cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The ecology of communities dominated by Zannichellia taxa in Western Europe. I. Characterization and autecology of the Zannichellia taxa

Abstract On the basis of Zannichellia material collected in Finland, Denmark, The Netherlands, W. Germany and France, three species could be distinguished: Z. palustris L., Z. pedunculata Rchb. and Z. major Boenn. A fourth species, Z. peltata Bertol., was found in southern Europe. A table with identification characteristics for these four Zannichellia species is given. Z. palustris usually has 2 n = 24 chromosomes, whereas Z. pedunculata has 2 n = 36 chromosomes. Z. peltata is discussed in relation to the tetra- and hexaploid taxa. The germination ecology of Z. palustris and Z. pedunculata was extensively studied. By means of the harmonic mean germination day (HMGD) -index, germination was studied in relation to chlorinity, temperature and desiccation under long-day conditions and in the dark. The dormancy of all Z. palustris seeds was remarkable. It could be broken by a stratification period of 2 months (4°C). After stratification the seeds germinated under long-day conditions in water with a salinity up to 4‰ Cl′. Z. pedunculata seeds germinated extremely well only in the light. After stratification germination also occurred in the dark and the optimum temperatures for germination were lower under various chlorinity conditions, with the lowest optimum temperature in the dark. The seeds germinated in water with a chlorinity up to 12‰ and were not damaged by desiccation lasting several months. Z. major seeds germinated without delay. A survey of the germination capacity of the seeds of these Zannichellia taxa from several European localities is presented. Selected plants of both Z. palustris and Z. pedunculata developed best on substrates with a relatively high clay content. The chlorinity tolerances of the two species did not differ to a large extent. Z. palustris showed a maximum chlorinity tolerance of about 8‰, and Z. pedunculata of about 10‰. Z. pedunculata produced a relatively low number of long shoots while Z. palustris produced numerous small shoots. This difference in shoot production was advantageous to Z. pedunculata in mixed populations under conditions of fluctuating (rising) chlorinity.
COMMENTARY ON WARSHAK'S “BLANKET RESTRICTIONS: OVERNIGHT CONTACT BETWEEN PARENTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN”

In a previous issue of this journal, Richard A. Warshak provided a summary of the developmental literature as it bears on overnight restrictions during custody arrangements. Here, the authors comment on points of agreement and disagreement with Warshak based on their reading of the theoretical and empirical literature on development. Particular reference is made to Warshak's interpretation of attachment theory and research. Points of agreement include the importance of fathers and all caregivers in the infant/young child's life as well as the overstatement in the literature of the significance of separation experiences and a “sensitive period” for attachment. Points of clear disagreement include what the author contends is an erroneous review of the empirical literature on overnights with other caregivers. Based on their review of the data on overnight visitation, the authors conclude on a more cautious note.
The influence of precipitated asphaltenes on sedimentation of particles in coal liquids

Antisolvent addition to coal liquids causes the precipitation of asphaltenes on mineral particles and increases their sedimentation rate. This paper develops a mathematical model of the sedimentation rate of a single particle or agglomerate of particles. It was found that if the difference in density between the solid and the precipitate is more than twice the difference in density between the precipite and the liquid, the sedimentation rate would decrease initially upon precipitation. A simple experiment was performed to confirm the prediction. Further it was found that the agglomeration of particles had a stronger effect upon the sedimentation than the changes in particle size. L'addition d'un anti-solvant aux produits liquides provenant du charbon fait precipiter les asphaltenes sur les particules minerales et augmente la vitesse de sedimentation de celles-ci. On a mis au point un modele mathematique decrivant la vitesse de sedimentation d'une seule particule ou d'un agglomerat de particules. On a trouve que, si la difference de densite entre le solide et le precipite excede le double de celle qui existe entre le precipite et le produit liquide, la vitesse de sedimentation devrait decroǐtre initialement lors de la precipitation. Une experience simple a ete effectuee pour confirmer cette prevision. On a aussi constate que l'agglomeration des particules exerce un effet plus prononce sur la sedimentation que les variations de la dimension des particules.
The shifting relic: Thomas De Quincey's “Samuel Taylor Coleridge”

(1988). The shifting relic: Thomas De Quincey's “Samuel Taylor Coleridge”. Nineteenth-Century Contexts: Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 105-121.
Telehealth-based collaboration among primary and behavioral health care providers in rural areas

Rural primary health care providers are often isolated from specialists, such as behavioral health care providers. Telehealth technologies have the potential to overcome such isolation and support collaboration among providers that are not located in the same community.
Spectral line intensities calculations for Ne-like argon plasma

Energy level populations and spectral line intensities in plasmas are studied using an advanced uniform approach for the calculation of ion energy levels and elementary processes rate coefficients in plasmas. The spectrum of Ne-like argon for the uniform steady-state plasma is calculated for a wide variation of electron temperature and density. Hence the most efficient lasing at 5 3p - 3s transitions with wavelengths 697.6, 860.6, 727.5, 725.7, 670.7 angstroms should be expected at 1019 < ne < 1020 cm-3 and Te approximately 60 eV. It is shown that at electron densities of 1015 < ne < 1021 cm-3 ratios of the strongest 3p - 3s line intensities are sensitive to electron density; their dependence on electron temperature is much less pronounced.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Radio-frequency current drive in DIII-D

Two methods of radio-frequency (rf) current drive that are well suited to controlling and sustaining the current profile in burning plasma experiments have been studied in the DIII-D tokamak. Fast-wave current drive (FWCD) gave centrally peaked current densities that increased linearly with central electron temperature. While high harmonic absorption of the fast waves on energetic beam ions could reduce the available power for current drive, FWCD figures of merit as high as {gamma}{sub FW} = 0.5 x 10{sup 19} A/m{sup 2}.W were still achieved. Electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) was shown to be localized to the region of power deposition, with a current drive efficiency that decreased as the magnetic well depth increased. The detrimental effect of the magnetic well could be mitigated by raising the electron beta. ECCD figures of merit as high as {gamma}{sub EC} = 0.5 x 10{sup 19} A/m{sup 2}.W were measured for central deposition. The experimental FWCD and ECCD were both extensively tested against theoretical models and were found to be in excellent agreement. Validation of these predictive models of rf current drive aids in scenario development for next-step tokamaks.
A profile of Latinos with poorly controlled diabetes in South Florida

Introduction : Latinos are the largest minority group in the United States and diabetes or pre-diabetes affects more than 70% of Latinos aged 45 years and older. Miami-Dade County is home to one of the highest populations of diverse Latinos. In this descriptive manuscript, we present baseline characteristics of participants enrolled in the Miami Healthy Heart Initiative (MHHI). This was a study conducted to determine the effects of a community health worker (CHW) intervention among Latinos with poorly controlled diabetes in South Florida. Methods : We recruited 300 diverse Latino adults with suboptimal diabetes outcomes (HbA1c≥8) into MHHI. This randomized control trial examined the impact of a 1-year CHW-led intervention on glycemic control, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. At baseline, physiologic measures, including HbA1c, LDL, blood pressure, and BMI, were assessed. Data on socio-demographic characteristics and additional determinants of health such as depression status, provider communication, diet, exercise, cigarette smoking, readiness to change diabetes management behaviors (stages of change), and confidence in ability to improve diabetes self-care (self-efficacy) were collected. Results : Participants came from 20 different countries, with Cuban Americans representing 38% of the sample. Most had lived in the US for more than 10 years, had completed at least 12 years of school, and had high levels of health literacy, yet 48% had very low acculturation. Nearly 80% had poor self-efficacy, 80% met the criteria for depression, and 83% were not adherent to their medications. More than half the population was not at their target for blood pressure, 50% were above the recommended LDL goal, and most were obese. Conclusion : In a diverse population of Latinos with poorly controlled diabetes in Miami, we found high rates of depression, obesity, medication non-adherence, poor self-efficacy, and provider communication. These may contribute to poor diabetes control, high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol. Keywords: diabetes among Latinos; South Florida; diabetes disparities; Hispanics with diabetes (Published: 1 April 2015) Citation: Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives 2015, 5 : 26586 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/jchimp.v5.26586
Coronal Magnetic Structures Observing Campaign. 3: Coronal plasma and magnetic field diagnostics derived from multiwaveband active region observations

Simultaneous soft X-ray, microwave, and photospheric magnetic field observations were taken during the Coronal Magnetic Structures Observing Campaign (CoMStOC '87). The plasma electron temperature and emission measures determined from the X-ray data are used to predict the free-free emission expected at 20 and 6 cm. Comparing these predictions with the microwave observations, it is found that the predicted 20 cm brightness temperatures are higher than the observed, requiring cool absorbing material between the hot X-ray plasma and the observer. The model that is most consistent with all the observations and minimizes the required coronal fields indicates that this 20 cm emission is either free-free or a combination of free-free and fourth harmonic cyclotron emanating from the X-ray plasma with an electron temperature of approximately 3.1 x 10(exp 6) K and an emission measure of approximately 1.3 x 10(exp 29)/cm(exp 5). The observed 20 cm polarization requires a field strength of greater than or equal to 150 G. In addition, the 6 cm emission is free-free, emanating from cooler plasma with an electron temperature of approximately 1.5 x 10(exp 6) K and an emission measure of approximately 3-6 x 10(exp 29)/cm(exp 5). This model is consistent with the rather unusual combination of high 20 cm and low 6 cm polarization as well as the low extrapolated coronal fields.
Isolation and Characterization of Hemicellulose and Cellulose from Sugar Beet Pulp

Various conditions for the extraction of hemicellulose and cellulose from sugar beet pulp were examined, including pulp particle size, temperature of EDTA extraction, temperature and concentration of alkaline extraction, and delignification time. A procedure using 60 mesh pulp, 85°C EDTA extraction of pectins, 10% NaOH extraction at 25°C followed by one hour delignification gave the highest yields. Molecular weights of hemicellulose ranged from 40,000 to 150,000 daltons for the A form and 10,000 to 150,000 daltons for the B form. The monosaccharide composition of hemicellulose A and B differed significantly. Hemicellulose B had the highest water-holding capacity followed by hemicellulose A and cellulose. Viscosity of the hemicelluloses was very low.
Thermomechanical testing of FeNiCoTi shape memory alloy for active confinement of concrete

The thermomechanical properties of a new type of shape memory alloy (SMA), FeNiCoTi, are explored in this paper with the aim of examining the feasibility of using this new material as transverse reinforcement for concrete structures subjected to earthquake loading. One advantage of using FeNiCoTi alloy is its cost effectiveness compared to commonly studied NiTi alloy. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) tests are conducted to investigate the transformation temperatures of FeNiCoTi alloy under different heat treatment methods and prestrain schemes. First, a heat treatment method is established to produce FeNiCoTi alloy with wide thermal hysteresis that is pertinent to civil structural applications. Next, recovery stress tests are conducted to explore the effect of parameters including heating method, heating temperature, heating rate, heating protocol and prestrain level on the recovery stress. An optimum prestrain level is determined based on the recovery stress results. Moreover, cyclic tests are carried out to examine the cyclic response of FeNiCoTi alloy after stress recovery. Thermal cyclic tests are also carried out on the FeNiCoTi alloy to better understand the effect of temperature variation on the recovery stress. In addition, reheating of the FeNiCoTi alloy after deformation is conducted to examine the reusability of the material after being subjected to excessive deformation. Test results of the FeNiCoTi alloy indicate that this cost-effective SMA can potentially be a promising new material for civil structural applications.
Testing the Model of Stigma Communication with a Factorial Experiment in an Interpersonal Context

Stigmas may regulate intergroup relationships; they may also influence interpersonal actions. This study extends the previous test of the model of stigma communication (MSC; Smith, 2012) with a factorial experiment in which the outcomes refer to a hypothetical acquaintance. New affective reactions, sympathy and frustration, and a new personality trait, disgust sensitivity, were explored. In addition, perceived severity and susceptibility of the infection were included as alternative mechanisms explaining the effects. The results (N = 318) showed that message content, message reactions (emotional and cognitive), and disgust sensitivity predicted intentions to regulate the infected acquaintance's interactions and lifestyle (R 2 = .79) and participants’ likelihood of telling others about the acquaintance's infection (R 2 = .35). The findings generally provided support for MSC and directions for improvement.
Small-bowel tumors.

Abstract Background: The rarity, delayed presentation, and diagnostic difficulty of small-bowel tumors prompted this study. Study Design: Charts were reviewed retrospectively for 85 patients with 89 small-bowel tumors (22 primary malignant, 23 primary benign, and 44 metastatic) over a 10-year period (1986–1996) at Louisiana State University Medical Center–Shreveport and two affiliated hospitals in Shreveport. Results: Of the primary malignant tumors, 10 carcinoids and 11 duodenal adenocarcinomas were identified. Most primary benign tumors were adenomatous or hyperplastic polyps, diagnosed by esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Metastatic tumors accounted for nearly 50% of all small-bowel tumors. Across all three tumor types, the most common presenting signs and symptoms were abdominal pain and nausea and vomiting. In addition, patients with benign tumors were more commonly presented with gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and those with metastatic tumors were more likely to present with obstruction. The mean interval from the onset of signs and symptoms to operation was 54 days for primary malignant tumors and 330 days for primary benign tumors. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy and computed tomography of the abdomen were occasionally helpful in diagnosis. Among the 22 primary malignant tumors, curative resections were performed in 11 patients (for 9 carcinoids and 2 adenocarcinomas) and palliative resections were performed in 10 patients (for 9 adenocarcinomas and 1 myxoliposarcoma). One patient had carcinomatosis from colon cancer and an incidentally discovered ileal carcinoid; this carcinoid was not included in this group of resections for primary malignant small-bowel tumors. All operations for 39 (of 44) patients with metastatic tumors were palliative. The remaining 5 (of 44) patients had metastatic duodenal cancer (confirmed by esophagogastroduodenoscopy or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with biopsy) and did not undergo laparotomy. Surgical complications occurred more commonly with metastatic than with primary malignant tumors. Patients with primary malignant tumors had a 5-year survival rate of 36%. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that small-bowel tumors are difficult to diagnose because of delayed presentation, nonspecific signs and symptoms, and lack of accurate diagnostic studies. If the overall survival of patients with small-bowel tumors is to be improved, clinicians must have a high index of suspicion and be willing to perform exploratory celiotomy early.
Ocular and Adnexal Findings in Patients with Facial Mierosomias

The authors reviewed the ocular findings in 49 patients with facial microsomias not considered part of a known syndrome. Five patients had bifacial microsomia, and 44 patients had hemifacial microsomia. These patients were evaluated in the Craniofacial Clinic in the Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia between the years 1979 and 1989. Ocular or adnexal abnormalities were present in 67% of patients. Visual loss was present in 8% of eyes. Amblyopia was present in 16% of patients. Significant refractive errors were present in 27% of patients, and anisometropia was documented in 8%. Strabismus was present in 22% of patients, and significant lid and adnexal abnormalities were seen in 41%. Because ocular or adnexal findings present in a significant percentage of patients with more mild forms of facial microsomias, regular examinations to uncover and treat these abnormalities are recommended.
A software infrastructure to support introductory computer science courses

This paper describes the software developed to support the first two years of the Computer Science curriculum at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The system supports student retrieval of files and data; on-line submission with immediate, automated testing and archiving of student work; and assists in grading the work and the associated record keeping.
A study of DNA denaturation in the ultracentrifuge.

The melting transition of DNA in alkaline CsCl can be followed in the analytical ultracentrifuge. Equilibrium partially denatured states can be observed. These partially denatured DNA bands have bandwidths of up to several times those of native DNA. Less stable molecules melt early and are found at heavier densities in the melting region. An idealized ultracentrifuge melting transition is described. The melting transition of singly nicked PM-2 DNA resembles the idealized curve. The DNA profile is a Gaussian band at all points in the melt. DNA's from mouse, D. Melanogaster, M. lysodeikticus, T4, and T7 also show equilibrium bands at partially denatured densities, some of which are highly asymmetric. Simple sequence satellite DNA shows an all-or-none transition with no equilibrium bands at partially denatured densities. The temperature at which a DNA denatures is an increasing function of the (G + C) content of the DNA. The Tm does not show a molecular-weight dependence in the range 1.2 × 106–1.5 × 107 daltons (single strand) for mouse, M. lysodeikticus, or T4 DNA. The mouse DNA partially denatured bands do not change shape as a function of molecular weight. The T4 DNA intermediate band develops a late-melting tail at low molecular weight. M. lysodeikticus DNA bands at partially denatured densities become broader as the molecular weight is decreased. Mouse DNA is resolved into six Gaussian components at each point in the melting transition.
Computation of H ∞ norm for flexible structures

The H∞ norm for a system with flexible structural properties is a function of its largest Hankel singular value.
Rotational Contour Analysis of Jet-Cooled Methyl Hydroperoxide Action Spectra in the Region of the 2νOH and 3νOH Bands†

State-selected photodissociation is used to record the partially rotationally resolved action spectra of CH3OOH in the region of its first and second OH-stretching overtones (2νOH and 3νOH) under free-jet expansion conditions. From an analysis of the rotational band contours for the OH-stretching states and their corresponding COOH torsion combination bands, effective rotational constants and transition dipole moment orientations are determined for the vibrational eigenstates. The level splitting between the lowest symmetric and antisymmetric pair of COOH torsion levels, 0+ and 0−, associated with the 2νOH overtone state is found to be ∼3.9 cm−1. Comparison of spectra in the region of the 2νOH and 2νOH + νCOOH bands in CH3OOH and CD3OOH reveals that the spectral features in CH3OOH are substantially more perturbed compared to those of its deuterated counterpart, suggesting that modes involving the methyl rotor contribute significantly to promoting intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR) in C...
Split Plot Models

In an experiment with at least two factors, it is sometimes convenient to apply some of the factors to large experimental units (called whole plots) and then to split the large units into smaller parts on which the remaining factors are applied. The subdivisions of the whole plots are called subplots or split plots.
Positive loitering and public goods: The ambivalence of civic participation and community policing in the neoliberal city

This article examines a community policing practice called ‘positive loitering’ — a strategy devised to eradicate the public occurrences of ‘negative loitering’ and informal labor markets in a gentrifying Chicago neighborhood. By analyzing the everyday rhetorics and practices around ‘positive loitering’ protests, this ethnographic case study focuses on the multifarious and nuanced channels by which the material inequities of the neoliberal state are remade through the active energies of citizens struggling to define contested public spaces and the future of their neighborhood.
Absorption properties in shoal dominated regions of the Atchafalaya shelf, Louisiana,USA

The shoal dominated region of the Atchafalaya shelf in the northern Gulf of Mexico is an important resource for sand mining in Louisiana, USA. Algal blooms are seen each year in the study area like most of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Absorption measurements carried out in this region are presented and analyzed. The freshwater input from the Atchafalaya River and the surrounding coastal wetlands and submerged shoals make this area optically complex. Case 1 Ocean Color Algorithms (OCA) do not perform well in these complex case 2 waters. This is because these algorithms do not account for strong blue wavelength absorption by CDOM (colored dissolved organic matter) and NAP (non-algal particulate matter) as observed in our study area. Also the specific phytoplankton absorption a*PHY(lambda) was found to be variable which indicated the pigment packaging effect would influence retrieval of chlorophyll concentration from standard OCA. OCA's that can separate contributions of CDOM and NAP and based on the red region of the spectrum where interference of CDOM and NAP is less will work better towards remote monitoring of blooms.
E-beam lithography stencil planning and optimization with overlapped characters

Electronic Beam Lithography (EBL) is an emerging maskless nanolithography technology which directly writes the desired circuit pattern into wafer using e-beam, thus it overcomes the diffraction limit of light in current optical lithography system. However, low throughput is its key technical hurdle. In conventional EBL system, each rectangle in the layout will be projected by one electronic shot, through a Variable Shaped Beam (VSB). This would be extremely slow. As an improved EBL technology, Character Projection(CP) shoots complex shapes, so called characters, by putting them into a pre-designed stencil to increase throughput. However, only a limited number of characters can be put on the stencil due to its area constraint.For those patterns not in the stencil, they still need to be written by VSB. A key problem is how to select an optimal set of characters and pack them on the CP stencil to minimize total processing time. In this paper, we investigate a new problem of EBL stencil design with overlapped characters. Different from previous works, besides selecting appropriate characters, their placements on the stencil are also optimized in our framework. Our experimental results show that compared to conventional stencil design methodology without overlapped characters, we are able to reduce total projection time by 51%.
The design of human-centered systems: a technological bridge to the 21st century

One of the important challenges posed by the emerging computer and information technologies is the development of a generic and yet precise approach to the design of human-centered systems (HCSs), where, by a HCS, we mean a human-machine system in which the human and the machine are integrated as a single entity in performing a human-oriented function. HCSs can play a major role in applications pertaining to science, technology and the arts. This paper presents an overview of some of the concepts underlying HCSs focusing on illustrations based on human-centered machine vision.
Expression and Function of PDCD1 at the Human Maternal-Fetal Interface

The failure to reject the semiallogenic fetus by maternal T lymphocytes suggests that potent mechanisms regulate these cells. PDCD1 is a CD28 family receptor expressed by T cells, and its ligand CD274 is strongly expressed by trophoblast cells of the human placenta. In this study, we examined whether human maternal T cells express PDCD1. Immunofluorescence examination of uterine tissues revealed PDCD1 expression on CD3 þ cells was low in nonpregnant endometrium but increased in first-trimester decidua and remained elevated in term decidua (P , 0.05). In addition, higher relative proportions of term decidual CD8 bright , CD4 þ , and regulatory T cells expressed PDCD1 in comparison to autologous peripheral blood (P , 0.05). Term decidual T cells also expressed full-length and soluble PDCD1 mRNA isoforms more abundantly than their peripheral blood counterparts (P � 0.05). We also examined the effects of PDCD1:CD274 interactions in decidual T cells. Jar choriocarcinoma cells were transfected with CD274 and cocultured with activated decidual CD4 þ or CD8 bright T cells for 72 h followed by analysis of cytokine concentration and decidual T cell apoptosis. Compared with empty vectortransfected cells, CD274-transfected Jar cells caused a significant suppression of interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha production by CD4 þ (P , 0.05) but not CD8 bright T cells, while having no effect on secretion of IL10 or T cell apoptosis. These results suggest that the PDCD1:CD274 pathway functions in modification of maternal decidual lymphocyte cytokine secretion during pregnancy.
Precursors to Boron-Nitrogen Macromolecules and Ceramics

Boron nitride has been prepared in the past from classical high temperature reactions and more recently by CVD methods. Few attempts have been made to prepare this important material from pyrolyses of preceramic oligomers or polymers. In the present study oligomerization reactions of substituted borazenes with silyamine crosslinking groups have been found to provide useful gel materials which upon pyrolysis form boron nitrogen materials. Selected aspects of this chemistry and some characterization of the materials is presented.
Teaching Rank-Based Tests by Emphasizing Structural Similarities to Corresponding Parametric Tests

Students learn to examine the distributional assumptions implicit in the usual t-tests and associated confidence intervals, but are rarely shown what to do when those assumptions are grossly violated. Three data sets are presented. Each data set involves a different distributional anomaly and each illustrates the use of a different nonparametric test. The problems illustrated are well–known, but the formulations of the nonparametric tests given here are different from the large sample formulas usually presented. We restructure the common rank-based tests to emphasize structural similarities between large sample rank-based tests and their parametric analogs. By presenting large sample nonparametric tests as slight extensions of their parametric counterparts, it is hoped that nonparametric methods receive a wider audience.
Horizontal cells of the turtle retina. II. Analysis of interconnections between photoreceptor cells and horizontal cells by light microscopy.

Criteria were established whereby the chief and accessory members of double cones, red-, green-, and blue-sensitive single cones, and rods could be distringuished form one another in 1-μm sections through the retinas of Pseudemys scripta elegans and Chelydra serpentina. Criteria included the presence or absence of an oil droplet, the size, color, and radial position of the oil droplet, the size and shape of the inner and outer segments, and the shape and orientation of the connection between the perikaryon and synaptic terminal of each receptor cell. Using these criteria, the color-specific interconnections between horizontal cells and receptor cells were analyzed using 1-μm serial sections through Golgistained examples of horizontal cells of each type. The results of this analysis area: (a) H1 cell bodies contact both the red- and green-sensitive members of double cones, as well as red- green-sensitive single cones. (b) H1 aoxn terminals contact only the red-sensitive chief members of doulbe cones, red-sensitive single cones, and rods. (c) H2-type cells contact only green- and blue senstive single cones. (d) H2-type cells contact only blue-sensitive single cones. (e) H2-type cells contact only green-sensitive accessory members of double cones. With the exception of H1 cell bodies, all horizontal cells generally contacted every apporpriate receptor cell type within their receptive field. A model for the generation of complex horizontal cell light responses is proposed and discussed.
Clinical utility of two dimensional echocardiography in infective endocarditis.

Abstract The relative value of M mode and two dimensional echocardiography for detecting masses associated with endocarditis was assessed in 58 patients with clinically suspected intracardiac infection. Original M mode and two dimensional reports were retrospectively classified as showing (1) a mass lesion, (2) an abnormality not specifically a mass, (3) no mass, or (4) a technically inadequate study. None of the 15 patients without endocarditis had an intracardiac mass recorded on echocardiography. In 36 of the 43 patients with confirmed endocarditis technically adequate M mode studies and reports were available. Five (14 percent) of the 36 M mode studies showed a mass, 12 showed a more nonspecific abnormality and 19 showed no mass. Adequate two dimensional studies were available in 42 of the 43 cases. Thirty-four (81 percent) of these studies showed a mass, seven showed a more nonspecific abnormality and one showed no mass. Two dimensional studies were specially helpful in patients with a mass on a prosthetic valve or the tricuspid valve. Clinical follow-up examination showed that 17 of the 34 patients with a mass seen on two dimensional echocardiography underwent urgent surgery for clinical indications; 4 more underwent surgery later after full medical treatment. Thirteen of the original 34 patients with a recordable mass were treated with antibiotic drugs alone. The conservative use and interpretation of the M mode echocardiograms in this study made them inferior to two dimensional studies as aids in the confident recognition of intracardiac masses associated with infective endocarditis. The presence of such masses does not in itself require surgical intervention nor does it predict the ultimate course of the patient.
Seasonal seismicity at western United States volcanic centers

We examine 20-yr data sets of seismic activity from 10 volcanic areas in the western United States for annual periodic signals (seasonality), focusing on large calderas (Long Valley caldera and Yellowstone) and stratovolcanoes (Cascade Range). We apply several statistical methods to test for seasonality in the seismic catalogs. In 4 of the 10 regions, statistically significant seasonal modulation of seismicity (N90% probability) occurs, such that there is an increase in the monthly seismicity during a given portion of the year. In five regions, seasonal seismicity is significant in the upper 3 km of the crust. Peak seismicity occurs in the summer and autumn in Mt. St. Helens, Hebgen Lake/Madison Valley, Yellowstone Lake, and Mammoth Mountain. In the eastern south moat of Long Valley caldera (LVC) peak seismicity occurs in the winter and spring. We quantify the possible external forcing mechanisms that could modulate seasonal seismicity. Both snow unloading and groundwater recharge can generate large stress changes of N5 kPa at seismogenic depths and may thus contribute to seasonality. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Allosteric Cross Talk between Cadherin Extracellular Domains

Atomic force microscopy and surface force apparatus measurements determined the functional impact of the cadherin point mutation W2A and domain deletion mutations on C-cadherin binding signatures. Direct comparison of results obtained using both experimental approaches demonstrates that C-cadherin ectodomains form multiple independent bonds that require different structural regions. The results presented reveal significant interdomain cross talk. They further demonstrate that the mutation W2A not only abolishes adhesion between N-terminal domains, but allosterically modulates other binding states that require functional domains distal to the N-terminal binding site. Such allosteric effects may play a prominent role in modulating adhesion by Type I classic cadherins, cadherin oligomerization at junctional contacts, and propagation of binding information to the cytoplasmic region.
Merging microarray data, robust feature selection, and predicting prognosis in prostate cancer

Abstract Motivation: Individual microarray studies searching for prognostic biomarkers often have few samples and low statistical power; however, publicly accessible data sets make it possible to combine data across studies. Method: We present a novel approach for combining microarray data across institutions and platforms. We introduce a new algorithm, robust greedy feature selection (RGFS), to select predictive genes. Results: We combined two prostate cancer microarray data sets, conﬁ rmed the appropriateness of the approach with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness-of-ﬁ t test, and built several predictive models. The best logistic regression model with stepwise forward selection used 7 genes and had a misclassi ﬁ cation rate of 31%. Models that combined LDA with different feature selection algorithms had misclassiﬁ cation rates between 19% and 33%, and the sets of genes in the models varied substantially during cross-validation. When we combined RGFS with LDA, the best model used two genes and had a misclassiﬁ cation rate of 15%.
The Union of Vieta's and Wallis's Products for Pi

(1999). The Union of Vieta's and Wallis's Products for Pi. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 106, No. 8, pp. 774-776.
Results of Therapeutic Penetrating Keratoplasty

Purpose: To determine the anatomic and visual results of therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty (PK) and its role in the management of corneal disease. Methods: The authors reviewed the records of all of their patients who had undergone therapeutic PK over the past 9 years and evaluated each for the following criteria: cure of disease, graft clarity, and visual acuity. Patients were divided into seven categories: (1 and 2) bacterial and fungal keratitis, (3 and 4) herpetic keratitis, with and without inflammation, (5) acanthamoebic keratitis, (6) perforations due to keratoconjunctivitis sicca, and (7) other causes of perforation. Results: In microbial keratitis, therapeutic PK eradicated the disease in all cases. Seventy-three percent of grafts for bacterial keratitis and 60% for fungal keratitis remained clear. A higher percentage of clarity was achieved when grafts were 9.0 mm or less. Seven patients with secondary endophthalmitis were cured with a surgical approach including therapeutic PK. In herpetic keratitis with active inflammation, only 36% of grafts remained clear, and inflammation recurred in 36%. All perforations due to postherpetic persistent epithelial defects in "quiet" eyes were grafted successfully. In patients with severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca, eyes were anatomically stabilized in 83%, but all grafts failed because of complications from ocular surface disease. Conclusions: Therapeutic PK is valuable in the management of microbial keratitis that does not respond to antimicrobial therapy. Results are poorer for patients with herpetic keratitis, although selected patients respond to therapeutic PK when other methods of management have failed. Patients with perforations due to keratoconjunctivitis sicca have a uniformly poor prognosis for graft clarity.
Distinct Growth Strategies of Soil Bacteria as Revealed by Large-Scale Colony Tracking

Our understanding of microbial ecology has been significantly furthered in recent years by advances in sequencing techniques, but comprehensive surveys of the phenotypic characteristics of environmental bacteria remain rare. Such phenotypic data are crucial for understanding the microbial strategies for growth and the diversity of microbial ecosystems. Here, we describe a high-throughput measurement of the growth of thousands of bacterial colonies using an array of flat-bed scanners coupled with automated image analysis. We used this system to investigate the growth properties of members of a microbial community from untreated soil. The system provides high-quality measurements of the number of CFU, colony growth rates, and appearance times, allowing us to directly study the distribution of these properties in mixed environmental samples. We find that soil bacteria display a wide range of growth strategies which can be grouped into several clusters that cannot be reduced to any of the classical dichotomous divisions of soil bacteria, e.g., into copiotophs and oligotrophs. We also find that, at early times, cells are most likely to form colonies when other, nearby colonies are present but not too dense. This maximization of culturability at intermediate plating densities suggests that the previously observed tendency for high density to lead to fewer colonies is partly offset by the induction of colony formation caused by interactions between microbes. These results suggest new types of growth classification of soil bacteria and potential effects of species interactions on colony growth.
Using Brine Shrimp to Determine Structure-activity Relationships Among Lupin Alkaloids

AbstractThe simple and convenient brine shrimp, Anemia salina (Leach), bioassay has been used to evaluate the activities of 13 known lupin alkaloids. Data from this study have revealed interesting structure-activity relationships. α-Isosparteine was by far the most active of these lupin alkaloids, suggesting that further pharmacologic testing of this compound may be warranted.
Redefining hypotension in traumatic brain injury.

Abstract Background Systemic hypotension is a well documented predictor of increased mortality following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Hypotension is traditionally defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) Patients and methods A retrospective database review of all adults (≥15 years) with isolated moderate to severe TBI (head abbreviated injury score (AIS) ≥ 3, all other AIS ≤ 3), admitted from five Level I and eight Level II trauma centres (Los Angeles County), between 1998 and 2005. Several fit statistic analyses were performed for each admission SBP from 60 to 180 mm Hg to identify the model that most accurately defined hypotension for three age groups: 15–49 years, 50–69 years, and ≥70 years. The main outcome variable was mortality, and the optimal definition of hypotension for each group was determined from the best fit model. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) were then calculated to determine increased odds in mortality for the defined optimal SBP within each age group. Results A total of 15,733 patients were analysed. The optimal threshold of hypotension according to the best fit model was SBP of 110 mm Hg for patients 15–49 years (AOR 1.98, CI 1.65–2.39, p Conclusions Patients with isolated moderate to severe TBI should be considered hypotensive for SBP
Vapor-Phase Growth of High-Quality ZnO Micro- and Nano-Structures

Micro- and nano-structures of ZnO have been grown on substrates from flowing carrier gases in a tube furnace. We have investigated how variations in the carrier gas composition, gas flow rate and the position of the substrate control the formation and the morphology of the nanostructures. The source material was pure zinc powder evaporated in the temperature range 500oC to 650oC in flowing Ar plus oxygen at atmospheric pressure. It was found that precise control of the gas composition, gas flow rate, and growth time was necessary for reliable deposition. It was also found that zinc powder must be washed to remove the surface oxide. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of samples grown from a Zn powder source show forested needles approximately 100 nm in diameter by 1 micron long, and faceted rods from 500nm to 700nm thick. Photoluminescence measurements at 4 K show a dominant line at ~3.36eV with additional features at 3.32 and 3.37eV. The line widths are ~ 3.5meV, indicating good quality material. The usual green-band emission is also observed.
Beliefs and Expectations of Principles of Marketing Students

Students were surveyed to determine their beliefs and expectations prior to taking their Principles of Marketing class. The students were surveyed on the first day of class before any introduction to the course. The students were asked eight open-ended questions to determine their knowledge and awareness about marketing as a field of study. The results indicated that students believe marketing comprises selling, advertising, and promotion. Almost half of the respondents believe that marketing is a “bad business practice,” and nearly one-fourth thought that marketing was a poor career choice. Recommendations are provided for how to address student misconceptions and beliefs about marketing.
Balance of Power and System Stability: Simulating Complex Anarchical Environments Over the Internet

Game theoretic examinations of balance of power hypotheses in the context of N-player games have identified certain distributions of resources which should lead to system stability, defined as the continued survival of all participants (Wagner 1986, Niou, Ordeshook, and Rose 1989; Niou and Ordeshook 1990). This article uses data from a seven-player simulation of realist international politics to analyze hypotheses on power distributions, the number of actors, and system stability By conducting the simulation over the Internet, a tremendous number of runs through the simulation can be completed in a relatively short time, thereby generating sufficient data for the statistical analysis of the distributions of power that occur. These data can then be used to examine how those distributions relate to the number of participants found in the eventual end-state of the system. The primary contribution of this article is empirical. Data generated with a simulation of realist international politics are used to examine the applicability of game theoretic propositions to humans interacting in environments
Data collection capacity of random-deployed wireless sensor networks under physical models

Data collection is one of the most important functions provided by wireless sensor networks. In this paper, we study the theoretical limitations of data collection in terms of capacity for a wireless sensor network wheren sensors are randomly deployed. We first consider data collection under physical model. We show that the capacity of data collection is in order of .W / where W is the fixed data-rate on individual links. Particularly, we give a simple collection method based on interference blocks and theoretically prove that the method can achieve the optimal capacity in order. If each sensor can aggregate its receiving packets into a single packet to send, the capacity of data collection increases to n logn W. We then derive a lower bound and an upper bound of data collection capacity under generalized physical model where the data rate depends on the signal to interference plus noise ratio.
Libertarianism and Ownership of the Human Body

Biomedicine in the clinic and in research has been shaped by the technological developments of the last forty years, and for the foreseeable future it will continue to be shaped by these developments. Technology has not only enabled medicine to do better what had been done before, but it has also reshaped the possibilities of health care and human life. As biomedical technologies realize new possibilities for medicine the limitations of human existence are also challenged. Biomedical technology opens the door to new possibilities in curing illness, prolonging life, and altering the most basic structures of human life itself. In doing so, these technologies create new choices in almost every aspect of human life from reproduction to the way we die.
Signal Representation and Frames

A pervasive and useful idea in mathematics is that functions (signals) may be decomposed into elementary atomic functions. Suppose that {φ n } is such a collection of building blocks or atoms from which functions may be constructed. Any such constructed function f has the form $$ f(t) = \sum {{{c}_{n}}{{\phi }_{n}}(t)} $$ (3.1) for some constants c n that may be chosen. By specifying both an underlying atomic set {φ n } and an associated scalar sequence {c n }, one may provide a description of the function f that has both practical and analytic value. This is true with the caveat that the atomic set is chosen with some care. In particular, the interpretation of the equality in Equation (3.1) is not straightforward for arbitrary atomic sets. In addition, there are deep and interesting convergence issues concerning the right-hand side of (3.1) when the atomic set has an infinite number of members. In a practical sense, it may be argued that choosing atomic sets that lead to fundamental analytical problems such as these are bad choices and should be avoided. Such problems may be circumvented by placing some modest requirements on the atomic set; namely, that it form a frame for a large enough space of interest.
The State Corporate Income Tax: A Synthesis of Recent Research

This paper surveys and synthesizes recent accounting research involving state-level taxation of corporate income. The article begins with a summary of how state corporate income taxation works, particularly the apportionment formula for multi-state corporations. There follows a survey of the types of questions and issues addressed by researchers in this area, and data sources and measurement issues. The review of the literature includes papers that explore state variation in tax regimes, and research involving the apportionment formula and the effects it has on economic factors and tax competition. The article concludes with suggestions for future research.