cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phenological influences on the albedo of prairie grassland and crop fields

The albedo of land surfaces is strongly affected by transient surface conditions. For a vegetated surface, albedo can change with soil moisture, fractional canopy cover, and plant phenology as well as solar zenith angle (θs). In this study, the relationships between albedo and plant phenology in prairie grassland and agricultural crops were examined by removing the effect of variations in θs. Albedos were evaluated at a constant θs, which was assigned to be 20° in this study. For days with a minimum θs larger than 20°, a polynomial function that relates albedos to θs was derived and applied to estimate the albedos at 20°. After the removal of θs variations, the observed albedos of grassland at the Konza Prairie showed a linearly decreasing trend from spring to winter due to prairie phenology. The observed albedo of a maize field showed a clear increase from seedling to peak green stage, except when drought caused a decrease in near-infrared reflectance. The observed albedos of a winter wheat field showed an uninterrupted decrease from peak green to harvesting stage.
Estimates of the wind speeds required for particle motion on Mars

Threshold wind speeds for setting particles into motion on Mars are estimated by evaluating experimentally observed threshold friction velocities and determining the ratio of this velocity to the threshold wind speed at the top of earth's atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). Turning angles between the direction of the wind at the top of the ABL and the wind stress at the surface are also estimated. Detailed consideration is given to the dependence of the threshold wind speed at the top of the ABL on particle diameter, surface pressure, air temperature, atmospheric stability and composition, surface roughness, and interparticle cohesion. The results are applied to interpret a number of phenomena that have been observed on Mars and are attributable to aeolian processes. It is shown that: (1) minimum threshold wind speeds of about 50 to 100 m/sec are required to cause particle motion on Mars under 'favorable' conditions; (2) particle motion should be infrequent and strongly correlated with proximity to small topographical features; (3) in general, particle motion occurs more readily at night than during the day, in winter polar areas than equatorial areas around noon, and for H2O or CO2 ice particles than for silicate particles; and (4) the boundary between saltating and suspendible particles is located at a particle diameter of about 100 microns.
The impact of local taxes on public school performance: the case of Pennsylvania

This study investigates how education inputs impact school performance. The focus is on local taxes since local tax revenues are the primary source of financing public schools. Using both OLS and 2SLS and examining 507 school districts in Pennsylvania during 1996 to 1999, results reveal that local taxes are strongly related to school performance implying that they have a direct effect on education inputs.
Glucose toxicity: the leading actor in the pathogenesis and clinical history of type 2 diabetes - mechanisms and potentials for treatment.

Abstract Aim Although it is now well established that the deleterious effects of chronic hyperglycaemia (i.e., glucose toxicity) play an important role in the progressive impairment of insulin secretion and sensitivity, the two major actors of the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus, the precise biochemical and molecular mechanisms responsible for the defects induced by glucose toxicity still remain to be defined. Data synthesis here we will briefly report on convincing evidence that glucose toxicity acts through oxidative stress, modifications in the exosamine pathway, protein kinase C and others. After inducing or contributing to the genesis of type 2 diabetes, these same mechanisms are considered responsible for the appearance and worsening of diabetic specific microvascular complications, while its role in increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases is less clear. Recent intervention studies (ADVANCE, ACCORD, VADT), conducted to evaluate the effects of strict glycaemic control, apparently failed to demonstrate an effect of glucose toxicity on cardiovascular diseases, at least in secondary prevention or when diabetes is present for a prolonged time. The re-examination, 20 years later, of the population studied in the UKPDS study, however, clearly demonstrated that the earliest is the strict glycaemic control reached, the lowest is the incidence of cardiovascular diseases observed, including myocardial infarction. Conclusion The acquaintance of the role of glucose toxicity should strongly influence the usual therapeutic choices and glycaemic targets where the reduced or absent risk of hypoglycaemia, durability of action, and data on prolonged safety should be the preferred characteristics of the drug of choice in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Identification of the uvrB gene product

Abstract We have constructed plasmids carrying various restriction fragments of the biouvrB region of the Escherichia coli chromosome. By analyzing the proteins synthesized in maxicells from the uvrB + plasmid pDR1494, and its derivatives containing γδ sequences inserted in the uvrB gene, we have determined that the uvrB gene is about two kilobase-pairs in length, that it is transcribed clockwise on the standard E. coli genetic map, and that it codes for a single polypeptide of M r = 84,000. The number of uvrB polypeptides in a normal cell is estimated to be about 140. We have also found that the uvrB gene is cut by Eco RI near its promoter.
Effects of TRH on hormone release from pituitaries of the lizard, Anolis carolinensis

Abstract The ability of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) to stimulate thyrotropin (TSH) from pituitaries of adult male lizards, Anolis carolinensis , was tested in vivo and in vitro . TSH output by pituitaries in vitro was determined by bioassay of the incubation medium using in vitro T 4 output by thyroids from the same lizards. Pituitaries incubated without TRH had no detectable TSH secretion during two consecutive (2 or 3 hr) periods of incubation. Incubation in 10 or 100 ng/ml TRH for 2 or 3 hr significantly augmented release of TSH bioactivity in a dose-dependent manner. Pituitaries taken from goitrogen (100 μg methimazole/day for 10 days)-treated lizards had elevated basal TSH secretion but did not respond to TRH. TRH injection in vivo (5 μg/hr for 10 hr) appeared to stimulate acute release of MSH activity as judged by darkening of skin color after each injection, and plasma T 4 was significantly elevated at the end of treatment. These results provide additional evidence that the reptilian thyrotrope has functional TRH receptors and the TSH-stimulating activity of the tripeptide along with its effects on other pituitary cells was present at an early stage of reptilian evolution.
Treatment of hypertension and its effect on cardiovascular risk factors: data from the Framingham Heart Study.

Analysis of the Framingham Heart Study experience between 1958 and 1970 showed a progressive increase in the rate of treatment and control of hypertension. With cross-sectional criteria to define diastolic hypertension, the treatment rate rose from 35% in 1958 through 1960 to 69% in 1968 through 1970 (p less than .001), and the treatment rate for sustained hypertension rose from 55% in 1958 through 1960 to 85% in 1968 through 1970 (p less than .001). Treated hypertensive subjects had higher pretreatment values of blood pressure but not of other cardiovascular risk factors than untreated hypertensive subjects. Treatment was more successful in controlling hypertension in later years (p less than .001), but in all years treatment reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure without causing significant changes in mean serum cholesterol or glucose levels. In treated hypertensive subjects, the 8 year predicted risk of coronary heart disease declined by 2.3 events per 100 people compared with that in untreated hypertensive subjects (p less than .0001). The observed incidence of coronary heart disease was consistent with these predictions and suggested that treatment may be especially beneficial in subjects who have systolic blood pressures of 180 mm Hg or higher and who are treated for more than 2 successive years.
On user charges for highway financing

Abstract At both the federal and state levels, the main source of highway infrastructure financing has been from road-user charges, particularly in the form of fuel taxes. Although there are widespread differences from state to state in highway user charge structures, the formof these structures, in most states, has remained basically unchanged ever since such charges were introduced several decades ago. Changes in vehicle characteristics and usage, economic changes and concernsof energy conservation, and environmental protection have made an impact on the methods of user charges that have been traditionally used. This paper surveys current practices of user charges in the U.S. and reviews their appropriateness in the light of the changes that have occured and would continue to occur in the next decade or even in the next century. A possible future policy direction on highway user charge structure that can incorporate the technological and other emerging developments is then examined.
Rapid solidification of subcooled small metallic drops

Accurate rapidly and slowly varying analytical solutions are obtained for the problem of the rapid solidification by convection of subcooled small metallic drops. These solutions, which were suggested by the approximate results obtained by using a quasi-moving-boundary approach, are useful in estimating metallurgical parameters in rapid rate solidification technology. The rapidly varying regular perturbation solution describes recalescence during which the liquid core increases very quickly from the nucleation temperature to the melting point. Enormous internal heat transfer rates dominate the process, and the solid-liquid interface is morphologically unstable, during recalescence. External convective heat transfer dominates after recalescence, and the slowly varying solution shows that this period begins when the dimensionless thickness of the solidified region is approximately equal to 1 − (1 − S)1/3. The position of the interface after recalescense is given by (1 − S − 3Hθ)1/3 Complete freezing of the ...
Elastic moduli of Al3Zr

Determination des modules d'Young et de cisaillement de melanges Al−Al 3 Zr que l'on extrapole pour les moduler d'elasticite de Al 3 Zr pur
A geometric introduction to the two-loop renormalization group flow

The Ricci flow has been of fundamental importance in mathematics, most famously through its use as a tool for proving the Poincare conjecture and Thurston’s geometrization conjecture. It has a parallel life in physics, arising as the first-order approximation of the renormalization group flow for the nonlinear sigma model of quantum field theory. There recently has been interest in the second-order approximation of this flow, called the RG-2 flow, which mathematically appears as a natural nonlinear deformation of the Ricci flow. A curvature flow arising from quantum field theory seems to us to capture the spirit of Yvonne Choquet-Bruhat’s extensive work in mathematical physics, and so in this commemorative article we give a geometric introduction to the RG-2 flow. A number of new results are presented as part of this narrative: short-time existence and uniqueness results in all dimensions if the sectional curvatures K ij satisfy certain inequalities; the calculation of fixed points for n = 3 dimensions; a reformulation of constant curvature solutions in terms of the Lambert W function; a classification of the solutions that evolve only by homothety; an analogue for RG flow of the 2-dimensional Ricci flow solution known to mathematicians as the cigar soliton, and discussed in the physics literature as Witten’s black hole. We conclude with a list of open problems whose resolutions would substantially increase our understanding of the RG-2 flow both physically and mathematically.
Cryogenic optical testing at the Marshall Space Flight Center

Optical test results of several lightweight mirrors using different instruments will be presented. Several optical figure-testing techniques were used to overcome the vibration problem associated with optical testing with long optical path length.
Simple models for the consumption rate of fossil fuel

Abstract Energy consumption models are useful in the analysis of many energy and resource problems. Fossil fuel consumption models are especially useful in forecasting future atmospheric CO 2 levels. Simple models are frequently used to develop scenarios. In CO 2 analysis, two logistic type models have been used to construct scenarios of fossil fuel consumption. In this paper, economic theory is used to derive a new model. The previous logistic type models are shown to be special cases of the new model.
Behavior of paper on a high speed conveyor subjected to air jet impingement: a method for estimating bending stiffness

Stiffness based sorting of mixed paper waste at high speed is desirable for sorting board, cardstock, and paper from each other for efficient recycling. We propose a quick, non-contact method for measuring the relative stiffness of paper samples moving on a conveyor at high speeds. The method consists of impinging an air jet on a moving paper sample while it is crossing a gap during transfer from one conveyor belt to another. The deflection caused by the impinging air jet can be measured and used to categorize different grades of paper. In this paper, we report results from a simulation of the proposed method using a finite element model. Influence of conveyor speed, sample orientation and nozzle pressure is studied using the model. Results indicate that the stiffness estimation has sufficient resolution to distinguish between board and paper grades at high conveyor speeds.
QCD2 in the Semiclassical Approximation

Abstract We analyze the ′t Hooft equation for two-dimensional QCD in the limit of large number of colors using the semiclassical approximation. We show that the correct meson energies and wave functions are reproduced both in the light and heavy quark limits.
New age- and sex-specific criteria for QT prolongation based on rate correction formulas that minimize bias at the upper normal limits.

Abstract Background Existing formulas for rate-corrected QT (QTc) commonly fail to properly adjust the upper normal limits which are more critical than the mean QTc for evaluation of prolonged QT. Age- and sex-related differences in QTc are also often overlooked. Our goal was to establish criteria for prolonged QTc using formulas that minimize QTc bias at the upper normal limits. Methods and results Strict criteria were used in selecting a study group of 57,595 persons aged 5 to 89years (54% women) and to exclude electrocardiograms (ECG) with possible disease-associated changes. Two QT rate adjustment formulas were identified which both minimized rate-dependency in the 98th percentile limits: QTcmod, based on an electrophysiological model (QTcMod=QTx(120+HR)/180)), and QTcLogLin, a power function of the RR interval with exponents 0.37 for men and 0.38 for women. QTc shortened in men during adolescence and QTcMod became 13ms shorter than in women at age 20–29years. The sex difference was maintained through adulthood although decreasing with age. The criteria established for prolonged QTc were: Age Conclusions Sex difference in QTc originates from shortened QT in adolescent males. Upper normal limits for QTc vary substantially by age and sex, and it is essential to use age- and sex-specific criteria for evaluation of QT prolongation.
Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Schizophrenia Research

Summasy.-31 articles on schizophrenia published during the first half of 1975 in four representative journals are thoroughly examined. The aim is to develop significant procedures and directions for subsequent research. The areas covered in order of frequency are thought disorder, responsiveness, methodology, treatment, and etiology. Such an approach provides a relatively rapid yet indicative overview of current trends. There are numerous methodological restrictions and the behavioral findings are highly specific. Recommendations are made that diagnostic criteria be specified and quantified, that sample characteristics be more extensive and precisely delineated, that the limitations of generalization from past findings be carefully acknowledged, that different designs and statistical treatments be employed, and that areas of concern be extended more often to personality variables of probable clinical significance. Every year brings a new large amount of research on schizophrenia. Such magnitude along with the well-known complexity of the problem make the published material difficult to analyze and synthesize, It is especially hatd for potential investigators to determine direction and import, both vital if ever the
Progress in three-dimensional elastic-plastic stress analysis for fracture mechanics

Abstract This paper summarizes progress in the development of finite element methods for three-dimensional elastic-plastic stress analysis in fracture mechanics. The work is directed toward the study of stress states near flaws such as a part-through crack in a pressure vessel wall, and emphasis is placed on the large scale plastic yielding range The development of a computer program with large computing capabilities is described. Special near crack tip elements and general isoparametric elements are employed in problems with two crack configurations. Preliminary results are given for the elastic analysis of a through crack and for the elastic-plastic analysis of a part-through semi-elliptical crack in a plate.
Field method for determination of traces of thiols in natural waters

Abstract Derivatization with 2,2′-dithiobis(5-nitropyridine) (DTNP) was used to stabilize thiols in field samples and to determine these compounds by liquid chromatography (LC) with ultraviolet detection. Alternatively, the thiols can be regenerated from DTNP derivatives using tributylphosphine (TBP) and derivatized with o-phthalaldehyde (OPA). The DTNP derivatives were stable at pH 5 and 6 for more than 2 weeks in the reaction mixture, but the stability was considerably lower at pH values > 8. Derivatization at pH 6 was routinely done and the reaction was complete within 5 min. The derivatives can be extracted quantitatively on commercial C18 cartridges, which allows several-fold sample enrichment. The cartridge-adsorbed derivatives are stable at 0–5 °C for long periods and, therefore, can be stored for LC separation at a later date. DTNP derivatives of ten low-molecular-weight thiols were separated on a C18 microbore column using gradient elution and a flow-rate of 200 μl min−1. The relative standard deviation based on repeated analyses of standards is about 5% in the range 0.5–2 nM. Without C18 cartridge enrichment, the detection limits of the studied thiols are in the range 50–100 nM. These limits are further reduced by about 100-fold by using the OPA method after regeneration of thiols from the DTNP derivatives using TBP. Applications of the method to coastal sediment pore water and anoxic Black Sea water are illustrated.
Dynamic latch for high speed GaAs domino circuits

A latch for use with GaAs domino logic gates is presented. A hybrid of a GaAs domino logic gate and a two-phase dynamic FET logic gate, the latch stores data during the precharge phase of domino logic operation. It enables the use of domino logic in large scale systems without the need for interfacing with power consumptive static latches. It is implemented with depletion mode MESFETs and dissipates 0.8 mW.
Organizational networks and the process of corporate entrepreneurship: how the motivation, opportunity, and ability to act affect firm knowledge, learning, and innovation

This paper develops a motivation, opportunity, and ability framework to examine knowledge sharing and organizational learning as a mean to drive entrepreneurship and innovation in complex organizational networks. Utilizing the theoretical linkages and antecedents suggested in established corporate entrepreneurship models that identify what is necessary for innovation to occur in existing organizations, we offer both a theoretical model and an additional tool of analysis looking at how corporate entrepreneurial activity emerges in organizational networks. Using survey data collected from 200 franchise operators of a single large hybrid organization, our results demonstrate how knowledge sharing and organizational learning are associated with the motivation, opportunity, and ability to act within the corporate entrepreneurial context. Moreover, this motivation, opportunity, and ability framework was observed to provide a complementary tool to traditional measures of CE (e.g., CEAI from Hornsby et al. in J Bus Ventur 17(3):253–273, 2002) as it provided insights into functional and process variables affecting corporate entrepreneurial activity. As such, this research introduces both practical and theoretical implications that further our understanding of how to develop, manage, and leverage corporate entrepreneurship in a complex organizational network to achieve both operational performance and entrepreneurial innovation.
Classification and flow regime analysis of drippers

Abstract Pressure and flow rate requirements from emitters are discussed and emitters are classified according to their main characteristics of flow regime, pressure dissipation, lateral connection, water distribution or cleaning and pressure compensation. The flow characteristics of emitters can generally be characterized by the relation between discharge and pressure and an emitter discharge exponent that is characterized by the flow regime. The flow regime is characterized by the Reynolds number, Re, which is determined by the flow cross-section and discharge. The ranges for the various flows are given, in relation to characteristics of drippers. Flows are described for orifice, long-path, compensating single and multi-exit drippers.
Predation on early Pleistocene naticid gastropods in Fiji

Abstract We determined causes of predation on an early Pleistocene assemblage of ten species of Naticidae in Fiji. Naticids preyed more frequently on the four Natica species (27% of shells drilled) than on Polinices, Eunaticina and Sinum (3% of shells drilled). Tertiary and Cretaceous naticids studied previously are generally less frequently drilled. The absence of incomplete boreholes indicates that drilling predation is typically successful. Predator size (based on borehole diameter) increased directly with prey size in all Natica species. Incidence of drilling predation decreased slightly with increasing prey shell size, but Natica species do not appear able to outgrow drilling predation. Unsuccessful crustacean predation, indicated by scar lines and shell repair, occurred frequently. In the eight commonest naticid species, 17–48% of the shells had healed fractures. The results identify two trophic links in the fossil community, naticids as generally successful predators and crustaceans as often unsuccessful predators, both on naticid prey.
A new exchanger for the chromatographic fractionation of nucleic acids

Abstract 1. 1. A new exchanger material, Cato-2 (a cationic starch), has been found to be suitable for the chromatographic fractionation of the nucleic acids. Duplicate columns yield duplicate results and isolated peaks rechromatograph as they did originally. 2. 2. Much faster flow rates than those usually employed with other exchangers can be used with Cato-2 without loss of resolution. This allows the completion of an experiment in days instead of weeks. 3. 3. That the fractions obtained under these conditions represent real and significant differences in the nucleic acids present is documented by the fact that the fractions differ not only in chemical composition but also in biological activity.
Altered morphology of hippocampal dentate granule cell presynaptic and postsynaptic terminals following conditional deletion of TrkB

Dentate granule cells play a critical role in the function of the entorhinal-hippocampal circuitry in health and disease. Dentate granule cells are situated to regulate the flow of information into the hippocampus, a structure required for normal learning and memory. Correspondingly, impaired granule cell function leads to memory deficits, and, interestingly, altered granule cell connectivity may contribute to the hyperexcitability of limbic epilepsy. It is important, therefore, to understand the molecular determinants of synaptic connectivity of these neurons. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor TrkB are expressed at high levels in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus, and are implicated in regulating neuronal development, neuronal plasticity, learning, and the development of epilepsy. Whether and how TrkB regulates granule cell structure, however, is incompletely understood. To begin to elucidate the role of TrkB in regulating granule cell morphology, here we examine conditional TrkB knockout mice crossed to mice expressing green fluorescent protein in subsets of dentate granule cells. In stratum lucidum, where granule cell mossy fiber axons project, the density of giant mossy fiber boutons was unchanged, suggesting similar output to CA3 pyramidal cell targets. However, filopodial extensions of giant boutons, which contact inhibitory interneurons, were increased in number in TrkB knockout mice relative to wildtype controls, predicting enhanced feedforward inhibition of CA3 pyramidal cells. In knockout animals, dentate granule cells possessed fewer primary dendrites and enlarged dendritic spines, indicative of disrupted excitatory synaptic input to the granule cells. Together, these findings demonstrate that TrkB is required for development and/or maintenance of normal synaptic connectivity of the granule cells, thereby implying an important role for TrkB in the function of the granule cells and hippocampal circuitry.
Hydration of copper(II): new insights from density functional theory and the COSMO solvation model.

The hydrated structure of the Cu(II) ion has been a subject of ongoing debate in the literature. In this article, we use density functional theory (B3LYP) and the COSMO continuum solvent model to characterize the structure and stability of [Cu(H2O)n]2+ clusters as a function of coordination number (4, 5, and 6) and cluster size (n = 4−18). We find that the most thermodynamically favored Cu(II) complexes in the gas phase have a very open four-coordinate structure. They are formed from a stable square-planar [Cu(H2O)8]2+ core stabilized by an unpaired electron in the Cu(II) ion dx2−y2 orbital. This is consistent with cluster geometries suggested by recent mass-spectrometric experiments. In the aqueous phase, we find that the more compact five-coordinate square-pyramidal geometry is more stable than either the four-coordinate or six-coordinate clusters in agreement with recent combined EXAFS and XANES studies of aqueous solutions of Cu(II). However, a small energetic difference (~1.4 kcal/mol) between the five- and six-coordinate models with two full hydration shells around the metal ion suggests that both forms may coexist in solution.
FDTD Simulations for Ultrasound Propagation in a 2-D Breast Model

To increase the survival rates of patients with breast cancer, an ultrasound imaging system must detect tumors when they are small, with a diameter of 5 mm or less. This requires an understanding of how propagation of ultrasound energy is affected by the complex structure of the breast. In this paper, a Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method is developed to simulate ultrasound propagation in a two-dimensional model of the human breast. The FDTD simulations make it possible to better understand the behavior of an ultrasound signal in the breast. For example, here the simulations are used to investigate the effect of fat lobes adjacent to the skin layer in a simple breast model. Experimental work performed at the University of Pennsylvania has shown that strong refraction caused by the fat lobes results in nulls in the forward transmitted field. This result was duplicated with the FDTD simulations, and it was shown that the effect of refraction is clearly evident for energy exiting the breast. The existence of strong refraction has a significant impact on ultrasound imaging since it implies that an imaging method based on a weak scattering assumption is unlikely to work well.
Alexander the Great in Current Scholarship

Interest in Alexander the Great has never flagged from the time of his death until the present day. The bibliography of Alexander the Great continues to grow at near exponential rates. He was a commander of outstanding ability whose legacy was a world forever changed. However, plagued by a dearth of contemporary sources, scholars still debate his goals, his methods, and his true legacy. Did he envision and work towards a world where the races would be fused into one? Or was he an insatiable conqueror whose values were those of a Genghis Khan or a Tamarlane? Was his empire built on expediency or was it an attempt at a new world order under an absolute monarch. Finally, did Alexander order his own deification, and was this the result of practical administrative and political calculations, or was it the consequence of growing megalomaniacy. All of these interpretations have modern scholarly adherents, although some have come to dominate most current scholarship.
The distribution of apolipoprotein E in mouse olfactory epithelium

Previous studies from our laboratory suggest that apolipoprotein (apoE), a lipid transporting protein, facilitates olfactory nerve regeneration. We have shown that apoE is enriched in the olfactory nerve and around the glomeruli of the olfactory bulb (OB). The studies reported herein were undertaken to identify possible sources of apoE in the olfactory epithelium (OE). Immunoblotting results revealed apoE expression in the OE of wild-type (WT) mice, but not in apoE deficient/knockout (KO) mice. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that the perikarya and processes of sustentacular (Sus) cells expressed apoE-like immunoreactivity. Minimal neuronal apoE immunostaining was seen, although apoE was observed in the interstial spaces between olfactory receptor neurons (ORN). Substantial apoE-like immunoreactivity was localized to the endfeet and terminal process of Sus cells surrounding the basal cells. Double labeling immunocytochemical studies confirmed that the cell bodies and endfeet of Sus cells expressed high levels of apoE. The endothelial cells of blood vessels were intensely stained for apoE in the lamina propria. Cells forming Bowman’s gland also immunostained for apoE. The apoE staining in the nerve fascicles was less intense, but was uniformly distributed throughout the core of the nerve bundles. Heavily stained cells, probably ensheathing glia, surrounded the nerve fascicles. These results revealed that apoE is expressed in the adult OE and lamina propria at strategic locations where it could facilitate the differentiation, maturation and axonal growth of the ORN, perhaps by recycling lipids from degenerating ORN for use by growing axons.
Clinically relevant cancer biomarkers and pharmacogenetic assays

BackgroundThe number of pharmacogenetic assays available is continuously expanding as more molecularly targeted anticancer drugs are under clinical development. While the literature regarding drug–gene associations and therapeutic implications is often robust, reviews regarding clinical assay availability and profiling methodologies of commonly used cancer biomarkers are often lacking.ObjectiveTo concisely identify and describe cancer biomarkers and their respective pharmacogenetic assays currently available in clinical practice.DiscussionAnalysis of germ-line DNA mutations can often help to predict pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic responses, whereas somatic DNA mutations are particularly useful in predicting tumor response. Molecular profiling and pre-emptive identification of cancer biomarkers can help to predict disease prognosis as well as response to anticancer therapy. Dozens of pharmacogenetic assays, utilizing several common methodologies, are currently available in clinical practice. It is ess...
Ethnic Parties and Public Spending New Theory and Evidence From the Indian States

Social scientists largely see ethnic politics as inhibiting public goods provisioning within developing democracies. Such parties are thought to uniformly rely on distributing excludable benefits t...
Abnormal Measles-Mumps-Rubella Antibodies and CNS Autoimmunity in Children with Autism

Autoimmunity to the central nervous system (CNS), especially to myelin basic protein (MBP), may play a causal role in autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder. Because many autistic children harbor eleva
Heterogeneity and Homogeneity across the Autism Spectrum: The Role of Development.

Autism is a lifelong, highly prevalent, and strongly genetic disorder defined by impairments in social and communicative function and by pronounced behavioral rigidities. 1 Despite common areas of impairment that define autism as a condition, individuals with autism show a vast clinical variability in the expression and severity of their symptoms. This heterogeneity spans the entire range of IQ and language function and a wide array of communicative, social, and behavioral disabilities. At the level of genetics, the variability seems comparable: although more and more susceptibility loci are being identified, each is thought to account for only a small number of overall cases (e.g., see reference 2 ). Likewise, de novo mutations may play a causal role in a relatively large percentage (E10%) of individuals with autism who do not have an affected first-degree family relative. 3 Pursuit of research focused on Bsimplex[ and Bmultiplex[ families (i.e., with only one or with more than one sibling affected) has led to insights on potential modes and risks of inheritance, necessitating a unified genetic theory for
The Tenacity of the Rehabilitative Ideal Revisited Have Attitudes Toward Offender Treatment Changed

Previous research has shown that the public endorses rehabilitation as a core goal of corrections. Over the past decade, however, the campaign to get tough on crime has grown in strength. In this context, the question emerges as to whether support for rehabilitation has diminished or maintained its hold on public thinking. The authors address this issue by replicating a 1986 study by Cullen, Skovron, Scott, and Burton that explored attitudes toward correctional treatment. The data reveal that citizens' support for rehabilitation has declined meaningfully. Even so, the public continues to view treatment as a legitimate correctional objective, especially for juvenile and nonviolent offenders.
A fast solver for the Stokes equations with distributed forces in complex geometries

We present a new method for the solution of the Stokes equations. The main features of our method are: (1) it can be applied to arbitrary geometries in a black-box fashion; (2) it is second-order accurate; and (3) it has optimal algorithmic complexity. Our approach, to which we refer as the embedded boundary integral method (EBI), is based on Anita Mayo's work for the Poisson's equation: "The Fast Solution of Poisson's and the Biharmonic Equations on Irregular Regions", SIAM Journal on Numerical Analysis, 21 (1984) 285-299. We embed the domain in a rectangular domain, for which fast solvers are available, and we impose the boundary conditions as interface (jump) conditions on the velocities and tractions. We use an indirect boundary integral formulation for the homogeneous Stokes equations to compute the jumps. The resulting equations are discretized by Nystrom's method. The rectangular domain problem is discretized by finite elements for a velocity-pressure formulation with equal order interpolation bilinear elements (Q1-Q1). Stabilization is used to circumvent the inf-sup condition for the pressure space. For the integral equations, fast matrix-vector multiplications are achieved via an N logN algorithm based on a block representation of the discrete integral operator, combined with (kernel independent) singular value decomposition to sparsify low-rank blocks. The regular grid solver is a Krylov method (conjugate residuals) combined with an optimal two-level Schwartz-preconditioner. For the integral equation we use GMRES. We have tested our algorithm on several numerical examples and we have observed optimal convergence rates.
Comparative SAR evaluations of annonaceous acetogenins for pesticidal activity

The activities of 44 Annonaceous acetogenins, which were originally isolated by monitoring plant fractionations with the brine shrimp lethality test (BST), were evaluated in the yellow fever mosquito larvae microtiter plate (YFM) assay. The results clearly demonstrate that most acetogenins have pesticidal properties. The structure–activity relationships indicate that the compounds bearing adjacent bis-THF (tetrahydrofuran) rings with three hydroxyl groups are the most potent. Bullatacin (1) and trilobin (7) gave the best activities against YFM with LC50 values of 0·10 and 0·67 mg litre-1, respectively. Compounds showing LC50 values below 1·0 mg litre-1 in this assay are usually considered significant as new lead candidates for pesticidal development. In the BST, the corresponding LC50 values were 1·6×10-3 (1) and 9·7×10-3 (7) mg litre-1. This is the first report of pesticidal structure–activity relationships for a series of Annonaceous acetogenins which are known to act, at least in part, as potent inhibitors of mitochondrial NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase.
What is the function of hippocampal theta rhythm?—Linking behavioral data to phasic properties of field potential and unit recording data

The extensive physiological data on hippocampal theta rhythm provide an opportunity to evaluate hypotheses about the role of theta rhythm for hippocampal network function. Computational models based on these hypotheses help to link behavioral data with physiologi- cal measurements of different variables during theta rhythm. This paper reviews work on network models in which theta rhythm contributes to the following functions: (1) separating the dynamics of encoding and retrieval, (2) enhancing the context-dependent retrieval of sequences, (3) buffering of novel information in entorhinal cortex (EC) for episodic encoding, and (4) timing interactions between prefrontal cortex and hip- pocampus for memory-guided action selection. Modeling shows how these functional mechanisms are related to physiological data from the hippocampal formation, including (1) the phase relationships of synaptic currents during theta rhythm measured by current source density analy- sis of electroencephalographic data from region CA1 and dentate gyrus, (2) the timing of action potentials, including the theta phase precession of single place cells during running on a linear track, the context- dependent changes in theta phase precession across trials on each day, and the context-dependent firing properties of hippocampal neurons in spatial alternation (e.g., ''splitter cells''), (3) the cholinergic regulation of sustained activity in entorhinal cortical neurons, and (4) the phasic timing of prefrontal cortical neurons relative to hippocampal theta rhythm. V C 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Shape of Mesozoic dinosaur richness

The richness of Mesozoic Dinosauria is examined through the use of a new global database. Mesozoic dinosaurs show a steadily increasing rate of diversification, in part attributable to the development of new innovations driving an increasing variety of behavioral strategies. The data do not suggest that dinosaurs were decreasing in richness leading to extinction during the last ∼10 m.y. of the Cretaceous. Refinement of the dating of dinosaur fossils, rather than the collection of more dinosaurs, is the best way to resolve globally the rate of the Cretaceous-Tertiary dinosaur extinction.
Size classes of root diameter and mycorrhizal fungal colonization in two temperate grassland communities

SUMMARY This study addresses the hypothesis that the amount of fibrous roots (i.e., roots > 1.0 mm diameter) colonized by vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi in grasslands is dependent upon root morphology. Two grassland communities with contrasting root system morphologies, a restored tallgrass prairie and an ungrazed pasture, were studied over a growing season. Although there was no difference in fibrous root biomass between the two communities, fibrous roots accounted for 99 % of the total root biomass in the pasture; but only 70 % of the total root biomass in the prairie. The length of fibrous roots was greater (P 0.34), when the colonized lengths of roots within each of three size classes were compared, significant differences between the two communities were found. The ratio of the fraction of the root length colonized within a given diameter size class to the fraction of the total length of root with cortex occurring within that size class was used to compare the degree of association between roots and mycorrhizal colonization among the three diameter size classes. Changes in this ratio, termed the colonization index (CI), indicate that as the diameter size class of roots in a community increases, a greater proportion of the cortical root length within that size class is colonized by mycorrhizal fungi. Furthermore, despite community differences in the cortical and colonized root lengths within each diameter size class, the CI value for each root size class did not differ between communities. These findings suggest that in grasslands the degree of colonization by mycorrhizal fungi is more dependent upon the diameter size class distribution of the fibrous root systems than upon the species composition of the community.
Sign patterns that require Hn exist for each n ≥ 4

Abstract The refined inertia of a square real matrix A is the ordered 4-tuple ( n + , n − , n z , 2 n p ) , where n + (resp., n − ) is the number of eigenvalues of A with positive (resp., negative) real part, n z is the number of zero eigenvalues of A, and 2 n p is the number of nonzero pure imaginary eigenvalues of A. For n ≥ 3 , the set of refined inertias H n = { ( 0 , n , 0 , 0 ) , ( 0 , n − 2 , 0 , 2 ) , ( 2 , n − 2 , 0 , 0 ) } is important for the onset of Hopf bifurcation in dynamical systems. We say that an n × n sign pattern A requires H n if H n = { ri ( B ) | B ∈ Q ( A ) } . Bodine et al. conjectured that no n × n irreducible sign pattern that requires H n exists for n sufficiently large, possibly n ≥ 8 . However, for each n ≥ 4 , we identify three n × n irreducible sign patterns that require H n , which resolves this conjecture.
Land and Seascape Patterns Associated with Marbled Murrelet Abundance Offshore

Abstract We measured offshore Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) abundance from April through October between 1989 and 1998, in northern California and southern Oregon and investigated its relationships with marine and terrestrial habitats. We found that higher murrelet abundance offshore was strongly related to the presence of large, clustered and unfragmented old-growth forests on nearby inland areas. Murrelets were most abundant offshore of contiguous old-growth forest adjacent to relatively abundant medium-sized, second-growth coniferous forests. Compared to the forest habitat, marine habitat was relatively unimportant in determining murrelet abundance offshore; high marine primary productivity and nutrients were not associated with high murrelet numbers. Tidal flat shorelines were weakly associated with more murrelets, independent of inland habitat. Our findings suggest management efforts to conserve the Marbled Murrelet should focus on protecting or creating large, contiguous blocks of old-...
Okapia johnstoni (Okapi)

The karyotypes presented here are gifts of Dr. P. Hosli, University of Basel, Switzerland, who used cultured cells of umbilical cords for cytological preparations.
The effects of SDRNFLRFamide and TNRNFLRFamide on the motor patterns of the stomatogastric ganglion of the crab Cancer borealis

TNRNFLRFamide was isolated and sequenced from the stomatogastric nervous system of the crab Cancer borealis by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography followed by automated Edman degradation. An SDRNFLRFamide-like peptide that exactly co-migrated with SDRNFLRFamide was also observed. The effects of TNRNFLRFamide and SDRNFLRFamide on the gastric and pyloric rhythms of the stomatogastric nervous system of the crab Cancer borealis were studied. Both peptides activated pyloric rhythms in quiescent preparations in a dose-dependent manner with a threshold between 10(-11) and 10(-10) mol l-1. Both peptides increased the pyloric rhythm frequency of preparations showing moderate activity levels and had relatively little effect on preparations that showed strong pyloric rhythms prior to peptide application. Both peptides evoked gastric mill activity in preparations without existing gastric rhythms. The activation of the gastric rhythm is associated with activation of oscillatory properties in the dorsal gastric neurone. The induction of gastric rhythms by these peptides was accompanied by switches from pyloric-timed activity to gastric-timed activity by several stomatogastric ganglion neurones. Application of these peptides provides direct experimental control of circuit modification in the stomatogastric nervous system.
Primary amenorrhea and pituitary adenomas

From 1972 to 1980, 210 patients underwent transsphenoidal operation for removal of a prolactin-secreting tumor. Eight of the patients had primary amenorrhea. All eight patients had had a normal thelarche and pubarche without menarche, and all eight had hyperprolactinemia and abnormal findings on sella turcica tomography. After operation, only one patient did not have persistent hyperprolactinemia, and this patient was the only one who began spontaneous menses. The data indicate that, although prolactin hypersecretion interferes with menstrual function, it does not alter other pubertal development and that, if the source of the excessive prolactin can be removed, the removal alone may initiate spontaneous menses. In this report, however, patients with prolactin-secreting adenomas and primary amenorrhea had a high incidence of persistent hyperprolactinemia after operation (seven of eight patients).
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

As of January 2003, more than 19,000 neonates (74% survival) and 4,800 paediatric patients (48% survival) have been treated with ECMO. In the neonatal population, MAS is the most common indication for ECMO and carries with it a survival rate of 94%. Other frequent diagnosis (with survival rates in parentheses) include PPHN (79%), sepsis (75%), and CDH (54%). Viral pneumonia is the most common aetiology amongst the paediatric population requiring ECMO and has a 62% survival. Aspiration carries the greatest survival at 65%,where as non-ARDS respiratory failure has a 47% survival, ARDS 55%, and bacterial pneumonia 52% survival. Cardiac patients have an overall survival of 39%. Specifically, congenital defects have a 38% survival, bridge to transplant 43%, cardiomyopathy 49%, and the highest survival rate is for myocarditis, 58%.
Data in, fact out: automated monitoring of facts by FactWatcher

Towards computational journalism, we present FactWatcher, a system that helps journalists identify data-backed, attention-seizing facts which serve as leads to news stories. FactWatcher discovers three types of facts, including situational facts, one-of-the-few facts, and prominent streaks, through a unified suite of data model, algorithm framework, and fact ranking measure. Given an append-only database, upon the arrival of a new tuple, FactWatcher monitors if the tuple triggers any new facts. Its algorithms efficiently search for facts without exhaustively testing all possible ones. Furthermore, FactWatcher provides multiple features in striving for an end-to-end system, including fact ranking, fact-to-statement translation and keyword-based fact search.