cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Every bit counts: fast and scalable RFID estimation

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems have been widely deployed for various applications such as object tracking, 3D positioning, supply chain management, inventory control, and access control. This paper concerns the fundamental problem of estimating RFID tag population size, which is needed in many applications such as tag identification, warehouse monitoring, and privacy sensitive RFID systems. In this paper, we propose a new scheme for estimating tag population size called Average Run based Tag estimation (ART). The technique is based on the average run-length of ones in the bit string received using the standardized framed slotted Aloha protocol. ART is significantly faster than prior schemes because its estimator has smaller variance compared to the variances of estimators of prior schemes. For example, given a required confidence interval of 0.1% and a required reliability of 99.9%, ART is consistently 7 times faster than the fastest existing schemes (UPE and EZB) for any tag population size. Furthermore, ART's estimation time is observably independent of the tag population sizes. ART is easy to deploy because it neither requires modification to tags nor to the communication protocol between tags and readers. ART only needs to be implemented on readers as a software module. ART works with multiple readers with overlapping regions.
Effect of Culture Conditions on Reference Genes Expression in Placenta-derived Stem Cells.

Background and objectives Normalization with valid reference genes is crucial for gene expression analysis with quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). This is especially relevant when stem cells are investigated with respect to gene expression in the differentiation process. Due to the plasticity of the stem cells, the variation of reference gene expression may cause misinterpretation of the target gene expression. Methods and results In this study, we investigated the gene expression stability of commonly used 32 reference genes in placenta-derived stem cells, which were cultured with or without exogenous epidermal growth factor. The influence of unstable reference gene expression on the data interpretation was also demonstrated with stem cell marker gene expressions on the placenta-derived stem cells. Statistical validation analysis of reference genes revealed the stability of each gene. Commonly used β-actin, 18S and GAPDH expression were relatively instable. The cell cycle relating house keeping genes, PPIA, POLR2A, and POP4 were most stable in the compared culture conditions. Reference genes were divided into the following three groups and statistically analyzed; 1) unstable genes, 2) stable genes, and 3) commonly used genes. The results indicate that the interpretation of the experiments was significantly different depending on the stability of the reference genes. Conclusions In the stem cell experiments, even minor differences in the culture conditions influenced the expression of reference genes. Thus, the identification of valid reference genes must be determined at each experimental setting. We recommend performing a stepwise screening process to determine valid reference genes.
Rotationally resolved electronic spectra of the B-X transition in multiple conformers of 1-butoxy and 1-pentoxy radicals

We report the rotational analyses of six bands of the B-X electronic transition of jet-cooled 1-butoxy radical and 11 bands of the corresponding transition in 1-pentoxy radical. From these spectra, we have obtained experimental values for the rotational and spin-rotational constants in the X state and the rotational constants, vibrational frequencies, and band origins in the B state. By comparing the rotational and spin-rotational constants from these analyses with corresponding values from quantum chemistry computations, we assign the observed spectra to the electronic origins and excited vibrational levels of the B state of three distinct conformers of 1-butoxy and five distinct conformers of 1-pentoxy. These assigned bands can be used as unambiguous diagnostics of the radical species, its structural isomer, and its conformation. These data can be used to identify, and to some extent rationalize, distinctively different conformer stabilities in the X and B states and conformer-dependent dynamical behavior.
PI3K/AKT pathway alterations are associated with clinically aggressive and histologically anaplastic subsets of pilocytic astrocytoma

Pilocytic astrocytomas (PA) are well-differentiated gliomas having a favorable prognosis when compared with other diffuse or infiltrative astrocytomas. Molecular genetic abnormalities and activation of signaling pathways associated with clinically aggressive PA and histologically anaplastic PA have not been adequately studied. We performed molecular genetic, gene expression, and immunohistochemical studies using three PA subsets, including conventional PA (n = 43), clinically aggressive/recurrent PA (n = 24), and histologically anaplastic PA (n = 25). A clinical diagnosis of NF1 was present in 28% of anaplastic PA. Molecular cytogenetic studies demonstrated heterozygous PTEN/10q and homozygous p16 deletions in 6/19 (32%) and 3/15 (20%) cases of anaplastic PA, respectively, but in neither of the two other groups. BRAF duplication was identified in 33% of sporadic anaplastic PA and 63% of cerebellar examples. BRAF V600E mutation was absent in four (of 4) sporadic cases lacking duplication. IDH1R132H immunohistochemistry was negative in 16 (of 16) cases. Neither PDGFRA nor EGFR amplifications were present. pERK staining levels were similar among the three PA subsets, but a stepwise increase in cytoplasmic pAKT and to a lesser extent pS6 immunoreactivity was noted by immunohistochemistry in aggressive PA groups. This was particularly true in histologically anaplastic PA when compared with conventional PA (p < 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively). In addition, PTEN expression at the mRNA level was decreased in histologically anaplastic PA when compared to the other groups (p = 0.05). In summary, activation of the PI3K/AKT in addition to MAPK/ERK signaling pathways may underlie biological aggressiveness in PA. Specifically, it may mediate the increased proliferative activity observed in histologically anaplastic PA.
Botulinum therapy for apraxia of eyelid opening.

Inquiries to Barrett Katz, M.D., Director, NeuroOphtlmlmology Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, UCSD Eye Center M-018, La jolla, CA 92093. Apraxia of eyelid opening is a nonparalytic motor abnormality of eyelid elevation. It is characterized by a transitory inability to initiate eyelid opening, vigorous frontalis muscle con­ traction without apparent orbicularis muscle contraction, and the absence of oculomotor or ocular sympathetic dysfunction, or ocular myopathy.1 Whether it is a true apraxia (incapacity of deliberate movement under some circum­ stances that can be made under others) is de­ batable.2 It has also been regarded as an akinesia of eyelid function, and an involuntary inhibition of the levator muscles. Apraxia of eyelid opening can be differentiated from blepharospasm by the absence of Charcot's sign (forced lowering of the eyebrows beneath the superior orbital margins). Botulinum A toxin has been successfully used as therapy for blepharospasm3 and associ-
Effect of Graded Amounts of Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract on Ruminal Characteristics and Nutrient Digestibility in Cattle

Abstract Five nonpregnant and nonlactating Holstein cows fitted with rumen fistulas were assigned to each of five dietary treatments of 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6g of an Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract in a randomized block design. Diets were fed for a 21-d adaptation, followed by a 4-d collection period. Fecal grab samples were taken on d 1 to 3 of the collection period preceding each feeding. Volatile fatty acid concentration and pH were determined on rumen samples from 0 through 12h of collection. Rumen samples were collected 3h after the 0500h feeding and analyzed for bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. Digestibility of CP, ADF, and NDF did not differ among treatments. Concentration of ruminal NH 3 N was lower in animals fed 1 g/d compared with control and animals receiving 2,4, and 6g/d of A. oryzae fermentation extract. Molar percentage concentration of isovaleric was higher in cattle fed 4 and 6 g/d of A. oryzae compared with the control-fed cattle. Rumen proteolytic bacteria (log 10 ml) was lowest in cattle fed 2, 4, and 6 g/d of A. oryzae fermentation extract compared with control fed cattle.
Potential for Directing Appropriate Responses to Vaccines by Cytokine Manipulation

The extensive range of potential vaccine-induced immune responses is regulated by the cytokine milieu produced by subpopulations of T helper cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells. Manipulation of the cytokine microenvironment at the time of vaccine immunisation can influence the immune responses to a remote pathogen challenge, suggesting that by appropriate vaccine design optimal protective immune responses could be elicited. Using purified cytokines or anticytokine antibodies as adjuvants or cofactors will allow more precise tailoring of vaccine-induced responses. Particularly in combination with new antigen delivery systems or vaccine vectors, cytokine manipulation will provide a potential strategy to control the composition of vaccine-induced immune responses.
Service Learning as Pedagogy for Promoting Social Awareness of Mechanical Engineering Students

Engineering education agencies worldwide echo the need of graduating engineers to be aware of the societal context of engineering. Service learning is a viable pedagogy that can bring students to understand this dimension in a rather direct way. Undergraduate engineering students visited low-income households in their community and installed insulation materials on doors and windows, thereby reducing heating costs. The students calculated the resulting dollar amount of energy savings using heat transfer principles. A quantitative analyses of the reflections of the students clearly showed that they became more aware and sensitive to their roles as engineers in a societal context.
Parsimonious modeling of hydrologic responses in engineered watersheds: Structural heterogeneity versus functional homogeneity

[1] The central premise of this paper is that extensive modifications of land use and hydrology, coupled with intensive management of watersheds in the Midwestern United States over the past century, have increased the predictability of hydrologic responses, allowing for the use of simpler, minimum-calibration models. In these engineered watersheds, extensive tile-and-ditch networks have increased the effective drainage density and have created bypass flow hydrologic systems that generate “flashy” and “predictable” hydrographs. We propose a simple, threshold-based model, the Threshold-Exceedance-Lagrangian Model (TELM), for predicting event hydrographs. TELM was evaluated by comparing predicted hydrographs with those measured over a 4 year period at the outlet of a mesoscale watershed (Cedar Creek, ∼700 km2) in northeastern Indiana. Application of the Soil-Land Inference Model (SoLIM) indicated that, despite structural heterogeneities (e.g., spatial variability in soil taxonomic mapping units), about 80% of the area of the watershed could be assigned a single value of available soil water storage, which was the primary soil parameter that defined hydrograph response. Hydrograph recession curves for multiple events were described well using an exponential function, with the mean arrival time (tr) estimated on the basis of the contributing drainage area (A) and the mean occurrence time (th) of the event hyetograph. Also, functional responses (event hydrographs) at the subwatershed scale could be grouped into just two categories on the basis of only spatial variability in rainfall patterns. TELM, with no parameter calibration, matched the observed hydrographs as well as the widely used SWAT model predictions with calibration. Advantages and limitations of the proposed modeling approach were identified, and needed improvements were discussed.
Frameless stereotaxy as an alternative to fluoroscopy for transsphenoidal surgery: use of the InstaTrak®-3000 and a novel headset

Our aim was to evaluate the applicability of an electromagnetic-based frameless stereotactic system for use in transsphenoidal surgery. The system utilizes a novel headset that acts as a replaceable fiducial frame as well as a fixation point for the system's transmitter. It can replace the fluoroscope as a guide to navigation in the sphenoid sinus and sella. The system was used in a consecutive series of 11 patients undergoing transsphenoidal surgery. It was used in conjunction with intraoperative fluoroscopy. We found the Instatrak-3000 to correlate well with lateral fluoroscopic images, and provide additional information in the axial and coronal planes. The InstaTrak-3000 frameless stereotactic system is accurate and obviates the need for intraoperative fluoroscopy during transsphenoidal surgery. Compared to other frameless systems, it avoids the use of fiducial skin markers and head fixation. In common with other frameless stereotactic systems, it provides additional information important for safely approaching the sella and avoids intraoperative radiation exposure for the patient and operating room staff.
Triple coitus in the mealy bug, Planococcus citri (Risso).

MALES of the mealy bug, Planococcus citri, do not feed throughout their nymphal stages of development nor after they emerge as adults. They are, nevertheless, highly active in mating during the few days of their short life as mature individuals. James1 has observed that a single male may copulate with as many as 23 females in succession, and the average number of females fertilized by 13 individual males was 9.07. During my experience with mealy bugs cultured in the laboratory on potato, the observation has been made many times that two males will copulate simultaneously with one female while yet a third male may be attempting to do the same.
High-temperature mechanical properties of anode-supported bilayers

Abstract Mechanical properties of a porous substrate of 40 vol.% Ni–60 vol.% yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), a Ni–YSZ functional layer, and a YSZ electrolyte layer were measured in compression from 1000 to 1200 °C. The anode-supported bilayer is brittle for temperatures
Is Conventional Endoscopic Identification of Non-Erosive Reflux Disease Adequate?

Non-erosive reflux disease is defined as the presence of troublesome reflux-associated symptoms in the absence of mucosal breaks at endoscopy. Given the fact that the majority of patients with reflux symptoms will have a normal endoscopy, efforts are underway to determine if new endoscopic techniques can identify changes heretofore invisible at the time of standard white light endoscopy. However, for any new endoscopic technology to be useful, the grading system it uses must be accurate, reproducible, easy to remember and easy to interpret. These requirements represent a high bar indeed for any new approach to non-erosive reflux disease. Current techniques under investigation include high-resolution endoscopy, magnification endoscopy, chromoendoscopy, narrow-band imaging and confocal endomicroscopy. All of these new technologies can identify minimal abnormalities heretofore not seen with traditional white light endoscopy. All of these new techniques allow for more detailed imaging of the esophagus in gastroesophageal reflux disease patients which makes this field ripe for re-examination. The most exciting findings to date are with narrow-band imaging and confocal endomicroscopy. However, studies to date are small and require validation in larger numbers of patients by larger number of endoscopists. Furthermore, it is essential that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past as poor interobserver agreement has already been shown for minimal change esophagitis, albeit with more primitive technology.
Lysosome membrane permeability to anions

The permeability of rat liver lysosomes to xenobiotic organic compounds possessing nitrogen functions was investigated, using an osmotic-protection methodology. It was first shown that rat liver lysosomes are stable for at least one hour when incubated in 250 mM sucrose within the pH range 5 to 9. Primary and tertiary amines with pKa values within this pH range, and with differing numbers of aliphatic hydroxy or ether groups, were chosen for study and their permeability investigated at a range of pH values. The results indicate that uncharged amines can cross the lysosome membrane, and that the permeability of such molecules can be predicted from their total hydrogen-bonding capacity. The notional hydrogen-bonding capacity of an uncharged tri-substituted nitrogen with no attached hydrogen atom, as in pyridine or in a tertiary aliphatic amine, is deduced to be approximately 1, and that of an uncharged primary amine approximately 2. A hydrogen-bonding capacity of at least 11 is deduced for cationic nitrogen, implying that most if not all molecules containing a charged nitrogen atom cannot cross the lysosome membrane by passive diffusion. The implications for lysosome physiology and pharmacology are discussed.
Computing transitive closures of multilevel relations

Recently many attempts have been made to implement recursive queries. Such queries are essential for the new generation intelligent database system applications. Much of the effort in recursive queries is focussed on transitive closure queries which are of practical significance. None of the work described investigates recursive query processing in secure database management systems. In this paper we propose centralized and distributed algorithms for implementing transitive closure queries for multilevel secure relational database management systems.
Transforming Osmosis: Labs to Address Standards for Inquiry

A priority for all biology teachers must be for students to leave the classroom with a broad knowledge and understanding of science. Students need to be critical of science, analyze science, and relate new science knowledge to their daily lives. Unfortunately, many students are not reaching this goal. One strategy for making science laboratories more student-centered and to meet the National Science Education Standards for inquiry is to convert verification activities to inquiry-based investigations. The authors provide teachers with simple strategies to convert a confirmation-type osmosis laboratory into an inquiry investigation.
Storing Matrices on Disk for Efficient Row and Column Retrieval

Abstract We study the problem of storing a matrix on disk where the cost for retrieving a row or column is the number of different pages containing elements of that row or column and the cost of a matrix is the sum of the cost for retrieving each row and column. We give a non-obvious, nontrivial lower bound on the cost and one algorithm that asymptotically achieves this bound if the page size is in a given set of integers, and another that achieves it if not.
Critical Exponents for Line Tension and Dipole Density Difference from Lipid Monolayer Domain Boundary Fluctuations

The potential physiological relevance of liquid−liquid phase separation in lipid membranes to the formation and stability of “lipid rafts” in cellular plasma membranes has prompted extensive investigation of the physical chemistry underlying these phenomena. In this contribution, the line tension (γ) and dipole density differences (µ) between demixed fluid phases of monolayers comprised of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and dihydrocholesterol (DChol) were investigated by measuring the two-dimensional thermal fluctuations of domain boundaries visualized by the inclusion of a fluorescent tracer lipid. These parameters are essential determinants of domain stability, and their quantification will yield an increased understanding of the physical processes responsible for aspects of lateral phase separation. Employing an extensive data set, the surface pressure dependence of γ and µ was determined at three different monolayer compositions (30%, 35%, and 40% DChol). Both parameters were found to decrease ...
Electric field stimulation releases norepinephrine and cyclic GMP from the rat pineal gland.

Abstract Electrical field stimulation caused the release of preloaded 3 H-norepinephrine and of cyclic GMP from the rat pineal gland. Increased release of catecholamines and of cyclic nucleotide occurred at low frequency and current, and was largely dependent on the presence of intact nerve endings and extracellular calcium. Presynaptic synthesis and release of cyclic GMP appears to accompany the exocytotic release of neurotransmitter.
Pediatric stapedectomy: Does cause of fixation affect outcomes?

Abstract Objective To compare outcomes of stapedectomy in patients with congenital stapes fixation versus juvenile otosclerosis. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed from January 1, 1999 until January 1, 2011 to identify patients under 18 years old who underwent a stapedectomy. Age, gender, pre- and postoperative audiograms, intraoperative findings including etiology of stapes fixation, prosthesis type, and complications were recorded. Results Twenty-two children were identified who had undergone a stapedectomy (two patients underwent sequential bilateral surgery) resulting in a total of 24 ears. The cause of fixation included juvenile otosclerosis (n = 7) and congenital stapes fixation (n = 17). The overall mean pre-operative air-bone gap (ABG) was 34.7 dB (SD: 13.5) compared to a postoperative mean ABG of 9.0 (SD: 9.3) (p Conclusions Pediatric stapedectomy has comparable results to stapedectomy in adults regardless of the cause of stapes fixation; however, delayed sensorineural hearing loss may be higher in the pediatric population.
Inverse Adjoint Estimation of Eddy Viscosity for Coastal Flow Models

This study developed an adjoint inverse estimation method for vertical eddy viscosity studies. The method formulated a cost functional that consists of two terms: the first describes the lack of fit between model results and avilable data, and the second measures the variance of eddy viscosity with depth. Weights were used to vary the relative influence of each term. The details of the study are described and the findings are presented and discussed. The method was tested using velocity data at the center of a rectanular sea domain. Wind and tidal forcing are considered as well as eddy viscosity profiles.
Approximation of weak stability constants of paramagnetic complexes by spin-lattice relaxation measurements of water protons

The literature was briefly reviewed concernling the determination of stability constants of metal ions with various complexones using water proton relaxation methods. Experimentally, weak stability constants (Kstab) of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and citric acid complexes with several transition and lanthanide ions were obtained at constant pHvia measurements of spin-lattice relaxation times (T1) of water protons. The results were in general agreement with those determined earlier by various methods. In cases where more than one kind of complex was formed, the experimentalKstab reflected an average value of all species. Although this method is limited to measurements of weak complexes, it provides experimentally a simple approach with satisfactory results where neither great accuracy nor knowledge of equilibria and other parameters are required. It is believed that this method could be more widely applied for screening new contrast agents for MRI, and for exploration by MRI of weak low molecular weight complexes derived from biological sources.
Locomotion analysis and its applications in neurological disorders detection: state-of-art review

Driven by the need of non-invasive diagnosis in clinical practice, behavioral screening and tests have attracted more and more research interests recently. Locomotion analysis, as an important division of behavioral tests, has been widely used in diagnostic decision making, comparative biomechanics, biometric identification and forensics, etc. Plenty of instruments and approaches for locomotion analysis have been developed in both academic and industrial fields to detect diseases clinically, especially neurological disorders. Thus, it is crucial to summarize the methodology and applications of locomotion analysis to help researchers better understand this field. In this review, we focus on describing some recently developed locomotion instruments and their applications in detecting neurological disorders. We also discuss the recent progress of locomotion studies and their pros and cons.
Formalizing hardware/software interface specifications

Software drivers are usually developed after hardware devices become available. This dependency can induce a long product cycle. Although co-simulation and co-verification techniques have been utilized to facilitate the driver development, Hardware/Software (HW/SW) interface models, as the test harnesses, are often challenging to specify. Such interface models should have formal semantics, be efficient for testing, and cover all HW/SW behaviors described by HW/SW interface protocols. We present an approach to formalizing HW/SW interface specifications, where we propose a semantic model, relative atomicity, to capture the concurrency model in HW/SW interfaces; demonstrate our approach via a realistic example; elaborate on how we have utilized this approach in device/driver development process; and discuss criteria for evaluating our formal specifications. We have detected fifteen issues in four English specifications. Furthermore, our formal specifications are readily useful as the test harnesses for co-verification, which has discovered twelve real bugs in five industrial driver programs.
A versatile total synthesis of xenognosin

Abstract Xenognosin, 4 , the first identified host recognition substance for parasitic angiosperms has been synthesized by a route efficient for the preparation of several structural analogoues.
Selection of Nonequilibrium Overlimiting Currents: Universal Depletion Layer Formation Dynamics and Vortex Instability

The ion flux dynamics across a straight nanoslot is imaged to understand the nonequilibrium phenomenon of overlimiting current density across a nanoporous membrane. With a slow ac field, an ion-depletion front is generated intermittently from one end of the nanochannel, and a vortex instability first predicted by Rubinstein, Staude, and Kedem [Desalination 69, 101 (1988).] is found to arrest the self-similar diffusive front growth. This electrokinetic instability evolves into a stationary interfacial vortex array that specifies the overlimiting current, independent of external stirring or convective flow.
Knowledge and attitudes of registered dietitians concerning vegetarian diets

Abstract Registered Dietitians' (RD) knowledge and attitudes about the safety, adequacy and health benefits of vegetarian diets were estimated. A questionnaire was developed with demographic, knowledge, and attitude questions and was completed by 182 RDs from Washington, Nebraska and Vermont. The results showed that RDs in Vermont had significantly higher attitude scores regarding vegetarian diets than RDs in Nebraska (63% vs. 52% of questions answered correctly, respectively) and that RDs in Washington had significantly higher knowledge scores concerning vegetarian diets than RDs in Nebraska (73% vs. 67% of questions answered correctly, respectively). A significantly higher percentage of the RDs from Vermont, 52%, reported having followed some type of vegetarian diet compared to only 28% of the RDs from Washington or 12% of the RDs from Nebraska. Results also showed that RDs who had followed vegetarian diets at the time of the study or at some time in the past had significantly higher overall knowledge and attitude scores when compared with those RDs who had never followed vegetarian diets. There was a significant positive correlation between overall knowledge and overall attitude score for individual subjects. This suggests that increasing the knowledge base of RDs concerning vegetarian diets may lead them to consider meatless diets in a more positive light. In addition, average overall knowledge and attitude scores suggested that RDs are not up to date with current research in the field of vegetarian nutrition.
Estimation of equifrequency histograms

Abstract We consider here equifrequency histogram estimate of a density on R d using rectangular blocks. We also discuss how the method of statistically equivalent blocks can be used to construct equifrequency histograms. We propose a selection rule and show theoretically that the proposed method works.
DIURNAL VARIATIONS IN SOME CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF THE SARGASSO SEA1

Periodic measurements wcrc made during a 24-hr period in the surface layer (O-300 m) of the Sargasso Sea off Bermuda of the following variables: tcmpcraturc, salinity, phosphatc, nitrite, nitrate, chlorophyll, C’” assimilation and zooplankton standing crop. Nutrient concentrations, intcgratcd from the surface to 150 m, incrcasccl at night and dccrcascd during the day. Chlorophyll concentrations incrcascd during the daylight hours and decreased at night. CL4 assimilation over 24-hr periods was grcatcr in cxpcrimcnts initiated at night than in those begun in the daytime. Thus changes in the C?“/chlorophyll rclationship appear to have resulted from variations of both paramctcrs. Zooplankton standing crop (O-200 m) increased markedly cluring the early evening but subscqucntly dccrcascd throughout the rest of the night and following day.
Hypothermia-induced anterograde amnesia and its reversal in rats trained on a T-maze escape task.

Abstract Previous studies have demonstrated anterograde amnesia (AA) and its reversal in rats trained on passive avoidance tasks. The present investigation was conducted to determine whether induction and/or reversal of AA is limited to inhibitory learning tasks or whether these phenomena can be illustrated in behavioral situations involving choice. Accordingly, in Experiment 1, rats were trained on a T-maze escape task as either hypothermic (28°C) or normothermic. Twenty-four hours later half of each acquisition group was tested as either hypothermic or normothermic. Results indicated a stern retention decrement for animals trained at a lower body temperature and tested as normothermic. However, this prograde memory deficit was attenuated when animals were recooled shortly prior to testing. In an attempt to extend the phenomenon of memory recovery observed in Experiment 1, Experiment 2 examined whether pretest injections of d-amphetamine (0.5 mg/kg), a purported amnesia-attenuating agent, could lessen the AA induced by hypothermia. Amphetamine, at least at the dose used, did not reduce the memory impairment. Results are interpreted in terms of the state dependent nature of memory.
New tools for the study of oceanic eddies: Satellite derived inherent optical properties

Satellite study of oceanic eddy formation, propagation, interactions, and fate was first conducted by sea surface temperature derived at infrared wavelengths. For visible wavelength ocean color reflectances, it is shown that recent radiative transfer model inversions provide additional characteristics of eddies: their constituent absorption and backscattering inherent optical properties. The chromophoric dissolved organic matter absorption coefficient has the highest contrast and is therefore the most visually evident inherent optical property (while the phytoplankton absorption coefficient and backscattering coefficients are respectively less discernible). For use as an analytical tool, comparisons suggests that the chromophoric dissolved organic matter absorption coefficient has a ∼10× higher contrast (i.e., ∼5% vs. 50%) in the Middle Atlantic Bight making eddy events detectable over longer time periods than with SST imagery. Example imagery illustrates the application of chromophoric dissolved organic matter and phytoplankton absorption coefficient inherent optical properties to the visual injection of dissolved and particulate organic carbon into the deep ocean by a Gulf Stream ring.
Elements of Effective State Land‐Use Planning Policy

Many states are changing their view of the role of local-government planning in achieving statewide interests in preserving the environment, economizing on capital facilities, and generally, in managing development patterns. The emerging view is that to be truly effective, state planning policy must mandate and enforce local-government planning consistent with state interests. In recent years such states as Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, and Oregon have implemented legislation mandating local-government planning consistent with state interests, and they have enforced such planning through a variety of means. Much can be learned from the effectiveness of these state planning policies. This paper begins with a review of the four epochs of state involvement in local-government land-use planning. Those epochs include: state enabling of local-government planning, state regulation of specific landscapes or development activities, mandated local-government planning without state-level enforcement, and mandated planning with state-level enforcement. States entering the last epoch achieve effective planning. The paper then reviews the critical elements of effective state land-use planning policy as evidenced by the fourth epoch.
Ultrasonic determination of fetal gender in horses and cattle under farm conditions.

Abstract Accuracy of transrectal ultrasonic diagnosis of fetal gender by identifying and locating the genital tubercle was assessed in 85 horses and 102 dairy heifers and cows. Examinations were made once (horses and cattle) under farm conditions (cattle) on approximately Days 50 to 100. Definite diagnosis was made by removal of fetuses (horses) or after calving or abortion (cattle). In both species and both parities, accuracy was 100% ( 109 109 totaled over both species) when the certainty level recorded at the time of examination was 95 or 99%. At the lower levels of certainty (65 to 80%, 85 to 90%), the accuracy was 89% ( 57 64 totaled over both species). A diagnosis was not obtainable in 10 horses (12%) and 5 cattle (5%); this was especially due to inadequate viewing of the fetus when the fetus was beyond Day 64. The time from completion of evacuation of the rectum to diagnosis of gender averaged 1 minute 17 seconds in horses (range, 15 seconds to 3 minutes 55 seconds). The corresponding figure in cattle was 1 minute 53 seconds (range, 16 seconds to 8 minutes 30 seconds).
A multi-facetted study of a cretaceous coal with algal affinities. I. Provenance of the coal samples and basic compositional data

Abstract This coal, of Cretaceous age and from southwest Utah, attracted attention because a lithobody from it showed a high hydrogen content and excellent behavior in liquefaction. The seam is 230 cm thick and consists of an upper and lower lithobody of a clarodurainic type, extensively weathered, surrounding two lithobodies of canneloid-boghead character. The petrography of the canneloid-boghead lithobodies is complex; the vitrinite content is only about 25%, and the bulk of the material appears to consist of a matrix of what may be bituminite. Appreciable amounts of resinite and liptodetrinite are also present. If the suggested affinity to canneloid-boghead coal types is correct, the lithobodies would be regarded as saprohumolithic in character and were probably formed in an open body of water. Ultimate analysis shows hydrogen contents of 7% (dmmf) or greater. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy shows that the samples have a high degree of aliphatic character, methylene chains being abundant. Carboxylic acid groups are present, presumably as a result of weathering. Subtraction of spectra shows that one canneloid-boghead lithobody is appreciably more weathered than others.
Eroticism and Technological Regression: The Stag Film

It is commonplace to observe that pornography drives the development of media technologies. Examples abound, from the mania for capturing naked bodies that led Charles Baudelaire to complain in 1859 that photography had been coopted, to the story of how American pornographers in 1976 decided that JVC’s VHS would dethrone Sony’s Beta videotape format. It is also common to assume that sexuality is more stimulating when it is most technological, most divorced from ‘nature.’ By severing sex’s connection with reproduction, says Georges Bataille, pornographic representations become more exciting than the real thing. The history of pornographic film, however, suggests that makers of both early stag films and modern videotapes and DVDs are highly ambivalent about the representational technologies they employ. Of the hundreds of stag films made before 1965, only five were shot in sound, and only four were shot in color. Although the whole point of a hard‐core genre would seem to be graphic realism, stags clung to ...
Cysteine and phosphoserine containing peptide sequences of ovalbumin.

TO investigate whether certain amino-acid sequences, for example, cysteinylglycine1, occur with greater than chance frequency in different proteins2,3, a method has been devised for the isolation and identification of cysteine containing sequences, and for peptide sequences containing O-phosphoserine, a compound with which at least one of the two phosphorus residues in ovalbumin4 has now been identified. 2-gm. portions of four times crystallized, performic acid oxidized2 ovalbumin were precipitated and washed with trichloroacetic acid, hydrolysed with 40 ml. of 11 N hydrochloric acid for 3–7 days at 37°, and hydrochloric acid removed in vacuo below 25°. A strongly acid peptide fraction was separated from the hydrolysate by washing through a 4 cm. × 10 cm. ‘Dowex 50’ (H+ form) column with water, and the effluent was dried in vacuo, neutralized in small volume, and applied to a 1 cm. × 50 cm. ‘Dowex 2’ column (pH 3, Cl− form). Slow elution with 400 ml. hydrochloric acid rising continuously from 0.001 to 0.05 N provided fractions containing only one to three peptides, separable by one-dimensional paper chromatography. Composition and N-terminal amino-acid of each peptide were determined by paper chromatography of sealed-capillary hydrolysates (11 N hydrochloric acid, at 110°) of aliquots, with and without treatment with dinitrofluorobenzene5.
Nutrient Addition Experiments in a Nitrogen-Limited High Plains Reservoir Where Nitrogen-Fixing Algae Seldom Bloom

ABSTRACT Cherry Creek Lake in Colorado is a shallow flood control reservoir mat exhibits infrequent blooms of nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria one of which occurred in summer 1992. In nutrient addition experiments run before and during the bloom, added nitrogen significantly stimulated algal growth. The magnitude of the N-effect was much greater in the pre-bloom experiments in which added phosphorus had no effect. During the bloom, added P had small but significant effects on growth indicating concurrent P and N limitation. Monitoring data suggest that phytoplankton is usually N-limited in the lake, but, for unknown reasons, blooms of N-fixing algae are rare.
Sensitive detection of radiation trapping in cold-atom clouds

In this paper, we calculate the effect of radiation trapping on the photon statistics of the light scattered from optical molasses. We propose that an intensity correlation function measurement may be sensitive to the presence of radiation trapping at an on-resonance optical depth as low as 0.1, more than an order of magnitude less than where effects of multiple scattering in cold-atom clouds have been previously observed [T. Walker, D. Sesko, and C. Wieman, Phys. Rev. Lett. 64, 408 (1990); D. Sesko, T. Walker, and C. Wieman, J. Opt. Soc. Am. B. 8, 946 (1991)].
Conformation of MHC class II I-Ag7 is sensitive to the P9 anchor amino acid in bound peptide

Type I diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease resulting in the destruction of insulin-producing b cells in the pancreas. In humans, disease incidence is linked to expression of specific MHC class II alleles and in mice type I diabetes is associated with the class II allele I-A g7 . I-A g7 contains a polymorphism that is shared by human class II alleles associated with the disease, at position 57 in the b chain, in which aspartic acid is changed to a serine. The P9 pocket in the peptide-binding groove is in part shaped by b57, and therefore the structure of this pocket is modified in I-A g7 . Using mAbs, we have previously determined that alternative conformations of I-A g7 form in response to peptide binding. In this study, we have extended these findings by examining how peptides induce I-A g7 molecules to adopt different conformations. By mutating the amino acid in the P9 position of either class II-associated invariant chain peptide (CLIP) or glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) 65 (207‐220), we have determined that the chemical nature of the P9 anchor amino acid, either acidic or small hydrophobic, affects the overall conformation of the I-A g7 class II molecule. T cell hybridomas specific for GAD 65 (207‐220) in the context of I-A g7 were also examined for recognition of I-A g7 bound to GAD 65 (207‐220), in which Glu 217 in the P9 position was changed to alanine. We found that although some TCRs were able to recognize both peptides in the context of I-A g7 , and thus both class II conformations, approximately one-third of the T cells tested were not able to recognize the alternate class II conformation formed with the mutated peptide. These results indicate that the I-A g7 conformations may affect functional activation of T cells, and thus may play a role in autoimmunity.
Using Reflection Documents to Assess Student Learning.

Traditional assessment methods such as tests and essays may not be adequate to evaluate students' ability to solve problems and think critically. I developed a qualitative assessment technique for a junior-level Wildlife Manage- ment Techniques course that incorporated written responses in a pre- and post-course reflection exercise. I provided the students with three reflection documents: (1) an historic photograph of Nebraska waterfowl hunters, (2) a short read- ing from Aldo Leopold's Sand County Almanac, and (3) a memo on wetland habitat management from a state wildlife agency. I evaluated students' pre- and post-course responses to a series of questions about these documents. The pre- course assessment was designed to allow me to determine what knowledge and skills students brought to course; the comparison of the pre- and post-course responses allowed me to determine whether their knowledge had increased during the course. When asked to explain what they knew about the documents, 88 to 96% of the students showed more in-depth understanding or enhanced critical thinking in their responses after taking the course. When asked what they found most interesting about the documents, 40 to 68% of the students increased in their use of proper terminology or other indicators of improved understanding. This assessment tool is flexible and directed at the student learning objectives for the course. As such, it may serve as a good complement to standard student evaluation forms.
Treatment of the Fibromyalgia Syndrome

SUMMARYPharmacological treatments: Clinical trials reveal that amitriptyline [AM] and cyclobenzaprine [CB] are effective in fibromyalgia. “N-of-1” trials show that one-third of patients benefited from AM. In a double blind, placebo controlled crossover design CB improved evening fatigue and total sleep time while pain intensity, pain thresholds [PT] over fibrositic tender points [FTPs], and mood ratings did not change. Fifty percent of patients reported a 30% improvement taking alprazolam in combination with ibuprofen in a placebo controlled, randomized, double blind protocol. Regional sympathetic blocakage reduces the number of FTPs in the affected extremity. Other studies show mixed results with imipramine, doxepin, fenfluramine and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Prednisone and naproxen are no more effective than placebo. Non-pharmacological treatments: Improvements in PT measurements over FTPs, physician and patient global assessment scores have been noted in those receiving cardiovascular fitn...
Designing the Future

A good technological design requires substantial effort that shapes both the social and technical sides of an artifact.
An examination of the electrostatic interactions between the N-terminal tail of the Brome Mosaic Virus coat protein and encapsidated RNAs.

Abstract The coat protein of positive-stranded RNA viruses often contains a positively charged tail that extends toward the center of the capsid and interacts with the viral genome. Electrostatic interaction between the tail and the RNA has been postulated as a major force in virus assembly and stabilization. The goal of this work is to examine the correlation between electrostatic interaction and amount of RNA packaged in the tripartite Brome Mosaic Virus (BMV). Nanoindentation experiment using atomic force microscopy showed that the stiffness of BMV virions with different RNAs varied by a range that is 10-fold higher than that would be predicted by electrostatics. BMV mutants with decreased positive charges encapsidated lower amounts of RNA while mutants with increased positive charges packaged additional RNAs up to ∼ 900 nt. However, the extra RNAs included truncated BMV RNAs, an additional copy of RNA4, potential cellular RNAs, or a combination of the three, indicating that change in the charge of the capsid could result in several different outcomes in RNA encapsidation. In addition, mutant with specific arginines changed to lysines in the capsid also exhibited defects in the specific encapsidation of BMV RNA4. The experimental results indicate that electrostatics is a major component in RNA encapsidation but was unable to account for all of the observed effects on RNA encapsidation. Thermodynamic modeling incorporating the electrostatics was able to predict the approximate length of the RNA to be encapsidated for the majority of mutant virions, but not for a mutant with extreme clustered positive charges. Cryo-electron microscopy of virions that encapsidated an additional copy of RNA4 revealed that, despite the increase in RNA encapsidated, the capsid structure was minimally changed. These results experimentally demonstrated the impact of electrostatics and additional restraints in the encapsidation of BMV RNAs, which could be applicable to other viruses.