cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiac Fibrinoid Lesions Produced by Cross Circulation or Temporary A-V Shunts

Localized acute cardiac lesions containing fibrinoid were produced in rabbits by carotid-jugular cross circulation or temporary arteriovenous shunts, using small amounts of heparin as anticoagulant. Excessive amounts of heparin markedly reduced the incidence of fibrinoid in the lesions, which suggests that the formation of fibrinoid was inhibited or its deposition in the heart prevented. The results of the experiments suggest that the shunting procedures not only produce mechanical damage to the heart, but also participate in the production of fibrinoid or its precursors, which is deposited in localized sites of cardiac damage.
Camera zoom/pan estimation and compensation for video compression

Most image coding algorithms, like the P X 64 and MPEG-1 standards, use locally derived estimates of object motion to form a prediction of the current frame. But camera motion, such as zooms and pans, which systemically affect the entire frame, is seldom handled efficiently. In this paper, we study the modeling, estimation and compensation of global motion caused by camera zooms and pans, we model the global motion in each frame with just two parameters: a scalar zoom factor and a 2D pan vector. Parameter estimation minimizes the squared prediction error of either the difference frame or the optical flow field. The estimated parameters are then used to construct a zoom/pan compensated prediction of the current frame, upon which some local motion compensation algorithm can then be applied to model object motion. Simulations suggest that these two global motion estimation algorithms are robust and accurate, and that global motion compensation provides a better prediction of the current frame with a potentially large reduction of motion side information.
Restoring habitat for the northern Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus brunneus): Effects of prescribed burning on dwindling habitat

Land use and fire exclusion have contributed to an increase in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest extent and density in west-central Idaho. Open areas within ponderosa pine forests are decreasing, thus reducing habitat for the endemic northern Idaho ground squirrel (NIDGS; Urocitellus brunneus brunneus). In 2000, the NIDGS was listed on the Endangered Species Act as threatened in part due to habitat loss. Therefore, recovery plans encourage the use of burning to expand meadows and open corridors. We gathered data on habitat attributes altered by prescribed fall burning at three sites selected for habitat restoration. Each site was divided into two units: a CONTROL unit occupied by the NIDGS and a BURN unit not occupied by the NIDGS. We sought to assess whether the prescribed fall burning fulfilled management goals and generated habitat features similar to CONTROL conditions that are suitable for the NIDGS. Data were collected before the fall prescribed burn and one and two years post-burn. Before the prescribed burn, BURN units had higher tree densities and canopy cover than CONTROL units; however, the prescribed fall burn did not reduce tree density or canopy cover one year later. Understory height in the BURN unit decreased slightly post-burn, approaching CONTROL conditions. Majority of understory characteristics were similar between CONTROL and BURN units before, one, and two years after the burn, but understory community structure remained strongly dissimilar. This study preliminarily examines NIDGS habitat and is the first paper to evaluate the effects of prescribed burning as restoration practices to create NIDGS habitat. Key habitat attributes associated with NIDGS presence include tree canopy cover, understory height and community structure, and litter depth. Management goals were not attained within the stated timeline, one year post-burn, or even two years after prescribed burn was implemented. Based on our results, managers should consider extending the timeframe for restoration goal achievement and perhaps modifying goals to include changes in tree canopy cover, understory height and community structure, and litter depth. Future efforts should monitor beyond two years post-fire, focus on long-term effects of prescribed burning, and examine how repeat burns may help attain habitat restoration goals.
Using Journals to Show Students What Social Psychology Is All about.

Professional journals serve the vital scientific function of disseminating knowl edge to colleagues. In so doing, journals become the "face" and "voice" of the pro fessional disciplines they represent. Journal content shows the major topics of interest, the scope, and the boundaries of the profes sion. It shows the techniques and methods of research that are relevant to the profes sion. It shows the most productive scholars and their institutional affiliations. Journal editors serve as gatekeepers, and therefore, the papers published in a journal show the current "official" standard of competence for the profession. In other words, a person can leam a lot about the nature of a disci pline simply by examining its major jour nals. My interest in social psychology journals provoked me to develop a teaching activity I use in my social psychology classes. The activity asks students to examine four major journals of social psychology, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (JPSP), Social Psychology Quarterly (SPQ), Euro pean Journal of Social Psychology (EJSP), and Symbolic Interaction (SI). I use the teaching activity on one of the first days of class to introduce students to the interdisci plinary field of social psychology, and to show students what the field of social psy chology is all about. The teaching activity shows students the range of topics and re search methods, and helps them understand differences between sociological and psy
Measurement of Absolute Unimolecular and Bimolecular Rate Constants for CH3CHOO Generated by the trans-2-Butene Reaction with Ozone in the Gas Phase

Ozone−alkene reactions form vibrationally excited Criegee intermediates (of the form R1R2COO), some of which, once thermalized, are thought to react with SO2, H2O, NOx, aldehydes, and alcohols. Several studies using relative rate techniques or ab initio calculations have resulted in estimates for the rate coefficients of reactions of the thermalized biradicals. The ranges of measured and estimated rate coefficients span 2−6 orders of magnitude, depending on the reaction partner. Using an atmospheric pressure flow reactor, we have made the first absolute rate coefficient determinations for reactions of a thermalized Criegee intermediate, measuring rates for unimolecular decomposition and reaction with acetaldehyde. For the thermalized CH3CHOO formed in trans-2-butene ozonolysis, values for kdec = 76 s-1 and kald = 1.0 × 10-12 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, accurate to within a factor of 3 and 6, respectively, were obtained.
Photoacoustic measurement of differential broadening of the Λ doublets in NO(X 2Π1/2,v=2–0) by Ar

A differential broadening of the Lambda doublets in the v = 2-0 overtone band of the 2pi1/2 ground electronic state of NO in an Ar buffer gas has been observed by photoacoustic spectroscopy using a tunable color-center laser. The broadening coefficients for the f symmetry components are larger than for the e symmetry components by up to about 6 percent for J of about 16.5. This differential depends on J and vanishes at low J, implicating the anisotropy of the unpaired electron Pi orbital in the plane of rotation. The 2Pi3/2 transitions are slightly broader than the 2Pi1/2 as a result of spin-flipping collisional relaxation. The observed line shapes also exhibit collisional or Dicke narrowing due to velocity-changing collisions.
Development and analysis of a stripline Archimedean snail antenna for disk-shaped unmanned aerial vehicle applications

This paper presents an analysis of stripline Archimedean snail antenna on its impedance properties and radiation mechanism. The Archimedean snail antenna has similar structure to the spiral one but with asymmetric spiral turns. Power can be transmitted from stripline mode to spiral radiating mode because of impedance matching between the two transmission line structures, i.e. stripline and parallel elevated slotlines. The radiation occurs due to differential-to-common mode transition of parallel elevated slotline. A novel design process can then be developed by impedance matching for the stripline Archimedean snail antenna. It is a completely planar layered antenna providing a platform for integration of circuit elements easily inside the antenna structure without additional need of wideband balun and matching circuit designs. The snail type antenna has better performance than the spiral one. This work also provides an overview on the development of an aerodynamically-functional broadband antenna-based de...
The fMRI BOLD signal tracks electrophysiological spectral perturbations, not event-related potentials

article i nfo Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) are primary tools of the psychological neurosciences. It is therefore important to understand the relationship between hemodynamic and electrophysiological responses. An early study by Huettel and colleagues found that the coupling of fMRI blood-oxygen-level-dependent signal (BOLD) and subdurally-recorded signal-averaged event-related poten- tials (ERPs) was not consistent across brain regions. Instead, a growing body of evidence now indicates that hemodynamic changes measured by fMRI reflect non-phase-locked changes in high frequency power rather than the phase-locked ERP. Here, we revisit the data from Huettel and colleagues and measure event-related spectral perturbations (ERSPs) to examine the time course of frequency changes. We found that, unlike the ERP, γ-ERSP power was consistently coupled with the hemodynamic response across three visual cortical re- gions. Stimulus duration modulated the BOLD signal and the γ-ERSP in the peri-calcarine and fusiform corti- ces, whereas there was no such modulation of either physiological signal in the lateral temporal-occipital cortex. This finding reconciles the original report with the more recent literature and demonstrates that the ERP and ERSP reflect dissociable aspects of neural activity.
The Segal-Bargmann "Coherent State" Transform for Compact Lie Groups

Abstract Let K be an arbitrary compact, connected Lie group. We describe on K an analog of the Segal-Bargmann "coherent state" transform, and we prove (Theorem 1) that this generalized coherent state transform maps L 2 ( K ) isometrically onto the space of holomorphic functions in L 2 ( G , μ), where G is the complexification of K and where μ is an appropriate heat kernel measure on G . The generalized coherent state transform is defined in terms of the heat kernel on the compact group K , and its analytic continuation to the complex group G . We also define a " K -averaged" version of the coherent state transform, and we prove a similar result for it (Theorem 2). In the Appendix we describe the "coherent states" which motivate the definitions of these transforms. In Section 9, we obtain inversion formulas for both the coherent state transform and the K -averaged coherent state transform (Theorems 3, 4). As a consequence, we obtain formulas for certain Bergman kernels on the complex group G (Theorems 5, 6). In Section 10, we derive a general "Paley-Wiener" theorem for K , and we exhibit a family of convolution transforms, each of which is an isometric isomorphism of L 2 ( K ) onto a certain L 2 -space of holomorphic functions on G . These transforms include the K -averaged coherent state transform as a special case. We also discuss the analogous results for R 1 . (The results of Section 10 are Theorems 7-10.) Finally, in Section 11, we discuss the case of quotient spaces. We prove (Theorem 11) that both the coherent state transform and the K -averaged coherent state transform pass in a natural way from K to K / H , where H is a closed, connected subgroup of K .
Intracellular distribution of histone mRNAs in human fibroblasts studied by in situ hybridization.

Abstract We have used in situ hybridization to study the intracellular distribution of mRNAs for cell cycle-dependent core and H1 histone proteins in human WI-38 fibroblasts. Because histones are abundant nuclear proteins and histone mRNA expression is tightly coupled to DNA synthesis, it was of interest to determine whether histone mRNAs are localized near the nucleus. Cells were hybridized with tritiated DNA probes specific for either histone H1, histone H4, actin, or poly(A)+ mRNA and were processed for autoradiography. In exponentially growing cultures, the fraction of histone mRNA-positive cells correlated well with the fraction of cells in S phase and was eliminated by hydroxyurea inhibition of DNA synthesis. Within individual cells the label for histone mRNA was widely distributed throughout the cytoplasm and did not appear to be more heavily concentrated near the nucleus. However, histone mRNA appeared to exhibit patchy, nonhomogeneous localization, and a quantitative evaluation confirmed that grain distributions were not as uniform as they were after hybridizations to poly(A)+ mRNA. Actin mRNA in WI-38 cells was also widely distributed throughout the cytoplasm but differed from histone mRNA in that label for actin mRNA was frequently most dense at the outermost region of narrow cell extensions. The localization of actin mRNA was less pronounced but qualitatively very similar to that previously described for chicken embryonic myoblasts and fibroblasts. We conclude that localization of histones in WI-38 cells is not facilitated by localization of histone protein synthesis near the nucleus and that there are subtle but discrete and potentially functional differences in the distributions of histone, actin, and poly(A)+ mRNAs.
GLBT Vietnamese-Americans: Building a Conceptual Framework to Examine Minority Help-Seeking Behavior

A conceptual framework is built for teaching research and assessing mental health needs and help seeking of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) Vietnamese-American population. To be sensitive to cultural needs, mindfulness is used as a theoretical starting point for examining self-acceptance in this population. The framework first describes how acceptance or rejection of one's sexual orientation/identity by self and others predicts mental health outcomes. Second, it analyzes how the intent to seek help and actual help seeking is affected by internal (i.e., self-blame, self-concealment, denial) and external (i.e., environmental, acculturation, economic) factors. The framework provides a step-by-step process for understanding the interconnection between a theoretical concept and the consequences when the studied variables interact.
Synthesis of protected ω-mercapto amino acids: precursors for incorporation of elongated cysteines into peptides

Abstract A series of protected ω-mercapto amino acids with side-chain lengths ranging from 3–5 methylene units has been synthesized via nucleophilic substitution of ω-bromo-α-azido acids by 4-methoxy-α-toluenethiol followed by reduction of the azido functionality with SnCl 2 . These enantiomerically pure protected cysteine analogues can be used to optimize the length of disulfide connections in cyclically constrained peptide pharmacophores.
Principal modes of thermospheric density variability: Empirical orthogonal function analysis of CHAMP 2001–2008 data

[1] In this paper we characterize the dominant modes of global thermosphere density variability as empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) using densities obtained from the accelerometer experiment on board the CHAMP satellite during 2001–2008. We determine the significance of different types of thermospheric density variability to the overall density variation and also examine the drivers of these primary modes of variability. From a sequential nonlinear regression analysis of the density observations along satellite trajectories, we obtain a set of EOFs in magnetic latitude and magnetic local time coordinates and their orbit time-dependent amplitudes. EOF1 includes a strong global mean component and takes the form of the diurnal variation. It correlates highly with the daily F10.7 index. It underscores that solar EUV is by far the strongest driver of the overall thermospheric density variability. Additionally, the primary mode is modulated semiannually, and its magnitude decreases with declining solar activity. EOF2 has a hemispherically asymmetric structure and represents the summer-to-winter annual density variation. Density responses to geomagnetic forcing are primarily manifested in three different modes: EOF1 that represents the global mean response, EOF3 that has a pronounced magnetic local time-dependent feature, and EOF4, whose main features are high-latitude density increases. These modes have very different response time scales with respect to changes in solar wind parameters. In addition, EOF3 and EOF4 contain signatures of local time variability that are possibly connected with the effects of a solar terminator wave and high-order solar tides that propagate upward from the lower atmosphere and/or with local plasma-neutral interactions in the F region.
Chromatin- and Nuclei-Directed Ribonucleic Acid Synthesis in Sugar Beet Root

The synthesis of RNA by chromatin-bound RNA polymerase prepared from sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) root tissue is completely dependent on the presence of a divalent metal (Mg(2+) or Mn(2+)) and the presence of four ribonucleoside triphosphates. Accumulation of labeled acid-insoluble product is inhibited by the addition of RNase and actinomycin D to the reaction. When beet root slices are washed for 25 hours, chromatin-associated RNA polymerase activity increases 7-fold over that of unwashed tissue. This enzyme activity declines with further washing. DNA template availability, as measured by saturating levels of added Escherichia coli RNA polymerase, was also found to follow a pattern similar to that for RNA polymerase. Nearest neighbor frequencies of the RNA synthesized by chromatin isolated from unwashed and washed tissue are different.Washing tissue in solutions of gibberellic acid and auxin enhances template availability of the isolated chromatin. Experiments with isolated nuclei indicate an effect of these hormones on RNA synthesis.
Studies on the Regulation of Fatty Acid and Cholesterol Synthesis in Avian Liver

Homogenates of pigeon liver have been incubated with acetate-C14 in excess. Simultaneously, substrate for glycolysis was provided as glucose-6-phosphate. The incorporation of carbon-14 into cholesterol was maximal at low levels of glycolysis, whereas fatty acid turnover was maximum at higher glycolytic levels. A regulatory mechanism is proposed to explain the differential synthesis of cholesterol and fatty acids.
A test of the hypothesis that a pathway of intraguild predation limits densities of a wolf spider

. 1. The high number of potential predatory interactions among the many arthropod generalist predators in terrestrial food webs makes exhaustive testing of interaction strengths by field experiments unfeasible. Thus, correlative patterns and laboratory observations of behaviour often form the basis of inferences about the strength of interaction pathways involving generalist predators (intraguild predation). 2. Previous research has revealed a negative correlation between survival of juvenile wolf spiders of the genus Schizocosa (Lycosidae) and densities of another abundant spider family, the Gnaphosidae. 3. Feeding trials in laboratory microcosms with a leaf-litter substrate revealed that gnaphosids prey on juvenile Schizocosa in a structurally complex habitat. 4. Gnaphosid densities were manipulated in two different field experiments, each conducted in a different year, in order to test directly the hypothesis that intraguild predation by gnaphosids limits densities of juvenile Schizocosa. 5. Reducing numbers of gnaphosids, and doubling their numbers to two times the mean natural density, had no impact on the survival of juvenile Schizocosa in either field experiment. This finding suggests that correlative patterns in nature and feeding trials in the laboratory may at times provide deceptively simple and potentially misleading generalisations about the strengths of interaction pathways in complex networks of generalist predators.
Molecular methods for ehrlichiosis and Lyme disease

This article reviews molecular techniques that have been developed and are effective in the clinical laboratory for the emerging tick-borne infections, ehrlichiosis and Lyme disease.
A review of least-squares methods for solving partial differential equations

Continuous (integral) and discrete (point-matching) least-squares methods are presented for linear and non-linear problems in boundary-value, eigenvalue, and initial-value form. The history is traced, and important theoretical and practical results are summarized. A comprehensive sample of the literature is presented, indexed to show type of application, version of least squares used, and results of comparison studies. The advantages of least-squares methods are discussed, including convenience in formulation and error evaluation, generality of mixed and local (finite element) versions, and performance that is competitive with other methods.
Effect of frictional force and nose shape on axisymmetric deformations of a thick thermoviscoplastic target

We study thermomechanical deformations of a thermally softening viscoplastic thick target impacted at normal incidence by a cylindrical rod made of a material considerably harder than the target material. Thus we regard the penetrator to be rigid and analyze the effect of the penetrator nose shape and the frictional force at the target/penetrator interface on target's deformations. In the postulated expression for the frictional force, the coefficient of friction, defined as the ratio of the tangential force at a point to the normal force there, is a function of the relative speed of sliding between the two bodies. The computed depth of penetration is found to match very well with that observed in experiments by Forrestal et al. For each nose shape studied, the consideration of frictional forces reduces significantly the computed penetration depth. For the same kinetic energy of the penetrator, the penetrator with a sharp nose gives higher values of the penetration depth as compared to that obtained with a blunt nose.
Comparison of nonlinearly transformed filters and nonlinear joint transform correlators for optical pattern recognition

Recently, we have introduced two types of nonlinear image correlators with superior performance com to that of the conventional linear optical corre1ators.1 The first type of nonlinear optical processor is joint Fourier transform based which uses nonlinearity at the Fourier plane to threshold the joint power spectrum.4 We have shown that compared with the linear correlator, the nonlinear correlator can provide a much higher autocorrelation peak intensity, smaller correlation sidelobes, narrower correlation width, and better discrimination sensitivity. The second type of nonlinear optical correlator is the nonlinear matched ifiter based correlator13. The bandpass nonlinear matched filter is computed by expressing the linear matched ifiter as an amplitude and phase modulated bandpass waveform using the amplitude and phase of the Fourier transform of the reference function. The modulated bandpass real function is then transformed using a general type of nonlinearity.
HMGA1 Drives Metabolic Reprogramming of Intestinal Epithelium during Hyperproliferation, Polyposis, and Colorectal Carcinogenesis

Although significant progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), it remains a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Early identification and removal of polyps that may progress to overt CRC is the cornerstone of CRC prevention. Expression of the High Mobility Group A1 (HMGA1) gene is significantly elevated in CRCs as compared with adjacent, nonmalignant tissues. We investigated metabolic aberrations induced by HMGA1 overexpression in small intestinal and colonic epithelium using traveling wave ion mobility mass spectrometry (TWIMMS) in a transgenic model in which murine Hmga1 was misexpressed in colonic epithelium. To determine if these Hmga1-induced metabolic alterations in mice were relevant to human colorectal carcinogenesis, we also investigated tumors from patients with CRC and matched, adjacent, nonmalignant tissues. Multivariate statistical methods and manual comparisons were used to identify metabolites specific to Hmga1 and CRC. Statistical modeling of data revealed distinct metabolic patterns in Hmga1 transgenics and human CRC samples as compared with the control tissues. We discovered that 13 metabolites were specific for Hmga1 in murine intestinal epithelium and also found in human CRC. Several of these metabolites function in fatty acid metabolism and membrane composition. Although further validation is needed, our results suggest that high levels of HMGA1 protein drive metabolic alterations that contribute to CRC pathogenesis through fatty acid synthesis. These metabolites could serve as potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets.
Measurement of non-elastic asperity compliance of magnetic tapes

Cyclic loading and unloading is applied to investigate elastic and non-elastic effects of asperity compliance of magnetic tapes. Multi-wavelength ellipsometry is used to measure the optical constants of the magnetic tapes needed in the calculation of the contact spacing. The magnetic tapes investigated are found to be optically anisotropic along different directions. Plastic deformation of highest asperities is observed during the first load cycle. The effects of tape surface roughness on asperity compliance is investigated by analyzing the statistics of the highest asperities.
Resolving the debt crisis and restoring developing countries' creditworthiness

Since 1982, the "debt c r i s i s " of the developing countr ies has been a focal point of a t tent ion of commercial bankers, poltcymakers concerned with in ternat ional f inance and economic development, and the news media. I t f i r s t made i t s dramatic appearance wi th the Mexican announcement in the summer of 1982 that Mexico, a country with a rap id ly expanding volume of exports of a commodity whose terms of trade had improved sharply, announced that i t could no longer vo lun ta r i l y service i t s debt, Raptdly thereaf ter , a number of other large and v i s i b l e debtor countr ies (as well as an even greater number of small nations) also announced t he i r i n a b i l i t y to continue voluntary debt serv ic ing. Many of the o r ig ina l concerns about the "debt c r i s i s " the " s t a b i l i t y " of the in ternat ional f inanc ia l system, the a b i l i t y of commercial banks to withstand debt-serv ic ing d i f f i c u l t i e s of LDCs, and the LDCs' commitment to the in ternat ional system have diminished, i f not vanished. Nonetheless, the debt problem remains a central issue, both for ind iv idua l developing countr ies and for the in ternat ional economic s.ystem. With a few notable exceptions, voluntary pr ivate lending to "debt c r i s i s " countr ies has not resumed, an~ focus turns from one country to another as piecemeal arrangements are made fo r debt rescheduling and "new money packages" on a country-by-country basis. While there is not a c r i s i s , in the usual sense of the word, there is dt least an impasse, as o f f i c i a l negotiat ions and governmental actions are the chief vehicles by which the
Slag-Based Saltstone Formulations

Approximately 400 × 10 6 liters of low-level alkaline salt solution will be treated at the Savannah River Plant (SRP) Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) prior to disposal in concrete vaults at SRP. Treatment involves removal of Ca + and Sr +2 followed by solidification and stabilization of potential contaminants in saltstone, a hydrated ceramic waste form. Chromium, technetium, and nitrate releases from saltstone can be significantly reduced by substituting hydraulic blast furnace slag for portland cement in the formulation designs. Slag-based mixes are also compatible with Class F fly ash used in saltstone as a functional extender to control heat of hydration and reduce permeability. (Class F fly ash is locally available at SRP.) A monolithic waste form is produced by the hydration of the slag and fly ash. Soluble ion release (NO 3 − ) is controlled by the saltstone microstructure (bulk porosity and pore size and connectivity). Chromium and technetium are 10 3 −10 4 times less leachable from slag mixes than from cement-based waste forms. Results suggest that chemical stabilization rather than physical entrapment, as in the case of nitrate is responsible for this improved leaching. Reduction of Cr +6 and Tc +7 to Cr +3 and Tc +4 by ferrous iron or Mn +2 in the slag and subsequent precipitation of the relatively insoluble phses Cr(OH) 3 and TcO 2 are proposed as the stabilizing reactions.
Best practice recommendations for surgical care in weight loss surgery.

Objective: To establish evidence-based guidelines for best practices for surgical care in weight loss surgery (WLS). Research Methods and Procedures: We carried out a systematic search of English-language literature on WLS in MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library. Key words were used to narrow the field for a selective review of abstracts. Data extraction was performed, and evidence categories were assigned according to a grading system based on established evidence-based models. Results: We assessed types of WLS, recommended guidelines for appropriateness, developed strategies for medical error reduction, established criteria for credentialing of systems and practitioners, and specified research needed for the future. Discussion: Surgeon training, credentialing, and type of surgery performed were identified as key factors in patient safety. Other important issues in the delivery of best practice care included appropriate patient selection; use of a multidisciplinary treatment team; facility staffing, equipment, and administrative support; and early recognition and proper management of complications.
Barriers to CC rotation in molecules with CC and CN conjugated bonds: a molecular orbital study

Abstract The barriers to CC rotation in two systems, (E)-acrolein oxime and (E)-vinylimine, with CC and CN bonds in conjugation are determined using high level ab initio molecular orbital theory. 6-31G*//6-31G* and MP2/6-31G*//MP2 optimizations indicate that the CCCN torsional barriers in both molecules are generally comparable in energy to the CCCO torsional barrier in acrolein. However, the torsional barrier in (E)-acrolein oxime exhibits an almost flat conformational energy region between 0° and 30°. This latter result is not affected by changes in the CNOH angle or methyl substitution at the aldoxime or vinyl carbon.
Target-detection by the echolocating bat,Eptesicus fuscus

The long-range echo-detection capabilities of echolocating bats (Eptesicus fuscus) were studied in a two-choice psychophysical procedure.E. fuscus can detect 4.8 mm diameter spheres at a distance of 2.9 m, and 19.1 mm diameter spheres at a distance of 5.1 m. The threshold of echo-detection corresponds to the distance at which a target returns an echo amplitude in the region of 0 dB SPL. The results demonstrate that the maximum effective range of bat sonar is greater than previously indicated by obstacleavoidance and target-interception tasks.
Analysis of cross category dependence in market basket selection

Abstract Market basket choice is a decision process in which a consumer selects items from a number of product categories on the same shopping trip. The key feature of market basket choice is the interdependence in demand relationships across the items in the final basket. This research develops a new approach to the specification of market basket models that allows a choice model for a basket of goods to be constructed using a set of “local” conditional choice models corresponding to each item in the basket. The approach yields a parsimonious market basket model that allows for any type of demand relationship across product categories (complementarity, independence, or substitution) and can be estimated using simple modifications of standard multinomial logit software. We analyze the choice of four grocery store categories that exhibit common cross-category brand names for both national brands and private labels. Results indicate that cross-category price elasticities are small. We argue that store traffic patterns may be more important than consumer-level demand interdependence in forecasting market basket choice.
Inhibition and regression of tumors in hamster DMBA model following laser microvascular targeting

Vascular targeting is a recent approach to cancer therapy that aims at damaging tumor vasculature to induce tumor cell hypoxia and subsequent cell death. Squamous cell cancer arises in the superficial mucosal and cutaneous epithelial layers, and tumor microvasculature therefore may be particularly well suited for targeting by selective photothermolysis. An initial evaluation of the effect of selective eradication of microvasculature on tumor development was undertaken here using the chemically-induced hamster cheek pouch model and a 585 nm pulsed dye laser. In a first group of 6 hamsters, progression of premalignant mucosal lesions was compared between control and laser treatment groups, and laser-induced regression of established tumors was evaluated. In a second group of 12 hamsters, the number of laser treatments required to produce complete regression of tumors of the buccal mucosa was determined. The effect of the laser on tumors appearing on the skin in these animals was also investigated. These experiments showed that laser treatment inhibited tumor development and caused complete regression of established tumors 10 mm 3 or smaller. Photothermal microvascular targeting may be useful in treating dyplasia and early tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract and skin, with fewer adverse sequelae than existing modalities.
A GPS Receiver Upgrade for the Space Shuttle - Rationale and Considerations

PS revolutionized the field of navigation in the 1990s, and made precise navigation available to a wide array of users. Integration of GPS technology into the Shuttle avionics system also occurred in the 1990s. The planned use of GPS during Shuttle missions is not as extensive as some might expect, given the widespread use and success of GPS technology, and the availability of ~$100 receivers to the general public. The rationale behind the current planned use of GPS by the Shuttle Program is discussed along with some history and lessons learned. For the Shuttle Program to fully obtain the benefits of this technology, and to meet any future automation and autonomy requirements, a new GPS receiver with more advanced capabilities than the legacy unit may be needed.1
Estimation of fading channels with large possible delay spreads

The conventional matching pursuit (MP) algorithm for channel estimation is extended to time-varying channels by using an explicit channel model. The proposed approach is found to outperform adaptive MP and least squares (LS) channel estimation for sparse channels. An LS method using MP is presented that performs well for both sparse and non-sparse channels.
Heavy Flavor Results from STAR

Abstract Heavy quarks are unique probes to study the strongly-coupled Quark-Gluon Plasma created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Measuring the productions and correlations of both open heavy flavor and heavy quarkonia provides essential information to advance our understanding of the QCD mediumʼs properties. With the excellent particle identification capabilities and large acceptance detectors, the STAR experiment at RHIC has measured the productions and correlations of heavy flavor hadrons of a wide variety of species in broad p T range. We present highlights of recent STAR heavy flavor measurements and also provide a brief overview of STAR future heavy flavor physics program.
THE HORDEUM VIOLACEUM COMPLEX OF IRAN

Fifty-seven Iranian collections of Hordeum violaceum Boiss. & Huet, a perennial forage grass, contained diploid (2n = 14), tetraploid (2n = 28), and hexaploid (2n = 42) chromosome races. All collections came from moderate to high elevations in the Alborz and Zagros mountains and adjacent plateau areas of Iran. Each chromosome race had a discrete distribution, and the hexaploids were the most widespread. The diploids were cytologically regular, except for a chromosome interchange that occurred in about half of the plants. The tetraploids and hexaploids behaved cytologically as autopolyploids. The hexaploids were taller, coarser and later-flowering than the diploids and tetraploids, and they had fewer but thicker culms and larger seeds. The tetraploids were the leafiest and most productive, making them the most desirable from an agronomic standpoint. All races were more or less self-sterile, a characteristic that sets H. violaceum apart from most other Hordeum species. The taxonomic status of H. violaceum and its closest relatives, H. turkestanicum Nevski and H. brevisubulatum Link, is uncertain because of close morphological similarities and the occurrence of chromosome races in each taxon. Hordeum violaceum Boiss. & Huet is a perennial meadow grass whose distribution is centered in Iran and extends to adjacent areas of Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, and the USSR (Bor, 1970). This species and its closest relatives, H. brevisubulatum Link and H. turkestanicum Nevski, are moderately important forage grasses that sometimes form the dominant vegetation in brackish meadows (Nevski, 1934). Hordeum violaceum is distinguished from H. brevisubulatum primarily on the basis of relative glume and lemma lengths. The glumes (including awns) of H. brevisubulatum are slightly shorter than the lemmas (excluding awns), whereas the glumes of H. violaceum are longer than the lemmas (Bor, 1970). The distinguishing feature of H. turkestanicum is the short pubescence that covers the entire back side of the lemmas. Only one chromosome number, 2n = 14, has been reported previously for H. violaceum (Rajhathy, Morrison, and Symko, 1963; Bowden, 1965). The most common chromosome number of H. brevisubulatum is 2n = 28 (Bowden, 1965; Tzvelev, 1976); although one diploid,
Role of magnetic resonance imaging in fetal surgery.

Summary:Prenatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has several advantages over obstetric ultrasound, including a larger field of view, superior soft-tissue contrast, more precise volumetric measurements, and greater accuracy in the demonstration of intracranial abnormalities. Prenatal MRI has been sh
Developing a facility-level reporting programme for sources of non-CO2gases: the United States experience

Many countries are considering opportunities to develop mandatory greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting programmes to support policy analysis. A primary focus of these reporting programmes is reporting of CO2 emissions. However, it would be a mistake to overlook non-CO2 emission sources. Recognizing the importance of these emissions, the U.S. GHG Reporting Program (GHGRP) covers major sources of CH4, N2O and fluorinated gases. The GHGRP includes reporting of non-CO2 emissions from adipic and nitric acid production, several industries emitting fluorinated gases, landfills, manure management, coal mines, petroleum and natural gas systems and wastewater. Some sources of non-CO2 emissions can be incorporated in a facility-level reporting programme with relative ease (e.g. aluminum production). For other sources, developing a facility-level reporting programme can pose challenges. The article reviews the sources of non-CO2 emissions most amenable to facility-level reporting considering existing quantification methods...
The vacuum buffer

When rendering from depth images, an important and difficult task is selecting the subset of depth-image samples that need to be warped to generate the new view. We present the vacuum-buffer algorithm, and its use within a sample-selection method. Like other techniques, our method proceeds by considering samples of reference images that were acquired from locations close to the current camera position. Additionally, our method offers an estimate of whether visible surfaces were potentially missed and points to the scene locations where such surfaces might be. The vacuum buffer is essentially a generalized z-buffer and it measures what subvolumes of the current view-frustum have not been seen by any reference image considered so far.
Refusing to believe it: Considerations on public speaking instruction in a post‐Machiavellian moment

Exposant son programme pour le discours public developpe a l'Universite de Pittsburgh et presente a l'assemblee du SCA a Atlanta en 1991, l'A. refute l'interpretation de ses theses dans le sens d'une critique radicale, gauchiste et revolutionnaire de l'institution de l'enseignement du discours public. Definissant une conception civique et humaniste de la pedagogie du discours public en reference a W. Booth et M. Sproule, l'A. montre que cette pedagogie humaniste tend vers une rhetorique plaintive et n'est pas viable a l'epoque contemporaine. Soulevant certains problemes lies a la pedagogie humaniste et examinant certaines alternatives, l'A. montre qu'il faut commencer a croire dans les changements sociaux, culturels et technologiques qui nous engagent a repenser la pedagogie en fonction de ces nouvelles realites
An improved method for nonlinear model reduction using balancing of empirical gramians

Abstract Nonlinear model predictive control has become increasingly popular in the chemical process industry. Highly accurate models can now be simulated with modern dynamic simulators combined with powerful optimization algorithms. However, computational requirements grow with the complexity of the models. Many rigorous dynamic models require too much computation time to be useful for real-time model based controllers. One possible solution to this is the application of model reduction techniques. The method introduced here reduces nonlinear systems while retaining most of the input–output properties of the original system. The technique is based on empirical gramians that capture the nonlinear behavior of the system near an operating point. The gramians are then balanced and the less important states reduced via a Galerkin projection which is performed onto the remaining states. This method has the advantage that it only requires linear matrix computations while being applicable to nonlinear systems.
Approximating the number of integers free of large prime factors

Define Ψ(x,y) to be the number of positive integers n ≤ x such that n has no prime divisor larger than y. We present a simple algorithm that approximates Ψ(x,y) in O(y{loglogx/logy + 1/loglogy}) floating point operations. This algorithm is based directly on a theorem of Hildebrand and Tenenbaum. We also present data which indicate that this algorithm is more accurate in practice than other known approximations, including the well-known approximation Ψ(x, y) xp(log x/ log y), where p(u) is Dickman's function.
Reduction of haloacetic acids by Fe0: implications for treatment and fate

To predict the fate of haloacetic acids (HAAs) in natural or engineered systems, information is needed concerning the types of reactions that these compounds undergo, the rates of those reactions, and the products that are formed. Given that many drinking water distribution systems consist of unlined cast iron pipe, reactions of HAAs with elemental iron (Fe0) may play a role in determining the fate of HAAs in these systems. In addition, zerovalent iron may prove to be an effective treatment technology for the removal of HAAs from chlorinated drinking water and wastewater. Thus, batch experiments were used to investigate reactions of four trihaloacetic acids, trichloroacetic acid (TCAA), tribromoacetic acid (TBAA), chlorodibromoacetic acid (CDBAA), and bromodichloroacetic acid (BDCAA), with Fe0. All compounds readily reacted with Fe0, and investigation of product formation and subsequent disappearance revealed that the reactions proceeded via sequential hydrogenolysis. Bromine was preferentially removed ov...
The Future of Us All: Race and Neighborhood Politics in New York City

The Future of Us All: Race and Neighborhood Politics in New YorkCity. Roger Sanjek. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1998. ix. 465 pp., figures, photographs, notes, references, index.
MATHEMATICS LEARNING IN ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

When the language of instruction is English, the learning of mathematics by students for whom English is a second language raises some important issues. The complex process of learning a second language becomes especially difficult when the language forms learned first are those of the classroom. The learning of mathematics requires a variety of linguistic skills that second-language learners may not have mastered. Furthermore, special problems of reliability and validity arise in assessing the mathematics achievement of students from a language minority. A mathematics curriculum is needed that would develop second-language skills, and more research is needed into the relation between second-language learning and mathematics learning.
Antidepressant effects on GABA-stimulated 36Cl− influx in rat cerebral cortex are altered after treatment with GABAA receptor antisense oligodeoxynucleotides

Abstract Antidepressants act at the GABAA receptor to inhibit GABA-stimulated 36Cl− influx and GABA reduction of [35S]TBPS binding. This study examined how selective knock-down (via antisense oligodeoxynucleotides, aODNs) of GABAA receptor subunits modified antidepressant activity. The specific aODNs used were for the α1, β1, β2 or γ2 subunits of the GABAA receptor. The aODN microinjections reduced corresponding GABAA receptor subunit mRNA levels by 30–40% as assessed by RT-PCR. The inhibitory effect of the antidepressants amitriptyline and mianserin on GABA-stimulated 36Cl− influx was decreased after microinjections of α1, β1, or β2 subunit aODNs but potentiated after microinjections of γ2 subunit aODNs. This pattern of aODNs effect on amitriptyline and mianserin modulation of GABA-stimulated 36Cl− influx was the same for both antidepressants and similar to GABA but different than that of diazepam and bicuculline. We conclude that multiple subunits of the GABAA receptor regulate the effect of amitriptyline and mianserin on the GABAA receptor chloride ionophore complex. However, the exact identity of the subunit mediating the direct or allosteric modulation of the antidepressant effect on GABA-stimulated 36Cl− influx remains unclear.
Screech Tone Noise and Mode Switching in Supersonic Swirling Jets

An experimental study of mode switching phenomena of supersonic jets with swirl is reported. A convergent nozzle with four tangential inlets was used. The pressure ratio corresponds to a fully expanded Mach number up to 1.80. Schlieren visualization of shock structures and pressure measurements indicated effects of swirl, such as e ow recirculation. Screech tone frequencies and phase information were measured for both nonswirling and strongly swirling jets. Results suggest existence of quasiperiodic shock structure in strongly swirling jets in spite of swirl-generated recirculation. However, pressure e elds are quite different between swirling and nonswirling jets. Both helical and toroidal screech tones were found to exist in strongly swirling jets. Strouhal numbers of the swirling jet screech tones are compared with published theory for nonswirling jets.