cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The accuracy of species-specific allometric equations for estimating aboveground biomass in tropical moist montane forests: case study of Albizia grandibracteata and Trichilia dregeana.

Application of allometric equations for quantifying forests aboveground biomass is a crucial step related to efforts of climate change mitigation. Generalized allometric equations have been applied for estimating biomass and carbon storage of forests. However, adopting a generalized allometric equation to estimate the biomass of different forests generates uncertainty due to environmental variation. Therefore, formulating species-specific allometric equations is important to accurately quantify the biomass. Montane moist forest ecosystem comprises high forest type which is mainly found in the southwestern part of Ethiopia. Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve is categorized into Afromontane Rainforest vegetation types in this ecosystem. This study was aimed to formulate species-specific allometric equations for Albizia grandibracteata Tuab. and Trichilia dregeana Sond. using the semi-destructive method. Allometric equations in form of power models were developed for each tree species by evaluating the statistical relationships of total aboveground biomass (TAGB) and dendrometric variables. TAGB was regressed against diameter at breast height (D), total height (H), and wood density (ρ) individually and in a combination. The allometric equations were selected based on model performance statistics. Equations with the higher coefficient of determination (adj.R2), lower residual standard error (RSE), and low Akaike information criterion (AIC) values were found best fitted. Relationships between TAGB and predictive variables were found statistically significant (p ≤ 0.001) for all selected equations. Higher bias was reported related to the application of pan-tropical or generalized allometric equations. Formulating species-specific allometric equations is found important for accurate tree biomass estimation and quantifying the carbon stock. The developed biomass regression models can be applied as a species-specific equation to the montane moist forest ecosystem of southwestern Ethiopia.
Can an augmented flavor augment another flavor? Evidence from second-order augmentation

Abstract In 3 experiments with rat subjects, we explored flavor-aversion learning across multiple conditioning stages. Experiment 1 was the first demonstration of taste-taste augmentation: Saccharin (SAC) preconditioning followed by compound conditioning of SAC + saline produced a significantly stronger saline aversion. Notably, taste-taste augmentation was recorded both when the 2 tastes were mixed together or presented separately during compound conditioning. Experiments 2A and 2B involved 3 conditioning phases to determine if an augmented flavor could subsequently augment a third flavor. Specifically, after Flavor 1 preconditioning, Flavors 1 and 2 were conditioned in compound, and then, Flavors 2 and 3 were conditioned in compound. This conditioning regimen yielded a significantly stronger aversion to Flavor 3, and this stronger aversion was not attributable to direct generalization from either Flavor 1 or Flavor 2. It appears that a given flavor can have multiple within-compound associations, and these associations can summate to produce a stronger conditioned response to a third taste.
The cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP24A1 increases proliferation of mutant KRAS-dependent lung adenocarcinoma independent of its catalytic activity

We previously reported that overexpression of cytochrome P450 family 24 subfamily A member 1 (CYP24A1) increases lung cancer cell proliferation by activating RAS signaling and that CYP24A1 knockdown inhibits tumor growth. However, the mechanism of CYP24A1-mediated cancer cell proliferation remains unclear. Here, we conducted cell synchronization and biochemical experiments in lung adenocarcinoma cells, revealing a link between CYP24A1 and anaphase-promoting complex (APC), a key cell cycle regulator. We demonstrate that CYP24A1 expression is cell cycle-dependent; it was higher in the G2-M phase and diminished upon G1 entry. CYP24A1 has a functional destruction box (D-box) motif that allows binding with two APC adaptors, CDC20-homologue 1 (CDH1) and cell division cycle 20 (CDC20). Unlike other APC substrates, however, CYP24A1 acted as a pseudo-substrate, inhibiting CDH1 activity and promoting mitotic progression. Conversely, overexpression of a CYP24A1 D-box mutant compromised CDH1 binding, allowing CDH1 hyperactivation, thereby hastening degradation of its substrates cyclin B1 and CDC20, and accumulation of the CDC20 substrate p21, prolonging mitotic exit. These activities also occurred with a CYP24A1 isoform 2 lacking the catalytic cysteine (Cys-462), suggesting that CYP24A1's oncogenic potential is independent of its catalytic activity. CYP24A1 degradation reduced clonogenic survival of mutant KRAS-driven lung cancer cells, and calcitriol treatment increased CYP24A1 levels and tumor burden in Lsl-KRASG12D mice. These results disclose a catalytic activity-independent growth-promoting role of CYP24A1 in mutant KRAS-driven lung cancer. This suggests that CYP24A1 could be therapeutically targeted in lung cancers in which its expression is high.
Virtual Morning Report during COVID-19: A novel model for case-based teaching conferences.

Case‐based teaching conferences, such as morning report, offer trainees a forum to refine their clinical reasoning skills. The need for physical distancing during the COVID‐19 pandemic has shifted medical education towards virtual learning. Educators must now leverage digital tools to support the ongoing education of medical trainees. To meet this need, the Clinical Problem Solvers developed and implemented a multi‐institutional, online model for morning report called, “virtual morning report (VMR).”
Practical Considerations for the Incorporation of Insect-Mediated Contaminant Flux into Ecological Risk Assessments

Insect-mediated contaminant flux is truly an interdisciplinary concept that merges ideas from many technical areas of science (e.g., environmental chemistry, landscape ecology, and entomology). This chapter introduces risk assessors to this emerging and ecologically relevant concept by distilling the main mechanisms that drive insect-mediated contaminant flux and integrating them together so that more informed decisions can be made on whether the phenomenon presents a potential risk at a site.
Abstract 17183: Severity of Myocardial Injury in COVID-19 Hospitalized Patients

Introduction: Myocardial injury in COVID19 is reported as high as 30% and associated with worsened prognosis (Cooper et al., Circulation). Along with elevated cardiac biomarkers, elevated inflammat...
The right to development, integral human development, and integral ecology in the Amazon

This article discusses the reorientation of environmental protection in Amazonia away from the paradigm of individual and collective natural resource management of regional or global commons, to th...
Levonorgestrel vs. Copper Intrauterine Devices for Emergency Contraception

Background In the United States, more intrauterine device (IUD) users select levonorgestrel IUDs than copper IUDs for long-term contraception. Currently, clinicians offer only copper IUDs for emergency contraception because data are lacking on the efficacy of the levonorgestrel IUD for this purpose. Methods This randomized noninferiority trial, in which participants were unaware of the group assignments, was conducted at six clinics in Utah and included women who sought emergency contraception after at least one episode of unprotected intercourse within 5 days before presentation and agreed to placement of an IUD. We randomly assigned participants in a 1:1 ratio to receive a levonorgestrel 52-mg IUD or a copper T380A IUD. The primary outcome was a positive urine pregnancy test 1 month after IUD insertion. When a 1-month urine pregnancy test was unavailable, we used survey and health record data to determine pregnancy status. The prespecified noninferiority margin was 2.5 percentage points. Results Among the 355 participants randomly assigned to receive levonorgestrel IUDs and 356 assigned to receive copper IUDs, 317 and 321, respectively, received the interventions and provided 1-month outcome data. Of these, 290 in the levonorgestrel group and 300 in the copper IUD group had a 1-month urine pregnancy test. In the modified intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses, pregnancy rates were 1 in 317 (0.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01 to 1.7) in the levonorgestrel group and 0 in 321 (0%; 95% CI, 0 to 1.1) in the copper IUD group; the between-group absolute difference in both analyses was 0.3 percentage points (95% CI, -0.9 to 1.8), consistent with the noninferiority of the levonorgestrel IUD to the copper IUD. Adverse events resulting in participants seeking medical care in the first month after IUD placement occurred in 5.2% of participants in the levonorgestrel IUD group and 4.9% of those in the copper IUD group. Conclusions The levonorgestrel IUD was noninferior to the copper IUD for emergency contraception. (Supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02175030.).
Disparate Interferon Signaling and Shared Aberrant Basaloid Cells in Single-Cell Profiling of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) differ in the predominant demographics and identified genetic risk alleles of effected patients, however both diseases frequently progress to respiratory failure and death. Contrasting advanced SSc-ILD to IPF provides insight to the role dysregulated immunity may play in pulmonary fibrosis. To analyze cell-type specific transcriptome commonalities and differences between IPF and SSc-ILD, we compared single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of 21 explanted lung tissue specimens from patients with advanced IPF, SSc-ILD, and organ donor controls. Comparison of IPF and SSc-ILD tissue identified divergent patterns of interferon signaling, with interferon-gamma signaling upregulated in the SPP1hi and FABP4hi macrophages, cytotoxic T cells, and natural kill cells of IPF, while type I interferon signaling and production was upregulated in the corresponding SSc-ILD populations. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells were found in diseased lungs only, and exhibited upregulated cellular stress pathways in SSc-ILD compared to IPF. Alveolar type I cells were dramatically decreased in both IPF and SSc-ILD, with a distinct transcriptome signature separating these cells by disease. KRT5-/KRT17+ aberrant basaloid cells exhibiting markers of cellular senescence and epithelial-mesenchymal transition were identified in SSc-ILD for the first time. In summary, our study utilizes the enriched capabilities of scRNA-seq to identify key divergent cell types and pathways between IPF and SSc-ILD, providing new insights into the shared and distinct mechanisms between idiopathic and autoimmune interstitial lung diseases.
Feeding Practices and Effects on Transfusion-Associated Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Premature Neonates.

Background Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions have been implicated in the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature infants. Some evidence exists to support that withholding feedings during transfusion reduces the risk of subsequent NEC development. Purpose To review the most recent literature on this topic to determine best evidence-based practice regarding withholding or not withholding feedings during RBC transfusions. Methods/search strategy Four databases were searched using keywords and MeSH terms including "necrotizing enterocolitis," "NEC," "NPO," and "transfusion," with specifications limiting the search to articles published in the last 10 years and limiting the population to neonates. Findings Four studies did not demonstrate a reduction in transfusion-associated necrotizing enterocolitis (TANEC) with the implementation of feeding protocols during packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions. One study concluded that it could not confirm the benefit of withholding feeds during transfusion to reduce the risk of TANEC. A 2020 randomized controlled trial (RCT) found no difference in splanchnic oxygenation when enteral feeds are withheld, continued, or restricted during a PRBC transfusion. Holding feedings during PRBC transfusions did not result in adverse nutritional outcomes. Implications for practice To determine best evidence-based practice surrounding feeding protocols during RBC transfusions in very low-birth-weight and premature infants less than 37 weeks' gestation. Implications for research It is recommended that large, multicentered, adequately powered RCTs be conducted in this area. Individual institutions should standardize their practice to improve quality, safety, and patient outcomes.
Nonfinancial Firms as Cross-Market Arbitrageurs

I demonstrate that nonfinancial corporations act as cross‐market arbitrageurs in their own securities. Firms use one type of security to replace another in response to shifts in relative valuations, inducing negatively correlated financing flows in different markets. Net equity repurchases and net debt issuance both increase when expected excess returns on debt are particularly low, or when expected excess returns on equity are relatively high. Credit valuations affect equity financing as much as equity valuations do, and vice versa. Cross‐market corporate arbitrage is most prevalent among large, unconstrained firms, and helps account for aggregate financing patterns.
ND-space: normalized difference mapping for vineyards

Identification of materials based on spectral reflectance is complicated by independent variations in reflectance magnitude. A 2-dimensional normalized difference space improves discrimination among bare soils and partial vegetation cover in vineyards.
Enzymatic synthesis and biochemical reactions of fluorinated analogues of L-tyrosine and L-dopa

2-Fluoro-L-tyrosine and 3-fluoro-L-tyrosine have been prepared from 3-fluorophenol and 2-fluorophenol, respectively, pyruvate and ammonia using tyrosine phenol-lyase from Citrobacter freundii. Evidence was obtained that 6-fluoro-L-dopa can be made from 4-fluorocatechol by this method. Both fluorotyrosines are substrates for mushroom tyrosinase. Oxygenation of 2-fluoro-L-tyrosine results in 6-fluoro-L-dopa, while 3-fluoro-L-tyrosine gives 5-fluoro-L-dopa. Both fluorotyrosines produce fluoride ion in reactions with tyrosinase, as measured by a fluoride-specific electrode. However, ascorbic acid can suppress fluoride release from 3-fluoro-L-tyrosine, but not from 2-fluoro-L-tyrosine.
Interferometric strain measurements with a fiber-optic probe

Experience at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics has shown that broadband base vibrations make it difficult to position cryogenic inertial confinement fusion targets. These effects must be mitigated for National Ignition Facility–scale targets; to this end an active vibration stabilization system is proposed. A single-mode optical fiber strain probe and a novel fiber contained heterodyne interferometer have been developed as a position feedback sensor for the vibration control system. A resolution limit of 54.5 nƐ; is measured with the optical strain gauge, limited by the lock-in amplifier. Experimental measurements of the sensor that show good agreement with reference resistive strain gauge measurements are presented.
Beyond Environmental Regulations: Exploring the Potential of “Eco-Islam” in Boosting Environmental Ethics Within SMEs in Arab Markets

The recent global increase in environmental regulation does not necessarily signal improvement in firms’ ecological imprints. Like many markets, the Arab world is struggling to implement environmental compliance measures among local firms. For Arab countries, the reliance solely on formal policies to improve local firms’ ecological footprints may be risky given the evident institutional challenges to enforce environmental regulations, specially post the Arab Spring. Drawing from the literature highlighting the merits of combining formal and informal controls to ensure successful implementation of a strategy, we argue that the emphasis for regulation must be accompanied by an emphasis for developing environmental ethics of individuals, who are the expected implementers of any environmental policy. In that light, we propose that the Eco-Islam phenomenon can serve as an influential and effective foundation for building organizational cultures with stronger environmental ethics among local small and medium enterprises (SMEs). We explain the underlying maxims of Eco-Islam then conduct qualitative research among experts preaching or practicing the concept to gain better insights into the potential of leveraging it in Muslim-majority Arab countries. Finally, we conclude with insightful implications for local SMEs in the region.
Reconstructing estimates from noisy transmissions with serially-connected Kalman filters

This paper considers the problem of tracking a time-varying variable with serially-connected Kalman filters. Two nodes are assumed to be serially connected to the target such that only node 1 can directly observe a noisy signal from the target. Node 2 can only observe noisy signals from node 1 corresponding to a linear combination of the current observation and current state estimate at node 1. The objective is to find the linear combination at node 1 that minimizes the mean squared error of the state estimates at node 2 under a transmit power constraint for the signals from node 1 to node 2. An augmented state model is developed to facilitate tracking at node 2. Transmission scaling factors are also derived to satisfy the power constraint. Numerical results are presented for two-node serial tracking in two scenarios: scalar parameter tracking and two-state oscillator phase and frequency tracking. In the scalar parameter tracking example, the results demonstrate that a non-trivial combination of the observation and state estimate at node 1 can improve performance at node 2 with respect to a baseline scenario of simply forwarding scaled observations. In the two-state clock tracking example, an optimal transmission strategy is developed which allows node 2 to achieve the same tracking performance as at node 1.
Multivariate Analysis: Discrete Variables (Loglinear Models)

Loglinear models are commonly used to analyze relationships involving discrete variables. They include models for independence and conditional independence of polytomous variables, logit models for prediction of binary variables, multinomial response models for prediction of multinomial variables, and Poisson regression models. On the other hand, loglinear models are special cases of exponential families. A unified treatment of loglinear models may be achieved by description of data concerning discrete variables in terms of tables of frequencies. In a loglinear model, each frequency is a random variable with a finite and positive expectation, and the logarithms of the expectations of the frequencies are assumed to satisfy a linear model. The frequencies are assumed to be either independent Poisson random variables or one or more independent multinomial random variables. In loglinear models, exact tests and confidence intervals are available, although such procedures are often difficult to apply. Large-sample approaches based on maximum likelihood are commonly used, and analyses based on weighted regression analysis are encountered in many important special cases. Bayesian methods of analysis have also been proposed.
Uncertainties associated with estimates of radium accumulation in lake sediments and biota

A dynamic model of radium transfers between water, sediments and fish-flesh was developed to compare lakes that differ in their biological and physical characteristics. Results indicate that factors associated with differences in biological productivity between lakes can result in significant differences in the predictions and uncertainties of radium in various aquatic components.
A Mutant of Arabidopsis Deficient in the Elongation of Palmitic Acid

The overall fatty acid composition of leaf lipids in a mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana was characterized by an increased level of 16:0 and a concomitant decrease of 18-carbon fatty acids as a consequence of a single recessive nuclear mutation at the fab1 locus. Quantitative analysis of the fatty acid composition of individual lipids established that lipids synthesized by both the prokaryotic and eukaryotic pathways were affected by the mutation. Direct enzyme assays demonstrated that the mutant plants were deficient in the activity of 3-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase II; therefore, it is inferred that fab1 may encode this enzyme. Labeling experiments with [14C]acetate and lipase positional analysis indicated that the mutation results in a small shift in the partitioning of lipid synthesis between the prokaryotic and eukaryotic pathways. Synthesis of chloroplast lipids by the prokaryotic pathway was increased with a corresponding reduction in the eukaryotic pathway.
Attempts at desensitization of women immunized by the Rh factor. I. The use of ethylene disulfonate.

H EMOLYTIC disease due to maternal isoimmunization by the Rh factor occurs in about, 0.66 per cent of newborn infants. Since the advent OS transfusion therapy, and especiall,v with the USC of exchange transfusion employing female donors, more than !)O per cent of infants born alive with hemoIytic disease a,re saved.’ Nevertheless. the tragic problem of helping heavily sensitized women who give birth repeatedly to stillborn and hydropic infants has not been solved. Moreover, it is a question whet,her exchange transfusion either modifies or prevents kernicterus, the disastrous brain damage which occurs in from 10 to 15 per cent of infants wit,11 hemolytic disease of the newhorn. Personal experience with a large number of cases in our clinic in the past i’our years has served to emphasize the calamitous nature of the Rh problem for some women. Man)cases were discovered during routine blood grouping and Rh testing in pregnancy; others were referred for study as problem cases. Ko over-all statistical validity can be claimed for this somewhat selected material, but it is worth noting that in this series to date there have been 21s cases of hemolytic disease of the newborn. Of this group t,here were 97 fetal deaths ; these cases consisted of 31 st,illborn, 22 hydrops fetalis, 23 kernicterus, 6 infants with severe hemolytic disease, and 15 cases in which further autopsy studies are being caarried out to determine the exact cause of death (see Table I).
The use of the chatter mode in self-adaptive systems

Chatter mode is used advantageously if the ideal model dynamics is described by a switching function, the chatter mode is reached quickly and then sustained, the chatter frequency is reduced, and any zero in the plant transfer function is cancelled.
Assessing Hong Kong’s blueprint for internationalising higher education

This paper provides a critical assessment of the key recommendations for internationalising higher education in Hong Kong issued by the University Grants Committee in December 2010. Key topics include the rationale for internationalisation, the process by which internationalisation will be carried out, the proposal that Hong Kong aspire to become a regional “education hub,” the roles of English, Cantonese and Putongua in instruction and the impact of internationalisation on curriculum reform and student learning. In general, the report represents a missed opportunity to provide clear and compelling guidance to the university sector in Hong Kong regarding internationalisation.
On velocity field control of mechanical systems

In this paper, we propose control schemes that stabilize the system's behavior to the desired velocity field. In particular, we seek schemes that are divided into a dissipative component and an active component with respect to kinetic energy. We considered two cases: one in which both the dissipative and the active components are available for manipulation, and the other in which the active component is given, but not manipulable. It is shown that in the first case, a space varying damping control is sufficient, and in the second case, a dynamic damping control based on a fictitious manipulator is proposed. >
Boys affiliate more than girls with a familiar same-sex peer.

Abstract Evidence from ethnographic, observational, and experimental studies with humans converges to suggest that males affiliate more than females with unrelated, familiar same-sex peers, but this has never been examined directly. With this aim, we compared frequency of affiliation with a single, randomly chosen, familiar same-sex peer for the two sexes during early childhood. A focal child was brought to a room with three play areas—one containing a same-sex peer, one containing an adult, and one empty—and time spent with the peer was tabulated. Results demonstrated that boys visited the play area with the same-sex peer more frequently than girls did, and more boys than girls spent significant amounts of time with the peer. Human males’ greater willingness to affiliate with randomly chosen familiar peers likely contributes to sex differences in a number of characteristics of humans’ social interactions.
Identification of multiple cis-acting elements mediating the induction of prostaglandin G/H synthase-2 by phorbol ester in murine osteoblastic cells.

The tumor promoter phorbol 13-myristate 12-acetate (PMA), the best characterized protein kinase C agonist, frequently regulates gene expression via activation of Fos/Jun (AP-1) complexes. PMA rapidly and transiently induces prostaglandin G/H synthase-2 (PGHS-2) expression in murine osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells, but no functional AP-1 binding motifs in the 5'-flanking region have been identified. In MC3T3-E1 cells transfected with -371/+70 bp of the PGHS-2 gene fused to a luciferase reporter gene (Pluc), PMA stimulates luciferase activity up to eightfold. Computer analysis of the sequence of the PGHS-2 promoter region identified three potential AP-1 elements in the -371/+70 bp region, and deletion analysis suggested that the sequence 5'-aGAGTCA-3' at -69/-63 bp was most likely to mediate stimulation by PMA. Mutation of the putative AP-1 sequence reduces the ability of PMA to stimulate Pluc activity by 65%. On electrophoretic mobility shift analysis (EMSA), PMA induces binding to a PGHS-2 probe spanning this sequence, binding is blocked by an unlabeled AP-1 canonical sequence, and antibodies specific for c-Jun and c-Fos inhibit binding. Mutation of this AP-1 site also causes a small (22%) but significant reduction in the serum stimulation of Pluc activity in transiently transfected MC3T3-E1 cells. On EMSA, serum induces binding to a PGHS-2 probe spanning the AP-1 site, binding is blocked by an unlabeled AP-1 canonical sequence, and antibodies specific for c-Jun and c-Fos inhibit binding. Joint mutation of this AP-1 site and the nearby CRE site at -56/-52 bp, previously shown to mediate serum, v-src and PDGF induction of PGHS-2 in NIH-3T3 cells, blocks both PMA and serum induction of Pluc activity in MC3T3-E1 cells. Hence, the AP-1 and CRE binding sites are jointly but differentially involved in both the PMA and serum stimulation of PGHS-2 promoter activity.
The binding kinetics and interaction of DNA fluorochromes used in the analysis of nuclei and chromosomes by flow cytometry

The interactions and binding characteristics of DNA dyes used in the flow cytometric analysis of chromatin were studied using human chromosomes and mouse thymocyte nuclei. The kinetics of dye binding and the relationship between fluorescence intensity and dye concentration are presented. Under the conditions used, Hoechst 33258, propidium iodide and chromomycin A3 reach an equilibrium with thymocyte nuclei after approximately 5 min, 20 min and more than 1 h, respectively. The same binding kinetics are observed with Hoechst 33258 and chromomycin when nuclei are stained with a mixture of the two dyes. Sodium citrate, which improves the resolution of flow karyotypes, causes a rapid increase in Hoechst and propidium iodide fluorescence, but a decrease in the fluorescence of chromomycin. The relative peak positions of chromosomes in a flow karyotype are unaffected by sodium citrate addition. The spectral interaction between Hoechst and chromomycin is quantified. There is variation among the human chromosome types in the amount of energy transferred from Hoechst to chromomycin. By measuring the Hoechst and chromomycin fluorescence of each chromosome after Hoechst excitation, it is shown that the amount of energy transferred is correlated to the ratio of the amount of Hoechst to chromomycin bound. Although the energy transfer between the two dyes is considerable, this has little effect on the reproducibility of flow karyotype measurements. The relative peak positions of all human chromosomes in a 64 X 64 channel flow karyotype, except for the 13 and Y chromosomes, vary in the order of 0.5 channel over a 16-fold change in either Hoechst or chromomycin concentration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Nystro¨m's iterative variant methods for the solution of Cauchy singular integral equations

Iterative methods for the solution of algebraic systems and integral equations are becoming increasingly popular, because they can take advantage of the speed of vector and parallel computers. In this paper, Nystrom’s iterative variant methods developed for the solution of Fredholm integral equations are extended to the solution of Cauchy singular integral equations. Gauss–Chebyshev and Lobatto–Chebyshev quadrature approximations are used to define two iterative algorithms, GIV and LIV, and their convergence for all continuously differentiable kernels is proven. For arbitrary kernels the complexity is $O(m^2 )$ operations per iteration step, where m is the number of node points. However, for certain kernels the complexity can be reduced to $O(m\log _2 m)$ by using a fast summation algorithm. An extrapolation technique based on the average of the Gauss–Chebyshev and Lobatto–Chebyshev methods is also introduced. The average is usually as accurate as the Lobatto–Chebyshev or Gauss–Chebyshev method with twice...
Ion trap measurement of U64+ X-ray transition spectra

Abstract Highly-charged uranium ions with a dominant nickel-like component (U 64+ ) were produced using the electron beam ion trap (EBIT) with an electron bombardment energy of 7.4 keV. A comparison of the measured n = 4 to n = 3 X-ray transition spectra with calculations for U 64+ gave excellent qualitative agreement. The low-energy region of the 4-3 spectrum for the Ni-like ions was characterized by a strong electric quadrupole 4s-3d transition, about as large as the leading dipole 4f-3d transition, which tagged the abundance of U 64+ ions. High resolution spectroscopy was used to measure 4f-3d transition energies for ten charge states: U 60+ - 69+ excited by 6.4–8.9 keV electrons. The ionization balance for 8.9 keV electron excitation was mostly from five charge states, U 64+ -U 68+ qualitative agreement with a separate analysis of extracted ions.
Slow Crack Growth and Molecular Mobility in Commercial Gas Pipe Resins

Abstract Fundamentals of crack growth were studied in polyethylene copolymers used in distribution piping of natural gas. The effect of comonomers is significant despite very low concentrations. The growth of the craze is by fibrillation at the crack tip. The molecular mobility was studied by dynamic mechanical properties as well as by small angle x-ray scattering measurements of the changes in long period with annealing time and temperature. It was found that molecular mobility in these gas pipe resins is significantly less than that seen in HDPE. This greatly reduced molecular mobility seems to contribute to the increased resistance to slow crack growth of these resins.
A group recommender for movies based on content similarity and popularity

People are gregarious by nature, which explains why group activities, from colleagues sharing a meal to friends attending a book club event together, are the social norm. Online group recommenders identify items of interest, such as restaurants, movies, and books, that satisfy the collective needs of a group (rather than the interests of individual group members). With a number of new movies being released every week, online recommenders play a significant role in suggesting movies for family members or groups of friends/people to watch, either at home or at movie theaters. Making group recommendations relevant to the joint interests of a group, however, is not a trivial task due to the diversity in preferences among group members. To address this issue, we introduce GroupReM which makes movie recommendations appealing (to a certain degree) to members of a group by (i) employing a merging strategy to explore individual group members' interests in movies and create a profile that reflects the preferences of the group on movies, (ii) using word-correlation factors to find movies similar in content, and (iii) considering the popularity of movies at a movie website. Unlike existing group recommenders based on collaborative filtering (CF) which consider ratings of movies to perform the recommendation task, GroupReM primarily employs (personal) tags for capturing the contents of movies considered for recommendation and group members' interests. The design of GroupReM, which is simple and domain-independent, can easily be extended to make group recommendations on items other than movies. Empirical studies conducted using more than 3000 groups of different users in the MovieLens dataset, which are various in terms of numbers and preferences in movies, show that GroupReM is highly effective and efficient in recommending movies appealing to a group. Experimental results also verify that GroupReM outperforms popular CF-based recommenders in making group recommendations.
Faster calculation of the full matrix for least-squares refinement

Equations derived from a statistical model and valid for all space groups give estimates of the elements of the matrix for least-squares refinement of atomic coordinates and isotropic thermal parameters for a large crystal structure with many diffraction data. The elements are functions of the lengths and directions of Patterson vectors and the distribution of weights as a function of Bragg angle. For a large data set, this matrix, or a portion of it, can be calculated in a time that is approximately proportional to the number of elements calculated and independent of the number of reflections.
GDNF and GFRalpha-1 are components of the axolotl pronephric duct guidance system.

In mammals, secretion of GDNF by the metanephrogenic mesenchyme is essential for branching morphogenesis of the ureteric bud and, thus, metanephric development. However, the expression pattern of GDNF and its receptor complex-the GPI-linked ligand-binding protein, GFRalpha-1, and the Ret tyrosine kinase signaling protein-indicates that it could operate at early steps in kidney development as well. Furthermore, the developing nephric systems of fish and amphibian embryos express components of the GDNF signaling system even though they do not make a metanephros. We provide evidence that GDNF signaling through GFRalpha-1 is sufficient to direct pathfinding of migrating pronephric duct cells in axolotl embryos by: (1) demonstrating that application of soluble GFRalpha-1 to an embryo lacking all GPI-linked proteins rescues PND migration in a dose-dependent fashion, (2) showing that application of excess soluble GFRalpha-1 to a normal embryo inhibits migration and that inhibition is dependent upon GDNF-binding activity, and (3) showing that the PND will migrate toward a GDNF-soaked bead in vivo, but will fail to migrate when GDNF is applied uniformly to the flank. These data suggest that PND pathfinding is accomplished by migration up a gradient of GDNF.
World Distribution of Certain Postural Habits

F OR a long time it has been suspected that certain standing and sitting postures might be culturally significant (Mauss 1935). Although some (e.g., Driver 1937:118) have doubted that such behaviors are consistent enough to enable anyone to draw useful conclusions about them, others have not hesitated to deal in systematic fashion with the postural habits of particular cultures (Irizawa 1920-21; Mead and Macgregor 1951; Bailey 1942). For example, following a discussion of Mohave sitting postures, Kroeber (1925:728) asserted, "this [i.e., posture] is one of the most interesting matters in the whole range of customs .... " However, in spite of this interest, there have been almost no attempts to bring the scattered data together into a comprehensive world-wide framework. Mauss' Les techniques du corps (1935) was a stimulating program for such an undertaking-nothing more. Human postural habits have anatomical and physiological limitations, but there are a great many choices, the determinants for which appear to be mostly cultural. The number of significantly different body attitudes capable of being maintained steadily is probably on the order of one thousand. Certain postures may occur in all cultures without exception, and may form a part of our basic hominid heritage. The upright stance with arms at the sides, or with hands clasped in the midline over the lower abdomen, certainly belongs in this category. A fourth of mankind habitually squats in a fashion very similar to the squatting position of the chimpanzee, and the rest of us might squat this way too if we were not trained to use other postures beyond infancy. Anthropoid postures may shed some light on the problem of which human ones are most likely to be "natural" or precultural, although ape limb proportions would deter us from relying too heavily on such evidence. Of factors which affect postures, aside from the biological substrata, we might start with sex-differentiating conditions such as pregnancy and lactation, which possibly render certain sitting positions more frequent among adult females, and nutritional conditions (not wholly independent of culture), which may determine the amount of fat accumulated in posturally strategic parts of the body. Fear of genital exposure, whatever its etiology, seems to play an important role in postural customs (or at least in their rationale) in many cultures. Clothing and footgear, such as heavy boots and tight-fitting skirts, doubtless exert their effects on ways of sitting. Artificial supports-whether logs, rocks, stools, pillows, back rests, benches, or chairs-are highly significant, with complex histories and manifold cultural interconnections. There is also a relation of types of house-construction to posture.
Transformation of the common wart into squamous cell carcinoma in a patient with primary lymphedema

A patient is reported in whom treatment-resistant periungual and subungual warts underwent malignant transformation into squamous cell carcinoma. Similar changes were observed in multiple warts of the vulvar, perianal, and intravaginal as well as cervical area. The tumors that develop were in many instances microinvasive but did not metastasize. The remarkable conversion of a common wart into a squamous cell carcinoma further implicates the human papovavirus in oncogenesis. The specific factors accountable for the malignant change remain completely unknown, but the patient's lymphedema praecox, as well as her severe reaction to vaccinia, and her development of a disseminate systemic Mycobacterium scrofulaceum infection suggest that the critical factor may be one of immunity.
Data-parallel rasterization of micropolygons with defocus and motion blur

Current GPUs rasterize micropolygons (polygons approximately one pixel in size) inefficiently. We design and analyze the costs of three alternative data-parallel algorithms for rasterizing micropolygon workloads for the real-time domain. First, we demonstrate that efficient micropolygon rasterization requires parallelism across many polygons, not just within a single polygon. Second, we produce a data-parallel implementation of an existing stochastic rasterization algorithm by Pixar, which is able to produce motion blur and depth-of-field effects. Third, we provide an algorithm that leverages interleaved sampling for motion blur and camera defocus. This algorithm outperforms Pixar's algorithm when rendering objects undergoing moderate defocus or high motion and has the added benefit of predictable performance.
Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Chloro-Substituted Phenylnitrene Anions

The 355 nm time-of-flight negative ion photoelectron spectra of (o-, m-, and p-chlorophenyl)nitrene radical anions are reported. Electron affinities are obtained from the photoelectron spectra, and are 1.79 ± 0.05, 1.82 ± 0.05, and 1.72 ± 0.05 eV for the (o-, m-, and p-chlorophenyl)nitrenes, respectively. Singlet−triplet splittings are determined to be 14 ± 2, 15 ± 1, and 14 ± 2 kcal/mol, respectively. The shapes of the photoelectron bands indicate resonance interactions in the singlet states for the ortho- and para-substituted isomers, which is attributed to quinoidal structures of the open-shell singlet states. Reanalysis of the photoelectron spectrum of phenylnitrene anion leads to a revised experimental singlet−triplet splitting of 14.8 kcal/mol in the unsubstituted phenylnitrene.
Properties of the infrared transmitting Bi-Ca-Sr-(Cu, Zn)-O glasses doped with lead oxide

The glass forming regions of the Bi015-CuO-Ca05Sr05O superconducting system have been explored by the addition of PbO. The glass froming regions expand with PbO addition and shrink with the substitution of copper oxide by zinc oxide. The glass transition temperature of these glasses ranges from 300C to 420C. These glasses have high refractive index of about 2. 8 and density from 6 to 9 g/cm3 they are infrared transmitting with cutoff wavelength farther than 7 tm. The high polarizability of Bi3 ions gives these glasses high non-linear optical coefficient of 4 * lO13. 1.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Children's Reactive Curiosity Scale

The present study reports the description of and the normative data obtained with a scale of reactive curiosity (RC Scale) for use with Grade 4, 5, and 6 children. A 90-item RC Scale and a 10-item ...
Introduction to the structure and chemistry of superconducting materials

Abstract The copper oxide superconductors are the latest and in some ways the most exotic of the series of new superconducting materials discovered during many decades of scientific research in the materials aspects of superconductivity. This tutorial lecture, summarized in part in the following, was designed to place the cuprate superconductors, for the non-expert, within the context of the superconducting materials which came before and bring all up to date on the latest developments in cuprates, where even after a decade of intensive research, new materials are being discovered which challenge our understanding.
Reactions of CF3SF3NCF3 with nucleophiles and the preparation of CF3SF4N(F)Rf (Rf = CF3,C2F5)

Abstract The new compounds, CF3SF(O)NCF3 and CF3SF(NCH3)NCF3, result from nucleophilic displacement reactions of CF3SF3NCF3 with water and methylamine, respectively. Higher yields of the di-imine are obtained when CH3N(Si(CH3)3)2 is substituted for CH3NH2. Stable fluoroamines, CF3SF4N(F)Rf (Rf = CF3, C2F5) are prepared by fluorination of the respective amines, CF3SF4N(H)Rf, with silver difluoride or by the saturation of the double bonds in CF3SF3NCF3 and CF3SF4NCFCF3with elemental fluorine in the presence of CsF. The chemical stability of the fluoroamines is significantly greater than that of either the chloroamines or amines.
DECREASED CIRCUMCISION RATE WITH VIDEOTAPE COUNSELLING

Most parents are not properly counselled about neonatal circumcision. We hypothesized that counselling using videotape presentations might be effective in reducing the circumcision frequency rate (CFR). We performed an intervention trial to test this hypothesis. A videotape presentation summarizing factors relating to neonatal circumcision was prepared. Permission was obtained from NBC, Inc. to also present Kiker's NBC News Magazine commentary "Circumcision: the casual cut" which aired in Nov 1981. In the videotape counsel group (VTCG), parents of male infants born between 1 Jan and 30 Jun 1982 were asked to view the two videotapes before deciding for or against circumcision. In the routine physician counsel group (RPCG), parents of male infants born after 1 Jul 1982 were counselled by the house officer-on-call without the videotape. This second method of counselling was what had been practiced prior to undertaking the study. The CFR of the VTCG was compared to the RPCG and with circumcision data from previous years at Tripler AMC. Results are as follows:
The nonsteroidal effects of diethylstilbestrol: the rationale for androgen deprivation therapy without estrogen deprivation in the treatment of prostate cancer.

ABSTRACTPurpose: During the last 2 decades there has been an increase in the number of men with prostate cancer placed on luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LH-RH) agonist therapy. In addition, the duration of individual therapy has extended from what was once only a few months to, in many cases, several years. As a result there has been an increase in the incidence of side effects, including osteoporosis, decreased cognitive abilities, vascular stiffness and fatigue. We explored the use of estrogen in the form of diethylstilbestrol (DES) as an alternative treatment for men with prostate cancer, and introduce the concept of androgen deprivation without estrogen deprivation. In doing so we hope to elucidate some of the nonhormonal nonsteroidal effects of DES. Furthermore, we hope to define the mechanisms by which DES can be useful when LH-RH agonist therapy or orchiectomy has failed.Materials and Methods: We comprehensively reviewed the literature from 1935 to the present regarding estrogen and antiand...
Liouville operator resolvent method applied to the hubbard dimer

The problem of two hydrogenlike atomic sites (s-shells only) coupled via a hopping matrix is considered. We employ a new formalism, the Liouville operator resolvent method, to evaluate the single-particle thermodynamic Green’s function for this system. Details of the method are also discussed.
Pressure measurement during nuclear demagnetization of BCC and HCP solid 3 He

Direct nuclear demagnetization is used to cool high density solid3He into the magnetically ordered phases. The pressure change in the samples is detected by a capacitive strain gauge. The entropy of the samples is removed by precooling to a temperature of 0.5 mK in a field of 2.5 T. For a bcc sample with a molar volume of 20.10 cm3/mol, two magnetic transitions have been observed. A similar experiment on an hcp sample with a molar volume of 19.65 cm3/mol is being done. Preliminary data indicates no abrupt change in the pressure as observed in the bcc sample.