cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinematic synthesis of RRSS mechanisms for multi-phase motion generation with tolerances

Abstract This paper presents a new technique for synthesizing spatial RRSS mechanisms to achieve phases of both precise rigid body positions and rigid body positions with tolerances. This method is an extension of the adjustable RRSS motion generation synthesis method developed by the authors [11]. By incorporating rigid body point tolerances in the rigid body displacement matrices and calculating mechanism solution loci for the prescribed rigid body positions under the tolerance limits, circle and center point regions can be calculated. R–R link solutions can then be selected from these regions. This paper considers two-phase fixed and moving pivot adjustment problems with fixed and adjustable crank and follower lengths.
Wire antennas in the presence of a dielectric/ferrite inhomogeneity

A moment method solution for treating thin-wire antennas in the presence of an arbitrary dielectric and/or ferrite inhomogeneity is presented. The wire is modeled by an equivalent surface current density, and the dielectric/ferrite inhomogeneity is modeled by equivalent volume polarization currents. The conduction currents on the wire and the polarization currents in the dielectric/ferrite inhomogeneity are treated as independent unknowns and determined in the moment method solution. The method is applied to the problem of a loop antenna loaded with dielectric or ferrite. Numerical results are presented, and are in good agreement with measurements and previous calculations.
Ventral tegmental area of the rabbit brain: a developmental Golgi study

Abstract The ventral tegmental area (VIA) of the rabbit mesencephalon was examined with Golgi-Cox impregnation at neonatal (days 3–21 of age) and young adult (6–12 months of age) stages of development. Neurons in the dorsal midline were small, with sparsely-branched, vertically-oriented dendrites. Neurons in the ventral midline were medium-sized, oval cells with sparse, vertically-oriented dendrites, and multipolar cells with more abundant diffuselyoriented dendrites. Neurons in the medial zone of the VTA, between the midline and the exiting III nerve fibers, were oval in shape, medium in size, and possessed vertical dendritic arborizations of greater size and extent of branching than those in the dorsal midline. Lateral neurons, found among III nerve fibers, were medium-sized and possessed dendritic trees that were specifically oriented in a vertical or horizontal plane, or were diffusely-branched with more abundant arborizations than their specifically oriented counterpart. Very small neurons with short, single branches were scattered among all regions of the VTA. The major cell types showed a similar pattern of dendritic maturation. At 3–9 days of age, the dendrites were generally short, spiny and poorly branched. From days 9–21, the branches increased in number and length, spines were lost, and these neurons rapidly approached adult size and form. The neurons of VTA appear isodendritic in form, and developed in a pattern consistent with other areas of reticular formation, suggesting that VTA may be part of the reticular core of the brain stem. Dendrites from neurons in the lateral VTA formed small bundles of 5–15 dendrites with each other and with dendrites of medial substantia nigra neurons. These small bundles may form the substrate for the coordinated modulation of the activity of VTA neurons. Fluorescence histochemistry revealed that dopamine neurons demonstrated the somatic and primary dendritic configurations consistent with Golgi-Cox impregnated profiles of all major neuronal types described except the very small interneurons. The dopaminergic neurons were not the exclusive constituents of any single region. It therefore is likely that dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic neurons are present in VTA and interact with each other.
Triterpenoids in epicuticular waxes of Dudleya species

Abstract The pentacyclic triterpenoids, β-amyrin acetate and taraxerone, are major components in the epicuticular wax of the genus Dudleya .
Gradient-echo 3D imaging of Rb polarization in fiber-coupled atomic magnetometer.

Abstract The analogy between atomic and nuclear spins is exploited to implement 3D imaging of polarization inside the cell of an atomic magnetometer. The resolution of 0.8 mm × 1.2 mm × 1.4 mm has been demonstrated with the gradient-echo imaging method. The imaging can be used in many applications. One such an application is the evaluation of active volume of an atomic magnetometer for sensitivity analysis and optimization. It has been found that imaging resolution is limited due to de-phasing from spin-exchange collisions and diffusion in the presence of gradients, and for a given magnetometer operational parameters, the imaging sequence has been optimized. Diffusion decay of the signal in the presence of gradients has been modeled numerically and analytically, and the analytical results, which agreed with numerical simulations, have been used to fit the spin-echo gradient measurements to extract the diffusion coefficient. The diffusion coefficient was found in agreement with previous measurements.
STUDIES ON PATHOGENIC B. COLI FROM BOVINE SOURCES III. NORMAL AND SEROLOGICALLY INDUCED RESISTANCE TO B. COLI AND ITS MUTANT.

The interrelations between bacterial toxins, bacterial capsular (mucoid, viscid) substance, and certain normal protective factors in the guinea pig are studied with the aid of bacterial mutants and immune serum, and the results formulated in an hypothesis.
Male mating tactics in the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus

Abstract Horseshoe crabs nest on beaches of the eastern U.S. at the new and full moon high tides during spring and summer. Some males arrive attached to females, whereas others arrive unattached. The unattached males crowd around the nesting couples where they are thought to gain fertilizations (fertilization is external). Because males return to the beach more frequently than females (and most females arrive attached), the operational sex ratio during one tide can be strongly male biased. Attached and unattached males did not differ in size but attached males were less likely to have their prosomas and eyes encrusted with epibionts, and they were lighter in colour, suggesting that they were on average either younger than unattached males or that they had moulted more recently. When attached males were experimentally detached from females, they were more likely to return with a female on the following tide than males that had arrived on the beach unattached. When detached males and unattached males were allowed to pair with females in wading pools and were then released at sea while still attached, the detached males were more likely to return the next day with the same partner than the unattached males. Although detached and unattached males were equally likely to attach while in the pools if given enough time, unattached males took longer to attach and were more likely to let go of the female during the release process than the detached males. These results suggest that attached and unattached male mating tactics are the result of condition-dependent differences.
DaRPC: Data Center RPC

Remote Procedure Call (RPC) has been the cornerstone of distributed systems since the early 80s. Recently, new classes of large-scale distributed systems running in data centers are posing extra challenges for RPC systems in terms of scaling and latency. We find that existing RPC systems make very poor usage of resources (CPU, memory, network) and are not ready to handle these upcoming workloads.In this paper we present DaRPC, an RPC framework which uses RDMA to implement a tight integration between RPC message processing and network processing in user space. DaRPC efficiently distributes computation, network resources and RPC resources across cores and memory to achieve a high aggregate throughput (2-3M ops/sec) at a very low per-request latency (10μs with iWARP). In the evaluation we show that DaRPC can boost the RPC performance of existing distributed systems in the cloud by more than an order of magnitude for both throughput and latency.
Structure magnétique des composés RIr2 — Terres rares — Iridium

Des mesures par diffraction neutronique des phases ferromagnetiques et cubiques de Laves Tb Ir2 et Ho Ir2 confirment les faibles moments moleculaires deduits de mesures magnetiques. Un blocage partiel du moment orbital angulaire des atomes de terre rare est probable. L'amplitude de diffusion coherente de Ir a ete determinee. Elle est de (1,00 ± 0,02) × 10^-12 cm.
Silicon: an indigestible marker for measuring food consumption and utilization by insects

Silicon (Si) is a useful indigestible marker in plants for measuring food consumption and nutritional indices. Si concentrations in HF:HCl extracts of small (5–20 mg) samples may be measured easily using atomic emission spectroscopy. The Si marker and gravimetric methods were compared using Lymantria dispar (L.) larvae fed artificial diet with 2.5% silica (SiO2). Both methods produced equivalent measures of consumption and nutritional indices. The Si marker method was also used to measure the consumption of six grass species by larvae of Paratrytone melane Edwards. The results were similar overall when compared with estimates of consumption based on total fecal weight, but varied significantly for some grass species. The Si marker method may be a useful alternative to the gravimetric method, especially in field situations.
Food Protection: A Research Agenda

Regulatory issues have become relatively more important as agricultural policy concerns. The still-evolving role of nontraditional food and agricultural clientele is at least a contributing factor. Increasingly, concerns about the quality of life, rather than just the quantity of goods and services produced, affect the emergence of food issues and influence the ultimate decisions. Often it is felt that regulation, obtained through the political process, is the most direct route to conflict resolution.
Presentations of alternating semigroups

One presentation of the alternating groupA n hasn−2 generatorss 1,…,sn−2 and relationss 1 3 =s i 2 =(s1−1si)3=(sjsk)2=1, wherei>1 and |j−k|>1. Against this backdrop, a presentation of the alternating semigroupA n c )A n is introduced: It hasn−1 generatorss 1,…,S n−2,e, theA n-relations (above), and relationse 2=e, (es 1)4, (es j)2=(es j)4,es i=s i s 1 -1 es 1, wherej>1 andi≥1.
Some Problems in the Physical Anthropology of the American Southwest

T HIS paper has four parts. Part I is a quick inventory of work done on the physical anthropology of the American Southwest. Part II sets out a problem of general anthropological interest: the biological relationship, or phylogeny, of two or more populations. A statistical method of appraising the degree of relationship is characterized. Part III considers a case where an anthropometric method of measuring relationship can be tested with four Southwestern populations of known relationship. Part IV attempts to apply this tested method to the problem of the biological relationship of the Maricopa and to the problem of the biological affinities of the Mogollon and Chama peoples.
Urbanization in Thailand, 1947-1967.

Utilizing both census and population register data for the period 1947–1967, this analysis assesses changing levels and rates of urbanization in Thailand, compares regional variations in urbanization patterns, and relates such differences to selected indicators of economic and demographic development. Although the overall level of urbanization remains low, the rate of urbanization is high and the increase in the number of moderate sized urban places significant. Greater Bangkok, accounting for over half of Thailand’s urban population and almost two–thirds of all urban growth, has increased its primacy in Thailand’s urban structure. But urban development has also begun to permeate all regions of the country and to be an important factor in the complex process of national social and economic development.
Specificity of human keratinocyte X HeLa cell hybrid murine monoclonal antibodies.

Abstract: The immunofluorescent staining patterns of three differentiation-specific monoclonals (HLK3, HLK7, HLK20) that display different immunofluorescent (IF) reactivity in normal and psoriatic epidermis, were examined in basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), as well as other human normal epithelial and nonepithelial tissues. Similar staining patterns within epidermis were seen with HLK3 (intercellular) and HLK7 (perinuclear) in psoriasis, SCC, and BCC. HLK20 selectively stained BCC and SCC within epidermis and dermis, and was negative in psoriasis. The monoclonals did not react with nonepithelial tissues, but repetitively displayed positive, granular reactivity with simple epithelia and transitional epithelium. Stratified squamous epithelia showed IF staining similar to normal epidermis for all three monoclonals. These new monoclonal antibodies offer new investigative tools to study abnormalities in keratinocyte differentiation in benign and malignant hyperplastic skin diseases.
Harnessing Labile Bonds between Nanogel Particles to Create Self-Healing Materials

Using computational modeling, we demonstrate the self-healing behavior of novel materials composed of nanoscopic gel particles that are interconnected into a macroscopic network by both stable and labile bonds. Under mechanical stress, the labile bonds between the nanogels can break and readily re-form with reactive groups on neighboring units. This breaking and re-forming allows the units in the network to undergo a structural rearrangement that preserves the mechanical integrity of the sample. The simulations show that just a small fraction of labile bonds leads to a roughly 25% increase in the stress needed to induce fracture. Thus, the labile bonds can significantly improve the tensile strength of the material. The findings provide guidelines for creating high-strength, self-healing materials.
Exercise with Physically Restrained Nursing Home Residents: Maximizing Benefits of Restraint Reduction

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate an exercise protocol designed to improve strength and mobility, and to decrease injury risk factors in physically restrained nursing home residents. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-seven residents were randomized into either exercise or control groups. Thirty-five exercise and 37 control group residents completed all post-assessments after a 9-week trial. INTERVENTION: Walking or wheelchair movement training was supplemented by rowing exercise three times per week. Practice in behaviors related to safe movement was provided incidental to the exercise. MEASUREMENT: Endurance, speed, and injury risk measures relevant to walking, wheelchair propulsion, and standing were assessed by standardized protocols. Rowing endurance, rowing range of motion, and handgrip strength measures were collected to assess the effect of the rowing component of the exercise protocol. RESULTS: Fifty-four percent of the subjects who provided consent did not complete the protocol because of health status changes, lack of cooperation, or physical limitations that precluded exercise. The subjects who completed the exercise program showed significant improvement on injury risk and measures related to upper body strength (handgrip strength, rowing endurance, wheelchair endurance, and speed). Measures related to lower body strength did not significantly improve. CONCLUSION: Physically restrained residents are very frail, and it is difficult to implement a long-term exercise program with many residents because of this frailty. However, a substantial proportion of residents did cooperate well with the exercise program and showed improvement on measures correlated with decreased injury risk. The exercise program could be easily modified to include more lower body exercise, and the resultant protocol would be an important adjunct to restraint reduction programs.
Effects of phencyclidine on extracellular levels of dopamine, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid in conscious and anesthetized rats.

Abstract Dose-dependent effects of phencyclidine on extracellular levels of dopamine (DA), dihydroxy-phenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) in the neostriatum were studied in both urethane-anesthetized and conscious rats. In vivo microdialysis was used to collect 10min samples that were analyzed for levels of DA, DOPAC and HVA, using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-EC). In both the anesthetized and conscious preparations, 20 mg/kg of phencyclidine produced an increase in extracellular levels of DA, 10 mg/kg resulted in no change, while 1 mg/kg produced a slow decrease. In the anesthetized animals phencyclidine did not have a significant effect on levels of DOPAC or HVA, but in the conscious animals phencyclidine produced a dose-dependent decrease in levels of DOPAC and HVA. The increase in levels of DA could be the result of increased release of DA or inhibition of the uptake of DA. The decrease in levels of DOPAC and HVA, at the 1 mg/kg dose, could result from a decrease in the synthesis of DA that is offset at the 10 and 20 mg/kg doses by opposing mechanisms.
A Chance of Storms: New Librarians Navigating Technology Tempests

Current scholarship identifies a gap between education obtained in library school and the technological skills needed to be successful on the job from both the employers' and new graduates' perspective. Students believe the courses for their accredited master's degrees will prepare them for their careers and are discouraged when they are met with unanticipated expectations from their new employers, while employers struggle with how much training they must provide to new employees so they can be successful in their jobs. This article explores the gap by surveying new librarians to discover their perceptions about how library school prepared them for their career and about what technology skills their new employer expects them to have. Suggestions are made for how new librarians can gain the skills they need to be successful in the workplace.
Clostridium difficile Colitis, Treatment and Management

Clostridium difficile is a gram positive, anaerobic, spore forming bacilli, which is an ever-present danger within hospitalized patients accounting for ~15,000 deaths each year in the United States CDC (MMWR 61:157–162, 2012). Clostridium difficile infection is generally defined by the presence of diarrhea, leukocytosis and testing positive for the organism’s toxin via toxin assay. As with most bacterial organisms that developed resistance to antibiotics, the organism has developed several fluoroquinolone resistant strains, BI, NAP1, and toxinotype III and ribotype 027 Warney et al. (Lancet 366:1079–1084, 2005). Not only do we see this bacterium with acute and chronic disruption of the intestinal flora, but it has also been associated with chronic proton pump inhibitor usage and elevation of gastric pH Howell et al. (Arch Intern Med 170:784–790, 2010••). Proper hand sanitation and contact precautions are two of the most effective methods in preventing the spread of spores. Treatment modalities for this infection have steadily progressed to include metronidazole, vancomycin, oral administration of IV vancomycin, fidaxomicin, and lastly fecal transplantation. Of greatest importance remains our ability to properly diagnose, treat, and prevent this costly and dangerous infection.
A simple procedure for the purification of yeast phenylalanine transfer RNA

Abstract For the past several years we have been attempting to study the secondary and tertiary structure of tRNAs + by means of chemical probes. In the course of this work it became necessary to obtain a highly purified species of tRNA. For two reasons we chose to purify yeast Phenylalanine tRNA. The nucleotide sequence of this molecule has been completely worked out ( RajBhandary and Chang [1968] ). Secondly, a simple and highly effective partial purification of this species has been obtained by Gillam et al. (1967) on benzoylated DEAE cellulose. In this communication we report the use of BD-cellulose to complete the purification of tRNAPhe.
Fluoxetine in depressed AUD adolescents: a 1-year follow-up evaluation.

The authors conducted the first naturalistic 1-year follow-up evaluation of 10 adolescents with comorbid major depressive disorder and an alcohol use disorder (AUD) who had previously participated in an acute phase study of open-label fluoxetine plus psychotherapy (Cornelius et al. 2001). The goal of this follow-up evaluation was to determine whether the decreases in drinking and in depressive symptoms that were noted during the acute phase study persisted at the follow-up evaluation. At the 1-year follow-up evaluation, the group continued to demonstrate significantly fewer depressive symptoms (according to the 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression) and a lower frequency of drinking (drinking days in the last 30 days) than they had demonstrated at the baseline of the acute phase study. Surprisingly, all of the subjects had chosen to discontinue their antidepressant medication by the second month of their naturalistic follow-up period. Three subjects had experienced a relapse of their major depressi...
Estradiol increases prolactin synthesis and prolactin messenger ribonucleic acid in selected brain regions in the hypophysectomized female rat.

Immunoreactive PRL which is not of pituitary origin, has been identified in many regions of the rat brain. We have previously demonstrated that estradiol increases hypothalamic immunoreactive PRL content in hypophysectomized female rats. To determine if estradiol stimulates PRL synthesis, we examined the effect of estradiol on the in vivo production of PRL, and on the expression of PRL messenger RNA (mRNA) in the hypothalamus, pons, and cerebral cortex. To examine the effect of estradiol on the in vivo production of PRL, [35S] methionine was injected into the lateral ventricle and its incorporation into immunoprecipitable PRL was determined by immunoprecipitation and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In estradiol, but not vehicle-treated hypophysectomized rats, a 24,000 M(r) immunoprecipitable PRL protein was detected in the hypothalamus and pons-medulla, 2 and 4 h after methionine administration. No immunoprecipitable PRL proteins were detected in the amygdala, hippocampus, corte...
Nanoscale Shape-Memory Function in Highly Cross-Linked Polymers

Topographic engraving of structures in polymer surfaces attracts widespread interest for application in imprint lithography and data storage. We study the nonlinear interaction of nanoindents written in close proximity, 20-100 nm, to one another in a highly cross-linked polystyrene matrix. The indents are created thermomechanically by applying heat and force stimuli of 10 micros duration to a tip, thereby raising the polymer temperature to 250 degrees C and exerting contact pressures of up to 1 GPa. We show that on the nanoscale plastic deformation is highly reversible providing outstanding shape-memory functionality of the material.
The end of the West: the once and future Europe

Europe and the United States—the West—urgently need political leadership, economic fortitude and a clear vision of the future if they are to contend with the challenges posed by emerging regional powers and to resist the downward pressures of ‘relative decline’, the central focus of David Marquand's book, The end of the West: the once and future Europe. Central to this goal will be the West's ability to ‘rebalance’ between its institutions and democracy; its power and commitments; and its political and moral authority. Europe must ‘rebalance’ on issues related to ethnicity and identity, governance and authority, and civilization and territory. EU enlargement and its institutional reform processes have exacerbated this imbalance. American foreign policy objectives currently exceed its resources and are hampered by lack of strategic clarity and intellectual vision which keeps the United States from achieving an adaptive leadership model more capable of successfully operating in an increasingly complex and multipolar world. For Europe to become internally healthy and externally productive—both politically and economically—it needs to regain balance between its utopian, institutional objectives and democratic support for its future ambitions and policy course. Strong leadership and a powerful vision of prosperity from the West will be vital to return the transatlantic partnership to global economic and political advantage.
Mucoepidermoid tumors of the intraoral minor salivary glands: a clinicopathologic study of 54 cases.

. Clinical, gross and microscopic features of 54 mucoepidermoid tumors of intraoral minor salivary glands were studied. Thirty-four were further analyzed with regard to treatment and survival. Females predominated 2:1. The most common locations were palate, mandibular retromolar area and buccal mucosa. Mean duration was approximately 1 year, and most were asymptomatic. Fifty tumors were well-differentiated; four were poorly-differentiated. Growth pattern was generally infiltrative. Treatment was surgical in all cases. Mean follow-up duration was 47.1 months. Three well-differentiated tumors recurred once. One poorly-differentiated tumor recurred three times. No metastases or deaths occurred. Narrow or involved margins were common to recurrent but also to many non-recurrent tumors. Well-differentiated tumors behaved benignly and are best treated by modest local excision. Jaw resection is generally unnecessary. The practice of considering all mucoepidermoid tumors to be malignant is challenged.
TIRE CONTACT PRESSURE AND ITS EFFECT ON PAVEMENT STRAIN

This paper reviews current knowledge of the three components of pavement contact pressure developed by a free‐rolling tire. A finite element tire model employed to calculate tire‐pavement contact pressure is described. These pressure distributions were used as pavement surface load input data for a pavement model (ILLIPAVE). The ILLIPAVE program utilizes a nonuniform tire contact pressure distribution in calculating the strains in a flexible pavement on a granular base. Results from the tire study indicate that, for a 10.00‐20 bias‐ply truck tire, the highest pressure in the tire‐pavement contact region is about two times the inflation pressure, for the 517‐kPa and 862‐kPa (75‐ and 125‐psi) inflation pressures considered. The analytical studies on flexible pavements were conducted primarily on thin pavements, since the effects of tire pressure are most pronounced in thinner sections. The results indicate that these truck tire contact pressures produce high tensile strains at the bottom of the pavement. It...
Cation concentrations in the haemolymph of the fly Chironomus thummi, during development

The concentrations of the haemolymph monovalent and divalent cations have been determined during the development of Chironomus thummi, a fly. The insect maintains a low and rather constant level of sodium and potassium ion throughout most of the fourth instar period until the time of the larval-pupal ecdysis (LL = 87.6 mM Na; 10.8 mM K; EPP = 77.4 mM Na; 11.2 mM K; LPP = 83 mM Na; 14.6 mM K). During the final period of development, as the pupa apolysis to a pharate adult there is a significant increase in sodium and potassium ion levels (EA = 149.4 mM Na; 49.6 mM K). This sharp change of the haemolymph environment is coincident with the occurrence of many of the dramatic metamorphic changes in the animal, e.g., the breakdown of the salivary gland, and the initiation of vitellogenesis, among others. Artificial media containing the same concentrations of ions as the haemolymph enabled the in vitro maintenance of salivary glands for periods of up to 48 to 72 hr. The importance of the present information in studies of chromosomal puffing and in other cellular activities such as those leading to cell breakdown has been discussed.
Synthesis and evaluation of new ditopic cyclophane receptors for benzoic acid

As potential receptors for a benzoic acid guest, new ditopic cyclophane host molecules, each with a π electron-rich portion and a pyridine ring-containing portion, are synthesized. Complexation of benzoic acid guest by the potential molecular receptors is probed by infrared spectroscopy, proton magnetic resonance titration experiments and solid-state structure determination. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Observation of mitochondrial morphology and biochemistry changes undergoing apoptosis by angularly resolved light scattering and cryoimaging

Non-invasive optical techniques offer great potential for observation of mitochondrial metabolism and morphology alternations. Apoptosis can be a result of cancer therapy such as PDT* during which mitochondria are undergoing structural and biochemical changes with different time-courses. Angularly-resolved light scattering is a powerful optical method to study behavior of light interaction with cells and their internal structures. Mitochondria organelles of ~ 1μm size is of the scale for Mie scattering. Fluorescence imaging is another important diagnostic tool to monitor two important endogenous fluorophores of the mitochondrial matrix, NADH (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) and FAD (Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide) as metabolic biomarkers. The normalized ratio of these fluorophores called the redox ratio (FP/FP+NADH)1 is an indicator of metabolism status of tissue independent of the number of mitochondria. The FL5 cells are investigated in normal and apoptotic stages by light scattering, fluorescence imaging and electron microscopy. Apoptosis is induced by substrate withdrawal. Goniometry-based light scattering results, suggest an earlystage apoptosis (8h) causes shrinkage of mitochondria and condensation of cristae whereas a late-stage (24h) is related to swollen mitochondria. These results are consistent with electron microscopy images of mitochondria at the same times. These three techniques provide multiple correlated data: morphological, biochemical and histological changes. Each technique strengthens the hypothesis behind the other data and helps to depict the overall procession of events.
Altered energy flow in the food web of an experimentally darkened lake

Theory suggests that alternative resources may begin to support a food web when highly used resources become less available relative to alternatives. To test the potential for alternative resources to support consumers, we experimentally darkened a lake whose consumers had relied heavily on algal resources (phytoplankton and benthic algae). We estimated the support consumers received from resources before and after darkening using a Bayesian mixing model and stables isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen. Between a prior year and the darkened year, phytoplankton biomass diminished by 60%, and surface dissolved oxygen saturation, pCO2, and net ecosystem production indicated a shift from autotrophy to heterotrophy. Although a specialist copepod maintained a high reliance on phytoplankton after darkening, a generalist zooplankton predator (Chaoborus spp.) derived more support from terrestrial sources. Fishes received less support from benthic algae after darkening, and received greater support from float...
Investigation of the stereoselectivity of an anti-amino acid antibody using molecular modeling and ligand docking.

The structure of the binding site of the stereoselective anti-D-amino acid antibody 67.36 was modeled utilizing web antibody modeling (WAM) and SWISS-MODEL. Although docking experiments performed with an aromatic amino acid as model ligand were unsuccessful with the WAM structure, ligand binding was achieved with the SWISS-MODEL structure. Incorporation of side-chain flexibility within the binding site resulted in a protein structure that stereoselectively binds to the D-enantiomer of the model ligand. In addition to four hydrogen bonds that are formed between amino acid residues in the binding site and the ligand, a number of hydrophobic interactions are involved in the formation of the antibody-ligand complex. The aromatic side chain of the ligand interacts with a tryptophan and a tyrosine residue in the binding site through π–π stacking. Fluorescence spectroscopic investigations also suggest the presence of tryptophan residues in the binding site, as ligand binding causes an enhancement of the antibody's intrinsic fluorescence at an emission wavelength of 350 nm. Based on the modeled antibody structure, the L-enantiomer of the model ligand cannot access the binding site due to steric hindrance. Additional docking experiments performed with D-phenylalanine and D-norvaline showed that these ligands are bound to the antibody in a way analogous to the D-enantiomer of the model ligand. Chirality, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A value based index for measuring national quality of life

A new index of the quality of life (QOL) of nations was created. The measured variables are selected based on a universal set of human values derived from the work of Schwartz (1994). The Basic QOL Index, designed primarily to discriminate between developing countries, includes seven variables: purchasing power, homicide rate, fulfillment of basic physical needs, suicide rate, literacy rate, gross human rights violations, and deforestation. The Advanced QOL Index, designed primarily to assess QOL in highly industrialized nations, includes seven variables: physicians per capita, savings rate, per capita income, subjective well-being, percent attending college, income equality, and environmental treaties signed. Combining the two indices produced a reliable measure of QOL that systematically covers diverse human values. The nations scoring highest on the Combined QOL Index were Canada, Switzerland, Netherlands, U.S.A., and Norway, and those scoring lowest were Ethiopia and Rwanda.
Individual Differences in Real-Time Information Coordination: Relating Dynamic Spatial and Verbal Information

Past research has suggested that a coordination ability may critically contribute in the capacity to control attention in situations of increased mental load. Evidence for such an ability was sought by analyzing individual differences in performance in a complex, real-time task. The task required the integration of information obtained from visual and verbal processing channels to produce a single response. Subjects saw two objects moving across a visual display and had to determine the veracity of a verbal statement about the objects, e.g., “object A is not moving faster than object B.” Verbal statements varied in syntactic complexity and truth value and visual displays varied in the relative speed ratio of the moving objects. Male and female subjects (N = 60) performed the verbal and spatial tasks alone and in combination across testing sessions. Gender differences were obtained for the speed judgment task with males demonstrating greater sensitivity in detecting speed differences. Support for a general...
Identification and characterization of a novel postlarval hemolymph protein from Manduca sexta

The identification, purification and characterization of a new postlarval specific hemolymph protein from Manduca sexta is described. Incorporation of [35S]methionine into Manduca sexta hemolymph proteins in vivo was investigated as a function of development. A major protein band of Mr ≈ 50,000 was highly labeled during the prepupal and adult stage but not in feeding larvae. This postlarval protein (PLP) was isolated from adult male hemolymph and its chemical and immunological properties determined. PLP is a basic protein (pI ∼8.6). Electrophoresis under denaturing conditions reveals a subunit Mr ≈ 50,000 while the native protein has an apparent Mr ∼ 85,000 by gel permeation chromatography. Anti-PLP serum recognized PLP but not other hemolymph proteins on immunoblots. In vitro translation of fat body mRNA followed by immunoprecipitation revealed that fat body is the site of PLP synthesis. Quantitation of PLP levels in hemolymph throughout development was performed and suggests PLP may play a role in adult development of M. sexta.
Antarctic Meteorite Symposium

The Sixth Antarctic Meteorite Symposium was held in Tokyo, Japan, February 19 and 20. Sponsored by the National Institute of Polar Research, the symposium brought Japanese scientists together with several Americans and two Chinese to discuss current research on meteorites, emphasizing research on meteorites collected in Antarctica. The symposium, now an annual event, owes its origin to the recent success of Japanese polar scientists in collecting large numbers of meteorite specimens in the Yamato Mountains, a program now successfully emulated by U.S. parties to the Allan Hills and adjacent regions. Forty-seven papers were delivered orally, primarily in Japanese (the abstract volume was printed in English), on subjects that included location, field collection, and curation of specimens (6); classification and description of meteorites from Yamato Mountains and Allan Hills (14); mineralogical and petrological studies (8); chemical and isotopic studies (8); exposure ages and terrestrial ages of Antarctic meteorites (3); magnetic and other physical properties (5); and Chinese meteorites (3).
Czochralski pulling of InSb single crystals from a molten zone on a solid feed

An attempt was made to reduce dopant segregation in Cd-doped InSb Czochralski single crystals by pulling from a molten zone on the top of a solid feed of the targeted crystal composition. The molten zone was predoped such that the crystal could grow at the targeted composition from the beginning. Effective segregation reduction was obtained.
Latina testimonios: a reflexive, critical analysis of a ‘Latina space’ at a predominantly White campus

Judith Flores and Silvia Garcia (University of Utah) draw from the work of their mentor, Rina Benmayor and Telling to live: Latina feminist testimonios to establish an organization for Latinas who are staff, faculty, students, alumni, and community members at a predominantly White institution (PWI). Critical race feminism (CRF), Latina/o critical theory (LatCrit), and foundational work from US Third World feminists, informed the need to create a space where Latinas could discuss issues such as body image, language, sexual orientation, how to navigate academia, mentorship, genealogy, epistemologies, immigration status, and educational backgrounds among others. Flores and Garcia write about the need for the formation of a ‘Latina space’. They evaluate the impact of this space where experiential knowledge is fostered and nurtured. The authors accentuate on the benefits and areas for improvement to strengthen the Latinas Telling Testimonios (LTT) group as it evolves in its third year. Flores and Garcia argue ...
Palaeoclimate: Warmth and glaciation

The gradual expansion of Northern Hemisphere glaciation about 3.6 million years ago followed a period of prolonged warmth. An analysis of ancient sea surface temperatures fuels the debate surrounding the roles of atmospheric carbon dioxide and global circulation in the cooling.
Biodegradable polyphosphazenes containing antibiotics: synthesis, characterization, and hydrolytic release behavior

Novel polyphosphazenes containing the fluoroquinolone antibiotic substituents, ciprofloxacin or norfloxacin, were synthesized and characterized. Nano/microfibers of several selected polymers were prepared by an electrospinning technique. The sensitivity to hydrolysis, pH behavior, and antibiotic release profile of all the polymers as films and the selected polymers as nano/microfibers were investigated. The hydrolysis release behavior was further studied by an in vitro antibacterial test against E. coli. Protection and deprotection reactions of ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin were carried out before and after polymer synthesis to prevent cross-linking of multi-functional reagents with polymers. No more than 25 mol% of antibiotics can be introduced to poly(dichlorophosphazene) which was synthesized by a thermal ring opening polymerization of hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene. Various amino acid ethyl esters (glycine, alanine, and phenylalanine) were linked to the polymers as co-substituents to increase the solubility as well as to control the rate of antibiotic release. Depending on the polymer compositions, 5–23% weight loss and 4–30% antibiotic release were observed in a six week hydrolysis study at 37 °C. The corresponding nano/microfibers showed a much faster degradation and antibiotics release due to a substantially larger surface area. The in vitro antibacterial tests showed an antibacterial effect as long as ciprofloxacin or norfloxacin was released from the polymers. Meanwhile, all the polymers gave a near-neutral hydrolysis environment with the pH ranging from 5.9 to 6.8.
Algebraic cycles on a product of two Hilbert modular surfaces

In this paper we prove the Tate conjecture for a product of two Hilbert modular surfaces for non-CM submotives.
A non-Boltzmann balance equation approach to electronic transport in a type-I superlattice

Abstract Force and energy balance equations are derived for steady state hot electron transport in a type-I superlattice composed of periodically arranged finite-width quantum wells. The scatterings by remote and background impurities and by acoustic and polar optical phonons are taken into account, together with Coulomb interactions between intralayer electrons and interlayer electrons. The carrier mobility and electron temperature are calculated as functions of drift velocity ν up to ν=3×107 cm / s, showing significant nonlinearity and dependence on geometrical superlattice parameters (quantum well width and separation, etc.)
LDA Measurements of Mean Velocity and Reynolds Stress Fields Within an Artificial Heart Ventricle

Laser Doppler Anemometry measurements of mean (ensemble average) velocities and turbulent (Reynolds) stresses at 140 locations within the left ventricle of the Penn State 70 cc electric artificial heart/ventricular assist device are reported at 8 times during the cardiac cycle. Mean velocity patterns indicate that the surfaces of the blood sac and valve tracts are exposed to significant levels of wall shear stress (good wall washing) during some portion of the flow cycle, and there is no location where the flow is stagnant over the entire flow cycle. This implies that thrombus deposition within the artificial heart should be suppressed. Turbulent stresses in the main pumping chamber and the outflow tracts of the tilting disk valves do not exceed 2000 dynes/cm2. The highest turbulent stresses (20,000 dynes/cm2) and smallest turbulent microscales (6 microns) are found in the regurgitant jets on the minor orifice side of the aortic valve during diastole and the mitral valve during systole. Taken together, the data suggest that improvements in artificial heart fluid mechanics will come through valve design and pump operating conditions, not pumping chamber design.
Anterior Mitral Leaflet Injury After Debridement

65-YEAR-OLD MAN with a history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and tobacco abuse was admitted to the authors’ hospital for the evaluation of postural dizziness, progressive dyspnea on exertion, and intermittent substernal chest pain. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) indicated the presence of a heavily calcified, severely stenotic bicuspid aortic valve (AV) with peak and mean pressure gradients across the valve of 102 and 59 mmHg, respectively. The estimated aortic valve area (AVA) was 0.8 cm2. A cardiac catheterization showed an isolated 70% stenosis in the mid– right coronary artery (RCA). An aortogram performed during the catheterization suggested that the ascending aorta was dilated. A computed tomography scan with angiographic contrast confirmed the presence of an ascending aortic aneurysm (maximum diameter of 4.7 cm) extending from the sinotubular junction to the distal aspect of the ascending aorta. The aneurysm did not involve the aortic arch. The patient was taken to the operating room for aortic valve replacement, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and repair of the ascending aorta. After anesthetic induction and endotracheal intubation, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) verified the preoperative findings and also indicated the presence of significant calcification of the anterior-lateral and middle scallops (A1 and A2 segments) of the anterior mitral valve (MV) annulus and leaflet (Figs 1 and 2 and Videos 1 and 2 [supplementary videos are available online]). The movement of these anterior mitral leaflet segments was substantially restricted and resulted in mild mitral regurgitation (MR) (Fig 3 and Video 3). The mitral valve area
Modeling annual energy metabolism rhythms in mammals

The energy cost of living of free-ranging animals, or ecological metabolism, can be estimated over the annual cycle with a coefficient that is multiplied by a mass-specific common denominator. The common denominator is called base-line metabolism per day (BLMD) and the coefficient is called the multiple of base-line metabolism (MBLM). This coefficient shows a sinusoidal pattern over the annual cycle, reaching its highest value at peak lactation and its lowest value when maintenance, activity and production costs are at a minimum. The multiple is strikingly similar among species with similar reproductive costs and off-season activities, such as hibernation, denning or idling, even when body mass varies widely. Daily energy requirements generated as a continuous function over the annual cycle with a tandem cosine algorithm provide time-specific estimates that are more biologically realistic than average values applied throughout the year, or discontinuous estimates for specific time periods within a year. This approach is particularly useful in ecological modeling applications that extend over the annual cycle.
Effects of cell entrapment on growth rate and metabolic activity of mixed cultures in biological wastewater treatment

The effects of cell entrapment on the growth rate and metabolic activity of mixed cultures in biological municipal wastewater treatment were investigated. Three different cell entrapment media (alginate, carrageenan and polyvinyl alcohol) and three cell-to-matrix ratios (2.5%, 5% and 15%, w/v) were examined. Free (non-entrapped) mixed culture cells were included in the study for comparative purpose. Results indicated that the entrapment, type of entrapment media, and cell-to-matrix ratio had significant effects on the growth and metabolic activity of the mixed culture cells. In most cases, polyvinyl alcohol entrapped cells had the highest specific growth and specific substrate utilization rates while alginate entrapped cells provided the lowest or second lowest rates. The specific growth and specific substrate utilization rates decreased as cell-to-matrix ratio increased from 2.5% to 5% or 15%. This study enhances the fundamental understanding about the physiological behaviors of entrapped cells in wastewater treatment environment. It provides results that are useful for increasing the performances of entrapped cells for wastewater treatment.
A Brief History of Geriatrics

IN the end, each of our endeavors is only a product of those who went before us trailblazing the path to the present. For this reason, I believe it is useful to reflect on the history of the origins of geriatrics. Any such history that is to be compressed into an article must perforce be truncated. In addition, history is always seen as interpreted through one’s own perspective, and history is not always as it appears. Finally, I have lived an active role in much of the last two decades of American geriatrics, providing me, to some extent, with a biographer’s viewpoint, rather than that of an uninvolved student of the field.