cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Colonization of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum sclerotia by a biocontrol isolate of Trichoderma harzianum, and effects on myceliogenic germination.

Abstract Sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum were incubated on cultures of Trichoderma harzianum. Myceliogenic germination decreased by 50% within 1 day and continued to decrease over time. Quantitative PCR showed a decrease in Sclerotinia DNA for older sclerotia, but not fresh sclerotia. Trichoderma DNA increased and persisted inside older sclerotia but not fresh sclerotia.
Measuring worldwide connectivity: Expansion of the internet

Abstract The media have focused a great deal of attention on the Internet in the United States, but what is the status of connectivity outside the United States? The Human Development Index (HDI) created by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ranks 174 countries by human development status, e.g., average life expectancy, GDP per capita, and adult literacy. Since 1991, Larry Landweber, a member of the Internet Society (ISO), has tracked the growth of Internet connectivity worldwide and made this information available via the Internet. Landweber's list is converted into high, medium, and low HDI rankings in order to note the growth of Internet connectivity for 174 countries during the past five years. Additionally, international media reports translated by the Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) are examined to track discussion of telecommunications or Internet expansion. FBIS citations show substantial coverage of telecommunications development and satellite projects in Asia and the Pacific, and Oceania. It is only within the last two years that the Internet has surfaced in international news reports. FBIS reports also reveal that foreign government officials are confronted with their inability to regulate the Internet. One example involves dissident groups circumventing traditional information channels to broadcast opposing views.
Comparative relaxation dynamics of glucose and maltitol.

To demonstrate the utility of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for determining activation energy landscape in amorphous pharmaceutical systems throughout the sub-T g and T g regions. DSC was employed to determine the effective activation energies (E) of the relaxation in sub-T g and T g regions as well as the sizes of cooperatively rearranging regions in glassy maltitol and glucose. It has been found that in the sub-T g region E decreases with decreasing T reaching the values ∼60 (glucose) and ∼70 (maltitol) kJ mol−1 that are comparable to the literature values of the activation energies for the β-relaxation. In the T g region E decreases (from ∼250 to ∼150 kJ mol−1 in maltitol and from ∼220 to ∼170 kJ mol−1 in glucose) with increasing T as typically found for the α-relaxation. From the heat capacity measurements the sizes of cooperatively rearranging regions have been determined as 3.1 (maltitol) and 3.3 (glucose) nm. DSC can be used for evaluating the energy landscapes. The E values for maltitol are somewhat greater than for glucose due to the added impeding effect of the bulky substitute group in maltitol. The comparable sizes of the cooperatively rearranging regions suggest a similarity of the heterogeneous glassy structures of the two compounds.
Cellular basis of drug-induced torsades de pointes.

Striking QT prolongation and the morphologically distinctive ventricular tachycardia torsades de pointes can occur in up to 5% of patients treated with certain antiarrhythmic drugs. This adverse drug reaction also occurs, albeit far less frequently, during therapy with a range of drugs not used for cardiovascular indications; examples include certain antibiotics, antipsychotics and antihistamines. The common mechanism for drug-induced torsades de pointes is inhibition of a specific repolarizing potassium current, IKr. The key question facing clinicians, regulators and those who develop drugs is why torsades de pointes only occurs in some patients exposed to IKr block. This paper reviews the clinical, cellular, molecular and genetic features of the arrhythmia that may provide an answer to this question and proposes future studies in this area.
Ground-state molecular constants of CHD3

Abstract A simultaneous analysis of ground-state combination differences from the parallel band ν 1 + ν 2 of CHD 3 near 5135 cm −1 yielded the following values for the ground-state molecular constants (in cm −1 ): B 0 = 3.2795 ± 0.0005, D 0 JK = −(4.0 ± 1.2) × 10 −5 , D 0 J = (5.2 ± 0.5) × 10 −5 (with 95% simultaneous confidence intervals).
Convexity of Products of Univariate Functions and Convexification Transformations for Geometric Programming

We investigate the characteristics that have to be possessed by a functional mapping f:ℝ↦ℝ so that it is suitable to be employed in a variable transformation of the type x→f(y) in the convexification of posynomials. We study first the bilinear product of univariate functions f1(y1), f2(y2) and, based on convexity analysis, we derive sufficient conditions for these two functions so that ℱ2(y1,y2)=f1(y1)f2(y2) is convex for all (y1,y2) in some box domain. We then prove that these conditions suffice for the general case of products of univariate functions; that is, they are sufficient conditions for every fi(yi), i=1,2,…,n, so as ℱn(y1,y2,…,yn)=∏i=1nfi(yi) to be convex. In order to address the transformation of variables that are exponentiated to some power κ≠1, we investigate under which further conditions would the function (f)κ be also suitable. The results provide rigorous reasoning on why transformations that have already appeared in the literature, like the exponential or reciprocal, work properly in convexifying posynomial programs. Furthermore, a useful contribution is in devising other transformation schemes that have the potential to work better with a particular formulation. Finally, the results can be used to infer the convexity of multivariate functions that can be expressed as products of univariate factors, through conditions on these factors on an individual basis.
Electron Microscopy of Bactericidal Effects Produced by the Alternative Complement Pathway of Channel Catfish

Abstract The activation of the alternative complement pathway (ACP) was investigated by incubating serum of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus with three gram-negative bacteria. Bactericidal activity and ultrastructural damage were not apparent when cells were incubated with serum that had been treated to eliminate complement activity. Proteins of the ACP were responsible for damaging susceptible Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fuorescens, whereas there was no effect on Aeromonas salmonicida, which was apparently protected by an A-layer. Scanning electron micrographs revealed damaged cells, and transmission electron micrographs showed circular lesions oriented perpendicularly to the cell membrane. These lesions resemble those resulting from ACP activation in sera from frogs, sharks, trout, lizards and mammals. The existence of membrane attack complexes (MACs) in channel catfish, which are similar to MACs seen in other animals, emphasizes the importance of the ACP in host defense against bacterial infect...
The axle of evil

Exposing one of the latest manifestations of anti‐urbanism today, Eduardo Mendieta dissects in this essay the production, dissemination, and consumption of a new discourse of urban fear. He takes as his starting point the SUV, or Sport Utility Vehichle, which simultaneously represents and replicates the main tropes of this discourse. In the image of the gas‐guzzling, martial‐like SUV, Mendieta sees a ‘double negation of the urban.’ Insofar as the SUV, like a tank, runs roughshod over the urban environment while it simultaneously displays its own conspicuous consummation of scare resources, it encapsulates the inherently anti‐urban sentiment of the new American imperialism. Whether on the streets of the wealthiest American cities and suburbs or the beleaguered streets of Baghdad, were it is thevehicle of choice for private and public occupation forces alike, the SUV represents the excesses of neoliberalism at work.
Padé Summation of the Cauchy Dispersion Equation

A method is presented, based on recognition of the Cauchy dispersion equation as a series of Stieltjes, for the bounded extrapolation of long-wavelength refractivity data into the far ultraviolet. The extrapolation is performed with the [n, n−1] and [n,n] Pade approximants, which improve the convergence of the Cauchy equation and provide upper and lower bounds to its exact sum. Illustrative applications are given for atomic hydrogen, the inert gases, and molecular hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Comparison with the exact dispersion curve for atomic hydrogen and with available theoretical and experimental ultraviolet-dispersion data for the inert and diatomic gases indicates that the Pade approximants converge rapidly to accurate refractivity values. In addition, recognition of the Cauchy equation as a series of Stieltjes provides nontrivial constraints on the Cauchy coefficients; these afford a test of their accuracy and allow estimates of higher-order coefficients from measured refractivity data.
CaV1.3 Channels and Intracellular Calcium Mediate Osmotic Stress-induced N-terminal c-Jun Kinase Activation and Disruption of Tight Junctions in Caco-2 Cell Monolayers

We investigated the role of a Ca2+ channel and intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in osmotic stress-induced JNK activation and tight junction disruption in Caco-2 cell monolayers. Osmotic stress-induced tight junction disruption was attenuated by 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxyl)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA)-mediated intracellular Ca2+ depletion. Depletion of extracellular Ca2+ at the apical surface, but not basolateral surface, also prevented tight junction disruption. Similarly, thapsigargin-mediated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ depletion attenuated tight junction disruption. Thapsigargin or extracellular Ca2+ depletion partially reduced osmotic stress-induced rise in [Ca2+]i, whereas thapsigargin and extracellular Ca2+ depletion together resulted in almost complete loss of rise in [Ca2+]i. L-type Ca2+ channel blockers (isradipine and diltiazem) or knockdown of the CaV1.3 channel abrogated [Ca2+]i rise and disruption of tight junction. Osmotic stress-induced JNK2 activation was abolished by BAPTA and isradipine, and partially reduced by extracellular Ca2+ depletion, thapsigargin, or CaV1.3 knockdown. Osmotic stress rapidly induced c-Src activation, which was significantly attenuated by BAPTA, isradipine, or extracellular Ca2+ depletion. Tight junction disruption by osmotic stress was blocked by tyrosine kinase inhibitors (genistein and PP2) or siRNA-mediated knockdown of c-Src. Osmotic stress induced a robust increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of occludin, which was attenuated by BAPTA, SP600125 (JNK inhibitor), or PP2. These results demonstrate that CaV1.3 and rise in [Ca2+]i play a role in the mechanism of osmotic stress-induced tight junction disruption in an intestinal epithelial monolayer. [Ca2+]i mediate osmotic stress-induced JNK activation and subsequent c-Src activation and tyrosine phosphorylation of tight junction proteins. Additionally, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor-mediated release of ER Ca2+ also contributes to osmotic stress-induced tight junction disruption.
Complex T cell interactions contribute to Helicobacter pylori gastritis in mice.

Disease due to the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori varies in severity from asymptomatic to peptic ulcer disease and cancer. Accumulating evidence suggests that one source of this variation is an abnormal host response. The goal of this study was to use a mouse model of H. pylori gastritis to investigate the roles of regulatory T cells (Treg) as well as proinflammatory T cells (Th1 and Th17) in gastritis, gastric T cell engraftment, and gastric cytokine production. Our results support published data indicating that severe gastritis in T cell recipient mice is due to failure of Treg engraftment, that Treg ameliorate gastritis, and that the proinflammatory response is attributable to interactions between several cell subsets and cytokines. We confirmed that gamma interferon (IFN-γ) is essential for induction of gastritis but showed that IFN-γ-producing CD4 T cells are not necessary. Interleukin 17A (IL-17A) also contributed to gastritis, but to a lesser extent than IFN-γ. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and IL-17F were also elevated in association with disease. These results indicate that while H. pylori-specific CD4+ T cells and IFN-γ are both essential for induction of gastritis due to H. pylori, IFN-γ production by T cells is not essential. It is likely that other proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-17F and TNF-α, shown to be elevated in this model, also contribute to the induction of disease. We suggest that gastritis due to H. pylori is associated with loss of immunoregulation and alteration of several cytokines and cell subsets and cannot be attributed to a single immune pathway.
Membrane applications for microalgae cultivation and harvesting: a review.

With renewed interest in microalgae due to their potential for biofuel and bioproducts production, efficient cultivation and harvesting mechanisms are needed to increase the economic competitiveness of microalgal products against traditional sources. With pore sizes ranging from microns to angstroms, membranes provide tailored functions for solid/liquid separation (cell retention, biomass concentration and dewatering), gas/liquid separation (gas delivery and removal), and solute/liquid separation (bioproduct recovery, feedstock preparation and effluent recycling) that are problematic or not possible with other technologies. Existing knowledge on membrane systems used in other disciplines, such as environmental engineering, marine science, and biomedicine, can be applied to algae production. Though membranes have great potential to facilitate cultivation and harvesting, challenges in energy reduction and fouling mitigation need to be overcome for long-term, cost-effective application.
The nature of fusional effort in diplopic regions

Abstract A psychophysical measurement of the magnitude and time course of human fusional effort in diplopic regions was carried out. It was found that a fusional effort persisted in diplopia and that its actual magnitude was a function of time. Through careful control of the size and rate of change of stimulus disparities, it was possible to measure the gradual decay of fusional effort in diplopia. Fusional effort was detected in response to stimulus disparities until these disparities were nearly twice as large as the disparity threshold for diplopia.
Lysine-derived crosslinks in the proteins of the human erythrocyte membrane.

The proteins of the human erythrocyte membrane have been examined for the presence of lysine-derived crosslinks of the types found in connective tissue. An aldehyde content of approx. 0.5 moles per 105 g of protein was found by reaction with radioactive 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. Approx. 0.7 atoms of 3H per 105 g of protein was taken up when the protein was reduced with sodium boro[3H]hydride. e-hydroxynorleucine, e-chloronorleucine, and reduced “aldol” were found in acid hydrolysates of the reduced proteins.
Publicly Committing Oneself to an Identity

This experiment showed that when 51 undergraduates performed 2 opposite videotaped self-presentations, the self-presentation to be viewed later by an audience had a greater impact on the participants' self-concepts. This self-concept change was linked to anticipated feedback from the audience and to how identifiable participants felt during the self-presentation to be viewed by that audience. Moreover, it was evidenced by participants' subsequent behavioral changes when they were unaware of being observed. The findings demonstrate that publicly committing oneself to an identity, as compared to engaging in self-perceptual processes, can play an even more central role in the internalization of one's self-presentations.
Evolution of Strategies for Modern Rechargeable Batteries

This Account provides perspective on the evolution of the rechargeable battery and summarizes innovations in the development of these devices. Initially, I describe the components of a conventional rechargeable battery along with the engineering parameters that define the figures of merit for a single cell. In 1967, researchers discovered fast Na+ conduction at 300 K in Na β,β′′-alumina. Since then battery technology has evolved from a strongly acidic or alkaline aqueous electrolyte with protons as the working ion to an organic liquid-carbonate electrolyte with Li+ as the working ion in a Li-ion battery. The invention of the sodium-sulfur and Zebra batteries stimulated consideration of framework structures as crystalline hosts for mobile guest alkali ions, and the jump in oil prices in the early 1970s prompted researchers to consider alternative room-temperature batteries with aprotic liquid electrolytes. With the existence of Li primary cells and ongoing research on the chemistry of reversible Li interca...
Paper: Methods in the Virtual Wetlab I: Rule-based reasoning driven by nearest-neighbor lattice dynamics

We describe a discrete dynamical systems approach to exploring the hypothesis-trees associated with wetlab experiments. On-going applications of the method to experimental research using a genetically engineered mouse animal model with severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) in the area of HIV infection are outlined as an example. In conclusion, we survey how this method can be used to engineer an informational murine, called Cybermouse [Mus Cyberspacea], that can be experimented upon using current immersion technologies.
Impaired adaptive vascular growth in hypercholesterolemic rabbit

Abstract Occlusive arterial disease stimulates compensatory growth of pre-existent and new arterial channels which help to maintain organ perfusion. Previous studies characterizing compensatory or collateral vascular growth have been performed in normocholesterolemic animals. Because hyperlipidemic states alter vascular regulation, it remains to be demonstrated that the capacity of the vasculature to undergo compensatory growth is preserved in the presence of dyslipidemic vascular injury. To assess effects of hypercholesterolemia on vascular growth, arterial supply to the ear of rabbits with ( n =13) or without hypercholesterolemia ( n =14) was surgically restricted. Compensatory growth of residual arteries and distal microvessels was evaluated using quantitative angiographic and microanatomic methods. Lumen-expanding hyperplasic arterial remodeling and distal microvascular proliferation induced by arterial restriction were assessed by independent techniques including in vivo microangiography, laser Doppler flowmetry, quantitative histometry, and thymidine incorporation. Compared with controls, hypercholesterolemic rabbits exhibited depressions in all arterial and capillary growth indexes. Microvascular proliferation in hypercholesterolemic rabbits was less than 20% of control. Results demonstrate for the first time that an atherogenic dyslipidemia may limit compensatory macro- and microvascular growth in response to arterial restriction, a phenomenon that could play an important role in the pathophysiology of atherosclerotic occlusive artery disease.
Germanium/silicon ratios in the Copper River Basin, Alaska: Weathering and partitioning in periglacial versus glacial environments

[1] Glacial to interglacial variation in the germanium to silicon ratio (Ge/Si) of biogenic opal in oceanic sediment cores has been proposed to record terrestrial silicate weathering intensity. However, data connecting Ge/Si ratios to weathering are sparse, especially for cold regions. To characterize Ge/Si of the dissolved loads of rivers draining modern glacial and periglacial regions, we measured Ge and major element chemistry of more than 30 streams in the Copper River Basin of south Alaska. We measured significantly higher Ge/Si in rivers with greater than 15% glacial cover in their basins than in rivers draining areas with less glacial cover, which we attribute to preferencial subglacial weathering of biotite. We also ran laboratory experiments to investigate the role of differential sorption of Ge and Si on hydrous iron oxides in moderating the Ge/Si ratio of rivers in recently deglaciated basins. These experiments indicate that Ge is preferentially adsorbed over Si by hydrous iron oxides over a wide range of pH values and support differential sorption as a potentially significant fractionation process. Our measured high Ge/Si in glaciated basins is in striking contrast to the low Ge/Si in the oceanic record during glacial periods. The glacial to interglacial changes in marine Ge/Si cannot simply reflect changes in glacier cover on land, as the mineralogy of silicates weathered and processes partitioning Ge in soils must also strongly influence the fluvial Ge and Si inputs to the ocean.
Vacancy formation and extraction energies in semiconductor compounds and alloys

A model for calculating the extraction energies and vacancy-formation energies in diamond-cubic and zinc-blende semiconductors is developed on the basis of Harrison's (1980, 1983) tight-binding theory. The extraction energies provide a reference from which other final states of the removed atoms can be calculated. The results of calculations show that, in a given compound, the calculated extraction energies are larger for the anion than for the cation, with the difference between the cation and the anion being larger in the II-VI than in the III-V compounds. This is in agreement with experimental results.
Characterization of Beggiatoa alba

Several strains of sulfur-oxidizing, filamentous, gliding bacteria of the size described for Beggiatoa alba have been examined to determine features of their morphology and physiology. The strains ranged in diameter from about 3.0 to 5.0 μm and deposited sulfur from sulfide and thiosulfate. All strains were similar, and a tight cluster that we consider to be B. alba was found. A taxonomic description of B. alba was produced.
Investigation of Protein-Protein Interactions by Blue Native-PAGE & MassSpectrometry

PPIs are the most fundamental structures that allow to an organelle, cell, tissue, organ or organism to survive, adapt and propagate [1-4]. PPIs are 1) static when proteins form stable protein complexes such as mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes and 2) dynamic or transient, when the interaction between proteins is short-lived and temporary (usually responding to a stimulus and having an end effect). While stable PPIs are easier to investigate, sufficient methods to study transient PPIs still do not exist. One example of transient PPIs is welldemonstrated by signal transduction pathways that are activated by receptor tyrosine kinases (e.g. insulin or Eph receptor pathways) [5,6]. Interaction of receptor tyrosine kinases with their ligands leads to the formation of receptor-ligand complexes and autophosphorylation of the receptor’s kinase domain from the cytoplasmic side, which becomes the docking site for many signaling proteins. In turn, these proteins activate signal transduction pathways, which ultimately trigger a cellular event such as glucose uptake or cytoskeletal remodeling [7-9].
A monolithic, wide-temperature, charge amplification channel for extreme environments

This paper describes the design, implementation, and characterization of a monolithic charge amplification channel for use as a piezoelectric sensor front-end in extreme environment applications. 12The design leverages a 50 GHz peak-f T SiGe BiCMOS technology platform to achieve functionality across a wide-temperature range from −180°C to 120°C. As part of a much larger remote electronics unit, the channel is specified to amplify piezoelectric transducer signals with frequencies up to 5 kHz and amplitudes as low as 200 pC. Intended for use in lunar surface systems, the application requires the capability to absorb up to 100 krad(SiO 2 ) of total ionizing dose (consistent with a typical lunar mission cycle) and be hardened against latch-up effects that cause system failure in a heavy ion radiation environment. Preliminary characterization of the channel shows the desired integration of an AC current input, programmable gain, and effective filtering at three distinct cutoff frequencies.
ACCURACY OF PREDICTING LONG-TERM PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN OUTCOME BASED ON EARLY PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN RECURRENCE RESULTS AFTER RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY

Purpose: We determined how prostate specific antigen (PSA) doubling time changed with time and whether an early measure of doubling time would accurately predict long-term PSA values and clinical outcome in a cohort of patients followed expectantly after radical prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: We analyzed data on 121 patients with PSA recurrence after radical retropubic prostatectomy. Group and individual analyses were performed on 60 patients who met study inclusion criteria. PSA doubling time was calculated and a curve was plotted using logarithmic transformation with linear regression and least squares analysis. In analysis 1 patients were placed into 3 subgroups according to doubling time. Doubling time was calculated per subgroup and the slopes of the aggregate curves were compared to determine how doubling time changed with time. In analysis 2 we calculated early doubling time per patient using only the initial 2 detectable PSA values and compared it with eventual doubling time in each using al...
Laboratory on Legs: An Architecture for Adjustable Morphology with Legged Robots

For mobile robots, the essential units of actuation, computation, and sensing must be designed to fit within the body of the robot. Additional capabilities will largely depend upon a given activity, and should be easily reconfigurable to maximize the diversity of applications and experiments. To address this issue, we introduce a modular architecture originally developed and tested in the design and implementation of the X-RHex hexapod that allows the robot to operate as a mobile laboratory on legs. In the present paper we will introduce the specification, design and very earliest operational data of Canid, an actively driven compliant-spined quadruped whose completely different morphology and intended dynamical operating point are nevertheless built around exactly the same "Lab on Legs" actuation, computation, and sensing infrastructure. We will review as well, more briefly a second RHex variation, the XRL platform, built using the same components.
The Energy Momentum Tensor in Dirac's New Electromagnetic Theory

TYABJI1 has shown that the energy momentum tensor in the vortical form of Dirac's new electromagnetic theory2 has the same form as that belonging to the non-vortical theory. The method he uses of first obtaining a non-symmetrical form and then adding a suitable symmetrizing term depends on the particular definition of the electromagnetic potential Aµ and thus does not show why the two energy momentum tensors should have the same form.
Discriminatory behavior in New York restaurants: 1950 and 1981

Survey techniques are combined with behavioral observations in this attempt to replicate a 1950 baseline study in order to examine trends in racial discrimination. In the 1950 study, treatment of black and white couples was compared in a sample of 62 restaurants drawn from a population of all restaurants in a large area of East Side Manhattan. In 1981 we carried out similar comparisons in a sample of 20 restaurants (plus four replications) drawn from the same area, following as closely as possible the procedures used in the baseline study. A substantial amount of discrimination was found in 1981, though somewhat less than in 1950. The difficult problems of determining when discrimination has and has not occurred are discussed from the standpoints of both black customers and social science investigators.
Milking gene therapy

Oral administration of an adeno-associated virus vector that encodes the enzyme s-galactosidase effectively reverses lactose intolerance in rats ( pages 1131–1135 ).
Effect of 7-nitroindazole sodium on the cellular distribution of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the cerebral cortex of hypoxic newborn piglets.

Cerebral hypoxia results in generation of nitric oxide (NO) free radicals by Ca++-dependent activation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). The present study tests the hypothesis that the hypoxia-induced increased expression of nNOS in cortical neurons is mediated by NO. To test this hypothesis the cellular distribution of nNOS was determined immunohistochemically in the cerebral cortex of hypoxic newborn piglets with and without prior exposure to the selective nNOS inhibitor 7-nitroindazole sodium (7-NINA). Studies were conducted in newborn piglets, divided into normoxic (n = 6), normoxic treated with 7-NINA (n = 6), hypoxic (n = 6) and hypoxic pretreated with 7-NINA (n = 6). Hypoxia was induced by lowering the FiO2 to 0.05–0.07 for 1 h. Cerebral tissue hypoxia was documented by decrease of ATP and phosphocreatine levels in both the hypoxic and 7-NINA pretreated hypoxic groups (P < 0.01). An increase in the number of nNOS immunoreactive neurons was observed in the frontal and parietal cortex of the hypoxic as compared to the normoxic groups (P < 0.05) which was attenuated by pretreatment with 7-NINA (P < 0.05 versus hypoxic). 7-NINA affected neither the cerebral energy metabolism nor the cellular distribution of nNOS in the cerebral cortex of normoxic animals. We conclude that nNOS expression in cortical neurons of hypoxic newborn piglets is NO-mediated. We speculate that nNOS inhibition by 7-NINA will protect against hypoxia-induced NO-mediated neuronal death.
Oxide-fiber-oxide-matrix composites

Abstract A composite of matching oxide matrix and oxide fibers, such as Al2O3-Al2O3, is an attractive system for high temperature applications answering the problems of thermal mismatch, creep and corrosion resistance. The fracture toughness of such composites is governed by the strength and toughness of the fiber-matrix interfaces. A coating on single-crystal Al2O3 fiber with a layered structure, allowing the control of this interfacial strength, is proposed and the method of achieving it has been developed. The layered structure of the coating is produced by the reaction-induced formation of a void layer in the coating. A new modification of a previously developed laser spallation method of measuring the adhesive strength between the coating and the substrate is presented and its application to the particular coatings is discussed. The tensile strength of the interface between the coating and the fiber substrate for the pairs of Al2O3-TiO2 and Al2O3-ZrO2 was determined by this method. The interdiffusion of the coating and substrate in a temperature range up to 1600 °C was investigated using secondary ion mass spectrometry. The statistical strength distribution of Al2O3 single-crystal fibers that are prime candidates for reinforcement of such composites was evaluated.
A review of soil-structure interaction effects in the seimic analysis of nuclear power plants

Abstract A survey of investigations of soil-structure interaction in the seismic analysis of nuclear power plants is presented. After a discussion of various methods that have been applied to calculate interaction effects, results of various investigations are discussed. Differences in system response associated with various analytical models are pointed out. Conclusions and recommendations for additional studies are made.
Carbon Flux Distributions at the Glucose 6‐Phosphate Branch Point in Corynebacterium glutamicum during Lysine Overproduction

Analyses indicate that the lysine yield in Corynebacterium glutamicum is limited by suboptimal flux partitioning at either the glucose 6-phosphate (Glc6P), phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), or pyruvate (Pyr) branch points (or a combination thereof), which results in disproportionate production of the required lysine precursors. Suboptimal flux partitioning at a metabolic branch point can result from the inadequate enzyme activity of a subordinate branch (a weakly rigid branch point) or from the active feedback regulation of the flux partitioning (strongly rigid branch point). In order to examine branch-point characteristics, we have utilized metabolite balances, constrained by biochemistry, to estimate flux distributions in the primary metabolic network of C. glutamicum from measured, extracellular, metabolite accumulation rates. These flux distributions, in combination with local metabolic perturbations, were used to infer branch-point characteristics. This study examines the flexibility of the Glc6P branch point, which could limit lysine yield via inadequate NADPH production, by perturbations induced from attenuation of Glc6P isomerase activity (first branch-point enzyme of glycolysis) and by fermentation on gluconate, which effectively bypasses the Glc6P branch point. Results from the analyses of these perturbations, as well as the flux distributions at the Glc6P branch point during the different phases of a control lysine fermentation, indicate that the Glc6P branch point is neither weakly nor strongly rigid, so that limitations in lysine yield must result from rigidity at either the PEP or Pyr branch point.
An Overview of the Non-Visual Effects of Retinal Light Exposure

Comparisons will be made between light as a stimulus to the visual system and light as a stimulus to non-visual, biological effects that affect human behavior and well-being.
Replication Based QoS Framework for Flash Arrays

The increasing popularity of the storage cloud is leading organizations to move their applications and enterprise data into the cloud. It is desirable to move time-critical applications demanding high performance I/O operations. Flash based storage arrays have emerged to address the high performance I/O requirements, however, providing predictable Quality of Service (QoS) for applications with real time data requirements is a challenging open problem. This paper introduces a QoS framework for flash based storage arrays. Our framework provides deterministic and statistical response time guarantees through a combination of techniques including replication, data mining, and online retrieval. We evaluated the framework using synthetic and real-world traces. The QoS performance of the system is compared to the existing high-throughput RAID designs. Numerical results show that under the synthetic traces, QoS performance of the proposed system outperforms the existing high performance RAID designs. Real world traces indicate that the proposed QoS mechanism is tunable to support the guarantees required by various real world applications.
Student evaluations of college instructors: effects of type of course taught, instructor gender and gender role, and student gender

The college curriculum is often separated into divisions or course types (e.g., natural science, the arts) that may be perceived to differ in the extent to which they use expressive feminine attributes (e.g., affectionate, sensitive) and instrumental masculine attributes (e.g., assertive, forceful). In Experiment 1, the effects of course type, student gender, and instructor gender and gender role on student evaluations of instructor effectiveness were examined. In Experiment 2, students'perceptions of the importance of various gender role characteristics in instructors of different course types were explored
Dendrites, Viscous Fingers, and the Theory of Pattern Formation

There has emerged recently a new theoretical picture of the way in which patterns are formed in dendritic crystal growth and in the closely analogous phenomenon of viscous fingering in fluids. Some interesting questions that arise in connection with this theory include: How broad is its range of validity? How do we understand dynamic stability in systems of this kind? What is the origin of sidebranches? Can weak noise, or even microscopic thermal fluctuations, play a role in determining the macroscopic features of these systems?
Preparations and structures of (π-C5H5)2NbI2 and (π-C5H5)2NbI3

Dicyclopentadienylniobium triiodide can be synthesized by halide ion exchange reaction from (π-C5H5)2NbCl2OH and NH4I in aqueous solution. This compound, in contrast to the other known (π-C5H5)2NbX3 compounds (XCl, Br), shows on tendency to hydrolyze. It can be crystallized as thin violet plates from dichloromethane. Dicyclopentadienylniobium diiodie is formed when (π-C5H5)2NbCl2OH is reduced by benzyl mercaptan in a methanol/benzene solution, in the presence of NH4I. This compound forms black, lustrous crystals, which are slightly air sensitive, though the compound itself is decomposed rapidly by air in solution. The compound is paramagnetic. The infrared spectrum of (π-C5H5)2NbI2 is almost identical with the spectrum of the analogous zirconium compound, suggesting similar structures. The infrared spectrum of (π-C5H5)2NbI3 supports a structure involving parallel or near parallel cyclopentadienyl rings. Models for such a system are proposed which strongly support this structure.
LONG-LIVED LUMINESCENCE FROM COMMONLY USED APIEZON COMPOUNDS

Abstract Long-lived (~12s) luminescence from Apiezon compounds (greases and wax) has been measured following ultraviolet or visible excitation in the temperature regime 8–300 K. A typical spectrum consists of a single Gaussian band centered near 2.2 eV. The intensity of this band is maximum at the lowest temperature investigated (8 K), decreases nonlinearly with increasing temperature, and becomes undetectable near 250 K. Spectral peak position and full-width at half-maximum remain approximately constant throughout this temperature interval for fixed measurement times. Time decay measurements at 8 K show an increase in peak position with increasing time lapse since optical excitation. The time dependence of peak intensities as a function of temperature can be described by I(t) = [A exp (−αt)] [1 + B{1 − exp (αt)}] , consistent with P-type delayed fluorescence arising from triplet-state deexcitation in organic molecules. Although the composition of Apiezon compounds is proprietary they are known to contain a high proportion of hydrocarbons. The single Gaussian emission band and long fluorescence lifetime is consistent with previous observations on hydrocarbons. Because Apiezon compounds are easily excited, yielding fairly intense luminescence, caution must be exercised when using them in optical experiments.
ART networks in automated conceptual design of structural systems

Abstract The present paper examines applications of adaptive resonance theory (ART) based neural networks in structural design. ART networks are vector classifiers, and their proposed use in the present work is to classify given conceptual design situations into one of several categories for which solutions are known. Once such a category is established, the actual generation of design is relegated to a procedural process associated with the category. In the present work, this approach is applied to the design of beam and frame structures for minimum weight and for maximum load carrying capacity. For such problems, the significant issues are shown to reside in selection of problem features used in the model abstraction, and in the choice of network parameters during training and classification.
Scalar bound states and dynamical symmetry breaking

The possibility of a model with a massive fermion, axial-vector and scalar mesons, and a massless vector meson originating as a dynamical consequence of a chiral U(1) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} U(1) gauge-invariant model with a massless fermion and vector and axial-vector mesons is explored. A recent approach due to Cornwall which makes use of an effective Lagrangian combined with the Callan-Symanzik equations, and its extension, are used with an assumption similar to that of the Baker-Johnson finite quantum electrodynamics. The physical quartic scalar coupling constant and the ratios of physical masses of axial-vector and scalar mesons with respect to that of fermions are expressed in terms of the vector and axial-vector gauge coupling constants.
Dense infaunal assemblages on the continental slope off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina

Unusually dense assemblages of benthic infaunal invertebrates have been discovered in continental slope sediments off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Densities were highest on the upper slope, ranging from 24,055 to 61,244 (X¯=46,255) individuals m−2 in nine samples taken at a 600-m site in 1984 and 1985, and from 15,522 to 89,566 (X¯=37,282) individuals m−2 in single samples at 15 stations over a wider depth range of 530 to 1535 m in 1992. A lower slope station at 2000 m sampled six times in 1984–1985 and again in 1992, had densities consistently higher than 8500 individuals m−2. Species richness and diversity are consistently lower on the Cape Hatteras slope than at other locations off North Carolina and elsewhere in the western North Atlantic. The 1992 studies indicated that the upper slope infaunal assemblages (∼600m) were dominated by oligochaetes, while the middle slope assemblages (800–1400 m) were dominated by the polychaeteScalibregma inflatum. This latter depth range could be defined into two assemblages based upon suites of less abundant species. At depths of 1500–2000 m, a lower slope assemblage dominated by various deposit feeding polychaetes and oligochaetes was found. Results from the 1984–1985 studies suggest seasonal or year-to-year patterns in the dominance ofS. inflatum andCossura longocirrata. Unusually high sedimentation rates and organic carbon flux have been recorded from the slope off Cape Hatteras and may account for the high infaunal productivity in the area. Most of the dominant infaunal organisms are species more typical of shallow, coastal habitats rather than deep-sea species that dominate other areas of the U.S. Atlantic continental slope. Parallel investigations regarding the nature of organic matter in the Cape Hatteras sediments have revealed a mixture of both marine and terrestrially derived carbon, only a small percentage of which is composed of the smaller molecular weight polyunsaturated fatty acids more typical of continental slope sediments. It is likely that the high percentage of refractory organic matter would favor the survival of preadapted shelf species over those from adjacent slope environments.
Revealing boundary-contour based surface representation through the time course of binocular rivalry.

We varied the surface boundary-contour properties of binocular rivalry (BR) stimuli to measure the rivalry percept as a function of stimulus duration. Experiment 1 compared perception from BR stimuli with monocular boundary contour (MBC) and binocular boundary contour (BBC). We found global dominance is achieved with stimulus duration as short as 30 ms for the MBC rivalry stimuli, whereas it takes more than 150 ms for the BBC rivalry stimuli. This shows that global dominance can occur rapidly in the absence of a corresponding boundary contour in one half-image. Experiment 2 measured the detection of a monocular Gabor probe located centrally on a 1.5° versus 3.0° MBC rivalry stimulus. We found reliable binocular suppression is observed earlier with the 1.5° MBC stimulus, presumably because of the probe being spatially located nearer to the boundary contour. These findings, in conjunction with those in Su et al. (2011), support the notion that the representation of the dominant surface begins at the MBC and spreads toward the center of the image.
Hormone-Carrier-Neurosecretory Granule Association in the Urophysis of the Goby Gillichthys mirabilis*

Nishioka, R. S., Bern, H. A., Gunther, R. L. 1980. Hormone-carrier-neurosecretory granule association in the urophysis of the goby Gillichthys mirabilis. (Department of Zoology and Cancer Research Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California, N.S.A.) — Acta zool. (Stockh.) 61(1): 29–38. The caudal neurosecretory system of the mudsucker, Gillichthys mirabilis, was investigated using continuous sucrose density gradient centrifugation, electron microscopy, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and bioassay. A strong light-scattering band near the 41 % sucrose concentration was shown to contain neurosecretory granules by electron microscopy and urotensin II activity by bioassay. Aliquots of this band were run in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the selected regions of the gel containing those bands unique to urophysial tissue were cut out and eluted after the gel had been sliced longitudinally. The eluate from the region of the unique band (rf 0.46) gave the highest urotensin II bioassay activity when compared to adjacent areas. The remaining half of the gel was stained to confirm the localization of the unique bands. Gels made from regions adjacent to the 41 % sucrose concentration showed less stainability of the bands, and eluate of regions from its unique bands contained correspondingly less bioactivity.
Cycles of linear permutations over a finite field

Abstract We study the cycle structure of those permutations of the finite field Fqn of the form L(x) = ∑ i=0 n−1 a i x q i where each ai ϵ Fq. For such a permutation, the problem of finding its cycle decomposition of Fqn can be reduced to finding its cycle decomposition on certain T-invariant subspaces of Fqn, where T is the operator defined by T : x → xq. If L1(x) and L2(x)M are in the above form, we say that L1(x) and L2(x) are equivalent if L1(x) and L2(x) induce the same cycle decomposition of Fqn, and we say they are strongly equivalent if they induce the same cycle decomposition in every T-invariant subspace of Fqn. We show that these notions are not the same, and we give characterizing theorems for each.
Sensitivity of Generation Reliability Indices to Generator Parameter Variations

The paper presents efficient methods for calculating the sensitivities of the common single-area generation system reliability indices of loss-of-load expectation and the frequency and duration of cumulative margin events to variations in generator parameters. The methods presented are useful in quantifying the effects of generator parameter uncertainties and in providing rapid new solutions for reliability indices given postulated changes in generator parameters.
The Higher Thoughts of Sri Lanka: Seeking Purity; Notes From The Underground

Michael Carrithers. The Forest Monks of Sri Lanka: An Anthropological and Historical Study. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1983- xii. 306 pp. $32.50 (cloth). Dan Rose. The Masks. New York: Printed Matter, Inc. n.d. unpaged.
Individual mouse taste cells respond to multiple chemical stimuli.

Sensory organs are specialized to detect and decode stimuli in terms of intensity and quality. In the gustatory system, the process of identifying and distinguishing taste qualities (e.g. bitter versus sweet) begins in taste buds. A central question in gustatory research is how information about taste quality is extracted by taste receptor cells. For instance, whether and how individual taste cells respond to multiple chemical stimuli is still a matter for debate. A recent study showed that taste cells expressing bitter-responsive taste receptors do not also express sweet-responsive taste receptors and vice versa. These results suggest that the gustatory system may use separate cellular pathways to process bitter and sweet signals independently. Results from electrophysiological studies, however, reveal that individual taste receptor cells respond to stimuli representing multiple taste qualities. Here we used non-invasive Ca2+ imaging in slices of lingual tissue containing taste buds to address the issue of quality detection in murine taste receptor cells. We recorded calcium transients elicited by chemical stimuli representing different taste qualities (sweet, salty, sour and bitter). Many receptor cells (38 %) responded to multiple taste qualities, with some taste cells responding to both appetitive (‘sweet’) and aversive (‘bitter’) stimuli. Thus, there appears to be no strict and separate detection of taste qualities by distinct subpopulations of taste cells in peripheral gustatory sensory organs in mice.