cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) transcription during latency in human ganglia: detection of transcripts mapping to genes 21, 29, 62, and 63 in a cDNA library enriched for VZV RNA.

Information on the extent of virus DNA transcription and translation in infected tissue is crucial to an understanding of herpesvirus latency. To detect low-abundance latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV) transcripts, poly(A)+ RNA extracted from latently infected human trigeminal ganglia was enriched for VZV transcripts by hybridization to biotinylated VZV DNA. After hybridization, the RNA-DNA hybrid was isolated by binding to avidin-coated beads and extensively washed, and the RNA was released by heat denaturation. A lambda-based cDNA library was then constructed from the enriched RNA. PCR and DNA sequencing of DNA extracted from the cDNA library revealed the presence of VZV genes 21, 29, 62, and 63, but not VZV genes 4, 10, 40, 51, and 61, in the enriched cDNA library. These findings confirm the detection of VZV gene 29 and 62 transcripts on Northern (RNA) blots prepared from latently infected human ganglia (J.L. Meier, R.P. Holman, K.D. Croen, J.E. Smialek, and S.E. Straus, Virology 193:193-200, 1993) and the presence of VZV gene 21 transcripts in a cDNA library from mRNA of latently infected ganglia (R.J. Cohrs, K. Srock, M.B. Barbour, G. Owens, R. Mahalingam, M.E. Devlin, M. Wellish and D.H. Gilden, J. Virol. 68:7900-7908,1994) and also reveal, for the first time, the presence of VZV gene 63 RNA in latently infected human ganglia.
Unity and Diversity of Promotion Criteria in US Schools, Colleges and Departments of Education

As the mission for faculty members in schools, colleges and departments of education (SCDEs) becomes ever wider, and subgroups of faculty develop to handle different aspects of SCDE missions, how to equitably reward faculty members becomes a crucial issue. Analyses of data collected from 918 tenure-line faculty members in 25 SCDEs suggest that faculty members feel current promotion criteria to be inflexible and Procrustean, and desire to have a set of more diversified promotion criteria consistent with their levels and patterns of involvement in SCDE missions. A typology of promotion criteria, and some policy implications of this study, are discussed.
Long-term outcomes of generalized tonic-clonic seizures in a childhood absence epilepsy trial

Objective: To determine incidence and early predictors of generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCs) in children with childhood absence epilepsy (CAE). Methods: Occurrence of GTCs was determined in 446 children with CAE who participated in a randomized clinical trial comparing ethosuximide, lamotrigine, and valproate as initial therapy for CAE. Results: As of June 2014, the cohort had been followed for a median of 7.0 years since enrollment and 12% (53) have experienced at least one GTC. The median time to develop GTCs from initial therapy was 4.7 years. The median age at first GTC was 13.1 years. Fifteen (28%) were not on medications at the time of their first GTC. On univariate analysis, older age at enrollment was associated with a higher risk of GTCs ( p = −0.0009), as was the duration of the shortest burst on the baseline EEG ( p = 0.037). Failure to respond to initial treatment ( p p p = 0.017) and not seen in those initially treated with lamotrigine. Conclusions: The occurrence of GTCs in a well-characterized cohort of children with CAE appears lower than previously reported. GTCs tend to occur late in the course of the disorder. Children initially treated with ethosuximide who are responders have a particularly low risk of developing subsequent GTCs.
Regulatory structure and risk and infrastructure firms : an international comparison

Evidence about how choice of regulatory regimes affects the level of shareholder risk for the regulated company has traditionally focused on studies in the United Kingdom and the United States. Broad comparisons of price-cap based regimes (as practiced in the UK) with rate-of-return regulation (as practiced in the US) show price-cap based regimes to be associated with higher levels of shareholder risk (as measured by the beta value) than rate-of-return regulation is. But so few countries were compared that it was suspected that other factors could be at work. The authors broaden the investigation by studying more countries (including regulated utilities in Canada, Europe,, and Latin America), doing a sectoral comparison to control for some risks related to factors other than the regulatory regime, and use narrower classifications for the regulatory regime. They also look at such recent evidence as the move from relatively pure price caps in the UK electricity sector to a mixed-revenue/price-cap based system. The authors find results aligned with earlier research, namely that investors bear the greatest nondiversifiable risk with price caps and the least nondiversifiable risk with rate-of-return regulation.
Effects of Shovel Logging and Rubber-tired Skidding on Surface Soil Attributes in a Selectively Harvested Central Hardwood Stand

Shovel logging, a ground-based, non-tractive yarding method that uses an excavator fixed with a grapple instead of a bucket, offers the potential to yard felled wood with less impact to forest soils than conventional rubber-tired skidding methods. The results of this study, carried out in Apalachian hardwoods, indicated that, although neither conventional nor shovel logging methods can be recommended over the other based solely on short-term impacts to soil bulk density, shovel logging resulted in significantly less surface soil disturbance. In addition, shovel logging eliminated the need for primary skid trail construction, identified as a potential source of particulate matter that may contribute to nonpoint source pollution.
Name-Your-Own-Price seller’s information revelation strategy with the presence of list-price channel

This study examines the Name-Your-Own-Price (NYOP) retailer’s information revelation strategy when competing with list-price channel. We propose an integrated economic framework focusing on the comparison of expected consumer surplus from bidding at NYOP auction and guaranteed consumer surplus from buying at a list price. We then conduct an empirical study to examine the effects of seller-supplied price information on NYOP bidding outcome (especially on expected winning probability and the number of bidders). The results of our study strongly indicate the effects of seller-supplied information on expected winning probability (as well as the expected consumer surplus) in a NYOP auction. We also illustrate the strategic implications of seller-supplied price information via a revenue simulation for the NYOP seller. Our results suggest that NYOP seller may increase his expected revenue by (1) provide only the upper bound of its threshold price when list price is high (low expected consumer surplus from buying at list price); (2) provide only the lower bound of its threshold price when list price is low (high expected consumer surplus from buying at list price); (3) provide both the upper and lower bound of its threshold price when consumer surplus of buying at list price is unknown.
Finite-element modeling of stresses and strains in a diamond anvil cell device: case of a diamond-coated rhenium gasket

The stresses and strains in a diamond anvil cell device were investigated using a finite-element code NIKE2D for the case of an ultra-hard composite gasket material. The pressure distribution in a diamond-coated rhenium gasket was measured by the energy dispersive diffraction technique to 213 GPa and compared with the finite-element modeling results. We examine various models for the mechanical properties of diamond-coated rhenium gasket as well as for diamond failure for shear stresses exceeding 100 GPa. The elastic and plastic properties of gasket were varied such that a good agreement between the experimentally measured pressure distribution and the computational pressure profiles were obtained. As a result, we obtained the effective Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, yield stress for indented gasket, linear hardening modulus, and hardening parameter value for this layered ultra-hard composite gasket material. Future diamond design strategies for attainment of extreme high pressures using ultra-hard gas...
HEALTH‐PEERS: A DELIVERY MODEL FOR HEALTH PROMOTION AMONG THE ELDERLY

A health promotion delivery system using a peer leadership and social networking model was pilot tested in an elderly population. Participants were recruited from a volunteer organization and from a health promotion project. Lessons on fiber intake, dietary change, and peer leadership were presented in a small group setting. Those who qualified as peer leaders recruited a second generation of participants and taught them in the same manner. The pilot study determined that this model was feasible, showing an average increase in specific nutrition knowledge of 52.3%, and that peer leaders could be recruited and trained effectively. Recommendations for recruitment and training of peer leaders and for design of program content are discussed.
Assessment of Collisional-Energy-Based Models for Atmospheric Species Reactions in Hypersonic Flows

A recently proposed set of direct simulation Monte Carlo chemical reaction models, based solely on the collisional energy and the vibrational energy levels of the species involved, is applied to calculate equilibrium and nonequilibrium chemical reaction rates for atmospheric reactions in hypersonic flows. The direct simulation Monte Carlo model predictions are in good agreement with Park's model, several theoretical models, and experimental measurements. Physically plausible modifications to some of the direct simulation Monte Carlo models are presented that improve agreement. The observed agreement provides strong evidence that modeling of chemical reactions based on collisional energy and vibrational energy levels provides an accurate method for predicting equilibrium and nonequilibrium chemical reaction rates.
Introduction: Interactionist Approaches to Collective Memory

© 2007 by the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction. All rights reserved. Please direct all requests for permission to photocopy or reproduce article content through the University of California Press’s Rights and Permissions website, at http://www.ucpressjournals.com/reprintinfo/asp. DOI: 10.1525/si.2007.30.1.1. Direct all correspondence to Gary Alan Fine, Department of Sociology, 1810 Chicago Avenue, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208; e-mail : g-fine@northwestern.edu. Introduction: Interactionist Approaches to Collective Memory
Potential-dependent reconstruction at ordered Au(100)-aqueous interfaces as probed by atomic-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy

Detailed atomic-resolution images of ordered Au(100) surfaces in aqueous 0.1M ${\mathrm{HClO}}_{4}$ as obtained by in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) are reported as a function of electrode potential. Below about -0.25 V (versus saturated calomel electrode), the (1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1) surface reconstructs to form corrugated quasihexagonal domains. Multiple distinct, yet related, structures are formed that resemble those postulated from diffraction measurements. The reconstruction can be lifted by returning to 0.2 V. The results demonstrate the promise of atomic-resolution STM for examining reconstruction at ordered electrochemical surfaces.
Complement Processing and Immunoglobulin Binding to Neisseria gonorrhoeae Determined In Vitro Simulates In Vivo Effects

Local inflammation elicited by Neisseria gonorrhoeae correlates closely with sensitivity to killing by normal human serum. Serum-sensitive (SS) isolates are rendered resistant in vitro by lipooligosaccharide sialylation. Differences in C3b processing on N. gonorrhoeae in vitro were found to match findings at the cervical level in vivo. Nonsialylated SS gonococci bound 5-fold more C3b than did stably serum-resistant (SR) gonococci; most was processed to iC3b, yet significant C3b persisted. Sialylated SS gonococci bound 4-fold less total C3 antigen than did SR gonococci, which was promptly converted to iC3b. C3b bound later on stably SR gonococci but again was processed swiftly to iC3b. In vivo, the iC3b/C3 ratio of SS isolates more closely resembled nonsialylated SS isolates in vitro, implying heterogeneous sialylation or desialylation in vivo. In vitro, total IgM bound was unchanged by sialylation of SS isolates, but total C4 bound decreased by 75%, suggesting that sialylation may indirectly regulate the classical complement pathway.
Ethnic concentration and entrepreneurship: the case of African Americans in three US metropolitan areas

Using 2006–2010 American Community Survey data and a multilevel research design, this study examines how the spatial concentration of African Americans within local labor markets is associated with the probability of self-employment and job earnings from business ownership. We find a negative relationship between the spatial concentration of African Americans and their business ownership in Miami, but not in Atlanta. In Detroit, a higher percentage of US-born African Americans in the local labor market is actually associated with a higher probability of business ownership. The relationship between the percentage of African Americans and job earnings also differs across the three study areas. These results suggest that the relationship between racial/ethnic concentration and African American entrepreneurship is highly contingent on the economic conditions and demographic composition of local labor markets.
Flight recorders and aircraft safety

This paper discusses flight recorders, particularly the digital flight data recorder. It includes an illustration of how this device provided data to National Transportation Safety Board investigators which, for the first time, proved that wind shear was a primary factor in an air carrier accident. It also discusses the need for technological development in the area of flight recorder systems, particularly in reducing costs, and in increasing reliability and maintainability of such systems, and in the development of compact, light weight, and inexpensive recorders for use in lighter jets and turboprop airplanes.
Surface Properties of Silica-Based Adsorbents Measured by Inverse Gas−Solid Chromatography at Finite Concentration†

The adsorption energy distributions (AEDs) of methanol and dichloromethane on samples of the same silica unmodified and modified with octadecyldimethylsilyl (C 18 ) were estimated from isotherm data obtained by inverse gas chromatography at finite concentration. Wall-coated open tubular columns were used as they provide a high efficiency and a low pressure drop, allowing the acquisition of accurate isotherm data. The adsorption isotherms were obtained from nonlinear elution profiles using the characteristic points method of chromatography. The numerical estimation of AEDs was made by applying the expectation-maximization method to the experimental, unfitted adsorption isotherm data. The adsorption energy distributions obtained exhibit two peaks of adsorption energy. The height of the higher energy peak is reduced after chemical modification of the silica surface.
Alternative statistical regression studies of the effects of Joint and Service Specific advertising on military recruitment

Three different regression approaches use a large database developed by the Wharton Center for Applied Research (WCAR) to study the effects of Joint versus Service Specific advertising on military recruitment. (Here ‘Joint’ refers to advertising designed to serve recruitment for all four services simultaneously. Service Specific refers to advertising administered separately by each of the four services.) These regression approaches and the data and models are examined with special reference to US Army recruitment. The WCAR study led to a recommendation to replace Service Specific with Joint advertising. This recommendation was called into question by the RAND Corporation in its study that used a different regression approach. A third study that combines regressions with data envelopment analysis (DEA) is presented in this paper. This study utilizes recently developed methods based on DEA which, when incorporated in the regression, make it possible to distinguish between efficient and inefficient performances. The resulting regression yields results that show Joint advertising to be not only less efficient but also to attract potential recruits from the Army to other services. Implications for further research are set forth, which can also cast light on commercial practice by regarding Joint as a type of ‘category advertising’ and Service Specific as a type of ‘brand advertising’.
cDNA microarray analysis of adapting bowel after intestinal resection.

Abstract Background/Purpose: Studies of the genetic regulation of various physiologic processes have been hampered by methodologies that are limited to the analysis of individual genes. The advent of cDNA microarray technology has permitted the simultaneous screening of numerous genes for alterations in expression. In this study, cDNA microarrays were used to evaluate gene expression changes during the intestinal adaptive response to massive small bowel resection (SBR). Methods: Male ICR mice (n = 20) underwent either a 50% SBR or sham operation and then were given either orogastric epidermal growth factor (EGF, 50 μg/kg/d) or saline. After 3 days, cDNA microarray analysis was performed on mRNA extracted from the remnant ileum. Results: From over 8,700 different genes, the array identified 27 genes that were altered 2-fold or greater after SBR. Small proline-rich protein 2 ( sprr2 ), the gene with the greatest expression change (4.9-fold), was further upregulated by EGF. This gene has never been characterized in the intestine or described in intestinal adaptation. Conclusions: cDNA microarray analysis showed enhanced expression of sprr2, a gene not previously known to be involved in the physiology of adaptation after SBR. This technology provides a more rapid and efficient means of dissecting the complex genetic regulation of gut adaptation. J Pediatr Surg 36:190-195. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Conspecifics and Their Posture Influence Site Choice and Oviposition in the Damselfly Argia moesta

Finding a suitable oviposition site can be costly because of energy and time requirements, and ovipositioning can be dangerous because of the risk of predation and harassment by males. The damselfly Argia moesta oviposits, contact-guarded by her mate, on vegetation in streams. Oviposition aggregations are commonly observed in this species, despite their territorial nature during other behaviors. We conducted experiments in the field to test the hypothesis that aggregations are the result of conspecific attraction. In the first experiment, two oviposition sites (sycamore leaves) were provided, one with models of ovipositing pairs, and one without. In the second experiment, one leaf again had ovipositing models, while the other had models of uncoupled males and females in a resting posture. In both experiments, damselfly pairs preferred the site with ovipositing models. In general, they visited the ovipositing models first more often than expected by chance, stayed longer there, were more likely to oviposit there, and laid a greater total number of eggs there. These results support the hypothesis that conspecific attraction is responsible for ovipositing aggregations in A. moesta and that posture is an important cue for attraction. Using conspecific cues could be a beneficial strategy to save in search costs while taking advantage of the presence of ovipositing conspecifics to dilute the effects of harassment and predation.
Adaptations of skeletal muscle to exercise: rapid increase in the transcriptional coactivator PGC-1

Endurance exercise induces increases in mitochondria and the GLUT4 isoform of the glucose transporter in muscle. Although little is known about the mechanisms underlying these adaptations, new information has accumulated regarding how mitochondrial biogenesis and GLUT4 expression are regulated. This includes the findings that the transcriptional coactivator PGC-1 promotes mitochondrial biogenesis and that NRF-1 and NRF-2 act as transcriptional activators of genes encoding mitochondrial enzymes. We tested the hypothesis that increases in PGC-1, NRF-1, and NRF-2 are involved in the initial adaptive response of muscle to exercise. Five daily bouts of swimming induced increases in mitochondrial enzymes and GLUT4 in skeletal muscle in rats. One exercise bout resulted in approximately twofold increases in full-length muscle PGC-1 mRNA and PGC-1 protein, which were evident 18 h after exercise. A smaller form of PGC-1 increased after exercise. The exercise induced increases in muscle NRF-1 and NRF-2 that were evident 12 to 18 h after one exercise bout. These findings suggest that increases in PGC-1, NRF-1, and NRF-2 represent key regulatory components of the stimulation of mitochondrial biogenesis by exercise and that PGC-1 mediates the coordinated increases in GLUT4 and mitochondria.
Medications Through the Internet

Patients are now able to obtain mail order prescriptions through the Internet from reputable online pharmacies without leaving their home. While this can be a great convenience, the Internet also provides a new means for easily questionable or even illegal prescription medications, i.e., prescription legend medications may be obtained without a prescription and drug products not legally available in the United States can be obtained in this way. Many chronic pain patients are drug seeking, and increasingly many are using the Internet to learn about medications, and perhaps to obtain them. Clinicians should know where their patients obtain medications, how to verify the validity of the sources of prescriptions, and how to report fraud. Ways to verify the legitimacy of an online pharmacy are described.
Sex Differences in Androgen Responsiveness in the Rat Brain: Regional Differences in the Induction of Aromatase Activity

The transformation of testosterone (T) to estrogens in brain tissue by cytochrome P-450 aromatase is required for the expression of sexual behaviors in adult male rats. Androgens regulate aromatase ac
Initial investigations of microscale cellular convection in an equatorial marine atmospheric boundary layer revealed by lidar

During the Combined Sensor Program (CSP) in March of 1996, the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) fielded an advanced scanning Raman lidar. The lidar was part of a larger suite of micrometeorological sensors to quantify processes associated with the ocean-atmosphere interface, including intermittency and coherent atmospheric features in the {open_quotes}warm pool{close_quotes} of the Tropical Western Pacific (TWP) near Manus Island (2{degree}S. lat., 147{degree}E. long). Initial inspection of the data has revealed excellent information on the microscale vertical and horizontal spatial and temporal structure of the equatorial Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer (MABL). The data from this experiment have added to the increasing body of measurements on surface layer convection and intermittency including, for the first time, the observation of microscale cellular convective structures such as hexagonal patterns associated with Rayleigh-B{acute e}nard cells.{copyright} 1997 American Geophysical Union
Pilot Wire Relay Applications in Industrial Plants Utilizing a New Static Pilot Wire Relay

Pilot wire relaying is an extremely effective way to provide fast, selective protection for industrial plant cable tie circuits. The operating principles of popular pilot wire relay schemes will be reviewed, and special attention will be given to a new static pilot wire relay which offers an improvement in ground fault sensitivity, an especially significant consideration on resistance grounded industrial systems. A discussion of pilot wire overvoltages and overvoltage protective devices is also presented.
Tools of Inquiry: Separating Tool and Task to Promote True Learning:

Teachers must clearly distinguish for students the educational technologies (the tools or means) used to investigate a subject from the subject (the task) itself. Without this distinction, students develop critical and fundamental misconceptions about their subjects of study, usually confusing the tool for the task. Digital educational technologies promise increased power of investigation, but are likely to do little more than compound the confusion unless critically understood and distinguished from their subjects of investigation. This article begins by identifying common and fundamental student misconceptions about their subjects of study with illustrations from pre-service high school teachers, locating the fault in the lack of the tool/task distinction. These descriptions and explanations are used to examine and raise concerns about the application of current educational technologies, all the while exposing several epistemological fallacies about those technologies. Finally, recommendations are made ...
Distributed SNR Estimation With Power Constrained Signaling Over Gaussian Multiple-Access Channels

A sensor network is used for distributed signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) estimation in a single-time snapshot. Sensors observe a signal embedded in noise, and each observation is phase modulated using a constant-modulus scheme and transmitted over a Gaussian multiple-access channel to a fusion center. At the fusion center, the mean and variance are estimated jointly, using an asymptotically minimum-variance estimator. It is shown that this joint estimator decouples into simple individual estimators of the mean and the variance. The constant-modulus phase modulation scheme ensures a fixed transmit power, robust estimation across several sensing noise distributions, as well as an SNR estimate that requires a single set of transmissions from the sensors to the fusion center. The estimators are evaluated in terms of asymptotic variance, which are then used to evaluate the performance of the SNR estimator with Gaussian and Cauchy sensing noise distributions in the cases of total transmit power constraint as well as a per-sensor power constraint. For each sensing noise distribution, the optimal phase transmission parameters are also determined. The asymptotic relative efficiency of the estimators is evaluated. It is shown that among the noise distributions considered, the estimators are asymptotically efficient only when the noise distribution is Gaussian. Simulation results corroborate analytical results.
Population Response of Twelve Species of Insects following Exposure to Ionizing Radiation

Samples of insects representing 10 genera in 2 orders, Lepidoptera and Orthoptera, were exposed to 15,000 rad of gamma radiation from a Cobalt-60 source. The population response of these species was then studied using life tables as an evaluative aid. Mean life expectancy of the 0–1 age class of specimens of 6 species of irradiated Lepidoptera decreased 7–33% from that of the control, depending on the species. However, life expectancies of 6 Orthoptera were reduced by about 90%, in most cases, following radiation exposure. Treated moth populations of all age groups had lowered life expectancies as well as a reduction in the number of age classes. Periplaneta americana (L.) was the most radiosensitive orthopteran studied and Cadra cautella (Walker) the most sensitive lepidopteran. Supella longipalpa (F.) was the most resistant orthopteran species studied and Plodia interpunctella (Hubner) the most resistant lepidopteran. Agespecific mortality rates of treated populations increased with age at a faster rate than did mortality rates of control groups in the species studied.
USING Q-PROBES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LABORATORY MEDICINE: A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM OF THE COLLEGE OF AMERICAN PATHOLOGISTS

This paper will review the reasons for the increasing emphasis on quality assurance in American healthcare and laboratory medicine. This emphasis is driven in part by economic, social and regulatory concerns as well as the traditional commitment to the search for excellence in services provided to patients. The Q-Probes Program of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) represents a response to these pressures and will be described in some detail. The program is based upon the historical success of interlaboratory comparison programs developed and sponsored by the CAP in achieving demonstrable improvement in laboratory performance. These programs are dependent on the gathering of data from large numbers of laboratories in order to establish provisional "benchmarks" of quality practice which serve as a baseline for systematic quality improvement efforts. The Q-Probes Program gathers peer-group specific institutional data concerning defined aspects of quality practice in pathology and laboratory medicine. These highly structured programs provide laboratories and pathology services with a format to collect data for submission to the CAP for analysis and to compare their performance against that of appropriately stratified peer groups. Several representative examples chosen from clinical laboratory medicine and pathology will be presented. We will attempt to demonstrate how individual laboratory and pathology services utilize aggregate data to effect specific changes in practice that lead to improvement in processes of patient care and better patient outcomes.
Representability problem in quantum mechanics

The notion of reduced density operators is generalized and placed in the context of abstract operator algebras. In this setting it is shown that the representability problem is one of finding positive extensions to positive linear functionals, a problem that has been addressed by M. G. Krein in the 1930s. An extension of Krein's theorem is given and used in the analysis of the fermion representability problem.
Nonlinear Dynamics of Planetary Gears With Equal Planet Spacing

Planetary gears are parametrically excited by the time-varying mesh stiffness that fluctuates as the number of gear tooth pairs in contact changes during gear rotation. The resulting vibration causes tooth separation leading to nonlinear effects such as classical jump phenomena and sub- and superharmonic resonance. The nonlinear dynamics of the planetary gear is examined by both numerical and analytical methods over the meaningful mesh frequency ranges. Concise, closed-form approximations for the dynamic response are obtained by perturbation analysis. The analytical solutions give insight into the nonlinear dynamics and the impact of system parameters on dynamic response. The harmonic balance method with arclength continuation confirms the perturbation solutions. The accuracy of the analytical and harmonic balance solutions is validated by parallel finite element and numerical integration simulations.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
The Sounds of Silence: Organised Labour's Response to Economic Crisis in Mexico*

Mexico's post-1982 economic crisis has produced particularly serious challenges for the organised labour movement. Government austerity measures and economic contraction in the private sector resulted in an estimated unemployment rate of 17.6% in 1987.1 At least another 25–35% of the working-age population was employed in only marginally productive activities. Real minimum wages fell by 41.9% between 1982 and mid-1987 under the pressure of record inflation rates2 and government subsidies for basic commodities, mass transportation, electricity, natural gas and gasoline were also drastically reduced or eliminated. These economic conditions and tight government control over wage increases placed incumbent labour leaders under increasing pressure from the rank and file. The prospect of continued economic stagnation and government efforts to redefine the country's model of economic development raise important questions regarding organised labour's long-term position in Mexico's governing ‘revolutionary coalition’.
Expression of the Human Interleukin 6 Receptor α-Chain in Xenopus Laevis Oocytes

Abstract We investigated the biochemical properties of the 80 kDa binding subunit (gp80) of the human interleukin 6 receptor (IL-6R) in the genetic environment of the amphibian Xenopus laevis . In vitro transcribed mRNA encoding full length human gp80 was microinjected into Xenopus laevis stage VI oocytes. Protein expression was monitored by iodinated IL-6 and human gp80-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) PMI and MT18. Maximal IL-6 binding activity was observed between 36-42 h after injection. Scatchard analysis indicated that gp80-injected oocytes expressed two independent classes of IL-6 binding sites of high- (K d1 = 9 × 10 -11 M, 20 × 10 6 sites/cell) and low-affinity (K d2 = 2 × 10 -9 M, 70.3 × 10 6 sites/cell). PM1 but not MT18 completely inhibited IL-6 binding to injected eggs. Our data suggest that the human IL-6R α-subunit gp80 is sufficient to confer high- and low-affinity IL-6 binding to Xenopus laevis oocytes.
The Developmental Effect of Concurrent Cognitive and Locomotor Skills: Time-Sharing from a Dynamical Perspective.

A dynamical systems perspective on neuromuscular behavior was used to predict the effect of concurrent verbal cognition on locomotor skills. Fundamental to this perspective is the distinction between coordination (collective) variables which define the movement's pattern and control variables which specify the overall parameters of the movement (e.g., velocity). Only the latter were predicted to show interference in the dual-task situation. Female subjects ranging from 2.5 years to adults were filmed while running and galloping both with and without concurrent vocal and nonvocal tasks. Cinematographic analysis revealed no interference on the coordination variables across age but some interference on the control variables which increased in the younger age groups. The younger children had problems with initiating two neuromuscular tasks simultaneously but once initiated the coordination was unaffected. The results suggest that the coordination of a gait requires less attention than the setting of control parameters and that the former is in place at an early age
Statistics of High Radar Reflectivity Gradients

Abstract An analysis to determine the frequency of occurrence of gradients in reflectivity has been performed. Gradients as large as 50 dB km−1 occur with a frequency of over 1% of the pairs of adjacent nonzero reflectivities at ranges <32 km. At greater ranges, the observed gradients are less because of angular resolution of the radar. Considerable care must be taken in interpreting storm reflectivities if the logarithm of intensity or logarithm of power is averaged.
Smart PV inverters — DOE SunShot SEGIS-AC program review

In 2011, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot Initiative launched a three-year R&D program called Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems — Advanced Concepts (SEGIS-AC). The objective is to fund projects that develop technologies in power electronics (e.g. reactive power control, voltage ride-through, advanced anti-islanding, ACPV modules) that reduce the overall photovoltaic (PV) system costs, allow high penetrations of solar energy onto the grid, and enhance the performance, reliability, and safety of the grid with large deployment of PV systems. In addition, projects funded under this funding opportunity will demonstrate the feasibility of these technologies in the field with partnering utilities and lessons learned will be disseminated among the entire solar industry. This paper reports the overall progress made thus far with highlights on some of the major achievements under the program.
Chlamydial glycolipid antigen : extracellular accumulation, biological activity, and antibody recognition

Chlamydia secrete a genus-specific glycolipid antigen (GLXA) into the supernatant of infected cell cultures. The antigen was detected by utilizing a GLXA-specific monoclonal antibody (89MS30) in a chemiluminometric assay system; some cross-reaction was demonstrated to chlamydia-specific lipopolysaccharide (cLPS). The antigen is released into supernatants of cell cultures 18 h post-infection and increases rapidly through 60 h. Biologically, GLXA is completely nonmitogenic and is negative in the limulus lysate assay. Oxidation, analysis demonstrated the epitope was sensitive to periodate oxidation. SDS-PAGE analysis showed marked differences in banding patterns between GLXA and LPS, demonstrating they represent physically very different moieties. Sera from patients withC. pneumoniae react with the antigen. Thus, GLXA may be an important molecule in chlamydial infection and subsequent immune responses.
A Method of Determining the Efficiency of Air Sampling Traps to Collect and Release Volatile Organic Compounds

A new method is described that facilitates determining the efficiency of air sampling traps to adsorb and thermally desorb volatile organic compounds. A known volume of a liquid standard of volatile organic compounds is vaporized into an air stream, a fraction of which is collected on an air sampling trap. This trap is subsequently thermally desorbed and analyzed using a GC/FID. The efficiency of the trap to adsorb and thermally desorb each compound tested is calculated.
Effects of Stimulus Octave and Timbre on the Tuning Accuracy of Secondary School Instrumentalists.

To test the effects of octave and timbre on tuning accuracy, four stimuli—B-flat 4 sounded by flute, oboe, and clarinet and B-flat 2 sounded by tuba—functioned as reference pitches for high school wind players (N = 72). The two stimulus octaves combined with participants’ assigned tuning notes created soprano, tenor, and bass tuning groups. All participants tuned to each instrument. Results indicated no effect due to tuning group. There was a significant difference due to stimulus. Participants’ responses were more out of tune to the tuba stimulus than to the oboe, clarinet, and flute stimuli, which were not different from each other. There was no difference in the distribution of in-tune, sharp, and flat responses across tuning stimuli, a result that differs from the “preference for sharpness” effect in previous research. Verbal and performance responses to the tuba, oboe, and flute stimuli revealed misconceptions between participants’ perceptions of tuning difficulty and actual performance difficulty an...
Effects of introducing collaborative technology on communications in a distributed safety-critical system

Communication and collaborative decision-making are critical activities in safety-critical systems such as marine transportation. As a result, new group technologies have been introduced to enhance communication and decision-making in these settings. Unfortunately, little research examining the impact of these new collaborative technologies has been undertaken, and most of it has been undertaken in laboratory environments, rather than in operational or safety-critical settings. Two primary differences of the operational setting in this study suggest that results may differ from studies undertaken in laboratory environments: (1) the system has a strong hierarchical organization and culture with clearly defined roles and (2) roles in the system are associated with different information access privileges. This paper explores the impact of introducing new technology on communication and collaboration between dispersed decision-making groups in marine transportation, and focuses on the differences in results observed in this operational setting.
Mesozoic plutonic belts of southern Alaska

Five calc-alkalic plutonic belts, developed mostly during Mesozoic time, are definable in southern Alaska. These belts may represent parts of magmatic arcs developed during episodes of subduction, and at least four appear to be temporally and spatially distinct. Age relations indicate that 10- to 30-m.y. intervals are sufficient for the generation and emplacement of the individual plutonic belts. Any overlapping sequence of tectonism, volcanism, and sedimentation that may have accompanied regional plutonism apparently ended within an interval of 20 to 55 m.y. The space-time relations of Mesozoic plutonism in southern Alaska suggest that more flexible evolutionary models and greater temporal resolution are needed to reconstruct the tectonic history of the region.
Opto-Mechanical Designs for Two Special-Purpose Objective Lens Assemblies

Key features of the opto-mechanical designs for two high performance objective lens assemblies of similar focal lengths and relative apertures, but significantly different configurations and applications are discussed. The first lens is a 25.4 cm EFL, f/1.5 catadioptric lens designed for a ±2.8 degree field and intended for use with a detector array in a spaceborne star mapper. The second example is a 22.8 cm EFL, f/1.5 refractor covering a ±10 degree field intended for distant target observation in an airborne low light level visual periscope and featuring an integral laser channel for target designation and ranging. The logic behind critical materials choices and the techniques applied in mounting the optics in their mechanical surrounds are described.
Effect of crew size on objective measures of resuscitation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

AbstractBackground. There is no consensus among emergency medical services (EMS) systems as to the optimal numbers and training of EMS providers who respond to the scene of prehospital cardiac arrests. Increased numbers of providers may improve the performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but this has not been studied as part of a comprehensive resuscitation scenario. Objective. To compare different all-paramedic crew size configurations on objective measures of patient resuscitation using a high-fidelity human simulator. Methods. We compared two-, three-, and four-person all-paramedic crew configurations in the effectiveness and timeliness of performing basic life support (BLS) and advanced life support (ALS) skills during the first 8 minutes of a simulated cardiac arrest scenario. Crews were compared to determine differences in no-flow fraction (NFF) as a measure of effectiveness of CPR and time to defibrillation, endotracheal intubation, establishment of intravenous access, and medication ad...
Quantized auction schemes for secondary spectrum markets

Auctions have been proposed as a way to provide economic incentives to dynamically allocate unused spectrum to users in need of it. Previously proposed auction schemes do not take into account the fact that users' power and bandwidth constraints might prevent them from transmitting their bid prices to the auctioneer with high precision, and that these transmitted bid prices must travel through a noisy channel. We propose auction schemes for secondary spectrum markets that address both these issues. In our schemes, a central clearing authority auctions spectrum to users who bid for it, while taking into account quantization of prices and noise in the channel explicitly. Our schemes are closely related to channel output feedback problems, user scheduling problems, and specifically to the technique of posterior matching. A natural objective of the clearing authority is to maximize its revenue by awarding spectrum to the highest bidder. Our simulation results show that this objective is asymptotically attained when the bids do not vary with time.
Organische Synthese im Computerzeitalter

The computer affords four areas of interest to synthetic chemists: (1) storage and retrieval of information; (2) complex calculations of shape and reaction dynamics; (3) artificial intelligence (AI) to solve synthetic and analytical problems; (4) overall direction of multiple laboratory experiments. Our work began 30 years ago initiating molecular geometry calculations to match experimental results. The explosive growth of computer power since will be illustrated. Synthesis design (as AI) requires an efficient protocol to search huge trees. The SYNGEN program is based on simplification and systematization, first of skeletal dissection, then of structure and reaction characterization, for generation of optimal synthesis routes. The program will be be described and its future development outlined. Finally, a perspective on the future of all four areas will be sketched, noting the necessary attendant growth in systematic use by chemists and in sympathetic interfaces by software designers
Properties of a κ-opioid receptor expressed in CHO cells: interaction with multiple G-proteins is not specific for any individual Gα subunit and is similar to that of other opioid receptors

The purpose of the present study was to examine the coupling pattern of a recently cloned kappa-opioid receptor stably transfected in CHO cells to individual G alpha subunits with subsequent comparison to that observed previously for delta- and mu-opioid receptors. Data presented in the current study indicate the successful stable expression of a kappa-opioid receptor in CHO cells. This is supported by experiments in which ligands with selectivity for kappa-, but not delta- or mu-opioid receptors demonstrated high affinity for the expressed receptor and were able to potently and efficaciously produce inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity. In addition, only kappa-opioid agonists were able to induce dose-dependent increases in the incorporation of [32P]azidoanilido-GTP into four G alpha subunits, three of which were identified as Gi3 alpha, Gi2 alpha and Go2 alpha. Further, the amount of kappa-opioid agonists required to induce 50% maximal labeling of any individual G alpha subunit was similar. Although kappa-opioid agonists produced equivalent maximal labelling of Gi3 alpha, Gi2 alpha and Go2 alpha, significantly less agonist-induced labeling was observed for an unknown G-protein designated as G? alpha. Although these results are slightly different than those observed previously for both delta- and mu-opioid receptors, it appears that all opioid receptors stably transfected in CHO cells interact with multiple G-proteins and that this coupling is not selective for any individual G alpha subunit.
Orthogonalized linear combinations of atomic orbitals. II. Calculation of optical properties of polymorphs of silicon

By using the method of orthogonalized linear combinations of atomic orbitals developed recently, it is possible to obtain ab initio electronic wave functions of complex crystals like the two polymorphs of Si [$\mathrm{Si} \mathrm{III} (BC\ensuremath{-}8)$ and $\mathrm{Ge} \mathrm{III} (ST\ensuremath{-}12)$ structures] with basis-function sets of only moderate size. From these wave functions the dielectric functions (imaginary part) for these two Si polymorphs are obtained by computing the momentum matrix elements over the Brillouin zone. The present first-principles results are compared with previous works based on empirical methods. Possible implications on the optical-absorption properties of amorphous Si are discussed.
MODELING DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY (DMD) CARDIOMYOPATHY USING HUMAN INDUCED PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS (HIPSC)

DMD is the most common muscular dystrophy characterized by absence of dystrophin. A significant cardiomyopathic phenotype has emerged as a leading cause of death in DMD. There is limited knowledge about DMD cardiomyopathy due to limited access to human cardiac tissue. We hypothesized the
Triblock copolymer ionomer membranes: Part I. Methanol and proton transport

Abstract In this study, the transport properties (i.e. methanol and proton transport) of a triblock copolymer ionomer, sulfonated poly(styrene-isobutylene-styrene) (S-SIBS), at various ion contents were investigated for its application to the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). Methanol permeabilities in S-SIBS were more than an order of magnitude lower than Nafion 117, but conductivities were only three-fold less at ambient conditions. S-SIBS was approximately 5–10 times more selective (i.e. proton conductivity/methanol permeability) than Nafion 117 over an ion content range of 0.5–1.0 mmol/g. Also, the transport results follow a power law dependent percolation model, where the critical exponent for diffusion was much lower than those reported in other studies, suggesting a more ordered nanostructure. In addition, transport at higher temperatures (80 °C) was examined. At 80 °C, S-SIBS was only 1.3 times more selective than Nafion 117 at an ion content of 1.0 mmol/g, but was 39 times more selective at an ion content of 0.5 mmol/g.