cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developing standard exposure-response relationships to inform protected area management

The "Schultz Curve," which was embodied in ANSI Standard S12.9 Part 4, has been a central informative tool for urban planning and noise impact analyses. Numerous field studies have been conducted by the Volpe Transportation Center and others to develop the foundation for the same type of tool for national parks. I will review what these studies have revealed, and how they compare with the urban noise standard. Park settings vary more widely than urban environments, so one challenge for devising a standard is addressing the potential variety of receptors and the contexts in which effects could be analyzed. The complexity of this issue increases dramatically when considering the nonhuman receptors of noise in national parks, and the effects of noise on human-wildlife interactions.
IRS Announces First Wave of Opportunity Zone Designations

In this article, Wallwork discusses Treasury’s first round of designations of qualified opportunity zones.
Evolutionary and plastic changes in a native annual plant after a historic drought

Severe droughts are forecast to increase with global change. Approaches that enable the study of contemporary evolution, such as resurrection studies, are valuable for providing insights into the responses of populations to global change. In this study, we used a resurrection approach to study the evolution of the California native Leptosiphon bicolor (true babystars, Polemoniaceae) across populations differing in precipitation in response to the state's recent prolonged drought (2011-2017). In the Mediterranean climate region in which L. bicolor grows, this historic drought effectively shortened its growing season. We used seeds collected both before and after this drought from three populations found along a moisture availability gradient to assess contemporary evolution in a common garden greenhouse study. We coupled this with a drought experiment to examine plasticity. We found evolution toward earlier flowering after the historic drought in the wettest of the three populations, while plasticity to experimental drought was observed across all three. We also observed trade-offs associated with earlier flowering. In the driest population, plants that flowered earlier had lower intrinsic water-use efficiency than those flowering later, which was an expected pattern. Unexpectedly, earlier flowering plants had larger flowers. Two populations exhibited evolution and plasticity toward smaller flowers with drought. The third exhibited evolution toward larger flowers, but displayed no plasticity. Our results provide valuable insights into differences among native plant populations in response to drought.
T Cell-Intrinsic IRF5 Regulates T Cell Signaling, Migration, and Differentiation and Promotes Intestinal Inflammation.

Summary IRF5 polymorphisms are associated with multiple immune-mediated diseases, including ulcerative colitis. IRF5 contributions are attributed to its role in myeloid lineages. How T cell-intrinsic IRF5 contributes to inflammatory outcomes is not well understood. We identify a previously undefined key role for T cell-intrinsic IRF5. In mice, IRF5 in CD4+ T cells promotes Th1- and Th17-associated cytokines and decreases Th2-associated cytokines. IRF5 is required for the optimal assembly of the TCR-initiated signaling complex and downstream signaling at early times, and at later times binds to promoters of Th1- and Th17-associated transcription factors and cytokines. IRF5 also regulates chemokine receptor-initiated signaling and, in turn, T cell migration. In vivo, IRF5 in CD4+ T cells enhances the severity of experimental colitis. Importantly, human CD4+ T cells from high IRF5-expressing disease-risk genetic carriers demonstrate increased chemokine-induced migration and Th1/Th17 cytokines and reduced Th2-associated and anti-inflammatory cytokines. These data demonstrate key roles for T cell-intrinsic IRF5 in inflammatory outcomes.
Diversification of crown group Araucaria: the role of Araucaria famii sp. nov. in the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) radiation of Araucariaceae in the Northern Hemisphere

PREMISE Exceptional anatomical preservation of a fossil araucarian seed cone from a marine carbonate concretion from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada provides unusually complete evidence for cone structure including seeds, megagametophytes, microgametophytes, and embryos of an Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) species of Araucaria, providing important new insights into the structure and relationships of Cretaceous Northern Hemisphere Araucariaceae. METHODS The cone was studied from serial thin sections prepared by the coal ball peel technique. Phylogenetic analysis using a modified morphological matrix with both discrete and continuous characters was performed using TNT version 1.5. RESULTS The nearly spherical cone, 6 × 6 cm in diameter, has helically arranged cone-scale complexes, consisting of a large bract with an upturned tip and a small, fleshy ovuliferous scale. Vascularization of the cone-scale complex is single at its origin. Widely winged bracts, with a bulging base, contain numerous vascular bundles, interspersed with transfusion tissue, and a large number of resin canals. Seeds are ovoid, 1.2 cm long, 1.2 cm in diameter. Nucellus is free from the integument, except at its base, with a convoluted apex, containing possible pollen tubes. Megagametophytes and mature cellular embryos occur in several seeds. CONCLUSIONS This small cone with attached, imbricate leaves, wide bracts, and unusually large seeds, most closely resembles those of Araucaria Section Eutacta. Width and continuity of secondary xylem in the cone axis, and intact cone-scale complexes indicate that this cone probably did not disarticulate readily at maturity. When added to a modified, previously published phylogenetic analysis, Araucaria famii sp. nov. enhances our understanding of the Cretaceous radiation of Northern Hemisphere Araucaria Section Eutacta.
Estimating External Motivating Factors in Virtual Inter-Organizational Communities of Practice: Peer Effects and Organizational Influences

Virtual inter-organizational communities of practice (IOCoPs) enable professionals belonging to different organizations to exchange and share knowledge via computer-mediated interactions. Since individuals’ participation is voluntary and autonomous, prior literature mainly focuses on internal motivating factors at the individual level. However, knowledge sharing requires social interactions. Influences from external entities play an important role in encouraging individuals’ community participation. In this research, we study external motivating factors generated from two different channels: peer effects within and organizational influences outside the virtual community. We apply a novel econometric identification method to analyze a unique dataset collected from a virtual IOCoP in the financial trading sector. We find that, after controlling individuals’ own incentives, external motivating factors from online peers and offline organizations are influential in determining community participation quantitatively as well as qualitatively. In addition, our results suggest that virtual IOCoPs and organizations are two complementary learning channels for individuals. Differentiating motivating factors across multiple levels enables us to shed new light on various mechanisms with which IOCoPs can apply to engaging collective learning and knowledge management across organizations.
The Significance of Enzyme Studies on Isolated Cell Nuclei

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the significance of enzyme studies on isolated cell nuclei. There is a need to understand the causes for and the mechanism of cell division as the basis for a comprehension of cancer; this has also stimulated research on the chemistry of cell nuclei. The chapter describes several problems concerned with the enzyme content of cell nuclei isolated by chemical procedures and focuses on a highly permeable nuclear membrane with probable diffusion through the nuclear membrane of molecules at least as large as those of certain proteins. Recent findings bearing on these problems are analyzed. Existing evidence for and against such a hypothesis is discussed and correlated with recent work on the enzymes found in isolated cell nuclei. The validity of recent conclusions of various authors concerning nuclear enzymes and two possible energy sources for nuclear metabolism are also described, besides the probable future trends in research concerned with cell nuclei.
REMEDIATION GRAPHS FOR SECURITY PATCH MANAGEMENT

Attackers are becoming proficient at reverse engineering security patches and then creating worms or viruses that rapidly attack systems that have not applied the patches. Automated patch management systems are being developed to address this threat. A central function of a patch management system is to decide which patches to install on a computer and to determine the sequence of actions that will cause them to be installed.
Correlation of Optical Diagnostic Techniques on Exploding Wire Plasmas

The laser has eased optical plasma diagnostic techniques to the point where one must be guided by data reduction capability rather than experimental difficulties. It is with this in mind that two different diagnostic techniques have been used to evaluate a single plasma parameter, its refractivity. By using both techniques simultaneously, with the same view of the plasma, correlations can be made between the salient features of each technique. Specifically, the exploding wire plasma is an example where the use of two simultaneous diagnostic techniques can greatly expedite the analysis of the phenomenon. The opposing effects of the electrons and heavier particles on refractivity can be resolved by using two wavelength holographic interferometry to isolate the dispersive effect of the electrons. The type of analysis required, however, necessitates the use of densitometer scans to accurately measure the disturbed fringe pattern. One is therefore faced with a complete densitometer scan of two interference patterns for each event. Since the size of the two dimensional data arrays are limited solely by the resolution of the film and densitometer, data reduction becomes an imposing task. Fortunately it is a simple matter in the laboratory to use a second technique in conjunction with the interferometry in order to complement the information one gets from the interferograms. The shadowgram provides a strong graphic picture of the plasma activity by recording changes in the second derivative of the refractivity. Specifically, the striations along the length of the exploding wire plasma, which would be apparent only through a complete analysis of the interferometric data, are readily apparent in shadowgrams. On the other hand, detailed analysis of the shadowgrams to obtain refractivity is quite complicated, rendering the shadowgram almost impractical for quantitative data. Thus in practice, by making shadowgrams simultaneously with two wavelength holographic interferograms, one has a guide to determine the area of the hologram justifying the detailed two wavelength analysis. An extension of these techniques to the laser heating of an exploding wire demonstrates the simplification of the analysis obtained by the combined use of the interferometric hologram and the shadowgram.
Sub-100fs fiber feedback synchronously pumped degenerate optical parametric oscillator

We report on a synchronously pumped degenerate OPO operated at 250 MHz that generates 280 mW of transform-limited sub-100fs pulses at 2.09μm using a compact dispersion-compensated fiber feedback cavity.
Induction of a Generalized Transitivity Repertoire Via Multiple-Exemplar Training and Staged Testing

The emergence of transitivity-indicative performances occasioned by novel probes was observed following exposure to multiple-exemplar transitivity training and/or staged testing for transitivity. Twenty-four of 101 college students failed to demonstrate transitivity-indicative performances in an initial test that contained 6 stimulus sets drawn from 3 domains: glyphs, satellite images, and nonsense syllables, each of whom was assigned to 1 of 4 experimental conditions. Subjects in Condition 1 did not receive any intervention. Subjects in Condition 2 received transitivity training with 20 new glyph sets. Subjects in Condition 3 were reexposed to the stimuli from the initial test, but with one domain at a time (i.e., staged testing). Subjects in Condition 4 received both transitivity training and staged testing. Finally, all subjects were reexposed to the initial test (i.e., posttest). The number of subjects and the number of stimulus sets in the posttest that occasioned transitivity-indicative responding did not change for subjects in Condition 1, showed moderate increases for subjects in Conditions 2 and 3, and showed large increases for subjects in Condition 4. The improvements in Conditions 2 and 3, however, varied with stimulus domain. Improvements were minimal for the glyph stimuli, moderate for the satellite stimuli, and largest for the nonsense syllables. Thus, the emergence of a generalized transitivity repertoire was influenced by an interaction between transitivity training, test repetition, and the perceptual similarities of the stimuli used for testing.
In vitro inhibition of aldosterone biosynthesis by 17-hydroxylated steroids in rat adrenal.

Abstract The in vitro effect of the addition of non-17-hydroxylated and 17-hydroxylated steroids on the production of aldosterone has been studied in the rat. The biosynthesis of deoxycorticosterone, corticosterone, and aldosterone was increased when progesterone or pregnenolone was added to the incubation media, but neither cortisol nor 11-deoxycortisol was produced. The addition of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone or 17α-hydroxypregnenolone to the incubation media resulted in the biosynthesis of cortisol and 11-deoxycortisol by the rat adrenal; concomitantly, a decrease in aldosterone production occurred. However, no decrease in aldosterone production resulted when cortisol and 11-deoxycortisol were added directly to the incubation media. These studies show that neither cortisol nor 11-deoxycortisol inhibits the in vitro biosynthesis of aldosterone and suggest that other mechanisms are involved.
Polydimethylsiloxane–polyurethane elastomers: Synthesis and properties of segmented copolymers and related zwitterionomers

Abstract : A series of polyurethane block polymers based on hydroxybutyl-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) soft segments of molecular weight 2000 were synthesized. The hard segments consisted of 4,4'-methylenediphenylene diisocyanate (MDI) which was chain extended with either 1,4-butanediol (BD) or N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA). The MDEA-extended materials were ionized using 1,3-propane sultone. The weight fraction of hard segments was in range 0.13-o.39. The morphology and properties of these polyurethane elastomers were studied by variety of techniques. All of these short segment block copolymers showed nearly complete phase separation. The zwitterionomer materials exhibited ionic aggregation with the hard domains. Hard segment crystallinity or ionic aggregation did not affect the morphology. Hard domain cohesion was found to be a more important factor than hard domain volume fraction in determining the tensile and viscoelastic properties of these elastomers. (Author)
Intraluminal blockade of cell-surface CD74 and glucose regulated protein 78 prevents substance P-induced bladder inflammatory changes in the rat.

Background Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine constitutively expressed by urothelial cells. During inflammatory stimuli, MIF is released into the lumen complexed to other proteins and these complexes can bind to urothelial cell-surface receptors to activate signaling pathways. Since MIF is complexed to α1-inhibitor III (A1-I3; a member of the α2-macroglubulin family) and glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) is a receptor for A1-I3 the goals of this study were to determine if substance P elicits urothelial cell-surface expression of GRP78 and to assess the functional role of CD74 (receptor for MIF) or GRP78 in substance P-induced bladder inflammatory changes.
THE POLAR ICE COVER - HOW IT IS CHANGING

Global warming of about 0.5 to 1 oC during the last century has been observed from meteorological stations around the world and postulated to be caused in part by increasing anthropogenic greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The best regions for detecting the impact of such changes are the polar regions where the signals are supposed to be amplified because of ice-albedo feedbacks. Satellite data reveal that the most remarkable change in the polar regions is in the rapid decline of 9% per decade in the Arctic perennial ice cover which has been observed to be anomalously low in 2002, 2003 and 2004. The sea ice cover in the Bellingshaussen Sea has been observed to be retreating as well, at the rate of 6%/decade. The changes are more modest in the entire Northern Hemisphere with the ice declining at around 2 to 3% per decade only while that in the Southern Hemisphere has been basically constant during the last 25 years
Molecular Evolution of Hemojuvelin and the Repulsive Guidance Molecule Family

Repulsive guidance molecules (RGMs) are found in vertebrates and chordates and are involved in embryonic development and iron homeostasis. Members of this family are GPI-linked membrane proteins that contain an N-terminal signal peptide, a C-terminal propeptide, and a conserved RGD motif. Vertebrates are known to possess three paralogues; RGMA and RGMB (sometimes called Dragon) are expressed in the nervous system and are thought to play various roles in neural development. Hemojuvelin (HJV; also called repulsive guidance molecule c, RGMC) is the third member of this family, and mutations in this gene result in a form of juvenile hemochromatosis (type 2A). Phylogenetic analyses of 55 different RGM family sequences from 21 different species support the existence of a novel gene, found only in fish, which we have labeled RGMD. The pattern of conserved residues in each family identifies new candidates for important functional roles, including ligand binding.
Magnetic polarity stratigraphy of the Fisherman's Cliff and Bone Gulch vertebrate fossil faunas from the Murray Basin, New South Wales, Australia

Abstract The Fisherman's Cliff and Bone Gulch Local Faunas are the second and third oldest mammalian fossil assemblages known in the Murray Basin of southeastern Australia. The determination of well constrained ages for these two faunas has been plagued by a lack of diagnostic microfossils or material suitable for isotopic age determinations. Based on previous paleomagnetic data [1,2] the ages of the Fisherman's Cliff and Bone Gulch local faunas were assigned to the Gauss and lower Matuyama Chrons, respectively. However, these dates were not tested by direct magnetostratigraphic studies at either locality. In order to make direct correlations, 22 paleomagnetic and five paleomagnetic sites, respectively, were collected from Fisherman's Cliff and Bone Gulch. Results indicate that the Fisherman's Cliff Local Fauna occurs within a zone of normal magnetic polarity whilst the Bone Gulch Local Fauna occurs within a zone of reversed polarity. By correlation to the Chowilla section, these zones are interpreted to represent the Gauss and lower Matuyama Chrons and ages of 2.47–2.92 and 1.88–2.47 Myr are indicated for the Fisherman's Cliff and Bone Gulch Local Faunas, respectively.
Structure of the phonon sidebands in the t1 → s0 transition of naphthalene in p-dibromobenzene, α-phase p-dichlorobenzene, and γ-phase p-dichlorobenzene host crystals

Abstract The theory used for predicting the intensity distributions in phonon sidebands in the electronic spectra of molecular crystals is briefly reviewed with particular emphasis on chemically mixed crystals. Criteria are suggested for the identification of pseudolocalized features in phonon sidebands. The phonon sidebands associated with the phosphorescence of naphthalene in p -dibromobenzene and α-phase p -dichlorobenzene seem to exhibit some degree of localization, while the phonon sideband of the phosphorescence of naphthalene in γ-phase p -dichlorobenzene appears to be entirely delocalized. The results are compared with those of other workers and a correlation is established between the degree of localization and the strength of the exciton-phonon coupling as measured by the optical Debye-Waller factor. It is further shown that the strength of coupling of the phonons to the electronic transition is independent of the gas-to-crystal shift of the impurity.
THE MOTION OF TROPICAL STORMS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A SUPERIMPOSED SOUTHERLY CURRENT

Abstract This study deals with the internal and the external influences governing the motion of tropical storms. A theoretical computation is made by assuming a storm to be a vr-vortex within a certain radius of which the air will move as a whole. The storm will describe a circular path if the fluid in which it is embedded does not possess a basic motion. If the fluid possesses a basic motion, say easterlies U, the storm will trace a trochoid, with a net westward progression with a speed U. The amplitude and period of oscillation depend on the wind speed U as well as on the size and intensity of the storm. When the storm comes under the influence of another atmospherical system possessing a south wind, the amplitude of oscillation will be greatly increased by this south wind and the storm will recurve northward. The manner of the recurvature will depend on how the storm enters this south current. Four different 24-hour paths of storms are given after entering the south wind. They are very different from e...
Pricing computer services: queueing effects

This article studies the effects of queueing delays, and users' related costs, on the management and control of computing resources. It offers a methodology for setting price, utilization, and capacity, taking into account the value of users' time, and it examines the implications of alternative control structures, determined by the financial responsibility assigned to the data processing manager.
Using aspects for testing nonfunctional requirements in object-oriented systems

Software testing is one of the most time consuming activities in the software development cycle. Current research suggests that aspect-oriented programming (AOP) can enhance testing and has the potential to be more effective than macros or test interfaces. There are two major weaknesses when using aspects which are the inability of aspect code to be woven at all execution points and the lack of direct support for interweaving aspects with other aspects. In this paper we address the two major weaknesses and provide a means to overcome them. In addition, current research has focused only on using aspects to test functional requirements (FRs) and paid little attention to nonfunctional requirements (NFRs). In this paper we perform a feasibility study of using aspects to test NFRs which is based on two categorizations of NFRs. The first categorization splits NFRs into four types namely functionally restrictive, additive restrictive, policy restrictive, and architecturally restrictive and the second categorization splits the NFRs into two types: operational and nonoperational. These categorizations would serve as an initial point for developing frameworks or methodologies for testing NFRs with aspects.
Long-range transport of mineral dust in the global atmosphere: impact of African dust on the environment of the southeastern United States.

Soil dust is a major constituent of airborne particles in the global atmosphere. Dust plumes frequently cover huge areas of the earth; they are one of the most prominent and commonly visible features in satellite imagery. Dust is believed to play a role in many biogeochemical processes, but the importance of dust in these processes is not well understood because of the dearth of information about the global distribution of dust and its physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties. This paper describes some features of the large-scale distribution of dust and identifies some of the geological characteristics of important source areas. The transport of dust from North Africa is presented as an example of possible long-range dust effects, and the impact of African dust on environmental processes in the western North Atlantic and the southeastern United States is assessed. Dust transported over long distances usually has a mass median diameter <10 μm. Small wind-borne soil particles show signs of extensive weathering; consequently, the physical and chemical properties of the particles will greatly depend on the weathering history in the source region and on the subsequent modifications that occur during transit in the atmosphere (typically a period of a week or more). To fully understand the role of dust in the environment and in human health, mineralogists will have to work closely with scientists in other disciplines to characterize the properties of mineral particles as an ensemble and as individual particles especially with regard to surface characteristics.
Intrinsic inhibition in magnocellular neuroendocrine cells of rat hypothalamus.

Endogenous mechanisms of inhibition in magnocellular neuroendocrine cells were studied with intracellular recordings in the rat hypothalamic slice preparation. Hyperpolarizing after-potentials (duration up to 125 ms) followed single action potentials and after-hyperpolarizations (a.h.p.s) lasting hundreds of milliseconds followed brief evoked spike trains. The amplitude and duration of the a.h.p. increased after spike trains of longer duration or higher frequency. The a.h.p. appears endogenous, rather than synaptically mediated from recurrent inhibition, because it persisted after pharmacological blockade of axonal conduction or of chemical synaptic transmission. The reversal potential of the a.h.p. was at least 20 mV more negative than that of inhibitory post-synaptic potentials. Cl- ionophoresis did not alter the a.h.p. Chelation of intracellular Ca2+ with EGTA injection eliminated the a.h.p. A Ca2+-activated K+ conductance, rather than recurrent synaptic inhibition, apparently causes the a.h.p. and is at least partly responsible for the inhibition after single spikes in magnocellular neurones. During hormone release, this endogenous mechanism may contribute to the post-burst silent period in putative oxytocinergic cells and to the interburst interval in phasic neurones, which are known to fire repetitive bursts associated with vasopressin release.
Nowhere dense set mappings on the generalized linear continua

A set $$A \subseteq X$$ is free for a set mapping F:X→P(X) provided x∉F(y) for any distinct x, y in A. If F maps the reals R into nowhere dense subsets of R, then Bagemihl proved that there is an everywhere dense free set for F, and assuming CH Hechler showed that such an F does not always admit an uncountable free set. In this paper, we show that Bagemihl's theorem cannot be generalized to the generalized linear continua C α for arbitrarily large ordinal α, and under GCH we extend Hechler's theorem to C α for every α.
Simulation and QENS Studies of Molecular Dynamics in Aqueous Solutions of 1,2-Dimethoxyethane

We compare the composition dependence of the self-diffusion coefficient of water in aqueous solutions of 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME) as obtained from incoherent quasielastic neutron scattering measurements and molecular dynamics simulations. Simulations were performed using the TIP4P water model and a quantum chemistry based potential for DME and DME/water interactions. Excellent agreement is seen between experiment and simulation, including the minimum in the water self-diffusion coefficient at XDME ≈ 0.2 predicted by our earlier simulations. Further, we investigated the influence of the water potential on molecular dynamics in DME aqueous solutions by performing simulations using the SPC, SPC/E, and MCY water models. The SPC and MCY models yielded a water self-diffusion coefficient as a function of composition in qualitative agreement with experiment, including the before mentioned minimum. Quantitative agreement with experiment is poorer for these potentials than for the TIP4P model. Surprisingly, simula...
Optimal control of force microscope cantilevers. I. Controller design

In magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM) experiments, magnetic forces couple to the motion of microscale cantilever beams. Extension of MRFM to the detection of single electrons will require both unprecedented force sensitivity and motional stability of the cantilever. We describe the principles and performance of optimal cantilever motion control. The method accounts for inherent noise processes and practical application of control forces. We show that active feedback control improves cantilever motional stability, enabling instrument designs of much higher sensitivity and faster imaging than passive designs. Experimental results of implemented cantilever control systems are presented in Part II.
Ching Chun Li (1912–2003):A Personal Remembrance of a Hero of Genetics

Ching Chun Li, affectionately known as “C.C.” the world over, was born on October 27, 1912, in the seaside village of Taku, outside Tientsin in northeastern China, and died in the wee hours of October 20, 2003, in Mount Lebanon, outside Pittsburgh. His life essentially covered all of genetics from its earliest beginnings to the completion of the human genome sequence. C.C.’s scientific life was a remarkable transition and adaptation from plant breeding to population genetics to biostatistics to human genetics.
Jónsson Modules over Noetherian Rings

Let R be a commutative ring with identity, and let M be an infinite unitary R-module. M is said to be a Jonsson module provided every proper submodule of M has strictly smaller cardinality than M. Utilizing earlier results of the author [11] as well as results of Gilmer/Heinzer, Weakley, and Heinzer/Lantz [8, 10, 14], we study Jonsson modules over Noetherian rings. After a brief introduction, we classify the countable Jonsson modules over an arbitrary ring up to quotient equivalence. We then give a complete description of the Jonsson modules over a 1-dimensional Noetherian ring, extending W. R. Scott's classification over ℤ. We show that these results may be extended to Jonsson modules over an arbitrary Noetherian ring if one assumes The Generalized Continuum Hypothesis. Finally, we close with a list of open problems.
Rapid Assessment of RNAi-mediated Protein Depletion by Selected Reaction Monitoring Mass Spectrometry

We describe the use of a targeted proteomics approach, selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mass spectrometry, to detect and assess RNAi-mediated depletion or "knockdown" of specific proteins from human cells and from Drosophila flies. This label-free approach does not require any specific reagents to confirm the depletion of RNAi target protein(s) in unfractionated cell or whole organism extracts. The protocol described here is general, can be developed rapidly, and can be multiplexed to detect and measure multiple proteins at once. Furthermore, the methodology can be extended to any tandem mass spectrometer, making it widely accessible. This methodology will be applicable to a wide range of basic science and clinical questions where RNAi-mediated protein depletion needs to be verified, or where differences in relative abundance of target proteins need to be rapidly assessed between samples.
The cast round RPA clasp

The incorporation of a cast round clasp into the RPA design has been presented. When properly used, the cast round clasp eliminates the need for blockout of the facial aspect of the terminal abutment normally required with the half-round clasp. This technique includes surveying the refractory cast, which ensures optimal placement of the round clasp in relation to the height of contour.
Inverse design and implementation of nanophotonic devices

Using an inverse design method that explores the full design space of fabricable devices, we demonstrate a compact wavelength splitter with a footprint of only 2.8 × 2.8 m. The device has low insertion loss (2 – 4 dB), high contrast (12 – 17 dB), and is robust to fabrication imperfections.
The Occurrence of Argentophilic Bands (“Virgulenes”) on the Cortical Surface of Tetrahymena1

When Tetrahymena furgasoni (W) are stained by the silver impregnation technic. a relatively small percentage of them show cortical argentophilic bands or stripes that are intermeridional in position. The number and arrangement of the bands as well as their distinctive appearance and abrupt daily peaks of occurrence render them distinct from other recognized components of the argyrome. The term “virgulene” is proposed as a name for this feature.
A decomposition method for structured linear and nonlinear programs

A decomposition method for nonlinear programming problems with structured linear constraints is described. The structure of the constraint matrix is assumed to be block diagonal with a few coupling constraints or variables, or both. The method is further specialized for linear objective functions. An algorithm for performing post optimality analysis-ranging and parametric programming-for such structured linear programs is included. Some computational experience and results for the linear case are presented.
The structure of individual differences in batteries of rapid acquisition tasks in mice

Two experiments examined the structure of individual differences in mice by means of tasks that produced significant acquisition within 1 session. In Experiment 1, 5 cognitive tasks-detour, winshift, olfactory discrimination, fear conditioning, and operant acquisition-were used in conjunction with two control procedures: an open field and a light- dark test. In Experiment 2, some modifications were made to the tasks used in the 1st experiment, and 3 new tasks were used in conjunction with the same control procedures. The battery consisted of 5 learning tasks: detour, Hebb-Williams, radial maze, olfactory foraging, and fear conditioning. Results of both experiments indicate that when cognitive tasks and control procedures were included in principal-components analyses most of the variance attached principally to individual tasks rather than to a general component as is found typically in human cognitive batteries. When control procedures were eliminated, there was better evidence for the presence of a general cognitive factor, particularly in Experiment 2.
Pituitary immunoreactive calcitonin-like material: Lack of evidence for cross-reactivity with pro-opiomelanocortin

In mammals, calcitonin (CT) is synthesized, stored, and secreted by intrathyroidal C cells. Several reports have suggested the presence of immunoreactive CT in the pituitary gland. We have studied the rat pituitary gland using a radioimmunoassay for CT and have also found immunoreactive CT-like material. Assay of extracts of whole rat pituitary glands was performed using a radioimmunoassay for human CT, which gave identical dilution curves with synthetic human CT (hCT), synthetic rat CT (rCT), and mouse and rat thyroid extracts, but not with a variety of other pituitary and hypothalamic peptides. Immunoreactive CT (iCT) content of extracts of whole pituitary glands ranged from 6 to 72 pg/mg wet weight of tissue (60-840 pg/whole pituitary gland), whereas iCT was not measureable (less than 5 pg/mg tissue) in similar extracts of hypothalamus and cerebral cortex. Gel filtration studies of pituitary extracts showed a peak of iCT, which eluted with 125I-rCT and diluted in parallel with rCT. To investigate whether the pituitary iCT was related to pro-opiomelanocortin, extracts of ACTH-producing AtT20/D16 cells from mice, which contain the ACTH precursor in large quantities, were examined and no iCT was found. Immunohistochemical studies of rat pituitary glands with peroxidase-antiperoxidase and immunofluorescent techniques showed positive staining for CT in cells in the pars anterior, but not in the pars intermedia of pars nervosa; this staining was not eliminated when the antiserum was absorbed with CT under conditions that completely obliterated staining of rat thyroid glands. Double staining demonstrated essentially two distinct populations of cells, one positive for CT and another positive for ACTH, with less than 1% of the cells positive for both ACTH and CT. Immunoreactive CT-like material was present in the pituitary glands of rats thyroparathyroidectomized 18 days before they were killed, but was diminished. Biosynthetic labeling in vitro of rat pituitary glands with 3H-leucine showed incorporation into prolactin; there was no incorporation into CT. No in vitro secretion of iCT by whole rat pituitary glands either basally or after high K+ stimulation was observed. We conclude that: (1) a substance that has certain immunologic and size characteristics of CT is present in minute amounts in the pituitary gland of rats; (2) this material is not a part of the ACTH precursor; and (3) positive immunohistochemical staining in pituitary glands may not be specific for authentic CT.
"Fast excitation" CID in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer.

Collision-induced dissociation (CID) in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer is usually performed by applying a small amplitude excitation voltage at the same secular frequency as the ion of interest. Here we disclose studies examining the use of large amplitude voltage excitations (applied for short periods of time) to cause fragmentation of the ions of interest. This process has been examined using leucine enkephalin as the model compound and the motion of the ions within the ion trap simulated using ITSIM. The resulting fragmentation information obtained is identical with that observed by conventional resonance excitation CID. “Fast excitation” CID deposits (as determined by the intensity ratio of the a4/b4 ion of leucine enkephalin) approximately the same amount of internal energy into an ion as conventional resonance excitation CID where the excitation signal is applied for much longer periods of time. The major difference between the two excitation techniques is the higher rate of excitation (gain in kinetic energy) between successive collisions with helium atoms with “fast excitation” CID as opposed to the conventional resonance excitation CID. With conventional resonance excitation CID ions fragment while the excitation voltage is still being applied whereas for “fast excitation” CID a higher proportion of the ions fragment in the ion cooling time following the excitation pulse. The fragmentation of the (M+17H)17+ of horse heart myoglobin is also shown to illustrate the application of “fast excitation” CID to proteins.
An optically pumped ultraviolet laser on SO (B 3Σ--X 3Σ-)

Abstract Lasing has been demonstrated in sulfur monoxide by pulsed optical pumping of transitions in the (0, 2) band of SO(B 3 Σ − -X 3 Σ − ) at 256 nm. The SO is produced by 193 nm photolysis of sulfur dioxide. Stimulated emission is observed in the (0, 8), (0, 9), (0, 10), and (0, 11) bands between 300 and 350 nm.
Environmental Effects on the Behavior of Jointed Plain Concrete Pavements

A concrete slab was constructed at Texas A&M University to investigate environmental effects in terms of temperature and moisture effects on the behavior of jointed plain concrete pavements. The slab behavior was delineated relative to equivalent linear temperature and humidity differences as a function of time. As expected, the trends of these differences were found to relate with the trends of ambient temperature and relative humidity. The slab had daily periods of tensile and compressive strain corresponding to the daily changes in the ambient temperature and relative humidity. Furthermore, the trends in the slab displacements were clearly dependent upon the changes in ambient temperature and slab temperature gradients. Drying shrinkage and creep strains primarily in the vicinity of the top surface appeared to cause an overall shift in the slab movements. This shift manifest in both the strain and vertical displacement of the slab was determined from data collected up to 2 years after placement of the concrete.
Relative responsiveness of cultured human epidermal melanocytes and melanoma cells to selected mitogens.

Early cellular events in the malignant transformation of melanocytes to melanoma are virtually unknown. In vitro investigation of this phenomenon has been hampered by the fastidious nature of the human epidermal melanocyte, which has proven difficult to cultivate. The present study compares responsiveness of cultured human epidermal rnelanocytes and established melanoma cell lines to serum, cholera toxin, and melanocyte growth factor (MGF), three established melanocyte mitogens. Four of four established human melanoma lines were substantially stimulated by fetal bovine serum, as were newborn foreskin-derived epidermal melanocytes. In contrast, none of the four melanoma lines responded to hypothalamic preparations containing MGF that consistently produced an approximately 30-fold increase in newborn melanocyte cell yield over a 2-week period. Cholera toxin, required for successful establishment of primary melanocyte cultures, had small and variable effects on the melanoma lines, with slight stimulation in one case, moderate inhibition in another, and essentially no effect in two others. These data suggest that transformation of epidermal melanocytes to melanoma often involves at least one phenotypic change resulting in escape from MGF regulation and another associated with insensitivity to cyclic AMP modulation; while at least some of the pathways conferring serum dependence are unaltered. Improved culture systems for the human epidermal melanocyte should facilitate further studies into the mechanism of its malignant conversion and may provide useful insights for the prevention and treatment of human melanoma.
Growth and function of the replanted lung in young dogs

Abstract Autopsy findings and studies of pulmonary function, including pulmonary mechanics, air distribution, compliance, resistance, and hemodynamics in the intact animal indicate that anatomic and functional changes in the replanted growing lung do not significantly vary from those reported in adult dogs. Significant functional changes included a marked decrease in oxygen uptake and increased pulmonary vascular resistance. Since an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance was also found in animals without evidence of anatomic anomalies, pulmonary hypertension in these animals must, therefore, be related to factors other than obstruction to flow. Whether or not the increased pulmonary vascular resistance in the replanted lung may be secondary to a lack of regrowth of divided nerves is not clearly established. Lung volume distribution, as well as ventilation distribution, as evidenced by nitrogen washout data, were not significantly effected. Growth of vascular and bronchial anastomoses was slightly reduced, but the anastomotic obstructions found were due to technical error or complications rather than to failure of growth. Left pulmonary growth after replantation continued and was found to be significantly reduced only if complete obliteration of the pulmonary artery occurred.
Plasmodium falciparum and P. knowlesi: low temperature preservation using dimethylsulfoxide.

Abstract Erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium knowlesi and P. falciparum have been successfully recovered from the frozen state (i.e., −196 C) using dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO: 7.5% final concentration, v/v) as the cryoprotective agent. Quantitated preparations of P. knowlesi, stored for 202 days, yielded patent and synchronous infections as early as 72 hr postinoculation. Similar results were obtained with blood samples with P. falciparum.
Accurate measurement of external quantum efficiency in semiconductors

The state of current research in laser cooling of semiconductors is reviewed. Record external quantum efficiency (99.5%) is obtained for a GaAs/InGaP heterostructure bonded to a dome lens at 100 K by All-optical Scanning Laser Calorimetry (ASLC). Pulsed-Power-dependent photoluminescence measurement (Pulsed-PDPL) is proved to be an efficient way to determine the quantum efficiency and screen the sample quality before processing and fabrication. Second harmonic generation (767nm) from a 5ns Er:YAG laser is used as the pump source for the pulsed-PDPL experiment.
Reply to “comments on: hydrate dissociation enthalpy and guest size”

Abstract Sloan, Jr., E.D. and Fleyfel, F., 1994. Reply to “Comments on: Hydrate dissociation enthalpy and guest size”. Fluid Phase Equilibria , 96: 233-235
A general analysis of resource allocation by competing individuals

Abstract The analysis presented in this paper is constructed to determine the pattern of resource allocations among competing individuals of the same and/or different species in some defined habitat. Competing individuals have at their disposal various activities which can be run at different intensities and consume or produce resources in the habitat linearly. The linearity of resource utilization restricts the analysis to exploitative competition. Each resource is assigned values representing the reproductive gain and reproductive cost to the organism incurred while utilizing the resource. The organisms attempt to choose the amounts and kinds of resources which maximize the total reproductive gain. Resource utilization is restricted by the availability of resources in the habitat, the patterns of consumption associated with the activities of the individuals, and the demand for the individual resources (fixed through competition pressure) of the habitat. It is proved that under these restrictions a competitive equilibrium exists where resources are utilized so as to maximize individual reproductive gain and that this equilibrium generates the most efficient utilization of the resources in that habitat. The selection of a diet subject to nutritional requirements is given as an example of possible applications of this approach. The assumptions and restrictions associated with this technique of analysis are discussed.
Analysis of the biodynamic interaction between the fingertip and probe in the vibrotactile tests: the influences of the probe/fingertip contact orientation and static indentation.

Abstract Vibrotactile thresholds at the fingertips are affected by a number of individual, environmental, and testing factors. In the current study, we theoretically analyzed the effects of the contact orientation of the probe on the fingertip and the static pre-indentation on the dynamic deformation of the soft tissues of the fingertip in the vibrotactile tests using a nonlinear finite element model. The fingertip considered in the 3D finite element model is the distal phalanx, the portion from the distal end to the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint articulation. The fingertip is contacted by the probe at four different contact locations, which are regulated by contact angles ( 15 ∘ , 30 ∘ , 45 ∘ , and 60 ∘ ), and three different pre-indentations (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mm). The model predictions indicated that the average spatial summation of the vibration displacement (SVD) at the fingertip depends on the static pre-indentation and the probe/indentor contact orientation; although the resonance characteristics of the fingertip are not affected by either the pre-indentation or the contact location. The location-dependence of the vibration exposure factors at the fingertip was found to increase with increasing static pre-indentation. At a static indentation of 1.5 mm, the test condition specified in the ISO-13091-1 standard, the values of the SVDs determined at different probe/fingertip contact orientations differ as much as 125%. Since the dynamic displacements of the soft tissues are believed to affect the vibrotactile threshold, the current results suggest that the contact orientation of the probe on the fingertip should be strictly defined and restricted to obtain reliable results in the vibrotactile perception threshold tests.