cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
March 4 : scientists, students, and society

Scientists debate the role of scientific research in the military-industrial complex and consider the complicity of academic science in American wars.On March 4, 1969, MIT faculty and students joined together for an extraordinary day of protest. Growing out of the MIT community's anguish over the Vietnam War and concern over the perceived complicity of academic science with the American war machine, the events of March 4 and the days following were a ?positive protest??a forum not only for addressing political and moral priorities but also for mapping out a course of action. Soon afterward, some of the participants founded the Union of Concerned Scientists. This book documents the March 4 protest with transcripts of talks and panel discussions. Speakers included Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Lionel Trilling, and Nobel Laureate George Wald, whose memorable speech, ?A Generation in Search of a Future,? was widely circulated. Topics of discussion ranged from general considerations of the intellectuals' political responsibility to specific comments on the Vietnam War and nuclear disarmament. This fiftieth anniversary edition adds a foreword by Kurt Gottfried, a physicist, participant in the March 4 protest, and cofounder of the Union of Concerned Scientists. He writes, forcefully and hopefully, ?Fifty years ago, a remarkable awakening was occurring among American scientists about their role in society. This volume offers a fascinating snapshot of that moment on March 4, 1969, and the activities and discussions collected here remain relevant and resonant today.? In an era when many politicians routinely devalue science, we can take inspiration from the March 4 protests.
Pathways to pluralism about biological individuality

What are the prospects for a monistic view of biological individuality given the multiple epistemic roles the concept must satisfy? In this paper, I examine the epistemic adequacy of two recent accounts based on the capacity to undergo natural selection. One is from Ellen Clarke, and the other is by Peter Godfrey-Smith. Clarke’s position reflects a strong monism, in that she aims to characterize individuality in purely functional terms and refrains from privileging any specific material properties as important in their own right. I argue that Clarke’s functionalism impairs the epistemic adequacy of her account compared to a middle-ground position taken by Godfrey-Smith. In comparing Clarke and Godfrey-Smith’s account, two pathways emerge to pluralism about biological individuality. The first develops from the contrast between functionalist and materialist approaches, and the second from an underlying temporal structure involved in using evolutionary processes to define individuality.
The effect of colchicine on the synthesis and secretion of rat serum albumin.

Publisher Summary This chapter reports a study of the effect of colchicines on the synthesis and secretion of albumin, which proves useful in determining at which steps of hepatic secretion colchicine exerts its inhibitory action and which leads to a further understanding of the molecular mechanisms that govern the secretory steps affected by colchicines. Rat albumin is synthesized on polysomes attached to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane, is vectorially discharged into the lumen of the rough ER, and then is transported stepwise to the smooth ER, to the Golgi complex, and to secretory vesicles that fuse with the plasma membrane and secrete albumin into the space of Disse. Colchicine given intravenously to a rat can cause inhibition of plasma protein secretion and an accumulation of the nonsecreted proteins within the liver. At these doses, the inhibitory effect of colchicine is prompt and noticed within 2 minutes of colchicine administration. Colchicine is a general inhibitor of in vivo secretion, as it inhibits the secretion of albumin, and that of other plasma proteins produced by the liver.
Rényi-mixing of occupation times

Publisher Summary It is shown that the occupation times of a bounded interval by sums of independent and identically distributed random variables are Renyi-mixing under the classical necessary and sufficient condition of Darling and Kac for the original limit theorem. Some consequences are derived for the occupation times of a random walk in a random number of steps, along with an extension of the Darling–Kac theorem for Revesz-dependent sequences of random variables. As Darling and Kac originally established their limit theorem for occupation times of rather general Markov chains (and continuous-time Markov processes), it is not surprising in itself that condition 2 can be extended for sums of dependent variables. However, despite the fact that Revesz's almost independence is a rather weak form of dependence, the extension is perhaps of some interest in that that it represents a departure from independence, which is not Markovian in character.
The regulation of rat liver calciferol-25-hydroxylase.

Abstract Rats treated with vitamin D3 show decreased levels of liver calciferol-25-hydroxylase activity. The extent of the depression and its persistence are related to the dose of vitamin D3. The decrease in enzyme activity measured in vitro cannot be accounted for by dilution of the labeled substrate by unlabeled vitamin D3 remaining in the liver. The in vitro decrease is reflected in vivo by a decrease in the rate and extent of appearance of 3H-labeled 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in the blood and liver following a dose of 3H-labeled vitamin D3 administered to rats pretreated with unlabeled vitamin D3. These data show the existence of a mechanism which regulates the activity of the rat liver calciferol-25-hydroxylase.
Monitoring during lumbar stenosis and fusion surgery

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews that intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring is a useful adjuvant modality in guiding the operative technique during lumbar spinal stenosis and fusion surgery. It leads to an increased surgeon and surgical assistant awareness of the consequences of their actions, and can lead to the avoidance of complications and improvement in patient outcomes with very little risk. The chapter discusses that variety of different techniques are available, such as electromyography (EMG), somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs), dermatomal SEP (DSEP), and pedicle screw testing, but the basic principle remains the same: probes are used to detect, and monitor spontaneous and evoked electrical signals as they are transmitted through the nervous system. The workhorse techniques most commonly used in the operating room are SEP, MEP/EMG, and pedicle screw stimulation. The chapter also reviews that the utility of intraoperative monitoring lies in its ability to provide real-time feedback on the integrity of the neural pathways during surgery. It can also provide useful information about the successful decompression of a compressed nerve.
Infanticide as Sexual Conflict: Coevolution of Male Strategies and Female Counterstrategies

One of the earliest recognized forms of sexual conflict was infanticide by males, which imposes serious costs on female reproductive success. Here I review two bodies of evidence addressing coevolved strategies of males and females. The original sexual selection hypothesis arguing that infanticide improves male mating success by accelerating the return of females to fertilizable condition has been generally supported in some taxa--notably, some primates, carnivores, rodents, and cetaceans--but not in other taxa. One result of recent research has been to implicate other selective benefits of infanticide by males in various taxa from insects to birds to mammals, such as acquisition of breeding status or improvement of the female breeding condition. In some cases, however, the adaptive significance of male infanticide remains obscure. The second body of data I review is arguably the most important result of recent research: clarifying the possible female counterstrategies to infanticide. These potential counterstrategies span diverse biological systems, ranging from sexual behavior (e.g., polyandrous mating), to physiology (e.g., the Bruce effect), to individual behavior (e.g., maternal aggression), to social strategies (e.g., association with coalitionary defenders of either sex). Although much remains to be studied, these current data provide compelling evidence of sexually antagonistic coevolution surrounding the phenomenon of infanticide.
Time step restrictions for Runge-Kutta discontinuous Galerkin methods on triangular grids

We derive CFL conditions for the linear stability of the so-called Runge-Kutta discontinuous Galerkin (RKDG) methods on triangular grids. Semidiscrete DG approximations using polynomials spaces of degree p=0,1,2, and 3 are considered and discretized in time using a number of different strong-stability-preserving (SSP) Runge-Kutta time discretization methods. Two structured triangular grid configurations are analyzed for wave propagation in different directions. Approximate relations between the two-dimensional CFL conditions derived here and previously established one-dimensional conditions can be observed after defining an appropriate triangular grid parameter h and a constant that is dependent on the polynomial degree p of the DG spatial approximation. Numerical results verify the CFL conditions that are obtained, and ''optimal'', in terms of computational efficiency, two-dimensional RKDG methods of a given order are identified.
A citation analysis of organizational communication research

This paper is a descriptive analysis of publication rates and citation patterns in organizational communication articles published in fifteen communication journals between the years 1979–1989. Results revealed that (1) approximately six percent of all articles addressed organizational communication, (2) the three journals that published the greatest proportion of organizational communication articles were Management Communication Quarterly, The Southern Communication Journal, and Human Communiction Research, and (3) sources most frequently cited are from three disciplines—communication, management, and psychology. Implications of these findings for the practice of organizational communication research are discussed.
Silk-Based Injectable Biomaterial as an Alternative to Cervical Cerclage: An In Vitro Study

New therapies to prevent preterm birth are needed. Our objective was to study an injectable biomaterial for human cervical tissue as an alternative to cervical cerclage. Human cervical tissue specimens were obtained from premenopausal gynecological hysterectomies for benign indications. A 3-part biomaterial was formulated, consisting of silk protein solution blended with a 2-part polyethylene glycol gelation system. The solutions were injected into cervical tissue and the tissue was evaluated for mechanical properties, swelling, cytocompatibility, and histology. The stiffness of cervical tissue more than doubled after injection (P = .02). Swelling properties of injected tissue were no different than native tissue controls. Cervical fibroblasts remained viable for at least 48 hours when cultured on the biomaterial. We report a silk-based, biocompatible, injectable biomaterial that increased the stiffness of cervical tissue compared to uninjected controls. Animal studies are needed to assess this biomaterial in vivo.
Syntheses of the isomeric benzoquinazolines: A review

The synthesis of derivatives of benzo[f]quinazoline, benzo[g]quinazoline and benzo[h]quinazoline is reviewed. Each class of compound is treated separately. The review covers ring formations as well as group modifications.
Stimulus intensity dynamism during two-valued auditory discrimination acquisition: a systematic replication

Using two counterpart pairs of groups, rats were trained to discriminate between 4 kHz tones spaced 5 dB apart at the high or low ends of an intensity continuum. The major findings agree with those of Sadowsky (1966) who, using 10 dB separations, found a large amount of dynamism at high intensities, but none at low intensities. However, some details of the present results differ and may be related to the SD-SΔ separation variable.
Variability of the observed midlatitude storm tracks in relation to low-frequency changes in the circulation pattern

Abstract The principal modes of month-to-month variability of the wintertime storm tracks over the North Pacific and North Atlantic are identified by empirical orthogonal function analysis of the root-mean-square statistics of bandpass (2.5–6 day) filtered geopotential height data for 19 yr. One of the two leading modes depicts fluctuations in the level of synoptic-scale activity without any noticeable spatial displacement of the storm track axes, whereas the other mode is associated with meridional shifts of the storm tracks from their time-averaged positions. Higher order modes are indicative of diversion or truncation of cyclone tracks in particular geographical regions. It is demonstrated that the leading storm track modes are linked to some of the best-known monthly averaged teleconnection patterns. The dipolar western Pacific and western Atlantic patterns for the monthly mean flow are seen to be accompanied by marked changes in the intensity of the storm tracks over the western oceans, whereas the m...
Mannose-functionalized "pathogen-like" polyanhydride nanoparticles target C-type lectin receptors on dendritic cells.

Targeting pathogen recognition receptors on dendritic cells (DCs) offers the advantage of triggering specific signaling pathways to induce a tailored and robust immune response. In this work, we describe a novel approach to targeted antigen delivery by decorating the surface of polyanhydride nanoparticles with specific carbohydrates to provide “pathogen-like” properties that ensure nanoparticles engage C-type lectin receptors on DCs. The surface of polyanhydride nanoparticles was functionalized by covalent linkage of dimannose and lactose residues using an amine–carboxylic acid coupling reaction. Coculture of functionalized nanoparticles with bone marrow-derived DCs significantly increased cell surface expression of MHC II, the T cell costimulatory molecules CD86 and CD40, the C-type lectin receptor CIRE and the mannose receptor CD206 over the nonfunctionalized nanoparticles. Both nonfunctionalized and functionalized nanoparticles were efficiently internalized by DCs, indicating that internalization of fu...
Laser photoluminescence of iodine matrix samples: Spectroscopic evidence for several (I2)2 species

Abstract Three structured photoluminescence systems have been obtained in the 12 000 to 16 000 cm−1 range from matrices containing molecular iodine. These sharp emissions contained increasing vibronic intervals. The most likely origins of the strong emissions are different structural isomers of molecular iodine dimers or trimers.
Proteomic analysis of 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) modified proteins in liver mitochondria from chronic ethanol-fed rats

Chronic ethanol-mediated oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation increases the levels of various reactive lipid species including 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), which can subsequently modify proteins in the liver. It has been proposed that 4-HNE modification adversely affects the structure and/or function of mitochondrial proteins, thereby impairing mitochondrial metabolism. To determine whether chronic ethanol consumption increases levels of 4-HNE modified proteins in mitochondria, male rats were fed control and ethanol-containing diets for 5 weeks and mitochondrial samples were analyzed using complementary proteomic methods. Five protein bands (approx. 35, 45, 50, 70, and 90 kDa) showed strong immunoreactivity for 4-HNE modified proteins in liver mitochondria from control and ethanol-fed rats when proteins were separated by standard 1D SDS-PAGE. Using high-resolution proteomic methods (2D IEF/SDS-PAGE and BN-PAGE) we identified several mitochondrial proteins immunoreactive for 4-HNE, which included mitofilin, dimethylglycine dehydrogenase, choline dehydrogenase, electron transfer flavoprotein α, cytochrome c1, enoyl CoA hydratase, and cytochrome c. The electron transfer flavoprotein α consistently showed increased 4-HNE immunoreactivity in mitochondria from ethanol-fed rats as compared to mitochondria from the control group. Increased 4-HNE reactivity was also detected for dimethylglycine dehydrogenase, enoyl CoA hydratase, and cytochrome c in ethanol samples when mitochondria were analyzed by BN-PAGE. In summary, this work identifies new targets of 4-HNE modification in mitochondria and provides useful information needed to better understand the molecular mechanisms underpinning chronic ethanol-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and liver injury.
Blowflies: Alteration of Adult Taste Responses by Chemicals Present during Development

The addition of certain sugars to the food consumed during larval development increases the taste sensitivity of adult blowflies to some sugars, decreases it to others, and is without effect on the sensitivity to still others. No correlation with metabolic phenomena is apparent. The hypothesis that repression of inductible enzyme synthesis by glucose is a relevant model is not supported.
Determination of tocopherol in oxidized fats

Heating oxidized fats to 210°C. under reduced pressure for 10 to 15 min. removed peroxides without affecting the tocopherol content. This simple heating method yielded a higher recovery of tocopherol in oxidized fats than other modifications of the Emmerie-Engel method used to remove interfering substances. The data indicate that tocopherol is not regenerated in the oxidized oils by the heat treatment. The loss of tocopherol in soybean oil which had been oxidized beyond the induction period was relatively small.
A prospective study of the use of liquid oral dietary supplements in nursing homes.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of liquid oral dietary supplements among nursing home residents who were eating poorly and losing weight. DESIGN: A prospective, descriptive, anthropological study. SETTING: Two proprietary nursing homes with 105 and 138 beds. PARTICIPANTS: Purposive sampling was used to select 40 residents from among the 100 residents who were not eating well. Dietary data were collected on this sub-sample of 40 residents. MEASUREMENTS: Participant observation, in-depth interviews, event analysis, bedside dysphagia screenings, oral health examinations, body weight, body mass index (BMI), and chart review were used to collect data. Dietary data were collected over a 3-day period, and data were gathered on how supplements were ordered, served, and consumed. RESULTS: Supplements had been ordered for 29 of the subsample of 40 residents. Only nine of 29 residents were served the correct number and type of supplements as ordered by their physicians, and only two residents consumed the full amount of supplement as ordered. The overall mean percentage of supplement consumed compared with that ordered was 55.1%. Although supplements were ordered primarily to prevent weight loss and to facilitate weight gain, nearly half (n = 14) of the residents continued to lose weight. Supplements were ordered without investigating the underlying factors contributing to weight loss, such as inadequate staffing and lack of supervision at mealtime, undiagnosed dysphagia, and poor oral health. Without evaluation of these factors, it is unknown which residents might benefit from oral supplements. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that supplements were used nonspecifically as an intervention for weight loss in nursing home residents without regard to dose, diagnosis and management of underlying problem(s), amount of supplement consumed, and outcome. Further research is needed to establish when supplements should be ordered, how to ensure that they will be taken, and whether they are effective.
Scheduling multiple variant programs under hard real-time constraints

Abstract The paper proposes approximate and evolution based algorithms for scheduling independent, non-preemptable, multiple variant (m-v) tasks on identical processors. Processing and arriving times may differ per task. Optimization criterion is a total number of the executed program variants under hard, real-time constraints. The paper presents also a competitiveness analysis for the corresponding online problem with two processors. In an online case multiple variants tasks arrive one by one and decisions as to the number of variants processed and allocation of variants to either of the identical processors must be taken incrementally. The objective in the online problem is to minimize value of the penalty function defined as the schedule length for accepted variants plus the sum of penalties for rejected variants. To evaluate the proposed algorithms a computational experiment has been carried. It is also shown that there exists a 1.618-competitive strategy for the analyzed online problem.
Aspects of subgrid modelling and large-eddy simulation of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

Subgrid-scale closures for magnetohydodynamic (MHD) turbulence are examined using the filtering technique. From the similarities between incompressible MHD turbulence and its hydrodynamic counterpart, as well as ideas from dynamo theory, a subgrid model is constructed from the large-eddy simulation (LES) of MHD turbulence. This model should find applicability in treating LES of the reversed-field pinch.
Resistance of the immature hippocampus to seizure-induced synaptic reorganization

Abstract Temporal lobe epilepsy is a common form of epilepsy in human adults and is associated with a unique pattern of damage in the hippocampus. The damage includes cell loss of the CA3 and CA4 areas and synaptic growth (sprouting) of mossy fibers in the supragranular layer of the dentate gyrus. Experimental evidence indicates that in adult rats the excitatory amino acid, kainic acid, induces a similar pattern of changes in hippocampal circuitry associated with alterations in perforant path excitation and inhibition. It has been suggested that, in humans, this type of damage may be a result of seizures early in life. In this study we examined the effects of kainic acid-induced status epilepticus on synaptic reorganization and paired-pulse electrophysiology in developing rats and adults. Kainic acid induced more severe seizures in 15-day-old rat pups than in adults. In contrast to adult rats, these seizures did not produce CA3/CA4 neuronal loss, mossy fiber sprouting or changes in paired-pulse excitation or inhibition in the hippocampus of rat pups tested 2–4 weeks after status epilepticus. Our results provide evidence that the immature hippocampus may be more resistant to seizure-induced changes than the mature hippocampus.
A dual mesh reconstruction method for simultaneous reconstruction of optical absorption and scattering distributions with ultrasound localization

In this paper, we report simultaneous reconstruction of absorption and scattering heterogeneities using a dual mesh scheme based on finite element method (FEM). Column normalization has been applied to the weight matrix obtained from FEM forward model to correct the depth dependent problem and to alleviate the crosstalk between the absorption coefficient and scattering coefficient. With this approach, phantom targets with both absorption and scattering heterogeneities can be reconstructed with good contrast and resolution. With this approach, the contrast between malignant breast cancers and benign lesions can be further improved compared with that obtained from the modified Born approximation, where the bulk reduced scattering coefficient has been used for reconstructing absorption heterogeneities.
Are Factor Substitutions in HMO Industry Operations Cost Saving

Past research on the potentials for cost-saving scale and scope economies in multiproduct HMO operations in the United States are incomplete in their economics of the underlying technology structure. This article exploits the translog cost model estimates of all past studies of HMO production to infer the extent to which pairwise factor substitutions (e.g., administrative services vs. medical care resources, e.g., hospital days, physician services) suggest potential for cost savings in groups and independent practice associations. Given the industry's nonhomothetic production over a 20-year period, the conceptually valid Morishima elasticity measure at constant output reveals limited cost-saving potentials from factor interchange and input demands. These opportunities differ for groups and IPAs across Medicare and non-Medicare products. My findings add a timely and significant dimension to understanding potential cost savings in HMO operations. Policy suggestions and cost implications are rationalized in light of the declining Medicare HMO enrollment and recent changes in factor input prices.
Active object recognition using appearance-based representations derived from solid geometric models

Abstract We present new test results for our active object recognition algorithms. The algorithms are used to classifyand estimate the pose of objects in different stable rest positions and automatically re-position the camera if theclass or pose of an object is ambiguous in a given image. Multiple object views are now used in determiningboth the final object class and pose estimate; previously, multiple views were used for classification only. Afeature space trajectory (FST) in eigenspace is used to represent 3-D distorted views of an object. FSTs areconstructed using images rendered from solid models. We discuss lighting and material settings for photorealismin the rendering process. The FSTs are analyzed to determine the camera positions that best resolve ambiguities.Real objects are recognized from intensity images using the FST representation derived from rendered imagery. Key Words: active object recognition, active vision, Bayesian estimation, pose estimation 1 Introduction Active computer vision systems change sensor parameters such as position, orientation, zoom, focus, aperture, andvergence in response to visual stimuli or task parameters [1-3] . In our work, we assume that we have the abilityto move the camera relative to the object and take additional images to reduce ambiguity in scene interpretation.This involves estimation of a rigid object's class and pose from one view and using this information, and an objectrepresentation, to determine where to look next.
Some Like It Hot, Some Not

Dryland ecosystems cover over 40% of Earth's terrestrial landmass ( 1 ). Biocrusts—soil communities consisting of cyanobacteria, mosses, and lichens—can cover up to 70% of the ground in these ecosystems (see the figure, panel A) ( 2 ). The crucial role played by these and other very small organisms in nutrient, carbon, and water cycles has become increasingly clear in the past few decades ( 2 , 3 ). Soil stability and the composition and performance of vascular plant communities also depend on biocrust health and activity. Yet, little is known about the identity, biology, ecophysiology, or distribution of the microbial components that dominate biocrusts ( 4 , 5 ). Data are also needed to understand how they will respond to climate change. On page 1574 of this issue, Garcia-Pichel et al. ( 6 ) take a first step in filling this data gap.
3-D imaging of binary dissociation events induced by heavy ion impact

Abstract Dissociation of CO molecules induced by 96 MeV Ar ions is being studied by simultaneously measuring the times of flight and the positions of the dissociation product ions. The position information is obtained using optical methods, thus overcoming the pile-up problem associated with measurements in which the position is determined using microchannel plate detectors with resistive anodes. For each dissociation event the velocity components of both ions are determined and used to deduce the released kinetic energy and the angular distribution. Preliminary results are shown for the dissociation of CO2+ into C+ and O+.
Primary charge carrier dynamics of water-solubilized CdZnS/ZnS core/shell and CdZnS/ZnS·Pd nanoparticle adducts

Abstract The primary photodynamics of 5-nm CdZnS core, CdZnS/ZnS core/shell, and CdZnS/ZnS·Pd nanoparticle adducts are characterized with broadband ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy. Photogenerated excitons in the CdZnS and CdZnS/ZnS nanoparticles exhibit long-lived (>20 ns) lifetimes and further functionalizing of the type-I CdZnS/ZnS core/shells with Pd nanoparticles resulted in rapid exciton quenching (
Properties of an iodoprotein from thyroid tissue of the pacific hagfish, Eptatretus stoutii.

Abstract In hagfish, thyroid tissue incorporation of radioiodine into proteins associated with cellular particulate matter reached a level of more than 50% of the total labeled iodoproteins. Only a single 3-8S iodoprotein was found by sucrose density gradient centrifugation of the soluble protein obtained from thyroid tissue by ultracentrifugation. No 19S thyroglobulin was found. Labeled thyroxine amounted to 2.5% of the total 131 I in proteins.
Programmed assembly of metallodielectric patchy particles in external AC electric fields

We present unusual microstructures formed by patchy metallodielectric particles under high frequency alternating current (AC) electric fields. These particles assemble into two-directional percolated networks and lattices of unusual symmetry by interactions pre-programmed by their patch size and orientation. Electrostatic simulation results indicate that the assembly pattern of the patchy particles is guided by quadrupolar and multipolar interactions.
Use of FTIR-Microspectrometry in Examinations of Artistic and Historic Works

Infrared Spectroscopy (IR) has traditionally been considered a “non-destructive” analysis method because it causes no chemical change to the sample, and the sample can be recovered for further analysis. However, physical changes are generally necessary for the sample to be introduced into the spectrometer: slicing, crushing, dissolving, melting, etc. In an art object or historical artifact, these sampling methods can be considered somewhat “destructive.”
“A Service Town”: An Examination of the Offshore Oil Industry, Local Entrepreneurs, and the Civic Community Thesis

This article examines the industrial structure of the offshore oil industry utilizing the framework of the civic community thesis. This theory posits that communities with an economic structure that includes a dominance of small locally owned businesses will have higher levels of civic welfare and will subsequently experience positive community effects. This article first focuses on rural southern communities, whose economic structure is heavily entrenched in the oil and gas industry, and determines if they resemble communities dominated by small locally owned businesses or are comprised solely of global oil conglomerates. Second, the research determines the economic structure's effects on the communities. We find a positive relationship between oil-related entrepreneurship, in the form of locally owned service industries, and the civic community. This theme suggests a relationship of the area's oil-based economic structure and local entrepreneurs and positive implications for the civic community thesis.
The importance of nitrogen in Pyramid Lake (Nevada, USA), a saline, desert lake

The increase in human development in the downstream portion of the Pyramid Lake drainage basin has resulted in increased nutrient loading to the lake. Since this is a deep, terminal lake, concern over nutrient build up and change in trophic status exists. On the basis of lake chemistry which shows consistently high concentrations of total reactive-P (mean = 55 µg P l−1) relative to dissolved inorganic-N (DIN) (mean = 15 µg N 1−1), it has been hypothesized that Pyramid is N-limited. However, no systematic study of nutrient limitation had been undertaken. Nutrient enrichment bioassays conducted throughout an entire year clearly showed that additions of DIN resulted in a 350–600% stimulation of chlorophyll production. Phosphate, when added singly or in combination with DIN, had no effect. This positive response to N-addition was significant at all times of the year except, (1) immediately after complete lake mixing in February when a large pool of hypolimnetic nitrate was injected into the euphotic zone, and (2) during a fall bloom of the nitrogen fixing species Nodularia spumigena. The positive response to N-addition in the bioassay experiments was strong between March and November. However, the seston exhibited only a gradual depletion of nitrogen relative to carbon over this same period. PN:PC ratios suggested no N-deficiency in phytoplankton biomass in February, March and April, moderate N-deficiency in May, June and July and, severe N-deficiency from August until winter turnover. The appearance of nitrogen fixing blue-green algae in September supports the hypothesis of N-limitation in the summer-autumn. In evaluating the nutrient status of a lake, the concepts of nutrient stimulation versus nutrient deficiency versus nutrient limitation must clearly be defined.
Lymphatic compromise associated with substernal goiter

REFERENCES 1. Shumaker BP, Pontes JE, Pierce JM. Idiopathic rupture of the bladder. Urology. 1980;15:566 –568. 2. Mokoena T, Naidu AG. Diagnostic difficulties in patients with a ruptured bladder. Br J Surg. 1995;82:69 –70. 3. Huffman JL, Schraut W, Bagley DH. Atraumatic perforation of bladder. Urology.1983;22:30 –35. 4. Marshall GA, Dixon CM, McAninch JW. Substance abuse-related spontaneous bladder rupture: report of 2 cases and a review of the literature. J Urol. 1991;145:135–137. 5. Rehm CG, Mure AJ, O’Malley KF, Ross SE. Blunt traumatic bladder rupture: the role of retrograde cystogram. Ann Emerg Med. 1991;20: 845– 847. 6. Arnold WC, Redman JF, Seibert JJ. Analysis of peritoneal fluid in urinary ascites. South Med J. 1986;79:591–594. 7. Khanna R, Mactier R. Role of lymphatics in peritoneal dialysis. Blood Purification. 1992;10(3-4):163–172. 8. Tran L, Rodela H, Hay JB, et al. Quantitation of lymphatic drainage of the peritoneal cavity in sheep: comparison of direct cannulation techniques with indirect methods to estimate lymph flow. Periton Dial Internat. 1993;13:270 –279. 9. Festini G, Gregorutti S, Reina G, Bellis GB. Isolated intraperitoneal bladder rupture in patients with alcohol intoxication and minor abdominal trauma. Ann Emerg Med. 1991;20:1371–1372.
Identifying significant model inputs with neural networks: Tax court determination of reasonable compensation

Abstract Neural networks have much to offer academic researchers and business practitioners. For example, recent research has shown that neural networks can classify and predict as well as traditional statistical methods, such as ordinary least squares (OLS). Neural networks, however, are limited in that they do not provide measures of significance of individual inputs as OLS (and other methods) provides. When neural networks overcome this limitation their variety and numbers of applications will increase dramatically and they will become more valuable to academe and practitioners. This study compares the abilities of OLS and neural networks, when used in conjunction with the Wilcoxen signed-ranks test to identify significant model inputs.
PLL-based digital control with Aström-Hägglund tuning

Digital control based on a phase-locked loop technique is presented. The key to this control is up/down counting. A dynamical model is given which links up/down counting with integrative control. The addition of proportional-derivative or similar algorithms is suggested to improve the control performance. A variation of the Astrom-Hagglund methods is developed as a tuning procedure. Some comments are made on the sampling effects
Solutions to gauge field equations in eight dimensions. conformal invariance and the last Hopf map

Abstract After making several remarks concerning conformal invariance of eight-dimensional solutions to gauge field equations we present a new solution corresponding to the last Hopf map on a euclidean R 4 ×S 4 manifold. This solution has some very special and interesting properties.
Effects of Heating Bacon and Sausage in Nonwoven, Melt‐blown Material

Bacon and precooked sausage patties were heated in a microwave oven using a melt-blown polypropylene pad or on paper towels. Cooking losses, percentage fat and moisture, and fatty acid profiles were determined. Sensory panelists evaluated appearance, greasiness, moistness, and chewiness. Less fat and more moisture were present in the high-fat meats cooked in the melt-blown pad. Higher percentages of myristic and stearic acid were found in bacon heated in paper towels. Panelists scored bacon heated in the pad as less greasy and chewy. Sausage patties heated in the pad also were scored less greasy. The use of melt-blown material to reduce dietary fat should be explored further.
On the Shortest Route Through a Network

The chief feature of the method is that it fans out from the origin working out the shortest path to one new node from the origin and never having to backtrack. No more than nn-1/2 comparisons are needed to find the shortest route from a given origin to all other nodes and possibly less between two fixed nodes. Except for details and bias of various authors towards a particular brand of proof, this problem has been solved the same way by many authors. This paper refines these proposals to give what is believed to be the shortest procedure for finding the shortest route when it is little effort to arrange distances in increasing order by nodes or to skip consideration of arcs into nodes whose shortest route to the origin has been determined earlier in the computation. In practice the number of comparisons is much less than indicated bounds because all arcs leading to nodes previously evaluated are deleted from further consideration. A further efficiency can be achieved in the event of ties by including least distances from origin to many nodes simultaneously during the fanning out process. However, these are shown as separate steps to illustrate the underlying principle.
On Materiality Criteria for Vector Fields and Vector-Lines:

With the aid of a referential description of the kinematics of a deformable continuum, explicit definitions are given for the materiality of vector fields and vector-lines, and necessary and sufficient conditions for materiality are derived. A number of examples are included.
On the dispersion matrix of variance estimators of the sample mean in the analysis of simulation output

A classical problem of stochastic simulation is how to estimate the variance of point estimators, the prototype problem being the sample mean from a steady-state autocorrelated process. A variety of estimators for the variance of the sample mean have been proposed, all designed to provide robustness to violations of assumptions, small variance, and reasonable computing requirements. Evaluation and comparison of such estimators depend on the ability to calculate their variances. A numerical approach is developed here to calculate the dispersion matrix of a set of estimators expressible as quadratic forms of the data. The approach separates the analysis of the estimator type from the analysis of the data type. The analysis for overlapping-batch-means estimators is developed, as is the analysis for steady-state first-order autoregressive and moving-average data. Closed-form expressions for overlapping-batch-means estimators and independently distributed data are obtained.
Plasma astrophysics: How to see a black hole

One way to collect data about black holes is to analyse the X-rays emitted from the surrounding plasmas heated to extreme temperatures by the flux of photons flowing into them. The use of intense lasers to recreate these conditions in the lab provides a potentially valuable tool for understanding what these data mean.
Genetic variants in telomere-maintaining genes and skin cancer risk

Telomere-related genes play an important role in maintaining the integrity of the telomeric structure that protects chromosome ends, and telomere dysfunction may lead to tumorigenesis. We evaluated the associations between 39 SNPs, including 38 tag-SNPs in telomere-related genes (TERT, TRF1, TRF2, TNKS2, and POT1) and one SNP (rs401681) in the TERT-CLPTM1L locus which has been identified as a susceptibility locus to skin cancer in the previous GWAS, and the risk of skin cancer in a case–control study of Caucasians nested within the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) among 218 melanoma cases, 285 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cases, 300 basal cell carcinoma (BCC) cases, and 870 controls. Of the 39 SNPs evaluated, ten showed a nominal significant association with the risk of at least one type of skin cancer. After correction for multiple testing within each gene, two SNPs in the TERT gene (rs2853676 and rs2242652) and one SNP in the TRF1 gene (rs2981096) showed significant associations with the risk of melanoma. Also, the SNP rs401681 in the TERT-CLPTM1L locus was replicated for the association with melanoma risk. The additive odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (95% CI)] of these four SNPs (rs2853676[T], rs2242652[A], rs2981096[G], and rs401681[C]) for the risk of melanoma was 1.43 (1.14–1.81), 1.50 (1.14–1.98), 1.87 (1.19–2.91), and 0.73 (0.59–0.91), respectively. Moreover, we found that the rs401681[C] was associated with shorter relative telomere length (P for trend, 0.05). We did not observe significant associations for SCC or BCC risk. Our study provides evidence for the contribution of genetic variants in the telomere-maintaining genes to melanoma susceptibility.
On the scaling heuristic for reconstruction from slices

Abstract It is demonstrated by example that non-uniform scaling of polygons prior to reconstruction from slices can lead to illegal intersections when the scaling is retracted. But uniform scaling does not suffer from this potential defect.
Homologous (β/α)8-Barrel enzymes that catalyze unrelated reactions: Orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase and 3-keto-L-gulonate 6-phosphate decarboxylase

The 3-keto-l-gulonate 6-phosphate decarboxylase (KGPDC) encoded by the ulaD gene in the Escherichia coli genome [Yew, W. S., and Gerlt, J. A. (2002) J. Bacteriol. 184, 302−306] and orotidine 5‘-monophosphate decarboxylase (OMPDC) are homologous (derived from a common ancestor) but catalyze different reactions. The metal-independent decarboxylation reaction catalyzed by OMPDC avoids the formation of a vinyl anion intermediate; the Mg2+-dependent decarboxylation reaction catalyzed by KGPDC involves the formation of an enediolate anion intermediate. Based on the available structures of OMPDC, a sequence alignment allows the predictions that (1) KGPDC is a dimer of (β/α)8-barrels, with the active sites located at the dimer interface; (2) KGPDC and OMPDC share an aspartate residue at the end of the first β-strand and an Asp-x-Lys-x-x-Asp motif at the end of the third β-strand with OMPDC; but (3) KGPDC has a Glu instead of a Lys at the end of the second β-strand. The structure of KGPDC has been determined in th...
Determination of specific types and relative levels of QPCR inhibitors in environmental water samples using excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy and PARAFAC.

Assays that utilize PCR offer powerful tools to detect pathogens and other microorganisms in environmental samples. However, PCR inhibitors present in nucleic acid extractions can increase a sample's limit of detection, skew calculated marker concentrations, or cause false-negative results. It would be advantageous to predict which samples contain various types and levels of PCR inhibitors, especially the humic and fulvic acids that are frequently cited as PCR inhibitors in natural water samples. This study investigated the relationships between quantitative PCR (qPCR) inhibition and the humic and fulvic content of dissolved organic matter (DOM), as well as several other measures of DOM quantity and quality, in water samples. QPCR inhibition was also compared to water quality parameters, precipitation levels, and land use adjacent to the sampling location. Results indicate that qPCR inhibition in the tested water samples was correlated to several humic substance-like, DOM components, most notably terrestrially-derived, humic-like DOM and microbially-derived, fulvic-like DOM. No correlation was found between qPCR inhibition and water quality parameters or land use, but a relationship was noted between inhibition and antecedent rainfall. This study suggests that certain fractions of humic substances are responsible for PCR inhibition from temperate, freshwater systems. PARAFAC modeling of excitation–emission matrix spectroscopy provides insight on the components of the DOM pool that impact qPCR success and may be useful in evaluating methods to remove PCR inhibitors present in samples.
Salt Loading Promotes Kidney Injury via Fibrosis in Young Female Ren2 Rats.

Background/Aims: It is increasingly recognized that there is sexual dimorphism in kidney disease progression; however, this disparity is lost in the presence of diabetes where women progress at a similar rate to men. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is known to regulate diabetes-induced kidney injury, and recent literature would suggest that gender differences exist in RAAS-dependent responses in the kidney. In this regard, these gender differences may be overcome by excessive salt intake. Thereby, we hypothesized that salt would promote proteinuria in transgenic female rats under conditions of excess tissue angiotensin (Ang) II and circulating aldosterone. Materials and Methods: We utilized young female transgenic (mRen2)27 (Ren2) rats and Sprague-Dawley (SD) littermates and fed a high-salt diet (4%) over 3 weeks. Results: Compared to SD and Ren2 controls, female Ren2 rats fed a high-salt diet displayed increases in proteinuria, periarterial and interstitial fibrosis as well as ultrastructural evidence of basement membrane thickening, loss of mitochondrial elongation, mitochondrial fragmentation and attenuation of basilar canalicular infoldings. These findings occurred temporally with increases in transforming growth factor-β but not indices of oxidant stress. Conclusions: Our current data suggest that a diet high in salt promotes progressive kidney injury as measured by proteinuria and fibrosis associated with transforming growth factor-β under conditions of excess tissue Ang II and circulating aldosterone.
Design and spectroscopic characterization of peptide models for the plastocyanin copper-binding loop.

The Cu(II)- and Co(II)-binding properties of two peptides, designed on the basis of the active site sequence and structure of the blue copper protein plastocyanin, are explored. Peptide BCP-A, Ac-Trp-(Gly)3-Ser-Tyr-Cys-SerPro-His-Gln-Gly-Ala-Gly-Met-(Gly )3-His-(Gly)2-Lys-CONH2, conserves the Cu-binding loop of plastocyanin containing three of the four copper ligands and has a flexible (Gly)3 linker to the second His ligand. Peptide BCP-B, Ac-Trp(Gly)3-Cys-Gly-His-Gly-Val-Pro-Ser-His-Gly-Met-Gly-CONH2, contains all four blue copper ligands, with two on either side of a ‚-turn. Both peptides form 1:1 complexes with Cu(II) through His and Cys ligands. BCP-A, the ligand loop, binds to Cu(II) in a tetrahedrally distorted square plane with axial solvent ligation, while BCP-B-Cu(II) has no tetrahedral distortion in aqueous solution. In methanolic solution, distortion of the square plane is evident for both BCP-Cu(II) complexes. Tetrahedral Co(II) complexes are observed for both peptides in aqueous solution but with 4:2 peptide:Co(II) stoichiometries as estimated by ultracentrifugation. Cu(II) reduction potentials for the aqueous peptide-Cu(II) complexes were measured to be +75 ± 30 mV vs NHE for BCP-A-Cu(II) and -10 ± 20 mV vs NHE for BCP-B-Cu(II). The results indicate that the plastocyanin ligand loop can act as a metal-binding site with His and Cys ligands in the absence of the remainder of the folded protein but, by itself, cannot stabilize a type 1 copper site, emphasizing the role of the protein matrix in protecting the Cu binding site from solvent exposure and the Cys from oxidation.