cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimation of fermentation biomass concentration by measuring culture fluorescence.

The fluorescence of a fermentation culture was studied for its application as an estimator of biomass concentration. The measurement was obtained by irradiating the culture with ultraviolet light (366 nm) through a glass window and detecting fluorescent light at the window surface at 460 nm. It was estimated that over one-half of the fluorescent material was intercellular reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, with the remainder being reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate and other unidentified intercellular and extracellular fluorophores. The culture fluorescence was found to be a function of biomass concentration, together with environmental factors, which presumably act at the cellular metabolic level to modify intercellular reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide pools (e.g., dissolved oxygen tension, energy substrate concentration, and inhibitors). When these environmental conditions were controlled, a linear relationship was obtained between the log of the biomass concentration and the log of the fluorescence. Under these conditions, this relationship has considerable potential as a method to provide real-time biomass concentration estimates for process control and optimization since the fluorescence data is obtained on line. When environmental conditions are variable, the fluorescence data may be a sensitive index of overall culture activity because of its dependence on intercellular reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide reserves and metabolic rates. This index may provide information about the period of maximum specific productivity for a specific microbial product.
Variance estimation and ranking of Gaussian mixture distributions in target tracking applications

Variance estimation and ranking methods are developed for stochastic processes modeled by Gaussian mixture distributions. It is shown that the variance estimate from a Gaussian mixture distribution has the same properties as a variance estimate from a single Gaussian distribution based on a reduced number of samples. Hence, well known tools of variance estimation and ranking of single Gaussian distributions can be applied to Gaussian mixture distributions. As an application example, optimization of sensor processing order in the sequential multi-target multi-sensor joint probabilistic data association algorithm is presented.
Cromolyn sodium in the treatment of asthma: changing concepts☆

Ten years ago a multicenter controlled study sponsored by the Drug Committee of the American Academy of Allergy reported its results about the efficacy and safety of cromolyn sodium. ’ This clinical trial revealed significant improvement of asthmatic symptoms and reduced requirements for concurrent medications while patients were treated with cromolyn sodium. Adverse effects were minimal. Soon after the publication of these conclusions, the drug was approved for general medical use by the Food and Drug Administration. Release of the drug was greeted enthusiastically by the medical profession in the expectation that it would introduce a new rationale for long-term treatment of asthmatic patients. Unfortunately, this anticipation was premature, for in contrast to its use as a first-line preventive agent in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, there was confusion about the selection criteria of this drug in the United States. Cromolyn was often held in reserve, and when a treatment decision was made it was channeled to a
Recent advances for the production and recovery methods of lysozyme

Lysozyme is an antimicrobial peptide with a high enzymatic activity and positive charges. Therefore, it has applications in food and pharmaceutical industries as an antimicrobial agent. Lysozyme is ubiquitous in both animal and plant kingdoms. Currently, egg-white lysozyme is the most commercially available form of lysozyme. The main concerns of egg-white lysozyme are high recovery cost, low activity and most importantly the immunological problems to some people. Therefore, human lysozyme production has gained importance in recent years. Scientists have developed transgenic plants, animals and microorganisms that can produce human lysozyme. Out of these, microbial production has advantages for commercial productions, because high production levels are achievable in a relatively short time. It has been reported that fermentation parameters, such as pH, temperature, aeration, are key factors to increase the effectiveness of the human lysozyme production. Moreover, purification of the lysozyme from the fermentation broth needs to be optimized for the economical production. In conclusion, this review paper covers the mechanism of lysozyme, its sources, production methods and recovery of lysozyme.
Genetic Disorders Involving Recycling and Formation of Tetrahydrobiopterin

Publisher Summary The fact that the active factor in the enzymatic conversion of phenylalanine to tyrosine in the liver is tetrahydrobiopterin (BH 4 ) opened up a new field of enzymology: the pterin-dependent oxygenases. Although these enzyme studies made it highly likely that BH 4 is essential for catecholamine and serotonin synthesis in vivo , it was not until the description of variant forms of phenylketonuria (PKU) that are caused by blocks in the de novo synthesis or recycling of BH 4 that this link was conclusively established. During the past 20 years, variant forms of PKU or HPA have been described because of genetic blocks in either the recycling or the de novo synthesis of BH 4 . The first of these variants was traced to a deficiency of DHPR, a defect that leads to a failure in BH, recycling, with consequent decreases in the activity of the three hydroxylases. Except for dehydratase deficiency, all of the variants are characterized by developmental delay and progressive neurological deterioration with symptoms of parkinsonism, including hypokinesis, drooling, swallowing difficulty, truncal hypotonia, and increased limb tone accompanied by myoclonus or dystonic limb movements and very brisk tendon jerks. If untreated, these are lethal diseases, in part because of the severe deficits in central neurotransmitters. The response to treatment is variable. It seems likely that to be fully effective, treatment of BH, synthesis defects may have to be initiated prenatally.
An automated biological monitoring facility for rapidly and continuously assessing industrial effluents

A continuous and automatic biological monitoring facility has been developed to measure the toxicity of industrial effluents to aquatic organisms. The ventilatory rates of bluegill sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus, are monitored with the aid of a minicomputer. The biomonitoring and auxiliary components have been housed within a 9.75 by 3:66-m (32 by 12-ft) trailer to facilitate on-site monitoring. Other incorporations include a continuous-flow acute bioassay unit, probes for monitoring conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and temperature, and an automatic water sampler. Initial testing employing the petroleum industry's arbitrary reference mixture, two synthetic chlorinated effluents, and an effluent from a U.S. Army ammunition plant has demonstrated the potential of the present system for monitoring industrial wastewaters.
Synthesis of 4‐Triisopropylsilyl‐3‐Butyn‐2‐ol by Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation

(rac)-4-Triisopropylsilyl-3-butyn-2-ol Triisopropylsilyl acetylene Tert-BuLi Acetaldehyde 4-Triisopropylsilyl-3-butyne-2-one Manganese dioxide Ruthenium, [N-(1S,2S)-2-(amino-kappa-N)-1,2-diphenylethyl]-4-methyl-benzenesulfonamidato-kappa-N]chloro[(1,2,3,4,5,6-eta)-1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)benzene] (1S,2S)-(+)-N-p-toluenesulfonyl-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine Dichloro(p-cymene)ruthenium(II) dimer (S)-4-Triisopropylsilyl-3-butyn-2-ol Keywords: palladium catalyst; 4-triisopropylsilyl-3-butyn-2-ol; asymmetric transfer hydrogenation; addition reactions; allenylzinc reagents; propargylic mesylates; aldehydes; homopropargylic alcohol; intermediates; natural products; waste disposal
Some effects of macroscopic flaws on dynamic fracture patterns near a pressure-driven fracture

Abstract A numerical model that solves the equations of motion for a two-dimensional elastic continuum was developed to analyze dynamic fracture-branching and flaw-interaction processes. An experimental program was conducted to provide data for comparison and verification. In the experiments, primary fractures were explosively driven into four concrete slabs, three of which contained cast-in flaws variously oriented with respect to the driven fractures. Some dynamic strain data were recorded in the vicinity of the driven fracture and flaws. The fracture patterns calculated for the concrete slabs with the numerical model compare with the experimental results for slabs containing similar flaw configurations. A modified principal-stress criterion was applied in the code to signal fracturing locally. By matching the theoretically predicted fracture pattern to the observed fracture pattern, a Poisson's ratio for the concrete was predicted and found to agree with handbook values. Asymmetric flaws in the region of the driven fracture resulted in an asymmetric fracture pattern. In particular, fractures tended to propagate toward and emerge from the flaw tips. Local fracture branching occured ahead of the moving tip with the branching processes completed when the tip propagated into the branch.
The seed reserve of Halophila decipiens Ostenfeld (Hydrocharitaceae) in Panama

Abstract Dormant seeds of Halophila decipiens Ostenfeld were present in sediment on the Caribbean coast of Panama. In the upper 3 cm of sediment, 13 500 seeds m−2 were detected. After removal from the sediment, seeds began to germinate in 2–3 days and had 86% germination after 9 days under lighted laboratory conditions. Seeds removed from fruits still attached to rhizomes remained ungerminated in the dark at 24°C, but showed 64% germination after 9 days in light. The natural release of seeds into the sediment from buried fruits, containing a mean of 36.8 seeds, probably contributes to the seed reserve. Upon disturbance of the sediments, germination from the buried reserve allows colonization of newly-exposed sites and maintenance of the local population of H. decipiens.
Deuterium atomic mass from Fourier-transform-ion-cyclotron-resonance measurement of the mass difference between 1H2O+ and 2HO+

The mass difference, ${\mathit{m}}^{1}$${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$-${\mathit{m}}^{2}$${\mathrm{HO}}^{+}$=0.001 548 296(12), corresponding to a mass-ratio precision of 6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}10}$, has been determined by Fourier-transform ion-cyclotron-resonance (FT ICR) mass spectrometry. Three related results are calculated from that mass difference: 2${\mathit{m}}^{1}$H-${\mathit{m}}^{2}$H=0.001 548 302(12) u; mass of the deuterium atom, 2.014 101 764(13) u; and deuteron binding energy, ${\mathit{S}}_{\mathit{n}}$${(}^{2}$H)=2 388 183(14) nu [=2 224 579(13) eV, in which 1 u=931.494 32(28) MeV]. In all three cases, the FT ICR mass-spectrometry-derived value improves significantly the precision of prior measured or recommended values.
A possible model for ultracold neutron “anomalies”

Abstract A possible relation between the old problem of purely exponential decay (or not) and “anomalies” observed in the behaviour of ultracold neutrons is established. This proposal calls for the introduction of a logarithmic non-linearity in the Schrodinger equation, as in the theory of Bialynicki-Birula and Mycielski, but the interpretion is different.
COMPLETE CDNA CLONING, GENOMIC ORGANIZATION, CHROMOSOMAL ASSIGNMENT, FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PROMOTER, AND EXPRESSION OF THE MURINE BAMACAN GENE

Abstract Bamacan is a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan that abounds in basement membranes. To gain insights into the bamacan gene regulation and transcriptional control, we examined the genomic organization and identified the promoter region of the mouse bamacan gene. Secondary structure analysis of the protein reveals a sequential organization of three globular regions interconnected by two α-helix coiled-coils. The N- and the C-terminal ends carry a P-loop and a DA box motif that can act cooperatively to bind ATP. These features as well as the high sequence homology with members of the SMC (structural maintenance ofchromosome) protein family led us to conclude that bamacan is a member of this protein family. The gene comprises 31 exons and is driven by a promoter that is highly enriched in GC sequences and lacks TATA and CAAT boxes. The promoter is highly functional in transient cell transfection assays, and step-wise 5′ deletions identify a strong enhancer element between −659 and −481 base pairs that includesJun/Fos proto-oncogene-binding elements. Using backcrossing experiments we mapped the Bam gene to distal chromosome 19, a locus syntenic to human chromosome 10q25. Bamacan is differentially expressed in mouse tissues with the highest levels in testes and brain. Notably, bamacan mRNA levels are low in normal cells and markedly reduced during quiescence but are highly increased when cells resume growth upon serum stimulation. In contrast, in all transformed cells tested, bamacan is constitutively overexpressed, and its levels do not change with cell cycle progression. These results suggest that bamacan is involved in the control of cell growth and transformation.
Monoamine-containing neurons in planaria

The Falck and Hillarp fluorescence method was used in a study of the identification and distribution of monoamine-containing neurons in three species of planarians, with principal attention given to Phagocata oregonensis. Nerve cells containing 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) and others containing a primary catecholamine (CA) were found in the cerebral ganglia and ventral nerve cords; also in the peripheral plexus and pharynx. The fluorescing components of the peripheral plexus are mostly CA-containing in dorsal regions and 5 HT-containing in ventral regions. Some 5HT cells have processes that penetrate the ventral epidermis. These may be sensory or they may have a cilio-regulatory role. A typical nerve net of multipolar CA cells was found in the pharynx; also a deeper layer of 5HT cells. The occurrence of other types of neurons (cholinergic and neurosecretory) in planarians is discussed. The early evolution of various common chemical types of nerve cells is indicated.
Cooling rates of group IVA iron meteorites determined from a ternary Fe-Ni-P model

Abstract Cooling rates have been determined for twelve group IVA iron meteorites using a ternary (Fe-Ni-P) model that simulates the growth of the Widmanstatten pattern. The new ternary model is governed by a set of differential diffusion equations that are coupled through the phase growth velocity and elemental concentration profiles. Measured ternary diffusivities and phase diagram solubilities were extrapolated below 500°C for use in the model. The model is more sophisticated than previous ones in that P as well as Ni gradients are calculated, ternary α-γ tie lines are allowed to vary, and ternary diffusivities are used. Output from the simulation is used to create a family of cooling rate curves on plots of central taenite Ni vs. log taenite half-width for each meteorite. A comparison of measured data to the cooling rate curves yields unique meteorite cooling rates. The measured cooling rates for the twelve IVA irons vary inversely with Ni content by over an order of magnitude (4–200°C/Myr). It is proposed that the group IVA irons were accommodated at various depths in an asteroidal-sized body.
A graphical simulation tool with off-line robot programming:

HELGA, a graphical simulation program of the IBM 7535 robot, uses animation to simulate the motion of the robot. A feature of HELGA is its off-line programming capability which has been designed sp...
Limits of passive remote detection of hazardous vapors by computer simulation

Limits of Passive Remote Detection of Hazardous Vaporsby Computer SimulationDennis F. FlaniganU.S. Army Edgewood Research Development & Engineering CenterChemical & Biological Defense CommandAberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21010-5423voice: (410)671—2760, fax: (410)671—2742dfflanig@cbdcom.apgea.army.milABSTRACTPassive infrared is an emerging method for the remote detection of hazardousvapors particularly where warning is the primary consideration. Detection of gases,vapors and aerosols is based on the difference, T, between the temperature of thetarget cloud and the effective radiometric temperature of the background. Computersimulation of spectra has been used to predict the detection limits for severaltarget gases with a low angle sky background. The simulation is based on a 3 layermodel that uses MODTRAN, which includes 6 standard atmospheric models, to computebackground radiance and atmospheric transmittance. The detection limits, at 2 cmresolution, for sulfur hexafluoride (simulant), Sarin, trichloethylene, methylisocyanate (the Bhopal gas), mustard gas, methyl chloride, and sulfur dioxide arediscussed for selected cases with the U.S. Standard, the Subarctic Winter and theTropical models. In this paper the method is illustrated with methyl isocyanate.Key words: remote detection, stand-off detection, hazardous vapors. infrared,Fourier transform infrared
A plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase isoform at the postsynaptic density

Most excitatory input in the hippocampus impinges on dendritic spines. Entry of Ca 2+ into spines through NMDA receptors can trigger a sequence of biochemical reactions leading to sustained changes in synaptic efficacy. To provide specificity, dendritic spines restrict the diffusion of Ca 2+ signaling and downstream molecules. The postsynaptic density (PSD) (the most prominent subdomain within the spine) is the site of Ca 2+ entry through NMDA receptors. We here demonstrate that Ca 2+ can also be removed via pumps embedded in the PSD. Using light- and electron-microscopic immunohistochemistry, we find that PMCA2w, a member of the plasma membrane Ca 2+ -ATPase (PMCA) family, concentrates at the PSD of most hippocampal spines. We propose that PMCA2w may be recruited into supramolecular complexes at the postsynaptic density, thus helping to regulate Ca 2+ nanodomains at subsynaptic sites. Taken together, these results suggest a novel function for PMCAs as modulators of Ca 2+ signaling at the synapse.
Neuroblast cell death in ovo and in culture: interaction of ethanol and neurotrophic factors.

We used two experimental paradigms to examine the influence of the neurotrophins, NGF, EGF, and bFGF on normal neuroblast survival and also after ethanol insult. In the first paradigm, chick embryos received in ovo at embryonic day 1 and 2 (E1 and E2) saline (control) ethanol (10mg/50 μl/day), NGF (50 ng/50 μl/day), or EGF (25 ng/50 μl/day), or ethanol+NGF or EGF. At E3, cultures were prepared from whole embryos separately from each group. At C2, all cultures were labeled with [3H]thymidine and assessed for effects or neuronal survival. In the second paradigm, cultures were prepared from 3-day-old whole embryos and at CO, cultures were treated with either ethanol (50 mM) alone, NGF (50 ng/ml) alone, EGF (25 ng/ml) alone, bFGF (50 ng/ml) alone, or were treated concomitantly with ethanol plus one of the neurotrophins; control had only the culture medium, DMEM+5% FBS. We obtained the following findings. 1) Cultures derived from embryos treated with either of the three neurotrophins exhibited a higher neuronal survival as compared to controls (1st paradigm). 2) The survival-promoting effect was also observed when the neurotrophins were added directly to the cultures (2nd paradigm). 3) As reported previously, cultures derived from ethanol-treated embryos exhibited a marked decline in neuronal survival as compared to controls. 4) All three neurotrophins attenuated the decline in neuronal survival produced by ethanol. The ‘rescuing’ effects of the neurotrophins support our early hypothesis that ethanol administration during early neurogenesis interferes with microenvironmental trophic signals essential for neuroblast survival and differentiation.
One-way electromagnetic waveguide

One-way electromagnetic waveguide modes are theoretically demonstrated. A one-way waveguide provides a fundamental way to eliminate the effects of disorders. It also modifies the fundamentals of waveguide- cavity interaction.
K-MESON NUCLEON INTERACTION

The most promising method of analysis for determining the coupling constants and relative parities of particles exploits the analyticity properties of various reaction amplitudes. The recently measured angular distribution of the K/sup +/- proton scattering cross section at various intermediate energies and the K/sup -/ -proton parameters make it possible to make a study of Knucleon - hyperon coupling terms. The K/sup -/proton force is attractive, but the accuracy is not sufficient to lead to a definite conclusion about K-meson parity. (A.C.)
Generating summaries from event data

Summarization entails analysis of source material, selection of key information, condensation of this, and generation of a compact summary form. While there have been many investigations into the automatic summarization of text, relatively little attention has been given to the summarization of information from structured information sources such as data or knowledge bases, despite this being a desirable capability for a number of application areas including report generation from databases (e.g. weather, financial, medical) and simulations (e.g. military, manufacturing, economic). After a brief introduction indicating the main elements of summarization and referring to some illustrative approaches to it, this article considers specific issues in the generation of text summaries of event data. It describes a system, SumGen, which selects key information from an event database by reasoning about event frequencies, frequencies of relations between events, and domain specific importance measures. The article describes how SumGen then aggregates similar information and plans a summary presentation tailored to a stereotypical user. Finally, the article evaluates SumGen performance, and also that of a much more limited second summariser, by assessesing information extraction by 22 human subjects from both source and summary texts. This evaluation shows that the use of SumGen reduces average sentence length by approx. 15%, document length by 70%, and time to perform information extraction by 58%.
GerbilSphere: Inner sphere network visualization

Advanced techniques are needed to understand the underlying topologies of large complex networks. This paper introduces a novel way to address the issue of visualizing large-scale network topologies. We propose an inner sphere visualization method that projects the network topology on the inside of a sphere. User navigation around the network is accomplished through moving the sphere around the user's point of view. Previous research has shown that the spatial cognition ability in humans greatly affects the usefulness of a user interface. In this direction, we performed two empirical experiments to test the usefulness of viewing topologies on a sphere compared to a flat surface. The user study indicates that network navigation on a sphere is faster but can also be confusing. Thus, we add guidance tips to create a more intuitive user interface and to improve navigability. Our inner sphere visualization method is implemented as a tool for dynamic interactive network visualization called GerbilSphere (available at http://cse.unr.edu/~mgunes/gerbilSphere).
Studies on the ultrastructure of nucleoli in human smooth muscle cells.

Abstract Nucleoli were studied in smooth muscle cells in the stroma of nontumorous portions of prostate glands from patients with prostatic cancer without previous antitumor therapy to provide more information on the presence and ultrastructure of ring-shaped nucleoli in human cells, The results have shown that smooth muscle cells contain nucleoli with varying amounts of nucleolonemas as well as ring-shaped nucleoli which were not previously reported in these cells. Large nucleoli with or without well defined nucleolonemas were usually observed in less mature forms of smooth muscle cells which were rich in ribosomes. In contrast, ring-shaped nucleoli were mostly present in highly differentiated and mature smooth muscle cells characterized by a large number of myofilaments and a low concentration of ribosomes in their cytoplasm. The ultrastructural morphology of ring-shaped nucleoli in these cells did not differ from that in mature lymphocytes, differentiated lymphosarcoma cells, plasmacytes, monocytes, myeloblasts and promyelocytes. In addition, ring-shaped nucleoli were also noted in some endothelial cells of small capillaries and fibrocytes. The finding of ring-shaped nucleoli in these different cell types apparently indicates that the presence and formation of such nucleoli represents a general phenomenon that reflects a reduced but continuing synthesis of ribosome precursors in the nucleolus.
Transformation and Struggle: Cuba Faces the 1990s

Introduction The Political: State, Society, and the Citizen The Cuban Rectification: Safeguarding the Revoluton While Building the Future by Max Azicri Socialism and Democracy: Some Thoughts after 30 Years of Revolution in Cuba by Marifefi Perez-Stable The Matter of Democracy in Cuba: Snapshots of Three Moments by Carollee Bengelsdorf The Changing Role of Law in Revolutionary Cuba by Debra Evenson Human Rights in Cuba: Politics and Ideology by Tony Platt and Ed McCaughan The Economy: Productivity, Development, and Equity The Cuban Economy: A Current Assessment by Jose Luis Rodriguez Agricultural Policy with Social Justice and Development by Eugenio R. Balari Agricultural Production Cooperatives and Cuban Socialism: New Approaches to Agricultural Development by Mieke Meurs Cuba's Economic Diversification: Progress and Shotcomings by Andrew Zimbalist Some Reflections on the Cuban Economic Model by Claes Brundenius The Supply of Consumer Goods in Cuba by Eugenio R. Balari The Social: Systems of Relationship, Status, and Social Services The Cuban Family in the 1980s by Lois M. Smith and Alfred Padula Cuba's New Professionals by Frank T. Fitzgerald The Changing Class Structure in the Development of Socialism in Cuba by Mayra Espina Prieto and Lilia Nunez Moreno The Catholic Faith and Revolution in Cuba: Contradictions and Understanding by Aurelio Alons Tejada Cuban Housing Policy by Jill Hamberg Whither Cuban Medicine? Challenges for the Next Generation by Sarah M. Santana Selected Bibliography Index
Thinking past, thinking future: : An empirical test of the effects of retrospective assessment on future preferences

In recent work, we asserted that the largest group of stakeholders for sustainability science is future generations; yet intergenerational tradeoffs are often understudied. We proposed retrospective assessment as one potential means of clarifying what future preferences might be. Using a split-sample design we test the potential for retrospective assessment to influence citizens' preferences for future policy decision. We test the potential for retrospective assessment to yield increased or decreased support for policy. Our findings reveal context dependent public policy preferences where the presence of retrospective assessment significantly impacts citizens' preferences and outcomes appear strongly influenced by the attributes of the historical (or retrospective) scenario provided.
Liapunov-Floquet Transformation: Computation and Applications to Periodic Systems

In this paper, a new analysis technique in the study of dynamical systems with periodically varying parameters is presented. The method is based on the fact that all linear periodic systems can be replaced by similar linear time-invariant systems through a suitable periodic transformation known as the Liapunov-Floquet (L-F) transformation. A general technique for the computation of the L-F transformation matrices is suggested. In this procedure, the state vector and the periodic matrix of the linear system equations are expanded in terms of the shifted Chebyshev polynomials over the principal period. Such an expansion reduces the original differential problem to a set of linear algebraic equations from which the state transition matrix (STM) can be constructed over the period in closed form. Application of Floquet theory and eigenanalysis to the resulting STM yields the L-F transformation matrix in a form suitable for algebraic manipulations. The utility of the L-F transformation in obtaining solutions of both linear and nonlinear dynamical systems with periodic coefficients is demonstrated. It is shown that the application of L-F transformation to free and harmonically forced linear periodic systems directly provides the conditions for internal and combination resonances and external resonances, respectively. The application of L-F transformation to quasilinear periodic systems provides a dynamically similar quasilinear systems whose linear parts are time-invariant and the solutions of such systems can be obtained through an application of the time-dependent normal form theory. These solutions can be transformed back to the original coordinates using the inverse L-F transformation. Two dynamical systems, namely, a commutative system and a Mathieu type equation are considered to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. It is shown that the present technique is virtually free from the small parameter restriction unlike averaging and perturbation procedures and can be used even for those systems for which the generating solutions do not exist in the classical sense. The results obtained from the proposed technique are compared with those obtained via the perturbation method and numerical solutions computed using a Runge-Kutta type algorithm.
Photoresponsive control of ion-exchange in leucohydroxide containing hydrogel membranes

Abstract Polyacrylamide hydrogels containing bis-[4-{dimethylamino}phenyl] {4-vinyl-phenyl} methyl leucohydroxide (TPMLH) have been studied as ion selective membranes. An understanding of the factors influencing the ionic diffusion rates based on photochromism is presented. The observed increase in methyl orange (anionic) flux after UV irradiation was mainly due to the photoinduced generation of fixed cationic charges in the membrane as opposed to a combined effect of fixed charge generation and membrane structural changes. Methyl orange fluxes in a fully activated membrane (in pH 4) were close to an order of magnitude higher than UV activated membranes. The flux of 4-dimethylamino pyridine (a neutral species) in both systems was essentially unchanged by irradiation. Modeling of the predicted fluxes based on the Nernst–Planck and Donnan equilibrium equations using no adjustable parameters gave good correlation with the observed results.
On the kinetic equation for resonant three-wave coupling

Exact solution to kinetic equation for resonant three wave coupling in weakly turbulent plasmas, assuming only single triplet of modes interaction
Pseudoaneurysm of pulmonary artery in mucormycosis. Radiographic characteristics and management.

Pulmonary mucormycosis is a rare and almost invariably fatal complication that can occur in the context of severe deficits in host defenses. Antemortem diagnosis is difficult and requires a high index of suspicion together with invasive diagnostic techniques. Mucor species exhibit a pronounced affinity to invade vessels; mucormycosis involving the pulmonary vasculature has rarely been documented antemortem, and survival in this context has been rare. In this report, we describe a patient with chronic renal failure and systemic lupus erythematosus who developed extensive invasion of the left main pulmonary artery by mucormycosis. Chest computed tomographic (CT) scans and pulmonary arteriogram demonstrated a massive pseudoaneurysm of the left pulmonary artery; these radiographic findings have not previously been described in mucormycosis. Aggressive combination therapy, employing preoperative amphotericin B (AmB) followed by surgical resection (pneumonectomy) and a full course of AmB, was curative. This fav...
Strategies for characterising cis-regulatory elements in Xenopus

Understanding the cis-regulatory architecture of metazoan organisms is the greatest challenge facing genome biology today. In vertebrate organisms, distinct sequence elements mediate transcriptional regulation and are scattered throughout the genome, either proximal or distal to promoters. The identification of transcriptional enhancers has proven rather difficult by conventional experimental approaches. In the past decade, the rapid generation of genomic sequences for multiple vertebrate organisms, accompanied by sophisticated comparative tools, has facilitated the identification of non-coding evolutionarily conserved regions that may encode cis-regulatory elements. Validating computational predictions and characterising cis-regulatory elements in vivo, however, has been a major bottleneck, mainly because the most commonly used organism for these experiments has been the mouse, and generating transgenic mice or modifying the mouse genome continues to be a labour-intensive, low-throughput, expensive process. This has led to the use of Xenopus, which holds great promise for high-throughput interrogation of putative cis-regulatory elements. In particular, Xenopus tropicalis may become particularly powerful for elucidating regulatory networks, chiefly because it is amenable to genetic manipulations, and its genome is being sequenced.
The ADF, an experimental self-adaptive digital filter

Abstract This paper describes a special-purpose digital processor for use in performing operations on sampled data. The processor is organized as multiple digital filters which can be grouped in cascade or canonic form. In addition, the weighting coefficients are modifiable in a self-adaptive mode during filter operations to form nonrecursive structures based upon the degree of coherency in two signal input channels. The adaptable system executes an LMS algorithm on a set of filter coefficients to perform, in real-time noise tracking and cancellation. An array with digital AGC, multiplier, interleaved memory and fixed-point processor are described.
Experimental and Computational Study of the Structure and Electrochemical Properties of LixM2(PO4)3 Compounds with the Monoclinic and Rhombohedral Structure

This paper presents a combined computational and experimental study of the structural and electrochemical properties of monoclinic and rhombohedral LixM2(PO4)3 (with a focus on M = V). The preferred sites for dilute Li occupation and stable Li ordered phases are identified. Features of the voltage curve are understood as emerging from site energetics, Li ordering, and redox couples. These features are found to be largely independent of alloying and a simple additive model is proposed to analyze the voltage curve for any cation substitution in the monoclinic structure. The model is shown to be very useful for understanding experimental results for a number of substituted compounds. Voltages for most important cations are calculated from first principles and can be combined with the simple model to predict voltage curves for new alloyed monoclinic systems.
Relationship between psychological skill profiles and soldier physical fitness performance.

We examine the structure of soldier's psychological skills and assess the relationship between psychological skills profiles and physical performance with data from 427 soldiers from a Stryker Brig...
Short-Time Dynamics of Vibrational Relaxation in Molecular Fluids

Modern approaches to vibrational relaxation in liquids have begun to move beyond the simple question of how fast vibrational population relaxation occurs to the more challenging question of how it occurs at all: the precise molecular mechanisms by which a solvent stimulates the loss of a vibrational quantum from a solute. We report here some progress in understanding these mechanisms based on looking at the dynamics of the initial triggering events in the vibrational relaxation seen in molecular fluids. With the aid of instantaneous-normal-mode analysis we find a remarkable similarity between vibrational relaxation and the dynamics of solvation. The key concept, in both cases, is that the polarity and general behavior of the solvent is far less important in determining the relevant mechanism than is the particular force or potential monitored by the relevant experiment (“the spectroscopic probe potential”). Vibrational population relaxation automatically accesses the force on a bond, a quantity sufficien...
Mutual pheromonal inhibition among queens in polygyne colonies of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta

Decrease in individual reproductive output with increasing numbers of reproductives is a general feature of social insect colonies. The previously described negative relationship between the fecundity of individual queens and number of resident queens in polygyne (multiple-queen) colonies of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta appears to result from mutual pheromonal inhibition. In an experimental test for the presence of fecundity reducing pheromones, corpses of functional (egg-laying) queens were found to effectively inhibit the fecundity of functional queens, suggesting that queen-produced pheromones suppress egg production in such queens. Evidence concerning a possible mechanism mediating this inhibition was also obtained. Treatment of queens with methoprene, a juvenile hormone (JH) analog, increased ovary development, suggesting that fecundity in functional queens may be mediated by the level of endogenous JH. These findings are consistent with the occurrence of mutual pheromonal inhibition among queens achieved by suppression of endogenous JH titers.
Cucumber Mosaic Virus Associated RNA 5: Causal Agent for Tomato Necrosis

A small replicating RNA, encapsidated with and dependent on, but not part of the viral genome, modifies disease expression depending on the host. In tomato plants, it causes a lethal necrotic disease which is probably the same as that which, in 1972, destroyed most of the field tomato crop in large regions of the French Alsace.
Development and application of a probabilistic method for wildfire suppression cost modeling

Wildfire activity and escalating suppression costs continue to threaten the financial health of federal land management agencies. In order to minimize and effectively manage the cost of financial risk, agencies need the ability to quantify that risk. A fundamental aim of this research effort, therefore, is to develop a process for generating risk-based metrics for annual suppression costs. Our modeling process borrows from actuarial science and the process of assigning insurance premiums based on distributions for the frequency and magnitude of claims, generating parameterized probability distributions for fire occurrence and fire cost. A compound model of annual suppression costs is built from the coupling of a wildfire simulation model and a suppression cost model. We present cost modeling results for a set of high cost National Forests, with results indicating variation in expected costs due to variation in factors driving financial risk. We describe how our probabilistic cost models can be used for a variety of applications, in the process furthering the Forest Service's movement towards increased adoption of risk management principles for wildfire management. We review potential strengths and limitations of the cost modeling process, and conclude by discussing policy implications and research needs.
Ciclovía participation and impacts in San Diego, CA: The first CicloSDias

Abstract Objective Ciclovia or Open Streets initiatives support physical activity through cycling/rolling, and walking/running. We evaluated San Diego's first Open Streets event, CicloSDias, to document attendance, reach and marketing, and effects on social cohesion, businesses, and physical activity. Methods The comprehensive evaluation consisted of a city-wide survey 1 week before and after the event (n = 805), counts of event attendees, and surveys of event attendees (n = 713) and businesses (n = 26). Results An estimated 8311 people attended the event. Attendees had an average of 144 min (SD = 85) of physical activity, 97% met the 30 min/day guideline, and 39% met the 150 min/week guideline during the event. 27% of attendees would have been inactive without the event. Awareness of the event was 10% before and 26% after the event. When comparing event attendees to San Diego residents, Latinos and non-White race/ethnicities were under-represented. Restaurants/pubs, services, and most retail stores excluding liquor stores and food markets reported positive or neutral impacts on business. Conclusion Open Street initiatives are promising ways to promote physical activity and are desired by the community. Positive effects were observed for physical activity, social cohesion, and businesses, though reach should be expanded to include more underserved community members. Evaluating Open Streets is important for sustaining and improving these efforts.
The Global View: Issues Affecting US Production Agriculture

ABSTRACT This paper discusses small events occurring among developing countries, particularly but not exclusively in Asia, and their subsequent large impacts on net food exporting countries in the world, particularly, but not exclusively, located in the Western hemisphere. A Green Revolution II is underway as a result where the world's agricultural system will produce more (output) with less (inputs). Agriculture will meet the rapidly growing demand for bio-based foods, fuels, feeds, and fiber while reducing input usage, preserving the natural environment, and maintaining native ecosystems. In turn agricultural workers will receive a health dividend as chemical usage falls, automation, metering, and sensing technologies rise, and exposure to harsh environmental, both natural and man-made, conditions is reduced. This paper was prepared for the Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Conference, “Be Safe, Be Profitable: Protecting Workers in Ag...
On integrating theories of international economics in the strategic planning of global supply chains and facility location

Abstract This paper relates three theories of international economics (comparative advantage, competitive advantage, and competitiveness) and formulates the thesis that incorporating them in the form of readily available individual competitiveness indicators in OR/MS models offers promise to enhance decision-support for the strategic planning of global supply chains in general and for locating facilities in particular. The purpose of this paper is to relate these theories from the field of international economics, to give a roadmap of related measures that are provided by annual competitiveness reports, and to pose several research questions as challenges to the OR/MS community as it seeks to improve models to support the strategic planning process. Accordingly, specific objectives of this paper are to relate each of these theories and to describe their interrelationships; to describe measures provided by two well-known annual competitiveness reports; and to illustrate application of the theories as a means of supporting the thesis of the paper and justifying the research questions we pose for future research. While this paper discusses topics relative to the broader background of global supply chain design, it illustrates applications associated with facility location, a component of the global supply chain design, since it has a rich history within the OR/MS community and since it is central to strategic planning in the global economy.
PET and SPECT Imaging of the Opioid System: Receptors, Radioligands and Avenues for Drug Discovery and Development

As we celebrate the bicentennial of the isolation of morphine by Serturner, opioids continue to dominate major sectors of the analgesic market worldwide. The pharmaceutical industry stands to benefit greatly from molecular imaging in preclinical and early clinical trials of new or improved opioid drugs. At this juncture, it seems fitting to summarize the past twenty or so years of research on molecular imaging of the opioid system from the viewpoint of drug discovery and development. Opioid receptors were first imaged in human volunteers by positron emission tomography (PET) in 1984. Now, quantitative PET imaging of the major opioid receptor types (micro, delta , kappa) is possible in the brain and peripheral organs of healthy persons and patient populations. Radioligands are under development for single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) of opioid receptors as well. These functional, nuclear imaging techniques can trace the fate of radiolabeled molecules directly, but non-invasively, and allow precise pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic measurements. Molecular imaging provides unique data that can aid in selecting the best drug candidates, determining optimal dosing regimens, clearing regulatory hurdles and lowering risks of failure. Using a historical perspective, this review touches on opioid receptors as drug targets, and focuses on the status and use of radiotracers for opioid receptor PET and SPECT. Selected studies are discussed to illustrate the power of molecular imaging for facilitating opioid drug discovery and development.
US firms' entry into the European telecommunications market

Abstract The analysis identifies factors driving the modality choices used by US firms to enter the European telecommunications marketplace during the 1990s. Using three independent research streams (an in-depth case study; a survey of major US players; a micro-look at an individual firm's foreign projects), it was found that complex interactions among country size, government role, technology, firm, and project variables affect firms' international modality choice behaviors; that an eclectic evolutionary theory of telecommunications investment appears most appropriate; that a tentative theory/research/policy agenda can be developed for the future based on inferences drawn from the exploratory analysis.
Leveraging the Crowd: How 48,000 Users Helped Improve Lync Performance

Performance is a critical component of customer satisfaction with network-based applications. Unfortunately, accurately evaluating the performance of collaborative software that operates in extremely heterogeneous environments is difficult with traditional techniques such as modeling workloads or testing in controlled environments. To evaluate performance of an application in the wild during development, the authors deployed early versions of the software, collecting performance data from application users for key usage scenarios. The analysis package they used produces visualizations to help development teams identify and prioritize performance issues by focusing on performance early in the development cycle, evaluating progress, identifying defects, and estimating timelines.
Spontaneous insertion of polypeptide chains into membranes: a Monte Carlo model.

Abstract The Monte Carlo dynamics method was used to examine the process of protein insertion into model cell membranes. The water and lipid environments were taken into account via an effective medium approximation based on coordinate-dependent hydrophobic and hydrogen bond potentials. The polypeptide chain was represented in a full-backbone atom representation as a chain of diamond lattice vectors. The simulations support the idea that to a good approximation insertion may be depicted as a spontaneous thermodynamic process. The mechanism of membrane insertion of a simple lattice protein chain exhibits many features of theoretical predictions and is in good accord with experimental data. In the model, insertion begins with adsorption of the chain onto the interface, followed by the formation of helical fragments. These fragments, having partially saturated internal hydrogen bonds, can be transported into the lipid phase and then form transbilayer structures.