cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of transition metal homeostasis in plant seed development

For human health, transition metal accumulation in edible seeds like cereal grains is of worldwide importance, since Fe and Zn deficiencies are among the most prevalent human nutritional disorders in the world. There have been many recent developments in our understanding of the patterns in which transition metals accumulate in the seeds, the identity of some specific transporters that are required for efficient seed metal accumulation, and the central role played by the ubiquitous plant metal chelator nicotianamine (NA). These and other recent discoveries will be reviewed here.
Conditioned aversion to amino acid flavors in the catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

Abstract Naive catfish readily accepted foof flavored with L-cysteine but generally avoided foods flavored with other amino acids. The aversions to these latter amino acids quickly disappeared after the fish had feeding experience with each. When illness induced by lithium chloride was paired with an amino acid, that flavor strongly avoided. Amino acids structurally similar to that were also avoided while other amino acid flavors were readily consumed. My studies on anosmic fish indicate that olfaction does not play a role in conditioning amino acid taste aversions. Observations of the sequential units of the feeding response suggest that sensory input to the vagal lobe of the brain is primarily responsible for taste aversion discrimination.
Cell wall yield properties of growing tissue : evaluation by in vivo stress relaxation.

Growing pea stem tissue, when isolated from an external supply of water, undegoes stress relaxation because of continued loosening of the cell wall. A theoretical analysis is presented to show that such stress relaxation should result in an exponential decrease in turgor pressure down to the yield threshold ( Y ), with a rate constant given by φe where φ is the metabolically maintained irreversible extensibility of the cell wall and e is the volumetric elastic modulus of the cell. This theory represents a new method to determine φ in growing tissues. Stress relaxation was measured in pea ( Pisum sativus L.) stem segments using the pressure microprobe technique. From the rate of stress relaxation, φ of segments pretreated with water was calculated to be 0.08 per megapascal per hour while that of auxin-pretreated tissue was 0.24 per megapascal per hour. These values agreed closely with estimates of φ made by a steady-state technique. The yield threshold (0.29 megapascal) was not affected by auxin. Technical difficulties with measuring φ by stress relaxation may arise due to an internal water reserve or due to changes in φ subsequent to excision. These difficulties are discussed and evaluated. A theoretical analysis is also presented to show that the tissue hydraulic conductance may be estimated from the T ½ of tissue swelling. Experimentally, pea stems had a swelling T ½ of 2.0 minutes, corresponding to a relative hydraulic conductance of about 2.0 per megapascal per hour. This value is at least 8 times larger than φ. From these data and from computer modeling, it appears that the radial gradient in water potential which sustains water uptake in growing pea segments is small (0.04 megapascal). This means that hydraulic conductance does not substantially restrict growth. The results also demonstrate that the stimulation of growth by auxin can be entirely accounted for by the change in φ.
Glycohydrolases in diabetes: characterization of acid α-glucosidase from liver and neutral α-glucosidase from sera of diabetic patients and controls

Acid alpha-glucosidase activity measured in the supernatant fraction of liver homogenates obtained from adult-onset diabetic patients is significantly decreased when compared to controls (2.86 +/- 1.18 and 5.79 +/- 1.82 nmoles/min/mg protein +/- S.D., respectively). The biochemical properties (Km values, thermostability, pH optimum, isoelectric focusing profiles) of acid alpha-glucosidase obtained from the livers of diabetic patients were similar to those of acid alpha-glucosidase obtained from the livers of controls. Mixing studies gave additivity of acid alpha-glucosidase activity suggesting that neither inhibitors nor activators are present (in diabetic and control livers, respectively). Neutral alpha-glucosidase activity measured in the sera of diabetic patients was significantly increased when compared to controls (4.35 +/- 1.82 and 2.44 +/- 1.05 nmoles/h/ml +/- S.D., respectively). Neutral alpha-glucosidase in the sera of diabetic and control patients has a similar pH optimum but the enzyme in the serum of diabetics has a slightly lower apparent Km value for the 4-methylumbelliferyl substrate (0.6 vs. 0.9 mmol/L) and slightly increased thermostability. Experiments involving dialysis of patient serum, addition of glucose to patient serum and mixing of control and diabetic patient sera all suggest that glucose exhibits only slight inhibition of serum neutral alpha-glucosidase activity. Isoelectric focusing indicates that neutral alpha-glucosidase activity in the sera of diabetic patients is consistently different from the enzyme in the sera of control patients in that a significantly smaller percentage of activity is found in the acidic region with pI values less than 4.8.
Photoion Auger-electron coincidence measurements near threshold

Abstract The vacancy cascade which fills an atomic inner-shell hole is a complex process which can proceed by a variety of paths, often resulting in a broad distribution of photoion charge states. We have measured simplified argon photoion charge distributions by requiring a coincidence with a K-LL or K-LM Auger electron, following K excitation with synchrotron radiation, as a function of photon energy, and report here in detail the argon charge distributions coincident with K-L1L23 Auger electrons. The distributions exhibit a much more pronounced photon-energy dependence than do the more complicated non-coincident spectra. Resonant excitation of the K electron to np levels, shakeoff of these np electrons by subsequent decay processes, double-Auger decay, and recapture of the K photoelectron through postcollision interaction occur with significant probability.
A higher order theory for modeling composite laminates with induced strain actuators

A refined higher order laminate theory is developed to analyze smart materials, surface bonded or embedded, in composite laminates. The analysis uses a refined displacement field which accounts for transverse shear stresses through the thickness. All boundary conditions are satisfied at the free surfaces. Non-linearities are introduced through the strain dependent piezoelectric coupling coefficients and the assumed strain distribution through the thickness. The analysis is implemented using the finite element method. The procedure is computationally efficient and allows for a detailed investigation of both the local and global effects due to the presence of actuators. The finite element model is shown to agree well with published experimental results. Numerical examples are presented for composite laminates of various thicknesses and the results are compared with those obtained using classical laminate theory. The refined theory captures important higher order effects which are not modeled by the classical laminate theory, resulting in significant deviations.
Wear Reliability Analysis Method Based on Random Process

The random reliability analysis model for wear was established based on random process theory and wear research. The wear experiment scheme on load, sliding speed, surface hardness and bearing capacity of lubrication was instituted by the uniform design method, and carried out on a vertical universal friction/wear tester. The static wear predication model was established by the partial least squares based on test data. It is found that the wear extent obey to normal distribution by checkout of the probability paper and mathematic expectation function fitting and residuals distribution, the variance function fitting and residuals distribution based on the test data of random process. The reliability of definite working life was gained by calculating with established reliability model, and compared with test data, the analysis method is a valid method for wear reliability.
Iodomethylethers from 1,3-dioxolane and 1,3-oxathiolane: preparation of acyclic nucleoside analogs

Abstract Purine and pyrimidine anions were alkylated using the iodomethyl ether and thioether generated in situ by the reaction of 1,3-dioxolane and 1,3-oxathiolane with trimethylsilyl iodide.
Semantic congruity in symbolic comparisons: Salience, expectancy, and associative priming

An expectancy interpretation of semantic congruity effects suggests that in symbolic comparisons involving the typical comparative-then-stimuli paradigm, the comparative acts as a cue in priming memory for related stimuli. A recent study by Holyoak and Mah (1981) presented evidence purported to disconfirm this hypothesis insofar as a congruity effect also was obtained when the stimuli preceded the comparative. The present study showed the stimulicomparative effect to be a consequence of the pairing of stimuli with particularly salient comparatives such that the former could serve the cuing function. This finding is consistent with the expectancy hypothesis in emphasizing the role of a flexible encoding process but inconsistent with the view that only comparatives can create expectancies in symbolic comparisons.
The effects of host race, gender, and host plant distribution on alighting behavior, mating, and oviposition in Eurosta solidaginis

Eurosta solidaginis Fitch (Diptera: Tephritidae) has formed host races on Solidago altissima L. and Solidago gigantea Ait. (Asteraceae), and reproductive isolation between these host races is brought about in part by host-associated assortative mating. Any non-assortative mating creates the potential for gene flow between the populations, and we investigated the conditions that favored non-assortative mating. We hypothesized that the frequency of non-assortative mating would be influenced by differences in the behaviors of the host races and sexes and by the presence and pattern of distribution of the two host species. To test these hypotheses, we caged flies on four combinations of 32 potted host plants: all S. altissima, all S. gigantea, and cages with both host species arranged in either two pure species blocks or randomly dispersed. We recorded the number of flies of each host race that alighted on each host species and the frequency of mating within and between the host races. Males of both host races were observed on plants more frequently than females. Flies of the host race from S. gigantea (gig flies) were observed on plants in greater absolute numbers, and they mated more frequently than flies of the host race from S. altissima (alt flies). In all treatments, gig flies of both sexes were found on non-natal host plants significantly more frequently than alt flies, and gig females showed a weaker preference for their host species than did gig males or alt flies of either gender for their respective natal hosts. Assortative mating predominated in all treatments, and flies from each host race mated more frequently in cages containing their own host plant. The frequency of non-assortative mating varied among treatments, with the matings between alt ♀ × gig ♂ being more common in the pure S. altissima treatment and the gig ♀ × alt ♂ being more frequent in the pure S. gigantea and random treatments. Matings between gig ♂ × alt ♀ were more common overall than the reciprocal mating, because gig males were more active in pursuing matings and in alighting on the non-natal host plant than alt flies. Non-assortative matings were more frequent in the random than in the block treatments, but this difference was not significant. Because of strong selection against oviposition into the alternate host, we hypothesized that host plant distribution would not affect oviposition preference. We tested this hypothesis by examining the oviposition behavior of naive, mated females in two treatments in which both host species were present: either arranged in blocks or randomly dispersed. Females oviposited only into their natal host, regardless of host plant distribution.
Optical absorption dependence on composition and thickness of InxGa1-xN (0.05<×<0.22) grown on GaN/sapphire

Abstract We report the change in optical absorption properties of InGaN epilayers around the critical layer thickness determined from X-ray diffraction. Detrimental sub-band gap absorption is observed in InGaN thin films grown beyond the critical layer thicknesses, and is caused by localized electric fields around extended crystalline defects and aided by V-defects through light channeling. The photoluminescence response from InGaN thin films, grown beyond the critical layer thickness, is reduced owing to absorption of the incident laser light by non-radiative recombination extended crystalline defects. The formation of V-defects is observed to occur beyond the critical layer thickness and continues to grow in areal coverage aiding in sub-band gap absorption. This optical behavior sets constraints to be incorporated in the design of InGaN solar cell and requirement for improvement in epitaxial growth techniques to reduce V-defects.
Toward a Spinozistic modification of skinner's theory of man

B. F. Skinner argues in Beyond Freedom and Dignity (New York 1971) that only his theory of man is compatible with a ‘scientific’ approach to human behavior. I argue that Skinner's entirely open‐ended view of man is inadequate for his own purposes in that it leaves no room for the claim that certain value judgments are universally valid, something I argue Skinner is committed to despite an explicit avowal in one place of cultural relativism. I then go on to show that a modification of Skinner's theory of man which builds on Spinoza's notion of conatus would provide one with a theory‐based rationale for universally valid judgments without involving one in a ‘non‐scientific’ approach to human behavior. Specifically, I argue that such a Spinozistic modification would provide one with a theory‐based guarantee that man will not evolve in such a way that a truly scientific observer would deem a totalitarian state good.
Moving Out of Silence: Helping Struggling Readers Find Their Voices in Text-Based Discussions

This article examines how 3 sixth-grade social studies teachers increased struggling readers' participation in text-based discussions and changed how they applied reading comprehension strategies. Students worked in small groups with peers who read above, on, or below grade level but shared similar beliefs about themselves as readers. Discussion transcripts showed that students who read below grade level began the study in relative silence compared to their peers who were reading on or above grade level. However, over time, struggling readers increased their verbal participation in small-group discussions and took on leadership roles. Interviews and discussions suggested that struggling readers changed their interactions after witnessing their peers struggling with texts and using comprehension strategies.
Effect of hypercapnic acidosis on renal water excretion in the dog

Effect of hypercapnic acidosis on renal excretion in the dog. Impaired renal water excretion has been observed in patients with hypercapnic acidosis. We therefore induced hypercapnic acidosis (Pco 2 , 25 to 70mm Hg, P Osm , 107 to 510 mOsm/kg H 2 O, P Osm , 85 to 379 mOsm/kg H 2 O, P Osm , 100 to 465 mOsm/kg H 2 O, P Osm in denervated (75 to 86 mOsm/kg H 2 O) but not innervated (81 to 133 mOsm/kg H 2 O, P Effet de l'acidose hypercapnique sur l'excretion renale d'eau chez le chien. Un deficit de l'excretion renale d'eau a ete observe chez les malades en acidose hypercapnique. Nous avons donc determine une telle acidose (Pco 2 de 25 a 70mm Hg, P Osm de 107 a 510 mOsm/kg H 2 O, P Osm de 85 a 379 mOsm/kg H 2 O, P Osm , 100 a 465 mOsm/kg H 2 O, P Osm pour les reins denerves (75 a 86 mOsm/kg H 2 O) mais non pour les reins innerves (81 a 133 mOsm/kg H 2 O, P
Measurements of Angular Momentum in Superfluid Helium

We demonstrate for the first time a rotational Meissner effect for liquid helium, analogous to the magnetic Meissner effect in superconductors. Liquid helium in a rotating cylinder is cooled through the lambda temperature. At sufficiently slow rotational speeds, the superfluid forms in a state of 0 total angular momentum, causing the container to rotate faster.
Experimental research activities in dynamic response and sonic fatigue of hypersonic vehicle structures at NASA Langley Research Center

This paper presents an overview of experimental research activities being pursued at the NASA Langley Research Center for dynamic response and sonic fatigue of hypersonic vehicle structures. The capabilities of the principle test facility, the Thermal Acoustic Fatigue Apparatus, are first given. Results from recent dynamic response and sonic fatigue tests on candidate hypersonic vehicle structures are then presented.
Reduction of hypothalamic norepinephrine does not alter the osmoregulation of vasopressin in rats.

The supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus are known to be heavily innervated by noradrenergic neurons. However, the role of these neurons in regulating secretion of the antidiuretic hormone, arginine vasopressin, remains unsettled. In an effort to clarify this question, we studied the effect of multiple small doses of d,l α-methyl-ρ-tyrosine (α-MpT) on hypothalamic norepinephrine and the osmoregulation of vasopressin in rats. We found that, at the doses employed (80 mg/kg every 6 h for 24 h), α-Mpt reduced mean (±sd) hypothalamic norepinepherine by about 50% but did not affect plasma osmolality, sodium, glucose, urea, or vasopressin either under basal conditions or during osmotic stimulation by ip injection of hypertonic saline. During the latter, plasma vasopressin correlated directly with plasma osmolality and the regression lines that described the relationships in the control and drug-treated rats were identical. Hematocrit and mean arterial pressure were also unaffected by α-MpT. These findings do no...
Experimental Determination Of The Coupling Coefficient In Laser Surface Hardening Of Steel

Steel and cast iron surfaces that are to be laser transformation hardened must first be coated with an absorptive layer to enhance coupling of the CO2 laser beam with the workpiece. A series of laser surface heating experiments was performed on plain carbon steel plates which had been coated with an absorptive copper selenide layer. A 1.5 kw cw CO2 laser was used to scan the steel surfaces with a Gaussian beam of constant power and spot size. An analytic solution to the heat transfer equation was used to calculate the hardened depths for comparison with measured values. A comparison of calculated and measured hardened depths yielded values of the effective coupling coefficient as a function of the beam interaction time. The effective coupling coefficient decreases from ≈1 at the shortest interaction times to ≈0.6 at the longest. Reduction of the effective coupling coef-ficient is associated with destruction of the copper selenide layer.© (1986) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Hybrid optical/digital neural network

ABSTRACT A hybrid optical/digital neural net is described. Initial tests on the optical components are provided with the first simulated neural net results addressing various optical system error sourcesincluded. Attention is given to the accuracy required for each optical component, the dominant errorsource and the cumulative effect of multiple optical system error sources. I . INTRODUCTION Various neural net (NN) architectures and algorithms have been advanced. Several of these havebeen realized and tested in limited dimensionality and extent in the lab. In Section 2, we advance a new and most general purpose NN. It is a hybrid optical/digital NN (using a digital NN for training/learning and an optical N for on-line processing). Its wide usage in a multitude of applicatIons will be detailed elsewhere [1 ]. Here we advance its basic concept and architecture(Section 2), we consider a specific optimization NN application (mixture analysis) in Section 3, and we provide the first simulation of optical NN error effects (Section 4). Prior NN simulations [2] have
Lodestone : Natures only permanent Magnet-What it is and how it gets charged

Magnetite and Titanomagnetite exhibit magnetic properties which are attributable to the micro-structures developed during oxidation and exsolution: All magnetite iron ores which are lodestones contain maghemite. These lodestones have Hc between 10 and 30 mT, SIRM between 8 and 18 Am²kg¹ and RI between 0.10 and 0.26. Magnetite, titanomagnetite and metals have REM values (ratio of NRM to SIRM) < 0.05. Samples (called fulgarites) obtained from the Smithsonian Institution have REM values ranging from 0.45 to 0.92. The REM value serves as a witness parameter to the magnetic fields associated with the lightning bolt. If a high REM value (say ≫ 0.1) can be verified as not to be due to contamination by man and does not contain MD hematite then the rock has LRM (lightning remanent magnetization). The magnetic field associated with lightning can be revealed from an isothermal remanent acquisition (RA) curve.
Optical Method for Testing the Precision of Linear Motions

An interferometric method for testing the accuracy of linear motions, such as that of drilling machines and lathe tools, is described. This method uses a diffraction grating fixed to the carriage to be tested. Only the first-order diffraction terms obtained by illuminating this grating with a laser beam are superimposed on each other by an imaging lens. An interference line pattern results that extends through the space of interfering beams and that can be analyzed with a microscope. Any deviations from the direction of motion, with the exception of deviations parallel to the grating lines, will be indicated by a movement of the fringe pattern and can be determined by counting the number of fringes passing the optical axis of the microscope. An application of this method for testing the chuck guidances in contact printing machines with a measurement accuracy of 0.2 micro is presented.
551 nm Generation by sum-frequency mixing of intracavity pumped Nd:YAG laser

We present for the first time a Nd:YAG laser emitting at 1319 nm intracavity pumped by a 946 nm diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser. A 809 nm laser diode is used to pump the first Nd:YAG crystal emitting at 946 nm, and the second Nd:YAG laser emitting at 1319 nm intracavity pumped at 946 nm. Intracavity sumfrequency mixing at 946 and 1319 nm was then realized in a LBO crystal to reach the yellow range. We obtained a continuous-wave output power of 158 mW at 551 nm with a pump laser diode emitting 18.7 W at 809 nm.
Deregulated BCL6 expression recapitulates the pathogenesis of human diffuse large B cell lymphomas in mice

Diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCL) derive from germinal center (GC) B cells and display chromosomal alterations deregulating the expression of BCL6, a transcriptional repressor required for GC formation. To investigate the role of BCL6 in DLBCL pathogenesis, we have engineered mice that express BCL6 constitutively in B cells by mimicking a chromosomal translocation found in human DLBCL. These mice display increased GC formation and perturbed post-GC differentiation characterized by a decreased number of post-isotype switch plasma cells. Subsequently, these mice develop a lymphoproliferative syndrome that culminates with the development of lymphomas displaying features typical of human DLBCL. These results define the oncogenic role of BCL6 in the pathogenesis of DLBCL and provide a faithful mouse model of this common disease.
Cysteine Proteinases and the Pathogenesis of Amebiasis

Amebiasis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the tropical world. Entamoeba histolytica is now recognized as a separate species from the morphologically identical E. dispar, which cannot invade. Cysteine proteinases are a key virulence factor of E. histolytica and play a role in intestinal invasion by degrading the extracellular matrix and circumventing the host immune response through cleavage of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), IgG, and activation of complement. Cysteine proteinases are encoded by at least seven genes, several of which are found in E. histolytica but not E. dispar. A number of new animal models, including the formation of liver abscesses in SCID mice and intestinal infection in human intestinal xenografts, have proven useful to confirm the critical role of cysteine proteinases in invasion. Detailed structural analysis of cysteine proteinases should provide further insights into their biochemical function and may facilitate the design of specific inhibitors which could be used as potential chemotherapeutic agents in the future.
Propentofylline inhibits glioblastoma cell invasion and survival by targeting the TROY signaling pathway

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary tumor of the CNS and carries a dismal prognosis. The aggressive invasion of GBM cells into the surrounding normal brain makes complete resection impossible, significantly increases resistance to the standard therapy regimen, and virtually assures tumor recurrence. Median survival for newly diagnosed GBM is 14.6 months and declines to 8 months for patients with recurrent GBM. New therapeutic strategies that target the molecular drivers of invasion are required for improved clinical outcome. We have demonstrated that TROY (TNFRSF19), a member of the TNFR super-family, plays an important role in GBM invasion and resistance. Knockdown of TROY expression inhibits GBM cell invasion, increases sensitivity to temozolomide, and prolongs survival in an intracranial xenograft model. Propentofylline (PPF), an atypical synthetic methylxanthine compound, has been extensively studied in Phase II and Phase III clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia where it has demonstrated blood-brain permeability and minimal adverse side effects. Here we showed that PPF decreased GBM cell expression of TROY, inhibited glioma cell invasion, and sensitized GBM cells to TMZ. Mechanistically, PPF decreased glioma cell invasion by modulating TROY expression and downstream signaling, including AKT, NF-κB, and Rac1 activation. Thus, PPF may provide a pharmacologic approach to target TROY, inhibit cell invasion, and reduce therapeutic resistance in GBM.
Evidence of a neurologically based “denial of illness” in patients with Huntington's disease

Abstract Patients diagnosed with Huntington's Disease (HD) commonly show a denial of symptoms and an unawareness of the motoric, cognitive, and emotional changes that accompany this disease. To examine if this denial has a neurological component to it, 19 patients who received a positive diagnosis of HD from the presymptomatic HD clinic at the University of Connecticut Medical School, and 14 consecutive patients referred for neuropsychological testing with nonHD diagnoses, were administered a simple, eight-item self-report test that asked them to rate their cognitive and motoric abilities. Two staff members, both of whom met with the patients and were familiar with the neuropsychological test results, similarly rated the patients' deficits. HD patients were then divided into “high” (HA) vs. “low” (LA) anosognosia groups based on differences between their self-ratings and staff ratings, and given a neuropsychological battery. Correlation's between the two investigators found that the eight-item scale was highly reliable across investigators (R = .89). HD patients were significantly different from controls in their self-rating of their own capabilities in comparison to staff ratings (p
Roles of Performance and Human Capital in College Football Coaches' Compensation.

Despite the escalation of football coaches' salaries at National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) institutions, little empirical investigation has been undertaken to identify the determinants of their compensation. As such, the purpose of this study is to explain how the level of coaching compensation is determined based on three theoretical perspectives in managerial compensation: marginal productivity theory, human capital theory, and managerialism. The analysis of compensation data of head foot-ball coaches at FBS institutions in 2006-2007 shows that the maximum total compensation of these coaches increases with their past performance. The results further reveal that coaches with greater human capital tend to receive a compensation package where bonuses account for a smaller proportion of the maximum total compensation. Overall, these findings mostly confirm the predictions drawn from managerial productivity theory, human capital theory and managerialism.
Riboswitches control fundamental biochemical pathways in Bacillus subtilis and other bacteria

Riboswitches are metabolite binding domains within certain messenger RNAs that serve as precision sensors for their corresponding targets. Allosteric rearrangement of mRNA structure is mediated by ligand binding, and this results in modulation of gene expression. We have identified a class of riboswitches that selectively recognizes guanine and becomes saturated at concentrations as low as 5 nM. In Bacillus subtilis, this mRNA motif is located on at least five separate transcriptional units that together encode 17 genes that are mostly involved in purine transport and purine nucleotide biosynthesis. Our findings provide further examples of mRNAs that sense metabolites and that control gene expression without the need for protein factors. Furthermore, it is now apparent that riboswitches contribute to the regulation of numerous fundamental metabolic pathways in certain bacteria.
Particulate Fiber Composites - Effect of Particulates on Fiber Composite Strength

The effect of particulate addition on the mechanical properties of glass fiber-polyester composites with different particulate types, sizes and concentrations is presented. Composites were made by hand layup of woven glass fibers and chopped strand mat with polyester resin mixed with particulates of glass, graphite and rubber. Particle sizes ranged from 18 microns to 318 microns with weight percentages of 2%, 4% and 6%. The strength properties of the composites were obtained from short beam shear tests and tensile tests. The results showed that the addition of the particulates in the resin matrix had significant effects on the strength properties of the composites. The properties studied were lower for the particulate-fiber composites compared with that of the composite with no particulates. Increasing the particulate size increased the shear strength and ultimate strength marginally. The mechanical properties studied generally peaked at a particulate concentration of 4-wt%. A novel approach to fabricating these hybrid composites, Thin Film Infusion Molding (TFIM), is presented. The composite is consolidated by compression molding of the fibers stacked between sheets of resin mixed with particulates. This method avoids most of the disadvantages in the hand layup process and provides an excellent means of evenly distributing the particulates.
Differential Expression of Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases in the Failing Human Heart

Background—Extracellular matrix turnover is regulated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and a family of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Together, these proteins may contribute to myocardial remodeling in congestive heart failure. We hypothesized that the expression of MMPs and TIMPs might be differentially regulated in the failing human heart. Methods and Results—Northern blot analyses were performed with probes to TIMP-1 to -4 and GAPDH with poly A+ mRNA from ventricular tissues of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM, n=16) or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM, n=15) and nonfailing control hearts (n=15). TIMP-1 to -4 and MMP-9 proteins were quantified by ELISA and/or Western blot, and the total gelatinolytic activity was studied by gelatin zymography. The results showed that cardiac expression of TIMP-1 and -3 transcripts and proteins was significantly reduced in ICM and DCM. No significant difference was observed in TIMP-2 and -4 transcripts. However, TIMP-4 protein was si...
Photographic analysis of relation between unit activity and movement.

A technique for the cinematographic analysis of relationships between unit activity and movement is described. The method permits mapping of the topographic and temporal relationships between unit activity and movement in the unrestrained animal. We have used this technique in the cat to document relationships between unit activity in the pontine reticular formation and movement.
Seismicity of the Kodiak Island region (1964-2001) and its relation to the 1964 great Alaska earthquake

Earthquake relocation, first-motion, and waveform modeling studies of M >5.5 earthquakes are used to examine the seismicity associated with the Kodiak Island region since the 1964 great Alaska earthquake. Our results indicate that the most intense seismicity and moment release in this region occurred within the Pacific plate and along the plate interface of the southwestern edge of the Kodiak segment, where slip during the 1964 mainshock was less than 5 m. Few earthquakes have occurred within the North American plate. The intense seismicity correlates well with the northern edge of a zone of high plate interface coupling detected by Global Positioning System/geodesy studies. Our studies suggest that during 1964-1974, faulting within the Pacific plate was characterized by normal and normal-oblique faulting. However, since 1974 reverse-oblique faulting has become more common in the Pacific plate. Seismic moment release has been over 6 times greater in the Kodiak region than in the Prince William Sound-Cook Inlet region during the past 37 years. Unlike the Prince William Sound region, there is also a lack of down-dip migration of seismicity since 1964. Manuscript received 23 October 2001.
Ramen at Home and on the Road

George Solt, The Untold Story of Ramen: How Political Crisis in Japan Spawned a Global Food Craze, University of California Press, Berkeley, 2013, 240 pp.Frederick Errington, Tatsuro Fujikura and D...
Impacts of Vegetation and Precipitation on Throughfall Heterogeneity in a Tropical Pre-Montane Transitional Cloud Forest

Precipitation throughfall (TF) plays an important role in the water balance of tropical forests. This study used 164 gauges to quantify precipitation and TF variability in a tropical pre-montane transitional cloud forest on the Caribbean slope of the Cordillera Tilaran, Costa Rica, to identify the ecological and meteorological drivers of this variability. Daily TF measurements were taken from 28 June to 17 July 2012 and 12 June to 16 July 2013, for a total of 39 precipitation events. The total mean TF was 87.9 percent and TF at individual gauges ranged from 22.7 percent to 245.7 percent. Leaf area index (LAI) was calculated above each gauge using hemispheric photography for a mean study-site LAI of 7.7. There was no statistically significant relationship between LAI and TF. However, the amount of TF was positively correlated with precipitation intensity, while the variability of TF was negatively correlated with precipitation intensity. Our calculations indicate that at least 61 gauges are required to obtain mean TF estimates with less than 5 percent error. This study demonstrates that TF is highly spatially heterogeneous due to multiple compounding effects. RESUMEN Precipitacion interna a traves del dosel del bosque (TF) es una parte importante del equilibrio de agua en bosques tropicales. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo cuantificar la variabilidad de precipitacion y TF en un bosque nuboso transicional y premontano en el lado Caribe de la Cordillera Tilaran, especificamente en el Centro Soltis, Costa Rica, e identificar los factores ecologicos y meteorologicos en esta variabilidad. Mediante 164 pluviometros, se obtuvieron lecturas diarias de precipitacion interna, desde 28 Junio –17 Julio 2012 y 12 Junio–16 Julio 2013, abarcando 39 eventos pluviales. El promedio total de la precipitacion interna fue 87.9% y la precipitacion interna de los pluviometros fluctuaron entre 22.7% y 245.7%. Mediante fotografia hemisferica se calcularon los indices de area foliar (LAI) sobre cada pluviometro. El promedio del LAI fue 7.7. No hubo una relacion estadisticamente significativa entre LAI y TF; sin embargo, hubo una correlacion positiva entre la precipitacion interna y la intensidad de la precipitacion, y la variabilidad de la precipitacion interna correlaciono negativamente con la intensidad de la precipitacion. Nuestros resultados indican que al menos 61 pluviometros son necesarios para determinar los promedios de precipitacion interna con menos de 5% de error. Este estudio demuestra que la precipitacion interna es espacialmente heterogenea debido a muchos efectos amontonados.
Coupling Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress to the Cell Death Program MECHANISM OF CASPASE ACTIVATION

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the site of assembly of polypeptide chains destined for secretion or routing into various subcellular compartments. It also regulates cellular responses to stress and intracellular Ca2+ levels. A variety of toxic insults can result in ER stress that ultimately leads to apoptosis. Apoptosis is initiated by the activation of members of the caspase family and serves as a central mechanism in the cell death process. The present study was carried out to determine the role of caspases in triggering ER stress-induced cell death. Treatment of cells with ER stress inducers such as brefeldin-A or thapsigargin induces the expression of caspase-12 protein and also leads to translocation of cytosolic caspase-7 to the ER surface. Caspase-12, like most other members of the caspase family, requires cleavage of the prodomain to activate its proapoptotic form. Caspase-7 associates with caspase-12 and cleaves the prodomain to generate active caspase-12, resulting in increased cell death. We propose that any cellular insult that causes prolonged ER stress may induce apoptosis through caspase-7-mediated caspase-12 activation. The data underscore the involvement of ER and caspases associated with it in the ER stress-induced apoptotic process.
Rule-Makers and Rule-Breakers: Joseph Brodsky and Boris Slutsky as Reformers of Russian Rhythm

In his book Symbolism (1910), Andrei Belyi classifies Russian poets into "reformers" and "followers," deriving this distinction from the properties of verse rhythm. Followers, Belyi argues, echo the rhythmic trends set by others in a given period, while reformers deviate from these norms. Belyi believed that his contribution to poetics would render aesthetics an exact science. To contemporary poststructuralist literary critics, this contribution may seem naive: Belyi's linguistic analysis, they might protest, merely formalizes our intuitions. However, linguistic analysis of verse ranges far beyond formalizing what we already know, often revealing surprising and counterintuitive facts about style. For example, according to Belyi's theory, we find Aleksander Pushkin, the creator of the Russian literary language, not in the "reformer" category, but among the followers of Vasilii Zhukovskii. Though posed almost a hundred years ago, some of the questions raised by Belyi's classification remain unanswered today. While many researchers have discussed specific reforms, no general principle has been formulated to explain what "reformer" really means.1
STATIONARITY OF THE SOLUTION OF Xt= AtXt‐1+εt AND ANALYSIS OF NON‐GAUSSIAN DEPENDENT RANDOM VARIABLES

. We give general and concrete conditions in terms of the coefficient (stochastic) process {At} so that the (doubly) stochastic difference equation Xt= AtXt-1+et has a second-order strictly stationary solution. It turns out that by choosing {At} and the “innovation” process {et} properly, a host of stationary processes with non-Gaussian marginals and long-range dependence can be generated using this difference equation. Examples of such nowGaussian marginals include exponential, mixed exponential, gamma, geometric, etc. When {At} is a binary time series, the conditional least-squares estimator of the parameters of this model is the same as those of the parameters of a Galton-Watson branching process with immigration.
Survival of potentially pathogenic human-associated bacteria in the rhizosphere of hydroponically grown wheat.

Plants may serve as reservoirs for human-associated bacteria (H-AB) in long-term space missions containing bioregenerative life support systems. The current study examined the abilities of five human-associated potential pathogens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas cepacia, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Escherichia coli, to colonize and grow in the rhizosphere of hydroponically grown wheat, a candidate crop for life support. All of these bacteria have been recovered from past NASA missions and present potential problems for future missions. The abilities of these organisms to adhere to the roots of axenic five-day-old wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Yecora rojo) were evaluated by enumeration of the attached organisms after a one hour incubation of roots in a suspension (approximately 10(exp 8 cu/ml)) of the H-AB. Results showed that a greater percentage of P. aeruginosa cells adhered to the wheat roots than the other four H-AB. Similarly incubated seedlings were also grown under attempted axenic conditions for seven days to examine the potential of each organism to proliferate in the rhizosphere (root colonization capacity). P. cepacia and P. aeruginosa showed considerable growth. E. coli and S. aureus showed no significant growth, and S. pyogenes died off in the wheat rhizosphere. Studies examining the effects of competition on the survival of these microorganisms indicated that P. aeruginosa was the only organism that survived in the rhizosphere of hydroponically grown wheat in the presence of different levels of microbial competition.
Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition II: An overview

The sudden onset of ozone depletion in the antarctic vortex set a precedent for both the time scale and the severity of global change. The Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment (AAOE), staged from Punta Arenas, Chile, in 1987, established that CFCs, halons, and methyl bromide, the dominant sources of chlorine and bromine radicals in the stratosphere, control the rate of ozone destruction over the Antarctic; that the vortex is depleted in reactive nitrogen and water vapor; and that diabatic cooling during the antarctic winter leads to subsidence within the vortex core, importing air from higher altitudes and lower latitudes. This last conclusion is based on observed dramatic distortion in the tracer fields, most notably N[sub 2]O. In 1989, the first Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition (AASE-I), staged from Stavanger, Norway, and using the same aircraft employed for AAOE (the NASA ER-2 and the NASA DC-8), discovered that while NO[sub x] and to some degree NO[sub y] were perturbed within the arctic vortex, there was little evidence for desiccation. Under these (in contrast to the antarctic) marginally perturbed conditions, however, ClO was found to be dramatically enhanced such that a large fraction of the available (inorganic) chlorine resided in the form of ClOmore » and its dimer ClOOCl. This leaves two abiding issues for the northern hemisphere and the mission of the second Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition (AASE-II): (1) Will significant ozone erosion occur within the arctic vortex in the next ten years as chlorine loading in the stratosphere exceeds four parts per billion by volume (2) Which mechanisms are responsible for the observed ozone erosion poleward of 30[degrees]N in the winter/spring northern hemisphere reported in satellite observations 12 refs., 2 tabs.« less
Subgame perfection and the ethics of competition

This paper integrates economics and business ethics through the use of the subgame perfection/backward induction decision rule. It is shown that textbook examples of subgame perfection differ in their ethical complexity. Specifically, predatory pricing is difficult to justify on both game-theoretic and ethical grounds, whereas ‘poison pill’ takeover defenses have complex economic and ethical ramifications. Further, I employ backward induction to examine two additional areas of ethics and management decision-making: product recall (the Ford Explorer and Firestone tires), and price versus advertising competition. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Society of Agents

The development of multiple agent systems faces many challenges, including agent coordination and subdivision of tasks. Minsky’s “The Society of Mind” [1] provides a framework for addressing these multiagent system problems. Following this framework, a society of agents is developed and applied to the domain of single player and multiplayer games. The advantage of the society approach is the efficient reutilization of agents across multiple independent game domain problems
African sexualities: a reader

edited by Sylvia Tamale. Oxford, Pambazuka Press, 2011. 672pp., £24.95 (paperback), ISBN 978-0-85749-016-2 If there is a thesis statement that the African Sexualities Reader (hereafter the Reader) ...
A Privacy Preserving Framework for Gaussian Mixture Models

This paper presents a framework for privacy-preserving Gaussian Mixture Model computations. Specifically, we consider a scenario where a central service wants to learn the parameters of a Guassian Mixture Model from private data distributed among multiple parties with privacy constraints. In addition, the service also has security contraints where none of the data owners are allowed to learn the values of the trained parameters. We use Secure Multiparty Computations to propose a framework that allows such computations. In addition, we also show how such a central service can classify new test data from privacy constrained third parties without exposing the learned models. The classification occurs with the added constraint that the service learns no information about either the test data or the result of the classification.
Cas9-Guide RNA Directed Genome Editing in Soybean

Recently discovered bacteria and archaea adaptive immune system consisting of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) endonuclease has been explored in targeted genome editing in different species. Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9-guide RNA (gRNA) was successfully applied to generate targeted mutagenesis, gene integration, and gene editing in soybean (Glycine max). Two genomic sites, DD20 and DD43 on chromosome 4, were mutagenized with frequencies of 59% and 76%, respectively. Sequencing randomly selected transgenic events confirmed that the genome modifications were specific to the Cas9-gRNA cleavage sites and consisted of small deletions or insertions. Targeted gene integrations through homology-directed recombination were detected by border-specific polymerase chain reaction analysis for both sites at callus stage, and one DD43 homology-directed recombination event was transmitted to T1 generation. T1 progenies of the integration event segregated according to Mendelian laws and clean homozygous T1 plants with the donor gene precisely inserted at the DD43 target site were obtained. The Cas9-gRNA system was also successfully applied to make a directed P178S mutation of acetolactate synthase1 gene through in planta gene editing.