cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Colonization in a pika population: dispersal vs philopatry

Relative tendencies toward dispersal or philopatry in a marked population of alpine mammals, the pika (Ochotona princeps), were investigated over a 3-year period in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Home range size, distances between centers of activity of dyads, and weighted overlaps of home ranges of dyads were used to define space use patterns. Disappearance and establishment of individuals reflected the temporal component of space use. Social relationships among conspecifics were defined by agonistic and affiliative behaviors. Home ranges of resident adult males and females were of equal size on talus, the obligate habitat of pikas. Adjacent home ranges were normally occupied by members of the opposite sex, and this spacing apparently results from the balance of agonistic and affiliative behaviors exhibited by nearest-neighbor heterosexual pairs. Most juveniles were philopatric. Throughout the summer they remained on their natal home range where they were involved in both agonistic and affiliative behaviors with their mother and putative father. Most animals that established residency were juveniles, and of these almost all settled within 50 m of their natal home range center. This pattern was independent of population density. Immigrants were met with extreme aggression by resident adults that was not balanced by affiliative behaviors. Few immigrants of either sex successflly established on the study area. Adults occasionally changed home ranges, probably to enhance their chances of mating. Intense aggression directed at unfamiliar animals coupled with the acceptance of spatial overlap of related young throughout the summer apparently promote philopatry in pikas. Philopatric settlement in pikas may lead to incestuous matings and contribute to their low intrapopulation genetic variability.
A simple and effective method for detecting phosphopeptides for phosphoproteomic analysis

An immuno-dot blot method for detecting phosphopeptides is described. This method allows detection of phosphopeptides prior to analysis by mass spectrometry, and does not require specialized equipment. Further, this method allows peptides containing a given phosphoamino acid to be selectively detected by using phosphoamino acid-specific antibody. This phosphopeptide assay should be useful for researchers who do not have direct access to the mass spectrometers to prepare high quality samples by optimizing phosphopeptide enrichment procedures prior to mass spectrometry analysis.
Analysis of critical and subcritical flow boiling

Abstract Low pressure flow boiling has been computer-simulated by means of the Homogeneous Equilibrium Mixture (HEM) and algebraic slip model of two-phase flow using a transient computer code. Numerical difficulties were experienced when the two-phase velocity exceeded the HEM model's speed of sound at the inception of boiling during the solution procedure. An apparent anomaly experienced was the calculation of pressure undershoots (‘kinks’) across a two-phase boiling region surrounded by single-phase subcooled liquid. It is clearly shown that the HEM model's speed of sound is a critical state for the evaluation of the pressure gradient. When this speed of sound is not exceeded at the inception of boiling, numerically stable and accurate results are computed. Some means of resolving these apparently fundamental and generic problems are suggested.
A Convenient Synthesis of 3-Methoxyphthalic Anhydride

Abstract Many antibiotics of the anthracycline family1 possess structures for which 3-methoxyphthalic anhydride (1) would be a suitable synthon2 in a total synthesis. A classic synthesis of (1) has employed 3-nitrophthalic acid3 but, in our hands, proceeded in low overall yield. Recent syntheses have utilized the Diels Alder reaction of dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (2) with 1-methoxy-1,3-cyclohexadiene,4 1,4-diacetoxybutadiene,5 2-acetoxyfuran,6 2-methoxyfuran7 or furan8 to obtain 3-hydroxyphthalic acid or a derivative. We now wish to report a convenient Diels-Alder synthesis of (1) from 3-methoxy-2-pyrone (3).
Historical Trends and Current Inputs of Hydrophobic Organic Compounds in an Urban Estuary: The Sedimentary Record

Sediments collected and examined for total aliphatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used to assess current inputs, as well as historical trends in Narragansett Bay. The historical trends in contaminants were dominated by three distributions: (a) a subsurface maximum with decreased contaminant levels both to the surface and with depth in the cores; (b) maximum contaminant concentration at the surface, decreasing with depth; and (c) relatively homogeneous contaminant concentrations with depth. Sedimentation rates ranged from 0.11 to 5.5 cm yr-1 in the Providence River area. From this, three different depositional zones were postulated that approximately correlate with water depth and degree of human impact. The Providence River sediments accumulated organic toxicants at a much greater rate than the remainder of the estuary, comprising nearly 90% of the accumulation, but only about 9% of the surface area. By using a box model, it was establis...
Sound advice or just plain absurd

The letter “Keeping an open mind?” by G. Anderson (22 Apr., p. [495][1]) advises scientists to accept as “good advice” the Georgia textbook sticker on skepticism toward evolution. The sticker cited with approval reads in part that “Evolution is a theory, not a fact… This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered.” Skeptical thinking is an essential element in the scientific enterprise. But it is absurd to ignore the context of this sticker, which is aimed not at endorsing skeptical inquiry generally, but to advance a particular religious agenda. I doubt that the proponents of these stickers would support placing a sticker in the bibles, prayer-books, and hymnbooks used by churchgoers, asking them to approach their deism with skepticism. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.308.5721.495c
Metallothionein (MT)-null mice are sensitive to cisplatin-induced hepatotoxicity

cis-Diamminedichloroplatinum (cisplatin) is an important anticancer drug used to treat solid tumors. The nephrotoxicity of cisplatin is recognized as the most important dose-limiting factor, but high doses of cisplatin also produce hepatotoxicity. However, little is known about cisplatin-induced liver injury and the role of metallothionein, a cysteine-rich, metal-binding protein, in modulating its hepatotoxicity. This study was designed to examine cisplatin hepatotoxicity in control and metallothionein-I/II knockout (MT-null) mice. Animals were given a single injection of cisplatin (50-200 mumol/kg i.p.), and liver injury was evaluated 3-16 h later. Cisplatin produced dose- and time-dependent liver injury, as evidenced by increased serum activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), as well as by histopathology. Apoptosis, rather than necrosis, predominates in cisplatin-induced liver injury, as indicated by increased numbers of apoptotic cells (hematoxylin and eosin staining), in situ apoptotic DNA detection, and DNA fragmentation on agarose gel electrophoresis. MT-null mice were more sensitive than controls to cisplatin-induced hepatotoxicity. Cisplatin (200 mumol/kg) was lethal to 12% of control mice, but 60% of MT-null mice died within 16 h. At the dose of 150 mumol/kg, serum ALT activities were increased 2-fold in control mice compared to 6.5-fold in MT-null mice. Apoptotic lesions were more pronounced in MT-null than in control mice. MT-null mice were also more susceptible than controls to cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity, as evidenced by having higher blood urea nitrogen concentrations. Furthermore, cultured MT-null hepatocytes were more sensitive than control cells to the cytotoxicity of cisplatin (50-200 microM), as indicated by lactate dehydrogenase leakage into the medium. These results demonstrate that (1) high doses of cisplatin produce hepatotoxicity, with apoptosis as the major lesion, and (2) MT protects against cisplatin-induced liver injury.
Thermal stability and the role of oxygen vacancy defects in strong metal support interaction : Pt on Nb-doped TiO2(100)

Abstract We have investigated the relative thermal stability of MBE-grown TiO2(100) and Nb-doped TiO2(100) surfaces grown on fully stoichiometric TiO2(100) substrates, along with the comparative interaction of Pt with these surfaces. Vacuum-annealed TiO2(100) films exhibit a well-ordered (1 × 3) surface reconstruction at temperatures above 500°C, which is associated with partial reduction of the surface and the formation of [110]-oriented microfacets. However, the (1 × 3) reconstruction does not occur on the Nb0.1Ti0.9O2(100) surface after comparable vacuum annealing. Thermal stabilization of the TiO2(100) surface by Nb doping is due to strong and stable bonding between substitutional Nb and O in the mixed-metal rutile lattice. The interface between vacuum-deposited Pt and essentially defect-free TiO2(100) is much more stable than that formed between Pt and surfaces of vacuum-reduced TiO2(110) bulk specimens after comparable anneals in UHV. Moreover, interface chemistry with Pt is further suppressed when the TiO2 film is doped with Nb to form Nb0.3Ti0.7O2(100). These results suggest that diffusion of oxygen vacancies from the bulk to the surface plays a critical and, thus far, unappreciated role in promoting reduction to TiOx (x ≲ 2) at the Pt TiO 2 interface. Significantly, these results suggest that considerable suppression of the strong metal-support interaction for Pt on TiO2(100) can be achieved by reducing oxygen vacancy defect densities in the bulk and doping the near-surface region with Nb.
Formal verification of an ARM processor

This paper presents a detailed description of the application of a formal verification methodology to an ARM processor. The processor, a hybrid between the ARM7 and the StrongARM processors, uses features such as a 5-stage instruction pipeline, predicated execution, forwarding logic and multi-cycle instructions. The instruction set of the processor was defined as a set of abstract assertions. An implementation mapping was used to relate the abstract states in these assertions to detailed circuit states in the gate-level implementation of the processor. Symbolic Trajectory Evaluation was used to verify that the circuit fulfills each abstract assertion under the implementation mapping. The verification was done concurrently with the design implementation of the processor. Our verification did uncover 4 bugs that were reported back to the designer.
Heats of adsorption for ammonia and pyridine in H-ZSM-5: evidence for identical Brønsted-acid sites

Abstract We have used microcalorimetry to examine the stoichiometric adsorption complexes formed by ammonia and pyridine at the Bronsted-acid sites in three samples of H-ZSM-5 which vary widely in aluminum content and synthesis methods. The results show that the heats of adsorption for both ammonia and pyridine are constant up to a coverage of one molecule/Al, independent of Si/Al ratio, with values of 145 kJ/mol for ammonia and 200/+-5 kJ/mol for pyridine. These results suggest that the Bronsted-acid sites in unsteamed H-ZSM-5 are independent of sample and equal in concentration to the framework aluminum content.
Influence of age on revascularization related costs of hospitalization among patients of stable coronary artery disease.

The legitimacy of expensive revascularization procedures in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) remains to be seen. In this study, resource utilization was compared across age-group categories of patients with stable CAD who underwent revascularization. Fiscal year 2006 discharge data maintained by the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission were examined. Current Procedural Terminology codes 36.1x and 36.0x were used to identify patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), respectively. Patients with acute myocardial infarctions (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code 410.xx) were excluded to limit the study group to patients with stable CAD. Totals of 1,066, 2,909, 4,272, 4,514, and 1570 hospitalizations per 100,000 hospitalizations were observed in the age groups 40 to 50, 50 to 60, 60 to 70, 70 to 80, and > or =80 years, respectively. The costs of hospitalization were driven by length of stay and choice of revascularization procedure (CABG vs PCI). There was trend toward increasing total costs and longer hospital stays with increasing age (p for trend or =80 years than in those aged 40 to 50 years, the differences among other age-group categories were not statistically significant. In conclusion, older patients with stable CAD who undergo interventions represent a substantial expenditure. Hospitalization costs are driven by longer hospital stays and the choice of CABG compared to PCI. With data supporting aggressive medical management of such patients, it is advisable to rethink management strategies in these patients.
Relationships between grain nitrogen concentrations and the nitrogen status of corn.

(...) The study involved 12 site-years of data, each having 10 rates of N applied preplanting. Nitrogen concentrations in grain tended to increase with increases in rates of N application. Nitrogen concentrations also tended to increase with increases in relative yields, but the relationships often were C-shaped, and there was no basis for establishing critical N concentrations. (...)
A note on the use of prisons as environments for investigation of crowding

Some general considerations involved in studying the effects of crowding on humans are considered. It is proposed that prisons provide an excellent setting for such research since they contain a variety of realistically crowded conditions. The effects of spatial and social crowding are found to be separable in prisons.
Biology and Ecology of Marginopora vertebralis (Foraminiferida), Great Barrier Reef

SYNOPSIS. Marginopora vertebralis Quoy and Gaimard is a large calcareous Foraminiferida adapted to euphotic sedimentary basins associated with tropical reefs. This and other species of foraminiferids commonly are abundant and loosely bind substrate sediments with their pseudopods to reduce erosion by waves and currents. Three stages of shell construction, embryonic, laminate and reproduction chamber stages, characterize major changes in the growth of individuals. A flexostyle in the embryonic apparatus and reproductive chambers that are well developed are reported for the 1st time in this species and genus. Reproduction in M. vertebralis is primarily asexual and reproductive activity is greatest during the late spring on the Great Barrier Reef. Reproductive maturity requires a year and commonly longer. M. vertebralis is host to at least one species and perhaps several species of zooxanthellae-dinoflagellates of which the most common is Gymnodinium rotundatum in its motile form. These zooxanthellae are abundant in the protoplasm of M. vertebralis, give the living foraminifer a distinctive yellow-brownish green color, and apparently are symbiotic. M. vertebralis and perhaps other large calcareous foraminifers which are hosts to similar zooxanthellae-dinoflagellates may have an important ecologic relationship to hermatypic corals in serving as an alternate host in the life cycle of this symbiotic group. Such a symbiotic and alternate-host relationship may explain the similar geographic distributions of large calcareous foraminifers and reef-building hermatypic corals.
Characterization and Quantification of the Polar Lipids in the Lizard Uta stansburiana by HPTLC-Densitometry

Silica gel high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) with chloroform-methanol-water (65:25:4) mobile phase and cupric sulfate-phosphoric acid detection reagent was used to characterize and quantify various polar lipid classes in organs (livers, abdominal fat bodies, and tails) of 6 male and 6 female side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana) with a range of body sizes (from young-of-the-year to adult). The percentage of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), sphingomyelin, sulfatides, and cerebrosides (C) in each organ was determined. No significant statistical differences were detected between the sexes. Across all three organs, PC was the primary polar lipid class, and the liver contained the most polar lipids. C was the most prevalent polar lipid class in the liver, PC in the tail, and PC and PE in the abdominal fat body. This is the first report of the use of TLC or HPTLC with densitometry to analyze polar lipids in lizard samples.
Persistence of azadirachtin A and B in soil: Effects of temperature and microbial activity

Abstract The persistence of two insecticidally active compounds from the neem tree, azadirachtin A and B, was determined at two different temperatures (15 and 25°C) in the laboratory after application of the commercial neem insecticide, Margosan‐O, to a sandy loam soil. The influence of microbial activity on degradation was also examined by comparing autoclaved and non‐autoclaved soils also at 15 and 25°C. Temperature influenced degradation rates. The DT 50 (time required for 50% disappearance of the initial concentration) for azadirachtin A was 43.9 and 19.8 d for non‐autoclaved soil kept at 15 and 25°C, respectively. The DT 50 for azadirachtin B was 59.2 and 20.8 d for non‐autoclaved soil kept at 15 and 25°C, respectively. Microbial activity was also responsible for faster degradation because DT 50 ’s for autoclaved soil were much longer than for non‐autoclaved soils. DT 50 ‘s for azadirachtin A in autoclaved soil were 91.2 (15°C) and 31.5 d (25°C). DT50’s for azadirachtin B in autoclaved soil were 115....
Straightening out the backward-bending supply curve of labour: from overt to covert compulsion and beyond

The inadequancy of the work-leisure choice model of orthodox theory suggests the need to reexamine the nature of work from the vantage points of anthropology and economic history. Such a reexamination challenges the theory of human behaviour upon which the work-leisure model is built. It suggests that work is not necessarily painful. Moreover, it suggests that more attention needs to be given to the potential for institutional changes which encourage creativity in the workplace.
Spectrochemical determination of trace elements in the U.S.G.S. silicate rock standards

Abstract Spectrographic determinations for twenty trace elements in the six new U.S.G.S. silicate rock standards along with the rock standards G-1, W-1, SR-1, GR and BR are given. Most of the results represent the average of triplicate determinations on each of five splits of the portions of the standards available to the authors. Thus, the preferred values represent, in most cases, the average of fifteen replicate determinations.
Ivabradine in Cardiovascular Disease: Heart Rate Isn't Everything.

The funny or hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel (HCN) modulates cardiac excitability and heart rate by regulating the If or IKf current in sinoatrial cells.1 The 4 HCN channel isoforms (HCN1–4) are unique in that they are activated by both cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and hyperpolarized membrane channels. Thus, sympathetic activation of β-adrenergic receptors (β-AR) on the cardiac sarcolemma and the resultant increase in cellular levels of cyclic AMP shift the activation potential of the channel thereby increasing heart rate. Channel activity is also modified by phosphoinositides including phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate and by Src kinase–mediated phosphorylation in an isoform-specific manner.2 HCN channels also play a role in regulating excitability in neurons, and changes in channel activity have been associated with the development of epilepsy and seizures.3
Unions and Communities Under Siege: American Communities and the Crisis of Organized Labor, Gordon L. Clark; The Informational City: Information Technology, Economic Restructuring and the Urban-Regional Process, Manuel Castells

(1991). Unions and Communities Under Siege: American Communities and the Crisis of Organized Labor, Gordon L. Clark; The Informational City: Information Technology, Economic Restructuring and the Urban-Regional Process, Manuel Castells. Urban Geography: Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 89-92.
Rapamycin: a bone sparing immunosuppressant?

Immunosuppressant therpay is associated with osteoporosis both clinically, post-transplantation, and experimentally. In rats, cyclosporin A (CsA) and FK506 induce a state of high turnover rapid bone loss. After 14 days of administration in immunosuppressive doses, the more recently discovered immunosuppressant, rapamycin, resulted in no change of cancellous bone volume. A longer study over 28 days has now been carried out; contrasting the new drug with CsA and FK506. Sixty, 10-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups of 12 rats each. The first group served as an aging control. The remaining four groups received, by daily gavage, a combined vehicle placebo, CsA 15 mg/kg, FK506 5 mg/kg, and rapamycin 2.5 mg/kg, respectively. CsA- and FK506-treated rats, but not those treated with rapamycin, demonstrated high turnover osteoporosis with raised serum 1,25(OH)2D (p 20 mmol/l, p < 0.001) by day 14 but which largely resolved by day 28. Unlike the groups treated with CsA and FK506, rapamycin-treated rats had no loss of trabecular bone volume but there was increased modeling and remodeling and a decreased longitudinal growth rate. Rapamycin may thus confer a distinct advantage over the established immunosuppressants in not reducing bone volume in the short term.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Our Dancing Daughters: The Queen, Little Miss Sunshine, and Dysfunctional Families

Local cultures survive when they are successfully passed to new generations in spite of the many oppressions and seductions delivered by surrounding cultures—dominant, variant, and deviant. The gro...
Char oxidation at elevated pressures

Abstract Approximately 100 char oxidation experiments were performed at atmospheric and elevated pressures, with two sizes (70 and 40 μm) of Utah and Pittsburgh bituminous coal chars at 1, 5, 10, and 15 atm total pressure. Reactor temperatures were varied between 1000 and 1500 K with 5% to 21% oxygen in the bulk gas, resulting in average particle temperatures ranging from 1400 to 2100 K and burnoff from 15% to 96% (daf). Independently determined particle temperature and overall reaction rate allowed an internal check on the data consistency and provided insight into the products of combustion. The chars burned in a reducing density and reducing diameter mode in an intermediate regime between the kinetic and pore diffusion zones, irrespective of total pressure. Significant surface CO 2 formation occurred at particle temperatures below about 1800 K over the entire pressure range. Particle temperatures were strongly dependent on the oxygen and total pressures; increasing oxygen pressure at constant total pressure resulted in substantial increases in particle temperature, while increasing the total pressure at constant oxygen pressure led to substantial decreases in particle temperature. Increasing total pressure from 1 to 5 atm in an environment of constant gas composition led to modest increases in the reaction rate; the rate decreased with further increases in pressure. Results indicate that ambient pressure global model kinetic parameters cannot be accurately extrapolated to elevated pressures. The apparent reaction rate coefficients (based on the partial pressure form of the n th-order rate equation) showed significant pressure dependence, since both the activation energy and frequency factor decreased with increasing pressure. This suggests that the empirical n th-order rate equation is not valid over the range of pressures encountered in the experiments. However, simulations indicate that the global model can be used to model elevated pressure char oxidation provided pressure-dependent kinetic parameters are used.
An examination of the constitutive equation for elevated temperature plasticity

Abstract It was 25 years ago that the symposium on rate processes in plasticity was organized. Since then, advances in transmission electron microscopy, large-scale computation as well as molecular dynamics simulation, etc. have contributed much to our understanding of elevated temperature plasticity. The constitutive relation that links the stress–strain rate–grain size–temperature relation (Mukherjee–Bird–Dorn, MBD correlation) was presented in 1968/1969 to describe the elevated-temperature crystalline plasticity. This equation has held up well during the intervening quarter of a century. It has been applied to metals, alloys, intermetallics, ceramics, and tectonic systems, and it has worked equally well. It made the depiction of deformation mechanism maps in normalized coordinates a reality and provided a rationale for estimating life prediction by giving a quantitative estimate of the steady-state creep rate in creep damage accumulation relationship. In the case of particle-dispersed systems as well as metal matrix composites, the introduction of the concept of a threshold stress was a substantial improvement in creep studies. One of the significant applications of the MBD relation has been in superplasticity. The concept of scaling with either temperature or with strain rate, inherent in this relationship, seems to be obeyed as long as the rate-controlling mechanism is unchanged. The application of this relation to high strain-rate superplasticity and also to low-temperature superplasticity has been illustrated. Experimental data demonstrate that superplasticity of nanocrystalline metals and alloys follows the general trend of the constitutive relation but with important differences in the level of stress and strain hardening rates. It is shown that in the nanocrystalline range, molecular dynamics simulation has the potential to yield data on stress–grain size–temperature dependencies at very low grain size ranges where experimentalists cannot conduct their studies yet.
Quantitative measurement of particle segregation mechanisms

Pharmaceutical, food, chemical, mining, and energy industries routinely handle and process materials with different particle sizes. Often the different size materials represent different chemical components. Pharmaceutical mixtures are typically mixtures of fine, active, with relatively coarse, incipient ingredients. Food industry mixtures combine particles with very different sizes and shapes. There is a great tendency for these dissimilar materials to separate during processing and handling. The cause of this separation depends on the size and shape of the particles in the mixture. If the fines are less than one-third the size of coarse particles and free flowing, they may percolate through the coarse matrix of particles resulting in sifting segregation. If the particle shapes are different, then the internal friction angles of individual components may be different, resulting in angle of repose segregation. Preventing segregation of a given material mixture depends on the cause of the segregation. If angle of repose segregation is the predominate mechanism, then segregation mitigation can be accomplished by limiting pile formation. However, if sifting segregation is the predominate mechanism, then limiting pile formation may not limit the segregation if the process equipment is subject to significant inter-particle motion or shear. This paper presents a method of measuring the magnitude of sifting segregation occurring in bulk material. It also includes data that relates bulk material strength to separation tendency. This relationship shows an inverse functionality between the yield strength of the material and the bulk segregation. Finally, the work presented in this paper compares segregation due to sifting and repose angle mechanisms to provide a means of differentiating between these mechanisms.
Preparation of a superhydrophobic rough surface

The relationship between the contact angles, surface tension, and surface roughness is reviewed. Numerical formulas related to the superhydrophobic rough surfaces of polymers are predicted with two approaches, the Wenzel and Cassie–Baxter models. With these models as a guide, an artificial superhydrophobic surface is created. Rough nylon surfaces mimicking the lotus leaf are created by the coating of a polyester surface with nylon-6,6 short fibers via the flocking process. Poly(acrylic acid) chains aregrafted onto nylon-6,6 surfaces, and this is followed by the grafting of 1H,1H-perfluorooctylamine onto the poly(acrylic acid) chains. Water contact angles as high as 178° are achieved. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 253–261, 2007.
A practical arbitrary look-ahead LR parsing technique

We present a practical technique that provides an LR (0) parser with either fixed or arbitrary look-ahead. The construction algorithm is based on certain paths in the LR (0) state diagram, which must be restricted to a maximum length m. The technique determines the amount of look-ahead required, and the user is spared the task of guessing it. Instead, the user provides m. In situations where single symbol look-ahead is sufficient, the corresponding grammar class (called LAR (m )) is identical to the NQLALR (1) class. For practical grammars that require arbitrary look-ahead, the storage requirements typically do not exceed an amount linear in the size of the corresponding LR (0) parser. The technique is shown to work for a practical programming language grammar, and has been used to solve particular cases of the PL/1 keyword problem.
Vitamin D and cognitive function and dementia risk in a biracial cohort: the ARIC Brain MRI Study

Background Some recent studies in older, largely white populations suggest that vitamin D, measured by 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], is important for cognition, but such results may be affected by reverse-causation. Measuring 25(OH)D in late-middle age before poor cognition affects behavior may provide clearer results.
Decreased Knee Joint Loading Associated With Early Knee Osteoarthritis After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Background:Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury predisposes individuals to early-onset knee joint osteoarthritis (OA). Abnormal joint loading is apparent after ACL injury and reconstruction. The relationship between altered joint biomechanics and the development of knee OA is unknown.Hypothesis:Altered knee joint kinetics and medial compartment contact forces initially after injury and reconstruction are associated with radiographic knee OA 5 years after reconstruction.Study Design:Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:Individuals with acute, unilateral ACL injury completed gait analysis before (baseline) and after (posttraining) preoperative rehabilitation and at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after reconstruction. Surface electromyographic and knee biomechanical data served as inputs to an electromyographically driven musculoskeletal model to estimate knee joint contact forces. Patients completed radiographic testing 5 years after reconstruction. Differences in knee joint kinetics and conta...
Two-Parameter Kinetic Model Based on a Time-Dependent Activity Coefficient Accurately Describes Enzymatic Cellulose Digestion

Lignocellulosic biomass is a potential source of renewable, low-carbon-footprint liquid fuels. Biomass recalcitrance and enzyme cost are key challenges associated with the large-scale production of...
Cardiac emergencies: Getting to the heart of the problem

n emergency medicine, counter to most other Isubspecialties, the focus of care is usually centered on management as opposed to diagnosis. The emergency department (ED) provider must ultimately decide on a course of action (treat or not treat; discharge home or admit to the hospital) regardless of whether a diagnosis is made. To help guide this decision-making process, the ED provider often considers 2 different groups of etiologies. First, what are the most common conditions that present with the patient's particular constellation of symptoms, considering a variety of factors including patient age, duration of symptoms, and time of year? At the same time, the ED provider must consider those conditions associated with high morbidity and mortality, even though they may be less common epidemiologically. In basic terms, what could this patient have that might kill him? For example, in the middle of the winter, a 5-yearold who presents with mild respiratory distress and wheezing on physical examination is likely to have asthma or pneumonitis. However, the ED provider should entertain the possibility that this child might have a less common but more serious etiology such as mediastinal mass, aspirated foreign body, or myocarditis. When considering these diagnoses, the provider focuses on critical aspects of the physical examination (eg, presence of asymmetric breath sounds, fever, gallop heart rhythm, hepatomegaly) aided, if necessary, by selected imaging studies and laboratory testing. This information, collected in a focused yet complete manner, allows the provider to weigh the relative risks of possible diagnoses and embark on the most reasonable treatment plan and disposition for the child. Generally, in the evaluation of many common presenting symptoms, the ED provider considers cardiac etiologies as those less common but highmorbidity diseases that should not be missed. In a study of sudden death from cardiac causes in children and young adults, prodromal symptoms were present in about 50% of patients. The most common symptoms were chest pain, syncope, and near syncope. Although these symptoms in children are generally caused by noncardiac disorders, the ED provider needs to know what associated symptoms, medical history, and family history should
Safeguarding forensic DNA reference samples with nullomer barcodes

Unintended transfer of biological material containing DNA is a concern to all laboratories conducting PCR analysis. While forensic laboratories have protocols in place to reduce the possibility of contaminating casework samples, there is no way to detect when a reference sample is mislabeled as evidence, or contaminates a forensic sample. Thus there is public concern regarding the safeguarding of DNA submitted to crime labs. We demonstrate a method of introducing an internal amplification control to reference samples, in the form of a nullomer barcode which is based upon sequences absent or rare from publically accessible DNA databases. The detection of this barcode would indicate that the source of analyzed DNA was from a reference sample provided by an individual, and not from an evidence sample. We demonstrate that the nullomers can be added directly to collection devices (FTA paper) to allow tagging during the process of sample collection. We show that such nullomer oligonucleotides can be added to existing forensic typing and quantification kits, without affecting genotyping or quantification results. Finally, we show that even when diluted a million-fold and spilled on a knife, the nullomer tags can be clearly detected. These tags support the National Research Council of the National Academy recommendation that “Quality control procedures should be designed to identify mistakes, fraud, and bias” in forensic science (National Academy of Sciences, 2009).
Observations of a Tropical Instability Vortex

Abstract An upper-ocean vortex associated with tropical instabilities was observed during fall 1990 at 140°W in the shear region between the Pacific South Equatorial Current and the North Equatorial Counter current. The velocity and thermohaline structures of the vortex were mapped in three dimensions using hydrography, acoustic Doppler current measurements, drifters, and satellite infrared images. The vortex translated westward at 30 cm s−1 (0.24° day−1), stationary relative to the mean flow, and less than half the 80 cm s−1 speed of contemporaneous meridional oscillations of the Equatorial Undercurrent and South Equatorial Current. The coherent flow pattern was restricted to above the thermocline. Convergence at the North Equatorial Front and divergence near the vortex center occurred in a dipole pattern similar to those predicted by various numerical models. The convergence and the anticyclonic vorticity were of the same magnitudes as the local inertial frequency, suggesting that the feature was a full...
Pyrrole[3,2- d :4,5- d ′]bisthiazole-bridged bis(naphthalene diimide)s as electron-transport materials

A series of materials with 2,6-disubstituted-N-alkyl-pyrrole[3,2-d:4,5-d′]bisthiazole (PBTz) with triisopropylsilyl- (TIPS), bromo- and naphthalene diimide (NDI) groups were synthesized. The electronic properties of 2,6-bis-TIPS- and 2,6-dibromo-N-hexyl-PBTz were studied by cyclic voltammetry and by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and their solid-state packing was examined by the single crystal X-ray structural analysis. DFT calculations and the electrochemical data revealed that this core is both a weak donor and a weak acceptor. Small molecules with bis(NDI)-substituted N-alkyl-PBTz architecture were studied by differential pulse voltammetry, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry, and their electrical properties were examined in n-channel organic field-effect transistors using solution-processed films. The electron mobility value μe as high as 0.13 cm2 V−1 s−1 with a Ion/Ioff ratio of 5 × 105 and threshold voltage Vth = 4.9 V was observed for PBTz-bridged bis(naphthalene diimide) with hexyl chains on pyrrole and NDI nitrogen atoms, while the material with longer dodecyl groups showed μe up to 0.19 cm2 V−1 s−1 with a Ion/Ioff ratio of 7 × 104 and Vth = 7.9 V in a 1 : 1 polystyrene matrix. Finally, compounds with electron-withdrawing acetyl groups at position 6 of the NDI units were examined by electrochemistry and in OFET configurations.
Spalling in High Strength Concrete Exposed to Fire: Concerns, Causes, Critical Parameters and Cures

The increased use of high strength concrete (HSC) in buildings has raised concerns regarding the behaviour of such concrete in fire. Spalling at elevated temperatures and the resulting reduction in fire resistance is of particular concern. In this paper, the various issues relating to spalling and its impact on fire resistance are discussed. The spalling phenomenon and its main causes in HSC are presented. This includes the critical parameters that influence spalling in HSC under fire conditions. Design solutions (cures) to minimize spalling in HSC structural members are presented.
MODELING OF A SLIDING PHASE IN ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION

In road accidents involving pedestrians, the speed of a vehicle is determined from the distance covered by the thrown body. The distance under consideration includes both flight and sliding and is known as a throw length. This paper describes an attempt to develop an improved model of a sliding phase. The pedestrian is treated as a moving mass supported by a spring and a dashpot. The friction present between the body and the ground depends on the sliding velocity of the mass. The use of the spring and non-linear dashpot allows for better modeling of the force between the body and the ground, and more accurate computation of the length of the sliding phase. The results of the simulation seem to confirm the existence of the tumble number at least for the selected category of accidents:impacts with a "high"-fronted vehicles at velocities from 10 to 16 m/s.
Investment in mate choice depends on resource availability in female Galápagos marine iguanas ( Amblyrhynchus cristatus )

Changes in mate selectivity can significantly alter the direction and strength of sexual selection. When the direct cost of mate search increases selectivity often declines; however, little is known about how the relative cost of mate search affects investment in mate choice. Here, I investigate whether male and female Galapagos marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) alter their investment in mate choice behaviors when resources are limited and the relative cost of mate search is increased. Moderate resource limitation had little effect on male reproductive behavior: in both years, a similar number of males were territorial, and the mean display rate and copulation success of territorial males did not differ. In contrast, female mate search appeared to be affected by the prevailing environmental conditions. During the reproductive season following a moderate El Nino event, when food availability declined, females were in poorer body condition, assessed fewer territorial males, and mated with a male with lower relative reproductive success. Circulating hormone levels also differed between years: when resource availability was limited, receptive females had higher levels of testosterone and stress-induced corticosterone. The frequency and magnitude of climatic fluctuations are expected to increase in the future across many regions of the globe. Determining how sexual selection is shaped by changes in resource availability is vital for predicting the impact of climate change.
Are Financial Conflicts of Interest for the Surgeon A Source of Concern for the Patient

We surveyed 269 consecutive patients (81% response rate) with an anonymous questionnaire to assess their attitudes toward conflicts-of-interest (COIs) resulting from three financial relationships between orthopedic surgeons and orthopedic industry: (1) being paid as a consultant; (2) receiving research funding; (3) receiving product design royalties. The majority perceived these relationships favorably, with 75% agreeing that surgeons in such relationships are top experts in the field and two-thirds agreeing that surgeons engage in such relationships to serve patients better. Patients viewed surgeons who designed products more favorably than those who are consultants (P=0.03). The majority (74%) agreed that these COIs should be disclosed to patients. Given patients' desires for disclosure and their favorable perceptions of these relationships, open discussions about financial COIs is appropriate.
Scaling of 1064 nm laser induced plasmas in air and other phase boundaries

Experimental measurements and analysis of pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser-induced air breakdown plasma at 760 Torr has been carried out using high speed and high resolution laser shadowgraphy and optical diagnostics. Three different experimental laser energies and pulse widths such as 170 mJ at 8 ns, 130 mJ at 7 ns and 65 mJ at 12 ns are studied. The laser pulses were focused down to a ∼7 µm spot size in air and the resulting laser flux densities range from 4–14 TW/cm2. A 532 nm laser shadowgraphy coupled with high speed and high resolution image capturing diagnostics has been established to investigate spatio-temporal evolution and hydrodynamic behavior of the 1064 nm laser induced plasma and neutral density shock during the formation, expansion and collapsing stages. The observed plasma formations were aspherical due to absorption translation during the initial laser-energy coupling. The aspherical feature seeded the hydrodynamic instability leading to the ultimate destabilization of the hot gaseous core after approximately 10s. The active plasma lifetime through plasma self-luminescence measurements indicate variations from 200 – 500 ns for the three laser pulses. Shock propagation velocity and plasma volume for three laser pulse series indicate similarly shaped profiles at different expansion velocities. Early plasma expansion velocities of 20 km/s were measured and using Hugoniot relations the neutral shock pressures and temperatures were inferred and the results at the early plasma expansion stage were found to be over 1000 atmospheres and 4 eV. We also present the theoretical and experimental measurements and analysis of the optical breakdown threshold for dry air by 1064 nm infrared laser radiation and the significance of the multiphoton and collisional cascade ionization process on the breakdown threshold measurements over pressures range from 10 Torr to 2000 Torr. Comparative analysis of the laser air breakdown results at 1064 nm with corresponding results of a shorter laser wavelength (193 nm) and a longer microwave wavelength (108 nm). A universal scaling analysis of the breakdown threshold measurements provided a direct comparison of breakdown threshold values over a wide range of frequencies ranging from microwave to ultraviolet frequencies.
Open-source three-dimensional printing of biodegradable polymer scaffolds for tissue engineering.

The fabrication of scaffolds for tissue engineering requires elements of customization depending on the application and is often limited due to the flexibility of the processing technique. This investigation seeks to address this obstacle by utilizing an open-source three-dimensional printing (3DP) system that allows vast customizability and facilitates reproduction of experiments. The effects of processing parameters on printed poly(e-caprolactone) scaffolds with uniform and gradient pore architectures have been characterized with respect to fiber and pore morphology and mechanical properties. The results demonstrate the ability to tailor the fiber diameter, pore size, and porosity through modification of pressure, printing speed, and programmed fiber spacing. A model was also used to predict the compressive mechanical properties of uniform and gradient scaffolds, and it was found that modulus and yield strength declined with increasing porosity. The use of open-source 3DP technologies for printing tissue-engineering scaffolds provides a flexible system that can be readily modified at a low cost and is supported by community documentation. In this manner, the 3DP system is more accessible to the scientific community, which further facilitates the translation of these technologies toward successful tissue-engineering strategies.
The cannabinoid system and immune modulation

Studies on the effects of marijuana smoking have evolved into the discovery and description of the endocannabinoid system. To date, this system is composed of two receptors, CB1 and CB2, and endogenous ligands including anandamide, 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, and others. CB1 receptors and ligands are found in the brain as well as immune and other peripheral tissues. Conversely, CB2 receptors and ligands are found primarily in the periphery, especially in immune cells. Cannabinoid receptors are G protein-coupled receptors, and they have been linked to signaling pathways and gene activities in common with this receptor family. In addition, cannabinoids have been shown to modulate a variety of immune cell functions in humans and animals and more recently, have been shown to modulate T helper cell development, chemotaxis, and tumor development. Many of these drug effects occur through cannabinoid receptor signaling mechanisms and the modulation of cytokines and other gene products. It appears the immunocannabinoid system is involved in regulating the brain-immune axis and might be exploited in future therapies for chronic diseases and immune deficiency.