cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Desert Environment and Origins of Agriculture in Egypt

Examination of paleoclimatological and archaeological data from the Egyptian Sahara and the Nile Valley strongly suggests that management of animals and supplementary fanning appeared in the southern part of the Western Desert during the early Holocene under subarid conditions. Excessive annual and short‐term variability in rainfall, associated with pronounced temporal and spatial unpredictability of water and food resources, is considered one of the key factors stimulating the initiation of domestication. The onset of marked desertification during the 7th millennium bp motivated an eastward movement into the Nile Valley attested to by an almost simultaneous appearance of ‘Neolithic’ sites from the Delta to the central Sudan.
The simple tension test

Abstract The present report is an application of the theory proposed in a previous paper to the simple tension test. It is found that the predictions of the analysis are in reasonable agreement with the results of Bridgman's experimental observations. Specifically, the development yields Bridgman's finding that the strain is approximately uniform over a cross section of the specimen. Further, the theory predicts the existence of a relation between the a/R ratio, i.e. the radius of the specimen at the neck to the radius of curvature of the profile, to the logarithmic strain. However, it is important to observe that the previous discovery is dependent upon a material ratio. Fortunately, the experimental data is found to lie within a region corresponding to reasonable values of the material parameter.
Effects of the timing of marriage and first birth of the spacing of subsequent births.

Analyzing data from a fifteen-year follow-up survey of high school students originally surveyed in 1957–58 and resurveyed in 1973–74, this paper examines the effects of the timing of marriage and first birth on subsequent child spacing, holding constant the effects of other variables that may be sources of spuriousness. The results suggest that age at first marriage has a causal effect on the occurrence of a short first birth interval and that age at first marriage and premarital pregnancy interact in their effect on the occurrence of a short second birth interval. Age at first marriage has no causal effect on the spacing of the second birth for those whose first child was maritally conceived. The spacing of the first birth, however, appears to have a causal effect on the spacing of the second.
The ubiquity of peroxyacetyl nitrate in the continental boundary layer

Abstract Although peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) is generally considered to be an urban pollutant of relatively short lifetime, it has been measured at significant concentrations (> 0.1 ppb) in rural and remote locations and during all seasons. This communication reports the results of several recent measurement programs and speculates on the importance of these observations.
Equatorial wave activity derived from fluctuations in observed convection

The spectrum of equatorial wave activity propagating vertically into the stratosphere is calculated from high-resolution imagery of the global convective pattern. Synoptic Global Cloud Imagery (GCI), constructed from six satellites simultaneously observing the earth, is used to diabatically force the linearized primitive equations. Having resolution of 0.5 deg and 3 h, that imagery captures the dominant scales of organized convection, including several harmonics of the diurnal cycle. Its global coverage with high space-time resolution allows the GCI to represent heating variability and dynamical behavior excited by it over a wide range of scales. The dynamical response above the heating is evaluated globally in terms of a space-time spectrum of Hough modes, one which includes planetary-scale Kelvin waves, Rossby waves, and gravity waves down to the resolution of the GCI. The geopotential response, which is indicative of temperature fluctuations observed by satellite, is very red in frequency. Therefore, planetary-scale waves with periods longer than two days dominate the spectrum of geopotential, while high-frequency gravity waves make a comparatively small contribution. Some 80% of the geopotential variance is accounted for by the Kelvin and gravest-symmetric Rossby modes, while the Rossby-gravity mode is comparatively weak. In horizontal eddy motion, the excited wave spectrum is still dominated by planetary-scale components. However, meridional wind fluctuations associated with the Rossby-gravity mode have variance comparable to that of zonal wind fluctuations associated with the Kelvin mode, even though the Rossby-gravity mode is nearly invisible in the geopotential response. Estimates of tropospheric heating lead to amplitudes and propagation characteristics that are broadly consistent with satellite and radiosonde observations of wave activity in the lower stratosphere. The space-time spectrum of EP flux is significantly whiter than the response in either geopotential or motion. Gravity waves of small scale and high frequency carry a large fraction of the upward flux. Although it dominates eastward variance of geopotential and motion, the Kelvin mode carries only about 50% of the eastward EP flux at phase speeds of 20-40 m/s and only 35% of the total eastward flux transmitted to the stratosphere. The remainder is carried by the gravity wave spectrum, which carries nearly all of the westward flux at phase speeds greater than 20 m/s. The gravity wave spectrum also contributes significantly at phase speeds of 10-20 m/s, where only 25% of the flux is accounted for by zonal wavenumbers less than 20. The broad nature of the gravity wave spectrum suggests its absorption at critical levels will be distributed over a deep layer of the middle atmosphere.
Adsorption and interaction of Sm on GaAs(110) studied by scanning tunneling microscopy.

Scanning-tunneling-microscopy studies of the interactions of Sm with GaAs(110) at 300 K show two growth structures. Low density zigzag chains form by 0.01 monolayer (ML) with (divalent) Sm atoms bound to Ga surface atoms along the [11\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}0] direction (Sm-Sm distances 6.9 and 7.9 \AA{}). These zigzag chains are limited in length but bridge two or three substrate rows. Higher-density linear chains of (divalent) Sm atoms form at the expense of the zigzag chains with increased deposition, and the adatoms are bonded beside two Ga atoms near an As atom (Sm-Sm distance \ensuremath{\sim}4 \AA{}). Only short single chains are observed, and they convert to reacted (trivalent) clusters that bridge substrate rows at higher coverage. By \ensuremath{\sim}0.33 ML, the surface structure is composed of linear chains and reacted clusters with a small number of residual zigzag chains. Synchrotron-radiation photoemission results provide a correlation of structure with Sm valence. Comparison to Cs/GaAs(110) offers insight into low-coverage nucleation.
Fistula from left main coronary artery to right atrium: treatment by combined transaortic and transatrial approach

Fistulas from the left main coronary artery to the right atrium are unusual lesions that have been treated by fistula ligation. The present report of a case treated by a combined transaortic and transatrial approach stresses the ease and advantages of this technique.
The Value Of Improving Treatment Adherence In Chronic Hepatitis C Infectio

• We created a cohort Markov model describing the natural history of hepatitis C infection in a population of 1000 treatmentexperienced, 50-year old subjects to evaluate transitions between CHC and other health states (Figure 1). • Using previously published data from the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-term Treatment against Cirrhosis trial, (3) we modeled four levels of medication adherence: a) >80% PEG-RBV; b) >80% PEG/ 80% RBV; d) <80% PEG-RBV. • We calculated the difference in total liver-related health care costs between patients in the lowest versus each higher level of adherence following a hypothetical nursing-based intervention program, and performed probabilistic sensitivity analysis to evaluate the uncertainty in our estimates.
Conditioned neuronal responses at various levels in conditioning paradigms.

Abstract Monopolar macro-electrodes were implanted in seven chronic and thirty-six acute cats. Brain sites investigated were the medulla and mesencephalic reticular formation, diffuse thalamic system, cochlear nucleus, inferior colliculus, brachium of the inferior colliculus, medial geniculate and the auditory cortex. All cats were given classical conditioning, consisting of a tone paired with a mild electric shock to one hind paw. In addition, the chronic animals were given instrumental avoidance conditioning. The results indicate that conditioned neuronal responses developed sequentially, starting with the reticular formation and progressing upward from the cochlear nucleus to the auditory cortex. These results were statistically significant for both classical and instrumental conditioning. Control experiments for general bodily movements, alerting or arousal, and pseudoconditioning were run and the results were found to be negative.
Using GPS Technology to Relate Macroscopic and Microscopic Traffic Parameters

Traffic congestion on today's freeways is a serious problem, causing significant delays for both passengers and goods. Freeway traffic congestion also results in increased vehicle emissions; however, this increase has not been quantified using current vehicle emission models. Current models use emission factors based on driving cycles that do not properly represent freeway driving characteristics. This paper presents a new methodology for relating the macroscopic speed, flow, and density parameters measured by traffic sensors with statistics of microscopic driving traces under different levels of congestion. This approach can be used to better estimate freeway emissions when combined with an appropriate modal emissions model. Preliminary experimentation has been carried out with a vehicle equipped with global positioning system (GPS) instrumentation, allowing for precise localization in both space and time. With the GPS, second-by-second velocity traces are acquired and matched with simultaneously measured freeway traffic data obtained by embedded traffic sensors. Statistical measures of velocity variation are derived from the velocity traces and are functionally related to the macroscopic traffic parameters of speed, flow, and density. Given a known distribution of vehicle types, models, and model years, vehicle emissions can be related to these statistical measures of velocity variation using a modal emission model, and, thus given speed-flow-density measures of freeway traffic, localized emissions estimates can be made.
DNA polymerase potentials of sea urchin embryos.

THE possible involvement of RNA-instructed DNA polymerase in differentiation has been proposed by Temin1. Here we present evidence that partially purified polymerase fractions prepared from 16-cell sea urchin embryos, which can undergo normal development through gastrulation, are able to support RNA-directed, as well as the expected DNA-directed, DNA synthesis. The results reported lead us to suggest that the observed RNA-instructed DNA synthesis may be mediated by polymerases other than that responsible for DNA-dependent DNA synthesis.
A behavioral treatment for difficulty in swallowing pills.

Abstract The present study employed a graded practice procedure to teach a 13-year-old leukemia patient to swallow pills. Progressively larger chunks of ice were used as stimuli in order to keep gagging and choking to a minimum. The criterion was reached after two sessions and generalization to a variety of pills and capsules occured. Treatment effects were maintained at 8 months follow-up.
Expanding Volunteer Vacation Participation An Exploratory Study on the Mini-Mission Concept

There has been a considerable growth in the volunteer vacation concept in the U.S. since around the mid—1980s. The increased demand has been attributed to an increased sense of global awareness among the Baby Boom generation, along with a growing willingness to make a contribution to other societies while on vacation. This study consisted of two parts, the first of which was an identification and description of some of the major organizations in the U.S. providing volunteer vacation opportunities. Next the concept of the mini-mission or ‘mission lite’ was described as a potential means for tour operators to build volunteering into itineraries. An exploratory study was conducted to determine the potential demand for the mission lite concept, which could be instrumental in significantly expanding participation in volunteer vacations in the future. A survey was conducted among a sample of members of the Ambassadair Travel Club, the largest organization of its type in the U.S. The study's results indicated co...
Year-to-year patterns of circulating levels of testosterone and corticosterone in relation to breeding density, experience, and reproductive success of the polygynous red-winged blackbird

To determine across-year patterns in plasma testosterone (T) and corticosterone (B) levels in free-living birds, we took blood samples in the same 2-week breeding period during 4 consecutive years from territorial male red-winged blackbirds. We used our data to test predictions of the "challenge hypothesis" of T secretion and also to examine hormonal correlations with age, breeding experience, breeding density, and reproductive success. Average T and B levels across years were not significantly different. Within individuals, T levels between years were, in general, highly variable. T levels of males with territories in high-density breeding areas were significantly higher than those of males with territories in low-density areas. T levels were positively correlated with harem size and there was a trend for males with high T levels to fledge more offspring. We found no relationships between T and B levels and male age or breeding experience. Some results of the study were consistent with the predictions of the challenge hypothesis. This study constitutes one of the few examinations of across-year patterns in circulating hormone levels in wild populations.
Characterization and in-vivo evaluation of a multi-resolution foveated laparoscope for minimally invasive surgery

The state-of-the-art laparoscope lacks the ability to capture high-magnification and wide-angle images simultaneously, which introduces challenges when both close- up views for details and wide-angle overviews for orientation are required in clinical practice. A multi-resolution foveated laparoscope (MRFL) which can provide the surgeon both high-magnification close-up and wide-angle images was proposed to address the limitations of the state-of-art surgical laparoscopes. In this paper, we present the overall system design from both clinical and optical system perspectives along with a set of experiments to characterize the optical performances of our prototype system and describe our preliminary in-vivo evaluation of the prototype with a pig model. The experimental results demonstrate that at the optimum working distance of 120mm, the high-magnification probe has a resolution of 6.35lp/mm and image a surgical area of 53 × 40mm2; the wide-angle probe provides a surgical area coverage of 160 × 120mm2 with a resolution of 2.83lp/mm. The in-vivo evaluation demonstrates that MRFL has great potential in clinical applications for improving the safety and efficiency of the laparoscopic surgery.
Mutagenicity of the nuclease activity of 1,10-phenanthroline-copper ion.

The nuclease activity of 1,10-phenanthroline-copper functions intracellularly. This was shown by its mutagenicity in the Ames Test using the tester strain TA102 and the in vivo nicking of plasmids derived from this strain. In vivo DNA strand scission requires all the components essential for the in vitro activity: 1,10-phenanthroline, cupric ion, thiol and hydrogen peroxide. Although 60Co gamma radiation potentiates the nuclease activity of 1,10-phenanthroline-copper ion in vitro via a superoxide dependent pathway, it does not promote significant mutagenesis in vivo at exposure levels below cytotoxicity.
Large Fermi-level resonance in the electron-addition spectrum of Ce Ru 2 and Ce Ir 2

We report that the electron-addition spectra of superconducting Ce${\mathrm{Ir}}_{2}$ and Ce${\mathrm{Ru}}_{2}$, which are extreme examples of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-cerium-like behavior, display a very large peak of unresolved sharpness and position immediately above the Fermi level. We point out that such a peak is expected for a nonmagnetic system described by the Anderson Hamiltonian, and discuss its spectral weight and composition.
Long in the tooth: evolution of sabertooth cat cranial shape

Sabertooths exhibit one of the most extreme feeding adaptations seen in mammals. The functional consequences of accommodating extremely elongate upper canine teeth are severe, resulting in a well-documented suite of cranial modifications. We used geometric morphometric methods to study the evolution of overall shape in the skulls of extant and extinct feline and machairodontine felids, as well as extinct nimravids. Trends in skull evolution were evaluated by using relative warps analysis and tested for association with body size and canine tooth length. Primitive sabertooths from all lineages exhibit cranial shapes more similar to conical-toothed cats, despite the presence of moderately developed saberteeth. More-derived forms in both nimravids and felids diverge in skull morphospace to form two distinct sabertooth types (dirk-toothed and scimitar-toothed) that differ in canine shape. Skull shape in conical-toothed cats is strongly associated with body size, but not canine length. However, within each sabertooth lineage, skull shape is significantly correlated with canine length, suggesting that gape-related demands drove the evolution of sabertooth skull morphology.
A comparative analysis of parvalbumin expression in pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) and toadfish (Opsanus sp.)

This study examines the role of a myoplasmic protein, parvalbumin, in enhancing muscle relaxation by fishes. Parvalbumin is thought to bind free Ca(2+) during muscle contraction, thereby reducing intracellular [Ca(2+)] in muscle and speeding muscle relaxation by reducing Ca(2+) availability to the troponin complex. We hypothesized that parvalbumin expression is ubiquitously expressed in fish muscle and that its expression levels and role in muscle relaxation would depend on the activity level and the thermal environment of a given fish species. Muscle contractile properties and patterns of parvalbumin expression were examined in pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) and two species of toadfish (gulf toadfish, Opsanus beta, and oyster toadfish, Opsanus tau). Unlike another sparid (sheepshead), the active swimming pinfish does not express parvalbumin in its slow-twitch red muscle. However, both sheepshead and pinfish have relatively high levels of parvalbumin in their myotomal white muscle. Gulf toadfish from the Gulf of Mexico expressed higher levels of parvalbumin and had faster muscle relaxation rates than oyster toadfish from more northern latitudes. The faster muscle of gulf toadfish also expressed relatively more of one parvalbumin isoform, suggesting differences in the binding properties of the two isoforms observed in toadfish swimming muscle. Parvalbumin expression and its role in muscle relaxation appear to vary widely in fishes. There are many control points involved in the calcium transient of contracting muscle, leading to a variety of species-specific solutions to the modulation of muscle relaxation.
Species difference in the ovarian toxicity of 1,3-butadiene epoxides in B6C3F1 mice and Sprague-Dawley rats

1,3-Butadiene (BD) is an ovarian carcinogen in mice, but not in rats. Since species variation in metabolism of BD has been associated with the greater sensitivity of mice to BD-induced carcinogenicity, the extent of biotransformation and detoxification of BD and its epoxides may play a critical role in other ovotoxic effects of this compound. Thus, the ovotoxic potency of the BD epoxides was determined. Butadiene monoepoxide (BMO, 0.005-1.43 mmol/kg b.w.), butadiene diepoxide (BDE, 0.002-0.29 mmol/kg b.w.), or vehicle was administered i.p. to female B6C3F1 mice and Sprague-Dawley rats for 30 days. Following day 30, tissues were removed and weighed, and the number of pre-antral ovarian follicles counted. BMO was ovotoxic in mice as demonstrated by decreases in reproductive organ weights (1.43 mmol/kg b.w.) and follicular counts, but not in rats at any dose tested. In mice the ED50 values for BMO for small and growing follicles were 0.29 and 0.40 mmol/kg b.w., respectively. BDE was ovotoxic in both species, however mice were more sensitive to BDE than rats. Ovarian and uterine weights were decreased in mice at 0.14 and 0.29 mmol/kg b.w. of BDE treatment, and in rats at 0.29 mmol/kg b.w. only. The ED50 values for BDE in mice were 0.10 and 0.14 mmol/kg b.w. for small and growing follicles, respectively, ED50 values could not be determined in rats since only 32% of the follicular population was depleted at the highest concentration tested. Thus, BMO and BDE exhibited a greater ovotoxic potential in mice, as compared to rats. In addition, in each species the diepoxide was the most potent ovotoxicant.
Reduction of TcO4- by sediment-associated biogenic Fe(II)

The potential for reduction of 99TcO4−(aq) to poorly soluble 99TcO2 · nH2O(s) by biogenic sediment-associated Fe(II) was investigated with three Fe(III)-oxide containing subsurface materials and the dissimilatory metal-reducing subsurface bacterium Shewanella putrefaciens CN32. Two of the subsurface materials from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford and Oak Ridge sites contained significant amounts of Mn(III,IV) oxides and net bioreduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) was not observed until essentially all of the hydroxylamine HCl-extractable Mn was reduced. In anoxic, unreduced sediment or where Mn oxide bioreduction was incomplete, exogenous biogenic TcO2 · nH2O(s) was slowly oxidized over a period of weeks. Subsurface materials that were bioreduced to varying degrees and then pasteurized to eliminate biological activity, reduced TcO4−(aq) at rates that generally increased with increasing concentrations of 0.5 N HCl-extractable Fe(II). Two of the sediments showed a common relationship between extractable Fe(II) concentration (in mM) and the first-order reduction rate (in h−1), whereas the third demonstrated a markedly different trend. A combination of chemical extractions and 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy were used to characterize the Fe(III) and Fe(II) phases. There was little evidence of the formation of secondary Fe(II) biominerals as a result of bioreduction, suggesting that the reactive forms of Fe(II) were predominantly surface complexes of different forms. The reduction rates of Tc(VII)O4− were slowest in the sediment that contained plentiful layer silicates (illite, vermiculite, and smectite), suggesting that Fe(II) sorption complexes on these phases were least reactive toward pertechnetate. These results suggest that the in situ microbial reduction of sediment-associated Fe(III), either naturally or via redox manipulation, may be effective at immobilizing TcO4−(aq) associated with groundwater contaminant plumes.
Four dimensional mapping of tracer channelization in subhorizontal bedrock fractures using surface ground penetrating radar

[1] To observe flow channeling in situ, surface ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was used to detect a saline tracer moving through a sub-horizontal bedrock fracture. The tracer is mapped using amplitude variations resulting from the significant difference in electromagnetic properties between the tracer and natural ground water within the fracture. Results show that hydrogeophysical investigations using GPR can successfully image tracer movement in a variety of flow configurations in three spatial dimensions through time (hence 4D). Observed tracer travel paths demonstrated meter-scale spatial variability that may be attributed to heterogeneity in fracture aperture.
Measuring the Concentration of Power in the International System

The purpose of this paper is to examine some earlier efforts to measure the inequality of distribution within several different substantive contexts and to see how appropriate these different measu...
Influence of imperfections on the out-of-plane flexural strength of post-tensioned masonry walls

Abstract The influence of imperfections on the response of simply-supported post-tensioned masonry (PTM) walls subject to out-of-plane loading is investigated. Two types of imperfections of the masonry and/or tendons are studied: a linear misalignment and an initial deflection defined using a sinusoid. Walls with a range of slenderness ratios are considered, in addition to walls with restrained and unrestrained tendons. By means of finite element studies, imperfections were found to affect the nominal flexural strength of the walls by as much as 10% for a linear imperfection and 20% for an initial deflection. However, the tolerance limits on the placement of masonry and post-tensioning tendons, coupled with the conservatism implicit in the nominal flexural strength formulas developed for design use in the US, appear to be sufficient to offset those differences, thus precluding consideration of accidental eccentricity for PTM walls.
MEDUSA - An overset grid flow solver for network-based parallel computer systems

Continuing improvement in processing speed has made it feasible to solve the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations for simple three-dimensional flows on advanced workstations. Combining multiple workstations into a network-based heterogeneous parallel computer allows the application of programming principles learned on MIMD (Multiple Instruction Multiple Data) distributed memory parallel computers to the solution of larger problems. An overset-grid flow solution code has been developed which uses a cluster of workstations as a network-based parallel computer. Inter-process communication is provided by the Parallel Virtual Machine (PVM) software. Solution speed equivalent to one-third of a Cray-YMP processor has been achieved from a cluster of nine commonly used engineering workstation processors. Load imbalance and communication overhead are the principal impediments to parallel efficiency in this application.
Changes in digital flexor tendon mechanics after endoscopic and open carpal tunnel releases in cadaver wrists.

Abstract Digital flexor tendon excursion due to isolated wrist motion was measured in 5 cadaver wrists. Five sequential experimental conditions were tested: (1) intact wrists, (2) after single-incision endoscopic carpal tunnel release, (3) after addition of a distal endoscopic portal, (4) after conversion to an open palm incision, and (5) after suturing of the palm incision. Combined tendon excursion increased 27.8% after 1-incision and 29.7% after 2-incision endoscopic release; both increases were significant. A further increase in combined excursion to 43.4% over the value in intact wrists was measured after conversion to an open palm incision. Combined flexor tendon excursion after open release was significantly greater than excursion after either type of endoscopic release. Increases in excursion were also significant when flexor digitorum superficialis and flexor digitorum profundus tendons were considered separately. Excursion did not change significantly after skin suturing. These findings suggest that digital flexor tendon mechanics are closer to normal after endoscopic carpal tunnel release than after open release. It remains to be shown whether the difference is an advantage of endoscopic release over open release in the clinical setting. (J Hand Surg 2000;25A:112–119. Copyright © 2000 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.)
Ganglioside composition of malignant and actinomycin D-resistant nonmalignant Chinese hamster cells.

Abstract The ganglioside composition of three Chinese hamster cell lines was investigated. The parental spontaneously transformed DC-3F cell line has a full complement of gangliosides from hematosides to disialogangliosides. An actinomycin D-resistant subline, DC-3F/AD X, which lost its tumorigenicity and regained a normal morphology and growth pattern in cell culture, exhibits only hematosides. A third cell line, derived from the latter and grown in the absence of actinomycin D for 3 years, regained tumorigenicity and displays a ganglioside profile similar to that of the malignant parental cell line. In addition, tumors formed from DC-3F cells grown in athymic nude mice have a ganglioside profile similar to that exhibited by the malignant cells in culture. The results suggest that the ganglioside composition of these spontaneously transformed, tumorigenic Chinese hamster cells differs from that of the majority of transformed cell lines reported in the literature in that our malignant cells are not blocked in higher ganglioside biosynthesis. We also find that the experimentally derived, nontumorigenic cells with a high degree of acquired resistance to actinomycin D are blocked at the level of hematosides.
Element accumulation patterns of deciduous and evergreen tree seedlings on acid soils: implications for sensitivity to manganese toxicity

Foliar nutrient imbalances, including the hyperaccumulation of manganese (Mn), are correlated with symptoms of declining health in sensitive tree species growing on acidic forest soils. The objectives of this study were to: (1) compare foliar nutrient accumulation patterns of six deciduous (sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.), red maple (Acer rubrum L.), red oak (Quercus rubra L.), white oak (Quercus alba L.), black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) and white ash (Fraxinus americana L.)) and three evergreen (eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L.), white pine (Pinus strobus L.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss.)) tree species growing on acidic forest soils; and (2) examine how leaf phenology and other traits that distinguish evergreen and deciduous tree species influence foliar Mn accumulation rates and sensitivity to excess Mn. For the first objective, leaf samples of seedlings from five acidic, non-glaciated field sites on Pennsylvania's Allegheny Plateau were collected and analyzed for leaf element concentrations. In a second study, we examined growth and photosynthetic responses of seedlings exposed to excess Mn in sand culture. In field samples, Mn in deciduous foliage hyperaccumulated to concentrations more than twice as high as those found in evergreen needles. Among species, sugar maple was the most sensitive to excess Mn based on growth and photosynthetic measurements. Photosynthesis in red maple and red oak was also sensitive to excess Mn, whereas white oak, black cherry, white ash and the three evergreen species were tolerant of excess Mn. Among the nine species, relative rates of photosynthesis were negatively correlated with foliar Mn concentrations, suggesting that photosynthetic sensitivity to Mn is a function of its rate of accumulation in seedling foliage.
Perturbations in Müntz's theorem

We generalize parts of the Muntz-Szasz theorem by considering the denseness of sets span{x^@l^"^1,x^@l^"^2,...}, where the @l"i's grow polynomially. We develop a new interpolation technique to illustrate more precisely what is missing from the closure of the Muntz sets. This is a robust technique which allows for perturbations.
Gaussian perceptron: experimental results

A new neural model which has a Gaussian activation function is presented. This model is referred to as the Gaussian perceptron. For the training of single-layered Gaussian perceptrons, the Gaussian perceptron learning algorithm, which is a variant of the conventional perceptron learning algorithm, is presented. The winner-take-all algorithm is proposed as a multilayer training algorithm. A number of examples are presented along with the comparison with backpropagation networks, which demonstrate the performance of Gaussian perceptron networks. >
Welfare Effects of the National Pseudorabies Eradication Program

A welfare methodology is adapted to evaluate market and distributional effects of a completed pseudorabies eradication effort in the U.S. The model predicts small market effects from pseudorabies eradication. Welfare analysis suggests that, in states generating relatively large hog numbers, producers will experience a net gain from eradication in all scenarios considered, yet in smaller hog producing areas individual hog operations may lose producer surplus. Consumer surplus changes vary by scenario but are always positive. In general, the national pseudorabies eradication program is shown to be economically efficient.
Race/ethnicity, acculturation, and psychological distress: Fatalism and religiosity as cultural resources

Data from a community sample of 1,784 Anglo, African-American, and Mexican-American adults were examined to assess: (1) the nature and magnitude of observed racial/ethnic and acculturation level differences in depression, (2) the relative contribution of sociodemographic and psychosocial factors (fatalism and religiosity) to observed differences, and (3) the joint effects of fatalism and religiosity as sociocultural resources with regard to depression in differing racial/ethnic and acculturation level subgroups. Analyses indicate the most dramatic differences in depression among males—African Americans were roughly similar to Anglos and levels of depression were significantly higher among the least acculturated Mexican Americans relative to Anglos, even after statistical controls. Acculturation level differences among Mexican-American females were explained by statistical controls. Lower levels of depression among more highly acculturated than among less acculturated Mexican Americans provide little support for a simplistic stress formulation of acculturation. Rather, the interplay of acculturation, fatalism, and religiosity supports a more complex cultural marginality model, emphasizing the consistency of attitudinal elements and language use as facilitators or inhibitors of assimilation into Anglo culture. Both those who successfully acculturate and those who are most insulated in traditional culture appear least depressed from this perspective.
Summary and suggestions for the path ahead

This chapter summarizes key points and conclusions made in this volume and points toward the challenges and opportunities of the future.
Chronic antioxidant therapy reduces oxidative stress in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Oxidative modifications are a hallmark of oxidative imbalance in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and prion diseases and their respective animal models. While the causes of oxidative stress are relatively well-documented, the effects of chronically reducing oxidative stress on cognition, pathology and biochemistry require further clarification. To address this, young and aged control and amyloid-β protein precursor-over-expressing mice were fed a diet with added R-alpha lipoic acid for 10 months to determine the effect of chronic antioxidant administration on the cognition and neuropathology and biochemistry of the brain. Both wild type and transgenic mice treated with R-alpha lipoic acid displayed significant reductions in markers of oxidative modifications. On the other hand, R-alpha lipoic acid had little effect on Y-maze performance throughout the study and did not decrease end-point amyloid-β load. These results suggest that, despite the clear role of oxidative stress in mediat...
Design and optimization of dual-threshold circuits for low-voltage low-power applications

Reduction in leakage power has become an important concern in low-voltage, low-power, and high-performance applications. In this paper, we use the dual-threshold technique to reduce leakage power by assigning a high-threshold voltage to some transistors in noncritical paths, and using low-threshold transistors in critical path(s). In order to achieve the best leakage power saving under target performance constraints, an algorithm is presented for selecting and assigning an optimal high-threshold voltage. A general leakage current model which has been verified by HSPICE simulations is used to estimate leakage power. Results show that the dual-threshold technique is good for leakage power reduction during both standby and active modes. For some ISCAS benchmark circuits, the leakage power can be reduced by more than 80%. The total active power saving can be around 50% and 20% at low- and high-switching activities, respectively.
Representation of dynamic output feedback control system variables via orthogonal functions

A general basis for using orthogonal functions to approximate the variables of a dynamic output feedback control system is presented. The use of an operational matrix of integration reduces the problem to a set of linear algebraic equations. The result is also useful for implementing open-loop approximation of derived closed-loop control. The flexible controller structure provides easy adaptation to feedback configurations using state, output, dynamic output or observer output, and feedback compensator. As an example, an approximation analysis of dynamic output feedback control via Fourier series is investigated.
A Low Molar Ratio of Retinol Binding Protein to Transthyretin Indicates Vitamin A Deficiency during Inflammation: Studies in Rats and A Posteriori Analysis of Vitamin A–Supplemented Children with Measles

To assess whether the molar ratio of retinol-binding protein (RBP) to transthyretin (TTR) is of utility in detecting vitamin A (VA) deficiency during inflammation, we analyzed data from a rat model of endotoxin-induced inflammation and from a previously reported randomized, placebo-controlled trial of VA supplementation in children with acute measles. In rats, both marginal VA deficiency and inflammation were independent causes of low plasma RBP (two-way ANOVA, P 40 mg/L). In children with a low RBP:TTR molar ratio (<0.30) at baseline, the RBP:TTR ratio increased significantly 2 wk later only in the VA-treated subgroup. These analyses provide evidence that, because RBP is differentially reduced in comparison to TTR during VA deficiency, the combined determination of the concentrations of serum RBP and TTR may provide a promising means of detecting VA deficiency during inflammation.
Severe Ischemia of the Hand Following Concomitant Catheterization of the Radial Artery and Systemic Administration of Dopamine Case Reports

Radial artery cannulation for monitoring of arterial pressure and blood gases has been employed as routine procedure in major cardiothoracic surgery. Complications such as gangrene of the hand are rare because there is extensive collateral arterial circulation to the hand. Dopamine, an inotropic agent often employed in the care of cardiothoracic patients, has been known to cause ischemia of the extremity in high doses. This is the first report of ischemia of the hand resulting from the combined use of radial artery catheter and dopamine. Two patients developed multiple extremity ischemia followed by loss of the catheterized extremity. One, a three-month-old boy, developed ischemia of the hand requiring eventual amputation. He had a radial artery catheter in situ for forty-eight hours and received thirty-six hours of standard dosage dopamine treatment. The other, a sixty-year-old woman, developed ischemia of thumb and index finger during eighteen hours of low-dose dopamine treatment and twenty-four hours o...
Quotient circuits employing VVR

The addition of two fixed resistors to a recently proposed, inexpensive quotient circuit based on the voltage variable resistance (VVR) property of an FET is shown to improve the dynamic range of operation. A model for both the original and final circuits is provided which shows that the circuits can have an all-pass behavior when operated in the neighborhood of certain denominator voltages. The new circuit is derived in steps from the original circuit, and laboratory data and error measurements are provided for all the circuits. >
THE CONSTRUCTION OF LEFT- AND RIGHT-HANDED CHIRAL SUPERFIELDS IN (1, ½) + (½, 1) SUPERSYMMETRY

We work out the spinor covariant derivative operators needed to construct left- and right-handed chiral superfields in a (1, ½) + (½, 1) supersymmetry. Also, we present a general method by which the completeness relation can be used to derive arbitrary identities for higher spin spinors, such as fermionic generators, coordinates, fields, etc.
Wavelet-based joint transform correlation

An improved technique for multiple target detection using wavelet transform based joint transform correlation is proposed. In this technique, a bank of wavelet filters are generated using the Mexican hat wavelet function. These filters are then sequentially superimposed on the joint power spectrum before applying the inverse Fourier transform to yield the correlation output. This technique is found to yield high correlation discrimination for multiple target detection of gray level input scenes while avoiding the false alarms as well as rejecting the non-target objects. An all-optical implementation for the proposed wavelet JTC technique is also suggested. Computer simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed technique.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Characterization of compressibility in alginate microspheres

Embolization is a significant procedure in the occlusion of blood vessel prevent blood flow to an area of the body, which can effectively shrink a tumor. Embolization provides minimally invasive method for fighting hepatocellular carcinoma and kidney cancer [1]. Alginate microspheres provide a biocompatible, non-toxic, cheap, and easy-made technique for blocking blood flow to cancer cells [2]. In the experiment, we measured the compressibility of the microspheres to see their ability to maintain their structure. We report that lower concentrations of alginate and Calcium Chloride in microspheres correlated with a lack of firmness and compressibility.
Unsuspected pulmonary alveolar proteinosis in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: a case report

Diffuse lung infiltrates are a common finding in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and causes range from infectious processes to malignancies or interstitial lung diseases. Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a rare pulmonary disorder rarely reported in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. Secondary pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is associated with conditions involving functional impairment or reduced numbers of alveolar macrophages. It can be caused by hematologic malignancies, inhalation of toxic dust, fumes or gases, infectious or pharmacologic immunosuppression, or lysinuric protein intolerance. A 42-year-old African American man infected with human immunodeficiency virus was admitted with chronic respiratory symptoms and diffuse pulmonary infiltrates. Chest computed tomography revealed bilateral spontaneous pneumothoraces, for which he required bilateral chest tubes. Initial laboratory investigations did not reveal any contributory conditions. Histological examination of a lung biopsy taken during video-assisted thoracoscopy showed pulmonary alveolar proteinosis concurrent with cytomegalovirus pneumonitis. After ganciclovir treatment, our patient showed radiologic and clinical improvement. The differential diagnosis for patients with immunosuppression and lung infiltrates requires extensive investigations. As pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is rare, the diagnosis can be easily missed. Our case highlights the importance of invasive investigations and histology in the management of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus and pulmonary disease who do not respond to empiric therapy.
Observations of a substantial cloud‐aerosol indirect effect during the 2014–2015 Bárðarbunga‐Veiðivötn fissure eruption in Iceland

The Barðarbunga-Veiðivotn fissure eruption lasted from 31 August 2014 to 28 February 2015, during which its sulfur emissions dwarfed anthropogenic emissions from Europe. This natural experiment offers an excellent opportunity to investigate the aerosol indirect effect and the effect of effusive volcanic eruptions on climate. During the eruption cloud droplet effective radius (re) over the region surrounding Iceland was at the lowest value in the 14 year Moderate Imaging Spectroradiometer data record during September and October 2014. The change in reflected solar radiation due to increased cloud reflectivity during September and October is estimated to exceed 2 W m−2 over the region surrounding Iceland, with increases of 1 W m−2 extending as far south as the Acores. The strength of the aerosol indirect effect diagnosed here reaffirms the ability of volcanic aerosols to affect cloud properties and ultimately the planetary albedo.
Preoptic recess noradrenergic receptors control modification of baroreflex sensitivity by hypertonicity

These studies examined the effects of α 1 - and α 2 -adrenoreceptor blockade in the anteroventral portion of the third cerebral ventricle (AV3V) on modification of baroreflex-induced changes in heart rate and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) induced by hyperosmolality. Local administration of hypertonic artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) in the AV3V significantly increased baroreflex-induced bradycardia during intravenous phenylephrine but did not alter changes in RSNA during the pressor response or alter tachycardia and neural responses evoked by decreased blood pressure. The enhanced cardiac response was not observed during simultaneous administration of phentolamine (α 1 - and α 2 -antagonist) or yohimbine (selective α 2 -antagonist) in the AV3V region. However, treatment with prazosin (α 1 -antagonist) did not alter the exaggerated cardiac response evoked by hypertonic aCSF to increased blood pressure. These data demonstrate that acute, local hypertonic stimulation in the AV3V region selectively enhances baroreflex-induced bradycardia by stimulation of α 2 -adrenergic receptors during acute pressor responses.
In Vivo Studies in Rhodospirillum rubrum Indicate That Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase (Rubisco) Catalyzes Two Obligatorily Required and Physiologically Significant Reactions for Distinct Carbon and Sulfur Metabolic Pathways

All organisms possess fundamental metabolic pathways to ensure that needed carbon and sulfur compounds are provided to the cell in the proper chemical form and oxidation state. For most organisms capable of using CO2 as sole source of carbon, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) catalyzes primary carbon dioxide assimilation. In addition, sulfur salvage pathways are necessary to ensure that key sulfur-containing compounds are both available and, where necessary, detoxified in the cell. Using knock-out mutations and metabolomics in the bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum, we show here that Rubisco concurrently catalyzes key and essential reactions for seemingly unrelated but physiologically essential central carbon and sulfur salvage metabolic pathways of the cell. In this study, complementation and mutagenesis studies indicated that representatives of all known extant functional Rubisco forms found in nature are capable of simultaneously catalyzing reactions required for both CO2-dependent growth as well as growth using 5-methylthioadenosine as sole sulfur source under anaerobic photosynthetic conditions. Moreover, specific inactivation of the CO2 fixation reaction did not affect the ability of Rubisco to support anaerobic 5-methylthioadenosine metabolism, suggesting that the active site of Rubisco has evolved to ensure that this enzyme maintains both key functions. Thus, despite the coevolution of both functions, the active site of this protein may be differentially modified to affect only one of its key functions.