cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
“Nukes for Sale Cheap?” Purchasing Peace with North Korea

What impact can economic incentives have on difficult international security problems, such as nuclear proliferation? This article first discusses theories of the effectiveness of incentives. It then examines the case of the 1994 Agreed Framework accord between the United States and North Korea. It argues that, despite cheating by Pyongyang, the American effort to use incentives in this case was on balance more successful than many now believe, especially in view of the bleak alternatives. If incentives can have an impact in such a “least likely” case, there is reason to believe they could be helpful in resolving other cases of proliferation.
Triiodothyronine regulates insulin-like growth factor-I binding to cultured rat pituitary cells.

Abstract Triiodothyronine (T(3)) stimulates the synthesis of growth hormone and enhances the growth of neoplastic rat pituitary somatomam-motrophs (GH cells) in culture. Moreover, T(3) has been shown to stimulate the production and secretion of an autocrine growth factor by these cells. We have previously demonstrated the presence of specific receptors for insulin-like growth factors (IGF) on GH cells. Since GH(3) cells contain mRNA encoding IGF-I, it has been suggested that IGF-I might act in an autocrine fashion in these cells. Therefore, it was of interest to learn how T(3) affects IGF-I binding to GH(3) cells. T(3) increased [(125)I]IGF-I binding in a time - and dose-dependent manner. After 48 h of exposure to T(3), an increase in IGF-I binding was seen with 10(-11)M T(3), maximizing with 10(-8)M T(3). When cells were exposed to 10(-8) T(3), [(125)I]IGF-I binding reached a maximum of 218 +/- 20.8% of control (+/-SEM, P /=30%. Our data indicate that T(3) upregulates IGF-I binding in GH(3) cells without altering insulin binding and thereby provides a means for enhancing potential autocrine regulation in this cell line.
The documentation of Nazi medicine by German medical sociologists: a review article.

Abstract Research by medical sociologists, historians, and representatives of other disciplines in Hamburg, West Germany, is reviewed as an example of ongoing detailed exploration of health and social policies under the Nazis which resulted in devastating human consequences, and of a continuing impact on present official policies and actions. An almost total silence by organized West German medicine about its role during the national socialist regime, and the failure of many administrators, university researchers, and a large segment of the general public since then to deal with the past and its consequences conscientiously were turned into a focal charge during a congress on health held in Berlin in 1980 under the auspices of politically and socially concerned professional individuals. The resulting documentation of the facts and their publication in a series of books and articles is a part of the effort to allow Germans to face their past, and to relate it to the long shadows cast into the present. The Hamburg reports reveal details of specific past activities and illustrate the repeated failures to hold individuals acountable for their participation in irresponsible health administrative acts and medical practices as well as the denials of the persons concerned and their retention in public and professional roles. The ongoing general historical debates in West Germany concerned with the proper interpretation of Nazi history illustrate the significance of the specific research tasks adopted by these medical social scientists and historians. Though not further explored in this review, the theoretical implications of these reports for the systematic study of medical systems is illustrated by abstraction of basic issues addressed in these research efforts.
Model-based analysis of bench-scale fixed-bed units for chemical-looping combustion

Abstract The objective of this work is to compare reaction schemes and kinetic mechanisms, and simulate the dynamic behavior of chemical-looping Reducers operating with methane as the feed and nickel oxide as the oxygen carrier. A dynamic model for the reduction step of chemical-looping combustion in fixed-bed reactors is developed, on the basis of the same kinetic network to predict published experimental data of different fixed-bed reactors and data of a chemical-looping fixed-bed reactor operating at the University of Connecticut. Steam reforming, water gas shift, dry reforming, methane decomposition, and carbon gasification by carbon dioxide and steam are considered as reactions catalyzed by the reduced oxygen carrier. Heterogeneous reactions of the oxygen carrier encompass reactions with methane, carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Kinetic expressions reported in the literature are compared and their parameters are estimated on the basis of experimental data of nickel-based oxygen carriers for chemical-looping combustion of methane. Particle shrinking, molar expansion and surface area changes are accounted for in the transient plug flow reactor model. The applicability of the shrinking core and modified volumetric models, which are typically used for the description of gas–solid reactions is verified and compared against various experimental data, showing the superiority of the latter. A global mechanism and kinetic parameters that can be used to simulate CLC Reducers operating with NiO as the oxygen carrier and CH4 as the fuel are proposed. Finally, discrepancies between published data and the model accuracy for different experimental setups are discussed.
Manipulation of the immune response to a plasmid-encoded viral antigen by coinoculation with plasmids expressing cytokines

Summary Inoculation of plasmid vectors encoding a viral protein into muscle tissue was shown to result in expression of the transantigen and, consequently, an antiviral immune response. Here, we show that coinoculation of a plasmid expressing the glycoprotein of rabies virus with plasmids encoding mouse cytokines modulated the immune response to the viral protein. Coinoculation with a vector expressing mouse granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) enhanced the B and T helper cell activity to rabies virus, while coinoculation with a plasmid expressing interferon-γ (IFNγ) resulted in a decrease of the immune response to the viral antigen.
Comparison of fractionation methods for DNA of varying base composition by equilibrium density-gradient centrifugation.

Abstract The fractionation of base composition differences in double-stranded DNA by several density-gradient techniques is compared to determine which technique provides the maximum resolution. Density-gradient separations based on complexing DNA with mercury, and under certain conditions silver, in cesium sulfate provide better overall resolution than separations based on dye binding.
β-Dimethylphenylsilylethyl esters: a linker for solid-phase chemistry

Abstract Preparation of a β-dimethylphenylsilylethyl (BMPSE) ester linker from 2% divinylbenzene–styrene copolymer by lithiation, chlorodimethylvinylsilane silylation, hydroboration/oxidation (giving 9 ), and O -acylation is reported. The resulting polymer-bound BMPSE esters were employed in a reaction sequence consisting of RCHO→RCHNOH→isoxazoline/isoxazole (giving 12 ).
Behavior patterns of socially rejected and neglected preadolescents: The roles of social approach and aggression

Sociometric nominations were used to select groups of popular, average, rejected, and neglected third- and fifth-grade children. In two studies, the peer interactive behaviors of these children were naturalistically observed in their classrooms and on the playground. In contrast to popular children, rejected children displayed fewer task-appropriate behaviors and more task-inappropriate and aggressive behaviors. Whereas rejected children prosocially approached peers as frequently as did popular children, peer responses to the approaches of rejected children were more likely to be negative. Neglected children, on the other hand, displayed relatively few task-inappropriate and aggressive behaviors, and socially approached peers infrequently. Their approaches also met with frequent rebuff by peers. The findings were discussed in terms of the behavioral bases of sociometric status. Suggestions were made for clinical researchers interested in behavioral change with rejected and neglected children.
Surface reaction for measurement of Pt dispersion on supported catalysts

Abstract The surface area of dispersed platinum on different supports has been measured by means of a “titration” technique involving the interaction between chemisorbed oxygen and carbon monoxide. This reaction proceeds rapidly at room temperature in accordance with the stoichiometry O(s) + 2CO → CO(s) + CO2. Thus quantitative determination of the CO consumed and/or the CO2 formed offers a suitable measurement of the number of oxygen atoms chemisorbed on the platinum surface. It is found that on bulk as well as supported Pt catalysts the maximum value of O Pt = 1 2 , so that quantitative information on the surface area on Pt may be obtained from the CO titration. Repeated exposures of a Pt Al 2 O 3 catalyst to molecular oxygen at room temperature followed by CO titration result in an apparent increase in Pt dispersion caused most likely by crystal reorientation.
The conversation around CPR/DNR should not be revived--at least for now.

We have an enormous problem in the United States with “overtreatment.” The type of overtreatment that gets the most discussion in bioethics journals is the type that is demanded by patients and fam...
Detection of imminent collisions by drivers with Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease: a preliminary study

The aim of this study was to assess whether patients with neurodegenerative disease, namely Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), differed from age-matched, neurologically normal comparison participants in their ability to detect impending collisions. Six AD patients and 8 PD patients, together comprising the neurodegenerative disease group, and 18 comparison participants completed a collision detection simulation task where they must judge whether approaching objects would collide with them or pass by them. The neurodegenerative disease group was less sensitive in detecting collisions than the comparison group, and sensitivity worsened with increasing number of objects in the display and increasing time to contact of those objects. Poor performance on tests of cognition and visual attention were associated with poor collision detection sensitivity. The results of this study indicate that neurodegenerative disease impairs the ability to accurately detect impending collisions and that these decrements are likely the combined result of visual and cognitive disturbances related to disease status.
Existence of solutions to Hamiltonian dynamical systems of optimal growth

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the existence of solutions to Hamiltonian dynamical systems of optimal growth. Cass and Shell have shown how a wide range of problems in the theory of economic dynamics may be formulated in terms of Hamiltonian dynamical systems. In particular, they have studied the system modeling consumption-optimal growth with discount rate p>0. The Hamiltonian function H(Q,k) is defined on the basis of certain assumptions about technology. It presents a set of conditions on the Hamiltonian function H(Q,k ) that are sufficient to guarantee that the system has a non-negative solution. These conditions include convexity-concavity and other properties that are consistent with or mimic the technological assumptions of Cass and Shell.
Energy demand estimation of South Korea using artificial neural network

Abstract Because South Korea's industries depend heavily on imported energy sources (fifth largest importer of oil and second largest importer of liquefied natural gas in the world), the accurate estimating of its energy demand is critical in energy policy-making. This research proposes an artificial neural network model (a structure with feed-forward multilayer perceptron, error back-propagation algorithm, momentum process, and scaled data) to efficiently estimate the energy demand for South Korea. The model has four independent variables, such as gross domestic product (GDP), population, import, and export amounts. The data are obtained from diverse local and international sources. The proposed model better estimated energy demand than a linear regression model (a structure with multiple linear variables and least square method) or an exponential model (a structure with mixed integer variables, branch and bound method, and Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno (BFGS) method) in terms of root mean squared error (RMSE). The model also forecasted better than the other two models in terms of RMSE without any over-fitting problem. Further testing with four scenarios based upon reliable source data showed unanticipated results. Instead of growing permanently, the energy demands peaked at certain points, and then decreased gradually. This trend is quite different from the results by regression or exponential model.
Cognitive evaluation of a mobile HIV telemanagement system utilizing multiple health communication channels

Developing affordable technology that supports comprehensive self-management of HIV poses great challenges as it has to address complex care needs including prevention of risky behavior, slowing of disease progression and medication adherence for antiretrovirals, opportunistic infection medication and possibly other chronic disease medication. The combination of multiple health communication channels with improved means of feedback to patients and providers have a potential to facilitate global access to self-management support tools and to increase patient confidence in their clinician's ability to provide high quality care based on their responses to disease diary questions. The goal of this project was development of a working prototype of a mobile HIV telemanagement system utilizing multiple health communication channels, and evaluation of this system using cognitive walkthrough methodology. Using this approach we were able to finalize interface and content specifications for the HIV telemanagement system providing global affordable access to its users for HIV self-care support tools. The cognitive evaluation highlighted areas for further improvement and revealed that most of the problems identified during research team inspection were unlikely to compromise patient acceptance and ability to use the system. We concluded that an affordable technology delivering comprehensive HIV self-management support via multiple health communication channels is likely to succeed, and that the delivery through different channels is the way to avoid overburdening end users while promoting flexibility and patient-centered care.
Differential induction of heme oxygenase in the hepatocarcinoma cell line (Hep3B) by environmental agents

In situ hybridization and Northern analysis of heme oxygenase (HO) mRNA was used to determine the induction and expression of HO by various environmental agents. Exposure of Hep3B cells to hemin (10 μM) for as little as 5 min resulted in significant production of HO transcripts and mRNA expression as seen by in situ hybridization. We followed the pattern of HO transcript accumulation by heme and results indicate that the peak of induction of HO by heme was reached between 10 and 20 minutes. Other metalloporphyrins were all effective in inducing HO mRNA after 1 h exposure. On the other hand, CoCl2 caused accumulation of HO mRNA at a later time than seen with the metalloporphyrins. However, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) gave a more immediate effect on HO induction which was somewhat similar to heme in its time course. Direct measurements of HO activity revealed that enzyme activity could be detected after about 20 min exposure to hemin, and this activity was inhibited by tin protoporphyrin (SnPP). The different pattern of HO mRNA induction by LPS as contrasted with CoCl2 suggests that LPS may act through a different translational factor, or stimulate free radical formation and the subsequent release of heme and induction of HO. These results indicate that heme causes accumulation of HO mRNA by a different mechanism than that of CoCl2. Finally, LPS shares a concomitant effect on induction of HO as an acute phase reactant type protein.
The Meanings and Manifestations of Religion and Spirituality among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Adults

The present study employed a mixed method approach in the effort to explore religious and spiritual practices among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, as well as the meanings ascribed to the terms religiosity and spirituality by LGBT adults. Data were collected via a cross-sectional survey consisting of open- and close-ended items among 498 LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) identified individuals attending an annual Pride event in a large northeastern city. Both quantitative and qualitative findings suggested that consistent with other studies, spirituality was defined largely in relational terms (e.g., in terms of one’s relationship with God and with self). Religion, in contrast, was defined largely in terms of communal worship and in terms of its negative influences in the lives of individuals and communities. For this sample of LGBT persons, spiritual identities were more pronounced than religious ones, and this pattern may be explained by their understanding of the spiritual self in relation to prosocial engagement and interconnectedness with others, the world around them, and the universe. Further, religious affiliation and practices were explained, in part, by the religion in which the individual was raised, level of educational attainment, as well as the developmental stage in which the person is currently situated. The findings highlight the reality that a substantial number of LGBT individuals may remain committed to religious and spiritual life, which may be related to a motivation to make sense of one’s place in the world especially in light of societal misunderstandings and intolerance to LGBT individuals.
Abstract 1969: Mapping the cross talk between parathyroid hormone related protein (PTHrP) and Integrins α6 and β4 in prostate cancer cells

Prostate carcinoma is a leading cause of cancer deaths in men in the United States. An estimated 217,730 new cases and 32,050 deaths from prostate cancer have been reported in 2010 by the National Cancer Institute. For a cancer cell to become malignant it must adopt mechanisms to escape and survive outside its original environment, thus avoiding apoptosis. Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) is among the many factors that contribute to this pro-survival state. The mechanisms through which PTHrP affects cell malignancy are not well understood. Our previous studies have shown that PTHrP increases cell-surface levels of integrin α6β4 in prostate cancer cells. Over-expression of integrin α6β4 correlates with increased tumor invasion and metastasis. Integrin α6β4 also acts as a signaling molecule that activates anti-apoptotic phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathways. The mechanism through which PTHrP increases α6 and β4 integrins levels is not clear. We report that in PTHrP over-expressing prostate cancer cell lines (C4-2 and PC-3), the activity of α6 and β4 promoters is increased by ∼ 2.5 fold. We have also found increased NF-κB promoter activity in C4-2 and PC-3 cell lines as a result of PTHrP over-expression. Identification of elements within the integrin α6 and β4 gene promoters that are regulated by PTHrP signaling can provide valuable information regarding the mechanism of the PTHrP action in cancer cell survival and invasion. PTHrP also regulates α6 and β4 protein levels via a post-translational pathway, since the PTHrP protein half-life is higher in PTHrP-over expressing cells in comparison to empty vector control cells. This effect is mediated via the proteasome pathway, as ubiquitinated α6 and β4 levels are reduced in PTHrP over-expressing cells. Our future goals are to map the regulatory elements like NF-κB in the α6 and β4 integrin promoters that are regulated by PTHrP, and to identify the pathways via which PTHrP regulates the proteasome pathway. This might help understand the mechanism through which PTHrP acts in prostate cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1969. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1969
The effect of particle size, location and season on the toxicity of urban and rural particulate matter

Particulate matter (PM) varies in chemical composition and mass concentration based on a number of factors including location, season, source and particle size. The aim of this study was to evaluat...
Hydrogen atom in one dimension

We show that the known equivalence between the regularized Kepler potential -k/(xxx)/sup 1/2/ and the free motion on the sphere also holds in one dimension. Consequences for the classical and quantum situations are worked out; the disappearance of the quantum ground state is checked through numerical calculations with a cutoff potential.
Alcohol-induced apoptosis of canine cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells: role of extracellular and intracellular calcium ions.

Abstract Exposure of canine cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to ethanol (10, 25 and 100 mM) for 1, 3 and 5 days induced apoptosis with its typical characteristics of nuclear shrinkage, condensation, and DNA breakage as well as formation of apoptotic bodies observed by fluorescence staining, terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling and comet assays. Such effects of alcohol on cerebral VSMCs were time- and concentration-dependent. The threshold ethanol concentration for induction of the apoptotic process was found to be 10 mM. Extracellular and intracellular Ca 2+ chelators, i.e. ethylglycol-bisβ-aminoethylether- N , N , N ′ N ′-tetraacetic acid (EGTA, 5 mM) and 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)-ethane- N , N , N ′, N ′-tetra-acetic acid AM (BAPTA, 10 −6 M), respectively, ameliorated greatly the number of cerebral VSMCs which underwent apoptosis. Verapamil, however, failed to inhibit apoptosis of cerebral VSMCs. From these new findings, we suggest that alcohol-induced apoptosis may contribute to alcohol-induced brain-vascular damage and stroke. In addition, our findings point to potential caution for humans who imbibe two or more standard drinks per day or who undergo ‘binge drinking’.
On the equivalence of two commonly used forms of semiclassical instanton theory.

Semiclassical instanton theory gives an approximate description of deep tunneling by means of periodic orbits on the inverted potential energy surface. There are two versions of the theory, one derived by taking a semiclassical limit of the exact flux-side time-correlation function and the other by starting from the “Im F” premise, in which the partition function is analytically continued into the complex plane. Here, we provide a derivation showing that the two versions of the theory are exactly equivalent. Unlike a previous derivation (which was restricted to a system-bath model), our derivation is completely general, and thus establishes that the “Im F” premise, which is behind such methods as quantum transition-state theory and ring polymer molecular dynamics rate-theory, is correct in the steepest-descent limit.
The epidemiology, detection and control of Escherichia coli O157.

Numbers of cases of human infections caused by Escherichia coli O157 have increased over the last decade in many countries. As well as the typical symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, the organism can cause more life-threatening diseases such as haemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). Although the incidence remains relatively low compared with the other foodborne pathogens such as Campylobacter and Salmonella, the mortality rate associated with infection is much higher. Cattle are thought to be the main environmental source of this organism, and most cases have been associated with consumption of beef and beef products. However, other food vehicles have been identified, such as apple cider and raw or unpasteurised milk and milk products. Cross-contamination has been shown to be an important factor in outbreaks, which, together with the fact that the infectious dose is low (as few as 10 cells), means that robust hygienic procedures are essential at all stages of the food chain to reduce risk of infection. Person-to-person spread is a common source of illness, and several laboratory-acquired cases have also occurred. Efficient detection, isolation and confirmation techniques are required to establish the reservoirs of this organism in the environment and its spread into, and within, the food chain. This article reviews the epidemiology of E coli O157 and discusses detection and preventative methods, both developed and developing. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry
Three-dimensional scaffolds to evaluate tumor associated fibroblast-mediated suppression of breast tumor specific T cells.

In the tumor microenvironment, the signals from tumor-associated fibroblasts (TAF) that suppress antitumor immunity remain unclear. Here, we develop and investigate an in vitro three-dimensional (3D) scaffold model for the novel evaluation of TAF interaction with breast tumor cells and breast specific, neu antigen (p98) reactive T cells. Breast cancer cells seeded on 3D chitosan-alginate (CA) scaffolds showed productive growth and formed distinct tumor spheroids. Antigen specific p98 T cells, but not naive T cells, bound significantly better to tumor cells on scaffolds. The p98 T cells induced potent tumor cell killing but T helper cell cytokine function was impaired in the presence of TAF coseeding on scaffolds. We found that the immunosuppression was mediated, in part, by transforming growth factor beta (TGF-b) and interleukin-10 (IL-10). Therefore, TAF appear capable of inducing potent T cell suppression. CA scaffolds can provide clinically relevant findings prior to preclinical testing of novel immunotherapies.
Section-wise piecewise-linear functions: Canonical representation, properties, and applications

This paper presents a new closed form analytical formula for representing n-dimensional surfaces and scalar functions of n variables which are piecewise-linear over each cross section obtained by freezing any combination of n - 1 of the n coordinates. This new section-wise piecewise-linear representation can be easily programmed with efficient computer storage. It is a global representation in the sense that a single formula is used to compute for f(x 1 ,x 2 ,...,x n ) for all values of (x 1 , x 2 ,...., x n ). Since this representation is expressed in closed analytic form, it allows standard mathematical operations and manipulations to be carried out in theorectical studies, In particular, it led to the possibility of deriving explicit closed form expressions for system parameters and design formulas. Examples are given which illustrate the potential applications of this representation in the modeling and analysis of nonlinear devices, circuits and systems.
Avoidable errors in health policy analysis

Cost-effectiveness analysis, decision analysis, and other analytic methods are frequently used to help make health policy decisions or to guide clinical practice. Those who have struggled to promote the application of these techniques to clinical problems are probably gratified that they have taken hold so strongly in only a few decades. But with this wider appeal comes the risk that important basic assumptions about the underlying methods will be overlooked. Ten years ago, for example, Doubilet, Weinstein, and McNeil warned against the overuse of the term “cost-effective” in medicine, and suggested that the term ought to be used less frequently and more precisely.1 In this article, we present a related plea that the methods of quantitative health policy analyses, and their presentation, should better reflect their clinical application. Just as the term “cost-effective” can be overused, there is a related tendency for the methods of these analyses to take on a life of their own. Although the products of these analyses are often so persuasive, these analyses are useful only if they represent the underlying clinical problems accurately. We describe three different kinds of errors that can lead some health policy analyses to misrepresent the clinical reality they are meant to reflect. In describing these errors, we hope not only to improve the way these analyses are performed and presented, but also to help those clinicians and policy makers who interpret and sometimes implement the findings of these analyses make better recommendations and decisions.
Time-dependent approach to atomic autoionization

A time-dependent approach to the study of atomic autoionization in two-electron systems is formulated. In the first step a two-dimensional (2D) model ``He'' atom is constructed by replacing the full 3D electrostatic interaction with a 1D soft-core interaction. The autoionization decay of doubly excited states constructed within the model is calculated by both standard perturbation theory and direct solution of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation. Configuration-interaction theory is invoked to obtain correlated resonance states, and strong laser fields are found to alter the decay rates. In the second step the full 6D wave function for the He atom is expanded in coupled spherical harmonics using a procedure as described by C. Bottcher, D. R. Schultz, and D. H. Madison [Phys. Rev. A 49, 1714 (1994)]. Solution of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation reduces to solving the propagator equations for the 3D expansion coefficients on a B-spline collocation lattice. Autoionizing decay rate calculations using product resonance states are found to be in qualitative agreement with the 2D model results.
Von “Kaffeeringen” lernen: geordnete Strukturen durch Selbstorganisation bei kontrollierter Verdunstung

Trocknende Losungen sind nicht nur ein Modell fur die Untersuchung des Verdunstungsvorgangs an sich, sondern sie lassen sich auch nutzen, um nichtfluchtige geloste Stoffe zu komplexen geordneten Strukturen im Submikrometermasstab und daruber zu aggregieren. Dieser Aufsatz behandelt aktuelle Fortschritte bei der Verdunstungsaggregation aus raumlich eingeschrankten Losungen mit besonderem Augenmerk auf neuen praparativen Ansatzen zur Herstellung von Strukturen mit hochster Regelmasigkeit aus Polymeren, Nanopartikeln und Biomaterialien uber kontrollierte verdunstungsgetriebene stromungsunterstutzte Selbstorganisation. Die Abscheidung kann uber verschiedene Variablen kontrolliert werden. Schlieslich wird ein Ausblick auf zukunftige Entwicklungen auf diesem faszinierenden Gebiet gegeben.
Weed biology, cropping systems, and weed management

SUMMARY Weeds pose a recurrent threat to agricultural productivity in both industrialized and developing countries. Weeds respond dynamically to all cropping practices, and therefore, the design and function of cropping systems plays a central role in the composition of weed communities. The unique and challenging nature of weed communities requires more integrated approaches to weed management than are currently being employed by most growers. Integrating weed management with cropping system design and application may be an effective approach to diversifying weed management systems. Each crop-weed system is a unique mix of genetics and biology and will respond dynamically to changes in management practices. Practices such as crop rotation, tillage, cover crops, and fertility management modify weed populations. The challenge is to integrate these and other practices with the best available control tactics to generate integrated management systems. Cropping system design provides an excellent framework for...
Congenital obstructive lesions involving the major pulmonary veins, left atrium, or mitral valve: A clinical, laboratory, and morphologic survey

The clinical, laboratory, and morphologic features of congenitally obstructive lesions causing pulmonary venous hypertension are reviewed. These lesions are responsible for considerable infant mortality and morbidity, especially in the first weeks of life, are not infrequently encountered in older children, and are occasionally seen in adults. The presence of a malformation causing pulmonary venous hypertension often can be detected clinically, but precise anatomical and physiological diagnoses, usually necessary for optimal patient management, often can be made only by detailed laboratory study. Cardiac catheterization and angiocardiography remain the prime modes of accurate diagnosis in such patients, many of whom have other significant cardiovascular malformations, and echocardiography is an extremely useful adjunct, especially in patients with mitral valvular stenosis, hypoplasia, or atresia. The only definitive treatment in any of these patients is operative relief of the obstruction, and the chances of success depend not only on the skill of the surgeon, but also on the nature of the obstructing lesion, the types of associated malformations, and the precision with which these are defined preoperatively.
Wall pressure fluctuations beneath swept shock wave/boundary layer interactions

An experimental research program providing basic knowledge and establishing a database on the fluctuating pressure loads produced on aerodynamic surfaces beneath 3D shock wave/boundary layer interactions is presented. A turbulent boundary layer on a flat plate is subjected to interactions with swept planar shock waves generated by sharp fins at angle of attack. Measurements are made for the first time in the aft areas of these interactions, showing fluctuating pressure levels as high as 160 dB.
Superconducting phase diagram and FFLO signature in λ-(BETS) 2 GaCl 4 from rf penetration depth measurements

We report the phase diagram of $\ensuremath{\lambda}$-(BETS)${}_{2}$GaCl${}_{4}$ [where BETS is bis(ethylene-dithio)tetraselenafulvalene] from rf penetration depth measurements with a tunnel diode oscillator in a pulsed magnetic field. We examined four samples with 1100 field sweeps in a range of angles with the magnetic field parallel and perpendicular to the conducting planes. In the parallel direction, ${H}_{c2}$ appears to include a tricritical point at 1.6 K and 10 T with a phase line that increases to 11 T as the temperature is decreased to 500 mK. The second phase line forms a clearly defined high-field low-temperature region satisfying several of the conditions of the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state. We show remarkably good fits of ${H}_{c2}$ to Werthamer-Helfand-Hohenberg theory in the reentrant $\ensuremath{\alpha}g1$, ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{\mathit{so}}=0$ regime. We also note a sharp angle dependence of the phase diagram about the field -parallel orientation that characterizes Pauli paramagnetic limiting and further supports the possibility of FFLO behavior. Unrelated to the FFLO study, at fields and temperatures below ${H}_{c2}$ and ${T}_{c}$, we find rich structure in the penetration depth data that we attribute to impurities at the surface altering the superconducting properties while maintaining the same crystallographic axes as ${H}_{c2}$.
A Ftir and Raman Spectral Study of the Preparation of Lead Titanate (PbTiO3) by a Sol-Gel Method

Abstract Lead Titanate (FT) materials were prepared by a sol-gel process in an air atmosphere using lead acetate and titanium propoxide in methoxyethanol as the precursor materials. FTIR and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the various structural changes that occurred during various stages of the preparation. A new crystalline lead titanate phase was detected by both Raman spectral and X-ray diffraction techniques when heating the gelled material at 430°C. In-situ Raman spectra were measured at high temperatures for the resulting sol-gel prepared PT material to investigate its phase-transition and soft-mode behavior.
Special problems and methods in the study of water vapor transport in polymers

Abstract Water presents special and unique difficulties in diffusion and sorption measurements because of its high cohesive energy and hydrogen-bonding capacity. In the case of transport measurements in hydrophilic polymers the time-lag method is complicated by the tendency of the water vapor to be adsorbed onto the glass receiving sections of the equipment. On the other hand, with more hydrophilic polymers where nonsteady-state direct sorption methods can be used the large amount of heat liberated during the sorption process again causes considerable difficulty. A discussion of these and other problems concerned with transport studies with water vapor is presented and various practical solutions are offered.
Dislocation structures in large-angle grain boundaries in hexagonal close-packed materials

Abstract In materials with cubic crystal lattices, the dislocation structures of grain boundaries are believed to change in a continuous manner as misorientation changes, according to the well-established O-lattice theory developed by Bollmann. They have been shown to change discontinuously as grain boundary phase transformations occur with changes of composition or temperature. The possibilities of continuous and discontinuous structure changes with misorientation and temperature are explored for materials with hexagonal lattices. It is shown that the irrational c/a ratio of most hexagonal metals gives rise to the likelihood of such transformations. A method for predicting the most likely structure of a boundary is given and shown to provide the correct structure in at least one case.
Dealing with the evolutionary downside of CRISPR immunity: bacteria and beneficial plasmids.

The immune systems that protect organisms from infectious agents invariably have a cost for the host. In bacteria and archaea CRISPR-Cas loci can serve as adaptive immune systems that protect these microbes from infectiously transmitted DNAs. When those DNAs are borne by lytic viruses (phages), this protection can provide a considerable advantage. CRISPR-Cas immunity can also prevent cells from acquiring plasmids and free DNA bearing genes that increase their fitness. Here, we use a combination of experiments and mathematical-computer simulation models to explore this downside of CRISPR-Cas immunity and its implications for the maintenance of CRISPR-Cas loci in microbial populations. We analyzed the conjugational transfer of the staphylococcal plasmid pG0400 into Staphylococcus epidermidis RP62a recipients that bear a CRISPR-Cas locus targeting this plasmid. Contrary to what is anticipated for lytic phages, which evade CRISPR by mutations in the target region, the evasion of CRISPR immunity by plasmids occurs at the level of the host through loss of functional CRISPR-Cas immunity. The results of our experiments and models indicate that more than 10−4 of the cells in CRISPR-Cas positive populations are defective or deleted for the CRISPR-Cas region and thereby able to receive and carry the plasmid. Most intriguingly, the loss of CRISPR function even by large deletions can have little or no fitness cost in vitro. These theoretical and experimental results can account for the considerable variation in the existence, number and function of CRISPR-Cas loci within and between bacterial species. We postulate that as a consequence of the opposing positive and negative selection for immunity, CRISPR-Cas systems are in a continuous state of flux. They are lost when they bear immunity to laterally transferred beneficial genes, re-acquired by horizontal gene transfer, and ascend in environments where phage are a major source of mortality.
INDEPENDENT STORAGE AND DECIDABILITY OF NATURAL LANGUAGE MEDIATORS

Underwood (4) has argued that natural language mediators may be epiphenomenal, with no real place among memory mechanisms. A preliminary step in disputing this claim and confirming their functional validiry in facilitating retention is to demonstrate that subjects have a memory of the mediators formed in acquisition. Previous attempts at such a demonstration (1, 2 ) appear faulry in char mediator +econr~ruction rather than recall may have taken place. This is due to the possibility rhat the original stimulus and response terms may have been available by rhe rime rhat recall of mediation was required. This study, therefore, attempted to show that subjects do have a memory for natural language mediators independent of specific stimulus and response terms. Thirty CVC pairs of medium associability ( 3 ) were seen by 37 undergraduates. Subjects provided a written mediator for each CVC pair and used this mediator to aid their learning of the pair. Two days later, subjects returned and saw 30 mediators; 15 selfgenerated and 15 of another subject. Subjects were asked to indicate which mediators were "old" (hislher own) and "new" (someone e!se's) and to try to recall the two components of the CVC pair using the given mediator. Confidence, from 1 (low) to 5 (h igh) , was measured on all three decisions. Subjects correctly recognized 87% ( S D = 1 1 % ) of their original mediators, with a mean confidence of 4.72 (SD = 0.27). Subjects were 90% ( S D = 9 % ) accurate in recognizing those mediators which were not theirs, with a mean confidence of 4.77 ( S D = 0.26). Also, subjects were more accurate ( p . l o ) in the number of left and right CVC components correctly decoded. Mean confidence in the correct decodings was also higher ( p < .001) when subjects used their own mediators (4.10; S D = 0.82) rather than someone else's (3.25; S D = 0.92). The data are consistent with the idea rhar representations of natural language mediators are formed during acquisition. Subjects do have a memory for the mediators, suggesting that they are, indeed. a part of the learning process and not epiphenomenal as has been argued.
Thyroid status and serum calcium depression at parturition.

Abstract Serum calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium analyses of blood samples taken one week before calving, on the day of calving, and one week after calving for 12 normal parturitions by six pairs of thyroid-damaged and control cows showed that serum calcium of normal, but not thyroid-damaged cows, was decreased (P
Solid Tumor Preparation for Flow Cytometry Using a Standard Murine Model

The application of flow cytometry (FCM) to solid human tumors has been hindered by the difficulty in producing high yield, viable, unaltered single cell suspensions. Carcinomas containing a high desmosomal content, such as well-differentiated squamous cell (SCC) cancers of the head and neck (H&N) region, are particularly difficult to prepare. The desire to employ FCM to study cellular DNA parameters of these tumors led to the use of a 3-methylcholanthrene induced murine SCC for the comparative testing of preparative techniques. Dissociation techniques, including mechanical, enucleation, chemical, single and combination enzymes methods, were comparatively tested. Of these, the combination enzyme treatment employing trypsin and collagenase produced the highest cell yields in the shortest time with the highest dye exclusion viability and the least expense. Several fixation systems including glutaraldehyde, paraformaldehyde, acetic acid, and ethanol were comparatively tested using percent of cell loss and quality of the DNA histograms produced as end points. Ethanol-water systems with added fetal calf serum provided minimal cell loss and high quality histograms which were stable for extended periods of time. A murine tumor, closely mimicking the histology of the human tumor of interest, may be used as a model for the determination of optimum techniques of solid tumor preparation for flow cytometric analysis.
Spray pyrolysis of CZTS nanoplatelets

We demonstrate that copper–zinc–tin–sulphide nanoplatelets can be directly grown onto a molybdenum-coated substrate using spray pyrolysis starting from a mixture of metal thiocarbamates precursors. The structure and phase purity of the nanoplatelets is discussed in detail.
DNA fragment sizing by single molecule detection in submicrometer-sized closed fluidic channels.

The fabrication of fluidic channels with dimensions smaller than 1 μm is described and characterized in respect to their use for detection of individual DNA molecules. The sacrificial layer technique is used to fabricate these devices as it provides CMOS-compatible materials exhibiting low fluorescence background. It also allows creating microfluidics circuitry of submicrometer dimensions with great control. The small dimensions facilitate single molecule detection and minimize events of simultaneous passage of more than one molecule through the measurement volume. The behavior of DNA molecules inside these channels under an applied electrical field was first studied by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy using M13 double-stranded DNA. A linear relationship between the flow speed and applied electric field across the channel was observed. Speeds as high as 5 mm/s were reached, corresponding to only a few milliseconds of analysis time per molecule. The channels were then used to characterize a mixture of...
Global asymptotic stability of a passive juggler: a parts feeding strategy

In this paper we demonstrate that a passive vibration strategy can bring a 1 degree of freedom ball to a known trajectory from all possible initial configurations. We draw motivation from the problem of parts feeding in sensorless assembly. We provide simulation results suggesting the relevance of our analytical results to the parts feeding problem.
Detecting selection on morphological traits in social insect castes: the case of the social wasp Vespula maculifrons

Highly social insects dominate terrestrial ecosystems because society members belong to discrete castes that undertake distinct tasks. The distinct functional roles of members of different castes may lead to divergent selective regimes, which may ultimately lead to morphological specialization and differentiation of the castes. This study used morphological and genetic analyses to identify traits that experienced caste-specific selection in the social wasp Vespula maculifrons (Buysson, 1905). Traits putatively under selection were identified based on their degree of caste dimorphism, levels of variability, strength of correlations with other traits, and patterns of allometric scaling. Analyses of trait characteristics suggested that queen thorax length, thorax width, and possibly mass, have experienced queen-specific selection. Additionally, trait dimorphism and intercaste phenotypic correlation values were negatively correlated, as expected if some morphological traits were subject to selection, leading to alternate phenotypic optima in the two castes. Overall, our analyses demonstrate how techniques used to identify selection between dimorphic groups can be applied to social species with distinct castes. In addition, our analyses suggest the operation of selection may be stronger in reproductive than in non-reproductive castes. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 101, 93–102. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: allometry – dimorphism – genetic architecture – genetic correlation – Hymenoptera – morphology – social insect – yellowjacket.
Synthesis and characterization of a new discotic columnar side-chain liquid crystalline polymer deuterated for NMR analysis

Abstract As part of our attempt to prepare molecular spinning machine, we synthesized a new discotic liquid crystalline polymethacrylate based on the taper-shaped monoester of triethylene glycol with 3,4,5-tris(p-dodecyloxylbenzyloxy-m-methoxybenzyloxy)benzoic acid. The polymethacrylate was deuterated in the benzoic ring for subsequent solid-echo 2H NMR spectroscopy. The m-methoxy group was proposed to prevent the rotation of the benzene ring, thereby inducing the cooperative rotational motion of the polymer.