cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Further Developments of Magnetically Focused, Internal-optic Image Converters

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the developments of magnetically focused, internal-optic image converters. The magnetically focused electronographic cameras utilize a front-surface, alkali-halide photocathode mounted at the focus of an optical system which is partially contained within the imaging device. The high quantum yields, which can be obtained in the far-ultraviolet, with front-surface alkali-halide photo- cathodes are described in the chapter. It is found that when used with all-reflecting optics, the front-surface photocathodes allow operation at much shorter wavelengths than is possible with semitransparent photocathodes. The front-surface photocathodes are considerably easier to prepare than the semitransparent types, as thickness of the photocathode is not critical. For work in the infrared, cooling of the photocathode is facilitated by the fact that a solid metal substrate can be used, and by the central location of the photocathode in vacuum. In the case of the negative affinity photocathode materials, it is possible that the substrate could be made from a ground and polished single crystal of the parent semiconductor material, which is then cesiated in vacuum.
Plasma physics challenge: confirm new plasma wave mode predicted by space physics

Summary form only given. A new plasma wave mode has been proposed to explain plasma emissions stimulated by satellite-borne high-power radio-frequency sounders designed to derive remote electron density profiles from electromagnetic-wave echoes. These sounders also generate electrostatic waves that produce coherent echoes (called plasma resonances because of their appearance on the data records) that occur near harmonics of the electron cyclotron frequency f/sub ce/, the electron plasma frequency f/sub pe/, and the upper-hybrid frequency f/sub uh/, where f/sub uh//sup 2/=f/sub pe//sup 2/+f/sub ce//sup 2/. They also stimulate plasma emissions, at frequencies related to these characteristic frequencies, including a sequence observed at frequencies below f/sub pe/ and between the f/sub ce/ harmonics. They are known as the Dn resonances because of their diffuse appearance on ionospheric topside-sounder records where they were first observed nearly forty years ago. Five mechanisms have been proposed to explain these resonances. One, based on eigenmodes of cylindrical electromagnetic plasma oscillations , predicts the observed frequency spacing of the observed Dn sequence and also that these resonances would be expected in any magnetized plasma where f/sub pe/ and f/sub ce/ are comparable. In agreement with these predictions the Dn resonances have been stimulated in other space plasmas, including the magnetosphere in spite of much different f/sub pe/, f/sub ce/ and electron temperature values, the main controlling parameter being the ratio f/sub pe//f/sub ce/. An empirical fit to ionospheric topside sounder observations yields f/sub D1/=0.95 (f/sub pe/f/sub ce/)/sup 1/2/. The main challenge remaining is to derive this fundamental frequency, i.e., for n=1 which is most prominently observed when f/sub pe//f/sub ce//spl ap/2-4, from kinetic theory (analytically or by numerical simulations) and verify using laboratory experiments.
ASBU 501 - A Digital SPC Voice/Data Switching System

The ASBU 501 is a fourth-generation all-digital switch employing distributed control architecture and a functional top-down design. This paper is organized in three major sections describing the structured system design, the basic equipment, and the software design principles for distributed control. The first section diagrams the layered functional structure and describes the subsystems, function blocks, and unit level (hardware and software). The second section on distributed digital equipment gives a description of the components for both telephony and data switching. The basic switching units which house and distribute the hardware devices are explained and a description and function of all of the equipment is provided. The third section discusses the software design principles utilized in the ASBU 501 distributed control system.
Least-recently-used caching with dependent requests

We investigate a widely popular least-recently-used (LRU) cache replacement algorithm with semi-Markov modulated requests. Semi-Markov processes provide the flexibility for modeling strong statistical correlation, including the widely reported long-range dependence in the World Wide Web page request patterns. When the frequency of requesting a page n is equal to the generalized Zipf's law c/nα, α > 1, our main result shows that the cache fault probability is asymptotically, for large cache sizes, the same as in the corresponding LRU system with i.i.d. requests. The result is asymptotically explicit and appears to be the first computationally tractable average-case analysis of LRU caching with statistically dependent request sequences. The surprising insensitivity of LRU caching performance demonstrates its robustness to changes in document popularity. Furthermore, we show that the derived asymptotic result and simulation experiments are in excellent agreement, even for relatively small cache sizes.
Mediating effects of body image satisfaction on exercise behavior, depressive symptoms, and gestational weight gain in pregnancy.

Background Body image satisfaction in pregnancy may have an important influence on maternal biopsychosocial outcomes.
GABA‐ and Glutamate‐evoked Responses in the Rat Ventral Pallidum are Modulated by Dopamine

Microiontophoresis was used to investigate the influence of dopamine on GABA- and glutamate-induced responses from ventral pallidal neurons recorded extracellularly in chloral hydrate-anaesthetized rats. Modulation was determined by comparing dopamine-induced alterations in amino acid-induced activity ('signal') with dopamine-induced effects on spontaneous firing ('noise'). A dopamine ejection current-response curve was generated to determine the current levels that did not alter spontaneous firing ('subthreshold') and those that produced approximately 50% of the maximal dopamine-induced response (ECur50). Co-iontophoresis of dopamine with GABA generally diminished the inhibitory influence of GABA on pallidal neuron firing; 70% of neurons tested with ECur50 dopamine demonstrated a decrease in the signal-to-noise ratio whereas 10% displayed an increase. At subthreshold dopamine ejection currents, 59% of neurons responded with a decrease and 18% responded with an increase in the GABA signal-to-noise ratio. When ECur50 dopamine was co-iontophoresed with glutamate, 84% of the neurons displayed a decrease in the signal-to-noise ratio for glutamate-evoked excitations whereas 11% demonstrated an increase. Subthreshold dopamine ejection currents decreased the signal-to-noise ratio in 62% of the ventral pallidal neurons excited by glutamate and increased the ratio in 23%. These data illustrate that dopamine substantially alters GABA- and glutamate-evoked responses even at ejection currents that are below those necessary to change spontaneous firing. Thus, it appears that neuromodulation is an important means by which dopamine influences ventral pallidal neuronal activity.
Representation theorems for multiregional electrodynamic diffraction; Part II, Applications

With the aid of the representation theorems presented in Part I of this paper, the two‐dimensional diffraction problem of a circular cylinder of finite conductivity embedded in a medium of finite‐conductivity is treated. The solution is expressed in a closed form for an arbitrary electromagnetic source. Comparison of the present solution for the case of an electric line source with the previously known solution shows that these two solutions are compatible. However, the difference between the two solutions becomes considerable as the source approaches the scatterer.
A Novel Approach to Engaging Minority K-12 Students in NASA STEM Programs for Careers in Engineering

African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans constituted 19 percent of the total workforce in 1990. Of this number only 8 percent of them are in the science, mathematics, engineering and technology workforce (National Science Foundation 1994). The percentages of blacks and Hispanics ages 25 to 29 in 2003 that completed bachelors or higher degrees were 18% and 10%, respectively, compared with 34% for whites. Among high school graduates, the percentages of blacks and Hispanics ages 25 to 29 in 2000 that had completed bachelors or higher degrees stood at 21% and 15%, respectively, compared with 36% for whites. About one-third of all bachelor's degrees earned by every racial/ethnic group, except Asians/Pacific Islanders, are in Science and Engineering (S&E). Asians/Pacific Islanders, as a group, earn almost half of their bachelor's degrees in S&E (NSF S&E Indicators 2006). The department of engineering and aviation science is to set up a Delmarva Aerospace Education Center, (DAEC) engage and retain students in STEM education programs and encourage their pursuit of educational disciplines and careers critical to NASA's engineering, scientific, and technical missions. DAEC is being made possible with support from NASA through the Chesapeake Information Based Aeronautics Consortium (CIBAC) in the Department of Engineering and Aviations Science
Sequential Plans and Risk Evaluation

Abstract Introduced in the 1990s, sequential plans generalize and optimize the classical sequential procedures, allowing sampling in groups of variables sizes. Sequential plans are preferred to pure sequential procedures when the cost function is nonlinear, so that each observed group implies an additional fixed cost. Optimal plans minimize the risk, a weighted sum of the expected loss, cost of observations, and cost of groups. Although risk evaluation is a challenging problem in sequential planning, risk functions of sequentially planned probability ratio tests (SPPRTs) can be obtained as roots of certain functional equations. Explicit solutions are derived for SPPRTs on a lattice, allowing practitioners to compare exact risks and choose an optimal procedure.
Suspended matter along the continental margin of the North American Basin

Abstract Vertical profiles of light scattering at 31 stations along the western margin of the North American Basin establish the bottom nepheloid layer as a permanent (non-seasonal) feature of the bottom waters of this region in depths greater than 3000 m. Its thickness ranges from 300 to 2400 m, the greatest thickness occurring toward the south off the Blake Plateau and Bahama Islands. Scattering intensities are greatest on the lower continental rise and abyssal plain north of Cape Hatteras. This layer represents sediment in suspension in the southerly bottom current along the western margin. Frequently near the outer ridges, the water is relatively clear adjacent to the bottom under the main nepheloid layer. In the Gulf Stream at about 500 m, the approximate depth of a high gradient in horizontal velocity, a marked increase in light scattering may mark the Sargasso Sea Water-Slope Water boundary.
Affine transformation and its application to antenna arrays

The application of affine transformations to antenna arrays is discussed in this paper. Arrays related by this transformation can define a pattern invariant group. Thus, pattern functions of many arrays of a general type can be written down immediately from that of a simple type which is affine-equlvalent: for example, the pattern of an elliptical array from that of a circular one, the pattern of a periodic array with parallelogram or parallelepiped cells from that of a conventional one with square or cubic cells. This method also leads to an optimum design for the cophasal periodic arrays in the sense that the number of elements is a minimum under the condition that there are no grating lobes in the visible region for any given scanning range. For example, in the case of full scan, the number of elements can be reduced by 13.4 percent and 29.3 percent from those of conventional two- and three-dimensional arrays, respectively.
Imaging MS methodology for more chemical information in less data acquisition time utilizing a hybrid linear ion trap-orbitrap mass spectrometer.

A novel mass spectrometric imaging method is developed to reduce the data acquisition time and provide rich chemical information using a hybrid linear ion trap−orbitrap mass spectrometer. In this method, the linear ion trap and orbitrap are used in tandem to reduce the acquisition time by incorporating multiple linear ion trap scans during an orbitrap scan utilizing a spiral raster step plate movement. The data acquisition time was decreased by 43−49% in the current experiment compared to that of orbitrap-only scans; however, 75% or more time could be saved for higher mass resolution and with a higher repetition rate laser. Using this approach, a high spatial resolution of 10 μm was maintained at ion trap imaging, while orbitrap spectra were acquired at a lower spatial resolution, 20−40 μm, all with far less data acquisition time. Furthermore, various MS imaging methods were developed by interspersing MS/MS and MSn ion trap scans during orbitrap scans to provide more analytical information on the sample. ...
Aye-Ayes: Specialists on Structurally Defended Resources

During the course of a 2-year field study on aye-ayes (Daubentonia madagascariensis), data were collected on dietary composition, food acquisition and structural properties of food resources. Aye-ayes in this study sampled remarkably few species from a variety of food types. A majority of these resources were heavily structurally defended and therefore difficult of access for other mammals. Aye-ayes used their modified finger and anterior teeth to harvest most of these resources.
Multiple failed urethroplasties: definitive repair with the Duckett island-flap technique

Abstract Background/Purpose: The correction of postoperative complications after hypospadias repair presents frequently serious problems, and the results are not always satisfactory. The aim of this study is to present our experience with the tubularized island flap technique (Duckett procedure) in patients who had been submitted to repeated unsuccessful attempts for the repair of hypospadias and its complications. Methods: During an 8-year period (1994 through 2001), 21 patients, aged 4 to 18 years, presented with severe recurrent hypospadias (3 to 13 times). In all patients, the urethral orifice was quite proximal because of disruption of the neourethra and was associated with severe penile ventriflexion. In addition, there were diverticula with hair ingrowth in 5 boys and lack of the prepuce in 4. All patients underwent the Duckett island-flap technique. The inner layer of the prepuce was used in 17. The dorsal penile skin was used for the island flap formation in the remaining 4 patients in whom the prepuce had been resected during the previous operations. Results: After repair, the meatus was located at the top of the glans in all patients. There were 5 complications (24%): distal fistula near the glans (n = 1), meatal stenosis (n = 1), diverticula at the proximal anastomosis (n = 2), and anastomotic stenosis (n = 1). All of them were treated successfully by meatotomy, fistula closure, diverticula tapering, and dilatations, respectively. Conclusions: The island-flap technique gives satisfactory results in patients with multiple failed urethroplasties; it is applicable even in boys with resected prepuce and has an acceptable complication rate.
Effects of starvation and sucrose feeding on corpora allata of last instar larvae of Manduca sexta: in vitro activity, size, and cell number

Larvae of the tobacco hornworm moth Manduca sexta starved for the first 3 days of the last (fifth) stadium undergo a supernumerary moult. If they are provided with sucrose during the starvation period, they develop into normal pupae although pupation is delayed. The activities of the corpora allata (CA) from normal, starved, and sucrose fed larvae were followed through the fifth stadium with a radiochemical assay for Juvenile Hormone (JH) biosynthesis. An attempt was made to correlate CA-activity with CA cell number, size, and protein content. In CA of normally fed larvae the rate of JH synthesis declined to undetectable levels by day 4 which was also the time of exposure of the dorsal vessel. In CA of starved larvae, the rate of JH synthesis at first decreased but began to increase on day 3 and reached a peak value by day7, at which time head capsule slippage occurred. In CA of sucrose fed larvae, the rate of biosynthesis declined as in normal larvae but the decline was extended over a longer period. Exposure of the dorsal vessel was delayed in the same manner and occurred on days 7–9. The major JH in all cases was JH-II. The CA comprise c. 150 cells in the early fifth stadium, and this number remained constant during the fifth stadium in all three feeding regimens. In normal larvae, CA size and protein content increased several-fold during the stadium whereas in starved and sucrose-fed larvae they increased slowly and in agreement with the altered timing of developmental events. In none of the groups was the CA activity pattern correlated with morphometric changes of the CA. The rates of JH biosynthesis were not closely correlated with published JH titre curves. The in vivo mechanisms for regulation of JH production remain to be elucidated.
Local Knowledge: Innovation in the Networked Age

The ubiquity of information makes it easy to overlook the local character of innovative knowledge. Nowhere is this local character more overlooked yet paradoxically more evident than in Silicon Val...
Optimal batch process development

The rapid development of efficient batch processes is critical to the specialty chemicals industry, yet it has received little academic attention. An industrial batch process development example is presented to demonstrate both the scope of the problem and the benefits that can be achieved from the application of process modeling technology. A prototype methodology that utilizes modeling technology to exploit processing tradeoffs during the development of batch processes is then introduced.
The Evolution of Farm Programs and Their Contribution to Agricultural Land Values

The economic environment of agricultural producers has been influenced by formal U.S. agricultural policy for more than seventy years. Among the first pieces of New Deal legislation proposed by incoming President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was a farm program designed to address declines in crop prices and net farm income. Key features of the Agriculture Act of 1933 included mandatory price support for specified commodities, direct subsidy payments to farmers, and supply controls. Farm programs, once viewed as temporary and supplementary to agricultural earnings, are increasingly viewed as permanent and of major proportion. Gardner examined the relationships between U.S. farm commodity programs and U.S. farm structure, while others (see Sumner for concept, evidence, and implications) have examined farm programs and specific crops. Gardner (2002), and Weersink et al. analyzed the effects of farm program programs upon land values. These studies examined various aspects of agricultural policy including whether farm program payments have enhanced land prices and landowner wealth rather than the welfare of producers. While it would seem logical that revenueenhancing farm programs would increase land values, reliably estimating the magnitudes of farm program effects upon land values is an empirically challenging task. Both statistical and budgeting-based methodologies have been used to estimate the share of land prices generated by farm program payments. Statistically based studies are complicated by the fact that both real per acre crop receipts
Preliminary Studies on the Effect of Epinephrine on the Intracranial Internal Carotid Artery Temperature in the Dog (Canis familiaris)

Summary Recordings of cerebrospinal fluid pressure, systemic arterial pressure, nasal air-flow resistance, right and left angularis oculi and facial vein temperatures, and intracranial internal carotid artery temperature were made from 19 beagle dogs while passing cool air through the nasal passages and following I. V. injections of epinephrine. It is suggested that the observed temperature increase of the internal carotid artery was a result of variations in the flow rates of arterial and venous blood in the cavernous sinus. Zusammenfassung Wirkung von Epinephrin auf die Temperatur in der intrakranialen A. carotis interna beim Hund Bei 19 Beagle Hunden wurden wahrend der Passage von kalter Luft durch die Nasengange sowie nach i. v. Injektion von Epinephrin folgende Kriterien registriert: Druck der Zerebrospinalflussigkeit, systemischer arterieller Blutdruck, Widerstand der nasalen Luftstromung, Temperatur in der rechten und linken V. angularis oculi und V. facialis sowie Temperatur in der intrakranialen A. carotis interna. Es wird angenommen, das der beobachtete Temperaturanstieg in der A. carotis interna bedingt war durch Veranderungen der Durchflusraten des arteriellen und venosen Blutes im Sinus cavernosus. Resume Effet de l'epinephrine sur la temperature de A. carotis interne intracraniale du chien Les parametres suivants ont ete enregistres chez 19 chiens Beagle pendant le passage d'air froid a travers les voies nasales et apres une injection i. v. d'epinephrine: pression du liquide cerebrospinal, pression arterielle sanguine systemique, resistance du courant aerien nasal, temperature dans V. angularis oculi droite et gauche, dans V. facialis et dans A. carotis interne intracraniale. On peut admettre que l'augmentation de la temperature observee dans A. carotis interna est due aux modifications des taux de circulation du sang arteriel et veineux dans Sinus cavernosus. Resumen El efecto de la epinefrina sobre la temperatura en la arteria carotida interna intracraneal en el perro En 19 perros beagles se registraron durante el pase de aire frio por los meatos nasales asi como tras inyeccion intravenosa de epinefrina los criterios siguientes: presion del liquido cerebroespinal, presion arterial sistemica, resistencia de la corriente de aire nasal, temperaturas en las venas angulares del ojo y venas faciales derechas e izquierdas asi como la temperatura en la arteria carotida interna intracraneal. Se supone que el aumento de la temperatura observado en la arteria carotida interna se hallaba condicionado por variaciones en las tasa de flujo de la sangre arterial y venosa en el seno cavernoso.
Contactless measurement of the Si-buried oxide interfacial charges in SOI wafers with surface photovoltage technique

Abstract Surface Photovoltage Technique has been employed to image distribution of the oxide charges present at the Si active layer - buried oxide interface in its vicinity. SOI substrates fabricated by oxygen ion implantation and by wafer bonding have been compared. Oxygen implanted wafers exhibited larger and less uniformly distributed charges than the comparable bonded substrates. Charge density and distribution uniformity was dependent on the oxygen implant dose. Measured charges were not affected by the annealing imitating device processing heat cycle. Demonstrated charge imaging technique could offers an effective way for the SOI substrate screening.
Instantaneous imaging of particle size and spatial distribution in two-phase flows.

A new optical diagnostic capable of instantaneously measuring the size and spatial distribution of many particles in two-phase flows of moderate number densities (103–104/cm3) is described. The method utilizes a broadband light source to illuminate a section of the flow field and two solid-state cameras to image the spatial distribution of the illuminated particles. Individual particle image intensities are related to particle size by comparison with Mie scattering calculations. Experimental results for monodisperse droplet streams are presented and are in good agreement with theory. Appropriate application regimes based on particle size, number density, and camera constraints are given.
Radial transport in a tandem mirror.

Experiments in the tandem mirror TMX-U reveal three significant sources of nonambipolar radial transport associated with resonant transport in the central cell and, in the end cells, with electron cyclotron heating and neutral beam heating. A simple model suggests that the electron-cyclotron-heating--induced transport is due to the asymmetric application of power. This transport mechanism is important because it applies even in axisymmetric magnetic geometries.
Peptidergic transmission in the brain. V. Systemic correlates of central activation

Inhibition of the hippocampus by the medial amygdala is mediated by vasopressin-like peptide. Because vasopressin has action on the periphery as well as the brain, we conducted experiments to evaluate the relationship between possible peripheral actions and the central effects of the endogenous peptide. In the acutely anesthetized rat, peptide-mediated inhibition of the hippocampus is not associated with significant changes in heart rate, blood pressure or body temperature. Peripheral injections of peptide agonist fail to evoke the central inhibition, and peripheral injections of peptide antagonist fail to block the central inhibition. Stimulation of central nuclei that contain vasopressin or a similar peptide also fail to duplicate the effect of stimulating the amygdala. We conclude that the peptidergic transmission is independent of peripheral causes or correlates.
Restructuring decision tables for elucidation of knowledge

Decision tables are widely used in many knowledge-based and decision support systems. They allow relatively complex logical relationships to be represented in an easily understood form and processed efficiently. This paper describes second-order decision tables (decision tables that contain rows whose components have sets of atomic values) and their role in knowledge engineering to: (1) support efficient management and enhance comprehensibility of tabular knowledge acquired by knowledge engineers, and (2) automatically generate knowledge from a tabular set of examples. We show how second-order decision tables can be used to restructure acquired tabular knowledge into a condensed but logically equivalent second-order table. We then present the results of experiments with such restructuring. Next, we describe SORCER, a learning system that induces second-order decision tables from a given database. We compare SORCER with IDTM, a system that induces standard decision tables, and a state-of-the-art decision tree learner, C4.5. Results show that in spite of its simple induction methods, on the average over the data sets studied, SORCER has the lowest error rate.
Crosslinguistic application of English-centric rhythm descriptors in motor speech disorders.

Background: Rhythmic disturbances are a hallmark of motor speech disorders, in which the motor control deficits interfere with the outward flow of speech and by extension speech understanding. As the functions of rhythm are language-specific, breakdowns in rhythm should have language-specific consequences for communication. Objective: The goals of this paper are to (i) provide a review of the cognitive-linguistic role of rhythm in speech perception in a general sense and crosslinguistically; (ii) present new results of lexical segmentation challenges posed by different types of dysarthria in American English, and (iii) offer a framework for crosslinguistic considerations for speech rhythm disturbances in the diagnosis and treatment of communication disorders associated with motor speech disorders. Summary: This review presents theoretical and empirical reasons for considering speech rhythm as a critical component of communication deficits in motor speech disorders, and addresses the need for crosslinguistic research to explore languageuniversal versus language-specific aspects of motor speech disorders.
Energy and emission benefits of alternative transportation liquid fuels derived from switchgrass: a fuel life cycle assessment.

We conducted a mobility chains, or well-to-wheels (WTW), analysis to assess the energy and emission benefits of cellulosic biomass for the U.S. transportation sector in the years 2015-2030. We estimated the life-cycle energy consumption and emissions associated with biofuel production and use in light-duty vehicle (LDV) technologies by using the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model. Analysis of biofuel production was based on ASPEN Plus model simulation of an advanced fermentation process to produce fuel ethanol/protein, a thermochemical process to produce Fischer-Tropsch diesel (FTD) and dimethyl ether (DME), and a combined heat and power plant to co-produce steam and electricity. Our study revealed that cellulosic biofuels as E85 (mixture of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline by volume), FTD, and DME offer substantial savings in petroleum (66-93%) and fossil energy (65-88%) consumption on a per-mile basis. Decreased fossil fuel use translates to 82-87% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across all unblended cellulosic biofuels. In urban areas, our study shows net reductions for almost all criteria pollutants, with the exception of carbon monoxide (unchanged), for each of the biofuel production option examined. Conventional and hybrid electric vehicles, when fueled with E85, could reduce total sulfur oxide (SO x ) emissions to 39-43% of those generated by vehicles fueled with gasoline. By using bio-FTD and bio-DME in place of diesel, SO x emissions are reduced to 46-58% of those generated by diesel-fueled vehicles. Six different fuel production options were compared. This study strongly suggests that integrated heat and power co-generation by means of gas turbine combined cycle is a crucial factor in the energy savings and emission reductions.
Complement-inhibiting activity of seminal plasma.

: Human seminal plasma has an anticomplement effect that can be measured by a standard immune hemolytic assay. We found that about 20% of samples lack complement-inhibiting activity. To determine the anatomical origin of a complement inhibitor, inhibition of hemolysis was measured in seminal plasma samples that were primarily of prostatic, vesicular, or epididymal/testicular origin, as well as in seminal plasma from vasectomized men. All samples contained complement-inhibiting activity, although epididymal fluid showed nearly twice the amount. Therefore, the factor (or factors) is ubiquitous in secretions of the male reproductive tract. Complement-inhibiting activity is eluted in two high-molecular-weight peaks upon gel filtration. We found evidence that the inhibitory factor is not lactoferrin, a proteinase, or one of the proteinase inhibitors known to be present in human seminal plasma. It seems likely that the complement inhibitor in seminal plasma protects gametes and reproductive tissues from complement-mediated damage.
Microvessel formation from mouse embryonic aortic explants is oxygen and VEGF dependent

To delineate the roles of O2 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the process of angiogenesis from the embryonic aorta, we cultured mouse embryonic aorta explants (thoracic level to lateral vessels supplying the mesonephros and metanephros) in a three-dimensional type I collagen gel matrix. During 8 days of culture under 5% O2, but not room air, the addition of VEGF to explants stimulated the formation of CD31-positive, Flk-1-positive, Gs-IB4-positive structures in a concentration-dependent manner. Electron microscopy showed the structures to be capillary-like. VEGF-induced capillary-like structure formation was inhibited by sequestration of VEGF via addition of soluble Flt-1 fusion protein or anti-VEGF antibodies. Expression of Flk-1, but not Flt-1, was increased in embryonic aorta cultured under 5% O2 relative to room air. Our data suggest that low O2 upregulates Flk-1 expression in embryonic aorta in vitro and renders it more responsive to VEGF.
Stagnation-point heat transfer for a new binary air model including dissociation and ionization.

Laminar stagnation-point heat transfer in dissociated and ionized air is considered. A simplified binary diffusion model is proposed and incorporated with the frozen thermal conductivity concept. This model takes advantage of the equilibrium nature of air in the sense that almost all molecules are dissociated before any significant amount of ions appear. Hence, the air may be considered to be a binary mixture of either air molecules and air atoms, or air atoms and air ion-electron pairs (assuming ambipolar diffusion of ions and electrons). The model is only binary with respect to diffusion, since the thermodynamic and transport properties are evaluated using molecular, atomic, ionic, and electronic species of air. With this model, calculations are made for both frozen and equilibrium boundary layers in air at velocities up to 50,000 fps and altitudes of 250 kft. The results show that approximations of the atom mass fraction can affect the boundary-layer chemistry incorrectly. Equilibrium heattransfer rates are progressively lower than the frozen rate through the dissociation regime as well as the ionization regime. Nitrogen does not adequately represent air either in terms of chemistry or heat transfer. Comparison with experimental results shows agreement with the calculations.
Reaction center bacteriochlorophyll triplet states: Redox potential dependence and kinetics

Abstract Triplet states of reaction center (bacterio-) chlorophylls have been observed by low temperature EPR in a wide variety of photosynthetic preparations ranging from whole cells to purified reaction centers. The reaction center triplet state is seen under conditions where electron transfer from the reaction center chlorophyll is prevented by reduction of the primary electron acceptor. The redox potential dependence shows one-electron titrations with midpoint potentials of −50 mV in Rhodopseudomonas spheroides and approx. −120±20 mV in R. rubrum and Chromatium D. Kinetic measurements with bacterial reaction centers show an approx. 6-μs triplet decay time. Observed zero-field splitting parameters D and E are appreciably lower in the reaction center triplets than in isolated chlorophyll, suggesting that the reaction center photo-active (bacterio-) chlorophyll is not monomeric. EPR lineshapes of the triplet signals (equal mixtures of microwave absorption and emission) show almost complete spin polarization demonstrating that inter-system crossing is a highly selective process.
Design of a large, rigid, modular optical bed for versatile optical and spectroscopic experimentation

Abstract Described is a mechanically-rigid and referenceable, vibrationally-isolated, modular optical support bed which has demonstrated significant utility in recent research on the physical—chemical nature of the atmospheric pressure spark discharge. By interconnecting an assembly of pre-aligned, truss-like sub-structures, a complete instrumental complex has been fabricated which exhibits high mechanical stability. This stability is sufficient to allow alignment of, for example, a 5 m focal length, high-dispersion optical spectrometer, to be maintained for months without detectable degradation. The approach is versatile and can be easily extended to include a wide variety of optical and other research applications. Supporting mechanical, vibration, and optical data are included as well as documentation of fabrication details.
Location of the ground state of Er 3+ in doped Y 2 O 3 from two-step photoconductivity

The location of the ground state of ${\mathrm{Er}}^{3+}$ in a ${\mathrm{Y}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ single-crystal fiber is determined using two-step photoconductivity. The ground state of ${\mathrm{Er}}^{3+}$ ${(}^{4}{I}_{15/2})$ is located 1.0 eV (\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3 eV) below the top of the valence band. The second step photocurrent results from excitation of a $4f$ electron from the ${}^{4}{S}_{3/2}$ excited state to the $5d$ state followed by photoionization into the conduction band.
Interaction Between KCNQ1 Gain-of-Function Residues

Our published homology model of KCNQ1(Biochemistry 46:14141;2007) shows that four of the residues (S140, V141, I274, A300) associated with gain-of-function mutations come together in the open state at the interface between the voltage sensor from one subunit and the pore domain of another. We propose that the interaction between these residues enhances the open state, yielding the higher activity measured when these KCNQ1 mutants are co-expressed with KCNE1. To test this hypothesis KCNQ1 V141 and I274 residues were mutated to cysteine, expressed in CHO-K1 cells and whole-cell currents measured from −80 to +50mV, holding potential= −80mV. Expression of KCNQ1_V141C-I274C channels generated whole-cell currents much larger (615±90 pA) than KCNQ1_WT (240±64 pA) or either KCNQ1_V141C (277±26 pA) or KCNQ1_I274C (299±60 pA) channels. Analysis of biotinylated membrane proteins showed that KCNQ1_WT and KCNQ1_V141C-I274C express at similar levels. To test whether the larger currents measured from cells expressing KCNQ1_V141C-I274C channels were due to V141C and I274C forming disulfide bonds; these cells were superfused with DTT (reducing agent) or Cu/phenanthroline (disulfide-promoting agent). DTT reduced current amplitude but not Cu-phenanthroline. DTT likely reduces current magnitude by preventing disulfide bond formation, while Cu-phenanthroline has no effect, presumably because all potential V141C-I274C disulfide bonds are already formed. Further evidence that KCNQ1 residues 141 and 274 interaction favors the open state was demonstrated by superfusion of cells expressing KCNQ1_V141C-I274C channels with a high potassium (K+) bath solution. A large inward current was measured at negative potentials indicating that the channels were constitutively open. Addition of DTT to the high K+ bath reduced the inward current amplitude. In summary, our results strongly suggest that the interaction between residues 141 and 274 in KCNQ1 favors the open state. In addition, these results validate the KCNQ1 model as a viable tool for structure-function relationship studies.
Effects of minority status in the classroom on children's intergroup attitudes.

Three studies examined the effects of relative group size on the development of children's intergroup attitudes. The studies employed a novel group paradigm in which elementary school children attending a summer school program were assigned to larger (i.e., majority) or smaller (i.e., minority) novel groups in their classroom (denoted by colored tee-shirts). In each study, relative group size was situated within a different classroom context. Study 1 examined the effects of relative group size when teachers made functional use of the novel groups and were themselves members of the novel groups. Study 2 examined the effects of relative group size in the absence of functional use. Study 3 examined the effects of relative group size when the classroom environment contained implicit messages about group status. In each study, children's intergroup attitudes (e.g., trait ratings, group evaluations) were assessed following several weeks in the classroom. The effect of relative group size on in-group bias was complex, varying as a function of (a) the relative size and salience of groups, (b) the measure used to assess intergroup attitudes, (c) group status (higher or lower), and (d) children's age.
Vibrational spectra and assignment of acetone, ααα acetone-d3 and acetone-d6

Abstract Infrared and Raman spectra of acetone, acetone-d6 and ααα acetone-d3 have been measured and a vibrational assignment has been made. It is definitely established that the 484 cm−1 band of acetone is the B2, out-of-plane skeletal fundamental and that the 385 cm−1 band belongs to the A1 symmetrical CCC deformation mode. All the assigned fundamentals are fitted quite well by a reasonable modified Urey-Bradley potential—energy function. There is some evidence for an interaction between the two methyl groups.
Design of large field -of -view high-resolution miniaturized imaging system

Steps are taken to design the optical system of lenslet array/photoreceptor array plexus on curved surfaces to achieve a large field of view (FOV) with each lenslet capturing a portion of the scene. An optimal sampling rate in the image plane, as determined by the pixel pitch, is found by the use of an information theoretic performance measure. Since this rate turns out to be sub-Nyquist, superresolution techniques can be applied to the multiple low-resolution (LR) images captured on the photoreceptor array to yield a single high-resolution (HR) image of an object of interest. Thus, the computational imaging system proposed is capable of realizing both the specified resolution and specified FOV.
The inference problem: Maintaining maximal availability in the presence of database updates

In this paper, we present the Dynamic Disclosure Monitor (D^2Mon) architecture to prevent illegal inferences via database constraints. D^2Mon extends the functionality of Disclosure Monitor (DiMon) to address database updates while preserving the soundness and completeness properties of the inference algorithms. We study updates from the perspective of increasing data availability. That is, updates on tuples that were previously released may affect the correctness of the user inferences over these tuples. We develop a mechanism, called Update Consolidator (UpCon), that propagates updates to a history file to ensure that no query is rejected based on inferences derived from outdated data. The history file is used by the Disclosure Inference Engine (DiIE) to compute inferences. We show that UpCon and DiIE working together guarantee confidentiality (completeness property of the data-dependent disclosure inference algorithm) and maximal availability (soundness property of the data-dependent disclosure inference algorithm) even in the presence of updates. We also present our implementation of D^2Mon and our empirical results.
Deposition of thin film ZnO with characteristics close to bulk crystal ZnO

Abstract Excellent films of piezoelectric ZnO with characteristics close to bulk crystal ZnO have been reliably deposited by rf planar magnetron sputtering. The successful deposition has resulted from the optimization of the sputtering process parameters, such as substrate temperature, gas pressure, target power density, etc. The c-axis orientation of the films has been tested with normal scans and rocking curves of X-ray diffraction. A sharp peak with high intensity at 34.22° (corresponding to the (002) plane of the ZnO films) typically has a full-width-at-half-maximum of 0.19°, coinciding with that of the bulk crystal ZnO. Rocking curves have a very small standard deviation of 0.11°, indicating highly uniform distribution of the c-axis orientation among various crystallites. Post-deposition annealing has been found to improve the c-axis orientation of the ZnO films and to increase the crystallite sizes.
Improving Reporting of Outpatient Pediatric Medical Errors

OBJECTIVE: Limited information exists about medical errors in ambulatory pediatrics and on effective strategies for improving their reporting. We aimed to implement nonpunitive error reporting, describe errors, and use a team-based approach to promote patient safety in an academic pediatric practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The setting was an academic general pediatric practice in Charlotte, North Carolina, that has ∼26 000 annual visits and primarily serves a diverse, low-income, Medicaid-insured population. We assembled a multidisciplinary patient safety team to detect and analyze ambulatory medical errors by using a reporter-anonymous nonpunitive process. The team used systems analysis and rapid redesign to evaluate each error report and recommend changes to prevent patient harm. RESULTS: In 30 months, 216 medical errors were reported, compared with 5 reports in the year before the project. Most reports originated from nurses, physicians, and midlevel providers. The most frequently reported errors were misfiled or erroneously entered patient information (n = 68), laboratory tests delayed or not performed (n = 27), errors in medication prescriptions or dispensing (n = 24), vaccine errors (n = 21), patient not given requested appointment or referral (n = 16), and delay in office care (n = 15), which together comprised 76% of the reports. Many recommended changes were implemented. CONCLUSIONS: A voluntary, nonpunitive, multidisciplinary team approach was effective in improving error reporting, analyzing reported errors, and implementing interventions with the aim of reducing patient harm in an outpatient pediatric practice.
New Drug Review: Gabapentin enacarbil extended release (Horizant™) – A new formulation on the horizon

Gabapentin enacarbil was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April of 2011. This article reviews clinically significant aspects of this new drug including: the FDA-approved indications, mechanism of action, administration, drug interactions, adverse effects, clinical trial evidence, innovative properties and place in therapy.
A neural control element in a control systems application

In this paper we present an application of the backpropagation algorithm from (artificial) neural network (ANS) theory to a process control problem. Our first goal in the overall study of which this paper is a first step is to utilize the ANS method to “study” the workings of the control process in order to capture certain fundamental aspects of it within the confines of a single ANS. The “disciplined” distributed nature of the ANS may be contrasted to the more idiosyncratic distributed control of the software embodying the process control logic. Capturing the logic in this fashion leads to a potential of supplanting a portion of the control system within the original programs and thus render it more manageable. Other aspects of the paper include introductory remarks on ANSs themselves and some summary and prospect remarks on how this present piece of work contributes to future research.
Biparental care in incipient colonies of the dampwood termite Zootermopsis angusticollis Hagen (Isoptera: Termopsidae).

Parental care and division of labor in male and female primary reproductives in incipient colonies of the dampwood termite Zootermopsis angusticolliswere studied by recording repertory sizes, behavior frequencies, time budgets, and transition probabilities of acts. Repertory sizes for males and females were identical, and behaviors were performed at similar frequencies. Time budget data also suggested equal participation in parental care by both sexes. Transition probability analysis suggested that males and females did not organize their behavior in roles. We therefore found no indication of sex-based division of labor during colony foundation and the incipient stages of colony growth. The lack of behavioral specialization may be due to the fact that acts might be related and/or have more than one function, and different tasks are not spatially associated. Our observations are consistent with the hypothesis that monogamous mating systems in termites involve mate assistance.