cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shell structures in molecular orbital energy diagrams for small fullerene cages: Free-electron versus generator orbital models

The nearly spherical nature of small fullerene cages C N (N<70) suggests that their π molecular orbital (MO) energy diagrams should show a shell structure. Although group theoretical analysis of the Huckel-type energies for icosahedral and other highly symmetric cages confirms this assumption, this has not been established for fullerene cages in general. This work presents a simple computational algorithm based upon the canonical orthogonalization of generator orbitals (GOs) to analyze the π-MO energy diagrams for any fullerene cage C N , and demonstrates the validity of a shell structure in these diagrams. Results are compared to simple central force (spherical) models for the calculations of π-MO energies in fullerene cages. The GO approach provides a ready assignment of the π-MOs to individual spherical harmonics and allows valuable interpretations of various physical phenomena.
Conjectures Masquerading as Facts

The tendency of many neuroscientists, cognitive scientists, and psychologists to present, largely unwittingly, their metaphysical beliefs as scientifically established facts has been enhanced since the advent of noninvasive, functional brain imaging. In the second section of this chapter, titled “Word Salads,” I describe how this tendency is mediated by the inconsistent use of language. In the subsequent four sections, I review some of the consequences of this conceptual shortcoming. Namely, in the third section, I illustrate with examples the error of considering as a scientific fact the metaphysical belief that the human will is neuronally determined, and therefore, in reality, that there is no freedom of choice. In the fourth and fifth sections, I review critically the exaggerated claims found in the professional literature that functional neuroimaging allows for the specification of the neuronal mechanisms of consciousness and the even more extravagant one, that thoughts may be “read” in the monitors of functional neuroimaging devices.
Molecular Architecture of Early Dissemination and Evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus in Metropolitan Houston, Texas

We sequenced the genomes of 320 SARS-CoV-2 strains from COVID-19 patients in metropolitan Houston, Texas, an ethnically diverse region with seven million residents. These genomes were from the viruses causing infections in the earliest recognized phase of the pandemic affecting Houston. Substantial viral genomic diversity was identified, which we interpret to mean that the virus was introduced into Houston many times independently by individuals who had traveled from different parts of the country and the world. The majority of viruses are apparent progeny of strains derived from Europe and Asia. We found no significant evidence of more virulent viral types, stressing the linkage between severe disease, underlying medical conditions, and perhaps host genetics. We discovered a signal of selection acting on the spike protein, the primary target of massive vaccine efforts worldwide. The data provide a critical resource for assessing virus evolution, the origin of new outbreaks, and the effect of host immune response.
Maternal prenatal depression and epigenetic age deceleration: testing potentially confounding effects of prenatal stress and SSRI use.

Previous studies suggest epigenetic alterations may contribute to the association between maternal prenatal depression and adverse offspring outcomes. Developmental researchers have recently begun ...
Lipopolysaccharide binding protein is associated with CVD risk in older adults.

Intestinal (i.e., “gut”) permeability may be related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, but biomarkers for gut permeability are limited and associations with CVD risk are unknown—particularly among older adults. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine if serum biomarkers related to gut permeability [intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (iFABP)] and bacterial toxin clearing [cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14), lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP)] are associated with CVD risk among older adults. Older adults (n = 74, 69.6 ± 6.5-years-old) were stratified by CVD risk category. One-way ANOVAs determined differences in each biomarker by risk category, and associations with risk score were evaluated with Pearson correlations. LBP (p = 0.007), but not iFABP and CD14, was significantly different between CVD risk categories. Post-hoc tests indicated LBP was higher in moderate risk and high-moderate risk compared to the high risk category (p < 0.005). Evaluation of LBP and individual components in the risk score demonstrated a moderate, negative correlation of LBP with age and systolic blood pressure (r = − 0.335 and r = − 0.297) and a small positive correlation between LBP and total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (r = 0.204 and r = 0.220). Lower risk for CVD was associated with higher circulating concentrations of LBP, lower iFABP, and lower systemic inflammation in older adults. Further, there were small positive relationships between total and LDL cholesterol and circulating levels of LBP. These data suggest LBP may be a key component in reducing CVD risk in older adults.
Beyond Observed Connections : Link Injection.

In this paper, we proposed the \textit{link injection}, a novel method that helps any differentiable graph machine learning models to go beyond observed connections from the input data in an end-to-end learning fashion. It finds out (weak) connections in favor of the current task that is not present in the input data via a parametric link injection layer. We evaluate our method on both node classification and link prediction tasks using a series of state-of-the-art graph convolution networks. Results show that the link injection helps a variety of models to achieve better performances on both applications. Further empirical analysis shows a great potential of this method in efficiently exploiting unseen connections from the injected links.
Estimating the Rebound Effect of the U.S. Road Freight Transport

The United States (U.S.) road freight sector has continued to grow over recent decades. Growth in road freight could result in more fuel consumption and hence increased greenhouse gas emissions. Po...
The molecular characterization of early synthetic dyes in E. Knecht et al's textile sample book “A Manual of Dyeing” (1893) by high performance liquid chromatography - Diode array detector - Mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS)

Abstract This study focuses on the analysis of 61 samples taken from wool fabric specimens present in the appendix of the book “A Manual of Dyeing: For the Use of Practical Dyers, Manufacturers, Students, and All Interested in the Art of Dyeing” by E. Knecht, C. Rawson and R. Loewenthal, published in England in 1893. This manual is a valuable source of information, as it partially describes the chemistry of the molecules used to dye the specimens. The dyes are presented with the common commercial names used at the end of the 19th century and the publication date ensures that they were all synthesized before 1893. The first aim of the study was to explore the correspondence between the dyes described in the manual and the molecules actually present in the samples. High performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array and mass spectrometric detectors (HPLC-DAD-MS) was used for the molecular characterization of the samples. The results were integrated with a thorough search of historic information on early synthetic dyes, to clarify the dye nomenclature, and ultimately the molecular structures of the detected molecules. The results showed that the labels reported in the manual often do not correspond to the actual dyes present in the samples. In a number of cases, mixtures of dyes of different categories were actually used to obtain a certain color shade. We created a database of more than 160 molecules, including their UV–Vis absorption spectra and MS details, many of which are not reported in the scientific literature. This represents a valuable new comparative dataset useful for the identification of these molecules in historic samples.
Deep Generative Model Learning For Blind Spectrum Cartography with NMF-Based Radio Map Disaggregation

Spectrum cartography (SC) aims at estimating the multi-aspect (e.g., space, frequency, and time) interference level caused by multiple emitters from limited measurements. Early SC approaches rely on model assumptions about the radio map, e.g., sparsity and smoothness, which may be grossly violated under critical scenarios, e.g., in the presence of severe shadowing. More recent data-driven methods train deep generative networks to distill parsimonious representations of complex scenarios, in order to enhance performance of SC. The challenge is that the state space of this learning problem is extremely large—induced by different combinations of key problem constituents, e.g., the number of emitters, the emitters’ carrier frequencies, and the emitter locations. Learning over such a huge space can be costly in terms of sample complexity and training time; it also frequently leads to generalization problems. Our method integrates the favorable traits of model and data-driven approaches, which substantially ‘shrinks’ the state space. Specifically, the proposed learning paradigm only needs to learn a generative model for the radio map of a single emitter (as opposed to numerous combinations of multiple emitters), leveraging a nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF)-based emitter disaggregation process. Numerical evidence shows that the proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art purely model-driven and purely data-driven approaches.
Challenges of systemic lupus clinical trials

Abstract Due to the complex and unpredictable nature of lupus, clinical trials have been problematic to design, conduct, analyze, and interpret. Despite more than 30 treatments entering human development since the early 1990s, only one, belimumab, has been approved by regulatory agencies. This chapter addresses major impediments to lupus trials, including substantial disease heterogeneity, implications of standard of care polypharmacy, and difficulties in trial design and management. Also reviewed is evidence suggesting that current understanding may be yielding better trial outcomes. More clarity in results has been observed under conditions ensuring active enough disease at baseline, tapering of background medications, and use of more robust endpoints. Additional strategies that may facilitate identification of effective treatments include improved statistical approaches to address “between-subject” and “within-subject” heterogeneity, valid ways of handling protocol deviations and missing data, and novel trial designs that can offer greater flexibility and efficiency in lupus drug development.
From a Farm on Loess—Emil Truog

Emil Truog was born in 1884 in Independence, Wisconsin. He grew up on a farm, milked Guernsey cows, and from an early age on was interested in chemistry and the maintenance of soil fertility. In 1905, he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin in Madison where he took soil courses from Franklin King and Andrew Whitson. After his BS degree in Soils, he obtained a MS in chemistry and was hired in 1912 in the Department of Soils. Emil Truog worked on pH measurements, plant nutrients and exchange properties. He was an agronomist at heart and regarded deep soil understanding as essential for the maintenance of soil fertility, and an increase in agricultural production. He officially retired in 1954, and had supervised 175 MS and Ph.D. students. Emil Truog was the congress organizer for the Seventh International Congress of Soil Science held in Madison in 1960, and died in 1969.
Characterization of homogeneous gradient young measures in case of arbitrary integrands

In the case of a continuous integrand L : R n m —> RU {00} and a probability measure v supported in R n m we indicate conditions both necessary and sufficient for this measure to be generated as a homogeneous Young measure by gradients of piece-wise affine functions Uk € I A + Wo'°°(Q) with the property L(Duk) -* (L;v) in L(Q). Here A is the center of mass of v and I A is a linear function with gradient equal to A everywhere. We show also that in the scalar case m = 1 any probability measure with finite action on L has this property. We provide elementary proofs of these results.
Selective Discovery and Abundance of Binaries

The current balance of known objects and of available orbital solutions is shown by the following numbers.
Increased Ca2+-activated Ca2+ influx and impaired Ca2+ buffering in coronary smooth muscle from metabolic syndrome Ossabaw swine (1076.2)

Coronary smooth muscle (CSM) phenotype is affected by intracellular Ca2+ regulation and we have previously correlated changes in CSM Ca2+ signaling from Ossabaw swine with varying stages of coronary artery disease (CAD). Ossabaw swine are a model of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and CAD. Three year old pigs were fed an excess-calorie, atherogenic or control diet for 6 months. CAD progression, coronary artery function, and CSM Ca2+ signaling were assessed. MetS coronaries had advanced, lipid-laden atherosclerotic lesions containing calcium deposits, while lean had no CAD. In isometric tension studies diseased coronary rings generated significantly less tension than healthy rings in response to depolarization with 20 mM K+. CSM were enzymatically isolated and loaded with the Ca2+ indicator, fura-2 AM. Diseased CSM showed less K+-induced Ca2+ influx compared to healthy cells. Diseased cells recovered less from the cytosolic Ca2+ increase back to baseline, suggesting impaired Ca2+ buffering. In physiologic salt s...
Gender Differences in Love and Intimacy:: The Fantasy vs. the Reality

Are there gender differences in the ability to love? Social psychological data suggest that men and women are more similar than the stereotypes say they are. Yet, there are some differences in men's and women's ability and motivation to love. Both seem equally susceptible to falling passionately in love. However, traditional women seem to be slightly more comfortable in intimate encounters than are men. Traditional men are slightly more comfortable taking independent action. A new androgynous breed of men and women may be appearing, which is comfortable with both.
Use of Combusted Natural Gas to Cultivate the Anaerobic Bacterial Flora from the Cecum Contents of Mice

Abstract The use of combusted natural gas as atmosphere for cultivation of the anaerobic bacterial flora from the cecum of mice is described. The combusted gas (inert gas) continuously flushes a glove box in which it is possible to cultivate a number of strict anaerobes from the cecum of mice.
Sign Operations and Organization of Mental Processes

The material collected leads us to psychological positions whose meaning goes far beyond the limits of an analysis of the narrow and concrete group of phenomena which was thus far the main subject of our study. Upon closer examination, the functional, structural, and genetic patterns disclosed in the study of factual data appear to be patterns of a more general order and compel us to revise altogether the problem of the construction and genesis of higher mental functions. Two paths lead to this review and general conclusion.
Sound Exchange: Reframing Music Composition Educational Practice

ABSTRACT Affordable technology facilitates an immediate documentation of sound and space that encourages collective artistic expression modeled after track- or song-remixing websites. Students in a newly proposed music composition course must capture and generate original sounds, and then upload them to a separate class drive for other students to reuse. New creative work consists entirely of these reused sounds. The author discusses the use of remixed sound collages in an open access format and considers the positive influence of legal file exchange and remixing in educational musical practice.
0.18μm BCD technology platform with performance and cost optimized fully isolated LDMOS

We have developed a cost-optimized 0.18μm BCD technology platform, which provides fully isolated LDMOS devices with competitive specific on-resistance (Rsp) over a range of operating voltages (6V to 30V). In addition, latch-up-free ESD solutions are provided without additional process cost.
Screening and modular design for metabolic pathway optimization

Biological conversion of substrate sugars to a variety of products is an increasingly popular option for chemical transformation due to its high specificity and because of significant interest in the use of renewable feedstocks. However, pathway optimization through metabolic engineering is often needed to make such molecules economically at a relevant scale. Employing effective methods to search and narrow the immense pathway parameter space is essential to meet performance metrics such as high titer, yield and productivity with efficiency. This review focuses on two practices that increase the likelihood of finding a more advantageous pathway solution: implementing a screen to identify high producers and utilizing modular pathway design to streamline engineering efforts. While screens seek to couple product titer with a high-throughput measurement output, modular design aims to rationally construct pathways to allow parallel optimization of various units. Both of these methodologies have proven widely successful in metabolic engineering, with combinations of them resulting in synergistic enhancements to pathway optimization. This review will particularly highlight their utility for microbially derived acid and alcohol products, which are of interest as fuels and value added products.
Symposium: Arthur Danto, The Abuse of Beauty

I can think of no more potent image of rejected beauty than that of the notorious vivisected eye from Bunuel and Dali's Un Chien Andalou. The scene is crafted as meticulously and with as much care ...
Arab and Muslim America: Emergent Scholarship, New Visibility, Conspicuous Gap in Academe

Arab Detroit: From Margin to Mainstream. Nabeel Abraham and Andrew Shryock. eds. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2000. 629 pp. Family and Gender among American Muslims: Issues Facing Middle Eastern Immigrants and Their Descendants. Barbara C. Aswad and Barbara Bilge. eds. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 19961996. 327 pp. Arabs in America: Building. New Future. Michael W. Suleiman. ed. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1999. 355 pp. Without Forgetting the Imam. Linda S. Walbridge. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1997. 242 pp.
Graded vertical rectus tenotomy for small-angle cyclovertical strabismus in sagging eye syndrome

Background/aims Graded vertical rectus tenotomy (GVRT) is postulated as effective for small-angle vertical heterotropia. We aimed to determine the dosing recommendations for GVRT in sagging eye syndrome (SES). Methods This was a retrospective, observational study of surgical outcomes for GVRT from 2009 to 2014 in a single surgeon’s academic practice. There were 37 (20 women) patients of average age 68±10 (SD) years with comitant or incomitant hypertropia ≤10Δ caused by SES. The main outcome measure was the dose–effect of GVRT required to correct intraoperative hypertropia. Results Preoperative average central gaze hypertropia measured 4.7±2.2Δ. Three patients underwent repeat GVRT for residual or consecutive hypertropia, one undergoing it twice. All surgeries were analysed, increasing the total operations to 41. The inferior rectus tendon in the hypotropic eye was operated in 32 eyes, and the superior rectus tendon in the hypertropic eye in 9 eyes. Mean tenotomy was 68±19% of tendon width. Hypertropia was always eliminated intraoperatively by progressive GVRT. Mean hypertropia was 1.1±1.6Δ at average 93 days postoperatively. Linear regression demonstrated that 3–6Δ hypertropia correction requires 30%–90% graded tenotomy (R 2 =0.32, p Conclusion GVRT precisely corrects hypertropia of up to 10Δ, but because of variable effect, it should be performed with intraoperative monitoring under topical anaesthesia.
Illuminating a Course Transformation Journey

The need to internationalize higher education is an imperative accepted by most college faculty. The challenge is that most faculty are not prepared for that task, having been trained primarily in their academic disciplines and lacking a solid grounding in international or intercultural content and pedagogy.
Biomechanical Comparison of the FasT-Fix Meniscal Repair Suture System with Vertical Mattress Sutures and Meniscus Arrows

Background: A meniscal repair technique that combines the strength of vertical mattress sutures and the decreased tissue morbidity of an all-inside technique would be advantageous.Hypothesis: The FasT-Fix Meniscal Repair Suture System will provide load at failure, stiffness, and displacement equivalent to that of vertical mattress sutures and superior to that of Meniscus Arrows.Study Design: In vitro biomechanical study.Methods: After repair of a 2-cm vertical longitudinal medial meniscal lesion, three groups of six human cadaveric knees were biomechanically tested in a random order on a servohydraulic device, and three groups of five specimens underwent cyclic loading.Results: Specimens repaired with Meniscus Arrows had reduced load at failure, stiffness, and displacement, but there were no differences between the FasT-Fix and vertical mattress suture methods. During cyclic loading, specimens repaired with two Meniscus Arrows failed before test completion, whereas specimens repaired with two vertical mat...
Institutional Design and Bureaucrats’ Impact on Political Control

Why do governmental institutions look as they do, and who controls them? International relations scholars often point to states. However, two-thirds of today’s intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) were created not by states alone, but with participation by international bureaucrats working in preexisting IGOs. International bureaucrats’ design activities can be modest or proactive. Meanwhile, their interests differ from states’ interests: insulating their organizational family from state intervention facilitates international bureaucrats’ pursuit of material security, legitimacy, and policy advancement. The more proactive the design activities of international bureaucrats, I argue, the more insulated the resulting institution will be from mechanisms of state control (e.g., financial monopolization or veto power). Statistical analyses of an original dataset support the prediction and are robust to alternative specifications as well as approaches to control for endogeneity. The implications—concerning ins...
Dynamic Binding of PKA Regulatory Subunit RIα

Recent crystal structures have revealed that regulatory subunit RIalpha of PKA undergoes a dramatic conformational change upon complex formation with the catalytic subunit. Molecular dynamics studies were initiated to elucidate the contributions of intrinsic conformational flexibility and interactions with the catalytic subunit in formation and stabilization of the complex. Simulations of a single RIalpha nucleotide binding domain (NBD), missing cAMP, showed that its C helix spontaneously occupies two distinct conformations: either packed against the nucleotide binding domain as in its cAMP bound structure, or extended into an intermediate form resembling that of the holoenzyme structure. C helix extension was not seen in a simulation of either RIalpha NBD. In a model complex containing both NBDs and the catalytic subunit, well-conserved residues at the interface between the NBDs in the cAMP bound form were found to stabilize the complex through contacts with the catalytic subunit. The model structure is consistent with available experimental data.
Structural Characterization of Weakly Attached Cross-Bridges in the A·M·ATP State in Permeabilized Rabbit Psoas Muscle

It is well established that in a skeletal muscle under relaxing conditions, cross-bridges exist in a mixture of four weak binding states in equilibrium (A*M*ATP, A*M*ADP*P(i), M*ATP, and M*ADP*P(i)). It has been shown that these four weak binding states are in the pathway to force generation. In the past their structural, biochemical, and mechanical properties have been characterized as a group. However, it was shown that the myosin heads in the M*ATP state exhibited a disordered distribution along the thick filament, while in the M*ADP*P(i) state they were well ordered. It follows that the structures of the weakly attached states of A*M*ATP and A*M*ADP*P(i) could well be different. Individual structures of the two attached states could not be assigned because protocol for isolating the two states has not been available until recently. In the present study, muscle fibers are reacted with N-phenylmaleimide such that ATP hydrolysis is inhibited, i.e., the cross-bridge population under relaxing conditions is distributed only between the two states of M*ATP and A*M*ATP. Two-dimensional x-ray diffraction was applied to determine the structural characteristics of the attached A*M*ATP state. Because the detached state of M*ATP is disordered and does not contribute to layer line intensities, changes as a result of increasing attachment in the A*M*ATP state are attributable to that state alone. The equilibrium toward the attached state was achieved by lowering the ionic strength. The results show that upon attachment, both the myosin and the first actin associated layer lines increased intensities, while the sixth actin layer line was not significantly affected. However, the intensities remain weak despite substantial attachment. The results, together with modeling (see J. Gu, S. Xu and L. C. Yu, 2002, Biophys. J. 82:2123-2133), suggest that there is a wide range of orientation of the attached A*M*ATP cross-bridges while the myosin heads maintain some degree of helical distribution on the thick filament, suggesting a high degree of flexibility in the actomyosin complex. Furthermore, the lack of sensitivity of the sixth actin layer line suggests that the binding site on actin differs from the putative site for rigor binding. The significance of the flexibility in the A*M*ATP complex in the process of force generation is discussed.
Incorporating cultural factors in a decision making model for the planning of U.S. military operations

U.S. military decision making and operational planning often does not account for cultural factors. A review of past military operations shows that in many cases failure to account for a region's cultural factors resulted in failure to achieve success in strategic mission objectives. Further analysis showed a significant increase in success rates for operations that accounted for cultural factors. This work aims to improve U.S. military decision making and operational planning by automating the collection of cultural data into a Cultural Factor Identification Tool (CFIT). The cultural data in CFIT is focused primarily at the country level and is gathered through open-source methods. These methods include collecting articles related to different countries and incidents and then parsing them to find frequencies of keywords. This frequency counts provide the input data for three different predictive approaches for generating factor specific, culture metrics. When converted into these metrics, cultural factors can be integrated within more sophisticated predictive models. Whether used within a larger model or on its own, the CFIT has the potential to significantly improve the quality of military decision making.
After Hrs with HIV

To efficiently bud off from infected cells, HIV and other enveloped viruses hijack the host cellular machinery that is normally involved in vacuolar protein sorting and multivesicular body (MVB) biogenesis. The HIV Gag protein mimics hepatocyte growth factor–regulated tyrosine kinase substrate (Hrs), a modular adaptor protein that links membrane cargo recognition to its degradation after delivery to MVBs. In contrast to T cells, where HIV budding occurs at the plasma membrane, virus buds into vacuoles of macrophages, a process that may facilitate its spread within the infected host.
Selective peripheral denervation for the treatment of intractable spasmodic torticollis: experience with 168 patients at the Mayo Clinic

Object. Selective peripheral denervation is currently the primary surgical treatment for intractable cervical dystonia. The authors assessed preoperative factors to determine which, if any, correlated with outcomes in patients with torticollis who had undergone this procedure. Methods. The records of 168 consecutive patients who had undergone selective peripheral denervation for cervical dystonia between 1988 and 1996 at the Mayo Clinic were reviewed. There were 89 women (53%) and 79 men (47%) with a mean age of 53.4 years. Selection of muscles for denervation was based on the patient's clinical presentation and electromyography mapping results. The most common torticollis vectors were rotational in 141 patients (84%) and laterocollis in 59 (35%). Seventy patients (42%) presented with combined vectors. The technique used to remedy both conditions involved denervation of the ipsilateral posterior cervical paraspinal and splenius capitis muscles. Denervation of the sternocleidomastoid muscle was performed o...
Migrants in Neotropical bird communities: an assessment of the breeding currency hypothesis

Summary 1 Explanations for the integration of migratory and non-migratory (resident) birds in the Neotropics have been complicated by the paradox that arthropod abundances are low when bird abundances reach their annual peak. The breeding currency hypothesis offers an explanation for this paradox by postulating that resident birds are limited in the breeding season by the availability of large arthropods suitable for reproduction, whereas the carrying capacity of all birds in the non-breeding season is limited by the availability of arthropods suitable for self-maintenance of adults. 2 Field data from Jamaica supported this hypothesis. Among 19 sites, the ratio of migrant to resident bird abundance was correlated negatively with the ratio of large arthropod biomass in the breeding season to total arthropod biomass in the non-breeding season. 3 However, after controlling for effects of arthropod seasonality, migrant to resident bird abundance ratios were higher in human-disturbed than undisturbed sites. 4 Other factors may interact with the availability of food for nestlings to limit the populations of resident birds below carrying capacities set by non-breeding season arthropod abundance, thereby creating a set of resources available to non-breeding migrants.
Visible/near-infrared spectrogoniometric observations and modeling of dust-coated rocks

Abstract Interpretations of visible/near-infrared reflectance spectra of Mars are often complicated by the effects of dust coatings that obscure the underlying materials of interest. The ability to separate the spectral reflectance signatures of coatings and substrates requires an understanding of how their individual and combined reflectance properties vary with phase angle. Toward this end, laboratory multispectral observations of rocks coated with different amounts of Mars analog dust were acquired under variable illumination and viewing geometries using the Bloomsburg University Goniometer (BUG). These bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) data were fit with a two-layer radiative transfer model, which replicated BUG observations of dust-coated basaltic andesite substrates relatively well. Derived single scattering albedo and phase function parameters for the dust were useful in testing the model's ability to derive the spectrum of a “blind” substrate (unknown to the modeler) coated with dust. Subsequent tests were run using subsets of the BUG data restricted by goniometric or coating thickness coverage. Using the entire data set provided the best constraints on model parameters, although some reductions in goniometric coverage could be tolerated without substantial degradation. Predictably, the most thinly coated samples provided the best information on the substrate, whereas the thickest coatings best replicated the dust. Dust zenith optical thickness values ∼0.6–0.8 best constrain the substrate and coating simultaneously, particularly for large ranges of incidence or emission angles. The lack of sufficient angles can be offset by having a greater number and range of coatings thicknesses. Given few angles and thicknesses, few constraints can be placed concurrently on the spectral properties of the coating and substrate.
Characterization of a class of lossy n-port networks

Abstract The characterization of a class of lossy scattering matrices (of n-ports) by means of biorthonormal incident and reflected voltages is studied. It is shown that if any two scattering matrices behave in such a way that one of them is the inverse of the adjoint of the other and such that they preserve inner products in a Hilbert space, then we can find two sequences of vectors which are biorthonormal and are successive incident and reflected voltages to these scattering matrices.
Enzymatic Polymerizations Using Surfactant Microstructures and the Preparation of Polymer-Ferrite Composites

Horseradish peroxidase has been used as a biocatalyst to synthesize a polymeric material from alkyl-substituted phenols. The synthesis is carried out in a surfactant-based microemulsion environment, with the monomer partitioned at the oil/water interface. The spherical nature of the microemulsion nanodroplets may be acting as a template for the polymer synthesis. The resultant polymer particles are spherical and typically in the submicron size range. The characteristics of the morphology development are described. The templating effect of the surfactant environment becomes more evident when the polymer particles are fully dissolved in a suitable solvent and refolded in the presence of surfactant. Interestingly, submicron-sized spherical particles are obtained only in the presence of surfactant, and particles of arbitrary morphology are seen in the absence of surfactant. Aspects of morphology development leading to the preparation of polymeriron oxide composites are described.
Regulation of the stress-responsive X-organ--Y-organ axis by 5-hydroxytryptamine in the crab, Cancer antennarius.

Eyestalk-intact, but not de-eyestalked, crabs (Cancer antennarius) given five injections of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT, 750 μg per injection) in 48 hr showed significant reductions in hemolymph ecdysteroid titers within the first 12 hr which continued through Hour 72; the effect was reversible (Hours 72–144). The 5HT synthesis inhibitor p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA; 60 μg) or the 5HT receptor antagonist cyproheptadine (CPH; 100 μg) caused significant rises in serum ecdysteroids in intact, but not in de-eyestalked, crabs; with four injections over 48 hr, a rise was evident at 12 hr, continued through 72 hr, and returned to control levels within 4 days post-treatment. Stress due to handling depressed ecdysteroid levels, an effect that was reversed by PCPA and CPH; values in the treated groups returned to prestress levels within 24 hr and were significantly greater than prestress levels within 48 hr. 5HT treatment did not further decrease stress-reduced ecdysteroid titers. Normal behaviors are described in posturing and in defensive responses to stress; these were changed in both intact and de-eyestalked crabs by 5HT treatment (but not by PCPA or CPH). These findings support the hypothesis that release of molt-inhibiting hormone (MIH) from crab eyestalks is mediated by 5HT and suggest that stress induces 5HT-mediated MIH release.
THE AMBIGUITY OF INTERDISCIPLINARITY

. What kind of consciousness is best prepared to undertake effective interdisciplinary explorations in religion and science in our twenty-first century context? This paper draws on the thought of theologian David Tracy and psychologist and philosopher of religion James W. Jones to suggest that negation and ecstasy are mutually conditioning factors that go into the shaping of just such a consciousness. Healthy, constructive modes of relating to the disciplinary other imply the emergence of a transformed way of knowing and being wherein the scholar countenances the loss of controlling and autonomous ways of relating (negation), and precisely in that loss, enters into shared spaces of mutually illuminative and transformative understanding (ecstasy).
Lipid mediator production by post-implantation rat embryos in vitro.

Abstract The production of inflammatory lipid mediators by post-implantation rodent embryos was examined in this study. Explanted day 10 rat embryos, either intact or after homogenization, were cultured for 3 hr in vitro and the resulting culture medium and embryonic tissue were assessed for eicosanoids and platelet-activating factor (PAF). The rank order of cyclooxygenase arachidonate products produced by intact embryos was as follows: 6- keto-PGF 1α ⪢ PGE 2 ⋍ PGF 2α ⋍ TXB 2 . No lipoxygenase products of arachidonic acid metabolism were detected by either high performance liquid chromatography or radioimmunoassay. PAF production was detectable in embryonic cultures. Homogenization of rat embryos prior to in vitro culture enhanced eicosanoid and PAF production from 2.1–6.9 fold over intact embryos. These findings demonstrate the extent of lipid metabolism by early post-implantation rat embryos and support the concept that potent lipid mediators of inflammation generated by the conceptus may play a role in both the initiation and maintenance of pregnancy.
Alterations in Leishmania donovani 3'-nucleotidase/nuclease activity banding pattern in polyacrylamide gels.

Abstract 1. 1. In the absence of protease inhibitors, partial purification of the 3′-nucleotidase/nuclease (3′-N'ase) from detergent extracts of Leishmania donovani leads to the appearance of bands, at 42,000 and 38,000 Da, of enzyme activity which, in SDS-PAGE, migrate faster than 43,000 Da, the apparent weight of the intact polypeptide. 2. 2. The generation of these faster migrating species is a consequence of detergent extraction and is prevented by the addition of the protease inhibitors PMSF and leupeptin, suggesting that degradation by an endogenous protease is responsible. 3. 3. Treatment of leishmanial membranes with exogenous proteases yields activity at 38,000 Da which is membrane-associated. Protease treatment has no effect on living cells. 4. 4. The observed changes in enzyme migration are discussed in terms of enzyme stability and regulation. 5. 5. The advantages and limitations of the in situ gel activity assay are considered.
Juror Selection: A Comparison of Two Methods In Several Criminal Cases1

Ethical and constitutional issues have been raised by critics concerning the intervention of social science methods in the voir dire, pretrial, screening of prospective jurors. An experiment was conducted to compare the effectiveness of conventional jury selection methods utilized by attorneys (past experience, intuition, folklore) vs. systematic social science methods (systematic identification of predictive relationships among personality, demographic, and attitudinal variables). The comparison was made over four separate criminal cases. The data indicated that in cases in which the predictive relationships used by the systematic social science methods were relatively strong, this method is superior to the conventional method in predicting favorable jurors' responses. The more intuitive conventional niethod was superior when the critical predictive relationships were weak or absent. Overall, the systematic social science method was not superior to the conventional method. Issues of ecological validity and pretrial discovery rules were discussed.
Imagery and multiple-list paired-associate learning in young children

Abstract Preschool children learned 4 paired-associate lists, with the same stimuli in all lists, and then were tested for retention of all lists. Two variables were combined factorially: (a) stimulus and response shown in conjunetive relation (control) vs shown in mutual interaction (“compound imagery”), and (b) response item shown only during acquisition of the list in which it occurred vs shown in that list and all subsequent lists. Acquisition was facliitated by imagery whether or not the responses were repeated, and was inhibited by repetition of responses in both the imagery and control conditions (i.e., Imagery and Response Treatment had significant main effects and did not interact). Retention was not affected by imagery but was facilitated by response-repetition, presumably because of the extra learning possible with repetition of responses. The facilitation was limited to the primacy position; with single-list presentation of responses there was a recency effect. Thus, “built-up” images (the repeated-response Imagery condition) yield maximum performance when acquisition and retention are equally important. The use of such images might prevent interference.
From Formulas to Fortran to Results: The AUTOMATED PROGRAMMER System

Le systeme AUTOMATED PROGRAMMER est un systeme complet qui permet la saisie, l'interpretation, la compilation (l'utilisateur doit fournir le compilateur) et l'execution d'applications numeriques couramment utilisees en recherche et en ingenierie
Bioceramic coating of hydroxyapatite on titanium substrate with Nd-YAG laser

Abstract The ability to bond to bone tissue is a unique property of bioactive ceramics. Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is one of the potential bioceramics candidates due to its superior bio-compatibility. Significant effort has been devoted to coat HAp ceramics on metallic substrates. Most of these processes, such as ion-beam sputter coating, thermal spraying, and flame spraying, are high temperature line of sight processes, which suffer from undesirable phase formation and weak metal/HAP bonding strength. This paper presents a unique process to coat HAp powders on titanium substrates at low temperature and enhance the coating/substrate interface by laser surface engineering. Nd-YAG laser transmits HAp powders and the laser power is absorbed by titanium substrate to produce a thin layer of molten region. During coating process, HAp powders are kept at low temperature before they are entrapped in metallic layer. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to investigate the microstructure of coating; the chemical composition of the coating is determined by energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Mechanical properties of the interface between coating and Ti substrate were investigated by nanoindentation.
Predicted Qualitative Effects of Alternate Liquid Fuels on Heavy-Duty Compression-Ignition Engines

It is always desirable for a heavy-duty compression-ignition engine, such as a diesel engine, to possess a capability of using alternate liquid fuels without significant hardware modification to the engine baseline. Because fuel properties vary between various types of liquid fuels, it is important to understand the impact and effects of the fuel properties on engine operating and output parameters. This paper intends and attempts to achieve that understanding and to predict the qualitative effects by studying analytically and qualitatively how a heavy-duty compression-ignition engine would respond to the variation of fuel properties. The fuel properties considered in this paper mainly include the fuel density, compressibility, heating value, viscosity, cetane number, and distillation temperature range. The qualitative direct and end effects of the fuel properties on engine bulk fuel injection, in-cylinder combustion, and outputs are analyzed and predicted. Understanding these effects can be useful in analyzing and designing a compression-ignition engine for using alternate liquid fuels.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Synthesis of highly tritiated 7-deoxy-7 dihydroantheridiol and antheriodiol†

The synthesis of tritiated male-activating steroids of the aquatic fungus Achlya, 7-deoxy-7-dihydroantheridiol (7-DA) and antheridiol, has been achieved by aldol condensation of 3β-acetoxy-23,24-dinorchola-1,5-dien-22-al and the carbanion of 3-isopropyl-2-butenolide. The product with the desired stereochemistry (22S,23R) was isolated and reduced with 3H2 in the presence of tris(triphenylphosphine)rhodium chloride. Acid hydrolysis of the acetate gave 1,2[3H]-7DA which had a specific activity of 40 Ci/mmol. 1,2[3H]-7DA was converted to 1,2[3H]-antheridiol by protecting the hydroxyl groups as the disilyl ethers, oxidation to the 7-ketone with chromium trioxide-dimethylpyrazole and removal of the protecting groups by gentle acid treatment. 1,2[3H]-7DA has been used to detect a protein receptor in the cytosol of Achlya.
Fluid Milk Processing Cost Analysis

Abstract An economic engineering model of a milk processing facility was used to estimate processing costs for white milk in Maine. A microcomputer spreadsheet was used to determine per unit processing costs and to perform sensitivity analyses and comparisons of processing costs for 1989 and 1993. Sensitivity analysis addressed the effect on processing costs of a 50% increase in milk volume processed and on-site blow molding for plastic gallon (3.784 L) and half-gallon (1.892 L) containers. Overall, estimated costs for the processing facility have increased 10% between 1989 and 1993. Electricity and labor costs have increased, but the annual costs for equipment, land, and building have decreased. Analysis showed that the distribution of processing costs varied among container types. Increasing the plant capacity from 400,000 to 600,000 gal/d reduced processing costs for plastic gallons by 11% and for plastic half-gallons by 13%. The operation of the smaller plant without on-site blow molding increased processing costs by $.028 for gallon containers and by $.008 for half-gallons.
MONOCULAR NVSTAGMUS CAUSED BY UNILATERAL ANTERIOR VISUAL‐PATHWAY DISEASE

SUMMARY The authors examined five young children with monocular vision loss who developed monocular nystagmus. The nyscagmus was of fast frequency and small amplitude in ail fields of gaze. In four children, successful treatment of the cause of the vision loss resulted in cessation of the nystagmus. No child showed signs of spasmus nutans, or of optic nerve or chiasmal tumor. The evaluation of the young child with unilateral nystagmus should begin with a careful eye examination. RESUME Nystagmus monoculaire cause par une affection unilaterale des voies visuelles anterieures Les auteurs ont examine cinq jeunes enfants avec perte monoculaire de vision presentant un nystagmus monoculaire. Le nystagmus etait a frequence rapide et faible amplitude dans tous les champs du regard. Chez quatre enfants, un traitement efficace de la cause de perte de vision permit un arrět du nystagmus. Aucun enfant ne montra de spasmus nutans, de tumeur chiasmatique ou du nerf optique. L'appreciation d'un jeune enfant porteur d'un nystagmus unilateral devrait debuter par un examen soigneux de l'oeil. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Einseitiger Nystagmus durch unilaterale Erkrankung der vorderen Sehbahn Die Autoren untersuchten fuUnf junge Kinder mit einseitigem Sehverlust, die einen monokularen Nystagmus entwickelten. Es war ein schneller, feinschlagiger Nystagmus in allen Blickrichtungen. Bei vier Kindern bewirkte die erfolgreiche Therapie der Ursache des Sehverlustes, das der Nystagmus verschwand. Kein Kind hatte Zeichen fuUr einen Spasmus nutans oder fuUr einen Tumor im Bereich des Sehnerven oder Chiasmas. Die Untersuchung eines Kindes mit einseitigem Nystagmus sollte mit einer sorgfaltigen Augenuntersuchung beginnen. RESUMEN Nistagmus monocular causado por una enfermedad unilateral de la via Visual anterior Los autores examinan cinco ni'os con perdida de vision monocular, y que desarrollaron un nistagmus monocular. El nistagmus era de frequencia rapida y de pequefia amplitud en los campos de mirada. En cuatro ni'os, el tratamiento con exito de la causa de la perdida de la vision con llevo una cesacion ciel nistagmus. NinguAn ni'o mostro signos de espasmo nutans o de tumor de nervio optico o de quiasma. La evaluacion de un ni'o peque'o con nistagmus unilateral debe comenzarse con un examen oftalmologico cuidadoso.