cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The inhibition of neuronal calcium ion channels by trace levels of yttrium released from carbon nanotubes.

Abstract Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are used with increasing frequency in neuroengineering applications. CNT scaffolds are used to transmit electrical stimulation to cultured neurons and to control outgrowth and branching patterns of neurites. CNTs have been reported to disrupt normal neuronal function including alterations in endocytotic capability and inhibition of ion channels. Calcium ion channels regulate numerous neuronal and cellular functions including endo and exocytosis, neurite outgrowth, and gene expression. Strong CNT interactions with neuronal calcium ion channels would have profound biological implications. Here we show that physiological solutions containing CNTs inhibit neuronal voltage-gated calcium ion channels in a dose-dependent and CNT sample-dependent manner with IC50 as low as 1.2 μg/ml. Importantly, we demonstrate that the inhibitory activity does not involve tubular graphene as previously reported, but rather very low concentrations of soluble yttrium released from the nanotube growth catalyst. Cationic yttrium potently inhibits calcium ion channel function with an inhibitory efficacy, IC50, of 0.07 ppm w/w. Because of this potency, unpurified and even some reportedly “purified” CNT samples contain sufficient bioavailable yttrium to inhibit channel function. Our results have important implications for emerging nano-neurotechnology and highlight the critical role that trace components can play in the biological response to complex nanomaterials.
Influence of Heart Failure Etiology on the Prognostic Value of Peak Oxygen Consumption and Minute Ventilation/Carbon Dioxide Production Slope

Background: Peak oxygen consumption (VO2) and minute ventilation (VE)/carbon dioxide produc- tion (VCO2) slope have been widely demonstrated to have strong prognostic value in patients with heart failure (HF). In the present study, we investigated the effect of HF etiology on the prognostic applications of peak VO2 and VE/VCO2 slope. Methods: Two hundred sixty-eight subjects underwent symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exer- cise testing (CPX). The population was divided into ischemic (115 men and 22 women) and nonischemic (108 men and 23 women) subgroups. The occurrence of cardiac-related events over the year following CPX was compared between groups using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis Results: Mean age SD was significantly higher (61.0 10.0 years vs 50.3 16.2 years) while mean peak VO2 was significantly lower (15.0 5.2 mL/kg/min vs 17.5 6.7 mL/kg/min) in the ischemic HF group (p < 0.05). ROC curve analysis demonstrated that both peak VO2 and VE/VCO2 slope were significant predictors of cardiac events in both the ischemic group (peak VO2, 0.74; VE/VCO2 slope, 0.76; p < 0.001) and the nonischemic group (peak VO2, 0.75; VE/VCO2 slope, 0.86; p < 0.001). Optimal prognostic threshold values for peak VO2 were 14.1 mL/kg/min and 14.6 mL/kg/min in the ischemic and nonischemic groups, respectively. Optimal prognostic threshold values for the VE/VCO2 slope were 34.2 and 34.5 in the ischemic and nonischemic groups, respectively. Conclusions: Baseline and exercise characteristics were different between ischemic and nonischemic patients with HF. However, the prognostic power of the major CPX variables was strikingly similar. Different prognostic classification schemes based on HF etiology may therefore not be necessary when analyzing CPX responses in clinical practice. (CHEST 2005; 128:2812-2817)
Occurrence of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Ka'u district of the Island of Hawaii

Abstract The occurrence of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus in the district of Ka'u, near the southern most point on the Island of Hawaii was investigated using ovitraps from 4 June 2002 through 26 April 2003. A total of 10,467 eggs were obtained from the ovitraps. From these eggs, 5207 adult Aedes mosquitoes were recovered. Of these adults, 3826 (73%) were Ae. albopictus and 1381 (27%) were Ae. aegypti. A peak number of eggs were collected in March for Ae. albopictus and in April for Ae. aegypti. No correlation was found between the amount of rainfall and number of mosquito eggs. A comparison between Ohia leaf infusion water and tap water resulted in twice as many eggs occurring in the former than the latter. However, the percentage of eggs reared to the adult stage was similar (ca. 50%) for both types of water. Adults reared from Ohia leaf infusion were 62.0% Ae. albopictus and 38.0% Ae. aegypti; similarly, adults reared from tap water were 60.4% Ae. albopictus and 39.6% Ae. aegypti.
Enhancement of cyclotron mass in semiconductor quantum wells.

The spin-resolved cyclotron resonance of a two-dimensional electron gas in an InAs quantum well sandwiched by AlSb barriers has been investigated to determine the energy dependence of the effective mass. We observe variations of the cyclotron mass correlated with the filling factor due to the linear dependence of the effective mass and Land\'e g factor on the electron energy. The experimental results are analyzed by the envelope-function approximation under a four-band k\ensuremath{\cdot}p model which leads to a renormalized effective mass in the well. Excellent agreement with experiment is achieved and we are able to conclude that the effective mass is enhanced as a result of the penetration of electron wave functions into the barrier.
Effect of concentration on sequestration and bioavailability of two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

A study was conducted to determine the effect of concentration on sequestration and bioavailability of phenanthrene and pyrene in soil. The compounds at 1.0, 10, and 100 mg/kg of soil became increasingly resistant to a mild solvent extraction and progressively less bioavailable to earthworms (Eisenia foetida) as a result of aging for 120 days. Aging also resulted in both compounds at 1.0 and 10 mg/kg and phenanthrene but not pyrene at 100 mg/kg becoming more resistant to microbial degradation. Increasing the concentration led to an increase in the percentages of the unaged and aged compounds that were susceptible to microbial degradation. Some of each of the two compounds was still available to earthworms following biodegradation. The data show that sequestration of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons occurs at both low and high concentrations.
Controversies in the Management of Malignant Thymoma

The management of most thymomas is relatively straightforward: surgical resection remains the primary mode of therapy. However, the literature contains many contradictory points of view regarding histology and pathology, staging and its usefulness, the need for adjuvant therapy, and recently, the place of video-assisted surgery in the treatment of this tumor. This article is not a comprehensive guide to management but rather explores several of these controversial areas. Conclusions include the following: invasiveness remains the single most consistent factor in predicting outcome; surgery is the treatment of choice for thymoma whenever a complete resection can be accomplished; and incomplete resection may have some advantage over biopsy alone. The preponderance of evidence indicates that all thymomas except completely encapsulated stage I tumors should be treated with postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy in the hope of reducing the incidence of local relapse. Myasthenia can no longer be considered an adverse prognostic factor in thymoma; it may even confer a survival advantage, but this may be due to the preponderance of early-stage tumors discovered incidentally in myasthenic patients. Other associated autoimmune diseases confer a survival disadvantage. Demonstrating the equivalence of minimally invasive thoracoscopic approaches to standard thymectomy will take many years of investigation. Some promising reports on response to chemotherapy have led to the development of a phase II intergroup study to assess the value of chemotherapy in advanced thymoma.
Bilateral acoustic neurinomas

A 20-year-old girl with family history of neurofibromatosis presented with complaints of decreased hearing in both ears, change in voice, headaches and progressive ataxia for the past 1 year. On admission, she was alert, active but dysarthric. There was bilateral horizontal gaze evoked nystagmus. Fundus examination revealed bilateral papilledema. The right corneal reflex was depressed and the sensations over the right side of face were marginally decreased. There was right facial paresis, bilateral sensorineural deafness and severe truncal ataxia. There were marked bilateral cerebellar signs. MR imaging showed large bilateral acoustic neurinomas severely compressing the brainstem [Figures 1 and 2]. It was difficult even to identify the brainstem in certain sequential images. A radical resection of both acoustic neurinomas was performed through bilateral retromastoid craniectomies in two stages at an interval of 3 months. On both sides, a thin sheath of tumor was left behind adjacent to the facial nerves in an attempt to save their function. The patient developed right facial palsy following the first surgery and needed tarsorrhaphy. However, her ataxia improved remarkably. Post-operative MR imaging showed considerable reformation of the brainstem [Figure 3].
Use of the bulbocavernosus reflex system in assessing voiding dysfunction

The Bulbocavernosus Reflex System (BRS) (Laborie, Canada) is an office-based procedure used to measure the bulbocavernosus reflex (BCR) latency period. The aim of this study is to evaluate the BCR as a predictor of specific voiding dysfunction patterns confirmed by urodynamics (UDS). A total of 87 men were evaluated with BRS, UDS, and electromyography at Weill Cornell Medical College from March to August 2010. Baseline characteristics, demographics, UDS, and latency parameters were recorded. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate prolonged BCR (latency >45 ms) as a predictor of specific voiding dysfunction patterns. The median age of men was 70.4 years (IQR 57.6–75.6). Based on UDS, 60 men were given a primary or secondary diagnosis of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO), 43 a diagnosis of detrusor overactivity (DO), 11 a diagnosis of intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD), and 4 a diagnosis of detrusor sphincter dyssynergia (DSD). Median BCR latency was 57.0 ms (IQR 47.5–76.5) and 68 (78 %) men demonstrated a prolonged latency. In multivariate analysis, latency period was not significantly associated with DO, BOO, ISD, or DSD (p = 0.067, 0.696, 0.999, 0.971, respectively). Prolonged bulbocavernosus reflex latency was not associated with DO, BOO, ISD, or DSD. Although evidence in the literature suggests a link between this reflex arc and voiding, its specific diagnostic role remains unclear. Large prospective trials are needed to further explore the role of BCR in the evaluation of patients with voiding dysfunction.
A design for studying the DSM-IV research criteria of premenstrual dysphoric disorder

The DSM-IV estimate that 3-5% of women have premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is based on studies that: used non-representative samples, did not consider all research criteria, or were retrospective. In the present study, prospective data from a multiethnic sample of women were analyzed to develop an effective method of considering all DSM-IV research criteria for PMDD. One-hundred and seventeen subjects between the ages of 13 and 55 years who were neither pregnant nor menopausal were recruited from outpatient clinics at a teaching hospital for a study of changes in women's health through time. Daily urine samples were taken for two menstrual cycles, analyzed to establish phase of cycle, and correlated with daily symptom ratings. Subjects were assessed for psychiatric disorders. Four methods of symptom analysis were used. Prevalence rates ranging from 1.0% to 7.1% were determined that differed according to the method of measuring the symptom change. The group of women with PMDD did not differ from the sample as a whole on variables including age, parity and birth control pill use. When all criteria were considered as they appear in DSM-IV, prevalence estimates of the present study did not differ markedly from those in DSM-IV.
Future therapeutic targets in osteoporosis.

Purpose of reviewTo describe new agents for the treatment of osteoporosis, discuss a conceptual framework of agents that are antiresorptive or anabolic, and review pathways that affect bone turnover and steps in those pathways that are targets for new therapeutic agents.Recent findingsNovel antireso
The glutathione thiol-disulfide status in the sea urchin egg during fertilization and the first cell division cycle

The intracellular levels of GSH, GSSG, and protein-glutathione disulfide (protein-SSG) have been measured in the eggs and developing embryos of the sea urchins Lytechinus pictus and Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Total cellular glutathione is maintained in a very highly reduced state during these initial stages of development. Thus for unfertilized eggs of L. pictus the results (μmol/g dry weight) were 11 ± 1 for GSH, 0.02 ± 0.01 for GSSG, and 0.07 ± 0.02 for protein-SSG. No significant change in these values was observed upon fertilization of the eggs or during the first cell division cycle. The values obtained with S. purpuratus were somewhat greater, but were also found to exhibit no significant variations upon fertilization or cell division. These observations indicates that changes in the total cellular glutathione thiol-disulfide status are not involved in the control mechanisms which operate during fertilization or the first cell division cycle in the sea urchin egg.
Cyclic carbon dioxide release in the dampwood termite, Zootermopsis nevadensis (Hagen).

Real-time traces of CO2 release of pseudergates of the dampwood termite, Zootermopsis nevadensis (Hagen) were obtained using flow-through respirometry. Traces were made at each of six temperatures, between 10 and 35°C. Termites released CO2 in a cyclic pattern at each of the six temperatures. CO2 release rate (as in ml h−1) increased significantly with temperature and body mass. Rate of change in with temperature (or Q10) was 2.11. Degree of cycling in CO2 traces was estimable using the coefficient of variability. Coefficient of variability for both acyclic and cyclic traces declined exponentially with increasing temperature.
Oxygen transfer processes in (La,Sr)MnO3/Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 cathodes: an impedance spectroscopy study

Impedance spectroscopy was used to study the oxygen reaction kinetics of La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 (LSM)-based electrodes on Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) electrolytes. Three types of electrodes were studied: pure LSM, LSM–YSZ composites, and LSM/LSM–YSZ bilayers. The electrodes were formed by spin coating and sintering on single-crystal YSZ substrates. Measurements were taken at temperatures ranging from 550 to 850°C and oxygen partial pressures from 1×10−3 to 1 atm. An arc whose resistance Rel had a high activation energy, Ea=1.61±0.05 eV, and a weak oxygen partial pressure dependence, (PO2)−1/6, was observed for the LSM electrodes. A similar arc was observed for LSM–YSZ electrodes, where Rel∼(PO2)−0.29 and the activation energy was 1.49±0.02 eV. The combination of a high activation energy and a weak PO2 dependence was attributed to oxygen dissociation and adsorption rate-limiting steps for both types of electrodes. LSM–YSZ composite cathodes showed substantially lower overall interfacial resistance values than LSM, but exhibited an additional arc attributed to the resistance of YSZ grain boundaries within the LSM–YSZ. At 850°C and low PO2, an additional arc was observed with size varying as (PO2)−0.80 for LSM and (PO2)−0.57 for LSM–YSZ, suggesting that diffusion had become an additional rate limiting step. Bilayer LSM/LSM–YSZ electrodes yielded results intermediate between LSM and LSM–YSZ. The results showed that most of the improvement in electrode performance was achieved for a LSM–YSZ layer only ≈2 μm thick. However, a decrease in the grain-boundary resistance would produce much better performance in thicker LSM–YSZ electrodes.
Distal circulatory support for thoracic aortic operations: effects on intracranial pressure.

Spinal cord ischemia can result from aortic clamping during thoracic aortic operations. The perfusion gradient for spinal cord perfusion is positively influenced by distal aortic pressure and negatively influenced by intracranial pressure (ICP). Hemodynamic and ICP changes were examined in a swine model of descending thoracic aortic surgery where distal aortic perfusion was achieved under one of three conditions: (1) clamping without support, (2) a passive aortofemoral shunt, or (3) a left atrium—femoral artery bypass system. With aortic clamping alone, ICP increased from 9.8 ± 2.2 mm Hg to 15.2 ± 2.8 mm Hg ( p
389 Locoregional control and disease specific survival after accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy in the treatment of supraglottic carcinoma

Materials and Methods The records of 165 patients undergoing BID radiation for carcinoma of the supraglottis from 1981–1992 were reviewed. Patients received 66 to 72 Gy in 1.6 Gy bid fractions and received a planned 7 to 14 day break. Median follow-up was 56 months. Fiveyear actuarial local control, regional control and disease-specific survival rates are reported. Results For T1, T2, T3, and T4 tumors, local control was: 95%, 86%, 77% and 42%, respectively (P = 0.002), and disease-specific survival was: 79%, 88%, 78%, and 40%, respectively (P = 0.0004). For N0, N1, N2−3 disease, local control was: 86%, 73%, and 54%, respectively (P = 0.005), and disease-specific survival was: 86%, 53%, and 54%, respectively (P = 0.0001). Regional control by T and N stage was non-significant. With surgical salvage, T1, T2, T3, and T4 ultimate local control was: 95%, 92%, 88%, and 51%, respectively (P = 0.001). The laryngeal preservation rate for the entire group was 83% and for T1, T2, T3, and T4 tumors was: 96%, 87%, 78%, and 56%, respectively. Total treatment time greater than 43 days resulted in a decreased local control: 87% versus 70% (P = 0.002), and decreased disease-specific survival: 84% versus 69% (P = 0.01). Conclusions Accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy resulted in excellent locoregional control, disease-specific survival, and laryngeal preservation rates for T1−3 and node negative patients. T stage, N stage and total treatment time were predictors of outcome. T4 tumors or node positive neck disease, even N1, portended a poor prognosis, and therefore these patients should be entered into protocols that include adjuvant therapy.
Structure-activity studies of L-canaline-mediated inhibition of porcine alanine aminotransferase.

l-Canaline [l-2-amino-4-(aminooxy)butanoic acid] (l-CAN) and a family of eleven structurally related analogs were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory effect on PLP-dependent alanine amin...
Troubleshooting thousands of jobs on production grids using data mining techniques

Large scale production computing grids introduce new challenges in debugging and troubleshooting. A user that submits a workload consisting of tens of thousands of jobs to a grid of thousands of processors has a good chance of receiving thousands of error messages as a result. How can one begin to reason about such problems? We propose that data mining techniques can be employed to classify failures according to the properties of the jobs and machines involved. We demonstrate this technique through several case studies on real workloads consisting of tens of thousands of jobs. We apply the same techniques to a yearpsilas worth of data on a 3000 CPU production grid and use it to gain a high level understanding of the system behavior.
Black and White Adults' Expressive Language Performance on Three Tests of Aphasia

Few or no Black adults have been included in normative samples for tests of aphasia, nor have test and item bias with Black adults been evaluated for such popular tests as the Boston Diagnostic Aph...
Father and daughter: Identification with difference—a contribution to gender heterodoxy

This paper reinterprets the historical problem of penis envy, that is, the girl's wish to be masculine, in terms of a developmental need to identify with father. Many of the problems posed by earlier analyses of femininity can be clarified by recognizing that before the girl “turns”; to the oedipal father as love object, she looks to the rapprochement father for identification. Identification is not merely an internal structure, it is a relationship in which the subject recognizes herself or himself in the other. In rapprochement, love of the father, who symbolically represents the outside world, takes the place of the practicing toddler's “love affair with the world.”; This identificatory love of the father, initially noticed in boys by Freud and later authors, is often frustrated by the father's absence or inability to recognize the daughter. This frustrated longing takes the penis as its symbol of likeness. The pre‐oedipal over‐inclusive phase of identification with the other sex parent is not superced...
The impact of data aggregation in wireless sensor networks

Sensor networks are distributed event-based systems that differ from traditional communication networks in several ways: sensor networks have severe energy constraints, redundant low-rate data, and many-to-one flows. Data-centric mechanisms that perform in-network aggregation of data are needed in this setting for energy-efficient information flow. In this paper we model data-centric routing and compare its performance with traditional end-to-end routing schemes. We examine the impact of source-destination placement and communication network density on the energy costs and delay associated with data aggregation. We show that data-centric routing offers significant performance gains across a wide range of operational scenarios. We also examine the complexity of optimal data aggregation, showing that although it is an NP-hard problem in general, there exist useful polynomial-time special cases.
Sir Joseph Barcroft: one victorian physiologist's contributions to a half century of discovery.

Abstract During the first half of the 20th Century, Joseph Barcroft, KBE, FRS of Cambridge University became a world leader in respiratory physiology. He determined the role of neural stimulation in the oxygen consumption of several organs, established many of the factors that regulate the binding of oxygen to haemoglobin, explored the determinants of a human's acclimatization to high altitude and developed the field of fetal cardiovascular physiology. Chair of the Cambridge Department of Physiology from 1925 to 1937, he served as a consultant and member of many UK governmental committees. During World War I, he led a British research unit exploring the effects of poisonous gases on pulmonary function and related problems. In addition to his almost 300 publications, several of his monographs are considered as classics.
A Comparison of the Atmospheric Circulations Simulated by the CCM3 and CSM1

Abstract The atmospheric state simulated by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Climate Model, version 3 (CCM3), is compared to that simulated by the NCAR Climate System Model, version 1 (CSM1). CCM3 is an atmospheric general circulation model that uses specified sea surface temperatures (SSTs) for a lower boundary condition. Observed monthly mean SSTs for 1979–93 were used in the present study. CSM1 is a coupled general circulation model in which the SSTs are determined as part of the simulation and CCM3 serves as the atmospheric component. It is found that the differences between CCM3 and CSM1 are quite small in most measures of the atmospheric circulation, consistent with the accurate and drift-free simulation of the SSTs in the coupled model. There are substantial temperature differences near the surface in the Arctic and over the ocean around Antarctica, resulting from different sea-ice distributions. The tropical precipitation also has significant differences, although neit...
Cellular and Molecular Factors in Flexor Tendon Repair and Adhesions: A Histological and Gene Expression Analysis

Flexor tendon healing is mediated by cell proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix synthesis that contribute to the formation of scar tissue and adhesion. The biological mechanisms of flexor tendon adhesion formation have been linked to transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). To elucidate the cellular and molecular events in this pathology, we implanted live flexor digitorum longus grafts from the reporter mouse Rosa26 LacZ/þ in wild-type recipients, and used histological β-galactosidase (β-gal) staining to evaluate the intrinsic versus extrinsic cellular origins of scar, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to measure gene expression of TGF-β and its receptors, extracellular matrix proteins, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their regulators. Over the course of healing, graft cellularity and β-gal activity progressively increased, and β-gal-positive cells migrated out of the Rosa26 LacZ/þ graft. In addition, there was an evidence of influx of host cells (β-gal-negative) into the gliding space and the graft, suggesting that both graft and host cells contribute to adhesions. Interestingly, we observed a biphasic pattern in which Tgfb1 expression was the highest in the early phases of healing and gradually decreased thereafter, whereas Tgfb3 increased and remained upregulated later. The expression of TGF-β receptors was also upregulated throughout the healing phases. In addition, type III collagen and fibronectin were upregulated during the proliferative phase of healing, confirming that murine flexor tendon heals by scar tissue. Furthermore, gene expression of MMPs showed a differential pattern in which inflammatory MMPs were the highest early and matrix MMPs increased over time. These findings offer important insights into the complex cellular and molecular factors during flexor tendon healing.
Rate of buthionine sulfoximine entry into brain and xenotransplanted human gliomas.

Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) is an inhibitor of glutathione synthesis and can be used to potentiate the effects of chemotherapeutic alkylating agents and radiotherapy. We examined the rates of influx and efflux of [35S]BSO administered to athymic mice with and without xenografted D-54MG human gliomas. Three analytic approaches were applied to the experimental data to obtain values of the blood-to-tissue influx constant, K 1, of BSO. Multiple time point experiments in tumor-bearing mice were analyzed with a two-compartment model and nonlinear fitting routines, and by graphical analysis which assumed no backflux of BSO from tissue to blood. A third approach used single time point data in nontumorbearing mice and assumed no backflux. Calculated values of the K 1 of BSO ranged from 0.23 to 1.35 µl/g/min in tumor-free cortex, and from 5.3 to 6.3 µl/g/min in the D-54MG gliomas. The tissue-to-blood efflux constant, k 2, was zero in both cortex and tumor, suggesting that BSO entered cells and was trapped once it crossed the blood-brain barrier. Estimates of plasma vascular space ( V p) ranged from 2 to 20 µl/g in cortex, and from 103 to 169 µl/g in tumor. Another set of experiments, done in normal mice with different doses of BSO, suggested that BSO competes for neutral amino acid transport sites at the blood-brain barrier, but that the capacity of the carrier-mediated transport system is low and saturates at administered doses of about 0.5 mmol/kg (corresponding to plasma concentrations of about 12 µmol/ml). The rate of entry into brain was proportional to the octanol/water partition coefficient and molecular weight of BSO, which also supports passive diffusion as the means of entry. Consequently, although the rate of BSO entry into D-54MG gliomas was between 4 and 30 times higher than the rate of entry into tumor-free cortex, the results of these experiments suggest that most of the BSO that enters brain tumors in the doses commonly used in experimental situations will cross capillaries by passive diffusion.
Simulation studies of beam quality in high-gradient accelerators

We use particle simulation techniques to model an idealized induction accelerator geometry. We study the effect of high accelerating gradients on the transverse dynamics of the electron beam. Under these conditions, the significant measure of beam quality is emittance. The model includes the gap fields, but neglects the effect of the gap geometry on the self-fields of the electron beam. The results show that high gradient induction gaps can cause non-linear radial perturbations of the beam. If high enough energies are reached, these perturbations do not adversely affect the beam emittance.
Production of Near-Surface Vertical Vorticity by Idealized Downdrafts

AbstractThis study uses an idealized heat sink to examine the possible roles of the wind profile in modulating the production of surface vertical vorticity by a downdraft. The basic vorticity evolution in these idealized simulations is consistent with previous work: the process is primarily baroclinic and produces near-ground vertical vorticity within the outflow. Sensitivity experiments affirm that the only fundamental requirement for downdrafts to produce surface vertical vorticity is the existence of ambient downdraft-relative flow. Vertical vorticity production increases monotonically as the low-level downdraft-relative flow increases from zero up through intermediate values (in these experiments, 10–15 m s−1), followed by a monotonic decrease for greater values. This sensitivity has to do with the degree of cooling acquired by parcels as they pass through the idealized heat sink as well as the degree to which horizontal vorticity vectors subsequently attain an orientation that is normal to isosurface...
Ilija Garasanin: Nacertanije and Nationalism

This paper analyses the national thought and policies of Ilija Garasanin. Garasanin was the first to write a Serbian national programme, Nacertanije , that envisioned an independent Serbian state. His ideas and policies remain highly controversial. While some scholars argue that Garasanin was an inclusive Yugoslavist, others maintain that he was an exclusive Serbian nationalist seeking a Greater Serbia. Both arguments assume that the South Slav nations are pre-modern social phenomena. In contrast, this paper suggests that a modernist perspective of nations and nationalism provides a far more coherent and nuanced interpretation of Garasanin. Garasanin was a Serbian, not a Yugoslav, nationalist. But his nationalism was inclusive not exclusive. Inclusion was a precondition for social stability of the large state he wanted to forge. Garasanin was also illiberal. Establishing a state in a predatory inter-state environment required suppressing individual liberties. Insecurity caused by a Hobbesian world political system structured the content of Garasanin's nationalism.
Consumer‐resource theory predicts dynamic transitions between outcomes of interspecific interactions

Interactions between two populations are often defined by their interaction outcomes; that is, the positive, neutral, or negative effects of species on one another. Yet, signs of outcomes are not absolute, but vary with the biotic and abiotic contexts of interactions. Here, we develop a general theory for transitions between outcomes based on consumer‐resource (C‐R) interactions in which one or both species exploit the other as a resource. Simple models of C‐R interactions revealed multiple equilibria, including one for species coexistence and others for extinction of one or both species, indicating that species densities alone could determine the fate of interactions. All possible outcomes [(+ +), (+ )), ( )) ), (+ 0), () 0), (0 0)] of species coexistence emerged merely through changes in parameter values of C‐R interactions, indicating that variation in C‐R interactions resulting from biotic and abiotic conditions could determine shifts in outcomes. These results suggest that C‐R interactions can provide a broad mechanism for understanding context- and density-dependent transitions between interaction outcomes.
Kinetochore Protein Interactions and their Regulation by the Aurora Kinase Ipl1p

Although there has been a recent explosion in the identification of budding yeast kinetochore components, the physical interactions that underlie kinetochore function remain obscure. To better understand how kinetochores attach to microtubules and how this attachment is regulated, we sought to characterize the interactions among kinetochore proteins, especially with respect to the microtubule-binding Dam1 complex. The Dam1 complex plays a crucial role in the chromosome-spindle attachment and is a key target for phospho-regulation of this attachment by the Aurora kinase Ipl1p. To identify protein–protein interactions involving the Dam1 complex, and the effects of Dam1p phosphorylation state on these physical interactions, we conducted both a genome-wide two-hybrid screen and a series of biochemical binding assays for Dam1p. A two-hybrid screen of a library of 6000 yeast open reading frames identified nine kinetochore proteins as Dam1p-interacting partners. From 113 in vitro binding reactions involving all nine subunits of the Dam1 complex and 32 kinetochore proteins, we found at least nine interactions within the Dam1 complex and 19 potential partners for the Dam1 complex. Strikingly, we found that the Dam1p–Ndc80p and Dam1p–Spc34p interactions were weakened by mutations mimicking phosphorylation at Ipl1p sites, allowing us to formulate a model for the effects of phosphoregulation on kinetochore function.
A long-term evaluation of once-daily inhaled tiotropium in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Currently available inhaled bronchodilators used as therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) necessitate multiple daily dosing. The present study evaluates the long-term safety and efficacy of tiotropium, a new once-daily anticholinergic in COPD. Patients with stable COPD (age 65.2+/-8.7 yrs (mean+/-SD), n=921) were enrolled in two identical randomized double-blind placebo-controlled 1-yr studies. Patients inhaled tiotropium 18 microg or placebo (mean screening forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 1.01 versus 0.99 L, 39.1 and 38.1% of the predicted value) once daily as a dry powder. The primary spirometric outcome was trough FEV1 (i.e. FEV1 prior to dosing). Changes in dyspnoea were measured using the Transition Dyspnea Index, and health status with the disease-specific St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire and the generic Short Form 36. Medication use and adverse events were recorded. Tiotropium provided significantly superior bronchodilation relative to placebo for trough FEV1 response (approximately 12% over baseline) (p<0.01) and mean response during the 3 h following dosing (approximately 22% over baseline) (p<0.001) over the 12-month period. Tiotropium recipients showed less dyspnoea (p<0.001), superior health status scores, and fewer COPD exacerbations and hospitalizations (p<0.05). Adverse events were comparable with placebo, except for dry mouth incidence (tiotropium 16.0% versus placebo 2.7%, p<0.05). Tiotropium is an effective, once-daily bronchodilator that reduces dyspnoea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation frequency and improves health status. This suggests that tiotropium will make an important contribution to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease therapy.
Infant suffering revisited

In two recent articles in this journal, David Basinger and Nathan Nobis raise objections to my characterization of infant suffering and the problem that it presents to theism. My main theses were that infant suffering to death is not ‘horrendous’ in the technical sense defined, and that a good God need only balance off rather than ‘defeat’ such suffering. Basinger, on the other hand, claims that some infant suffering should be considered horrendous, while Nobis suggests that such suffering must be defeated by God rather than merely balanced off. In this response I will briefly summarize my view and then respond to Basinger and Nobis.
Water Chemistry and Landscape Patterns in the Distribution of Banded Sunfish (Enneacanthus obesus) in Streams of the Atlantic Coastal Plain in Maryland

Water chemistry and landscape data were analyzed from streams in the Atlantic Coastal Plain physiographic province in Maryland, USA, to identify patterns in the spatial distribution of the state rare Banded Sunfish (Enneacanthus obesus). Principal component analysis was used to assess patterns in the distribution of this species based on select environmental variables. Mantel tests were conducted to further assess the correlation of environmental variables with the distribution of Banded Sunfish in Maryland while accounting for spatial autocorrelation. The distribution of Banded Sunfish was correlated with acidic stream segments with high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon and higher proportions of forest and wetland landscapes in upstream catchments. Conservation of Banded Sunfish will require the preservation of acidic, blackwater habitats through the protection of natural forest and wetland landscapes and limiting of the potentially harmful impacts of agricultural practices and urbanization. Such practices would likely benefit other native fishes throughout the region as well.
Episodic memory and cortico–hippocampal interactions

There is a broad consensus that the hippocampal system plays a critical role in the encoding and retrieval of 'episodic' memories. Recent findings and computational modeling explicate the representational requirements of encoding episodic memories, and suggest that the idiosyncratic architecture of the hippocampal system and its interactions with cortical circuits are well-matched to the representational problems it must solve in order to support the episodic memory function. These findings also shed light on the nature of consolidation, identify the sorts of memories that must remain encoded in the hippocampal system for the long-term, and help delineate the semantic and episodic memory distinction.
An integrated resource sharing policy for multimedia storage servers based on network-attached disks

In this paper we propose using the network-attached disk (NAD) architecture to design highly scalable and cost-effective multimedia-on-demand (MOD) servers. In order to ensure enhanced performance, we propose two schemes, called distributed interval caching (DIC) and multi-objective scheduling (MOS). The DIC scheme utilizes the on-disk buffers for caching intervals between successive streams, while the MOS scheme improves resource sharing by scheduling requests for service intelligently based on four predefined criteria. We then integrate the two schemes and study the overall performance benefits through extensive simulation. We also study the effectiveness of the proposed DIC scheme by developing an analytical model that estimates the performance limit of DIC The results demonstrate that the integrated policy works very well in increasing the number of customers that can be serviced concurrently while decreasing their waiting times, and that the performance improvements scale with the number of disks in the server.
Chemically tailored dielectric-to-metal transition for the design of metamaterials from nanoimprinted colloidal nanocrystals.

We demonstrate optical metamaterial design using colloidal gold nanocrystal building blocks. In the solid state, chemically exchanging the nanocrystals’ surface-capping molecules provides a tailorable dielectric-to-metal transition exhibiting a 1010 range in DC conductivity and dielectric permittivity ranging from everywhere positive to everywhere negative throughout the visible-to-near-IR. Direct, wide-area nanoimprinting of subwavelength superstructures at room temperature, on plastic and glass substrates, affords plasmonic resonances ranging from 660 to 1070 nm, in agreement with numerical simulations.
Sensitivity Analysis of a Climatological Air Trajectory Model

The modeling of regional-scale transport and deposition of atmospheric pollutants is complicated by the considerable uncertainties involved in atmospheric process parameterizations. Beyond the uncertainties involved in parameterizing dispersion over relatively short distances (say less than 50 km) is the need to estimate dispersion over long time scales, usually including multi-diurnal cycles. Moreover, other atmospheric processes, usually ignored, must be considered. Dry deposition plays an important role as a removal process over long time scales and must be parameterized in a physically realistic manner. The removal of pollutants by wet deposition is an extremely complex process parameterized at best to be a simple non-linear function. Chemical conversion of primary pollutants to secondary is also poorly understood but has been parameterized for some pollutants, notably sulfur dioxide to sulfate, as a first-order chemical conversion. The purpose of this paper is to examine the sensitivity of individual trajectory model runs to variations in model parameterizations. This information is intended to help define the confidence in which we can hope to characterize the effects of anthropogenic emissions on receptor locations far downwind of the source.
High Performance Computing as an Educational Experience well Suited to Developing Nations

Universities are challenged to provide students with a strong practical understanding of technologies, while providing enough hands-on experience to solve real problems. Universities in developing nations have the same challenges as other universities; but are also forced to deal with a lack of technological resources and substandard conditions. One solution is to offer a cluster computing course. Building a cluster requires the integration and application of many technical concepts. Theoretical and technical challenges make it an absorbing and rewarding course. High performance computing was once limited to major institutions with huge funds. Low-cost commodity hardware, free operating systems and faster, lower cost networking and cluster computing concepts have made it possible for institutions at all levels to provide high performance computing to their students and researchers. This paper describes possible methods of teaching cluster computing in a developing nation, given the conditions in most areas and the lack of resources.
Variabilidad del viento, nivel del mar y temperatura en la costa norte de Chile

En este trabajo se describe el comportamiento del viento, la temperatura y nivel del mar en Arica (18°28'S), Iquique (21°20'S) y Antofagasta (23°38'S) entre los anos 1987 y 1991. Se destacan las caracteristicas de las fluctuaciones interdiarias y las relaciones entre las diferentes variables. Los resultados muestran que el viento del suroeste predomina en la zona costera durante todo el ano. Este presenta un ciclo anual caracterizado por valores maximos en verano y minimos en invierno. La direccion principal sobre la cual ocurren las perturbaciones del viento coincide con la direccion de la linea de costa. Las variaciones de baja frecuencia (menores a 0,2 cpd) del nivel del mar presentan alta coherencia espacial y se comportan como ondas no dispersivas que viajan de norte a sur con una velocidad de 300 cm/s. La temperatura del mar en Arica y Antofagasta no muestran buena relacion con el viento. En Iquique las perturbaciones de la temperatura y el viento con periodos mayores a cinco dias se encuentran bien relacionadas. El tiempo de respuesta de la temperatura a las variaciones del viento fue entre uno y dos dias. El nivel del mar, en general, no mostro buena relacion con el viento, siendo su variabilidad dominada principalmente por ondas atrapadas a la costa
Structural characteristics of synchrotron-radiation transition rates in the intense-field regime

Calculations based on numerical methods dealing with exact Dirac matrix elements associated with an electron moving transversely to a uniform magnetic field have been carried out. Rates of transition from various initial states to the eleven lowest states have been evaluated for electrons in various magnetic fields. The results are discussed and compared with formal mathematical properties of the Laguerre polynomials, and in turn are compared and contrasted with properties of the Latal-Erber second-order quantum description of synchrotron radiation and the Sokolov-Schwinger first-order theory.
INFLUENCE OF PARTIAL TIMBER HARVESTING ON AMERICAN MARTENS IN NORTH-CENTRAL MAINE

We investigated habitat selection and home-range characteristics of American martens (Martes americana) that occupied home ranges with partially harvested stands characterized by basal area of trees 9-m tree height) forest stands (deciduous, coniferous, and mixed coniferous-deciduous) and mixed stands that were partially harvested (x = 13 m2/ha residual basal area, >9-m tree height), and they selected against forests regenerating after clearcutting (≤6-m tree height, cuts ≤24-years-old). Marten home ranges included a greater proportion of partially harvested stands during the leaf-on season (maximum = 73%) than during leaf-off (1 Nov–30 Apr; maximum = 34%). Higher use of partially harvested stands during the leaf-on season coincided with greater canopy closure, higher use of small mammals, and greater relative densities of small mammals. During the leaf-off season, martens exhibited reduced relative selection for partially harvested and regenerating stands and increased selection for second-growth forest types. Partially harvested and regenerating clearcut stands had canopy closure 9-m tall of 18 m2/ha and canopy closure >30% during winter to maximize use by martens in stands where partial harvesting is practiced.
Assessment Position Affects Problem-Solving Behaviors in a Child With Motor Impairments.

Purpose: The purpose of this report was to examine problem-solving behaviors of a child with significant motor impairments in positions she could maintain independently, in supine and prone positions, as well as a position that required support, sitting. Case Description: The child was a 22-month-old girl who could not sit independently and had limited independent mobility. Her problem-solving behaviors were assessed using the Early Problem Solving Indicator, while she was placed in supine or prone position, and again in manually supported sitting position. Results: In manually supported sitting position, the subject demonstrated a higher frequency of problem-solving behaviors and her most developmentally advanced problem-solving behavior. Clinical Implications: Because a child's position may affect cognitive test results, position should be documented at the time of testing.
Design of a Passive-Matrix Smart Window by the Conjugated Polymer Electrochromics

Preliminary development towards passive matrix Electrochromic (EC) device in conjugated EC polymer system is discussed. High contrast ratio of dark and bleached pixels is obtained by modification of counter and working electrode capacitance ratio and spacer geometry. Mask patterning and laminar electropolymerization for multicolor EC system application is discussed.