cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the ocean's upper boundary conditions in regions influenced by sea ice

Abstract During recent years, studies with global ocean general circulation models (OGCMs) revealed strong dependencies of their performance on the way the impact of the atmosphere is prescribed, specifically how vigorously the upper ocean is tied to lower atmosphere conditions. The presence of sea ice introduces further complication to this prescription, due to its dynamic and thermodynamic characteristics, and due to its sensitive dependency on the ambient atmospheric and oceanic conditions. This study provides an overview over the highly nonlinear and interactive processes involved with sea ice modifying the upper boundary conditions for ocean models in polar regions. We address the physical representation of sea ice in present-day global OGCMs in comparison to regional state-of-the-art sea-ice models. We discuss the role of different external forcing fields, and various sea-ice forcing mechanisms considering the role of interactive boundary-layer processes. This discussion includes the nonlinear impact of subgrid-scale heterogeneities on the momentum forcing. Finally, the possible impact of sea ice on global ocean characteristics is discussed.
Some aspects of predatory behavior

Predatory behavior is conceived of as a loose chain of responses including searching for relevant stimuli, hunting or chasing potential prey, capturing or attacking prey, and killing and feeding on prey. These aspects, which may occur independently, are described and discussed separately with an emphasis on mammalian species of carnivores. Particular attention is paid to opportunism in prey selection, specific searching images with their possible antecedents, the role of hunger in prey attack, and the phenomenon of surplus killing. Finally a discussion of mouse killing by rats attempts to show similarities between this and other more traditional examples of predation.
Osteoprotegerin Prevents Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteocyte Apoptosis in Mice

The adverse skeletal effects of glucocorticoid excess are due to increased osteoclast survival, decreased production of osteoblasts, and increased apoptosis of osteoblasts and osteocytes, but it remains unknown which of these is the principle cause of the decrease in bone strength. Previous studies suggested that osteocytes contribute to bone strength independently of changes in bone mass. Administration of the receptor activator for nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) antagonist osteoprotegerin (OPG) rapidly decreases osteoclasts followed by a decrease in osteoblasts but should not affect the long-lived osteocytes. Therefore, to distinguish between glucocorticoid effects on osteoclasts, osteoblasts, or osteocytes, we administered glucocorticoids, alone or in combination with OPG with the fragment crystallizable region of Ig heavy chains (OPG-Fc), to mice. The suppressive effect of glucocorticoids on spinal bone mineral density, cortical thickness, and strength was prevented by OPG-Fc. OPG-Fc, with or without glucocorticoids, profoundly reduced osteoclasts, osteoblasts, and bone formation. Unexpectedly, OPG-Fc prevented the glucocorticoid-induced increase in osteocyte apoptosis and reduction in solute transport from the systemic circulation to the osteocyte-lacunar-canalicular network. The fluid in the osteocyte-lacunar-canalicular network was inversely related to osteocyte apoptosis and directly related to bone mineral density. Consistent with the in vivo findings, Both OPG-Fc and OPG decreased glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis of MLO-Y4 osteocytic cells. OPG can also bind and antagonizes the activity of the TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), but glucocorticoids did not change TRAIL expression, and knockdown of TRAIL did not prevent OPG-Fc from reducing glucocorticoid-induced osteocyte apoptosis. Based on these results, we conclude that at least part of the OPG-induced preservation of bone strength is due to the maintenance of osteocyte viability and the lacunar-canalicular network.
The pH difference between tumor and normal tissue offers a tumor specific target for the treatment of cancer.

aghunand and Gillies in this issue explain how the low extracellular pH of tumors limits the efficacy of weak base chemotherapeutics, describe approaches for reversing this resistance, and summarize various strategies for exploiting tumor acidity for the treatment of cancer. The efficacy of these pH dependent therapeutic strategies will of course ultimately be dependent upon the extent to which their effect is selective for tumor tissue, which in turn hinges upon the consistency and magnitude of the pH difference between tumor and normal tissue and pH variability within the tissues. Summaries of data accumulated over the past 50 years have established that the electrode estimated pH of tissue is, on average, lower in tumors than in normal tissues. However, these summaries also indicate that tissue pH varies substantially, not only for tumors, but also for the same normal tissue measured by different investigators. Consequently, for a substantial fraction of cases, the apparent pH of human normal tissue appears to be similar to or more acidic than pertains to tumor tissue. It is, therefore,not surprising that the average greater acidity of tumor compared to normal tissue, has previously inspired modest interest and investigation. More recent observations have provided essential details R
Advanced structured COBOL programming

There is a large market demand for COBOL programmers. Can a single introductory course in COBOL programming provide the students with sufficient professional expertise to qualify them for these job openings? If not, is it feasible to offer a second course in COBOL programming? In this paper the technical capabilities of those who have completed an introductory COBOL programming course and the skills and technical qualifications which are desired by employers of entry level COBOL programmers are analyzed. It is concluded that a single introductory COBOL programming course is not sufficient to produce COBOL programmes with the qualifications and skills expected by employers. Therefore, an advanced structured COBOL programming course is proposed. The goals and the course outline including texts and references of such an advanced course are presented. Several samples of integrated information systems which have been completed by student teams in Advanced Structured COBOL programming will be available for the audience.
Pea Aphid Outbreaks and Virus Epidemics on Peas in the US Pacific Northwest: Histories, Mysteries, and Challenges

This review documents the history of pea aphid outbreaks and epidemics of pea aphid-transmitted viruses on peas in the Pacific Northwest, with emphasis on outbreaks and epidemics in the Palouse region of eastern Washington over 23 years. This article will enable researchers and industry leaders to target resources to areas requiring more research for better understanding of pea aphid-host plant-virus relationships in the Pacific Northwest.
Variability of Cometary X-Ray Emission Induced by Solar Wind Ions

X-ray emission spectra induced by the interaction of the slow and fast solar wind components with cometary gas are calculated for typical solar wind compositions. The emission spectra arising from the charge transfer mechanism are shown to be in good agreement with observational data. The identities and intensities of the brightest spectral lines that include forbidden transitions are obtained for the slow and fast solar winds. Differences in emission spectra of individual comets occur because of variations in the solar wind composition. Comparisons with observational data for comets Levy and Hale-Bopp indicate that they were subjected to the slow solar wind. The spectra at photon energies above 500 eV fluctuate with the solar wind composition because of the varying presence of fully stripped oxygen ions. Mechanisms of X-ray photon emission at energies above 0.9 keV are discussed.
Epiphrenic diverticula: fact and fable.

Abstract The experience of the Mayo Clinic with 112 patients with esophageal epiphrenic diverticula reported by Dr Benacci and associates in this issue [1] is among the largest such series to be reported from a single institution. The data presented not only dispel some long-perpetuated dogma on the subject, but also cause the more thoughtful reader to reflect on the reasons that the reported operative results are far from satisfactory (9.1% mortality, 33% major complication rate, fair or poor longterm functional results in 24%). Despite our current degree of sophistication in the radiographic, scintographic, manometric, and pH probe assessment of esophageal function, our treatment of esophageal diverticula is often influenced by concepts that have been perpetuated with little objective basis.
“…leur anachronisme devient flagrant”: Georges Bataille, aristocracy, and writing in the interwar period

This paper analyzes the critical role of aristocracy in Georges Bataille’s 1928 short novel, Story of the Eye. It begins by examining several of his interwar articles, highlighting the centrality of figures like the Marquis de Sade, medieval knights, and Nietzsche’s noble masters in Bataille’s critiques of bourgeois capitalism, nationalism, and fascism. The paper goes on to demonstrate that aristocratic elements introduce these same critiques into Story of the Eye. Considering manuscript variants as well as the first published edition of the book, the paper recovers allusions to contemporary socio-political issues of interest to Bataille at the time, including the conditions for proletarian revolution and the rising pressures of far-right ideologies in France and across Europe. Finally, it addresses the distinction between Bataille’s explicitly political writings and his literary texts, arguing that the ironic and tragic representation of aristocracy in Bataille’s early fictional work helps him create a writing practice that engages in socio-political critique while avoiding some of the polemics and pitfalls of interwar intellectual discourse.
Infection of Xenotransplanted Human Cell Lines by Murine Retroviruses: A Lesson Brought Back to Light by XMRV.

Infection of xenotransplanted human cells by xenotropic retroviruses is a known phenomenon in the scientific literature, with examples cited since the early 1970’s. However, arguably, until recently, the importance of this phenomenon had not been largely recognized. The emergence and subsequent debunking of Xenotropic Murine leukemia virus-Related Virus (XMRV) as a cell culture contaminant as opposed to a potential pathogen in several human diseases, notably prostate cancer and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, highlighted a potential problem of murine endogenous gammaretroviruses infecting commonly used human cell lines. Subsequent to the discovery of XMRV, many additional cell lines that underwent xenotransplantation in mice have been shown to harbor murine gammaretroviruses. Such retroviral infection poses the threat of not only confounding experiments performed in these cell lines via virus-induced changes in cellular behavior but also the potential infection of other cell lines cultured in the same laboratory. Thus, the possibility of xenotropic retroviral infection of cell lines may warrant additional precautions, such as periodic testing for retroviral sequences in cell lines cultured in the laboratory.
Influence of ion energy on titanium oxide formation by vacuum arc deposition and implantation

Abstract Titanium oxide thin films were produced by vacuum arc deposition while pulse biasing the substrate. The stoichiometry can be influenced by varying the oxygen partial pressure and the arc current from semiconducting and transparent TiO 1.8 to metallic TiO x ( x ≈1.4). Without additional bias voltage, a hyperthermal energy of 25–50 eV of the titanium and oxygen ions leads to the growth of columnar textured rutile films on silicon, with their orientation solely determined by the substrate orientation. While applying negative high voltage pulses between 1 and 5 kV with a duty cycle of 9% no loss of this texture was observed. This can be explained by the rather high displacement energy of 50 eV for rutile. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) an increasing surface roughness, caused by a larger sputter etching of the grain boundaries, as well as an increase in the column diameter was observed. At 10 kV pulses a broadening and splitting of the rutile (1 1 0) peak in X-ray diffraction (XRD) was observed, indicating enough mobility of oxygen vacancies and titanium interstitials to start the formation of the Magneli phases Ti n O 2 n −1 .
The misuse of analysis of variance to detect synergy in combination drug studies

Drug combination studies often examine the possibility of synergy between drugs. Synergy is defined as an effect of a combination of drugs greater than that expected from the effects of the drugs given individually. One technique used by several investigators is the use of analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine synergy. In this discussion, the argument is made that due to the pharmacology of drug combination studies the conditions necessary to support the use of ANOVA to detect synergy are typically not met. Therefore, the ANOVA technique is invalid for these drug combination studies.
Politics, religion, and the analysis of culture

Recent books demonstrate a renewed scholarly interest in the interactions between religion and politics. Both the "end-of-ideology" proposal and the too-easy assumption that secularization has permeated all aspects of contemporary life have fallen apart as religious organizations mobilize their constituents for political action, social movements draw resources from religious communities and traditions, and cultural discourses drawn from religious sources are used to define public problems and solutions. In this essay, I focus on three books that deal with religion and politics less in the conventional terms of institutional actions and electoral outcomes, and more as a dynamic of cultural struggle and ideological adaptation. Barry Alan Shain's The Myth of American Individualism, Robert Booth Fowler's The Greening of Protestant Thought, and Michael Barkun's Religion and the Racist Right1 go beyond religious organizations and individual-level attitudinal research, to relate religious and political culture in both historical and current settings. Barkun discusses the religious resources used by a segment of the extremist right as it constructs itself as racially pure and authentically "American." Fowler examines the development of religious environmentalism in American Protestantism and its relations to the secular environmental movement. Shain studies public religion in the U.S. Revolutionary and Founding eras in search of the connections between religious ideas and the cultural individualism often called our primary political tradition.
Robotic abdominal surgery

As a whole, abdominal surgeons possess excellent videoendoscopic surgical skills. However, the limitations of laparoscopy-such as reduced range of motion and instrument dexterity and 2-dimensional view of the operative field-have inspired even the most accomplished laparoscopists to investigate the potential of surgical robotics to broaden their application of the minimally invasive surgery paradigm. This review discusses data obtained from articles indexed in the MEDLINE database written in English and mapped to the following key words: "surgical robotics," "robotic surgery," "robotics," "computer-assisted surgery," "da Vinci," "Zeus," "fundoplication," "morbid obesity," "hepatectomy," "pancreatectomy," "small intestine," "splenectomy," "colectomy," "adrenalectomy," and "pediatric surgery." A limited subset of 387 publications was reviewed to determine article relevance to abdominal robotic surgery. Particular emphasis was placed on reports that limited their discussion to human applications and surgical outcomes. Included are comments about the initial 202 robotic abdominal surgery cases performed at Johns Hopkins University Hospital (Baltimore, MD) from August 2000 to January 2004. Surgical robotic systems are being used to apply laparoscopy to the surgical treatment of diseases in virtually every abdominal organ. Procedures demanding superior visualization or requiring complex reconstruction necessitating extensive suturing obtain the greatest benefit from robotics over conventional laparoscopy. Whereas advanced surgical robotic systems offer the promise of a unique combination of advantages over open and conventional laparoscopic approaches, clinical data demonstrating improved outcomes are lacking for robotic surgical applications within the abdomen. Outcomes data for surgical robotics are essential given the exorbitant costs associated with the use of these tools.
Effect of Nitrate on the Organic Acid and Amino Acid Composition of Legume Nodules

Nitrate supplied to legume plants inhibits the activity of nitrogenase in Rhizobium bacteroids in root nodules. The accumulation of amino N which is known to occur in Glycine max (L.) Merr. nodules as nitrogenase activity declines was studied in more detail by analysis of changes in free amino acid composition in response to high nitrate supply. A 6-fold increase in asparagine concentration in Bradyrhizobium japonicum bacteroids was found about the time of maximum nitrogenase inhibition. However, the accumulation of amino acids in soybean nodules lagged behind the inhibition of nitrogenase. Furthermore, in studies of a second legume, Phaseolus vulgaris (L.) inoculated with two different strains of Rhizobium phaseoli, a high nitrate treatment inhibited nitrogenase but had no significant effect on amino acid composition of nodules. The possibility that nitrate may interfere with the supply of carbon substrates to bacteroids was examined by the analysis of organic acids in legume nodules supplied with nitrate. Nitrate had a small (10-20%) negative effect on the concentration of tricarboxylic acid cycle acids in P. vulgaris nodules. However, in G. max nodules, high nitrate treatment resulted in significant increases in the concentration of malate, succinate, fumarate, and citrate. Thus, carbon deprivation of bacteroids also seems unlikely as a cause of the inhibition of nitrogenase by nitrate. There was a transient increase in ammonium concentration in P. vulgaris nodules in response to high nitrate treatment. This effect was rapid relative to other effects of nitrate on nodule composition and was roughly coincident with the rapid decline in acetylene reduction activity.
Development of neuronal locus specificity in Xenopus retinal ganglion cells after surgical eye transection or after fusion of whole eyes

Abstract A developmental program is established in the stage 28–32 optic cup of Xenopus embryos, which specifies the permanent AP and DV reference axes for positional information in the retina, and thereby determines the pattern of spatial deployment of ganglion cell locus specificities subserving assembly of retinotopically organized connections in the tectum. This developmental program has previously proved unmodifiable in intact eye primordia submitted to a variety of rotation, transplantation, and tissue culture conditions. Here we report that the program can be modified by surgical transection of stage 32 eye primordia (with subsequent fusion of the disconnected halves to reconstitute a whole eye) and by fusion of whole stage 38 eyes, although most of the transected eyes did develop normal visuotectal projections. The remaining vertically transected eyes, and all eyes formed when a left and right stage 38 eye fused along apposed temporal edges, developed “double-nasal compound” projections to the tectum: the nasal and temporal halves of the adult retina each projected to the entire tectum, and each tectal locus was driven from two stimulus positions symmetrically disposed about the vertical meridian. The remaining horizontally transected eyes, and all eyes formed when a left and right stage 38 eye fused along apposed dorsal edges, developed “double-ventral compound” projections to the tectum: the dorsal and ventral halves of the adult retina each projected to the entire tectum, and each tectal locus was driven from two stimulus positions symmetrically disposed about the horizontal meridian. The results are considered in terms of (1) the kinds of cellular processes that could mediate the observed modifications in the original developmental program; (2) the nature and stability of the program; and (3) the general suitability of eye fragment-fusion experiments for analysis of the assembly of retinotectal connections.
Formation of a large rice body-containing cyst following total hip arthroplasty.

There are several well-described causes of a painful mass following total hip arthroplasty including polyethylene and metal wear debris, infection, expanding hematoma, dislocation, and synovial cysts. In addition to causing pain, these lesions, when large enough, may cause neurologic and vascular compromise. Rapid growth of the mass may clinically and radiographically resemble a sarcoma. Here, we report a case of a large painful hip mass which developed after total hip arthroplasty. The well-circumscribed mass was overlying and extending into the hip joint containing thousands of highly organized fibrin-containing “rice bodies”. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a large, highly organized (rice-body-containing) cyst complicating total hip arthroplasty. A 55-year old Caucasian woman developed a large, slowly enlarging, painful hip mass 2 1/2 years after primary total hip arthroplasty. Clinically and radiographically, the lesion resembled a soft tissue sarcoma. Surgical removal identified a well-circumscribed mass extending into the hip joint containing thousands of highly organized fibrin-containing “rice bodies”. Identification and excision of this “pseudotumor” following hip arthroplasty is important for obtaining a definitive diagnosis, ruling out malignancy or infection and relieving any potential compression on surrounding neurovascular structures.
Quality of life, life satisfaction, and spirituality: comparing outcomes between rehabilitation and cancer patients.

Tate DG, Forchheimer M: Quality of life, life satisfaction, and spirituality: Comparing outcomes between rehabilitation and cancer patients. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2002;81:400–410.ObjectiveTo determine differences in quality of life, life satisfaction, and spirituality across different patient groups
Response of a Lake Michigan coastal lake to anthropogenic catchment disturbance

A paleolimnological investigation of post-European sediments in a Lake Michigan coastal lake was used to examine the response of Lower Herring Lake to anthropogenic impacts and its role as a processor of watershed inputs. We also compare the timing of this response with that of Lake Michigan to examine the role of marginal lakes as ‘early warning’ indicators of potential changes in the larger connected system and their role in buffering Lake Michigan against anthropogenic changes through biotic interactions and material trapping. Sediment geochemistry, siliceous microfossils and nutrient-related morphological changes in diatoms, identified three major trophic periods in the recent history of the lake. During deforestation and early settlement (pre-1845–1920), lake response to catchment disturbances results in localized increases in diatom abundances with minor changes in existing communities. In this early phase of disturbance, Lower Herring Lake acts as a sediment sink and a biological processor of nutrient inputs. During low-lake levels of the 1930s, the lake goes through a transitional period characterized by increased primary productivity and a major shift in diatom communities. Post-World War II (late 1940s–1989) anthropogenic disturbances push Lower Herring Lake to a new state and a permanent change in diatom community structure dominated by Cyclotella comensis. The dominance of planktonic summer diatom species associated with the deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) is attributed to epilimnetic nutrient depletion. Declining Si:P ratios are inferred from increased sediment storage of biogenic silica and morphological changes in the silica content of Aulacoseira ambigua and Stephanodiscus niagarae. Beginning in the late 1940s, Lower Herring Lake functions as a biogeochemical processor of catchment inputs and a carbon, nutrient and silica sink. Microfossil response to increased nutrients and increased storage of biogenic silica in Lower Herring Lake and other regional embayments occur approximately 20–25 years earlier than in a nearby Lake Michigan site. Results from this study provide evidence for the role of marginal lakes and bays as nutrient buffering systems, delaying the impact of anthropogenic activities on the larger Lake Michigan system.
Estimation of local vertical and orbital parameters for an earth satellite using horizon sensor measurements

This paper discusses the application of the Kalman filter to the problem of determining the direction of the normal to the earth's surface from aboard an earth satellite, making use of horizon sensor measurements. While providing an optimal filter for noisy horizon sensor measurements, the linear estimation scheme corrects for errors in the assumed values of those elliptical orbit parameters that determine the motion in the orbital plane. A computer program has been written to simulate the actual elliptical motion as well as perform the estimation. Results have been obtained regarding the effects of noise magnitude, frequency of measurements, and choice of actual and nominal parameters on the convergence of the scheme and the improvement it provides in the accuracy of the determination of local vertical. HIS paper discusses the application of the Kalman filter in its discrete form to the problem of determining the direction of local vertical from aboard an earth satellite, making use of horizon sensor measurements. In the process of filtering the noisy horizon sensor measurements, the computational scheme corrects for errors in the assumed values of those orbital parameters that determine the motion in the orbital plane. The use of onboard measurements in conjunction with an optimal filtering procedure for determining vehicle position, velocity, and orientation is not a new concept and has been discussed in the literature for application to space vehicle guidance1 as well as satellite orbit determination.2"4 In most cases, deviations in the position and velocity coordinates of the vehicle have been chosen as the state variables of the estimation scheme and matrix inversion has been required as part of the procedure. The present scheme is distinguished by the following features: 1) The state variables are constant in time, or at most slowly varying over several orbits. They consist of three orbital parameters determining the motion of the vehicle center of gravity and two parameters related to the orientation of the vehicle within the orbit plane. A static estimation scheme is therefore involved, requiring no numerical integration for the calculation of transition matrices, etc. The choice of the initial reference orbit is also not very critical, within certain limits. 2) The use of the recursion formulas of the Kalman estimator eliminates the need for matrix inversion. The form of the equations remains the same whether they are used as a least-squares filter (assuming initially that all values of errors in the state variables are equally likely and measurements are uncorrelated) or whether a priori knowledge is Presented at the Joint-AIAA-IMS-SIAM-ONR Symposium on Control and System Optimization, Monterey, Calif., January
Gender differences in self-report physical activity and park and recreation facility use among Latinos in Wake County, North Carolina

Background Lack of physical activity (PA) may be a cause of Latinos’ health problems. Latinas may be especially at risk, and public parks and recreation services may be a logical place to address PA deficiencies.
An assessment of ionic liquid mutagenicity using the Ames Test

Recent interest in ionic liquids as green replacements for volatile organic solvents has led to an abundance of rapid toxicity testing to provide guidelines for safe designer engineering and synthesis. While toxicity tests have provided a wealth of information, no studies to our knowledge have investigated the mutagenicity of ionic liquids, which should be just as important for design guidelines. Here we present the results of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Ames Test for mutagenicity using Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100 to ten ionic liquids. These include compounds with imidazolium, pyridinium and quaternary ammonium cations. Tests with these bacteria provide information on the ability of a chemical to cause frameshift and missense mutations, respectively, and can be related to higher organism carcinogenicity. Our test results indicated that none of the ten compounds tested met the US EPA criteria for mutagenicity. Two of the imidazolium cation ionic liquids indicated tendencies toward mutagenicity, but only at the highest doses.
In vitro spermicidal activity of gossypol

Abstract The in vitro spermicidal effect of gossypol, gossypol acetic acid and gossypol-polyvinylpyrrolidone was investigated. Gossypol-polyvinyl-pyrrolidone was actively spermicidal, in contrast to the other two formulations. Thus, gossypol in an appropriate chemical form may be useful as a spermicide.
Synthesis and characterization of poly(1-methyl-1-silabutane), poly(1-phenyl-1-silabutane) and poly(1-silabutane)

Anionic ring opening polymerization of 1-methyl-1-silacyclobutane, 1-phenyl-1-silacyclobutane and 1-silacyclobutane co-catalyzed by n-butyllithium and hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) in THF at-78°C yields poly(1-methyl-1-silabutane), poly(1-phenyl-1-silabutane) and poly(1-silabutane) respectively. These saturated carbosilane polymers possess reactive Si-H bonds. They have been characterized by 1H, 13C and 29Si NMR as well as FT-IR and UV spectroscopy. Their molecular weight distributions have been determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermal stabilities by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and glass transition temperatures (Tg) by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).
Distributed Cooperative Synchronization for Large-Scale 4G Wireless Sensor Networks Using CAZAC Sequences

Clock synchronization is an important requirement of wireless sensor networks WSNs. Synchronization is crucial to maintain data consistency, coordination, and perform fundamental operations. Many application scenarios exist where external clock synchronization may be required because WSN itself may not consist of an infrastructure for distributing the clock reference. In distributed systems the clock of a reference node is synchronized with GPS time tag or UTC as conventional external clock sources. The rest of the nodes estimate the offset and drift based on a synchronization protocol. For vast WSN, where the topology introduces propagation delay and fast drift rate of clock over sampling periods, synchronizing the WSN nodes and maintaining the synchronization is difficult. To maintain an accurate synchronization across the WSN, the authors propose a cooperative synchronization method, which uses Constant Amplitude Zero Auto Correlation CAZAC sequences for OFDM symbols. The proposed method is part of a class of distributed methods known as Gossip or Consensus. These protocols are robust and self-correcting to topology changes and link failure. In this paper, the authors introduce a specific type of power-law topology called scale-free and compare the synchronization performance of the proposed method in random and scale-free topologies.
Supernova feedback in an inhomogeneous interstellar medium

Supernova (SN) feedback is one of the key processes shaping the interstellar medium (ISM) of galaxies. SNe contribute to (and in some cases may dominate) driving turbulence in the ISM and accelerating galactic winds. Modern cosmological simulations have sufficient resolution to capture the main structures in the ISM of galaxies, but are typically still not capable of explicitly resolving all of the small-scale stellar feedback processes, including the expansion of supernova remnants (SNRs). We perform a series of controlled three-dimensional hydrodynamic (adaptive mesh refinement) simulations of single SNRs expanding in an inhomogeneous density field with statistics motivated by those of the turbulent ISM. We use these to quantify the momentum and thermal energy injection from SNe as a function of spatial scale and the density, metallicity, and structure of the ambient medium. We develop a series of analytic formulae that we fit to the simulations. These formulae can be used as a basis for a more predictive sub-resolution model for SN feedback for galaxy formation simulations. We then use simulations of multiple, stochastically driven SNe that resolve the key phases of SNRs to test the sub-resolution model, and show that it accurately captures the turbulent kinetic energy and thermal energy in the ISM. By contrast, proposed SN feedback models in the literature based on `delayed cooling' significantly overpredict the late-time thermal energy and momentum in SNRs.
Growth, Spawning Preparedness, and Diet of Cycleptus meridionalis (Catostomidae)

Abstract Cycleptus meridionalis is a new species recently distinguished from blue sucker C. elongatus. It occurs in large rivers draining to the northern Gulf of Mexico chiefly through Alabama and Mississippi. Collections over a 12-month period from the Pearl and Pascagoula rivers, Mississippi, were taken to document the new species' life history characteristics. Female C. meridionalis had significantly greater wet weight (WW, kg) per given total length (TL, mm) (WW = 4.228−13 TL4.588) than males (WW = 2.000−9 TL3.237). Aged opercular bones indicated that one annulus formed during September–October at the beginning of the reproductive season. Fish ages in the sample ranged from 6 to 31 years for females and from 4 to 33 years for males. Longevity of C. meridionalis is markedly greater than previous scale aging of C. elongatus had suggested. Male C. meridionalis as small as 327 mm TL (age 4) and females as small as 444 mm TL (age 11) had visibly developed gonads; mean gonadosomatic index was elevated in bo...
A calibration method to generate seasonal hatching profiles for the fiddler crabs Uca pugnax (Smith, 1870) and Uca minax (LeConte, 1855) (Decapoda : Brachyura)

Abstract A statistical method for generating seasonal egg hatching profiles is applied to the brachyuran crabs Uca pugnax (Smith) and U. minax (LeConte) in New Jersey. Calibration experiments quantified the time course of egg development, using serial egg sampling at 1- to 2- day intervals from marked ovigerous females maintained in cages in the field. Egg stage was ranked from 1 to 10, based on morphological changes during development. Equations for predicting the number of days remaining until hatching from egg developmental stage were obtained from the calibration experiments, using stepwise polynomial regression. To cover the reproductive season, three consecutive calibration experiments using 15 or more females were run for U. pugnax ; two for U. minax . Significant seasonal differences in the time course of egg development were detected. Weekly collections of females for each species were made; the date of larval release for each ovigerous female was predicted from the proximate calibration equation, yielding weekly hatching profiles. Weekly hatching profiles were summed to obtain seasonal hatching profiles. The average number of broods produced per female over the reproductive season was 1.9 for U. pugnax and 1.6 for U. minax . Hatching peaks for both species were associated with spring tides. The merits of this and other methods used to estimate daily variation in egg hatching of crabs are discussed.
Obesity, diabetes and the central nervous system

Nearly 25 years ago, one of us wrote a collaborative review entitled “Obesity and Diabetes, the Odd Couple” [1]. At that time we pointed out that obesity was a risk factor for diabetes mellitus, despite the fact that most obese people do not have and never will develop diabetes. We also pointed out that obesity is associated with insulin resistance and hyperinsulinaemia, whereas in the non-obese, diabetes is characterized by hypoinsulinaemia and hyperglycaemia. We asked, how is it that such different syndromes interact so closely? We concluded that while these two syndromes are likely to have independent risk factors and mechanisms, their known interactions made it likely that shared metabolic defects are involved in their pathogenesis. We concluded that further studies into the pathophysiology of these syndromes were needed to explain this apparently paradoxical asso
A MATHEMATICAL PROGRAMMING MODEL OF YEAR-ROUND HYBRID STRIPED BASS (♀MORONE CHRYSOPS x ♂MORONE SAXATILIS) FINGERLING PRODUCTION

Year-round production of hybrid striped bass fingerlings has been limited by low survival in ponds during late summer. A whole-farm model was developed to assess economic effects of incorporating indoor tank production and mobile nursery systems to extend the fingerling production season. Mixed-integer linear programming models were constructed for six production scales with three sizes of ponds and indoor tanks and with a mobile fish nursery system. Optimal allocation of production activities was sensitive to varying survival rates of fingerlings and monthly sales patterns. Breakeven prices in winter production of hybrid striped bass fingerlings in indoor tanks were 3–4 times higher than in other months, implying that year-round production would require hybrid striped bass fingerling growers to receive higher prices to cover costs of production in winter months.
Liquid chromatographic measurement of L-ascorbic acid and D-ascorbic acid in biological samples

Abstract d - and l -Ascorbic acids have been separated using liquid chromatography (LC) on a polymer-coated silica-based NH2 column and the l -isomer has been quantified in human serum, rat serum, rat lung, rat lung perfusate, infant formula (SRM 1846) and mixed food sample (SRM 2383). The d -isomer was observed only in trace amounts in the mixed food sample. The results demonstrate that ascorbic acid was stable on the column and completely recovered from supplemented samples of human serum and that this method of analysis is accurate, precise and has broad application exhibiting no dependence on the nature of the matrices evaluated herein.
Adrenergic control of hypothalamic function during osmotic stress in the mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos).

The role of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and biogenic amines (BA) in regulating the level of corticoids in the serum of osmotically stressed mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) was analyzed employing three experimental approaches: 1) pharmacologic alteration of central BA levels, 2) microscopic evaluation of BA distribution, and 3) placement of electrolytic lesions into the PVN. Reserpine and α-methyl-p-tyrosine (αmpt), agents that decrease the amount of BA's in the central nervous system, produced a fivefold increase in the concentration of serum corticoids. Conversely, pargyline and amphetamine, agents that increase the functional pool of BA's, prevented the rise in serum corticoid concentration normally observed in birds challenged with an intraperitoneal injection of hypertonic saline. When the topographic distribution of BA's was analyzed in the brains of osmotically stressed and nonstressed ducks distinct changes in the intensity of catecholamine (CA) fluorescence were observed in only one location, the PVN of the hypothalamus. Additionally, electrolytic lesions stereotaxically placed in the PVN blocked the osmotic stress-induced rise in serum corticoid concentration. These data therefore indicate that the PVN in the mallard duck plays some role in regulating the observed stress-induced rise in serum corticoid concentration, and that this regulatory function is probably inhibited by catecholamines.
Exploring Google to Enhance Reference Services

Google is currently recognized as the world's most powerful search engine. Google is so powerful and intuitive that one does not need to possess many skills to use it. However, Google is more than just simple search. For those who have special search skills and know Google's superior search features, it becomes an extraordinary tool. To understand Google and use it to its full potential, one needs to fine-tune search skills and explore its features. For those familiar with Google's appropriate attributes, zeroing into the exact target may be accomplished in one hit—such is the efficiency of this highly underutilized engine.
Modeling the temporal evolution of an online cancer forum

In this paper, we present a model for temporal analysis of an online discussion group, also known as an online forum. We used a social network model and investigated an online melanoma forum in detail. Our overall goal is to develop methods that quantify the responsiveness of the interactions in online forums. In particular, we are interested in identifying the evolutional stages through which online forums transition. The evolutional stages show if a forum is growing, shrinking, or in a state of equilibrium. In the work we present here, we measured the creation of threads, the creation of responses and the number of new users, as well as the topology of the melanoma network across an eight-year timeframe in order to measure network activity. We defined a response function in terms of the number of threads receiving a response, the number of threads not receiving a response, and the delay in response time. We used the response function as an approximation of the discussion group's utility. We found three distinct evolutional stages over the eight-year period and a range of response levels, in some cases determined by the severity of the disease under discussion. Our findings have implications for both forum owners and members. Each can assess and subsequently adjust the level of online interaction to improve the usefulness of the forum. Further, the assessed activity level of a forum may be useful for online health seekers as they decide whether or not to join a particular forum.
Aunts, Uncles--Nieces, Nephews: Kinship Relations over the Lifespan.

Aunts and uncles play special roles in the lives and education of nieces and nephews. They are among the first adults children meet other than parents and grandparents. They are often willing and able to fulfill roles that strengthen the relationship with a niece or nephew, especially if they have never married. The roots of the relationship, coupled with a shared history and comparable values may, as a result, provide the basis for generalized reciprocity of support as the aunt (uncle) ages.
Effects of cage design and bird density on layers 1. productivity feathering and nervousness

Abstract Experiment 1 compared the effects of cage shape, feeder space, and bird density on performance, nervousness, and feathering of two commercial Single Comb White Leghorn (SCWL) strains. Strain 1 bird s and those housed 3 per cage produced more eggs with fewer body checks and cracks, tended to be less nervous, and had better feather cover than strain 2 birds and those housed 4 per cage (P Experiment 2 compared the effects of cage shape, feeder space, cage barrier, and bird density on performance of a commercial SCWL strain. Hens in cages with 3 birds laid at 5.4% higher rate (HH) and produced 2.8% fewer undergrade eggs than hens housed 4 per cage (P
Super Bowl ad likeability: Enduring and emerging predictors

US advertisers love the Super Bowl because it reaches a huge and highly receptive audience. One metric that Super Bowl advertisers watch closely is ad likeability as this is correlated with sales success. Tomkovick, Yelkur, and Christians (2001, Journal of Marketing Communications 7: 89–108) studied ad likeability for Super Bowl ads in the 1990s. In this paper, we replicate and extend their research using USA Today's measurement of Super Bowl ad likeability in the decade of the 2000s as our dependent variable of interest. Our findings on 438 Super Bowl ads show that humor, animals, and product category were enduring predictors of ad likeability. Product information and the presence of children in Super Bowl ads were found to be emerging predictors of ad likeability. Most notably, the amount of product information provided in Super Bowl commercials was inversely related to ad likeability. Implications for advertisers are presented, as are conclusions, study limitations and directions for future research.
Multiple Field Technique with Electron Beams up to 24 MeV

The electron beam is undoubtedly the most suitable type of radiation at the present time for treating diseases which extend from the skin surface to a few centimeters’ depth. A single field can be admirably employed by adjusting the energy of the electrons according to the depth of the disease. This has already been discussed by the previous speakers.
general principles of human anatomical partonomy and speculations on the growth of partonomic nomenclature1

This paper describes twelve general principles of classification and nomenclature in human anatomical partonomy (body parts systematics). These principles are derived through comparison of “naming-behavior” data from forty-one globally distributed languages. In addition, four growth stages in the development of nomenclature for parts of the human extremities are proposed.
Interregional labor migration and information flows.

Interregional labor migration occurs in response to the stress existing between a worker's existing condition and the expected condition perceived to exist in an alternative region. These perceptions are formed from information received through various channels. Three channels are examined: interpersonal communication, general source information, and specific source information targeted at unemployed workers. In this process, trajectories of welfare levels (composed of wage plus nonwage benefits), information flows, vacancy and unemployment levels are generated for different worker and job types, regional aggregates, and the system as a whole. The behavior of the model is examined by means of numerical simulations and sensitivity analyses.
Metastable Hydrogen Molecules. II. Fine Structure of Parahydrogen

The fine structure of the $N=2$ rotational level of the $(1{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{g}, 1{\ensuremath{\pi}}_{u})c^{3}\ensuremath{\pi}_{u}$ state of parahydrogen, very probably in the $v=0$ vibrational level, has been measured directly by means of the molecular beam magnetic resonance method. The zero field intervals are: $f(J=2\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}J=1)=4928.003\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.010$ Mc/sec, $f(J=3\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}J=2)=5898.105\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.012$ Mc/sec. The spin-spin and spin-orbit interaction constants are in agreement with theoretical predictions based on a simplified hydrogenic model.