cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dysfunctional lactate metabolism in human alveolar type II cells from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis lung explant tissue.

Background Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is the most common and progressive form of the interstitial lung diseases, leading most patients to require lung transplants to survive. Despite the relatively well-defined role of the fibroblast in the progression of IPF, it is the alveolar type II epithelial cell (AEC2) that is now considered the initiation site of damage, driver of disease, and the most efficacious therapeutic target for long-term resolution. Based on our previous studies, we hypothesize that altered lactate metabolism in AEC2 plays a pivotal role in IPF development and progression, affecting key cellular and molecular interactions within the pulmonary microenvironment. Methods AEC2s isolated from human patient specimens of non-fibrotic and IPF lungs were used for metabolic measurements, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) analyses and siRNA-mediated knockdown experiments. Results AEC2s isolated from human IPF lung explant tissues had lower rates of oxidative metabolism and were more glycolytic lactate-producing cells than were AEC2 from control, non-fibrotic lung explant tissues. Consistent with this shift in metabolism, patient-derived IPF AEC2s exhibited LDH tetramers that have higher ratios of LDHA:LDHB (i.e., favoring pyruvate to lactate conversion) than control AEC2s. Experimental manipulation of LDHA subunit expression in IPF AEC2s restored the bioenergetic profile characteristic of AEC2 from non-fibrotic lungs. Conclusions These results are consistent with the concept that altered lactate metabolism may be an underlying feature of AEC2 dysfunction in IPF and may be a novel and important target for therapeutic treatment.
The kil-kor regulon of broad-host-range plasmid RK2: nucleotide sequence, polypeptide product, and expression of regulatory gene korC.

Abstract Broad-host-range plasmid RK2 encodes several kil operons (kilA, kilB, kilC, kilE) whose expression is potentially lethal to Escherichia coli host cells. The kil operons and the RK2 replication initiator gene (trfA) are coregulated by various combinations of kor genes (korA, korB, korC, korE). This regulatory network is called the kil-kor regulon. Presented here are studies on the structure, product, and expression of korC. Genetic mapping revealed the precise location of korC in a region near transposon Tn1. We determined the nucleotide sequence of this region and identified the korC structural gene by analysis of korC mutants. Sequence analysis predicts the korC product to be a polypeptide of 85 amino acids with a molecular mass of 9,150 daltons. The KorC polypeptide was identified in vivo by expressing wild-type and mutant korC alleles from a bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase-dependent promoter. The predicted structure of KorC polypeptide has a net positive charge and a helix-turn-helix region similar to those of known DNA-binding proteins. These properties are consistent with the repressorlike function of KorC protein, and we discuss the evidence that KorA and KorC proteins act as corepressors in the control of the kilC and kilE operons. Finally, we show that korC is expressed from the bla promoters within the upstream transposon Tn1, suggesting that insertion of Tn1 interrupted a plasmid operon that may have originally included korC and kilC.
Design and analysis of a fast local clustering service for wireless sensor networks

We present a fast local clustering service, FLOC, that partitions a multi-hop wireless network into nonoverlapping and approximately equal-sited clusters. Each cluster has a clusterhead such that all nodes within unit distance of the clusterhead belong to the cluster but no node beyond distance m from the clusterhead belongs to the cluster. By asserting m /spl ges/ 2, FLOC achieves locality: effects of cluster formation and faults/changes at any part of the network are contained within most m units. By taking unit distance to be the reliable communication radius and m to be the maximum communication radius, FLOC exploits the double-band nature of wireless radio-model and achieves clustering in constant time regardless of the network size. Through simulations and experiments with actual deployments, we analyze the tradeoffs between clustering time and the quality of clustering, and suggest suitable parameters for FLOC to achieve a fast completion time without compromising the quality of the resulting clustering.
A game of climate chicken : can EPA regulate greenhouse gases before the U.S. Senate ratifies the Kyoto Protocol?

EPA’s legal authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act is reviewed. While EPA clearly does not have the authority to implement the precise terms of the Kyoto Protocol, arguments could be put forward to support the Agency’s claim that it has the authority to control such pollutants. However, the Clean Air Act’s legislative history, a textual analysis of the Act, judicial precedents and political considerations all provide compelling arguments for the EPA to seek additional legislation before attempting to regulate greenhouse gases. Even a generous interpretation of existing provisions would prohibit trading in greenhouse gas emissions permits and therefore contradicts the Administration’s own preferred approach to addressing climate change which favors employing market mechanisms to help reduce the costs of carrying out reductions. Moreover, the participation of developing countries in an emissions control regime, which has been stipulated by the Senate and endorsed by the Administration, would also remain unaffected since the Clean Air Act is only designed to address local and regional pollution. Concerns over backdoor implementation of the Kyoto Protocol and EPA’s attempts to regulate emissions help explain the political attacks on the agency’s efforts to pursue research, education, and non-regulatory solutions to the climate change problem.
Response to Commentary: What Conclusions Can We Draw from Recent Analyses of Anesthesia Provider Model and Patient Outcomes?

In our study “Anesthesia provider model, hospital resources, and maternal outcomes” (Needleman and Minnick 2009), we examined the relationship between models for delivery of anesthesia services in obstetrics and maternal outcomes, notably maternal death, anesthesia-related complications, and other complications. The relationship of anesthesia provider type and adverse outcomes has been the focus of several studies. Debates about reimbursement rules and, at the state level, debates about certified registered nurse-anesthetist (CRNA) scope of practice and supervision have been ongoing. We return to the discussion of our findings within this policy context at the end of this paper. Our study used data from 365 hospitals in six states that responded to a survey on the organization and staffing of obstetrical and obstetrical anesthesia services and 1.14 million obstetrical discharges from those hospitals over a 3-year period. Using logistic regression and a variety of propensity models to control for selection, we found no evidence that maternal mortality or anesthesia and other complication rates were higher in hospitals that relied on CRNAs only or both anesthesiologists and CRNAs for obstetrical anesthesia, compared with hospitals using only anesthesiologists for these services. All comparisons of mortality or anesthesia-related complications and provider models found either small, nonsignificant differences or small statistically significant lower rates of complications in hospitals using CRNAs. We then suggested that our findings may have potential importance for policy in that, at least in the area of obstetrical services, there may be no gain in anesthesia safety from restricting which licensed providers can provide these services. Use of CRNAs makes it possible to provide obstetrical anesthesia coverage where anesthesiologists are not available. We suggested other paths for improving safety beyond restrictions based on training. In their commentary on our study, Neuman, Schwartz, and Fleisher (2010), while recognizing that we controlled for a range of potential confounders, argued that our study may have been limited by unobserved differences in patient risk. They offered examples of potential sources of bias not measured and, based on their speculation of how these could impact the results, urged caution in using our findings to guide specific health policy decisions. Expanding beyond our study's results and implications, Neuman and his colleagues raise issues as to how policy makers, physicians, and patients should use findings from any observational study in their decision making. In this response, we first address the general approach to dealing with the limitations to observational studies. Then we discuss the comments as they apply to our work and offer some new analyses to address some of Neuman and colleagues' sources of bias. We conclude with our perspective on the broader issues about when and whether to draw inferences for action from observational studies.
Combatting Challenges to Establishing Trustworthiness in Qualitative Research

Member checks are widely utilized in qualitative research for soliciting participant insight on research findings. Although they are appraised as the gold standard for establishing trustworthiness, limited description and detail exist regarding how to actually conduct member checks. In light of this gap in the literature, this paper introduces a novel set of concrete strategies to increase the utility of member checks as a viable technique for researchers in establishing trustworthiness. These strategies include: (a) understanding the population, (b) conveying the data analysis process, (c) reconstructing data collection memories and being open to change, (d) comparing themes, and (e) incorporating member checks into the data analysis process. I illustrate each step with an example from a research project that solicited member checks from students. This procedure can be used with a number of different populations, and with a variety of qualitative data.
Two Genetic Loci for Resistance to Kasugamycin in Escherichia coli

There are two loci for resistance to the antibiotic kasugamycin (Ksg) in Escherichia coli . Mutations at ksgA resulted in 30 S ribosomal subunit resistance to Ksg. The map location of ksgA was near minute 0.5: ksgA was 95% cotransducible with pdxA , and the apparent gene order was thr... ksgA... pdxA . Studies in stable ksgA/ksgA + merodiploids showed that sensitivity was dominant over resistance. Mutations at a second gene ( ksgB ), located between minutes 25 and 39, resulted in phenotypic Ksg R indistinguishable from ksgA mutations, but ribosomes from ksgB strains were sensitive to the drug in vitro. Spontaneous and induced mutations to Ksg R were usually of the ksgA (ribosomal) type.
Topology optimization of structures under variable loading using a damage superposition approach

We present an original algorithm and accompanying mathematical formulation for topology optimization of structures that can sustain material damage and are subject to multiple load cases with varying configurations. Damage accumulation is simulated using a coupled, non-linear brittle damage model. The structures are optimized for minimum mass subject to stiffness constraints defined as the compliance evaluated at the end of each loading sequence. To achieve robustness of the optimized structures, the respective damage fields caused by each individual load case are computed and combined using superposition to simulate a worst-case damage field. All load cases are then run a second time using the worst-case damage distribution as a starting point. In this way, one effectively accounts for the spectrum of possible load sequences to which the structure may be subjected. Results from this method are compared with an exhaustive, brute-force approach in which all non-repeating load sequences are analyzed individually. For each method, the corresponding sensitivities are derived and implemented analytically using a path-dependent adjoint method. The two approaches are implemented on a series of numerical examples, which demonstrate that the superposition method produces structures that are as robust as those obtained using the exhaustive method but require significantly less computational effort. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Star clusters in M 33. IV. A new survey from deep HST images

We have detected 102 star clusters in M 33, from 35 deep Hubble Space Telescope (HST) WFPC2 elds taken from our program and from the HST archive. Twenty-eight elds have V and I band imaging, and an additional seven elds are imaged in a single V lter. Eighty-two of the clusters were previously unknown. Integrated photometry reveals that 25 clusters have (V I) colors typical of those found in Galactic globular clusters (only ten of these objects were previously known). Our discovery of 15 new globular cluster candidates increases previous estimates of the old cluster population in M 33 by60%. An additional eleven objects (only two were previously known) have colors expected for intermediate age clusters. The new clusters have a range of ages from 6 million years to >15 Gyrs, and masses between 10 2 M 10 6 M, although these parameters are estimated from only one color. The number of new clusters detected more than doubles our previous sample (Papers I and II), and extends coverage to older objects and new o{spiral arm locations in M 33. The luminosity function for old M 33 clusters shows a peak at MV 7:0, nearly half a magnitude fainter than found in the Galactic and M 31 globular cluster populations. The luminosity function for intermediate age objects shows no turnover down to MV 6:6. We estimate the total number of globular clusters in M 33 to be 75 14. This gives a specic frequency, SN ,o f 2:07 0:39 { signicantly higher than found for other late-type spiral galaxies, but in the range found for ellipticals. ?
Evidence of defect-promoted reactivity for epoxidation of propylene in titanosilicate (TS-1) catalysts: a DFT study.

Our density functional theory study of hydroperoxy (OOH) intermediates on various model titanosilicalite (TS-1) Ti centers explores how microstructural aspects of Ti sites effect propylene epoxidation reactivity and shows that Ti sites located adjacent to Si vacancies in the TS-1 lattice are more reactive than fully coordinated Ti sites, which we find do not react at all. We show that propylene epoxidation near a Si-vacancy occurs through a sequential pathway where H2O2 first forms a hydroperoxy intermediate Ti−OOH (15.4 kcal/mol activation energy) and then reacts with propylene by proximal oxygen abstraction (9.3 kcal/mol activation energy). The abstraction step is greatly facilitated through a simultaneous hydride transfer involving neighboring terminal silanol groups arising from the Si vacancy. The transition state for this step exhibits 6-fold oxygen coordination on Ti, and we conclude that the less constrained environment of Ti adjacent to a vacancy accounts for greater transition state stability by...
Phonon partial densities of states and entropies of Fe and Cr in bcc Fe-Cr from inelastic neutron scattering

Inelastic neutron-scattering spectra were measured on disordered solid solutions of body-centered cubic Fe-Cr alloys of different compositions. These data were reduced from time-of-flight histograms to energy spectra that resemble the phonon density of states (DOS) but were distorted by differences in efficiencies of the atom species for phonon scattering. Cluster expansion formalisms were developed to both correct this neutron-weighting problem and isolate phonon partial DOS curves of Fe and Cr atoms. An asymmetry in the phonon entropy of mixing was identified and attributed to the larger number of low-energy modes associated with like and unlike pairs in the first and second nearest-neighbor shells of Cr atoms compared to Fe atoms. The effect of the phonon entropy on chemical unmixing is found to both lower the critical temperature and shift the critical composition substantially.
A generative probabilistic framework for learning spatial language

The language of space and spatial relations is a rich source of abstract semantic structure. We develop a probabilistic model that learns to understand utterances that describe spatial configurations of objects in a tabletop scene by seeking the meaning that best explains the sentence chosen. The inference problem is simplified by assuming that sentences express symbolic representations of (latent) semantic relations between referents and landmarks in space, and that given these symbolic representations, utterances and physical locations are conditionally independent. As such, the inference problem factors into a symbol-grounding component (linking propositions to physical locations) and a symbol-translation component (linking propositions to parse trees). We evaluate the model by eliciting production and comprehension data from human English speakers and find that our system recovers the referent of spatial utterances at a level of proficiency approaching human performance.
High-Pressure and High-Temperature Powder Diffraction

As the degree of difficulty in synthesizing single crystals at high pressure and temperature increases, powder X-ray diffraction becomes a primary technique for determination of crystal structure, unit cell parameters as a function of pressure and temperature, and phase transformations. The use of intense synchrotron radiation has revolutionized high-pressure and high-temperature research. Increases in X-ray intensity by several orders of magnitude have enabled researchers to study very small samples and collect diffraction data in time scale on the order of a minute. Such advances have opened new possibilities for studying materials under extreme high pressure and temperature conditions and time-dependent kinetic problems. Diamond-anvil cell and large-volume multi-anvil apparatus are the primary high-pressure tools used to simulate pressure-temperature conditions of Earth and planetary interiors and to study material properties and phase transformations at high pressure and temperature. The coupling of these techniques with synchrotron X radiation has made in situ diffraction measurements possible at simultaneous high pressure and temperature. Increasingly fast accumulation of in situ data has dramatically increased our knowledge of material behavior at high pressure and temperature. In this paper, we review high-pressure and high-temperature techniques used at synchrotron facilities. Each technique has its own advantages and disadvantages that determine its own unique capability and applications. The large-volume apparatus, capable of generating high temperatures (>2000°C) at moderate pressures ( 100 GPa) at moderate temperatures (<900°C), has been extensively used for in situ measurements of P-V-T equations of state and non-quenchable phase transitions in metals, oxides, and sulfides. We also review synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction techniques and optical arrangements used for data acquisition at high pressure and temperature. Although the energy-dispersive diffraction technique has been the …
β Strand Peptidomimetics as Potent PDZ Domain Ligands

The search for general strategies for inhibiting protein-protein interactions has been stimulated by recognition of the key role they play in virtually every process of living systems. Multiprotein complex assembly and localization by PDZ domain-containing proteins exemplify processes critical to cell physiology and function that are mediated by beta strand association. Here we describe the development of substituted "@-tides," protease-resistant peptidomimetics incorporating conformationally restricted amino acid surrogates that reproduce the hydrogen-bonding pattern and side-chain functionality of a beta strand. The synthetic flexibility and generality of the substituted @-tide design was demonstrated by the synthesis of a panel of ligands for the alpha1-syntrophin PDZ domain. The rational design of a small molecule of unprecedented affinity for the PDZ domain suggests that these peptidomimetics may provide a general method for inhibiting protein-protein interactions involving extended peptide chains.
Effects of age and dietary restriction on liver endogenous antioxidant defenses in male Lobund-Wistar rats

Dietary restriction (DR) of 30% in caloric intake extends both median and maximum life span by about 30%. DR retards the aging process, but the mechanism of action is not clearly understood. The effects of DR on major endogenous antioxidant defenses were studied in 80 male Lobund-Wistar (L-W) rats at various ages throughout the life span. Two groups of rats were fed ad libitum (AL) or restricted diet (DR) from 6 weeks of age. Adult DR rats received 30% less diet with regard to calories per day when compared to adult AL rats. Eight rats in each diet group were killed at 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30 months of age. The livers were excised and prepared for the determinations of major endogenous antioxidant defense parameters. Hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were decreased at old age in the AL group, however, DR eliminated this decrease. Activities of glutathione reductase (GR) and Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were not affected by age nor by DR. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity decreased from 6 to 12 months of age and catalase activity decreased with aging in the AL group, while DR maintained the enzyme activities at similar levels for all ages. Quinone reductase (QR) activity increased with increasing age in the AL group, and DR further increased the enzyme activity at all ages. The results suggest that 30% DR may contribute to the delaying of the aging process by improving endogenous antioxidant defense capability which decreases by 20 to 30% during aging.
Dissension in the ranks

Historical accounts of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and other women's peace organizations generally emphasize national leaders. These women tended to be educated, white, Protestant, and monied. The local branch histories—the stories of average women from all backgrounds—are only recently emerging. Perhaps the following account of WILPF's New York City branch can make a small contribution to reconstructing a more complete history of the women's peace movement—one that recognizes dissension as well as consensus.
Effects of surface chemistry and groove geometry on wetting characteristics and droplet motion of water condensate on surfaces with rectangular microgrooves

Abstract The study of the wetting characteristics and motion of condensed droplets is important in any multiphase flow applications. The present work focuses on condensate morphology and growth on cooled horizontal substrates featuring microgrooves. Microfabrication techniques are employed to produce chemically homogeneous and heterogeneous substrates with microgrooves 20–40 μm in spacing and 20–180 μm in depth. Strong anisotropic wetting behavior was observed on the chemically heterogeneous sample whereas isotropic wetting appeared on the homogeneous samples. Groove geometry is found to have a profound impact on the drainage behavior of condensed droplets but is less important for deposited droplets. Isolated drop growth in microgrooves was simulated numerically to study various wetting modes. The simulation results show that the critical volume for droplets to change morphology decreases with the increase in the contact angle of surface materials in chemically homogeneous grooves. The critical volume for droplets on the chemical heterogeneous sample is much smaller than those on the homogeneous surfaces.
Rates of flood-plain sedimentation on the central Amazon River

Field measurements of water and sediment discharge and floodplain topography, numerical simulations of hydrology, and Landsat data on sediment concentrations were combined to estimate rates of transport and the fate of water and sediment in a 200 km reach of the central Amazon River. Results from field data collected during the annual flood in July 1986 indicate that sediment was transported to the flood plain at rates ranging from 3 to 5 t ⋅ d -1 ⋅ m -1 , with percentage deposition >80% yielding vertical rates of 0.8 to 1.6 cm/day. Comparable rates were calculated from geographic information system overlays of numerically simulated specific water discharge and Land-sat-derived sediment concentrations. Rates for July 31, 1977, include 4 to 18 t ⋅ d -1 ⋅ m -1 of transport onto the flood plain and an average of 64% deposition at vertical rates from 0.4 to 3.3 cm/d. A 1 m higher flow on August 2, 1989, yielded, on average, higher rates of transport onto the flood plain, 8 to 15 t ⋅ d -1 ⋅ m -1 , but lower percentage (46%)deposition, implying vertical rates between 0.3 and 2.9 cm/d.
Evaluation of conduction mixing lengths for subchannel analysis of finite LMFBR bundles

Abstract An analytical method was developed to determine the theoretical effective conduction mixing length for subchannels in a hexagonal rod bundle. Calculational results showed that the effective mixing length is a strong function of the subchannel geometry and is not equal to the normally assumed centroid-to-centroid distance. A parametric study of COBRA-IIIC also indicated that significant errors can be generated in the temperature distribution if incorrect mixing lengths are used in subchannel calculations.
Who's Listening to Victims? Nurses' Listening Styles and Domestic Violence Screening.

The current study applies the Listening Styles Profile (LSP16) to nurses and nursing students. Compared to a control group (n = 102), nurses (n = 188) and nursing students (n = 206) show marked differences in listening styles. The majority of participants were people-oriented listeners. People-oriented nurses tend to be more knowledgeable about domestic abuse, as well as hospital policies and procedures. They are also the most confident about their ability to identify and assist victims of domestic abuse. Content-oriented listening is also conducive to effective screening, but time-oriented and action-oriented listening may be detrimental to patients. Implications for nursing education and effective screening are discussed.
Momentum Distribution of Electrons in Chromium, Iron, and Nickel

The Compton profiles of the electron momentum distribution in chromium, iron, and nickel are calculated using the wave functions obtained from self-consistent linear-combination-of-atomic-orbitals energy-band calculations. The results are compared with experiment.
Bethe's bremsstrahlung spectrum revisited

Abstract We derive an expression for the Born approximation cross section for bremsstrahlung integrated over final particle directions without making any high energy approximations. Using the momentum distribution which is the integrand of this “exact” cross section, we derive a high energy approximation for the momentum distribution that is uniformly valid in the region which contributes significantly to the cross section, viz., δ ⩽ q ≲ O ( m ), i.e. the errors in this high energy distribution are of order ( m 2 ϵ 2 ) ln ( ϵ m ) for all momentum transfers, q , in this region. (Here, ϵ refers to either the initial or final electron energy, ϵ 1 or ϵ 2 , m is the electron mass, and δ is the minimum kinematically allowed momentum transfer.) We make no assumptions with regard to the photon energy, k , which can take on any kinematically allowed value. Using our high energy momentum distribution, we analyze the errors in Bethe's bremsstrahlung spectrum, which we find to be less than indicated by his analysis. Our high energy expression for the integrated cross section, derived solely by neglecting terms of relative orders ( m 2 ϵ 2 ) ln 2 ( ϵ m ) and ( β 2 m 2 ) ln ( m 2 β 2 ) , differs from that given by Bethe by only a single term of O( δ m ) , which does not affect the integral over momentum transfer. Thus, Bethe's spectrum is valid as well in the limit k → 0. Our expression for the bremsstrahlung spectrum has much smaller errors and is valid over a large range of photon energies. Thus, for example, even for initial electron energies as low as 50 MeV, the error is always less than 1% for 0⩽ k ϵ 1 ⩽ 0.9; for higher initial electron energies, the errors are even smaller.
Murderers and martyrs: Violence, discourse, and the (re)construction of meaning

In recent years, the question of violence has drawn attention from religious studies scholars and public commentators alike. From schoolchildren with guns to terrorists with bombs, the perpetrators of violent acts have forced communities, nations, and even scholars to grapple with the nature and meaning of violence. But although significant attention has been paid to religious groups that foster violence and to those that resist it, the ways in which violence challenges structures of meaning have been addressed primarily by theologians seeking to grapple with overwhelming episodes of violence. This article suggests that certain violent acts can be classed as ‘symbolically disruptive violence'—acts that threaten or shatter a group's symbolic world. Although this analytical concept has broad applicability, the article explores its relevance for one in‐depth case study: reactions to the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming.
Depth Generated Simple Lie Algebras

A Lie module algebra for a Lie algebra L is an algebra and L-module A such that L acts on A by derivations. The depth Lie algebra Open image in new window of a Lie algebra L with Lie module algebra A acts on a corresponding depth Lie module algebra Open image in new window. This determines a depth functor Open image in new window from the category of Lie module algebra pairs to itself. Remarkably, this functor preserves central simplicity. It follows that the Lie algebras Open image in new window corresponding to faithful central simple Lie module algebra pairs (A,L) with A commutative are simple. Upon iteration at such (A,L), the Lie algebras Open image in new window are simple for all i ∈ ω. In particular, the Open image in new window (i ∈ ω) corresponding to central simple Jordan Lie algops (A,L) are simple Lie algebras.
Nickel Complexes Containing New Carbon−Phosphorus Unsaturated Ligands: First Examples of Phosphavinylidene−Phosphorane [R3PCPR‘] and Phosphavinyl Phosphonium [C(H)(PR3)P(R‘)]+ Ligands

Oxidative-addition reactions of Cl2CPN(SiMe3)2 with 1:2 Ni(COD)2/PPh3, Ni(PPh3)4, or (Ph3P)2Ni(C2H4) initially yields the phosphavinyl phosphonium complex Cl(Ph3P)Ni[η2-C(Cl)(PPh3)PN(SiMe3)2] (IIa). Addition of another equivalent of Ni(0) reagent to IIa results in the formation of the novel, dinuclear, phosphavinylidene−phosphorane complex Ni2Cl2(PPh3)2[μ2-η2:η2-C(PPh3)PN(SiMe3)2] (IIIa); the structure of IIIa was established by X-ray diffraction and contains a Ph3PCPR‘ ligand bridged between two four-coordinate, planar nickel atoms in a butterfly arrangement with a Ni−Ni distance that is too long for a significant bonding interaction. The Ph3PCPR‘ ligand, which may be viewed as a phosphavinylidene (CPR) ligand with a phosphine-donor substituent, acts as a six-electron donor to the two nickel atoms. This contrasts with the known diphosphaallene compounds of the types R3PCPR3 and RPCPR that act as two-electron donor ligands. When the reaction of the Ni(0) reagent is performed with Cl2CPMes* (Mes* = 2,4,6-t...
A numerical analysis of submicrometer InP-transferred electron devices

A numerical technique combining the Boltzmann transport equation and a cathode mobility model has been used to simulate the nonuniform field configurations and the static and dynamic transport behavior of submicrometer InP-transferred electron devices (TEDs). Significant interrelated controlling features for the 70-230-GHz operation of these devices have been analyzed. They determine the manifestation of the current instabilities in the following ways: (1) the length has a significant effect on the velocity-field characteristics for submicrometer TEDs, and thus on the oscillation threshold as well as the upper-frequency limit for transit-time oscillations; and (2) the cathode mobility (boundary condition), doping density, and bias acting together have a dominant effect on the threshold and cutoff of the current instability. The numerical results can be used to determine the optimum efficiency and frequency of actual devices. >
Effects of nonsphericity on mineral dust modeling

The dependency of non-sphericity on gravitational settling of mineral dust particles is parameterized for prolate ellipsoids and Reynolds number lower than 2. The settling speed is numerically solved from the momentum equation as a function of particle diameter and aspect ratio. The reduction of settling speed due to non-sphericity is included in the GO-CART model to simulate dust size distribution for April 2001. Two numerical schemes for solving sedimentation are compared. For particles of diameter greater than 5 micron the simulated size distribution is sensitive to the numerical sedimentation scheme. Changing the particle shape from spherical to non-spherical with lambda=2, makes little difference to the simulated surface concentration and size distribution except at the periphery of the dust sources. However, when very elongated particles (lambda=5) are simulated the differences between non-spherical and spherical particles are significant. With limited in-situ measurements reporting most frequent lambda around 1.5, the overall effects on global modeling is rather negligible and the essential benefit is to relax the CFL condition of Eulerian settling schemes.
The pathogenesis of greed: causes and consequences

The passion for selfish gratification in the amassing of wealth, and the worship of money through fraudulent and deceptive tactics, have become an increasingly visible and widely destructive phenomenon in society. This essay explores the nature, etiology, and impact of runaway greed on mental and physical health, and on the society and the environment. It examines the historical and metaphorical meanings of greed and its identification with social, cultural, religious, and economic determinants. The psychoanalytic explanation of acquisitive behavior is described along with approaches to treatment. The purpose of this analysis is to stimulate interest in the study of acquisitiveness and to raise awareness of its insidious consequences on the self and on society. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Romance of Reunion: Northerners and the South, 1865-1900

The reconciliation of North and South following the Civil War depended as much on cultural imagination as on the politics of Reconstruction. Drawing on a wide range of sources, Nina Silber documents the transformation from hostile sectionalism to sentimental reunion rhetoric. Northern culture created a notion of reconciliation that romanticized and feminized southern society. In tourist accounts, novels, minstrel shows, and popular magazines, northerners contributed to a mythic and nostalgic picture of the South that served to counter their anxieties regarding the breakdown of class and gender roles in Gilded Age America. Indeed, for many Yankees, the ultimate symbol of the reunion process, and one that served to reinforce Victorian values as well as northern hegemony, was the marriage of a northern man and a southern woman. Southern men also were represented as affirming traditional gender roles. As northern men wrestled with their nation's increasingly global and aggressive foreign policy, the military virtues extolled in Confederate legend became more admired than reviled. By the 1890s, concludes Silber, northern whites had accepted not only a newly resplendent image of Dixie but also a sentimentalized view of postwar reunion. |Working with personal papers and diaries and contemporary reports, historian William Marvel interweaves the stories of these two celebrated Civil War battleships, from their construction to their climactic encounter off Cherbourg. Just as importantly, he illuminates the day-to-day experiences of their crews, from cabin boys to officers.
Stokes Methode zur Bestimmung von Pyrit und Markasit

1. Die Methode von STOKES zur Bestimmung von Pyrit und Markasit allein und in Gemischen hangt ab von der Bestimmung des Eisens, das gelost wird, wenn fein gepulvertes und gereinigtes Sulfid mit einer siedenden Standlosung vom Ferrialaun behandelt wird. Der gleiche Pyrit oder Markasit liefert sehr konstante Werte, und die Wirkung eines jeden in Gemischen ist additiv, d. h. es existiert eine lineare Beziehung zwischen dem gelosten Eisen und der Zusammensetzung des Gemisches. Die Summe der Fehler belauft sich gewohnlich auf 1% und erreicht ein Maximum von 2%. Zwei wichtige Fehlerquellen sind vorhanden. Zunachst mus ein ausreichender Uberschus an Sulfid angewendet werden, der vielfach so gros ist (7–15) als die theoretisch erforderliche Menge. Mit einem solchen Uberschus bleiben die Oberflachenprozente im Mittel angenahert dieselben wie die Gewichtsprozente, nach denen die Gemische hergestellt sind. Fur 250 ccm der Standlosung ist l g ausreichend. Als zweite Fehlerquelle tritt die charakteristische Neigung des Markasits zur Flockenbildung (Zusammenballen) auf, wobei die reagierende Oberflache sich verkleinert. Diese Schwierigkeit kann vermieden werden, indem man das Reaktionsgemisch mit reinem Quarz und Glasperlen schuttelt, bis die Stucke des Pulvers durchaus zerteilt sind. Verschiedene Proben von Pyrit und Markasit geben bei der STOKES-Reaktion Werte, die etwas voneinander abweichen. Die Unterschiede sind in einigen Fallen, wenn nicht in allen, auf die Gegenwart von Verunreinigungen zuruckzufuhren. Es ist ein ungunstiger Umstand, das kleine Mengen Verunreinigungen, die Ferrieisen reduzieren, oder an die Losung Eisen abgeben, einen ernsthaften Einflus ausuben. Demnach ist es nicht immer moglich, zwischen einem naturlichen Pyrit und einem solchen mit mehreren Prozent Markasit allein nach der Methode von STOKES zu entscheiden, oder die Prozentgehalte eines jeden in einem naturlichen Gemisch zu bestimmen. Bei der Untersuchung uber die Bildungsbedingungen vom Pyrit und Markasit ist dies Verfahren sehr nutzlich gewesen.
Cover Crop Manipulation in Northern California Orchards and Vineyards: Effects on Arthropod Communities

ABSTRACT Manipulation of ground cover vegetation in apple orchards and vineyards had a substantial impact on the abundance of soil dwelling and foliage inhabiting arthropods. Systems with cover crops were generally characterized by lower densities of phytophagous insects, less fruit damage caused by insects on the trees, larger populations and more species of natural enemies and increased predation of artificial prey. Cover crops that remained in full bloom throughout the season, that produced more biomass and supported higher numbers of alternate prey, seemed to harbor the largest complex of predators and parasites. Apparently, cover crop manipulation can directly affect colonization of insect pests which discriminate among trees with and without cover beneath, and can also help retain populations of soil and foliage inhabiting natural enemies through the provision of alternate food and habitat. The design of proper cover crop-orchard mixtures can result in enhanced biological control of specific pests i...
Hawaii Kuiper Belt Variability Project: An Update

We have been systematically monitoring a large sample of bright Kuiper Belt objects for possible light variations due to rotational and phase angle effects. Here we report on three objects, 2003 AZ84, (24835) 1995 SM55 and (55636) 2002 TX300 observed to have measurable rotational lightcurves with peak-to-peak amplitudes of 0.14 ± 0.03, 0.19 ± 0.05 and 0.08 ± 0.02 magnitudes and single-peaked periods of 6.71 ± 0.05, 4.04 ± 0.03 and 8.12 ± 0.08 hours, respectively. We observed a further ten objects which showed no rotational photometric variation within measurement uncertainties. In addition, we find that the lightcurve of 1995 SM55 may have a variable amplitude. We discuss this peculiar object as well as our observations of the reportedly variable Kuiper Belt object (19308) 1996 TO66. Finally, we continue to find the phase functions of the Kuiper Belt objects to be very steep and linear, to first order, with a median slope of 0.16 ± 0.01 magnitudes per degree in the phase angle range 0 to 2 degrees.
Development of a Measure of Knowledge and Attitudes About Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children (OSAKA-KIDS)

Background Primary care physicians play an important role in screening for childhood obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) that, if untreated, can result in serious complications. Objective To describe the development of the Obstructive Sleep Apnea Knowledge and Attitudes in Children (OSAKA-KIDS) questionnaire for use in measuring physicians’ knowledge and attitudes about childhood OSAS and its treatment. Design Cross-sectional survey to pilot administration of the 23-item OSAKA-KIDS questionnaire, mailed to 1195 community- and academic-based physicians in Louisville, Ky; Philadelphia, Pa; and St Louis, Mo. Main Outcome Measures Analysis of variance measured differences in knowledge and attitudes between academic- and community-based physicians and between pediatricians and family practitioners. Using stepwise multiple linear regression, we analyzed the associations between various predictors (including specialty, practice setting, and years since medical school graduation) and each item of knowledge and attitudes. All tests were 2-tailed. Results Questionnaires for 497 respondents (44% female; mean [SD] age, 45.7 [10.5] years; and mean [SD] number of years since medical school graduation, 18.7 [11.0] years) were analyzed. The mean (SD) knowledge score (percentage of 18 possible) was 69.6% (14.6%). In regression analyses, more knowledge was associated with more positive attitudes overall and more recent graduation from medical school; having a more positive attitude was associated with having completed a pediatrics residency and more knowledge about OSAS. Conclusions Deficits in basic knowledge about childhood OSAS were observed regardless of physician practice setting and specialty training. More education focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of childhood OSAS and identifying children at risk for OSAS is recommended.
Molecular epidemiology in the public health and hospital environments.

The increasing speed and ease of genomic sequencing coupled with available funding to sequence multiple, unrelated strains of the same species inevitably will lead to the identification of candidate genes that can be usedas molecular typing tools (multilocus sequence typing, single-locus sequence typing, microarray approach). However, it is important to note that even the most sophisticated typing tool should never replace a full epidemiologic investigation in which all available information is taken into account. Nevertheless, the typing methods discussed in this article and those yet to be developed have significantly improved the quality of health care worldwide.
Calibrated optical fiber power meters: Errors due to variations in connectors

Abstract We discuss potential errors in the measurement of optical fiber power when using a calibrated power meter with connectors of various types and from different vendors. Data are given on the error and standard deviation due to biconic connectors from a limited number of vendors. We speculate that the error is due to reflecting surfaces on the connector end. To confirm the hypothesis, we tested two connectors whose reflective ends have noticeable differences. The data illustrate the variability seen among connectors. Our data indicate that a user should expect measurement error in most cases. We issue a call for caution based on the results.
Totalitarian and Authoritarian Dictators: A Comparison of Fidel Castro and Alfredo Stroessner

Personal dictators remain a key feature of contemporary regimes termed ‘authoritarian’ or ‘totalitarian’, particularly in their early consolidating phases. But there is still disagreement over the seemingly ideological, polemical and indiscriminate use of the term totalitarian dictatorship as an analytic concept and tool to guide foreign policy formulation. Jeane Kirkpatrick elevated the taxonomy to a vociferous level of debate with a 1979 Commentary article. Entitled ‘Dictatorships and Double Standards’, the work raised anew semantic hairsplitting concerning the qualitative differences between all previous tyrannies and those bearing organisational similarities with the Nazi, Fascist or Stalinist prototypes.
Evaluation of Google hacking

Google Hacking uses the Google search engine to locate sensitive information or to find vulnerabilities that may be exploited. This paper evaluates how much effort it takes to get Google Hacking to work and how serious the threat of Google Hacking is. The paper discusses the countermeasures that can be used against Google Hacking.
Measuring acute changes in adrenergic nerve activity of the heart in the living animal

Changes in the function of the adrenergic neurons of the heart may be important indicators of the adaptations of an animal to physiologic stress and disease. Rates of loss of norepinephrine (NE) from the heart were considered to be proportional to NE secretion and to adrenergic function. In rat hearts, yohimbine induced almost identical increases in rates of loss of 3H-NE and of 125I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG), a functional analog of NE. Clonidine induced decreases in rates of loss of 3H-NE that were also mimicked by those of 125I-MIBG. In the dog heart, pharmacologically-induced increases and decreases in rates of loss of 123I-MIBG could be measured externally; these values were similar to those obtained for 125I-MIBG in the rat heart. Thus acute changes in the adrenergic neuron activity can be measured in the living heart. The method is applicable to man in determining the capacity of the adrenergic system to respond to provocative challenges.
Thin-window germanium detectors: Fallacy and fact

Abstract Results demonstrating the successful use of a gold surface-barrier as a thin-window p + termination of the intrinsic region of a lithium-drifted germanium detector are reviewed; these results are a rebutal to statements recently made by Dearnaley et al. in this journal.
16 O enrichments in aluminum-rich chondrules from ordinary chondrites

The oxygen isotopic compositions of seven Al-rich chondrules from four unequilibrated ordinary chondrites were measured in situ using an ion microprobe. On an oxygen three isotope plot, the data are continuous with the ordinary chondrite ferromagnesian chondrule field but extend it to more 16O-enriched values along a mixing line of slope=0.83±0.09, with the lightest value recorded at δ18O=−15.7±1.8‰ and δ17O=−13.5±2.6‰. If Al-rich chondrules were mixtures of ferromagnesian chondrules and CAI material, their bulk chemical compositions would require them to exhibit larger 16O enrichments than we observe. Therefore, Al-rich chondrules are not simple mixtures of these two components. Three chondrules exhibit significant internal isotopic heterogeneity indicative of partial exchange with a gaseous reservoir. Porphyritic Al-rich chondrules are consistently 16O-rich relative to nonporphyritic ones, suggesting that degree of melting is a key factor and pointing to a nebular setting for the isotopic exchange process. Because Al-rich chondrules are closely related to ferromagnesian chondrules, their radiogenic Mg isotopic abundances can plausibly be applied to help constrain the timing or location of chondrule formation.
Impact delivery and erosion of planetary oceans in the early inner solar system

The terrestrial planets may have acquired oceans of water (and other surface volatiles) as a late-accreting veneer from impacts of comets and carbonaceous asteroids during the period of heavy bombardment 4.5 to 3.5 Gyr ago. On any given body, the efficiency of this mechanism depended on a competition between impact delivery of new volatiles and impact erosion of those already present. For the larger worlds of the inner Solar System, this competition strongly favored the net accumulation of planetary oceans.