cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the importance of high frequency tail in third generation wave models

Abstract Two well-known third generation wave models, SWAN and WAVEWATCH-III, with different assumptions for high cut-off frequency were used to evaluate the interaction of low and high frequency components in wave spectral evolution. The results showed that WAM cycle 3 formulation overestimates the energy content in frequency band of 0.5–1 Hz for Gulf of Mexico, which suggests using cut-off frequency close to 0.5 Hz rather than 1 Hz would improve the simulated bulk wave parameters. The evaluation of WAM cycle 4 and a newer nonlinear formulation implemented recently for white capping in SWAN also showed the better performance of wave model in oceanic scale with cut-off frequency close to 0.5 Hz. However, WAM cycle 3 was more sensitive to cut-off frequency as well as to the exponent used in the expression for the frequency tail, than other formulations in SWAN. The use of f − 5 tail shape, rather than the f − 4 form for the frequency spectrum beyond both cut-off frequencies used in this study, resulted in better agreement between simulated and observed wave parameters for most of the formulations implemented in these models. Also, it was demonstrated that WAM cycle 3 with dynamic cut-off frequency outperformed the corresponding configuration with static cut-off frequency. The suggested modifications for cut-off frequency and the expression for high frequency tail in SWAN substantially ameliorates the widely known underestimation of the average wave period associated with the WAM cycle 3 formulation, and reduces the amount of calculations needed for other formulations.
E-talk: Attitudes and motivation in computer-assisted classroom discussion

This paper is the description of an experiment in E-talk, computer-assisted classroom discussion, undertaken at a large southwestern university with a class of intermediate French students. We describe the research design and the results as they relate to the students' attitudes and motivation. The research seems to indicate that there are important benefits to using a local area network (LAN) as a means of encouraging discussion amongst students.
Compressibility and thermal expansion coefficients of nanocomposites with amorphous and crystalline polymer matrix

Abstract Clay-containing polymeric nanocomposites (CPNC) with polystyrene (PS) or polyamide-6 (PA-6) matrix were studied within T = 300–600 K and P = 0.1–190 MPa. From the Pressure–Volume–Temperature (PVT) data the derivatives: compressibility, κ, and thermal expansion coefficient, α, were computed as functions of T, P and clay content, w. Dependence of these coefficients on P and T were significantly different for the amorphous PS than for the semi-crystalline PA-6. In the PS plots of κ and α vs. T the presence of secondary transitions, Tβ/Tg ≈ 0.9 ± 0.1 and Tc/Tg = 1.2 ± 0.1, were detected and the clay effect at low T was prominent, affecting the physical aging. The isobaric values of α = α(T) were characterized by nearly T-independent values in the glassy and molten phase, connected by a large transitory region stretching from the ambient pressure values of Tg to Tc; this region was even more prominent in κ = κ(T). The derivative properties of PA-6 based CPNC were distinctly different. Here, the isobaric κ = κ(T) followed the same dependence on both sides of the melting zone, while the isobaric α = α(T) dependencies were dramatically different for the solid and molten phase; at T Tm (depending on w and P) either increased or decreased with T. Interpretation of the behavior in the melt and glass is based on the Simha–Somcynsky (S–S) cell-hole theory while that of the semicrystalline state on the Midha–Nanda–Simha–Jain (MNSJ) cell theory. In spite of the nonequilibrium conditions below the main transition point, Tg or Tm, the theories well predict the observed dependencies.
Evaluation of antimicrobial properties of orthodontic composite resins combined with benzalkonium chloride

Abstract An antimicrobial agent, benzalkonium chloride (BAC), was added to a chemically cured composite resin, and the antimicrobial benefits and physical properties of the modified composite were evaluated. BAC was added to Reliance Phase II composite to create modified composites with BAC concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 2.50 wt%. Specimen disks of the modified composite were incubated with Streptococcus mutans for 48 hours, and an agar disk diffusion assay was used to measure zones of bacterial inhibition. Larger disks were suspended in brain-heart infusion medium containing 2 × 10 4 colony-forming units/mL Streptococcus sobrinus (10 mL, 2 wt% sucrose, 24 hours) to measure bacterial adherence to the adhesive; adherent cells were removed from the surface with 1 N NaOH, and the optical density of the cells was measured at 550 nanometers. Traction hooks were bonded to bovine teeth with the modified composite, and tensile bond strength was evaluated with a universal testing machine. Diametral tensile stress was also measured. The modified composite samples showed that antimicrobial activity increased with higher BAC content; no antimicrobial activity was measured for the original compound in either the disk diffusion or the bacterial adherence test. There were no significant differences ( P
The effects of indomethacin upon physiological indices of gastric mucosal integrity

Indomethacin was studied for its effects on three indices of gastric mucosal integrity in anesthetized cats. Following intragastric administration of the compound under conditions of constant stomach acidity and electrolyte concentrations, the transgastric potential difference declined in a gradual, linear fashion during the 210 min of the experimental period. These changes, which were dose related over the range of 1.25-5 mg/kg of indomethacin, were accompanied by increased concentrations of luminal pepsin and blood. The results suggest that the transgastric potential difference is a sensitive indicator of gastric mucosal integrity under the conditions of this study.
Development and Validation of a Clinical Prediction Rule for Prolonged Nursing Home Residence After Hip Fracture

OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a clinical prediction rule for nursing home residence 6 months after a hip fracture. DESIGN: Two prospective cohort studies, a development study (DS) and a validation study (VS). SETTING: The DS included hip fracture patients admitted to 92 rehabilitation units or skilled nursing facilities; the VS included hip fracture patients from 11 integrated healthcare systems. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 344 community-dwelling hip fracture patients aged 65 and older participated in the DS; 239 similar patients were enrolled in the VS. INTERVENTION: None. MEASUREMENTS: The acute hospital record, nursing evaluations, and patient questionnaires provided information about demographics, physical and neuropsychological function, and comorbidity. Residence 6 months after fracture was determined by phone interview. Multivariate analysis identified predictors for a risk score to assess the likelihood of nursing home residence. RESULTS: 18.7% of patients in the DS resided in nursing homes 6 months after hip fracture. The four independent risk factors for institutionalization were (1) being unmarried (OR = 6.7 [95% CI 2.4 to 19]), (2) incontinence (OR = 2.3 [CI 1.2 to 4.7]), (3) dependence in ambulation (OR = 5.0 [CI 2.1 to 12.3]), and (4) cognitive impairment (OR = 6.6 [CI 3.3 to 13.2]). Of patients with all four risk factors, 73.2% were institutionalized at 6 months, compared with 0% of patients with no risk factors. In the VS, 6.1% of patients resided in nursing homes after 6 months, with a range from 50.0% of patients with four risk factors to 0% of those with no risk factors. Areas under receiver-operating characteristic curves for the prediction rule were 0.84 ± .03 in the DS, and 0.81 ± .06 in the VS. CONCLUSION: A clinical prediction rule using four easily measurable characteristics can identify individuals at high or low risk of nursing home residence 6 months after hip fracture. J Am Geriatr Soc 45:1510–1514, 1997.
Brazilian frontier settlement: The case of Rondônia

The case study of the frontier settlement of Rondonia in Brazil reveals that no theoretical model appropriately captures the complexity of recent rural developments. If settlement in Rondonia is to act as a siphon for rural outmigration then development in Rondonia is a failure for several reasons. There is overcrowding due to limits on carrying capacity in Rondonia; rural-urban migration flows were not stemmed. Settlement in Rondonia does not provide a poverty alternative. Government does not provide support for small scale agriculturalists. The settlement of Rondonia serves to secure this region for the nation. The author recommends improved data collection on migration into Rondonia and Mato Grosso on settlement along the only transportation route into the interior (the BR-364) and settlement at government posts. The posts should be funded and run 24 hours a day throughout the year. Registration of in and out migration and sociodemographic data collection would then dispel unfounded speculations. Theoretical models are inadequate and tend to explain remote rather than frontier areas. Fowerakers model in 1981 of Rondonia describes the most important elements of the current state of Rondonia according to the overlapping and non-mutually exclusive states of noncapitalist precapitalist and capitalist conditions. In Rondonia government involvement after World War II marked two distinct periods of development. The earlier period was characterized by frontier movements and the later by conscious government interventions to settle the region. In 1960 population was 69792 persons and population density was very low. Population increased to 111064 in 1970 when massive resettlement and migration began. By 1980 population increased to 491069 persons or a growth rate of 16% over the 10 years. Migration is motivated by the lure of free or low cost land the search for better opportunities and the chance to become self-sufficient producers. Survey data in 1984 and 1985 revealed landlessness in the adjoining states of Parana Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul and displacement of agricultural workers due to federal action to rapidly expand industrialization and economic growth in a modern mechanized agricultural sector.
Catalytic probe for alloy formation in supported PtRe catalysts: isotope exchange and hydrogenolysis of cyclopentane

The H/D isotope exchange and the hydrogenolysis of cyclopentane (CP) as catalyzed by alumina- or silica-supported Pt, Re, their alloys, and physical mixtures have been studied. The number of surface-exposed metal atoms is determined by chemisorbing deuterium and exchanging it with hydrogen. The CP exchange reaction is found to be nonspecific for the composition of the catalyzing ensembles: PtRe alloys exhibit the same rate and exchange pattern as a physical mixture of these metals with the same number of metal atoms exposed. The exchange rate can therefore be used to count exposed metal atoms. The exchange patterns over Pt and PtRe show partial maxima for d/sub 5/ and d/sub 10/; over PtRe all products are formed in quantities intermediate to those obtained over Pt and Re respectively. CP hydrogenolysis is highly ensemble-specific. The TOF (turnover frequency) for methane formation over PtRe exceeds that over the separate metals by a factor of 40. This finding is used to estimate the extent of alloy formation in supported bimetallic PtRe catalysts. Even in physical mixtures of Pt and Re, initially supported on separated support particles, some alloy formation can be detected.
O2-regulated gene expression: Transcriptional control of cardiorespiratory physiology by HIF-1

The cardiovascular and respiratory systems play key roles in O(2) homeostasis. Physiological responses to hypoxia involve changes in gene expression that are mediated by the transcriptional activator hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1. Analysis of mice heterozygous for a knockout allele at the locus encoding the O(2)-regulated HIF-1alpha or HIF-2alpha subunit has revealed that these proteins are required for multiple physiological responses to chronic hypoxia, including erythrocytosis and pulmonary vascular remodeling. In mice with partial HIF-2alpha deficiency, hypoxia-induced expression of endothelin-1 and norepinephrine is dramatically impaired, and the mice fail to develop pulmonary hypertension after 4 wk of exposure to 10% O(2). In mice with partial HIF-1alpha deficiency, the ability of the carotid body to sense and/or respond to acute or chronic hypoxia is lost. In wild-type mice, brief episodes of intermittent hypoxia are sufficient to induce production of erythropoietin (EPO), which protects the heart against apoptosis after ischemia-reperfusion, whereas in mice with partial HIF-1alpha deficiency, intermittent hypoxia does not induce EPO production or cardiac protection. Parenteral administration of EPO to rodents is sufficient to induce dramatic protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury in the heart. Thus HIF-1 mediates critical physiological responses to hypoxia, and the elucidation of these homeostatic mechanisms may lead to novel therapies for the most common causes of mortality in the US population.
Effects of Goal Structures and Performance Contingencies on the Math Performance of Adolescents with Learning Disabilities

This study assessed the effects of assigned versus self-selected goals and contingent versus noncontingent gameplay conditions, delivered during computer-assisted math computation drill-and-practice sessions. Participants were 20 high school pupils with learning disabilities who had active Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goals that targeted the improvement of computational skills. Students were assigned randomly to goal conditions and, within goal conditions, to contingency groups. Math computation performance was measured pre-, mid-, and posttreatment. Analyses of variance indicated that students who selected their goals performed better than pupils with assigned goals. No differences existed between the contingency groups. Implications for practice are discussed.
Potentiometric and Fiber Optic Sensors for pH Based on an Electropolymerized Cobalt Porphyrin

Potentiometric and fiber optic sensors based on polymer films were prepared by electrodeposition of the ion-carrier monomer cobalt(II) tetrakis (p-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin, [Co(p-OH)TPP]. Fiber optic sensors were developed by electropolymerization of the porphyrin on the surface of indium(tin) oxide glass slides. The optical sensors were highly selective to pH, presenting minimal interferences from anions. They had a linear response from pH 8 to 12. Potentiometric sensors were prepared from porphyrin films electrodeposited on glassy-carbon disk electrodes. These electrodes gave a near-Nernstian response to pH from pH 2 to 12 with minimal interferences
Increased hepatic monoacylglycerol acyltransferase activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetes : characterization and comparison with activities from adult and neonatal rat liver

Hepatic monoacylglycerol acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.22) (MGAT) is a developmentally-expressed activity associated with physiological periods characterized by high rates of lipolysis and dependence on fatty acids for energy production. During these periods, MGAT may help to retain essential fatty acids selectively. In streptozotocin-diabetes, mean MGAT-specific activity increased 11.8-fold. We characterized microsomal MGAT activity from diabetic and control adult rats, and compared these adult activities with the high neonatal activity. Compared with the activity in neonatal liver, adult MGAT activity was more thermolabile, had a markedly different pH profile, and responded differently to incubation with bovine serum albumin, phospholipids, and MnCl2. Adult diabetic MGAT activity was also stimulated 2-fold by albumin and was markedly thermolabile, but was not inhibited by phospholipid. Diabetic MGAT activity had some properties that combined characteristics observed in adult and neonatal microsomes: a pH dependence that was optimal at pH 7.0 but that plateaued between pH 7.0 and 9.5, and neither stimulation nor inhibition after incubation with MnCl2. Diabetic MGAT acylated monoalkylglycerols more readily than did either the neonatal or the adult MGAT activities. The enhanced expression of hepatic MGAT activity in diabetes is consistent with its postulated role in retaining essential fatty acids during lipolysis.
ON THE NORMATIVE SIGNIFICANCE OF BRUTE FACTS

Sometimes there are reasons for us to think or act in certain ways. We pay our taxes, we show up on time for our classes, we refuse to assent to claims that we recognize to be inconsistent, and we refrain from wanton violence, and we do each of these things because—we assume—there are reasons for us to do them. I will express the general point by saying that there are norms that apply to us, and to our thought and action. For a norm to apply to a person is for there to be a reason for that person to think or act in a particular way—the way indicated by the norm. Perhaps this reason is one that the person herself does not in any way recognize or acknowledge. But the reason itself—whether or not it is recognized or acknowledged by the person for whom it purports to be a reason—is what I call a “norm.” For instance, I might not recognize or acknowledge various norms concerning theft. But those norms still exist, and they still apply to me; there is a reason for me not to steal, whether or not I recognize or acknowledge that reason. My failure to recognize or acknowledge such reasons does not make them any less real or any less applicable to me.
Analytical Solutions for Shallow Tunnels in Saturated Ground

Estimates of ground deformations and liner stresses in a tunnel are usually obtained from empirical correlations or from past experience on similar tunnels. These correlations account for only a few of the significant factors, and extrapolation to other cases is questionable because similitude conditions are not generally fulfilled. In this paper, complete analytical solutions for a shallow tunnel in saturated ground are obtained. Two different drainage conditions have been considered: full drainage at the ground-liner interface, and no drainage. The solutions cover different construction processes and soil conditions: (1) dry ground; (2) saturated ground with and without air pressure; (3) with and without a gap between the ground and the liner; and (4) applicability for short term analysis (i.e., undrained excavation and liner installation) and for long term analysis. Since the ground and the liner are assumed to behave elastically, the solutions obtained are restricted to cases where ground deformations are small, such as stiff clays and rocks, or when the excavation method prevents large deformations of the ground.
Accessory bone or unusual congenital anomaly

This case study presents a congenital anomaly, diagnosed in a 23-year-old male, not found previously described in the medical literature. It also reviews the current classification systems used to describe congenital anomalies.
Electrocautery versus curette adenoidectomy: comparison of postoperative results

Abstract Objective: Identify differences in adenoidectomy performed by curettage versus electrocautery ablation. Design: To receive adenoidectomy by curettage or electrocautery ablation 38 patients undergoing adenoidectomy or adenotonsillectomy were prospectively randomized. The study was completed by 24 patients. All tonsillectomy patients received electrocautery dissection of the tonsils. Preoperative and at least 1 month postoperative video-nasopharyngoscopy was performed. Video tapes were reviewed by the authors blinded to patient identity and procedure to evaluate choanal obstruction. Preoperative and postoperative lateral neck radiographs were obtained. Blood loss and postoperative complications were recorded. Setting: A single, tertiary care pediatric facility. Interventions: Electrocautery ablation of the adenoid was performed with suction cautery. Curettage was performed with standard adenoid curettes. Main outcome measured: A grading system for adenoid size was developed using radiographs and endoscopic parameters. The grade of preoperative and postoperative adenoid tissue was compared between the curettage and electrocautery ablation groups. Operative blood loss was compared between the groups. The postoperative course and complications were compared. Results: The preoperative grade of choanal obstruction in both groups was the same. No differences could be found in the postoperative grade between the curettage and the electrocautery ablation groups. No postoperative complications were recorded in either group. The estimated blood loss in the curettage group was 54.5 ml (S.D. 50.7) while the electrocautery ablation group averaged 3.75 ml (S.D. 6.4; p =0.0053). Conclusion: There are no differences in the postoperative results of adenoidectomy performed by electrocautery ablation or curettage. There are no complications recorded in either group. Estimated blood loss was lower in the electrocautery ablation group. Decreased blood loss during the procedure makes the electrocautery ablation method of adenoidectomy attractive.
Cardiac surgery resuscitation: time for a new standard?

ardiac arrest in someone who hasundergone heart surgery is quitedifferent than other patient popula-tions. While it seems obvious that apatient who has undergone a sterno-tomy, induced asystole, cardiopulmo-nary bypass, aortic cross-clamping,and hypothermia has uniquely differ-ent reasons for arrest (and methods tocorrect it) than others, little has beenwritten about this important issue. Upto 5000 cardiac surgery patients expe-rience a postoperative arrest situationannually in the United States andstandard resuscitation algorithms, de-signed primarily for those experiencingout-of-hospital events, have proven tobe inadequate and potentially harmful.With a greater appreciation ofimportant distinctions between thesepatients vs others, comes a new way ofthinking about their optimal arrestmanagement that is long overdue.CHEST COMPRESSIONSAdvanced cardiac life support (ACLS)has become a standard of care foremergency response in the acute caresetting. These algorithms advocateexternal cardiac compressions (ECC)as an essential component of initialresuscitation efforts for virtually all ar-rest situations, and healthcare workersare well conditioned to perform ECCupon ﬁnding an arrest victim.
Sensitivity Factors in Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) System Cost

Even though PV technology is new and expensive for the building industry today, and regardless of market development and technology advancement, a BIPV system cost can actually be reduced and its application can spread further into the building industry as this paper will manage to show. However, PV systems still have not been accepted by the building industry and consumers yet. According to the results of a survey by the workshop of Building Integrated Photovoltaic for Design Professionals which was sponsored by the National Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA), “a major barrier to analyzing renewable energy systems is assembling and presenting the technical and financial data to persuade a client that a BIPV would make economic sense.” [Wenger and Eiffert, 1996] This paper uses Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) for identifying BIPV system cost components and makes the connection between the findings of LCCA and the design process. It identifies specific quantifiable measures/variables that will be compared with a non-PV integrated building or different PV system applications by using the LCCA method that confirms cost related issues. Calculations of payback period as a result of LCCA gauge the sensitivity of these variables and show how some of them are significantly more important than others in reducing the pay back period. Offering an efficient approach for integration of PV into curtain wall also meets the long-term objective of the satisfaction of the building user.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Space-charge effects in aerosol charging and migration

Abstract Numerical calculations demonstrate the dominant effect of aerosol space charge in the ionic charging and electrostatic precipitation of a dense quiescent aerosol in an applied electric field. Alternative charging laws are used: one the sum of the field and diffusion charging currents, while the other, proposed by Liu and Yeh, includes an enhancement of the diffusion process by the applied field. Experiments are conducted in a parallel-plate geometry with 0.56-μm radius dioctylphthalate particles with number densities of 0.6 to 6 × 1012 m−3 and applied fields of 0.23 × 105 to 1.05 × 105 V/m. Ions are injected using a “corona triode” arrangement which provides a uniform flux of ions and blocks the turbulent corona wind. The collected aerosol mass and ion current (which can be strongly suppressed by the aerosol) are recorded as functions of time. For the lower initial aerosol number densities, numerically determined deposition times predicted by the two charging models bracket the experimentally obtained time. Differences of factors of four or more between the experimentally obtained and numerically predicted deposition times at higher aerosol densities are attributed to observed fluid instability and convection driven by the charged aerosol.
Clostridium infection resulting in paralysis in a child

We report an 11-year-old boy who fell from an All Terrain Vehicle and sustained multiple minor soft tissue contusions and a small midthoracic laceration. Irrigation and closure of the small wound was performed at another hospital. There was no history of a penetrating wound. Within 48 h of injury, the patient developed profound dysesthesia and paralysis of the lower extremities and was transferred to our hospital. MRI disclosed a paraspinal abnormality without bony involvement. At exploration a portion of a tree branch was removed. Wound cultures were positive for Clostridium botulinum, tetani, and perfringens. To our knowledge, this is the first case of direct Clostridium intoxication of the spinal cord in man. Moreover, this report demonstrates the invasive manner in which Clostridium toxins may breach both the intact ligamentum flavum and the dura mater to deliver their toxicity to the intradural contents. Although the patient’s dysesthesia resolved and paraplegia improved to ambulation he is still left with a significant motor deficit.
Evolutionary dynamics of eukaryotic selenoproteomes: large selenoproteomes may associate with aquatic life and small with terrestrial life

Background: Selenocysteine (Sec) is a selenium-containing amino acid that is co-translationally inserted into nascent polypeptides by recoding UGA codons. Selenoproteins occur in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, but the selenoprotein content of organisms (selenoproteome) is highly variable and some organisms do not utilize Sec at all. Results: We analyzed the selenoproteomes of several model eukaryotes and detected 26 and 29 selenoprotein genes in the green algae Ostreococcus tauri and Ostreococcus lucimarinus, respectively, five in the social amoebae Dictyostelium discoideum, three in the fly Drosophila pseudoobscura, and 16 in the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana, including several new selenoproteins. Distinct selenoprotein patterns were verified by metabolic labeling of O. tauri and D. discoideum with 75 Se. More than half of the selenoprotein families were shared by unicellular eukaryotes and mammals, consistent with their ancient origin. Further analyses identified massive, independent selenoprotein losses in land plants, fungi, nematodes, insects and some protists. Comparative analyses of selenoprotein-rich and -deficient organisms revealed that aquatic organisms generally have large selenoproteomes, whereas several groups of terrestrial organisms reduced their selenoproteomes through loss of selenoprotein genes and replacement of Sec with cysteine. Conclusion: Our data suggest many selenoproteins originated at the base of the eukaryotic domain and show that the environment plays an important role in selenoproteome evolution. In particular, aquatic organisms apparently retained and sometimes expanded their selenoproteomes, whereas the selenoproteomes of some terrestrial organisms were reduced or completely lost. These findings suggest a hypothesis that, with the exception of vertebrates, aquatic life supports selenium utilization, whereas terrestrial habitats lead to reduced use of this trace element due to an unknown environmental factor.
Coming of age: Carbohydrates and immunity

Adaptive immune responses have long been considered the “territory” of antigenic proteins, whereas carbohydrates are characterized as T-cell-independent antigens that are not typically recognized by the complete adaptive machinery. The current modus operandi when searching for dominant epitopes is the use of synthetic peptides designed from the primary structure of interesting target proteins; however, there is growing evidence that sugars can also play a critical role in immune recognition. Findings reported in this issue of the European Journal of Immunology begin to shed light on the differences in protein glycosylation that can occur in association with disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and the effect these changes have on collagen recognition by the immune system. Other recent studies have shown that immunodominant glycopeptide “remnant” epitopes as well as glycosylation changes on self-proteins can generate autoimmunity. Finally, some types of carbohydrates are now known to be processed and presented to T cells by class II MHC. Taken together, these advances illustrate a clear importance for carbohydrate recognition in foreign and self antigens by the adaptive immune system. With the common presence of carbohydrate molecules on eukaryotic, prokaryotic, and viral surfaces, the impact of carbohydrates on adaptive immunity is now indisputable. See accompanying article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eji.200425637
Simulations of Shallow Supercell Storms in Landfalling Hurricane Environments

Abstract Numerical simulations of the convective storms that form in tornado-producing landfalling hurricanes show that shallow supercells are possible, even though buoyancy is limited because ambient lapse rates are close to moist adiabatic. Updrafts generally reach peak intensity at low levels, often around 2 km above the surface. By comparison, a simulated midlatitude supercell typical of the Great Plains of the United States exhibits a pronounced increase in storm size, both horizontally and vertically. At low levels, however, the hurricane-spawned storms may contain updrafts that rival or exceed in intensity those of Great Plains supercells at similar levels. Simulations made using a tornado-proximity sounding from the remnants of Hurricane Danny in 1985 produce a small but intense supercell, a finding consistent with the available observational evidence. Although the amplitude of parcel buoyancy is often small in hurricane environments, its concentration in the strongly sheared lower troposphere pro...
1LA ORIGIN LOCATIONS OF METHYL INDOLES IN ARGON MATRICES

Polarized fluorescence excitation and dispersed fluorescence spectra of 3-methylindole (3MI), 5-methylindole (5MI), and 2,3-dimethylindole (2,3DMI) in solid Ar at 20 K under site selective conditions have unambigously revealed their 1La origin locations. For 3MI the 1La origin is 260 cm−1 above the 1Lb origin and for 5MI it is 1800 cm−1 above 1Lb. For 2,3DMI, the 1La origin lies 190 cm−1 below the 1Lb origin. The latter assignment is made from details of the dispersed fluorescence in comparison to the phosphorescence spectrum of indole in argon at 20 K.
MIKC* MADS Domain Heterodimers Are Required for Pollen Maturation and Tube Growth in Arabidopsis

MADS box genes encode transcription factors that play important regulatory roles at various stages in plant development. Transcripts encoding the MIKC*-type (for MADS DNA-binding domain, Intervening domain, Keratin-like domain, and C-terminal domain) factors, a divergent clade, are enriched in mature pollen. Previous studies have shown that these proteins bind DNA as heterodimers, which form between S- and P-class MIKC* proteins. In this study, Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) pollen with little or no MIKC* activity was produced by combining strong loss-of-function alleles of the S-class proteins AGAMOUS-LIKE66 (AGL66) and AGL104. Double mutant plants produce pollen but have severely reduced fertility due to reduced pollen viability, delayed germination, and aberrant pollen tube growth. Microarray analysis of the mutant pollen revealed that the loss of MIKC* regulation has a major impact on pollen gene expression. Pollen competition assays involving various combinations of AGL65, AGL66, AGL104, and AGL94 mutant alleles provided genetic evidence that at least three heterodimers (AGL30-AGL104, AGL65-AGL104, and AGL30-AGL66) form and function in at least a partially redundant fashion in pollen. Analyses of transcript abundance in wild-type and mutant pollen indicated that AGL65-containing complexes are likely to be more abundant than the others and that accumulation of AGL30 and AGL94 transcripts increases in response to reductions in MIKC* activity. These results were combined to create a model to describe MIKC* heterodimer contributions in pollen.
Public Technology Infrastructure, R&D Sourcing, and Research Joint Ventures

In this paper, we define public technology infrastructure to mean public resources that bring new R&D into existence. Examples are public research that yields knowledge spillovers and government contracts that broker new research. Using this definition we explore the effect of public infrastructure on cooperative R&D, especially R&D sourcing and research joint ventures (RJVs). Our findings strongly suggest that public infrastructure promotes cooperative R&D. We begin by studying the role of federal laboratories in R&D sourcing by private laboratories, finding that sourcing increases as a result. Then we examine patents arising from RJVs sponsored by the Advanced Technology Program (ATP). We find that R&D subsidies as well as difficulty and novelty increase patents produced by the RJVs. Contractual oversight by ATP has no direct effect but an indirect effect appears to exist, since firms value ATP oversight more highly for more difficult and novel projects, and these produce more patents.
Synovial fluid cells in systemic lupus erythematosus: light and electron microscopic studies.

Joint fluid findings in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have been described in only a few series and systematic electron microscopic study of the synovial fluid (SF) cells has not been reported. We describe the evaluation of 17 SF in patients with SLE with routine analysis and electron microscopy. Joint effusions had a wider range of leukocyte counts than often appreciated, with counts varying from 875 to 39 250 cells per mm3. LE inclusions were seen in eight fluids and have been shown to contain chromatin-like filaments by electron microscopy. There was little associated electron dense immunoglobulin-like material. Tubuloreticular structures (TRS) found in seven SF were mostly in mononuclear cells including some LE cells. The known association of TRS with alpha interferon and viral infections may have important implications for pathogenesis.
Smad4 as a Transcription Corepressor for Estrogen Receptor α

Antiestrogen compounds exhibit a variety of different effects in different tissues and are widely used for the treatment of osteoporosis, breast cancer, and other diseases. Upon examining the molecular mechanisms, we found that Smad4, a common signal transducer in the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)/transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway, functions as a transcription corepressor for human estrogen receptor α (ERα). Endogenous ERα was co-immunoprecipitated with Smad4, and the interaction was induced by antiestrogen ligands such as tamoxifen, raloxifene, and droloxifen, which was confirmed in chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Smad4 and ERα form a complex when ERα binds to the estrogen-responsive element within the estrogen target gene promoter. Importantly, the expression of Smad4 inhibits both antiestrogen-induced luciferase activity and estrogen downstream target gene transcription in breast cancer cells. Mapping of the interaction domains indicates that the activation function 1 (AF1) domain of ERα is essential for its interaction with Smad4, while the MH1 domain and linker region of Smad4 are essential for the interaction. Our findings represent a novel mechanism that TGF-β may regulate cell fate through Smad4-mediated cross-talk with estrogen.
Post-anaesthetic dental extraction analgesia: a comparison of paracetamol, codeine, caffeine (Solpadeine) and diflunisal (Dolobid).

Summary This open, single dose trial compared the analgesic effect of Solpadeine and diflunisal in patients having dental extractions under general anaesthesia. Both drugs were equally efficacious in their effectiveness as an analgesic and although there were no statistical differences in their rate of onset of action, Solpadeine achieved efficacy faster than diflunisal.
Ionization of noble gas atoms by alpha particles and fission fragments from the decay of 252Cf1

Abstract Charge state distributions of He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe ions produced in single collisions with alpha particles and fission fragments from the decay of 252 Cf have been measured using time of flight spectrometry. The measurements reveal that the maximum number of electrons removed in a fission fragment collision ranges from eight in the case of Ne to 20 in the case of Xe. Recoil-ion production cross sections have been determined for the resolvable ionic charge states and compared with the predictions of a model based upon the independent electron approximation.
Observational and model evidence for positive low-level cloud feedback

Feedbacks involving low-level clouds remain a primary cause of uncertainty in global climate model projections. This issue was addressed by examining changes in low-level clouds over the Northeast Pacific in observations and climate models. Decadal fluctuations were identified in multiple, independent cloud data sets, and changes in cloud cover appeared to be linked to changes in both local temperature structure and large-scale circulation. This observational analysis further indicated that clouds act as a positive feedback in this region on decadal time scales. The observed relationships between cloud cover and regional meteorological conditions provide a more complete way of testing the realism of the cloud simulation in current-generation climate models. The only model that passed this test simulated a reduction in cloud cover over much of the Pacific when greenhouse gases were increased, providing modeling evidence for a positive low-level cloud feedback.
Structure of thermal radiation field in an optically thick limit

The transport of radiation in the optically thick limit is investigated when the temperature profile within the medium is specified and continuous, and when the medium under consideration is not in radiative equilibrium. Results show that the equation governing the transport of incident radiation becomes mathematically singular as the optical thickness becomes large. It is shown that this singularity is an attribute of a small parameter epsilon, which is inversely proportional to the square of the optical thickness, multiplying the highest derivative of the differential equation. It is found that in the optically thick limit, away from the wall the radiation field is near equilibrium, such that up to 0(epsilon) the rates of absorption and emission of radiation are equal. In the near-wall region, however, the absorption and emission rates are different by 0(epsilon to the 1/2). Thus, the magnitude of the divergence of radiative heat flux changes by 0(epsilon to the 1/2) as the wall is approached from the far region, and there exists a radiation boundary layer for the incident radiation in the limit of optical thickness becoming very large.
Modeling an environment: agents in character feature extraction

A feature extraction system based on artificial life concepts is presented. The system provides automatic character feature extraction through the local actions of autonomous feature agents. A feature agent is a simple artificial creature who has a face, a body and two mouths, and can eat, move, grow and bear children in its environment. Feature agents are situated in a character image environment, sense the environmental conditions and produce their bodies in this environment. The local action of such agents results in building a topological structure of the food environment (character strokes) which is essential to character recognition. The global result of feature extraction emerges from feature agents’ local activities. We have applied this feature extraction system to our research in digit recognition. The results are promising both from theoretical and practical points of view. The results demonstrate that the difficult problem of character feature extraction can be attacked by using situated autonomous agents.
Estimating the risks of acquiring a kidney abroad: a meta‐analysis of complications following participation in transplant tourism

A meta-analysis of odds ratios comparing the risks of participating in transplant tourism by acquiring a kidney abroad to the risks associated with domestic kidney transplant was undertaken. Comparison across 12 medical outcomes indicates transplant tourists are significantly more likely to contract cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B, HIV, post-transplantation diabetes mellitus, and wound infection than those receiving domestic kidney transplant. Results also indicate that domestic kidney transplant recipients experience significantly higher one-yr patient- and graft-survival rates. Analyses are supplemented by independent comparisons of outcomes and provide practitioners with weighted estimates of the proportion of transplant recipients experiencing 15 medical outcomes. Practitioners are encouraged to caution patients of the medical risks associated with transplant tourism. Despite the illegal and unethical nature of transplant tourism, additional efforts are indicated to eliminate the organ trade and to educate wait-listed patients about the risks of transplant tourism.
Some neuropsychological features of delinquent subjects.

Consideration of delinquent acts as related to a "chain" of causes, including differential opportunities to succeed, as reported by Knight (1972), raises questions about ability levels or patterns which may conuibute to reduced opportunities to succeed in school requirements and similar pursuits. Nineteen consecutive coum-referred juveniles, excluding truancy, runaway, and curfew violations, were examined extensively with neuropsychological (Reitan, 1966) and psychometric measures. A contrast group of 10 consecutive "emotionally disturbed" non-court referrals was similarly examined. All Ss were male. Clinical neurological examinations were negative for both groups. Mean age and highest school grade completed were comparable for the groups, i.e., approximately 17 yr. of age and 9.3 grades completed. All Ss of the contrast group were right-handed, but 32% of the delinquent sample were unexpectedly left-handed (Hkaen & Ajuriaguerra, 1964). Intra-individual patterns of Wechsler-Bellevue subtest scores, based on Parsons' (1970) description of left- and right-hemisphere signs for groups with lateralized cerebral dysfunction indicated six delinquent Ss (2 left-handed) and one contrast S showed 2 4 left-hemisphere signs. Fisher's exact probability test ~ielded a probability level < .005. No delinquent Ss and three contrast Ss showed s 4 right-hemisphere signs (p < .05). The delinquent group performed significantly (p < .05 to p < .01) less well than the contrast group on the Speech Perception Test, Tactual Performance Location, and Finger Tapping of rhe right hand (not significant with left-handed Ss omitted) of the neuropsychological tests, and on Wechsler-Bellevue Information, Comprehension, Arithmetic, Vocabulary, Picture Completion, and Block Design. Further, left-handed delinquent Ss obtained a lower mean performance IQ than the right-handed delinquent Ss (t = 3.47, p < .01). Further investigation of characceristics OF delinquent Ss may lead to useful hypotheses concerning selection and aid to "high-risk" youth.
Urban Inequality and Racial Differences in Risk for Violent Victimization

Past research has shown that racial inequality in urban areas—Black and White residential segregation and economic inequality—is associated with increased levels of homicide offending and that victimization among Blacks yet serves as a protection mechanism against such violence among Whites. However, few studies have considered alternative measures of violence, namely nonfatal violent victimization in the study of racial inequality in urban areas. This oversight is problematic, given that although some scholars suggest that homicide is a reliable indicator of all forms of violence in general, victimization reports often point to qualitative differences in lethal and nonlethal forms of violence. Consequently, this research examines the link between city-level White and Black residential segregation and economic inequality and individual risks for nonfatal violent victimization net of individual-level factors that have also been associated with such risks. The data are disaggregated by race, because White a...
Variational bounds for thermal fields in media with heterogeneous microstructure

This work develops a rigorous variational upper bound for the difference between thermal fields generated in uniform media and thermal fields generated in heterogeneous media, for the same external loading. The bound can be calculated in a simple manner, with knowledge only of the heterogeneous material properties and a relatively easy-to-compute thermal field associated with a uniform medium. In order to evaluate the bound, the difficult-to-compute thermal field, associated with the heterogeneous material, does not need to be calculated. Three-dimensional numerical examples are provided to illustrate the results.
Dynamics and Mechanism of DNA Repair in a Biomimetic System: Flavin–Thymine Dimer Adduct

To mimic photolyase for efficient repair of UV-damaged DNA, numerous biomimetic systems have been synthesized, but all show low repair efficiency. The molecular mechanism of this low-efficiency process is still poorly understood. Here we report our direct mapping of the repair processes of a flavin-thymine dimer adduct with femtosecond resolution. We followed the entire dynamic evolution and observed direct electron transfer (ET) from the excited flavin to the thymine dimer in 79 ps. We further observed two competitive pathways, productive dimer ring splitting within 435 ps and futile back-ET in 95 ps. Our observations reveal that the underlying mechanism for the low repair quantum yield of flavin-thymine dimer adducts is the short-lived excited flavin moiety and the fast dynamics of futile back-ET without repair.