cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
“Deciphering the Shema: Staircase Parallelism and the Syntax of Deuteronomy 6:4”

[Abstract The unusual syntax of Deut 6:4 has long puzzled expositors of the Hebrew Bible. None of the many solutions posed by commentators has ever gained widespread acceptance. The continuing, increasingly strained, efforts to unravel the verse’s syntax testify to the desirability of a new approach. In this essay, I show that the key to understanding Deut 6:4 lies in the recognition that Moses’s exhortation is couched in the AB//AC structure known as “staircase parallelism”. This pattern yields a meaning of ABC—in this case, “YHWH our God is one!” I defend this proposal in three ways, establishing that Deuteronomy is a suitable context for staircase parallelism, that at least two solid biblical precedents share the same basic sentence construction, and that staircase parallelism is literarily apropos in Deut 6., AbstractThe unusual syntax of Deut 6:4 has long puzzled expositors of the Hebrew Bible. None of the many solutions posed by commentators has ever gained widespread acceptance. The continuing, increasingly strained, efforts to unravel the verse’s syntax testify to the desirability of a new approach. In this essay, I show that the key to understanding Deut 6:4 lies in the recognition that Moses’s exhortation is couched in the AB//AC structure known as “staircase parallelism”. This pattern yields a meaning of ABC—in this case, “YHWH our God is one!” I defend this proposal in three ways, establishing that Deuteronomy is a suitable context for staircase parallelism, that at least two solid biblical precedents share the same basic sentence construction, and that staircase parallelism is literarily apropos in Deut 6.]
Dexamethasone administration induces increased glutaminase specific activity in the jejunum and colon.

Exogenous glucocorticoids markedly increase the in vivo uptake and utilization of glutamine by the intestine. Since glutamine is the major oxidative fuel for the small intestine, we investigated whether glucocorticoids induce changes in the specific activity of the enzymes that mediate glutamine degradation (glutaminase) and synthesis (glutamine synthetase). Male Sprague-Dawley rats received a 7-day elemental diet. On Day 5, animals were randomized to one of four groups and received either saline (Control) or one of three doses of dexamethasone im: 0.1 mg/kg (Lodex); 0.3 mg/kg (Middex); or 0.6 mg/kg (Hidex). Forty-eight hours later jejunal and colonic segments were assayed for protein, glutaminase, and glutamine synthetase activity. A stress dose of dexamethasone (Hidex) produced a significant increase in both jejunal and colonic glutaminase specific activity (P < 0.02 vs Control and P < 0.05 vs Control, respectively). These data suggest a mechanism whereby glucocorticoids increase the intestinal utilization of glutamine by increasing the specific activity of intestinal glutaminase.
Mortality associated with adult congenital heart disease: Trends in the US population from 1979 to 2005.

Background Significant advances over the last 5 decades have allowed most patients with congenital heart disease to survive well past childhood and into adulthood. Population-based data from the United States are limited regarding mortality in adult survivors. Methods We used the Center for Disease Control Multiple Cause-of-Death registry to determine trends in mortality from 1979 to 2005 among individuals with congenital heart disease in the United States. Results There were significant reductions in death rates for adults with a number of congenital defects including ventricular septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, coarctation of the aorta, and Ebstein anomaly. Notably, when all ages were analyzed, there was a 71% decline in deaths associated with transposition of the great arteries ( P = .001) and a 40% reduction in deaths associated with tetralogy of Fallot ( P Conclusions Patients with congenital heart disease are living longer. Arrhythmia remains the primary contributing cause of death for those with cyanotic lesions. Myocardial infarction is now the leading contributing cause for adults with noncyanotic congenital heart disease consistent with late survival and an increasing impact of acquired heart disease.
Pediatric thymomas: report of two cases and comprehensive review of the literature

Thymomas are rare pediatric malignancies with indolent behavior. There are fewer than 50 reported cases and no comprehensive review. We sought to evaluate our recent experience with pediatric thymomas, and comprehensively review the extant literature. A systematic search of the PubMed database was performed using keywords: “thymoma”, “pediatric”, “juvenile”, “childhood”, and “child”. Additional studies were identified by a manual search of the reference list. We report two patients with thymomas. We identified 22 case reports or series that described 48 patients; 62 % were male, 15 % presented with myasthenia gravis. Fifty percent were Masaoka Stage I, 15 % were Stage II, 13 % were Stage III, and 23 % were Stage IV. Four patients with early stage (I or II) disease were treated with adjuvant therapies in addition to surgical excision, while five patients with late stage (III or IV) disease treated with surgical excision alone. Of studies reporting at least 2-year follow-up, survival was 71 %. Pediatric thymomas are rare tumors with a slight male predominance. Wide variations were observed in the treatment of thymomas across all stages. Our review indicates a need for large database and multi-institutional studies to clearly elucidate clinical course, prognostic factors and outcome.
Temperature-mediated changes of exoenzyme-substrate reaction rates and their consequences for the carbon to nitrogen flow ratio of liberated resources

Abstract Soil microorganisms produce exoenzymes to access resources stored in soil organic matter. Knowledge about the effect of temperature on the rates at which exoenzymes degrade substrates is particularly important for understanding carbon and nitrogen cycling with warming, and possible feedbacks to climate change. Here, we studied reaction rates of purified enzymes and substrates in controlled laboratory conditions at temperatures ranging from 5 °C to 27 °C. We employed three enzyme-substrate pairings representative of reactions common to soil profiles: β-glucosidase and β- d -cellobioside (BGase/BG), β-N-acetyl glucosaminidase and N-acetyl-β- d -glucosaminide (NAGase/NAG), and peroxidase and 3,4-Dihydroxy- l -phenylalanine (peroxidase/ l -Dopa). Across the entire temperature range studied, BGase showed the highest specific activity (Vmax 27 °C = 1338 μmol h−1 mgBGase−1), followed by NAGase (Vmax 25 °C = 260 μmol h−1 mgNAGase−1) and peroxidase (Vmax 25 °C = 36 μmol h−1 mgperoxidase−1). From 7.5 °C to 25 °C, the specific activities of BGase, NAGase and peroxidase increased by 103%, 111% and 835%, respectively. The activation energy (Ea) required for a reaction to proceed thus was highest for peroxidase/ l -Dopa (99.8 kJ mol l -Dopa−1), followed by NAGase/NAG (41.3 kJ molNAG−1) and BGase/BG (31.4 kJ molBG−1). We use a simple model, parameterized with empirical data from these reactions in three different ways, to illustrate how the flow of carbon relative to nitrogen can change with temperature as these resources are liberated from their organic precursors. The results highlight the importance of relative temperature sensitivities among reactions and the substrates' carbon to nitrogen ratio as key determinants of temperature-mediated changes in relative availabilities of carbon and nitrogen to microorganisms.
Rebuilding the Chinese capital: Beijing in the early twentieth century

This paper studies the evolution of urban form in both physical and social manifestations through an examination of the transformation of the Chinese capital from a planned imperial city into a modern metropolis in the early twentieth century. The newly created municipal government sought to modernize Beijing through public works to improve the old urban infrastructure. Consequently, city walls and gates were reconfigured; streets were paved, widened and expanded; and new rules of urban planning and zoning were introduced. Reflecting changes in political power relations, the modernist transformation in the urban built environment was evidently brought about by a combined force of Western influences and Chinese indigenous developments, especially by a shift in ideological allegiance from imperial authority to people's rights, by the state's increasing intervention in urban affairs, and by new technologies transmitted from the West.
Live demonstration: Characterization of a wireless implantable infusion micropump for small animal research under simulated in vivo conditions

Rodents are the most widely used animal model in the study of human disease and drug administration technologies suitable for use in rodents are therefore critically important in the development of new treatments. Implantable drug delivery devices provide site specific and controlled drug administration while eliminating frequent handling, tethers, and stress induction associated with other drug delivery methods. Although implantable pumps are commercially available, none are suitable for controlled chronic dosing experiments in mice. These commercial pumps possess one or more of the following deficiencies: too large, limited drug payload, limited lifetime due to single-use battery, single fixed flow rate, or inability to adjust flow rate after implantation.
Prenatal hydronephrosis: early evaluation.

Purpose of reviewFetal hydronephrosis is the most common anomaly detected on antenatal ultrasound examination, and its significance and management remain controversial. This review aims to address the early postnatal evaluation of the child with prenatally diagnosed hydronephrosis.Recent findingsThe
Progress in I-line Stepper Technology for Half-Micron

I-line lithography offers the capability to achieve half-micron integrated circuit design rules. Such design rules require very good optical performance matched to resist process technology. Overlay performance at these design rules is also critical wit capability needed in the 100-150 nm region. Resolution and usable depth of focus (UDoF) need to be evaluated concurrently and are influenced by the lens design (wavelength, NA, focal plane deviation) as well as the resist processing technology. A simple model is presented to describe these inter-relationships. Experimental comparison of UDoF performance from 0.7 μm to 0.5 μm resolution is presented for several resist processes showing UDoF performance of greater than one micron for half-micron features. Half-micron capability on IC film stacks and topography with good UDoF is also demonstrated. The PAS 2500 alignment and positioning systems are compatible with the overlay requirements for half-micron design rules. Improved performance of the key subsystems is reported; notably the reproducibility of the phase grating alignment system and the positioning accuracy of the three axis XY stage system. The resulting improved single machine overlay from 37 steppers is 120 nm 3 σ. Improved machine to machine matching will be reported based upon the reduced single machine overlay, smaller lens distortions and an improved matching procedure. The distortion data of 19 Zeiss 58 lenses will be reported in terms of the difference between all possible pairs of lenses. Multiple machine overlay data will be given and the improvements from lens selection demonstrated.
At the intersection of micro and macro: opportunities and challenges for physician-patient communication research

The health care relationship model is undergoing dramatic change. Micro-level communication patterns yield health care relationship models (e.g. paternalism, mutual participation, consumerism). At the same time, macro-level systems appear increasingly likely to influence the nature of micro-level interaction. The intersections of health care communication micro-level and macro-level phenomena provide important venues for research and interventions. This essay identifies theoretical premises regarding the relationships between communication and health-related behavior; explores three prominent and growing macro-level phenomena that observers argue likely influence the physical-patient relationship and communication therein: complementary and alternative medicine, the Internet, and direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs; and offers a research agenda for exploring macro-level influences on micro-level physician-patient communication.
Amperometric determination of thorium and lanthanum in presence of nitrate

Abstract The reduction of nitrate ions in the presence of thorium, and lanthanum is utilized for the amperometric determination of these two metal ions. Thorium can be titrated with EDTA or benzenephosphonic acid at a voltage of −1.5 V vs S.C.E. Lanthanum titrations are carried out at the same voltage using EDTA as a titrant. It is possible that M-NO 3 (where M = Th 4+ or La 3+ -type complexes are reduced near the electrode. The effect of variation in experimental conditions and metal concentration, and the accuracy of determinations are discussed.
Long-term potentiation involves increases in the probability of neurotransmitter release

There is great interest in understanding the mechanisms of expression underlying long-term potentiation (LTP). They are agreed to involve an increase in synaptic efficacy, which is described by three multiplicative parameters: p, the probability of neurotransmitter release; n, the number of active release sites; and q, the postsynaptic unit response to transmitter release. We report three new lines of evidence suggesting that increases in p contribute to LTP expression. (i) When the contributions to LTP by p, n, and q are maximized, and p alone is decreased, another high-frequency stimulation elicits additional LTP. The additional potentiation is only associated with decreases in paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) suggesting an increase in p. (ii) There is an inverse relationship between baseline Ip and the magnitude of LTP elicited, consistent with Ip having more or less room to increase when p is smaller or greater. (iii) It has been shown that there is an inverse relationship between the magnitude of LTP induced and the associated changes in PPF. Now I find that decreasing p before inducing LTP moves the set-point for measuring those changes in PPF from before to after p is decreased, which would only occur if p contributes to LTP. Three lines of evidence, then, suggest that increases in p contribute to LTP expression, which is consistent with a presynaptic contribution to LTP. These experiments do not address potential postsynaptic contributions.
Introduction to the Special Issue on American Identity

1The preparation of this issue, and the conference on which the issue is based, was supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. The editors gratefully acknowledge Dr. Jack Templeton fo...
Computer-Assisted Design Of Well-Baffled Axially Symmetric Optical Systems

Basic principles of stray radiation suppression are employed in a FORTRAN computer pro-gram that assists in the design of well-baffled axially symmetric optical systems. Called GOSBOP (General Optical System Baffle Optimization Program) , this program can design the baffle structure of a typical system according to the user's specifications in less than a second on a CYBER 175 computer. The program can also be used in conjunction with a new version of the first APART (Arizona's Paraxial Analysis of Radiation Transfer) subprogram to design and evaluate a baffled optical system in a single computer run with a minimal amount of input. The programs enable the user to identify and eliminate troublesome single diffuse scattering paths so that a preliminary design can be optimized in terms of both optical performance and stray radiation suppression in only a few successive computer runs. As an example, the technique is applied to optimizing the baffle structure of a typical Cassegrain telescope such that the stray radiation reaching the image plane is reduced by up to three orders of magnitude. The stray radiation rejection of the final design compares favorably with relatively more complicated designs.
Quantitative determination of pentane in exhaled air correlates with colonic inflammation in the rat colitis model

Oxygen radicals play a key role in inflammation and inflammatory tissue damage. Quantitative determination of pentane, a hydrocarbon generated by membrane lipid peroxidation initiated by oxygen radicals, in expired air has been used as a noninvasive determinant or index of inflammation in various conditions. Herein we report the first examination of the relationship between exhaled pentane and colonic inflammation in a rodent model of colitis. Colitis was induced in rats (n=33) using the trinitrobenzene-sulfonic acid (TNB) model of colitis. Exhaled air was collected in a closed chamber on randomly selected animals on days 1, 2, 4, 7, 11, 13, 15, 20, and 25 post-TNB treatment, and pentane was assayed by means of gas chromatography. Gross and microscopic evidence of inflammation was compared with exhaled pentane levels. Pentane levels varied from 0.0 to 14.6 nmol/l of air and were significantly increased in TNB-treated rats compared with control rats only on days 7 to 15 after treatment (P<0.05). Gross inspection showed severe colonie inflammation through the first week (mean score =4.7 out of a possible 5), persistent inflammation on days 7 to 15 (3.2), and healing and fibrosis from the end of week two until day 25 (1.9 to 0). Histologic evaluation confirmed a progression of inflammation from acute ulceration to chronic inflammation to fibrosis and scarring. We have demonstrated that pentane exhalation is increased after the induction of colonie inflammation, with a seven-day lag time, and returns rapidly to normal as acute inflammation resolves. This suggests that pentane exhalation can be used as a noninvasive measure of colonic inflammation in rodent models of colitis and perhaps clinically in humans.
Altered mitochondrial respiration in selectively vulnerable brain subregions following transient forebrain ischemia in the rat

: Mitochondrial respiratory function, assessed from the rate of oxygen uptake by homogenates of rat brain subregions, was examined after 30 min of forebrain ischemia and at recirculation periods of up to 48 h. Ischemia-sensitive regions which develop extensive neuronal loss during the recirculation period (dorsal-lateral striatum, CA1 hippocampus) were compared with ischemia-resistant areas (paramedian neocortex, CA3 plus CA4 hippocampus). All areas showed reductions (to 53–69% of control) during ischemia for oxygen uptake rates determined in the presence of ADP or an uncoupling agent, which then recovered within 1 h of cerebral recirculation. In the ischemia-resistant regions, oxygen uptake rates remained similar to control values for at least 48 h of recirculation. After 3 h of recirculation, a significant decrease in respiratory activity (measured in the presence of ADP or uncoupling agent) was observed in the dorsal-lateral striatum which progressed to reductions of greater than 65% of the initial activity by 24 h. In the CA 1 hippocampus, oxygen uptake rates were unchanged for 24h, but were significantly reduced (by 30% in the presence of uncoupling agent) at 48 h. These alterations parallel the development of histological evidence of ischemic cell change determined previously and apparently precede the appearance of differential changes between sensitive and resistant regions in the content of high-energy phosphate compounds. These results suggest that alterations of mitochondria activity are a relatively early change in the development of ischemic cell death and provide a sensitive biochemical marker for this process.
Linear stochastic optimal control under information rate constraints

The discrete-time, linear, stochastic optimal control problem is considered under information rate constraints on the feedback loop. The feedback loop, including sensor, is modelled as a communication channel which provides a specified amount of information (in the Shannon sense) about the state of the linear plant at each discrete-time instant given the current and past observations and past controls. No further specific structure for the sensor is assumed. The expected value of a positive definite quadratic loss function is used as the performance criterion to be minimized. This leads to a double minimization problem in which the performance criterion is minimized over the set of admissible controls and the set of conditional probability densities for the state given the observations and controls which achieve the specified information. A set of recursion relationships for the solution of this problem is derived using the techniques of calculus of variations and dynamic programming. The solution indicat...
Sequential Monte Carlo-based fidelity selection in dynamic-data-driven adaptive multi-scale simulations

In a simulation-based planning and control framework, timely monitoring, analysis, and control is important not to disrupt a dynamically changing system. To meet this temporal requirement, a dynamic-data-driven adaptive multi-scale simulation (DDDAMS) paradigm was proposed earlier, where the fidelity of a complex simulation model adapts to available computational resources by incorporating dynamic data into the executing model, which then steers the measurement process for selective data update. In this work, a sequential Monte Carlo method (sequential Bayesian inference technique) is proposed and embedded into the simulation to enable its ideal fidelity selection given massive datasets under the DDDAMS framework. As dynamic information becomes available, the proposed method makes efficient inferences to determine the sources of abnormality in the system (a shop floor in this paper). A parallelisation framework is also discussed to further reduce the number of data accesses while maintaining the accuracy ...
Interactions of DNA with divalent metal ions. IV. Competitive studies of Mn2+ binding to AT- and GC-rich DNAs.

It has been inferred from previous studies that Mn2+ ions bind preferentially to G·C base pairs in DNA, and it has even been suggested that this preference for G·C pairs might be responsible for some of the Mn2+ specific effects observed in various biochemical reactions. In this paper we investigate the AT/GC preference of Mn2+ by direct competition studies in which AT-rich DNA was dialyzed against GC-rich DNA in the presence of varying amounts of Mn2+. Analysis of these results demonstrates that over a wide range of Mn2+/DNA(P) molar ratios, Mn2+ binds to A·T and to G·C base pairs with virtually identical affinity, although in a somewhat different mode. Both the present and previous nmr, uv, CD, and melting studies are discussed in terms of the different modes of binding of Mn2+ to single- and double-stranded DNA.
Multivesicular bodies and related structures of the syncytiotrophoblast of human term placenta.

Multivesicular bodies and related structures of the syncytiotrophoblast of human term placenta have been studied ultrastructurally and cytochemically. Circular profiles of vesicles termed pre–multivesicular bodies (pre-mvb's) were observed often near Golgi complexes. Multivesicular bodies (mvb's) with electron lucent matrices (L-mvb's), mvb's with electron dense matrices (D-mvb's), and dense bodies were also prevalent organelles of the syncytium. These organelles all exhibited dialyzed iron reactivity and staining characteristics suggesting that the organelles were related. Material within Golgi saccules, Golgi vesicles, vesicles of pre-mvb's, and vesicles of mvb's were all reactive with osmium zinc iodide (PZI). This OZI reactivity further indicated a relationship between the organelles. The matrix of the mvb's exhibited variable reactivity for acid phosphatase (AcPase) but such activity was not encountered in Golgi elements of syncytiotrophoblast. It is suggested that the mvb's of human term placental syncytium are likely formed by aggregation of vesicles of Golgi origin into pre-mvb's, that the pre-mvb's are then capable of transforming into L-mvb's, D-mvb's, and finally into dense (residual) bodies. It is also suggested that mvb's may function in the selective hydrolysis and transport of endocytosed proteins, including globulins. Additional bodies with intense acid phosphatase activity were designated elongate bodies. Other Distinctive organelles designated dense cored spheroids were occasionally observed in the syncytioplasm.
Mechanism of induction of hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes: recent advances

Abstract The function of the readily-inducible microsomal drug metabolizing enzymes is to oxidize ‘foreign' chemicals (drugs, steroids, pollutants, etc.) which are thereby rendered more polar and more readily excretable. Although metabolism of foreign chemicals may generally be considered to be desirable, in some cases toxic or carcinogenic metabolic intermediates may be formed en route . Understanding of this complex mono-oxygenase system is therefore of importance to both pharmacologists and toxicologists. In this review Joyce Goldstein describes the advances that application of DNA recombinant technology has made in the elucidation of the mechanism of regulation of cytochrome P-450 by two classes of chemicals.
Design, Synthesis, and Biological Activities of Cyclic Lactam Peptide Analogues of Dynorphin A(1−11)-NH21

We previously have reported four possible binding conformations of dynorphin A (Dyn A) for the central κ opioid receptors, induced by the address sequence, using a molecular mechanics energy minimization approach. The lowest energy conformation was found to exhibit an α-helical conformation in the cyclized address sequence. It was suggested that an α-helical conformation in the cyclized address sequence or a helical conformation induced by the conformational characteristics of the message sequence may be important for binding potency and κ opioid receptor selectivity. Side chain to side chain lactam bridges between the i and i + 4 positions have been shown to stabilize α-helical conformations. Thus, a series of cyclic lactam analogues of dynorphin A(1−11)-NH2 have been designed, synthesized and evaluated by the guinea pig brain (GPB) binding assay and guinea pig ileum (GPI) bioassay to evaluate the conformational analysis prediction and, further, to investigate the conformational requirements for high pot...
Three dimensional histopathology of lung cancer with multimodality image registration

Identifying the three-dimensional content of non-small cell lung cancer tumors is a vital step in the pursuit of understanding cancer growth, development and response to treatment. The majority of non-small cell lung cancer tumors are histologically heterogeneous, and consist of the malignant tumor cells, necrotic tumor cells, fibroblastic stromal tissue, and inflammation. Geometric and tissue density heterogeneity are utilized in computed tomography (CT) representations of lung tumors for distinguishing between malignant and benign nodules. However, the correlation between radiolographical heterogeneity and corresponding histological content has been limited. In this study, a multimodality dataset of human lung cancer is established, enabling the direct comparison between histologically identified tissue content and micro-CT representation. Registration of these two datasets is achieved through the incorporation of a large scale, serial microscopy dataset. This dataset serves as the basis for the rigid and non-rigid registrations required to align the radiological and histological data. The resulting comprehensive, three-dimensional dataset includes radio-density, color and cellular content of a given lung tumor. Using the registered datasets, neural network classification is applied to determine a statistical separation between cancerous and non-cancerous tumor regions in micro-CT.
Composition of Fat in Enteral Diets Can Influence Outcome in Experimental Peritonitis M. D. PECK, C. K. OGLE, J. W. ALEXANDER Annals of Surgery 214:74-82, 1991

The potential immunosuppressive effects of lipids high in the n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have led many clinicians to recommend limiting fat intake in stressed patients. Similarly, experimental and clinical evidence has been presented that supports the use of lipid formulations enriched in the marine-based n-3 PUFA in these patients.1,2This paper describes an experimental study designed to address the effect of dietary fat composition on outcome in an animal model of chronic intra-abdominal sepsis. Guinea pigs underwent gastrostomies and were later implanted with osmotic pumps inoculated with a mixture of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. A steady infusion of this synergistic combination of bacteria into the peritoneal cavity resulted in an animal model of chronic intra-abdominal sepsis. Animals were randomized to one of three dietary groups according to the level of fat intake: 3.5%, 14%, and 56% of total calories. Within each of these groups, fat composition was either high in n-6 P...
Radiation safety education in vascular surgery training.

Objective Endovascular volume during vascular surgery training has increased profoundly over recent decades, providing heavy exposure to ionizing radiation. The study purpose was to examine the radiation safety training and practices of current vascular surgery trainees. Methods An anonymous survey was distributed to all current U.S. trainees. Responses were compared according to the presence of formal radiation safety training and also the trainees' perception of their attendings' adherence to As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) strategies. Results The response rate was 14%. Forty-five percent had no formal radiation safety training, 74% were unaware of the radiation safety policy for pregnant females, 48% did not know their radiation safety officer's contact information, and 43% were unaware of the yearly acceptable levels of radiation exposure. Trained residents knew more basic radiation safety information, and more likely wore their dosimeter badges ( P P P Conclusions The lack of formal radiation safety training in respondents may reflect an inadequate state of radiation safety education and practices among U.S. vascular surgery residents.
Neutral composition effects on ionospheric storms at middle and low latitudes

[1] The two-dimensional structure of thermospheric neutral composition, specifically, the atomic oxygen to molecular nitrogen column density ratio, [O/N2], is studied during the 17–24 April 2002 geomagnetic storms to understand the cause of ionospheric storms in regions equatorward of the auroral oval on an instantaneous large scale. The [O/N2] ratio is derived from the dayglow emission ratio of O I 1356 A to N2 Lyman-Birge-Hopfield (1600–1800 A) acquired from the Polar ultraviolet imager (UVI) and the total electron content (TEC), which is used to infer ionospheric storms, is derived from the phase delays of dual-band global positioning satellite (GPS) accumulated around the globe. It is found that the regions of decreasing [O/N2] generally coincided with the regions of depleted TEC during and after the development of the storms. This is consistent with previous theoretical and experimental analysis in which composition changes play a major role in the negative ionospheric storm effects. At lower latitudes, long-lived positive storm effects predicted by empirical and general circulation models were not observed. In fact, there was no noticeable change in [O/N2]. The TEC data also showed no noticeable change, except a few “short-lived,” localized positive TEC perturbations. For this particular event, the equatorward expansion of the decreased [O/N2] at the onset of the first storms was estimated to be more than 600 m/s, much faster than the typical thermospheric wind, and reached ∼30°N in 2 hours much equatorward (>25° MLAT) beyond the auroral electrojets. This result suggests that midlatitude (negative) ionospheric storms are caused by direct equatorward penetration of a reduced thermospheric [O/N2], at least during the first few hours of storms.
Western Corn Rootworm Damage Subtly Affects Corn Growth under Moderate Environmental Stress

Western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte) is more prevalent because of its increased adaptation to crop rotation and increased continuous corn (Zea mays L.). A 2-yr field study using seed and soil-applied insecticide treatments evaluated growth responses of corn to rootworm damage. The control had moderately severe (1.40 on a 0-3 node-injury scale), whereas the 1.25 mg kernel -1 clothianidin [(E)1-(2-chloro-1, 3-thiazol-5-ymethyl)-3-methyl-2 nitroguanidine] treatment had minor (0.18) rootworm damage at silking (R1 stage). The control vs. clothianidin had a lower leaf area index at the 12th leaf (V12) stage (2.80 vs. 3.18) but similar values at R1 (4.59 vs. 4.76) and early grain-fill (R3) stages (4.30 vs. 4.64 m 2 m -2 , respectively). The control vs. clothianidin had a lower mean crop growth rate from R1 to R3 (23.6 vs. 36.3) but similar rates from the V12 to R1 (34.9 vs. 36.4) and R3 to late grain-fill (27.2 vs. 25.3 g m -2 d -1 , respectively) stages. The control vs. clothianidin had less kernels per square meter (4423 vs. 4751) but similar kernel weight (257 vs. 248 mg) and harvest index values (0.48 vs. 0.49 kg kg -1 , respectively). The control vs. clothianidin had lower yield (9.7 vs. 10.6 Mg ha -1 , respectively), but root damage ratings did not correlate with yield (r = -0.19, n = 48). The relationship between corn rootworm damage and corn growth was subtle and inconsistent across growth stages, but the control consistently yielded 8 to 9% less than the clothianidin treatment.
Eyeing Macular Degeneration — A Few Inflammatory Remarks

Two recent studies suggest that activation of NLRP3, a protein component of a cellular complex called the inflammasome, contributes to the development of age-related macular degeneration.
Time dependent gravity-capillary flows past an obstacle

Abstract The evolution of free surface gravity-capillary flows past a submerged obstacle in a shallow water channel is studied. For weakly nonlinear waves, the problem is formulated as a forced fifth-order Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation for the free-surface profile. Solutions to the initial value problem for this equation are computed numerically. It is found that there is a wealth of steady and unsteady behaviors, and several regimes are identified by varying the Froude and Bond numbers. This generalizes previous calculations in the absence of surface tension.
A Numerical Case Study of Fluid Mixing in Microchannels: The Electro-Osmotic Driven Micro-Mixer

Flow in microchannels is usually slow and the mixing of several fluids is poor if only relying on diffusion. A microchannel mixer with a simple design that is capable of rapid mixing is important for practical applications such as biochemistry analysis. In this study, a general numerical approach to analyze microchannel flow is proposed. The method is based on numerical particle tracking and computer graphics techniques. As a case study, an electro-osmotic driven microchannel mixer is considered with four geometric configurations. The microchannel has a repeated oblique-angled stripe pattern of zeta potential coatings on its floor. The comparison of the particle residence time distributions gives some indication of the mixers’ performances. The efficiency of mixing two flow streams at Peclet numbers 2 × 105 and 2 × 104 is then evaluated using the developed procedure. The results indicate that the stripe length ratio is one of the parameters that can be optimized for better mixing. Of the three stripe length ratios evaluated, the configuration with the stripe length ratio 2.0 is found to be the best. In addition, this case study demonstrates that the developed numerical technique is suitable for expeditious parametric optimization of mixer design.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Antibody-labeled fluorescence imaging of dendritic cell populations in vivo

We report an optical molecular imaging technique that exploits local administration of fluorophore-conjugated antibodies and confocal fluorescence microscopy to achieve high-contrast imaging of host cell populations in normal and tumor tissue in living mice. The method achieves micron-scale spatial resolution to depths greater than 100 mum. We illustrate the capabilities of this approach by imaging two dendritic cell populations in the skin and normal and tumor vasculature in vivo.
Opioid receptor agonists and antagonists alter GBR12909-induced turning in the rat.

We extended observations on cocaine-induced turning and its interactions with μ-opioid receptor agonists in nigrally-lesioned rats to GBR12909 (1-[2-[bis(4-fluorophenyl)methoxy]ethyl]-4-[3-phenyl-propyl]-piperazine), a selective dopamine reuptake inhibitor. GBR12909 produced turning that was potentiated by the μ-opioid receptor agonists morphine and methadone. The effects of these opioids were blocked by the general opioid receptor antagonist naloxone, which did not affect the action of GBR12909. The reuptake inhibitors nisoxetine (norepinephrine) and fluoxetine (serotonin) did not produce turning alone or in combination with morphine. Antagonists selective for each opioid receptor subtype did not alter GBR12909-induced turning. However, naltrexone, another general opioid receptor antagonist, potentiated turning induced by GBR12909. This was blocked by naloxone, suggesting that naltrexone has opioid receptor agonist actions, in contrast to naloxone. These results indicate that cocaine-induced turning and its potentiation by μ-opioid receptor agonists are dependent upon the inhibition of dopamine reuptake.
Residuals density estimation in nonparametric regression

Abstract For the fixed design regression model, a nonparametric estimate of the probability density function of the residuals is proposed and its basic properties are studied. This estimate should have direct impact on diagnostics of regression models of this type. The estimate proposed here is based on estimating the regression function at the regressor points thus giving estimates of the residuals. Then these residual estimators are used to construct a kernel estimate of residuals density. The estimate is shown, among other things, to be consistent and asymptotically normal.
Multianalyte chemical identification and quantitation using a single radio frequency identification sensor.

We demonstrate an approach for multianalyte chemical identification and quantitation using a single conventional radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that has been adapted for chemical sensing. Unlike other approaches of using RFID sensors, where a special tag should be designed at a much higher cost, we utilize a conventional RFID tag and coat it with a chemically sensitive film. As an example, we demonstrate detection of several vapors of industrial, health, law enforcement, and security interest (ethanol, methanol, acetonitrile, water vapors) with a single 13.56-MHz RFID tag coated with a solid polymer electrolyte sensing film. By measuring simultaneously several parameters of the complex impedance from such an RFID sensor and applying multivariate statistical analysis methods, we were able to identify and quantify several vapors of interest. With a careful selection of the sensing film and measurement conditions, we achieved parts-per-billion vapor detection limits in air. These RFID sensors are ...
Fire climates in the southwest

Abstract The climates of Arizona and New Mexico were analyzed from the standpoint of forest and range fire behavior. Climatological elements of temperature and humidity were used to define the mean equilibrium moisture content during the season of high fire danger. Phenological stages of the lesser herbaceous vegetation were taken as integrators of available moisture, and were used to evaluate the moisture content of the fine fuel complex, which influences fire behavior. Climatological boundaries were primarily defined by marked transition in the equilibrium moisture content field. The timespace domain of the fine fuel moisture complex was used as a secondary delineator of boundaries. These applied climatological techniques are now operationally used by fire control and weather agencies in the western United States.
Effect of salinity-altering pulsing events on soil organic carbon loss along an intertidal wetland gradient: a laboratory experiment

Salinity changes resulting from storm surge, tides, precipitation, and stormwater run-off are common in coastal wetlands. Soil microbial communities respond quickly to salinity changes, altering the rate of soil organic carbon (SOC) loss and associated biogeochemical processes. This study quantified the impact of salinity-altering pulses on SOC loss, defined as microbial respiration (CO2 flux) at high and low tide, CH4 flux, and dissolved OC (DOC) release, in 3 intertidal wetlands (Jacksonville, FL, USA). Intact soil cores from a freshwater tidal, brackish, and salt marsh were exposed to simulated tides and 3 salinity pulsing events during a 53-day laboratory experiment. Soil and water physio-chemical properties, nutrient release, and microbial indicators were measured. Microbial respiration was the dominate pathway of SOC loss (>97 %). Soil hydraulic conductivity was greater in brackish and salt marshes and was critical to overall soil respiration. High tide CO2 flux was greatest in the freshwater marsh (58 % of SOC loss) and positively correlated with DOC concentration; low tide CO2 flux was greatest in brackish and salt marshes (62 and 70 % of SOC loss, respectively) and correlated with NH4 + and microbial biomass. The freshwater marsh was sensitive to brackish pulses, causing a 112 % increase in respiration, presumably from accelerated sulfate reduction and N-cycling. SOC loss increased in the salt marsh pulsed with freshwater, suggesting freshwater run-off may reduce a salt marsh’s ability to keep-pace with sea level rise. Increased inundation from storm surges could accelerate SOC loss in freshwater marshes, while decreasing SOC loss in brackish and salt marshes.
Desert Fishes and Their Habitats

Abstract Recent habitat degradation within the desert areas of the southwestern United States and adjoining areas of Mexico has seriously depleted endemic fish populations. During the past 35 years, 4 species and 6 subspecies in 6 genera apparently have become extinct within California, Nevada, and Arizona, and at least 50 additional species and subspecies within 8 Great Basin states and northern Mexico are considered threatened. Of these, 19 are currently listed as endangered by the Secretary of the Interior. The urgency and complexity of the problem caused several governmental agencies to combine in 1970 with other concerned parties and form the Desert Fishes Council. This was done to improve communications and assist in the development of an interagency preservation program, the primary purpose of which was to reduce the rate of habitat destruction. A Pupfish Task Force established by the Department of the Interior in 1970 coordinated efforts of that agency and initiated an effective program based upon...
Model based motion estimation using constrained weighted least squares

Motion estimation from video sequences is important in many applications such as image coding, visual navigation, and security monitoring. The apparent deficit of existing methods have been their sensitivity to the presence of outliers and their limited ability to deal with multiple moving objects. In this paper, we present a motion estimator which models local image flow field using second-order polynomials with 6 parameters. We also show how constraints on the magnitude of image velocities as well as an the projective transformation can be used to better compute image flows even at the presence of outliers as well as the existence of multiple moving objects. Image flow results for several red video sequences show the robustness of this estimation scheme. >
Severe hypercholesterolemia mediated by lipoprotein X in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease of the liver

We describe a series of cases of extreme hypercholesterolemia mediated by lipoprotein X in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease of the liver after an allogeneic bone marrow transplant. All of the patients presented with a total cholesterol in excess of 1000 mg/dl (25.9 mmol/l). At the time they were also noted to have pseudohyponatremia. Cholesterol appeared to be predominantly carried by lipoprotein X. Intrahepatic cholestasis leading to reflux of bile lipoproteins into the bloodstream and subsequent formation of protein X appears to be the mechanism underlying this phenomenon. Complications, including retinal cholesterol thromboembolism and cholesteroloma of the lung have been seen in the patient with the highest cholesterol levels. Severe hypercholesterolemia is an important, and likely more common than previously reported, long-term complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. It is important for clinicians to familiarize themselves with the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges this condition presents.
Evolutionary constructive induction

Feature construction in classification is a preprocessing step in which one or more new attributes are constructed from the original attribute set, the object being to construct features that are more predictive than the original feature set. Genetic programming allows the construction of nonlinear combinations of the original features. We present a comprehensive analysis of genetic programming (GP) used for feature construction, in which four different fitness functions are used by the GP and four different classification techniques are subsequently used to build the classifier. Comparisons are made of the error rates and the size and complexity of the resulting trees. We also compare the overall performance of GP in feature construction with that of GP used directly to evolve a decision tree classifier, with the former proving to be a more effective use of the evolutionary paradigm.
Some Methodological Issues with “Draw a Scientist Tests” among Young Children

Children’s stereotypes about scientists have been postulated to affect student science identity and interest in science. Findings from prior studies using “Draw a Scientist Test” methods suggest that students see scientists as largely white, often unattractive, men; one consequence may be that girls and minority students feel a science career is “not like me”. However, a major shortcoming in prior research is that scholars have asked children to draw only scientists, thus making interpretations of earlier research findings ambiguous. We added other professionals to compare how 616 drawings of teachers, scientists, and veterinarians by 206 elementary school children varied by student gender, ethnicity, and grade. Students made clear distinctions: drawing teachers as most attractive and largely female, and scientists as most often male and least attractive. Aspects of the drawings suggest that scientists do have an “image problem” among children. However, large sex differences in the drawings and often‐unre...