cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disinfection resistance of waterborne pathogens on the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Contaminant Candidate List (CCL)

In 1999, the United States Environmental Protection Agency developed a list of emerging waterborne microbial pathogens that may pose a risk in drinking water. This review deals with the disinfection resistance of microorganisms on the Contaminate Candidate List or CCL. Current disinfection practices in the United States appear to be capable of dealing with most of the microorganisms on the CCL, with the exception of Mycobacterium avium and adenoviruses. Mycobacterium avium is more resistant to most disinfectants than other waterborne bacteria and adenoviruses are the most resistant waterborne microorganisms to inactivation by ultraviolet disinfection. The microsporidium, Encephalitozoon intestinalis , shows significant resistance to inactivation by chemical disinfectants and further research on additional species of microsporidia appears to be warranted.
Transistor sizing for radiation hardening

This paper presents an efficient and accurate numerical analysis technique to simulate single event upsets (SEUs) in logic circuits. Experimental results that show the method is accurate to within 10% of the results obtained using SPICE are provided. The proposed method is used to study the ability of a CMOS gate to tolerate SEUs as a function of injected charge and transistor sizing (aspect ratio W/L). A novel radiation hardening technique to calculate the minimum transistor size required to make a CMOS gate immune to SEUs is also presented. The results agree well with SPICE simulations, while allowing for very fast analysis. The technique can be easily integrated into design automation tools to harden sensitive portions of logic circuits.
Evaluating the Atrial Myopathy Underlying Atrial Fibrillation Identifying the Arrhythmogenic and Thrombogenic Substrate

Atrial disease or myopathy forms the substrate for atrial fibrillation (AF) and underlies the potential for atrial thrombus formation and subsequent stroke. Current diagnostic approaches in patients with AF focus on identifying clinical predictors with the evaluation of left atrial size by echocardiography serving as the sole measure specifically evaluating the atrium. Although the atrial substrate underlying AF is likely developing for years before the onset of AF, there is no current evaluation to identify the preclinical atrial myopathy. Atrial fibrosis is 1 component of the atrial substrate that has garnered recent attention based on newer MRI techniques that have been applied to visualize atrial fibrosis in humans with prognostic implications regarding the success of treatment. Advanced ECG signal processing, echocardiographic techniques, and MRI imaging of fibrosis and flow provide up-to-date approaches to evaluate the atrial myopathy underlying AF. Although thromboembolic risk is currently defined by clinical scores, their predictive value is mediocre. Evaluation of stasis via imaging and biomarkers associated with thrombogenesis may provide enhanced approaches to assess risk for stroke in patients with AF. Better delineation of the atrial myopathy that serves as the substrate for AF and thromboembolic complications might improve treatment outcomes. Furthermore, better delineation of the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying the development of the atrial substrate for AF, particularly in its earlier stages, could help identify blood and imaging biomarkers that could be useful to assess risk for developing new-onset AF and suggest specific pathways that could be targeted for prevention.
Phenethylisothiocyanate Alters Site- and Promoter-Specific Histone Tail Modifications in Cancer Cells

Site-specific histone modifications are important epigenetic regulators of gene expression. As deregulation of genes often results in complex disorders, corrective modulation of site-specific histone marks could be a powerful therapeutic or disease-preventive strategy. However, such modulation by dietary compounds and the resulting impact on disease risk remain relatively unexplored. Here we examined phenethylisothiocyanate (PEITC), a common dietary compound derived from cruciferous vegetables with known chemopreventive properties under experimental conditions, as a possible modulator of histone modifications in human colon cancer cells. The present study reports novel, dynamic, site-specific chemical changes to histone H3 in a gene-promoter-specific manner, associated with PEITC exposure in human colon tumor-derived SW480 epithelial cells. In addition, PEITC attenuated cell proliferation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, likely mediated by caspase-dependent apoptotic signalling. The effects of PEITC on histone modifications and gene expression changes were achieved at low, non-cytotoxic concentrations, in contrast to the higher concentrations necessary to halt cancer cell proliferation. Increased understanding of specific epigenetic alterations by dietary compounds may provide improved chemopreventive strategies for reducing the healthcare burden of cancer and other human diseases.
Estimates on the size of the cycle spectra of Hamiltonian graphs

Abstract Given a graph G , let S ( G ) be the set of all cycle lengths contained in G and let s ( G ) = | S ( G ) | . Let ℒ ( G ) = { 3 , … , n } ∖ S ( G ) and let d be the greatest common divisor of n − 2 and all the positive pairwise differences of elements in ℒ ( G ) . We prove that if a Hamiltonian graph G of order n has at least n ( p + 2 ) 4 + 1 edges, where p is an integer such that 1 ≤ p ≤ n − 2 , then s ( G ) ≥ p or G is exceptional, by which we mean d ∤ ( l − 2 ) for some l ∈ ℒ ( G ) . We also discuss cases where G is not exceptional, for example when n − 2 is prime. Moreover, we show that s ( G ) ≥ min { p , n − 3 2 } , which if G is bipartite implies that s ( G ) ≥ min { ⌊ 4 ( m − 1 ) n − 2 ⌋ , n − 2 2 } , where m is the number of edges in G .
Retrieval of Cirrus Cloud Properties From the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder: The K-Coefficient Approach Using Cloud-Cleared Radiances as Input

We have developed a k-coefficient retrieval approach for Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) observations, using AIRS cloud-cleared radiances (ACCRs) as input. This new approach takes advantage of the available ACCR, reduces computational expense, offers an efficient and accurate cirrus cloud retrieval alternative for hyperspectral infrared (IR) observations, and is potentially applicable to the compilation of a long-term cirrus cloud climatology from hyperspectral IR observations. The retrieval combines a lookup-table method coupled to a residual minimization scheme using observed cloudy and cloud-cleared AIRS radiances as input. Six AIRS channels between 766 and 832 cm-1 with minimal water vapor absorption/emission have been selected, and their spectral radiances have been demonstrated to be sensitive to both cirrus cloud optical depth (τc) and ice crystal effective particle size (De). The capability of the k-coefficient approach is demonstrated by comparison with a more accurate retrieval program, which combines the delta-four stream (D4S) approximation with the currently operational Stand-alone AIRS Radiative Transfer Algorithm (SARTA). The distribution patterns and the range of retrieved cloud parameters from the k-coefficient approach are nearly identical to those from SARTA+D4S retrievals, with minor differences traced to uncertainties in parameterized cloudy radiances in the k-coefficient approach and in the ACCR. The k -coefficient approach has also been applied to four AIRS granules over North Central China, Mongolia, and Siberia containing a significant presence of cirrus clouds, and its results are quantitatively compared to simultaneous Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer/Aqua cirrus cloud retrievals. Finally, AIRS retrieved τc and De are consistent with the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) and CloudSat derived values for semitransparent cirrus clouds, with more significant differences in thicker cirrus and multilayer clouds.
Application of silylation to soaps, alcohols and amines in aqueous solutions

Gas chromatographic analysis of many surfactants has been limited due to tailing and adsorption of the analyte on the stationary phase of the column by polar groups such as hydroxyl and amine functionalities. Silylation of these surfactants reduces these unfavorable interactions by replacement of the active hydrogen with a silyl group Si−(CH3)3. Although silylation generally is avoided in aqueious solutions some surfactants have been silylated successfully in aqueous solutions. These include fatty acids and their hydroxamine soaps, fatty and other alcohols, fatty amines, and some inorganic acids. Quantitative results have been confirmed by stoichiometric, gas chromatographic and infrared data.
Geometric interpretation of the weak-field Hall conductivity in two-dimensional metals with arbitrary Fermi surface.

The Hall conductivity ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathit{x}\mathit{y}}$ of a two-dimensional metal in the weak-field, semiclassical, limit has a simple geometric representation. ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathit{x}\mathit{y}}$ (normalized to ${\mathit{e}}^{2}$/h, where e is the electron charge and h is Planck's constant), is equal to twice the number of flux quanta ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\varphi}}}_{0}$ threading the area ${\mathit{A}}_{\mathit{l}}$, where ${\mathit{A}}_{\mathit{l}}$ is the total ``Stokes'' area swept out by the scattering path length l(k) as k circumscribes the Fermi surface (FS). From this perspective, many properties of ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathit{x}\mathit{y}}$ become self-evident. The representation provides a powerful way to disentangle the distinct contributions of the three factors, FS area-to-circumference ratio, anisotropy in ${\mathit{l}}_{\mathbf{k}}$, and negative FS curvature. The analysis is applied to the Hall data on 2H-${\mathrm{NbSe}}_{2}$ and the cuprate perovskites. Previous model calculations of ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathit{x}\mathit{y}}$ are critically reexamined using the new representation.
Onset of chaos in a superconducting Wheatstone bridge of overdamped Josephson junctions

We identify a physical mechanism responsible for the onset of chaos in an asymmetric superconducting Wheatstone bridge of overdamped Josephson junctions while focusing on the dynamics of the transverse junction. The dynamics of the transverse junction are shown to be affected by an effective-noise-current term whose presence eventually leads to the onset of chaos in the bridge. This effective-noise-current term results from the competition of circulating currents in the upper and lower loops of the bridge. For some bridges, the effective-noise-current term has a profound influence on the value of the dc biasing current at which a nonzero average voltage appears across the transverse junction of the bridge.
The Relationship Between MCMI Subtlety and Severity

Wierzbicki (Wierzbicki & Daleiden, 1993; Wierzbicki & Howard, 1992) has suggested that the Subtle-Obvious distinction may be useful for detecting faking on the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI; Millon, 1983). This study examined Schretlen's (1990) criticism that, on the MMPI, subtlety is confounded with severity. Nine clinical psychology graduate students rated MCMI items for severity. Severity was significantly correlated (r = -.48) with item subtlety. However, this association was lower than that reported by Schretlen on the MMPI.
Quality of medical care for persons with serious mental illness: A comprehensive review.

Objectives Prior studies suggest variation in the quality of medical care for somatic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes provided to persons with SMI, but to date no comprehensive review of the literature has been conducted. The goals of this review were to summarize the prior research on quality of medical care for the United States population with SMI; identify potential sources of variation in quality of care; and identify priorities for future research.
Overwhelming post-splenectomy infection in Hodgkin's disease: Pathogenesis and prevention

After staging splenectomy, the risk of overwhelming sepsis in patients with Hodgkin's disease reaches 21% in certain subgroups. Youth, recent splenectomy and vigorous chemoradiotherapy predispose patients to this complication. Because of its explosive course and its known microbiology, post-splenectomy sepsis is better suited to prevention than to treatment. Since immunisation prior to treatment produces good antibody responses, all patients with Hodgkin's disease should probably be vaccinated against encapsulated bacteria at least 10 days prior to the onset of therapy.
Effect of screens on the turbulent flow in the quiescent zone of a rectangular aquaculture raceway

Abstract An acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) was used to measure detailed vertical profiles of mean velocity and (for the first time) turbulence characteristics at the center of the quiescent zone (QZ) of operating aquaculture raceways. Instantaneous velocities were recorded at 10 Hz and averaged over a 360-s time interval in order to derive mean velocities, root-mean-square velocities, and turbulence intensities. The type and cleanliness of the screen separating the QZ from the fish rearing zone was found to be significant. When screens are free of growth and debris, smaller screens promote more uniform mean streamwise velocity profiles, reduce the streamwise root-mean-square (rms) velocities near the floor, and greatly reduce the turbulence intensities in the lower half of the profile. These effects suggest that smaller screens may be used to enhance the setting efficiency of QZs, but this conclusion may not be valid when the screen accumulates significant amounts of debris and algal growth. This condition dramatically alters both the magnitude and the shape of the mean and turbulence profiles. The slower mean velocity produced by a dirty screen should tend to enhance settling, but the higher turbulence has the opposite effect. It is not clear which effect is dominant. The resolution of these questions will require more comprehensive measurements of velocity and solids concentration.
Neglected Gulf Coast Microfauna: ABSTRACT

Micropaleontology as a profession is scarcely more than 20 years old. In the region of the Gulf Coast the interest of micropaleontologists has centered chiefly on the smaller foraminifera, and to a lesser degree on the larger foraminifera and ostracodes. Despite the excellent monographs on bryozoa by Canu and Bassler, little use has been made of these organisms. Commercial reports occasionally mention certain lamellibranchs, gastropods, or otoliths, though seldom specifically. Fossil remains of other groups of organisms are not infrequently combined under the descriptive term "shell-fragments." That the major interest of micropaleontologists should have centered on the foraminifera, both large and small, is not surprising, because of their abundance and excellent preserva ion in the deltaic clays and clayey sands, which predominate in the salt-dome region westward from the Mississippi River to the Rio Grande. Eastward from the Mississippi, however, terrigenous sediments rapidly diminish in quantity, with limes and chalks increasing in abundance. Many of these limes have been subjected to leaching since deposition. The smaller foraminifera appear to have been more soluble than other organisms. Because of the increasing interest in possible oil production from these eastern Gulf Coast states, the purpose of this paper is to point out not only the desirability of utilizing certain easily recognized and abundant species of bryozoa, but to note the occurrence and possible use of crinoids, holothurians, End_Page 898------------------------------ barnacles, crab's claws, diatoms, and other organisms. Of these, only the crabs have recently received more than passing attention. Despite the abundance of crinoid remains in several horizons, at numerous localities, the writer knows of no previous mention of them from the Gulf Coast Tertiary, nor has he seen previous reference to holothurians from the same region. End_of_Article - Last_Page 899------------
O-benzylated oxazoline derivatives of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-glucopyranose from 1-propenyl glycosides. synthesis of the propenyl glycosides and their direct cyclization

Abstract 1-Propenyl 2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri- O -acetyl-2-deoxy-α- and β- d -glucopyranosides ( 3α , 3β ) were obtained by the successive isomerization and acetylation of the known allyl glycosides 1α and 1β . The allyl glycosides were also converted, via their benzylidene 4,6-acetals, into the 4,6-di- O -benzyl-3- O -(2-butenyl) derivatives 9α and 9β . The simultaneous decrotylation and isomerization of 9β , followed by acetylation, gave 1-propenyl 2-acetamido-3- O -acetyl-4,6-di- O -benzyl-2-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranoside ( 11 ). The 4- O -acetyl-3,6-di- O -benzyl isomer ( 18 ) of 11 was synthesized from 1β by a route involving selective, partial benzoylation, and then protection of O-4 as the 2-tetrahydropyranyl ether. As previously described, the 1-propenyl β-glycosides 3β , 11 , and 18 , and the tri- O -benzyl analog 5β , were converted in near-quantitative yield into the corresponding, substituted oxazolines by the action of mercuric chloride and mercuric oxide in boiling acetonitrile. An optimized procedure for this cyclization is given. The 1 H-n.m.r. spectra of the tri- O -acetyl ( 19 ) and the 4- O -acetyl-3,6-di- O -benzyl ( 21 ) oxazolines indicate a modified 0 S 2 , conformation for these compounds.
Approaches to the isolation of RNA tumor viruses from primates.

Increasing numbers of retroviruses have been isolated from tissues and cell lines of primates by use of cocultivation techniques. Type C and type D viral isolates have been obtained from several species of Old and New World monkeys, including woolly monkeys, gibbon apes, baboons, squirrel monkeys, langurs, and owl monkeys. These viruses, both endogenous and infectious, can be used for nucleic acid hybridization studies which reveal their origins, host ranges, and modes of transmission, including trans-species infection. Endogenous retroviruses have served as tools in the study of evolution; they have indicated their own evolutionary relationships, as well as those between primates, and have even suggested the geographic origin of human evolution.
Electron Beam Diagnostics For The Los Alamos Free-Electron Laser Oscillator Experiment

Electron beam diagnostics for the Los Alamos free-electron laser oscillator experiment have been designed to measure the time dependence of the electron energy distribution with time intervals ranging from 30 ps to 200 ps. The electron beam consists of macropulses that have a 100 us duration and a 1 Hz repetition rate. Each macropulse consists of a series of micropulses that have 1,30 ps duration, %50 A peak current, and 1,50 ns separation. The primary purposes of the electron beam diagnostics is twofold: (1) optimization of the bunching system to provide a maximum peak current in the micropulses and (2) measurement of the time dependence of the electron energy distribution during build-up of the photon field in the oscillator. Because the exact time of build-up is uncertain, provisions have been made to allow the observation window to be varied from 10 to 100 us and to be delayed by times up to 100 us.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
WE-C-AUD C-08: Accuracy of the Finite Size Pencil Beam Without the Flattening Filter

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the accuracy of IMRT treatment plans developed without a flattening filter (FF) using the finite size pencil beam which is a commonly used algorithm for IMRTtreatment planning. Compared to flattened beams, the profiles of unflattened beams vary to a greater extent with depth. Since the FSPB uses off axis ratios at one depth for dose calculation, the question arises if the variation in dose profile with depth is large enough to manifest as dosimetric errors in a clinical treatment plan. Method and Materials: The FF for the Varian 600C was removed and a treatment unit in Corvus 6.3 was commissioned using measured data with off axis data measured at 10 cm depth. Calculated profiles at various depths, depth doses, output factors for various field sizes were compared against measured data. Several IMRT patient plans without the flattening filter were also created at depth of 5 cm and 7 cm. These plans were recalculated and delivered on a homogeneous phantom equipped with film and ion chamber slots. The measured dose distribution was compared with the calculated dose distribution using the RITT software (Ver. 5). Results: The profiles, depth doses and output factors calculated by the FSPB were within ± 2%/ mm of measured data. The measurement of the phantom plans were within ± 3%/ mm of calculated values. Conclusion: The removal of the FF reduces treatment delivery time without affecting the plan quality. This is especially beneficial when large doses per fraction (SRS or SBRT) are employed to achieve the desired dose. The FSPB is capable of accurately calculating the dose distribution for an unflattened beam.
Inverse Calculation of Flame Impingement Heat Transfer

Inverse calculations are presented here for the estimation of heat transfer from an impinging flame on a flat surface. This work is a preliminary exercise for estimating heat transfer from an impinging plasma jet, where direct measurements can be very difficult and costly, and the correlations based on air or water jet impingement measurements may not be applicable because of the very high temperature (and property) gradients. As the gas flame impinges on an initially cold flat plate, the temperature evolution on the backside is recorded using an infrared camera. The time–temperature data thus obtained are then compared with those predicted by a finite volume method based code. The code uses a polynomial series for estimating the convection coefficient, which varies with radial distance. The coefficients of this polynomial are treated as a set of parameters to be estimated through the Levenberg-Marquardt approach. The results obtained so far indicate that it may be possible to use such an approach for estimating heat transfer from a plasma jet.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
The multiphasic profile of free fatty acids during the intravenous glucose tolerance test is unresponsive to exogenous insulin.

Abstract As small increments in insulin concentration profoundly affect lipolysis, our goal was to describe the free fatty acid (FFA) profile during the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) and determine if both endogenous and exogenous insulin influenced the FFA profile. Thirteen subjects had both a glucose-only (GO-FSIGT) and insulin-modified FSIGT (IM-FSIGT). Both protocols were of 6 hours duration. At baseline an intravenous glucose bolus (0.3 g/kg) was given. In the IM-FSIGT, insulin was infused from 20 to 25 minutes (4 mU/kg · min). Six additional subjects had both an IM-FSIGT and a normal saline study (NS-Study). For the NS-Study, normal saline solution was infused instead of glucose and insulin. Fasting glucose, insulin, FFA and epinephrine concentrations were similar for all tests. Endogenous insulin peaked at 4 ± 1 minute in both FSIGTs. The mean calculated peak time of exogenous insulin in the IM-FSIGT was 26 ± 1 minute. Glucose concentrations were lower and epinephrine concentrations higher in the IM-FSIGT versus GO-FSIGT. During the FSIGTs, the FFA time course revealed four distinct phases, which did not differ between protocols. In phase I (0 to 11 minutes), FFA levels remained near basal (491 ± 183 μmol/L); in phase II (11 to 79 minutes), FFA levels declined achieving a nadir of 139 ± 63 μmol/L; in phase III (79 to 188 minutes), FFA levels rose linearly and reattained basal levels; and in phase IV (188 to 360 minutes), FFA levels rose above basal and plateaued at 732 ± 214 μmol/L ( P
Enhanced boiling heat transfer with copper oxide hierarchical surfaces

We experimentally investigated the enhancement in critical heat flux (CHF) during pool boiling on copper oxide (CuO) hierarchical surfaces, where surface roughness at multiple length scales is presented. On the surface with the highest surface roughness factor of 13.3, a CHF of ≈250 W/cm2 and heat transfer coefficient of ≈8×104 W/m2 K, were achieved. A good agreement between our developed model and experimental results supports the idea that roughness-amplified surface forces are responsible for CHF enhancement on structured surfaces. The work promises enhanced heat removal capability using hierarchically-structured surfaces for high heat flux thermal management.
Quantification of glycosidase activities in selected yeasts and lactic acid bacteria

Using a model system, the activities of α-L-arabinofuranosidase, β-glucosidase, and α-L-rhamonopyranosidase were determined in 32 strains of yeasts belonging to the genera Aureobasidium, Candida, Cryptococcus, Hanseniaspora, Hansenula, Kloeckera, Metschnikowia, Pichia, Saccharomyces, Torulaspora and Brettanomyces (10 strains); and seven strains of the bacterium Leuconostoc oenos. Only one Saccharomyces strain exhibited β-glucosidase activity, but several non-Saccharomyces yeast species showed activity of this enzyme. Aureobasidium pullulans hydrolyzed α-L-arabinofuranoside, β-glucoside, and α-L-rhamnopyranoside. Eight Brettanomyces strains had β-glucosidase activity. Location of enzyme activity was determined for those species with enzymatic activity. The majority of β-glucosidase activity was located in the whole cell fraction, with smaller amounts found in permeabilized cells and released into the growth medium. Aureobasidium pullulans hydrolyzed glycosides found in grapes.
FUNDAMENTALS OF CALIBRATION TRANSFER THROUGH PROCRUSTES ANALYSIS

In analytical chemistry, it is necessary to form instrument-dependent calibration models. Problems such as instrument drift, repair, or use of a new instrument create a need for recalibration. Since recalibration can require considerable costs and cause time delays, methods for calibration transfer have been developed. This paper shows that many of these approaches are based on the statistical procedure known as Procrustes analysis (PA). Transfer by PA methods is shown to involve translation (mean-centering), rotation, and stretching of instrument responses. This study investigates the ability of different forms of PA to transfer near-infrared spectra measured on two different instruments. Spectroscopic interpretations of translation, rotation, and stretching are provided. It is found for the data sets investigated that unconstrained forms of PA generally produce better results. It is also shown that translation is the key step for transformation of spectra and may often be all that is required.
Computer graphics: An assembly line for information

The growing disparity in productivity between manufacturing and engineering design activities suggests that “software” systems—in which information is organized to produce instructions—must adopt some of the disciplines that have been fruitful in the “hardware” systems—where materials are organized to create products. Developments at Ford toward measuring elements of the design task, detailed planning and organizing of the engineering process at its inception, and elimination or acceleration of the iterative process characteristic of the “scientific method” are discussed in this context. Particular attention is given to the importance of computer graphics and its use with a time-shared computer system as communication and storage means—the beginnings of an “assembly line” for information.
Patch-leaving decisions in black-capped chickadees

Abstract Black-capped chickadees, Parus atricapillus , were presented with two prey patches in an aviary. In the first experiment (‘single-step change’), an unstable patch offered an initially high prey density (60% or 30%) that declined unpredictably to zero, and a stable patch offered a low (10%) but unvarying prey density. The birds displayed a significantly shorter mean giving-up time in the unstable patch when the initial prey density in the unstable patch was 60% than when it was 30%. In the second experiment (‘double-step change’), treatments were as follows: (1) first step=60%, second step=10%; (2) first step=60%, second step=30%; and (3) first step=60%, second step=60%. The mean giving-up time in the 60%–60%–0 treatment was significantly shorter than that in the 60%–30%–0 treatment, indicating that information from the 30% second step influenced the birds’ patch-leaving decisions. The mean giving-up time in the 60%–10%–0 treatment was intermediate between those in the 60%–60%–0 and 60%–30%–0 treatments. The data agree with the predictions of a statistical decision theory model that compares the probability of capturing a prey in the current patch with the probability of capturing prey in alternative patches (the capture-probability model).
Large angle spin-echo imaging

Abstract A study was undertaken to assess the use of excitation flip angles greater than 90° for T 1 weighted spin-echo (SE) imaging with a single 180° refocusing pulse and short TR values. Theoretical predictions of signal intensity for SE images with excitation pulse angles of 90–180° were calculated based on the Bloch equations and then measured experimentally from MR images of MnCl 2 phantoms of various concentrations. Liver signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) and liver-spleen contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) were measured from breathhold MR images of the upper abdomen in 16 patients using 90 and 110° excitation flip angles. The theoretical predictions showed significant improvements in SNR with excitation flip angles >90°, which were more pronounced at small TR values. The phantom studies showed reasonably good agreement with the theoretical predictions in correlating the excitation pulse angle with signal intensity. In the human imaging studies, the 110° excitation pulse angle resulted in a 7.4% ( p p = .2) increase in liver-spleen CNR compared to the 90° pulse angle at TR = 275 ms. Increased signal intensity resulting from the use of large flip angle excitation pulses with a single echo SE pulse sequence was predicted and confirmed experimentally in phantoms and humans.
Quantitative Analysis of Trimethobenzamide Hydrochloride by Ion-Pair Column Chromatography andSemiquantitative Analysis of 3,4,5 -Trimethoxybenzoic Acid by Thin-Layer Chromatography

An ion-pair column chromatographic/UV spectrophotometric method for assaying trimethobenzamide hydrochloride in capsules and injections is presented, as well as a method for the detection of 3, 4, 5-trimethoxybenzoic acid in trimethobenzamide hydrochloride bulk drug and dosage forms. Results obtained by the USP XX, Pharmacopeial Forum, and ion-pair column assay procedures are compared, and results of a collaborative study of the proposed assay and impurity detection methods are presented.
Two genomic regions together cause dark abdominal pigmentation in Drosophila tenebrosa

Pigmentation is a rapidly evolving trait that is under both natural and sexual selection in many organisms. In the quinaria group of Drosophila, nearly all of the 30 species have an abdomen that is light in color with distinct markings; D. tenebrosa is the exception in that it has a completely melanic abdomen with no visible markings. In this study, we use a combination of quantitative genetic and candidate gene approaches to investigate the genetic basis of abdominal pigmentation in D. tenebrosa. We find that abdominal pigmentation is invariant across wild-caught lines of D. tenebrosa and is not sexually dimorphic. Quantitative genetic mapping utilizing crosses between D. tenebrosa and the light-colored D. suboccidentalis indicates that two genomic regions together underlie abdominal pigmentation, including the X-chromosome and an autosome (Muller Element C/E). Further support for their central importance in pigmentation is that experimental introgression of one phenotype into the other species, in either direction, results in introgression of these two genomic regions. Finally, the expression of the X-linked gene yellow in the pupae exactly foreshadows the adult melanization pattern in the abdomen of both species, suggesting that changes in the regulation of yellow are important for the phenotypic divergence of D. tenebrosa from the rest of the quinaria group. These results contribute to a body of work that demonstrates how changes in expression of highly conserved genes can cause substantial phenotypic differences even between closely related species.
A note on confidence interval estimation following curtailed binomial tests

Techniques of Armitage (1958) for finding confidence intervals after sequential tests (SCI) are applied to curtailed binomial test boundaries. The form of the exact randomized SCI is given. We also show that the conservative confidence interval calculated as though a fixed sample size procedure had been used (FCI) remains conservative when used after stopping on a curtailed boundary. Numerical results are obtained to assess the potential gains that may be obtained by using the conservative SCI or exact SCI over the conservative FCI for these boundaries.
MPI-ACC: An Integrated and Extensible Approach to Data Movement in Accelerator-based Systems

Data movement in high-performance computing systems accelerated by graphics processing units (GPUs) remains a challenging problem. Data communication in popular parallel programming models, such as the Message Passing Interface (MPI), is currently limited to the data stored in the CPU memory space. Auxiliary memory systems, such as GPU memory, are not integrated into such data movement frameworks, thus providing applications with no direct mechanism to perform end-to-end data movement. We introduce MPI-ACC, an integrated and extensible framework that allows end-to-end data movement in accelerator-based systems. MPI-ACC provides productivity and performance benefits by integrating support for auxiliary memory spaces into MPI. MPI-ACC's runtime system enables several key optimizations, including pipelining of data transfers and balancing of communication based on accelerator and node architecture. We demonstrate the extensible design of MPIACC by using the popular CUDA and OpenCL accelerator programming interfaces. We examine the impact of MPI-ACC on communication performance and evaluate application-level benefits on a large-scale epidemiology simulation.
A model-based approach to video-based eye tracking

Video-based eye tracking typically relies on tracking the pupil and a first-surface corneal reflection (CR) of an illumination source. The positional difference between these two features is used to determine the observer's eye-in-head orientation. With the use of head-mounted eye trackers, this positional difference is unavoidably affected by relative movements between the eye tracking camera and the subject's eye. Video-based trackers also suffer from problems resulting in poor CR detection, such as spurious reflections being mistaken as the desired CR. We approach these problems by modelling how these features—pupil and CR—are affected by different relative movements of the eye. Optical relationships between the offset of the apparent pupil centre and that of the CR are derived. An experiment was conducted with five observers to support these derivations. Solutions to the aforementioned problems using these offset relationships are provided. The first application compensates for movements of an eye tra...
The Tyranny of Dictatorship When the Greek Tyrant Met the Roman Dictator

The article examines the inaugural encounter of the Greek theory of tyranny and the Roman institution of dictatorship. Although the twentieth century is credited for fusing the tyrant and the dicta...
Deamidation alters the structure and decreases the stability of human lens βA3-crystallin

According to the World Health Organization, cataracts account for half of the blindness in the world, with the majority occurring in developing countries. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye due to light scattering of precipitated lens proteins or aberrant cellular debris. The major proteins in the lens are crystallins, and they are extensively deamidated during aging and cataracts. Deamidation has been detected at the domain and monomer interfaces of several crystallins during aging. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of two potential deamidation sites at the predicted interface of the βA3-crystallin dimer on its structure and stability. The glutamine residues at the reported in vivo deamidation sites of Q180 in the C-terminal domain and at the homologous site Q85 in the N-terminal domain were substituted with glutamic acid residues by site-directed mutagenesis. Far-UV and near-UV circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated that there were subtle differences in the secondary...
Fuelling the engines of growth

Opting for Oil: The Political Economy of Technological Change in the West German Chemical Industry, 1945–1961 by Raymond G. Stokes Cambridge University Press: 1994. Pp. 259. £30, $49.95.
Blind channel estimation for long code multiuser CDMA systems

In CDMA systems with long codes, the users' signatures change in each bit period, impeding the estimation of the time-invariant multipath parameters. In this paper, correlation-matching methods are employed to blindly estimate those multipath parameters. For given code sequences, the output correlation matrix (parameterized by the unknown channel coefficients) is compared with its instantaneous approximation. By minimizing the Frobenius norm of the resulting error matrix, the channel parameters can be estimated up to a complex scalar ambiguity. Both batch and adaptive algorithms are derived. Under the assumption of i.i.d. code sequences, identifiability up to a complex scalar ambiguity for each channel is guaranteed, and the asymptotic convergence of the proposed algorithm is established. Furthermore, step-size selection for the adaptive version is investigated. When only the code sequence of the user of interest is available, a single user receiver is also derived. Simulation results verify those claims and provide comparisons with other methods.
Reporting on Dynamic SEMG Evaluation of the Cervical Musculature

It is regular practice for a clinical investigator to report the findings of any pertinent test. SEMG endeavors to investigate several aspects of skeletal muscular dysfunction. Dynamic SEMG evaluation reporting of the cervical musculature range of motion is the subject of this report. The report content and format is in line with the Daubert Rule of Evidence (Federal Rule 702). The format of the report allows the clinician to present the data in a manner that allows readily for court testimony or other presentation of objective evidence.
PHOTOSENSITIZERS: THERAPY AND DETECTION OF MALIGNANT TUMORS

Abstract. Advances in the use of photosensitizers for detection and treatment of malignant tumors during the previous reviews in this journal have been mainly in the areas of development of potentially useful new photosensitizers (e.g. phthalocyanines and chlorins), further understanding of the mechanisms of photodynamic therapy (PDT), and in dosimetry of light delivery in tissue. Perhaps the most significant advance during the past year has been the initiation of Phase III clinical trials of PDT vs standard therapy in treatment of superficial bladder cancer and obstructive endobronchial tumors. In the final analysis, only such clinical trials can determine the future of this new modality for cancer treatment.
Correlates of success and retention in a multifaceted, long-term behavior modification program for obese adolescent girls

Abstract A long-term weight control program for 36 obese adolescent girls was conducted by an educator, a psychologist, a physician, and a nutritionist. Two cohorts of girls participated for 12 and 7 months, respectively. Both pretest scores and changes on measures of attitudes, behavior, body image, nutritional intake, exercise, and attractiveness of photographs were used as predictors and correlates of weight change, as well as to identify subsequent dropouts. Few subjects lost large amounts of weight and 53% dropped out. Being older, having more positive attitudes toward fatness, decreasing temptation to eat in many places and situations, having a lower pretest caloric intake, and reducing intake of calories and junk food along with changing the distribution of calories from fats to carbohydrates were all associated with losing weight or staying in the program.
Statistical models for sediment/detritus and dissolved absorption coefficients in coastal waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract We developed statistically-based, optical models to estimate tripton (sediment/detrital) and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption coefficients (asd, ag) from physical hydrographic and atmospheric properties. The models were developed for northern Gulf of Mexico shelf waters using multi-year satellite and physical data. First, empirical algorithms for satellite-derived asd and ag were developed, based on comparison with a large data set of cruise measurements from northern Gulf shelf waters; these algorithms were then applied to a time series of ocean color (SeaWiFS) satellite imagery for 2002–2005. Unique seasonal timing was observed in satellite-derived optical properties, with asd peaking most often in fall/winter on the shelf, in contrast to summertime peaks observed in ag. Next, the satellite-derived values were coupled with the physical data to form multiple regression models. A suite of physical forcing variables were tested for inclusion in the models: discharge from the Mississippi River and Mobile Bay, Alabama; gridded fields for winds, precipitation, solar radiation, sea surface temperature and height (SST, SSH); and modeled surface salinity and currents (Navy Coastal Ocean Model, NCOM). For satellite-derived asd and ag time series (2002–2004), correlation and stepwise regression analyses revealed the most important physical forcing variables. Over our region of interest, the best predictors of tripton absorption were wind speed, river discharge, and SST, whereas dissolved absorption was best predicted by east–west wind speed, river discharge, and river discharge lagged by 1 month. These results suggest the importance of vertical mixing (as a function of winds and thermal stratification) in controlling asd distribution patterns over large regions of the shelf, in comparison to advection as the most important control on ag. The multiple linear regression models for estimating asd and ag were applied on a pixel-by-pixel basis and results were compared to monthly SeaWiFS composite imagery. The models performed well in resolving seasonal and interannual optical variability in model development years (2002–2004) (mean error of 32% for asd and 29% for ag) and in predicting shelfwide optical patterns in a year independent of model development (2005; mean error of 41% for asd and 46% for ag). The models provide insight into the dominant processes controlling optical distributions in this region, and they can be used to predict the optical fields from the physical properties at monthly timescales.
A New Bayesian Chronology for Postclassic and Colonial Occupation at Xaltocan, Mexico

This article proposes a new four-phase chronology for Postclassic and colonial occupation at Xaltocan, Mexico, using Bayesian statistical modeling of a suite of 54 radiometric dates. Of these, 46 samples come from recent extensive excavations of sealed, stratified household deposits, facilitating improved understanding of sample context and resulting in a more accurate chronology. The timing of the adoption of major ceramic wares at the site and intrasite level is outlined and contextualized within broad, regional phases. These results are particularly valuable given recent research that repudiates a uniform chronological framework for the Basin of Mexico in the Postclassic period, and indicates instead a significant amount of chronological overlap and regional variation in the use of distinct ceramic types. DOI: 10.2458/56.17504
The biogeochemical influences of NO3−, dissolved O2, and dissolved organic C on stream NO3− uptake

AbstractStreams are potential hotspots for retention and removal of NO3−, and understanding the mechanisms that enhance NO3− reactivity in stream systems is critical for predicting and preventing eutrophication. Both dissolved organic C (DOC) and dissolved O2 (DO) influence NO3− removal processes. Assessing the individual impacts of NO3−, DO, and DOC concentrations on stream NO3− removal is difficult because these factors covary and are coupled through the C and N cycles. We used an experimental approach to quantify the influences of NO3−, DOC, and DO on NO3− transport in headwater streams of the Ipswich and Parker River watersheds (Massachusetts, USA) with contrasting levels of DOC and DO. In a 1st set of experiments, we added NO3− to address how uptake kinetics differed between a low-DO/high-DOC stream (Cedar Swamp Creek) and a high-DO/low-DOC stream (Cart Creek). In a 2nd set of experiments, we manipulated, for the first time at the reach scale, both DO and DOC in a factorial experiment. DO was added t...
Optimal transmission and jamming strategies in a communication channel

A zero-sum differential game model is presented for two players who are both transmitting information and jamming their opponent at the same time, under channel capacity constraints. The problem for each player is to find an optimal policy for allocating this capacity over the duration of the game. Given a cost function for the game, conditions are determined under which equilibrium strategies exist. These (pure) strategies are found to be of the bang-bang variety and depend on game parameters such as the channel capacity and jamming effectiveness of the players, as well as the duration of the game.
Effect of intermittent exposure to simulated high altitude in erythropoiesis in the guinea pig.

ConclusionsGuinea pigs exposed to simulated altitudes of 23,000 and 30,000 feet 6 hours a day and 6 days per week became fully acclimatized after 200 hours, as shown by maximal increase in the values for red corpuscles, hemoglobin, and hematocrit. Reticulocytosis and enlargement of the spleen were also demonstrated.
Laser Evaporation Deposition Of Superconducting And Semiconducting Thin Films

We describe here the deposition of superconducting and semiconducting thin films by the laser evaporation technique. The, characterization of this process, and possible optimization with regards to wavelength and pulse duration of the laser will be discussed. Results of laser interaction experiments will also be described.