cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GRATELOUPIA DORYPHORA HAS ESTABLISHED RESIDENCY IN RHODE ISLAND WATERS

Since 1994, when Grateloupia doryphora (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta) was first detected in Rhode Island, the species has spread to the northern portions of Narragansett Bay and onto the open coast of Rhode Island Sound. Specimens collected at 5 m depths off North Prudence Island reached 175 cm in length and establish this alga as the largest member of the Florideophyceae on North Atlantic shores. Percent cover of populations is seasonal: highest in fall (September through November) and lowest in spring (March through May). Monthly measurements at three stations in Narragansett Bay show significant seasonal differences (p < 0.01) over two annual cycles. Artificial substrata placed in the field at known periods allowed measurements of growth rates on individual thalli. Laboratory culture clarified the sequence of life history stages that make this species a successful contender for space.
Phylogenetic insights into New World Cyperus (Cyperaceae) using nuclear ITS sequences

We analyzed nuclear ITS sequences of 95 samples representing 85 taxa of Cyperus sensu lato under maximum likelihood and Bayesian frameworks. This work is exploratory in nature with the objectives of gaining insight into relationships among New World Cyperus and targeting problematic clades for future research. In our resulting phylogenetic hypothesis, the genera Cyperus, Kyllinga, Oxycaryum, Pycreus, and Queenslandiella were intermixed, confirming the paraphyletic nature of Cyperus as reported by other researchers. We recovered a strongly-supported clade whose members possess C4 photosynthesis. The C3/C4 split has also been previously reported based on research employing different methods of phylogenetic estimation and different molecular markers. We provide preliminary evidence that Cyperus sections Haspani, Laxiglumi, Strigosi, Thunbergiani, and Umbellati are not monophyletic. Cyperus subgenus Diclidium, which is characterized by a unique mode of spikelet shattering, is monophyletic and highly derived in our analysis, but additional taxa are needed for a more robust assessment. We discuss hypothesized relationships and taxonomic implications for several other species and species complexes.
A green function approach for a singularly perturbed vector boundary-value problem

A direct Green function approach based on the O'Malley construction and the Riccati transformation is used to study solutions of boundary-layer type for a singularly perturbed conditionally stable vector equation subject to general boundary conditions. The required assumptions are mild and involve only natural conditions that are induced by the O'Malley construction. In particular, certain restrictive assumptions on the magnitudes of the boundary-layer jumps, the signs of the real parts of certain eigenvalues, and the structure of the vector equation are avoided.
ANGIOTENSIN II RECEPTOR SUBTYPES IN RAT BRAIN : DITHIOTHREITOL INHIBITS LIGAND BINDING TO ALL-1 AND ENHANCES BINDING TO ALL-2

Angiotensin II (AII) receptor subtypes have been proposed on the basis of the selectivity of non-peptide AII antagonists. In the present study, the sulfhydryl reducing agent dithiothreitol (DTT) was found to reduce binding to the AII-1 receptor while enhancing binding at the AII-2 site. The neuroanatomical distribution of these effects were consistent with the distribution of AII-1 and AII-2 receptors, respectively. These data indicate that AII receptor subtypes in the brain can be differentiated by both biochemical and pharmacological means.
Development of an acetylation reaction of switchgrass hemicellulose in ionic liquid without catalyst

Abstract Hemicellulose material is an abundant and relatively under-utilized hetero-polysaccharides material present in lignocellulosic materials. In this research, an alkaline treatment was applied to switchgrass in order to extract hemicelluloses to subsequently produce an acetylated product. An extraction at 75 °C recovered 27% of the biomass as a predominantly hemicellulose material with a number average degree of polymerization of ∼500 determined by gel permeation chromatography. These hemicelluloses were acetylated with acetic anhydride in 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Amim] + Cl − ) ionic liquid in a complete homogeneous procedure without catalyst for the first time. It was determined that the yield and degree of substitution increased with reaction temperature from 30 to 80 °C and reaction time from 1 to 20 h. The product was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, NMR, gel permeation chromatography for molecular weight and water contact angle analysis. FTIR spectroscopic analysis showed that the characteristic absorption intensities of acetylated hemicellulose increased and the hydroxyl group decreased with the increase in the degree of substitution. Increased degree of substitution increased the water contact angle and thermal stability in nitrogen. It was possible to cast films of the acetylated hemicellulose although the films were brittle. The results obtained indicate a promising combination between the effective extraction of hemicellulose from grasses and an environmentally friendly process using acetic anhydride in an ionic liquid without a catalyst to generate hemicellulose acetate with high degree of polymerization for use in various industrial applications.
Phosphopeptide anion characterization via sequential charge inversion and electron-transfer dissociation.

Sequential ion/ion reactions have been used to characterize phosphopeptides present in relatively simple peptide mixtures, including one generated from the tryptic digestion of α-casein. The phosphopeptides in these mixtures gave rise to either low or no signals via positive ion electrospray ionization. Strong signals, however, were generated in the negative ion mode. An initial ion/ion reaction that employed multiply protonated amino-terminated dendrimers converted phosphopeptide anions to the doubly protonated species. The doubly charged cations were then subjected to ion/ion electron transfer to induce dissociation. Electron-transfer dissociation of doubly positively charged phosphopeptides yields characteristic c- and z-type fragment ions by dissociation of the N−Cα bond along the peptide backbone while preserving the labile posttranslational modifications. These results illustrate the ability to alter ion charge after ion formation and prior to structural interrogation. Phosphopeptides provide an exa...
Mechanisms of detonation formation due to a temperature gradient

Emergence of a detonation in a homogeneous, exothermically reacting medium can be deemed to occur in two phases. The first phase processes the medium so as to create conditions ripe for the onset of detonation. The actual events leading up to preconditioning may vary from one experiment to the next, but typically, at the end of this stage the medium is hot and in a state of nonuniformity. The second phase consists of the actual formation of the detonation wave via chemico-gasdynamic interactions. This paper considers an idealized medium with simple, rate-sensitive kinetics for which the preconditioned state is modelled as one with an initially prescribed linear gradient of temperature. Accurate and well-resolved numerical computations are carrried out to determine the mode of detonation formation as a function of the size of the initial gradient. For shallow gradients, the result is a decelerating supersonic reaction wave, a weak detonation, whose trajectory is dictated by the initial temperature profile,...
A comparison of biologically-inspired methods for unsupervised salient object detection

The detection of salient objects in images is a challenging problem with many potential applications. In this work, the applicability of computational models of visual attention to the detection of salient objects within images in an unsupervised manner is considered. The classic Itti-Koch-Niebur model, Graph-Based Visual Saliency (GBVS) model, and Image Signature are compared. Results show that all three methods can effectively be used to detect objects. The Itti-Koch-Niebur and GBVS models perform best, but the Image Signature is also shown to provide effective, unsupervised salient object detection. The methods developed in this work can be used to evaluate other unsupervised methods of object detection.
Political Influences on the Design of State and Local Personnel Systems

This article examines environmental factors and alternative objectives which influence the organization of state and local government personnel agencies. Three environmental influences are considered: laws, the power of subgroups, and the expected role of the personnel agency. The effect of these influences upon the objectives, structure and function of personnel agencies is then evaluated. Finally, some adaptive techniques are suggested for personnel agencies based upon their perception of their objectives and relevant environment.
An effect of trypsin on the actin-myosin interaction.

Abstract Three different lines of evidence were obtained to show that trypsin modifies the actin-myosin interaction: (I) At trypsin to actomyosin or myosin ratios between 1 to 300 and 1 to 500, 30 min of trypsin treatment causes an 8-fold increase in the Ca2+-modified ITPase activity of actomyosin but has no effect on the Ca2+-modified ITPase activity of myosin alone. At these same trypsin to actomyosin ratios, the Mg2+ + Ca2+-modified ATPase activity increases by 10–30% during the first 1–2 min of trypsin digestion, and then decreases rapidly to less than 20% of its original activity after 60 min of digestion. Trypsin has no effect on the Mg2+ + Ca2+-modified ATPase activity of pure myosin. (2) The rate of turbidity response of reconstituted actomyosin suspensions is first increased and then decreased by trypsin treatment. At trypsin to actomyosin ratios of 1 to 3000, rate of turbidity response is maximal after 5 min of trypsin digestion and then decreases; after 60 min, the turbidity response is much slower than the response of the control actomyosin. (3) Supercontracted sarcomeres, shortened to less than 50% of their initial length, are lengthened to 70% of their initial length by 4 min of trypsin treatment. Myosin B from such lengthened sarcomeres has less than 35% of its myosin converted to light meromyosin and heavy meromyosin. These results show that trypsin modifies the actin-myosin interaction in at least two ways: (1) a very rapid initial modification that increases the Mg2+ + Ca2+-modified ATPase activity and the rate of turbidity increase, and (2) a slower modification that decreases the Mg2+ + Ca2+-modified ATPase activity and rate of turbidity response, and that lengthens contracted sarcomeres. Tryptic modification is not due to cleavage of myosin to light and heavy meromyosin. Since tryptic modification occurs more rapidly than conversion of myosin to light and heavy meromyosin, all heavy meromyosin preparations will be modified.
Characteristics of obstructive and central sleep apnea in the elderly: An interim report

Home sleep recordings were done on 358 randomly selected elderly volunteers (mean age 72.4). When men and women were combined, 62 (17%) had predominantly obstructive sleep apnea, 21 (6%) had predominantly central sleep apnea, and 3 (1%) had mixed sleep apnea. Although the prevalence of sleep apnea in women does increase after menopause, sleep apnea was still significantly more common in older men (31%) than in older women (19%). There were no significant differences in age among groups with different types of apnea. There was a significant correlation of age with increasing apnea index within the obstructive sleep apnea group. Elderly volunteers with central sleep apnea had more midsleep awakenings. Elderly volunteers with obstructive sleep apnea had longer apneas. Unlike previous studies, we found many similarities and only modest differences in the presentations of central and obstructive sleep apnea.
Enhanced and Oriented Riming of Growing Ice Crystals

Abstract Geometrically oriented riming was found in Formvar resin replicas of columnar ice crystals collected in cumulus clouds at −6°C during an aircraft field program in Texas. Rimed cloud droplets were found either on the ends of the crystals or in a girdle around the middle. Oriented riming is attributed to preferential collection on growing ice crystals with charge separations between the crystal body and growing ends. Droplet attraction to separated charge regions of growing ice crystals results in enhanced riming and increases the rate of precipitation development. Effects of this process on cloud electrification depend on whether the cloud droplets carry net charges or are polarized. The impact of this oriented riming process on several cloud electrification scenarios is discussed.
Do women spend more time in the restroom than men

120 college students were observed entering and exiting a public restroom. A significant sex difference was found (Cohen d = .34).
Reexamining intraday simultaneity in stock index futures markets

Abstract This note examines three empirical examples involving intraday dynamic relationships associated with stock index futures markets. Researchers often employ a vector autoregressive ( var ) model to analyze such high frequency transactions data. While such a model can provide useful information regarding the nature of causal priority inherent in the data, it is not the proper model to investigate the structural relationships of interest, because it omits the contemporaneous interaction. On the other hand, a VAR model specification which is altered to incorporate simultaneity may enable the data to reveal the structural relationships of interest.
Transient effects of supply and connecting conduits in hydraulic control systems

Abstract Basic equations for transient flow of a slightly compressible fluid in a metal tubing are derived for both laminar and turbulent flow. Applying the equations to hydraulic control systems, it is shown (1) that the saturation limit of a valve controlled servomotor supplied by a conduit of length l is considerably lower than its steady state value during the first 2l c second following a step input, and (2) that the effects of connecting conduits in displacement controlled systems are to cause a dead time of l c second and to produce undesirable pressure echoes which can be eliminated by properly matching the conduits to the system as shown in the paper. The wave speed C is approximately 5000 feet per second depending on the parameters.
Reconstitution of membrane fusion between pancreatic islet secretory granules and plasma membranes: Catalysis by a protein constituent recognized by monoclonal antibodies directed against glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase

Abstract An isoform of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) isolated and purified from rabbit brain cytosol has previously been demonstrated to catalyze membrane fusion (Glaser and Gross, Biochemistry 33 (1994) 5805–5812; Glaser and Gross, Biochemistry 34 (1995) 12193–12203). Herein, we provide evidence suggesting that this GAPDH isoform can reconstitute in vitro protein-catalyzed fusion between naturally occurring subcellular membrane fractions involved in insulin exocytosis. Utilizing purified rat pancreatic β-cell plasma membranes and secretory granules, we show that a brain cytosolic factor catalyzed the rapid and efficient fusion of these two purified membrane fractions which could be inhibited by a monoclonal antibody directed against the brain isoform of GAPDH. Moreover, the brain cytosolic factor also catalyzed the fusion of reconstituted vesicles prepared from lipid extracts of islet plasma membranes and secretory granules. Although the brain cytosolic factor rapidly catalyzed membrane fusion between islet plasma membranes and secretory granules, it did not catalyze fusion between one secretory granule population with another. To identify the potential importance of brain cytosolic factor catalyzed membrane fusion in islet cells, we examined extracts of hamster insulinoma tumor cells (HIT cells) for fusion-catalyzing activity. A protein constituent was present in HIT cell cytosol which was immunologically similar to the rabbit brain GAPDH isoform. Although native HIT cell cytosol did not catalyze membrane fusion, removal of an endogenous protein inhibitor unmasked the presence of the protein which catalyzed membrane fusion activity and such fusion was ablated by a monoclonal antibody directed against the brain isoform of GAPDH. Collectively, these results suggest the possibility that an isoform of brain GAPDH, also evident in HIT cells, can catalyze fusion between the two naturally occurring subcellular membrane compartments involved in insulin secretion and suggest a novel paradigm potentially coupling glycolytic flux with insulin release.
S-layer positive motile aeromonads isolated from channel catfish.

Motile aeromonads are ubiquitous aquatic bacteria that can cause motile aeromonad septicemia (MAS), a disease which affects channel catfish and can produce significant economic loss. Motile aeromonads isolated from commercially-raised channel catfish were screened for production of S-layer protein in order to evaluate its potential role in natural epizootics. The S-layer protein was produced by 14 of 24 (58%).isolates from epizootics evaluated in this study. Concomitant infections with other internal pathogens were detected in 10 of the 24 cases used in this study, and only one of those 10 isolates (10%) produced the S-layer protein. When Aeromonas sp. was the only internal pathogen diagnosed, 13 of 14 (93%) isolates produced the S-layer protein.
Evaluation of Geomembrane Seaming Methods Using the Comprehensive Test System for Geomembranes

ABSTRACT Geomembranes (GMs) are currently implemented in many landfills, retention ponds, and hazardous waste sites to prevent the migration of liquid from these facilities. Due to the size of current facilities, in situ seaming of the GMs is required. Current seam testing is primarily uni-axial. Multi-axial loads are far more representative of field stresses. The cyclic loading used in this work employs far smaller strains than current testing. Thus, the Comprehensive Test System (CTS) may be considered more reflective of field conditions. This work subjected different types of seams to evaluation using the CTS. The first objective was to determine whether hot-wedge, lap, or fillet-welded seams exhibited the greatest resistance to physical strain. Lap seams are no longer employed, but have historical significance. This work showed that the current industry-standard hot-wedge seam was the strongest, and that the industry was correct in abandoning the lap seam. However, the fillet-welding employed for fitm...
Fatal Strongyloidiasis Following Corticosteroid Therapy

Two fatal strongyloides stercoralis infections found at autopsy in patients who had received corticosteroid therapy are presented. A successfully treated case of strongyloidiasis with pulmonary infiltration is also reported. Difficulties in diagnosis, usefulness of upper jejunal intubation, and the importance of ruling out strongyloidiasis prior to administration of corticosteroids to patients with eosinophilia, particularly Vietnam veterans, are discussed.
Functional Characterization of Coding Polymorphisms in the HumanMDR1 Gene Using a Vaccinia Virus Expression System

The human MDR1-encoded transporter is a 170-kDa plasma membrane glycoprotein [P-glycoprotein (P-gp)] capable of binding and energy-dependent extrusion of structurally diverse organic compounds and drugs. P-gp seems to play a significant role in uptake, distribution, and excretion of many different drugs. To determine whether common polymorphic forms of P-gp are likely to alter function of P-gp, we characterized five known MDR1 coding polymorphisms (N21D, F103L, S400N, A893S, and A998T) using a vaccinia virus-based transient expression system. Cell surface expression of wild-type P-gp was time-dependent over a time course of 5.5 to 34.5 h; highest expression was obtained by 22 to 26.5 h after infection/transfection, indicating that a semiquantitative assay for P-gp expression levels was possible. HeLa cells stained with the P-gp specific monoclonal antibodies MRK-16 and Western blots probed with C219 revealed similar cell surface expression for the polymorphisms and for wild-type protein. Time-dependent P-gp pump function maximal at 22 h after infection/transfection was demonstrated for the following MDR1 fluorescence substrates: 4,4-difluoro-5,7-dimethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene-3-pentanoic acid, succinimidyl ester (bodipy-FL)-verapamil, bodipy-FL-vinblastine, calcein-AM, bodipy-FL-prazosin, bisantrene, and bodipy-FL-forskolin, but not for daunorubicin. Transport studies of all tested substrates indicated that the substrate specificity of the pump was not substantially affected by any of the tested polymorphisms. Cell surface expression and function of double mutants including the more common polymorphisms (N21D-S400N, N21D-A893S, and S400N-A893S) showed no differences from wild-type. These results demonstrate that the common MDR1 coding polymorphisms result in P-gps with a cell surface distribution and function similar to wild-type P-gp.
Co- and Counterrotation of Magnetic Axes and Axial Ligands in Low-Spin Ferriheme Systems

The orientation of the principal axes of the g tensor with respect to the relationship of axial ligand planes to the porphyrin nitrogens has been studied in the framework of the one-electron crystal field model for tetragonal and rhombic low-spin d5 complexes such as ferriheme centers. All five d atomic orbitals were taken into account for two different ground-state electronic configurations, the “normal” (dxy)2(dxz,dyz)3 and the “novel” (dxz,dyz)4(dxy)1 configurations. The expressions for the g tensor, g values, and magnetic axes were derived on the basis of first-order perturbation theory. The conditions for co- and counterrotation of magnetic axes with rotation of planar axial ligands away from the porphyrin nitrogens toward the meso positions and beyond, as well as the order of g values, have been analyzed. It is found that counterrotation is the only possibility for the (dxz,dyz)4(dxy)1 configuration and that it is also by far more common for the (dxy)2(dxz,dyz)3 electron configuration. The possibili...
The Effects of Tidal and Bottom Placement on the Growth, Survival and Fouling of the Eastern Oyster Crassostrea virginica

Oysters Crassostrea virginica in Georgia are naturally small and grow in clusters; however, it is more profitable to harvest large, single oysters. This study attempts to identify favorable tidal and bottom placements for the grow-out of large, single oysters in Georgia. Three bags, each containing 50 single oysters, were placed in four different tidal positions (subtidal on-bottom, subtidal off-bottom, intertidal on-bottom and intertidal off-bottom) at five sites in House Creek, Georgia. Measurements of oyster growth, survival and degree of oyster spat fouling were taken seasonally (every 3 mo). Oysters from on-bottom treatments exhibited significantly lower growth (P = 0.0364 intertidal only), survival (P = 0.0044) and degree of fouling (P= 0.0154) than oysters from the intertidal off-bottom treatment. However, the oysters placed intertidally off-bottom were heavily fouled during the recruitment period. It may be necessary to sacrifice some growth and survival by culturing oysters intertidally on-bottom during the recruitment period in order to reduce the degree of fouling. During the non-recruitment period, placing oyster culture bags intertidally off-bottom maximizes growth and survival.
Power Flow Analysis of Complex Structures Using Characteristic Constraint Modes

Component mode synthesis (CMS) is used as a basis for predicting power flow in complex structures. The power flow formulation is cast in a general framework of multilevel CMS, in which a hierarchy of substructures can be recursively partitioned from a very large finite element model. Additional computational efficiency is achieved by finding characteristic constraint (CC) modes. The CC modes are computed by performing an eigenanalysis on the partitions of the CMS mass and stiffness matrices that correspond to the constraint-mode degrees of freedom. The CC modes describe the vibration, and the exchange of vibration energy, at the interface between connected substructures. Therefore, a relatively small number of CC modes that capture the primary interface motion can be selected to yield a reduced-order model for computing the power flow. The performance and accuracy of the method are illustrated by examples of a two-span beam, a cantilever plate, and the body structure of a military vehicle. For the vehicle structure, multiple levels of substructures are used to map the power flow in the system. It is seen that this multilevel, characteristic-mode-based approach provides a general framework for the efficient calculation of power How in the low- to midfrequency range.
Creative Teaching Models for the Innovative Faint of Heart

Review of : Exemplary College Science Teaching ; Robert E. Yager (ed); (2013). National Science Teachers Association Press, Arlington, VA. 243 pages.
Conversion of immunological paralysis to immunity by endotoxin.

INJECTION of animals with relatively large amounts of an antigen results in their failure to mount an immune response. It has been suggested that if endotoxin be given after such a dose of antigen, immunity rather than unresponsiveness will result1. Claman2 reported briefly that when mice injected with unaggregated bovine γ-globulin (BGG), an antigen which normally causes unresponsiveness, were given endotoxin they formed antibodies to the BGG. Immunological paralysis induced by pneumococcal polysaccharides is a classical example of immunological unresponsiveness, yet little if anything is known of its mechanism. In an attempt to explore possible mechanisms, 0.4 mg of the endotoxin of Salmonella typhosa 0901 (Difco) was injected intraperitoneally into 10-week-old CAF1 mice before, or at various times after, 25, 75 or 200 µg of the soluble specific substance of type III Diplococcus pneumoniae (SIII). At various times, usually commencing 7 days after the injection of the antigen, the mice were bled and their sera, absorbed against natural antibodies to sheep cells, titrated by a haemagglutination test using the filtrate of a type III D. pneumoniae culture coated to sheep erythrocytes as antigen3. Approximately 5 weeks after the injection of the antigen the mice were challenged with one hundred lethal doses of type III D. pneumoniae.
A Note on Critical Reflections of Waves in an Isotropic Elastic Plate.

At grazing incidence of a flexural P-wave, or at grazing incidence of an extensional SV-wave, the wave motion vanishes in the case of an isotropic, elastic plate with traction-free surfaces. However, it is shown that the wave motion in these critical cases can be obtained from the evanescent Rayleigh-Lamb solution, by using d'Alembert's limiting procedure.
Desire for control and the illusion of control: The effects of familiarity and sequence of outcomes.

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to examine the relationship between individual differences in the general desire for control and the illusion of control. In Experiment 1, high desire for control college students bet significantly more than lows in a gambling game when they were playing with familiar cards, but not when playing with unfamiliar cards. In Experiment 2, high desire for control subjects demonstrated the illusion of control in a coin-toss game when they experienced success in anticipating the outcome of the coin toss at the begnning of the sequence. These subjects believed they had performed better on the task and anticipated they would do better on upcoming tasks than low desire for control subjects or subjects who experienced failure at the beginning of the sequence.
The role of connexin 43 in mediating odor response.

Abstract Connexin proteins are the hemichannels that form gap junctions to regulate the intercellular communication. Connexin 43 (Cx43) is the most common gap junction protein that expresses in many cell types, including the olfactory sensory neurons. Phosphorylation is a crucial step to regulate the function of Cx43. Gap junction was found to modulate the odor response, but the specific role is still elusive. Here, we report that gap junctions play a role in odor-evoked calcium response in both heterologous cell system and primary olfactory sensory neurons. This regulation is mediated through gap junction protein Cx43. Overexpression of full length Cx43 can counteract the inhibitory effect of gap junction or connexin blockers on odor-evoked [Ca 2+ ]i increase in hana3A cells. Carboxy-terminal of Cx43 (Cx43CT) has the similar function as the full length of Cx43. Furthermore, we found that expression level of phosphorylation of Cx43 at S368 is dynamic with the stimulation of odor in hana3A cells. Expression level of phosphorylated Cx43 at S368 was decreased when gap junction or connexin inhibitors were applied. Phosphorylation of Cx43 during odor or inhibitor stimulation may be mediated by ERK and JNK signaling pathway. Altogether our data suggest that expression of Cx43 can regulate the odor response. This study provides a clue to indicate the possible protective mechanism of gap junction in odor response.
Gender Differences in Mathematics Achievement among High School Students in the United Arab Emirates, 1991-2000.

This study explored gender differences in mathematics achievement of students in the last grade of high school and changes in these differences over a 10-year period in United Arab Emirates. A random sample of 2,000 students, 100 males and 100 females for each of the 10 academic years, was taken from Ministry of Education records, and achievement results for males and females were compared. Findings indicated no significant overall differences. In the last 6 years, females scored higher, although effect sizes were small. Results are discussed in the light of cultural differences.
Two-Layer Vadose Zone Model for Surface and Groundwater Interactions

Differentiation of upper and lower regions of the unsaturated (vadose) zone is important for modeling evapotranspiration, infiltration, and water table recharge. This study developed a methodology to describe relative moisture conditions in both zones for modeling soil hydrologic response. A comprehensive distributed parameter model was developed based on deterministic and physically based soil and vegetative properties. The Integrated Hydrologic Model (IHM) uses a unique relative soil moisture approach for land segment integration and is intended to simulate the complex interaction between surface-water and groundwater systems. No prior rigorous investigation or validation of the upper and lower soil response has been made. In this study, field soil moisture observations and soil characterization data were used to formulate a new basis for the upper and lower zones in the IHM. Several tests were performed to illustrate how the model reduces field-scale variability in soil moisture behavior and enhances r...
A Beginner's Guide to the Internet for Paleolimnologists

Both the technology of Internet communication and the size of the Internet itself has advanced exponentially in the last few years. As the technology becomes easier to use, the amount of available scientific data has grown with the Internet. Increasingly, funding agencies require accessible data as a final product for a grant or contract. An impressive amount of such information is available on the Internet now. The conclusion is straightforward, find out what connections are available to you and try them. Subscribing to one of the LISTSERV groups that follow is an easy way to start. If you are interested in further exploring the Internet, I recommend you start by finding a computer with a graphical connection to the WorldWideWeb. From there, the best, and the rest of the Internet is accessible.
Experiential learning and the evolution of outsourcing in a state transportation agency

This study examines organizational adaptations during a period of rapid scale-up in the outsourcing of a professional services associated with a core competency of the agency. A case study of a sta...
The behavior of distributed systems with complex reactions and diffusion in the regime of transport limitation

The be havior of distributed systems with complex chemical reactions and diffusive transport is investigated in the regime of transport limitation. It is shown that, asymptotically with increasing size, the reaction rates and concentration gradients are negligible except in a surface layer of constant thickness. Due to a lack of symmetry in the constraints, the equilibrium state in distributed systems is not related to the extremization of a thermodynamic potential function. It is closely related, however, to the entropy production and flow. Upper bounds for the surface fluxes and effectiveness factors are derived for general complex reactions. These have theoretical interest but are not accurate enough for predictive purposes. A less general but more accurate estimating technique is also developed. Examples of two simultaneous second-order exothermic irreversible reactions and of two simultaneous isothermal, isomerization reactions with nonlinear kinetics are treated in detail.
Natural history of Sin Nombre virus in western Colorado.

A mark-recapture longitudinal study of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody to Sin Nombre virus (SNV) in rodent populations in western Colorado (1994—results summarized to October 1997) indicates the presence of SNV or a closely related hantavirus at two sites. Most rodents (principally deer mice, Peromyscus maniculatus, and pinyon mice, P. truei) did not persist on the trapping webs much beyond 1 month after first capture. Some persisted more than 1 year, which suggests that even a few infected deer mice could serve as transseasonal reservoirs and mechanisms for overwinter virus maintenance. A positive association between wounds and SNV antibody in adult animals at both sites suggests that when infected rodents in certain populations fight with uninfected rodents, virus amplification occurs. At both sites, male rodents comprised a larger percentage of seropositive mice than recaptured mice, which suggests that male mice contribute more to the SNV epizootic cycle than female mice. In deer mice, IgG antibody prevalence fluctuations were positively associated with population fluctuations. The rates of seroconversion, which in deer mice at both sites occurred mostly during late summer and midwinter, were higher than the seroprevalence, which suggests that the longer deer mice live, the greater the probability they will become infected with SNV.
Phenylalanine Stimulation of Gramicidin S Formation

Bacillus brevis produces the antibiotic gramicidin S, a cyclic peptide comprised of two pentapeptide units of the sequence d-Phe-l-Pro-l-Val-l-Orn-l-Leu. Synthesis of this antibiotic is carried out by two enzymes, GS synthetases I and II. By supplementing a defined minimal medium [glycerol, NH(4) (+), tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, salts] with each of the constituent amino acids (in the l form), we found that only l-phenylalanine had a marked stimulatory effect on gramicidin S production. This effect was not caused by an increase in growth, by an induction of GS synthetases I or II, or by a stabilization of these enzymes. l-Phenylalanine apparently stimulates production via its role as a precursor of the d-phenylalanine moiety of the gramicidin S molecule.
Bayesian non-parametric simulation of hazard functions

In Bayesian non-parametric statistics, the extended gamma process can be used to model the class of monotonic hazard functions. However, numerical evaluations of the posterior process are very difficult to compute for realistic sample sizes. To overcome this, we use Monte Carlo methods introduced by Laud, Smith, and Damien (1996) to simulate from the posterior process. We show how these methods can be used to approximate the increasing failure rate of an item, given observed failures and censored times. We then use the results to compute the optimal maintenance schedule under a specified maintenance policy.
Fluid Measure and Disbursement: Valuation of a Closely-Held Firm

There are about 24 million businesses in the United States, with something less than one-tenth of one percent actively traded. This case is hypothetical, but the valuation issues pertaining to many of those closely-held firms are real. The case illustrates an income statement adjustment, estimation of a required rate of return, application of discounts to an "as if actively traded” price, and valuation treatment of excess assets not needed in the operation of the firm. The desire for market data is clear, but for closely-held firms market data must be proxied by the best available information and applied to sometimes less than complete information pertaining to valuation issues for closely-held business. Some of these techniques are applied in the solution of the case.
A simple and effective noise whitening method for underwater acoustic OFDM

Underwater acoustic OFDM enables simple frequency domain equalization, but its performance is often limited by intercarrier interference (ICI) that is induced by channel variation, in addition to the ambient noise. As the signal itself, the variance of the ICI is frequency dependent as i) the transmitter often has a non-ideal transmit voltage response (TVR), and ii) underwater acoustic propagation introduces frequency dependent attenuation. In this paper, we propose a simple method to account for the frequency-dependent spectrum of the ICI plus noise. Specifically, we approximate the power spectrum of the ICI plus noise by a straight line in the log-domain, by fitting the measurements on the null subcarriers embedded in each OFDM block. Prewhitening is then applied to each OFDM block before channel estimation and data demodulation. We test the proposed method using experimental data collected from the SPACE08 experiment, where we compare signals with and without transmitter precompensation side by side. The proposed method effectively improves the performance of the uncompensated transmission, making it comparable to that of the compensated transmission at short distances. At a longer distance, the performance of both transmissions is improved by noise-whitening, with an impressive gain on the uncompensated signals.
Comparing the Picture Exchange Communication System and Sign Language Training for Children With Autism

This study compared the effects of Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and sign language training on the acquisition of mands (requests for preferred items) of students With autism. The st...
Scalp Melanoma: The Sunbelt Melanoma Trial

Eighty‐eight patients were enrolled with scalp melanoma. Men (79.5%) and Caucasians (100%) predominated with an average age of 49.8 years. The most common histologic subtypes were superficial spreading (39.7%), nodular (27.3%) and lentigo maligna (10.2%). The average thickness was 2.4 mm (+1.66) and 25% were ulcerated. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) positivity was seen in 20.9% of scalp melanoma patients, was more likely in younger patients (44.7 vs. 50.8 years, p = 0.04) and in those with a Breslow thickness of 2‐4 mm (p = 0.005). The incidence of locoregional and distant recurrence between the scalp and non‐scalp groups were similar. Overall survival for scalp melanoma patients was significantly impacted by SLN positivity (p = 0.03), while Breslow thickness and ulceration status predicted survival in non‐scalp melanoma patients (p = 0.005, p 4.0 mm 2.1 (1.0, 4.3), p = 0.04 1.0 (0.3, 3.5), p = 0.96 2.0 – 4.0 mm Reference Reference 0.0 – 2.0 mm ‐ ‐ Breslow Thickness Non‐Scalp Hazard Ratio (N = 235) Scalp Hazard Ratio (N = 61) Variable
Production of 149Tb from gold by 0.2 to 0.5 GeV protons

Abstract The production of 149 Tb from gold by 200–450 MeV protons has been observed with cross sections (α-branch only) as follows: 0.0028 ± 0.0011 μb at 218 ± 14 MeV, 0.23 ± 0.09 μb at 384 ± 21 MeV, and 0.84 ± 0.34 μb at 434 ± 24 MeV.
Photon counting histogram for one-photon excitation.

The photon counting histogram (PCH) analysis is a fluorescence fluctuation method that is able to characterize the brightness and concentration of different fluorescent species present in a liquid sample. We find that the PCH model using a three-dimensional Gaussian observation volume profile is inadequate for fitting experimental data obtained from a confocal setup with one-photon excitation. We propose an improved model, which is based on the correction to the observation volume profile for the out-of-focus emission. We demonstrate that this model is able to resolve different species present under a wide range of conditions. Attention is given to how this model allows the examination of the effects of different instrumental setups on the resolvability.
Community by design: contemporary problems—historic resolve

Abstract Today, in parts of the United States, rapidly expanding decentralized growth is spreading a homogenous form across the landscape and destroying multiple layers of cultural history in its wake. In many places new development completely replaces the old and erases the opportunity for the community to retain an integrity and richness that only places containing a layering of old and new can have. Lost are the opportunities for the community to preserve the character and texture of the past, maintain a cultural heritage, and retain those particular features that can distinguish one community from another. History can be of use to rapidly growing communities in at least two ways: It can provide lessons that will help communities deal with the difficult problems of today, and the landscape itself—full of the historical artifacts of the past of the community should be considered in the design of communities. This paper will develop lessons from those two uses of history that will be helpful for designers and planners working in the landscape today. Those lessons will be specifically applied in one of the emerging edge cities on the outer fringe of the sphere of urban growth surrounding New York—the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania. The era of rapid change today is not the first. During the late nineteenth century another type of homogenous development quickly altered great portions of the existing landscape. Landscape architects and urban planners like Horace Cleveland argued that new communities should have a heritage and should be carefully grounded in the landscape that existed prior to development. From that approach we can derive three basic lessons still applicable in the era of rapid change today: The need for greater landscape understanding, the importance of leaving a heritage for future generations, and the value of education and interpretation. If the lessons of Cleveland were applied in the Lehigh Valley, this nationally significant historic cultural landscape might be embraced as the fabric upon which to build the emerging community. The many eras and themes of the tangible past of the region would first need to be carefully studied and assessed—that landscape understanding forming a base from which to make planning decisions. As development continues remains of the past might be intentionally incorporated into the new community providing residents with greater richness and the experience of both past and present in their daily lives.
Automatic detection of brain contours in MRI data sets

A software procedure is presented for fully automated detection of brain contours from single-echo 3-D MRI data, developed initially for scans with coronal orientation. The procedure detects structures in a head data volume in a hierarchical fashion. Automatic detection starts with a histogram-based thresholding step, whenever necessary preceded by an image intensity correction procedure. This step is followed by a morphological procedure which refines the binary threshold mask images. Anatomical knowledge, essential for the discrimination between desired and undesired structures, is implemented in this step through a sequence of conventional and novel morphological operations, using 2-D and 3-D operations. A final step of the procedure performs overlap tests on candidate brain regions of interest in neighboring slice images to propagate coherent 2-D brain masks through the third dimension. Results are presented for test runs of the procedure on 23 coronal whole-brain data sets, and one sagittal whole-brain data set. Finally, the potential of the technique for generalization to other problems is discussed, as well as limitations of the technique. >
Orientalism and Islam: Max Weber: Patrimonialism as a Political Type

Max Weber (1864–1920) has few peers among European social theorists. His comparative historical studies of the structure, beliefs, and behavior patterns in the major civilizations in the world have influenced political and sociological analysts for more than a century No one in the social sciences can ignore his formulations, contributions, and original insights in the discussion of concepts such as rationalization, charisma, legitimacy, class, status, power, and bureaucracy. Less well known is his concept of patrimonialism, his version of Oriental despotism. There is no dispute about the genius of Max Weber and his honored place in early twentieth-century European thought, but legitimate differences exist about the essence and major thrust of his writings. Weber's multifarious publications on so many varied subjects illustrate an extraordinary intellectual mastery and an iridescent approach to complex social and political issues. They exemplify scrupulous integrity if not always total limpidity. Beginning as a student of law in Heidelberg in 1882, whose first teaching appointment was in that field in 1892, Weber also studied economic and social history in Berlin (1884–5), in 1895 was nominated to a professorship of economics in Freiburg, and then in 1897 to a post in political science and to a chair at Heidelberg. Only at the end of his life, after a breakdown, travel abroad (including to the United States), and work as an independent scholar, did he receive in 1919 an appointment in sociology in Munich.
STORAGE CHARACTERISTICS OF WHOLESALE AND RETAIL CUTS FROM ELECTRICALLY STIMULATED LAMB CARCASSES

Old-crop and spring lambs (n=140) were assigned to one of four treatments: (1) electrical stimulation (ES) immediately following exsanguination, (2) ES immediately following pelt removal, (3) ES immediately upon entering the cooler, and (4) not electrically stimulated (untreated controls). ES carcasses received 18 impulses of 550 volts (AC), 5 amps and 1.8 set duration with 1.8 set interval between impulses. At 24–28 hr postmortem, certain carcasses were fabricated to obtain wholesale cuts for use in vacuum packaging and storage studies and to obtain boneless loin chops for use in retail display studies. With one exception (legs from old-crop lambs), electrical stimulation had no effect on weight losses of vacuum packaged wholesale cuts during a 6-day storage interval. Electrical stimulation improved muscle color, decreased surface discoloration, and improved overall appearance of boneless loin chops from old-crop lambs during a 4-day retail display interval and did not detrimentally affect retail appearance of boneless loin chops from spring lambs. Time of application in the slaughter-dressing sequence of electrical stimulation had no effect on weight losses of wholesale cuts during storage and had little effect on appearance of retail cuts during display.
Identity Content Assurance and Tracking Systems (ICATSs) for Military Supply Chain Risk Management: A Preliminary Design

Military supply chains are vulnerable to counterfeiting in hardware, software, and medical supplies. This paper sketches an approach for placing identity content on supply chain items. This approach would protect this identity content with cryptographic digital signatures. It would involve testing digital signatures on arriving items, tracking items over their life cycles (including counterfeit detection at each stage), and sharing information about detected counterfeits-especially if the counterfeiting suggests sabotage by a national adversary.