cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence that nitrogen regulatory gene ntrC of Salmonella typhimurium is transcribed from the glnA promoter as well as from a separate ntr promoter.

Previous work has indicated that nitrogen regulatory genes ntrB and ntrC of Salmonella typhimurium are closely linked to glnA, the structural gene encoding glutamine synthetase; proceeding clockwise the order of genes in the 86 U region of the map is polA...ntrC ntrB glnA glnA promoter...rha. To study ntrC transcription we have constructed operon fusions of ntrC to lacZ using the Casadaban Mu d1 (Apr lac) phage so that we can measure beta-galactosidase activity as a reflection of ntrC transcription and we have introduced into fusion strains promoter constitutive mutations at glnA [glnAp(Con)]. The glnAp(Con) mutations, which elevate glnA expression in fusion strains, also elevate beta-galactosidase activity, indicating that ntrC is cotranscribed with glnA. Consistent with this interpretation, polar insertion mutations in glnA decrease beta-galactosidase activity of fusion strains carrying glnAp(Con) mutations. However, glnA insertions do not eliminate beta-galactosidase activity of glnAp(Con) ntrC::Mu d1 strains and they have little effect on beta-galactosidase activity of the original ntrC::Mu d1 fusion strains. The latter results confirm that ntrC can also be transcribed from an ntr promoter downstream of glnA. Polar insertion mutations in ntrB eliminate beta-galactosidase activity of both the original fusion strains and fusion strains carrying glnA(Con) mutations, indicating that the ntr promoter lies between glnA and ntrB.
Relaxation properties of weakly coupled classical systems

The relaxation properties of a small classical system weakly coupled to a large classical system which acts as a heat bath are described using a generalized Fokker-Planck equation. The Fokker-Planck equation is derived in general using a modification of the elimination of fast variables techniques previously described. The specific example in which the small system is a harmonic oscillator linearly coupled to the heat bath is treated in detail and it is demonstrated that there is a dynamic frequency shift as well as a statistical shift of the oscillator frequency.
Effect of Dynamical Deformation in Elastic Electron Scattering on the Charge Distributions of the Calcium Isotopes

The presence of dynamical deformations in the ground-state charge distributions of the calcium isotopes provides a basis for understanding two well-known but very different effects observed in elastic electron scattering from these isotopes.The first, seen at low momentum transfer, is the anomalous isotope dependence of the nuclear charge radius. It is shown that there is a deformation-dependent contribution to the rms radius, whose magnitude can be obtained from inelastic electron and $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particle scattering via a sum rule and which leads to a prediction of the isotopic dependence in substantial agreement with experiment.The second observed effect, visible at high momentum transfer, is the appearance of oscillations in the $^{40}\mathrm{Ca}$ and $^{48}\mathrm{Ca}$ charge distributions, as revealed by fits to the elastic electron scattering data at 750 MeV. It is shown that an additional contribution of dynamical deformations to monopole elastic electron scattering, observable only at high momentum transfer, may be interpreted as due to an effective spherically symmetric "modulating charge" distribution superimposed upon the smoothly varying distribution obtained at lower energies. This modulating charge is calculated explicitly and exhibits an oscillatory behavior.
Environmental Education & Ecology in a Life Science Course for Preservice K-8 Teachers Using Project Wildlife in Learning Design

ABSTRACT During laboratory sessions devoted to ecology, 182 preservice K-8 teachers participated in a Project Wildlife in Learning Design (WILD) workshop. Participants rated the workshop highly, indicated they would use more inquiry-based activities, and were more interested in teaching ecology following the workshop. Post-test scores indicated an increased content knowledge of ecology.
National Ignition Facility beamline pupil relay plane locations and imaging

Axial astigmatism can be introduced into the nominal design of an optical system by tilted and tilted-wedged plates. The pupil images in the National Ignition Facility experience many such components. Some ramifications will be explored.
Acquired immunologic tolerance: with particular reference to transplantation

The first unequivocally successful bone marrow cell transplantation in humans was recorded in 1968 by the University of Minnesota team of Robert A. Good (Gatti et al. Lancet 2: 1366-1369, 1968). This achievement was a direct extension of mouse models of acquired immunologic tolerance that were established 15 years earlier. In contrast, organ (i.e. kidney) transplantation was accomplished precociously in humans (in 1959) before demonstrating its feasibility in any experimental model and in the absence of a defensible immunologic rationale. Due to the striking differences between the outcomes with the two kinds of procedure, the mechanisms of organ engraftment were long thought to differ from the leukocyte chimerism-associated ones of bone marrow transplantation. This and other concepts of alloengraftment and acquired tolerance have changed over time. Current concepts and their clinical implications can be understood and discussed best from the perspective provided by the life and times of Bob Good.
Ulbricht embattled: The quest for socialist modernity in the light of new sources

Two GENERATIONS OF SCHOLARS have focused on the relationship between communism and modernity. On one view, communism embodied the very essence of modernity because of its reliance on instrumental rationality-the willingness to use any means to attain its desired end.1 To others, communism may have been moder, but it was a grand failure as far as 'modernisation' cum sustained economic advancement is concerned.2 The gap between modernity and modernisation proved fatal. Moderisation, after all, is the one thing that renders modernity appealing or even tolerable. Caught between the devil of market-type reforms which threatened their core values and interests, and the deep blue sea of the receding, golden West, whose middle-class lifestyles shaped the expectations of their own populations, communist leaders found themselves powerless to shape an appealing 'socialist modernity'. Nowhere was this dilemma more acutely felt than in the GDR, a country whose very raison d'etre was its anti-capitalism but whose population lived in the shadow of the most prosperous and rapidly 'modernising' country in Europe-West Germany. In this respect, the East German 1960s remains one of the most interesting and enigmatic periods in the history of the Soviet bloc. In 1963 the SED chief, Walter Ulbricht, introduced and implemented an 'in-system' economic reform designed specifically to address the issue of socialist modernity.3 After the admitted failure of the reform in 1970, leaders throughout the bloc faced two alternatives: either to retreat to a conservative immobilism or to proceed down the road of gradual capitalist restoration. East Germany took the former route and Hungary took the latter. Both routes, however, led in their own way to the revolutions of 1989. Scholarship on the rise and demise of the East German reform falls into two schools of thought. One interpretation, put forward primarily by economists, holds that the reform succeeded in its first years but ultimately failed because of flaws in its design that led to severe shortages toward the end of the 1960s.4 A second line of interpretation argues that, by the end of the 1960s, the Soviet leaders were in a position to back the opponents of the New Economic System (NES), as the reform was called, and ultimately insist that the reform be brought to an end. On this view, the extraordinary degree of political dependence on the USSR explains the policies and behaviour of the East German elite.5 While both interpretations have merit, newly accessible sources allow us to paint
Artificial intelligence: Everyday AI

AIs route phone calls, approve credit card transactions, prevent fraud, trade stocks, recognise faces, and even help doctors interpret test results
Factors Affecting Length of Stay Following Colonic Resection

Introduction In-hospital length of stay (LOS) has become a valuable measure of outcomes following any operation, which also directly impacts cost. The aim of this study was to identify the factors that affect LOS after colonic resection. Materials and methods A retrospective analysis was performed of adult patients who underwent colonic resection over an 8-y period at a tertiary institution. Data collected included demographics, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, preoperative comorbidities and medications, operative management, postoperative morbidity and mortality, and LOS. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression to identify variables predictive of prolonged LOS. Results and discussion A total of 899 consecutive patients were identified. One hundred eighty-seven resections were performed urgently, and 712 were elective. Two-hundred forty-five cases were performed laparoscopically. Complications occurred in 205 cases (23%), and there were 32 deaths (4%). The median LOS was 7 d. Logistic analysis showed 15 variables to be predictive of prolonged LOS. These included advanced age, warfarin sodium use, ASA score ≥3, alcoholism, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, end-stage renal disease, illicit drug use, total colectomy ( versus segmental), open resections ( versus laparoscopic), and postoperative complications. In addition, the presence of at least one postoperative complication was predictive of prolonged LOS ( P = 0.0002, OR 2.4 95% CI 1.5–3.8). Conclusions ASA score and the incidence of postoperative complications are the only significant categories of variables that predict prolonged LOS after colectomy. Laparoscopic approach and the extent of the resection are predictive as well.
The Fleet Design Problem

ABSTRACT Managing a fleet of vehicles requires procuring and replacing capital equipment like buses or planes that provide transportation services. Replacement costs exhibit economies of scale while maintenance costs exhibit dis-economies of scale. This paper makes three contributions. First, it develops the first formal models for determining optimal steady-state fleei designs. Second, it gives a well-defined and consistent definition of optimality for steady-state fleet designs. Third, it characterizes optimal steady-state fleet designs by showing that all replacement groups must be equally sized. This result makes computing optimal steady-state fleet designs possible since the computational effort is independent of the size of the fleet.
Careless and Random Responding on Clinical and Research Measures in the Addictions: A Concerning Problem and Investigation of their Detection

Even when relatively infrequent, careless and random responding (C/RR) can have robust effects on individual and group data and thereby distort clinical evaluations and research outcomes. Given such potential adverse impacts and the broad use of self-report measures when appraising addictions and addictive behavior, the detection of C/RR can reduce error substantially. Based on earlier research using a video game questionnaire as an exemplar, we cross-validated promising items for detecting C/RR and developed an expanded set of items, in this case using an Internet questionnaire to examine efficacy and generalization. Research participants were instructed to complete the questionnaire in standard fashion (i.e., cooperatively) or to adopt either a careless or random response set. Careless and random responders often obtained elevated mean questionnaire scores. Most items for detecting careless or random responding demonstrated significant differences across groups, and combinations of items showed high levels of accuracy, particularly in detecting random responders. Results suggest that a relatively small number of items, which might only add a minute or two to questionnaire completion time, can detect the great majority of random responders and most careless responders. Guidelines are provided for the development and application of items.
Structural and functional diversity of the microbial kinome.

The eukaryotic protein kinase (ePK) domain mediates the majority of signaling and coordination of complex events in eukaryotes. By contrast, most bacterial signaling is thought to occur through structurally unrelated histidine kinases, though some ePK-like kinases (ELKs) and small molecule kinases are known in bacteria. Our analysis of the Global Ocean Sampling (GOS) dataset reveals that ELKs are as prevalent as histidine kinases and may play an equally important role in prokaryotic behavior. By combining GOS and public databases, we show that the ePK is just one subset of a diverse superfamily of enzymes built on a common protein kinase–like (PKL) fold. We explored this huge phylogenetic and functional space to cast light on the ancient evolution of this superfamily, its mechanistic core, and the structural basis for its observed diversity. We cataloged 27,677 ePKs and 18,699 ELKs, and classified them into 20 highly distinct families whose known members suggest regulatory functions. GOS data more than tripled the count of ELK sequences and enabled the discovery of novel families and classification and analysis of all ELKs. Comparison between and within families revealed ten key residues that are highly conserved across families. However, all but one of the ten residues has been eliminated in one family or another, indicating great functional plasticity. We show that loss of a catalytic lysine in two families is compensated by distinct mechanisms both involving other key motifs. This diverse superfamily serves as a model for further structural and functional analysis of enzyme evolution.
Partitioning Rectangular and Structurally Unsymmetric Sparse Matrices for Parallel Processing

A common operation in scientific computing is the multiplication of a sparse, rectangular, or structurally unsymmetric matrix and a vector. In many applications the matrix-transpose-vector product is also required. This paper addresses the efficient parallelization of these operations. We show that the problem can be expressed in terms of partitioning bipartite graphs. We then introduce several algorithms for this partitioning problem and compare their performance on a set of test matrices.
Recent charm measurements through hadronic decay channels with STAR at RHIC in 200 GeV Cu+Cu collisions

We report on the measurements of D 0 and D s meson production in 200 GeV Cu+Cu collisions at the STAR at RHIC experiment. Results are discussed with reference to pQCD predictions of the open charm cross-section as well as the statistical hadronization model.
Ka-Band Link Study and Analysis for a Mars Hybrid RF/Optical Software Defined Radio

The integrated radio and optical communications (iROC) project at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is investigating the feasibility of a hybrid RF and optical communication subsystem for future deep space missions. The hybrid communications subsystem enables the advancement of optical communications while simultaneously mitigating the risk of infusion by combining an experimental optical transmitter and telescope with a reliable Ka-band RF transmitter and antenna. The iROC communications subsystem seeks to maximize the total data return over the course of a potential 2-year mission in Mars orbit beginning in 2021. Although optical communication by itself offers potential for greater data return over RF, the reliable Ka-band link is also being designed for high data return capability in this hybrid system. A daily analysis of the RF link budget over the 2-year span is performed to optimize and provide detailed estimates of the RF data return. In particular, the bandwidth dependence of these data return estimates is analyzed for candidate waveforms. In this effort, a data return modeling tool was created to analyze candidate RF modulation and coding schemes with respect to their spectral efficiency, amplifier output power back-off, required digital to analog conversion (DAC) sampling rates, and support by ground receivers. A set of RF waveforms is recommended for use on the iROC platform.
Effects of parental involvement in behavioral weight loss therapy for preadolescents

To examine the effects of parental involvement and family environment on weight loss in obese preadolescents, 40 dyads, consisting of an overweight parent and an overweight 9- to 13-year-old child, were assigned to parent-plus-child (n=16) or child-only (n=15) behavioral treatment groups or a waiting list control group (n=9). While children and parents in both treatment groups received complete written lessons, only children and parents in the parent-plus-child group also attended treatment sessions. Children in both treatment groups lost a significant amount of weight during treatment and maintained their losses through the 1-year follow-up period. In contrast, children in the control group gained a significant amount of weight by the 3-month follow-up. Dyads in the parent-plus-child group showed lower attrition, equivalent child weight reduction and maintenance, and better parental weight loss maintenance than dyads in the child-only group. These results and others obtained via self-report measures and intradyad correlations of weight change indicate that the family environment may play a very important role in treatment outcome achieved by behavioral weight loss therapy for preadolescents.
Environmental influences in corporate brand identification and outcomes

Integrating elements of social identity theory with the literature on branding, we propose and empirically evaluate a model of corporate branding. The model addresses key antecedents and consequences of brand identification (ID). Results from a survey of college sports fans indicate that the degree to which an individual identifies with an entity is influenced by significant others’ view of the entity and physical proximity to the entity. ID with an entity affects the individual's self-esteem and also influences their likelihood of acquiring symbols associated with the entity either for personal use or as gifts for others.
pH-sensitive activation of the intracellular-pH regulation system in squid axons by ATP-γ-S

The regulation of intracellular pH (pHi) is essential for normal cell function1, and controlled changes in pHi may play a central role in cell activation2. Sodium-dependent Cl–HCO3 exchange is the dominant mechanism of pHi regulation in the invertebrate cells examined3–6, and also occurs in mammalian cells7,8. The transporter extrudes acid from the cell by exchanging extracellular Na+ and HCO3− (ref. 9) (or a related species) for intracellular Cl− (refs 3, 4). It is blocked by the stilbene derivatives DIDS (4,4′-diisothiocyano-stilbene-2,2′-disulphonate, ref. 10) and SITS (4-acetamido-4′-isothiocyano-stilbene-2,2′-disulphonate, ref. 3), and has a stoichiometry of two intracellular H+ neutralized for each Na+ taken up and each Cl– extruded by the axon11. Because the inwardly-directed Na+ concentration gradient is sufficiently large to energize both the HCO3− influx and Cl− efflux, this electroneutral exchanger could be a classic secondary active transporter, thermodynamically independent of ATP hydrolysis. However, at least in the squid axon, the exchanger has an absolute requirement for ATP (ref. 3). Thus, a major unresolved issue is whether this Na-dependent Cl–HCO3 exchanger stoichiometri-cally hydrolyses ATP (the pump hypothesis), or whether ATP activates the transporter by a mechanism such as phosphorylation or simple binding (the activation hypothesis). We have now explored the role of ATP in pHi regulation by dialysing axons with the ATP analogue ATP-γ-S. In many systems, ATP–γ–S is an acceptable substrate for protein kinases12,13, whereas the resulting thiophosphorylated proteins are not as readily hydrolysed by phosphatases as are phosphorylated proteins14,15. Our results rule out the pump hypothesis, and show that the basis of the axon's ATP requirement is the pH-dependent activation (by, for instance, phosphorylation or ATP binding) of the exchanger itself, or of an essential activator.
The impacts of the full returns policy on a supply chain with information asymmetry

Abstract In contrast to the existing return policies literature assuming that information is symmetrical between the manufacturer and the retailer, we study the full returns policy’s impact on supply chains with information asymmetry. We first study the case that the base level of the demand follows a discrete distribution with two states. We find that the retailer benefits from the full returns policy in all circumstances, while the manufacturer and the supply chain are better off under some conditions. We then consider the situation in which the base level of the demand is a type of AR(1) process.
Electrophoresis of cellular membrane components creates the directional cue guiding keratocyte galvanotaxis.

Summary Background: Motile cells exposed to an external direct current electric field will reorient and migrate along the direction of the electric potential in a process known as galvanotaxis. The underlying physical mechanism that allows a cell to sense an electric field is unknown, although several plausible hypotheses have been proposed. In this work we evaluate the validity of each of these mechanisms. Results: We find that the directional motile response of fish epidermal cells to the cathode in an electric field does not require extracellular sodium or potassium, is insensitive to membrane potential, and is also insensitive to perturbation of calcium, sodium, hydrogen, or chloride ion transport across the plasma membrane. Cells migrate in the direction of applied forces from laminar fluid flow, but reversal of electro-osmotic flow did not affect the galvanotactic response. Galvanotaxis fails when extracellular pH is below 6, suggesting that the effective charge of membrane components might be a crucial factor. Slowing the migration of membrane components with an increase in aqueous viscosity slows the kinetics of the galvanotactic response. In addition, inhibition of PI3K reverses the cell’s response to the anode, suggesting the existence of multiple signaling pathways downstream of the galvanotactic signal. Conclusions: Our results are most consistent with the hypothesis that electrophoretic redistribution of membrane components of the motile cell is the primary physical mechanism for motile cells to sense an electric field. This chemical polarization of the cellular membrane is then transduced by intracel
Local recovery properties of capacity achieving codes

A code is called locally recoverable or repairable if any symbol of a codeword can be recovered by reading only a small (constant) number of other symbols. The notion of local recoverability is important in the area of distributed storage where a most frequent error-event is a single storage node failure. A common objective is to repair the node by downloading data from as few other storage node as possible. In this paper we study the basic error-correcting properties of a locally recoverable code. We provide tight upper and lower bound on the local-recoverability of a code that achieves capacity of a symmetric channel. In particular it is shown that, if the code-rate is e less than the capacity then for the optimal codes, the maximum number of codeword symbols required to recover one lost symbol must scale as log 1/∊.
Erosion modelling for land management in the Tahoe basin, USA: scaling from plots to forest catchments

Abstract Land management and its effects on water quality are a concern where regulatory agencies work to establish sediment and/or nutrient loadings. Runoff and erosion measurement in the field and modelling at the catchment scale are often the only means of generating realistic data and results for subsequent analyses. As such, it is critical to link local-scale field measurements associated with the range of land uses or soil restoration efforts with the catchment-scale sediment loading. A distributed hydrological model with locally-derived, slope-dependent sediment yield (erodibility) equations developed from rainfall simulation (RS) studies at the 1-m2 scale across the Tahoe basin, USA, is employed to determine the runoff-dependent scaling factors (SFs) necessary to predict daily stream sediment loading from the forested uplands. Data from three “paired”, adjacent, west-shore Lake Tahoe tributary catchments are considered for the period 1994–2004 at time scales ranging from daily to annual. At all ti...
High-throughput on-chip flow cytometry system using “microfluidic drifting” based three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic focusing

In this work we demonstrate the application of a three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic focusing technique, “microfluidic drifting” in the development of a miniaturized on-chip flow cytometry system. “Microfluidic drifting” utilizes viscous drag of Dean flow induced in a curved microfluidic channel to realize 3D hydrodynamic focusing in a single layer planar microfluidic device. Through force scaling analysis, numerical study, and experimental characterization, we show this technique can be successfully applied to focus large microparticles such as biological cells. A laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection system was incorporated with the 3D focusing device and a high-throughput (1700 cells/s) cell detection was demonstrated.
Differential brain activity in alcoholics and social drinkers to alcohol cues: relationship to craving

Using fMRI, our group previously found that after a sip of alcohol and exposure to alcohol beverage pictures, alcoholics compared to social drinkers had increased differential brain activity in the prefrontal cortex and anterior thalamus. This study extends this earlier work with several improvements including imaging the entire brain (rather than the anterior half previously) and recording craving, while the subjects viewed images within the scanner. In a Philips 1.5 T MRI scanner, 10 nontreatment-seeking alcoholics and 10 age-matched healthy social drinkers were given a sip of alcohol before viewing a 12 min randomized presentation of pictures of alcoholic beverages, nonalcoholic beverages, and two different visual control tasks. During picture presentation, changes in regional brain activity were measured in 15 transverse T2(*)-weighted blood oxygen level dependent slices. Subjects rated their urge to drink after each picture sequence. After a sip of alcohol, while viewing alcohol cues compared to viewing other beverage cues, the alcoholics, but not social drinkers, reported higher craving ratings and had increased activity in the prefrontal cortex and anterior limbic regions. Brain activity in the left nucleus accumbens, anterior cingulate, and left orbitofrontal cortex significantly correlated with subjective craving ratings in alcohol subjects but not in control subjects. This study suggests, as did our earlier study, that alcoholics and not social drinkers, when exposed to alcohol cues, have increased brain activity in areas that reportedly subserve craving for other addictive substances.
Effect of large daily doses of ascorbic acid on pregnancy in guinea pigs, rats, and hamsters.

Abstract l -Ascorbic acid was administered orally during pregnancy in doses of 400 mg/kg/day to guinea pigs and 50, 150, and 450 mg/kg/day to rats and hamsters. No increase in abortion or mortality of offspring was observed.
Organization of arm movements in three-dimensional space. Wrist motion is piecewise planar.

It is shown that human subjects are incapable of producing with the arm, in free space, planned or extemporaneously drawn trajectories in which the plane of wrist motion changes smoothly or continuously. The three-dimensional nature of these movements results from the fact that the plane of motion changes abruptly from one segment of the trajectory to the next, being confined to one plane during each segment (i.e. piecewise planar).
CITRIC ACID EXTRACTION WITH MICROPOROUS BOLLOW FIBERS

ABSTRACT Nondispersive equilibrium separation of citric acid from an aqueous solution by reversible chemical complexatlon with trioctyl amine in a diluent of methyl isobutyl ketone is achieved in a microporous hydrophobic hollow fiber extractor. The extractor had a shell-and-tube configuration : a total of 102 hydrophobic polypropylene (Celgard X-20, 240 μm id, 290 μm od, Hoechst Celanese) hollow fibers potted in epoxy in a stainless steel tube of 0.46 cm id. The effective fiber length vas 18.5 cm and surface area/volume was 46.8 cm. Theoretical models have been developed to predict the rate of extraction of citric acid in such systems. It essentially considers diffusion of solute molecules through the boundary layers of the two phases, in addition to the diffusion through the organic liquid occupying the membrane pores, and reversible chemical equilibrium at the phase interface. Conventionally in an aqueous-organic system having a high distribution coefficient for small solutes with a hydrophobic fiber a...
Terminal attachment of perfluorinated polymers to solid surfaces

Physisorption and chemisorption of perfluoropolyethers on solid surfaces is investigated using infrared spectroscopy, microcalorimetry, ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Physisorbed polymers show shifts of vibrational modes to lower frequencies in a few nanometers thick films, indicating interactions with the solid surfaces. Hydroxyl-terminated polymers are thermally attached to solid surfaces, and their thicknesses increase to saturated values with increasing heating time. The thermally attached thin polymer film consists of strongly physisorbed material as well as chemisorbed material. Strongly physisorbed polymer is slowly displaced from the surface by polar, low-molecular-weight compounds such as water or alcohols. This is to be expected on the basis of microcalorimetric results, which yield higher heats of immersion with water than with reactive perfluoropolyethers. Atomic force microscopy experiments show that the mobility of the polymer remaining on the surface decreases substantially as the amount of the physisorbed material decreases. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Interfering diffusive photon-density waves with an absorbing-fluorescent inhomogeneity

This work reports an investigation of the fluorescent field re-emitted by an object embedded in a highly scattering media illuminated by two-interfering sources. Simulations in the frequency domain with a finite difference method solving the diffusion equation were performed. The media considered had features typical of a soft-compressed breast. An absorbing-fluorescent inhomogeneity was embedded in the center of the slab. A qualitative study of the re-emitted field was achieved. The re-emitted field was found to possess unique features characteristic of the two-interfering sources excitation, i.e. null intensity when the object was between the two sources and a 180° transition crossing this position. Those features, when performing a scan of the two sources, permitted accurate localization of the inhomogeneity. Moreover, even when the detector was not placed on the mid-plane of the two sources, the re-emitted field still exhibited the interfering characteristic pattern, which was not seen at the excitation wavelength. Thus, for such configurations, the re-emitted field still possessed the specific sensitivity of phased array emission conversely to the excitation wavelength.
Scattering of polaritons by point defects in spatially dispersive media

For a simple model, we study the scattering of a polariton from a static point defect, in the presence of spatial dispersion. The polariton is scattered elastically by the defect, and in analogy with the theory of the reflection of light from the surface of a spatially dispersive medium, there are several final states possible. For example, when the medium is isotropic (the case considered here), an incident transverse polariton scatters into two transverse polariton final states, and into a longitudinal polariton final state upon striking the defect. The contributions to the cross section from these various scattering processes has been evaluated numerically, for a simple model and parameters appropriate to GaP in the infrared.
Kohonen Self-Organizing Feature Maps as a Means to Benchmark College and University Websites.

Websites for colleges and universities have become the primary means for students to obtain information in the college search process. Consequently, institutions of higher education should target their websites toward prospective and current students’ needs, interests, and tastes. Numerous parameters must be determined in creating a school website (e.g. number of links, page size, use of graphics, utilization of dynamic elements, and menuing options). This research details a decision support framework based upon Kohonen self-organizing feature maps to determine students’ specific preferences for school websites. This research attempts to remove some of the subjectivity in designing a school website by finding the commonalities among websites that students find appealing and effective. Self-organizing feature maps are employed as a clustering method to compare the school’s current website to other sites that students find both appealing and effective.
MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY SPECIFIC FOR HUMAN T ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKAEMIA

A cytotoxic mouse monoclonal antibody (CALL2) was produced against a cultured T acute lymphocytic leukaemia (T ALL) cell line 8402. Ascites fluid containing the antibody was cytotoxic to a titre of up to 1:100 000 against 4 of 6 cultured T ALL cell lines and against leukaemia cells from 7 of 8 T ALL patients and 1 of 5 T chronic lymphatic leukaemia patients. The antibody did not react with normal peripheral-blood T and B lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes, spleen cells, thymocytes, platelets, and other acute and chronic leukaemia cells. The CALL2 antibody did not react with bone marrow stem cells of the myeloid series (CFU-C). This antibody may be useful for passive immunotherapy trials since it does not react with normal cells and is highly cytotoxic to T ALL cells.
Promoting Regional Entrepreneurship through University, Government, and Industry Alliances: Initiatives from Florida's High Tech Corridor

Abstract Universities, industry and governments have shared interests that provide incentives for actively managed, mutually beneficial, economic development alliances. Benefits from these alliances include enriched entrepreneurship capital and support for knowledge-based startups and high-impact firms. Regions realizing these outcomes can expect enhanced economic outcomes like job creation, better wages, and higher innovation rates. Aside from prior research demonstrating how tech transfer processes promote innovation and high-tech business formation, little is known about other types of university alliance initiatives and how they contribute to economic development. We seek to describe several university alliances linking partners in academia, industry and government aimed at promoting entrepreneurship capital and high-impact firms. First, we describe research that provides justification for university alliances as a means of promoting regional economic development. We then describe five university alli...
Coprecipitation in the barite isostructural family: 2. Numerical simulations of reactions and mass transport

Abstract Coprecipitation of barite with trace constituents was simulated with consideration of aqueous speciation and complexation, mixing properties for the binary solid solutions (Zhu, this issue), precipitation and dissolution kinetics, and advective-dispersive transport. Speciation-solubility modeling was used to reproduce BaSO4-RaSO4 coprecipitation experimental results, and to calculate CrO42− aqueous concentrations in equilibrium with a Ba(SO4,CrO4) solid solution. Kinetic reaction path modeling was used to simulate the coprecipitation of barite with RaSO4 to form an onion-like chemically zoned solid upon the cooling of oil field brine. A one-dimensional coupled reactive mass transport model shows a strikingly different transport pattern for the tracer Ra2+, when the dominant attenuation reaction is with solid solution (Ba, Ra) SO4 as compared to the case when it is controlled by pure RaSO4 and barite solids under local equilibrium conditions. A self-enrichment of Ra2+ in the groundwater and aquifer solid matrix—higher concentrations of Ra2+ downstream from the reaction front—results from the coprecipitation reaction and advective-dispersive transport. This self-enrichment process generates a secondary tracer source, which has tracer concentrations higher than that of the original source. On the other hand, coprecipitation reactions can reduce Ra2+ concentrations in groundwater to a much lower level (below ppb) than that of pure RaSO4(c) solubility (near ppm), which has been used to establish the Ra2+ concentration limits in groundwater, soil, and nuclear waste repositories.
Ceramide Activates the Stress-activated Protein Kinases

Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) activates the stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs, also known as Jun nuclear kinases or JNKs) resulting in the stimulation of AP-1-dependent gene transcription and induces the translocation of NFκB to the nucleus resulting in the stimulation of NFκB-dependent gene transcription. A potential second messenger for these signaling pathways is ceramide, which is generated when TNFα activates sphingomyelinases. We show that treatment of HL-60 human promyelocytic cells with exogenous sphingomyelinase leads to rapid stimulation of JNK/SAPK activity, an effect not mimicked by treatment with phospholipase A2, C, or D. Further, JNK/SAPK activity is stimulated 2.7- and 2.8-fold, respectively, in cells exposed to C2-ceramide (5 μM) or TNFα (10 ng/ml). The prolonged stimulation of this kinase activity by C2-ceramide is similar to that previously reported for TNFα. In contrast, the related mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK1 and ERK2 are weakly stimulated following TNFα treatment (1.5-fold) and are inhibited by C2-ceramide treatment. TNFα also potently stimulates NF-κB DNA binding activity and transcriptional activity, but these effects are not mimicked by addition of C2-ceramide or sphingomyelinase to intact cells. Furthermore, TNFα, sphingomyelinase, and C2-ceramide induce c-jun, a gene that is stimulated by the ATF-2 and c-Jun transcription factors. These data suggest that ceramide may act as a second messenger for a subset of TNFα's biochemical and biological effects.
Dynamics of 35S in horizons and leachates from a hardwood forest spodosol

Abstract Inorganic and organic S dynamics of three horizons from a Spodosol from a northern hardwood forest ecosystem in the Adirondack Mountains of New York (U.S.A.) were investigated. Each horizon exhibited distinctive S dynamics during 20 weeks of leaching every 2 weeks with a 35 SO 2− 4 labeled simulated soil solution. Net rates of water-soluble SO 2− 4 release were 10.4 and 1.0% of total S for the Oie and Oa horizons, respectively. In the Bsl horizon net immobilization-adsorption of SO 2− 4 occurred (3.7% of total S). Of the 35 SO 2− 4 applied during leaching 8.0, 6.8 and 22.1% was incorporated into S constituents for the Oie, Oa and Bsl horizons, respectively. Incorporation into C-bonded S dominated in the organic Oie (75%) and Oa (72%) horizons while adsorption of 35 SO 2− 4 (phosphate-extractable) accounted for 84% of the 35 S incorporated in the mineral Bsl horizon. Organic S was leached from all three horizons and exceeded net release of water-soluble SO 2− 4 in the Oa horizon. C-bonded 35 S was rapidly formed and leached from each horizon and its transfer is an important component of S dynamics of this soil.
A comparison of physician-patient views of teen prenatal information needs.

To help physicians provide supportive information to pregnant teens, 146 pregnant adolescents and 46 physicians completed self-administered questionnaires about prenatal and infant care. Teens placed great importance on knowing about prenatal and parenting behaviors. Teens and physicians generally attached similar importance to concerns across all items ( p p p p
Patterns of introgression across an expanding hybrid zone: analysing historical patterns of gene flow using nonequilibrium approaches

Previous studies suggest that the hybrid zone between two taxa in the Piriqueta caroliniana complex in central Florida (south-eastern North America) has recently expanded with hybrids replacing parental genotypes across a broad region of the Florida peninsula. Here I use patterns of genetic disequilibria and levels of differentiation among populations to infer historical patterns of introgression across this broad hybrid zone. There were strong positive associations among taxon-specific alleles at the southern extent of hybridization, but disequilibria values were close to zero across the central and northern portions of the hybrid zone. Levels of among-population differentiation in the central portion of the hybrid zone were relatively low, and increased towards the northern extent of hybridization. The high levels of disequilibria are coincident with the sharp clines at the southern end of the hybrid zone, suggesting that there is a tension zone in this region that is maintained by selection against hybrids and dispersal from parental regions. The levels of disequilibria within populations and patterns of differentiation among populations are consistent with historical introgression and northward expansion of this hybrid zone, which may have slowed or ceased in recent generations.
Potential Cardiac Valve Effects of Dopamine Agonists in Hyperprolactinemia

Context: An association has been demonstrated between valvular heart disease and dopamine agonist use in patients treated for Parkinson’s disease. Following these reports, concern has been raised among endocrinologists about the safety of long-term treatment with dopamine agonists in hyperprolactinemic patients. The article will summarize all currently published research regarding the possible risk of valvulopathy in hyperprolactinemic patients on dopamine agonists and provide guidance based on current findings. Evidence Acquisition: The major source of data acquisition included PubMed search strategies. PubMed was searched for publications containing the terms “valve,” “valvular,” or “valvulopathy,” and one of the terms “dopamine agonists,” “cabergoline,” “bromocriptine,” “pergolide,” “prolactin,” “prolactinoma,” or “hyperprolactinemia.” All publications from 1950 to August, 2008, were screened for use in this review. Evidence Synthesis: The majority of studies showed no risk of valvular regurgitation as...
Average Radio-Ray Refraction in the Lower Atmosphere

Existing corrections for atmospheric refraction in radio-field intensity computations are reviewed with respect to their application to computation of ray bending. A practical scheme is presented for calculating atmospheric refraction of radio-frequency rays numerically from radiosonde data. Ray-bending computations are made for a range of climatological conditions for rays passing entirely through the atmosphere and arriving or departing tangentially at the earth's surface. Some discussion is included regarding the uncertainty in refractive-index computations from meteorological sounding data.
The Importance of Herbage in Poultry Management

Abstract IN RECENT years poultrymen have renewed interest in the enhanced value of green soil-grown crops which appear to be high in nutritive value, especially protein, vitamins A and G, and perhaps other unknown factors. Heretofore, primary emphasis was placed on the need for succulence in poultry rations as furnished by sprouted grains and tubers. Of the 6,000 or more species of tame and wild grasses, only five—oats, barley, Sudan grass, wheat, and rye—are used extensively in the Middle West for poultry feeding. This study, recently completed at the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, deals with the economic efficiency of cereal grasses, alfalfa, and milk in poultry management. PARTIAL REVIEW OF LITERATURE Chickens have probably utilized herbage in their diets in one form or another ever since their origin. Beebe (1925) relates that the Jungle Fowl, said to be the progenitor of present day poultry, consumes large quantities of tender . . .
Chromium supplementation in non-obese non-diabetic subjects is associated with a decline in insulin sensitivity.

The use of chromium supplements is widespread for the prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus but there are conflicting reports on efficacy, possibly reflecting discrepant effects across different populations. In the present studies, we test the hypothesis that chromium supplementation raises serum chromium levels and correspondingly improves insulin sensitivity. A double blind placebo-controlled randomized trial was conducted on 31 non-obese, normoglycemic subjects. After baseline studies, the subjects were randomized to placebo or chromium picolinate 500 μg twice a day. The primary endpoint was change in insulin sensitivity as measured by euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. Pre-specified secondary endpoints included fasting lipids, blood pressure, weight, body composition measured by DXA scan. After 16 weeks of chromium picolinate therapy there was no significant change in insulin sensitivity between groups (p=0.83). There was, however, a strong association between serum chromium and change in insulin resistance (β = -0.83, p=0.01), where subjects with the highest serum chromium had a worsening of insulin sensitivity. This effect could not be explained by changes in physiological parameters such as body weight, truncal fat and serum lipids with chromium therapy. Chromium therapy did not improve insulin sensitivity in non-obese normoglycemic individuals. Further, subjects who have high serum chromium levels paradoxically had a decline in insulin sensitivity. Caution therefore should be exercised in recommending the use of this supplement. The study was registered on the NIH registry (clinicaltrials.gov) and the identifier is NCT00846248
Rethinking internet traffic management: from multiple decompositions to a practical protocol

In the Internet today, traffic management spans congestion control (at end hosts), routing protocols (on routers), and traffic engineering (by network operators). Historically, this division of functionality evolved organically. In this paper, we perform a top-down redesign of traffic management using recent innovations in optimization theory. First, we propose an objective function that captures the goals of end users and network operators. Using all known optimization decomposition techniques, we generate four distributed algorithms that divide traffic over multiple paths based on feedback from the network links. Combining the best features of the algorithms, we construct TRUMP: a traffic management protocol that is distributed, adaptive, robust, flexible and easy to manage. Further, TRUMP can operate based on implicit feedback about packet loss and delay. We show that using optimization decompositions as a foundation, simulations as a building block, and human intuition as a guide can be a principled approach to protocol design.