cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Theory of the two-peak photoemission spectra in cerium pnictides

Cerium and many of its compounds exhibit a double-peaked photoemission spectrum arising from the 4f states. Considerable conjecture as to the origin of this phenomenon has given rise to numerous models for the electronic structure of these materials. In this paper we show that this phenomenon arises from the nature of the excitation process. The initial state including the f states are assumed to be adequately described by a band calculation. The possible final states are then simulated. Two primary channels occur for the f states which are characterized as the fully-screened--poorly-screened peaks: In the fully screened channel, the f hole is screened by f states; in the poorly screened channel, the f hole is screened by d states. As a first approximation, the fully screened final state is described with use of the ground-state density of states. The poorly screened final state is simulated by creating an f hole at a central atom in a large unit cell---a supercell technique which periodically repeats the screened hole at an adequate separation to minimize interaction of the holes. The separation of the two peaks in the photoemission spectra is then determined with use of Slater transition-state arguments. Peak separations are found to be 2.71 eV for CeSb and 2.47 eV for CeP which compare favorably with the experimental values of 2.5 and 2.4 eV, respectively. No stable d-screened f hole is found in CeN, in agreement with the fact that it is not observed.
Social grooming and play behavior of a captive group of chimpanzees

Aspects of the social grooming and play behavior of a group of six adolescent and young adult chimpanzees are contrasted and compared. Eleven months’ data indicate that older chimpanzees groomed more and played less than younger individuals. This transition period occurred earlier for females than males. Grooming behavior appeared to vary with reproductive state. A positive correlation was found between the estrous condition of cycling females and the amount of grooming that they received from the males. A mother of a young infant received particularly high levels of grooming from the other group members.
Achromatic angle-insensitive infrared quarter-wave retarder based on total internal reflection at the Si-SiO2 interface.

An achromatic infrared (λ=1.2–4 μm), Si-prism quarter-wave retarder (QWR) is described that uses total internal reflection at a buried Si–SiO2 interface at an angle of incidence ϕ near 33°, where ∂Δ/∂ϕ=0. The retardance Δ deviates from 90° by <±2° within a field of view of ±10° (in air) over the entire bandwidth. Because the SiO2 layer at the base of the prism is optically thick, this QWR is unaffected by environmental contamination.
The Development of an Instrument to Measure the Psychological Response to Separation and Divorce

In recent years there has been an increase in the number of individuals seeking help from mental health professionals with issues related to separation and divorce. In order to understand the psychological impact of divorce on individuals the theory of mourning developed by John Bowlby has been used by many clinicians to inform their practice. Using data collected from 123 separated or divorced adults an instrument designed to measure Bowlby's three phases of mourning is developed. Implications for clinical practice and research are discussed.
Discrete-Time Frequency-Shaped Sliding Mode Control for Audio-Vibration Rejection in Hard Disk Drives

Abstract In this paper, a discrete-time frequency-shaped sliding mode control (FSSMC) is proposed for audio-vibration rejection in Hard Disk Drives (HDDs). Such vibrations cause significant degradation of the servo performance and have become a major concern in the HDD industry. The proposed FSSMC involves the frequency-shaped sliding surface design based on peak filters, aiming to provide frequency dependent control allocation in sliding mode control (SMC). Compared to standard SMC, FSSMC provides additional design flexibilities in the frequency domain, and improves vibration rejection during track-following in HDDs. Those benefits are validated by simulation based on benchmark models and actual vibration data.
ARMA Time Series Modeling: an Effective Method

The ability to generate rational models of time series plays an important role in such applications as adaptive filtering, spectral estimation, digital control, array processing, and forecasting. A method for effecting an autoregressive moving average (ARMA) model estimate is presented which possesses a number of admirable properties: 1) it has an elegant algebraic structure, 2) its modeling performance in spectral estimation applications has been empirically found to typically exceed that of such contemporary techniques as the periodogram, the Burg method, and the Box-Jenkins method on a variety of problems, 3) it is implementable by computationally efficient algorithms, and 4) it is based on pseudomaximum likelihood concepts. Taken in combination, these properties mark this method as being an effective tool in challenging applications requiring high modeling performance in a real time setting.
Giant papillary conjunctivitis induced by hard or soft contact lens wear: quantitative histology.

Soft or hard contact lens wear can lead to a syndrome of mucus, itching, decreased lens tolerance, and giant papillae of the upper tarsal conjunctiva resembling a vernal conjunctivitis. The chief cellular features of the syndrome are (1) mast cells in the epithelium, (2) eosinophils in the epithelium or substantia propria, and (3) basophils in the epithelium or substantia propria.
Dipeptidyl peptidase IV and aminopeptidase in burn wound exudates : implications for wound healing

Two catalytically active proteases, dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DP IV) and aminopeptidase (AP), not previously reported as present in burn wound exudates, have been identified by substrate specificity and susceptibility to known enzyme inhibitors. The ratio of the two enzymes in exudates is significantly different from the ratio in plasma collected from the same patient during the same time interval, suggesting that measurement of exudate components may be more significant than plasma activities in evaluating local conditions in the wound. A number of biologically significant substances are DP IV substrates, and the list can be considerably extended by the sequential action of AP and DP IV. Some polypeptides are converted to their biologically active form by DP IV action, while others are degraded to inactive forms. Either action generates X-Pro dipeptides, which have a demonstrably beneficial effect on wound healing. Although not resolved by molecular sizing or anion exchange chromatography, DP IV and AP in a burn wound exudate were purified by affinity chromatography.
Penetration of laminated Kevlar by projectiles—II. Analytical model

Abstract An analytical representation of the normal impact and perforation of conically-tipped hard-steel cylinders with an aspect ratio of three on laminated Kevlar 29/poIyester targets was developed to accompany corresponding text information. The global deflection was obtained using laminated plate theory; dissipative mechanisms including indentation of the striker tip, bulging at the surface, fiber failure, delamination and friction were modeled using certain simplifying assumptions. The event was divided into three consecutive phases: indentation, perforation and exit. Resistive forces for each of these mechanisms, valid for both static and dynamic penetration, were ascertained and, for the latter case, used in conjunction with Newton's law to provide the plate response and the kinematic history of the projectile. A finite difference scheme was employed to obtain the numerical results. A comparison of the ballistic limits and of terminal velocities for higher initial speeds obtained from the model and from tests showed very good agreement. The accord between predicted and measured displacement histories is satisfactory, but deteriorates successively when velocities and accelerations are examined. This effect is due to the process of differentiation of data as well as inaccuracies in the analytical representation. Methods for extending the model arc suggested.
Projecting on-time performance for deterministic schedules in dynamic environments

Abstract Manufacturing in a world class environment demands a high level of customer service. The production control department is responsible for achieving this high level of service through accurate planning and scheduling. The ability to achieve such a high level of customer service is limited by the scheduling tools currently available. Production planning is typically performed using MRP infinite capacity, fixed lead-time, backward scheduling. The work in each MRP time-bucket is then sequenced to develop a schedule. The production floor however, is not a static environment. Dynamic events, that cannot be scheduled, degrade production performance relative to the projected schedule. In this paper the relationship between dynamic events and schedule degradation is examined. Common approaches to production scheduling underestimate the effect of capacity loading relative to unplanned events and schedule achievability. These dynamic events exhaust capacity previously allocated to production orders. To hedge against such known, but unscheduled events, production control can schedule resources to a level less than full capacity. The size of the capacity hedge and the duration of the unplanned event dictate the time to recover from the backlog created by these dynamic events. A performance metric is developed to measure the ability to achieve customer promise dates. A machine loading policy is also presented to achieve the optimal capacity hedge point that will maximize this performance measure. The results are compared to simulated failures to examine the accuracy of the predicted performance degradation. The results suggest a trade-off of throughput for improved performance to customer promise date.
The chicken dystrophic model: does hypersensitivity to glucocorticoids cause atrophy?

Abstract The characteristics of the glucocorticoid receptor population in skeletal muscle and liver from line 412 (normal) and line 413 (dystrophic) chickens were examined. The results demonstrate that in cytosol of pectoralis major muscle from line 412 animals there is a precipitous decrease in the number of receptor sites that occurs between 7 and 14 days ex ovo, followed by a slow decline in the number of sites as the animal matures. The results obtained from the examination of pectoralis major muscle from line 413 are considerably different. Although there is a decrease in the number of sites in the cytosol of pectoralis major muscle from line 413 animals it is delayed by at least 2 weeks. In addition, the number of sites in these muscles is still at least twice that observed in the muscle from normal line 413 animals. Even at 60 days ex ovo the number of receptors in pectoralis major muscle from line 413 animals is more than twice that observed in the comparable muscle from line 412 animals. In addition, the gastrocnemius muscle from older animals (90 days ex ovo) was examined. By comparing this red-fiber muscle from line 412 and line 413 animals, we found a significantly higher number of sites in the gastrocnemius muscle from dystrophic animals. No difference was observed in the glucocorticoid receptor population in the livers of normal and dystrophic animals.
Processing and effects of annealing in sol-gel derived SrBi2 Ta 2O9 thin films

Abstract Sol-gel derived SrBi2Ta2O9(SBT) thin films, stoichiometric and titanium doped, were applied to pure platinum substrates and annealed in oxygen and forming gas. The films were characterized using SEM, EDS, and AES. The data showed that bismuth diffused into the platinum layer during the crystallization anneal in oxygen. Additionally, the forming gas anneal promoted the growth of tall bismuth-platinum towers that originated from the platinum layer and grew through the SBT film. Surrounding the towers, local areas of increased roughness and porosity were observed on the SBT film.
Shock wave structure in the cygnus loop

The interaction of an SNR blastwave with clouds of various sizes determines the appearance of the SNR in all wavelength bands, and it may determine the overall evolution of the remnant. The Cygnus Loop provides excellent examples of the interaction with both large and small clouds at various stages, and its brightness, large size and low reddening make it a natural target for study. We consider X-ray, optical and UV observations of features at the eastern edge of the Cygnus Loop to look for evidence of cloud evaporation, turbulent stripping from a cloud and pressure enhancement associated with the blastwave-cloud interaction. We consider the effects of the sputtering of dust grains on the temperature derived from ROSAT spectra and we briefly consider the dumpiness of Ha emission to be expected from compression of a turbulent magnetic field.
NiTi shape memory alloy thin films deposited by co-evaporation

Abstract NiTi shape memory alloy thin films from separate evaporation sources are produced. One micron films with a gradient of Ni–Ti ratios are fabricated at temperatures of 200 °C with a deposition rate of 8.3 A/s. A single e-beam evaporation system combined with a thermal evaporation source is used to create a co-evaporation process. The evaporation rate of the nickel in the evaporation source is allowed to develop a steady state, and then the e-beam evaporation of the titanium is controlled to maintain the correct rate and desired ratio. The resulting thin films that exhibit the two-way shape memory effect had approximately a 50% concentration of titanium as measured by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS).
Considerations for osmolality measurement under elevated pCO(2): comparison of vapor pressure and freezing point osmometry.

Osmolality increases with pCO(2) in bioreactors with pH control, and it has been shown that osmolality compensation by decreasing the basal NaCl concentration partially mitigates the adverse effects of elevated pCO(2) on animal cell growth, protein production, and glycosylation. Thus, measurement of osmolality is important for a complete characterization of the culture environment under elevated pCO(2). However, osmolality measurement may be compromised by CO(2) evolution. Freezing point depression and vapor pressure depression osmometry were directly compared for the measurement of osmolality in samples at elevated pCO(2) (up to 250 mmHg) and at a variety of pH values (6.7-7.5). More extensive degassing may be expected with the vapor pressure osmometer due to the smaller sample volume and larger surface area employed. However, both types of osmometer yielded similar results for all pCO(2) and pH values studied. Moreover, the measured values agreed with osmolality values calculated using a semi-empirical model. Further analysis showed that, while sample degassing may result in a large decrease in pCO(2), there is little associated decrease in osmolality. The great majority of total CO(2) in solution is present as bicarbonate (HCO(3)(-)). Although a small amount of HCO(3)(-) is converted to CO(2) to compensate for CO(2) evolution, further depletion of HCO(3)(-) is inhibited by the associated increase in medium pH and by the need for HCO(3)(-) to maintain charge neutrality in solution. This explanation is consistent with the observed similarity in osmolality values for the two types of osmometer. It was also observed that osmolality did not change in samples that were frozen at -20 degrees C for up to 1 year.
Cryopreservation of rhesus macaque embryonic stem cells.

Studies using nonhuman primate embryonic stem (ES) cells will facilitate the translation of basic ES cell research to clinical use by providing a large animal model for in vivo testing. Unfortunate...
Theophilus of Antioch

Bishop Theophilus wrote three documents collectively called To Autolycus. Generally treated as apology, they are examined here as protreptic literature going well beyond merely defending faith to promoting a world and life view. Furthermore, these works have convinced some scholars to regard Theophilus as a Jewish-Christian thinker. However, this article maintains that the soteriological teachings of these books identify this bishop as a heterodox theologian within a conservative second-century Christianity.
Use of altrenogest to prepare ovariectomized mares as embryo transfer recipients.

Altrenogest was administered to ovariectomized mares to determine if treatment would enable establishment and maintenance of pregnancy after transfer of a 7-d embryo. Three different treatment regimens were used: Group A received 22 mg altrenogest daily starting 5 d before transfer, Group B received 66 mg altrenogest daily starting 6 days before transfer, Group C received 300 mg progesterone in oil intramuscularly daily starting 5 d before transfer. Intact, ovulation-synchronized recipients were used as controls for transfer technique. Pregnancy rates were 1 6 , 2 6 , 2 5 , and 13 19 for Group A, Group B, Group C, and controls, respectively. The pregnancy rate in Group A was significantly different from controls and Group A mares had poor uterine and cervical tone. These results show that ovariectomized mares treated with altrenogest are capable of establishing pregnancy after embryo transfer. Treatment with 22 mg altrenogest appears to be insufficient for optimal pregnancy rates after transfer in ovariectomized recipients.
Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization of Functionalized Low-Strain Monomers with Ruthenium-Based Catalysts

A detailed study of the ring-opening metathesis polymerization of low-strain monomers with ruthenium catalysts is reported. The effects of monomer concentration and catalyst dependence are described for unsubstituted cycloolefins. The ROMP of low-strain olefins with polar substituents is also examined with ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts, and a predictive model for ROMP feasibility is proposed.
Kelp as a trophic resource for marine suspension feeders: a review of isotope-based evidence

Kelp forests are enormously productive, and they and adjacent habitats support large populations of suspension feeders. What do these suspension feeders eat? Intuitively, we might expect that kelp primary production is a key form of trophic support for these animals. Indeed, a large and growing number of studies using carbon stable isotope data, typically collected over short time periods, have asserted that detritus from kelps is an important, and in some cases the main, food source for coastal benthic suspension feeders. This view has been incorporated into several textbooks and review papers covering kelp forest ecosystems, and loss of trophic support for benthic suspension feeders is now often invoked as an ecosystem consequence of top-down or other impacts on kelp forests. More direct evidence, however, suggests that these animals mainly eat phytoplankton and, in some cases, bacteria or zooplankton. Because isotope values of pure coastal phytoplankton, uncontaminated with detritus, are difficult to obtain, present studies have largely relied on single measurements from offshore environments or from the literature, which typically reflects offshore values. We review the evidence showing that phytoplankton isotope values can, and are expected to, vary widely in coastal waters and that inshore phytoplankton may often be enriched in 13C compared to offshore phytoplankton. This unaccounted-for variation may have systematically biased the results of such trophic studies toward finding large contributions of kelp detritus to suspension-feeder diets. We review some key stable isotope studies and put forth evidence for alternative explanations of the isotope patterns presented. Finally, we make recommendations for future isotope studies and describe several approaches for progress in this area. New techniques, particularly flow cytometry and compound-specific stable isotope analysis, provide ways to shed light on this interesting and important ecological issue.
Fluidically adjustable degenerate mode microstrip ring filter

A microstrip ring filter leveraging the degenerate mode created by a stub on the ring is presented. This work uses a fluidic channel filled either with air, acetone, or deionized (DI) water at the end of the stub to vary the operating frequency. A frequency shift from 2.21 GHz to 1.79 GHz is observed.
Population strategies to treat hypertension.

The risks of cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral artery disease, and end-stage renal disease are linearly related to systolic blood pressure. As the population ages and the prevalence of high blood pressure increases, the implementation of population-based strategies will be essential to reduce the burden of hypertension-related diseases. Reduction and control of elevated blood pressure can effectively slow the progression of end-stage renal disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, and cardiovascular disease. The strategies for population-based hypertension control are implemented through an increased awareness of the newest guidelines. In the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, the strategies include lifestyle modification and antihypertensive medication. Although specific blood pressure levels determine antihypertensive medications, lifestyle modifications are advised for all segments of the population and for all blood pressure levels. In particular, lifestyle modification is the recommended intervention for the “prehypertension” category and is encouraged for individuals with normal blood pressure. Also, strategies for lifestyle modifications are part of the treatment strategies for stage 1 and stage 2 hypertension categories in conjunction with antihypertensive medications. The major lifestyle modifications to reduce and manage blood pressure include weight management, incorporation of specific diet plans, dietary sodium reduction, physical activity, and moderation of alcoholic consumption. The implementation and commitment to these strategies can effectively and significantly reduce blood pressure levels, and subsequent hypertension-related disease risks in the population.
Genetic control of transport loss during development of Aspergillus nidulans.

Abstract The transport of glucose by spore-originated liquid cultures of Aspergillus nidulans varied with culture age. At early times after conidial inoculation, the uptake rate increases, reaches a maximum at about 11 hr, and subsequently declines exponentially. This decline in uptake rate with age is also observed for sucrose, fructose, alanine, and the nonmetabolizable glucose analog, 2-deoxyglucose. Conidiation of liquid-grown Aspergillus nidulans can be induced (by transfer to solid medium) only after a certain developmental stage, called competence, is attained. Two mutants, selected for precocious conidiation on solid medium, differ from wild-type and from each other in the rate of decline of glucose uptake with culture age: The rate of decline is inversely related to the time of conidiation. The precocious development of these mutants is due to a premature acquisition of competence rather than an acceleration of the events that follow induction. We postulate that an internal clock controls the time of acquisition of developmental competence and suggest that this clock is related to changes in a membrane transport system.
Comparative analysis of qualitative models when the model changes

An important application of the recently developed techniques in qualitative mathematical modeling is to qualitatively predict how changes in the operation of chemical units affect their behavior. Weld (1987, 1988a,b) has developed a series of comparative techniques that analyze the effect of perturbations to the parameters of a given qualitative unit model. In this article we demonstrate a system, based on the qualitative process theory of Forbus (1984), which extends comparative analysis in two ways. First, it predicts the effects of changes in the qualitative equations and in parameter values. Secondly, it compares physical descriptions, rather than comparing models directly, and builds and compares the associated models automatically.
Roles of FGF Receptors in Mammalian Development and Congenital Diseases

Four fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR1-4) constitute a family of transmembrane tyrosine kinases that serve as high affinity receptors for at least 22 FGF ligands. Gene targeting in mice has yielded valuable insights into the functions of this important gene family in multiple biological processes. These include mesoderm induction and patterning; cell growth, migration, and differentiation; organ formation and maintenance; neuronal differentiation and survival; wound healing; and malignant transformation. Furthermore, discoveries that mutations in three of the four receptors result in more than a dozen human congenital diseases highlight the importance of these genes in skeletal development. In this review, we will discuss recent progress on the roles of FGF receptors in mammalian development and congenital diseases, with an emphasis on signal transduction pathways.
The relationship between plastic flow and the fracture mechanism in magnesium oxide single crystals

Abstract Magnesium oxide crystals plastically deformed under a three-point load develop internal slits coplanar with the (110) slip plane and parallel to the [001] bending axis in the tension region. Using etch pit techniques it has been shown that the slits lie along the edge of a (110) slip band and are confined between two adjacent orthogonal (110) slip bands. It is proposed that under certain circumstances edge dislocations moving in one of the (110) slip planes pile into the barrier provided by a wider (110) slip band and coalesce to form a slit nucleus along the lines of intersection. This nucleus lies parallel to the (110) plane and grows by cleavage over this plane until it meets another (110) slip band where it becomes halted. Thus cracks can be nucleated where slip bands intersect but, more important, they can also be stabilized by slip bands. If microcracks form in the early stages of plastic flow their growth is unrestricted and the material is brittle. If the crystal is first plastically defo...
The Role of Group Consciousness in Latino Public Opinion

The public opinion of the Latino community is an understudied area within the political science literature. This analysis contributes to this literature by investigating the role of group consciousness across both Latino salient and general policy areas utilizing the 1999 Washington Post/Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation National Survey of Latinos. By including both issue areas that are salient to the Latino community (immigration, bilingual education) as well as those that are not directly tied to Latinos (abortion, death penalty), I test the primary hypothesis that group consciousness has a greater impact on Latino political attitudes across issues that are directly tied to ethnicity than on those that are not. Results from this analysis support the overall theory, as perceived discrimination motivates public opinion toward both immigration and bilingual education, and collective action toward immigration. Among other factors, nativity and the length of time lived in the U.S. have the greatest influence...
Marine biology: the role of accommodation in shaping marine biodiversity

A review of evidence from two kinds of studies conducted in the marine environment suggests a species relationship not previously recognized as being consistent and widespread. In the first instance, observations on species invading from a more diverse ecosystem into a less diverse ecosystem indicate that successful colonizations take place because space is yielded by their ecological equivalents. In the second instance, widespread studies show that any community, rich or poor, located in tropical or cold waters, is vulnerable to invasions by species from a larger, more diverse region. Furthermore, the species richness of a community apparently depends upon that of the region to which it belongs. Together, these observations indicate the existence of a general rule which states that if an invader becomes established, it is permitted to do so by an accommodation on the part of the species that occupies the preferred ecological space. Paleontological data on invasions provide evidence of speciation following accommodation. This leads to the recognition of a three-step process: invasion to accommodation to speciation (IAS). This process, which may be called the IAS mechanism, may have contributed to historical rises of global biodiversity.
The Identification of Amplitude and Phase in Imbalance Mass of Grinding Wheel

Vibration signal produced by imbalance of grinding wheel is a periodic signal that has a same frequency with rotational speed. To identify the signal accurately is premise of balance for grinding wheel. This paper introduces the composition and basic concept of vibration signal in grinding wheel and further studies how to identify process and calculate about this vibration signal. It will provide theory evidence for grinding wheel’s dynamic balance.
Market Breadth, Trin Statistic, and Market Returns

This article investigates the predictability and profitability of two technical indicators that have been well known to practicing analysts for a long time but have yet to be thoroughly examined in the literature: the market breadth and the trin statistic. We find that these indicators show strong predictive power for returns in the near future, but the predictability does weaken drastically or even disappear in the most recent decade. We also investigate profits of the trading strategies based on these indicators and find that they stem mainly from frequent trading. These indicators may present profitable opportunities for investors who can trade small stocks with low transaction costs.
Life satisfaction and life demands in college students

Researchers have proposed that life satisfaction may be increased by reduced life involvement (i.e., the scarcity hypothesis) or increased by greater life involvement (i.e., the expansion hypothesis). In this study we aimed to determine if female and male college students are more satisfied with their lives if they have more or less active life styles. A total of 157 females and 86 males were assigned to either a high, moderate, or low life satisfaction group and additional instruments were administered to assess the manner of decision making, the extent of role demands and time pressures, and the respondents’ satisfaction with school performance and their dating and family relationships. Results indicated that both male and female college students with high life satisfaction had more demanding life styles than individuals with low life satisfaction, but they did not suffer greater personal stress. The significant role of fulfilling inter-personal relationships in overall life satisfaction was also evident.
Representations and solutions for game-theoretic problems

Abstract A system with multiple interacting agents (whether artificial or human) is often best analyzed using game-theoretic tools. Unfortunately, while the formal foundations are well-established, standard computational techniques for game-theoretic reasoning are inadequate for dealing with realistic games. This paper describes the Gala system , an implemented system that allows the specification and efficient solution of large imperfect information games. The system contains the first implementation of a recent algorithm, due to Koller, Megiddo and von Stengel. Experimental results from the system demonstrate that the algorithm is exponentially faster than the standard algorithm in practice, not just in theory. It therefore allows the solution of games that are orders of magnitude larger than were previously possible. The system also provides a new declarative language for compactly and naturally representing games by their rules. As a whole, the Gala system provides the capability for automated game-theoretic analysis of complex real-world situations.
Adaptation and mitigation as complementary tools for reducing the risk of climate impacts

This paper uses the likelihood of flooding along Brahmaputra and Ganges Rivers in India to explore the hypothesis that adaptation and mitigation can be viewed as complements rather than sustitutes. For futures where climate change will produce smooth, monotonic and manageable effects, adopting a mitigation strategy is shown to increase the ability of adaptation to reduce the likelihood of crossing critical threshold of tolerable climate. For futures where climate change will produce variable impacts overtime, though, it is possible that mitigation will make adaptation less productive for some time intervals. In cases of exaggerated climate change, adaptation may fail entirely regardless of how much mitigation is applied. Judging the degree of complementarity is therefore an empirical question because the relative efficacy of adaptation is site specific and path dependent. It follows that delibrations over climate policy should rely more on detailed analyses of how the distributions of possible impacts of climate might change over space and time.
Using ecological niche modeling for quantitative biogeographic analysis: a case study of Miocene and Pliocene Equinae in the Great Plains

The subfamily Equinae in the Great Plains region of North America underwent a dramatic radiation and subsequent decline as climate changed from warm and humid in the middle Miocene to cooler and more arid conditions during the late Miocene. Here we use ecological niche modeling (ENM), specifically the GARP (Genetic Algorithm using Rule-set Prediction) modeling system, to reconstruct the geographic distribution of individual species during two time slices from the middle Miocene through early Pliocene. This method combines known species occurrence points with environmental parameters inferred from sedimentological variables to model each species' fundamental niche. The geographic range of each species is then predicted to occupy the geographic area within the study region wherever the set of environmental parameters that constrain the fundamental niche occurs. We analyze changes in the predicted distributions of individual species between time slices in relation to Miocene/Pliocene climate change. Specifically, we examine and compare distribution patterns for two time slices that span the period from the mid-Miocene (Barstovian) Climatic Optimum into the early Pliocene (Blancan) to determine whether habitat fragmentation led to speciation within the clade and whether species survival was related to geographic range size. Patchy geographic distributions were more common in the middle Miocene when speciation rates were high. During the late Miocene, when speciation rates were lower, continuous geographic ranges were more common. Equid species tracked their preferred habitat within the Great Plains region as well as regionally throughout North America. Species with larger predicted ranges preferentially survived the initial cooling event better than species with small geographic ranges. As climate continued to deteriorate in the late Miocene, however, range size became irrelevant to survival, and extinction rates increased for species of all range sizes. This is the first use of ENM and GARP in the continental fossil record. This powerful quantitative biogeographic method offers great promise for studies of other taxa and geologic intervals.
Variations2: a digital music library system

This demonstration will show version 1.0 of the Variations2 digital library system developed by Indiana University. Variations2 is being built to provide access to music in a variety of formats-sound recordings, scanned musical scores, computer score notation files, and video-and is designed to support research and learning in the field of music.
A fast algorithm to solve the Beltrami equation with applications to quasiconformal mappings

Two algorithms are provided for the fast and accurate computation of the solution of Beltrami equations in the complex plane in the interior of a unit disk. There are two integral operators which are fundamental in the construction of this solution. A fast algorithm to evaluate one of these integrals is given by Daripa (SIAM J. Sci. Stat. Comput., Nov. 1992). An algorithm for fast evaluation of the second integral is provided here. These algorithms are based on representation of the solution in terms of a double integral, some recursive relations in Fourier space, and fast Fourier transforms. The theoretical computational complexity of our algorithm isO(MN InN), whereM andN are the number of nodes in the circular and radial directions. We show the application of these algorithms in constructing numerical methods for quasiconformal mappings. A numerical method is provided and explored numerically for the construction of quasiconformal mappings using the Beltrami equation. In particular we show the effect of dilatations on the Jacobian of the mappings which controls what is known as the crowding phenomenon in the literature.
Genome-wide analysis of pain-, nerve- and neurotrophin -related gene expression in the degenerating human annulus

Background In spite of its high clinical relevance, the relationship between disc degeneration and low back pain is still not well understood. Recent studies have shown that genome-wide gene expression studies utilizing ontology searches provide an efficient and valuable methodology for identification of clinically relevant genes. Here we use this approach in analysis of pain-, nerve-, and neurotrophin-related gene expression patterns in specimens of human disc tissue. Control, non-herniated clinical, and herniated clinical specimens of human annulus tissue were studied following Institutional Review Board approval.
A role for indels in the evolution of Cro protein folds

Insertions and deletions in protein sequences, or indels, can disrupt structure and may result in changes in protein folds during evolution or in association with alternative splicing. Pfl 6 and Xfaso 1 are two proteins in the Cro family that share a common ancestor but have different folds. Sequence alignments of the two proteins show two gaps, one at the N terminus, where the sequence of Xfaso 1 is two residues shorter, and one near the center of the sequence, where the sequence of Pfl 6 is five residues shorter. To test the potential importance of indels in Cro protein evolution, we generated hybrid variants of Pfl 6 and Xfaso 1 with indels in one or both regions, chosen according to several plausible sequence alignments. All but one deletion variant completely unfolded both proteins, showing that a longer N-terminal sequence was critical for Pfl 6 folding and a longer central region sequence was critical for Xfaso 1 folding. By contrast, Xfaso 1 tolerated a longer N-terminal sequence with very little destabilization, and Pfl 6 tolerated central region insertions, albeit with substantial effects on thermal stability and some perturbation of the surrounding structure. None of the mutations appeared to convert one stable fold into the other. Based on this two-protein comparison, short insertion and deletion mutations probably played a role in evolutionary fold change in the Cro family, but were also not the only factors.
Next generation high energy physics colliders: technical challenges and prospects

High energy particle physics is about studying the fundamental properties of matter at the highest achievable particle energies. The use of superconducting magnet technology has become central to the generation of high energy particle beams over the last 30 years. The first announcement of a practical type II superconductor, Nb/sub 3/Sn, was in 1961. Within a month high energy particle physicists began to explore the ways these new materials could be used in their research apparatus. Within a decade stable NbTi materials were being used in large, constant current magnets for particle detectors. At the end of two decades large quantities of cost effective Rutherford cable were in production, and several large particle/storage rings, using ramped dipole and quadrupole magnets, were either under construction or in the advanced stages of planning. At the end of three decades several of these were operating very successfully, and construction had begun on an accelerator/storage ring 84 kilometers in circumference. Today, almost four decades later, the SSC has succumbed to politics, not technical shortcomings, and the need for high energy particles for physics research is as urgent as ever. However, the material needs, the scale of magnet performance, and the politics are all different. It is the purpose of this paper to briefly review this development and the reasons for it, and then to describe the current needs and possible future directions.
Nitric oxide and cyclic GMP regulate early events in agrin signaling in skeletal muscle cells.

Abstract Agrin released from motor nerve terminals directs differentiation of the vertebrate neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), guanylate cyclase (GC), and cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) contributes to agrin signaling in embryonic frog and chick muscle cells. Stimulation of the NO/cyclic GMP (cGMP) pathway in embryos potentiates agrin's ability to aggregate acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) at NMJs. Here we investigated the timing and mechanism of NO and cGMP action. Agrin increased NO levels in mouse C2C12 myotubes. NO donors potentiated agrin-induced AChR aggregation during the first 20 min of agrin treatment, but overnight treatment with NO donors inhibited agrin activity. Adenoviruses encoding siRNAs against each of three NOS isoforms reduced agrin activity, indicating that these isoforms all contribute to agrin signaling. Inhibitors of NOS, GC, or PKG reduced agrin-induced AChR aggregation in mouse muscle cells by ∼ 50%. However, increased activation of the GTPase Rac1, an early step in agrin signaling, was dependent on NOS activity and was mimicked by NO donors and a cGMP analog. Our results indicate that stimulation of the NO/cGMP pathway is important during the first few minutes of agrin signaling and is required for agrin-induced Rac1 activation, a key step leading to reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and subsequent aggregation of AChRs on the surface of skeletal muscle cells.
Aviation data networks: security issues and network architecture

The information technology (IT) revolution, combined with people's need to access information quickly, has resulted in the explosive growth of the Internet in the past decade. Ubiquitous access to the Internet has become an essential component of a mobile workforce and multiple mechanisms are being devised to ensure seamless connectivity to corporate resources. An integrated security framework requires a careful consideration of the security features of the network within an airplane. Potentially, the aircraft could consist of three kinds of networks namely passenger network, crew network, and control network. The security protocol implemented must ensure a proper separation of these networks and also watch for any security protocol violations. In this paper, the authors review the existing aircraft data network standards, security provisioning, and the security threats associated with the aircraft data networks. In addition, the authors also analyze the security threats associated with different network architectures.
Effects of fentanyl-diazepam-pancuronium anesthesia on heart rate variability: a spectral analysis.

Abstract The effects of induction of anesthesia with fentanyl, 62.1 ±7.9 μ/kg, diazepam, 0.21 ± 0.08 mg/kg, and pancuronium on beat-to-beat heart rate variations were studied in seven patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Spectral analysis was used to determine the intensity of the variations in each of the two main frequency bands in which variations are known to occur: (1) high-frequency band, mediated by the parasympathetic nervous system, at the frequency band of respiration, and (2) the low-frequency band, mediated by both sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, at 0.04–0.12 Hz. Both the mean low- and high-frequency band areas were significantly decreased after induction of anesthesia. The ratio of high-to-low frequency band areas increased significantly after induction of anesthesia, from 45% to 62% (P
Cognitive and Symptom Predictors of Work Outcomes for Clients With Schizophrenia in Supported Employment

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the relationships of measures of cognitive functioning and psychiatric symptoms with work outcomes and use of vocational services for clients with schizophrenia in a supported employment program. METHODS: Thirty clients who were newly enrolled in a supported employment program were evaluated with cognitive and symptom measures at program entry and two years later. The clients' amounts of competitive work, wages earned, on-job support, and contact with employment specialists during the two-year follow-up period were documented. RESULTS: Predictors of clients' work outcomes included previous work history, amount of government entitlement income received, severity of negative symptoms, involvement in sheltered work activity at baseline, and level of cognitive functioning, including scores on measures of executive functioning and verbal learning and memory. The amounts of on-job support and contact with employment specialists were predicted by the cognitive domains of executive...
Neuronal toxicity in HIV CNS disease

HIV enters the brain during the early stages of initial infection and can result in a complicated array of diverse neurological dysfunctions. While neuronal injury and loss are at the heart of neurological decline and HIV-associated neuropathology, HIV does not productively infect neurons and the effects of HIV on neurons may be described as largely indirect. Viral proteins released from infected cells in the CNS are a well-characterized source of neuronal toxicity. Likewise, host-derived inflammatory cytokines and chemokines released from infected and/or activated glial cells can damage neurons, as well. Newly identified host-virus interactions and the current state of our knowledge regarding HIV-associated neuronal toxicity will be addressed in this review. Aspects of HIV-associated neurotoxic mechanisms, patterns of neuronal damage, viral effects on neurotrophic signaling, clade variations and comorbid substance abuse will be discussed. Recent advances in our understanding of the impact of HIV infection of the CNS on neuronal dysfunction and cell death will also be highlighted.
Managers and Leaders: A Matter of Cognitive Difference

There have been innumerable studies descnbing the activities, behaviors, skills, and circumstances which make leaders and/or managers effective. Leaders and managers in many cases are characterized...