cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abundances and Depletions toward the Orion Nebula

This paper presents an absorption-line study of θ1 C Orionis (HD 37022), based on IUE data. The line of sight, as determined by O'Dell et al. (1993), is thought to consist of two major cloud complexes: the "neutral lid" and some foreground material. A key challenge was to improve the S/N for IUE spectra, and this is discussed in some detail. Column densities for several species are derived in two ways. First, we fit equivalent widths of the interstellar lines on two semiempirical curves of growth (COGs). These COGs are derived from high-resolution ground-based data that resolve the cloud component structure on the line of sight (LOS), and it is assumed that the atomic species follow this structure. Second, we fit each species independently to its own COG, yielding approximate b-values and column densities. Both methods yielded similar results. The Lyα line yields a column density for hydrogen of log N(H I) = 21.60 ± 0.1 cm-2. Abundances and depletions are calculated for the clouds and are compared to emission-line studies of the Orion nebula itself. The discrepancies between the two regions imply grain core destruction in the H II region. Also, the depletions are compared to other sight lines with different far-ultraviolet extinction behavior. It is found that depletions are not strongly dependent on far-UV extinction except for Mg and possibly Si and P. These elements seem slightly less depleted for sight lines with flat far-UV extinction. Ionization balance gives an electron density of ne ~ 5 × 10-3 cm-3 for the foreground clouds, which in turn yields a lower limit to the hydrogen density of nH > 9 cm-3.
A facile route to tetrafluoroallene

Abstract Tetrafluoroallene has been prepared in 72%–75% yield by metallation of either 2-hydropentafluoropropene or 2-bromopentafluoropropene with t-butyllithium followed by thermal elimination of lithium fluoride from the 2-lithiopentafluoropropene. The 2-bromopentafluoropropene route gives the allene free of isobutane.
Scientific Serendipity Initiates an Intron Odyssey

As the child of German immigrants to South Africa and disillusioned by the Apartheid regime, I made my way to the United States for graduate school. After earning my Ph.D. from the University of California at Irvine and a postdoctoral degree at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, both in phage λ genetics, I faced a five-body problem: two careers and three children. Two positions and a family-friendly environment brought us to the Capital District in New York. For me, it was a research scientist position, working on thymidylate synthase (TS). Even in the 1970s, TS was a well studied enzyme, highly regulated in each organism in which it had been studied, and above all, TS was a geneticist's dream: positive selections for both gene function and dysfunction in bacteria. So, I set to work with respected biochemists Frank and Gladys Maley, and almost 30 years ago, we published our first paper together on a single functional arginine involved in TS catalysis (1). This arginine was to reappear on my research radar in a completely different context more than 20 years later. Meanwhile, I developed the TS genetic system for studying the enzyme's function and regulation (2) and taught my colleague Fred Chu how to sequence the TS coding sequence (the td gene) of phage T4. Sequencing was a big deal in those days; entire papers were dedicated to decoding a single gene, and I had taken a week-long course to learn how to sequence DNA. Chu did a superb job, but he presented us with a conundrum. The td gene contained a chunk of sequence that did not correspond to TS. Without the benefit of GenBank™ and BLAST searches, we were left to ponder for ourselves what that intervening sequence might be: an artifact? An intron? But dogma insisted that introns existed only in eukaryotic genes.
The Relative Contribution of Family Status and Economic status to Juvenile Delinquency

untrue; it is merely incomplete."2 The general hypothesis of this study is that economic status and family status make both joint and independent contributions to deviant behavior. Family instability is aggravated by economic insecurity but is not limited to poor households. Also, inadequate family finances do not always result in broken marriages. It is of particular importance to study this hypothesis (1) since doubt has been cast upon the assumption that family instability and economic insecurity are but different reflections of the same phenomenon, and (2) because of the recent debate surrounding the Moynihan Report on
Completeness of the Characteristic System

Let X be a complete variety over an algebraically closed field K, and D an effective (locally principal) divisor. Denote by ND the normal sheaf; it fits into a fundamental exact sequence O+O,-+O,(D)-+N,+O. (1) Consider a flat family .Y of deformations of D; it consists of a parameter variety W, a point w of W, and an effective divisor on X x k W flat over W whose fiber over w is equal to D. Denote by T,(W) the Zariski tangent space to W at w. The characteristic map of Y is a certain linear transfor- mation P: TwP”) - HOW,) and its characteristic system is the linear system on D cut out by the image of p [12, Vol. 1, pp. 94-95; 8, Lect. 22; 7, pp. 479-4801. When W is smooth at w, the completeness of the characteristic system, the surjectivity of p, means, intuitively, that every normal field to D in X can be integrated. Consider the universal flat family & of deformations of D; it is parametrized by the open piece Divtxik) of the Hilbert scheme H = H%/,) . Its characteristic map is always bijective [2, Rem. 5.5, p. 23; 8, Cor. 2, p. 1541. Furthermore, & induces Y by a (unique) map f: W + H. Correspondingly, the two characteristic maps fit into a commutative diagram
Placement Stability for Children Adjudicated as Dependent: A Survival Analysis of a State Database

Using survival analysis, this article examines placement stability across a period of approximately 4 years for a sample of 3,089 Oklahoma children adjudicated as dependent in year 2000. Most children experienced few placements, but a minority experienced a large number. Kinship care was more stable than foster family care, particularly for African American children. Older children were at increased risk of subsequent placement. A higher number of prior placements predicted increased risk for subsequent placement. For children who are not residing in a placement setting, risk of subsequent placement decreased as time since adjudication increased. Results recommend continued emphasis on kinship care in child welfare practice, particularly for African American children.
Performance Based Design Approach for RC Square Bridge Columns under Combined Loadings Including Torsion

Reinforced concrete (RC) bridge columns are subjected to combined bending moment, shear force, axial and torsional loads during earthquake excitations, particularly for skewed and curved bridges, and bridges with unequal spans or column heights. The combined loading would affect the seismic performance of RC bridge columns in terms of strength, stiffness, deformation and progression of damage limit states. Performance based design approach for RC square columns under combined loadings including torsion is investigated in this paper. Different damage limit states are evaluated from performance based design approach using proposed damage index model, which permits decoupling these combined actions according to the test data. The main variable considered in the experimental study is the ratio of torsion to bending moment (T/M). The effects of combined loading on the torsional and flexural hysteretic responses, plastic hinge characteristics, rotational and displacement ductility limits, progression of damage states are discussed. The progression of damage states, quantified according to the proposed damage index model, can be correlated to the observed damage from practical point of view, which exhibit reliable indication of failure stages of RC square bridge columns. Based on experimental and analytical results, progression of damage was found to be amplified by the effect of increasing torsion; and the displacement as well as rotational ductility is decreased due to the effect of combined loading. Hence it is necessary for the performance based design procedures to consider the effect of torsional loadings.
Molecules and chains in a strong magnetic field : statistical treatment

A Thomas-Fermi-Dirac-Weizsaecker statistical model is developed and employed to investigate diatomic molecules and infinite molecular chains in strong magnetic fields. The standard magnetic Thomas-Fermi-Dirac kinetic, potential, and exchange energy functionals are supplemented by a gradient correction to the kinetic energy. The numerical method used for solving this system in two spatial dimensions is detailed. Numerical solutions for a wide range of magnetic strengths and elements are presented to demonstrate the robustness, as well as the limitations, of the statistical approach. These calculations qualitatively reproduce many of the results of detailed quantum mechanical treatments. For example, the fractional binding energy is greatest for low atomic numbers and for strong magnetic fields.
An automated pipeline for dendrite spine detection and tracking of 3D optical microscopy neuron images of in vivo mouse models.

The variations in dendritic branch morphology and spine density provide insightful information about the brain function and possible treatment to neurodegenerative disease, for example investigating structural plasticity during the course of Alzheimer’s disease. Most automated image processing methods aiming at analyzing these problems are developed for in vitro data. However, in vivo neuron images provide real time information and direct observation of the dynamics of a disease process in a live animal model. This paper presents an automated approach for detecting spines and tracking spine evolution over time with in vivo image data in an animal model of Alzheimer’s disease. We propose an automated pipeline starting with curvilinear structure detection to determine the medial axis of the dendritic backbone and spines connected to the backbone. We, then, propose the adaptive local binary fitting (aLBF) energy level set model to accurately locate the boundary of dendritic structures using the central line of curvilinear structure as initialization. To track the growth or loss of spines, we present a maximum likelihood based technique to find the graph homomorphism between two image graph structures at different time points. We employ dynamic programming to search for the optimum solution. The pipeline enables us to extract dynamically changing information from real time in vivo data. We validate our proposed approach by comparing with manual results generated by neurologists. In addition, we discuss the performance of 3D based segmentation and conclude that our method is more accurate in identifying weak spines. Experiments show that our approach can quickly and accurately detect and quantify spines of in vivo neuron images and is able to identify spine elimination and formation.
Arsenite Oxidation by Alcaligenes faecalis Strain O1201

Batch experiments were conducted to examine the oxidation of arsenite (As (III)) to arsenate (As (V)) by Alcaligenes faecalis strain O1201 isolated from soils. Pure cultures of O1201 completely oxidized As (III) to As (V) in the exponential growth phase at As (III) concentrations ranging from 10 to 1,000 mg∕L in less than 12 h. The growth of O1201 requires an organic substrate as the carbon and energy source, and the oxidation of As (III) was mainly observed in the exponential growth phase. As (III) concentration at 500 mg∕L inhibited the growth of O1201, whereas its oxidation product As (V) did not show any inhibition effects even at concentration as high as 1,000 mg∕L . Kinetics studies of As (III) oxidation were performed under the optimal conditions for O1201 at pH 7 and 30°C in a chemical defined medium with citrate as the sole carbon source. The Monod expression coupled with a logistic growth model was used to analyze the kinetics of As (III) oxidation. The best fit parameters of half-velocity coeff...
Electrospray Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometer for Elemental Analysis

Electrospray ionization (ESI) has been combined with a time-offlight (TOF) mass spectrometer for elemental analysis. With the use of a heated-capillary interface, the instrument is shown to be stable to within 5% relative standard deviation (RSD) over a 60-min period. The ratio between the isotopes of rubidium is measured with a precision of 0.4% RSD for a 1-min integration time. With the addition of a supporting electrolyte as a spray stabilizer and internal standard, the dynamic range is linear over at least three orders of magnitude. The extent of solvent-cluster fragmentation is found to be governed primarily by the voltage differential between the capillary and skimmer and, to a lesser extent, by the capillary temperature. The capillary voltage also affects the distribution of species among the parent and its fragment ions for ferrocene and tetraethyllead. Under ''mild'' interface conditions, a resolving power of 1400 is achieved for an organolead complex. A spectrum for a larger molecule, polypropylene glycol, is presented to show the versatility of the ESI-TOF instrument for both atomic and molecular analysis.
OPC-UA information model for large-scale process control applications

The distributed and networked control of large-scale systems is typically designed as multi-layer control architecture. This brings advantage of a simplified design for complex control strategies; however, it complicates the information consistency between individual layers (PID controllers, advanced process controllers, real time optimizers) under changes in controlled plant topology and other events. Individual control layers require different representation of knowledge; however, the information solution has to guarantee the cross-layer integration, consistency and uniform representation of on-line and off-line process data, topology information and dynamics / performance models. The paper presents solution based on OPC Unified Architecture (OPC-UA) model and two levels control architecture. The solution unifies representation of data and topology in Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) and adopts Cloud Computing paradigm.
Chronic ethanol administration decreases the ligand binding properties and the cellular content of the mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor in rat hepatocytes.

Abstract We have shown previously that chronic ethanol administration impairs the maturation of lysosomal enzymes in rat hepatocytes. The mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor (M6P/IGF-IIR) is a protein that facilitates the transport of lysosomal enzymes into the lysosome. Therefore, we examined whether ethanol consumption altered the ligand binding properties and the cellular content of M6P/IGF-IIR. Rats were pair-fed liquid diets containing either ethanol (36% of calories) or isocaloric maltose-dextrin for either 1 week or 5–7 weeks. Hepatocytes prepared from these animals were examined for receptor–ligand binding and receptor content. One week of ethanol feeding had no significant effect on ligand [radioiodinated pentamannose phosphate conjugated to bovine serum albumin ( 125 I -PMP-BSA)] binding to hepatocytes, but cells from rats fed ethanol for 5–7 weeks bound less 125 I -PMP-BSA than pair-fed controls. Scatchard plot analysis revealed that the number of 125 I -PMP-BSA binding sites in hepatocytes from ethanol-fed rats was 49% lower than that of controls. 125 I -PMP-BSA binding by perivenular (PV) and periportal (PP) hepatocytes from ethanol-fed rats was, respectively, 40 and 48% lower than their controls, but there was no significant difference between these two types of hepatocytes. Ligand blot analysis using 125 I -insulin-like growth factor II ( 125 I -IGF-II) also showed that the receptor in lysates of hepatocytes from ethanol-fed rats bound 26–27% less ligand than controls. Similarly, immunoblot analysis of cell lysates from ethanol-fed rats revealed 62% lower levels of immunoreactive M6P/IGF-IIR than controls. Feeding rats a low carbohydrate-ethanol diet did not exacerbate the reduction in M6P/IGF-IIR-ligand binding nor did it reduce the levels of immunoreactive receptor. Our findings indicate that chronic ethanol consumption lowers M6P/IGF-IIR activity and content in hepatocytes. This reduction may account, in part, for the impaired processing and delivery of acid hydrolases to lysosomes previously observed in ethanol-fed rats.
CancerEpiDB: A database for DNA methylated genes in cancer

Epigenetic refers to the reversible functional modifications of the genome that do not correlate to changes in the DNA sequence. These modifications are caused by changes in the chro-matin structure, DNA methylation and histone modification. DNA methylation occurs in and out of CpG islands, and affects the transcription factors (TFs). The TFs affect the downstream genes by activating or silencing them. This is observed in all the complex diseases. The DNA methylated genes are further classified as hyper and hypo methylated genes. Most of the oncogenes are DNA methylated. This database is developed using the available data in THE CANCER GENOME ATLAS (TCGA) and the significant DNA methylated genes identified were validated using literature. For this database a comprehensive methodology based on the DNA methylated genes in and out of CpG islands was developed. The objective of the database is fivefold — (i) Identification of stage-specific DNA methylated genes across cancers (ii) Classification of DNA methylated genes as hyper and hypo methylated (iii) Annotating the DNA methylated genes with their biological properties like Gene Ontology, Pathway, and Disease association (iv) Identifying the environmental factors associated with the DNA methylated genes (v) Identifying the interactome of the DNA methylated gene based on the BioGRID interaction and expressed genes from TCGA, this gives an overview of existing and new interactions that can be validated by the researcher. The database is complemented by web interface for searching, browsing and interactions. CancerEpiDB provides an initial attempt to create a comprehensive resource of epigenetic genes in cancer. CancerEpiDB is available at (http://regen.informatics.iupui.edu/cgi-bin/epigenetics/DEVenv/index.php)
Philadelphia-chromosome-positive adult acute lymphocytic leukemia: characteristics, treatment results, and prognosis in 41 patients.

Abstract background: Philadelphia-Chromosome-positive (Ph-positive) acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is associated with poor outcome in children as well as in adults. We report our experience in patients with Ph-positive ALL and review their clinico-laboratory characteristics, response to different therapies, and overall prognosis. patients and methods: Since 1980, 41 newly diagnosed patients with Ph-positive ALL were referred to our service. In addition to confirmation of their diagnosis by morphologic studies of bone marrow aspiration and biopsy specimens, patients underwent cytogenetic, immunophenotypic, and molecular studies. Thirty-five patients received vincristine-Adriamycin-dexamethasone (VAD) or cyclophosphamide (CVAD) induction regimens, and 6 patients were treated with other combinations. Thirty-seven patients received salvage therapy that included VAD, high-dose cytosine arabinoside (ara-C)-containing regimens, methotrexate-asparaginase, and high-dose chemotherapy with autologous or allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). results: The 41 patients were among 334 patients with ALL (12%) seen during that same period. Patients with Ph-positive ALL were older and had a significantly lower incidence of anemia and a higher incidence of peripheral leukocytosis, FAB L 2 (Fench-American-British) morphology, common acute lymphocytic leukemia antigens (CALLA), and CD34 marker positivity. With induction chemotherapy, 23 of 41 Ph-positive ALL patients (56%) achieved complete remission, and their median survival and remission duration were 11 months and 9 months, respectively. Thirteen of 31 Ph-positive ALL patients (42%) achieved complete response with high-dose ara-C regimens during salvage therapy. conclusions: In our experience, patients with Ph-positive ALL are usually older, have FAB L 2 morphology, and are CALLA-positive and CD34-positive. These patients have a poor prognosis when treated with conventional approaches with lower overall complete response rate, shorter remission duration, and shorter survival. There appears to be a selective sensitivity to high-dose ara-C in these patients that suggests a possible role of this agent as part of early consolidation or induction regimens.
Combinations of glycerol percent, glycerol equilibration time, and thawing rate upon freezability of bull spermatozoa in plastic straws.

Abstract Twelve ejaculates were used in a central composite experiment to test 15 combinations of glycerol (7, 9, 11, 13, or 15%), glycerol equilibration times (1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 h) and thawing rates (water at 35 C for 15 s, 50 C for 13 s, 65 C for 11 s, 80 C for 9 s, or 95 C for 7 s). Semen was diluted in heated skim milk-glycerol, packaged in .3-ml. Continental U.S. straws and frozen in liquid nitrogen vapor. Based on post-thaw progressive sperm motility after storage at −196 C for 9 to 11 days, estimated optima from multiple regression were 10.7% for glycerol, 2.0 h for glycerol equilibration time, and 76 C for thawing bath temperature. Only the linear effect for each variable was significant. Much faster thawing rates and shorter glycerol equilibration times than those for freezing bull spermatozoa in glass ampules should be used for maximum post-thaw sperm motility in straws.
A literature review: The impact of rotational stabilization methods on toric soft contact lens performance

Toric soft contact lenses have been in the marketplace for more than 30 years. Over this period of time, substantial improvements have been made in the areas of lens reproducibility, lens material permeability, frequency of lens replacement, and availability of lens design and parameter options. This article will review the methods used to stabilize lens rotation and their effectiveness as reported in the literature.
A new time-of-flight particle detector☆

Abstract A new charged particle detector is described that is capable of registering the passage of very heavy ions (e.g. fission fragments) with only a few percent energy loss. The detector consists of a thin scintillator film placed perpendicular to the face of a photomultiplier tube and sandwiched between two lucite light guide enclosures which are coupled optically to the photo-multiplier tube. The signal to background noise ratio and signal pulse rise times are quite adequate for use in time-of-flight measurements of heavy charged fragments.
Binocular fusion and contour suppression

Data from three separate investigations are presented to support the conclusion that suppression of visual contours occurs during binocular fusion of identical figures. These data are discussed in relation to examples of confirming and disconfirming results of other investigators.
Alternative approaches to the Karhunen-Loève decomposition for model reduction and data analysis

Abstract The Karhunen-Loeve (KL) decomposition is a statistical pattern analysis technique for finding the dominant structures in an ensemble of spatially distributed data. Recently the technique has been used to analyze and perform model reduction on both experimental and simulated spatiotemporal patterns from reactive and fluid-dynamical systems. We propose alternative ensembles for the KL decomposition that address some of the shortcomings of the usual procedure. Two examples are presented. In the first, the question of optimal low-dimensional bases for a reaction-diffusion model is addressed. We consider an ensemble constructed from short time integrations of a large set of initial conditions. This ensemble contains information about the global dynamics that is not contained in an ensemble comprised only of snapshots close to a particular attractor. A low-dimensional KL basis for this alternative ensemble is found to represent the dynamics better than a KL basis obtained only from points on the attractor. The second example shows how different ensemble averages give different results for the representation of “intermittent” attractors. An average based on arclength in phase space stresses the intermittent components of an attractor, features that are de-emphasized in the usual time-average based procedure.
Vitamin D and Reduction of Breast Cancer Risk

Vitamin D is not only essential in bone metabolism and calcium homeostasis but also has anticarcinogenic properties in multiple malignancies, including breast cancer. Vitamin D deficiency is a potentially modifiable risk factor that may be easily targeted for breast cancer risk reduction through supplementation. Several epidemiological studies have demonstrated an inverse relationship between dietary intake and blood levels of vitamin D and breast cancer risk; however, the results have been inconsistent. Despite some promising findings, further randomized controlled trials of vitamin D supplements are needed to determine the role of vitamin D in breast cancer prevention.
Determination of the quaternary structure of protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Abstract A 2.5 A resolution data set has been collected for crystals of protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Analysis of the data using the rotation function shows that the α 2 β 2 tetramers associate to form a particle with cubic 23 ( T ) point group symmetry. Prior to this analysis it was believed that eight tetramers associated to form the holoenzyme. The symmetry of the crystalline holoenzyme also addresses questions concerning its iron content and substrate stoichiometry.
Sex, Age, and Hunger Regulate Behavioral Prioritization through Dynamic Modulation of Chemoreceptor Expression

Summary Background: Adaptive behavioral prioritization requires flexible outputs from fixed neural circuits. In C. elegans, the prioritization of feeding versus mate searching depends on biological sex (males will abandon food to search for mates, whereas hermaphrodites will not) as well as developmental stage and feeding status. Previously, we found that males are less attracted than hermaphrodites to the food-associated odorant diacetyl, suggesting that sensory modulation may contribute to behavioral prioritization. Results: We show that somatic sex acts cell autonomously to reconfigure the olfactory circuit by regulating a key chemoreceptor, odr-10, in the AWA neurons. Moreover, we find that odr-10 has a significant role in food detection, the regulation of which contributes to sex differences in behavioral prioritization. Overexpression of odr-10 increases male food attraction and decreases off-food exploration; conversely, loss of odr-10 impairs food taxis in both sexes. In larvae, both sexes prioritize feeding over exploration; correspondingly, the sexes have equal odr-10 expression and food attraction. Food deprivation, which transiently favors feeding over exploration in adult males, increases male food attraction by activating odr-10 expression. Furthermore, the weak expression of odr-10 in well-fed adult males has important adaptive value, allowing males to efficiently locate mates in a patchy food environment. Conclusions: We find that modulated expression of a single chemoreceptor plays a key role in naturally occurring variation in the prioritization of feeding and exploration. The convergence of three independent regulatory inputs—somatic sex, age, and feeding status—on chemoreceptor expression highlights sensory function as a key source of plasticity in neural circuits.
Adsorption of fluorinated ethers and alcohols on fresh and oxidized carbon overcoats for magnetic data storage.

Temperature programmed desorption has been used to study the desorption kinetics and desorption energies of perfluorodiethylether, (CF3CF2)20, and 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, CF 3 CH 2 OH, adsorbed on fresh and oxidized hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-CH x ) films. (CF 3 CF 2 ) 2 O and CF 3 CH 2 OH serve as models for the ether backbone and hydroxyl end-groups of Fomblin Zdol, the lubricant most commonly used to lubricate the surfaces of amorphous carbon overcoats on magnetic data storage hard disks. Our measurements clearly reveal, for the first time, the effects of surface oxidation on the adsorption of fluorocarbon lubricants such as Fomblin Zdol on a-CH x films. Oxidation of the a-CH x surface increases the desorption energy of CF 3 CH 2 OH but has no observable impact on the desorption energy of (CF 3 CF 2 ) 2 O. These results support the suggestion that the alcohols interact with the surface via hydrogen bonding. From a practical perspective, these results imply that the oxidation of the fresh a-CH x film may serve as a means to control or tailor the a-CH x surface to optimize the properties of the lubricant-overcoat interface in hard disks.
Implications of a 17-keV neutrino for baryogenesis

Abstract There is some experimental evidence for a 17 keV component of the electron neutrino, in the form of the recent observations of kinks in the beta-decay spectra of tritium, 14 C, 35 S and 63 Ni. In this paper I show that most particle-physics models consistent with the 17 keV neutrino require a baryogenesis scale below ∼ 10 6 GeV. Furthermore, models with a 17 keV neutrino typically contain new sources of CP violation, and the cosmological baryon asymmetry could be generated by anomalous electroweak interactions during a first-order weak phase transition.
Studies of mechanisms of decay and recovery in organic dye-doped polymers using spatially resolved white lightinterferometry

Several organic dyes have been shown to self heal when doped in a polymer matrix. Most measurements to date use optical absorbance, amplified spontaneous emission, or digital imaging as a probe. Each method determines a subset of the relevant parameters. We have constructed a white light interferometric microscope, which measures the absorption spectrum and change in refractive index during decay and recovery simultaneously at multiple points in the material. We report on preliminary measurements and results concerning the microscopes spatial resolution.
Superconductivity of NbC/NbN Whiskers

Magnetic and electrical transport properties have been studied on whiskers and platelets of NbC, NbN, and NbC/NbN in the superconducting state. Whiskers in the 2- to 100-\ensuremath{\mu} diameter range show type-II superconducting behavior with ${H}_{c1}\ensuremath{\sim}100$ Oe and ${H}_{c2}\ensuremath{\sim}110$ kOe. The critical current density in zero field was found unexpectedly to vary with diameter as ${j}_{c}\ensuremath{\sim}{d}^{\ensuremath{-}1.4}$. Such a dependence is not predicted by any simple model of transport-current distribution. Flux-creep phenomena were observed only in a narrow region of current-magnetic field variables; this is believed related to the crystal perfection of the compound whiskers.
Radical Interactionism: Going Beyond Mead*

George Herbert Mead argues that human society is comprised of six basic institutions—language, family, economics, religion, polity, and science. I do not believe that he can be criticized for making institutions the cornerstones of a society, but he can definitely be criticized for his explanation of how our basic institutions originate, how these institutions operate in society after their inception, and how they later change, modifying society in the process. The problem with Mead's explanation of these three critical matters is that he based them on his principle of “sociality” rather than on the principle of “domination.” If Mead's principle of sociality is replaced by the principle of domination and his notion of the “generalized other” is replaced by the notion of the “phantom community,” then most of these problems can be largely solved. Thus, in this paper, I will not only point out the key problems in Mead's theory of society, but I will also offer solutions to them based on the notions of domination and the “phantom community.” The end product is a “radical interactionism” that surpasses Mead's original interactionism in identifying the part that both domination and the composite “other” play in every known human society—big and small, and past and present.
Angular dependence of the one-phonon-nuclear quadrupole interactions

Abstract The angular dependence of the Δ m = ± 1 and Δ m = ± 2 nuclear quadrupole-lattice phonon interaction is developed in a crystal with 43 m symmetry, assuming a lattice potential V = f( r ) and a definite wave number and polarization for the interacting phonons. The results can be used to explain experiments involving the interaction of a nuclear spin system with externally added phonons.
Temporal dynamics and spatial variation of algae in relation to hydrology and sediment characteristics in the Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia

In a 20-month study, phytoplankton and periphyton chl a, and dry mass of macroscopic algal aggregates in four marshes and a lake within the Okefenokee Swamp (Georgia, USA) were comparable to other wetlands and lake littoral areas. Chlorophyll levels in two marshes were inversely related to water level and phytoplankton at three marshes developed unimodal maxima following macrophyte dieback. Standing stocks in a vernally inundated marsh were greater than a nearby marsh which was permanently inundated; chlorophyll levels displayed longer blooms in the inundated marsh during periods of low rainfall or after drought. Field dynamics, sediment sorption characteristics and algal bioassays suggest that evaporative drawdown stimulates algae by release of nutrients from exposed peat, while high water levels reduce nutrient release from sediments and disperse phytoplankton through flushing. Equilibrium phosphate concentrations of sediments and algal levels were higher at an abandoned rookery than a nearby non-rookery area, indicating nutrient enrichment from residual guano deposits.
Liquid Crystal Nonlinear Optical Meta-Materials

We present an overview of metamaterials comprising nematic liquid crystals and nano-particulates or nano-structures. These metamaterials possess emergent properties such as electro-optically and all-optically tunable sub-unity, zero and negative refractive indices, and other properties not possible with conventional chemical synthesis methods. Optical wave mixing and self-action effects conducted with nano-particulate doped nematic liquid crystals have demonstrated fast optical field induced index modulation in micron- and sub-micron thin nematic films.
An analytical and experimental investigation of high-speed mechanisms fabricated with composite laminates

The articulating members of linkage machinery must be designed and manufactured with high stiffness-to-weight ratios in order that these machine systems operate successfully in a high-speed mode. One approach to satisfying this criterion is to exploit the high specific stiffnesses of polymeric fibrous composite laminates. In this paper, results of mechanical tests of candidate materials are presented and the material constitutive behaviour classified. A variational theorem is then derived by using the Stieltjes convolution notation which enables the equations governing the geometrically-non-linear dynamic response of linkages fabricated in linear viscoelastic composite materials to be systematically established. The formulation includes inertial terms which couple the kinematic deformations of the link material with the kinematics governing the gross motion of the linkage being analyzed. This variational principle provides the basis for a finite element formulation in which the properties of the heterogeneous, two-constituent laminates are represented by a continuum model for a homogeneous single-constituent material. The predictive capability of this model is evaluated by simulating the vibrational response of both experimental four-bar linkages and also slider-crank mechanisms fabricated with simple link geometries, prior to comparing the computer results with experimental data from these laboratory mechanisms.
The “chaotic” action awareness of transformational leaders

This article offers illustrations of the action awareness and action style of transformational leaders, ranging from a World Bank executive to an artist-entrepreneur. The half dozen closely studied executives are identified as transformational leaders on the basis of their late-stage scores on a developmental measure. Their sensitivity to current conditions, and their ability to analogize across the domains of mission, strategy, own action and outcomes, suggest that their ongoing action awareness is consistent with a “chaos theory” appreciation of social reality.
Determination of carrier yields for neutron activation analysis using energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry

A new method is described for determining carrier yield in the radiochemical neutron activation analysis of rare-earth elements in silicate rocks by group separation. The method involves the determination of the rare-earth elements present in the carrier by means of energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis, eliminating the need to re-irradiate samples in a nuclear reactor after the gamma ray analysis is complete. Results from the analysis of USGS standards AGV-1 and BCR-1 compare favorably with those obtained using the conventional method.
oko meduzy and related crumbs genes are determinants of apical cell features in the vertebrate embryo.

Summary Background Polarity is an essential attribute of most eukaryotic cells. One of the most prominent features of cell polarity in many tissues is the subdivision of cell membrane into apical and basolateral compartments by a belt of cell junctions. The proper formation of this subdivision is of key importance. In sensory cells, for example, the apical membrane compartment differentiates specialized structures responsible for the detection of visual, auditory, and olfactory stimuli. In other tissues, apical specializations are responsible for the propagation of fluid flow. Despite its importance, the role of genetic determinants of apico-basal polarity in vertebrate embryogenesis remains poorly investigated. Results We show that zebrafish oko meduzy ( ome ) locus encodes a crumbs gene homolog, essential for the proper apico-basal polarity of neural tube epithelia. Two ome paralogs, crb2b and crb3a , promote the formation of apical cell features: photoreceptor inner segments and cilia in renal and auditory systems. The motility of cilia is defective following the impairment of crb2b function. Apical surface defects in ome - and crb2b -deficient animals are associated with profound disorganization of neuronal architecture and with the formation of pronephric cysts, respectively. Unexpectedly, despite differences in their structure and expression patterns, crumbs genes are, at least partially, functionally interchangeable. Conclusions ome and related crumbs genes are necessary for the formation of gross morphological features in several organs, including the CNS and the renal system. On the cellular level, crumbs genes regulate the formation of both ciliary and nonciliary apical membrane compartment.
A cross-scale model for 3D baroclinic circulation in estuary–plume–shelf systems: II. Application to the Columbia River

This article is the second of a two-part paper on ELCIRC, an Eulerian-Lagrangian finite difference/finite volume model designed to simulate 3D baroclinic circulation across river-to-ocean scales. In part one (Zhang et al., 2004), we described the formulation of ELCIRC and assessed its baseline numerical skill. Here, we describe the application of ELCIRC within CORIE, a coastal margin observatory for the Columbia River estuary and plume. We first introduce the CORIE modeling system and its multiple modes of simulation, external forcings, observational controls, and automated products. We then focus on the evaluation of highly resolved, year-long ELCIRC simulations, using two variables (water level and salinity) to illustrate simulation quality and sensitivity to modeling choices. We show that, process-wise, simulations capture well important aspects of the response of estuarine and plume circulation to ocean, river, and atmospheric forcings. Quantitatively, water levels are robustly represented, while salinity intrusion and plume dynamics remain challenging. Our analysis highlights the benefits of conducting model evaluations over large time windows (months to years), to avoid significant localized biases. The robustness and computational efficiency of ELCIRC has proved invaluable in identifying and reducing non-algorithmic sources of errors, including parameterization (e.g., turbulence closure and stresses at the air-water interface) and external forcings (e.g., ocean conditions and atmospheric forcings).
Effect of Cholesterol Depletion on HA Distribution in the Viral Membrane of Influenza

Influenza virus enters cells via a process of membrane fusion mediated by the hemagglutinin coat protein. We have previously shown that depletion of cholesterol from the viral envelope increases the rate of fusion despite decreasing fusion efficiency. Furthermore, this increased rate of fusion is only observed when cholesterol is removed from the viral envelope, not in the target membrane. Here we use cryo-electron microscopy to measure how the lateral distribution of hemagglutinin in influenza virions changes upon cholesterol extraction. Following removal of cholesterol from the viral envelope, hemagglutinin trimers move closer together. We estimate that HA trimer-trimer spacing decreases from 92.6 angstroms to 84.9 angstroms. Upon re-addition of cholesterol, hemagglutinin trimer spacing expands once again. Current models from single-virus microscopy suggest that fusion requires the engagement of several hemagglutinin trimers in close proximity. Our findings are in agreement with these models. If hemagglutinin trimers indeed shift closer together in the viral envelope upon cholesterol extraction, this would result in an increase in the rate of fusion.
Practicing the fundamentals of patient-centered care.

In recent debates on resident duty hour regulations, attention has been focused primarily on determining the total amount of time residents should spend on patient care and educational activities. But leaders in graduate medical education have long noted the need to fundamentally restructure the content, not just the quantity, of residents’ work days.1–3In particular, major proposals for graduate medical education redesign have sought to ensure that residents’ workloads and tasks are better aligned with the aim of developing highly skilled, capable, and compassionate physicians. On the ground, however, most changes to residents’ workloads—even those changes that might free up time for focused educational activities, such as the redistribution of various administrative and clinical activities from residents to mid-level practitioners, care managers, and other care team members—have been driven by the need to maintain high volume patient throughput in the face of work hour reforms, rather than reflecting a critical reassessment of what residents should be doing throughout the day to optimize their professional development.
Position distinctiveness, item familiarity, and presentation frequency affect reconstruction of order in immediate episodic memory

Abstract Three experiments examined the effects of position distinctiveness, item familiarity, and frequency of presentation on serial position functions in a task involving reconstructing the order of a subset of 12 names in a list of 20 names. Three different serial position conditions were compared in which the subset of names occurred in Positions 1–12, 5–16, or 9–20, with all subsets including Positions 9–12. The serial positions were defined temporally in Experiments 1 and 2 and spatially in Experiment 3. The serial position functions in all three experiments were well predicted by Murdock’s [Murdock, B. B., Jr. (1960). The distinctiveness of stimuli. Psychological Review, 67, 16–31] account in terms of the distinctiveness of the absolute positions. Experiment 3 also revealed significant effects of item familiarity and frequency of presentation on order reconstruction.
First report of black Sigatoka of banana caused by Mycosphaerella fijiensis on Grand Bahama Island.

Black Sigatoka, which is also known as black leaf streak, is caused by Mycosphaerella fijiensis (anamorph Pseudocercospora [formerly Paracercospora) fijiensis]). It is the most important disease of commercially produced banana (Musa spp.) and also has a major impact on production for local consumption. Although the disease occurs throughout the humid tropics, it has been reported in the Caribbean from only Cuba, Hispaniola, and Jamaica (1). In February 2004, black Sigatoka was observed at two isolated and widely separated sites on Grand Bahama island (26.7°N, 78.5°W and 26.7°N, 78°W) on cvs. Silk AAB and Williams AAA, and a French Horn AAB plantain. Symptoms included wet, dark brown streaks on the adaxial leaf surface, 1 to 2 × 10 mm, with chlorotic haloes. Lesions enlarged to 5 × 20 mm and developed tan, necrotic centers; large, blackened, water-soaked areas that resulted from the coalescence of streaks were rare. The disease was confirmed by observing the following characteristics of P. fijiensis in necrotic lesions on preserved leaf specimens: simple conidiophores with a broadened base and one to several septa, straight to variously bent cercosporoid conidia as much as 100 μm long with two to several septa, and a conspicuously thickened scar at the base. Both plantings were several years old and new planting material that could have been infested with the pathogen had not been introduced since their establishment. Symptoms were not severe and were distributed sporadically in both locations. The disease was not observed at the only other large planting of banana on the island (26.6°N, 78.6°W). The sporadic and apparently new infestations of two of three banana plantings on the island suggest that the pathogen may have arrived recently via natural means, possibly from neighboring Florida (2). In contrast, black Sigatoka appears to have spread to other islands in the Caribbean via infested propagation materials (1). To my knowledge, this is the first report of black Sigatoka in the Bahamas, and with a previous report from Bhutan (1), represents the northernmost spread of this important disease. References: (1) J. Carlier et al. Pages 37-79 in: Diseases of Banana, Abaca and Enset. D. R. Jones, ed. CABI Publishing. Wallingford, UK, 2000. (2) R. C. Ploetz and X. Mourichon. Plant Dis. 83:300, 1999.
Inelastic Neutron Scattering Study of Confined Surface Water on Rutile Nanoparticles

The vibrational density of states (VDOS) for water confined on the surface of rutile-TiO2 nanoparticles has been extracted from low temperature inelastic neutron scattering spectra. Two rutile-TiO2...
QUANTITATIVE STUDIES ON DECIDUOMA FORMATION AND IMPLANTATION IN THE LACTATING RAT.

Deciduoma formation and the capacity for ovum implantation were used as an index of uterine sensitivity during the luteal phase following postpartum ovulation. This luteal phase, which was rigidly controlled, was initiated by suckling stimuli (2 or 8 young/litter) and/or cervical stimuli (mechanical or mating). In all groups, the magnitude of the deciduoma response was greatest following knife-scratch trauma of the endometrium on Day 4. The endometrium by Day 6 showed either a reduction or an absence of sensitivity. The increase in the size of the suckling litter to 8 young not only reduced the magnitude of the deciduoma response to the Day 4 trauma, but prolonged the state of uterine sensitivity as well, thereby resulting in a bimodal sensitivity curve. It was the second portion of this curve, however, that best correlated with the ability of blastocysts to induce decidua formation. Even with a controlled environment, delays in implantation from 2 to 13 days were noted with this degree of suckling stimul...