cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A local feedback synthesis of time-optimal stabilizing controls in dimension three

Under generic conditions a local feedback synthesis for the problem of time-optimally stabilizing an equilibrium point in dimension three is constructed. There exist two surfaces which are glued together along a singular are on which the optimal control is singular. Away from these surfaces the optimal controls are piecewise constant with at most two switchings. Bang-bang trajectories with two switchings but different switching orders intersect in a nontrivial cut-locus and optimality of trajectories ceases at this cut-locus. The construction is based on an earlier result by Krener and Schattler which gives the precise structure of the small-time reachable set for an associated system to which time has been added as an extra coordinate.
Different binding modes of Cu and Pb vs. Cd, Ni, and Zn with the trihydroxamate siderophore desferrioxamine B at seawater ionic strength

Abstract The solution speciation in seawater of divalent trace metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) is dominated by strong, ostensibly metal-specific organic ligands that may play important roles in microbial metal acquisition and/or detoxification processes. We compare the effective stabilities of these metal–organic complexes to the stabilities of their complexes with a model siderophore, desferrioxamine B (DFOB). While metal–DFOB complexation has been studied in various dilute but often moderately coordinating media, for the purpose of this investigation we measured the stability constants in a non-coordinating background electrolyte at seawater ionic strength (0.7 M NaClO 4 ). Potentiometric titrations of single metals (M) were performed in the presence of ligand (L) at different M:L molar ratios, whereupon the stability constants of multiple complexes were simultaneously determined by non-linear regression of the titration curves with FITEQL, using the optimal binding mode for each metal. Cadmium, Ni, and Zn, like trivalent Fe, sequentially form a bi-, tetra-, and hexadentate complex with DFOB as pH increases, consistent with their coordination number of 6 and regular octahedral geometry. Copper has a Jahn–Teller-distorted square-bipyramidal geometry whereas the geometry of Pb is cryptic, involving a range of bond lengths. Supported by a thermodynamic argument, our data suggest that this impedes binding of the third hydroxamate group and that the hexadentate Cu–DFOB and Pb–DFOB complex identified in earlier reports may instead be a deprotonated tetradentate complex. Absence of the hexadentate complex promotes the formation of a dinuclear (bidentate–tetradentate) complex, M 2 HL 2+ , albeit not for Pb in 0.7 M NaCl, evidently due to extensive complexation with chloride. Stabilities of the hexadentate Ni–DFOB, Zn–DFOB, and the tetradentate Pb–DFOB complex are nearly equal, yet about 2 orders of magnitude higher and 4 orders of magnitude lower than those of the hexadentate Cd–DFOB and tetradentate Cu–DFOB complex, respectively. Linear free-energy relations defined by the rare earth elements are able to predict stabilities of the Cd, Zn, and one of the Pb complexes, but underestimate those of the Ni and Cu complexes. The comparison with metal-specific organic ligands detected in seawater yields fair agreement for three of the five metals, implying that they could be siderophore-like. The Cd- and Ni-specific ligands are much stronger and may contain quite different functional groups. Calculations with MINEQL incorporating our new stability constants indicate that very high DFOB concentrations would be required to match the extent of metal–organic complexation observed in seawater, however DFOB may well represent a much broader class of structurally related ligands.
PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY IN NEUROFIBROMATOSIS TYPE 1 (NF-1)

Precocious puberty (PP) has been reported in children with NF-1, primarily in the presence of optic pathway tumors (OPT). We evaluated 201 children with NF-1, 157 of whom had CNS imaging; 31 had OPT. Of these, 19 were 2-10 yrs old. Four of these children had PP, while no child without an OPT had clinical PP. We conducted a prospective case control study to investigate the effect of OPT on the maturation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in children with NF-1, and the association between NF-1 and PP in the absence of OPT. We enrolled 24 prepubertal children, 2-10 yrs old, with NF-1, 12 with OPT and 12 without OPT, matched for sex and age. We measured height, weight, parental heights, bone age, and the LH and FSH response to LHRH. A 6 cm difference in height was found between the group with OPT 117.4±3.9 (MEAN±SE) and without OPT 111.5±4.0, (p = 0.15). Height Z-scores were higher in children with OPT (0.12±0.39 vs −1.07±0.35, p=0.02). Bone age minus chronological age was also higher in the glioma group (0.08±0.37 yrs vs −0.65±0.35, p = 0.08). In response to injected LHRH 100μg, there was a greater rise in LH in the group with OPT (p=0.06). FSH responses were identicl. All 4 pubertal responses (peak LH>15mIU/ml) occurred in children with OPT (p<0.05). Three of these children had lesions confined to the intraorbital portion of the optic nerve. We conclude: 1) PP occurred in NF-1 only in the presence of OPT, 2) accelerated growth was present in the children with OPT, consistent with early puberty, 3) contrary to expectations, a pubertal response to LHRH was evident in children with tumors remote from the hypothalamus, and 4) we have identified a subpopulation who provide a unique opportunity to prospectively investigate the pathogenesis of PP.
Does imposing a goal always improve exercise intentions in avatar-based exergames? The moderating role of interdependent self-construal on exercise intentions and self-presence.

Abstract What are important factors to consider when designing health messages to improve people's physical activity using avatar-based exergames? Does the effectiveness of health messages embedded in exergames depend on players' self-construal? Drawing on regulatory focus theory and the literature on self-construals, this study examined the effects of imposing a prevention goal (“Exercise to avoid aging”) and the moderating role of game players' interdependent self-construal on their exercise intentions and feelings of self-presence. Results indicated that regulatory fit between game player's self-construal and the nature of the goal (i.e., fit between interdependent self-construals and the imposed goal with a prevention regulatory focus) increases exercise intentions and self-presence. Theoretical contributions to exergame literature and practical implications for designing health games are discussed.
Topology-based orientation analysis of trabecular bone networks

After bone mineral density, orientation is the major determinant of trabecular bone strength and is thus of significant interest in understanding the clinical implications of osteoporotic bone loss. The methods used to measure orientation and anisotropy of the trabecular bone have largely relied on deriving global measures along test lines, computing the best-fit ellipsoid, and decomposing to eigenvalue–eigenvector pairs that yield the mean orientation and anisotropy of the region. These techniques ignore the differences between measuring the orientation of trabecular plates versus rods, and do not provide insight into the relationship between local orientation and biomechanical stresses. Digital topological analysis allows a unique determination of each voxel’s topological class as belonging to a plate, rod, or junction. The digital topology-based orientation analysis (DTA-O) method extracts the voxels belonging to plates and determines the local surface normal by fitting a plane through the local neighborhood BVF map. Modeling regional distributions of these vectors allows assessment of anisotropy measures, such as mean and variance of the orientation distribution. High-resolution microcomputed tomography, synthetic, and in vivoimages were used for a validation of the new method and compare the results with the mean intercept length (MIL) technique. The results indicate that DTA-O is a better measure of trabecular orientation and anisotropy than MIL. Applying DTA-O to a recently completed study on the distal radius of 82 subjects [F.W. Wehrli et al., J. Bone Min. Res. 16, 1520 (2001)] shows that the mean orientation and anisotropy at the medial and lateral sides in the distal radius mataphyseal trabecular network are consistent with the mechanical stresses acting on the radius during common tasks.
Accurate exchange rate constants from valley-to-peak intensity ratios of a two-site system with equal populations

The valley-to-peak ratio of a 1:1 doublet undergoing chemical exchange can be calculated from the line shape equation. Numerical analysis provides a table that permits the evaluation of the rate constant from that ratio. This method is exact, without the approximations of previous equations that suffer from systematic errors. Statistical analysis shows how the experimental error depends on the rate constant and how to weight rate constants of unequal reliability for least-squares analysis. From the tabulated errors it is possible to recognize conditions to optimize the evaluation of rate constants, so that it is realistic to obtain them with a precision of ± 1–2%.
THE EXISTENCE OF A LIGAND BOUND TO THE SERUM OROSOMUCOID OF CIGARETTE SMOKERS

Cigarette smokers have a phthalate noncovalently bound to their serum orosomucoid. The phthalate, whose concentration is dependent on the number of cigarettes smoked, is tentatively identified as a metabolite of di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate, a common plasticizer. The binding of the ligand is in concert with the membership of orosomucoid in the lipocalin family and its role as a transporter of basic drugs. Smoking may have an effect on drug pharmacokinetics that is difficult to predict.
A comparison of the Single Turnover and standard solution phase techniques in alkene deuterations

La methode du turnover donne de bons resultats a condition d'exposer le catalyseur aux vapeurs de solvant avant usage. Ici Pt ou Pd sur carbone, pour le methylcyclopentene
Release of specific proteins from nuclei of HL-60 and MOLT-4 cells by antitumor drugs having affinity to nucleic acids

Abstract The binding sites for mitoxantrone (MIT), Ametantrone (AMT), doxorubicin (DOX), actinomycin D (AMD) and ethidium bromide (EB) in nuclei from exponentially growing and differentiating human promyelocytic HL-60 and lymphocytic leukemic MOLT-4 cells were studied by gel electrophoresis of proteins selectively released during titration of these nuclei with the drugs. Each drug at different drug: DNA binding ratios resulted in a characteristic pattern of protein elution and/ or retention. For example, in nuclei from exponentially growing HL-60 cells, MIT affected 44 nuclear proteins that were different from those affected by EB; of these 29 were progressively released at increasing MIT:DNA ratios, 11 were transiently released (i.e. only at a low MIT:DNA ratio) and 4 entrapped. Patterns of proteins displaced from nuclei of exponentially growing HL-60 cells differed from those of cells undergoing myeloid differentiation as well as from those of exponentially growing MOLT-4 cells. The first effects were seen at a binding density of approximately one drug molecule per 10–50 base pairs of DNA. The observed selective displacement of proteins may reflect drug-altered affinity of the binding sites for those proteins, for example due to a change of nucleic acid or protein conformation upon binding the ligand. The data show that the binding site(s) for each of the ligands studied is different and the differences correlate with variability in chemical structure between the ligands. The nature of the drug-affected proteins may provide clues regarding antitumor or cytotoxic mechanisms of drug action.
Negative effect of zebra mussels on foraging and habitat use by lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)

Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) are threatened or endangered throughout much of their range. Juvenile sturgeon utilize sandy and silty habitats extensively during their growth. Invasive zebra mussels change the nature of sandy and silty habitats because they settle on and coat the habitat with the shells of living and dead individuals. The potential impacts of this increased habitat complexity on lake sturgeon is unknown. 2. Juvenile lake sturgeon habitat choice was assessed in laboratory experiments, and zebra mussel impact on the foraging success of juvenile lake sturgeon on three different prey species was measured. 3. Sturgeon foraging on chironomids was virtually eliminated by 95% zebra mussel cover of the sand floor of the foraging arena, and 50% cover reduced foraging significantly. Foraging on more mobile prey items (amphipods and isopods) was essentially eliminated by either 95% or 50% zebra mussel cover of the arena floor. In habitat choice experiments, sturgeon avoided the zebra-mussel- covered habitat more than 90% of the time. 4. This combination of zebra mussel avoidance and reduced foraging in the presence of zebra mussels may be detrimental to sturgeon restocking programmes utilizing smaller sturgeon in zebra-mussel-infested waterways. Copyright # 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Winter Straw and Water Management Effects on Soil Nitrogen Dynamics in California Rice Systems

This study examines the effects of straw management and winter flooding on soil N dynamics and crop N uptake in California rice (Oryza sativa L.) systems. Experiments were established in two locations in northern California with main plot treatments being winter flooding or no flooding; and four straw management practices (burn, remove, incorporate, and roll) as subplot treatments. Fertilizer was applied to the plots at the recommended levels for each site, but within each plot a zero N microplot was established. Total straw inputs before winter flooding averaged 7000 kg ha 21 for the incorporate and roll treatments, 4200 kg ha 21 for the remove, and 1600 kg ha 21 for the burn treatment (straw N ranged from 11 to 66 kg ha 21 ). Before flooding the field for planting, there was 9% less straw in winter flooded plots compared to nonflooded plots. Straw incorporation resulted in more rapid straw decomposition compared to other treatments where the straw was not incorporated. Furthermore, potentially mineralizable N and soil extractable N was higher in the winter flooded treatments and where rice straw was retained. Crop response varied between sites but our results suggest that N fertilizer recommendations could potentially be reduced by 20 kg ha 21 if straw is incorporated and winter flooded.
Minimizing invasive potential of Miscanthus × giganteus grown for bioenergy: identifying demographic thresholds for population growth and spread

Summary Many species prioritized for bioenergy crop development possess traits associated with invasiveness, necessitating a priori efforts by ecologists to identify species or cultivars with minimal invasive potential. The grass Miscanthus × giganteus Greef et Deu ex Hodkinson et Renvoize is a candidate for biomass production in the northern US maize belt, with both sterile and fertile varieties commercially available in the near future. Prior to widespread deployment, the invasive potential of both varieties must be quantified. Using M. × giganteus demographic and seed dispersal data, we parameterized an age-/stage-structured integrodifference equation model to estimate potential spread rates of sterile and fertile M. × giganteus. We identified thresholds for reproductive parameters, above which population numbers and space occupied are likely to increase. Our simulations considered lateral spread of M. × giganteus but not dispersal of rhizome fragments. When clonal recruitment is absent, population growth rate for sterile M. × giganteus is projected to be slightly 20% and rhizome production must be ≥1 per plant. The relatively slow spread rates (0–0·09 m year−1) estimated for sterile M. × giganteus would not apply in scenarios where rhizomes were dispersed long distance. For a fertile M. × giganteus genotype, even low rates of seed viability and survival, seedling survival and seed germination support rapidly expanding populations. Synthesis and applications. Spatial demographic models offer a powerful tool for quantifying risk of invasive spread by bioenergy crops. Our results suggest that sterile and fertile cultivars of M. × giganteus have markedly different invasive potential and therefore should be considered separately in management and policy decisions. Feral populations of sterile M. × giganteus would need to experience frequent and severe disturbance to pose a significant invasion risk, indicating that they should be grown well away from riparian areas prone to streambank scouring. In contrast, cultivars of M. × giganteus bearing fertile seed may be very difficult, if not impossible, to contain.
On complemented subspaces of (Σ\(l_2 )_{l_p } \)

It is shown that ifX is a complemented subspace of (Σ\(l_2 )_{l_p } \) (1<p<∞), thenX is isomorphic to eitherl2,lp,l2⊗lp or (Σ\(l_2 )_{l_p } \). IfX is a complemented subspace ofCp(1<p<∞) which does not contain an isomorph of (Σ which does not contain an isomorph of thenX is isomorphic to a complemented subspace of (Σ\(l_2 )_{l_p } \) ⊗l2.
A scanned focused ultrasound device for hyperthermia: numerical simulation and prototype implementation

We are developing a scanned focused ultrasound system for hyperthermia treatment of breast cancer. Focused ultrasound has significant potential as a therapy delivery device because it can focus sufficient heating energy below the skin surface with minimal damage to intervening tissue. However, as a practical therapy system, the focal zone is generally quite small and requires either electronic (in the case of a phased array system) or mechanical steering (for a fixed bowl transducer) to cover a therapeutically useful area. We have devised a simple automated steering system consisting of a focused bowl transducer supported by three vertically movable rods which are connected to computer controlled linear actuators. This scheme is particularly attractive for breast cancer hyperthermia where the support rods can be fed through the base of a liquid coupling tank to treat tumors within the breast while coupled to our noninvasive microwave thermal imaging system. A MATLAB routine has been developed for controlling the rod motion such that the beam focal point scans a horizontal spiral and the subsequent heating zone is cylindrical. In coordination with this effort, a 3D finite element thermal model has been developed to evaluate the temperature distributions from the scanned focused heating. In this way, scanning protocols can be optimized to deliver the most uniform temperature rise to the desired location.
The biology of the golden hammerhead, Sphyrna tudes , off Trinidad

The golden hammerhead is a poorly known species of shark that inhabits the northeastern coast of South America from Venezuela to Uruguay. It is found in coastal waters at depths of 9–40 m over muddy bottoms. It is a small species which attains a maximum size of 122 cm and 9 kg. The most distinctive characteristic of this species is its striking bright orange or yellow color. Juveniles less than 80 cm TL are bright yellow or orange; adults are pale yellow. The color is apparently due to pigments present in their diets; juveniles feed primarily on shrimp, while adults feed on fish and catfish eggs. Two pigments have been isolated and their characterization is presently being ascertained. Males mature at about 80 cm TL; females mature at about 98 cm TL. Ovulation and mating occur in August. Gestation appears to last about ten months. Parturition occurs in shallow waters from late May to June. Broods consist of five to twelve young, which measure about 30 cm at birth. The ovarian cycle runs concurrently with the gestation cycle, so it is likely that females are fertilized shortly after parturition, and that the species reproduces yearly.
The right tool is what they need, not what we have: A taxonomy of appropriate levels of precision in patient risk communication

While patients often receive risk information, exactly what constitutes being "informed" about health risks is often unclear. Patients have specific needs, such as avoiding being surprised by a possible outcome and making complex risk trade-off decisions. Yet all risk information is not equally informative for those needs. In this article, I present a taxonomy of seven risk concepts that vary in their inherent precision and evaluability. Congruent with the "less is more" concept, I argue that risk communications should use formats that are tailored to message recipients' specific informational needs. Simpler formats can be used when patients only need to order risks, while more complex numerical probability statements will be necessary when patients need to assess differences in risk magnitude and put those differences into meaningful context. Selecting need-congruent formats when designing communications about risks to patients is a novel approach that may better support patients' health care decision making.
Linguistic analysis, meaning and comparative semantics

A modern descriptive linguist who claims that the analysis of linguistic structure is, in the first instance, undertaken without reference to meaning is deceiving himself. The very definition of language by modern linguists makes implicit reference to meaning. For this definition has been worded to distinguish a system of socially meaningful noises of human beings from their socially meaningless variety. Linguists, therefore, cannot, and actually never do, ignore meaning. Only the quality and the extent of the consideration of meaning varies according to the specialization. The paper will attempt to demonstrate how a branch of semantics, actually belonging to general linguistics, often may supply objective information relevant for the solution of certain problems of historical and comparative linguistics.
Antipodal Location of Continents and Oceans

The percentage of continent antipodal to ocean on the earth is compared with a distribution obtained by a Monte Carlo method. It is concluded that the present antipodal arrangement of continents and oceans has less than 1 chance in 14 of being caused by a random process.
Imaging of light-atom nanocrystals with a thin annular detector in STEM

Abstract Dark-field imaging in a scanning transmission electron microscope using a thin annular detector, with a ratio of detector width to detector radius of only about 10%, rather than the commonly-used broad detector, is shown to be especially valuable for the detection of crystallites of diameter 1–3 nm supported on relatively thick amorphous films, even when the crystallites are of light-atom material. Nanocrystals of carbon of average diameter 1.0 nm have been clearly imaged on films of amorphous silica 6 nm thick by using the thin detector to select the diffraction maximum corresponding to the inter-layer graphitic spacing of 0.34 nm. Also, nanoparticles in this size range, whether crystalline or amorphous, may be imaged with the thin annular detector set to detect small-angle scattering. A simple theoretical treatment suggests how the image contrast may vary with the particle size, image resolution and support thickness. Observations on the nanoparticles of carbon on amorphous silica confirm the theoretical predictions.
Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the diagnosis of dementing diseases as measured by XE-133 inhalation

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) comparisons were made among 7 groups of subjects independently identified by the geriatric service. The groups include age-matched controls (n = 20), Alzheimer’s disease (n = 82), multi-infarct dementia (n = 27), mixed dementia (n = 21), cognitively impaired (n = 23), cognitively intact (n = 10) and depressed (n = 21). One-way analysis of variance for each detector across the 7 groups indicated that the frontal detectors do not contribute significantly to intergroup discriminations. A subsequent paired t-test analysis between groups and detectors suggested that the normal controls can be distinguished from the group with Alzheimer’s disease, MID, MIX or cognitively impaired, but the abnormal groups cannot be separated in a straightforward manner on the basis of rCBF.
Fast wave propagation in auditory cortex of an awake cat using a chronic microelectrode array

We investigated fast wave propagation in auditory cortex of an alert cat using a chronically implanted microelectrode array. A custom, real-time imaging template exhibited wave dynamics within the 33-microwire array (3 mm2) during ten recording sessions spanning 1 month post implant. Images were based on the spatial arrangement of peri-stimulus time histograms at each recording site in response to auditory stimuli consisting of tone pips between 1 and 10 kHz at 75 dB SPL. Functional images portray stimulus-locked spiking activity and exhibit waves of excitation and inhibition that evolve during the onset, sustained and offset period of the tones. In response to 5 kHz, for example, peak excitation occurred at 27 ms after onset and again at 15 ms following tone offset. Variability of the position of the centroid of excitation during ten recording sessions reached a minimum at 31 ms post onset (σ = 125 µm) and 18 ms post offset (σ = 145 µm), suggesting a fine place/time representation of the stimulus in the cortex. The dynamics of these fast waves also depended on stimulus frequency, likely reflecting the tonotopicity in auditory cortex projected from the cochlea. Peak wave velocities of 0.2 m s−1 were also consistent with those purported across horizontal layers of cat visual cortex. The fine resolution offered by microimaging may be critical for delivering optimal coding strategies used with an auditory prosthesis. Based on the initial results, future studies seek to determine the relevance of these waves to sensory perception and behavior.
Technological guideposts and innovation avenues

This paper presents an integrative view of innovation processes based on a theory of systems developed by the author over the past few years. In its essence, one of the most important clues to the origin of innovations is to be found in the fact that the performance of every technology depends upon its size and structure. Specifically, as a technology is continuously made to become larger or smaller, the relationship between its size and structural requirements changes, which in turn, severely limits the scope of its further evolution. Thus the origin of a wide variety of innovations lies in learning to overcome the constraints that arise from the process of scaling the technology under consideration. In short, technical progress is best characterized as a process of learning by scaling. These considerations in turn point to a trilogy of innovations corresponding to three main types of technological constraints: structural innovations that arise from a process of differential growth whereby the parts and the whole of a system do not grow at the same rate: material innovations involving a change in the construction stuff; and systems innovations that arise from the integration of two or more symbiotic technologies in an attempt to simplify the outline of the overall structure. The proposed trilogy is shown to account for the emergence of various techniques including the so-called revolutionary innovations in a variety of fields. The theory is developed and illustrated through three case studies of technical progress in the aircraft, farm tractor, and computer industries. The results of our investigation further reveal that the process of innovation is best conceived in terms of a certain topography of technological evolution. Specifically, we find that technical progress is invariably characterized by the existence of what may be called technological guideposts and innovation avenues that lay out certain definite paths of development. Chance determines which amongst many technological guideposts will be chosen in the course of development. Once the development is well along a certain innovation avenue. necessity prevails until another point connecting other technological guideposts and innovation avenues is reached. This brings chance back to the fore and the process continues. In sum, the process of technological evolution is determined by the interplay of chance and necessity rather than one at the exclusion of the other.
Silicon photonic WDM devices: simulation, design, and implementation

Passive wavelength division (de)multiplexer (WDM) devices are required as basic building blocks for WDM-based on-chip optical interconnects. In this application, many copies of the devices will be placed throughout a single die, requiring that the device occupy as small a footprint as possible. Furthermore, it is critical that the demultiplexing characteristics be very uniform from device to device, therefore the device must be tolerant to small fabrication variations. There are various wavelength demultiplexer designs that lend themselves to on-chip integration with CMOS integrated circuits and that could potentially reach the above specifications. In this presentation we will show the layout and simulation of demultiplexer designs based on cascaded Mach-Zehnder wavelength splitters and on Echelle gratings and compare these to measurement results of realized devices. The results on the Mach-Zehnder devices show that this type of device is relatively sensitive to process variations. A fit of a device model to the measured curves shows that the device variations result primarily from random phase errors in the optical delay lines, which are probably due to small width variations in the waveguides. This problem should be strongly reduced in devices based on Echelle gratings, because in this case the light does not propagate through channel waveguides in the part of the device that shapes the optical response. This assumption is confirmed by the measurement results, which show good demultiplexer response and excellent reproducibility between devices.
Parameters of spinning AM reticles.

The literature describes tracking devices that allow a single detector coupled to a spinning FM reticle to determine target location. The spinning FM reticles presented were limited to single parameter reticles of frequency vs angle, frequency vs radius, or phase. This study presents these parameters with their capabilities and limitations and shows that multiple parameters can be integrated into a single reticle. Also, a general equation is developed that describes any FM reticle of the spinning type.
Fluorescence Quenching Kinetics of Phenanthrene Covalently Bound to Sodium Poly(acrylate-co-acrylamide): Effects of Ionic Strength and Counterion

Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence quenching experiments were performed on a series of random terpolymers comprising sodium acrylate, acrylamide, and a phenanthrene (Phen) derivative. The polymers in this series had a fixed Phen loading (4 mol %) and differed in the relative composition of the acrylate and acrylamide monomers. Fluorescence quenching by Tl+ and Cs+ was measured as a function of ionic strength in basic aqueous solutions. The apparent bimolecular rate constant for quenching (kq) is on the order of 1012 M-1 s-1 at low ionic strength and diminishes by approximately 1 order of magnitude at 14 mM added ionic strength. This behavior is independent of the particular group 1A counterion salt but does depend on the polyelectrolyte linear charge density. At relatively high quencher concentration both Tl+ and Cs+ display negative curvature in their I0/I Stern−Volmer plots. “Displacement” experiments were carried out in which K+ is added to a solution of the polyelectrolyte with a fixed concen...
Methane production from the anaerobic digestion of some marine macrophytes

Recently, considerable interest has developed concerning the use of biomass as an alternative fuel source. Among the possible substrates, marine plant biomass has frequently been mentioned, primarily due to the fact that such plants do not have competing, more valuable uses for food or fiber and their cultivation does not compete for valuable agricultural lands. Also, recent research has demonstrated that at least one potential marine energy crop, the red alga Graciliaria tikvahiae, is capable of extremely high production rates that equal or exceed those of terrestrial plants, and are rivaled by the productivity of another possible aquatic energy crop, the water hyacinth. To date, seaweed energy research has emphasized cultivation, while a marked paucity of information exists regarding the comparative performance of these algae as a methanogenic substrate. Only two species, the giant kelp, Macrocystic pyrifera and Gracilaria tikvahiae, have been tested in fermentation trials. The relative merits of a red, a green, and a brown alga, run vis a vis at four different loading rates, are discussed in this report. In addition, two loading procedures were utilized to assess what if any, effect they might have on digester performance. (Refs. 14).
Localization of the synapsin II (SYN2) gene to human chromosome 3 and mouse chromosome 6

The synapsins are a family of four synaptic vesicle-associated proteins, synapsins Ia, Ib, IIa, and IIb, that have been implicated in modulation of neurotransmitter release and in synaptogenesis . They are products from alternative splicing of two distinct genes, the synapsin I and synapsin II genes. The synapsin I (SYN1) gene has been mapped to the X chromosome in human and mouse. In this study, we have determined the chromosomal location of the synapsin II (SYN2) gene in both and human and mouse. 10 refs., 1 fig.
Cobamide Coenzyme Contents of Soybean Nodules & Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria in Relation to Physiological Conditions.

10. PUTNAMI, H. D. & E. L. SCHMIDT. 1959. Studies on the free amino acid fractions of soil. Soil Sci. 87: 22-27. 11. SCHMIDT, E. L., H. D. PUTNAM, & E. A. PAUL. 1960. Behavior of free amino acids in soil. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 24: 107-109. 12. SI.MONART, P. & F. PEETER. 1954. Acides amines libres dans i'humus. Trans. Internatl. Congr. Soil Sci., 5th Congr. 3: 132-135. 13. STEINBERG, R. A. 1952. Frenching symptoms produced in Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana rustica with optical isomers of isoleucine & leucine & Bacilhis cereuis toxin. Plant Physiol. 27: 302-308. 14. STEINBERG, R. A. 1956. Production & prevention of frenching of tobacco grown in the greenhouse Plant & Soil 7: 281-289. 15. WOLTZ, S. S. & C. R. JACKSON. 1960. Yellom strapleaf of chrysanthemums. Fla. Agr. Expt. Sta. Sunshine State Agr. Res. Rept. 5: 12-13. 16. WOLTZ, S. S. & C. R. JACKSON. 1960. Relationship of amino acids to yellow strapleaf of chrysanthemums & similar disorders. Proc. Fla. State Hort, Soc. 73: 381-384. 17. WOLTZ, S. S. & C. R. JACKSON. 1961. Productior of yellow strapleaf of chrysanthemum & similai disorders by amino acid treatment. Plant Physiol 36: 197-201. 18. WOOLLEY, D. W. 1952. A Study of Antimetabolites. John Wiley & Sons, New York. Pp. 269.
Covolume-based intergrid transfer operator in P 1 nonconforming multigrid method

In this paper, we introduce an intergrid transfer operator which is based on the covolume of nodes in a P 1 nonconforming multigrid method and prove the convergence of the multigrid method with this intergrid transfer operator. This intergrid transfer operator needs fewer computations and neighborhood node values than previous operators, which is a good property for parallelization. The P 1 nonconforming multigrid method with this intergrid transfer operator is suitable for solving problems with Robin boundary conditions and nonlinear problems with bound constraints on solutions.
Were fossil spring-associated carbonates near Zaca Lake, Santa Barbara, California deposited under an ambient or thermal regime?

Abstract A previously undescribed succession of currently-inactive spring-associated carbonates located near Zaca Lake, Southern California, was investigated in order to determine the nature of deposition (ambient temperature or hydrothermal water, as both are found within the region). The carbonate deposits are up to ~ 1 m thick and formed discontinuously for over 200 m in a narrow valley between two ridges that drain Miocene Monterey Formation bedrock. Depositional facies along the presently dry fluvial path include barrage deposits, narrow fluvial channels, and cascade deposits. The carbonates are mesoscopically banded and contain ubiquitous micro- to macrophyte calcite encrusted fabrics. All of the depositional facies contain alternating bands (~ .05 mm to 5 mm thick) of dark brown and light brown isopachous calcite; the dark brown bands are composed of dense isopachous bladed calcite, whereas the light brown bands are composed of bundles of calcite tubules interpreted as the biosignature of the desmid microalgae Oocardium stratum . Oxygen isotope thermometry utilizing modern water δ 18 O values from the piped spring reveal depositional water temperature estimates that collectively range from ~ 11 to 16 °C. Stable isotope carbon values exhibit a mean δ 13 C value of − 9.01 ± 0.62‰ (1σ, n = 27). Our petrographic and geochemical data demonstrate that (1) inactive carbonates were likely sourced from ambient temperature water with a strong soil-zone δ 13 C signal, (2) the Oocardium calcite biosignature can be used to infer depositional temperature and flow conditions, and (3) the occurrence of extensive carbonates (especially the presence of a perched cascade deposit) indicate the carbonates formed when conditions were much wetter.
Consumer responses to characteristics of price-matching guarantees: The moderating role of price consciousness

Abstract The present study develops and tests a conceptual model of consumer response to different types of price-matching characteristics (i.e., refund depth, length, and scope) across consumer segments with varying levels of price consciousness. A computer shopping simulation results show that a deep refund is interpreted as a signal of low prices by nonprice conscious consumers. However, price conscious consumers are found to associate deep refunds with increased prices, an unintended outcome for the retailer. The effects of price-matching characteristics on search and purchase behavior were also found to vary across more and less price conscious consumer segments.
Involvement of Cyclic AMP in ABA- and Ca2−-Mediated Signal Transduction of Stomatal Regulation in Vicia faba

The focus of this study is to investigate possible involvement of cyclic AMP in regulation of Vicia stomatal movements. The presence of 0.1 mM 8-Br-cAMP, a membrane-permeable analogue of cAMP, alone in the incubation medium did not affect stomatal opening in the light in leaf epidermal peel experiments. However, addition of 0.1 mM 8-Br-cAMP completely reversed exogenous ABAand Ca-induced inhibition of stomatal opening. Consistent with these results, patch-clamping experiments showed that intracellular addition of 0.5 mM or 1 mM cAMP significantly reversed the inhibition of whole-cell inward K currents by internally supplied 13 fM Ca + or 10 fM ABA in stomatal guard cell protoplasts, respectively. Furthermore, intracellular addition of either 10 //M prostaglandin Ei (PGE1, an adenylate cyclase activator) or 1 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor) mimicked the effect of exogenous cAMP on the removal of ABAor Ca-induced inhibition of inward K-current. These results suggest that a cAMP signaling pathway is involved in signal transduction in stomatal regulation by interacting with ABA and Ca + signaling cascades. A hypothetical mechanism by which cAMP may regulate K-channels in stomatal guard cells is also discussed.
Structure of equilibrium reaction rate fields in turbulent jet diffusion flames

The structure of instantaneous chemical reaction rate field ωi(x,t) in turbulent jet diffusion flames is examined from nonreacting flow data in the limit of full chemical equilibrium. The equilibrium reaction rate fields are obtained from fully-resolved planar Rayleigh scattering imaging measurements of the instantaneous conserved scalar field ζ(x,t) in the self-similar far field of a turbulent jet flow. The resolution attained reaches below the finest local lengthscales λv and λD on which gradients in the vorticity and scalar gradient fields, respectively, can be sustained by the competing effects of strain and diffusion in the flow. Together with the signal quality achieved this allows accurate differentiation of the instantaneous scalar field data to determine the corresponding structure of the instaneous scalar energy dissipation rate fields (ReSc)−1∇ζ·∇ζ(x,t). The self-similar far-field scaling of this flow allows these data to be mapped to any downstream location, permitting a composite construction of the instantaneous equilibrium reaction rate fields throughout a turbulent jet diffusion flame. Results presented for hydrogen-air chemistry indicate that the individual species reaction rate fields are composed entirely of layer-like reaction structures. The strain-diffusion balance which sets the thickness of these structures precludes the presence of any turbulent motions within them. Moreover, whereas direct imaging measurements of OH concentration fields have suggested the presence of broad homogeneous reaction zones near the flame tip, the present OH reaction rate fields show that the reactions remain confined to these locally layer-like structures throughout the entire length of the flame.
Career Management Issues Facing Expatriates

This research explores expatriate assignments from a career development perspective. First, the article examines the impact of five organization-level career development programs and policies on expatriate effectiveness. Then, it explores the impact of five individual-level career management strategies on the success of expatriate transitions. Data from 118 expatriates in Saudi Arabia, Europe, South America, and Japan are presented to examine these career development issues.
A Gray-Box Feedback Control Approach for System-Level Peak Power Management

Power consumption has become one of the most important design considerations for modern high density servers. To avoid system failures caused by power capacity overload or overheating, system-level power management is required. This kind of management needs to control power consumption precisely. Conventional solutions to this problem mostly rely on feedback controllers which only concern the power itself, known as black-box approaches. They may not respond to the variation of system quickly. This paper presents a gray-box strategy to design a model-predictive feedback controller based on a pre-built power model and a performance prediction model to constraint the peak power consumption of a server. In contrast to the existing strategies, this gray-box approach uses the performance events, which bring more insights of the behaviors and power consumption of a system, for the purpose of model prediction. We implemented a prototype of this controller and evaluated it using SPECweb2005 benchmark on a web server. This controller can settle the power consumption below the power cap within 2 control periods for more than 75\% of the power overloading regardless of workload variations, outperforming black-box approaches. Meanwhile, the performance of application can be maximized with this controller.
WALUCHOW’S DEFENSE OF INCLUSIVE POSITIVISM

In “The Model of Rules I,”1 Ronald Dworkin argues that judges are often bound by principles that do not derive their authority from having been formally promulgated by a judge or legislature in accordance with a rule of recognition. But, on Dworkin’s view, the existence of such principles is inconsistent with positivism’s pedigree thesis, according to which propositions are legally valid solely in virtue of having been promulgated in accordance with a rule of recognition. Thus, Dworkin concludes that positivism is false.
Increasing Self-Regulatory Strength Can Reduce the Depleting Effect of Suppressing Stereotypes

Three longitudinal studies and one correlational study tested the hypothesis that increasing self-regulatory strength by regular self-regulatory exercise would reduce the intrapsychic costs of suppressing stereotypes. Participants tried to resist using stereotypes while describing or talking to a stimulus person. Participants whose habitual motivation to suppress stereotypes was low exhibited impaired Stroop and anagram performance after the suppression task, presumably because of self-regulatory depletion (i.e., a reduction of self-regulatory strength following prior use). Two weeks of self-regulation exercises (such as using one’s nondominant hand or refraining from cursing) eliminated this effect. These findings indicate that self-regulatory exercise can improve resistance to self-regulatory depletion and, consequently, people can suppress stereotypes without suffering subsequent decrements in task performance.
Música y política tras el Holocausto: los conciertos de Menuhin en el Berlín de 1947 y sus consecuencias

Between September 27 and October 3, 1947, Yehudi Menuhin gave six performances in Berlin, two of them together with Wilhelm Furtwangler, who had just been cleared by the denazification tribunals in Austria and Germany. Because of the German audience and the Furtwangler collaboration, these concerts led to a scandal in the Jewish community and the Displaced Persons camp in Germany as well as Jewish communities abroad. I turn first to the historical background of these performances, specifically the position of Menuhin and Furtwangler toward each other and their roles in postwar Germany. I will then chronicle the events of September and October 1947 through the lenses of Abraham S. Hyman, legal consultant to the American Advisers on Jewish Affairs in Germany, and Yehudi Menuhin and his biographers, to reveal the complexity of the events. Lastly, I will scrutinize the reception of the concerts to shed light on the reasons for and impact of the scandal. I argue that these concerts were mishandled in their organization and aims, in that politics played too large a role in the events during a time when the Jewish people suffered severe trauma in the aftermath of the Holocaust.
Sensitive and fast mapping of di-base encoded reads

Motivation: Discovering variation among high-throughput sequenced genomes relies on efficient and effective mapping of sequence reads. The speed, sensitivity and accuracy of read mapping are crucial to determining the full spectrum of single nucleotide variants (SNVs) as well as structural variants (SVs) in the donor genomes analyzed. Results: We present drFAST, a read mapper designed for di-base encoded ‘color-space’ sequences generated with the AB SOLiD platform. drFAST is specially designed for better delineation of structural variants, including segmental duplications, and is able to return all possible map locations and underlying sequence variation of short reads within a user-specified distance threshold. We show that drFAST is more sensitive in comparison to all commonly used aligners such as Bowtie, BFAST and SHRiMP. drFAST is also faster than both BFAST and SHRiMP and achieves a mapping speed comparable to Bowtie. Availability: The source code for drFAST is available at http://drfast.sourceforge.net Contact: calkan@u.washington.edu
Average-value modeling of a peak-current controlled galvanically-isolated DC-DC converter for shipboard power distribution

The average-value model of a peak-current controlled dc-dc converter with galvanic isolation is derived and its accuracy is demonstrated. The two main contributions of this paper are the development of a new peak-current based control which ensures that load fault currents do not propagate through the system and the derivation of an average-value model for the chosen converter topology with the aforementioned control. The proposed control strategy is shown to yield excellent fault performance. The average-value model (AVM) accurately captures most low-frequency dynamics and is much faster to evaluate than a waveform-level model which includes switching. The subject converter and its control are intended for use in a part of a larger distribution system and, in particular, a shipboard DC power system. The comparison between the AVM and a waveform-level model of a laboratory scale DC-DC converter demonstrates the accuracy of the AVM.