cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Seafloor spreading history of the Agulhas Basin

Data gathered by recent “Islas Orcadas” cruises reveal the seafloor spreading pattern for a region south of the Agulhas/Falkland fracture zone system. The presence of a magnetic anomaly bight about the Agulhas Plateau indicates that the Agulhas Plateau may have developed at the site of a tectonic plate triple junction during the Late Cretaceous. A westward jump in the seafloor spreading center during the Late Maestrichtian (anomaly 34−31) reduced the offset across the Falkland/Agulhas fracture zone system and resulted in the formation of two conjugate aseismic ridges here described as the Meteor and Islas Orcadas Rises. The magnetic lineation pattern in the Agulhas Basin suggests that a tectonic plate (Malvinas Plate) existed during Campanian to Maestrichtian times. Relative rates of motion are calculated for Antarctica, South America, and Africa for the Late Cretaceous.
Image Analysis Under Varying Illumination

Often in dealing with images, the training data must be extracted for a limited data set. In particular, the illumination conditions of the sample images is limited and, in many cases, unknown. In this paper, we show that artificial variation of the illuminant of hyperspectral images can be used to overcome the limitations of a small sample set.
Nitroolefins in one-flask, tandem. A+B+C coupling reactions producing heterocycles

Abstract Nitroolefins are shown to be effective Michael acceptor B units in sequential, convenient, multi-gram scale A+B+C coupling in one reaction vessel to produce nitroalkane intermediates that are converted into oxygen and nitrogen heterocycles. The sequence is initiated by enolate nucleophiles (A) and is terminated by aldehydes or acrylate electrophiles (C). The utility of this protocol for rapid assembly of complex structures from simple and readily available components is illustrated by a short total synthesis of a pyrrolizidine alkaloid.
International Reserves and World-Wide Inflation: Further Analysis

N MY 1976 ARTICLE investigating the relationship between increases in the global holdings of international reserves, changes in the world money supply, and world-wide inflation, I argued that there is a direct causation running from increases in global reserves to the world money supply and further to worldwide inflation. The basis for the argument is contained in the sequential linkage between (1) reserve increases causing an expansion of the money supply and (2) a monetary expansion causing inflationary pressures. While these arguments are well established for single economies, I argued that there is also a global chain of events linking changes in reserves, money, and prices. In this note, I address first the relationship between global reserve changes and the world money supply and then provide further evidence on the linkage between global reserve changes and world-wide inflation-the central issue of my original paper.
Interband Transitions of Semiconducting Oxides Determined from Photoelectrolysis Spectra.

Abstract Measurements of the quantum efficiency of the photoelectrolysis of water, using semiconducting oxide anodes of high conductivity (≈ 1 Ωcm), are used to determine the energies of the interband transitions of the oxides. The previously determined values for the band gaps of TiO 2 and SrTiO 3 are confirmed, and new values are reported for Sr 0.5 Ba 0.5 Nb 2 O 6 (3.28 eV indirect, 3.92 and 4.19 eV direct), WO 3 (2.62 eV indirect, 3.52 and 3.74 eV direct) and for Fe 2 O 3 (1.88 eV indirect, 2.75 eV direct).
Performance of PyC, SiC, ZrC coatings in the geologic repository

Abstract The U.S. Deep-Burn Project is pursuing a fuel cycle that uses transuranic material taken from Light-Water Reactor (LWR) spent fuel in a High Temperature Reactor (HTR) to extract energy and transmute long-lived radionuclides. Burning transuranic radionuclides (TRU) from LWR spent fuel in a Deep-Burn High Temperature Reactor (DB-HTR) without addition of fertile material is an efficient and cost-effective way to process spent LWR fuel for disposal. With one coated particle fuel fabrication and one pass through the core, the HTR uses 95% of the energy from the fissile plutonium, and reduces the inventory of long-lived radionuclides by up to 60% by transmutation and fission. Public protection equivalent to that achieved by multi-recycle in a fast spectrum reactor can be achieved by disposing of the spent Deep-Burn fuel without further reprocessing – relying on the corrosion resistant TRISO or TRIZO coatings to contain the long-lived radioisotopes until they decay to low levels in the geologic repository. Coated particle behavior in a geologic repository is predicted here using coating corrosion data from a new, more comprehensive compilation in the one-dimensional, finite element fuel performance code PISA. Because of uncertainties associated with the properties of irradiated coatings and the mechanisms and rates of corrosion of coatings in repositories, the predictions made in this analysis are not quantitative but may be useful indicators of the behavior of the particle coatings. The uncertainties notwithstanding, our results indicate that integrity and radionuclide retention by coated particles are much longer than for other waste forms. SiC coated particles corrode slowly in dry and moist air and can survive for long times. If protected by the outer pyrocarbon coatings SiC can be an effective radionuclide barrier in aqueous media for long times; exposure to aqueous media substantially shortens the life of SiC coatings. ZrC coatings oxidize readily in repository air and provide less protection than SiC.
Effect of paramagnetic impurities on nuclear spin-lattice relaxation A numerical study

The effect of paramagnetic impurities on the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation time in metals is investigated by applying the theory of Blume and Hubbard in an appropriately generalized form. The calculations are carried out at finite temperature and magnetic field strength assuming that the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida interaction couples the impurity spins. The effect of approximating this interaction by $\frac{1}{{r}^{3}}$ is examined as is the temperature, magnetic field, and impurity-concentration dependence of the relaxation time. Quantitative results are obtained using parameters appropriate to the rare-earth alloy ${\mathrm{La}}_{1\ensuremath{-}c}{\mathrm{Gd}}_{c}{\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$ and a comparison is made with experiment; agreement is generally good.
The envelope of an oscillatory harmonizable process

Abstract In 1965, Priestley introduced the class of oscillatory processes and the concept of their evolutionary spectrum as a tool for the frequency analysis of these processes. In 1979, Hasofer showed that the envelope of an oscillatory process does not have a unique representation. Recently, Swift (1997) introduced the class of oscillatory harmonizable processes as an extension of Priestley’s oscillatory class. In this paper, a unique representation for the envelope of a subclass of oscillatory harmonizable processes is obtained.
When is an HIV Infection Prevented and when is it Merely Delayed

HIV prevention programs are typically evaluated using behavioral outcomes. Mathematical models of HIV transmission can be used to translate these behavioral outcomes into estimates of the number of HIV infections averted. Usually, intervention effectiveness is evaluated over a brief assessment period and an infection is considered to be prevented if it does not occur during this period. This approach may overestimate intervention effectiveness if participants continue to engage in risk behaviors. Conversely, this strategy underestimates the true impact of interventions by assuming that behavioral changes persist only until the end of the intervention assessment period. In this article, the authors (a) suggest a simple framework for distinguishing between HIV infections that are truly prevented and those that are merely delayed, (b) illustrate how these outcomes can be estimated, (c) discuss strategies for extrapolating intervention effects beyond the assessment period, and (d) highlight the implications o...
Bounded pseudo-hoops with internal states

State MV-algebras were introduced by Flaminio and Montagna as MV-algebras with internal states. Di Nola and Dvurecenskij presented the notion of state-morphism MV-algebra which is a stronger variation of a state MV-algebra. Rachůnek and Salounova introduced state GMV-algebras (pseudo-MV algebras) and state-morphism GMV-algebras, while the state BL-algebras and state-morphism BL-algebras were defined by Ciungu, Dvurecenskij and Hycko. Recently, Dvurecenskij, Rachůnek and Salounova presented state Rl-monoids and state-morphism Rl-monoids. In this paper we study these concepts for more general fuzzy structures, namely pseudo-hoops and we present state pseudo-hoops and state-morphism pseudo-hoops.
Carbon to Organic Matter Ratios for Soils in Rocky Mountain Coniferous Forests

Vegetation type, soils, climate, and conversion ratios influence estimates of terrestrial C. Our objectives were to (i) determine carbon to organic matter (C/OM) ratios for brown cubical rotten wood, litter, surface humus, soil wood, and mineral soils; (ii) evaluate the validity of using 0.58 and 0.50 ratios for estimating C in mineral and organic soil components, respectively; and (iii) determine if C/OM relationships were applicable across broad geographic areas. The study sites were located from the southern to northern Rocky Mountains. They differed in vegetation, soil parent material, and climate. The C/OM regression slopes we developed for organic components were quite consistent and relatively constant across vegetation types ranging from 0.43 to 0.51 and were similar to the 0.50 traditional ratio. The C/OM regression slopes for mineral soils ranged from 0.16 to 0.48 depending on vegetation type. These slopes were lower than the 0.58 ratio often applied. The reliability of simple ratios when used in estimating C as a function of organic matter is often overestimated. Error and bias can be introduced into C estimates when using simple ratios. This study refined C/OM regressions for mineral soils and provided regressions for organic soil components. Information developed in this study can be applied to improve regional and global C assessments.
Effects of porcine and rat endothelin and an analog on blood pressure in the anesthetized cat

Abstract Arterial responses to a wide range of doses of porcine and rat endothelin and a monocyclic analog were compared in the anesthetized cat. Injections of the porcine peptide in doses of 0.01–0.1 mol/kg i.v. decreased systemic arterial pressure in a dose-related manner, whereas doses of 0.3 and 1 nmol/kg i.v. elicited biphasic responses. The rat peptide, in doses of 0.03–1 nmol/kg i.v., also decreased arterial pressure in a dose-related fashion, whereas injection at 3 nmol/kg i.v. caused a biphasic response. With both peptides the biphasic response was characterized by an initial short-lived decrease followed by a secondary sustained increase in pressure. The monocyclic porcine analog in doses of 3–30 nmol/kg i.v. had no significant effect on arterial pressure. Both peptides increased cardiac output, and changes in peripheral vascular resistance in response to both peptides were not altered by sodium meclofenamate. These data suggest that arterial depressor responses to porcine and rat endothelin are similar and dose-dependent. However, the porcine peptide has 3-fold greater pressor activity in the cat. The lack of effect with the monocyclic porcine analog suggests that the two disulfide linkages are necessary for activity.
Effect of fluid wall shear stress on non-linear beam vibration

In this paper, the effects of tension and fluid wall shear stress on non-linear structural vibrations are investigated. Results show that fluid wall shear stress both suppresses and increases the non-linear response given by the large deflection response depending on its value. An in-depth analysis of the non-linear vibration response shows vibration energy flowing from the fundamental to the harmonics and then subharmonics as the excitation level increases. Various techniques to suppress non-linear vibrations were examined and most gave the same result, which is suppression of the subhramonics and harmonics.
Fine Spatial Information Represented in a Population of Retinal Ganglion Cells

Detailed measurement of ganglion cell receptive fields often reveals significant deviations from a smooth, Gaussian profile. We studied the effect of these irregularities on the representation of fine spatial information in the retina. We recorded from nearby clusters of ganglion cells, testing their ability to determine the location of small flashed spots, and we compared the results to the prediction of a Gaussian receptive field model derived from reverse correlation. Despite considerable receptive field overlap, almost all ganglion cell pairs signaled nearly independently. For groups of five cells with highly overlapping receptive fields, the measured light-evoked currents encoded ∼33% more information than predicted by the Gaussian receptive field model. Including measured local irregularities in the receptive field model increased performance to the level observed experimentally. These results suggest that instead of being an unavoidable defect, irregularities may be a positive design feature of population neural codes.
FEMALES' RESPONSE TO MALES' BEARDEDNESS

Preferences of 482 Caucasian female college students for males' beardedness were investigated through a questionnaire. Observed low levels of liking for beardedness contrast markedly with earlier research on other college populations. The influence of region and rurality on political and social conservatism was discussed as a possible explanation for variation among studies of reaction to male beardedness.
Total Synthesis of (±)-Barbatusol

Abstract The naturally occurring hypotensive agent barbatusol ( 1a ) has been synthesized in racemic form from 3-isopropylveratrole and 4,4-dimethyl-2-cyclohexene-1-one. An improved procedure for deprotection of barbatusol dimethyl ether ( 1b ) is described.
Cospeciation of Pocket Gophers (Geomys) and their Chewing Lice (Geomydoecus)

Comparison of independently derived phylogenies for pocket gophers ( Geomys ) and their chewing lice ( Geomydoecus ) from Texas and Louisiana indicates a history of widespread cospeciation in this host-parasite assemblage. Inference of cospeciation is supported by statistical comparison of genetic-distance matrices for gophers and lice based on allozyme data. Although similar, host and parasite phylogenies are not identical; inconsistencies likely result from host-switching by the parasites, retention of ancestral taxa of parasites on recently evolved hosts, or poorly delineated taxonomic boundaries. The current disjunct distribution of Geomydoecus ewingi suggests that this chewing louse once parasitized the common ancestor of Geomys breviceps and G. attwateri . Combined protein and morphologic evidence suggests that the population of Geomydoecus ewingi hosted by G. breviceps breviceps in northeastern Louisiana may be a cryptic species of louse.
Institutional reforms in the Gulf Cooperation Council economies: A conceptual framework ☆

Institutions are slow to change in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies. More to the point, institutions promoting free enterprise economy are lacking in the region. Concepts and theory building are lacking on the dynamics and forces related to institutional changes in GCC economies. In an attempt to fill this void, this paper proposes a framework for identifying clear contexts and attendant mechanisms associated with institutional changes in emerging economies. We then apply the framework in the context of GCC economies. The explanations offered in this paper shed light on the nature of power balance among various institutional actors associated with GCC economies and their cognitive frameworks.
Roles of glutamate and GABA receptors in setting the developmental timing of spontaneous synchronized activity in the developing mouse cortex

Spontaneous, synchronized electrical activity (SSA) plays important roles in nervous system development, but it is not clear what causes it to start and stop at the appropriate times. In previous work, we showed that when SSA in neonatal mouse cortex is blocked by TTX in cultured slices during its normal time of occurrence (E17–P3), it fails to stop at P3 as it does in control cultured slices, but instead persists through at least P10. This indicates that SSA is self-extinguishing. Here we use whole-cell recordings and [Ca2+]i imaging to compare control and TTX-treated slices to isolate the factors that normally extinguish SSA on schedule. In TTX-treated slices, SSA bursts average 4 s in duration, and have two components. The first, lasting about 1 s, is mediated by AMPA receptors; the second, which extends the burst to 4 s and is responsible for most of the action potential generation during the burst, is mediated by NMDA receptors. In later stage (P5–P9) control slices, after SSA has declined to about 4% of its peak frequency, bursts lack this long NMDA component. Blocking this NMDA component in P5–P9 TTX-treated slices reduces SSA frequency, but not to the low values found in control slices, implying that additional factors help extinguish SSA. GABAA inhibitors restore SSA in control slices, indicating that the emergence of GABAA-mediated inhibition is another major factor that helps terminate SSA. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2007
Automated three-dimensional registration of medical images

We have developed an automated system to perform registration of medical images in three- dimensions (3-D), with accuracy on the order of the pixel sizes. This new approach attempts to integrate anatomical and/or functional information from images acquired by different modalities or at different times without manual operations. This method has been applied to registration of images acquired from X-ray computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET).
Hadamard Products of Convex Harmonic Mappings

Functions f in the class $ K_H $ are convex, univalent, harmonic, and sense preserving in the unit disk. Such functions can be expressed as $ f = h + \overline {g} $ where h and g are analytic functions. If $ f \in K_H $ has $ h(0) = 0, g(0) = 0, h'(0) = 1$ , and $ g'(0) = 0 $ , then $ f \in K_H^0 $ . For $ f \in K_H^0 $ and } analytic in the unit disk, an integral representation for $ f\tilde {*}\varphi = h*\varphi + \overline {g*\varphi } $ is found. With } a strip mapping, $ f\tilde {*}\varphi $ is shown to be in $ K_H^0 $ . In a 1958 paper, Polya and Schoenberg conjectured that if f and g are conformal mappings of the unit disk onto convex domains, then the Hadamard product f 2 g of f and g has the same property. It is known that the analogue of that result for harmonic mappings is false. In this paper, some examples are given in which the property of convexity is preserved for Hadamard products of certain convex harmonic mappings. In addition, an integral formula is used to determine the geometry of ...
Studies on the role of histones in relation to the template activity and precipitability of chromatin at physiological ionic strengths.

Abstract Chromatin samples were dehistonized by increasing concentrations of sodium deoxycholate or sodium chloride. The ability of these partially dehistonized chromatin samples to act as template in a high ionic strength (0.2 m -KCl) DNA-dependent RNA synthesis system catalyzed by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase, increases from that of native chromatin to that of pure DNA in a manner which is nearly linear with the amount of histone removed from the template. Since the two methods employed for selective dissociation of histones from chromatin yield entirely different patterns of histone dissociation, it is apparent that the lowered template activity of chromatin is not due solely to the presence of one particular histone fraction. In contrast, the precipitability of partially dehistonized chromatin samples in 0.15 m -NaCl shows a large dependence upon the presence of histone I (lysine-rich). This suggests that histone I interacts more with the aqueous environment than do the other histone fractions.
Genetic dissection of the mouse brain using high-field magnetic resonance microscopy

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has demonstrated that variation in brain structure is associated with differences in behavior and disease state. However, it has rarely been practical to prospectively test causal models that link anatomical and functional differences in humans. In the present study we have combined classical mouse genetics with high-field MR to systematically explore and test such structure-functional relations across multiple brain regions. We segmented 33 regions in two parental strains-C57BL/6J (B) and DBA/2J (D)-and in nine BXD recombinant inbred strains. All strains have been studied extensively for more than 20 years using a battery of genetic, functional, anatomical, and behavioral assays. We compared levels of variation within and between strains and sexes, by region, and by system. Average within-strain variation had a coefficient of variation (CV) of 1.6% for the whole brain; while the CV ranged from 2.3 to 3.6% for olfactory bulbs, cortex and cerebellum, and up to approximately 18% for septum and laterodorsal thalamic nucleus. Variation among strain averages ranged from 6.7% for cerebellum, 7.6% for whole brain, 9.0% for cortex, up to approximately 26% for the ventricles, laterodorsal thalamic nucleus, and the interpeduncular nucleus. Heritabilities averaged 0.60+/-0.18. Sex differences were not significant with the possible (and unexpected) exception of the pons ( approximately 20% larger in males). A correlation matrix of regional volumes revealed high correlations among functionally related parts of the CNS (e.g., components of the limbic system), and several high correlations between regions that are not anatomically connected, but that may nonetheless be functionally or genetically coupled.
Including Web sites in the online catalog: implications for cataloging, collection development, and access

Abstract A pilot project to include fully cataloged Web sites in a library’s online catalog, accompanied by queries sent to listservs and a literature search, demonstrate the implications for policies and practices in the areas of cataloging and collection development. These efforts enhance access and enrich the collections, and the benefits outweigh the time involved.
Mortgaged Metropolis: Evolving Urban Geographies of Residential Lending1

The role of housing finance in neighborhood change has long been a fixture of urban geography. In the last decade, however, residential mortgage lending has been transformed by economic growth and an expanded secondary market, regulatory intervention designed to eliminate discrimination and expand access to homeownership, and aggressive industry efforts to capture "underserved markets." In this paper I use Atlanta, Georgia, as a case study to assess changes in the spatial allocation of mortgage capital, the persistence of racial disparities in loan rejection, and the systematic disinvestment from urban neighborhoods that cannot be justified on the basis of demand-side factors. Analysis of conventional home-purchase loans by depositories reveals only slight change in the geography of capital investment between the 1980s and 1990s. Logistic regression models of loan rejection in the expansion of the 1990s confirm a stark institutional segmentation of the mortgage market, durable racial disparities, and mark...
The Cuban sugar export dependency question: Premises and controversy

Abstract Controversy over the degree to which Cuba has diversified its economy away from sugar monoculture typically pivots on statistical fluctuation in sugar export concentration or the sugar industry's share in the economy. This note suggests that the controversy is somewhat moot in that if Cuba were to achieve its sugar price and production goals, sugar would be a greater component in the Cuban economy. Because Cuba has consistently fallen short of sugar price and production objectives, statistically observed diversification is not sufficient evidence for a conclusion of successful movement away from monoculture.
Cataloging and Classification for Library Technicians. 2nd ed.

This is a very clear and concise book that is designed to be used as a student textbook in cataloging and classification course. The book is also intended to serve as a general reference book for l...
Asymmetric-Echo, Short TE, Retrospectively gated MR imaging of the heart and pulmonary vessels

Although retrospectively cardiac-gated (cine) magnetic resonance imaging has shown promise for large-vessel pulmonary vascular imaging, it has not been able to depict the peripheral pulmonary vasculature, where signal is dephased because of susceptibility and/or motion artifacts. The authors developed a cine pulse sequence that uses asymmetric echoes and radio-frequency envelopes to achieve reduced gradient moments and a short TE, thereby reducing signal losses due to disordered flow and susceptibility effects. The effects of TE (2.8-12 msec) and the degree of echo symmetry as measured by the echo symmetry fraction (ESF) (0.6-1.0) are considered in the pulmonary vasculature and the heart. In pulmonary vessels, the signal-to-noise ratio nearly doubled as TE was decreased from 12 to 2.8 msec, but there was only about a 15% difference as the ESF decreased from 1.0 to 0.6, consistent with T2* losses dominating gradient moment dephasing. At a TE of 2.8 msec, the sequence improves visualization of pulmonary vessels and may be helpful for diagnosing pulmonary emboli. In the heart, however, the contrast-to-noise ratio between blood and cardiac tissue decreased by 30% as TE decreased from 12 to 2.8 msec and was not affected by changes in ESF. Flow artifacts in the cardiac blood pool, including those that can aid in diagnosis (eg, signal loss due to "jet" flow), are much less pronounced when a small ESF and short TE are used, making this sequence less attractive for investigation of cardiac flow irregularities. The reduced flow artifacts in this case, however, permit excellent depiction of gross cardiac anatomy.
Henri Albert Hartmann (1860–1952): colorectal master

The life and times of the coloproctologist Henri Hartmann (1860–1952) is presented outlining his contribution to surgery in general and to the field of colorectal surgery in particular.
Combined effects of inorganic constituents and pyrolysis conditions on the gasification reactivity of coal chars

Abstract A detailed phenomenological study of the gasification behavior of a North Dakota lignite was undertaken and the fundamental parameters that determine char reactivity were investigated. Differences in reactivity of up to three orders of magnitude were obtained by varying the conditions of coal pretreatment and pyrolysis. Pretreatment included demineralization with HCl and HF, ion exchange with ammonium acetate and back exchange with calcium acetate. Pyrolysis temperature, residence time and heating rate were varied in the range 975–1475 K, 0.3 s-1 h and 10 K/min-104 K/s, respectively. The observed reactivity differences were rationalized in terms of variations in the concentration of carbon and catalyst active sites.
Discrete-time adaptive control of a nonlinear aircraft flight dynamic system (NASA GTM) with damage

This paper studies some key technical issues of discrete-time adaptive control of a continuous-time nonlinear aircraft flight system with uncertain structural damage. A linearized discrete-time aircraft model with a dynamics offset is obtained from the discretized nonlinear aircraft model, which characterizes large unknown system parametric and structural changes caused by structural damage. The invariance of the discrete-time infinite zero structure before and after damage is derived for small sampling periods. A state feedback MRAC scheme is designed to ensure the signal boundedness of the closed-loop system and asymptotic output tracking in the presence of the dynamics and damage uncertainties. This linearization-based discrete-time adaptive control scheme is evaluated on a high-fidelity continuous-time nonlinear aircraft model-the NASA generic transport model (GTM) with uncertain damage. Simulation results show the desired system performance and demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed discrete-time adaptive control scheme for the continuous-time nonlinear aircraft system.
Finitely Adaptive Linear Programming in Robust Power System Optimization

The paper explores applications of the finitely adaptable robust linear programming (LP) to deregulated power systems using the example of locational marginal prices (LMPs). The decision-maker can often obtain additional information about the realization of the uncertainty before committing to a decision (e.g., LMPs as outputs from day-ahead market). The paper derives necessary and sufficient conditions that any finitely adaptive scheme must satisfy in order to improve the robust solution by a pre-specified amount. The proposed algorithm increases adaptability, and bridges the gap between the robust formulation and the re-optimization (or fully adjustable) formulation. It also offers an alternative to probabilistic, risk-based frameworks. The finitely adaptable model is verified on two benchmark examples: a small (8 buses/13 lines) and medium (300 nodes/411 lines).
Antiarrhythmic Agents and the Danger of Proarrhythmic Events

Excerpt Only in the last decade have the proarrhythmic effects of antiarrhythmic agents been evaluated. Most recent studies (1-3) have focused on drugs used to treat ventricular arrhythmias. These ...
Theory of quasibound states. Comparison with experiment for HeH+ isotopes

Abstract The energy and widths for all quasibound states of the 4HeH+, 3HeH+, 4HeD+, and 3HeD+ isotopes are calculated by methods that utilize their near-discrete state character. A method for the enumeration of these states is also proposed. Comparisons with the standard phase-shift method indicate these proposed techniques are useful and offer certain advantages. The energies of the quasibound states show at least semiquantitative agreement with sharp features observed in the energy of the H+ or D+ fragments which are produced both by unimolecular and single-collision dissociation mechanisms. Requirements on the widths (lifetimes) of the states used in this comparison are also satisfied. The agreement is best for the 4HeH+ and 3HeH+ cases. Tests of two potentials for the HeH+ system indicate that part of the discrepancy between theory and experiment is due to errors in the best available potential function. Hence, quasibound states are presumed to be responsible for the sharp features observed in the H+ and D+ dissociation energy. This conclusion is in agreement with the mechanisms proposed by the experimental groups.
Study on a Kind of White Massive Microstructure in P91 Steel Weld Joint

A kind of white massive microstructure in weld joint of P91 steel was first discussed by OM, SEM and EDS analysis. Results indicated that it is a kind of substance with low melting temperature other than the conventional delta ferrite. It contains high content of Cr due to improper choice of weld electrode and weld heat treatment. The existance of the abnormal microstructure will result in cracking under large stress for poor toughness. Solutions are suggested to prevent the formation of the white massive microstructure.
Space Vehicle Terrestrial Environment Design Requirements Guidelines

The terrestrial environment is an important driver of space vehicle structural, control, and thermal system design. NASA is currently in the process of producing an update to an earlier Terrestrial Environment Guidelines for Aerospace Vehicle Design and Development Handbook. This paper addresses the contents of this updated handbook, with special emphasis on new material being included in the areas of atmospheric thermodynamic models, wind dynamics, atmospheric composition, atmospheric electricity, cloud phenomena, atmospheric extremes, and sea state. In addition, the respective engineering design elements are discussed relative to terrestrial environment inputs that require consideration. Specific lessons learned that have contributed to the advancements made in the application and awareness of terrestrial environment inputs for aerospace engineering applications are presented.
Introduction to the symposium "Advances in Chiton Research"*

The present volume features contributions from partici-pants of the symposium, “Advances in Chiton Research,” inSeattle, Washington on 31 July 2006. As the organizer forthis symposium, I was impressed with the willingness ofnational and international authorities or students whosediverse research involves chitons to participate in thesemeetings. The symposium was a tremendous success andcompared favorably to four previous meetings of interna-tional scope that were devoted to chitons: (1) 1987 AMSsymposium on “Biology of the Polyplacophora” in Key West,Florida (see
Identification of a human TFPI-2 splice variant that is upregulated in human tumor tissues.

Background Previous studies have shown that the expression of tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 (TFPI-2), a matrix-associated Kunitz-type serine proteinase inhibitor, is markedly down-regulated in several tumor cells through hypermethylation of the TFPI-2 gene promoter. In the present study, RT-PCR analysis of total RNA from both human normal and tumor cells revealed a novel 289 nucleotide splice variant of the TFPI-2 transcript designated as aberrantly-spliced TFPI-2 (asTFPI-2).
The relative efficacy of cues for two-dimensional shape perception

The visual system uses a variety of cues for form perception, including motion, color, binocular disparity, texture, and luminance. Physiological evidence suggests that these cues are processed by different neural mechanisms. Do the cues processed by some mechanisms convey any advantage for form perception when compared to cues processed by another? In response to this question we assessed the relative efficiency of several cues in conveying two-dimensional form from background noise. For the sake of comparison, every cue type used the same experimental design and stimulus set. Our results confirm that movement is one of the most efficient cues for shape perception. Also, a simple transient cue (an instantaneous flashing on or off) is equally useful. In comparison, local dot density (a type of texture cue) was the least efficient. The efficiencies of most other cues, such as color, stereopsis, and relative movement in noise, were conspicuously similar.
Extreme insular dwarfism evolved in a mammoth

The insular dwarfism seen in Pleistocene elephants has come to epitomize the island rule; yet our understanding of this phenomenon is hampered by poor taxonomy. For Mediterranean dwarf elephants, where the most extreme cases of insular dwarfism are observed, a key systematic question remains unresolved: are all taxa phyletic dwarfs of a single mainland species Palaeoloxodon antiquus (straight-tusked elephant), or are some referable to Mammuthus (mammoths)? Ancient DNA and geochronological evidence have been used to support a Mammuthus origin for the Cretan ‘Palaeoloxodon’ creticus, but these studies have been shown to be flawed. On the basis of existing collections and recent field discoveries, we present new, morphological evidence for the taxonomic status of ‘P’. creticus, and show that it is indeed a mammoth, most probably derived from Early Pleistocene Mammuthus meridionalis or possibly Late Pliocene Mammuthus rumanus. We also show that Mammuthus creticus is smaller than other known insular dwarf mammoths, and is similar in size to the smallest dwarf Palaeoloxodon species from Sicily and Malta, making it the smallest mammoth species known to have existed. These findings indicate that extreme insular dwarfism has evolved to a similar degree independently in two elephant lineages.
Ebselen treatment prevents islet apoptosis, maintains intranuclear Pdx-1 and MafA levels, and preserves β-cell mass and function in ZDF rats

We reported earlier that β-cell–specific overexpression of glutathione peroxidase (GPx)-1 significantly ameliorated hyperglycemia in diabetic db/db mice and prevented glucotoxicity-induced deterioration of β-cell mass and function. We have now ascertained whether early treatment of Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats with ebselen, an oral GPx mimetic, will prevent β-cell deterioration. No other antihyperglycemic treatment was given. Ebselen ameliorated fasting hyperglycemia, sustained nonfasting insulin levels, lowered nonfasting glucose levels, and lowered HbA1c levels with no effects on body weight. Ebselen doubled β-cell mass, prevented apoptosis, prevented expression of oxidative stress markers, and enhanced intranuclear localization of pancreatic and duodenal homeobox (Pdx)-1 and v-maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene family, protein A (MafA), two critical insulin transcription factors. Minimal β-cell replication was observed in both groups. These findings indicate that prevention of oxidative stress is the mechanism whereby ebselen prevents apoptosis and preserves intranuclear Pdx-1 and MafA, which, in turn, is a likely explanation for the beneficial effects of ebselen on β-cell mass and function. Since ebselen is an oral antioxidant currently used in clinical trials, it is a novel therapeutic candidate to ameliorate fasting hyperglycemia and further deterioration of β-cell mass and function in humans undergoing the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Risk Factors for Menstrual Toxic Shock Syndrome: Results of a Multistate Case-Control Study

For assessment of current risk factors for developing toxic shock syndrome (TSS) during menstruation, a case-control study was performed. Cases with onset between 1 January 1986 and 30 June 1987 were ascertained in six study areas with active surveillance for TSS. Age-matched controls were selected from among each patient's friends and women with the same telephone exchange. Of 118 eligible patients, 108 were enrolled, as were 185 "friend controls" and 187 telephone exchange-matched controls. Tampon use was a risk factor for developing TSS during menstruation (odds ratio = 29; 95% confidence interval = 7-120), and risk increased with increasing tampon absorbency (odds ratio = 1.34 per gram increase in absorbency; 95% confidence interval = 1.2-1.6). The role of tampon chemical composition could not be assessed because the number of cases was inadequate. Neither use of birth control pills for contraception nor use of medications for premenstrual or menstrual symptoms protected against or was a risk factor for the development of menstrual TSS.
Filtering and spectral processing of 1-D signals using cellular neural networks

This paper presents cellular neural networks (CNN) for one-dimensional discrete signal processing. Although CNN has been extensively used in image processing applications, little has been done for 1-dimensional signal processing. We propose a novel CNN architecture to carry out these tasks. This architecture consists of a shift register, e.g., a charge coupled device, and a 1/spl times/n neural array. Each cell processes a sample of the input signal. By using appropriate templates and shifting the input signal the CNN array is capable of performing FIR filtering, discrete Fourier transform, and wavelet decomposition and reconstruction. Even though this implementation is not more efficient than conventional methods, the paper shows that an analog computer based on the CNN paradigm can also be used to perform the linear operations described above. Simulation results and comparisons for spectral audio applications are presented.
Spontaneous thioester bond formation in α2-macroglobulin, C3 and C4

Purified α2-macroglobulin and complement proteins C3 and C4 were treated with a ammonia to break their intramolecular thioester bonds and reform the original free cysteinyl and glutamyl side chains. When this reaction was performed at low temperature a conformational intermediate was trapped which lacked a thioester, but which could refold to the native structure and spontaneously reform the thioester and full biological function. The findings suggest that these proteins may undergo spontaneous post-translational self-modification forming the thioesters without involvement of enzymes of high energy metabolites such as ATP.
Sequential detection of convexity from noisy function evaluations

Consider a real-valued function that can only be evaluated with error. Given estimates of the function values from simulation on a finite set of points, we seek a procedure to detect convexity or non-convexity of the true function restricted to those points. We review an existing frequentist hypothesis test, and introduce a sequential Bayesian procedure. Our Bayesian procedure applies for both independent sampling and sampling with common random numbers, with known or unknown sampling variance. In each iteration, we collect a set of samples and update a posterior distribution on the function values, and use that as the prior belief in our next iteration. We then approximate the probability that the function is convex based on the posterior using Monte Carlo simulation.
Shallow seismic stratigraphy and post-Albian geologic history of the northern and central Blake Plateau

Interpretation of >4,700 km of high-resolution, seismic-reflection profiles from the northern and central Blake Plateau was used to reconstruct the geologic history of this continental margin sector since Albian time. Beneath the northern Blake Plateau, a basal Albian sequence is overlain by three progradational sequences inferred to be Turonian-Coniacian, Santonian, and Campanian-Maastrichtian in age. Their clinoform patterns and external geometry suggest that these sequences consist of clastic sediment derived from a source to the west. The position of the seaward terminus of these sequences shifted by as much as 50 km during the Late Cretaceous, presumably in response to variations in the input of clastic sediment. To the south, the progradational units grade into thinner, blanketlike deposits interpreted as being deep-water sediments that accumulated in a slowly subsiding basin. By latest Cretaceous time, sediment was introduced to the inshore reaches of this deep-water basin apparently by a powerful, easterly flowing current sweeping through the Suwannee Strait of southern Georgia and northern Florida. Three thin, but mappable, units of Paleocene, Eocene-Oligocene, and post-Oligocene age comprise the Cenozoic section. Drill-hole data indicate that they consist principally of deep-water foraminiferal oozes and limestones. The dominant geologic agent during the Cenozoic was the Gulf Stream, the flow axis of which shifted periodically across the Plateau in response to global sea-level fluctuations. This powerful current influenced the location and development of the Florida-Hatteras Shelf and Slope, controlled facies distribution, and scoured the surface of the Blake Plateau, thereby producing an abbreviated sedimentary section containing numerous unconformities. The persistence of Gulf Stream erosion during the Cenozoic, in conjunction with crustal subsidence, transformed the distal edge of this continental margin sector into a deep-water, sediment-starved environment, the Blake Plateau.
Musings on persistent excitation prompts new weighted least squares SysID method for nonlinear differential equation based systems

The Control community relies heavily on good System Identification (SysID) for finding the plant models needed to develop a good controller. However over time the SysID process and controller development process have remained generally separate activities. One reason for this is that SysID and Control are disparate in their fundamental nature. For good SysID, one is faced with the challenge of persistently exciting plant dynamics; while a good control system attempts to constrain or suppress much of a plant's natural dynamics with desired dynamics. It is this inherent conflict that separates the two practices. But for many plants, their inherent instabilities makes trajectory collection difficult, thus there is a desire to perform data collection while under some simple form of control. Nevertheless, in order to perform solid SysID one must sample the very dynamics one might need to suppress; how then can this be achieved? This paper will explore the notation of persistent excitation, its relationship to phase space trajectories, and how one might recover the most nonlinear dynamics information for SysID while remaining under the linearizing based control region - the very place that those dynamics are most suppressed.
Physical optics polarization scattering matrix for a top hat reflector

The polarization scattering matrix for a cylinder on a circular disk is derived subject to the physical optics (PO) approximation. The multiple scattering between the cylinder and the circular disk ground plane is obtained by invoking image theory, and is expressed as a bistatic return from the cylinder and its image, due to the image field. Results for a particular case are evaluated and compared with measurements. >
Factors regulating AMPA-type glutamate receptor subunit changes induced by sciatic nerve injury in rats.

Excitatory glutamatergic neurotransmission at Ia afferent-motoneuron synapses is enhanced shortly after physically severing or blocking impulse propagation of the afferent and/or motoneuron axons. We considered the possibility that these synaptic changes occur because of alterations in the number or properties of motoneuron alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate (AMPA) receptors. Therefore, we quantitatively analyzed glutamate receptor (GluR)1, GluR2/3, and GluR4 AMPA subunit immunoreactivity (ir) in motoneurons 3, 7, or 14 days after axotomy or continuous tetrodotoxin (TTX) block of the sciatic nerve. GluR1-ir remained low in experimental and control motoneurons with either treatment and at any date. However, there was a large reduction of GluR2/3-ir (peak at 7 days >60% reduced) and a smaller, but statistically significant, reduction of GluR4-ir (around 10% reduction at days 3, 7, and 14) in axotomized motoneurons. TTX sciatic blockade did not affect AMPA subunit immunostainings. Axonal injury or interruption of the trophic interaction between muscle and spinal cord, but not activity disruption, appears therefore more likely responsible for altering AMPA subunit immunoreactivity in motoneurons. These findings also suggest that synaptic plasticity induced by axotomy or TTX block, although similar in the first week, could be related to different mechanisms. The effects of axotomy or TTX block on motoneuron expression of the metabotropic glutamate receptor mGluR1a were also studied. mGluR1a-ir was also strongly decreased after axotomy but not after TTX treatment. The time course of the known stripping of synapses from the cell somas of axotomized motoneurons was studied by using synaptophysin antibodies and compared with AMPA and mGluR1a receptor changes. Coverage by synaptophysin-ir boutons was only clearly decreased 14 days post axotomy and not at shorter intervals or after TTX block.
Cytotoxicity of a novel lipid-like bacterial product.

A highly cytotoxic, lipid-like compound was isolated from a Serratiamarcescens strain currently under identification. We have named the compound DCX for its direct cytotoxic activity on various cell types in culture. DCX was purified by preparative thin layer chromatography from chloroform: methanol = 4:1 extracts of whole bacteria, and is chromatographically homogeneous. The effect of DCX on cells is dose, time, and temperature dependent. DCX is particularly toxic to the mastocytoma cell line P815 (TD50 = 75 pg/ml). Three other malignant or transformed murine cell lines were sensitive to the cytotoxic action of DCX. The effect of DCX was also tested on normal cells (human gingival fibroblasts), which showed greater resistance to DCX than the other cells tested.