cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A wasp-based control model for real-time routing of parts in a flexible manufacturing system

This article presents a self-adaptive, wasp-based control model for real-time part routing in a flexible manufacturing system (FMS). Inspired from the natural system of a wasp colony, the proposed control model is a multi-agent system that exhibits adaptive behaviour. It uses simple rules built on a decentralized architecture and hence it overcomes the drawbacks of traditional agent-based systems, such as long negotiation times among agents. The production problem, which has been previously studied in the literature, includes real-time routing of parts with the objective of minimizing average waiting times and average cycle times in a large FMS that consists of 40 machines. The proposed wasp-based control model is benchmarked via simulation under various experimental conditions against those previously published studies. The simulation study shows that it outperforms the previously reported studies when the production system is heavily loaded and prone to congestion. The self-adaptive nature of the proposed model makes it robust in the presence of such dynamic, unexpected changes occurring in the FMS.
Comments on the Fourteenth Rheumatism Review

Excerpt Continuing in the custom of more than a quarter of a century, the ANNALS OFINTERNALMEDICINEpublishes another of the reviews of American and English literature pertaining to the field of rhe...
The trapping of positive energy electrons on an infinite sheet

Abstract The one electron Schrodinger equation for an infinite sheet may have Bloch states that live on the sheet and have positive energy with respect to the vacuum. Such states occur for special values of k in the two dimensional Brillouin zone and form, in general, “line bands” and “point bands”. The decay into the continuum is prevented by the space group symmetry.
The psychiatric inpatient treatment of children and youth in general hospitals.

The mental health needs of children and youth continue to be the focus of national attention. There is general agreement that between 11% and 12% of children and youth are in need of mental health services (Saxe, Cross, & Silverman, 1988), although some estimates rage as high as 15% to 19% (Tuma, 1989). Dougherty (1988) has suggested only about half of children in need receive any services and that those who do often receive inappropriate services (Pothier, 1988). Tuma (1989) concluded 70% to 80% of children in need may not be getting appropriate services.
Electronic near-surface defect states of bare and metal covered n-GaN films observed by cathodoluminescence spectroscopy

Depth-dependent low energy cathodoluminescence spectroscopy (CLS) has been used to investigate the near-surface optical properties of n-type GaN epelayers grown under various growth conditions. Both bare and reacted-Mg/n-GaN and Al/n-GaN (annealed to 1000°C) surfaces were investigated. We find enhanced emission at ∼1.4, 1.6, and 2.2eV from states within then-type GaN bandgap near the interface of the reacted Mg with the semiconductor, which correlates with previous measurements of Schottky barrier formation on the same specimens. No clear evidence for p-type doping at the reacted interfacial layer is apparent. For Al on n-type GaN, CLS emission is dominated before and after metallization by “yellow” emission, which correlates only weakly with the Fermi level stabilization energy. Instead, we observe emission above the GaN band edge emission at 3.85 eV, due either to deep level emission from AlN or to the formation of the alloy AlxGa1-xN (x≈0.2) in the reacted near-surface region.
Unusually Stable and Long-lived Ligand-induced Conformations of Integrins

Integrins are a large family of cell surface receptors that are involved in a wide range of biological processes. The integrin alpha(IIb)beta3 (glycoprotein IIb-IIIa) is a major platelet glycoprotein heterodimeric receptor that mediates platelet aggregation and is currently a target for pharmaceutical intervention. Ligand binding to the receptor has been shown to induce conformational changes by physical methods and the exposure of neoepitopes (the ligand-induced binding sites). Here we show that the antagonist XP280 induces a conformation that is stable to treatment with SDS and that the protein retains this conformation for several days even after dissociation of the inhibitor. These ligand-induced conformational changes take place with purified protein and on intact platelets. They are competable with an RGDS peptide and are stable to reduction but not boiling or treatment with EDTA. The retention of an altered conformation in the absence of the ligand implies the possibility of ligand-induced alteration of biological function even in the absence of ligand. Finally, similar behavior is observed with the integrin alpha(v)beta3, suggesting that access to SDS stable conformations may be conserved throughout the integrin superfamily. The unusual stability, long-lived nature, and potential generality of these conformations could have profound implications for integrin biology.
Acceleration of kaczmarz using orthogonal subspace projections

The Kaczmarz iterative algorithm is widely used to solve inconsistent over-determined linear systems, such as in computed tomography. This paper introduces an algorithm for improving convergence of Kaczmarz's method using projections into orthogonal subspaces from randomly selected measurement hyperplanes. In preliminary simulations, the method is computationally feasible, allows variable convergence acceleration with penalty-cost, but statistically reduces iterative errors. We evaluated our algorithm using simulations of uniform random Gaussian sampling on the unit sphere and the standard phantom image. The algorithm shows promise for inversions in diagnostic methods in biomedical applications and related problems in bioinformatics via parallel high-performance computing platforms.
Role of cyclic AMP in antiserum-induced growth inhibition of murine leukemia L5178Y cells

Abstract Heat-inactivated rabbit antiserum, in the absence of complement, induced a 1.5–2-fold increase in cyclic AMP levels in target cells L5178Y leukemia lymphoblasts within 10–20 min after the experiment. This change preceded the previously reported delayed inhibitory effects of antiserum on cell growth such as inhibition of RNA, DNA, and protein synthesis and cell proliferation, suggesting that cyclic AMP may be one of the mediators of the antigen-antibody reactions which occur at the cell surface. Furthermore, the addition of cyclic GMP or excess calcium to either antiserum or cyclic AMP-treated cultures alleviated the growth inhibitory effects of either antiserum or cyclic AMP, substantiating further the hypothesis proposed.
Purine–purine mismatches in RNA helices: evidence for protonated G·A pairs and next-nearest neighbor effects

Thermodynamic parameters are presented for 12 different RNA duplexes containing A.A, A.G, G.A and G.G mismatches flanked by C-G base pairs. UV melting studies were conducted under three different buffer conditions in order to evaluate the effects of salt concentration and pH on the stability of each mismatch-containing duplex. The main findings are: (i) the mismatches have a wide range of effects on duplex stability, decreasing delta G degrees 37 of denaturation by approximately 0-7 kcal/mol; (ii) the nearest-neighbor assumption commonly used to calculate helix stability breaks down for G.A mismatches; and (iii) G.A mismatches separated by 2 bp form a protonated structure.
Activation of the RIG-I Pathway during Influenza Vaccination Enhances the Germinal Center Reaction, Promotes T Follicular Helper Cell Induction, and Provides a Dose-Sparing Effect and Protective Immunity

Pattern recognition receptors (PRR) sense certain molecular patterns uniquely expressed by pathogens. Retinoic-acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is a cytosolic PRR that senses viral nucleic acids and induces innate immune activation and secretion of type I interferons (IFNs). Here, using influenza vaccine antigens, we investigated the consequences of activating the RIG-I pathway for antigen-specific adaptive immune responses. We found that mice immunized with influenza vaccine antigens coadministered with 5′ppp-double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), a RIG-I ligand, developed robust levels of hemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies, enhanced germinal center reaction, and T follicular helper cell responses. In addition, RIG-I activation enhanced antibody affinity maturation and plasma cell responses in the draining lymph nodes, spleen, and bone marrow and conferred protective immunity against virus challenge. Importantly, activation of the RIG-I pathway was able to reduce the antigen requirement by 10- to 100-fold in inducing optimal influenza-specific cellular and humoral responses, including protective immunity. The effects induced by 5′ppp-dsRNA were significantly dependent on type I IFN and IPS-1 (an adapter protein downstream of the RIG-I pathway) signaling but were independent of the MyD88- and TLR3-mediated pathways. Our results show that activation of the RIG-I-like receptor pathway programs the innate immunity to achieve qualitatively and quantitatively enhanced protective cellular adaptive immune responses even at low antigen doses, and this indicates the potential utility of RIG-I ligands as molecular adjuvants for viral vaccines. IMPORTANCE The recently discovered RNA helicase family of RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) is a critical component of host defense mechanisms responsible for detecting viruses and triggering innate antiviral cytokines that help control viral replication and dissemination. In this study, we show that the RLR pathway can be effectively exploited to enhance adaptive immunity and protective immune memory against viral infection. Our results show that activation of the RIG-I pathway along with influenza vaccination programs the innate immunity to induce qualitatively and quantitatively superior protective adaptive immunity against pandemic influenza viruses. More importantly, RIG-I activation at the time of vaccination allows induction of robust adaptive responses even at low vaccine antigen doses. These results highlight the potential utility of exploiting the RIG-I pathway to enhance viral-vaccine-specific immunity and have broader implications for designing better vaccines in general.
THE COLORADO PLATEAU

ABSTRACT The Colorado Plateau was one of the last areas in the United States to be developed economically. Before the 1880s it was virtually empty except for Indians. Today the vast scenic and energy resources of the area are under development, and projections for future development are frightening. Problems of land use management are directly related to the fragmented nature of landholdings. Present methods of consolidation are inadequate, and new approaches to the organization of space must be devised if further degradation of the environment is to be prevented.
Evaluation of activity-dependent functional pH and T1ρ response in the visual cortex

Abstract Recent experiments suggest that T1 relaxation in the rotating frame (T1ρ) detects localized metabolic changes in the human visual cortex induced by a flashing checkerboard task. Possible sources of the T1ρ signal include pH, glucose, and glutamate concentrations as well as changes in cerebral blood volume. In this study we explored the relationship of the T1ρ signal changes related to cerebral blood volume changes by employing inferior saturation pulses. Our hypothesis was that there would be a contribution of cerebral blood volume to the functional T1ρ signal, but a majority of the signal would correspond to metabolic changes. In addition, the relationship between T1ρ and pH was explored by manipulating the frequency of the flashing checkerboard and imaging with T1ρ, BOLD, and 31P spectroscopy. We hypothesized that T1ρ and pH changes would be sensitive to the stimulation frequency. To test this hypothesis, we used a full-field visual flashing checkerboard and varied the frequency between 1, 4, and 7 Hz. Supporting our hypotheses, we found that approximately 73% of the measured signal change corresponds to metabolism in vivo and that increasing stimulation frequency increased responses measured by all three imaging modalities. The activation area detected by T1ρ overlapped to a large degree with that detected by BOLD, although the T1ρ response area was significantly smaller. 31P spectroscopy detected a greater acidosis with the higher stimulation frequencies. These observations suggest that, similar to the BOLD response, the magnitude of the T1ρ and pH response depends on stimulation frequency and is thus likely to be activity-dependent.
Optical activity in Tb(III) mixed-ligand complexes containing pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid and hydroxyphenyl derivatives

Abstract Addition of hydroxyphenyl derivatives to tris(dipicolinate)Tb(III) results in the generation of optical activity within the Tb(III) spectroscopic transitions. Unlike earlier work, in many cases the bonding was found not to be totally outer-sphere in nature, but the adducts could be best described as 1:1 Tb(DPA) 3− 3 /substrate complexes. At low pH values the interactions appeared to be outer-sphere in nature, but ionization of the hydroxyphenyl group resulted in the formation of the inner-sphere complex. Presumably, one of the dipicolinates partially dissociates to permit bonding of the ionized hydroxyphenyl portion of the substrate. The chiral substrates examined during the course of this study were hydroxylphenylglycine, tyrosine, dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), tyrosinol, noreinephedrine, and epinephrine.
Global analysis of ion dependence unveils hidden steps in DNA binding and bending by integration host factor.

Proteins that recognize and bind to specific sites on DNA often distort the DNA at these sites. The rates at which these DNA distortions occur are considered to be important in the ability of these proteins to discriminate between specific and nonspecific sites. These rates have proven difficult to measure for most protein-DNA complexes in part because of the difficulty in separating the kinetics of unimolecular conformational rearrangements (DNA bending and kinking) from the kinetics of bimolecular complex association and dissociation. A notable exception is the Integration Host Factor (IHF), a eubacterial architectural protein involved in chromosomal compaction and DNA recombination, which binds with subnanomolar affinity to specific DNA sites and bends them into sharp U-turns. The unimolecular DNA bending kinetics has been resolved using both stopped-flow and laser temperature-jump perturbation. Here we expand our investigation by presenting a global analysis of the ionic strength dependence of specific binding affinity and relaxation kinetics of an IHF-DNA complex. This analysis enables us to obtain each of the underlying elementary rates (DNA bending/unbending and protein-DNA association/dissociation), and their ionic strength dependence, even under conditions where the two processes are coupled. Our analysis indicates interesting differences in the ionic strength dependence of the bi- versus unimolecular steps. At moderate [KCl] (100–500 mM), nearly all the ionic strength dependence to the overall equilibrium binding affinity appears in the bimolecular association/dissociation of an initial, presumably weakly bent, encounter complex, with a slope SKbi ≈ 8 describing the loglog-dependence of the equilibrium constant to form this complex on [KCl]. In contrast, the unimolecular equilibrium constant to form the fully wrapped specific complex from the initial complex is nearly independent of [KCl], with SKuni < 0.5. This result is counterintuitive because there are at least twice as many ionic protein-DNA contacts in the fully wrapped complex than in the weakly bent intermediate. The following picture emerges from this analysis: in the bimolecular step, the observed [KCl]-dependence is consistent with the number of DNA counterions expected to be released when IHF binds nonspecifically to DNA whereas in the unimolecular reorganization step, the weak [KCl]-dependence suggests that two effects cancel one another. On one hand, formation of additional protein-DNA contacts in the fully wrapped complex releases bound counterions into bulk solution, which is entropically favored by decreasing [salt]. On the other hand, formation of the fully wrapped complex also releases tightly bound water molecules, which is osmotically favored by increasing [salt]. More generally, our global analysis strategy is applicable to other protein-DNA complexes, and opens up the possibility of measuring DNA bending rates in complexes where the unimolecular and bimolecular steps are not easily separable.
Elastohydrodynamics of lip seals

A numerical elastohydrodynamic analysis of a rotary lip seal with microundulations reveals that the undulation pattern plays a central role in the operation of the seal. The undulations hydrodynamically generate elevated pressures within the lubricating film, providing load support, and deform in such a manner as to produce reverse pumping. The reverse pumping counteracts the flow induced by the sealed pressure, and thereby prevents leakage through the seal.1
Radiotherapy: the importance of local control in pancreatic cancer.

The ECOG E4201 study adds another piece of information to a growing body of evidence pointing strongly to the importance of local control and the role of radiotherapy in unresectable pancreatic cancer. Based on this evidence, we believe radiotherapy should be used routinely in this setting.
Intestinal fibrosis is reduced by early elimination of inflammation in a mouse model of IBD: impact of a "Top-Down" approach to intestinal fibrosis in mice.

Background: The natural history of Crohn's disease follows a path of progression from an inflammatory to a fibrostenosing disease, with most patients requiring surgical resection of fibrotic strictures. Potent antiinflammatory therapies reduce inflammation but do not appear to alter the natural history of intestinal fibrosis. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between intestinal inflammation and fibrogenesis and the impact of a very early “top-down” interventional approach on fibrosis in vivo. Methods: In this study we removed the inflammatory stimulus from the Salmonella typhimurium mouse model of intestinal fibrosis by eradicating the S. typhimurium infection with levofloxacin at sequential timepoints during the infection. We evaluated the effect of this elimination of the inflammatory stimulus on the natural history of inflammation and fibrosis as determined by gross pathology, histopathology, mRNA expression, and protein expression. Results: Fibrogenesis is preceded by inflammation. Delayed eradication of the inflammatory stimulus by antibiotic treatment represses inflammation without preventing fibrosis. Early intervention significantly ameliorates but does not completely prevent subsequent fibrosis. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that intestinal fibrosis develops despite removal of an inflammatory stimulus and elimination of inflammation. Early intervention ameliorates but does not abolish subsequent fibrosis, suggesting that fibrosis, once initiated, is self-propagating, suggesting that a very early top-down interventional approach may have the most impact on fibrostenosing disease. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2012;)
Mycotoxins of Alternaria alternata produced on ceiling tiles

The production of mycotoxins by Alternaria alternata in cellulosic ceiling tiles was examined with thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography procedures. Alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether were found in ceiling tile extracts, whereas extracts of control rice cultures of all three isolates produced these mycotoxins plus altenuene and altertoxin I. Extensive fungal growth and mycotoxin production occurred in the ceiling tiles at relative humidities of 84–89% and 97%.
Properties of yttrium-iron-metalloid glasses

We report the results of measurements on metallic glasses of the form Y66(Fe1−xMx)34. For M = B we find that there is an extended range of glass formation (0≦x≦0.40) and that properties such as atomic density, electrical resistivity, microhardness, and thermal stability are functions ofx. For M = C, Si, or Ge we find a restricted range of glass formation (0 ≦x≦0.10) and no significant changes in the properties of the glasses. Using Fe57 Mossbauer effect spectroscopy we find that the M = B case is again unique in that the structure of the glass is sensitive to B content. We relate the differences in glass formation for the M = B and M = C, Si, Ge glasses to the existence of Y rich compounds in the C, Si, and Ge cases and the lack of such compounds in the M = B case.
Mechanochemistry of Cardiac Muscle: II. The Isotonic Contraction

The aim of this study was to evaluate utilization of chemical energy in relation to myocardial mechanics in variably afterloaded contractions of cardiac muscle by determining total energy utilization (∼P) in the absence of energy production. Right ventricular papillary muscles of cats were equilibrated at 26°C in a myograph in Krebs9 solution while contracting isometrically (12/min). Following treatment with iodoacetate and N 2 to inhibit completely ATP production from glycolytic and aerobic metabolism, the muscles were stimulated to contract isotonically 20 to 75 times with varying after loads. They were then rapidly frozen in liquid N 2 -cooled isopentane, and concentrations of ATP, creatine phosphate, inorganic phosphate and creatine were measured. The efficiency of energy utilization for the performance of internal work was 0.0067 µmoles ∼P/g-cm of work and for external work was 0.0031 µmoles ∼P/g-cm. In addition, resting energy utilization was 0.662 µmoles/g/min and activation energy was estimated to be 0.040 µmoles/g/contraction. These findings provide a demonstration of the Fenn effect in cardiac muscle and explain the well-known discrepancy in energy cost when cardiac work is increased by increasing pressure load as opposed to increasing volume load.
The Biodiversity Heritage Library: an expanding international collaboration

The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL; "http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/":http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/), one of the cornerstones of the Encyclopedia of Life (eol.org), now contains nearly 13 million digitized pages of 12,000 titles comprised of 32,000 volumes of the published literature of biodiversity held in the collections of major natural history libraries. The BHL has made this literature available for open access and responsible use as a part of a global “biodiversity commons.” The BHL partnership is working with the global taxonomic community, publishers, organizations such as JSTOR and BIOONE, and the Internet Archive, to ensure that the biodiversity literature is available to all, from students to scientists with diverse interests.This poster will describe the BHL with particular focus on the taxonomic tools available and the development of international partnerships and expanded collaborations with scientists. BHL-Europe has now formed and participation by other countries and projects will augment the available literature and provide redundant repositories and mirror sites. New tools such as the PDF-generator, article repository, updated search interface and social networking tools will be reviewed. The BHL Portal is a transformative research environment for scientific inquiry. The tools and information in the BHL have accelerated research in life sciences. Users reach the BHL through a free, service-based portal formed by coupling existing databases with digitized, searchable images and OCR text. The array of tools for taxonomically intelligent services has expanded. These tools are designed to overcome the problem of common name versus scientific name and changes of names over time and provide easy access to the available literature on a particular organism. This scientific reference system for investigating literature offers a model that reflects, and also amplifies, scientists' use of the natural history literature. In 2008, name finding statistics showed that 30 million name string occurrences were extracted from the BHL with 4.4 million of these being unique. Of these, 23.7 million have been verified by NameBank. Enhancement of OCR tools or manual text correction is crucial to the further development of data mining. Social networking tools may be utilized to expand OCR text correction to users and for tagging maps and illustrations. Scientists are providing bibliographies for taxonomic groups that can be incorporated into the selection process. Organizations have offered already digitized articles for deposit to the BHL. Hence, an article repository has been developed together with tools to extract pages of text, from BHL content (PDF-generator).
SURFACING THE BODY INTERIOR

AbstractIn the wake of critiques that have rendered problematic such familiar objects of study as culture and social structure, anthropologists seeking ways to engage ethnographically with the complexities of the contemporary world have fashioned new kinds of objects of study. These generally continue, however, to be framed as just that—as objects. Rather than pursue the “anthropology of” any particular object that preexists ethnography, anthropologists should find ways of bringing the openness and creativity of ethnographic work more boldly into the theoretical framing of what it is that they study. I propose here the notion of surfacing the body interior as one framing device that may help facilitate such ethnographic explorations into bodies, their interiors, and their surfaces as contingent configurations made and unmade through practices that are at once social, material, and representational.
Scn2a sodium channel mutation results in hyperexcitability in the hippocampus in vitro

Summary Purpose: To investigate in vitro, the cellular network activity of the hippocampus in Q54 mice that display spontaneous seizures because of a gain-of-function mutation of the Scn2a sodium channel gene. Methods: Extacellular recordings were obtained from CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons in hippocampal slices prepared from Q54 transgenic and nontransgenic littermates (WT) under physiologic conditions as well as during periods of orthodromic stimulation of the Schaffer collaterals. Cerebral spinal fluid samples were analyzed and cresyl violet histology of the hippocampus was conducted. Results: Increased spontaneous extracellular activity was found in both CA1 and CA3 regions of Q54 hippocampal slices. Q54 slices also demonstrated significantly greater spontaneous and afterdischarge activity as well as population spike amplitude and duration following tetanic stimulus in comparison to WT slices. Frequency analysis of tetanically stimulated recordings indicated high-frequency components (100 and 200 Hz) unique to Q45 slices. Analysis of cresyl violet histology supports healthy Q54 slices up to 10 weeks, while Q54 cerebral spinal fluid shows elevated osmolarity. Conclusion: Evidence for hyperexcitability and increased synaptic efficacy in Q54 mice was found by observing spontaneous activity as well as evoked activity. Response to tetanic stimulation included unique high-frequency oscillations, and resulted in an increased population spike amplitude and duration. Histological assessment shows equivalent neuronal development in both experimental groups. The data support the hypothesis that modified Scn2a channels in Q54 mice result in network hyperexcitability of the hippocampus necessary for the development and maintenance of temporal lobe seizures.
Gravitational field of a particle falling in a schwarzschild geometry analyzed in tensor harmonics

We are concerned with the pulse of gravitational radiation given off when a star falls into a "black hole" near the center of our galaxy. We look at the problem of a small particle falling in a Schwarzschild background ("black hole") and examine its spectrum in the high-frequency limit. In formulating the problem it is essential to pose the correct boundary condition: gravitational radiation not only escaping to infinity but also disappearing down the hole. We have examined the problem in the approximation of linear perturbations from a Schwarzschild background geometry, utilizing the decomposition into the tensor spherical harmonics given by Regge and Wheeler (1957) and by Mathews (1962). The falling particle contributes a $\ensuremath{\delta}$-function source term (geodesic motion in the background Schwarzschild geometry) which is also decomposed into tensor harmonics, each of which "drives" the corresponding perturbation harmonic. The power spectrum radiated in infinity is given in the high-frequency approximation in terms of the traceless transverse tensor harmonics called "electric" and "magnetic" by Mathews.
The Children's Bureau's Vision for the Future of Child Welfare

This article sets forth a broad vision for the future of the Children's Bureau that focuses on the goals of reducing maltreatment and achieving optimal health and development of children and families. To accomplish these goals the Children's Bureau charts a path to strengthen the ability of States, tribes, and communities to offer a range of universal, effective services to families within a systems of care framework; improve public policy and financing of child welfare services; build public engagement in and support for systemic child welfare changes; and develop initiatives to strengthen and support the child welfare workforce.
The zygomatic arch as a guide to reconstruction of comminuted malar fractures.

• Traditional three-point reduction may not restore proper projection of the malar prominence following a fracture dislocation of the zygoma if two of the three anterior points of realignment are comminuted. In such cases, reconstruction of the fourth or posterior projection, the zygomatic arch, increases the accuracy of the multidimensional reconstruction. Although the extended access approach required to repair the arch increases operative time and possibly length of hospitalization, its use is justified by the improved results in selected patients with severe injuries of the zygoma. ( Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1989;115:1459-1462)
Far-Infrared Absorptivity of Normal Lead

The Holstein-Boltzmann equation has been used to calculate the far-infrared absorptivity of normal Pb in and above the phonon-frequency region. The absorptivity exhibits a threshold at $\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}\ensuremath{\approx}35$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and weak structure at $\ensuremath{\approx}70$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ related to the transverse and longitudinal peak in the phonon density of states, respectively. It increases rapidly through the phonon region, eventually saturating at the Holstein value. These results agree with the recent experiments of Joyce and Richards.
Immunoregulation of lymphokine-activated killer cells.

Abstract The in vitro effects of Concanavalin A (Con A) and prednisolone (PRD) on the cytotoxic functions of lymphocytes and the generation of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells were investigated. Con A at concentrations ranging from 1 to 40 μg/ml did not significantly affect the cytotoxicity of LAK cells when added directly to the effector and target cell mixture in a 4-hr 51Cr release assay. The generation and lytic capacity of LAK cells were significantly affected by Con A in a dose-dependent manner when lectin was added at the initiation of culture. Suppression of LAK cell activity was demonstrable at different effector:target (E:T) cell ratios. Lymphocyte cultures incubated with PRD at concentrations ranging from 10−9 to 10−4M showed a decrease in both the numbers of and activity of LAK cells using a variety of target cells. Pretreatment of target cells with either PRD or Con A did not affect their sensitivity to lysis by LAK cells and incubation of lymphocytes with Con A did not induce autoreactive cytotoxic or suppressor cells directed against LAK cell activity. Thus while PRD and Con A can inhibit the generation of LAK cells, they also directly inhibit their specific cytotoxic activity on a per cell basis. These results suggest that like other cytotoxic cells, LAK cells are also under active immunologic control.
Experimental tests for randomness of quantum decay examined as a Markov process

Abstract The number of decays from four distinct nuclear disintegration processes were recorded over a long succession of counting intervals, converted into sequences of binary outcomes based on parity, and examined as a discrete two-state Markov process. The difference in single-step transition probabilities was found to be null to within an uncertainty of order 10 −3 , supporting the proposition that quantum particles decay at random unaffected by their past history.
Evaporative water loss, nitrogen excretion and osmoregulation in phyllomedusine frogs

1. Minimal rates of evaporative water loss in tree frogs of genusPhyllomedusa (P. pailona, P. iherengi, P. hypochondrialis) were only 5–10% those of representatives of two related genera,Agalychnis annae andPachymedusa dacnicolor (Table 1). 2. Phyllomedusa species,A. annae andP. dacnicolor all took up water rapidly (25–45% standard wt·hr−1) across the skin following prolonged water deprivation (Table 2). 3. When fed mealworms (Tenebrio larvae) and deprived of additional water, body fluid concentrations increased more slowly inPhyllomedusa species than in representatives of three other genera (Agalychnis, Pachymedusa andHyla) tested. Of thePhyllomedusa species,P. sauvagei showed by far the lowest rate of increase (Table 4). 4. The osmoregulatory ability of thePhyllomedusa species is primarily attributable to their ability to excrete urate. The fraction of total waste nitrogen production excreted as urate was 80% inP. sauvagei, ca. 45% inP. pailona andP. iherengi, and 24% inP. hypochondrialis. Urate excretion inAgalychnis, Pachymedusa andHyla was negligible (Tables 5 and 9). 5. Increased water intake did not alter the rate of urate production in the three species tested (P. sauvagei, P. hypochondrialis andA. annae) (Table 6). 6. Additional osmoregulatory benefit is derived byPhyllomedusa species from the binding of Na+, K+, and NH4+ to precipitated urate (Tables 5 and 7). 7. On a diet of mealworms, energy losses via the feces and nitrogen wastes ranged from 14 to 18% of intake in the four species ofPhyllomedusa and inP. dacnicolor, and were about equally divided between the two avenues (Tables 8 and 9). 8. These results suggest thatP. sauvagei could remain in water balance in nature on a diet of insects with little or no additional water intake.
Using evolutionary optimization to improve markov-based classification with limited training data

Bayesian classification using Markov model analysis of token strings is used in many areas such as computational linguistics, speech recognition, and bioinformatics. Unfortunately, for many problems, the available data sets are too small to accurately estimate the large number of parameters in a Markov model. In our work, we explore the possibility of using string space transformations to reduce the perplexity of the modeling problem and thereby improve model performance. The set of all possible string-to-string transformation functions is very large. By using a genetic algorithm to search for transformation functions that improve the performance of a Markov-based classifier, we are able to construct a classifier system that performs better than the Markov classifier alone. We go on to demonstrate the improved performance on the problem of classifying English and Spanish character strings, where training set size is arbitrarily limited.
Direct Flux and Torque Regulation in a PWM Inverter-Induction Motor Drive

A dc motor drive is controlled by varying the armature current and field current. The field is a measure of flux, and the armature current times field current is a measure of torque. Various approximate means of estimating the flux and torque levels in an induction motor exist. Most of these methods are sensitive to motor parameter value changes and do not work well near zero speed. Also, the harmonics in the motor voltage and current due to the nonsinusoidal inverter waveform cause errors in the estimated torque. A practical method has been developed to measure the flux level in an induction motor in the actual operating environment. Using the flux signals and stator current, the actual electromagnetic torque can be obtained. This torque signal responds correctly to motor saturation and inverter voltage waveform harmonics. The motor can be designed to operate without the customarily required flux margin, since the flux level is accurately controlled. The control strategy for use with these feedback signals does not require the use of a tachometer.
Subpicosecond carrier response of unannealed low-temperature-grown GaAs vs temperature

The subpicosecond carrier lifetime of an unannealed molecular beam epitaxial layer of GaAs grown at ∼210°C has been demonstrated between 10 and 290K through optoelectronic switching and all-optical pump-probe measurements. The low room-temperature resistivity of the as-grown layers, believed to arise from hopping conductivity through defect sites, has been observed to increase as the sample temperature was lowered, allowing ultrafast switching measurements to be performed using the low-temperature-as-grown GaAs as a photoconductive element. After illumination by 100 femtosecond optical pulses, photogenerated carriers in the sample have rapidly relaxed, returning the material to its high-resistivity state in less than 1 ps. This indicates that the precipitates present in post-annealed samples are not required for the fast relaxation of photoexcited carriers in low-temperature-grown GaAs. Ultrafast switching measurements on a post-annealed version of the GaAs film also resulted in the generation of similar, 0.6 ps full width at half maximum pulses.
Distinction between two molecular mechanisms for deformation of glassy amorphous polymers

Abstract During deformation of glassy amorphous polymers the rotation of rigid chain segments around skeletal bonds is restricted simultaneously by configurational (intramolecular) and chain-chain (intermolecular) energy barriers. These barriers are modeled in a self-consistent manner for six polymers by use of an approximate analytical treatment. The comparative contribution of these barriers to the small-strain modulus of the bulk solid is used as a basis for distinguishing between two mechanisms of stiffening. With polycarbonate, polyphenylene oxide, and an aromatic polyimide, in which the rigid chain segment is relatively long, the modulus derives its value primarily from the resistance to displacements across chains due to intermolecular barriers. With vinyl polymers such as polystyrene, poly(vinyl chloride) and poly(methyl methacrylate), however, in which the rigid chain segment is short, resistance to displacements along the main chain due to intramolecular barriers contributes equally significantl...
Crystallization behavior of amorphous Cu48Ti52: Formation of an intermediate long-period superlattice phase

Abstract Amorphous Cu48Ti52 crystallizes during continuous heating by a two-step process involving initial polymorphic transformation to a long period superlattice structure followed by decomposition to the equilibrium phases. From TEM lattice fringe imaging and diffraction data, an antiphase boundary (APB) model for the superlattice structure based on the equilibrium CuTi phase is proposed. The antiphase boundaries have a structure related to the minority equilibrium phase CuTi2. During longer anneals, oriented precipitates of CuTi2 form in the CuTi matrix with an orientation relationship rotated 90° from that of the APB structure. The reorientation minimizes strain energy between the lattices.
Blood flow and oxygen delivery to fetal organs as functions of fetal hematocrit

The purpose of our experiments was to relate blood flow and oxygen delivery (blood flow × arterial blood oxygen concentration) to fetal organs as functions of fetal hematocrit. In 12 chronically catheterized fetal lambs, we observed two patterns of responses of fetal organs and tissues to isovolemic alterations in fetal hematocrit from 12% to 55%. In group 1 organs (brain, heart, adrenal glands), blood flows increased as hematocrit was either raised or lowered from normal such that oxygen delivery to these organs was stable over the entire range of hematocrits studied. In group 2 organs (gastrointestinal tract organs, spleen, kidneys, placenta, and carcass), blood flows varied little over the range of hematocrits from 12% to 40% or 45% but decreased at hematocrits ≥ 40% to 45%. Because of these flow responses, oxygen delivery to these organs and tissues was maximal at hematocrits ranging from 32% to 38%. Our data indicate that the various organs of the unanesthetized fetal lamb respond in different ways to alterations in hematocrit. It is of particular interest that, in the great majority of the organs of the fetus, oxygen delivery is maximal at hematocrits considered normal for the fetal lamb in utero.
Apomorphine produces an acute dose-dependent therapeutic effect on neglect produced by unilateral destruction of the posterior parietal cortex in rats

The neglect syndrome is a complex and devastating neurological disorder typically induced by unilateral destruction of one of three regions of the neocortex: the inferior parietal lobule, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex or the cingulate cortex. Previous studies of neglect using a rodent model have indicated that disruption of dopaminergic mechanisms may underlie neglect. However, the pharmacological results were obtained using a rodent prefrontal model of the syndrome (medial agranular cortex), whereas the majority of cases of neglect in humans are produced by unilateral destruction of the posterior parietal cortex (inferior parietal lobule). The present study examined the effects of administration of the dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine on neglect induced by unilateral destruction of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) in rats. The results indicated that administration of apomorphine produced a significant dose-dependent decrease in the severity of neglect. The results support the contention that neglect induced by cortical damage may be produced by a disruption of dopaminergic mechanisms, and that the PPC may be one component of a cortical system for directed attention.
Area‐depth studies for thunderstorm rainfall in Illinois

The areal distribution of individual-thunderstorm rainfall on three small watersheds in central Illinois was investigated. Curves were fitted (for individual storms) for the maximum rainfall over certain sizes of area versus the size. These curves generally show maximum rainfall data to have a linear relationship to the square root of area.
SENSORY EQUILIBRIUM AND DARK ADAPTATION IN MYA ARENARIA

1. The reaction time of Mya to light is composed of two parts. The first, a sensitization period, is an exceedingly short interval of the order of magnitude associated with photographic processes. The second is a latent period of about 1.3 seconds, during which Mya need not remain exposed to the stimulating light. 2. The process of dark adaptation in Mya is orderly. Its progress may be represented by the formation of a photosensitive substance according to the dynamics of a bimolecular reaction. See PDF for Structure 3. Photosensory equilibrium as represented by the light- and dark-adapted conditions finds a rational explanation in terms of the "stationary state" of a reversible photochemical reaction involving a photosensitive substance and its two precursors. 4. There are two corollaries to this hypothesis. The first requires that the reaction time at sensory equilibrium for a given intensity should vary inversely with the temperature; the second, that the rate of dark adaptation should vary directly with the temperature. Experiments verified both of these requirements.
Eustrongylides tubifex (Nitzsch) encystment in an American ell Anguilla rostrata (Le Sueur)

A diseased American ell, Anguilla rostrata (Le Sueur), was captured during a survey of Little Mosquito Creek, Accomac County, Virginia, U.S.A. Two skin lesions were present. One was caused by the dermal encystment of a nematode, Eustrongylides tubifex; the other was of undetermined origin.
How Do Technology Application and Equity Impact Student Achievement

This study examines the impact of technology application on student achievement in the state of Georgia. Technology application includes elements such as technology access, technology integration, and teacher technology proficiency. Student achievement refers to students' standardized test scores in language, social studies, sciences, and mathematics in elementary, middle, and high schools. Results of Multiple Regression analysis yielded significant percentages of variance in student achievement that was attributable to Internet connected computer access. Another purpose of the study was to investigate the equity issues of school technology. School levels and student socioeconomic status were used as independent variables to determine if significant differences in technology application existed among the school levels and the socioeconomic status categories. Results of Analysis of Variance indicated that students of low socioeconomic status had far less opportunities to access Internet connected computers than students of high socioeconomic status. The level of technology application increased as students moved up the school level.
Surgical treatment of tricuspid stenosis.

In patients suffering with chronic valvular disease who are diagnosed as having mitral stenosis, there are found a few who have an associated tricuspid stenosis. The diagnosis of this combination of lesions is difficult. The unique opportunity to study the hemodynamics of "pure" tricuspid stenosis was presented when a patient, originally diagnosed as mitral stenosis, had in fact both lesions, and was treated by mitral commissurotomy. Subsequently tricuspid stenosis was suspected clinically and was demonstrated by serial catheterization studies. Tricuspid commissurotomy was performed four years after mitral commissurotomy.
Does acupuncture improve symptoms in patients with osteoarthritis who are awaiting knee replacement surgery

Does acupuncture improve symptoms in patients with osteoarthritis who are awaiting knee replacement surgery?
A solid‐phase synthetic strategy for the preparation of peptide‐based affinity labels: synthesis of dynorphin A analogs

: Solid-phase synthetic methodology was developed for the preparation of peptide-based affinity labels. The initial peptides synthesized were dynorphin A (Dyn A) analogs [Phe(p-X)4,d-Pro10]Dyn A(1–11)NH2 containing isothiocyanate (X = –N=C=S) and bromoacetamide (X = –NHCOCH2Br) groups. The peptides were assembled on solid supports using Fmoc-protected amino acids, and the side chain amine to be functionalized, Phe(p-NH2), was protected by the Alloc (allyloxycarbonyl) group. Following removal of the Alloc group by palladium(0), the reactive isothiocyanate and bromoacetamide functionalities were successfully introduced while the peptides were still attached to the resin. Synthesis of these peptides was carried out on polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene glycol–polystyrene (PEG–PS) resins containing the PAL [peptide amide linker, 5-(4-Fmoc-aminomethyl-3,5-dimethoxyphenoxy)valeric acid] linker. Both the rate of Alloc deprotection and the purity of the crude affinity-labeled peptides obtained were found to be dependent on the resin used for peptide assembly.
Remote sensing in hydrology

Hydrologic cycle basic principles of remote sensing precipitation snow hydrology evapotranspiration run-off soil moisture groundwater water quality water resources management and monitoring future developments.