cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Walking and talking through Walks and Talks: traveling in the English landscape with Frederick Law Olmsted, 1850 and 2011

Abstract Frederick Law Olmsted (1822–1903) is one of the most important figures in the history of American landscape architecture, conservation, and planning. Before he stumbled accidentally onto a career in park design, however, Olmsted was a dilettante gentleman farmer, social critic, and reformist man of letters. This paper considers the intellectual development of the early Olmsted by following his 1850 trip to England. It draws on two reservoirs of evidence: the documentary material in Olmsted's first book, Walks and Talks of an American Farmer in England ; and an experiment in historical geographical fieldwork undertaken by duplicating Olmsted's trip in May 2011. The essay argues that situating the ‘early Olmsted’ firmly within the intellectual history of antebellum social reform necessitates an interpretation of Olmsted's bourgeois republican radicalism which has been deemphasized in canonical histories of landscape architecture. It furthermore explores the category of mobility as an analytic and methodological tool, engaging with Olmsted's field practices in order to interrogate landscape as a experiential site of social and historical interpretation. Finally, it argues for the intellectual productivity of a fundamental tension between corporeality and transcendence intrinsic to the experience of landscape, a tension metaphorized within the very title ‘Walks and Talks.’
Effects of vane/blade ratio and spacing on fan noise

The effects of vane/blade ratio and spacing on fan noise are investigated to develop a fan noise prediction scheme which is calibrated against experimental data. A 44 blade, 0.504 diameter fan is used to demonstrate the production of fan noise data free from excess noise caused by rotor turbulence interaction. Two stator sets consisting of a cut-off set with 86 vanes, and a cut-on set of 48 vanes are used, with a total range of spacing from 0.5 to 2.3 rotor chords. The model includes viscous wake interaction noise and the potential field interactions of both the rotor and stator. A free-field acoustic environment is achieved by covering the walls, ceiling and floor with 0.7 m polyurethane foam wedges, providing less than + or - 1 dB standing wave ratio at 200 Hz. Only a 3 dB drop in tone level occurs as the spacing is increased from 0.5 to 2.3 rotor chords, and results indicate that the rotor wakes impinging on the stator vanes are the principal noise source for subsonic rotor speeds.
Chronic levodopa impairs morphological development of grafted embryonic dopamine neurons

Degeneration and plasticity of dopamine (DA) neurons may be influenced by their own neurotransmitter and/or metabolic by-products. Substances with known neurotoxic properties, such as hydrogen peroxide and 6-hydroxydopamine, are produced during oxidation of DA. Additionally, DA can directly regulate neurite outgrowth in both invertebrate and vertebrate species. We have begun to investigate the influence of increased local transmitter concentrations on the morphological plasticity of neurons by examining the effect of chronic levodopa, a drug that increases DA synthesis, on grafted embryonic nigral DA neurons in a rat model of experimental parkinsonism and in monolayer cell cultures. Results from our in vivo investigation show that although chronic levodopa does not significantly affect the number of surviving grafted cells, morphological development of these embryonic DA neurons appears impaired. Levodopa administered chronically to fetal DA neurons in culture results in a decreased number of surviving neurons as well as a reduction in neurite outgrowth with increasing concentration of levodopa ranging from 10(-8) to 10(-4) M. This information provides further evidence to support the hypothesis that excess DA or its metabolites can influence the survival and growth of DA neurons. These results may be important in the design of pharmacotherapy for Parkinson's disease and the combination of drug and neural grafting therapies in this disorder.
A biased and personal overview

Abstract I provide a personal overview of the 2008, International Workshop on Particle Physics with Slow Neutrons.
Charge-symmetry breaking in the nucleon-nucleon interaction

New calculations of charge-symmetry breaking in the NN interaction lead to radically altered predictions for the difference between nn and pp scattering lengths. Inclusion of the eta' meson and use of realistic magnetic couplings for the vector meson changes the sign as well as the magnitude of earlier results. This sensitivity arises in part from cancellations within the pseudoscalar and vector contributions separately, making precise calculations difficult. Meson mixing is determined from quark mass differences, and the finite width of the rho meson is included.
SOLUBILITY OF SEVERAL SOLUTES AS A FUNCTION OF THE DIELECTRIC CONSTANT OF SUGAR SOLUTIONS.

The solubility of several pharmaceutical solutes has been determined in sucrose solutions of varying concentration. These syrup vehicles possess dielectric constant values lower than pure water, their respective dielectric constants decreasing with increasing concentration. The effect of both the concentration and the dielectric constant of sucrose in syrup vehicles upon the solubility of several solutes has been determined. The solubility of the solutes studied are seen to increase directly with increasing sucrose concentration and inversely with dielectric constant for the range and systems studied.
Solid‐state investigations of erythromycin a dihydrate: Structure, NMR spectroscopy, and hygroscopicity

The crystal structures of the commercially available form of erythromycin A dihydrate and clarithromycin anhydrate, in addition to the structure of erythromycin B dihydrate, are reported in this paper. In light of the crystallographic data, analysis of the structural information provides insight into the physical properties of these pharmaceuticals. The propensity of these pharmaceuticals to form solvated structures is discussed and the hygroscopicity of erythromycin A dihydrate is investigated. Solid-state 13C NMR was used to monitor changes that occur when the dihydrate form of erythromycin A is stored under conditions of low relative humidity. Although erythromycin A dihydrate retains its crystallographic order at low humidity, as indicated by its X-ray powder diffraction pattern, the local chemical environment is dramatically influenced by the loss of the water molecules and results in dramatic changes in its solid-state 13C NMR spectrum.
A comparison of family financial and employment impacts of fragile X syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, and intellectual disability

This study compares the family financial and employment impacts of having a child with fragile X syndrome (FXS), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or intellectual disabilities (ID). Data from a 2011 national survey of families of children with FXS were matched with data from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs 2009-2010 to form four analytic groups: children with FXS (n=189), children with special health care needs with ASD only (n=185), ID only (n=177), or both ASD and ID (n=178). Comparable percentages of parents of children with FXS (60%) and parents of children with both ASD and ID (52%) reported that their families experienced a financial burden as a result of the condition, both of which were higher than the percentages of parents of children with ASD only (39%) or ID only (29%). Comparable percentages of parents of children with FXS (40%) and parents of children with both ASD and ID (46%) reported quitting employment because of the condition, both of which were higher than the percentages of parents of children with ID only (25%) or ASD only (25%). In multivariate analyses controlling for co-occurring conditions and functional difficulties and stratified by age, adjusted odds ratios for the FXS group aged 12-17 years were significantly elevated for financial burden (2.73, 95% CI 1.29-5.77), quitting employment (2.58, 95% CI 1.18-5.65) and reduced hours of work (4.34, 95% CI 2.08-9.06) relative to children with ASD only. Among children aged 5-11 years, the adjusted odds ratios for the FXS group were elevated but statistically insignificant for financial burden (1.63, 95% CI 0.85-3.14) and reducing hours of work (1.34, 95% CI 0.68-2.63) relative to children with ASD only. Regardless of condition, co-occurring anxiety or seizures, limits in thinking, reasoning, or learning ability, and more irritability were significantly associated with more caregiver financial and employment impacts. Proper management of anxiety or seizures and functional difficulties of children with FXS or other developmental disabilities may be important in alleviating adverse family caregiver impacts.
A Review of the Genus Rhysogaster Aldrich, with Descriptions of New Genera and New Species of Oriental, Ethiopian and Australian Acroceridae (Diptera)

Four species are keyed in the Oriental genus Rhysogaster, including R. panayensis (Philippines), R. indica (northern India), the genotype R. implicata Aldrich, and R. orientalis (Frey) ( Astomella o. Frey); a third new species is noted from northern Borneo but is not described. Astomella acuta (Tanganyika) and A. oldroydi (Indochina) bring the species in this genus to seven, four of which are Palearctic. ASTOMELLOIDES , type Pialea auripila Brunetti, and NEOPANOPS , type N boharti (New Guinea), are new genera; Cyrtus kashmirensis (northern India) is also described. Other nomenclatural changes are [Psilodera] aurata (Brunetti) ( Lasia a. Brun.), [ Psilodera? ] orbifer (Walker) ( Cyrtus o. Walk.), and Pterodontia kashmirensis Lichtwardt 1909 ( = P. dorsolineata Brunetti 1912).
Analysis of DNA adduct, S-[2-(N7-guanyl)ethyl]glutathione, by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

Sensitive and specific isotope dilution liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) methods were developed for the detection and quantitative analysis ofS-{2-(N7-guanyl)ethyl}glutathione as a DNA adduct formed upon exposure of animals to carcinogenic 1,2-dihaloethanes. Separation and analysis were performed using microbore HPLC coupled in-line to an electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometer.S-{2-(N7-guanyl)[2H4]ethyl} glutathione was synthesized and used as internal standard. These methods provide structural confirmation of the adduct as well as quantitative analysis with the accuracy and precision necessary to measure biologically relevant levels in small tissue sample sizes (< 1 g). The sample detection limits inin vivotissue extracts were 100 pg and 5 pg on-column for LC/MS and LC/MS/MS methods, respectively. Selected-ion monitoring mode was used to monitor the product ions of the doubly charged molecular ion. The application of these methods was demonstrated by measuring the DNA adduct levels in rat and fish samples after exposure to 1,2-dihaloethanes. The method has application in studies of DNA adduct formation as a biological marker of exposure to carcinogens and for environmental monitoring of 1,2-dihaloethanes.
Characterization of Heavy Metal Incorporation in Calcite by XAFS Spectroscopy

Zn and Co K-edge XAFS have been analyzed for spectra obtained from synthetic calcite that incorporated trace amounts of Zn 2+ and Co 2+ during growth from aqueous solutions at room temperature. Zn and Co concentrations in the calcite ranged from 250 to 2150 ppm. Analysis of the first shells indicates that the immediate coordination of both metal ions is approximately six oxygens at 2.11-2.12 A. These results are consistent with octahedral coordination at the unique Ca site in calcite. The observation that Co and Zn attain similar coordination in the bulk following incorporation suggests that their strongly contrasting surface site preferences are not expressed after being buried by subsequent growth layers.
Effects of magnitude of reward and intensity of intermittent punishment on resistance to extinction

Subjects were given a high (10 pellets) or a low (one pellet) magnitude of continuous reinforcement combined factorially with 0,.1, or.8 m A of intermittent shock. Groups that received a low magnitude of food reinforcement were more resistant to extinction than those that received a high magnitude of reinforcement. Shock intensities did not have any systematic effect on resistance to extinction, indicating that response suppression due to intense punishment during acquisition is not sufficient to cause an increase in resistance to extinction.
A Composite Framework for Behavioral Compliance with Information Security Policies

To combat potential security threats, organizations rely upon information security policies to guide employee actions. Unfortunately, employee violations of such policies are common and costly enough that users are often considered the weakest link in information security. This paper presents a composite theoretical framework for understanding employee behavioral compliance with organizational information security policies. Building off of the theory of planned behavior, a composite model is presented that incorporates the strengths of previous studies while minimizing theoretical gaps present in other behavioral compliance models. In building the framework, related operational constructs are examined and normalized to allow better comparison of past studies and help focus future research efforts.
Knowledge Ethics and the New Academic Culture

(1994). Knowledge Ethics and the New Academic Culture. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning: Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 9-15.
cis- and trans-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) interstrand cross-linking of a defined sequence nucleosomal core particle

Interstrand cross-linking studies with the antitumor drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) and its clinically inactive isomer, trans-diamminedichloroplatinum(II), were performed on a fragment of the 5S rRNA gene of Xenopus borealis in the free and nucleosomal state. 5S nucleosomes were formed via histone octamer exchange from chicken erythrocyte core particles. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to probe the ability of platinated DNA to reconstitute into core particles. Both isomers negatively impacted reconstitution when histones were present during incubation with the drug. When histones were not present during the drug treatment, platinated DNA was successfully reconstituted into core particles. These results suggest that platination of histones impedes reconstitution of free DNA. However, already-formed core particles were not disrupted upon platination. Sites of interstrand cross-linking were probed through denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and quantitative phosphorimagery. We found both site-specific enhancement and depression of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) cross-linking in the nucleosomal samples relative to free DNA at both drug concentrations that were tested (0.01 and 0.0025 mM). trans-Diamminedichloroplatinum(II) exhibited no detectable differences in the interstrand cross-linking of free and nucleosomal samples.
Information theory as a measure of information content

In efficient coding, Information-Communication-Coding Theory based on probabilities of occurrence assigns short codes to events with little information content and long codes to events with high information content. This provides a direct relationship of code size to amount of information content. Entropies of surrogates such as citations, abstracts, first paragraphs, last paragraphs, and first and last paragraphs are measures of how well each class of surrogates predicts the relevancy of documents. They are measures of meaningful information in the text of surrogates. Such measures of information are important to information system designers.
Evidence for A Jπ = 8+ state in 16O☆

Abstract A 4p−4h state near 20.8 MeV in 16 O, populated by the 12 C( 6 Li,d) 16 O and 12 C( 7 Li,t) 16 O reactions, is found to have a high spin value. It is suggested to be the J π = 8 + member of the first even-parity rotational band.
Mitotic arrest in PtK2 cells induced by microinjection of a rabbit antiserum and affinity‐purified antibodies against a 66‐kDa PtK2 cell polypeptide

Cell division was arrested by injection of a preimmune rabbit serum, B-61, into PtK(2) cells during interphase and prometaphase. Identical results were obtained by injection of whole B-61 antiserum and of antibodies affinity-purified from the serum against a 66-kDa PtK(2) cell polypeptide. When injected into interphase cells, the antibodies arrested further development and cell division. When injected into prometaphase and metaphase cells, spindles shortened and poles moved together at a rate of 0.2-0.4 mu m/min, approximately half the rate of anaphase A chromosome movements in normally dividing PtK(2) cells. Chromosomes decondensed and cells did not reenter division. Both whole antisera and affinity-purified antibodies stained antigens diffusely localized throughout the cytoplasm in dividing and interphase cells. These results suggest that the 66-kDa antigen is a nonspindle protein that may regulate mitotic progression in PtK(2) cells.
Tract Probability Maps in Stereotaxic Spaces: Analyses of White Matter Anatomy and Tract-Specific Quantification

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is an exciting new MRI modality that can reveal detailed anatomy of the white matter. DTI also allows us to approximate the 3D trajectories of major white matter bundles. By combining the identified tract coordinates with various types of MR parameter maps, such as T2 and diffusion properties, we can perform tract-specific analysis of these parameters. Unfortunately, 3D tract reconstruction is marred by noise, partial volume effects, and complicated axonal structures. Furthermore, changes in diffusion anisotropy under pathological conditions could alter the results of 3D tract reconstruction. In this study, we created a white matter parcellation atlas based on probabilistic maps of 11 major white matter tracts derived from the DTI data from 28 normal subjects. Using these probabilistic maps, automated tract-specific quantification of fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity were performed. Excellent correlation was found between the automated and the individual tractography-based results. This tool allows efficient initial screening of the status of multiple white matter tracts.
Male mate choice for fecund females in a plethodontid salamander

Etude, chez Desmognathus ochrophaeus, du choix du partenaire par les mâles en fonction de la fecondite et de la taille des femelles
A computer model of denervation-reinnervation in skeletal muscle.

A computer model of the process of denervation and complete reinnervation of skeletal muscle has been developed for the purpose of exploring underlying mechanisms and for use in the development of new clinical and research tools for evaluating neuromuscular disease. Progressive motor neuron death and reinnervation in this model reproduces the fiber-type grouping, increased fiber density, and minimal increase of motor unit size seen in human chronic denervating diseases. Studies using the model suggest that (1) preferential involvement of motor units of one type could account for the abnormal fiber-type proportions observed in some diseases, (2) reinnervation by axons innervating adjacent fibers is compatible with single fiber multielectrode studey results in that it does not produce a large increase in motor unit area, and (3) such reinnervation is sufficient to account for the increases in motor unit density that have been observed. The model has also been used in the development and testing of the Codispersion Index a measure of the codistribution of two fiber types, which is useful in detecting fiber-type grouping.
Thermal conductivity of methane for temperatures between 110 and 310 K with pressures to 70 MPa

The paper presents new experimental measurements of the thermal conductivity of methane for 14 temperatures between 110 and 310 K with pressures to 70 MPa and densities from 0 to 30 mol · L−1. The measurements were made with a transient hot-wire apparatus and they cover a wide range of physical states including the dilute gas, the moderately dense gas, the near-critical region, the compressed liquid states, and the vapor at temperatures below the critical temperature. The new measurements are closely spaced in temperature and density to describe the thermal conductivity surface, in particular the critical enhancement which extends to the highest temperature measured. A fit of the thermal conductivity surface allows comparison of the present results to those of others. The comparison reveals several discrepancies inherent in the results of others and in an earlier correlation. The precision (2σ) of the methane measurements is between 0.5 on 0.8 % for wire temperature transients of 4 to 5 K, while the accuracy is estimated to be 1.6%.
Defective apoptosis in lymphocytes and the role of IL-2 in autoimmune hematologic cytopenias.

Fas-mediated signaling is important for lymphocyte elimination. We investigated lymphocytes for Fas-signaling defects in 20 pediatric patients with chronic hematologic autoimmunity. In 5 of 20 (25%), there was profound resistance to exogenous FasL-mediated lysis, Fas mAb, and anti-CD3. FasL function, though variable, was not significantly different from that of simultaneously evaluated controls. Only 1 patient had a Fas mutation and manifestations of autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome. In contrast, lymphocytes from his clinically normal mother with the same mutation were normally sensitive to FasL. In 3 patients, normal Fas-mediated lysis was restored with rhIL-2. IL-2 had no effect in the other 2 patients. Activation and proliferation functions of IL-2 were normal in all 5. We conclude that altered Fas signaling, independent of Fas mutations, can precipitate hematologic autoimmunity. IL-2 can rescue some lymphocytes from this defect. In IL-2 refractory cases, a persistently defective response to IL-2 continues to confer a lymphocyte survival advantage. Hence, altered Fas pathway signaling with or without defective IL-2 responses should be considered in the etiology of hematologic autoimmunity.
Decentralized control for two time-scale discrete-time systems

Output feedback design of discrete-time decentralized systems with slow and fast modes is considered. Conditions for the complete separation of slow and fast subsystems are given. The slow and fast subsystem outputs, which are obtained by applying the slow and fast subcontrollers to the corresponding subsystems, will be shown to approximate those of the original system. Also, the composite control, when being applied to the original system, will place the eigenvalues sufficiently close to the desired locations.
Osmotic inhibition of prolactin secretion in rats.

Chronic hyponatremia is known to cause inhibition of pituitary vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) secretion in response to most physiological stimuli, as well as a marked inhibition of synthesis of these peptides. Because many studies have implicated neurohypophyseal peptides in the regulation of pituitary prolactin (PRL) secretion, we investigated the effects of chronic hyponatremia on basal and stimulus-induced PRL secretion in rats. Hyponatremia was induced by subcutaneous infusion of 1-deamino-[8-D-arginine]-vasopressin (dDAVP) (5ng/h) to rats fed a nutritionally balanced liquid diet, and plasma [Na+] was maintained ≤115 mmol/l for 10–12 days. After this period, hyponatremic rats and normonatremic controls fed the same diet without dDAVP were subjected to one of the following stimuli known to stimulate PRL release in rats: 3 min exposure to ether, hemorrhage (20 ml/kg), intravenous injection of 5-hydroxytryptophane (5-HTP, 10 mg/kg), or intravenous injection of estradiol (5 μg/kg). A baseline blood sample was collected before each stimulus, and 3–6 additional blood samples were collected at selected intervals after the stimulus. Baseline levels of plasma PRL were not different between normonatremic and hyponatremic rats. However, PRL responses induced by ether or estradiol, but not those induced by hemorrhage or 5-HTP, were very significantly blunted in the chronically hyponatremic rats. Plasma AVP and OT responses were measured as an index of magnocellular secretion, but did not correlate with the PRL responses for any of the stimuli tested. Our results therefore demonstrate that ether- and estradiol-induced PRL release can be osmotically inhibited, but the mechanisms underlying this inhibition appear to be relatively independent of effects on magnocellular AVP and OT secretion. This allows the possibility that either some parvocellular systems regulating PRL secretion are osmosensitive, or alternatively that other substances released from the neural lobe may selectively modulate pituitary PRL release in response to some, but not all, stimuli.
Identification and partial characterization of bovine heart cytosolic phosphorylase phosphatases.

Abstract The properties of phosphorylase phosphatases in bovine heart cytosol were studied. Two isozymic forms of protein phosphatase H (H-1 and H-2) were resolved by chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel. The two isoenzymes had identical physical properties ( M r 260,000, 7.9 S). Treatment with 80% ethanol activated both isozymes and converted H-1 to a M r 35,500 form and H-2 to M r 67,000 and M r 35,500 forms. Both H-1 and H-2 and their lower M r activated forms had essentially identical k m values for phosphorylase a . The heart cytosol also contained a latent phosphatase (F C ) which could be activated by preincubation with either ATP · Mg and an activating factor (F A ), or by Mn/trypsin treatment. The latter procedure converted the latent F C ( M r 200,000) to a Mn 2+ -independent M r 34,500 form. Both activated forms of F C had similar K m values which were fourfold lower than the affinity of the protein phosphatase H forms for the phosphorylase a substrate.
Mopalia kennerleyi Carpenter, 1864, a forgotten species and its southern analogue Mopalia ciliata (Sowerby, 1840)*

Abstract The hairy chiton Mopalia kennerleyi Carpenter, 1864 is distinguished from its congener Mopalia ciliata (Sowerby, 1840), and the identity of Chiton wosnessenskii von Middendorff, 1847 is clarified. Mopalia kennerleyi and M. ciliata are distinguished by setae structure, valve sculpture, and radular teeth. Their characteristics are illustrated and discussed, and their distributions defined.
Recent advances in the production

Emphasis has been directed toward consistent and reproducible fiber characteristics, among them optical attenuation, dispersion, dimensional tolerances, numerical aperture and strength.
In situ synthesis of [HRu3(CO)11]− on the surface of hydroxylated aluminum oxide

Abstract The in situ synthesis of supported [HR3(CO)11]− on hydroxylated aluminum oxide from a mononuclear precursor is demonstrated. It is shown by infrared spectroscopy, reaction stoichiometry, and analysis of extracted products that adsorption of Ru(CO)3Cl2(THF) onto CATAPAL SB alumina gives initially RuII(CO)3(ads) which reacts further with CO to give the supported cluster anion, [HRu3(CO)11]−(ads), rapidly at 25°C.
Understanding large SEP events with the PATH code: Modeling of the 13 December 2006 SEP event

The Particle Acceleration and Transport in the Heliosphere (PATH) numerical code was developed to understand solar energetic particle (SEP) events in the near-Earth environment. We discuss simulation results for the 13 December 2006 SEP event. The PATH code includes modeling a background solar wind through which a CME-driven oblique shock propagates. The code incorporates a mixed population of both flare and shock-accelerated solar wind suprathermal particles. The shock parameters derived from ACE measurements at 1 AU and observational flare characteristics are used as input into the numerical model. We assume that the diffusive shock acceleration mechanism is responsible for particle energization. We model the subsequent transport of particles originated at the flare site and particles escaping from the shock and propagating in the equatorial plane through the interplanetary medium. We derive spectra for protons, oxygen, and iron ions, together with their time-intensity profiles at 1 AU. Our modeling results show reasonable agreement with in situ measurements by ACE, STEREO, GOES, and SAMPEX for this event. We numerically estimate the Fe/O abundance ratio and discuss the physics underlying a mixed SEP event. We point out that the flare population is as important as shock geometry changes during shock propagation for modeling time-intensity profiles and spectra at 1 AU. The combined effects of seed population and shock geometry will be examined in the framework of an extended PATH code in future modeling efforts.
Microbial trace-fossil formation, biogenous, and abiotic weathering in the Antarctic cold desert

In the Antarctic cold desert (Ross Desert), the survival of the cryptoendolithic microorganisms that colonize the near-surface layer of porous sandstone rocks depends on a precarious equilibrium of biological and geological factors. An unfavorable shift of this equilibrium results in death, and this may be followed by formation of trace fossils that preserve the characteristic iron-leaching pattern caused by microbial activity. Similar microbial trace fossil may exist in the geological record. If life ever arose on early Mars, similar processes may have occurred there and left recognizable traces.
A virtual reality instrument: near-future perspective of computer simulations of ion optics

Abstract The method of accurate modeling of complex ion optical systems is presented. It combines using SIMION 3D © with external software generating input ion sets and processing results of ion trajectory simulations. This method was used to simulate time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer of secondary neutrals SARISA (Surface Analysis by Resonance Ionization of Sputtered Atoms), and results of simulations were compared to results of the experiments. It is demonstrated that the accuracy of the presented modeling method is sufficient to reproduce experimental TOF (mass) spectra and dependencies of the instrument useful yield on sputtering and ionization conditions. A concept of “virtual reality instrument” as a logical extension of the method is discussed.
Water quality impacts from on-site waste disposal systems to coastal areas through groundwater discharge

This report summarizes research studies linking on-site waste disposal systems (OSDS) to pathogen and nutrient concentrations in groundwater with the potential to impact coastal embayments. Few studies connect OSDS to coastal water quality. Most studies examined pathogen and nutrient impacts to groundwater and omitted estimations of contaminants discharged to surface water. The majority of studies focused on nitrogen, with little information on pathogens and even less on phosphorus. Nitrogen discharged from OSDS poses the greatest threat to water quality. Vertical distance of septic tank infiltration system from the water table, septic system design, and siting remain the key components in minimizing potential impacts from OSDS for control of both pathogens and nutrients. The most comprehensive information connecting nutrient contributions from OSDS to surface water quality was the study conducted on Buttermilk Bay in Massachusetts where 74% of nitrogen to the bay was attributed to onsite disposal systems. In conclusion, further studies on the viability and transport of pathogens and nutrients through the groundwater aquifer and across the groundwater/surface-water interface are needed. Additional research on the importance of septic system design on the availability of contaminants to groundwater as well as the minimum distance between the septic system and water table necessary to protect groundwater are also indicated.
Cognitive impairments and Web 2.0

This paper illustrates how some of the human–computer interaction patterns associated with Web 2.0 can degrade the user experience of those with particular cognitive disabilities. It also shows how changes to computer technology often do not threaten accessibility directly and immediately, but, rather, indirectly, by spawning new user interaction patterns that compromise access. Web 2.0 interaction pattern technologies, such as mashups, dynamic page updates, social networking and user-created content demand specific perceptual abilities in addition to basic visual and auditory sensation. For example, computer users may have cognitive impairments that affect their abilities to group visual elements into patterns, recognize faces, build effective mental representations of perceptual or conceptual spaces, or retrieve linguistic representations during composition and comprehension. Because of these disabilities, they may find that certain forms of interaction associated with Web 2.0 diminish their access to this critical technology. Similarly, cognitive disabilities that disrupt social interactions may narrow users’ participation in the socially intensive environment of Web 2.0. For areas of cognition that involve perception, social interaction, and critical supporting processes such as attention, the impact of Web 2.0 interaction patterns is discussed, suggesting potential solutions, design guidelines and research needs. The identification and description of the ways particular cognitive disabilities limit access to technology, particularly within the context of new, recently invented patterns of user interaction, underscores the need to extend Web design and development guidelines beyond the domains of sensory and movement disabilities. Designers and developers should learn to recognize how the different ways people think, learn, perceive, or plan can jeopardize access to computers in the same fashion as do the different ways they see, hear, or move.
The Epidemiology of Obesity

In the United States, obesity among adults and overweight among children and adolescents have increased markedly since 1980. Among adults, obesity is defined as a body mass index of 30 or greater. Among children and adolescents, overweight is defined as a body mass index for age at or above the 95th percentile of a specified reference population. In 2003-2004, 32.9% of adults 20-74 years old were obese and more than 17% of teenagers (age, 12-19 y) were overweight. Obesity varies by age and sex, and by race-ethnic group among adult women. A higher body weight is associated with an increased incidence of a number of conditions, including diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and with an increased risk of disability. Obesity is associated with a modestly increased risk of all-cause mortality. However, the net effect of overweight and obesity on morbidity and mortality is difficult to quantify. It is likely that a gene-environment interaction, in which genetically susceptible individuals respond to an environment with increased availability of palatable energy-dense foods and reduced opportunities for energy expenditure, contributes to the current high prevalence of obesity. Evidence suggests that even without reaching an ideal weight, a moderate amount of weight loss can be beneficial in terms of reducing levels of some risk factors, such as blood pressure. Many studies of dietary and behavioral treatments, however, have shown that maintenance of weight loss is difficult. The social and economic costs of obesity and of attempts to prevent or to treat obesity are high.
Energy functions for early vision and analog networks

This paper describes attempts to model the modules of early vision in terms of minimizing energy functions, in particular energy functions allowing discontinuities in the solution. It examines the success of using Hopfield-style analog networks for solving such problems. Finally it discusses the limitations of the energy function approach.
The user's view of commercially available medical technology

The potential user of new medical equipment for imaging the cardiovascular system is often faced with the problem of deciding whether or not to accept a new piece of equipment or a new technological concept into the practice of cardiology. Considerations for acquiring new medical technology are discussed in some detail. Acquisition of new technology should depend on whether the equipment provides more and relevant clinical data, is for research or for limited use, is properly engineered for patient use, presents information in easily storable and retrievable form, is tested and validated clinically, is fabricated by a reliable manufacturer, is cost effective, and may be readily replaced by a new technology.
Heterocycles from substituted amides II. Novel behavior of a reactive thiophene in some cyelo- and acyclo-addition reactions†‡

N,N'-Diisopropyl-N,N'-diphenyl-2,4-thiophenediamine (1) has demonstrated its remarkable electron-donating abilities and atypical behavior as a thiophene, by its facile reaction with a number of electron deficient dienophiles. Thus, β-nitrostyrene, ethoxymethylene malononitrile, diethyl azodicarboxylate and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate undergo Michael-type addition at the 5-position of 1 to form adducts 2, 3, 4, and 5. Alternatively, the dienophiles, acrylonitrile, N-phenylrnaleimide and phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione gave novel cyclic materials 6, 9, and 11, not necessarily arising from simple Diels Alder addition. Structure proofs for the products as well as alternative mechanisms for their formation are discussed.
A comparative study of sharp and round-edge tools in machining with built-up edge formation: cutting forces, cutting vibrations, and neural network modeling

The tool edge radius significantly affects material deformation and flow, tool–chip friction, and a variety of machining performance measures (such as the cutting forces and tool wear) in mechanical micro/meso-scale machining. The tool edge-related research, either theoretically or experimentally, has been only focused in machining cases in which no built-up edge (BUE) is generated. To close this research gap, a comparative study of sharp and round-edge tools in orthogonal machining with BUE formation is conducted, including both experimental investigations and theoretical modeling. The experimental results show that the variations of the cutting forces are more stable in machining with a sharp tool than those in machining with a round-edge tool. A round-edge tool produces higher vibration magnitudes than does a sharp tool. The cutting vibrations do not necessarily have the same varying pattern as that of the cutting forces in machining with either a sharp tool or a round-edge tool. A neural network-based theoretical model is developed to predict three distinct regions of BUE formation (namely BUE Initiation Region, Steady BUE Region, and Unsteady BUE Region) in machining with a round-edge tool. The developed neural network model has been proven valid using a separate set of cutting experiments under different cutting conditions from those used for network training and testing.
Sensory attributes of Cabernet Sauvignon wines made from vines with different water status

The dependence of wine sensory properties on vine water status in Vitis vinifera L., cv. Cabernet Sauvignon was tested. Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the Napa Valley were subjected to three drip irrigation treatments: minimal irrigation (no irrigation added unless the midday leaf water potential dropped below –1.6 MPa), standard irrigation (32 L water/vine/week), and double irrigation (64 L water/vine/week). The minimal irrigation treatment produced midday leaf water potentials that were significantly lower than the other treatments throughout the season. Mean grape yields varied from 15.0 to 21.7 t/ha. Descriptive analysis conducted on the resulting wines demonstrated significant differences in several sensory attributes as per analysis of variance of the ratings. Analysis of variance and principal component analysis showed that the wines made from the minimal irrigation treatment were significantly higher in red/blackberry aroma, jam/cooked berry aroma, dried fruit/raisin aroma, and fruit by mouth than the wines from the irrigated treatments. The standard irrigation treatment wines were rated significantly higher than the minimal irrigation treatment wines in vegetal aroma, bell pepper aroma, black pepper aroma, and astringency. We conclude that vine water deficits lead to wines with more fruity and less vegetal aromas and flavours than vines with high vine water status.
Indentifying attributes for knowledge-based development in dynamic scheduling environments

Inductive learning techniques have shown inspiring success in reducing the effort for knowledge acquisition in the development of knowledge-based scheduling systems. However, there is little research on selecting the proper attributes to facilitate development of knowledge bases and to enhance the generalization ability of resulting knowledge bases. In this study, we proposed a neural network based approach to identify the essential attributes for knowledge-based scheduling systems. Through the case study conducted, the proposed identification procedure is capable of selecting the essential attributes out of a given set of candidate attributes. Not only can this procedure consider several primary performance measures simultaneously, but also, by using a modularized representation, the previous results of attribute identification have the flexibility to cope with the new control strategies which may be introduced in the future. The results of experiments show that the scheduling knowledge bases developed b...
A Stochastic Graph Grammar Algorithm for Interactive Search

This paper presents a new search method that has been developed specifically for search trees defined by a generative grammar. Generative grammars are useful in design as a way to encapsulate the design decisions that lead to candidate solutions. Since the candidate solutions are not confined to a single configuration or topology and thus useful in conceptual design, they may be difficult to computationally analyze. Analysis is achieved in this method by querying the user. The user interaction is kept to a maximum of thirty pair-wise comparisons of candidates. From the data gathered from the comparisons, a stochastic decision making process infers what candidate solutions best meet the user’s preference. The method is implemented and applied to a grammar for tying neckties. It is shown through 21 user experiments and 4000 automated experiments that the method consistently finds solutions within the 99.8 percentile. The implications of this method for conceptual design are expounded on in the conclusions.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Antigenicity of brain microtubule protein

Abstract Antisera were produced against bovine and mouse brain microtubular protein (tubulin) preparations. DEAE batch-prepared and vinblastine-precipitated tubulin appear to be highly similar immunogens by microcomplement fixation. When tubulin is removed from the soluble fraction of mouse brain homogenates with vinblastine, C′ fixation of this fraction falls 80% and the colchicine binding decreases 95%, indicating the correspondence between antigenicity and the amount of tubulin present. The antisera to bovine brain tubulin cross-react with tubulin from mouse, chicken and turtle brain. On the other hand, the antisera do not cross-react appreciably with vinblastine precipitates from spleen, liver, or pancreas owing to the small amount of tubulin relative to other proteins present in the vinblastine precipitates from soluble fractions of these organs. It is suggested that tubulin is an evolutionary conservative protein and the availability of antisera should be valuable in studies on microtubules.
Parental reactions to the onset of adolescence.

This paper documents the common changes associated with the onset of puberty and examines parents' reactions to these changes. Nine hundred questionnaires were sent to the parents of sixth and seventh graders (11–13 years old) in four communities. The questionnaire requested information on the perception of recent behavioral changes and the parents' emotional responses to them. Four hundred parents responded. Parents reported significant changes, both positive and negative, in their children in the year prior to the study. Reported changes were not significantly related to community locations, demographic or education variables, and, with one exception, to the sex of the child. First-born children were perceived more negatively and generated more negative feelings in parents. Younger parents (≤ 38 years of age) perceived more negative changes and experienced more negative and anxious feelings toward their children than did older parents (≥ 39 years). These findings suggest that a primary cause of stress for parents with children in this age group may be a lack of knowledge about the developmental process. Physicians may be able to reduce the stress by providing anticipatory guidance to parents about the physical growth and psychologic aspects of early adolescence.
Review: Chromatin Structural Features and Targets That Regulate Transcription

The nucleosome and chromatin fiber provide the common structural framework for transcriptional control in eukaryotes. The folding of DNA within these structures can both promote and impede transcription dependent on structural context. Importantly, neither the nucleosome nor the chromatin fiber is a static structure. Histone dissociation, histone modification, nucleosome mobility, and assorted allosteric transitions contribute to transcriptional control. Chromatin remodeling is associated with gene activation and repression. Energy-dependent processes mediate the assembly of both activating and repressive proteins into the nucleosomal infrastructure. Recent progress allows the structural consequences of these processes to be visualized at the chromosomal level. DNA and RNA polymerase, SWI/SNF complexes, histone deacetylases, and acetyltransferases are targeted by gene-specific regulators to mediate these structural transitions. The mistargeting of these enzymes contributes to human developmental abnormalities and tumorigenesis. These observations illuminate the roles of chromatin and chromosomal structural biology in human disease.
Semantically linking and browsing PubMed abstracts with gene ontology

The technological advances in the past decade have lead to massive progress in the field of biotechnology. The documentation of the progress made exists in the form of research articles. The PubMed is the current most used repository for bio-literature. PubMed consists of about 17 million abstracts as of 2007 that require methods to efficiently retrieve and browse large volume of relevant information. The State-of-the-art technologies such as GOPubmed use simple keyword-based techniques for retrieving abstracts from the PubMed and linking them to the Gene Ontology (GO). This paper changes the paradigm by introducing semantics enabled technique to link the PubMed to the Gene Ontology, called, SEGOPubmed for ontology-based browsing. Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) framework is used to semantically interface PubMed abstracts to the Gene Ontology. The Empirical analysis is performed to compare the performance of the SEGOPubmed with the GOPubmed. The analysis is initially performed using a few well-referenced query words. Further, statistical analysis is performed using GO curated dataset as ground truth. The analysis suggests that the SEGOPubmed performs better than the classic GOPubmed as it incorporates semantics. The LSA technique is applied on the PubMed abstracts obtained based on the user query and the semantic similarity between the query and the abstracts. The analyses using well-referenced keywords show that the proposed semantic-sensitive technique outperformed the string comparison based techniques in associating the relevant abstracts to the GO terms. The SEGOPubmed also extracted the abstracts in which the keywords do not appear in isolation (i.e. they appear in combination with other terms) that could not be retrieved by simple term matching techniques.