cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal Evolution of Hydrogen Following Water Adsorption on Defective UO2(100)

The evolution of molecular hydrogen from UO2(100) surfaces exposed to water vapor has been studied using temperature programmed desorption. No hydrogen evolution is observed from well-annealed, pristine surfaces. Significant amounts of hydrogen, however, desorb from highly defected, ion-sputtered surfaces at ∼400 K. Annealing studies show that the most of the defects are healed after heating to 750 K. Successive water exposures also heal these defects. These results indicate that the defect is likely an oxygen vacancy (reduced uranium site). On annealing, oxygen diffuses from the near-surface region to fill the surface vacancy. The dissociative adsorption of water also fills the oxygen vacancy. As the damage resulting from ion sputtering is similar to that caused by the recoil atom formed during radioactive decay, the thermal chemistry at defects may be an indirect, but significant, factor in the radiation chemistry of adsorbed species on alpha-emitting materials.
The impact of domain partitioning on the performance of a shared memory multiprocessor

The impact of the choice of domain partition/stencil pairs in solving elliptic partial differential equations on a multiprocessor system with both global shared memory and local memory is considered. A parallel execution time model is given for square and hexagonal partitions using both five-point and nine-point star discretizations. Results from the model for a particular multiprocessor system show that keeping copies of partition boundaries in local memory significantly improves performance.
Guanyl Nucleotides Participate in the Β-Adrenergic Stimulation of Adenylate Cyclase Activity in the Intermediate Lobe of the Rat Pituitary Gland

The existence of a stimulatory guanyl nucleotide component in the intermediate lobe of the rat pituitary gland (IL) is supported by the observations that: 1) GTP was required for beta-adrenergic stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity in homogenates of IL tissue; 2) GTP, in the absence of a beta-adrenergic agonist, maximally stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in homogenates of IL tissue previously treated with cholera toxin; and 3) GTP decreased the affinity of the beta-adrenoceptor for isoproterenol, a beta-adrenergic agonist. Although when tested on fresh IL tissue, 5'-guanylyl imidodiphosphate [Gpp(NH)p], a nonhydrolyzable analog of GTP, was substantially less active than GTP in stimulating adenylate cyclase activity in the presence of isoproterenol, GTP and Gpp(NH)p each stimulated adenylate cyclase to the same degree after solubilization of IL tissue previously treated with cholera toxin. GTP and Gpp(NH)p appeared to interact at the same site in this preparation.
Substantive Thoughts? The Early Work of Alighiero Boetti*

Addressing the origins of his practice retrospectively, Alighiero Boetti assigned peculiar weight to a series of seemingly banal gestures enacted at a time when he did not view himself as an artist. He thus located the beginnings of his artistic work in pre- or non-artistic forms of self-consciousness and materiality. Boetti’s report of cutting grass in Vagliumina, an Alpine village north of the artist’s native city of Turin, is a case in point. How were the clippings arranged in the countryside that day—in tidy, one-cubic-meter stacks, perhaps, or in a single inchoate mound? Such actions, real or imagined, are implicitly equated with Boetti’s later work, and the comparison is well-grounded. (Take, for example, the resemblance between Boetti’s construction of a pillar made from pieces of brown paper in 1948 and his piling of doilies purchased from a pastry shop along metallic axes to fashion Colonne (Columns) in Rome twenty years later.) The behaviors recounted above are most pertinent to Boetti’s threedimensional works from 1966 to 1969, which were made from a variety of materials acquired at hardware shops, building supply stores, and flea markets, such as Perspex, PVC pipes, metallic screening, copper, Eternit, prefabricated cork letters, and camouflage fabric—that is to say, his Arte Povera work. Rather than taking Arte Povera as its point of departure, however, this article approaches
Lake‐derived midges increase abundance of shoreline terrestrial arthropods via multiple trophic pathways

Aquatic insects link adjacent ecosystems by transporting nutrients, energy, and material as they move from bodies of water into terrestrial habitats. Insects emerging from streams and rivers are known to benefit arthropod predators such as spiders, but their influence may extend to other arthropod feeding groups as well. We conducted a terrestrial arthropod survey at a series of lakes spanning a strong gradient of midge (Chironomidae, Diptera) emergence. These small, short-lived insects reach high densities in some areas such that their carcasses litter the ground, and serve as a potential resource for non-predatory arthropods. Our study revealed that arthropod assemblages in areas of high midge density were significantly different from those with few midges, the result of an increase of all taxa rather than changes in taxonomic composition. Eight of nine terrestrial arthropod taxa sampled showed a strong positive response to the presence of midges including detritivores and herbivores in addition to predators. Taxa that could consume living or dead midges directly responded especially strongly to midge gradients. Our results strongly suggest that midges enter the terrestrial arthropod food web through multiple pathways, increasing numbers of a wide range of arthropods. Furthermore, they emphasize the importance of lakes as sources of aquatic insects that significantly alter processes in the neighboring terrestrial environment.
The effect of socioeconomic background on earnings: a comparison by race

Abstract Consistent with previous studies, we find that family background variables exert significant indirect effects on earnings of both white and black males. In the case of blacks, parental income in particular exerts a significant direct effect on earnings. Education is found to be a much more important determinant of black earnings than white earnings, while job tenure has the reverse relationship. After adjustments, parental income and level of education exert the strongest effects on reducing the black-white earnings differential.
Mutations in the araC gene of Salmonella typhimurium LT2 which affect both activator and auto-regulatory functions of the AraC protein.

Abstract The araC gene encodes a regulatory protein, AraC, that acts as both an activator and a repressor of transcription of the genes involved in the transport and catabolism of l -arabinose in Salmonella typhimurium LT2. Five araC mutants which have altered regulatory properties were characterized. All are point mutations which would result in amino acid substitutions near the C terminus of AraC. Each mutation results in altered activator and auto-regulatory AraC function in vivo. In vitro DNA-binding assays showed that three mutant AraC have measurable lowered affinity for aca controlling site DNA. The data are consistent with a model in which there is a DNA-binding domain in the C terminus of AraC which functions in both activation and repression.
Cushing's syndrome and pregnancy.

Pregnancy is a rare occurrence in women with Cushing's syndrome. Amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea occurs in about 75% of premenopausal women with Cushing's syndrome as a result of suppression of gonadotropin secretion primarily by excess glucocorticoids. We have reviewed pregnancies in women with Cushing's syndrome (63 cases from the literature and four cases of our own). Since pregnant women without Cushing's syndrome develop some features of Cushing's syndrome, such as hypertension, hyperglycemia, and striae, a high index of clinical suspicion must be maintained to prevent delay in diagnosis. The physiologic changes in adrenocorticosteroid metabolism during pregnancy further complicate the diagnosis. Maternal and fetal risks increase markedly when pregnancy does occur in women with hypercortisolism. However, the wide spectrum of severity of the disease mandates an individualized approach to the therapy in each case. (AM J OBsTET GYNECOL 1990;162:244-52.)
Materials applications for magnetic fusion

Advanced fusion devices will require that materials in various applications perform adequately under combinations of thermal and mechanical loads, electric and magnetic fields and neutron radiation. This article illustrates several aspects of materials technology for fusion by focusing on three major components-first wall structures, blankets, and large superconducting magnets. In describing the first wall, with armor and limiters, the central theme is potential effects from the severe operating environment which includes intense surface heat and bombardment by energetic atoms and high-energy neutrons. In the respective sections on blanket materials and on superconducting magnets, compatibility among materials and fabrication requirements are emphasized. While the mechanical, electrical or neutronic properties of materials can fulfill the primary performance requirements in specific materials applications, overall system requirements such as those for compatibility and appropriate fabrication techniques must also be satisfied in selecting and developing materials.
Improved Calibration Coefficients for NOAA-12 and NOAA-15 AVHRR Visible and Near-IR Channels

Abstract A time history of the calibration coefficients for channels 1 and 2 of the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) on the NOAA-12 and NOAA-15 spacecraft is presented. The history is based on reflectances observed for the interior zones of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets previously obtained with the NOAA-9 AVHRR, which serves as the calibration standard. Reflectances observed in December and January for the Antarctic ice sheet are used to characterize sensor performance. Reflectances observed in May and June for the interior of the Greenland ice sheet are used to detect any substantial midyear shifts in the coefficients. Prelaunch calibration coefficients for the NOAA-12 AVHRR are shown to be in error and the coefficients drift with time. The coefficients are compared with those reported in earlier studies, and the time rate of change of the calibration is found to be smaller than previously reported. The observations for the NOAA-15 AVHRR are consistent with the prelaunch calibrat...
Institutional ownership and control: implications for long-term corporate strategy

Executive Overview Institutional owners are taking a more active role in strategic decision-making in American corporations. In this article, the research that has been done in this area is summarized. We argue that the impact of institutional ownership on strategic management may not be neutral, as institutional investors may have a shortened timeframe for critical decisions made on the basis of limited knowledge of the firms or industries in which they operate. This article discusses the implications of the shift toward institutional control of corporations.
Mass spectrometry of the 11H‐dibenzo[c,f][1,2]‐diazepine system

The mass spectra of 3,8-dichloro-11H-dibenzo[c,f] [1,2]diazepine, the corresponding diazepin-11-01 and diazepin-11-one and their dihydro and N-oxide derivatives have been recorded. The most important fragmentation of the molecular ions of all diazepines studied was an initial loss of m/e 28, with further fragmentation depending on the 11-substituent. No general pathway was observed for the corresponding N-oxides and dihydro compounds.
Diagnosis of Dynamics and Energy Balance in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere

Abstract A diagnostic technique has been developed to consistently derive all the dynamical and chemical tracer fields based on one or a few well-measured fields such as temperature and ozone distributions. The technique is based on the new Johns Hopkins University/Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) globally balanced 2D diagnostic model that couples the dynamics with photochemistry. This model is especially useful for studying the mesosphere and lower thermosphere where dynamics, radiation, and photochemistry strongly interact. The novelty of the diagnostic model is to derive the wave drag and eddy diffusion coefficient directly from the better-defined thermal forcing with its major contributions derived from the zonal mean components. The latter is also affected by the advective and diffusive transports. The derived tracer distributions together with input field(s) provide the necessary radiative and chemical heating rates for the calculation of the thermal forcing. Two numerical experiments with diffe...
The Migratory Timing of Adult Summer-Run Steelhead in the Columbia River over Six Decades of Environmental Change

Abstract Anadromous fishes achieve most of their lifetime growth at sea before returning to spawn in freshwater. However, populations of some species enter freshwater many months before spawning, apparently compromising growth opportunities at sea to access spawning grounds in conjunction with specific seasonal patterns of flow and temperature along the migratory route. The nutritional benefits of overwintering in the ocean may also be outweighed by a relatively dormant winter in colder river habitats. Modification of the thermal and hydrologic regimes of rivers (such as the Columbia River during the 20th century) might be expected to affect the abundance and life history patterns of such populations. This study reviews information on the migratory timing, abundance, and composition (wild versus hatchery) of summer-run (upriver) populations of steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss in the Columbia River basin with reference to environmental changes. Despite pronounced changes in the river's environment, the late s...
The Optimal Choice for Lenders Facing Defaults: Short Sale, Foreclose, or REO

When mortgage borrowers default and have no desire or ability to keep their property, then loss mitigation involves a sale of the property via one of the following options: (1) the lender allows pre-foreclosure “short sale” by the borrower, (2) the lender institutes the foreclosure process under a notice of default and the property is sold during the process by the borrower, and (3) the lender forecloses on the property, takes title, and sells the property in the market as real estate owned (REO). Sale of the property in the above three options is conducted by a motivated seller, either the owner or the lender, who desires to sell the property as quickly as possible. Thus, relative to a no-default sale, the house is most likely to be sold at a discounted price. It is generally expected that the discount would be lower in the case of a “short sale.” This option, however, may result in a longer marketing time, thus a higher total loss, than the other two options. We developed a model that allows simultaneous estimation of price and time-on-market effects of “short sales,” foreclosures, and REO options. We find that the short-sale option has the lowest-price discount, but significantly higher costs associated with marketing time. The pattern of price discount and marketing time reverses as we move to a sale while in the process of foreclosure and to a sale with an REO status.
Oxygen Isotopic Constraints on the Genesis of Carbonates from Martian Meteorite ALH84001

Ion microprobe oxygen isotopic measurements of a chemically diverse suite of carbonates from Martian meteorite ALH84001 are reported. The delta(sup 18)O values are highly variable, ranging from +5.4 to + 25.3%, and are correlated with major element compositions of the carbonate. The earliest forming (Ca-rich) carbonates have the lowest delta(sup 18)O values and the late-forming (Mg-rich) carbonates have the highest delta(sup 18)O values. Two models are presented which can explain the isotopic variations. The carbonates could have formed in a water rich environment at relatively low, but highly variable temperatures. In this open-system case the lower limit to the temperature variation is approx. 125 C, with fluctuations of over 250 C possible within the constraints of the model. Alternatively, the data can be explained by a closed-system model in which the carbonates precipitated from a limited amount of CO2-rich fluid. This scenario can reproduce the isotopic variations observed at a range of temperatures, including relatively high temperatures (less than 500 C). Thus the oxygen isotopic compositions do not provide unequivocal evidence for formation of the carbonates at low temperature. Although more information is needed in order to distinguish between the models, neither of the implied environments is consistent with biological activity. Thus, we suggest that features associated with the carbonates which have been interpreted to be the result of biological activity were most probably formed by inorganic processes.
The Glycophosphatidylinositol Anchor of the MCMV Evasin, m157, Facilitates Optimal Cell Surface Expression and Ly49 Receptor Recognition

The murine cytomegalovirus-encoded protein m157 is a cognate ligand for both inhibitory and activating receptors expressed by natural killer cells. Additionally, m157 is expressed on the surface of infected cells by a glycophosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. Although endogenous GPI-anchored proteins are known to be ligands for the NK cell receptor, NKG2D, the contribution of the GPI anchor for viral m157 ligand function is unknown. To determine whether the GPI anchor for m157 is dispensable for m157 function, we generated m157 variants expressed as transmembrane fusion proteins and tested cells expressing transmembrane m157 for the capacity to activate cognate Ly49 receptors. We found that the GPI anchor is required for high-level cell surface expression of m157, and that the transmembrane m157 ligand retains the capacity to activate reporter cells and NK cells expressing Ly49H, as well as Ly49I(129) reporter cells, but with reduced potency. Importantly, target cells expressing the transmembrane form of m157 were killed less efficiently and failed to mediate Ly49H receptor downregulation on fresh NK cells compared to targets expressing GPI-anchored m157. Taken together, these results show that the GPI anchor for m157 facilitates robust cell surface expression, and that NK cells are sensitive to the altered cell surface expression of this potent viral evasin.
ER stress response plays an important role in aggregation of α-synuclein

Background Accumulation of filamentous α-synuclein as Lewy bodies is a hallmark of Parkinson's disease. To identify the mechanisms involved in α-synuclein assembly and determine whether the assemblies are cytotoxic, we developed a cell model (3D5) that inducibly expresses wild-type human α-synuclein and forms inclusions that reproduce many morphological and biochemical characteristics of Lewy bodies. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of several histone deacetylase inhibitors on α-synuclein aggregation in 3D5 cells and primary neuronal cultures. These drugs have been demonstrated to protect cells transiently overexpressing α-synuclein from its toxicity.
Oxygen free radicals as inducers of heat shock protein synthesis in cultured human neuroblastoma cells: relevance to neurodegenerative disease.

We studied heat shock protein (HSP) synthesis by cultured human neuroblastoma cells in response to either hyperthermia or high levels of superoxide anion (oxygen free radical). Both treatment modalities resulted in induced synthesis of the same major HSP species with an additive effect on the latter and on cell growth inhibition upon combined treatments. Exposure to superoxide anion in the presence of the free radical scavening enzymes, superoxide dismutase and catalase improved cell survival and prevented HSP induction. These findings suggest a common mechanism by which various forms of injury, such as hyperthermia, cause HSP induction, that is, via oxidative stress or increased production of oxygen free radicals. Increased expression of some HSPs has been detected in association with the pathological lesions that characterize some neurodegenerative diseases such as the neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer's disease. This, in turn, suggests that chronic oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of these disorders.
Women's Body Image Theory and Research : A Hermeneutic Critique

Anxiety about body weight and shape, and related attempts to diet, start at an early age for females, and frequently take a serious toll on girls' and women's mental and physical well-being. Psycho...
Fishweirs: A World Perspective with Emphasis on the Fishweirs of Mississippi

Fishweirs: A World Perspective with Emphasis on the Fishweirs of Mississippi. By John M. Connaway. Archaeological Report No. 33. Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson. 2007. Distr...
Impregnated layer combustion synthesis method for preparation of multicomponent catalysts for the production of hydrogen from oxidative reforming of methanol

Multi-component catalysts containing copper, zinc, zirconium, and palladium were prepared by a combustion synthesis method referred as impregnated layer combustion synthesis (ILCS). These catalysts were active and selective for the production of hydrogen by the oxidative reforming of methanol. ILCS involves impregnation of a reactive solution containing nitrated of the catalytic components and glycine which is impregnated into a cellulose substrate. The exothermic combustion of the mixture to form oxides led to the formation of a self-propagating combustion and its temperature––time evolution was followed by infrared thermography. The activity and selectivity of these catalysts for hydrogen production was measured and correlated with their composition and synthesis mode used. It is shown that synthesis procedures and the presence of a ZrO2 support have a significant effect on Pd dispersion and on the resulting catalytic activity and selectivity. Catalyst with 3%Pd loaded in a second wave impregnation (SWI) method showed exceptional high activity for methanol conversion at low temperatures, whereas the ZrO2 supported catalyst displayed superior selectivity toward hydrogen production over the whole range of the temperatures investigated.
cDNA cloning of two splice variants of a human copper-containing monoamine oxidase pseudogene containing a dimeric Alu repeat sequence.

Abstract Two alternatively spliced transcripts, yHLAO1 and yHLAO2 , of a copper-containing monoamine oxidase pseudogene have been isolated from a human-liver cDNA library. The larger yHLAO1 cDNA (2073 bp) contains a 5′-flanking segment of 134 bp, followed by an apparent open reading frame (ORF) of 1725 bp. The deduced amino acid sequence of this ORF (574 residues) shares 81.0% similarity with the 763-residue monoamine oxidase from human placenta (HPAO) (the N-terminal 533 residues of yHLAO1 share 86.7% similarity with HPAO). The yHLAO1 ORF is interrupted by an in-frame stop codon corresponding to amino acid 225 and terminates within a type S(a) dimeric Alu repeat sequence. yHLAO2 appears to be an alternatively spliced variant of yHLAO1 that has 413 bases of yHLAO1 excised according to the `GT–AG' rule. The slightly longer 3′ end of the yHLAO2 transcript shows that the Alu repeat is followed by an 11-bp poly(A) tract that, in turn, is followed by an AT-rich (81%) sequence of 105 bp. A reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) protocol was used to confirm that both yHLAO1 and yHLAO2 are transcribed in human liver and placenta. A search of the expressed sequence tag (EST) database indicates that, like HPAO , yHLAO derives also from the region 17q21 of the human genome.
Active Flow Instability Control for Transient Two-Phase Electronics Cooling

Because of increasing power densities, refrigeration systems are being explored for two-phase cooling of ultra high power electronic components. Flow instabilities are potential problems in any two-phase refrigeration cooling system especially in transient applications. Oscillatory two-phase flow in a boiling channel can trigger transition to the critical heat flux (CHF). Active control methods can help better dynamic thermal management of electronic systems, even though transient two-phase boiling flow mechanisms are complicated. This paper presents a framework for the transient analysis and active control of pressure-drop flow instabilities under varying imposed heat loads. The first part of the paper is to study the external effects on boiling flow characteristics and the boiling oscillatory flow responses to transient heat load changes. Then based on the theoretical analysis of boiling flow oscillations, a set of active control schemes are developed and studied to suppress flow oscillations and, therefore, to increase the CHF. With the available control devices (i.e., inlet valve and supply pump), different active control schemes are studied to improve the transient two-phase cooling performance. Finally, a discussion is included to address potential future research.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Spaces of consumption in environmental history

Consumption has emerged as an important historical subject, with most scholars explaining it as a vehicle for therapeutic regeneration, community formation, or economic policy. This work all but ignores how consumption begins with changes to the material world, to physical nature. While environmental historians have something important, even unique, to say about consumption, the split between materialist and cultural analyses within the field has dulled its ability to study consumption as a process and phenomenon that unfolds over space and time. By borrowing techniques from geography and ecology, environmental historians can analyze how space is socially produced through time, an insight that can help to connect material and cultural change in a sustained manner. Spatial histories can also unmask the relationships between production and consumption, and nature and culture, and thereby transcend and subvert seemingly fixed boundaries, from the local to the global. They can also further propel environmental historians into new realms of inquiry, such as international trade and the human body. Historicizing the spaces of consumption may also help to foster a more radical and democratic environmentalism, especially in developed nations, by compelling environmentalists to reassess the distancing effects of consumption upon their politics and attitudes toward those who produce commodities and consumer goods.
Propranolol in human plasma and breast milk

To assess the problem of continuing propranolol therapy in a breast-feeding mother, studies were performed to determine simultaneously plasma and breast milk concentrations of propranolol after single dose (40 mg) and continuous dose (40 mg 4 times daily) treatment with this drug. Breast milk and plasma concentrations of propranolol peaked between 2 and 3 hours after dosing. Propranolol concentrations in breast milk were less than 40 and 64 percent, respectively, of peak plasma propranolol concentrations after single dose and continuous dose administration. It was estimated that the maximal cumulative propranolol load to this breast-feeding infant, consuming 500 ml of whole milk, when the mother received 40 mg of propranolol 4 times daily would be 21 microgram/24 hours. This dose is considerably less than the usual therapeutic dose of propranolol for infants.
Interlimb Differences in Control of Movement Extent

The current study was designed to examine potential interlimb asymmetries in controlling movement extent. Subjects made repetitive single-joint elbow extension movements while the arm was supported on a horizontal, frictionless, air-jet system. Four targets of 10, 20, 35, and 45° excursions were randomly presented over the course of 150 trials. For both arms, peak tangential hand velocity scaled linearly with movement distance. There was no significant difference between either peak velocities or movement accuracies for the two arms. However, the mechanisms responsible for achieving these velocities and extents were quite distinct for each arm. For the dominant arm, peak tangential finger acceleration varied systematically with movement distance. In contrast, nondominant-arm peak tangential acceleration varied little across targets and, as such, was a poor predictor of movement distance. Instead the velocities of the nondominant arm were determined primarily by variation in the duration of the initial acceleration impulse, which corresponds to the time of peak velocity. These different strategies reflect previously identified mechanisms in controlling movement distance: pulse-height control and pulse-width control. The former is characterized by a variation in peak acceleration and has been associated with preplanning mechanisms. The latter occurs after peak acceleration and has been shown to depend on peripheral sensory feedback. Our findings indicate that the dominant-arm system controls movement extent largely through planning mechanisms that specify pulse-height control, whereas the nondominant system does so largely through feedback mediated pulse-width control.
INTERFERON-GAMMA TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC GRANULOMATOUS DISEASE IS ASSOCIATED WITH AUGMENTED PRODUCTION OF NITRIC OXIDE BY POLYMORPHONUCLEAR NEUTROPHILS 47

INTERFERON-GAMMA TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC GRANULOMATOUS DISEASE IS ASSOCIATED WITH AUGMENTED PRODUCTION OF NITRIC OXIDE BY POLYMORPHONUCLEAR NEUTROPHILS 47
Multi-Disciplinary Integrated Framework and Architecture for a Human Centered Collaborative Commerce System

In recent years, collaborative commerce (or c-Commerce) and human-centric systems have been research subjects of keen interest in Web-based technologies and have become a major focus for many organizations. C-Commerce provides and supports dynamic collaborative environments over the Internet and other potential public information networks (PINs). It offers many levels of collaborative interactions and enables organizations and individuals to work simultaneously, cooperatively, as well as independently. Of late, it has become increasingly important to integrate human-centered designs in collaborative systems to achieve user-oriented environments. This paper presents Human-centered c-Commerce System (HCCS), an architectural framework for collaborative commerce with integration of some human aspects. We discuss its framework and describe each component of the proposed architecture. We contend that using an intelligent c-Commerce system, such as HCCS, will enhance collaboration between individual users and among organizations, and will provide effective infrastructure to achieve the intended objectives of collaborative work.
Nutrition as a component of alternative therapy.

Objectives: To discuss common "alternative" nutritional strategies that may be used by patients as a primary or adjunctive means of cancer treatment. Data Sources: Government reports, textbook chapters, published articles, and research reports. Conclusions: The use of diet and nutrition to prevent and treat disease is one of six fields of alternative medicine. A number of dietary regimens have been purported to be effective in the treatment of cancer. Most have been inadequately tested with regard to safety and efficacy. Implications for Nursing Practice: Oncology nurses need to be knowledgeable of the use of alternative methods so that they may provide accurate information to patients considering these approaches.
Local distribution of C3 and C4 grasses in sites of overlap on Mount Kenya.

A zone of C3−C4 grass overlap has been identified on the northern slopes of Mount Kenya at elevations of 2,800–3,200 m. At higher elevations, C3 grasses predominate; below, C4 grasses predominate. At each of three elevational sites of overlap, a series of transects was surveyed for C4 and C3 grass composition. All transects were located in structurally similar vegetation (high elevation grassland) within 150 m of each other. Transects were run in a variety of topographic situations. Within each transect, several environmental parameters were measured. Both unweighted (species presence/absence) and weighted (by frequency) measures of %C4 composition were significantly correlated with dry season soil moisture. Drier transects contain significantly more C4 species, in greater frequency, than wetter transects. Other correlations of C4 composition (e.g. factors which tend to parallel soil moisture) were also found. This local trend parallels the larger scale tendency of C3 grasses to replace C4 grasses with increasing elevation. Finer scale habitat partitioning may account for C3−C4 overlap within transects.
Measurements and modeling of gain coefficients for neodymium laser glasses

Small-signal gain coefficients are reported for neodymium in silicate, phosphate, fluorophosphate, and fluoroberyllate laser glasses. Measurements were made in a disk amplifier under identical conditions. Using spectroscopic data as the input, amplifier gain is calculated as a function of flashlamp energy, pumping pulse duration, disk thickness, and Nd-doping. The agreement between predicted and measured gains is generally with ±10 percent, consistent with experimental uncertainties in the model and the parameters used. The operating conditions which optimize amplifier performance and efficiency for a given laser glass may be found using spectroscopic data alone. This process can be extended to derive the most cost-effective staging of amplifier chains for fusion lasers. A discussion of the model and examples of calculations are presented.
Middle Cretaceous orogenesis in the northern Cordillera: A Mediterranean analog of collision-related extensional tectonics

Recent studies in the northern Cordillera suggest that a significant period of middle Cretaceous extension occurred during the early phases of the collision of the composite Peninsular-Alexander-Wrangellia (PAW) superterrane. In this paper the author presents a hypothesis that the extension and collision are related in a manner analogous to the modern eastern Mediterranean. In the model, oblique collision of the PAW superterrane led to gravity spreading on North America in advance of the zipper-like closure of the suture. The driving process for the extension appears to be subduction rollback generated by collision-related changes in plate motion, gravity spreading toward the free-face, or both.
Modulation of Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal Function by Transgenic Expression of Interleukin-6 in the CNS of Mice

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-6 receptor mRNA and protein have been reported in different brain regions under normal and pathophysiological conditions. Although much is known about the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis stimulation after acute administration, less is known about the chronic effects of IL-6 on the function of the HPA axis. In the present study, we examined the function of the HPA axis in transgenic mice in which constitutive expression of IL-6 under the control of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter was targeted to astrocytes in the CNS. GFAP-IL6 mice heterozygous or homozygous for the IL-6 transgene had normal basal plasma corticosterone levels but, after restraint stress, showed abnormally increased levels in a gene dose-dependent manner. The increased plasma corticosterone levels in the IL-6 transgenic mice were associated with increased adrenal corticosterone content and hyperplasia of both adrenal cortex and medulla. Notably, plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) levels and pituitary ACTH content were either not changed or decreased in these mice, whereas plasma arginine vasopressin (AVP) was increased, supporting a role for AVP in response to acute immobilization stress. The reduced ACTH response together with the adrenal hyperplasia in the IL-6 transgenic mice suggests direct activation at the level of the adrenal gland that may be directly activated by AVP or sensitized to ACTH. A similar mechanism may play a role in the blunted ACTH response and elevated corticosterone levels under pathophysiological conditions observed in humans with high brain levels of IL-6.
MJO in the NCAR CAM2 with the Tiedtke Convective Scheme

Abstract The boreal winter Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) remains very weak and irregular in the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Atmosphere Model version 2 (CAM2) as in its direct predecessor, the Community Climate Model version 3 (CCM3). The standard version of CAM2 uses the deep convective scheme of Zhang and McFarlane, as in CCM3, with the closure dependent on convective available potential energy (CAPE). Here, sensitivity tests using several versions of the Tiedtke convective scheme are conducted. Typically, the Tiedtke convection scheme gives an improved mean state, intraseasonal variability, space–time power spectra, and eastward propagation compared to the standard version of the model. Coherent eastward propagation of MJO-related precipitation is also much improved, particularly over the Indian–western Pacific Oceans. A composite life cycle of the model MJO indicates that over the Indian Ocean wind-induced surface heat exchange (WISHE) functions, while over the western/c...
Efficient data collection and event boundary detection in wireless sensor networks using tiny models

Using wireless geosensor networks (WGSN), sensor nodes often monitor a phenomenon that is both continuous in time and space. However, sensor nodes take discrete samples, and an analytical framework inside or outside the WSN is used to analyze the phenomenon. In both cases, expensive communication is used to stream a large number of data samples to other nodes and to the base station. In this work, we explore a novel alternative that utilizes predictive process knowledge of the observed phenomena to minimize upstream communication. Often, observed phenomena adhere to a process with predictable behavior over time. We present a strategy for developing and running so-called 'tiny models' on individual sensor nodes that capture the predictable behavior of the phenomenon; nodes now only communicate when unexpected events are observed. Using multiple simulations, we demonstrate that a significant percentage of messages can be reduced during data collection.
The Virtual Embedded Narratives in Butor’s La Modification

While narrative embedding in Michel Butor’s La Modification (1957) as it relates to art objects, the train and the myths has been well examined, the virtual embedded narratives have not received due critical attention. This essay argues that the novel foregrounds virtual embedded narratives in the form of imaginary scenarios that contain the characters’ plans, expectations, wishes and fears. These scenarios, formulated as possibilities, but later negated or unrealized, constitute what Gerald Prince calls the disnarrated. The various functions of the disnarrated in the novel at the level of discourse as well as at the level of story are discussed in this study: the metafictional quality of the narrative; the intratextual relationships between the embedded and the embedding narratives; the relationship between the narrator and the narratee; and, the narrative’s tellability.
Trajectory following optimization by gradient transformation differential equations

For minimizing a scalar-valued function, we develop and investigate a family of gradient transformation differential equation algorithms. This family includes, as special cases: steepest descent, Newton's method, Levenberg-Marquardt, and a gradient enhanced Newton algorithm that we develop. Using Rosenbrock's "banana" function we study the stiffness of the gradient transformation family in terms of Lyapunov exponent time histories. For the example function, Newton's method and the Levenberg-Marquardt modification do not yield global asymptotic stability, whereas steepest descent does. However, Newton's method (from an initial point where it does work) is not stiff and is approximately 100 times as fast as steepest descent. In contrast, the gradient enhanced Newton method is globally convergent, is not stiff, and is approximately 25 times faster than Newton's method and approximately 2500 times faster than steepest descent.
A contrast in anisotropy across mid-lithospheric discontinuities beneath the central United States—A relic of craton formation

The mid-lithospheric discontinuity (MLD) is a seemingly sharp decrease in seismic velocity at depths internal to the lithosphere and appears to be a pervasive feature beneath continental interiors. Its presence within cratons, which have remained relatively stable since formation, suggests that the MLD may result from processes associated with continent formation. We use P- to S-wave receiver functions to interrogate seismic anisotropy across the MLD within the ca. 1.35– 1.55 Ga Granite-Rhyolite Province of the central United States. Our analysis reveals strong evidence for sharp changes in the orientation of anisotropy across multiple MLDs, with an approximately north to northwest fast orientation of anisotropy in the upper lithosphere. The consistency of this signature over a large region suggests that the observed anisotropy is a relic of North American craton formation. In addition, the presence of several distinct anisotropic layers within the cratonic lithosphere supports models for craton formation via stacked subducted slabs or a series of underthrusting events.
Quantifying the effects of ozone on plant reproductive growth and development

Tropospheric ozone (O3) is a harmful air pollutant that can negatively impact plant growth and development. Current O3 concentrations ([O3]) decrease forest productivity and crop yields and future [O3] will likely increase if current emission rates continue. However, the specific effects of elevated [O3] on reproductive development, a critical stage in the plant's lifecycle, have not been quantitatively reviewed. Data from 128 peer-reviewed articles published from 1968 to 2010 describing the effects of O3 on reproductive growth and development were analysed using meta-analytic techniques. Studies were categorized based on experimental conditions, photosynthetic type, lifecycle, growth habit and flowering class. Current ambient [O3] significantly decreased seed number (−16%), fruit number (−9%) and fruit weight (−22%) compared to charcoal-filtered air. In addition, pollen germination and tube growth were decreased by elevated [O3] compared to charcoal-filtered air. Relative to ambient air, fumigation with [O3] between 70 and 100 ppb decreased yield by 27% and individual seed weight by 18%. Reproductive development of both C3 and C4 plants was sensitive to elevated [O3], and lifecycle, flowering class and reproductive growth habit did not significantly affect a plant's response to elevated [O3] for many components of reproductive development. However, elevated [O3] decreased fruit weight and fruit number significantly in indeterminate plants, and had no effect on these parameters in determinate plants. While gaps in knowledge remain about the effects of O3 on plants with different growth habits, reproductive strategies and photosynthetic types, the evidence strongly suggests that detrimental effects of O3 on reproductive growth and development are compromising current crop yields and the fitness of native plant species.
The relative sustainability of alternative, conventional, and reduced-till farming systems

We compared the agronomic, economic, and ecological performance of alternative (organic), conventional, and reduced-till farming systems over a 7-year period. We evaluated the sustainability of the various systems regarding several concerns, including soil erosion, pollution potential, whole-farm productivity, energy use, environmental stress, economic performance, and farm size. The alternative systems relied primarily on forage legumes (alfalfa or clover) as substitutes for the pesticides and commercial fertilizers used in the other systems.Two studies were established in northeastern South Dakota in 1985. Study I emphasized row crops, Study II small grains. The alternative system in Study I, which included alfalfa hay in the rotation, was the most productive, both agronomically and economically. In Study II, the alternative system included a green manure crop (clover) in the 4-year rotation and had the lowest agronomic production; however, its economic performance was similar to the conventional system's. Year-to-year variability in production was lowest in the alternative systems. The alternative systems in both studies were the most energy-efficient, and the reduced-till systems the least. Judged by the distribution of nitrate-N in the soil profile, the potential for groundwater pollution was higher in the conventional and reduced-till systems in Study I than in the alternative system.The alternative systems in both studies depended less on government payments for their profitability. Results in Study I also showed that more widespread adoption of alternative systems would tend to halt or slow the trend of ever-increasing farm size. These studies suggest that alternative systems are more sustainable in this agro-climatic area.
Fuzzy non-linear programming: Theory and application in manufacturing

Due to the complexity of the manufacturing environment, problems that can be solved by mathematical programming techniques are usually represented with non-linear programming (NP) models instead of linear programming (LP) models. When non-stochastic vagueness exists between the problem description and its corresponding NP model, fuzzy set theory can be applied to the mathematical model for the purpose of vividly representing the problem. This paper discusses the idea of the fuzzy NP model. Fuzzy set concepts are adapted to the NP objective function and constraints. An identical crisp NP model is derived from the fuzzy NP model for solving the problem numerically. Kuhn-Tucker conditions are addressed to determine the existence of a global optimal solution. A fuzzy machining economics model, which attempts to find optimal manufacturing parameters under vague elements of influence, is used to demonstrate the theory of the fuzzy NP model.
Carbon conversion efficiency and central metabolic fluxes in developing sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) embryos.

*† ‡ Summary The efficiency with which developing sunflower embryos convert substrates into seed storage reserves was determined by labeling embryos with [U-14 C6]glucose or [U- 14 C5]glutamine and measuring their conversion to CO 2, oil, protein and other biomass compounds. The average carbon conversion efficiency was 50%, which contrasts with a value of over 80% previously observed in Brassica napus embryos (Goffman et al., 2005), in which light and the RuBisCO bypass pathway allow more efficient conversion of hexose to oil. Labeling levels after incubating sunflower embryos with [U-14 C4]malate indicated that some carbon from malate enters the plastidic compartment and contributes to oil synthesis. To test this and to map the underlying pattern of metabolic fluxes, separate experiments were carried out in which embryos were labeled to isotopic steady state using [1-13 C1]glucose, [2- 13 C1]glucose, or [U- 13 C5]glutamine. The resultant labeling in sugars, starch, fatty acids and amino acids was analyzed by NMR and GC-MS. The fluxes through intermediary metabolism were then quantified by computer-aided modeling. The resulting flux map accounted well for the labeling data, was in good agreement with the observed carbon efficiency, and was further validated by testing for agreement with gas exchange measurements. The map shows that the influx of malate into oil is low and that flux through futile cycles (wasting ATP) is low, which contrasts with the high rates previously determined for growing root tips and heterotrophic cell cultures.