cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bulk Fermi surfaces of the Dirac type-II semimetallic candidate Ni Te 2

Here, we present a study on the Fermi surface of the Dirac type-II semimetallic candidate $\mathrm{Ni}{\mathrm{Te}}_{2}$ via the temperature and angular dependence of the de Haas--van Alphen (dHvA) effect measured in single crystals grown through Te flux. In contrast to its isostructural compounds like $\mathrm{Pt}{\mathrm{Se}}_{2}$, band-structure calculations predict $\mathrm{Ni}{\mathrm{Te}}_{2}$ to display a tilted Dirac node very close to its Fermi level that is located along the $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}$ to $A$ high-symmetry direction within its first Brillouin zone. The angular dependence of the dHvA frequencies is found to be in agreement with the first-principles calculations when the electronic bands are slightly shifted with respect to the Fermi level (${\ensuremath{\varepsilon}}_{F}$), and therefore provide support for the existence of a Dirac type-II node in $\mathrm{Ni}{\mathrm{Te}}_{2}$. Nevertheless, we observed mild disagreements between experimental observations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations as, for example, nearly isotropic and light experimental effective masses. This indicates that the dispersion of the bands is not well captured by DFT. Despite the coexistence of Dirac-like fermions with topologically trivial carriers, samples of the highest quality display an anomalous and large either linear or sublinear magnetoresistivity. This suggests that Lorentz invariance breaking Dirac-like quasiparticles dominate the carrier transport in this compound.
A Heterogeneous Swine Show Circuit Drives Zoonotic Transmission of Influenza A Viruses in the United States.

Influenza pandemics are associated with severe morbidity, mortality, and social and economic disruption. Every summer in the United States, youths attending agricultural fairs are exposed to genetically diverse influenza A viruses (IAVs) circulating in exhibition swine, resulting in over 450 lab-confirmed zoonotic infections since 2010. Exhibition swine represent a small, defined population (∼1.5% of the U.S. herd), presenting a realistic opportunity to mitigate a pandemic threat by reducing IAV transmission in the animals themselves. Through intensive surveillance and genetic sequencing of IAVs in exhibition swine in six U.S. states in 2018 (n = 212), we characterized how a heterogeneous circuit of swine shows, comprising fairs with different sizes and geographic coverage, facilitates IAV transmission among exhibition swine and into humans. Specifically, we identified the role of an early-season national show in the propagation and spatial dissemination of a specific virus (H1δ-2) that becomes dominant among exhibition swine and is associated with the majority of zoonotic infections in 2018. These findings suggest that a highly targeted mitigation strategy, such as postponing swine shows for 1 to 2 weeks following the early-season national show, could potentially reduce IAV transmission in exhibition swine and spillover into humans, and this merits further study.IMPORTANCE The varying influenza A virus (IAV) exposure and infection status of individual swine facilitates introduction, transmission, and dissemination of diverse IAVs. Since agricultural fairs bring people into intimate contact with swine, they provide a unique interface for zoonotic transmission of IAV. Understanding the dynamics of IAV transmission through exhibition swine is critical to mitigating the high incidence of variant IAV cases reported in association with agricultural fairs. We used genomic sequences from our exhibition swine surveillance to characterize the hemagglutinin and full genotypic diversity of IAV at early-season shows and the subsequent dissemination through later-season agricultural fairs. We were able to identify a critical time point with important implications for downstream IAV and zoonotic transmission. With improved understanding of evolutionary origins of zoonotic IAV, we can inform public health mitigation strategies to ultimately reduce zoonotic IAV transmission and risk of pandemic IAV emergence.
Effects of Prestrain on the Nonlinear Viscoelastic Properties of a Model Sealant

Elastomeric sealants are nonlinear viscoelastic materials that exhibit the Mullins effect. As a result, the behavior of a sealant depends on the previous history of strains the sample has seen. To deal with this issue, characterization tests like ASTM C1735, Standard Test Method for Measuring the Time Dependent Modulus of Sealants Using Stress Relaxation, subject the specimen to a specific strain history before measuring properties. To gain a better understanding of this history effect, this article studied a model sealant where the nonlinear viscoelastic properties were measured after a variety of strain histories ranging from no exposure to strain before the test to the history specified in ASTM C1735. The results provide insight into how strain history affects properties, supports information for the ASTM characterization test, and adds knowledge on the nature of the Mullins effect.
Applications and advancements of FT-ICR-MS for interactome studies

The set of all intra- and intermolecular interactions, collectively known as the interactome, is currently an unmet challenge for any analytical method, but if measured, could provide unparalleled insight on molecular function in living systems. Developments and applications of chemical cross-linking and high-performance mass spectrometry technologies are beginning to reveal details on how proteins interact in cells and how protein conformations and interactions inside cells change with phenotype or during drug treatment or other perturbations. A major contributor to these advances is Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) technology and its implementation with accurate mass measurements on cross-linked peptide-pair precursor and fragment ions to enable improved identification methods. However, these applications place increased demands on mass spectrometer performance in terms of high-resolution spectral acquisition rates for on-line MSn experiments. Moreover, FT-ICR-MS also offers unique opportunities to develop and implement parallel ICR cells for multiplexed signal acquisition and the potential to greatly advance accurate mass acquisition rates for interactome studies. This review highlights our efforts to exploit accurate mass FT-ICR-MS technologies with chemical cross-linking and developments being pursued to realize parallel MS array capabilities that will further advance visualization of the interactome.
Microswimmers near corrugated, periodic surfaces

We explore hydrodynamic interactions between microswimmers and corrugated, or rough, surfaces, as found often in biological systems and microfluidic devices. Using the Lorentz reciprocal theorem for viscous flows we derive exact expressions for the roughness-induced velocities up to first order in the surface-height fluctuations and provide solutions for the translational and angular velocities valid for arbitrary surface shapes. We apply our theoretical predictions to elucidate the impact of a periodic, wavy surface on the velocities of microswimmers modeled in terms of a superposition of Stokes singularities. Our findings, valid in the framework of a far-field analysis, show that the roughness-induced velocities vary non-monotonically with the wavelength of the surface. For wavelengths comparable to the swimmer-surface distance a pusher can experience a repulsive contribution due to the reflection of flow fields at the edge of a surface cavity, which decreases the overall attraction to the wall.
Phase I Dose Escalation Trial of Hypofractionated Radiosurgery for Large Intact or Resected Brain Metastases.

Purpose/Objective(s) Hypofractionated radiosurgery is often used for large brain metastases (BM) not amenable to single fraction radiosurgery, though the ideal dose-fractionation schedule has not been defined. This phase 1 dose escalation study was designed to define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of 5 fraction radiosurgery for intact BM or resection cavities ≥ 3cm and Materials/Methods Dose was escalated according to Escalation with Overdose Control (EWOC) method with a planned total enrollment of 24 patients in 8 patient cohorts of 3 patients per cohort and the target highest acceptable dose limiting toxicity (DLT) rate was set at 25%. Enrollment was closed for 4 months in between each cohort. DLT was defined as any acute or late central nervous system CTCAE toxicity grade ≥ 3 considered possibly related to treatment. DLTs assessment extended through 2 years after treatment or was censored at the time of removal from the study or re-irradiation to the treatment site. Results Twenty-four patients with 25 target lesions (5 intact BM, 20 resection cavities) were enrolled from October 2012 – February 2021 at the following dose levels with escalation and de-escalation according to EWOC rules: 6 Gy x 5 (level 0, n = 3), 6.5 Gy x 5 (level 1, n = 12), and 7 Gy x 5 (level 2, n = 9). Primary tumor histologies included non-small cell lung cancer (n = 11), esophageal cancer (n = 4), breast cancer (n = 3), melanoma (n = 3), and others (n = 3). The median tumor/cavity size was 18.5cc (range 9.1 - 57.2cc). The median overall follow-up time is 15.6 months (range 0.5 - 81.6) and median DLT assessment follow-up time is 11.5 months (range 0.5 - 27.3). Four DLTs including intracranial hemorrhage (1) and seizure (3) were observe after a median time of 11 months (range 1-14) in 3/9 patients at dose level 2 and 1/12 patients at dose level 1. Two deaths without clear cause in patients with known DLT were considered possibly related to treatment. Symptomatic RN occurred in 4/9 patients at dose level 2, and 2/12 patients at dose level 1. One patient experienced local tumor failure at 36 months. Conclusion The 6.5 Gy x 5 fractions is the maximum tolerated dose and recommended phase 2 dose of 5 fraction radiosurgery for large intact or resected brain metastases. This dose level is well tolerated and local control appears promising, though larger studies are required to further assess treatment efficacy at this dose level.
Provincial and cosmopolitan: floristic composition of a dryland urban river

High rates of intercontinental exchange of plant species have caused scientists to ask whether floristic areas with similar environments are undergoing global homogenization. We focused on riparian forests of the urban Salt River (Sonoran Desert, USA) to ask: (1) Is the forest dominated by cosmopolitan or provincial elements? (2) Which trees planted in the irrigated cityscape have established along the river? (3) Which types of restoration interventions have favored provincial species? We surveyed tree abundance, size and vigor in belt transects among five reaches that differed in degree of restoration, and obtained data on tree species composition of the urban landscape and pre-development riparian zone. Our results reveal the urban riparian forest to have many cosmopolitan elements, owing in part to spillover of trees from the cultivated cityscape (e.g., Acacia stenophylla, Vitex agnus-castus). Global spread of some regional (Neotropical) riparian taxa (e.g., Parkinsonia aculeata, Prosopis) also has contributed to the cosmopolitan status. Yet, the forests retain a distinct regional signature. Unintentional restoration of winter floods has allowed for regeneration of Salix gooddingii, a vernally-adapted provincial pioneer, although its long-term survivorship is restricted to limited micro-sites (storm drain outfalls). Urbanization-related changes in stream hydrogeomorphology explain increases in some regional species (e.g., Washingtonia spp.) that historically were excluded from the river. Reaches restored by planting, weeding, watering, and geocountouring had the greatest abundance of provincial species and greatest floristic similarity to historic conditions.
Risk Predictors of Opioid‐Induced Critical Respiratory Events in Children: Naloxone Use as a Quality Measure of Opioid Safety

Background Opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD) is a life-threatening complication of opioid therapy in children. Naloxone administration triggered by OIRD has been used to monitor safety of opioid therapy in adults. We used this trigger as a quality measure of opioid safety in hospitalized children to identify risk predictors of OIRD. Methods We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 38 patients identified from the hospital risk management database as requiring naloxone for critical respiratory events between January 2010 and June 2012 for demographics, comorbidities, surgery, naloxone event details, and outcomes. These data were compared with baseline prevalence in contemporary patients followed by pain service, who did not receive naloxone, to calculate unadjusted odds ratios. Thematic classification of preventable events was undertaken based on analysis of each event. Results The incidence of naloxone use among hospital inpatients, who received opioids at-least once, was 0.06% compared with 0.23% for patients on the pain service. A majority of naloxone events occurred in postoperative patients (n = 27/38, 71.1%) within the first 24 hours of surgery (n = 20/27, 75.1%) and in the critical care unit (50%). Patients undergoing airway surgeries had higher risk for OIRD ( P = 0.01). Patient risk factors for naloxone use included age <1 year ( P < 0.001), obstructive sleep apnea ( P < 0.001), obesity ( P = 0.019), being underweight ( P < 0.0001), prematurity ( P < 0.001), and developmental delay ( P < 0.001). Majority of events (87%) were found to be preventable, which were classified into six main themes based on type of event. Conclusion OIRD is an important, albeit mostly preventable, complication of opioid therapy in children. Naloxone use can be used as a measure to track opioid safety in children, identify contributing factors, and formulate preventive strategies to reduce the risk for OIRD.
Extensions for Filter Spaces

A family of extensions for a filter space is defined and its properties, including completeness and total boundedness, are investigated.
Plaque neovascularization: defense mechanisms, betrayal, or a war in progress

Angiogenesis is induced from sprouting of preexisting endothelial cells leading to neovascularization. Imbalance in the angiogenic and antiangiogenic mediators triggers angiogenesis, which may be physiological in the normal state or pathological in malignancy and atherosclerosis. Physiologic angiogenesis is instrumental for restoration of vessel wall normoxia and resolution inflammation, leading to atherosclerosis regression. However, pathological angiogenesis enhances disease progression, increasing macrophage infiltration and vessel wall thickness, perpetuating hypoxia and necrosis. In addition, thin-walled fragile neovessels may rupture, leading to intraplaque hemorrhage. Lipid-rich red blood cell membranes and free hemoglobin are detrimental to plaque composition, increasing inflammation, lipid core expansion, and oxidative stress. In addition, associated risk factors that include polymorphysms in the haptoglobin genotype and diabetes mellitus may modulate the features of plaque vulnerability. This review will focus on physiological and pathological angiogenesis in atherosclerosis and summarizes the current status of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy, microvascular rarefaction, and possible statin-mediated effects in atherosclerosis neovascularization.
Mongolia, Law Convergence, and the Third Era of Globalization

There is no more difficult a task to undertake than a discussion of the maximum optimal law regime that a nation-state should adhere to in an era of globalization and law convergence. More so than ever, nation-states are either pushing for or being pushed into participating in the newest era go globalization. It is this push that is the driving force behind global law reform and, in some instances, law hegemony. A discussion of the concept of globalization and the impact that it has on law reform and the development and sustainability of the rule of law in Mongolia is presented here. Some attention must be paid to those areas of law reform research that will benefit Mongolia in the long term. Regardless of the points covered herein, in today’s global community law reform occurs mainly under the aegis of those within the internal system of government and the legal community. Therefore, law reformers in Mongolia must be sponsors of the important issues to be researched and discussed in the future so as to correspond to the will and desires of the Mongolian people.
Composite and shaped pulses for efficient and robust pumping of disconnected eigenstates in magnetic resonance

Hyperpolarization methods, which can enhance nuclear spin signals by orders of magnitude, open up important new opportunities in magnetic resonance. However, many of these applications are limited by spin lattice relaxation, which typically destroys the hyperpolarization in seconds. Significant lifetime enhancements have been found with “disconnected eigenstates” such as the singlet state between a pair of nearly equivalent spins, or the “singlet-singlet” state involving two pairs of chemically equivalent spins; the challenge is to populate these states (for example, from thermal equilibrium magnetization or hyperpolarization) and to later recall the population into observable signal. Existing methods for populating these states are limited by either excess energy dissipation or high sensitivity to inhomogeneities. Here we overcome the limitations by extending recent work using continuous-wave irradiation to include composite and adiabatic pulse excitations. Traditional composite and adiabatic pulses fail completely in this problem because the interactions driving the transitions are fundamentally different, but the new shapes we introduce can move population between accessible and disconnected eigenstates over a wide range of radio-frequency (RF) amplitudes and offsets while depositing insignificant amounts of power.
On the multidimensional generalization of scattering Hurwitz property of complex polynomials

By utilizing recent stability results on the scattering as well as the immittance description of passive multidimensional systems, a characterization for the robustness of the scattering Hurwitz property of a given multidimensional complex polynomial in terms of the scattering Hurwitz property of a finite number of (multidimensional) complex polynomials is established. This result provides a complete proof of a recent conjecture the proof of which has so far been available for real polynomials involving two variables only. >
Association of refractive error with optic nerve hypoplasia

Purpose To evaluate the association of refractive error with optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH). Methods A total of 30 ONH subjects were recruited and underwent comprehensive eye exams. Refractive error data from this group was compared to data from a group of 3232 non-ONH subjects from the same facility. Spherical equivalent was calculated to assess refractive error. Multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between ONH and refractive error while controlling for age, race, and gender. Results The prevalence of hyperopia (≥+1.00 D), myopia (<−0.75 D), and anisometropia (≥1.00 D) was higher in ONH subjects than in controls. ONH subjects were 9.1 times more likely to be hyperopic than emmetropic (OR = 9.1, 95% CI = 2.9–28.4, p < 0.001) and 3.8 times more likely to be myopic than emmetropic (OR = 3.8, 95% CI = 1.2–11.5, p = 0.02). Unilateral ONH subjects were 10.0 times more likely to have anisometropia than controls (OR = 10.0, 95% CI = 3.9–25.6, p < 0.0001). Bilateral ONH subjects were 3.8 times more likely to have anisometropia than controls (OR = 3.8, 95% CI = 1.1–12.7, p = 0.03). Conclusions Optic nerve hypoplasia subjects were more likely than control subjects to exhibit significant refractive errors, particularly hyperopia. Anisometropia tended to be more likely to occur in subjects with unilateral ONH than in bilateral ONH. Based on our findings, we recommend that clinicians perform a comprehensive eye examination on all patients with ONH and prescribe for existing refractive error when visual acuity or general visual function can realistically be improved.
B lymphoid neoplasms of mice: characteristics of naturally occurring and engineered diseases and relationships to human disorders.

Publisher Summary Investigators have sought to understand the pathogenesis of hematopoietic neoplasms in mice as models for human disease. The spontaneous diseases of mice form an essential foundation of knowledge about efforts to molecularly model specific diseases, because it will be critically important to distinguish induced from background cases. Gene expression profiling of histologically defined spontaneous neoplasm provides additional richness to these analyses. One of the most striking findings to come from the latter studies is the intimate relationship between morphologic and genetic diagnoses. This clearly indicates that the pathologist—in screening hundreds of gene readouts that determine cell size, cytoplasmic volume, nuclear shape, chromatin pattern, and nucleolar number, size, and position—provides a valuable foil to play against the molecular fingerprints portrayed by the data from microarrays. The synergy provided by these approaches in understanding the disease holds tremendous promise for developing better treatments for human hematologic neoplasm.
Breast Milk Antibody to the Capsular Polysaccharide of Haemophilus influenzae Type b

Breast milk has a high concentration of secretory immunoglobulin and potentially could serve as a source of passive antibody protection of infants against systemic invasion by Haemophilus influenzae type b. Specific antibody to the capsular polysaccharide of this organism was detected in the colostrum and all subsequent milk samples in 11 of 12 women with a radioactive antigen binding assay. The geometric mean concentrations of antibody were 1.99 microgram/ml in colostrum and 0.18 microgram/ml in breast milk at six weeks and after four and one-half to six months of lactation. Antibody levels in colostrum correlated positively with those in subsequent milk samples; levels after six weeks of lactation correlated highly with those present after four and one-half to six months of lactation. IgA was the predominant immunoglobulin class of anticapsular antibody in the colostrum and milk samples as detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Ordered Hydrophobic Organosilicates Templated by Block Copolymers

Hydrophobic organosilicates with controlled morphologies at the nanometer length scale have many potential applications in microelectronics and photonics. Here we report the use of block copolymers...
Maturational differences in coronary flow and interstitial transudate adenosine during alteration of perfusate oxygenation in isolated rabbit hearts.

This study was designed to investigate effects of perfusate oxygenation and maturation on coronary flow (CF), interstitial transudate adenosine (ITA) and coronary effluent adenosine (CEA) in isolated rabbit hearts. Hearts were paced at a fixed rate and were perfused under constant pressure at two different levels of perfusate oxygenation: baseline (B) (pO2=408±7 mmHg, O2 content=1.28±0.03 ml O2/dl) and a lower level (L) (pO2=189±4 mmHg, O2 content=0.59±0.02 ml O2/dl). CF was higher in immature (I, age 5 weeks) compared with mature (M, age 12 weeks) hearts at both levels of perfusate oxygenation (9.7±0.4 vs. 7.7±0.3 and 12.9±0.4 vs. 9.2±0.3 ml/min/g). I hearts had correspondingly higher values for myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) (53±3 vs. 49±2 and 39±3 vs. 35±2 μL O2/min/g), but similar values for venous oxygen tensions (vO2) (240±9 vs. 219±10 and 74±4 vs. 62±3 mmHg), compared with M hearts at B and L. Although interstitial transudate adenosine (ITA) concentration was similar in I and M hearts at B (409±75 vs. 254±39 nM), it was lower in I than M hearts at L (2500±770 vs. 4210±1000 nM). Comparing responses to reduction of perfusate oxygenation, a similar decrement in vO2 (175±10 vs. 166±12 mmHg) was found to correspond to a lesser increment in ITA (2090±110 vs. 3950±480), but a greater increment in CF (3.2±0.2 vs. 1.5±0.4 ml/min/g) in I than in M hearts. CEA concentration was, in general, higher at L than at B, but was similar in I and M hearts for both experimental conditions of perfusate oxygenation. These results suggest that: (1) CF was higher in I than M hearts due to greater metabolic demand; (2) CF was equally effective in maintaining myocardial oxygenation in both groups; (3) adenosine may help mediate hypoxia-induced coronary vasodilation in isolated hearts from both age groups; and (4) the relationships between myocardial oxygenation and interstitial adenosine concentration as well as between interstitial adenosine concentration and coronary flow are altered as a consequence of maturation in isolated rabbit hearts.
Low-power 1.25-GHZ signal bandwidth 4-bit CMOS analog-to-digital converter for high spurious-free dynamic range wideband communications

A low-power 1.25-GHz signal bandwidth 4-bit ADC designed in a standard 130 nanometer digital CMOS process for high spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) wideband communications is presented. The ADC uses new clocked digital comparators designed by a dynamic offset suppression technique. The SFDR and ENOB of this 4-bit ADC achieve 31.44 dB and 3.75 bits at input signal of 39 MHz. Near Nyquist frequency input signals, the SFDR and ENOB maintains above 22.79 dB and 2.37 bits at input signal of 1.23 GHz. This ADC has a latency of two and half clock cycles, a low input capacitance of 300 fF, and a low power consumption of 7.9 mW at a 2.5 GHz conversion rate operating down to 120 mV. The ADC has a figure-of-merit (FoM) of 0.611 pJ per conversion step.
Coordinated Progression through Two Subtranscriptomes Underlies the Tachyzoite Cycle of Toxoplasma gondii

Background Apicomplexan parasites replicate by varied and unusual processes where the typically eukaryotic expansion of cellular components and chromosome cycle are coordinated with the biosynthesis of parasite-specific structures essential for transmission.
Poly(ethylenimine)-Based Polymer Blends as Single-Ion Lithium Conductors

Highly conductive solid polymer electrolytes were generated by blending linear poly(ethyleneimine)-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) with linear poly(ethyleneimine) bearing lithium N-propylsulfonate groups as the lithium source. The effect of polymer backbone structure on Li+ conductivity was determined by comparing a series of blends made from the PEI-based materials with those from polymethacrylate backbone analogues. The use of PEI backbones promoted ion-pair dissociation, stabilized the macromolecular mix and generated blends with ionic conductivities up to 2 orders of magnitude higher than those of the polymethacrylate-based systems. Blends containing the PEI-bound lithium sulfonates exhibited lithium conductivities higher than those measured for PEG doped with lithium bis(trifluoromethyl)sulfonimide. Shifts in the νs(SO3) IR absorption band suggest that the solvation environment for the lithium sulfonates changes with polymer structure. The PEI-based blends are thermally stable up to 200 °C, electrochemic...
Using indigenous microalga species to reduce HCO3−, NH3N, NO3N, total P, Ca2 +, SO42 −, and Cl− from a high conductivity concentrate

Abstract Natural microalga species from desalination concentrate evaporation pond was used to reduce dissolved ions from a high level conductivity of desalination concentrate and leachate of anaerobic digested sludge (LADS) compost. The initial microalgae-to-conductivity ratio was in the range of 0.0008 to 0.0010 g/(L μS/cm). LADS was supplied as nutrients. Carbon dioxide from the environment was dispersed into the growth medium. Mass conductivity reduction (Y) of 27.6–33.6% was achieved in 15 days. Y is directly linear with mass microalgae-to-conductivity-ratio (X) as Y = 30930X + 8.9182 with R 2 0.996: p 3 − , NH 3 N, NO 3 N, total P, Ca 2 + , SO 4 2 − , non-Ca 2 + and multi-valent cations, and Cl − with mass reduction percentage 83.9–88.0, 69.0–77.6, 63.6–57.1, 59.1–70.7, 47.3–59.4, 12.6–19.0, 4.5–24.5, and 6.3–18.2, respectively. Reduction sequence follows C, N, P, Ca 2 + , SO 4 2 − , and Cl − as primary-, macro-, and micro-nutrients of microalga composition. Carbon species, H 2 CO 3 ⁎ was dominant in the growth medium.
Evaluation of Restored and Native Prairie Pothole Region Plant Communities Following an Environmental Gradient

ABSTRACT: Historically, wetland and grassland ecosystems throughout the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America were shaped by fire, grazing, and alternating drought and deluge conditions. These historic disturbance patterns of the PPR have been altered by human modifications to the landscape. In recent years, managers have attempted to implement practices that simulate historic disturbance patterns in order to improve the diversity of structure and function in impacted ecosystems. This study evaluated the characteristics of restored and native wetland/grassland plant communities located within two National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) in the PPR of North Dakota. An extensive analysis of plant community composition following an environmental gradient was conducted in order to relate the composition and quality of wetland communities to the condition of adjacent upland grasslands and to compare the composition and quality of native and restored sites. Plant communities were evaluated using quadrat and tran...
Inference in infinite-dimensional inverse problems: Discretization and duality

Many techniques for solving inverse problems involve approximating the unknown model, a function, by a finite-dimensional 'discretization' or parametric representation. The uncertainty in the computed solution is sometimes taken to be the uncertainty within the parametrization; this can result in unwarranted confidence. The theory of conjugate duality can overcome the limitations of discretization within the 'strict bounds' formalism, a technique for constructing confidence intervals for functionals of the unknown model incorporating certain types of prior information. The usual computational approach to strict bounds approximates the 'primal' problem in a way that the resulting confidence intervals are at most long enough to have the nominal coverage probability. There is another approach based on 'dual' optimization problems that gives confidence intervals with at least the nominal coverage probability. The pair of intervals derived by the two approaches bracket a correct confidence interval. The theory is illustrated with gravimetric, seismic, geomagnetic, and helioseismic problems and a numerical example in seismology.
Hormonally-induced lactation in hypophysectomized rats.

Long-Evans rats hypophysectomized on the 12th day of pregnancy showed a small amount of milk in their mammary glands on the day of parturition. Untreated, such rats resorbed this milk and were unable to supply enough to their own or foster young for even one day's maintenance. Mammotropin (MH) and cortisol proved to be adequate substitution therapy in raising the milk production in such animals to approximately 50% of normal, and in maintaining it at that level. During these tests the mothers lost about 1 gm. of body weight daily while each of six pups gained that amount. It was unnecessary to inject oxytocin for milk conduction in these rats, although the degree to which the endogenous secretion of this hormone had returned was unknown. No good evidence was obtained to prove that either somatotropin or thyroxin, when added to an MH and cortisol regimen, improved the lactational response. No one of the mentioned hormones supported lactation nor did any combination that excluded both MH and cortisol. These...
The importance of intracellular volume in the control of vascular volume

Abstract The effect of change in extracellular (interstitial) volume on vascular volume (VV) is mediated through interstitial pressure. Since the effect of swollen or shrunken cells on interstitial pressure should be identical to that of changes in interstitial volume on interstitial pressure, it would be appropriate to consider that intracellular volume (ICV) as well as extracellular volume (ECV) contributes to control of VV. Total body water rather than ECV, therefore, should be considered as the fluid volume which regulates VV. Support for these conclusions has been provided by theoretical analysis of the factors that regulate capillary fluid exchange. In further support of this hypothesis, clinical examples are described, in which renal salt retention was observed despite increase in ECV (ICV was markedly decreased), and in which renal salt loss occured despite decrease in ECV (in the presence of increased cell volume).
Determination of Displacements of the Faces of Two Collinear Cracks of Different Lengths within the Framework of the Leonov–Panasyuk Model

Within the framework of the Leonov–Panasyuk model, we investigate the stress-strain state of an infinite isotropic elastic body with two collinear cracks of different lengths under the action of tensile forces applied at infinity in the direction perpendicular to the line of the cracks. We obtain equations for the crack opening displacements in the analytic form and present examples of the results of numerical evaluation of opening displacements for different ratios of crack lengths and their mutual positions.
Heart disease in the Laurence-Moon-Biedl-Bardet syndrome

A summary of heart disease in the Laurence-Moon-Biedl-Bardet syndrome has not been published previously. Three male siblings, two of whom had congenital heart disease, are discussed. A review of the literature indicates that a variety of congenital cardiac malformations, occurring predominantly in males, may be found in this syndrome. Acquired heart disease, primarily hypertrophy of the left ventricle, is noted most frequently in association with renal disease and systemic hypertension. Necropsy reports suggest that the incidence of congenital and acquired heart disease is greater than one would surmise from the clinical reports of this entity.
Pedagogical positioning and longitudinal learning within a competitive business marketing simulation

This paper empirically analysed participant engagement and commitment to a competitive business simulation by examining time investment and improvement of performance over a longitudinal period of time. The sample consisted of 517 undergraduate students who were enrolled in an introductory marketing principles class. The results of the study showed that time spent making decisions varied with the challenges, experience, and decision criteria for each quarter. Longitudinally however, participant performance increased over the five quarters. Findings of the study also showed that participant performance for a specific decision period depended on the time the participant spent on that decision period in relation to the performance of the previous decision period. This research helps educators better understand participant dynamics longitudinally through the course of a simulation with multiple decision rounds and also identifies suggestions to assist designers in the development of simulations in order to address specific learning outcomes.
A Study of the pH of Sweat for Horses: A Student-Devised Study by Science and Health Science Majors

One of the most frequently measured properties of solutions in chemistry and biology is pH. The pH of complex biological solutions, such as sweat, urine and blood have been measured for humans and ...
Double pituitary adenomas

Double pituitary adenomas represent up to 2.6 % of pituitary adenomas in large surgical series and up to 3.3 % of patients with Cushing’s disease have been found to have double or multiple pituitary adenomas. We report the case of a 60-year-old male patient whose medical history began in 2002 with erectile dysfunction; hyperprolactinemia was found and MRI showed a 6-mm area of delayed enhancement in the lateral portion of the right pituitary lobe. Treatment with cabergoline was started with normalization of prolactin levels; the following MRI, performed in 2005 and 2008, showed shrinkage of the pituitary lesion. In 2005, the patient began to manifest weight gain, hypertension, and facial plethora, but no further evaluations were done. In January 2010, the patient came to our attention and underwent multiple tests that suggested Cushing’s disease. A new MRI was negative. Bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling showed significant pituitary-to-peripheral ratio and, in May 2010, the patient underwent exploratory pituitary surgery with evidence of a 1–2-mm white-coloured midline area compatible with pituitary adenoma that was surgically removed. Post-operatively, the patient’s clinical conditions improved with onset of secondary hypoadrenalism. The histologic examination confirmed a pituitary adenoma (immunostaining was found to be positive for ACTH and negative for prolactin). We report the case of an ACTH-producing microadenoma metachronous to a prolactin secreting microadenoma although not confirmed histologically, shrunk by medical treatment. A review of data in the literature regarding double or multiple pituitary adenomas has also been done.
William Marshall Bullitt and His Amazing Mathematical Collection

William Marshall Bullitt was a native of Louisville, Kentucky, where he was born on 4 March 1873. His familial connections to American and Kentucky history rival those of the principal characters of John Jake's The Kent Chronicles. Bullitt's ancestors Col. Thomas Bullitt, Dr. Thomas Walker, and Col. William Christian were prominent figures in eighteenth-century American history. Additionally, through his great-great grandmother, Anne Henry, William Christian's wife, William Marshall was a great-great nephew of both Patrick Henry, first governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and John Marshall, first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. His great-grandfather, Alexander Scott Bullitt, was the first speaker of the Kentucky Senate and later first lieutenant-governor of Kentucky, serving from 1792 to 1804. All told, five Kentucky counties--Bullitt, Henry, Marshall, Logan, and Christian--are named after direct ancestors of William Marshall Bullitt. Bullitt was educated in private schools in Louisville and early in his scholastic career showed his prowess in mathematics by winning a gold medal in that subject at Trinity Hall. In his seventeenth year he was enrolled in LawrenceviUe School in New Jersey where he completed his preparation for college. In Sep-
Modeling HF Gain Generator F-Atom Flows

Abstract : Control volume analysis and one-dimensional reacting gasdynamics have been combined with a unique thermal-mechanical model of a combustor vessel to estimate production of fluorine atoms at the nozzle exit plane. Upon reaction with hydrogen, H2, these F-atoms are a key species in the efficient production of internally energetic hydrogen fluoride (HF) molecules, which is the lasant material for an HF chemical laser. Thus, a quantitative estimate of F-Atom density and more specifically the degree of fluorine (F2) dissociation, alpha, is an essential parameter for the accurate prediction of laser performance. This parameter, as a function of time, has been difficult to experimentally measure or to analyze in such lasers. The method has been applied to the only cylindrical HF chemical laser in operation. Test conditions for the must recent tests of the Alpha Laser are analyzed. It is found for the baseline operating point that alpha reaches a plateau exceeding 0.9 after a sufficiently long operating time. Necessarily for the expediency of rapid calculations, such a model lacks the temporal and spatial fine details of the heat transfer processes, gasdynamics, and boundaries. Therefore, such a model is valuable for insight, but must be used with care for detailed design.
Diversification of the Wnt gene family on the ancestral lineage of vertebrates

Diversification of the Wnt genes, a family of powerful developmental regulator molecules, is inferred by molecular evolutionary analyses. Fifty-five recently determined partial sequences from a variety of vertebrates and invertebrates, together with 17 published sequences, mostly from the mouse and Drosophila melanogaster, are analyzed. Wnt-1 through -7 originated before the last common ancestor of arthropods and deuterostomes lived. Another round of gene duplication, involving Wnt-3, -5, -7, and -10, occurred after the echinoderm lineage arose, on the ancestral lineage of jawed vertebrates. Increased constraints were imposed on the Wnt genes when jawed vertebrates originated, as indicated by an overall 4-fold lower rate of amino acid replacements in jawed vertebrates compared with invertebrates and jawless vertebrates. The Wnt genes are thus inferred to have undergone a disproportionately high amount of structural and functional evolution in the relatively short time (approximately 100 million years) between the origin of the echinoderm lineage and the first diversification of jawed vertebrates. A model is presented for the relationship of functional diversification of developmental regulators and their rates of amino acid replacement.
A 3-D study of the effects of thermomechanical loads on fracture slip in enhanced geothermal reservoirs

Heat extraction from enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) can greatly affect the behavior of joints and other discontinuities in the reservoir. Fracture permeability can change in response to fluid injection/extraction, rock cooling, variations of stress field, and mineral dissolution/precipitation. The reduction in effective stress caused by pore pressure increase can cause the slippage of discontinuities, thus inducing seismicity. Studies have shown that thermal stresses generated by cold water injection have a similar effect. In order to assess the influence of thermal stresses on fracture opening and slippage, a 3-D coupled heat extraction/thermal stress/elastic displacement discontinuity model is used in this study. The effects of each mechanism on fracture slip is estimated with particular reference to the Coso geothermal field. The results indicate that under typical field conditions, a substantial increase in fracture slip is observed when thermal stresses are taken into account. The temporal evolution of the thermal stresses suggests that the rock mass deformation will not cease upon stoppage of water injection, which can be a cause of delayed seismic activity.
Quantitative genetic dissection of complex traits in a QTL-mapping pedigree

This paper summarizes and modifies quantitative genetic analyses on a pedigree used to map genetic factors (i.e., QTLs) underlying a complex trait. The total genetic variance can be exactly estimated based on the F2 family derived from two homozygous parents for alternative alleles at all QTLs of interest. The parents, F1 hybrids, and two backcrosses are combined to each parent, and the total number of QTLs and the number of dominant QTLs are estimated under the assumptions of gene association with the two parents, equal gene effect, no linkage, and no epistasis among QTLs. Further relaxation for each of the assumptions are made in detail. The biometric estimator for the QTL number and action mode averaged over the entire genome could provide some basic and complementary information to QTL mapping designed to detect the effect and location of specific genetic factors.
Arthropods associated with medicinal plants in coastal South Carolina

Arthropods were sampled from feverfew [Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Schultz-Bip], Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench, Echinacea pallida (Nutt.) Nutt., Valeriana officinalis L., and St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) during 1998-2001. In addition, arthropods were sampled on tansy (Tanacetum vulgare L.) from 2001-2004. In general, 50-60 arthropod species where collected and identified among all of the medicinal plant species. Among the predators, Orius insidiosus (Say) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), Geocoris punctipes (Say) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) and spiders were most abundant from 1998-2004. The three-cornered alfalfa hopper, Spissistilus festinus (Say), was the most abundant herbivore found from 1998 to 2001. Orius insidiosus and G. punctipes were 3-4 times more abundant on T. parthenium than on any other medicinal plant species. Based on the numbers of predatory arthropods found on T. parthenium, this crop could be suitable as a companion or “banker” plant to attract and maintain populations of predators, especially O. insidiosus and G. punctipes. Whitefly nymphs attacked by predators with piercing/sucking mouthparts are easily identified using a microscope because of the general appearance of the carcass left by the predators. Thus, populations of predators on T. parthenium suppressed Bemisia tabaci populations on E. purpurea when these crops were planted as companion crops.
Analysis of some fully‐discrete algorithms for the one‐dimensional heat equation

The present investigation is concerned with a fully discrete accuracy and stability analysis of the one-dimensional heat equation, taking into account the evaluation of two-pass explicit schemes which simultaneously employ lumped and coupled capacity matrices. Schemes of the considered characteristics are not amenable to uncoupled semidiscrete and ordinary differential equation analyses. The obtained results illustrate that superior behavior may be achieved by schemes of the employed type when compared with the performance of the standard one-pass explicit schemes. The key idea in the considered approach is related to the utilization of a reduced-quadrature capacity matrix in the evaluation of the right-hand-side residual.
CRITICAL STUDY OF THE DIFFERENTIAL THERMAL METHOD FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE CLAY MINERALS

An apparatus is described for studying clay minerals by the differential thermal method, which has some advantages over previous types of apparatus. Thermal curves are given for many of the pure clay minerals for use as standards of identification. The use of this method quantitatively for the determination of the relative amounts of clay minerals in a natural clay is discussed, and examples are given for a number of high alumina clays.
The lexicon of the "old age" in the classical languages: between history and etymology.

(Mimn., Fr.3 (3) D., p.52)“The very father who, first was considered the greatest, as soon as the old age is approaching, is no more esteemed and loved by his children ”.Prōuecta aetās […] plērīsque senibus sīc odiōsa est ut onus sē Aetnā grauius dīcant sustinēre (Cic., dē senect. 22,4 )“For many old people to be well on years is so hateful that they maintain to stand a load heavier than Etna”.
A technique for measuring light output and decay time vs wavelength for scintillators

Abstract A technique has been developed for measuring light output and decay time vs wavelength for scintillators. The technique uses a monochrometer with the scintillator placed at the entrance slit.
Tumor cells are protected from NK-cell-mediated lysis by adhesion to endothelial cells.

We have examined the effect of various cell monolayers on the ability of mouse spleen cells to lyse tumor cell targets (natural cytotoxicity reaction). Natural killer (NK) cell activity was reduced by as much as 75% depending on the cell substrate, with the greatest protection afforded by endotheiial cells. Cell adhesion to the underlying cell monolayer was directly correlated with the degree of protection from lysis. Since it has previously been shown that tumor cells manifest selective adhesion to endothelial cells from those organs to which they are likely to metastasize, the experiments suggest a means by which natural surveillance mechanisms might be circumvented during the metastatic process.