cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dual-polarized, coherent microwave backscatter from rough water surfaces at low grazing angles

We show that at low grazing angles, breaking wave effects are very important in HH polarized microwave backscatter from the ocean but less so at VV polarized backscatter. When the ocean surface is disturbed only by wind, breaking wave effects in VV backscatter are much smaller than Bragg scattering, even at low grazing angles. For HH polarization, on the other hand, breaking wave effects are very important at low grazing angles. In the presence of surface current gradients set up by internal waves, HH cross sections can exceed those at VV by as much as 10 dB near internal wave crests, indicating enhanced breaking wave effects that cannot be described as specular. Breaking effects are nearly as strong as Bragg effects in VV backscatter under these conditions. Spectral comparisons confirm these conclusions.
Erosion resistance of Co-Cr-Al coatings containing active element additions

Materials resistant to high temperature corrosion and small particle impact erosion are necessary in the design and construction of energy conversion systems. Al2O3-forming M-Cr-Al coatings with active element additions on an IN 738 substrate have exhibited enhanced resistance to erosion damage of their oxide scales owing to improved adherence of the scale. This improvement results from modifications of the scale morphology by the active element additions which encourage pegs of oxide that penetrate into the coating. Other active element additions cause a porous scale to form, increasing the erosion susceptibility. The thin alumina scales behave as a brittle material with the highest erosion rate occurring at an impingement angle of 90° and scale removal occurring by a chipping action.
Pediatric sports injuries: an age comparison of children versus adolescents.

Background:Significant knowledge deficits exist regarding sports injuries in the young child. Children continue to engage in physically demanding, organized sports to a greater extent despite the lack of physical readiness, predisposing themselves to injury.Purpose:To evaluate sports injuries sustained in very young children (5-12 years) versus their older counterparts (13-17 years) with regard to the type and location of injuries, severity, and diagnosis.Study Design:Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:A retrospective chart review was performed on a 5% random probability sample (final N = 2133) of 5- to 17-year-old patients treated for sports injuries in the Division of Sports Medicine at a large, academic pediatric medical center between 2000 and 2009. Using descriptive statistics, correlates of injuries by age group, injury type, and body area are shown.Results:Five- to 12-year-old patients differed in key ways from older patients. Children in this category sustained injuries that were ...
Replacement of leucine-93 by alanine or threonine slows down the decay of the N and O intermediates in the photocycle of bacteriorhodopsin: implications for proton uptake and 13-cis-retinal----all-trans-retinal reisomerization.

Abstract We report that the replacement of Leu-93 in bacteriorhodopsin by Ala (L93A) or Thr (L93T) slows down the photocycle by approximately 100-fold relative to wild-type bacteriorhodopsin. Time-resolved visible absorption spectroscopy and resonance Raman experiments, respectively, show the presence of long-lived O-like and N-like intermediates in the photocycles of the above mutants. We infer the existence of an equilibrium between the N and O intermediates in the photocycles of these mutants. The L93A and L93T mutants exhibit normal proton pumping under continuous illumination, suggesting that the decay of the N and/or O intermediate, and consequently, proton translocation, can be accelerated by the absorption of a second photon. Since the 13-cis----all-trans reisomerization of retinal is completed during the decay of the N and O intermediates, we conclude that the interaction of Leu-93 with retinal is important in this phase of the photocycle. This conclusion is supported by a recent structural model of bacteriorhodopsin that suggests that Leu-93 is near the C-13 methyl group of retinal.
Equilibrium Analysis of Power Systems

The flow function of a power system is the vector of node powers expressed in terms of the node angles. The Jacobian is the matrix of partial derivatives of the flow vector with respect to the angle vector. The ratio of the determinant of the Jacobian to the value which it has when the node angles are set to zero is a dimensionless stability margin which lies between one and zero (steady-state in- stability) and is easily computed from a load flow. The margin of torque is the least change in power flows that will cause instability. Maximizing the torque margin or maximizing the stability margin with a load constraint yields the optimum dispatching change to maximize security.
Treatment of primary isolated shoulder sepsis in the adult patient.

Isolated shoulder sepsis is an uncommon clinical problem with little information in the literature on causative organisms and potential sequelae. We examined the organisms involved, surgical treatments, antibiotic treatments rendered, and complications in these cases. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 19 adult patients (19 shoulders) who underwent operative treatment of isolated shoulder sepsis from 1996 to 2005. Patient age, gender, laboratory studies, previous treatment, surgical procedures, surgical findings, cultured organism, antibiotic treatment, and complications were reviewed. The organisms included methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (five), Streptococcus B beta hemolytic (five), Staphylococcus epidermidis (three), negative cultures (two), Streptococcus viridans (one), Escherichia coli (one), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (one), and Propionibacterium acnes (one). We treated patients with intravenous antibiotics an average of 4.2 weeks (range, 3–8 weeks). One patient underwent humeral head resection with an antibiotic spacer. Another patient died during hospitalization. Open or arthroscopic debridement in conjunction with appropriate antibiotics appears effective in eradicating infection in most adults who present with shoulder sepsis. Functional outcome is poor in those patients with irreparable rotator cuff tears and/or cartilage loss. Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Short-term effects of atorvastatin in normal dogs and dogs with congestive heart failure due to myxomatous mitral valve disease.

Background 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) may improve heart failure class and survival in people with congestive heart failure (CHF) of various etiologies. Hypothesis/Objectives To evaluate the tolerability of atorvastatin in healthy dogs, and the short-term effects of atorvastatin on clinical markers of disease severity, lipid profiles, and markers of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress in dogs with CHF. Animals Eleven normal dogs and 12 client-owned animals with CHF attributable to myxomatous mitral valve disease. Methods Prospective nonblinded observational study. Normal dogs (n = 11) were first treated with atorvastatin and re-evaluated after 14 and 30 days for clinical tolerability and alterations in certain laboratory results. Subsequently, dogs with CHF (n = 12) were treated with atorvastatin at a dosage of 2 mg/kg q24h for 8 weeks. Echocardiography, blood pressure (BP), quality of life questionnaire, and blood sampling were performed pre and post atorvastatin administration. Results Atorvastatin was well tolerated and did not result in apparent adverse effects or biochemical abnormalities in healthy dogs and in dogs with CHF. Healthy dogs experienced a decrease in total cholesterol (TC) concentration (P = .03) after atorvastatin administration. Decreases in TC concentration (P = .02), non-HDL cholesterol concentration (P = .02), total white blood cell count (P = .03), neutrophils (P = .01), and systolic BP (P = .01) were noted in the CHF group after 8 weeks of atorvastatin. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Atorvastatin was well tolerated at clinically relevant doses in healthy dogs and dogs with CHF. Further investigation into the effects of statin treatment in dogs with CHF is warranted.
A novel cellular protein (MTBP) binds to MDM2 and induces a G1 arrest that is suppressed by MDM2.

The MDM2 protein, through its interaction with p53, plays an important role in the regulation of the G1 checkpoint of the cell cycle. In addition to binding to and inhibiting the transcriptional activation function of the p53 protein, MDM2 binds, inter alia, to RB and the E2F-1·DP-1 complex and in so doing may promote progression of cells into S phase. Mice transgenic for Mdm2 possess cells that have cell cycle regulation defects and develop an altered tumor profile independent of their p53 status. MDM2 also blocks the growth inhibitory effects of transforming growth factor-β1 in a p53-independent manner. We show here that a novel growth regulatory molecule is also the target of MDM2-mediated inhibition. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen, we have identified a gene that encodes a novel cellular protein (MTBP) that binds to MDM2. MTBP can induce G1 arrest, which in turn can be blocked by MDM2. Our results suggest the existence of another growth control pathway that may be regulated, at least in part, by MDM2.
Distributed Privacy-Preserving Decision Support System for Highly Imbalanced Clinical Data

When a medical practitioner encounters a patient with rare symptoms that translates to rare occurrences in the local database, it is quite valuable to draw conclusions collectively from such occurrences in other hospitals. However, for such rare conditions, there will be a huge imbalance in classes among the relevant base population. Due to regulations and privacy concerns, collecting data from other hospitals will be problematic. Consequently, distributed decision support systems that can use just the statistics of data from multiple hospitals are valuable. We present a system that can collectively build a distributed classification model dynamically without the need of patient data from each site in the case of imbalanced data. The system uses a voting ensemble of experts for the decision model. The imbalance condition and number of experts can be determined by the system. Since only statistics of the data and no raw data are required by the system, patient privacy issues are addressed. We demonstrate the outlined principles using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. Results of experiments conducted on 7,810,762 patients from 1050 hospitals show improvement of 13.68p to 24.46p in balanced prediction accuracy using our model over the baseline model, illustrating the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.
Sparsity and self-adaptivity in anamorphic stretch transform

Warped stretch dispersive Fourier transform offers nonuniform spectrum sampling. Signal Sparsity and self-adaptive properties of the transform are explained. The loss in the optical transformation and reconstruction are also discussed.
Six Innovative Methods of Teaching Technical Writing

Several innovative methods were used to help technical writing students to write more purposively, professionally, and effectively: writing a paper on the improvement of style in technical writing;...
Speaking in the mirror of the other: Dialectics of intersubjectivity and temporality in Western Apache discourse

Abstract We explicate a Western Apache oratorial idiom, reflected upon as ba’hadziih, ‘speak for them’ as a complex intersubjective strategy for the negotiation of varying figurations of otherness. Ba’hadziih operates, we will argue, by limiting the otherness of an opposed family or clan by means of appeals to a temporalizing sociality. By way of establishing the ethnographic context of ba’hadziih we will also show how its action entails and is loosely entailed by different ways of speaking associated with bigonlzih, or ‘knowing’ and the moral boundaries of families. We will conclude that ba’hadziih deploys and obviates otherness by recasting it within what we define as an emergent, subjunctive sociality.
Do parents want to be present during invasive procedures performed on their children in the emergency department? A survey of 400 parents.

Abstract Study Objectives: No large study has addressed whether parents want to be present when invasive procedures are performed on their children in the emergency department. We conducted a survey to address this question. Methods: The study used a self-administered, written survey consisting of 5 pediatric scenarios with increasing level of procedural invasiveness. Parents in an urban, teaching hospital ED waiting area were asked to participate. Results: Of 407 persons asked to participate, 400 (98%) completed the survey. The number of parents expressing a desire to be present during a procedure performed on their child was 387 (97.5%) for venipuncture of the extremity, 375 (94.0%) for laceration repair, 341 (86.5%) for lumbar puncture, and 317 (80.9%) for endotracheal intubation. For a major resuscitation scenario, 316 (80.7%) wished to be present if their child were conscious during the resuscitation, 277 (71.4%) wanted to be present if their child were unconscious during the resuscitation, whereas 322 (83.4%) indicated a desire to be present if their child were likely to die during the resuscitation. Of the 400, 261 (65.3%) wished to be present for all 5 scenarios. Only 26 (6.5%) wanted the physician to determine parental presence in all 5 scenarios. Conclusion: Most parents surveyed would want to be present when invasive procedures are performed on their children. With increasing procedural invasiveness, parental desire to be present decreased. However, most parents would want to be in attendance if their child were likely to die, and nearly all parents want to participate in the decision about their presence. [Boie ET, Moore GP, Brummett C, Nelson DR: Do parents want to be present during invasive procedures performed on their children in the emergency department? A survey of 400 parents. Ann Emerg Med July 1999;34:70-74.]
Gene expression and secretion of insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins during myoblast differentiation

Numerous cell types have been reported to secrete insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) in vitro. We have observed such IGFBPs in culture medium conditioned by the mouse myoblast cell line C2C12 and have identified IGFBP-2 among the secreted IGFBPs. Since C2C12 cells fuse in culture, these cells were used to examine IGFBP-2 mRNA expression and protein secretion during myogenic differentiation. Cells were harvested at approximately 80% of confluent density. Additional cultures were rinsed, fed differentiation medium, and harvested when approximately 15%, 60%, and 85% differentiated (fused). Northern and dot blot analyses were performed using total cellular RNA and a labeled cDNA specific for rat IGFBP-2. A single mRNA transcript of approximately 1.8 kilobases was observed. The level of expression of IGFBP-2 mRNA was highest in proliferating cells and decreased to 35%, 20%, and less than 10% of initial levels as differentiation progressed. Serum-free medium was conditioned for 24 h at each ti...
Size-selective capillary electrophoresis (SSCE) separation of DNA fragments

Abstract A capillary electrophoretic separation of DNA fragment standards in the range of 50 to 105 base pairs was achieved using methylcellulose as a size-selective agent. All 23 fragments in a 1 kb DNA ladder can be resolved in under 25 minutes. Capillary wall deactivation, using a siloxane-bonded polyacrylamide, greatly improved resolution and reproducibility. The concentration effect of the size-selective agent and the applied electric field strength on DNA fragment separation was determined. Instability of the wall coating limits capillary lifetimes to approximately 30 runs. Considerations in using SSCE for the analysis of DNA fragments produced by the PCR technique are discussed.
Release of heat pretreatment-induced dormancy in lettuce seeds by ethylene or cytokinin in relation to the production of ethylene and the synthesis of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid during germination

The germination of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) seeds was greatly reduced when the seeds were heated at 97°C for 30 h prior to imbibition. This dormancy was effectively released when ethylene (1–100 ppm) or benzyladenine (BA) (0.005–0.05 mM) was applied during the imbibition period. Ethylene was not required during the early part of imbibition, but was essential during the period immediately prior to radicle protrusion. Treatment with 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) (0.1–10 mM) stimulated germination, but was not as effective as ethylene or cytokinin treatment. During the germination of nondormant lettuce seeds, ethylene production increased rapidly and reached a peak at 24 h, which coincided with the emergence of the radicle, and then declined; the level of ACC increased as ethylene production rate increased, but remained at a high level after radicle protrusion. In heat-pretreated dormant lettuce seeds, the increases in percent germination, ethylene production, and ACC levels were all delayed and lower than those of nondormant seeds, and these increases were accelerated by treatment with ethylene or cytokinin.
Application of neural networks to prediction of advanced composite structures mechanical response and behavior

Two types of neural networks were used to evaluate acousto-ultrasonic (AU) data for material characterization and mechanical reponse prediction. The neural networks included a simple feedforward network (backpropagation) and a radial basis functions network. Comparisons of results in terms of accuracy and training time are given. Acousto-ultrasonic (AU) measurements were performed on a series of tensile specimens composed of eight laminated layers of continuous, SiC fiber reinforced Ti-15-3 matrix. The frequency spectrum was dominated by frequencies of longitudinal wave resonance through the thickness of the specimen at the sending transducer. The magnitude of the frequency spectrum of the AU signal was used for calculating a stress-wave factor based on integrating the spectral distribution function and used for comparison with neural networks results.
Application of Spectral and Environmental Variables to Map the Kissimmee Prairie Ecosystem Using Classification Trees

This paper compares a variety of classification tree-based approaches to map 10 vegetation cover classes and a single built-up class in the Kissimmee Prairie Ecosystem, an endangered grass-shrubland landscape in south-central Florida (USA). This comparison is provided to identify an effective and replicable mapping methodology and facilitate the ongoing regional-scale management and monitoring of grass-shrubland ecosystems. Results showed that the best-performing models included environmental variables, due to the ability of these variables to help distinguish spectrally similar classes. The highest overall proportional accuracy of 81% was the result of incorporating linear spectral mixture analysis and geo-environmental variables into the classification tree.
Perturbations to the Gulf Stream by Atlantis II Seamount

Abstract In a search for a natural occurrence of Taylor-column effects, salinity-temperature-depth (STD) observations were made in the Gulf Stream as it passed over Atlantis II Seamount. Although the stream path changed markedly during the course of the observations, one 5-day set of stations seems to provide a quasi-synoptic picture of the flow. Maps, based on this subset, of potential temperature at eight levels between 200 and 3500 m show deflections and distortions of isotherms near the seamount, and warm-core and cold-core eddies in its lee. The eddies are probably a consequence of the recent incursion of the Stream onto the seamount, while the other features seem qualitatively intelligible in terms of existing Taylor-column theory. From the data available, however, it is not possible to tell with certainty if there was a region of closed streamlines just above the seamount.
gamma-aminobutyric acid in rat superior cervical ganglion.

RADIOLABELLED γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is taken up by both neurones and glial cells in the central nervous system1,2, where it mixes with endogenous GABA stores3. Superior cervical and dorsal root ganglia also accumulate radioactive GABA and this amino acid is taken up exclusively in satellite glial cells4,5. The presence of GABA in peripheral neural tissues has not, however, been demonstrated unequivocally6–8. We have measured GABA and glutamic acid in rat superior cervical and nodose ganglia by mass fragmentography. The concentration of GABA in nodose ganglia was lower than in the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion (SCG). Moreover, our results suggest that the content of GABA in the SCG may be controlled by neuronal activity.
Wettability of preoxidised TiAl substrates by liquid aluminium, copper, and silver

AbstractThe process of wetting of preoxidised TiAl alloy substrates by aluminium, copper, and silver filler metals has been examined. Two types of wetting behaviour were observed in these systems, one in which the filler metal undermined the oxide layer on the substrate and the other in which the filler metal spread on the outer surface of the substrate oxide layer. The mechanisms leading to these two different types of wetting behaviour are discussed. The effects of filler metal reactivity and of thickness of substrate oxide layer on the wetting process are discussed
Needs Analysis and Curriculum Development in EAP: An Example of a Critical Approach

Needs analysis research in English for academic purposes (EAP) / English for special purposes is mainly descriptive. Researchers identify and describe existing elements of the target situation to provide the basis for curriculum development. Critical needs analysis, on the other hand, considers the target situation as a site of possible reform. It takes into account the hierarchical nature of social institutions and treats inequality, both inside and outside the institution, as a central concern. This article explores the literature on needs analysis, offers critical needs analysis as an alternative approach to examining target situations, and describes an example of critical needs analysis and EAP curriculum development in a paired ESL writing/psychology course at a U.S. college.
TWO NEW SPECIES OF CRAB SPIDERS (ARANEAE: THOMISIDAE) FROM NORTH DAKOTA

Ebo dondalei and Xysticus posti , two new species of crab spiders from North Dakota, are described.
Saturation anomalies of alkyl nitrates in the tropical Pacific Ocean

This paper reports the first measurements of the saturation state of low molecular weight alkyl nitrates (methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, and n-propyl nitrate) in the tropical Pacific Ocean. These compounds were supersaturated with saturation anomalies as high as 2000%. Air/sea flux estimates based on these measurements suggest that surface ocean emissions are sufficient to account for observed levels of tropospheric alkyl nitrates in this region. Model calculations suggest that atmospheric loss rates are faster than can be explained by photolysis and reaction with OH alone. The implication is that removal via transport is important, and there must be a net export of alkyl nitrates from the tropics to other regions of the atmosphere.
A Factor Analytic Comparison of Ecological and Individual Correlations: Some Methodological Implications

Comparisons of factor analytic results based on a matrix of total (individual) correlations and three matrices of between-groups (ecological) correlations revealed fundamental differences in factor patterns when the unit of analysis shifted from individuals to aggregates. The major difference involved the marked tendency for a highly individualistic General Ability Factor derived from the matrix of total correlations to become more and more sociological in content as individuals were aggregated. Results are discussed in terms of their bearing on the problem of determining the “appropriateness” of a given unit of analysis, individuals vs. aggregates, for certain levels of inquiry, i.e., psychological vs. sociological. It is concluded that whether the researcher should heed the traditional warning about the use of aggregate data relationships as a basis for making inferences concerning individuals ought to depend in part on whether his interest is in psychological or sociological propositions about indivduals.
Nanostructured thin film silicon solar cells efficiency improvement using gold nanoparticles

We report the computational modeling of localized surface plasmon effects arising on gold (Au) nanoparticles deposited on silicon nanohole (SiNH) textured surface for thin film silicon solar cells application. Detailed balance analysis is carried out for the limiting efficiency of an optimized SiNH array textured surface in combination with the surface and bottom-of-a-trench Au nanoparticle array described herein. We found that for the proposed geometry of the solar cell, the short circuit current density (JSC) and the power conversion efficiency (PCE) are 31.57 mA/cm2 and 25.42%, respectively, that compare favorably to the predicted JSC and PCE values of 25.45 mA/cm2 and 20.87% for an optimized SiNH textured surface without Au nanoparticles. We optimized the silicon dioxide/silicon nitride (SiO2/Si3N4) stack as a passivation layer, retaining the higher optical absorption. The scattering of incident radiation by the Au nanoparticles near their localized plasmon resonance is responsible for higher optical absorption and hence the higher predicted values for JSC and PCE.
Parenting Stress in Families of Children with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome and Down Syndrome

We assessed similarities and differences in self-reported stress (Parenting Stress Index: Short Form [PSI-SF]), patterns of challenging child behavior (Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form [NCBRF]), and characteristics of autism (Gilliam Autism Rating Scale 2nd Edition [GARS-2]) across two distinct groups of children and young adults 5 to 24 years old: Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS, n = 25, Mage (SD) = 11.4 (4.7) years), and Down syndrome (DS, n = 23, Mage (SD) = 13.4 (6.0) years). Parents were recruited from the CdLS-USA Foundation and DS parent support groups across the United States. The study focused on identifying specific patterns of (a) parenting stress and (b) challenging behavior and autism-like characteristics in children with CdLS and DS. It was found that parents of CdLS children experienced far more stress than those of children with DS, and the difference could not be explained completely by demographic variables or children’s developmental level. Rather it appears that the especially elevated stress in parents of children with CdLS can be traced in significant part to the children’s high levels of challenging behavior, low levels of pro-social behavior, and self-injury / stereotypy. Additional results revealed that children with CdLS exhibited significantly higher levels of challenging behavior and autism-like characteristics, and lower levels of pro-social behavior, and appropriate communicative behaviors. Multivariate regression showed that optimum prediction of stress for the total sample was yielded by a combination of the child’s elevated self-injury / stereotypy and decreased social interaction skills (R2 = 0.217, R2adj = 0.182, pmodel = 0.004), and the addition of the child’s diagnosis significantly increased predictability, R2 = 0.273, R2adj = 0.223, pmodel = 0.003. The elevated stress in parents of children with CdLS appears to be focused primarily on their children’s specific difficult child behaviors, a factor that was of much less concern to parents of children with DS. Results are discussed in terms of a possible behavioral phenotype for CdLS and future research on early intervention for parenting stress. It is noted that parenting stress in the CdLS sample is so high as to be unmeasurable (i.e., ceiling effect) in a large minority of the parents, and this makes it an urgent priority to develop well-targeted early interventions for parenting stress in these families.
A Rare Cause of Right Upper Quadrant Pain in a 17-Year-Old Female

A 17-year-old Hispanic female presented to our hospital with complaints of right upper quadrant abdominal pain, vomiting, and fever. Physical exam was positive for hepatomegaly. Abdominal computed tomography showed multiple hypoechoic liver masses. Liver biopsy was done, which was diagnostic for hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma.
TACITUS: the abductive commonsense inference-based text understanding system

TACITUS is a natural language processing system that is intended to be general and domain-independent. It performs a syntactic analysis of the sentences in the text, producing a logical form. Next, inferential pragmatics processing is applied to the logical form to solve problems of schema recognition, reference resolution, metonymy resolution, and the interpretation of vague predicates. An analysis component then produces the desired output for the application. TACITUS has been applied to several quite different domains, including naval equipment failure reports, naval operations reports, and terrorist reports.
Viridiana : otra forma de mirar

Taking the act of looking as a backbone of this article I analyze the representation of feminine characters in the film Viridiana , directed by Bunuel and the challenge that this approach poses when framing Bunuel's artistic universe. The traditional position of women as silenced, absent and excluded in the patriarchal system is challenged by a series of transgressive feminine acts of looking that take power away from male characters. By using this atypical ways of looking Bunuel re-imagines women and invents a different way of incorporating language and desire into the cinematic text. Viridiana is read here as and atypical text that undermines the practices of dominant culture by ysing an elusive visual language.
Progress on control of northern fowl mites on caged laying hens.

Abstract Recent research on methods for controlling the northern fowl mite (NFM) on caged laying hens is reviewed. On inanimate objects, NFM may be controlled by fumigation with methyl bromide, increased temperature (49°C for 1 h), or decreased temperature (−20°C for 5 days). Dipping chickens in aqueous suspensions of carbaryl or stirofos controlled NFM for 6 weeks without exceeding current egg tolerance residues. Feeding chickens reaasonable concentrations of systemic pesticides registered for use on dairy cattle in the U.S.A., registered anticoccidials, zinc bacitracin, avermectins, and diflubenzuron did not produce systemic control of NFM. Chickens do develop immunity to NFM. The potential for further development and adoption of these techniques should provide the poultry industry with effective alternatives to existing chemical sprays and dusts.
Secondhand tobacco smoke exposure differentially alters nucleus tractus solitarius neurons at two different ages in developing non-human primates

Exposing children to secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) is associated with increased risk for asthma, bronchiolitis and SIDS. The role for changes in the developing CNS contributing to these problems has not been fully explored. We used rhesus macaques to test the hypothesis that SHS exposure during development triggers neuroplastic changes in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), where lung sensory information related to changes in airway and lung function is first integrated. Pregnant monkeys were exposed to filtered air (FA) or SHS for 6 h/day, 5 days/week starting at 50-day gestational age. Mother/infant pairs continued the exposures postnatally to age 3 or 13 months, which may be equivalent to approximately 1 or 4 years of human age, respectively. Whole-cell recordings were made of second-order NTS neurons in transverse brainstem slices. To target the consequences of SHS exposure based on neuronal subgroups, we classified NTS neurons into two phenotypes, rapid-onset spiking (RS) and delayed-onset spiking (DS), and then evaluated intrinsic and synaptic excitabilities in FA-exposed animals. RS neurons showed greater cell excitability especially at age of 3 months while DS neurons received greater amplitudes of excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs). Developmental neuroplasticity such as increases in intrinsic and synaptic excitabilities were detected especially in DS neurons. In 3 month olds, SHS exposure effects were limited to excitatory changes in RS neurons, specifically increases in evoked EPSC amplitudes and increased spiking responses accompanied by shortened action potential width. By 13 months, the continued SHS exposure inhibited DS neuronal activity; decreases in evoked EPSC amplitudes and blunted spiking responses accompanied by prolonged action potential width. The influence of SHS exposure on age-related and phenotype specific changes may be associated with age-specific respiratory problems, for which SHS exposure can increase the risk, such as SIDS and bronchiolitis in infants and asthma in older children.
Mechanism‐based inhibition of CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 by seven inhibitors

We evaluated the potential for inhibition of CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 using seven mechanism-based inhibitors: troleandomycin (TAO), erythromycin (ERY), 6′, 7′-dihydroxybergamottin (DHB), diltiazem (DIL), verapamil (VER), ethynyl estradiol (EE) and ritonavir. These inhibitors were preincubated with NADPH and recombinant enzymes (CYP3A4 and CYP3A5) for 20 minutes. Enzyme activity was determined by 1-hydroxy triazolam (1-OH TRZ) formation from triazolam (250μM). Using recombinant enzymes, IC50 values were reduced by preincubation with inhibitors. IC50 values with preincubation with CYP3A4 using TAO, ERY, DHB, DIL, VER, EE and ritonavir were: 1.7, 2.9, 0.9, 7, 3.3, 4.4 and 0.06 μM respectively. With CYP3A5, IC50 values with preincubation were: 44.5, 77.5, 1.2, 21.8, 8, 17 and 0.1 μM respectively. The pattern of 1-OH TRZ IC50 values suggested two classes of mechanism-based inhibitors, with nonmacrolides showing less than a 4-fold difference between CYP3A4 and CYP3A5, and macrolides showing more than a 25-fold difference. Individuals polymorphically expressing CYP3A5 in significant amounts may have greater susceptibility to interactions involving nonmacrolide mechanism-based inhibitors than that seen with reversible inhibitors. However, macrolide mechanism-based inhibitors may be less susceptible to interactions in these subjects. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2004) 75, P83–P83; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2003.11.316
Ion production and molecular excitation occurring in multiphoton processes

Abstract Experimental aspects concerning the study of the strong-field multiphoton response of matter are discussed. Highly ionized atoms can be readily generated in a small volume of phase space and molecular materials exhibit anomalous coupling with the observation of direct 2 σ g vacancy production in N 2 .
Clebsch-Gordan coefficients for nuclear transition probabilities for even-A deformed nuclei

This table has been prepared in order to help calculate alpha-, beta-, and gamma-ray transition probabilities for deformed nuclei. A similar table for odd-mass deformed nuclei was issued before by Lum, Light, and Asaro. In addition to the Clebsch-Gordon coefficients, the squares of the coefficients are also tabulated, since the transition probabilities are proportional to the squares.
Hard chemical decontamination of steam generator tube bundles

Abstract The work presented here concerns hard chemical decontamination of steam generator (SG) tube bundles removed from service subsequent to SG replacement operations. The aim of the program is to undertake an SG tube bundle decontamination operation that will facilitate the dismantling of an SG removed from service. The proposed decontamination method associates a combination of nitric acid and cerium nitrate, with regeneration of the Ce 3+ into Ce 4+ , by injecting ozone into the decontamination solution during the operation. Decontamination is effected at low pH and at room temperature. The activity removed from the SG tube bundles is transferred into the decontamination solution, dryed, and immobilized in a solid, coated form for storage. The program goals are to obtain a high decontamination factor (DF > 1000) on the Inconel 600 SG tube material and to reduce the volume of the resulting secondary radwastes. This paper presents the results already obtained during the pilot decontamination of a regenerative heat exchanger at the Tricastin nuclear power plant and the approach that will be applied for decontaminating full-size steam generators in Sweden and France.
Multiple spacecraft observations of interplanetary shocks Four spacecraft determination of shock normals

ISEE 1, 2, 3, IMP 8, and Prognoz 7 observations of interplanetary shocks in 1978 and 1979 provide five instances where a single shock is observed by four spacecraft. These observations are used to determine best-fit normals for these five shocks. In addition to providing well-documented shocks for future investigations these data allow the evaluation of the accuracy of several shock normal determination techniques. When the angle between upstream and downstream magnetic field is greater than 20 deg, magnetic coplanarity can be an accurate single spacecraft method. However, no technique based solely on the magnetic measurements at one or multiple sites was universally accurate. Thus, the use of overdetermined shock normal solutions, utilizing plasma measurements, separation vectors, and time delays together with magnetic constraints, is recommended whenever possible.
Using an emulation testbed to measure OSPF routing overhead due to mobility in wireless ad hoc networks

In mobile wireless IP networking domains (i.e., MANETs), the network topology may be frequently changing due to node mobility. Under such network dynamics, simulation has shown that the OSPF routing protocol performs poorly (e.g., increased overhead and data loss), but can be modified with dasiaMANET extensionspsila to better its performance. To provide complementary validation of these observations, this paper separately measures the routing protocol overhead generated by OSPF and its MANET extensions due to node mobility using an emulation testbed. The networking experiments were constructed using several off-the-shelf Linux workstations interconnected by Ethernet. Several modeling efforts were necessary to represent the network under testpsilas partial mesh connectivity, wireless interfaces, and node mobility on the immobile, non-wireless testbed. To validate these modeling efforts, the experimental results from the emulation testbed were cross-validated against OPNET simulation. For networks under test of increasing size, our emulation (and simulation) testing showed that the MANET extensions to OSPF consistently exhibited lower amounts of routing protocol overhead, and lower growth trends, when compared to OSPF. Our emulated results reaffirm previous simulation efforts.
Cellular interconnects optimization algorithm for optoelectronic single-instruction multiple data

We present a novel algorithm for designing optimal cellular interconnects (OCI’s), which can significantly accelerate the communications among processors in single-instruction multiple-data machines with optoelectronic interconnections. We present the foundations of the OCI architecture and show that the optoelectronic OCI is the optimal topology for a space-invariant interconnect pattern. The OCI is optimal in achieving a minimum number of clock cycles per data shift for a given number of optoelectronic links. In addition, our algorithm for designing the OCI is deterministic, whereas previous designs required a trial-and-error procedure.
Origin and Evolution of the Desert

Abstract Desert landscapes are the least understood among terrain types of the Earth. The dearth of basic information on arid landforms has resulted in the misconception that the desert is man-made and that, therefore, we can 'fix it'. Scientific evidence indicates that deserts are part of the natural features of both Earth and Mars. They form as a result of the lack or scarcity of rain, which may be cyclical. The basic layout of today's arid terrain appears to have formed during humid periods in the geological past. Understanding of such features and those caused by wind erosion and deposition is essential to the development of deserts and semiarid lands for the benefit of mankind. Images obtained by spacecraft provide a new tool that is very useful in this regard, particularly in the location of groundwater resources to be used at times of cyclical droughts.
Multidisciplinary approach to transvenous lead extraction: a single center's experience.

Objective To evaluate the success and complication rates of a single center’s multidisciplinary approach to transvenous lead extraction. Setting One university hospital. Participants One hundred ninety-five patients scheduled for transvenous lead extraction. Interventions A multidisciplinary approach to transvenous lead extraction involving cardiac surgery, electrophysiology, perfusion, and cardiac anesthesiology. Measurements and Main Results A case series of 351 lead extractions performed in 195 patients over a 42-month period. Indications, success rates, and complication rates were tracked and retrospectively evaluated and reported. Indications for lead extraction included 53.3% because of lead malfunction, 36.9% because of infection, with the remaining 9.7% from other categories such as venous stenosis. The lead extraction rate was 99.7%, with complete removal in 97.7%. The overall major complication rate was 3.08%. After an initial 1-year period of performing lead extractions, the overall major complication rate reduced to 1.23%. Conclusions Transvenous lead extraction generally is a safe procedure, but not without complications. A multidisciplinary approach involving cardiac surgery, electrophysiology, and cardiac anesthesiology allows for successful management and the ability to rapidly manage major complications.
Effects of competitive asymmetry on a local density model of plant interference

Although competition between plants is usually asymmetric (i.e. larger plants have a disproportionate effect on smaller plants) almost all models of plant competition at the local level have assumed symmetric competition. We add a simple version of competitive asymmetry to the local density neighborhood models of plant interference and population dynamics developed by Pacala & Silander (1985, Am. Nat.125, 385–411; 1987, Oikos48, 217–224) by assuming that plants within a neighborhood can be put in a linear dominance hierarchy based upon their initial size. The size of a focal plant is a function of the number of dominant and the number of subordinate neighbors within its neighborhood, with subordinate neighbors having less of an effect than dominant ones. Asymmetry prevents precipitous changes in focal plant size with changes in local density, making the relationship between focal plant size and local density hyperbolic, even if the symmetric model is not hyperbolic. Thus, asymmetry makes the model conform to the law of constant final yield, irrespective of the form of the relationship between plant size and local crowding. Asymmetry also prevents population dynamic oscillations in the model in cases in which it would occur in the absence of asymmetry. The results show that asymmetry has major effects on a model of local interference in plants, and point to the importance of including it in such models.
The use of narrow gap microelectrodes as sensitive and species selective gas chromatographic detectors

Abstract In this work we describe a new thin-gap microelectrode assembly and its use as an electrochemical detector for analytes in the gas phase. The conditions for maximum sensitivity and reproducibility (pretreatment of the microelectrode surface, applied potential, and signal-to-noise ratio) were studied. We show that the efficiency of condensation of the analyte from the gas phase in the thin gap between two parallel line microelectrodes which form the electrochemical “cell” is the major factor determining the sensitivity of the device.
Continuity of intracellular channels with extracellular space in adipose tissue and liver: Demonstrated with tannic acid and lanthanum

Tannic acid was used to demonstrate continuity of intracellular channels with extracellular space in white adipose tissue of adult rats, brown adipose tissue of suckling rats, and liver of diabetic rats. Electron-opaque material resulting from treatment of glutaraldehyde-fixed tissue with tannic acid was found in extracellular space, invaginations of cell surfaces, vesicles, and intracellular channels. Electron-opaque material was present in channels that surrounded lipid droplets in both white and brown adipocytes and in hepatocytes. The small distance between the lumen of marked channels and lipid droplets in adipocytes indicates that a monolayered structure, perhaps a leaflet of membrane lining the channel, separates the lipid droplet from the lumen of the channel, suggesting that the lipid droplet may be located between leaflets of the membrane lining the channel. Similar findings were obtained in brown adipose tissue using lanthanum instead of tannic acid to mark intracellular channels continuous with extracellular space. Since endoplasmic reticulum is the primary site of triacylglycerol synthesis in adipocytes, marked channels near lipid droplets may be elements of endoplasmic reticulum. Some of the channels marked with tannic acid in hepatocytes contained lipoprotein particles, whereas others were located, in relation to mitochondria and lipid droplets, in the same sites as endoplasmic reticulum in untreated tissue. This indicates that some of the channels marked with tannic acid in hepatocytes are endoplasmic reticulum. Presence of electron-opaque material in intracellular channels and vesicles, but not in cytoplasm, of treated tissue indicates the channels and vesicles were open to extracellular space during treatment with tannic acid or lanthanum and, furthermore, that their membranes were continuous with plasma membrane.
Intracellular distribution of ribosomes and polyribosomes in Bacillus megaterium.

Abstract DNA-membrane complexes were prepared using the “Sarkosyl M-band” technique and were used to study the intracellular localization of ribosomes and polyribosomes in Bacillus megaterium . Cell components are present in such M-bands by virtue of attachment, directly or indirectly, to the cell membrane. Under standard conditions M-bands formed from rapidly growing cells contain about 65% of the total polyribosomes; 25 to 30% being attached to DNA apparently via nascent messenger RNA while at least 30 to 40% appear to be membrane-bound. When cells were incubated with actinomycin D, 50 s ribosomal subunits accumulated in the M-brand whereas 30 s subunits did not, suggesting that the cell membrane may selectively bind the larger ribosomal subunit. In other experiments the formation of polyribosomes on DNA and their subsequent release into the cytoplasm are demonstrated as is the attachment of 30 s ribosomes to nascent messenger RNA in vivo .