cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Paleomagnetic calibration of Milankovitch cyclicity in Lower Cretaceous sediments

Abstract Bedded pelagic limestones of early to mid Cretaceous age may record cyclic climate variability driven by changes in the Earth's orbit (“Milankovitch cycles”). If properly calibrated, the lithologic cycles could provide sedimentary chronometry at far shorter time scales than biostratigraphy and magnetic stratigraphy. The lower Cretaceous Maiolica Formation of northern and central Italy displays rythmic bedding in sections whose magnetic reversal sequence is clearly correlated to the upper M-series marine anomalies. The magnetic reversals divide measured sections into 0.5–2 Myr increments in which sedimentation rate (assuming continous deposition) can be measured to 15–25% accuracy. Paleomagnetically estimated sedimentation rates over a number of polarity zones establish, with one exception, a narrow range in periods of the carbonate cycles. Carbonate couplets have an estimated mean period of 23.5 kyr, and prominent modulations in bedding thickness (“bundling”) have a mean period of 117 kyr (Kent and Gradstein 1985 time scale). The close match of sedimentary periodicities to orbital repeat times implies that the carbonate cycles reflect a combination of professional and eccentricity climatic forcing. Comparison of measured sections from different locations shows that bed-to-bed correlations are possible regionally, cosistent with the Milankovitch hypothesis. Episodes of Barremian “black shale” deposition occur in the troughs of the short eccentricity cycle, as roughly one half of the carbonate-marl couplet, or about 10 kyr duration. It is possible to estimate both the timing (relative to the top of reversed chron M-0) and duration of a period of unusual organic carbon-rich deposition (“Selli Horizon”) in the early part of the Cretaceous Long Normal Magnetic Polarity Interval by tracing the sedimentary cycles up from the Barremian strata.
Regionalizing Exclusive Economic Zone Management

The Exclusive Economic Zone of the U.S. is an extensive area which displays great geographic diversity in terms of resources and the interests of coastal areas. It is suggested that eight regional management units be established for the EEZ, corresponding to the eight regional fisheries management councils, that for some activities such as ocean dumping and marine recreation these regional units have considerable management responsibilities, and that they be charged with addressing the problems of conflict avoidance in their respective regions through planning studies and the recommendation of specific forms of standard setting and enforcement for those types of multiuse activities which are not already covered by specific federal agency responsibilities.
Switching the Jahn−Teller Distortion in Crystalline Ammonium Hexaaquacopper Sulfate (Tutton Salt) with Infrared Radiation

The N−D and O−D stretching regions of the infrared spectrum of (NH4)2[Cu(H2O)6]SO4 doped with a small amount of deuterium reflect the known structure of the crystals at 7 K. Irradiation at the wave...
The resolution of five racemic α-lactams by HPLC

The resolution of five racemic α-lactams (1a-d,g) using HPLC is reported. Five different Pirkle-type stationary phases were tested. The enantiomers of α-lactams containing the trityl group (1a-d) were separated (selectivity factors ranging from 1.08 to 1.20) using a mobile phase of hexane/2-propanol:98/2 and a stationary phase consisting of the 3,5-dinitroaniline derivative of (S)-valine with a urea linkage. Among the dialkyl-substituted α-lactams (1e-g), only 1,3-di-tert-butylaziridinone (1g) could be resolved, but only partially (selectivity factor = 1.07), with a mobile phase of hexane/1,2-dichloroethane:95/5 and the stationary phase consisting of the 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid derivative of (R)-1-naphthylglycine. Chirality, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
What models of recreational reading make a difference

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine what models of recreational reading improve students’ reading achievement and attitudes. Three different recreational reading models were studied to determine the effect of each model on students’ reading. Twenty‐four teachers and 415 students were involved in the study. Six teachers and their students were randomly assigned to one of the four groups: control, sustained silent reading, peer interaction, and teacher‐student conferences. Teachers in each of the experimental groups were trained in techniques for the model they would be using. The four groups formed by random assignment were considered as equivalent at the outset of the study in both reading achievement and attitudes. At the conclusion of the study, students involved in the peer‐interaction model and the individual teacher‐student conferences model obtained significantly higher scores (p<.01) on a measure of attitude toward reading than did students who were in the other two groups. Students...
The determination of osteopetrotic phenotypes by selective inactivation of red cell carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes

Red cell carbonic anhydrase isoenzyme activities (HCA-I and HCA-II) were quantitated in blood hemolysates of two female siblings affected with autosomal recessive osteopetrosis in addition to family members who were both obligate and potential heterozygotes as well as normal controls. Selective inactivation of red cell hemolysates with 20 mmol/l bromopyruvic acid (pH 7.5) for 50 min at 25 degrees C lead to a near quantitative removal of HCA-I activity without significant loss of HCA-II activity. Comparison of untreated hemolysate HCA activity with residual activity in bromopyruvate treated samples allowed determination of HCA-II/HCA-I activity ratios. Estimation of activity ratios was also attempted by use of the inhibitor I- which is known to discriminate between the two isoenzymes. Hemolysate HCA activity of the two affected individuals (homozygotes) was completely abolished by the procedure, consistent with an absence of the bromopyruvate resistant HCA-II isoenzyme in the red cells of these individuals. HCA-I activities were found to be elevated significantly above normal. Both parents (obligate heterozygotes) were found to have normal HCA-I activities and HCA-II activities 60-80% of normal. Computed HCA-II/HCA-I activity ratios fell into these ranges: 0 for homozygotes, 0.82-0.87 for obligate heterozygotes and 1.08-1.16 for normal controls. KI values for I- inhibition of hemolysate HCA activity gave 0.25-0.30 mmol/l, 0.9-1.5 mmol/l and 2.0 mmol/l for the three categories. These relations should prove useful in the screening of osteopetrotic phenotypes.
Effects of Airgap Length Variation in Frictionless Linear Induction Transportation Systems

Aapplications of linear induction machines (LIM) in electric propulsion have been investigated in the past few decades. The advantages of LIM to be applied in the propulsion include easy maintenance and high acceleration/deceleration to name a few. One of the applications is to combine the LIM with Maglev to achieve frictionless propulsion system. Using Finite Element Analysis (FEA), it has been found that the airgap length has various impacts on the force characteristics of LIM under low and high linear speeds. This will support the design of airgap length of LIM for high speed frictionless propulsion applications. In addition, the effect of secondary electric conductivity on the force characteristics has been explored.
Experimental ocular toxoplasmosis induced in naive and preinfected mice by intracameral inoculation.

We have developed a murine model to investigate the pathogenesis of acquired ocular toxoplasmosis. Tachyzoites of PLK strain of Toxoplasma gondii were intracamerally inoculated under anesthesia into the right eyes of naive or perorally preinfected C57BL/6 and MRL-MpJ mice. Clinical and histopathological observations of responses to intraocular infection were analyzed. Ocular inflammation from Toxoplasma gondii is dose-dependent in both strains of mice. After inoculation of fifty parasites, no evidence of inflammation was observed in the eyes of naive mice. The eyes of naive mice that received 500 or 5,000 parasites developed inflammatory changes by day 6 post challenge. By day 8, the changes progressed to moderate to severe intraocular inflammation. Histologic analysis of the ocular lesions demonstrated mononuclear cell infiltration and necrosis predominantly in the anterior segment of the eyes of the naive mice. Inoculation of 50,000 tachyzoites induced a destructive ocular inflammatory response and was ...
Scenarios and priorities in transport planning: Application to the Sudan

Abstract This paper describes two related aspects of a transportation planning study recently completed for the Sudan—the use of scenarios and the prioritization of those scenarios and the associated transport projects. In the use of scenarios, considerable care was taken in the specification of different types of scenarios and the planning issues each is designed to highlight, and the approach should find application to other transport problems. For the selection of a particular scenario, to be used as a basis for detailed transport project planning, a new method of evaluation or prioritization was developed, and this is presented also. Both are illustrated by the application to the Sudan.
MECHANISM OF CELL WALL FORMATION.

As an outgrowth of x-ray studies on the molecular structure of cellulose walls of plant fibers (12, 13, 14), several steps in the process by which the cell wall grows in thickness, seem to have become evident. They are associated with the regularity of molecular arrangement in the wall and with the forces which produce that regularity of structure. As the x-ray data, during the progress of the investigations, made it more and more certain that the structural units are glucose residues, and that they are arranged with the regularity of the molecules in a crystal, the concept became clearer and more convincing that the mechanism of cell wall growth in thickness was associated intimately with the forces which are active in causing that regular arrangement of the residues, that is, with forces similar to those which produce crystallization. The mechanism which is described in the following pages is concerned with only one phase of cell wall growth ; that is, with the increase in thickness of the cell wall. While it may be associated also with the increase in surface area as the cell becomes enlarged and even with the formation of the original wall, those two phases are not included in the present discussion. The problem then becomes restricted to a consideration of the mechanism by which new cell wall material is deposited upon older previously formed cell wall.
Should the management of heart failure become a new subspecialty

The accompanying manuscript on “Heart Failure Training” by Dr. Marvin Konstam, the outgoing president of the Heart Failure Society of America, raises a number of important, timely, and controversial issues. It warrants attention, not only from the readers of this Journal, but from a broader audience of professionals and professional organizations. Essentially these issues can be boiled down to a few specific questions: What would be the objective of developing a formal subspecialty in heart failure? What knowledge base and which skills are required of a “Heart Failure Specialist” (HFS)? How should an HFS be trained and certified?
OASIS in the sea: Measurement of the acoustic reflectivity of zooplankton with concurrent optical imaging

Abstract A new instrument Optical-Acoustic Submersible Imaging System (OASIS) has been developed for three-dimensional acoustic tracking of zooplankton with concurrent optical imaging to verify the identity of the insonified organisms. OASIS also measures in situ target strengths (TS) of freely swimming zooplankton and nekton of known identity and 3-D orientation. The system consists of a three-dimensional acoustic imaging system (FishTV), a sensitive optical CCD camera with red-filtered strobe illumination, and ancillary oceanographic sensors. The sonar triggers the acquisition of an optical image when it detects the presence of a significant target in the precise location where the camera, strobe and sonar are co-registered. Acoustic TS can then be related to the optical image, which permits identification of the animal and its 3-D aspect. The system was recently deployed (August 1996) in Saanich Inlet, B.C., Canada. Motile zooplankton and nekton were imaged with no evidence of reaction to or avoidance of the OASIS instrument package. Target strengths of many acoustic reflectors were recorded in parallel with the optical images, triggered by the presence of an animal in the correct location of the sonar system. Inspection of the optical images, corroborated with zooplankton sampling with a MOCNESS net, revealed that the joint optically and acoustically sensed taxa at the site were the euphausiid Euphausia pacifica, the gammarid amphipod Orchomene obtusa, and a gadid fish. The simultaneous optical and acoustic images permitted an exact correlation of TS and taxa. Computer simulations from a model of the backscattered strength from euphausiids are in good agreement with the observed data.
Evangelizing the Chosen People: Missions to the Jews in America, 1880 - 2000

With this book, Yaakov Ariel offers the first comprehensive history of Protestant evangelization of Jews in America to the present day. Based on unprecedented research in missionary archives as well as Jewish writings, the book analyzes the theology and activities of both the missions and the converts and describes the reactions of the Jewish community, which in turn helped to shape the evangelical activity directed toward it. Ariel delineates three successive waves of evangelism, the first directed toward poor Jewish immigrants, the second toward American-born Jews trying to assimilate, and the third toward Jewish baby boomers influenced by the counterculture of the Vietnam War era. After World War II, the missionary impulse became almost exclusively the realm of conservative evangelicals, as the more liberal segments of American Christianity took the path of interfaith dialogue. As Ariel shows, these missionary efforts have profoundly influenced Christian-Jewish relations. Jews have seen the missionary movement as a continuation of attempts to delegitimize Judaism and to do away with Jews through assimilation or annihilation. But to conservative evangelical Christians, who support the State of Israel, evangelizing Jews is a manifestation of goodwill toward them. |The first comprehensive history of Protestant evangelization of Jews in America to the present day. Based on unprecedented research in missionary archives as well as Jewish writings, the book analyzes the theology and activities of both the missions and the converts and describes the reactions of the Jewish community, which in turn helped to shape the evangelical activity directed toward it.
Association of pathogenic bacteria with mucosal surfaces in humans

Summary Body surfaces are complex and dynamic environments for bacteria. Some bacterial pathogens have evolved mechanisms by which they can occupy and colonize such environments. Some of these organisms may adhere via certain macromolecules on their surfaces to specific receptors in the membranes of epithelial cells. Some of them, however, may enter and occupy a mucous layer overlying the epithelium (whenever such a layer is present), and not necessarily adhere to underlying epithelial membranes. Such bacterial pathogens must multiply in the mucin at a rate more rapid than that at which mucosal motion carries the mucin away. Bacteria that associate with epithelial surfaces may be attracted to those surfaces by chemotaxis. These phenomena deserve intensive study. An understanding of their mechanisms may lead to the development of novel ways for treating bacterial diseases.
A study of the prevalence of significant increases in serum creatinine following angiotension-converting enzyme inhibitor administration.

Angiontension-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) are beneficial in the treatment of diabetic and nondiabetic kidney disease, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure. One adverse effect of ACEIs use is a rise in serum creatinine and potential renal failure. This paper attempts to quantify this risk and assess the need for pre- and post-ACEI serum creatinine measurements. A computerized search of Kaiser Permanente Northwest's electronic medical record was conducted to find patients over the age of 40 years taking lisinopril between July 1, 2000 and June 30, 2002. Patient demographic information and presence in diabetes and coronary artery disease registries was collected. A subsequent search for pre- and postlisinopril serum creatinine levels within 6 months of initial lisinopril prescription was conducted. Patients with prelisinopril creatinine 2.5 mg/dl underwent chart review to discern adverse events associated with the rise in serum creatinine. A total of 18,977 patients were prescribed lisinopril between July 1, 2000 and June 30, 2002. In all 13 166 patients had a pre- and postlisinopril creatinine checked. In all, 31 patients had a rise in creatinine from 2.5 mg/dl (0.2%). Possible contributors to rise in creatinine included congestive heart failure, dehydration and infection. No patients developed end-stage renal disease, although three died. In conclusion, end-stage renal disease is an unlikely outcome among patients prescribed lisinopril and is most likely associated with other events.
Automatic expression spotting in videos

In this paper, we propose a novel solution for the problem of segmenting macro- and micro-expression frames (or retrieving the expression intervals) in video sequences, which is a prior step for many expression recognition algorithms. The proposed method exploits the non-rigid facial motion that occurs during facial expressions by capturing the optical strain corresponding to the elastic deformation of facial skin tissue. The method is capable of spotting both macro-expressions which are typically associated with expressed emotions and rapid micro- expressions which are typically associated with semi-suppressed macro-expressions. We test our algorithm on several datasets, including a newly released hour-long video with two subjects recorded in a natural setting that includes spontaneous facial expressions. We also report results on a dataset that contains 75 feigned macro-expressions and 37 feigned micro-expressions. We achieve over a 75% true positive rate with a 1% false positive rate for macro-expressions, and a nearly 80% true positive rate for spotting micro-expressions with a .3% false positive rate.
Collective Behavior: An Examination of Some Stereotypes

Current conceptualizations of the acting crowd are heavily influenced by LeBon, particularly those aspects of LeBon's formulation that emphasized the pathological and bizarre nature of crowd behavior. An examination of the characteristics imputed to the crowd indicates that many of them are not empirically valid. Further, many of the characteristics assigned to crowd behavior do not differentiate it from the behavior of other social systems. Sociologists have overstressed the “cultural” factors, and de-emphasized interaction in their studies of social conduct. One consequence of this emphasis has been to look to the characteristics of crowd members to account for the behavior of crowds. It is suggested the crowd be studied as a social system.
Fundamental Mechanical Properties of Carbon Nanotubes: Current Understanding and the Related Experimental Studies

Representing a new class of nanoscale material, carbon nanotubes possess many extraordinary' mechanical and electronic properties stemming essentially from their unique geometric and chemical structures. Through more than two decades of extensive theoretical and experimental investigations, our understanding on the mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes has greatly improved. The intrinsic mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes, such as their stiffness, strength and deformability, have been relatively well studied and understood; and other mechanics-related properties of carbon nanotubes, such as the defect formation, the fracture mechanism, the interface mechanics and the electromechanics, have also being broadly examined and a comprehensive knowledge of them begins to emerge. I review the current status of research on the mechanical study of carbon nanotubes especially on the experimental study of their fundamental mechanical properties, such as Young's modulus, tensile and shear strength, compressibility and deformability. Selected experimental methods and techniques used for the studies still also be introduced. I conclude the review by discussing the new challenges still facing the mechanical study of carbon nanotubes.
Effect of Frequency on the end Correction of Pipes

Using Blaikley's method, the end corrections of "closed" pipes have been determined for pipes of brass, with walls 0.12 cm thick and the inside diameter 9.92 cm, 7.36 cm and 4.84 cm respectively, over a range of frequencies from 128 vps to 1715 vps, and over a range of $\frac{\ensuremath{\lambda}}{D}$ (wave-length/diameter) from 27 to 4. An electrical detector was used for determining the resonance peaks, which makes this work ten times more accurate than any formerly reported. The highest frequency used with each pipe was the limiting frequency for which resonance could be obtained, and in each case was such that $\frac{\ensuremath{\lambda}}{D}=4$ approximately.The end correction was found to be dependent upon the frequency, increasing with decreasing values of $\frac{\ensuremath{\lambda}}{D}$ to $\frac{\ensuremath{\lambda}}{D}=6$ approximately, beyond which there was a decrease. The results indicate that when a pipe is used as a generator of a complex tone, (1) there is a limit to the number of partials which is determined by the value of $\frac{\ensuremath{\lambda}}{D}$ for prime, (2) the higher proper tones will in some cases be sharp, but generally flat of the harmonic series, and that the corresponding partials will be of low intensity depending upon the amount of forcing required to bring them into the harmonic series.
Measurements of the muonic component of air showers at the Pierre Auger Observatory

Several methods have been developed by the Pierre Auger Collaboration to estimate the muon content of air showers from ultra-high energy cosmic rays. The data of the Pierre Auger Observatory will be compared with predictions based upon EPOS 1.99 and QGSJET-II-3 hadronic interaction models. In addition to the direct measures of the muonic content, the combination of a fluorescence detector and a muon sensitive surface array allows for a direct test of air shower simulations which is sensitive to both the shower core and large distances from the core. These methods reveal a deficit of muons in air shower simulations with proton primaries and that the energy assignment basedupon simulations of the surface array signal is systematically higher than that derived from the florescence detector. Summary: I will discuss the deficit in the number of muons currently predicted by simulations when compared to the data of the Pierre Auger Observatory. I will describe the methods used to measure the muon content, including sources of systematic uncertainty, and give their current results. Finally, I will present the Collaborations current understanding of the nature of the discrepancy, which could arise from an energy scale problem, composition, or deficiencies in the hadronic interaction models.See references [1, 2].
Lepidopteran pest populations and crop yields in row intercropped broccoli

Abstract 1 To determine how the presence of non-host plants impact populations of lepidopteran pests and yield of broccoli, Brassica oleracea var. italica L., broccoli was intercropped with tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Miller, or yellow sweetclover (YSC), Melilotus officinalis L., and compared with broccoli monoculture grown at two densities (high and low). 2 During a 1997 study, numbers of early instar imported cabbageworm, Artogeia rapae L., were greater in broccoli monoculture compared with intercropped plantings. In contrast, late instar A. rapae numbers were significantly higher in intercropped broccoli during most of the season, indicating greater survival of early instar stages in intercropped habitats. 3 Cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni Hubner, eggs and larvae were more abundant in broccoli monoculture than intercropped broccoli in 1997. In addition, T. ni populations were found at significantly lower levels in broccoli-YSC compared with broccoli-tomato habitat throughout the season. 4 During a 1998 study, numbers of early and late A. rapae instars were greater in intercropped broccoli on most sampling dates. 5 The mean percentages of harvested broccoli heads infested with insects and associated frass were higher in monocultures than intercropped treatments in 1997. Additionally, a significantly lower number of contaminants were found in the crowns of broccoli harvested from broccoli-YSC (YSC) compared with broccoli-tomato (tomato) habitat. However, broccoli heads were significantly smaller in intercropped habitats. 6 Variations in insect responses and challenges to using crop diversification as a management tool are discussed.
Cross-Validating Non-Gaussian Data: Generalized Approximate Cross-Validation Revisited

This article presents an alternative derivation of the generalized approximate crossvalidation (GACV) score of Xiang and Wahba (1996) for smoothing parameter selection in penalized likelihood regression. The new derivation suggests a simple numerical solution that is stable for all sample sizes. Also suggested is a variant of the score that can be computationally more convenient. Simple simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the scores.
The Ombudsman in developing democracies: the Commonwealth Caribbean experience

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the working of the Ombudsman offices in six developing democracies in the Commonwealth Caribbean in order to assess/evaluate the degree or extent of effectiveness of these offices. It aims to look at them from both contemporary and evolutionary perspectives. Although it focuses on the Commonwealth Caribbean, some references to other parts of the world are also made for a better and comparative understanding of the Ombudsman institution.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based mainly on archival research. Original/primary as well as secondary sources – old, recent and contemporary – have been used. Random interviews and observation have also been useful sources of information.Findings – On the one hand, this study identifies various factors and related issues that make the performance of the Ombudsman institution difficult and problematic in the Commonwealth Caribbean; and, on the other, it also identifies some remedial measures for effec...
Potency of 10 BCG vaccines as evaluated by their influence on the bacillemic phase of experimental airborne tuberculosis in guinea-pigs.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a low-level aerosol challenge guinea pig model for inclusion in a proposed joint-field-trial laboratory-model assay of the potency of a panel of BCG vaccines. The animal model was one in which guinea pigs were infected via the respiratory route with approximately seven viable virulent tubercle bacilli (strain H37Rv) capable of multiplying and initiating primary lesions. This animal model was used to evaluate the immunizing potency of 10 BCG vaccines. Groups of animals receiving vaccine or placebo were killed 6, 9 or 12 weeks after challenge in order to determine the number of virulent bacilli recoverable from primary-lesion-containing lung lobes and the number recovered from primary-lesion-free lung lobes. Since all lung lobes of each animal were cultured, the percent lobes yielding tubercle bacilli on culture could also be calculated. By these several criteria, each of which evaluates modulation of the bacillemic phase of the infection, all 100 vaccines induced a protective response. One vaccine, an experimental vaccine not used in humans, was of low potency. The remaining vaccines were of moderate to high potency. The results of this study indicate that the low-aerosol-challenge guinea pig model fulfils the criteria for inclusion in the joint-field-trial laboratory-model assay of the potency of BCG vaccines.
The reinforcement mechanism of fiber‐glass reinforced plastics under wet conditions: A review

Reinforcement mechanisms of fiber-glass reinforced plastics (FRP) under wet conditions are reviewed with emphasis on molecular structures of glass/matrix interfaces. Included are studies on glass surface, the glass/coupling agent interface, silane coupling agents on glass surfaces as well as in solution, the coupling agent/matrix interface, extending to the interphase of particulate-filled composites, and matrix resin. For a better understanding of wet strength of FRP, the structures under dry conditions are extensively, reviewed. The chemical bonding theory still dominates other reinforcement theories. The importance of other factors such as orientation of silane coupling agents and the restriction of matrix polymer conformations are also considered. Based on recent development in spectroscopy, molecular level research of the glass/matrix interfaces has been initiated in the past decade, yet only a few spectroscopic investigations on the function of water have appeared. It is concluded that the correlation between spectroscopic investigations and mechanical properties of a FRP is indispensable.
Electron flow and biofilms

Bacteria living in surface-attached biofilm communities must maintain electrochemical gradients to support basic cellular functions, including chemo-osmotic transport and adenosine triphosphate synthesis. Central to this is the maintenance of electron flow to terminal electron acceptors. These acceptors can be soluble inorganic and organic molecules, such as oxygen, nitrate, sulfate, dimethyl sulfoxide, or fumarate, or solid metal oxides, such as Fe(III) and Mn(IV) oxides. When electrons are transferred to a solid substrate, they may be (1) carried directly to the acceptor via outer membrane cytochromes, (2) carried by electron shuttle molecules, (3) transferred along conductive protein nanowires, or (4) conducted through other extracellular matrices. No matter what the electron acceptor is, in the laboratory, bacterial biofilms are frequently studied while growing on inert surfaces, incapable of electron transfer. However, in natural environments, as well as many industrial and biotechnology settings, biofilms grow on electrically active surfaces. In this review, we propose that the study of bacterial biofilms on redox-active surfaces is important both for the development of industrial processes, such as microbial fuel cells and wastewater treatment systems, as well as for our understanding of how these communities of microbes affect global nutrient cycling, other geobiological processes, and even human disease.
Clinical management of hyphema

Abstract Trauma is the leading cause of blood within the anterior chamber, a condition known as hyphema. Non-traumatic hyphemas of varied etiology are referred to as spontaneous hyphemas. Cases of spontaneous hyphema are rare and can present a diagnostic challenge. Although there are obvious differences in etiology between traumatic and spontaneous hyphema there are many similarities in their treatment and management. The overall prognosis in patients with hyphema varies. Knowledge of the etiologies, examination procedures, treatment options, and complications of traumatic and spontaneous hyphema will provide better management for these patients.
Effects of cholesterol on conformational disorder in dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine bilayers. A quantitative IR study of the depth dependence

A method originally proposed by Snyder and Poore as a specific probe of trans-gauche isomerization in hydrocarbon chains and recently applied to the quantitative determination of phospholipid acyl chain conformational order is utilized to monitor the effects of cholesterol at various depths in dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayers. The method is based on the observation that the CD2 rocking modes from the acyl chains of specifically deuterated phospholipids occur at frequencies in the Fourier transform infrared spectrum which depend upon the local geometry (trans or gauche) of the C-C-C skeleton surrounding a central CD2 group. Three specifically deuterated derivatives of DPPC, namely, 4,4,4',4'-d4 DPPC (4-d4 DPPC), 6,6,6',6'-d4 DPPC (6-d4 DPPC), and 12,12,12',12'-d4 DPPC (12-d4 DPPC), have been synthesized, and the effects of cholesterol addition at 2:1 DPPC/cholesterol (mol:mol) on acyl chain order at various temperatures have been determined. At 48 degrees C, cholesterol inhibits gauche rotamer formation by factors of approximately 9 and approximately 6 at positions 6 and 4, respectively, of the acyl chains, thus demonstrating a strong ordering effect in regions of the bilayer where the sterol rings are presumed to insert parallel to the DPPC acyl chains. In contrast, the ability of the sterol to order the acyl chainsmore » is much reduced at the 12-position. The sterol demonstrates only a slight disordering of phospholipid gel phases. Finally, the contributions of different classes of gauche conformers to the spectra have been determined.« less
The structure of a class of finite ramified coverings and canonical forms of analytic matrix-functions in a neighborhood of a ramified turning point.

Abstract Let X be the germ of a complex- or real-analytic manifold M at a point xo ∈ M, or the henselian germ of an algebraic manifold M over a field k of characteristic zero at a point xo ∈ M(k), D ⊂ X a divisor. Under some assumptions on D and its singularities we give a description of the structure, the singularities, and the divisor class group of all finite normal coverings of X ramified over D. Let g : X → gl(n) be an analytic or a k-algebraic family, respectively, of semisimple matrices, the eigenvalues of which are ramified on D as functions of x ∈ X. Put U = X − D. Using the above results under some quite general assumptions on g and D we construct an irreducible nonsingular variety Uc, a finite etale morphism ac : Uc → U, and a morphism uc : Uc → GL(n) (all in the same category as X and g), such that tc(x) = uc(x)g(x)uc(x)−1 is a diagonal matrix, for all x ∈ Uc. This construction gives, among other things, an extension in a refined form (on the level of Uc-sections) of the classical one-parameter Perturbation Theory of matrices to the case of many parameters, ramified eigenvalues, not necessarily hermitian matrices, etc. We also prove the stable triviality of the eigenbundles of g on U and vanishing of their Chern classes.
ANTIBIOTIC-INDUCED COLITIS IMPLICATION OF A TOXIN NEUTRALISED BY CLOSTRIDIUM SORDELLII ANTITOXIN

Abstract A toxin(s) has been demonstrated in the stools of two patients with antibiotic- associated colitis. This toxin(s) was heat-labile, wasrapidly lethal for hamsters, increased vascular permeability in rabbit skin, and was cytotoxic for cells in tissue-culture. It was neutralised by Clostridium sordellii antitoxin but not by antitoxins prepared against otherclostridia; Escherichia coli , and Vibrio cholerœ toxins. These characteristics were identical to those of a toxin implicated in the aetiology of antibiotic-induced colitis in the hamster. One patient improved rapidly after treatment with oral vancomycin, and at the same time the toxin disappeared from the stool.
Evaluation of cellular organization and axonal regeneration through linear PLA foam implants in acute and chronic spinal cord injury

There are few studies of neural implants in spinal cord injury (SCI) focused on supporting directed axon growth. In this study, we fabricated a macroporous poly (lactic acid) (PLA) foam with oriented inner channels. Amorphous foam without linear channels served as a control in an acute SCI injury model, and the effectiveness of foam with linear channels was further investigated in a chronic SCI model. Implants were placed into a 2 mm hemisection lesion cavity at the T8 spinal cord level in adult rats. Two weeks post-implantation, tissue sections including the implants were examined using antibodies against GFAP, p75, ED-1, laminin, GAP-43, and CGRP. Foam implants were well-integrated with the host spinal cord. In linear foams, numerous DAPI-stained cells were found within the inner channels. Schwann cells but not astrocytes had migrated within the channels. Intense laminin staining was observed throughout the extracellular matrix substrate. GAP-43- and CGRP-positive axons grew through the implants following the linear channels. In the amorphous control foams, DAPI staining distributed evenly through the pores. However, the growth of GAP-43 or CGRP-positive axons was misguided and impeded at the entrance area of the foam. Higher numbers of GAP-43 and CGRP-positive axons grew into linear foam implants after chronic SCI than acute SCI. These results suggest the potential application of linear foam implants in cell and axon guidance for SCI repair, especially for chronic SCI.
Structural Characterization of the Helicobacter Pylori VacA Toxin by Single Particle Em and X-Ray Crystallography

Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative bacterium that infects the human stomach and contributes to the pathogenesis of peptic ulceration, gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric lymphoma. H. pylori secretes an exotoxin called vacuolating toxin (VacA), known for its ability to induce vacuolation in the cytoplasm of mammalian cells. VacA can cause depolarization of membrane potential, alteration of mitochondrial membrane permeability, apoptosis, activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, inhibition of T cell activation and proliferation, and autophagy. The mechanisms by which these processes occur are not yet fully understood but many of these toxic effects depend on the capacity of VacA to form anion-selective membrane channels. VacA is an 88 kDa protein that contains two distinct domains, p55 and p33. The 88 kDa monomers can assemble into large water-soluble oligomeric “flower”-shaped structures. Using single particle electron microscopy and the random conical tilt approach, we have determined three-dimensional (3D) structures of six distinct VacA oligomeric conformations at ∼15 A resolution. This analysis shows that VacA can organize into a number oligomeric conformations that include both single and double layer hexamers and heptamers. The structures, regardless of oligomeric type, contain two prominent features: extended straight “legs” with a slight kink at the distal end and a central “spoke-like” density that contains two distinct globular domains separated by a thin connecting density. We have also generated structures of three VacA mutant proteins that all form oligomers but differ in activity. Overall, these studies provide the most detailed analysis of p33 structure to date and also provide a more thorough understanding of how VacA forms oligomers.
Augmenting user interfaces with adaptive speech commands

We present a system that augments any unmodified Java application with an adaptive speech interface. The augmented system learns to associate spoken words and utterances with interface actions such as button clicks. Speech learning is constantly active and searches for correlations between what the user says and does. Training the interface is seamlessly integrated with using the interface. As the user performs normal actions, she may optionally verbally describe what she is doing. By using a phoneme recognizer, the interface is able to quickly learn new speech commands. Speech commands are chosen by the user and can be recognized robustly due to accurate phonetic modelling of the user's utterances and the small size of the vocabulary learned for a single application. After only a few examples, speech commands can replace mouse clicks. In effect, selected interface functions migrate from keyboard and mouse to speech. We demonstrate the usefulness of this approach by augmenting jfig, a drawing application, where speech commands save the user from the distraction of having to use a tool palette.
Validation: What Big Data Reveal About Survey Misreporting and the Real Electorate

Social scientists rely on surveys to explain political behavior. From consistent overreporting of voter turnout, it is evident that responses on survey items may be unreliable and lead scholars to incorrectly estimate the correlates of participation. Leveraging developments in technology and improvements in public records, we conduct the rst ever fty-state vote validation. We parse over-reporting due to response bias from overreporting due to inaccurate respondents. We nd that non-voters who are politically engaged and equipped with politically relevant resources consistently misreport that they voted. This nding cannot be explained by faulty registration records, which we measure with new indicators of election administration quality. Respondents are found to misreport only on survey items associated with socially desirable outcomes, which we nd by validating items beyond voting, like race and party. We show that studies of representation and participation based on survey reports dramatically mis-estimate the dierences between voters and non-voters.
A Study of Product Weight and Collection Rate in Closed-Loop Supply Chains With Recycling

In the context of closed-loop supply chains (CLSCs), we investigate two critical environmental factors of the product weight and the collection rate, as well as their environmental consequence of the landfill quantity. There are three closely related CLSC models consisting of a manufacturer who also recycles used products and a collector of the used products. The first CLSC is a centralized model with the vertical integration of the manufacturer and the collector. The second CLSC is a decentralized model with the manufacturer as the leader and the collector as the follower in a Stackelberg game. The third CLSC is a decentralized model with government subsidy and fee. In addition, we formulate a nonrecycling model as a benchmark for comparison. Under this modeling framework, this paper shows the impacts of supply chain centralization/decentralization as well as government subsidy and fee on these two factors and their environmental consequence in terms of the disposal quantity at landfills. Throughout the paper, numerous managerial insights and policy implications are provided.
Drawing on the words of others at public hearings: Zoning, Wal-Mart, and the threat to the aquifer

This study examines two public hearings on a zoning proposal that would allow the construction of a Super Wal-Mart Center on a field over the town’s aquifer. Many citizens speak out against the zoning change because of the risk to drinking water, as well as other issues. Citizens face the speaker’s problem of how to make their presentations convincing, given the technical matters involved and the fact that Town Board members have likely already heard about these issues. Some speakers draw on the words of others in their presentations. Using another’s words allows the speaker to cite an authoritative source or to respond to what another has said, to evaluate it, and often to challenge it. Speakers use other devices in addition to quotes, such as formulations, repetition, and membership categorizations to develop their evaluative stances in the reporting context. The study’s focus is the discursive construction and rhetoric of using others’ words for the speaker’s own purposes. (Public hearings, risk, reported speech, quotes, Wal-Mart, discursive analysis, rhetoric)*
A decentralized scheme for real-time optimization of traffic signals

A real time, highly decentralized, adaptive traffic signal optimization method, ALLONS-D, based on the rolling horizon dynamic programming technique, is presented. We describe the basic architecture, the system model, and the optimization scheme of ALLONS-D. We compare ALLONS-D with other approaches to signal control via several sets of simulation results. The margins of improvement are significant when compared with the standard Webster's criteria for signal setting. The feasibility of on-line implementation of ALLONS-D is discussed as well as on-going evaluations and extensions.
Materials selection in micromechanical design: an application of the Ashby approach

The set of materials available to microsystems designers is rapidly expanding. Techniques now exist to introduce and integrate a large number of metals, alloys, ceramics, glasses, polymers, and elastomers into microsystems, motivating the need for a rational approach for materials selection in microsystems design. As a step toward such an approach, we focus on the initial stages of materials selection for micromechanical structures with minimum feature sizes greater than 1 /spl mu/m. The variation of mechanical properties with length scale and processing parameters is discussed. Bounds for initial design values of several properties are suggested and the necessity for the measurement of other properties (especially residual stresses and intrinsic loss coefficients) is discussed. Adapting the methods pioneered by Ashby et al., materials indices are formulated for a number of properties and materials selection charts are presented. These concepts are applied to illustrate initial materials selection for shock-resistant microbeams, force sensors, micromechanical filters, and micromachined flexures. Issues associated with the integration of materials into microsystems are briefly discussed.
Mertk Receptor Mutation Reduces Efferocytosis Efficiency and Promotes Apoptotic Cell Accumulation and Plaque Necrosis in Atherosclerotic Lesions of Apoe−/− Mice

Conclusion—In a mouse model of advanced atherosclerosis, mutation of the phagocytic Mertk receptor promotes the accumulation of apoptotic cells and the formation of necrotic plaques. These data are consistent with the notion that a defect in an efferocytosis receptor can accelerate the progression of atherosclerosis and suggest a novel therapeutic target to prevent advanced plaque progression and its clinical consequences. (Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2008;28:1421-1428)
Third molar extractions in a patient with congenital afibrinogenemia: A case report

Congenital afibrinogenemia is a rare disorder of blood coagulation in which little or no fibrinogen is found in the plasma. It is an inherited autosomal recessive trait, with an estimated incidence of 1 per million.1 Clinical manifestations range from minimal bleeding to catastrophic hemorrhage. Patients usually experience bruising, gingival bleeding, epistaxis, significant bleeding with surgery or trauma, and menorrhagia; gastrointestinal and genitourinary hemorrhage are less common.2 We describe the management of a patient with congenital afibrinogenemia requiring impacted mandibular third molar extraction.
Laser Doppler Velocimetry: Experimental Study

An experimental study on the general characteristics of the three different optical arrangements, namely, local-oscillator heterodyne, differential heterodyne, and symmetric heterodyne, is given. Both rotating Mylar disk and steady-state rotating flow are used to generate a uniform particle velocity or flow velocity. The power spectrum of the photoelectric current is obtained both in real time by a spectrum analyzer and numerically by a digital computer. An fm-demodulator is also used to obtain the instantaneous velocity. The S/N, stability, optimum particle concentration, and optimum receiving optics of these three optical arrangements are obtained. Their relative merit and their comparisons with theoretical results are also discussed.