cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Free-Energy Dependence of Electron-Transfer Rate Constants at Si/Liquid Interfaces

Differential capacitance vs potential and current density vs potential measurements have been used to characterize the interfacial energetics and kinetics, respectively, of n-type Si electrodes in contact with a series of one-electron, outer-sphere redox couples. The differential capacitance data yielded values for the electron concentration at the surface of the semiconductor as well as values for the driving force of the interfacial electron-transfer event at Si/CH3OH−viologen2+/+ junctions. The differential capacitance vs potential measurements were essentially independent of the ac frequency imposed on the interface, with linear Bode plots (log|impedance| vs log frequency, at a fixed potential) between ≈103 and ≈105 Hz, with slopes typically between −0.99 and −1.00. The slopes of C-2−E (Mott−Schottky) plots were in excellent agreement with theory, and little frequency dispersion was observed in the x-intercepts of such plots. The conduction band edge of the n-type Si anodes was invariant to within ±40...
A Case Study on the Effects of Predicted Wind Farm Power Outputs on Unscheduled Flows in Transmission Networks

The impact of forecasting error in wind power on unscheduled flows (USFs) is investigated here. Normal distribution is used to model the forecasting error distribution. Upper and lower bounds on wind farm output with a positive correlation of errors are obtained. Monte Carlo simulations using the interval forecasts of wind farm outputs are run to obtain interval branch flows. Ordinary least squares and ridge regression are used for the estimation of a mathematical artifact - minor loop flows - for accommodating USFs. Model adequacy and statistical inferences of the loop flow estimates is discussed. Impact of forecasting error on distributions of estimated loop flow is explored on the basis of Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) and chi-square goodness-of-fit tests.
Solubilities in the ammonium thiosulfate-urea-ammonium nitrate-water system at 0°C

Solubilities in the system CO(NH2)2-NH4NO3-(NH4)2S2O3-H2O were obtained at 0°C and pH values between 6.12 and 7.33. The new composition of matter, (NH4)6(S2O3)2(NO3)2·CO(NH2)2, was identified and characterized chemically and microscopically. Stable high-analyses solution fertilizers can be produced at 0°C utilizing waste ammonium thiosulfate solutions with standard ammonium nitrate and urea fertilizer materials. A 31-0-0-5.6S grade (%N-%P2O5-%K2O-Other) fertilizer solution can be formed at 0°C when NH4NO3/CO(NH2)2 is about one. Stable 30% total nitrogen solutions containing up to 10% sulfur can be produced at other NH4NO3/CO(NH2)2 ratios.
Marijuana and Alcohol Use and Attempted Smoking Cessation in Adolescent Boys and Girls

ABSTRACT. Background: This study sought to determine the relationship between the frequency of current marijuana and alcohol use and cigarette quit attempts in male and female adolescent smokers. Methods: Data from a cross-sectional survey of health behaviors in high-school-aged adolescents were analyzed. Current cigarette smokers (n = 804) who reported use of at least 1 cigarette in the past month were divided into those with and without a history of at least 1 quit attempt (a self-reported episode of trying to “stop smoking”). Logistic regression models were fit to describe the association between the frequency of marijuana/alcohol use and a history of cigarette quit attempts. Results: Among the total sample, higher-frequency marijuana use (more than 6 times in the past 30 days) and frequent binge drinking (more than 5 days of binge drinking in the past 30 days) decreased the odds of having a past cigarette quit attempt (higher-frequency marijuana: adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.56, 95% confidence interv...
Theory of quantum metal to superconductor transitions in highly conducting systems

We derive the theory of the quantum (zero temperature) superconductor to metal transition in disordered materials when the resistance of the normal metal near criticality is small compared to the quantum of resistivity. This can occur most readily in situations in which 'Anderson's theorem' does not apply. We explicitly study the transition in superconductor-metal composites, in an swave superconducting film in the presence of a magnetic field, and in a low temperature disordered d-wave superconductor. Near the point of the transition, the distribution of the superconducting order parameter is highly inhomogeneous. To describe this situation we employ a procedure which is similar to that introduced by Mott for description of the temperature dependence of the variable range hopping conduction. As the system approaches the point of the transition from the metal to the superconductor, the conductivity of the system diverges, and the Wiedemann-Franz law is violated. In the case of d-wave (or other exotic) superconductors we predict the existence of (at least) two sequential transitions as a function of increasing disorder: a d-wave to s-wave, and then an s-wave to metal transition.
Conditional Heteroskedasticity Forecasts Regime Shift in a Whole-Ecosystem Experiment

Regime shifts in stochastic ecosystem models are often preceded by early warning signals such as increased variance and increased autocorrelation in time series. There is considerable theoretical support for early warning signals, but there is a critical lack of field observations to test the efficacy of early warning signals at spatial and temporal scales relevant for ecosystem management. Conditional heteroskedasticity is persistent periods of high and low variance that may be a powerful leading indicator of regime shift. We evaluated conditional heteroskedasticity as an early warning indicator by applying moving window conditional heteroskedasticity tests to time series of chlorophyll-a and fish catches derived from a whole-lake experiment designed to create a regime shift. There was significant conditional heteroskedasticity at least a year prior to the regime shift in the manipulated lake but there was no significant conditional heteroskedasticity in an adjacent reference lake. Conditional heteroskedasticity was an effective leading indicator of regime shift for the ecosystem manipulation.
The (revised) future of financial markets

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate recent financial system reforms in the USA by placing them in the context of major structural trends currently underway in the markets, due to technology and globalization of trading.Design/methodology/approach – The paper describes trends underway in markets and examines how the new rules recently agreed to in the USA and among regulators globally will bear on them.Findings – The paper finds that the financial system reforms in the USA can be expected to have modest beneficial effects in terms of making markets more robust and efficient, and that key trends affecting markets need to be taken into account as regulators implement the new rules and evaluate the need for future amendments. Our findings imply that regulators should be willing to closely monitor the reforms and adjust them quickly as needed.Originality/value – This article adds the perspective of interacting key secular trends in the structure of the banking and financial system with the lates...
Metabolism of Isosorbide Dinitrate in the Isolated Perfused Rabbit Lung

The uptake and metabolism of isosorbide dinitrate was investigated in the recirculating isolated perfused rabbit lung and in lung homogenate 9000Xg supernatant. Concentration versus time profiles from the isolated lung experiments indicate rapid metabolism of isosorbide dinitrate and corresponding increases in the metabolites 5-isosorbide mononitrate, 2-isosorbide mononitrate, and isosorbide. The data suggest that the mononitrates formed in the lung tissue were converted to isosorbide at an extraordinarily high rate. Surprisingly, the rate of appearance of completely denitrated isosorbide was greater when isosorbide dinitrate was administered to the lung than when the mononitrate metabolites of isosorbide dinitrate were administered. The results suggest rapid metabolism of a substantial portion of the mononitrates formed endogenously from isosorbide dinitrate before partitioning of mononitrates into the perfusion medium could occur. The metabolism of isosorbide dinitrate in lung homogenate 9000Xg supernatant exhibited a metabolic scheme kinetically different from the intact lung studies, as isosorbide was formed slowly from a mononitrate intermediate and not by a near-simultaneous cleavage of both nitrate ester groups. Intravascular multiple-dose studies did not demonstrate any inhibition between isosorbide dinitrate and the mononitrates.
Relapse in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia after elective cessation of initial treatment: failure of subsequent treatment with cyclophosphamide, cytosine arabinoside, vincristine and prednisone (COAP).

Although the majority of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) can electively stop treatment after 21/2–5 years of continuous disease-free remission, 20–25% of those patients relapse after discontinuation of therapy. We treated 15 patients whose disease recurred after stopping treatment. Fourteen of them attained complete remission, but the median duration of disease-free survival was only 11 months. In this population, the site of initial relapse, bone marrow or testicle, did not influence subsequent outcome. Patients who relapsed within six months of stopping initial therapy had shorter second remissions than those who relapsed after six months. We conclude that the combination chemotherapy utilized in this study was inadequte for the control of relapsed ALL. Future programs will have to use different drug combinations or bone marrow transplantation.
Activation of a Calcium- and pH-Dependent Phospholipase A2 by Cyanide in PC12 Cells

Previous studies suggested that alterations in phospholipid composition of plasma membranes may contribute to neuronal injury associated with cyanide-induced histotoxic hypoxia. This prompted a study of the effects of KCN on phospholipase A2 (PLA2), an enzyme which catalyzes breakdown of membrane phospholipids. PLA2 activity was measured by quantitating the release of [3H]arachidonic acid ([3H]AA) from rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. KCN produced a time (1-15 min)- and concentration (0.5-10 mM)-dependent release of [3H]AA from the cells. When cells were incubated in Ca(2+)-free buffer, KCN (5 mM) was still able to release [3H]AA. In cells loaded with BAPTA, an intracellular Ca2+ chelator, cyanide-induced release of [3H]AA was blocked, indicating that mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ can activate the enzyme. The PLA2 inhibitors dibucaine (50 microM) and mepacrine (50 microM) inhibited KCN-mediated [3H]AA release. Incubation of PC12 cells in an extracellular pH of 6.50 reduced the KCN effect, whereas incubation at pH 7.90 enhanced [3H]AA release. These data indicate that in PC12 cells KCN activates a Ca(2+)- and pH-dependent PLA2 which may contribute to cyanide-induced cell damage.
Fracture characterization of random short fiber reinforced thermoset resin composites

Abstract The fracture toughness characterization of random fiber reinforced polymer composites has been investigated by several research groups in recent years. This paper discusses the methods and results of some of these investigations with regard to the applicability of classical linear elastic fracture mechanics approaches to such materials. In polymers randomly reinforced with short fibers (0.5 mm) the region of inelastic behavior ahead of crack tips is sufficiently small that LEFM toughness tests are valid with standard specimen sizes. However, calculations suggest that during fracture of composites with “long” fibers (24 or 50 mm), inelasticities occur to such an extent that the small scale yielding requirements of LEFM are not satisfied. An alternative approach based on the material tension-softening curve may be more appropriate to characterize fracture toughness in fiber reinforced composites.
Hemoprotozoa of caged and aviary birds

The major hemoprotozoa of caged and aviary birds, primarily psittacines and passerines, are reviewed: Plasmodium, Hemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, Atoxoplasma, Trypanosoma, Aegyptianella, Babesia , and Akiba . The occurrence, life cycles, species affected, vectors involved, methods of diagnosis of infection, and some suggested treatment and preventative measures are presented.
Impact of point-source injection methodologies on injection studies

Abstract Effective interdiction of illicit radioactive material requires decision criteria that are sensitive to the material of interest, while insensitive to material of lesser interest. Injection studies are used to assess the sensitivities of decision criteria to radioactive threat scenarios. Configuring injection studies requires decisions about methodological factors that represent or simplify actual field conditions. Understanding the relative impact of different source injection methods on alarm rates and other outcome measures is vital for interpreting results of injection studies. The most complete and realistic way to inject point-source counts into a vehicle count profile is with the randomly positioned source profile approach. In this paper, we report a study of the impacts of methodological simplifications to this approach. We assessed relative sensitivity of two field-deployed detection algorithms to two experimental factors in point-source injection studies. The first factor featured “centered” versus “random” point-source position along the vehicle count profile. The second factor featured either adding the entire injection profile (“profile injection”) or adding only the central “spike” portion of the injection profile nearest to the point-source position (“spike injection”). A collection of 75 059 archived vehicle count profiles from an operating border crossing were injected with a simulated low-energy gamma-ray point-source intended to emulate surrogates of highly enriched uranium or plutonium. Outcomes were assessed by means of injection curves (alarm rate vs. injection source size) and a derived measure, minimum detectable count rates (MDC) required to attain a detection probability of 95%. Results show that injection methodology combined with algorithm impacts study outcomes in different ways. For gross count results, centered spike injections yield higher detection sensitivity than centered profile injections, and random spike injections yield even higher detection sensitivity than centered spike injections. Conversely, for energy window ratio results, centered spike injections yield less sensitivity than centered profile injections, and random spike injections yield even less sensitivity than centered spike injections. These effects may be partially attributable to background suppression in the vehicle profile of detection statistics. Although the observed effects (up to 10%) are not large, the injection method impacts alarm rates from the two detection algorithms in opposite directions. These results inform methodological decisions and assessments of results in injection studies.
Duplex Foldamers from Assembly Induced Folding

Oligoamide strands 1, 2, and 3, consisting of 4-H-bond units, were originally designed to form noncovalent polymers based on the expectation that they would adopt an extended conformation. Instead of assembling into the expected supramolecular polymer through their 4-H-bond units, the 1:1 mixture of 1 and 2 was found to form a highly stable dimeric species. To dimerize, the H-bonding sequences of 1 and 2 can only adopt a folded (stacked) conformation. The self-assembly of 3 was also found to adopt a similar folded duplex conformation. These novel duplex foldamers are very stable. They were characterized by 1D and 2D 1H NMR, VPO, and mass spectral (ESI) studies.
Monocular and binocular detection of moving sinusoidal gratings.

Abstract We compared observers' contrast sensitivities for monocularly presented drifting gratings with their sensitivities to various pair-combinations of these gratings. If the two gratings are presented one to each eye, are of low spatial frequency, and move in same direction, contrast sensitivity is nearly twice the monocular value; if the gratings move in opposite directions, there is little or no sensitivity difference between the monocular and dichoplic conditions. As spatial frequency increases, the difference between the same- and opposite-direction conditions becomes less marked, and both pair-combinations are about 1.4 times as detectable as their monocular components. A monocular combination of gratings drifting in opposite directions (a counterphase modulated grating) gives results much like the dichoptic opposite-direction combination at all spatial frequencies. If spatial frequency is fixed at a moderate value, and drift rate is varied, then the difference between same and opposite conditions increases with drift rate; the natural conclusion that stimulus velocity determines this difference is not. however, completely borne out by experiments in which spatial and temporal frequency are varied to hold velocity constant. Thus under conditions where velocity and direction information are known to be available at detection threshold, our results show that binocular combination depends on the direction of movement: directional information must thus be extracted at or prior to the confluence of binocular signals.
η/s of a Relativistic Hadron Gas at RHIC: Approaching the AdS/CFT bound?

Abstract Ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) are thought to have produced a state of matter called the quark-gluon plasma, characterized by a very small shear-viscosity to entropy-density ratio η / s , near the lower bound predicted for that quantity by AdS/CFT methods. As the produced matter expands and cools, it evolves through a phase described by a hadron gas with rapidly increasing η / s . We calculate η / s as a function of temperature in this phase both in and out of chemical equilibrium and find that its value poses a challenge for viscous relativistic hydrodynamics, which requires small values of η / s in order to successfully describe the collective flow observables at RHIC. We therefore conclude that the origin of the low viscosity matter at the RHIC must be in the partonic phase of the reaction.
Hydrogen activation on zinc oxide

Abstract Three types of hydrogen adsorption have previously been characterized on zinc oxide at low temperatures, designated Types I, II and III. One of these, Type III, is a molecular form of adsorption which can be specifically titrated by nitrogen adsorption on 10–20% of the surface with formation of a molecular nitrogen species. This selective titration by a molecular nitrogen adsorption was employed to study the participation of molecularly adsorbed hydrogen in the allotropie (ortho-para) hydrogen conversion and isotopic (H 2 D 2 ) hydrogen exchange. The promotional effect of oxygen on the conversion reaction was also investigated. These results at low temperatures clearly indicate that the conversion reaction proceeds predominantly by a molecular paramagnetic mechanism involving this type III hydrogen below 140 °K, while the exchange reaction proceeds via a Bonhoeffer-Farkas mechanism involving type I hydrogen at both low temperature and also at room temperature. At low temperatures, the exchange and conversion reactions are independent, but this is not necessarily true at room temperature. A mathematical model is presented for the paramagnetic conversion based on Wigner's theory involving longer times of interaction. The result is an enhancement of the conversion rate by several orders of magnitude with the deuterium conversion being enhanced more than the molecular hydrogen conversion.
Music therapy: A community approach to social justice

This theoretical paper demonstrates how music therapy—and more specifically, community music therapy (CoMT)—can contribute to social justice. CoMT is a creative approach that the liberates expression, potentially empowering people of all ages, races, and statuses to build a better society. It also reveals how the leadership literature presents the concept of service in addressing social justice and how the fields of psychology and sociology of music shed some light on the use of music for social justice. Finally, future implications for training music therapists for social justice are explored.
CWhatUC : A visual acuity simulator

CWhatUC (pronounced 'see what you see') is a computer software system which will predict a patient's visual acuity using several techniques based on fundamentals of geometric optics. The scientific visualizations we propose can be clustered into two classes: retinal representations and corneal representations; however, in this paper, we focus our discussion on corneal representations. It is important to note that, for each method listed below, we can illustrate the visual acuity with or without spectacle correction. Corneal representations are meant to reveal how well the cornea focuses parallel light onto the fovea of the eye by providing a pseudo-colored display of various error metrics. These error metrics could be: (1) standard curvature representations, such as instantaneous or axial curvature, converted to refractive power maps by taking Snell's law into account; (2) the focusing distance from each refracted ray's average focus to the computed fovea; (3) the retinal distance on the retinal plane from each refracted ray to the chief ray (lateral spherical aberration). For each error metric, we show both real and simulated data, and illustrate how each representation contributes to the simulation of visual acuity.
Halomethyl—metal compounds XXIX. Reactions of monohalomethyl—mercury compounds with organosilicon hydrides: A new preparation of methylsilicon compounds

Abstract The reactions of the halomethyl—mercury reagents Hg(CH2Br)2, ICH2HgI/ Ph2Hg and Hg(CH2Br)2/Ph2Hg with a number of organosilicon hydrides [Et3SiH, Ph3SiH, Ph2SiH2, ViPh2SiH, Me2PhSiH, Me2(ZC6H4)SiH (Z = p-Cl, p-F, m-CF3 and p-CH3)] resulted in CH2 insertion into the SiH bonds to give methylsilanes. A similar reaction with triethylgermane gave triethylmethylgermane. Although the mechanism of this new methylenation reaction is not known, a free methylene process seems to be excluded and it is likely that a direct reaction between the halomethyl— mercury reagent and the hydride is involved. A Hammett study of the reaction of Hg(CH2Br)2 with substituted phenyldimethylsilanes showed a good correlation between log krel and σ°, giving a ϱ value of −1.31 ± 0.04. A competition study established that triethylsilane is ca. 12 times more reactive toward bis(bromomethyl)mercury than is 3-ethyl-2-pentene.
The U.S. Interstate Commerce Acts Annotated

Abstract The U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) first prepared the Interstate Commerce Acts Annotated in the late 1920s (and later supplemented the publication) pursuant to Senate resolution. Commercial publishers expressed little interest in preparing a reference work needed to provide access to the voluminous regulatory materials produced by Congress, the ICC, and the federal courts in the process of transportation regulation. The effort represented a governmental initiative to make information available to the public when private enterprise had failed to do so.
Cone-specific expression using a human red opsin promoter in recombinant AAV

Abstract Purpose To determine the feasibility of targeting gene expression specifically to cone photoreceptors using recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) as the vector. Methods An rAAV vector was constructed that contains a 2.1 kb upstream sequence of the human red opsin gene to direct green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression. A control construct containing a 472 bp mouse rod opsin promoter, previously shown to drive photoreceptor-specific expression, was also used. Each recombinant virus was injected into the subretinal space of rat, ferret or guinea pig eyes. GFP expression was analyzed 4–6 weeks after injection microscopically. Result The human 2.1 kb cone opsin gene upstream sequence targeted GFP expression only to a subset of photoreceptors. Cone-specific expression was shown by co-localization of GFP fluorescence and cone-specific opsin antibody staining. Additionally, in rats, expression was specific for L/M-cones whereas no S-cones exhibited GFP fluorescence. The efficiency of rAAV mediated cone transduction surrounding the injection site was high since every L/M-cone antibody-staining cone was also positive for GFP expression. Conclusion The human red/green opsin gene promoter used in this study is sufficient to direct efficient cone-specific gene expression in several mammalian species, suggesting that key cell-type specific regulatory elements must be broadly conserved in mammals. These observations have significance in devising gene therapy strategies for retinal dystrophies that primarily affect cones and point toward a way to functionally dissect the cone opsin promoter in vivo.
Responses of tobacco pith nucleic to growth substances.

A cytological study was made of excised segments of pith of tobacco (ev. Wisconsin 38) grown in vitro on media containing various growth substances. Explants were cultured on a basal medium and on media containing kinetin, indoleacetic acid, gibberellic acid, and combinations of these three growth substances. Controls consisted of pith segments chemically fixed immediately after excision. The nuclei of explants on the basal medium and those on media containing the growth substances showed a response as early as 1 day after the beginning of the experiment. Nucleoli were indicators of initial stimulation in that they became swollen and displayed internal “vacuolation”, a known characteristic of active cells. These fatures were more pronounced by the second day for cultures grown on media containing growth regulators. Nucleoli were centers of nucleohistone staining as shown by the ammoniacal silver method. Continued and sustained growth of explants was possible only on media containing combinations of IAA and kinetin, or a combination of kinetin, IAA and GA. The greatest initial nucleolar stimulation occurred with IAA alone, even though subsequent growth did not take place. There was no nucleolar response of explants grown on abscisic acid alone.
Micro thermal actuator aided micro ultrasonic motor actuation

This paper presents a non-contact approach of controlling the rotor motion of a surface micromachined ultrasonic motor, driven by bulk PZT plates. The bulk-PZT actuates the hub-stator at its resonances, some of which are whispering gallery modes and a rotating wave generated on the stator couples shear forces to the air between the stator and the rotor causing a drag force pushing the rotor. Aided by a set of thermal actuators, to apply forces in addition to those applied by the ultrasonic stator, the thermal actuators are able to enhance the ultrasonic motor reliability. We have used infrared imaging to measure the temperature profile near the thermal actuators. The thermal actuators change the temperature of the air, substrate, and the rotor. We have observed that the thermal actuators result in smooth rotation at 100 - 300 rpm with the PZT actuation voltages of 5.4 - 7.1 Vpp.
The Oath-Challenge in Athens

In the 23rd book of the Iliad , Menelaus loses second place in the chariot race because of a manoeuvre by Antilochus. So, after Antilochus claims the second prize as his and dares others to fight him for it with their fists, Menelaus rises before the assembled heroes, sceptre in hand, to initiate a formal proceeding against him (571ff.). First he makes the charge: Antilochus has insulted his aretē and endangered his horses. He then calls upon the leaders of the Argives to judge fairly between them. But at this point he states that he will judge the case himself – in both instances the verb for ‘to judge’ is δικάζeιν. He then calls on Antilochus to follow an involved procedure and finally to swear an oath that in running the race he did not purposefully use a trick. But despite the fact that Menelaus said during the race that Antilochus would not take the prize without swearing an oath (23.411), we do not know later what the result might be if Antilochus were to accept Menelaus' challenge and to swear the oath. Homer has him sidestep the challenge and concede the prize.
Computer modeling of chemical vapor deposition processes

A general purpose computer model for describing the transport phenomena and resulting rate of deposition has been described. Partial differential equations describing the conservation of mass, momentum, energy, and chemical species are solved by a computer program employing the finite difference method. The system considered in this paper is deposition of silicon in a vertical stagnation flow reactor by the reaction of silicon tetrachloride and hydrogen. The program allows for multiple chemical species and natural convection effects. Predicted silicon deposition rates along the substrate are in reasonable agreement with experimental values available in the literature. The effect of gas inlet configuration on the uniformity of deposition has been studied. The model can be used as a tool for design optimization of such reactors.
Precursor cell division during the immune response in vitro: antigen-induced and "spontaneous" antibody-forming cells.

“Background” or “spontaneous” plaque-forming cells (PFC) which arise during in vitro culture of mouse spleen cells may be eliminated by a hot thymidine pulse. This does not prevent the subsequent addition of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) or trinitrophenylated (TNP) SRBC eliciting a primary immune response. Using mouse spleen cells, resently primed by carrier (SRBC), it was found that an early “hot pulse” (for the first 24 hours of culture) can eliminate the anti-SRBC response, but not the primary anti-TNP response which is dependent on carrier-specific, θ-bearing, radioresistant spleen cells.
Cone and possible rod components of the fast photovoltage in the frog eye: a new method of measuring cone regeneration rates in vivo.

Differential bleaching and regeneration effects permit the separation of three components in the Fast Photovoltage (FPV) obtained following a millisecond flash of light on the eye of the frog. The action spectra and recovery characteristics indicate that the major component of the FPV is from cones, with a sensitivity peak near 570 ± 20 nm and a recovery half-lifein vivo of 22 ± 8 sec. An apparent rod component is separated by selective bleaching. The third component of the FPV is photostable and has been previously reported from the pigment epithelium.
Evaluation of a Multihop Airborne IP Backbone with Heterogeneous Radio Technologies

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the US Department of Defense to build an on-demand airborne network for communications relay utilizing high-capacity, long-range military radio systems. While these systems operate well in a network of homogeneous systems, platforms generally employ multiple heterogeneous radio systems making internetworking difficult due to varying radio characteristics and lack of interoperability. Although simulations and emulation tests can provide a baseline for how systems will perform in a controlled environment, field tests are crucial to demonstrate capabilities in real-world operating environments. In this paper, we present measurement results from a field test involving two airborne platforms forming a dynamically routed aerial IP backbone over 200 nautical miles with various radio systems as part of the C4ISR on-the-move 2010 exercise. We present measurement results on per link performance, radio-to-router interface performance, and multihop network performance results with prototype software on open source platforms. Additionally, key lessons learned and recommendations are given.
Quantification of sources of variation and accuracy of sequence discrimination in a replicated microarray experiment

cDNA microarray spot variability arises from many sources, and different systems have varying requirements for achieving the desired level of precision. We determined relative contributions to vari...
A Tale of Two Methods

The structural equation modeling approach to testing for mediation is compared to the Baron and Kenny approach. The approaches are essentially the same when the hypothesis being tested predicts par...
Optimal boundary control & estimation of diffusion-reaction PDEs

This paper considers the optimal control and optimal estimation problems for a class of linear parabolic diffusion-reaction partial differential equations (PDEs) with actuators and sensors at the boundaries. Diffusion-reaction PDEs with boundary actuation and sensing arise in a multitude of relevant physical systems (e.g. magneto-hydrodynamic flows, chemical reactors, and electrochemical conversion devices). We formulate both the control and estimation problems using finite-time optimal control techniques, where the key results represent first order necessary conditions for optimality. Specifically, the time-varying state-feedback and observer gains are determined by solving Riccati-type PDEs. These results are analogous to the Riccati differential equations seen in linear quadratic regulator and optimal estimator results. In this sense, this paper extends LQR and optimal estimation results for finite-dimensional systems to infinite-dimensional systems with boundary actuation and sensing. These results are unique in two important ways. First, the derivations completely avoid discretization until the implementation stage. Second, they bypass formulating infinite-dimensional systems on an abstract Hilbert space and applying semigroup theory. Instead, Riccati equations are derived by applying weak-variations directly on the PDEs. Simulation examples and comparative analyses to backstepping are included for demonstration purposes.
Bistatic scattering measurements using near-field scanning

Accurate characterization of bistatic scattering responses of targets is of practical importance for a number of military and remote sensing applications. In this paper a novel approach for efficient and accurate bistatic scattering pattern measurement of point and distributed targets using a near-field system is demonstrated. This system is equipped with a relatively large XY-table (3 m/spl times/3 m) and makes use of an HP 8720D vector network analyzer as its transmitter, receiver, and signal processing units. The near-field probe of this system is dual polarized to facilitate polarimetric bistatic scattering measurements. Issues such as calibration procedure for removing systematic errors such as channel imbalances, probe cross-talk, and characterization of radiometric calibration constants are discussed. Finally the feasibility and the accuracy of the proposed method are demonstrated by measuring the bistatic scattering of point and distributed targets with known bistatic RCS and scattering coefficient and comparing the measured results with the theoretical one.
Chronic social isolation is associated with metabolic gene expression changes specific to mammary adipose tissue

Chronic social isolation is linked to increased mammary tumor growth in rodent models of breast cancer. In the C3(1)/SV40 T-antigen FVB/N (TAg) mouse model of “triple-negative” breast cancer, the heightened stress response elicited by social isolation has been associated with increased expression of metabolic genes in the mammary gland before invasive tumors develop (i.e., during the in situ carcinoma stage). To further understand the mechanisms underlying how accelerated mammary tumor growth is associated with social isolation, we separated the mammary gland adipose tissue from adjacent ductal epithelial cells and analyzed individual cell types for changes in metabolic gene expression. Specifically, increased expression of the key metabolic genes Acaca , Hk2 , and Acly was found in the adipocyte, rather than the epithelial fraction. Surprisingly, metabolic gene expression was not significantly increased in visceral adipose depots of socially isolated female mice. As expected, increased metabolic gene expression in the mammary adipocytes of socially isolated mice coincided with increased glucose metabolism, lipid synthesis, and leptin secretion from this adipose depot. Furthermore, application of media that had been cultured with isolated mouse mammary adipose tissue (conditioned media) resulted in increased proliferation of mammary cancer cells relative to group-housed–conditioned media. These results suggest that exposure to a chronic stressor (social isolation) results in specific metabolic reprogramming in mammary gland adipocytes that in turn contributes to increased proliferation of adjacent preinvasive malignant epithelial cells. Metabolites and/or tumor growth-promoting proteins secreted from adipose tissue could identify biomarkers and/or targets for preventive intervention in breast cancer. Cancer Prev Res; 6(7); 634–45. ©2013 AACR .
MyoD-dependent induction during myoblast differentiation of p204, a protein also inducible by interferon.

p204, an interferon-inducible p200 family protein, inhibits rRNA synthesis in fibroblasts by blocking the binding of the upstream binding factor transcription factor to DNA. Here we report that among 10 adult mouse tissues tested, the level of p204 was highest in heart and skeletal muscles. In cultured C2C12 skeletal muscle myoblasts, p204 was nucleoplasmic and its level was low. During myoblast fusion this level strongly increased, p204 became phosphorylated, and the bulk of p204 appeared in the cytoplasm of the myotubes. Leptomycin B, an inhibitor of nuclear export that blocked myoblast fusion, inhibited the nuclear export signal-dependent translocation of p204 to the cytoplasm. The increase in the p204 level during myoblast fusion was a consequence of MyoD transcription factor binding to several MyoD-specific sequences in the gene encoding p204, followed by transcription. Overexpression of p204 (in C2C12 myoblasts carrying an inducible p204 expression plasmid) accelerated the fusion of myoblasts to myotubes in differentiation medium and induced the fusion even in growth medium. The level of p204 in mouse heart muscle strongly increased during differentiation; it was barely detectable in 10.5-day-old embryos, reached the peak level in 16.5-day-old embryos, and remained high thereafter. p204 is the second p200 family protein (after p202a) found to be involved in muscle differentiation. (p202a was formerly designated p202. The new designation is due to the identification of a highly similar protein—p202b [H. Wang, G. Chatterjee, J. J. Meyer, C. J. Liu, N. A. Manjunath, P. Bray-Ward, and P. Lengyel, Genomics 60:281–294, 1999].) These results reveal that p204 and p202a function in both muscle differentiation and interferon action.
Detection of a mouse H-ras codon 61 mutation using a modified allele-specific competitive blocker PCR genotypic selection method

A modified allele-specific competitive blocker PCR (ACB-PCR) has been developed as an approach for genotypic selection, the detection of a rare mutant allele based solely upon its altered nucleotide sequence. ACB-PCR genotypic selection operates through the preferential PCR amplification of mutant DNA using a primer that has more mismatches to the wild-type allele than the mutant allele. In addition, a blocker-primer with a 3'-terminal dideoxynucleotide and more mismatches to the mutant allele than the wild-type allele is incorporated to reduce the background and increase sensitivity. Using ACB-PCR, the CAA-->AAA base substitution at codon 61 of the mouse H-ras gene was detected regularly at mutant fractions of 10(-5). To accurately quantify the occurrence of this particular mutation, an internal amplification standard (AS) DNA was constructed. The H-ras and AS DNAs were subject to the same genotypic selection but were amplified using different upstream primers to give PCR products that can be distinguished by size. Defined mixtures of mutant and wild-type AS DNAs were used to study the effects of various components of the ACB-PCR. The concentration of dNTPs, blocker primer and Perfect Match Polymerase Enhancer, as well as the choice of thermostable DNA polymerase and annealing temperature were examined. Conditions were identified for the concurrent detection of the CAA-->AAA mutation in the H-ras and AS DNAs. Using the identified conditions, approximately equal signals were obtained from equivalent amounts of the two DNA templates over a wide range of mutant fractions (1 in 10 to 1 in 10(5)). This ACB-PCR method can be used for any application where it is necessary to quantify relatively small mutant fractions.
Static error detection using semantic inconsistency inference

Inconsistency checking is a method for detecting software errors that relies only on examining multiple uses of a value. We propose that inconsistency inference is best understood as a variant of the older and better understood problem of type inference. Using this insight, we describe a precise and formal framework for discovering inconsistency errors. Unlike previous approaches to the problem, our technique for finding inconsistency errors is purely semantic and can deal with complex aliasing and path-sensitive conditions. We have built a nullde reference analysis of C programs based on semantic inconsistency inference and have used it to find hundreds of previously unknown null dereference errors in widely used C programs.
The r-, s-, and p-Processes in Nucleosynthesis

Burbidge et al (1957) and Cameron (1957) laid out the framework for our understanding of the formation of the heavy nuclei (those nuclei with mass number A approx. greater than 70). From systematics in the solar system abundance distribution, Burbidge et al determined that the heavy nuclei were formed in three distinct nucleosynthetic processes, which they termed the r-, s-, and p-processes. That we still use these terms today is a credit to the soundness of this work done 37 years ago. We may understand how Burbidge et al and Cameron arrived at their conclusions from Figure 1. One population of nuclei, the s-nuclei, shows an abundance distribution with peaks near mass numbers 87, 138, and 208. These nuclei are made in a slow neutron-capture process, the s-process. A rapid neutron-capture process, the r-process, is responsible for the r-nuclei, whose abundance distribution shows peaks at mass numbers 80, 130, and 195. The p-process is responsible for production of the rarer, more proton-rich heavy isotopes (the p-nuclei) that cannot be made by neutron capture. The first quantitative evaluations of the ideas of Burbidge et al and Cameron came to light in the early 1960s with work on the s-process (Clayton et al 1961, Seeger et al 1965) and the r-process (Seeger et al 1965). These calculations further elucidated the mechanisms for heavy-element formation and showed the plausibility of the framework developed in the 1950s. Subsequent work has focused on determining the astrophysical sites where the r-, s-, and p-processes occurred with the help of improved nuclear details, stellar models, and abundances. A goal of this paper is to review the recent progress astrophysicists, astronomers, and physicists have made in these directions and to point out the problems that remain in our understanding of the formation of the heavy nuclei. Another, perhaps deeper, goal is to to seek some understanding of why there are three major processes available to nature for synthesis of heavy elements. It is impossible for a single paper to cover all relevant aspects of the r-, s-, and p-processes; therefore, where possible, references to other reviews are given. Readers should turn to these reviews for more details. Nevertheless, it is hoped that the present paper gives some flavor for the rich field of heavy-element synthesis.
New 5' regions of the murine and human genes for DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase

DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferases (EC 2.1.1.37) maintain patterns of methylated cytosine residues in the mammalian genome; faithful maintenance of methylation patterns is required for normal development of mice, and aberrant methylation patterns are associated with certain human tumors and developmental abnormalities. The organization of coding sequences at the 5'-end of the murine and human DNA methyltransferase genes was investigated, and the DNA methyltransferase open reading frame was found to be longer than previously suspected. Expression of the complete open reading frame by in vitro transcription-translation and by transfection of expression constructs into COS7 cells resulted in the production of an active DNA methyltransferase of the same apparent mass as the endogenous protein, while translation from the second in-frame ATG codon produced a slightly smaller but fully active protein. Characterization of mRNA 5' sequences and the intron-exon structure of the 5' region of the murine and human genes indicated that a previously described promoter element (Rouleau, J., Tanigawa, G., and Szyf, M. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 7368-7377) actually lies in an intron that is more than 5 kilobases downstream of the transcription start sites.
Generalized nonsplitting in the recursively enumerable degrees

We investigate the algebraic structure of the upper semi-lattice formed by the recursively enumerable Turing degrees. The following strong generalization of Lachlan's Nonsplitting Theorem is proved: Given n ≥ 1, there exists an r.e. degree d such that the interval [d, 0′] ⊂ R admits an embedding of the n-atom Boolean algebra preserving (least and) greatest element, but also such that there is no (n + 1 )-tuple of pairwise incomparable r.e. degrees above d which pairwise join to 0′ (and hence, the interval [d, 0′] ⊂ R does not admit a greatest-element-preserving embedding of any lattice which has n + 1 co-atoms, including ). This theorem is the dual of a theorem of Ambos-Spies and Soare, and yields an alternative proof of their result that the theory of R has infinitely many one-types.
SNDocRank: a social network-based video search ranking framework

Multimedia ranking algorithms are usually user-neutral and measure the importance and relevance of documents by only using the visual contents and meta-data. However, users' interests and preferences are often diverse, and may demand different results even with the same queries. How can we integrate user interests in ranking algorithms to improve search results? Here, we introduce Social Network Document Rank (SNDocRank), a new ranking framework that considers a searcher's social network, and apply it to video search. SNDocRank integrates traditional tf-idf ranking with our Multi-level Actor Similarity (MAS) algorithm, which measures the similarity between social networks of a searcher and document owners. Results from our evaluation study with a social network and video data from YouTube show that SNDocRank offers search results more relevant to user's interests than other traditional ranking methods.
On Practical Network Coding for Wireless Environments

In this extended abstract, we briefly describe COPE, an opportunistic approach to network coding that provides orders of magnitudes improvement in the throughput of dense wireless mesh networks. COPE supports multiple unicast flows, deals with bursty and unknown demands, and is simple and easy to deploy. Our COPE prototype provides the first implementation of network coding in the wireless environment. It shows the supremacy of opportunistic network coding over current wireless implementations