cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interactions of climate and fire at two sites in the northern Great Plains, USA

Abstract The relationship of fire and climate in explaining the origin and maintenance of the grasslands of the northern Great Plains has long been of interest. I examined the hypothesis that burning was more frequent during wet years using charcoal to reconstruct fire histories near Coldwater Lake in southcentral ND, and Rice Lake in northcentral ND and published records of ostracod Mg/Ca ratios as a proxy for climate at these same two sites. Over the past 10 000 years, charcoal influx rates for Coldwater (0.04–5.68 mm 2 cm −2 year −1 ) greatly exceeded influx rates for Rice ( 2 cm −2 year −1 ). Both sites showed strong, significant periodicities of ∼1500–1800, ∼800–900 and ∼130–140 years but charcoal maxima and minima were only similar at ∼4200 cal years BP. Charcoal influx during the past 2000 years also revealed strong periodicities of between 310–400 and 140 years at both sites. Comparison of smoothed charcoal influxes and ostracod Mg/Ca ratios suggests that both proxies are responding to changes in climate. When smoothed with a 320–400-year window, increases in charcoal influx typically preceded rises in ostracod Mg/Ca ratio by ∼50–100 years, and further smoothing (140-year window) of the residuals suggested a variable relationship between Mg/Ca ratios and charcoal influx. These results do not clearly support or reject the fuel limitation hypothesis, and this lack of clear support may result from (a) climate-driven shifts in the mix of C 3 and C 4 grasses resulting in maximum productivity at intermediate moisture levels, (b) possibly different responses of charcoal and Mg/Ca ratios to summer vs. winter precipitation, or (c) ground-water driven lags in the response of Mg/Ca ratios to shifts in climate. Comparison of the results from this study with other studies suggests that links between fire and fuels at finer time scales (0–100 years) may be broadly constrained by longer term (∼500–2000 years) patterns of climate in the northern Great Plains.
The Electric Hammer

The power hammer has been in use for a long time and there are now on the market many types of power-operated hammers which may be roughly classed according to the nature of the power as follows: Pneumatic, steam, motor and pulley; cam or crank, and electropneumatic drives. The pneumatic drive includes all riveting hammers; the steam drive includes practically all forge hammers, some drop hammers, pile drivers and steam drills; the motor and pulley drive class, includes the greater part of drop hammers; the electro-pnuematic drive includes only small forge hammers. The pneumatic hammer, due to its lightness, holds the field of hand-operated riveting hammers and it is hardly possible that any other means will ever surpass air for driving hand-operated riveting hammers; the steam hammer holds its own in very large forging and drop hammers and it is doubtful whether any other kind of hammer can remove it from that place. The field for very large forging or drop hammers is however rather limited; they are used only in very large plants in which all sorts of power prevail. There is an immense field, however, for medium and small forging and drop hammers which are used to produce all the small automobile and other similar parts as well as name plates, jewelry apparel, etc. It is this field which the electric hammer is supposed to cover. The present methods of driving these hammers are cumbersome, complicated, costly and very unsafe for the workman.
LightCycler Technology in Molecular Diagnostics

LightCycler technology combines rapid-cycle polymerase chain reaction with real-time fluorescent monitoring and melting curve analysis. Since its introduction in 1997, it is now used in many areas of molecular pathology, including oncology (solid tumors and hematopathology), inherited disease, and infectious disease. By monitoring product accumulation during rapid amplification, quantitative polymerase chain reaction in a closed-tube system is possible in 15 to 30 minutes. Furthermore, melting curve analysis of probes and/or amplicons provides genotyping and even haplotyping. Novel mutations are identified by unexpected melting temperature or curve shape changes. Melting probe designs include adjacent hybridization probes, single labeled probes, unlabeled probes, and snapback primers. High-resolution melting allows mutation scanning by detecting all heterozygous changes. This review describes the major advances throughout the last 15 years regarding LightCycler technology and its application in clinical laboratories.
Microheterogeneity of Sodium Dodecylsulfate Micelles Probed by Frequency-Domain Fluorometry:

The microenvironment of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) micelles has been examined with the use of two fluorescent probes, 2-anilinonaphthalene-6-sulfonic acid (2,6-ANS) and N-phenyl-naphthylamine (1-AN). The fluorescence lifetimes are recovered from multifrequency phase and modulation data with the use of a global analysis protocol. The fluorescence decay kinetics of 2,6-ANS, which probes the outer-core region (i.e., the palisade layer) of SDS micelles, is characterized by a Lorentzian distribution. In contrast, a single discrete excited-state lifetime is observed for 1-AN, which is expected to position itself in the inner-core region of the micelle. Fluorescence lifetimes of these probes are investigated also as functions of temperature, concentration of counter ions (Na+ and Mg2+) and linear alcohols (n-BuOH, n-PeOH, n-HeOH, and n-HepOH). The collective results confirm that the outer-core region of SDS micelles is microheterogeneous and the inner core is essentially homogeneous. In addition, the lifetimes and the partitioning of the outer-core probe, 2,6-ANS, appear to be more sensitive to variations in temperature and counter ions in comparison to those of the inner-core probe, 1-AN. The microenvironment of 2,6-ANS is found to be more heterogeneous at high temperature and low salt concentrations. This observation, we propose, is a result of different degrees of water penetration in the outer-core region. In the SDS system, the effects of micelle polydispersity and compositional diversity, on the environmental microheterogeneity of the fluorescent probe, seem to be minimal in comparison to water gradient effects.
Silver Ion as Modifier for High Performance Liquid Chromatography of Menaquinones

Abstract The chromatography of the homologous series of menaquinones with 0 to 10 isoprenoid units on reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography is investigated with octyldecylsilica and C-8 silica supports. Addition of chloroform decreases retention (k1) of all menaquinones and vitamin K1 linearly with respect to log k1. The addition of silver ion decreases k1 of menaquinones with 3 or more isoprenoid units with a non-linear relationship to log k1. There is a linear relationship at a given silver ion concentration between log k1 and the number of isoprenoid units. There is no effect of silver ion on vitamin K1, although there is one double bond in the side chain.
Selective uncoupling of Gα12 from Rho-mediated signaling

The heterotrimeric G protein G12 has been implicated in such cellular regulatory processes as cytoskeletal rearrangement, cell-cell adhesion, and oncogenic transformation. Although the activated α-subunit of G12 has been shown to interact directly with a number of protein effectors, the roles of many of these protein-protein interactions in G12-mediated cell physiology are poorly understood. To begin dissecting the specific cellular pathways engaged upon G12 activation, we produced a series of substitution mutants in the regions of Gα12 predicted to play a role in effector binding. Here we report the identification and characterization of an altered form of Gα12 that is functionally uncoupled from signaling through the monomeric G protein Rho, a protein known to propagate several Gα12-mediated signals. This mutant of Gα12 fails to bind the Rho-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factors p115RhoGEF and LARG (leukemia-associated RhoGEF), fails to stimulate Rho-dependent transcriptional activation, and fails to trigger activation of RhoA and the Rho-mediated cellular responses of cell rounding and c-jun N-terminal kinase activation. Importantly, this mutant of Gα12 retains coupling to the effector protein E-cadherin, as evidenced by its ability both to bind E-cadherin in vitro and to disrupt E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion. Furthermore, this mutant retains the ability to trigger β-catenin release from the cytoplasmic domain of cadherin. This identification of a variant of Gα12 that is selectively uncoupled from one signaling pathway while retaining signaling capacity through a separate pathway will facilitate investigations into the mechanisms through which G12 proteins mediate diverse biological responses.
A study on the link between coupled plasticity and damage and decohesion for multiscale modelling

AbstractTo predict the transition from continuous to discontinuous failure modes, a bifurcation analysis is performed based on the continuum tangent stiffness tensor of a coupled plasticity and damage model. As a result, continuum damage and decohesion approaches can be combined for multiscale modelling of material failure.
Recruitment Strategies of Dietetic Programs

Abstract Student recruitment is an important and integral part of any successful dietetic education program. The purpose of this study was to measure the timeliness and quality of responses to a letter of inquiry sent to 54 Coordinated Programs (CP), 110 Approved Preprofessional Practice Programs (AP4), 95 internship programs and the admissions offices of 267 educational institutions. A total of 332 responses were received from dietetic programs and 343 from admission offices. The average "wait time" for a reply was 31 days for admissions offices. Coordinated programs responded within 21 days while AP4 and internships responded in 24 and 20 days respectively. Admission offices sent significantly more pieces of information than programs (P
Postoperative infections of the lumbar spine: presentation and management

Purpose Postoperative surgical site infections (SSI) are a frequent complication following posterior lumbar spinal surgery. In this manuscript we review strategies for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of SSI.
The invariance of dimension: Problems in the early development of set theory and topology [1]

Abstract In 1878 Georg Cantor proved that unique, one-to-one mappings could be constructed between spaces of arbitrary yet different dimension. This paper is devoted to a detailed analysis of the earliest attempts to deal with the implications of that proof. Dedekind was the first to suggest that continuity was a key to the problem of dimensional invariance. Luroth, Thomae, Jurgens and Netto offered solutions, Netto's being the most interesting in terms of the specifically topological character of his paper. Cantor finally offered a faulty proof in 1879 that domains of different dimension could not be mapped continuously onto each other by means of a one-to-one correspondence. Finally, consideration is given to the reasons why Netto's and Cantor's faulty proofs went unchallenged for twenty years, until Jurgens criticized them both in 1899.
Sugar beet as an energy crop.

The combination of volatility in the oil market and finite oil resources and the effect on global climate change from the addition of CO2 to the atmosphere as a result of burning fossil fuels has increased the interest in sustainable energy generation from renewable biofuels. Most 1st generation biofuels in current production are liquid with bioethanol the product of fermentation. Sugar beet provides an abundance of sucrose, which is easily fermented by many microbes and on a per hectare basis; sugar beet is one of the most efficient sources of ethanol, however storage of harvested roots is problematic. Most studies have indicated sustainable biofuels have reduced greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) when compared to petroleum based fuels. Bioethanol from sugar beet reduces GHG comparably or superiorly to maize or sugarcane. There also are other biofuels from fermentation, including biomethanol, biobutanol ETBE, biomethane, and biohydrogen, many of which are more energy dense than ethanol. Storage of sugar beet is a problem that could be solved by ensilage and anaerobic digestion producing a biogas, which could yield more energy per hectare than bioethanol. As the global economy moves away from fossil fuels, sugar beet will play an increasing role in the adoption of more sustainable energy generation.
Nurr1 mRNA expression in neonatal and adult rat brain following kainic acid-induced seizure activity

Nurr1 is an immediate early gene encoding a member of the steroid-thyroid hormone receptor family. In PC12 cells, Nurr1 is readily induced by membrane depolarization, but not by growth factors. Nurr1 is predominantly expressed in the brain, and is essential to the differentiation of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. However, Nurr1 is also expressed in brain regions unrelated to dopaminergic neurons, e.g., hippocampus and cerebral cortex, and its immediate induction following seizure activity suggests a potential involvement of this transcription factor in modulating gene expression in the nervous system. To investigate the response of Nurr1 to neuronal activation, we analyzed Nurr1 mRNA expression in neonatal and adult rat brain following kainic acid (KA)-induced seizure. In P7 animals, systemic injection of KA increased Nurr1 mRNA levels in a few hilar cells of the dentate gyrus and some pyramidal cells of the CA3 region of the hippocampus. In older animals, Nurr1 induction progressively expanded to all hippocampal regions (P14, P21) and eventually to cortical regions (adult). The increase was rapid and transient in the dentate gyrus, a structure resistant to the neurotoxic effect of KA, and was more prolonged in other regions more susceptible to KA toxicity. Induction of Nurr1 at early postnatal stages and rapid increase in the dentate gyrus following KA-induced seizure, suggest that Nurr1 expression is modulated by neuronal activity. On the other hand, prolonged Nurr1 induction in regions sensitive to KA toxicity indicates a possible involvement of Nurr1 in selective neuronal vulnerability.
Electron spin resonance studies of oxamic acid single crystals x-irradiated at 77 K

Abstract When single crystals of oxamic acid are irradiated at 77 K, at least three radical species are trapped at that temperature: an intense broad singlet that is identified as the anion radical, a very weak doublet identified as a radical pair, and another radical that is probably the cation radical or its decay product. When the crystal is warmed to room temperature, the ESR spectra change. Two singlets with very similar g tensors but different eigenvectors are observed at room temperature. The two singlets are probably produced at the different ends of the molecules by loss of water and ammonia, respectively.
The effects of renal function on the disposition of isradipine.

The effect of renal function on isradipine kinetics was examined in four groups of subjects (N = 55) who had normal or impaired renal function. Each subject received isradipine orally as a 10-mg capsule. Serial blood samples were obtained from 0 to 48 hours postdose and the isradipine plasma concentrations determined by radioimmunoassay. Kinetic parameters, Cmax, lambda 3, t 1/2, AUC, CL'o (oral clearance), and CLo (oral clearance standardized to body weight) were determined. Marked intersubject variability of the pharmacokinetic parameters was observed. No statistically significant differences (P greater than .05) were found for AUC, Cl'o, and Clo parameters when renal impairment groups were compared with controls. AUC values were lower (P less than .05), however, for the group with severe renal function impairment than for groups with mild or moderate renal function impairment. No significant correlations (r = -.23, P greater than .05; and r = .13, P greater than .05, respectively) were found between creatinine clearance (CLCR) and CLo and between age and CLo. Considering the interpatient variability in isradipine disposition and the lack of significant differences in CLo between groups, no clear-cut dosing regimen alterations, based on single-dose data, are warranted in renal impairment.
Suicide in rural Haiti: Clinical and community perceptions of prevalence, etiology, and prevention

Suicide is a complex global public health problem, yet few studies have examined local socio-cultural explanatory models and other contextual factors surrounding suicide in low-and-middle-income countries. Such research is critical, as suicide frequency and etiology, as well as care-seeking in the case of distress, differ contextually and by sub-groups within a population. This is the first study of its kind to explore the dual perspectives of both healthcare workers and community members regarding suicide in Haiti. We conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews between May and June 2011 with eight biomedical healthcare workers and 16 lay community members. Qualitative data analysis, drawing on interpretive phenomenological analysis, addressed themes including perceived suicide frequency, veracity of suicidal ideation claims, perceived causal factors, religious constructs related to suicide, and support resources for suicidality. Compared to community members, healthcare workers underestimated the frequency of suicide and were less likely to interpret suicide-related claims as representing true intent. Religious perspectives influenced attitudes toward suicide, albeit in different ways: Christian concern with the afterlife resulted in suicide being unacceptable and sinful, while Vodou explanatory frameworks displaced blame and stigma away from suicidal individuals. Healthcare workers' failure to recognize suicide as a serious problem suggests that the formal health system is currently ill-equipped to respond to suicide-related needs. Religious practice and community supports in rural Haiti may serve as essential resources for prevention programs.
Treatment of infertility in men with spinal cord injury

Men with spinal cord injury (SCI) have severely impaired fertility, characterized by erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction, and semen abnormalities. In this Review, authors from the US and Denmark discuss the treatment of these patients, the latest research into semen abnormalities, and the management of infertile couples in which the male partner has SCI.
A contribution to the analytic theory of partial differential equations

The classical theory of functions of a complex variable plays a central role in the study of ordinary differential equations, and such topics as singularities of the regular type and equations of the Fuchsian class are brilliant examples of the power and beauty of this union. What has been only partly realized up to now is that complex variable theory is no less an indespensible tool in the investigation of the basic questions of existence and uniqueness of solutions for boundary value problems in partial differential equations [IO]. As in the situation with ordinary differential equations the necessity of examining solutions in the complex domain is not completely apparent until differential equations with singular coefficients are considered. It is the purpose of this paper to consider as an example a particular singular elliptic partial differential equation related to Bessel’s equation and to show that in order to obtain a uniqueness theorem for the exterior Dirichlet problem it is necessary to impose conditions on the solution in the complex plane.
The electrocardiographic exercise test: Changes in the scalar ecg and in the mean spatial QRS and T vectors in two types of exercise; Effect of absolute and relative body weight and comment on normal standards

Abstract 1. 1. Moderate exercise (walking on the treadmill and stepping up and down) produced statistically significant changes of most electrocardiographic items (both conventional and spatial vectors) in ninety-one middle-aged normal men. 2. 2. Upper and lower limits of the changes of mean spatial QRS and T vectors are presented for both types of exercise for 95 per cent of a population of healthy older men, of which this group is a representative sample. 3. 3. There were significant differences in the postexercise changes of several conventional and vectorial electrocardiographic items between an overweight and an underweight group, but the effect of relative body weight on the exercise electrocardiogram was less pronounced than the effect on the resting electrocardiogram. 4. 4. Absolute body weight is an even less important functional variable than relative body weight and need not be considered in normal standards for the exercise test. 5. 5. Three out of eight conventional electrocardiographic items and two out of seven vectorial electrocardiographic items showed statistically highly significant differences in the response between the step test and walking. 6. 6. The validity of normal standards for the exercise tolerance test is critically discussed, and suggestions for the clinical application of exercise tests are made.
Variability of fish densities in a small catchment

— Temporal and spatial variability of fish communities were examined within a 91-km2 catchment in central New York over four years. Riffle-dwelling species, slimy sculpin Cottus cognatus, longnose dace Rhinichthys cataractae, and young-of-the-year brown trout Salmo trutta, were more strongly affected by flood and drought than pool-adapted species, adult brown trout, blacknose dace Rhinichthys atratulus, white sucker Catostomus commersoni, and creek chub Semotilus atromaculatus. Canonical correspondence analysis using seven abiotic variables (mean width, residual pool depth, water surface slope, mean Froude number, variance in Froude number, maximum monthly discharge and minimum monthly discharge) separated fish communities among sites and years. The first axis represented a headwater-to-valley gradient; the second axis reflected habitat complexity, based on both geomorphic and hydraulic features. Temporal differences in fish densities were related to hydrological factors. Fish communities throughout the catchment showed similar responses to flood and drought.
Essential fatty acid deficiency with long-term hyperalimentation.

Abstract Content of essential fatty acids was determined in the plasma lipid fractions of patients with malignancies of the female reproductive tract. A marked deficiency was identified in two such patients while on prolonged total parenteral nutrition with hypertonic glucose and casein hydrolysate, compared to a control group of ambulatory and postoperative patients. The progressive deficiency observed in one patient was completely reversed by infusions of fat emulsion over a 3-week period. These results indicate a need for inclusion of essential fatty acids with prolonged total parenteral nutrition.
STUDIES ON SCRUB TYPHUS (TSUTSUGAMUSHI DISEASE) III. HETEROGENICITY OF STRAINS OF R. TSUTSUGAMUSHI AS DEMONSTRATED BY CROSS-VACCINATION STUDIES

Antigenic differences among strains of R. tsutsugamushi are sufficiently great that vaccines prepared from certain strains fail to induce resistance in mice to infection with other strains. Although the results of cross-vaccination tests indicate varying degrees of relationship between a number of the strains, there is no correlation between source of the rickettsia and antigenic pattern of the agent.
The search for clean cash

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been an innovator of university funding models, says David Kaiser. Its 150-year history holds lessons for today.
NMR probe double-tuned matching boxes for double-resonance FT experiments on hydrogen and fluorine

Commercially available transmitter double-tuned matchboxes for 1H{19F} or 19F{1H} double-resonance experiments are of limited utility for pulsed NMR FT experiments. New double-tuning networks for the Varian V-4412 probe are described for carrying out these experiments at 94 and 100 MHz for 19F and 1H, respectively. The advantages and performance of these new matchboxes for FT experiments are discussed.
Reproduction in the Baja California Collared Lizard, Crotaphytus vestigium (Squamata: Crotaphytidae)

Crotaphytus vestigium, a rock-dwelling species of the peninsular ranges of Baja California, occurs along the northern slope of the San Jacinto Mountains, Riverside County, California, south to the southern margin of the volcanic Magdalena Plain in Baja California Sur (McGuire 1996). Published information on the reproduction of C. vestigium consists of brief accounts by Lemm (2006), Ivanyi, (2009) and field observations by McGuire (1996), Grismer (2002) and Stebbins (2003). The purpose of this paper is to examine the reproductive biology of C. vestigium from a histological analysis of gonadal material from museum specimens, an often used method, see for example, Goldberg (1974). Information on the reproductive cycle such as timing of spermiogenesis, number of egg clutches produced and period of vitellogenesis may not only be helpful in determining phylogenetic affinities, but also provides essential life history data for implementing conservation management strategies of lizard species. We examined 61 C. vestigium consisting of 33 males (mean snout-vent length, SVL 5 96.5 mm 6 12.3 SD, range: 72–116 mm and 28 females (mean SVL 5 80.4 mm 6 8.6 SD, range: 54–93 mm) from Imperial, Riverside and San Diego Counties, California and Baja California and Baja California Sur, Mexico. Specimens were examined from the herpetology collections of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (LACM), Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ), and San Diego Society of Natural History (SDSNH) (Appendix I). Lizards were collected 1934–1997. Histology slides were deposited at LACM, MVZ and SDSNH. The left testis was removed from males and the left ovary was removed from females for histological examination (Presnell and Schreibman 1997). Enlarged ovarian follicles (. 5 mm) and/or oviductal eggs were counted. Tissues were embedded in paraffin, sectioned at 5 mm and stained with hematoxylin followed by eosin counterstain. Ovary slides were examined for yolk deposition or corpora lutea. Testis slides were examined to ascertain the stage of the testicular cycle present. Mean SVL of male and female C. vestigium were compared using an unpaired t-test (Instat vers. 3.0b, Graphpad Software, San Diego, CA). The mean male SVL of C. vestigium significantly exceeded that of females (unpaired t test, t 5 5.82, df 5 59, P , 0.0001). Monthly stages in the testicular cycle of C. vestigium were shown in Table 1. Three stages were present: (1) Regression, the germinal epithelium was reduced to 1–3 cell layers in thickness and consists of spermatogonia and Sertoli cells; (2) Recrudescence, a proliferation of germ cells for the next period of sperm formation was underway. In early recrudescence, primary spermatocytes predominate, Bull. Southern California Acad. Sci. 109(3), 2010, pp. 153–156 E Southern California Academy of Sciences, 2010
Tectonic versus chemical‐weathering controls on the composition of fluvial sands in tropical environments

The compositions of fluvial sands collected in mountainous regions along the volcanic front in Central America and along the Andean front in Venezuela and Colombia correlate with the tectonic setting of their source terrains. The sands derived from the Central American volcanic arc are compositionally distinct from those derived from the Andean terrains, and minor variations in tectonic style can also be discriminated. Subtle differences in tectonic setting and source rock composition are recognizable only when modification by chemical weathering is slight; they are strongest in sands from low-order streams draining mountainous areas with modest alluvial-plain development. Sands that have been exposed to weathering for extended periods during alluvial storage are progressively enriched in chemically stable phases. With increased weathering, sands from continental terrains converge toward a supermature quartz arenite end member, and the imprint left by source rock composition and tectonic setting is obscured. In intraoceanic terrains, a similar but much less pronounced enrichment in stable phases relative to less-stable phases is observed, similarly overprinting the tectonic signal. Although detailed tectonic information is easily lost, sands derived from intraoceanic terrains are distinguishable from those derived from continental terrains even after long exposure to intense chemical-weathering conditions.
High-order-harmonic generation from molecular isomers with midinfrared intense laser pulses

We present theoretical calculations of high-order-harmonic generation (HHG) from stereoisomers of 1,2dichloroethylene (C2H2Cl2) and 2-butene (C4H8) based on the quantitative rescattering theory. Our results show that the HHG spectra from these cis and trans isomers with intense midinfrared laser pulses are clearly distinguishable, even when the molecules are randomly oriented, in good agreement with the recent experiments by Wong et al. [Phys. Rev. A 84, 051403(R) (2011)]. We found that the angle-averaged tunneling ionization yields and photoionization cross sections from the cis and trans isomers for both molecules are nearly identical. The origin of the differences in HHG spectra is traced as due to the interplay in the angular dependence of the photoionization (or photorecombination) cross section and ionization rate.
Factors influencing the determination of cellular morphology in cells infected with Rous Sarcoma virus.

Abstract Additional means have been described for controlling the presence or absence, and nature, of morphological transformation induced by Rous sarcoma virus infection of turkey fibroblasts in vitro. Eagle's medium supplemented with serum from various species was found to support only limited morphological transformation under normal circumstances. The addition of 10% tryptose broth to such media markedly favored the production of morphological transformation. Infection of cells at various times after a 24-hour period of starvation in serum-free Eagle's solution without glucose and glutamine at room temperature resulted in marked variations in both the total extent of morphological transformation and the nature of the transformation which was observed. Tumors induced in vivo by single virus particles varied widely in morphology. Tumors induced in this manner having predominantly spindle-cell, giant-cell, fusiformcell, and round-cell morphologies were observed. The above findings are discussed particularly in reference to possible correlations between in vitro and in vivo morphology, and in vitro morphological conversion with neoplastic potential; and possible mechanisms underlying the production of morphologic conversion by Rous sarcoma virus.
Arterial and mixed venous acid‐base status and strong ion difference during repeated sprints

Summary Seven horses performed six, 1 min sprints separated by 4 min intervals at a walk, followed by a 30 min recovery period. To evaluate changes in blood gases and strong ions, blood samples were taken from the carotid artery (A) and the right heart (mixed venous, V) at rest, after a submaximal warm-up, during the last 15 s of sprints 5 and 6 and at 5 and 30 min of recovery. At both arterial and venous sites, plasma [H+], PCO2, PO2, albumin ([Alb]), strong ion concentrations ([Na+], [K+], [Cl−]), blood lactate ([Lac]) and haemoglobin concentrations ([Hb]) were measured. Strong ion difference ([SID]), bicarbonate concentration ([HCO3−]) and total weak acid ([Atot]) were calculated. Between sites (A vs. V) there were differences in [H+], PCO2, PO2, [HCO3−], [Cl−], [SID], [Na+], [K+] and [Lac−]. Arterial PO2 remained constant during exercise, was increased at 5 min recovery and returned to the resting level by 30 min recovery. The PvO2 decreased during exercise before returning to resting levels at 5 min of recovery. During exercise, [Cl−] increased at A and decreased at V, which is consistent with the chloride shift. The [H+], PCO2 and [HCO3−] decreased at A and increased at V. During exercise, [Na+], [K+] and [Lac] increased at both sites, with [Na+]V, [K+]V and [Lac−]A increasing to a greater extent. Plasma [SID]A decreased due to a greater increase in [Lac−]A compared to other strong ions and [SID]V increased due to increased [Na+]V and [K+]V and decreased [Cl−]V. Plasma [Alb] and blood [Hb] increased with exercise, with no site differences. Plasma [H+] increased at V and decreased at A before returning to pre-exercise values at 30 min recovery. These changes reflected the patterns of change in PCO2, but not [SID]. In turn, the decrease in PaCO2 was probably associated with hyperventilation that maintained the PaO2 at a constant level during repeated sprints. Results show that SID, [Atot] and PCO2 have different effects on plasma [H+] and [HCO3−] at sites A and V and that the chloride shift is evident in the exercising horse.
An experimental study of the effect of out-of-the-window cues on training novice pilots on a flight simulator

The effects of out-of-the-window cues on learning a straight-in landing approach and a level 360deg turn by novice pilots on a flight simulator have been investigated. The treatments consisted of training with and without visual cues as well as density of visual cues. The performance of the participants was then evaluated through similar but more challenging tasks. It was observed that the participants in the landing study who trained with visual cues performed poorly than those who trained without the cues. However the performance of those who trained with a faded-cues sequence performed slightly better than those who trained without visual cues. In the level turn study it was observed that those who trained with the visual cues performed better than those who trained without visual cues. The study also showed that those participants who trained with a lower density of cues performed better than those who trained with a higher density of visual cues.
The structure of a primitive kinetochore

The isolation of yeast centromeres has provided the opportunity to describe the molecular structure of chromosome attachments to the mitotic spindle. Nucleolytic probes of chromatin structure and construction of conditional mutants in centromere function have been used to study the regulation and assembly of centromeres throughout the cell cycle in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
VANET-based approach for parking space availability

Parking availability notification and parking spot locator are two useful VANET applications. In this paper, we provide a network model through which the available parking lots and parking spots can be located efficiently and without extensive infrastructure support. The various security vulnerabilities of the model are noted and an appropriate security architecture is proposed.
A combinatorial optimization based sample identification method for group comparisons

Abstract Researchers often face having to reconcile their sample selection method of survey with the costs of collecting the actual sample. An appropriate justification of a sampling strategy is central to ensuring valid, reliable, and generalizable research results. This paper presents a combinatorial optimization method for identification of sample locations. Such an approach is viable when researchers need to identify sites from which to draw a nonprobability sample when the research objective is for comparative purposes. Findings indicate that using a combinatorial optimization method minimizes the population variation assumptions based upon predetermined demographic variables within the context of the research interest. When identifying the location from which to draw a nonprobability sample, an important requirement is to draw from the most homogeneous populations as possible to control for extraneous factors. In comparison to a standard convenience sample with no identified location strategy, results indicate that the proposed combinatorial optimization method minimizes population variability and thus decreases the cost of sample collection.
Evaluating communications system performance effects at a system of systems level

The complexity of net-centric system of systems (SoS) being fielded today has the military leadership increasingly dependent on modeling and simulation (M&S) tools for evaluating performance. Several types of M&S tools are required to model different aspects of military systems, yet these tools often have different computational fidelities in terms of time and scale. Current approaches using direct information transfer between M&S tools, such as High Level Architecture (HLA) and MATREX, do not provide the mechanisms for disparate tools to make direct use of each other's information [1], [2]. Thus, many military SoS analyses assume perfect communications, an unrealistic assumption that leaves a gap for conducting more comprehensive analyses for large-scale, net-centric SoS problems. This research addresses this gap by developing general purpose methodologies to bridge the gap between diverse M&S tools resulting in a capability that enables military decision makers to evaluate comms system performance effects at a SoS level [3]. This paper discusses the methodology, including parameter selection, data generation, surrogate modeling and SoS simulation results.
Intra- and Inter-Modal Effects of Prior Stimulation on Cardiac Responsiveness to Repeated Stimulation in the Human Newborn

The effect of prior equivalent auditory and somesthetic input on cardiac acceleration responses to repeated auditory and somesthetic stimulation was studied in 56 healthy 2- or 3-day-old infants. Responsiveness to initial presentation of the reiterative auditory stimulus was significantly greater than to the reiterative somesthetic stimulus regardless of the modality stimulated during the preceding series. In contrast the course of response decrement to subsequent repeated presentations of both stimuli was significantly more rapid when the reiterative and prior stimuli were in different modalities (inter-modal) than when they were in the same modality (intra-modal). The findings demonstrate a modality difference in effect of anticedent input on initial responiveness and a greater efficacy of inter- than of intra-modal auditory and somesthetic stimulation for the habituation of neonatal cardiac responses to repeated stimulation.
A spectroscopic search for colliding stellar winds in O-type close binary systems. II - Plaskett's star (HD 47129)

New evidence for colliding winds in the massive O-type binary system Plaskett's star is reported. High S/N ratio spectra of the H-alpha and He I 6678 emission lines are presented, and their orbital phase-related variations are examined in order to derive the locations and motions of the high-density gas in the system. Radial velocity cures for several absorption and emission lines associated with the photosphere of the primary are also provided. The H-alpha emission profiles are complex, with very broad wings and a sharp spikelike feature that approximately follows the motion of the primary star. The radial velocity curve for this spike lags behind the photospheric velocity curve of the primary by 0.066 in phase. It is suggested that the high-velocity H-alpha emission is related to instabilities in the intershock region between the two component stars. The H-alpha phase-related variations are compared with those observed in the UV wind lines in IUE archival spectra.
Thermodynamics of Polynuclear Aromatic Molecules: II. Low-Temperature Thermal Properties of Perylene, Coronene, and Naphthacene

Abstract The heat capacities of crystalline coronene and naphthacene have been determined by adiabatic calorimetry from 5 to 350 K; that of perylene was likewise measured from 5 K into the liquid phase (578 K). Values at 298.15 K of the thermodynamic properties/calth K−1 mol−1 are: The enthalpy of fusion for perylene is 7618 calth mol−1 at the triple-point temperature, 550.9 K. A rather irreproducible, broad thermal anomaly occurs in coronene near 230 K. A previously reported transition in naphthacene was not found. The trends of the entropy against the number of carbon atoms for disc-type and chain-type polynuclear aromatic compounds are discussed.
Optical Properties of Ag and Cu

Experimental data for the optical constants of Ag and Cu extending to 25 eV are discussed in terms of three fundamental physical processes: (1) free-electron effects, (2) interband transitions, and (3) collective oscillations. Dispersion theory is used to obtain an accurate estimate of the average optical mass characterizing the free-electron behavior over the entire energy range below the onset of interband transitions. The values are ${m}_{a}=1.03\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.06$ for Ag and 1.42\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05 for Cu. The interband transitions to 11 eV are identified tentatively using Segall's band calculations. Plasma resonances involving both the conduction band and $d$ electrons are identified and described physically.
Twenty-four-hour pattern of mouse intraocular pressure

The 24-hr pattern of intraocular pressure in the mouse eye remains poorly characterized. The present study was undertaken to determine the magnitude, dynamic pattern, and synchrony of the 24-hr pattern of intraocular pressure (IOP) in NIH Swiss mice exposed to a 12-hr light/dark cycle or to constant light. IOP was measured every 3 hr using a microneedle method. Mice exposed to a 12-hr light /dark cycle were either measured repeatedly at 1 week interval (group 1) or were only measured once (group 2). A third group was exposed to constant light for 2 weeks prior to IOP measurements. The 24-hr IOP pattern in the first and second groups showed a similar rhythmic pattern that appeared to be sinusoidal. This IOP pattern declined in the morning until 12:00, and then increased in the early evening until 21:00. In contrast, IOP in the third group was asynchronous with some mice exhibiting multiple peaks and troughs during the 24-hr period. These results show that 24-hr IOP pattern in mouse eyes is biphasic and that extended exposure to constant light disrupts this 24-hr IOP pattern.
Cortical control of voluntary saccades in Parkinson's disease and pre-emptive perception

Gamma range EEG has been associated with cognition. Bodis-Wollner et al. [Ann NY Acad Sci 2002;956:464-7] and Forgacs et al. [Perception 2008;37:419-32] described posterior perisaccadic gamma (35-45 Hz) modulation associated with voluntary saccades. Voluntary impairment is a hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). We have done correlational analysis of frontally and posteriorly (posterior-parietal) recorded intrasaccadic gamma (ISG) powers, to understand cortical control of voluntary saccades in PD and healthy controls. Fifteen PD patients (55-71 years, 4 females) and 17 healthy controls (54-72 years, 9 females) participated in the study. The EEG was recorded over frontal and posterior-parietal scalp sites. Saccades were recorded with electro-oculogram and infra-red ISCAN camera. Subjects executed horizontal voluntary saccades to a mark; 15 degree distance rightwards or leftwards (centrifugal CF) from the central fixation, then back to the center (centripetal CP) and so on, for 2 minutes. Perisaccadic EEG segments were wavelet transformed followed by Hilbert transform to obtain ISG (35-45 Hz) powers. ISG power was trial-averaged, separately for the 4 possible saccade types; CP and CF, rightwards and leftwards. The perisaccadic EEG revealed disorganization in the intrasaccadic period. The correlations between frontal and posterior ISG power are high in PD (correlation coefficient >0.6) while low in controls (correlation coefficient <0.02). We interpret these results as lack of modulatory coupling between frontal and posterior intrasaccadic mechanisms in PD. Impaired volition in PD may be due to impaired circuitry of preemptive perception (PEP). Interareal phase coupling analysis will help in investigating the cortical voluntary saccade control with greater temporal precision.
Ditransitive Asymmetries and a Theory of Idiom Formation

This article discusses three asymmetries in ditransitives—quantifier scope, nominalizations, and idioms—and argues that an asymmetric theory like that advocated by Marantz (1993) and Bruening (2001) is correct. A symmetric theory like that proposed by Harley (1997, 2002) cannot account for the asymmetries. The article also proposes a complete theory of idiom formation based on selection. It also proposes a formal semantics for double object constructions that includes a mechanism for composing complex predicates. This semantics can account for the different readings of again and other modifiers, and can also be extended to nonalternating verbs like deny, spare, envy, and cost, with correct predictions about their behavior.
A Pitfall in Fixation of Distal Humeral Fractures with Pre-Contoured Locking Compression Plate

Anatomically precontoured locking plates are intended to facilitate the fixation of articular fractures and particularly those associated with osteoporosis. Fractures of the distal humerus are relatively uncommon injuries where operative intervention can be exceptionally challenging. The distal humeral trochlea provides a very narrow anatomical window through which to pass a fixed-angle locking screw, which must also avoid the olecranon, coronoid, and radial fossae. We describe 3 patients (ages 27, 49, and 73 years) with a bicolumnar fracture of the distal humerus where very short distal locking screws were used. Intra-articular screw placement was avoided but loss of fixation occurred in two patients and a third was treated with a prolonged period of immobilization. We postulate that fixed-angle screw trajectories may make it difficult for the surgeon to place screws of adequate length in this anatomically confined region, and may lead to insufficient distal fixation. Surgical tactics should include placement of as many screws as possible into the distal fragment, as long as possible and that each screw passes through a plate without necessarily locking in.
Issue Publics in the New Information Environment Selectivity, Domain Specificity, and Extremity

The present research revisits citizen competence in the changing political and information environment, considering citizens as pluralistic issue publics. Using 2000 and 2004 American National Election Study data, Study 1 explores the conceptual premises of issue publics and the impact of the Web on domain-specific knowledge and extremity. Study 2 uses a unique data set combining an innovative direct measure of users' Web behavior records with survey responses from those users in the context of the 2004 U.S. general election. The results shed light on issue publics' information acquisition on the Web. This complementary data set provides a more complete picture of how issue publics develop unique patterns of information acquisition and make voting decisions. The findings indicate that issue publics enhanced their domain-specific knowledge by using information highly selectively. In addition, their selective information use contributed to increases in extremity and issue voting patterns. Implications for t...
JouleSort: a balanced energy-efficiency benchmark

The energy efficiency of computer systems is an important concern in a variety of contexts. In data centers, reducing energy use improves operating cost, scalability, reliability, and other factors. For mobile devices, energy consumption directly affects functionality and usability. We propose and motivate JouleSort, an external sort benchmark, for evaluating the energy efficiency of a wide range of computer systems from clusters to handhelds. We list the criteria, challenges, and pitfalls from our experience in creating a fair energy-efficiency benchmark. Using a commercial sort, we demonstrate a JouleSort system that is over 3.5x as energy-efficient as last year's estimated winner. This system is quite different from those currently used in data centers. It consists of a commodity mobile CPU and 13 laptop drives connected by server-style I/O interfaces.