cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Operator theoretic approach to the optimal distributed control problem for spatially invariant systems

This paper considers the problem of optimal distributed control of spatially invariant systems. The Banach space duality structure of the problem is characterized in terms of tensor product spaces. This complements the prior study undertaken by the authors, where the dual and pre-dual formulations were in terms of abstract spaces. Here, we show that these spaces together with the pre-annihilator and annihilator subspaces can be realized explicitly as specific tensor spaces and subspaces, respectively. The tensor space formulation leads to a solution in terms of an operator given by a tensor product. Specifically, the optimal distributed control performance for spatially invariant systems is equal to the operator induced norm of this operator. The results obtained in this paper bridge the gap between control theory and the metric theory of tensor product spaces.
A Framework for Coordination in Distributed Stochastic Systems: Perfect State Feedback and Performance Risk Aversion

This research article considers a class of distributed stochastic systems where interconnected systems closely keep track of reference signals issued by a coordinator. Much of the existing literature concentrates on conducting decisions and control synthesis based solely on expected utilities and averaged performance. However, research in psychology and behavioral decision theory suggests that performance risk plays an important role in shaping preferences in decisions under uncertainty. Thus motivated, a new equilibrium concept, called “person-by-person equilibrium” for local best responses is proposed for analyzing signaling effects and mutual influences between an incumbent system, its coordinator, and immediate neighbors. Individual member objectives are defined by the multi-attribute utility functions that capture both performance expectation and risk measures to model the satisfaction associated with local best responses with risk-averse attitudes. The problem class and approach of coordination control of distributed stochastic systems proposed here are applicable to and exemplified in military organizations and flexibly autonomous systems.
Economic Effects of Hazardous Chemical and Proposed Radioactive Waste Landfills on Surrounding Real Estate Values

The results of the study of residential housing prices of homes located in the proximity of a large toxic chemical waste landfill in the Toledo, Ohio, area for 1986-1990, strongly suggest a distinc...
Hormonal Synergism in Mammary Growth

Much of this report will consist of a summary of the mammary work done in the Department of Anatomy during the past 25 years in collaboration with Professor H. M. Evans’s group in the Institute of Experimental Biology and Professor Choh Hao Li of the Laboratory of Hormone Research, all of the University of California. Such a summary may be made most conveniently by using a schema and some photographs representing our main findings in the Long-Evans rat. The more difficult task is to fit this research into proper perspective involving, as it must, some reference to a mass of literature on the mammary gland. Rather than attempt a thorough review of the thousands of papers in this field, relatively few key examples have been chosen to indicate the trend of thought and theory during and just preceding the period of our investigations. For more complete reviews on this subject the reader is referred to Mayer & Klein (1948, 1949), Cowie & Folley (1955) and Folley (1956). Of historical interest is de Rothschild’s (1900) list of about 10 000 references to the literature prior to 1900, with supplements in 1901 and 1902. If a quarter of a century seems a long time to be engaged in elucidating the problem of hormonal control of the mammary gland, some explanation may be found in the fact that this was the period of isolation of the many hormones involved, and of developing satisfactory techniques for multiple endocrinectomies. That the problem would become a complicated one might have been suspected from the knowledge that the mammary gland arrived late, if not last, in the phylogenetic scale of organ evolution. Further, proof that such suspicion was well founded has been adduced in the many experiments showing that the main phases of mammary growth and function are dependent upon all of the hypophysial hormones and their target organ hormones, plus the secretions of that latest arrival on the endocrine scene—the placenta.
Spontaneous potentials from explants of brain tissue in culture.

SINCE July 1959 we have been recording spontaneous potentials from explants of brain in tissue culture. The tissue used was cerebellum from chick embryos of 8 days incubation and older. The supernatant was a 0.25 per cent solution of human serum protein in a physiologically balanced salt solution. The composition of the physiological balanced salt-solution is as follows : The other techniques were those described in publications from this laboratory1–3.
ELLSTAT: shape modeling for solution small-angle scattering of proteins and protein complexes with automated statistical characterization

A method is presented for constructing one- and two-ellipsoid, core-shell-ellipsoid, cylinder and ellipsoid-plus-cylinder models from small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering data that calculates statistics on the resulting structural parameters. The method, implemented in the software ELLSTAT, is capable of simultaneously fitting against several data sets and calculates averages, standard deviations and coefficients of linear correlation between the structural parameters of the resulting models. In this way, an improved understanding of the extent of the variability in and the interdependency between the model parameters that fit the input scattering data is developed, thereby providing a measure of the uniqueness of the models.
Microscopic structure of interfaces in Si1-xGex/Si heterostructures and superlattices studied by x-ray scattering and fluorescence yield.

The angular dependences of grazing-incidence x-ray scattering and Ge K\ensuremath{\alpha} fluorescence yield were measured for ${\mathrm{Si}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Ge}}_{\mathit{x}}$/Si and its inverted Si/${\mathrm{Si}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Ge}}_{\mathit{x}}$ heterostructures. The results reveal useful information on microstructures in these layered materials and show similar interfacial structures in terms of the rms interfacial roughness, correlation length of height fluctuations, and Ge density profile. Two ten-period superlattices with different thickness and Ge concentration were also investigated; correlation between height fluctuations of different interfaces is clearly demonstrated in the data of x-ray-diffuse scattering. These results show that x-ray scattering and fluorescence techniques can be employed as convenient tools for nondestructive characterization of epilayer thickness, interfacial roughness, density profile of selected atomic species, and correlations between microstructures of different interfaces in layered materials.
A simplified equivalent circuit model for simulation of Pb–acid batteries at load for energy storage application

Abstract Three main types of battery chemistries in consideration for vehicle applications are Pb–acid, nickel–metal hydride, and lithium-ion batteries. Lead–acid batteries are widely used in traditional automotive applications for many years. Higher voltage, high-rate discharge capability, good specific energy, lower temperature performance, lower thermal management requirement, and low-cost in both manufacturing and recycling are the advantages of the rechargeable battery. Disadvantages of the lead–acid battery are: weight concerns of lead metal (lower energy density and lower power density) and limited cycle-life (especially in deep-cycle duties). If two major disadvantages have been significantly changed to a proper state to compete with other battery chemistries, the Pb–acid battery is still a good candidate in considering of cost/performance ratio. The lead–acid battery is always a good power source for fast starting of cold vehicles, for recharging from either a stop-start braking system, or for a charge from the engine itself, which consumes battery energy or stores electricity back into chemical energy. The main reasons for reexamining this battery chemistry are cost-savings and life-cycling considerations upon advances in electrode structure design and enhancement of capacitance behavior inside the battery pack. Several Pb–acid batteries were evaluated and tested through a unique method, i.e., the electrochemical impedance method at different loads, in order to characterize and further understand the improved electrode processes and mechanisms in performance enhancement. The impedance data at loads were collected from these lead–acid batteries at load for further analysis. Battery electrode behaviors are evaluated through impedance data simulation using a proper equivalent circuit model. A defective battery and a failed Pb–acid battery were used in non-destructive analysis. The recent Pb–acid battery advancement in structures and designs and its potential application are also discussed for power reserve in energy-efficient vehicles and sustainable electricity storage.
Raman studies of the effect of density of the fermi resonance in CO2

Abstract The effects of density on the Fermi resonance interaction in CO 2 up to 534 amagat density was investigated. The Raman intensity of the polarized, anisotropic, and isotropic components of the 2ν 2 and ν 1 bands was determined as a function of the fluid density. By using the theory of Fermi resonance coupling the ratio of the unperturbed Raman polarizability matrix elements of the 2ν 2 and ν 1 bands was determined as a function of the fluid density. Changes in the vibrational anharmonicity, and an increasing repulsion of the vibration levels were found to decrease the effectiveness of the resonance interaction as the fluid density was increased, therefore altering the Raman intensity and frequency with changing density.
Examining the impact of capital on academic achievement

Abstract While a growing body of literature on education production looks at the impact school inputs have on academic achievement, virtually no research is examining the impact capital is having on academic achievement. In this study, we take an initial step towards that end. By using school districts' level of bond indebtedness as a proxy for capital, we find evidence that capital stock does affect academic achievement. In light of these findings along with the general lack of research on capital inputs, we conclude that capital expenditures should be given greater attention in future research.
Effect of BC, 4CMB and 4HMB on the mutation of V79 cells to azaguanine resistance

Abstract Azaguanine-sensitive V79 cells were used in a forward-mutation, replating type of assay. Mutant cells were identified by their ability to grow in medium containing 30 μg/ml 8-azaguanine. The cells were exposed to the test compound while suspended in serum-free medium, with the addition of a microsome-cofactor mix as a metabolic activation system. The suspension-treated cells were grown in monolayer culture for 4 days to permit mutant expression, and were then replated into selective medium for 8 days to allow growth of mutant colonies.
Acetylcholine release from the midbrain interpeduncular nucleus during anesthesia.

An exceptional local rise in metabolism during general anesthesia has been noted previously in the ventral midbrain's highly cholinoceptive interpeduncular nucleus (IPN). We report here a functional correlate. Increased interstitial acetylcholine (ACh) was measured in the IPN of rats through chronically implanted microdialysis probes upon anesthesia by inhalation of 3% halothane (mean 1425% of pre-anesthesia baseline at 30 min, n = 5) and by i.p. injection of 100 mg kg-1 ketamine (mean 387%, n = 6). With 50 mg kg-1 i.p. pentobarbital (n = 8), ACh either climbed or fell repeatably in each animal; a positive correlation (p less than 0.05) emerged between the baseline preanesthetized level and the percentage change after 60 min. Mapping of the brainstem under ketamine (n = 2) or pentobarbital (n = 3) anesthesia showed the ACh source to lie in the IPN. We conclude that physiological responses to the chemically and pharmacologically diverse anesthetics halothane and ketamine, and probably also to pentobarbital, converge to enhance the output of the IPN.
Electrolyte Effects on Charge Transport Behavior of [Os(bpy)2(PVP)10Cl]Cl and [Ru(bpy)2(PVP)10Cl]Cl Redox Polymers in Ultra-Thin Films of Polyions

Metallopolymer films have important applications in electrochemical catalysis. The alternate electrostatic layer-by-layer method was used to assemble films of [Ru(bpy)2(PVP)10Cl]Cl (denoted as ClRu-PVP) and [Os(bpy)2(PVP)10Cl]Cl (ClOs-PVP) metallopolymers onto pyrolytic graphite electrodes. Film thickness estimated by quartz crystal microbalance was 6–8 nm. The effects of pH, electrolyte species and concentration on the electrochemical properties of these electroactive polymers were studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Behavior in various electrolytes was compared. Also the mass changes within the ultra-thin film during redox of Os2+/3+ were characterized by in situ electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM). The results indicate rapid reversible electron transfer, and show that both ClRu-PVP and ClOs-PVP have compact surface structures while ClOs-PVP is a little denser than ClRu-PVP. Although hydrogen ions do not participate in the chemical reaction of either film, the movement of Na+ cation and water accompanies the redox process of ClOs-PVP films.
First order piecewise linear systems with random parametric excitation

Abstract The Fokker-Planck equation is used to develop a general method for finding the spectral density and other properties of first order systems governed by stochastic differential equations of the form dx dt + f(x)[1 + m(t)] = n(t) , where f(x) is piecewise linear and m(t) and n(t) represent stationary Gaussian white noise. The method is similar to one used by the authors to deal with the case m(t) = 0, but is complicated by the possible existence of irregular (singular) points of the Fokker-Planck equation. Graphical results for some special cases are presented.
Animal models of the ketogenic diet: what have we learned, what can we learn?

Despite its clinical use as a therapy for refractory epilepsy for more than 75 years, the ketogenic diet (KD) remains a therapy in search of an explanation. The mechanism of action of the KD is unclear and the optimal indications for its clinical use are incompletely defined. Animal models could help to elucidate these questions. Surprisingly, there have been very few animal studies of the KD, and those that have been performed are difficult to compare because of wide discrepancies in experimental methods. Earlier models concentrated on the effect of the KD on acute seizure threshold in normal (i.e. nonepileptic) animals. Recent studies are beginning to examine the longer term effects of the KD and its role in epileptogenesis. Some features of clinical experience have been replicated in animal models, including the role of ketosis, elevation of seizure threshold by both classic ketogenic and medium chain triglyceride diets, better effectiveness at younger ages, and rapid reversal of the seizure protective effect when the diet is discontinued. These parallels raise hope that pertinent clinical questions can be addressed in the more controlled setting of the research laboratory. As in the clinical arena, there has been a recent resurgence of interest in pursuing basic questions related to the ketogenic diet, using techniques of modern neuroscience. Experimental approaches such as brain slice neurophysiology, genetic models, dissection of metabolic pathways, and neurohistological techniques hold much promise in the effort to understand this intriguing alternative to standard anticonvulsants.
A left hemisphere basis for visual mental imagery

The lateralization of visual mental imagery was investigated by presenting each hemisphere of a commissurotomy patient with a letter classification task known to require imagery and with a pair of control tasks designed to require all of the same processes as the imagery task except for the imagery processing itself. Whereas both hemispheres performed well on the control tasks, only the left hemisphere performed the imagery task.
The role of mental contiguity in memory: registration and retrieval effects

Implicit contiguity of related items whose list presentations are physically disparate results from the subject looking back through memory so as to bring the items together in mental experience. Effects of implicit contiguity were examined in three experiments by controlling looking-back behavior during list presentation and varying the separation of target items and related items that were later provided as recall cues. The effectiveness of semantic cues was enhanced by their implicit contiguity with target items during study. However, Experiment III showed that the effectiveness of acoustically related cues was uninfluenced by either physical or implicit contiguity. Experiment III also revealed that finding faster “decay” of acoustic than semantic information is dependent upon retention test arrangements.
129I/127I as a new environmental tracer or geochronometer for biogeochemical or hydrodynamic processes in the hydrosphere and geosphere: the central role of organo-iodine

Abstract Iodine is a biophilic element, with several short-lived isotopes (e.g. 131I, t1/2=8 days), one long-lived isotope, 129I (t1/2=15.6 million years) and one stable isotope, 127I. The inventory of 129I in surface environments has been overwhelmed by anthropogenic releases over the past 50 years. Iodine and its isotopes are important for a number of reasons: (1) The largest fraction of the short-term and long-term dose from accidental releases and fallout from atomic bomb tests was from iodine isotopes. (2) 129I is one of the two long-lived nuclides with highest mobility in stored radioactive waste. (3) 129I could provide the scientific community with a new geochemical tracer and new geochronological applications in environmental science. (4) A better assessment of iodine deficiency disorders, mineralization in exploration geochemistry, and the transfer of volatile organic greenhouse-active and ozone-destroying iodine species from the oceans to the atmosphere is needed. One of the most promising future applications for the 129I/127I ratio is not only as a new geochronometer, but also as a new source tracer for terrestrial organic matter with ages of 50 years or less. This is especially attractive, since radiocarbon can be, at times, an ambiguous chronometer for the 50-year time-scale, whereas 129I concentrations during this time are overwhelming previous levels by orders of magnitude. Iodine is to a significant extent involved in the cycle of organic matter in all surface environments. Its biophilic nature is demonstrated by a relative enrichment of iodine in seaweed and dissolved macromolecular organic matter. Because of the close coupling of iodine and organic carbon cycles, our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of the processes regulating iodination reactions in aquatic systems is still limited. The binding of iodine by organic matter has the potential to modify the transport, bioavailability and transfer of iodine isotopes to man. Equilibration times for 129I in many reservoirs are likely long enough that 129I could be used as a new source tracer for organic matter of terrestrial origin, and as a geochronometer. Current tracer applications of 129I are limited by our knowledge of the effects of UV-radiation, microbial activity and geochemical redox conditions on organo-I compounds and overall iodine speciation. The biogeochemical behavior of iodine and its isotopes appears to be different in North America and European waters, possibly due to climatic, source and speciation differences.
Measuring Staff Perceptions of University Identity and Activities: The Mission and Values Inventory

Higher education institutions need to ascertain whether their stakeholders understand the school's mission, vision, and values. In the present study, the psychometric properties of a mission identity and activity measure were investigated with two staff samples. Using a principal component factor analysis (varimax rotation), respondents in Sample 1 (n = 178) indicated that the institution's identity was reflective of an inclusive and innovative (10 items) university—taking risks on new programs while retaining its urban identity and tradition of respect, understanding, and personalism—and a sense of Catholic pluralism (6 items)—retaining a Catholic university identity where other faiths are included and freely expressed. University mission-driven activities and programs reflected urban/global engagement opportunities (8 items), including community-based service learning courses, study abroad programs, and international students on campus; specific institutional religious heritage (9 items), like lunch-tim...
Mobile Technologies: From Telecommunications to Media

Gerard Goggin & Larissa Hjorth (eds), Mobile Technologies: From Telecommunications to Media (New York: Routledge, 2008), 297 pp., ISBN 978-0-415-98986-2 (hbk), $118.00. Gerard Goggin and Larissa Hj...
Class II genes of miniature swine. I. Class II gene characterization by RFLP and by isolation from a genomic library.

Class II genes of miniature swine have been characterized by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and by analysis of a series of clones isolated from a lymphocyte genomic library. For RFLP analysis, DNA samples from three independent major histocompatibility complex homozygous lines and three intra-MHC recombinant lines were digested with a variety of restriction enzymes and analyzed in Southern blots using human cDNA probes for DP, DQ, DR, and DZ alpha genes, and DP, DQ, DR, and DO beta genes. One, or at most two, unique fragments were detected by hybridization with each of the human α probes tested. In contrast, multiple bands (five to six for most enzymes examined) were detected by each of the human β probes tested, the majority of which were found to cross-react with at least three of these probes under conditions of moderate stringency. Genomic DNA from the SLAc haplotype was cloned into an EMBL-3 bacteriophage vector, and the corresponding genomic library was screened with each of these human cDNA probes. The class II genes thereby isolated from this library showed characteristics consistent with those anticipated from the RFLP analysis. Thus, unique α genes were obtained which showed no evidence of cross-hybridization, while β genes showed extensive cross-hybridization and were frequently detected in the library by more than one human β gene probe. These data are consistent with early evolutionary divergence of a genes, prior to mammalian speciation, and with continuing evolution of β genes, with possible shared usage of these genes by different a loci. The data also imply that α genes can readily be assigned to loci homologous to their human counterparts, but that β genes will require further mapping and/or sequence analysis to confirm assignments.
Infection control in nursing homes.

Approximately 2.1 million infections occur annually in acute care hospitals and 1.5 million occur in nursing homes, according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control. 1 Several surveys of nursing homes 2-4 and a recent textbook 5 point out that the risk of developing an infection in a nursing home is comparable to the risk of developing a hospital-acquired infection, about 5% to 10% per year. Nursing home beds are categorized as skilled nursing beds or intermediate care beds. Residents in skilled care beds require more intensive nursing, and presumably have a greater risk of developing an institutionally acquired (nosocomial) infection. However, reliable data on comparative infection rates are lacking. Elderly residents of nursing homes are vulnerable to infections because of an age-related waning of immunity, and because of multiple medical problems (eg, cancer, diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease, and incontinence) and therapeutic interventions (eg, urinary catheters and steroid therapy).
A NSGA-II, web-enabled, parallel optimization framework for NLP and MINLP

Engineering design increasingly uses computer simulation models coupled with optimization algorithms to find the best design that meets the customer constraints within a time constrained deadline. The continued application of Moore's law combined with linear speedups of coarse grained parallelization will allow more designs to be evaluated in shorter periods of time. This paper presents a scalable, standards based framework that uses web services and grid services with a multiple objective genetic algorithm to solve continuous, mixed integer, single objective or multiple objective nonlinear, constrained design problems. Test data is provided to validate a linear speedup based on the number of processors and to show the robustness of the genetic algorithm on a set of 10 design problems.
A microarray screen for direct targets of Zic1 identifies an aquaporin gene, aqp-3b, expressed in the neural folds.

The Zic1 transcription factor plays multiple roles during early development, for example, in patterning the early neural plate and formation of the neural crest, somites, and cerebellum. To identify direct downstream target genes of Zic1, a microarray screen was conducted in Xenopus laevis that identified 85 genes upregulated twofold or more. These include transcription factors, receptors, enzymes, proteins involved in retinoic acid signaling, and an aquaglyceroporin (aqp-3b), but surprisingly no genes known to be involved in cell proliferation. We show that both aqp-3 and aqp-3b were expressed in adult tissues, while during early embryonic development, only aqp-3b was transcribed. During neurula stages, aqp-3b was expressed specifically in the neural folds. This pattern of aqp-3b expression closely resembled that of NF-protocadherin (NFPC), which is involved in cell adhesion and neural tube closure. Aqp-3b may also be involved in neural tube closure, since mammalian Aqp-3 promotes cell migration and proliferation. Developmental Dynamics 238:1179–1194, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Improved numerical solvers for implicit coupling of subsurface and overland flow

Abstract Due to complex dynamics inherent in the physical models, numerical formulation of subsurface and overland flow coupling can be challenging to solve. ParFlow is a subsurface flow code that utilizes a structured grid discretization in order to benefit from fast and efficient structured solvers. Implicit coupling between subsurface and overland flow modes in ParFlow is obtained by prescribing an overland boundary condition at the top surface of the computational domain. This form of implicit coupling leads to the activation and deactivation of the overland boundary condition during simulations where ponding or drying events occur. This results in a discontinuity in the discrete system that can be challenging to resolve. Furthermore, the coupling relies on unstructured connectivities between the subsurface and surface components of the discrete system, which makes it challenging to use structured solvers to effectively capture the dynamics of the coupled flow. We present a formulation of the discretized algebraic system that enables the use of an analytic form of the Jacobian for the Newton–Krylov solver, while preserving the structured properties of the discretization. An effective multigrid preconditioner is extracted from the analytic Jacobian and used to precondition the Jacobian linear system solver. We compare the performance of the new solver against one that uses a finite difference approximation to the Jacobian within the Newton–Krylov approach, previously used in the literature. Numerical results explores the effectiveness of using the analytic Jacobian for the Newton–Krylov solver, and highlights the performance of the new preconditioner and its cost. The results indicate that the new solver is robust and generally outperforms the solver that is based on the finite difference approximation to the Jacobian, for problems where the overland boundary condition is activated and deactivated during the simulation. A parallel weak scaling study highlights the efficiency of the new solver.
Arctic Sea Ice Surface Temperature from AVHRR

Abstract The surface temperature of arctic sea ice is estimated using the infrared channels of the Advanced Very High Revolution Radiometer (AVHRR) on satellites NOAA-10 and NOAA-11. Temperature statistics are analyzed for 478 cells measuring 200 km square distributed over the entire Arctic basin throughout 1989. The images are cloud masked manually, and the surface temperature of the cloud-free area is estimated using an algorithm specific to Arctic pack ice. The rms error of the estimate is thought to be about 3.2°C, largely due to uncertainty in cloud masking and the lack of knowledge of hall and ice crystal precipitation occurrence. The mean temperatures of the cells range from near O°C in summer to below −45°C in winter. Monthly averages range down to −40°C for the central Arctic and −29°C for the peripheral seas. The monthly average standard deviation within cells in the central Arctic is highest in November (2.2°C) and drops to almost O°C in the summer. It is commonly twice as large in the peripher...
Plasma clearance and tissue distribution of radiolabeled leptin in the chicken.

Leptin is an adipose and liver tissue-derived secreted protein in chickens that has been implicated in the regulation of food intake and whole-body energy balance. In this study, the metabolic clearance and tissue uptake of leptin were examined in the chicken (Gallus gallus). Four-week-old broiler males were infused with 125 I-labeled mouse leptin. Chromatography of radiolabeled leptin in plasma produced two peaks, one at 16 kDa (free leptin) and a free iodine peak. No leptin binding protein in blood was detected. Leptin was cleared with a half-life estimate of 23 min. In order to investigate the tissue distribution and uptake of radiolabeled leptin, multiple tissues were removed from infused birds at 15 and 240 min post-infusion, and trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-precipitable radioactivity was determined. The amounts of radioactivity at 15 min post-infusion in the tissues in rank order were: kidney, testis, lung, spleen, heart, liver, small and large intestine, gizzard, pancreas, bursa, leg and breast muscle, adrenals, and brain. A slightly different pattern of distribution was observed at 240 min postinfusion. We conclude from these studies that unlike mammals, no circulating leptin binding protein is present in chickens. Leptin is metabolized and cleared very rapidly from blood by the kidney. Published by Elsevier Inc.
The mating system of a ‘lazy’ mammal, Hoffmann's two-toed sloth

Theory predicts that mating systems are influenced by sex-specific selection pressures and the dispersion of females, but potential constraints imposed by a species' life history and physiology are rarely considered. Sloths, or ‘perezosos’ (the ‘lazies’) in Spanish, are one of the most sedentary terrestrial mammals on Earth, and we hypothesized that their low mobility would constrain the ability of males to take advantage of the ‘polygamy potential’ of their environment. We characterized the reproductive strategy of Hoffmann's two-toed sloths, Choloepus hoffmanni, in an agro-ecosystem in northeastern Costa Rica by assigning paternity, characterizing the spatial distribution of related individuals and describing the space use of 157 individuals. Spatial patterns of relatedness suggested that natal dispersal was female biased and sufficient to avoid inbreeding. Five (36%) adult males sired offspring with more than one female, and we observed three apparent extraterritorial matings, indicating that sloths were not strictly monogamous. Generally, adult males were segregated and appeared to show some territoriality in core areas, although home ranges of adjacent males overlapped in areas of low use. On average, male home ranges encompassed more than three females, and females usually occurred within the home range of more than one male. These patterns of space use and relatedness suggest males monopolize space more than they do females, and that the mating system of Hoffmann's two-toed sloth involves a mixture of polygyny and promiscuity. Neighbouring males were more closely related than expected, suggesting that a certain level of tolerance among males may stem from the benefits of kin selection and the limited ability of males to monopolize breeding opportunities.
The Effects of Library Orientations on Student Usage of the Library

Purpose – This study examines the effect of information literacy orientations on usage statistics in an academic library. The aim of the study is to show that library orientations increase student usage of the library.Design/methodology/approach – The paper analyzes student usage statistics at Cochise College Library.Findings – Analysis of survey data collected at Cochise College Library revealed a significant increase in usage of the library by students who received an orientation.Originality/value – This paper describes the study's design, the results and also lays the foundation for more empirical research into the subject.
Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy to Detect Interactions Between Dopamine Receptors and Calcium Channel in Pancreatic β-Cells

Dysregulation of glucose homeostasis can lead to the development of diabetes, and secretion of insulin from pancreatic β-cells plays a key role in maintaining proper blood glucose levels. Previous research has shown that the neurotransmitter dopamine can inhibit secretion of insulin from β-cells by activating the dopamine receptor D3 (DRD3), which reduces the amplitude and frequency of intracellular free calcium oscillations (Ustione & Piston, Mol. Endocrinol.26, 1928 (2012)). To target this dopaminergic feedback loop for treatment of diabetes, the signaling pathway downstream from the dopamine receptor to calcium flux must be better understood. We hypothesize that after dopamine activation of DRD3, the Gβγ complex is released and interacts directly with voltage-gated calcium channels. To test this hypothesis, we are utilizing fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy to determine the dynamic localization distributions and interactions between different proteins. Two-color fluctuation analysis allows us to correlate the diffusion and kinetics of two proteins of interest without the constraints of FRET. Thus, expressing the proteins of interest tagged with a fluorescent protein in stable β-cell lines provides an in vitro method to study the signaling pathway. Details of the kinetic localization and interaction rates of the G-protein coupled DRD3, the Gβγ complex, and the Cav1.2 calcium channel subunit will be presented. In addition, we will show the changes in protein localization and correlation due to dopamine stimulation. Molecular interactions of proteins due to dopamine stimulation illustrate the method of which the dopaminergic feedback loop works. This provides the necessary information for using the dopaminergic feedback pathway as a method to inhibit insulin secretion, and thus as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of non-insulin dependent diabetes.
The synthesis of glyconyl peptides.

Abstract Using N,N′ -dicyclohexylcarbodiimide as a coupling agent, the present study reports the successful synthesis of pentaacetyl d -gluconyl glycine ethyl ester, pentaacetyl d -gluconyl glycylglycine ethyl ester, pentaacetyl d -gluconyl tyrosine ethyl ester, pentaacetyl d -galactonyl glycine ethyl ester, and pentaacetyl d -galactonyl tyrosine ethyl ester. In addition, in a one-step reaction, d -gluconyl glycine ethyl ester, d -gluconyl glycylglycine ethyl ester, and d -galactonyl glycine ethyl ester were prepared. The latter two glyconyl peptides have not been reported previously.
Comparison between mechanical method and chemical-assisted mechanical method for CVD diamond film polishing

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond is an emerging material in the industry. Polishing CVD diamond film to approach the mirror-like state is necessary in a lot of applications, such as optical lens, missile radome, gyrotron windows, X-ray masks, heat sink, bio-sensors, UV detectors, etc. There are several kinds of machining mechanisms existing during polishing diamond film, and they can mainly be separated into mechanical, chemical assisted and catalytic mechanisms. In the current study, the traditional mechanical polishing and chemical assisted methods are both chosen to remove the tip of CVD diamond crystal. Different grit sizes of diamond paste and strong oxidizing agents are used respectively. From the morphology of SEM, the damages after mechanical polishing and chemical assisted methods are quite different. Damages after chemical assisted polishing are much less than they after mechanical polishing. Some of the morphological evidences only show in chemical assisted polishing method. In addition, the results of the surface roughness after the two kinds of polishing methods are shown in the AFM images. Mechanical method takes longer process time than chemical assisted method to lower CVD diamond roughness. The surface roughness of diamond film is therefore from 1200nm down to 600nm after mechanical polishing; however, the roughness is from 1200nm down to 100nm after chemical assisted mechanical polishing.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Maternal Alcohol and Tobacco Use and Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy: Relation to Infant Birthweight

A recent report has documented a decreased probability of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVP) in women who were simultaneously both regular drinkers and smokers, especially if these habits existed before pregnancy. Maternal smoking and drinking have both been linked with decreased infant birthweight, as has absence of NVP. The question posed by these findings is whether the decrease in birthweight associated with absence of NVP is in fact due to regular maternal drinking and smoking. The data presented in this paper indicate that this is not the case; NVP is related to infant birthweight, even after adjustment for maternal alcohol and tobacco use.
THE PHOTOPERIODIC RESPONSE OF AMERICAN PROSOPIS AND ACACIA FROM A BROAD LATITUDINAL DISTRIBUTION

A B S T R A C T Prosopis and Acacia from North and South America were studied in the laboratory under constant and increasing night length under two temperature regimes. The Prosopis juliftora (Sw.) DC. complex showed strong populational differentiation; Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd. showed minimal populational differentiation. In Prosopis a population from Oklahoma (360 N) showed the greatest inhibition of stem height under increasing night length. A population from Peru (60 S) showed least control of stem height by night length. In Acacia the response of the latitudinal series was relatively uniform within each of the 6 sets of light period-temperature conditions. In general the height increase for Acacia was two to three times greater under the warmer regime than under the cooler regime at a given night length. Since Acacia farnesiana occurs sympatrically with the Prosopis juliflora complex over a broad range of latitudes, it is of interest to find that the distributional mechanisms of these two leguminous trees are basically different.
Identification of polypeptides of photosystem I reaction center as the products of chloroplast genes PS1A1 and PS1A2.

Abstract The Photosystem I Reaction Center of spinach was found to contain two polypeptides of approximate apparent Mr of 56,000 and 64,000. The 56 kDa polypeptide was identified as the product of chloroplast gene PS1A1 using an antibody specific for the PS1A1 gene product of corn. Presumably the 64 kDa polypeptide is the product of gene PS1A2.
Surface Morphology/Composition and Photoelectrochemical Behavior of Metal−Semiconductor Composite Films

Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the morphology of metal−TiO2 composite films prepared for photoelectrochemical applications. These films consisted of electrodeposited Ni, Cu, Ag, or In with TiO2 (Degussa P-25) particles occluded in them. In the case of Ni−TiO2 composites, co-clusters of nickel and TiO2 were observed superimposed on the “flat” regions of the film containing only nickel. This co-cluster formation facilitated efficient separation of photogenerated electron−hole pairs in the TiO2 component. On the other hand, the distribution of TiO2 on the indium film surface was such that electron−hole pair recombination resulted on photoexcitation of TiO2. Whereas Cu−TiO2 composite films exhibited n-type photoelectrochemical behavior in pH 7 sulfite medium, p-type activity resulted when the photovoltammetry experiment was repeated in 0.1 M NaOH. This behavior was attributed to Cu2O formed in situ in the Cu−TiO2 composite film.
On predicting the population total under regression models with measurement errors

Abstract In this paper we investigate the prediction of the population total T = ΣNk=1 Yk under regression superpopulation models when the explanatory variable vector x is measured with error. Predictors T of the population total T which are functions of estimators \ gb of the regression coefficient parameter β are investigated. In particular, by considering the ordinary least-squares estimator of β, we have the best unbiased predictor (BLU — Royall, 1976, Bolfarine and Zacks, 1992) of T, denoted by T BLU . Exploring the asymptotic normality of \ gb under a set of assumptions, we study the asymptotic behavior of the predictor T , establishing its asymptotic normality. In the case of unique and several explanatory variables, comparisons are made in terms of the predictive variances of the asymptotic distributions. Surprisingly, the main conclusion is that T BLU is the predictor that behaves asymptotically best.
Mesoscale kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of molecular resists: effects of photoacid homogeneity on resolution, line-edge roughness, and sensitivity

A 2-D kinetic Monte Carlo mesoscale model of molecular resists is developed to probe the effects of photoacid (PAG) homogeneity, specifically PAG aggregation behavior, on the resolution, sensitivity, and line-edge roughness (LER) performance of resists. The model reproduces many pattern defects that are commonly found experimentally by simply increasing the amount of PAG aggregation. The sensitivity of resists is found to change with increasing PAG aggregation in resists with low photoacid diffusivity, but remains near constant for resists with high photoacid diffusivity. Likewise, LER is found to increase with increasing PAG aggregation in resists with low photoacid diffusivity, but appears to be weakly dependent on PAG aggregation when the resist has high photoacid diffusivity. Increasing PAG aggregation limits the absolute resolution of a resist, because there exists a trade-off between the ability of photoacid diffusion to smooth out the inhomogeneity due to PAG aggregation and the blurring of the patterned feature that reduces resolution. Even very low levels of PAG aggregation appear to greatly limit the potential of a resist for sub-30-nm resolution patterning, but increased PAG loading appears to provide a way to mitigate this problem and allow for improved absolute resolution, even in the presence of aggregation.
Removal of Lead from Contaminated Water and Clay Soil Using a Biosurfactant

Lead removal from water and contaminated soils was investigated using biosurfactant, anionic, and nonionic surfactants in continuously stirred batch reactors. Lead-contaminated water up to 100 mg/L and clay soil up to 3,000 mg/kg were used in this investigation. The surfactant concentration up to 10 critical micelle concentration was used. The speciation of lead into the micelles was quantified and the lead removal efficiency depended on the level of contamination, surfactant type, and concentration. Of the surfactants used, biosurfactant (produced from used vegetable oil) had the best removal efficiency (75%) at a lead contamination of 100 mg/L in water at pH of over 12. The Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy study showed that the carboxyl group in the biosurfactant was effective in removing the lead from the solution. Langmuir and Freundlich relationships were used to represent the micelle partitioning of lead in the surfactant solutions. Desorption of lead from contaminated kaolinite clay was represented using linear isotherms. The biosurfactant solution had a higher micelle partitioning for the lead from contaminated water and desorbing the lead from the contaminated soil compared to the other chemical surfactants.
Absolute Rb one-color two-photon ionization cross-section measurement near a quantum interference

We observe destructive interference in the ground-state Rb two-photon ionization cross section when the single photon energy is tuned between the $5S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}5P$ and $5S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}6P$ transition energies. The minimum cross section is $5.9(1.5)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}52}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\text{cm}}^{4}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}$ and it occurs at a wavelength of $441.0(3)\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\text{nm}$ (in vacuo). Relative measurements of these cross sections are made at various wavelengths by counting ions produced when magneto-optically trapped Rb atoms are exposed to light from a tunable pulsed laser. This relative curve is calibrated to an absolute cross-section measurement at $532\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\text{nm}$ using the trap loss method. A simple calculation agrees reasonably with our results.
The comparative limnology of high arctic, coastal, meromictic lakes

Five important features appear in rough order from the surface downwards in physical and chemical profiles from high arctic coastal meromictic lakes. These features are: (1) a supersaturated oxygen maximum, (2) the center of the oxycline, (3) a thermal maximum, (4) a major absorption maximum, and (5) an anoxic stratum. The depth of the absorption maxima and the top of the anoxic strata are both statistically correlated to light penetration and to each other. The depth of the thermal maximum also shows a statistical correlation to light penetration among lakes with a relatively shallow chemocline. The temperature of the thermal maximum appears to be maintained by inputs of light energy while the oxygen maximum is maintained to a large extent by photosynthesis. Thus, these major features are all influenced by light penetration. With the exception of the supersaturated oxygen maximum, all of the above features are dependent for their existence upon the primary chemocline stabilizing the water column. Apparently, in at least some lakes, a near surface secondary chemocline or cool (ca. 4°C) secondary inverse thermocline will enhance the stability of the water column above the primary chemocline sufficiently to allow a supersaturated oxygen maximum to develop in this region. However, the supersaturated oxygen maximum can extend into the primary chemocline, and in highly transparent Sophia Lake (Cornwallis Island, N.W.T.) this feature extends below the primary chemocline.