cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of estradiol benzoate on cholesterol and vitamin A metabolism.

SummaryWeanling male rats depleted of their liver vit. A stores were given the following for 21 days: 0.5% or no cholesterol, 150 or 1000 IU of vit. A acetate daily, and subcutaneous injections of 4 μg of estradiol benzoate 3 times a week in 0.1 ml of cottonseed oil or the carrier oil only. One-half of the rats were castrated at about 4 weeks of age. Castrates showed an inverse relationship between liver vit. A and cholesterol deposition. Estrogenic-treated castrates fed cholesterol responded like the intact rats with an inverse relationship between liver cholesterol deposition in dietary vit. A level. Estradiol benzoate 1) depressed the cholesterol/liver content in the intact rats fed cholesterol and the castrates fed cholesterol with the high vit. A level which may be a reflection of the effect of EB on liver weight only; 2) increased the liver vit. A concentration in castrates fed cholesterol and in intact rats fed cholesterol and the high vit. A level; 3) increased the serum cholesterol level in all g...
Mechanical and chemical properties of tantalum-implanted steels

The surface mechanical and chemical properties of tantalum-implanted AISI 52100, AISI M50 and AISI 9310 steels and pure iron were investigated. Sputter Auger profiles of pure iron indicate significant carbon incorporation during implantation. For AISI 52100 steel the unlubricated kinetic coefficient of friction is reduced from 0.6 to 0.38, the load-carrying capacity is increased and the pitting potential in a 0.01 M NaCl solution is increased by 510 mV. The corrosion resistance of tantalum-implanted AISI M50 steel in 0.5 M H2SO4 is equal to that of high dose chromium implantation. The rolling contact fatigue life is significantly improved for tantalum-implanted AISI M50 steel and a 24% increase in load-carrying capacity is measured for Ryder gear scuffing tests on tantalum-implanted AISI 9310 steel. The mechanism producing the improvements in corrosion resistance is thought to be selective dissolution of iron with the formation of a tantalum-rich passive oxide film on the surface, while friction reduction is at least partly responsible for improving the wear properties.
A geometric view of adaptive optics control: boiling atmosphere model

The separation principle of optimal adaptive optics control is derived, and definitions of controllability and observability are introduced. An exact finite dimensional state space representation of the control system dynamics is obtained without the need for truncation in modes such as Zernikes. The uncertainty of sensing uncontrollable modes confuses present adaptive optics controllers. This uncertainty can be modeled by a Kalman filter. Reducing this uncertainty permits increased gain, increasing the Strehl, which is done by an optimal control law derived here. A general model of the atmosphere is considered, including boiling.
Regional Variations in Home Canning Practices and the Risk of Foodborne Botulism in the Republic of Georgia, 2003

Foodborne botulism is a severe, paralytic illness caused by ingestion of preformed neurotoxins produced by Clostridium botulinum. In 2003, we conducted a population-based household survey of home canning practices to explore marked regional variations in botulism incidence in the Republic of Georgia (ROG). We designed a cluster sampling scheme and subdivided each of the 10 regions of the ROG into a variable number of strata. Households were selected from each stratum using a two-step cluster sampling methodology. We administered a questionnaire about home canning practices to household members responsible for food preparation. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, we modeled high (eastern ROG) against low (western ROG) incidence areas. Overall, we surveyed 2,742 households nationwide. Home canning with a capping device hermetically sealing the lid covering the jar was practiced by 1,909 households (65.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 59.8 to 72.1%). Canning was more prevalent in regions of low botulism incidence (34 versus 32%; P 1 tablespoon of salt per liter (aOR = 5.1; 95% CI: 1.2 to 22.6); vinegar (aOR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.3 to 3.7), and greens (aOR = 5.6; 95% CI: 1.7 to 18.2). The following practices were associated with a decreased risk in high-botulism areas: >57 jars canned per household annually (aOR = 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3 to 0.9), covering or immersing vegetables in boiling water before placing them into the jar (aOR = 0.3 95% CI: 0.2 to 0.6), covering or immersing vegetables in boiling water after placing them into the jar (aOR = 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2 to 0.9), or adding garlic (aOR = 0.2; 95% CI: 0.1 to 0.5) or aspirin (aOR = 0.1; 95% CI: 0.1 to 0.2) to the jar at the time of preparation.
On a resolution of the multiplicity problem for U(n)

Abstract The Borel-Weil theory of holomorphic induction is used to provide a resolution of the multiplicity problem occuring in the tensor product decomposition of representations of the U ( n ) groups.
Accuracy of 404-MHz Radar Profilers for Detection of Low-Level Jets over the Central United States

Abstract The authors have evaluated the performance of operational hourly data from a NOAA Wind Profiler Network 404-MHz radar profiler for detecting low-level jet (LLJ) events in the central United States. Independent, collocated rawinsonde and radar profiler data were time matched, producing 2614 paired observations over a 2-yr period. These observations were used to determine the impacts of the height of the first profiler range gate (500 m) and contamination of the hourly data by migrating birds on the ability of the profiler to accurately diagnose LLJ events. The profilers tend to underrepresent both the strength and frequency of occurrence of the LLJ. It was found that about 50% of LLJ events with wind speed maxima below 500 m were detected, increasing to 70%–80% for events having their wind speed maxima above 500 m. To reduce contamination by migrating birds when using profilers to detect the LLJ, a second-moment filtering technique with a threshold of approximately 2–2.5 m2 s−2 is suggested as an ...
Controllable thermal degradation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) by absorption and confinement into mixed metal sponges

In this work, we report the absorption and confinement of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) in porous metals (Ag, Ag/Al, and Ag/Cu), and the effect of the physical properties of the metal on the calorimetric properties of TNT using thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The surface area and pore size distribution of the confiners were calculated to determine their effect on both the onset temperature and the rate at which TNT volatilizes. Confinement of TNT into the mixed metal sponges was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Overall, this study provides an insight into the fundamental factors influencing the properties of energetic materials under confinement that could potentially allow for more controlled and reliable degradation techniques depending on the characteristics of the porous material.
Scimitar syndrome associated with partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection at the supracardiac, cardiac, and infracardiac levels

A 1-year-old female child was diagnosed to have scimitar syndrome associated with partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection of the right lung at the superior vena cava-right atrial junction, right atrium, and inferior vena cava. To our knowledge, this pattern of pulmonary venous connection has not been previously described in this syndrome.
Siphonaptera of North America North of Mexico: Ischnopsyllidae

The four genera and 11 species of bat fleas known to occur in North America north of Mexico are reviewed with respect to their distribution and host preferences. All are found on hosts belonging to the bat family Vespertilionidae except Sternopsylla distincta (Rothschild, 1903) and Hormopsylla trux Jordan, 1950, which parasitize species of Molossidae. Keys are provided for the genera and species and their diagnostic characters are illustrated.
Clustering in non-self-conjugate nuclei 10Be and 18O

Clustering phenomena in 10Be and 18O were studied by means of resonance elastic scattering of α-particles on 6He and 14C. Excitation functions for α+6He and α+14C were measured and detailed R-matrix analyses of the excitation functions was performed. We compare the experimental results with the predictions of modern theoretical approaches and discuss properties of cluster rotational bands.
Locations of Employment Services and People With Disabilities A Geographical Analysis of Accessibility

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services and One-Stop Career Centers (One-Stops) are the 2 principal public services intended to increase the employment rates of people with disabilities through employment and training services. As a first step in assessing accessibility of the locations of employment services, this study compared the location of VRs and One-Stops with areas of high numbers of nonemployment among people with disabilities and high numbers of unemployment in the general population. Using geographic information science and the spatial technique of the Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA), we analyzed the locations of the 2 programs and the concentrations of nonemployed people with disabilities at national and intrastate scales. We found that areas with high numbers of nonemployed people with disabilities are geographically underserved by both VRs and One-Stops, which raises questions about site selection and geographic accessibility.
A Caper of One's Own: Fantasy Female Liberation in 1960s Crime Comedy Film

Appreciated today only for the style of the early- and mid-1960s Hollywood studio product, the crime comedy film featured strong female roles that paralleled the collapse of the traditional female roles in the era's spy films. Influenced by Hitchcock's sexualized women and Audrey Hepburn's independent 1950s gamines, the female "caper" character of the 1960s signals a dislocation of women's roles brought on by a world caught between hedonism and political avowal. In this short-lived subgenre, larcenous-minded men are thwarted, mostly to their own advantage, in their attempt to force female accomplices and love interests into prescribed social behavior and appearance. The lack of an overt counterculture in these films has branded them "establishment" products, supposedly rife with the social and gender role conservatism they actually challenge and destabilize.
Use of inoculation in bioremediation

Abstract There are many possible situations where inoculation of chemically-contaminated sites with microorganisms possessing unique and specialized metabolic capabilities could significantly enhance bioremediation. However, there have been very few successful uses of inoculation to date. By more careful attention to selection and application of the inoculants, however, it is quite reasonable to expect that inoculation could become a major and effective component of biological cleanup methods.
Parameter estimation for nonlinear frequency dependent attenuation in soft tissue

Abstract Most current attenuation estimation methods are based on an assumption that tissue attenuation is linearly frequency dependent. For tissues exhibiting nonlinear attenuation, such methods could produce biased results. This paper describes a new time-domain, amplitude method for estimating two parameters, β and n , in nonlinear attenuation. In this method, echo signal of each A-line is first filtered in parallel by a bank of narrow-bandpass filters. Attenuation values at filter center frequencies can be calculated from the envelope peaks of each filtered narrowband signal, and β and n are then estimated from these attenuation values. A quantitative study of the estimation uncertainty indicates that there is a significant increase in the variance of β estimate when the attenuation model is changed from linear to nonlinear. The analysis yields insights into the tradeoff between estimation accuracy and estimation precision when tissue attenuation is only slightly deviated from linearity.
Secondhand smoke exposure is associated with proteinuria in children with chronic kidney disease

Background In adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD), cigarette smoking is associated with an increased risk for CKD progression and transplant failure. In children, secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure has been associated with elevated blood pressure. There are no studies on the prevalence and effect of SHS exposure in CKD.
Estimating air quality impacts

Abstract LEONARD ORTOLANO has written a textbook, Environmental Planning and Decision Making, that is ideal for introducing undergraduates to the field of environmental planning. His three chapters on environmental impact assessment (from 16 chapters overall) present a range of impact assessment methods in a helpful decision-making context. Specific techniques for considering biological factors in planning, evaluating the visual qualities of the environment, assessing noise impacts, assessing air quality impacts, and assessing impacts on water resources are also covered in five additional chapters. Professional planners and engineers should find this introduction to the approaches employed by specialists of various kinds helpful. With the permission of the publisher, John Wiley and Sons, we here reprint Chapter 15, “Estimating Air Quality Impacts,” from Ortolano's excellent book. This straightforward presentation of a six-step process for establishing the air quality impacts of proposed development projects is a model of clarity.
Cities and Diversity: Should We Want It? Can We Plan For It?

Diversity has become the new orthodoxy of city planning. The term has several meanings: a varied physical design, mixes of uses, an expanded public realm, and multiple social groupings exercising their “right to the city.” Its impetus lies in the postmodernist/poststructuralist critique of modernism’s master narratives and more specifically in reactions to the urban landscape created by segregation, urban renewal, massive housing projects, and highway building programs. Privileging diversity raises significant issues. Can planned environments produce diversity or only a “staged authenticity”? Does emphasizing diversity obscure the economic structure? Is there a connection between diversity and economic innovation? Does social diversity necessarily contribute to equity and a broadly satisfying public realm? Rather than setting diversity as the principal goal of city planning, I argue for the model of the just city, based on Nussbaum’s concept of capacities and a recognition of the inevitable trade-offs among equity, diversity, growth, and sustainability.
Pentoxifylline inhibits melanoma tumor growth and angiogenesis by targeting STAT3 signaling pathway.

Abstract Pentoxifylline (PTX), a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, has been shown to have anti-metastatic or anti-angiogenic activity against many human cancers. However, the underlying mechanisms are unknown. In this study, we report that, PTX at sub-toxic doses can inhibit melanoma tumor growth and angiogenesis by targeting the STAT3 signaling pathway. Despite minimal cytotoxicity against normal cells, PTX suppressed phosphorylation and DNA binding of STAT3 in a dose-dependent manner. Also, PTX inhibited phosphorylation of the upstream kinases JAK1 and JAK2 and increased the expression of pSHP2 phosphatase. Expression of various STAT3 regulated gene products, such as cylinD1, CDK6, cMyc, BclXL, and VEGF was downregulated following PTX treatment. Tumor microenvironment favours tumor growth and metastasis. PTX alters tumor microenvironment by limiting IL-6 secretion and also by disrupting VEGF–VEGFR2 autocrine/paracrine signaling. PTX treatment significantly inhibited tumor growth and angiogenesis in intra-dermal xenograft mouse model in vivo without having any visible toxicity. These findings identified STAT3 signaling as a target of PTX and have thus, augmented its potential application in the treatment of melanoma and other cancers.
5E10: a prostate-specific surface-reactive monoclonal antibody

We created mAb that reacted solely with prostate epithelial cells. The strategy involved immunizing mice with a mixture of six different prostatic carcinoma cell lines and selecting by flow cytometry only those antibodies that bind whole cells. The primary screening was performed using a mixture of all six prostate cell lines used in immunization together with six non-prostate cell lines in the same tube. Antibodies that gave a bimodal pattern of surface staining were selected for further evaluation. The most attractive clone, designated 5E10, produced IgG1 mAb that recognized four of the six prostatic cell lines and did not react with non-prostate tumor cell lines, peripheral blood and bone marrow mononuclear cells and endothelial and bone marrow stromal cells. 5E10 mAb reacted with both benign and malignant prostate in eight of eight histological samples and no reactivity was noted with non-prostate normal tissues. The 5E10 antigen is a transmembrane glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 110 kDa and the epitope recognized by 5E10 is extracellular. Ongoing studies are exploring the nature of this antigen in more depth.
The influence of goitrogenic compounds (sulfonamides and their derivatives, thiourea and its derivatives) on respiration of thyroid tissue.

AN in vitro reaction in which appreciable amounts of radioactive iodine are incorporated into diiodotyrosine and thyroxine by surviving thyroid slices in as brief a period as 2 hours (Morton and Chaikoff, 1943) has provided a useful tool for elucidation of the mechanism of action of goitrogenic compounds, substances that produce an enlargement and hyperplasia of the thyroid gland. This procedure revealed that such compounds as the sulfonamides, p-aminobenzoic acid, thiourea, thiouracil, etc., inhibit the incorporation of inorganic iodide into diiodotyrosine and thyroxine (Franklin and Chaikoff, 1944; Franklin, Chaikoff, and Lerner 1944). In an earlier communication (Schachner, Franklin, and Chaikoff, 1943) it was shown that cyanide, azide, sulfide, and carbon monoxide inhibited the in vitro formation of diiodotyrosine and thyroxine from inorganic iodide by thyroid tissue. The inhibition produced by CO was more pronounced in the dark than in the light.
Measuring community mental health in developing societies: evaluation of a checklist format in Nepal.

Background: There is growing recognition of the importance of mental health problems in developing countries. In large part, however, we have very limited epidemiological data at national and/or community levels about the prevalence of mental illnesses.Aims: The purpose of this paper is to describe the reliability and validity characteristics of an assessment tool that may be useful for conducting community-level surveys (particularly in rural communities of developing countries) to obtain prevalence rates of mental illnesses.Methods: We used a sample of adults residing in a rural village in Nepal to assess disorders with a modified version of the DSM-III-R Checklist. We evaluated construct validity, scale reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity.Results: There is strong evidence for the construct validity of generalized anxiety and depression in our sample. By contrast, the symptoms associated with mania and schizophrenia were not empirically distinct. Convergent validity is acceptable....
The solid-state neck growth mechanisms in low energy laser sintering of gold nanoparticles: A molecular dynamics simulation study

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to investigate the mechanism and kinetics of the solid-state sintering of two crystalline gold nanoparticles (4.4-10.0 nm) induced by low energy laser heating. At low temperature (300 K), sintering can occur between two bare nanoparticles by elastic and plastic deformation driven by strong local potential gradients. This initial neck growth occurs very fast (<150 ps), and is therefore essentially insensitive to laser irradiation. This paper focuses on the subsequent longer time scale intermediate neck growth process induced by laser heating. The classical diffusion based neck growth model is modified to predict the time resolved neck growth during continuous heating with the diffusion coefficients and surface tension extracted from MD simulation. The diffusion model underestimates the neck growth rate for smaller particles (5.4 nm) while satisfactory agreement is obtained for larger particles (10 nm). The deviation is due to the ultrafine size effect for particles below 10 nm. Various possible mechanisms were identified and discussed.
The effect of DDD on barbiturate and steroid-induced hypnosis in the dog and rat.

Abstract The administration of p,p′-DDD to rats produces a marked decrease in sleep times of a variety of barbiturates and steroids. These effects are associated with an increased level of liver hexobarbital-metabolizing enzyme activity and proliferation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The administration of p,p′-DDD to dogs decreases hexobarbital sleep times but prolongs those of pentobarbital. Plasma half-lives of these barbiturates suggest that sleep times are related to DDD-induced changes in their rates of metabolism. The prolonged pentobarbital sleep time can be prevented by concomitant administration of cortisone acetate.
Droplets to Drops by Turbulent Coagulation

Abstract This study addresses two central problems in cloud microphysics. The first is the source of large droplets, which initiates the rapid production of warm rain. The second is the broadening of the cloud droplet spectrum at both tails of the spectrum. The study explores how in-cloud turbulence can help to close the gaps in our understanding. With box model simulations, the development of cloud droplet spectra is calculated using a coagulation kernel that recently has been derived from direct numerical simulations. This kernel includes both the effect of turbulence on the relative velocities of the droplets and on the local increases in droplet concentration, the so-called accumulation effect. Under the assumption that this kernel can be extrapolated to atmospheric Reynolds numbers, the results show that for typical atmospheric conditions, the turbulent coagulation kernel is several orders of magnitude larger than the sedimentation kernel for droplets smaller then 100 μm. While for calm air after 30-...
EPILOG and CAPTURE Trials Halted Because of Positive Interim Results

On December 14, 1995, Centocor Inc announced that it was stopping the EPILOG trial ( E valuation of P TCA to I mprove L ong-term O utcome by c7E3 G P IIb/IIIa Receptor Blockade) because of positive findings at the first interim analysis of 1500 patients. As originally designed, the trial was to have included 4800 patients, both low risk and high risk, undergoing percutaneous intervention, randomized to a control arm: “standard”-dose heparin (100 U/kg bolus, titrated to an activated clotting time of ≥300 s) plus placebo, or to one of two experimental arms: standard-dose heparin …
Migration of intraocular silicone oil into the subconjunctival space and orbit through an Ahmed glaucoma valve.

Abstract PURPOSE: To report a patient with intraocular silicone oil migration into the subconjunctival space and orbit through an Ahmed glaucoma valve implant. METHODS: Observational case report. A 29-year-old female with diabetes mellitus and proliferative diabetic retinopathy underwent three left eye pars plana vitrectomies and ultimately intraocular silicone oil placement for tractional retinal detachment. Subsequently, she developed neovascular glaucoma and underwent an inferotemporal Ahmed glaucoma tube implant, left eye. RESULTS: Intraocular silicone oil migrated through the Ahmed glaucoma valve into the subconjunctival space and orbit. Left eye evisceration with silicone oil removal was performed for a blind painful left eye and improvement of appearance. CONCLUSION: Silicone oil migration through an Ahmed valve may be observed after retinal detachment repair with intraocular silicone oil. An Ahmed valve may be contraindicated in eyes of patients with intraocular silicone oil.
Design of a character driven text reading system

In this paper we present the hardware design and characteristics of a non-conventional text reading system. By non-conventional, we define a text reading system that is able to scan, detect, extract, and recognize the text characters directly from the `page' without sending strings of 0s and 1s to the host computer (which uses software techniques to recognize the text characters). The non-conventional system is also called `character-driven' OCR system. The system proposed here consists of six main parts, a raster scanner unit, the character pre- processing circuit, the FCC generation unit, the line-generator recognizer unit, the graph generator unit and the matching processor unit. In particular, the scanner array (GRAMMA) consists of (12 X 9) photo-cells and is driven by the 3-D motion mechanism to focus and extract the typed text. The gramma array produces a bit-map for the character which is then fed to the pre-processing circuit which applies curve fitting and thinning techniques to produce a normalized skeleton image of the character, which is fed to the FCC generator. The FCC generator produces a generic code string of the character which is passed on to the line generator recognizer unit which breaks the FCC string into straight-line and curve segments. The graph generator produces interrelations between the different segments. The graph form of the character is then fed to the matching processor which produces an appropriate ASCII code of the character. The non-conventional system can recognize typed as well as handwritten characters of different fonts and sizes.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
High-throughput sequencing and pathway analysis reveal alteration of the pituitary transcriptome by 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) in female coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch.

Abstract Considerable research has been done on the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on reproduction and gene expression in the brain, liver and gonads of teleost fish, but information on impacts to the pituitary gland are still limited despite its central role in regulating reproduction. The aim of this study was to further our understanding of the potential effects of natural and synthetic estrogens on the brain–pituitary–gonad axis in fish by determining the effects of 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) on the pituitary transcriptome. We exposed sub-adult coho salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ) to 0 or 12 ng EE2/L for up to 6 weeks and effects on the pituitary transcriptome of females were assessed using high-throughput Illumina ® sequencing, RNA-Seq and pathway analysis. After 1 or 6 weeks, 218 and 670 contiguous sequences (contigs) respectively, were differentially expressed in pituitaries of EE2-exposed fish relative to control. Two of the most highly up- and down-regulated contigs were luteinizing hormone β subunit (241-fold and 395-fold at 1 and 6 weeks, respectively) and follicle-stimulating hormone β subunit (−3.4-fold at 6 weeks). Additional contigs related to gonadotropin synthesis and release were differentially expressed in EE2-exposed fish relative to controls. These included contigs involved in gonadotropin releasing hormone (GNRH) and transforming growth factor-β signaling. There was an over-representation of significantly affected contigs in 33 and 18 canonical pathways at 1 and 6 weeks, respectively, including circadian rhythm signaling, calcium signaling, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling, PPARα/retinoid x receptor α activation, and netrin signaling. Network analysis identified potential interactions between genes involved in circadian rhythm and GNRH signaling, suggesting possible effects of EE2 on timing of reproductive events.
A Proposal to Anchor Monetary Policy by the Price of the Export Commodity

The debate over monetary standards and exchange rate regimes for developing countries is as wide open as ever. On the one hand, the big selling points of floating exchange rates – monetary independence and accommodation of terms of trade shocks – have not lived up to their promise. On the other hand, proposals for credible institutional monetary commitments to nominal anchors have each run aground on their own peculiar shoals. Rigid pegs to the dollar, for example, are dangerous when the dollar appreciates relative to other export markets. This study explores a proposal that countries specialized in the export of a particular commodity should peg their currency to that commodity. When the dollar price of the commodity on world markets falls, the dollar exchange rate of the local currency would fall in tandem. The country would thus reap the best of both worlds: the advantage of a nominal anchor for monetary policy, together with the automatic accommodation to terms of trade shocks that floating rates claim to deliver. The paper conducts a set of counter-factual experiments. For each of a list of countries specialized in particular mineral or agricultural commodities, what would have happened, over the last 30 years, if it had pegged its currency to that commodity, as compared to pegging to the dollar, yen, or mark, or as compared to whatever exchange rate policy it actually followed historically? We compute what would have happened under these scenarios to the price of the commodity in local terms, and we then simulate the implications for exports. Illustrative of the results is that some victims of financial difficulties in the late 1990s might have achieved a stimulus to exports precisely when it was most needed, without having to go through wrenching currency collapses, if they had been on regimes of pegging to their export commodity: South Africa to gold or platinum, Nigeria and Indonesia to oil, Chile to copper, Argentina to wheat, Colombia to coffee, and so on. Not all countries will benefit from a peg to their export commodity, and none will benefit in all time periods. Nonetheless, the results suggest that the proposal that some countries peg their currency to their principle export commodity deserves to take its place alongside pegs to major currencies and the other monetary regimes that countries consider. JEL classifications: E5, F4.
Pieces of the true crossover effect in neglect

A subject with left hemispatial neglect exhibited the crossover effect on bisecting lines of varying lengths. On long lines he misbisected to the right and on shorter lines he misbisected to the left. Rather than being an idiosyncrasy of this one task, the crossover effect also occurred on variations of Milner's Landmark task and Bisiach's Endpoint task. Performances across different bisection task variations were highly correlated. The crossover effect is not specific to the traditional line bisection task but is a pervasive aspect of this subject's performance. As the crossover effect is not explained by current theories of neglect, determining the bases for the crossover effect constitutes a challenge in understanding neglect.
Training Pediatricians to Adhere to Asthma Guidelines

Despite the proven efficacy of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute asthma guidelines, adherence to these recommendations is suboptimal among primary care physicians. Knowledge, skills, and attitudes among pediatricians influence adherence to the asthma guidelines. Workshop-based provider education interventions demonstrate short-term improvement in knowledge, but do not lead to long-term changes in patient outcomes. Comprehensive quality improvement interventions that integrate education and process changes yield the best results in improving asthma care in children.
Genetic shifts in smooth bromegrass under grazing: changes in nutritional value and preference for surviving vs. original genotypes

Genetic shifts in plant morphology and reproductive characters under grazing may potentially affect nutritive value and preference. This research was conducted to determine the response of smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) populations to long-term grazing. Genotypes from five populations of smooth bromegrass that survived 9 years of grazing were compared with genotypes of each population grown from original seed. Plant height was measured and biomass estimated for each genotype, before and after grazing by sheep, in order to assess preference. Genotypes were also tested for nutritive value. The selective effect of competition during establishment and maintenance under grazing was accompanied by genetic shifts in smooth bromegrass plants in these pastures. Survivors had greater plant biomass despite having a decrease in plant height of up to 5%. Preference for survivors, quantified as percentage consumption by sheep, was up to 3% units less than for original populations. The nutritive value of survivors was similar to that of original populations, except for one population, which had a lower neutral-detergent fibre among the survivors after grazing.
Development of a yield monitoring system for citrus mechanical harvesting machines

A load cell based yield monitoring system was developed for the Oxbo citrus mechanical harvesting machines. The yield monitoring system consisted of a GPS receiver, a mass flow sensor and data processing and storage units. The mass flow sensor consisted of four load cells attached to a carbon-fiber plate which sensed the impact force created by the oranges hitting the plate. A mathematical model was developed to relate the impact force to fruit mass. Laboratory tests were conducted on a test rig that replicated the flow of oranges to measure the accuracy of the system under a controlled environment. The system performed very well under laboratory conditions (R 2 = 0.99 and an average error of 3.3%). In addition, a field test was conducted in a citrus orchard in Florida to evaluate the performance of the system under field conditions. Of the 72 rows used in the field test, the first 10 rows were used to calibrate the computed weight. A correlation of R 2 = 0.97 between the actual weight and the computed weight was found from the field data with an average error of 7.81%.
Some psychological relations between action and language structure

This study investigated the relationship between complex grammatical structures and complex action sequences. A developmental progression of strategies for combining seriated cups identified in an earlier study (Greenfieldet al., 1972) was used to demonstrate some psychological consequences of formal parallels between language and action. The role of grammatical complexity and situational structure in language-action relations was explored. The results have implications for understanding the organization and development of complex action, its control by verbal commands, and the basic processes of speech comprehension.
Hypophosphatasia associated with calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate deposits in cartilage

A 51-year-old woman with hypophosphatasia had diffuse bone pain and widespread calcification in articular cartilage. Attacks of monarthritis had occurred for 27 years. Analysis of cartilage from the pubic symphysis revealed calcium pyrophosphate crystals.
Gradient array of freely suspended nanomembranes

Freely suspended layer-by-layer nanomembranes have been transferred onto an array of circular openings of varying diameters (a gradient array). The mechanical behavior of these nanomembrane gradient arrays have been studied using both bulging tests and point-load experiments. By using the gradient array, experimental statistics are significantly improved. The observed scale-dependent mechanical properties, investigated in an efficient fashion, are evident in the trend of increasing elastic modulus with decreasing membrane diameter. The observed increase in bending rigidity with decreasing membrane diameter is satisfactorily described by the theoretical model of an elastic membrane under a point load.
Level-of-detail based modeling of object movement in tracking and surveillance system

This paper proposes a level-of-detail (LOD) based method for modeling object movement in wireless sensor network tracking and surveillance applications. This method addresses the dilemma of achieving maximum information with limited power and bandwidth in wireless sensor network. LOD provides the researchers with various fidelity levels of data to perform such tasks as regional traffic statistics analysis, object classification and clustering, and at the highest level, object behavior analysis. A simulation test bed extracted from the sensor network hardware platform is being built to allow users to easily generate objects with various behavioral models, design three-dimensional sensor deployment layouts and related surveillance environments, test the accuracy and efficiency of tracking, and calculate lifetime of system and power consumption. An illustrative experiment with preliminary results is provided at the end of this paper.
An accounting of C-based trace gas release during abiotic plant litter degradation

Recent studies showed that photochemical breakdown (photodegradation) of plant material accounts for a substantial portion of litter decomposition and subsequent trace gas release in ecosystems under high radiative load and low precipitation. In the absence of solar radiation, thermal degradation may also cause trace gas release at temperatures below the ignition point. These observations suggest that the abiotic processes of photodegradation and thermal degradation of plant litter may be important in understanding global trace gas budgets. In a laboratory incubation study, we performed a simultaneous carbon (C) accounting of CO2, CO, and CH4 produced as a byproduct of photodegradation and thermal degradation of six different plant litter types that varied in chemical composition. The patterns of trace gas release during photodegradation and thermal degradation differed considerably across the six plant materials, suggesting that chemical composition of litter may influence the rates of abiotic degradation. There was a strong positive correlation between the rates of trace gas release during photodegradation and temperature. A significant portion of trace gases were produced during low temperature (< 100 °C) thermal degradation of litter in the absence of solar radiation, which was also positively correlated to temperature. In addition, both thermal degradation and photodegradation occurred in the absence of O2. This indicates that the mechanism formerly accepted as photo-oxidation may only be one of several photodegradation processes. We speculate that the direct breakdown of chemical groups such as carboxyl, carbonyl, and methoxyl groups may result in CO2, CO, and CH4 release. We suggest that the combined processes of thermal and photodegradation of litter may be a previously under accounted source of Cbased trace gases from terrestrial systems.
Measured behavioural latency in response to sex-pheromone loss in the large silk moth Antheraea polyphemus

Males of the giant silk moth Antheraea polyphemus Cramer (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) were video-recorded in a sustained-flight wind tunnel in a constant plume of sex pheromone. The plume was experimentally truncated, and the moths, on losing pheromone stimulus, rapidly changed their behaviour from up-tunnel zig-zag flight to lateral casting flight. The latency of this change was in the range 300-500 ms. Video and computer analysis of flight tracks indicates that these moths effect this switch by increasing their course angle to the wind while decreasing their air speed. Combined with previous physiological and biochemical data concerning pheromone processing within this species, this behavioural study supports the argument that the temporal limit for this behavioural response latency is determined at the level of genetically coded kinetic processes located within the peripheral sensory hairs.
Study of Low-Energy Ion Assisted Epitaxy of Gan Films: Influence of the Initial Growth Rate

The deposition of thin epitaxial hexagonal gallium nitride films on c-plane sapphire by low-energy nitrogen ion assisted deposition is shown to result in films of high crystalline quality. The quality can be further heightened by using the concept of an isothermal growth rate ramp. Characterization of film structure, defect density distribution and surface topography by XRD, RBS/C, and AFM, respectively, reveals the importance of the nitrogen ion energy and the ion to atom ratio on the film properties.
Benzoate-based room temperature ionic liquids—thermal properties and glycosaminoglycan dissolution

Benzoate-based room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have been synthesized with cations of varying structures. The thermal properties of these RTILs have been characterized to understand their structure–property relationship. A subset of these benzoate-RTILs was found to be capable of dissolving highly charged polysaccharides, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) to an extent of 10 mg/ml while PF6 and BF4 RTILs were not able to dissolve GAGs in significant quantities. The impact of the nature of the GAG counter-ion on GAG solubility is also addressed. The imidazolium salts of GAGs dissolved easier when compared to the sodium salts. q 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Fine root morphology is phylogenetically structured, but nitrogen is related to the plant economics spectrum in temperate trees

Summary Plant functional traits have revealed trade-offs related to life-history adaptations, geographical distributions, and ecosystem processes. Fine roots are essential in plant resource acquisition and play an important role in soil carbon cycling. Nonetheless, root trait variation is still poorly quantified and rarely related to the rest of the plant. We examined chemical and morphological traits of 34 temperate arbuscular mycorrhizal tree species, representing three main angiosperm clades (super-orders asterid, magnoliid and rosid). We tested to what extent fine root chemical and morphological traits were correlated similarly to the leaf economical spectrum (LES) or were structured by ancestral affiliations among species. Root traits did not display the same trade-offs as leaves (e.g. specific root length was not correlated with root N, whereas specific leaf area was correlated with leaf N). Moreover, 75% of below-ground traits were phylogenetically structured according to Pagel's λ and Abouheif's Cmean autocorrelation tests, as opposed to 28% of above-ground traits. Magnoliids showed thicker, less branched roots than asterids or rosids, but rosid roots exhibited lower N and higher non-acid-hydrolysable (e.g. lignin) content than other species. In contrast, leaf traits did not differ significantly among super-orders. At the whole-tree level, chemical traits such as nitrogen tissue content and lignin content were correlated between above and below-ground organs. The distribution of root traits in woody temperate trees was better explained by shared ancestry than by the nutrient content and structural trade-offs expected by the LES hypothesis. Root chemistry and morphology differed substantially among species belonging to different super-orders, suggesting deep divergences in resource acquisition strategies among major angiosperm groups. Although we found partial support for the idea of whole-plant integration based on corresponding nitrogen content across all organs (i.e. a plant economics spectrum), our study stresses phylogenetic affiliation as the primary driver of root trait distributions among angiosperms, a pattern that could be easily overlooked based solely on above-ground observations.
Thrice as easy to catch! Copper and temperature modulate predator-prey interactions in larval dragonflies and anurans

Amphibians are important indicators of environmental health, and their populations are in worldwide decline. The causes of these declines are diverse and not well understood. In some cases multiple stressors and complex causal mechanisms have been identified. Experimental studies have shown that contaminants can cause the failure of Lithobates sylvaticus tadpoles to initiate predator avoidance behaviors, potentially leading to increased tadpole capture and injury. Copper is a contaminant known to negatively affect amphibians and other aquatic organisms at sub-lethal levels. Mining waste, certain pesticides, vehicle exhaust and brake pad dust are sources of copper, which can enter hydrologic systems through runoff. Additionally, temperature is known to influence predator-prey interactions of ectotherms and is predicted to rise in some areas as climate changes. We examined how copper and temperature affected behavior and predation dynamics between an odonate predator (Aeshna sitchensis) and larval L. sylvat...
Weak Reward Source Memory in Depression Reflects Blunted Activation of VTA/SN and Parahippocampus

Reward responses in the medial temporal lobes and dopaminergic midbrain boost episodic memory formation in healthy adults, and weak memory for emotionally positive material in depression suggests this mechanism may be dysfunctional in major depressive disorder (MDD). To test this hypothesis, we performed a study in which unmedicated adults with MDD and healthy controls encoded drawings paired with reward or zero tokens during functional magnetic resonance imaging. In a recognition test, participants judged whether drawings were previously associated with the reward token (�reward source�) or the zero token (�zero source�). Unlike controls, depressed participants failed to show better memory for drawings from the reward source vs the zero source. Consistent with predictions, controls also showed a stronger encoding response to reward tokens vs zero tokens in the right para
Demonstration of a sol–gel synthesized bifacial CZTS photoelectrochemical cell

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) films grown on transparent conducting electrodes using a sol–gel method were pre-examined for future bifacial and tandem solar cell applications. Thin film containing Cu–Zn–Sn was prepared by solution based precursor on a SnO2-F/(FTO) coated glass substrate, which was subsequently annealed in a sulfur environment to obtain a CZTS phase. The photocurrent response of CZTS film was measured using alternating front illumination and rear illumination in a Eu3+/Eu2+ solution environment. The photoelectrochemical response exhibited during rear illumination is comparable to that obtained for front illumination. The promising photocurrent data for CZTS films suggest these films have potential application in semitransparent photovoltaic devices.
The value of information in floral cues: bumblebee learning of floral size cues

In many plant species, larger flowers offer larger or higher quality rewards to visitors, and flower visitors preferentially visit these larger, more rewarding flowers. Limited evidence suggests that plants in which flower size provides more reliable information about reward value have higher reproductive success than plants in which flower size offers less reliable information. We tested whether bumblebees could learn to respond to flower size when it was an informative reward cue while simultaneously learning not to respond to it when it was not informative. We also tested whether bees would develop a preference for a flower type that provided reward cues over one that did not. Bees were allowed to forage on an artificial array containing 2 flower types, each with a unique color and scent. In the informative flower type, large flowers contained sucrose rewards, whereas small flowers contained quinine solution (a deterrent). In the uninformative flower type, both flower sizes were equally likely to contain sucrose or quinine. Bees learned to prefer large flowers in the informative flower type and to be indifferent to flower size in the uninformative type. However, contrary to expectations, bees did not develop a preference for the informative type. These results suggest that although bees may benefit from floral cues that give information about rewards, plants offering these cues may not receive more flower visits than plants that do not.