cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dehydration Reactions of Carbohydrates

Publisher Summary This chapter states that the reaction of carbohydrates in alkaline or acidic aqueous solutions results in a myriad of products, many of which have been recognized for well over a century. With the exception of anhydro sugars and oligosaccharides, found as concentration-dependent, equilibrium constituents in acidic solutions, all of the products result from reactions of intermediates. The dehydration reactions initiated by eliminating a hydroxyl group from an enediol are discussed in the chapter. The products of these eliminations are normally transient intermediates, and undergo further reaction. The final products formed are determined by the carbohydrate reacting, the conditions of reaction, and the character of the medium. In the degradation reactions of sugars, major structural differences exist between products and reactants: in acidic solution, pyranoses produce furan compounds; in basic solution, acyclic saccharinic acids are formed. The acyclic enediols produced from acyclic sugars, which are the intermediates in the isomerization, are also the reactive components that initiate the degradation reactions and the dehydration products may be regarded as products of a side reaction of the transformation.
Studies of aqueous humor dynamics in man II. Measurements in young normal subjects using acetazolamide and L-epinephrine

The short-term effects on aqueous humor flow dynamics of single doses of acetazolamide and L-epinephrine, alone and combined, were studied in selected young, normal men. Analysis of aqueous flow before and after medication was facilitated, by graphic representation of flow versus intraocular pressure, the flow curve. Acetazolamide reduced intraocular pressure and Pk of Goldmann without affecting true facility or pseudofacility. A pattern of pressureindependent reduction of flow occurred. x,-Epinephrine reduced intraocular pressure and pseudofacility. A pattern of pressure-dependent change of aqueous flow occurred with, reduction of flow at intraocular pressures below approximately 30 mm. Hg. When acetazolamide was combined with epinephrine, additive effects were noted, with an additional decrease of intraocular pressure associated with significant increase of true facility. No change of true facility occurred after epinephrine or acetazolamide alone in these subjects.
Do as I Say, Not as I Do: Maintaining the Foundation of Strong Individual Professional Development

Law school academic support professionals help students transition through the rigors of law school. The work that academic support professionals do can be challenging, diverse, and rewarding. This article discusses some techniques and study skills that academic support professionals utilize when working with students. This article encourages academic support professionals to apply the skills and techniques they teach their students to their professional lives. Doing so will help academic support professionals maintain a strong independent professional development.
A metric conceptual space algebra

The modeling of concepts from a cognitive perspective is important for designing spatial information systems that interoperate with human users. Concept representations that are built using geometric and topological conceptual space structures are well suited for semantic similarity and concept combination operations. In addition, concepts that are more closely grounded in the physical world, such as many spatial concepts, have a natural fit with the geometric structure of conceptual spaces. Despite these apparent advantages, conceptual spaces are underutilized because existing formalizations of conceptual space theory have focused on individual aspects of the theory rather than the creation of a comprehensive algebra. In this paper we present a metric conceptual space algebra that is designed to facilitate the creation of conceptual space knowledge bases and inferencing systems. Conceptual regions are represented as convex polytopes and context is built in as a fundamental element. We demonstrate the applicability of the algebra to spatial information systems with a proof-of-concept application.
Tree annealing for constrained optimization

In this article, we introduce an optimization algorithm that integrates the basic idea of simulated annealing and partitioning of the search domain by binary tree of subdomains. Also included in the algorithm are procedures that implement direct simple constraints on the decision variables. The algorithm can be used to solve various optimization problems arising from parameter identification, neural network training, and nonlinear least squares. Results on several examples are presented to illustrate typical performance of this algorithm after its presentation.
Open access to tree genomes: the path to a better forest

An open-access culture and a well-developed comparative-genomics infrastructure must be developed in forest trees to derive the full potential of genome sequencing in this diverse group of plants that are the dominant species in much of the earth's terrestrial ecosystems.
Formation of manganese nanostructures on the Si(1 0 0)-(2 × 1) surface

Abstract The formation of Mn-nanostructures on the Si(1 0 0)-(2 × 1) surface has been studied with scanning tunneling microscopy as a function of Mn-coverage. The room temperature deposition leads to the preferential formation of monoatomic Mn-wires at coverages below 0.3 ML. Isolated adatoms and ultrasmall clusters begin to appear at higher coverage and compete with the wire growth. The Mn-wires are always oriented perpendicular to the Si-dimer rows and consequently switch orientation at each step edge. The mean length of the Mn-wires increases with coverage, albeit the maximum wire length appears to be limited to about 20 times the Si-dimer line distance. The local Si-reconstruction adopts a p(2 × 2) structure in the vicinity of the Mn-wires, and remains in the (2 × 1) phase around the clusters. The STM images indicate that the Mn atoms within the wires are positioned in between the Si-dimers, while isolated Mn atoms prefer to bond on top of a Si-dimer. Several possible interpretations of the experimental data with respect to the Mn-wire and adatom bonding position are discussed. The co-existence of wire and clusters is tentatively assigned to a competition between different adatom bonding sites, and the wire growth itself is promoted by an anisotropic attachment favouring bonding to the wire ends. This study illustrates that Mn-nanostructures form on a Si(1 0 0) surface and strongly indicates the feasibility to grow single-layer Mn structures and delta-doped Mn-layers embedded in a Si matrix.
Origin of glossic horizons in Cryalfs of the eastern Rocky Mountains, USA

Abstract Cryalfs are the predominant suborder along the eastern front of the Rocky Mountains from northern NM through MT and into Alberta. Approximately 50% of the Cryalfs in the western USA contain a glossic horizon, defined as a degraded argillic horizon containing properties of both an E and a Bt horizon. Using the NRCS database, we examined 257 Cryalf soil series, 79 of which contain a glossic horizon. The glossic horizon occurs at an average depth of 32 cm and averages 24 cm thick. The glossic horizon is most commonly an E/Bt with textures similar to the E above and Bt below. Waxy or glossy argillans are common, as well as clay-enriched nodules and seams. Laboratory data are available for only 10 Cryalf pedons containing a glossic horizon. Based on these data, the glossic horizon contains an average of 24% clay, 1.0 clay/CEC7, 0.6% organic C, a cation-exchange capacity of 19 cmolc/kg soil, 85% base saturation, and a pH of 5.6. Several theories for the origin of the glossic horizon were considered from a weight-of-evidence approach. The glossic horizon in Cryalfs of the Rocky Mountains may be attributed to an input of eolian silt which creates a lithologic discontinuity and a mid-Holocene (5000 yr BP to present) lowering of treeline containing the strongly podzolizing species Picea engelmannii and Abies lasiocarpa. Although glossic horizons are common in upper montane soils now containing lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), they are uncommon in lower montane soils supporting lodgepole and ponderosa (Pinus ponderosa) pines.
Scalable analog wavefront sensor with subpixel resolution

Standard Shack-Hartman wavefront sensors use a CCD element to sample position and distortion of a target or guide star. Digital sampling of the element and transfer to a memory space for subsequent computation adds significant temporal delay, thus, limiting the spatial frequency and scalability of the system as a wavefront sensor. A new approach to sampling uses information processing principles in an insect compound eye. Analog circuitry eliminates digital sampling and extends the useful range of the system to control a deformable mirror and make a faster, more capable wavefront sensor.
Linear Butenes from Isobutene over H-Ferrierite: In Situ Studies Using an Oscillating Balance Reactor

The transformation of isobutene into linear butenes was studied by means of a packed-bed configured oscillating balance reactor (OBR), in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), and mass spectrometry. The zeolite surface becomes covered with oligomeric hydrocarbons within the first few minutes on stream. There are a number of key differences between the isobutene isomerization reaction and the reverse (n-butene-to-isobutene) transformation. First, the kinetically controlled regimes of these two reactions are roughly 70 K apart. The difference in apparent activation energies for the two processes (ca. 11 kcal/mol) suggests that the two reactions are likely to proceed via different kinetic pathways. Second, a higher degree of branching in the oligomeric species formed by acid-catalyzed polymerization of isobutene, relative to those from 1-butene, causes a smaller coke precursor critical uptake to effect the site-to-pore blockage transition. The “aging” (hydrogen loss and condensation leading to true coke) of such branched chains is slower than that of chains resulting from a 1-butene feed. The impact of intrazeolitic oligomeric hydrocarbons on both the rate of formation of coke precursors and the isobutene isomerization process is also discussed.
Drug benefit decisions among older adults: a policy-capturing analysis.

Purpose. Under the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act, beneficiaries remaining in the traditional fee-for-service plan will face a variety of drug benefit options provided...
A Comparative Study on $\pi$ and $T$ Equivalent Models for the Analysis of Transformer Ferroresonance

The performance of the T and the π equivalent models used to represent transformers are tested under ferroresonance. Comparisons between simulations and laboratory experiments show the superiority of the π equivalent circuit.
Interferometer Studies Of Grain Burning Behavior In HMX Explosive

A laser interferometer is used in experiments which probe the thermal initiation and burning of explosives on a microsecond time scale prior to detonation. In this work, small charges of HMX are confined by a piston in a steel chamber bore and thermally initiated with a foil on one surface of the chamber which is suddenly heated by a capacitor discharge. The burn process is observed through the motion of a piston which is driven by the gaseous combustion products. An air-delay leg VISAR velocity interferometer system is used to monitor the piston motion. This velocity data is directly processed to determine the chamber gas pressure as a function of volume during the piston expansion. High-pressure burn rates during deflagration can be deduced from these tests. Parasitic effects in small charge experiments due to thermal conduction from the walls, piston leakage, friction, as well as the interferometer resolution itself are discussed.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Re)claiming space and place through collaborative planning in rural Oregon

Abstract In 1992, the Snake River chinook salmon runs were listed under the US Endangered Species Act, heightening conflicts among environmentalists, loggers, and ranchers in the Pacific Northwest. Amidst the fray, however, an unusual collaborative salmon recovery effort emerged in northeastern Oregon between historically antagonistic groups, including the Nez Perce Tribe, a county government, private landowners, and public land users. In an area with a history of contestation over boundaries and state efforts to control people and space, collaboration between the present and former residents of the Wallowas offers insights into how conflicts can evolve into cooperation. This article argues that an important factor in the formation of this unusual Native American and Anglo American alliance was the development of a shared ideology, which articulated commonalties, re-imagined the past, and suggested actions to achieve an agreed-upon future. Discrete in time and place, ideologies are subject to on-going change as they draw on shifting definitions of identity, attachments to space, and creation of place. Based on seventeen months of anthropological and archival research, these dynamics are illustrated through analysis of the (re)claiming of space and (re)defining of place through the “Wallowa County/Nez Perce Salmon Recovery Plan” process.
Argument-driven inquiry: Using the laboratory to improve undergraduates' science writing skills through meaningful science writing, peer-review, and revision

This paper presents preliminary evidence supporting the use of peer review in undergraduate science as a means to improve student writing and to alleviate barriers, such as lost class time, by incorporation of the peer-review process into the laboratory component of the course. The study was conducted in a single section of an undergraduate general chemistry laboratory course offered at a large two-year community college located in the southeastern United States. The chemistry laboratory course was taught using Argument-Driven Inquiry, an instructional model that incorporates double-blind group peer review of student laboratory reports, and allows students to revise their reports based on the peer reviews. The reports written for each laboratory activity were used to examine changes in the students’ writing skills over time and to identify aspects of science writing that were the most difficult for the undergraduates in this context. The reviews generated by the students were used to evaluate student enga...
Structure activity relationships among the monobactams

The monobactam nucleus (3-AMA) exhibits weak antibacterial activity and thus, as with the penicillins and cephalosporins, molecular substitution around the central nucleus is essential to realize the antibacterial potential of these molecules. Side chain structure/activity relationships in monobactams parallel those of the penicillins and cephalosporins. Such a relationship is not unexpected in view of the common enzymatic targets shared by these structurally divergent types. Side chain substitution of the monobactam nucleus leads to compounds exhibiting primarily Gram-positive, primarily Gram-negative or broad-spectrum activity. However, incorporation of small polar groups (amino, hydroxyl, carboxylic or sulphonic) at the alpha position of these side chains leads to poorly active compounds. This observation is the most striking divergence between monobactam and penicillin/cephalosporin structure-activity relationships. The most striking gain in anti-bacterial activity is observed with the introduction of an aminothiazoleoxime side chain as the 3-acyl substituent. In the case of carbonyl-activated and phosphate activated compounds, there is total reliance on this side chain grouping for achieving activity. Activity against Gram-positive bacteria, if present, is closely related to the nature of the acyl side chain. The aminothiazoleoxime side chains characteristically reduce activity against this organism class. Substitution at the 4-position of the monocyclic ring although capable of producing dramatic changes in biological activity, is highly unpredictable. In the SO3-activated molecules 4-substitution is essential for beta-lactamase stability and in many instances results in increased intrinsic activity of the molecule. Incorporation of 4-substituents on the beta-lactamase susceptible O-activated molecules has little or no effect on beta-lactamase stability or antibacterial activity. In the case of carbonyl- and phosphate-activated species, while offering no advantages, 4-substitution in many instances is highly deleterious to the activity of the molecule. The 'activating' group on the beta-lactam nitrogen, responsible for the activation of the beta-lactam ring can be varied quite widely while retaining high intrinsic activity. The O-activated compounds although showing the potential for broad-spectrum activity are beta-lactamase unstable, while the beta-lactamase stable compounds tend to show preferential activity against Gram-negative rods. There can be little doubt that additional activating groups will be incorporated on the monocyclic beta-lactam ring and it will be interesting to see what additional properties can be achieved by this approach.
Studies on the binding of small ions in protein solutions with the use of membrane electrodes. I. The binding of the chloride ion and other inorganic anions in solutions of serum albumin.

Abstract When the protamine-collodion membrane electrode is used to study the binding of chloride and thiocyanate to bovine serum albumin, the results are found to be in agreement with the experimental results of other investigators. The binding of bromide, nitrate, sulfate, iodide, and perchlorate ions has also been measured.
Synthesis and characterization of 4,4′-methylenebis (2,6-di-tert-butylphenol) derivatives of a series of metal alkoxides and alkyls

Investigation of the coordination behavior of 4,4′-methylenebis(2,6-di-tert-butylphenol) (or H2-4DBP) with a series of metal alkoxides led to isolation of [(OR)3M]2(µ-4DBP), where M/OR = Ti/OBut (2), Ti/ONep (3), Zr/OBut (4), Hf/OBut (5), and [(py)(OR)3M]2(µ-4DBP) · py (5a), where py = pyridine and ONep = OCH2C(CH3)3. Metal alkyl derivatives of 4DBP were also studied and found to form similar di-substituted species: [(py)2(Et)Zn]2(µ-4DBP) · py (6), [(THF)3(Br)Mg]2(µ-4DBP) (7), [(THF)2(Br)Mg](µ-4DBP)[Mg(Br)(THF)3] · (THF, tol) (7a), and [(py)(R)2Al]2(µ-4DBP), where R = CH3 (8), Et (9), CH2CH(CH3)2 (10); tol = toluene and THF = tetrahydrofuran. All structures demonstrate the bridging nature of 4DBP and the ability to bind a variety of metal centers. Solution state NMR indicates that the structures of 2–10 are retained in solution. Thermal analyses indicate that 4DBP is preferentially lost during heating.
Comparison of insulin and 2-deoxy-D-glucose-induced glucopenia as stimulators of growth hormone secretion

Abstract Responses of plasma growth hormone after insulin-induced hypoglycemia and 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG)-induced glucopenia were studied in 10 normal, 6 obese, 8 acromegalic, 6 addisonian, and 2 hypopituitary subjects. After insulin hypoglycemia, the mean increases of growth hormone above basal levels were: normal 27.6, addisonian 38.8, obese 2.3, active acromegalic 9.9, and inactive acromegalic subjects 3.1 mμg./ml. After 2-DG-induced glucopenia, the mean increases of growth hormone above basal levels were: normal 19.1, addisonian 25.6, obese 0.6, active acromegalic 6.5 and inactive acromegalic subjects 2.7 mμg./ml. No increase was noted with either stimulus in a hypopituitary subject. Both stimuli were effective in releasing growth hormone from the pituitary. The increase in growth hormone levels was higher and more consistent after insulin-induced hypoglycemia than after 2-DG-induced glucopenia. 2-DG, however, did produce a more sustained increase in growth hormone levels. In those subjects who have impaired insulin sensitivity, 2-DG—which acts by inducing cellular glucopenia—should be useful in evaluating pituitary growth hormone reserve.
The nature of Achromobacter nematophilus as an insect pathogen

Abstract The bacterium Achromobacter nematophilus, which has been isolated from two populations of nematodes belonging to the genus Neoaplectana, was found to be extremely lethal to larvae of Galleria mellonella when injected into the hemocoel. Although producing no obvious effects if fed per os, when one to three bacterial cells were introduced into the body cavity, the insects usually died. In nature, this bacterium occurs in the body of insects attacked by certain neoaplectanid nematodes and, between periods of insect infection, inside the gut of infective stage nematodes. The cells are very fastidious and appear to have a very transient existence in soil or water.
Methods for Studying Bias in Psychological and Educational Tests

In this article, bias was defined as constant or systematic error in the estimation of test scores of an individual examinee that is due to a nominal variable such as gender, ethnicity, or socioeco...
Preparation of a deoxynucleoside thiophosphoramidite intermediate in the synthesis of nucleoside phosphorodithioates

Abstract A general synthetic scheme for preparation of thiophosphoramidite intermediates, chloro-N,N-diisopropylaminothiomethoxyphosphine, 2, and 3′-O-deoxythymidine derivatives of N,N-diisopropylaminothiomethoxyphosphine, 4, is described. These intermediates can be used to synthesize dithiophosphate deoxyoligonucleotide analogues.
How to Complete a Summary of Performance for Students Exiting to Postsecondary Education.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 mandates that students with disabilities graduating or aging out of the P—12 school system be provided with a summary of academic...
Numerical Modeling of Void Migration in Solids due to Temperature Gradient Using the Boundary Element Method

Voids (a land of flaw) are not desired in the products of many industrial and manufacturing processes. In this article, we seek effective ways to remove the void by modeling the void migration and predicting the intermediate and the final shape of the cavity. The boundary element method (BEM) is applied to the quasi-steady state void migration process governed by Laplace's equation. The conduction solution depends on the void shape, and the void shape depends on the conduction solution. Hence this is a conjugate problem. The analytical formulation and the numerical approach are outlined. The Overhauser spline elements are used in the BEM to ensure continuous first-order derivatives on the void boundary. Given the material properties, geometry of the physical model, and boundary conditions, this computer model can predict detailed information such as flux, velocity and direction of void motion, and temperature at any stage of the void migration. Different strategies for void removal are investigated.
Generating American Sign Language animation: overcoming misconceptions and technical challenges

Misconceptions about the English literacy rates of deaf Americans, the linguistic structure of American Sign Language (ASL), and the suitability of traditional machine translation (MT) technology to ASL have slowed the development of English-to-ASL MT systems for use in accessibility applications. This article traces the progress of a new English-to-ASL MT project targeted to translating texts important for literacy and user-interface applications. These texts include ASL phenomena called “classifier predicates.” Challenges in producing classifier predicates, novel solutions to these challenges, and applications of this technology to the design of user-interfaces accessible to deaf users will be discussed.
The Convergent Carrier: A Critical Factor in Supply Chain Compression

Due to the increasingly competitive global business environment supply chain compression (reducing or eliminating the number of unnecessary logistical activities in a given supply chain) will be imperative for carriers, shippers and customers. Consequently, a premium will be paid for those carriers that are convergent. That is, convergent carriers performance must exceed expectations regarding achievement of established logistics cost and service objectives by performing whatever functions are required to satisfy supply chain participants. Such carriers will proactively work with both shippers and their customers to compress the supply chain by limiting unwanted actions while accomplishing mutually beneficial goals. In so doing, service to their customers is being elevated to the next level.
Ethanol intoxication as a function of genotype dependent responses in three inbred mice strains.

Abstract Three strains of mice, ICR Swiss, DBA/2J and C57B1/6J were compared for initial sensitivity, recovery from intoxication, and acute tolerance development to ethanol. The C57B1/6J mice were found to be less sensitive and to recover more rapidly from the effects of the same dose of ethanol than the other two strains treated. None of the strains tested demonstrated acute tolerance to ethanol when given the same dose 3 hours later.
Amplification, expression, and packaging of a foreign gene by influenza virus

Abstract A system is described that allows use of recombinant DNA technology to modify the genome of influenza virus, a negative-strand RNA virus, and to engineer vectors for the expression of foreign genes. Recombinant RNA is expressed from plasmid DNA in which the coding sequence of the influenza A virus NS gene is replaced with that of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene. When transfected with purified influenza A virus polymerase proteins—in the presence of helper virus—the recombinant RNA is amplified, expressed, and packaged into virus particles, which can be passaged several times. The data indicate that the 22 5′ terminal and the 26 3′ terminal bases of the influenza A virus RNA are sufficient to provide the signals for RNA transcription, RNA replication, and packaging of RNA into influenza virus particles.
On the Steady-State Flow of an Incompressible Fluid through a Randomly Perforated Porous Medium

Abstract An incompressible fluid is assumed to satisfy the time-independent Stokes equations in a porous medium. The porous medium is modeled by a bounded domain in R n that is perforated for each e >0 by e -dilations of a subset of R n arising from a family of stochastic processes which generalize the homogeneous random fields. The solution of the Stokes equations on these perforated domains is homogenized as e →0 by means of stochastic two-scale convergence in the mean and the homogenized limit is shown to satisfy a two-pressure Stokes system containing both deterministic and stochastic derivatives and a Darcy-type law which generalizes the Darcy law obtained for fluid flow in periodically perforated porous media.
Azithromycin attenuates airway inflammation in a mouse model of viral bronchiolitis.

Background Viral bronchiolitis is the leading cause of hospitalization in young infants. It is associated with the development of childhood asthma and contributes to morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Currently no therapies effectively attenuate inflammation during the acute viral infection, or prevent the risk of post-viral asthma. We hypothesized that early treatment of a paramyxoviral bronchiolitis with azithromycin would attenuate acute and chronic airway inflammation.
Effect of subchronic treatment with imipramine, chlorpromazine and the combination on 3H-imipramine binding in rat blood platelets and frontal cortex

The effects of subchronic administration of imipramine (IMIP), chlorpromazine (CPZ) and the combination of IMIP + CPZ on 3H-IMIP binding of rat blood platelets and cortex were studied. All three treatments decreased the number of IMIP binding sites (Bmax) of rat blood platelets and cortex. The combination produced a significantly greater decrease in Bmax in platelets than either treatment alone; a similar trend in cortex was observed. The effect of some neuroleptics on 3H-IMIP binding sites may be relevant to their antidepressant action. These results, together with previous evidence that the combination has a synergistic effect on down regulation of brain serotonin-2 (5-HT2) receptors, suggest that changes in serotonergic neurotransmission may be relevant to the enhanced efficacy of the combination of tricyclic antidepressants and neuroleptics, compared to either type of drug alone, in the treatment of delusional depression.
Sensitivity of soil respiration and microbial communities to altered snowfall

Winter respiration is a quantitatively important, yet variable flux of carbon dioxide (CO2) from soils to the atmosphere. Variability in winter soil respiration may be influenced by the effects of snowfall on microbial communities and their metabolic activities. In this study, we evaluated the importance of snowpack depth on soil respiration and microbial communities in a temperate deciduous forest. Snow removal created relatively dry, frequently frozen, and carbon substrate-poor soils, while snow additions led to wetter, warmer, and relatively carbon substrate-rich soils. Using time-series multiple regression, we observed enhanced sensitivity of respiration to moisture under ambient snow and snow removal; however, this effect was accompanied by a temporal lag suggesting that microorganisms had a delayed response to increases in free-water during soil thawing events. Conversely, soil respiration was only sensitive to temperature in the snow addition treatment when soil temperatures were consistently above 0 °C. The snow-induced respiration dynamics were accompanied by shifts in the structure of wintertime fungal and bacterial communities. We detected an impact of altered snowpack on bacterial richness during the growing season, but our manipulation did not have legacy effects on other features of the soil microbial community at spring thaw. Our results suggest that microbial communities may be “reset” during seasonal transitions from winter to spring, and that soil microorganisms are likely adapted to annual fluctuations in snowpack depth. As snowpack becomes more variable in mid-latitude systems due to climate change, our findings suggest that soil moisture and temperature will co-regulate wintertime respiration through a non-linear relationship surrounding soil freeze–thaw cycles, with snow-mediated changes in microbial community structure likely influencing wintertime respiration dynamics.
Species- and size-specific variability of mercury concentrations in four commercially important finfish and their prey from the northwest Atlantic

Total mercury was analyzed as a function of body length, season, and diet in four commercially and recreationally important marine fish, bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix), goosefish (Lophius americanus), silver hake (Merluccius bilinearis), and summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus), collected from continental shelf waters of the northwest Atlantic Ocean. Mercury levels in the dorsal muscle tissue of 115 individuals ranged from 0.006 to 1.217 μg/g (wet weight) and varied significantly among species. The relationship between predator length and mercury concentration was linear for bluefish and summer flounder, while mercury levels increased with size at an exponential rate for silver hake and goosefish. Mercury burdens were the highest overall in bluefish, but increased with size at the greatest rate in silver hake. Seasonal differences were detected for bluefish and goosefish with mercury levels peaking during summer and spring, respectively. Prey mercury burdens and predator foraging habits are discussed as the primary factors influencing mercury accumulation.
Objective Computation of Some Meteorological Quantities

Abstract This paper describes research in formulating objective weather analysis and forecasting aids for calculation by an electronic computer. Methods based upon single-station techniques for analysis of rawinsoundings are presented for computing wind shear, lapse rate, thermal advection and a parcel stability index. These quantities are useful in identifying phenomena such as fronts, troughs, the tropopause and the level of maximum wind. Average values of height, temperature, humidity and wind components are computed in six arbitrarily defined layers for purposes of representing the gross atmospheric structure. A simple computer technique for calculating kinematical values of horizontal divergence, vorticity, deformation, vertical motion and geostrophic departures from layer-averaged wind and height data at three stations is developed and demonstrated for an area comprised of the midwestern United States. For this region, the computations require only 20 min on a computer of modest speed; therefore, th...
Cortical control of thalamic spindle waves.

Abstract The EEG activity of the thalamus was studied in acute cat preparations in which the diencephalon was deprived of all neocortical and most archicortical and striatal connections. Waves (8–12/sec) waxing and waning, similar to electrocortical spindles, were recorded in all cases. They persisted after interruption of the interhemispheric commissures, and were enhanced by mesencephalic transection, lesion of the optic chiasma or injection of a small dose of barbiturate (3 mg/kg, iv). Spindles occurred more than twice as frequently in a decorticate thalamus than in the thalamus of a contralateral intact hemisphere. Producing lesions in the region of the inferior thalamic peduncle (ITP) in an intact hemisphere abolished both thalamic and cortical spindles. This effect persisted after complete mesencephalic transection, but the spindles reappeared after complete decortication. It is postulated that EEG spindles are basically thalamic in origin and that their occurrence is controlled by antagonistic corticothalamic influences which operate independently from influences of the caudal brain stem.
Measurements of filtered lunar radiances using the NASA Terra spacecraft/CERES thermistor bolometer sensors during 2000 and 2001

Studies were conducted to define lunar radiances on an absolute radiometric scale tied to the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90). The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) thermistor bolometer sensor instruments were used to measure lunar radiances from the NASA Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), Terra, and Aqua spacecraft platforms. Each CERES instrument package consisted of three different sensors: (1) broadband shortwave [0.3 to 5 micrometers]; (2) broadband total [0.3 to >100 micrometers]; and (3) narrowband, water vapor window [8 to 12 micrometers]. Moon-reflected solar radiances were measured with the shortwave sensor while both moon-reflected solar and moon-emitted longwave radiances were measured using the total sensor. The differences between the total and shortwave sensor measurements were used to determine the broadband longwave, moon-emitted radiances. The narrowband, water vapor window sensor measured only the longwave, moon-emitted radiances. The radiances were obtained as a function of phase angle (formed at the moon between directions to the sun and the spacecraft). The resulting filtered radiances were normalized to the mean sun-moon distance, one astronomical unit (AU), and to the mean earth-moon distance of 0.0026 AU (384,400 kilometers). 1998, 2000, and 2001, CERES lunar filtered measurements are presented, compared, and analyzed. Additional measurements are presented from the January 9, 2001, and May 16, 2003, total lunar eclipse events. Analyses of the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) thermistor bolometer sensor observations of lunar radiances indicated that broadband shortwave and longwave lunar filtered radiances can be linked to a radiometric scale based upon an International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90) at absolute levels approaching ± 0.2 Wm -2 sr -1 . For a lunar image diameter of 31 minutes of arc, an emitting lunar disc temperature of approximately 400 Kelvin was estimated from the longwave radiances near 7-degree phase angle. The integration of the CERES unfiltered radiances over all reflection angles can be used to define the moon radiation budget (MRB).
Oscillations within oscillations

Previously we have shown that for a particular choice of origin point data, the nonintegrable Aesthetic Field Equations collapse into a simpler set of equations, called the A, B, J, L equations. These equations lead to sinusoidal variation along any path segment for all the field quantities. In this paper we find, for a different choice of origin point data, that the Aesthetic Field Equations simply into a nonlinear system that describes a sine curve within a sine curve along any path segment. These results are obtained from visual inspection of the computer plots as well as numerical fitting to the data. We examine two dimensional maps, first when we specify an integration path, and then when we make use of a superposition principle at each point. The superposition principle arises as a consequence of the theory of nonintegrable systems, which we have developed on an earlier occasion. We find two dimensional maps in both instances that do not appear regular in the small. However, in both cases, we were able to observe large scale regularities. In our studies, we make use of computer techniques that focus on the large wavelength oscillations (big picture) as well as techniques that focus on the small wavelength oscillations (small picture). When the superposition principle is used, the small as well as big oscillations no longer have a sinusoidal appearance for y equals constant lines. This contrasts with the case when we specify a path where we see a sine curve within a sine curve along these y equals constant lines. In addition, we obtain a set of linear equations that describes a sine curve within a sine curve that can be considered in its own right. In this case, in addition to numerical integrations, we show analytically that a sine curve within a sine curve is a solution to the equations.
Sensitivity of a physically based method for terrain interpolation to initial conditions and its conditioning on stream location

ABSTRACT Production of digital elevation maps often requires interpolation of observations at particular locations. For hydrologicapplications the resulting surface should have well deﬁned drainage directions, should reproduce the roughness of naturalterrain and should ideally preserve distributions of elevations, slopes and curvatures. The work of J. Niemann et al. (WaterResources Research, 2003, vol. 39, pp. 1017–1032) proposes a physically based interpolation method that is an improvementover commonly used linear or fractal interpolators. The methodology does have difﬁculty dealing with very sparse initialelevation and boundary ﬂux information. This work suggests that using the commonly available horizontal location of mainchannels (‘blue lines’) improves the physical interpolation signiﬁcantly. The results are illustrated on two river basins.Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. KEY WORDS: digital elevation models; interpolation methods; erosion models; terrain analysis INTRODUCTIONThe ﬁrst step in distributed hydrologic modelling is to build the computational framework using a digitalrepresentation of the topography. Digital elevation models (DEMs) are the most common digital representation.Since their introduction (Miller and Laﬂamme, 1958), models used for terrain representation have changed(Hutchinson and Gallant, 2000). Currently, DEMs are grids with regularly spaced elevation points. These gridsare generally constructed by linear interpolation between ground observation points. Hydrologists and geomorpho-logists commonly use publicly available DEMs built by national institutions such as USGS in the USA andIGM in Italy. Recently, investigators (Walker and Willgoose, 1999; Wise, 2000; Holmes
Estimating probability summation for binocular reaction time data

On a host of visual tasks involving thresholdmeasures, human observers benefit from using botheyes simultaneously, as compared to monocularviewing (Blake & Fox, 1973). This improvement intwo-eyedperformance, known as binocular summa­tion, couldarise from someform of physiologicalinter­action betweenthe two eyes, an outcome referred to asneural summation. Alternatively, binocular summa­tion could be due to the statistical fact that binocularviewing affords the observer two opportunities to see,in which case the enhancement in binocular perfor­mancewould beattributable to probabilitysummation.In order to distinguishbetweenthese two alternativeinterpretations, neural vs. probability summation, itis necessary to estimate the level of performanceexpected from two independent chances to perceiveand to compare this probability summation'estimatewith the performance levelactually measured. In thecase of threshold detection tasks, which comprise thebulk of the work on binocular summation, probabilitysummation estimates may be derivedeither analyticallyor empirically. An analytical estimate involves usingsome formula or model of detectability(e.g., the inte­gration model ofsignal detection theory) to derive apredicted value. The empirical approach involvesmeasuring binocular performance under conditionswhich preclude any neural interaction, thus leavingprobability summation as the only available mech­anism. In the case ofdetection thresholds ofvarioussorts, there is a fair amount of evidence to indicatewhich analytical formulations and which empiricalcontrol conditions provide valid estimates of prob­ability summation (Eriksen & Greenspon, 1968;Westendorf, Blake, & Fox, 1972; Westendorf,
Characterization and Suppression of Electrical Interference - Spikes, Periodic Waves, and Ripples - From Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) Spectra

Interferograms from the CIRS far- and mid-IR detectors are contaminated by electrical noise spikes, as well as by a single frequency (“sine wave”) feature. It was therefore necessary to develop algorithms to suppress this interference.
Circumstellar dust model for infrared stars

The expected thermal emission from the shell around stars has been calculated on the graphite model. The calculated spectral distribution is in reasonable agreement with the observed infrared emission from some of the infrared stars.
Liver graft exposure to carbon monoxide during cold storage protects sinusoidal endothelial cells and ameliorates reperfusion injury in rats

Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury significantly influences short-term and long-term outcomes after liver transplantation (LTx). The critical step initiating the injury is known to include sinusoidal endothelial cell (SEC) alteration during the cold preservation period. As carbon monoxide (CO) has potent cytoprotective functions on vascular endothelial cells, this study examined if CO treatment of excised liver grafts during cold storage could protect SECs and ameliorate hepatic I/R injury. Rat liver grafts were preserved in University of Wisconsin (UW) solution containing 5% CO (CO-UW solution) for 18 to 24 hours and were transplanted into syngeneic Lewis rats. After 18 hours of cold preservation, SEC damage was evident with propidium iodide (PI) nuclear staining on SECs, and the frequency of PI(+) SECs was significantly lower in grafts stored in CO-UW solution versus those stored in control UW solution. SEC protection with CO was associated with decreased intercellular cell adhesion molecule translocation and less matrix metalloproteinase release during cold preservation. After LTx with 18 hours of cold preservation, serum alanine aminotransferase levels and hepatic necrosis were significantly less in the CO-UW group than in the control UW group. With 24 hours of cold storage, 35% (7/20) survived with control UW solution, whereas the survival with CO-UW solution improved to 80% (8/10). These beneficial effects of CO-UW solution were associated with a significant reduction of neutrophil extravasation, down-regulation of hepatic messenger RNA for tumor necrosis factor alpha and intercellular cell adhesion molecule 1, and less hepatic extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation. Liver grafts from Kupffer cell-depleted donors or pseudogerm-free donors showed less SEC death during cold preservation, and CO-UW solution further reduced SEC death. In conclusion, CO delivery to excised liver grafts during cold preservation efficiently ameliorates SEC damage and hepatic I/R injury.
Adaptive time-frequency ISAR processing

Conventional radar processors use the Fourier transform to retrieve Doppler information. In order to use the Fourier transform adequately, some restrictions must be applied: the scatterers must remain in their range cells and their Doppler frequency contents should be stationary during the entire imaging time duration. If the Doppler frequency contents are time-varying, the Doppler spectrum obtained from the Fourier transform becomes smeared, and, thus the image resolution is degraded. However, the restrictions on the Fourier processing can be lifted if the Doppler information can be retrieved with the time-frequency transform which does not require a stationary Doppler spectrum. Therefore, the image blurring caused by the time- varying Doppler spectrum can be resolved without applying sophisticated motion compensation techniques to the individual scatterers.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Laparoscopic Versus Open Pyeloplasty in Children: Preliminary Report of a Prospective Randomized Trial

Purpose: Pyeloplasty for ureteropelvic junction obstruction in children has traditionally been performed using an open technique. Although laparoscopic pyeloplasty has been shown to be comparable and possibly superior to open pyeloplasty in adult studies, such results in the pediatric population are limited. We evaluated outcomes between transperitoneal laparoscopic and open pyeloplasty in children.Materials and Methods: All children 1 to 18 years old with ureteropelvic junction obstruction requiring operative repair were offered enrollment in the study. Patients were prospectively randomized to either transperitoneal laparoscopic or open pyeloplasty through a flank incision.Results: We reviewed 20 patients (mean age 7.8 years) who underwent laparoscopy and 19 (7.2 years) who underwent open surgery (p = 0.48). Mean followup was similar between the groups (laparoscopic 8.1 months vs open 11.1 months, p = 0.38). Mean operative time was 151 minutes (range 94 to 213) for laparoscopy and 130 minutes (83 to 225...
Late-Holocene changes in sea level and environment on eastern Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada

The late-Holocene history of a coastal basin in Otter Harbour on the Great Bras D'Or of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia was reconstructed using micro- and macrofossils. The pollen stratigraphy shows a decrease in oak and pine pollen percentages around 4000 BP, while Tsuga pollen reaches a maximum. Over the last 1000 years, genera of the mixed hardwood forest have declined while boreal genera have increased, suggesting climatic cooling in the region. Human influence from 400 BP to the present is evidenced by increased pteridophyte spores and pollen of Rumex, Gramineae, and Ambrosia.Siliceous microfossils indicate that sea level in the Great Bras D'Or rose over the last 4000 years to 1.5 m below present level at 950 BP. This rate of sea-level rise, 16 cm per century, falls within the regional range of relative sea-level rise in the Maritimes of 10-30 cm per century for the last several thousand years. However, this long-term rate in the Maritimes is less than the rate of 30-35 cm per century determined from...