cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early flowering in Arabidopsis induced by DNA base analogs

Various isogenic lines of Arabidopsis differing in a single factor controlling flower initiation were cultured aseptically on media containing bromodeoxycytidine and bromodeoxyuridine (10-5 M). The wild type under short-day illumination (8 hours daily) and the late mutant gi 2, in both continuous light and under short day, responded with dramatically earlier flower initiation. Another late mutant (ld) failed to respond. The effect of the DNA base analogs was nullified by the corresponding normal deoxyribonucleosides but not by the corresponding normal ribonucleosides.
Localizing circuits of atrial macroreentry using electrocardiographic planes of coherent atrial activation

Background The complexity of ablation for atrial macroreentry atrial flutter (AFL) varies significantly depending on the circuit location. Presently, surface electrocardiogram (ECG) analysis poorly separates left from right atypical AFL and from some cases of typical AFL, which delays diagnosis until invasive study. Objective The purpose of this study was to differentiate and localize the intra-atrial circuits of left atypical AFL, right atypical, and typical AFL using quantitative ECG analysis. Methods We studied 66 patients (54 men, age 59 ± 14 years) with typical (n = 35), reverse typical (n = 4), and atypical (n = 27) AFL. For each, we generated filtered atrial waveforms from ECG leads V5 (X-axis), aVF (Y-axis), and V1 (Z-axis) by correlating a 120-ms F-wave sample to successive ECG regions. Atrial spatial loops were plotted for three orthogonal planes (frontal, XY=V5/aVF; sagittal, YZ=aVF/V1; axial, XZ=V5/V1) and then cross-correlated to measure spatial regularity (i.e., coherence; range −1 to 1). Results Mean coherence was greatest in the XY plane (P Conclusions Atypical AFL shows lower spatial coherence than typical AFL, particularly in the sagittal and axial planes. Coherence in the Cartesian frontal plane separated left and right atypical AFL. Such analyses may be used to plan ablation strategy from the bedside.
Vasodilator therapy for acute myocardial infarction and chronic congestive heart failure

Vasodilator therapy is useful adjunctive therapy in the management of both acute and chronic heart failure. Arteriolar dilators, such as hydralazine, increase cardiac output by decreasing the elevated peripheral vascular resistance that occurs in heart failure. Venodilators, such as nitrates, decrease ventricular filling pressures by redistributing blood so that more is pooled in peripheral veins. Vasodilators that produce both effects (nitro-prusside, prazosin, captopril, for example) are usually helpful in short-term improvement of hemodynamics. Long-term treatment with nonparenteral vasodilators often reduces symptoms and increases exercise tolerance, although there is inconclusive evidence regarding the effects of these agents on mortality. In acute myocardial infarction, intravenous vasodilators frequently improve cardiac performance. Evidence regarding their beneficial effects on infarct size and immediate mortality is encouraging but inconclusive. There is little evidence that they prolong life in patients who survive cardiogenic shock and leave the hospital. Thus, vasodilators can improve hemodynamics and lessen symptoms, but more evidence is needed regarding their long-term effects on survival.
On the energy transfer between quasi-degenerate states with uncorrelated site distribution functions: An application to the CP43 complex of Photosystem II

The possible influence of excitation energy transfer on various spectra observable in hole burning (HB) experiments has been analyzed for pigments with quasi-degenerate absorption bands with uncorrelated site distribution functions. It was shown that ignoring this influence can lead to incorrect interpretation of experimental results. Application of the model is demonstrated for the CP43 core antenna complex of plant Photosystem II, which possesses two quasi-degenerate lowest-energy states [Jankowiak et al., J. Phys. Chem. B 104 (2000) 11805]. According to the model, bands A and B observed in HB experiments do not truly represent the whole absorption bands of the two lowest-energy states in CP43. Assuming that the sample can be represented as a sum of the sub-ensembles of the CP43 complexes where one or another state is the lowest-energy one (and therefore is incapable of downhill energy transfer), bands A and B are the lowest-energy bands of these sub-ensembles. With this restriction, the model allows for fast energy transfer between the two lowest-energy chromophores (states) in CP43. It is shown that the transient and persistent HB spectra of the isolated CP43 complexes are in good agreement with the model.
A role for DNA mismatch repair in sensing and responding to fluoropyrimidine damage

The phenomenon of damage tolerance, whereby cells incur DNA lesions that are nonlethal, largely ignored, but highly mutagenic, appears to play a key role in carcinogenesis. Typically, these lesions are generated by alkylation of DNA or incorporation of base analogues. This tolerance is usually a result of the loss of specific DNA repair processes, most often DNA mismatch repair (MMR). The availability of genetically matched MMR-deficient and -corrected cell systems allows dissection of the consequences of this unrepaired damage in carcinogenesis as well as the elucidation of cell cycle checkpoint responses and cell death consequences. Recent data indicate that MMR plays an important role in detecting damage caused by fluorinated pyrimidines (FPs) and represents a repair system that is probably not the primary system for detecting damage caused by these agents, but may be an important system for correcting key mutagenic lesions that could initiate carcinogenesis. In fact, clinical studies have shown that there is no benefit of FP-based adjuvant chemotherapy in colon cancer patients exhibiting microsatellite instability, a hallmark of MMR deficiency. MMR-mediated damage tolerance and futile cycle repair processes are discussed, as well as possible strategies using FPs to exploit these systems for improved anticancer therapy.
Effect of prestrain on the mechanical properties of eutectoid steel

This investigation was designed to study the effect of prior compressive deformation and temperature on the subsequent dynamic fracture toughness, K,Id, of fully pearlitic 1080 rail steel. Charpy instrumented impact tests on precracked specimens were performed at room temperature at a variety of prior strain levels from 0 to 20 pct. In addition, transition temperature tests were performed on specimens of zero, low (5 to 10 pct), and high (15 to 20 pct) prior strains. Dynamic fracture toughness (K,Id) and energy absorbed per fractured area (W/A) were obtained from instrumented impact data. It was found that, at room temperature, compressive strain had no effect on either KId or W/A. In the transition temperature range, W/A decreased with increasing prior strain, while there was no effect on KId. At temperatures in the upper shelf region, prior strain decreased both K,Id and W/A. There was no effect on the transition temperature as the amount of prior strain was increased. Thus, while both dynamic fracture toughness and impact properties can be significantly changed by varying temperature, cold working the material has at best a modest effect on impact energy and then primarily only in the upper shelf region.
Rheological characterizations of texturized whey protein concentrate-based powders produced by reactive supercritical fluid extrusion

Abstract A powder blend comprising (by weight) 94% whey protein concentrate (WPC80), 6% pre-gelatinized corn starch, 0.6% CaCl2, and 0.6% NaCl was texturized using a supercritical fluid extrusion (SCFX) process. The blend was extruded at 90 °C in a pH range of 2.89 to 8.16 with 1% (db) supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) and 60% moisture content. The texturized WPC-based (TWPC) samples were dried, grounded into powder, reconstituted in water, and evaluated using a range of rheological studies. Most TWPC samples exhibited shear thinning behavior and their mechanical spectra were typical of weak gel characteristics. The TWPC produced under extremely acidic condition of pH 2.89 with SC-CO2 yielded the highest η∗ (10,049 Pa s) and G′ (9,885 Pa) compared to the unprocessed WPC (η∗ = 0.083 Pa s and G’ = 0.036 Pa). The SCFX process rendered WPC into a product with cold-setting gel characteristics that may be suitable for use as a food texturizer over a wide range of temperatures.
Future muon magnetic moment anomaly measurements

Experimental improvements which could lead to a significant reduction (up to ×10) in the uncertainty on the measured value of the muon magnetic anomaly, g-2, are discussed. A comparable improvement in the theoretical uncertainty would provide an exceptional test for physics beyond the standard model. Increased muon flux will be needed, and would be available at JPARC in Japan with the appropriate beam line development. A number of experimental changes are proposed which could provide the needed reduction in systematic errors.
California foredune plant biogeomorphology

Foredune plant species are a prime example of biogeomorphic agents, building foredunes by stopping the landward movement of sand and holding it in place. The association of these plant species with specific landforms and their biogeomorphic roles in the process of foredune building for California was previously not well understood. Studies of foredune plants have focused on a narrow geographic range or addressed purely ecological conditions associated with foredune plants, omitting the biogeomorphic role of these species. This study derives foredune plant-landform associations across a wide latitude of the California coastline and synthesizes a conceptual model of dune biogeomorphic succession that encompasses prior, geographically restricted studies. Measurements of habitat conditions (distance and elevation from high water line and slope angle) were used in a cluster analysis to produce groups of species that were compared with groups identified in previous studies. From these groups, a conceptual model...
Self-shielding models of MICROX-2 code: Review and updates

Abstract The MICROX-2 is a transport theory code that solves for the neutron slowing-down and thermalization equations of a two-region lattice cell. The MICROX-2 code has been updated to expand its application to advanced reactor concepts and fuel cycle simulations, including generation of new fine-group cross section libraries based on ENDF/B-VII. In continuation of previous work, the MICROX-2 methods are reviewed and updated in this study, focusing on its resonance self-shielding and spatial self-shielding models for neutron spectrum calculations. The improvement of self-shielding method was assessed by a series of benchmark calculations against the Monte Carlo code, using homogeneous and heterogeneous pin cell models. The results have shown that the implementation of the updated self-shielding models is correct and the accuracy of physics calculation is improved. Compared to the existing models, the updates reduced the prediction error of the infinite multiplication factor by ∼0.1% and ∼0.2% for the homogeneous and heterogeneous pin cell models, respectively, considered in this study.
An autonomous aerosol sampler/elemental analyzer designed for ocean buoys and remote land sites

An autonomous aerosol sampler/elemental analyzer, that employs energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry to determine the elemental (Fe, Si, S, Ca and K) concentrations of aerosols in near real time, has been designed, built and successfully tested on a roof. The ultimate technical goal is to deploy a buoy-mounted aerosol sampler/analyzer in order to make the long-term measurements necessary to quantify the deposition of mineral dust to the oceans. A major scientific goal is to address the question of enhanced biological production due to the release of dissolved iron from the deposition of mineral dust. Design and operating features are discussed and illustrated. This instrument has the sensitivity to measure the concentrations of mineral dust and Fe over the oceans with a time resolution of a few days during periods of moderate to high dust deposition.
Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis and Differential Synthesis of Mannose 6-Phosphate Receptors in Isolated Spermatogenic and Sertoli Cells*

Mannose 6-phosphate (Man 6-P) receptors participate in the targeting of both newly synthesized and extracellular acid hydrolases to lysosomes, and also may mediate the effects of a number of growth factors. In this study, Man 6-P receptors were isolated from [35S]methionine-labeled germ cells and Sertoli cells by phosphomannan-Sepharose affinity chromatography and were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. Mouse pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids isolated by unit gravity sedimentation synthesized predominantly the 46,000 mol wt (Mr) cation-dependent Man 6-P receptor and only low levels of the 270,000 Mr cation-independent Man 6-P receptor. In contrast, Sertoli cells synthesized substantial amounts of the cation-independent Man 6-P receptor, but little of the cation-dependent receptor. To determine if these receptors function on the cell surface, we have monitored Man 6-P receptor-mediated endocytosis in isolated germ cells and Sertoli cells. In pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids, [125I]Man 6-P-bearing ligands were internalized and processed to lower Mr forms by an endocytic mechanism that was time dependent, proportional to cell number, and inhibited by Man 6-P. Like germ cells, Sertoli cells in primary culture endocytosed radiolabeled Man 6-P-bearing ligands at levels that were about 10% of the endocytic activity measured for 3T3 fibroblasts. This low endocytic activity correlates with the levels of the cation-independent Man 6-P receptor synthesized by germ cells, but not with the higher levels synthesized by Sertoli cells. Membrane binding assays verified the high steady state levels of the cation-independent Man 6-P receptor in Sertoli cells, suggesting that the low endocytic activity detected in these cells may result from restricted expression of the cation-independent receptor on the cell surface. These results indicate that both spermatogenic and Sertoli cells have surface Man P-6 receptors capable of mediating endocytosis. However, these cells exhibit marked differences in the expression of the cation-independent and -dependent Man 6-P receptors, perhaps reflecting differential roles of these receptors in protein trafficking and/or intercellular communication during germ cell differentiation.
The Process of Forced Termination: Couples in Ministry Share Their Experiences

The stressful nature of ministry work has been well documented by researchers and professionals. However, both have generally failed to examine what is perhaps one of the most detrimental and psychologically traumatic experiences a minister may have associated with ministry work: forced termination. Forced termination should be considered an under-studied area of research and should be distinguished from choosing to leave the ministry or being fired from a ministry post. Forced termination is both the process and result of psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual abuse directed toward paid and non-paid ministry leaders by members of a congregation or denominational leaders, such that there is no other option for the minister but to leave the post. This qualitative study used a grounded theory approach to describe the experience of forced termination of couples where at least one individual is a vocational minister. Twenty-one couples agreed to participate in the study, and 14 were interviewed. The data of four couples are presented as representative of the saturated data from all 14 couples. Four important themes or stages the couples experienced emerged from the study: honeymoon, betrayal, harassment, and leaving the church.
The sounds at the base of the heart in cases of patent ductus arteriosus.

Abstract A study has been made of the mechanism of production and significance of some abnormalities of the sounds at the base of the heart in cases of patent ductus arteriosus. These included early systolic ejection sounds of pulmonic and aortic origin, paradoxical splitting of the second sounds, and high-frequency sounds occurring irregularly in late systole and early diastole.
Exploring accessibility and visibility relationships in java

Inheritance and polymorphism are important OOP topics in CS1 and CS2. While these concepts are generally straightforward, there are subtleties that may leave students confused. For example, accessibility of a field in an object is generally determined by the declaring type and access modifiers of the field, and the context in the executing program from which the field is referenced. The dynamic object viewers in jGRASP have been expanded to allow the user to: (1) change the declared type of the object reference to any compatible type and (2) change the accessibility context of the object reference. These options enable the user to explore accessibility and visibility relationships by experimenting with any object on the workbench or in the debugger. Symbols, color, and text are used in the viewer to indicate inheritance relationships, accessibility, and visibility of fields and methods. Initial classroom use has demonstrated the potential for these new viewer features as an aid to students who are learning about inheritance and polymorphism.
Flight Results from the Middeck Active Control Experiment (MACE)

The middeck active control experiment (MACE) was designed as a Space Shuttle flight experiment to demonstrate high authority active structural control in zero-gravity (0-g) conditions based on analysis, ground testing, and on-orbit control redesign. MACE is a multidisciplinary project that is at the forefront of flexible structural control. MACE was first flown on STS-67 in March 1995, and a summary of the program objectives and mission experimental results is provided.
Silent mouthing produces modality- and suffix-like effects.

Two experiments show that modality- and suffix-like effects can be produced in the absence of sound when subjects silently articulate (mouth) lists of digits prior to serial recall. Recency recall of mouthed lists was superior to silently read lists; this recency advantage was reduced when subjects mouthed a suffix at the end of a list. No current theory of the modality or suffix effect can easily explain these results.
Visibly healthy corals exhibit variable pigment concentrations and symbiont phenotypes

Understanding the natural variability of photosynthetic pigment ranges and distributions in healthy corals is central to evaluating how useful these measurements are for assessing the health and bleaching status of endosymbiotic reef-building corals. This study examined the photosynthetic pigment variability in visibly healthy Porites lobata and Porites lutea corals from Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii and explored whether pigment variability was related to the genetic identity or phenotypic characteristics of the symbionts. Concentrations of the photosynthetic pigments chlorophyll a, peridinin, chlorophyll c 2 , diadinoxanthin, diatoxanthin, β,β-carotene and dinoxanthin were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Pigment concentrations were found to range 1.5–10 fold in colonies of each species at similar depths (0–2, 2–4, 10–15 and 19–21 m). Despite the high pigment variability, pigment ratios for each species were relatively conserved over the 0–21 m depth gradient. The genetic identity of the symbiont communities was examined for each colony using 18S nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) restriction fragment length polymorphisms. All colonies contained symbionts belonging to clade C. The density and phenotypic characteristics of the symbionts were explored using flow cytometry, and fluorescence and side scatter (cell size) properties revealed phenotypically distinct symbiont subpopulations in every colony. The symbiont subpopulations displayed pigment trends that may be driven by acclimatization to irradiance microenvironments within the host. These results highlight the biological complexity of healthy coral–symbiont associations and the need for future research on pigments and symbiont subpopulation dynamics.
Inherent optical properties of the central Arctic surface waters

[1] Measurements of the inherent optical properties were collected during the summer of 1998 above the Chukchi Plateau. These measurements show that attenuation by particles is sometimes very low, but absorption by colored dissolved organic materials (CDOM) is generally high, so the waters of the study site should not be considered to be among the clearest natural waters. The CDOM increases the absorption of shortwave radiation between 350 and 700 nm by over 30% in the top 10 m when compared to the clearest natural waters. Optical properties representative of those measured during phytoplankton blooms show that heating of the top 10 m can increase substantially during blooms. The increased absorption near the sea surface provides more heat for melting the bottom of the ice than previous models have assumed.
The Public Health Impact of Herbs and Nutritional Supplements.

Dietary supplement use has increased exponentially in recent years despite the lack of regulatory oversight and in the face of growing safety concerns. This article provides an overview of the public health implications and safety concerns associated with dietary supplement use, especially by cancer patients. Botanical research is actively pursued at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) Integrative Medicine department. Work of the MSKCC Center for the Study of Botanical Immunomodulators is described, and guidelines for cancer patients’ use of dietary supplements outlined. Herbs and other botanicals are complex, physiologically active agents, but little is known about most of the popular, widely available dietary supplements. Herb–drug interactions, a major concern, are exacerbated in the cancer setting. Biologically active agents may interfere with chemotherapy and other prescription medications. They may exert anticoagulant activity at rather inconvenient times such as during surgery, and c...
Nesting Ecology of Greater Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) in Riparian and Palustrine Wetlands of Eastern Idaho

Abstract. Little information exists on breeding Greater Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) in riparian wetlands of the Intermountain West. We examined the nesting ecology of Sandhill Cranes associated with riparian and palustrine wetlands in the Henry's Fork Watershed in eastern Idaho in 2003. We located 36 active crane nests, 19 in riparian wetlands and 17 in palustrine wetlands. Nesting sites were dominated by rushes (Juncus spp.), sedges (Carex spp.), Broad-leaved Cattail (Typha latifolia) and willow (Salix spp.), and adjacent foraging areas were primarily composed of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), cinquefoil (Potentilla spp.),Rabbitbrush (Ericameria bloomeri) bunch grasses, upland forbs, Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) and cottonwood (Populus spp.). Mean water depth surrounding nests was 23 cm (SD = 22). A majority of nests (61%) were surrounded by vegetation between 30–60 cm, 23% by vegetation 60 cm in height. We were able to determine the fate of 29 nests, of wh...
Co-Offending and the Age-Crime Curve:

It is proffered rather frequently that co-offending is the dominate form of criminal offending among juveniles because of the enhanced salience of peer pressure during adolescence, and that this enhanced propensity to co-offend is pivotal for understanding the age-crime curve. Using National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) data for 2002, the authors conduct an analysis of 466,311 criminal arrests drawn from seven states. Their findings indicate that co-offending patterns by age are not noteworthy in elucidating why participation in illegal activities rises in adolescence, peaks in early adulthood, and then declines thereafter. Once co-offending is differentiated from solo offending, with solo offending representing the bulk of criminal activity among all age groups, including juveniles, a curvilinear relationship remains between age and solo-offending and between age and co-offending. These nonlinear associations are not conditioned by an offender's sex, race, or by offense type. The authors also ...
Identifying Children with Intellectual Disabilities in the Tribal Population of Barwani District in State of Madhya Pradesh, India

Background Low-and middle-income countries (LAMI) lack an integrated and systematic approach to identify people with intellectual disabilities. Screening surveys are considered resource-intensive; therefore, alternative approaches are needed. This study attempted to identify children up to age 18 years with intellectual disabilities through a mixed-method approach involving focus group interviews (FGIs) and door-to-door surveys. Materials and Methods Focus groups were conducted with the assistance and involvement of local leaders in four villages of Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh with a 99% tribal population in all four villages. A formal survey of the community was then conducted to determine the prevalence of intellectual disabilities based on a standardized screening instrument (NIMH-DDS). Results Thirty focus group interviews were conducted involving 387 participants (males 284, females 103) over a period of 13 days. The entire adult population (N = 8797) was then surveyed for intellectual disabilities using a standardized screening instrument. The data revealed a close similarity in the prevalence rates of intellectual disabilities, as determined by the two approaches (Focus Group Interviews, 5.22/1000 versus Survey, 5.57/1000). Conclusion A qualitative method using FGIs successfully identified people with intellectual disabilities in an economically deprived tribal area, showing that a community-based approach provides a close estimate of intellectual disabilities based on a formal survey using standard diagnostic criteria. These data suggest that FGI, along with other qualitative data, could be helpful in designing and in serving as an entree for community-based interventions.
Effects of local and regional landscape characteristics on wildlife distribution across managed forests

Understanding the impacts of local and regional landscape characteristics on spatial distributions of wildlife species is vital for achieving ecological and economic sustainability of forested landscapes. This understanding is important because wildlife species such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have the potential to affect forest dynamics differently across space. Here, we quantify the effects of local and regional landscape characteristics on the spatial distribution of white-tailed deer, produce maps of estimated deer density using these quantified relationships, provide measures of uncertainty for these maps to aid interpretation, and show how this information can be used to guide co-management of deer and forests. Specifically, we use ordinary least squares and Bayesian regression methods to model the spatial distribution of white-tailed deer in northern hardwood stands during the winter in the managed hardwood-conifer forests of the central Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA. Our results show that deer density is higher nearer lowland conifer stands and in areas where northern hardwood trees have small mean diameter-at-breast-height. Other factors related with deer density include mean northern hardwood basal area (negative relationship), proportion of lowland conifer forest cover (positive relationship), and mean daily snow depth (negative relationship). The modeling methods we present provide a means to identify locations in forest landscapes where wildlife and forest managers may most effectively co-ordinate their actions.
Influences of recovery from clear-cut, climate variability, and thinning on the carbon balance of a young ponderosa pine plantation

From 1999 to 2002, the variations in carbon flux due to management practices (shrub removal, thinning) and climate variability were observed in a young ponderosa pine forest originated from clear-cutting and plantation in 1990. These measurements were done at the Blodgett Forest Ameriflux site located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Thinning in spring 2000 decreased the leaf area index (LAI) by 34% and added 496 g C m � 2 of wood and leaf debris at the soil surface. Total ecosystem respiration was not significantly affected by thinning (1261 g C m � 2 in 1999 and 1273 g C m � 2 in 2000), while canopy photosynthesis decreased by 202 g C m � 2 . As a result the ecosystem shifted from a net sink of CO2 in 1999 (� 201 g Cm � 2 ) to a small net source in 2000 (13 g C m � 2 ). Woody and leaf debris resulting from thinning only accounted for maximum 1% and 7% of the total respiration flux, respectively. Thinning did not affect the relative proportion of the different components of respiration to an observable degree. Low soil water availability in summer 2001 and 2002 decreased the proportion of soil respiration to the total respiration. It also imposed limitations on canopy photosynthesis: as a result the ecosystem shifted from a sink to a source of carbon 1 month earlier than in a wetter year (1999). The leaf area index and biomass of the stand increased rapidly after the thinning. The ecosystem was again a sink of carbon in 2001 (� 97 g C m � 2 ) and 2002 (� 172 g C m � 2 ). The net carbon uptake outside the traditionally-defined growing season can be important in this ecosystem (NEE = � 50 g C m � 2 in
Trustworthy Semantic Web Technologies for Secure Knowledge Management

Semantic Web technologies have many applications due to their expressive and reasoning power. At the same time, secure knowledge management is becoming a crucial area for many corporations where the data, information and knowledge including the intellectual property and the expertise in the corporation have to be protected. In this paper we explore the applications of trustworthy semantic Web technologies for secure knowledge management.
Obesity and asthma: Possible mechanisms

Epidemiologic data indicate that obesity increases the prevalence and incidence of asthma and reduces asthma control. Obese mice exhibit innate airway hyperresponsiveness and augmented responses to certain asthma triggers, further supporting a relationship between obesity and asthma. Here I discuss several mechanisms that may explain this relationship. In obesity, lung volume and tidal volume are reduced, events that promote airway narrowing. Obesity also leads to a state of low-grade systemic inflammation that may act on the lung to exacerbate asthma. Obesity-related changes in adipose-derived hormones, including leptin and adiponectin, may participate in these events. Comorbidities of obesity, such as dyslipidemia, gastroesophageal reflux, sleep-disordered breathing, type 2 diabetes, or hypertension may provoke or worsen asthma. Finally, obesity and asthma may share a common etiology, such as common genetics, common in utero conditions, or common predisposing dietary factors. Novel therapeutic strategies for treatment of the obese patient with asthma may result from an increased understanding of the mechanisms underlying this relationship.
Experimental personality designs: Analyzing categorical by continuous variable interactions.

Theories hypothesizing interactions between a categorical and one or more continuous variables are common in personality research. Traditionally, such hypotheses have been tested using nonoptimal adaptations of analysis of variance (ANOVA). This article describes an alternative multiple regression-based approach that has greater power and protects against spurious conclusions concerning the impact of individual predictors on the outcome in the presence of interactions. We discuss the structuring of the regression equation, the selection of a coding system for the categorical variable, and the importance of centering the continuous variable. We present in detail the interpretation of the effects of both individual predictors and their interactions as a function of the coding system selected for the categorical variable. We illustrate two- and three-dimensional graphical displays of the results and present methods for conducting post hoc tests following a significant interaction. The application of multiple regression techniques is illustrated through the analysis of two data sets. We show how multiple regression can produce all of the information provided by traditional but less optimal ANOVA procedures.
Measurement of jet shapes in high-Q 2 deep inelastic scattering at HERA

The shapes of jets with transverse energies, $E_{\rm T}^{\rm jet}$ , up to 45 GeV produced in neutral- and charged-current deep inelastic $e^+p$ scattering (DIS) at $Q^2 > 100$ GeV $^2$ have been measured with the ZEUS detector at HERA. Jets are identified using a cone algorithm in the $\eta$ - $\phi$ plane with a cone radius of one unit. The jets become narrower as $E^{\rm jet}_{\rm T}$ increases. The jet shapes in neutral- and charged-current DIS are found to be very similar. The jets in neutral-current DIS are narrower than those in resolved processes in photoproduction and closer to those in direct-photon processes for the same ranges in $E_{\rm T}^{\rm jet}$ and jet pseudorapidity. The jet shapes in DIS are observed to be similar to those in $e^+e^-$ interactions and narrower than those in $\bar{p}p$ collisions for comparable $E_{\rm T}^{\rm jet}$ . Since the jets in $e^+e^-$ interactions and $e^+p$ DIS are predominantly quark initiated in both cases, the similarity in the jet shapes indicates that the pattern of QCD radiation within a quark jet is to a large extent independent of the hard scattering process in these reactions.
Catastrophic Damage in "Close-Confined" AlGaAs-GaAs Heterojunction Injection Lasers

The peak optical power at which catastrophic damage occurs in heterojunction lasers has been investigated. The allowable peak power is shown to decrease significantly with increased pulse length and representative values are given. No significant temperature dependence of allowable peak power was seen. The use of antireflective films is shown to increase the allowable peak power. For a given pulse length and shape, the power level at which damage occurs in the lowest threshold current density (2000-3000 A/cm2) double heterojunction lasers is 2-3 times lower than for single heterojunction devices. Scanning electron microscopy of the damaged lasers suggests fracture and localized heating and melting at the surface. It is postulated that the local surface heating might be caused by the surface absorption of acoustic phonons generated by stimulated Brillouin scattering.
Modeling the radio frequency environment of Mars for future wireless, networked rovers and sensor Webs

NASA's long-term goals for the exploration of Mars include the use of rovers and sensors, which intercommunicate through proximity wireless networks. The performance of any such wireless network depends fundamentally on the radio frequency (RF) environment. This paper presents our initial results concerning modeling the RF environment on Mars in support of determining the characteristics of potential in-situ networks. In this work, we have utilized commercial RF propagation modeling software, designed for cellular telephone system planning, together with recent topographic data for Mars to deterministically construct propagation path loss models. The software takes into account antenna heights and types, radiated power, topographic information, image data, and surface features and clutter. As we show, the resulting models provide a powerful tool for determining potential coverage patterns and data rates for mission planners.
Hiding in the Crowd: Privacy Preservation on Evolving Streams through Correlation Tracking

We address the problem of preserving privacy in streams, which has received surprisingly limited attention. For static data, a well-studied and widely used approach is based on random perturbation of the data values. However, streams pose additional challenges. First, analysis of the data has to be performed incrementally, using limited processing time and buffer space, making batch approaches unsuitable. Second, the characteristics of streams evolve over time. Consequently, approaches based on global analysis of the data are not adequate. We show that it is possible to efficiently and effectively track the correlation and autocorrelation structure of multivariate streams and leverage it to add noise which maximally preserves privacy, in the sense that it is very hard to remove. Our techniques achieve much better results than previous static, global approaches, while requiring limited processing time and memory. We provide both a mathematical analysis and experimental evaluation on real data to validate the correctness, efficiency, and effectiveness of our algorithms.
Aperture Optimization in Emission Imaging Using Optimal LROC Observers

Optimal decision strategies for detection tasks using mathematical ideal observers are useful in system optimization in emission imaging. For the familiar 2-class detection problem (signal present/absent), ideal (and approximately ideal) observers have been applied to optimization of pinhole and collimator parameters in planar emission imaging. Such experiments, albeit with rather simple imaging systems, yield insights as to the roles played by Poisson data noise and object noise (i.e. stochastic background and signal variabilities) in system design. In this work, we consider a fundamentally different task in which the observer is required to both detect and localize a signal. This task is more clinically realistic than detection only, and it is natural to inquire whether the addition of a localization requirement changes conclusions on system design. We have previously formulated an optimal decision strategy and associated ideal observer for this joint detection/localization task, and here we apply it to the classic problem of determining an optimal pinhole diameter in a planar imaging system. We conclude that as the allowed search tolerance on the localization task decreases, the optimal pinhole size shrinks from that required by detection alone. However, as background variability increases, the optimal pinhole sizes for detection only and detection + localization approach one another.
Food crops, exports, and the short-run policy response of agriculture in Africa.

The response of agriculture to changes in relative prices is an important factor in the success of structural adjustment programs in Africa. In this paper I estimate supply functions for total agricultural output, food crops and export crops in 14 African countries for the years 1975 to 1990. Food and export crops are substitutes in production in the short run. Total agricultural output responds negatively to increases in export prices and positively to increases in food prices. A plausible explanation is that as farmers shift resources to export crop production, food supply falls in the short run, while the increase in export supply may take several years to materialize. The exchange rate is significant in explaining both food and export crop production and aggregate agricultural supply, suggesting that the exchange rate is acting as a proxy for excluded macroeconomic variables or that changes in the exchange rate are not passed immediately through to prices.
Multiplicity and regulation of genes encoding peptide transporters in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The model eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae has two distinct peptide transport mechanisms, one for di-/tripeptides (the PTR system) and another for tetra-/pentapeptides (the OPT system). The PTR system consists of three genes, PTR1, PTR2 and PTR3. The transporter (Ptr2p), encoded by the gene PTR2, is a 12 transmembrane domain (TMD) integral membrane protein that translocates di-/tripeptides. Homologues to Ptr2p have been identified in virtually all organisms examined to date and comprise the PTR family of transport proteins. In S. cerevisiae, the expression of PTR2 is highly regulated at the cellular level by complex interactions of many genes, including PTR1, PTR3, CUP9 and SSY1. Oligopeptides, consisting of four to five amino acids, are transported by the 12 - 14 TMD integral membrane protein Opt1p. Unlike Ptr2p, distribution of this protein appears limited to fungi and plants, and there appears to be three paralogues in S. cerevisiae. This transporter has an affinity for enkephalin, an endogenous mamm...
Alice in Cartoonland: Childhood, Gender, and Imaginary Space in Early Disney Animation

The ‘plasmatic’ world of Mickey Mouse famously enchanted everyone from small children to European filmmakers and philosophers in the late 1920s and 1930s, but Disney’s attempts to use media technology to envision the freedom of childhood imagination can be traced back to his first successful series, the Alice Comedies (1923–1927), which featured a live-action girl who navigated animated wonderlands in her dreams and her imagination. Like Lewis Carroll’s original character, Disney’s Alice acts as a conduit into an irrational and magical world – the opposite of rational life in modernity. For Disney, Alice provided a way to both tie his own cultural productions to a long tradition of beloved children’s literature, and present his own vision of an animated wonderland as coming from the innocent perspective of a little girl. At the series’ outset, Alice’s trips to Cartoonland were motivated by live-action framing stories that depicted children at play, inviting audiences young and old to escape to a world of ...
Depolarization of Ne*(2p2) atoms induced by isotropic collisions with He(1s2) atoms at temperatures between 10 K and 1000 K

Analysis of the atomic depolarization induced by collisions offers an accurate test for anisotropic atom–atom potentials. Based on a model potential proposed by Hennecart and Masnou-Seeuws in 1985, we report quantum calculations for disalignment and disorientation of Ne ¤ (2p 2)atoms induced by collisions with helium in a gaseous mixtureat 10 K 6 T 6 1000 K using a close-coupling many-channels method within a molecular approach. The goal is to explain the laser-inducedfluorescence spectroscopy experiments realized by Fujimoto and his co-workers in 2004. Our quantum cross sections for both disalignment and disorientation show a resonant structure below 10 meV which is attributed to the rotational coupling between collisional channels, contrary to the experimental results which suggest that the intra-multiplet cross sections vanish at zero-energy. Agreement between theory and experiment below 77 K is found when the intra-multiplet cross sections are linearly extrapolated below 10 meV. The analysis of the long-range potentials for the He–Ne ¤ (2p 2) system suggests a more repulsive interaction than proposed in the original model potential, and leads to a better agreement with the experiment for temperatures between 10 K and 650 K. (Somefigures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)
DO SPECIES LACKING A GALL BLADDER POSSESS ITS FUNCTIONAL EQUIVALENT

In a previous paper the point has been brought out that the influence of the gall bladder upon the bile differs entirely from that of the ducts, the one organ acting to concentrate the secretion markedly and the other to dilute it slightly. The question arises, in species lacking a gall bladder, whether the concentrating function of this organ will be found lodged in the ducts. To test the point, observations have been made upon the mouse and rat, since these animals though so nearly related have, the mouse, a gall bladder and the rat, none. The normal bile was first studied. Both animals were found to secrete larger quantities than do cats and dogs, but less than the guinea pig and rabbit. Methods were worked out for the quantitation of the pigment which was used as the index to changes in concentration. Bladder bile of the mouse was regularly found to be more concentrated than that collected from the common duct of the same animal. The bile collecting during stasis regularly showed a great increase in pigment content, such as in other species is brought about by the action of the gall bladder. In the rat, on the other hand, stasis bile never became more concentrated in pigment than the normal. The gall bladder, then, is not only absent from the rat in form, but in one at least of its important functions. That its other obvious function—that of a reservoir—cannot be assumed in the rat by the ducts would seem to be indicated, not only by the small size of these channels, but by the recent observation of Mann that the tonus of the sphincter of Oddi is almost negligible in the rat, in contradistinction to animals which possess a gall bladder. It is an interesting fact that the bile of the rat, which as has been said, undergoes no condensation of bulk after leaving the liver, contains on the average eight times as much pigment as does the liver bile of the mouse which is submitted to concentration. Whether it is correspondingly strong in substances useful for digestion, and therefore ab initio requires no concentration, is a matter upon which little can be said at present. However, in this connection the fact that the bulk of bile secreted per gram of liver weight is identical in both animals may be significant. Although this output is the same, the mouse liver when compared with the body weight (1 to 14.6) is relatively larger than that of the rat (1 to 21.7), so that the mouse secretes somewhat more bile per 100 gm. of body weight. This bile as it comes from the liver is but one-eighth as strong at least in pigment as rat bile, but the concentrating activity of the gall bladder is so great that the products yielded to the intestine may become not dissimilar.