cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applications of optical coherence theory

Abstract Over the last century, classical optical coherence has developed from a few vaguely related concepts into a standing along branch of optics and, more broadly, electromagnetics, that has resulted in a number of groundbreaking discoveries concerning the nature of light, its evolution and interaction with matter. While the theoretical developments of this field have been well documented in a number of excellent monographs and review articles, its applications have never been properly summarized. In this review we cover broadly employed, currently developing, and yet untapped practical outcomes of optical coherence theory used in other fields of science, technology, and medicine.
Universal Usability and Universal Design for Learning

Universal design for learning (UDL) is a construct that first appeared in the literature approximately 20 years ago. Yet, there is little agreement about what UDL looks like in the classroom. The p...
Discrete-Time Torque Control of High-Speed SPM Machine For Aircraft Electric Propulsion

High-speed permanent magnet machines are drawing attention in applications such as aircraft electric propulsion due to their high power density and high efficiency. However, the fundamental electrical frequency becomes higher because of high speed and high number of poles, which poses challenges for torque control. Issues caused by discrete time control implementation such as delay-induced input cross-coupling, incorrect complex pole cancellation, and phase lag introduced by update delay are the key factors that limit the control performance at high electrical frequencies. A control framework is presented that allows the machine to operate at high fundamental frequencies with good command tracking and disturbance rejection performance. After analyzing the effect of delay-induced input cross-coupling, the input decoupling including disturbance input decoupling (DID) and manipulated input decoupling (MID) is designed and evaluated based on an accurate discrete time model. This leads to derivation of a direct synthesized complex vector current regulator (CVCR) that is compared with the baseline PI-based CVCR. The direct synthesized CVCR exhibits excellent complex pole cancellation even at high speed with good command tracking and disturbance rejection capabilities.
Delocalization Transition in Colloidal Crystals

Sublattice melting is the loss of order of one lattice component in binary or ternary ionic crystals upon increasing the temperature. A related transition has been predicted in colloidal crystals. ...
Targeting the Epigenetic Factors of Neuroinflammation

Currently, there are no effective treatments for traumatic brain injury (TBI). This is because the mechanisms behind post-injury neuroinflammation are not well understood. This project studies a novel signaling pathway responsible for the activation of microglia post-TBI. Its goal is to identify epigenetic factors of neuroinflammation that may be targeted with future therapies. We are examining the possibility that class IIa Histone Deacetylases (HDACs), particularly HDAC7, are responsible for initiating the inflammatory response after TBI. In addition, we plan to explore what its upstream regulation factors may be. One possible upstream regulation factor explored is regulating Kinase 2, also known as Par1b (Par1b/MARK2), since prior research indicates that a deficiency in Par1b/MARK2 increased the inflammatory response of microglia in a mouse model of TBI. In our experiments, we examined brains from sham mice (i.e., without head injury) and mice subjected to closed head injury (CHI). Our experiments made use of wild-type mice and mice deficient in Par1b/MARK2. Qualitative analyses were conducted using fluorescent microscopy imaging of immunohistochemistry. Using cell-specific markers of inflammation, we found an increase in astrocytic marker GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein) and microglial protein IBA1 (ionized calcium binding protein) expression in the cortex of the mice after CHI. These increases were dramatic ipsilaterally (same side) to the injury, but only moderate contralaterally (opposite side). In the control brains (sham operates), little to no increase in these markers were detected. In our experiments, we observed increased expression of HDAC7 in post-TBI microglia as well as in reactive GFAP-expressing astrocytes. Others have observed that Par1b/MARK2 may negatively regulate HDAC7 activity and there is evidence that HDAC7 is an inhibitor of anti-inflammatory genes.
In vivo calcium imaging reveals disordered interictal network dynamics in epileptic stxbp1b zebrafish.

STXBP1 mutations are associated with encephalopathy, developmental delay, intellectual disability, and epilepsy. While neural networks are known to operate at a critical state in the healthy brain, network behavior during pathological epileptic states remains unclear. Examining activity during periods between well-characterized ictal-like events (i.e., interictal period) could provide a valuable step toward understanding epileptic networks. To study these networks in the context of STXBP1 mutations, we combine a larval zebrafish model with in vivo fast confocal calcium imaging and extracellular local field potential recordings. Stxbp1b mutants display transient periods of elevated activity among local clusters of interacting neurons. These network "cascade" events were significantly larger in size and duration in mutants. At mesoscale resolution, cascades exhibit neurodevelopmental abnormalities. At single-cell scale, we describe spontaneous hyper-synchronized neuronal ensembles. That calcium imaging reveals uniquely disordered brain states during periods between pathological ictal-like seizure events is striking and represents a potential interictal biomarker.
American Elections at a Crossroads: Lessons Learned and the Road Ahead

We emerge from the 2020 elections at an inflection point. Republicans largely deny the legitimacy of the Biden administration. The narrowest of Democratic majorities struggle for partisan control and policy victories. Both political parties are in the throes of identity crises, and the partisan electorate is realigning. The neoliberal political consensus of the past 40 years is collapsing, but whether a new consensus can be reached, let alone uphold democratic norms and institutions, remains an open question. Chapter 16 examines, synthesizes, and distills the lessons learned from authors of The Roads to Congress 2020, revealing a country grappling with hard questions and difficult realities as Americans chart a path forward to the 2022 elections and beyond.
Current concepts in renovascular hypertension.

ABSTRACT Renovascular disease represents an important dimension of hypertension. Although estimates vary regarding the exact prevalence of renovascular hypertension, it is being diagnosed with increasing frequency because of refined criteria for the workup and the availability of sensitive diagnostic tests. Two major pathologic entities—atherosclerosis and fibro-muscular dysplasia—account for most cases of renovascular hypertension. Once the diagnosis and clinical significance of renal artery stenosis in a hypertensive patient are established, appropriate and specific therapy should be considered. The goal is not only to treat hypertension, but to preserve and restore renal function. Although antihypertensive drug therapy may lower the blood pressure, reperfusion of the kidney (surgical, angioplasty) is a desirable long-term objective in the management of patients with renovascular hypertension. With careful selection of therapeutic choices, we are now able to render optimal care to patients with renovascular hypertension.
Regulation of microsomal enzymes by phospholipids: III. The role on -SH groups in the regulation of microsomal UDP-glucuronyltransferase

Abstract The effect of -SH group reagents on the activity of UDPglucuronyltransferase from beef liver microsomes has been studied. Contrary to data reported in the literature, the activity of this enzyme is increased several-fold by treatment of beef liver microsomes with a variety of organic mercurials, and to a lesser extent by N-ethylmaleimide. Although the extent of activation of UDPglucuronyltransferase by organic mercurials depends on the nature of the mercurial, all organic mercurials seem to react with the same type of -SH group (Type 2-SH), a concentration of 0.5 to 0.8 m m being required for maximum activation. The reactivity of the Type 2-SH can be altered by prior treatment of microsomes with small amounts of detergent so that activation occurs at 0.1 m m mercurial. Activation by the organic mercurials can be reversed completely by dithiothreitol. N-ethylmaleimide reacts with a type of -SH group (Type 1) which is different from the one titrated by the organic mercurials. Organic mercurials, but not N-ethylmaleimide, render the enzyme unstable at 37 ° in the absence of substrates. Relatively high concentrations of organic mercurials react with a third type of -SH group (Type 3) to produce a deactivated form of UDPglycuronyltransferase. The reactivity of Type 3-SH is different with different organic mercurials, but with each one tested activity was restored by treatment with dithiothreitol. N-ethylmaleimide does not react with Type 3-SH group.
Fatty Acid Synthesis in Human Adipose Tissue

The concentration of enzymes required for fatty acid synthesis was considerably less in extracts prepared from human omental adipose tissue than from rat epididymal fat. Overall rates of synthesis as measured by the incorporation of radioactive precursors into fatty acids were also much lower in human adipose tissue. The most striking difference was found with citrate-1,5-14C, human adipose tissue incorporating the compound at a rate less than one-tenth that of rat epididymal fat. This finding was consistent with the virtual absence of the citrate cleavage enzyme in human adipose tissue. By contrast, the activities of pyruvate carboxylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, two enzymes necessary for the synthesis of glyceride glycerol from pyruvate, and the long chain fatty acid activating enzyme (or enzymes) were essentially similar in both human and rat adipose tissues. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that synthesis de novo of fatty acids is not an important physiological function of human adipose tissue.
Distributions of Sampling Statistics

This chapter discusses the probability distribution of sampling statistics as the sample mean and the sample variance. It shows how to use a remarkable theoretical result of probability, known as the central limit theorem, to approximate the probability distribution of the sample mean. It is concerned with the probability distributions of certain statistics that arises from a sample, where a statistic is a random variable whose value is determined by the sample data. Two important statistics are the sample mean and the sample variance. The sample variance is introduced and its expected value is determined. When the sample size is large, the distribution of the sample mean is approximately normal. This follows from the central limit theorem, one of the most important theoretical results in probability. The population distribution is normal and presents the joint distribution of the sample mean and the sample variance. When the population size is large in relation to the sample size, it is treated as if it were of infinite size; this is illustrated and its consequences are also discussed.
The source of shoulder pain in hemiplegia

Abstract Shoulder pain is a common problem in hemiplegia. This preliminary study attempted to identify pain-producing structures by evaluating the results of injecting 1% lidocaine into several sites in the shoulder area. Sixty-seven patients with shoulder problems were identified, examined, and characterized. The amount of pain was related most to loss of motion; it was unrelated to subluxation, spasticity, strength, or sensation. Of 28 patients who received a subacromial injection, approximately one-half obtained moderate or marked relief of pain and improved range of motion, suggesting that the subacromial area of the shoulder is a location of pain-producing structure in a significant number of cases.
Role of IL-4 and IL-13 in Schistosoma-induced pulmonary hypertension (LB780)

Background: Schistosomiasis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) occurs in the context of Th2 inflammation, which is induced by IL-4 and IL-13. We had previously observed that TGF-β sig...
Water level response in back‐barrier bays unchanged following Hurricane Sandy

On 28–30 October 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused severe flooding along portions of the northeast coast of the United States and cut new inlets across barrier islands in New Jersey and New York. About 30% of the 20 highest daily maximum water levels observed between 2007 and 2013 in Barnegat and Great South Bay occurred in 5 months following Hurricane Sandy. Hurricane Sandy provided a rare opportunity to determine whether extreme events alter systems protected by barrier islands, leaving the mainland more vulnerable to flooding. Comparisons between water levels before and after Hurricane Sandy at bay stations and an offshore station show no significant differences in the transfer of sea level fluctuations from offshore to either bay following Sandy. The post-Hurricane Sandy bay high water levels reflected offshore sea levels caused by winter storms, not by barrier island breaching or geomorphic changes within the bays.
Evaluation of Food Quality

Food quality is an important concept because the food people choose depends largely on quality. Consumer preference is important to the food manufacturer, who wants to gain as wide a share of the market for the product as possible. Quality is difficult to define precisely, though it refers to the degree of excellence of a food and includes all the characteristics of a food that are significant and that make the food acceptable.
NICMOS Observations of Luminous and Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies

HST NICMOS observations of a sample of 24 luminous (LIGs: L_(IR) [8-1000 microns] = 10^(11.0-11.99) L_sun) and ultraluminous (ULIGs: L_(IR) > 10^(12.0) L_sun) infrared galaxies are presented. The observations provide, for the first time, high resolution HST imaging of the imbedded 1.1 - 2.2 micron nuclear regions of these mergers. All but one of the ULIGs are observed to have at least one compact (50-200 pc) nucleus, and more than half contain what appear to be blue star clusters. The warm infrared galaxies (i.e., the transition sources) are observed to have bright nuclei which account for most of the light of the galaxy. This, combined with the tendency for the light of ULIGs to become more centrally concentrated as a function of increasing wavelength, implies that most of their energy is generated within a region 50-200 pc across.
The SEC and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Fighting Global Corruption Is Not Part of the SEC's Mission

In recent years, as both the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have stepped up their enforcement efforts, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) has been the subject of harsh criticism. Although critics have identified a variety of flaws in both the law and its enforcement, no one has seriously questioned a basic policy choice: why an agency whose mission is to protect investors is charged with civil enforcement of the FCPA‟s anti-bribery provisions. Congress conferred this authority on the SEC in 1977 despite the agency‟s statements that it did not fit within its mission. For over twenty years the SEC brought few actions involving allegations of foreign bribery and supported Congressional efforts to consolidate enforcement in the DOJ. By contrast, the SEC began to enforce the FCPA in the early 2000s with increasing enthusiasm. It has set up a specialized unit and publicized its large settlements, without ever providing an explanation of how enforcing the foreign bribery provision relates to the agency‟s mission “to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation.” I first review the legislative history, the “quiet” years prior to the early 2000s, and the SEC‟s aggressive enforcement since then. I then make two arguments. First, since combating global corruption is not part of the agency‟s mission, enforcement of the FCPA should be consolidated in the DOJ. Second, while “agency creep” is often described as resulting from agencies‟ self-aggrandizing efforts to expand their power, the history of the FCPA illustrates a different problem: Congress giving an agency a power that it does not want and that diverts scarce resources from its core mission.
Serum vitamin C concentrations and diabetes: findings from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–1994

Background: Previous studies suggested that diabetes mellitus may lower serum vitamin C concentrations, but most of these studies used clinic-based populations with established diabetes of varying duration and did not adjust for important covariates. Objective: Using a population-based sample and adjusting for important covariates, we asked whether serum vitamin C concentrations in persons with newly diagnosed diabetes differed from those in persons without diabetes. Design: Data were obtained from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994). Serum vitamin C was assayed by using reversed-phase HPLC with multiwave-length detection. Diabetes status (n = 237 persons with diabetes; n = 1803 persons without diabetes) was determined by oral-glucose-tolerance testing of the sample aged 40-74 y. Results: After adjustment for age and sex, mean serum vitamin C concentrations were significantly lower in persons with newly diagnosed diabetes than in those without diabetes. After adjustment for dietary intake of vitamin C and other important covariates, however, mean concentrations did not differ according to diabetes status. Conclusion: When assessing serum vitamin C concentrations by diabetes status in the future, researchers should measure and account for all factors that influence serum vitamin C concentrations.
Moving Educational Psychology Into the Home: The Case of Reading

Public policy meant to improve educational outcomes has focused on within-school factors, even though it is known that factors within the home influence these outcomes more. This article suggests that some aspects of academic work are well enough understood that researchers can offer advice as to changes that parents might make in the home, so as to improve children's academic performance. Reading is taken as a sample case, and research is reviewed with an eye toward home-based practices to improve decoding, comprehension, and motivation.
Is sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis a rare sequela of peptic ulcer disease

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP) is a rare disease process in which peritoneal thickening encases the intestine and can cause bowel obstruction. While there are many proposed causes of SEP, the pathogenesis of this disease is poorly understood. Herein, we describe a case of a patient with a significant medical history that included Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, chronic peptic ulcer disease, and a resected gastrinoma who presented with a closed-loop small bowel obstruction and was found to have SEP upon exploration. Because of the absence of typical risk factors commonly associated with SEP, we propose a proinflammatory state induced by chronic peptic ulcer disease as an attributing agent in the development of SEP.
The Development of an Incrementally Loaded Finite Element Model of the Whole Skin Locomotion Mechanism: Discovering the Relationship Between Its Shape and Motion

The Whole Skin Locomotion (WSL) robotic platform is a novel biologically inspired robot that uses a fundamentally different locomotion strategy than other robots. Its motion is similar to the cytoplasmic streaming action seen in single celled organisms such as the amoeba. The robot is composed of a closed volume, fluid filled skin which generally takes the shape of an elongated torus. When in motion the outer skin is used as the traction surface. It is actuated by embedded smart material rings which undergo cyclical contractions and relaxations, generating an everting motion in the torroidially shaped skin. To better understand, design, and optimize this mechanism, it is necessary to have a model of the skin, fluid, and actuators and their interactions with the environment. This paper details the first steps in the development of a non-linear finite element (FE) model which will allow us to study these interactions and predict the shape and motion of the robot under various actuation strategies. A simple membrane element model is introduced from literature and is modified such that an incremental loading strategy can be employed. Finally, an underlying physical mechanism is introduced which could possibly describe the relationship between the shape of and pressure within the membrane skin and motion of the whole skin locomotion robot.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Breeding Ecology and Behavior of the Hawaiian Hawk

We studied the ecology of the endangered Hawaiian Hawk (Buteo solitarius) on the island of Hawaii for three breeding seasons. Their breeding strategy is a prime example of a K-selected species characteristic of many birds in tropical environments: clutch size was one and brood-rearing was among the longest reported for any diurnal raptor. Twenty-eight nests were found in a variety of native and exotic habitats. Incubation lasted 38 days, nestlings fledged after 59-63 days, and parents cared for fledglings for an average of 30.2 weeks, which was 2.5 to 10 times longer than similar-size temperate zone raptors. Males assisted females with incubation, but only females brooded young. Radio-tagged juveniles remained within 0.63 km of their nests for the first two months after fledging, after which dispersal distances expanded gradually. Avian (45%) and mammalian (54%) prey dominated the diet of nestlings. There was no evidence that avian malaria, introduced predators, or environmental contaminants were affecting their population. Based upon estimates of population size, the availability of suitable nesting habitat, and reproductive success, we suggest the species be considered for downlisting from endangered to threatened status.
Up- and down-modulation of single K+ channel function by distinct second messengers

Abstract Over the past several years an increasing number of second messenger systems have been identified for neurotransmitter actions. Such a wide variety of molecular cascades provides neurons with a rich repertoire for modulatory changes in ion channel function. Here, we review both early and recent experiments on sensory neurons of Aplysia that demonstrate that a single class of K + channels (the S channels) is modulated in opposing directions by distinct neurotransmitters acting through distinct second messenger systems. The up- and down- modulation of K + channel activity contributes to presynaptic inhibition and presynaptic facilitation in these neurons.
Ablation of aluminum nitride films by nanosecond and femtosecond laser pulses

We present results of comparative study of laser-induced ablation of AlN films with variable content of oxygen as a surface-doping element. The films deposited on sapphire substrate were ablated by a single nanosecond pulse at wavelength 248 nm, and by a single femtosecond pulse at wavelength 775 nm in air at normal pressure. Ablation craters were inspected by AFM and Nomarski high-resolution microscope. Irradiation by nanosecond pulses leads to a significant removal of material accompanied by extensive thermal effects, chemical modification of the films around the ablation craters and formation of specific defect structures next to the craters. Remarkable feature of the nanosecond experiments was total absence of thermo-mechanical fracturing near the edges of ablation craters. The femtosecond pulses produced very gentle ablation removing sub-micrometer layers of the films. No remarkable signs of thermal, thermo-mechanical or chemical effects were found on the films after the femtosecond ablation. We discuss mechanisms responsible for the specific ablation effects and morphology of the ablation craters.
IS EXCHANGEABLE ARBITRATOR BEHAVIOR NECESSARILY DELIBERATE

Interest arbitration is a collective bargaining procedure in which an independent arbitrator determines the terms of a binding contract. Because the union and employer each has the power to veto arbitrators from participating in future cases, the arbitrator exchangeability hypothesis suggests an arbitrator strategy of rendering awards similar to those awarded by past arbitrators to avoid veto. Arbitration theory, however, predicts that arbitrators will tend to select similar awards even if such strategy is not deliberately pursued This paper produces empirical evidence that arbitrators will tend to choose the same awards with or without the use of past awards as a guide.
Cardiovascular correlates of exercise in snapping turtles, Chelydra serpentina.

Abstract 1. 1. Heart rate increased with a rise in body temperature (10–30°C) and with induced physical exercise in snapping turtles. 2. 2. Maximum heart rate increment occurred at 30°C. 3. 3. Standard oxygen pulse did not change with a rise in temperature. 4. 4. Oxygen pulse during exercise and oxygen pulse increment were maximal at 10°C and minimal at 20°C. 5. 5. The increase in heart rate with exercise accounted for only 9–22% of the increase in oxygen transport during activity; the remainder was provided by a rise in cardiac stroke volume and/or A-V difference.
Event-based fault detection of manufacturing cell: Data inconsistencies between academic assumptions and industry practice

Some problems with event-based faults in manufacturing systems cannot be handled by existing fault detection solutions, including finding faults in event-based data for systems for which limited information is known. A new fault detection solution that finds faults in event-based data using model generation is presented here. This solution assumes that some information is known about the system from its design information and data structure. An example application of this solution is presented for a Ford machining cell that has been experiencing a gantry waiting problem. In the course of this example application, five inconsistencies were found between relatively common academic assumptions made by this fault detection solution (as well as others) and the actual cell's set-up and data. These inconsistencies and possible means of addressing them are discussed. Some of these means to resolve the inconsistencies have been implemented, and preliminary results in generating models using the fault detection solution are presented.
Induction of a Concrete Operational Concept through Televised Modeling: Evidence and Speculation on Mediational Processes.

Abstract Investigations in which seriation has been trained generally employ criteria that are less stringent than most Piagetians would accept as evidence for stabilization of the operations required in seriation. The present study examined the influence of televised modeling and televised modeling plus direct instruction on the induction of complex forms of seriation behavior. Modeled behaviors were based on a linear task analysis which operationally defined seriation behavior. The television only and TV plus direct instruction groups made significant gains from pre- to post-test, which were maintained during retention testing. Performance of the experimental groups did not differ from that of the controls on the pretest, while both significantly exceeded the controls on post-test and retention trials. Performance of the two experimental groups did not differ on post-test or retention trials. Differences between these results and findings from comparable studies of other concrete operational behaviors are discussed and theoretical and training implications are identified.
Structures of hexagonal vanadium fluoride bronzes: A high-resolution electron microscopic study

Abstract At least three and possibly four phases are shown to exist in the system AxVF3, where A = K, Rb, Cs, and Tl and x = 0.19–0.32. The αI phase has the hexagonal tungsten bronze structure with a doubled c axis. For this structure there is one hexagonal tunnel containing two A sites per unit cell. Calculated electron microscope images, assuming that only one layer of A atom sites is occupied, simulate experimental images of this phase from both the [001] and [100] directions. The αII phase is an orthorhombic superstructure containing two tunnels and four A sites per unit cell. Comparison of observed and calculated images shows one tunnel to be more fully occupied than the other. The αIV phase has a c axis the length of six octahedra. Its existence is shown by diffraction patterns and fringe images. The existence of an αIII phase, having four hexagonal tunnels per unit cell, is suggested on the basis of diffraction patterns.
Within Classification Job Differences.

A task analysis was conducted to determine the extent to which six jobs from a single classification in one organization were similar in their task composition. Of the six jobs studied, MAN-OVA results demonstrated that five were significantly different. Follow-up analyses indicated that there were practically significant differences between the jobs. These results suggested that selection options would be affected and that differing training and evaluation procedures should be used. The practical implications of these findings for selection, training, performance appraisal and job grouping are discussed.
20-Year Follow-Up Study of Disc Repositioning Surgery for Temporomandibular Joint Internal Derangement

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the outcomes of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc repositioning as a surgical treatment for TMJ internal derangement (ID). Materials and Methods By retrospective chart review, all patients who had TMJ disc repositioning for treatment of TMJ ID from 1984 to 1990 were identified. Attempts were made to locate these patients, and they were sent a TMJ questionnaire. The questionnaire provided subjective (pain and diet consistency) and objective (mandibular function) data. Results The chart review yielded 153 patients. Complete TMJ questionnaires were obtained from 18 patients (36 joints). Analysis of data showed a reduction in pain scores, an improvement in diet consistency, and an increase in mandibular range of motion. The majority (94%) reported an improvement in quality of life. Conclusions Outcome data presented show that TMJ disc repositioning is an effective and successful surgical treatment for TMJ ID. This success has been maintained for 20 years in this specific patient population.
CONIDIAL DIMORPHISM IN COLLETOTRICHUM GRAMINICOLA

Colletotrichum graminicola produced two types of conidia in culture and during infection of corn leaves. One was lunate to falcate and was produced blastically from morphologically distinct conidi? ogenous cells. The second type was oval to elliptic, variable in size but smaller than falcate conidia, and was produced blastically from hyphae that lacked distinct conidiogenous cells. Falcate conidia each contained one nucleus, whereas the oval type contained one to four nuclei. A difference in cell wall structure was suggested by greater sensitivity of oval conidia to cell-wall degrading enzymes. Oval conidia were the only type produced in shake culture grown in the dark. Both types of conidia were produced by cultures on agar media and by standing cultures in small volumes of liquid medium but, unlike oval conidia, development of falcate conidia was light-dependent When used to inoculate susceptible corn seedlings, both types of conidia caused symptoms comparable over a range of inoculum concentrations. Regardless ofthe type of conidia used to inoculate seedlings, both were found in lesions of infected leaves.
Spatial, temporal, and cellular distribution of the activated extracellular signal regulated kinases 1 and 2 in the developing and mature rat cerebellum

The extracellular signal regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) are important members of an intracellular signaling cascade that is involved in many aspects of the cellular physiology and development of neurons and glia. ERK1/2 are expressed in many brain regions including the cerebellum; however, their role during cerebellar development is poorly understood. Immunohistochemical approaches using phosphorylation-state specific antiserum that recognizes only the activated-ERK1/2 (pERK) were used to characterize the spatial and temporal patterns of activated-ERK in the developing and adult rat cerebellum. The distribution and cell type-specificity of pERK-immunoreactivity (IR) followed an age-related pattern, with the density of pERK-IR Purkinje cells decreasing between P6 and P15 and increasing at later times. Immunopositive granule cell neurons increased from P6 to P12, became decreased during much of late postnatal cerebellar development, and absent in adults. Co-localization of pERK with glial fibrillary acidic protein or the neuronal marker beta-tubulin revealed that activated ERK is present in maturing Purkinje and granule cells, and the soma of Bergmann glia on P4, P10 and P15; pERK was detected in astrocytes on P10 and P15. Associated with weaning, there was a general increase in activated-ERK in all cell types on P22. In adults, pERK-IR was confined to the Purkinje cell layer and scattered cells in the corpus medullare. In summary, a high degree of developmental plasticity was observed in the spatiotemporal distribution of cerebellar pERK-IR suggesting that the ERK-pathway plays a dynamic role in regulating neuronal and glial migration, proliferation and differentiation in the developing cerebellum. In the mature cerebellum, ERK signaling may also mediate postsynaptic information processing.
Experimental Acidification of a Stream in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire

Incident precipitation in the northeastern United States averages about pH 4 as a result of increased pollution from sulfuric and nitric acids. To determine the effect of this increased acidity on the ecology of aquatic ecosystems, dilute concentrations of sulfuric acid were added to Norris Brook, a stream in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, West Thornton, New Hampshire, USA. The stream was maintained at pH 4 from April to September 1977. With increased acidity stream water concentrations of Al, Ca, Mg, K, and probably Mn, Fe, and Cd were elevated; no change in dissolved organic carbon (DOC), Na, NO,, NH4, Ni, Pb, Cu, or Zn occurred at the lower pH. Emergence of adult mayflies (Ephemeroptera), some stoneflies (Plecoptera), and some true flies (Diptera) decreased at the lower pH. Larger numbers of immature aquatic inver- tebrates in the collector, scraper, and predator functional groups were found in drift samples from the experimental area during the 1st wk after acid addition. After the 1st wk of increased acidity total numbers of organisms drifting in the experimental area were similar to values obtained in the reference area. Emergence of adult collectors and invertebrate density in the benthos decreased in the treatment area. Periphyton biomass increased at the low pH, but hyphomycete fungal densities decreased. A basidiomycete fungus increased in the experimental area relative to the reference section. Brook trout showed no morphological signs of stress at the low pH. Stream acidification decreased species di- versity, increased representation of community dominants. and decreased the complexity of the food web.
Environmental Effects on a Parthenogenetic Line of Chickens

Abstract Environmental effects were examined in a parthenogenetic stock of Dark Cornish chickens from 1967–1970. The highest frequencies of embryos were in April and May. Daily fluctuations were observed in the amount of parthenogenesis. Correlations of temperature with parthenogenesis, however, varied from year to year. No consistent correlations were obtained between parthenogenetic development and temperature lag periods. Neither immediate incubation nor cooling consistently influenced parthenogenetic development. Date of hatch appeared significant. Position in the clutch cycle was not significant. Setting eggs directly into the incubator compared with setting them in the cooler for three days showed the same amount of parthenogenetic development.
Stem cells: the good, bad and barely in control

The goal of replacing dying cells in Parkinson disease with stem cells is now brought a step closer to the clinic. A new protocol eases symptoms in a rat model of the disease, but also raises the concern that poorly differentiated cells have the potential to become tumorigenic (pages 1259–1268).
Utility of preoperative electrophysiologic studies in patients with Ebstein’s anomaly undergoing the Cone procedure

Background Ebstein's anomaly is associated with a high incidence of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. The Cone procedure has become an effective hemodynamic intervention for this malformation. In response to two late postoperative sudden deaths in our early institutional Cone experience, a standardized plan for aggressive rhythm evaluation was instituted, including preoperative electrophysiologic studies (EPS) and intraoperative implantable loop recorder (ILR) placement. Objective The purpose of this study was to measure the yield of this diagnostic protocol for patients with Ebstein's anomaly undergoing surgical repair and to describe its influence on patient management. Methods All patients at Boston Children's Hospital with Ebstein's anomaly who underwent the Cone procedure from December 2006 to September 2012 were reviewed. Pre- and postoperative arrhythmias and therapies were documented. For patients who underwent preoperative EPS, all arrhythmia substrates and interventions were recorded. Results A total of 74 patients were included, 42 of whom underwent preoperative EPS. Significant findings were documented during EPS in 29 of the 42 patients (69%), including eight patients with no prior suspicion of arrhythmias. Seventeen patients had successful catheter ablation during EPS, and EPS data guided one or more intraoperative rhythm interventions for the remainder. During follow-up, diagnostic yield from ILR was low. Since implementing a more aggressive diagnostic strategy, no further sudden deaths have occurred. Conclusion Preoperative EPS has a high diagnostic and therapeutic yield in patients with Ebstein's anomaly undergoing the Cone operation. It is reasonable to recommend EPS as a routine preoperative test for this population.
Thermal physiological ecology of Colias butterflies in flight.

As a comparison to the many studies of larger flying insects, we carried out an initial study of heat balance and thermal dependence of flight of a small butterfly (Colias) in a wind tunnel and in the wild.
Composite cost-based rules for priority scheduling in a randomly routed job shop

This paper explores the effectiveness of composite time/cost priority-scheduling rules on both time and cost performance measures. These dispatching rules, based on value added or profitability, are compared, at various shop-utilization levels, against standard and modified time-based rules such as critical ratio and shortest processing time. The simulation of a randomly routed job shop shows that work in process can be significantly reduced with varying sacrifices in time-performance measures. At moderate levels of utilization, the results suggest that these dollar-based rules perform quite well. Both tabular and graphic, results are shown to clarify the tradeoffs which result.
Low-Power Ion Thruster Development Status

An effort is on-going to examine scaling relationships and design criteria for ion propulsion systems, and to address the need for a light weight, low power, high specific impulse propulsion option for small spacecraft. An element of this activity is the development of a low-power (sub-0.5 kW) ion thruster. This development effort has led to the fabrication and preliminary performance assessment of an 8 cm prototype xenon ion thruster operating over an input power envelope of 0.1-0.3 kW. Efficiencies for the thruster vary from 0.31 at 1750 seconds specific impulse at 0.1 kW, to about 0.48 at 2700 seconds specific impulse and 0.3 kW input power. Discharge losses for the thruster over this power range varied from about 320-380 W/A down to about 220-250 W/A. Ion optics performance compare favorably to that obtained with 30 cm ion optics, when scaled for the difference in beam area. The neutralizer, fabricated using 3 mm hollow cathode technology, operated at keeper currents of about 0.2-0.3 A, at a xenon flow rate of about 0.06 mg/s, over the 0.1-0.3 kW thruster input power envelope.
Purified Porcine Seminal Plasma Protein Enhances In Vitro Immune Activities of Porcine Peripheral Lymphocytes

The porcine seminal plasma protein (PSP) accounts for much more than 50% of the total proteins in seminal plasma. PSP has been previously purified and its biochemical properties characterized. However, the biological functions of PSP remain to be elucidated. We hypothesize that PSP is involved in the regulation of uterine immune activity. In the current study, effects of PSP on in vitro lymphocyte activities and the presence of PSP binding sites on lymphocytes were examined. In mitogen-induced proliferation assay, lymphocytes from peripheral blood of gilts were cultured with pokeweed mitogen (PWM), phytohemagglutinin (PHA), or concanavalin A (Con A) in the presence or absence of PSP. PSP at 50, 125, and 250 ng/well augmented PWM-induced [3 H]thymidine uptake in a dose-responsive manner by 152.8 6 8.1%, 225.9 6 35.2%, and 274.8 6 53.6%, respectively, compared with that of control. PSP did not alter lymphocyte proliferation in the absence of PWM. Similarly, PSP had little or no effect on PHA- or Con A-induced lymphocyte proliferation. In one-way mixed lymphocyte reactions, PSP at 50, 125, and 250 ng/well enhanced [3 H]thymidine uptake in a dose-responsive manner by 181.5 6 16.5%, 339.9 6 48.2%, and 600.1 6 84.8% of control, respectively. Using biotinylated PSP-I, PSP binding sites were localized on approximately 3‐5% of the lymphocyte population. In summary, we have demonstrated that PSP itself is not a mitogen/antigen to porcine lymphocytes but that it has a stimulatory effect on lymphocyte activities initiated by PWM or surface antigens of lymphocytes. PSP may exert its functions by interacting with PSP binding sites on a subpopulation of porcine lymphocytes. The high potency of PSP on lymphocyte activities and the abundance of PSP in seminal plasma have suggested that PSP may play an important role in regulating immune responses in the porcine uterine environment.
Sivapalan receives 2011 Robert E. Horton Medal: Citation

Murugesu Sivapalan was awarded the 2011 Robert E. Horton Medal at the AGU Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, held on 7 December 2011 in San Francisco, Calif. The medal is for “outstanding contributions to hydrology.”
Test-retest variability of blue-on-yellow perimetry is greater than white-on-white perimetry in normal subjects

Abstract Purpose: To compare long-term fluctuation of blue-on-yellow automated perimetry with white-on-white automated perimetry in normal subjects. Methods: White-on-white and blue-on-yellow automated perimetry were performed on a Humphrey Visual Field Analyzer and an Octopus perimeter, both modified for blue-on-yellow perimetry. The study sample consisted of 31 eyes of 31 normal subjects for the Humphrey perimeter and 33 eyes of 33 normal subjects for the Octopus perimeter. After one practice session, each subject completed four testing sessions over a period of 2 to 8 weeks, each separated by at least 1 day. Each testing session consisted of both white-on-white and blue-on-yellow perimetry performed on one eye; the order of the tests was alternated for successive sessions. Long-term fluctuation (expressed as statistical variance) was calculated for each test location. Intersubject variability (expressed as statistical variance) across all subjects was determined for each test location. Results: On the Humphrey perimeter, the long term fluctuation for blue-on-yellow perimetry (4.07 ± 3.07 dB 2 ) was significantly greater than that for white-on-white perimetry (1.97 ± 0.99 dB 2 ; P P 2 ) than it was in white-on-white perimetry (4.25 ± 1.13 dB 2 ; P Conclusions: Long-term fluctuation and short-term fluctuation of blue-on-yellow perimetry are greater than those of white-on-white perimetry in normal subjects. The increased long-term fluctuation requires appropriate statistical approaches when evaluating serial change of blue-on-yellow perimetry.
Planarization of spin-coated films

To measure film thickness profiles over substrates with surface topography in situ during spin coating, we use a pulsed laser, a microscope, and a 35-mm camera to stroboscopically create and image interference fringes. The measured film thickness profiles are compared to predictions from a model of the coating flow which accounts for centrifugal, capillary, and viscous forces. This model has been extended to include both radial and azimuthal variations so that the surface contours around fully three-dimensional features may be calculated. Profile asymmetry in the radial direction, known as "pile-up", is caused by surface tension forces near the edges of the feature that accelerate flow where the channel (the film thickness) narrows and retard flow where the film thickness widens.
Structural and magnetic properties of Au/Pd/Au sandwiches: A total energy all-electron approach

The possibility of magnetism induced in Pd when sandwiched between Au layers, first proposed and studied experimentally by Brodsky and Freeman, is investigated by means of highly precise all‐electron total energy local spin‐density calculations employing the thin‐film full‐potential linearized augmented plane wave (FLAPW) method. Total energy local density calculations are employed on a Au/Pd/Au sandwich with three Pd layers to obtain the structural properties and five Pd layers to obtain the magnetic properties of an Au/Pd/Au sandwich. Detailed results are obtained with spin polarized calculations for the Pd lattice constant stretched taking into account (i) the misfit between the lattice constants of Au and Pd and (ii) proximity effects in a self‐consistent way. The magnetic moment of the center Pd layer is found to be 0.02μB which is consistent with the experiment of Brodsky. A negligible magnetic moment for the interface Pd layers is obtained.The possibility of magnetism induced in Pd when sandwiched between Au layers, first proposed and studied experimentally by Brodsky and Freeman, is investigated by means of highly precise all‐electron total energy local spin‐density calculations employing the thin‐film full‐potential linearized augmented plane wave (FLAPW) method. Total energy local density calculations are employed on a Au/Pd/Au sandwich with three Pd layers to obtain the structural properties and five Pd layers to obtain the magnetic properties of an Au/Pd/Au sandwich. Detailed results are obtained with spin polarized calculations for the Pd lattice constant stretched taking into account (i) the misfit between the lattice constants of Au and Pd and (ii) proximity effects in a self‐consistent way. The magnetic moment of the center Pd layer is found to be 0.02μB which is consistent with the experiment of Brodsky. A negligible magnetic moment for the interface Pd layers is obtained.