cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contribution of fungal biomass to the diet of a freshwater isopod (Lirceus sp.)

SUMMARY. 1. The direct contribution of fungal biomass to the carbon needs of a freshwater isopod (Lirceus sp.) was measured using 14C-labelled fungi on leaf material. 14C-glucose was added to fungus-inoculated leaf discs periodically throughout the growth of the fungus. Amount of label incorporated into fungal biomass, radioactivity appearing in Lirceus after feeding on labeled fungus and the standing stock of fungus were used to calculate incorporation of fungal C by the consumer. 2. Incorporation rates ranged from 0.06 to 70 ng fungal C mg wet wt isopod-1h-1. These rates of incorporation represent from 0.05 to 57% of C respired by the isopod. 3. Fungal C does not meet the carbon needs of this consumer and the role of fungi as modifiers of the leaf substrate may be more significant than their role as a food source.
Bacterial communities associated with tuberculate ectomycorrhizae of Rhizopogon spp.

We have previously reported the design of a new PCR primer pair that allows amplification of a broad range of eubacterial 16S rDNA sequences from ectomycorrhizae (ECM) without co-amplification of plastid or mitochondrial sequences. Here, we report using a similar primer combination to generate three small 16S rDNA libraries from tuberculate ECM of Rhizopogon spp., two from R. vinicolor ECM (libraries Rvi18 and Rvi24) and one from R. vesiculosus ECM (library Rve13). At the class level, libraries were dominated by sequences from the Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Acidobacteria, with some Sphingobacteria, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetacia, and Verrucomicrobiae present as well. Based on the parsimony test implemented in TreeClimber, libraries Rvi18 and Rvi24 were significantly different from Rve13 at the α = 0.05 level, while they were only borderline significantly different from each other (p = 0.07). Differences between Rvi and Rve libraries were primarily due to differences in the number of Alphaproteobacteria sequences and specifically sequences from the Rhizobiales, which were more common in the Rve13 library. It is currently unknown what drives these differences between eubacterial communities. Amplification success for eubacterial 16S rDNA sequences was generally low in this study indicating low abundance of bacteria on tuberculate ECM. Attempts to amplify nitrogenase reductase (nifH) sequences were unsuccessful.
How do you explain curiosity

This PDF file contains the editorial “‘‘How do you explain curiosity?’’” for OE Vol. 38 Issue 09
Excluded volume conditions in quasi-particle theories of superfluidity☆

Abstract It is shown that a large class of quasi-particle theories of the superfluid state cannot account for the fact that real atoms do not overlap.
Analytical Techniques for Understanding Nixtamalized Corn Flour: Particle Size and Functionality Relationships in a Masa Flour Sample

ABSTRACT Instant masa flour finds extensive use in the food industry for making tortillas, taco shells, tamales, corn chips, and tortilla chips, and as an ingredient in extruded snacks. Due to lack of standard techniques for measuring masa functionality, processors and end-users use masa flour particle-size distribution and rheological characteristics in an attempt to predict its end use. In this study, a commercial masa flour sample was characterized by fractionating on the basis of particle size. Physicochemical and functional properties of masa flour fractions were investigated to establish structure-composition and functionality relationships. It was observed that Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) pasting profiles of flour fractions and textural properties of dough prepared on rehydration were related to particle size, yet, upon regrinding, RVA profiles did not change as markedly as expected. Differences in RVA measurements of the sized fractions could not be explained on the basis of hydration rate or total...
Celebrating the New World: Chicago's Columbian Exposition of 1893

By the turn of the nineteenth century America was coming of age. No event better illustrated the American rise, better mirrored American society, or better presaged the American century ahead than the World's Columbian Exposition. "The grandest exposition this planet has ever witnessed" has been captured by Robert Muccigrosso in this lively survey of the Great Fair and its reflection of American values and tastes. With exhibits and visitors from all parts of the globe, the Columbian Exposition allowed America to consider its past, examine its present, and ponder its future. The nation's most celebrated architects overcame formidable obstacles to showcase science, technology, and the arts, and to provide a meeting place for assorted congresses. But the exposition was also an entertainment for the 27 million (a remarkable figure for 1893) who came to see the great event staged in that most fascinating city of wealth, culture, and corruption, Chicago. With photographs and maps. American Ways Series.
Manganese Carbonyl Nitrosyl Complexes in Solid Argon: Infrared Spectra and Density Functional Calculations

Laser-ablated manganese atoms react with CO and NO mixtures upon condensation in excess argon and further annealing to produce a series of unsaturated manganese carbonyl nitrosyl complexes including Mn(CO)(NO), Mn(CO)(NO)2, and Mn(CO)2(NO). The Mn(CO)(NO) complex isomerizes to Mn(CO)(η2-NO) on visible photolysis, which rearranges to the isocyanate OMnNCO molecule on ultraviolet photolysis. The Mn(CO)(NO)(η2-NO) and Mn(CO)(NO)2(η2-NO) isomers also appear on annealing as does Mn(CO)4(NO). The major product after annealing is the stable 18-electron molecule Mn(CO)(NO)3. The observed absorption bands of reaction products were identified by isotopic substitution (13C16O, 15N16O, 15N18O, and mixtures) and reproduced within 1−3% by density functional theory calculations of vibrational fundamentals. The bonding and reaction mechanisms are discussed. The isocyanate species formed here from the simple Mn(CO)(NO) complex is relevant to catalytic reactions for pollution control.
On the Proposition That All Fermions Are Created Equal

Abstract We discuss the possibility that the light fermion mass ratios and mixing angles are all quantum renormalization effects. At some large mass scale, the different flavors are indistinguishable. We show that this idea can account for many features of the observed masses. But in a simple realization we fail to obtain large enough flavor mixing angles.
Seven Cardinal Virtues of Human-Machine Teamwork: Examples from the DARPA Robotic Challenge

As counterpoint to the authors' previous discussions of the "seven deadly myths" of autonomous systems, here they present seven design principles to be understood and embraced for the virtues they engender.
Magnetic local time survey of radiation belt helium ion structure conducted with data from the polar cammice / hit instrument

Abstract A study of geomagnetically confined helium ions in the range 0.52–8.2 MeV ion kinetic energy was made with the CAMMICE Heavy Ion Telescope (HIT) during April–October 1996. Much of the year 1996 was remarkably geomagnetically quiescent with absence of major magnetic storms, large shock transits through the magnetosphere, or penetration injection events. Indeed, between two minor magnetic “storms” on January 13 (DST minimum ∼ −88 nT) and October 23 ( D ST minimum ∼ −110 nT) 1996 there was a long geomagnetically relatively undisturbed time period with D ST excursions in the few tens of nT at most. Using the POLAR ephemeris data, it was found that the nominal L -parameter location of the radial peaks in helium ion fluxes varied considerably with azimuthal location around the Earth, i.e., with magnetic local time (MLT), to be observed at L =2.7−2.6 respectively in the dawn sector (near MLT∼5 hr) and typically a nominal L -parameter farther out in the dusk sector (near MLT∼17 hr). The empirical helium ion anisotropy could be reasonably approximated by an unambiguous sin n α 0 dependence (where α 0 is equatorial pitch angle) only fairly close to the geomagnetic equator, at equatorial pitch angles α 0 > 45°. For smaller equatorial pitch angles, the distribution was often seen to be flatter than describable by this relation alone. There may be several interacting causes of these observed features, including (1) effects of differences between the real geomagnetic field and the model field (IGRF 95) used in the POLAR ephemeris, (2) consequences of coupling between ion transport dynamics, spectra and exospheric interactions, and (3) possibly also real physical effects of the azimuthally asymmetric geoelectric field in conjunction with large gradients in the helium ion distribution function. Further work is needed to delineate the relative importance of these influences on the structure of radiation belt helium ions.
Prehistoric Maple Sugaring: A Sticky Subject:

Maple sugaring as a part of prehistoric subsistence cannot be sustained solely by archaeological research. Historic documents have to be part of the investigation, and as yet they will not support sugaring in the earliest historic periods.
Graviton cosmology in universal extra dimensions

In models of universal extra dimensions, gravity and all standard model fields propagate in the extra dimensions. Previous studies of such models have concentrated on the Kaluza-Klein (KK) partners of standard model particles. Here we determine the properties of the KK gravitons and explore their cosmological implications. We find the lifetimes of decays to KK gravitons, of relevance for the viability of KK gravitons as dark matter. We then discuss the primordial production of KK gravitons after reheating. The existence of a tower of KK graviton states makes such production extremely efficient: for reheat temperature T_RH and d extra dimensions, the energy density stored in gravitons scales as T_RH^{2+3d/2}. Overclosure and Big Bang nucleosynthesis therefore stringently constrain T_RH in all universal extra dimension scenarios. At the same time, there is a window of reheat temperatures low enough to avoid these constraints and high enough to generate the desired thermal relic density for KK WIMP and superWIMP dark matter.
Magnetic-field dependence of coupled Luttinger chains

The model of two coupled Luttinger chains in the presence of a magnetic field is investigated for weak and strong magnetic field strengths. For magnetic fields that are close to the commensurate wave vector condition Q{approx}2 K{sub F} (with K{sub F} the Fermi wave vector), incoherent tunneling between the chains takes place. Under these conditions, we propose that the incoherent non-Fermi-liquid Anderson fixed point is realized. Implications for the normal-state behavior of organic and cuprate superconductors are discussed. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
Ion‐Sink Phosphorus Extraction Methods Applied on 24 Soils from the Continental USA

Ion-sink methods, such as resin membranes or FeO coated strips or filter papers, have been used as soil tests for plant available P. We have standardized a resin procedure and compared extractable soil P with the FeO method for 24 soils from the continental USA. Bray-1 extractable P ranged from 0.3 to 221 mg kg -1 and Olsen's extractable P ranged from 1.4 to 131 mg kg -1 across all soils. We used anion resin membrane strips (RS) and traditional loose resin (LR) to extract soil P. Total surface area of one RS was 17.3 cm 2 , compared with 47.5 cm 2 for one FeO-coated filter paper. We used one, two, or three RS saturated with bicarbonate (RS bic ) or chloride (RS Cl ), along with 1.5 g of moist LR saturated with either bicarbonate (LR Bic ) or chloride (LR Cl ). Using LR Bic , the mean P was 64.3 mg kg -1 compared with 52.5 with one RS Bic , 55.2 with two RS Bic , and 63.9 with three RS Bic . Using LR Cl , the mean P was 63.2 mg P kg -1 compared with 48.7 with one RS Cl , 54.8 with two RS Cl , and 57.3 with three RS Cl . The mean FeO-P was 36.4 mg kg '. Resin (Cl) hardly influenced pH of the extracting solution, LR Bic and RS Bic influenced pH most, and FeO-strips had an intermediate effect on solution pH. This study shows that RS with a total surface area of 51.8 cm 2 can be used to extract soil P in place of more time-consuming LR methods.
The conflict between naive and sophisticated choice as a form of the ?liberal paradox?

Pareto-inefficient perfect equilibria can be represented by the liberal paradox approach of Sen, appropriately reconfigured to model intertemporal decision-making by an individual. We show that the preference profile used by Grout (1982) to construct a case in which naive choice Pareto-dominates sophisticated choice can be so represented, if tastes change and if the individual can make decisions at time t, which restrict or determine opportunities available in period t + 1 and beyond. This ability to make a decision that binds oneself in the future is a form of ‘rights assignment’. We also show how two resolutions of the liberal paradox work out in the individual decision framework.
O comércio de mapas na França e na Grã Bretanha durante o século XVIII

Esse artigo analisa as formas de producao de mapas na Franca e na Inglaterra durante o seculo XVIII. Discute a formacao e os mecanismos de atuacao dos geografos e topografos, bem como os mecanismos de producao, reproducao e comercio de mapas na epoca.
A new serum lipoprotein found in many rhesus monkeys.

Abstract A new serum lipoprotein was found in about 10 out of 30 rhesus monkeys ( Macaca mulatta ) which contained 28% by weight of protein, 42% total cholesterol, 22% phospholipid, and 8% triglyceride. This is in contrast to LDL (which the ten monkeys also contained) which had 24% protein, 46% total cholesterol, 24% phospholipid and 7% triglyceride. An Sf, 1.063 in KBr of 3.0 to 3.7 and molecular weight of 3.5 – 3.7 million were observed compared to means of 8.1 and 3.0 million for normal rhesus LDL. The lower Sf was caused by its higher density. This new lipoprotein was most easily demonstrated and isolated by preparative ultracentrifugation of all serum lipoproteins at density 1.22 g/ml, followed by 6% agarose gel filtration at 6°. The new lipoprotein appeared as a distinct peak eluting before LDL.
Magical Contagion Beliefs and Fear of AIDS1

Extreme overreaction to nonrisky contact with persons with AIDS is considered to be a case of the operation of the sympathetic magical law of contagion. Prior work has shown that this principle (once in contact, always in contact) holds in the belief systems of American adults. In this paper, we show that four characteristics of this law correspond to the attitudes of college students toward AIDS: (a) actual physical contact is a critical factor in determining negative reactions, (b) even very brief contact is capable of transmitting substantial negative properties (dose insensitivity), (c) the effects of even brief contact are long lasting (permanence), and (d) the effects of contact can occur in a direction opposite to that of the normal causal arrow (backward contagion). We conclude that the magical law of contagion provides a useful way of formulating overconcern about the transmission of AIDS.
Preparation of In2O3 and tin-doped In2O3 films by a novel activated reactive evaporation technique

High quality films of In2O3 and tin-doped In2O3 were prepared by a novel activated reactive evaporation technique developed for use with resistively heated evaporation sources. Transparent conducting coatings of In2O3 have a sheet resistance of 80 Ω/□ with an optical transparency of more than 95% in the 0.4–1.6 μm wavelength range. Thin (0.4 μm) In2O3(Sn) films have a sheet resistance of 25 Ω/□ and an optical transparency as high as 99% at some wavelengths with an average transmission between 0.4 and 1.6 μm of 96%. Thicker films have a sheet resistance as low as 2.2 Ω/□. A comparison of the properties of In2O3(Sn) films with those of transparent conducting films produced by other techniques is made.
1031-31 Prognosis of Patients with Symptomatic Heart Failure (HF) Considered Too Well for Cardiac Transplantation (Htx): Predictors of Adverse Outcome

Donor organ shortage demands limiting the selection of candidates for Htx to patients (pts) with the worst prognosis. Current pharmacological treatment strategies for HF have been shown to improve ...
Setting the magic angle using a quadrupolar nuclide

Quadrupolar nuclei yield Fourier transform magic-angle spinning NMR spectra exhibiting many spinning sidebands. The widths and the intensities of the sidebands are very sensitive functions of the angle the spinning axis makes with the magnetic field. This dependence can be used in adjusting the spinning angle at least to within ± 0.1° of the magic angle. In particular, the 79Br signal from powdered KBr is especially convenient for monitoring the angle in 13C MAS experiments. Large (approximately 3 mm) crystals of KBr offer greater sensitivity to angle, but are less convenient to use than powder. NaBr, KBrO3, and K55MnO4 were also tested and found to be less suitable as angle markers than is KBr.
Cajun Women and Mardi Gras: Reading the Rules Backward by Carolyn E. Ware

Cajun Women and Mardi Gras: Reading the Rules Backward Carolyn E. Ware. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2007. "Mardi Gras" is the term for the masked participants as well as the festival, and both are disorderly. Disruptive of hierarchy, Mardi Gras allows the common people to challenge their superiors and notions of right order in the world. Carolyn Ware's feminist analysis of women's participation in the traditional Mardi Gras runs of rural Louisiana highlights the role of women in a festivity where men have traditionally been the focus of attention. Far different from the more famous revelry of New Orleans, the Mardi Gras runs of the rural prairie Cajuns are the product of working class people, members of small, tightknit communities who enact a ritual comic perversity on their neighbors every year on Shrove Tuesday. As many as thirty traditional Mardi Gras runs now take place in Acadiana, and in about half of them, women participate, either in separate women's runs or alongside the men in coed runs. The women's runs typically have male captains, and much of the fun-and the powerful comic motif-is the women rebelling against these captains, i.e., against male authority. This constitutes the major theme of Carolyn Ware's careful analysis. Ware, a professor of English at LSU and a folklorist by training, set out to study how the participation of women affected the festival performance, what their participation means to them, and the connection between their Mardi Gras experience and their everyday lives. Focusing primarily on the runs in Tee Mamou and in Basile, where she did her field work, she explores how "women's symbolic inversions and intensifications work to resist male dominance and rebel against their own subordination" (155). Ware begins by examining the participation of women in Mardi Gras celebrations when they were still all-male. Cajun women sewed and crafted the masks, the costumes, and the capuchons (the traditional tall hat) for the riders, and prepared the community meal from the fruits of the day's labors. Chickens had to be killed, plucked, cleaned, and cooked, and the necessary ingredients for the gumbo assembled and prepared as they trickled in throughout the day. The day ended with a Mardi Gras dance and feast, prepared by the women, where young (unmarried) girls danced with the maskers. Women contributed to the festivities, too, by receiving the Mardi Gras riders at their homes and interacting with them (part of the performance), and by teaching their children about the tradition, thus encouraging its survival. …
Validity of symptom assessment in psychotic disorders: information variance across different sources of history.

Background: Factors such as poor insight, amotivation, suspiciousness, disorganized speech and attentional problems may interfere with the ability of acutely ill individuals with psychotic disorders to provide a valid account of their symptoms. This study was designed to determine the degree to which history provided by such subjects is consistent with that obtained from other sources. Method: Fifty-five subjects presenting with psychotic disorders were multiply evaluated with a semi structured interview, the Comprehensive Assessment of Symptoms and History (CASH), which includes the Scales for the Assessment of Negative and Positive symptoms (SANS and SAPS). One interviewer assessed the severity of the patient's symptoms in the previous month based solely on information provided by the patient. A second rater made symptom ratings based on information obtained from a “best informant”. Following this, a consensus rating was established based on an extensive evaluation and review of all sources of information. An item-by-item comparison of the three sets of symptom ratings was then quantified by paired t-tests, simple and multiple correlations. Results: Positive and negative symptoms ratings based on the subjects' report were significantly lower than the corresponding consensus ratings. However, those based on the informants' report did not differ from consensus ratings for negative symptoms. Information obtained from subjects and from informants together accounted for a majority of the variance of the consensus ratings. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that assessment limited to patients' own reports are likely to underestimate psychopathology in acutely ill patients with psychotic disorders. Obtaining corroborative history from a family member may substantially improve the validity of the assessment of negative symptoms.
"Drooping shoulder"--nontraumatic causes of glenohumeral subluxation.

Nontraumatic glenohumeral subluxation can occur in patients with hemiplegia or brachial plexus involvement by tumor. Two cases of inferior subluxation of the humeral head are presented and nontraumatic etiologies of the "drooping shoulder" are discussed.
Remote IP SATCOM monitoring and management

Over the last few years, several IP satellite communication (SATCOM) systems, including: digital video broadcasting-return channel via satellite (DVB-RCS), iDirect, linkway, and joint network node (JNN) have become crucial in supporting the warfigtherspsila missions in the global war on terror (GWOT). However, the use of similar but disparate SATCOM technologies by various services and organizations has prevented a unified remote monitoring and management capability from being developed, thus requiring unnecessary duplication supporting the various systems. This has also inherently impacted effective communications between the various satellite networks, therefore reducing ability of the networks to quickly adapt to the warfighterspsila mission needs. The advantage of using an out of band network for remote OAM&P of disparate military IP SATCOM networks is the ability to have a unified, network- agnostic remote monitoring and management capability in support. This capability will provide end-to-end situational awareness, positive network control, metrics gathering and net-centric operations to a centralized remote facility, such as a Theater Network Operations Center (TNC) The means for providing transport of management traffic in support of a unified remote management capability is possible using the DISN Data Communication Network DCN that is already in place. Providing a unified remote management system benefits the warfighter by providing a single access interface for remotely monitoring and positively controlling the various networks from the TNC's, Global Network Operations Center (GNC) and Joint Task Force - Global Network Operations (JTF-GNO). Additionally, leveraging an out of band management transport network, such as the DCN, benefits missions planners by providing availability status and situational awareness of the satellite network's components, aiding in the planning and execution stages of the warfighter's beyond line of site missions, system performance metrics, trending statistics, and network availability at any location in the world with DCN access.
SymDex: increasing the efficiency of chemical fingerprint similarity searches for comparing large chemical libraries by using query set indexing.

The large sizes of today’s chemical databases require efficient algorithms to perform similarity searches. It can be very time consuming to compare two large chemical databases. This paper seeks to build upon existing research efforts by describing a novel strategy for accelerating existing search algorithms for comparing large chemical collections. The quest for efficiency has focused on developing better indexing algorithms by creating heuristics for searching individual chemical against a chemical library by detecting and eliminating needless similarity calculations. For comparing two chemical collections, these algorithms simply execute searches for each chemical in the query set sequentially. The strategy presented in this paper achieves a speedup upon these algorithms by indexing the set of all query chemicals so redundant calculations that arise in the case of sequential searches are eliminated. We implement this novel algorithm by developing a similarity search program called Symmetric inDexing or...
A World Thoroughly Unmade: McCarthy's Conclusion to THE ROAD

Once there were brook trout in the streams in the mountains. You could see them standing in the amber current where the white edges of their fins wimpled softly in the flow. They smelled of moss in...
Shakespeare and Embodiment: An E‐Conversation

The participants in this online conversation here assess the current state of work on early modern bodies, offer bibliographical suggestions, and suggest topics for future inquiries. Paster, a key figure in the development of this sub-field, describes her work to date as an “ecology of the passions” or an “ecology of the body” more generally; she calls for more study of “the ensouled body.”
GAMMA RAY BURSTS AND PARTICLE PHYSICS

We provide a brief review of the current situation concerning gamma ray bursts, with emphasis on the role that particle physics may play in the interesting phenomena. The current understanding of GRB origins allows for a large range of physical processes from primordial black hole evaporation to neutron star and black hole collisions. There does not seem to be a simple standard luminosity function and the burst times range from ms to 1000 s of seconds five orders of magnitude. It is likely that some type of fireball model is needed to explain the GRBs. No counterparts of GRB have been detected. We indicate some ways in which progress can be made in either the study of the fine time structure (~μs) or the detection of very high energy photons (>100 GeV to >100 TeV). We also indicate how a small but unique class of the GRB could come from primordial black hole evaporation.
The Challenge of Reducing Prehospital Delay in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome

The delivery of definitive treatment for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) should begin as soon as possible after symptom onset to decrease associated morbidity and mortality.1,2 Every 30 minutes of delay results in a 7.5% increased relative risk for 1-year mortality.2 Unfortunately, the time between the onset of cardiac symptoms and admission to the hospital is far beyond optimal. Median times range from 1.5 to 6.0 hours,3 with the most recent times reported to be slightly more than 2 hours.4,5 A major limitation to achieving timely treatment is related to the patient’s indecision and reluctance to seek treatment.6 To date, efforts to reduce prehospital delay have shown limited success, despite 2 decades of research and multiple randomized, controlled trials of educational strategies directed toward the general public, healthcare professionals, and patients with ischemic heart disease.4–8 Article see p 148 In early research in this area, investigators9,10 identified the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics that were associated with prolonged prehospital delay. Knowing that older individuals, women, or patients with a history of angina are more likely to delay does not suggest appropriate interventions to reduce delay time, because none of these characteristics are amenable to change. In this issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, Sullivan et al11 address an alternate understanding of prehospital ACS care delay. Along with examining delay to treatment in terms of patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, they tested a developmental model of attachment theory to characterize patterns of interpersonal functioning. More specifically, they asked patients to answer a series of questions …
Attitudes Toward Interracial Relationships Among College Students: Race, Class, Gender, and Perceptions of Parental Views

This study uses a sample of college students (N = 1173) at four American and one Canadian university to examine attitudes toward interracial relationships. The sample allowed for comparison of the ...
Overview of the optofluidic ring resonator: A versatile platform for label-free biological and chemical sensing

Highly sensitive detection of biological and chemical analytes has significant importance within medical science, environmental monitoring, food quality, national security and defense. The opto-fluidic ring resonator (OFRR) is a relatively new solution for label-free optical sensing that is compatible with a versatile range of analytes. A capillary-based platform, the OFRR supports whispering gallery modes within its circular cross-section and conducts evanescent sensing within its hollow core. Herein, we provide an overview of the basic operation principles of the OFRR and some examples of its most important applications, including the detection of proteins, virus, DNA molecules, whole cells, vapors and pesticides.
Blocking, descent and gravity waves: Observations and modelling of a MAP northerly föhn event

A northerly fohn event observed during the special observational period of the Mesoscale Alpine Programme is investigated based on observational analysis and numerical modelling. The focus of this study includes three dynamical processes associated with mountain perturbations and their interactions, namely, windward flow blocking, descent and warming on the lee side, and mountain waves. Observations indicate the presence of a deep weak-flow layer underneath a stable layer, associated with Alpine-scale blocking. Satellite imagery reveals a fohninduced cloud-free area to the south of the Alps, which is consistent with flow descent diagnosed from radiosondes and constant-volume balloons. Moderate-amplitude stationary waves were observed by research aircraft over the major Alpine peaks. Satellite images and balloon data indicate the presence of stationary trapped-wave patterns located to the north of the Alpine massif. Satisfactory agreement is found between observations and a real-data COAMPS simulation nested to 1 km resolution. COAMPS indicates the presence of trapped waves associated with a sharp decrease of Scorer parameter above a stable layer in the mid-troposphere. Underneath the stable layer, moist low-level flow is blocked to the north of the Alps. The warm air in the stable layer descends in the lee and recovers its altitude over a relatively short horizontal distance through a hydraulic jump. Blocking reduces the effective mountain and hence significantly reduces mountain drag. A simple empirical formula for estimation of the effective mountain height, he, is derived based on numerical simulations. The formula states he/hc=√h/hc, where h is the real mountain height and hc is the critical mountain height to have flow stagnation. Copyright © 2005 Royal Meteorological Society.
3-D ultrasound guidance of surgical robotics: a feasibility study

Laparoscopic ultrasound has seen increased use as a surgical aide in general, gynecological, and urological procedures. The application of real-time, three-dimensional (RT3D) ultrasound to these laparoscopic procedures may increase information available to the surgeon and serve as an additional intraoperative guidance tool. The integration of RT3D with recent advances in robotic surgery also can increase automation and ease of use. In this study, a 1-cm diameter probe for RT3D has been used laparoscopically for in vivo imaging of a canine. The probe, which operates at 5 MHz, was used to image the spleen, liver, and gall bladder as well as to guide surgical instruments. Furthermore, the three-dimensional (3-D) measurement system of the volumetric scanner used with this probe was tested as a guidance mechanism for a robotic linear motion system in order to simulate the feasibility of RT3D/robotic surgery integration. Using images acquired with the 3-D laparoscopic ultrasound device, coordinates were acquired by the scanner and used to direct a robotically controlled needle toward desired in vitro targets as well as targets in a post-mortem canine. The rms error for these measurements was 1.34 mm using optical alignment and 0.76 mm using ultrasound alignment
Sky brightness during eclipses: a review.

This paper is abstracted from the introductory section of “Sky Brightness During Eclipses: A Compendium from the Literature,” AFCRL-TR-74-0363, Special Reports 180, Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories, Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts 01731. This report should be consulted for fuller details and tables.
G PROTEIN MECHANISMS: Insights from Structural Analysis

This review is concerned with the structures and mechanisms of a superfamily of regulatory GTP hydrolases (G proteins). G proteins include Ras and its close homologs, translation elongation factors, and heterotrimeric G proteins. These proteins share a common structural core, exemplified by that of p21ras (Ras), and significant sequence identity, suggesting a common evolutionary origin. Three-dimensional structures of members of the G protein superfamily are considered in light of other biochemical findings about the function of these proteins. Relationships among G protein structures are discussed, and factors contributing to their low intrinsic rate of GTP hydrolysis are considered. Comparison of GTP- and GDP-bound conformations of G proteins reveals how specific contacts between the γ-phosphate of GTP and the switch II region stabilize potential effector-binding sites and how GTP hydrolysis results in collapse (or reordering) of these surfaces. A GTPase-activating protein probably binds to and stabiliz...
A Comment on the Systematic Confusion of Thrombolites

Abstract The designation “thrombolite” was proposed by Aitken for “cryptalgal structures related to stromatolites, but lacking lamination and characterized by a macroscopic clotted fabric.” In that same paper, he referred to the characteristic mesostructural elements as clots. Since publication of that paper, there have been several attempts at redefinition that have further complicated our understanding of, and communication about, thrombolites. A distinction must be made between the thrombolite column and the mesostructural clots (mesoclots) that comprise it. Poorly preserved thrombolite columns have only vague mesoclots recognizable, thus leading to confusion. This is particularly true if the columns, themselves, are complex and comprise larger thrombolite bioherms or biostromes. Mesoclots are generally polymorphic mm- to cm-sized objects whereas columns, which may also be polymorphic, are one to several orders of magnitude larger. In order for there to be clear communication among microbialite paleont...
Explaining Why So Many Households Do Not Save

There are vast differences in wealth holdings, even among households in similar age groups. In addition, a large percentage of U.S. households arrive close to retirement with little or no wealth. While many explanations can be found to rationalize these facts, approximately thirty percent of households whose head is close to retirement have done little or no planning for retirement. Planning is shaped by the experience of other individuals: individuals learn to plan for retirement from older siblings. They also learn from the experience of old parents. In particular, unpleasant events, such as financial difficulties and health shocks at the end of life, provide incentives toward planning. In addition, planning affects wealth levels as well as portfolio choice. Individuals who plan are more likely to hold large amounts of wealth and to invest their wealth holdings in high return assets, such as stocks. Thus, planning plays an important role in explaining the saving behavior of many households.
Rates of Return for Land-Grant Railroads: The Central Pacific System

Land was the resource that nineteenth-century America possessed in greatest abundance. A large part of the land was initially in the public domain and was transferred to private ownership in the course of the century. Land policy, therefore, had the potential for creating significant and long lasting effects on the American economy—on the rate of settlement of the West, the distribution of income, the rate of economic growth. A substantial body of literature, much of it severely critical, has developed concerning the economic effects of nineteenth-century American land policy. Unfortunately, the criticisms often rest primarily on tales of corruption and thievery, rather than on economic analysis. Certainly many of the stories are true, but they represent an insufficient basis for evaluating the economic effects of land policy. A detailed economic analysis of individual policies is required.
Sirtuin deacetylases in neurodegenerative diseases of aging

Sirtuin enzymes are a family of highly conserved protein deacetylases that depend on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) for their activity. There are seven sirtuins in mammals and these proteins have been linked with caloric restriction and aging by modulating energy metabolism, genomic stability and stress resistance. Sirtuin enzymes are potential therapeutic targets in a variety of human diseases including cancer, diabetes, inflammatory disorders and neurodegenerative disease. Modulation of sirtuin activity has been shown to impact the course of several aggregate-forming neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy. Sirtuins can influence the progression of neurodegenerative disorders by modulating transcription factor activity and directly deacetylating proteotoxic species. Here, we describe sirtuin protein targets in several aggregate-forming neurodegenerative diseases and discuss the therapeutic potential of compounds that modulate sirtuin activity in these disorders.
Defect-Selective Etching of Icosahedral Boron Arsenide (B12As2) Crystals in Molten Potassium Hydroxide

The present work reports on the defect-selective etching (DSE) for estimating dislocation densities in icosahedral boron arsenide (B12As2) crystals using molten potassium hydroxide (KOH). DSE takes advantage of the greater reactivity of high-energy sites surrounding a dislocation, compared to the surrounding dislocation-free regions. The etch pits per area are indicative of the defect densities in the crystals, as confirmed by x-ray topography (XRT). Etch pit densities were determined for icosahedral boron arsenide crystals produced from a molten nickel flux as a function of etch time (1-5 minutes) and temperature (400-700°C). The etch pits were predominately triangle shaped, and ranged in size from 5-25μm. The average etch pit density of the triangle and oval etch-pits was on the order of 5x107cm-2 and 3x106cm-2 (respectively), for crystals that were etched for two minutes at 550°C.
Probabilistic integration of multiple confidence measures and context information for concept verification

In this paper, we propose a probabilistic approach to verifying the meaningful phrases, named concepts, in a user utterance. In this approach, a concept is verified not only according to its confidence measures assessed by various confidence measurement methods hut also according to neighboring concepts and their confidence levels. Two corpora are used to evaluate the proposed approach. One is collected from landline phone calls, and the other is collected from wireless phone calls. Experimental results show that the proposed model significantly outperforms the models using only confidence measures. The relative reduction in verification error is 23.7% on the corpus of landline phone calls, and 34.2% on the corpus of wireless phone calls. These substantial improvements show the proposed probabilistic verification approach is effective in integrating contextual confidence information and different confidence measures to verify the concepts of user utterances.
Reverse remodeling and enhanced inotropic reserve from the Cardiac Support Device in experimental cardiac failure

Progressive chamber remodeling plays a major role in the pathophysiology of chronic cardiac failure. Recent studies have begun exploring the potential for a passive external containment to impede such progressive dilation. In dogs with ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, surgical placement of a thin external polyester mesh led to reversal of chronic chamber dilation after 3 to 6 months. Systolic function was preserved compared with the earlier time point. Both end-systolic and end-diastolic chamber volumes were reduced by about 20%, whereas end-diastolic pressure and chamber diastolic stiffness were not altered. These findings differ from the natural progression of this model, which involves progressive dilation and systolic dysfunction. In conjunction with reverse remodeling, cardiac inotropic reserve to β-receptor agonists was markedly enhanced. Furthermore, these changes were induced without adversely affecting Frank-Starling reserve, supporting the lack of constriction.
The influence of elevated ozone on freezing tolerance of red spruce seedlings.

summary Laboratory cold-tolerance assessments were conducted over two seasons on red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) seedlings fumigated with various concentrations of ozone (O3) for one or two growing seasons in three independent experiments at three locations. Ozone fumigations were performed at either Boyce Thompson Institute in Ithaca, NY (BTI), the University of Maine in Orono, ME (UMO), or the US Forest Service Research Laboratory in Delaware, OH (USFS). Acid mist treatments of either pH 3.0 or 4.2 were applied in combination with O2 treatments at USFS, Seedlings fumigated with moderate or high concentrations of O3 were never significantly less cold tolerant than seedlings exposed to charcoal-filtered (CF) air or low O3 concentrations. In fact, there was a tendency for seedlings fumigated with low concentrations of O3 or CF air to be the least cold tolerant. USFS-fumigated seedlings receiving the lowest O3 concentration (50/0 nl 1−1, day/night concentration) were least cold tolerant on six of the seven sampling dates and significantly less cold tolerant in October and January. In addition, UMO-fumigated seedlings receiving CF-air were significantly less cold tolerant in January than those receiving either ambient air (no chamber or non-filtered treatments) or elevated O3. Acid mist treatments had little influence on the cold tolerance of red spruce seedlings in autumn and early winter, but in January 1990 seedlings exposed to pH 3.0 acid mist were approximately 6 °C less cold tolerant than those receiving pH 4.2. Following the 1988-89 winter, freezing injury was evident on all seedlings fumigated at BTI, but differences between 3 x ambient O3 and CF treatments were not significant.
The functional role of caudal and anal/dorsal fins during the C-start of a bluegill sunfish

Fast starts are crucial in the survival of aquatic swimmers to capture prey or avoid predators. Currently, it is widely accepted that during C-starts: (1) the caudal fin generates a considerable hydrodynamic force; and (2) anal/dorsal fins are erected to significantly increase the hydrodynamic force. In this work, the above hypotheses on the role of fins during C-starts are studied using experimentally guided numerical simulations of four bluegill sunfish, whose fins are removed or erected. The amount of force created by the body and fins at each time instant was not constant and varied during the C-start. Nevertheless, in agreement with hypothesis (1), up to 70% of the instantaneous hydrodynamic force was generated by the tail during Stage 2 of the C-start, when the sunfish rapidly bends out of the C-shape. Additionally, the contribution in Stage 1, when the sunfish bends into a C-shape, is less than 20% at each instant. Most of the force in Stage 1 was produced by the body of the sunfish. In contrast to hypothesis (2), the effect of erection/removal of the fins was less than 5% of the instantaneous force in both Stages 1 and 2, except for a short period of time (2 ms) just before Stage 2. However, it is known that the anal/dorsal fins are actively controlled during the C-start from muscle activity measurements. Based on the results presented here, it is suggested that the active control of the anal/dorsal fins can be related to retaining the stability of the sunfish against roll and pitch movements during the C-start. Furthermore, the erection of the fins increases the moment of inertia to make the roll and pitch movements more difficult.
Geologic applications of thermal infrared images

Thermal infrared images provide information about the near-surface physical state of geologic materials, particularly, the density, water content, and heat transfer. Nonterrestrial planetary studies, conducted at fairly coarse resolution, have been useful primarily in determining the distribution of rock fragments. Terrestrial studies, conducted from satellite and aircraft at coarse to fine resolutions, have been successful for monitoring effusive volcanism, delineating areas of steaming altered ground and hot-spring activity, detecting fractures expressed hydrologically and topographically, and distinguishing a variety of geologic materials with physical and compositional differences. Interpretation of thermal images is complicated by the various types of physical processes involved and commonly requires an assessment of many different factors. A simple theoretical model was used in this analysis to provide quantitative assessment of some of these factors, to predict optimum times to acquire thermal data, and to determine quantitative values of various properties of terrian. Two geologic applications were studied in some detail: geothermal mapping and thermal inertia mapping. Initial results indicate that both techniques have considerable potential, especially in reconnaissance studies. These data were acquired under optimal meteorological conditions and at sites where the geologic materials were well exposed. A realistic assessment of the limitations of these techniques must await future studies.
Effects of Temperature and Whisker Volume Fraction on Average Residual Thermal Strains in a SiC/Al2O3 Composite

Residual thermal strains in a SiC-whisker-reinforced/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-matrix composite were measured as functions of temperature and volume fraction of whiskers by means of a neutron diffraction technique. The residual strains in both phases decrease with increasing temperature. At room temperature, the residual strains in the whiskers decrease with increasing whisker volume fraction, but the tensile residual strains in the matrix increase.