cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Contributions of Statistics to Agronomy

Publisher Summary The rapid growth of statistics in the past 40 years has to quite a large, though not at all exclusive, extent has been prompted by the problems raised by agronomists on methods of obtaining and interpreting data. It is therefore appropriate that a review of the contributions of statistics to agronomy should start with a classification of the inferential problems in agronomy. The subject of agronomy is so broad that any attempt at such classification is fraught with difficulties, but for one it seems impossible to avoid if the broad picture is to be presented with some degree of accuracy and order. This chapter provides description and analysis of existent populations, illustrates the design and analysis of experiments, and highlights the applications of statistics to plant breeding.
A Clandestine Approach to the Synthesis of Phenyl-2-Propanone from Phenylpropenes

A number of published syntheses for the manufacture of controlled substances appear to be impractical for the average clandestine laboratory. A closer inspection of these syntheses may reveal modifications which greatly simplify their application. An excellent example of this is the preparation of phenyl-2-propanone (P-2-P) from allylbenzene. In the prototype published method, oxygen is introduced into the reaction vessel by using a tank of compressed oxygen with a balloon for a gas reservoir. In our modification, oxidation is accomplished with a 30% hydrogen peroxide solution. P-2-P has been prepared by both methods and a comparison made of the reaction mixtures at various times during their synthesis. Additionally, propenylbenzene, a by-product of these reactions, can be converted to P-2-P by modification of a second synthesis. Gas chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectral data are presented for each method.
Deciding Type-Based Partial-Order Constraints for Path-Sensitive Analysis

The precision and scalability of path-sensitive program analyses depend on their ability to distinguish feasible and infeasible program paths. Analyses express path feasibility as the satisfiability of conjoined branch conditions, which is then decided by cooperating decision procedures such as those in satisfiability modulo theory (SMT) solvers. Consequently, efficient underlying decision procedures are key to precise, scalable program analyses.When we investigate the branch conditions accumulated by inter-procedural path-sensitive analyses of object-oriented programs, we find that many relate to an object's dynamic type. These conditions arise from explicit type tests and the branching implicit in dynamic dispatch and type casting. These conditions share a common form that comprises a fragment of the theory of partial orders, which we refer to as type-based partial orders (TPO).State-of-the-art SMT solvers can heuristically instantiate the quantified formulae that axiomatize partial orders, and thereby support TPO constraints. We present two custom decision procedures with significantly better performance. On benchmarks that reflect inter-procedural path-sensitive analyses applied to significant Java systems, the custom procedures run three orders of magnitude faster. The performance of the two decision procedures varies across benchmarks, which suggests that a portfolio approach may be beneficial for solving constraints generated by program analyses.
Course 5 Some useful numerical techniques for simulating integrate-and-fire networks

The chapter reviews some useful numerical methods for solving systems of Integrate-And-Fire (I&F) neurons that address these issues, and presents the application of these methods to simulating the large-scale dynamics of models of V1 orientation hypercolumns. The use of large-scale computing in neuroscience is much more recent. One very commonly used approximation for simulating the large-scale dynamics of neuronal networks, such as primary visual cortex, is through systems of integrate-and-fire (I&F) point neurons. Such systems capture the thresholding dynamics of individual neurons and the modulation of the intracellular potential by network-driven membrane conductances. Several numerical issues arise in simulating I&F systems. Primary is the treatment of the spike-and-reset mechanism of an I&F neuron, which if handled casually gives a large error that dominates the overall accuracy of the simulation. Second, the order of accuracy of any time-stepping scheme will be limited by smoothness of onset of conductance changes. Efficiency issues arise when accounting for synaptic interactions in the network.
Interstate Long Distance Rates: Search Costs, Switching Costs, and Market Power

A number of authors have argued that the divestiture of AT&T did not reduce the rates of long distance telephone companies as often believed. However, the literature has offered few explanations as to why competition has not lowered rates. This study argues that rates have failed to fall due to the importance of search and switching costs in the industry. Using a panel data set of rates for the three largest long distance carriers, stretching from 1984 to 1993, a reduced form equation is specified to empirically test for the influence of search and switching costs on the price cost margin of the three carriers. The results illustrate that both search and switching costs have provided long distance carriers with market power.
The Influence of Rural Versus Urban Residence on Utilization and Receipt of Care for Chronic Low Back Pain

Purpose: (1) To describe demographic and health-related characteristics among rural/urban residents with chronic low back pain (LBP); (2) To determine if the utilization of diagnostics and treatments differs between rural and urban residents with chronic LBP; and (3) To determine the association between rural/urban residence and health care provider usage and if associations differ by race or gender. Methods: A 2006 cross-sectional telephone survey of a representative sample of North Carolina residents. Subjects with chronic LBP were questioned regarding their health and health care use. Wald and chi-square tests were used to determine differences between demographic and health-related characteristics of rural/urban residents. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between rural/urban residence and health care provider use. Differences in race or gender were explored with stratified analysis with a P < .10. Findings: 588 residents of North Carolina with self-reported chronic LBP sought care from a provider in the previous year. In bivariate analyses, when compared to urban residents, rural residents were younger, more likely to be uninsured, reported significantly higher levels of disability, and reported more depression/sadness. Rural residents were less likely to receive care from a rheumatologist (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.47 [95% CI, 0.22-0.99]). Rural blacks were less likely to receive care from a physical therapist when compared to urban blacks (aOR 0.26 [95% CI, 0.07-0.87]). Conclusion: Despite similarities of high provider use, imaging and therapeutics, when compared to urban residents, rural residents reported higher levels of functional limitation and depression.
Septicemia of the newborn due to listeria monocytogenes: A case report and review of the literature

Summary A case of septicemia in the neonatal period due to Listeria monocytogenes is reported. The pathologic anatomy is described and the literature on this subject is reviewed. The epidemiology is discussed. Bacteriological diagnosis is emphasized and specific treatment is presented.
Panel studies of acute health effects of air pollution. II. A methodologic study of linear regression analysis of asthma panel data.

Abstract Panel studies relating illness, such as asthma attacks, cardiopulmonary symptoms, and acute respiratory symptoms, to daily air pollution and weather are important in environmental epidemiology. A study of the practical robustness of multiple linear regression procedures, which have been the preferred statistical models in analyses, is presented. The study is based on data from three asthma panels in Chattanooga, Tennessee, collected in 1972–1973. Linear regression models, commonly used, which incorporate only minimum temperature and an air pollutant were found to be potentially misleading; such models are highly sensitive to reporting trends in the data and do not correct adequately for weather variables. Temporal and spatial control strategies were employed and proved to be useful in detecting problems in the data due to undiscovered intervening variables. True day-to-day relationships estimated by a paired-day analysis were frequently inconsistent with “daily” effects estimated by the usual regression models and suggested that, in fact, the asthma panel data contained no useful information concerning day-to-day relationships.
Partially Massless Spin-2 Fields in String Generated Models

In cosmological backgrounds, there can be 'partially massless' higher spin fields which have fewer degrees of freedom than their massive partners. The equations for the partially massless spin-2 fields are usually taken to be the linearized Einstein equations augmented with a 'tuned' Pauli-Fierz mass. Here, we add more powers of curvatures and show that for the string-generated Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet model, partially massless spin-2 fields have real mass in AdS, in contrast to the Einstein level result. We discuss the implication of this for the AdS/CFT applications and briefly study the C^4-corrected AdS_5 x S^5$ solution in type IIB SUGRA.
Activated charcoal-carboxymethylcellulose gel formulation as an antidotal agent for orally ingested aspirin

The in vivo effect on aspirin absorption of a potentially more palatable form of activated charcoal was compared to that of a simple aqueous slurry of activated charcoal. The experimental formulation consisted of 20.0 g of activated charcoal, 2.25 g of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and 42.8 ml of water; it was tested with and without chocolate syrup as a flavoring agent added just prior to administration. Six subjects were treated in crossover fashion following an aspirin dose of 972 mg. Total urinary excretion of salicylate was measured over 48 hours. Although all three treatments appeared to be effective in reducing the rate and extent of aspirin absorption, the slurry was significantly more effective in reducing the total amount absorbed than the charcoal-CMC gel with chocolate syrup. The slight difference in effectiveness between the gel formulation with and without the chocolate syrup was not significant.
Adaptive sampling for generalized probabilistic roadmaps

In this paper, an adaptive sampling strategy is presented for the generalized sampling-based motion planner, generalized probabilistic roadmap (GPRM). These planners are designed to account for stochastic map and model uncertainty and provide a feedback solution to the motion planning problem. Intelligently sampling in this framework can result in large speedups when compared to naive uniform sampling. By using the information of transition probabilities, encoded in these generalized planners, the proposed strategy biases sampling to improve the efficiency of sampling, and increase the overall success probability of GPRM. The strategy is used to solve the motion planning problem of a fully actuated point robot and a 3-DOF fixed-base manipulator on several maps of varying difficulty levels, and results show that the strategy helps solve the problem efficiently, while simultaneously increasing the success probability of the solution. Results also indicate that these rewards increase with an increase in map complexity.
The inelastic e - p structure functions in a gluon model

Abstract We comment on apparent disagreements in calculations of the inelastic e − p structure functions in the neutral vector gluon model (also known as massive QED).
Fiber optic sensing of cyanides in solutions

A novel sol-gel technique was used to immobilize malachite green ions (MG{sup +}) in stable, optically transparent, porous silica gel films. A simple and sensitive method was developed for the detection of cyanides in solutions using spectrophotometry to measure changes caused by cyanide ions (CN{sup {minus}}) in the absorption spectra of the green-colored silica gel films. After reaction with cyanide ions, the absorption spectra of the films changed with a typical decrease in absorbance at 620 nm. On the basis of the absorption spectra of the films, a portable and easy to use fiber optic cyanide film sensor was fabricated. Decolorization undergone by the green-colored gel films, as they were exposed to cyanide ions, was detected through a fiber. Preliminary results indicate concentrations on the order of a few ppm are detected using the fiber optic sensor.
Electrochemical synthesis of hexagonal closed pack nickel: A hydrogen storage material

Abstract An in situ hydrogen generation and storage technique is demonstrated during the electrodeposition of hexagonal closed pack (HCP) nickel from NiCl 2 -1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (NiCl 2 -EmimCl) and NiCl 2 ·6H 2 O-1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (NiCl 2 ·6H 2 O-EmimCl) melts. During electrolysis, the dissolution of hydrogen in nickel takes place due to the electrolysis of water. This results in the production of HCP nickel. The hydrogen content of the electrodeposited nickel from NiCl 2 -EmimCl was found to be 1.2 wt.%. Thermal analysis showed that the phase transformation from HCP nickel to FCC occurred at 462 °C, releasing hydrogen in the process.
A strictly improving linear programming Phase I algorithm

Instead of trying to recognize and avoid degenerate steps in the simplex method (as some variants do), we have developed a new Phase I algorithm that is impervious to degeneracy. The new algorithm solves a non-negative least-squares problem in order to find a Phase I solution. In each iteration, a simple two-variable least-squares subproblem is used to select an incoming column to augment a set of independent columns (called “basic”) to get a strictly better fit to the right-hand side. Although this is analogous in many ways to the simplex method, it can be proved that strict improvement is attained at each iteration, even in the presence of degeneracy. Thus cycling cannot occur, and convergence is guaranteed. This algorithm is closely related to a number of existing algorithms proposed for non-negative least-squares and quadratic programs. When used on the 30 smallest NETLIB linear programming test problems, the computational results for the new Phase I algorithm were almost 3.5 times faster than a particular implementation of the simplex method; on some problems, it was over 10 times faster. Best results were generally seen on the more degenerate problems.
Thyroid hormone is not necessary for the development of outer hair cell electromotility.

The outer hair cell (OHC), one of two receptor cell types in the organ of Corti, plays a critical role in mammalian hearing. OHCs enhance basilar membrane motion through a local mechanical feedback process within the cochlea, termed the 'cochlear amplifier'. It is generally believed that the basis of cochlear amplification is a voltage-dependent electromotile response of OHCs. Measurements of electromotility in developing animals indicate that the onset of motility normally occurs around 7 days after birth in altricial rodents such as gerbils and rats. Thyroid hormone (TH) plays a crucial role in the development of the auditory system. Deficiency of the hormone between the late embryonic stage and the second postnatal week can cause severe hearing loss. Several studies suggest that TH deficiency might also affect the development of the cochlear amplifier. The goal of this study was therefore to examine whether TH was necessary for the development of OHC motility. The organ of Corti of gerbils was dissected out at birth and grown in culture with defined concentration of triiodothyronine (T3), the active ligand for the TH receptor. Motility was measured from OHCs isolated from 7-, 11- and 14-day-old cultures. Motility did indeed develop in OHCs deprived of normal concentration of T3. This suggests that the defective auditory function seen in TH-deficient animals is most likely due to morphological and physiological changes in the cochlea, rather than the motor function of the OHCs.
Hamster T Cells Participate in MHC Alloimmune Reactions but Do not Effect Virus-Induced Cytotoxic Activity

The participation of hamster T cells in a variety of putative MHC-determined reactions was studied utilizing a well-characterized, highly selective goat anti-hamster thymocyte (GαHT) serum. Hamster lymphoid cell suspensions treated with GαHT lose much of their capacity to induce local graft-versushost reactions and to function as responder cells in mixed lymphocyte reactions. In contrast to the participation of hamster T cells in alloimmune reactions (MLR and GVHR), virus-induced, cytotoxic activity in hamsters undergoing acute virus infection is not T-cell-mediated. This latter finding was rather surprising in view of the major role played by cytotoxic T effector cells in comparably infected mice and rats. These results suggest that, although hamsters are able to respond to putative class II MHC disparities in allogeneic reactions, MHC-encoded molecules, presumably class I, are not utilized for induction of effective cytotoxic activity in response to acute virus infection in this species. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to our present understanding of the hamster MHC.
Overlapping expression of Xwnt-3A and Xwnt-1 in neural tissue of Xenopus laevis embryos.

Abstract Xwnt-3A, is a member of the Xenopus Wnt gene family, a class of secreted, cysteine-rich proteins implicated in intercellular signaling during early development. Here we describe the full-length ceding sequence of Xwnt-3A , as well as the spatial expression pattern of this Xwnt gene as determined by whole-mount in situ hybridization analysis. While Xwnt-3A shares considerable amino acid identity with both Wnt-3 (87%) and Wnt-3A (85%), its spatial expression pattern is most like that of Wnt-3A. Xwnt-3A, which is first detected at the neurula stage of development, is expressed exclusively along the dorsal midline of the developing brain and neural tube and along the dorsal surface of the otic vesicle. While the expression of Xwnt-1 extensively overlaps that of Xwnt-3A, Xwnt-1 is uniquely expressed along the midbrain/hindbrain boundary and is absent from the otic vesicle. The expression of Xwnt-3A in neural ectoderm is dependent upon neural induction as determined by experiments with recombined ectoderm and mesoderm tissue. These results suggest that Xwnt-3A may participate in patterning the central nervous system during early Xenopus development. Last, the ectopic expression of Xwnt-3A induces the formation of a secondary axis at the anterior end of the embryo.
Incorporating the pricing decisions into the dynamic fleet management problem

This paper presents a model to coordinate the pricing and fleet management decisions of a freight carrier. We consider a setting where the loads faced by the carrier over a certain time horizon are deterministic functions of the prices. We want to find what prices the carrier should charge so that its pricing and fleet management decisions jointly maximize the profits. Our solution approach is an iterative one. At each iteration, we solve the fleet management problem with fixed prices, and then, adjust these prices by using the primal-dual solution to the fleet management problem so as to obtain ‘better’ prices. Computational experiments show that our approach yields high-quality solutions and can efficiently be applied on large problems.
Infrarenal Aortic Rupture in Association with a Contiguous Polymicrobial Intraabdominal Abscess Including Eikenella Corrodens

Aortic rupture in association with a contiguous intraabdominal abscess is rare. We report an unusual case of aortic rupture in association with a polymicrobial abscess and review the related literature. Cultures grew Eikenella corrodens, a rare intraabdominal pathogen, as well as beta-hemolytic streptococcus and S. viridans. The patient was successfully managed by aortic ligation followed by an extraanatomic bypass.
Periodically focused modes in chains of dielectric spheres

We show that, theoretically, Brewster angle conditions for transverse magnetic polarized rays can be periodically reproduced in chains of spheres with index n = 3 giving rise to lossless periodically focused modes with 2D period, where D is the sphere diameter. Using ray tracing for a spherical emitter with the diameter D we show that chains of spheres work as filters of such modes at 1.72 < n < 1.85. This leads to tapering of the focused beams combined with the reduction of their attenuation along the chain. Experimentally, the “beam tapering” effect was observed in chains of 300 μm sapphire spheres with index ∼1.77 in visible.
Recent Advances in Rumen Microbial Ecology and Metabolism: Potential Impact on Nutrient Output

Feedstuffs consumed by ruminants are all initially exposed to fermentative activity in the rumen prior to gastric and intestinal digestion. The extent and type of transformation of feedstuffs thus determines the productive performance of the host. Research on rumen microbial ecology and metabolism is essentially a study of the interactions between the host, microorganisms present, substrates available, and end products of digestion. Furthermore, the interactions of the normal microbial flora with the host can be manipulated to improve the efficiency of nutrient utilization in ruminant animals. Three important areas of ruminal fermentation will be reviewed, N metabolism, fiber degradation, and biotransformation of toxic compounds. The extent of protein degradation and the rate of uptake of resultant peptides and ammonia are extremely important factors in determining the efficiency of N utilization by rumen bacteria and, therefore, the relative amounts of microbial or bypass protein available to the host. Strategies aimed at identifying and characterizing rate-limiting enzymes of cellulolytic bacteria are essential in elucidating mechanisms involved in ruminal fiber degradation. Results obtained with ruminococci will be described. The detoxification of phytotoxins by passage through the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants is a process deserving special attention and several examples will be presented. Opportunities for manipulation of rumen fermentation are good. However, successful manipulation and full exploitation depend on a through understanding of the mechanisms involved.
Radial ion transport due to resistive-wall destabilization in Fourier transform mass spectrometry

Abstract Destabilization of coherent magnetron motion due to loss of ion energy in resistive external circuit elements is found to result in radial ion transport and ultimately ion loss from the trapped-ion cell of Fourier transform mass spectrometers. In contrast to random-walk diffusion and drift in radial electric fields, the resistive-wall destabilization described here does not involve collisions and is therefore independent of system pressure. Instead the mechanism prevails when large ion populations exhibit a significant degree of coherent magnetron motion. In this work a simple model to describe the transport effect is derived and is found to relate the rate of transport directly to ion number, external circuit resistance, and applied trapping potential. Experimental data for ions formed by electron ionization are acquired and found to support the model. Under certain conditions ion loss is shown to occur within a few hundred milliseconds which has important implications for quantitative Fourier transform mass spetrometry experiments that include lengthy collisional stabilization or reaction delays.
A comparative analysis of the effect of actinomycin-d, α-amanitin and cordycepin on new RNA synthesis and N-acetyltransferase induction by isoproterenol in cultured rat pineals

Abstract 1. 1. Actinomycin- d (0.05 μg/ml) inhibited nuclear (n) and cytoplasmic (c) RNA synthesis by 70–80%. There was no effect, however, on isoproterenol mediated induction of N -acetyltransferase (NAT). 2. 2. Cordycepin inhibited (n) and (c) RNA synthesis by 1 and 63%, respectively, while NAT induction was inhibited by 23%. 3. 3. α-Amanitin inhibited (n) and (c) RNA synthesis by 47 and 45%, respectively, while NAT induction was inhibited by only 34%. 4. 4. These same three inhibitors were tested for their comparative effects on the synthesis of poly (A) rich messenger RNA and 3 H-leucine incorporation into TCA-precipitable protein. Results showed that inhibition of NAT induction correlated only with inhibition of total protein synthesis.
Tolerability of Combined Modality Therapy for Rectal Cancer in Elderly Patients Aged 75 Years and Older

Purpose To determine the rate of treatment deviations during combined modality therapy for rectal cancer in elderly patients aged 75 years and older. Methods and Materials We reviewed the records of consecutively treated patients with rectal cancer aged 75 years and older treated with combined modality therapy at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham & Women's Hospital from 2002 to 2007. The primary endpoint was the rate of treatment deviation, defined as a treatment break, dose reduction, early discontinuation of therapy, or hospitalization during combined modality therapy. Patient comorbidity was rated using the validated Adult Comorbidity Evaluation 27 Test (ACE-27) comorbidity index. Fisher's exact test and the Mantel–Haenszel trend test were used to identify predictors of treatment tolerability. Results Thirty-six eligible patients had a median age of 79.0 years (range, 75–87 years); 53% (19/36) had no or mild comorbidity and 47% (17/36) had moderate or severe comorbidity. In all, 58% of patients (21/36) were treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and 33% (12/36) with postoperative CRT. Although 92% patients (33/36) completed the planned radiotherapy (RT) dose, 25% (9/36) required an RT-treatment break, 11% (4/36) were hospitalized, and 33% (12/36) had a dose reduction, break, or discontinuation of concurrent chemotherapy. In all, 39% of patients (14/36) completed ≥4 months of adjuvant chemotherapy, and 17% (6/36) completed therapy without a treatment deviation. More patients with no to mild comorbidity completed treatment than did patients with moderate to severe comorbidity (21% vs. 12%, p = 0.66). The rate of deviation did not differ between patients who had preoperative or postoperative CRT (19% vs. 17%, p = 1.0). Conclusions The majority of elderly patients with rectal cancer in this series required early termination of treatment, treatment interruptions, or dose reductions. These data suggest that further intensification of combined modality therapy for rectal cancer should be performed with caution in elderly patients, who require aggressive supportive care to complete treatment.
The O I 1304- and 1356-A emissions from the atmosphere of Venus.

Theoretical O I 1304- and 1356-A intensities for Venus are presented, based on values of the excitation parameters consistent with estimates derived by Strickland et al. (1972) for Mars. Appropriate intensities are compared with the rocket data for Venus obtained by Moos and Rottman (1971) and are found to disagree seriously. Additional sources of photons at 1304 A and 1356 A are sought, but none are established as important. Alternatively, the values of the excitation parameters relative to the calibration may be in error. For a factor of 4 error, or less, the results indicate that more atomic oxygen is present in the thermosphere of Venus than Mars. This is not consistent with the interpretation of the Venera 4 1304-A data by Kurt et al. (1968). From the present analysis it is found that no useful upper limit to the atomic oxygen concentration can be estimated from the Venera data.
An ergonomic evaluation of three classes of material handling device (MHD)

Abstract The proliferation of material handling devices (MHDs) such as articulated arms and hoists is a direct result of the staggering increases in workers compensation claims attributed to repetitive lifting. In reducing the occurrence of repetitive lifting through MHD use, however, manufacturers have opened a Pandora's Box of other issues, ranging from the asymmetric nature of torso exertions common in MHD use to various job design and motor control issues. This study evaluates the effects of some critical job design parameters such as handled load and movement distance on the movement performance of three major classes of MHD. Ten young healthy male and female subjects used three different types of common MHDs with loads of 10 and 30 kg over distances of 0.6 and 1.8 m. Peak hand forces ranged from 50–80 N for the articulated arm and hoist with overhead rail MHDs, but reached 200 N with a fixed pivot hoist MHD. As a percent of each subjects' strength, peak hand forces generally tended to remain between 30 and 50%, except for the fixed pivot hoist when moving 30 kg over a 1.8 m distance. These conditions exceeded the strengths of 80% of the subjects. Peak velocities ranged from 0.8 to 1.2 m/s with the articulated arm and hoist when moving on an overhead rail, and from 0.8 to 1.6 m/s with the fixed pivot hoist. Subjects showed the fastest movement with the fixed pivot hoist, except with heavy loads. A distinct tradeoff between movement performance and biomechanical safety was discovered. In most cases, the MHD which showed the fastest movement also required the highest stresses. In general, implementation strategies should involve selection of the fastest MHD which does not exceed accepted limits of biomechanical stress. However more sophisticated limits for dynamic back stress must be developed and must reflect the various populations in the workforce. Relevance to industry The proliferation of MHDs in industry to replace repetitive lifting tasks has created a new source of potential musculoskeletal problems. This paper evaluates the comparative movement performance and ergonomic stresses of the three major classes of MHD in an effort to provide industry with some guidance for MHD implementation.
An eddy covariance theory of using O2 to CO2 exchange ratio to constrain measurements of net ecosystem exchange of any gas species

Abstract After many decades of efforts, it remains a challenge to accurately measure mass and energy exchanges between biosphere and atmosphere. The widely used, dry air-based eddy covariance (EC) approach underestimates surface net available energy and nighttime ecosystem respiration and reports photosynthesis under conditions when none should occur. So far many explanations for these problems have been suggested but convincing evidence and reliable solutions have yet to be found. There is a need for critical thinking about the very foundation of current EC theory and for fundamentally different ways of making flux measurements. Here I propose a new EC theory that constrains measurements of net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of any atmospheric gas species with the ecosystem O 2 to CO 2 exchange ratio ( g ), also known as oxidative ratio. The fundamental equation of the new theory is derived. I show that if O 2 + g CO 2 is treated as a virtual bi-molecular gas species, denoted as g CO 4 , then the fundamental equation of the new theory is identical in form to the fundamental equation of EC when the ecosystem budget of a single atmospheric constituent (e.g. N 2 or Ar) or dry air is used to constrain NEE measurements of atmospheric gas species. A convenient method for measuring g is also described. Compared with the current, dry air-based approach, the proposed g CO 4 -based approach uses less restrictive assumptions, avoids indirect calculations of multiple variables, and thus prevents losses of flux covariances. Existing O 2 measuring technologies can be improved in response time to meet the requirements of the new approach. The adoption of the g CO 4 -based approach will greatly enhance the scientific and societal values of flux sites and networks by eliminating measurement biases and by providing value-added datasets to enable understanding the oxidation state of the biosphere.
Public Venture Capital and Party Institutionalization

Funding of parties is common and controversial in new democracies. Nonetheless, the nascent literature about the effects of money in new party systems largely sidesteps the issue of public funding....
Resolution of the need for continuous nocturnal feedingin a patient with severe type I glycogen storage disease

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Videotex: a new area for user services

A campus and state-wide videotex system has been developed and implemented at Clemson University. The Computer Center, through its Academic Computing Support group has provided the technical expertise to design and operate the database software used for the videotex system. This new role for User Services, a part of Academic Computing Support, helps to increase the efficiency of disseminating information by bringing the power of computers into play.
High altitude tests on the geographical, directional, and spectral distribution of cosmic rays

Intensity of cosmic rays in the high Andes.—Depth-ionization readings taken in Lake Miguilla, Bolivia (alt. 4570 m) and on Lake Titicaca (3820 m) agreed closely with observations in the northern hemisphere previously reported. Intensity of cosmic rays at sea-level.—Three electroscopes which differed considerably in form, wall material and volume, all agreed in giving at sea-level an ionization of 1.4 ions/cc/sec. Effect of Milky Way on cosmic ray intensity.—Two sets of day and night observations, each of three days duration, in a deep valley of the Andes at 4700 m elevation failed to bring to light any difference between the radiation coming in from the plane of the Milky Way and the plane normal thereto. Spectral distribution of the cosmic rays.—A new curve which includes the readings in South America and those published in 1926, analyzed by the method before used, yields absorption coefficients which vary from μ=0.25 per meter of water to μ=0.15. The corresponding wave-lengths, using the Compton equation, are .000525A and .00032A. Ionization at extreme altitudes.—Under the assumption that the largest absorption coefficient, viz. μ=0.25, is valid for the upper regions of the atmosphere, the ionization at any altitude may be calculated, with the aid of the Gold tables, taking the sea-level value as 1.4 I/cc/sec. The total ionization, computed from this data by a graphical integration, for the Millikan and Bowen sounding-balloon observations reported in 1926, shows remarkable agreement with their experimental result. This implies that the wave-lengths of the rays entering the atmosphere are not appreciably different from those at altitudes at which we have ourselves taken observations. Effects of thunder-storms on cosmic rays.—Lake Miguilla, Bolivia, is completely screened from thunder-storm influences and yielded the same value of the cosmic rays as regions not so screened. Also sea-level observations taken in the midst of heavy thunder-storms showed no influence of these on cosmic ray readings.
The phenomenon and rationale of marked dependence of drug concentration on blood sampling site. Implications in pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, toxicology and therapeutics (Part I).

At least 42 compounds have been reported to exhibit significant or marked blood sampling site dependence in concentration, after dosing in humans and animals. The very high efficiency of uptake of drug by the poorly perfused sampling tissue (e.g. arm or leg) during its very short transit through the capillary (1 to 3 seconds) is mainly responsible for such a universal phenomenon. When marked arteriovenous concentration differences exist, their entire plasma (blood or serum) concentration-time profiles may resemble those obtained from completely different drugs or from different dosing rates. After an intravenous bolus injection, the reported maximal arteriovenous differences were 3240-fold for griseofulvin during the early distribution phase (arterial concentration being higher than venous), and 234% for procainamide during the terminal phase (venous concentration being higher). The reported maximal steady-state arteriovenous difference during infusion was 3.8-fold for glyceryl trinitrate (nitroglycerin), with the arterial level higher, due to metabolism and possible strong binding by sampling tissue. Interestingly, peak arterial plasma concentrations were usually achieved at about 0.5 minutes, while peak venous plasma concentrations generally occurred at 1 to 5 minutes after injection. Thus, the plasma concentration-time profile after an intravenous bolus injection actually resembles that predicted for a short term intravenous infusion, according to the classical instantaneous input hypothesis. Potential factors that may affect the degree of arteriovenous difference are here reviewed in detail. The implications of potential marked arteriovenous differences in pharmacokinetics, in pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic correlations or modelling, in toxicology, and in drug therapy are extensively discussed. Clinicians or scientists dealing with the determination and/or use of plasma concentration data should be fully aware of this problem. Many previous studies, based on the commonly accepted assumption that immediately or shortly after dosing plasma (blood) concentrations are essentially uniform throughout the blood circulation or the central (plasma) compartment, may require a reexamination. This is particularly important since the ‘driving force’ for distribution of a drug to various parts of the body for elimination, for accumulation or for producing a pharmacological or toxic effect, is its concentration in arterial blood, and not in venous blood drained from a poorly perfused tissue (venous blood may more accurately reflect drug concentrations in the poorly perfused sampling tissue itself). The present review probably represents the first of its kind ever reported in the literature. It is hoped that the review will increase the awareness of this very fundamental and important subject matter among our readers, and may also stimulate further studies or discussions.
Leveraging Technology to Develop Creative Leadership Capacity

Leaders must think creatively and facilitate the creative work of others, but traditional approaches to developing leaders have not fully addressed this need. A key problem with regard to developin...
Eigenvector Modification through Design Changes

This paper presents a technique for finding design changes which improve the eigenvectors of undamped dynamic systems for which a modal model exists. The designer specifies portions of the eigenvector to be altered and a set of design changes that are reaonable to make. The algorithm then locates the combination of changes that, for the least cost, provides the closest approximation to the specified eigenvector change. This is accomplished by minimizing a function which becomes smaller as (1) the norm of the vector of design changes becomes smaller and (2) the specified portions of the eigenvectors tend to take on the values defined by the designer. An example is included.
Gasification Processes Old and New: A Basic Review of the Major Technologies

This paper has been put together to provide a single source document that not only reviews the historical development of gasification but also compares the process to combustion. It also provides a short discussion on integrated gasification and combined cycle processes. The major focus of the paper is to describe the twelve major gasifiers being marketed today. Some of these are already fully developed while others are in various stages of development. The hydrodynamics and kinetics of each are reviewed along with the most likely gas composition from each of the technologies when using a variety of fuels under different conditions from air blown to oxygen blown and atmospheric pressure to several atmospheres.
The wave function of the universe in the superstring theory

Abstract Wave function of the universe in the superstring theory is discussed and using Vilenkin's boundary condition, the probability density of the scale factor a at a given value of the dilaton field, is obtained. It is shown that when the universe spontaneously nucleates, the minimum value of the scale factor of the classical universe is of the order of the Planck length, that is, quantum effects can prevent the universe from collapsing to a single point.
Structural and magnetic characterization of α- and β-2,4-hexadiyne-1,6-diyl bis(2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-oxyl-3-pyrroline-3-carboxylate) and its thermal degradation product

Two polymorphs of the titled diradical have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, vibrational spectroscopies, and magnetic susceptibility; its radiation or thermal induced polymerization has not been achieved.
Solute effects in micro and macroyielding of iron at low temperatures

Abstract The temperature dependences of the micro and macroplastic behavior following a prestrain have been studied in an Fe-0.15 wt. % Ti alloy, two vacuum melted irons containing 0.005 and 0.035 wt. % carbon, respectively, and an Fe-3.1 wt. % Si alloy. The results are consistent with a previously proposed model which ascribed the low temperature microplastic deformation to motion of edge and other non-screw dislocations and macroscopic flow to the motion of screw dislocations. Interstitial impurities were found to influence the motion of the former, whereas the screw dislocation motion was not similarly affected. The results are also consistent with those theories which ascribe the temperature dependence of macroscopic flow to the nature of the b.c.c. lattice. The microstrain behavior of the Fe-3.1 % Si alloy was found to be considerably different from that of the other alloys. Caution is necessary in using experimental results obtained on this alloy as a model for the yielding of other b.c.c. metals and alloys.
Waste matters: : Compost, domestic practice, and the transformation of alternative toilet cultures around Skaneateles Lake, New York

The Skaneateles Lake Watershed Composting Toilet Project highlights the material and sociocultural challenges of developing new kinds of embodied practices that effectively utilize alternatives to traditional water-dependent plumbing. Practical, small-scale innovation is important to addressing the human dimensions of these changes, particularly given the widely held taboos informing discussion of what happens behind closed bathroom doors. In this example an innovative watershed policy placed composting toilets in seventy-five lakeside homes to prevent household blackwater from polluting an unfiltered drinking water source utilized by 250 000 people. Interviews with key informants and participating households illustrate the ways in which expectations of toileting practice sit in tension with the need to preserve the health of the local watershed, particularly over the long term. Understanding shifts in toileting practice must move past functional assessments of new or untested technology, taking into account sociocultural understandings of private, deeply embodied, yet resolutely pragmatic daily habits. As individuals seek to normalize new toilet technology as a part of daily routines, they encounter the body�s materiality in ways that conflict with expectations of what belongs inside the home. In this case, the traditionally excluded effluence of the human body remains too close for comfort, forcing a renegotiation of the common boundary-making habits defining domestic space. The result is a shift in expectations about what of the body can or should belong in the home.
CAD-integrated system for automated multi-photon three-dimensional micro- and nano-fabrication

Multi-photon three-dimensional micro-/nano-fabrication (3DM) is a powerful technique for creating complex 3D micro-scale structures of the type needed for micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), micro-optics, and microfluidics. In 3DM high peak-power laser pulses are tightly focused into a medium which undergoes a physical or chemical change following multi-photon excitation at the focal point. Complex structures are generated by serial 3D-patterned exposure within the material volume. To further the application of 3DM to micro-component engineering, we are developing a fully automated and integrated 3DM system capable of creating complex cross-linked polymer structures based on patterns designed in a CAD environment. The system consists of four major components: (1) a femtosecond laser and opto-mechanical system; (2) 3-axis micro-positioner; (3) a computer-controlled fabrication interface; and (4) software for fabrication-path planning. The path-planning software generates a 3DM command sequence based on an object-design input file created using standard commercial CAD software. The 3DM system can be used for start-to-finish design and fabrication of waveguides, 3D photonic crystals, and other complex micro-structures. These results demonstrate a technological path for implementing 3DM as a tool for micro- and nano-optical component manufacture.
Distribution of straight-chain lengths in unannealed and annealed solution-crystallized polyethylene by Raman spectroscopy

Abstract The effect of annealing on the morphology of solution-crystallized polyethylene has been studied by analysing the shape of the low-frequency Raman LAM-1 band. The distributions of lengths of straight-chain segments have been determined for samples annealed at different temperatures. Unannealed samples, which have distribution peaks Lmax near 100 A, have halfwidths ΔL 1 2 less than 20 A. However, this narrow distribution is drastically broadened when the sample is annealed. The broadening is less if the breadth of the distribution of the unannealed sample is initially less. For equilibrium crystallized samples, the observed halfwidth and peak position of LAM-1 are found to be related. This relation can be understood quantitatively if it is assumed that ΔL 1 2 and L−1max are linearly related as is indeed found to be the case for solution-crystallized samples. As L−1max becomes very large, ΔL 1 2 approaches a limiting value near 300 A.