cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of food density on growth and on patterns of prey depletion by larval silverside fish, Menidia beryllina (Cope); a laboratory investigation with image analysis

The growth and daily prey depletion rates of inland silverside (Menidia beryllina (Cope)) larvae fed different rations (0, 25, 50, 100, or 150 percent of the fishes' initial wet weight) of Artemia nauplii during the period 7 days to 14 days post-hatch were investigated. Instantaneous growth rates ranged from −0.174·day−1 for unfed fish, to 0.181·day−1 for fish fed the 150% ration. Relative consumption rates increased from 0.179 (mg food·(mg fish)−1·day−1) at the lowest ration (25%) to 0.440 (mg food·(mg fish)−1·day−1) at the highest ration (150%) and were linearly related to relative growth rates (mg·(mg fish)−1·day−1) across the range of consumption rates studied. Gross growth efficiencies ranged from −0.020 to 0.376, from lowest (25%) to highest (150%) ration. On one day of the 7-day study, the within-day patterns of food depletion by the fish also were examined with image analysis. Fish ingested food at a constant rate, as long as it was available up to 11 h of feeding. On average, depletion rates in the first 4 h of feeding were not significantly different among fish fed the four rations; however, the depletion rates of the fish fed the 150% ration were significantly higher during the second 4 h of feeding than during the first 4 h. The results provide information for the calculation of a preliminary energy budget for M. beryllina, and also provide aquatic toxicologists with information for the conduct of standard effluent toxicity tests. The daily ration prescribed in the current standard method is approximately three times the amount that can actually be ingested by the larvae. Through the use of our data and image analyzer measurements of food consumed by M. beryllina in the 7-day test, investigators might be better able to identify causes of reduction in growth.
Near-field and far-field electric dipole radiation in the vicinity of a planar dielectric half space

We have used the full Sommerfeld integral formalism as well as an asymptotic formalism to study the near- and far-field radiation patterns of an electric dipole in the vicinity of a planar dielectric half space. We present systematic results for the polarization dependence of the radiation patterns in both half spaces and the ratio of the integrated power radiated into the two half spaces as a function of the relative refractive index as well as the dipole position. We find that the radiation patterns are highly structured and directed. Furthermore, the ratio of the integrated power increases significantly on increasing the relative refractive index, which can be exploited to enhance the sensitivity of spectroscopic studies of surface-bound molecules; however this ratio drops quickly for a dipole more than 0.2 wavelength from the interface.
Impact of package inductance and DQ driver strength on the 3 rd harmonic EMI from DRAM

This paper describes the impact of DRAM-caused power noise (especially simultaneous switching output noise) in DDR2 667 system. The power noise is regulated by adjusting the package inductance of power delivery nets, DQ driver strength, and the power supply voltage. The package inductances of core power delivery net (VDD/VSS) and the DQ power delivery net (VDDQ/ VSSQ) are controlled by adjusting the number of solder balls on package. Also, the DQ power noise is controlled by adjusting DQ driver strength. The power supply level adjusts to control both core and DQ power noises. In summary, DRAM power noise is closely related to the radiated emission, and DRAM power noise should be properly controlled to reduce EMI in digital system.
Exposing extreme ultraviolet lithography at Intel

In this paper we present the latest results on developing and integrating extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) at Intel. The world's first commercial EUV exposure tool was installed in Intel's development fab, linked to a resist track, and had successfully demonstrated key tool specifications by the end of 2004. Exercising this micro-exposure tool (MET) is a significant step in the path toward inserting EUVL into high-volume manufacturing. Full patterning development of the small features required for the 32nm node are enabled by coupling the high-resolution printing capability of the MET with a state-of-the-art wafer fabrication facility. Moreover, using the MET in a fab environment assists in the identification and resolution of issues associated with the novel aspects of EUVL. We are actively using this tool to study EUV resists, novel processing, and masks. Results of these studies are presented here. Data include imaging performance for both line-space and contact hole patterns on relevant substrates, early etch results, and a mask defect printability study.
Molecular orbital theoretical prediction of the isomeric products formed from reactions of arene oxides and related metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract MO theoretical calculations based on the perturbational method of Dewar provide good correlation between predicted and observed structures of products formed during: (1) isomerization of arene oxides to phenols; (2) hydration and nucleophilic addition to arene oxides; and (3) dehydration of arene dihydrodiols. The method is equally applicable to the arene oxides, dihydrodiols, etc. derived from carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic polycyclic hydrocarbons. Extension to the related enzymatic reactions occurring during metabolism of carcinogenic hydrocarbons and to the reactions of the biologically active arene diolepoxides and aryloxirenes suggests the potential utility of this approach in predicting (a) metabolite structure and (b) the structural requirements for carcinogenic and mutagenic activity.
Lateral Circulation and Suspended Sediment Transport in a Curved Estuarine Channel: Winyah Bay, SC, USA

[1] Shipborne vertical profiles of flow and suspended sediment concentration collected on a transect, across a curved, nonsymmetrical estuarine channel are presented. Analysis of the transient cross-channel momentum balance equation shows that the lateral circulation pattern is controlled by the interaction between centrifugal and lateral baroclinic forcings although those two might not be necessarily in balance as suggested earlier by Seim and Gregg (1997). Instead, differential along-channel advection and local acceleration appear to influence greatly lateral circulation dynamics. During ebb when the water column is highly stratified, the interaction between centrifugal acceleration and opposite-directed lateral baroclinic forcing results in weak lateral flows. During flood, lateral flows are dominated by centrifugal acceleration, which is directed toward the outside of the curvature at the mid-depth because of the nonlogarithmic current profile, and reinforced by lateral baroclinic forcing. This results in strong two-layer clockwise circulation (looking up-estuary) during flood. The eastward-directed bottom currents during ebb deliver only a small amount of suspended sediment from the relatively narrow western shoal to the channel bed. During flood, the west-directed near-bed currents deliver a significant amount of sediments from the gentle, broad eastern shoal, which in conjunction with the locally resuspended sediment load promotes the development of the estuarine turbidity maximum. Increased lateral advection of sediments during flood reinforces a tidal asymmetry in the development of turbidity maximum. Decomposition analysis of lateral sediment fluxes averaged over a tidal cycle suggests convergence of sediment toward the center of the channel is driven mainly by the oscillatory tidal component.
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: Biologic targets for therapy

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a malignancy derived from a clonal population of mature, skin-homing lymphocytes. In the skin, the CTCL cells are associated with the Langerhans cells and respond to protumor cytokines. In turn, they upregulate T-cell receptor-dependent signaling pathways and subsequently demonstrate stigmata of T-cell activation. As the disease progresses, there appears to be an accumulation of genetic and epigenetic changes that may contribute to the aggressiveness of the disease. Furthermore, the persistence of tumor appears to require escape from cancer immunosurveillance. This process likely requires modulation of the host immune system and skewing of the immune cells away from a cytotoxic phenotype. Each of these steps in disease pathogenesis offers a potential object for targeted therapies. This article reviews the recent research into the design and use of targeted therapies for CTCL.
Effects of corticotropin-releasing hormone, lysine vasopressin, oxytocin, and angiotensin II on adrenocorticotropin secretion from porcine anterior pituitary cells.

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the ability of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), lysine vasopressin (LVP), oxytocin (OT), and angiotensin II (AII) to stimulate adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) secretion from porcine anterior pituitary (AP) cells in vitro and to evaluate the role of protein kinase C (PKC) in the interaction between CRH and LVP. In this study, porcine AP cells were enzymatically and mechanically dispersed, cultured (150,000 cells/well) for 4 d, and then challenged with doses of various neuropeptides for 3 hr. CRH (10 −7 −10 −10 M) was the most potent of the peptides tested in stimulating ACTH release from porcine AP cells. In fact, none of the other peptides consistently affected ACTH concentrations relative to basal levels. However, LVP potentiated CRH action, even though by itself, it failed to stimulate ACTH production. Neither OT or AII potentiated CRH-stimulated ACTH release from porcine AP cells. To determine whether the interaction between CRH and LVP was regulated partially by the protein Kinase C (PKC) pathway, we challenged AP cells in a 30-min incubation with 10 −7 M staurosporine (ST), a treatment predicted to decrease PKC activity. Then, cells were washed and challenged with 10 −9 M LVP, 10 −9 M CRH, and 10 −9 M CRH + LVP. Treatment with ST decreased (P −7 M phorbol 12, 13-myristate acetate (PMA) and 5 μM forskolin (FOR) for 3 hr. This treatment was predicted to enhance PKA and PKC activities, respectively, and thereby enhance ACTH concentrations. Challenging cells with FOR + PMA enhanced (P
(111)⇒(001) orientational phase transitions and nature of the insulating state in BiSrCaCuO (2212 and 2223) films

The influence of the growth temperature Ts on the structure, optical absorption, and electrical conductivity of BiSrCaCuO films has been studied. It was observed that nonmonotonic changes in the parameters of the films with Ts are caused by (111)⇒(001) phase transitions at Ts≈550 °C for the 2212 phase and Ts≈600 °C for the 2223 phase. These phase transitions stimulate the formation of metallic conductivity and are caused by a change in the system of preferential ordering planes of the atoms.
Pregnenolone sulfate antagonizes GABAA receptor-mediated currents via a reduction of channel opening frequency

Abstract Our previous study showed antagonism of GABA A receptor-mediated whole-cell currents by pregnenolone sulfate (PS). Here, the effects of PS, picrotoxin (PTX) and pentobarbital (PB) were tested on GABA-activated single Cl − channels recorded from membrane patches of rat cortical neurons in primary cultures. PS and PTX selectively decreased the opening frequency of the channels, while PB increased mean open time and burst duration without affecting opening frequency. It is suggested that PS and PTX may antagonize GABA A receptor function through the same mechanism and/or the same binding site.
Circadian control of heart rate in young insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients

Abstract Our objective was to determine whether young insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients without complications have abnormal circadian patterns of sympathetic or parasympathetic control of heart rate. Twenty-four-hour electrocardiographic recordings in 26 IDDM patients without complications and 27 control subjects were obtained. Patients were in good health and participated in their usual daily activities. Power spectral analysis was performed to determine the amount of heart rate variability due to all (0.01-1.0 Hz), low (0.04-0.15 Hz), and high (0.15-0.40 Hz) frequency input signals hourly and throughout the entire 24-h period. Overall 24-h heart rate power did not differ between control and IDDM subjects. In IDDM subjects high-frequency power decreased with increasing diabetes duration ( r = −0.49, p = 0.013). A significant difference in circadian variation of heart rate power was only found for low frequency power ( p = 0.014). These results demonstrate that young IDDM subjects without diabetic complications have normal or near normal parasympathetic and sympathetic circadian patterns of heart rate control.
Management practices in carotid stenting.

Carotid endarterectomy can be regarded as the standard of care for low-risk patients with severe carotid stenosis; however, this technique is less appropriate for certain patient groups. For high-risk
Evaluating Modelling Techniques for Cattle Heat Stress Prediction

Researchers have traditionally predicted animal responses by means of statistical models. This study was conducted to evaluate modelling techniques. One hundred and twenty-eight feedlot heifers were observed during a 2-month period during the summer of 2002. Respiration rate and surface temperature were taken on a random sample of 40 animals twice a day. Five different models (two statistical models, two fuzzy inference systems, and one neural network) were developed using 70% of this data, and then tested using the remaining 30%. Results showed that the neural network described the most variation in test data (68%), followed by the data-dependent fuzzy model (Sugeno type) (66%), regression models (59 and 62%), while the data-free fuzzy model (Mamdami type) described only 27%. While the neural-network model may be a slightly better approach, the researcher may learn more about responses using a fuzzy inference system approach. For all models tested, respiration rate is over-predicted at low stress conditions and under-predicted at high stress conditions. This suggests that all models are lacking a key piece of input data, possibly the accumulative effects of prior weather conditions, to make an accurate prediction.
Compositional assessment of event DAS-59122-7 maize using substantial equivalence

Abstract Event DAS-59122-7 (Herculex™ RW) maize ( Zea mays L.) plants were transformed to express the Cry34Ab1 and Cry35Ab1 binary insecticidal crystal proteins originally isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) strain PS149B1. These proteins protect maize roots from attack by corn rootworms, Diabrotica spp. DAS-59122-7 maize also contains the pat gene, originally isolated from Streptomyces viridochromogenes , which confers tolerance to glufosinate–ammonium herbicides (e.g. Liberty™). We assessed the composition of these transgenic plants (with and without Liberty herbicide treatment), grown at a total of eight fields sites over 2 years, by applying the principle of substantial equivalence. Forage and grain samples were analyzed for proximates, fiber and minerals, and grain was further analyzed for amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, secondary metabolites and anti-nutrients. Data plots were prepared that allow for efficient investigation of equivalency between event DAS-59122-7 maize and a non-transgenic near-isogenic maize line grown contemporaneously. Results demonstrated that DAS-59122-7 maize is equivalent to non-transgenic maize with respect to these important constituents.
Liver function, plasma dexamethasone, and DST results in detoxified alcoholics.

Alcohol abuse, alcohol withdrawal, and deterioration of hepatic function have been associated with abnormal dexamethasone suppression test (DST) results. Chronic alcohol abuse may also directly alter the pharmacokinetic disposition of dexamethasone. Plasma dexamethasone concentrations following a DST were determined in 53 detoxified alcoholics. Those with abnormal liver function had higher 4 p.m. plasma dexamethasone concentrations and lower DST cortisol concentrations. Those with normal liver function had lower plasma dexamethasone and higher DST cortisol concentrations consistent with induction of hepatic metabolic enzymes from chronic use of alcohol. The data indicate that liver function is one of the variables influencing dexamethasone disposition and DST cortisol suppression.
Voltage reduction field trials on distributions circuits

This paper describes field trials of voltage reduction on nine distribution circuits. The median CVR factor was 0.6 on these circuits. Results were normalized using measurements from nearby comparable circuits. Advanced metering infrastructure data on some circuits allowed comparison by customer type. On one circuit, commercial customers had lower CVR factors than residential customers. For residential customers, CVR factors were lower for customers with higher winter loads.
A remark on divisor-weighted sums

Let \(\{a_n\}\) be a sequence of nonnegative real numbers. Under very mild hypotheses, we obtain upper bounds of the expected order of magnitude for sums of the form \(\sum _{n \le x} a_n \tau _r(n)\), where \(\tau _r(n)\) is the \(r\)-fold divisor function. This sharpens previous estimates of Friedlander and Iwaniec. The proof uses combinatorial ideas of Erdős and Wolke.
Water simulation model with explicit three-molecule interactions.

Much effort has been directed at developing models for the computer simulation of liquid water. The simplest models involve effective two-molecule interactions, parametrized from experiment, for use in classical molecular dynamics simulations. These models have been very successful in describing the structure and dynamics of liquid water at room temperature and one atmosphere pressure. A completely successful model, however, should be robust enough to describe the properties of liquid water at other thermodynamic points, water’s complicated phase diagram, heterogeneous situations like the liquid/vapor interface, ionic, and other aqueous solutions, and confined and biological water. In this paper, we develop a new classical simulation model with explicit three-molecule interactions. These interactions presumably make the model more robust in the senses described above, and since they are short-ranged, the model is efficient to simulate. The model is formulated as a perturbation from a classical two-molecul...
Multicenter, randomized, double-blind study comparing 10, 20 and 40 mg pantoprazole in children (5-11 years) with symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Objective: To evaluate symptom improvement in 53 children (aged 5-11 years) with endoscopically proven gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) treated with pantoprazole (10, 20 and 40 mg) using the GERD Assessment of Symptoms in Pediatrics Questionnaire. Methods: The GERD Assessment of Symptoms in Pediatrics Questionnaire was used to measure the frequency and severity over the previous 7 days of abdominal/belly pain, chest pain/ heartburn, difficulty swallowing, nausea, vomiting/regurgitation. burping/belching, choking when eating and pain after eating. Individual symptom scores were based on the product of the frequency and usual severity of each symptom. The sum of the individual symptom score values made up the composite symptom score (CSS). The primary end point was the change in the mean CSS from baseline to week 8. Results: Mean frequency and severity of each symptom significantly decreased (from P < 0.006 to P < 0.001) over time. Similar significant decreases in CSS at week 8 versus baseline (P < 0.001) were seen in all groups. Significant decreases from baseline in CSS were noted from weeks I to 8 in the 20-mg (P < 0.003) and 40-mg (P < 0.001) groups. The 20- and 40-mg doses were significantly (P < 0.05) more effective than the 10-mg dose in improving GERD symptoms at week 1. Adverse events were similar among the treatment groups. Conclusions: Pantoprazole (20 and 40 mg) is effective in reducing endoscopically proven GERD symptoms in children. Both 20 and 40 mg pantoprazole significantly reduced symptoms as early as 1 week.
Effect of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation on Leukocyte Function in Neonates

The impact of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on neonatal leukocyte content and function was examined in six patients. Patients were treated with ECMO for a mean of 134 h (range 44-246 h). Absolute neutrophil counts decreased from 14679 +/- 2291/mm3 to 7791 +/- 1672/mm3 after 2 h of ECMO. However, neutrophil phagocytosis and oxidative burst remained unchanged during the first 48 h of bypass. Monocyte counts also decreased during bypass, and at times were undetectable in 50% of patients. Monocyte HLA-DR content was decreased compared to normal cord blood prior to initiation of ECMO, and remained low throughout ECMO. However, the content increased significantly after termination of bypass. Plasma C3a levels increased transiently, paralleled by an increase in neutrophil CR3 expression. While moribund infants had some impairment of host defenses prior to ECMO, there was no further impact of ECMO per se on the parameters measured, other than transient complement activation and decreased monocyte counts.
Spectrophophotometric determination of manganese with n,n,n',n'-tetrakis(2-hydraxypropyl)ethylenediamine

A new spectrophotometric method for the determination of manganese with N,N,N,N'-tetrakis-(2-hydroxypropyl) ethylenediamine has been developed. The sensitivity is 0.12 μm of Mn per cm2 for log I0/I= 0.001 and Beer's law is obeyed between 2 and 100 p.p.m. of manganese. An ionexchange separation of interfering ions was satisfactory for thc analysis of a variety of National Bureau of Standards samples with good accuracy. The standard deviation with a Mn-bronze was 1.25%.
Evaluating holistic aggregators efficiently for very large datasets

In data warehousing applications, numerous OLAP queries involve the processing of holistic aggregators such as computing the “top n,” median, quantiles, etc. In this paper, we present a novel approach called dynamic bucketing to efficiently evaluate these aggregators. We partition data into equiwidth buckets and further partition dense buckets into subbuckets as needed by allocating and reclaiming memory space. The bucketing process dynamically adapts to the input order and distribution of input datasets. The histograms of the buckets and subbuckets are stored in our new data structure called structure trees. A recent selection algorithm based on regular sampling is generalized and its analysis extended. We have also compared our new algorithms with this generalized algorithm and several other recent algorithms. Experimental results show that our new algorithms significantly outperform prior ones not only in the runtime but also in accuracy.
Mineralogical transformations controlling acid mine drainage chemistry

article i nfo The role of Fe(III) minerals in controlling acid mine drainage (AMD) chemistry was studied using samples from two AMD sites (Gum Boot (GB) and Fridays-2 (FR)) located in northern Pennsylvania. Chemical extractions, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to identify and characterize Fe(III) phases. The mineralogical analysis revealed schwertmannite and goethite as the principal Fe(III) phases in the sediments. Schwertmannite particles occurred as sub-micron sized spheroids. Their transformation into goethite occurred at the GB site where poorly-crystallized goethite rich in surface-bound sulfate was initially formed. In contrast, no schwertmannite transformation occurred at the FR site. The resulting goethite in GB sediments was also of spherical morphology and resulted from an in situ phase transformation involving the conversion of bulk- bound schwertmannite sulfate ions into goethite surface complexes. Chemical extractions moreover showed that the poorly-crystallized goethite particles were subject to further crystallization accompanied by sulfate desorption. Changes in sulfate speciation preceded its desorption, with a conversion of bidentate- to monodentate-bound sulfate surface complexes. Laboratory sediment incubation experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of mineral transforma- tion on water chemistry. Incubation experiments were carried out with schwertmannite-containing sediments and aerobic AMD waters with different pH and chemical composition. The pH decreased to 1.9-2.2 in all suspensions and the concentrations of dissolved Fe and S increased significantly. Regardless of differences in the initial water composition, pH, Fe and S were similar in suspensions of the same sediment. XRD measurements revealed that schwertmannite transformed into goethite in GB and FR sediments during laboratory incubation. The incubation experiments demonstrated that schwertmannite transformation controlled AMD water chemistry under no-flow, batch conditions.
Composite integral operators and nuclearity

Here the s,(T) are the characteristic numbers ([9J, [16]; so-called s-numbers [12]) of T, defined to be the eigenvalues of the related compact nonnegative selfadjoint operator (T* T) ~/2, arranged in decreasing order and repeated according to multiplicity, Some compact operators between Hilbert spaces have characteristic numbers which are 7-summable for exponents 7 smaller than 2. In the case 7 = 1 the operator is said to be nuclear or of trace class. Since the pioneering work of Grothendieck [13] on nuclear spaces (see also Gohberg and Krein [l 1], [12]; Gel'fand and Vilenkin [10]) it has been of interest to enquire under what various sorts of conditions compact operators are nuclear. For integral operators the following are amongst the known results (see [1], [2], [4], [5], [6], [9], [12], [21], [22], for example):
Electrolytic recovery of chlorine from hydrogen chloride gas with fused molten salt electrolyte LiCl/KCl

A method of electrolytic recovery of chlorine from hydrogen chloride gas based on the fused molten salt LiCl/KCl is under development. For the feasibility study, described here, a reticulated vitreous carbon (or porous carbon) cathode was immersed in a low-melting eutectic of LiCl/KCl. A graphite rod was used as the anode. Gaseous dilute hydrogen chloride, in a mixture with nitrogen, was reduced to elemental hydrogen and chloride at the cathode, and chlorine was produced at the anode. At stoichiometric current, current efficiency is greater than 90%. The removal efficiency is as high as 97%.
A slide rule for isotonic calculations.

The design and detailed instructions for the use of an isotonic calculator are presented. The calculator is a circular slide rule which is based upon the principle of the sodium chloride equivalent method for calculating isotonicity. The instrument is useful for rapid calculations in both the metric and apothecaries' systems at the prescription counter. It is designed to show 40 selected drugs, their sodium chloride equivalents, molecular weights, and a reference to the buffer range in which they are generally dispensed. A supplementary list of over 100 drugs with the above information is also provided.
Protective role of AT2 and B1 receptors in kinin B2-receptor-knockout mice with myocardial infarction

AT(2)Rs [AngII (angiotensin II) type 2 receptors] contribute to the cardioprotective effects of angiotensin II receptor blockers, possibly via kinins acting on the B(1)R (B(1) receptor) and B(2)R (B(2) receptor). Recent studies have shown that a lack of B(2)R up-regulates B(1)R and AT(2)R; however, the pathophysiological relevance of such an event remains unclear. We hypothesized that up-regulation of AT(2)R and B(1)R compensates for the loss of B(2)R. Blockade of AT(2)R and/or B(1)R worsens cardiac remodelling and dysfunction following MI (myocardial infarction) in B(2)R(-/-) (B(2)-receptor-knockout mice). B(2)R(-/-) mice and WT (wild-type) controls were subjected to sham MI or MI and treated for 4 weeks with (i) vehicle, (ii) a B(1)R-ant (B(1)R antagonist; 300 μg/kg of body weight per day), (iii) an AT(2)R-ant [AT(2) receptor antagonist (PD123319); 20 mg/kg of body weight per day], or (iv) B(1)R-ant+AT(2)R-ant. B(2)R(-/-) mice had a greater MCSA (myocyte cross-sectional area) and ICF (interstitial collagen fraction) at baseline and after MI compared with WT controls. Cardiac function and increase in macrophage infiltration, TGFβ(1) (transforming growth factor β(1)) expression and ERK1/2 (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2) phosphorylation post-MI were similar in both strains. Blockade of AT(2)R or B(1)R worsened cardiac remodelling, hypertrophy and dysfunction associated with increased inflammation and ERK1/2 phosphorylation and decreased NO excretion in B(2)R(-/-) mice, which were exacerbated by dual blockade of B(1)R and AT(2)R. No such effects were seen in WT mice. Our results suggest that, in the absence of B(2)R, both B(1)R and AT(2)R play important compensatory roles in preventing deterioration of cardiac function and remodelling post-MI possibly via suppression of inflammation, TGFβ(1) and ERK1/2 signalling.
Community Conservation and the Future of Africa's Wildlife

Abstract: The term community-based conservation (CBC) refers to wildlife conservation efforts that involve rural people as an integral part of a wildlife conservation policy. The key elements of such programs are that local communities participate in resource planning and management and that they gain economically from wildlife utilization. In part, CBC is seen as an alternative to the more exclusionary protectionist policies of the past, which often alienated rural people from conservation efforts. The new approach acts to make rural people a constituency for wildlife and therefore active backers of wildlife protection. Africans, however, are struggling with severe social and economic problems such as poverty, long-standing economic stagnation, rapid population growth, and environmental deterioration. Because of the pressures that Africans face in making a living, the application of CBC may not occur as readily or as successfully as its advocates would hope. It may also be that the approach is being oversold. I use brief case studies from Madagascar, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and Swaziland to highlight the possible conflicts between rural people's economic needs and the implementation of community conservation. In addition, the CBC literature treats the role of protection vaguely, as it does the question of what might happen if CBC fails to achieve wildlife conservation goals. Community-based conservation is an obvious advance over past practices because of its inclusive philosophy, but if rural people accept CBC because of its economic benefits, they may reject it at some point in the future if a better economic alternative is presented. Thus, CBC programs can work to produce a better relationship between wildlife and people, but only a vast improvement in the lives of rural Africans will ultimately produce a more secure future for the continent's wildlife.
Expectation values in quantum cosmology

We study a quantum cosmological model, using the modified effective-action formalism which produces effective field equations satisfied by an expectation value of the metric operator, as opposed to the usual in-out matrix element. These equations are found to be real and causal. The reality means that the solution can be interpreted as the effective metric during the very early Universe, when quantum corrections were important. The causality of the equations means that they can, in principle, be solved from initial data, without any assumption being made about the final state of the system. However, a new problem is discovered: namely, that there exist solutions which represent exponentially growing perturbations of the classical solution. This instability, which has previously been discovered for a flat background, prevents the numerical solution of the effective field equations. Thus we have been unable to discover the evolution of the expectation value of the metric in this model.
Particle generation, transport, and characterization at the First International Workshop on light absorption by aerosol particles

Aerosol particles with a wide range of light absorption properties were generated, transported, and characterized to permit meaningful intercomparisons of all the major types of light absorption instruments. The particles were generated in concentrations of ~1 mg m−3 and 50 μg m−3 for periods up to 2 h. The particle characteristics ranged from highly absorbing carbonaceous to nearly transparent ammonium sulfate, from submicron ammonium sulfate to supermicron Arizona road dust, and from spherical ammonium sulfate to chain-aggregate carbonaceous and irregular ambient particles.
Predicting relationship outcomes in online dating: a longitudinal survey

This poster presents preliminary results from a longitudinal survey of online dating users. Participants' initial online and subsequent offline impressions of their dates were used to predict both relationship duration in weeks and relationship quality metrics, including perceived intimacy and relationship satisfaction, two weeks after the first meeting. We find that impressions assessed before online daters met in person did not predict relationship duration, but they did predict metrics of relationship quality.
Therapeutic Modalities for Treatment Resistant Depression: Focus on Vagal Nerve Stimulation and Ketamine

Treatment resistant depression (TRD) is a global health concern affecting a large proportion of depressed patients who then require novel therapeutic options. One such treatment option that has received some attention in the past several years is vagal nerve stimulation (VNS). The present review briefly describes the relevance of this treatment in the light of other existing pharmacological and non-pharmacological options. It then summarizes clinical findings with respect to the efficacy of VNS. The anatomical rationale for its efficacy and other potential mechanisms of its antidepressant effects as compared to those employed by classical antidepressant drugs are discussed. VNS has been approved in some countries and has been used for patients with TRD for quite some time. A newer, fast-acting, non-invasive pharmacological option called ketamine is currently in the limelight with reference to TRD. This drug is currently in the investigational phase but shows promise. The clinical and preclinical findings related to ketamine have also been summarized and compared with those for VNS. The role of neurotrophin factors, specifically brain derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor, in the beneficial effects of both VNS and ketamine have been highlighted. It can be concluded that both these therapeutic modalities, while effective, need further research that can reveal specific targets for intervention by novel drugs and address concerns related to side-effects, especially those seen with ketamine.
Science and math education action plan

The U.S. National Science Board has proposed a plan to improve the quality of science and math education at all grade levels nationwide. If implemented, the plan will help attract and retain quality educators, enhance scientific literacy in current teachers and students, develop national math and science standards for each grade, and ensure that continuity in learning exists as students move from one grade to the next. A National Action Plan for Addressing the Critical Needs of the u.s. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education System, released in draft form on 8 August, seeks to correct what National Science Board (NSB) members see as failures of the U.S. science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education system in ensuring that all U.S. students receive the skills and knowledge required to be successful in the 21st-century workforce.
Soap and lime soap dispersants

In recent decades, soap has largely been replaced by petrochemicals and polyphosphates as the major components of laundry detergents in the U.S. Currently, the use of soap is primarily confined to the toilet soap bar field, and technological advances here have been mainly in processing. In view of the rising costs and increasing scarcity of petrochemicals and polyphosphates, tallow, a replenishable, inexpensive agricultural by-product, was examined as an alternate raw material. Tallow soap has a long history of efficacy and safety but suffers from poor performance in hard water and insolubility in cold water. It has now been shown that the performance of soaps can be drastically improved in cold water solubility and in hard water detergency by the addition to the soap of lime soap dispersing agents (LSD A). These are anionic or amphoteric surfactants possessing one or more bulky polar groups. These soap-LSDA combinations form mixed micelles in water and essentially take on the surface active characteristics of a single anionic surfactant. Soap-LSDA combinations wash well in hard water without curd formation; they can be “built” with various materials such as phosphates and trisodium nitrilotriacetate (NTA) to enhance detergency. Soap-LSDA combinations equal the conventional detergents in every performance respect and undergo biodegradation more readily and completely.
Hydroxyproline-rich cell wall protein (extensin): role in the cessation of elongation in excised pea epicotyls.

Abstract The synthesis and accumulation of cell wall hydroxyproline increases coincident with the cessation of elongation growth in pea epicotyls. We examined the relationship between these biochemical and physiological events by using epicotyl sections challenged with α, α′-dipyridyl. This chelator blocked hydroxyproline biosynthesis without affecting overall protein synthesis. Epicotyl sections mimicked elongation growth in situ when placed in indoleacetic acid. Elongation was blocked by the addition of benzimidazole or Ethrel. These latter compounds acted independently as judged by their kinetics of action and the inhibition of Ethrel's effect only by CO2. During rapid elongation growth in indoleacetic acid, there was no increase in cell wall hydroxyproline. However, incubation in either growth-inhibitory agent increased hydroxyproline 3-fold. When this increase was blocked by dipyridyl incubation, growth was not inhibited in benzimidazole or Ethrel, but proceeded at the maximal rate. During long-term incubations in buffer, cell wall hydroxyproline increased and the sections eventually became unable to grow. However, if dipyridyl was added to block the hydroxyproline increase, growth potential remained. Elongation was inhibited by supraoptimal concentrations of indoleacetic acid. However, such inhibition did not occur in the presence of dipyridyl. These results indicate that an hydroxyproline-containing component is necessary in rendering the cell wall inextensible when elongation growth ceases.
Block liposome and nanotube formation is a general phenomenon of two-component membranes containing multivalent lipids

We report a study on the formation of block liposomes (BLs) and nanotubes from membranes comprising mixtures of membrane curvature-stabilizing multivalent cationic lipids MVL3(3+) and MVL5(5+) with neutral 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC). In conjunction with prior work on MVLBG2(16+), our experiments suggest that BL and nanotube formation is a general phenomenon in membranes containing multivalent lipids, thus enhancing the relevance of BLs for applications such as gene/drug storage and delivery or templating.
The Pattern of Optic Nerve Fiber Loss in Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy

Postmortem quantification of the remaining optic nerve fibers in three eyes with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy showed that the loss of fibers was complete in the superior half of each nerve and included loss of peripheral fibers in the other half. The fibers with the greatest resistance to atrophy were found in the middle of the nerve cross section. The pattern was similar to that found in a previous example of anterior ischemic optic neuropathy and unlike that found in glaucoma or other optic neuropathies studied in similar fashion.
Threshold selection for timely fault detection in feedback control systems

The inevitable time delay in fault detection, i.e. the time between the occurrence and detection of the fault, can cause stability problems in feedback control systems. The state of the art technologies, however, provide neither an analysis tool to evaluate the adverse influence of the detection delay on the closed-loop system's stability and performance nor guidelines for designers to overcome the instability introduced by the detection delay. In this paper we conduct a theoretical analysis of timely fault detection problem which concerns the detection of faults before the closed-loop system's performance deteriorates to an unacceptable extent. We first give a formal definition of the "timely" fault detection problem. Then we derive the upper and lower bounds of thresholds of fault detectors as well as a set of detectable faults. If the threshold is selected within the bounds, faults belonging to the detectable set can be detected in a timely manner and an acceptable level of performance is guaranteed.
Delineating mechanisms of dissociation for isomeric heparin disaccharides using isotope labeling and ion trap tandem mass spectrometry

Heparin and heparan sulfate (HS) glycosaminoglycans have been identified as important players in many physiological as well as pathophysiological settings. A better understanding of the biosynthesis and structure of these molecules is critical for further elucidation of their biological function. We have demonstrated the successful use of negative electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry in the differentiation of all twelve standard heparin-building blocks, including the potentially important N-unsubstituted disaccharides. Collision induced dissociation of each of the isomeric disaccharides provided unique product ion spectra, useful for identification and quantification of the relative amounts of each isomer present. In the research presented herein, isotopic labeling studies using 18O and 2H were used to determine the origins of each of the neutral losses observed in the product ion spectra, and mechanisms of dissociation consistent with the observed data were postulated. The general mechanisms postulated were for the generation of B, Y, and Z ions formed from glycosidic cleavages, as well as A and X ions formed from cross-ring cleavages. The eight isomeric heparin disaccharides all underwent cross-ring cleavage to form 0,2X1 and 0,2A2 ions, and further experiments suggest that the mechanisms of formation of these ions are through a charge-remote process. The tandem mass spectrometry data presented herein also provide a foundation for further developments towards a practical analysis tool for the structural elucidation of larger, biologically important heparin/HS oligosaccharides by using mass spectrometry.
Provably secure steganography with imperfect sampling

The goal of steganography is to pass secret messages by disguising them as innocent-looking covertexts. Real world stegosystems are often broken because they make invalid assumptions about the system's ability to sample covertexts. We examine whether it is possible to weaken this assumption. By modeling the covertext distribution as a stateful Markov process, we create a sliding scale between real world and provably secure stegosystems. We also show that insufficient knowledge of past states can have catastrophic results.
What We Can Learn About Running from Barefoot Running: An Evolutionary Medical Perspective

Barefoot running, which was how people ran for millions of years, provides an opportunity to study how natural selection adapted the human body to run. Because humans evolved to run barefoot, a barefoot running style that minimizes impact peaks and provides increased proprioception and foot strength, is hypothesized to help avoid injury, regardless of whether one is wearing shoes.
Ozone in High Concentrations as Cause of Tobacco Leaf Injury

Evidence obtained by means of rubber strip tests and an ozone recorder indicates the presence of abnormal concentrations of ozone in the atmosphere at times. Excellent correlation was obtained between appearance of "weather fleck" in tobacco and high values for ozone. The great similarity between lesions occurring naturally and those produced by ozone in chambers also indicates that ozone is the probable inciting agent of weather fleck. Varietal differences exist. Study of stomatal action helped to explain variation in leaf injury.
Embedded stereo vision system providing visual guidance to the visually impaired

In order to supplement the traditional aids for the visually impaired, many different technologies are being explored to provide more accurate and useful information. In particular, vision systems generate visual information that can be used to provide guidance to the visually impaired. This paper presents a ID signal matching algorithm for stereo vision correlation as well as an embedded system that provides obstacle distance estimation to the user.
Dissolution kinetics of benzoic acid in high concentrations of surface-active agents

The dissolution kinetics of benzoic acid has been studied in the presence of certain surface-active agents. The addition of tyloxapol, polysorbate 80, sodium lauryl sulfate, and poloxakol to the dissolving fluid increased the apparent solubility of benzoic acid. In considering the experimentally determined dissolution rate as a function of solubility, it appears that the dissolution process in solutions of tyloxapol, polysorbate 80, and sodium lauryl sulfate concurs with the diffusion layer concept, while the dissolution process in the presence of poloxakol is best described by an interfacial barrier model.
Development of Advanced Instrumentation for Static and Pulsed Fields

The DC and pulsed magnets now available at the NHMFL provide routine access to high magnetic fields in cryogenic environments (down to even dilution refrigerator levels), that are world-record unique. This uniqueness comes with a price that reflects constraints of the magnets and the low temperatures, including limited volume and time at peak magnetic field, cryogenic power limits on electronics, and, particularly for pulsed magnets, increased noise. In effect, the instrumentation constraints are similar for NHMFL superconducting, resistive and pulsed magnets. An NHMFL experimentalist therefore has a simple goal: acquisition of all the information produced by a measurement in the shortest time permitted by information theory, with minimum sensitivity to noise and interference. To assist with this, we propose here to eliminate commercial general-purpose lock-in amplifiers, preamplifiers and digitizers and replace them with commercial-quality custom building blocks optimized for NHMFL measurements, that are faster, quieter, more versatile, and cheaper. We will use these new instruments to support users by improving present measurements as well as adding new capabilities, including specific heat for materials that suffer adiabatic effects in pulsed fields, and thermal conductivity in both dc and pulsed magnets based on 3rd harmonic methods. We will use these techniques to measures the thermal conductivity of high Tc superconductors at high field in the normal state, and to test the Weideman-Franz relationship between electronic thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity in the extreme high-field limit.