cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early follow-up data from seizure diaries can be used to predict subsequent seizures in same cohort by borrowing strength across participants.

Accurate prediction of seizures in persons with epilepsy offers opportunities for both precautionary measures and preemptive treatment. Previously identified predictors of seizures include patient-reported seizure anticipation, as well as stress, anxiety, and decreased sleep. In this study, we developed three models using 30 days of nightly seizure diary data in a cohort of 71 individuals with a history of uncontrolled seizures to predict subsequent seizures in the same cohort over a 30-day follow-up period. The best model combined the individual’s seizure history with that of the remainder of the cohort, resulting in 72% sensitivity for 80% specificity, and 0.83 area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. The possibility of clinically relevant prediction should be examined through electronic data capture and more specific and more frequent sampling, and with patient training to improve prediction.
An analysis of flow separation in hydrodynamic chromatography of polymer latexes

An analysis is presented for the flow separation process in hydrodynamic chromatography along with comparisons to experimental data. The flow separation model is based on calculations for the convected Brownian motion of colloidal particles in a capillary tube in the presence of a force field. The results indicate the role of the relevant experimental parameters in the separation process.
Mechanisms of heat transfer enhancement and slow decay of swirl in tubes using tangential injection

The turbulent flowfield in a tube heated uniformly from the wall has been experimentally studied when fluid is injected tangentially. The experiments were conducted by injecting air through injectors placed on the periphery of a 88.9-mm inside diameter and 2.5-m long acrylic tube. Six injectors of 22.23-mm inside diameter were used and tangential to total momentum flux ratio of 2.67 was obtained in the experiments. Temperature profiles were measured with a resistance thermometer probe. Profiles for mean velocities in the axial and tangential directions, as well as the Reynolds stresses were obtained using a single rotated straight hot wire and a single rotated slanted hot wire anemometer. No significant difference in mean velocities and Reynolds stresses were found between the adiabatic experiments and diabatic ones. Two major mechanisms for enhancement of heat transfer are identified: (1) high maximum axial velocity near the wall produces higher heat flux from the wall; and (2) high turbulence level in the middle region of the tube improves mixing and, thus, the rate of he.at transfer. Furthermore, it is observed that both the kinetic energy of the mean flow and the turbulence level decrease as swirl decays. However, during the decay process, the high turbulence-energy-production from Reynolds stresses is necessary to transfer the kinetic energy of the mean flow to the turbulence energy. This high turbulence-production, in turn, slows down the rate of decrease of the turbulence level. As a result, the swirl and the heat transfer enhancement are preserved for a long distance.
Haptic interaction study and application to haptic mobile design for online communication.

This study explores how individuals communicate emotions using tactile hand gestures and investigates the usability of applying tactile hand gestures for emotional online communication. Tactile hand gestures are used as the source of information to express emotions in distance communications. In this study, behavioral aspects of tactile hand gestures used for emotional interaction are observed through a sensory input device and analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). In user experiments, subjects perform tactile hand gestures on the sensory input device to illustrate a list of 8 distinct emotions (i.e. excited, happy, relaxed, sleepy, tired, lonely, angry and alarmed). An analytical method is used to classify gestures in terms of signal parameters such as intensity, temporal frequency, spatial frequency and pattern correlation. I found that different emotions are statistically associated with different tactile hand gestures. From the research outcome data, I also introduce the design of online emotional communication devices that aim to mimic natural tactile hand gestures used in the face-to-face communication.
Solid-state dipolar INADEQUATE NMR spectroscopy with a large double-quantum spectral width.

A technique for obtaining dipolar-mediated INADEQUATE NMR spectra with a large spectral window in the double-quantum dimension is presented. Using the dipolar recoupling sequence C7 to excite the double-quantum coherence under magic-angle spinning, the technique involves incrementing the evolution period in synchrony with the phase of the radiofrequency pulses in the C7 sequence. The technique is demonstrated on a uniformly 13C-labeled amino acid and an extensively 13C-labeled protein to identify 13C connectivity patterns for spectral assignment.
Adherence assay of 51chromium-labeled human polymorphonuclear leukocyte using glass beads.

Abstract There is a need for a reliable and relatively simple assay of in vitro adherence capacity. We have modified a previously described method of adherence of 51 Cr-labeled PMN to glass beads and developed an assay which should be of value in both the clinical and research areas. The assay measures PMN adherence in the non-stimulated state and also following stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or endotoxin-activated plasma (EAP) using as few as 0.25 × 10 6 PMN. The differences observed between the adherence of stimulated and non-stimulated PMN were highly significant.
Specialist services and transitional care in paediatric endocrinology in the UK and Ireland

OBJECTIVE: To assess current provision of specialist and transitional paediatric endocrine services in the UK and Ireland. DESIGN: A questionnaire was sent to paediatric endocrinologists requesting details of patients receiving GH and also details of specialist and transitional services. RESULTS: Of 72 questionnaires received, 56 [21 from historical growth centres (group 1), 10 from other teaching hospitals (group 2) and 25 from district general hospitals (DGHs) (group 3)] were analysed. A total of 4758 children [3709 (78%) in group 1] currently receive GH in the UK. Fifty-six per cent of units (90% in groups 1 and 2) provide transfer clinics: transition (N = 27), adolescent (10), young adult (11) and adult (3). In 90% of the paediatric units, the paediatric and adult endocrinologist sit together, and 58% of clinics are held in the paediatric unit. Clinic entry is based on final height (33%), age (51%), both (14%), and other (2%). Fifty-five per cent of units transfer all GH-treated patients, the remainder transfer only those non-GH-deficient on retesting. Eighty per cent retest prior to transfer using the insulin tolerance test (ITT) [N = 27 (including three DGHs)], glucagon (22), arginine (4), clonidine (2) and other (5). Apart from intersex clinics (13), there are few specialist clinics for other paediatric endocrine patients, including only three for Turner syndrome (TS). Adult TS transfer is to multidisciplinary clinics (N = 11), adult endocrinology (27), gynaecology (14), cardiology (5) and general practitioner (GP) (1). CONCLUSIONS: We have confirmed more GH-treated patients than before; many remain within historic growth centres. Although in the UK and Ireland transition services are established in many larger units, current guidelines are not always adhered to. Provision of specialist paediatric endocrine clinics for all groups remains variable.
Including preference and social distance dynamics in multi-factor theories of segregation

All agree that many factors contribute to ethnic segregation, but controversy continues regarding the relevance of particular factors. In my paper I acknowledge the importance of discrimination, but I direct attention to the role of ethnic preferences and social distance dynamics. I do so because many dismiss the relevance of these factors for contemporary segregation without engaging formal theories and analytic models which suggest that dynamics associated with in-group attraction and out-group avoidance may take on increasing importance as past forms of discrimination slowly fade. Agent-based modeling shows promise for exploring the issue of whether prejudice against out-groups and affinity toward in-groups can build and sustain segregation in the absence of discrimination. Research drawing on this approach is at an early stage of development but is significant for highlighting two things. One is that the implications of preferences for segregation are strongly conditioned by the ethnic demography of t...
Electron-impact ionization of highly charged lithiumlike ions

We have calculated electron-impact ionization cross sections for Li-like ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{15+}$, ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{23+}$, ${\mathrm{Kr}}^{33+}$, and ${\mathrm{Xe}}^{51+}$ ions for incident electron energies between 3 and 4 times the ionization threshold using the relativistic distorted-wave and the multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock methods. The calculations include direct-ionization, excitation-autoionization and resonant-excitation-double-autoionization processes. There are many narrow resonances due to the excitation of the 1s2s3lnl' states. The effect of indirect processes persists to very highly charged ions in the isoelectronic sequence.
Characterizing the shapes of galaxy clusters using moments of the gravitational lensing shear

Abstract We explore the use of the tangential component of weak lensing shear to characterize the ellipticity of clusters of galaxies. We introduce an ellipticity estimator, and quantify its properties for isolated clusters from Λ CDM N-body simulations. We compare the N-body results to results from smooth analytic models. The expected distribution of the estimator for mock observations is presented, and we show how this distribution is impacted by contaminants such as noise, line of sight projections, and misalignment of the central galaxy used to determine the orientation of the triaxial halo. We examine the radial profile of the estimator and discuss tradeoffs in the observational strategy to determine cluster shape.
Use of drug discovery tools in rational organometallic catalyst design.

A computational procedure is detailed where techniques common in the drug discovery process2D- and 3D-quantitative structure−activity relationships (QSAR)are applied to rationalize the catalytic activity of a synthetically flexible, Ti−NP ethylene polymerization catalyst system. Once models relating molecular properties to catalyst activity are built with the two QSAR approaches, two database mining approaches are used to select a small number of ligands from a larger database that are likely to produce catalysts with high activity when grafted onto the Ti−NP framework. The software employed throughout this work is freely available, is easy to use, and was applied in a “black box” approach to highlight areas where the drug discovery tools, designed to address organic molecules, have difficulty in addressing issues arising from the presence of a metal atom. In general, 3D-QSAR offers an efficient way to screen new potential ligands and separate those likely to lead to poor catalysts from those that are lik...
Structure and dynamics of the homodimeric dynein light chain km23

km23 (96 residues, 11 kDa) is the mammalian ortholog of Drosophila roadblock, the founding member of LC7/robl/km23 class of dynein light chains. km23 has been shown to be serine-phosphorylated following TGFβ receptor activation and to bind the dynein intermediate chain in response to such phosphorylation. Here, we report the three-dimensional solution structure of km23, which is shown to be that of a homodimer, similar to that observed for the heterodimeric complex formed between p14 and MP1, two distantly related members of the MglB/robl superfamily, but distinct from the LC8 and Tctex-1 classes of dynein light chains, which also adopt homodimeric structures. The conserved surface residues of km23, including three serine residues, are located predominantly on a single face of the molecule. Adjacent to this face is a large cleft formed by the incomplete overlap of loops from opposite monomers. As shown by NMR relaxation data collected at two fields, several cleft residues are flexible on the ns–ps and ms–μs timescales. Based on these observations, we propose that the patch of conserved residues on the central face of the molecule corresponds to the site at which km23 binds the dynein intermediate chain and that the flexible cleft formed between the overlap of loops from the two monomers corresponds to the site at which km23 binds other partners, such as the TGFβ type II receptor or Smad2.
An Object-Oriented Architecture for the Simulation of Networks of Cargo Terminal Operations

A new object-oriented architecture to simulate a network of cargo terminals is presented. The architecture simulates the complete flow of military cargo at an entity level, from multiple U.S.-based...
Traction-compression-closure for exomphalos major

Abstract Purpose We present our experience with traction-compression-closure (TCC) for exomphalos major (EM) to achieve a safe and embryologically correct midline supraumbilical aesthetic closure with preservation of the umbilicus. Methods Nineteen neonates with EM were paralyzed and ventilated. The abdominal domain was increased by upward cord traction to assist liver-bowel reduction by gravity and sac ligation, followed by circumferential elastic body binder compression. The supraumbilical abdominal wall anomaly cicatrized spontaneously or was closed surgically as a midline scar, with preservation of the umbilicus. Results Over 7 years (1998-2004), 19 patients with EM were treated by TCC, 18 of whom survived. The patients' median gestational age was 36 weeks (range, 24-40 weeks); their median birth weight was 2312 g (range, 890-3000 g). The median time to reduction was 4 days (range, 3-5 days), whereas that to full enteral feeds was 6 days (range, 4-6 days). Mechanical ventilation for 7 days (range, 6-8 days) was not associated with any morbidity, and the time to home discharge was 11 days (range, 8-12 days). Five patients did not require any surgery. There was no episode of sac rupture or infection. Conclusion Abdominal expansion by vertical cord traction followed by compression reduction (TCC) under muscle relaxation and ventilation is time well spent toward a safe and aesthetic midline abdominal wall closure without tension for EM.
A selfish origin for human food sharing: Tolerated theft

Abstract Individuals will be selected to fight only for a fitness gain. If food is found in large packages, some of the package falls high on a diminishing returns curve of the fitness value of the food to the finder. It will not pay the finder to defend such portions against a hungry latecomer. If food is found on different occasions by different individuals, then theft is likely to be tolerated repeatedly. This would give the high frequency of "reciprocation" and "good reciprocators" needed for reciprocal altruism to evolve.
Totalisations abstraites dans espaces vectoriels

Un development des theorios de totalisations avec valeurs dans espace vectoriels; une extension de certaines parties des ouvrages[2], [3], [4] de l'auteur; il s'agit des totales de type-D (Denjoy) et type-S (symetrique).
The effect of complex ions on crystal nucleation and growth

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to explain and predict the effect of complex ions on the rates of crystal nucleation and growth. This subject is of considerable scientific interest and technological importance in many fields. For example, large quantities of silver bromide crystals for photographic applications are grown from aqueous solution at conditions where complex ions predominate; however, their role in the crystallization process is not well understood. In this paper, we present a theory to describe the kinetics of crystal nucleation and growth in the presence of complex ions and show how these ions affect each step in the growth process. By comparing the growth rate expression with crystal growth measurements, we determine a plausible surface reaction mechanism and then incorporate this growth-rate mechanism into the theory of crystal nucleation.
Coordination between the Polymerase and 5′-Nuclease Components of DNA Polymerase I of Escherichia coli

The polymerase and 5'-nuclease components of DNA polymerase I must collaborate in vivo so as to generate ligatable structures. Footprinting shows that the polymerase and 5'-nuclease cannot bind simultaneously to a DNA substrate and appear to compete with one another, suggesting that the two active sites are physically separate and operate independently. The desired biological end point, a ligatable nick, results from the substrate specificities of the polymerase and 5'-nuclease. The preferred substrate of the 5'-nuclease is a "double-flap" structure having a frayed base at the primer terminus overlapping the displaced strand that is to be cleaved by the 5'-nuclease. Cleavage of this structure occurs almost exclusively between the first two paired bases of the downstream strand, yielding a ligatable nick. In whole DNA polymerase I, the polymerase and 5'-nuclease activities are coupled such that the majority of molecules cleaved by the 5'-nuclease have also undergone polymerase-catalyzed addition to the primer terminus. This implies that the 5'-nuclease can capture a DNA molecule from the polymerase site more efficiently than from the bulk solution.
Circadian Preference and Sleep-Wake Regularity: Associations With Self-Report Sleep Parameters in Daytime-Working Adults

The aim of this study was to explore how interindividual differences in circadian type (morningness) and sleep timing regularity might be related to subjective sleep quality and quantity. Self-report circadian phase preference, sleep timing, sleep quality, and sleep duration were assessed in a sample of 62 day-working adults (33.9% male, age 23–48 yrs). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) measured subjective sleep quality and the Sleep Timing Questionnaire (STQ) assessed habitual sleep latency and minutes awake after sleep onset. The duration, timing, and stability of sleep were assessed using the STQ separately for work-week nights (Sunday–Thursday) and for weekend nights (Friday and Saturday). Morningness-eveningness was assessed using the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM). Daytime sleepiness was measured using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). A morning-type orientation was associated with longer weekly sleep duration, better subjective sleep quality, and shorter sleep-onset latency. Stable ...
Effect of recombinant soluble CD4 in rhesus monkeys infected with simian immunodeficiency virus of macaques

The CD4 molecule is a high-affinity cell-surface receptor for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1)1 and a soluble truncated form of CD4 produced by recombinant DNA technology is a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 replication and HIV-1-induced cell fusion in vitro2–6. Rhesus monkeys infected with the simian immunodeficiency virus of macaques (SIVMAC), a virus closely related to HIV-1, develop an AIDS-like syndrome, and so provide an important model for the evaluation of potential AIDS therapies7. We have assessed the therapeutic effect of recombinant soluble CD4 in SIVMAC-infected rhesus monkeys. Virus was readily isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes and bone marrow cells of these animals before starting treatment with soluble CD4, but became difficult to isolate soon after treatment had begun. Moreover the diminished growth of both granulocyte-macrophage and erythrocyte progenitor colonies from the bone marrow of these monkeys rose to normal levels during treatment. These findings indicate that soluble CD4 could prove valuable in the treatment of AIDS.
Influence of human fulminant hepatic failure sera on endogenous retroviral expression in pig hepatocytes

A porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) has been shown to infect human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells in vitro. The PERV proviral sequence exists in the genome of all porcine cells, including hepatocytes used in a bioartificial liver (BAL). We examined the possibility of PERV infection in HEK293 cells during exposure to supernatant from cultured pig hepatocytes. Pig hepatocytes were cultured in media supplemented with serum from patients in fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) to simulate conditions of an extracorporeal BAL. Pig hepatocytes were cultured in serum-free media for 24 hours and then exposed to fresh medium containing serum from a patient with FHF (22 patients tested). Twenty-four hours later, supernatant was collected and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), with and without reverse transcriptase. Primers targeting the pol gene of PERV were used for PCR. Products of amplification were detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based technique using an internal capture probe also targeting the pol gene. Levels of PERV sequences were estimated by serial dilution. All positive samples were tested for infectivity in HEK293 cells. Porcine kidney 15 cell supernatant and fresh culture media were studied as positive and negative controls, respectively. Pig hepatocytes were also studied in the absence of FHF sera and in the presence of mitogenic stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA). PERV DNA and PERV RNA were detected in all supernatants of cultured pig hepatocytes. The level of PERV RNA in the supernatant of pig hepatocytes was not altered by exposure to human FHF serum or stimulation with PHA and PMA. In addition, PERV RNA was undetectable in the supernatant of HEK293 cells for up to 50 days after exposure to pig hepatocyte supernatant (with or without FHF sera). These findings show that production of PERV by cultured pig hepatocytes was unaffected by exposure to growth factors and cytokines present in human FHF sera.
The Composition of the STEMM Workforce: Rationale for Differentiating STEMM Professional and STEMM Support Careers

This article argues for the need to differentiate between professional and support careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). Using data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY), the article identifies important differences in the nature of the work and responsibility that differentiate the scientific workforce into a professional component and a support component. Further analysis demonstrates that the kind of training and education needed for STEMM support occupations is generally lower and different than the education needed for entrance into a STEMM profession. The LSAY data indicate that the students planning to enter a STEMM profession tend to make their choice earlier, select appropriate courses and programs to obtain professional credentials, and make a substantially longer commitment to educational preparation than do young adults who enter STEMM support occupations. We suggest some policy implications that may flow from this distinction.
Septicemia and Infection due to ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae Following Feline Renal Allograft Transplantation.

A 12 yr old castrated male domestic longhair underwent renal transplantation for treatment of chronic interstitial nephritis. Full-thickness intestinal biopsies obtained prior to transplantation revealed mild enteritis. Twelve months following transplantation, the patient underwent surgery for resection of a mesenteric mass causing septic peritonitis. The mesenteric mass was resected and an intestinal resection and anastomosis was performed. Extended–spectrum-β-lactamase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae was cultured from the resected tissue and urinary tract. Bacterial rods were noted to be circulating in the bloodstream, causing septicemia. Despite aggressive treatment of the septic peritonitis and septicemia using surgical debridement, drain placement, aggressive antibiotic therapy with IV meropenem, and vasopressor support, the patient succumbed to persistent hypotension and suffered cardiopulmonary arrest. Extended–spectrum-β-lactamase-producing bacteria are of growing concern in human and veterinary m...
Corticosteroids and growth

Les corticosteroides favorisent le catabolisme et peuvent donc gener la croissance. Par contre utilises judicieusement, ils peuvent la permettre en traitant une affection qui entrave la croissance. Revue de quelques elements eclairant sur ces rapports confus: constatations cliniques, rapports avec les mediateurs hormonaux de la croissance et le metabolisme du collagene, effets a long terme
The magnetic susceptibility of oxygen in a clathrate compound

Cooke, Meyer, Wolf, Evans andRichards (Proc. Roy. Soc.,225, 112 (1954)) have measured at low temperatures the susceptibility of oxygen dissolved in aβ-quinol compound, wherein the oxygen molecules are 8 A apart, and the deviation of the susceptibility from that in the gaseous state may hence be small. They find that16O18O and16O16O have the same susceptibility, although at low temperatures the magnetic behavior in the gaseous state should be different, inasmuch as only odd values ofK are allowed for16O16O. The present paper shows that the magnetic behavior can be explained on the assumption that at helium temperatures the O2 molecules do not rotate freely, but instead are aligned along a particular spatial direction. Calculations by MissO’Brien show that the susceptibility curves can be fitted by assuming the axis of the O2 molecule is «frozen» in space and that the spin-spin parameter is about 25 percent lower than in the gas. This apparent reduction can be explained on the basis that the molecule is not rigidly frozen, and instead has a potential barrier of about 50 cm−1.
CO2 capture from flue gas using potassium-based dry regenerable sorbents

Abstract Dry regenerable sorbent technology is one of the emerging technologies as a cost-effective and energy-efficient technology for CO 2 capture from flue gas. Six potassium-based dry regenerable sorbents were prepared by spray-drying techniques. Their physical properties and reactivities were tested to evaluate their applicability to a fluidized-bed or fast transport-bed CO 2 capture process. Each sorbents contained 35 wt% of K 2 CO 3 . All sorbents were sufficient with either attrition resistance or reactivity, or both properties. Sorb KT-5 and KZ-5 sorbents satisfied most of the physical requirements for a commercial fluidized-bed reactor process along with good chemical reactivity. These sorbents had a spherical shape, an average size was 134, 121 μm, respectively. The particle size distribution of these two sorbents had the same range of 40–250 μm, and the bulk density of approximately 0.85 g/mL. The attrition index (AI) of Sorb KT-5 and Sorb KZ-5 reached below 3% compared to about 20% for commercial fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts. CO 2 sorption capacity of Sorb KT-5 and Sorb KZ-5 was range of 6–10 wt% in the simulated flue gas condition. These sorbents showed almost-complete regeneration at temperatures less than 140 °C.
Electrostatic potential above a unifomly charged conducting plane deformed to include a hemispherical cup

The electrostatic potential is calculated above a uniformly charged conducting plane that has been deformed to include a hemispherical cup centered at the origin. The charge density on the surface is obtained.
Denaturation mapping of the ribosomal DNA of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The thermal melting profile of purified Saccharomyces cerevisiae ribosomal DNA (rDNA) is biphasic indicating considerable intramolecular heterogeneity in base composition. The first phase of the transition, about 20% of the total hyperchromic shift, has a Tm of 80.6°C and the second phase has a Tm of 87.3°C, corresponding to GC contents of 28 and 44%, respectively. The Tm of the nonribosomal nuclear DNA, called αDNA, is 85.7°C. This heterogeneity in GC distribution in the rDNA is also reflected in its denaturation map. A denaturation map of the 5.6×106 dalton rDNA SmaI restriction fragment, which represents monomer units of the rDNA, shows that specific regions of the repeating unit denature more readily than the remainder and apparently have a significantly higher AT content. By aligning the rDNA denaturation map with the restriction endonuclease map, we have been able to determine that the AT-rich segments are localized in the transcribed and nontranscribed spacer regions of the rDNA repeating unit. Buoyant density determinations of individual rDNA restriction fragments corroborate the locations of AT-rich regions.
Stick-Slip Interface Motion as a Singular Limit of the Viscosity-Capillarity Model

This work is a follow-up on a study by Vainchtein and Rosakis of interface dynamics and hysteresis in materials undergoing solid-solid phase transitions. The author investigates the dynamics of a bar with a nonconvex double-well elastic energy density. The model includes both viscosity and strain-gradient capillarity terms. Viscous stress provides eiergy dissipation. The capillarity term models interfacial energy. The bar is subject to time-dependent displacement boundary conditions. Numerical simulations predict hysteretic behavior in the overall load-elongation diagram. The hysteresis is primarily due to metastability and persists even at very slow loading when viscous dissipation is small. At a given loading, a large capillarity coefficient a results in a smooth interface motion and small hysteresis loop. As a becomes smaller, the loop grows and acquires serrations, while the interface motion alternates between slow and fast regimes. The results suggest that the stick-slip interface motion and serrated...
Differential sensitivity to temperature steps in the circannual rhythm of hydranth longevity in the marine cnidarian, Campanularia flexuosa

Abstract 1. 1. Colonies of the marine cnidarian, Campanularia ftexuosa , that were free-running at 10 and 17°C in constant darkness were transferred to higher or lower ambient temperatures during two different phases of the circannual rhythm of hydranth development and longevity. 2. 2. Temperature steps down from 10–17°C in December resulted in an immediate rise in hydranth longevity, while the increase could be delayed for several days following transfers made in June and August. The life spans of hydranths moved to 10°C in December were longer than those in colonies free-running at 10°C in December and in those transferred to 10°C in June. 3. 3. In colonies moved from 10 to 17°C in December, a high percentage of abortive hydranth development was observed, while none occurred in the colonies after transfers made in June. 4. 4. Peaks in hydranth longevity exhibited a greater coincidence with new or full moon phases of the lunar cycle in colonies subjected to temperature steps than in unperturbed colonies. 5. 5. Since temperature steps elicited different responses dependent on the phase of the circannual rhythm and generated apparent phase shifts, consideration of temperature as a Zeitgeber for C. flexuosa is suggested.
Frequency multiplier response to spurious signals and its effect on local oscillator systems in millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths

Broadband fixed-tuned frequency multipliers in conjunction with broadband power amplifiers driven by frequency synthesizers are often used as local oscillator (LO) sources in the millimeter and submillimeter wave heterodyne instruments. At these frequencies the multipliers use Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) based Schottky varactor diodes as the nonlinear element, and like most other harmonic generators are susceptible to spurious signal interference. The state-of-the-art LO sources in the millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths use MMIC power amplifiers producing in excess of 250 mW of output power in the 100 GHz range, and they are used to drive the subsequent multiplier stages. Because of the high input power environment and the presence of noise in the system, the multipliers become vulnerable to spurious signal interference, either through the bias lines or through the RF port. As the spurious signals propagate through the multiplier chain, they generate inter-modulation products which might fall in the passband of the heterodyne instrument and seriously degrade its performance. The issues of frequency multiplier response to spurious signal interference and its effect on local oscillator performance in millimeter and submillimeter wave heterodyne instruments are investigated. Results of numerical harmonic balance simulations and laboratory experiments are presented here, and are found to show good agreement.
Odd cycles and matrices with integrality properties

A cycle of a bipartite graphG(V+, V−; E) is odd if its length is 2 (mod 4), even otherwise. An odd cycleC is node minimal if there is no odd cycleC′ of cardinality less than that ofC′ such that one of the following holds:C′ ∩V+ ⊂C ∩V+ orC′ ∩V− ⊂C ∩V−.
Solvent-regulated ordering in block copolymers

Abstract Studies of the structural polymorphism exhibited by block copolymers in the presence of selective solvents are relatively recent, but very promising in terms of fundamental understanding and practical applications. Highlighting recent advances, this review progresses from `dry' ordered copolymers to solvated ordered (gel-like) copolymers and lastly to solvated disordered (but locally organized) copolymers. Organic- and aqueous-solvent-based systems are concurrently examined to cross-fertilize polymer and colloid science.
Research ethics: Treat donors as partners in biobank research

Proposed rules to protect research subjects will impede progress, say Krishanu Saha and J. Benjamin Hurlbut. Instead, give donors more say in how samples are used.
Development and evaluation of a real-time Taqman RT-PCR assay for the detection of infectious bronchitis virus from infected chickens.

It is important to rapidly differentiate infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) from disease agents like highly pathogenic avian influenza virus and exotic Newcastle disease virus, which can be extremely similar in the early stages of their pathogenesis. In this study, we report the development and testing of a real-time RT-PCR assay using a Taqman®-labeled probe for early and rapid detection of IBV. The assay amplifies a 143-bp product in the 5′-UTR of the IBV genome and has a limit of detection and quantification of 100 template copies per reaction. All 15 strains of IBV tested as well as two Turkey coronavirus strains were amplified, whereas none of the other pathogens examined, tested positive. Evaluation of the assay was completed with 1329 tracheal swab samples. A total of 680 samples collected from IBV antibody negative birds were negative for IBV by the real-time RT-PCR assay. We tested 229 tracheal swabs submitted to two different diagnostic laboratories and found 79.04% of the tracheal swabs positive for IBV by real-time RT-PCR, whereas only 27.51% of the samples were positive by virus isolation, which is the reference standard test. We also collected a total of 120 tracheal swabs at six different time points from birds experimentally infected with different dosages of IBV and found that, independent of the dose given, the viral load in the trachea plateau at 5 days post-inoculation. In addition, an inverse relationship between the dose of virus given and the viral load at 14 days post-inoculation was observed. Finally, we tested 300 total tracheal swab samples, from a flock of commercial broilers spray vaccinated for IBV in the field. The percentage of birds infected with the IBV vaccine at 3, 7, and 14 days post-vaccination was 58%, 65%, and 83%, respectively, indicating that only slightly more than half the birds were initially infected then the vaccine was subsequently transmitted to other birds in the flock. This observation is significant because coronaviruses, which have a high mutation rate, can revert to pathogenicity when bird-to-bird transmission occurs. The real-time RT-PCR test described herein can be used to rapidly distinguish IBV from other respiratory pathogens, which is important for control of this highly infectious virus. The test was extremely sensitive and specific, and can be used to quantitate viral genomic RNA in clinical samples.
Arthropod Designs on Prehistoric Mimbres Pottery

In the southwest corner of New Mexico, north of Deming, lies the valley of the Rio Mimbres, a narrow strip of agricultural land between hills and bluffs. In this fertile valley have been found numerous ruins of a prehistoric Pueblo people who tilled the soil and developed an advanced culture several hundred years before the first white men reached America. Mr. Earl H. Morris, Research Associate of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, roughly estimates the date as about 1200 A. D. The archeology of the region has been discussed by J. Walter Fewkes2 of the Bureau of American Ethnology.
Kirkendall study of electromigration in thin films

Abstract A series of experiments has been designed to measure the effects due to solute addition on electromigration in thin films. These experiments are based on a “cross-stripe” sample geometry and in principle are similar to the Kirkendall study of bulk diffusion couples. An analysis of grain boundary electromigration is presented here to show how one can measure (a) the effect of solute addition on solvent electromigration at grain boundaries, (b) the critical solute concentration required for reducing electromigration damage and (c) the solute effective charge and diffusivity at grain boundaries. Measurements have been made for Cu in Al and for Ag in Au over a limited range of temperatures near 250°C and results are reported. Data obtained for Cu in Al are sufficiently detailed for the self-consistency of our measurements and the validity of the analysis to be examined. The overall agreement is satisfactory.
Ventilation and metabolism of the Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus) and the albino mouse

Abstract 1. 1. Metabolic rates (O 2 consumption and CO 2 production) were similar in the Djungarian hamster and the white mice. 2. 2. The Djungarian hamster had a decreased tidal volume, an increased frequency of breathing (due to a lengthened expiratory time) and a decreased minute ventilation compared to that of the mouse. 3. 3. Although the relative ventilatory increase in response to hypercapnia or hypoxia was similar in the hamster and the mouse, the breathing patterns during exposures differed.
Modification of the Heidelberg retinal laser tomograph and flowmeter to allow measurements in supine patients

Purpose: To determine if the Heidelberg Retinal Laser Tomograph (HRT) and Flowmeter (HRF) can be modified to obtain images in supine patients. Methods: A mount was customized to securely attach the Heidelberg scanning head to an operating microscope stand. This mount was designed to allow rotation for viewing of the macula or optic nerve head region in either eye. The HRT was used to acquire 3 consecutive images of the optic nerve head in supine subjects to obtain a mean topographic image. The HRF was then used to obtain capillary flow measurements in supine subjects. Results: The optic nerve area in either the right or left eye can be safely and easily visualized with the modified Heidelberg system in supine patients for evaluation of optic nerve head topography or capillary flow. However, the configuration of the Heidelberg scanning head requires the images to be taken 180 degrees from the normal orientation of the scanning head to the patient's body. Therefore, the images are rotated 180 degrees from those taken in upright subjects. This must be considered when analyzing the data. Conclusion: The Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph and Flowmeter are capable of acquiring images in supine subjects. However, these images are rotated 180 degrees.
Predicting movie sales revenue using online reviews

With the rapid development of E-commerce, more and more online reviews for products and services are created, which form an important source of information for both sellers and customers. Research on sentiment and opinion mining for online review analysis has attracted increasingly more attention because such study helps leverage information from online reviews for potential economic impact. In this paper, we apply sentiment analysis and machine learning methods to study the relationship between the online reviews for a movie and the movie's box office revenue performance. We show that a simplified version of the sentiment-aware autoregressive model proposed in [5] can produce very good accuracy for predicting the box office sale using online review data. Our simplified version considers only positive and negative sentiments, and uses a very simple set of features with 14 affective key words for representing the sentiments in a review. In this way we obtain a simpler model which could be more efficient to train and use. Experiments indicate that the autoregressive model using both review sentiment data and the previous days' sale data results in higher accuracy than just using previous sale data alone. In addition, we create a classification model using Naive Bayes Classifier for predicting the trend of the box office revenue from the review sentiment data.
Dressing for success

BODY GUARDS: THE CULTURAL POLITICS OF GENDER AMBIGUITY. Edited by Julia Epstein and Kristina Straub. London: Routledge, 1991; pp. 1–377; $52.50; paper $16.95. VESTED INTERESTS: CROSS‐DRESSING AND CULTURAL ANXIETY. By Marjorie Garber. London Routledge, 1991; pp. i‐500; $35.00.
Nylon brush improves collection of cervical cytologic specimens

A prospective, randomized study was performed to compare the efficacy of a combined endocervical and ectocervical nylon brush with the cotton-tipped swab and wooden spatula for obtaining cervical cytologic specimens. Strict objective criteria were used to determine the adequacy of Papanicolaou smears on the basis of the number of cells present. The two methods were equally effective in collecting ectocervical smears. However, 96% of endocervical smears obtained with the nylon brush contained >50 cells, compared with 58% of swab and spatula smears. Only 1.4% of brush samples contained no endocervical cells, versus 19% of swab and spatula smears. The presence of endocervical cells confirms adequate sampling of the transitional zone. Use of the cytologic Papanicolaou brush may result in fewer false negative and inadequate Papanicolaou smears.
Nature of the compensating frameshift in the double frameshift mutant hisD3018 R5 of Salmonella typhimurium

Abstract ICR-191-induced frameshift mutant hisD3018 is a +1 type, containing an extra C residue in messenger RNA. The spontaneous prototrophic double mutant hisD3018 R5 contains in histidinol dehydrogenase an extensive frameshifted segment which is herein shown to encompass six amino acid residues spanning two adjacent tryptic peptides. The replacement data indicate that the compensating frameshift in R5 is a −1 type, involving deletion of a C residue from mRNA approximately sixteen residues before the nucleotideinsertion of the parent mutation, hisD3018 . Comparison of the amino acid sequences in wild-type and R5 enzyme allows unambiguous assignment of eight in vivo codons for Salmonella typhimurium .
Synthesis and In Vitro Antiviral Activity of 3′7-O-Acyl Derivatives of 5′-Amino-5′-Deoxythymidine: Potential Prodrugs for Topical Application

A series of 3′-O-acyl derivatives of 5′-amino-5′-deoxythymidine (5′-NH2-TdR) (IIIa-j) was synthesized by acylation of 5′-azido-5′-deoxythymidine (I). The resulting acetoxy azides were reduced by catalytic hydrogenation to give the corresponding amines. The antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in vitro, the aqueous solubilities, and the octanol-water partition coefficients of these compounds were determined. All these derivatives have shown potency against HSV-1 virus similar to the parent compound, except the aromatic and highly branched aliphatic esters, IIIi and IIIj, which are less active. Because of their markedly improved lipophilicity, these compounds are believed to penetrate the biological membranes more easily, and thus, would be more effective for the topical treatment of cutaneous herpes virus infections.
Observation of backward sum-frequency generation in periodically-poled lithium niobate

Abstract We report experimental observation of backward sum-frequency generation in periodically-poled LiNbO 3 resulting from mixing between the forward propagating fundamental beam with the second harmonic beam. Although the forward second harmonic beam itself is not phase-matched, the sum-frequency generation exhibits several phase-matching peaks.
Exposure to a novel stimulus environment alters patterns of lateralization in avian auditory cortex

Perceptual filters formed early in development provide an initial means of parsing the incoming auditory stream. However, these filters may not remain fixed, and may be updated by subsequent auditory input, such that, even in an adult organism, the auditory system undergoes plastic changes to achieve a more efficient representation of the recent auditory environment. Songbirds are an excellent model system for experimental studies of auditory phenomena due to many parallels between song learning in birds and language acquisition in humans. In the present study, we explored the effects of passive immersion in a novel heterospecific auditory environment on neural responses in caudo-medial neostriatum (NCM), a songbird auditory area similar to the secondary auditory cortex in mammals. In zebra finches, a well-studied species of songbirds, NCM responds selectively to conspecific songs and contains a neuronal memory for tutor and other familiar conspecific songs. Adult male zebra finches were randomly assigned to either a conspecific or heterospecific auditory environment. After 2, 4 or 9 days of exposure, subjects were presented with heterospecific and conspecific songs during awake electrophysiological recording. The neural response strength and rate of adaptation to the testing stimuli were recorded bilaterally. Controls exposed to conspecific environment sounds exhibited the normal pattern of hemispheric lateralization with higher absolute response strength and faster adaptation in the right hemisphere. The pattern of lateralization was fully reversed in birds exposed to heterospecific environment for 4 or 9 days and partially reversed in birds exposed to heterospecific environment for 2 days. Our results show that brief passive exposure to a novel category of sounds was sufficient to induce a gradual reorganization of the left and right secondary auditory cortices. These changes may reflect modification of perceptual filters to form a more efficient representation of auditory space.
Lichen Growth Responses to Stress Induced by Automobile Exhaust Pollution

Growth rates were significantly suppressed in juvenile thalli (less than 0.1 square millimeter in initial size) of the saxicolous lichen Pseudoparmelia baltimorensis from a Potomac River island with high atmospheric lead burden as compared to the case for a similar island with a lower lead burden. However, larger thalli showed no significant changes in growth response as a result of atmospheric pollution stress. Disruptions in lichen growth thus appear to affect life stages when growth is most rapid andfood reserves are low. Once a minimnum thallus size is attained, the stress tolerance of the lichen increases.
Iconic Books from Below: The Christian Bible and the Discourse of Duct Tape

Investigating the Christian Bible as “America’s Iconic Book” (following Marty 1982) reveals that this icon is generated and maintained not only through lofty theology and high church rituals, but also through mundane and often invisible biblical practices. By examining how people engage with their personal Bibles, scholars can better understand how status and authority is generated not only through semantic meaning, but also through material and embodied actions. This article looks at one example of this in contemporary American Evangelical Christianity: the display of worn-out Bibles and the discourses that surround the phenomena of duct-taped Bibles.