cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microphysical modeling of the 1999–2000 Arctic winter 2. Chlorine activation and ozone depletion

[1] The effect of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) on ozone depletion during the 1999–2000 Arctic winter has been assessed using a coupled microphysical/photochemical model. Scenarios spanned a large range of denitrification levels, with up to 80% vortex-averaged denitrification and localized dehydration. PSC composition was varied, exploring sensitivity to heterogeneous reaction rates. PSC formation during February was critical in causing severe ozone depletion below 500 K. Heterogeneous chemistry on these PSCs was able to continuously reactivate the newly produced ClONO2. Only 30–40% vortex-averaged ozone loss would have occurred without this chlorine reactivation; with it, 21–32% more ozone loss is possible. During February (unlike earlier in the winter), chlorine reactivation and ozone loss were sensitive to heterogeneous chemistry: varying the reactivities altered ozone loss by 11%. An analysis of the critical temperatures for heterogeneous chemistry demonstrates the importance of temperatures near the nitric acid trihydrate condensation point, where many uncertainties influence heterogeneous reaction rates. Chlorine reactivation during February also prevented denitrification from enhancing ozone loss until March: 70% vortex-averaged denitrification only enhanced ozone depletion by 3% on 10 March. The mid-March vortex breakup probably limited the extent of ozone depletion; if the vortex had remained stable until 15 April, 16% ozone loss (out of a total 68% ozone loss) could be caused by 70% denitrification. Ozone loss intensifies nonlinearly with enhanced denitrification: in individual air parcels with 90% denitrification, 40% ozone loss in mid-April can be attributed to denitrification alone.
Percutaneous Drainage and Explantation of an Infected Aortic Endoluminal Stent Graft

Endoluminal repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) has undergone explosive growth in the last decade. Although immediate benefits are attractive to both the patient and the treating physician, concerns regarding long-term success have dampened sustained enthusiasm for this technique. A rare but catastrophic complication is stent graft infection. This case report describes an early infection of an endoluminal aortic stent graft treated initially with percutaneous drainage and ultimately with staged extraanatomic bypass and graft explantation.
Elements of a Paradigm for Rural Development: Discussion

Nelson comments that he has found little basis for speculating on the future of rural communities and attributes the failure to the lack of a well-accepted paradigm of rural development. My own inclination is to look at the future of rural communities and the policies which influence their characteristics and performance in a much broader context than is usually considered as rural development. Let me simply mention a few ideas which seem to me to be relevant in thinking about this topic. Most fundamentally we need a conceptual framework for understanding settlement patterns. What determines where people live? It is a complex set of factors to be sure. Choice of location is seldom an individual one; it involves a group with different preferences and opportunities. Household location decisions both respond to the consequences of choices of others and influence choices made by others. The desirability and opportunities of a location are affected by both the individual and the collective decisions of members of the community. The characteristics of members affect the choices. Clearly a model of individual decision making is inadequate for structuring an understanding of settlement patterns. The theory must deal with collective choices and dynamic relationships. The location of economic activity is clearly a very important factor affecting settlement patterns. But this only raises the question about the determinants of the location of economic activity. Business location decisions are affected by the location of their markets for products and availability and costs of inputs. The most important input for most firms is labor. Thus firms are attracted to areas close
Recirculating elutriator for extracting gastrointestinal nematode larvae from pasture herbage samples

Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) parasites present an important limitation to ruminant production worldwide. Methods for quantifying infective larvae of GIN on pastures are generally tedious, time-consuming, and require bulky equipment set-ups. This limitation to expedient data collection is a bottleneck in development of pasture management practices that might reduce pasture infectivity. We modified a soil elutriator concept for extracting GIN larvae from fresh herbage samples. Elutriators were constructed from readily available parts and compared to the Baermann funnel sedimentation method for larvae extraction. More samples could be extracted per day in the elutriator than in a Baermann unit with extraction times of 8 min versus 24h, respectively. Accuracy, measured as maximum recovery of larvae seeded onto herbage samples, did not differ between extraction methods (62.3 vs. 69.8% for elutriator and Baermann, respectively, P>0.05). Larvae recovery from herbage in elutriators showed a strong log(e) relationship with extraction time (r(2)>0.98), which will allow development of accurate correction factors for specific herbages to predict total larvae densities at extraction times less than those needed for maximum recovery. An extraction time of 8 min per sample gave the best compromise of speed, accuracy, and precision as measured by regression confidence bands and root mean square error of analysis of variance. Precision of the elutriator extraction for pasture samples was comparable to published methods and was not affected by forage species or canopy strata. The elutriator method was sensitive enough to detect differences in larvae density as small as 8 larvae g(-1) DM among pasture treatments. Elutriators extracted nematode larvae from herbage samples with accuracy and precision similar to existing methods, but did it much faster. Elutriation shows promise as a rapid method for extracting infective GIN larvae from pasture herbage.
Order—disorder behaviour and tetragonal distortion of chalcopyrite compounds

The order-disorder behaviour and the tetragonal distortion of chalcopyrite compounds ABC2 can be described in terms of the difference in electronegativity ΔχAB between the A-C and B-C bonds. The difference in electronegativity, defined on the basis of the Pauli-force model potential, is parametrizing the difference between the A-C and B-C interactions. It appears to be possible to give one single relation for the tetragonal distortion as a function of the parameter ΔχAB for the I-III-VI2 and II-IV-V2 chalcopyrites. In addition it appears that chalcopyrites with ΔχAB 0.09 remain in the ordered chalcopyrite structure up to their melting point. Das Ordnungsverhalten und die tetragonale Verzerrung von ABC2 Verbindungen mit Chalkopyrit-Struktur konnen ausgedruckt werden durch die Elektronegativitatsdifferenz zwischen den A-C-und den B-C-Bindungen. Diese Elektronegativitatsdifferenz, ΔχAB, wird auf der Grundlage des Pauli-Model-Potentials berechnet. Es zeigt sich, das fur die I-III-VI2- und II-IV-V2-Verbindungen mit Chalkopyrit-Struktur eine einzige Beziehung zwischen dem Parameter ΔχAB und der tetragonalen Verzerrung angegeben werden kann. Auserdem ergibt sich, das Verbindungen mit ΔχAB 0,09 bis zu ihrem Schmelzpunkt die geordnete Chalkopyrit-Struktur behalten.
Smooth muscle specific overexpression of p22phox potentiates carotid artery wall thickening in response to injury.

We hypothesized that transgenic mice overexpressing the p22phox subunit of the NADPH oxidase selectively in smooth muscle (Tgp22smc) would exhibit an exacerbated response to transluminal carotid injury compared to wild-type mice. To examine the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a mediator of vascular injury, the injury response was quantified by measuring wall thickness (WT) and cross-sectional wall area (CSWA) of the injured and noninjured arteries in both Tgp22smc and wild-type animals at days 3, 7, and 14 after injury. Akt, p38 MAPK, and Src activation were evaluated at the same time points using Western blotting. WT and CSWA following injury were significantly greater in Tgp22smc mice at both 7 and 14 days after injury while noninjured contralateral carotids were similar between groups. Apocynin treatment attenuated the injury response in both groups and rendered the response similar between Tgp22smc mice and wild-type mice. Following injury, carotid arteries from Tgp22smc mice demonstrated elevated activation of Akt at day 3, while p38 MAPK and Src activation was elevated at day 7 compared to wild-type mice. Both increased activation and temporal regulation of these signaling pathways may contribute to enhanced vascular growth in response to injury in this transgenic model of elevated vascular ROS.
An overview of ICA (independent component analysis) applications in remote sensed data

ICA has been a well studied subject in recent years. Its implementation may employ neural networks or adaptive learning techniques. In contrast to PCA, the objective of ICA is to extract components with high-order statistical independence. The concept and process of deriving the independent components have had motivated the development of many mathematical algorithms. In fact it is not necessary to achieve perfect statistical independence in this process. ICA is particularly, perhaps uniquely also, useful in blind source separation problem which is to determine from the received signals the original signals from different physical sources which are considered as independent. ICA has significant impact on many applications such as in remote sensing, medical testing, face recognition, direction of arrival estimatin and other areas The purpose of this paper is to examine some of these applications including SAR images, sonar signals, and exploration seismic data.
PULMONARY LOBECTOMY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PNEUMONIA IN FIVE CATS

Five cats underwent lobectomy for the management of pneumonia. The mean presurgical duration of treatment was eight months. A potentially immunosuppressive disease process was present preoperatively in two of the five cats. Preoperatively, two of the cats had radiographically diffuse pneumonia, while three had focal pneumonia. A single pulmonary lobe was removed in four cats, with one cat having two pulmonary lobes removed. There were no life-threatening complications and no clinical recurrence noted during a mean follow-up period of 37.8 months. The benefit of pulmonary lobectomy in focal pneumonia may lie in removing the nidus of infection. In diffuse, chronic or medically refractory pneumonia, obtaining an aetiological diagnosis may be the main benefit of lobectomy. Selective lobectomy for the treatment of pneumonia may be beneficial but a thorough preoperative evaluation is warranted.
Dimerize and die

Adoptive immunotherapy with genetically modified T cells has many potential applications in treating viral infections and malignancy. However, this modality of therapy carries the risk of alloreactivity when donor cells are used after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In addition, there is a
Professional Acceptance Of Electronic Images In Radiologic Practice

During the past four years, a large number of radiographic images have been interpreted in both film and video modes in an effort to determine the utility of digital/analogue systems in general practice. With the cooperation of the Department of Defense, the MITRE Corporation, and several university-based radiology departments, the Public Health Service has participated in laboratory experiments and a teleradiology field trial to meet this objective. During the field trial, 30 radiologists participated in the interpretation of more than 4,000 diagnostic x-ray examinations that were performed at distant clinics, digitized, and transmitted to a medical center for interpretation on video monitors. As part of the evaluation, all of the participating radiologists and the attending physicians at the clinics were queried regarding the teleradiology system, particularly with respect to the diagnostic quality of the electronic images. The original films for each of the 4,000 examinations were read independently, and the findings and impressions from each mode were compared to identify discrepancies. In addition, a sample of 530 cases was reviewed and interpreted by a consensus panel to measure the accuracy of findings and impressions of both film and video readings. The sample has been retained in an automated archive for future study at the National Center of Devices and Radiological Health facilities in Rockville, Maryland. The studies include a comparison of diagnostic findings and impressions from 1024 x 1024 matrices with those obtained from the 512 x 512 format used in the field trial. The archive also provides a database for determining the effect of data compression techniques on diagnostic interpretations and establishing the utility of image processing algorithms. The paper will include an analysis of the final results of the field trial and preliminary findings from the ongoing studies using the archive of cases at the National Center for Devices and Radiological Health. This paper was not available at the time of printing of the Proceedings.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Thermal areas on Kilauea and Mauna Loa Volcanoes, Hawaii

Abstract Active thermal areas are concentrated in three areas on Mauna Loa and three areas on Kilauea. High-temperature fumaroles (115–362° C) on Mauna Loa are restricted to the summit caldera, whereas high-temperature fumaroles on Kilauea are found in the upper East Rift Zone (Mauna Ulu summit fumaroles, 562° C), middle East Rift Zone (1977 eruptive fissure fumaroles), and in the summit caldera. Solfataric activity that has continued for several decades occurs along border faults of Kilauea caldera and at Sulphur Cone on the southwest rift zone of Mauna Loa. Solfataras that are only a few years old occur along recently active eruptive fissures in the summit caldera and along the rift zones of Kilauea. Steam vents and hot-air cracks also occur at the edges of cooling lava ponds, on the summits of lava shields, along faults and graben fractures, and in diffuse patches that may reflect shallow magmatic intrusions.
Non-length-dependent and length-dependent small-fiber neuropathies associated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-inhibitor therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: expanding the spectrum of neurological disease associated with TNF-inhibitors.

Objective Small-fiber neuropathy causes severe burning pain, requires diagnostic approaches such as skin biopsy, and encompasses two subtypes based on distribution of neuropathic pain. Such biopsy-proven subtypes of small-fiber neuropathies have not been previously described as complications of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-inhibitor therapy.
Influence of Fiber Content of Diet on Chick Growth Response to Enzyme Supplements

Abstract IT HAS been shown that crude enzyme supplements improved the feeding value of diets containing barley for poultry (Jensen et al., 1957; Fry et al., 1958; Arscott, 1958; Dobson and Anderson, 1958; Wharton et al., 1958; Berg, 1959). Hastings (1946) reported that fungal enzyme supplements improved growth and feed efficiency of birds fed high fiber diets, but had no effect when added to low fiber diets. Hamm (1958) and Miner and Denton (1957) concluded that the enzymes used in their experiments were ineffective in improving growth and feed efficiency because the diets were not high enough in fiber content. Results of work in our laboratory showed that enzyme supplements added to diets containing Western barley or pearled Western barley gave the same magnitude of improvement in growth and feed efficiency (Fry, et al., 1958) in spite of the great difference in fiber content between the two diets. This result suggested…
Biscuits, sausage, gravy, milk, and orange juice: school breakfast environment in 4 rural Appalachian schools.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the school breakfast environment in rural Appalachian schools to inform school environment intervention and policy change. Methods: A total of 4 rural schools with fourth- and fifth-grade students in East Tennessee were assessed. A cross-sectional descriptive examination of the school food environment where food service managers submitted school menus, production sheets, and vendor bid sheets as part of the dietary data collection protocol for a school-based nutrition intervention study. The school breakfast environment was characterized in terms of calories, fat, saturated fat, and fiber from foods served on a per person basis using menus entered into Nutrient Data Systems for Research and production sheets for amounts of each food item served. Food items were grouped by the meal components of the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and ranked according to the items served most frequently. Results: Total fat provided slightly less than half the calories (43%); 15% of calories were from saturated fat. The top-ranked foods for each meal component were biscuits, sausage, 2% milk, orange juice, and gravy. Conclusions: Results suggest that clearer policies or regulations for the SBP are warranted to support policy efforts to promote childhood health. These should include technical assistance and provision of resources for school food service managers to provide low-fat meal options. Further research is needed to determine whether what is offered at school breakfast is actually consumed and how that might affect children’s weight because of the high fat content.
Comparison of H2O2-induced vasoconstriction in the abdominal aorta and mesenteric artery of the mouse.

Abstract Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is generally perceived as an arterial vasodilator. Due to the emerging importance of H 2 O 2 as a possible vasoconstrictor, we examined whether H 2 O 2 constricts both the abdominal aorta and superior mesenteric artery and postulated that H 2 O 2 is a ubiquitous constrictor of quiescent mouse arteries. Moreover, we postulated that KCl depolarization discloses and/or exaggerates H 2 O 2 -induced constriction. Under quiescent conditions, H 2 O 2 constricted the mouse abdominal aorta but not the mesenteric artery. Vessel depolarization (a) exaggerated this constrictor response in the aorta, and (b) unmasked a contractile response in the mesenteric artery. Our final hypothesis tested whether tyrosine kinases, mitogen-actvated protein kinases (MAPKs), and/or Rho-kinase are uniformly involved in H 2 O 2 -induced vasoconstriction. We observed a marked difference in the ability of tyrosine kinase inhibitor to block H 2 O 2 -induced vasoconstriction. p38 and ERK 1/2MAPK inhibitors reduced the maximal response to H 2 O 2 , whereas JNK inhibitor had no effect. Finally, Rho-kinase inhibitor decreased the H 2 O 2 response in the mesenteric artery but not in the aorta. These data demonstrate a variable yet tightly regulated H 2 O 2 vasoconstrictor effect. Furthermore, we found that p38, ERK 1/2 and Rho-kinase play a role in H 2 O 2 constriction, which may be critical pathways involved in H 2 O 2 -induced constriction across vascular beds.
A 63 dB SNR, 75-mW Bandpass RF $\Sigma\Delta$ ADC at 950 MHz Using 3.8-GHz Clock in 0.25- $\mu{\hbox {m}}$ SiGe BiCMOS Technology

A fourth-order continuous-time LC bandpass sigma-delta ADC is designed using a new architecture with only non-return-to-zero feedback DACs to mitigate problems associated with clock jitter, along with individual control of coefficients in the noise transfer function. The ADC performs direct digitization of RF signals around 950-MHz center frequency with a 3.8-GHz clock. The operation of the proposed ADC architecture is examined in detail and extra design parameters are introduced to enhance the operating range and improve the stability of the ADC. Measurement results of the ADC, implemented in IBM 0.25-mum SiGe BiCMOS technology, show SNR of 63 dB and 59 dB in signal bandwidths of 200 kHz and 1 MHz, respectively, around 950 MHz, while consuming 75 mW of power from plusmn1.25-V supply
Perceived social dominance

Seventy-four freshmen were asked to judge the concept of social dominance (or social submissiveness) by ranking a set of seven portraits of social scientists and by giving a definition of the concept. Results indicated significantly greater agreement among Ss on ranking portraits under the dominance criterion; also, submissiveness was defined less accurately, suggesting that this concept is not merely a reciprocal version of dominance.
The Normalization of Deviance: A Threat to Patient Safety

OVER THE PAST decade much time and attention has been directed to patient safety. The Institute of Medicine’s report ‘‘ToErr isHuman:Building a Safer Health System’’ alerted health care providers, as well as the general public to the fact that medical errors are a significant contributor to patient mortality andmorbidity. Asmany as 98,000 patients die every year because of medical errors at a cost of 17 to 29 billion dollars. Many patient safety initiatives have become commonplace in the perianesthesia and perioperative arenas including the Universal Protocol, Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP), and Safe Surgery Saves Lives campaign. Evidence is available that points to the use of checklists in the health care setting as a way to reduce errors, improve safety, and improve outcomes. Professional societies develop and distribute standards and guidelines with the ultimate goal of improving the safety of patients.
Bleaching Damage and Recovery Potential of Maldivian Coral Reefs

Abstract Same-site comparisons of Maldive–Chagos reefs in the 1990s with studies before 1980 have found large losses in coral cover that were probably associated with warm El Nino events. To determine the spatial extent of this damage and potential for recovery I surveyed benthic cover, hard coral communities, and coral recruitment in previously unsurveyed sites in three reef atolls of the central Maldives in 1999, one year after the warmest recorded El Nino event of 1997–1998. Coral cover was the lowest recorded for this region, at 8%, and evidence for the local extirpation of species was found. Most reefs are presently dominated by coralline and turf algae (68%) with erect fleshy algae and sponge being higher than previously reported on Maldivian reefs. Branching coral species appeared most affected and the dominant coral genera in 1998 were massive Porites and Astreopora, whereas the original community was dominated by Acropora. Coral recruits were sufficiently abundant, at 29 ind/m2, to insure recovery of coral cover, but the most common recruits were in genera previously reported as subordinate genera, such as Pavona (11.7 ind/m2) and Coscinarea (4.4 ind/m2), whereas the previously dominant branching and encrusting species (Acropora, Montipora and Pocillopora) had recruit densities less than 0.65 ind/m2. Unless there is significant compensation in growth and mortality there may be future changes in coral species composition and benthic cover of these reefs.
Simulation Within the Axiomatic Design Framework

Abstract Creating systems with axiomatic design involves conception of physical embodiments and selection of design parameters to satisfy functional requirements at every level of the decomposition process. Simulation models characterize the system using accurate representations of system behavior, allowing the designer to make better decisions about which variables to use as design parameters, and best values for constants in the design. This paper describes a method of simulating designs created using axiomatic design so that the final system performance can be predicted. Simulation in tandem with axiomatic design allows the creation of systems with the best probability of satisfying the functional requirements.
Toll-like receptor-2 mediates diet and/or pathogen associated atherosclerosis: proteomic findings.

Background: Accumulating evidence implicates a fundamental link between the immune system and atherosclerosis. Tolllike receptors are principal sensors of the innate immune system. Here we report an assessment of the role of the TLR2 pathway in atherosclerosis associated with a high-fat diet and/or bacteria in ApoE +/2 mice. Methods and Results: To explore the role of TLR2 in inflammation- and infection-associated atherosclerosis, 10 week-old ApoE +/2 -TLR2 +/+ , ApoE +/2 -TLR2 +/2 and ApoE +/2 -TLR2 2/2 mice were fed either a high fat diet or a regular chow diet. All mice were inoculated intravenously, once per week for 24 consecutive weeks, with 50 ml live Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g) (10 7 CFU) or vehicle (normal saline). Animals were euthanized 24 weeks after the first inoculation. ApoE +/2 -TLR2 +/+ mice showed a significant increase in atheromatous lesions in proximal aorta and aortic tree compared to ApoE +/2 -TLR2 +/2 and ApoE +/2 -TLR2 2/2 mice for all diet conditions. They also displayed profound changes in plaque composition, as evidenced by increased macrophage infiltration and apoptosis, increased lipid content, and decreased smooth muscle cell mass, all reflecting an unstable plaque phenotype. SAA levels from ApoE +/2 -TLR2 +/+ mice were significantly higher than from ApoE +/ 2-TLR2 +/2 and ApoE +/2 -TLR2 2/2 mice. Serum cytokine analysis revealed increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in ApoE +/2 -TLR2 +/+ mice compared to ApoE +/2 -TLR2 +/2 and TLR2 2/2 mice, irrespective of diet or bacterial challenge. ApoE +/2 TLR2 +/+ mice injected weekly for 24 weeks with FSL-1 (a TLR2 agonist) also demonstrated significant increases in atherosclerotic lesions, SAA and serum cytokine levels compared to ApoE +/2 -TLR2 2/2 mice under same treatment condition. Finally, mass-spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) of aortic samples analyzed by 2-dimentional gel electrophoresis differential display, identified 6 proteins upregulated greater than 2-fold in ApoE +/2 -TLR2 +/+ mice fed the high fat diet and inoculated with P.g compared to any other group. Conclusion: Genetic deficiency of TLR2 reduces diet- and/or pathogen-associated atherosclerosis in ApoE +/2 mice, along with differences in plaque composition suggesting greater structural stability while TLR-2 ligand-specific activation triggers atherosclerosis. The present data offers new insights into the pathophysiological pathways involved in atherosclerosis and paves the way for new pharmacological interventions aimed at reducing atherosclerosis.
Topo-canonical completions of closure algebras and Heyting algebras

We introduce and investigate topo-canonical completions of closure algebras and Heyting algebras. We develop a duality theory that is an alternative to Esakia�s duality, describe duals of topo-canonical completions in terms of the Salbany and Banaschewski compactifications, and characterize topo-canonical varieties of closure algebras and Heyting algebras. Consequently, we show that ideal completions preserve no identities of Heyting algebras. We also characterize definable classes of topological spaces.
Determinantes do Voto Partidário em Sistemas Eleitorais Centrados no Candidato: Evidências sobre o Brasil

A prominent question in recent comparative work is "when will the personal vote matter?" Typically, scholars approach this question at a cross-national as opposed to a cross-party level: that is, they highlight features of national electoral systems that create incentives for individual politicians to pursue a personal (or a party) vote, rather than highlighting features of parties that might predispose candidates in those parties to pursue personal (or party) votes. Implicitly, the electoral-systems comparisons hold constant party features. In this paper, in contrast, I focus on the characteristics of parties, as opposed to the characteristics of electoral systems, as determinants of personal vote seeking. I argue that adoption of an individualistic or collective strategy depends largely on a partys access to and control over funding and patronage: generally, parties with good access to money and pork should adopt individualistic strategies, while parties with poor access to money and pork should adopt more collective strategies. In this paper, I explore the Brazilian case to test this claim. I test my claims at the national and district level, using multiple regression analysis. Furthermore, I explain how one party, the Workers Party (PT), has overcome the incentives of the electoral system over the long run
NITRATE TRANSPORTER GENES FROM THE DIATOM CYLINDROTHECA FUSIFORMIS (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE): mRNA LEVELS CONTROLLED BY NITROGEN SOURCE AND BY THE CELL CYCLE

The molecular characterization of components involved in nitrate uptake and assimilation in phytoplankton is likely to provide new insights into these processes, their regulation, and their effect on primary production. We report the cloning and initial characterization of the first nitrate transporter genes in a marine organism, from the diatom Cylindrotheca fusiformis Reimann et Lewin. A clone isolated from a silicon-responsive cDNA library was shown by sequence comparison to encode a homolog of high-affinity nitrate transporters. The C. fusiformis nitrate transporter cDNA was named NAT (NitrAte Transporter). The NAT cDNA was used to isolate a genomic clone that contained two additional nitrate transporter genes, NAT1 and NAT2, arranged in tandem. The cDNA and two genomic sequences were highly conserved, and only 18 of 1446 nucleotides in the coding region differed. At least four copies of NAT genes were present in C. fusiformis and as shown by hybridization, multiple copies were present in other diatom species. The transcript abundance of NAT genes in cultures with different nitrogen sources was monitored by RNase protection assays. NAT mRNA levels were high in the presence of nitrate, at nearly the same level during nitrogen starvation, and also high in urea-containing cultures. Lower mRNA levels occurred in nitrite-grown cultures. NAT transcript levels were highly repressed with NH4 Cl or NH4 NO3 as the nitrogen source, although very low amounts were detected. These results suggested that monitoring NAT mRNA levels could serve as a marker for (1) nitrate uptake in nitrate medium, (2) nitrogen starvation, and (3) ammonium use by virtue of absence of expression. NAT mRNA levels were not directly regulated by light or dark, but were apparently related to cellular growth and protein synthesis. Using light/dark synchronized cultures to monitor cell cycle responses, NAT mRNA levels were high in early G1 phase, decreased through the remainder of G1 , then increased during DNA synthesis in S phase and into G2 , and finally decreased after M phase. In silicon-starvation synchronized cultures, levels were high at the G1 /S phase boundary, high throughout S and G2 , and finally decreased after M phase. It was clear that NAT expression, and by inference nitrate uptake, did not occur at continuous levels throughout the cell cycle. The results of the RNase protection experiments suggested that transcriptional regulation is a major contributing factor in the control of diatom nitrate uptake. The cloning of the C. fusiformis nitrate transporter genes provides a new tool for investigating diatom nitrogen uptake and metabolism. In addition, the regulation of NAT expression by nitrogen source is likely to be useful in developing techniques to specifically control the expression of genes fused to NAT regulatory sequences in transgenic diatoms.
Simultaneous analysis and design

Optimization techniques are increasingly being used for performing nonlinear structural analysis. The development of element by element (EBE) preconditioned conjugate gradient (CG) techniques is expected to extend this trend to linear analysis. Under these circumstances the structural design problem can be viewed as a nested optimization problem. There are computational benefits to treating this nested problem as a large single optimization problem. The response variables (such as displacements) and the structural parameters are all treated as design variables in a unified formulation which performs simultaneously the design and analysis. Two examples are used for demonstration. A seventy-two bar truss is optimized subject to linear stress constraints and a wing box structure is optimized subject to nonlinear collapse constraints. Both examples show substantial computational savings with the unified approach as compared to the traditional nested approach.
Purchasing power parity and dynamic error correction Evidence from Asia Pacific economies

Abstract This study investigates the validity of purchasing power parity (PPP) hypothesis as a long run equilibrium condition for thirteen Asia Pacific economies using a generalized error correction model. The results of the generalized dynamic specification appear to support PPP for more countries than do standard tests for unit roots. Out of the thirteen bilateral exchange rates, evidence of PPP is found for only one (the Mexican peso/U.S. dollar rate) under traditional tests for unit roots, while seven of them support PPP under the generalized dynamic error correction model. It appears that one of the factors that lead standard tests for unit roots to fail to detect evidence of PPP may be the undue restrictions imposed on the model specification.
Latent effects of early life history on partial migration for an estuarine-dependent fish

Partial migration is the divergence of a population into migratory and resident contingents. This behavior is well documented for many diadromous species, but proximate causes of partial migration in fishes are poorly understood. Here, we tested the hypothesis that migratory and resident contingents within a population of white perch (Morone americana) are associated with larval growth and mortality rates, where slower growth and higher mortality was associated with migratory behavior. In addition, we examined the influence of environmental factors (temperature, zooplankton density, and freshwater flow) on larval vital rates. In 2005, an intensive field survey was conducted in the Patuxent River estuary (Chesapeake Bay, MD). Otolith microstructure analysis was used to determine vital rates of larvae and back-calculate hatch-date distributions of juveniles from resident and migratory contingents. Migratory contingent fish originated primarily from early-spawned larval cohorts, which were characterized by slower growth compared to later spawned cohorts. In contrast, resident juveniles tended to originate from later-spawned cohorts with faster growth. Zooplankton densities supported the inference that favorable larval growth conditions occurred later in the larval production period. The results support latent effects on partial migration of white perch related to spawning phenology, its interaction with temperature, and resultant larval growth rates.
Analysis and design of wideband passive UHF RFID tags using a circuit model

The great majority of commercial UHF RFID tags are based on dipole antennas using a modification of a T-match as a matching circuit. The literature contains examples of wideband matching, but provides little insight as to how wideband behavior is achieved. Here, we present a simple circuit-based theory to describe the antenna, matching circuit, and IC behavior; we present an approach for developing an impeding matching strategy to maximize bandwidth; and we present a concrete example and analysis using a method of moments (MoM) numerical solver. The results show very good agreement with theory.
An Adaptive XML Parser for Developing High-Performance Web Services

This paper presents an adaptive XML parser that is based on table-driven XML (TDX) parsing technology. This technique can be used for developing extensible high-performance Web services for large complex systems that typically require extensible schemas. The parser integrates scanning, parsing, and validation into a single-pass without backtracking by utilizing compact tabular representations of schemas and a push-down automaton (PDA) at runtime. The tabular forms are constructed from a set of schemas or WSDL descriptions through the use of permutation grammar. The engine is implemented as a PDA-based, table-driven driver, as a result, it is independent of XML schemas. When XML schemas are updated or extended, the tabular forms can be regenerated and populated to the generic engine without requirement of redeployment of the parser. This adaptive approach balances the need for performance against the requirements of reconstruction and redeployment of the Web services. Our experiments show the adaptive parser usually demonstrates performance of 5 times faster than traditional validating parsers and performance drop within 20% of the fastest fully compiled traditional validating parsers.
A Prospective Multicenter Study of Cervical Spine Injury in Children

Objective. Pediatric victims of blunt trauma have developmental and anatomic characteristics that can make it difficult to assess their risk of cervical spine injury (CSI). Previous reports, all retrospective in nature, have not identified any cases of CSI in either children or adults in the absence of neck pain, neurologic symptoms, distracting injury, or altered mental status. The objective of this study was to examine the incidence and spectrum of spine injury in patients who are younger than 18 years and to evaluate the efficacy of the National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study (NEXUS) decision instrument for obtaining cervical spine radiography in pediatric trauma victims. Methods. We performed a prospective, multicenter study to evaluate pediatric blunt trauma victims. All patients who presented to participating emergency departments underwent clinical evaluation before radiographic imaging. The presence or absence of the following criteria was noted: midline cervical tenderness, altered level of alertness, evidence of intoxication, neurologic abnormality, and presence of painful distracting injury. Presence or absence of each individual criterion was documented for each patient before radiographic imaging, unless the patient was judged to be too unstable to complete the clinical evaluation before radiographs. The decision to radiograph a patient was entirely at the physician9s discretion and not driven by the NEXUS questionnaire. The presence or absence of CSI was based on the final interpretation of all radiographic studies. Data on all patients who were younger than 18 years were sequestered from the main database for separate analysis. Results. There were 3065 patients (9.0% of all NEXUS patients) who were younger than 18 years in this cohort, 30 of whom (0.98%) sustained a CSI. Included in the study were 88 children who were younger than 2, 817 who were between 2 and 8, and 2160 who were 8 to 17. Fractures of the lower cervical vertebrae (C5–C7) accounted for 45.9% of pediatric CSIs. No case of spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality was reported in any child in this study, although 22 cases were reported in adults. Only 4 of the 30 injured children were younger than 9 years, and none was younger than 2 years. Tenderness and distracting injury were the 2 most common abnormalities noted in patients with and without CSI. The decision rule correctly identified all pediatric CSI victims (sensitivity: 100.0%; 95% confidence interval: 87.8%–100.0%) and correctly designated 603 patients as low risk for CSI (negative predictive value: 100.0%; 95% confidence interval: 99.4%–100.0%). Conclusions. The lower cervical spine is the most common site of CSI in children, and fractures are the most common type of injury. CSI is rare among patients aged 8 years or younger. The NEXUS decision instrument performed well in children, and its use could reduce pediatric cervical spine imaging by nearly 20%. However, the small number of infants and toddlers in the study suggests caution in applying the NEXUS criteria to this particular age group.
Sub-part-per-million Precursor and Product Mass Accuracy for High-throughput Proteomics on an Electron Transfer Dissociation-enabled Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer

We demonstrate a new approach for internal mass calibration on an electron transfer dissociation-enabled linear ion trap-orbitrap hybrid mass spectrometer. Fluoranthene cations, a byproduct of the reaction used for generation of electron transfer dissociation reagent anions, are co-injected with the analyte cations in all orbitrap mass analysis events. The fluoranthene cations serve as a robust internal calibrant with minimal impact on scan time (<20 ms) or spectral quality. Following external mass calibration, 60 replicate LC-MS/MS runs of a complex peptide mixture were collected over the course of approximately 136 h (almost 6 days). Using only standard external mass calibration, the mass accuracy for a typical analysis was -3.31 +/- 0.93 ppm (sigma) for precursors and -2.32 +/- 0.89 ppm for products. After application of internal recalibration, mass accuracy improved to +0.77 +/- 0.71 ppm for precursors and +0.17 +/- 0.67 ppm for products. When all 60 replicate runs were analyzed together without internal mass recalibration, the mass accuracy was -1.23 +/- 1.54 ppm for precursors and -0.18 +/- 1.42 ppm for products, nearly a 2-fold drop in precision relative to an individual run. After internal mass recalibration, this improved to +0.80 +/- 0.70 ppm for precursors and +0.16 +/- 0.67 ppm for products, roughly equivalent to that obtained in a single run, demonstrating a near complete elimination of mass calibration drift.
Environmentally induced variation in size, energy reserves and hydration of hatchling Painted Turtles, Chrysemys picta

Summary 1The contents of newly constructed nests of Painted Turtles, Chrysemys picta (Schneider 1783), were manipulated by reciprocal transplant so that each of several nests received a complement of eggs from each of several females. The eggs were recovered from nests after 8 weeks and allowed to complete their incubation under standard conditions in the laboratory. The design of the experiment enabled us to distinguish between environmental and maternal effects on attributes of hatchlings. 2Several measures of body size and energy reserve varied among turtles hatching from eggs that incubated in different nests, and certain of these measures varied also among turtles hatching from eggs that incubated in different layers within nests. The effects of nest and layer were substantial. For example, fat-free carcasses of hatchlings from one nest weighed 17% more than those of neonates from a second nest, but fat-free yolks from the former weighed only 53% as much as yolks from the latter. 3Stepwise linear regression indicated that the size of hatchlings and the hydration and fat content of their carcasses were positively correlated with the net change in mass of eggs (which is an index to net water-exchange) while they incubated in the field. In contrast, both the fat and fat-free components of unused yolk were negatively correlated with change in mass of eggs. Although the statistical procedure is only correlative, the findings accord well with results of laboratory studies documenting a relationship between uptake of water by eggs, metabolism and growth by embryos, and size and condition of hatchlings. 4Variation among hatchlings representative of different nests accounted for 24% of the statistical variance in mass of dry, fat-free carcasses; 29% of the variance in mass of dry, fat-free yolks; 19% of the variance in mass of storage fat in yolks; and 11% of the variance in mass of storage fat in carcasses. Additional variation was detected between the upper and lower layers of nests. Such environmentally induced variation probably affects survival of neonatal animals in the field.
Annual cycle of plasma testosterone in male copperheads, Agkistrodon contortrix (Serpentes, Viperidae): relationship to timing of spermatogenesis, mating, and agonistic behavior.

Abstract Reproductive cycles of the majority of squamate reptiles remain undescribed. Few studies are available on seasonal patterns of circulating steroid hormones in snakes. The goal of this study was to document the annual cycle of plasma testosterone (T) in male copperheads, Agkistrodon contortrix, a North American pitviper (Serpentes, Viperidae). Two experimental conditions were used in this laboratory study. One condition (repeat-test group) consisted of 10 adult males that were sampled once each month for 11 months. The other condition (single-test groups) consisted of 10 groups each with 5 males ( N = 50), and each male was tested a single time. The single-test condition was used to evaluate whether or not repeated handling and sampling affected T levels. The study was conducted from February–December, 1992. A well-defined seasonal pattern of plasma T levels was detected; patterns were similar under both experimental conditions with the exception that the repeat-test group had slightly lower levels. Levels of T were lowest (baseline) in April–May, increased in early summer (June), and were highest in late summer (August). Thereafter, T levels declined up to the time of hibernation (early November) and changed little during hibernation (November–January). Upon emergence from hibernation in late winter (February), T levels increased sharply from February to March and then decreased from March to April. The results are discussed in the context of timing of spermatogenesis, mating, and male agonistic behavior.
Social Criticism as Moral Criticism A Habermasian Take on Sports

Sports at all levels have been racked by one moral controversy after another. It is almost a truism that socialization into sports nowadays has as much to do with becoming adept at breaking and ben...
Zone is Where the Heart is? Lessons from Detroit Employers

The author asked case-matched Black and White Detroit employers about their location and how they think customers and other outsiders view the city of Detroit. Nearly all of the city-based employer...
Economic And Trade Relations With Japan: Trade Tensions, Disputes, And Related Issues

There have been serious trade disputes between the U.S. and Japan since the mid-1970s. The source of trade dispute is that the U.S. has had large trade deficits which have been caused mostly by large American imports from Japan, especially in the early 1980s when the dollar was appreciating. Since the 1980s, many disputes have arisen due at least in part, to U.S. allegations that Japanese markets are closed to imports because of restrictive practices such as exclusive dealings between domestic manufacturers and distributors. It is further alleged that the practices are tolerated and even encouraged by the Japanese government. It has long been said that the U.S. and Japan should manage their trade friction wisely, so not to embitter the overall relationship between the two countries. This is based upon recognition of the importance of the Japan-U.S. relationships on the one hand, and of the possibility of serious trade friction on the other. This precept is effective because there always remain countries that may not be able to handle it to mutual satisfaction. This paper will analyze trade disputes, tensions, and related issues between the two economic powers to reduce trade conflicts and to improve overall trade relations. Another purpose is to suggest common grounds to minimize trade conflicts between two countries.