cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermo-Elastic Responses Associated With Cavities and Cracks in Infinite Media

The increased adaption of classical thermo-elasticity solutions for rock mechanics applications has been evident in recent years. Specialized thermo-elastic solutions for a triaxial ellipsoidal cavity with uniform surface temperature are presented and results for several limiting cases are deduced. For completeness and comparison, solutions and results for the related thermally stressed problem of a prolate spheroidal cavity are detailed. In addition, the applicability of the finite element technique and appropriate failure criteria for in situ thermo-mechanical problems is indicated. 26 references.
The grouping of fish visual pigments about preferred positions in the spectrum.

Abstract 1. The absorption maxima and vitamin A basis are reported for visual pigments from twenty species (eleven families) of fishes inhabiting fresh, brackish and marine waters of Florida and fresh waters of Wisconsin U.S.A. Nineteen of these species have pigments based on vitamin A2 with λmax between 521 and 536 nm. 2. In one-half of the species examined the vitamin A2 pigment was “paired” with another based on vitamin A1 with λmax between 498 and 505 nm. Five of these species were freshwater cyprinids whilst the others passed between marine and freshwatcrs or spent their entire lives in brackish waters. 3. If these results are considered in conjunction with those of other authors, it is seen that the λmax of vitamin A2 pigments in fishes tend to form a series of groups of clusters about certain preferred points in the spectrum, viz. 543, 534, 524 and 512 nm. Some pigments in each of these groups are paired with vitamin A1 pigments, probably using the same opsins, which have λmax grouped at 510, 506, 500 and 492 nm. 4. The central wavelength, λ, of a group is empirically expressed by the equation λ = nx + 462, where n is an integer (or series number) and x is best given by 6.3 for the vitamin A1 series and 10.1 for the vitamin A2 series. 5. It is suggested that these observations may be accounted for by two hypotheses. (a) The grouping of λmax is the result of adaptation to a corresponding series of lightenvironments. (b) The structures of visual pigment molecules only permit discontinuous variation of λmax. It is proposed that there exists a unique series of discrete opsins (differing from each other in a regular and stepwise manner) and that these combine with retinene1 or retinene2 chromophores to yield two visual pigment series.
Unrestricted multistage vector quantizers

A low-complexity, high-performance vector quantization technique for medium-to-high-bit-rate encoding based on multistage (residual) VQ is introduced. The design, a variable-rate version of multistage VQ, is the vector extension of the piecewise uniform scalar quantizers of P.F. Swaszek and J.B. Thomas (1984), and is related to the piecewise uniform VQs of F. Kuhlmann and J.A. Buckview (1988). Examples for the independent Gaussian and Laplacian sources are included. >
Extension of core polarization in inelastic scattering to include charge-exchange reactions

An earlier formulation rougly relating core-polarization effects for different external fields, electromagnetic ($p,{p}^{\ensuremath{'}}$), ($\ensuremath{\alpha},{\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$), etc., through a 2 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} 2 core-polarization matrix has been generalized to include chargeexchange reactions under the assumption that the isospin of the nuclear states is pure. The pure isovector field of the direct charge-exchange reaction to an excited-analog state has both an isovector and an isoscalar field for the model space as in inelastic scattering. A crude schematic representation of the giant resonances, virtually excited by interaction with the model space and responsible for the core polarization, is used to estimate the effect on the core-polarization parameters of imposing isospin conservation. The results of the earlier formulation are changed only slightly. Direct excitation of giant-quadrupole resonances in $^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$ by ($p,{p}^{\ensuremath{'}}$) and ($n,p$) are compared. Energy shifts of the ${T}_{g}$ and ${T}_{l}$ isovector giant-quadrupole resonances are compared with the corresponding dipole shifts.NUCLEAR REACTIONS Low lying ${0}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{2}^{+}$ transitions; extension of core-polarization effects to include charge exchange by application of isospin conservation. Giant-quadrupole transition rates and isovector splitting estimated.
Cadmium(II) halide complexes of pyrazine

Abstract Pyrazine forms 1:1 complexes with cadmium(II) halides, CdX 2 · pyrazine (X = Cl, Br, I). The structures of all three members of this series have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. All of the complexes crystallize as infinite CdX 2 chains in which cadmium atoms are doubly bridged by pairs of halide atoms; pyrazine ligands complete the pseudo-octahedral coordination of the cadmium atoms and link the CdX 2 chains to form extended two-dimensional layers. While this type of coordination is fairly common for chloro and bromo derivatives, the iodo compound represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first example of an iodo derivative with this coordination. In each case the layers stack along the crystallographic a -axis to complete the structure. In the bromo and iodo complexes, which are isomorphous, the pyrazine ring planes are perpendicular to the plane of the layer. The chloro derivative has a very similar structure; however, the pyrazine rings are rotated by 19.3° away from perpendicular, bringing the ortho -CH groups into close proximity [2.89 (2) A] to a chloride atom.
The Context of University Departments: Differences Between Fields of Higher and Lower Levels of Paradigm Development.

This study demonstrates that the concept of paradigm development can explain differences in organizational contexts of university departments. Departments from high-paradigm fields are embedded in a context with clearly identifiable and distinguishable dimensions. In contrast, departments representing lower levels of paradigm development have unclear contexts where major dimensions like size and technology cannot be distinguished from one another. The implications of these results are discussed and elaborated.
A Sharp Bound for the Marginal Appendage Number

Abstract For a connected graph G , the distance d(u, v) between two vertices u and v is the length of a shortest u − v path in G and the distance d(v) of a vertex v is the sum of the distances between v and all vertices of G . The margin, μ (G) , is the subgraph induced by vertices of G having the maximum distance. It is known that every graph is isomorphic to the margin of some graph H . For a graph G , the marginal appendage number is defined as min { p ( H ) − p ( G ) ∣ μ ( H ) = G }. In this paper it is shown that Δ ( G ) + 2 is a sharp bound for the marginal appendage number.
Expression of essential B cell development genes in horses with common variable immunodeficiency.

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a heterogeneous disorder of B cell differentiation or function with inadequate antibody production. Our laboratory studies a natural form of CVID in horses characterized by late-onset B cell lymphopenia due to impaired B cell production in the bone marrow. This study was undertaken to assess the status of B cell differentiation in the bone marrow of CVID-affected horses by measuring the expression of genes essential for early B cell commitment and development. Standard RT-PCR revealed that most of the transcription factors and key signaling molecules that directly regulate B cell differentiation in the bone marrow and precede PAX5 are expressed in the affected horses. Yet, the expression of PAX5 and relevant target genes was variable. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis confirmed that the mRNA expression of E2A, PAX5, CD19, and IGHD was significantly reduced in equine CVID patients when compared to healthy horses (p < 0.05). In addition, the PAX5/EBF1 and PAX5/B220 ratios were significantly reduced in CVID patients (p < 0.01). Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the absence of PAX5-BSAP expression in the bone marrow of affected horses. Our data suggest that B cell development seems to be impaired at the transition between pre-pro-B cells and pro-B cells in equine CVID patients.
A comparison of peer influence measures as predictors of smoking among predominately hispanic/latino high school adolescents.

Abstract Purpose Consistent evidence has shown that one of the most significant influences on adolescent smoking is peer influence. There is considerable variation, however, in how peer influence is measured. This study constructs social network influence and selection variables from egocentric and sociometric data to compare their associations with smoking, with considerations of perceived smoking norms and adolescent popularity. Methods Longitudinal data were collected in the 9th and 10th grades in October 2006 and 2007 from predominantly Hispanic/Latino adolescents in seven Southern California schools; among these adolescents, 1,950 completed surveys at both waves. Both cross-sectional (separately for 9th and 10th graders) and longitudinal models were estimated. Results An egocentric measure of perceived friend smoking was strongly and consistently associated with individual smoking (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] ≈ 1.80, p p p p = .05). Conclusions This study illustrates the utility of egocentric data for understanding peer influence and underscores the importance of perceptions and popularity as mechanisms that influence adolescent smoking.
How to Solve a Cubic Equation, Part 3: General Depression and a New Covariant

For pt.2 see ibid., vol. 26, no. 4, p. 90-100 (2006). Our ultimate goal here is twofold. We want to get insight into how cubic polynomials work, what are the invariants/covariants and their geometric interpretations. This article also describes how a transformation in parameter space relates to the transformation in coefficient space
The donor in bone marrow transplantation.

T HE EVOLUTION of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from purely experimental therapy for patients in leukemic relapse to the indicated treatment for certain malignancies and congenital disorders has been a result of multiple factors.‘.2 Major strides in the field of immunobiology have provided the basis for a more rational clinical approach to bone marrow transplant candidates.” In particular, further understanding of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), which encompasses the genes for human leukocyte antigens (HLA), has improved our ability to select an appropriate marrow donor.3 As increasing numbers of institutions are offering bone marrow transplants as a treatment option, various issues pertinent to the role of the donor are arising. These issues, which may affect the recipient’s clinical course as well as the donor’s well being, are discussed.
Microstructural damage due to dynamic loading of Cu−Co dispersion alloys

Transmission electron microscopy techniques have been employed to study the microstructural changes accompanying deformation and spallation during the dynamic loading of Cu-Co dispersion alloys. Alloys aged to produce coherent precipitate particles exhibited a loss of coherency and apparent precipitate enlargement after being subjected to dynamic loading conditions. Over-aged alloys containing incoherent precipitates exhibited precipitate growth, dislocation entanglements and void initiation in the matrix adjacent to precipitate-matrix interfaces. The superior spallation resistance of alloys containing fine coherent precipitates is attributed to the difficulty of void nucleation at low misfit interfaces which can accommodate dislocation cutting and offer preferred sinks for excess vacancies. A model based on the generation of excess lattice vacancies during dynamic loading is described to account for the observation of particle enlargement and loss of coherency, as well as the preferred initiation of voids adjacent to incoherent particles.
Blowup in the Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation Near Critical Dimension

Abstract This article contains an analysis of the cubic nonlinear Schrodinger equation and solutions that become singular in finite time. Numerical simulations show that in three dimensions the blowup is self-similar and symmetric. In two dimensions, the blowup still appears to be symmetric but is no longer self-similar. In the case that the dimension, d , is greater than and exponentially close to 2 in terms of a small parameter associated to the norm of the blow-up solution, a locally unique, monotonically decreasing in modulus, self-similar solution that satisfies the boundary and global conditions associated with the blow-up solution is constructed in Kopell and Landman [1995, SIAM J. Appl., Math. 55 , 1297–1323]. In this article, it is shown that this locally unique solution also exists for d > 2 and algebraically close to 2 in the same small parameter. The central idea of the proof involves constructing a pair of manifolds of solutions (to the nonautonomous ordinary differential equation satisfied by the self-similar solutions) that satisfy the conditions at r = 0 and the asymptotic conditions respectively and then showing that these intersect transversally. A key step involves tracking one of the manifolds over a midrange in which the ordinary differential equation has a turning point and hence obtaining good control over the solutions on the manifold.
The Saga of the ‘Second industrial divide’ and the history of the ‘third Italy’: Evidence from export data

Abstract The idea of the Third Italy has achieved an iconic status in geography. It has come to represent one of the main geographical manifestations of the so‐called second industrial divide between Fordist mass production and flexible specialisation. Yet the idea has received limited critical attention since acquiring its elevated status. It deserves to do so, because it involves confusing a localised model of economic development with the economic character of a larger geographic region. Examining province level export data for the years 1985, 1991, 1995 and 1999 for both total exports and two key sectors using exploratory spatial data analysis, provincial rankings and LISAs (local indicators of spatial association) suggests that the export‐based homogeneity and dynamism of the Third Italy can be exaggerated. Italy's urban hierarchy, particularly the centrality of Milan, continues to play a significant role in the Italian economy. Common use of the term ‘Third Italy’ confuses an economic process with a...
SYNTHESIS AND CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF THE ALKYLBISMUTH DIIODIDES : A FAMILY OF EXTENDED ONE-DIMENSIONAL ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUNDS

Crystals of the organometallic compounds CnH2n+1BiI2 (n = 2, 4) have been grown under solvothermal conditions, using a reaction between R3Bi (R = C2H5, C4H9) and BiI3, in a diethyl ether solution. Both compounds crystallize in the orthorhombic space group Pbam with the unit cell parameters a = 15.228(1) A, b = 10.964(1) A, c = 4.3505(2) A, and Z = 4, for C2H5BiI2, and a = 25.515(2) A, b = 8.4192(6) A, c = 4.3467(2) A, and Z = 4, for C4H9BiI2. The solid state structures of these two compounds, when compared with the recently reported CH3BiI2 (n = 1) structure, demonstrate that the alkylbismuth diiodides form a family of extended one-dimensional organic−inorganic materials. The framework of the RBiI2 (R = alkyl) chains in each compound is virtually identical, with each bismuth having a square pyramidal coordination of four iodines in the basal plane and a covalently bonded terminal carbon from an alkyl group in the apical site. Each basal square shares trans edges with two nearest neighbors to form a one-di...
Improved statistical prediction of surface currents based on historic HF-radar observations

Accurate short-term prediction of surface currents can improve the efficiency of search-and-rescue operations, oil-spill response, and marine operations. We developed a linear statistical model for predicting surface currents (up to 48 h in the future) based on a short time history of past HF-radar observations (past 48 h) and an optional forecast of surface winds. Our model used empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) to capture spatial correlations in the HF-radar data and used a linear autoregression model to predict the temporal dynamics of the EOF coefficients. We tested the developed statistical model using historical observations of surface currents in Monterey Bay, California. The predicted particle trajectories separated from particles advected with HF-radar data at a rate of 4.4 km/day. The developed model was more accurate than an existing statistical model (drifter separation of 5.5 km/day) and a circulation model (drifter separation of 8.9 km/day). When the wind forecast was not available, the accuracy of our model degraded slightly (drifter separation of 4.9 km/day), but was still better than existing models. We found that the minimal length of the HF-radar data required to train an accurate statistical model was between 1 and 2 years, depending on the accuracy desired. Our evaluation showed that the developed model is accurate, is easier to implement and maintain than existing statistical and circulation models, and can be relocated to other coastal systems of similar complexity that have a sufficient history of HF-radar observations.
Diagnostic classification of cancer using DNA microarrays and artificial intelligence.

: The application of artificial intelligence (AI) to microarray data has been receiving much attention in recent years because of the possibility of automated diagnosis in the near future. Studies have been published predicting tumor type, estrogen receptor status, and prognosis using a variety of AI algorithms. The performance of intelligent computing decisions based on gene expression signatures is in some cases comparable to or better than the current clinical decision schemas. The goal of these tools is not to make clinicians obsolete, but rather to give clinicians one more tool in their armamentarium to accurately diagnose and hence better treat cancer patients. Several such applications are summarized in this chapter, and some of the common pitfalls are noted.
A psychophysiological study of high and very high frequency manual materials handling: Part II - Carrying and turning

Abstract The psychophysical and physiological responses of males to short-duration (2 hours) high (up to 16 times per minute) and very high frequency (above 16 times per minute) carrying and turning tasks are presented in this paper. The handling frequencies studied were: 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22 carries per minute. Just as in the first part of the study, 10 highly trained males participated in the experiment. Their heart rates, oxygen consumption, and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) of the arms, shoulders, back and whole body at the maximum acceptable weight of carry (MAWC) were determined. The results for the carrying study were different from lifting and lowering study (part I) and indicated that the effect of handling frequency on all responses was highly significant. Furthermore, while the MAWC declined with frequency, by as much as 15%, the work rate increased by approximately 33%. The heart rate increased, on the average, by almost 12% as the frequency increased from 14 carries per minute to 22 carries per minute. The corresponding increase in oxygen consumption was approximately 26%. The RPE values for arms, shoulders, back, and whole body, however, indicated that subjects considered these activities to be “light” to “somewhat hard”, regardless of the frequency. On the average, subjects operated at approximately 53% of carrying aerobic capacity (equivalent to 43% of graded treadmill aerobic capacity), thus indicating that physical and physiological burden on the subjects, even though lower than for lifting and lowering, were still quite severe.
A method for discriminating between chemically induced changes in locomotor activity and whole-body oxygen consumption in mice.

Abstract Concurrent measurements of O 2 consumption and locomotor activity were made in adult female mice at 20 and 34°C. As anticipated, activity and O 2 consumption were positively correlated with a high degree of statistical significance. A 30-fold increase in spontaneous motor activity, however, was accompanied by only a 30% increase in O 2 consumption. Extrapolation of the regression relationship to zero activity provided a novel means of estimating the basal metabolic rate (BMR) of mice. That value agreed with traditional estimates based on resting or sleeping animals. Under our conditions the respiratory quotient for mice was 0.83 at 20°C and 1.0 at 34°C. Oxygen consumption averaged over all levels of spontaneous activity was 4.79 ml g −1 hr −1 at 20°C and 2.21 ml g −1 hr −1 at 34°C. These estimates are actually lower than those of others who employed physical restraint to control activity. Because the BMR of mice constitutes about 70% of the O 2 consumption at the highest levels of spontaneous motor activity, drug-induced changes in motor activity may not significantly affect O 2 consumption. Alternatively, it may be obvious that the two changes are not correlated. For example, in our hands pentobarbital decreased motor activity without affecting O 2 consumption, and amphetamine increased motor activity but decreased O 2 consumption. When the changes are in the same direction, the problem of distinguishing between a metabolic or respiratory effect of the drug and a change related to increased or decreased motor activity becomes more difficult. Analysis of covariance offers one possible approach to this problem.
Fighting back against male-killers

Male-killing endosymbionts create a genetic black hole into which host nuclear genes vanish. In a recent paper, Hornett et al. transferred male-killing Wolbachia between different strains of the butterfly Hypolimnas bolina through hybridization and backcrossing. Their results provide unambiguous evidence of genetic variation for resistance to male-killers. A possible consequence of such variation is that male-killing might appear and disappear quickly on an evolutionary timescale.
Low utility of dobutamine stress echocardiograms in the preoperative evaluation of patients scheduled for noncardiac surgery

UNLABELLED In this study, we examined the utility of preoperative dobutamine stress echocardiograms (DSE) obtained for 85 patients in accordance with guidelines published by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA). The medical record of each patient was reviewed to identify the clinical criteria that indicated the need for a DSE, the DSE results, therapeutic interventions rendered as a result of the DSE, and any perioperative cardiac morbidity. The DSE was positive for inducible ischemia in 4 patients (4.7%), negative in 74 (87.1%), and nondiagnostic in 7 (8.2%). DSEs that were obtained for 48 patients because of a history of diabetes mellitus, mild angina, or "minor clinical predictors" produced only negative results. Of the four patients with positive DSE results, three underwent coronary angiography, and one of those three underwent bypass grafting before surgery. An additional 29 patients received a preoperative DSE but were excluded from the study because the criteria for ordering the DSE did not meet the ACC/AHA guidelines. No patient had any perioperative morbidity related to myocardial ischemia. The total patient charge for the 85 DSEs obtained at our institution was US$104,635. Use of the ACC/AHA guidelines for preoperative DSEs does not appear to be cost-effective. However, the current algorithm could be significantly improved by altering the criteria for obtaining preoperative DSEs. IMPLICATIONS This study was a retrospective review of 85 patient charts that found a low cost-effectiveness of using American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for obtaining preoperative dobutamine stress echocardiograms. Suggested modifications of these guidelines should improve their specificity with no loss in sensitivity.
Optical median filtering using threshold decomposition

A hybrid optical/electronic system performs median filtering and related ranked-order operations using threshold decomposition to encode the image. Threshold decomposition transforms the nonlinear neighborhood ranking operation into a linear space-invariant filtering step followed by a point-to-point threshold comparison step. Spatial multiplexing allows parallel processing of all the threshold components as well as recombination by a second linear space-invariant filtering step. An incoherent optical correlation system performs the linear filtering, using a magnetooptic spatial light modulator as the input device and a computergenerated hologram in the filter plane. Thresholding is done electronically. By adjusting the value of the threshold, the same architecture is used to perform median, minimum, and maximum filtering of images.
A Social Network Analysys of Influences On Athletes To Play With Pain and Injuries

This paper shows how structural social network analysis can be a potentially powerful way of conceptualizing and explaining athletes' acceptance of the risks of pain and injury in sport. In particu...
Lymphoid cells in the turtle bladder

Lymphoid nodules and diffuse lymphocytic infiltration are common in turtle urinary bladders. Nodules, usually located immediately beneath the epithelial layer, were found in 15 of 29 different hemibladders surveyed. A whole cross-section of each hemibladder was examined in the survey. The nodules consisted of aggregates of dense lymphocytes without germinal centers. Erosion of the epithelial layer over the nodule was found in approximately one third of the cases. Scattered lymphocytes were abundant within the epithelial layer and were found in smears from the mucosal surface. Pyroninophilic cells resembling plasma cells were found in all regions of the bladder. Electron micrographs showed lymphocytes and plasma cells in the epithelial layer above the basement membrane.
Nitric oxide (NO) is required for neuronal differentiation: A cGMP independent pathway. † 1710

PC12 cells are used as a model system to study neuronal differentiation. Nerve growth factor (NGF) treatment of PC12 cells induces neurite outgrowth (a measure of differentiation) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) protein expression. Neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells is significantly reduced in the presence of the NOS inhibitor, L-NAME, implicating NO in the differentiation process. To further evaluate the role of NO in neuronal differentiation, PC12 cells were treated with either the NO donor, sodium nitroprusside, or the cGMP analog, 8Br-cGMP. In neither case was differentiation induced. Thus, NO is necessary but not sufficient for PC12 cell differentiation. Since NO has both para- and autocrine properties, the effect of oxyhemoglobin (a scavenger of NO in the medium) on NGF-treated PC12 cells was also determined. This treatment significantly reduced the number of neurites produced by NGF treated PC12 cells. Thus, cell-cell communication appears to be necessary for NO to exert its effect during the differentiation process. Most of the effects of NO are thought to be mediated by soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) activation with the resulting product, cGMP, acting as a secondary messenger. Thus, sGC activation as the means by which NO is involved in PC12 cell differentiation was evaluated. In the presence of NGF (to prime PC12 cells for differentiation) and L-NAME (to inhibit NO synthesis) the addition of SNP resulted in PC12 cell differentiation. However, in the presence of NGF and L-NAME, 8Br-cGMP failed to produce significant PC12 cell differentiation. Similarly, blockade of sGC activity with specific inhibitors failed to block NGF-induced PC12 cell differentiation. These results demonstrate that the action of NO is critical in PC12 cell differentiation but appears to be independent of sGC activation and cGMP production.
Visualization of electronic properties of molecules in chemical reactions

Modern computational methods allow for the tracking of entire chemical reactions, ranging from initial reactants, through transition states, and to the final products. They also permit the computation of a variety of properties that can change as the reaction proceeds from start to finish. Visualization of these reactions is often difficult and usually limited to static displays of specific steps along the reaction paths. This article describes a program, Reaction Viewer, that we have developed to visualize a chemical reaction dynamically. The article also describes the use of this program to see the movement of electrons and other electronic effects, as well as steric ramifications during the reaction.
Race, psychiatric comorbidity, and headache characteristics in patients in headache subspecialty treatment clinics

Objective. This research examined how race, psychiatric comorbidity, and headache characteristics are inter-related in patients with severe headache disorders. Design. This study used a naturalistic cohort design and assessed 114 Black and 173 White patients receiving treatment in headache subspecialty clinics in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Toledo, OH. Face-to-face interviews yielded headache and psychiatric diagnoses; 30-day daily diaries collected data on headache frequency, severity, and disability; and self-administered surveys obtained data on headache management self-efficacy, headache locus of control, and quality of life. Results. Compared with Whites, Blacks reported more frequent and severe headaches, were more likely to be diagnosed with depressive disorders, and were more likely to be diagnosed with chronic headaches. White and Black patients diagnosed with both depression and anxiety reported the most frequent headache days per month and the lowest levels of life quality and headache...
Absolute temperature measurement in a laser‐heated diamond anvil cell

[1] The laser-heated diamond anvil cell has been widely used to study mineral physics under high pressure and temperature, and these studies have provided valuable information in understanding planetary interiors; however, use of the spectroradiometric method in the studies has raised concerns about the accuracy of obtained temperature values. We have built a laser-heating system coupled with nuclear resonant inelastic x-ray scattering to explore particular physical properties of deep-Earth materials. Energy spectra of iron were measured up to 58 GPa and 1700 K. The detailed balance principle applied to the inelastic x-ray scattering spectra provides absolute temperatures of the laser-heated sample. These temperatures are in very good agreement with values determined from the thermal radiation spectra fitted to the Planck radiation function up to 1700 K. Our data provide, for the first time, independent confirmation of the validity of temperatures determined from spectroradiometric method in the laser-heated diamond cell experiments.
Upper limit for the rate of reaction of Cl(2PJ) with methyl chloroform

The kinetics of the reaction Cl(2PJ) + CCl3 + HCl has been investigated over the temperature range 259–403 K. Cl(2PJ) was prepared by 355 mm pulsed laser photolysis of Cl2 and detected by time-resolved resonance fluorescence. Upper limits for k3(T) in units of 10−14 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 are 2.40 at 259 K, 3.68 at 298 K, and 7.74 at 356 K. At 403 K, secondary production of Cl(2PJ) was observed under all experimental conditions. The title reaction is too show to be important in atmospheric chemistry.
How easily can omission of patients, or selection amongst poorly-reproducible measurements, create artificial correlations? Methods for detection and implications for observational research design in cardiology

Abstract Background When reported correlation coefficients seem too high to be true, does investigative verification of source data provide suitable reassurance? This study tests how easily omission of patients or selection amongst irreproducible measurements generate fictitious strong correlations, without data fabrication. Method and results Two forms of manipulation are applied to a pair of normally-distributed, uncorrelated variables: first, exclusion of patients least favourable to a hypothesised association and, second, making multiple poorly-reproducible measurements per patient and choosing the most supportive. Excluding patients raises correlations powerfully, from 0.0±0.11 (no patients omitted) to 0.40±0.11 (one-fifth omitted), 0.59±0.08 (one-third omitted) and 0.78±0.05 (half omitted). Study size offers no protection: omitting just one-fifth of 75 patients (i.e. publishing 60) makes 92% of correlations statistically significant. Worse, simply selecting the most favourable amongst several measurements raises correlations from 0.0±0.12 (single measurement of each variable) to 0.73±0.06 (best of 2), and 0.90±0.03 (best of 4). 100% of correlation coefficients become statistically significant. Scatterplots may reveal a telltale "shave sign" or "bite sign". Simple statistical tests are presented for these suspicious signatures in single or multiple studies. Conclusion Correlations are vulnerable to data manipulation. Cardiology is especially vulnerable to patient deletion (because cardiologists ourselves might completely control enrolment and measurement), and selection of "best" measurements (because alternative heartbeats are numerous, and some modalities poorly reproducible). Source data verification cannot detect these but tests might highlight suspicious data and – aggregating across studies – unreliable laboratories or research fields. Cardiological correlation research needs adequately-informed planning and guarantees of integrity, with teeth.
Optimized expression vector for ion channel studies in Xenopus oocytes and mammalian cells using alfalfa mosaic virus

Plasmid vectors used for mammalian expression or for in vitro cRNA translation can differ substantially and are rarely cross-compatible. To make comparisons between mammalian and Xenopus oocyte expression systems, it would be advantageous to use a single vector without the need for shuttle vectors or subcloning. We have designed such a vector, designated pUNIV for universal, with elements that will allow for in vitro or ex vivo expression in multiple cell types. We tested the expression of pUNIV-based cDNA cassettes using enhanced green fluorescent protein and two forms of the type A γ-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABAAR) and compared pUNIV to vectors optimized for expression in either Xenopus oocytes or mammalian cells. In HEK293 cells, radioligand binding was robust, and patch clamp experiments showed that subtle macroscopic GABAAR kinetics were indistinguishable from our previous results. In Xenopus oocytes, agonist median effective concentration measurements matched previous work using a vector optimized for oocyte expression. Furthermore, we found that expression using pUNIV was significantly enhanced in oocytes and was remarkably long-lasting in both systems.
Introductory Study of Structures of Cotton Motes and Mote Fibers

Abnormalities in cotton fibers and seed formation produce materials that cause defects during production of textiles. The source of some of these defects has been traced to motes and mote, or undeveloped, fibers. Structures of motes and mote fibers are shown using light and electron microscopy. Bolls collected from normal. stressed, and diseased plants are compared for numbers and kinds of motes. Small motes are difficult to separate from fiber bundles after boll opening. Large motes have undevel oped embryos and break apart more readily than do normally developed seeds. Mote fibers may develop into long, hollow tubes without secondary cellulose layers. These flat fibers contain little cellulose compared to fully developed fibers. Both the chemical and physical structures of motes and mote fibers contribute to defects in textile products.
High-risk features of lupus nephritis: importance of race and clinical and histological factors in 166 patients

Background. The pleomorphic nature of lupus nephritis has confounded efforts to refine estimates of prognosis. Consideration of interactions among prognostic factors may help to identify high-risk patients. Methods. By univariate and multivariate survival analysis, race and attributes of severe active lupus nephritis were evaluated as potentially important prognostic factors in 166 patients upon entry into prospective therapeutic trials of lupus kidney disease. Results. Black patients were significantly more likely than others to develop renal insufficiency. Cellular crescents emerged as the most predictive active pathological feature and interstitial fibrosis was the strongest chronic histological prognostic factor. Combinations of these morphological attributes identified particularly high-risk individuals. Patients with 50% or more cellular crescents and those with less extensive cellular crescents plus moderate to severe interstitial fibrosis were at markedly increased risk for doubling serum creatinine compared to those who lacked these histologic features (P<0.0001). Azotaemia, anaemia, hypocomplementaemia, hypertension, tubular atrophy and glomerular sclerosis were also associated with an increased probability of renal function deterioration. Serum creatinine, haematocrit, race, and kidney pathology data emerged as independent predictors of renal insufficiency. Black patients in this study were more likely than the others to have high-risk histological features, including extensive cellular crescents (≥ 50%) and moderate to severe interstitial fibrosis, prior to randomization. Conclusions. Combinations of high-risk demographic, clinical and histological attributes identify patients at increased risk for progressive renal function deterioration. Several factors, including the severity of kidney biopsy findings, probably contribute to the poor prognosis of Black patients in this study population.
Altruistic Utility Functions for Joint Decisions

All of us make decisions that are not entirely self-centered; we voluntarily anticipate what we think to be the preferences of others and incorporate them into our decision making. We do this, not because of legal requirements or social norms, but because we are altruistic; we care intrinsically about the welfare of others. In this paper, we illustrate for these types of decisions how confusion may arise because the distinction between our personal (egotistical) preferences and our altruistic concerns is not carefully distinguished. We first define the distinction between personal and altruistic preferences, and then show how to use both of these kinds of preferences in prescriptive decision making methodologies. We confine ourselves to the class of problems where two or more people must select a common course of action. The following story illustrates a simple example. Joan and Dan have decided to have dinner and must choose a restaurant. They quickly specify three possibilities: a Brazilian restaurant, a French restaurant, and a Thai restaurant. Joan is thoughtful and wishes to choose a restaurant that Dan will really like. Similarly, Dan wants to choose a restaurant that pleases Joan. So what happens? Joan, thinking about what might be Dan’s preferences, decides that Dan would like the French restaurant, followed by the Brazilian restaurant, followed by the Thai restaurant. Dan, thinking about what Joan would like, also decides that the French restaurant would be best, followed by the Brazilian restaurant, and then the Thai restaurant. Joan speaks first and suggests the French restaurant. Dan, thinking that this is what Joan wants, agrees and off they go. During dinner discussion, Joan mentions that she would have preferred the Thai restaurant to the French restaurant. Somewhat surprised, Dan then says that he also would have preferred the Thai restaurant. They wonder how this state of affairs came about.
An approach to targeted drug delivery based on uniform magnetic fields

The capability to deliver high effective dosages to specific sites in the human body has become the holy grail of drug delivery research. Drugs with proven effectiveness under in vitro investigation often reach a major roadblock under in vivo testing due to a lack of an effective delivery strategy. In addition, many clinical scenarios require delivery of agents that are therapeutic at the desired delivery point, but otherwise systemically toxic. We propose a method for targeted drug delivery by applying uniform magnetic fields to an injected superparamagnetic colloidal fluid carrying a drug. The experimental and theoretical models presented give insight into the use of magnetic microspheres for site-specific delivery of therapeutic agents and blood flow occlusion for embolotherapy.
RESISTANCE AND RESILIENCE OF LOTIC ALGAL COMMUNITIES: IMPORTANCE OF DISTURBANCE TIMING AND CURRENT'

We examined effects of disturbance timing on resistance and resilience of epilithic algal communities growing in fast- (29 cm/s) and slow- (12 cm/s) current outdoor experimental stream channels in Kentucky, USA that were either left undisturbed (control) over 33 d following a simulated spate, or were subjected to an additional spate after either 9, 18, 27, or 33 d. On day 33, all channels were subjected to a final spate to assess effects of short-term disturbance history on resistance, independently of seasonal influences. Suc- cession proceeded from a sparsely populated community dominated by a small, monora- phid diatom (Achnanthes minutissima) immediately after the initial spate, to dominance by dense floating mats of filamentous green algae (Zygnematales: Mougeotia and Spirogyra) and Synedra spp. by day 21-24. Resistance was generally lower in slow-current commu- nities, both in terms of cell-density reduction and displacement of taxonomic structure, than in fast-current communities. Resistance in slow-current communities varied tem- porally, with communities least resistant on day 18, when community composition and physiognomy was changing rapidly, and on day 33, when green algal mats began to senesce. On day 33, slow-current communities that had not been recently disturbed (control, D9) exhibited greatest spate-induced loss of algal biomass. Additionally, slow-current com- munities with high pre-disturbance phaeophytin content (an indicator of algal senescence) also changed most in diatom assemblage structure across the final spate. No such rela- tionship was noted in fast current, suggesting that autogenic factors influenced communities in slow current more than those in fast. Resilience was higher in slow-current communities than in fast current, with disturbed communities reaching biomass and taxonomic structure similar to controls after 3-9 d. High resilience in slow current resulted from enhanced reproduction in some populations following spate-induced biomass reduction and pre- sumed release from nutrient and light limitation, and low shear stress relative to fast- current channels where biomass accrual was limited by current. Interactions between dis- turbance timing, successional state, and habitat affect the susceptibility of epilithic algal communities to disturbance and likely influence temporal and spatial heterogeneity in stream ecosystems.
MJ: a rational module system for Java and its applications

While Java provides many software engineering benefits, it lacks a coherent module system and instead provides only packages (which are primarily a name space mechanism) and classloaders (which are very low-level). As a result, large Java applications suffer from unexpected interactions between independent components, require complex CLASSPATH definitions, and are often extremely complex to install and maintain. We have implemented a module system for Java called MJ that is implemented with class loaders, but provides a much higher-level interface. High-level properties can be specified in a module definition and are enforced by the module system as new modules are loaded. To experimentally validate the ability of MJ to properly handle the complex module inter-relationships found in large Java server systems, we replaced the classloader mechanisms of Apache Tomcat 4.1.18 [27] with 30 MJ modules. The modified Tomcat is functionally identical to the original, but requires no CLASSPATH definitions, and will operate correctly even if user code loads a different version of a module used by Tomcat, such as the Xerces XML parser [31]. Furthermore, by making a small change to the Java core libraries enabled by MJ, we obtained a 30% performance improvement in a servlet microbenchmark.
Characterization and optimization of charge trapping in high-k dielectrics

Continued scaling of semiconductor devices in logic and memory applications requires the introduction of high-k (HK) dielectrics to enhance the capacitance density while maintaining a low leakage. Of particular concern in DRAM memory applications is the so called `dielectric relaxation current', which is significantly enhanced with HfO2 dielectrics as compared to SiO2. In this paper, it is shown that these relaxation currents arise from electron trapping/detrapping by/from oxygen vacancy defects in the HfO2 dielectric from/to the contact electrodes. This understanding is utilized to minimize `dielectric relaxation currents' by optimizing the defect structure in the HK dielectric. By creating trap-free dielectric films with N or La doping, we show that substantial reductions in the relaxation currents can be achieved. For the first time, it is demonstrated that a HK dielectric stack formed as a result of these treatments can have reduced relaxation currents similar to SiO2, thus providing a pathway to solving a fundamental paradigm associated with HK dielectrics that has persisted for several years.
A structure of the human apoptosome at 12.8 A resolution provides insights into this cell death platform.

Summary Apaf-1 and cytochrome c coassemble in the presence of dATP to form the apoptosome. We have determined a structure of the apoptosome at 12.8 A resolution by using electron cryomicroscopy and single-particle methods. We then docked appropriate crystal structures into the map to create an accurate domain model. Thus, we found that seven caspase recruitment domains (CARDs) form a central ring within the apoptosome. At a larger radius, seven copies of the nucleotide binding and oligomerization domain (NOD) associate laterally to form the hub, which encircles the CARD ring. Finally, an arm-like helical domain (HD2) links each NOD to a pair of β propellers, which bind a single cytochrome c. This model provides insights into the roles of dATP and cytochrome c in assembly. Our structure also reveals how a CARD ring and the central hub combine to create a platform for procaspase-9 activation.
DEVELOPMENTAL, GENDER, AND PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN SCORING CURRICULUM-BASED MEASUREMENT WRITING PROBES

The present study focused on CBM written language procedures by conducting an investigation of the developmental, gender, and practical considerations surrounding three categories of CBM written language scoring indices: production-dependent, production-independent, and accurate-production. Students in first- through eighth-grade generated a three-minute writing sample in the fall and spring of the school year using standard CBM procedures. The writing samples were scored using all three types of scoring indices to assess the trends in scoring indices for students of varying ages and gender and of the time required to score writing samples using various scoring indices. With only one exception, older students outperformed younger students on all of the scoring indices. Although at the middle school level students' levels of writing fluency and writing accuracy were not closely associated, at the younger grade levels the CBM indices were significantly related. With regard to gender differences, girls outperformed boys on measures of writing fluency at all grade levels. The average scoring time per writing sample ranged from 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 minutes (depending on grade level). © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 40: 379–390, 2003.