cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spiroquinazoline support studies: methods for the preparation of imidazoloindolines from oxindoles

Abstract Two methods for the annulation of glycine to the 1 and 2 positions of oxindoles are described. The first method involves introduction of an α-azidoacetyl group on the oxindole nitrogen followed by an intramolecular Staudinger reaction to complete the annulation. The second method involves acylation of the oxindole nitrogen with an N-Cbz–glycine derivative followed by reduction of the oxindole carbonyl group and subsequent cyclization to provide an imidazoloindoline.
Theoretical analysis of dehumidification process in a desiccant wheel

A mathematical model based on the one-dimensional Navier–Stokes equation is described. The current model is capable of predicting the transient and steady-state transport in a desiccant wheel. It reveals the moisture and temperature in both the airflow channels and the sorbent felt, in detail, as a function of time. The predicted results are validated against the data taken from experimental results, with reasonable accuracy. Therefore, the numerical model is a practical tool for understanding and accounting for the complicated coupled operational process inside the wheel. Consequently, it is useful for parameter studies. As a demonstration of its utility, the model is employed to study the effect of felt thickness and passage shape on the performance of a desiccant wheel.
Bioinspiration, Biomimetics, and Bioreplication for Harvesting Solar Energy

Bioinspiration, biomimetics, and bioreplication are methodologies being researched to harvest solar energy. Dye-sensitized solar cells deploy artificial photosynthesis. Textured coatings reduce reflectance and enhance the angular catchment over a broad spectral regime.
Multiphoton-induced X-ray emission at 4-5 keV from Xe atoms with multiple core vacancies

SEVERAL recent experimental findings1–3 have pointed to a possible route for making an X-ray laser, which could in principle provide an imaging system capable of molecular resolution4. The method involves the multiphoton excitation of atoms in van der Waals clusters or in molecules to yield ions with core-electron vacancies1,2, which can then decay by emission of X-rays, in conjunction with a self-chanelling propagation mode of electromagnetic radiation3. The multiphoton excitation may be stimulated by ultrahigh-brightness, subpicosecond pulses of laser light5. We have previously observed2 emission of X-rays from L-shell transitions in core-excited krypton atoms using this approach. Here we report the multiphoton production of X-rays of wavelength 2–3 A from highly ionized xenon atoms which possess a large number of innershell vacancies while retaining several electrons in relatively weakly bound outer orbitals. Atoms with this ‘inverted’ electronic configuration are designated ‘hollow atoms’6,7. We find that generation of hollow atoms can become the dominant excitation mode for such systems, making their exploitation in an X-ray laser a real possibility.
Robust distributed state observers with performance guarantees and optimized communication graph

Author(s): Li, Y; Sanfelice, RG | Abstract: Motivated by the design of observers with good performance and robustness, the problem of estimating the state of a linear time-invariant plant in a distributed fashion, over a graph, is considered. By attaching to each node a linear observer and defining an innovation term that employs information received from neighbors, we propose a distributed state observer that satisfies a pre-specified rate of convergence and has optimized robustness to measurement noise. The convergence rate and the robustness to measurement noise of the proposed observer are characterized in terms of KL bounds as well as in terms of (nonlinear and linear) optimization problems. Moreover, conditions on the plant for which the proposed observer has an H1∞ gain from noise to local estimate that is smaller than that of a single Luenberger observer is given. The properties of the proposed distributed state observer are shown analytically and validated numerically. © 2014 American Automatic Control Council.
Immigrant earnings: Cuban and Mexican immigrants in the United States.

This study examines the determinants of earnings among two groups of recent immigrants-Cubans and Mexicans-interviewed at the moment of arrival in the United States and reinterviewed three years later. The specific goal is to examine the applicability to these results of causal variables suggested by recent alternative theoretical perspectives on income attainment. (authors)
Leaving your wife and your brothers: when polyandrous marriages fall apart

Polyandry challenges both traditional sociocultural and evolutionary understandings of marriage. Its existence calls into question the importance of female sexual exclusivity and reproduction in marriage, two fundamental aspects of the affinal bond in most other marital forms. How does polyandrous marriage persist? When does it dissolve? This paper examines marriage patterns in the fraternally polyandrous Tibetan communities of northwestern Nepal, highlighting the most important factors associated with both the maintenance and dissolution of polyandrous unions. Behavioral ecological analyses of polyandry to date have focused on univariate analyses of the economic and fertility correlates of the two primary marital forms observed in nominally polyandrous communities, polyandry and monogamy. In this analysis, multivariate regression and survival analysis are used to extend our understanding of the factors that precipitate partitioning among the polyandrous marriages in the study. Wealth, long thought to be a major force shaping marital decisions in these communities, is modeled in both quantity and quality in this study. This represents an important departure from previous studies, as analyses show that it is not only the amount of wealth that influences the stability of polyandrous marriages, but also the type of wealth and extent to which it is diversified over economic spheres. Univariate analyses show that amount of wealth and the size of the brother/co-husband set are both associated with the probability that a polyandrous marriage will partition. Though these results support earlier findings, multivariate analyses show that controlling for other factors reduces their importance.
The emancipatory potential of feminine masquerade in Mary Kay cosmetics

The excessively feminine displays of Mary Kay Cosmetics consultants exemplify a kind of performance often associated with women in traditional women's cultures. Many critics object that such behavior conforms to a patriarchal standard of beauty that claims to celebrate womanliness but actually oppresses women by commodifying their bodies. This study argues, however, that these displays, even in their conformity to the patriarchy, are potentially emancipatory for members of the Mary Kay culture.
Mapping ocean currents using over-the-horizon HF radar

Abstract A high spatial resolution HF radar operating in the skywave mode has been used to map a warm water eddy and the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic ocean by means of remotely sensing the current structure of the eddy. A bistatic system was used, transmission being provided by the NRL MADRE radar, in Chesapeake Beach, Maryland, while reception of the backscattered signal was carried out with the ONR 1100m array at Whitehouse, Virginia, some 80 miles south of the transmission site. Currents were measured by determining the shifts of the Bragg lines of the scattered signal due to the translation of the water mass in a given radar scattering cell, which measured typically 6 km in range and 12 km in azimuth. The eddy was located approximately 1200 km from the east coast; two-way E-layer propagation was used for radar coverage to this range. Path quality was sufficiently stable to allow radial velocity resolution of the order of 12cm/s, using coherent integration times of 100 s. This technique offers a c...
Origin of diffusional light scattering at the non-equilibrium crystal-melt interface

Abstract A new model is proposed to explain the anomalous dynamic light scattering observed at the growing crystal-melt interface. With a small initial concentration of dissolved gas in the melt, the concentration at the interface can be driven above saturation by the rejection of solute by the advancing solidification front. Microbubbles of gas can then form near the interface. Because of surface tension, for fixed supersaturation there is a unique bubble size that can exist in equilibrium with the fluid.
Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia: understanding the nemesis

IMHA is one of the most common causes of anemia in small animals. Although treatment may be rewarding, many patients do not respond adequately to glucocorticoids alone and require additional immunosuppressive therapy. Some patients may succumb to acute severe anemia and die within the first few weeks of treatment; even if they survive, relapses may occur. IMHA is the nemesis; as our understanding of this disease increases and treatment options expand, it is hoped that survival rates will finally improve.
Isothermal chain-branching, reaction exothermicity, and transport interactions in the stability of methane/air mixtures

Abstract The influence of reaction exothermicity and transport of species on the bifurcation behavior of CH 4 /air mixtures is studied in a continuous stirred tank reactor with numerical bifurcation techniques, using the 177-reaction/31-species Gas Research Institute mechanism, version 1.2. Ignition points are analyzed through various sensitivity analyses, quasi-steady-state analysis, and numerical experiments. Principal component analysis is also applied at ignition to derive a reduced 28-reaction mechanism capable of accurately predicting ignition temperature as a function of pressure at intermediate to high pressures. Our results show that isothermal chain-branching chemistry can drive complex instabilities, with up to five multiple solutions and Hopf bifurcations. However, thermal feedback (reaction exothermicity) promotes ignition and considerably extends the range of multiplicity with respect to pressure, residence time, and inlet CH 4 concentration. Reaction exothermicity eliminates a turning-back behavior and results in a monotonic pressure–temperature ignition diagram. This ignition pressure–temperature stability diagram considerably shifts with residence time, especially at low pressures. It is shown that this shift in ignition temperature is mainly due to transport of CH 2 O at high pressures and transport of CH 3 radicals at low pressures. Sensitivity analyses with respect to heats of reactions and reaction preexponentials reveal a strong coupling between kinetic and thermal interactions in controlling ignition. Qualitative comparison with experiments is also performed, and results are briefly contrasted to H 2 /air ignition.
Hydrocarbon price shocks and uncertainty: implications for Algeria's economic growth

This study examines the effects of hydrocarbon short‐term price shocks and long‐term price uncertainty on Algeria's economic growth. Throughout its post‐independence era, hydrocarbons have been used to promote rapid economic growth and industrialisation. Algeria's pronounced reliance on a volatile primary commodity market makes the analysis of price uncertainty and shocks pertinent to other countries. Since 1986, the beginning of a prolonged downturn of the international oil market, Algeria's state of affairs unveiled severe imbalances: high inflation and unemployment rates, declining international revenues, a heavy foreign debt burden, and political unrest. Annual data from the 1965–98 period reveal a significant relationship between hydrocarbons and economic growth. Statistical evidence depicts a direct relationship between short‐term price shocks and real per capita growth rates. In addition, a counter‐intuitive relationship is found in the positive correlation linking ex ante uncertainty in the intern...
Development and validation of Patient Reported Impact of Spasticity Measure (PRISM)

Persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) may experience a range of symptoms typically labeled "spasticity." Previous efforts to develop assessment tools that measure spasticity have failed to represent the experiences of persons who live with the condition. The purpose of this multicenter study was to develop an instrument that measures the impact of spasticity on quality of life. Based on 24 semistructured interviews, a developmental form of the Patient Reported Impact of Spasticity Measure (PRISM) was constructed. The developmental PRISM was administered to 180 persons at five sites. Subscales were developed based on factor analytic results. Evidence for the reliability and validity of the scores was evaluated. Seven subscales were developed, including one that measures the positive effects of spasticity. Results of reliability and validity assessments indicate that the PRISM subscale scores effectively measure the impact of spasticity in the population of veterans with SCI.
Modular TPCs for relativistic heavy-ion experiments☆

Abstract A description is given of a TPC system that operates in a relativistic heavy-ion beam and yields good track reconstruction efficiency in very-high-multiplicity events. The mechanical construction of the chamber is discussed. A set of custom hybrid circuits are used to build a very compact, cost-effective electronics system mounted directly on the chamber. Results from running in test beams and from preliminary experimental runs are given.
Formation and stability of a Janus-Wedge type of DNA triplex.

A new type of DNA targeting with the formation of a Janus-Wedge (J-W) triple helix is described. The “wedge” residue (W) attached to a PNA backbone is designed to insert itself into double-stranded DNA and base pair with both Watson−Crick faces. To study the stability of such an assembly, we have examined the formation of the J-W triplex with dC8 − T8 target sequence. The use of this target sequence permits the study of this new helix form without competing Watson−Crick interactions between the two target residues. Studies indicate that the W strand binds to both target strands, with defined polarity and a stability (−15.2 kcal/mol) that is roughly the sum of the two independent duplex interactions.
Continuous-time versus discrete-time approaches for scheduling of chemical processes: a review

An overview of developments in the scheduling of multiproduct/multipurpose batch and continuous processes is presented. Existing approaches are classified based on the time representation and important characteristics of chemical processes that pose challenges to the scheduling problem are discussed. In contrast to the discrete-time approaches, various continuous-time models have been proposed in the literature and their strengths and limitations are examined. Computational studies and applications are presented. The important issues of incorporating scheduling at the design stage and scheduling under uncertainty are also reviewed. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Heterogeneous Deoxyribonucleic Acid-Binding Forms of Rabbit Uterine Progesterone Receptor*

This study investigated the subunit structure of the rabbit uterine progesterone receptor (PR) using ion-exchange and DNA-cellulose chromatography. The mol wts of receptor were determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after photoaffinity labeling the receptors with the progestin [3H]R5020. Cytosols were labeled with [3H]progesterone or 17,21-dimethyl-19-nor-4,9-pregnadiene-3,20-dione ([3H]R5020) and chromatographed on DE-52 cellulose. Greater than 80± of the PR bound to DE-52 and elution with a KCI gradient gave two peaks of activity at 50–75 mm (peak I) and at 125–200 mm KCI (peak II). Chromatography on QAE-Sephadex also separated two peaks. Peak I was abolished by addition of molybdate, or by passage over phosphocellulose. All (>80±) of the PR from peaks I and II bound to DNAcellulose and eluted as a single, symmetrical peak at 0.29 m KCI in both cases. Peak I could not be directly generated from peak II by exposure to salt or by ammonium sulfate precipitation. After peak ...
North American Lauraceae: Terpenoid Emissions, Relative Attraction and Boring Preferences of Redbay Ambrosia Beetle, Xyleborus glabratus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)

The invasive redbay ambrosia beetle, Xyleborus glabratus, is the primary vector of Raffaelea lauricola, a symbiotic fungus and the etiologic agent of laurel wilt. This lethal disease has caused severe mortality of redbay (Persea borbonia) and swampbay (P. palustris) trees in the southeastern USA, threatens avocado (P. americana) production in Florida, and has potential to impact additional New World species. To date, all North American hosts of X. glabratus and suscepts of laurel wilt are members of the family Lauraceae. This comparative study combined field tests and laboratory bioassays to evaluate attraction and boring preferences of female X. glabratus using freshly-cut bolts from nine species of Lauraceae: avocado (one cultivar of each botanical race), redbay, swampbay, silkbay (Persea humilis), California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica), sassafras (Sassafras albidum), northern spicebush (Lindera benzoin), camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora), and lancewood (Nectandra coriacea). In addition, volatile collections and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) were conducted to quantify terpenoid emissions from test bolts, and electroantennography (EAG) was performed to measure olfactory responses of X. glabratus to terpenoids identified by GC-MS. Significant differences were observed among treatments in both field and laboratory tests. Silkbay and camphor tree attracted the highest numbers of the beetle in the field, and lancewood and spicebush the lowest, whereas boring activity was greatest on silkbay, bay laurel, swampbay, and redbay, and lowest on lancewood, spicebush, and camphor tree. The Guatemalan cultivar of avocado was more attractive than those of the other races, but boring response among the three was equivalent. The results suggest that camphor tree may contain a chemical deterrent to boring, and that different cues are associated with host location and host acceptance. Emissions of α-cubebene, α-copaene, α-humulene, and calamenene were positively correlated with attraction, and EAG analyses confirmed chemoreception of terpenoids by antennal receptors of X. glabratus.
Discriminant Construct Validity of Hand-Held Dynamometry and Manual Muscle Testing in a Home Care Setting

This study was conducted to investigate the discriminant construct validity of two measures of knee extension strength: hand-held dynamometry and manual muscle testing. The study employed a retrospective analysis of medical records and comparison of patient data with published reference values. The knee extension strength of 38 consecutive patients with a variety of problems requiring home based rehabilitation were measured bilaterally by hand-held dynamometry and manual muscle testing. Data were examined using analysis of variance, a Wilcoxon test, and contingency table analyses. Hand-held dynamometry was able to distinguish between the knee extension strength of patients and healthy subjects and between the stronger and weaker sides of both groups. Manual muscle testing was also able to differentiate between the strength of the stronger and weaker sides of patients. The sensitivity of manual muscle testing to differences between sides, however, was poor. The agreement between hand-held dynamometry and manual muscle testing as to the presence of a difference between sides was only fair (k=.240). If the identification of knee extension weakness relative to an external standard or a stronger side is important, hand-held dynamometry may be a better measurement procedure than manual muscle testing.
Toward clarity on Whole Science and KNOWS

I am pleased to have an opportunity to clarify my proposals for teaching Whole Science and assessing knowledge of the nature of science through seeking a well-informed analysis of case studies in the news (Allchin, 2011; assumed in page references below). In this, I echoed similar earlier proposals by Norris and Phillips (1994), Glynn and Muth (1994), Korpan, Bisanz, Bisanz and Henderson (1997), Murcia and Schibeci (1999), Philips and Norris (1999), Norris, Phillips, and Korpan (2003), and Ford (2008). I hope to address here the concerns of Schwartz, Lederman, and Abd-El-Khalick (2012) and to profile where they have misrepresented published comments, lest others be misled. My purpose, again, was to “profile . . . a prospective method for assessing nature of science (NOS) knowledge, as an alternative to VNOS and similar approaches.” A major objective was to address the widely adopted goal of authentic assessment (pp. 520, 529) (National Research Council, 1996, Chap. 5; Newmann, 1996; Newmann, Bryk, & Nagaoka, 2001; Shannon, 1999, Chap. 3; also see Wiggins, 1990). That is, educators ultimately want to know how students understand NOS and apply their knowledge in authentic, commonlife contexts. The U.S. National Research Council’s Board on Science Education (BOSE) recently reaffirmed this goal:
An investigation into the role of the controller in institutions of higher education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the controller's perception of his role in institutions of higher education and whether that perception differs from that of top academic administrators. A modified Delphi technique was used to gather and refine data. Despite some minor disagreements, it was shown that there is general agreement as to the proper role of the controller in institutions of higher education.
Recovery of Native Treefrogs After Removal of Nonindigenous Cuban Treefrogs, Osteopilus septentrionalis

Abstract Florida is home to several introduced animal species, especially in the southern portion of the state. Most introduced species are restricted to the urban and suburban areas along the coasts, but some species, like the Cuban Treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis), are locally abundant in natural protected areas. Although Cuban Treefrogs are known predators of native treefrog species as both adults and larvae, no study has demonstrated a negative effect of Cuban Treefrogs on native treefrog survival, abundance, or occupancy rate. We monitored survival, capture probability, abundance, and proportion of sites occupied by Cuban Treefrogs and two native species, Green Treefrogs (Hyla cinerea) and Squirrel Treefrogs (Hyla squirella), at four sites in Everglades National Park in southern Florida with the use of capture–mark–recapture techniques. After at least 5 mo of monitoring all species at each site we began removing every Cuban Treefrog captured. We continued to estimate survival, abundance, and occ...
Microcirculation in pancreatic function.

The pancreas is involved in two major bodily functions: production of hormones involved in the control of carbohydrate metabolism and the production of enzymes essential to digestion. Pancreatic function is mediated by both neurological and humoral control. The major pathway for humoral control is through the circulatory system, the level of action being in the microcirculation. This introductory paper explores the need for a deeper understanding of the dynamic morphology, i.e. the actual flow patterns in the microcirculation, as a function of the physiological state and demand to complement the careful ultrastructural mapping of the microvasculature. The current state of knowledge in this field is reviewed as a basis for identifying important areas of knowledge and ignorance, and some suggestions are made as to possible procedures for further experimental studies, particularly in the microscopic observation of the dynamics of the microcirculation with special emphasis on the need for transport studies in both directions across the microvascular wall.
Song variation among Chatham Island Warblers on two islands of the Chatham Island archipelago

Biogeography plays an important role in the evolution of song structure in passerine birds. On two islands of the Chatham Island archipelago, songs of Chatham Island Warblers (Gerygone albofrontata) differed in both form and amount of variation among individuals. On Chatham Island (899km2) song structure varied little whereas on Mangere Island (1.13km2) structure varied considerably, but with none of the songs being the same as the song on Chatham Island. Increased song variability on the smaller island is not attributable to reduced avian species richness as has been suggested for other species in comparable settings.
Distillation, feedforward control with intermediate feedback control trays

Abstract Feedback control systems for distillation columns are often based on controlling the temperatures of intermediate trays near the top and/or bottom of the column. This paper studies the application of feedforward control to this kind of column. In addition to adjusting manipulative variables like reflux and/or vapor boilup, the feedforward controller must also change feedback controller set points. Nonlinear steadystate and linear dynamic synthesis techniques are used to design the six feedforward controllers required. Effectiveness when applied to a nonlinear column is illustrated by digital simulation of a 20-tray binary column. Combined feedback/feedforward control performance is compared with feedback control alone.
Erythropoietin and abnormal hair growth in hemodialysis patients.

To the Editor: The use of recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) in chronic renal failure has offered considerable improvements in quality of life, but has also caused some adverse reactions. 1-3 It can cause an increase in blood pressure, headaches, and seizure activity, and an increased rate of clotted vascular accesses.2,4 We found that in our initial 37 patients on hemodialysis receiving r-HuEPO (Epogen, Amgen, Thousand Oaks, CAl, five (13%) had evidence of abnormal hair growth. The patients had received 2,000 to 4,000 U of Epogen intravenous push three times weekly for an average of 8 months. All five of our patients experienced moderate hair growth on some or all of their extremities. None had increased hair on the face or trunk, and the hair was of terminal type. The four women in the group showed no other signs of virilization. Along with the usual medications of the end-stage renal disease patient, some of our patients were also taking insulin, famotidine, nortriptyline, lactulose, ranitidine, and lorazepam. These medications are not known for causing hirsutism. Hair growth is influenced both by the levels of circulating androgens and the peripheral conversion of weaker androgens to testosterone or dihydrotestosterone by 5a-reductase. In addition, the target tissue, the hair follicle, must have androgen receptors to mediate the action of the hormone.s The effect of erythropoietin on androgen levels. or androgen receptors has not been reported. Erythropoietin has been shown to lower the levels of cortisol,6 and high levels of cortisol have been shown to inhibit follicular activity. 5 It would be interesting to investigate whether the erythropoietin-induced decrease in cortisol levels leads to increased hair growth by removing cortisol's inhibition of follicular activity. In addition, a decrease in cortisol level may stimulate a compensatory increase in androgens as occurs in congenital adrenal hyperplasia. However, the distribution of hair growth in our patients was not of the classical excess androgen type. The growth on the extremities was moderate and there was none on the face or trunk. Longer follow-up will be required to see if these signs of androgen-induced hirsutism do appear. It may be reasonable to consider that the correction of anemia with r-HuEPO may afford greater blood flow to the follicles, resulting in increased hair growth. However, it has been shown that treatment with r-HuEPO does not increase cutaneous blood flow,? and that the correction of anemia actually causes decreased blood flow to the extremities via vasoconstriction: The mechanism underlying the effect ofr-HuEPO on hair growth needs further elucidation.
Application of IBM 1620 EDP methods to the calculation of the formulation constants of complex ions

In the course of our work on the physical chemistry of histamine and related compounds, we have done extensive work involving potentiometric titration of systems of chelates of these ligands with various metallic ions, negative ions, and small molecules. The resulting data is used to calculate the stability constants in solution (1, 2, 3, 4). The mathematical calculations for a single titration require two to four hours when done on a desk calculator, even when the operator is experienced. This is a serious disadvantage of the technique. The more accurate methods of successive approximations and of simultaneous equations [2] are so time consuming that their routine use is impractical without the aid of a high speed computer.
Carbon—14- and Tritium-Labeled DPN and TPN

In this article, new methods will be described for the introduction of carbon and hydrogen isotopes into the nicotinamide moiety of the pyridine nucleotides. Compared to the methods already in use, these new methods have the advantages of somewhat greater yields of label incorporated into the pyridine nucleotides and the potential of producing pyridine nucleotides with greater specific activities. As such, they should serve as useful additions to the methods presently available.
Relation of sodium, potassium, and chloride intake to cortisone action during food restriction.

Summary1. Caloric requirements, water intake, and organ weights were determined for rats whose weights had been kept constant by restricted feeding of diets low in Na, K, and or CI with and without cortisone acetate. 2. Whereas ordinarily requirements for weight maintenance decline sharply during the first 5 weeks and become constant thereafter, little if any decrease was noted without Na and K salts. With cortisone, requirements for all diets except those containing CaCl2 or NH4C1 were initially much higher than without cortisone but went down rapidly. However, with NaCl and cortisone, the requirements were higher than with K salts or NaHCO3 and cortisone. On CaCl2, the requirements were reduced by cortisone. 3. The water intake of animals receiving neither Na nor K was very high. Cortisone reduced the intake of the CaCl2-supplemented rats. The opposite effect was noted with NaCl. 4. Organ weight determination reaffirmed that the increase in kidney weight noticed on NaCl-containing, K salt-low diets coul...
Prolate Spheroidal Wavelets: Translation, Convolution, and Differentiation Made Easy

Prolate spheroidal wavelets were previously introduced and shown to have some interesting convergence properties. In this work, several shortcomings of standard wavelets are discussed, and are shown not to be present in these new wavelets. These include invariance under arbitrary translations and differentiation of the associated multiresolution subspaces as well as similar properties of dilations.
Sublimation of nitric oxide films: Rotational and angular distributions of desorbing molecules

Abstract NO molecules subliming into vacuum from a condensed NO film at 50 K exhibit cosine angular flux and Boltzmann rotational distribution at the surface temperature. This implies that the sticking probability for incident molecules is independent of angle or rotational energy, at least for levels populated at 50 K. We look at some models for rotational distributions of desorbing molecules, and consider the extent to which desorption can be used as a probe of the surface dynamics of condensed phases. Though our results are simple, they touch on issues fundamental to obtaining microscopic dynamical information for non-equilibrium interfaces.
Tracheostomy in Palliative Care

The use of tracheostomy in palliative care offers a viable option for airway control. Through a dialogue with the patient, family, and a multidisciplinary set of providers, this procedure can be a useful component to a patient's overall palliative care plan. The authors discuss techniques for placing a tracheostomy tube and indications for placement in palliative care for alleviation of chronic and acute symptoms.
Metabolic engineering to enhance the value of plants as green factories

The promise of plants to serve as the green factories of the future is ever increasing. Plants have been used traditionally for construction, energy, food and feed. Bioactive compounds primarily derived from specialized plant metabolism continue to serve as important scaffold molecules for pharmaceutical drug production. Yet, the past few years have witnessed a growing interest on plants as the ultimate harvesters of carbon and energy from the sun, providing carbohydrate and lipid biofuels that would contribute to balancing atmospheric carbon. How can the metabolic output from plants be increased even further, and what are the bottlenecks? Here, we present what we perceive to be the main opportunities and challenges associated with increasing the efficiency of plants as chemical factories. We offer some perspectives on when it makes sense to use plants as production systems because the amount of biomass needed makes any other system unfeasible. However, there are other instances in which plants serve as great sources of biological catalysts, yet are not necessarily the best-suited systems for production. We also present emerging opportunities for manipulating plant genomes to make plant synthetic biology a reality.
Housing the Urban Poor in Twenty-First Century Sub-Saharan Africa: Policy Mismatch and a Way Forward for Ghana

The debate on housing the urban poor has become more sophisticated since Turner’s original ideas of self-help and self-building by the poor were introduced in the 1970s. Today, the emphasis in housing the poor is on a pluralistic approach that stresses enabling housing provision for the poor by expanding the range of providers to include government, the private sector, the poor themselves, non-governmental agencies, and cooperatives. Official housing policy in Ghana does not reflect the pluralistic approach that prevails in practitioner and academic circles. Using ethnography, this paper presents the housing experience of a typical poor family in Ghana to determine what the poor build. It highlights the obstacles the poor have to overcome to acquire the housing they want. The ethnography provides a basis upon which the mismatch between the pluralistic approach and Ghana’s housing policy can be bridged thus providing a way forward. The paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of the housing industry in poverty alleviation in Ghana.
Incorporation of 3H-labeled nucleosides and 3H-labeled deoxynucleosides into detergent soluble DNA.

Detergent soluble DNA from splenocytes of immunologically stimulated mice has been shown to incorporate (/sup 3/H)dThd more rapidly than detergent insoluble DNA. In this report the author compares the incorporation of other /sup 3/H-labeled nucleosides and /sup 3/H-labeled deoxynucleosides and the distribution of /sup 3/H in the different size classes of detergent soluble DNA. The order of incorporation into DS DNA is (/sup 3/H)dThd > (/sup 3/H)dCyd > (/sup 3/H)Ado > (/sup 3/H)dGuo approx. = (/sup 3/H)Cyd > (/sup 3/H)dAdo > (/sup 3/H)Guo. The author also shows that the previously reported slight enrichment in Gua + Cyt content is not due to preferential incorporation of dGuo or of dCyd into any one size class.
A METHOD TO COLLECT AND PROCESS SKIN BIOPSIES FOR CELL CULTURE FROM FREE‐RANGING GRAY WHALES (ESCHRICHTIUS ROBUSTUS)

For researchers studying mysticere whales few methods for determining gender or for collecting biochemical and genetic information from unrestrained animals are available. The objective of this study was to develop a reliable method for collecting viable tissue samples for establishing continuous cell cultures from skin biopsies of free-ranging whales. A method to collect and process these samples is presented. Six of seven skin biopsies from gray whales were established in cell culture. Our results suggest that the viability of the samples is improved by (1) sterile processing in the field, (2) minimizing the time between collection and delivery to the cell culture facility, (3) reducing the concentration of antifungal agent, and (4) placing tissue explants under a coverslip. While the results reported in this paper are based on a small sample size, we believe that if the procedures are followed, they will increase the probability of successfully culturing cetacean tissue. Established cell lines can supply replenishable material from identified whales still living in the wild. These cultures can then be used for determination of sex from karyotypes, and for assessing genetic relationships of cetaceans from inherited protein, chromosomal and DNA polymorphisms. These much needed analytical tools can be used to determine familial and populational relationships, leading to a better understanding of mating systems, stock identification and effective population sizes of wild cetaceans.
Confidence Intervals for the Ratio of Two Poisson Means and Poisson Predictor Intervals

Easy-to-use charts are presented for confidence intervals for the ratio of two Poisson mean occurrence rates and for predictor intervals for the future value of a Poisson random variable, given a previously observed value. The use of the charts is illustrated and their theoretical basis is given.
Diffusion-based Approach to Deploying Wireless Sensors to Satisfy Coverage, Connectivity and Reliability

An important objective of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is to reliably sense data about the environment in which they are deployed. Reliability in WSNs has been widely studied in terms of providing reliable routing protocols for message dissemination and reliability of communication from sink to sensors. In this work, we define a reliability metric by the amount of information sensed by the network. In order to satisfy this reliability constraint, we propose a diffusion-based approach for a deployment pattern for the sensor nodes. We show that this deployment pattern while maintaining reliable network operation for the entire duration of deployment satisfies coverage and connectivity constraints for the network. In addition, we show that this diffusion-based deployment pattern requires lesser number of sensors and provides higher degree of reliability of sensing operation than popular regular deployment patterns.
Improving the relative efficiency of revenue generation from ICT in transition economies: a product life cycle approach

In order to attract domestic and international investors, transition economies (TE), i.e. economies in the transition from planned to market-driven, must demonstrate their ability to convert investments into revenues in an efficient and effective manner. In this study, conducted in the context of 18 TEs, we investigate strategies for increasing the relative efficiency of the production of revenues from information and telecommunications technologies (ICT). We use a four-step methodology incorporating data envelopment analysis and neural networks to determine the areas along the product life cycle curve where increased investments in ICTs will likely have the most macroeconomic impact in a resource-efficient manner. We use the framework of neoclassical growth accounting to support our inquiry.
Post collision interactions in fully differential cross sections for four-body charge transfer processes

Recently, experimental fully differential cross sections have been reported for proton?helium collisions. In this work we will examine single capture, transfer with target excitation and double capture for proton?helium collisions. For single capture, the proton captures one electron from helium and leaves the other electron in the ground state. For the transfer-excitation case, the target is excited to arbitrary excited states. In the case of double capture, the proton captures both of the electrons from helium and leaves the collision as an H??ion. We introduce a fully quantum mechanical four-body model that includes the final state post collision interactions between all two-particle pairs exactly. In the initial state, the two-particle interactions are included asymptotically by using an Eikonal wavefunction. The results of this model are in better agreement with experimental data than previous quantum mechanical calculations.
Herpes simplex virus 2 virion host shutoff protein interferes with type I interferon production and responsiveness.

The herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) virion host shutoff (vhs) protein is a ribonuclease contained in the virion tegument. vhs-deficient mutants of HSV-2 are profoundly attenuated in vivo, and we have previously shown that replication and virulence of vhs-deficient HSV-2 are largely restored to levels of wild-type virus in mice lacking the interferon alpha/beta receptor (IFNalphabetaR(-/-)). This result demonstrated that HSV-2 vhs interferes with the type I IFN response, but whether vhs inhibits production of type I IFN or synthesis or function of key mediators of the IFN-induced antiviral state was not clear. Here we address these questions using primary murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), which produce and respond to IFNalphabeta. The vhs-deficient HSV-2 strain 333d41 replicated similarly to wild-type virus (333 clone SB5) and vhs rescue virus (333d41(R)) after infection of MEFs at high moi, but at low moi, 333d41 replication was severely attenuated, recapitulating the attenuated phenotype of vhs-deficient HSV-2 in vivo. Replication of 333d41 at low moi was restored to levels of wild-type virus in MEFs lacking the IFNalphabeta receptor or when IFNalphabeta was neutralized, thus establishing the IFNalphabeta response as the sole mechanism attenuating vhs-deficient HSV-2 replication in MEFs. MEFs infected with 333d41 produced >50-fold more IFNalphabeta than cells infected with 333 and 333d41(R). Pretreatment of MEFs with type I IFN inhibited replication of 333d41 more than 333 and 333d41(R), indicating that vhs also interferes with activation of the IFNalphabeta-induced antiviral response. We therefore examined vhs interference with PKR and RNase L, two key mediators of the IFNalphabeta response. 333d41 replication was restored to wild-type levels after low moi infection of PKR(-/-) and RNase L(-/-) MEFs, and was not inhibited in PKR(-/-) MEFs pretreated with IFNalpha. Together, these observations indicate that HSV-2 vhs is a broad and potent countermeasure to the IFN-mediated antiviral response in IFN-naive and -sensitized MEFs.
Solubility of non-ionic poly(fluorooxetane)-block-(ethylene oxide)-block-(fluorooxetane) surfactants in carbon dioxide

Abstract The impact of side chain and midblock length on the solubility of ABA triblock copolymers of fluorooxetane-(ethylene oxide)-fluorooxetane in carbon dioxide is examined. The use of short fluorinated side chains instead of long fluorinated chains prevents issues with bioaccumulation of the degradation products of the surfactant. At 40 °C for the same degree of polymerization, increasing the number of perfluoro-units from one to four results in a non-monotonic change in the cloud point pressure; the cloud point pressure decreases as the side chain is increased from perfluoromethyl to perfluoroethyl. However, further increasing the fluorinated side chain to perfluorobutyl results in a significant increase in the cloud point. However when the temperature is increased to 60 °C, the cloud point pressure for the surfactants with perfluoroethyl and perfluorobutyl side chains is statistically similar, while the perfluoromethyloxetane based surfactant requires a substantially larger pressure to obtain comparable solubility. An increase in cloud point pressure is observed when increasing the hydrophilic ethylene oxide segment. These results illustrate that commercially available fluorooxetane-(ethylene oxide)-fluorooxetane surfactants are highly soluble in CO 2 .
The Ryanodine Receptor (RyR) Carries its Own Counter-Ion Current in Rabbit Permeabilized Myocytes

Rapid sustained Ca release necessitates counter-ion fluxes across the SR membrane. Under physiological conditions, K is the most abundant cation in cytoplasm and the SR is highly K permeable, and thus K is thought to be the main counter-ion supporting Ca release. Three cationic channels could carry the counter-ion flux: 1) SR K channel, 2) TRIC channel which was newly identified as exclusively a monovalent cationic channel, 3) the RyR channel. Most counter-ion current studies to date have been done in skeletal muscle (either SR vesicles or skinned fibers) and there is limited information in cardiac cellular environment. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine which channel(s) carry the counter ion flux in saponin-permeabilized rabbit ventricular myocytes. Based on the known permeation properties of conventional SR K / TRIC / RyR channel, different monovalent cations were substituted for cytosolic K to differentiate the role of each candidate channel. Both local (Ca spark) and global Ca release (elicited by caffeine) were measured as indexes of SR Ca release efficiency. The effects of substituted ions on single RyR and SR K channels gating/permeation was defined. Preliminary spark and channel results indicate that the RyR channel mediates Ca release and carries most of the required counter current. Supported by NIH R01HL57832 & R01AR054098.
Discrimination between temporally separated stimuli

A mechanism is discussed which has the property that two temporally separated stimuli presented over a common path may be discriminated as though they had been presented simultaneously over separate paths.
A Novel RNA Motif Mediates the Strict Nuclear Localization of a Long Noncoding RNA

The ubiquitous presence of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in eukaryotes points to the importance of understanding how their sequences impact function. As many lncRNAs regulate nuclear events and thus must localize to nuclei, we analyzed the sequence requirements for nuclear localization in an intergenic lncRNA named BORG (BMP2-OP1-responsive gene), which is both spliced and polyadenylated but is strictly localized in nuclei. Subcellular localization of BORG was not dependent on the context or level of its expression or decay but rather depended on the sequence of the mature, spliced transcript. Mutational analyses indicated that nuclear localization of BORG was mediated through a novel RNA motif consisting of the pentamer sequence AGCCC with sequence restrictions at positions −8 (T or A) and −3 (G or C) relative to the first nucleotide of the pentamer. Mutation of the motif to a scrambled sequence resulted in complete loss of nuclear localization, while addition of even a single copy of the motif to a cytoplasmically localized RNA was sufficient to impart nuclear localization. Further, the presence of this motif in other cellular RNAs showed a direct correlation with nuclear localization, suggesting that the motif may act as a general nuclear localization signal for cellular RNAs.
Targeted delivery of catalase and superoxide dismutase to macrophages using folate

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) secreted by activated macrophages play a central role in causing rheumatoid arthritis, and therapeutics that can inhibit the production of ROS by macrophages have great clinical potential. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) are two enzymes that scavenge ROS and have great potential for treating rheumatoid arthritis. However, clinical trials with these enzymes have been ineffective, due to drug delivery problems, and effective SOD and CAT delivery vehicles are greatly needed. In this communication, we demonstrate that CAT and SOD can be effectively targeted to activated macrophages, via the folate receptor. Folate was conjugated to CAT and SOD using NHS/EDC chemistry with high efficiency. Cell culture experiments demonstrated that folate conjugation increased their ability to scavenge ROS, produced by the macrophages, and also enhanced their uptake into activated macrophages. We anticipate numerous applications of folate-conjugated CAT and SOD in treating inflammatory diseases, based on their efficacy and straightforward synthesis.