cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cr2+:ZnSe master oscillator/power amplifier for improved power scaling

ABSTRACT We demonstrate a high-power (7.5 W) polycrystalline Cr 2+ :ZnSe CW laser system utilizing an astigmatically-compensated Kogelnik-configuration master oscillator and a normal-incidence slab power amplifier demonstrating over 2X gain. Experimental results are compared with an improved theoretical model of amplification in this type of system. Keywords: Solid-state lasers, transition-metal lasers, mid-IR lasers 1. INTRODUCTION The mid-IR wavelength region is important for a number of military uses such as remote chemical sensing, infrared countermeasures (IRCM), laser radar and target recognition and designation. In addition to military applications, scientific applications such as spectroscopy, environmental sensing, medicine and some manufacturing applications also require mid-IR sources. These applications often revolve around the atmospheric transmission windows at 2-5 µm and 8-12 µm. The range of applications, along with a lack of suitable existing sources, are driving development of robust, compact solid-state tunable mid-IR laser sources in the 2 to 5 µm wavelength range. Laser sources consisting of chromium doped into II-VI host materials have the potential to fill many of these requirements. II-VI compounds, consisting of a group II metal and a group VI element, have excellent IR transmission characteristics as well as low phonon vibration frequencies which reduce non-radiative transition rates for optically active transition metal dopants like chromium even at room temperature. In addition, when substituting for a Group II metal, chromium assumes a divalent ionization state which gives it a desirable energy level scheme. These features make II-VI compounds ideal hosts. Divalent chromium has absorption in the 1.4 to 2.2 µm range along with a laser
TRIPOD: A New Reporting Baseline for Developing and Interpreting Prediction Models

In this issue, the TRIPOD Initiative proposes an annotated checklist for transparent reporting of prediction or prognostic models. The editorialists discuss the importance of overcoming the challen...
Apatites in biological systems

The observations made in 1926 that tooth enamel, dentine and bone had x-ray diffraction patterns similar to those of mineral apatltes (hydroxyl-, and fluorapatites) coupled with the chemically analyzed calcium and phosphate contents, led to the conclusion that the principal inorganic constituents of bone and tooth are basically calcium hydroxyapatite, idealized as CaI0(PO~)6(OH)2 (1,2). In a similar manner, some of the crystalline components of pathological calcifications, e.g. urinary or dental calculi, abnormal calcifications in soft tissues have been identified as apatite, or, at least, as 'apatitic' (3-9).
Rates of sustainable forest harvest depend on rotation length and weathering of soil minerals

Abstract Removals of forest biomass in the northeastern US may intensify over the coming decades due to increased demand for renewable energy. For forests to regenerate successfully following intensified harvests, the nutrients removed from the ecosystem in the harvested biomass (including N, P, Ca, Mg, and K) must be replenished through a combination of plant-available nutrients in the soil rooting zone, atmospheric inputs, weathering of primary minerals, biological N fixation, and fertilizer additions. Few previous studies (especially in North America) have measured soil nutrient pools beyond exchangeable cations, but over the long rotations common in this region, other pools which turn over more slowly are important. We constructed nutrient budgets at the rotation time scale for three harvest intensities and compared these with detailed soil data of exchangeable, organic, and primary mineral stocks of in soils sampled in 15 northern hardwood stands developed on granitic till soils in the White Mountain region of New Hampshire, USA. This comparison can be used to estimate how many times each stand might be harvested without diminishing productivity or requiring fertilization. Under 1990s rates of N deposition, N inputs exceeded removals except in the most intensive management scenario considered. Net losses of Ca, K, Mg, and P per rotation were potentially quite severe, depending on the assumptions used. Biologically accelerated soil weathering may explain the lack of observed deficiencies in regenerating forests of the region. Sites differed widely in the long-term nutrient capital available to support additional removals before encountering limitations (e.g., a fourfold difference in available Ca, and a tenfold difference in weatherable Ca). Intensive short-rotation biomass removal could rapidly deplete soil nutrient capital, but traditional long rotations, even under intensive harvesting, are unlikely to induce nutrient depletion in the 21st century. Weatherable P may ultimately limit biomass production on granitic bedrock (in as few as 6 rotations). Understanding whether and how soil weathering rates respond to nutrient demand will be critical to determining long-term sustainability of repeated intensive harvesting over centuries.
Investigation of artifacts due to periodic boundary conditions

Periodic boundary conditions are routinely employed in molecular dynamics simulations to simulate bulk material and remove surface effects. However, the effect of periodic boundary conditions on simulation results is not well understood. In this paper three distinct approaches are explored in an effort to determine whether artifacts exist due to the introduction of artificial periodicity. The techniques of group theoretical statistical mechanics are applied to provide tests for artifacts due to the cubic symmetry introduced. Autocorrelation functions and generalized squared displacements for large and small system sizes are compared for artifacts and finally transport coefficients for very low density systems are compared with accepted theoretical results. None of these methods show signs of numerically significant artifacts.
On self-similarly expanding Eshelby inclusions: Spherical inclusion with dilatational eigenstrain

Abstract For a subsonically self-similarly expanding spherical inclusion with dilatational transformation strain in a linear elastic solid, the governing system of partial differential equations is shown to be elliptic under scaling of uniform stretching of the variables, and the resulting elliptic equation is solved by satisfying the Hadamard jump conditions on the moving boundary. The solution has the Eshelby constant stress property for the interior domain, and can thus be used for the expanding inhomogeneity with transformation strain according to Eshelby (1957) . The driving force on the moving boundary is also obtained.
REGIONAL ACCUMULATION OF TRYPTOPHAN AND SEROTONIN METABOLISM FOLLOWING TRYPTOPHAN LOADING IN DIABETIC RATS

— Streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats reduces brain tryptophan but is without effect on the central levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) or 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). The present work investigates the effect of diabetes on the accumulation of brain tryptophan, 5-HT and 5-HIAA in various brain regions following a systemic tryptophan load. The results indicate that diabetes severely restricts the uptake of tryptophan by brain but that the tryptophan that is accumulated is normally converted to 5-HT and 5-HIAA. Possible mechanisms which might explain the apparent resistance of 5-HT metabolism to decreased precursor levels in diabetics are discussed.
Determination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran background in milk and cheese by quadrupole ion storage collision induced dissociation MS/MS

Recent developments in quadrupole ion storage scanning techniques have made possible the acquisition of mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (MS/MS) data with high sensitivity, selectivity and reproducibility. Retail dairy products were analyzed successfully for bioincurred or background contamination by all 17 of the 2,3,7,8 substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). Analytes were measured by both full scan electron impact low resolution MS (EI-LRMS) and collision induced dissociation MS/MS (CID MS/MS). Results were comparable using either technique. MS/MS, however, provided higher sensitivity and selectivity on many congeners. Results for the MS/MS technique were reproducible, with little reduction in sensitivity or spectral quality during the analyses of all test samples. The MS/MS signal to noise ratio (S/N) was 10 to 100 times greater than low resolution electron impact performed with the same instrument in food matrices. Signal to noise ratios increased on most parent ions as well as for all daughter ions. Further development of this technique may provide a cost effective alternative to traditional HRMS analyses of PCDDs and PCDFs in food.
Determinants of transmission of HIV from mother to child.

Efforts to prevent maternal-child transmission of HIV requires an understanding of the basis of geographical differences of HIV burdens the timing of infection and the associated risk factors for infection. With that understanding one can properly counsel women infected with HIV and create preventive and therapeutic interventions. This article reviews the determinants of HIV transmission from an HIV-infected woman to her fetus or breast-fed child. Although HIV can be transmitted from mother to child throughout pregnancy the bulk of transmission occurs in the peripartum period. The risk factors associated with transmission in any given case are multiple and demonstrate complex interactions. These include maternal and virologic risk factors obstetric factors and placental factors. Breastfeeding can also be a route of postpartum transmission of HIV to the infant. Given these considerations the chance of neonatal acquisition of HIV from an infected mother where it is safe and feasible not breast feeding.
Repetition priming within and between languages in semantic classification of concrete and abstract words

Although concrete nouns are generally agreed to have shared core conceptual representations across languages in bilinguals, it has been proposed that abstract nouns have separate representations or share fewer semantic components. Conceptual repetition priming methodology was used to evaluate whether translation equivalents of abstract nouns have shared conceptual representations and compare the degree of conceptual overlap for concrete and abstract nouns. Here 72 Spanish–English bilinguals made concrete–abstract decisions on English and Spanish nouns. Both concrete and abstract nouns elicited substantial between-language priming and these effects were of equivalent size, indicating that translation equivalents of both concrete and abstract nouns have shared conceptual representations and that abstract words do not share fewer components. The between-language priming effects and their attenuation relative to within-language priming indicate that the within-language effect is based on facilitation of both ...
Why do workers refrain from laying eggs? reply from I.E.Strassmann.

Workers of many taxa of social in- sects lay eggs1r2. They can easily do so because males of the Hymenop- tera develop from unfertilized eggs, so a worker can lay a viable egg that develops into a male without mating. It is no surprise that workers lay eggs after the original queen dies since they are then freed from any domi- nance effects of the queen3, and otherwise would have no brood to tend. However, workers of a number of species have also been demon- strated to lay eggs in colonies where the queen is still present1r2. The focus of my original paper was on the surprising frequency of egg laying by workersa. Still, in an ex- panded treatment of the subject, one might ask why workers of even more taxa do not lay eggs. There are a number of classic explanations for worker sterilitys. Workers may re- frain from laying eggs because the queen prevents them from doing so, or because they have lost the ability to lay eggs+. They may refrain from laying eggs because to do so would decrease their inclusive fitness’ ta, perhaps because of a reduction in the foraging efficiency of egg-laying worker@. The alternative suggested by Woyciechowski and Lomnicki was first proposed by StarrlO and was re- cently developed in more detai111,12. It is an ingenious and counterintuit- ive argument against egg laying by workers in single-queen colonies where the queen has mated with more than two males. Selection favors a ‘ police’ allele that causes the collective group of workers to keep any individual worker from repro- ducing. Such an allele spreads because workers are more closely related to brothers than they are to the average nephew, if the queen mated with more than two males, and sperm is used randomly. By con- trast, in a nest with one once-mated queen, workers are more closely related to nephews than they are to brothers so a worker would favor egg laying by other workers (and, of course, by itself). This result is counterintuitive because it predicts more egg layers (i.e. less altruistic behavior) under circumstances where workers are more related to the brood, and fewer egg layers (i.e. more altruistic behavior) where workers are less related to the brood. So if the police allele hypothesis is valid, worker laying should occur in taxa where there are single once- mated queens, and should be absent where queens have mated with more than two males. Ratnieks12 tests this prediction against
The influence of CCl4 biotransformation on the activation of rat liver phospholipase C in vitro.

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) biotransformation and covalent binding was measured in 1000g liver fractions by determining the amount of 14CCl4 metabolites covalently bound to proteins and lipids at various (5–60 min) incubation times. Reactive intermediate binding to proteins and phospholipids peaked at 20 min, whereas CCl4 metabolites associated with neutral lipids (primarily diacylglycerol) were initially low (0–15 min) and then gradually increased from 20 to 60 min. The rise in labeled diacylglycerol was associated with a decrease in phospholipids containing covalently bound CCl4 metabolites, since CCl4 bioactivation increased phospholipase C (PLC) activity three- to fourfold. The major rise in PLC activity occurred after the plateau of CCl4 metabolite binding to cellular phospholipids. In contrast, when CCl4 bioactivation is absent, 0.5 mm CCl4 has little effect on PLC activity. At CCl4 concentrations of 1 mm and greater, the NADPH-dependent activation of PLC by CCl4 is reduced because CCl4 biotransformation is inhibited. Nevertheless, PLC is still activated by CCl4; however, PLC activation by high doses of CCl4 occurs by bioactivation-independent mechanisms. Therefore, there are two components of CCl4-induced PLC activation: one which is dependent on CCl4 biotransformation and one which is not. Under both conditions (± biotransformation), the activation of PLC may be a key event in CCl4 hepatotoxicity since PLC disrupts the functional and structural integrity of membranes by degrading membrane phospholipids.
The representation of the viscous wall region by a regular eddy pattern

A model for the kinematics of a turbulent flow close to a solid boundary is explored. The field is assumed to be homogeneous in the direction of mean flow. The equations of motion are solved numerically for a flow which is periodic in time and in a direction transverse to the direction of mean flow. The period is taken to be the time interval between ‘bursts’ and the wavelength, the spacing of the streaky structure close to the wall observed by a number of investigators. Good agreement is obtained between the calculated flow field and experimental results, especially for y+ < 15. This agreement suggests that the flow oriented eddies in the viscous wall region can be represented by a model which views the flow in this region to be coherent and to be associated with spanwise flow deviations in a well-mixed outer region. The model allows for the periodic movement of low momentum fluid from the wall, which, because of the assumption of a well mixed outer region, gives rise to a shear layer. This seems to correspond to the observed ‘bursting’ phenomenon. The calculations confirm the suggestion by Fortuna and Hanratty (Fortuna 1970; Hanratty, Chorn & Hatziavramidis 1977) that the secondary flow in the viscous wall region generated by these spanwise flow deviations gives rise to the development of large velocity fluctuations in the direction of mean flow and accounts for the experimentally observed maximum in the velocity fluctuations close to the wall. Also, the comparison of calculations with measurements of the average velocity and with an experimental quadrant analysis of the Reynolds stress suggests that the secondary flow is making a major contribution to the Reynolds stress.
Spontaneous Regression of Cardiac Rhabdomyoma in Tuberous Sclerosis

Life-threatening cardiac rhabdomyoma in a newborn infant regressed spontaneously within a 5 month period. Since cardiac surgery for rhabdomyoma is dangerous in infancy, medical management should be considered if symptomatology is not severe. When a fetal arrhythmia is diagnosed, antenatal ultrasound examination for presence of cardiac tumors is warranted.
Psychosocial Outcomes of Breast Cancer Therapies: Lumpectomy Versus Mastectomy

The psychological status of 50 patients who had been treated for breast cancer was assessed an average of 21 months after treatment. The patients were grouped according to major treatment modalities: mastectomy with breast reconstruction, mastectomy without breast reconstruction, or lumpectomy. Lumpectomy patients had a significantly more intact body image (p less than .008) and a greater sense of sexual desirability (p less than .009) than patients in the other groups. The patients did not differ on frequency of sexual relations or on emotional symptomatology. The results of this study generally validate those found in comparable studies showing that lumpectomy promotes a more intact body image but that no surgical procedure either produces or inhibits psychological symptomatology.
Stabilizing control of an autonomous bicycle

The problem of self-stabilization of a bicycle has been a research area for more than a century. However, many researchers have confined their study in self stabilization of bicycles at constant velocities. In this paper, we utilized the precession effect of the gyroscope to stabilize the bicycle both at zero forward velocity and varying velocities. Equation of motion of a bicycle with a flywheel mounted on its bottom is derived and a first order observer-based sliding mode controller is designed. The performance of the controller is simulated on different road structures. It is shown that the designed controller succeeded to stabilize the bicycle throughout the trajectory.
Characterization of stimulation-produced analgesia from the nucleus tractus solitarius in the rat

Electrical stimulation of the commissural region of the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) inhibits the tail-flick reflex evoked by noxious heat. This antinociception can be measured in the awake or pentobarbital anesthetized rat at current intensities that do not induce overt behavioral side effects. Glutamate microinjections into the NTS, but not immediately surrounding the NTS, also inhibit the tail-flick reflex, demonstrating that activation of NTS cell bodies, and not fibers of passage, mediates antinociception from this region. In contrast, morphine microinjections into the NTS have no effect on the tail-flick reflex in anesthetized rats. These findings provide further evidence that the NTS is involved in the modulation of nociception.
Lattice effects in La 1-x Ca x MnO 3 (x=0-->1): Relationships between distortions, charge distribution, and magnetism

X-ray-absorption fine-structure measurements from the Mn and La $K$ edges of samples of ${\mathrm{La}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Ca}}_{x}{\mathrm{MnO}}_{3}$ $(x=\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{0}1)$ are presented as a function of temperature. In the insulating state, distortions of the Mn-O environment are found to be linear with calcium concentration $x.$ These distortions are consistent with a model where individual ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{3+}$ sites have strong Jahn-Teller (JT) distortions while ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{4+}$ sites do not, although intermediate distortions are also possible. Comparisons to simulations of various possible bond length distributions show that these distortions are best modeled as a JT distortion, as opposed to charge disproportionation or other models. In the metallic state, at least $\ensuremath{\sim}70%$ of the distortion is removed. A similar effect is seen in the Mn-Mn bond length distribution. The La-O bond length distribution does not change significantly through the ferromagnetic transition, constraining possible changes in the Mn-O-Mn bond angle to less than 0.5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. The changes in the ${\mathrm{MnO}}_{6}$ distortion that occur near ${T}_{c}$ are also present (to a lesser degree) in an insulating sample with $x=0.12.$ The functional relation between the ${\mathrm{MnO}}_{6}$ distortions and the magnetization is determined, and compared to transport measurements.
REGIONAL CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW DURING DEVELOPMENT AND AGEING OF THE RAT BRAIN

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the conscious Fischer-344 rat was measured in 14 brain regions at 5 different ages. rCBF increased significantly (P less than 0.05) in most anterior brain regions between 1 and 3 months of age, but not in phylogenetically more primitive regions from the mid- and hindbrain that may have matured prior to 1 month of age. rCBF tended to increase or remain constant between 3 and 12 months, and rose significantly in the frontal lobe. Between 12 and 24 months of age, rCBF declined by an average of 17 per cent and fell significantly in 5 brain regions, mainly from the posterior brain, and in some, possibly in relation to partial functional deafferentation. There were no statistically significant changes in rCBF between 24 and 34 months of age. rCBF and local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) do not follow identical time courses during development and maturation of the rat brain. A fall in LCGU between 3 and 12 months of age, when rCBF remains constant or tends to rise, may reflect increased sensitivity of the cerebrovascular bed to metabolic factors which regulate cerebral blood flow.
A biomechanical comparison of four methods of fixation of the trapeziometacarpal joint

Four methods of internal fixation for trapeziometacarpal arthrodesis were evaluated for biomechanical stability under axial compression, torsion, and cantilever bending in either flexion-extension or radial-ulnar deviation. The techniques tested included crossed Kirschner wires, cerclage wiring, cup and cone with a single oblique Kirschner wire, and a tension band technique that has not previously been reported. Results reported included stiffness (load/deformation) of the construct and toggle (displacement without load applied, after cyclic loading). The tension band and cerclage techniques provided greater construct stiffnesses in axial loading than crossed Kirschner wire or cup-and-cone fixation, and toggle was significantly lower than for specimens fixed by the cup-and-cone technique. In torsion the tension band technique produced fixation that was significantly stiffer than cup-and-cone fixation. In cantilever bending the differences between fixation systems were not significant, except between cerclage and cup-and-cone techniques in flexion-extension. On the basis of our results in a biomechanical model, the tension band technique offers superior fixation in torsion, the cerclage technique in flexion-extension, and both in axial loading.
Reduced Link Sections for Improving the Ductility of Eccentrically Braced Frame Link-to-Column Connections

Eccentrically braced frames (EBFs) are desirable seismic load resisting systems as they combine the high elastic stiffness of concentrically braced frames with the ductility and stable energy dissipation of moment resisting frames. EBFs with links attached to the columns are particularly appealing for architectural flexibility as they provide multiple locations for placement of doors and hallways. However, previous research has shown that link-to-column connections are prone to failure at low drift levels, due to their susceptibility to fracture at the link flange-to-column welds. This paper investigates the application of the reduced beam section concept for links in eccentrically braced frames to enhance the ductility of link-to-column connections. A design procedure for link section reduction is proposed and preliminary finite-element analyses are conducted on a shear link with various reduced section geometries. A parametric study performed on an array of links having various cross sections and lengths suggests that the reduced link section may substantially reduce the plastic flange strains at the link ends, which can improve the fracture life. The reduction in plastic flange strains is found to be significant for all links, with larger reductions for intermediate and flexural links. Furthermore, the detrimental kinking deformation of the flanges, caused by the large rotation demands in shear links, is moved away from the column face when reduced sections were used. While the analysis results show promise, experimental verification is recommended before the proposed design procedure can be implemented in practice.
Comparison of Baking Quality of Frozen Condensed and Spray-Dried Skimmilk

Summary Skimmilks condensed to 4:1 and 5:1 became extremely unstable when stored for long periods at −17° and at −27° C. These milks developed high viscosity, poor texture, and undesirable appearance. The high-heat treatment caused higher viscosities in otherwise similar skimmilks. The lower (−27° C.) storage temperature delayed the rate of denaturation of the condensed skimmilk. These milks were entirely unsatisfactory from the beverage standpoint. The temperature of storage caused no improvement or impairment in baking quality as determined by dough characteristics, texture of crumb, and loaf volume of bread. High-heat-treated (82° C. for 30 minutes) skimmilk solids, preserved in a frozen or dried state, produced larger loaf volumes than corresponding low-heat (62° C. for 30 minutes) skimmilk solids. Heat treatment was the primary factor in determining baking quality. The slightly greater loaf volumes obtained with skimmilk solids stored in a dried instead of in a frozen condensed state indicate some advantage in preserving skimmilk solids in this form.
Traffic Management Center Use of Incident Detection Algorithms: Findings of a Nationwide Survey

The focus of this paper is the context in which the decision makers for traffic management centers (TMCs) choose whether to include and/or use automatic incident detection (AID) algorithms. A survey was conducted of TMC professionals in positions to make, influence, or provide input to decisions regarding TMC operational policies as well as decisions regarding priorities for future system enhancements. Analysis of the survey results not only provides an understanding of the reasons behind the limited implementation of AID algorithms but also allows a direct comparison between the conventional incident detection methods and the AID technology on the basis of measured and/or perceived performance. It was observed that 90% of the survey respondents feel that the current methods of incident detection are insufficient either at present (70%) or will be so in the future (20%). This finding alone motivates a need to redouble research efforts aimed at developing robust and accurate automatic detection methods. In this regard, this paper presents promising directions to overcome past AID algorithm deficiencies
A taxonomic review of the genus Myrmelachista (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Costa Rica

The Costa Rican fauna of the genus Myrmelachista is reviewed. Myrmelachista is a poorly-known lineage of Neotropical arboreal ants. Although a few are conspicuous surface foragers, the majority have cryptic habits, nesting in live stems of plants and rarely foraging on the surface. Fourteen species are reported, of which the following ten are described as new: M. flavocotea, flavoguarea, haberi, joycei, lauroatlantica, lauropacifica, longiceps, meganaranja, nigrocotea, and osa. Myrmelachista costaricensis Wheeler is synonymized under M. plebecula Menozzi, and M. zeledoni thiemi is synonymized under zeledoni. The enigmatic M. cooperi, previously known from a single alate queen, is rediscovered and the worker and male described. Keys to workers, queens, and males are provided. Myrmelachista species have either 9 or 10-segmented antennae, with most of the 9-segmented forms concentrated in Central America and the Caribbean, and the 10segmented forms concentrated in South America. The taxonomic status of all the 9-segmented forms is discussed.
Factors associated with the risk of developing osteochondrosis in horses: a case-control study.

Abstract A case-control study was designed to identify risk factors associated with osteochondrosis (OC) in horses. Data on cases and controls were obtained from medical records at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University. For each OC case two controls were selected. Three hundred and twenty OC cases were reported during the period of January 1979 to December 1988. Data on the breed of horse, age, sex, weight, and date of admission were obtained from these records. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with OC cases and quantify their risk. Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses were at a higher risk of developing OC in comparison with other breed of horses (odds ratios were 4 and 5, respectively). There was no significant risk associated with Quarter horses. Female and male horses were generally at a higher risk of developing OC in comparison with geldings (odds ratios were 2.9 and 3.9, respectively). The risk of developing OC decreased significantly with the age of the horse.
Design for product-embedded disassembly pathways

This paper presents a computational method for designing an assembly with multiple built-in disassembly pathways, each of which can be activated to retrieve certain components. It is motivated by the global sales of consumer products whose optimal end-of-life options vary geographically due to local recycling/reuse infrastructures and regulatory requirements. Given the sets of components to be retrieved at each location, the method simultaneously determines the spatial configurations of components and locator features, such that each set of desired components is retrieved via a domino-like "self-disassembly" process triggered by the removal of a fastener. A multi-objective generic algorithm is utilized to search for Pareto-optimal designs in terms of the realization of the desired disassembly pathways, the satisfaction of distance specifications among components, the minimization of disassembly cost at each location, and the efficient use of on-component locator features. A case study demonstrates the feasibility of the method.
Interaction of iron and major nutrients controls phytoplankton growth and species composition in the tropical North Pacific Ocean

A 6-d nutrient enrichment experiment was performed in the tropical North Pacific Ocean at 9”N, 147”W with ultraclean techniques. Changes in phytoplankton biomass, C and N assimilation rates, growth rates, and species composition were monitored with HPLC pigment analyses and flow cytometry techniques, as well as 14C fixation into particulate C, pigments, and protein. Prochlorophyte specific growth rates (from divinyl Chl a labeling) increased from an initial value of 0.15 d -I to 0.96 d-l following macronutrient addition (N, P, and Si). Diatoms, however, were unable to grow without added Fe. Diatom populations were severely colimited by Fe and macronutrients but achieved a specific growth rate of 2.5 d -’ following Fe and macronutrient additions. Results implied that grazing rates (g) on prochlorophytes were stimulated in approximate balance with prochlorophyte growth (p) after 6 d (g : p = O.SS), but that grazing processes were not as efficient (g: p = 0.40) at controlling the diatom standing stock. Our results suggest that grazing processes may be the most important factor regulating procaryotic biomass, but Fc limitation is the proximate control of diatom biomass and hence may limit the utilization of macronutrients in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.
Low intraoperative tidal volume ventilation with minimal PEEP is associated with increased mortality

Background Anaesthetists have traditionally ventilated patients' lungs with tidal volumes (TVs) between 10 and 15 ml kg−1 of ideal body weight (IBW), without the use of PEEP. Over the past decade, influenced by the results of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network trial, many anaesthetists have begun using lower TVs during surgery. It is unclear whether the benefits of low TV ventilation can be extended into the perioperative period. Methods We reviewed the records of 29 343 patients who underwent general anaesthesia with mechanical ventilation between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2011. We calculated TV kg−1 IBW, PEEP, peak inspiratory pressure (PIP), and dynamic compliance. Cox regression analysis with propensity score matching was performed to examine the association between TV and 30-day mortality. Results Median TV was 8.6 [7.7–9.6] ml kg−1 IBW with minimal PEEP [4.0 (2.2–5.0) cm H2O]. A significant reduction in TV occurred over the study period, from 9 ml kg−1 IBW in 2008 to 8.3 ml kg−1 IBW in 2011 (P=0.01). Low TV 6–8 ml kg−1 IBW was associated with a significant increase in 30-day mortality vs TV 8–10 ml kg−1 IBW: hazard ratio (HR) 1.6 [95% confidence interval (CI) [1.25–2.08], P=0.0002]. The association remained significant after matching: HR 1.63 [95% CI (1.22–2.18), P Conclusions Use of low intraoperative TV with minimal PEEP is associated with an increased risk of 30-day mortality.
Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography and Positron Emission Tomography Evaluations of Patients With Central Motor Disorders

Neuroimaging biomarkers in movement disorders during the past decade have served as diagnostic agents (Europe), tools for evaluation of novel therapeutics, and a powerful means for describing pathophysiology by revealing in vivo changes at different stages of disease and within the course of an individual patient's illness. As imaging with agents tracking dopaminergic function become more available, the next decade promises to enhance our clinical sophistication in the optimal use of dopaminergic imaging biomarkers for differential diagnosis, characterization of at-risk populations, guiding selection and management of appropriate treatments. The clinical role of these agents as clinical tools goes hand in hand with the development and availability of disease-modifying drugs, which carry the additional requirement for early and accurate diagnosis and improved clinical monitoring once treatment is initiated. Challenges remain in the ideal application of neuroimaging in the clinical algorithms for patient assessment and management. Further, the application of imaging to other targets, both monamineric and nonmonoaminergic, could serve a function beyond the important delineation of pathologic change occurring in patients with Parkinson's disease to suggest some role in improved phenotyping and classification of patients with Parkinson's disease presenting with different symptom clusters. New areas of focus based on the elucidation of mechanisms at the cellular and molecular level, including intense interest in alpha-synuclein and other protein inclusions in neurons and glia, have piqued interest in their in vivo assessment using scinitigraphic methods. Perhaps ultimately, treatment that is targeted to a better delineated pathophysiology-based characterization of movement disorder patients will emerge. The application of neuroimaging biomarkers to multiple ends in movement disorders provides an important model for the multiple roles diagnostic imaging agents can serve in neurodegenerative disorders; for diagnosis, for elaborating pathophysiology in patient populations, for developing new drugs, ultimately for improving clinical management.
Effect of removing background white noise during CS presentation on conditioning in the truly random control procedure

Truly random sequences of tone CSs and shock USs were given to groups of rats, then conditioned fear to the CS was measured using a conditioned suppression procedure. Subjects exhibited an excitatory CR to the CS following truly random training independently of whether or not a background white noise continued through the presentation of the CS during conditioning and testing. It was concluded that the presence of the white noise during the CS did not block excitatory conditioning to the CS as had been predicted by Rescorla (1972).
POLITICAL PARTIES AND DEMOCRACY

A central claim of democratic theory is that democracy induces governments to be responsive to the preferences of the people. Political parties organize politics in every modern democracy, and some observers claim that parties are what induce democracies to be responsive. Yet, according to others, parties give voice to extremists and reduce the responsiveness of governments to the citizenry. The debate about parties and democracy takes on renewed importance as new democracies around the globe struggle with issues of representation and governability. I show that our view of the impact of parties on democratic responsiveness hinges on what parties areotheir objectives and organization. I review competing theories of parties, sketch their testable implications, and note the empirical findings that may help adjudicate among these theories. I also review debates about the origins of parties, about the determinants of party-system size and characteristics, and about party competition.
Measured Emissivity of Soils in the Southeast United States

Abstract The thermal emissivities of exposed soil surfaces for the major soil subgroups of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida were determined. It was found that brightness temperature sensed by narrow-band infrared radiometers (10.4–12.6 μm), as used on SMS-GOES spacecraft would not deviate from thermodynamic temperatures by more than -2°C as a result of surface emissivity. Emissivity effects on the brightness temperature determined with broad-band radiometers (5–15 μm), however, could be as great as -6°C.
A Review of Factors Associated With Dystocia and Cesarean Section in Nulliparous Women

The primary indication for cesarean section in nulliparous women continues to be clinical diagnoses that fall under the rubric of dystocia. These diagnoses account for approximately two-thirds of all cesareans experienced by otherwise healthy nulliparous women. Contemporary research evidence suggests that this clinical phenomenon is complex and multifactorial. This review explores factors associated with the phenomenon of dystocia in the context of a conceptual model that considers women's physical and psychological characteristics, fetal factors, intrapartum care and interventions, assessments and clinical decision-making of health care providers, the sociopolitical environment, and the social and physical environment of childbirth. Clinical recommendations include emphasis on the maintenance of normal weight and weight gain during pregnancy, delaying the admission of nulliparous women to the hospital until active labor is established, avoiding elective induction for nulliparous women, keeping women well-hydrated and well-fed during labor, providing high-quality supportive care during labor, staying the course with effective treatment when dystocia is encountered, and a renewed emphasis on the psychobehavioral preparation of nulliparous women for the realities of labor.
Communication in the Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) and a Survey of Auditory Communication in the Marsupialia

The female-male interaction system of the Tasmanian devil, Sarcophilus barrisii, was analyzed in captivity. A description of visual, chemical, tactile, and auditory signals was prepared based on an encounter series. The vocalizations of the Tasmanian devil were classified and described with respect to their probable function. The vocalizations of other marsupials are compared with those of the Tasmanian devil. Four basic syllable types are defined. Although the auditory signals of marsupials are generally low in intensity and easily overlooked by an investigator, it would appear that they exhibit a complexity equivalent to the calls of many Eutherian mammals. Marsupial vocalizations are not necessarily always produced in specific contexts, but the four basic vocalization types are related to at least four different functions and reflect adaptations for conveying information in several widely differing contexts. The problems of establishing homologies among vocalizations are discussed.
The Economics of Livestock Waste and Its Regulation

This article develops a spatial model of regional livestock production and three attendant environmental effects: spills from animal waste stores;nutrient runoff due to the application of manure to croplands; and direct ambient pollution, including odors, pests, and gases. Assuming that neither environmental outcomes nor operators' manure-spreading practices can be monitored and regulated, constrained efficient production arrangements and waste-handling practices are described. The efficiency effects of several regulatory policies are then explored, including (a) scale regulations that limit animal inventories, (b) chemical fertilizer taxes, and (c) waste storage and handling standards that affect storm protections and manure transport.
ROLE OF MULTIDECADAL CLIMATE VARIABILITY IN A RANGE EXTENSION OF PINYON PINE

Evidence from woodrat middens and tree rings at Dutch John Mountain (DJM) in northeastern Utah reveal spatiotemporal patterns of pinyon pine (Pinus edulis Engelm.) colonization and expansion in the past millennium. The DJM population, a northern outpost of pinyon, was established by long-distance dispersal (;40 km). Growth of this isolate was markedly episodic and tracked multidecadal variability in precipitation. Initial colonization occurred by AD 1246, but expansion was forestalled by catastrophic drought (1250-1288), which we speculate produced extensive mortality of Utah Juniper (Juniperus osteosperma (Torr.) Little), the dominant tree at DJM for the previous ;8700 years. Pinyon then quickly replaced juniper across DJM during a few wet decades (1330-1339 and 1368-1377). Such alternating decadal-scale droughts and pluvial events play a key role in structuring plant communities at the landscape to regional level. These decadal-length precipitation anomalies tend to be regionally coherent and can synchronize physical and biological processes across large areas. Vegetation forecast models must incorporate these temporal and geographic aspects of climate variability to accurately predict the effects of future climate change.
Bright/ARID3A contributes to chromatin accessibility of the immunoglobulin heavy chain enhancer

Bright/ARID3A is a nuclear matrix-associated transcription factor that stimulates immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) expression and Cyclin E1/E2F-dependent cell cycle progression. Bright positively activates IgH transcriptional initiation by binding to ATC-rich P sites within nuclear matrix attachment regions (MARs) flanking the IgH intronic enhancer (Eμ). Over-expression of Bright in cultured B cells was shown to correlate with DNase hypersensitivity of Eμ. We report here further efforts to analyze Bright-mediated Eμ enhancer activation within the physiological constraints of chromatin. A system was established in which VH promoter-driven in vitro transcription on chromatin- reconstituted templates was responsive to Eμ. Bright assisted in blocking the general repression caused by nucleosome assembly but was incapable of stimulating transcription from prebound nucleosome arrays. In vitro transcriptional derepression by Bright was enhanced on templates in which Eμ is flanked by MARs and was inhibited by competition with high affinity Bright binding (P2) sites. DNase hypersensitivity of chromatin-reconstituted Eμ was increased when prepackaged with B cell nuclear extract supplemented with Bright. These results identify Bright as a contributor to accessibility of the IgH enhancer.
Alterations in Cerebral Oxidative Metabolism following Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) generates regional alterations in cerebral metabolism, leading to the potential evolution of persistent metabolic dysfunction. In the case of penetrating, firearm-related TBI, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these acute-phase metabolic derangements are not entirely understood—hindering the potential effectiveness of therapeutic intervention. The use of cerebral microdialysis to monitor biochemical alterations that occur, post-TBI, provides critical insight into the events that perpetuate neurological deterioration. Cerebral microdialysis was used to monitor alterations in the brain tissue chemistry of a 22-year-old female patient who sustained a penetrating gunshot wound to the head. Extracellular glucose, lactate, pyruvate, and lactate pyruvate ratio (LPR) were monitored over the course of the first-week post-injury. Analysis of the microdialysate revealed sustained elevations in LPR with peaks in excess of those seen in patients who have sustained permanent ischemic injury. This interval of persistently elevated LPR was followed by a spontaneous reduction of values, to levels below the defined threshold for metabolic crisis, over a period of several days. Microdialysis studies may significantly improve the understanding of the metabolic alterations that occur in patients who sustain a variety of forms of neurotrauma. Ultimately, monitoring these variations in brain tissue chemistry will improve the insight into the neuropathological mechanisms underlying penetrating traumatic brain injury, and enhance the therapeutic approach of these patients.
A flexible FFT algorithm to process serial data signals using personal computer

The aim of the paper is to demonstrate the possibility of using Personal Computer PC-DOS (or generally MS-DOS) for real time (or quasi real time) signal processing of serial data adding a simple A/D conversion card and the mathematical co-processor XXX87. We have realized an assembly written FFT routine derived from a radix-4 algorithm by Morris (1979). This algorithm is an autogenerated algorithm. This means that it is modified by another running off-line algorithm according to the number of FFT points. The program is organized as subroutine to be called by high level language in different procedures. This approach reduces the computational time which is particularly useful when many Fourier transforms on different data array are required. Here reported are two biomedical applications of the routine for the spectral analysis of Doppler ultrasound velocimetry and for the surface electromiography (E.M.G.).