cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Situational awareness uncertainty impacts on Dynamic Spectrum Access performance

This paper explores the value of situational awareness information to Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) systems, which access wireless spectrum in an ad hoc manner to meet user needs while avoiding harmful interference to other spectrum users. In general, DSA systems must make adaptation decisions with imperfect information in factors such as local propagation characteristics as well as the presence, location, and spectrum usage behaviors of other spectrum users. DSA methods for developing situational awareness (SA) include spectrum sensing, information sharing among networked users, and access to various databases. This paper derives the relationship between SA uncertainty and DSA system performance. The SA and decision process uses a probabilistic reasoning and decision-making model for DSA systems. The method uses a Bayesian Networking model with causality assumptions along with multiattribute utility theory. The BN is built as a functional causal model from common functional relationships and algorithms from communications theory. The associated analysis provides insight into the decision-making trades of a DSA system when acting on imperfect situational awareness and highlights some general findings and principles. The results demonstrate a direct impact on interference and capacity potential resulting from uncertainty. Uncertainty is quantified in terms of incorrect assessment of the mean and variance of the path loss probability distribution.
The rarity of absent growth rings in Northern Hemisphere forests outside the American Southwest

[1] We present a synthesis of locally absent (or “missing”) growth rings across the Northern Hemisphere based on 2359 publicly available tree ring-width records. During the last millennium, widespread absent rings have been observed only in the southwestern United States and were associated with severe drought. Absent rings were uncommon during the growing seasons that followed major volcanic eruptions, including A.D. 1259 and 1816. Because these features have occurred so rarely in high-latitude and high-elevation tree ring-width records, the hypothesis that the Northern Hemisphere tree ring-width network is compromised by dating errors due to unrecognized absent rings would require that many temperature-limited forest stands in the network exhibited a reaction to cold temperatures that have essentially never been observed anywhere. If however absent-ring formation were to increase in forests outside of the American Southwest, that behavior would represent an unprecedented response to environmental stress.
Total-Ionizing-Dose Effects on the Resistance Switching Characteristics of Chalcogenide Programmable Metallization Cells

Programmable metallization cells (PMCs) are emerging ReRAM devices exhibiting resistance switching due to cation transport in a solid-state electrolyte and redox reactions at the electrodes. Their non-volatility and low power requirements have led to increased interest in their development for non-volatile memory applications. Investigation of the total dose response of PMCs will contribute to our understanding of radiation induced effects in these novel memory devices as well as assess their suitability for use in ionizing radiation environments. This work investigates the impact of total ionizing dose on the switching characteristic of silver doped Ge30Se70 PMC memory devices. The results obtained show that the resistance switching characteristic of these cells which use a solid state electrolyte based on Ge30Se70 is not affected by a total dose exposure of up to 10 Mrad( Ge30Se70).
Radiographic and Navigation Measurements of TKA Limb Alignment Do Not Correlate

Precise pre- and postoperative anatomic measurements are necessary to plan, perform, and evaluate total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We evaluated the relationship between radiographic and navigation alignment measurements, identified sources of error in radiographic and navigated alignment assessment, and determined the differences between desired and clinically accepted alignment. Fifty-eight computer-assisted TKAs were performed and limb alignment measurements were recorded both pre- and postoperatively with standard radiographs and with an intraoperative navigation system. Intraoperative navigation produced consistent navigation-generated alignment results that were within 1° of the desired alignment. The difference between preoperative radiographic and navigation measurements varied by as much as 12° and the difference between postoperative radiographic and navigation measurements varied by as much as 8°. This discrepancy depended on the degree of limb deformity. Postoperative radiographic measurements have inherent limitations. Navigation can generate precise, accurate, and reproducible alignment measurements. This technology can function as an effective tool for assessing pre- and postoperative limb alignment and relating intraoperative alignment measurements to clinical and functional outcomes. Level of Evidence: Level II, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Measurement of Epstein-Barr Virus DNA Loads in Whole Blood and Plasma by TaqMan PCR and in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes by Competitive PCR

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA load values were measured in samples of whole blood (n = 60) and plasma (n = 59) by TaqMan PCR and in samples of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) (n = 60) by competitive PCR (cPCR). The samples were obtained from 44 transplant recipients. The whole-blood and PBL loads correlated highly (r2 > 0.900), whereas the plasma and PBL loads correlated poorly (r2 = 0.512). Testing of whole blood by TaqMan PCR is an acceptable alternative to testing of PBLs by cPCR for quantifying EBV DNA load.
Azatoxin is a mechanistic hybrid of the topoisomerase II-targeted anticancer drugs etoposide and ellipticine

One approach to broadening the diversity of topoisomerase II-targeted anticancer agents is to generate novel compounds by combining structural elements of drugs known to stimulate enzyme-mediated DNA cleavage. The first agent to emerge from such a rational drug design is azatoxin, a hybrid drug that fuses chemical structures from etoposide and ellipticine. Since these drugs differ significantly in their structural and mechanistic attributes, azatoxin may preferentially retain the functional properties of one of these two drugs, behave as a hybrid molecule, or act as a novel pharmacophore. Therefore, the properties of azatoxin were characterized to determine relationships between its mechanism of action and those of its parent compounds. Azatoxin, like etoposide, binds to DNA in a nonintercalative fashion. However, similar to ellipticine, the drug has no effect on enzyme-mediated DNA religation and apparently stimulates scission primarily by enhancing cleavage complex formation. Depending on the species of...
Relations between hyperactive and aggressive behavior and peer relations at three elementary grade levels.

Sociometrics and teacher ratings of hyperactivity and aggression were obtained on 390 boys in grades 1– 6 to explore the relative contributions of hyperactivity and aggression to children's social adjustment. Both hyperactivity and aggression were correlated with negative sociometric nominations at all grade levels; however, only hyperactivity showed consistent inverse correlations with positive sociometric nominations. In multiple regression analyses, hyperactivity contributed incremental variance to the prediction of problematic sociometric status at all grade levels, while aggression did so only at grades 3– 4. An examination of the core symptoms of hyperactivity revealed that motor hyperactivity, in the absence of impulsivity and inattention, did not predict negative sociometric status at any grade level. Subgroups of boys categorized as hyperactive only, aggressive only, hyperactive/aggressive, and nonhyperactive/nonaggressive controls were compared on teacher ratings and sociometrics. Hyperactive/aggressive boys had higher hyperactivity and aggression ratings than boys in either of the single- problem groups; all three behavior problem groups had more negative social status than controls. Developmental changes in children's normative expectations for social behavior were discussed as possible mechanisms mediating the age- related differences in relations among aggression, hyperactivity, and peer relations.
Chromatographic studies of amino acids in the eggs and embryos of various species

Abstract Many known amino acids have been found to occur free in very low concentration in ovarian frog eggs and larvae. In addition, several as yet unidentified ninhydrin reactive molecular species have been observed; of these, both “underglutamic acid” and “fast arginine” occur in relatively high concentration. The data obtained on hydrolysate studies indicated that there is a surprising similarity in the total amino acid composition of all the egg types, developmental stages and germ layers investigated (Table II). In only a few species specific differences in the distribution of ninhydrin reactive substances were encountered (Table III). As far as the amphibian egg is concerned, the chromatograms give no indication that new amino acids appear and others disappear in the course of embryonic and larval development. Those of the amino acids which were approached with semi-quantitative methods were found to be present in all of the tissue primordia of the amphibian embryo without showing appreciable local differences of concentration (Table I). Therefore, if there is to be an embryonic chemodifferentiation within the cellular protein components, it apparently does not occur at the level of the amino acids, but on a higher plane of molecular organization which still eludes a biochemical approach. Evidently, the egg receives from the maternal body a vast array of amino acids ready made, and the subsequent embryogenetic elaboration of structurally and metabolically specific proteins results from specific integrations and regroupings of these units rather than from their neo-formation.
Sporadic colonic hamartomas in adults: a retrospective study

Background Colonic hamartomas are uncommon in adults. The aims of this study were to determine (1) the prevalence of colonic hamartomas in an adult population undergoing colonoscopy and (2) the clinical, endoscopic, and histologic features of colonic hamartomas in adult patients. Methods A pathology database identified 19 adult patients of 12,707 patients with colonic hamartomas in the 11-year study period from January 1992 to October 2002. An endoscopic computer database provided information about the number of colonoscopies performed and the presence or the absence of colonic polyp(s) in study patients. Charts of patients with colonic hamartomas were reviewed, and clinical and demographic data were collated. Results Nineteen patients were found to have colonic hamartomas. The mean age of these patients was 55 years, with an age distribution ranging from 25 to 81 years. The prevalence of colonic hamartomas in this study population was 0.15%. The prevalence of hamartomas in patients with colon polyps at index colonoscopy was 0.073%. Colonic hamartomas were more common in men than in women. The indication for colonoscopy for the majority (68%) of patients was hematochezia or the presence of occult blood in the stool. Three fourths of the polyps were greater than 1 cm in diameter, and 89% were pedunculated. Two thirds of the hamartomatous polyps were localized to the rectosigmoid region. Endoscopic characteristics of hamartomas were indistinguishable from adenomas. Conclusions Colonic hamartomas in adults are rare. They tend to be single, pedunculated, and localized predominantly in the rectosigmoid region. Endoscopic resection of colonic hamartomas was successful in all patients.
Permissive and non-permissive reactive astrocytes: Immunofluorescence study with antibodies to the glial hyaluronate-binding protein

Two distinct types of reactive astrocytes were studied in rat CNS. Reactive astrocytes secondary to penetrating trauma (anisomorphic gliosis) were induced by stab wounds to the brain. Reactive astrocytes secondary to Wallerian degeneration (isomorphic gliosis) were induced in spinal cord dorsal columns by dorsal rhizotomy proximal to dorsal root ganglia. Anisomorphic glial scars did not stain with antibodies to the glial hyaluronate-binding protein (GHAP), a structural glycoprotein of white matter extracellular matrix. Conversely, isomorphic glial scars were still GHAP-positive 3 months after dorsal root transection. Only after 5 months did GHAP immunoreactivity start to disappear from the isomorphic glial scar. Extensive dorsal rhizotomy was performed at the lumbar level to produce Wallerian degeneration of spinal cord dorsal columns. One month later, the rats were reoperated and two thoracic dorsal roots were implanted in the degenerated dorsal columns. The rats were examined 1 month after grafting. As expected, there was a dense anisomorphic glial scar at the site of surgery, while the dorsal columns above the graft showed isomorphic gliosis. Extensive axonal growth was observed in the dense glial scar surrounding the graft. Conversely, no axonal growth was observed in the degenerated dorsal columns undergoing isomorphic gliosis above the implant. The findings suggested that GHAP-negative astrocytes responding to traumatic injury are permissive for axonal growth and that GHAP-positive astrocytes responding to Wallerian degeneration are not permissive.
Geometric Modeling In Vision For Manufacturing

We describe a geometric modeling and geometric reasoning system which is being developped to model real world industrial parts and to carry out examples of programmable inspection and picking parts from bins. It models both specific objects and generic classes of industrial parts. We concentrate on the problem of programming complex vision tasks. The models are used to guide a vision system interpreting industrial images. It identifies instances of objects, and odject classes, and extracts three dimensional information from monocular images. it can make use of depth information from stereo or projection ranging. The vision system relies on propagating symbolic algebraic constraints, both to predict image features and to extract three dimensional information from image feature measurements. This research is integrated with extensive research on finding image intensity boundaries in images and on surface description from stereo.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Field testing of signal head vibration absorber to reduce fatigue in wind-excited traffic signal support structures

The signal head vibration absorber (SHVA) is an effective vibration mitigation device proposed to reduce the in-plane wind-induced vibration and corresponding fatigue of traffic signal support structures. An SHVA was successfully tested in the Advanced Hazards Mitigation Laboratory at the University of Connecticut by being subjected to both free and force vibration testing with pluck tests and a linear shaker. A new SHVA design has been developed; it requires no modifications of standard signal heads or mounting hardware and is readily installable in the field for both retrofit and new applications. This paper provides research verification of the ability of an SHVA to reduce wind-induced vibration in traffic signal support structures. Successful field testing of a traffic signal support structure with a mast arm 60 ft (18.29 m) long was conducted at Texas Tech University's National Wind Institute Wind Engineering Research Field Laboratory. The field test results, consistent with prior laboratory testing,...
Two-year results of multicenter phase III trials on the effect of the addition of sirolimus to Cyclosporine-based immunosuppressive regimens in renal transplantation

Abstract Randomized clinical trials conducted over 24 months and including nearly 1300 renal transplant patients compared the efficacy and safety of two dose levels of sirolimus versus azathioprine (United States) or placebo (Global) comparators administered with a cyclosporine (CsA) and prednisone (Pred) baseline regimen. Analysis of 24-month data revealed that patients in the 5 mg/d sirolimus groups experienced a significant delay in the onset and reduction in the incidence of acute rejection episodes compared with azathioprine (Aza) or placebo groups ( P = .02/ P = .001). Graft and patient survival rates and also the occurrence of transplant-related infections, lymphoproliferative disorders, or malignancies were similar among all treatment arms. Between 12 and 24 months, patients treated with 2 mg/d sirolimus displayed relatively stable mean serum creatinine values, namely 1.9–1.8 mg/dL for the US and 1.8–1.8 mg/dL for the Global ( P = NS) studies, which remained higher than those of the comparators. Both 5 mg/d groups showed an increase in mean serum creatinine during this interval, which was significantly higher than the value in both comparators at 24 months. Both sirolimus groups showed persistently elevated triglyceride levels compared with Aza-treated patients at month 24. The Global trial showed a less-pronounced difference in mean fasting triglyceride values compared with placebo. Data from both trials demonstrate that the addition of sirolimus to a CsA-Pred treatment regimen yielded a durable immunosuppressive effect associated with a progressive resolution of adverse side effects over time except for hyperlipidemia, which required continued countermeasure therapy.
Immunological Properties of Lactate Dehydrogenase Isozymes in Trout

Abstract Evolutionary and immunological relationships among the different genes specifying synthesis of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) LDH subunits were demonstrated. A procedure was devised for the purification and concentration of specific rainbow trout isozymes which were then used for antisera production. The B4 1 and B4 2 autotetramer isozymes and the Group “a” isozyme system were shown by double agar diffusion to produce distinctly different antibodies. Antisera against specific isozymes showed degrees of cross-reaction depending on the relatedness of the isozymes. The LDH-C gene locus is more closely related to the LDH-B2 gene than to the LDH-B1 gene. Electrophoresis was demonstrated to be an efficient additional method to spectrophotometric assays to show inactivation of LDH by antibodies. LDH isozymes underwent rapid conformational change when purified and stored.
On nietzsche and orientalism: A response to Faber

The notion that there is such a thing as “Eastern thought,” which has a single, consistent identity, and that Western thinkers can have much “in common with it,” is a long-standing comparatist trope that, for most scholars, should have exhausted itself two decades ago in the search for a non-Western, alternative culture. In his paper “Back to a crossroad: Nietzsche, Freud, and the East,” M. D. Faber offers an oddly isogetical reading of some of Nietzsche’s more familiar remarks about Buddhism and, in so doing, presents a distinctly anachronistic style of Orientalist interpretation. Faber does readers the service of carefully citing, with an eye toward chronology, a number of disparate passages from a variety of Nietzsche’s writings. This section is intended to demonstrate that, after a lengthy phase of disdain for Buddhist “pessimism,” Nietzsche developed an eventual appreciation for the healthful and lifeaffirming aspects of what Faber refers to as “the East’s wisdom” (p. 41), an appreciation that, Faber finally argues, Sigmund Freud would have been wise to adopt as well (cf. p. 390. It is undeniable that there is a shift in the tone of Nietzsche’s remarks about Buddhism in later texts such as Ecce Homo, On the Genealogy of Morals, and most prominently, The Anti-Christ. But the reasons that Faber asserts for this shift are unintelligible when viewed in the context of either Nietzschian or Buddhological sources. In fact, Faber’s essay does readers the disservice of arguing for a theoretical simplicity and a referential determinacy that is unsuitable to either tradition. In the end, he offers us a domesticated Nietzsche and a “hygienic” Buddhism that have little of the complexity or interest of their textual loci.
MITOCHONDRIAL CHANGES INDUCED BY THYROID HORMONES.

Incubation at 37 C of heavy suspensions of rat liver mitochondria results in release into the suspending medium of protein containing DPNH diaphorase activity. The addition of 5 × 1O-5M thyroxine produces a biphasic effect upon release kinetics, with an early acceleration and a late decrease in the process. Similar effects upon release kinetics are noted on incubation of liver mitochondria from severely thyrotoxic rats. The existence is proposed of liver mitochondria with different responses to thyroid hormone. (Endocrinology 75: 770, 1964)
DNA barcoding evolves into the familiar.

First, there is nothing wrong with careful use of a DNA barcode to help identify an unknown specimen; indeed, in some cases, it might be the most effective way to find a name for many species. The caveat is that the unknown specimen needing identification is from a previously described (known to science) species. Problems arise when the unknown specimen comes from the majority of biodiversity that is undescribed, and the barcode becomes the only data by which the species is understood. This is unlikely to be the case for most vertebrates or many plants because most species are already known. Although there are special cases in which a life stage or body part is difficult to identify to species (DeSalle & Birstein 1996; Rubinoff 2006), many vertebrate and plant specimens may be identifiable without a need for DNA. For specific uses such as quarantine against known insect pests, barcodes could be invaluable for speed and accuracy. Nevertheless, the biodiversity crisis is the rapid loss of species, especially those that have never been identified, described, or studied. They are the great unknown, the “taxonomic impediment” to understanding and preserving biodiversity, and at least part of the rationale for the initial barcoding proposals (Hebert et al. 2003). Many, if not most, of these unknown species are insects, the bulk of this planet’s biodiversity. Therefore, finding barcodes for previously described species is not going to address these unknown species and help us understand the scope or scale of the biodiversity crisis. There is nothing inherently wrong with having barcodes for previously identified species, if the DNA sequences are properly analyzed (DeSalle et al. 2005). But generating barcodes for known species is not the best way to conserve the vast number of unknown, never-identified species. I suggest such a practice is akin to tidying one’s room while the house is on fire.
The antileukemic efficacy of an immunotoxin composed of a monoclonal anti-Thy-1 antibody disulfide linked to the ribosome-inactivating protein gelonin.

We prepared an immunoconjugate consisting of a monoclonal antibody recognizing the Thy-1 antigen and the ribosome-inactivating protein gelonin linked by a disulfide bond. This immunotoxin preparation was judged to contain less than 5% free antibody or gelonin. It was highly toxic in vitro in an antigen-specific fashion to the Thy-1 expressing RADA leukemia of A/J mice. The IC50 of this preparation on RADA in vitro was 10−12 M, while the IC50 on the Thy-1 negative S1509a fibrosarcoma of A/J mice was 10−7 M. The toxicity of this immunoconjugate was also measured in a direct proliferation assay and it was found that a 4-h exposure and a 24-h exposure of RADA cells to a 1 nM concentration of immunotoxin killed 90% and 99.9% of cells, respectively. Furthermore, efficacy in vitro was not due to the intrinsic susceptibility of RADA cells to tis type of immunotoxin, as one prepared with gelonin and an antibody recognizing the TLa determinant on this leukemia had no efficacy in vitro. Clearance of the anti-Thy-1-gelonin immunoconjugate from the circulation of A/J mice after i.v. injection was rapid, especially during the first 8 h after injection, possibly because of binding to Thy-1 expressing tissue. Delivery of immunoconjugate to ascitic tumor in vivo was substantially better if the immunoconjugate was given by i.p. injection, rather than by the i.v. route. When given either i.v. or i.p. at the time of i.p. tumor inoculation in vivo, the anti-Thy-1-gelonin immunotoxin showed potency in an antigen-specific fashion; while this immunoconjugate prolonged survival and frequently cured RADA-inoculated mice, neither anti-Thy-1 antibody, gelonin, a combination of the two, nor immunotoxin of irrelevant specificity had any significant effect on survival. Anti-Thy-1-gelonin also had no effect on survival of A/J mice inoculated i.p. with S1509a. Furthermore, it was determined that a single i.p. dose of anti-Thy-1-gelonin killed 90% to 99% cells in vivo, and that the immunoconjugate was about as effective in this model as either adriamycin or cytoxan.
Characterization of electrocardiogram changes throughout a marathon

Purpose There are few data examining cardiovascular physiology throughout a marathon. This study was devised to characterize electrocardiographic activity continuously throughout a marathon.
So many options, so little time: The roles of association and competition in underdetermined responding

How do we make decisions when faced with multiple options? In the domain of language, some evidence suggests that we exert cognitive control in order to respond in such underdetermined situations when a good option is hard to find but not when we must select among competing options. However, this conclusion, and conclusions about the neural substrates supporting underdetermined responding, are made on the basis of measures that confound retrieval and selection demands. The present study introduces measures based on latent semantic analyses that better capture the underlying theoretical constructs of association strength and competition. These measures revealed independent effects of retrieval and selection demands on reaction times in verb generation and sentence completion tasks. These results challenge existing accounts of underdetermined responding and highlight the need for unconfounded measures of association strength and competition in studies of localization. We propose a new model governed by both absolute and relative activation levels of alternative responses.
Coherence at 16-32 Hz can be caused by short-term synchrony of motor units.

Time- and frequency-domain measures of discharge times for pairs of motor units are used to infer the proportion of common synaptic input received by motor neurons. The physiological mechanisms tha...
Probing protein photochemistry and dynamics with ultrafast infrared spectroscopy

Ultra-fast time-resolved infrared spectroscopy is discussed as a tool for investigating protein dynamics. Due to continuing developments in laser technology, researchers have recently begun to take advantage of the utility of vibrational spectroscopies as structural probes in studying the fast timescale dynamics of complex macromolecular systems. The structural complexity of proteins necessitates a wide range of infrared frequencies and timescales in order to obtain a detailed understanding of their conformational dynamics. Free electron lasers are uniquely well suited to this task, as designs are possible which provide ultra-short coherent light pulses throughout the infrared spectral region. Studies planned for the Stanford Picosecond FEL Center on reaction dynamics in the trans-membrane cytochrome oxidase proteins and protein folding in polypeptides are described. These serve as examples of the contributions free electron lasers will make in the fields of biochemistry and biophysics.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
What Lies Beyond the Online Catalog

Five prominent consultants look into the future, projecting technological advancements that, in some cases, will enhance current library systems, and in many cases will cause them to become obsolete. Major trends include advances in mainframe and microcomputing technology, the development of inexpensive local area networks and telecommunications gateways, and the advent of (mass) optical storage.
CYP2E1 hydroxylation of aniline involves negative cooperativity.

Abstract CYP2E1 plays a role in the metabolic activation and elimination of aniline, yet there are conflicting reports on its mechanism of action, and hence relevance, in aniline metabolism. Based on our work with similar compounds, we hypothesized that aniline binds two CYP2E1 sites during metabolism resulting in cooperative reaction kinetics and tested this hypothesis through rigorous in vitro studies. The kinetic profile for recombinant CYP2E1 demonstrated significant negative cooperativity based on a fit of data to the Hill equation ( n = 0.56). Mechanistically, the data were best explained through a two-binding site cooperative model in which aniline binds with high affinity ( K s = 30 μM) followed by a second weaker binding event ( K ss = 1100 uM) resulting in a threefold increase in the oxidation rate. Binding sites for aniline were confirmed by inhibition studies with 4-methylpyrazole. Inhibitor phenotyping experiments with human liver microsomes validated the central role for CYP2E1 in aniline hydroxylation and indicated minor roles for CYP2A6 and CYP2C9. Importantly, inhibition of minor metabolic pathways resulted in a kinetic profile for microsomal CYP2E1 that replicated the preferred mechanism and parameters observed with the recombinant enzyme. Scaled modeling of in vitro CYP2E1 metabolism of aniline to in vivo clearance, especially at low aniline levels, led to significant deviations from the traditional model based on non-cooperative, Michaelis–Menten kinetics. These findings provide a critical mechanistic perspective on the potential importance of CYP2E1 in the metabolic activation and elimination of aniline as well as the first experimental evidence of a negatively cooperative metabolic reaction catalyzed by CYP2E1.
Effect of Temperature on the Dissociative and Nondissociative Electron Attachment to Freons

The attachment of slow electrons to freons (including many atmospheric halocarbons) depends rather strongly on the gas temperature. In general, as the temperature increases, dissociative electron attachment increases and nondissociative electron attachment decreases; the former behavior is principally due to increase in autodissociation and the latter principally due to increase in autodetachment of the transient anion.
Gauge Inspection Using Hough Transforms

An automatic method of inspecting the scaling accuracy of needle-type instrument gauges using a two-stage Hough transform technique is described. The system measures and verifies the relative accuracy of a gauge's response to a specified set of analog input signals. The method does not require that the gauge's position, orientation, or size be known a priori and the algorithm is very suitable for high-speed hardware implementation.
A direct injection capillary electrophoretic technique for miniaturized high-throughput metabolic screening of the CYP 3A4 enzyme using quinidine as a probe.

A capillary electrophoresis (CE) method has been developed for the determination of quinidine sulfate (QS) and (3S)-3-hydroxyquinidine (3-OHQ) by direct injection of microsomal incubation mixtures. 3-OHQ is the CYP 3A4 metabolite of QS and hence useful for metabolism screening studies. The method was validated analytically and tested for its effectiveness as a metabolic inhibition model. A linear calibration was found to provide the best fit for the standard curve with an r of 0.9966 and all residuals less than 12%. The percent relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the two controls, 2 and 8 microg/ml were 5.27 and 2.90% and the percent difference from normal (% DFN) were -12.58 and -0.31% respectively. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) in the incubation matrix was 0.5 microg/ml. 3-OHQ formation complied with Michaelis-Menten kinetics and the mean values+/-S.D. of Km and Vmax were 36.98+/-4.62 microg/ml and 321.39+/-3.88 ng/mg/h respectively. Preliminary inhibition studies suggest that the method has adequate sensitivity to screen for high and medium inhibitors of the CYP 3A4 isozyme. The lack of sample preparation coupled with the small sample size capability of CE would enable the direct injection technique to aid in miniaturized high-throughput screening.
Genetic Variation of Spartina alterniflora in the New York Metropolitan Area and Its Relevance for Marsh Restoration

We examined the genetic population structure of Spartina alterniflora in Jamaica Bay, Queens, NY and the surrounding area in order to assist the ongoing restoration of Jamaica Bay. AMOVA (Analysis of Molecular Variance) indicated that population differences accounted for 15% of molecular variance (Φ PT = 0.15, p = 0.001). Observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranged from 0.61 to 0.73 among populations. A Mantel test indicated a weak and non-significant correlation between pairwise Φ PT and geographic distance matrices (r = 0.34, p = 0.12). A PCA revealed no obvious grouping pattern for sampled populations. Based on these data, we determined that the studied populations contained similar genetic variability to other populations in the New York vicinity and to those of the entire region. It seems likely that collection of germplasm from within the region will prove sufficient in maintaining overall genetic variation in restoration plantings. Given the small amount of genetic structure among populations within Jamaica Bay, however, it would be prudent to collect widely within the target marsh. We also recommend the practice of propagating plugs of S. alterniflora from wild seed, as opposed to using vegetative cuttings, when creating planting stock, in order to maximize genetic diversity in restored marshes.
Schools as Organizations: Some Illustrated Strategies for Educational Research and Practice

Concern with the relationship between theory and practice in educational administration seems especially compatible with certain research strategics. Data were gathered i n a field study to focus attention on some of the main features of the school as a social organization and to facilitate hypothesis development. The hypothesis formulated had at least some empirical base, as well as a logical one. This eases the transition from theory and research to practice. The organizational world of the practitioner itself becomes an object of inquiry. Theory imposes its special kind of order on the practitioner's world; but, at the same time, data from that world create pressures for relevant conceptual analyses. The field study suggested the general importance of pupil control in public schools and the hypotheses formulated and tested dealt with the pupil control ideology of teachers. In addition, speculations on adaptivc structures in public school organizations were offered and some limitations of the work were noted.
Coordinate induction of both cytochrome P4503A and MDR1 by St John's wort in healthy subjects.

Background Many drugs are cosubstrates of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A and MDR1; furthermore, their disposition is markedly affected by pretreatment with inducing agents, including St John's wort. Such drug interactions reflect induction of both proteins through a common mechanism involving the steroid X receptor/pregnane X receptor. However, the relative contributions of enhanced metabolism and efflux transport to the overall induction process are unknown. Methods The effects of 12 days' pretreatment with St John's wort on the disposition of selected in vivo probe drugs were determined in 21 young healthy subjects. Midazolam after oral and intravenous administration was used to assess CYP3A activity in both the intestinal epithelium and the liver, whereas the disposition of fexofenadine after an oral dose was assumed to be a measure of MDR1 function, and the oral plasma concentration-time profile of cyclosporine (INN, ciclosporin) was considered to reflect both CYP3A and MDR1 activities. Results St John's wort markedly affected the plasma concentration-time profiles of all of the drugs, with associated increases in their clearance. With midazolam, the enhancement was considerably less after intravenous administration (approximately 1.5-fold) than after oral administration (approximately 2.7-fold), and estimated intestinal and hepatic extraction ratios were higher by approximately 1.2- to 1.4-fold. By contrast, the oral clearances of fexofenadine and cyclosporine were equally increased by approximately 1.6-fold and 1.9-fold, respectively; these changes were both statistically less than for midazolam's oral clearance and greater than its estimated intestinal extraction. Conclusions Although the disposition of all 3 drugs was altered by St John's wort, the extent of induction measured by oral clearance was different with CYP3A activity (midazolam), apparently increasing more than MDR1 function (fexofenadine), whereas with cyclosporine the change in oral clearance appeared to be more closely associated with the increase in MDR1 rather than CYP3A, despite the fact that both proteins are importantly involved in its disposition. These discordances indicate that, although a common molecular mechanism may be involved, the quantitative aspects of induction are complex and depend on the particular drug and the relative contributions of CYP3A and MDR1 in its disposition. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2003) 73, 41–50; doi: 10.1067/mcp.2003.10
Empirical studies of a decentralized regression test selection framework for web services

As Web services grow in popularity and use, it is becoming more important for organizations to verify their evolving services to ensure that they are providing a desired level of confidence and one of the most common ways to perform this verification is regression testing. Safe regression test selection techniques are often employed in conjunction with regression testing to reduce the associated costs of testing without reducing the level of confidence provided. In a previous work, a framework which automates the safe regression test selection and regression testing processes was developed in a decentralized, end-to-end manner. This paper reports an empirical study of the framework designed to compare the cost of performing the proposed approach and running the selected tests with the cost of running all tests without performing a selection step. The results indicate that the framework can be effective in reducing the costs of performing regression test selection.
Effects of Rote Versus Note Presentations on Rhythm Learning and Retention

This study examined the effects of aural and visual approaches to rhythm reading and short-term retention. Second- and sixth-grade students were presented with two-measure rhythm patterns in four m...
Transcription of specific genes in isolated nuclei by exogenous RNA polymerases.

Abstract Mouse plasmacytoma (MOPC) 460 cells contain two chromatographic forms of RNA polymerase III (III A and III B ) in addition to the major class I and II RNA polymerases. Nuclei isolated from these cells actively synthesize RNA. Among the discrete transcription products observed are the 5S and 4.5S RNAs and additional low molecular weight RNA species (approximately 5.8S, 6.3S, and 6.6S in size). The 4.5S RNAs appear to be tRNA precursors since they can be converted in vitro to 4S RNAs. Studies with α-amanitin have shown that the synthesis of these discrete RNA species, and other uncharacterized transcripts somewhat larger in size, is mediated by an endogenous RNA polymerase III activity(ies). Nuclear RNA synthesis is stimulated by exogenous purified RNA polymerases. Exogenous MOPC class III RNA polymerases stimulate the synthesis of each of the distinct low molecular weight species (including 5S and 4.5S RNAs) about 3–6 fold. The hybridization of nuclear transcripts to purified 5S genes (5S DNA) confirms that exogenous class III RNA polymerases stimulate (approximately 4 fold) the synthesis of ribosomal 5S RNA. The 5S RNA genes in nuclei are transcribed asymmetrically by both the endogenous and the exogenous class III enzymes. Exogenous RNA polymerase III from Xenopus laevis ovaries stimulates 4.5S and 5S RNA synthesis in MOPC nuclei as effectively as do the MOPC class III RNA polymerases. However, exogenous MOPC class I and II RNA polymerases do not stimulate 4.5S and 5S RNA synthesis, suggesting that this effect is specific for the structurally similar class III RNA polymerases.
"The best or none!" Spinsterhood in nineteenth-century New England.

The article explores the seemingly paradoxical connection between the idealization of love and marriage and the reluctance of many women to marry in nineteenth-century New England. Arguing against interpretations that view nineteenth-century singlehood as a proto-feminist stance, it situates spinsterhood in the context of the Victorian elevation and spiritualization of love and marriage as well as of a religiously grounded understanding of morality and usefulness. Searching for vocation in the world was a moral imperative for these spinsters who believed that their lives served a higher purpose. They drew on moral resources made available by their understanding of women's distinctive nature and special mission. Using letters, diaries, memoirs, and biographies, this study documents women's decisions about marriage and work, as well as the changing cultural conceptualization of spinsterhood.
Cytodifferentiation in the accessory glands of Tenebrio molitor II. Patterns of leucine incorporation in the tubular glands of post-ecdysial adult males.

The tubular accessory gland of male mealworm beetles undergoes rapid and progressive terminal differentiation in the 8-day period after ecdysis to the adult. Total protein and RNA content are maximal at five and eight days respectively. Rates of leucine incorporation rise gradually through the first four days and then increase abruptly in the 5- to 7-day interval. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrates a variety of proteins; two classes with high mobility (Class A and B) appear prominent in homogenates of 5- to 8-day glands. Double-label procedures show that as the glands mature, an increasing proportion of the total leucine incorporation passes into Class A and B proteins, until at eight days, Class A and B proteins account for 50% of the total for the gland. The relative incroporation into A vs. B also changes linearly over this interval. The developmental program of the tubular gland includes both a linearly biosynthetic increase in the proportion of differentiation-specific proteins and an abrupt change in the overall rates of leucine incorporation.
Shear Dielectric and Rheological Responses of Polymeric Flows

A variation of dielectric properties with deformation is typically not seen in viscous liquids. However, the dielectrostriction effect can be observed in viscoelastic liquids such as polymers. The dielectrostriction effect resembles a well-known birefringence phenomenon. While birefringence in liquid polymers is described by the stress-optical rule, the stress-dielectric rule works for dielectrostriction. In this article, experimental evidences of the dielectrostriction effect in liquid polymers are presented for the first time. Dielectric and rheological measurements of liquid silicone elastomers having different degree of cross-linking are conducted at different frequencies and amplitudes of oscillatory shear flow. A stress-dielectric relationship exists between shear dielectrostriction response and storage modulus which is similar to stress-optical rule.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Reciprocal sedimentation and noncorrelative hiatuses in marine-paralic siliciclastics: Miocene outcrop evidence

Deepening-upward paralic sequences present within a thicker record of shallowing- upward shelf and nonmarine sequences in Miocene siliciclastics of Maryland provide rare stratigraphic evidence for (1) coastal trapping of sediment during marine transgression, with simultaneous starvation on the open shelf (recorded by condensed skeletal lags), and (2) reciprocal switching of depositional and nondepositional conditions during regression. It follows that the regressive disconformities that define hemicyclic coastal sequences are not laterally continuous with the transgressive disconformities and condensed lags that define open-shelf hemicyclic sequences, although they are commonly depicted or assumed as such. Nor are these disconformities age correlative: marine-to-nonmarine correlations that assume lateral continuity of small-scale sequences (1 to 10 m thick; seismic parasequences) will err by as much as one-half cycle, restricting the applicability of models of punctuated aggradational cycles. The stratigraphic anatomy of parasequences is most comparable to reciprocal patterns inherent in hierarchically larger scale sequences in passive margins, where subaerial unconformities and submarine condensed intervals have recently been biostratigraphically verified as offset in age.
A new and simple measurement approach for characterizing intermodulation distortion without using a spectrum analyzer

This paper presents a novel test setup for characterizing intermodulation distortion in advanced devices and circuits. The setup uses a network analyzer to measure power levels of the fundamental and IM3 products for a two-tone input. It is shown that if the power calibration is correctly performed, the intermodulation distortion terms from a power sweep give the correct value of the input-referred third-order intercept point (IIP3). MOSFETs in a commercially-available 0.13 µm SiGe BiCMOS technology were measured across bias to validate the measurement approach. The results were subsequently validated using harmonic balance simulations based on design-kit compact models.
IdentityLink: user-device linking through visual and RF-signal cues

Mobile devices have become people's indispensable companion, since they allow each individual to be constantly connected with the outside world. In order to keep connected, the devices periodically send out data, which reveal some information about the device owner. Data sent by these devices can be captured by any external observer. Since the observer can observe only the wireless data, the actual person using the device is unknown. In this work, we propose IdentityLink, an approach leveraging the captured wireless data and computer vision to infer the user-device links, i.e., inferring which device is carried by which user. Knowing the user-device links opens up new opportunities for applications such as identifying unauthorized personnel in enterprises or finding criminals by law enforcement. By conducting experiments in a realistic scenario, we demonstrate how IdentityLink can be effectively applied to real practice.
Knowing where and when to look in a time-critical multimodal dual task

Human-computer systems intended for time-critical multitasking need to be designed with an understanding of how humans can coordinate and interleave perceptual, memory, and motor processes. This paper presents human performance data for a highly-practiced time-critical dual task. In the first of the two interleaved tasks, participants tracked a target with a joystick. In the second, participants keyed-in responses to objects moving across a radar display. Task manipulations include the peripheral visibility of the secondary display (visible or not) and the presence or absence of auditory cues to assist with the radar task. Eye movement analyses reveal extensive coordination and overlapping of human information processes and the extent to which task manipulations helped or hindered dual task performance. For example, auditory cues helped only a little when the secondary display was peripherally visible, but they helped a lot when it was not peripherally visible.