cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influences of egg laying behavior on pathogenic infection of amphibian eggs

Mass mortality of developing amphibian eggs and larvae from pathogenic infection has been recently documented in some amphibian populations. For example, the pathogenic fungus, Saprolegnia ferax, has been linked with amphibian embryo mortality in the Pacific Northwest. Continued mortality in early life history stages may ultimately contribute to a population decline. We document the prevalence of S. ferax on embryos of three anuran species ( Bufo boreas, Rana cascadae, and Hyla regilla) common to the Pacific Northwest. These species differ in key aspects of their behavior and ecology, and these differences may lead to differential susceptibility to S. ferax. R. cascadae often lays its eggs communally and B. boreas usually deposits its eggs communally. We observed embryos at natural oviposition sites. Eggs laid communally had higher mortality than those laid away from other egg masses. Field experiments that manipulated both the spatial position and timing of egg laying demonstrated that eggs laid later and in closer proximity to communal masses had higher mortality. Our results suggest that eggs in communal masses are highly susceptible to infection with S. ferax. Recientemente se ha documentado la mortandad masiva de heuvos y larvas debido a infeccinoes patogenas en algunas poblaciones de anfibios. Por ejemplo, el hongo patogeno Saprolegnia ferax ha sido asociado con la mortalidad de embriones de anfibios en el noroeste de E.U.A. La mortalidad constante en etapas iniciales puede contribuir a la declinacion de la poblacion. En este trabajo documentamos la prevalencia de S. ferax en embriones de tres especies de anuros ( Bufo boreas, Rana cascadae, and Hyla regilla) comunes en el noroeste de E.U.A. Estas especies difieren en aspectos clave de su comportamiento y ecologia que pueden determinar diferencias en la susceptibilidad a S. ferax. Rana cascadae a menudo ovoposita comunalmente y Bufo boreas generalmente ovoposita comunalmente. Observamos embriones en sitios naturales de ovoposicion. Los huevos depositados comunalmente tuvieron mayor mortalidad que aquellos puestos lejos de otras masas ovigeras. Experimentos de campo, en los que se manipulo tanto la posicion espacial y el tiempo de ovoposicion, demostraron que los huevos puestos despues que y cerca de masas comunales tuvieron mayor mortalidad. Nuestros resultados sugieren que los huevos en masas comunales son altamente susceptibles a infeccion con S. ferax.
Spartina alterniflora and invasive Phragmites australis stands have similar greenhouse gas emissions in a New England marsh

Abstract Salt marshes are critically important for a range of ecosystem services including nutrient filtration and carbon sequestration. Despite this, salt marshes are subjected to a variety of anthropogenic impacts, many with negative consequences. One impact is the introduction and subsequent proliferation of invasive species. An exotic strain of Phragmites australis has invaded salt marshes on the U.S. East Coast, affecting biodiversity, hydrology, and biogeochemistry. We quantified the difference between P. australis and native S. alterniflora in greenhouse gas emissions, net primary productivity, and biogeochemical parameters in sediment and porewater. Although we observed differences between the species (P. australis had greater biomass, drier and cooler sediments, and lower porewater nutrient concentrations), we observed no differences in greenhouse gas emissions. Vegetated and unvegetated plots had similar fluxes of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), but very different fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2) due to photosynthesis. Fluxes of the three gases examined were related to sediment temperature and live biomass. In addition, CH4 fluxes were linked to salinity while N2O fluxes were linked to photosynthetically active radiation. CO2 fluxes varied as expected over the seasons. Rates of CH4 production were generally low and typical of salt marshes, but showed a wide variation demonstrating the high spatial heterogeneity of CH4 production. The marsh in this study was not a significant sink or source of N2O, although small fluxes of N2O were detected on occasion. This study confirms that salt marshes with relatively low nitrogen impacts are not important contributors of N2O to the atmosphere.
Constraints on Movement Transformations.

1. The development of transformational theory has been marked by a considerable shifting about of powers allotted to the various constructs. As a theory of lexicon arose, for example, some of the function of the context-sensitivity of the phrase-structure rules was rendered unnecessary; correspondingly, when the rewrite system was tightly confined to a context-free nature, the transformational component took up part of the burden of providing for certain dependencies and concord phenomena. A fair estimate of the history of that component would have to concede that its powers – in spite of the cycle, and some scattered efforts (Emonds, 1969; Postal, 1971; Ross, 1969; Sanders, 1970)–have grown significantly. For example, Emonds's work aside, no general principles of derived constituent structure have developed (as originally anticipated, say, in Lees, 1957b: 400–401); quite the contrary, the particular elementary operations at the root of transformational relationships have been extended, so that at the moment, in addition to sister-adjunction and daughter-adjunction, we have at our disposal Chomsky-adjunction – a range of moves allowing just about any sort of bracketing relation to be developed. Similarly, the recent suggestion that a transformation be considered, most generally, a relation holding between P-markers (not necessarily ‘adjacent’ and not necessarily paired) engenders an enormous increase in power – all the more so since the so-called local and global constraints that are intended to offset the magnification of power are only promissory (Lakoff, 1970).
Juvenile Delinquency in Nigeria: The Problem of Application of Western Theories

There is no universal theory of delinquency. Cross-cultural studies of delinquency will help in identifying Western theories of delinquency that are culturally specific or culturally universal. This paper investigates the applicability of Western theories of delinquency to Nigerian conditions. The paper concludes the family-based theories [family attachment, poor parental characteristics, parent-child relationship, parental supervision, parental support, parental physical punishment (Glueck and Glueck, 1950, 1968; Nye, 1958; Gold, 1963; Reiss, 1975; Empey and Lubeck, 1971; Sutherland and Cressey, 1960, 1966; Hirschi, 1969; Jensen, 1972, and Grove and Crutchfield, 1982)], differential association (Sutherland 1939), urban conditions (Shaw and McKay, 1942), economic conditions (Bonger, 1916), social control (Hirschi, 1969), and culture conflict (Sellin, 1938) are the most applicable western theories of delinquency to Nigeria. Furthermore, theories such as poverty, broken-home, labeling, and gang membership a...
Electronic structure simulations of carbon nanotubes

Abstract Recently, Iijima et al. ( Nature, 363 (1993) 603) and Bethune et al. ( Nature, 363 (1993) 605) have found carbon-arc conditions that yield extended single-shell nanometer-diameter carbon fibers. The individual hollow concentric graphitic tubules which comprise these fibers can be visualized as constructed from rolled-up single sheets of graphite. We have examined both the electronic and structural properties of these materials using a first-principles, self-consistent, all-electron Gaussian-orbital-based local-density functional (LDF) approach. As part of these studies, we have calculated the optical absorption spectra of several representative nanotubes using an Ehrenreich-Cohen perturbation-theory approach using the LDF electronic structure results. We discuss these results in the light of recent experimental results for electron energy-loss spectra of these novel materials.
Orientation behavior, leadership and consensus: A possible functional relationship

This study investigated the functional relationships among orientation behavior, leadership, and consensus. The study posited that orientation, when viewed as a message variable, is significantly related to the emergence of task leadership
Denaturation of Cytochrome c and Its Peroxidase Activity When Immobilized on SAM Films

This work uses cytochrome c, an electron carrier in the respiratory chain, as a model to probe how surface adsorption affects the folding of a protein. The electrochemical activities of the protein horse heart cytochrome c is studied under conditions where it is covalently attached onto a mixed carboxylic acid and hydroxyl-terminated SAM, which covers a Au electrode's surface. Changing the pH of the electrochemical buffer solution changes the conformation of the cytochrome c and causes a change of the peak currents in cyclic voltammetry and a shift of the peak potential. In addition, the unfolded cytochrome c displays peroxidase activity; the apparent Michaelis−Menten constant Km for cytochrome c at these surfaces has been determined to be 7.9 mM at pH 3 and 144.3 mM at pH 7.
HIV needle risk behaviors and drug use: a comparison of crack-smoking and nonsmoking injection drug users in Ohio.

Abstract This study compares the drug use and needle risk behaviors among 733 crack-smoking injection drug users (IDUs) and 518 nonsmoking IDUs. Participants were recruited in Dayton and Columbus, Ohio, for the Cooperative Agreement for AIDS Community-Based Outreach/Intervention Research Program from 1992 to 1996. Crack-smoking IDUs were more likely to be male, African-American, and 30 to 40 years of age, but less likely to be married or living with a sex partner compared to nonsmokers. Daily crack users were less likely to be daily injectors but more likely to use alcohol daily when compared to non-crack users and less-than-daily crack smokers. IDUs who smoked crack less than daily were more likely to have injected with needles and syringes used by others. There is an urgent need for additional research on the relationship between drug injection and crack smoking as well as improved HIV risk-reduction interventions that include drug abuse treatment components focusing on issues surrounding crack-cocaine ...
Imatinib mesylate: a novel immune suppressive agent?

Comment on Dietz et al, page [1094][1] Imatinib mesylate, a small molecule inhibitor of the BCR-ABL, c-kit, and PDGF tyrosine kinases, also may inhibit T-cell–specific kinases, either directly or indirectly, which may contribute to the inhibition of selected T-cell functions. Imatinib mesylate
A cognitive view of the bilingual lexicon: Reading and speaking words in two languages

In this paper we review recent research on experimental psycholinguistic approaches to the bilingual lexicon. The focus in this work is to understand how it is that lexical access in both comprehension and production is fundamentally nonselective with respective to language, yet bilinguals are able to control the use of their two languages with relatively high accuracy. We first illustrate the nature of the data that support the claims of nonselectivity and then consider some of the factors that may modulate the resulting cross-language competition. These include differences in lexical parsing strategies across languages, in lexical cues that signal one language rather than another, in the ability to allocate cognitive resources, and in the nature of the tasks that initiate spoken production. We argue that the competitive nature of processing across the two languages of the bilingual provides an exquisite model to examine cognitive activity and its control.
What Is She Eating? The Effects of Meal Size on Impressions of a Female Eater.

How does what a woman eats affect others' impressions of her? One hundred and thirteen male and female college students, mainly White and middle class, watched a videotape of a female student eating one of four meals that varied in size and gender connotations. Results showed that meal size significantly affected ratings of the woman's social appeal. Thus, eating lightly appears to be socially advantageous for a woman, a phenomenon that may contribute to women's high rates of eating disorders.
Seismic velocity structure of the ophiolite at Point Sal, southern California, determined from laboratory measurements

Summary The Jurassic ophiolite at Point Sal, California, contains all the rock types typically found in other ophiolites. The total thickness is just over 3 km, much thinner than seismically determined ocean crust thicknesses of 5-6 km. We measured the seismic velocities of 34 representative water-saturated samples in the laboratory under pressure and at room temperature. The velocity profile is a function of both metamorphic grade and the concentration of mafic minerals. Oceanic layer 2A compressional velocities are not found in the ophiolite. Layer 2B velocities of 4.9-5.4 km s−1 are found for greenschist facies metabasalts. A velocity of 6.0 km s−1 represents high grade greenschist facies mineral assemblages and amphibole in a dyke and sill complex. Late stage differentiates in the upper plutonic section have layer 3A velocities over 6.0 km s−1. Velocities increase with depth to about 7.1 km s−1due to the introduction of cumulus olivine and other mafic phases. Olivine—clinopyroxene gabbros and troctolites have layer 3B velocities of about km s−1. Beneath this, clinopyroxenites and cumulate ultramafics have slightly higher velocities. Serpentinized peridotite (dunite and harzburgite) occurs at the base of the ophiolite and has compressional velocities around km s−1. The velocity profile with depth shows prominent gradients in the basaltic and gabbroic layers, but marked discontinuities are seen between the dyke and sill complex and the plutonic section and also between the upper plutonic section and the lower cumulate gabbros and ultramafic rocks. A pronounced velocity inversion, produced by serpentinized dunite underlying the gabbros, has been seismically modelled as a possible in situ characteristic of ocean crust and mantle structure. If a basal low velocity serpentinized layer underlies the ocean crust in some areas, then the Moho is within the mantle and marks the top of unaltered peridotite. Model travel-time curves and seismograms for such a structure show that it would be erroneously interpreted as a thicker ocean crust and that it would yield prominent late reverberations on seismic records.
Modelling of superheated steam drying for combined heat and power at a corn ethanol plant using Aspen Plus software

A superheated steam drying (SSD) model was developed in Aspen Plus software to determine energy and water recovery for drying the co-products in a corn ethanol plant. The SSD was integrated into a biomass integrated gasification combined cycle (BIGCC) heat and power production model developed for a 190 million litre per year corn ethanol plant. The BIGCC system was fuelled with either corn stover or a mixture of syrup and corn stover at a rate of 110 MW. Results were compared to estimates for steam tube drying (STD). Energy consumed for the SSD was 759–804 kJ kg−1 of water removed compared to 2660–2690 kJ kg−1 for the STD. Approximately 1.3 l of water were recovered per litre of ethanol produced with the SSD, with none for the STD. Less power was generated in the BIGCC system with SSD due to its smaller heat sink than for the BIGCC system with STD.
Persistence of Septal Defects After Transeptal Puncture for Pulmonary Vein Isolation Procedures

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is widely practiced as a means of potentially curing atrial fibrillation (AF). Transeptal puncture is performed for PVI procedures, often two such punctures are performed. We sought to examine the prevalence of medium- to long- term iatrogenic septal defects after such procedures. Thirty-one patients who were undergoing their second PVI procedure were studied with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) with two-dimensional imaging and color Doppler, examining the fossa ovalis for defects. Mean time from the original PVI to the time of TEE was 35 weeks. Two patients were discovered to have iatrogenic septal defects. The interval between the first PVI procedure and the TEE showing a septal defect was 33.7 weeks in one patient and 14.3 weeks in the other. Iatrogenic septal defects may occur in the medium- to long-term in patients undergoing PVI procedures for AF. The clinical implications of such defects are unknown.
Enteral Stents for Malignancy: A Report of 46 Consecutive Cases over 10 years, with Critical Review of Complications

Background Current management of malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) includes surgical diversion or enteral stent placement for unresectable cancer. We analyzed the long-term results, predictive factors of outcomes, and complications associated with enteral stents with focus on their management.
Model system using controlled receptor expression for evaluating targeted ultrasound contrast agents.

This report details a model system for evaluating targeted ultrasound (US) contrast agents using adenoviral (Ad) vectors to regulate target receptor expression. Receptor density in vitro was modulated in breast cancer cells by varying the multiplicity of infection (MOI) from 0 to 100. Target receptors were induced using a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter Ad vector for gene transfer and expression of the hemagglutinin (HA) tag. These reporter genes were under the control of the ubiquitous cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter. Subsequently, receptor expression and anti-HA antibody (Ab) binding was examined with flow cytometry. Targeted US contrast agents, or microbubbles (MB), were created by conjugating either biotinylated anti-HA or isotype control Ab to the surface of biotin coated MBs via a streptavidin bridge. Targeted MBs were incubated with Ad infected 2LMP cells to evaluate in vitro MB binding. Experimental results found GFP expression to be directly correlated with Ad MOI (r² = 0.96). Increasing the Ad MOI produced a corresponding increase in binding and accumulation of anti-HA Ab on the cell surface (p 0.29). Additionally, no difference was found between the isotype control Ab group (p > 0.44) indicating minimal nonspecific binding. No difference was found between cell groups incubated with isotype-targeted MBs (p > 0.42) regardless of receptor density. However, cells exposed to HA-targeted MBs showed increased levels of cell binding proportional to induced receptor expression levels (p < 0.02).
The Langlands program and string modular K3 surfaces

Abstract A number theoretic approach to string compactification is developed for Calabi–Yau hypersurfaces in arbitrary dimensions. The motivic strategy involved is illustrated by showing that the Hecke eigenforms derived from Galois group orbits of the holomorphic two-form of a particular type of K3 surface can be expressed in terms of modular forms constructed from the worldsheet theory. The process of deriving string physics from spacetime geometry can be reversed, allowing the construction of K3 surface geometry from the string characters of the partition function. A general argument for K3 modularity is given by combining mirror symmetry with the proof of the Shimura–Taniyama conjecture.
Recovering Physicians in Addiction Psychiatry Fellowships: Perspectives of Fellows and Faculty

In this report, the authors describe the characteristics and experiences of recovering fellows in a university addiction subspecialty fellowship. Four stages of adjustment were identified: 1) initial adjustment, 2) role conflict, 3) role integration, and 4) graduation. From a faculty viewpoint, it is particularly important to separate clinical from educational responsibilities in dealing with recovering fellows. Despite some continuing conflict about treatment models, most fellows achieved their training goals and were able to successfully adapt to post-training practice. However, some fellows were unable to integrate personal recovery and professional roles.
Transforming growth factor beta as a virulence mechanism for Leishmania braziliensis

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) has potent down-regulating effects on macrophages and is thus capable of influencing the fate of intramacrophage parasites, including leishmanias. We report the development of a mouse model for the study of the human pathogen Leishmania braziliensis and demonstrate, both in vitro and in vivo, a key regulatory role for TGF-beta in the pathogenesis of infection with this parasite. Recombinant TGF-beta added to cultures of murine peritoneal macrophages led to increased intracellular L. braziliensis replication, whereas addition of neutralizing anti-TGF-beta monoclonal antibody decreased levels of infection. Macrophages infected with L. braziliensis produced biologically active TGF-beta, with a direct correlation between amounts of TGF-beta induced by two parasite isolates and their relative virulence. In vivo, treatment with recombinant TGF-beta rendered avirulent parasites virulent and activated latent L. braziliensis infection. Activation of parasite replication was observed in mice which had been infected with L. braziliensis 15 weeks previously but had not developed lesions or had healed lesions, depending on the parasite isolate used to infect the mice. The exacerbation of L. braziliensis infection in vivo was associated with an increase of interleukin 10 mRNA in the draining lymph node. These results demonstrate that TGF-beta is able to alter the course of in vitro and in vivo infections with L. braziliensis, the latter being characterized by an increase in interleukin 10, an important Th2 helper-T-cell cytokine.
Strength of screen tested optical waveguide fibers

Abstract When an optical waveguide fiber is screen tested (stressed), flaws in the fiber enlarge so that it becomes weaker (fatigue). This paper develops a model that quantitatively evaluates the strength loss in terms of the way this is conventionally measured. The model utilizes conventional fracture mechanics and flaw growth theory which provides a reasonable representation of most fatigue data. While severe weakening can occur for some of the fibers, experimental detection of this effect requires measurement of failure probabilities less than 10 −2 .
Adsorption characteristics of alkylketene dimer sized papers determined by inverse gas chromatography at finite concentration

Abstract Inverse gas chromatography was used to study the adsorption characteristics of AKD (alkylketene dimer) sized papers in the finite concentration region. The adsorption isotherms for three adsorbates, n -decane, mesitylene, and 1,4-dioxane, on various AKD sized papers were obtained from GC elution peaks at three different temperatures and analyzed. From the adsorption isotherms, the BET parameters and the specific surface areas were obtained. The differential thermodynamic parameters of adsorption were determined as a function of surface coverage. The spreading pressure at the saturated vapor pressure was calculated from the adsorption isotherms, and the surface energies of the papers were determined.
Phleomycin-induced lethality and DNA degradation in Escherichia coli K12

Abstract The cell lethality and DNA fragmentation caused by phleomycin (PM) were studied in E. coli K12 strains with special reference to the effects of repair or recombination defeciencies and metabolic inhibitors. 1. (1) Unlike excision-defective derivatives of E. coli B, uvrA , uvrB , and uvrC mutants of strain K12 showed no peculiarities compared with wild type in regard to cell survival. Likewise, mutant alleles at uvrD and polA loci had no effect. In contrast, rec mutants were more sensitive to PM-killing than were rec + strains. 2. (2) PM-induced strand breakage in DNA was observed in all strains tested including the above-mentioned mutants. There was no significant distinction between the uvr mutants and the wild type strain, indicating that the uvr -endonuclease was not responsible for the strand breaks. Involvement of endonuclease I was also ruled out. 3. (3) At least some of the PM-induced strand breaks were repairable. 4. (4) PM-induced lethality and strand breakage were totally dependent on energy supply. Inhibition of protein synthesis resulted in a partial and parallel suppression of the two effects. Our results suggest that the lethality is due to DNA strand breakage and the repair of such damage is postulated to be controlled by rec genes.
School psychology: An autobiographical fragment

Abstract This paper describes some of the dramatic changes that have transformed the field of school psychology over the last 40 years, a period during which the author was part of that field. The most important change was from the restricted and stultifying role of “Binet Tester” to one encompassing the culture of the school setting and its relationship to the community. These changes have been slow but steady. Many obstacles - professional preciousness, protection of turf, conceptual narrowness, an American psychology riveted on the individual - had to be overcome. The battle is far from won. These obstacles and changes are illustrated by events and programs of which the author was a part. A basic remaining problem is how to define and redefine the human resources that will meet more productively the needs of our educational system.
Gambling, substance use, and other problem behaviors among youth: A test of general deviance models

Abstract Understanding the relationships between youthful gambling, substance use, and other problem behaviors is of interest to researchers studying deviance and to policymakers developing improved prevention strategies. This study used first-order and second-order factor models to test the hypothesis that gambling, alcohol misuse, other drug use, and delinquency were manifestations of a single general deviance construct. Respondents were seventeen to twenty-one year-old youth who were interviewed in two separate general population studies. Contrary to the hypothesis, the second-order model with a single deviance construct did not fit as well as a model specifying only correlations among all first-order factors. A single latent variable representing general deviant behavior did not explain deviance as well as distinct types of problem behaviors. This was true for overall samples and for gender-specific subgroups. Thus, while problem behaviors were related, there also must be uncorrelated antecedents predicting distinct types of youthful problem behaviors.
Screening for ocular toxicity in asymptomatic patients treated with tamoxifen.

Tamoxifen is an antiestrogen drug used in the treatment of patients with breast cancer that is being studied for use in patients at high risk for developing breast cancer. Case reports have documented ocular toxicity caused by tamoxifen in patients with visual symptoms. We attempted to determine the prevalence of ocular toxicity in visually asymptomatic tamoxifen-treated patients. We performed extensive ocular examinations on 135 visually asymptomatic tamoxifen-treated patients. Two patients (1.5%) had intraretinal retractile crystals consistent with tamoxifen retinopathy. Both patients were without visual symptoms or visual loss. Corneal crystals, macular edema, and optic nerve changes were absent. The cumulative tamoxifen doses of these two patients were 10.9 and 21.9 g, respectively. For the 135 patients studied, the mean cumulative dose was 17.2 g, with a standard deviation of 13.0. We do not believe the relatively uncommon finding of tamoxifen-related ocular toxicity merits special screening for such disease.
Scalar estimation from unreliable binary observations

We consider a scalar signal estimator based on unreliable observations. The proposed architecture forms an estimate using redundant arrays of unreliable binary sensors with detection thresholds that can vary randomly about their nominal values. We analyze the achievable performance of the estimator in terms of mean square error. We also provide approximate expressions for the error of a mean square optimal estimator in terms of the degree of redundancy in the system and the distribution of the random thresholds. We show that calibration and redundancy can compensate for uncertainty in the observations to form a reliable estimate.
Increased alcohol preference in rats following repeated exposures to alcohol.

When offered water and different solutions of ethyl alcohol in a freechoice situation, naive rats prefer alcohol at low concentrations but reject alcohol as the concentrations are increased sequentially. Rats which were either group or individually housed and forced to drink a non-preferred 12 or 15 per cent alcohol solution, drank less alcohol than control animals in a subsequent free-choice test. On the other hand, the animals that were repeatedly exposed to 11-day periods during which the concentrations of alcohol were systematically increased from 3 to 30 per cent consumed two to three times more alcohol in the seventh sequence than in the first sequence. In the free-choice situation this acclimation effect occurred when water was constantly present. This method appears to be useful for inducing animals to consume large volumes of ethyl alcohol.
Mapping Autonomous Constellation Design Spaces Using Numerical Continuation

In response to an anticipated need for space-based navigation and communication infrastructure in the larger cislunar region, this research explores the use of numerical-continuation techniques to support the design of autonomous Earth–moon constellations. Based on the Linked Autonomous Interplanetary Satellite Orbit Navigation technique, the design of such architectures is a challenging task, due in part to the computational effort required to analyze a single-spacecraft configuration. Although an optimization formulation coupled with a continuation-based method was previously developed by the authors to tackle such issues, the direct application of this technique still remained computationally expensive and was only demonstrated using a heuristically reduced cost function. This paper both simplifies and extends the previous approach by carefully studying the spacecraftplacement problem and decoupling the continuation methods into tractable subproblems. Using this decoupling strategy, exhaustive computational bottlenecks are relieved, and a deeper insight into the global behavior of solution manifolds is achieved. Results from two case studies are presented for the halo and axial periodic orbit families in the restricted Earth–moon system.
Design for Urban Rail Transit Energy Efficiency Management System

With the rapid development of Chinese economy and the speeding up urbanization, urban rail transit has entered a rapid development period, which results in more and more energy consumption. Meanwhile affected by energy source and environment factors, the state has implemented energy-saving emission reduction strategies in various fields, so energy efficient management for urban rail transit becomes more important. Based on the analysis of energy consumption problems in urban rail transit, the paper designs urban rail transit energy efficiency management system from the aspects of overall architecture, service architecture and application function, and provides technical support for the realization of the software system.
Polyamines and Ca2+ mediate hyperosmolal opening of the blood-brain barrier: in vitro studies in isolated rat cerebral capillaries.

We recently presented evidence that the reversible opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by the infusion of 1.6 M mannitol into the rat internal carotid artery is mediated by a rapid stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and putrescine synthesis in cerebral capillaries. We have now investigated this hypothesis further, using isolated rat cerebral capillaries as an in vitro model of the BBB. The ODC activity of cerebral capillary preparations was enriched up to 15-fold over that of the cerebral homogenate. Hyperosmolal mannitol in physiological buffer evoked a rapid (<15 s), concentration- and time-dependent increase in capillary ODC activity and an accumulation of putrescine and spermidine which was blocked by the specific ODC inhibitor, α- difluoromethylornithine (DFMO, 10 m M). Mannitol (1 M), as well as 2 M urea, evoked a two- to fivefold increase in the temperature-sensitive influx of 45Ca2+ and uptake of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and 2-deoxy-D-[1-3H]glucose (DG), but not α-[1-14C]aminoisobutyrate, during a 2-min incubation. DFMO (10 mM) abolished 1 M mannitol-mediated stimulation of 45Ca2+ influx and uptake of HRP and DG, whereas 1 mM putrescine replenished capillary polyamines and reversed the DFMO effects. Mannitol (1 M)-induced stimulation of ODC activity and membrane transport processes was Ca2+-dependent and verapamil- and nisoldipine-sensitive. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA, 10 nM), a protein kinase C activator, also evoked a two- to threefold stimulation of 45Ca2+ transport and HRP and DG uptake. This PMA effect was abolished by DFMO, suggesting involvement of rapid, ODC-controlled polyamine synthesis. The effects of 10 nM PMA and 1 M mannitol were additive, suggesting that hyperosmolal stimulation of ODC-activated polyamine synthesis does not involve protein kinase C. These data support the hypothesis that ODC-activated polyamine synthesis and Ca2+ influx (via Ca2+ channels) play a key role in mediating the effects of hyperosmolality on BBB permeability.
Cyclosporine A affects the in vitro expression of T cell activation-related molecules and cytokines in dogs

Cyclosporine is a powerful immunosuppressive drug that is being used with increasing frequency to treat a wide range of immune-mediated diseases in the dog. To date, ideal dosing protocols that will achieve immunosuppression with cyclosporine in dogs remain unclear, and standard methods that can measure effectiveness of immunosuppression have not been established. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of in vitro cyclosporine exposure on a panel of molecules expressed by activated T cells to ascertain their potential as biomarkers of immunosuppression in dogs. Blood was drawn from six healthy dogs, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated and activated. Half of the cells were incubated with 200 ng/mL cyclosporine prior to activation, and the other half were not exposed to cyclosporine. Samples were analyzed using flow cytometry, and the expression of intracellular cytokines IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-γ was evaluated after 6, 12, and 24h of drug exposure. Each cytokine exhibited a time-dependent suppression profile, and all but two samples activated in the presence of cyclosporine showed lower cytokine expression than untreated controls. We also evaluated the expression of the surface T cell activation molecules CD25 and CD95 by flow cytometry after 36 h of drug exposure. Expression of these surface molecules decreased significantly when activated in the presence of cyclosporine. Our results suggest that suppressed expression of the markers related to T cell activation could potentially be utilized as an indicator of the efficacy of cyclosporine therapy in dogs.
A time-dependent method for computing thermal rate constants

Abstract Presented is an efficient numerical method for computing thermal rate constants for quantum systems with few, localized degrees of freedom. The starting point is the work of Miller, Schwartz and Tromp in which the rate constant is expressed in terms of an equilibrium flux-flux correlation function. The correlation function can be calculated very efficiently by using a combination of discrete momentum and coordinate representation. This saves time by replacing the matrix multiplications normally involved in evaluating propagators with fast Fourier transforms.
Detection of a High-Barrier Conformational Change in the Active Site of Cytochrome P450cam upon Binding of Putidaredoxin

The orientation of the substrate camphor in the active site of reduced CO-bound cytochrome P450cam (CYP101) as a function of reduced putidaredoxin (Pdxr) addition has been examined by NMR using perdeuterated CYP101 and perdeuterated Pdx as well as isotopically labeled d-camphor. This permits the 1H resonances of CYP101-bound camphor to be observed without interference from the signals of CYP101 or Pdx and confirms assignments of the methyl signals of camphor in the bound form. The Cys4Fe2S2 ferredoxin Pdx is the physiological redox partner and effector of CYP101. The addition of Pdx to the reduced CYP101−camphor−CO complex results in a conformational selection that is slow on the chemical shift time scale with spectral effects observed primarily at the 8-CH3 group of the camphor. The camphor signals are ring current shifted by the heme, and for the 9- and 10-CH3 resonances, these shifts are reasonably well predicted by ring current calculations from the crystal structure of CO-bound CYP101. However, in th...
Baroclinic splitting of jets

Whether the split of the Somali jet, sometimes seen on monthly mean streamline analyses, is a climatological or a dynamical feature has been the subject of long-standing debate. This paper explores the dynamical conditions leading to a split jet within the framework of a simple barotropic dynamic system. The initial conditions for the dynamical system, along with three other parameters – the jet width, the zonal wavelength, and the latitude of the β-plane, form a parameter space for the problem consisting of a range of solutions for the evolution of the jet. This paper identifies a region in the parameter space in which these solutions support a splitting of the jet. The width and wavelength of the Somali jet determined from observations are such that for most initial conditions the solutions reside near the boundary in parameter space between the split and non-split regions. It is therefore concluded that the splitting of the Somali jet can be a dynamical feature given the observed jet width and wavelength. Whether a split does or does not occur is determined by the parameters defining the initial zonal mean and perturbation flow in the jet, with the solution being highly sensitive to these initial conditions.
Compact focus heads for high-power Nd:YAG laser processing

Our purpose is to develop a compact focus head for Nd:YAG laser processing in restricted spaces. The focusing assembly is a scaled- down "conventional" focus head with two conventional planoconvex focusing lenses and an outer diameter of 10 mm. Thermal and optical analyses are carried out to optimize the gas cooling design and the optical configuration of the focus head. Power capacity and processing tests confirm the capability of the focus head to produce good quality welds at powers up to 1400 W. Although extended life tests are not carried out, neither the head nor its optics show any signs of damage after approximately 40 min of processing.
Temperature Effects on Methanol Dissociative Chemisorption and Water Activation at Polycrystalline Platinum Electrodes

A thermostated IR spectroelectrochemical cell was used to probe the effects of temperature (25 − 70 °C) and methanol concentration (1.5 × 10-2 − 1.0 M) on methanol dissociative chemisorption at platinum electrodes in 0.1 M HClO4. The measurements provide molecular level evidence for mechanisms derived from electrochemical studies of methanol oxidation at above ambient temperatures. For fixed methanol concentrations, increasing the temperature lowered the quantity of detectable adsorbed CO and increased the rate of CO2 formation. The results can be understood in terms of the thermal activation of water and CO desorption. At fixed temperature, raising the methanol concentration in solution increased the integrated intensities of the adsorbed CO vibrational bands between 0.2 and 0.7 V (versus reversible hydrogen electrode, RHE). Below 0.9 V, the rate of CO2 formation was faster in 1.0 × 10-1 M than in 1.0 M solutions of methanol, reflecting the concentration dependence of surface poisoning. In 1.0 M methanol...
Visual projection upon the optic tectum in foveate marine teleosts.

Abstract A fovea was found in the eye of three species of the genus Paralabrax (Serranidae) : kelp bass, sand bass, and spotted bass. The projection of the visual field on to the contralateral midbrain tectum was mapped by electrophysiological method. The projection of the fovea is magnified five times on the optic tectum as compared with other areas in the visual field. Correspondingly, the density of ganglion cells of the retina is six times higher in the fovea than elsewhere in the retina. The foveal depression is marked by an absence of rods and a reduction in thickness of the optic nerve fibre layer, but, in contrast to the sauropsidian and primate fovea, ganglion cells are not displaced peripherally, but instead have their highest concentration inside the fovea. An absence of bilateral superposition of the binocular fields, wither direct or postsynaptically, was noted at the tectal level, in spite of occasionally observed binocular fixation movements of the eyes, which probably makes possible an independent functioning of monocular fixation mechanisms in these predatory teleosts.
Managing a relational database with intelligent agents

A prototype relational database system was developed that has indexing capability, which threads into data acquisition and analysis programs used by a wide range of researchers. To streamline the user interface and table design, free-formatted table entries were used as descriptors for experiments. This approach potentially could increase data entry errors, compromising system index and retrieval capabilities. A methodology of integrating intelligent agents with the relational database was developed to cleanse and improve the data quality for search and retrieval. An intelligent agent was designed using JACK/sup /spl trade// (Agent Oriented Software Group) and integrated with an Oracle-based relational database. The system was tested by triggering agent corrective measures and was found to improve the quality of the data entries. Wider testing protocols and metrics for assessing its performance are subjects for future studies. This methodology for designing intelligent-based database systems should be useful in developing robust large-scale database systems.
Assessment of right ventricular function using two-dimensional echocardiography☆

With the use of two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE), we analyzed apical and subcostal four-chamber views for evaluation of right ventricular (RV) function in 30 individuals as compared to RV ejection fraction (RVEF) obtained by radionuclide angiography. In addition to previously reported parameters of changes in areas and chords, a new simple measurement of tricuspid annular excursion was correlated with RVEF. A close correlation was noted between tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and RVEF (r = 0.92). The RV end-diastolic area (RVEDA) and percentage of systolic change in area in the apical four-chamber view also showed close correlation with RVEF (r = -0.76 and 0.81); however, the entire RV endocardium could only be traced in about half of our patients. The end-diastolic transverse chord length and the percentage of systolic change in chord length in the apical view showed a poor correlation with RVEF. The correlation between RVEF and both areas and chords measured in the subcostal view was poor. It is concluded that the measurement of TAPSE offers a simple echocardiographic parameter which reflects RVEF. This measurement is not dependent on either geometric assumptions or traceable endocardial edges. When the endocardial outlines could be traced, the apical four-chamber view was superior to the subcostal view in assessment of RV function.
Sun/moon position routines for GPS trajectory calculations

To calculate a precise trajectory for an artificial satellite, one must include the gravitational perturbations caused by the Sun and the Moon. For Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, the effects of Sun and Moon are larger than any other perturbation except that of the J2 flattening term of the Earth. GPS requires an accuracy of solar and lunar angular coordinates to 2 arcseconds or better. Until recently, The Aerospace Corporation TRACE program used the JPL planetary tapes to attain the required accuracy. Now, for applications where tape input is not practical, we use subroutines that calculate both the Earth-centered Sun and Moon positions for any input date, and the nutation-the short term effect of solar and lunar attraction on the orientation of the Earth in space. One such application requiring these subroutines is the Onboard Prototype Integrator (OPI), designed to permit GPS satellites to navigate autonomously. In this paper, we describe the algorithms on which the routines are based, and compare their accuracy to the JPL DE 200 ephemerides. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is unique in several respects, and calls for a special approach to trajectory calculation. The accuracy required for GPS is about one meter, much tighter than for Milstar (10 to 200 meters), but much less demanding than Lageos (millimeters). GPS satellites have a period of 12 sidereal hours and a repeating ground track. Since they are in high orbits, the effects of all the gravity harmonics of degree higher than three are small compared to those of solar and thermal radiation pressure and the pull of the Moon and the Sun. Typical values of the perturbations on a GPS satellite are as follows, in order of importance:
Microbial growth within saline-filled tissue expanders

Summary Background Tissue expander based reconstruction is the most common restorative procedure used following mastectomy. Infection is a common complication in the post-operative period and may lead to failure of the reconstruction. Various previous studies have investigated the potential sources of infection during these procedures. The purpose of this study was to examine the fluid within the saline-filled tissue expander at time of implant exchange for the presence of microbial growth. Methods Twenty-five patients (39 breasts) were enrolled in the study. Fluid samples were sent for Gram stain, aerobic, anaerobic, fungal, and acid-fast bacilli (AFB) cultures. Average age was 53.1. Mean time to exchange was 7.7 months. Average follow-up was 25 months. Results None of the samples were positive for microbial growth at final culture (0/39). Discussion These results show the tissue expander fluid maintains a microbial-free environment during the expansion process, and is unlikely a significant source of contamination in cases of infection. Level of evidence Level II, prospective cohort, therapeutic study.
Projecting Sample Misstatements to Audit Populations: Theoretical, Professional, and Empirical Considerations*

This paper examines the auditing decision to isolate or project errors found in sampling an audit population. The topic is interesting from both practical and theoretical viewpoints because prior research suggests that theory and practice are juxtaposed. Prior research has suggested a stringent theoretical norm in which few errors should be isolated and also suggests that, in practice, auditors commonly isolate errors that they perceive to be confined to a well-defined subpopulation. We extend this research by using the professional auditing standards as a backdrop for the study of both theoretical and practical aspects of the projection-isolation decision. As to theory, we show that a biased estimator (i.e., one that excludes errors known not to recur) may be more precise than an unbiased estimator under certain assumptions about sample sizes and the frequencies of errors in accounting populations. Using simulation, we specify conditions under which a biased estimator is more precise than an unbiased one. As to practice, we show that auditors rely on containment information when choosing to project, and we use verbal reports to develop a description of auditors' strategies for using containment information. Considering both the theoretical and practical aspects in light of professional standards, we conclude that, under specific conditions, isolation of sample misstatements is appropriate. Further investigation of the topic appears warranted.