cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automatic firearm class identification from cartridge cases

We present a machine vision system for automatic identification of the class of firearms by extracting and analyzing two significant properties from spent cartridge cases, namely the Firing Pin Impression (FPI) and the Firing Pin Aperture Outline (FPAO). Within the framework of the proposed machine vision system, a white light interferometer is employed to image the head of the spent cartridge cases. As a first step of the algorithmic procedure, the Primer Surface Area (PSA) is detected using a circular Hough transform. Once the PSA is detected, a customized statistical region-based parametric active contour model is initialized around the center of the PSA and evolved to segment the FPI. Subsequently, the scaled version of the segmented FPI is used to initialize a customized Mumford-Shah based level set model in order to segment the FPAO. Once the shapes of FPI and FPAO are extracted, a shape-based level set method is used in order to compare these extracted shapes to an annotated dataset of FPIs and FPAOs from varied firearm types. A total of 74 cartridge case images non-uniformly distributed over five different firearms are processed using the aforementioned scheme and the promising nature of the results (95% classification accuracy) demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach.
The Elite II Bariatric Surgery Retractor system: a recent addition to the bariatric surgeon's tool chest.

Background: A good surgical retractor is essential for facilitating bariatric surgery. Recently,Thompson Surgical Instruments designed a new system specifically for bariatric surgical procedures. Methods: The Elite II™ Bariatric Retractor system was evaluated in 50 successive bariatric surgical patients. We had the opportunity to modify and improve several major components. We report our experience with this modified retractor system. Results: This system proved to be safe, easy to use, durable, and useful in patients of all BMIs, following modifications and improvements to standard parts. Conclusion: This new bariatric retractor system is an improvement over prior bariatric retractor systems being used.
The Visceral Adiposity Syndrome in Japanese-American Men

Japanese-Americans have an increased prevalence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease when compared to native Japanese. This increase has been associated with fasting hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and low plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of both visceral adiposity and insulin resistance to this metabolic syndrome and to the presence of a predominance of small, dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles (LDL subclass phenotype B) that has been associated with increased atherogenic risk. Six Japanese-American men with non-insulin-dependent diabetes, each receiving an oral sulfonylurea, were selected. One or 2 nondiabetic Japanese-American men, matched by age and body mass index, were selected for each diabetic subject, giving a total of 9 nondiabetic men. Diabetic subjects had significantly higher fasting plasma glucose (p=0.0007) and lower insulin sensitivity (SI, p=0.018) using the minimal model technique than nondiabetic subjects matched for body mass index. Six men (2 with diabetes) had LDL phenotype A and 8 (4 with diabetes) had phenotype B. One nondiabetic subject had an intermediate low-density lipoprotein pattern. Significantly greater amounts of intra-abdominal fat (p=0.045) measured by computed tomography were found in the men with phenotype B while fasting insulin (p=0.070) and triglycerides (p=0.051) tended to be higher. free fatty acids (r=0.677), LDL density (relative flotation rate, r=-0.803), and plasma HDL-cholesterol (r=-0.717). SI was significantly correlated only with plasma free fatty acids (r=-0.546) and tended to be correlated with hepatic lipase activity (r=-0.512, p=0.061). In conclusion, these observations indicate that in non-obese Japanese-American men, the metabolic features of the so-called insulin resistance syndrome, including LDL phenotype B, are more strongly correlated with visceral adiposity than with SI. It may therefore be more appropriate to call this the visceral adiposity syndrome. Although questions concerning mechanisms still remain, we postulate that visceral adiposity plays a central role in the development of many of the metabolic abnormalities, including LDL subclass phenotype B, that occur in this metabolic syndrome.
Vulnerability of the hippocampus to kainate excitotoxicity in the aged, mature and young adult rat

Sensitivity to excitotoxic damage was assessed in young adult, mature and aged male Sprague-Dawley rats. Kainic acid was injected into the hippocampus and the size of the hippocampal lesion rated. Intrahippocampal injection of kainic acid produced lesions in aged animals that were significantly smaller than lesions in the young rats (P < 0.05), while lesion size in mature rats was intermediate. Excitotoxic damage was localized primarily to the CA3 region of the hippocampus in the aged rats. Young adult rats had more damage to the hippocampus with involvement of CA1 pyramidal and dentate granule cells. These results suggest that increased age may reduce susceptibility to excitotoxic damage.
Disseminating information using an anesthesiology consultant report: impact on patient perceptions of quality of care.

Abstract Study Objective: To determine if providing an Anesthesiology Consultant Report (ACR) to patients would result in enhanced patients' perceptions of their knowledge about their care and improve their perception of the quality of their care. Design: Randomized, unblinded study. Setting: Outpatient center associated with tertiary care center. Patients: 371 outpatients without adverse anesthetic events. Interventions: Patients were randomized to receive either routine discharge instructions or routine instructions and an anesthesia discharge summary (ACR). Measurements and Main Results: Short questionnaire with discharge packet regarding knowledge of anesthetic and questions regarding satisfaction and perceptions of quality of care was distributed. The patients in the group that received an ACR were more satisfied with the management of their pain and other symptoms ( p p Conclusions: Providing patients, with uneventful anesthetic courses, with information regarding their anesthetic care, in the form of the ACR, results in improved perceptions of the quality of care.
Role of Schemata in Memory for Places

Abstract A study of memory for places was carried out to examine five hypotheses about the use of schemata in memory performance: (a) that schemata determine what objects are encoded into memory; (b) that schemata act as frameworks for episodic information; (c) that schema-based information is integrated with episodic information; (d) that schemata facilitate retrieval; and (e) that schemata influence what is communicated at recall. Subjects were taken into what they thought was a graduate student's office and later were tested for memory of the room with either drawing recall, written recall, or verbal recognition. Memory scores for objects were correlated with schema expectancy and saliency ratings. Schema expectancy was positively correlated with recall and recognition. Expected objects were inferred in recall, supporting the integration hypothesis. Comparison of recall and recognition data supported the retrieval hypothesis. Analysis of the written descriptions supported the communication hypothesis. Saliency was positively correlated with recall and recognition for present objects, but was unrelated to retrieval. Saliency was negatively correlated with recognition for nonpresent objects, suggesting a metacognitive strategy in recognition of high-salient objects.
Massively Parallel I/O for Partitioned Solver Systems

This paper investigates I/O approaches for massively parallel partitioned solver systems. Typically, such systems have synchronized "loops" and write data in a well defined block I/O format consisting of a header and data portion. Our target use for such a parallel I/O subsystem is checkpoint-restart where writing is by far the most common operation and reading typically only happens during either initialization or during a restart operation because of a system failure. We compare four parallel I/O strategies: POSIX File Per Processor (1PFPP), "Poor-Man's" Parallel I/O (PMPIO), a synchronized parallel I/O (syncIO), and a "reduced blocking" strategy (rbIO). Performance tests executed on the Blue Gene/P at Argonne National Laboratory using real CFD solver data from PHASTA (an unstructured grid finite element Navier-Stokes solver) show that the syncIO strategy can achieve a read bandwidth of 47.4 GB/sec and a write bandwidth of 27.5 GB/sec using 128K processors. The "reduced-blocking" rbIO strategy achieves an actual writing performance of 17.8 GB/sec and the perceived writing performance is 166 TB/sec on Blue Gene/P using 128K processors.
Communicating ‘normalcy’ in Israel: intra/intercultural paradox and interceptions in tourism discourse

This case study of Israeli tourism discourse during a time of heightened violent conflict compares official state discourse, which situates tourism in Israel as safe and the country's status as ‘normal’, with material–symbolic interceptions of individuals and occurrences. I locate an intra/intercultural dialectic of ‘normalcy’ used to signify several paradoxical meanings, to achieve and preserve security of being, and to strategically situate an ‘interpretive mismatch’ for ideological and economic intercultural consumption. I also reflexively examine the complicit and resistant roles of foreign media press trips in co-constructing state tourism promotion strategies, in part looking at my own role as a journalist as echoer of strategic intercultural regimes of truth and filterer of interceptions.
Information science: a third feedback framework

Feedback has been a fundamental element in many cybernetic and social models. Information science is also exploring feedback as a key concept within information seeking and retrieving models. This article first presents an overview of the feedback concepts within the frameworks and models of cybernetics and the social sciences. The article then proposes that an enhanced feedback concept is developing within the framework and models of information seeking and retrieving, and the development of a cognitive viewpoint of information, illuminating the information seeking and retrieving context. The three feedback frameworks and concepts (cybernetic, social, and interaction) are then compared based on their conceptualization of the feedback loop and notion of information. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Discovery of Vector Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Newly Installed Above- and Belowground Stormwater Treatment Systems in San Diego County, California

Stormwater treatment systems (STS) intended to mitigate the potentially negative public health and environmental impact caused by urban runoff are highly conducive to mosquito production. Thirty-one STS, 15 aboveground extended detention basins (EDBs) and 16 proprietary belowground systems newly installed along State Route 125 in San Diego County, CA, were inspected monthly between July 2008 and June 2009 for presence of standing water and mosquitoes. During the 12-mo study, standing water was observed in 66% of the 180 total inspections to EDBs and at least once in each of the 15 basins, whereas belowground systems held water year-round in permanent-water sumps. With the exception of one EDB, immature mosquitoes were observed in all STS, during every month of the year in EDBs and all months except December in belowground systems. Cumulatively, mosquitoes were noted in 44% of the 372 total site inspections, with a nearly equal number of positive observations from EDBs and belowground systems. Four species were identified from EDBs, Culex tarsalis Coquillett, Cx. quinquefasciatus Say, Anopheles hermsi Barr and Guptavanij, and Culiseta incidens (Thompson). Cx. quinquefasciatus was the sole species identified from belowground systems. Results derived from this study provide additional evidence for mosquito production in STS because of structural design or persistent inflows, or both, of dry-weather urban runoff. Interagency collaboration is needed to ensure that STS are designed and maintained in a way that minimizes their potential to produce mosquitoes that can negatively affect public health.
Regulation of mesangial chloride channels by insulin and glucose: role in diabetic nephropathy.

1. In response to vasoactive peptides (e.g. angiotensin II (AngII), vasopressin, endothelin-1, platelet-activating factor), glomerular mesangial cell contraction is mediated through activation of a Ca2+-dependent Cl- conductance that, in turn, promotes membrane depolarization and voltage-activated Ca2+ entry. 2. Using patch clamp technology, our laboratory was the first to characterize a candidate Ca2+-dependent, 4 pS Cl- channel that is stimulated by vasoactive peptides in cultured rat mesangial cells. In the absence of extracellular insulin, the activation of Cl- channels by AngII is abolished. We find that Cl- channel sensitivity to intracellular Ca2+ and the membrane density of AngII receptors is also dependent on the presence of insulin. 3. Our studies also show that high extracellular glucose interferes with mesangial cell IP3 generation and Cl- channel stimulation. Importantly, we find that the insulin-dependency of Cl- channels occurs within the range of plasma insulin concentrations observed in normal, obese, hypertensive and diabetic humans (i.e. 1-100 mu U/mL). Similarly, normal regulation of Cl- channel activity is also modulated by glucose concentrations commonly observed in the plasma of diabetic humans (5-30 mmol/L). 4. There is substantial evidence, both in diabetic humans and animal models, that the provision of insulin and improved glycaemic control corrects or prevents glomerular hyperfiltration. The requirement for normal insulin and glucose levels, for the proper regulation of the 4 pS Cl- channel, provides a mechanism for impaired Ca2+ uptake and contraction observed in glomerular mesangial cells in association with insulin deficiency and hyperglocaemia.
Electrophysiologic effects of intranasal cocaine.

Abstract In conclusion, intranasal cocaine, 2 mg/kg, induced no change in electrocardiographic intervals or a variety of electrophysiologic variables.
Wiggly cosmic strings, neutrinos and large-scale structure

Abstract We discuss the cosmic string scenario of large-scale structure formation in light of the result that the strings are not smooth but instead have a lot of sub-structure or wiggles on them. It appears from the results of Albrecht and Stebbins that the scenario works best if the universe is dominated by massive neutrinos or some other form of hot dark matter. Some unique features of the scenario, such as the generation of primordial magnetic fields, are also described.
Writing on the Plywood: Toward an Analysis of Hurricane Graffiti

People often paint graffiti-like messages on the plywood used to cover windows and doors during a hurricane. The content of these landscape inscriptions ranges from practical information to deeper expressions of emotion and beliefs. Hurricane graffiti is an under-analyzed yet potentially useful indicator of the range of psychological needs, social tensions, and environmental attitudes circulating within coastal communities. First, we begin establishing the analytical significance of reading and interpreting hurricane graffiti. The second purpose of this article is to document the meaning and functions of graffiti written by coastal residents and business owners in the southeastern United States during the very active 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons. Our final intent is to speculate on the value of hurricane graffiti to coastal management.
THE ISOLATION OF RIBOSOMES FROM EGGS AND EMBRYOS OF RANA PIPIENS.

Abstract A new method of preparing ribosomes from Rana pipiens eggs and embryos which utilized high pH, ionic strength and detergent, gives good yields of particles having the characteristics of ribosomes. These particles depend on magnesium for their integrity, sediment with the same velocity as ribosomes from adult liver, and contain RNA characteristic of ribosomal RNA.
SPORELING COALESCENCE IN CHONDRUS CRISPUS (RHODOPHYCEAE)1

SUMMARY Coalescence of developing sporelings of Chondrus crispus Stackhouse was observed. Juvenile tetra-sporophytes showed a higher proportion of coalescence than developing gametophytes. Stages of complete coalescence between different sporelings are illustrated. Coalesced sporelings exhibit vertical and horizontal alignment of cells, as well as “cuticular” continuity and secondary pit connections between adjacent, coalesced sporelings. Ultimately the cells in the center of the coalesced sporelings produce upright, multiaxial fronds that grow more rapidly than fronds of non-coalesced sporelings. Other red algae, such as Gracilaria verrucosa (Hudson) Papenfuss and Gigartina stellata (Stackhouse) Batters also show a similar sequence of sporeling coalescence and enhanced growth. The ecological significance of sporeling coalescence is discussed.
Island structure and growth of pulsed laser deposited YBa2Cu3O7−x superconducting thin films

Abstract Surface and grain topography of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x epitaxial thin films grown on (100) NdGaO 3 using pulsed laser deposition has been studied using atomic force and scanning tunneling microscopy under ambient conditions. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy results support the force microscopy findings. Parametric studies of the effect of substrate temperature, annealing time and deposition rate were performed on 33 nm thick films. The observed island re-orientation as a function of time-at-temperature suggest that under our epitaxial growth conditions, the nuclei ripening time can be on the order of seconds. Implications for the observed island structure on transport and microwave surface resistance properties are briefly discussed.
The Multifunctional Protein Kinase C-ε in Cancer Development and Progression

The protein kinase C (PKC) family proteins are important signal transducers and have long been the focus of cancer research. PKCɛ, a member of this family, is overexpressed in most solid tumors and plays critical roles in different processes that lead to cancer development. Studies using cell lines and animal models demonstrated the transforming potential of PKCɛ. While earlier research established the survival functions of PKCɛ, recent studies revealed its role in cell migration, invasion and cancer metastasis. PKCɛ has also been implicated in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), which may be the underlying mechanism by which it contributes to cell motility. In addition, PKCɛ affects cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions by direct regulation of the cytoskeletal elements. Recent studies have also linked PKCɛ signaling to cancer stem cell functioning. This review focuses on the role of PKCɛ in different processes that lead to cancer development and progression. We also discussed current literatures on the pursuit of PKCɛ as a target for cancer therapy.
Anaplastic thymic carcinoma: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 6 cases

Primary thymic anaplastic ("undifferentiated") carcinoma is an unusual thymic neoplasm that, to date, has not been properly characterized. We present 6 such cases in an attempt to better define this entity. The patients were 5 women and 1 man with an age range from 42 to 72 years (mean, 62 years). None of the patients had any history or radiologic evidence of tumor elsewhere. All patients presented with symptoms related to their anterior mediastinal masses: shortness of breath, chest pain, and cough. Histologically, the lesions were characterized by infiltrative tumors with marked cytologic atypia, bizarre tumor giant cells, and atypical mitoses. None of the neoplasms showed areas of other well-defined types of thymic carcinoma. Immunohistochemically, all tumors showed positive staining for pancytokeratin, 40% expressed Pax8, and none reacted with thyroid transcription factor 1 or β-human chorionic gonadotropin. Follow-up available for 4 patients showed that 3 patients had died 14, 22, and 63 months after diagnosis, whereas 1 patient is alive 4 months after diagnosis. Two patients were lost to follow-up. Anaplastic thymic carcinoma is a distinct morphological type of thymic carcinoma with an aggressive clinical course, which needs to be included in the differential diagnosis of tumors displaying giant cells in the anterior mediastinum.
Evolution of Cortical Activation During Recovery From Corticospinal Tract Infarction

Background and Purpose—Recovery from hemiparesis due to corticospinal tract infarction is well documented, but the mechanism of recovery is unknown. Functional MRI (fMRI) provides a means of identifying focal brain activity related to movement of a paretic hand. Although prior studies have suggested that supplementary motor regions in the ipsilesional and contralesional hemisphere play a role in recovery, little is known about the time course of cortical activation in these regions as recovery proceeds. Methods—Eight patients with first-ever corticospinal tract lacunes causing hemiparesis had serial fMRIs within the first few days after stroke and at 3 to 6 months. Six healthy subjects were used as controls. Statistically significant voxels during a finger-thumb opposition task were identified with an automated image processing program. An index of ipsilateral versus contralateral activity was used to compare relative contributions of the 2 hemispheres to motor function in the acute and chronic phases aft...
Technical Note: Ennoblement—A Common Phenomenon?

A shift of the corrosion potential in the positive direction (“ennoblement”) has been observed for cartridge brass and Al 2024 (UNS A92024) exposed to artificial seawater or Luria Bertani growth medium in the presence of bacteria such as B. subtilis, B. licheniformis, or E. coli. Since ennoblement was always accompanied by a reduction of corrosion rates, it can be assumed that natural biofilms produce inhibitive species. The production of polypeptides and polyphosphates by biogenetically engineered bacteria provided additional corrosion protection.
Determination of the Isotensor Electromagnetic Current from Pion Photoproduction

Some consequences of an isotensor component of the electromagnetic current are examined in simple pion photoproduction. An experiment to detect the isotensor contribution in pion photoproduction from deuterium (already suggested by several authors) is reformulated to improve the sensitivity of the test. To estimate how accurately the experiment should be performed, upper bounds on the strength of the isotensor contribution are obtained from our experimental and theoretical knowledge of pion photoproduction from the nucleon. This limit turns out to be much smaller than previously stated in the literature.
Nitroglycerin for rapid tocolysis: development of a protocol and a literature review.

OBJECTIVE: A protocol for nitroglycerin (NTG) use based on experiences with regard to new and previously described obstetric cases is presented. The efficacy of NTG tocolysis for obstetric emergencies is clinically evaluated. STUDY DESIGN: Hemodynamically stable parturients requiring acute tocolysis were treated with intravenous NTG and closely monitored. Clinical information was subsequently abstracted from medical records and compared with data from previous reviews. RESULTS: Tocolytic treatment was successful in all cases (22 of 22, 100%). Complications were clinically insignificant. The most common problem was transient hypotension, which occurred in 9 of 22 (41%) cases. CONCLUSION: NTG is an effective tocolytic with minimal complications, rapid onset, and a brief half-life. These characteristics favor its use during select obstetric procedures. However, strict adherence to protocols for administration is advised.
Starting a new conversation: An engineering faculty advisor development program

This work addresses a gap in the professional development of engineering faculty: student advising. The development and assessment of the Designated Faculty Advisor program is described, including training components, student and faculty responses, and future plans.
Photolyase of Myxococcus xanthus, a Gram-negative Eubacterium, Is More Similar to Photolyases Found in Archaea and Higher Eukaryotes than to Photolyases of Other Eubacteria

We report the identification of the gene encoding a DNA photolyase (phrA) from the Gram-negative eubacterium Myxococcus xanthus. The deduced amino acid sequence of M. xanthus photolyase indicates that the protein contains 401 amino acids (Mr 45,071). By comparison of the amino acid and DNA sequences with those of other known photolyases, it has been found that it is more similar to the deduced amino acid sequences of the photolyases of "higher" eukaryotes than to the photolyases of other eubacteria. Recombinant plasmids carrying M. xanthus phrA rescue the photoreactivation activity of an irradiated strain of Escherichia coli with a deletion in phrA. This rescue is light-dependent.
Stability and growth of silicalite seeds: an observation of initial breeding

Abstract The stability of silicalite seeds in solution is shown to depend on the cations in the liquid solution and the way in which seeds have been treated. Calcined seeds dissolve in caustic solutions, whereas uncalcined seeds are stable in some solutions. Na + solutions appear to have greater solvating properties for silicalite than do NH 4 + solutions. Fresh seeds are shown to grow in a silicalite synthesis mixture. Dried or calcined seeds grow, but also produce a new population of nuclei that results from an initial breeding mechanism.
Tissue plasminogen activator synthesis by trabecular cells and its implications for fibrinolytic therapy of the eye

Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) has proved to be an effective drug for intravascular fibrinolysis. We have found that the trabecular meshwork system, which regulates the outflow of the aqueous humor in the eye, normally contains a significant amount of t-PA (0.2 IU/mg protein). When we experimentally introduced 0.2 ml autologous plasma into the anterior chamber of dog eyes, the amount of t-PA in the trabecular meshwork increased 2.5-fold within 90 minutes. In cultured porcine trabecular meshwork cells, exposure to 10 U/ml thrombin for 24 hours caused a maximum rise in the concentration (0.82 ng/ml) and in the activity (0.63 IU/ml) of t-PA. Despite this synthesis of t-PA by the trabecular meshwork system and other structures of the eye, as well as its normal level in the aqueous humor, a delay in the dissolution of fibrin in the anterior chamber occurs in various clinical conditions, and this compromises the structural and functional integrity of the ocular tissues. Because the locally produced proteases are apparently insufficent to resolve rapidly the fibrin, and based on our present and previous investigations in the eye, we advocate the exogenous administration of t-PA when rapid fibrinolysis must be behieved. We propose, with caution, a guideline for the therapeutic use of t-PA in the eye.
Digital angiography in the diagnosis of congenital heart disease: An alternative viewpoint

The introduction of the image intensifier-cine camera to angiocardiography greatly facilitated selective catheterization procedures and revolutionized diagnostic approaches to congenital heart disease. Of historical interest is that before the advent of the image intensifier, angiography was approached via venous injection and was labeled "forward angiocardiography". While diagnostic in many instances, it had severe limitations for diagnosis owing to the global nature of the injection and opacification of all cardiac structures. With the beginning of selective catheterization, that is, injection into any cardiac chamber or vessel, diagnostic accuracy significantly improved. Ironically, this paper describes a procedure that reverts to the past, suggesting intravenous contrast injection for the diagnosis of congenital heart disease, albeit using the somewhat more sophisticated technology of digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Drs. Bogren and Bfirsch meticulously describe the technology of digital equipment specifically designed for cardiac work, the development of techniques using animal models, and, finally, the results of preliminary studies in humans. The authors give an appropriately detailed explanation of the digital equipment and specifically consider features that aid in cardiac examinations of particular importance since not all commercially available digital units are suitable for cardiac examinations. They discuss, in particular, ECG and respiratory gating and interlaced versus noninterlaced data acquisition. These are all crucial technical considerations in cardiac digital angiography and these sections are complete, the authors' discussion is lucid and their conclusions are valid. We take issue, however, with some of the statements made. For
Interference effects of radiofrequency fields in resonance radiation

The theory developed previously to investigate the splitting of Zeeman lines by r.f. magnetic fields leads directly to the Brossel-Bitter resonance obtained in experiments on double resonance. An extension of the theory accounts for the effects of the modulation of light recently observed in these experiments.
Effects of low light intensity on different growth phases in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The effect of low light intensity (40 to 50% of natural light) at different growth stages and subsequent exposure to natural light was assessed on growth and productivity in 2 genotypes during kharif and 3 during rabi under 2 N levels. The dry matter accumulation was affected under shading at all stages, which was critical from primordial initiation (PI) onwards. The expression of panicle number appears to be a function of the environment particularly the light intensity within 26 to 39°C range of mean maximum temperatures. The grains/panicle were also reduced by shading from PI onwards. The yields were progressively reduced with low light intensity appearing in succession at different growth stages, particularly more critical during ripening phase. It was considered that low light intensity during monsoon season was an important constraint for higher productivity since yields as low as 3.2 to 4.4 tons/ha were recorded with varieties which yielded 8 to 10 tons/ha under high light intensity conditions as in rabi. re]19751014
The Zeeman effect in spin = 1 systems

Abstract The general solution of the eigenvalue problem for a spin = 1 system in the presence of a magnetic field is discussed in terms of a parameter C which is a function of the external field strength and orientation and of the coupling constant and asymmetry parameter of the system. The relation of this parameter to the features observed in the spectra of single-crystal or polycrystalline samples is developed. The influence of chemical shift effects and the relation of the general results to triplet state electronic spin Hamiltonian is also briefly considered.
Energy use in optical modulators

We analyze energy per bit in optical modulators including capacitive and photocurrent dissipations and predict particularly low energy for low-voltage electroabsorption modulators
Ship detection with high-resolution HF skywave radar

This paper presents an overview of ship detection by high-frequency (HF) skywave backscatter over-the-horizon radar (OTHR). Ships have been detected at ranges of 2000 km or more by OTHR that uses sufficient resolution in the radar spatial and Doppler frequency domains. The HF sea-echo Doppler spectrum limits the target signal-to-clutter ratio (SCR), as a function of the ocean wave-height distribution, wind direction, radio frequency, and ship target radial velocity. Maximum sea-clutter spectrum purity, and hence larger SCR, is achieved with the use of stable single-mode ionospheric propagation. Real-time measurement and interpretation of ionospheric propagation features therefore must guide the choice of OTHR operating frequency. Experimental data recorded at the ONR/SR1 Wide Aperture Research Facility (WARF) bistatic OTHR in central California demonstrate reliable ship detection in the Northeast Pacific Ocean. WARF transmits 1-MW average effective radiated power, using a linear frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) waveform, and receives with a 2.55-km broadside array of vertical monopole element pairs. Swept bandwidths as high as 200 kHz have been used. Sufficient spectral resolution is achieved with a coherent integration time (CIT) of 12.8 s. Longer CIT, and autoregressive (AR) spectral analysis techniques such as Marple's algorithm, have been used to improve Doppler resolution.
Characteristics of the low‐level temperature inversion along the Alaskan Arctic coast

The climatological characteristics of low-level tropospheric temperature inversion along the Alaskan Arctic coast are examined from a 10-year record of surface and upper-air meteorological data at Barrow and Barter Island, Alaska. The meteorology at the two stations is found to be remarkably similar; surface-based inversions occur nearly half of the time, but even in the winter months inversions are frequently based up to 200 m above the surface. Median inversion depths range from 250m to 850m, with median temperature differences across the inversion ranging from 2°C to 11°C. In March and April when the inversion is strongest, the lowest levels frequently erode. This indicates that the transient character of the inversion reduces its effectiveness as a barrier to vertical mixing. The inversion depth closely follows the annual cloud-cover cycle, demonstrating that the development and maintenance of the inversion is a result of complex interactions between radiative forcing, synoptic activity, and sea-ice dynamics.
Hospitalization for achalasia in the United States 1997-2006.

Background and Aims The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) was used to study the demographic characteristics of achalasia patients.
Low-temperature relaxations in amorphous polyolefins

The dynamic mechanical relaxation behavior of two series of amorphous polyolefins, was investigated from 4.2 K to the glass transition. Most of the polymers show a damping maximum or plateau in the 40 to 50 K region. Various mechanisms which have been suggested for cryogenic relaxations in amorphous polymers are considered as they might relate to the polyolefins. Two secondary relaxation processes above 80 K are distinguished. A relaxation at about 160 K (beta) in the second and third member of each series is associated with restricted blackbone motion. This process requires a certain degree of chain flexibility since it is not observed in the first member of each series. A lower temperature process (gamma) is observed in each member of the second series and is attributed to motion of the ethyl side group.
Reduced fat diets influence α-tocopherol concentrations in plasma lipoproteins and tissues of male and female rats

Abstract This study examined the effects of feeding low-fat diets containing comparable levels of vitamin E and a fat source rich in unsaturated fatty acids (sunflower oil blend). Weanling male and female Sprague Dawley rats were used in the study. Three groups of each gender (15 rats/group) were fed, for six weeks, diets containing 5.6% fat or 2.8% fat in which the dietary fat was replaced by cornstarch or a commercially available fat-free margarine product. The diets were a modification of the AIN-76 diet. Food intake was significantly increased in male and female rats fed the reduced fat diet containing the fat-free margarine. Caloric intakes and body and tissue weights of the animals were not affected by the dietary treatments. Rats fed the reduced-fat diets had higher concentrations of plasma α-tocopherol, liver α-tocopherol, and plasma HDL α-tocopherol than did rats fed the 5.6% fat diet. Female rats receiving the reduced-fat diet containing the fat-free margarine had significantly lower concentrations of total plasma and HDL α-tocopherol compared with the group fed the diet in which the fat was replaced by cornstarch. Reductions in the fat level of diets rich in unsaturated fatty acids can enhance vitamin E transport and storage when dietary vitamin E levels are maintained. The magnitude of the changes in α-tocopherol metabolism in the rat depends on gender and the dietary components used as a substitute for the fat.
Antigen binding properties of highly purified bispecific antibodies.

Abstract A panel of three bispecific monoclonal antibodies (bsMAbs) binding to follitropin (FSH) and to β-galactosidase have been prepared by fusion of hybridoma cell lines resistant to oubain and neomycin. One of these bispecific antibodies contains heavy chains of the same IgG subclass, and two are composed of heavy chains of different IgG subclasses. We have investigated methods for the purification of bispecific antibodies from hybrid hybridoma supernatant fluids grown in serum-free medium. Following ammonium sulfate precipitation, bispecific antibodies can be purified in a single step by mixed mode ion-exchange HPLC on Bakerbond Abx columns. In one case, three species were resolved by ion-exchange HPLC and functional analysis showed that two peaks contained parental antibodies, and the third contained the bispecific. Ion-exchange HPLC purification of serum-free preparations from two other hybrid hybridomas resolved seven protein-containing peaks, only one of which was active in a bispecific ELISA. The equilibrium affinity constants for each of the parental antibodies for both FSH and β-galactosidase were determined and found to be similar to those of the purified bsMAbs. Further, the association of FSH to one binding site on a bispecific antibody was shown to have no effect on the equilibrium binding constant for β-galactosidase binding to the other site. Our results suggest that bsMAbs can be readily purified from hybrid hybridomas by a simple and rapid method, and the binding of antigen to one binding site on a bsMAb is independent of antigen binding to the second site.
The danger of sex and death in Scarf1 −/− autoimmune mice

In the absence of the SCARF1 scavenger system in mice, the load of 'dangerous' molecules can increase, inducing features of lupus in a sex-dependent process. These findings highlight the interplay of death and sex in the generation of autoimmunity.
Latitudinal patterns in plant defense: evolution of cardenolides, their toxicity and induction following herbivory

Attempts over the past 50 years to explain variation in the abundance, distribution and diversity of plant secondary compounds gave rise to theories of plant defense. Remarkably, few phylogenetically robust tests of these long-standing theories have been conducted. Using >50 species of milkweed (Asclepias spp.), we show that variation among plant species in the induction of toxic cardenolides is explained by latitude, with higher inducibility evolving more frequently at lower latitudes. We also found that: (1) the production of cardenolides showed positive-correlated evolution with the diversity of cardenolides, (2) greater cardenolide investment by a species is accompanied by an increase in an estimate of toxicity (measured as chemical polarity) and (3) instead of trading off, constitutive and induced cardenolides were positively correlated. Analyses of root and shoot cardenolides showed concordant patterns. Thus, milkweed species from lower latitudes are better defended with higher inducibility, greater diversity and added toxicity of cardenolides.
Equine Metabolic Syndrome: A Complex Disease Influenced by Genetics and the Environment

Abstract Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) refers to a cluster of clinical abnormalities including insulin resistance, generalized obesity, and/or increased adiposity in specific locations (regional adiposity) associated with an increased risk of laminitis. However, descriptions of the metabolic phenotype of laminitis-prone horses and ponies have varied among published studies. The metabolic phenotypes routinely measured (e.g., insulin, insulin responses, adipokines, adiposity, and so forth) are highly influenced by the environment and vary due to physiologic factors such as age, breed, and sex, even in normal individuals. Furthermore, not all components of the syndrome (e.g., obesity) may be present in individuals with underlying metabolic derangements. The complexity of the “EMS” phenotype has lead to an ongoing debate as to the canonical features that define the syndrome. Furthermore, little is understood about its pathophysiology. A better understanding of EMS requires a clearer phenotypic definition of EMS; a better grasp of the effects of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence metabolic measures; and an appreciation of the complex interactions between the phenotypic components of the syndrome and the proposed risk factors. In this review, we will summarize the understanding of the EMS phenotype and propose a complex disease model that may help explain the variability in EMS.
The Compleat Teacher-Scholar: An Interview with Stephen F. Davis:

Stephen F. Davis is Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Emporia State University. He served as the 2002–2003 Knapp Distinguished Professor of Arts and Sciences at the University of San Diego. Currently, he is Distinguished Guest Professor at Morningside College and Visiting Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Texas Wesleyan University. Since 1966, he has published more than 300 articles and 28 textbooks, and has presented more than 900 professional papers; the vast majority of these publications and presentations include student coauthors. He has served as president of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP; Division 2 of the American Psychological Association [APA]), Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology, Southwestern Psychological Association, and Psi Chi. In addition, he received the first Psi Chi Florence L. Denmark Faculty Advisor Award. He is a fellow of APA Divisions 1 (General), 2 (STP), 3 (Experimental), and 6 (Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology), and a reci...
Thermal cycling of plastics—relaxation and set in polycarbonate and polypropylene

The residual stress state or the amount of permanent set as a result of thermal cycling a plastic specimen while it is restrained can be estimated by a simple model using the thermal expansion coefficient, modulus vs. temperature data, stress relaxation data and knowing the time spent at elevated temperature. This offers the opportunity to model the end result of thermal cycling of plastic components by finite element analysis (FEA) without resorting to a viscoelastic FEA. The method combines the developed thermal strain with the relaxation taking place at the elevated temperature for the elapsed time and assumes the set is frozen in on cooling. Experimental data for polycarbonate and polypropylene show the method to be a good approximation. Data also show that it works for multiple cycles by simply treating the accumulated time at elevated temperature.
Long-Distance Movement of a White-Tailed Deer Away From a Chronic Wasting Disease Area

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy found among cervids. Spread of the disease across the landscape is believed to result from movements (dispersal, exploratory, transient, or migratory) of infected deer, serving as the vectors for the disease. We document an unusual long-distance movement of a young female, out of the chronic wasting disease eradication zone in south-central Wisconsin. This type of movement could function as a rapid, long-distance dispersing mechanism for the disease only if the following conditions are met: the deer is infected and shedding prions, the deer directly contacts other deer and transmits secretions carrying an infectious dose of prions, or an infectious dose of prions is transmitted to the environment and taken up by other deer. Despite lower prevalence rates of chronic wasting disease among young deer, we believe managers should not dismiss deer making long-distance movements such as we report, as they could serve as potential long-distance vectors of the disease.
Cancellation of Doppler Distortion in Pulse Compression for Targets Moving in an Arbitrary Direction

It can be shown that the hyperbolic frequency modulated waveform is Doppler-invariant only when the Doppler factor is a constant number, i.e., the target has a constant velocity and along the direction from the radar to the target. If the target moves in an arbitrary direction, the degradation of the pulse compression caused by the mismatch between the reflected signal and the matched filter may still exist. In this paper we demonstrate that the Doppler effect caused by the moving target in an arbitrary direction can be approximated by a target with an initial velocity and a constant acceleration along the direction from the radar to the target, which results in a frequency shift in the reflected waveform. Therefore a bank of matched filters with pre-selected values of frequency shifts can be utilized to compensate for the Doppler effect. Numerical examples with target moving in an arbitrary direction are presented to illustrate this effect, which have been successfully compensated by shifting the frequency response of the matched filter.
Virus-Neutralizing Activity Mediated by the Fab Fragment of a Hemagglutinin-Specific Antibody Is Sufficient for the Resolution of Influenza Virus Infection in SCID Mice

Antibodies (Abs) contribute to the control of influenza virus infection in vivo by reducing progeny virus yield from infected cells (yield reduction [YR]) and by inhibiting progeny virus from spreading the infection to new host cells (virus neutralization [VN]). Previous studies showed that the infection could be resolved in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice by treatment with hemagglutinin (HA)-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) that exhibit both VN and YR activities but not by MAbs that exhibited only YR activity. To determine whether virus clearance requires both activities, we measured the therapeutic activity of an HA-specific MAb (VN and YR) and its Fab fragment (VN) by intranasal (i.n.) administration to infected SCID mice. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Fab cleared the infection with i.n. 50% effective doses (ED(50)s) of 16 and 90 pmol, respectively. To resolve an established infection solely by VN activity, Fab must be present in the respiratory tract at an effective threshold concentration until all infected cells have died and production of virus has ceased. Because IgG and Fab had different half-lives in the respiratory tract (22 and 8 h, respectively) and assuming that both operated mainly or solely by VN, it could be estimated that clearance was achieved 24 h after Ab treatment when both reagents were present in the respiratory tract at approximately 10 pmol. This dose was approximately 200 times larger than the respiratory tract-associated Ab dose resulting from administration of the intraperitoneal ED(50) (270 pmol) of IgG. This indicated that our procedure of i.n. administration of Ab did not make optimal use of the Ab's therapeutic activity.