cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Site-specific differences in pp60c-src activity in human colorectal metastases

The c-src proto-oncogene has been implicated in the progression of primary human colorectal carcinoma to hepatic metastasis. To determine if increased pp60c-src tyrosine kinase activity is a colon-specific phenomenon present in colorectal metastases to all sites, the pp60c-src-specific kinase activity of noncolon tumor metastases to the liver was compared to that of colorectal liver metastases. Activity of extrahepatic colon carcinoma metastases was compared to that of colorectal liver metastases as well as that of normal colonic mucosa. The specific activity of pp60c-src in multiple synchronous metastases from colon carcinoma was also examined. Tyrosine kinase activity was determined by immune complex kinase assay; protein levels were determined by immunoblotting. Specific activity was calculated for each group by dividing the total activity by protein level. Colon carcinoma metastases to the liver had significantly (P < 0.04) increased pp60c-src activity with an average 2.2-fold increase over normal mucosa. In contrast, noncolon tumor metastases to the liver showed minimal pp60c-src kinase activity. Extrahepatic colorectal metastases demonstrated significantly increased (P < 0.005) pp60c-src activity with an average 12.7-fold increase over normal mucosa. When compared to colon liver metastases, extrahepatic colorectal tumor metastases show a significant difference in activity (P < 0.05) with an average 5.7-fold increase. Examination of multiple synchronous colon carcinoma metastases confirmed these results. In summary, we conclude that (1) the activation of pp60c-src between primary tumors and metastases is specific to colon metastases, and (2) although pp60c-src activity is significantly increased in colorectal metastases, site-specific differences in the magnitude of activity are evident.
CO 2 Sequestration in Basalt: Carbonate Mineralization and Fluid Substitution

Geological sequestration of carbon dioxide in deep reservoirs may provide a large-scale option for reducing the emissions of this gas into the atmosphere. The effectiveness of sequestration depends on the storage capacity and stability of the reservoir and risk of leakage into the overburden. Reservoir rocks can react with a CO2-water mixture, potentially resulting in the precipitation of minerals in the available matrix pore space and within pre-existing fractures. This induced mineralization may form internal seals that could help mitigate the leakage of CO2 into the overburden. For basaltic host rocks, carbonic acid partially dissolves minerals in the host rock, such as the calcium plagioclase mineral, freeing various cations (e.g., Ca2+ and Mg2+) for later precipitation as carbonate cements (Gislason et al., 2010).
Red, white and blue: environmental variance spectra and coexistence in metapopulations

Abstract Environmental variability, in the form of disturbance, is critically important for metapopulations. Their spatial subdivision makes possible the regional coexistence of inferior competitors (fugitive species) that are unable to persist locally. It is known that such coexistence depends on the frequency of disturbance relative to the rates of dispersal and competitive exclusion. In this paper, the effects of the spectral “color” of the environmental variation in a simple two-species competition model are considered. A simple two-state Markov chain is developed to describe the environment; its single parameter can be tuned to give a power spectrum that emphasizes low frequencies (red) or high frequencies (blue), or that contains all frequencies equally (white). Coupling this to a nonlinear Markov chain model for two competing species, this study considers the interacting effects of disturbance frequency and the spectrum on the frequency of the losing competitor, local species richness, spatial heterogeneity (beta diversity), and the Smoluchowski recurrence time for patch states. In general, a red spectrum makes coexistence more difficult and reduces local diversity. However, the details of the patterns depend on the rates of dispersal and competition.
Building on crossvalidation for increasing the quality of geostatistical modeling

The random function is a mathematical model commonly used in the assessment of uncertainty associated with a spatially correlated attribute that has been partially sampled. There are multiple algorithms for modeling such random functions, all sharing the requirement of specifying various parameters that have critical influence on the results. The importance of finding ways to compare the methods and setting parameters to obtain results that better model uncertainty has increased as these algorithms have grown in number and complexity. Crossvalidation has been used in spatial statistics, mostly in kriging, for the analysis of mean square errors. An appeal of this approach is its ability to work with the same empirical sample available for running the algorithms. This paper goes beyond checking estimates by formulating a function sensitive to conditional bias. Under ideal conditions, such function turns into a straight line, which can be used as a reference for preparing measures of performance. Applied to kriging, deviations from the ideal line provide sensitivity to the semivariogram lacking in crossvalidation of kriging errors and are more sensitive to conditional bias than analyses of errors. In terms of stochastic simulation, in addition to finding better parameters, the deviations allow comparison of the realizations resulting from the applications of different methods. Examples show improvements of about 30% in the deviations and approximately 10% in the square root of mean square errors between reasonable starting modelling and the solutions according to the new criteria.
Excretion of formaldehyde, malondialdehyde, acetaldehyde and acetone in the urine of rats in response to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, paraquat, endrin and carbon tetrachloride.

Formaldehyde (FA), acetaldehyde (ACT), malondialdehyde (MDA) and acetone (ACON) were simultaneously identified in urine, and their excretion quantitated in response to chemically induced oxidative stress. Urine samples of female Sprague—Dawley rats were collected over dry ice and derivatized with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. The hydrazones of the four lipid metabolic products were quantitated by high-performance liquid chromatography on a Waters 10-μm μ-Bondapak C18 column. The identities of FA, ACT, MDA and ACON in urine were confirmed by gas chromatography—mass spectrometry. An oxidative stress was induced by orally administering 100 μg/kg 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, 75 mg/kg paraquat, 6 mg/kg endrin or 2.5 ml/kg carbon tetrachloride to rats. Urinary excretion of FA, ACT, MDA and ACON increased relative to control animals 24 h after treatment with all xenobiotics. The system has wide-spread applicability to the investigation of altered lipid metabolism in disease states and exposure to environmental pollutants.
Morphological studies of possible neuroendocrine structures in Helisoma tenue (Gastropoda: Pulmonata).

Studies of possible neuroendocrine structures in the pulmonate gastropod Helisoma tenue show that cerebral fuchsinophilic neurons with electron-dense granules (mean diameter 1,500 A) apparently release their secretory content in an “intercerebral commissure neurohemal area” near the mediodorsal bodies (MDB) or in the “median labial nerve neurohemal area”.
Reorganization in the auditory cortex of the rat induced by intracortical microstimulation: a multiple single-unit study.

Many manipulations are able to change or perturb various aspects of single neuron properties and interneuronal relationships. Changes of cerebral cortex organization have been observed in different cortical areas and at different time scales in relation to peripheral stimulation, peripheral damage, associative learning, and electrical stimulation. Here we describe studies on separable multineuron recordings in the rat's auditory cortex under two different anesthetics. Acoustic stimuli were used as a normal, physiological input, and weak electrical intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) as a perturbation that forces a rapid cortical reorganization. ICMS induced fast changes in the cortical map and in the receptive field properties of cells at the electrically stimulated and adjacent electrodes. In effect there was an enlargement of the cortical domain tuned to the acoustic frequency that had been represented at the stimulating electrode. ICMS also incremented afterdischarge responses; these consisted of an initial response to the auditory stimulus followed by less intense repetitive activity that was stimulus-time locked and had a period of 8–12 Hz, similar to that of the spontaneous synchronous activity. Cortical activity under ketamine differed from that under pentobarbital sodium, although in both situations we observed that cortical neurons were highly synchronous.
Concurrent Optimization of Technology and Design for Nano CMOS

As we move to 45nm and beyond, our ability to manage the need for increased integration together with the drive for higher system performance and lower power presents many challenges to technology and design. It has become no longer possible to consider technology advancement without considering the overall optimization of the transistor and circuit design for full entitlement together with the cost of the chip. This paper looks at the key challenges and technology discontinuities that we face as we move into the nano CMOS regime, and some of the approaches being developed to address them
The effect of base station contact on ambulance destination

Concern has been raised that a single medical control base station serving a metropolitan area may preferentially divert ambulance patients to the base station hospital. Such concern may discourage the development of regional medical control systems. During the first six months of 1988, a retrospective cross-sectional analysis was made of all advanced life support (ALS) ambulance transports and all contacts to the single base station, known as Medical Resource Hospital (MRH). Destinations of all ALS ambulance calls dispatched through the county's 911 dispatch center were analyzed to determine whether the destinations were affected by MRH contact. There were 12,396 transports to 17 area hospitals with 1,272 (10.3%) of these requiring MRH contact. We hypothesized that if MRH contact did not affect destination, the proportion of all non-MRH ALS ambulance patients received by each hospital from the 911-dispatched group would equal the proportion of patients received by each hospital after MRH contact. Five hospitals received a statistically significant ( P
Victims, heroes or martyrs? partition and the problem of memorialization in contemporary Sikh history

Heroism and martyrdom are central values in contemporary Sikh historiography and primary symbols in their collective memory. Both are replete with the stories of numerous heroes and martyrs who faced death, unflinchingly fighting in defense of the Sikh faith and its believers (constituting the Panth or community) against overwhelming odds. Conversely, it is considered shameful for Sikhs to become mere victims, succumbing to attacks against faith and community without fighting to the death. It is also insisted that true Sikhs do not themselves attack those who are weak or harmless; on the contrary true Sikhs come to the defense of such persons even if they are not of the same faith. However, during the last half century, Sikhs have many times become victims, as well as perpetrators of violence, being unable to act in a way consistent with their central values. The consequence has been an inability to integrate their modern history successfully into a narrative consistent with those values and to find appro...
EVALUATION OF INSECTICIDES FOR CONTROL OF HARLEQUIN BUGS ON TURNIP, 2004

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of foliar applied insecticides for management of harlequin bugs on turnip. Plots were located on the University of Arkansas Main Experimental Station, Fayetteville, AR. Plots consisted of a single two foot wide bed 35 ft long. Experimental design was RCB with four replications. ‘Purple Top’ turnip was planted on 30 Aug 2004. Seed was placed every 2 inches within each plot. Insecticide sprays were applied on 19 Oct with a CO2-powered backpack sprayer equipped with two Spraying Systems TX-8 nozzles. Spray output was 19.2 gpa at 25 psi. Insecticide effectiveness was assessed by taking 10 sweeps with a 15 in. diameter sweep net from each plot. The initial sample (3 DAT) was taken from the north half of each plot and the final sample (7 DAT) was taken from the south half. Data were analyzed with ANOVA. Means were separated with LSD (P ≤ 0.05).
The circadian activity rhythms of rats with mid- and parasagittal ‘split-SCN’ knife cuts and pinealectomy

Abstract To explore the multioscillator nature of the neurohumoral circuitry controlling the expression of circadian rhythmicity, rats' wheel running circadian activity rhythms were compared following sagittal knife cuts in the region of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SSCN), following pinealectomy (PX) and following the combination of SSCN and PX. 25% of animals with knife cuts that passed through one SCN had disturbed running activity under constant illumination; rhythmic disturbances were seen neither in animals with sham knife cuts nor in rats with knife cuts on the midline or lateral to the SCN. Animals with both SSCN and PX were twice as likely to show severe rhythmic disruptions under free-running conditions as rats with SSCN and sham PX. Rats with PX and sham SSCN did not display disrupted activity rhythms. When animals with PX alone or SSCN alone were first observed under free-running conditions and then subjected to a second surgical procedure so that all animals underwent both PX and SSCN, all PX and most SSCN animals demonstrated coherent activity rhythms after the first operation, but 35% showed disruption in circadian activity patterns only following the second surgery. The activity rhythms of rats with knife cuts placed either on the midline or lateral to the SCN did not deteriorate when combined with PX. Rats with coherent rhythms following knife cuts damaging one SCN had rhythm disruptions after the addition of PX. The effects of pinealectomy may indicate that the pineal gland plays a role in maintaining the coupling relationships in the multioscillator system controlling circadian activity rhythms. The results of this study also suggest that neither the direct commissural connection of the SCNs nor the humoral output of the pineal gland is indispensable for the expression of coherent circadian activity rhythms in the rat.
Deuterium off-resonance rotating frame spin-lattice relaxation of macromolecular bound ligands

Deuterated 3-trimethylsilylpropionic acid binding to bovine serum albumin was used as a model system to examine the feasibility and limitations of using the deuterium off-resonance rotating frame spin-lattice relaxation experiment for the study of equilibrium ligand-binding behavior to proteins. The results of this study demonstrate that the rotational-diffusion behavior of the bound species can be monitored directly, i.e., the observed correlation time of the ligand in the presence of a protein is approximately equal to the correlation time of the ligand in the bound state, provided that the fraction of bound ligand is at least 0.20. The presence of local ligand motion and/or chemical exchange contributions to relaxation in the bound state was inferred from the observation that the correlation time of the bound ligand was somewhat smaller than the correlation time characterizing the overall tumbling of the protein. An approximate value for the fraction of bound ligand was obtained from off-resonance relaxation experiments when supplemental spin-lattice or transverse relaxation times were employed in the analysis. Incorporation of local motion effects for the bound species into the theoretical relaxation formalism enabled the evaluation of an order parameter and an effective correlation time, which in conjunction with a wobbling in a cone model, provided additional information about ligand motion in the bound state.
Marriage preparation programs: A literature review.

In the past two decades, the need for high-quality marriage preparation programs and better program evaluation has become more evident. This review tracks developments in programming, theory, and e...
Quantum confinement in oxide quantum wells

Quantum wells created from nanostructured transition metal oxides offer unique possibilities for creating and manipulating quantum states of matter, including novel superconductors, high Curie temperature magnets, controllable metal-insulator transitions, and new topological states. This article explores what is known and conjectured about confined electronic states in oxide quantum wells. Theoretical challenges are reviewed, along with issues arising in the creation of oxide quantum wells. Examples from the current experimental state of the art are summarized, open questions are discussed, and prospects for the future are outlined. The key roles of epitaxial strain and proximity effects are emphasized.
Ankle-arm blood pressure index as a marker for atherosclerotic vascular diseases in hemodialysis patients

The ankle to arm blood pressure index (AABI) has been recently found to be a strong predictor of cardiovascular and overall mortality in several populations. The test, which is a noninvasive marker for lower extremity vascular disease (when the index is < 0.9), is an office procedure that is simple to perform. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the AABI in hemodialysis patients. One hundred seventy-seven hemodialysis patients were studied, of which the AABI could be measured in 142. The AABI was then compared in patients with and without coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral vascular disease. In patients with or without coronary artery disease, the AABI was, respectively, 0.87 +/- 0.03 and 1.03 +/- 0.02 (P < 0.0001). For cerebrovascular disease, the mean AABI for patients with or without disease was, respectively, 0.82 +/- 0.04 and 1.00 +/- 0.02 (P < 0.0004). In patients with or without peripheral vascular disease, the mean AABI was, respectively, 0.75 +/- 0.04 and 1.02 +/- 0.02 (P < 0.0001). The mean AABI was 0.86 +/- 0.03 in patients with any of the three diseases compared with 1.07 +/- 0.02 in patients without any vascular disease (P < 0.0001). Thirty-eight percent of patients had an AABI of less than 0.9; 24% were less than 0.8 and 11% were less than 0.7.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Encouraging and supporting electronic communication across the curriculum (ECAC) through a university and K–12 partnership

Abstract Critical, sustainable approaches to technology are difficult to develop and integrate within the constantly shifting and dynamic landscape of computers. This challenge is particularly pertinent for K–12 teachers, who often have limited access to computers, work with outdated equipment, or do not have time to tinker with the technology in ways that make it more readily applicable to their classrooms and curricula. In this article, we describe an approach to remedying the technological turbulence that both K–12 and university faculty face. We describe the Electronic Communication Across the Curriculum Summer Workshop, 1 a two-week long physical and virtual course offered to K–12 teachers and their middle and high school students in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We offer this workshop as a model approach for other workshop developers, for those interested in educational partnerships, and for those committed to professional development and technology.
A new era dawns [equipment management]

During recent years, business environment and equipment characteristics have changed and maintenance approaches can no longer provide effective equipment management. The traditional maintenance function is vanishing, driving equipment management into a new, post-maintenance era. Equipment management is moving into an emerging phase of equipment management where the approaches and practices in managing equipment are no longer centered on the maintenance functional setup. Instead, equipment management is achieved by consolidating functional tasks as a process with clear and focused ownership.
On the implementation of the Dirichlet-to-Neumann radiation condition for iterative solution of the Helmholtz equation

The Helmholtz equation posed on an unbounded domain with the Sommerfeld condition prescribed at infinity is considered. The unbounded domain is eliminated by imposing a Dirichlet-to-Neumann (DtN) map or a modified DtN map on a truncating surface and the resulting bounded domain problem is modeled using the finite element method. The resulting system of linear equations is then solved using a Krylov subspace iterative method. New, efficient algorithms to compute matrix-vector products that are based on the structure of the DtN and the modified DtN map are presented. Connections between the DtN map and the discrete Fourier transform in two dimensions and discrete spherical transform in three dimensions are established, and are utilized to develop fast implementations of matrix-vector product algorithms. Also, an SSOR-type preconditioner that is based on a local radiation condition is considered for the modified DtN formulation. An efficient implementation is proposed by extending Eisenstat's trick for the standard SSOR preconditioner. Finally, numerical examples which illustrate the efficacy of the proposed algorithms are presented.
Letharia vulpina, a vulpinic acid containing lichen, targets cell membrane and cell division processes in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

AbstractContext: Antibiotic resistance in humans is a major concern. Drugs that target traditional sites and pathways are becoming obsolete; thus, compounds affecting novel targets are needed. Screening lichen metabolites for antimicrobials has yielded promising antimicrobial compounds, yet their mode of action is poorly understood. Letharia vulpina (L.) Hue (Parmeliaceae) has traditionally been used to poison predators, and treat stomach disorders; more recently L. vulpina extracts have demonstrated promising antimicrobial properties.Objective: This study investigates the mode of action of L. vulpina acetone extract against a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).Material and methods: We treated MRSA with L. vulpina extracts at 1×, 5×, and 10 × MIC values (MIC = 31.25 µg/ml) for 24 h and optical density (OD660) was measured over time to determine bacteriolytic activity; counted colony forming units (CFUs) to determine time kill dynamics; the propidium iodide (PI) assay and transmission elect...
Heterogeneity of functional properties of Clone 66 murine breast cancer cells expressing various stem cell phenotypes.

INTRODUCTION Breast cancer grows, metastasizes and relapses from rare, therapy resistant cells with a stem cell phenotype (cancer stem cells/CSCs). However, there is a lack of studies comparing the functions of CSCs isolated using different phenotypes in order to determine if CSCs are homogeneous or heterogeneous. METHODS Cells with various stem cell phenotypes were isolated by sorting from Clone 66 murine breast cancer cells that grow orthotopically in immune intact syngeneic mice. These populations were compared by in vitro functional assays for proliferation, growth, sphere and colony formation; and in vivo limiting dilution analysis of tumorigenesis. RESULTS The proportion of cells expressing CD44(high)CD24(low/neg), side population (SP) cells, ALDH1(+), CD49f(high), CD133(high), and CD34(high) differed, suggesting heterogeneity. Differences in frequency and size of tumor spheres from these populations were observed. Higher rates of proliferation of non-SP, ALDH1(+), CD34(low), and CD49f(high) suggested properties of transit amplifying cells. Colony formation was higher from ALDH1(-) and non-SP cells than ALDH1(+) and SP cells suggesting a progenitor phenotype. The frequency of clonal colonies that grew in agar varied and was differentially altered by the presence of Matrigel™. In vivo, fewer cells with a stem cell phenotype were needed for tumor formation than "non-stem" cells. Fewer SP cells were needed to form tumors than ALDH1(+) cells suggesting further heterogeneities of cells with stem phenotypes. Different levels of cytokines/chemokines were produced by Clone 66 with RANTES being the highest. Whether the heterogeneity reflects soluble factor production remains to be determined. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that Clone 66 murine breast cancer cells that express stem cell phenotypes are heterogeneous and exhibit different functional properties, and this may also be the case for human breast cancer stem cells.
Thrombosis of the ulnar artery: Resection and microvascular vein graft

Thrombosis of the ulnar artery occurs in an unprotected region of the hypothenar area secondary to trauma. The anatomical and pathological considerations, clinical presentations, and therapeutic management is reviewed. Two cases treated by interpositional microvascular vein grafting are presented. In the patient with severe symptoms, it is recommended that flow be restored by vein grafting when facilities and expertise are available.
Eight Types of Graphic Organizers for Empowering Social Studies Students and Teachers

Graphic organizers offer visual models that equip teachers and students with tools, concepts, and language to organize, understand, and apply information. Many teachers, concerned that social studies tends to overwhelm students, feel social studies is viewed as a complex and confusing subject unrelated to the contemporary world. Graphic organizers help students sort, show relationships, make meaning, and manage data quickly and easily before, during, and after reading and discussion. They are useful for reading difficult material, highlighting information, valuing cultural diversity, meeting needs of special populations, and supporting language learning. In this article, the authors present eight types of graphic organizers with descriptions, vocabulary, and examples applicable to citizenship and government, economics, geography, and history in pre-K-12 settings. Teachers should modify and extend the examples so learning is student centered, student directed, developmentally appropriate, active, challengi...
Laser intensity for maximum yield in multiphoton ionization.

An optimum laser intensity that maximizes the photoionization yield is found in a two-photon resonant, three-photon ionization experiment. At laser intensities higher than this optimum, a negative value is obtained for the exponential index describing this multiphoton process, both at zero detuning and at the detuning for which the signal is maximized. Despite the presence of large (g 1 \AA{}A) optical Stark shifts, Gaussian beam-focusing effects produce an excitation spectrum peaked near zero detuning and reverse the sense of its skewness.
The Theory of Excitation Functions on the Basis of the Many-Body Model

The theory of transmutation functions for charged particles is examined in the light of recent developments in nuclear theory. It is found that ignoring all factors besides the penetrability of the incident particle is justifiable only for processes without effective competition. For these, the usual applications of the Gamow-Condon-Gurney theory must be modified to include the influence of incident particles with nonvanishing orbital momentum which causes a continued rise of the yield for energies greater than the Coulomb barrier. For processes subject to effective competition, the comparative density of residual states available to each alternative process is important in determining relative yields. The densities of the states are calculated on the basis of the liquid drop model for the nucleus and a table is obtained giving the relative probabilities of neutron and charged particle emissions. The overwhelming factor in favor of neutron emission by heavy nuclei seems to be confirmed by experiment. The shape of an excitation curve expected for the less probable of two processes is shown. Finally the effect of selection rules in the yield curves of reactions involving very light nuclei is considered. Special cases are discussed.
Defective post–thymic tolerance mechanisms during the chronic progressive stage of multiple sclerosis

Defective post–thymic tolerance mechanisms during the chronic progressive stage of multiple sclerosis
Target-Space Properties of Topological Conformal Field Theories

Target-space properties of string backgrounds corresponding to topological conformal field theories are discussed. The topological string background is obtained from a "twisting" of an N = 2 superconformal field theory describing an ordinary background of the superstring. Thus, we are able to relate the duality symmetries of topological backgrounds with N = 2 backgrounds.
Health-seeking behavior of Rwandan women

The responses of Rwandan women in a highland region to their own and their children's illness episodes are examined. Over 85% of diarrhea cases from monthly morbidity recalls were treated by health-center visits, use of Western medicine, or no treatment. Factors such as the age of the child at the time of the illness, previous child death in the household, and the women's control of various categories of household expenditures exert some influence on health-seeking behavior, according to results of cross-tabulations. Women at the highest altitudes tend to respond less actively to children's diarrhea, possibly because of the relative difficulty of their journey to the health center. Recommendations are offered for policy and further study.
Case-based learning with different similarity functions

The paper applies the rule for adaptation of the aspiration level suggested by Gilboa and Schmeidler to a situation in which the similarity between acts is represented by an arbitrary similarity function [Gilboa, I., Schmeidler, D., 1996. Case-based optimization. Games Econ. Behav. 15, 1–26]. I show that the optimality result derived by Gilboa and Schmeidler in general fails. With a concave similarity function, only corner acts are chosen in the limit. The optimality result can be reestablished by introducing convex regions into the similarity function and modifying the aspiration adaptation rule. A similarity function which is “sufficiently convex” allows approximating optimal behavior with an arbitrary degree of precision.
The Violence of Structures and the Violence of Foundings

Western liberal democracies have long prided themselves on grounding political rule in the consent and representation of the governed, settling differences through deliberation and compromise, admi...
Photon loss in the active and passive regions of a semiconductor laser

Abstract The photon loss in the active and passive regions of an electron-beam-pumped GaAs laser has been measured by masking a portion of the length between Fabry-Perot surfaces. A theoretical expression for threshold has been developed, and experimental measurement of threshold current density as a function of masked length has been made for several different n and p-doped samples of GaAs at 4°K. The loss coefficients have been found to be strongly dependent on impurity doping concentration. The loss coefficient in the active region has been observed to be less than the loss coefficient in passive material. This is attributed to an inhibiting of interband absorptive transitions by the inverted population in the active region.
Behavioural equivalents of anxiety in children with fragile X syndrome: parent and teacher report.

Background Identifying many of the diagnostic criteria for anxiety and depression in individuals with intellectual disability (ID) can be challenging because they may be unable to recognize and communicate their emotional experiences accurately. The purpose of this study is to identify behavioural equivalents of anxiety in children with fragile X syndrome (FXS), the leading inherited cause of ID. Methods Parents and teachers of 43 children (aged 6–14 years) with full mutation FXS completed two standardized questionnaires on children’s problem behaviour and psychiatric symptoms. Items from the questionnaires thought to be possible behavioural equivalents of anxiety were identified and grouped into four domains: Avoidance Behaviours – Confrontational; Avoidance Behaviours – Non-confrontational; Anxiety Continuum Behaviours; and Behavioural Dysregulation. The mean rating for the four groups of items was used to predict the children’s status for exhibiting significant problems with anxiety as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-oriented Anxiety Subscale from the problem behaviour scale. Results The predictor variables classified 81% (parent rating) and 86% (teacher rating) of the children correctly. Avoidance Behaviours – Confrontational and Avoidance Behaviours – Non-confrontational (teacher rating) and Anxiety Continuum Behaviours (parent and teacher rating) made unique contributions to the models. Conclusions Children who are unable to identify and communicate that they worry about general day-to-day events may exhibit more observable behaviours resembling active and passive avoidance (e.g. arguing, avoiding difficult tasks, staring off) or have specific phobias and compulsions. These findings suggest that there are behavioural equivalents for anxiety disorder in children with FXS and, more generally, support the notion of behavioural equivalents in ID.
Age-Related Changes in Survival of Larval and Juvenile Striped Bass in Different Concentrations of Calcium and Sodium

Abstract Survival rates were determined 24 h after striped bass Morone saxatilis from 9 to 78 d old (i.e., days posthatch) were abruptly transferred to water with low or high concentrations of Ca2+ and Na+. These ions are often added to water containing striped bass to increase survival after harvest. Treatment waters contained these ions at the following levels: (1) low Cat, (4 mg/L) and low Na+ (9 mg/L); (2) high Ca2+ (100 mg/ L) and low Na+; (3) low Ca2+ and high Na+ (1,780 mg/ L); or (4) high Ca2+ and high Na+. Survival was consistently high for fish of all ages in the high Cat+–high Na+ treatment. However, survival in all other treatments varied depending on fish age. Yolk-sac larvae (9 d posthatch) had high survival in water with high Na+ and had low survival in water with low Na+; survival of yolk-sac larvae was not related to Ca2+ concentration. Survival of the youngest postlarvae tested (16 d posthatch) was remarkably different from that of yolk-sac larvae; the high concentration of Ca2+ reduced ...
STATISTICS OF RARE EVENTS IN DISORDERED CONDUCTORS

Asymptotic behavior of the distribution functions of local quantities in disordered conductors is studied in the weak disorder limit by means of an optimal fluctuation method. It is argued that this method is more appropriate for the study of seldom occurring events than the approaches based on nonlinear �-models because it is capable of correctly handling fluctuations of the random potential with large amplitude as well as the short-scale structure of the corresponding solutions
Rapid Detection and Classification of Bacterial Contamination Using Grid Computing

Bacterial contamination of food products is a serious public health problem that creates high costs for the food-processing industry. Rapid detection of bacterial pathogens is the key to avoiding disease outbreaks and costly product recalls associated with food-borne pathogens. Automated identification of pathogens using scatter patterns of bacterial colonies is a promising technique that uses image processing and machine learning approaches to extract features from forward-scatter patterns produced by irradiating bacterial colonies with red laser light. The feature vector used for this approach can consist of hundreds of features, and a sufficiently large number of training images is required for accurate classification. As most feature extraction algorithms have high computational cost, the feature extraction step becomes the bottleneck in the whole processing pipeline. Computational grid technologies provide a promising and economical solution to this problem. In this work we report the implementation of the laser-scatter-analysis technique on a computational grid. A set of more than 2000 images was used for training of classifiers. The invariant form of Zernike moments up to order 20, radial Chebyshev moments, and Haralick features were extracted. Linear discriminant analysis and support vector machine classifiers were used for classification. We report speed-ups achieved and the scalability of this approach for large sets of images and for higher-order moments. Laser-scatter-analysis technique combined with computational grid technology offers a feasible and economic solution for rapid and accurate detection and classification of bacterial contamination.
How Movement Strength Matters: Social Movement Strength and the Implementation of Ethnodevelopment Policy in Ecuador and Peru

Why has Ecuador been much more successful at implementing participatory policy than Peru despite the similarity between the two countries’ policies and despite their similarly low state capacity? To answer this question, this article draws on insights from implementation literature that point to factors such as incentives written into policy, the commitment of administrations and bureaucratic agencies, and few veto points in the chain of implementation. While this article does not challenge such findings, it suggests that we must look further back in the causal chain to understand what brings such facilitating conditions about. Through an examination of ethnodevelopment policy in Ecuador and Peru, I find that the strength of social movements is most responsible for creating the conditions that foster implementation. Neither civil society nor the state alone can bring about successful participatory policy implementation. Rather, strong social movements can make the state comply with its own laws.
Sinking rates of marine phytoplankton measured with a fluorometer

Abstract Sinking rates of several marine diatoms and flagellates from growing cultures, and from older cultures no longer growing, have been measured using a fluorometer to detect chlorophyll fluorescence of cells as they settled. Sinking rates were related to cell diameter, with cells from nongrowing cultures sinking about four times faster than cells from growing cultures. In Thalassiosira fluviatilis sinking rate was increased by the formation of cell aggregates, probably due to chitin fibers produced by the cells. Calculations of cell density were carried out using a modified Stokes equation that included effects of cell shape and orientation during sinking. The calculated density difference between cells from growing and non-growing cultures exceeded the differences expected if a breakdown of cell ionic regulation took place when growth ceased and may represent formation of aggregates. Composition of the culture media influenced sinking rate. In von Stosch's medium and, we suspect, in nature, a fraction of the cells are neutrally buoyant. The fluorometer method for measuring sinking rate appears to be suitable for use on board ship, but the high cell concentration required would restrict its use to phytoplankton blooms.
Dynamically propagating shear bands in impact-loaded prenotched plates—II. Numerical simulations

Abstract The experimental observations of dynamic failure in the form of propagating shear bands and of the transition in failure mode presented in Part I of this investigation is analyzed. Finite element simulations are carried out for the initiation and propagation of shear-dominated failure in prenotched plates subjected to asymmetric impact loading. Coupled thermomechanical simulations are carried out under the assumption of plane strain. The simulations take into account finite deformations, inertia, heat conduction, thermal softening, strain hardening and strain-rate hardening. The propagation of shear bands is assumed to be governed by a critical plastic strain criterion. The results demonstrate a strong dependence of band propagation speed on impact velocity, in accordance with experimental observations. The calculations reveal an active plastic zone in front of the tip of the propagating shear bands. The size of this zone and the level of the shear stresses inside it do not change significantly with the impact velocity or the speed of shear band propagation. Shear stresses are uniform inside this zone except near the band tip where higher rates of strain prevail. The shear band behind the propagating tip exhibits highly localized deformations and intense heating. Temperature rises are relatively small in the active plastic zone compared with those inside the well-developed shear band behind the propagating tip. The calculations also show shear band speeds and temperature rises that are in good agreement with experimental observations. Computed temperature fields confirm the experimental observation that dissipation continues behind the propagating shear band tip. In addition, the numerical results capture the arrest of the shear band. The arrested shear band is first subjected to reverse shear. Subsequently, the arrested band is subjected to mixed-mode loading which eventually leads to tensile failure at an angle about 30 ° to the band.
Epidemic models and percolation

The authors argue that local epidemic models with immunisation are in the same universality class as percolation cluster growth models, and show that the static exponents are equal to all orders in the epsilon expansion. They calculate the dynamic exponent nu t=1+1/28 epsilon +O( epsilon 2) and relate this to other exponents involving the chemical distance.
Onboard Product Generation on Earth Observing One: A Pathfinder for the Proposed Hyspiri Mission Intelligent Payload Module

The proposed HyspIRI mission is evaluating a X-band Direct Broadcast capability that would enable data to be delivered to ground stations virtually as it is acquired. However the HyspIRI VSWIR and TIR instruments are expected to produce over 800 × 106 bits per second of data while the Direct Broadcast capability is approximately 10 × 106 bits per second for a ~ 80x oversubscription. In order to address this data throughput mismatch a Direct Broadcast concept called the Intelligent Payload Module (IPM) has been developed to determine which data to downlink based on both the type of surface the spacecraft is overlying and onboard processing of the data to detect events. For example, when the spacecraft is overlying polar regions it might downlink a snow/ice product. Additionally the onboard software would search for thermal signatures indicative of a volcanic event or wild fire and downlink summary information (extent, spectra) when detected. Earth Observing One (EO-1) has served as a test bed and pathfinder for this type of onboard product generation. As part of the Autonomous Sciencecraft (ASE), EO-1 implemented in ιight software the ability to analyze and develop products for a limited swath of the Hyperion hyperspectral instrument onboard the spacecraft. In a series of technology demonstrations that became part of the operational EO-1 system over 5000 science products have been generated onboard EO-1 and down linked via engineering S-band contacts, a routine automated process that continues to this day. We describe the onboard products demonstrated in EO-1 operations and show how they have paved the way for the HyspIRI Intelligent Payload Module concept.
Case Government of Old English Verbs

L'une des particularites du verbe compose en vieil anglais reside dans le fait que, bien que la tete verbale determine la plupart des traits morphosyntaxiques du verbe compose, la valence de ce dernier est determinee a la fois par la tete verbale et par l'element prepositionnel. Dans cet article, l'A. examine le fonctionnement de cette particularite au niveau du gouvernement casuel des verbes composes et montre qu'il est base sur une hierarchie du caractere oblique du cas. Cette approche permet de mieux interpreter les traits casuels du vieil anglais et de mieux comprendre certaines relations grammaticales vagues dans lesquelles SN et verbes composes sont impliques
Variability of transparent organic particles in Arctic floodplain lakes

The Mackenzie River in the North American Arctic courses into the Beaufort Sea, the outlet of a watershed that drains a vast swath of the western Canadian landscape. At the river's mouth the Mackenzie Delta is a broad floodplain peppered with roughly 45,000 lakes carved into the permafrost. Depending on their connectivity to the river, these floodplain lakes have different mixtures of organic compounds, and such differences affect carbon cycling and sediment processes in the lakes.
Same-different comparison of duration

Pigeons were trained on a task in which a red light of durationt 1 was followed by a green light of durationt 2 and then responses to different keys were reinforced according to whether the durations of the stimuli were the same or different. For Experiment 1, duration pairs consisted of all combinations of 1, 2, 4, and 8 sec. In Experiment 2,different-duration pairs included only combinations witht 1 >t 2 and, in addition, 2 subjects with extended training involving lesser-greater duration comparisons were transferred to the same-different task. Two of 3 subjects learned the task in Experiment 1 and analyses suggested that choices were based on specific instances, not on a temporal same-different rule. All 5 birds acquired the discrimination in Experiment 2, where it appeared that choices were controlled by a combination of relative and absolute rules. Accuracy decreased following transfer from a lesser-greater to a same-different discrimination, but performance was above chance on the first transfer session. In both experiments, however, accuracy was below that found in earlier work with lesser-greater comparisons of duration. These findings are discussed in relation to prior research with lesser-greater comparisons of duration and same-different tasks involving nontemporal stimuli.
Non-invasive cardiac output monitoring during sinus surgery

1. Yun SH, Kim JH, Kim HJ. Comparison of the hemodynamic effects of nitroprusside and remifentanil for controlled hypotension during endoscopic sinus surgery. J Anesth. 2014. doi:10.1007/ s00540-014-1856-0. 2. Kelly EA, Gollapudy S, Riess ML, Woehlck HJ, Loehrl TA, Poetker DM. Quality of surgical field during endoscopic sinus surgery: a systematic literature review of the effect of total intravenous compared to inhalational anesthesia. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2013;3:474–81.
Metastatic Medullary Carcinoma of Thyroid Presenting as a Dural-Based Mass: Case Report and Review of Literature

Dural metastasis from medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is not well established in English literature. We present the case report of MTC with unusual clinical presentation as a dural-based mass in a 39-year-old male with no family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an extra-axial dural-based mass in right frontal lobe with calvarium and soft tissue extension to the right superior orbit. Histopathology showed MTC with variegated morphology and various patterns. Thyroid mass and widespread metastases from medullary thyroid carcinoma were subsequently identified.