cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation An Assessment from Market and Public Policy Perspectives

This article offers an interim assessment of the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation (MCC). It approaches this task from three perspectives: (1) a descriptive review of MCC's origins and development of the National Cooperative Research Act of 1984, under which MCC qualified for limited exemption from the antitrust laws for the purpose of collaboration, as defined, in research and development; (2) an empirical study of what is new and distinctive about MCC; and (3) an assessment of its future prospects as a private corporation and as a de facto instrument of U.S. foreign economic policy. Market and institutional models of the foreign trade arena are employed to aid in the evaluation process, as is McKenna's model of the stages of product creation. MCC's future is viewed as uncertain and controversial, in part because its creation, structures, and goals reflect many of the issues associated with the ongoing debate on the appropriate nature of business-government relations in the United States.
Effect of baselevel change on floodplain and fan sediment storage and ephemeral tributary channel morphology, Navarro River, California

Managed baselevel lowering in tributaries that emerge from small canyons onto forested floodplains affects floodplain and fan sediment storage and small ephemeral tributary channel morphology in the Navarro River basin, Mendocino Country, California, USA. Numerous small tributaries (drainage areas up to several square kilometres) flow through culverts under Highway 128 across the forested floodplain of the Navarro River and one of its major tributaries, the North Fork. Excavation significantly deepened and widened these small tributaries upstream and downstream of culverts under the highway following the 1997 flood (recurrence interval 12 years), that inundated both the floodplain and the highway and culvert system. The excavation lowered the local baselevel of the tributary systems within the floodplain. This field study documents the effect of the lowered baselevel on floodplain and fan sediment storage and ephemeral tributary channel morphology. Excavation created defined channels in the floodplain where no channels previously existed. Additionally, the excavation and baselevel change created steps, or knickpoints, that migrated headward and incised the upstream tributary channels. Tributary incision decreases the sediment storage potential of the fan and floodplain and reduces the residence time for storage of fine sediment. A reduction in fine sediment residence time degrades downstream habitat for anadromous fish and other aquatic organisms in the Navarro River. Large wood influences floodplain and small tributary channel morphology by forming steps and increases sediment residence time by trapping sediment in forested tributary-fan-floodplain systems. Although this field investigation is specific to the Navarro River basin, our findings linking culvert maintenance excavation to geomorphic processes may be extended to other roads on forested floodplains in the Pacific Northwest or other systems with roads on floodplains.
The Impact Of Foreign Direct Investment On Total Factor Productivity And Economic Growth In Turkey

The main objective of this paper is to estimate the contributions of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to the aggregate growth and whether FDI have had an impact on total factor productivity (TFP) of Turkey for the period 1960-2005 using aggregate production function. This paper argues that the two main channels through which FDI can affect host country economic growth are technology spillovers and physical capital accumulation. Further, it intends to identify the casual linkage among FDI, TFP and economic growth and then evaluates various channels through which FDI is linked to TFP using some recent econometric techniques. The empirical results indicate that FDI contributes positively to TFP and growth via capital accumulation and technological spillovers.
Nucleotide receptor signaling in murine macrophages is linked to reactive oxygen species generation.

Abstract Macrophage activation is critical in the innate immune response and can be regulated by the nucleotide receptor P2X 7 . In this regard, P2X 7 signaling is not well understood but has been implicated in controlling reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by various leukocytes. Although ROS can contribute to microbial killing, the role of ROS in nucleotide-mediated cell signaling is unclear. In this study, we report that the P2X 7 agonists ATP and 3′- O -(4-benzoyl) benzoic ATP (BzATP) stimulate ROS production by RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. These effects are potentiated in lipopolysaccharide-primed cells, demonstrating an important interaction between extracellular nucleotides and microbial products in ROS generation. In terms of nucleotide receptor specificity, RAW 264.7 macrophages that are deficient in P2X 7 are greatly reduced in their capacity to generate ROS in response to BzATP treatment (both with and without LPS priming), thus supporting a role for P2X 7 in this process. Because MAP kinase activation is key for nucleotide regulation of macrophage function, we also tested the hypothesis that P2X 7 -mediated MAP kinase activation is dependent on ROS production. We observed that BzATP stimulates MAP kinase (ERK1/ERK2, p38, and JNK1/JNK2) phosphorylation and that the antioxidants N -acetylcysteine and ascorbic acid strongly attenuate BzATP-mediated JNK1/JNK2 and p38 phosphorylation but only slightly reduce BzATP-induced ERK1/ERK2 phosphorylation. These studies reveal that P2X 7 can contribute to macrophage ROS production, that this effect is potentiated upon lipopolysaccharide exposure, and that ROS are important participants in the extracellular nucleotide-mediated activation of several MAP kinase systems.
The character of quotation

This paper presents syntactic and semantic rules for a fragment of English with mixed quotation. The fragment shows that quotation has a recursive and compositional structure. Quoted expressions turn out to denote characters, so the semantics of quotation simulates the pragmatics of speech, including dependence on utterance contexts and reference to mental entities. The analysis also accommodates varieties of unquotation, pure quotation, and causal reference.
A simplified method for the coordinate examination of apoptosis and surface phenotype of murine lymphocytes

Murine lymphocytes readily undergo spontaneous and glucocortocoid-induced apoptosis in vitro. It has been previously demonstrated that during apoptosis, many cell types including lymphocytes, enzymatically cleave their DNA, thus demonstrating a sub-G0 DNA peak when stained with propidium iodide and analyzed by flow cytometry. In a mixed population, it is often desirable to phenotypically identify distinct populations or subsets undergoing apoptosis, thus requiring multiparameter analysis of surface phenotype and DNA content. Paraformaldehyde fixation procedures, although common for surface evaluation, have not been extensively used in methods quantifying apoptosis. To measure apoptosis in a mixed lymphocyte population, we evaluated a gentle detergent permeabilization and paraformaldehyde fixation procedure combined with propidium iodide (PI) DNA staining, adapted from existing methods for cell cycle studies. With this method and rigorous gating techniques which we defined, we detected both apoptotic and debris fractions within the sub-G0 cell cycle region of a glucocortocoid-treated murine lymphocyte cell line. Using this cell line, WEHI 231.7, as a lymphocyte model, we developed a logical gating strategy to exclude debris from analysis. We further demonstrated that apoptosis in freshly isolated murine lymphocytes detected with paraformaldehyde fixation and PI staining was quantitatively comparable to PI staining with ethanol fixation, or nick translation labeling of DNA strand breaks (TUNEL). Finally, using fresh murine spleen cells, we demonstrated that paraformaldehyde fixation preserves surface protein staining, allowing multiparameter analysis of immunophenotype and apoptotic or cell cycle status in a mixed lymphocyte population. Thus, this method offers an inexpensive and technically simple alternative for assessing apoptosis and surface phenotype.
Species delimitation and recognition in the Pediomelum megalanthum complex (Fabaceae) via multivariate morphometrics

Pediomelum is a genus endemic to North America comprising about 26 species, including the megalanthum complex, which consists of Pediomelum megalanthum and its varieties retrorsum and megalanthum, Pediomelum mephiticum, and the recently described Pediomelum verdiense and Pediomelum pauperitense. Historically, species of the megalanthum complex have been variably recognized at the species or variety levels, dependent upon the relative importance of morphological characters as diagnostic of species. Ten quantitative morphological characters regarded as diagnostic at the species level were analyzed using multivariate morphometrics across these taxa in order to examine the discriminatory power of these characters to delineate species and to aid in species delimitation. The analyses support the recognition of Pediomelum megalanthum, Pediomelum mephiticum, and Pediomelum verdiense at the species level, Pediomelum retrorsum as a variety under Pediomelum megalanthum, and suggest the sinking of Pediomelum pauperitense into Pediomelum verdiense. The findings of the present study help quantify the power of certain characters at delimiting taxa and provide a basis for taxonomic revision of the Pediomelum megalanthum complex.
Use of automated sequencing of polymerase chain reaction-generated amplicons to identify three types of cholera toxin subunit B in Vibrio cholerae O1 strains.

Cholera toxin is the principal factor causing the profuse intestinal fluid secretion that is characteristic of cholera. The DNA sequences of the cholera toxin subunit B structural genes from 45 Vibrio cholerae O1 strains isolated in 29 countries over a period of 70 years were determined by automated DNA sequencing of polymerase chain reaction-generated amplicons. Three types of cholera toxin B subunit gene (ctxB) were identified. Genotype 1 was found in strains of classical biotype worldwide and El Tor biotype strains associated with the U.S. Gulf Coast, genotype 2 was found in El Tor biotype strains from Australia, and genotype 3 was found in El Tor biotype strains from the seventh pandemic and the recent Latin American epidemic. All base changes correspond to an amino acid substitution in the B subunit of the cholera toxin. Heterogenicity in the B subunit could have implications for vaccine development and diagnostic tests for cholera toxin and antitoxin. We conclude that this technology provides timely and potentially useful epidemiological information.
Testing models of source-sink dynamics and balanced dispersal

I discuss two classes of models that predict patterns of dispersal across heterogeneous environments; the source-sink and balanced dispersal models. Data collected during a long-term study of small mammals in an experimentally fragmented landscape support the predictions of the balanced dispersal model. In addition, a literature review indicates that for 28 species, few empirical studies have enough detailed demographic data to distinguish between assumptions of the two models and to test their predictions. The review indicates both models are poorly supported by empirical studies and many of the studies cited as evidence for source-sink dynamics cannot distinguish a sink habitat from a habitat with a low carrying capacity. I conclude that a continuum should exist between species vagility and the dispersal patterns seen in heterogeneous landscapes. Species with high vagility and the ability to assess habitat quality should tend towards balanced dispersal. In species with low vagility or where dispersal is controlled by abiotic factors (wind, or water currents), source-sink dynamics will be more common. Investigators must collect detailed demographic and movement data if they hope to test these models and further our understanding of the role of spatial dynamics in ecology.
LAS ELECCIONES URUGUAYAS DE 2004: la izquierda como la única oposición creíble

This paper argues that the success of the leftist Encuentro Progresista-Frente Amplio in the 2004 Uruguayan election is the result of being the only untainted and credible opposition in the party system. After many governments in charge of the Partido Colorado and Partido Nacional, the EP-FA was the only party that cannot be held responsible for the country s bad economic situation because it was never in charge of the national government. Using data from a 2004 national preelectoral survey, the paper shows that attitudes towards risk and economic assessments of the country s situation influence voting behavior in Uruguay. Risk acceptant individuals who evaluate negatively the countrys economic performance have a higher probability to vote for the EP-FA than risk averse voters with a positive assessment of the country s economy.The evidence from the Uruguayan case suggests that the increase of leftist parties in other Latin American countries could be explained in the same way.
OMEGA EP high-energy petawatt laser: progress and prospects

OMEGA EP (extended performance) is a petawatt-class addition to the existing 30-kJ, 60-beam OMEGA Laser Facility at the University of Rochester. It will enable high-energy picosecond backlighting of high-energy-density experiments and inertial confinement fusion implosions, the investigation of advanced-ignition experiments such as fast ignition, and the exploration of high-energy-density phenomena. The OMEGA EP short-pulse beams have the flexibility to be directed to either the existing OMEGA target chamber, or the new, auxiliary OMEGA EP target chamber for independent experiments. This paper will detail progress made towards activation, which is on schedule for completion in April 2008.
SC-FDMA for uplink smart meter transmission over low voltage power lines

Recently data communications over smart grid between the smart meters and the central modem attract a lot of interests. Extensive works have been done based on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) system on one of the possible solutions for smart grid, i.e., low voltage power lines. Although OFDMA has been widely adopted in many wired and wireless communication systems, its multicarrier nature results in severely high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR), which is undesirable for low-cost terminal equipments. On the other hand, Single Carrier-Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA), a promising alternative to OFDMA, can greatly reduce PAPR while achieving similar performance and complexity. In this paper, SC-FDMA is for the first time introduced to PLC. We compare it with OFDMA, and study its potential for uplink smart meter transmission on power lines. Finally, simulation results also corroborate the advantages of SC-FDMA to OFDMA.
Why Some Women Consent to Unwanted Sex with a Dating Partner: Insights from Attachment Theory.

Several studies have shown that many college women engage in unwanted sexual activity with a dating partner. However, little research has examined the differences between women who comply with requests for unwanted sexual activity and women who do not. This study utilized an attachment theory framework to investigate individual differences in women’s compliant sexual behavior. An ethnically diverse sample of 125 college women who had consented to unwanted sex with a current dating partner completed measures of their attachment style, commitment to their current relationship, perceptions of their partner’s commitment, and willingness to consent to unwanted sex in a hypothetical scenario. Results showed that attachment style and commitment perceptions were associated with women’s willingness to consent to unwanted sex with a dating partner in the hypothetical scenario and their reasons for this decision. As predicted, anxiously attached women were the most willing to consent to unwanted sex, and they often cited fears that their partner would lose interest in them as reasons for their compliance. Contrary to hypotheses, avoidantly attached women were not the least willing to consent to unwanted sex. They often reported passively complying with a partner’s sexual request in order to fulfill relationship obligations. The importance of sexuality to attachment formation in dating relationships and the potential consequences of consenting to unwanted sex are discussed.
Use of Sheath (Probing CatheterTM) to Enhance Efficacy of the ProbeTM Dilatation Catheter

Coronary angioplasty of very distal or subtotal lesions has been markedly improved with the recent development of the ProbeTM dilatation catheter. However, despite its very low profile, the ProbeTM has certain limitations. We describe a new device. the Probing CatheterTM, that, in conjunction with the ProbeTM increases the success rate and facilitates coronary angioplasty of very distal or high grade lesions.
Backscattering of sound from salinity fluctuations: Measurements off a coastal river estuary

In this work a set of near co-located acoustic intensity observations and environmental measurements is presented which allowed quantification of the source of the acoustic scattering and confirmation of backscattering contributions from salinity microstructure. Observations were made by the T-REMUS Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) in a fresh water plume off a coastal river estuary characterized by strong salinity stratification and intense turbulence. Velocity and density microstructure measurements were used to calculate the expected acoustic backscattering cross-section from salinity fluctuations, which was then compared to near coincident acoustic intensity measurements. Surrogate measures of discrete particle scattering sources (i.e., biologic and mineral) for comparison with measured backscattering were also obtained. A series of regression analyses (single and multi-variable) were performed in an attempt to account for the observed acoustic variability. It was found that most of the variability in the acoustic return signal was explained by a linear combination of the independent variables selected. The results suggest that most of these regressions were dominated by biological and microstructure sources, with a fair amount of cases that were either completely biologically or microstructure dominated. The results led to the conclusion that measurements of salinity backscattering agree with theoretical predictions within experimental error of +/−2dB (on average) for a wide range of turbulence levels, with an observed underestimate of the salinity backscattering of at least 1.5dB under high turbulence conditions. These results strongly support the idea of performing an inversion of the acoustic signal to obtain the salinity variance dissipation rate.
The effect of spatial separation of response and reinforcement on DRL performance

The distribution of IRT’s between 0 and 3 sec. and collateral behavior in a DRL schedule were studied with the bar spatially separated from the reinforcement. The distribution of very short IRT’s for the four rats stabilized after 25 hr. of training. This suggests that stimuli involved in consummatory activity do not adventitiously reinforce “bursts” of responses. The animal’s rate of locomotion to and from the food tray adjusted to the interval between reinforcements.
SCALE, CONTEXT, AND DECISION MAKING IN AGRICULTURAL ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND CHANGE

This work presents a framework for viewing agricultural adaptation, emphasizing the multiple spatial and temporal scales on which individuals and institutions process information on changes in their environment. The framework is offered as a means to gain perspective on the role of climate variability and change in agricultural adaptation, and developed for a case study of Australian agriculture. To study adaptation issues at the scale of individual farms we developed a simple modelling framework. The model highlights the decision making element of adaptation in light of uncertainty, and underscores the importance of decision information related to climate variability. Model results show that the assumption of perfect information for farmers systematically overpredicts adaptive performance. The results also suggest that farmers who make tactical planting decisions on the basis of historical climate information are outperformed by those who use even moderately successful seasonal forecast information. Analysis at continental scales highlights the prominent role of the decline in economic operating conditions on Australian agriculture. Examples from segments of the agricultural industry in Australia are given to illustrate the importance of appropriate scale attribution in adapting to environmental changes. In particular, adaptations oriented toward short time scale changes in the farming environment (droughts, market fluctuations) can be limited in their efficacy by constraints imposed by broad changes in the soil/water base and economic environment occuring over longer time scales. The case study also makes the point that adaptation must be defined in reference to some goal, which is ultimately a social and political exercise. Overall, this study highlights the importance of allowing more complexity (limited information, risk aversion, cross-scale interactions, mis-attribution of cause and effect, background context, identification of goals) in representing adaptation processes in climate change studies.
Estrogen influences stimulated water intake by ovariectomized female rats

To further elucidate the influence of estrogen on water consumption, we examined water intake by adult female rats stimulated by water deprivation, injection of hypertonic saline or injection of isoproterenol (ISOP), a b-adrenergic agonist that activates the renin–angiotensin system(RAS).Ratswereovariectomized(OVX)theninjectedwithestradiolbenzoate(EB;10 mg/0.1mloil)ortheoilvehicle(OIL;0.1ml)for2 consecutivedays.Twenty-fourhoursafterthesecondinjection,ratsweredeprivedoffoodandwater.Onthefollowingday,ratsweregivenwater and intake was measured after 2 h. EB significantly decreased water intake compared with that by OIL-treated rats following water deprivation. TwoadditionalgroupsofadultfemaleratswereOVXandtreatedwithEBorOIL.Forty-eighthoursafterEBorOILtreatment,ratswereinjected with hypertonic saline (1 ml of 2 M NaCl) or ISOP (30 mg/kg in 0.15 M saline) and water intake was measured after 2 h. EB significantly attenuated water intake following ISOP but not after hypertonic saline. Finally, we examined plasma sodium concentration (pNa) after hypertonicsaline and plasma renin activity(PRA) after ISOPin EB- andOIL-treated rats andfoundnodifferencesinpNa orPRA. These results suggest that the stimuli for water intake after hypertonic saline and ISOP were comparable in EB- and OIL-treated rats. Taken together, these results raise the possibility that EB attenuation of stimulated water intake is specific to water intake elicited by activation of the RAS. D 2003 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
Biasing algorithm for smoothing of sea-surface temperature data prior to minimum curvature bicubic spline gridding

When sparse sea-surface temperature (SST) data are gridded for climatological purposes using minimum curvature splines, the resulting contour plots are often marked by localized high-amplitude anomalies that are not true features of the climatological field. Two traditional approaches to solving this problem are removing the data that cause the anomalies, or smoothing the data prior to final gridding and contouring. One form of smoothing that can be done employs a filter that predicts regional trends in the data and enhances local trends possibly correlated with auxillary information. For example there is a general tendency for oceanographic temperature profiles to be well-correlated within localized regions of similar bathymetry. By choosing a filter that takes such tendencies for localized spatial coherence of data into account, trends that are obscured due to the sparsity of data may be enhanced and more easily than in the contoured grid. Such considerations led to the development of a two-part smoothing filter that uses simple cross-validation and least squares to fit data, in this case SST data, to a regional surface that depends on all the data in the target area, and to localized surfaces delineated by bathymetric range. The regional surface is fit to the SST observations. The errors in the regional fit are then fit to individual surfaces defined over localized areas as delineated by a common range of bathymetry. The data are then interpolated to the nearest grid cell center only if the cell is supported by data. The filter was applied to SST data from the Yellow Sea and the east coast of the United States. The results showed a large improvement in the climatological representation over most of the respective area, but was not able to resolve stable current patterns without additional special processing.
Accentuated behavioral sensitization to nicotine in the neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion model of schizophrenia.

The prevalence of smoking in schizophrenia patients far exceeds that in the general population. Increased vulnerability to nicotine and other drug addictions in schizophrenia may reflect the impact of developmental limbic abnormalities on cortical-striatal mediation of behavioral changes associated with drug use. Rats with neonatal ventral hippocampal lesions (NVHLs), a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia, have previously been shown to exhibit altered patterns of behavioral sensitization to both cocaine and ethanol. This study explored nicotine sensitization in NVHLs by testing locomotor activity of NVHL vs. SHAM-operated controls over 3 weeks in response to nicotine (0.5 mg/kg) or saline injections (s.c.) followed by a nicotine challenge delivered to all rats 2 weeks later. At the beginning of the initial injection series, post-injection locomotor activation was indistinguishable among all treatment groups. However, nicotine but not saline injections produced a progressive sensitization effect that was greater in NVHLs compared to SHAMs. In the challenge session, rats with previous nicotine history showed enhanced locomotor activation to nicotine when compared to drug naive rats, with NVHL-nicotine rats showing the greatest degree of activity overall. These results demonstrate that NVHLs exhibit altered short- and long-term sensitization profiles to nicotine, similar to altered long-term sensitization profiles produced by cocaine and ethanol. Collectively, these findings suggest the neurodevelopmental underpinnings of schizophrenia produce enhanced behavioral sensitization to addictive drugs as an involuntary and progressive neurobehavioral process, independent of the acute psychoactive properties uniquely attributed to nicotine, cocaine, or alcohol.
A novel model for neuroendocrine toxicology: neurobehavioral effects of BPA exposure in a prosocial species, the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster).

Impacts on brain and behavior have been reported in laboratory rodents after developmental exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), raising concerns about possible human effects. Epidemiological data suggest links between prenatal BPA exposure and altered affective behaviors in children, but potential mechanisms are unclear. Disruption of mesolimbic oxytocin (OT)/vasopressin (AVP) pathways have been proposed, but supporting evidence is minimal. To address these data gaps, we employed a novel animal model for neuroendocrine toxicology: the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster), which are more prosocial than lab rats or mice. Male and female prairie vole pups were orally exposed to 5-μg/kg body weight (bw)/d, 50-μg/kg bw/d, or 50-mg/kg bw/d BPA or vehicle over postnatal days 8–14. Subjects were tested as juveniles in open field and novel social tests and for partner preference as adults. Brains were then collected and assessed for immunoreactive (ir) tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) (a dopamine marker) neurons in the principa...
Proposal of reliable cutoff wavelength measurement for bend insensitive fiber

Reliable technique to determine the cutoff wavelength using single-mode fiber as a reference is newly proposed. This technique identifies cutoff wavelength of 1st higher-order-mode in BIF precisely, which is difficult with existing techniques.
A 12-ENOB 6X-OSR noise-shaped pipelined ADC utilizing a 9-bit linear front-end

A noise-shaped pipelined ADC is presented in this paper. A minimal complexity Delta-Sigma modulator in the first two sub-ADCs and residue feedback in the latter stages lead to high-order noise shaping. This also leads to reduced sensitivity to analog imperfections in the front-end stage. Implemented in 0.18µm CMOS, the ADC achieves 12 ENOB with 64 MHz clock at 6X OSR.
ANIMATING HOUSEHOLD GODS: VALUE, TOTEMS, AND KINSHIP IN VICTORIAN ANTHROPOLOGY AND DICKENS'S DOMBEY AND SON

At the heart of Dickens'sDombey and Son (1846–48) is a woman who is both the central problem that the narrative seeks to manage and its solution to that problem. Florence's position as heiress to Dombey and Son enables her entry into the marketplace as an independently wealthy woman who disrupts the patriarchal transmission of property and money. Dombey and Son diverts attention from Florence's position as heiress by providing a sentimental lesson on the economic importance of the domestic woman, who grounds intrinsic value and is essential to the reproduction of the patriarchal family and economy. Dombey's domestic and financial failures, the novel would have us believe, stem from his initial devaluation of Florence and overvaluation of Paul. Hence, at the novel's close, Dombey learns that the foundation of the family and firm is not a son but “a Daughter after all.” Dickens thus presents Florence's intrinsic value and inalienability as the resolution to the very problem of alienability and unstable values that her position as heiress encodes. Yet this lesson regarding Florence's value conceals the novel's central anxiety, what Robert Clark refers to as “the arbitrary taboo on women's participation in the economic order” (73). If the novel accords insubstitutable value to the domestic woman as the keystone of the family and economy, it does so to dramatize the threat posed to patriarchal structures of kinship, property, and capitalist expansion if all women were to enter the marketplace and become, in a sense, heiresses.
The marine cladoceran Penilia avirostris and the "microbial loop" of pelagic food webs'

We used quantitative microscopy to examine feeding of Penilia avirostris on natural ( 9.0 x lo6 cells ml-l) of clumped cells from bacterial cultures. Bacterivorous microflagellates were ingested. Most species of available natural phytoplankton (chain-forming or large diatoms) and Pseudoisochrysis paradoxa (5-6 pm) were not ingested, but the 4-6-pm diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana and the 1 O-l 2-pm Thalassiosira weiss$?ogiii were. Food choice and feeding rate appeared related to food concentration as well as cell size. Our results contrast with previous reports of bacterivory by P. avirostris and other cladocerans, possibly due to preferential bacterivory on large or aggregated bacteria, elevated bacterial abundance levels in cultures, or failure to recognize heterotrophic microflagellates as an unseen intermediate trophic step in studies with nonmicroscopic techniques. Although P. avirostris does not feed on free-living bacterioplankton, it may be an important component of the “microbial loop” between bacterioplankton and higher consumers because of
Optimal Caching Router Placement for Reduction in Retransmission Delay

We analyze the use of caching of video frames at network routers for reducing average retransmission delay. We formulate an expression for the average retransmission delay using video caching routers. In turn, we use this expression to formulate a mathematical program to minimize the average retransmission delay. We find a dynamic programming solution to the resultant non-linear convex binary integer program. We compare the results obtained from the dynamic programming solution with those obtained via experimental exhaustive enumeration. The experimental results validate our models and dynamic programming solution. Finally, we use numerical analysis to quantify the retransmission delay difference between the best and worst caching router placements. Our findings show that the optimal placement of caching routers can significantly reduce cost by minimizing the number of caching routers required to meet a desired retransmission delay performance. Furthermore, our dynamic programming solution shows that such optimal placement can be efficiently determined from network parameters, without an exhaustive search.
Use of Central and Peripheral Optical Flow in Stance and Locomotion in Young Walkers

Young walkers (up to 5 years of age) were presented with optical flow in a moving room. Flow was global or was restricted to either the center or the periphery of the visible optic array. On standing trials the response rate was greatest when peripheral flow was available. The availability of central flow had a smaller effect on standing, and the younger children showed greater response rates to frontal flow than did the older ones. There was a strong negative correlation between age and response rate for all conditions. Flow also affected stability during locomotion. Response rate was again related to the location of the available flow. It is concluded that children show the same relative sensitivity for flow in the periphery of the dynamic structure of the optic array as has been observed in adults, but that this differentiation of different areas of optical structure is not yet fully developed when children learn to stand.
Camphor Poisoning: an Evidence-Based Practice Guideline for Out-of-Hospital Management

A review of national poison center data from 1990 through 2003 showed approximately 10,000 annual ingestion exposures to camphor-containing products. A guideline that determines the threshold dose ...
IL-18 neutralization ameliorates obstruction-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition and renal fibrosis

Ureteral obstruction results in renal fibrosis in part due to inflammatory injury. The role of interleukin-18 (IL-18), an important mediator of inflammation, in the genesis of renal fibrosis was studied using transgenic mice overexpressing human IL-18-binding protein. In addition, HK-2 cells were analyzed following direct exposure to IL-18 compared to control media. Two weeks after ureteral obstruction, the kidneys of wild-type mice had a significant increase in IL-18 production, collagen deposition, α-smooth muscle actin and RhoA expression, fibroblast and macrophage accumulation, chemokine expression, and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production, whereas E-cadherin expression was simultaneously decreased. The transgenic mice with neutralized IL-18 activity exhibited significant reductions in these indicators of obstruction-induced renal fibrosis and epithelial– mesenchymal transition, without demonstrating alterations in TGF-β1 or TNF-α activity. Similarly, the HK-2 cells exhibited increased α-smooth muscle actin expression and collagen production, and decreased E-cadherin expression in response to IL-18 stimulation without alterations in TNF-α or TGF-β1 activity. Our study demonstrates that IL-18 is a significant mediator of obstruction-induced renal fibrosis and epithelial– mesenchymal transition independent of downstream TGF-β1 or TNF-α production.
Edge grouping around a fixation point

The paper presents three edge grouping algorithms for finding a closed contour starting from a selected edge point and enclosing a fixation point. The algorithms search a shortest simple cycle in a graph derived from an edge image where a vertex is an end point of a contour fragment and an undirected arc is drawn between every pair of end-points whose visual angle from the fixation point is less than a threshold value (set to π/2 in our experiments). The first algorithm restricts the search space to shapes where no contour point seen from the fixation point is occluded by other contour points, and finds the shortest simply cycle. The second algorithm restricts the search space to shapes where the starting edge point neither occludes nor is occluded by other contour points, and finds a shortest simple cycle. The third algorithm is free from any constraints, but does not guarantee that the solution is a shortest cycle. The third algorithm, however, guarantees a solution no worse than that of the second algorithm. The paper demonstrates effectiveness of these algorithms with a number of natural images. Finally, the paper proposes a way to automate placement of a fixation point and a starting point so that the procedure runs in a fully automated manner.
Trends in Reversed-Phase HPLC Column Practices: 1997

This work provides an overview of recent trends in the use of high-performance liquid chromatography columns. Both applied and investigative areas of the science are examined, and trends in technology, materials, techniques, and configuration are discussed.
Sharp-tailed grouse lek attendance and fidelity in upper Michigan

To assess and improve existing monitoring protocols for sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan, we used data from 58 radio-collared grouse (46 M, 12 F) monitored within 3 openland landscape types: a xeric, conifer-dominated site, a wetland-dominated site, and a site dominated by low-intensity agriculture. We used lek counts and radio telemetry to determine lek attendance rates, factors affecting lek attendance rates, lek fidelity, and inter-sexual variation in these parameters. Our analysis indicated lek attendance varied with respect to sex of bird, day of year, time after sunrise, and wind speed. Peak male lek attendance rates exceeded those of females by up to 40%, and peak lekking activity for both males and females occurred during the second and third weeks of April. Male lekking activity occurred earlier and was sustained longer than that of females. Lekking activity was negatively related to time of day and wind speed. We observed strong lek fidelity as radio-collared birds attended a primary lek 94% of the time, indicating a low probability of multiple counting of individual birds. We also proposed a method to adjust lek count data for the probability that birds are on a lek during lek counts. Our proposed method can be used by researchers and managers to improve estimates of the number of birds attending a lek by reducing the negative bias associated with observed counts.
Transformative tools for tackling tuberculosis

The world is in need of more effective approaches to controlling tuberculosis. The development of improved control strategies has been hampered by deficiencies in the tools available for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis and defining the dynamic consequences of the interaction of M. tuberculosis with its human host. Key needs include a highly sensitive, specific nonsputum diagnostic; biomarkers predictive of responses to therapy; correlates of risk for disease development; and host response-independent markers of M. tuberculosis infection. Tools able to sensitively detect and quantify total body M. tuberculosis burden might well be transformative across many needed use cases. Here, we review the current state of the field, paying particular attention to needed changes in experimental paradigms that would facilitate the discovery, validation, and development of such tools.
Flexible Bioimpedance Sensor for Label-Free Detection of Cell Viability and Biomass

We introduce a flexible microfluidic bioimpedance sensor that is capable of detecting biomass and cell viability variations in a cell suspension. The sensor is developed on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate and is devoid of gold, silicon, PDMS, or glass. In conjugation with a custom built PCB read-out module, the impedance characteristics of a cell suspension can be measured within one minute of sample introduction using liquid volumes less than 5 $\mu {\rm L}$ . The portable sensor system occupies very little bench space and has the potential to be developed as a disposable electrical bioimpedance probe for rapid detection of dielectric variations in a biological suspension. The sensor is designed to generate a differential impedance spectra exclusive to a cell suspension with a dual-electrode-pair system. The potential of the sensor to discriminate between live and heat treated Saccharomyces cerevisiae is demonstrated in this study. The disposable sensor along with the distance variation technique is touted to be an inexpensive alternative to some of the existing online disposable biomass detection probes and electrochemical sensors.
Pharmacogenetics of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes in American Indian and Caucasian Children Admitted to a Psychiatric Hospital

Abstract Objective: The cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzyme system metabolizes many psychiatric medications. We compare frequencies of alleles and phenotypes for CYP2D6, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19 in American Indian (AI) and Caucasian youth treated at a psychiatric hospital in the Northwestern United States. Methods: A retrospective chart review evaluated CYP450 pharmacogenetic (PGx) data from the Shodair Children's Hospital Clinical Genetic Laboratory between 2006 and 2014. CYP2D6 genotyping was performed using the xTAG® CYP2D6 Kit (Luminex, Austin, TX). CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 genotyping was performed by laboratory-developed assays using allele-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and/or melt-curve analysis. Results: A total of 123 AIs and 688 Caucasians met criteria for inclusion. The overall prevalence of CYP2D6 poor metabolizers was 8.3% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 6.1%, 10.4%), 9.3% in Caucasians (95% CI 7.1%, 11.5%), and 2.4% in AIs (95% CI 0%, 5.2%). The overall prevalence of CYP2D6 ultrarapid...
Multistate Blinking and Scaling of Recombination Rates in Individual Silica-Coated CdSe/CdS Nanocrystals

Nonradiative Auger recombination is the primary exciton loss mechanism in colloidal nanocrystals and an impediment for prospective optoelectronic applications. Recent development of new core/shell nanocrystals with suppressed Auger recombination rates has opened the possibility for studying multicarrier states using time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. An important aspect not addressed in previous works is the scaling of radiative and nonradiative decay rates with the increasing number and type of excitons in individual nanocrystals. Here we conduct extensive single-dot PL spectroscopy of emissive states in PL blinking trajectories of giant silica-coated CdSe/CdS nanocrystals. At low fluences, we observe the appearance of neutral and charged exciton (trion) states. Both negative and positive trions show strongly suppressed Auger recombination rates resulting in PL quantum yields close to 50%. At higher excitation powers, we observe consecutive emergence of lower efficiency states, indicative...
The Effects of Intrauterine Cocaine Exposure on the Respiratory Status of the Very Low Birth Weight Infant

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the effects of intrauterine cocaine exposure on very low birth weight infants with respect to their surfactant requirement and need for ventilatory support. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on infants with birth weight between 750 and 1500 g admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit between January 1992 and January 1995. RESULTS: Of the 149 infants studied, 48 infants were exposed only to cocaine and 101 infants had no drug exposure. There were no significant differences between the two groups for gestational age, sex, abruptio placenta, prolonged rupture of membranes, and antenatal steroid usage. The cocaine-exposed group had a significantly greater birth weight (1190 vs. 1109, p<0.02), less prenatal care (48% vs. 14%, p<0.00007), older maternal age (30 vs. 24, p<0.00002), more black race (79% vs. 57%, p<0.01), and more rapid plasma reagin (RPR) positivity (25% vs. 2%, p<0.00006). There were no significant differences in median APGAR scores, or incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) between the two groups. Cocaine-exposed infants received surfactant treatment less often (73% vs. 48%, p<0.0035), received fewer mean doses of surfactant (0.4 vs. 10.0, p<0.0014), and were intubated less frequently (44% vs. 65%, p<0.012). There was no significant difference between groups for intubation at 24 and 48 hours and for the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. CONCLUSION: Perinatal cocaine exposure appears to have some significant short-term effects on the need for surfactant replacement therapy and need for initial intubation in respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) but no overall effect on the development of BPD.
A Relationship Between Joint Intensity and Induced Seismicity at Lake Keowee, Northwestern South Carolina

In January and February 1978, an earthquake swarm occurred within an elliptically shaped epicentral area at Lake Keowee, South Carolina. Lake Keowee is located in the Inner Piedmont geologic belt of the southern crystalline Appalachians and is underlain by interlayered granitic gneiss and hornblende gneiss/amphibolite. The epicentral region is approximately 2 × 3 km and trends northwest–southeast, perpendicular to local geologic structure. The events were shallow (<3 km), low level (ML ≤2.2), and frequent (up to 200 events per day). Renewed activity in the same general epicentral area began in February 1986 and has continued to the present (August 1989) with approximately 280 events recorded. This study was initiated to test the hypothesis that areas of reservoir-induced seismicity (RIS) may have different fracture characteristics than areas that do not exhibit seismic activity. Joint intensity (a measure of joint surface area per unit volume), measured at surface exposures, was selected to quantify fracture characteristics of the epicentral and surrounding regions. The available data on fracturing with depth in crystalline rocks supports the extrapolation of the surface measurements to the hypocentral depths of the seismic events. Comparison of a contour map of joint intensity with the locations of the events show that a spatial relationship exists between the epicentral zone of RIS at Lake Keowee and a zone of low joint intensity (wider spacing between joints). The association of low joint intensity with the seismicity suggest the RIS is influenced by and is related to low joint intensity. Two factors involved in RIS that can be related to low joint intensity are permeability and strain energy. The permeability of the rock mass controls the migration of water (pore pressure) away from the reservoir and thus controls the temporal relationship of RIS onset to reservoir filling. The rock mass in the low joint intensity zone has a higher in situ stress field (closer to failure conditions) and therefore higher strain energy than the high joint intensity region. The spatial location of RIS at Lake Keowee is controlled by the low joint intensity zone. The correlation of the seismic activity with jointing in the low joint intensity zone suggest the potential maximum earthquake at Lake Keowee is probably the maximum that has occurred (MLg =3.8). The potential failure surfaces are relatively small and shallow and thus cannot accumulate enough strain energy for a large event. Two models for the RIS activity at Lake Keowee are proposed: a) release of applied (tectonic) strain which reaccumulates following an earthquake swarm, and b) release of residual strain which cannot be renewed. Both models incorporate the mechanical and chemical effects of increased pore pressure as a triggering mechanism. Continued monitoring of the epicentral region will supply data that may allow one of the above models to be accepted.