cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The nonperceptual reality of the phoneme.

Subjects responded as soon as they heard a preset target in a sequence of nonsense syllables. The target was a complete syllable (e.g., “baeb” “saeb”) or a phoneme from that syllable, the syllable-initial consonant phoneme for some objects (e.g., “b-” or “s-”), and the medial vowel phoneme for other subjects (e.g., “-ae-”). Subjects responded more slowly to phoneme targets than to syllable targets (by 40 msec for /s-/, 70 msec for /b-/ and 250 msec for medial /ae/). These results indicate that phoneme identification is subsequent to the perception of larger phonological units. The reality of the phoneme is demonstrated independently of speech perception and production by the natural presence of alphabets, rhymes, spoonerisms, and interphonemic contextual constraints.
The expanding horizon of phonocardiography.

(1) Phonocardiography is defined and the various bands of the vibratory spectrum are described, both from a physical standpoint and in relation to clinical methods of observation. Methods employed by various authors for recording phonocardiograms are compared. A new calibrated phonocardiograph is described. (2) International attempts at standardization of phonocardiography are summarized. Symbols for describing the vibrations of a phonocardiogram are discussed. (3) The advantages and disadvantages of various types of filters and the methods of calibrated and spectral phonocardiography are analyzed. (4) The vibrations created by the heart are separately described in the ultra-low, low, medium, and high frequency bands. A special discussion presents the author's viewpoints in regard to the two main components of the first sound and the so-called ejection sound. (5) The mechanism of production of the heart tones is described. (6) The value of the various tracings from a clinical standpoint is briefly analyzed.
Myelin gangliosides: an unusual pattern in the avian central nervous system.

: Gangliosides were isolated from purified myelin obtained from brain and spinal cord of mature chickens and pigeons. Total concentrations were approximately two- to fivefold greater than for previously reported mammalian species, and their patterns also differed in containing significantly more sialosylgalactosylceramide (GM4). The latter comprised one-third to one-fourth of total myelin ganglioside, approximately equivalent to GM1 (II3NeuNAc-GgOse4Cer). As in mammals, GM4 of avian CNS appeared to be localized in myelin. Fatty acids of this ganglioside included both the hydroxy- and unsubstituted types. and, long-chain bases were almost entirely C18. Ganglioside GM1 split into two closely migrating bands on TLC, the slower of which resembled mammalian GM1 in having stearate as the main fatty acid with a measurable amount (10%) of C20-sphingosine; the faster band had predominantly longer-chain fatty acids and very little C20-sphingosine.
Community Development with Emerging Ethic Communities

With the approach of the twenty-first century, community professionals will find minority communities an emerging phenomenon of increasing importance. Professionals need to relate to these communities in new and creative ways. This paper builds on the analysis of Rivera and Erlich (1984), describing a number of recent events and changing conditions significant to minority communities. The importance of ethnic competence is discussed in terms of community practice. Finally, a proposal for a national and local strategy to improve practice and professional education is described.
Nanocrystalline silicon thin-film transistors with 50-nm-thick deposited channel layer, 10 cm2v-1s-1 electron mobility and 108 on/off current ratio

Thin-film transistors were made using 50-nm-thick directly deposited nanocrystalline silicon channel layers. The transistors have a coplanar top gate structure. The nanocrystalline silicon was deposited from discharges in silane, hydrogen and silicon tetrafluoride. The transistors combine a high electron field effect mobility of ∼10 cm2 V-1s-1 with a low ‘off’ current of ∼10-14 A per μm of channel length and an ‘on’/‘off’ current ratio of ∼108. This result shows that transistors made from directly deposited silicon can combine high mobility with low ‘off’ currents.
HOXA13 Is essential for placental vascular patterning and labyrinth endothelial specification.

In eutherian mammals, embryonic growth and survival is dependent on the formation of the placenta, an organ that facilitates the efficient exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and metabolic waste between the maternal and fetal blood supplies. Key to the placenta's function is the formation of its vascular labyrinth, a series of finely branched vessels whose molecular ontogeny remains largely undefined. In this report, we demonstrate that HOXA13 plays an essential role in labyrinth vessel formation. In the absence of HOXA13 function, placental endothelial cell morphology is altered, causing a loss in vessel wall integrity, edema of the embryonic blood vessels, and mid-gestational lethality. Microarray analysis of wild-type and mutant placentas revealed significant changes in endothelial gene expression profiles. Notably, pro-vascular genes, including Tie2 and Foxf1, exhibited reduced expression in the mutant endothelia, which also exhibited elevated expression of genes normally expressed in lymphatic or sinusoidal endothelia. ChIP analysis of HOXA13–DNA complexes in the placenta confirmed that HOXA13 binds the Tie2 and Foxf1 promoters in vivo. In vitro, HOXA13 binds sequences present in the Tie2 and Foxf1 promoters with high affinity (Kd = 27–42 nM) and HOXA13 can use these bound promoter regions to direct gene expression. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that HOXA13 directly regulates Tie2 and Foxf1 in the placental labyrinth endothelia, providing a functional explanation for the mid-gestational lethality exhibited by Hoxa13 mutant embryos as well as a novel transcriptional program necessary for the specification of the labyrinth vascular endothelia.
The use of fluorides in the practice of dental medicine.

Abstract Adequate presumptive evidence from epidemiological studies and laboratory experimentation suggests that dental caries can be partially controlled by fluoridation of domestic water supplies. It may be concluded in the light of present knowledge that such a procedure will not be associated with adverse physiological effects. The full evaluation of the benefits of employing this method of caries control must await the final results of experimental studies now in progress. It has been adequately demonstrated on the basis of clinical trials that the topical application of fluorides to the teeth of children will materially reduce the incidence of caries. Variations in technique, types of solutions to be used, and individual susceptibility are some of the factors needing further study. Fluoride medication in the form of supplements of this element to the daily diet are suggested for use in those cases in which fluoridation of domestic water supplies would be impractical. Such a procedure should be carried out during the formative period of the crowns of the teeth, i.e., birth to 8 or 9 years of age, third molars excluded.
Factors associated with poor outcomes following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: redefining the "classic" indications for surgery.

Abstract Indications for UKA for isolated osteoarthritis of the knee remain controversial. Two hundred twenty-nine UKA that were performed at our institution were evaluated for which factors were associated with a poor outcome. BMI > 35 was correlated with lower KSS scores than patients with BMI
Symmetry in a Bistable MEMS Device With Force Gage and Comb Drive

This photo shows a bistable microelectromechanical (MEMS) device that incorporates many common elements of microsystems, including the comb drive and force gage. This device also is designed to exhibit bistable behavior. The photo emphasizes the symmetry of the device.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
A radioimmunoassay for γ1-melanotropin and evidence that the smallest pituitary γ-melanotropin is amidated at the COOH-terminus

Abstract Specific radioimmunoassays for γ1-melanotropin (γ1-MSH) and γ2-melanotropin (γ2-MSH) have been developed. The γ1-MSH antibody recognizes the portion between His5 and Phe11-NH2 of γ1-MSH and shows no significant cross-reactivities with other related peptides. The γ2-MSH antibody cross-reacts with γ1-MSH and γ3-MSH to the extent of 0.004% and 0.04%, respectively, on a weight basis. Using these two different antisera on bovine pituitary extracts, two γ1-MSH-like peptides were detected only in the intermediate lobe, whereas γ2-MSH-like peptides were not detectable. Furthermore, it is likely that the smallest γ-MSH produced in the bovine intermediate pituitary is a γ1-MSH-like peptide with the COOH-terminus amidated.
Name Authority Work for OCLC Copy Cataloging: Is It Worth the Effort?

ABSTRACT In 1996, a study was undertaken at the University of Arkansas Libraries to evaluate the practice of front-end authority work for monographs copy cataloging. A sample of 283 name headings originating from Library of Congress, OCLC “Enhance” member, and general member copy was examined, and analysis revealed that 47.3 percent of headings correctly matched authority records already present in the library's local file. Another 41.3 percent exactly matched records in the OCLC authority file. These findings prompted the library to cease checking name headings at the point of cataloging. However, the level of inaccuracies present, combined with the value of authority records for cross-reference and note information, ensured that the Database Maintenance Unit would continue to review local headings reports and perform needed authority work.
Electric‐induced mortality of newly transformed juvenile fishes in waters of different conductivity

In three experiments, each with three species of newly transformed juvenile fishes, the immediate mortality was determined after electrical exposure to 60 Hz pulsed DC in waters of different conductivity (C w ). With a constant applied power density (D a ; 1·0-4·9 mW cm -3 depending on species) over a range of C w (10-1020 μS cm -1 ), the results predicted that the highest fish mortality would occur at C w of 65 μS cm -1 for bluegill Lepomis macrochirus, 74 μS cm -1 for largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and at 140-175 μS cm -1 for channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. In experiment 2, the voltage gradient (E) was maintained constant (2·5-8·0 peak V cm -1 depending on species) over the same range of C w , and fish mortality increased with current density (J) or D a , which are directly related to C w . In experiment 3, fish mortality did not differ when peak E (3 or 8 V cm -1 depending on species) and mean J (0·09 or 0-24 mA cm -2 depending on species) were held constant by changing pulse width in waters with different C w (99, 165 or 495 μS cm -1 ). Fish mortality in this experiment was not significantly related to peak or mean transferred power density, and the 'power transfer theory for electrofishing' was not useful for predicting electrofishing mortality. Overall, the results of the present study indicated that mortality caused by exposure to electricity can be predicted more accurately with the variables peak E and mean J than with models requiring determination of effective conductivity of the fish.
Bioactive LH: A test to discriminate true precocious puberty from premature thelarche and adrenarche

Since luteinizing hormone levels by radioimmunoassay (I-LH) have rarely been useful in distinguishing true isosexual precocity from other less serious disorders of puberty, we have studied bioassayable B-LH in 17 prepubertal girls, seven girls with premature adrenarche, 12 girls with premature thelarche, and six girls with true isosexual precocity. The I-LH levels were three times higher in the girls with true precocious puberty than in the other groups but there was overlap between those with premature thelarche and true precocious puberty. The B-LH levels were 16 times higher in the girls with isosexual precocity than in the others, and there was no overlap. We conclude that B-LH better discriminates between true isosexual precocity and other disorders of puberty and may be a very useful laboratory test for the early diagnosis of true precocious puberty.
Nondestructive evaluation of prestressing strands with magnetostrictive sensors

Magnetostrictive sensors (MsS) provide a noncontact means to transmit and detect elastic waves in a ferromagnetic material. This paper reports results of using MsS for the evaluation of debonding between seven-wire prestressing strands and concrete. Two MsS configurations are described. One uses a coil that encircles the strand, and the other does not. The advantage of the encircling coil is higher sensitivity; the advantage of the other is that it can be operated from the concrete surface and does not necessarily require removal of concrete. The results showed a correlation between signal attenuation and bond quality. The guided wave speed was also found to be inversely proportional to the bond quality.
Reconstruction Algorithm for Fan Beam with a Displaced Center-of-Rotation

A convolutional backprojection algorithm is derived for a fan beam geometry that has its center-of-rotation displaced from the midline of the fan beam. In single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), where a transaxial converging collimator is used with a rotating gamma camera, it is difficult to precisely align the collimator so that the mechanical center-of-rotation is colinear with the midline of the fan beam. A displacement of the center-of-rotation can also occur in X-ray CT when the X-ray source is mispositioned. Standard reconstruction algorithms which directly filter and backproject the fan beam data without rebinning into parallel beam geometry have been derived for a geometry having its center-of-rotation at the midline of the fan beam. However, in the case of a misalignment of the center-of-rotation, if these conventional reconstruction algorithms are used to reconstruct the fan beam projections, structured artifacts and a loss of resolution will result. We illustrate these artifacts with simulations and demonstrate how the news algorithm corrects for this misalignment. We also show a method to estimate the parameters of the fan beam geometry including the shift in the center-of-rotation.
KABAT DATABASE AND ITS APPLICATIONS: FUTURE DIRECTIONS

The Kabat Database was initially started in 1970 to determine the combining site of antibodies based on the available amino acid sequences. The precise delineation of complementarity determining regions (CDR) of both light and heavy chains provides the first example of how properly aligned sequences can be used to derive structural and functional information of biological macromolecules. This knowledge has subsequently been applied to the construction of artificial antibodies with prescribed specificities, and to many other studies. The Kabat database now includes nucleotide sequences, sequences of T cell receptors for antigens (TCR), major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II molecules, and other proteins of immunological interest. While new sequences are continually added into this database, we have undertaken the task of developing more analytical methods to study the information content of this collection of aligned sequences. New examples of analysis will be illustrated on a yearly basis. The Kabat Database and its applications are freely available at http://immuno.bme.nwu.edu.
Rapid insulin initiation in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Abstract Three insulin-initiation regimens were compared in 43 severely hyperglycemic non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients: (1) a "standard" regimen (Lente insulin once daily), (2) a "rapid" regimen (a mixture of regular and Lente insulins twice daily), and (3) a "rapid/intravenous" regimen (the "rapid" regimen preceded by overnight intravenous infusion of regular insulin). The mean serum glucose level fell more rapidly in both groups receiving "rapid" regimens, reaching less than 200 mg/dl in 3.0 days with the "rapid" regimen compared with 5.9 days with the "standard", regimen (p
Screen Time at Home and School among Low-Income Children Attending Head Start

Objective To describe the patterns of screen viewing at home and school among low-income preschool-aged children attending Head Start and identify factors associated with high home screen time in this population. Few studies have examined both home and classroom screen time, or included computer use as a component of screen viewing.
METABOLIC STUDIES OF GAMMA‐IRRADIATED WHEAT GROWING WITHOUT CELL DIVISION

Wheat grains given 800 kr of Co/sup 60/ gamma radiation before moistening can germinate and grow into small seedlings without cell division or desoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis. The growth is sustained by metabolism and is not merely water uptake. The growing seedlings increase in dry matter, protein, and ribonucleic acid (RNA). They can perform photosynthesis by fixing carbon from CO/sub 2/ into sugar phosphates, sucrose, amino acids, and organic acids. These results suggest that such irradiated cereals may be used for certain physiological and anatomical studies of germination and development in an intact growing organism in the absence of DNA synthesis, mitosis, and cell division. (auth)
Assessments of multisensor vegetation index dependencies with hyperspectral and tower flux data

Long term data records require the effective integration of new sensor technologies and improved algorithms to better characterize global and climate change impacts on ecosystems, while preserving the fundamental attributes of the existing data record. In this study, we investigated key determinants in the spectral translation and extension of MODIS Vegetation Index products across current sensor systems and to the NPOESS (VIIRS) era. We used simulated sensor-specific data sets derived from hyperspectral data using field spectroroadiometers and Hyperion sensors to investigate inter-sensor translation and continuity issues of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI). We also investigated the use of data fusion of satellite VI time series with in-situ flux tower time series measurements of photosynthesis, and the use of data fusion with tower-based continuous measures of broadband/hemispherical VI's as possible reference data sets for the inter-calibration of satellite VI time series from different sensor systems. Preliminary comparisons are presented with actual satellite VI measurements from SPOT-VEGETATION, Terra- and Aqua-MODIS, and AVHRR sensors. We found that with a consistent atmosphere correction scheme and a generalized compositing procedure, translation of multi-sensor datasets can be achieved with certain limitations.
Synthesis of some diacylimines

Abstract A series of diacylimine compounds was synthesized by reacting a primary amide withan appropriate acid chloride or anhydride.
Mesoscale Gravity Waves in Moist Baroclinic Jet–Front Systems

AbstractA series of cloud-permitting simulations with the Weather Research and Forecast model (WRF) are performed to study the characteristics and source mechanisms of mesoscale gravity waves in moist baroclinic jet–front systems with varying degrees of convective instability. These idealized experiments are initialized with the same baroclinic jet but with different initial moisture content, which produce different life cycles of moist baroclinic waves, to investigate the relative roles of moist processes and baroclinicity in the generation and propagation of mesoscale gravity waves. The dry experiment with no moisture or convection simulates gravity waves that are consistent with past modeling studies. An experiment with a small amount of moisture produces similar baroclinic life cycles to the dry experiment but with the introduction of weak convective instability. Subsequent initiation of convection, although weak, may considerably amplify the gravity waves that are propagating away from the upper-leve...
l-DOPA and Pituitary Hormone Secretion

Ten patients, aged 5 to 20 years, with short stature were given l-DOPA orally to assess its effects on pituitary hormone secretion. The group included seven children with constitutional short stature, one with isolated HGH deficiency and two with idiopathic hypopituitarism. Doses of l-DOPA ranged between 200 and 500 mg. Six of the seven constitutionally short children responded with elevations in HGH concentration above 7 ng/ml, peak levels occurring between 30 and 120 min after drug administration. No HGH release was observed in the individual with isolated HGH deficiency or the subjects with idiopathic hypopituitarism. No effects were seen on the plasma concentrations of FSH, LH, TSH and cortisol in the five endocrinologically normal patients in whom they were measured.
Evaluating Temporal Variability in Bacterial Indicator Samples for an Urban Watershed

Temporal variability in water quality sampling can lead to under or overestimation of pollution. More frequent sampling during times of expected high variability can reduce temporal bias. However, bacterial indicator measurements require manual sampling and time-intensive and expensive laboratory analysis. Thus, methods to assess the effect of temporal variability would be useful. In this work, fecal coliform and E. coli samples were taken weekly during the recreational season at 25 sites in an urban watershed. The data were categorized into wet versus dry days, and upper versus lower watershed, and the geometric means and geometric standard deviations of various five-sample data sets were analyzed to determine if sample data selection would result in different stream classifications. Results indicate if the bacterial indicator samples are near the regulated limits for water contact recreational use, temporal bias could sway impairment classification decisions. To reduce the temporal bias, sampling data s...
Use of federal government documents by science and engineering faculty

Abstract The use of United States federal government publications by the science and engineering faculty of UCLA is examined. Replicating a study performed by Peter Hernon in 1979, this study describes and analyzes information-seeking behavior. It further tests Hernon's hypothesis that the use of documents by faculty does not differ significantly from one discipline to another. The results of this study support previous findings, indicating that federal government documents are under-utilized, especially by scientists, engineers, and faculty. Results also suggest that when using federal government documents, scientists and engineers exhibit atypical information-seeking behavior.
Enhancement of diapausing flesh fly puparia with additional hydrocarbons and evidence for alkane biosynthesis by a decarbonylation mechanism

Abstract Puparia of diapausing flesh flies, Sarcophaga crassipalpis, are lined with twice as much hydrocarbon as their nondiapausing counterparts (ca 15 vs 7 μg). The quantity of epicuticular hydrocarbon increases throughout the life of the fly, but it is only in the pupal stage that a distinction can be made between diapausing and nondiapausing cohorts. Though some of the additional hydrocarbon is deposited on the exterior surface of the puparium, the bulk of the additional hydrocarbon is on the interior surface of the puparium. The few flies that fail to diapause when reared under short day conditions also produce puparia enhanced with an abundance of hydrocarbon, thus implying that the increase in production of hydrocarbons is not invariably linked to the expression of diapause. Elevation of temperature can increase the quantity of hydrocarbon produced in puparia from nondiapausing flies, but this effect is modest in comparison to the effect of short-day (diapause) programming. In addition, we demonstrate that flesh flies convert fatty acid to alkane utilizing a mechanism that first involves reduction of fatty acid to aldehyde (with ATP, CoA and NADH as required cofactors), then carbonyl removal from aldehyde (no cofactors needed). Thus, we provide the first evidence that hydrocarbon synthesis in insects involves decarbonylation.
Merging AVHRR and SMMR data for remote sensing of ice and cloud in polar regions

Abstract Multispectral data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) were digitally processed and merged with Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) imagery. Five channels of AVHRR data, four channels of SMMR brightness temperatures and SMMR-derived ice concentration and ice type were co-registered to a polar stereographic grid. The merged data sets are currently being used in combination with meteorological information for integrated studies of clouds and sea ice.
The quality of municipal service: Concept, measure and results

This article presents a systematic discussion of the concept of the quality of municipal services. Based upon the argument that service quality is a subjective and collective experience of the citizenry, the quality of municipal service is conceptualized is the interaction of two components: (1) the level of citizen satisfaction with the service and (2) the extent of variation in the distribution of service satisfaction across neighbornoods within a community. To measure these two components, Indices of Service Adequacy and Service Equality are constructed. The indices are employed in the analysis of survey data collected from three Illinois middle-size cities in order to assess and compare their service qualities in the areas of police protection, street maintenance and public education. The findings suggest that citizens of the three cities are less than highly satisfied with the quality of these public services.
Secretion of collagen by corneal epithelium. I. Morphology of the collagenous products produced by isolated epithelia grown on frozen-killed lens.

Corneal epithelium from 5–7-day old chick embryos was isolated with EDTA and grown in culture on frozen-killed lens as a substratum. Autoradiographs showed that in the presence of [3H]proline, the corneal epithelium synthesized and secreted onto the lens substratum, radioactive materials resistant to extraction by sodium hydroxide. The radioactive label was associated with newly formed striated collagen fibrils, large "sheets" of collagen, and basal lamina. The repeat period and interband pattern of the abundant new collagen sheets and fibrils was typical of "native" or so-called "mesenchymal" collagen. Collagen-like materials were observed in secretory (Golgi) vacuoles within the corneal cells and collagen fibrils within the intercellular canals (lateral interfaces) of the epithelium, as well as at the base of the cells. Both the granular endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complexes were highly developed in the corneal epithelium. In the discussion, the role of cytoplasmic organelles in collagen secretion, the origin and structure of the basal lamina, and variations in collagen polymerization patterns in vitro are reviewed and evaluated. The morphogenetic significance of the synthesis and secretion of collagen by embryonic epithelium is appraised and the production of true native-striated collagen by epithelium is stressed.
Radioimmunotherapy in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: trials of yttrium 90-labeled ibritumomab tiuxetan and beyond.

Abstract The treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) has improved over the past 20 years, but the natural history of the disease has not improved with conventional therapeutics. New modalities using targeted therapy based on molecular biology and immunology hold promise for better outcomes with less toxicity. Major radionuclides available (iodine I 131 and yttrium 90) are discussed and clinical trial data with the 90 Y–labeled antibody ibritumomab tiuxetan are presented. Long-term toxicity questions are addressed, the use of dosimetry as a means for predicting toxicity is reviewed, and quality-of-life analyses are discussed. Radioimmunotherapy represents a safe and effective treatment modality for patients with NHL.
Neuere Entwicklungen auf dem Gebiet des Vitamins B12: Von einfachen Corrinen und von Coenzym B12 abhängige Enzymreaktionen

Einfache Corrine, z. B. Vitamin B12, und Vitamin-B12-Coenzyme katalysieren eine Vielzahl von ungewohnlichen Enzymreaktionen, fur die es zum Teil noch keine Analogien aus dem Bereich der synthetischen organischen oder metallorganischen Chemie gibt. Die Mechanismen dieser Reaktionen sind zur Zeit noch Gegenstand lebhafter Diskussionen. Der vorliegende Aufsatz gibt einen Uberblick uber neuere Vorstellungen zur Frage der Wirkungsweise der Vitamin-B12-Coenzyme in enzymatischen Reaktionen.
Testing a growth efficiency hypothesis with continental-scale phenological variations of common and cloned plants

Variation in the timing of plant phenology caused by phenotypic plasticity is a sensitive measure of how organisms respond to weather and climate variability. Although continental-scale gradients in climate and consequential patterns in plant phenology are well recognized, the contribution of underlying genotypic difference to the geography of phenology is less well understood. We hypothesize that different temperate plant genotypes require varying amount of heat energy for resuming annual growth and reproduction as a result of adaptation and other ecological and evolutionary processes along climatic gradients. In particular, at least for some species, the growing degree days (GDD) needed to trigger the same spring phenology events (e.g., budburst and flower bloom) may be less for individuals originated from colder climates than those from warmer climates. This variable intrinsic heat energy requirement in plants can be characterized by the term growth efficiency and is quantitatively reflected in the timing of phenophases—earlier timing indicates higher efficiency (i.e., less heat energy needed to trigger phenophase transitions) and vice versa compared to a standard reference (i.e., either a uniform climate or a uniform genotype). In this study, we tested our hypothesis by comparing variations of budburst and bloom timing of two widely documented plants from the USA National Phenology Network (i.e., red maple-Acer rubrum and forsythia-Forsythia spp.) with cloned indicator plants (lilac-Syringa x chinensis ‘Red Rothomagensis’) at multiple eastern US sites. Our results indicate that across the accumulated temperature gradient, the two non-clonal plants showed significantly more gradual changes than the cloned plants, manifested by earlier phenology in colder climates and later phenology in warmer climates relative to the baseline clone phenological response. This finding provides initial evidence supporting the growth efficiency hypothesis, and suggests more work is warranted. More studies investigating genotype-determined phenological variations will be useful for better understanding and prediction of the continental-scale patterns of biospheric responses to climate change.
GROWTH RESPONSES OF THE DIATOM, CYCLOTELLA CRYPTICA (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE), TO GIBBERELLIC ACID1

The plant hormone, gibberellic acid (GA), stimulated growth of a marine diatom, Cyclotella cryptica Reimann, Lewin and Guillard. Four concentrations of GA (5 × 20 × 25 × and 35 × 10−6 g/mL) were added to axenic cultures of C. cryptica. Changes in cell densities, measured by cell counts and turbidimetric readings, confirmed that GA at 20 × 10−6 g/mL produced maximum stimulation. There was an increase in the total number of cells produced and a shorter lag phase of growth at this concentration. Coulter counter measurements of cell size, as well as ocular micrometer measurements, indicated there was no significant variation in cell volumes of GA grown cells over that of the controls.
Benign nature of atrial dissociation in pediatric patients

Atrial dissociation is defined electrocardiographically by the presence of an ectopic atrial rhythm depolarizing independently of the basic sinus rhythm, and is characterized by entrance and exit block. Atrial dissociation is most often observed as an ominous sign in adults with severe myocardial dysfunction. We have observed atrial dissociation in 3 pediatric patients, aged 5 to 22 years, who were essentially asymptomatic from this arrhythmia. All 3 patients are well, without therapy for atrial dissociation, during a follow-up period of 1 to 5 years. The benign nature of atrial dissociation in the pediatric patient as compared with the adult is stressed.
Initial burial and subsequent degradation of sedimented phytoplankton: relative impact of macro- and meiobenthos

Abstract The initial burial (transfer through the sediment-water interface) and subsequent degradation of sedimented phytoplankton was examined in the laboratory in sediments containing meiofauna, both with and without macrofauna, over a 10-day period. Burial and degradation were monitored by following changes in vertical profiles of Chl a and phaeopigments in sediment columns with and without an addition of senescent Skeletonema costatum Greville (Cleve) cells to the sediment surface. The macrofauna present in the cores consisted of a subsurface deposit-feeder assemblage typical of organically enriched habitats. Upon diatom addition, the visual redox potential discontinuity (RPD) rose to or near the sediment surface. Chl a and phaeopigment levels increased 6 and 3 days after diatom addition, respectively, with no difference in concentrations in the presence or absence of macrofauna. These increases appeared to be confined to the top 5 mm of sediment. Overall, phaeopigment concentrations were higher in cores containing macrofauna. A minimum of 83 % of the added Chl a was transferred through the sediment-water interface in 10 days. In organically enriched habitats, the initial burial and subsequent degradation of sedimented phytoplankton appears to be a process dominated by the meiofaunal and microbial communities, and unaffected by subsurface deposit-feeding macrofauna.
Spore Trapping and Pathogenicity of Fungi in the Botryosphaeriaceae and Diaporthaceae Associated with Avocado Branch Canker in California

Avocado branch canker in California is caused by a complex of fungal species in the families Botryosphaeriaceae and Diaporthaceae. As the popularity of avocado fruit increases, California growers are under pressure to increase their productivity in order to compete with imports. One way to increase production is through high-density planting, which entails intense canopy management, possibly leaving the trees vulnerable to infection through pruning wounds. A spore trap study was undertaken to determine the seasonal spore discharge of Botryosphaeriaceous and Diaporthaceous fungi. Based on colony counts, the highest population of Botryosphaeriaceous fungi (68%) occurred during or soon after precipitation events, which coincided with the winter months of December, January, and February. The spring and fall seasons had lower numbers of spores trapped (at 13 and 17%, respectively), with few spores trapped in the summer season. For members of the Diaporthaceae family, spores trapped were almost evenly split between winter and fall seasons (50 and 49%, respectively), with few to no spores trapped in the spring and summer seasons. A pathogenicity test of six fungi of Botryosphaeriaceae and one fungus of Diaporthaceae was conducted in the greenhouse. Internal plant vascular lesion lengths resulting from inoculation with any of the seven fungal species differed significantly from the noninoculated control. These studies suggest that pruning during the drier parts of the year would minimize infection by fungi in the Botryosphaeriaceae and Diaporthaceae families.
Transformation of “living” carbocationic and other polymerizations to controlled/“living” radical polymerization

Transformation of living carbocationic polymerization of styrene and isobutene to controlled atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) is described and formation of the corresponding AB and ABA block copolymers with styrene (St), methyl methacrylate (MMA, methyl acrylate (MA) and isobornyl acrylate (IBA) was demonstrated. A similar approach was applied to the cationic ring opening polymerization of tetrahydrofuran leading to the AB and ABA block copolymers with St, MMA and MA using ATRP. Site transformation approach was also used for the ring opening metathesis polymerization of norbornene and polycondensation systems using polysulfone as an example. In both cases, AB and ABA block copolymers were efficiently formed with styrene and acrylates.
Gold Nanorods Mediate Tumor Cell Death by Compromising Membrane Integrity

Light-activated therapies can be used to eradicate diseased cells and tissues in a noninvasive manner. Much attention has been focused on the emerging potential of photothermolysis (also referred to as optical hyperthermia), which involves the conversion of absorbed light into heat via nonradiative mechanisms. Photoactivated effects can be localized and intensified by employing exogenous agents with large absorption cross sections, confining damage to areas of interest with minimal collateral effects.[1] In particular, targeted photothermolysis may be most effective when mediated by photothermal agents that absorb strongly at near infrared (NIR) frequencies, to enable deeper penetration into biological tissues.[2]
Clinical aspects of quality assurance in PACS

The advent of picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) promises to confer a number of significant advantages upon the practice of medicine, in general, and upon radiology, in particular. This promise, notwithstanding, numerous important obstacles to a complete, clinically effective, implementation of this technology exist. Not the least of these obstacles pertains to the area of quality assurance (QA). The remainder of this manuscript will review the approach that many conventional departments of radiology have taken to QA problems. This information will be used as a foundation for conjecture about QA issues that are likely to be important in a totally digital environment.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Utility of frozen-section analysis of sentinel lymph node biopsy specimens for melanoma in surgical decision making.

Abstract Background Debate exists whether frozen-section analysis of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) for melanoma is an accurate method to detect disease that has metastasized to the lymph nodes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of intraoperative frozen section for SLNs in melanoma. Methods We reviewed 133 patients (271 nodes) who underwent SLN biopsy with frozen section for melanoma between April 2003 and September 2007. Frozen-section diagnosis was compared with final diagnosis to determine concordance between intraoperative and postsurgical diagnosis. Results A total of 11 nodes (8% of patients) were found to have metastatic disease. All patients underwent lymph node dissections at the time of SLN biopsy. No false-positive SLNs were found on frozen section. The false-negative rate for SLN biopsy frozen section was 8% (1 of 133 patients). Conclusions Intraoperative frozen section can be an accurate and reliable tool in the right setting for analysis of sentinel nodes in cutaneous melanoma and deserves further study.
Amiodarone-associated bone marrow granulomas: a report of 2 cases and review of the literature

Amiodarone therapy is associated with several adverse effects, including hematologic ones such as pancytopenia, hemolytic anemia, and aplastic anemia.Very few cases of amiodarone-associated bone marrow granulomas have been reported.We report 2 cases of amiodarone-associated bone marrow granulomas. Patient 1 was an 81-year-old man who presented with leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and hepatosplenomegaly after 2 years of amiodarone therapy. Patient 2 was an 80-year-old man who presented with pancytopenia 21/2 years after starting amiodarone treatment. Both patients had normal blood counts before amiodarone therapy. Bone marrow biopsies showed noncaseating granulomas in both patients. We reviewed the literature available on Medline for amiodarone-associated bone marrow granulomas and found 8 reported cases of amiodarone-associated bone marrow granulomas. One case also featured amiodarone-associated hepatic granulomas. Amiodarone therapy was stopped in 5 cases, with improvement of the granulomas occurring in 3 cases. We conclude that bone marrow granulomas, although rare, should be considered as a differential diagnosis for patients undergoing amiodarone therapy and presenting with cytopenias.
Rosette formation by insect macrophages inhibition by cytochalasin B.

Abstract Macrophages from the insect Spodoptera eridania possess membrane receptors for unmodified avian and mammalian erythrocytes, with which they form spontaneous rosettes. Rosette formation occurs in the absence of serum proteins and divalent cations. Individual macrophages bear receptors for several types of red cells. The level of naturally-occurring hemagglutinins against a particular test erythrocyte is not correlated with macrophage reactivity against that red cell. In contrast with mammalian macrophages, neuraminidase treatment of either hemocytes or erythrocytes does not cause a marked enhancement of binding. Pretreatment of macrophages or erythrocytes with cytochalasin B causes reversible inhibition of resetting probably by interfering with normal microfilament function, suggesting that optimal binding occurs when membranes are functioning normally on both macrophages and red cells. Colchicine and vinblastine do not influence resetting; therefore, microtubules are probably not involved in erythrocyte binding.
An optimal algorithm with unknown time complexity for convex matrix searching

Abstract A constructive uniform algorithm is given for the convex matrix searching problem. The algorithm is provably optimal for the decision tree model of computation, but the actual time complexity is unknown. From previous results, the lower bound is \GW( n ) and the upper bound is O( n \Ga( n )). It is shown that the time of the algorithm is in the same asymptotic class as the minimum height decision tree. Thus, the problem of determining the asymptotic time complexity of the convex matrix searching problem is equivalent to determining the minimum decision tree height.
The deformation and fracture of TiAl at elevated temperatures

The tensile properties of the intermetallic compound TiAl have been determined at several temperatures in the range 25 to 1000°C. Additional variables studied were the influence of strain rate and the effect of exposure to oxidizing conditions prior to testing. The modes of deformation under the various testing conditions were studied in the electron microscope, the modes of fracture were studied in the scanning electron microscope, and these data were correlated with the mechanical properties. The results indicate that the ductilebrittle transition behavior of TiAl at about 700°C is controlled by the trailinga/6 [112] partial dislocation components of thea [011] superdislocations overcoming their pinning barriers. It was also shown that prior exposure to oxidizing conditions does not markedly influence the mechanical properties of TiAl.
The Complexity of Indefinite Elliptic Problems with Noisy Data

We study the complexity of 2mth order definite elliptic problemsLu=f(with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions) over ad-dimensional domain ?, error being measured in theHm(?)-norm. The problem elementsfbelong to the unit ball ofWr,p(?), wherep? 2, ∞] andrd/p. Information consists of (possibly adaptive) noisy evaluations offor the coefficients ofL. The absolute error in each noisy evaluation is at most ?. We find that thenth minimal radius for this problem is proportional ton?r/d+ ?, and that a noisy finite element method with quadrature (FEMQ), which uses only function values, and not derivatives, is a minimal error algorithm. This noisy FEMQ can be efficiently implemented using multigrid techniques. Using these results, we find tight bounds on the ?-complexity (minimal cost of calculating an ?-approximation) for this problem, said bounds depending on the costc(?) of calculating a ?-noisy information value. As an example, if the cost of a ?-noisy evaluation isc(?) = ??s(fors> 0), then the complexity is proportional to (1/?)d/r+s.
Optical spectroscopy of electronic surface states

In this paper a number of optical spectroscopic methods for investigating surface electronic structure are discussed, including reflectance techniques, ellipsometry, surface photoconductivity and surface photovoltage spectroscopy. In addition to electron scattering techniques and UV-photoemission, optical spectroscopic methods have contributed much in recent times to the understanding of electronic surface states on solids. A discussion and comparison is given of the nature and significance of information obtained by these methods and exemplary experimental results are presented to illustrate the contribution of the optical techniques to the present knowledge about surface states. The relation between information obtained from optical measurements and electron spectroscopy is considered.
Exploring Kinetic Scenarios for Allosteric Transitions of Calmodulin through Coarse-Grained Simulations

Although the two domains of Calmodulin (CaM) are topologically similar, they differ in structural flexibility, stability, and Calcium binding affinity. Our coarse-grained simulations of the open-closed conformational transitions in Calcium-free Calmodulin (CaM) suggest kinetic scenarios in which the transition mechanisms for the two domains are distinct as well. Both domains have the same qualitative thermodynamic mechanisms: a “low temperature” two-state mechanism in which the domain remains relatively structured throughout the transition, and a “high temperature” mechanism involving a partially folded, unstable intermediate in the transition landscape. Under the same simulation conditions, the N-terminal domain (nCaM) exhibits two-state behavior, while the C-terminal domain (cCaM) populates the partially folded intermediate. The simulated transition rate for cCaM is much smaller due to the transient unfolding and refolding along the transition route compared to the two-state transition rate for nCaM. Differences in transition rates for the Calcium-free open/closed transition could explain measured binding rates of Ca2+ for the different domains. For example, slower conformational kinetics caused by the partially folded intermediate may bias cCaM towards a conformational selection binding mechanism, while nCaM maintains induced fit binding under some range of calcium concentration. Here, we explore such binding scenarios qualitatively.
Practical error correction for resource-constrained wireless networks: unlocking the full power of the CRC

Bit errors are common in wireless networks, and techniques for overcoming them traditionally consist of expensive retransmission (e.g. Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ)) or expensive Forward Error Correction (FEC), both of which are undesirable in resource-constrained wireless networks such as wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In this paper, we present TVA (Transmit-Verify-Acknowledge), a protocol that can correct errors without adding additional redundancy to data packets. Instead, TVA corrects errors using the redundancy inherent in Cyclic Redundancy Checks (CRCs). The ubiquity of CRCs has the advantage of allowing TVA to be both backwards-compatible and backwards-efficient with link-layer protocols such as IEEE 802.15.4. We present a novel method of CRC error correction, which is compact and computationally efficient, and is designed to correct the most common error patterns observed in WSNs. We demonstrate that TVA provides reliability effectively equivalent to that of ARQ. We perform trace-driven simulations using data from sensor network deployments in different environments and analyze TVA's performance at different message lengths. To demonstrate the practicality of TVA, we implement it in TinyOS, and perform experiments on MicaZ motes to evaluate TVA in the presence of 802.11 interference. We find that TVA improves over ARQ and FEC-based protocols, using 31% less redundant communication and 30% less additional time to recover errored packets compared to ARQ.