf Stream, have been partitioned into 2.5°C temperature intervals to examine the distribution of transport increase versus temperature between the two southern sections (27° and 29°N) and off Cape Hatters(73°W). Between 27° and 29°N the total transport of the Florida Current over the sections increased only by about 3 × 106 m3 s−1 (3 Sv) but the current broadens by about 50%. By Cape Hatteras, the transport has increased nearly three-fold to 93.7 Sv, of which two-thirds of the increase is contained in the 19.5°–17.0°C (“18°”) layer and in water colder than the 7°C “still” temperature found at 27°N. Cross-stream distributions of layer transport, potential vorticity, and thickness are estimated. At each section, the 10 × 10−7 m−1 s−1 contour tends to be a boundary (independent of temperature) between the region of relatively uniform layer potential vorticity on the a...
Characterization of the Al/Ta-Si-N/Au metallization

Abstract The thermal stability of amorphous, r.f.-sputtered Ta 36 Si 14 N 50 films is studied for application as a diffusion barrier between aluminum and gold layers. Analyses by backscattering spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy together with energy-dispersive analysis of X-rays, and optical microscopy are performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the diffusion barriers. A 300 nm thick Ta 36 Si 14 N 50 film prevents the intermixing between aluminum and gold contacts up to 30 min annealing at 550°C in vacuum. Films about 150 nm and 80 nm in thickness fail already during 30 min annealings at 550°C and 500°C respectively. The failure of the metallization is caused by the Al-Au interdiffusion which takes place in a highly localized manner through the ternary thin films.
Who are consuming food away from home and where? Results from the Consumer Expenditure Surveys

This paper investigates household expenditures on food away from home by type of facility. A system of expenditures at full-service restaurants, fast-food restaurants and other facilities are estimated with a multivariate sample selection procedure, for three types of households by household composition. Statistical significance of error correlations suggests endogeneity of sample selectivity and justifies estimation of the equations in a system to improve statistical efficiency. Differentiated effects of economic and demographic factors are found on expenditures at different facilities and across household types. Findings on the roles of economic and socio-demographic factors can inform marketing strategies and policy deliberations. , Oxford University Press.
Introduction to Two Articles on the Living Wage

In this issue’s Perspectives section, I am most pleased to present two articles on the struggle to obtain the living wage in the United States. Characterized as a wage based on an estimation of the official poverty threshold for a family of four, the living wage hinges on the idea that people employed at full-time jobs, and their families, should not have to live in poverty. While the fight to achieve a living wage is historically related to the struggle to implement minimum wage laws in the first few decades of the 20th century, the present-day living wage movement obtained its first success in 1994 with the passage of a living wage statute in Baltimore. In the first article entitled “The Significance of the Living Wage for US Workers in the Early Twenty-First Century,” I discuss the advent and growth of US living wage campaigns, the coverage and provisions of living wage ordinances, the economic impact of living wage statutes as well as supplementary benefits afforded to workers and unions from the passage of living wage ordinances. In the second piece entitled, “The Harvard Living Wage Campaign: Origins and Strategy,” Dr. Amy C. Offner, Assistant Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, and a former editor at Dollars & Sense as well as a former organizer for the Service Employees International Union, provides an extremely interesting and smartly-written account of the successful living wage campaign conducted at Harvard University (1998–2002) from the viewpoint of a leading participant. If any of the readers of the Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal are interested in commenting on the articles published in the Perspectives section, please do not hesitate to contact me. Additionally, I welcome articles and essays from the journal’s readers on a wide variety of topic in employee relations. I hope that you enjoy these two articles and find them most illuminating. Employ Respons Rights J (2013) 25:123 DOI 10.1007/s10672-013-9218-x
Redescription of Oligacanthorhynchus major (Machado-Filho, 1963) Schmidt, 1972 (Acanthocephala: Oligacanthorhynchidae) from the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) in Bolivia

Oligacanthorhynchus major (Machado-Filho, 1963) Schmidt, 1972 (Acanthocephala: Oligacanthorhynchidae) was redescribed using specimens from 2 white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) collected in the department of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The male and the egg of O. major were described for the first time. The female worm is 241-824 mm long; the trunk is narrowest at the anterior end and widest in the middle of the worm. The male worm (120 mm) is substantially smaller than the female, the testes are confined to the posterior region, and an instance of monorchism is documented for a member of this species.
Electron microscopic studies of polyoma DNA released in protein monolayers.

Abstract Twisted DNA rings were released from polyoma virus particles upon spreading on a protein film over a denaturing hypophase of urea and sodium perehlorate. Conformational changes were observed while the DNA molecules were irreversibly adsorbed to the monolayer. In our preparations, 80% of the DNA rings first appeared as twisted molecules and 15% as open rings, before all molecules in the monolayer were slowly denatured to tightly coiled forms. 5% were linear forms.
The Role of Aromatic-Aromatic Interactions in Strand-Strand Stabilization of β-Sheets.

Abstract Aromatic–aromatic interactions have long been believed to play key roles in protein structure, folding, and binding functions. However, we still lack full understanding of the contributions of aromatic–aromatic interactions to protein stability and the timing of their formation during folding. Here, using an aromatic ladder in the β-barrel protein, cellular retinoic acid-binding protein 1 (CRABP1), as a case study, we find that aromatic π stacking plays a greater role in the Phe65–Phe71 cross-strand pair, while in another pair, Phe50–Phe65, hydrophobic interactions are dominant. The Phe65–Phe71 pair spans β-strands 4 and 5 in the β-barrel, which lack interstrand hydrogen bonding, and we speculate that it compensates energetically for the absence of strand–strand backbone interactions. Using perturbation analysis, we find that both aromatic–aromatic pairs form after the transition state for folding of CRABP1, thus playing a role in the final stabilization of the β-sheet rather than in its nucleation as had been earlier proposed. The aromatic interaction between strands 4 and 5 in CRABP1 is highly conserved in the intracellular lipid-binding protein (iLBP) family, and several lines of evidence combine to support a model wherein it acts to maintain barrel structure while allowing the dynamic opening that is necessary for ligand entry. Lastly, we carried out a bioinformatics analysis and found 51 examples of aromatic–aromatic interactions across non-hydrogen-bonded β-strands outside the iLBPs, arguing for the generality of the role played by this structural motif.
Microwave Plasma Sintering of Alumina

Microwave induced plasma provides an effective heating source for sintering of ceramics without the thermal instability that occurs in microwave sintering of some materials. In the present study, small cylindrical tubes were sintered in a microwave induced oxygen plasma inside a single mode (TM012) cavity. A dilatometer and an optical fiber thermometer (OFT) black body sensor were employed to follow the changes of shrinkage and temperature during the sintering process. A similar specimen setup was built inside a conventional rapid heating furnace for comparison. The estimated activation energies were 468 ± 20 kJ/mol for plasma sintering and 488 ± 20 kJ/mol for conventional sintering. An athermal effect due to the plasma was observed. Sintering data were analyzed using the combined stage sintering model and the results suggest that the athermal effect may be ascribed to an increase of aluminum interstitial concentration during plasma sintering.
Selenium as an Essential Micronutrient: Roles in Cell Cycle and Apoptosis

Selenium is an essential trace element for humans and animals, and selenium deficiency is associated with several disease conditions such as immune impairment. In addition, selenium intakes that are greater than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) appear to protect against certain types of cancers. In humans and animals, cell proliferation and death must be regulated to maintain tissue homeostasis, and it has been well documented that numerous human diseases are directly related to the control of cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Thus, the elucidation of the mechanisms by which selenium regulates the cell cycle and apoptosis can lead to a better understanding of the nature of selenium's essentiality and its role in disease prevention. This article reviews the status of knowledge concerning the effect of selenium on cell cycle and apoptosis.
Color Constancy Using Standard Deviation of Color Channels

We address here the problem of color constancy and propose a new method to achieve color constancy based on the statistics of images with color cast. Images with color cast have standard deviation of one color channel significantly different from that of other color channels. This observation is also applicable to local patches of images and ratio of the maximum and minimum standard deviation of color channels of local patches is used as a prior to select a pixel color as illumination color. We provide extensive validation of our method on commonly used datasets having images under varying illumination conditions and show our method to be robust to choice of dataset and at least as good as current state-of-the-art color constancy approaches.
Intraslab Earthquakes: Dehydration of the Cascadia Slab

We simultaneously invert travel times of refracted and wide-angle reflected waves for three-dimensional compressional-wave velocity structure, earthquake locations, and reflector geometry in northwest Washington state. The reflector, interpreted to be the crust-mantle boundary (Moho) of the subducting Juan de Fuca plate, separates intraslab earthquakes into two groups, permitting a new understanding of the origins of intraslab earthquakes in Cascadia. Earthquakes up-dip of the Moho's 45-kilometer depth contour occur below the reflector, in the subducted oceanic mantle, consistent with serpentinite dehydration; earthquakes located down-dip occur primarily within the subducted crust, consistent with the basalt-to-eclogite transformation.
Intermittency in presentation increases identification of masked figures

Since low luminance nonsense figures projected onto visual noise tend to fade after onset, three groups of Os were used to determine if intermittency would aid pattern identification under such conditions. For the control group, patterns were superimposed on the noise for 5 sec. For the two experimental groups, an episcotister blade interrupted the patterns at rates of 2 and 8 Hz during the 5-sec presentation. Intermittency significantly increased the number of patterns correctly identified, but there was no difference between the two rates.
Lorentz invariance of the quantum field theory of electric and magnetic charge

The Lorentz invariance of the gauge-invariant Green's functions in the local quantum field theory of electric and magnetic monopoles is formally established. This is accomplished by expressing these Green's functions as functional integrals over the trajectories of classical charged particles.
Is it a revolution

Jablonka and Lamb's claim that evolutionary biology is undergoing a ‘revolution’ is queried. But the very concept of revolutionary change has uncertain application to a field organized in the manner of contemporary biology. The explanatory primacy of sequence properties is also discussed.
Beam overlap for long delay lines using active feedback.

A major technical difficulty in comparing picosecond experiments with nanosecond experiments is to maintain beam overlap for long optical delay lines. We describe an active feedback system for an optical delay line that maintains the beam position to within 25 μm before the focusing lens and to within less than ~2 μm in the focal region within the sample.
Sex Differences in Criminal Activity

National victimization survey data for the years 1972 to 1976 are examined in order to investigate the extent to which they are in accord with Uniform Crime Report arrest data regarding the offender's sex. The results for common-law crimes–both the personal crimes of rape, robbery, assault, and personal larceny, as well as the household crimes of burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft–parallel arrest data in showing that male involvement in these crimes is proportionately much greater than is the involvement of females. Except for a slight recent increase in female involvement for larceny, there did not appear to be systematic changes in the proportionate involvement of females across the few years of victimization data now available. Victims of female-offender crimes reported them less often to the police than was true for victims of male-offender crimes. But the latter crimes are usually more serious and male-offenders dominate commercial robbery, almost always reported to the police. The chivalry hypothesis–that male victims of female offenders are reluctant to report female-offender crimes to the police–was not supported. Even with seriousness of victimizations controlled, males tended to report their victimizations to the police more when they were victimized by females; the opposite was true for female victims. Overall, the results are consistent with the argument that sex is an important nonartifactual correlate of involvement in criminal behavior. Theories that fail to recognize and accommodate the importance of sex–and other traditional demographic correlates (e.g., race) of involvement in common-law crimes–are ignoring important factors accounting for criminal activity.
Border patrol: The U.S. customs service and the racial profiling of African American women

In 1879, when Sally Robinson and her l ight-skinned nephew boarded the ladies' car of a train in Grand Junction, Tennessee, the white conductor grabbed her by the arm and ordered them both to ride in the smoking car (Higginbotham, 1996). His rationale? Ladies' cars were reserved for white women and their escorts and this African American woman could only be a prostitute since "white" men did not otherwise travel with black women. In 1997, United States Customs Service inspectors at Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport pulled Janneral Denson aside when she disembarked from a f l ight from Jamaica. After searching her luggage, Customs agents took Denson to Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital where she was handcuffed to a bed, forced to drink a laxative, and detained incommunicado for two days while agents monitored her bowel movements. The reason: As an African American female traveling from a "narcotic source" country, Denson fit the drug courier profile. More than a century separates these two incidents, yet each illustrates how legal codes, stereotyping, and law enforcement converge to regulate and circumscribe African American women's social and spatial mobility. Historically among whites,
Extramedullary IgM plasmacytoma presenting in skin

An IgM-secreting extramedullary plasmacytoma with macroglobulinemia presented itself in the skin. Reactions of the plasmacytoid cells in dermal nodules to erythrocyte-antibody-complement complexes suggested that the neoplastic cells differentiated in situ. Large numbers of plasmacytoid neoplastic cells co-mingled with alpha naphthyl acetate esterase-positive histiocytes in a random and "territorial" distribution, which suggested a functional relationship between them. The subject of extramedullary cutaneous plasmacytoma is reviewed and discussed.
Phonons in semiconductor superlattices

Experimental results on phonons in semiconductor super-lattices are almost all from Raman scattering measurements. The superlattice system most studied is GaAs-Ga 1-x Al x As, and in the best-understood geometry the phonons are longitudinal modes with wave vectors perpendicular to the
Transcendence among gay men: Implications for HIV prevention

This article presents a critique of HIV prevention research and practice with gay men in light of reports that HIV seroprevalence appears to be increasing in this population. Central to this critique is the possibility that people may have a need for transcendence, which some gay men might seek to satisfy through sexual experience. Theories underpinning HIV prevention generally do not account for such nonrational aspects of sexuality, and they fail to acknowledge the impact of differential values on people’s health behaviours.