cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proboscis Extension Response of Adult Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to Dry Sugars

Dry sugars were evaluated for their potential as feeding stimulants for the adult corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie). The current study is part of an intensive effort to use adult feeding stimulants or attractants in programs to manage populations of H. zea on crops or on an areawide basis. Sucrose, fructose, glucose, and various other commercial sugarcane products (brown, powdered, and granulated sugars) along with raw sugar crystals were evaluated for their ability to elicit proboscis extension, a response essential for feeding, from laboratory-reared males and females and wild males captured in sex pheromone traps. We found that the particle size of sucrose was important in eliciting proboscis extension, and that ground sucrose and fructose were more stimulating than glucose. The most stimulating sugarcane product was powdered sugar and the response to it was similar to that found with ground sucrose and fructose. Laboratory-reared males and females were more responsive to small particles of sucrose, fructose, and powdered sugar than wild males captured in traps baited with sex pheromone. These results raise concerns about the use of laboratory-reared moths for assessing field adult feeding behavior. Although the low response of wild males to dry sugars raises some questions about the potential of these materials for use as feeding stimulants in management programs, more work is needed to gain a better understanding of the sensory mechanisms involved in the proboscis extension response to dry sugar particles and the conditions under which these particles elicit a feeding response.
Fuzzy potential solutions in multi-criteria and multi-constraint level linear programming problems

Abstract Given a multi-criteria and multi-constraint level (MC 2 ) linear programming problem, we can use an MC 2 -simplex method to find a set of potential solutions. Each potential solution optimizes the MC 2 problem under a certain range of decision parameters, namely the criteria weight vector and the constraint level weight vector. In this paper, we extend the potential solution to a fuzzy potential solution for a given fuzzy MC 2 problem. With a certain range of the decision parameters, a membership function of the MC 2 problem is first constructed. Then, for such a parameter range, a fuzzy potential solution is determined in terms of the membership function and a primal potential basis. Based on the theoretical analysis, we propose a heuristic algorithm to systematically and effectively locate all fuzzy potential solutions for all possible changes of the decision parameters. A numerical example is used to illustrate the algorithm.
Surface roughening and branching instabilities in dynamic fracture

Abstract W hy are most experimentally observed terminal fracture speeds only around half of the theoretically predicted value, i.e. the Rayleigh wave speed c R ? A wavy-crack model to be discussed in this paper gives a short answer to the above question: at high speeds, cracks tend to propagate along a wavy fracture path so that the apparent crack velocity can be maintained at 0.5 c R in order to maximize the time-rate of energy being absorbed into the fracture process. The wavy-crack model is motivated by experimental observations that rapidly moving cracks develop roughened fracture surfaces. The essence of that model is to separate the microscopic crack-tip motion with local velocity v c from the macroscopically observable crack motion with apparent velocity v a . From the macroscopic point of view, the energy going into the fracture process per unit time per unit length of the crack front is approximately Γ a = (1- v a / c R ) v a G * a , where G * a denotes the quasi-static energy release rate. By propagating along a wavy path, a crack is able to maintain its apparent velocity v a at 0.5 c R to maximize Γ a , while it may locally propagate at a significantly higher velocity in accordance with the local energy balance between the crack driving force and the material resistance to fracture. Much theoretical investigation on the wavy-crack problem and applications remains to be done in future work. For present purposes, a perturbation analysis is used to gain some preliminary insights, particularly on issues regarding the stability of a mode I fracture path during dynamic crack propagation. The perturbation results are supportive of the notion that wavy fracture paths become favorable at high crack speeds, that the apparent crack which moves only at around 0.5 c R favors a mode I path and tends to suppress a branching tendency, and that the local crack tip motion with significantly higher velocity promotes crack branching. Discussions on various aspects of dynamic fracture indicate that the wavy-crack model is capable of explaining important discrepancies currently existing between theory and experiments. In particular, analyses indicate that the basic mechanism of dynamic crack branching is somewhat like a thermally activated kinetic process. The fracture energy supplied from the applied loads acts as the driving force, the high inertia, branch-promoting local crack tip field acts as a nucleation source of microbranches and the relatively low inertia, branch-suppressing apparent crack sets an energetic barrier for macroscopic branching. This energy barrier is controlled by the macroscopic non-singular T a stress, in that it may be increased by a more compressive T a and decreased by a less compressive T a .
Palomar Testbed Interferometer: update

The Palomar Testbed Interferometer is a long-baseline near- infrared interferometer operating at Palomar Observatory, CA. The interferometer has a maximum baseline of 110 m, 40- cm collecting apertures, and active fringe tracking. It also incorporates a dual-star architecture to enable cophasing and narrow-angle astrometry. We will discuss recent system improvements and engineering results. These include upgrades to allow for longer coherent integration times, H band operation, and cophasing using delay line feedforward. Recent engineering tests of astrometry in dual-star mode have shown a night-to-night repeatability of 100 (mu) as on a bright test target. Several new observation planning tools have been developed, and data reduction tools have been automated to allow fully pipelined nightly reductions and archiving.
Three-phase CFD analytical modeling of blood flow

The behavior of blood cells in disturbed flow regions of arteries has significant relevance for understanding atherogenesis. However, their distribution with red blood cells (RBCs) and leukocytes is not so well studied and understood. Our three-phase computational fluid dynamics approach including plasma, RBCs, and leukocytes was used to numerically simulate the local hemodynamics in such a flow regime. This model has tracked the wall shear stress (WSS), phase distributions, and flow patterns for each phase in a concentrated suspension shear flow of blood. Unlike other computational approaches, this approach does not require dispersion coefficients as an input. The non-Newtonian viscosity model was applied to a wide physiological range of hematocrits, including low shear rates. The migration and segregation of blood cells in disturbed flow regions were computed, and the results compared favorably with available experimental data. The predicted higher leukocyte concentration was correlated with relatively low WSS near the stenosis having a high WSS. This behavior was attributed to flow-dependent interactions of the leukocytes with RBCs in pulsatile flow. This three-phase hemodynamic analysis may have application to vulnerable plaque formation in arteries with in vivo complex flow conditions.
Synthesis of (±)-6-oxa-3-azabicyclo[3.1.1]heptan-2-thione: a potential synthon for the preparation of novel heteroaryl-annulated bicyclic morpholines

The novel bridged bicyclic morpholinethione (±)-6-oxa-3-azabicyclo[3.1.1]heptan-2-thione (9) has been prepared in six steps. This conformationally restricted morpholinethione was prepared stereoselectively using straightforward chemistry and inexpensive starting materials. The key oxetane ring was formed via an intramolecular alkylation reaction.
Studies on the late steps of (+) pisatin biosynthesis: evidence for (-) enantiomeric intermediates.

Abstract Pisatin, a 6a-hydroxyl-pterocarpan phytoalexin from pea (Pisum sativum L.), is relatively unique among naturally occurring pterocarpans by virtue of the (+) stereochemistry of its 6a–11a C–C bond. However, pisatin synthesizing pea tissue has an isoflavone reductase, first identified in alfalfa, which acts on the (−) antipode. In order to establish the natural biosynthetic pathway to (+) pisatin, and to evaluate the possible involvement of intermediates with a (−) chirality in its biosynthesis, we administered chiral, tritium-labeled, isoflavanones and pterocarpans to pisatin-synthesizing pea cotyledons and compared the efficiency of their incorporation. Pea incorporated the isoflavanone, (−) sophorol, more efficiently than either its (+) antipode, or the pterocarpans (+) or (−) maackiain. (−) Sophorol was also metabolized by protein extracts from pisatin-synthesizing pea seedlings in a NADPH-dependent manner. Three products were produced. One was the isoflavene (7,2′-dihydroxy-4′,5′-methylenedioxyisoflav-3-ene), and another had properties consistent with the isoflavanol (7,2′-dihydroxy-4′,5′-methylenedioxyisoflavanol), the expected product for an isoflavanone reductase. A cDNA encoding sophorol reductase was also isolated from a cDNA library made from pisatin-synthesizing pea. The cloned recombinant sophorol reductase preferred (−) sophorol over (+) sophorol as a substrate and produced 7,2′-dihydroxy-4′,5′-methylenedioxyisoflavanol. Although no other intermediates in (+) pisatin biosynthesis were identified, the results lend additional support to the involvement of intermediates of (−) chirality in (+) pisatin synthesis.
Phonon-Assisted Recombination of Free Excitons in Compound Semiconductors

In this paper we study the band-edge optical transitions in "direct" semiconductors involving the interacting exciton-phonon system, especially the longitudinal-optical (LO)-phonon-assisted recombination of free excitons. By introducing an extended Green's-function approach to include propagation in and between the various bands in the exciton spectrum, we obtain rather directly the transition rate to lowest order in the exciton-photon coupling which contains the effects of the interactions between the exciton and lattice vibrations to all orders, and thus includes line broadening, shift, asymmetry, and all renormalizations. Under the appropriate conditions (sufficiently separated bands), this result is equivalent to an expression previously derived by Toyozawa, but has the virtue that all terms appearing in it (in particular, the asymmetry term) are given in precise and general expressions. The relation of the general result to that obtained by conventional perturbation theory is discussed. The radiative decay of free excitons by the one- LO- and two-LO-phonon-assisted processes are formulated in the framework of perturbation theory. The limitation of this approach and its relationship to that in which the exciton-photon interaction is treated more accurately are briefly discussed. It is also shown that the second-order perturbation-theory result for the one-phonon-assisted processes (both for absorption and emission), including the contributions from the full intermediate state (hydrogenic) spectrum, can be evaluated exactly in closed form. The one- and two-LO-phonon-assisted emission spectra for CdS are calculated for several temperatures up to 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K using only experimentally determined parameters and taking the anisotropy of the valence band into account. Except for the one-LO peak at $T=77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$K, where the polariton effects are important, the calculated line shapes and widths, as well as the intensity ratio of peaks, are found to be in good accord with the observed spectra. The corresponding calculations for ZnO at 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K are in good agreement with experimental spectrum. The zero-LO exciton peak due to the one-acoustic-phonon-assisted process is calculated in weak exciton-photon coupling approximations for both the deformation potential and piezoelectric couplings. The widths of the calculated lines are orders of magnitude smaller than the observed widths, and we conclude that the difficulty lies in the use of the weak exciton-photon coupling approach.
Lucid Dreaming as Metacognition: Implications for Cognitive Science

Abstract Evidence of reflective awareness and metacognitive monitoring during REM sleep dreaming poses a significant challenge to the commonly held view of dream cognition as necessarily deficient relative to waking cognition. To date, dream metacognition has not received the theoretical or experimental attention it deserves. As a result, discussions of dream cognition have been underrepresented in theoretical accounts of consciousness. This paper argues for using a converging measures approach to investigate the range and limits of cognition and metacognition across the sleep–wakefulness cycle. The paradigm developed by LaBerge and his colleagues to study "lucid-control" dreaming offers one such framework for relating phenomenological, cognitive, and physiological measures. In a lucid-control dream, the dreamer is both aware that the experimental context is a dream (lucidity) and has the ability to intentionally regulate aspects of the dream (control). Subjects can make patterns of deliberate eye movements to signal from the dream and thus index significant events such as the time of lucidity onset and the completion of previously agreed-upon tasks in the dream. Lucid dreaming and other examples of reflective awareness during dreaming have important implications for models of human cognition. The existence of these phenomena raises fundamental questions about current assumptions regarding "state" constraints on consciousness and cognition (i.e., the notion that dreaming involves exclusively nonconscious processing while waking involves conscious processing).
An Empirical Analysis of the Impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement on Mexican Beef Imports from the United States

Abstract Marketing managers in the U.S. agribusiness industry are increasingly looking at overseas opportunities to develop markets and expand sales. As a result, understanding the nature and market effects of international trade agreements is gaining importance. This paper formulates an econometric model to determine the impact of the NAFTA on Mexican imports of beef from the United States. It also tests whether there was structural change in Mexico's import demand for beef following enactment of the NAFTA. The results show that the decline in Mexican imports of U.S. beef in 1995-96 relative to 1994 was not the result of NAFTA provisions, but due largely to the devaluation of the peso. The analysis also indicates that the NAFTA has enhanced U.S. sales of beef into Mexico primarily as a result of the preferential tariff treatment enjoyed by the United States under the Agreement.
A Correlation Theory for Steady Natural Convective Heat Transport in Horizontal Annuli

A correlation theory for two-dimensional natural convective heat transport data for horizontal annuli of arbitrary cross section has been developed and applied to two configurations: (i) concentric circular cylinders and (ii) annuli formed by an inner hexagonal cylinder and an outer circular cylinder. Also embodied in the theory is the capability to predict local as well as mean heat transfer. Thermal boundary conditions of the form T'x/sup m/ can be accommodated. Data for the Rayleigh number (Ra/sub R/) varied from 10 to 10/sup 7/, Prandtl number (Pr) varied from 0.7 to 3100, and varied from 0.5 to 2.0. Even with these large variations, the present correlation theory collapses all the experimental data for the annular geometries to a single line. The physical problem appears to be completely specified by a single equation when the following is known: thermal boundary condition (i.e., m), the fluid (i.e., Pr), the aspect ratio, the Rayleigh number, and the geometry. This work demonstrates that the present theory is applicable to annuli of arbitrary cross section, and therefore the theory will be extended to include curvature effects and axisymmetric geometry.
Modeling of melamine formaldehyde polymerization. II. Development of a simpler model

The kinetic modeling of melamine-formaldehyde polymerization presents a relatively formidable mathematical challenge because of the simultaneous presence of several types of deviations from Flory's equal reactivity hypothesis. A molecule of melamine has six reactive amide hydrogens, which can react with the -CH2OH groups of formaldehyde in solution. The reactivity of the secondary hydrogens on the melamine is about 61% of that of the primary hydrogens (induced asymmetry). There is a shielding effect present, i. e., the reactivity of the hydrogens near the outside of a multiringed polymer molecule is higher than that of the hydrogens inside the coiled molecules. Two bound -CH2OH groups on the polymer molecules can self-condense to give methylene linkages, the reactivity depending upon the location of the two groups. And, to confound modeling effort still further, all these reactions are reversible. An earlier attempt at molding this system considered the reactions between 36 "basic" species. This model was far too detailed and failed to acount for the reverse reactions. In the present study, a simpler model has been proposed which involves fewer "basic" species. An improved model for intramolecular reactions is also developed. Several important characteristics of the polymerization have been obtained as a function of time. Results from this model have been compared with those obtained from the earlier model, and also compared with the short-time experimental results. The present model can be extended to account for the reverse reactions quite easily.
Effect of orthotopic liver transplantation on employment and health status

Employment, functional status, health status, and prevalence of anxiety and depression were assessed in patients who had undergone orthotopic liver transplantation at Duke University from 1984 to 1993 to identify social and economic factors that might influence return to work after liver transplantation. Patients were asked to complete mailed questionnaires. A transplant nurse coordinator assigned patients a Karnofsky score, unaware of the questionnaire responses. The response rate was 71% (52 of 72 patients). The median age of the post-liver transplantation patients was 49 years. Median years of education were 13. Sixty-five percent of patients were male. Sixty percent of patients were employed posttransplantation. Employed and unemployed posttransplantation patients showed no significant difference in age, education, gender, marital status, race, family coping skills, or cause of liver disease. Return to work after transplantation did not correlate with socioeconomic status or spouse's employment. Posttransplantation return to work was highly correlated with pretransplant employment (P or = 80%. Health perceptions were compared in employed versus unemployed posttransplantation patients with the SF-36, a 36-item short form survey developed by the investigators of the Medical Outcome Study. This revealed significantly different values in the subscale, physical functioning, with a mean score of 70.6 in the employed and a mean score of 48.4 in the unemployed posttransplantation patients (P = .004) and role-physical with a mean score of 61.8 in the employed and a mean score of 27.6 in the unemployed posttransplantation patients (P = .005). Eighty percent of patients not returning to work cited "problems with their health" as their major obstacle to employment. Although objective health status was good to excellent in all patients after transplantation, patients perceived that their health status was poor, with the lowest scores observed in unemployed posttransplantation patients.
The impact of service quality and marketing on financial performance in the hospital industry: an empirical examination

Abstract Service quality and service marketing have both been studied extensively in relation to service organizations. In this paper we examine these areas simultaneously in terms of their impact on financial performance in the hospital industry. Drawing from the literature in the quality and service marketing areas, the area of service quality is represented in terms of the constructs of quality context and quality outcomes. Quality context (QC) describes the environment related to quality practices within a hospital which generally encourages and enhances service quality while quality outcomes (QO) comprises of specific clinical and patient satisfaction outcomes of the hospital. The area of marketing is represented in terms of the constructs of marketing orientation and market/product development outcomes. Market orientation (MO) is a well accepted, albeit complex, construct within the marketing literature. Generally, market orientation can be thought of as the process of effectively collecting, disseminating, and responding to information in order to enhance the marketing function within the hospital. Such information generally relates to market trends, customers, and competitors. Market/product development outcomes (MPD) refer to specific outcomes in relation to product innovation and market segmentation that are general indicators of the marketing effectiveness of the hospital. Although the evidence in the literature suggests that both service quality and marketing are independently related to organizational performance, the precise nature of the relationships among the variables described above is not clearly understood. Based on theoretical considerations, we propose a framework linking the above-mentioned constructs to the financial performance (FP) of an organization. Since QC and MO are theorized to be multidimensional constructs we use the technique of structural equations modeling (SEM) to test the model. Data were collected for the study from hospitals in a five-state region in the US. The results show that the constructs related to both service quality and marketing impact on financial performance. However, the results do not support the proposed framework of relationships. Instead, the results support a sequential chain of relationships among the constructs where MO mediates the effect of QC on QO, and MPD mediates the effect of QO on FP. Implications of these results for the hospital industry as well as for future research in the area are offered.
Equilibration of Solutes in Nonfermenting, Brined Pickling Cucumbers

The equilibration of solutes between whole cucumbers and the brine in which they were held was found to be consistent with a diffusion-controlled first-order rate process. First-order rate coefficients for attainment of equilibrium (KD) for sugar and malic acid (initially in cucumbers) and NaCl and lactic, tartaric, acetic and formic acids (initially in brine) varied up to threefold among four cucumber lots. However, the ratios of KD values among solutes were not significantly different (P>0.05). KD values increased as cucumber size decreased. Peeling increased KD values 3.7- to 11.1-fold. Temperature dependency was greater for solute movement out of [apparent activation energies (Ea) of 6.5 and 6.3 kcal/mole for malic acid and sugar] than into (apparent Ea of 4.5 and 4.2 kcal/mole for NaCl and lactic acid) cucumbers. The equilibration-prediction model used may be helpful in studying rate limiting factors in the fermentation of brined vegetables and in other food preservation processes where solute movement is important.
Story-Mapping Training as a Means of Improving Reading Comprehension:

In a multiple-baseline ABA design, five intermediate-level, elementary students with mild learning handicaps and poor comprehension were trained to use story-mapping procedures as a schema-building...
Pentane, Hexane, Cyclopentane, Cyclohexane, 1-Hexene, 1-Pentene, cis-2-Pentene, Cyclohexene, and Cyclopentene at Vapor/α-Alumina and Liquid/α-Alumina Interfaces Studied by Broadband Sum Frequency Generation

The molecular orientation and structure of adsorbates at oxide interfaces is driven by surface−molecule and molecule−molecule interactions and is useful for predicting reactivity and product selectivity in heterogeneous chemical reactions, including those important in catalytic processes. Using broadband vibrational sum-frequency generation spectroscopy, we probed cyclic and acyclic alkanes and olefins at buried vapor/solid and liquid/solid interfaces of the α-alumina (0001) surface under ambient conditions. The spectroscopic signatures of the adsorbates were measured and compared with bulk phase spectra and spectra of model surfaces containing hydrocarbons covalently linked to glass slides using silane chemistry. By utilizing appropriate polarization combinations, the orientations of hydrocarbons adsorbed from the vapor were evaluated and compared to the hydrocarbon orientations at the liquid/solid interface. The data support a proposed orientation for n-alkanes and cycloalkanes at the liquid/solid inter...
Convergence bounds of an SMI/Gram-Schmidt canceler in colored noise

The performance of the sampled matrix inversion (SMI) adaptive algorithm in colored noise is investigated using the Gram-Schmidt (GS) canceler as an analysis tool. Lower and upper bounds of average convergence are derived, indicating that average convergence slows as the input time samples become correlated. When the input samples are uncorrelated, the fastest SMI algorithm convergence occurs. When the input samples are correlated then the convergence bounds depend on the number of channels N, the number of samples per channels K, and the eigenvalues associated with K*K correlation matrix of the samples in a given channel. This matrix is assumed identical for all channels. >
Synergistic enhancement of hydrogen storage and air stability via Mg nanocrystal–polymer interfacial interactions

The role of encapsulating polymers in nanocrystalline Mg air stability and hydrogen storage density was studied for a series of composites varying in both % Mg and polymer identity. In these materials, the Mg nanocrystals are completely dependent on the polymer for air stability. Remarkably, both air stability and hydrogen sorption capacity of poly(methyl methacrylate) composites were enhanced by reducing the amount of polymer. Composites consisting of 65 wt% Mg absorbed 6.95 wt% hydrogen and showed little oxidation after 3 months air exposure even after enduring the volume expansion induced by hydrogen sorption, whereas composites with 33.2 wt% Mg absorbed just 4.86 wt% hydrogen and were completely oxidized upon air exposure after hydrogen sorption. This surprising synergistic enhancement in stability and storage density is attributed to an increase in the tortuosity of the paths of gas molecules and increased interfacial structure-templating regions, which scale with % Mg loading and lead to nanoparticle entanglements, hindering polymer chain motion.
Experimental studies of model porous media fluid dynamics

The three-dimensional, steady flow velocity components of a viscous, incompressible, Newtonian fluid in model porous media were measured. The model porous geometries were constructed from 3 mm glass rods. A laser Doppler anemometer was used to measure two of the velocity components and the third was calculated by integrating the continuity equation. The effects of viscous drag, inertial flow fields and eddy losses in the model were studied. The results showed that the measured flow was laminar and stable such that micromixing of the fluid was absent. Inertial flow effects were absent due to high viscous drag coefficients.
Understanding fuel savings mechanisms from hybrid vehicles to guide optimal battery sizing for India

Global transportation-related CO2 emissions are expected to substantially increase by 2050, with a majority of growth coming from rapidly developing countries like India. To understand the potential for using hybrid vehicles to limit the CO2 emissions growth, this paper compares driving conditions and the fuel savings potential of hybrids in the USA and India. It is shown that hybrids offer more fuel savings potential in India than in the USA, largely because of the limited highway driving in India. In order of relative importance, the analysis shows that fuel savings from power-split hybrids come from: 1) enabling higher efficiency engine operation; 2) energy recovered from regenerative braking; 3) engine shutdown. This understanding of the fuel savings mechanisms of hybrids and their relative importance is used in assessing how smaller battery capacities for hybrids in India can be used to reduce costs for this highly cost-sensitive market while preserving fuel savings. A parametric analysis of battery size on fuel savings mechanisms is carried out, and it is shown that hybrid vehicles for Indian driving conditions should ideally have a power capacity between 15 and 20 kW, with 10 kW as a lower limit.
Optical Mapping of Action Potentials and Calcium Transients in the Mouse Heart

The mouse heart is a popular model for cardiovascular studies due to the existence of low cost technology for genetic engineering in this species. Cardiovascular physiological phenotyping of the mouse heart can be easily done using fluorescence imaging employing various probes for transmembrane potential (Vm), calcium transients (CaT), and other parameters. Excitation-contraction coupling is characterized by action potential and intracellular calcium dynamics; therefore, it is critically important to map both Vm and CaT simultaneously from the same location on the heart1-4. Simultaneous optical mapping from Langendorff perfused mouse hearts has the potential to elucidate mechanisms underlying heart failure, arrhythmias, metabolic disease, and other heart diseases. Visualization of activation, conduction velocity, action potential duration, and other parameters at a myriad of sites cannot be achieved from cellular level investigation but is well solved by optical mapping1,5,6. In this paper we present the instrumentation setup and experimental conditions for simultaneous optical mapping of Vm and CaT in mouse hearts with high spatio-temporal resolution using state-of-the-art CMOS imaging technology. Consistent optical recordings obtained with this method illustrate that simultaneous optical mapping of Langendorff perfused mouse hearts is both feasible and reliable.
Phase-sensitive imaging of the outer retina using optical coherence tomography and adaptive optics

The cone photoreceptor’s outer segment (OS) experiences changes in optical path length, both in response to visible stimuli and as a matter of its daily course of renewal and shedding. These changes are of interest, to quantify function in healthy cells and assess dysfunction in diseased ones. While optical coherence tomography (OCT), combined with adaptive optics (AO), has permitted unprecedented three-dimensional resolution in the living retina, it has not generally been able to measure these OS dynamics, whose scale is smaller than OCT’s axial resolution of a few microns. A possible solution is to take advantage of the phase information encoded in the OCT signal. Phase-sensitive implementations of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) have been demonstrated, capable of resolving sample axial displacements much smaller than the imaging wavelength, but these have been limited to ex vivo samples. In this paper we present a novel technique for retrieving phase information from OCT volumes of the outer retina. The key component of our technique is quantification of phase differences within the retina. We provide a quantitative analysis of such phase information and show that–when combined with appropriate methods for filtering and unwrapping–it can improve the sensitivity to OS length change by more than an order of magnitude, down to 45 nm, slightly thicker than a single OS disc. We further show that phase sensitivity drops off with retinal eccentricity, and that the best location for phase imaging is close to the fovea. We apply the technique to the measurement of sub-resolution changes in the OS over matters of hours. Using custom software for registration and tracking, these microscopic changes are monitored in hundreds of cones over time. In two subjects, the OS was found to have average elongation rates of 150 nm/hr, values which agree with our previous findings.
Forecasting the Local Economy, Using Time-Series and Shift—Share Techniques

Although shift – share is an inexpensive and easy means of making regional forecasts, its accuracy depends on the method used in forecasting the competitive component of the region. As theory is unclear as to the sign, let alone the magnitude, of the competitive component of the next period, it would be appropriate to use time-series techniques to forecast it. Unfortunately the typical method of application of shift–share results in too few data points for the application of time-series analysis. In this paper an alternative method of calculating the competitive component that resolves that problem is presented. In an empirical test of the technique, time-series methods are used to forecast the competitive series for a metropolitan region. The results are found to compare favorably with the forecasts of other techniques.
Global methylation profiles in DNA from different blood cell types

DNA methylation measured in white blood cell DNA is increasingly being used as in studies of cancer susceptibility. However, little is known about the correlation between different assays to measure global methylation and whether the source of DNA matters when examining methylation profiles in different blood cell types. Using information from 620 women, 217 and 403 women with DNA available from granulocytes (Gran), and total white blood cells (WBC), respectively, and 48 women with DNA available from four different sources (WBC, Gran, mononuclear (MN), and lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL)), we compared DNA methylation for three repetitive elements (LINE1, Sat2, Alu) by MethyLight, luminometric methylation assay (LUMA), and [(3)H]-methyl acceptance assay. For four of the five assays, DNA methylation levels measured in Gran were not correlated with methylation in LBC, MN, or WBC; the exception was Sat2. DNA methylation in LCL was correlated with methylation in MN and WBC for the [(3)H]-methyl acceptance, LINE1, and Alu assays. Methylation in MN was correlated with methylation in WBC for the [(3)H]-methyl acceptance and LUMA assays. When we compared the five assays to each other by source of DNA, we observed statistically significant positive correlations ranging from 0.3-0.7 for each cell type with one exception (Sat2 and Alu in MN). Among the 620 women stratified by DNA source, correlations among assays were highest for the three repetitive elements (range 0.39-0.64). Results from the LUMA assay were modestly correlated with LINE1 (0.18-0.20). These results suggest that both assay and source of DNA are critical components in the interpretation of global DNA methylation patterns from WBC.
Calreticulin: an intracellular Ca++-binding protein abundantly expressed and regulated by androgen in prostatic epithelial cells.

Calreticulin was identified in a screen for androgen-response genes in the rat ventral prostate. Northern blot and Western blot analyses in the rat model showed that both calreticulin messenger RNA and protein are down-regulated by castration and up-regulated by androgen replacement in the prostate. Northern blot analysis showed that calreticulin expression level in the prostate is much higher than that in seminal vesicles, heart, brain, muscle, kidney, and liver. The regulation of calreticulin expression by androgen is only observed in the prostate and seminal vesicles, two male secondary sex organs. The induction of calreticulin by androgen in prostate organ culture partially resists protein synthesis inhibition, suggesting that calreticulin is a direct androgen-response gene. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry studies showed that calreticulin is an intracellular protein in prostatic epithelial cells. Because calreticulin is a major intracellular Ca++-binding protein with 1 high-affinity and...
Two-Loop Correction to the Orthopositronium Decay Rate

We give a detailed description of our calculation of the O(α 2 ) correction to the orthopositronium decay rate. The resulting correction is 45.06(26) in units of (α/π) 2 times the lowest order rate. When combined with other known corrections, the theoretical prediction for the decay rate is 7.039979(11) µs −1 , where the leading uncalculated term makes an estimated contribution of roughly 0.00002 µs −1 . Our result is in significant disagreement with two of the four highest precision measurements (at about the 5σ level), but does not contradict the others. The experimental uncertainties (≈0.002 µs −1 ) are much larger than the remaining theoretical uncertainties. We also calculate the one-photon-annihilation contribution to the positronium hyperfine structure at O(mα 6 ). This calculation is closely analogous to the decay rate calculation. Our agreement with prior results for this hyperfine structure contribution demonstrates the soundness of our approach. C � 2002 Elsevier Science (USA)
X-ray diffraction imaging with the Multiple Inverse Fan Beam topology: principles, performance and potential for security screening.

Abstract The steadily increasing number of explosive threat classes, including home-made explosives (HMEs), liquids, amorphous and gels (LAGs), is forcing up the false-alarm rates of security screening equipment. This development can best be countered by increasing the number of features available for classification. X-ray diffraction intrinsically offers multiple features for both solid and LAGs explosive detection, and is thus becoming increasingly important for false-alarm and cost reduction in both carry-on and checked baggage security screening. Following a brief introduction to X-ray diffraction imaging (XDI), which synthesizes in a single modality the image-forming and material-analysis capabilities of X-rays, the Multiple Inverse Fan Beam (MIFB) XDI topology is described. Physical relationships obtaining in such MIFB XDI components as the radiation source, collimators and room-temperature detectors are presented with experimental performances that have been achieved. Representative X-ray diffraction profiles of threat substances measured with a laboratory MIFB XDI system are displayed. The performance of Next-Generation (MIFB) XDI relative to that of the 2nd Generation XRD 3500 TM screener (Morpho Detection Germany GmbH) is assessed. The potential of MIFB XDI, both for reducing the exorbitant cost of false alarms in hold baggage screening (HBS), as well as for combining “in situ” liquid and solid explosive detection in carry-on luggage screening is outlined.
Preparation of isoprostanes and neuroprostanes

A new approach to isoprostanes and neuroprostanes featuring cis-dialkyl stereochemistry at the cyclopentane ring has been developed by employing an intramolecular cross-coupling reaction of an alkyl iodide and a tethered alkenylsiloxane for stereoselective installation of a functionalized omega-side chain.
NADPH-oxidase activation and cognition in Alzheimer disease progression

Superoxide production via NADPH-oxidase (NOX) has been shown to play a role in a variety of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer disease (AD). To improve our understanding of the NOX system and cognitive impairment, we studied the various protein components of the phagocytic isoform (gp91(phox), or NOX2) in the frontal and temporal cortex of age- and postmortem-matched samples. Individuals underwent antemortem cognitive testing and postmortem histopathologic assessment to determine disease progression and assignment to one of the following groups: no cognitive impairment (NCI), preclinical AD, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), early AD, and mild-to-moderate AD. Biochemical methods were used to determine overall NOX activity as well as levels of the various subunits (gp91(phox), p67(phox), p47(phox), p40(phox), and p22(phox)). Overall enzyme activity was significantly elevated in the MCI cohort in both cortical regions compared to the NCI cohort. This activity level remained elevated in the AD groups. Only the NOX cytosolic subunit proteins (p67(phox), p47(phox), and p40(phox) ) were significantly elevated with disease progression; the membrane-bound subunits (gp91(phox) and p22(phox)) remained stable. In addition, there was a robust correlation between NOX activity and the individual's cognitive status such that as the enzyme activity increased, cognitive performance decreased. Collectively, these data show that upregulated NADPH-oxidase in frontal and temporal cortex suggests that increases in NOX-associated redox pathways might participate in early pathogenesis and contribute to AD progression.
New experimental results obtained with second-sound shock waves

Abstract Second-sound shock waves are used to study the nonlinear dynamics of superfluid helium II and, especially, intrinsic interactions arising between the two-fluid components. Three new results are summarized: 1) formation of double-shock pulses; 2) formation of helium I boundary layers; and 3) identification of a fundamental critical velocity.
Temperature Dependence of Electron Mean Free Paths in Cadmium and Copper

A ${T}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ temperature dependence of electron mean free paths is deduced from high-field and open-orbit ultrasonic attenuation data in cadmium and copper.
Evaluation of Andean alder as a catalyst for the recovery of tropical cloud forests in Colombia

Abstract Andean alder (Alnus acuminata) is a tree species often used in revegetation programs in the Colombian Andes, because it is native to the area and grows rapidly even in nitrogen-poor soils. Previous work implied that Andean alder plantings might not lead to as rich a diversity of native vegetation as would natural regeneration. At Ucumari Regional Park in the Central Andes of Colombia, 30-year-old alder plantations are juxtaposed to naturally regenerated forests of the same age. This study quantifies the impact of Andean alder on plant species composition and forest structure, compared to natural regeneration. Plantations and naturally regenerated forests differed in physiognomy, species composition and in some structural aspects. Alder plantations produced an even 20 m tall canopy. The foliage was vertically stratified into two distinct strata separated by a gap that exposed the boles. The naturally regenerated forest had an uneven 16–18 m tall canopy, vertically continuous foliage cover and significantly higher canopy cover. In both forest types, basal area and stem density were equivalent and distributed among size classes in the same way. Snags in naturally regenerated forests were thicker, perhaps offering a better resource base to organisms using this resource. Plantations had up to one-third fewer species per unit than naturally regenerated forests. Plantations showed a low alpha and beta diversity, with lower species turnover from plot to plot. Qualitatively, the vegetation in the plantations was distinct from that in naturally regenerated forests, as it was composed of a particular subset of species. Approximately one-fourth of species in plantations were exclusive to that forest type. The same patterns were found in the understorey vegetation (1.3–10 m high), where alder is not recruited. This suggests that these patterns are not an artifact of numerical abundance of alder, but rather that alder actually has an effect on species composition. Although alder may create a forest cover in a shorter time, natural regeneration might be a better strategy for the recovery and conservation of biodiversity as long as a propagule source is available. Presence of both forest types, however, may increase species richness and spatial heterogeneity at the landscape level.
Exact predictive densities for linear models with arch disturbances

Abstract It is shown how exact predictive densities may be formed in the ARCH linear model by means of Monte Carlo integration with importance sampling. Several improvements in computational efficiency over earlier implementations of this procedure are developed, including use of the exact likelihood function rather than an asymptotic approximation to construct the importance sampling distribution, and antithetic acceleration of convergence. A numerical approach to the formulation of posterior odds ratios and the combination of non-nested models is also introduced. These methods are applied to daily quotations of closing stock prices. Forecasts are formulated using linear models, ARCH linear models and an integrated model constructed from the posterior probabilities of the respective models. The use of the exact predictive density in a decision-theoretic context is illustrated by deriving the optimal day-to-day portfolio adjustments of a trader with constant relative risk aversion.
Effects of the pesticides Captan, Folpet, Guthion®, and Dichlorvos on recombination in maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract This study was designed to determine if commercial preparations of the pesticides Folpet, Captan, Guthion®, and Dichlorvos, have a significant effect on genetic recombination in maize ( Zea mays L.). The pesticides were applied in aqeous solutions of 1.5% dimethyl sulfoxide with 0.04% X-77 Spreader®. Premeiotic treatment s to heterozygous females were applied as a foliar spray. Testcrosses were analyzed for changes in frequencies of recombination between loci 1 g − g 12 and a - et on chromosomes 2 and 3, respectively. Sib-crosses were analyzed for changes in frequencies of recombination between the 1 g − g 12 loci and the a 2− bt loci on chromosomes 2 and 5, respectively. Between the a - et markers, significant increases in genetic recombination were produced by the 0.17 M level of Folpet, the 0.50 M level of Captan, the 0.50 M level of Guthion®, and the 0.66% v/v and 1.00% v/v levels of Dichlorvos. Between the a 2− bt markers, significant increases in recombination were produced by the 0.33 and the 0.50 M levels of Guthion®. Analysis of variance for simple regression was conducted on each pesticide/marker group combination to determine possible linear dose responses. Significant increases in genetic recombination were induced linearly in the a − et linkage group with increasing levels of Captan, Guthion®, and Dichlorvos. Genetic recombination also was increased linearly in the a 2− bt linkage group with increasing concentrations of Captan and Guthion®. The conclusion from this study is that commercial preparations of the pesticides Captan, Guthion®, Dichlorvos, and possibly Folpet, have the ability to increase the frequency of genetic recombination between markers of maize. This study therefore supports the consensus that certain pesticides, at abnormally high rates of application, are genetically active, environmental recombinagens.