cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Learning algorithms when class membership is poorly defined

Let X be a measurement space and f(x) a real function defined on it. If f(x) takes only a small set of discrete values then we have the standard classification problem. Otherwise f (x) can be considered as defining a fuzzy pattern recognition problem. We consider the problem of dividing X into regions xi( = 1,2 .... R) such that on each one of them f(x) is approximated either by a constant or a linear function. The partition is generated for a given R by minimizing the total integral square error. This problem is equivalent to piecewise functional approximation. After the regions Xi. and the approximations have been determined than it is possible to predict the value f(x) for any given measurement x. The computational requirements of this approach are higher than those of the common learning algorithms but it is applicable in cases where (except for extreme cases) class membership is vaguely defined as it is often the case in socio-economic problems, mechanical and medical diagnosis etc.
Rotation numbers, twists and a Sharkovskii–Misiurewicz-type ordering for patterns on the interval

We introduce rotation numbers and pairs characterizing cyclic patterns on an interval and a special order among them; then we prove the theorem which specializes the Sharkovskii theorem in this setting.
A Method of Human Reliability Assessment Based on Systemic-Structural Activity Theory

This article describes a new method of reliability assessment of human performance that derives from systemic-structural activity theory (SSAT). This method is demonstrated by applying it to the study of a human–computer interaction task. The task that has been selected is typical for users who interact with computers. One of the basic methods of SSAT called morphological analysis of activity has been used to examine and describe the computer-based task that was the object of study. Cognitive and behavioral actions and members of human algorithm have been utilized as main units of analysis. Suggested method provides analytical description of activity during task performance. It allows to determine the reliability of task performance and to find more reliable performance methods.
Laser-Particulate Control for Open-Cycle, Coal Fired Gas Turbines

Direct coal-fired gas turbines need efficient, high-temperature, particulate control in order to be an attractive option for the efficient conversion of coal to electrical energy. Particulates in the range of three to ten microns are very difficult to remove; and it is, therefore, proposed that they be fragmented into particulates below the threshold size for turbine blade erosion using pulsed CO/sub 2/ lasers. Beam interaction with combustion products is considered. A 1000 MW(e) conceptual plant is presented to demonstrate costs and recirculating power requirements.
Geographic and Racial/Ethnic Variations in Patterns of Multimorbidity Burden in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Multimorbidity presents a significant public health challenge, but regional, rural/urban, and racial/ethnic differences in patterns of multimorbidity in diabetes are poorly understood. To describe patterns of multimorbidity in medical and mental health by regional, rural/urban, and racial/ethnic variation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Retrospective cohort study from 2002 through 2006 A national cohort of 892,223 veterans with diabetes Multimorbidity was the main outcome defined as: the measure of multimorbidity and two categorical outcomes, with pattern of medical and mental health comorbidities combined and separately. Among patients, 52% had 2+ comorbidities, 33% had a single comorbidity, and 14% had no comorbidity; 13.9% had both medical and mental health comorbidities, 70.3% had medical only, and 1.5% had mental health only. The odds of having 3+ comorbidities were nearly fourfold greater in patients 75 years and older relative to patients younger than 50 years (OR=3.95 [95% CI: 3.84, 4.06]). Compared to non-Hispanic whites, the odds of 3+ comorbidities among non-Hispanic blacks were 1.67 times greater (95% CI: 1.63, 1.71). Hispanics were more likely to have a mental health comorbidity alone (OR=1.20 [95% CI: 1.13, 1.28]) than non-Hispanic whites. For patients living in rural areas, the odds were higher of having 3+ comorbidities (OR=1.21 [95% CI: 1.19, 1.23]) and of having both medical and mental health comorbidities (OR=1.15 [95% CI: 1.13, 1.17]) compared to urban dwellers. Among individuals with diabetes, traditionally disadvantaged groups, including non-Hispanic blacks and rural patients, appear to bear the greatest burden and risk of multimorbidity. Significantly greater odds with increasing number of comorbidities were seen by race/ethnicity, rural residence, and geographic region.
Waxing and waning volcanism along the East Pacific Rise on a millennium time scale

Microbathymetric maps of the southern East Pacific Rise reveal subtle field relations between volcanic features and provide new insight on seafloor spreading processes. Along one of the shallowest and broadest sections of ridge at 17°28′S, lavas have erupted from a fissure system and flooded the axis through a network of lava tubes and lava channels. Along the neighboring ridge segment at 18°15′S, the axial area has subsided and formed a broad tectonized trough. A swath of newly accreted crust has since widened that trough; late-stage volcanism consists of small circular pillow mounds. We propose that these contrasting eruptive styles reflect the waxing and waning phases of a common magmatic evolution spanning a few millennia.
Regulation of epiphyseal cartilage metabolism and morphology in the chronic diabetic rat.

Chronic insulin deficiency, in both man and experimental animal models, has been associated with skeletal alterations, the genesis of which remains unknown. Since cartilage growth and maturation are dependent on the maintenance of adequate glycolytic activity, we evaluated cartilaginous carbohydrate metabolism and epiphyseal growth plate morphology in control, long-term (7 weeks) streptozotocin-induced diabetic and insulintreated diabetic rats. Since parathyroid hormone levels have been shown to be decreased in chronically diabetic rats, we also studied the effect of a low calcium diet (0.1%) on cartilage metabolism and morphology in the insulinopenic state. In vitro incubation of epiphyseal cartilage slices in Kreb's Ringer buffer was performed in 5 mM glucose, with either14C-6-glucose as a glycolytic marker or14C-1-glucose as a pentose phosphate pathway marker. While14C-6-glucose uptake was only marginally reduced in diabetic rat cartilage, lactate production was markedly decreased, approximating 42% of control values, and the activity of the pentose phosphate shunt increased (P<0.01). These biochemical alterations were attended by a marked reduction (P<0.005) in the width of epiphyseal growth plates obtained from rats with untreated diabetes. Both insulin replacement (P<0.001) and dietary calcium restriction (P<0.02) in diabetic animals resulted in a significant increment in the width of epiphyseal growth plates. These morphologic changes were accompanied by a significant (P<0.02) increase in cartilaginous lactate production, in the absence of altered glucose uptake. While insulin treatment corrected glycolysis, it had little effect on the augmented pentose shunt activity, implying stimulation of both these metabolic pathways. Dietary calcium restriction normalized glycolysis and corrected the accelerated activity of the pentose phosphate pathway. We conclude that chronic insulin deficiency in the growing rat is attended by alterations in cartilaginous carbohydrate metabolism which may relate not only to insulinopenia per se, but also to the relative hypoparathyroidism that characterizes the chronic experimental diabetic state. The accumulated data also suggest that these metabolic derangements may account, at least in part, for the reduced longitudinal bone growth observed in this growing animal model.
Absolute calibration of a photoelectric condensation nucleus counter at low values of nucleus concentration

A new absolute condensation nucleus counter was constructed to investigate the accuracy of the calibration widely used with the Pollak-Nolan photoelectric condensation nucleus counter. An attempt was made to standardize the conditions affecting calibration and, using the new counter, to recalibrate the photoelectric counter at values of extinction less than 16%.
A critique of Korean National Information Strategy: Case of national information infrastructures

Abstract In 2004, the Korean government launched the IT839 project with the objective of converting Korea into a ubiquitous information society. This study investigates the role of the Korean government in the development of the national information infrastructure and the realization of IT839 vision. This paper reviews the historic and individual data related to the infrastructure project, draws on the social construction of technology theory as a framework for interpreting such data, traces the transformations and translation of this data in the public, political, and social discourse, and discusses the next generation of information infrastructure. Findings imply that despite optimistic prospects and proactive drive, uncertainty still remains with respect to where IT839 will evolve and how it will impact the new information milieu.
Idiopathic CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia--immunodeficiency without evidence of HIV infection.

Background The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the etiologic agent of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), infects and depletes CD4+ T lymphocytes. Recently, patients have been described with profound CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia but without evident HIV infection, a condition now termed idiopathic CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia, and a national surveillance network has been set up to investigate such cases. Methods We studied 12 patients with CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia who were referred to us from three U.S. cities. Blood samples were tested for HIV with specific antibody assays, viral cultures, and polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) techniques. Results The patients (10 men and 2 women) ranged in age from 30 to 69 years. Eight had risk factors for HIV infection. The clinical manifestations were heterogeneous: five patients had opportunistic infections, five had syndromes of unknown cause, and two had no symptoms. Two patients died from acute complications of their immunodeficiency. The patients' lowest CD4+ lymph...
Molecular Origins of the Ripple Phase

The ripple phase of lipid bilayers is characterized by periodic ripples in one dimension. We explore the molecular origins of this peculiar phase. Since the ripple wavelength is of the order of the bilayer thickness, molecular simulation can provide a detailed microscopic picture of lipid behavior in the ripple phase. In the first simulations of their kind, we study stacks of rippled bilayers to provide a more realistic molecular perspective that can be directly compared to X-ray diffraction and AFM experiments. We find that saddle-splay and tilt are key order parameters that characterize the long-range order observed in ripple phases. In addition, we elucidate the effects of lipid length, head group interaction, and bilayer hydration on ripple structure. The impact of lipid orientations in the ripple phase to biological processes such as membrane fusion is discussed.
The Art of Church History

JAMES HASTINGS NICHOLS Federated Theological Faculty, University of Chicago Academic history in general, as is well known, straddles the conventional departments of college faculties; it is always a problem whether history should be listed among the social sciences or with the humanities. Clio is traditionally one of the arts, yet historians jealously defend their claims also to critical science. Church history likewise presents these Janus faces to the world; it is at the same time a product of religious imagination and thought and a scientific discipline. May it not be, however, that these two aspects of church history need to be maintained in a certain relation to each other, and that today they are generally imperfectly integrated? The schools of theology in America provide some evidence that church history is not making its full contribution to religious thought in our time. The usual amount of material is "'covered" in lectures and well-documented volumes drop heavily from the presses. Yet the number and quality of students attracted to the craft seem to be less than her due share. One might venture the opinion that the teaching of church history has less effect on the attitude and thinking of theological students than has any of the other major disciplines, such as Biblical studies, theology, ethics, perhaps even religious education. Sometimes one wonders whether it would make any perceptible difference to the education of American ordinands if church history were quietly eliminated from the seminaries. The contemporary revival of interest in theological and Biblical studies does not seem to find any substantial counterpart in church history. The scientific status of church history is not challenged. But is church history holding its own as a department of theology; does it convey religious insight in significant patterns of interpretation? It might well be argued, of course, that history has never been a major preoccupation of American culture or American religion. We have been primarily concerned with grave practical difficulties where there was little to learn from precedent, even if learning had been accessible. Even more important, however, has been our characteristic "Evangelical" lack of a sense of community and history. Through half a dozen denominational families, "Evangelicalism" dominated American religion through the 19th and into the 20th century. This anti-historical aspect of American thought, both political and religious, is well described by Mr. Dicey in a passage on parallel tendencies in England:
Sitosterolemia's stomatocytosis and macrothrombocytopenia

![Figure][1] A 47-year-old white male was referred for chronic thrombocytopenia of 80-90 × 109/L and splenomegaly since 1997. He had been treated unsuccessfully, and mistakenly, for immune thrombocytopenia (steroids, rituximab, romiplostim, and anti-D that produced severe hemolysis requiring
Thermodynamics of quark jets. II. Baryon production

A Monte Carlo analysis based on a recent thermodynamic model for jets is used to model quark fragmentation into hadrons. Quantitative estimates of the baryon-to-meson ratio N/sub B//N/sub M/ and kaon and hyperon production are made.
Death in the Hippodrome: sexual politics and legal culture in the reign of Mehmet IV.

At noon on Friday, 28 June 1680, people crowded into Istanbul's Hippodrome, the city's main public space, to stone to death a Muslim woman identified as 'the wife of Abdullah Celebi' for adultery with an infidel, and to witness the beheading of the Jew who was alleged to be her lover, a neighborhood shopkeeper. Neighbors who had raided her home when they knew that the Jew was inside claimed to have found the couple having intercourse, which was doubly illicit: not only was she married, but sexual relations between Christian or Jewish men and Muslim women were forbidden by law. The accused denied any wrongdoing, but a mob dragged the two before the chief justice of the empire's European provinces (known as Rumelia), Beyazizade Ahmet (d. 1686), who had previously been the main judge at Istanbul's Islamic law (shariah) court. Beyazizade accepted the testimony of the witnesses. Denying the accused a trial, he condemned the pair to death. Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa Pasha (d. 1683) reported his decision to Sultan Mehmet IV (r. 1648-87, d. 1693), who confirmed the sentence. The sultan attended the double execution in person and offered the man conversion to Islam, permitting him to die swiftly and with dignity by decapitation. Mehmet IV was the only sultan to order an adulteress to be executed by stoning during 465 years of Ottoman rule in Istanbul. Indeed, public stoning of adulterers was such a rare event in medieval and early modern Islamic history that it is difficult to find any other examples of Islamic rulers punishing transgressors of sexual norms in this way. Why did Mehmet IV do this?
The physical organization of the cytoplasm in Myxococcus xanthus and the fine structure of its components

The cytoplasmic components of Myxococcus xanthus were found to be helical strands of considerable length when examined in thin sections of cells. Similar structures were obtained in a population of isolated particles from fractionated cells. The width of the strands was estimated to be approximately 250 A, a single thread was about 50 A in width. It was suggested that the helices were fibrillar. The width of single fibrils was close to the resolving power of the instrument, about 10 A. No single ribosomes were found in thin sections of cells but most of the isolated particles were round, 100–250 A in diameter. The cytoplasmic strands were built of subunits of the size known for ribosomes which could be identified as such upon fragmentation of the strands. Crystal-like structures were found in this Gram-negative organism which, in some cases, comprised a large portion of the cell. The question was raised whether this type of fabric represents the true physical organization of the cytoplasm.
Symmetry properties of positive solutions of parabolic equations on ℝN: II. Entire solutions

We consider nonautonomous quasilinear parabolic equations satisfying certain symmetry conditions. We prove that each positive bounded solution u on ℝ N × (−∞, T) decaying to zero at spatial infinity uniformly with respect to time is radially symmetric around some origin in ℝ N . The origin depends on the solution but is independent of time. We also consider the linearized equation along u and prove that each bounded (positive or not) solution is a linear combination of a radially symmetric solution and (nonsymmetric) spatial derivatives of u. Theorems on reflectional symmetry are also given.
The Arecibo 5 GHz Mini-Gregorian Feed System: Spectral Line Performance

The Mini-Gregorian Feed System at the Arecibo Observatory allows the highest resolution observations at 5 GHz of any single-dish radio telescope in the world. This system is a small-scale test instrument for the full Gregorian Upgrade which is currently in progress at Arecibo. In this paper we describe the performance of the Mini-Gregorian Feed in the 4.4-5.1 GHz range. This spectral range is important in radio astronomy for a number of reasons (e.g., one of the original VLA bands is at 6 cm). From a spectral line perspective, this band is important because of the presence of the 110-111 transition of formaldehyde, a standard medium-density molecular cloud tracer.
Absorption filtration. A tool for the measurement of ion tracer flux in native membranes and reconstituted lipid vesicles.

Abstract A rapid, simple and reproducible method has been developed for the measurement of ion tracer flux with both native membrane vesicles and reconstituted lipid vesicle systems. Following the absorption of vesicles onto glass fiber filters, tracer flux is performed directly upon the deposited samples. In contrast to the more conventional vacuum and gel filtration techniques, absorption filtration exhibits comprehensive data retrieval whereby the removal of extravesicular ions, the retention of intravesicular ions and the amount of ions fluxed can be accurately analyzed. Both influx and efflux assays have been designed to measure the carbamylcholine-induced flux of 22Na+ which is characteristic of acetylcholine receptor-enriched membranes from Torpedo californica electroplax. The flux signal-to-background noise ratio is maximized in the efflux assay, since agonist activation is performed subsequent to the exhaustive removal of extravesicular tracer. An interesting feature of the influx assay is that the agonist-induced uptake of 22Na+ can be repeated with the original vesicles which additionally maximizes the flux signal. With either approach, the inactivation of ionophoric activity due to prolonged exposure to agonists (‘desensitization’) can be reversed upon removal of agonist without dilution of the deposited samples. Due to the large array of glass fiber filters and ion-exchange disks, the absorption filtration technique should be able to accommodate the transport and binding of soluble molecules to a variety of intact cells, membranes and reconstituted lipid vesicles.
Teaching electronic sources— With a difference

Abstract In an earlier BI Vignette, the author showed that, when cooperative learning principles are applied to basic bibliographic instruction, students learn from one another and by building on what they already know. When learning about electronic resources, however, the students have less collective knowledge on which to build. This article shows how to keep students at the center of instruction in electronic resources by focusing classes on the students' research topics.
On the Use of 3,5-O-Benzylidene and 3,5-O-(Di-tert-butylsilylene)-2-O-benzylarabinothiofuranosides and Their Sulfoxides as Glycosyl Donors for the Synthesis of β-Arabinofuranosides: Importance of the Activation Method

A 2-O-benzyl-3,5-O-benzylidene-α-d-thioarabinofuranoside was obtained by reaction of the corresponding diol with α,α-dibromotoluene under basic conditions. On activation with 1-benzenesulfinyl piperidine, or diphenyl sulfoxide, and trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride in dichloromethane at −55 °C, reaction with glycosyl acceptors affords anomeric mixtures with little or no selectivity. The analogous 2-O-benzyl-3,5-O-(di-tert-butylsilylene)-α-d-thioarabinofuranoside also showed no significant selectivity under the 1-benzenesulfinyl piperidine or diphenyl sulfoxide conditions. With N-iodosuccinimide and silver trifluoromethanesulfonate the silylene acetal showed moderate to high β-selectivity, independent of the configuration of the starting thioglycoside. High β-selectivity was also obtained with a 2-O-benzyl-3,5-O-(di-tert-butylsilylene)-α-arabinofuranosyl sulfoxide donor on activation with trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride. The high β-selectivities obtained by the N-iodosuccinimide/silver trifluoromethane...
Copolymerization of butadiene and styrene in the oxygen–1-alkanesulfinic acid system†

The copolymerization of butadiene and styrene in an alkanesulfonic acid emulsion with air as the oxidizing agent and higher alkanesulfinic acids as oil-soluble reducing agents has been studied. Dodecyl mercaptan and ferric salts are needed to make this recipe function well. The optimum pH for rapid polymerization was found to vary with the different alkanesulfinic acids (C8 to C18 in the even-numbered straight-chain series). Tetradecanesulfinic acid is the most active reducing activator in this series. The conversions with butadiene and styrene are about 75–80% at 30° in six hours and these copolymers have normal solubility and inherent viscosities.
A causal analysis of psychological climate and leader behavior relationships

Abstract Individual perceptions of the work environment, or psychological climates, have been shown to be important determinants of work attitudes such as satisfaction and job involvement. However, little is known concerning the relationships between psychological climate and other variables that may lead to or cause these perceptions. This research examined causal relationships among dimensions of psychological climate and leader behavior. Specifically, the investigation attempted to determine whether leader behavior caused psychological climate, or whether psychological climate caused leader behavior. Eithty-five foremen from a truck manufacturing facility participated in the study over a 17-month period. Results of cross-lagged panel correlations and causal path analysis indicated that psychological climate caused leader behavior. Since one individual's perceptions of his/her work environment can only indirectly be linked to another person's (in this case, the leaders) behavior, an intervening variable is required to explain these findings. This variable may be a consensual or organizational climate.
Objective vestibular testing of children with dizziness and balance complaints following sports-related concussions

OBJECTIVE: To conduct objective assessment of children with balance and vestibular complaints following sports-related concussions and identify the underlying deficits by analyzing laboratory test outcomes. STUDY DESIGNS: Case series with chart review. SETTING: Pediatric tertiary care facility. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Medical records were reviewed of 42 pediatric patients with balance and/or vestibular complaints following sports-related concussions who underwent comprehensive laboratory testing on their balance and vestibular function. Patients' characteristics were summarized and results analyzed. RESULTS: More than 90% of the children with protracted dizziness or imbalance following sports-related concussion had at least 1 abnormal finding from the comprehensive balance and vestibular evaluation. The most frequent deficit was found in dynamic visual acuity test, followed by Sensory Organization Test and rotational test. Patient's balance problem associated with concussion seemed to be primarily instigated by vestibular dysfunction. Furthermore, semicircular canal dysfunction was involved more often than dysfunction of otolith organs. Yet, CONCLUSIONS: Vestibular impairment is common among children with protracted dizziness or imbalance following sports-related concussion. Our study demonstrated that proper and thorough evaluation is imperative to identify these underlying deficits and laboratory tests were helpful in the diagnosis and recommendation of following rehabilitations. Language: en
In situ studies of irradiation-induced twin boundary migration in nanotwinned Ag

Twin boundary migration is usually observed during annealing or plastic deformation. We report on in situ observation of Kr ion irradiation-induced microstructure evolution in epitaxial nanotwinned Ag films with an average twin thickness of 70 nm. Kr ion irradiation-induced defect clusters are absorbed by coherent and incoherent twin boundaries. Frequent interactions between defect clusters and twin boundaries lead to continuous migration of twin boundaries. The potential mechanisms of twin boundary migration are discussed.
The Influence of Type I Collagen on the Development and Maintenance of the Osteoblast Phenotype in Primary and Passaged Rat Calvarial Osteoblasts: Modification of Expression of Genes Supporting Cell Growth, Adhesion, and Extracellular Matrix Mineralization

Abstract Osteoblasts derived from Day 21 fetal rat calvaria grown on films of collagen type I exhibit an earlier and enhanced expression of the differentiated phenotype, compared to cells cultured on plastic. The temporal expression of genes characterizing three distinct periods of growth and differentiation are dramatically modified. During the initial proliferation period, expression of genes normally expressed at high levels on plastic (fibronectin, β1 integrin, and actin) was decreased from 50 to 70% in cells grown on collagen. Genes normally expressed at maximal levels in the postproliferative period (osteonectin, osteocalcin, and osteopontin) were up-regulated severalfold very early. Alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity was elevated 2- to 3-fold during the proliferation period, while mRNA levels remained low, suggesting post-transcriptional modifications. The most dramatic consequence of culture of cells on collagen is the accelerated and uniform mineralization of the matrix in contrast to the focal mineralization confined to bone nodules in cultures on plastic. Type I collagen supports maintenance of osteoblast phenotypic properties of passaged cells in the absence of glucocorticoid supplementation required for differentiation of osteoblasts subcultivated on plastic. Treatment of proliferating rat osteoblasts on plastic with 1,25(OH)2D3 blocks osteoblast differentiation and matrix mineralization. Although differentiation-related genes (alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin) were up-regulated by vitamin D, culture on the collagen matrix could not overcome the inhibition of mineralization. Taken together, these studies define the critical role of type I collagen in mediating the signaling cascade for expression of a mature osteoblast phenotype and mineralization of the extracellular matrix in a physiological manner.
Single cell isolation: A way to examine network interactions

Summary A procedure for isolating identified, small neurons from snail ganglia is described. The technique allows a particular neuron, previously identified by morphological and electrophysiological characteristics, to be marked and then isolated from the ganglia. This procedure was developed to permit the detailed comparison of the electrical characteristics of a neuron before and after isolation from an intact system. An earlier description has appeared18. The cell somata is marked intracellularly by the iontophoretic injection of Procion navy blue H3RS which visually differentiates the cell from other cells in the ganglion. The ganglion is then treated with a trypsin-haluronidase solution to soften the ganglion sheath, which is then removed. The cells are gently shaken to isolate them from the ganglion and then examined electrophysiologically. A comparison of membrane properties, such as action potential height, duration and rate of rise and decay was made before and after all treatments were applied to assess deleterious effect. An analysis of network properties, such as burst duration, number of spikes per burst and presynaptic activity was also performed after each phase of the procedure. No significant differences were noted after dye injection, enzyme treatment, and where appropriate, after isolation. An increase in input resistance and corresponding decrease in the slope of the steady state current-voltage plot (I–V plot) were observed after isolation of a cell. These were expected results of removing the ‘load’ (i.e. axon or electrical coupling) from the cell soma. This method may be applied to many other systems to study the effects of network interactions on the properties of a single cell and should therefore facilitate the analysis of neuronal networks as well as single cell properties.
Quantitative Analysis and Characterization of DNA Immobilized on Gold

We describe the complementary use of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to quantitatively characterize the immobilization of thiolated (dT)(25) single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) on gold. When electron attenuation effects are accurately accounted for in the XPS analysis, the relative coverage values obtained by the two methods are in excellent agreement, and the absolute coverage can be calculated on the basis of the XPS data. The evolution of chemically specific spectral signatures during immobilization indicates that at lower coverages much of the DNA lies flat on the surface, with a substantial fraction of the thymine bases chemisorbed. At higher immobilization densities, the (dT)(25) film consists of randomly coiled ssDNA molecules each anchored via the thiol group and at possibly one or two other bases. We use two examples to demonstrate how the quantitative analysis can be applied to practical problems: the effects of different buffer salts on the immobilization efficiency; the immobilization kinetics. Buffers with divalent salts dramatically increase the efficiency of immobilization and result in very high surface densities (>5 x 10(13)/ cm(2)), densities that may only be possible if the divalent counterions induce strong attractive intermolecular interactions. In contrast with previous reports of alkanethiol adsorption kinetics on gold, ssDNA immobilization in 1 M phosphate buffer does not occur with Langmuir kinetics, a result attributable to rearrangement within the film that follows the initial adsorption.
Lack of UV radiation in Biosphere 2 — practical and theoretical effects on plants

Abstract UV radiation is an important physical stressor for many exposed organisms. It also has a diversity of positive roles in the biosphere, such as in UVA-dependent vision. In artificial ecosystems where the spectral quality is dramatically altered by the overlying structure these interelationships can be disturbed. Here practical and theoretical measurements are presented for the effects of UV exclusion on desert cacti in Biosphere 2. Cacti inside the biosphere lack flavonoids as a result of the attenuation of UVB and most of the UVA radiation caused by the glass structure. Although the theoretical inhibition to chloroplasts is less than outside, it is much greater than would be expected if the plants inside possessed flavonoids, since the small amount of UVA radiation (385–400 nm) that penetrates has a disproportionately greater theoretical effect. The importance of understanding the effects of UV exclusion in artificial ecosystems and the importance of exercising caution in interpreting the data from artificial enclosed ecosystems in the context of the natural world, is discussed.
A Comparative Study of the p(2 2)-CO/M(111), M)Pt,Cu,Al Chemisorption Systems

We propose a model for CO chemisorption on late transition metal, noble metal, and main-group surfaces based on the results of energy partitioning studies of surface -CO bonding for the CO/M(111), M)Pt,Cu,Al chemisorption systems. Plane-wave density functional theory was used to calculate the chemisorption geometry for CO on the top, bridge, and hollow sites of the M(111) (M)Pt,Cu,Al) surfaces and to verify the experimentally determined preference for top site CO chemisorption on all three surfaces. To construct a chemically intuitive, molecular orbital based model of surface-CO bonding, an energy partitioning analysis of surface-CO bonding was carried out within a tight binding scheme based on the extended Huckel method. Although within this one-electron formalism we are no longer able to make quantitative assesments of bonding, we are able to readily extract surface-CO bonding trends. By expanding the orbital basis on CO to include energetically low-lying nonfrontier orbitals and explicitly evaluating the role of the surface s and p bands in surface-CO bonding, we note several discrepancies between our model and traditional, frontier orbital based models of surface-CO interaction. Especially important is the role of the CO(4U) orbital. We note that for CO chemisorption on all three surfaces, the energetic preference for top site chemisorption is the result of a balance between the stabilization associated with the formation of the surface -CO bond and chemisorption- site-dependent changes in both C-O bonding and M- M( M)Pt,Cu,Al) bonding within the surface layer on chemisorbing CO. Further, by choosing to consider CO chemisorption on the Cu(111) surface as part of a continuous transition from CO chemisorption on late transition metal surfaces to CO chemisorption on sp- metal surfaces, we are able to assess the degree to which we may refer to copper as an sp-metal.
Effect of conductivity interfaces in electrocardiography

This paper develops numerical techniques for two problems of interest in electrocardiography: (1) the determination of infinite-media surface potential gradients from boundedmedia torso potentials, and (2) the effects of lung-torso, blood mass-torso, and torso-air conductivity interfaces on torso surface potentials. This paper is an extension of a previous paper on the effects of conductivity interfaces which also utilized an integral equation formulation of Laplace's equation.
Silicon in the Life and Performance of Turfgrass

Over the past few years there has been a growing interest in the element silicon and its effects on the life and performance of plants. Many turfgrass managers want more information regarding its role in plant function. This article attempts to address that issue by first presenting general information about silicon in soil, silicon in plants, and silicon effects on abiotic (i.e., heat stress, drought stress, mineral toxicities, and wear tolerance) and biotic (plant diseases and insects) stress. Then, the currently-known role of silicon in turfgrass is explained along with mechanism(s) of silicon-mediated resistance to plant diseases. Finally, an outlook section on the future for silicon in turfgrass performance is presented.
Effect of prenatal exposure to aromatase inhibitor, testosterone, or antiandrogen on the development of feminine sexual behavior in ferrets of both sexes

Abstract Experiments were conducted to assess the role of prenatal exposure of the brain to estrogen in controlling the development of proceptive and receptive feminine sexual behavior in ferrets of both sexes. Female ferrets, deprived prenatally of estrogen via maternal ovariectomy on gestational day 30 (42-day gestation) plus SC implantation of an aromatase inhibitor, 1,4,6-androstatriene-3,17-dione (ATD), into their mothers, were significantly less receptive than control females when tested in adulthood after ovariectomy and administration of low (5 and 10 μg/kg) dosages of estradiol benzoate (EB). However, they were no less receptive than control females in response to a high (15 μg/kg) dosage of EB. Estrogen-deprived females showed EB-induced reductions in approach latencies to a stud male (proceptive responses) which were equivalent to those of control females. These results suggest that estrogenic stimulation of the female brain during fetal development enhances later receptive responsiveness to estradiol. However, prenatal estrogen appears not to be an absolute requirement for the development of receptive or proceptive coital capacity in females. In a previous study castrated male ferrets failed to show EB-induced reductions in the latency to approach a sexually active male, indicating that they were proceptively defeminized. In the present study females exposed prenatally to exogenous testosterone also failed to display significant EB-induced reductions in approach latencies to a sexually active male. Males deprived prenatally of estrogen ran faster to a stud male after adult administration of increasing dosages of EB. By contrast, control males as well as males exposed prenatally to androgen receptor antagonist, flutamide, displayed no EB-induced reduction in approach latencies. This suggests that in male ferrets prenatal neural aromatization of androgen to estrogen normally contributes to the process of proceptive defeminization.
Habitual short sleep impacts frontal switch mechanism in attention to novelty.

Study objectives Reduced time in bed relative to biological sleep need is common. The impact of habitual short sleep on auditory attention has not been studied to date. In the current study, we utilized novelty oddball tasks to evaluate the effect of habitual short sleep on brain function underlying attention control processes measured by the mismatch negativity (MMN, index of pre-attentive stage), P3a (attention-dependent), and P3b (memory-dependent) event related brain potentials (ERPs). An extended time in bed in a separate study was used to evaluate the possible reversal of the impairments of these processes in habitual short sleepers. Methods Ten self-defined short sleepers (total sleep time [TST] ≤ 6 h) and 9 normal-sleeping subjects with TST 7-8 h, participated. ERPs were recorded via a 64-channel EEG system. Two test conditions: "ignore" and "attend" were implemented. The ERPs were analyzed and compared between groups on the 2 task conditions and frontal/central/parietal electrodes by 3-factor ANOVA. Sleep diary data were compared between groups by t-test. Sleep was recorded by the Zeo sleep monitoring system for a week in both habitual and extended sleep conditions at home. Results The main findings of the present study show that short sleeping individuals had deficiency in activity of the MMN and P3a brain responses over frontal areas compared to normal-sleeping subjects. The P3b amplitude was increased over frontal areas and decreased over parietal with respect to the control group. Extension of time in bed for one week increased TST (from 5.7 h to 7.4 h), and concomitantly MMN amplitude increased from -0.1 μV up to -1.25 μV over frontal areas. Conclusions Reduced time in bed is associated with deficiency of the neuronal process associated with change detection, which may recover after one week of sleep extension, whereas attention-dependent neural processes do not normalize after this period of time in habitually short sleeping individuals and may require longer recovery periods.
N-methylquinolinium 2-carboxylate, a defensive betaine from Photuris versicolor fireflies

From whole body extracts of Photuris versicolor fireflies, the defensive betaine N-methylquinolinium 2-carboxylate (1) was isolated and characterized on the basis of spectroscopic data and comparison with a synthetic sample.
Scripps satellite archive browsing for localized environments

Scripps Satellite Archive Browsing for Localized Environments (SSable) is a new interactive tool for browsing the Scripps Satellite Oceanography Center's (SSOC) archive of satellite data in your laboratory or office. The archive contains data from the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration/Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer(AVHRR) series of satellites dating from 1979 to present. SSOC maintains a capture station, and data are continually being added to the SSable system within 10 minutes of capture completion. SSable provides an easy-to-use, pointand-click, mouse driven user interface developed around the OSF/Motif widget set and the X Window protocol. All options are selected by either directly clicking the mouse on the desired push button, or pulling down a sub-menu from a push-button. A “fill-inthe-blanks” window appears to guide the user in defining the operation. All SSable option menus have a cancel button to abort the operation. Users can search for data by time, day, geographic coordinate or, if the user knows the structure of the Scripps archive, by explicit archive number.
Earth and Space Science Community Assesses Impacts of U.S. Government Shutdown

The recent 16-day shutdown of the U.S. federal government cost the U.S. economy an estimated $24 billion. Federal science agencies are also tallying significant negative effects, including interruptions, delays, and, in some cases, cancellation of critical research projects in the Earth and space sciences.
Dinosaurs, spherules, and the “magic” layer: A new K-T boundary clay site in Wyoming

A new Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary clay site has been found along Dogie Creek in Wyoming in the drainage of Lance Creek—the type area of the Lance Formation of latest Cretaceous age. The boundary clay was discovered in the uppermost part of the Lance Formation, 4–7 cm beneath the lowest lignite in the Paleocene Fort Union Formation and approximately 1 m above a fragmented dinosaur bone. The boundary clay consists of a basal kaolinitic claystone layer as much as 3 cm thick containing hollow goyazite spherules, overlain by a 2–3 mm smectitic layer (the “magic” layer) containing both shock-metamorphosed minerals and an iridium anomaly of 21 ppb. A palynological break coincides with the base of the claystone layer; numerous Late Cretaceous palynomorph species terminate at this boundary. The paleontological significance of this new boundary site lies in its close association with the well-studied assemblage of dinosaurs and other vertebrates and flora within the type area of the Lance Formation. The spherules at the Dogie Creek site are extremely well preserved by virtue of their replacement by the mineral goyazite. This preservation should facilitate the resolution of the origin of the spherules and of their host layer.
Moments of random vectors with skew t distribution and their quadratic forms

Moments of skew t random vectors and their quadratic forms are derived. It is shown that the moments of the sample autocovariance function and of the sample variogram estimator depend on a measure of multivariate kurtosis, but not on a skewness parameter.
Unwinding and Inference Control

This paper discusses two main ideas, unwinding and inference control. While both concern computer security, they are not closely related to each other. Unwinding is a verification technique for general security requirements based on noninterference assertions as in [Goguen & Meseguer 82a]. The inference control problem concerns preventing inference of unauthorized information by combining authorized information. The main result in this paper is an unwinding theorem that gives a very simple necessary and sufficient condition for a system to satisfy the MLS security policy system. A subsidiary topic is secure interfaces, which we show how to treat with noninterferce assertions.
Singularity Probabilities for Random Matrices over Finite Fields

Fix q and let Mn be an n × n matrix with entries drawn independently from the finite field Fq according to some distribution μn. It is shown that, except in certain pathological cases, the probability that Mn is nonsingular is asymptotically the same as for uniform entries; that is,****** Insert formula here ******
svapls: an R package to correct for hidden factors of variability in gene expression studies

Hidden variability is a fundamentally important issue in the context of gene expression studies. Collected tissue samples may have a wide variety of hidden effects that may alter their transcriptional landscape significantly. As a result their actual differential expression pattern can be potentially distorted, leading to inaccurate results from a genome-wide testing for the important transcripts. We present an R package svapls that can be used to identify several types of unknown sample-specific sources of heterogeneity in a gene expression study and adjust for them in order to provide a more accurate inference on the original expression pattern of the genes over different varieties of samples. The proposed method implements Partial Least Squares regression to extract the hidden signals of sample-specific heterogeneity in the data and uses them to find the genes that are actually correlated with the phenotype of interest. We also compare our package with three other popular softwares for testing differential gene expression along with a detailed illustration on the widely popular Golub dataset. Results from the sensitivity analyes on simulated data with widely different hidden variation patterns reveal the improved detection power of our R package compared to the other softwares along with reasonably smaller error rates. Application on the real-life dataset exhibits the efficacy of the R package in detecting potential batch effects from the dataset. Overall, Our R package provides the user with a simplified framework for analyzing gene expression data with a wide range of hidden variation patterns and delivering a differential gene expression analysis with substantially improved power and accuracy. The R package svapls is freely available at http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/svapls/index.html .