cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring Potential Protective Factors for the Relationship between Low Self-Control in Adolescence and Negative Health Outcomes in Adulthood:

Previous research links low levels of self-control with criminal involvement and negative life outcomes. A similar line of inquiry has begun to explore whether low levels of self-control are also associated with developing health problems in adulthood. This paper extends this research by examining associations between adolescent levels of self-control and four different categories of health outcomes in adulthood. In addition, this study examines whether associations between adolescent levels of low self-control and health outcomes in adulthood are moderated by environmental protective factors. The results reveal that low levels of self-control in adolescence are consistently associated with reporting more health problems. In addition, some evidence emerged in support of the role of environmental protective factors in buffering the risk of developing health problems conferred by low levels of self-control in adolescence.
Phase II (NAVIGATE-AD study) Results of LY3202626 Effects on Patients with Mild Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia

Background LY3202626 is a small molecule inhibitor of β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme (BACE)1 shown to reduce amyloid-β (Aβ)1-40 and Aβ1-42 concentrations in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid developed for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Objective To assess the change from baseline in flortaucipir positron emission tomography (PET) after treatment with LY3202626 compared with placebo in patients with mild AD dementia. Methods Patients received daily 3 mg or 12 mg doses of LY3202626 or placebo for 52 weeks. The primary outcome was assessment of cerebral neurofibrillary tangle load by flortaucipir PET. The study was terminated early following an interim analysis due to a low probability of identifying a statistically significant slowing of cognitive and/or functional decline. Results A total of 316 patients were randomized and 47 completed the study. There was no statistically significant difference between placebo and either dose of LY3202626 from baseline to 52 weeks, or in annualized change for flortaucipir PET. There was no clinically meaningful difference between placebo and LY3202626 doses on efficacy measures of cognition and function. No deaths or serious adverse events considered related to LY3202626 were reported. A statistically significant increase in treatment-emergent adverse events in the psychiatric disorders system organ class was reported for both LY3202626 doses compared to placebo. Conclusion LY3202626 tested at doses generating 70-90% BACE inhibition was generally well tolerated in this study. LY3202626 treatment did not result in a clinically significant change in cerebral tau burden as measured by flortaucipir nor in change of functional or cognitive decline compared to placebo.
Characterizing Occult Nodal Disease Within a Clinically Node-Negative, Neoadjuvant Breast Cancer Population

Abstract Background Neoadjuvant therapy aims to preoperatively downstage breast cancer patients. We evaluated nodal upstaging in clinically node-negative (cN0) patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and neoadjuvant endocrine therapy (NET). Methods cN0 patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy from 2009 to 2018 were reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses evaluated rates of nodal upstaging. Results A total of 228 cN0 patients with a mean age of 55 years underwent neoadjuvant therapy for Stage I-III invasive carcinoma. Subtypes included ER+/HER2- = 93 (40%), HER2+ = 61 (27%), and triple negative (TNBC) = 74 (33%). Among ER+/HER2- patients, 65 (70%) underwent NET. Overall, 49 patients (21%) were upstaged due to occult nodal disease. Factors associated with higher rates of occult nodal disease included advanced stage on initial presentation (P = .008), larger presenting tumor size (P = .009), low/intermediate tumor grade (P = .025), and ER+/HER2- subtype (P Conclusions ER+/HER2- subtype carries higher risk for occult nodal disease after neoadjuvant therapy; NAC versus NET in these patients does not affect nodal upstaging.
HIV-1 integrase binding to genomic RNA 5'-UTR induces local structural changes in vitro and in virio.

Background During HIV-1 maturation, Gag and Gag-Pol polyproteins are proteolytically cleaved and the capsid protein polymerizes to form the honeycomb capsid lattice. HIV-1 integrase (IN) binds the viral genomic RNA (gRNA) and impairment of IN-gRNA binding leads to mis-localization of the nucleocapsid protein (NC)-condensed viral ribonucleoprotein complex outside the capsid core. IN and NC were previously demonstrated to bind to the gRNA in an orthogonal manner in virio; however, the effect of IN binding alone or simultaneous binding of both proteins on gRNA structure is not yet well understood. Results Using crosslinking-coupled selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (XL-SHAPE), we characterized the interaction of IN and NC with the HIV-1 gRNA 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR). NC preferentially bound to the packaging signal (Psi) and a UG-rich region in U5, irrespective of the presence of IN. IN alone also bound to Psi but pre-incubation with NC largely abolished this interaction. In contrast, IN specifically bound to and affected the nucleotide (nt) dynamics of the apical loop of the transactivation response element (TAR) and the polyA hairpin even in the presence of NC. SHAPE probing of the 5'-UTR RNA in virions produced from allosteric IN inhibitor (ALLINI)-treated cells revealed that while the global secondary structure of the 5'-UTR remained unaltered, the inhibitor treatment induced local reactivity differences, including changes in the apical loop of TAR that are consistent with the in vitro results. Conclusions Overall, the binding interactions of NC and IN with the 5'-UTR are largely orthogonal in vitro. This study, together with previous probing experiments, suggests that IN and NC binding in vitro and in virio lead to only local structural changes in the regions of the 5'-UTR probed here. Accordingly, disruption of IN-gRNA binding by ALLINI treatment results in local rather than global secondary structure changes of the 5'-UTR in eccentric virus particles.
Surface Composition of Copper-Nickel Alloys

The surface composition of alloys is of great importance in determining their chemical and catalytic properties. In this paper, a presentation is given of the application of Auger electron spectroscopy and photoemission spectroscopy to the study of the surface composition of copper-nickel alloys. An enrichment of copper in the surface region is observed for annealed surfaces. The effects of sputtering and chemisorption on the surface composition are also treated. By applying a nondestructive technique like photoemission, it has been demonstrated for the first time that there is at least one oscillation in the depth profile of the composition. This observation cannot be explained readily by the regular solution theory which, for instance, correctly predicts the copper enrichment at the surface.
The small, versatile pPZP family of Agrobacterium binary vectors for plant transformation

The newpPZP Agrobacterium binary vectors are versatile, relatively small, stable and are fully sequenced. The vectors utilize the pTiT37 T-DNA border regions, the pBR322bom site for mobilization fromEscherichia coli toAgrobacterium, and the ColE1 and pVS1 plasmid origins for replication inE. coli and inAgrobacterium, respectively. Bacterial marker genes in the vectors confer resistance to chloramphenicol (pPZP100 series) or spectinomycin (pPZP200 series), allowing their use inAgrobacterium strains with different drug resistance markers. Plant marker genes in the binary vectors confer resistance to kanamycin or to gentamycin, and are adjacent to the left border (LB) of the transferred region. A lacZ α-peptide, with the pUC18 multiple cloning site (MCS), lies between the plant marker gene and the right border (RB). Since the RB is transferred first, drug resistance is obtained only if the passenger gene is present in the transgenic plants.
Applicability of kinematic and diffusion models.

The applicability of the kinematic and diffusion models of open channel flow is assessed by comparing the propagation characteristics of sinusoidal perturbations to the steady uniform flow for the kinematic, diffusion, and dynamic models (the dynamic model is that based on the complete Saint Venant equations). The comparison allows the determination of inequality criteria that need to be satisfied if the kinematic or diffusion models are to simulate the physical phenomena within a prescribed accuracy. It is shown that bed slope and wave period (akin to wave duration in waves of shape other than sinusoidal) are the important physical characteristics in determining the applicability of the approximate models. Larger bed slopes or long wave periods, or both, will satisfy the inequality criteria. In practice, larger bed slopes are those of overland flow, and long wave periods are those corresponding to slow-rising flood waves.
Temperature Dependence of the Precursor Amplitude in Lithium-Fluoride

Undoped single crystals of lithium fluoride were shocked along the direction with initial stresses above the dynamic yield point. Prior to impact, the samples were heated to a uniform temperature ranging from 151 to 723 K and the relation between the precursor amplitude and the sample temperature was found to be a rapidly decreasing function. This dependence on the temperature of dynamic strength of lithium fluoride under loading is similar to the temperature dependence of the critical shear stress in lithium fluoride under quasi-static torsion. This similarity supports the view that in both dynamic and quasi-static regimes, the secondary slip systems were activated.
Effect of experimental variables on flash thermal diffusivity data analysis

Flash thermal diffusivity data is usually analyzed with a thermal model which assumes axial heat conduction and uniform illumination of the flashed surface. For high accuracy data reduction, it becomes important to bound the errors caused by radial heat flow and by non-uniform laser beam profiles. These effects are examined analytically for a case in which the incident laser beam is confined to a radius smaller than the sample radius. The dependence of the output of an averaging detector on the magnitude of the radial heat transfer coefficient is presented and the linear dependence of radial and axial loss sensitivity coefficients is discussed. From this discussion, we conclude that inclusion of radial loss effects in analysis of the thermal response of multilayer structures is not important unless the radial loss factor is very large. Analytical results are presented for the temperature vs. time response of a two layer composite sample with interfacial thermal resistance and high thermal losses at the sample faces. The use of these results to reduce data for two multilayer samples is presented to show the utility of new data reduction techniques.
Design, fabrication and test of a pneumatically controlled, renewable, microfluidic bead trapping device for sequential injection analysis applications

This paper describes the design, fabrication, and testing of a pneumatically controlled, renewable, microfluidic device for conducting bead-based assays in an automated sequential injection analysis system. The device used a “brick wall”-like pillar array (pillar size: 20 μm length × 50 μm width × 45 μm height) with 5 μm gaps between the pillars serving as the micro filter. The flow channel where bead trapping occurred is 500 μm wide × 75 μm deep. An elastomeric membrane and an air chamber were located underneath the flow channel. By applying pressure to the air chamber, the membrane is deformed and pushed upward against the filter structure. This effectively traps beads larger than 5 μm and creates a “bed” or micro column of beads that can be perfused and washed with liquid samples and reagents. Upon completion of the assay process, the pressure is released and the beads are flushed out from underneath the filter structure to renew the device. Mouse IgG was used as a model analyte to test the feasibility of using the proposed device for immunoassay applications. Resulting microbeads from an on-chip fluorescent immunoassay were individually examined using flow cytometry. The results show that the fluorescence signal intensity distribution is fairly narrow indicating high chemical reaction uniformity among the beads population. Electrochemical on-chip assay was also conducted. A detection limit of 1 ppb was achieved and good device reliability and repeatability were demonstrated. The novel microfluidic-based beads-trapping device thus opens up a new pathway to design micro-bead based immunoassays for various applications.
Single Molecule Pulsed Interleaved Excitation Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (PIE-FRET) inside Nanometer-scale Apertures at Biologically Relevant Concentration

PIE-FRET offers significant advantages over conventional single molecule FRET techniques, but it still requires the dilution of samples to biologically low concentrations. Here, we present FRET measurements inside nm-sized apertures at -1000 times higher concentration.
Endometrial cryoablation, a minimally invasive procedure for abnormal uterine bleeding

Abstract Study Objective. Design. Setting. Patients. Intervention. Measurements and Main Results. Conclusion.
Leishmania mexicana amazonensis: Plasma membrane adenine nucleotide translocator and chemotaxis

Leishmania cannot synthesize purines de novo and rely on their host to furnish these compounds. To accomplish this, they possess multiple purine nucleoside and nucleobase transporters. Subcellular fractionation, immunohistochemical localization with anti-adenine nucleotide translocator (ANT) antibodies and surface biotinylation show that the mitochondrial ANT is also present in the plasma membrane of both promastigotes and amastigotes. Leishmania, however, do not appear to rely on this transporter to supplement their purine or energy requirements via preformed ATP from its host. Rather, Leishmania appear to use the plasma membrane ANT as part of a chemotaxis response. ATP is a chemorepellant for Leishmania and cells treated with atractyloside, an inhibitor of ANT, no longer exhibit negative chemotaxis for this compound.
The relationship between noradrenaline-induced contraction and 45Ca efflux stimulation in rabbit mesenteric artery.

Abstract Cellular Ca2+ recycling in a branch of the rabbit mesenteric artery was investigated by measuring the time- and concentration-dependent effects of noradrenaline (NA) on contraction and 45Ca efflux in Ca2+-free solution. When NA was present continuously (15 min), both force development and 45Ca efflux stimulation consisted of a fast and a slow (often oscillatory) component. These components were sensitive to caffeine and are probably both related to Ca2+ release from the intracellular Ca2+ store, presumably sarcoplasmic reticulum (s.r.). When NA was applied for shorter time periods, both tension and stimulated 45Ca efflux decreased similarly. Repetitive short (30 s) NA applications resulted in repeated contractions and stimulations of 45Ca efflux. The NA-stimulated 45Ca efflux was not inhibited when external Ca2+ was present or in Na+-free medium. Loading the cell with Ca2+ (with physiological salt solution for 3 h or with a high K+ depolarizing solution) increases the number of subsequent NA-induced repeated contractions in Ca2+-free solution. The Ca2+ content of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (s.r.) in the smooth muscle cells of this small artery was estimated to be at least 50 mumol kg-1 wet weight, corresponding to an s.r. Ca2+ concentration of about 3.1 mM. These results indicate that the NA-induced increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ (as measured by force development) is accompanied by an increase in Ca2+ extrusion (as measured by stimulation of 45Ca efflux). This suggests that at least part of the activator Ca2+ cycles through the extracellular space during hormone-induced activation of vascular smooth muscle.
Complementary gradients in expression and binding of ELF-1 and Mek4 in development of the topographic retinotectal projection map

Topographic maps with a defined spatial ordering of neuronal connections are a key feature of brain organization. Such maps are believed to develop in response to complementary position-specific labels in presynaptic and postsynaptic fields. However, the complementary labeling molecules are not known. In the well-studied visual map of retinal axons projecting to the tectum, the labels are hypothesized to be in gradients, without needing large numbers of cell-specific molecules. We recently cloned ELF-1 as a ligand for Eph family receptors. Here, RNA hybridization shows matching expression gradients for ELF-1 in the tectum and its receptor Mek4 in the retina. Binding activity detected with alkaline phosphatase fusions of ELF-1 and Mek4 also reveals gradients and provides direct evidence for molecular complementarity of gradients in reciprocal fields. ELF-1 and Mek4 may therefore play roles in retinotectal development and have properties predicted of topographic mapping labels.
Computational feasibility of deformable mirror microwave hyperthermia technique for localized breast tumors

Purpose: Computational feasibility of a new non-invasive microwave hyperthermia technique that employs dual deformable mirror is investigated using simplified computational tools and anatomically realistic breast models.Materials and methods: The proposed technique employs two pairs of electromagnetic sources and continuously deformable mirrors to focus the electromagnetic radiation at the target site for hyperthermia. The mirror functions like a continuum of radiating elements that offer effective scan coverage inside the breast with efficient field focusing at the target location. The electric field focusing and temperature mapping in the two-dimensional numerical simulations are investigated using wave propagation and bio-heat transfer models respectively. The method of moments, a popular numerical simulation tool, is used to model the electric field maintained by the deformable mirrors for continuous wave excitation. The electromagnetic (EM) energy deposited by the mirrors is used in the steady state ...
Choice of Chrominance Subcarrier Frequency in the NTSC Standards

There are a number of considerations which lead to the final choice of the chrominance subcarrier frequency in the NTSC signal. In addition to the considerations given elsewhere it is also desirable to minimize the visibility of the beats between the sound carrier and the chrominance subcarrier. This requires a slight alteration of the nominal field and line rates over those used in monochrome television.
On detection of outliers in symmetric normal models

Extensions of recent results for detection of mean slippage type outliers from i.i.d. multivariate normal and elliptically symmetric distributions are made to symmetric case, that is, when the observations are equicorrelated. The main tool used is Wijsman's (1967) representation theorem. The results obtained can be viewed as a robustness property of the use of Mardia's multivariate kurtosis as a locally optimal test statistic to detect outliers against equicorrelated distributions.
Sensory Scores and Shear Force Values for Beef Roasts Cooked Either Before or After Chilling

Sensory and physical characteristics were determined on beef semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles removed and cooked either 1.5 hr post-exsanguination or after 7 days of chilling by either steam, hot water vat or convectional electric cookery. The effects of cookery method on sensory and physical characteristics were not statistically significant (P > 0.01). Hot-boned roasts from both muscles served as cubes had higher shear force values, higher amounts of connective tissue (sensory panel), and lower tenderness and higher juiciness scores than cold-boned cooked roasts. However, no differences in sensory characteristics were found between hot-and cold-boned cooked semitendinosus roats evaluated in a thinly sliced form. These results suggest that acceptable tenderness in beef roasts cooked hot-boned may be achieved when the product is used in a thinly-sliced or similar form.
A resource guide to L.M. Montgomery

Purpose – This paper aims to serve as an introduction to the scholarly study of L.M. Montgomery through a selection of annotated resources.Design/methodology/approach – Items were located using library catalogs, databases, academic reviews, bibliographies, and online searches. Items were evaluated through inspection and consulting academic reviews.Findings – The body of academic resources and scholarship on Montgomery studies continues to expand. Resources can be found in the form of print bibliographies, biographies, databases, collected essays, edited papers, monographs, periodicals, reference works, and web resources.Originality/value – While other bibliographic lists of works by or about L.M. Montgomery exist, this resource guide provides a starting point for the scholarly study of Montgomery through a selective introduction and explanation of key secondary sources. This guide may also serve as a tool for building academic library collections.
Nickel Reduces Calcium-Dependant Dimerization by Neural Cadherin

Cadherins are the primary transmembrane component in adherens junctions, structures that link the actin cytoskeleton in adjacent cells within tissue. Adherens junctions occur in most solid tissues including neurological synapses, epithelium and endothelium. Cell-cell adhesion by cadherins requires the binding of calcium ions to specific sites in the extracellular domain. Requirement of calcium binding beckons the question of whether other divalent cations might substitute for or compete with calcium for site occupancy. The studies reported herein characterize the biophysics of nickel binding to neural cadherin. Based on results from thermal-denaturation studies, it was clear that neural cadherin was stabilized by the presence of nickel in solution. Subsequent experiments tested whether the presence of constant low levels of nickel affected calcium binding affinity and calcium-induced dimerization. Interestingly, there was a significant effect upon the apparent calcium binding affinity and on adhesive dimer formation as a function of nickel concentration, suggesting that detrimental competition for site occupancy occurs between these divalent cations.
Endoscopic computer-enhanced beating heart coronary artery bypass grafting.

Abstract Background . Telemanipulation systems have enabled coronary revascularization on the arrested heart. The purpose of this study was to develop a technique for computer-enhanced endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting on the beating heart. Methods . The operation was performed using the daVinci telemanipulation system. Through three ports, the left internal thoracic artery was harvested in 10 mongrel dogs (30 to 35 kg) using single right-lung ventilation and CO 2 insufflation. Through a fourth port an articulating stabilizer, manipulated from a second surgical console, was inserted to stabilize the heart. The left anterior descending artery was snared using silicone elastomer slings anchored in the stabilizer cleats and the graft to coronary artery anastomosis was performed. Results . In 7of 10 dogs, total endoscopic beating heart bypass grafting, cardiac stabilization, arteriotomy, and arterial anastomosis were performed using computer-enhanced technology. Endoscopic stabilization and temporary left anterior descending artery occlusion were well tolerated. All grafts were patent although minor strictures were found in 2. In 3 dogs, the procedure could not be completed (1 ventricular arrhythmia, 1 left atrial laceration, and 1 right ventricular outflow tract compression). Conclusions . Endoscopic beating heart coronary artery bypass grafting is possible in a canine model using a computer-enhanced instrumentation system and articulating stabilization.
Distributed Adaptive Quantization and Estimation for Wireless Sensor Networks

In this letter, the problem of distributed parameter estimation in a wireless sensor network is considered, where due to bandwidth constraint, each sensor node sends only one bit of information to a fusion center. We propose a new distributed adaptive quantization scheme by which each individual sensor node dynamically adjusts the threshold of its quantizer based on earlier transmissions from other sensor nodes. The maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) and the Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) associated with our distributed adaptive quantization scheme are derived. Numerical results depicting the performance and advantages of our approach over a fixed quantization scheme are presented.
Perspectives on Access and Equity in the Era of (Community) College Completion

In an era when college completion dominates the policy agenda, matters of access and equity are critically important. The allure of raising completion rates by reducing access for students thought unprepared for college and incapable of finishing is too attractive to deny. This article discusses the importance of linking access and completion to ensure that equitable outcomes are obtained by community college learners and examines the question of how policy affects access in the context of the nation’s college completion agenda. Key national initiatives undertaken to increase completion are examined with an eye toward understanding how the strategies developed by these initiatives affect student access and success.
Comparison of Weighted vs Unweighted Enteral Feeding Tubes for Efficacy of Transpyloric Intubation

Routine transpyloric placement of feeding tubes reduces aspiration in intensive care unit patients. Spontaneous passage eliminates the need for radiologic or endoscopic intervention. It is unclear whether the addition of a weight to the end of the tube or the use of the prokinetic agent metoclopramide in the conventional dose (10 mg) improves spontaneous transpyloric placement. In a randomized, prospective trial, 39 intensive care unit patients (age > 2 years) had a total of 50 nasoenteral tubes placed after intravenous metoclopramide (20 mg in adults, 0.2 mg/kg in children). The tubes were 8 French in diameter with either a weighted end or an unweighted bullet tip. Tip position was confirmed radiographically within 4 hours after blinded placement and at 1 and 2 days if spontaneous passage had not occurred. At 4 hours, 36% of the weighted tubes and 84% of the unweighted tubes (p < .002) had passed through the pylorus. At 1 day, 48% of the weighted tubes and 86% of the unweighted tubes (p < .007) had achieved transpyloric position. At 2 days, 56% and 92% of the weighted and unweighted tubes, respectively, had passed through the pylorus (p < .009, chi 2). The occurrence of transpyloric passage and the rapidity at which it occurred was significantly greater for the unweighted tube during all time periods. A poststudy trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of the normal dose of metoclopramide (10 mg in adults and 0.1 mg/kg in children) and the transpyloric passage of the unweighted feeding tube. Twenty-five patients received 10 mg of metoclopramide before the insertion of the unweighted tube.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A knowledge-based approach to programming welding robots

Abstract The article describes ROBOEDIT, a knowledge-based programming assistant that has been developed to facilitate the modification and the fine tuning of robot programs on the production floor. In particular, ROBOEDIT is defined for use with the Advanced Robotics Cyro 5+2 are welding robot. The system is written in LISP and runs on a microcomputer under MS-DOS. It employs several knowledge-engineering principles to improve production floor editing efficiencies and to simultaneously reduce robot programming skill requirements. The latter goal is accomplished largely via a user interface that features an English-like format. Parsing techniques based upon context-free grammars are used to translate robot programs between the user interface and the robot language syntax. An indexed database design is employed to build representations of the information contained in the programs and to encode important relationships. Finally, production system formalisms and robot-specific knowledge about kinematics and programming rules are combined to create an integrated environments that assists the user during editing sessions and check edited programs for correctness of syntax. A sample session with ROBOEDIT is described and discussed.
Design of Automotive Control Systems Robust to Hardware Imprecision

The hardware used for software implementation on a physical system introduces uncertainty into the controller. If neglected during design, this uncertainty can lead to poor controller performance, resulting in significant design and verification iterations. In this work, the effect of sampling time, quantization, and fixed-point computation are directly accounted for in the control design. Sampling time is compensated for by a discrete-time controller. A generic methodology is developed for modeling the worst-case scenario effect of quantization and fixed-point computation on the control commands. The cold-start emission control problem is used as a case study, and a discrete-time sliding surface controller is developed. Verification is performed to ensure the estimated worst-case scenario uncertainty bounds are accurate. The bounds are incorporated into a modified version of the control laws. During simulation the modified controller demonstrates significant reduction in tracking error in the presence of hardware imprecisions.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
50.4: Three-dimensional Virtual Retinal Display System using a Deformable Membrane Mirror

A deformable membrane mirror is being used to generate multiple focal planes within a scanned light display, or virtual retinal display (VRD). The MEMS deformable mirror changes the focal plane of the display by varying the wavefront of the optical beam entering the eye. Dynamically changing the focal plane will allow the viewer to see 3-D objects using the natural accommodative response of the eye, unlike current stereographics that rely on retinal disparity. The display system can successfully generate a focal range from infinity to −3 diopters, verified through measurements on human subjects made with a laser autorefractor.
Highly aligned, template-free growth and characterization of vertical GaN nanowires on sapphire by metal–organic chemical vapour deposition

We report the growth of exceptionally well aligned and vertically oriented GaN nanowires on r-plane sapphire wafers via metal–organic chemical vapour deposition. The nanowires were grown without the use of either a template or patterning. Transmission electron microscopy indicates the nanowires are single crystalline, free of threading dislocations, and have triangular cross-sections. The high degree of vertical alignment is explained by the crystallographic match between the oriented nanowires and the r-plane sapphire surface. We find that the degree of alignment and size uniformity of the nanowires are highly dependent on the nickel nitrate catalyst concentration used, with the highest degree of uniformity and alignment occurring at concentrations much more dilute than typically employed for vapour–liquid–solid-based nanowire growth. Additionally, we report here a strong dependence of the optical and electrical properties of the nanowires on the growth temperature, which we hypothesize is due to increased carbon incorporation at lower growth temperatures.
The determination of coronal potential magnetic fields using line-of-sight boundary conditions

Previous efforts to construct solar coronal fields using surface magnetograph data have generally employed a least squares minimization technique in order to determine the spherical harmonic expansion coefficients of the magnetic scalar potential. Provided there is no source surface high up in the corona, we show that knowledge of the line-of-sight component of the surface magnetic field, B i = B r sin θ + B θ cos θ, is sufficient to uniquely determine the potential coronal magnetic field by an explicit construction of the magnetic scalar potential for an arbitrary B l (θ, φ).
Squid Pro Quo

I was pleased to see the coverage in Random Samples (5 Apr., p. 37) of the new little squirt ( Euprymna scolopes ) now under culture at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL). It is exciting to have a new squid in the village and to look forward to the future research use of the organism. It seems
Iontophoretic evidence for subsensitivity of postsynaptic dopamine receptors following long-term amphetamine administration

Abstract Neuronal activity was recorded from the anteromedial neostriatum of rats pretreated twice daily for 6 consecutive days with saline or 5.0 mg/kg d-amphetamine. Glutamate was applied in both groups of animals to increase spontaneous firing rates. Iontophoretic application of increasing currents of DA (20–120 nA) produced a progressive inhibition of unit activity in control animals that was significantly reduced in rats pretreated with amphetamine. These results support the view that long-term amphetamine treatment reduces the sensitivity of postsynaptic DA receptors in the neostriatum.
Percolation model of excess electrical noise in transition-edge sensors

Abstract We present a geometrical model to describe excess electrical noise in transition-edge sensors (TESs). In this model, a network of fluctuating resistors represents the complex dynamics inside a TES. The fluctuations can cause several resistors in series to become superconducting. Such events short out part of the TES and generate noise because much of the current percolates through low resistance paths. The model predicts that excess white noise increases with decreasing TES bias resistance (R/RN) and that perpendicular zebra stripes reduce noise and alpha of the TES by reducing percolation.
Ocular movements and spontaneous blink rate as functions of personality.

Although the importance of both deliberate and spontaneous blinking and eye movements in the study of certain perceptual phenomena has been stressed repeatedly, the circumstances surrounding the relative contributions for these two variables remain open to question. The Merediths (1962) suggested that differential eye movements and blink rates may be associated with different types of viewing instructions. This could partially account for recently reported differences among Necker cube fluctuation data obtained under different viewing instructions (Franks & Lindahl, 1963). In this study, in which eye movements per se were not investigated, blinking was unrelated either to extraversion or to fluctuation. In a subsequent invesrrg3rron eye movemenrs and blink rates were related ro the extraversion scores of 39 normal adult males. Spontaneous blinking was recorded photoelectrically while Ss sat in a sound proof room gazing at a 600-rpm rotating spiral for rare I-min, viewing periods, separated by a 3-min. interval. Extraversion scores were then obtained by having Ss complete the E scale of the Maudsley Personality Inventory ( M P I ) . Spontaneous eye movements were investigated by a technique which required Ss to keep their heads still and report any fleering "flashes" obtruding upon the otherwise uniform grey appearance at the same high speed (Holland, 1960) . This effect, which also occurs when certain blinks occur, is supposed to be stable and reliable. After a brief explanation and practice period Ss were given rwo trials of 1 min. separated by a 3-min. interval, all flashes being recorded by a light touch on a silent telegraph key attached to a counter. For 2 0 Ss the blink test followed the questionnaire. The order of presentation was found to produce no pertinent differences in either rate of blinking or report of flashes. Pearson product-moment testretest correlations were .72 and .84 for the blinks and flashes, respectively. Correlations among mean blink rate, mean flash rate and E were as follows: blink-E, r = .lo; blink-flash, I = .22; E-flash, r = .42. If flash rate does indeed measure certain eye movements, then these data suggest that eye movements may be of greater pertinence than eye blinks in studies involving visuaI fixation and extraversion. These data also provide some support for Eysenck's contention that extraverts are poorer at. visual fixation than are introverts (see Holland, 1960).
New test structures and techniques for measurement of mechanical properties of MEMS materials

This paper presents techniques and procedures for addressing the three major problems of mechanical testing of the thin films used in surface micromachined microelectromechanical systems--specimen handling, friction, and strain measurement. The polysilicon tensile specimens are fabricated with two supporting side strips on silicon wafers at the Microelectronic Center of North Carolina. The tensile specimen is released by etching away the wafer, and the two support strips are cut after the specimen is glued in the test machine. Friction is reduced by a linear air bearing in the load train, and strain is measured with a noncontacting technique based on laser interferometry between two gold lines on the tensile specimen. The Young's modulus of polysilicon is 170 +/- 7 GPa and the strength is 1.21 +/- 0.16 GPa from a series of 29 tests. preliminary measurements have been made of Poisson's ratio and the fatigue behavior, and an attempt is underway to measure the fracture toughness.
Future Foodservice Waste Management

The purpose of this article is to discuss the future of foodservice waste management. First, the evolution of environmental concerns in the United States is presented. Trends and future research topics for foodservice waste management are then discussed, and the need for a "metabolic restaurant" is proposed by the authors. Finally, the authors contend that foodservice operators and consumers must jointly address the societal demand for conservation, preservation, and restoration of ecologically and consumer friendly foodservice facilities.
Estimating Performance on Two-Lane Highways: Case Study Validation of a New Methodology

This study presents an empirical investigation into the use of a new measure, percent impeded, for estimating performance on two-lane highways. Percent impeded is a point estimate of the percentage of vehicles that are impeded by slower vehicles in the traffic stream due to platooning, a common phenomenon on two-lane, two-way highways. This point measure, by definition, is closest in concept to percent-time-spent-following, a spatial measure of performance on two-lane highways that is used in the current practice yet is impractical to measure in the field. Field data were collected from two two-lane highway study sites with passing lanes in the state of Montana. Performance was examined at a single location upstream and multiple locations downstream of the passing lane at each study site. As a reference, the analyses utilized some of the currently used or suggested performance measures on two-lane highways. Overall, the percent impeded patterns and trends were consistent with the mechanism of platoon break-up and formation in the vicinity of passing lanes, a concept that is well-documented in the literature. Further, study results suggest that percent impeded has more logical and consistent sensitivity to platooning variables compared with other performance measures investigated by this study.
An investigation of the relationship between eye and retinal image movement in the perception of movement

The question investigated was whether or not eye movements accompanied by abnormal retinal image movements, movements that are either or both at a different rate or in a different direction than the eye movement, predictably lead to perceived movement. Os reported whether or not they saw a visual target move when the movement of the target was either dependent on and simultaneous with their eye movements or when the target movement was independent of their eye movements. In the main experiment, observations were made when the ratio between eye and target movement fem/tm) was 2/5, 1/5, 1/10, 1/20, and 0. All these ratios were tested when the direction of the target movement was in the same (H+), opposite (H−), and at right angles to (V+, V−) the movement of the eyes. Eye movements, target movements, and reports of target movement were recorded. Results indicate that a discrepancy between eye and target movement greater than 20% predictably leads to perceived target movement, whereas a discrepancy of 5% or less rarely leads to perceived movement. The results are interpreted as support for the operation of a compensatory mechanism during eye movements.
Estrogen-modulated uterine gene transcription in relation to decidualization.

Three daily injections of 2 mg progesterone are required to sensitize the uterus of the ovariectomized rat to deciduogenic stimuli. The period of uterine sensitivity is terminated by 17β-estradiol (E2). The mechanisms of sensitization and desensitization have been studied. The availability of DNA sequences in uterine chromatin for RNA chain initiation was assayed under conditions which eliminate chain elongation and reinitiations. A 500% increase in RNA initiation sites was stimulated and maintained by progesterone; this increase was closely correlated with the sensitivity of the uterus to decidualization. At anytime after three daily injections of 2 mg progesterone, the injection of E2 (0.2 μg) depressed the transcriptive activity of uterine chromatin below control levels within 4 h, but the uterus remained fully sensitive for 30 h. Desensitization then proceeded rapidly and was complete 40 h after E2. This refractive state (restricted transcription and absence of uterine sensitivity) persisted if inject...
GtRNAdb: a database of transfer RNA genes detected in genomic sequence

Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) represent the single largest, best-understood class of non-protein coding RNA genes found in all living organisms. By far, the major source of new tRNAs is computational identification of genes within newly sequenced genomes. To organize the rapidly growing collection and enable systematic analyses, we created the Genomic tRNA Database (GtRNAdb), currently including over 74 000 tRNA genes predicted from 740 species. The web resource provides overview statistics of tRNA genes within each analyzed genome, including information by isotype and genetic locus, easily downloadable primary sequences, graphical secondary structures and multiple sequence alignments. Direct links for each gene to UCSC eukaryotic and microbial genome browsers provide graphical display of tRNA genes in the context of all other local genetic information. The database can be searched by primary sequence similarity, tRNA characteristics or phylogenetic group. The database is publicly available at http://gtrnadb.ucsc.edu.
Explaining the Change in Roll-Call Voting Behavior of Southern Democrats

Southern politics changed dramatically since the enactment of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Most notably, we witnessed the emergence of a competitive two-party system and greater electoral participation by blacks. During this period we also saw a substantial liberalization in the voting behavior of southern Democratic members of Congress. A number of researchers have tried to use constituency variables to explain variability in liberal voting by southern legislators. The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a constituency explanation of liberal voting by southern Democrats based on the ideological leanings of white voters, the size of the black constituency, urbanization and the strength of the Republican congressional candidate. The effects of constituency variables on two measures of liberal voting (ADA scores and party unity scores) are analyzed for each odd-numbered year between 1981 and 1987. The findings of this study suggest that constituency variables do impact on southern Democrat's liberal...
The regulation of FasL expression during activation-induced cell death (AICD)

Activation-induced cell death (AICD), a Fas ligand (FasL)-dependent pathway, is important for maintaining T-cell homeostasis. Interleukin-2 (IL-2), an enhancer of AICD, can also enhance FasL expression. However, we show that the level of FasL or FLIP protein did not correlate with the susceptibility to AICD. Some T cells expressed high levels of FasL yet failed to undergo AICD, while others expressed little FasL and were sensitive. AICD susceptibility did not correlate with the kinetics of FasL up-regulation or down-regulation. The down-regulation of FasL can be mediated by a metalloprotease. However, we describe an alternative mechanism for the loss of FasL by endocytosis. Endocytosis inhibitors such as cytochalasins, sodium azide, deoxyglucose, or low temperatures prevented the loss of FasL. KB8301, a metalloprotease inhibitor had no effect on the loss of FasL or AICD in the T cells. Enhancing FasL expression was not crucial for AICD and the down-regulation of FasL proceeded via endocytosis.
Transfection of XC plaques with DNA from murine leukemia virus producer cells

Summary Transfection of leukemia virus resulting in virus production has been accomplished in the murine system using cellular DNA containing a vertically established leukemia virus. Virus production was detected in a bioassay by XC plaque formation and in a biochemical assay for reverse transcriptase activity. Infection by DNA was successful using the Calcium method but not with the DEAE dextran method. XC plaques were observed as early as the first subculture of transfected cells.
Altered Growth Following Gestational Viral Infection of the Placental and Aplacental Host

Intravenous infection of 10 pregnant rhesus monkeys with mumps virus during the first trimester results in intrauterine and postnatal growth retardation. Virus may be recovered from the oropharynx of the pregnant monkey but has not been detected in the tissues of the embryo, fetus, or neonate. The maternal host develops mumps virus neutralizing antibody and delayed hypersensitivity while the infant monkey demonstrates delayed hypersensitivity alone. Inoculation of the embryonated chick egg with mumps virus at 12 h of age results in a peristent gestational infection. At hatch virus may be recovered from the blood and organs contain virus in from 0.01 to 1.0% of their cells. Hatchling experimental and control chicks are of the same size. Within 1 week experimental chicks incur a transient growth lag which disappears by 4 weeks of age. Virus disappears from the tissues by 1 week of age. Specific antibody is present in the sera of experimental chicks at 1 month of age. Preliminary studies reveal that parenteral mumps virus infection of the pregnant rat during early gestation results in fetal dwarfing. Virus has not been detected in late fetal tissues. Both maternal and weanling experimental rats demonstrate mumps virus antibody and delayed hypersensitivity. Gestational viral infection may alter growth by a direct replicative effect on fetal tissues or perhaps indirectly via dysfunction of the placental unit.