cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection of airborne influenza a virus in experimentally infected pigs with maternally derived antibodies.

Summary This study assessed whether recently weaned piglets with maternally derived antibodies were able to generate infectious influenza aerosols. Three groups of piglets were assembled based on the vaccination status of the dam. Sows were either non-vaccinated (CTRL) or vaccinated with the same (VAC-HOM) strain or a different (VAC-HET) strain to the one used for challenge. Piglets acquired the maternally derived antibodies by directly suckling colostrum from their respective dams. At weaning, pigs were challenged with influenza virus by direct contact with an infected pig (seeder pig) and clinical signs evaluated. Air samples, collected using a liquid cyclonic air collector, and individual nasal swabs were collected daily for 10 days from each group and tested by matrix real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR) assay. Virus isolation and titration were attempted for air samples on Madin–Darby canine kidney cells. All individual pigs from both VAC-HET and CTRL groups tested positive during the study but only one pig in the VAC-HOM group was positive by nasal swab RRT-PCR. Influenza virus could not be detected or isolated from air samples from the VAC-HOM group. Influenza A virus was isolated from 3.2% and 6.4% air samples from both the VAC-HET and CTRL groups, respectively. Positive RRT-PCR air samples were only detected in VAC-HET and CTRL groups on day 7 post-exposure. Overall, this study provides evidence that recently weaned pigs with maternally derived immunity without obvious clinical signs of influenza infection can generate influenza infectious aerosols which is relevant to the transmission and the ecology of influenza virus in pigs.
Beach Nourishment: Benefits, Theory and Case Examples

Beaches provide a wide range of societal benefits including storm protection, recreation, and habitat for a number of species. However, many beaches are under natural and/or human induced erosional pressures. The engineer is left with few choices to address this erosional pressure: (1) Correct the erosional cause which is usually practical only if the cause is human related, (2) Retreat from the shoreline, (3) Armor the shoreline, and (4) Beach nourishment which comprises the placement of large quantities of good quality sand in the nearshore system. In many cases, beach nourishment is the only practical environmentally friendly approach of those identified. Emphasis is directed to the benefits of beach nourishment and methodology which identifies the critical design factors. The application of a simple numerical model to predict the performance of two case examples is illustrated.
Biomass: Soil Microbial Biomass

The soil microbial biomass plays an important role in ecosystem function primarily through the regulation of nutrient cycles. In their search for energy to grow, the soil microbial biomass relies on nutrients in the plant litter and soil. Because of its competitive ability, the soil microbial biomass is often considered the source and sink of essential plant nutrients. The wide diversity and function of the soil microbial biomass exemplifies its role in a wide variety of processes, including parasitism, pathogenesis, and symbiosis. This wide functionality has made the study of soil microbial biomass problematic and often leads to misinterpretation of its importance in ecosystem function. Keywords: soil microbial biomass; ecosystem; parasitism; pathogenesis; symbiosis; plant nutrients; microorganisms; insect mating disruptors
SU‐E‐J‐61: Design, Construction, and Characterization of the Ultra‐Wideband (UWB) Directional Antennae for Biological Tissue Penetration

Purpose: The need for non‐invasive, non‐ionizing, non‐contact, and real‐time technique to detect lung‐tumor position during radiotherapy is an elusive feat. CT and MRI scans during radiotherapy are technically difficult and ultrasound cannot penetrate through the lung tissues. Recently, the development of the UWB radar promises a glimpse of hope in such an endeavor. Historically, the UWB was used to penetrate through walls and concrete for behind‐the‐wall imaging. Applying this technology to medical applications, as a first step, we investigate whether UWB can penetrate through biological tissues. For this purpose, we build and characterize unidirectional antennae to focus beam power and detect objects in free‐space. Methods: Our UWB system generating short pulses has omni‐directional antenna elements. We changed to uni‐directional beam by placing the element inside in‐house built horn‐antennae. A horn‐antenna is an antenna that consists of a flaring‐metal waveguide shaped like a horn to direct radio waves in a beam. We use waveguide theory to design the horn‐antenna. After successful construction, we measure angular energy distribution in both the H‐plane and the E‐plane. The spatial resolution is measured from the time‐of‐arrival of the returned pulse reflected from an aluminum plate which is moved in 1‐cm increment. Also, a small gold fiducial (0.1 cm by 1cm) is targeted for position detection. Results: The in‐house built unidirectional horn‐antennae have beam widths containing >50% energy within for H‐plane, and for E‐plane at 3.5 GHz. The spatial resolution of the current system is 0.915 cm. However, with future electronics modification, the spatial resolution can improve to 0.03 cm. The gold fiducial is detected with SNR=8. Conclusion: We built uni‐directional horn‐antenna and characterized angular beam width and spatial resolution. The system can detect a small size object such as gold fiducials with a high SNR. We will need further investigation to test penetration through biological tissues.
Internal structure of massive terrestrial planets

Abstract Planetary formation models predict the existence of massive terrestrial planets and experiments are now being designed that should succeed in discovering them and measuring their masses and radii. We calculate internal structures of planets with one to ten times the mass of the Earth (Super-Earths) to obtain scaling laws for total radius, mantle thickness, core size and average density as a function of mass. We explore different compositions and obtain a scaling law of R ∝ M 0.267 – 0.272 for Super-Earths. We also study a second family of planets, Super-Mercuries with masses ranging from one mercury-mass to ten mercury-masses with similar composition to the Earth's but with a larger core mass fraction. We explore the effect of surface temperature and core mass fraction on the scaling laws for these planets. The scaling law obtained for the Super-Mercuries is R ∝ M ∼ 0.3 .
Effect of human recombinant mullerian inhibiting substance on isolated epithelial and mesenchymal cells during mullerian duct regression in the rat.

The effect of human recombinant Mullerian Inhibiting Substance (MIS) on the regression of the Mullerian duct (MD) of female rat fetuses was examined in vitro to determine whether MIS acts on MD epithelium and/or mesenchyme at the critical periods of sexual differentiation. Urogenital ridges (URs) of female rat fetuses at 14.5- to 18.5-days of gestation (plug day = 0) were cultured for 3 days with or without recombinant human MIS in CMRL 1066 medium with 10% female fetal calf serum. In URs from 14.5- and 15.5-day-old fetuses, the cranial portion of the MD regressed almost completely during the 3-day culture period in the presence of MIS, whereas the caudal half to third of the MD remained intact but tapered to a fine point cranially. MDs survived in URs from 16.5-day-old fetuses cultured in the presence of MIS except that the cranial portion of the MDs was deformed. MIS did not elicit regression of MDs in URs obtained from 17.5- and 18.5-day-old fetuses, but instead caused the MD epithelium to form bulges ...
Role of Depositional-Depth and Source-Terrain Uplift Rates on Sedimentation Patterns in Back-Arc Basins of Western Pacific: ABSTRACT

Nine depositional systems occur in Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) cores recovered from western Pacific back-arc basins. These include submarine fan, debris flow, silty basinal turbidite, biogenic pelagic silica, biogenic pelagic carbonate, redeposited carbonate, pyroclastic, hemipelagic clay, and pelagic clay depositional systems. Correlation of deposition of these systems to times of basin rifting, associated island arc andesitic volcanism, and uplift of source terranes shows that only biogenic carbonate, pelagic clay, submarine fan, and debris flow processes of sedimentation are correlated to specific tectonic processes. Basin subsidence history controlled by heat flow dissipation controls the preservation potential of biogenic carbonates and pelagic clay. Rate of tec onic uplift in andesitic volcanic sources controls the volume and preserved frequency of turbidites on submarine fans and associated debris-flow wedges. A time delay in fan and debris flow sedimentation following maximum uplift in source terranes is governed by development of mature drainage systems and sediment yield into the back-arc basins. The other depositional systems are deposited independent of rifting, subsidence, or uplift history because their distribution is controlled more by regional volcanism, wind dispersal, climatic change, latitudinally-defined biologic productivity, and slope instability. The variety of stratigraphic sequences in back-arc basin DSDP cores can be explained better in terms of all these changing variables coupled with tectonic processes. The combination of depositional depth and source-terrane uplift rate are the only tectonic processes which directly influence specific sedimentation events in this particular domain. End_of_Article - Last_Page 495------------
Use of a reflectance attachment to obtain excitation spectra

Abstract The feasibility of determining excitation spectra by means of a reflectance attachment for the Beckman DU Spectrophotometer has been demonstrated using aqueous solutions of dichlorofluorescein. Some differential measurements have also been made to explore further the applicability of the technique to analysis.
Creating a Protein-Based Element of Inheritance

Proteins capable of self-perpetuating changes in conformation and function (known as prions) can serve as genetic elements. To test whether novel prions could be created by recombinant methods, a yeast prion determinant was fused to the rat glucocorticoid receptor. The fusion protein existed in different heritable functional states, switched between states at a low spontaneous rate, and could be induced to switch by experimental manipulations. The complete change in phenotype achieved by transferring a prion determinant from one protein to another confirms the protein-only nature of prion inheritance and establishes a mechanism for engineering heritable changes in phenotype that should be broadly applicable.
Curvature and parametric sensitivity in models for adsorption in micropores

The sensitivity of the calculated micropore size of zeolite Y in a fluidized cracking catalyst based on empirical models for argon adsorption has been tested by examining the effect of curvature and by systematically verifying the magnitude of physical constants in the model equations. With a consistent set of physical parameters the slit model provided a pore size value of 0.45 nm, while the new cylindrical models provided values of 0.69 and 0.74 nm. The latter values are found to correspond well with the known aperture size of zeolite Y, 0.74 nm. By separately varying the magnitudes of five of the physical constants in the model over a range of ±30%, it was concluded that the diameter of the oxide ion at the surface had a large effect on the calculated pore size, while the other parameters had only moderate to small effects. Preliminary application of the cylindrical pore model to isotherms of argon on other zeolites and molecular sieves leads to promising results, especially for medium to large pore zeolites. These results suggest that the cylindrical pore model is a useful means for the transformation of argon adsorption data on a zeolite into a micropore size distribution.
Deconvolution of intensity correlation functions

Image correlation techniques, such as bispectrurn analysis, are now widely used in astronomy and other fields to obtain high resolution images. We report on two new methods for obtaining such images from intensity correlation functions. Both methods treat the correlation functions as convolutions and attempt to deconvolve these functions while using a priori information to constrain the results. The first method is an iterative algorithm based on deconvolution schemes recently proposed by us1,2. The algorithm constrains any reconstructed image to be positive and forces its associated spatial correlation spectrum to be consistent, within noise estimates, with the spectrum of the measured correlation function. The second method is an implementation of the Monte-Carlo optimization technique known as simulated annealing. This method minimizes the difference between the measured correlation spectrum and that associated with the deconvolved image. The two proposed methods are describe and results are presented for both computationaly simulated data and astronomical data obtained at the Wyoming Infrared Observatory.
Brearleyite, Ca12Al14O32Cl2, a new alteration mineral from the NWA 1934 meteorite

Brearleyite (IMA 2010-062, Ca12Al14O32Cl2) is a Cl-bearing mayenite, occurring as fine-grained aggregates coexisting with hercynite, gehlenite, and perovskite in a rare krotite (CaAl2O4) dominant refractory inclusion from the Northwest Africa 1934 CV3 carbonaceous chondrite. The phase was characterized by SEM, TEM-SAED, micro-Raman, and EPMA. The mean chemical composition of the brearleyite is (wt%) Al2O3 48.48, CaO 45.73, Cl 5.12, FeO 0.80, Na2O 0.12, TiO2 0.03, −O 1.16, sum 99.12. The corresponding empirical formula calculated on the basis of 34 O+Cl atoms is (Ca11.91 Na0.06)∑11.97(Al13.89Fe0.16Ti0.01)∑14.06O31.89Cl2.11. The Raman spectrum of brealryeite indicates very close structural similarity to synthetic Ca12Al14O32Cl2. Rietveld refinement of an integrated TEM-SAED ring pattern from a FIB section quantifies this structural relationship and indicates that brearleyite is cubic, I 43 d; a = 11.98(8) A, V = 1719.1(2) A3, and Z = 2. It has a framework structure in which AlO4 tetrahedra share corners to form eight-membered rings. Within this framework, the Cl atom is located at a special position (3/8,0,1/4) with 0.4(2) occupancy and Ca appears to be disordered on two partially occupied sites similar to synthetic Cl-mayenite. Brearleyite has a light olive color under diffuse reflected light and a calculated density of 2.797 g/cm3. Brearleyite is not only a new meteoritic Ca-,Al-phase, but also a new meteoritic Cl-rich phase. It likely formed by the reaction of krotite with Cl-bearing hot gases or fluids.
Improvement of photosynthetic CO2 fixation at high light intensity through reduction of chlorophyll antenna size

At elevated light intensities (greater than approximately 200 microE/[m2 x s]), the kinetic imbalance between the rate of photon excitation and thermally activated electron transport results in saturation of the rate of photosynthesis. Since maximum terrestrial solar radiation can reach 200 microE/(m2 x s), a significant opportunity exists to improve photosynthetic efficiency at elevated light intensities by achieving a kinetic balance between photon excitation and electron transport, especially in designed large-scale photosynthetic reactors in which a low-cost and efficient biomass production system is desired. One such strategy is a reduction in chlorophyll (chl) antenna size in relation to the reaction center that it serves. In this article, we report recent progress in this area of research. Light-saturation studies for CO2 fixation were performed on an antenna-deficient mutant of Chlamydomonas (DS521) and the wild type (DES15) with 700 ppm of CO2 in air. The light-saturated rate for CO2 assimilation in the mutant DS521 was about two times higher (187 micromol/[h x mg of chl]) than that of the wild type, DES15 (95 micromol/[h x mg of chl]). Significantly, a partial linearization of the light-saturation curve was also observed. These results confirmed that DS521 has a smaller relative chl antenna size and demonstrated that reduction of relative antenna size can improve the overall efficiency of photon utilization at higher light intensities. The antenna-deficient mutant DS521 can provide significant resistance to photoinhibition, in addition to improvement in the overall efficiency of CO2 fixation at high light. The experimental data reported herein support the idea that reduction in chl antenna size could have significant implications for both fundamental understanding of photosynthesis and potential application to improve photosynthetic CO2 fixation efficiency.
Interactions of human melanocortin 4 receptor with nonpeptide and peptide agonists.

Specific interactions of human melanocortin-4 receptor (hMC4R) with its non-peptide and peptide agonists were studied using alanine-scanning mutagenesis. The binding affinities and potencies of two synthetic small-molecule agonists (THIQ, MB243) were strongly affected by substitutions in transmembrane α-helices (TM) 2, 3, 6, and 7 (residues Glu 100 Asp 122 , Asp 126 , Phe 261 , His 264 , Leu 265 , and Leu 288 ). In addition, I129A mutation primarily affected binding and potency of THIQ, while F262A, W258A, Y268A mutations impaired interactions with MB243. By contrast, binding affinity and potency of the linear peptide agonist NDP-MSH were substantially reduced only in D126A and H264A mutants. 3D models of receptor-ligand complexes with their agonists were generated by distance geometry using the experimental, homology-based, and other structural constraints, including interhelical H-bonds and two disulfide bridges (Cys 40 -Cys 279 , Cys 271 Cys 277 ) of hMC4R. In the models, all pharmacophore elements of small-molecule agonists are spatially overlapped with the corresponding key residues (His 6 , D-Phe 7 , Arg 8 and Trp 9 ) of the linear peptide: their charged amine groups interact with acidic residues from TM2 and TM3, similar to His 6 and Arg 6 of NDP-MSH; their substituted piperidines mimic Trp 9 of the peptide and interact with TM5 and TM6; while the D-Phe aromatic rings of all three agonists contact with Leu 133 , Trp 258 , and Phe 261 residues.
A multispecies statistical age-structured model to assess predator–prey balance: application to an intensively managed Lake Michigan pelagic fish community

Using a Bayesian modeling approach, we developed a multispecies statistical age-structured model to assess trade-offs between predatory demands and prey productivities, with the aim to inform manag...
Proteorhodopsin lateral gene transfer between marine planktonic Bacteria and Archaea

Planktonic Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya reside and compete in the ocean's photic zone under the pervasive influence of light. Bacteria in this environment were recently shown to contain photoproteins called proteorhodopsins, thought to contribute to cellular energy metabolism by catalysing light-driven proton translocation across the cell membrane. So far, proteorhodopsin genes have been well documented only in proteobacteria and a few other bacterial groups. Here we report the presence and distribution of proteorhodopsin genes in Archaea affiliated with the order Thermoplasmatales, in the ocean's upper water column. The genomic context and phylogenetic relationships of the archaeal and proteobacterial proteorhodopsins indicate its probable lateral transfer between planktonic Bacteria and Archaea. About 10% of the euryarchaeotes in the photic zone contained the proteorhodopsin gene adjacent to their small-subunit ribosomal RNA. The archaeal proteorhodopsins were also found in other genomic regions, in the same or in different microbial lineages. Although euryarchaeotes were distributed throughout the water column, their proteorhodopsins were found only in the photic zone. The cosmopolitan phylogenetic distribution of proteorhodopsins reflects their significant light-dependent fitness contributions, which drive the photoprotein's lateral acquisition and retention, but constrain its dispersal to the photic zone.
Consistency of multi-channel surface EMG recordings: Application in spinal cord injured subjects

Abstract We evaluated the consistency of serial polyelectromyographic recordings of altered motor control in spinal cord injured (SCI) individuals. Using 12 pairs of surface electrodes placed over major muscle groups of lower limb and trunk, we examined voluntary and involuntary and phasic and tonic features of motor control using a standardized protocol for brain motor control assessment (BMCA). The surface electromyographic (EMG) data were digitized and analysed on the basis of the root mean square (RMS) envelope of activity, with the exception of phasic tendon tap responses which were evaluated from full bandwidth EMG data. The average amplitudes of responses were calculated. The median correlation of the results from two successive examinations 1–2 weeks apart for all subjects was 0.98. Further analysis was based on ratios of corresponding elements from the two studies. Noise from null responses was suppressed by incorporating a threshold parameter T set to 1 μV RMS . With this value, pairs of studies in 52 subjects were virtually identical (mean ratio of 1.02 ± 0.1). Z-scores from two case studies in which pharmacological and physiological interventions changed motor control demonstrated the utility of the procedure. This method offers a reliable and appropriate means of studying altered motor control which is sensitive to changes induced after interventions.
Low birth weight and neurocognitive status at six years of age.

We examined the relationship between low birth weight (LBW) (≤ 2500 g) and specific neurocognitive abilities at 6 years of age in a large-scale nonconcurrent prospective study. In 1990–1992, we randomly selected and evaluated LBW and normal birth weight (NBW) children from the 1983–1985 newborn lists of two major hospitals in southeast Michigan, one serving an urban and the other a suburban population. LBW children ( n = 473) scored significantly lower than NBW children ( n = 350) on tests measuring language, spatial, fine motor, tactile, and attention abilities, controlling for population site, race, maternal IQ, and education. Gradient relationships were observed across levels of LBW with language, spatial, tactile, and attention tests. Exploratory analysis, using general additive models, revealed that test performance varied within birth weight levels and that performance continued to improve with increased birth weight well above 3000 g. Follow-up assessments as the children mature will shed light on the persistence of these associations and their implications for learning disorders.
The Political Ecology of Peasant-Herder Conflicts in the Northern Ivory Coast

Abstract Following the great Sahelian drought of the early 1970s, an unprecedented number of Fulani pastoralists immigrated to the Ivory Coast with their cattle. Although welcomed by the Ivorian government for their contribution to national beef production, the Fulani's presence has been bitterly opposed by Senufo peasants in the savanna region over the problem of uncompensated crop damage. I examine the nature of peasant-herder conflicts in northern Ivory Coast from a “political ecology” perspective and argue that it is at the intersection of Ivorian political economy and the human ecology of agricultural systems in the savanna region that one can begin to identify the key processes and decision-making conditions behind the current conflict. Micro- and macro-level processes involving the transfer of resources from Senufo house-holds are considered to be central to the strife. The case study seeks to contribute to the growing literature on peasant-herder interactions in sub-Saharan Africa by viewing peasa...
Guidelines for Reporting of Statistics in European Urology

The key conclusions of most medical studies are based on the results of statistical analysis, yet there is wide acknowledgment that standards of statistical analysis and reporting are far from ideal. It has been reported that a large proportion of studies do not include an author with formal quantitative training and that statistical errors are ubiquitous, with typically more than half of any given sample of papers including important statistical errors (some examples of this type of empirical research are included in the Appendix). In this paper, we provide guidelines for statistical analysis and reporting. The guidelines were based on a review of close to 50 papers published in or submitted to European Urology. This review confirmed previous findings that published studies are prone to statistical errors: The first 14 published papers we reviewed had at least one statistical error. These guidelines are very much directed toward the sort of papers typically submitted to European Urology. This means that there are several guidelines on prediction models but none on genomic discovery. Many of the guidelines specify analyses or methods of reporting statistics that should be avoided. We take the approach of focusing on the don’ts rather than the do’s because although it is generally difficult to specify what constitutes good science, there is often widespread agreement on what would be bad science. As a simple example, there is considerable disagreement on the best methods for analysis of randomized trials with repeated measures of a continuous end point, such as when a generalized estimating equations approach should be used. What is not in doubt, however, is that regression approaches are preferable to unadjusted analyses, and that x 2 has no role at all.
Long-term tillage and rotation effects on soil microbial biomass, carbon and nitrogen

Three mollisols, typical of the Palouse winter wheat region of eastern Washington and northern Idaho, were analyzed for microbial biomass, total C and total N after 10 years of combined tillage and rotation treatments. Treatments included till, no-till and three different cereal-legume rotations. All crop phases in each rotation were sampled in the same year. Microbial biomass was monitored from April to October, using a respiratory-response method. Microbial biomass, total C and total N were highest under no-till surface soils (0–5 cm), with minimal differences for tillage or depth below 5 cm. Microbial biomass differences among rotations were not large, owing to the relative homogeneity of the treatments. A rotation with two legume crops had the highest total C and N. Microbial biomass was significantly higher in no-till surface soils where the current crop had been preceded by a high-residue crop. The opposite was true for the tilled plots. There was little change in microbial biomass over the seasons until October, when fresh crop residues and rains had a strong stimulatory effect. The seasonal pattern of biomass in no-till surface soils reflected the dry summer/winter rainfall climate of the region. The results of this study show that numerous factors affect soil microbial biomass and that cropping history and seasonal changes must be taken into account when microbial biomass data are compared.
Supramolecular structural transitions in polypeptide solutions: An NMR study

Proton NMR spin-lattice relaxation times are reported for the solvent in the two component lyotropic liquid crystal, dichloromethane plus poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate). The relaxation times become Larmor frequency dependent on passing from the isotropic solution to the liquid crystal. A simple model based on the supramolecular structure in the liquid crystal exhibits orientational fluctuations in the radio frequency region suggesting that spin-lattice relaxation of the polypeptide protons should also show frequency dependence.
Cardiovascular Effects of Sustained Norepinephrine Infusions. III. Lactic Dehydrogenase Isoenzyme Release

Infusion of norepinephrine (NE) in dogs in doses of 1 to 4 µg/kg/min resulted in a rapid and dose related increase in serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and those isoenzymes of LDH present in the heart. Histochemically definable lesions in the heart were correlated with the isoenzyme release produced by 2 and 4 µg/kg/min NE infusion. Evidence of LDH isoenzyme release from organs other than the heart was found only in dogs in the highest dose group that, in addition, had evidence of low cardiac output.
The effect of lipid on chymotrypsin assay in stools.

The sodium salt of oleic acid has been demonstrated to interfere with the measurement of the esterolytic activity of chymotrypsin on a specific substrate, ATEE, utilizing automatic titration. The inhibitory effect of sodium oleate has been attributed in part to its ability to act as a buffering agent in an assay system, since nonlipid buffers (tris)—in increasing concentration—exerted a similar effect. Fecal samples with high lipid content decreased the recovery of added chymotrypsin. Successive dilutions of fecal samples resulted in an increase in assayable native chymotrypsin activity. Stool samples varying in lipid content and buffer capacity may help explain low fecal chymotrypsin recoveries observed in nonpancreatogenous steatorrhea.
The tympanal hearing organ of a fly: phylogenetic analysis of its morphological origins.

A key adaptation for any parasitoid insect is the sensory modality that it uses to locate its host insect. All members of the speciose family Tachinidae (Diptera) are parasitoids, but only flies of the tribe Orminini use acoustic cues to find their hosts. Ormiine flies are parasitoids of various genera of crickets and katydids. Gravid females of one ormiine species, Ormia ochracea, hear the reproductive calling song of male field crickets and home in on those calls to locate their hosts. While many flies possess various kinds of “ears” to detect airborne sounds, only ormiine flies have been reported to possess true tympanal hearing organs. Such organs are wellknown to occur in their cricket and katydid hosts. The ormiine ear is an evolutionary innovation within Diptera. Our objective was to trace the phylogenetic origins of the tympanal hearing organ among higher flies. Since the ormiine hearing organ is a complex organ within the prothorax, we examined possible precursor structures in the prothoraces of selected Diptera. We have uncovered a suite of characters that define the ormiine ear. These characters in the prothorax include a pair of prosternal tympanal membranes, a pair of chordotonal sensory organs, and modifications of the tracheal system. We have been able to identify and trace the presumptive homologs of these ormiine characters through selected species of related Diptera, using the method of outgroup comparison.
Cholesterol ester hydrolase in homogenates and lysosomal fractions of human aorta

Abstract Evidence has been obtained for the presence of cholesterol ester hydrolase in the normal human aorta. In 22 aortas the total activity was 168 units per g of tissue with 16% contained in the lysosomal fraction. The enzyme preparation exhibits two pH optima depending upon the physical state of the substrate. Micellar stabilized substrate is optimally hydrolyzed at pH 6.6 and albumin dispersed substrate at a pH optimum of 7.4. The results of sub-cellular fractionations suggest that the enzyme acting on micellar substrate is lysosomal in nature. Data are presented on the effects of ions and inhibitors and the requirement of bile salt in the enzymatic reaction.
The fate of the oxidizing tyrosyl radical in the presence of glutathione and ascorbate. Implications for the radical sink hypothesis.

Abstract Cellular systems contain as much as millimolar concentrations of both ascorbate and GSH, although the GSH concentration is often 10-fold that of ascorbate. It has been proposed that GSH and superoxide dismutase (SOD) act in a concerted effort to eliminate biologically generated radicals. The tyrosyl radical (Tyr⋅) generated by horseradish peroxidase in the presence of hydrogen peroxide can react with GSH to form the glutathione thiyl radical (GS⋅). GS⋅ can react with the glutathione anion (GS−) to form the disulfide radical anion (GSSG⨪). This highly reactive disulfide radical anion will reduce molecular oxygen, forming superoxide and glutathione disulfide (GSSG). In a concerted effort, SOD will catalyze the dismutation of superoxide, resulting in the elimination of the radical. The physiological relevance of this GSH/SOD concerted effort is questionable. In a tyrosyl radical-generating system containing ascorbate (100 μm) and GSH (8 mm), the ascorbate nearly eliminated oxygen consumption and diminished GS⋅ formation. In the presence of ascorbate, the tyrosyl radical will oxidize ascorbate to form the ascorbate radical. When measuring the ascorbate radical directly using fast-flow electron spin resonance, only minor changes in the ascorbate radical electron spin resonance signal intensity occurred in the presence of GSH. These results indicate that in the presence of physiological concentrations of ascorbate and GSH, GSH is not involved in the detoxification pathway of oxidizing free radicals formed by peroxidases.
Note on the summation of Legendre series

A recursive procedure is established to evaluate series in themth derivatives of Legendre polynomials. It is applied to evaluate a gravitational potential, the components of its gradient and the elements of its Hessian.
Germ cell neoplasms of the testis

Testicular germ cell neoplasia, a disease predominantly of young men, is, for unknown reasons, increasing in incidence. Cryptorchidism, a prior testicular germ cell tumor, a family history of testicular germ cell tumors, and somatosexual ambiguity syndromes remain well-established risk factors. Intratubular germ cell neoplasia of the unclassified type represents the common precursor to the great majority of testicular germ cell tumors, and its identification in testicular biopsies reliably identifies those patients who will often progress to an invasive lesion. Seminoma appears to represent the invasive derivative of intra-tubular germ cell of neoplasia of the unclassified type; problematic variants include seminomas with tubular, granulomatous, and edematous patterns. Spermatocytic seminoma is an essentially nonmetastasizing neoplasm unless complicated by the rare development of a sarcomatous component. Embryonal carcinomas usually occur admixed with other germ cell tumor types. The combination of positivity for placental alkaline phosphatase and negativity for epithelial membrane antigen can assist in the distinction of embryonal carcinomas from somatic carcinomas. The treatment of clinical stage I patients with nonseminomatous germ cell tumor with "surveillance only" may be contraindicated depending on features that include the proportion of embryonal carcinoma and the presence of lymphovascular invasion in the orchiectomy specimen. It is important to be aware that pure, mature teratomas in postpubertal patients may be associated with metastases of teratomatous or nonteratomatous type Yolk sac tumor is characterized by numerous patterns including glandular, myxomatous, sarcomatoid, hepatoid, and parietal variants. Choriocarcinomas classically have a biphasic pattern of syncytiotrophoblast and cytotrophoblast; trophoblastic proliferations lacking a biphasic pattern also occur but are difficult to classify unless this category is broadened. Mixed germ cell tumors, consisting of two or more different elements, are quite common. The polyembryoma is a distinctive, well-organized form of mixed germ cell tumor consisting of embryonal carcinoma and yolk sac tumor.
Interferometric Study on the Adsorption-Dependent Refractive Index of Silicalite Thin Films Grown on Optical Fibers

Evolution of the interferogram of the zeolite thin film grown on a cleaved fiber endface (the inset illustration) as the gas-phase 2-propanol concentration increased from 0 ppmv to 5353 ppmv.
Synthesis and blends of pentabromobenzyl acrylate copolymers

Abstract The synthesis of styrene–pentabromobenzyl acrylate (S–PBBA) and methyl methacrylate–pentabromobenzyl acrylate (MMA–PBBA) copolymers and the phase behavior of their blends is reported. The miscibility of S–PBBA copolymers with polystyrene (PS), tetramethyl polycarbonate (TMPC), and poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO), and of MMA–PBBA copolymers with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polycarbonate (PC) was examined as a function of copolymer composition. Additionally, regions of miscibility were established for blends of both PBBA copolymer families with styrene–acrylonitrile (SAN) and styrene–maleic anhydride (SMA) copolymers, as well as for S–PBBA copolymers with styrene–methyl methacrylate (SMMA) copolymers. From the isothermal phase boundaries, repeat unit interaction energies with PBBA were estimated using previously established binary interaction energies, a binary interaction model, and the Flory–Huggins theory. In all cases, the interactions with PBBA were found to be highly endothermic. Lower critical solution temperature phase separation was measured for selected blends and compared with predictions based on the Sanchez–Lacombe equation-of-state.
The astroglial response to autonomic tissue grafts.

Abstract Autonomic (superior cervical) ganglia area grafted either into the IV ventricle where minimal trauma occurred or directly into the cerebral cortex which was necessarily traumatic. Previous studies have shown that host astroglia may migrate into autonomic tissue grafts. The purpose of the present study was to compare and contrast the astroglial response in allo- and autografts. By monitoring the host response in the two model sites using glial fiobrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunostaining in 1 μm plastic sections we sought to determine the role of injury stimulus in astroglial migration. In addition, these models could be used to investigate any potential differences in glial reactivity produced by allo- or autograft antigenic stimulation. In both ventricular and parenchymal locations, astroglia migrated progressively into allografts. Migration, which could have taken place along anastomotic vascular connections, began after one week and was continual, eventually replacing graft neural tissue. Astrocytic processes appeared enlarged and highly immunoreactive only as they entered the allografts or were in close association with the choroid plexus; adjacent host astrocytes were unaltered. Glial migration was greatly reduced in ventricular autografts but in the parenchymal site was nearly comparable to that of allografts. It was suggested that certain immunological factors may be involved in glial reactivity or migration considering the observed differences in the non-traumatic model whereas tissue damage stimulus played a major role in migration in both allo- and autografts. In no instances were typical astrocytic end-feet found on the autonomic graft vessels. The host astrocytic response to grafted autonomic tissue occurred significantly later (5–7 days) than the host endothelial response. This observation indicates that the graft vessels were original, intrinsic ones and the astrocytic invasion played no role in influencing endothelium with regards to brain-barrier properties.
Mating behaviour of Echinostoma caproni and E. paraensei in concurrent infections in mice.

Ten-day-old adults of Echinostoma caproni and E. paraensei , some of which had been exposed to 3-H-tyrosine to label sperm, were transplanted to mice in various combinations. Mating behaviour was followed on autoradiograms of worms recovered after 5 days by detecting the transfer of labelled sperm from labelled worms to themselves or to unlabelled worms. When single, labelled E. caproni adults were transplanted with unlabelled E. paraensei , they self-inseminated but did not show evidence of interspecies mating. No interspecies mating but self-insemination was observed when single, labelled E. paraensei and unlabelled E. caproni were transplanted together. When the labelled species had a choice of unlabelled adults of its own species or the opposite species, it mated in similar fashion to that seen in single species infections. The labelled species acted as if the opposite species was not present and showed an unrestricted mating pattern where it would both self- and cross-inseminate. Even though after transplant the E. paraensei adults were found in the duodenum and the E. caproni adults were found in the ileum, approximately 25% of the transplanted worms of both species were found within 1 cm of each other. Thus habitat separation was not a major cause of the lack of interspecies mating. Lack of reproductive recognition is another reason to separate E. caproni and E. paraensei into distinct species.
A Digitally Controlled Shutter System for Spectroscopy

A digitally controlled, two shutter system is described. The shutter will allow exposure times from milliseconds to hours with a jitter time of ±0.1 ms. An initial delay period before shutter opening can be set digitally, with the minimum delay being 3.4 ms.
Clinical Application of Power Doppler Imaging to Visualize Coronary Arteries in Human Beings

Abstract Supplementation of angiographic information during bypass procedures is an attractive goal for the echocardiographic researcher. Compared with color flow mapping, power Doppler imaging is superior in terms of identifying small vessels and noise suppression because of the use of Doppler signal strength for imaging. Although power Doppler imaging does not provide information about flow velocity or its direction, it does show detailed vessel flow in a static organ. Our study was designed to obtain angiographic images of the coronary artery by the use of power Doppler imaging in 31 patients during open heart surgery. During cold cardioplegic infusion, the epicardial coronary artery and the coronary artery within myocardium, such as the septal perforator, could be well visualized by power Doppler imaging. There was good correlation between the diameters of coronary arteries measured from power Doppler imaging and those from quantitative coronary angiography ( r = 0.964, p
Trophic structure in open waters of the marginal ice zone in the Scotia-Weddell confluence region during spring (1983)

The structure of the food web was investigated in open waters adjacent to the marginal ice zone in the southern Scotia Sea in spring 1983. Diets were defined for dominant zooplankton, micronekton, and flying seabird species and then aggregated by cluster analysis into feeding groups. Most zooplankton were omnivorous, feeding on phytoplankton, protozoans, and in some cases, small metazoans (copepods). Only two species were found to be exclusively herbivorous:Calanoides acutus andRhincalanus gigas. Micronekton were carnivores with copepods being the dominant prey in all their diets. The midwater fishElectrona antarctica was the dominant food item in seven of the nine seabird species examined. Cephalopods, midwater decapod shrimps and carrion were also important in the diets of a few seabird species. Comparison (cluster analysis) of diets in spring with other seasons (winter, fall) indicated that over half the species examined (18 of 31) had similar diets in all seasons tested. The significant intraspecific shifts in diet that did occur were attributable to regional, seasonal, and interannual effects. A scheme is presented that describes the major energetic pathways through the open water ecosystem from phytoplankton to apex predators. At the base are phytoplankton and protozoans which are the principal food resource for the biomass copepods and krill. Krill and the biomass copepods are the principal forage of the midwater fishElectrona antarctica which, in turn, is the central diet component of flying seabirds as well as important food for the Antarctic fur seal and cephalopods. Krill are a major diet element for the fur seal and cephalopods, and the principal food of the minke whale.
Haplostoma dudleyae sp. nov. (Cyclopoida: Ascidicolidae), parasitic in Eudistoma olivaceum from the Indian River in southern Florida

Haplostoma dudleyae sp. nov. is described and illustrated on the basis of females found in a compound ascidian (Eudistoma olivaceum) collected from the Indian River in southern Florida, USA. Each parasitized zooid has a single female copepod. The egg sacs of the female are paired and, when laid, are almost U-shaped and folded against the dorsal side of the body. Haplostoma dudleyae and two other species (H. canui Chatton and Harant, 1924, and H. humesi Ooishi, 1995) constitute a subgroup within the genus Haplostoma.
Comparsion of electrostrictive and piezoceramic actuation for vibration suppression

Electrostrictors are often avoided in structural control applications due to the non-linearity and temperature sensitivity of the electro-mechanical coupling. This paper describes control techniques so that constant performance is obtained from an electrostrictor in a feedback control system at temperatures ranging from 5 degree(s)C to 57 degree(s)C and at field levels ranging from 90 V/mm to 950 V/mm. The control techniques are experimentally implemented on a cantilevered beam with a 0.9 MN - 0.1 PT electrostrictor. With output linearization and temperature-gain scheduling, the electrostrictive system reduces the RMS strain vibration by 61%. An identical system with a G-1195 piezoceramic controller is used for comparison. The piezoceramic system reduced the strain vibrations by 55% which was robust to temperature variation but not robust to variations in the bias field. Extensive unconstrained wafer characterization as a function of temperature is also presented in the context of relevant constitutive equations.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Influence of crystallographic orientation and layer thickness on fracture behavior of Ni/Ni3Al multilayered thin films

Abstract Ni / Ni 3 Al multilayers have been deposited epitaxially and non-epitaxially by UHV magnetron sputtering on NaCl substrates. Two interfacial orientations were achieved: {001} Ni // {001} Ni 3 Al, Ni // Ni 3 Al and {111} Ni // {111} Ni 3 Al, Ni // Ni 3 Al. Under in-plane tensile loading, oriented multilayers exhibit ductile fracture surface features but oriented multilayers of the same layer thickness are predominantly brittle. For each orientation, the fracture surface features from 20 nm thick Ni and Ni 3 Al layers appear to be as ductile or more ductile than those from 120 nm thick layers, but the plastic deformation appears to be more localized.
The effect of thorium substitution in CeCu2Si2 and CeNi2Si2

Abstract Resistivity, L III absorption, and X-ray diffraction have been made on several alloys of the form Ce 1- x Th x Cu 2 Si 2 and the related system Ce 1- x Th x Ni 2 Si 2 . In the Cu-based compounds the transport measurements indicate that the Kondo effect is substantially quenched with increasing Th substitution. In both the Cu and Ni based alloys L III absorption measurements of Ce show a decrease of the Ce valence with Th substitution. These results are in accord with the action of Th substitution in other Ce intermetallic compounds, however, they stand in contrast to the action of Th in elemental Ce.