cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Non-adiabatic approximation for resonant multiphoton excitation of vibrational—rotational states in strong laser fields

Abstract A method is presented for efficient and accurate treatment of infrared multiphoton absorption (MPA) processes in strong fields. By means of adiabatic separation of the fast vibrational motion from the slow rotational motion, one first solves the quasi-vibrational energy states (QVESs) with molecular orientation fixed. This reduces the computationally often formidable Floquet matrix analysis to a manageable scale. One then introduces non-adiabatic angular couplings of the adiabatic QVESs for proper analysis of resonant MPA. The utility of the method is illustrated by a study of the non-linear MPA quantusn dynamics in CO.
Purification and properties of cytochrome c from Methylomonas methanica.

Soluble cytochrome c from Methylomonas methanica was purified to homogeneity and its properties were characterized. The molecular weight as determined by gel filtration is 18, 000 and the subunit size as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis is 17, 000. The amino acid composition and spectral properties of cytochrome c are presented. Antisera prepared against the purified cytochrome from Methylomonas methanica cross-reacted with cytochrome c in cell extracts of various obligate methane-utilizing bacteria.
Field test validation of the degadis model

Abstract An interactive computer model (DEGADIS) which uses a lumped parameter approach to simulate a wide variety of denser-than-air gas release scenarios, inc Predicted maximum concentration as a function of distance is compared to the maximum reported concentration for field scale releases of liquefied natur
Kozulite, an Mn-rich alkali amphibole.

The crystal structure of kozulite, an Mn-rich alkali amphibole with the ideal formula NaNa2[Mn42+(Fe3+,Al)]Si8O22(OH)2, tris­odium tetra­manganese iron/aluminium octa­silicate dihydroxide, was refined from a natural specimen with composition (K0.20Na0.80)(Na1.60Ca0.18Mn2+0.22)(Mn2+2.14Mn3+0.25Mg2.20Fe3+0.27Al0.14)(Si7.92Al0.06Ti0.02)O22[(OH)1.86F0.14]. The site occupancies determined from the refinements are M1 = 0.453 (1) Mn + 0.547 (1) Mg, M2 = 0.766 (1) Mn + 0.234 (1) Mg, and M3 = 0.257 (1) Mn + 0.743 (1) Mg, where Mn and Mg represent (Mn+Fe) and (Mg+Al), respectively. The average M—O bond lengths are 2.064 (1), 2.139 (1), and 2.060 (1) A for the M1, M2, and M3 sites, respectively, indicating the preference of large Mn2+ for the M2 site. Four partially occupied amphibole A sites were revealed from the refinement, with A(m) = 0.101 (4) K, A(m)′ = 0.187 (14) Na, A(2) = 0.073 (6) Na, and A(1) = 0.056 (18) Na, in accord with the result derived from microprobe analysis (0.20 K + 0.80 Na), considering experimental uncertainties.
Infrared Photography of OH Airglow Structures

Results of high-angular-resolution photography of the complex airglow structures present in the infrared sky. The photographs obtained all show bright cloud-like structures which moved on the sky and varied in brightness. It is concluded that these structures are due to varying airglow emission and not to any type of modulation of a uniform background by atmospheric clouds, dust, or haze. It is also concluded that observations of a bright spot from two widely separated sites will yield parallax determinations of the height of the OH emitting layer, so that it is no longer necessary to rely on infrequent rocket measurements at a few places.
The effect of hypoxia on the shedding rate of the corneal epithelium

The reason a cell leaves the corneal epithelial surface at a particular time is not understood. It is likely that a cell must depend on metabolic energy to accomplish this task successfully and with minimal disruption to the epithelial surface and barrier. The hypothesis under test is that the epithelium is directly dependent on atmospheric oxygen to maintain a normal cell shedding rate. Rabbit corneas were excised in pairs and the surfaces bathed with appropriate media for 400 minutes at 304 mOsm/kg and pH 7.4. The epithelial surface of one cornea was bathed with a normoxic solution as a control, while the other cornea was anoxic. Solutions were collected from the epithelial surface at 50 minute intervals. Cell counts of shed corneal epithelial cells were made by staining with acridine orange and viewing with fluorescence microscopy. Stromal thickness was measured at the beginning and at 400 minutes to confirm hypoxia. The results show that hypoxia does reduce the rate at which cells are shed, at least f...
Decays of near BPS heterotic strings

The decay of highly excited massive string states in compactified heterotic string theories is discussed. We calculate the decay rate and spectrum of states carrying momentum and winding in the compactified direction. The longest lived states in the spectrum are near Bogomol'nyi-Prasad-Sommerfield (BPS) states whose decay is dominated by a single decay channel of massless radiation which brings the state closer to being BPS.
Seasonal variation in food web composition and structure in a temperate tidal estuary

Seasonal variation in aquatic food web structure at Mad Island Marsh, Matagorda Bay, Texas, was examined using dietary information obtained from the analysis of gut contents from large samples of fish and crustacean specimens. Unique aspects of this study include the use of large samples of consumer gut contents (n=6,452), long-term sampling (bimonthly surveys over 18 mo), and standard methods of data collection and analysis facilitating comparisons with other aquatic food webs. Dietary data were partitioned for analysis into warm (summer) and cold (winter) seasons. Most consumers fed low in the food web, with trophic levels ranging from about 2 to 3.5 during both summer and winter. Vegetative detritus was more important in macroconsumer diets than live algae and macrophytes. Low trophic levels of consumers reflected the important role of abundant detritivores (e.g., striped mulletMugil cephalus, Gulf menhadenBrevortia patronum, and macroinvertebrates) in linking detritus to top predators via short food chains, a finding consistent with many other estuarine food web studies. Despite changes in community composition and population size structure of certain species, most food web properties revealed comparatively little seasonal variation. The summer food web had more nodes (86), more links (562), a higher density of links as indicated by connectance (0.08), and a slightly higher predator: prey ratio (0.51) compared to the winter food web (75 nodes, 394 links, connectance = 0.07, predator: prey ratio = 0.47). Proportions of top (0.06–0.07), intermediate (0.75–0.76), and basal (0.19) species did not vary significantly between seasons, but mean trophic level was higher during summer. Addition of feeding links based on information from the literature increased connectance to 0.13 during both seasons; other web parameters had values similar to those obtained for our directly estimated food webs. Seasonal variation in food web structure was influenced by changes in community composition (e.g., influxes of postlarval estuarine-dependent marine fishes during winter), availability of resources (e.g., more submerged macrophytes and amphipods during summer), and size structure and ontogenetic diet shifts of dominant consumer taxa. Our findings suggest that some basic properties of estuarine food web are resilient to seasonal changes in population and community structures and food web architecture.
Afferent geometry in the primate visual cortex and the generation of neuronal trigger features

In previous work, it was suggested that the sequence regularity property of cortical neurons could be accounted for if the local geometric structure of the cortex were a recapituation of the global complex logarithmic structure of the retinotopic mapping. This model is developed in detail: the excitatory and inhibitory structure of cortical receptive fields may be approximated by a complex logarithmic local geometry, coupled with an intra-cortical lateral inhibition operator which may flow unidirectionally yet still create "rotating" receptive field structure. The direction of intra-cortical lateral inhibition follows the borders of cortical ocular dominance columns, which are the approximate images under the global complex logarithmic mapping, of exponentially spaced, horizontal straight lines in the visual field. Two different topological structures are discussed for the local cortical manifold. The binocular trigger features of cortical neurons follow from the same geometric model, and the ratio of binocular to monocular cortical cells is related to the size and shape of cortical dendritic tree's by an application of integral geometry. Recent results in optical pattern recognition are cited to suggest that the rotation and size invariant properties of the cortical map are essential to any cross-correlational basis for stereopsis. Finally, a meromorphic function is presented which is both locally and globally complex logarithmic in its structure, and therefore represents the model presented in this and previous papers in a concise mathematical form. This function is closely related to the description of a Karman vortex pattern, in fluid mechanics, and leads to the suggestion that the boundary conditions of layer IV of the cortex (i.e. periodic ocular dominance columns) are causally related to the existence of sequence regularity in the cortex. The developmental implications of this statement are that the specification of neural connections in the cortex may follow directly, both locally and globally, from the detailed nature of the cortical boundary conditions (i.e. anatomy), coupled with general physico-mathematical considerations of continuity and differentiability in the neural fiber flow.
Belief in an Afterlife: A National Survey

This article presents an exploratory analysis of factors affecting belief in an afterlife. Data are taken from the 1978 subfile on the National Opinion Research Center's General Social Survey. With belief in life after death serving as the dependent variable, a number of variables are introduced in a tabular analysis. Among factors found to be statistically significant are sex, race, age, marital status, and several religious and residential variables. Controlling on frequency of church attendance and religious intensity, it is shown that Protestants have the highest incidence of belief in life after death, followed closely by Catholics, with Jews exhibiting the lowest level. A discriminant analysis was run in order to select a group of independent variables that were good predictors of belief in an afterlife. Race, religion, and church attendance were found to be significant discriminating variables of such belief.
Treatment with Recombinant Bovine Interferon-τ in Utero Attenuates Secretion of Prostaglandin F from Cultured Endometrial Epithelial Cells

Abstract Endometrial oxytocin receptors and total production of PGF by endometrial epithelial cells were measured in 10 cyclic cows after intrauterine injections of recombinant bovine interferon- τ plus BSA or BSA alone. Cows received twice daily injections (via intrauterine catheters) of 200 μ g of recombinant bovine interferon- τ plus 1.3mg of BSA (n = 5) or 1.5mg of BSA (n = 5) from d 14 to 17 after estrus. On d 17, the reproductive tracts of each cow was removed at slaughter, and endometrial epithelial cells were cultured with 0, 2, or 50ng/ml of recombinant bovine interferon- τ . After 24h, oxytocin (2×10 −7 M ) was added to one-half of the culture wells, and the medium was sampled at 0, 30, and 90min for analysis of total PGF (PGF plus 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 2α ). In vivo treatment with recombinant bovine interferon- τ + BSA reduced total secretion of PGF in culture (1.49±0.06 vs. 2.80±0.07 ng/ μ g of DNA), but did not block the oxytocin-induced stimulation in total secretion of PGF. In vitro treatment of cells with recombinant-bovine interferon- τ did not decrease basal secretion of total PGF. Oxytocin receptor binding at d 17 was low in both treatments but slightly attenuated in the group treated with recombinant bovine interferon- τ .
The effects of transesophageal echocardiography on hemodynamic variables in small infants undergoing cardiac surgery.

Abstract Objective: To assess the effects of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) on hemodynamic variables during cardiac surgery in small infants. Design: A prospective clinical study. Setting: A medical college-affiliated tertiary care children's hospital. Participants: Twenty-three infants weighing 2 to 5 kg undergoing cardiac surgery. Interventions: Baseline heart rate, arterial pressure, and central venous pressure were recorded. A pediatric TEE probe was inserted, and the hemodynamic variables were again recorded. Postoperatively the hemodynamic measurements were measured again before and after probe removal, with the addition of left atrial pressure and pulmonary artery pressure when available. Hemodynamic parameters were carefully observed during all phases of the TEE examinations for any changes attributable to probe manipulation. Measurements and Main Results: No statistically significant changes occurred in this group of patients during TEE. No clinically significant changes in any individual patient occurred during the measurement or during manipulation of the TEE probe for the complete examination. Conclusion: Although hemodynamic compromise can occur in small infants, this study suggests that it is infrequent. Fear of hemodynamic compromise should not prevent use of intraoperative TEE in small infants when otherwise indicated.
Electronic Structure of Amorphous Si from Photoemission and Optical Studies

Photoemission from and optical studies of amorphous Si samples, carefully prepared to minimize the influence of defects, are reported. Photoemission yield and energy distribution curves were obtained from 5.5 to 11.7 eV and reflectance data were measured from 0.4 to 11.8 eV. Optical constants were determined by a Kramers-Kronig analysis. No evidence was found to indicate that the wave vector $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{k}}$ provides a significant quantum number in amorphous Si.
EFFECT OF THE ERUPTIONS OF MOUNT ST. HELENS AND EL CHICHON ON THE RATIOS OF THORIUM AND URANIUM ISOTOPES IN RAIN

Marked variations in the ratios of228Th/232Th,230Th/232Th and238U/232Th ratios were observed in rain samples collected at Fayetteville (36°N, 94°W), Arkansas, during 1980 through 1983. These variations are attributed to the fallout from the 1980 and 1982 eruptions of Mount St. Helens and El Chichon volcanoes.
Does normal pump function belie muscle dysfunction in patients with chronic severe mitral regurgitation

Left ventricular cineangiography and micromanometry were performed simultaneously in 27 patients with chronic severe mitral regurgitation (MR group) and in 23 normal subjects (NL group). Stress (sigma) and volume (V) were computed frame by frame. Measurements were repeated after pharmacologic load manipulation in subsets of MR (n = 10) and NL (n = 11) groups. An inverse relationship (r = -.90) between EFc (ejection fraction determined from a common preload) and sigma es (afterload) was observed for the NL group. For the MR group, 10 of 14 with EFs less than 0.60 and four of 13 with EFs greater than 0.60 had muscle dysfunction, falling below the 95% prediction band of the normal EFc-sigma es relationship. Maximum myocardial stiffness (maxEN) determined from the end-systolic stress-strain relationship of Mirsky, sigma es = maxEN.gamma.loge(Ves/Vo), was 1398 +/- 716 in the MR (n = 10) vs 1165 +/- 394 in the NL group (n = 11, NS). EF was 0.62 +/- 0.13 in the MR and 0.65 +/- 0.08 in the NL group. Mitral valve surgery was performed on 19 of the patients with MR. All survived and all but one were symptomatically improved; that patient required reoperation in the early postoperative period because of transverse midventricular disruption. Thus, contractile function as assessed by stress-strain and EFc-afterload relationships is frequently normal in individuals with MR when EF is normal. When EF is depressed, contractile function as assessed by EFc-afterload relationships is frequently depressed, but this does not preclude a satisfactory surgical result.
247 CARDIAC OUTPUT AND HYPOTENSION IN PRETERM INFANTS WITH RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME

To evaluate the effects of inotropic support on cardiac function and blood pressure in preterm hypotensive infants, we compared 56 preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (FiO2>40%) to 27 preterm infants without RDS at 8-72 h of age. In the controls, mean ± SEM birth weight was 1285±47 g, gestational age 30.9±.3 wks, mean blood pressure (MBP) 45±1 mm Hg, CO 319±11 ml/min/kg, and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) 132 ± 7 mm Hg/L−2min/kg. In the RDS group, these values were 1050±45 g (p<0.001), 28.9±.4 wks (p=0.002), 36±1 mm Hg (p<0.001), 358±15 ml/min/kg, and 107±8 mm Hg/L−1/min/kg. 26 (46%) RDS infants received dopamine, in 12 (21%) combined with dobutamine, and 29% had a MBP ≤30 mm Hg. CO in hypotensive and normotensive RDS infants was similar. In the RDS group, MBP was 37±3 mm Hg and SVR 243±51 mm Hg/L−1min/kg in the low CO (≤250 ml/min/kg) subgroup and 32±2 mm Hg and 52±4 mm Hg/L−1/min/kg in the high CO (≥410 ml/min/kg) subgroup (p<0.001 vs controls). Treatment of RDS infants with dopamine or dopamine + dobutamine raised MBP to values similar to those not receiving inotropic support, but addition of dobutamine significantly increased CO and reduced SVR. These data indicate that whereas dopamine mainly affects blood pressure, dobutamine added onto dopamine simultaneously increases CO, leading to a reduction in SVR.
Fear of victimization and health

Fear of victimization may have consequences for subjective well-being. I develop and test a model linking fear of victimization to subjective health. I hypothesize that two processes link fear to subjective health-psychological and behavioral. Specifically, I hypothesize that fear of victimization increases psychological distress, and fear decreases outdoor physical activity, especially walking. High levels of psychological distress and low levels of walking, in turn, are associated with poor self-reported health. I find empirical support for the hypothesized processes in a representative national sample of 2031 adults aged 18 to 90 interviewed by telephone in 1990. The negative association between fear and health is explained largely by psychological distress and walking. However, a significant direct effect remains. I conclude with suggestions for future research linking crime and health, focusing on the need for collecting information on community disorganization. Community context is likely the ultimate exogenous variable-the one that sets in motion the destructive cycle of fear, distress, inactivity, and poor health described here.
Group size, foraging, and antipredator ploys: An analysis of bighorn sheep decisions

1. Several aspects of the foraging behavior of California bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis californiana) were studied in homogeneous habitats in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. The manner in which an individual sheep foraged was based upon the size of group within which it was found. 2. In small groups (five or less individuals) sheep foraging efficiency was poor and interruptions of foraging to scan the environment were frequent. 3. Alarm vocalizations and other conspicuous behaviors tend to alert their neighbors to the presence of disturbances. It appears that these signals cannot be based solely as the result of kin selection.
Concurrent and simultaneous use of alcohol with sedatives and with tranquilizers: results of a national survey.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of concurrent and simultaneous use of alcohol with sedatives and with tranquilizers in the general population and to examine differences in these rates between important sociodemographic subgroups. The results indicated that a sizable proportion of Americans engaged in both substance use practices in the year preceding the interview. The population estimate for simultaneous use of alcohol in combination with sedatives (i.e., use of both substances simultaneously or on the same occasion) was approximately 3 million while the concurrent use of both substances (i.e., during the same time period) was approximately 4 million. Corresponding figures for the simultaneous and concurrent use of alcohol and tranquilizers were both approximately 6 million. The extent of each substance use practice varied as a function of sociodemographic factors. Implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the need for age-sex-ethnic-specific prevention strategies. The need for future analytic epidemiological research to determine the precise relationship between dose, frequency, and duration of concurrent and simultaneous use and each adverse consequence is emphasized. The need for longitudinal research in the general population is also highlighted.
Genetic engineering for abiotic stress resistance in crop plants.

Drought, extreme temperatures and high salinity are major limiting factors for plant growth and crop productivity. In their quest to feed the ever-increasing world population, agricultural scientists have to contend with these adverse environmental factors. If crops can be redesigned to better cope with abiotic stress, agricultural production can be increased dramatically. Recent advances in understanding crop abiotic stress resistance mechanisms and the advent of molecular genetic technology allow us to address these issues much more efficiently than in the past. This paper reviews the most significant achievements of the genetic engineering approach to improving plant abiotic stress resistance and discusses future prospects in transgenic research. Improved resistance to drought, salinity and extreme temperatures has been observed in transgenic plants that express/overexpress genes regulating osmolytes, specific proteins, antioxidants, ion homeostasis, transcription factors and membrane composition. Although the results are not always consistent, these studies collectively foretell a scenario where biotechnology will arm our future crops with new tactics to survive in hostile environments. Further experiments are needed to determine if the achieved increases in stress tolerance are applicable to agriculture.
A Review of Luke Timothy Johnson’s Prophetic Jesus, Prophetic Church: The Challenge of Luke–Acts to Contemporary Christians

Johnson cogently makes the case that in Luke–Acts the prophetic message articulates God’s vision for humanity: a message presented in words but also embodied in the deeds and character of the Church as a prophetic community. Luke’s perspective confronts the Church with an ongoing challenge to realize its full potential in living out this utopian vision. One might quibble with certain exegetical conclusions and points of emphasis within the argument but that does not detract from the valuable contribution made by this study.
Degradation of sarcomeric and cytoskeletal proteins in cultured skeletal muscle cells.

The goal of this research was to evaluate the roles of calpains and their interactions with the proteasome and the lysosome in degradation of individual sarcomeric and cytoskeletal proteins in cultured muscle cells. Rat L8-CID muscle cells, in which we expressed a transgene calpain inhibitor (CID), were used in the study. L8-CID cells were grown as myotubes after which the relative roles of calpain, proteasome and lysosome in total protein degradation were assessed during a period of serum withdrawal. Following this, the roles of proteases in degrading cytoskeletal proteins (desmin, dystrophin and filamin) and of sarcomeric proteins (α-actinin and tropomyosin) were assessed. Total protein degradation was assessed by release of radioactive tyrosine from pre-labeled myotubes in the presence and absence of protease inhibitors. Effects of protease inhibitors on concentrations of individual sarcomeric and cytoskeletal proteins were assessed by Western blotting. Inhibition of calpains, proteasome and lysosome caused 20, 62 and 40% reductions in total protein degradation (P<0.05), respectively. Therefore, these three systems account for the bulk of degradation in cultured muscle cells. Two cytoskeletal proteins were highly-sensitive to inhibition of their degradation. Specifically, desmin and dystrophin concentrations increased markedly when calpain, proteasome and lysosome activities were inhibited. Conversely, sarcomeric proteins (α-actinin and tropomyosin) and filamin were relatively insensitive to the addition of protease inhibitors to culture media. These data demonstrate that proteolytic systems work in tandem to degrade cytoskeletal and sarcomeric protein complexes and that the cytoskeleton is more sensitive to inhibition of degradation than the sarcomere. Mechanisms, which bring about changes in the activities of the proteases, which mediate muscle protein degradation are not known and represent the next frontier of understanding needed in muscle wasting diseases and in muscle growth biology.
Racial differences in the significance of coronary calcium in asymptomatic black and white subjects with coronary risk factors

Abstract OBJECTIVES To compare the significance of a specific feature of coronary atherosclerosis—coronary calcium—in asymptomatic black and white subjects with coronary risk factors. BACKGROUND The natural history and clinical evolution of coronary atherosclerosis differs between blacks and whites. Differences in the underlying pathobiology of atherosclerosis may be one determinant of the ethnic variability in the clinical manifestation of coronary atherosclerosis. METHODS In 1,375 high-risk but asymptomatic subjects (93 blacks [6.8%] and 1,282 whites [93.2%]) with at least one risk factor but no prior evidence of coronary disease, we assessed coronary risk factors, calculated Framingham risk of a coronary event and evaluated coronary calcium with digital subtraction fluoroscopy. We then followed these subjects clinically for 70 ± 13 months, noting the occurrence of the following coronary events: death due to coronary heart disease (CHD); myocardial infarction (MI); angina pectoris; and performance of coronary bypass or angioplasty. RESULTS Risk factor profiles were similar in black and white subjects (6-year Framingham risk 15 ± 7% in blacks, 14 ± 8% in whites [NS]). Coronary calcium was present in 59.9% of white subjects but only 35.5% of black subjects (p = 0.0001). Nevertheless, after 70 months of follow-up, more blacks than whites (22 blacks [23.7%] vs. 190 whites [14.8%]; p = 0.04) suffered one of the following end points: CHD death, MI, angina or revascularization. The age, gender and coronary risk-adjusted odds ratio of black race for at least one event was 2.16 (95% CI 1.34 to 3.48). CONCLUSIONS Despite having a lowered prevalence of coronary calcium than high risk whites, high risk blacks suffer more CHD events. Coronary calcium therefore does not carry the same pathobiologic significance in blacks that it does in whites, consistent with the concept that there are specific racial differences in the natural history of CHD and its evolution into clinically manifest events.
The effects of three models of airway disease on tidal breathing flow-volume loops of thoroughbred horses

The effects of histamine and methacholine aerosols and of a fixed inspiratory resistance on tidal breathing flow-volume loops (TBFVL) were investigated using 18 unsedated, standing, healthy thoroughbred horses. The data were first analysed using traditional flow-volume loop indices and then reduced using standardized factor scoring coefficients obtained in a previous study in this laboratory using similar experimental techniques. On the basis of resting TBFVL analysis, the degree of pulmonary dysfunction caused by inhalation of histamine and methacholine aerosols with concentrations of 10 and 2 mg/ml, respectively, was similar. The fixed resistance also caused significant changes in the resting spirogram and TBFVL indices, suggesting that this model may prove valuable for further studies involving upper respiratory tract (URT) conditions.
Effect of traffic noise on the cyclical nature of sleep.

It is well known that normal sleep, as measured by the EEG is not a uniform state but varies from shallow to deep sleep in a cyclical manner. The duration of the cycle is roughly 1.5 h. It has been suggested that disruption of these cycles can have unfavorable effects on a subject's performance during the following day [M. Herbert and R. T. Wilkinson, Proc. Mt. Congress on Noise as a Public Health Problem (1973)]. Twelve subjects slept in 60 dB of free‐flowing traffic noise on 12 alternate nights while the level during the other 12 nights was the ambient level of about 32 dB. If every waking or shift to a shallow sleep level is considered to be the beginning of a new cycle, then the average number of cycles per night during the noise night is about 6% greater than during the quiet nights. If only an extended period of shallow sleep is judged to be the beginning of a new cycle, then noise has no effect on the number of cycles per night.
Pressure dependence of the orientational ordering in solid C60.

Pressure studies of the molecular orientational ordering in solid ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ have exhibited three principal effects: (1) The simple-cubic (sc) to face-centered-cubic (fcc) ordering transition temperature (${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$=249 K) increases with pressure at a rate of 10.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 K/kbar corresponding to ln${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$/d ln${\mathit{a}}_{0}$=-22.8, where ${\mathit{a}}_{0}$ is the lattice parameter; (2) pressure greatly reduces orientational fluctuations of the ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ molecules in the ordered low-temperature sc phase; and (3) the results suggest the presence of two ordering transitions instead of one near 249 K. The implications of these results are discussed.
Examples of chemical modification and recombinant DNA approaches with hemoglobin.

Resume Les derives d'hemoglobine sont obtenus par traitement de l'hemoglobine avec un produit possedant les proprietes necessaires a l'obtention d'un substitut du sang. La technique de production d'hemoglobine recombinante a ete mise au point pour la recherche de substituts du sang. L'interet des methodes de modification biochimique et de production d'hemoglobine recombinante est evalue de maniere a determiner la solution a utiliser de preference pour obtenir un produit de substitution cliniquement utile et non toxique. Chacune de ces methodes presente des avantages par rapport a l'autre. Des exemples decrivant chacune d'elles sont donnes plus loin.
γδTCR ligands and lineage commitment

Two major T lymphocyte lineages--alphabeta and gammadelta T cells--develop in the thymus from common precursors. Differentiation of both lineages requires signals coming from TCRs. Development of alphabeta T cells is driven at early stages by signaling from the pre-TCR, most likely in a ligand-independent fashion, and later--by signals delivered by alphabetaTCRs binding to their ligands--classical or non-classical MHC molecules. gammadelta lineage cells likewise require TCR signaling for their differentiation. Recent work from several groups suggests that TCR signaling not only ensures the developmental progression towards alphabeta and gammadelta lineages but that signal strength instructs lineage fate: weaker TCR signal results in alphabeta and stronger--in gammadelta lineage commitment. However, as most gammadeltaTCRs remain orphan receptors, it is still debated whether strong signals from gammadeltaTCRs in development are generated in a ligand-dependent manner (as in the case of alphabetaTCRs), ligand-independent manner (as for pre-TCR) or both. Here we summarize evidence supporting a possible role for ligands in gammadelta T cell lineage commitment and the generation of gammadelta sublineages.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Patients with Solid-Organ Transplants: Report of Five Cases and Review

Five recipients of solid-organ transplants who were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were studied at the University of Minnesota, and our data were compared with data from 83 reported cases of HIV-infected recipients of solid organs from other centers. Sixty-six of the 88 patients were seronegative for HIV before transplantation and received organs or transfusions of blood from individuals who were seropositive for HIV. Seven patients (four recipients of kidney transplants and three recipients of liver transplants) received transplants after routine screening for HIV. Twenty-five (28%) of the 88 patients developed AIDS, and 20 (80%) of these 25 patients died of AIDS-related complications a mean of 37 months after transplantation. Another nine patients (10%) had other HIV-related diseases. The mean time of progression to AIDS was 27.5 months among all patients with AIDS. For patients who were seronegative for HIV at the time of transplantation, the mean time of progression to AIDS was 32 months, whereas patients seropositive before transplantation developed AIDS within 17 months. Shortly after transplantation, eleven (17%) of the patients who were initially seronegative experienced a febrile syndrome attributed to HIV. Ten patients, including eight recipients of kidney transplants and two recipients of liver transplants, maintained normal allograft function despite low-dose immunosuppressive therapy.
Five Excellent Resources on Sexuality and Religious Education

A preliminary search of the Internet reveals the multiplicity of issues addressed under the topic of sexuality and education. Terms such as gender identity, sexual orientation, women's health, abus...
Report on international workshop on privacy and anonymity in the information society (PAIS 2008)

While the ever increasing computational power together with the huge amount of individual data collected daily by various agencies is of great value for our society, they also pose a significant threat to individual privacy. As a result legislators for many countries try to regulate the use and the disclosure of confidential information. Various privacy regulations (such as USA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Canadian Standard Association Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information, Australian Privacy Amendment Act 2000, etc.) have been enacted in many countries all over the world. Data privacy and protecting individual anonymity have become a mainstream avenue for research. While privacy is a topic discussed everywhere, data anonymity recently established itself as an emerging area of computer science. Its goal is to produce useful computational solutions for releasing data, while providing scientific guarantees that the identities and other sensitive information of the individuals who are the subjects of the data are protected. The Workshop on Privacy and Anonymity in the Information Society (PAIS 2008) was held on March 29, 2008, co-located with the 11th International Conference on Extending Database Technology (EDBT 2008) in Nantes, France. It was the first in its series and the mission of the workshop is to provide an open
Approximate MCSCF optimization for multiconfigurational spin-tensor electron propagator method (MCSTEP): The vertical ionization potentials of CO, HCN, HNC, H2CO, and O3

The multiconfigurational spin tensor electron propagator method (MCSTEP) was developed as an implementation of electron propagator/single particle Green's function methods. MCSTEP was specifically designed for open shell and highly correlated (nondynamically correlated) initial states. The initial state used in MCSTEP is typically a small complete active space (CAS) with multiconfigurational self-consistent field (MCSCF) state. In some cases, because of our use of a small CAS in MCSTEP, the Lagrangian eigenvalues of the MCSCF reference state are in an undesired order (u). The desired order (d) can usually be obtained by excluding one or more orbital rotations in MCSCF optimization between the doubly occupied and partially occupied orbitals. We systematically examine several cases where the undesired order occurs for the low-lying vertical MCSTEP ionization potentials (IPs) of the molecules CO, HCN, HNC, H2CO, and O3 with our recently established CAS choices for MCSCF/MCSTEP. By excluding one or more orbital rotations between the partially and doubly occupied orbitals, an approximate MCSCF reference state with the same CAS choice is obtained for use in standard MCSTEP calculations that, in general, gives more reliable vertical MCSTEP IPs. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Quantum Chem, 2008
Depressed mood and reality disturbance correlate with decreased nocturnal melatonin in depressed patients.

ABSTRACT: The authors measured serum samples of melatonin at 11:00 p.m. in 28 patients suffering from major depression. Melatonin secretion was inversely correlated with the depressed mood and reality disturbance factors of the Hamilton Depression Scale. These results are consistent with previous reports of low melatonin syndrome in a subgroup of depressed patients.
Intercorrelations among factors in opinions about mental illness scale in scores of nonpsychiatric nurses: comparison with other studies.

Sammwy.-Intercorrelations among scores on the five factorially derived dimensions of the Opinions About Mental Illness Scale were computed for 692 registered nurses randomly selected from the mailing list of the American Nurses Association. Nurses in psychiatric settings and those with more than one year of psychiatric experience were excluded from the sample. Six rs were significant but low to moderate in magnitude. However, rs although generally similar were in two cases directionally different from chose in previous studies. Type of population sampled, temporal factors, and changes in attitudes toward mental illness were suggested as possible explanations for such differences. Reports previously on the five factors of the Opinions About Mental Illness Scale provide data on the magnitude and direction of intercorrelations, which lead to questions concerning the degree of independence of the five factorially derived dimensions of the instrument. Cohen and Struening (1962), in a study of 1194 subjects of all classifications in two large vererans hospitals, reported low correlations which made predictability from one score to another unlikely. Lawton (1964), however, for a group of psychiatric aides in a longterm psychiatric facility obtained correlations of greater than .40 among a number of factors for which Cohen and Struening (1962) reported values of .20 or less. Using a sample of 157 psychiatrists, residents, nurses and aides from a short-term psychiatric hospital, Allon and Graham (1970) noted generally higher correlations than previous investigators. Some of these correlations were different in direction from those reported in earlier studies. One other group (Fracchia, Pintyr, Crovello, Sheppard, & Merlis, 1972) reported intercorrelations for scores of a group of 177 female psychiatric attendants which were similar in direction but greater in magnitude than those of the Cohen and Stmening (1962) study. None of these correlations, however, reached the magnitudes ,found by Lawton (1964) or Allon and Graham (1970), who suggest differences in hospital setting (short-term versus long-term facilities) and a possible temporal influence on attitudes over the 10-yr. period since the original data were gathered as possible explanations for the differences.
Things fall apart: Contemporary analyses of German economic and political developments

The traditional arrangements that made Germany stable and successful both economically and politically have crumbled of late. Recent work by leading scholars has struck a uniformly pessimistic tone regarding recent reform efforts. This article argues for a more nuanced assessment. Germany has proved quite capable of implementing reforms that proved more ambitious and effective than many scholars acknowledge. Wolfgang Streeck's attempt to invoke time to account for the erosion of coordinating mechanisms within the German economy falls short owing to a paucity of theory and data to buttress the argument. Poor economic performance is a far more straightforward explanation.
Hypersensitive luminescence of Eu3+ in dimethyl sulfoxide as a new probing for water measurement.

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a well-known organic solvent that can be used for biological applications. DMSO is miscible with water, and it is very common that the two solvents are mixed for some applications. It is important to detect water in DMSO, and this has been done using the luminescence decay lifetimes from Eu3+ ions. We observed that the emissions of Eu3+ in DMSO are very strong and very sensitive to water. The emission band from the 5D0 → 7F2 transition has two peaks at 613 and 617 nm, respectively, and these two peaks change in the opposite ways when water is added into DMSO. The intensity ratio of the two peaks follows nearly perfect linear dependence on the water concentration added in DMSO. This linear relationship provides a new and convenient method for water measurement in DMSO.
Economics of carbon sequestration under fluctuating economic environment, forest management and technological changes: An application to forest stands in the southern United States

This study presents a model that determines the effect of current and future payments for carbon sequestration, proportion of wood that sequesters carbon in long-lived product and landfills, and amount of carbon in the wood, on the optimal current forest harvest age. Increased current and future prices of carbon would lead to a longer and shorter harvest age, respectively. Higher current prices of carbon could increase the supply of carbon at a decreasing rate due to longer harvest ages. Moderate prices of carbon would encourage landowners to maintain standing timber. Policies focused then on stimulating landowners to hold timber on forestlands may not necessarily imply higher amounts of sequestered carbon. Increased future values of carbon could imply a reduction of the current supply of carbon.
Estimating the Extent of Impervious Surfaces and Turf Grass across Large Regions

The ability of researchers to accurately assess the extent of impervious and pervious developed surfaces, e.g., turf grass, using land-cover data derived from Landsat satellite imagery in the Chesapeake Bay watershed is limited due to the resolution of the data and systematic discrepancies between developed land-cover classes, surface mines, forests, and farmlands. Estimates of impervious surface and turf grass area in the Mid-Atlantic, United States that were based on 2006 Landsat-derived land-cover data were substantially lower than estimates based on more authoritative and independent sources. New estimates of impervious surfaces and turf grass area derived using land-cover data combined with ancillary information on roads, housing units, surface mines, and sampled estimates of road width and residential impervious area were up to 57 and 45% higher than estimates based strictly on land-cover data. These new estimates closely approximate estimates derived from authoritative and independent sources in developed counties.
Clothing Color Value and Facial Expression: Effects on Evaluations of Female Job Applicants.

Color value (light vs. dark) of clothing and facial expression (smiling vs. serious) were varied in photographs of 6 female job applicants. Male and female business persons (N = 208) judged the photographs on 14 semantic differential scales. Facial expression significantly affected evaluations of character-sociability characteristics. Clothing color value was more important in influencing perceptions of potency, i.e., competence and boldness, but only for male interviewers. Results indicate that clothing color may have significant but not substantial impact on hiring decisions made by male business persons..
Effect of free fatty acid structure on binding to rat liver mitochondria

Abstract We have compared the binding of seven long-chain free fatty acids to rat liver mitochondrial suspensions. Bovine serum albumin was present in the incubation medium, and the fatty acid-albiumin molar ratio was varied between 0.5 and 5.5. A steady-state amount of radioactive fatty acid was recovered from the mitochondria after 2 min of incubation at 23°. Most of the fatty acid uptake was due to transfer from albumin to the mitochondria, not incorporation of the intact fatty acid-albumin complex. Uptake of the saturated fatty acids increased as the chain length increased: lauric palmitoleate; stearate > oleate or linoleate. Almost all of the newly incorporated fatty acid was bound reversibly in unesterified form and was associated with the mitochondrial membranes. These findings suggest that the differences in uptake of the various free fatty acids result at least partly from differences in binding to the mitochondrial membranes.
Microstructural characterization of atomized powder of Al5Mn5Fe2Si (Wt.%) alloy

Abstract Aluminum-based Al-TM-Si (TM = transition metal) when rapidly solidified (RS) and consolidated could show a microstructure of fine, slow coarsening dispersoids. One such alloy, Al5Mn5Fe2Si (wt.%), in its RS condition was studied in this work by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The alloy powder was prepared by an inert gas atomization technique. The powder was separated to different particle size fractions in order to determine its microstructural dependence on particle size. The following microstructures (with increasing particle size) were observed: microcellular/cellular aluminum with an amorphous-type intercellular phase, eutectic and primary globular particles. The observed structures of the globular particles display various growth forms of the α(AlMnFeSi) intermetallic phase depending on the degree of undercooling. The icosahedral symmetry of naturally occurring polycrystalline aggregates or defective quasicrystals is related to the icosahedral symmetry of the α(AlMnFeSi) phase structural motif.
Multiple response optimization using mixture-designed experiments and desirability functions in semiconductor scheduling

Today's highly competitive semiconductor markets place a great emphasis on responsiveness to customers. In the past, competition has primarily focused on the product design arena. More recently, short lead times and good on-time delivery performance have become equally important to winning customer satisfaction. To meet these criteria, a recent thrust of manufacturing management has focused on the use of effective scheduling techniques to manage wafer movement. Dabbas and Fowler (1999) proposed an approach that combines multiple dispatching criteria into a single rule with the objective of maximizing multiple response measures simultaneously. This is accomplished using a linear combination with relative weights. The weights identify the contribution of the different criteria. This paper details the use of experimental design methodology as well as a desirability function approach in the optimization of the weights' assignment to the different criteria. The basic idea of the desirability function approach ...
Essie: A Concept-based Search Engine for Structured Biomedical Text

This article describes the algorithms implemented in the Essie search engine that is currently serving several Web sites at the National Library of Medicine. Essie is a phrase-based search engine with term and concept query expansion and probabilistic relevancy ranking. Essie's design is motivated by an observation that query terms are often conceptually related to terms in a document, without actually occurring in the document text. Essie's performance was evaluated using data and standard evaluation methods from the 2003 and 2006 Text REtrieval Conference (TREC) Genomics track. Essie was the best-performing search engine in the 2003 TREC Genomics track and achieved results comparable to those of the highest-ranking systems on the 2006 TREC Genomics track task. Essie shows that a judicious combination of exploiting document structure, phrase searching, and concept based query expansion is a useful approach for information retrieval in the biomedical domain.