cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plant dependence on rhizobia for nitrogen influences induced plant defenses and herbivore performance.

Symbiotic rhizobia induce many changes in legumes that could affect aboveground interactions with herbivores. We explored how changing the intensity of Bradyrhizobium japonicum, as modulated by soil nitrogen (N) levels, influenced the interaction between soybean (Glycine max) and herbivores of different feeding guilds. When we employed a range of fertilizer applications to manipulate soil N, plants primarily dependent on rhizobia for N exhibited increased root nodulation and higher levels of foliar ureides than plants given N fertilizer; yet all treatments maintained similar total N levels. Soybean podworm (Helicoverpa zea) larvae grew best on plants with the highest levels of rhizobia but, somewhat surprisingly, preferred to feed on high-N-fertilized plants when given a choice. Induction of the defense signaling compound jasmonic acid (JA) by H. zea feeding damage was highest in plants primarily dependent on rhizobia. Differences in rhizobial dependency on soybean did not appear to affect interactions with the phloem-feeding soybean aphid (Aphis glycines). Overall, our results suggest that rhizobia association can affect plant nutritional quality and the induction of defense signaling pathways and that these effects may influence herbivore feeding preferences and performance—though such effects may vary considerably for different classes of herbivores.
Blood-brain barrier transport studies of organic guanidino cations using an in situ brain perfusion technique.

Abstract Blood–brain barrier (BBB) transport of essential polar substrates is mediated by specific, carrier-mediated transport proteins. The BBB transport mechanisms for polar compounds with terminal guanidino functional groups (R–NHC(NH)NH2) are not well defined. The goal of the present work was to investigate the BBB transport mechanism(s) for terminal guanidino substrates using an in situ brain perfusion technique. Brain region radiotracer influx clearance (Clin) was calculated for representative guanidino substrates, [14C] l -arginine, [14C]aminoguanidine and [14C]guanidine, in the presence or absence of excess terminal guanidino analogues. The Clin for [14C] l -arginine (0.21±0.0094 cm3/min/g wet brain weight, mean±S.E.M., n=four rats) was significantly decreased by 1000× concentrations of unlabeled l -arginine, NG-methyl- l -arginine, NG-,NG-dimethyl- l -arginine and NG-amino- l -arginine by ∼83% (P l -arginine, aminoguanidine and guanidine were without effect. In contrast, the respective Clin of [14C]aminoguanidine and [14C]guanidine (0.0085±0.00039 and 0.015±0.0015 cm3/min/g, n=4, respectively) were not significantly decreased by 1000× concentrations of unlabeled aminoguanidine or guanidine. The Clin values for all [14C]guanidino probes were significantly greater (P l -arginine occurs via the saturable basic amino acid transporter that has specificity for amino acid analogues possessing cationic terminal guanidino groups.
PIGMENTED GINGIVAL CYST.

Abstract 1. 1. A pigmented cyst found in the gingiva of a Negro patient is described. 2. 2. The pigment cells contain melanin (melanoid?). 3. 3. The histogenesis of the pigment-containing cells is briefly discussed.
The impact process in aeolian saltation: two‐dimensional simulations

A critical event in the trajectory of a sand grain saltating in air is its interaction with the surface. We examine the phenomenon of grain-bed impacts in two dimensions using a combination of dynamical computer simulations, analytical models and physical reasoning. The results indicate that the grain-bed collisions can be treated as two-body collisions with the bed particle assuming an effective mass greater than its true mass. Also, the presence of geometrical surface irregularities has a strong bearing on the interaction between saltating and surface grain populations, as well as on the formation of small-scale bedforms.
A superconducting detector endstation for high-resolution energy-dispersive SR-XRF

Abstract We have built a two-stage adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) to operate cryogenic high-resolution X-ray detectors in synchrotron-based fluorescence applications. The detector is held at the end of a 40 cm cold finger that extends into a UHV sample chamber. The ADR attains a base temperature below 100 mK with about 20 h hold time below 400 mK, and does not require pumping on the liquid He bath. We will discuss cryostat design and performance.
The Effect of Chromium Oxyhydroxide on Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Hexavalent chromium species like the oxyhydroxide, CrO{sub 2}(OH){sub 2}, or hexoxide, CrO{sub 3}, are electrochemically reduced to Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} in solid oxide fuel cells and adversely affect the cell operating potentials. Using a narrowly focused beam from the Advanced Photon Source, such chromium oxide deposits were unequivocally identified in the active region of the cathode by X-ray diffraction, suggesting that the triple phase boundaries were partially blocked. Under fuel cell operating conditions, the reaction has an equilibrium potential of about 0.9 V and the rate of chromium oxide deposition is therefore dependent on the operating potential of the cell. It becomes diffusion limited after several hours of steady operation. At low operating potentials, lanthanum manganite cathodes begin to be reduced to MnO, which reacts with the chromium oxide to form the MnCr{sub 2}O{sub 4} spinel.
Rh i isoelectronic sequence observed from Er 23+ to Pt 33+

The TEXT tokamak was used to obtain spectra of highly ionized Er, Yb, Hf, W, and Pt. Injection of these elements into the plasma was achieved by laser ablation of thin films of metal deposited on glass slides and mounted at the inner wall of the vessel. The spectra were photographed with a 2.2-m grazing-incidence spectrograph set at a grazing angle of 4°. These spectra occur in a very small wavelength interval, for example, ~2 A at 50 A in W In this spectral range we previously classified lines of the Ag and Pd isoelectronic sequences. We have now classified lines of the Rh isoelectronic sequence 4d9–4d84f, which accounts for the remaining strong lines in this dense but well-resolved group. No lines of this array have previously been identified. They were classified by comparison of observed and calculated transition energies along the isoelectronic sequence.
Chloramphenicol in Blood: Simple Chemical Estimations in Patients Receiving Multiple Antibiotics

A simple method is described which obviates the difficulties of estimating the concentration of chloramphenicol in the blood in the presence of other antibiotics. This is of importance in avoiding hematologic depression from chloramphenicol toxicity.
Growth of entire harmonic functions in R3

Abstract Using the Bergman B3 integral operator, the growth of harmonic functions of three variables which have no finite singularities is considered. Growth of the harmonic function is related to the growth of its B3 associate, and an expression for the order and bounds on the type of an entire harmonic function are obtained in terms of its coefficients in a spherical harmonic expansion.
Analysis of current–voltage–temperature characteristics in SiC Schottky diodes using threshold-accepting simulated-annealing techniques

Abstract Because of their high switching speeds and low power losses, metal-SiC Schottky-barrier diodes (SBD) are important to high performance, high temperature, and high frequency applications in power electronics. The use of 4H-SiC in SBDs is particularly advantageous because it has higher electron mobility than other SiC polytypes. However, due to surface non-homogeneity, the current–voltage characteristics of SiC SBDs are mostly non-ideal, and conventional analysis based on simple thermionic theory often leads to erroneous conclusions. In this work, we examine current–voltage–temperature properties of Ti on 4H-SiC SBDs and develop fitting algorithms to extract diode parameters based on non-uniform barrier height analysis approaches. These algorithms are based on “threshold-accepting simulated-annealing” techniques. The fitting yields a parameter set that is argued to better describe diode behavior: this parameter set is suggested to replace the average barrier height and the ideality factor often obtained from conventional Schottky diode analysis.
Optimal Tracking Control of Multi-Zone Indoor Environmental Spaces

Optimal control of indoor environmental spaces is explored. A physical model of the system consisting of a heating system, a distribution system and an environmental zone is considered and a seventh order bilinear system model is developed. From the physical characteristics and open-loop response of the system, it is shown that the overall system consists of a fast subsystem and a slow subsystem. By including the effects of the slow subsystem in the fast subsystem, a reduced order model is developed. An optimal control law is designed based on the reduced order model and it is implemented on the full order nonlinear system. Both local and global linearization techniques are used to design optimal control laws. Results showing the disturbance rejection characteristics of the resulting closed-loop system are presented. The use of optimal tracking control to implement large changes in setpoints, in a prescribed manner, is also examined. A general model to describe environmental zones is proposed and its application to multi-zone spaces is illustrated. A multiple-input optimal tracking control law with output error integrators is designed. The resulting closed-loop system response to step-like disturbances is shown to be good.
Event-driven neural integration and synchronicity in analog VLSI

Synchrony and temporal coding in the central nervous system, as the source of local field potentials and complex neural dynamics, arises from precise timing relationships between spike action population events across neuronal assemblies. Recently it has been shown that coincidence detection based on spike event timing also presents a robust neural code invariant to additive incoherent noise from desynchronized and unrelated inputs. We present spike-based coincidence detection using integrate-and-fire neural membrane dynamics along with pooled conductance-based synaptic dynamics in a hierarchical address-event architecture. Within this architecture, we encode each synaptic event with parameters that govern synaptic connectivity, synaptic strength, and axonal delay with additional global configurable parameters that govern neural and synaptic temporal dynamics. Spike-based coincidence detection is observed and analyzed in measurements on a log-domain analog VLSI implementation of the integrate-and-fire neuron and conductance-based synapse dynamics.
Characterization of edible coatings and microorganisms on food surfaces using Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy

Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy (FT-IR/PAS) was used to study edible coatings and microorganisms on fruit surfaces (apple and honeydew melon). In the experiment, pregelatinized starch and whey protein concentrate were used to prepare edible coatings, while Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus casei, Escherchia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus were used for microbial study. The spectra obtained from the edible coatings on the apple surface indicate that the FT-IR/PAS technique can effectively distinguish the coating surface and the food substrate by examination of magnitude, phase angle, and generalized two-dimensional (G2D) correlation spectra. Results reported show the first application of FT-IR/PAS to directly differentiate a fruit surface (apple and honeydew melon) with/without microorganisms without elaborate sample preparation. The results demonstrate the potential of FT-IR/PAS to characterize the presence of microorganisms on fruit surfaces.
Iono-neuromorphic implementation of spike-timing-dependent synaptic plasticity

Spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) is the ability of a synapse to increase or decrease its efficacy in response to specific temporal pairing of pre- and post-synaptic activities. It is widely believed that such activity-dependent long-term changes in synaptic connection strength underlie the brain's capacity of learning and memory. However, current phenomenological models of STDP fail to reproduce classical forms of synaptic plasticity that are based on stimulus frequency (BCM rule) instead of timing (STDP rule). In this paper, we implemented a novel biophysical synaptic plasticity model by using analog VLSI (aVLSI) circuits biased in the subthreshold regime. We show that the aVLSI synapse model successfully emulates both the STDP and BCM forms of synaptic plasticity as predicted by the biophysical model.
Microcavity Plasma Arrays Based on Encapsulated Al/Al 2 O 3 Electrodes: Device Efficiency and Electrical Characteristics for Display Applications

A group of robust microcavity plasma devices has been fabricated in Al/Al2O3 multilayer structures by drawing upon wet chemical processing to grow thin films of nanostructured Al2O3 directly from the Al substrate. Addressable, large scale arrays of microcavity plasma devices having cavities with a diameter of 100-200 mum are successfully formed by a process suitable for low cost manufacturing. This presentation reports device structure and cell designs of microcavity devices for the microdischarge in the various contents of Ne/Xe gas mixture. 20 times 20 arrays of ~200 mum dia. devices operate stably with a Xe content of 10% (and higher) and the pixel-to-pixel emission intensity is quite uniform over the pressure range of 400-800 Torr. The turn-on voltage at Ne/30% Xe was measured to be ~228V without a coating of MgO and the current value was decreased to the 30% of original current in bulk electrode after patterning aluminum electrode. The detailed electrical properties of the device and novel process for the fabrication of large scale arrays (hundreds of cm2) will be presented.
Mediator proteins orchestrate enzyme-ssDNA assembly during T4 recombination-dependent DNA replication and repair

Studies of recombination-dependent replication (RDR) in the T4 system have revealed the critical roles played by mediator proteins in the timely and productive loading of specific enzymes onto single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) during phage RDR processes. The T4 recombination mediator protein, uvsY, is necessary for the proper assembly of the T4 presynaptic filament (uvsX recombinase cooperatively bound to ssDNA), leading to the recombination-primed initiation of leading strand DNA synthesis. In the lagging strand synthesis component of RDR, replication mediator protein gp59 is required for the assembly of gp41, the DNA helicase component of the T4 primosome, onto lagging strand ssDNA. Together, uvsY and gp59 mediate the productive coupling of homologous recombination events to the initiation of T4 RDR. UvsY promotes presynaptic filament formation on 3' ssDNA-tailed chromosomes, the physiological primers for T4 RDR, and recent results suggest that uvsY also may serve as a coupling factor between presynapsis and the nucleolytic resection of double-stranded DNA ends. Other results indicate that uvsY stabilizes uvsX bound to the invading strand, effectively preventing primosome assembly there. Instead, gp59 directs primosome assembly to the displaced strand of the D loop/replication fork. This partitioning mechanism enforced by the T4 recombination/replication mediator proteins guards against antirecombination activity of the helicase component and ensures that recombination intermediates formed by uvsX/uvsY will efficiently be converted into semiconservative DNA replication forks. Although the major mode of T4 RDR is semiconservative, we present biochemical evidence that a conservative "bubble migration" mode of RDR could play a role in lesion bypass by the T4 replication machinery.
A Reputation-Based Secure Distributed Control Methodology in D-NCS

Distributed networked control systems (D-NCSs) are more vulnerable to malicious attacks with the adoption of distributed control strategies. The misbehaving agents in the D-NCS can disrupt the distributed control algorithms and gradually compromise the entire system. In this paper, a multirobot system using the linear consensus algorithm for formation control is studied where parts of the robots are compromised. A reputation-based secure distributed control methodology with built-in defense is proposed to achieve accurate consensus computation in the presence of misbehaving robots. It embeds four phases (i.e., detection, mitigation, identification, and update) into the distributed control process. The effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated through simulation analysis and experimental results.
Shortening reaction of human tibialis anterior.

The shortening reaction of tibialis anterior was observed in 6 of 25 normal subjects, in 6 of 40 patients with upper motor neuron syndromes, and in 11 of 17 patients with Parkinson9s disease. The latency of the shortening reaction was comparable with that of the latter part of the long-latency stretch reflexes. The magnitude of the shortening reaction increased with the velocity of the movement that produced it and increased with background voluntary force of plantar flexion in all but the patients with Parkinson9s disease. It was not affected by vibration in the patients with Parkinson9s disease. The presence of the shortening reaction was not correlated with the clinical impression of increased tone.
Down-Regulation of the Glucocorticoid Receptor by Dexamethasone in Cultured Human Skin Fibroblasts: Implications for the Regulation of Aromatase Activity*

Human genital skin fibroblasts grown in cell culture contain aromatase activity and glucocorticoid receptors, providing a model for studying the relationship between changes in levels of dexamethasone (DEX) receptor binding and changes in the response of aromatase to DEX. Incubation of cells with media containing DEX produced a time-dependent decline in receptor number, with a nadir at 18–24 h. When DEX was removed from the media, only 40–60% of the lost receptor content was recovered. Binding of DEX to its receptor declined in a dose-dependent fashion after 24-h exposure to this glucocorticoid; the concentration of DEX that produced a half-maximal decline (2.2 nmol/L) was in the same range as the Kd for the receptor-DEX complex (14 nmol/L). Incubation of cells with DEX for 20 h also reduced the level of DEX receptor binding in purified nuclei and nuclear matrix by 76% and 89%, respectively. When subcellular fractions were prepared after incubation of cells with DEX for 1–24 h, whole cell, cytosolic and n...
eLoom and Flatland: specification, simulation and visualization engines for the study of arbitrary hierarchical neural architectures

eLoom is an open source graph simulation software tool, developed at the University of New Mexico (UNM), than enables users to specify and simulate neural network models. Its specification language and libraries enables users to construct and simulate arbitrary, potentially hierarchical network structures on serial and parallel processing systems. In addition, eLoom is integrated with UNM's Flatland, an open source virtual environments development tool to provide real-time visualizations of the network structure and activity. Visualization is a useful method for understanding both learning and computation in artificial neural networks. Through 3D animated pictorially representations of the state and flow of information in the network, a better understanding of network functionality is achieved. ART-1, LAPART-II, MLP, and SOM neural networks are presented to illustrate eLoom and Flatland's capabilities.
Local Density Diffusivity (LDD-) Model for Boron Out-Diffusion of In Situ Boron-Doped Si0.75Ge0.25 Epitaxial Films Post Advanced Rapid Thermal Anneals with Carbon Co-Implant

Boron in silicon has presented challenges for decades because of clustering and so-called transient enhanced diffusion [1-2]. An understanding of boron diffusion post rapid thermal annealing in general, and out of in situ doped epitaxially grown silicon-germanium films in particular, is essential to hetero junction engineering in microelectronic device technology today. In order to model boron diffusion, post-implantation, the local density diffusion (LDD) model has been applied in the past [3]. Via mathematical convolution of the diffusion model slope and the initial boron concentration profile, these former results were transferred to this work. In this way, non-diffusing boron was predicted to exist in the center of the presented in situ boron-doped films. In addition, boron diffusion control by co-implanted carbon was demonstrated and the applied LDD model was completed and confirmed by adapting A. Einstein’s proof [4] for this purpose.
A Registry for Implantable Antitachycardia Devices

Antitachycardia electrical stimulation involves significant problems of sensing the cardiac rhythm and determining whether a tachycardia exists. The simple algorithms developed for bradycardia pacing are inadequate for tachycardia pacing. Electrogram signal analysis and cardiac activation analysis with at least two leads will be required to make a device diagnosis of a tachycardia. Termination of a tachycardia reliably and consistently is difficult and has been accomplished reliably only by defibrillation. Further development of devices which are multimodal in termination capability is necessary. A registry for tachycardias and for tachycardia management is required to provide concentrated and analyzable data from a modality as yet infrequently used.
Dysregulation of melatonin metabolism in chronic renal insufficiency: role of erythropoietin-deficiency anemia.

Dysregulation of melatonin metabolism in chronic renal insufficiency: Role of erythropoietin-deficiency anemia. Chronic renal failure (CRF) is associated with a variety of neurological and endocrine disorders. In this study, we examined the effect of CRF and the associated anemia on circadian variation of pineal hormone, melatonin. Animals were studied six weeks after 5/6 nephrectomy (CRF group, N = 26) or sham operation (control group, N = 28). A group of erythropoietin–treated CRF animals (CRF/EPO, N = 6) was included to discern the possible role of EPO–deficiency anemia. Compared with the normal control group, the CRF group showed a marked attenuation of the nocturnal surge in serum melatonin concentration. In addition, pineal gland melatonin content measured after a 12-hour dark cycle (≤2 lux) was significantly depressed in the CRF group when compared to that obtained in the control group. However, the CRF animals exhibited appropriate suppression of serum concentration and pineal tissue melatonin content in response to bright light (≥ 2500 lux). Administration of EPO led to correction of the CRF anemia and a marked improvement of the defective nocturnal rhythm of serum melatonin. Based on our results, experimental CRF is associated with a marked attenuation of the normal nocturnal surge of serum melatonin concentration. Regular EPO administration results in the correction of anemia and substantial reversal of this abnormality suggesting the partial role of EPO deficiency. The possible role of melatonin dysregulation in the pathophysiology of CRF and the potential value of melatonin supplementation in this condition is uncertain and awaits future investigations.
Shock Ignition of Thermonuclear Fuel with High Areal Density

A novel method by C. Zhou and R. Betti [Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 50, 140 (2005)] to assemble and ignite thermonuclear fuel is presented. Massive cryogenic shells are first imploded by direct laser light with a low implosion velocity and on a low adiabat leading to fuel assemblies with large areal densities. The assembled fuel is ignited from a central hot spot heated by the collision of a spherically convergent ignitor shock and the return shock. The resulting fuel assembly features a hot-spot pressure greater than the surrounding dense fuel pressure. Such a nonisobaric assembly requires a lower energy threshold for ignition than the conventional isobaric one. The ignitor shock can be launched by a spike in the laser power or by particle beams. The thermonuclear gain can be significantly larger than in conventional isobaric ignition for equal driver energy.
Competitiveness of porosity and phase purity in melt processed Bi2212/Ag conductors

Abstract The porosity remaining in Bi2212/Ag monocore tapes after melt processing is shown to be a function of the conductor geometry. The effect of other processing variables on the final microstructure was studied. It was found that increasing the length of the soak time, t m , at the maximum processing temperature increases the size of second-phase particles and the fraction of 2201 intergrowth layers within the 2212 grains.
Mutational Analysis of the Four α-Helix Bundle Iron-Loading Channel of Rat Liver Ferritin☆

We previously reported that the heavy chain of ferritin was required for loading it with iron using ceruloplasmin as a ferroxidase [J.-H. Guo, M. Abedi, and S. D. Aust (1996) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 335, 197-204]. Site-directed mutagenesis, K58E and G61H, on recombinant rat liver L chain ferritin (rL-Ft) was performed to construct a proposed iron-loading channel in the alpha-helix bundle similar to rat liver H chain ferritin (rH-Ft). Conversely, the channel in rH-Ft was closed by mutations E62K and H65G to form a K62 to E107 salt bridge, which is believed to exist in the L chain. Both variants were expressed in insect cells and were soluble and able to form multi-subunit homopolymers. The rH-Ft mutant homopolymer could not be loaded, whereas the rL-Ft mutant homopolymer could be loaded with iron by ceruloplasmin. However, we found that the initial rate of iron loading into the rL-Ft mutant homopolymer by ceruloplasmin was less than that into the rH-Ft homopolymer. When 500 atoms of iron per ferritin were used for loading, 98% was loaded into the rH-Ft homopolymer by ceruloplasmin in 15 min, but only 30% was loaded into the rL-Ft mutant homopolymer in the same time. Moreover, the ferroxidase activity of ceruloplasmin was enhanced in the presence of the rH-Ft and the rH-Ft mutant homopolymers, but not in the presence of the rL-Ft or the rL-Ft mutant homopolymers. These observations suggested that the four alpha-helix bundle channel of ferritin is required for iron loading, but an additional factor, i.e. , a site which stimulate the ferroxidase activity of ceruloplasmin, is also essential.
Left Ventricular Performance in Diabetic Patients without Clinical Heart Disease: Evaluation by Systolic Time Intervals and Echocardiography

To examine left ventricular performance in diabetic patients without clinical evidence of cardiac involvement, systolic time intervals (pre-ejection period, left ventricular ejection time index and ratio of pre-ejection period to left ventricular ejection time) and echocardiographic measures (percentage changes in minor axis diameter, end-diastolic and end-systollic diameter, end-diastolic volume and end-systolic volumes, stroke volume and ejection fraction), were obtained. There were 89 diabetic patients and 93 control subjects evaluated for systolic time intervals, and 40 diabetic patients and 20 control subjects evaluated by echocardiogram. The diabetic group demonstrated significant (P
Nuclear magnetic resonance study of 19F diffusion in lead difluoride

Abstract Fluorine spin-spin and spin-lattice relaxation time measurements as a function of temperature in pure and NaF doped samples of PbF 2 are reported. The doped samples exhibit pronounced motional narrowing at low temperatures due to the high 19 F diffusivity.
Comparison of the ability of the three endogenous GnRHs to stimulate release of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone in chickens.

Abstract It is well established that GnRH can stimulate the release of LH and FSH in mammals. Two GnRHs have been found in the chicken hypothalamus, cGnRH-I and -II. There is controversy as to whether either peptide can stimulate release of FSH in birds. The present studies compared the ability of cGnRH-I and -II to stimulate the release of FSH and LH in chickens. Lamprey (l) GnRH-III may be a specific-releasing factor for FSH, as it selectively stimulates FSH release in rodents and cattle, and has been detected in the hypothalamus of rodents, sparrows and chickens. Therefore, the ability of lGnRH-III to stimulate LH and FSH release was also examined. In our first experiment, the effects of cGnRH-I and -II were studied using 17-week prepubertal females. Intravenous injection of cGnRH-II at 1 and 10μg/kg BW significantly increased LH secretion more than did cGnRH-I. Neither peptide significantly increased plasma FSH levels. In our second study, we administered cGnRH-I, -II or lGnRH-III to mature males maintained on a short photoperiod. cGnRH-II was again more potent than cGnRH-I in stimulating LH release, while lGnRH-III produced a modest LH rise. No GnRH peptide provided specific or potent stimulus to FSH secretion, although the high dose of cGnRH-II modestly enhanced FSH levels in the adult male ( P
Effects of freezing, growth, and ice cover on gas transport processes in laboratory seawater experiments

[1] Gas exchange through sea ice is a determining factor in the polar ocean budget of climatically-active gases. We use SF6 and O2 as conservative gas tracers to observe transport between the water, ice and air during conditions of freezing and partial ice cover in artificial seawater. During ice growth, O2 and SF6, as non-polar solutes, were rejected from the ice into the underlying water at a faster rate than that observed for salt. Measurements of the gas exchange rate, k, through partial ice cover exceeded that expected from linear scaling between 100% open water (k100%) and complete ice cover: at 15% open water, k was 25% of k100%. These results indicate that the net flux of gas through the ice pack may not scale linearly with open water area, as circulation processes under the ice affect the gas exchange rate.
ASIS to ASIS&T: A society in transition?

In May 2000, the Board of Directors of the American Society for Information Science (ASIS) changed the name of the association by adding the words, “and Technology” (&T). Today this change may be considered minor, but for many involved at the time—it was a change that had purpose and meaning. A study was initiated to trace the society's transition toward a professional association more inclusive of practitioners and applied research. The study was conducted in two stages, using quantitative and qualitative methods. Stage 1 compared the research published in the conference proceedings both prior to and following the society's name change. Stage 2 built upon the assumption that a professional association is a reflection of its membership. The Stage 1 results offer both an aggregate and a comparative view of the papers accepted for and presented at the annual conference. The results suggest that as an association of researchers, the society may be moving toward a renewed focus on practical and applied information. The Stage 2 results suggest that some ASIS&T members welcome the increased focus on technology, applied research, and the topics of interest to practitioners. Others view the changes as negative, perhaps even undermining the value of ASIS. The practical implications suggest that an annual conference can be an association's most important branding opportunity. It should reflect the interests of its membership as well as attract new members. A clear vision, supported by the membership, will guide the activities of the society and, in turn, will effectively serve its members professional needs. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Search for partonic equation of state in high-energy nuclear collisions

Recent results on chemical freeze-out and multi-strange hadron transverse momentum distributions are discussed and compared with model predictions. The idea of heavy flavor collectivity and light flavor thermalization is presented in the light of recent heavy flavor measurement at RHIC.
Do wedged insoles improve outcomes in patients with knee osteoarthritis

Biomechanical factors have a critical role in the onset and progression of osteoarthritis (OA). A recent carefully designed, randomized, controlled trial by Rodrigues and colleagues examined the use of an 8 mm medial-wedge insole for the management of lateral compartment knee OA associated with a valgus deformity. In this study the use of a wedged insole, together with ankle straps to provide ankle stability, was associated with substantial improvements in pain and functional status compared with a control, neutral insole; however, the trial sample size was small. Previous studies on lateral-wedge insoles for medial compartment knee OA have had conflicting results. Until larger, more-definitive trials are conducted, it would be reasonable for clinicians to provisionally recommend medial-wedge insoles for patients with lateral knee OA and a valgus deformity.
Blind equalization based on cepstra of power spectrum and tricoherence

This paper introduces a new adaptive blind equalization algorithm, the power cepstrum and tricoherence equalization algorithm (POTEA), based on second- and fourth-order statistics of the received sequence. The algorithm performs simultaneous identification and equalization of a nonminimum phase channel from its output only, without using training sequences. POTEA is based on adaptive computations of the channel's power cepstrum and cepstrum of tricoherence by employing second- and fourth-order statistics, respectively. Extensive simulation results, with QAM signals, are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of POTEA.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Treatment rationale for pathological fractures of the mandible: a series of 44 fractures.

This paper reports on the largest series of pathological fractures of the mandible (n = 44) in the literature, with the aim of proposing an aetiologic classification and algorithm for treatment. A retrospective review was undertaken of cases treated in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center from 1991 to 2005. Data collected included age, gender, race, aetiology, site, management and outcome. Forty-three patients with 44 pathologic fractures were included. The most common aetiology was osteoradionecrosis (49%), followed by infections (19%) and malignancy (19%). The most frequent primary treatment utilized was mandibular resection of diseased bone and fixation with a locking reconstruction plate alone (55%). Either primary or secondary mandibular reconstruction was performed when co-morbid disease allowed such treatment. Management of pathological fractures is aimed initially at systemic issues, followed by focusing on site-specific issues. This is a complex problem with a 40% complication rate, with radiation therapy associated with 59% of the complications. Free flap reconstruction should be considered when possible, especially in cases secondary to osteoradionecrosis.
Preliminary Phytochemical Investigation of Maytenus trichotomus (Celastraceae)

The following compounds were identified and separated from Maytenus trichotomus by means of paper, thin-layer, and column chromatographic techniques: caffeine, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, and benzoic acid. A leucoanthocyanin (leucocyanidin) was also isolated.
Transmission of Three Co-propagating Channels of Same Wavelength in Step Index Multimode Fibers for Lan Applications

Spatial domain multiplexing (SDM) allows co-propagation of multiple spatially separated channels over a single strand of step index multimode fiber. Three such SDM channels for LAN applications are reported.
Magnetic Flux Ropes in the Solar Photosphere: The Vector Magnetic Field under Active Region Filaments

This study is an observational search for evidence of prominence-associated magnetic flux ropes at the photospheric level in plage regions away from sunspots. Although there are a few cases of supposed flux rope geometry in the photosphere of complex sunspot regions (notably "δ sunspots"), such cases appear to be fairly rare and therefore do not contribute significantly to the suspected emergence of magnetic helicity in active regions leading to the common eruption of coronal mass ejections. In the present study, the Advanced Stokes Polarimeter (ASP) at the Dunn Solar Telescope of the National Solar Observatory was used to measure simultaneously the evolution of the photospheric vector magnetic field and the structure of the chromosphere as seen in the Hα line. The high angular resolution of these vector field measurements coupled with the high polarimetric precision of the ASP has allowed the possible identification of flux rope (concave up) geometry in the photosphere below some narrow (and supposedly low-lying) active region filaments. Two cases of such occurrence are presented in detail. These results indicate that flux ropes may be rather common in normal (i.e., non-δ sunspot) active regions. Further observations should shed some light on origin of these flux ropes as either emerging from the solar interior or generated in the solar atmosphere as a consequence of driven magnetic footpoint motion and reconnection.
Minimum tardiness scheduling in flow shops: Construction and evaluation of alternative solution approaches

Abstract Surveys of industrial scheduling practice show that meeting customer due dates is a critical concern for many manufacturing systems. While there is considerable research on the effectiveness of scheduling rules in job shops, very little work is reported on flow shops. Although scheduling rules developed for job shops can be applied in other systems as well, we show that the inherent structure of a flow shop can be utilized to construct effective solution procedures. In particular, for the total tardiness problem, we develop conditions for local optimality in a 2-machine flow shop, and use these results to generate an efficient improvement heuristic procedure. We also construct solution methods that utilize the notion of shifting bottlenecks. Our computational experience reveals the superiority and robustness of the proposed approaches under a variety of problem scenarios. The results of this study also indicate the need to look beyond permutation schedules for solving the flow shop tardiness problem. Furthermore, they suggest that the criterion for determining machine criticality needs to take the scheduling objective into consideration. While it appears intuitive to impute criticality on the basis of machine workloads and, therefore, emphasize the bottleneck machine for generating the shop schedule, this approach may frequently result in inferior system performance.
Evidence of order-parameter symmetry and of a normal metallic state in electron-irradiated YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO)

A key difference between a d-wave superconductor and an anisotropic s-wave one is the expected effect of nonmagnetic point defects on Tc. For the former, Tc becomes zero, whereas for the latter, Tc reaches a nonzero constant value beyond a critical concentration of impurities. We report that Tc of single-crystal YBCO becomes less than 12K, our lowest temperature, when 4.1% of the planar oxygens O(2,3) are displaced by 400keV electrons, incident along the c-axis. Our data therefore suggest that YBCO is a d-wave superconductor. We also report a disorder-induced transition from superconductor-to-normal metal.
Simulation and Assignment of the Terahertz Spectra of Molecular Solids

The investigation of advanced theoretical methods to model and predict the terahertz (THz) spectra of molecular solids (e.g. explosives) will be described with the goal of understanding the underlying chemical origins of experimental spectral features.
Production of electrically conducting plastic composites by three‐dimensional chaotic mixing of melts and powder additives

Extended micron-scale structures were produced in thermoplastic melts from initially large clusters of conducting carbon black particles transported by three-dimensional chaotic mixing. The structures formed extensive networks that were captured by solidification and rendered the materials electrically conducting. In essence, percolating structures were constructed in situ in lieu of being the result of chance associations among particles. A systematic study was carried out to assess the influence of key parameters and to relate the electrical properties to the microstructures. Micrographs showed complex structures exhibiting patterns characteristic of chaotic advection. Electrical measurements indicated that conductivity was achieved at carbon black concentrations significantly lower than those achievable by common mixing methods and lower than those reported recently for two-dimensional chaotic mixing.
Nanophase metallic alloys consolidated from powders prepared by mechanical alloying

Abstract Nanocrystalline metals and intermetallic compounds (Fe, Fe 3 Al, Ni 3 Al) have been prepared by mechanical alloying of elemental powders. This simple and inexpensive route yielded sufficient quantity of powders for consolidation experiments to produce bulk nanophase samples. By employing high pressure, relatively low temperature, and protective Ar atmosphere during hot pressing/forging, mechanically-alloyed nanophase metallic alloy powders have been consolidated to near full density (≥91% of theoretical density) with average grain sizes maintained to below about 20 nm. Contamination of oxygen and carbon in consolidated samples was below about 2 at.% in iron and about 1 at.% in intermetallics. Further improvement of processing steps to achieve full density and reduce contamination is discussed.
Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest: II. Changes in electroencephalogram and evoked potentials during rewarming.

Abstract Background . Electrophysiologic studies during rewarming after deep hypothermic circulatory arrest probe the state of the brain during this critical period and may provide insight into the neurological effects of circulatory arrest and the neurologic outcome. Methods . Electroencephalogram (EEG) and evoked potentials were monitored during rewarming in 109 patients undergoing aortic surgery with hypothermic circulatory arrest. Results . The sequence of neurophysiologic events during rewarming did not mirror the events during cooling. The evoked potentials recovered first followed by EEG burst-suppression and then continuous EEG. The time to recovery of the evoked potentials N20-P22 complex was significantly correlated with the time of circulatory arrest even in patients without postoperative neurologic deficits (r = 0.37, ( p = 0.002). The nasopharyngeal temperatures at which continuous EEG activity and the N20-P22 complex returned were strongly correlated (r = 0.44, p = 0.0002; r=0.41, p = 0.00003) with postoperative neurologic impairment. Specifically, the relative risk for postoperative neurologic impairment increased by a factor of 1.56 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.2) for every degree increase in temperature at which the EEG first became continuous. Conclusions . No trend toward shortened recovery times or improved neurologic outcome was noted with lower temperatures at circulatory arrest, indicating that the process of cooling to electrocerebral silence produced a relatively uniform degree of cerebral protection, independent of the actual nasopharyngeal temperature.
An improved method for the reconstruction of lossy dielectric objects

In this article we present a modified version of the time-domain distorted Born iterative method (TDDBIM), based on the frequency-compensating technique (FCT), for the reconstruction of lossy dielectric objects. The FCT is applied to improve the ill-posed characteristics of the inverse problems and to speed up the convergence of the TDDBIM. Numerical results for the reconstruction of two-dimensional lossy objects show that the algorithm is very effective in improving the rate of convergence of the TDDBIM. Furthermore, the modified algorithm performs well even in the presence of a 20-dB signal-to-noise ratio and does not impose an additional burden on the CPU. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 15: 282–288, 1997
Multinary alloy electrodes for solid state batteries I. A phase diagram approach for the selection and storage properties determination of candidate electrode materials

Abstract The desire to produce high specific energy rechargeable batteries has led to the investigation of ternary alloy systems for use as negative electrode components in lithium-based cells. The addition of a third component to a binary alloy electrode could result in a significant change in the thermodynamic and/or kinetic behavior of the electrode material, depending on the relevant phase diagram and the crystal structures of the phases present. The influence of ternary phase diagram characteristics upon the thermodynamic properties and specific energies of multi-component electrodes is discussed with lithiumsilicon-based systems as an illustration. It is shown that the electrode potentials (and thus specific energies of the ensuing cell) as well as the theoretical lithium capacities of electrodes based on these ternary alloy modifications can be significantly increased with respect to their present day binary counterpart.
Radiometric performance results of the New Horizons' ALICE UV imaging spectrograph

We describe the radiometric performance and calibration results of the New Horizons' ALICE flight model. This ALICE is a lightweight (4.4 kg), low-power (4.4 W), ultraviolet spectrograph based on the ALICE instrument now in flight aboard the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft. Its primary job will be to detect a variety of important atomic and molecular species in Pluto's atmosphere, and to determine their relative abundances so that a complete picture of Pluto's atmospheric composition can be determined for the first time. ALICE will also be used to search for an atmosphere around Pluto's moon, Charon, as well as the Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) New Horizons hopes to fly by after Pluto-Charon. Detailed radiometric performance results of the ALICE flight model are presented and discussed.
A 26 to 40GHz Wideband SiGe Balanced Power Amplifier IC

An integrated SiGe PA is presented for wideband applications covering 26 to 40 GHz. No distributed amplifier or negative feedback techniques are employed to achieve wideband performance. The 42% fractional-bandwidth PA has a gain of 13 dB and a saturated output power of 19.4 dBm with 11.2% PAE from 32 to 33 GHz. The output P1 dB and Psat are greater than 15.5 dBm and 17 dBm, respectively, from 26 to 40 GHz. The 1.83 mm2 chip consumes 525 mW (375 mA) from a 1.4 V supply.
Spirituality and Self-Management of Diabetes in African Americans

Attention to spirituality is especially important for nurses when providing care to African Americans. Spirituality is deeply embedded in their rich cultural heritage. For many African Americans, spirituality is intertwined into all aspects of life, including beliefs about health and illness. Therefore, it is imperative that nurses understand the relationship between African American spirituality, health, and self-management of illness to provide culturally competent care to African Americans. The purpose of this article is to summarize the research literature on African American spirituality, health, and self-management as it relates to Type 2 diabetes, an illness that involves complex self-care management. Recommendations for holistic nursing practice and research related to this literature are also identified.
On the Stabilization of Planar Multi-Agent Formations

This paper is concerned with the decentralized formation control of multi-agent systems moving in the plane. Using a single-integrator agent model, we propose a new distributed control law to asymptotically stabilize the inter-agent distance error dynamics. Our approach exploits the infinitesimal and minimal rigidity of the undirected graph that models the formation. A Lyapunov-based analysis shows that these two properties are necessary conditions for asymtptotic stability. The control, which is explicitly dependent on the graph rigidity matrix, is derived for a class of potential functions.Copyright © 2012 by ASME