cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of hydrologic and system sciences in the development of rainfall-runoff models

This paper presents a discussion on the synthesis of hydrologic science and systems theory in the development of rainfall-runoff models. A major problem appears to be that conceptual rainfall-runoff models contain structural peculiarities which make the application of model-identification and parameter-estimation methods and other useful system-theoretic concepts difficult. Recent developments which have been intended to overcome some of these difficulties are discussed, and areas requiring further research are suggested.
The future of DNA sequencing

This article describes the emerging technologies for rapid sequencing of DNA. Technologies discussed include the use of ultrathin gels, replaceable or reusable gels, automated systems, new types of primers to replace the current shotgun method of DNA sequencing, mass spectrometric direct sequencing technologies, and sequencing by hybridization.
Continuous homogeneous hydroformylation with bulky rhodium catalyst complexes retained by nano-filtration membranes

Abstract By employing polymer bound bulky phosphite ligands (synthesized in house) in conjunction with polyimide membranes with appropriate molecular weight cutoff (MWCO), homogeneous Rh complexes were effectively retained in solution. Batch filtration of toluene-based solutions of various phosphorus ligands at constant pressure revealed that Rh complexed with polymer bound bidendate ligands (average molecular weight from 7000 to 10,000) were most effectively retained in solution with Rh leakage in the permeate being on the order of tens of ppb. Continuous filtration of toluene-based solutions containing dissolved polymer bound phosphite ligand at constant pressure and cell hold-up revealed that the Rh and P concentrations in the permeate were steady after several hours at less than 100 ppb. The higher initial concentrations of Rh and P in the permeate suggests the removal of perhaps unbound Rh and P from the initial mixture and also from the fraction of the polymers that are smaller than the MWCO of the membrane. Continuous 1-olefin hydroformylation with Rh complexed with polymer bound bidentate ligand (JanaPhos) was demonstrated at 50 °C in a stirred reactor fitted with a nanofiltration membrane. The catalyst complex was dissolved in a toluene-based reaction mixture and the feed solution (containing the substrate) and syngas were added continuously to maintain a constant flow rate and reactor pressure (3.0 MPa). At optimized conditions, the continuous run reached a steady state characterized by nearly 50% 1-olefin conversion, >98% aldehydes selectivity and a n/i ratio of 3.5, all of which remained constant even after 22 h. The Rh concentrations in the effluent were steady at approximately 20 ppb even after 22 h. The makeup Rh cost required to offset this loss during continuous processing ($0.004/lb aldehyde) exceeds the economic viability criterion ($0.013/lb aldehyde).
Excited-State Dynamics of fac-[ReI(L)(CO)3(phen)]+ and fac-[ReI(L)(CO)3(5-NO2-phen)]+ (L = Imidazole, 4-Ethylpyridine; Phen = 1,10-Phenanthroline) Complexes

The nature and dynamics of the lowest excited states of fac-[Re^I(L)(CO)_3(phen)]^+ and fac-[Re^I(L)(CO)_3(5-NO_2-phen)]^+ [L = Cl-, 4-ethyl-pyridine (4-Etpy), imidazole (imH); phen = 1,10-phenanthroline] have been investigated by picosecond visible and IR transient absorption spectroscopy in aqueous (L = imH), acetonitrile (L = 4-Etpy, imH), and MeOH (L = imH) solutions. The phen complexes have long-lived Re^I → phen ^3MLCT excited states, characterized by CO stretching frequencies that are upshifted relative to their ground-state values and by widely split IR bands due to the out-of-phase A‘(2) and A‘ ‘ ν(CO) vibrations. The lowest excited states of the 5-NO_(2-)phen complexes also have ^3MLCT character; the larger upward ν(CO) shifts accord with much more extensive charge transfer from the Re^I(CO)_3 unit to 5-NO_(2-)phen in these states. Transient visible absorption spectra indicate that the excited electron is delocalized over the 5-NO_(2-)phen ligand, which acquires radical anionic character. Similarly, involvement of the -NO_2 group in the Franck−Condon MLCT transition is manifested by the presence of an enhanced ν(NO_2) band in the preresonance Raman spectrum of [Re^I(4-Etpy)(CO)_3(5-NO_(2-)phen)]^+. The Re^I → 5-NO_(2-)phen ^3MLCT excited states are very short-lived: 7.6, 170, and 43 ps for L = Cl-, 4-Etpy, and imH, respectively, in CH_3CN solutions. The ^3MLCT excited state of [Re^I(imH)(CO)_3(5-NO_(2-)phen)]^+ is even shorter-lived in MeOH (15 ps) and H_2O (1.3 ps). In addition to ^3MLCT, excitation of [Re^I(imH)(CO)_3(5-NO_(2-)phen)]^+ populates a ^3LLCT (imH → 5-NO_(2-)phen) excited state. Most of the ^3LLCT population decays to the ground state (time constants of 19 (H_2O), 50 (MeOH), and 72 ps (CH_3CN)); in a small fraction, however, deprotonation of the imH^(•+) ligand occurs, producing a long-lived species, [Re^I(im^•)(CO)_3(5-NO_(2-)phen)^(•-)]^+.
A Win–Win Approach to Financing Health Care Reform

How can the government finance such a sizeable new expenditure as universal coverage? Jonathan Gruber argues for the elimination or limiting of the income-tax exclusion for expenditures on employer-sponsored insurance.
The development of the chick optic tectum. II. Autoradiographic studies

Abstract The time of origin and the pattern of migration of the cells in each of the principal layers of the chick optic tectum have been studied autoradiographically using a variant of the ‘cumulative labeling’ technique. The earliest unlabeled cells ( i.e. , the first cells to be formed) are the large, multipolar neurons of the stratum griseum centrale; these appear in the rostroventral portion of the tectum between the third and forth days of incubation. The last cells to arise on the ninth day form the deepest laminae of the stratum griseum et fibrosum superficiale in the caudo-dorso-medial pole of the tectum. Viewed as a whole, the layers of the tectum are formed as the result of 3 spatially distinct, but chronologically overlapping, phases of cell proliferation and migration. The first of these occurs between days 4 and 6 and gives rise to the cells in the 4 deepest strata (the stratum griseum centrale, stratum album centrale, stratum griseum periventriculare and stratum fibrosum periventriculare). The second phase results in the formation of the outer laminae of the stratum griseum et fibrosum superficiale in which the retinal afferents terminate; this phase extends from the fourth to the eighth days of incubation. In the final phase (from days 5 to 9) the deeper laminae (h-j) of the stratum griseum et fibrosum superficiale are formed. In all 3 developmental zones there is a general rostro-ventro-lateral to caudo-dorso-medial gradient, and, in addition, the cells in each zone arise in a characteristics sequence. In the inner and intermediate zones the more superficial cells are formed before the deeper ( i.e. , they follow an ‘outside-in’ gradient); in the outer zone this sequence is reversed with the cells in the deeper laminae being formed between one and two days earlier than those in the outer layers (an ‘inside-out’ gradient). The cells in the 3 developmental zones migrate at apparent rates of about 1.5–1.8 μm/h, 3.5–5 μm/h, and 3.5–4μm/h, respectively.
Preclinical evidence of Alzheimer changes: convergent cerebrospinal fluid biomarker and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography findings.

Background Alterations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau and β-amyloid peptide 1-42 (Aβ 42 ) levels and rates of cerebral glucose metabolism (CMRglu) on fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) occur years before clinical symptoms of Alzheimer disease (AD) become manifest, but their relationship remains unclear. Objective To determine whether CSF AD biomarker levels and CMRglu in healthy individuals correlate in brain structures affected early in AD. Design Cohort study. Setting Alzheimer disease research center. Participants Twenty individuals without dementia aged 46 to 83 years. Interventions Lumbar CSF sampling and FDG-PET imaging of CMRglu. The CSF Aβ 42 , tau, and tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (ptau 181 ) levels were measured using immunobead-based multiplex assays. Main Outcome Measures Correlations between CMRglu and CSF biomarker levels were analyzed via voxel-based and volume-of-interest approaches. Results Voxel-based analyses demonstrated significant negative correlations between CSF tau and ptau 181 levels and CMRglu in the posterior cingulate, precuneus, and parahippocampal regions. In contrast, a limited positive correlation was found between CSF Aβ 42 levels and CMRglu in the inferior temporal cortex. Volume-of-interest analyses confirmed negative associations between CSF tau and ptau 181 levels and CMRglu in the parietal and medial parietal lobes and a positive association between CSF Aβ 42 levels and CMRglu in the parahippocampal gyrus. Conclusions In healthy individuals, higher CSF tau and ptau 181 concentrations were associated with more severe hypometabolism in several brain regions affected very early in AD, whereas lower CSF Aβ 42 concentrations were associated with hypometabolism only in the medial temporal lobe. This suggests that early tau and Aβ abnormalities may be associated with subtle synaptic changes in brain regions vulnerable to AD. A longitudinal assessment of CSF and FDG-PET biomarkers is needed to determine whether these changes predict cognitive impairment and incipient AD.
“I’m a Baller”: Athletic Identity Foreclosure among African-American Former Student-Athletes

Few collegiate athletes advance to the ranks of professional. For most collegiate student-athletes, their retirement from athletics will begin soon after their senior campaign, but many have a difficult time leaving their dreams, aspirations, and athletic identity behind. Athletes participating in high-level sports competition have been noted to have an exclusive athletic identity, with most of their self-definition and self-worth based on athletic participation and success. This study examines identity foreclosure in 20 African-American former Division I athletes through in-depth ethnographic interviews. These athletes were found to have exclusive athletic identities that negatively affect their transition out of athletics as they struggle to redefine their identities.
Infrared-Visible Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopic Study of Molecular Orientation at Polystyrene/Comb-Polymer Interfaces

Surface-sensitive infrared-visible sum frequency generation spectroscopy (SFG) in total internal reflection geometry has been used to study the structure of poly(vinyl n-octadecyl carbamate-co-vinyl acetate) (PVNODC) or poly(octadecyl acrylate) (PA-18) in contact with a deuterated or hydrogenated polystyrene (dPS or hPS) layer. SFG spectra from the PVNODC (or PA-18)/hPS interface show methyl and methylene peaks corresponding to PVNODC (or PA-18) and phenyl peaks corresponding to the PS. Analysis suggests that the methyl groups are tilted at angles less than 30 degrees with respect to the surface normal. The presence of a strong methylene peak suggests the PVNODC alkyl side chains contain more gauche defects at the PS/PVNODC interface in comparison to PVNODC (or PA-18)/air interfaces. On heating, the SFG intensity from the PS/PA-18 interface drops sharply near the bulk melting temperature (T(m)) of PA-18. Interestingly, a similar drop in SFG signal is also observed for the PS phenyl groups. This demonstrates the ability of the phenyl group at the PS/PA-18 interface to rearrange itself upon the solid-to-liquid transition of the PA-18 alkyl side chain, at a temperature well below the bulk PS glass transition temperature. For PS/PVNODC interfaces, the drop in SFG intensity is gradual and in agreement with the three broad transitions of PVNODC observed in the bulk.
Discontinuous deformation gradients away from the tip of a crack in anti-plane shear

This paper examines the finite elastostatic problem for a crack under anti-plane shear conditions. A class of incompressible, homogeneous, isotropic, elastic materials is considered for which the governing displacement equation of equilibrium is elliptic at both sufficiently small and sufficiently large shearing strains but is hyperbolic at an intermediate level of strains. The small-scale nonlinear crack problem is considered and an exact solution is found through use of the hodograph method.The principal feature of the solution is the presence of two pairs of curves issuing from points on the crack-faces, different from the crack-tips, across which the displacement gradients and stresses suffer jump discontinuities.
Two-temperature dilute-acid prehydrolysis of hardwood xylan using a percolation process

A novel two-temperature dilute-acid prehydrolysis of hybrid poplar xylan that exploits the xylan biphasic kinetics at moderate temperatures is described. A lower temperature (140‡C) is applied to hydrolyze the easily hydrolyzable xylan, and a higher temperature (170‡C) is subsequently applied to hydrolyze the remaining xylan. Using a bench-scale percolation reactor, yields of soluble xylose expressed in monomeric xylose equivalents as high as 92% of theoretical have been achieved with only 2% of the xylan being degraded to furfural. The lignocellulosic substrate produced from the pretreatment is readily converted to ethanol at a yield of 94% of theoretical via a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process in 48 h. In terms of both yield of xylose equivalents and ethanol production level and rate, these improvements are far superior to those previously reported using a single-temperature dilute-acid pretreatment.
String sorting technique for microcomputers

Abstract This paper reports the development of a sorting algorithm, called a ‘pocket sort.’ It is primarily directed to sorting of character data. The algorithm is strictly of order O(n); sorting time is directly proportional to the number of data elements to be sorted. Further, through the use of pointer - linked list data structures, no internal movement of the records containing the sort field is required. The algorithm has been implemented in Turbo Pascal. Data are presented comparing this pocket sort to other sorting techniques.
Shared care of children with renal disease

Summary This review discusses the shared care of children with renal disease between the district general hospital-based general paediatrician and the tertiary centre-based specialist paediatric nephrologist. The concept and scope of shared care is discussed primarily with reference to the joint outpatient renal clinic, but we also suggest how the scope of shared care could be further expanded beyond this. There is little published literature on this subject outside of the mental health sector. The views presented in this review therefore represent a combination of evidence from the literature, anecdotal data and the personal views of the authors.
Multi-purpose neuro-architecture with memristors

An analog CMOS neuromorphic design utilizing spike timing dependent plasticity and memristor synapses is investigated for use in building a multi-purpose analog neuromorphic chip. In order to obtain a multi-purpose chip, a suitable architecture is established and several functions with the proposed architecture are shown. Using the IBM 90 nm CMOS9RF process, neurons are designed to interface with Verilog-A memristor synapse models to perform the XOR and Edge Detection functions.
Corporate dividend policy revisited

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview and synthesis of some important literature on dividend policy, chronicle changing perspectives and trends, provide stylized facts, offer practical implications, and suggest avenues for future research. Design/methodology/approach – The authors provide a survey of literature surveys with a focus on insights for paying cash dividends. Findings – The analysis of literature surveys on dividend policy provides some stylized facts. For example, US evidence indicates that the importance of cash dividends as a part of investors’ total returns has declined over time. Share repurchases now play an increasingly important role in payout policy in countries permitting stock buybacks. The popular view is that dividend policy is important, as evidenced by the large amount of money involved and the attention that firms, security analysts, and investors give to dividends. Firms tend to follow a managed dividend policy rather than a residual dividend policy, whi...
Combining rhythm-based and pitch-based methods for background and melody separation

Musical works are often composed of two characteristic components: the background (typically the musical accompaniment), which generally exhibits a strong rhythmic structure with distinctive repeating time elements, and the melody (typically the singing voice or a solo instrument), which generally exhibits a strong harmonic structure with a distinctive predominant pitch contour. Drawing from findings in cognitive psychology, we propose to investigate the simple combination of two dedicated approaches for separating those two components: a rhythm-based method that focuses on extracting the background via a rhythmic mask derived from identifying the repeating time elements in the mixture and a pitch-based method that focuses on extracting the melody via a harmonic mask derived from identifying the predominant pitch contour in the mixture. Evaluation on a data set of song clips showed that combining such two contrasting yet complementary methods can help to improve separation performance--from the point of view of both components--compared with using only one of those methods, and also compared with two other state-of-the-art approaches.
The Defensible Space Model of Fear and Elderly Public Housing Residents

This study examines elderly public housing residents' fear and perceptions of the local crime problem. Based upon hypotheses proposed in Newman's theory of defensible space (1972), it was predicted...
Near-Surface "Thin Skin" Reverse Faulting Stresses In The Southeastern United States

Abstract Hydraulic fracturing stress measurements have been conducted in crystalline rock at two locations within the southeastern United States at depths from 50 meters to more than one kilometer. Stress orientations are similar to those obtained from other local and regional stress indicators and are consistent with a ridge-push source of intraplate stress. High horizontal stress magnitudes (with respect to the vertical stress) are found only in the near-surface. Thus, although relatively shallow stress orientation measurements appear to be reliable indicators of the stress orientation at greater depth, stress magnitudes cannot be extrapolated quantitatively beyond the depth range of the measurements.
Is admission after intravenous heroin overdose necessary

Study objectives: To investigate the time of onset and incidence of complications in patients presenting to the emergency department with an IV heroin overdose and the need for routine admission of such patients. Methods: A retrospective chart review of hospital and emergency medical service records of 124 patient visits involving IV heroin overdose over a five-month period. We also reviewed the death certificates of 115 persons having succumbed to a narcotic overdose over a 44-month period and compared these with our hospital records. Setting: Urban county hospital. Type of participants: Patients presenting to the ED with an IV heroin overdose. Results: There were five deaths in the ED, 12 hospital admissions, and 107 patients who were discharged home. Neither delayed onset of pulmonary edema nor recurrence of respiratory depression was observed. Of the 115 persons having succumbed to a narcotic overdose, eight had been seen previously at our hospital for a heroin overdose. There is no evidence that any of these eight deaths would have been prevented by a 24-hour hospital observation period. Conclusion: Complications arising from an IV overdose of heroin are usually evident on arrival in the ED or shortly thereafter. On retrospective review we have found no evidence that admission to the hospital and 24 hours of observation are of benefit to patients who are awake, alert, and lacking evidence of pulmonary complications after an IV heroin overdose.
Increased apoptosis, curtailed expansion and incomplete differentiation of CD8+ T cells combine to decrease clearance of L. monocytogenes in old mice

Aging is accompanied by altered immunity, resulting in a variable state of poorly understood immunodeficiency. While both the numbers and the functionality of naive T cells are decreased by aging, the impact of these changes upon immune defense against bacterial pathogens in vivo remains understudied. Using a model of Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), where the primary CD8+ T-cell response is critically important for immune defense, we show that C57BL/6 (B6) mice exhibit an age-dependent reduction in survival, with delayed bacterial clearance in old animals. Kinetic analysis of antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell expansion showed that CD8+ effectors begin dividing at the same time in old and adult mice, but that the proliferative burst remained incomplete during discrete windows of time and was coupled with increased effector apoptosis in old mice. Further, antilisterial CD8+ T cells in old mice showed altered expression of key phenotypic and effector molecules and diminished polyfunctionality, measured by the ability to simultaneously produce multiple effector molecules. These results suggest that defects in functional maturation of CD8+ cells in aged mice, compounded by (or perhaps coupled to) their reduced expansion in response to infection, yield effector CD8+ T-cell populations insufficient in size and capability to effectively clear newly encountered intracellular pathogens.
Psychiatric Aspects of the Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome

The eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) is a rare systemic disease caused by presumably contaminated L-tryptophan. Thirteen outpatients with EMS were found to have a high degree of depression, anxiety, and difficulty adjusting to illness. Pre-EMS history of major depression but not EMS severity predicted poor adjustment to illness.
A reversible arrest point in the late G1 phase of the mammalian cell cycle.

Abstract The effects of two different cell cycle inhibitors on the proliferation of human lymphoblastoid cells have been analyzed by flow cytometric techniques. Mimosine, a plant amino acid, reversibly blocks the cell cycle at a point which occurs roughly 2 h before the arrest mediated by aphidicolin, an inhibitor of DNA polymerase α activity, which defines the G1/S phase boundary. The levels of thymidine kinase mRNA, which increase at the onset of S phase, are higher in cells blocked with aphidicolin than in cells treated with mimosine whereas the opposite results are obtained in the case of p53 mRNA levels, which are known to be maximal in the late G1 phase. These results indicate that mimosine inhibits cell cycle traverse in the late G1 phase prior to the onset of DNA synthesis and identifies a previously undefined reversible cell cycle arrest point.
Waste not: Les Glaneurs et la glaneuse and the heterogeneous documentary film score

This essay considers music’s interpretive functions in Varda’s 2008 documentary Les Glaneurs et la glaneuse. The film’s score references the director’s collaborative history with other composers throughout her career. In particular, the author is interested in what Varda’s musical collaborations can tell us about her creative process and her own sense of authorship. The author also claims that Les Glaneurs’ musical selections allow the filmmaker to aurally signify her reflections about the state of contemporary French citizenship. Thus, this essay considers how Les Glaneurs uses French popular music to reflect on the cultural and political significance of economically marginalized French citizens who steal out of economic necessity. The author will attend to the formal construction of the film’s heterogeneous score and discuss the musical contributions from three of Varda’s frequent collaborators, along with Varda’s participation. In doing so, the author argues that Les Glaneurs’ score gives us a fuller u...
Gate Cloud: An Integration of Gate Monte Carlo Simulation with a Cloud Computing Environment

The GEANT4-based GATE is a unique and powerful Monte Carlo (MC) platform, which provides a single code library allowing the simulation of specific medical physics applications. However, this rigorous yet flexible platform is used only sparingly in the clinic due to its lengthy calculation time and significant computational overhead. By accessing the much more powerful computational resources of a cloud computing environment, GATE's run time can be significantly reduced to clinically feasible levels without the sizable investment of a local high performance cluster. This study investigated a reliable and efficient execution of GATE MC simulation using a commercial cloud computing services. A Monte Carlo cloud computing framework, Gate Cloud, for medical physics applications was proposed. Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) was used to launch several nodes equipped with GATE V6.1. The Positron emission tomography (PET) Benchmark included in the GATE software was repeated for various cluster sizes between 1 and 100 nodes in order to establish the ideal cluster size in terms of cost and time efficiency. The study shows that increasing the number of nodes in the cluster resulted in a decrease in calculation time that could be expressed with an inverse power model. Simulation results were not affected by the cluster size, indicating that integrity of a calculation is preserved in a cloud computing environment. With high power computing continuing to lower in price and accessibility, implementing Gate Cloud for clinical applications will continue to become more attractive.
Cu(Pd)-impregnated La0.75Sr0.25Cr0.5Mn0.5O3 − δ anodes for direct utilization of methane in SOFC

Abstract La 0.75 Sr 0.25 Cr 0.5 Mn 0.5 O 3 − δ (LSCM) impregnated with Cu and Cu–Pd was evaluated as SOFC anode for direct utilization of CH 4 . Impregnation of Cu into porous LSCM anode was found to significantly reduce the anodic overpotential. The lowest overpotential was observed for the LSCM anode impregnated with 20 wt.% Cu. The maximum power density of a single cell with the LSCM + 20 wt.% Cu composite anode reached 0.86 and 0.48 W/cm 2 in dry H 2 and CH 4 at 850 °C, respectively. However, the cell with the LSCM anode appeared to be unstable when exposed to H 2 + 50 ppm H 2 S with the power density dropped precipitously in about 2 h. The cell performance was further improved with the impregnation of a small amount of Pd into the LSCM + 20 wt.% Cu anode. With the addition of 1.5 wt.% Pd to the anode, the maximum power density at 850 °C increased from 0.86 to 0.89 W/cm 2 in H 2 and from 0.48 to 0.6 W/cm 2 in CH 4 , respectively. The mechanism of methane oxidation on the LSCM and LSCM + Cu anodes is considered to involve direct electrochemical oxidation of methane. However, with Pd dispersed on the LSCM + Cu anode, methane might be firstly catalyzed to form C and H 2 which is followed by oxidation of the cracking products.
Sex Differences in Perioperative and Long-term Cardiac Event–Free Survival in Vascular Surgery Patients An Analysis of Clinical and Scintigraphic Variables

Background Little information is available regarding the occurrence of perioperative and late cardiac events in women with vascular disease. The current study was performed to examine whether sex-specific differences exist in these outcomes in a large population of vascular surgery patients and to determine the value of clinical and dipyridamole thallium variables in predicting myocardial infarction and cardiac death. Methods and Results Preoperative dipyridamole thallium imaging was performed in 567 vascular surgery patients, including 380 men and 187 women. The incidence of nonfatal myocardial infarction and cardiac death was noted during the perioperative period and during a follow-up period of 50±5 months. Fixed and reversible thallium perfusion abnormalities were more common in men than in women (P<.001 and P=.004, respectively). Perioperative cardiac event rates were similar in men and women, 8.4% and 7.5%, respectively (P=.07). A transient thallium defect was associated with an increased risk of ca...
THREE-PARTICLE SCATTERING--A RELATIVISTIC THEORY

We give relativistic extensions of the Faddeev equations for three-particle scattering. They are linear integral equations for six amplitudes, one of the particles being off the mass shell. They satisfy exactly three-particle unitarity. These equations are obtained by applying the techniques introduced by Blankenbecler and Sugar to multiladder diagrams. Accordingly, the two-particle scattering amplitudes, which appear in the kernel of the equations, depend on the energy of the third particle. We study the equations for these amplitudes. If one replaces these two-body amplitudes by phenomenological amplitudes satisfying unitarity, one gets phenomenological relativistic equations for the three-body problem. When the two-body amplitudes are approximated by the contributions of bound states and resonances, the equations can be reduced to a set of integral equations in one variable. As a by-product of this study, the following results have been obtained: (a) a new proof of unitarity for the Lippmann-Schwinger and Faddeev equations; (b) a proof of the analytic properties of a resonance form factor in the nonrelativistic theory; (c) a proof of the asymptotic behavior of these form factors, which uses functional-analysis techniques and is a rather general method for investigating the asymptotic behavior of solutions of Fredholm equations.
Natural Infection of Citronmelon with Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli

Citronmelon fruits (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides (Bailey) Mansf.) with lesions were collected from a cowpea field in Frio County, TX, in July 1997. The lesions were circular, necrotic, or water-soaked, approximately 3 mm in diameter, and did not extend into the flesh of the fruit. Nonfluorescent, gram-negative bacteria were consistently isolated from lesions. Six representative strains were identified as Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli (Aac), using Biolog GN MicroPlates and the MicroLog data base release 3.50 (0.533 to 0.813 similarity). Aac causes leaf and fruit lesions (bacterial fruit blotch, BFB) on watermelon (C. lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai). Strains were tested for pathogenicity on watermelon seedlings (cv. Royal Sweet) by daubing bacterial suspensions (approximately 108 CFU/ml) onto cotyledons of 1-week-old seedlings. Water soaking of cotyledons, followed by necrosis and seedling death, occurred within 5 days. These symptoms were indistinguishable from those caused by watermelon strains ...
Polychlorinated naphthalenes in human adipose tissue from New York, USA.

Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic contaminants. Prior to this study, the occurrence of PCNs in human adipose tissues from the USA has not been analyzed. Here, we have measured concentrations of PCNs in human adipose tissue samples collected in New York City during 2003–2005. Concentrations of PCNs were in the range of 61–2500 pg/g lipid wt. in males and 21–910 pg/g lipid wt. in females. PCN congeners 52/60 (1,2,3,5,7/1,2,4,6,7) and 66/67 (1,2,3,4,6,7/1,2,3,5,6,7) were predominant, collectively accounting for 66% of the total PCN concentrations. Concentrations of PCNs in human adipose tissues were 2–3 orders of magnitude lower than the previously reported concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Concentrations of PCNs were not correlated with PCB concentrations. The contribution of PCNs to dioxin-like toxic equivalents (TEQs) in human adipose tissues was estimated to be <1% of the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/dibenzofuran (PCDD/F)-TEQs.
Age‐related Changes in Creative Thinking

Age-related differences in cognitive processes were used to understand agerelated declines in creativity. According to the Geneplore model (Finke, Ward, & Smith, 1992), there are two phases of creativity — generating an idea and exploring the implications of the idea — each with different underlying cognitive processes. These two phases are measured in the Creative Invention Task (CIT; Finke, 1990). Younger adults (n = 41) and older adults (n = 41) completed the CIT, the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT), and a measure of working memory capacity (Paper Folding test). In addition, the CIT was scored by both younger and older adults. There were age-related declines on both phases of the CIT, but not on the TTCT. These declines were noted by both the younger and older raters. After adjusting for working memory capacity, however, age-related differences on the CIT were nonsignificant.
Impact of Minimum Dissolved Oxygen Concentration on Grow-Out Performance of Blue Catfish with Comparison to Channel Catfish

Abstract Feed intake, the feed conversion ratio (FCR), and the production of blue catfish Ictalurus furcatus and channel catfish I. punctatus were examined in 1-acre ponds maintained at either a high or low minimum dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration (mean values of 4.29 and 2.54 ppm [55% and 32% air saturation], respectively). Two additional studies were conducted examining only blue catfish in 0.25-acre ponds maintained at either a high (mean values of 4.43 and 4.46 ppm [56% and 55% air saturation] in the two studies) or low (mean values of 1.41 and 1.64 ppm [18% and 20% air saturation]) minimum DO concentration. Blue and channel catfish exhibited similar feed intake (13,432 versus 13,063 lb/acre), growth (1.40 versus 1.49 lb/fish), gross production (6,662 versus 6,663 lb/acre), and net production (5,935 versus 5,813 lb/acre) in the high-DO treatments in the 1-acre ponds. Within the low-DO treatment, feed intake was not significantly different (13,555 versus 12,398 lb/acre for blue and channel catfish, ...
Very high power THz radiation at Jefferson Lab

We report the production of high power (20 watts average, {approx};1 Megawatt peak) broadband THz light based on coherent emission from relativistic electrons. We describe the source, presenting theoretical calculations and their experimental verification. For clarity we compare this source with one based on ultrafast laser techniques, and in fact the radiation has qualities closely analogous to that produced by such sources, namely that it is spatially coherent, and comprises short duration pulses with transform-limited spectral content. In contrast to conventional THz radiation, however, the intensity is many orders of magnitude greater due to the relativistic enhancement.
Grain Boundary Atomic Structure and Microstructure of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O, (Ti,Pb)-Sr-Ca-Cu-O and Pb-Sr-R (Rare Earth)-Ca-Cu-O Bulk Oxide Superconductors

Electron diffraction, high resolution electron microscopy and STEM microanalysis have been carried out on bulk superconducting oxides of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O, and on the new (TI,Pb)- Sr-Ca-Cu-O and Pb-Sr-R (rare earth)-Ca-Cu-O systems to elucidate microstructure and microchemistry. Real space imaging and microchemical analysis are virtually essential to provide information about the atomic structure of interfaces and other local defect structures as well as local chemical composition in the materials since microstructure controlscritical current parameter J c . The HREM images have been interpreted where necessary using the multislice image simulations with 256 x 256 Fourier transform arrays. Superstructure modulations of the type present in Bi-based and TI-Ba-Ca-Cu based compounds are not observed with the Pb substituted thallium compounds examined and it seems likely that Pb substitution stabilizes the compositions.
Primary Localized Laryngeal Amyloidosis: Report of 3 Cases With Long-term Follow-up and Review of the Literature

Abstract Context.—Localized laryngeal amyloidosis is an uncommon condition with limited long-term follow-up studies. The precise etiology and pathogenesis are not entirely clear. Objective.—To further characterize the histopathologic features and possible pathogenesis of localized laryngeal amyloidosis. Design.—Three cases of primary localized laryngeal amyloidosis were identified at our institutions from 1980 to 2003. The clinical features and histologic and immunohistochemical patterns were evaluated. Systemic workups were pursued during the long-term follow-up. Results.—The common presentation of the patients was hoarseness. The lesions involved vocal cords, anterior commissure, and ventricle. Microscopically, the amyloid was present within the submucosa with an adjacent lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate. The plasma cells and amyloid demonstrated monoclonal light chain restriction in all 3 cases (2 λ, 1 κ). No evidence of systemic amyloidosis or an overt B-cell lymphoma was found in these patients. Two pati...
Setting the stage for equity-sensitive monitoring of the maternal and child health Millennium Development Goals

OBJECTIVE: This analysis seeks to set the stage for equity-sensitive monitoring of the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). METHODS: We use data from international household-level surveys (Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS)) to demonstrate that establishing an equity baseline is necessary and feasible, even in low-income and data-poor countries. We assess data from six countries using 11 health indicators and six social stratifiers. Simple bivariate stratification is complemented by simultaneous stratification to expose the compound effect of multiple forms of vulnerability. FINDINGS: The data reveal that inequities are complex and interactive: inferences cannot be drawn about the nature or extent of inequities in health outcomes from a single stratifier or indicator. CONCLUSION: The MDGs and other development initiatives must become more comprehensive and explicit in their analysis and tracking of inequities. The design of policies to narrow health gaps must take into account country-specific inequities.
The Lon protease regulates swarming motility and virulence gene expression in Proteus mirabilis.

A mini-Tn5lacZ1 transposon insertion in a gene encoding an orthologue of the Lon protease conferred a hyper-swarming phenotype on Proteus mirabilis. The lon mutation increased the accumulation of mRNA for representative class 1 (flhDC), class 2 (fliA) and class 3 (flaA) genes during swarmer cell differentiation. In addition, the stability of the FlhD protein was fourfold higher in the lon : : mini-Tn5lacZ1 background. Expression of a single-copy lon : : lacZ fusion increased during the swarming cycle and reached peak levels of expression at a point just after swarmer cell differentiation had initiated. In liquid media, a condition normally non-permissive for swarming, the lon : : mini-Tn5lacZ1 insertion resulted in motile, highly elongated cells that overexpressed flagellin. Finally, the lon : : mini-Tn5lacZ1 mutation was shown to result in increased expression of the hpmBA and zapA virulence genes during swarmer cell differentiation.
Speciation and analysis of mercury, arsenic, and selenium by atomic fluorescence spectrometry

Abstract Atomic fluorescence spectrometry is a very sensitive and selective method for the determination of a number of environmentally and biomedically important elements. The new development and application of this technique for speciation and analysis of mercury, arsenic and selenium are discussed here.
The effects of high levels of progesterone secretion during lactation on the control of gonadotropin secretion in the rat.

This study determined whether lactation differentially affected the magnitude of estrogen-induced LH and FSH surges. The inhibitory or stimulatory effects of elevated progesterone (P) during lactation on estrogen-induced gonadotropin surges also was investigated on days 5–6, 10–11, and 15– 16 postpartum. On day 2 postpartum, litters were adjusted to eight pups (lactation) or zero pups (nonlactation), ovariectomy was performed, and the animals were divided into four groups: 1) intact; 2) ovariectomized (OV); 3) OV plus a P-filled Silastic implant on day 2 (OV + chronic P); and 4) OV plus 7 mg P at 1200 h on the day of the gonadotropin surge (OV + acute P). Estrogen treatment consisted of 1 μg estradiol benzoate (EB), followed 24 h later by 50 μg EB. Blood samples were collected the next day, beginning at 1100 h. Therefore, EB treatment began on days 3, 8 or 13, and gonadotropin surges were observed on days 5, 10, and 15 respectively. On day 10 postpartum, LH surges in intact lactating females were much sma...
Association of Apolipoprotein E4 and Haplotypes of the Apolipoprotein E Gene With Lobar Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose— Conflicting reports in the literature exist with regard to the association of apolipoprotein E (apo E) alleles and lobar intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We genotyped 12 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the 5′ upstream regulatory, exonic, and intronic regions of the apo E gene and performed genotype and haplotype association analyses. Methods— We prospectively enrolled subjects with hemorrhagic stroke and matched them with 2 controls based on age, race, and sex. Each case was reviewed by a physician to determine case status and location of the ICH. Multivariate logistic-regression modeling with backward elimination was used to determine significant risk factors for lobar ICH. Associations at the genotype and haplotype levels and linkage disequilibrium were conducted according to standard statistical methods. Results— Between May 1997 and December 2002, 315 cases of ICH were recruited, of whom 107 were lobar ICH cases matched to 205 controls. No association was found for apo E2, E3, or E4 with nonlobar ICH. Independent, significant risk factors for lobar ICH included apo E4, untreated hypertension, anticoagulant use, a first-degree relative with ICH, and ≤high school education (compared with >high school education). Treated hypercholesterolemia compared with “no history of hypercholesterolemia” was associated with a decreased risk of lobar ICH. Haplotype association analysis demonstrated a significant association of the apo E gene with lobar ICH among whites ( P P =0.0024). Conclusions— Apo E4 is independently associated with lobar ICH but not nonlobar ICH. Haplotypes of the apo E gene are associated with lobar ICH. Untreated hypertension is a risk factor for lobar ICH.
Edge-limited scalable QoS flow set-up

Although the Differentiated Services architecture supports scalable packet forwarding based on aggregate flows, the detailed procedure of Quality of Service (QoS) flow set-up within this architecture has not been well established. In this paper we explore the possibility of a scalable QoS flow set-up using a sink-tree paradigm. The paradigm initially constructs a sink tree at each egress edge router using network topology and bandwidth information provided by a QoS extended version of Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), which is a widely used link-state routing protocol. Our sink-tree paradigm dynamically reallocates network bandwidths online according to traffic demands. As a consequence, our paradigm easily supports QoS routing, resource allocation, and admission control at ingress edge routers without consulting core routers in a way that the QoS flow set-up time and overhead are minimized. Simulation results are very encouraging in that the proposed methodology requires significantly less communication overhead in setting up QoS flows compared to the traditional per-flow signaling-based methodology while still maintaining high resource utilization.
Matching 3-D line segments with applications to multiple-object motion estimation

A two-stage algorithm for matching line segments using three-dimensional data is presented. In the first stage, a tree-search based on the orientation of the line segments is applied to establish potential matches. the sign ambiguity of line segments is fixed by a simple congruency constraint. In the second stage, a Hough clustering technique based on the position of line segments is applied to verify potential matches. Any paired line segments of a match that cannot be brought to overlap by the translation determined by the clustering are removed from the match. Unlike previous methods, this algorithm combats noise more effectively, and ensures the global consistency of a match. While the original motivation for the algorithm is multiple-object motion estimation from stereo image sequences, the algorithm can also be applied to other domains, such as object recognition and object model construction from multiple views. >
Survival without recovery after mass extinctions

Because many survivors of mass extinctions do not participate in postrecovery diversifications, and therefore fall into a pattern that can be termed “Dead Clade Walking” (DCW), the effects of mass extinctions extend beyond the losses observed during the event itself. Analyses at two taxonomic levels provide a first-order test of the prevalence of DCWs by using simple and very conservative operational criteria. For four of the Big Five mass extinctions of the Phanerozoic, the marine genera that survived the extinction suffered ≈10–20% attrition in the immediately following geologic stage that was significantly greater than the losses sustained in preextinction stages. The stages immediately following the three Paleozoic mass extinctions also account for 17% of all order-level losses in marine invertebrates over that interval, which is, again, significantly greater than that seen for the other stratigraphic stages (no orders are lost immediately after the end-Triassic or end-Cretaceous mass extinctions). DCWs are not evenly distributed among four regional molluscan time-series following the end-Cretaceous extinction, demonstrating the importance of spatial patterns in recovery dynamics. Although biotic interactions have been invoked to explain the differential postextinction success of clades, such hypotheses must be tested against alternatives that include stochastic processes in low-diversity lineages—which is evidently not a general explanation for the ordinal DCW patterns, because postextinction fates are not related to the size of extinction bottlenecks in Paleozoic orders—and ongoing physical environmental changes.
HLA class II alleles specify phenotypes of ketosis-prone diabetes

Objective: Ketosis prone diabetes (KPD) comprises four subgroups based on presence or absence of β cell autoantibodies (“A+” or “A−”) and β cell functional reserve (“β+” or “β−”). Genetic factors could contribute to their distinctive phenotypes. Our aim was to specify the role of HLA class II alleles associated with susceptibility or resistance to autoimmune type 1 diabetes in determining KPD phenotypes. Research Design and Methods: 185 adults presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis were followed longitudinally for a mean of 5.5 years with measurements of autoantibodies, β cell functional reserve, insulin sensitivity and insulin requirement. Frequencies of susceptibility and resistance alleles at HLA DQA1, DQB1 and DRB1 loci were correlated with clinical and phenotypic features of KPD subgroups, and compared to those of ethnic-specific population controls. Results: Susceptibility alleles were more frequent (P<0.0001) in the two A+ than the two A− KPD subgroups; in the latter, the frequency was no greater than in population controls (except for DQB1*0302). Susceptibility alleles differentiated the two clinically similar β- subgroups (more frequent in A+β− than A-β- KPD, P<0.01). Resistance alleles were more frequent in the two β+ than the two β- KPD subgroups (P<0.01). The frequencies of certain susceptibility (e.g., DQB1*02) and resistance (DQB1*0602) alleles were higher in African-American A-β+ KPD patients than in African-American controls. DQB1*0302 was more frequent in all KPD subgroups compared to controls. Conclusions: HLA class II alleles associated with susceptibility or resistance to autoimmune type 1 diabetes help specify the four subgroups of KPDM. Inheritance of these alleles may influence long-term β cell functional reserve.