cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pre‐sidedress nitrate soil testing to manage nitrogen fertility in irrigated corn in a semi‐arid environment

Abstract The Pre‐sidedress Soil Nitrate Test (PSNT) has shown promise in the humid eastern United States as an effective tool for predicting nitrogen (N) fertilizer needs of corn (Zea mays L.). The purpose of this three‐year study was to evaluate the PSNT under irrigated conditions of the semi‐arid western United States. The specific objectives were to determine the critical nitrate‐nitrogen (NO3‐N) concentration range at the 6‐leaf (V6) growth stage of corn and the best soil sampling position and depth. Experiments were conducted in farmers’ corn fields selected for low residual soil NO3‐N levels. Four pre‐plant main plot N rates (0, 47, 90, and 134 kg N/ha) and two subplot sidedress N rates (0 and 67 kg N/ha) were used. Soil was sampled at the V6 growth stage (PSNT) for NO3‐N analysis. Soil samples were collected from 0–30 and 0–60 cm depths from three positions relative to the corn plants: in the row, on the shoulder of the row, and in the bottom of the furrow. There was a good correlation between PSNT...
An explicit plane quadrilateral element for nonlinear material analysis

A general methodology for deriving explicit element stiffness matrices in hybrid stress formulations is extended to incorporate nonconstant material properties over the element domain for nonlinear elastic analysis. The technique utilizes special stress field transformations to simplify the stiffness definition together with an assumed variation of material properties using isoparametric interpolation functions. The developed technique eliminates the need for numerical integration and matrix inversions, resulting in a substantial increase in computation efficiency. The methodology is demonstrated with the Pian-Sumihara plane quadrilateral element. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd
68. Evidence for Correction of Mutations in the c-Kit Gene by rAAV Mediated Gene Targeting in W/Wv Mice

Recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAV) correct genetic lesions by gene targeting via interactions between homologous sequences in the vector and a chromosomal gene at a frequency of up to 1% in cultured and primary cells (reviewed in Hendrie PC, Russell DW, Mol Ther. 12:9|[ndash]|17, 2005). Although gene addition with retroviral vectors has proven therapeutic for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), integration carries the risk for insertional mutagenesis and proto-oncogene activation (Science 302: 415|[ndash]|419, 2003) so that alternative strategies are needed. Mice with mutations in both c-Kit genes (W locus) are sterile, have defects in pigmentation and have mild macrocytic anemia. Useful assays for gene correction are available since bone marrow cells from W/Wv mice do not form 14 day spleen colonies or achieve long-term engraftment of lethally irradiated mice. A single wild-type cell is able to reconstitute unirradiated W/Wv mice. The W mutation, a G to A substitution in the splice donor site at the exon 10 - intron 10 boundary, eliminates an AarI site and the Wv mutation, a C to T transition in the last codon of exon 13, creates a NsiI site. The targeting vector, rAAV-c- Kit, was derived by subcloning a 4.6 kb EcoR1-BglII fragment from the c-Kit locus, recovered from a BAC clone (RP23-2), into a plasmid containing rAAV2 ITRs. Using a self-complementary rAAV2 vector genome encoding Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), we found that vector particles packaged with AAV serotype 1 capsid proteins were 10 fold more efficient at transducing lineage depleted, c-Kit+, ScaI+ murine bone marrow cells than particles packaged in serotype 2 capsid proteins. At a MOI of 105 serotype 1 vector particles/ target cell, more than 95% of the c-Kit+, ScaI+ cells were transduced. Using optimized conditions, we transduced 1.2 |[times]| 107 lineage depleted W/Wv bone marrow cells with 1.2 |[times]| 1012 rAAV-c-Kit, serotype 1 vector particles in serum-free medium containing 100 ng/ml of SCF, TPO, IL-6 and Flt-3L and 10 ng/ml of IL-3. Many spleen colonies were present in irradiated recipients 14 days after injection with transduced cells but none were found in controls which received mock transduced W/Wv cells. Southern blot analysis provided evidence that the AarI and NsiI sites reflecting the W and Wv mutations, respectively, had been completely or partially changed (AarI gained and NsiI lost) in the majority (4 of 5) colonies suggesting biallelic correction during colony development. In an initial experiment designed to evaluate the ability of rAAV-c-Kit to achieve gene correction in long-term repopulating cells, we found that 2 of 5 irradiated wildtype mice injected with transduced W/Wv lineage depleted cells survived at 6 weeks with normal hematopoiesis. Overall, our data suggest that rAAV vectors can be used to achieve gene correction in primitive, primary hematopoietic cells at a detectable frequency which may be useful for gene therapy of disorders such as SCID in which there is a positive selective advantage for gene corrected cells.
Transition metal‐catalyzed isomerization and polymerization of allylic and enolic ethers

Alkyl allyl ethers undergo facile thermally induced isomerization to alkyl 1-propenyl ethers in the presence of Group VIII transition metal carbonyl compounds as catalysts. The addition of a silane containing a Si-H bond to these systems results in a catalyst system that is capable of not only isomerizing the allyl ether to the 1-propenyl ether, but further results in the polymerization of these later compounds. High molecular weight polymers can be obtained directly from the alkyl allyl ether in a single step. The scope and limitations of these polymerizations are described.
Prosthetic mitral regurgitation detected by Doppler echocardiography.

Abstract Doppler echocardiography is a useful means of evaluating cardiac valve function noninvasively. 1,2 The detection of mitral regurgitation (MR) by Doppler techniques has shown high sensitivity and specificity when correlated to the degree of MR determined by contrast ventriculography. 1 However, assessment of prosthetic MR with Doppler echocardiography is more difficult than detection of native valve MR, especially when the tilting disc prosthetic valve has been evaluated, because of difficulty in obtaining Doppler signals from behind the prosthesis. 3 We describe a patient with paravalvular MR around a dehiscent Bjork-Shiley mitral prosthesis in which the regurgitant jet was easily detected by Doppler, and the calculated mitral valve orifice increased.
A 128X1024-Element TDI Image Sensor With Small, High Performance Pixels

TDI image sensors for advanced reconnaissance cameras preferably have pixels that are both small in size and high in performance. The high performance refers especially to primary responsivity (quantum efficiency convolved over the optical bandwidth of the camera), charge handling capacity and MTF, but other properties such as dark current, readout speed and noise are also very important. These image sensors are typically assembled into focal planes having 6000-15,000 pixels in the electronic scan direction. This paper describes one such array and reports on its performance in strobe-light bench tests. The pixel size is 15um square. In order to store a maximum amount of charge in such a small pixel, we have used 4-phase CCD registers and implanted channel stops to achieve a 40% charge storage area as has been done before in an array with larger pixels. The gate dielectric structure has an equivalent oxide thickness of only 600A providing a pixel charge storage capacity of 1.5X106 el with 10V clocks. (Whereas a television sensor can give a high quality signal for commercial television from pixels that saturate near 1.5X105 el, reconnaissance cameras often require significantly higher capacity.) In order to achieve high responsivity, the optimum thickness of polysilicon, silicon nitride and silicon dioxide were determined by optical modeling for a 5500K blackbody illumination spectrum and for the spectral range of wavelengths greater than 500nm. Then, using a wafer-stepper with very high alignment accuracy, it was possible to achieve a CCD gate structure with overlaps of the order of 0.5um so that 85% of the pixel area has only one layer of polysilicon. With proper control of the thickness and quality of each layer, it was possible to achieve quantum efficiencies that averaged greater than 50% from 500 to 900nm. This high responsivity is very close to the predicted value of the model; this value was reduced from that of older designs because of the new constraint on dielectric thickness. High MTF in the TDI direction was achieved even though most of the signal charge in this device is stored at the silicon-silicon dioxide surface. The Nyquist MTF for wavelengths 4600nm is greater than 57%. This high value is attributed to the good charge transfer efficiency that is possible with a buried channel structure even when charge is stored at the surface.
Virtual dates: bridging the online and offline dating gap

Online dating has emerged as a popular way to meet romantic partners; some 16 million Americans have used an online dating website [1]. Although online dating offers seemingly limitless new relationship options, it fails to meet users’ high expectations, and online daters continue to report a general preference for offline dating over online dating [2]. We suggest that this widespread disappointment is due in part to a critical mismatch between online and offline dates. On offline dates, people interact in real time and gather a wealth of social information. Online, however, people choose partners by sorting them on various attributes (e.g., height and favorite movies) – as if searching for a car or computer – then exchange brief email messages, a process lacking the real-time interaction critical to the acquaintanceship process. We sought to modify the exchange of information in online dating to more closely mirror a real-world first date, such as talking while meandering through a museum. We used an evolving enriched chat platform, ChatCircles [3], to create Virtual Dates: Pairs of individuals – represented by avatars of their choosing – co-navigate a shared space, exchanging real-time messages. Virtual Dates are intended to bridge the gap between offline and online dating by increasing social presence and enriching exchanges, better simulating first dates in the real world.
Relationship between airborne detection of influenza A virus and the number of infected pigs

Influenza A virus infects a wide range of species including both birds and mammals (including humans). One of the key routes by which the virus can infect populations of animals is by aerosol transmission. This study explored the relationship between number of infected pigs and the probability of detecting influenza virus RNA in bioaerosols through the course of an acute infection. Bioaerosols were collected using a cyclonic collector in two groups of 7 week-old pigs that were experimentally infected by exposure with a contact infected pig (seeder pig). After contact exposure, individual pig nasal swab samples were collected daily and air samples were collected three times per day for 8 days. All samples were tested for influenza by real-time reverse transcriptase (RRT)-PCR targeting the influenza virus matrix gene. All pigs' nasal swabs became influenza virus RRT-PCR positive upon exposure to the infected seeder pig. Airborne influenza was detected in 28/43 (65%) air samples. The temporal dynamics of influenza virus detection in air samples was in close agreement with the nasal shedding pattern in the infected pigs. First detection of positive bioaerosols happened at 1 day post contact (DPC). Positive bioaerosols were consistently detected between 3 and 6 DPC, a time when most pigs were also shedding virus in nasal secretions. Overall, the odds of detecting a positive air sample increased 2.2 times for every additional nasal swab positive pig in the group. In summary, there was a strong relationship between the number of pigs shedding influenza virus in nasal secretions and the generation of bioaerosols during the course of an acute infection.
Expression and modulation of virus receptors on lymphoid and myeloid cells: relationship to infectivity.

Abstract Using a sensitive and specific assay for the binding of radiolabeled encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus to cell surface receptors, we have measured the kinetics of virus attachment to murine lymphoid and myeloid cells, and have shown that receptors for this virus vary with the phase of cell growth and can be modulated or, in some cases, induced. The initial rate constant ( K R ) for resident peritoneal macrophages was 0.8 × 10 −9 cm 3 min −1 cell −1 , but after in vivo stimulation the rate of binding increased by a factor of 2. In contrast, unstimulated splenic T and B lymphocytes failed to bind EMC virus ( K R −9 cm 3 min −1 cell −1 ), but after exposure to appropriate mitogens, the initial rate constant increased to as high as 6.7 × 10 −9 cm 3 min −1 cell −1 . Studies with continuous cell lines showed that the binding of virus to receptors varied by up to 10-fold and was greatest during the exponential growth phase as compared to the stationary phase. Although the K R increased following exposure of lymphocytes to mitogens, immunofluorescence revealed that only a small fraction (less than 2%) of the cells actually contained viral antigens, suggesting that virus receptors either were induced in only a small subpopulation of lymphocytes or that postattachment restriction prevented viral replication in a larger fraction of the cells. A survey of six cloned BALL/c T and B cell lymphomas arrested at different stages of differentiation showed that two of these lymphomas possessed EMC virus receptors, arguing that receptors are present only at certain stages of cell differentiation. Evidence that receptors are functionally important comes from experiments which showed that only cells with a K R greater than 0.1 × 10 −9 cm 3 min −1 cell −1 are susceptible to infection. These studies suggest that factors which influence the expression and modulation of virus receptors may determine the outcome of certain viral infections.
Tight closure and elements of small order in integral extensions

Throughout this paper ‘ring’ means commutative ring with identity and modules are unital. Given rings are usually assumed to be Noetherian, but there are notable exceptions. The phrase ‘characteristic p’ always means ‘positive prime characteristic p’, and the letters q, q’, etc. denote pe, p”, etc., where e, e’ E N, the nonnegative integers. The authors have recently introduced the notion of tight closure for a submodule N of a finitely generated module M over a Noetherian ring R of characteristic p and in certain equicharacteristic zero cases, including affine algebras over fields of characteristic 0. The theory started with the study of the notion of tight closure for an ideal I c R, i.e. with the case M = R, N = I, and this is still perhaps the most important case. The notion of tight closure has yielded new proofs, and, in many instances, unexpectedly strong improvements, of the local homological conjectures, of the existence of big Cohen-Macaulay modules, of the Cohen-Macaulay property for subrings which are direct summands of regular rings (where A is a direct summand of R means that A is a direct summand of R as an A-module) in the equicharacteristic case (in fact, tight closure techniques give the first proof of this fact in complete generality in the
Selective catalytic activity toward hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants in mixed oxides of manganese and copper

Abstract We report selective activity of an oxidative catalyst made of manganese and copper oxides toward two ozone-safe refrigerants, HFC-236fa (CF3CH2CF3), and HFC-134a (CF3CFH2). These refrigerants are among those in a new class which contain hydrogen and fluorine substituents rather than fluorine and chlorine. This catalyst is generally non-specific and is used to oxidize carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and a variety of hydrocarbons and nitrogen compounds in heated burners, however, its activity toward refrigerants has been unpredictable. For our application, the catalyst is used in a heated burner in the closed-air environment on board submarines. In the process of optimizing the burner conditions for maximal activity toward airborne hydrocarbon contaminants and minimal activity toward refrigerants, we discovered enhanced and selective oxidative decomposition of these refrigerants in a group of recently-formulated catalyst lots which were manufactured with a higher percentage of ‘fines’. We attribute the increase in oxidative decomposition to an increase in adsorption of the refrigerants on the recently-formulated catalyst. We also observed some enhancement of activity toward CO on the recently-formulated catalyst. In addition to absorption isotherm measurements, we present several characterizations of the catalysts including scanning electron microscopy, elemental analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and temperature-programmed reduction.
THE REDUCED STABILITY OF A PLANT ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE IS DUE TO THE SUBSTITUTION OF SERINE FOR A HIGHLY CONSERVED PHENYLALANINE RESIDUE

The zinc-binding long-chain alcohol dehydrogenases from plants and animals exhibit a considerable level of amino acid sequence conservation. While the functional importance of many of the conserved residues is known, the role of others has not yet been determined. We have identified a naturally occurring Adh-1 allele in the legume Phaseolus acutifolius with several unusual characteristics. Individuals homozygous for this allele, Adh-1 CN, possess a single isozyme starch gel electrophoretic pattern suggestive of a null allele, and exhibit ADH enzyme activity levels ca. 60% lower than the standard wild-type Adh-1F line. Interestingly, analysis of Adh-1CN homozygotes on an alternative gel system indicates that Adh-1CN does encode a polypeptide capable of forming functional homo- and heterodimers. However, the levels of ADH activity displayed by these isozymes are far lower than those observed for the corresponding wild type ADH-1F isozymes. Dialysis experiments indicate that isozymes containing the ADH-1CN polypeptide are inactivated by slightly acidic conditions, which may explain the apparent null phenotype on starch gels. Elevated temperatures cause a similar loss of enzyme activity. The deduced amino acid sequences of ADH-1CN and ADH-1F were obtained from their corresponding cDNA clones, and the only significant difference detected between the two is a single amino acid replacement substitution. Residue 144 is occupied by phenylalanine in the ADH-1F polypeptide, whereas serine occupies this position in the ADH-1CN polypeptide. The proximity of residue 144 to the catalytic zinc in the substrate-binding pocket, coupled with the fact that it is integral to a defined hydrophobic core of the ADH polypeptide, may explain the observed disruptive effect that the serine substitution has on both the activity and stability of the ADH-1CN polypeptide. It also provides an explanation for the maintenance of phenylalanine or the structurally similar tyrosine at this residue in Zn-binding long-chain ADHs.
Repetitive hypoxia extends endogenous neurovascular protection for stroke

Objective: Brief systemic hypoxia protects the rodent brain from subsequent ischemic injury, although the protection wanes within days. We hypothesized that the duration of ischemic tolerance could be extended from days to months by repeated intermittent hypoxia of varying magnitude and duration. Methods: Infarction volumes following a 60-minute transient middle cerebral artery occlusion were determined in adult male mice 2 days through 8 weeks after completion of a 2-week repetitive hypoxic preconditioning (RHP) protocol. Separate cohorts were studied for the protective effects of RHP on postischemic and cytokine-induced cerebrovascular inflammation, and for potential deleterious effects of the RHP stimulus itself. Results: RHP protection against transient focal stroke persisted for 8 weeks. Leukocyte adherence to cortical venules was attenuated in response to stroke, as well as following tumor necrosis factor-α administration, indicating that reductions in postischemic inflammation were not secondary to smaller infarct volumes. RHP reduced poststroke leukocyte diapedesis concomitant with a long-lasting downregulation of endothelial adhesion molecule mRNAs, and also reduced postischemic blood–brain barrier permeability to endogenous immunoglobulin G. RHP was without effect on hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cell viability, only transiently elevated hematocrit, and did not affect the magnitude of cerebral blood flow during and after ischemia. Interpretation: Taken together, our findings reveal a novel form of epigenetic neurovascular plasticity characterized by a prominent anti-inflammatory phenotype that provides protection against stroke many weeks longer than previously established windows of preconditioning-induced tolerance. Translating these endogenous protective mechanisms into therapeutics could afford sustained periods of cerebroprotection in subpopulations of individuals at identified risk for stroke. ANN NEUROL 2011
Advertising Frequency Decisions in a Discrete Markov Process Under a Budget Constraint

The author studies the optimality of advertising pulsing under the assumption that demand follows a discrete and interpretable Markov process and that the advertising budget is constrained. The aut...
Diagnostic modalities for low back pain

Proper treatment of low back pain requires a good understanding of anatomical structures of the lumbar spine, paraspinal muscles, and neurological structures. Clinical judgment, examination, and a detailed history of the initial causative event and progression of the low back pain can help determine the possible pain generator in many cases. There are several other modalities that may further enhance the accuracy of the diagnosis. Although radiological examinations have been known to specifically diagnose most of the structural abnormalities of the lumbar spine, there are some conditions that may require other types of diagnostic interventions, such as facet, selective nerve root, disc, and epidural/spinal injections, and even spinal endoscopy (epiduroscopy). This article will attempt to outline and describe most of these modalities to help a practicing physician identify the most likely pain generator in the lower back and determine the most effective treatment plan to achieve the intended goal.
Reprojecting Partially Observed Systems with Application to Interest Rate Diffusions

Abstract We introduce reprojection as a general purpose technique for characterizing the dynamic response of a partially observed nonlinear system to its observable history. Reprojection is the third step of a procedure wherein first data are summarized by projection onto a Hermite series representation of the unconstrained transition density for observables; second, system parameters are estimated by minimum chi-squared, where the chi-squared criterion is a quadratic form in the expected score of the projection; and third, the constraints on dynamics implied by the nonlinear system are imposed by projecting a long simulation of the estimated system onto a Hermite series representation of the constrained transition density for observables. The constrained transition density can be used to study the response of the system to its observable history. We utilize the technique to assess the dynamics of several diffusion models for the short-term interest rate that have been proposed and to compare them to a ne...
Traditional fire management: historical fire regimes and land use change in pastoral East Africa

Although there is considerable research on the ecological effects of fire in sub-Saharan Africa, research on traditional fire practices is very limited and the consequences of substantial changes to historical fire regimes have not been adequately explored. The present paper examines historic and contemporary uses of fire as a land management tool among Maasai pastoralists in northern Tanzania and explores the potential impacts of changing fire management and fire suppression on savanna vegetation. Village members were interviewed about historical and current practices, reasons for burning, the history of land use, and their perceptions of fire. Eight recent burn sites were selected for examination of size, ignition source, and timing of the burn. The Maasai identified eight major reasons for using fire on a landscape scale in savannas and historically used a progression of small fires throughout the dry season as grasses cured to create a fragmented burn pattern and to prevent large, catastrophic late-season fires. Currently, there is little active vegetation management using fire largely owing to federal fire suppression policies, unpredictable rainfall patterns, increasing population pressures, and a subsequent increase in the number of catastrophic accidental fires. Substantial modifications to historical fire regimes could have cascading consequences for savanna health by increasing late-season fuel loads and the occurrence of large, catastrophic fires.
A general purpose univariate probability model for environmental data analysis

Abstract Analysis of environmental quality data for decision making purposes (evaluation of compliance with standards, examination of environmental trends, determination of confidence intervals) generally requires a suitable univariate probability model. It sometimes is difficult, when many probability models are available, to select the most appropriate one for a given data set. The underlying physical laws which generate pollutant concentrations—diffusion processes—offer insight into which model may be most appropriate for a variety of situations. Treating the diffusion equation as a stochastic differential equation, the time series of pollutant concentration data from diffusion phenomena is shown to have a distribution that is best approximated by the censored, 3-parameter lognormal probability model (LN3C). The model is applied to 10 air quality data sets (SO 2 , O 3 , CO, participate, hydrocarbons, and NO 2 from the United States, France, West Germany, and Denmark) and 9 water quality data sets (BOD, coliform, chloride, and sulfate from the Ohio River). The authors conclude that the LN3C probability model offers data analysts a superior, general purpose model suitable for a large variety of environmental phenomena.
Effects of time‐compressed speech on confidence‐weighted comprehension scores

Previous studies of the effects of time‐compressed speech on comprehension lead to the tenuous conclusion that no deleterious effects occur until presentation rate exceeds 275 words per minute. However, the psychometric properties of comprehension tests used in these studies do not permit a meaningful evaluation of the levels of knowledge attained by exposure to time‐compressed speech. This paper proposes and implements a specialized measurement technique called confidence testing. The present study tested the effects of time‐compressed speech on confidence‐weighted comprehension scores. An audio‐taped informative speech was presented at rates of 140 and 275 words per minute to two groups. The results indicate both confidence‐weighted comprehension and true knowledge scores were significantly attenuated by the time‐compressed presentation.
Quantitative Measurement of Ca2+ in the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Lumen of Mammalian Skeletal Muscle

Skeletal muscle stores Ca²(+) in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and releases it to initiate contraction, but the concentration of luminal Ca²(+) in the SR ([Ca²(+)](SR)) and the amount that is released by physiological or pharmacological stimulation has been difficult to measure. Here we present a novel, yet simple and direct, method that provides the first quantitative estimates of static content and dynamic changes in [Ca²(+)](SR) in mammalian skeletal muscle, to our knowledge. The method uses fluo-5N loaded into the SR of single, mammalian skeletal muscle cells (murine flexor digitorum brevis myofibers) and confocal imaging to detect and calibrate the signals. Using this method, we have determined that [Ca²(+)](SR, free) is 390 μM. 4-Chloro-m-cresol, an activator of the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor, reduces [Ca²(+)](SR, free) to ∼8 μM, when values are corrected for background fluorescence from cytoplasmic pools of dye. Prolonged electrical stimulation (10 s) at 50 Hz releases 88% of the SR Ca²(+) content, whereas stimulation at 1 Hz (10 s) releases only 20%. Our results lay the foundation for molecular modeling of the dynamics of luminal SR Ca²(+) and for future studies of the role of SR Ca²(+) in healthy and diseased mammalian muscle.
Formulation of Pontryagin's maximality principle in a problem of structural mechanics†

This paper formulates Pontryagin's maximality principle for the optimal damping of vibrations of a pin-jointed structure
The fantasy of third-person science: Phenomenology, ontology and evidence

Dennett’s recent defense in this journal of the heterophenomenological method and its supposed advantages over Husserlian phenomenology is premised on his problematic account of the epistemological and ontological status of phenomenological states. By employing Husserl’s philosophy of science to clarify the relationship between phenomenology and evidence and the implications of this relationship for the empirical identification of ‘real’ conscious states, I argue that the naturalistic account of consciousness Dennett hopes for could be authoritative as a science only by virtue of the very phenomenological evidences Dennett’s method consigns to the realm of fiction. Thus heterophenomenology, qua scientific method, is incoherent.
Conduction in alumina with atomic scale copper filaments

The conductance of atomic scale filaments with three and seven Cu atoms in α-alumina are calculated using ab initio density functional theory. We find that the filament with 3 Cu atoms is sufficient to increase the conductance of 1.3 nm thick alumina film by more than 103 times in linear response. As the applied voltage increases, the current quickly saturates and differential resistance becomes negative. Compared to the filament with three Cu atoms, while the conductance of the filament with seven Cu atoms is comparable in linear response, they carry as much as twenty times larger current at large biases. The electron transport is analyzed based on local density of states, and the negative differential resistance in the seven Cu filaments occurs due to their narrow bandwidth.
Performative Galleries: Integrating Applied Theatre and Digital Media Into Museum Settings

Many parallels exists between museum and theatre practices, as both fields work to become culturally and personally relevant and accessible, as well as competitive and compatible with rapidly developing media and technology. Through an exploration of mappingDESIRE, an applied digital media and performance project, this article examines the use of live performance and online story-mapping to (re)present marginalized narratives and local points of view. The author explores new approaches to actively engaging young audiences, and offers possibilities for re-imagining traditional structures of knowledge production in museum settings.
Plasmalogens of the nervous system and environmental temperature

Abstract 1. 1. Goldfish (Carassius auratus L.) were acclimated to temperatures of 5, 15, 25 and 30°C and the amount and composition of the plasmalogens of their brain lipids was determined. 2. 2. The plasmalogen content of lipid from fish acclimated at 30°C was significantly greater than that of lipid from fish acclimated to 5°C. 3. 3. Ethanolamine (PE), choline (PC) and serine (PS) glycerophosphatides were all found to contain plasmalogens. 4. 4. The major fatty aldehydes of PE plasmalogens were found to be the 18-carbon saturated and mono-unsaturated aldehydes, stearaldehyde and oleylaldehyde, and the 16-carbon saturated palmitaldehyde. The major fatty aldehyde of PC plasmalogen was found to be palmitaldehyde. 5. 5. Environmental temperature had a significant effect on the fatty aldehyde composition of PE plasmalogens. At lower temperatures there was a greater degree of unsaturation mediated by an increase in oleyladehyde relative to stearaldehyde.
Inhibition of branching morphogenesis and alteration of glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis in salivary glands treated with β-d-xyloside

Abstract The role of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the branching morphogenesis of embryonic mouse salivary glands was investigated by culturing the glands in the presence of xylose derivatives which stimulate synthesis of the xyloselinked classes of GAGs. Branching morphogenesis is inhibited severely, but reversibly, by 0.5–1.0 mM π-nitrophenyl-β- d -xylopyranoside and the inhibition correlates with a stimulation of incorporation of [3H]glucosamine (1.8-fold) and [35S]sulfate (almost 3-fold) into GAGs. The effect of β-xyloside on accumulation of newly synthesized GAG also occurs in the presence of the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, suggesting that the production of free GAG chains rather than proteoglycan-associated GAGs is being stimulated. The xyloside effects apparently do not result from general cytotoxicity of the derivatives, since similar concentrations of the α-anomer do not alter salivary branching or GAG synthesis, the rudiments resume morphogenesis when returned to control medium, and the effect on GAG synthesis is stimulatory rather than inhibitory. The study suggests that GAG biosynthesis plays an important role in salivary development, and that xylosides provide useful probes for characterizing the molecular events controlling branching morphogenesis.
Immunotherapy for allergic disease: a four-decade investigation

Summary This paper describes the early work done with allergen immunotherapy in the treatment of allergic rhinitis and asthma. Furthermore, it cites the mechanistic studies that help define the therapeutic effect of specific allergen immunotherapy. It next explores various experimental approaches that have been investigated to improve the therapeutic response to allergen immunotherapy. Finally, it highlights the recent work with a novel approach in which immunostimulatory DNA is coupled to an allergen in an attempt to further improve the immunogenicity and to attenuate the allergenicity of the therapeutic construct.
`Two' Quiet: Monozygotic Female Twins with Selective Mutism

Selective mutism (SM) is a rare social anxiety disorder characterized by failure to speak in some situations despite normal verbal behavior in others. Previous work suggests a familial component for a predisposition to this disorder. The present article reviews the literature on twins with SM and examines the onset and progress of SM in a monozygotic female pair, age 5 years, 7 months. Information was gathered from parent and teacher interviews, birth records, direct observation, standard child assessment protocols and school performance reports. The variable symptom expression and severity in this concordant twin pair underline contributions from both genetic and environmental sources. Some unusual behavioral features observed in these twins, such as their popularity and non-verbal communication with classmates, underline the complexity of factors affecting the expression of SM. Pooling available data from affected monozygotic and dizygotic twins would advance understanding of the nature, course and mana...
A computational scheme in generalized coordinates for viscous incompressible flows

Abstract This paper presents a computational scheme suitable for analyzing viscous incompressible flows in generalized curvilinear coordinate system. The scheme is based on finite volume algorithm with an overlapping staggered grid. The pseudo-diffusive terms arising from the coordinate transformation are treated as source terms. The system of nonlinear algebraic equations is solved by a semi-implicit procedure based upon line-relaxation and a generalization of Patankar's pressure correction algorithm. Examples of the application of the algorithm to flow in convergent channels, developing flow in a U-bend, and flow past backward facing step, are given. In addition, the case of flow past backward facing step is analyzed in detail, and the computed flowfields are found to be in close agreement with previous experimental and numerical results for expansion ratio (defined as the ratio of step height to channel height) of 0.5. The results are summarized in the form of a correlation relating the primary separation length, Reynolds number and expansion ratio.
The digestive system of the lobster, Homarus americanus: II. Terminal hepatic arterioles of the digestive gland.

The digestive gland (midgut gland, hepatopancreas) of the American lobster, Homarus americanus (Decapoda: Nephropidae), is supplied with blood by the hepatic artery. Numerous branches, ending in terminal hepatic arterioles, permeate the organ and discharge blood into the hemal sinuses. Histological and ultrastructural studies show the arterioles to be elongate tubes that lie in the hemal spaces, interspersed among the digestive tubules of the digestive gland. The terminal hepatic arterioles comprise three distinct populations of cells: endothelial cells form the wall of the blood vessel; hemocytes circulate through the lumen of the vessel; and fixed phagocytes are attached to the outer surface of the endothelium. In addition, extracellular membranes form an endothelial intima that lines the lumen and a perforated membrane that covers the outer surface of the arteriole.
Suppression of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by oral administration of myelin basic protein. V. Hierarchy of suppression by myelin basic protein from different species

We have been investigating the suppression of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) by oral tolerization to autoantigens. In the present study the tolerizing effect of orally administered myelin basic protein (MBP) from different species was examined in the Lewis rat, Hartley guinea pig, and SJL/J mouse model of EAE. Animals were fed guinea pig, rat, bovine, human or mouse-MBP and then immunized with the homologous species of MBP or myelin: Lewis rats were immunized with rat MBP, Hartley guinea pigs with guinea pig-MBP, and SJL/J mice with mouse myelin. Clinical expression of EAE and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses to MBP were assessed. In each species, suppression of disease and DTH responses were most pronounced by tolerization with the homologous species of MBP. In addition, cross-species tolerization was observed in each species and in general was less suppressive than homologous MBP although in some instances MBP from a heterologous species was as effective as tolerization with the homologous species. We also studied guinea pig-MBP induced EAE in the Lewis rat because it is a widely studied model of EAE and found that oral tolerization with guinea pig MBP was as suppressive as rat MBP. Of note is that oral tolerization with mouse MBP suppressed myelin-induced EAE in the SJL mouse in which autoimmunity to proteolipid protein appears to play a primary role, suggesting that antigen-driven bystander suppression following oral tolerization with autoantigens (Miller et al., 1991b) may be an important contributing mechanism for suppression of EAE following oral tolerization with MBP in this model.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
SNARE assembly and membrane fusion, a kinetic analysis

SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) assembly may promote intracellular membrane fusion, an essential process for vesicular transport in cells. Core complex formation between vesicle-associated SNARE and target membrane SNARE perhaps drives the merging of two membranes into a single bilayer. Using spin-labeling EPR, trans-SNARE complex formation was monitored "locally" at four different core locations of recombinant yeast SNAREs, which are individually reconstituted into phospholipid vesicles. The results indicate that the time scales of core formation are virtually the same at all four locations throughout the core region, indicating the possibility of a single step core assembly, which appears to be somewhat different from what has been postulated by the "zipper" model. The EPR data were then compared with the kinetics of the lipid mixing measured with the fluorescence assay. The analysis suggests that SNARE core assembly occurs on a much faster time scale than the lipid mixing, providing a new insight into the timing of individual events in SNARE-induced membrane fusion.
A test-retest reliability assessment of the international self-report delinquency instrument

Abstract This article reports the findings from a self-administered test-retest study of the International Self-Report Delinquency (ISRD) instrument, which was developed by criminologists from fifteen Western countries a decade ago and has been widely used since. Despite its popularity, a recent Dutch study challenged its over-time reliability. This study found that the instrument, when self-administered among college students in Boston and San Diego ( N = 147), produced consistent results. The consistency between Time One and Time Two in response to the prevalence question (i.e., “Have you ever … ?”) in all recorded offenses ranged from a high of 100 percent to a low of 85 percent. The observed variations (i.e., a yes answer at Time One and no at Time Two, or vice-versa) in most cases were found to be insignificant. Alcohol and drug questions had the highest reliability over time. Limitations and implications of the findings and suggestions for future research were discussed.
The Digital Divide: Some Reflections

L'A. traite de la metaphore, peut-etre malheureuse, de digital divide (ou division, ecart produit par le numerique) telle qu'elle est apparue aux Etats-Unis. Cette notion reflete la peur que les technologies numeriques ne creent un ecart entre ceux qui possedent et ceux qui ne possedent pas l'information. Il aborde la question sous deux angles : 1) les problemes lies a la description du digital divide et au discours tenu sur le phenomene ; 2) la dimension ideologique du digital divide et la perspective, peut-etre inapppropriee, qui fait de l'acces a l'information un droit des citoyens.
Synthesis and Study of Cationic, Two‐Coordinate Triphenylphosphine– Gold–π Complexes

Cationic, two-coordinate triphenylphosphine-gold(I)-π complexes of the form [(PPh₃)Au(π ligand)]⁺SbF₆⁻ (π ligand=4-methylstyrene, 1∙SbF₆), 2-methyl-2-butene (3∙SbF₆), 3-hexyne (6∙SbF₆), 1,3-cyclohexadiene (7∙SbF₆), 3-methyl-1,2-butadiene (8∙SbF₆), and 1,7-diphenyl-3,4-heptadiene (10∙SbF₆) were generated in situ from reaction of [(PPh₃)AuCl], AgSbF₆, and π ligand at -78 °C and were characterized by low-temperature, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy without isolation. The π ligands of these complexes were both weakly bound and kinetically labile and underwent facile intermolecular exchange with free ligand (ΔG(≠) ≈9 kcal mol(-1) in the case of 6∙SbF₆) and competitive displacement by weak σ donors, such as trifluoromethane sulfonate. Triphenylphosphine-gold(I)-π complexes were thermally unstable and decomposed above -20 °C to form the bis(triphenylphosphine) gold cation [(PPh₃)₂Au]⁺SbF₆⁻ (2∙SbF₆).
Growth mechanisms and mechanical properties of 3D carbon nanotube–graphene junctions: molecular dynamic simulations

The growth process of carbon nanotube (CNT)–graphene 3D junctions on copper templates with nano-holes was simulated with classical molecular dynamic (MD) simulation. The CNT, graphene and their seamlessly C–C bonded junction can form simultaneously on the templates without catalysts. There are two mechanisms of junction formation: (i) CNT growth over the holes that are smaller than 3 nm, and (ii) CNT growth inside the holes that are larger than 3 nm. The tensile strengths of the as-grown C–C junctions, as well as the junctions embedded with metal nanoparticles (catalysts), were determined by a quantum mechanics MD simulation method. Metal nanoparticles as catalysts remaining in the junctions significantly reduce the fracture strength and fracture energy, making them brittle and weak. Among the junctions, the seamlessly C–C bonded junctions show the highest tensile strength and fracture energy due to their unique structure. This work provides a theoretical basis and route for synthesizing high-quality single-layer CNT–graphene nanostructures.
Computation of the logarithm of Bessel functions of complex argument

Algorithms for computing the logarithm of Bessel functions of complex argument and integer order are presented. These algorithms will be useful when direct evaluation of the Bessel function causes computer overflow or underflow. Several numerical results are presented, and an example of radiation by a line source is given. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Harmonic distortion mitigation for electric vehicle recharging scheme

Three harmonic mitigation techniques are presented to reduce the harmonic emission of a diode bridge rectifier based battery charger used to recharge the main propulsion batteries of a large scale electric vehicle. The hybrid electrical vehicle (HEV) studied here, uses a battery charger that produces current harmonics in excess to cause the control circuitry of the battery chargers to malfunction. This limits the number of chargers that can operate simultaneously. Extensive research is conducted to properly characterize the battery charger in order to design appropriate solutions for harmonic mitigation. The solutions include: better utilization of the internal harmonic mitigation inherent to the battery chargers, increasing the effective pulse number of the diode bridge and filtering the harmonics off the system. Simulations completed for each solution show that each of the solutions will mitigate the harmonics, to some extent, with two solutions allowing all twelve chargers to operate simultaneously. Overall the mitigation solutions provide a satisfactory operating environment on the power system.
Gamma Rays from Cygnus X-l: New Diagnostics for a Black Hole

New gamma ray observations of Cygnus X-l, especially those with the HEAO-3 satellite, have revealed a transient bump in the 0.4 -few MeV region. Its successful interpretation in terms of the optically thin emission from a compact cloud of semi-relativistic plasma close to the black hole horizon has shed new light on the structure and dynamics of the accretion flow. Detailed spectral and temporal analyses of the HEAO and other gamma ray data may thus provide an important new diagnostic of black holes not obtainable with x-ray observations. This has important implications for both the theory and strategies of future high energy observation of black holes.
Effects of varying the spacing within the D,D-35-E motif in the catalytic region of retroviral integrase

Abstract The catalytic domain of all retroviral integrases contains an Asp,Asp-35-Glu (D,D-35-E) motif with precisely 35 amino acids between the second aspartate and the glutamate. We have now made several mutations designed to alter the length or flexibility of a mobile loop within this 35-amino-acid spacer region in full-length Rous sarcoma virus integrase. Surprisingly, most of the mutants had enzymatic activity, including ones that shortened or lengthened the loop by up to 6 amino acids. Several size mutants exhibited the two biologically relevant activities of integrase in reactions with Mn2+, although they were inactive with Mg2+. No viruses containing integrase with an altered length, however, replicated in cell culture, and these viruses were blocked at the integration step. Thus, the conserved 35-amino-acid spacing is not absolutely required for enzymatic activity, but the correlation between infectivity and Mg2+-dependent activity supports magnesium as the metal cofactor used by integrase in vivo.