cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pressure Effects of Rare Gases on the Absorption Line Ca4227. I. The Effects of Argon and Helium

The shift, broadening, and line shape of the absorption line Ca 4227 in the presence of Ar and He were observed under a wide range of pressures. The relative densities (rd) employed extended from 1 to about 245 (15 450 psi at 638 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C) for Ar and to 58 (2563 psi at 638 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C) for He. Both Ar and He produce a red shift, -0.019 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$/rd for He and -0.023 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$/rd for Ar. The dependence of the half-width on rd appears to adhere to linearity less than does the dependence of the shift on the rd. The broadening at low rd (10) is 0.64 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$/rd for He and 0.74 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$/rd for Ar. Some typical intensity profiles are given showing also the presence of a very extended blue wing due to He and a broad violet satellite due to Ar.
Factors influencing immature Dermacentor variabilis burdens on white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus)

The host-parasite relationship is an important and complex ecological interaction.Parasite load affects pathogen transfer and can influence host fitness. Mice werelive trapped in three night trapping sessions conducted on two permanent gridsevery other month from June 2006 to December 2008. Grids were established inan old field and an early successional forest each with 104 sampling points. Datawere analyzed with negative binomial regression. Gender and body size both hadsignificant effects on tick load (P =0.012 and P =0.029, respectively), with males andlarger hosts harboring more immature ticks. However, body size and gender werenot significantly related with one another (P = 0.234). The data were also found tofollow the 80/20 rule, in which less than 20% of the hosts harbor 80% of on-hostimmature D. variabilis.
Challenging Perceptions of Academic Research as Bias Free: Promoting a Social Justice Framework in Social Work Research Methods Courses

The required research courses in social work education are, perhaps, one of the more difficult content areas in which to infuse direct teaching and knowledge acquisition of multiculturalism. The study presented in this article examines the outcomes of systematically addressing social justice within a required master's level social work research methods course. The study tests the efficacy of a two-part teaching module that seeks to increase student abilities for critical consumption of academic research (n = 88) as it relates to the notion of bias neutrality. Results suggest that students decreased in their belief that academic research is necessarily bias free over the course of the class, and that students from marginalized groups showed a significantly larger decrease than did other students.
Teaching clinicians about drugs--50 years later, whose job is it?

In 1961, U.S. legislation transformed prescription drug approval and use. One question it raised was how and by whom information about drugs should be evaluated and communicated to physicians. Half a century later, the question is still hotly contested.
An analysis of the formation of ciliary primordia in the hypotrichous ciliate Urostyla weissei. II. Results from ultraviolet microbeam irradiation

Localized UV irradiation and protargol staining were used to study the development of cirral primordia during regeneration of the promers of Urostyla weissei. The aim was to analyze the role of preexisting structures in the formation of primordia. The preexisting frontal cirri were removed by UV irradiation and formation of a new ciliary streaks was observed. When one of the disaggregating old cirri was removed the rest dedifferentiated normally and in the precise place where the irradiated cirrus had been several new kinetosomes appeared. Thus, the formation of these kinetosomes does not depend on the presence of preexisting ciliature at this site. The results provide further support for the hypothesis of integrated cortical activation combined with localized competence of formation sites.
A 6.5/17.5-GHz dual-channel interferometer-based capacitive Sensor in 65-nm CMOS for high-speed flow cytometry

In this paper, a dual-channel interferometer-based capacitive sensor with high sensitivity is implemented in 65nm CMOS. Such architecture facilitates high throughput flow cytometry applications using intrinsic EM signatures of biological cells. To enhance SNR, injection-locked oscillator is utilized to perform phase amplification with regard to capacitance-induced frequency shift. Noise from on-chip QVCO is further reduced through I/Q interpolation. Measurements show that the sensor achieves better than 1.5 aF of sensitivity at 250-kHz equivalent noise-bandwidth. With the aid of 3D hydrodynamic focusing, flow cytometry is tested with polystyrene beads. The proposed dual-channel sensor consumes 30 mW under 1 V supply.
Evaluating the effectiveness of a new instructional approach

This paper describes the evaluation of an NSF-sponsored educational research project. The primary focus of this project was to develop and evaluate a course curriculum designed to improve retention and performance for "at risk" introductory computer science majors. The results of this research suggest that the newly developed course and curriculum materials did improve students' performance and retention in computer science and their attitudes towards computer science.
Digestibility and Intake of Hays from Upland Switchgrass Cultivars

ABSTRACTSwitchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L.) cultivars with improved forage quality would fi ll a forage gap during summer when hot dry weather reduces production of cool-season forages on marginal lands of the northeastern United States. ‘Cave-in-Rock’, ‘Trailblazer’, ‘Shawnee’, and ‘Path-fi nder’ switchgrass hays were harvested and baled from fi eld plots at Rock Springs, PA, on 29 June 2007, 16 June 2008 (Cut 1), and 8 Aug. 2008 (Cut 2) and fed to mature wether sheep. In 2008, Trailblazer was unavailable so Pathfi nder was substituted. Morphological development stage and leaf and stem proportions were determined at each harvest. In 2007, cultivars did not differ in digestion of dry matter (DM) or fi ber constituents and sheep consumed switchgrass hays simi-larly. In 2008, sheep consumed hay of switch-grass cultivars similarly but consumed more of Cut 1 than Cut 2 hay. Cut 1 hay also had greater neutral detergent fi ber (NDF) and hemicellulose digestibility than Cut 2 hay. Shawnee consis-tently had lower DM, fi ber, and crude protein digestibility (CPD) than Pathfi nder in both cuts. Switchgrass cultivars selected for improved DM disappearance in vitro did not have greater DM or fi ber digestion compared with Cave-in-Rock when fed to sheep. Differences among culti-vars in nutritive value and in vivo fi ber and DM digestion mostly were due to differences in plant maturity and leaf-to-stem ratio.M.A. Sanderson, USDA-ARS, Pasture Systems and Watershed Man-agement Research Unit, University Park, PA 16802; J.C. Burns, USDA-ARS and Dep. Crop Science and Dep. Animal Science, North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC. 27695. Received 2 Mar. 2010. *Correspond-ing author (matt.sanderson@ars.usda.gov).
Immediate eye rehabilitation at the time of facial nerve sacrifice.

Objective. In the setting of known facial nerve sacrifice or injury, patients require precautions to prevent exposure keratitis and the morbidity that follows. One recommended treatment is surgical placement of a gold weight with or without lateral tarsal strip. In patients in whom the facial nerve has been sacrificed, it is unknown whether rehabilitation should be simultaneous or in the perioperative period.Study Design and Setting. Case series with chart review of patients who underwent immediate rehabilitation of the eye (gold weight and lateral tarsal strip) following facial nerve resection.Subjects and Methods. From 1998 to 2009, 52 patients were studied. Postoperative ophthalmologic complications and the need for revision surgeries were measured.Results. A gold weight was placed in all patients, and 48 of 52 (92%) simultaneous lateral tarsal strips were performed. The facial nerve was sacrificed in 51 of 52 (88%) patients, and the remaining patient had a known preoperative facial nerve paralysis. Th...
Isolation of an intestinal promoter of Fe3+-transferrin formation

Abstract An enzymic capable of promoting the incorporation of iron into transferrin has been identified in rabbit intestinal mucosa. Differential centrifugation indicates that the enzyme is contained primarily in the 105,000 × g supernatant of mucosal homogenates. The intestinal enzyme is not at all inhibited by azide, has a pH optimum of 7.4, and a single Km for Fe2+ of 43 uM. These findings indicate that the intestinal activity is not due to contamination of the intestinal mucosal samples with the serum enzyme, ceruloplasmin, which also catalyzes the incorporation of iron into transferrin. The intestinal enzyme may be performing a similar function in iron absorption in the mucosal cell as ceruloplasmin does in mobilizing iron from liver stores.
Depth profile of chemical species in multiple doped trimethylsilane film on Si (1 0 0) surfaces by low energy Ar ions

Abstract A thin film on a Si (1 0 0) substrate fabricated by a series of processes of trimethylsilane (TMSiH) doping, electron irradiation, heating and cooling was used to investigate the composition and the chemical species of the film as functions of depth. A 3.1 keV Ar+ ion beam was applied to sputter away the sample surface. After each sputtering, the surface composition and its chemical bonding environment were analyzed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). A silicon carbide and oxide contaminating surface gradually changed to a pure silicon surface and correspondingly, the dominant C–C and Si–C bonds disappeared during sputtering. Because of the evolution of the chemical environment during sputtering, these experimental results allow us to assign chemical bonds to XPS peaks of the TMSiH covered Si (1 0 0) system even though the coverage is only few tenths of a Langmuir (L).
Price competition with elastic traffic

In this paper, we present a combined study of price competition and traffic control in a congested network. We study a model in which service providers own the routes in a network and set prices to maximize their profits, while users choose the amount of flow to send and the routing of the flow according to Wardrop's principle. When utility functions of users are concave and have concave first derivatives, we characterize a tight bound of 2-3 on efficiency in pure strategy equilibria of the price competition game. We obtain the same bound under the assumption that there is no fixed latency cost, i.e., the latency of a link at zero flow is equal to zero. These bounds are tight even when the numbers of routes and service providers are arbitrarily large. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2008
The Cofilin Signaling Pathway in Dendritic Spines

Synaptic efficacy is regulated by the morphological and electrophysiological characteristics of dendritic spines. Long-term potentiation (LTP) is an increase in efficacy driven by the recruitment of AMPA receptors (AMPARs) and an increase in spine volume, while long-term depression (LTD) is a decrease in efficacy driven by the loss of AMPARs and a decrease in spine volume. Recent experimental evidence suggests that transient changes in cofilin activity are responsible for the morphological changes observed during LTP and LTD. The cofilin signaling pathways through LIM kinase (LIMK) and Slingshot (SSH) are well-established in several cell types, but their roles in synaptic plasticity are less well understood. Experiments focused on the LIMK pathway have produced contradictory results, and the SSH pathway has received almost no attention. Here we present a Virtual Cell model of the cofilin signaling pathway in dendritic spines. The upstream events include calcium-induced activation of CaMKII and Rho GTPases, which act through LIMK and Slingshot to regulate cofilin activity. The model outputs include changes in AMPAR density and F-actin content in dendritic spines. The model is implemented in an idealized, 3D analytic geometry, which allows us to explore the roles geometric confinement and protein localization. Membrane localization of certain signaling complexes generates a steep gradient of cofilin activity, which produces a highly dynamic outer “shell” of F-actin and a more stable “core,” as seen experimentally. Transient changes in cofilin activity are required for both AMPAR regulation and for F-actin dependent morphological changes, although these two effects can be decoupled under certain perturbations. We find that crosstalk between the LIMK and SSH pathway produces unintuitive behavior which may account for the seemingly contradictory results in the LIMK experiments. (Supported by NIH grant P41 RR013186.)
The Longitudinal Effects of Work-Family Conflict and Positive Spillover on Depressive Symptoms Among Dual-Earner Couples.

This study assessed longitudinal and cross-sectional relationships between work-family conflict, positive spillover, and depression in a national sample of 234 dual-earner couples. The authors also assessed crossover effects (i.e., the transmission of emotions, affect, or stress from 1 member of a dyad to another) of work-family conflict and positive spillover on spouses' depression. Two general findings of the study were that (a) positive spillover has a stronger impact on depression than does work-family conflict, and (b) the effects of spouses' positive spillover were more strongly related to decreased depression than were the effects of one's own positive spillover. Significant longitudinal effects were related to the crossover of positive spillover on decreased spouse depression.
University of Wisconsin experience using the Doli S lithotriptor

Abstract Objectives To present our initial results using the Dornier Doli S lithotriptor with the 220 electromagnetic shock wave emitter to treat urinary calculi. At present, there is no published report of the efficacy of this instrument in service in the United States. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the outcome of shock wave lithotripsy in 270 consecutive patients with solitary renal and/or ureteral stones treated from September 1998 to October 2001 with the Dornier Doli S lithotriptor. Data were collected with respect to stone size, location, and fragmentation. Results Of the 270 patients treated, 204 had renal stones and 66 had ureteral stones. All patients had solitary stones. The renal stones averaged 9.7 mm in size (range 4 to 26). The ureteral stones averaged 7.8 mm (range 4 to 17). Of the renal stones, 51% were located in the renal pelvis, with 18%, 5%, and 25% located in the upper, middle, and lower poles, respectively. Of the ureteral stones, 68% were located in the proximal ureter, with 14% and 18% in the mid and distal ureter, respectively. In the renal group, 176 (86%) of 204 patients achieved clinical success. Of these patients, 148 were stone free (73%) and 28 had residual fragments less than 4 mm in size (14%). In the ureteral group, 52 (79%) of 66 patients achieved clinical success. Of these patients, 50 were stone free (76%) and 2 (3%) patients had fragments less than 4 mm in size. Thirteen (6%) of 204 patients in the renal group required retreatment. Four (6%) of 62 patients in the ureteral group required retreatment. Of the patients in whom treatment failed and who had stone analysis, 16 (76%) of 21 had stones composed of predominantly calcium oxalate monohydrate. Four patients developed steinstrasse. Two were treated with retrograde stent placement, and the other two with placement of percutaneous nephrostomy. One patient developed a known perinephric hematoma but did not require a blood transfusion. Conclusions Shock wave lithotripsy using the Doli S in appropriately selected patients is an effective instrument for treating urinary calculi throughout the urinary tract.
The Association Between Motor Skill Competence and Physical Fitness in Young Adults

We examined the relationship between competence in three fundamental motor skills (throwing, kicking, and jumping) and six measures of health-related physical fitness in young adults (ages 18–25). We assessed motor skill competence using product scores of maximum kicking and throwing speed and maximum jumping distance. A factor analysis indicated the 12-min run/walk, percent body fat, curl-ups, grip strength, and maximum leg press strength all loaded on one factor defining the construct of “overall fitness.” Multiple regression analyses indicated that the product scores for jumping (74%), kicking (58%), and throwing (59%) predicted 79% of the variance in overall fitness. Gender was not a significant predictor of fitness. Results suggest that developing motor skill competence may be fundamental in developing and maintaining adequate physical fitness into adulthood. These data represent the strongest to date on the relationship between motor skill competence and physical fitness.
"Locking-in" effects during a game of Chicken

Such terms as "brinkmanship," "the rationality of irrationality," and "the doctrine of the last clear chance" have been much in vogue among intellectuals (e.g., Schelling, 1960) who are concerned with formulating a rationale to guide strategic choices in a situation of international conflict. The basic notion underlying these different terms is that a bargainer will gain an advantage if he can commit himself irrevocably so that the last clear chance of avoiding mutual disaster rests with his opponent. A child who works himself up to the point that he will have a temper tantrum if his parents refuse to let him sit where he wants in the restaurant is using this bargaining tactic. So is the driver who cuts in front of you on a highway as he appears to be deaf to the insistent blasts of your horn. And so is a nation that says to another nation that its honor as a nation and the sacrifices of its soldiers will not permit withdrawal or defeat. It is evident that this type of bargaining maneuver can sometimes be very effective. Yet, we wondered, would one expect this type of bargaining tactic to be effective when both sides could resort to it? We also wondered whether it is a ploy that is as suitable for a continuing relationship as it might be for a single, unrepeated encounter. To investigate these questions, we employed a modified ver-
An endogenous electrophile that modulates the regulatory mechanism of protein turnover: Inhibitory effects of 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 on proteasome

Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), a major cyclooxygenase product in a variety of tissues and cells, readily undergoes dehydration to yield electrophilic PGs, such as 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-PGJ2 (15d-PGJ2). We have...
Exact Optimization-Based Analysis Method Applied to Nonlinear Processes in a Multi-Cavity Micro-Resonator

An optimization-based analysis method is used to calculate the electric fields within a nonlinear resonant cavity made up of multiple coupled dielectrics. Unlike previous approximate, ad hoc calculation methods, this method is exact and general.
Anti-VEGF Therapy for Diabetic Macular Edema

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a pivotal role in the development of diabetic macular edema (DME), the leading cause of vision loss among working-aged individuals. A decade of clinical trials demonstrated that drugs that bind soluble VEGF restore the integrity of the blood-retinal barrier, resolve macular edema, and improve vision in most patients with DME. Four drugs (pegaptanib, ranibizumab, bevacizumab, and aflibercept) effectively treat DME when administered by intravitreal injections. Only ranibizumab has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for DME, but bevacizumab is commonly used off-label, and an FDA application for aflibercept is pending. Effective treatment requires repeated injections, although recent data suggest that the treatment burden diminishes after 1 year. Intravitreal therapy is generally safe, although the incidence of systemic thromboembolic events varies among trials.
Processing parameters of chymosin extraction by ultrasound

Conventional chymosin (rcnnin) production requires a prolonged extraction. An ultrasound method of chymosin extraction was developed for increased efficiency. Ultrasound extraction was carried out with Tekmar sonic disruptor (TK 1000) and Lauda circulator. Control extraction was carried out by shaking. The use of ultrasound resulted in a significant reduction of extraction time with increases in activity and yield of chymosin. The optimal parameters for ultrasound extraction were: specific intensity, 36 W/cm2 at 20 kHz frequency; time of exposure, 80 min; temperature, 25°C; ratio of abomasa to extraction solution, 1:25; and activation time of prochymosin, 13.0-13.5 hr.
Iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis and human disease.

Iron–sulfur (Fe–S) clusters are essential for numerous biological processes, including mitochondrial respiratory chain activity and various other enzymatic and regulatory functions. Human Fe–S cluster assembly proteins are frequently encoded by single genes, and inherited defects in some of these genes cause disease. Recently, the spectrum of diseases attributable to abnormal Fe–S cluster biogenesis has extended beyond Friedreich ataxia to include a sideroblastic anemia with deficiency of glutaredoxin 5 and a myopathy associated with a deficiency of a Fe–S cluster assembly scaffold protein, ISCU. Mutations within other mammalian Fe–S cluster assembly genes could be causative for human diseases that manifest distinctive combinations of tissue-specific impairments. Thus, defects in the iron–sulfur cluster biogenesis pathway could underlie many human diseases.
Application of Spectroscopy in the Study of Glassy Solids, Part II. Infrared, Raman, EPR, and NMR Spectral Studies

Abstract The current review of spectroscopic studies in the glassy state concludes in this part with the consideration of wavelengths in the infrared region and below, Of all the spectral regions, the infrared is the most extensively studied, as can be readily seen from a statistical appraisal of interest, a s judged from the number of publications in the various spectral regions, given in Fig. 7 in the final section of this paper.
252Cf-particle desorption mass spectrometry in a depth profiling mode

Abstract This paper discusses a novel application of Particle Desorption Mass Spectrometry for surface characterization. The first results obtained by combining 252 Cf-PDMS with keV ion sputtering for depth profiling analysis are presented. The PDMS depth profile of a 4660 A layer of Al on Si was corroborated by XPS depth profiling and indicates an information depth for PDMS of 1 to 3 monolayers.
Ultra-Rapid Identification, Triage, and Enrollment of Stroke Patients into Clinical Trials

Effective therapy for acute ischemic stroke will require very rapid evaluation of patients so that treatment can begin soon enough to salvage injured but viable brain. Limited data suggest that neurons in the ischemic penumbra survive for a few hours, at the most. It is critical to know whether our medical system can overcome the many practical obstacles to ultra-rapid recognition,, transport, and treatment of stroke patients. We analyzed our patient recruitment into clinical treatment trials over time, attempting to identify strategies that improved recruitment. Specifically, we studied whether the imposition of an ultra-short time limit for treatment initiation, 3 h from stroke onset, impaired recruitment Prior to adopting the strict time limit, we enrolled about 0.4 patients per month per participating hospital. After adopting the limit, we enrolled about 0.7 patients per month per hospital. Our data indicate that patient recruitment may be maintained and even increased despite a demanding time limit for treatment. The data also suggest that a very short time window of survivability of the ischemic penumbra should not discourage efforts to develop new methods of salvaging brain, for we have shown that the medical delivery system in one county can be modified to allow ultra-rapid patient recognition, evaluation, and treatment.
AN EXAMINATION OF POPULATION‐GROWTH‐MANAGING COMMUNITIES

This paper examines the fiscal, social, economic and environmental characteristics of 228 cities and counties. Using cluster analysis, 210 communities were classified into eleven types of communities. The empirical typings appear to support the proposition that communities control population growth to avoid adverse fiscal and environmental impacts and maintain the social and economic character of the community.
A Bayesian Solution to the Multivariate Behrens—Fisher Problem

Abstract We consider the problem of finding the posterior probabilities of ellipsoids for the difference between two multivariate normal means. We do not require the two population covariance matrices to be equal, therefore, our results pertain to the multivariate Behrens—Fisher problem. A Hotelling T 2-like quantity is defined, and its cdf is expressed as a linear combination of the cdf's of some F distributions. This representation enables us to compute desired probabilities exactly using only one-dimensional numerical integrations. The calculation can easily be done with natural conjugate priors as well as with diffuse priors. Our main theoretical result, concerning convolutions of multivariate t distributions, is of some general interest. For the univariate case, we suggest a much simpler proof than that of Ruben (1960). We also give some bounds and approximations for the posterior probabilities of ellipsoids. The computation of these approximations requires much less computer time than the computatio...
Computational investigation of the hydration of alkyl diammonium cations in water clusters

Abstract The hydration behavior of α,ω-alkyl diammonium cations of varying alkyl chain length in water clusters has been investigated with molecular dynamics simulations. The OPLS force field was validated against high-level quantum-chemistry results and experimental data and subsequently used to describe the interatomic interactions in the simulations. The results were further validated with simulations performed with approximate density-functional theory (DFTB3). Surface solvation structures are found to be the most stable, accompanied by considerable ion conformational changes, especially in the case of longer dications. This work demonstrates that, depending on their structure, doubly charged cations may have a high affinity towards aqueous interfaces.
Differences in the reactivity of phospholipids with FDNB in normal RBC, sickle cells and RBC ghosts.

Abstract The reaction of FDNB with phospholipid amino groups in RBC, sickle cells, and RBC ghosts was performed in a completely aqueous isotonic medium containing NaHCO3, BSA, glucose and NaCl. During and after the reaction no hemolysis occurred. Within 120 min. the FDNB labeling of PE and PS reached a plateau. 32% of the PE in the normal RBC reacted with FDNB, compared to 21% in the sickle cell and 56% in the RBC ghost. 7% of the PS in the normal RBC reacted compared to 5% in the sickle cell and 15% in the RBC ghost. Thus, the availability of PE and PS amino groups may reflect structural differences in RBC membranes.
Windows Media Video 9: overview and applications

Abstract Microsoft ® Windows Media 9 Series is a set of technologies that enables rich digital media experiences across many types of networks and devices. These technologies are widely used in the industry for media delivery over the internet and other media, and are also applied to broadcast, high definition DVDs, and digital projection in theaters. At the core of these technologies is a state-of-the-art video codec called Windows Media Video 9 (WMV-9), which provides highly competitive video quality for reasonable computational complexity. WMV-9 is currently under standardization by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) and the spec is at the CD (Committee Draft) stage. This paper includes a brief introduction to Windows Media technologies and their applications, with a focus on the compression algorithms used in WMV-9. We present analysis, experimental results, and independent studies that demonstrate quality benefits of WMV-9 over a variety of codecs, including optimized implementations of MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and H.264/AVC. We also discuss the complexity advantages of WMV-9 over H.264/AVC.
Cortical speech sound differentiation in the neonatal intensive care unit predicts cognitive and language development in the first 2 years of life

Infants born preterm are at high risk for neurodevelopmental delays, and infants of the youngest gestational age are at the greatest risk.1 Both nervous system immaturity and adverse events in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may contribute to abnormal neurodevelopment in these children.2,3 Use of clinical and imaging tools for predicting outcomes of extremely preterm children can be challenging in sick infants, is often qualitative in nature, and can lack direct correlation with neural function. Although these tools may be useful to clinical practice and parental counseling,4,5 they are often limited in their prognostic and practical research value. To quantify neural processing in infants and children, researchers and clinicians have used event-related potential (ERP) measurements, a type of time- and stimulus-locked electroencephalography. ERP technology characterizes cortical signals in response to stimuli by time and amplitude, providing information on the strength and speed of electrical signals traveling through the brain.6 ERP measures have provided evidence of stimulus discrimination even in preterm infants.7 The use of auditory stimuli to study brain function is well established in the field of child development and is an attractive methodology for use in infants and other vulnerable populations because it is non-invasive and does not require active participation. Auditory signal processing in children depends on both the maturity of the primary auditory cortex and the age of the subject. We have previously shown that the ability of the preterm infant cortex to differentiate between speech sounds is affected by gestational age and post-natal age at testing.8 The current study builds on established findings in term-born infants and children, in whom ERP measures of information processing are a strong predictor of later cognitive outcomes.9,10 We hypothesized that cortical differentiation of sound in the NICU, as measured by differences in the amplitude of predefined ERP responses, predicts cognitive and communication functioning on standard behavioral tests during early childhood. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a prospective study quantifying ERP responses to speech sounds in infants before discharge from the NICU, followed by standardized neurodevelopmental assessments at 12 months and 24 months of chronological age.
Quantitative characterization of cell invasion in vitro: formulation and validation of a mathematical model of the collagen gel invasion assay.

Anin vitro assay proposed to systematically characterize and compare cell invasion under different conditions is the collagen gel invasion assay where cells, initially seeded onto the surface of a type I collagen gel, penetrate the surface and migrate within the gel over time. Using simplifying assumptions about cell transport across the gel surface and migration within the gel, we formulate and solve a mathematical model of this assay which predicts the resulting cell distribution based on three phenomenological parameters characterizing the ability of cells to penetrate the gel surface interface, migrate randomly within the gel, and return to the gel surface. An index of cell invasiveness is defined based on these parameters that reflects the overall ability of cells to transport across the gel surface interface, that is, invade the gel. Cell concentration profiles predicted by the model correspond well to measured profiles for murine melanoma cells invading gels supplemented with extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin and type IV collagen as well as unsupplemented gels, allowing these parameters to be estimated by a nonlinear regression fit of the model solution to the measured profiles. Our analysis suggests that type IV collagen and fibronectin primarily modulate cell transport across the gel surface interface rather than migration within the gel. Further, we validate the key model assumptions and obtain independent, direct estimates of model parameters by time-lapse video microscopy and digital image analysis of cell penetration of the gel surface and migration within the gel during the assay.
Total internal reflection fluorescence spectrometer to study dynamic adsorption phenomena at liquid/liquid interfaces

Adsorption at oil/water interfaces affects the performance of many industrial systems including oil recovery, extraction processes, cosmetic products, and food technology. However, no technique currently available can monitor adsorption dynamics using molecularly sensitive methods. We have constructed a novel total internal reflection fluorescence spectrometer (TIRFS) to follow dynamic adsorption events at the oil/water interface. The TIRFS monitors changes in fluorescence intensity and fluorescence spectra over time by maintaining an optical focus on the fluid interface during adsorption and desorption processes. Kinetic adsorption phenomena are examined by altering the composition of the aqueous phase and recording surface fluorescence response without mechanically disturbing the fluid/fluid interface. The spectrometer captures changes in the fluorescence intensity over tenths of seconds and maintains optical focus for periods of days. Mass transport of fluorescing surface-active material to and from th...
Spectral analysis of courtship songs in behavioral mutants of Drosophila melanogaster.

Spectral analyses were applied to the courtship songs of the mutantscacophony (cac), dissonance (diss), fruitless (fru), andperiod (per), as well as to the double mutantcac diss. Aberrant intervals between song pulses were observed indiss, cac, cac diss, andfru songs,diss males displayed a defect in song hums manifested by an irregular sine wave, although the fundamental frequencies were normal. Sine song frequencies and intrapulse frequencies were aberrant incac diss males. Two per mutant alleles (per o1 andper s) were associated with normal seng pulses and hums. These findings are discussed with regard to the mechanisms of song production and the role of these sounds inDrosophila reproduction.
Ortho-aminoacetophenone, a non-lethal repellent : the effect of volatile cues vs. direct contact on avoidance behavior by rodents and birds

Taxonomic differences in responsiveness to chemosensory irritants are prevalent among avian and mammalian species and represent a major obstacle to the development of general vertebrate repellents. We evaluated the effect of ortho-aminoacetophenone (OAP), a potent avian repellent, on ingestive behavior of two rodent species, Prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster), Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus Wagn.), and an avian species, European starling (Sturnus vulgarus L.) utilizing similar experimental conditions to facilitate inter-species comparisons. All three species avoided OAP-treated food. Apple consumption by voles was decreased from a baseline of theoretical zero% by OAP (0.01-10.0 ml liter -1 ), P < 0.00001, while mice avoided all but the lowest concentration of OAP (0.01-10 ml liter -1 ), P < 0.00001. A repellent should elicit avoidance behavior prior to the animal having physical contact with the commodity, ideally producing aversion via volatile cues rather than through direct contact. Therefore, we utilized two delivery methods for presentation of the test solutions to evaluate the repellency of OAP in the presence and absence of direct contact. Apple consumption by birds following exposure to OAP by either direct contact or volatile cues differed from a baseline of theoretical zero% consumption, P < 0.001. When birds had access to OAP through both direct and volatile exposures, reduction in apple consumption by European starlings was greater than observed following contact with the compounds volatile cues alone, P < 0.03. These findings argue against a major role for olfaction or naso-trigeminal chemoreception in avoidance of OAP-treated food. Instead, taste or oral trigeminal chemoreception appear to mediate responding.
Inhibition of initiation of translation in L1210 cells by 8-azaguanine.

Abstract The inhibition of protein synthesis by 8-azaguanine (azaG) in L1210 cells in culture was investigated. AzaG selectively inhibited protein synthesis at concentrations where viability was decreased significantly. AzaG altered the polyribosome sedimentation profile, increasing the numbers of monosomes and smaller polysemes and decreasing the number of larger polysomes. The reversal by cycloheximide of the alterations in the polysome profile suggested that azaG inhibited the initiation of translation. This was confirmed by the demonstration of inhibition of the formation of the 43S and 80S initiation complexes.
Power-Efficient Periodic Spectrum Sensing for Cognitive MAC in Dynamic Spectrum Access Networks

We consider the time-unslotted cognitive radio based dynamic spectrum access (DSA) networks, where the secondary users (SUs) are unsynchronized with the primary users (PUs). We analytically derive the tradeoff between the energy consumption for spectrum sensing and the spectrum opportunity for SUs in terms of available spectrum usage time. We also consider the impact of the sensing errors, including missed detection and false alarm, on the energy consumption. Taking into consideration the sensing energy consumption, spectrum opportunities, and sensing errors, we propose a power-efficient periodic spectrum sensing scheme, which can save the sensing energy consumption while guaranteeing the priority of the PUs and the spectrum opportunity for the SUs. Also conducted are simulations to validate and evaluate our proposed sensing scheme.
Dispersive regularization of the Whitham equation for the Toda lattice

In this paper the averaged (Whitham) equations for the slow modulations of multi-phase wavetrains for the Toda lattice are studied. Our main result is showing how the solution with step initial conditions may be regularized by choosing an appropriate Riemann surface on which the Whitham equation is defined.
Superquadric shaped nano-pillars for improved electromagnetic absorption in nano-structured solar cells

Increasing the absorption efficiency is one of the key tasks towards maximizing the overall solar cell efficiency which is a product of absorption efficiency, carrier generation efficiency, and carrier extraction efficiency. It has been shown that nano-pillar array photovoltaic (PV) solar cells exhibit increased electromagnetic absorption in comparison to conventional flat solar cells. Furthermore, shaped nano-pillars, such as nano-conic and nano-pyramid arrays have better broadband properties than nano-pillar arrays. This can be potentially attributed to better matching between free-space region and the nano-structured array region, reducing inherent reflection from the surface.
Developing a radiology data base for quality assurance

Radiology Information Systems (RIS) are designed to capture and manage the data associated with ordering, executing, reporting, and billing x-ray procedures. The HELP Hospital Information System contains a radiology subsystem that supports these functions. In an effort to enhance quality assurance initiatives, we have created a supplemental data base. This data base contains not only the data traditionally generated by RISs but also data from the hospital system that is relevant to quality assurance. One of the goals associated with this data base is to use techniques from the discipline of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) in the radiology department. A focus of our initial efforts has been the time necessary to provide x-ray reports to ordering physicians once the imaging examination has been performed. Efforts to manage the portion of this time interval caused by transcription have resulted in a substantial decrease in the time required for this function. A second goal of this project is to evaluate the quality of x-ray ordering. This objective requires a computerized record of the outcome of the x-ray procedure. Initial analysis of data derived from this data base indicates significant differences in the ordering behavior for computed tomography (CT) examinations among a test group of physicians. A third goal is to do quality assurance on x-ray reports. Experience with pilot systems has shown promising results using a mathematical model of report quality. We hope to leverage these techniques and this quality assurance data base to define a CQI process for medical reports in general and for x-ray reports in particular.
Semiconduct or lasers: Expanding into blue and green

Are blue and green vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers operating at room temperature just around the corner? New gallium-nitride-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers are helping to overcome the intrinsic problem of low conductivities of p layers.
Thermodynamic and structural features of aqueous Ce(III).

With a single f-electron, Ce(III) is the simplest test case for benchmarking the thermodynamic and structural properties of hydrated Ln(III) against varying density functionals and reaction field models, in addition to determining the importance of multiconfigurational character in their wave functions. Here, the electronic structure of Ce(H2O)x(H2O)y3+ (x = 8, 9; y = 0, 12−14) has been examined using DFT and CASSCF calculations. The latter confirmed that the wave function of octa- and nona-aqua Ce(III) is well-described by a single configuration. Benchmarking was performed for density functionals, reaction field cavity types, and solvation reactions against the experimental free energy of hydration, ΔGhyd(Ce3+). The UA0, UAKS, Pauling, and UFF polarized continuum model cavities displayed different performance, depending on whether one or two hydration shells were examined, and as a function of the size of the metal basis set. These results were essentially independent of the density functional employed. ...
Holding on in Berlin: March 1948 and SED Efforts to Control the Soviet Zone

March 18, 1948 dawned cold and rainy in Berlin. Although the city government had proclaimed the hundredth anniversary of the 1848 revolution an official holiday, Berliners awoke to a day that seemed ill-made for personal or political celebrations. One century earlier, some nine hundred persons had died on Berlin's barricades, dramatically challenging the Prussian ancien regime but falling short of their aspirations for a free and unified Germany. After one hundred years that had seen only a brief interlude of tumultuous democracy between the world wars, competing forces in postwar Berlin both claimed the democratic legacy of those barricade battles in a new contest for the city. But that legacy proved difficult to control. For the Soviet-supported Socialist Unity Party (SED), Berlin represented at once the core of the party's expanding power and the greatest threat to its realization. Like the 1848 revolutionaries, the SED leadership in Berlin found the lines between victory and defeat decidedly blurred.
Evolution of Resistance to High Temperature in Ectotherms

Body temperature influences the performance and fitness of ectotherms. How thermal sensitivity responds to selection for resistance to high temperature is broadly relevant in evolutionary physiology and also has practical implications. We review several complementary approaches to studying the evolution of thermal sensitivity. First, we analyze comparative data that illustrate the historical evolution of thermal sensitivity of locomotion in iguanid lizards. Taxa that experience high body temperatures in nature have evolved high optimal temperatures for sprinting. Critical thermal maxima are co-adapted with optimal temperatures but not with critical thermal minima. Thus some but not all aspects of thermal sensitivity are co-adapted. Second, we describe selection experiments that help reveal potential genetic constraints on the future evolution of thermal sensitivity in Drosophila. Thermal sensitivity responds rapidly both to laboratory natural selection and artificial selection, and tolerance of extreme hi...
Atmospheric Mercury Concentrations Above Mercury Contaminated Mill Tailings in the Carson River Drainage Basin, NV

During processing of the historic Comstock Ore, Virginia City, NV, an estimated 5.5 x 109 g of metallic mercury (Hg) were released into the Carson River Drainage Basin. The Bessels Mill site is one of at least 75 locations where Hg was used to amalgamate the gold and silver from the ore. Although the mill is no longer standing, Hg contaminated tailings attest to its past location. Mercury concentrations in samples of tailings from the Bessels Mill site are as high as 1570 µg/g. Mercury concentrations vary spatially over the site. Total Hg concentrations in air measured directly over the site are well above regional background levels (1 to 7.1 ng/m3). The highest average atmospheric Hg concentration measured at the site was 240 ng/m3 for October 1993. The estimated range of Hg flux to the atmosphere from the site was 37 to 500 ng/m2 hr. Atmospheric Hg concentrations varied seasonally, diurnally and spatially. Atmospheric Hg concentrations varied as a function of Hg concentration, soil and air temperature, wind speed and surface morphology.
The inhibition of miR-21 promotes apoptosis and chemosensitivity in ovarian cancer

Abstract Background MicroRNAs have been implicated in tumorigenesis, drug resistance, and prognosis in cancer. We investigated the role of microRNA-21 ( miR-21 ) in regulating ovarian cancer drug resistance. Methods We used parental and cisplatin resistant ovarian cell lines to demonstrate the role of miR-21 in drug resistance and investigated the gene targets of miR-21 . Fresh tumor specimens were used to validate our in vitro findings. Results Cisplatin resistant ovarian cells were four-fold more resistant compared to the parental cell line. MiR-21 was overexpressed in the resistant cell line on microRNA microarray, which was subsequently validated with qRT-PCR. Using anti-microRNA inhibitors, we demonstrated that miR-21 attenuation reversed the drug resistant phenotype in both the resistant and parental cell lines. The inhibition of miR-21 induced apoptosis based on annexin V-FITC immunostaining. Using Western blot analysis, miR-21 knockdown enhanced the expression of tumor suppressor PDCD4, and attenuated apoptosis inhibitor c-IAP2. Using 101 specimens from advanced ovarian cancer patients enrolled in The Cancer Genome Atlas, we found that women with tumors that overexpressed miR-21 were associated with a shorter progression-free survival. Conclusion Our data suggest that miR-21 regulates drug resistance via apoptosis and cellular survival pathways. Targeting miR-21 may have clinical utility in the treatment of resistant ovarian cancer.