cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Figure of the Mixedblood in Louise Erdrich’s Love Medicine

Native American people were encouraged by the U. S. government to leave the reservations during the 1950s and 1960s, as if the constant violation of treaty rights, compulsory attendance at boarding schools, and the near extinction of these people were not enough. Such historical, social, and cultural contexts influenced the themes and forms of works by American Indian writers who encouraged individuals to reject any sense of shame of their culture. In addition, their actions coincided with a return of the people to their traditions after the disappointment, mental illness, and loss of meaning of life resulted from the impact of the mainstream American society. Among these writers, Louise Erdrich (1954- ), a mixed-blood woman, became among the most celebrated authors. The trail blazed by N. Scott Momaday and Leslie Marmon Silko was followed by Erdrich in her writing as she shares the same interest in presenting characters who are trapped between Native traditions and white mainstream expectations. Erdrich introduces many characters who struggle to have a voice, but they resolve their conflict by rejecting the sacrificial role assigned to mixed-blood figures, especially that of the nineteenth century. The mixed-blood figures in Love Medicine are to be seen as a source of power, something to be celebrated rather than mourned. This paper is a part of an M.A. thesis entitled “The Cultural Crisis of Mixed-blood Figures in Indian-American Fiction: A Study of Selected Novels By N. Scott Momaday, Leslie Marmon Silko, and Louise Erdrich” prepared at the University of Al-Qadisiya, College of Education, Department of English.
National Trends in Surgical Resection of Vestibular Schwannomas.

Objective To characterize the national trend for surgical resection of vestibular schwannoma (VS) and to assess changes in demographics, length of stay (LOS), discharge patterns, and hospital charges. Study design Population-based inpatient registry analysis. Setting National Inpatient Sample and SEER database (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results). Patients and methods Retrospective review of the US National Inpatient Sample and the SEER database from 2001 to 2014 of all patients who underwent resection of VS. Results A total of 24,380 VS resections were performed. While the annual incidence of VS remained stable at 1.38 per 100,000, surgical volume declined by 36.1%, from 2807 in 2001 to 1795 in 2014 (R2 = 0.58). Total hospital charges more than doubled, from $52,475 in 2001 to $115,164 in 2014 ($4478 per year, R2 = 0.96). While most procedures were performed at large-sized hospitals, this decreased from 89% in 2002 to 75.8% in 2014. Average LOS remained stable at 5.2 days during the study period. The number of discharges to a nursing facility increased from 113 (5.5%) in 2002 to 245 (13.6%) in 2014 (P = .0002). Conclusion VS resection has evolved in the United States. While the incidence remained stable, surgical volume decreased by 36%, and hospital charges more than doubled. More cases are being performed at smaller hospitals. Although LOS did not vary significantly, there is an increase in nonroutine discharges. These data may guide future research in resource utilization in neurotology.
Ecosystem response to earlier ice break-up date: Climate-driven changes to water temperature, lake-habitat-specific production, and trout habitat and resource use

Climate warming has yielded earlier ice break-up dates in recent decades for lakes leading to water temperature increases, altered habitat, and both increases and decreases to ecosystem productivity. Within lakes, the effect of climate warming on secondary production in littoral and pelagic habitats remains unclear. The intersection of changing habitat productivity and warming water temperatures on salmonids is important for understanding how climate warming will impact mountain ecosystems. We develop and test a conceptual model that expresses how earlier ice break-up dates influence within lake habitat production, water temperatures and the habitat utilized by, resources obtained and behavior of salmonids in a mountain lake. We measured zoobenthic and zooplankton production from the littoral and pelagic habitats, thermal conditions, and the habitat use, resource use, and fitness of Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). We show that earlier ice break-up conditions created a "resource-rich" littoral-benthic habitat with increases in zoobenthic production compared to the pelagic habitat which decreased in zooplankton production. Despite the increases in littoral-benthic food resources, trout did not utilize littoral habitat or zoobenthic resources due to longer durations of warm water temperatures in the littoral zone. In addition, 87% of their resources were supported by the pelagic habitat during periods with earlier ice break-up when pelagic resources were least abundant. The decreased reliance on littoral-benthic resources during earlier ice break-up caused reduced fitness (mean reduction of 12 g) to trout. Our data show that changes to ice break-up drive multi-directional results for resource production within lake habitats and increase the duration of warmer water temperatures in food-rich littoral habitats. The increased duration of warmer littoral water temperatures reduces the use of energetically efficient habitats culminating in decreased trout fitness.
Surgical Exposure of Impacted Teeth.

Impacted incisors, canines, premolars, and second molar are problems encountered frequently by general dentists, orthodontists, and oral and maxillofacial surgeons. The etiology of impacted teeth is multifactorial. Traditional radiographs can be used for location of the impacted tooth but 3-D CBCT is superior in evaluating the tooth's position. Successful management requires an interdisciplinary approach with an orthodontist responsible for the overall success of the treatment plan. Surgical exposure of these impacted teeth is accomplished using an open or closed surgical procedure. Choosing the appropriate surgical procedure and orthodontic treatment plan will result in a stable, predictable, and aesthetic result.
Genome-Wide Association Mapping and Gene Expression Analysis Reveal the Negative Role of OsMYB21 in Regulating Bacterial Blight Resistance in Rice

Bacterial blight (BB), caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), is one of the most devastating diseases in rice all over the world. Due to the diversity and rapid evolution of Xoo, identification and use of the non-race specific quantitative resistance QTLs has been considered the preferred strategy for effective control of this disease. Although numerous QTLs for BB resistance have been identified, they haven’t been effectively used for improvement of BB resistance in rice due to their small effects and lack of knowledge on the function of genes underlying the QTLs. In the present study, a genome-wide association study of BB resistance was performed in a rice core collection from South China. A total of 17 QTLs were identified to be associated with BB resistance. Among them, 13 QTLs were newly identified in the present study and the other 4 QTLs were co-localized with the previously reported QTLs or Xa genes that confer qualitative resistance to Xoo strains. Particularly, the qBBR11–4 on chromosome 11 explained the largest phenotypic variation in this study and was co-localized with the previously identified QTLs for BB and bacterial leaf streak (BLS) resistance against diverse strains in three studies, suggesting its broad-spectrum resistance and potential value in rice breeding. Through combined analysis of differential expression and annotations of the predicted genes within qBBR11–4 between two sets of rice accessions selected based on haplotypes and disease phenotypes, we identified the transcription factor OsMYB21 as the candidate gene for qBBR11–4. The OsMYB21 overexpressing plants exhibited decreased resistance to bacterial blight, accompanied with down-regulation of several defense-related genes compared with the wild-type plants. The results suggest that OsMYB21 negatively regulates bacterial blight resistance in rice, and this gene can be a promising target in rice breeding by using the gene editing method. In addition, the potential candidate genes for the 13 novel QTLs for BB resistance were also analyzed in this study, providing a new source for cloning of genes associated with BB resistance and molecular breeding in rice.
RGBD object pose recognition using local-global multi-kernel regression

The advent of inexpensive depth augmented color (RGBD) sensors has brought about a large advancement in the perceptual capability of vision systems and mobile robots. Challenging vision problems like object category, instance and pose recognition have all benefited from this recent technological advancement. In this paper we address the challenging problem of pose recognition using simultaneous color and depth information. For this purpose, we extend a state-of-the-art regression framework by using a multi-kernel approach to incorporate depth information to perform more effective pose recognition on table-top objects. We do extensive experiments on a large publicly available dataset to validate our approach. We show significant performance improvements (more than 20%) over published results.
Parametric Scheduling for Network Constraints

The problem of parametric scheduling is concerned with checking whether a job-set is parametrically schedulable, subject to a set of imposed constraints. In real-time scheduling, parameterization of the schedule plays an important role in extending the flexibility of the scheduler, particularly in the presence of variable execution times. It has been shown that the existence of parametric schedules can be determined in polynomial time when the constraints are restricted to those that can be represented by a network, unimodular matrix. In this paper, we extend the class of constraints for which parametric schedules can be determined efficiently to include network constraints, such as weighted sum of completion times.
The active-bridge oscillator

This paper describes the Active-Bridge Oscillator (ABO), a new concept in high-stability oscillator design. The ABO is a bridge-type oscillator design that is easy to design and overcomes many of the operational and design difficulties associated with "standard" bridge oscillator designs. The ABO will oscillate with a very stable output amplitude over a wide range of operating conditions without the use of an automatic-level-control (ALC). A standard bridge oscillator design requires an ALC to maintain the desired amplitude of oscillation. For this and other reasons, bridge oscillators are not used in mainstream designs. Bridge oscillators are generally relegated to relatively low-volume, high-performance applications. The Colpitts and Pierce designs are the most popular oscillators but are typically less stable than a bridge-type oscillator. The ABO is a highly integrable circuit and can be designed for use over a very wide frequency range with only minor circuit variations. The high Q of this design can dramatically improve phase-noise, reduce power-supply sensitivity, and minimize circuit related pulling problems common to most popular oscillator designs. The design intention of the ABO is not to make a state-of-the-art bridge-type oscillator but to provide a practical high-performance alternative that delivers most of the performance advantages of a bridge oscillator without the inherent disadvantages of complexity, design difficulty, high-power requirements, and integration potential.
Association Between Connecticut's Permit-to-Purchase Handgun Law and Homicides.

Objectives. We sought to estimate the effect of Connecticut’s implementation of a handgun permit-to-purchase law in October 1995 on subsequent homicides.Methods. Using the synthetic control method, we compared Connecticut’s homicide rates after the law’s implementation to rates we would have expected had the law not been implemented. To estimate the counterfactual, we used longitudinal data from a weighted combination of comparison states identified based on the ability of their prelaw homicide trends and covariates to predict prelaw homicide trends in Connecticut.Results. We estimated that the law was associated with a 40% reduction in Connecticut’s firearm homicide rates during the first 10 years that the law was in place. By contrast, there was no evidence for a reduction in nonfirearm homicides.Conclusions. Consistent with prior research, this study demonstrated that Connecticut’s handgun permit-to-purchase law was associated with a subsequent reduction in homicide rates. As would be expected if the l...
Determining degree of optic nerve edema from color fundus photography

Swelling of the optic nerve head (ONH) is subjectively assessed by clinicians using the Frisen scale. It is believed that a direct measurement of the ONH volume would serve as a better representation of the swelling. However, a direct measurement requires optic nerve imaging with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and 3D segmentation of the resulting images, which is not always available during clinical evaluation. Furthermore, telemedical imaging of the eye at remote locations is more feasible with non-mydriatic fundus cameras which are less costly than OCT imagers. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop a more quantitative analysis of optic nerve swelling on a continuous scale, similar to SD-OCT. Here, we select features from more commonly available 2D fundus images and use them to predict ONH volume. Twenty-six features were extracted from each of 48 color fundus images. The features include attributes of the blood vessels, optic nerve head, and peripapillary retina areas. These features were used in a regression analysis to predict ONH volume, as computed by a segmentation of the SD-OCT image. The results of the regression analysis yielded a mean square error of 2.43 mm 3 and a correlation coefficient between computed and predicted volumes of R = 0:771, which suggests that ONH volume may be predicted from fundus features alone.
Susceptibility of various kinds of elastin to elastolytic enzymes, trypsin and chymotrypsin.

Abstract When measuring the elastolytic activity of elastoproteinase with various elastin preparations and the synergistic effect of the elastomucases Em-I and Em-S on this activity, the following observations were made: 1. 1. Staining alkali-treated elastin with Congo Red and orcein largely decreases the susceptibility of elastin to elastoproteinase, while it increases the activities of the elastomucases, especially when using Congo Red as a dye. 2. 2. Whereas orcein staining of acid-treated elastin does not affect the susceptibility of elastoproteinase and the enhancement of this enzyme by Em-I, the synergistic effect of the elastomucase Em-S is completely suppressed. 3. 3. Chymotrypsin and trypsin, which both have no elastolytic activity of themselves, show synergistic effects on unstained acid-treated elastin and elastin stained with DNS (5-dimethylamine-1-naphthalene sulfonyl chloride). Trypsin shows only a slight effect when measuring the activation activity against orcein- and Congo Red-stained acid-treated elastin. 4. 4. As a result of this investigation, a procedure is proposed to measure the concentration of elastoproteinase and elastomucase Em-I in crude enzyme preparation and in pancreatic extracts and to estimate the amount of elastomucase Em-S. Some results of experiments with rats using the proposed assay are given.
Successive Contrast Effects for Judgments of Abstraction in Artwork following Minimal Pre-Exposure

A total of 69 male and female college students were recruited to participate in this study to investigate successive contrast effects in perception of “abstraction” in artwork. Artworks rated as “h...
The identification of peptide sequences of human chorionic gonadotropin containing a conformational epitope.

Abstract A series of overlapping peptides were synthesized representing the entire amino acid sequence of the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and these were reacted with a monoclonal antibody shown to be specific for hCG. One linear peptide (residues 40–52 of the sequence) reacted significantly with the monoclonal antibody but a conjugate of this peptide to diphtheria toxoid (DT) failed to elicit significant levels of antibodies reactive to hCG in rabbits. The subsequent preparation of an extended peptide (residues 38–57) in which the two cysteines were oxidized to form a loop peptide yielded a highly immunogenic antigen when conjugated to DT. Antibody levels reactive with hCG from loop peptide immunizations of rabbits exceeded those found after immunization with a 37 residue peptide representing the carboxyl terminus of the β-hCG subunit. The antisera did not react with pituitary glycoprotein hormones with similar sequences.
Diltiazem enhances the analgesic but not the respiratory depressant effects of morphine in rhesus monkeys

There is evidence that blockade of Ca 2q channels can modify the analgesia and respiratory depression produced by opioid drugs. The interaction between Ca 2q channel blockade and drug-induced analgesia and respiratory depression was examined by administration of the L-type Ca 2q channel blocker diltiazem together with various analgesic drugs. The antinociceptive effects of the drugs were evaluated . using a warm-water 508C tail-withdrawal assay in rhesus monkeys, and the respiratory depressant effects were evaluated using a . pressure-displacement plethysmograph. Pretreatment with diltiazem 10-40 mgrkg, i.m. 30 min before administration of morphine 0.3 . . to 10 mgrkg or heroin 0.03 to 1.0 mgrkg produced a dose-dependent potentiation of the opioid-induced analgesia. The analgesic potency of morphine and heroin was increased by approximately 0.5 log unit in the presence of 40 mgrkg diltiazem. However, diltiazem failed to alter the analgesic potencies of the m-opioid receptor agonists, fentanyl, etonitazene, nalbuphine, the k-opioid receptor agonist, w . w . xx U-50,488 trans -3,4-dichloro-N-methyl-N- 2- 1-pyrrolidinyl -cyclohexyl benzeneacetamide , or the non-opioid, clonidine. Respiratory frequency, minute volume, and tidal volume were suppressed by morphine, heroin, and fentanyl, but these effects were not modified by . pretreatment with diltiazem 40 mgrkg . These results suggest that diltiazem selectively potentiates morphine- and heroin-induced analgesia without modifying the effects of these opioids on respiration. q 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Maximal packet size for serotonin in storage vesicles of intact human platelets.

Abstract A procedure has been developed to measure maximal packet size for serotonin in vesicles of intact, washed human platelets. Vesicles were trace-labelled with H 3 -5HT and subsequently permitted to accumulate larger amounts of C 14 -5HT from the extracellular medium. Parallel platelet aliquots were incubated with unlabelled 5HT, and total and thrombin-releasable 5HT were measured by an enzymatic assay. Prior to incubation, 5HT packet size ranged from 0.05 to 0.53 × 10 −17 moles/platelet. No net addition of 5HT to vesicles occurred when this compartment contained more than 2–3 × 10 −17 moles/platelet of 5HT, suggesting that maximal packet size was 2.8 × 10 −17 moles/platelet. Under these conditions, a typical vesicle would contain 4 × 10 −18 molesof 5 HT, at an estimated concentration of 0.6 M. Nevertheless, when vesicles were full, they continued to exchange C 14 -5HT from the extracellular medium with H 3 -5HT sequestered in vesicles.
Major Paleozoic land plant evolutionary bio-events

Abstract Adaptive radiations and extinctions affecting tracheophytes, the only group of land plants with a well-documented fossil record, occur during time intervals distinct from those affecting marine invertibrates. This distinctive pattern is recognizable at both Era and Period levels. Discordance between tracheophyte appearance, diversification and extinction and contemporary marine bio-events has been reflected in the recognition of ‘planetary’ floras (Palaeophytic, Mesophytic, Cenophytic), the counterparts of marine invertibrate-based Eras of the Planerozoic (Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic). Some have recognized significant levels of land-plant evolution, Epochs, within these planetary floras. With the discovery in the past 20 years of a major group of Middle Ordovician/Lower Silurian post-algal/pre-tracheophytic land plants, the concept of the Palaeophytic and its Epochs must be redefined. Here, the redefined Palaeophytic extends from the mid-Permian downward into the mid-Ordovician and three ‘evolutionary land floras’ are recognized: Eoembryophytic (mid-Ordovician to pre-latest Early Silurian); Eotracheophytic (latest Early Silurian through early Gedinnian); and Eutracheophytic (late Gedinnian to mid-Permian). The Silurian/Devonian boundary stressed in prevous Palaeophytic subdivisions is considered of limited importance as a major benchmark in land plant evolution. A newly defined Era, the Epeirophytic, a continental counterpart of Kryshtofovich's marine Thalassophytic, is recognized with an upper boundary at the mid-Ordovician and extending down indefinitely into the Precambrian. One major evolutionary flora, the Phycomycophytic, first recognized by Kryshtofovich for the Thalassophytic, is recognized for the continental habitat as well.
E‐tail constraints and tradeoffs

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reveal how mental models inherited from offline retailing have impeded both the theory and practice of online retailing, and to suggest fruitful areas of research in online retailing.Design/methodology/approach – The mental models of physical retail suggest physical constraints of various sorts, and yet for the most part, the constraints acting upon the e‐tailer are instead logical, symbolic and cognitive.Findings – Researchers in e‐tailing could benefit from pursuing a set of interesting issues including assortment, customer‐to‐customer value creation, site design and structure, and the importance of network topology.Research limitations/implications – There are many new topics in retailing that can be explored by marketers, as long as we are willing to jettison some of our cherished terminology and ways of thinking. In effect, online, the retailing mix becomes human‐centric, rather than focusing on physical components.Practical implications – The skill sets need...
An Apparatus to Measure the Maximum Heat Transfer Rate in Heat Pipes

In an earlier investigation of evaporative heat transfer in low-temperature heat pipes, it was concluded, that nucleate boiling was the dominating mechanism for heat removal from the wall. Experimental data for vaporization of water and freon in screen wicks was shown to agree well with a boiling correlation. Data used in the correlation were obtained from Abhat and Seban for a water/screen wick vaporization experiment and from Ponnappan and Mahefkey for a copper/water double-wall artery heat pipe. During verification testing of this heat pipe, heat input to the evaporator was provided by electrical resistance heating. In such cases the evaporator wall heat flux is the independent parameter and the temperature drop across the evaporator is measured as a function of applied heat flux. The temperature drop is given by T{sub w} {minus} T{sub s}, where T{sub w} is the wall temperature and the T{sub s} is saturated vapor temperature. The criterion used to signify that the maximum heat flux had been reached was an observed evaporator temperature drop larger than 10C. In low-temperature heat pipes, before the boiling limit is reached, dryout will usually occur due to the inability of the wick to pump sufficient liquid to the evaporator (capillarymore » limit). The capillary limit Q{sub max} is a limitation on total heat input rate Q for a given heat pipe. Temperatures in the heat pipe evaporator increase rapidly if the maximum heat input rate is maintained, and the rise in internal pressure may cause failure of the container material. In this paper, a unique apparatus is used to control the wall temperature of the heat pipe evaporator independently. With this method, an increase in T{sub w} above that corresponding to Q{sub max} can only cause a decrease in Q. Although it is more difficult to control the temperature than the heat flux, this method allows a more accurate determination of Q{sub max} and precludes the possibility of runaway temperature.« less
Making sense by measuring arcs: a teaching experiment in angle measure

I discuss a teaching experiment that sought to characterize precalculus students’ angle measure understandings. The study’s findings indicate that the students initially conceived angle measures in terms of geometric objects. As the study progressed, the students formed more robust understandings of degree and radian measures by constructing an arc length image of angle measures; the students’ quantification of angle measure entailed measuring arcs and conceiving multiplicative relationships between a subtended arc, a circle’s circumference, and a circle’s radius. The students leveraged these quantitative relationships to transition between units with a fixed magnitude (e.g., an arc length’s measure in feet) and various angle measure units, while maintaining invariant meanings for angle measures in different units. These results suggest that quantifying angle measure, regardless of unit, through processes that involve measuring arc lengths can support coherent angle measure understandings.
Fundamental kinetic study of aluminization of iron by pack cementation at 900 °C

Abstract The kinetics of pack aluminization of iron at 900 °C, using NaCl as the activator under both argon and forming gas (5% H 2 + Ar) atmospheres, has been studied. The coating system was simplified by using a low aluminum activity masteralloy of 42wt.%Al–58wt.%Fe to avoid the formation of intermetallic compounds at the substrate surface. The chemically depleted zone in the pack was eliminated by a continuous tumbling of the system during coating. The substrate was wrapped with a ceramic sheath to allow a particle-free surface and to introduce a diffusion barrier for the transporting gaseous species. The rate-limiting step for the aluminizing process was shown to be series transport of the gaseous species from the pack to the substrate surface and solid state diffusion in the substrate. A kinetic model is proposed and compared with the experimentally obtained data, and results are in good agreement.
Rural Women’s Access to Credit: Market Imperfections and Intrahousehold Dynamics

Summary Credit rationing studies carried out at the household level and based on responses from male heads of households present an incomplete and biased assessment of who is likely to be constrained, why they are constrained, and what is the extent of the constraints. They ignore possibly conflictive intrahousehold dynamics and assume that imperfections in rural financial markets are gender-neutral. This paper addresses both issues theoretically and empirically. The Semi-Cooperative Household model developed for this analysis formalizes the conditions under which spouses’, and particularly women’s, individual access to credit can be affected by their own position in the financial market as well as by intrahousehold dynamics. These notions are then explored empirically using husbands’ and wives’ individual perceptions of their access to credit in rural Paraguay. The most significant empirical findings of the paper are that (i) compared to men, women are more likely to be credit constrained; (ii) women’s rationing status responds to a different set of factors than men’s; and (iii) husbands may choose not to intermediate capital to their wives even when they are able to do so. Results from this exercise provide empirically sound support for the assumptions underlying women-targeted credit programs.
A disturbance in the force--mitochondrial mutations in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

In the motion picture series Star Wars , midichlorians are fictional intracellular organisms whose energy, the Force, could be harnessed by the Jedi knights, bestowing upon them extraordinary abilities. The creator of the series, George Lucas, has stated that the name and function for the
Adsorption and Deactivation Characteristics of Cu/ZnO-Based Catalysts for Methanol Synthesis from Carbon Dioxide

The adsorption and deactivation characteristics of coprecipitated Cu/ZnO-based catalysts were examined and correlated to their performance in methanol synthesis from CO2 hydrogenation. The addition of Ga2O3 and Y2O3 promoters is shown to increase the Cu surface area and CO2/H2 adsorption capacities of the catalysts and enhance methanol synthesis activity. Infrared studies showed that CO2 adsorbs spontaneously on these catalysts at room temperature as both mono- and bi-dentate carbonate species. These weakly bound species desorb completely from the catalyst surface by 200 °C while other carbonate species persist up to 500 °C. Characterization using N2O decomposition, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis clearly indicated that Cu sintering is the main cause of catalyst deactivation. Ga and Y promotion improves the catalyst stability by suppressing the agglomeration of Cu and ZnO particles under pretreatment and reaction conditions.
NOS Hydrographic Survey bottom sample recovery

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Ocean Service (NOS) Hydrographic Survey Division (HSD) and National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) recently completed a joint project to provide web access to hydrographic survey metadata from the NOS Hydrographic Survey Metadata Database (HSMDB). The new online metadata display is offered on the NGDC web site (http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/bathymetry/hydro.html) under the product name Rap Sheet. One innovative feature of this view is a link to the growing database of seabed “bottom type” derived from samples collected during surveys. These samples provide seabed type annotations for nautical charts, but also have applications outside the navigation community.
Thermomodulation of the Li K core excitons in LiF

Abstract Thermotransmission measurements of the Li K threshold spectrum of LiF clearly resolve the forbidden and the allowed exciton. The line shapes show that the former grows in intensity with increasing temperature, becoming allowed as phonons of odd symmetry make the parity selection rule weaker, while the latter shifts to lower energy with increasing temperature. A second member of the forbidden exciton series has been resolved.
Field Tests on High-Capacity Air-Blast Station-Type Circuit Breakers

IN January 1940 there was presented before the Institute a paper1 describing a new high-capacity air-blast circuit breaker. Since then, breakers of higher interrupting rating have been built, following out the general principles of design and construction disclosed at that time. As part of an organized development program, such breakers have been subjected to extensive interrupting tests under factory laboratory conditions. However, it is recognized that the final proof of the interrupting performance of high-capacity circuit breakers comes as a result of tests made on actual operating systems.
Inferring effects on tumor frequencies and times to observation in the analysis of tumor multiplicity data

A sequential likelihood-ratio strategy for analyzing tumor multiplicity data from animal bioassays is described and illustrated. The likelihood function is composed of a negative binomial component for the number of induced tumors per animal and a Weibull component for the time to observation of such tumors. The method can distinguish whether differences in tumor responses between treatment groups are due to differences in numbers of induced tumors or to differences in times to observation of such tumors. Although adapted from the underlying model of KOKOSKA (KOKOSKA, 1987, Biometrics 43, 525-534; KOKOSKA et al., 1993, Anticancer Research 13, 1357-1364), the proposed testing methodology can give different results from the Kokoska method, as is shown in an example with real data. Several extensions of the model are described.
Satellite and rocket studies of relativistic electrons and their influence on the middle atmosphere

Abstract Magnetospheric electrons from hundreds of keV to over 10MeV in energy have been systematically measured at geostationary altitude (6.6 R E ) for well over a decade. We find evidence of significant diurnal, solar-rotational (27-day), annual, and solar-cycle (11-yr) variations in the fluxes of the relativistic electron component. We have also used low-altitude satellite data and sounding rocket measurements to characterize the location and strength of the relativistic electron precipitation into the atmosphere. We conclude that the magnetospheric electrons, when dumped into the middle atmosphere, represent a very significant ionization source which affects the pattern of conductivity, electric fields, and atmospheric chemistry. These measurements—when combined with global atmospheric modeling—suggest that relativistic electrons provide a robust coupling mechanism to impose long-term solar wind and magnetospheric variability onto the Earth's deep atmospheric regions. A strong 11-yr cycle of relativistic electron effects is found in available atmospheric data sets.
Computational Studies of the Energetics and Reaction Pathways of Molecular Transformations of Benzoheterocycles on Triosmium Clusters

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been performed on the series of complexes Os3(CO)10-n(μm-η2-(L-H))(μ-H) (L = benzoxazole (1), benzothiazole (2), quinoline (3), indoline (4), 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline (5); for 1−5, n = 0; m = 2; for 1‘−3‘, n = 1, m = 3) and on the precursors to these complexes, Os3(CO)10(CH3CN)2 and Os3(CO)12. The optimized geometry of the coordinately unsaturated 44e system Os3(CO)10 is used as a reference point for evaluating the relative binding energies of the heterocycles and the acetonitrile and carbonyl ligands. A discussion of how the intramolecular trans/cis isomerization of Os3(CO)10(CH3CN)2 relates to the reactivity of this complex with the heterocyclic ligand is presented. The relative binding energies of the benzoheterocycles provide insight into the relative stability of the intermediates involved in the subsequent formation of the μ3-nonacarbonyl derivatives Os3(CO)9(μ3-η2-(L-2H))(μ-H)2 (L = indoline (4‘), 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline (5‘)) from their μ-de...
Pre-positioning planning for emergency response with service quality constraints

Pre-positioning of emergency supplies is a means for increasing preparedness for natural disasters. Key decisions in pre-positioning are the locations and capacities of emergency distribution centers, as well as allocations of inventories of multiple relief commodities to those distribution locations. The location and allocation decisions are complicated by uncertainty about if, or where, a natural disaster will occur. An earlier paper (Rawls and Turnquist 44:521---534, 2010) describes a stochastic mixed integer programming formulation to minimize expected costs (including penalties for unmet demand) in such a situation. This paper extends that model with additional service quality constraints. The added constraints ensure that the probability of meeting all demand is at least ?, and that the demand is met with supplies whose average shipment distance is no greater than a specific limit. A case study using hurricane threats is used to illustrate the model and how the additional constraints modify the pre-positioning strategy.
Use of the electrostatic analogy in studies of ice crystal growth

Der Bericht umfasst die Analogie zwischen Elektrostatik und Diffusion und die experimentelle Bestimmung der Kapazitat von verschiedenen Formen von Eiskristallen.
Generation of neuronal variability and complexity

The production of specialized differentiated neurons derived from stem cells has been proposed as a revolutionary technology for regenerative medicine. However, few examples of specific neuronal cell differentiation have been described so far. Although stem-cell tissue replacement might be seemingly straightforward in other cases, the high degree of complexity of the nervous system raises the challenge of tissue replacement substantially. Understanding mechanisms of neuronal diversification will not only be relevant for therapeutic purposes but might also shed light on the differences in cognitive abilities, personality traits and psychiatric conditions observed in humans.
Descriptions of two new species of the Purana abdominalis species group (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadini) from the Philippines, with a key to the species groups of Purana

The Purana abdominalis species group is proposed within the genus Purana Distant, which includes two new species, Purana abdominalis Lee, sp. nov. and Purana nana Lee, sp. nov., from the Philippines. Classification of species groups of the genus Purana is discussed. The genus Formosemia Matsumura, 1917 is resurrected from the junior synonymy with Purana Distant, 1905. Purana apicalis (Matsumura) is transferred to Formosemia stat. rev. to become Formosemia apicalis (Matsumura) comb. nov. A key to the species groups of Purana is provided.
Second virial coefficients and the arsenic vapor-condensed phase equilibrium

The published temperature-pressure-vapor density data for As can be fit to 1.07% with two-parameter second virial coefficients for As2 and As4. In contrast to the assumptions of previous analyses of the As system, the vapor already shows significant departure from ideality at 975 K and 5.5 atm. One set of these virial coefficients is used along with the SGTE database with a few small adjustments to obtain a self-consistent description of the vapor-condensed phase equilibria. The calculated vapor pressure agrees with the experimental data to within 1% between 790 and 1000 K, where experimental data are most closely established, and is in agreement with the experimental scatter between 1000 and 1200 K. The thermodynamic data established in this fitting are then used to calculate the vapor pressure up to 1600 K.
Binding of immunoglobulin- and complement-coated erythrocytes to human neutrophil subpopulations.

Human neutrophils are separable into two populations on the basis of the presence or absence of Fc receptors as detected by rosette assays with IgG antibody-sensitized human erythrocytes. In the present report it was shown that IgG-sensitized sheep erythrocytes could detect some Fc receptor activity on those cells which are Fc receptor-negative with the human cell assay. There was clearly a difference between Fc receptor expression on the positive and negative cells. Neutrophils with “high” and “low” density Fc receptor activity were studied for a range of membrane receptors for complement fragments including, C4b, C3b, C3d, and C3bi. No difference was found between the two populations of cells in their expressions of complement receptors. Moreover, neither population expressed receptors for C3d, suggesting that neither population was a high proportion of immature neutrophils.
Assessing differences in mourning dove Zenaida macroura marginella nesting activity after 40 years

Abstract In 1992–1993 we replicated a mourning dove Zenaida macroura marginella study conducted in 1951–1952 near Fillmore, Utah, to document differences in nesting activity between time periods. Nests along irrigation canals averaged 6.8 nests/km in 1993 vs 36.9 nests/km in 1952. Dove production was 2.4 offspring per pair in 1993 vs 3.9 offspring per pair in 1952, and nest abandonment was higher: 12.9 vs 6.2%, respectively. No differences occurred in nest success (57.1 vs 57.4%) or nest predation (35.7 vs 29.6%). The breeding season was 80 days in 1952, 75 days in 1992, and 70 days in 1993. Nest height was lower in 1992–1993 than in 1951–1952, and nest frequency by vegetation type changed from predominately willow Salix spp. to a broader distribution of nests among available vegetation types. Two distinct riparian habitats existed in both time periods: a natural creek and man-made irrigation canals. The highest nest density occurred in riparian areas during both time periods, but the relative number of n...
Binding of 2-Acetylnaphthalene to Cyclodextrins Studied by Fluorescence Quenching

The molecule 2-acetylnaphthalene (2-AN) exhibits significant room-temperature fluorescence only in strong hydrogen-bonding solvents, such as water and fluorinated alcohols. As a consequence, the fluorescence of 2-AN is strongly quenched when it binds in the relatively nonpolar cavity of cyclodextrins (CDs). Fluorescence lifetime data confirm that the quenching is static rather than dynamic, and thus the slope of the Stern-Volmer quenching plot (F°/F vs. [CD]) is equal to K, the binding constant. We have used these plots to measure K for 1:1 complexes formed between 2-AN and several CDs, including unsubstituted α-, β-, γ-CD and a dimethyl substituted β-CD. In addition, we have determined ΔH° and ΔS° of binding from the temperature dependence of these plots. The room-temperature binding constants vary over a 50-fold range for the 2-AN:CD complexes studied herein, and the variability stems primarily from the ΔS° term. We report here the results of this work and also show evidence for observations other than 1:1 complexes, including emission from the excimer of 2-AN in the presence of γ-CD.
Complications of β-thalassemia major in North America

Treatment of patients with beta-thalassemia major has improved dramatically during the past 40 years; however, the current clinical status of these patients remains poorly characterized. We performed a cross-sectional study of 342 patients in the Registry of the National Institutes of Health-sponsored Thalassemia Clinical Research Network. Evidence of hepatitis C exposure was present in 35% of tested patients, was associated with age, and had a rate of spontaneous viral clearance of 33%. Ferritin levels ranged from 147 to 11 010 ng/mL (median, 1696 ng/mL). Median hepatic iron content was 7.8 mg/g dry weight and 23% of patients had values of 15 mg/g dry weight or higher. No patients 15 years or younger and 5% of patients aged 16 to 24 years had heart disease requiring medication. Ten percent had cirrhosis on biopsy. Endocrinologic complications were common among adults. Seventy-four (22%) patients had recent implantable central venous access devices (CVADs) placed. Among 80 episodes of bacteremia in 38 patients, 90% were attributable to the CVAD. Among 330 patients who had received deferoxamine chelation therapy, 224 (68%) reported no complications. We conclude that hepatitis C, iron-related organ dysfunction, and complications of iron chelation therapy are strongly age-dependent in North American patients with beta-thalassemia.
Reduction to homozygosity at the SIS/PDGF-2 locus in human mesenchymal tumors

Enhanced expression of the human SIS/PDGF-2 gene has been reported in a number of human cell lines, sarcomas, and glioblastomas. We have analyzed the SIS/PDGF-2 gene for structural alterations in fresh human tumors. DNA samples from 79 patients with solid tumors (63 mesenchymal tumors, 12 lung carcinomas, 4 breast carcinomas) were examined and compared with DNA samples from 50 leukemia patients and 14 unrelated individuals without malignant neoplasms. When DNA samples were digested with a Hin dIII restriction endonuclease, Southern blot analysis demonstrated two distinct bands (21kb and 18kb) after hybridization to the SIS/PDGF-2 gene probe. A pedigree analysis of a 43-member family indicated that these allelic variants segregated in a Mendelian fashion. There was, however, tumor specific allele loss in 18% of the mesenchymal tumors analyzed, which may indicate a common etiology for this tumor type.
Ammonia and/or calcium hydroxide treatment of maize stover: intake, digestibility and digestion kinetics

Six ruminally fistulated steers were used in a 6 × 6 Latin square design to measure effects of treatments on maize stover. Maize stover was ground through a 0.95-cm screen and water was added to reduce the dry matter (DM) to 65% before chemical treatment. The chemical treatments were: 30 g NH3, 56 g urea, 40 g Ca(OH)2, 30 g NH3 + 40 g Ca(OH)2 or 56 g urea + 40 g Ca(OH)2 per kg maize stover DM. Untreated maize stover (65% DM) was used as the control. All chemical treatments were allowed to react for at least 14 days at 21°C. Chemical treatment increased (P < 0.05) the intake of organic matter (OMI) and digestible organic matter intake (DOMI), organic matter digestibility (OMD), fiber digestibility and rate of particulate passage. However, Ca(OH)2 treatment of maize stover did not improve intake and digestibility. Treating maize stover with Ca(OH)2, plus either NH3 or urea increased (P < 0.05) intake, digestibility and rate of particulate passage over Ca(OH)2 treatment alone. Chemical treatment had no significant effect on the rate of fluid passage, flow rate or ruminal fluid volume. When steers were fed equal portions, chemically treated and untreated maize stover had slower, but similar rates of particulate passage and generally higher digestibilities compared with ad libitum intake. Chemical treatment increased (P < 0.05) the extent of the cell wall digestion, but rates of fiber digestion were not affected. Among chemical treatments, NH3 and urea consistently improved the feeding value of maize stover. The results of the study indicate that the addition of Ca(OH)2 to either NH3 or urea is no better than using NH3 or urea alone.
Remote electrochemical sensor for monitoring TNT in natural waters

Abstract An electrochemical sensor for remote continuous monitoring of the explosive 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) is described. The probe relies on rapid and sensitive square-wave voltammetry at a submersible carbon-fiber working-electrode assembly, connected to a 50ft-long shielded cable. Operational conditions have been optimized to meet the specific requirements of remote operations. Tests with untreated river water, groundwater, and drinking water samples, spiked with TNT, displayed results similar to those obtained with synthetic buffer solutions. Due to the low detection potential of TNT, coexisting sample constituents do not contribute to the response. The use of ultrafast square-wave voltammetric scanning, without a regeneration step, leads to a rapid detection of dynamic concentration changes, low ppb detection limits, and high stability. Prospects for using the electrochemical probe for real-time monitoring of TNT are discussed.
Brain metastasis in bone and soft tissue cancers: a review of incidence, interventions, and outcomes.

Bone and soft tissue malignancies account for a small portion of brain metastases. In this review, we characterize their incidence, treatments, and prognosis. Most of the data in the literature is based on case reports and small case series. Less than 5% of brain metastases are from bone and soft tissue sarcomas, occurring most commonly in Ewing's sarcoma, malignant fibrous tumors, and osteosarcoma. Mean interval from initial cancer diagnosis to brain metastasis is in the range of 20–30 months, with most being detected before 24 months (osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, chordoma, angiosarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma), some at 24–36 months (malignant fibrous tumors, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, and alveolar soft part sarcoma), and a few after 36 months (chondrosarcoma and liposarcoma). Overall mean survival ranges between 7 and 16 months, with the majority surviving < 12 months (Ewing's sarcoma, liposarcoma, malignant fibrous tumors, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, angiosarcoma and chordomas). Management is heterogeneous involving surgery, radiosurgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. While a survival advantage may exist for those given aggressive treatment involving surgical resection, such patients tended to have a favorable preoperative performance status and minimal systemic disease.