cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Scalable Solution Route to Porous Networks of Nanostructured Black Tungsten.

This paper studied the feasibility of a new solution-processed method to manufacture black tungsten nanostructures by laser conversion of tungsten hexacarbonyl precursor on the Inconel 625 substrate under argon atmosphere at ambient pressure. The results show that sublimation of the precursor can be prevented if the decomposition temperature (>170 °C) is achieved using the laser heating method. Three different laser powers from 60–400 W were used to investigate the role of laser parameters on the conversion. It was found that lower laser power of 60 W resulted in a mixture of unconverted precursor and converted tungsten. Higher laser powers >200 W resulted in α-W (BCC) in one step without further heat treatment. Different oxygen concentrations from 0.5 ppm to 21 vol% were used in the laser canister to investigate the effect of oxygen concentration on the conversion. It was found that the hard vacuum (>10−4 torr) or hydrogen is not necessary to obtain α-W (BCC). The solar absorptance varied from 63–97%, depending on the amount of precursor deposited on the substrate and oxygen content in the laser canister. This solution-based laser conversion of tungsten precursor is a scalable method to manufacture tungsten coatings for high-temperature applications.
The Evolution of Urban Community Development Corporations in Response to Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities

THE EVOLUTION OF URBAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS IN RESPONSE TO CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES by Sharon Bancroft, Bachelor of Science A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Urban and Regional Planning at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006 Major Director: Dr. Michela Zonta, Assistant Professor, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Community development corporations (CDCs) have become important vehicles for revitalizing urban neighborhoods. These small, multi-disciplinary groups must adapt quickly to changing conditions in the industry. The author interviewed CDC directors and other industry experts from Richmond, Virginia and Atlanta, Georgia to identify and compare contemporary challenges, opportunities and adaptations among community developers. The cost and availability of land, inadequate funding and organizational capacity were significant barriers in both cities. In Richmond, increasing competition, NIMBY and staff retention were other barriers. In Atlanta, securing community buy-in, the permitting process, and the growing need for affordable housing were other barriers. Increasing public interest in affordable housing, the need for new housing types and increased housing demand present new opportunities. Atlanta also has new public policies supporting housing. In response, CDCs in both cities are expanding their geographic areas, developing partnerships, and adding new development products. Atlanta CDCs also reported expanding non-development activities.
Boundary Conditions for Collisional Grain Flows at Bumpy, Frictional Walls

We outline the derivation of conditions that determine the slip velocity and flux of fluctuation energy for collisional flows of frictional spheres at bumpy, frictional boundaries with either cylindrical or spherical bumps. We illustrate their use by solving for the profiles of fluctuation velocity, mean velocity, and volume fraction in steady, fully developed shearing flows between boundaries with frictional, cylindrical features.
The Adultification of Refugee Children: Implications for Cross-Cultural Social Work Practice

This paper presents the findings of a study that examines the social and emotional adjustment of adultified Cuban refugee children from the 1994-1995 Guantanamo wave. It also discusses how changes in family roles affect intergenerational relations and family well-being, and how the migration and resettlement experience affects parent/child roles and disrupts the refugee family.
Clinical characteristics and management outcome in the burning mouth syndrome: An open study of 130 patients

Clinical characteristics and treatment responses were studied in 130 patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS). Most patients were postmenopausal women, and the tongue was the most frequently afflicted site. Although 39% of the patients complained of dry mouth, no causative factors were evident. Therefore BMS is assumed to be a functional disorder. This was at least partially confirmed because the most effective management was in response to mood-altering drugs. From our data BMS appears to be a chronic condition with variations in symptoms among patients and without a predictable endpoint.
Inhibition of Phorbol Ester Binding and Protein Kinase C Activity by Heavy Metals

Abstract Other laboratories have reported biphasic effects of heavy metals on protein kinase C activity: stimulation followed by inhibition at higher concentrations. We demonstrate that these earlier findings most likely resulted from a combination of the effect of the heavy metals to liberate Ca2+ from Ca2+-EGTA buffer systems and the direct inhibitory effects of the metals on protein kinase C. Simulations of such interactions substantiate this conclusion. When soluble protein kinase C is prepared without the addition of Ca2+ or chelator, heavy metals (Cd2+, Cu2+, Hg2+, Zn2+, in the 10 microM range) inhibit the activity of, and the binding of regulatory ligands to, protein kinase C. Heavy metals inhibit the extent of [3H]phorbol dibutyrate binding without affecting the affinity of the interaction, an inhibition that is not surmounted by excess phospholipid. Heavy metals also inhibit the phospholipid-dependent catalytic activity of protein kinase C in a manner that excess phosphatidylserine can overcome. The inhibition of enzyme activity by heavy metals cannot be surmounted by excess Ca2+ or Mg2+. The inhibitory effects of heavy metals are not confined to protein kinase C. Heavy metals also inhibit cyclic AMP binding to cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and the catalytic activity of that kinase, but in a distinctly different pattern.
Poetically Dwelling with the Veil: The Intellectual, Moral, and Aesthetic Dimensions of W.E.B. Du Bois's Educational Philosophy

Just over a hundred years since its 1903 publication, scholarship on W.E.B. Du Bois’s educational philosophy as presented in his Souls of Black Folk remains scant. Marginalized for its supposedly radical claims against the existing race theories of the time that understood Negroes as savages, dismissed as a sentimental, chaotic work of poor exegetical thinking, and charged as a work of either elitism, Victorian hubris, or down right antiquated understanding, Du Bois’s Souls remains a work on the periphery of American philosophical and educational thinking. Aware of these polemical charges, recent works by educational philosophers Bartley L. McSwine, Odesa M. Weatherford-Jacobs, Derrick P. Aldridge, and Terry O’Neal Oatts look to correct damaging criticisms by concentrating their attentions on Du Bois’s educational philosophy in Souls.
CLINICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGIC OBSERVATIONS ON ENTEROVIRUS INFECTION IN A CIRCUMSCRIBED COMMUNITY DURING AN EPIDEMIC OF ECHO 9 INFECTION

A clinical, epidemiologic and laboratory study was undertaken in a housing development during an epidemic of illness due to ECHO virus, type 9. The clinical manifestations varied with age. The younger children exhibited an exanthem while older persons frequently had evidence of irritation of the central nervous system. Multiple cases occurred within families, with the incidence of illness highest in the younger age groups. No serious consequences of the illness were seen. Echo 9 virus was recovered with greater frequency from the intestinal contents of young children with illness than from ill adults, although serologic evidence of recent infection in these adults could be demonstrated. The rate of inapparent infection with ECHO 9 virus was low. Virus rarely persisted in the feces beyond 14 days after onset of illness. Group B Coxsackie viruses, type 4 and type 5, were found also to be the cause of many infections within the same population at the same time. Illnesses due to these viruses were similar to those due to ECHO 9 virus, except that no eruption was observed. The rate of inapparent infection was higher than that observed with ECHO 9 virus. Simultaneous infection with ECHO 9 virus and Coxsackie B4 or B5 virus was rare.
Ethnic Fragmentation and Police Spending: Social Identity and a Public Good

We present evidence that more ethnically fragmented communities spend, all else equal, more on police services than less fragmented communities. We introduce a model of spending on police services which we use to interpret the data. In this model, we assume that the decision to commit a crime is a rational consideration of the costs and bene…ts and that spending on police services reduces the attractiveness of committing a crime. We ­
Extracting Topological Information from Spatial Constraint Databases

This paper presents an efficient topology information extraction algorithm that is capable of extracting primary topological relations, such as, interior, boundary, and exterior from a single spatial or spatio-temporal object stored in a linear constraint database. Any non-spatial constraints will be preserved so that the input spatio-temporal object’s temporal constraints will not be sacrificed by the algorithm. Based on the three primary topological relations, more topological relations between regions, lines, and points can be defined in a constraint database for future spatial analysis.
Cutting edge: Ikaros is a regulator of Th2 cell differentiation.

Ikaros, a hematopoietic transcription factor, has well defined effects on early lymphocyte development in the bone marrow and thymus. In this study we demonstrate that Ikaros is a positive regulator of Th2 cytokine gene expression in peripheral T cells. CD4+ T cells from naive Ikarosnull mice cultured under Th2-skewing conditions express the Th1 cytokine IFN-γ and have reduced IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 expression. Ikaros directly associates with several Th2 locus regulatory regions in naive CD4+ T cells. The decreased ability to express Th2 cytokines in Ikarosnull T cells corresponds with histone 3 hypoacetylation across the Th2 cytokine locus as well as decreased GATA3 and cMaf and increased T-bet and STAT1 expression. These data support a model whereby Ikaros directly activates Th2 gene expression by promoting local chromatin accessibility during CD4+ T cell differentiation and also acts indirectly to regulate expression of Th2- and Th1-specific transcription factors.
Transboundary Waters in Latin America: Conflicts and Collaboration

In the Americas, there are approximately 70 international basins shared by Latin American countries (32 in North America and 38 in South America). Of those, 15 of the North American international basins and six of the South American international basins are governed by international treaties (2). These treaties refer to agreements where there is a concern with water as a scarce or consumable resource, a quantity to be managed, or an ecosystem to be improved or maintained (see Table 1). Although treaties and agreements of cooperation exist, countries of the Americas face a great challenge in collaborating to achieve sustainable development on both sides of their borders. This is particularly important where the actions of one nation can directly or indirectly affect the well-being of its neighbors. Frequently, projects that threaten water quality are located near international borders and create winner–loser confrontations. These situations generate serious international conflicts, sometimes violent, which may extend for years. To resolve these types of prolonged conflicts, collaborative agreements are negotiated which facilitate shared water and land management. This article presents examples of conflicting situations and cooperative efforts among Latin American countries in North America, Central America, and South America. This article examines key examples of binational development that has threatened the quality of water used by two nations and created binational conflict and negotiation. Keywords: Latin America transboundary waters; international borders; international basins; transboundary water treaties; binational development projects on transboundary waters; South America; Central America; North America; U.S.-Mexico border; Central America border rivers; Amazon Basin; Orinoco Basin; La Plata basin South America economic integration Pantanal; sovereignty; water security; water management
Single Photon Adiabatic Wavelength Conversion

Here we demonstrate adiabatic wavelength conversion at the single photon level with very low noise and high efficiency. This result is expected to enable wavelength conversion in future quantum optical systems.
Ethanol in biorefining and dehydration of agricultural materials: energy, capital cost, and product quality implications.

The production of aqueous ethanol from fermentation-based biorefining operations suggests the availability and possibility for its use within the refinery to aid in separations prior to and after fermentation. A variety of uses that have been considered are described here. In general, these rely on biomass constituent solubility enhanced by ethanol concentration and temperature so that lipids, proteins, and lignin may be dissolved and recovered. Additionally, ethanol may be applied to remove water from solids, such as wet starch, wet gluten, and distillers' wet grains. This technology has been described in the past as ‘extractive’ or ‘displacement’ drying and replaces conventional solids dehydration (a unit operation) with solvent drying plus solvent regeneration (a system of unit operations). Materials as diverse as wood, peat, coal, and starch have been dried experimentally in this way. General criteria using best-case assumptions for this replacement are developed here. Applied to ethanol, these suggest significant potential energy savings for a system that combines low-load solvent drying with distillation. Distillation energy for regenerating ethanol solvent to 90%v or less and producing water is equivalent to a 3 to 4 effect evaporation of water when compared on a separation-energy per unit-of-water-removed basis. Material properties of the dehydrated substance may be enhanced since the solvent drying is at a lower temperature and leaves the matrix without structural collapse. The parameters for capital cost comparison are delineated with important considerations and economies identified that result from the use of low-cost solvent and compatible technologies in the biorefinery setting. Published in 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA
Expression of nephrin in acquired forms of nephrotic syndrome in childhood

Nephrin is a podocyte adhesion molecule located at the slit diaphragm between adjacent glomerular epithelial cells. Mutations in the gene encoding nephrin result in the absence of nephrin or alterations in nephrin causing massive proteinuria in patients with congenital nephrotic syndrome. Given the importance of nephrin to the structural integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier, we postulated that it might also be altered in acquired forms of nephrotic syndrome (NS). To test this hypothesis, frozen kidney biopsy sections from 29 pediatric patients with acquired NS and 5 controls were examined for expression of nephrin. The pathological diagnoses were minimal change disease (MCNS) (19) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) (10). To determine if nephrin expression differed between children and adults with NS, 10 adult patients and 3 controls were also examined. Nephrin expression was evaluated by immunoperoxidase staining with a monoclonal antibody against the extracellular FnIII portion of human nephrin. In all cases, nephrin expression was seen along the glomerular basement membrane in a finely granular/linear pattern. Expression of nephrin was similar to controls in all 19 patients with MCNS and all 10 patients with FSGS. Areas of sclerosis in patients with FSGS did not demonstrate nephrin expression. A distinctly granular pattern to nephrin expression was seen in adult patients with NS as well as controls. These findings suggest that an alteration in nephrin expression is not a feature of acquired forms of NS in childhood.
Interactions of Thalassia testudinum and sediment biogeochemistry in Santa Rosa Sound, NW Florida

Abstract Thalassia testudinum belowground biomass weights, leaf weights, leaf growth rates, areal shoot densities (m−2), and leaf C:N:P ratios were compared to a set of biogeochemical parameters to gain information on seagrass–sediment interactions that may influence seagrass growth. Data were compiled from three surveys conducted in Santa Rosa Sound, located in northwest Florida, at three different meadows in sequential years. Biomass measurements and leaf growth rates decreased between stations along transects from shallow to deeper water. Belowground biomass weights decreased and leaf C:P ratios increased with temperature reflecting a seasonal growth pattern. The T. testudinum parameters were highly correlated with each other. Sulfate reduction rates (at times exceeding 1000 nmol ml−1 day−1) were among the highest recorded for seagrass beds with temperature accounting for 79% of the variation. Even though sulfate reduction rates were high, total Fe:reduced S ratios indicated sufficient Fe to account fo...
Hospital Discharge to Care Facility: A Patient-Centered Outcome for the Evaluation of Intensive Care for Octogenarians

Introduction: Hospital survival and length of stay are commonly used for the evaluation of intensive care outcome for the young and octogenarian patients (≥ 80 years old). Hypothesis: Hospital discharge to a care facility should be considered for more accurate evaluation of intensive care outcome, especially for octogenarian patients. Design: An observational descriptive study. Patients: A total of 6,154 consecutive hospital admissions requiring intensive care over 4 years. Measurements: Demographics, preadmission comorbidities, severity of illness, acute hospital diagnosis categories, charges and destination after discharge, and postdischarge survival for up to 42 months. Results: Octogenarians represented 15% of intensive care admissions (900 admissions). The interventions performed in the ICU, the severity of illness measured by sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), and hospital length of stay were similar for octogenarian and younger patients. Octogenarians had higher hospital mortality (10% vs 6%, p Conclusions: Hospital survival and length of stay did not accurately measure intensive care outcome for octogenarians. Care dependency among octogenarians who survived intensive care was prevalent and decreased their long-term survival. Care dependency and functional disability among hospital survivors should be considered for more accurate evaluation of intensive care outcome in that age group.
The evolution of the microstructure and morphology of metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy-grown InAs films on (1 0 0) GaAs

Abstract The large lattice mismatch (7%) between InAs and GaAs leads to a complex microstructure with many misfit-derived defects. The dependence of the microstructure and morphology of InAs films, deposited on (1 0 0) GaAs substrates via metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE), on growth parameters and the substrate miscut was studied. The InAs crystal microstructure was evaluated by X-ray diffraction rocking curves, pole figures and by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM). At high growth temperatures and high V/III ratios, multiple tilting of the InAs crystal lattice resulted in domains misoriented by 4–7° with respect to each other. Low-angle grain boundaries separating the misoriented grains were observed in cross-sectional TEM micrographs. Low growth temperatures or low V/III ratios resulted in a singly oriented InAs film aligned with the GaAs. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed to determine the surface morphology of InAs thin films and uncoalesced islands. The island areal number-density decreased and island size increased with increasing growth temperature. A smoother InAs surface morphology was observed for the films deposited at a low growth temperature or low V/III ratio. The early coalescence of smaller islands resulted in a single InAs orientation in the coalesced films. The observed effects are discussed in terms of the effect of an In-rich growth environment, resulting from the low growth temperature and low V/III ratio, on the InAs growth chemistry and the strain relaxation phenomena.
The Affinity Between Ownership and Coordination Mechanisms: The Common Experience of Reform in Socialist Countries

The title of the session in which this paper was given, ‘The Theory of Markets in a Planned Economy’, suggests two alternative approaches. One is that of a normative theory — that is, the elaboration of a theoretical blueprint for an economy, relying upon both the plan and the market. Whatever might be the significance of such an approach, this paper takes as its basic themes the other approach, namely positive analysis. A reform process is under way in several socialist countries. The course of thought applied in the paper is based on the hypothesis that in all reform countries it is possible to identify certain common tendencies. Of course, each reforming country constitutes a unique case, and one must look hard to find suitable ways of discerning common patterns of reform in countries as diverse as Yugoslavia, Hungary, China, Poland and the USSR. One must accomplish another equally difficult task as well, that is the task of properly evaluating the cases of failed reform such as the one which was attempted in 1968 in Czechoslovakia. Nevertheless, there exist many common lessons, and in this paper we will attempt to delineate some of them.
The contemporary European copper cycle: 1 year stocks and flows

Abstract Substance flow cycles can provide a picture of resource uses and losses through a geographic region, allowing us to evaluate regional resource management and estimate gross environmental impacts. This paper traces the flow of copper as it enters and leaves the European economy over 1 year and provides the numerical accounting of copper flows that are further analyzed in a companion paper in this issue. We examine the major flows of copper from ore, as it is extracted from the earth, transformed into products, and discarded or recycled. A regional material flow model was developed to estimate patterns of copper use in the early 1990s in select European countries. Successive mass balance calculations were used to determine copper flows, including the amount of metal that enters use in society and is deposited in waste repositories. A database that records temporal and spatial boundary conditions and data quality was developed for continental substance flow analysis. The majority of copper is mined, smelted, and refined outside of Europe. Across the life cycle, a net total of 1900 Gg/year of copper is imported into Europe. About 40% of cathode copper produced within the system is made from old and new scrap. It is estimated that approximately 8 kg of copper per person enters use in society, largely in infrastructure, buildings, industry, and private households. The majority of copper in finished products is contained in pure form (70%), the remainder in alloy form. The waste management system in Europe recycles about 60% of the copper from waste. The copper discard flow from post-consumer waste is roughly five times higher than that from copper production waste. This ratio would decrease if we consider production wastes generated outside of the European system boundary. The net addition of copper to the stock in society in the system is about 6 kg/person. Given the in-service lifetime of the applications of copper identified in this model, most of the copper processed during the last few decades still resides in society, mostly in non-dissipative uses.
Network reachability of real-world contact sequences.

We use real-world contact sequences, time-ordered lists of contacts from one person to another, to study how fast information or disease can spread across network of contacts. Specifically we measure the reachability time---the average shortest time for a series of contacts to spread information between a reachable pair of vertices (a pair where a chain of contacts exists leading from one person to the other)---and the reachability ratio---the fraction of reachable vertex pairs. These measures are studied using conditional uniform graph tests. We conclude, among other things, that the network reachability depends much on a core where the path lengths are short and communication frequent, that clustering of the contacts of an edge in time tends to decrease the reachability, and that the order of the contacts really does make sense for dynamical spreading processes.
Depression, Cognition, Apolipoprotein E Genotype: Latent Class Approach to Identifying Subtype

Objectives Possessing the ɛ4 allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE-ɛ4) genotype is associated with cognitive impairment in nondemented older adults. The authors hypothesized that they might find a subtype of depression related to impaired cognitive performance associated with the APOE-ɛ4 allele. Design A survey conducted between 2001 and 2003 with APOE genotyping. Setting Primary care offices in the Baltimore area. Participants The study sample consisted of 305 adults aged 65 or older with complete information on APOE genotyping and covariates. Measurements The authors used the latent class model to classify respondents according to symptom criteria of American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual as assessed in the Composite International Diagnostic Interview and the following four measures of cognitive function: the Mini-Mental State Exam, Hopkins Verbal Learning Test, Controlled Oral Word Association Test, and the Brief Test of Attention. The authors examined the relationship between class membership and APOE genotype. Results The latent class model yielded three classes: a nondepressed class, a class with depressive symptoms and average cognitive functioning, and a class with depressive symptoms (particularly thoughts of death and suicide) and impaired cognitive functioning. Possessing at least one APOE-ɛ4 allele was not predictive of class membership. Conclusion A subgroup of elderly patients with depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, and a high likelihood of experiencing thoughts of death or suicide may exist that may not be related to APOE-ɛ4. Subgroups of older patients with depressive symptoms may be important to identify because of the association with thoughts of death or suicide and cognitive impairment.
Structured metric learning for high dimensional problems

The success of popular algorithms such as k-means clustering or nearest neighbor searches depend on the assumption that the underlying distance functions reflect domain-specific notions of similarity for the problem at hand. The distance metric learning problem seeks to optimize a distance function subject to constraints that arise from fully-supervised or semisupervised information. Several recent algorithms have been proposed to learn such distance functions in low dimensional settings. One major shortcoming of these methods is their failure to scale to high dimensional problems that are becoming increasingly ubiquitous in modern data mining applications. In this paper, we present metric learning algorithms that scale linearly with dimensionality, permitting efficient optimization, storage, and evaluation of the learned metric. This is achieved through our main technical contribution which provides a framework based on the log-determinant matrix divergence which enables efficient optimization of structured, low-parameter Mahalanobis distances. Experimentally, we evaluate our methods across a variety of high dimensional domains, including text, statistical software analysis, and collaborative filtering, showing that our methods scale to data sets with tens of thousands or more features. We show that our learned metric can achieve excellent quality with respect to various criteria. For example, in the context of metric learning for nearest neighbor classification, we show that our methods achieve 24% higher accuracy over the baseline distance. Additionally, our methods yield very good precision while providing recall measures up to 20% higher than other baseline methods such as latent semantic analysis.
Insidious onset of wrist pain in a young male: Case report and a brief review of the literature

Summary In this report we present the case of a 25-year-old man with an insidious onset of wrist pain. The pain was constant and appeared to be work related where, as a packaging operator, the patient's wrist was exposed to repetitive trauma. Imaging studies revealed an avascular necrosis (AVN) of the capitate bone. The avascular necrosis (AVN) of the capitate is a rare finding with less than 20 cases having been reported in the literature thus far. There may be a multitude of causes for the development of this condition; however, minor repetitive trauma appears to be one of the most common reasons for the development of AVN.
E-Commerce Usage and Perception of E-Commerce Issues among Small Firms: Results and Implications from an Empirical Study*

This paper details the results of an empirical study conducted to study the scope and effectiveness of e‐commerce deployment in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as perceived by small business owner...
A Scheme for the Rapid Preparation of Protein Hydrolyzates for Amino Acid Analysis

An accelerated procedure for preparing acid hydrolyzates of food and feed proteins prior to amino acid analysis has been developed. This scheme features the simultaneous removal of oxygen from 12 samples and from hydrolysis reagent; accelerated hydrolysis of continuously stirred samples at 145°C for 1.25 hr; and semi-automated filtration of the pH-adjusted, diluted hydrolyzates. Using this scheme, one technician can prepare 12 samples for analysis in approximately ½ day. Hydrolyzates of casein and durum wheat flour were prepared by this method by the traditional approach, and by an intermediate method; then analyzed by automated ion exchange chromatography. Resulting profiles were generally comparable for the different schemes.
Silvicultural treatments for converting loblolly pine to longleaf pine dominance: Effects on resource availability and their relationships with planted longleaf pine seedlings

Abstract Throughout the southeastern United States, land managers are currently interested in converting loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations to species rich longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) ecosystems. In a 3-year study on moderately well- to well-drained soils of the Lower Coastal Plain in North Carolina, we examined the effects of four canopy and three cultural treatments on plant resources and quantified relationships between plant resources and longleaf pine seedling survival and growth. Canopy treatments consisted of four levels of timber harvest applied to loblolly pine stands: Control (uncut, mean basal area of 16.2 m2/ha), MedBA (single-tree selection to a mean residual basal area of 9.0 m2/ha), LowBA (single-tree selection to a mean residual basal area of 6.4 m2/ha), and Clearcut (complete canopy removal). Within each canopy treatment, we applied three cultural treatments designed to benefit the early growth of planted seedlings: no treatment (NT), herbicide (H), and herbicide plus fertilization (H + F). Gap light index (GLI) significantly differed among canopy treatments and nonlinearly increased with decreasing basal area. The H treatment resulted in higher temperatures at 10 cm in the soil. Canopy thinning increased foliar calcium (Ca) concentration. The annual root collar diameter (RCD) increment of planted longleaf pine seedlings was positively correlated with GLI, and foliar phosphorus (P) and Ca concentrations but was negatively correlated with soil moisture. Our results confirm that light is an important factor controlling the growth of longleaf pine seedlings.
Controls on nitrogen flux in alpine/subalpine watersheds of Colorado

High-altitude watersheds in the Front Range of Colorado show symptoms of advanced stages of nitrogen excess, despite having less nitrogen in atmospheric deposition than other regions where watersheds retain nitrogen. In two alpine/subalpine subbasins of the Loch Vale watershed, atmospheric deposition of NO3− plus NH4+ was 3.2–5.5 kg N ha−1, and watershed export was 1.8–3.9 kg N ha−1 for water years 1992–1997. Annual N export increased in years with greater input of N, but most of the additional N was retained in the watershed, indicating that parts of the ecosystem are nitrogen-limited. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations were greatest in subsurface water of talus landscapes, where mineralization and nitrification augment high rates of atmospheric deposition of N. Tundra landscapes had moderately high DIN concentrations, whereas forest and wetland landscapes had low concentrations, indicating little export of nitrogen from these landscapes. Between the two subbasins the catchment of Icy Brook had greater retention of nitrogen than that of Andrews Creek because of landscape and hydrologic characteristics that favor greater N assimilation in both the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. These results suggest that export of N from alpine/subalpine watersheds is caused by a combination of direct flushing of N from atmospheric deposition and release of N from ecosystem biogeochemical processes (N cycling). Sensitivity of alpine ecosystems in the western United States to atmospheric deposition of N is a function of landscape heterogeneity, hydrologic flow paths, and climatic extremes that limit primary productivity and microbial activity, which, in turn, control retention and release of nitrogen. Conceptual and mechanistic models of N excess that have been developed for forested ecosystems need to be modified in order to predict the response of alpine ecosystems to future changes in climate and atmospheric deposition of N.
Meteorological conditions during the 1985 southern California nitrogen species methods comparison study

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to present a summary of meteorological conditions which occurred during the Nitrogen Species Methods Comparison Study, conducted in Claremont, California, between 11 and 18 September 1985. This information is intended as an introduction for subsequent articles which describe the results of the study. In southern California, September is noted for hot weather, stagnant air, and high concentrations of photochemical air pollution. During mid-September 1985, however, meteorological conditions were unusually favorable for the dispersion of pollutants, with an abnormally strong upper level trough over southern California at the beginning and again at the end of the intercomparison study period. These troughs were accompanied by much cooler and less stable air than would be desirable for a nitrogen species study. Only the four-day period of 12–15 September could be categorized as somewhat typical of September weather.
Effect of phosphorus and nitrogen on flame retardant cellulose : A study of phosphorus compounds

Abstract Three organophosphorus compounds, N-hydroxymethyl-3-dimethylphosphonopropionamide (HDPP), triallyl phosphate (TAP) and triallyl phosphoramide were employed in a study on flame retardant (FR) mechanisms. N-hydroxymethyl-3-dimethylphosphonopropionamide was more efficient in providing flame retardancy to cellulosic fabrics at the same phosphorus content on cotton fabrics. The flame retardance of the flame retardant treated cotton fabrics were characterized by using limiting oxygen index (LOI). Structural changes of the treated cotton fabrics and the compounds were carried out by using thermal analysis methods such as differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermal gravimetric analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. A new mechanism was proposed based on the efficient flame retardant performance of N-hydroxymethyl-3-dimethylphosphonopropionamide.
The Global Solar Wind Between 1 AU and the Termination Shock

This paper studies the global solar wind between 1 AU and the termination shock, taking into account the highly latitude dependent solar wind at the 1 AU boundary and the ionization of interstellar neutral hydrogen. A system of two-fluid magnetohydrodynamics equations governs the flow of solar wind plasma; the conditions of the solar wind at 1 AU are generated from Ulysses data for the relatively stable state of the wind during the declining phase and solar minimum of the solar cycle. A one-fluid model is used to describe the flow of neutral hydrogen and its condition in the far-field boundary outside the termination shock. Simultaneous solutions are obtained using a high-resolution computational code for the two equation systems coupled by the ionization of neutral hydrogen. The ionization process leads to removal of neutral hydrogen in the heliosphere: a hydrogen cavity forms inside ~4 AU; the cavity extends on the downwind side to form a long cavity wake. Solutions show how the ionization process and the wind condition at 1 AU boundary affect the spatial variation of the wind speed, temperature, pickup proton, fast Mach number, and plasma β-ratio. The wind properties inside 4 AU are axisymmetrical about the solar rotation axis; this axi-symmetry totally disappears in the outer heliosphere. All wind properties are substantially modified at an increasing heliocentric distance on the upwind side to generate an upwind-downwind asymmetry dictated by the direction of the relative motion between the Sun and the interstellar medium.
Phencyclidine- type catalepsy in the pigeon: An update on chen's work

Chen [1965] described a specific form of catalepsy produced by phencyclidine and related arylcyclohexylamine analogues in pigeons. The present study expanded those observations to a variety of compounds identified as having phencyclidine-like subjective effects in man or in drug discrimination experiments in laboratory animals. Besides phencyclidine and ketamine, etoxacrol, dexoxadrol, dextrorphan, cyclazocine, and a series of benz(f)isoquinolines produced phencyclidine-like catalepsy, thus correlating with drug discrimination data from pigeons using phencyclidine-like drugs. A variety of opioid agonists and mixed agonists/antagonists, along with nefopam, amantadine, baclofen, and THIP, did not produce phencyclidine-like catalepsy. Opioid antagonists, haloperidol, and α-methylparatyrosine did not antagonize the phencyclidine-like catalepsy. These results emphasize the specificity of phencyclidine-like catalepsy as a test for determining the presence or absence of phencyclidine-like activity in compounds during drug development.
Prospective national and regional environmental performance: Boundary estimations using a combined data envelopment – stochastic frontier analysis approach

Abstract The environmental performance of regions and largest economies of the world – actually, the efficiency of their energy sectors – is estimated for the period 2010–2030 by using forecasted values of main economic indicators. Two essentially different methodologies, data envelopment analysis and stochastic frontier analysis, are used to obtain upper and lower boundaries of the environmental efficiency index. Greenhouse gas emission per unit of area is used as a resulting indicator, with GDP, energy consumption, and population forming a background of comparable estimations. The dynamics of the upper and lower boundaries and their average is analyzed. Regions and national economies having low level or negative dynamics of environmental efficiency are determined.
An acute, life-threatening, hypersensitivity reaction to riluzole.

Riluzole is the only Food and Drug Administration–approved treatment of ALS that has been shown to modestly prolong survival.1 Riluzole is generally well tolerated. Serious drug-related side effects occur in fewer than 2% of subjects.2 Approximately half of these are attributable to elevations in liver transaminases.2 Long-term follow-up studies have not suggested any long-term toxicity of this drug.3 Adverse events in general are thought to be minor and reversible with discontinuation of the drug. We report a severe, life-threatening systemic inflammatory reaction to riluzole in a patient with ALS. A healthy 50-year-old man was diagnosed with ALS after presenting with 1 year of progressive asymmetrical hand weakness. He fulfilled the El Escorial Criteria for clinically definite ALS at the time of his presentation. He began riluzole therapy at 50 mg twice daily. Concurrently, he was started on zolpidem tartrate to assist with his sleep. Fourteen days …
Treatment with soybean-derived Bowman Birk inhibitor increases serum prostate-specific antigen concentration while suppressing growth of human prostate cancer xenografts in nude mice.

Background Bowman Birk inhibitor (BBI) is an anticarcinogenic serine protease inhibitor that may inhibit the protease activity of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and the growth of human prostate cancer xenografts in nude mice. Methods Human prostate cancer xenografts were established by implanting LNCaP cells into the prostate glands of NCRNU-M athymic nude mice. The animals with established tumors were maintained on a control diet or diets supplemented with 1% BBI or 1%, 2%, or 3% BBI concentrate (BBIC) for 6 weeks. The serum PSA concentrations were determined before and after the BBI or BBIC treatment period. The final tumor loads were determined at autopsy. Results Treatment with BBI or BBIC decreased the final tumor load and increased the tumor doubling time and PSA density in the nude mice bearing human prostate cancer xenografts. Conclusions BBI and/or BBIC could be useful for prostate cancer treatment.
Surface-modified concentration-gradient Ni-rich layered oxide cathodes for high-energy lithium-ion batteries

Abstract Concentration-gradient layered Li[Ni0.8Co0.2]0.7[Ni0.2Mn0.8]0.3O2 oxide with Ni-rich in the core and Mn-rich in the surface region has been synthesized through a condition-controlled tank reactor reaction. While the Ni-rich core facilitates high capacity, the Mn-rich surface enables good cyclability and thermal stability. The concentration-gradient sample exhibits a higher capacity of 204 mA h g−1 at C/5 rate with superior cyclability and thermal stability compared to the constant-concentration LiNi0.62Co0.14Mn0.24O2 sample, which has the same net Ni, Co, and Mn contents as those present in the concentration-gradient sample. The concentration-gradient sample was also coated with a thin layer of Al2O3 on the surface to stabilize the electrode/electrolyte interface and thereby further improve the electrochemical performance. Both the structural (gradient structure) and surface (Al2O3 coating) modifications help suppress side reactions between electrode and electrolyte and reduce the decline in voltage during cycling. The Al2O3-coated concentration-gradient sample exhibits improved long-term cyclability, rate capability, and thermal stability compared to the pristine uncoated sample.
ACTIVE SPECIFIC IMMUNOTHERAPY OF HUMAN SOLID TUMORS

Active specific immunotherapy of human solid tumors by use of enzyme altered cells appears to be a feasible approach. Our initial results, we believe, warrant continued effort in this area. There seem to be no adverse clinical effects to such treatment. In vitro assay methods, to document enhanced immunity, must be included in any immunotherapy program. Equally importantly, such test methods should be expanded for the earliest detection of adverse effects, such as blocking during the course of immunotherapy. The role of immunotherapy must be that of adjuvant treatment, and its only applicability will be in that role.
Mass Effect in P-State π-p Scattering

The mass difference between charged and neutral mesons has been correlated to a change of the pseudovector coupling constant, giving rise to an additional term in the interaction Hamiltonian. The mass effect in $P$-state ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{-}p$ scattering is then calculated, using Chew's fixed-source theory. A correction to the usual scattering formula for the ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{-}p$ system is obtained. This correction fails to explain the quantitative feature of the observed difference (${\ensuremath{\delta}}_{13}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\delta}}_{31}$).
Cutaneous epithelioid hemangioendothelioma

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare vascular tumor of endothelial cell origin. We describe an EHE arising on the plantar surface of the foot that was treated as verruca vulgaris for several years before a biopsy showed EHE. We discuss the clinical and histopathologic differential diagnoses for these tumors and review additional cases in which EHE has been mistaken for benign entities clinically.
Technical note: Evaluation of procedures for analyzing ration sorting and rumen digesta particle size in dairy cows

Collecting total mixed ration (TMR) samples throughout the day to measure sorting activity of dairy cows may cause changes to the sorting behavior of cows or may make it more difficult to elucidate effects of sorting on TMR particle size distributions. Also, forage particle size research commonly includes analysis of the solid portion of rumen digesta for particle size distribution after digesta has been squeezed through several layers of cheesecloth. Therefore, the first objective of this experiment was to determine if collecting TMR samples throughout the day affected sorting behavior of cows and resulted in a different particle size distribution than when TMR was not artificially altered during the day. The second objective of this experiment was to determine if squeezing rumen digesta samples through cheesecloth changed particle size distribution when analyzed by a wet sieving technique. It was determined that small, significant differences existed in particle size distribution between the 2 sampling methods of TMR for sorting behavior. These differences were more likely to occur at time points later in the day. This resulted in small changes in sorting indices calculated from these data; sampling and mixing TMR throughout the day reduced the degree of sorting. Squeezing rumen digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth had no effect on particle size distribution of particles >0.15 mm but reduced the amount of rumen fluid-associated dry matter contained in the sample.
THE DISSOCIATION ENERGIES OF GASEOUS ALKALI HALIDES

Calculated and experimental values of dissociation energies of gaseous alkali halides are given. The calculation methods are given for both gaseous and condensed halides, and the method used for combining the experimental data is presented. Free-energy functions, internuclear distances, fusion data, heat capacity, entropy, and enthalpy functions are also presented. The data given are for cesium, lithium, potassium, rubidium, sodium, bromine, chlorine, fluorine, and iodine. (N.W.R.)
Mutagenic detection of complex environmental mixtures using the Salmonella/arabinose-resistant assay system.

Abstract The mutagenic sensitivity of SV50, the R-factor plasmid containing tester, of the Salmonella/arabinose-resistant assay system has been evaluated with different environmental complex mixtures, including extracts of airborne and diesel emission particles, oil-shale ash, nitrosated coal dust and water samples. The mutagenicities of all extracts were detectable with this assay. This study indicates that the arabinose-resistant a assay with SV50 is useful for the detection of the mutagenic activity of environmental complex mixtures.