cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synchrotron radiation dichromographic imaging of the extra- and intracranial arterial circulations and choroid plexus

This communication proposes the use of synchrotron radiation based k-edge dichromographic imaging for the simultaneous study of the extracranial and intracranial arterial circulations following a single peripheral intravenous injection of a contrast agent. This approach can provide images of the vertebral arteries, the common, external and internal carotid arteries, as well as the intracranial arteries, during a single scanning procedure, lasting only a few seconds, requiring an X-ray exposure on the order of about 30 mGy/image. The method has specific advantages for the evaluation of the perfusion of the choroid plexus.
Analytic theory of the selection mechanism in the Saffman-Taylor problem.

An analytic approach to the problem of predicting the widths of fingers in a Hele-Shaw cell is presented. The analysis is based on the WKB technique developed recently for dealing with the effects of surface tension in the problem of dendritic solidification. It is found that the relation between the dimensionless width lambda and the dimensionless group of parameters containing the surface tension, nu, has the form lambda - 1/2 = nu exp 2/3 in the limit of small nu.
Controlling Chaos Via Knowledge of Initial Condition for a Curved Structure

Nonlinear response of a flexible curved panel exhibiting bifurcation to fully developed chaos is demonstrated along with the sensitivity to small perturbation from the initial conditions. The response is determined from the measured time series at two fixed points. The panel is forced by an external nonharmonic multifrequency and monofrequency sound field. Using a low power time-continuous feedback control, carefully tuned at each initial condition, produces large long-term effects on the dynamics toward taming chaos. Without the knowledge of the initial conditions, control may be achieved by destructive interference. In this case, the control power is proportional to the loading power. Calculation of the correlation dimension and the estimation of positive Lyapunov exponents, in practice, are the proof of chaotic response.
Illness experience of Gulf War veterans possibly exposed to chemical warfare agents.

Abstract Background: During the 1991 Gulf War, some Allied troops were potentially exposed to chemical warfare agents as the result of the detonation of Iraqi munitions at Khamisiyah. Methods: In 1999, we conducted a computer-assisted telephone survey of 2918 Gulf War veterans from Oregon, Washington, California, North Carolina, and Georgia to evaluate the prevalence of self-reported medical diagnoses and hospitalizations among this potentially exposed population and among comparison groups of veterans deployed and nondeployed to the Southwest Asia theater of operations. Results: Troops reported to be within 50 kilometers of the Khamisiyah site did not differ from other deployed troops on reports of any medical conditions or hospitalizations in the 9 years following the Gulf War. Hospitalization rates among deployed and nondeployed troops did not differ. Deployed troops were significantly more likely to report diagnoses of high blood pressure (odds ratio [OR]=1.7); heart disease (OR=2.5); slipped disk or pinched nerve (OR=1.5); post-traumatic stress disorder (OR=14.9); hospitalization for depression (OR=5.1); and periodontal disease (OR=1.8) when compared to nondeployed troops. There was a trend for deployed veterans to report more diagnoses of any cancer (OR=3.0). Conclusions: These findings do not provide evidence of any long-term health effect associated with exposure to the detonation of chemical warfare agents, but support findings from other investigations of increased morbidity among deployed troops. The prevalence of cancer among this population of deployed troops merits ongoing attention.
A mass transfer model for super- and near-critical CO2 extraction of spearmint leaf oil

For the dynamic behavior in the super- or near-critical CO2 extraction of essential oil components (carvone and limonene) from spearmint leaves, a mass transfer model was developed on the basis of intraparticle diffusion and external mass transfer. The effects of temperature, pressure, and CO2 mass flow-rate on the model parameters which are the intraparticle effective diffusion and the external mass transfer coefficients, were investigated. Good agreement between the prediction by the model and the experimental data was obtained. When increasing the CO2 pressure, the intraparticle effective diffusion coefficients mostly increased and the external mass transfer coefficients significantly increased by showing the enhanced mass transfer at an increased CO2 density at a higher pressure. The effects of CO2 flow rate on the extent of the extraction rate and external mass transfer coefficient were negligible. Also, the Biot numbers determined for the extraction runs were generally much larger than 5, which indi...
Alternative Spatial Criteria for Targeting Soil and Water Quality Improvements in an Agricultural Watershed

The United States Food Security Act of 1985 and the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act (FACTA) of 1990 contain several landmark provisions for protecting soil and water resources in agriculture. One such provision is conservation compliance that discourages crop production methods that cause excessive soil erosion. Achievement of conservation compliance is expected to improve surface water quality. Farmers who did not implement conservation plans to reduce average erosion rates on highly-erodible fields to acceptable limits before December 1994 lost their eligibility for most farm programs. Current conservation compliance policy targets erosion control at the field level. An alternative to field-level targeting is farmor watershed-level targeting. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the economic and environmental effects of three levels of erosion targeting for conservation compliance; namely, field-, farm-, or watershedlevel targeting. The main hypothesis evaluated is that private and social benefits increase as the level of targeting increases, but at the expense of greater erosion and nonpoint source pollution. This hypothesis isbased on the principle, confirmed by Lau, that the economic efficiency of a policy increases as the policy becomes less restrictive. Private benefit is measured by annual net cash return minus onsite erosion damage. Social benefit is measured by net social benefit and an incremental benefit-cost ratio.
The Search for Signals from Extraterrestrial Civilizations

The probability that a star has a habitable planet with a communicative civilization is investigated. One approach to the search problem is to assume that the other civilization will do most of the work, which implies that the search is limited to 'supercivilizations' able to transmit detectable signals in all directions all the time. The development of an optimal search strategy is discussed together with questions of the probability of success.
Segmentation of the nucleus without segmentation of the protoplasm

1. Bringt man Seeigeleier in Seewasser, dessen Koncentration durch Zusatz von MgCl2 oder NaCl erhoht ist, so fahrt, bei richtiger Auswahl der Koncentration, der Kern fort sich zu theilen, wahrend das Protoplasma sich nicht theilt. Solche Eier zerfallen, wenn man sie in normales Seewasser zuruckbringt, auf einmal in eine der Zahl der praformirten Kerne entsprechende Zahl von Blastomeren. 2. In allen Fallen, in denen derartige Kerne im Zustand der Theilung gefunden wurden, war dieselbe mitotisch. 3. Ctenolabrus-Eier zeigen, wie Fundulus-Eier, eine hohe Unempfindlichkeit gegen Erhohung der Koncentration des Seewassers, so dass es nicht gelang festzustellen, ob auch bei diesen Eiern durch Wasserentziehung Kerntheilung ohne Zelltheilung herbeigefuhrt werden kann. 4. Es ist moglich, durch passende Temperaturerhohung bei Ctenolabrus-Eiern karyokinetische Kerntheilung ohne Zelltheilung herbeizufuhren. 5. Findet Kerntheilung ohne Zelltheilung statt, so ist dieselbe Anfangs regelma\ig. Dauern aber die Bedingungen, die diesen Zustand herbeifuhren, langere Zeit fort, so tritt multiple Karyokinese ein. Es scheint, als ob schlie\-lich auch die Kerntheilung hinter der Theilung der Centrosome resp. der Strahlensysteme zuruckbleibe.
Liberalism and Contested Conceptions of the Good: The Limits of Neutrality

The view that the state should be neutral in its treatment of people holding controversial conceptions of the good life has become widespread in recent liberal political theory. I argue that the notion of neutrality found in much of this theory is overly broad. I specify the conditions under which neutral justifications of state actions are required for reasons based in moral egalitarian premises that the neutralists and I share. The main flaw in neutralist liberalism has been in not adequately describing what it means to hold--or to reject--a conception of the good life. On closer inspection, we see that not all such conceptions demand the same degree of neutrality on the part of the state. Moreover, nonneutral justifications for many state policies need not cause the moral harm neutralists fear.
Theoretical identification and the mind-body problem

I The natural and popular response of proponents of event-identity materialism (ELM) to Kripke's refutation of the contingency of true identity statements whose terms are rigid designators I is to assume that sensations are distinguishable from their appearances) Given such distinguishability, reference to sensations is fixed by their contingent properties, and the necessity of their identification with physical events is reconciled with the apparent ability to imagine the occurrence of an event of either type without the occurrence of an event of the other. For it can be claimed that what is really imagined is that-the appearance of a sensation is the appearance of something else, or that a sensation occurs without appearing to. Given the contingency of the relation between a sensation and its appearance, such imaginings need be no more problematic than other, more familiar counterfactuals. This approach has the advantage of preserving the analogy with standard scientific identifications to which the plausibility of materialist identity theories has traditionally been entrusted. For, i t is said, we now recognize that the significance of the water H2 O, lightning electric discharge, heat molecular motion, (etc.) examples is to demonstrate not that identity can be contingent but that it can be a posteriori. And aposteriority is consistent with necessity
It's the Teachers

The poor performance of U.S. students on International Measures of Science and Math has been bemoaned by everyone from the president to concerned parents. The first Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) results were released in 1995 and the first Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) test results in 2000. The education reforms that they helped to motivate have had little impact on U.S. performance, and the country continues to hope for a simple solution that will miraculously turn the tide. But there are no quick fixes in the world of education. Instead, the United States must commit to the laborious task of improving the teachers we train and the environment in which they teach, while providing teachers with a respect and trust commensurate with their critical societal roles.
Polarized video imaging of skin

A method for imaging the superficial epidermal and papillary dermal layers of the skin is needed when assessing many skin lesions. We have developed an imaging modality using a video camera whose mechanism of contrast is the reflectance of polarized light from superficial skin. By selecting only polarized light to create the image, one rejects the 95% of diffusely reflected light from the deeper dermis. The specular reflectance (or glare) from the skin surface is also avoided in the setup. The resulting polarization picture maximally accents the details of the superficial layer of the skin and removes the effects of melanin pigmentation from the image. Fore example, freckles simply disappear and nevi lose their dark pigmentation to revel the details of abnormal cellular growth. An initial clinical study demonstrated that the polarization camera could identify the margins of sclerosing basal cell carcinoma while the eye of the doctor underestimated the margin estimate. The camera identified an 11-mm-diameter lesion while the unaided eye identified a 6-mm- diameter lesion.
Evaluation of the pre-ejection period as an estimate of myocardial contractility in dogs.

Abstract The pre-ejection period, measured externally by subtracting the left ventricular ejection time from the total systolic time, was evaluated in dogs under a variety of experimental conditions in order to determine the effect of various levels of inotropic stimuli, changes of heart rate, aortic diastolic pressure and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. In addition, the pre-ejection period was systematically compared to 2 more completely evaluated internal indexes of myocardial contractility: the time to maximal dp/dt (first derivative of left ventricular pressure) and the maximal dp/dt divided by instantaneous left ventricular pressure. No effect of heart rate on the pre-ejection period was noted when left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, aortic diastolic pressure and contractile indexes were held constant. Increases in aortic diastolic pressure caused significant but small increases in the pre-ejection period during constancy of end-diastolic pressure, heart rate and contractile indexes. Increases in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure were found to alter markedly the pre-ejection period in an inverse fashion at fixed levels of aortic diastolic pressure, heart rate and contractile indexes. There was, however, a significant correlation between the pre-ejection period and the internal indexes of contractility over a wide range of inotropic stimuli in experiments in which left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was shown to vary in a random manner. These studies indicate that the pre-ejection period may be used as an index of myocardial contractile state in situations in which the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure is constant or proved not to vary systematically under the conditions being studied. During all studies, internal and external measurements of the preejection period were found to correlate well at levels of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure below 12 mm Hg, but they were increasingly divergent at higher levels of end-diastolic pressure.
Overexpression of mcl-1 attenuates liver injury and fibrosis in the bile duct-ligated mouse.

Hepatocyte apoptosis contributes to liver injury and fibrosis after cholestatic injury. Our aim was to ascertain if the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1 alters liver injury or fibrosis in the bile duct–ligated mouse. Markers of apoptosis and fibrosis were compared in wild-type and transgenic mice expressing human Mcl-1 after bile duct ligation. Compared to hMcl-1 transgenic animals, ligated wild-type mice displayed a significant increase in TUNEL-positive cells and in caspase 3/7-positive hepatocytes. Consistent with apoptotic injury, the pro-apoptotic protein Bak underwent a conformational change to an activated form upon cholestatic injury, a change mitigated by hMcl-1 overexpression. Likewise, liver histology, number of bile infarcts, serum ALT values, markers of hepatic fibrosis, and animal survival were improved in bile duct–ligated mice transgenic for hMcl-1 as compared to wild-type mice. In conclusion, increased Mcl-1 expression plays a role in hepatoprotection upon cholestatic liver injury.
Mechanical Characterization of Ultra-Thin, Hard-Disk Overcoats Using Scratch Testing and Depth-Sensing Indentation

Two series of five diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings were sputtered under nominally identical conditions, but to different film thicknesses of 20 nm and 105 nm. First, the hardness of each sample was determined by depth-sensing indentation. Hardness measurements were substrate-affected to some extent for all samples but especially so for the 20 nm coatings. Two types of scratch tests were performed in an attempt to isolate and characterize the top coatings. The first was a wear test, which consisted of moving the sample back and forth repeatedly under a small constant load. The residual damage was inconsistent, but appeared to be a function of the composite, or substrate-affected hardness. The second test was a single-pass scratch in which the normal load was ramped linearly. For all samples, the friction coefficient was approximately constant as a function of load. Furthermore, samples with the same top coats yielded similar friction coefficients, regardless of the coating thicknesses. Friction coefficient decreased with hydrogen content and to some extent, increased with hardness, as measured on the 105 nm samples. The friction coefficient measured during a ramp-load scratch offers an alternative for characterizing ultra-thin films, when indentation alone yields measurements that are significantly affected by the substrate.
Improving Motion-Planning Algorithms by Efficient Nearest-Neighbor Searching

The cost of nearest-neighbor (NN) calls is one of the bottlenecks in the performance of sampling-based motion-planning algorithms. Therefore, it is crucial to develop efficient techniques for NN searching in configuration spaces arising in motion planning. In this paper, we present and implement an algorithm for performing NN queries in Cartesian products of R, S1, and RP3, the most common topological spaces in the context of motion planning. Our approach extends the algorithm based on kd-trees, called ANN, developed by Arya and Mount for Euclidean spaces. We prove the correctness of the algorithm and illustrate substantial performance improvement over the brute-force approach and several existing NN packages developed for general metric spaces. Our experimental results demonstrate a clear advantage of using the proposed method for both probabilistic roadmaps and rapidly exploring random trees
The Ras signaling pathway in Drosophila

During Drosophila eye development, a Ras cascade mediates the decision between neuronal and non-neuronal differentiation of the R7 photoreceptor precursor. Recent genetic and molecular studies have identified a set of protein kinases as components of the Ras cascade and nuclear targets of the cascade, including Yan, Pointed, Jun, and Phyllopod. The Ras cascade functions in other Drosophila signal transduction pathways, eliciting a distinct response in each case, presumably through phosphorylation of specific transcription factors.
Heavy metal resistance patterns of Frankia strains.

The sensitivity of 12 Frankia strains to heavy metals was determined by a growth inhibition assay. In general, all of the strains were sensitive to low concentrations ( 50 mM), and SeO22− (1.5 to 3.5 mM). While most strains were sensitive to 0.1 mM Cu2+, four strains were resistant to elevated levels of Cu2+ (2 to 5 mM and concentrations as high as 20 mM). The mechanism of SeO22− resistance seems to involve reduction of the selenite oxyanion to insoluble elemental selenium, whereas Pb2+ resistance and Cu2+ resistance may involve sequestration or binding mechanisms. Indications of the resistance mechanisms for the other heavy metals were not as clear.
The Media, the Medium, and Malaise: Assessing the Effects of Campaign Media Exposure with Panel Data

In this article we extend recent work on exposure to campaign advertisements, comparing the effects of television ads, radio ads, and campaign-related e-mails using an unusual panel data set that provides information on multiple media sources. Our findings, which control for the endogeneity problem that has plagued much work in political communications, confirm that media exposure does affect citizen attitudes. We also find additional evidence that the medium matters, with exposure to television ads tending to undermine system-supporting attitudes, whereas exposure to radio ads has an overall positive effect; contrary to expectations, the “new medium” of campaign e-mails had no discernible effect.
Effects of neutral salts on RNA chain elongation and pausing by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase.

Abstract We examined the effects of neutral salts and the non-ionic solute 2-methyl,-2,4-pentanediol (MPD) on transcript elongation by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase and on pausing induced by the multipartite his leader pause signal. All solutes tested slowed the overall rate of elongation, with anions showing the dominant effects in the order: Download : Download full-size image Although the protein structure-stabilizing anions HPO42−, OAc−, and SO42−also increased the pause half-life at the his leader pause site, the remaining solutes accelerated escape from pause site in the order: Download : Download full-size image Cl−-induced acceleration of escape from the pause site also occurred on mutant templates altered for the 3′-proximal region, RNA 3′ end, or downstream DNA. The effect was eliminated, however, by base substitutions that destabilize the pause RNA hairpin or that extend it toward the 3′ end. This “perfect hairpin” itself reduced the pause half-life by a factor of 3. We suggest that the pause RNA hairpin stabilizes a paused conformation of the transcription complex through an interaction with an easily disordered region of RNA polymerase. Extending the stem of the pause hairpin may disrupt the interaction by altering the position of the hairpin in the transcription complex. Anions may either compete for the interaction directly or disorder the site of hairpin interaction by chaotropic effects. We suggest that the negative effect of structure-stabilizing anions like OAc− and SO42− may reflect passage of RNA polymerase through significantly different conformations during rapid elongation, some of which may expose hydrophobic surface.
Social Information Processing and Job Characteristics: A Simultaneous Test of Two Theories with Implications for Job Satisfaction.

This study simultaneously tested 2 theories that attempt to explain differences in job satisfaction: job characteristics theory (Hackman & Oldham, 1976) and social information processing theory (Salancik & Pfeffer, 1978). The theories were tested using data collected from the civilian employees of the public works division at a U.S. military base. The results indicated that individuals' social environments had significant effects upon their attitudes. Multiple social networks were used to operationalize individuals' social environments. The results also suggested that job characteristics had an independent main effect upon job satisfaction, in addition to the effects of the social environment. Based on prior research, employees' past experience and self-monitoring were tested as moderators of the effects of the social environment, and growth need strength was tested as a moderator of the effects of job characteristics upon job satisfaction. Only self-monitoring was found to have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between information from the social environment and job satisfaction, and growth need strength had no significant moderating effect.
Elastic properties of a network model of glasses.

A standard model of glasses is shown to exhibit unexpected and remarkably simple elastic properties. For a sequence of networks of decreasing degree or coordination z, the number of zero-frequency vibrational modes (also called ``degrees of freedom'') increases as ${\mathit{e}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{z}/\mathrm{\ensuremath{\zeta}}}$. A simple statistical model is given which illuminates this behavior. In addition, the elastic constant ${\mathit{c}}_{44}$ decreases as (z-${\mathit{z}}_{0}$${)}^{\ensuremath{\nu}}$; in certain cases other elastic constants also exhibit this behavior. These simple functional relationships appear to hold accurately for all zg${\mathit{z}}_{0}$, where ${\mathit{z}}_{0}$ is the critical average degree at which the elastic constants vanish.
The Algebraic Representation of Partial Functions

Abstract The paper presents a generalization of the theorem which states that any (everywhere defined) function from a finite field GF(pn) into itself may be represented at a polynomial over GF(pn). The generalization is to partial functions over GF(pn) and exhibits representations of a partial function f by the sum of a polynomial and a sum of terms of the form a (x−b) 1 , where b is one of the points at which f is undefined. Three such representation theorems are given. The second is the analog of the Mittag-Leffier Theorem of the theory of functions of a single complex variable. The main result of the paper is that the sum of the degree of the polynomial part of the representation and the degrees of the principal parts of the representation need be no more than max (|A|, |B|) where A is the set upon which the function is defined and B is the set upon which the function is undefined.
Approximate analysis of binary topological relations between geographic regions with indeterminate boundaries

The development of formal models of spatial relations is a topic of great importance in spatial reasoning, geographic information systems (GIS) and computer vision, and has gained much attention from researchers across these research areas during the past two decades. In recent years significant achievements have been made on the development of models of spatial relations between spatial objects with precisely defined boundaries. However, these models cannot be directly applied to spatial objects with indeterminate boundaries which are found in many applications in geographic analysis and image understanding. This article develops a method for approximately analyzing binary topological relations between geographic regions with indeterminate boundaries based upon previous work on topological spatial relations and fuzzy sets. In addition, examples are given to demonstrate the method and related concepts. It is shown that the eight binary topological relations between regions in a two-dimensional space can be easily determined by the method.
Encountering The World's Religions: Nathan Söderblom and the Concept of Revelation

: Nathan Soderblom's research on the Christian concept of revelation vis-a-vis the encounter of Christianity and the world's religions is identified as a rich historical resource for the contemporary discussion on that topic. An appropriation of Soderblom's thought is proposed, particularly by recontextualizing the issue of non-Christian religions as an opportunity for the doctrine of revelation rather than a “problem” for soteriology. The article makes special mention of Soderblom's writings on revelation as “genius,” as experiencing holiness, and as intrinsic to the task of theology, and concludes with strategies for a practical appropriation of Soderblom.
Effects of formaldehyde exposure on the extractability of DNA from proteins in the rat nasal mucosa

Reaction of an homogenate of the rat nasal mucosa with formaldehyde (CH2O) followed by solubilization and extraction in a strongly denaturing aqueous-immiscible organic solvent mixture decreased the quantity of nucleic acids that remained in aqueous solution in comparison with a control homogenate untreated with CH2O. The absent DNA and RNA were located in the interface between the aqueous and organic phases, from which they could be recovered only after enzymatic proteolysis. It is concluded that interfacial nucleic acids were cross-linked to proteins by CH2O. The concentration of cross-links was estimated with 14CH2O; under conditions that rendered 48% of the DNA nonextractable from proteins, there was less than one cross-link per 28,000 nucleotide residues. Exposure of rats to airborne CH2O at concentrations of 0, 2, 6, 15, and 30 ppm (6 hr/day for 2 days) resulted in a statistically significant increase in the percentage of the total DNA from the respiratory mucosa that was located in the interface at concentrations of 6 ppm and higher. However, the percentage of DNA from the olfactory mucosa located in the interface was not increased by CH2O exposure. Analysis of nasal mucosal DNA by ultracentrifugation in CsCl density gradients provided no evidence of a change in the buoyant density of the DNA caused by reaction with CH2O. The results indicate that CH2O may induce DNA-protein cross-links in the respiratory but not in the olfactory mucosa at concentrations equal to or greater than 6 ppm.
Why regional studies are needed in the development of full-scale integrated assessment modelling of global change processes

Abstract Full-scale integrated assessment models (lAMs) allow many components of the global climate change problem to be examined in one framework. The chief advantage of the IAM approach over less complete modelling frameworks is that the socio-economic and environmental consequences of policy choices aimed at abating or adapting to climate change can be evaluated in their totality. However, the highly aggregate functional forms that lAMs currently embed are lacking in sufficient regional and sectoral detail to be totally credible. In this paper, ten reasons why regional studies are needed in support of the development of full-scale lAMs are given. A strategic cyclical scaling exercise involving regional and global integrated modelling frameworks is proposed.
“Depupylation” of Prokaryotic Ubiquitin-like Protein from Mycobacterial Proteasome Substrates

Ubiquitin (Ub) provides the recognition and specificity required to deliver proteins to the eukaryotic proteasome for destruction. Prokaryotic ubiquitin-like protein (Pup) is functionally analogous to Ub in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), as it dooms proteins to the Mtb proteasome. Studies suggest that Pup and Ub do not share similar mechanisms of activation and conjugation to target proteins. Dop (deamidase of Pup; Mtb Rv2112c/MT2172) deamidates the C-terminal glutamine of Pup to glutamate, preparing it for ligation to target proteins by proteasome accessory factor A (PafA). While studies have shed light on the conjugation of Pup to proteins, it was not known if Pup could be removed from substrates in a manner analogous to the deconjugation of Ub from eukaryotic proteins. Here, we show that Mycobacteria have a "depupylase" activity provided by Dop. The discovery of a depupylase strengthens the parallels between the Pup- and Ub-tagging systems of prokaryotes and eukaryotes, respectively.
Thermal And Photothermal Imaging On A Sub 100 Nanometer Scale

A review is made of progress in high resolution near field thermal imaging. The Scanning Thermal Profiler, initially demonstrated as a surface profiler, has profiled aluminum films with sub 100 nanometer resolution. More recently, the thermal sensor has been used to map current induced heating of a surface with comparable resolution. Finally, photothermal imaging of laser heated surfaces has been demonstrated, with image structure well below 100 nanometers.
Magnetic Interaction and Resultant Anisotropy in Unstrained Ferromagnetic Crystals

The mutual potential energy of two equal and parallel magnets is derived for several especially symmetrical distributions of magnetic moment in each. If $R$ is the distance between magnet centers the first three terms in order of importance depend upon ${R}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$, ${R}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ and ${R}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$. These may be called "dipole," "quadrupole" and "sextupole" terms, respectively. Magnets previously considered as representing the atoms in a ferromagnetic crystal are special cases of one of the general cases here treated. Sextupole terms have not heretofore been included. The distributions of magnetic moment now dealt with permit a closer correspondence between the model magnet in iron, cobalt, and nickel and the probable distribution in these atoms of the electrons responsible for ferromagnetism.In order to compute ferromagnetic anisotropy---differences in potential energy for differences in direction of magnetization in a crystal---sums of zonal harmonics over the points occupied by atoms are also needed. Such sums for second and fourth-order harmonics have previously been reported for the crystal structures of interest. Sums of sixth-order harmonics are now given.Within the space assigned in current pictures of the atom to "ferromagnetic" electrons we find ample room for distributions of magnetic moment, agreeing in total amount with observed saturation values, to account in general for reported anisotropies in iron, cobalt, nickel and their cubic alloys. These distributions seem to depend principally upon the maximum number of codirected electron spins. Reported changes of anisotropy with rise of temperature are such as would result from relative rotations of atomic axes out of exact parallelism.The effects of magnetostrictive strain, here omitted from consideration, may explain some discrepancies in the sign or magnitude of the sextupole terms. In hexagonal cobalt it must be assumed that the molecular field itself is anisotropic.
Seismic performance of steel moment frames with reduced beam sections

Abstract This paper presents an investigation on the seismic performance of steel moment-resisting frames with reduced beam sections (RBS), and addresses the design issues related to the RBS frames. Nonlinear static and time history analyses of eight frames (three- and ten-story steel moment frames with different RBS configurations are conducted. The 1940 Imperial Valley (El Centro station, 0.32 g PGA) and the 1994 Northridge (Newhall station, 0.59 g PGA) ground motions factored to 0.3 g and 0.6 g are used in the time-history analyses. Global and local performances of the frames are discussed in terms of plastic deformation, inelastic drift ratio, as well as strength demand. The quantitative indices, such as flange reducing rate and location of the RBS, are recommended for seismic design practice.
Recruitment and local persistence of a freshwater bryozoan in stream riffles

Recruitment in clonal organisms often involves both sexual and asexual processes whereby new individuals are added to adult populations. During 1988–1990,1 examined local distribution and abundance patterns, substrate colonization, and recruitment in riffle populations of the freshwater bryozoan Plumatella emarginata. Abundance levels of P. emarginata at eight selected study sites were strongly dependent on substrate size but not on overall substrate availability or stream position. Colonization of large, P. emarginata-free substrates at one site resulted in an aggregated dispersion pattern of short-lived colonies and the production of locally persistent sessoblasts. Sessoblast production rates were dependent of colony size and number. However, the estimated single season rates of colonization and recruitment were insufficient to account for the high resident population on large substrates. I conclude that sessoblast persistence is essential for escaping mortality and promoting future recruitment and local population growth and that the population dynamics of P. emarginata are strongly nonequilibrial being influenced by unpredictable disturbances as well as by rates of recruitment which increase with local density.
Alder Creek sanidine (ACs-2): A Quaternary 40Ar/39Ar dating standard tied to the Cobb Mountain geomagnetic event

Accurate 40Ar/39Ar dating of Quaternary and Holocene samples requires a standard (neutron fluence monitor) of appropriate age. This standard should be isotopically homogenous at the scale of analysis, and should be well intercalibrated with other standards. Several such standards have been proposed, including sanidine from the ∼1.19 Ma Alder Creek Rhyolite (ACs;Turrin et al., 1994 [Turrin, B.D., Donnely-Nolan, J.M., Hearn, B.C. Jr., 1994. 40Ar/39Ar ages from the rhyolite of Alder Creek, California: Age of the Cobb Mountain Normal-Polarity Subchron revisited. Geology 22, 251–254]). This sanidine is satisfactorily homogeneous, well intercalibrated with Fish Canyon sanidine (FCs; Renne et al., 1998 [Renne, P.R., Swisher, C.C., Deino, A.L., Karner, D.B., Owens, T.L., DePaolo, D.J., 1998. Intercalibration of standards, absolute ages and uncertainties in 40Ar/39Ar dating. Chem. Geol. 145, 117–152]), and is linked to the astronomically calibrated magnetic polarity time scale, since the Alder Creek Rhyolite lava is the type occurrence of the Cobb Mountain event (CM). We collected 408 kg of this rock, from which we anticipate being able to extract more than 8 kg of >425 μm sanidine crystals. Analyses of sanidine phenocryts from the ACs-2 from three separate irradiations and two distinct grain sizes yield ages ranging from 1.190±0.004 to 1.194±0.003 Ma1 with a weighted mean age of 1.193±0.001 Ma (MSWD=0.74, n=225; based on FCs=28.02 Ma; Renne et al., 1998 [Renne, P.R., Swisher, C.C., Deino, A.L., Karner, D.B., Owens, T.L., DePaolo, D.J., 1998. Intercalibration of standards, absolute ages and uncertainties in 40Ar/39Ar dating. Chem. Geol. 145, 117–152]). The value of the intercalibration factor (Renne et al., 1998 [Renne, P.R., Swisher, C.C., Deino, A.L., Karner, D.B., Owens, T.L., DePaolo, D.J., 1998. Intercalibration of standards, absolute ages and uncertainties in 40Ar/39Ar dating. Chem. Geol. 145, 117–152]) is RFCsACs-2=0.04229±0.00012 (n=8), identical with that of the original ACs measurements (0.04229±0.00012; Renne et al., 1998 [Renne, P.R., Swisher, C.C., Deino, A.L., Karner, D.B., Owens, T.L., DePaolo, D.J., 1998. Intercalibration of standards, absolute ages and uncertainties in 40Ar/39Ar dating. Chem. Geol. 145, 117–152]). The age of ACs-2 is in agreement with the recent astronomical calibration of the CM event (1.215 to 1.190 Ma; [Channell, J.E.T., Mazaud, A., Sullivan, P., Turner, S., Raymo, M.E., 2002. Geomagnetic excursions and paleointensities in the Matuyama Chron at Ocean Drilling Program Sites 983 and 984 (Iceland Basin). J. Geophys. Res. 107 (6), 10.1029/2001JB000491.]). The apparent absence of xenocrysts and excess argon suggests that multigrain analyses are feasible and therefore the amount of material can be tailored to experimental requirements. Aliquots from various grain sizes will be available upon request. Zircon is also potentially available, which may be of interest to (U–Th)/He researchers.
Nonpharmacologic management strategies.

Successful management of Parkinson's disease (PD) involves more than pharmacologic or surgical treatment. The diagnosis of PD is a defining moment in a person's life. Nothing will ever be the same. People often remember the exact circumstances of the moment before the physician said, "You have Parkinson's disease." In the moment when the diagnosis is confirmed, the family member immediately becomes the patient . Emotions range from disbelief to anger and from fear to depression. How this diagnosis affects the patient and the family depends on the skill of the clinician in assessing their coping abilities and in providing education on the comprehensive management available. Using the nonpharmacologic strategy of education is essential to the successful treatment of PD.
Performance of the W.M. Keck telescope active mirror control system

The active mirror control system of the W.M. Keck telescope maintains the optical figure of the segmented primary mirror under the changing influences of gravity and temperature. The ultimate performance of the system depends on the size of the calibration errors and on its stability. The design error budget calls for the calibrated mirror control system to contribute an image blur less than 0.1 arc seconds (80% enclosed energy) over the full range of operating conditions.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Calling: A Study of Personal Spiritual Experiences of Seminary Students

Increasingly various fields of mental health have been more receptive to the idea that religion and spirituality play important roles in many peoples' healthy functioning. For mostly historical reasons, the study of personal spiritual experiences (PSEs) and their influence has not piqued the interest of researchers. This study investigated the PSEs of seminary students and the results deliver a powerful message. Not only do PSEs occur, but they are experienced as a “calling,” influencing and guiding lives. A unique adaptation of the biblical exegesis technique of “call narrative” analysis was applied to these PSE narratives yielding suggestions for clinical approaches.
Evaluation of a proposed method for phenytoin maintenance dose prediction following an intravenous loading dose

A large clinical study, designed to investigate the induction of theophylline metabolism by phenytoin, provided the opportunity to test a previously proposed method for estimating dose requirements of phenytoin. This method involves prediction of the oral maintenance dosage from data obtained following the administration of an intravenous loading dose. In 30 subjects, trough plasma concentration at steady-state were 12.0±4.9 µg·ml−1 (mean ±SD) and differed by −2.7±39.3% from a mean target plasma concentration of 12.5±1.5µg·ml−1. A Bayesian regression programme was used to forecast an estimate of each subject's individual pharmacokinetics. These were then used to predict the steady-state plasma concentrations which would be expected from a standard dosing regimen (4 mg per kg per day). When compared to the results expected from the use of this standard dosage, the proposed method gave acceptable steady-state plasma phenytoin concentrations with significant reductions in deviations from target concentrations. This method for the rapid individualization of phenytoin dosage requirements provides an improvement over more traditional methods of choosing an arbitrary dose adjusted for body weight followed by dosage adjustments based on achieved plasma concentration.
A persistent RNA·DNA hybrid formed by transcription of the Friedreich ataxia triplet repeat in live bacteria, and by T7 RNAP in vitro

Expansion of an unstable GAA·TTC repeat in the first intron of the FXN gene causes Friedreich ataxia by reducing frataxin expression. Deficiency of frataxin, an essential mitochondrial protein, leads to progressive neurodegeneration and cardiomyopathy. The degree of frataxin reduction correlates with GAA·TTC tract length, but the mechanism of reduction remains controversial. Here we show that transcription causes extensive RNA·DNA hybrid formation on GAA·TTC templates in bacteria as well as in defined transcription reactions using T7 RNA polymerase in vitro. RNA·DNA hybrids can also form to a lesser extent on smaller, so-called ‘pre-mutation’ size GAA·TTC repeats, that do not cause disease, but are prone to expansion. During in vitro transcription of longer repeats, T7 RNA polymerase arrests in the promoter distal end of the GAA·TTC tract and an extensive RNA·DNA hybrid is tightly linked to this arrest. RNA·DNA hybrid formation appears to be an intrinsic property of transcription through long GAA·TTC tracts. RNA·DNA hybrids have a potential role in GAA·TTC tract instability and in the mechanism underlying reduced frataxin mRNA levels in Friedreich Ataxia.
Interaction of Antihistamines with Hydrocolloids

Abstract Antihistamines of various types form highly insoluble complexes with carrageenan and other sulfated hydrocolloids. The carboxylic acid type hydrocolloids and the proteins, casein and gelatin, formed less insoluble complexes; the neutral polysaccharides and agar (supposedly sulfated) formed gels in the presence of the antihistamines. Pyrathiazine, chlorcyclizine, pyrilamine, and pyrrobutamine formed more insoluble complexes than thenyldiamine, methapyriline, benadryl, and thonzylamine when mixed with carrageenan. The interaction was accelerated by increased temperature up to 75 °, was not appreciably affected by pH within the range of pH 2.75 to 6.55 and, at 45°, reaction times of 5–70 minutes produced no essential difference in the amount of benadryl hydrochloride bound per unit of carrageenan (Seakem type 5).
NEURODEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME IN ASYMPTOMATIC CONGENITAL CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (CMV) INFECTION. • 1069

NEURODEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME IN ASYMPTOMATIC CONGENITAL CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (CMV) INFECTION. • 1069
Simple visual and simple auditory reaction time: A comparison

In two experiments the classically reported difference of about 40 msec between simple RTs to high intensity tone and light was reproduced using 1° and 3° targets, but was reduced to 24 msec by illuminating virtually the whole retinal surface. In a third experiment, the indicated relations between target size and RT were repeated.
Extinction and Spontaneous Recovery in Positive Reinforcement and Avoidance Learning

Summary Twenty-eight naive, male 90-day-old, hooded rats were randomly assigned to two groups. The Ss in Group R were conditioned to bar-press for food while a stimulus light was illuminated; the other group (A) learned to avoid a .1 ma shock by bar-pressing when the light was illuminated. The Ss were run until no significant difference existed in their total response rate in a one-hour period (t = .33, p > .7). The Ss were then extinguished. Total and correct responses were found to be significantly higher for Group R (t = 2.61, t × 4.07, p < .05) than for Group A. Spontaneous recovery rates, total and correct responses, were significantly higher for Group R (t = 3.08, t = 3.98, p < .02). It was concluded that avoidance learning is extinguished faster and more completely than rewarded learning.
Associations between liver lesions in winter flounder (Pleuronectes americanus) and sediment chemical contaminants from north-east United States estuaries

Neoplastic diseases, particularly of bottom-dwelling fishes, are more prevalent in coastal areas than in areas that are relatively pristine. Although sediments in many urbanized estuaries contain high concentrations of contaminants, there is little evidence linking a specific organic or inorganic chemical to a particular liver lesion in winter flounder (Pleuronectes americanus), despite increasing study in recent years. Between 1984 and 1986, sediments and winter flounder were collected from 10 sites in the north-east United States ranging from grossly polluted to relatively unimpacted. Sediments were analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), chlorinated pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and metals. Gross and microscopic pathological examinations were conducted on winter flounder liver sections. Factor and canonical correlation analyses were used to explore associations between biological and chemical measurements. Hepatitis, cholangitis, phlebitis, and macro-phage aggregate hyperplasia showed positive associations with low molecular weight, petroleum-derived PAHs (naphthalene, anthracene, 1-methylnaphthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene, 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene, acenaphthene, phenanthrene, bi-phenyl, fluorene, and 1-methylphenanthrene), the pesticides lindane, hexachloro-benzene, heptachlor epoxide, and o,p′-DDD, tri- to hexachlorobiphenyls, and chromium, cadmium, lead, thallium, and selenium, but were negatively associated with the pesticides o,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDE, and mirex. Cytoplasmic hepatocellular vacuolation, cytoplasmic bile duct vacuolation, neoplasms, and pre-neoplasms showed positive associations with most PAHs measured, whether petroleum-derived or combustion-derived (benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[e]pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, di-benzo[a,h]anthracene, perylene, chrysene, and fluoranthene), the pesticides dieldrin, trans-nonachlor and alpha-chlordane, and silver, copper, antimony, and tin, but no associations with PCBs were found. Coagulative necrosis, single cell necrosis and haemorrhagic necrosis showed positive associations with hepta- to nona-chlorobiphenyls and arsenic, zinc, nickel, and mercury, and negative associations with high molecular weight, combustion-derived PAHs and DDT compounds and metabolites.