cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
'Something else to burn':? forest squatters, conservationists, and the state in modern Tanzania

In the last fifteen years, Tanzanian forest policy has embraced an agenda of biodiversity preservation coupled with privatisation that calls for the expansion of state oversight over forests and woodlands. Reflecting the hegemony of conservationist donors and international and local NGOs, and couched in a language of community conservation, this agenda decries peasant intrusion into forest reserves to burn charcoal for the urban market and to expand fields for agriculture. This agenda is a departure from over a century of state forestry that sought to exploit forests for domestic consumer and development needs, and to compete in export timber and charcoal markets. Following the Second World War, state forestry anchored peasants in selected forest reserves as licensed cultivators in the face of an ongoing labour shortage, in order to create tree plantations that replaced indigenous hardwoods with fast-growing exotic softwoods. This trend continued after independence as forestry was perceived as a means for agricultural modernisation and economic self-reliance, particularly after the Arusha Declaration. Current changes in forest policy prioritise forests more as ‘refugia’ for endemic plant and animal species, rather than as sources of timber and fuel, moving forest policy more in the direction of wildlife conservation, which has long aimed at excluding peasants and pastoralists from reserves. Recent evictions of peasants from forest reserves, and ongoing tensions between villagers, the state and conservationists, are the direct result of NGO pressure to protect forest reserves and to expand forest conservation into previously unreserved lands.
State of the Practice–Automation and Tools: Report from NCOSE Tools Working Group

This paper will present the goals, objectives, and near-term working plan for the Tools Working Group, a subcommittee of the NCOSE Practices Group. Since the Working Group has only been reactivated in the last nine months, this paper will not be able to include the major results; the most productive period has been that since the January meeting in Melbourne, Florida. A separate paper will be available to NCOSE 1993 meeting attendees at the end of the plenary session.
Hadron production by 150 GeV muons in nuclear emulsion

Abstract This paper reports measurements of the hadrons produced in the inelastic scattering of 150 GeV positive muons in nuclear emulsion. Multiplicity distributions of secondary particles are given and are compared with the results of pion and proton interactions in emulsion at different energies. We find similarities as well as differences between muon and hadron collisions with nuclei.
AMBIGUITIES AND UNSTATED ASSUMPTIONS IN PROBABILISTIC REASONING

Ostensibly simple probabilistic reasoning problems are sometimes surprisingly difficult. One source of difficulty is the omission from a problem description of information essential to an unambiguous understanding of the situation. When this is so, assumptions must be made to permit the computation of probabilities. Different assumptions lead to different conclusions, and if the assumptions are not stated, disagreements regarding problem solutions can occur, even among experts. The author reviews several such problems and their treatment in the literature. He proposes accounts of why problems can be difficult even when not ambiguous and discusses some approaches that can make solutions easier to find or understand.
Fungal and bacterial mediated denitrification in wetlands: influence of sediment redox condition.

Fungal and bacterial denitrification rates were determined under a range of redox conditions in sediment from a Louisiana swamp forest used for wastewater treatment. Sediment was incubated in microcosms at 6 Eh levels (−200, −100, 0, +100, +250 and +400 mV) ranging from strongly reducing to moderately oxidizing conditions. Denitrification was determined using the substrate-induced respiration (SIR) inhibition and acetylene inhibition methods. Cycloheximide (C15H23NO4) was used as the fungal inhibitor and streptomycin (C21H39N7O12) as the bacterial inhibitor. At Eh values of +250 mV and +400 mV, denitrification rates by fungi and bacteria were 34.3–35.1% and 1.46–1.59% of total denitrification, respectively, indicating that fungi were responsible for most of the denitrification under aerobic or weakly reducing conditions. On the other hand, at Eh −200 mV, denitrification rates of fungi and bacteria were 17.6% and 64.9% of total denitrification, respectively, indicating that bacteria were responsible for most of the denitrification under strongly reducing conditions. Results show fungal denitrification was dominant under moderately reducing to weakly oxidizing conditions (Eh > +250 mV), whereas bacterial denitrification was dominant under strongly reducing condition (Eh < −100 mV). At Eh values between −100 to +100 mV, denitrification by fungi and bacteria were 37.9–43.2% and 53.0–51.1% of total denitrification, respectively, indicating that both bacteria and fungi contributed significantly to denitrification under these redox conditions. Because N2O is an important gaseous denitrification product in sediment, fungal denitrification could be of greater ecological significance under aerobic or moderately reducing conditions contributing to greenhouse gas emission and global warming potential (GWP).
Roman Constructions: Readings in Postmodern Latin

Roman Constructions collects together twelve published and unpublished papers on Latin literature and literary theory from the decade 1989 to 1999. The papers share a common 'postmodern' emphasis on the role of the modern scholar and critic in the construction, rather than recreation, of meaning, and attempt to show how this approach works in detailed readings of a number of Latin authors, above all Vergil. The papers deal with such topics as point of view and focalization, intertextuality, historical contextualization, and closure, and each section is introduced by reflections on recent work in these areas subsequent to the original papers. The work makes a plea for classical scholars to accept their historical situatedness and to give up the pretence of scientific objectivity so that they can play a fuller part in the cultural dialogues of the present.
Concerns of Multiparas on the Third Postpartum Day

In order to ascertain the major concern of multiparas and whether differences in their concern very according to variable factors (e.g., mother's age, education, socioeconomic status, infant's sex, feeding method, etc.), 56 multiparas in the Midwest were surveyed on their third postpartum day. A card-sorting tool of 61 index cards was developed by the author for the study. Results showed that multiparas were not as concerned about themselves or their infants as about family relationships. Also, the greatest number of concern were found in women I) under 20 years old, 2) having one other child at home, and 3) delivering male infants.
Cue selection in discrimination learning by preschool children: Reward context effects

When constant or variable irrelevant cues of a two-choice visual discrimination learning problem are otherwise associated with the reward context, preschool children solve the problems more slowly than when such an association has not been established. This effect is, in the case of constant irrelevant cues, inconsistent with several attentional theories of selective learning.
ATP synthesis in human erythrocyte membranes

Human erythrocyte membranes were prepared so that they contained only membrane bound enzymes and retained many of the permeability characteristics of intact erythrocytes. Specific substrates were then sealed into these membrane by the technique of hemolysis reversal. When NAD+, ADP and triose phosphate were added to membrane interiors and 32P1 was added to the external medium, there was a net synthesis of ATP which appeared predominantly within or bound to membranes. The synthesis of ATP was mediated by membrane bound glyceraldehydephosphate dehydrogenase and phosphoglycerate kinase which seem to be linked so that there is transfer of substrates between enzymes.
Optical thermometer based on the stability of aphosphorescent 6-bromo-2-naphthol/α-cyclodextrin2 ternarycomplex

The phosphorescence lifetime of a water-soluble ternary complex of 6-bromo-2-naphthol and α-cyclodextrin has been found to decrease by more than two orders of magnitude over a 58 °C temperature range, which makes this molecular system well suited for use as the first optical thermometer based solely on phosphorescence lifetimes.
Zeros of the weight two Eisenstein series

Abstract We develop some of the finer details of the location of the zeros of the weight two Eisenstein series. These zeros are the same as the zeros of the derivative of the Ramanujan delta function.
Catalytic Cyclopropanation with Iron(II) Complexes

Iron(II) complexes of meso-tetra-p-tolylporphyrin (TTP), tetramethyldibenzotetraaza[14]annulene (tmtaa), and trans-1,2-bis(salicylidene)cyclohexanediamine (saldach) catalyzed the cyclopropanation of styrene with aryldiazomethanes. When p-tolyldiazomethane was used as the carbene source, trans-cyclopropanes were the major products. Trans/cis ratios of up to 17:1 were obtained. However, using mesityldiazomethane resulted in a reversal of stereoselectivity, giving cis-cyclopropanes as the major product (cis/trans ratios of up to 2.9:1). The stereoselectivity of iron(II) porphyrin-catalyzed cyclopropanation reactions was enhanced by performing the reactions at low temperature or by using bulky porphyrin ligands. Using trimethylsilyldiazomethane as the carbene source, trimethylsilylcyclopropanes were produced in excellent yields with (TTP)Fe. On treatment of (TTP)Fe with diazoreagents, carbene complexes were observed spectroscopically. These complexes transferred their carbene ligand to styrene to produce cycl...
In defence of magical ersatzism

David Lewis' objection to a generic theory of modality which he calls ‘magical ersatzism’ is that its linchpin, a relation he calls ‘selection’, must be either an internal or an external relation, and that this is unintelligible either way. But the problem he points out with classifying selection as internal is really just an instance of the general problem of how we manage to grasp underdetermined predicates, is not peculiar to magical ersatzism, and is amenable to some familiar solutions. He provides no compelling grounds for thinking that classifying selection as external is unintelligible, and his argument has a false presupposition. I conclude that magical ersatzism is still a viable option in the metaphysics of modality.
Can a free-electron laser operate with a broad momentum spread?

Abstract Recently, a method to operate a free-electron laser with electron beams having a broad energy spread was proposed in which a device for redistributing the electrons' phase according to their momenta is introduced in the middle of the undulator. By properly taking into account the contributions from electrons near the edge of the phase space, it is shown that the proposed scheme does not work.
Spinach: better management of downy mildew and white rust through genomics

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) has become an increasingly important vegetable crop in many parts of the world. Significant changes in production practices, particularly in the U.S. and E.U., have occurred in the past 10–15 years as a result of increased product demand. These changes likely increased the incidence and severity of downy mildew, caused by Peronospora farinosa f. sp. spinaciae. Recently, progress has been made to define the genetics of resistance to this pathogen and the closely related white rust pathogen, Albugo occidentalis. In this paper, we outline the genetic and genomic resources currently available for spinach, draw parallels between spinach diseases and more thoroughly characterized pathosystems, and describe efforts currently underway to develop new genetic and genomic tools to better understand downy mildew and white rust of spinach. Presently, many crucial tools and resources required to define the molecular underpinnings of disease are unavailable for either spinach or its pathogens. New resources and information for spinach genomics would provide a jumpstart for ongoing efforts to define (and deploy) genetic resistance against downy mildew and white rust.
Chlorophyll-protein organization of membranes from the cyanobacterium Anacystis nidulans.

Six chlorophyll-containing bands were observed upon electrophoretic analysis of Anacystis nidulans thylakoid membranes. These ranged in apparent molecular weights from approximately 360 to 45 kdalton. Measurements of the light absorption and chlorophyll fluorescence properties of these bands revealed numerous differences among the aggregates. The larger chlorophyll-protein complexes had a chlorophyll absorption maximum at 676 nm while the smallest band, band VI, at approximately 45 kdalton, absorbed at 668 nm. The chlorophyll-protein organization of four submembrane particles was also examined. Digitonin and N-tetradecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate were used to fractionate thylakoids and each treatment yielded two green fractions after sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The upper green fractions of both procedures were enriched in band VI. In addition, these fractions showed low temperature fluorescence emission at 686 nm. Conversely, the lower green fractions were enriched in the larger bands (bands I and II), and yielded fluorescence emission at 696 and 716 nm. The gel electrophoresis analysis of these chlorophyll-protein bands revealed 11 peptides ranging in size from less than 10 to 64 kdaltons. The larger CP bands contained as many as five to six polypeptides, whereas band VI contained only two species (at 45 and 48 kdalton). These data suggest that the only proteins in band V (approximately 75 kdalton) and band VI are the chlorophyll binding proteins for photosystems I and II, respectively. We present a model which correlates chlorophyll-protein organization and specific fluorescence emission peaks. Central to this model is the interaction of the larger chlorophyll-protein complexes with bands V and VI to yield fluorescence at 696 and 716 nm, respectively. In addition, the polypeptide composition of each complex allows us to construct a topological model of these complexes within the Anacystis thylakoid.
A Method for Radar Turbulence Detection

A method is described whereby a conventional non-Doppler radar may be used in the measurement and detection of atmospheric turbulence. The technique involves the measurement of the average echo power and the variance of the fluctuation spectrum in each of two separated pulse volumes, and corresponding measure ments of echo power and variance of the detected signals in a channel representing the predetection sum of the signals from those two volumes. It is shown that the variance of the sum channel is the power-weighted sum of the variances in the independent channels plus a term dependent upon the difference in mean radial velocity of the associated pulse volumes. Accordingly, the difference in mean radial velocity can be measured. When the spacing of the sampled volumes is adjusted to represent distance along an aircraft flight plan, the measurement is a measure of the turbulence to be experienced in traversing the space between those volumes. Specific systems for accomplishing the measure ment are discussed.
Targeted gene walking by low stringency polymerase chain reaction: Assignment of a putative human brain sodium channel gene (SCN3A) to chromosome 2q24-31

Abstract We have developed a low stringency polymerase chain reaction (LSPCR) to isolate the unknown neighboring region around a known DNA sequence, thus allowing efficient targeted gene walking. The method involves the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with a single primer under conditions of low stringency for primer annealing (40 degrees C) for the first few cycles followed by more cycles at high stringency (55 degrees C). This enables the amplification of a targeted DNA fragment along with other nontargeted fragments. High stringency (55 degrees C) nested PCRs with end-labeled primers are then used to generate a ladder of radioactive bands, which accurately identifies the targeted fragment(s). We performed LSPCR on human placental DNA using a highly conserved sodium channel-specific primer for 5 cycles at 40 degrees C followed by 27 cycles at 55 degrees C for primer annealing. Subsequently, using higher stringency (55 degrees C) PCR with radiolabeled nested primers for 8 cycles, we have isolated a 0.66-kb fragment of a putative human sodium channel gene. Partial sequence (325 bp) of this fragment revealed a 270-bp region (exon) with homology to the rat brain sodium channel III alpha (RBIII) gene at the nucleotide (87%) and amino acid (92%) levels. Therefore, we putatively assign this sequence as a part of a gene coding the alpha-subunit of a human brain type III sodium channel (SCN3A). Using PCR on two human/rodent somatic cell hybrid panels with primers specific to this putative SCN3A gene, we have localized this gene to chromosome 2. Fluorescence in situ hybridization to human metaphase chromosomes was used to sublocalize the SCN3A gene to chromosome at 2q24-31. In conclusion, LSPCR is an efficient and sensitive method for targeted gene walking and is also useful for the isolation of homologous genes in related species.
Fatigue of enamel bonds with self-etch adhesives

Abstract Objective Fatigue testing of adhesive bonds to tooth structures in conjunction with bond strength testing can provide more useful information for examining the effectiveness of dental adhesives. The purpose of this study was to determine the shear bond strength (SBS) and shear fatigue limit (SFL) of composite to enamel bonds using modern adhesive systems. Methods Twelve specimens each were used to determine 24-h resin composite (Z100-3M ESPE) to enamel shear bond strengths with an etch-and-rinse system (ERA), Adper Single Bond Plus (SB), and four self-etch adhesives (SEA)—Adper Prompt-L-Pop (PLP), Clearfil SE (CSE), Clearfil S 3 (CS3) and Xeno IV (X4). A staircase method of fatigue testing was used in a four-station fatigue cycler to determine the SFL of composite to enamel bonds with the adhesives (16–20 specimens for each adhesive) at 0.25 Hz for 40,000 cycles. ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test were used for the SBS data and a modified t -test with Bonferroni correction was used for comparisons of the SFL. Results The SBS and SFL of the etch-and-rinse system were significantly greater ( p Significance The lower fatigue limits for composite to enamel bonds obtained with the self-etch adhesive systems may indicate that greater enamel margin breakdown will occur with restorations where these systems are used for bonding.
Accelerated partial breast irradiation: multi-catheter interstitial brachytherapy

Historically, adjuvant radiotherapy for early-stage breast cancer has included treatment of the entire breast. Breast conservation therapy (BCT), which employs whole-breast radiotherapy following lumpectomy, requires daily treatment for 5–7 weeks. The length of this treatment course proves difficult for some patients. In response, accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) has been investigated as a possible alternative to conventional post-lumpectomy treatment. This approach not only challenges the conventional treatment paradigm of whole-breast radiotherapy by reducing the treated volume, but also intensifies the dose delivered. By limiting the volume of breast tissue treated, the radiation dose delivery can be safely accelerated and the treatment time reduced to 5 days. In the United States, APBI has been most commonly delivered via brachytherapy (by either a multi-catheter implant or Mammosite balloon device) or by three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT). One of the first techniques developed for APBI was multi-catheter interstitial brachytherapy. This article reviews completed trials of ABPI using the multi-catheter approach, as well as patient selection, placement technique, and dosimetric evaluation.
Clinical application of ultrasound in the analysis of prosthetic ball valve function

Abstract The ultrasonic pulse reflection technic provides a means of recording time-displacement curves of prosthetic ball or cage motion which closely correlate with similar time-displacement curves plotted from cinefluorographic film. Precise correlation with events recorded by phonocardiogram, electrocardiogram, apex cardiogram and pressure curves is easily accomplished. Prosthetic aortic and mitral balls maintain normal timing characteristics with the apex cardiogram when compared with normal aortic and mitral valves, but the contour of mitral prosthetic ball motion resembles that of mitral stenosis. This is thought to be the result of the flow characteristics through a prosthetic valve rather than a representation of true stenosis. Opening and closing of these valves is clearly related to appropriate crossover pressure changes. The origin of systolic clicks from aortic prostheses and diastolic clicks from mitral prostheses appears related to bounces or vibratory motion at the apex of the respective cages. Cage motion reflects motion of the ring to which the valve is anchored. Thus, considerable motion of the mitral cage reflecting motion of the atrioventricular ring is normal, but only slight motion of the aortic ring is seen. Precise timing of the balls of multiple valve replacement with relation to each other may be obtained by modification of existing instrumentation to permit the recording of more than one signal. The velocity of the opening and the closing ball within a cage may be obtained by direct measurement of slope or, perhaps more accurately, by electronic recording of the first derivative of displacement in relation to time. Mitral ball closing velocity is nearly double opening velocity. Aortic ball closing velocity slightly exceeds opening velocity by direct measurement. Observations on ball velocity may provide information on valvular function if studied over a long period of time.
The Softest of Targets: A Study on Terrorist Target Selection

What factors may lead a terrorist organization to attack undefended and unaware civilians—or as we style them, “soft targets”? We examine two distinct processes in choosing to attack soft targets: the one-time decision to begin attacking soft targets and the continued use of violence against such targets. Our analysis points to ideology—specifically religion—as the decisive factor in turning to target civilians, while organizational factors such as group size and network centrality are related to the number of incidents perpetrated.
Critical importance of antifungal dosing in children

Pediatric patients are not simply ‘little adults’. This mantra can be echoed throughout the entire discipline of pediatric medicine, where differences abound in every subspecialty. For invasive fun...
Evolving role of 2B4/CD244 in T and NK cell responses during virus infection.

The signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM) family receptor, 2B4/CD244, was first implicated in anti-viral immunity by the discovery that mutations of the SLAM-associated protein, SAP/SH2D1A, impaired 2B4-dependent stimulation of T and natural killer (NK) cell anti-viral functions in X-linked lymphoproliferative (XLP) syndrome patients with uncontrolled Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections. Engagement of 2B4 has been variably shown to either activate or inhibit lymphocytes which express this receptor. While SAP expression is required for stimulatory functions of 2B4 on lymphocytes, it remains unclear whether inhibitory signals derived from 2B4 can predominate even in the presence of SAP. Regardless, mounting evidence suggests that 2B4 expression by NK and CD8 T cells is altered by virus infection in mice as well as in humans, and 2B4-mediated signaling may be an important determinant of effective immune control of chronic virus infections. In this review, recent findings regarding the expression and function of 2B4 as well as SAP on T and NK cells during virus infection is discussed, with a focus on the role of 2B4-CD48 interactions in crosstalk between innate and adaptive immunity.
High-level fuzzy logic guidance system for an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) tasked to perform autonomous launch and recovery (ALR) of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV)

There have been much technological advances and research in Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV) as a support and delivery platform for Autonomous/Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (AUV/UUV) or Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV). Advantages include extending underwater search and survey operations time and reach, improving underwater positioning and mission awareness, in addition to minimizing the costs and risks associated with similar manned vessel operations. The objective of this paper is to present the design and development a high-level fuzzy logic guidance controller for a WAM-V 14 unmanned surface vehicle (USV) in order to autonomously launch and recover a REMUS 100 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The approach to meeting this objective is to develop ability for the USV to intercept and rendezvous with an AUV that is in transit in order to maximize the probability of a final mobile docking maneuver. Specifically, a fuzzy logic Rendezvous-Docking controller has been developed that generates Waypoint-Heading goals for the USV to minimize the cross-track errors between the USV and AUV. A subsequent fuzzy logic Waypoint-Heading controller has been developed to provide the desired heading and speed commands to the low-level controller given the Waypoint-Heading goals. High-level mission control has been extensively simulated using Matlab and partially characterized in real-time during testing. Detailed simulation, experimental results and findings will be reported in this paper.
Modeling Residue Uptake by Eggs.1. Similar Drug Residue Patterns in Developing Yolks Following Injection with Ampicillin or Oxytetracycline

Abstract This study was conducted to model the pattern of antibiotic drug uptake within yolks of developing follicles. In two separate experiments, 16 hens were divided into equal groups (n = 8) and injected only once with either 400 mg/kg ampicillin or 200 mg/kg oxytetracycline (OTC: total hens = 32) approximately 1 h after oviposition. Twenty-four hours following injections, hens were euthanatized and the ovaries were collected. Yolks were dissected free from the individual follicles with a blunt probe. Individual large yellow yolks (≥ 0.2 g) and a pool of 5 small yellow yolks ( 0.05) between Experiments 1 and 2 and the data were combined. Results indicate that short-term drug exposure in hens produced incorporation of drug residues in developing yolks in a specific pattern that does not appear to be drug dependent (P > 0.05). These incurred residues are contained in developing yolks that are days to weeks from being ovulated. Drug residues were greater (total microgram content) in some of the less mature yolks vs the largest preovulatory yolk. This may lead to a sequential release of eggs with increasing residue content, even after drug withdrawal. These data were used to construct a model to predict the pattern of incurred residues in formed eggs following a hen's exposure to drugs or other contaminants.
Differential electrostatic stabilization of A-, B-, and Z-forms of DNA

The static accessibility discrete charge algorithm for protein charge interactions is extended to the case of linear polyelectrolytes. In this model, the effective dielectric value between surface charge sites depends predominantly on the solvent ionic strength and the solvent accessibilities of the charge sites. This treatment accounts for the phenomena of specific ion binding in the context of a general electrostatic effect [Matthew and Richards (1982) Biochemistry21, 4989]. Specific ion sites are determined by locating areas of high electrostatic potential at the solvent interface of the macromolecule. At a given ionic strength the calculated potential at a site is taken to describe a binding constant and therefore the ion site occupancy. For a 20-base-pair fragment of B-DNA, net charge of −40, 16 ion sites are indicated in the minor groove. The partial occupancy of each site increases from 0.2 to 0.5 as the ionic strength is increased from 0.01 to 0.50. Over the same range of ionic strength, the electrostatic free energy of this charge array is calculated to change from +0.6 to −0.05 kcal/bp. Parallel behavior is predicted for A- and Z-DNA charge geometries. The most stable configuration, based on electrostatic criteria, at high ionic strength (I = 0.1–0.5) is that of Z-DNA. In this range, the ratio of “bound” sodium to phosphate is predicted to be less than 0.4.
Passive separation control by acoustic resonance

At transitional Reynolds numbers, the laminar boundary layer separation and possible reattachment on a smooth airfoil, or wing section, are notoriously sensitive to small variations in geometry or in the fluid environment. We report here on the results of a pilot study that adds to this list of sensitivities. The presence of small holes in the suction surface of an Eppler 387 wing has a transformative effect upon the aerodynamics, by changing the mean chordwise separation line location. These changes are not simply a consequence of the presence of the small cavities, which by themselves have no effect. Acoustic resonance in the backing cavities generates tones that interact with intrinsic flow instabilities. Possible consequences for pas- sive flow control strategies are discussed together with potential problems in measurements through pressure taps in such flow regimes.
Mono-(BOC)-Protected Diamines. Synthesis of tert-Butyl-N-alkyl-N-(2-aminoethyl)carbamates and tert-Butyl-N-[2-(alkylamino)ethyl] Carbamates

Abstract We wish to report preparative pathways to the mono-(BOC)-protected diamines 1a-d and 2a-c.
A Bayesian multiple comparison procedure for ranking the means of normally distributed data

Abstract We present a Bayesian decision-theoretic model for producing, via all pair-wise comparisons, a set of possible rankings for a given number of normal means. A simulation is performed to compare this constant loss model to popular frequentist methods used to rank normal means, including Tukeys method and the Benjamini–Hochberg procedure. The model will also be compared to a Bayesian model using a linear loss function. Properties to be compared include the probability of containing the true ranking and the expected number of possible rankings produced.
Significant differnces in metal-organic complexes derived from birch and aspen forest soils in interior Alaska

Abstract Gel permeation fractionated aqueous extracts, obtained from aspen and birch forest soils, subjected to thin-layer chromatography (TLC) provided further separations of components within each gel permeation chromatographic fraction. Birch soil extracts obtained in 1984 exhibited the same chromatographic behavior as those obtained in 1983. Similarly, aspen soil extracts obtained in 1983 and 1984 displayed the same chromatographic behavior. Many TLC bands visually appeared common to both forest-type soil fractionated extracts. Chelex 100 was employed to determine the degree of complexation in each TLC band. Significant dissimilarities in the extent of metal complexation, by substances contained in these thin-layer fractions, were observed within and between the two forest types. These distinctions in complexation support the concept that forest-type-specific, water-soluble metal-organic complexes exist.
Partitioning of fluorine and chlorine between biotite and granitic melt: experimental calibration at 200 MPa H 2 O

Experiments from 640 to 680 °C, 200 MPa H2O at␣fO2 ≈ NNO, employing a natural␣F-rich␣vitrophyric rhyolite from Spor Mountain, Utah, assessed the effect of variable Mg′ [100Mg/(Mg + Mn + Fe)] on the partitioning of fluorine and chlorine between biotite (Bt) and melt. Over this temperature interval, Bt ( ± fluorite, ± quartz) is the sole liquidus phase. Partition coefficients for fluorine between biotite and glass (DFBt/melt) show a strong dependence on the Mg′ of Bt.␣DFBt/melt varies from ˜ 1.5 to 7.2 over the range of Mg′ from 21 to 76. A strong linear correlation between␣DFBt/melt␣and Mg′ has a slope of 9.4 and extrapolates through the origin (i.e., DFBt/melt ≈ 0 at Mg′ = 0, an annite-siderophyllite solid solution in these experiments). DClBt/melt values ( ˜ 1 to 6) in the same experiments vary inversely with Mg′. The Al-content of biotite does not vary with the aluminum saturation index (ASI = molar Al2O3/Σ alkali and alkaline earth oxides) of melt, but two exchange mechanisms involving Al appear to operate in these micas: (1) Alvi + Aliv ? Siiv + Mgiv, and Mgiv + 2Aliv? 2Siiv + □iv. The effects of other components such as Li or other intensive parameters including fO2 have yet to be evaluated␣systematically. At comparable Mg′ of Bt, however, the Spor Mountain rhyolite yields higher DFBt/melt values than an Li-rich, strongly peraluminous melt previously investigated. The results indicate that the Mg′ of Bt exerts the principal control on halogen partitioning, with ASI and T as second-order variables. The experimental partition coefficients compare well with other experimental results but not with most volcanic rocks. Magmatic Bt from most rhyolites records higher DFBt/melt due to reequilibration with degassed (H2O-depleted) magma and perhaps with F2O−1 exchange that may accompany oxidation ([Fe3+O] [Fe2+OH]−1). This behavior is evident in magmatic biotite from a zoned peraluminous rhyolite complex near Morococala, Bolivia: Bt is sharply zoned with F-rich rims, but Bt(core)-melt inclusion pairs fall on our experimental curve for DFBt/melt. These experimental data can be used in part to assess the preservation of magmatic volatile contents in plutonic or volcanic silicic rocks. For plutonic rocks, the actual F-content of melt, not a relative activity ratio involving HF species, can be reasonably estimated if the mica has not undergone subsolidus reequilibration. This information is potentially useful for some shallow-level Ca-poor magmas that are thought to be rich in F (e.g., A- and S-type granites) but do not conserve F well as rocks.
EMG artifact minimization during clinical EEG recordings by special analog filtering

Abstract A multichannel analog filter for minimizing EMG artifact in routine EEG recordings is described. A 20-channel readily portable version has been implemented which can be easily interfaced with standard electroencephalographs at the auxiliary input/output connectors, in such a way that the filter can be inserted or removed for all channels simultaneously, or, selected channels can be filtered individually. That such an on-line filter be explored was suggested by the remarkable results for minimizing EMG artifact from EEG recordings at seizure onset by off-line computer-based digital filtering recently reported by Gotman, Ives and Gloor. A 4-pole Butterworth filter, i.e., having a maximally flat amplitude response in the passband and having a cut-off frequency, i.e., 30% attenuation point, of 12.5 Hz was selected, the same cut-off frequency as that of the digital filter used by Gotman et al. With this cut-off frequency, which represents a compromise, residual EMG artifact is relatively small. With higher cut-off frequencies, EMG artifact can appear as pseudobeta activity. Minimization of pseudo-beta activity is obtained, however, at the expense of the elimination of true beta activity. On the other hand, activity of alpha frequencies or lower can be readily identified in the filter output, even with severe EMG artifact in the unfiltered EEG. Other problems in EMG filtering are discussed. Since the analog filter has a non-linear phase characteristic, in contrast to the linear phase characteristic of the finite-impulse-response digital filter used by Gotman et al., the possibility existed that distortion of the wave form of EEG spikes could result, as well as attenuation of their amplitudes. However, the wave forms of filtered spikes in the write-out of the analog filter were found to be essentially identical with those from a one-channel on-line finite-impulse-response computer-based filter having a linear phase characteristic. This finding indicates that phase shift in the analog filter is not a problem, at least for clinical EEG.
Hemispheric alpha asymmetries of stuttering males and nonstuttering males and females for words of high and low imagery

Abstract Alpha hemispheric asymmetries of nonstuttering males, nonstuttering females, and stuttering males were explored with electroencephalographic procedures during exposure to two lists of one-syllable words which the subjects were required to recall following presentation. One word list contained low-imagery words while the other contained high-imagery words. Stuttering males were found to have significantly less alpha in their right hemispheres, suggesting right hemispheric processing strategies. This finding was interpreted as supporting the “segmentation dysfunction” explanation of stuttering suggested by Moore and Haynes (1979b). Nonstuttering males showed less left than right alpha while nonstuttering females revealed no difference between their right and left hemispheres. Differences between nonstuttering males and females are discussed as being task and stimuli dependent relative to the segmental/nonsegmental nature of both task and stimuli. Differential hemispheric asymmetries for words of high or low-imagery were not observed.
A high order projection method for nonlinear two point boundary value problems

Approximations to the solutions of a general class of 2m-th order nonlinear boundary value problems are developed in spaces of polynomial splines of degree 2m+1 by requiring the residual to be orthogonal to a class of polynomial splines of degree 2m?1 over the same mesh. Conditions are given for existence and uniqueness of approximations along with theoretical error rates. In some cases these rates are shown to be of the same order as the best approximation to the solution over the approximating spline spaces. Some computational notes and the results of numerical experiments are also given.
Crystallization of designed protein variants

Over 300 mutants of bacteriophage T4 lysozyme have been constructed and about 80% of these give crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction analysis. All crystals were obtained under batch conditions similar to those used initially for the wild-type protein. The principal reasons for noncrystallization of some mutants appear to be disruption of crystal contacts and/or conformational changes in the protein. Mutations that do not disrupt crystal contacts and do not cause changes in conformation can be routinely crystallized isomorphously with wild-type lysozyme. Occasionally, a crystal modification non-isomorphous with wild-type is obtained. The structure of one such variant (Met 6 → Ile) has recently been determined and found to display a striking range of conformational states within the same crystal.
The Adaptive Piezoelectric Microsensoriactuator for Active Control of Microcantilevers

The adaptive piezoelectric sensoriactuator is modified for use at the microscale to facilitate non-contact mode imaging of a microcantilever MEMS device in atomic force microscopy. The sensoriactuator is a truly colocated (sensor and actuator occupy exactly the same position on the structure) sensor/actuator device that uses a hybrid digital and analog design to drive a structure while simultaneously sensing the mechanical response. Using a piezoelectric material to both sense and actuate simultaneously is problematic because of the difficulty in resolving the sensory (mechanical) and actuator (electrical) parts of the output signal. Implementation of the adaptive piezoelectric sensoriactuator at the microscale results in a system with electrical quantities that are vastly reduced or increased from typical macroscale values, requiring more precise components and more careful design and construction of analog circuitry. For example, a typical micro-cantilever piezoelectric has a capacitance of on the order of 100 pF with an impedance at 50 kHz nearly 32 kΩ. The signal levels are significantly smaller with a typical piezoelectric current on the order of 100 nA. Thus, environmental noise can overwhelm signals in the system mandating the use of high precision operational amplifiers featuring ultra-low bias currents (±30 fA) and careful guarding or shielding of all circuitry. As reported in this paper, the adaptive piezoelectric microsensoriactuator has been successfully used to simultaneously sense and actuate while imaging using non-contact mode. The self-sensing microcantilever was successfully tested to produce a surface image using the microsensoriactuator to measure the movement of the microcantilever. The RMS value of the microsensoriactuator output is compared with the desired RMS output and the difference is used to drive an active resonance response controller. The active resonance response controller determines the control signal required to augment or attenuate the microcantilever’s motion to match the desired motion.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Assay Miniaturization for Ultra-High Throughput Screening of Combinatorial and Discrete Compound Libraries: A 9600-Well (0.2 Microliter) Assay System

Combinatorial chemistry has opened a new realm of chemical entities in the search for novel therapeutics. Combinatorial chemistry is currently adding hundreds of thousands of compounds to similar numbers available from years of synthesis by medicinal chemistry. It is not unreasonable to expect that over the next several years, nearly a million compounds will be available for screening against each therapeutic target. The number of potential targets will also be increasing with the advances in genomics. With the increasing number of compounds to be screened against an increasing number of targets, it is becoming increasingly difficult and costly to obtain the required amounts of key biological material needed to screen these compounds. One obvious solution is to miniaturize the assays so that the biological reagent supply doesn't need to increase. To this end, we have developed an ultra-high throughput screening system comprised of a new plate design (9600-well), detection system, and liquid handling syste...
Simultaneous active/passive IR vehicle detection

The use of a range/passive-IR histogram as an approach to pixel-level fusion for cued target detection is discussed. Target detection algorithms for laser radar range imagery often use a number of computationally-intensive operations to locate targets in an image. These steps may include performing global geometric transforms, locating the ground plane, or applying size filters with associated rules. Each pixel in the image is processed multiple times, a time- consuming chore. An alternative to examining every pixel is to cue such detailed algorithms directly to an image location which is likely to contain a target. Cueing reduces the burden of searching or processing the entire image for regions of interest, greatly decreasing the number of computations needed for target detection. Cueing can be accomplished by combining registered laser radar range and passive-IR data. Since these data are taken simultaneously and are co-registered by Lincoln Laboratory's airborne laser radar, it is possible to combine them to form a powerful set of discriminants. There are two possible approaches to fusing the range and passive-IR data: (1) the domains can be processed for detections in two parallel streams and the resulting detection maps combined, or (2) the domains can be fused first and then processed as a single stream for detections. In the first method, sometimes called 'image-level' fusion, the processing algorithm for each domain can be optimized to obtain the best combination of detection and false alarm statistics. In the second method, the domains are combined at the pixel level, and the result is processed directly for target detection. The latter approach also reduces the number of computations since only data of interest to both domains is processed further. In this article, the multi-dimensional laser radar sensor and ongoing efforts to develop an automatic target recognition (ATR) system are described. The processing of pixel-registered laser radar range and passive-IR imagery for cued target detection using the range/passive-IR histogram is discussed. The authors present results for IR imagery with positive passive-IR target-to-background contrast to study the performance of the algorithm in real-world scenarios. These results are compared with a more typical detection method.
Identification and characterization of [125I]arginine vasopressin binding sites on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Abstract Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a nonapeptide that has been shown to be released from the posterior pituitary during stress. Although noted primarily for its hemodynamic and homeostatic properties. AVP also appears to have an effect on the immune system. It may modulate cellular immunity via its enhancement of the autologous mixed lymphocyte response (AMLR), an effect which we have demonstrated to occur over a wide dose range with a maximum at 10 −7 M. In this study, we examined the binding of [ 125 I]AVP, and AVP analogues to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). AVP inhibited [ 125 I]AVP (0.2 nM) binding on PBMC in a dose-dependent manner with maximal inhibition being reached at 10 −8 M. Specific [ 125 I]AVP binding, as defined as that which could be displaced by 1 × 10 −6 M AVP, was saturable, time-dependent, and linear to cell concentration. Specific binding reached saturation at approximately 1000 pM in 45 minutes. From Scatchard analysis of saturation experiments it appeared to be a homogeneous population of binding sites with K D of approximately 0.5 nM and B max of approximately 7.6 fmole / 8×10 6 cells, corresponding to approximately 527 binding sites/cell. There was a good correlation between AVP binding and cell number. AVP failed to dissociate completely from its binding sites in 60 minutes, perhaps because of the formation of a high-affinity ligand-binding site complex. From competitive binding studies with various AVP antagonists and analogues, it was found that the AVP binding site appeared to be V 1 -like. AVP binding occured predominantly on B-cells and macrophages. Having provided evidence for the existence of specific, high affinity, and saturable V 1 -like AVP binding sites, we suggest a potential modulatory role for AVP in the communication between the neuroendocrine and immune systems.
Image representation and compression via adaptive multi-Gabor representations

We present some initial study results on image representation and compression using multi-Gabor representations. 2D multi-Gabor representations (MGRs) are a technique of Gabor representations incorporating a set of nonseparable 2D window waveforms in a basis-like system. Windows use in a MGR can be customized to have different spatial and frequency orientations and different spatial and frequency localizations. MGRs have obvious values in efficient image representations and/or compression since an image signal typically has a variety of spatial and frequency contents and orientations. An image could also have textures of different orientations. A multi-Gabor representation that incorporates a set of windows of different localizations and orientations has a build-in adaptive potential, which can provide the most concise representation.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.