cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Testing the allometric scaling relationships with seedlings of two tree species

Theoretical and empirical investigations of allometric scaling relationships have recently been receiving great attention in biology and ecology. Some recent studies suggest that a scale invariant property is universally valid for all plants, regardless of their phyletic affiliation or habitat. In this study, we test allometric relationships, including photosynthetic rate, biomass, stem diameter and height, using a field experiment with 2-year-old seedlings of Fraxinus mandshurica and Phellodendron amurense that are under three kinds of soil water treatments. There are no fixed scaling exponents for the two species at three soil water treatments. The scaling exponents of various allometric relationships are different between the two species, and even distinct among the individuals of same species at different soil water treatments. The scaling exponent of seedlings seems complicated, and the possible allometric relationships of seedlings may depend on species and partially be controlled by environmental factors.
Perceptual accentuation as a problem in the psychology of judgment

(1965). Perceptual Accentuation as a Problem in the Psychology of Judgment. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 67, No. 1, pp. 149-162.
The Practical Considerations of Scale in Plant Pathology

The concept of scale has only recently gained recognition as a central theme in ecology. The rise in significance of scale in ecology can be attributed to the increase in hypothesis-driven experimental ecology over the last quarter century, and the realization that experimental results do not sufficiently explain past, or predict future observations in nature. Plant pathologists, who rely heavily on hypothesis-driven research, have confronted these same issues for nearly a century. In this paper, I will provide a concise presentation and discussion of the important concepts of scale and how they apply to the discipline of plant pathology.
Analysis of structures with rotating, flexible substructures applied to rotorcraft aeroelasticity

Application to the General Rotorcraft Aeromechanical Stability Program (GRASP) of new methodology for structural dynamic analysis, including substructuring, frames of reference, nodes, finite elements, and constraints, is discussed. The structure is decomposed into a hierarchy of substructures, and discrete relative motion between substructures is analyzed exactly. The finite element method is used to treat deformation of continua, and the library of finite elements includes a nonlinear beam element incorporating aeroelastic effects. Analytical bases for the aeroelastic beam element and the screw constraint are considered, and the important role of geometric stiffness in the formulation is shown.
Two new species of Viola (Violaceae) from the Intermountain West, U.S.A.

Viola lithion andV. franksmithii are rock-dwelling endemics that belong to the North American perennial, caulescent, simple-leaved, blue-, purple-, or white-flowered group of species.Viola lithion, from the White Pine and Pilot mountain ranges of eastern Nevada and adjacent Utah, belongs to sectionChamaemelanium subsectionCanadenses. It most closely resembles the reniform-leaved, Olympic MountainV. flettii, together with which it possibly shares an ancestry with the widespread and allopatricV. canadensis. Viola franksmithii, restricted to the Logan Canyon drainage of the Bear River Range in northern Utah, belongs to sectionRostellatae subsectionRosulantes. It comes closest morphologically toV. howellii of the Coast Range, but likely evolved from the widespreadV. adunca or a common ancestor.
Critical properties of pure and randomly dilute dysprosium aluminum garnet

Critical properties of the Ising antiferromagnet, dysprosium aluminum garnet (DAG), have been studied by neutron scattering techniques in polycrystalline specimens of the pure compound and in samples containing 1 at. % and 5 at. % yttrium substituted for dysprosium. All samples were prepared by a precipitation technique to ensure homogeneously random yttrium substitution. Critical indices and amplitudes for pure DAG showed satisfactory agreement with theory, lending confidence in the powder method and suggesting that the anomalously low value of ..beta.. obtained with single crystals may have been caused by extinction. In the case of the diluted samples, the value of ..beta.. increased as expected on the basis of recent calculations of Newman and Riedel. However, the temperature dependence of the correlation range parameter exhibited an anomaly for which there is at present no explanation applicable to an Ising system: The range parameter remained essentially ''infinite'' between T/sub N/ and an ''upper critical temperature,'' above which it exhibited a normal power-law decrease.
Management of isolated leptomeningeal metastasis as the initial and sole site of recurrence in a patient with early-stage breast cancer

In breast cancer, leptomeningeal metastasis is increasingly seen in patients with hormone receptor and HER-2-positive disease as the newer therapies used have limited CNS penetration. Leptomeningeal disease is an end-stage presentation usually occurring in tandem with systemic metastases, limiting a patient’s overall survival to 6 months. We present a case with isolated leptomeningeal metastasis as the initial and sole site of recurrence in a patient with early-stage, luminal-type breast cancer. Despite the early stage at diagnosis, this patient recurred within three years likely due to high nodal burden at initial presentation. In the setting of leptomeningeal metastases without intraparenchymal or extracranial disease and good performance status, a patient’s overall survival can be extended longer than the average time span with the use of multiple intrathecal and systemic chemotherapies.
Proton relaxation rates of water in brain and brain tumors.

The distribution of relaxation rates of water in "normal" (autopsy) samples of canine and human brain shows considerable overlap with that for brain tumor samples. The following ranges of values for the spin-spin relaxation rates were observed: for normal brain gray matter, 8.6 to 11.3 sec-1 (mean, 9.5 sec-1); for normal brain white matter, 13.3 to 15.7 sec-1 (mean, 15.5 sec-1); for six types of malignant tumor, 4.8 to 13.4 sec-1 (mean, 9.3 sec-1); for five types of benign tumor, 7.1 to 16.4 sec-1 (mean, 11.5 sec-1). Spin-lattice relaxation rates showed a similar pattern. At least two nonexchanging water components with different relaxation rates were indicated by the analysis of the spin-spin relaxation measurements for the white matter samples.
Spindle and Pole Mechanisms in Bipolarity and Prophase Control of Spindle Elongation

Genomic stability through cell division in eukaryotes is enhanced by formation of a conserved mitotic spindle apparatus regulated by multiple Kinesin-like motor protein (Klp) families. While Kinesin-5 and Kinesin-14 opposing forces provide a ubiquitous balance to spindle assembly and stability, Kinesin-6 Klps also contribute. When domain specialization in Kinesin-14 members favors pole localization and mechanisms, Kinesin-6 Klps can provide critical regulation of prophase microtubule cross-linking and spindle elongation. By genetic, cell biological and biochemical approaches including cross-species analysis with human HSET, Drosophila Ncd and Schizosaccharomyces pombe Pkl1 we are characterizing Klp structure and function in balancing bipolar spindle assembly with regulation of spindle elongation in prophase. HsHSET functionally replaces SpPkl1 in fission yeast, displays similar localization to poles in prophase, and is unable to oppose bipolarity in the presence of a γ-tubulin mutation in a defined Kinesin-14 binding site. DmNcd does not replace SpPkl1 and localizes preferentially to bundled interpolar spindle microtubules, unlike the more uniform spindle and prominent pole localization of HsHSET and SpPkl1. By in vivo analysis of thirty Kinesin-14 derivatives, including Tail, Stalk or Neck-Motor chimeras, for spindle assembly, spindle localization and mitotic progression we defined critical Tail domain regions in SpPkl1 for establishing bipolarity. In fission yeast, Kinesin-6 and Kinesin-14 Pkl1 oppose each other both in regulating bipolarity and in control of prophase spindle length. Flexibility in the design plan of Kinesin-14s, in part through varying Tail elements, broadens their mechanistic possibilities in eukaryotes that include distinct roles in spindle assembly and maintenance. Additional mitotic Klp families, like Kinesin-6, can contribute to critical mechanisms in prophase for spindle assembly and regulation of spindle length to provide the appropriate temporal balance of forces.
Real-time x-ray-scattering measurement of the nucleation kinetics of cubic gallium nitride on β-SiC(001)

We have performed a real-time x-ray-scattering study of the nucleation of cubic GaN on SiC(001) during metal-organic molecular-beam epitaxy. By monitoring both the Ga fluorescence and the diffracted intensity from the GaN film, we determine the growth rate and crystalline quality from submonolayer coverage to 350 nm. The results exhibit scaling behavior in the growth kinetics consistent with quasi-two-dimensional island growth. In this growth mode, three-dimensional nuclei form and then grow laterally until coalescence into a continuous film occurs. After coalescence, the growth rate drops to its steady-state value. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Pattern formation on lepidopteran wings: determination of an eyespot.

Color patterns on lepidopteran wings are believed to be organized around a series of hypothetical foci. Foci presumably serve as sources of positional information, directing synthesis of appropriate pigments in their vicinity. Species-specific color patterns arise by variations in the number of foci on the wing and variations in the rules by which positional information is interpreted. The present paper provides experimental evidence for the existence of a focus that determines the large eyespot on the forewing of the Buckeye butterfly,Precis coenia. Cautery of a small group of about 300 cells at the center of the presumptive eyespot, early during wing development, can completely inhibit development of the eyespot. The same group of cells can be transplanted to another region of the wing and induce ring-shaped pigment patterns in the host tissue around the graft. These findings show that a focus is a physiological entity. Color pattern induction is an intrinsic property of a small group of cells. Presumably these cells produce a factor that affects the production of enzymes involved in pigment synthesis.
The summer radiation and heat budget of the Arctic and Antarctic

For two pairs of arctic and antarctic stations, one coastal and one mountainous, an intercomparison between the summer radiation and surface energy budgets was carried out. The station pairs were similar in both latitude and altitude. It was found that the global radiation was larger for both antarctic stations. This is the result of a smaller Earth-Sun distance and cleaner atmosphere in Antarctica. Cloudiness, and for the arctic mountainous station substantial screening of the sun, also contributed. Further, large differences were found in the albedo. In the Arctic, the summer surfaces considered were bare tundra and melting snow, with respective albedos of 20 and 59%, while in Antarctica the surfaces considered were melting and dry snow, with albedos of 67 and 83% respectively.
Simultaneous coagulation and break-up using constant-N Monte Carlo

We present a new Monte Carlo method for solving the population balance with multiple growth processes. The method samples a constant number of particles regardless of whether the actual growth process results in increase or decrease of the particle concentration. By decoupling the size of the simulated sample from the concentration of the actual system we achieve constant accuracy throughout the simulation. We apply this method to coagulation with simultaneous binary break-up. We examine the results for three cases with analytical solutions and show that the constant-N method yields accurate results.
Immunogenicity and efficacy of influenza immunization during pregnancy: recent and ongoing studies

Pregnant women and young infants are at increased risk from influenza. The World Health Organization and public health guidelines from Australia, Canada, and the United States recommend immunizing pregnant women with trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine. However, there are multiple barriers to the uptake of this recommendation. Additionally, current vaccines are not licensed for infants <6 months of age. Immunizing pregnant women would provide protection to both mothers and infants. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) are trying to address some of the issues associated with maternal immunization, which could be an effective intervention in both high- and low-resource settings to combat the significant maternal and infant morbidity and mortality due to influenza. BMGF and NIAID efforts are complementary to each other, focusing on evaluating the immunogenicity, efficacy, and safety of influenza vaccines during pregnancy; and the potential effect of maternal immunization on outcomes in infants in low-resource populations.
A Local Glutamate-Glutamine Cycle Sustains Synaptic Excitatory Transmitter Release

Summary Biochemical studies suggest that excitatory neurons are metabolically coupled with astrocytes to generate glutamate for release. However, the extent to which glutamatergic neurotransmission depends on this process remains controversial because direct electrophysiological evidence is lacking. The distance between cell bodies and axon terminals predicts that glutamine-glutamate cycle is synaptically localized. Hence, we investigated isolated nerve terminals in brain slices by transecting hippocampal Schaffer collaterals and cortical layer I axons. Stimulating with alternating periods of high frequency (20 Hz) and rest (0.2 Hz), we identified an activity-dependent reduction in synaptic efficacy that correlated with reduced glutamate release. This was enhanced by inhibition of astrocytic glutamine synthetase and reversed or prevented by exogenous glutamine. Importantly, this activity dependence was also revealed with an in-vivo-derived natural stimulus both at network and cellular levels. These data provide direct electrophysiological evidence that an astrocyte-dependent glutamate-glutamine cycle is required to maintain active neurotransmission at excitatory terminals.
In vitro anti-mitochondrial antibody synthesis in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis☆

Abstract Suppressor cell function was studied in 31 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. Blood mononuclear cells were activated in vitro with suboptimal or optimal concentrations of concanavalin A and suppression of mitogen-induced proliferation or synthesis of anti-mitochondrial antibodies was measured. At suboptimal concentrations of concanavalin A, mean (±SE) suppression of proliferation by patients' cells was significantly less than 14 controls (18.7 ± 5% vs 34.3 ± 5%; P 18 23 patients with positive serum antibody and was significantly augmented by pokeweed in 12 18 . Anti-mitochondrial antibody synthesis was augmented by 48% (±19) in response to pokeweed and concanavalin A-induced suppression higher (39.4 ± 7%) in patients with low titer antibody compared to 1.6% (±8) pokeweed augmentation and 5.5 ± 3% concanavalin A-induced suppression in patients with high titer antibody. These results suggest that some patients with primary biliary cirrhosis have an immunoregulatory defect which expresses itself in part as an inability to regulate autoantibody synthesis.
Differential locational harmony: the Cristo Redentor statue in the Uspallata Pass

Abstract On the surface, the Christ of the Andes monument erected in 1904 on the border between Argentina and Chile is dedicated to peace. Scratch that surface and the locational harmony appears highly differential, matching previous research by geographers and political scientists demonstrating a peculiar intensity of Argentine nationalism and Chilean defensiveness. The path of this differential harmony is traced and deciphered from a variety of primary, secondary and vernacular Internet sources. Argentina takes a much more intense and patriotic view of the monument while Chile is more skeptical and defensive toward the “peace” represented. Only during the last 5 years have the statue and the pass produced true acts of bi-national understanding, but such activities exhibit more local than national feeling. The regional and international diffusion of political and religious ideas fostered by the statue are also explored. The statue has never truly represented peace for these countries and the effectiveness of such bi-national monuments among rivals is questioned.
Rodent cardiac and skeletal muscle adenylate kinase isozymes.

Abstract 1. 1. The adenylate kinase isozyme patterns of rodent skeletal and cardiac muscle exhibit considerable interspecific variability. 2. 2. Common to all species is a single band of relatively high activity and several additional bands of lesser activity. 3. 3. On the basis of adenylate kinase isozyme patterns the rodent species studied fall into three groups. 4. 4. There is no apparent phylogenetic or ecological basis for this grouping.
Dye self-association identified by intermolecular couplings between vibrational modes as revealed by infrared spectroscopy, and implications for electron injection

In this Article, we investigate the effects of binding geometry and intermolecular interactions in monolayers of a rhenium-based dye adsorbed to TiO2. We combine two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectroscopy of samples prepared with different dye loadings with density functional theory (DFT) calculations of dye binding energies and vibrational frequencies. Our 2D IR spectra reveal splitting of the CO symmetric stretch mode into two peaks of unequal intensity at high surface coverages, which persists even when samples are washed to remove unadsorbed aggregates. Our DFT calculations indicate that it is unlikely that dye binding geometries account for the shifts in peak frequency observed in our experimental spectra. Instead, we find that the shifts in vibrational frequency and 2D IR peak structure are consistent with coupling of dyes associated on the TiO2 surface. The relative peak intensities in our 1D and 2D spectra indicate different transition dipole strengths, also a signature of molecular coupling. W...
Two-photon nitric oxide laser-induced fluorescence measurements in a diesel engine

A two-photon nitric oxide (NO) laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique was developed and applied to study in-cylinder diesel combustion. The technique prevents many problems associated with in-cylinder, single-photon NO planar-laser-induced fluorescence measurements, including fluorescence interference from the Schumann-Runge bands of hot O2, absorption of a UV excitation beam by in-cylinder gases, and difficulty in rejecting scattered laser light while simultaneously attempting to maximize fluorescence signal collection. Verification that the signal resulted from NO was provided by tuning of the laser to a vibrational off-resonance wavelength that showed near-zero signal levels, which resulted from either fluorescence or interference at in-cylinder pressures of as much as 20 bar. The two-photon NO LIF signal showed good qualitative agreement with NO exhaust-gas measurements obtained over a wide range of engine loads.
Chlamydia trachomatis nucleic acids can be found in the synovium of some asymptomatic subjects

Objective The recent identification of antigens or nucleic acids of infectious agents in the joints of patients with reactive arthritis has raised questions about whether chlamydial or other infectious agent nucleic acids are also present in normal joints. We had the opportunity to study synovium from 30 asymptomatic volunteer subjects by use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for attempted identification of Chlamydia and other infectious agents. Methods All subjects had blind needle synovial biopsies with the Parker-Pearson needle. DNA was extracted and PCR performed using primers for Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Borrelia burgdorferi, and pan bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA). Results Two subjects were identified with nucleic acid for the 16S rRNA gene of C trachomatis. All other PCR reactions were negative except for the pan bacterial 16S rRNA in the C trachomatis-positive subjects. Both subjects, although symptom free, had some evidence of synovial reaction. Conclusion C trachomatis appears to occasionally be disseminated to joints without producing overt disease.
Measuring security price performance using daily NASDAQ returns

Abstract We evaluate the performance of alternative test statistics in event studies which include NASDAQ daily security returns. We document varying degrees of test statistic misspecification in NASDAQ samples. In particular, we find that the commonly used standardized test statistic is misspecified in most settings. Although less pervasive, misspecification is also evident in the portfolio test statistic estimated using the time series of portfolio mean abnormal returns. The nonparametric rank statistic [introduced in Corrado (1989)] performs the best overall in NASDAQ samples; we recommend its use with market model abnormal returns based on an equal-weighted NASDAQ market index.
Morphologic changes after prolonged electrical stimulation of the cat's cortex at defined charge densities

Experiments were conducted correlating neuronal activity, changes in ionic concentrations in the cerebral extracellular compartment, and neural damage during 4-h continuous electrical stimulations of the cat's sensorimotor cortex. Here we describe histologic evaluations with the light and electron microscope of cortical tissue subjected to charge-balanced, biphasic, constant-current pulses delivered through subdurally implanted electrodes. Three combinations of charge density and pulse repetition rate were used. The results indicated a positive correlation of neural damage with both charge density and total charge. With electrical stimulation of low charge density [20 μC/cm2·ph, 50 pulses per second (pps)] a transient increase in [K+]0 was observed with no histologically demonstrable neural damage. The most intense electrical stimulation studied (100 μC/cm2·ph, 50 pps) resulted in a tonic increase and episodic fluctuations of [K+]0 and a marked decrease in [Ca2+]0 accompanied by moderate neural damage in the form of shrunken neurons, widespread extracellular edema, and swollen axons and dendrites.
SINGLET OXYGEN GENERATION FROM LIPOSOMES: A COMPARISON OF TIME‐RESOLVED 1270 NM EMISSION WITH SINGLET‐OXYGEN KINETICS CALCULATED FROM A ONE DIMENSIONAL MODEL OF SINGLET‐OXYGEN DIFFUSION and QUENCHING

Abstract— Time-resolved measurements of 1270 nm singlet-oxygen emission following pulsed-laser excitation were made from unilamellar dimyristoyl 1-α-phosphatidylcholine liposomes labeled with zinc phthalocyanine. The effect of the hydrophobic quenchers, β-carotene and ethyl β-apo-8′trans carotenoate, and the hydrophilic quenchers, histidine and methionine, upon the kinetics of the 1270 nm singlet-oxygen emission was studied. Hydrophobic quenchers principally lowered the intensity of the 1270 nm emission and caused only modest changes in the lifetime of the 1270 nm emission. The decrease in 1270 nm emission caused by hydrophobic quenchers was related to the size of the liposomes. The larger the radius of the liposome, the greater the decrease in 1270 nm emission caused by a given concentration of hydrophobic quencher. In contrast, hydrophilic quenchers principally decreased the lifetime of the 1270 nm emission. The effect of hydrophilic quenchers was independent of the size of the liposomes. There was good agreement between the experimental results and the kinetics of the singlet-oxygen emission calculated using a one dimensional model of singlet-oxygen quenching and diffusion. The kinetics of singlet-oxygen emission from liposomes without added hydrophobic quenchers closely approximated the theoretical kinetics of singlet oxygen in a homogeneous aqueous solution.
The lawyer and the forensic expert: Boundaries of ethical practice

The role of attorneys in relationship to mental health experts is examined. Issues which are discussed include the necessity of expert testimony, selection of the expert, and the data underlying the expert opinion. In addition, the attorneys' responsibilities in presenting the mental health expert in court is discussed with reference to different elements of the trial process.
Z dependence of coherent. mu. e conversion rate in anomalous neutrinoless muon capture

The coherent muon-electron conversion rate in anomalous neutrinoless muon capture by nuclei is calculated in terms of phenomenological coupling constants defined by effective Hamiltonian densities. The possibilities of muon-number violation occurring through lepton mixing, through muon-number-violating gauge couplings, or through scalar-Higgs-boson exchange are considered. The variation of the coherent conversion rate with atomic number $Z$ is discussed for different values of the coupling constants. The present results are compared with a previous approximate formula given by Weinberg and Feinberg. The following limits on the phenomenological coupling constants are found: $|{g}_{V}^{(0)}|l{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ and $|{g}_{V}^{(1)}|l2.9\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$, or $|{g}_{S}^{(0)}|l{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ and $|{g}_{S}^{(1)}|l3.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$.
Charge stripping as a probe to determine the effects of ligation in metal ion complexes produced in a fast atom bombardment source

Abstract Fast atom bombardment ionisation is combined with charge stripping (CS) to produce bare and ligated metal dications. Abundant quantities of ions resulting from the bombardment of transition and lanthanide metal salts are produced and charge stripped. Q min values obtained from the CS spectra agree within ± 0.5 eV of the respective second ionisation energies for the bare metal ions. Effects of ligands such as Cl and OH are observed as an increase in Q min values relative to the bare metals ions, e.g. Δ Q min = 0.9 eV for CoCl + and Δ Q min = 3.2 eV for HoCl + .
Wild-type measles viruses with non-standard genome lengths.

The length of the single stranded, negative sense RNA genome of measles virus (MeV) is highly conserved at 15,894 nucleotides (nt). MeVs can be grouped into 24 genotypes based on the highly variable 450 nucleotides coding for the carboxyl-terminus of the nucleocapsid protein (N-450). Here, we report the genomic sequences of 2 wild-type viral isolates of genotype D4 with genome lengths of 15,900 nt. Both genomes had a 7 nt insertion in the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of the matrix (M) gene and a 1 nt deletion in the 5′ UTR of the fusion (F) gene. The net gain of 6 nt complies with the rule-of-six required for replication competency of the genomes of morbilliviruses. The insertions and deletion (indels) were confirmed in a patient sample that was the source of one of the viral isolates. The positions of the indels were identical in both viral isolates, even though epidemiological data and the 3 nt differences in N-450 between the two genomes suggested that the viruses represented separate chains of transmission. Identical indels were found in the M-F intergenic regions of 14 additional genotype D4 viral isolates that were imported into the US during 2007–2010. Viral isolates with and without indels produced plaques of similar size and replicated efficiently in A549/hSLAM and Vero/hSLAM cells. This is the first report of wild-type MeVs with genome lengths other than 15,894 nt and demonstrates that the length of the M-F UTR of wild-type MeVs is flexible.
On Optimal Dividend, Reinvestment, and Liquidation Policies for the Firm

We consider the liquid asset management problem of a firm with a fixed business. Two questions are addressed: How much, if any, of the firm's liquid assets should be paid to the owners as dividends? If the liquid asset level is negative resulting from a net loss in the previous period, should sufficient funds be raised to pay off the corresponding short-term debts, or should the benefit of limited liability be applied by liquidating the firm declaring it bankrupt? These questions are addressed in a multiperiod environment under uncertainty. The owners seek to maximize the present expected value of the after-tax returns from dividends less funds invested over the lifetime of the firm. Since the owners must pay income taxes on dividends they receive but cannot deduct the expenses of paying off short-term debts when needed, they have an incentive to have the firm retain some liquid assets as a hedge against having to raise funds to pay off such short-term debts. The form of the optimal policy in the general case is found to be surprisingly complex. A numerical example is used to illustrate the possible complexities. The main thrust of the paper is the presentation of three sets of conditions that are sufficient to prove that there exists an optimal policy with a certain intuitively pleasing and simple form.
Quantum Dot Electron Transfer Probed by Transient Photoluminescence

Opto-electronic applications of nanocrystals rely on generation and exploitation of mobile charge carriers. Understanding nanocrystal electron transfer processes is therefore important. Transient photoluminescence is a versatile technique that is helping to unravel this complex field.
Actuating properties of soft gels with ordered iron particles: basis for a shear actuator

Soft electrorheological (ER) gels were prepared by arranging iron particles in silicone prepolymers within magnetic fields and crosslinking the obtained structure. The gap between the particles, and consequently the conductivity, was controlled by swelling the crosslinked material with additional silicone prepolymer. Iron-particle chains were made with as little as 0.5% particles and at angles from 0° to 60° to the normal of the sample surface. The ER, transducing and actuating properties of these materials were explored using rheometry and dielectrometry. In general, the dynamic shear moduli of the aligned ER gels increased quadratically with the electric field intensity. With only 1 vol% particles, the modulus doubled to an electrical field of around 2 kV mm−1. Transducer and actuator properties were noted. With particle chain alignment of 30°, shear stresses of around 150 Pa were measured with a special sandwich-type shear fixture. The influence of tilt angle on the shear stress was found to be qualitatively consistent with the calculation based on the point-dipole approximation.
The protective effect of sodium chloride against thermal destruction of the phage-forming mechanism in staphylococci.

Staphylococci which have been allowed to grow rapidly in a favorable environment and subsequently have been maintained in a resting state characteristically produce a sharp rise in [phage] activity titre when added to phage. This capacity is quickly lost when the cells are suspended in distilled water and are exposed to 44° C. for a period of 15 minutes; at the same time the viable count drops to approximately 1 to 3.5 per cent of the initial value. 1 M NaCl protects "activated" cells against thermal destruction and preserves the phage-augmenting property. "Non-activated" staphylococci in distilled water suspension do not show this thermolability.
Development of reusable components through the use of adapters

As information technologies evolve, computing environments become more distributed and heterogeneous. More and more software applications written in different programming languages running on different platforms with different operating systems are required to communicate with one another over different computer networks. Conflicts resulting from having heterogeneous and distributed computing environments require strategies for software interoperability. The emerging middleware technologies, including CORBA, COM/DCOM, .NET, J2EE, and Enterprise JavaBeans offer an industrial defacto standard communication infrastructure to support the interoperability of heterogeneous applications in components. However, the implementation of a component suffers from high interaction complexities in the component that seriously degrades the application independence. Software components should be built to be independent of the context in which they are used, allowing them to be reused in many different computing environments. In this paper, we are presenting an adapter in the adapter layer of an interconnection protocol model to isolate, encapsulate, and manage a component's interactions outside the component. The dynamic interface binding was designed to allow the adapter to examine the signature of the requested services at runtime such as operation names, parameter orders, parameter types, and parameter sizes. In addition, the interface language mapping allows an interface in a specific programming language to be automatically generated from an IDL interface. The use of adapters increases the reusability of components and also simplifies the integration of the components to an application.
The importance of prevention of calciphylaxis in patients who are at risk and the potential fallibility of calcimimetics in the treatment of calciphylaxis for patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism

A 43-year-old African American with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) associated with membranous nephropathy and a previously failed renal transplant had received cinacalcet to treat his secondary hyperparathyroidism. Serum calcium and phosphorus levels remained within normal limits, and serum parathyroid levels had dropped significantly following treatment initiation. However, within 7 months, the patient experienced extensive necrotic bilateral medial thigh ulcers. These were biopsied and found to be a result of calciphylaxis. The patient ultimately required an urgent subtotal parathyroidectomy and recovered well with completely healed ulcers.
De novo synthesis is the main source of ornithine for citrulline production in neonatal pigs.

Citrulline is an amino acid synthesized in the gut and utilized for the synthesis of the conditionally essential amino acid arginine. Recently, the origin of the ornithine utilized for citrulline s...
Memo to Skip Laitner of EPA: initial comments on 'The internetbegins with coal'

This memo explores the assumptions in Mark P. Mills' report titled 'The Internet Begins with Coal' that relate to current electricity use 'associated with the Internet'. We find that Mills has significantly overestimated electricity use, in some cases by more than an order of magnitude. We adjust his estimates to reflect measured data and more accurate assumptions, which reduces Mills' overall estimate of total Internet-related electricity use by about a factor of eight.
Efficient Optimal Linear Boosting of a Pair of Classifiers

Boosting is a meta-learning algorithm which takes as input a set of classifiers and combines these classifiers to obtain a better classifier. We consider the combinatorial problem of efficiently and optimally boosting a pair of classifiers by reducing this problem to that of constructing the optimal linear separator for two sets of points in two dimensions. Specifically, let each point xisinR2 be assigned a weight W(x)>0, where the weighting function can be an arbitrary positive function. We give efficient (low-order polynomial time) algorithms for constructing an optimal linear "separator" lscr defined as follows. Let Q be the set of points misclassified by lscr. Then, the weight of Q, defined as the sum of the weights of the points in Q, is minimized. If W(z)=1 for all points, then the resulting separator minimizes (exactly) the misclassification error. Without an increase in computational complexity, our algorithm can be extended to output the leave-one-out error, an unbiased estimate of the expected performance of the resulting boosted classifier
On moving across: translocative religion and the interpreter's position

Scholars in many fields have considered theposition of the interpreter, and religious studies scholars have addresed some of the relevant issues. However, none of the available accounts is fully satisfying because they either fail to locate the interpreter or imagine the interpreter's position as fixed. In this article, I draw on my experience of doing fieldwork with transnational migrants as I try to move toward a more textured account of where we stand when we do our work. I explore the ambiguities of that position and suggest that scholars, like transnational migrants, are constantly moving across. Scholars continually move back and forth between inside and outside, fact and value, evidence and narrative, the living and the dead, here and there, us and them.
Resistance to UV-induced apoptosis in human keratinocytes during accelerated senescence is associated with functional inactivation of p53.

Compared to proliferating keratinocytes (KCs), growth-arrested KCs are relatively resistant to UV-light induced apoptosis. When KCs undergo confluency, or following exposure to anti-proliferative agents such as IFN-γ plus a phorbol ester–12-O-tetradecanoylyphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), they convert from a proliferative to a nonproliferative state resembling senescence. Since p53 regulates UV-induced apoptosis of KCs, this report further characterizes p53 half-life, post-translational modifications, and transcriptional activity using cultured human KCs and living epidermal equivalents. The half-life of p53 in KCs was longer than fibroblasts (greater than approximately 3 h vs. 30 min). Exposure of proliferating KCs to UV-light induces post-translational modifications of p53 including acetylation of lysine-382 residues. By contrast, KCs undergoing irreversible growth arrest following confluency, or exposure to IFN-γ plus TPA, were resistant to UV-induced apoptosis, and failed to undergo the acetylation modification of p53. Exposure of KCs to IFN-γ plus TPA reduced total cellular p53 levels and reduced the transcriptional activity of p53. Addition of Trichostatin A (TSA), an inhibitor of de-acetylation, increased acetylation of lysine-382 in confluent KCs, thereby enhancing susceptibility of confluent cultures to UV-induced apoptosis. Pre-treatment of epidermal equivalents with IFN-γ plus TPA also blocked UV-light induced increase in p53 levels, and reduced apoptosis. In conclusion, these studies demonstrate that growth arrested KCs may resist UV-light induced apoptosis by inactivating the pro-apoptotic function of p53. J. Cell. Physiol. 198: 100–109, 2004. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Emerging Hispanic English: New dialect formation in the American South

Although stable Hispanic populations have existed in some regions of the United States for centuries, other regions, including the mid-Atlantic South, are just experiencing the emergence of permanent Hispanic communities. This situation oiers an ideal opportunity to examine the dynamics of new dialect formation in progress, and the extent to which speakers acquire local dialect traits as they learn English as a second language.We focus on the production of the /ai/ diphthong among adolescents in two emerging Hispanic communities, one in an urban and one in a rural context. Though both English and Spanish have the diphthong /ai/, the Southern regional variant of the benchmark local dialect norm is unglided, thus providing a local dialect alternative. The instrumental analysis of /ai/ shows that there is not pervasive accommodation to the local norm by Hispanic speakers learning English. There is, however, gradient, incremental adjustment of the /ai/, and individual speakers who adopt local cultural values may accommodate to the local dialect pattern.
Minority carrier lifetime determination from inversion layer transient response

A simple method is described for the determination of minority carrier lifetime using the small signal response time of an inversion layer in an MOS capacitor. Only a single charge transport electrometer measurement and the oxide thickness are required to compute this lifetime. It is also shown that since the measured response times are generally several orders of magnitude greater than the actual lifetime, this method allows the ready measurement of lifetimes down to the 10-10seconds range.
Optical assessment of particle size and composition in the Santa Barbara Channel, California

The suspended particle assemblage in complex coastal waters is a mixture of living phytoplankton, other autochthonous matter, and materials of terrestrial origin. The characterization of suspended particles is important for understanding regional primary productivity and rates of carbon sequestration, the fate of anthropogenic materials released to the coastal environment, as well as its effects on bulk optical properties, which influence the passive optical remote sensing of the coastal ocean. Here, the extensive bio-optical Plumes and Blooms data set is used to characterize the surface particle assemblage in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, a highly productive, upwelling-dominated, coastal site affected by episodic sediment inputs. Available variables sensitive to characteristics of the particle assemblage include particle beam attenuation and backscattering coefficients, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) pigment concentration observations, chlorophyll and particulate organic carbon concentration, particulate and phytoplankton absorption coefficients, and Laser In-situ Scattering and Transmissometry (LISST) 100-X particle sizer observations. Comparisons among these particle assemblage proxy variables indicate good agreement and internal consistency among the data set. Correlations among chlorophyll concentration, particulate organic carbon concentration (POC), HPLC pigments, and proxies sensitive to the entire particle assemblage such as backscattering and LISST data strongly indicate that in spite of its coastal character, variability in the particle assemblage in the Santa Barbara Channel is dominated by its marine biogenic component. Relatively high estimates of the bulk real index of refraction and its positive correlation with chlorophyll and lithogenic silica concentration tentatively indicate that there is minerogenic particle influence in the Santa Barbara Channel that tends to covary with the phytoplankton blooms. Limitations of each particle assemblage proxy and remote-sensing applications are discussed.
Morphological and phagocytic profile of microglia in the developing rat cerebellum

Microglia are being increasingly recognized as playing important roles in neurodevelopment. The cerebellum matures postnatally, undergoing major growth, but the role of microglia in the developing cerebellum is not well understood. Using the laboratory rat we quantified and morphologically categorized microglia throughout the vermis and across development using a design-based unbiased stereology method. We found that microglial morphology changed from amoeboid to ramified during the first 3 postnatal weeks in a region specific manner. These morphological changes were accompanied by the sudden appearance of phagocytic cups during the third postnatal week from P17 to P19, with an approximately fourfold increase compared with the first week, followed by a prompt decline at the end of the third week. The microglial phagocytic cups were significantly higher in the granular layer (∼69%) than in the molecular layer (ML; ∼31%) during a 3 d window, and present on ∼67% of microglia with thick processes and ∼33% of microglia with thin processes. Similar proportions of phagocytic cups associated to microglia with either thick or thin processes were found in the ML. We observed cell nuclei fragmentation and cleaved caspase-3 expression within some microglial phagocytic cups, presumably from dying granule neurons. At P17 males showed an approximately twofold increase in microglia with thin processes compared with females. Our findings indicate a continuous process of microglial maturation and a nonuniform distribution of microglia in the cerebellar cortex that implicates microglia as an important cellular component of the developing cerebellum.
Toxicity of insecticide-bait mixtures to insecticide resistant and susceptible western corn rootworms (Coleoptera:: Chrysomelidae)

Organophosphate resistant and susceptible populations of the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte. were subjected to adult feeding bioassays with different combinations of insecticide and a cucurbitacin bait. Five technical grade insecticides (methyl-parathion, carbaryl, fipronil, bifenthrin and indoxacarb) were used in combination with Invite ECt as the feeding stimulant. Differences in susceptibility to the insecticide/bait combinations were observed among the resistant and susceptible populations for methyl-parathion and carbaryl. Susceptibility to fipronil, bifenthrin and indoxacarb was similar among the resistant and susceptible populations. Assays in which response to the insecticide/bait combination was compared with the bait alone indicated that methyl-parathion and bifenthrin were deterrent when compared to other treatments. These results suggest that the efficacy of Invite as a feeding stimulant in combination with certain insecticides may be compromised by previously identified resistance and by insecticides that antagonize the feeding stimulation of the cucurbitacin bait. r 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Evolution of beam distribution in crossing a Walkinshaw resonance.

The third-integer coupling resonance at ν(x)-2ν(z)=l, known as the Walkinshaw resonance, is important in high-power accelerators. We find that, when the betatron tunes ramp through a Walkinshaw resonance the fractional emittance growth (FEG) is a universal function of the effective resonance strength: G(1,-2,l)√[e(xi)]|Δ(ν(x)-2ν(z))/Δn|(-1/2), where G(1,-2,l) is the resonance strength; e(xi) and e(zi) are the initial horizontal and vertical emittances, respectively; and |Δ(ν(x)-2ν(z))/Δn| is the resonance crossing rate per revolution. At large effective resonance strengths, the FEG reaches an asymptotic maximum value (FEG)(max)~2e(xi)/e(zi) for e(xi)>>1/2e(zi) or e(zi)/(2e(xi)) for e(xi)<<1/2e(zi). There is little emittance exchange at e(xi)=1/2e(z), which can be used to minimize emittance growth in crossing a Walkinshaw resonance.
Too Much of a Good Thing at the Site of Tissue Injury: The Instructive Example of the Complement System Predisposing to Thrombotic Microangiopathy

The interplay between the complement and coagulation systems is just beginning to be explored and characterized. This interaction, however, is ancient. For example, if endotoxin is added to the hemolymph of the horseshoe crab, a protease is activated that triggers both the coagulation and complement systems. However, in extant mammals, these 2 cascades have diverged. These infamous “terrible C’s” are the scourge of many a medical student (and possibly even a few hematologists). They also are intimately involved in the pathophysiology of thrombomicroangiopathies (TMAs). The complement system generates a procoagulant microenvironment and the coagulation system forms a clot in the renal microvasculature, and thus the 2 systems are partners in mediating multiple pathophysiological conditions.